Don't Look Back

In the land of Rydia, the beam shone in the morning sky. Warriors on the lookout tried to guess its trajectory but couldn't. And then, without warning, the beam shot past the palace, down the canyon, and straight into the city's undercroft, landing dead center on a support column. The beam cleaved through the hardened rock and melted it to slag, and with an adjustment to the vessel's bearing, it swept across the city. Whatever and whoever was touched by the beam was vaporized instantly. Anyone close to the beam burst into flame under the intense heat. The sniper rotated and flexed every few seconds, etching cleanly like a water jet until the shelf above the city toppled in chunks. The half-cave that served as the city's defense against the sun entombed thousands instantly.

A moment before, the palace steps echoed with the pitter-patter of Kukchi mounts. Having stirred awake from the Earthlings' Albatrosses, Kalin chased them out onto the steps long enough to see the birds rocket away at high speeds toward the mountains. He was about to return to the throne room to ensure his Emperor's safety when he heard a familiar voice."Kalin! Where are they?"

The Captain looked down the stairway. It was Maed Laio. She and his squad had arrived in a mounted procession of shaking Kukchis. Her eyes were dark and sunken, and her skin was still green with sickness. It was apparent they had ridden day and night to arrive here. It was enough to make Kalin turn white, so he ran to his wife to help her down.

"What are you doing here, love!? You look terrible! Come, I'll find a bed for you."

"That doesn't matter!" She grunted, baring her fangs. "What did you do, Kalin?"

"What did I do?"

"I know you did something to that girl! Where's that bastard Szeer? You two are doing something foolish again!"

"Don't talk about our friend like that! Those birds might have him as we speak!"

"I knew it!"

"Exactly!" This response deserved a slap to the face.

"Did you not think I could handle myself!?" Maed fumed. "Did you think I was an idiot for trusting our son! I swear you could be so...rockheaded!"

"Captain!" One of his men pointed out at the desert sand bed. "Look!"

The two turned their attention to the desert to see the two Kukchi on a long sprint. It wasn't hard to tell who the passengers were. The vibrant red hair stuck out like a sore thumb.

"They're riding toward Dozae Rae," Maed Laio said, looking at the distant mountains. She let out a sigh. "Looks like I won't have to kill you."

She turned to her husband, expecting a furious snarl or something befitting his personality, but for a split second, she saw a face of pure terror as he sensed the flash of light about to strike.

The sound of the laser was too loud for anyone to ignore, and even the children could hear its vibrations echoing across the desert floor. No party present, from the citizens fleeing from the smiting to the guards scrambling for a plan of action. Meanwhile, abandoned in his garden, the Emperor watched in utter disbelief, knowing that the EVO's beam would come for him at any moment.

"Devol, you monster." He gritted his teeth. "No, those Earthlings-! Why!?"

He wouldn't receive this answer, as Kalin had already returned to his side to escort him out. There was no time to waste. The palace steps were already flooded with incoming and outgoing Pandemians. Every second left in the palace was one with a target on their backs.The spectacle was enjoyed on a series of screens inside of Flock 37. It was displayed for all the aliens aboard to show them what victory looked like.

"My lord," said a gray man at the navigation console. "I spy a challenging prize."

The Shipmaster bared his teeth. "If you can hit it, you shall be rewarded with portions."

This excited the alien so much that the beam stopped, allowing the Rydians to collect themselves as they sought refuge. This wouldn't last long. The grey man adjusted the Lone Wolf on a dime and picked out its new target, and with the vessel's stabilized position, its aim would be true.

Sam clung onto the reins of the Kukchi with all of her might. The noise and peril from behind gave the rodents more than enough motivation to scamper away, but they were pulling too far from Snu's ride. She felt the tension rise as if God's work was being done behind her.Then, the second laser fired. The flash of light was much brighter this time, the gust of wind pushing them forward. Behind them, the full force of the Lone Wolf's laser seared right through the stone and gold of the palace. Monuments melted, the stairs scorched with fire, immolating evacuees instantly. The grand palace crumbled and blasted apart in a blaze that overloaded all senses. The air was apocalyptic.

Snu's Kukchi zoomed ahead with a kick, and the boy took the lead. Sam couldn't catch his face behind his hair and scarf, but she could imagine what he was feeling.

"Don't look back!" Vinisnu shouted, his voice resolute in a way Sam hadn't heard before. "We have to keep moving! We can't stop now."

He didn't have to tell her twice, yet he did, over and over, as if he was talking to himself instead of her. It was frightening, and suddenly, she no longer felt safe. This was the power of the EVO, callous and unyielding. Whether she was only delaying the inevitable or not was a haunting thought. She feared that at any moment now, something would kill her. Something very well may.

With the dust settled, the EVO calmed down and took the time to relish in their victory. Below, the infantry emerged from the fires in a festive mood, boosted by their hunger for meat satiated by the local populace. Lia's survivors were rounded up by the marauding Herders, frightened masses corralled and occasionally culled as each small band of aliens followed their innate desires upon whether they wished to kill, play, or consume. Any corpses deemed inedible were given to the larger animals to be swallowed whole by beasts, while the sack-bearing ones returned to the mothership with full spoils.

The palace of Lia fought bravely to maintain their territory and prevent the slaughter. Still, the difference in technology was too much, and the King was barricaded in the throneroom with a hundred battered survivors. The aliens wouldn't breach these defenses, but only because they presumed nothing of value was inside. As soon as the EVO vacated the premises, the whole fortress was washed in the Lone Wolf's light. All that remained was a crater where civilization once stood.

"Ah, victory," sighed the Shipmaster. His swelling pride would not be reduced today. "To think we'd be allowed to enjoy a training mission as smooth as this."