Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

P rince Aeralis flew fast over the vast landscape, a blend of mountains, rocky terrain, and sporadic industrial cities built around mines. Though he tried to focus on the task at hand, his anger and disappointment over his father’s arrogance threatened to consume him. His father’s punishments and words of disapproval still echoed in his mind, a constant reminder of how he had been overlooked.

My father keeps his plans for this galaxy from me because of one mistake! Punishes me as if I’m little more than a nuisance prince! He seethed as his wings pumped, banking to the right. I should lead the charge and bask in the glory of conquest. Instead, I’m supposed to keep a low profile. Not let our enemies know we are here. I’m twiddling my vrexing wings instead of flexing my bored army’s muscle!

Aeralis clenched his fists as he circled the science outpost below. He would prove his worth. This mission was his to command, and with the magical object, his father would have no choice but to acknowledge his power.

He surveyed the space and science outpost. It was old, with rusted fences, worn buildings, and towers that looked ready to fall over. Yet, he was surprised at its defenses. He saw guards walking around the area with weapons. The strategic layout suggested a military presence.

Aeralis frowned as he observed every detail and defensive capability of the facilities. He had never encountered humans before and had believed they would be weak and insignificant. Yet, these humans appeared capable of defending themselves. Who are these humans?

Prince Aeralis was anxious, waiting for the rest of his Vralgari and the demon horde to get into position.

“Is the horde ready?”

“Yes, Prince Aeralis, they’re ready,” Vesmona purred, her velvety voice assuring him of victory before the battle had begun.

He descended with his Vralgari army, landing with a thunderous sound outside the gates. The demon horde joined them. Humans screamed as they beheld the demons running on all fours, their unhinged jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth gleaming in the dim light. Other demons stood upright, clawed fingers twitching with anticipation.

It was going to be a glorious night. He could feel it in his blood. He stood for a moment, savoring the battle to come. Stuck on Crelentia for years, he’d watched over the Vralgari hibernating army, waiting for an excuse to leave to go on a mission. Though he knew the Vralgari King would be livid when he learned he’d left Crelentia to come to this place, his father would be proud when he showed him the powerful magical object.

Prince Aeralis couldn’t wait to have it in his hands. With the magical object, his father would once again see his value. Prince Aeralis would finally get the war parade of honor that his father denied him.

Though this battle would be an easy encounter, it was still another trophy to put on his mantle. The humans didn’t have magic, and he knew enough about them to know they were considered the poorest species in the mining colony. No one would come to their aid. And if they did, they would meet the same fate .

Creating fear in their opponents to get them off their game was the Vralgari way. The horde charged, ramming the gates and howling. People within the human outpost shrieked and ran. The demon horde and Vralgari were already at every exit, rounding them up as they tried to escape. But surprisingly, most didn’t run. Instead, they took up defensive positions as if they stood a chance of winning against the Vralgari.

“Now, this is...unexpected,” he said to Vesmona. “But I’m glad the air doesn’t smell of fear.”

He walked to the center of the compound grounds, where a few humans walked forward.

“Who runs this outpost?” he said in his polite and eloquent voice.

A middle-aged woman stepped forward. “I’m Hazel Rivas, but my friends call me Ms. Hazel.”

He tucked his wings behind him, assuming a diplomatic and less threatening stance. “Hello, Ms. Hazel. I’m Prince Aeralis of the House of Vralgari, and this is Vesmona.” Vesmona nodded as Ms. Hazel kept her eyes on the two of them.

“Why have you attacked us? We don’t have any valuables here. We are merely humble, hardworking people.”

Prince Aeralis walked around, waving his hands as he did. “If you have nothing of value, why do you have guards? Why do you have a fence?”

“It’s just to protect our people.”

“Well,” he laughed wickedly, “it doesn’t look like you’re doing a good job of it.” She didn’t look amused at his insult. She stood stoically, giving him a deadpan look.

“We are merely people who work in the mines. We don’t want any trouble from the Vralgari. Please, tell us what you want?” Ms. Hazel’s voice was sincere as he saw her look around the compound.

“I want the magical object that created a shield over your people in the mines.” He saw Ms. Hazel’s eyes move rapidly. “And...I want the person who used it.”

She said nothing .

He looked around the gathered crowd and raised his voice with menace. “I will not ask again.”

No one said anything. He spread his wings, watching as every eye looked at how far they stretched. His eyes swirled, becoming red with anger.

“I am a descendant of the gods who created this universe!” his voice echoed as his crown blazed with bloodred flames. “Bow to me!”

“We are from Earth. And you are no god of ours!” Ms. Hazel took a defensive stance, pulling a weapon from her uniform with surprising speed and shooting several bullets at him.

Flapping his powerful wings, he catapulted into the air as the bullets careened past him. He landed directly behind her. As she turned, he knocked the weapon from her hand. She fought fiercely, clearly military-trained. She tried to match him in hand-to-hand combat as he laughed, moving so fast she could barely keep up with his jabs.

Her eyes darted left to right as he hit her again and again. She was so focused on blocking his jabs that she failed to see the real threat before her.

His claw-tipped wing swept forward, catching her right below the ribcage as he gutted her from bone to bone.

Blood gurgled from the wound as she clutched her stomach. As her intestines spilled out, Ms. Hazel’s eyes went blank. She hit the ground with a sickening thud.

The humans screamed, a pitch filled with anguish and anger so loud that, for a second, Prince Aeralis didn’t move. And then the humans attacked with everything they had.

“They’re...fighting back?” Vesmona muttered in disbelief.

“They dare!” Prince Aeralis hissed. His voice was low, dangerous, and filled with contempt. “These pathetic creatures think they can defy me?”

He looked, taking in the scene as it unfolded around him. His eyes glowed with fury. “I will show them what happens when you defy a god! ”

Bullets hailed from a rail gun he hadn’t noticed on the perimeter, while others shot from behind doors and windows of the outpost.

“Find the magical object. And don’t leave anyone alive!” His voice thundered across the outpost as he took to the air, his wings cutting through the wind with predatory grace. He spotted the man operating the rail gun—a key threat—and in an instant, Aeralis was upon him, landing silently behind the unsuspecting human.

He grabbed the man by the collar in one swift motion, yanking him back with ease. The man was momentarily surprised, panic shooting through his eyes as they met Aeralis’s cold, calculating gaze. He felt the man’s anger as they locked eyes. But before the man could defend himself, Prince Aeralis thralled him, pushing his mind control deep into the man’s thoughts. His breathing hitched, and his body tensed as Aeralis’s mind control overwhelmed him.

The man’s eyes filled with terror as his body shook under the immense force pushing into his consciousness. Sweat poured from his brow as he struggled to resist the mind control. But Prince Aeralis’s thrall was absolute, a heavy weight pressing down on the man’s every thought, impulse, and instinct. Their connection felt like iron chains tightening around the man’s brain, squeezing out any semblance of resistance.

“You are now a servant of the Vralgari,” Prince Aeralis whispered, his voice low and steady, carrying the full force of his power. “Kill every human you see!”

The man blinked only once as a blank stare took over his face. Like a robot performing a command, the man gripped the rail gun, turning it toward his friends and family. And then he fired round after round. One by one, the humans fell as the relentless hammering of the gun drowned their screams.

The gun clicked as the last round emptied from its chamber. Motionless, the man stood with the same blank stare. Prince Aeralis released his hold on the man’s mind, and like a puppet with its strings cut, the man collapsed into a heap.

A demon was on the man before he could gather his strength to rise. Prince Aeralis didn’t know if the man’s screams were from being gorged by the demon or from knowing he’d just killed his friends.

The Vralgari army ransacked the outpost, looking for the magical object, but couldn’t find anything. Vralgari flew overhead with energy devices, yet they found nothing emitting the level of power detected when the magical object had been used.

“I know it’s here somewhere!” Prince Aeralis was furious as he ripped the humans apart with his bare hands. They were lucky their filthy blood had no magic, or their deaths would have been slow and painful.

Yet, the humans continued to fight with surprising military skill.

They chose to fight—and now he would crush them beneath his wrath. He would tear through them, crush them, and leave nothing but ruins in his wake.

But they were no match for the Vralgari, who swept from the sky, lifting humans from the ground and taking them straight into the air, only to launch them back like human missiles. Demons ran down those who tried to run, tearing them apart. The scent of blood in the air made the demons more vicious as they howled excitedly. The Vralgari continued to attack from the air.

“Look for any trace of magic here,” he commanded his army and the horde.

“Ms. Hazel fought valiantly, like a mother protecting her children.” He made a mental note of Earth before continuing, “Find her quarters. Perhaps we’ll find what we need there.”

Vesmona took a group of demons with her, disappearing into the outpost. Soon, she shouted, “My Prince, I found something!”

One side of the outpost held a canteen, with a series of small studio apartments nearby in the barracks. One apartment belonged to Ms. Hazel. Her pictures with military medals were on the walls. But the rooms nearby were those Vesmona beckoned that he see.

Entering the rooms, he smelled magic. Pictures of women of various ages were on the wall. “Hmm, what is this?” He threw his head back, laughing at one image of a group of women ranging in age from likely ten to their early twenties. They were making signs with their hands below a banner that read, ‘Space Divas Sorority!’

“Find these Space Divas !” he rasped, sending the horde to search for any woman with magic in the outpost. He could hear the fighting continuing. Vrex! The humans are relentless! Don’t they know they’ve already lost this battle and their pathetic lives?

Searching the rooms, they didn’t find the magical object anywhere. And they didn’t see the women and girls in the pictures.

“Bring me a human,” he spat, searching the room for clues.

When a man was brought before him, he thralled him, quickly taking over his mind. Prince Aeralis forced the man to tell him about the women who slept in the rooms and the ones in the picture. He was intrigued learning about the women, who were all descendants of astronauts. But what intrigued him more was learning the women would return from working in the mines any minute.

Scenting the room, he smiled at Vesmona. “Women with great magic live here. And they possess a powerful magical object.” He crushed the picture.

“Only gods should have such power!”