Hey, there! I've been out of commission for a long time now, so if anyone is still acknowledging my existence, then thanks for reading this story! :D If it isn't as top notch as previous, then you should know I'm kinda rusty. : /

Before I begin, I have to correct something in the summary. It was slightly too long for the character limit, so here it is in better detail:

When the Ing manage to kill U-Mos, the Luminoth are sure it is their end. But the Emperor Ing promises odd tidings, that in three days, U-Mos shall rise. His promise is disturbing, yet the Luminoth hope. Then their hope becomes horror when the Emperor's promise rings gruesomely true.

Better? I thought so.

Anyway, this epic masterpiece of Hollowed Moonshine is a request by Silver the Wolfwrath. It is post-Echoes, so keep that in mind as it progresses. Also, I've tweaked quite a bit of the original story I had created prior to insert Silver's OC. Bear with me during the early stages; it'll get much better as it goes! (Silver's OC is the narrator, but even though she isn't mentioned in the summary, she's got a huge role in the story. The section before the break is just a bit of back-story, since she isn't my character.) I hope Silver likes it!

Review and enjoy. Forgive me of any errors, as always.

Hollowed Moonshine...

Part One: Battered and Beaten

Planet Aether. Many memories prowl my mind when I imagine its terrain. From the rugged crests of the Tempest Valley, to the thickets of Torvus Forest, the vertigo-heights of the Sanctuary, and the withering barrenness that is Agon, I wander mentally. The visions I see of these places are as vivid as noonday, and have never faded from recollection ever since I awoke from stasis that jubilant morning.

The landscapes of Aether were not the only apparitions ingrained within my mind. There was one other factor; not a sight, nor a smell, neither a touch or a sound. It was a simple, burning question that raged with an uncanny desire for truth.

...What had become of my parents?...

I remember it fondly, the day that they vanished from my world. It was a day of panic and disarray for the Luminoth, when our Sentinel U-Mos declared a state of perpetual danger upon our fair planet. The parasitic mongrels we had dubbed the Ing were nigh on the approach of capsizing our whole existence, and without proper handling, we could very well lose our war. With unchallenged heroism, he ordered all of the Luminoth into stasis, where we slept until the day that Aether's Light was restored and reunified.

My father, K-Mir, being one of the head technological engineers, was immediately called to serve as a proctor for the stasis operations. E-Lre, my mother, assisted him with her chemist background in brewing the concoctions to be used for the stasis drafts. These potent drafts would be continuously fed into the stasis pod for each Luminoth in the mandatory operation. Many Luminoth I knew fell into stasis within a few short weeks, and as my parents worked tirelessly, others followed suit. Our numbers dwindled, while the might of the Ing only grew.

Although I helped occasionally, watching my parents work tirelessly with the scientists was leeching. I wondered back then if I would ever see them when they were not on the brink of collapsing from stress and meticulous labor. Point-cycles passed by as if in heartbeats.

When my time came to enter stasis, it came much too quickly.

My fear from that hour still shakes my hands and shivers my spine, though cycles have passed. E-Lre gave me a passionate, motherly embrace, which she held for many moments. I could feel the mourning that emanated from her very body as she squeezed me into her chest, murmuring, "Sleep well, my dear," in a weak, trembling voice that was not her typical tone. We all were dreading that day. She and my father would remain awake till the small remainder of the Luminoth were in stasis. Which entailed, leaving me behind.

K-Mir had tears in his rich blue eyes, which shone with a gloomy light of farewell. The mutual glint that hinted E-Lre's amethyst eyes put me on tenterhooks as they whispered baleful goodbyes, and then, with reluctancy eased me into my stasis pod. I watched them through its small window for as long as I could till my consciousness succumbed to the drafts, drinking in my last glimpses of my parents' faces.

It was only after I awoke from my strange, dull dreams several cycles later did I realize that those final images of E-Lre and K-Mir would have significant intrigue for my future.

When I left my pod, I came to the knowledge that my parents were nowhere to be found on Aether. Through tears and terror, I searched and searched, yet there were no traces of them throughout. As far as I knew, I was the only member of the Mir Luminoth on the face of the planet.

The question mutated into a thirst.

...What had become of my parents?...

Not a soul knew.

Not even U-Mos.

I was lost without parents, and, subsequent, became a sole wayfarer amongst my people as we slowly rebuilt our society. I provided for myself through ease and hardship, worked, and kept a stoic hand to any distractions that would tempt me from my path. I served well, mostly, but due to my youth at the time, I was unsuccessful.

Though the threat of the Ing Horde had gone due to the valiant acts of Samus Aran, I could not shirk the feeling that the Luminoth were not totally at peace. Perhaps it was because of my companionless life, I am unsure. Yes, as an era of glorious healing and unity followed The Conquering, I remained skeptical and perplexed as my cycles increased.

Eventually, I could not stand the paranoia, the questions, and the solitude any longer. I left Aether and sought the life of a Galactic Federation bounty huntress, just as our savior Samus Aran. I wanted to see the outlets of the universe beyond the confines of Aether, realize who I was and who I was to become, and to understand somehow the way my parents had vanished that Awakening Day.

So far, I am still scouring.

At one-hundred and fifty cycles (seventeen, in human years), I was one of the budding recruits in the Galactic Federation Army. I have proceeded since to the D Bronze ranking, and am currently working to progress.

My name is E-Mir.


It had been a multitude of cycles since I had seen my beautiful Aether, and by the news I had received, it was healing from its war-scars wonderfully. Homesick from my expeditions amongst the stars, I turned the nose of my ship, Dream, wayward home, eager to stand upon the Light-enriched soil.

I piloted Dream with optimism towards the gorgeously-glistening planet in the Dasha Region, accelerating eccentrically, much to the engine's dismay. A pearl within the darkness, my soul fluttered at the sight of it.

"Home," I whispered ecstatically.

Pushing Dream harder (the engines threatening to burst), I breached the odd surplus of cloud cover overlapping the atmosphere, surveying my bright memories. Comparing them to the image of Aether that I was seeing, I soon fell into disappointment.

The ground rushing below me was washed with shadows as evening encroached. I had missed the sunshine that I remembered so fondly, arriving into the late hours of night. I discovered with some concern that the world was barely lit by the last remnants of daylight - the moon was entirely absent.

Fleeting over the trees of Torvus, I also found that the deluge of The Cataclysm had recessed. Even the cracked, dead ground of Agon had sprouted with lush vegetation and the promise of new life with coming rains. The lifeblood of Aether was pulsing fervently, I could sense.

With new hope, I flew from their bounds and on towards the Tempest Valley, zooming along canyons and farmland. I was overwhelmed by nostalgia when gazing out of the windows. Aether had become such a breathtaking planet in my absence, and I was anxious to live within its wings again; to abandon my stresses with the Galactic Federation and thrive amongst the Luminoth. Living unworried had never been more inviting after my extensive, gruff hours of training and discipline with the humans.

Finally, Dream surpassed the heights of Sentinel's Cave, the lone cave that oversaw the vast expanse of the Tempest Valley. With a heaving shudder of a sudden wind pick-up over the mountains, my eyes widened, and I loosed my grip on the steering in awe.

It was truly a humbling sight, its beauty stretching beyond the limits of my front windows. Shaped like a basin, Tempest Valley was the largest valley on Aether and home to the majority of the Luminoth occupying. Within its center was the Luminoth civilization of Tempest, a blustery, tightly-bound place with elegant, towering buildings. I remembered it cleverly from my childhood.

Enclosing the civilization was a massive ring of steep cliffs and craggy mountains, which rocketed skyward at staggering heights. They shone brilliantly with the beams of sunset when at a prime hour, but tonight, they were grisly and intimidating in the dimness.

At the distance I was, not much had changed since I had gone. But I was keen to see what had at a closer perspective, and lowered Dream through the altitudes till the mountainsides' shadows swallowed me. Dream pressed forward and skimmed the roofs of the Luminoth homes, searching for a place to land. Eventually it located a landing site; a small, vacant area unburdened by a building. The loose grass speckling the space was ripped from the earth and into the air in a whirlwind as the ship set itself onto the ground. I opened the door.

When I emerged from Dream onto the surface of my homeworld, I was plentifully surprised.

The Aetherian sky was dim and grey, with ominous clouds boiling above the mountains. Thunder rumbled from the clouds and billowed along the Valley, echoing through the stone and metalwork that comprised the surrounding homes' structures. The drastic change of the summer humidity startled my lungs. I breathed in the heavy, rain-scented air and sighed, for the solemnity hovering about was remarkable.

"I have never seen such sinister weather, "I thought aloud to myself, peering into the clouds overhead. "Not even during The Crisis..." It was a touch disquieting.

I sought refuge from the impending storm and decided to leave the site. Envisioning the faces of those I loved provoked me to secure Dream from any unwanted intruders, namely, those confounded Splinters.

"I will be back later," I told it calmly. "Lock yourself, all right?" It obeyed, and its wings curled on itself till the ship was nothing but a large, shining black oval of metal.

Upon turning towards the exit of the place, a random, rogue gust of wind blasted me head-on. It sucked my breath, throwing me to the ground where I sat in alarm, attempting to breathe. Bracing myself, my antennae and wings flapped wildly, my eyes stinging and bleary. The wind was hot and relentless, it shifted my body even as I was erect. It was so powerful that it rattled the windows of Dream, and visibly splotched it with spots of heat.

But then, the wind passed as fast as it came, and before I could resume my way, I caught the awful stench that lingered on its tail; the nauseous stench of sweat, blood, and decay combined. I had to restrain myself from gagging as my stomach twisted into knots.

A few moments idled in silence. Cautiously, I stood, fanning my legs with bent knees in case another monstrous wind assaulted me. The world around me was rigid, the red, spherical decorations adorning the walls of the homes seemingly becoming eyes that were scrutinizing me. I will admit to feeling a tad foolish in fearing the wind, but as I continued relaying the happenings in my mind, I knew without a doubt that that particular gale was unusual.

I gathered my wits and began to walk towards the exit of the site again, luckily unabated by the weather. However, a gentle breeze meandered in the place of the stillness below, with the grouses of the clouds' thunder in harmony above. The weak breeze played with my antennae and wings, hissing through the leaves of geer trees that hung over the doorway to the site.

After passing below them, I gave a startled squeak. My feet were suddenly on cool grass, the blades dappled with dew that chilled my toes. Padding into the grassy alcove, I flipped my head to and fro carefully, alert for any abnormal procession. I seemed to be alone.

I had calmed to a degree to lower my hands from my shoulders, and glanced at the encompassing structures. At ground level were single doors etched into stone, which were secured by hologram modules. Flecking the face of the building erratically above the doors were an abundance of windows made from beautiful molded glass, which twinkled dimly.

"Dwellingplaces," I said to the quiet. "I wonder if anyone is home?" I reached to the stone, dragging my fingers across it, perplexed. "Where is everyone?"

Walking along the margin of the building, I stopped when my fingers touched a window. Turning my head, I gazed into my reflection. The Luminoth had a shining, slate-hued carapace, emblazoned with runes and markings of a soft purple. Her eyes were equally the same. She had a furry chest of dark, silky fur striped with black, and her delicate, yet thick antennae were colorized likewise. She had a glorious pair of wings that were stunningly red, but what truly was evident about her was the small, blue crescent-moon symbol upon her forehead. Yes, she was a Luminoth, but her physical appearance manifested the presence of something... alien.

I was so immersed within my reflection that the vicious crackle of lightning frisked my heart. I gasped and stumbled away from the window just as the crooked claws of the lightning raked the skies, sending the clouds in a blaze. Not only was Tempest Valley alight, but the mountains were as well in a fearsome array of gray, black, and white. I glanced about the monochromatic Valley, rattled.

The echoing thunder attracted my attention to where it was the most profound: the cliffs of Sentinel's Summit. Far upon them, I spotted something. Something that did not belong. It was tall, I could tell even from this range, and black as a yawning pit. It could have been a slab of shadowed rock, but I knew better than to overlook the splash of burning crimson that it bore.

Before I could fathom my sighting, another screaming bolt of lightning struck the rooftops. A surging moan issued from the roofs of the homes around me, and a bright flash spewed from the light generator on the leftmost roof, shedding white, hot sparks. I covered my head and ran from its vicinity, slipping on the wet grass in the process, directly onto my face. The ensuing boom from the strike pummeled my chest, and I struggled for breath, writhing on the ground pitifully.

In the aftermath of the lighting strike, a chorus of surprised shouts issued from the stricken building. I watched for a few moments as several Luminoth came to their windows, extending their heads from of their blacked-out homes to check the generator. The wind picked up momentum, and soon any outside had eddying antennae.

"What happened? Was it the storm?" an older male with green markings asked over the rushing wind.

Another had to reply after he spat out his antennae, which had been tangled in his mandibles as he examined the now-steaming generator. "Plfh! Ah, I believe so! A slash of lightning it seems!" He leaned further out of his window to shout, "W-Nia! How does the generator look?"

One of the building-occupants had crawled from a ceiling door to reach the roof, where she now stood at the generator's base. She squinted at the melted steel, covering her mouth from the steam it emitted. "In bad condition," she responded. Looking towards the clouds, she shook her head. "No use trying to repair it in this weather. Any who tries will be fried." She turned and commanded, "Bring out the lanterns, Z-Arc!" as she retreated into the ceiling door, "We'll have to wait until the storm passes."

Z-Arc, the second male, agreed before disappearing beyond his window with an, "Aye." The first male, with acid-green markings, stared perturbed into the sky for a few moments, but hesitated to reenter his home. A look of worry daubed his face.

Through with the sky, he turned his head to leave and brushed a glance at me, then did a double take. "...E-Mir?" he gawked. "Y-you have returned?"

I slowly got to my feet, dusting myself of the grass blades. Smiling cordially, I nodded. "Yes. I am here."

Interestingly, he beamed. "Well?" he wondered. "Why are you dawdling out there? The storm is afoot!"

My voice was small. "I have no place to stay at the time."

He considered this, then made a decision. "Then come in, come in!" He gestured to the door below him, whose hologram swirled with the letters X-TSR. The hologram flared and vanished, unlocking the mechanisms within the door. "The storm is looming, E-Mir. It looks to be savage. Please, stay with my family till it passes," he invited, mandibles curving to a smile. "I insist."

Thanking him with a grateful genuflect, I proceeded for the door. But as I stepped inside, I couldn't help myself from sneaking a peek at Sentinel's Summit, to test whether I was imagining that something.

Nothing was there but the maw of Sentinel's Cave.

I shivered and hurriedly strolled into the building. It was frightfully dark upon entry, then it became nothing but shadows when the door retreated into its locks. I remained planted to the cool, metal floor, eyes wide for any sign of the advancement of my gracious host.

Finally, a ball of light materialized from the bend of the corridor, and he appeared, cast in a golden sheen from the sphere of glow resting in his palm. He swiveled to the accompanying hall, extending his elbow. "It is quite dark in here. I could be your guide, if you would come this way, please, E-Mir."

I came forward and gingerly interlocked my elbow with his, walking alongside him down the vaguely lit passage. He seemed dependable. For his exceeded age, he was a tall Luminoth - I barely reached his shoulder - and over the entirety of his tanned carapace were the acid-green markings. His face was marked with cycles, and both his wings and antennae were frayed at their edges.

"I knew at first sight who you were," he said above our footsteps. His voice resonated warmly through the flickering darkness. "You are truly a fabulous Luminoth to behold, E-Mir." In his eyes was a glitter of admiration; one that befuddled me. Who was this Luminoth?

I asked it straight. "Pardon my question, sir, but how do you know me? I have a magnificent memory for faces, but yours is one that I cannot recall." I looked into the creases of his features, sifting through faces I had seen in my lifetime. I came up short, and had virtually no idea who this Luminoth was or how he knew who I was.

He gave a chuckle; the noise was unburdened and free. "Now please, do not assume that we have met before. I have heard only stories about you."

"Stories? What stories?"

He shrugged. "Understand, E-Mir, that I was a resident of Torvus before coming to Tempest. I was a humble fisher." The green of his eyes turned turbid with thought. "I had heard the tales of a determined, valiant young Luminoth girl, who had withstood hardship and the scalding Cataclysm fearlessly." I listened to him in wonder. He glanced to me, his smile proud. "Unfortunately, she left Aether before I got a chance to meet this worthy girl.

"But The Light of Aether shone on me tonight! It graced me with your presence." He winked. "My wait was not in vain, now was it?"

I shook my head, grinning. "Not at all...?"

He threw his head back and puffed out a breath, brow furrowing. "Now where are my manners? You may call me X-Tsr." X-Tsr lowered his head respectfully. "It has been an honor to escort you, E-Mir."

I laughed. "Similarly, good X-Tsr. Thank you for the guidance and the invitation to stay." My antennae sagged onto my head. "I do hope I am not a charge to your family."

He waved away the comment, rolling his eyes. "Nonsense. Anyone with the blood of K-Mir and E-Lre is a welcome guest in my house!"

I gave a start, stopping mid-stride. Unprepared for my reaction, X-Tsr hooked himself on our connected arms. Staring at me, he wondered, "Are you all right?"

Gaze boring into him, I leaned forward and into his face. "You knew my parents?"

"Yes. They were a wonderful pair," he nervously said, studying me with concern. "Is there a problem?"

Hope dawned like sunrise within my soul. If he knew them, then maybe he could tell me what became of them! "X-Tsr, did you happen to see or hear from my parents those cycles during the concluding events of The Cataclysm?" I prodded, desperate.

My soul sank when he shook his head. "Only beforehand, so, no. I did not. When U-Mos gathered the Luminoth from Agon and Torvus, I was one of the first to be put into stasis." X-Tsr's antennae tilted in question. "Did something happen, E-Mir?"

Tears were threatening to gush from my eyes, and my throat ached. I mustered the little amount of volume I had to my voice, saying, "No. I was only curious."

He knew I was upset, but he dared not provoke the matter further. I was glad for his attentiveness, otherwise I would have been sobbing. "Very well." Patting my hand, he led us down the hall once more in silence, up a short slope, and to a broad archway. Beyond the archway were small buds of light, which bobbed about the room. I strained to hear that they were accompanied by the laughter of children.

X-Tsr continued. "Perhaps meeting my family would cheer you? They are a lively bunch, which keeps these old legs spirited!" With a fond chuckle, he steered me beyond the archway and into the main room of his dwellingplace.

It was a charming room, doubling as both a congregating place and where they shared meals together. I only barely saw the silhouettes of the various furniture items due to the small, spherical lamps that his children (two, in total) were carrying as they fluttered about buoyantly. Their mother was nowhere to be found, so the boys were cavorting without boundaries all across the divan, cushions, and the tables, pretending that they were Warrior Luminoth.

"Ease your excitement, you buzzing War Wasps!" X-Tsr hollered upon arrival. The boys, looking at their father, immediately ceased their play. They both laid on the floor, steadying their breathing and attempting to stifle their giggling. I noticed then that they were completely identical, both with matching faces and light green markings. The only feature that distinguished them was that one had long, fluffier antennae than the other.

The boy with the shorter antennae spoke. "We were reenacting the battle of the Agon Temple, father. Do you remember that battle? It was fantastic in the lore. And the hero was as old as we are!"

"It's my favorite story!" the other piped.

X-Tsr released his arm from mine and knelt before his sons. "Well now that you have had your fun, I would like to introduce our guest, E-Mir." He made a gesture to me. "Behave, and make her feel welcome, all right, X-Kel? C-Tsr?" They vigorously nodded after sighting me, the one with shorter antennae's mandibles dropping.

"She's pretty..." he mumbled in his brother's lobe, attempting to be surreptitious. He failed, though.

His twin swatted him across the face, hissing, "Remember your cycles, X-Kel!"

"Hey!" X-Kel scrambled to his feet after C-Tsr rose, sensing a wild reaction, and they began chasing each other around the room. Their speed was zany as they rocketed over and under the furniture, and though their wings were underdeveloped for flight, they both attempted to use them, only to flap into walls and each other.

X-Tsr held his head, sighing while he smiled exhaustedly. "What a pair..." He rose from his position and made for a large, circular lamp implanted into the wall, where he ignited it. Flooded with light, the room was now cozy and pleasing to the eye. I felt like I belonged here.

While avoiding his children's path of havoc, he seated himself in a cushion abutting a wall, watching me intently. "We had our last meal before the lightning struck. Are you hungry at all? If you would like, I could prepare something...?"

I shook my head, lightly refusing. "Oh, no thank you, X-Tsr. I'm fine. It will take me a few days to adapt to Luminoth food again, so I'll wait for later. Thank you for the offer, though."

He was baffled at my refusal. "Adapt? What do you mean by that?"

Leaping from the wild frantics of X-Kel and C-Tsr, I sat across from X-Tsr. His expression was agog as I explained. "During my time with the Galactic Federation, I had to accustom my body to the largely differing cuisine of humans. Granted, the first few months were grueling, but I got used to their ideas of nourishment." I sighed, thinking of the Aetherian dishes that I once loved, knowing I would have to get acquainted with them again. "It will take me some time to readapt to the new ingredients."

X-Tsr nodded knowledgeably. "I see. Tell me, what sort of foods did you partake of when with the humans?"

I shrugged. "A multitude. It is impossible to state them all. I did, however, quite enjoy fish. The salmon, they call it, was my overall favorite." I still couldn't quite get rid of the fine taste of the spices that they dabbed the salmon with, but that was fine. They were delicious in any form.

Questions were visible within X-Tsr's face. He was about to ask one of them when another figure strolled into the room of the house, catching our preoccupations. This time, it was a female Luminoth, who I assumed was his wife. She was decorated with pale green markings, which matched those of her twin sons. X-Kel and C-Tsr abandoned their play and rushed up to her, hugging her legs.

She greeted them with a sunny smile, kissing their heads. "Oh, boys, I am ever thankful I made it home safely. The weather is positively horrendous tonight!"

X-Kel looked up into her eyes with zeal. "Were you blown away? How did you make it?"

She laughed. "I was lucky, I suppose." She perked up with glee. "Guess who I brought with me?"

"Is it a Grenchler?" C-Tsr blurted, peering into the shadows behind his mother.

"Not quite," came a voice, a chuckle lingering behind it. We all looked towards the archway, and from out of the blackness walked our beloved Sentinel, U-Mos.

I gaped, for he was not how I remembered him. Although he still held his loving, selfless face, there was a distinct alteration to the way his body seemed to glow. Either my eyes were gloomy from the dismal weather, or U-Mos lacked a considerable amount of his radiance, which had been replaced by something unknown. Beneath the rubies that were his eyes, lurked tired, withered rings. He was thinner than I remembered and he slouched slightly behind a beautiful wooden staff that was as tall as he was, and embellished with Luminoth text. Atop the staff was a polished, milky chunk of Light Crystal, which emitted shapes of light all around the room.

He knelt with some difficulty as the twins sprinted up to him, crying, "Sentinel!" gleefully. U-Mos embraced them briefly, smiling at them to hide the grimace that damaged his happy expression. When their mother called them back, he slapped both his hands on the staff's rod, pulling himself to his feet. I noticed that he favored his left leg, which was bruised only partially on the thigh.

What had happened to him? I was worried.

X-Tsr's wife eyed the Sentinel fretfully. "Are you all right?"

He nodded and grunted, "Yes," although his knuckles were white around the staff rod.

X-Tsr spoke, diverting from the matter."C-Kel? Have you met our guest?" He brandished his arms in my direction, though I only saw them out of my peripheral. I was too busy staring at the bruise along U-Mos's thigh.

C-Kel didn't get the chance to answer, for the Sentinel did first. U-Mos's antennae shot skyward, and he squinted at me. "E-Mir? Is that you? My, it has been too long!"

I couldn't respond immediately, for some reason. His voice had amazed me. It was unlike any sound I had ever heard, and I never ceased to get chills whenever he spoke. Even now, after the time had passed, I shivered, though the room was warm. U-Mos's voice was unnaturally sonorous for a two-hundred and fifteen cycled (twenty-two in human years) Luminoth, and adorned with exceeding wisdom that was far beyond his age. His voice was also troubled by the intensity of his Sentinel duties, and burdened now, by the mysterious pain that plagued him. Further, it was deepened with struggle, and slowed by a stream of fatigue.

He waited patiently for me to reply, but all I could do was nod and try for a smile. Shockingly, he accepted the pitiful attempt and approached me, endeavoring to hide his limp by leaning against his staff.

I stood before him as he wrapped his arms around me, murmuring into my ear, "Welcome home, E-Mir." U-Mos patted my back and pulled away, his mandibles curved in a youthful smile. "We have missed your company sorely." When I said nothing, he chortled and encouraged, "What, can you not speak? I have already seen your face, and now I must hear your voice. Is it as sweet as it was back then?"

"I-I-" Stuttering, I plunged into sheer panic, though I was unsure of why. I said the first thing that was on my mind. "What happened to you while I was gone? You have changed, U-Mos."

His smile faded a touch. "My leg? Oh, E-Mir, it is nothing you should stress over." He hovered his free hand above the large bruise overwhelming his thigh. "Not too long ago, I was involved in an... er..." U-Mos stumbled for words. "...accident. A broken femur was the outcome."

I was astonished. "You broke your femur? How?"

U-Mos's next words were indescribable. "I would... rather not say."

A mild glare slanted my brows. "What do you mean? You got hurt, yet you would abstain from telling me? A broken femur is a serious injury, Sentinel!"

Oddly, he shrugged, trying to peacefully back away from the topic. "It is healing admirably."

"But-"

He interrupted by holding up a finger. "Now E-Mir, be reasonable. No amount of arguing or protest on your part is going to take care of this problem of mine," he instructed gently. He set his hand on his chest, over his heart. "It is best to simply let it be and let it recover on its own."

I looked into his eyes with placid doubt. "Are you sure?"

"As the sun," U-Mos confirmed. His reassurance was a shade comforting, but I heard the ghost of a double-meaning behind his words. Let what be? I asked myself internally.

I gave in and bowed my head, defeated. "Very well, Sentinel." There was no sense in debating with him.

He smiled something of relief, but his face remained tired. "Thank you." U-Mos then placed his index finger beneath my chin and lifted my face to his, staring into me like a father would. "You seem weary, E-Mir. Your travel here must have been long. Why don't you go to bed?" He glanced about. "The storm has tired us all."

As if on cue, X-Kel and C-Tsr both yawned, their mandibles fanning outward broadly. C-Kel smiled and scooped up X-Kel, turning towards an offshoot in the wall where their bedrooms were. X-Tsr followed suit, taking C-Tsr by the hand and leading the drowsy boy behind his mother.

U-Mos chuckled. "You see?"

I couldn't restrain myself from yawning as well. "Yes." Now that we were alone, I asked him once more, "Are you positive that you are all right? You don't look like yourself, U-Mos."

His eyes darkened, which frightened me. "I... am not myself," he responded, with a growl in the undertone. "I have not been myself for a while, now..." U-Mos's own words seemed to sting him, and he tangled his fingers in his caramel-colored chest fur.

"What's wrong? Perhaps I can help you," I goaded anxiously.

U-Mos quickly turned away from me, gazing out of the window with a critical eye. "No. I cannot be helped. Not anymore-"

"But it's never too late!" I intervened, suddenly overcome by a protective instinct. "Second chances are possible, and can be granted, Sentinel." I reached for his shoulder. "Please-"

"No!" he growled stubbornly. His voice did not belong to him. The staff's rod caught my hand before it could reach his shoulder, without him even looking in its direction. "This matter of mine does not concern you, E-Mir, and I would rather it not in any stance!" He turned, and I was burned by the harsh, merciless fire that had tainted his eyes.

I lowered my hand and tightened my fists, genuinely hurt that he would speak to me so fiercely. U-Mos noticed this, and in an instant, the tautness of his expression slacked, and he began apologizing fervently. "E-Mir, I did not mean to snap at you. D-do forgive me. I just... have to conquer my... issues... on my own. You understand, don't you?"

Sighing, I nodded. "Yes. I understand. We all have our demons."

U-Mos snorted wickedly. "If only you knew the whole truth, then you would realize how accurate you are about me."

"What?"

He never got the chance to respond, for in that moment, U-Mos suddenly reacted as if someone had electrocuted him; his wings shot out, his antennae shivered, and his body jolted. I gasped as he staggered a few steps back, holding his head with bulging, horrified eyes.

I was stunned. "S-sentinel? Are you-"

"Good Aether!" rang the voice of X-Tsr as he sauntered into the room. "The weather has worsened! It is a whirlwind out there." Undaunted by the paling of U-Mos, X-Tsr came to our sides, smiling. "You will be staying the night, won't you? It would be a pleasure to the entire family."

U-Mos declined with a vibrating voice. "I cannot, X-Tsr."

He was taken aback. "But why? Do you expect to go back to your home? It is by the Great Temple, all the way up the hills! You'll never make it, Sentinel. The wind is peeling the bark off of trees!"

Already leaving, U-Mos made for the archway, a hand tight on his staff, the other clamped to his head as if he had a fever. "I'm sorry, but I cannot stay. Thank your wife for bringing me. I hope you have a safe night, X-Tsr." He vanished without another word.

X-Tsr and I stared after him, aghast. Once the door closed itself below, he muttered grimly, "My, he certainly has... changed since you have left. He used to be the most amiable Luminoth on Aether."

"In what ways?" I asked.

He ran his fingers through his antennae. "Well, he was always smiling back then. Now, his smiles are forced, as if someone is preventing him from doing so." He paused, brows furrowing. "The Sentinel also has... this peculiar aura."

"An aura?" I repeated. "Like a Light aura?" I knew that my personal aura was rather bright.

X-Tsr agreed, sighing. "Indeed. All Luminoth emanate an aura of their inner Light. Over the past months, however, U-Mos's once divine aura has faltered and dimmed to barely shining. He is always struggling with something, whether it be pain or other matters. I worry for him."

That news was disconcerting. "Does he tell anyone of his troubles?"

X-Tsr shook his head, a look of sorrow overshadowing him. "No, but one can see it in his face. He keeps to himself most days."

Silence followed, only wavered by the rumbling of thunder from outside. The lamps flickered. The whistle of wind danced along the windows chillingly. "I want to help him," I announced.

X-Tsr started. "You what? He rarely allows anyone to-"

"I don't care! He watched over us when the Luminoth were in peril, and now I can return the favor. He needs me, X-Tsr. I can sense it," I confirmed gallantly. Something inside me stirred. Something bold and true. "I'm not sure why yet, but I will discover it."

He scratched his head. "How will you get through to him? No one has, yet."

I turned towards the window, where the distant peaks of Sentinel's Summit were beyond. The figure of U-Mos shrank as he trekked towards their heights, battling the gales. Why was he headed for the Summit?

"I am going to go after him."

X-Tsr's antennae twirled. His eyes widened. "You cannot be serious!"

"Ooh, I'm definitely serious. I did not register in the Galactic Federation for nothing!" I grinned, already making for the archway. "If I can spar with two ton robots, then I can for sure conquer the erratic weather and liberate U-Mos of his fiends!"

"Wait!" X-Tsr caught my shoulder as I was near the archway. Swiveling me around, he took me by the shoulders. "You are so fragile; you will be blown halfway to the Sanctuary as soon as you step out of that door!"

A flare of anger made me push his arms away. "Fragile? Who told you that I was fragile?"

He appeared to shrink at my snarl. "Er... Well, I suppose that was my conscience. But your wings are small and thin. Can they really keep you aloft?"

I jabbed him on the collarbone, furious. "Just because I am a female, that does not mean I am the most dainty creature!" Demonstrating this, I slapped him across the cheek roughly enough to leave behind a pink mark. He gawked at me. "All of those arrogant human men misjudged me upon first sight, but only after they were all sprawled helpless across the floor did they respect me!"

X-Tsr fingered his stinging cheek. "Perhaps you can slap some sense into the Sentinel. You certainly have the palm for it. Ouch."

I smirked triumphantly. "Indeed. Never forget it! Now, I'm going, so don't try to stop me!"

"I had no such plans."

I faced the exit beyond, gathering my courage. "I will be back. " I nervously added, "Maybe."

"Keep your strength. Be mindful, be careful. I have faith in you," he responded humbly. "But first, before you leave, take this." He then forced into my arms a circular, ruby wall decoration. It was relatively heavy, but manageable. I raised a brow in confusion. "You will need an extra bit of weight to keep you on the ground rather than tumbling through the air."

The house shook in the blast of a remorseless gust of wind. Hugging the decoration to my chest, I credited, "Thank you. This will help. Goodbye."

X-Tsr waved as I left. "Goodbye, E-Mir. May the Light of Aether shine upon you!" His voice faded over my shoulder, and upon my arrival of the entryway, opened the door, and stepping into the chaos outside, his voice utterly vanished.

I was immediately seized by an overpowering warmth from the wind. It was suffocating. Pinching my eyes from the ragged gales, I proceeded down the waving, grassy alcove, decoration clutched close. I had to hold my breath from the door, due to the wind snatching any breath I tried to take in.

The wind threw my antennae and wings wildly about my body, swishing insanely around my face and back. I had to toss my head and clamp my antennae to my carapace, keeping my torso as straight as possible as the wind beat against me from seemingly every side. I marveled mutely at how U-Mos had endured the brutal gales with only a walking stick. Thankfully, X-Tsr's decoration kept me on the ground as I shuffled along, head bowed except for when I glanced upward to check my progress.

I headed from grass below my feet to dirt and for the mountains, keeping Sentinel's Summit my main motive. Would U-Mos be there when I arrived? What was he doing up there in the first place? Sentinel's Summit was nowhere near the Great Temple's tree, where the Sentinel's house had been standing for generations of Luminoth. What could he possibly be doing up at that forlorn cave?

Gritting my mandibles' teeth at the pulses of heat that swept my body, I plodded onward. The weather was truly an engaging trial. A taxing, engaging trial. He better be grateful I did this for him.

As I finally reached the base of the mountain garnished with my destination, I remembered how I had seen that large, black silhouette atop it. With a tinge of horror, I wondered if U-Mos had any knowledge of that apparition, if it had been real or not. Was I seeing things before? Would that apparition be waiting for me? Did U-Mos have a method to this madness? The questions reeled about within my mind as I stared at the intimidating, gigantic shoot of pure rock that cut the simmering grey skies before me.

There is absolutely no Aetherian way I will be able to climb that! I shrieked in my head. Unfortunately, there was no other alternative than flying, which, in the ridiculous winds, seemed nigh impossible. I had a strong pair of wings, yes, but the sheer height I had to fly to reach Sentinel's Cave was menacing.

My thoughts then wandered to the image of U-Mos. I had to help him, I knew, even through this lunacy. I felt that it was my obligation. He was my Sentinel, and he had been one of the most charitable to me when I was alone those cycles past. I had to repay his kindness. Even if that meant spreading my wings and taking to the rampant winds.

Exhaling, I dried my sweaty hands on my knees, gripping the decoration like it was a lifeline. It would become that very lifeline when I was in the air, providing me support to remain stable in the turbulence. Swallowing, I positioned myself ready, then extended my wings to my sides.

I was wrenched violently from the ground by the wind, which dragged me skyward and in every direction possible. The world was whirling all around me, as were my antennae and limbs as the wind tossed me between its fingers like a rag doll. A shrill scream escaped my throat while I tried to regain my equilibrium in the skies, but the clouting gusts blotted my hearing.

Eventually, after a dizzying amount of time, I separated my legs and stabilized my flailing, holding the decoration between my legs and towards Aether. Its weight quickly poised my body soundly. I found myself fluttering with the wind flow serenely, with the clouds ambling around me sluggishly.

Panting, I looked below me, where the ground was a perilously-wide distance away. Looking in the opposite direction, I found that the towering peaks of Sentinel's Summit were peering down at me, and at a handsome feat as well. I wiggled my toes and puffed my wings determinedly; the warm air filled them and I rose swiftly towards the peaks, riding the currents.

Before long, I closed the space between the ground and the heights of the mountains. I flapped towards my desired landing spot, landing rather brusquely due to my fatigue from battling the winds. I collapsed into a heap on the rock, letting myself sweat and relax before scouring the pillars of stone for U-Mos. I gathered my strength as I picked up the decoration, standing.

The cliffs were mysterious and forebodingly empty of any life. There were no forms of vegetation that could have swayed in the abrupt winds at this altitude, which bestowed a sense of loneliness. War Wasp hives dotted the higher areas, but where still of activity. Not even a Kralee prowled in search of food as I searched throughout the crevasses of Sentinel's Summit, seemingly by myself. I felt heavily exposed.

I turned a corner but immediately dove back behind it. I had to suppress a petrified scream as soon as I saw it.

The short glimpse I had gotten of the creature was enough to describe it in its entirety. It was relatively ten foot, with a large, headless torso. In the center of the torso was a face, namely, a huge sphere of blood red light; an eye with stately webbing covering its glow. Crowning the brow of the eye was a trio of grueling spikes, and behind those, long tentacles that slapped in the wind. Supporting this creature were five, powerful legs - three in front and two behind. The legs' ends were ground to heinous edges; claws that could have shredded steel. The hide of this monster was of the deepest black, solid with bulky muscle beneath.

I felt sick when I saw the other, eight foot tall figure standing away from the beast, who was looking over the Tempest Valley, standing stiffly behind his staff.

What is he doing here? I panicked internally.

U-Mos tilted his head towards the thing when one of its claws grazed a rock. He gazed at the creature for a few moments before turning back to the Valley.

"There is a storm brewing..." he mumbled pensively.

It blasted out a snort. I almost had a heart attack when the creature spoke. "After all this time... and that's how you greet me?"

The voice that issued from the black monster was incredibly competent, and backed with knowledge and cunning. The voice was obviously masculine. There was the touch of a hiss beneath each syllable, along with a disturbing sense of friendliness in the manner that he spoke with U-Mos. I had a haunting inkling that he and U-Mos knew each other from somewhere.

U-Mos's forearm muscle tensed under his carapace. "How would you prefer, Emperor? Our mutual past has not exactly been pleasant."

Mutual past?

The Emperor responded with a chuckle, "True, old friend. But what's life without a few scuffles, eh? You learn from them, don't you? I know I have. Exponentially, in fact."

"Is that right?" U-Mos retaliated cruelly. "Seeing as you are alive and well, it seems you are definitely taking charge of your previous grievances and steering them in the proper direction." He dug his staff's dull end into the dirt, glaring into the clouds. The Emperor watched closely. "Although how you survived is impossible. The Chozo Samus utterly destroyed you and your mob of beasts."

I was taken by surprise at the intensity of U-Mos's tone. This behavior was unlike him. It was as though he were an entirely different person.

The Emperor donned an expression of betrayal, then pushed the conversation to seething point. I could tell that U-Mos's restraint was dangling by a thread as he continued, "You weren't seriously hoping that that broad would take out the Ing Horde, would you, U-Mos?"

My blood froze. I had only heard stories of the Ing. I had never seen one in person, and had never gotten to because, seemingly, they had been eradicated. But here was their leader, the Emperor Ing, openly conversing with my Sentinel, and he was very much alive.

He went on, "Or the Emperor Ing? I'm not sure I can trust you anymore! I mean, are you even my friend?"

U-Mos retook my attention when he aggressively smashed his staff into a rock, which split into shards. The Emperor and I jumped. "You have no place calling me your friend!" U-Mos growled, whirling on the Ing with flaming eyes. His staff's Light Crystal gleamed brightly in his fury. He was quite a menacing sight. "What gives you the authority to even summon me here?"

The Emperor cast a keen eye onto him. "I am an Emperor, aren't I? I can do whatever I please."

U-Mos's reply was biting. "Well, your pleasure is unwelcome. I do not have the time nor the conscience to keep you Ing in line. I have Luminoth in that Valley who believe that the world is perfect. After all, should it not be?" He raised a brow, glowering into the Emperor. "We are healing. I cannot afford another war! I do not want to fight you anymore!"

He kept this knowledge of the Ing's survival a secret. Why would he do such a thing?

The Emperor Ing sighed. "You're such a pacifist, U-Mos."

"I would prefer to keep it that way," he said back. Thinking, he then tested, "Why did you summon me up here? What is your purpose?"

The Emperor Ing paced around the surface of the cliff that we stood upon, his legs' movements eerie as they drove him around. I followed his meandering and grew tense when he laughed. "Can't I visit with my old friend? Is that such a crime?"

U-Mos's eyes tightened. "Tell me the truth."

The Ing stopped mid-stride, his blood red focus heavy on U-Mos. "All right, since you are so eager to get to the point..." Without warning, his frontmost leg shot forward in a blur, burrowing into the rock not an inch away from U-Mos's toes. The Luminoth's antennae twitched alertly. "There's something I need... Something that I can't run my Horde without..."

"And what is that?" U-Mos questioned.

A low hissing rang from the Emperor's throat. He leaned into U-Mos's face, his eye washing the Sentinel's features in a grisly light. "You."

Disbelief stole U-Mos's collected persona like a heartbeat. Before he could inquire further of the harrowing matter, he had ducked beneath the swing of the Emperor's razored claw. He darted to the side and backed away from the towering creature, growing pale in the darkness. He was extremely afraid.

"What's the matter, old friend?" the Emperor chided. "Are you honestly surprised? You knew this was coming sooner or later..."

U-Mos beat his wings and shot into the air, fleeing towards a higher ground. He landed upon the enormous plateau that topped Sentinel's Cave, where the boiling storm clouds were dangerously overhead.

The Emperor Ing laughed malignantly, springing mightily onto the plateau in pursuit of U-Mos. When they both disappeared from my view, I hurriedly scrambled to my feet, fluttering my own wings and taking flight to the shallow slopes of the plateau.

I settled myself into a cranny in the chilled rock, hiding from their eyes by crouching. They were so submerged in their confrontation that I went unnoticed.

Facing each other from opposite ends of the plateau, U-Mos nervously eyed the Emperor Ing, running his hands along his staff's rod. The Emperor bore a smirk in his eye.

With a nefarious roar, the Emperor charged. U-Mos readied himself as his adversary thundered forward on all five legs, his antennae rushing behind him. In a bleared mess of black claws, they met, and U-Mos was suddenly near the clouds, helpless to evade the whip of the Emperor's crown-spikes he head-butted his chest.

U-Mos was catapulted away from him, doing a quick flip before he could tumble across the plateau's rocky surface. He skidded on his feet and dug his staff into the plateau to slow his momentum, chest heaving from the impact.

When the Emperor Ing charged at him again, U-Mos flexed his hand around his staff, raised it like a javelin, and threw it forcefully at the oncoming Ing, where it sunk grossly into his forward, leftmost knee. The Emperor Ing gave a shout of pain, his legs betraying him. He lost his footing clumsily, then fell to the plateau, where his charging-speed gouged him into the rocks. When the dust cleared, he had slowed, and was laying in the midst of a lengthy ditch he had made entirely with his body.

The Emperor Ing groaned, prying himself out of the ditch and blinking dust out of his eye. He probed the plateau for U-Mos, who was standing rigidly a short distance away from him, fists at his sides and his wings fluttering in the bluster.

U-Mos's walking stick was sickeningly protruding from the cap of the Emperor's knee. The Emperor growled, "You know, I always hated Luminoth technology." He curled a leg around the staff and heaved it free, tossing it to the Sentinel's feet with loathing. Rich, purple blood seeped from his wound. "With a passion."

U-Mos stooped and picked it up, brushing away the blood that slicked the lower edge. A dim expression made his features as lead as the clouds above him. "Make your move, Erebus."

The flash of his eyes was nasty at the mention of that name. "Gladly!" He stormed U-Mos, who ran. They chased each other for a short time, since the Emperor's legs were longer.

U-Mos was no match for the Emperor's larger stature and weight when he ferociously pounced on him. The Sentinel struggled to free himself from beneath the Ing, hollering and squirming, but to no avail. Whereas the Emperor had five limbs, U-Mos only had four, which were each pinned beneath his adversary's. One of the Emperor's legs was free, which he raised to the carapace just beneath the fur of U-Mos's chest.

My breath caught in my throat when the Emperor began to vilely dig his claw into U-Mos's carapace, breaking through it entirely. U-Mos screamed and writhed, which enticed his attacker into hacking further down his abdomen, freely spilling his blood. My stomach churned at his wails, and as much as I wanted to race to his aid, some invisible force held me back.

During the commotion, U-Mos had managed to wriggle his elbow free of the Emperor's securing limb. The Emperor gave no heed to this until it was too late. U-Mos, with his staff gripped tightly, flared its Light Crystal head brightly, and swung it across the Emperor Ing's eye.

He shrieked and released U-Mos, standing and tripping over his claws. With one leg covering his momentarily-blinded eye, the Emperor staggered, oblivious to U-Mos, holding his jagged, gaping injury. The Sentinel coped with it, miraculously, and got to his feet, blood running like a stream down his abdomen and onto his legs.

U-Mos was visibly lightheaded, and strove with difficulty to remain standing. I itched to come to him, but I knew that the danger he was in would quickly befall me if I did, so I remained in place. After all, he wanted to deal with his issues on his own, didn't he?

The Light Crystal-induced pain of the Emperor's eye had abated, and he blinked vigorously back into the scene. He squinted to U-Mos, with his staff aimed at him readily. Already, the Emperor's dark cunning was resurfacing, and the white streak across his face was fading. Both U-Mos and I became uneasy.

The Emperor laughed aloud. "Now, down to business."

"Business, Erebus?" U-Mos echoed raggedly.

He ignored him for a moment, instead peering into him deeply. "You hear me in there?" U-Mos froze, his eyes wide. "I know you can."

Who is he speaking to?

"Aren't you tired of being locked up like an insect, S-Omu? You're nothing of the sort. I know this. You do too." The Emperor's remarks made U-Mos shiver, twisting his head uncomfortably. Pain daubed his face. "Did you know that you could very well break from your captivity?" U-Mos's antennae perked. "My, it seems to me that you are doing nothing but rotting away inside, constantly under control by a being that is lesser than you."

U-Mos's face was strained with fear and horror. "Don't provoke him, Erebus von Mawl!" he wailed desperately.

The Emperor smirked evilly, taking a few steps towards the suffering Luminoth. His concluding words were low and tempting, "Where is your freedom, S-Omu?"

U-Mos suddenly doubled over, retching as if he would vomit. His staff clattered to the plateau and he held his chest, roaming weakly about. He convulsed in a terrifying way, and from his mandibles ripped a demonic, corrupt voice, "Let me out! Let me out!"

He refused, shouting to himself, "NO! I w-won't!"

I watched, disturbed and paralyzed. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't blink, and I couldn't move. What on Aether was I witnessing?

The Emperor Ing slowly approached U-Mos, battling himself and clearly losing to his unseen enemy. He was paling rapidly, on the verge of passing out due to blood loss. The Emperor, rearing a leg, stood beside the Luminoth, muscles taut and bulging beneath his blackened hide.

U-Mos raised his head in the instant that the Emperor swung his elbow in a wicked arc directly into his left-side ribcage. The beast's elbow sunk into the Sentinel, the shattering of each of his bones painful to the ears, and seeming to echo into the plateau. U-Mos's eyes became wide as he was launched twenty feet away, rolling roughly across the plateau, slinging blood into the air. He came to a nauseating stop, in no time at all bathed in his own blood.

The Ing approached the limp Luminoth. He sucked in a breath, which was quickly caught and replaced by a choked scream resonating from his throat. His pain was so excruciating that he could not move; he only laid with pieces of his ribs scattered out of his body and bleeding severely before the Emperor. His chest heaved as the Ing stood above him, emotionless.

The guilt in the Emperor's voice was poorly masked when he asked, "Any last words, U-Mos?"

He gradually steadied his breathing so he could speak. When he did so, his voice was gravelly, drenched with agony, and choppy as he winced from the damage.

"So... this is the end..."

The Emperor hovered a claw above U-Mos's heart, though he paid no heed to it. He merely stared blankly into the sky.

"Oh no, my friend..."

Shock flooded U-Mos's eyes.

"...It is only the beginning."

With a finishing thrust, the Emperor Ing impaled my Sentinel in one fluid movement. I watched the light - the life - fade from U-Mos' eyes.

It began to pour.

I have been imagining that final battle for so long... It's finally in words!

What'd you think? Was it good?

Ah, it's only the first chapter! There's plenty more insanity where that came from!

But we'll save that for later.

Thanks for reading!

See ya next chapter!