The other wraith never saw it coming. In a second there was a sickening thud as the dagger drove itself deep into the wraiths chest. Gripping at it he sunk to his knees and in seconds he was dead. Dropping May he walked over and pulled the blade out. Tucking it back into his boots he looked back to the girl, who was utterly confused and shocked. He would have loved to walk away at that moment, like some mysterious hero, but he knew she was lost, and there had to be more wraith around. Sighing he shook his head and walked slowly up to her.
"Let's get you home." He said reaching for her. She only looked at him sadly and shook her head. Standing slowly she brushed the dirt clinging to her torn dress.
"They destroyed my home. The whole village, and left me on this planet. There is no gate, I checked." She was still holding back tears and every once and awhile her voice would crack. Everyone was dead? He had to pause to take in that information. He had assumed they were on the planet, but now that he looked around, there were significant differences.
"May, I'm so sorry." He started to say but she only shrugged him off, shaking her head, trying to hide the new flow of tears. Her shoulders were shuttering. The lost of her sister, her home, her people, it was taking its toll on the 15 year old girl. He didn't know how to comfort her, how to ease some of her pain, so he simply turned to leave, giving her some time alone.
He was patrolling the area around the clearing, and looking for a safe place to spend the night. When were the other wraiths coming? Or did they just leave him after he killed the one? Val doubted it. Suddenly May's voice called him from some distance. An image flashed through his mind of her bound by another wraith and instantly he regretted saving her. She would now weigh him down, but was this what being human meant? Taking off he covered the ground quickly until he found her huddled against some tree, holding her knees close to her chest.
"Whats…" He cut himself off following her eyes into the darkness. He could feel the cold presence of a wraith illusion, drifting through the woods, terrorizing the girl. Pulling the dagger back out he searched the area for the bodies, but could see none. "May get up, stay behind me, and don't say a damn word!" He snarled. She jumped up and did as she was told, suddenly afraid of her own protector. Just then, shadows began emerging and stepping into the light of the setting sun. They had him surrounded. "When a window opens, run." He hissed softly, swinging the blade around in his hand trying to get a good hold.
"You're a fool, protecting some human child!" One hissed softly, tilting his head slightly to look at the terrified girl. "The commander is a fool for thinking you could ever be a wraith." He snarled pulling a long knife from his side and held it tightly. Val watched each move carefully, marking each step, figuring out their next moves.
"I don't think you commander would appreciate hearing you talk about him that way." He spoke calmly, not fully into the conversation. Still the wraith continued, chuckling slightly, they began moving in closer, like a pack of wolves. The knife was still twisting in Val's hand.
"Who's going to tell him? His loyal mutt? You will not live through this night half-breed!" He snarled and lunged at Val. At this point the knife stopped spinning and he held it firm, as soon as the wraith was close enough, bending his knees slightly, he held his arm out stiff and straight. A quick spin on his heel the blade ripped through the fabric and slashed deep into the wraiths abdomen. In the moment of distraction he broke his wrist grabbing the large knife. Where he learned to do that, he didn't know.
"Run May!" He ordered as the rest of the wraith fell on him. He held his own well, the girl having vanished into the darkness, wraith were falling all around him until one stepped from the shadows, holding May by the hair, a gun pointed at Val. He froze. The wraith was his father's second in command. His expression was not cruel, nor kind. Simply disappointed and bored.
"You seem to be desperate to keep the girl safe, and yet you leave her on her own continually." He observed shoving the girl into Val, but keeping the gun on him. Shaking his head he looked disgusted at his fallen soldiers. He kicked one, who groaned. "You are weak and far to divided." He commented again.
"Why the hell do you care?" Val growled holding Mays shoulder as she stood behind him. The second simply shook his head, obviously not in the mood discussing these things. Aiming the weapon he fired, in a delayed moment Val fell to his knees stunned. Another shot and he was on the ground out cold. May screamed and she was shot to.
Waking up with the worst head ache, and his hands bound behind him he tried clearing his vision. He was sitting in an open room. The room he had first met his mother and father. Standing not far off with his back turned to him was his father. He stood as still as a statue. If Val had not been part wraith, he would not have even noticed the well disciplined commander. Finally coming to, anger built up, making his head hurt more.
"What the hell is going on?" He yelled, suddenly a cool breeze brushed by his cheek and a dagger sat, embedded into the wall behind him, his cheek began to sting slightly as he felt blood run down it. The commander had turned around and was glaring at him.
"I have never met one as dense as you! Your mother certainly was not like that, so you must have gotten it from me, which is a very sad prospect." He sounded angry, but as he continued speaking, his tone softened. "Val, you are all that's left of her. I could care less about my name, it has been soiled already, you could do no more damage, but your mother's life, I will not let you destroy that." He began walking towards his son slowly; the imposing figure seemed weak at the moment, something that made Val very uneasy as he shifted in the chair.
"Why are you telling me this now?" Valimor asked, looking upon his father for the time with softness. The commander only sighed letting his hands fall to his sides. Kneeling gently before his son so he could look him in the eye he spoke very softly.
"The entire time she spent in my company I always told myself I would change her, I would save her. Then I ruined that with a stupid mistake. I used her, and without ever fixing things, the one thing I cared for died, took her own life rather than to see me. You are my last hope to fix all those mistakes." The confession struck Val hard. He tried pulling away, but he couldn't. Standing up, his father turned away from him again. There was a long moment of silence.
"Your chance to reconcile with her is over." Val's voice broke the silence and his words cut the commander hard. "She's dead and gone; you are trying to make yourself feel better by what, saving me?" His accusation hurt, spinning around, he glared at Val.
"I am not trying to fix what I did to her child!" He hissed darkly "I intend to preserve her defiance, her strength, her soul, by teaching you, teaching you not to stomp on it by going about like some naive boy!" He growled, throwing Val's own words back. It was his turn to be hurt. He had been acting like a child for quite some time. Now he knew how his mother stood up to the intimidating wraith. She had character that he would never achieve constantly getting offended, letting his pride run his life.
"May?" He asked "Was a test?" His father nodded, never breaking eye contact. "Why did you destroy the whole village?" He asked, getting over the sentimental moment and demanding answers. The commander shook his head walking behind Val and cutting the ropes that held him.
"A rival hive did that, hunted on our grounds. We found them and destroyed the hive, but not before taking the food they had gathered. When May was in that group, I figured it was a good opportunity." He finished. Val rubbed his wrists and stood shaking himself off. Standing tall the commander couldn't help but look at him with pride. He stood tall, like a true wraith, he naturally had that intimidating air, but there was the softer side, the human traits the commander was so fond of. And those eyes, the eyes of his love.
"I'd appreciate it if the manipulation ended." Val said finally turning around to face his father who was recovering from his memories. He nodded.
"Of course, and I would appreciate this is never mentioned again." That was the end of the father son conversation. The wraith demeanor returning, Val followed him from the room. His dilemma, whether he was wraith or human, his father seemed to suffer from as well. Though he was pure wraith, he had a soft side for humans. The slightest smile pulled at the corner of his lips as he followed behind his father with long swift steps. Though he thought his problems had been solved, they were only just beginning.