Planet Drotonia
Town of Eldervale
West Haven Ranch
The bright sun shines like a glowing orb in the blue sky as small clouds dotted the sky. It seemed like a painting came to life, which is what a young woman thought as she painted it onto a canvas with a small hum and a smile. She could hear her friends' laughter behind her, she couldn't help but smile and shake her head a bit. Kaiya set her brush down and closed her eyes as she listened to the sounds of nature around her.
The gentle breeze brushed against her softly tanned tone skin, her wavy shoulder-length auburn hair danced in the breeze. She could hear the horses neighing and trotting around in the pasture nearby, the birds chirping a sweet song. Even with the war raging on throughout the galaxy, it was peaceful on Drotonia. Kaiya was grateful that her home had not been found yet by the Covenant. She felt safe in her corner of the universe.
"Kaiya! Lunch is almost ready!" one of her friends, Cole, called out from the barbecue. He had been grilling hamburgers. Cole is a Hispanic young man with curly black hair and green eyes who wore a simple black shirt, denim jeans, and worn-out cowboy boots. The scent of the warm and delicious food made her stomach growl.
"I'm coming! Better save me some burgers or else!" She replied back as she packed up her painting supplies and walked over to the large house. She dusted off her red and black featherweight plaid long sleeve shirt that had a blank tank top underneath, worn-out denim jeans, black boots, and wore a dark brown cowboy hat with a large colorful feather. She had her plaid shirt open and the ends tied in a snug knot while her sleeves were rolled up.
On the porch was Megan, who was fiddling with her drone while Ford was tightening the strings of his guitar.
Megan had short straight brown hair that had been cut to a bob cut with green eyes and pale skin. She wears a regular blue t-shirt with an eagle on it, denim jeans, and boots. While Ford was African-American with his black hair tied back into a ponytail. His brown eyes fixed on his guitar. He wore a green paisley buttoned shirt that was neatly tucked into his torn denim jeans and dark brown boots.
Eldervale was a town that had taken inspiration from the Old Western days when it was first settled. There were several large farms surrounding the outskirts of the town that produced food for the UNSC. There wasn't much technology, mainly for a better quality of life. Horseback riding was one of the main methods of travel besides the occasional vehicle that some owned along with the UNSC base that was stationed on the planet.
Kaiya and her small group of friends had taken some time off from their studies at the UNSC Academy on Reach and returned to Drotonia for R&R. While her folks were off-world for some business, she and her friends took care of the farm and ranch.
Once her paint supplies were set inside the house, Kaiya walked over to the picnic table that had been set up with buns and ingredients for lunch. Cole turned off the flame before he scooped the burgers onto a tray and brought them to the table.
"Come on, lunch is served!" Cole called out to the other two. Ford set down his guitar as Megan huffed and set her drone down before they went over. The four of them made their burgers and sat down together.
"Ah! This is life! A juicy burger with friends in the countryside!" Ford chuckled a bit before he took a bite.
"I agree. I prefer country life more than living in the city, with no crazy noises, crowds, etc. I think after I graduate I might just come back home and work on the farm. I miss horseback riding. Get back into HorseBack Archery." Kaiya said. Megan took a bite and shrugged as she chewed.
"I don't know about you, but I like city life myself," Megan said after she swallowed.
"Well, you've always been a city girl since we were kids." Cole pointed out as he took a swig of his beer. "You're always tinkering with some kind of gadget."
"So? It's a fun hobby that might come in handy one day!" Megan jabbed her finger into Cole's side, causing him to laugh a bit. Kaiya smiled and chuckled softly with Ford. They continued to eat their lunch before Ford suddenly perked up an excited spark in his eyes.
"Hey, I have a great idea! Something we haven't done in a while!"
"And what would that be?" Kaiya said as she wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin.
"Let's go on a trail ride and camp under the stars! Like we used to do as kids. Remember that one time we found that neat cave? Maybe we'll find something amazing again. Another adventure for us just like old times."
Kaiya tapped her chin as she thought about it. "Hmm…I'm up for it!"
"Count me in!" Cole said with a grin as he jumped up with a cheer.
"Yeah, I guess I'll tag along as well," Megan said.
"Great! Let's clean up, pack up, and hit the trail!" Kaiya said as she got to her feet and stretched her limbs. Once it was settled, they cleaned up their lunch, made sure everything was secure at the farm, grabbed the supplies they needed, saddled their horses, and hit the trail.
The trail they took was thick with trees, brush, and teeming with life. The four friends talked, cracked jokes, and told stories as they rode along. Kaiya tilted her hat up a bit as she looked around with a smile until she spotted a small clearing. As she saw the sun was fading along with the light.
"Hey guys, let's make camp over there. Night will fall soon." She suggested as she gently tugged on the reins of her black stallion, Phoenix, towards the clearing. The others followed after her. Once they were in the clearing, they dismounted their horses and gave them water before they set up their small camp just as night fell, turning the sky black with millions of stars.
They all sat around the campfire with marshmallows and stories to tell.
"Do you remember that one time, when we found that cave? Kaiya let out a scream of pure terror when a spider landed on her head!" Cole asked as he laughed. Kaiya laughs a bit embarrassed by the memory her friend spoke of as the fire crackles in the night air.
"You know how I am with spiders! Eight-legged creepy crawlies!" She said as she shivered at the thought. "I would rather face a Covenant grunt than a flipping spider!"
Everyone let out a laugh at that as Ford starts to pull his guitar out and tunes the strings once again.
"Hey, I've got an idea! Let's hear Kaiya sing! I bet she's gotten better." Ford said with a playful smirk.
Kaiya quickly hides her face behind her hands bashfully. "I only sing in the showers!"
"Come on Kaiya! It's just us!" Megan said with a smirk as she looked up from her drone. Kaiya crossed her arms a bit and huffed as they kept trying to convince her to sing for them.
"Alright! Alright! I'll sing, but only one song!" Kaiya said as she started to stand from her seat.
"Name it and I'll play the tune," said Ford as he picked at one string on his guitar.
The young woman sighed heavily before she thought to herself for a moment, then snapped her fingers and pointed at Ford. "Take Me Home, Country Roads."
Ford only chuckled in response. He knew that was her favorite song since they were kids. He adjusted himself before he began to play. Kaiya took a swig of water before she cleared her throat.
"Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is old there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze"
She began to tap her foot as her finger began to snap to the rhythm of the music. Cole began to pat his lap as well and Megan gently swayed herself.
"Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads"
"All my memories gather 'round her
Miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye"
Kaiya knew this song by heart as it brought great comfort to her. Her mother used to sing it to her when she was scared as a child. The warm memories flood her mind of her mother. Now that Kaiya was older, she would hum it to ease her nerves about everything. She closed her eyes and took a breath to continue.
"Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads"
"I hear her voice in the mornin' hour, she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
Drivin' down the road, I get a feelin'
That I should've been home yesterday, yesterday"
At the end of the song, her friends began to clap for her. Kaiya rubbed the back of her neck as she smiled.
"I told you it would be fun!" Ford said with a dorky grin which made Kaiya chuckle and roll her eyes a bit. Suddenly she stopped smiling and looked over her shoulder to the woods behind them. She stared at the trees and the brush, her hazel eyes searched every inch of where she was looking, feeling like they were being watched by something…or someone. She continued to stare until Megan grabbed her shoulder and shook her.
"Oi! Kaiya! Earth to Kaiya! What are you looking at?" Megan asked. Kaiya blinked a few times before she looked at Megan then shook her head.
"It's nothing…probably an owl watching us." She replied.
"Well, owls are the best at staring at people and creeping them out," Cole said, only to shiver when Kaiya smirked at him.
"Oh? Like that one time when you were trapped in the barn with an owl staring at you for the whole time?" Kaiya said with a teasing tone in her voice.
"Not funny! They can see into your soul!" Coal yelped back as he shuddered to recall that night.
Kaiya snorts and burst into laughter with Ford and Megan, holding their stomachs as they laugh
After a couple of more songs, the group turned in for the night, but Kaiya was still awake as she looked up at the stars for a moment from her sleeping bag. She reached up to one of the brightest stars in the sky and chuckled softly as she thought back to something her mother said to her about love.
"When the night is clear when you look up to see the brightest star in the night sky, then your soulmate is nearby."
Kaiya just shook her head a bit at the thought. Her mother was so spiritual.
"Soulmate…Ma…you're so weird…" She chuckled softly to herself before she closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep under the sapphire stars.
The next morning soon came as the sun peaked and rose above the mountains to begin a new day. Kaiya slowly woke and yawned before she got to her feet and started to remake the fire to make everyone some coffee. She sat down in her seat after brewing the fresh coffee and quietly sipped at the hot drink as the others began to wake up themselves.
Cole let out the loudest yawn ever and his hair was a huge ruffled mess. He either had a good night's sleep or was uncomfortable throughout the night. He lazily slipped his boots on and stretched his body before he joined Kaiya by the campfire. Megan was still sound asleep, but Ford was gone along with his horse.
"Where did Ford go?" Kaiya asked with a small yawn. Cole looked over to Ford's rolled-up sleeping bag.
"I think he mentioned he was gonna do an early morning ride last night when we were getting to go to bed," Cole replied and rubbed his eye a bit. "Should we wake up Megan?"
"Nah…let her sleep unless you want to be hog-tied again."
Cole sweated a bit and slowly looked away. "You know what? I'll just get started on breakfast!" He quickly said before he grabbed a skillet from his backpack to start cooking the bacon and eggs. Kaiya could only softly smile before she sipped at her coffee. She grabbed an apple and stood up then walked over to Phoenix who looked up from his grazing and snorted a bit upon seeing his owner.
"There's my big boy. Here you go. Your favorite." She smiled as she held out the shiny red, juicy apple. Phoenix whinnied a bit before he took the apple and happily ate it as Kaiya pulled out a brush from the saddlebag. She groomed his mane, humming softly as the air began to smell of bacon and eggs, which in turn caused Megan to finally wake up for breakfast.
"Mornin' sleepyhead," Kaiya said to her. Megan only responded with a mumble and a dismissive wave as she poured herself some coffee and sat down.
Kaiya quickly looked over to the woods after hearing a rather loud snapping sound behind her only to see a deer-like alien walk past in the tree line with a fawn. It had large antlers that curved down towards the ground and small horns along the back of the neck. A single horn on its nose, two large fangs poking out of the mouth like a sabertooth tiger. Its fur color was dark green with black stripes like a zebra to help it blend in and hide from predators. While the baby had similar features, but no antlers.
It stopped and looked at Kaiya for a moment only to hiss and trot away with its fawn. She let out a sigh of relief and shook her head. Even though the Covenant wasn't on Drotonia, she still felt anxious and jumpy sometimes. Taking a calm deep breath, Kaiya went back to grooming Phoenix before she went back to the camp for breakfast.
While they ate breakfast, Cole looked at Kaiya for a moment. "Hey, do you think you're still good at Horseback Archery?" He asked. "Cause you mentioned that you like to get back into that."
Kaiya looked at him while chewing on a piece of bacon and scratched her head a bit. "Good question…I haven't done it since we started our studies at the Academy…so I might be pretty rusty."
"Then let's see how good you still are! It'll be something fun to do while we wait for Ford to come back from wherever he is." Cole said as Megan set down her plate and pulled out rolled-up targets she had brought along.
"You had this planned huh?"
"You know me! Gotta be prepared for anything!" Megan smirked as she handed the targets to Cole. "You get Phoenix saddled up and we'll set up the targets."
Kaiya nodded as she set her plate down and tied her hair up with a blue ribbon. It was her good luck charm that she had since she was a child, given to her by her grandmother when she was first adopted when she was five years old.
Once Phoenix was saddled up, Kaiya grabbed her bow and arrows which were made with technology and better materials than the traditional bow and arrows. She put on the quiver on her hip and climbed onto Phoenix, gently nudging him a bit.
"Ready to see if we still got it, Phoenix?" She asked her loyal steed as she stroked his neck which in return he replied with a soft neigh and dug at the ground with his hoof.
Megan and Cole had set up the targets throughout the area of the clearing and some in the woods for a challenge.
"Okay, Kaiya! Are you ready?!" Cole called out as they got out of the way. Kaiya tilted her hat in response.
"Ready as I'll ever be, Cole!"
Megan raised up a green cloth. "On my mark…get set…GO!" She waved the cloth up and down. Phoenix took off galloping at full speed while Kaiya let go of the reins and steadied her arm and back as she drew her bow. She had twenty-five minutes to hit the marks before Phoenix could get tired.
As they approached the first target, Kaiya released the arrow, hitting the target. She was quick with hitting all the marks, Phoenix easily dodged and weaved through the trees as Kaiya managed to duck the branches and leaves without losing focus on her targets. Her aim was steady even with all the dodging.
Both Kaiya and Phoenix were perfectly in sequence. A rider and her horse in perfect harmony. It was shown that they had been training for years together.
Once she had hit all the targets, Kaiya clicked her tongue, causing Phoenix to slow down into a trot and then into a walk. He panted softly as they walked back over to the camp. Kaiya stroked his neck with a smile.
"Good job Phoenix." She said, once at camp Kaiya dismounted Phoenix and gave him a bucket of water while Cole and Megan walked over to her.
"Wow, Kaiya! You and Phoenix were amazing!" Cole said as he cheered. Kaiya chuckled softly.
"Thanks, Cole, but I am rusty. I only managed to get two bullseyes out of the six. Definitely need to get back into it for sure. The wind and the rush of it were exciting. Once Phoenix is rested and ready, we'll go again. Gotta see if I get a better score."
"Yeah, you still managed to get hits on the targets so it's not as bad as you think it is," Megan said as she showed her the pictures of the targets. Kaiya looked and smiled a bit. Indeed her arrows did land within the targets. One was close to the center while the others were on the edges.
"Hmm…let's see if I can do that again," Kaiya said as she walked over to the targets and retrieved the arrows.
After Phoenix had rested and was ready to go again, Kaiya mounted back up onto his saddle and did the same thing again, weaving and jumping, aiming for the individual targets. As they approached the last target, Kaiya slowly jumped onto Phoenix's back, steading herself once again, and let loose the arrows, hitting the bullseyes.
Cole's and Megan's jaws dropped at what they witnessed. Kaiya, with a small wobble, sat back down and cheered, "Yes! I still got it!" She fist-bumped as Phoenix reared up and neighed loudly in victory. Satisfied with herself, the two trotted back over to camp.
"Shoot! That was incredible, Kaiya!" Megan said as she was thankful she had recorded the whole thing.
"Yeah! I didn't know you could do that!" Cole said. "My mind is blown away!" He added with a gesture of a mind blown. Kaiya chuckled as she dismounted Phoenix and smiled.
"Well, it was something I was working on before I went to the Academy. Just something to make everyone surprised and blown away, but it seems to have worked." Kaiya grinned, feeling good.
"A-And you also managed to get four out of six bullseyes this time!" Cole pointed as Kaiya nodded.
"Yep, even a master archer struggles to get a lot of bullseyes, but I'm happy with the results," Kaiya said as she took the saddle off Phoenix along with the reins, letting him go roam a bit and rest while she went to retrieve the arrows.
As Kaiya approached the last target, she saw something in the corner of her eye and quickly drew her bow, nocking an arrow. Her heart was racing in her chest. Her eyes stared intensely at the woods, watching and listening for anything strange. All she could hear was the wind blowing, the birds chirping, and her friends talking amongst themselves. Cautiously, she lowered her bow and put the arrow back into the quiver, and grabbed the arrow from the target, checking it over making sure it had not split or cracked. She couldn't help but shake the feeling she was being watched by something.
Her ears suddenly picked up the sound of galloping hooves and Ford's voice. "Guys! Guys! You won't believe what I found!"
Kaiya placed the arrow back into her quiver before she walked out of the woods and looked over towards Ford in the camp.
"Well, there's Ford. What did you find?" Megan asked as Ford quickly approached them with an excited expression.
"You won't believe it, but I found an alien-looking structure nearby!" Ford exclaimed in excitement.
Everyone froze and turned pale as Kaiya felt her chest tighten in fear. Could it be? Could the Covenant have finally found their planet? Cole swallowed dryly and began to sweat.
"Is…is it….the C-Covenant..?"
"What? Oh no no! It looks like a big temple built within the mountainside!"
Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Kaiya felt the tightness in her chest leave. "Ford! Don't scare us like that!"
"Sorry about that! But come on! Let's go check it out." Ford said with excitement sparkling in his green eyes. Kaiya rubbed her neck a bit, chewing on her lip nervously.
"Hmmm…alright, but we should be cautious." She said as she called Phoenix over and saddled him up. Megan quickly grabbed her drone and stuffed it into the saddlebag, while Cole put out the fire kicking dirt over it to snuff the flames. Once everyone was ready, they followed Ford towards his newfound discovery.
It was a short ride to where Ford had discovered the temple. Kaiya's eyes widened at the sight of the large stairs that lead up to a large-looking door.
"You were not kidding…it looks like it's been here for a long time…maybe even longer before humanity settled on the planet!" Kaiya said as she dismounted Phoenix and slowly looked the structure over with curious eyes before she climbed up the stairs with the others to get a closer look. As she got closer she began to notice cracks along the walls and moss growing all over the structure. Clearly, it had been long since abandoned by whoever had been here.
Megan typed onto her wrist pad making the drone hover beside and follow her while recording everything as they approached the doors. Cole tilted his head with his hands on his hips as he looked at the door.
"How do we open it? I don't see a keypad, handle, anything!" Cole asked as he looked around.
Kaiya looked at him. "You seriously want to open the damn thing?"
"Well yeah! There could be hidden treasure or something!" Cole replied and smiled. Kaiya shook her head a bit. Cole had always been the goofball of their little group forever. Ford went over to the door and tried to push and pull, but nothing worked.
Cole quickly went over and tried to help as well as Megan, but Kaiya remained where she was and tilted her hat up a bit as she looked up to the top and then the bottom of the door.
"Damn it! It's not opening!" Megan huffed and gently kicked the door.
"Perhaps it's locked for a reason!" Kaiya said firmly and walked over. "Whatever or whoever built this thing had reasons to lock it…from looters like you." She pointed at Cole. Cole just shrugged.
"But it's something new and we haven't seen anything alien this up close that won't kill us!" Cole said as Kaiya leaned her hand on the door and sighed. Suddenly the door lit up around Kaiya's hand, causing her to quickly pull away, shocked.
"What in the world…?" She said as she looked at her hand then at the door as it dimmed down. Ford, Cole, and Megan looked at each other just as surprised as she was then looked at Kaiya.
"Do that again Kaiya," Ford said as he gestured toward the door.
"Hell no!" Kaiya shot him a glare.
"Come on Kaiya! Think of the adventure! Maybe we could find something great or something really expensive to sell and we'd all be rich!" Cole said in a joking manner as he rubs his hand together like a cartoon villain.
Kaiya glared at Cole then looked at the door for a moment before sighing. She hated to admit it, but she too was genuinely curious about the temple that had been hidden on her home planet. She slowly laid her hand where it was before. The door once again lit up brightly and the doors began to slowly open for her. Once again Kaiya's eyes widened in awe.
"Kaiya you have the magic touch!" Megan said as Kaiya stared into the dark chamber before her. She felt a sudden dread in her stomach and slowly went in, but quickly stopped when a vision flashed through her mind. She shook her head and felt her heart racing and thumping rapidly in her chest. Megan quickly walked in along with Ford and Cole.
"W-Wait! Hold up!" Kaiya said to the others, making them stop and look at her. "Are we really gonna be like the stupid dumb teenagers in the movies that walk into an alien temple without the proper equipment?"
Ford opened his mouth to say something but closed it. "She does have a point."
"Yeah…" Megan rubbed her neck a bit as Cole nodded.
"If we REALLY want to explore the temple, I suggest that we go back to camp, grab the equipment we need then come back," Kaiya said as she turned to the stairs.
"Yeah she's right, I'd rather be safe than have my head filled with blow darts or get our asses chased by a giant rolling boulder," Cole said as he quickly rushed out the door.
"Did you just seriously reference Indiana Jones?" Kaiya asked with a small chuckle. Cole just gave her a thumbs up and a goofy smile. She rolled her eyes as she walked down the stairs and mounted Phoenix. She once again noticed something in the corner of her eye. She looked over to the bushes and slowly got off Phoenix and walked over. She moved the leaves out of her way and looked around carefully. Once again, she didn't see or hear anything.
Kaiya thought she was imagining things until she felt something on her shoulder behind. Startled, she grabbed a wrist and flipped her unknown assailant over her shoulder, and quickly pinned them, her knife drawn.
"WHOA, WHOA, KAIYA! It's just me!" Ford said quickly as he raised his hands. Kaiya blinked a few times before she got off him.
"Ford! You know not to sneak up on me when I'm focused on something!" She snapped before she offered her hand to him, helping him back to his feet.
"Sorry Kaiya, you weren't answering when I called out to you. What were you looking at?" Ford asked as he looked around then at her. Kaiya sheathed her knife and shrugged.
"Not sure, really. I think my imagination is playing tricks on me." She replied as she turned.
"Can't blame you for being jumpy," Ford said as they returned to the horses.
The group soon returned to the temple with the supplies they needed. They dismounted their horses and climbed up the steps once again. Kaiya adjusted her tool belt and pulled out her hovering light orb.
"Okay, guys. Here's the deal. We don't touch anything. We don't take anything. And if we spot anything that looks dangerous. Extremely dangerous. We leave, got it?" Kaiya looked at her friends who nodded in agreement. Megan once again had her hovering drone out to record and collect anything they found.
Carefully they went back inside the dark chamber and began their exploration of the alien temple. On the walls were carvings of strange beings and starships and symbols. Some pillars and statues laid in ruins succumbed to the time that had passed. Kaiya was amazed by what they found and wondered why she never found this place in all the years she had explored.
Each step they took, echoed around them. It felt like they were stepping into the past the further they went. Everything looked so advanced and yet so advanced. Soon they came to a single large almost empty room. Well except for a floating diamond-shaped artifact upon a pedestal.
"Whoa…" Cole said with amazement in his voice. They slowly approached the pedestal and looked at it closer. It was the size of an apple, with strange marks. Within the middle was a red light that sparkled in the light.
"I wonder what this is…" Megan wondered as her drone slowly circled around the object before them. "And why is it all by itself here?"
"Perhaps it's a sacred item to the aliens that once lived here?" Kaiya said. "Or a power source?"
"Well whatever it is, it's awesome!" Cole said as he reached out and took the item. Everyone held their breaths and quickly looked around, except to see traps triggered or a giant boulder. After two minutes, nothing happened. Kaiya took a deep sigh of relief and looked at Cole.
"Cole! What did I say when we came in here?! Do not touch anything!" Kaiya snarled as she snatched the artifact from him. "We are putting this back and leav-"
She stopped when she felt a strange tingle in her that held the object. Slowly she looked at the object within her hand as it slowly began to light up like the door. It glowed brighter and brighter until Kaiya felt a sudden wave of heat rising in her body. It became unbearable and she let out a scream as her eyes began to burn. She felt like her body was on fire.
Around her, she began to see terrifying figures and heard screaming. She held her head as it began to pound like a drum.
"M-Make it stop! Make it stop! Make the screams stop!" She screamed, and her eyes began to bleed.
"K-Kaiya?! Kaiya!" Ford quickly rushed over to her side and yanked the object out of her hands. It clattered onto the floor with a soft click. Kaiya gasped for air and almost collapsed herself only for Ford to catch her.
"Kaiya! Kaiya!" He called out to her, gently shaking her. "She's not waking up! W-We need to leave now and get her back to the Ranch!" Ford scooped her up bridal style as Megan checked her forehead.
"She's burning up! Come on!" The two quickly left as Cole picked up the object and stuffed it into his bag before he followed after them. Once they were outside they mounted their horses as Phoenix's reins were grabbed by Cole and quickly they took off.
Night had fallen by the time they reached West Haven Ranch and along with a storm rolling in. Kaiya was quickly carried inside by Ford while Cole and Megan put the horses in the pasture. She was laid on the couch in the living and groaned from the discomfort. Her head was pounding, her eyes ached, and her fever kept rising.
"Quickly get a cold wet towel!" Ford said to Megan who nodded and rushed over to the kitchen, turning on the water as Ford removed her boots and socks. She grabbed a towel and got it wet, squeezing it then brought it over to Kaiya, laying it on her forehead.
"W-What's happening to her!?" Cole asked as he came in and closed the door. Ford shook his head.
"I don't know, but whatever the object did to her, she's not doing so well! We need to call a doctor!"
"Who would be crazy to come out here?! Especially with the storm!" Megan snapped. "And worst of all it has to be someone we can trust! You know how the UNSC is with anything alien! They would take Kaiya and lock her away!"
Cole slowly pulled out the artifact and looked at it. How could something so small cause his friend so much pain and why didn't it affect him and the others?
"Cole?! Why did you bring that?!" Ford's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Cole quickly placed it on the table.
"I-I thought maybe we could use it to fix Kaiya!"
"Cole, think! It caused her a lot of pain and her eyes are bleeding now! Something happened because of that…. That THING!" Megan snarled, then stopped when she heard a soft groan and quickly looked over to Kaiya. She was stirring at last.
"G-Guys…keep it down…" She mumbled as they gathered around her, relieved to see she was alright. She slowly opened her eyes and everyone gasped. Her vision slowly returned and looked at them all.
"W-What's wrong…?" She asked when she noticed their expressions. Ford just stared at her as Cole slowly pointed at her.
"Your…your eyes…"
"What about my eyes…? I can see…just fine…" Kaiya said as Megan quickly walked over to the nearest bathroom, searched around until she found a hand mirror and brought it over.
"Kaiya…don't freak out when you see it…" Megan advised as she slowly handed the mirror to her. Kaiya looked at her confused for a moment before she slowly looked in the mirror and gasped loudly. Her eyes were no longer hazel and the sclera was no longer white, but black. Pure black and her eyes were a stunning, piercing, almost glowing blue.
"W-What's happening to me…?" She asked her friends, struggling not to panic. She winced from the pain in her head. Ford gently eased her back down onto the couch.
"Breath Kaiya…we'll figure this out…right now we need to cool down the fever you have," Ford said to calm her down.
BOOM!
A loud thunder was heard followed by flashes of lighting. The streams of bolts danced across the dark sky. Lighting struck down to the ground and hit the power, causing everything to go dark. Megan groaned and facepalmed.
"Great! What's next?! Santa coming to pay us a visit?!" She snapped. She was annoyed and frustrated. Megan was the smartest among them and it was boggling her mind what was happening to Kaiya.
Knock knock
Everyone quickly became quiet and looked at one another cautiously. "Is…is someone at the door…?" Cole whispered as he swallowed. Megan looked at the door.
"Maybe…maybe it's just small rocks…being blown around…?" She replied in a low shaky voice. There was more knocking at the door. Three knocks. Four knocks.
"Megan…go answer it…you jinxed us." Ford ushered her while he draped a blanket over Kaiya, who was shivering and sweating from the fever. Megan looked at them and then to the door before she swallowed and slowly approached the door. Her hand slowly reached for the knob and slowly unlatched the door. What she saw caused her face to go completely white as the color drained from her face. She slowly closed the door and locked it.
"Megan…what did you see…?" Kaiya as she noticed her friend's face. Megan slowly backed away from the door, struggling to speak. She shakily pointed to the door and looked at the others.
"El…El…Elite…outside…standing…out…outside…t-t-t-the door…" She managed to say. Everyone's eyes widen in pure terror, the realization that the Covenant was standing outside the door, literally. Before anyone could say anything the door was ripped wide open and several large armored elites quickly rushed in.
"EVERYONE RUN!" Ford yelled as he scooped up Kaiya and bolted up the stairs while Cole literally jumped through the window and Megan took off to the back door.
"Find them all and bring them to me alive." A voice that was deep, like the sound of living thunder, sounded. His voice held a soft soothing aspect to it as it commanded the attention of all of the Elite troops who immediately jumped into doing his bidding.
"Yes, Supreme Commander!" They replied and quickly spread out throughout the house to collect the humans. Ford had run into one of the bedrooms, set Kaiya down locked the door, and pushed several different pieces of furniture to block the door.
"T-That's….that's not going to hold them back for very long," Kaiya said as she slowly stood up. Ford panted a bit, jumping back when they heard loud pounding on the door.
"Open up humans! Now! Or we will blast this door down!" An Elite snarled out from behind the blocked door. Ford looked to the window then to Kaiya then gestured to the window quietly. Kaiya looked over and then nodded as Ford quietly unlocked the window, and glanced around outside. The cold rain landed on his head before he pulled himself out the window and then helped Kaiya out as well.
Just as she started to climb out the door was blasted down and the furniture was kicked and tossed out of the way. "There! They're escaping!" One yelled in white armor. He rushed over to the window and grabbed Kaiya's ankle, trying to yank her back inside. She yelped when she felt the large scaly four-digit clawed hand wrap around her ankle. Ford saw and struggled to pull Kaiya with him.
"G-Get your claws off me, ya creep!" She yelled as she turned to face the Elite. His reptilian orange eyes slightly widened at the sight of her unusual eyes. Seeing how he was distracted, Kaiya slammed her other foot into the side of his face, sending him slightly stumbling back into the wall. She looked at her hand shocked at what she did.
"Rtas, sir! Are you alright?!" One of the Elites asked as Kaiya and Ford quickly escaped. Rtas, the white armored Elite slowly stood up and shook his head.
"Yes, brother. I am alright. For a human…she packs quite a kick. Come, we mustn't let them get away!" He said before he took off running out the door followed by the others.
Ford and Kaiya quickly ran to hide within the barn that was about thirty feet away from the house. They were lucky it was dark out so they could sneak around. Once inside the barn, they hid in one of the stalls and hunkered down.
"What are we going to do Ford…?" Kaiya asked as she leaned against the stall. Ford looked out the window closest to them and ducked down.
"I-I don't know…but I see Grunts and Elites roaming around…" He whispered then peeked out the window. "Strange that they haven't killed us yet…"
Kaiya licked her lips a bit as she thought. "Maybe they want…that thing we found…" She said as Ford rubbed his chin and nodded.
"It would make sense. I had heard the Covenant collecting ancient alien objects…but why leave us alive…?"
Kaiya slowly shrugged and then covered her mouth when they heard the Elites speaking to one another.
"Have you found the humans yet?" The deep thundering yet soothing voice asked.
"Not yet, Supreme Commander." Rtas' voice replied. Kaiya's eyes widened in surprise when she heard the title. A Supreme Commander? Here?! One of the highest rankings an Elite can earn within the Covenant. She knew they were in deep trouble. Ford had the same realization as her. If a Supreme Commander of the Covenant was here then it meant something big. Really big.
"Continue your search, brother."
There was shuffling outside the barn. "Hey! We haven't checked in here!" a squeaky voice of a Grunt said. Kaiya and Ford quickly looked at each other with fear before Ford's eyes sparkled a bit, meaning he had a plan.
"Kaiya. I'm going to distract them while you jump onto Phoenix and get to town for help."
"Are you crazy?! I'm not leaving you here!"
"It's the best bet we have to get the UNSC to help us out! Now…when I get their attention…you ride like the wind that you are!" Ford whispered before he inched over to the door and gave her a hand sign to get ready. Kaiya looked at him with worry then inched over to the door that went into the pasture. She watched him and gave him the thumbs up. Ford nodded and took a deep breath before he kicked the door open which smacked a Grunt into the mud.
"Hey, you ugly bastards! I'm right here! Come and get me!" He yelled at the top of his lungs and took off running down the road.
"What are you waiting for?! Get him!" Rtas ordered as several Elites and Grunts chased after Ford. That was the signal for Kaiya to go. She quietly snuck out the door and kept low as she clicked her tongue for Phoenix.
Phoenix quickly looked up from his grazing and trotted over to Kaiya, who winced in pain from her head and eyes. He whinnied a bit at her only for Kaiya to quickly try to quiet him down. She looked back to see no one was paying attention as the rain poured down hard on them. She struggled to get on her large black horse and urged him to run. He let out a loud neigh as he took off down the pasture towards the edge of the fence.
"Supreme Commander! One of the human females is getting away!" Rtas called out when he heard the stallion neigh.
"I will go after this one. Capture the remaining humans, but do not harm them." The Supreme Commander ordered as he calmly, but quickly mounted a Ghost and drove after Kaiya.
Phoenix galloped as fast as he could and leaped over the fence with ease with his rider holding onto his mane. The rain became heavier and heavier with each passing second, causing the surroundings to be unclear to Kaiya. Visibility was next to nothing because of the heavy downpour of rain, Kaiya struggled to make anything out as the world was whipping by in a blur and she had no clue if the Elite was behind her.
Kaiya gently tugged on Phoenix's mane to slow him down to a stop and quickly looked at her surroundings, realizing she was completely lost in the dense rain.
"Damn it…" She whispered and held her throbbing head as she struggled to think straight. She felt so many emotions rushing through her entire body. Fear. Panic. Worry. She was soaked to the bone from the rain. "Maybe we can retrace our steps…no…damn it all!" She groaned.
BOOM! CRACKLE!
Phoenix let out a sharp startled neigh and reared up startled by the sound of thunder, causing Kaiya to fall off him. He quickly fled into the woods back the way they came.
Kaiya groaned a bit and rubbed her bottom. "P-Phoenix! Come back!" She called out to her horse as she slowly stood up. "Phoenix!" She shivered violently from the cold rain and leaned against a tree.
"Okay…no Phoenix…I guess I'll have to go the rest of the way by foot…if I can find my way.." She muttered to herself. She looked around for clues on where to go.
"You will not be going anywhere." said a voice behind her.
Kaiya quickly turned around and let out a startled yelp when she saw the Elite before her. His armor was golden and he wore a purple cloak with fur along the top. His dark scaly skin was hard to see, but his piercing amber eyes stood out, which caused a shiver to run down her spine when their eyes locked. He stood at least 7 feet tall, almost 8 feet. He stood before her with both menacing and regal posture.
"Oh…hell.." She muttered as she stepped back a bit. She could feel her heart racing in her chest with fear. He took a step towards her.
"You will come with me, human. Now." He said in a firm and commanding tone. He was the thundering voice that she had heard, meaning this Elite was the Supreme Commander. She slowly shook her head.
"How…How about no?" She replied and tried to run only to have her wrist grabbed by the Elite. She yanked herself to get free from his grasp. It was firm and strong, but not enough to harm. "Let go of me!" She snarled and threw a punch to his face only for him to easily catch it.
"You are tired, weak. You will not last long in a fight against me." He said. Kaiya struggled against him before she suddenly threw herself at him, causing him to lose his footing on the slippery grass.
"O-Oh yeah?! Strength isn't everything!" She said to him as they landed on the ground. She slammed her head against his, a big mistake. She yelped from the sharp pain and headache. Steel helmet and headache do not mix. She shook her head and tried to kick him away, but he swiftly pinned her down to the ground.
"Enough of this!" He had to admit he found her endurance mildly impressive, especially in her weakened state. The Supreme Commander leaned closer to her face and snarled. "You are coming with me now…and you will behave…" He said. She only glared at him and bared her teeth.
"And…I said…NO!" She yelled as she pressed both her feet against his stomach and used her remaining strength to kick him off her. He grunted when he was sent stumbling into a tree, but he quickly was back on his feet and snarled dangerously at the human woman, who was struggling to stand. She grabbed a fist full of mud and threw it at his face. He roared when he was blinded and quickly wiped it away.
Once his vision was clear, Kaiya was gone. He sniffed the air, but couldn't pick up her scent. He hissed lightly, clicking his mandibles a bit. He needed to draw her back out without hurting her. An idea popped in his head and he smirked before he returned to his Ghost and went back to the Ranch.
Kaiya stumbled through the woods, panting heavily, and soon collapsed to her knees, exhausted. She whimpered as she held her throbbing head. Everything ached. Everything felt like it was on fire. She sat down against a tree, to catch her breath and regain what little strength she had. She had to Eldervale and warn the UNSC. For her home and for her friends' sake. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. She hoped they were safe.
Back at West Haven Ranch, Megan and Cole had been captured and handcuffed. They were forced into the clearing that was in front of the house and surrounded by both Elites and Grunts. They were quiet as Ford was the loudest. He struggled against the Zealots that had caught him. He kicked and struggled with everything he had.
"Get your hands off me, dinos! You won't get anything out of me!" He snapped at them as he was forced towards Megan and Cole. The rain had stopped and the sky began to clear, revealing the starry sky once again. Rtas crossed his arms as he watched the humans.
"Be silence human or I will be forced to silence you." He said calmly, but threateningly to Ford. Ford glared up at the white armored Elite.
"Fine, but answer me this! What do you want from us?! You bastards normally murder every single human you come across!"
"Two reasons. One. You have something that belongs to us. Two. Our Supreme Commander has deemed that no harm will come to any of you…yet" He said just when he heard a Ghost approach and looked over to see his Commander approaching them. He bowed his head in respect to his leader when he dismounted the Ghost.
"Where is the human female you chased?" He asked.
"Escaped. For now, I have an idea of how to draw her back to us. But first…" He walked over to Cole and grabbed him by his neck and slowly lifted him up. Cole yelped and struggled a bit.
"W-Wait big guy! I-I didn't do anything!" He said pleadingly and closed his eyes tightly. Megan gasped, fearing Cole was going to be killed. The Commander suddenly ripped open one of the pockets on Cole's pant legs, revealing the artifact. He snatched it away and dropped Cole. He looked it over carefully and placed it upon a small hovering tray.
The Commander slowly turned to the woods and noted that the black horse had returned to the pasture. Measuring the distance he took, he figured Kaiya couldn't be too far away, especially in her condition. He cleared his throat.
"Attention, human! I, Thel 'Vadamee, Supreme Commander of The Fleet of Particular Justice, and my brothers have captured your friends! If you do not wish any harm to come to them, you will return here and hand yourself over to us!" He announced loudly enough. His voice was truly like thunder that rolled loudly through the woods.
Kaiya slowly looked up from her spot and felt fear grip her heart as she heard his words. Her friends were captured and in danger. From her studies, she knew that the Elites never used trickery and were honorable. She bit her lip as her mind raced, trying to figure things out.
She had heard of Thel 'Vadamee from records and documents. How he was one of the most dangerous and unpredictable of his kind due to his military might and mind which had glassed many human worlds. Suddenly she had an idea. How to save her friends and her world. She only hoped it would work.
She staggered back to the Ranch and snuck over to where Phoenix's saddle was in the barn. There on the saddle was her bow and quiver. She quietly grabbed them and placed her quiver on her hip before she went back into the woods. She nocked an arrow onto the bow and slowly came out. She raised her arm and aimed at them.
"Alright, I'm here." She said to Thel, who turned his head towards her and seemed to smirk a bit. Even in her condition, she was willing to still fight. He had to admit again that she was impressive for a human. A Zealot tried to approach her quickly, but she loosed the arrow and went past the Zealot's head and into a tree behind him.
"The next one goes in your head! Do not come any closer until I have a say!" She snapped at the Zealot. Thel 'Vadamee raised his hand, signaling the Zealot to back down.
"Alright then. I will hear what you have to say human." Thel replied calmly to her. Kaiya winced a bit from the headache but stayed focused as best as she could.
"What do you want here?" She asked. Thel gestured to the Artifact.
"We first came to retrieve this Holy Artifact, but when I saw how both the Temple and the Artifact reacted to you…I knew right away that you are what we need for Our Great Journey…so now I want you and the Artifact." He explained to her. Kaiya's heart thumped in her throat. Now she was a target for the Covenant. She cursed under her breath. Still, if they truly want her, they'll have to play by her rules now.
"I see…if you want me to come with you willingly…then you will have to hear and agree to my terms. If you don't…then I will not go willingly and I will fight you every step of the way…"
"And they are?"
"Three things. One, you will not harm my friends. Two, you will not glass my home. And three, you will leave my world alone." She said. Kaiya hoped her plan would work. Her friends looked at her shocked.
"K-Kaiya! Don't do it! Don't go with these monsters!" Megan pleaded. An Elite hissed at Megan.
"Be silent, human!" He snarled at her. Thel 'Vadamee was a bit surprised by her terms but thought for a moment. How honorable her sacrifice was to him. To give herself up for her friends, family, and home. For their safety and well-being.
"I agree to your terms, human. I swear upon my honor that no harm will come to anyone here." Thel replied. Kaiya sighed in relief that her plan worked. She tossed her bow to the side and undid her quiver before she tossed it as well. Rtas ''Vadum signaled two Elites to retrieve her.
"Put the other humans in the house and make sure they don't leave until we are gone." Thel 'Vadamee ordered as he signaled for a Phantom. Kaiya winced when the Elites grabbed her by her forearms and handcuffed her while the rest forced Megan, Cole, and Ford into the house.
"Kaiya! Just hang on! We'll get you free!" Ford called out as he was forced into the house as a Phantom emerged from above the trees and landed on the ground for them. Kaiya swallowed nervously as she was forced along. Her instincts were telling her to fight and get free, but it took all of her willpower not to fight as she was brought onto the Phantom. She looked back at her home with a single tear falling down her cheek. She feared she would never see her home, her family, her friends, ever again. She grunted as she was forced deeper into the ship. Thel 'Vadamee climbed inside and told the pilot to take them back to their ship.
Once all the Elites and Grunts were onboard, the Phantom closed up and took off into space with both the Artifact and Kaiya.
After thirty-five minutes, the Phantom returned for the stationed Grunts and Elites that were making sure the remaining humans didn't sneak out. Once the team was boarded, the Phantom once again took off to the sky. The three remaining friends quickly got out of the house, jumped onto their horses, and took off toward the town, hoping the UNSC stationed there would help in rescuing Kaiya.