He was resourceful; he managed to live 4 years on his own. But for his 20th birthday the greatest gift he could ever receive came in a very unusual package. Having no gate, it was an ideal location for wraith culling and considering they had been left alone for quite some time a certain wraith hive decided to make a quick stop here. Hearing the high pitch buzz of the darts Valimor stopped in his tracts. He had never heard the sound before yet it registered with him somehow. Turning around he took off running towards the sound, drawn in by some unknown force. No one could match Valimor's strength or speed, or the gracefulness he moved with, like a snake. Maturing out he had grown to a little over 6 foot tall, he had let his white hair grow out until it came down just over his ears, which he often tossed, letting it spike out however it wanted. Besides his head and light eyebrows, Val was hairless, smooth pale skin, covering rock sold muscle made up this man. He looked so human, and yet he had defined wraith traits, something he did not know yet.
He arrived at the town, his old home a little too late. Most of the homes were on fire, burning down, people screaming and groaning, half dead. Pulling on his black jacket he tossed the hood over his head and kept to the shadows. Was his mother still alive? He was not terribly sentimental but few things were important and his adoptive mother was one of those. Upon reaching the center of the village he saw those few survivors had been gathers, surrounded by strange creatures. Ducking behind a burning table he watched the scene play out.
"It seems we have been neglecting you." I raspy whisper came from one of them as he stepped forward. He was skinny yet tall with broad shoulders and a skinny waist. His hair was long and pure white reaching down to about mid back. His skin was translucent green and he wore a long black cloak. "I'll be sure not to make that mistake again." He hissed again turning to the side slightly, allowing Valimor a clear shot of his face. Yellow eyes, pointed teeth and slits along the sides of his nose. Who were these people? Yet the reminded him much of himself, they were far too similar. The apparent leader flicked his hand and one of his soldiers grabbed a woman and yanked her forward. His mother! He could not stand by anymore. Shoving the table to the side in a flash of fire and sparks he strut forward.
"Don't you dare touch her." He snarled darkly. His hood remained up, casting a shadow on his face, and the rest of him was hidden as well by the black clothes he wore. The wraith turned to him slowly growling, though startled by the sudden appearance of this man that spoke with so much authority. Recovering from the startle he grinned cruelly and took the woman pressing a dagger to her throat.
"And who are you to decide what happens to this pathetic female?" He taunted, snarling. Marilen tried holding back tears shaking her head at her son to leave. The last thing she wanted to see was him dying. Glaring the creature down slowly his hand rested on his side where he kept an old knife of his.
"Let her go." He growled even darker, in cast a terrifying air around the village, everything seemed to fade into the shadows. In the flames his blue eyes flashed like lighting gripped the dagger tighter. The lower ranking commander now grew concerned. Never had he met a human who spoke with the power of the high commander. Lowering the dagger slowly he shoved the women to the ground spitting. Only the next thing that happened he could never see coming. Valimor flicked the knife as soon as his mother was clear and with a loud thump, it buried itself into the wraiths chest. Gasping he gripped the blade and fell to his knees.
"You are unlike any human I have known." The wraith choked through blood. Val walked up to him and bent down beside him and pulled his hood back, revealing his face. The wraith gasped, in his last moments, he fell to the ground still, his last experience pure terror. Pulling the hood back he stood up and faced the rest of the petty soldiers how quickly stepped back. This man just made himself their commander.
"Leave!" He snarled ripping his knife from the fallen wraith. It wasn't long before the darts returned to pick up the remaining soldiers. Only problem as Val bent down to care for his mother, one of the beams and he was taken.
The next thing he remembered was waking up in one of the wraith cells. The cool mist engulfed the floor as he sat up slowly with a terrible headache. Rubbing his temples he pushed himself up against the wall and groaned. Where ever he was, he needed to find his way out. Perhaps he was off the planet. That would be the best case scenario as he heard someone approach from down the hall. Appearing at the cell door was another one of those creatures. Only this one looked older, stronger, with a braided goatee. Glaring down at Val he jerked his head motioning for him to get up as he opened the door. Grabbing his arm he shoved him down the hall.
"Where are we going?" Val asked glancing around the halls, he only hot a heavy smack at the back of his head. Glaring at his captor he walked forward. Something told him this one would not be as easily swayed as the one he met on the planet. Spending just a few seconds on this ship he seemed to make a connection with thousands of other wraith on the ship. It was strange to hear their soft whispers in their own language which Val understood. Shaking his head, he cleared the noises. He also quickly learned how to recognize the high ranking ones form the weak ones. It was strange to understand such an alien place. Soon they arrived at their destination and he was shoved into the room. It was empty except for a chair in the very center. Left alone he began to wander around it, looking for a point of escape. His blood ran cold when he felt a cool demanding presence appear behind him, He froze.
"There is no way out of this room." The voice whispered, with that same dark tone Val used on the planet, only this time it cause him fear, something he had not felt in a long time. Slowly he turned around to face a wraith that looked stunningly similar to himself. Gathering himself the best he could he swallowed and averted his eyes to the ground.
"Then how did you get in?" He asked, though not really interested. The wraith simply grunted and turned away from the human with his arms clasped behind his back. Having the oppressive air lifted he relaxed some and lifted his blue eyes to follow the obvious commander of this ship.
"Tell me, exactly, who might your parents be?" The commander inquired, having a hunch. The boy looked usually like himself, he had wraith qualities, but those blue eyes, they reminded him of…
"I don't know. Never met either of my parents. Why the interest?" Val asked crossing his arms and leaned against wall watching the commander pace slowly. It couldn't be. No, her child's father was… and the child died… But… He stopped and looked over his shoulder at the boy. Moving quickly up to him he grabbed his right hand and turned it over. The faintest scar lingered on his palm.
"Where did you get that?" He asked cold, and demanding. He gripped the wrist tightly causing Val to flinch and try to pull away.
"I don't know I guess I was born with it." He said finally pulling his hand free and looking at the wraith strange. "Why to do care so much about me? If I saw right, you slaughtered the humans on that planet. So what makes me different?" He asked walking up behind the wraith. The commander chuckled slightly and shook his head.
"Because human, you are different. You know you are, but do you know what you are?" He purred innocently walking toward a corner of the room where a soldier appeared. The commander whispered something in his ear then sent him off turning back to Valimor. Val shifted uncomfortably. He didn't know who he was, and suddenly he became afraid he might somehow be related to this ruthless brutal creature.
"How do you know me?" He asked, now demanding answers this man obviously knew. He only grinned, flashing those pointed teeth.
"I do not know you, but I think I know someone who does." He murmured softly, giving Valimor a very uncomfortable feeling. Suddenly a woman was shoved into the room with her head bowed. Her red hair was a mess; she looked frail, yet not very old, perhaps the age of his mother back on the planet. The commander moved up to her and stroked her hair with a gentleness Val did not expect.
"You called My Lord." She hissed through clenched teeth. Obviously she did not feel the same gentleness to her master.
"Love…" He purred lifting her chin to look him in the eyes. "There is someone hear I want you to meet." He said this a bit harsher as he turned her face to stare at Valimor. Her eyes grew big, and her hands trembled slightly. Her breath caught, she thought, she hoped, she would die right there. "Do you know this man?" He asked softly. She shook her head violently. "No? Very well, then he is of no use." He mused pulling out a blade and moving towards Val how quickly took up a defensive position.
"Wait!" She called leaping toward the commander grabbing his arm. She had just told him what he wanted to hear, but she could not just stand by. As he paused and looked at her, she ducked her head in defeat. Shoving the boy back he grabbed her arm and shoved her against the wall.
"Why did you not tell me!" He snarled, his lips inches from her face, the growl was so over powering Val flinched away, but she didn't. She held her ground and stared her master down.
"How could I? Telling you would condemn him to the pathetic life I live!" she snarled shoving him back. That was a personal blow and it hurt, he growled softly and grabbed her arm before she could walk away.
"Oh my love, what have I done to you?" He whispered softly by her ear. Valimor could not longer just stand by. Were they discussing what he thought they were? He stepped forward interrupting this odd moment.
"What are you saying!" He exclaimed. The two turned slowly around. Echo was the first to approach him smiling gently. She reached out and touched his cheek gently. The gently familiar touch calmed him and he grasped her hand and held it to his face.
"Oh my child, how it hurt to leave you behind." She said softly looking into his matching blue eyes. He could not believe that he had finally met his mother. Did that mean that creature was his father? How could something like that ever happen?
"How nice it is to meet you finally mother, I never thought I would see you again." He said, smiling slightly. The commander had to interrupt the moment. This child was his own blood against his consent; surely he could not be allowed to live?
"You should not have kept this from me." He grumbled slightly, only getting a shove from Echo.
"You destroyed my life, sucked me dry of any happiness I have ever known or hoped for. You tore my soul apart and left an empty shell to remain with you. The one thing you can do, to make up even in the smallest amount for your cruelty is to release my son, and let him live a normal life!" She snarled, completely unafraid of this threatening leader. He pondered it a moment, looking the boy over. Perhaps he would have a human's life span and die in only a few short years, ridding him of any complications. Slowly he nodded.
"He shall be released. You," He said turning to Valimor "Will speak nothing of your heritage, not a sound, and you will be allowed to live." He barked sharply then, flinging the black cloak behind him strut from the room pulling Echo with him who stared longingly back at her son.
In a flash Valimor found himself on a strange planet next to a gate. A way off the planet. He now had free reign of the galaxy. But where would he go? What would he do? Would he follow his father's orders? Perhaps it would be best people did not know he was part wraith. Standing by the open gate he stared at his future. Flipping the hood to cover his face he strut through, ready to face whatever lay ahead for him.
On the ship she locked herself in the bathroom, crying for the first time in 20 years. He was alive and well, her master freed him, and now he had a future. It seemed that all she had ever wanted would now be lived through her son. What more did she have to live for? This horrid life on the hive? Hardly could be considered living. Turning slowly she grasped a dagger sitting on the shelf and rolled it over in her hand, delicately tracing the blade.