Prologue

The two children breathed hard as they ran away into the unknown wilderness, too terrified to look back. Too terrified of what they might see or what might see them. Oliver and his little sister Evelyn had been playing outside their home on a bright summer morning, their mother tending to the family's modest garden, when the sound began. It didn't slowly build up, it was immediately deafening. It felt like a power tool drilling into your temples, like a screaming echo inside your mind. All three began rolling on the ground in pain before coming somewhat to their senses, the sound never leaving. Their mother had both hands on her ears but was looking into the sky at something. Following her gaze through their pain, the children saw what had caught her attention. A giant alien ship. The ominous shape looked like tentacles and the scale of the craft was enormous. Just descending into atmosphere seemed to change the weather around it. Their mother stared in disbelief and fear. Breaking her shock and wincing in pain, she ran to them,

"Oliver, do you remember how to get to where we go camping?"

Oliver, confused, nodded. Their mom smiled and hugged both of them tightly,

"Both of your get your backpacks and run there as fast as you can. Don't come back here until I come for you."

Oliver sensing the tension and danger went to protest but his mother put a finger to his lips and smiled, "I need you to be brave, just like the characters in those stories you love so much. Can you do that for me?"

Oliver began to tear up, "B-But what about y-"

"I'll be fine sweetheart, I promise. I just need you to do this ok?"

Oliver couldn't speak without crying and just nodded. Turning to her daughter, who didn't fully understand what was going on but was upset with Oliver anyways, she said,

"And I need you to listen to Oli, ok Peanut?"

The little girl nodded before hugging her mother once more, Oliver immediately joining them.

"Be safe Mom, we'll be waiting for you." Oliver could barely choke the words out.

Evelyn kissed her mother's cheek saying, "I love you Mommy."

Their mother kissed them both once more, "I love you both to Earth and back."

An explosion outside toward the center of town violently shook the house.

"Now go and don't turn back. Go!"

They ran, obeying their mother not once turning back. No matter how scared they were. No matter what terrible screams they heard. No matter how much their lungs burned, they kept running. It would take them almost an hour to reach their destination and upon reaching it, they both collapsed exhausted. They knew they had reached the right spot because of the strange stones adorning the surrounding area. Their mother claimed that they were artifacts from whatever lived here before humans. Oliver had to admit, they were quite interesting to look at but more importantly they seemed to dull the sound as it didn't affect them here. Evelyn almost immediately laid down to take a nap. Oliver set up their tent and and tried to make sense of their situation. The spot had some equipment left from the family's previous outing and a small creek nearby for water. There was also a small cave in the hill the creek ran off of they could use to hide if needed. As he thought of his family's previous outing, he began to quietly weep wondering if he would ever see his mother again. Briefly waking up, Evelyn grabbed Oliver's hand,

"Can you say a prayer for Mommy, Oli?"

Oliver's family had been one of the few that still followed an old Earth religion. Something their mother had said kept them eternally tied to their homeworld no matter where they were. Even here on Eden Prime, the gods of Earth would hear their prayer because that was where all humans were truly from. In a moment of genuine faith that only a child can have, Oliver and Evelyn asked the gods to protect their mother.

And the gods answered them.