Andromeda Galaxy/Great Band

Planet Faien, former capital of the Faien Republic

Continent of Anatuir

Outskirts of Sunseeker City

Year 150182 of the Faien Republic

The sky was on fire.

Above the Fairy city of Sunseeker, fireballs flashed across the night sky, illuminating the planet below brighter than the light of Faien's twin moons and ring system had ever done in the one million year history of the planet.

Mavrion was rushing about his lab, trying to collect everything he could possibly carry. Larliari, his wife, was helping him by grabbing computer discs and Æther, their professor and longtime friend was collecting all the paper strewn about the lab.

"Mavvy, Æther, we don't have much time!" Larliari said in the middle of another tremor.

"I'm almost done here," Æther shouted back as he finished downloading the rest of the data from the computer into his prototype Æther Staff, then he hit the Self Destruct button. Klaxons began to screech and lights flashed. Mavrion turned and looked in horror at his old friend.

"Professor, what are you-!"

"If the Yugopatans get their hands on any of this data our entire race could be lost!" He turned and held up the crystal data disc. "This could be the key for granting the Faie a way to defend ourselves if we survive!"

"Dad?"

Betania, Mavrion and Larliari's eight year old daughter, hovered near a bunch of suitcases, looking very sleepy and confused.

"It's ok, sweetheart," Larliari walked over and held her daughter close. Another tremor rocked the building.

"Larliari, go with Betania and head for the shuttles now! We'll join you shortly! Go!" Larliari nodded, knowing it was pointless to argue with her husband. She grabbed Betania and the suitcases and ran outside.

"Professor, have you retrieved everything?" Mavrion asked a few seconds later.

"Yes," the old man nodded as he stuffed the files into another pack while also trying to be as neat as he could be. He closed the pack.

"Come on, Professor, we have to-" The wall behind them was blasted apart. The shockwave flung the two Faie forward. They landed among broken crystal computer screens.

Groaning, Mavrion gingerly pushed himself up off the ground. Beside him, Professor Æther was unconscious and bleeding slightly from a deep gash in his head.

"Professor? Professor!" Mavrion rushed over as quickly as he could and rolled the man over. Besides the gash on his forehead, he could see no other signs of external injuries.

"Wake up, Professor!" Mavrion began to try and resuscitate him. A few seconds later, the Professor woke.

"Oh good. Can you stand?" Mavrion asked.

"I think so," the Professor replied, but his voice sounded raspy.

"Here, let me help you up," Mavrion took the old man's arm and gingerly helped him up. Both Faie brushed the shattered crystal from their clothes. Æther had begun regenerating, the wounds closing.

"I think we've stayed here long enough, Mavrion," Professor Æther said. "We should head to the shuttles."

"I agree. Come on, let's-" he stopped midsentence. A terrifying shadow was being cast on the wall. Terrified, the two men turned.

A Yugopatan was staring back at them. It was massive, about the size of a small house, had eight tentacles dripping with some sort of slime. The tentacles were connected to a bulbous green mass except for the top of the mass, which revealed some sort of brain covered with a glistening shield. The only thing the mass had that could be remotely recognized was the glowing red eyes. One tentacle was holding up a weapon.

Beside the Yugopatan were two other beings. One, the male, had brown fur, pointed ears, and red eyes, the other, a female, had no fur, but instead had green skin, green eyes, purple hair, pointed ears and two antennae. Both had some sort of metallic hand held weapons in their hands and brandished them menacingly.

"They hired the Boudac's!" Mavrion said, suddenly furious. The Yugopatan lowered the weapon and pointed it at Professor Æther.

"The data discs, hand them over now," an evil but somewhat familiar voice demanded as the three aliens lowered their weapon at the two stunned Faie. Both realized none of the three invaders had spoken. Hovering behind them a dark hooded being floated into view. He was holding a black staff whose tip was shrouded in dark clouds.

"That explains it," Mavrion stated angrily. "They teamed up with the Eiaf. I always suspected they were our opposites!"

The figure removed his hood, revealing Æther's own darkened countenance staring back at him with a look of wicked glee. This was Rethae, the ruler of the Eiaf, the race that had split from the Faie after the Darkness passed through the Great Band.

"I repeat the demand: the data discs. Hand them over now!"

"No, we won't," Mavrion replied, handing the pack to Æther and stepping in front of his former teacher. "If you want them you'll have to go through me. Go, Professor, I'll hold them off"

Rethae laughed. "You're making this too easy," he growled. He aimed his staff at Mavrion. The dark clouds at the tip of his staff intensified. Lightning flashed inside the miniature clouds

"Mavrion, NO!" Professor Æther pushed his student to the side. The lightning bolds that erupted from Rethae barely missed his counterpart but burrowed into the Professor's chest. The Professor's eyes widened in shock and he flew back into a wall.

"Professor!" Mavrion caught the Professor as he fell back. Æther's chest was smoking and he coughed..

"Save…the…data…" he managed to say before going limp.

Mavrion held back the tears, and then looked back at the intruders, his heart filled with hatred.

"Hand us the discs and no one else has to die," Rethae demanded again.

"And if I don't?" Mavrion spat out.

"Then we take it by force," Rethae replied with a glint of bloodlust in his eyes, lowering its weapon at Mavrion.

"Not if we have anything to say about it!" a new male voice shouted.

The four invaders looked up to see a squad of Fairy Warriors dart at them and hit them as hard as they could. The one who had spoken kicked the weapon that the Yugopatan dropped in the confusion and held a staff to the head of the Yugopatan.

While the Warriors were distracting the three intruders, Mavrion reached down and grabbed the Professor's ancient but still useful prototype Æther Staff. On top a bright yellow light began to glow. It looked like a miniature star.

"Now," he said with evil in his voice, "Why don't we see what this thing is capable of on you, huh?" He leveled the stick at the four intruders, eyes wild with hatred.

"Doctor, don't! If you use that staff it will kill you!" the leader shouted. He was too late; however, as Mavrion aimed his weapon. A bolt of blue plasma darted out from the tip and hit three of the intruders. The smell of burnt flesh quickly permeated the room. Rethae was knocked back and hit a nearby building, knocking him out. Mavrion panted hard, suddenly feeling weak. He dropped the weapon and collapsed.

The Secondary looked at his commander. "Well, what do we do, sir?"

The Fairy Commander, or Primary, picked up Mavrion and the Professor and slung them over his back. The ground shuddered again as the Eiaf continued to bombard them from orbit.

"We have to go, Secondary Jorgen." His majestic wings sprouted again. "Grab the packs they were holding and let's get out of here." He flew off with his squad close behind him. Behind both of them, the once great capital city burned.

A few minutes later they arrived at the shuttle sight.

"Are these the last of them, Secondary Strangle?" the Primary of his unit asked.

"Almost sir," the young Secondary with the odd accent answered. "Nearly all the chosen Fairies are on the Faien World ready for departure. We're waiting for the Supreme Faie Council members."

"Very good, Secondary. Get on board as soon as they are all here. Our team will stay behind and fight the invaders off, give you some time. When the Faien World is away we will detonate."

"But sir-!"

"Secondary Jorgen Von Strangle, I hereby promote you to Primary of the Faien World. No questions, Primary, just obey my orders!"

He handed the new Primary his staff. "Take it."

"But I-yes sir…" the new Primary took the staff, saluted his former commander who then ran off to join the fight. The new Primary grabbed his new staff and concentrated. The top of the staff began to glow like any would. The Council arrived a few moments later and entered the shuttle bound for the new ship. Jorgen looked at his timepiece. Their window for launch was closing fast. He entered the ship and closed the hatch.

"Is there a physician on board!?" Jorgen bellowed over the intercom as soon as they were airborne. "If so, please come to the medlab! Hurry!"

A young and scared looking man entered a few seconds later holding a bag.

"What's your name son?" Jorgen asked kindly.

"R-Ripanis Stydwel s-sir…" he stuttered, "I'm only a medical student, fifth year, so I'm not sure how much help-"

"Sir, calm down. It's going to be ok," Jorgen reassured the young man. "Can you treat these men?"

"I…I can try…" Ripanis said as he placed his medical kit down and began examining the two men.

"Thank you. I'm going to check on the pilot. These women here are also medical students; they will assist you as best they can." Jorgen left the small medlab and headed to the front.

"Who's the pilot here?" he asked.

"Me sir," a small Fairy with no hair raised his hand. "Pilot Binkan, Second Class sir."

"How long until we reach the Faien World?"

"A few Cycles, sir," Binkan replied, sweat pouring down his face. "The ride may be getting bumpy, sir, so I suggest you strap down until we reach the ship. I will not lose anyone."

"Good idea, thanks Binkan," Jorgen sat in an empty chair behind the pilot. He looked out the window and saw Faien, the only home he had ever known, detonate in a massive fireball.

"Goodbye, Faien. We will never forget you…"

I deleted my older version of this so I could update it and fix some problems. Enjoy.

morbiusgreen