Part II -- Shadows of the past

Posted on Sun Jul 21st, 2024 @ 2:21am by Lieutenant Fang Lee & Lieutenant JG Zai & Finley Walker

1,008 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Lacertae Mortis
Location: Various | USS Arcadia
Timeline: Current (Pre Launch)

Previously on Final Conversation....


They stopped in front of the crew quarters that carried Zai's name. "Alright, I won't antagonize him."

Lee gave a nod and was about to press the button when a sound drew his attention. He looked towards the door. Zai's voice floated through the door. It was not a usual sound it was grunts of pain and panic.

Fin tensed. "What's that sound?"

Zai's shout carried through the door. "Run! You must run!" Followed by a pained shout so broken and so heartbreaking that both Fin and Lee were spurred to movement. Lee entered the code of Zai's quarters and rushed inside followed by Fin.

And Now the continuation...



=/\= Many Years Ago….Capella =/\=

The starless sky blanketed a world already filled with shadows. A fine white mist cascaded to the ground as the thump of war drums thundered and echoed in the valley that was once filled with laughter and life and now lay silent except for the rhythmic drums.

Violet glowing eyes opened and shifted side to side in mad desperation. He ignored the blood that poured into them from a gash on his forehead; he ignored the burning of the blood and the red haze that was left behind. His breath formed white smoke, the damp cold sinking into his weary bones.

Xingtian rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up to his knees struggling and grunting all the way. Eyes wide he looked around at the chaos of the battle that had just raged and burned for the past three days. The field was littered with shadows that were once people and the feel of shades passing to the underworld made him shudder uncontrollably.

He grunted as he placed his hands on the cold blood slicked ground and struggling to his feet; he swayed as he walked amongst the shells of those he had once known and cared about. His entire village lay around him. Their sightless eyes seemed to turn pleading to him for justice, for retribution.

“Anyone! Is anyone there?!”

Silence answered him back. Even the drums had abandoned their demonic beat.

There had to be someone. His body was broken; his mind in agony. Moving in stilted motions as he tried to run from body to body but it ended up being a broken hobble. He called their names, cried out to them but they would not shed their stillness and only threw silence his way.

Xingtian looked at his hands. They were once jade pale, but now were red with the blood of the fallen, his own wounds had turned fire red with the beginnings of infection. Tears mixed with crimson trickled down his pale dirt crusted cheeks as he turned over person after person begging, praying, pleading with the Gods to hear a breath. Agonized grunts escaped his trembling lips as he suppressed the pain. His eyes feral with grief wildly danced around the field. He wiped the tears with his sleeve as they streamed down his face while he stumbled through the the cold quiet field.

Xingtian shook each body violently hoping to snake the life back into them. “Wake up! Wake up!!!!! Don’t leave me here alone! I am a Prince of the Eleventh Tribe. I command you! Wake up!”

Silence echoed in his ears; violent deafening silence. Every breath for him was a struggle, every step feeling more and more as if the manacles of hell were attached to them dragging him into the darkness.

Xingtian dropped to his knees hitting the ground hard with a grunt. He tipped his head heavenward his shoulders shaking before his head flopped forward like a dead fish. A wave of dizziness flooded him passing and coursing through his body until nothing but numbness remained. He couldn't feel his feat, his hands, his body. The only thing he could feel was his heart madly pounding in his chest and the strangling feeling in his throat that made even breathing a struggle.


=/\= Current: USS Arcadia =/\=


Fang took in the sight. Zai's hands were clenched around the sheets as tears streamed from the corners of his closed eyes. His face was red and his forehead was covered with a glossy sheen forming little droplets that dripped down his face and neck and onto the grey sheets below.

Fang felt his heart slam into his chest. Another nightmare. It had been a few months since Zai was lost to these crosses between night terrors and nightmares. Memories from Capella, that much Fang knew, but Zai never spoke of the dream contents.

Zai's voice shook him from his thoughts, “You killed them! You killed them all! Animals!”

Fin, who'd stood off to the side watched and listened. The words could be a clue and they took everything in saying nothing.

Fang on the other hand ran to the bedside his hands shaking. He was afraid to wake his friend suddenly but also felt helpless as he watched the grimaces cross Zai's face. Zai's breathing grew more and more erratic his muscles tightened and the fists that were curled around the sheets nearly white with strain. He was shaking uncontrollably his lips opening and closing webbed with the spittle from his ragged gasps.

Fang knelt by the bed afraid to touch his friend, his hands hovering just above Zai's clenched fists.

"Zai..." He tried to gently call his friend back from the darkness that was now filling his mind. "Zai, wake up."

“Murderers! Vile scum!” Zai hissed as his body arched off the bed, the muscles in his neck cording to an almost breaking point.

“Zai!” Fang could wait no more; he reached out and put a hand over Zai's clenched fist applying firm yet gentle pressure he called to Zai again, "Wake up!"

Zai clenched his fists tighter and with one final gasp his body jerked upright eyes shooting open and wild as the remnants of the nightmare cleared.


To Be Continued...

 

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