Astral Paladins excerpt

Prologue: The Calamity Long Passed

The bonfire sent a stream of embers into the night sky. Etherys huddled close to her sleeping twin sister, Veyla, as the village elder started on yet another yarn. It was a tale she was well familiar with as she had heard it many times before, yet it enthralled her nonetheless. She hung on the elder’s words as he danced and cavorted about, like an actor on a stage, his cloak whirling. He was a powerful speaker and he was in fine form tonight as he recounted this event from his youth many years ago.

“I was just a child when the calamity came.” he began, “It was a day like any other. We Ofeara farmed and hunted, spun and crafted, danced and sung, ate and slept, just as we’d always done. But little did we know the evil that awaited us that day, at sundown. Just as the stars began to appear, there came a terrible crash! A great vessel, made entirely of metal, dropped down from the sky and came to rest in the middle of our village, crushing many Ofeara beneath its bulk. And what came forth from that vessel but an army of terrifying soldiers wearing blood red armor! They hunted us down and took us prisoner. Our hunters tried fighting back, but our arrows bounced harmlessly off the invaders’ metal hides. We were defenseless! Any who resisted were slaughtered with terrifying weapons that roared like thunder and fired bolts of mortal lightning like arrows.

“Once they’d gathered us up, their leader came before us. The greatest monster of all, it was! Its bottom half was made of metal and built like a great beast. The top half was a fearsome, horned giant. The monster and its minions gloated over us as they tormented and killed their defenseless prisoners. What fate awaited us, we could not be certain, but we knew it spelled doom for us and our way of life.

“But then down from the sky came five gleams of light! Five mighty warriors astride five metal steeds! They rode on gleams of brilliant light that appeared magically neath their mounts’ hooves. At the sight of them, the great beast howled in rage. Some of the metal soldiers gathered us up to kill us, but before they did...Slash! Hack!” the elder brandished his staff like a sword, striking at unseen foes, “The sky warriors swooped in and struck them down where they stood. The rest of the metal soldiers scattered. Some took refuge in their vessel as it flew away. Others tried retaliating against the warriors, but they offered up little resistance and were quickly defeated. But the great beast still remained. It drew its weapon and made battle against them. It was a formidable foe. Where the warriors easily dispatched the soldiers, the great beast could hold its own against all five of them, for it too had the power to stride upon beams of light as they did. Across the sky their battle waged, cutting the clouds in their path.

“The great beast was so powerful, it even managed to destroy one of the warriors. With a sundering blow it sent both rider and mount crashing down to the ground below. The sky darkened as the beast had the upper hand. The remaining warriors struggled to avenge their fallen comrade. All across the sky they darted, evading the beast’s fierce blows until one of them met the beast head on, charging at him with a long spear. He impaled the beast through the chest. But that wasn’t enough to kill it. Even as the spear pierced heart, the beast yet raged against the warriors. Then, another rider drew his sword and severed the beast’s torso from the metal bottom half, which fell in a ruinous crash of thunder. With that grievous wound, the beast breathed its last and died.

“Their foe vanquished, the four remaining warriors took to the sky and vanished in a brilliant rainbow flash. That day, we were saved by the sky warriors from that terrible beast and its minions. But we were unable to give them proper thanks. They left without a word, accepting no praise. Instead, we searched for the fallen warrior. Perhaps we could render them aid in return for their gallant rescue? Alas, when we found the fallen one, they were already dead, claimed by the grievous wound dealt them by the beast. Their magnificent steed was also killed. We carried both rider and mount into the village. We buried the warrior in the village center, a place of honor, and over the sepulcher we planted a bed of flowers and left their noble steed to watch over their remains.

“It has been over one hundred years since that day. Those brave warriors have not appeared again. But, we should never forget the tremendous debt we owe them. We owe them our home, our culture, and our very lives. We shall honor and remember them as if they were warriors of our own. Perhaps someday they may return to us. And on that day, let it not be said that any of the Ofeara failed to pay proper respect.”

The elder gazed up at the stars. “Brave sky warriors!” he cried, “If by some chance you can hear us, please accept our humble thanks! And know that your comrade has found a peaceful resting ground where they may sleep until the end of days!”

With that, the elder bowed to rapturous applause from his small audience of Ofeara children. And no set of hands clapped as fervently as Etherys’s. The tale of the Calamity and the Five Celestial Warriors had sparked her imagination even before she could fully comprehend the words. If any child was going to remember those valorous deeds, it would be Etherys. She hoped the warriors would return someday that she might join them in their adventures across the stars.

Veyla stirred in her sleep. Etherys had nearly forgotten her sister in her excitement. She must have been getting cold, the poor thing. Etherys took her blanket and gently placed it over Veyla’s shoulders so as not to wake her. Then, to provide additional warmth, she wrapped her arms around her and held her close, listening intently as the elder embarked on yet another story.

Chapter 1: Calm in the Storm

The planet Klodarholm lay in the outer rim of the galaxy. It was the home of the Ofeara: a furtive, elfin people with long, rabbit-like ears and expressively large eyes. Their albinal skin contrasts sharply against their mane of black hair. Though sentient, they were by no means prosperous or advanced. There were many large predators prowling the lands outside the forest, forcing the Ofeara to find sanctuary within a dense grove of trees at the foot of an inhospitable mountain range, wherein their attackers were too large to follow. The constricted living space and generally slow birth rate put a hard restriction on their numbers. They never amassed more than seventy-five individuals alive at once. Because of this, their technology developed very slowly. They lived in houses carved from trees and hunted small forest animals with weapons of wood and stone. They made their clothes from the silk of spiders hiding in the underbrush. While goings-on may not have been glamorous or exciting, the Ofeara lived a happy and peaceful existence among the trees of Klodarholm.

That is except for two: twin sisters named Etherys and Veyla. The two of them were the youngest Ofeara at the time. Their father and mother were hunters, named Heptuh and Osulfa respectively. The parents had a lot of trouble raising the twins, with a near exclusive amount of that trouble stemming from Etherys.

One might say she was a spirited young lass. Others might say she was worth her weight in mischief. Whatever the opinion, there was no denying that she was exceptionally adventurous and out-going for an Ofeara. She often caused her parents undue stress by wandering out into the fields outside the forest, daring the stalk-legged Kurkaw birds that prowled nearby. Heptuh would then have to quickly snatch her up and carry her back to safety before the birds came and gobbled her up.

The only person who could get her to sit still for any length of time was the village elder, who would captivate her with stories of the star-born heroes who once rescued the Ofeara from a terrible enemy long ago. It was her greatest dream to join those heroes and leave the doldrums of Klodarholm to explore the stars. In the meantime, she had to content herself with climbing trees and delving into the odd cave.

Veyla, however, was a completely different story. She lacked her sister’s rambunctiousness, being extremely timid, easily startled, and quick to shed tears. She preferred hiding away in bed to facing the terrors of the outdoors. Even after her parents forced her up, she kept to their shadows and followed them like a tail. She had no skill for hunting. Weaving was difficult for her as the mere thought of a spider terrified her.

This nervousness and shyness made her an easy mark for her sister, who loved playing tricks on her. She would jump out from bushes to startle her, leave toy spiders in her path, and mimic Kurkaw calls to frighten her. Aside from that, the two sisters got along very well despite their differences. Veyla was extremely forgiving, never grudging her sister’s pranks for very long. And Etherys was sure to be there whenever Veyla needed help. Whenever Veyla’s sleep was haunted by nightmares, Etherys was there to comfort her. Or when Veyla was caught in an awkward social situation, Etherys was there to help her out of it.

One day, as the sun rose behind a thick veil of clouds, Heptuh and Osulfa awoke to find Etherys was missing. They were not too concerned at this point. After so many years, they grew used to their daughter’s wanderlust leading her who-knows-where. So, they went about their

business. They roused Veyla from bed and went off to hunt. As usual, Veyla stuck close to her parents, but her clumsiness made it difficult to corner any prey. Eventually, they were able to sneak up near a Garglax, a large rodent native to Klodarholm, without Veyla’s bumbling alerting the it. Heptuh drew his bow, aiming carefully for the creature’s vital organs. As he prepared to loose the arrow, Veyla thought she saw a spider emerging from one of the bushes and yelped. The sound startled the Garglax, and it darted up a tree and out of sight. Heptuh was already in a sour mood. He only just managed to swallow his irritation and hold his temper, but not without letting a few curses slip out under his breath.

“I’m sorry, father. I-I thought I saw a spider...in that bush there.” Veyla murmured, her face downcast.

“That’s fine. It’s alright.” Heptuh growled, “I probably would’ve missed it anyway.”

Osulfa noticed her husband’s fraying temper and thought it best to stop tempting fate. “Veyla, I think you should look for your sister. We haven’t seen her all day and it seems there might be a storm coming.” she said.

The possibility of a storm was evident. The wind was starting to moan through the trees, heralding the coming squall.

“But Etherys probably went out into the grasslands again. I can’t follow her out there!” Veyla protested.

“I doubt it. She knows better than to do something crazy like that.” her mother replied.

“It’s more likely she went up into the mountains. She’s been doing that a lot lately.” Heptuh added.

The nearby mountains, while lacking the grassland’s abundance of predators, were no less perilous. Steep cliffs and sharp rocks made unsure footing lethal. Veyla had no desire to search the mountainside for her missing sister, but there was little use in arguing with her parents now.

“Fine. I’ll go look for her. Don’t blame me if I wind up dead at the bottom of a ravine.” Veyla sighed.

Climbing the mountain path was difficult for one so nervous and clumsy as Veyla, especially in the worsening weather. Every time a peal of thunder came rolling by, she would squeak like a mouse and throw herself to the ground. The wind was not helping things either. It came roaring down the mountainside, like some massive beast was barreling toward her. Then she would curl into a ball until the clamor was silenced. It was shaping up to be quite a storm. Veyla prayed she would find her sister quickly so they could return home as soon as possible.

As this went on, Veyla was keenly aware that she was being followed. She spun around, but saw nothing. And yet the paranoia persisted. She could hear footsteps on the shale behind her, but there was no one there when she turned around a second time.

“Is anyone there?” Veyla said, her meek voice barely audible above the moaning storm.

Getting no response, she was about to continue on her way when something jumped on her back with an exuberant yell. Veyla screamed and tried running away while her assailant laughed maniacally. After the moment of shock passed, she knew without turning her head who it was.

“Etherys!” she cried.

It was indeed her very own sister. With her jump scare accomplished, Etherys relinquished her hold on Veyla and sat on the ground, laughing her head off.

“Oh, poor Veyla! You make it far too easy!” she said, gasping with impish delight.

Embarrassed, Veyla quickly changed the subject, maintaining what dignity she could. “What are you doing up here? Can’t you see there’s a storm coming?” she scolded.

“Yes, I can see that. Seems like it’ll be quite a torrent.” Etherys casually observed, not distressed in the slightest.

“And now we’re going to get horribly soaked on our way down the mountain.”

“But that’s why I came here in the first place!” Etherys said, eagerly springing to her feet. “There’s a cave not too far from here. I first discovered it when I was up exploring a few days ago, but I didn’t have enough time to check it out back then. So, today I thought I’d return and have a look inside. It took me awhile to find it again and I was just about to enter when I spied you clambering up the path. Now, you and I can explore this cave together and not get drenched in the rain! Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

“No, no, no. That’s a terrible idea. You have no idea what’s in that cave. Could be filled with horribly stinky mushrooms or maybe some big, hungry monster. I’m not going in there and neither are you.”

“Oh, but surely its better than getting drenched. Come on, Veyla, there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll keep you safe from whatever horrible, stinky, hungry mushroom monsters are in there.”

“No, you won’t, cause I’m not going. I’m heading back before this storm gets any worse.”

At that very moment, the rain started pouring down in sheets. Etherys grabbed Veyla’s arm.

“Come on! The cave is just over here. We can at least sit at the cave’s mouth to get out of this rain.” she said, pulling her reluctant sister along.

Thankfully, the sisters did not get too wet before they reached the cave. Once inside, they huddled together, shivering from the cold. Outside, thunder and lightning clashed in an awesome display of natural warfare. They watched the storm quietly from their shelter at the mouth of the cave, keeping each other warm in a mutual embrace. As the minutes slipped by, the storm showed no sign of stopping. Veyla gradually fell asleep, her head coming to rest on her sister’s chest. As fiery as Etherys was, she was not one to spoil a tender moment such as this. She cradled her sister as she slept and serenely watched the storm rage on.

Suddenly, Etherys’s ears began to twitch. She thought she heard something deeper in the cave. She straightened up. There it was again. It sounded like a woman’s voice and it seemed she was in pain.

“What is it?” Veyla said, wakened by her sister’s movement.
“Can you hear that?” Etherys asked.
Veyla listened for a moment. Even with the din from the storm, she could still hear the

voice faintly.
“Yes, I hear it.” she said.

“Come on. It sounds like someone’s in trouble.” Etherys said, getting to her feet. “No. I don’t think we should.”

“Why not?”
Veyla drew further from the back of the cave. “I don’t like it. I-I’m afraid.”
“There’s no cause.” Etherys replied, smiling reassuringly. She reached down and held

her sister’s arm. “Come on, Veyla. There’s nothing to fear.”
Veyla followed reluctantly as Etherys advanced into the darkness. Ofeara could see in

the dark, so the two of them had no trouble making their way through the gloom. As they delved deeper, the voice came echoing down the walls of the cave more clearly, to the point where they could discern what it said.

“Please! Help! Can’t anyone hear me?” the voice cried. It sounded wounded and strained.

Etherys picked up the pace. They were so far in the cave, they could no longer hear the sound of the rain pounding outside, but the rumbling thunder still reached them. It was not much longer before they saw a light up ahead. The two sisters found themselves in a large chamber. Rain water streamed in through a hole in the ceiling. Intermittent flashes of lightning briefly illuminated the cavern in pale light.

It was here that they finally found the owner of the voice. There was a creature made of an iridescent red metal, with dim lights gleaming in between the plates. It seemed to be a quadruped, but that was difficult to ascertain as its rear end was trapped beneath a pile of rubble. It had a large cavity where a head should have been, with frayed metal tendrils hanging over the rim like the roots of a tree. Despite lacking eyes, the creature noticed Etherys and Veyla almost immediately.

“Please! Help me! I don’t have much time.” it said weakly.
“Who are you?” Etherys asked, staring wide eyed at the strange creature.
“My name is Mordred.” it answered.
“I’m Etherys. And this is my sister, Veyla.”
“I-I don’t have much time.” Mordred gasped, the lights beneath its metal carapace fading.

“Please, you...you must help me!” “What do you need?”

“One of you must step into the empty space at my head.” the cavity glowed slightly as an indication.

“Why? What good would that do?”

“There’s no time to explain. Please, if you help me, I will help you in turn. I can take you from this isolated planet. I can help you travel amongst the stars.”

“What? How?” Etherys asked in amazement.

Mordred did not answer, instead it cried out in agony, struggling against the rubble holding it down one last time before it crumpled to the floor, its light fading out completely. Then it went deathly still.

“Oh no! Mordred!” Etherys exclaimed, “Hold on! I’ll get in there, just like you said! Just hold on!”

“No, Etherys! Don’t do it!” Veyla cried, grabbing her sister’s shoulder and pulling her back.

“Let me go! We’ve got to help her! She said she could take us to the stars, just like the sky warriors.” Etherys said as she struggled.

“You don’t even know what that means!”
“It doesn’t matter! We can’t just let her die.”
“She’s already dead!”
“How can you say that? We can still help her!”
“We don’t even know what she is! Let’s just leave her and get out of here!”
“She’s in trouble and needs our help! Now, let me go!”
Between the two, Etherys was the stronger. She managed to push Veyla off with little

trouble. Before her sister could stop her again, she clambered into Mordred’s front cavity. “Alright, Mordred, I’m standing inside of it, just like you instructed. Now what do I do?” Nothing happened. There was no reply from Mordred.
“Mordred! No! Don’t die! Tell me what I have to do!” Etherys cried.

“There’s nothing to do. Just...just get out of there. Let’s go home.” Veyla pleaded.

“But...but...” Etherys stammered, trying to come up with a retort. But nothing came to her. Veyla was obviously right. There was nothing else she could do. She sighed and started to heave herself out of the head cavity.

Suddenly, the metal tendrils sprang to life like a nest of newly awakened snakes. Without warning, they drove themselves into Etherys’s waist, trapping her and holding her in place. The young Ofeara screamed as the tendrils wormed their way deeper into her body, wrapping themselves around internal organs and boring through bone before splintering into tiny needles that punctured her marrow, muscles, and blood vessels. They injected something into her, an acidic serum that burned every part of her being. Terror froze Veyla to the soul as she helplessly watched Etherys writhe. She could do nothing but watch as her sister underwent a hideous transformation. Etherys’s veins began to convulse. Her once pale skin turned a crimson shade. The whites of her eyes went black, her pupils a vivid shade of yellow that seemed to glow within the dark fields surrounding them. Her muscles swelled to an unnatural size. Sharp claws burst from her fingertips and her teeth became sharp as daggers. Two wicked, curving horns gouged themselves out from her forehead. Once the transformation was complete, Etherys’s screams were silenced. She only slumped over, panting heavily.

Then, the metal creature beneath her stirred to life. Red light glared out from the gaps in the carapace. The front legs heaved themselves upward and, with scarcely any effort, freed the back end from the rocks that covered it, moving the boulders as if they weighed nothing at all. Once it was freed, terrible laughter spilled out past Etherys’s lips. But, it was not Etherys’s voice at all. Mordred’s voice and that of a deep-throated man’s were speaking as one through Etherys’s transformed body as if she were a puppet.

“At last! After all this time, we’re finally free! Free and alive once more!” the hellish conjoined vocals roared.

Veyla cowered, sobbing at the nightmarish sight. Etherys- Mordred- or whatever this atrocity was, heard her sobbing and looked on Veyla with a disgusted glare.

“E-E-Etherys?” Veyla stammered through her frightened tears, hoping some iota of her sister was still present in that grotesque body.

“Out of our sight, insect!” the monster hissed.

With a casual blow, like swatting a fly, the monster sent Veyla crashing against the cave wall, directly beneath the opening in the wall where the rain fell through. She was left stunned as the downpour drenched her. Then the beast spoke again.

“Now, it is time for us to return to our rightful place! The galaxy shall once again tremble at the name of Mordred!”

With that, the beast took a few steps back and began to gallop about the cavern on its bestial metal legs. As it accelerated, it ascended on paths of red light that materialized at its stamping feet. Then, once it’d built up enough speed, it turned towards the opening and shot through it like an arrow from a bow, vanishing in an instant, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Veyla, still stunned from the monster’s blow, felt her mind giving way beneath the strain of it all: her pain, the icy rain pelting her, and the sight of her sister transformed and possessed by some monstrous demon. A dark fog came over her as she plummeted into unconsciousness.

She was all alone.

Chapter 2: The Destrier Awakens

When Veyla came to, she was back in her room at the village. The ruddy twilight of the setting sun lit her surroundings. It was quiet except for the muffled voices of her parents in another room. And yet, in spite of the tranquil setting, Veyla’s heart was filled with inexplicable dread. All she could remember was a vague nightmare. In search of comfort, she looked over to her sister’s bed, but she was not there. Weakly, she called out her name, but there was no response. Then her memory came flooding back to her in all its loathsomeness. The storm, Mordred, her sister’s transformation; she recalled it all. Etherys was gone forever and there was nothing she could do about it. The sheer sense of loss brought her to tears. Hearing her sobs, her parents quickly entered the room, with the village elder following behind.

“Veyla! You’re awake!” Osulfa said, gently embracing her daughter.

“You’ve been out for a whole week.” Heptuh explained, “When we found you in that cave, you were nearly dead. Your head had been broken open and you were shivering from being out in the rain so long. The elder has been tending to you ever since.” her father looked down shamefully, “Please forgive me, Veyla. It was all my fault. I shouldn’t have made you go off on your own. I should’ve listened to you. I’m so sor-.”

“Father!” Veyla sobbed, “Etherys is...she’s...”

“We haven’t found Etherys, I’m afraid. But don’t worry, the whole village is on the look out. I’m sure we’ll find her soon.” Osulfa comforted, stroking her daughter’s hair lovingly.

“No. No. It’s no use. I already know what happened to her.” Veyla wailed, burying her face in her palms.

Her parents and the elder looked at her expectantly.

“Well, child? Tell us what happened. Where can we find your sister?” the elder asked anxiously.

“I-I don’t know.” the girl wept, “I found Etherys right as it started to rain. I wanted to go back to the village, but she said she found a cave so we sheltered there from the rain. Eventually, we heard a voice coming from deeper within the cave. Etherys followed it and I went with her. We found...some strange metal creature trapped beneath a pile of rubble. It said its name was Mordred and that it needed our help. It said one of us should step into a hole at its front end. When Etherys stepped into it...it...it grabbed her and...transformed her...into...into some sort of monster. Then the monster knocked me aside. The last thing I remember was it running into the air and then shooting off into the sky on a trail of light.”

As Veyla told her story, a look of horror came across the elder’s face. He leaned on his staff as if he’d just taken a blow to the gut. When Veyla was finished, he looked her directly in the eyes and spoke with utmost earnestness.

“Veyla,” he said, “do you remember what that monster looked like? Can you please describe it to me? As detailed as you can?”

“Y-yes. I’ll never forget it. It was so terrifying! It’s skin was red and it had black eyes with yellow pupils. And there were horns coming out of its forehead as well.”

At this description, the elder began to tremble. He staggered back, his eyes bulging from their sockets.

“Heavens preserve us!” he gasped, “Veyla, what you’ve just described was the very monster that attacked our village a hundred years ago.”

“It can’t be.” Heptuh interjected, “The sky warriors killed it didn’t they? How could it still be alive?”

“I don’t know. It is of a nature far beyond our comprehension.” the elder shuddered. “What can we do?” Osulfa wondered aloud.
“Nothing.” the elder answered, his face grim, “Even if we could track the monster down,

we have no hope of vanquishing it on our own. If only we could contact the sky warriors somehow. If only we could alert them to this threat. They could do something.”

That gave Veyla an idea. “The sky warriors.” she said, as if in a trance, “We don’t need the warriors to come to us. There’s one here already!”

Before any of the adults could figure out what she meant, Veyla scrambled out of bed. “Ah, Veyla! Where are you going?” they cried.
But the young girl ignored them and hurried out of the house. Her guardians followed

close behind. She raced through the village with an eagerness that belied her normally demure personality. In the center of the village was the monument where the fallen sky warrior was interred. But it was not the warrior Veyla was so eager to see, but rather the metal steed that kept a silent vigil on top of the tomb.

Now that she saw it again, she noticed a few similarities to Mordred, or at least the monster’s lower, mechanical body. They were both quadrupedal and roughly the same size. But this steed was made of gold, rather than Mordred’s blood red metal. It also had a head sitting atop an arching neck rather than a gaping hole with metal tendrils sticking out of it. Once she reached the sepulcher, Veyla immediately fell prostrate in front of it.

“Please, if you can hear me, listen to me.” she pleaded, “I know you’re the only one who can save my sister. You’re the only one who can pursue Mordred and alert the other sky warriors to its return. You know the nature of this beast. You can defeat it and bring my sister back. You did it once before. You can do it again. So, please help us. Wake up. Please. Wake up!”

That was how her parents and the elder found her, tearfully praying in front of the grave and the inert statue that lay on top of it. For all her desperation, there was no response. The steed did not stir. All was quiet but for Veyla’s fervent prayers.

Heptuh could not stand to see his daughter debase herself any longer. “Come on, Veyla. That’s enough.” he said.

Veyla fell silent for a moment, then resumed praying all the more fervently.
“It’s no good. They’re both dead.” Heptuh insisted, but to no avail.
“If only I had her faith.” the elder shook his head sadly, “But after a hundred years and

many crises, I can scarcely believe the steed might ever reawaken.” Osulfa kept silent.

Several minutes passed. There was still no response to Veyla’s pleas. She was running short on breath and the reality of the situation was starting to set in. Of course there was nothing she could do to reanimate the stone cold body of the sky warrior’s mount. Her tears had dried up and there was nothing more she could do but pant heavily and breathlessly beg for a miracle that refused to come. Then, in a rare display of anger, Veyla rose quivering with pent up frustration. At the peak of her desperation, at the top of her voice, she yelled, nearly screaming.

“Wake up!”

With both fists she struck the steed’s head. The sound of the blow striking hard metal rang throughout the Ofeara village like a bell, drawing many of its denizens to the center to see what was the matter. At first, Veyla did not notice anything. Then pain set her hands aflame. She did not have the breath to cry out or the energy to soothe her stinging nerves. She only collapsed in a lifeless heap, as still as the the corpse she entreated.

Gasps and murmurs rose throughout the gathering crowd. Osulfa, Heptuh, and the elder staggered back in astonishment. The steed was stirring. Brilliant blue lights were ignited across its body. It stiffly pulled itself from the flowery bed, towering over the onlooking Ofeara like a colossus. It shook itself, then cast its gaze across the awestruck crowd. Gathering his courage, the elder stepped forward and addressed the steed.

“Oh, steed of the mighty sky warriors!” he proclaimed, his ceremonial pomp unabated by wonderment, “Now that you have awakened, I want to be clear on one thing...she was the one who hit you.” the elder said, pointing to Veyla.

The steed cocked its head. “What’s this about hitting me?” it said.
The entire crowd gasped collectively.
“It-it talks!” Veyla exclaimed, reverently crawling out of the steed’s way as it stepped off

the sepulcher.
“Of course I can talk.” the steed replied, somewhat indignantly.
“What are you?” the elder asked.
“Me? You don’t know already? Well, I suppose you wouldn’t, living in a secluded

region such as this. I am a Destrier of the Astral Paladins, an order of galactic knights dedicated to keeping peace across the galaxy. Gawain is my name. At your service. And unless I am mistaken, you are the people of the outer rim planet #61287 in the Degas system, or Klodarholm as you call it. You are known as the Ofeara, are you not?”

“Why, uh, yes, of course.” the elder replied, once again awestruck by the capabilities of the mechanical creature, “How did you know?”

“It is my duty to understand as much as possible about those we help. I regret that Mordred caused so much trouble for your people. If only we’d been here faster, we might’ve avoided the unpleasantness entirely. Still, judging from the fact you aren’t all drawn and quartered, I must assume our mission was a success and that they were ultimately defeated. Huzzah! Now, if you will just direct me to my Rider, we’ll be on our way.”

“Uh, your what now?” the elder hopelessly confused and bewildered.

“My Rider. You know, the one who was riding me.” the steed snorted, “Her name was Philosthena. Did you not recover her?” Gawain said, his voice gradually taking on more of a concerned tone as the elder’s face darkened.

“We...we did recover her...but she...she...she didn’t...She lies...over there.” the elder answered, pointing to the sepulcher.

Gawain looked back at the gravesite. Even with no facial features on his mechanical face, it was clear he had been dealt a grievous blow.

“How long was I out?” he wondered after a long period of stunned silence.
“A little more than a hundred years, I’m afraid.” said the elder.
“One hundred years! Ah, Philosthena!” Gawain sighed, “If only I hadn’t gotten so close.

I shouldn’t have charged straight for the enemy. I should’ve veered aside to keep you safe. Will

I ever find another ally, another compatriot, another friend as dear as you?” he lifted his head to the sky and cried out, “Mordred! A thousand deaths are not enough for you! But at least you, my dear Philosthena, can rest easy knowing that they are vanquished and the galaxy is at peace once more thanks to your sacrifice.”

“But-but, Guh-Gawain...Mr. Gawain?” Veyla said timidly.

“Now isn’t the time, child. I’m not in the right frame of mind to be bothered right now.” Gawain replied irritably.

“The demon...Mordred...it isn’t dead.”
“What?” Gawain cried, whirling to face the girl suddenly.
“Mordred...it...it’s back.”
“What do you mean, child? How would you know this? Speak and be quick about it!” “M-m-my sister and I, we were in this cave. And it was raining. And there was this...

thing that looked like you but it was red and had no head. It said its name was Mordred and that it needed help. It wanted one of us to step in a hole were its head should’ve been. My sister did so and it...a-and it...it...”

“And what? What did it do? Speak!”

“It turned her into...into a monster with red skin and huge horns. Then it took control of her body and shot off into the sky.” Veyla said, very nearly in tears again having to recount her nightmare once again.

“It can’t be! Those fools! They must have severed Aldred’s body from Morholt’s, thinking that would be enough to end them. Their merged spirit must have survived in Morholt’s body alone until they found another to inhabit and restore them to full power. Oh, if only they had been thorough enough to destroy both bodies. Then we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

The Ofeara looked at Gawain as if he were raving mad. All this talk of Destriers, Riders, galaxies, spirits, bodies, and the merging thereof left them all quite in the dark. Even Veyla was beginning to wonder what she awakened in their quiet village. But there was no turning back now. She still needed Gawain’s help even if he did not make much sense.

“Please,” she said, looking at the Destrier pleadingly, “please, you must help my sister!” “Yes, yes! You’re right. I haven’t a moment to lose. I must leave immediately.” “You’re going to get the other sky warriors? Er, Astral Paladins, I mean.”
“But of course.”

“And then you’re going to save my sister?”

“We shall do everything within our power and more still. We will defeat Mordred and when I return, it shall be with your sister in tow.”

A cheer rose up from among the crowd. They may have had little idea what Gawain was talking about, but it was clear he was about to embark on some grand quest, and they weren’t about to see him off without at least a bit of ceremony. Veyla felt hope ignite within her soul at the Destrier’s words. Tired though she was, she joined the crowd’s exultation as much as she could. Gawain hunkered down and pawed the ground.

“Clear a path, Ofeara! I’m about to take to the skies and speed my way through the stars back to the Astral Palace!” he said, his form tensed like a sprinter at the starting line.

Obediently, the Ofeara cleared a wide path ahead of the Destrier. Once the way was clear, Gawain broke into a swift gallop. With thundering footsteps, he sped past the cheering

audience and a sharp wind blew on them in his wake. He had not gone but a short distance beyond them, however, when the lights on his body flickered and went out. Once they did, his entire body and went limp and came crashing to earth. The crowd went silent, all except for one young Ofeara who piped up:

“I don’t think he was supposed do that.”
Veyla and the elder hurried over to the downed Destrier.
“Mr. Gawain! Are you alright?” Veyla asked, placing a hand on the golden body.
As soon as she touched him, his lights turned back on and he sullenly came back to life. “I’d gotten too far ahead of myself.” he said abashedly, “It seems as though I don’t have

the power to take flight on my own.”
“And, ah, how can you get more power?” asked the elder.
“Normally, we Destriers draw power from the faith placed in us by our Riders. However,

seeing as my Rider has passed on, I’m afraid I must ask one of you to ride with me to the Astral Palace instead.”

At this, many of the nearby Ofeara nonchalantly made themselves scarce. None were keen to be spirited away by this strange mechanical beast. Eventually, Heptuh, ever the dutiful one, put himself forward.

“I’ll go with you.” he said.

“I appreciate the offer, but, unfortunately, it can’t be just anyone. I need someone with a large amount of faith to keep me powered on. Someone with an especially strong reason to join me on this quest. Someone who’s stakes in the matter are especially high. And my sensors indicate that you, good sir, are not such a person.”

“That’s ridiculous. Mordred kidnapped my daughter. Who could possibly have a higher stake in this than me?” Heptuh snorted indignantly.

“Perhaps there’s someone your daughter was closer to. Perhaps a lover? A brother? Or maybe...”

All eyes turned toward Veyla.
“No.” she said, turning away and running back to her home, “No. No. No. No. No!” Gawain followed closely behind her.
“You are the one who reactivated me, aren’t you?” he said.
“Yes, but surely anyone could’ve done that.” Veyla protested.
“Not so. It takes an incredible amount of faith to reactivate a powerless Destrier like that.

I lost power once I left your side earlier and only turned on again once you came near and touched me. You are most definitely the one.”

“Stop following me! I’m not the one you want! I’m a coward!” Veyla went inside her house and slammed the door. That was not enough to stop a powerful creature like Gawain. Before Veyla could lock the door, the Destrier forced himself against it and into their home.

“It’s not like I’m taking you into battle or anything. All you have to do is ride with me to the Astral Palace. Once I’m there, I won’t require anything more of you. There’s a crystal at the Astral Palace that powers me while I’m in its vicinity. After I get back there and am once again fully charged, I can get to work finding a new Rider and you’ll be sent back here. That’s all.”

“No! I’m not going. I’m...I’m scared of flying.” “And how many times have you flown previously?”

“Th-that’s...I-it’ll be dark soon. I’m afraid of the dark. We should wait.” “We’re going to be in outer space. It’ll be dark no matter when we leave.” “I need sleep!”
“But you just woke up!” the elder interjected from the open doorway. “No! I don’t care! I’m not going!” Veyla shouted.

“You’re willing to leave the entire galaxy in Mordred’s grasp all because you’re too afraid to ride a horse?” Gawain said.

“I don’t know what this galaxy or what a horse is. But they can both go rot for all I care.”

“But what about your sister?” Gawain asked.
Veyla sighed heavily.
“Like it or not, you’re her only chance of salvation.” said Gawain, “Saving her, the fate

of the galaxy, everything hinges on you. I understand your apprehension, but you cannot allow that to stop you from doing what needs to be done.”

Veyla’s parents, the elder, and a few other Ofeara stood at the open door, watching the altercation. Osulfa stepped inside and placed a hand on her daughter’s shoulder.

“Veyla, I think he has a point. And it isn’t just Etherys who’s depending on you now. We all are.” she said soothingly.

Veyla sniffed. Her tears were coming back in force. She hugged her mother tightly. “Gawain,” she sighed, “I’ll go with you.”

About an hour later the sun had just set. Veyla was making the final preparations for her journey. Osulfa packed her a sackful of fruits and salted meats and Heptuh gave her his traveling cloak. The elder and a few other members of the village gathered round to see her off and wish her well on her journey. Mounting Gawain proved a bit of a challenge. Her father had to give her a boost enabling her to climb into the saddle.

“We’ll be praying for your safe return.” said the elder.
“Be brave, Veyla. I know you’ll make us proud.” said Heptuh.
“And make sure to stick close to Gawain. He’ll keep you safe, I’m sure.” said Osulfa. “Goodbye, everyone! I’ll be back soon!” Veyla said.
“If you’re through with goodbyes, we should be on our way. Are you ready?” Gawain

asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Veyla answered apprehensively.
“That’ll have to do. Alright, then here we-”
Just as the Destrier was tensed body, Veyla uttered a shrill scream and threw herself

against his back, grasping his thick neck as hard as she could.
“Good heavens, you fool!” Gawain growled, “We haven’t even started moving yet!” “Sorry.” Veyla squeaked, “I’m just...very nervous. It won’t happen again.”
“Perhaps you should close your eyes. That’ll help calm your nerves a bit. I’ll go slowly

and ascend gradually so you can get acclimated to the speed and height.” “Sure. Whatever you say.”

Veyla covered her eyes with her hands.

“No, no, no! Keep your hands on the saddle horn. You’ll fall off if you aren’t careful.” Gawain remonstrated.

“Sorry.” Veyla apologized.

“This isn’t going to end well. She’s making an absolute ass of herself.” the elder whispered to Veyla’s parents.

Instead of breaking into a full-blown gallop, Gawain started on a brisk trot. The Ofeara watched in amazement as the Destrier was raised from the ground on blue rivulets of light that streamed from the soles of his clopping feet. Higher and higher he rose until he passed from their sight in the gloom of twilight. Veyla was beginning to think that maybe flying might not be so bad. Her eyes were still closed, but things seemed to be going well. She did not feel sick, dizzy, or scared. Perhaps it would be fine if she opened her eyes now. When she did, the ground and trees were nowhere to be seen. Instead, she was in a forest of clouds. She looked down to see her home and the mountains far beneath her. All of a sudden, she felt very sick, dizzy, and very much scared.

“I thought you said you were going to ascend gradually!” she cried.

“Sometimes, you have to run before you can crawl! You should’ve kept your eyes closed!” Gawain answered, his pace quickening.

“I’ve changed my mind! I want to go back! This is madness!” Veyla had to raise her voice as the wind rushing past them grew louder.

“Too late! We’re about to leave the planet’s atmosphere! Hold on tight!”

Veyla gripped the saddle horn for dear life as the Destrier sped into a gallop. Faster he ran and higher he climbed. Then it seemed they burst out of a bubble as they crossed the border between the planet and outer space. Gawain slowed to a trot to give Veyla a breather. Beyond Klodarholm’s atmosphere and light of the moon, Veyla saw the cosmos with completely new eyes. The stars shown more vividly than ever. She saw vast nebulas stretching into the distance. Looking back, she saw Klodarholm gradually shrink to a small marble as they rode along.

“Well, what do you think?” Gawain asked.

“It’s so...vast! It looks like it goes on forever!” Veyla gasped, her mind struggling to find the right words.

“It just about does. And we have a long way to go before we reach the Astral Palace.” “Okay. I think I can handle it.” the Ofeara gulped.
“Great! Glad to her it. Now preparing for hyper speed travel.”
“Wait. Hyper-what?”

Before any further explanation could be offered, Gawain immediately dove into a gallop and far faster still, throwing Veyla back against the seat of his saddle. The stars turned to streaks of white as Gawain carried Veyla up to speeds she never conceived. Not even the fastest predators back on Klodarholm could match this velocity. Even the wind was nothing compared to this. She screamed at the unimaginable rush, but her cry was thrown back at her, rendered completely inaudible. The colors before her eyes refracted in a kaleidoscopic explosion of hues. The only recognizable thing she could see was Gawain’s head and neck bobbing up and down rhythmically as he sped down a corridor of hyper-stimulation. Veyla did not dare move, not even to close her eyes. She was locked in position, pinned back with arms outstretched as she gripped

the saddle horn with all her might. What would happen if she were thrown off...she did not dare to wonder.