ACT I

THE END

Tyrak Karstag was a soldier. He always had been. When he was five his mother, Heather Karstag, had given him lessons on the most effective ways to incapacitate enemies in any situation. His mother was a true warrior, despite being ultimately fun-loving and flirty, and he had always admired that. His father, Sidnis, wasn't as strong a fighter, but he always found strength in protecting children and other underdogs. Tyrak admired his father too.

But Tyrak wasn't his parents.

Orange eyes surveyed his surroundings as he stood by King Dynal's side. He had to always be alert. His reason for existence was to protect the King at all costs, and there was no way in the Void he was going to fail in this lifelong mission. Even though most of the Dinaurians were eager to follow their King into the depths of Hell if need be, there would always be those few who would see King Dynal harmed. Even a King could not please everyone.

Like that man over there, he acknowledged with a narrow gaze as Sekel, the pilot, and his cousin Kendel, the assistant, approached King Dynal. Kendel was one of the rare few Kiranians that were allowed to share the same air as the Dinaurians, but that didn't mean he ever fit in. His eyes would always give him away. Dinaurians and Kiranians shared many similarities, genetically, and at first sight, the two species could easily be confused. Kiranians had the same build, though many of them were lankier and somewhat smaller in comparison to their Dinaurian counterparts. However, the only visible difference that could tell what a person happened to be was their eyes. Unlike Dinaurian eyes, which had a few variations, Kiranians' eyes were usually entirely red with dark lizard-like slits for pupils. They had no irises, though this didn't affect their sight whatsoever; instead, their eyes showed strange lines, four on each side of the surface of the eye that went from the outside of the eyeball and seemed to reach towards the pupil in the center. These eyes were always unsettling to any Dinaurian, but Tyrak was used to them now. He had seen them too many times.

The Kiranian couldn't be trusted. Kendel had a dangerous glint in his eyes, one that Tyrak had been aware of from the moment he met the man. But Kendel was a coward and a weakling in the face of power, and there was little chance that he would act out right now, when there were many witnesses around and King Dynal was under protection. Regardless, Tyrak kept his eyes on him the entire time Kendel remained within sight.

Sekel bowed low as he approached King Dynal, waiting for a moment before rising again. Kendel huffed almost inaudibly from behind him and offered no such courtesy, not that King Dynal seemed to mind. The King matched Sekel's sky blue eyes with his own piercing yellow, and a smile spread across his mouth as he clapped a hand on the boy's shoulder. Sekel looked slightly taken aback, but tried not to show his surprise.

"You're very young for a pilot, Sekel Lyrach, but you have proven your skill. Now, for your people, you are going to scout our new home and tell us how to proceed. You are brave, entering unknown territory for the first time. But all of us, myself especially, have the utmost faith that you will return with everything." King Dynal's voice was light, and he couldn't keep the excitement from creeping in.

"You're going to be a hero, Sekel."

Tyrak's face softened a little at the wholly excited look on Sekel's face. He was showing the simple naiveté of a child, but then again, most people did react this happily when told they were going to be the hero of an entire race. Tyrak, however, was skeptical about the whole thing.

After Sekel bowed once more, then departed with Kendel to begin the mission, Tyrak turned back to the King and met his gaze. The energy from finding a new home at long last hadn't left his eyes. "What is it, friend?" he asked, noticing Tyrak's hesitance.

"…Permission to speak freely, Your Highness?"

"As always."

"I do not think it best that we allow the Kiranian to embark on this mission with Lyrach, sir." Tyrak stated firmly.

King Dynal put his hand to his chin for a moment, thoughtful. After a few seconds, he spoke. "I don't like it either, Tyrak," he confessed with a bit of a sigh.

"Then why…?"

"Because Sekel wished it," Dynal answered, even though his eyes gave away his confusion behind his own answer. Sekel and Kendel weren't particularly close, even as cousins, and Sekel often let the latter fend for himself. There was some kind of protectiveness Sekel had in him, though, and it often floated to the surface around his close ones…especially the King's daughter. "Perhaps he believes that, if he allows Kendel to help with the mission, he'll be less hated amongst our society," the King suggested.

Tyrak felt him waiting for a response, so Tyrak shook his head. "Even if that were the case, Kendel will never be accepted here."

King Dynal nodded, as if that were the answer he had suspected he'd be given. Neither of them spoke, but Tyrak understood. King Dynal felt the same way. A Kiranian could never truly be accepted by the Dinaurian people. There was too much anger. Too much distrust. Too much hatred.

And the Dinaurians never wanted to let go of that.

A few hours later, the first ever ship to scout the planet Earth departed, with a small crew consisting of roughly 20 members. The ship was piloted by the one and only Sekel Lyrach, expert flier and calm-headed individual. The Kiranian, Kendel Aurako, acted as Sekel's assistant. The other members of the crew did their work. Some of them helped the management of the machine, others took notes on Earth's condition, but a few were in charge of containing and controlling Guhnash's muscle tissue. Guhnash, destroyer of worlds. Guhnash, who had forced the Dinaurian people to escape into the depths of space, searching hopelessly for a new planet to call home. Guhnash, whose tissue was being used to power a ship full of people.

That very same day, the ship crashed.

Its crew lost contact….

…and people were dead.

/Author's Notes/

Sorry for the lack of update lately! School's finally out now though, so I'll try to stay on top of this for those of you reading. And to you people, thank you! I love knowing that people are actually reading (and hopefully enjoying!) my story!

And please, don't hate Tyrak! He's a good guy, really. He's one of the main characters in ToD, so I'll be writing him often. If you don't like him, please, deal with him a little longer!

I'll try to make the next chapter a longer one, too!

Reviews are always appreciated! I'd love to know what you all think!

Tyrak, Sekel, Kendel, Heather, Sidnis, and the Kiranians belong to me.

Dynal and the Dinaurians belong to Nintendo/Fossil Fighters.