* * *
Jaden raced along the side of the valley, half-heartedly shouting for everyone to evacuate. He had managed to dodge past the soldiers and get into the village, but the scene before him was beginning to overwhelm him. He had been running on pure emotion, but now the lack of energy was finally taking its toll. Everything that had happened over the past days was coming to the surface; the hollowness of the feelings inside, the dreams, the sickness, his loss of time with Alyssa, continual fights with Ardim and even winning the wrong tennagen match. It felt as though the entire world was coming down upon him, and now seeing the homes of his fellow Callibrians on fire was making him question if it was even worth fighting to save.
A sudden roar in the sky and a flicker of grey made him lose his balance and trip over a rock. He was sent spinning down the slope, coming to a stop only when he landed in some bushes. He had to cover his ears as he looked up to the sky, where a group of fighter jets was flying low across the valley. Just as the previous strike he had seen from outside of the village, they were turning back before letting their bombs fly, and the panic started all over again.
A single moment seemed frozen in time as all eyes were fixed on the dark shapes that flew over them, wondering at who would be unfortunate enough to be hit by the bombs. They had to run. They had to get away. But it was too late. As if a giant hammer had struck the earth with a tremendous blow, the ground shook furiously from the first impact and what was once a house became a mess of fiery rubble and ash within seconds. Dust and debris of houses was then sent hurtling into the atmosphere, as the rest of the bombs rained down upon them, men, women and children all screaming at the tops of their lungs. They tried to run in every direction, but were met with more explosions each way they turned. It seemed nowhere in the village was safe. The fighter jets were systematically destroying each structure in sight, and closing off every way out of the heart of the village.
The roar above faded as the fighter jets left, and Jaden stood up again. Where only hours ago he had known paradise, there was a scene from the most horrific of wars, of the most brutal attacks. Ruin was left in place of beauty, the jets leaving the land broken, as a battlefield in which the bloody and dying walked among the fires that had come alight. Some were searching for shelter and aid, while others ran frantically about, trying to escape, or help whomever they could.
Smoke and ash was pouring into the sky in great columns, the low visibility of dusk made worse with each. Jaden could hardly see ahead of him anymore, both from shock and the poisoned air, but knew something more devastating had come. In the west, between the Gates, the military unit he had passed on his way in had stationed itself. He could see little of it, but enough to know what would follow. Missiles and random gunfire would be aimed into the village, just as his grandfather had told him in the stories from around the world. They would kill as many as they could while they awaited the arrival of the rest of their force.
He had to warn his people of the new threat.
Without regard for his own safety, he raced into the village, shouting for them all to flee to the mountains in the east. They had to distance themselves as much as possible from the military unit in the west. There was no other chance of survival.
He was halted by a loud hum. It was so low it felt sickening in the pit of his stomach, a vibration so deep he had to drop to one knee to contain the nausea it produced. The sound was followed by a crunching noise, of stone being crushed under immense weight. Jaden looked to the west where it had come from and saw people beginning to run toward him. At first he was confused by the sight, unable to make sense of the silhouettes in the sunset, just strange shapes, dark mountainous figures, nothing tangible. He saw it then, over the buildings, the reason his people ran this way. The giant machines, those bigger than houses were ploughing into the village, pushing entire buildings out of the way and leaving little more than dust and rubble behind them. Soldiers filtered through the buildings ahead of these enormous machines, cutting down the villagers with their large weaponry at merciless rates. The attack had come into full effect.
Jaden had to get to his family.
At full pace he sprinted to reach the tennagen field, glancing only briefly at the people congregating there as he passed. It was the last place he would have thought safe, but he did not have time to help them just yet. He had to get home first. He had to protect his family. He had to make sure they were all right.
Dark houses still untouched by the bombs flickered by as he passed them, easing his fears slightly as he ran as fast as he could. There were only three or four fires within this area; it seemed the attacks had been mainly concentrated on the edges of the village. His family would still be alive. He still had time, but not much. The approaching military unit would be at the tennagen field soon enough, and then it would not be long before the entire village was in their grasp.
On the final hill before he reached his road, he breathed a sigh of gratitude and relief as he spotted his home, still dark, still untouched. They were safe. He began to jog instead of run toward them. He had to slow down from the pain in his side. It allowed him to focus on the far away sounds of battle and incessant screaming filling the air. It made his heart falter and legs shiver to know what was going on; such senseless destruction, such injustice, all seemingly without warning. The question “Why?” went through his mind repeatedly, each time without answer. Why was this happening? Why did it have to be this way? Why now? Why after thirty years of being free of the wars? Why was a defenceless village being attacked? None of it made any sense. It almost seemed impossible that it was happening.
The questions were silenced when a third deafening roar came from above, another wave of fighter jets, this time unleashing their devastating load on the inner parts of the village. Several of the bombs were falling almost directly above him, but there was no shelter anywhere near. He couldn’t hide. All he could do was duck close to the ground and put his arms over his head as if he were in the foetal position for protection, trying to clamp them hard against his ears to protect them from the sound of explosions ripping through the buildings to his left and right. Louder than the jets, the explosions left his ears ringing and caused him to yell out in pain as a fragment of wood struck his shoulder hard.
The dirt and ash that fell on him then covered his back completely, staining his hair, clothes and skin alike, and he held his breath to prevent any of the soot from entering his lungs.
It was over in seconds. He was able to stand. Fires were now rampant around him, this area of the village no longer different to the others. There was hardly a building left standing, some caved in while others now existed as large smouldering craters.
Gone. So quickly, so terribly, they were gone.
His home…
His head jerked forward and his eyes rapidly searched through the smoke. Where was it? His mouth hung open in disbelief as he slowly began to jog forward again. It should have been only one hundred yards away, behind the great tower of black smoke billowing upward where more than one of the bombs had hit. Yet … it was not there.
Jaden felt the blood drain from his chest, leaving him cold and cringing within. He didn’t want to think it. He didn’t want to believe it. He made a quick dash the last of the way to his home, so he could ease his fears and comfort himself with the vision of his home magically escaping harm. But it was not to be. He was stopped short of his destination, the heat becoming too intense as he neared, and he fell on his knees with his hands on the ground and head down, unable to bear the sight.
Collapsed. His home had been reduced to rubble. And his family…
Tommy…
Embra…
His mother…
Their faces flashed before his eyes. They were gone, all of them. If only he had run faster. If only he had lost the game of tennagen. If only he had yelled louder. They could still have been alive.
He turned his head slowly from side to side, tears seeping through tightly closed eyelid
s as he fell backward and covered them with his hands. There he sat in anguish, in front of the tombstone of his family’s final resting place, completely helpless. All he could do was sit and await death to find him as well. He hoped it would come soon, with another strike on the village or a single bullet from a soldier searching out survivors. He just wanted it to end. There was no point in going on now. Not without his family. Not without the ones he loved. The pain was too much.
The sounds of war seemed to fade away then, his mind withdrawing from reality and into oblivion. All was lost. Those he idolised had failed. He had failed. The tranquil paradise he had grown up in had been ruthlessly wiped out. There was nothing that could have been done.
He had been so close to saving his family. They were in sight, he could have yelled to them if they had been standing outside.
How had this happened?
‘Jay!’
He knew he had heard his name being called. He wanted to turn to them, but he couldn’t. He felt paralysed, his thoughts aimless wanderings in an empty secluded mind.
‘Jaden!’
The call came again.
‘Get up!’
Jaden felt strong arms attempt to lift him up, but he sank even deeper to the ground. He knew that it was Bo trying to help, but he couldn’t even face him. The pain was too great, the realisation of loss too strong.
Bo gave up suddenly, as if he had just realised what was in front of him.
‘They didn’t make it out,’ he said sympathetically.
Jaden gave no reply.
‘I’m sorry,’ said Bo, and he joined Jaden in silence, both paying their respects as they ignored the chaos around them.
Bo had shared a similar bond with Jaden’s family, as if they were his second home. He felt what Jaden was experiencing, only milder, but still the same utter damnation, the regret, the remorse and most of all, the absolute terror of such loss. He knew there was no way that he could comfort his friend. He was only allowed sanity through knowing his family had made it out of their home and fled to the mountains in time. They had been fortunate. Jaden’s had not.
But despite his understanding of how Jaden felt, Bo knew they could not stay here any longer. A fourth wave of fighter jets was approaching from the east; they would soon be doubling back just like the last as they sought out their targets among the ruin.
‘Come on, you can’t bring them back. We have to go,’ Bo said unconvincingly, knowing all too well that Jaden would still make no move. ‘You can’t stay here. Jay, please … come with me.’
Jaden’s silence gave Bo all the answers he needed, and Bo lowered his head in defeat. This was one occasion he knew he would not have the time to try and persuade Jaden to do what he wanted.
‘Look, we’re all making a run for the mountains. If you decide to do the right thing and save your life, come find us. Be well, sprinter.’
Although Bo did not want it to be, he feared he had just said his final farewell to a friend he had loved as a brother. But even if he were to attempt to pick Jaden up and carry him, he knew he could not have made him move.
Before vanishing around a corner, Bo gave one last look to the figure that sat in perfect stillness in front of the fires that consumed his world and began to run toward the mountains.
Jaden’s eyes were closed to the dancing flames. The fourth wave of fighter jets was on its way now. This was the end. He could have run still, but he could not bear to leave his family again. He wanted to stay with them, forever, even if it meant his death.
He heard the engines blare overhead, the jets releasing their ultimate judgement on those that were below. Jaden had chosen death underneath the deadly rain and remained unflinching as they crossed over him, the whistle of the descending evil piercing his ears as it neared.
But nothing would land near him.
As he opened his eyes to the heavens, he saw something wondrous, something miraculous. A play of entwining clear whites and blues near the brightness of the sun, yet soft on mortal eyes, had burst overhead. Everything seemed to blur then, becoming a bluish grey under the waves of light. The buildings, land, fire and smoke all distorted beneath its glow, and the little sound there was became internalised, explosions seeming even more distant as the beating of his own heart filled his ears. His breath laboured to bring in the air he needed and he blinked his eyes in the same slow motion that all else seemed to be in, letting tears run free, yet still it seemed he was looking through water up at the seemingly cosmic display. The entire village had become encased in a giant energy shield. There were countless eruptions in the sky, above this shielding light as bombs collided with its energy, but they seemed to make no sound compared to the voice that boomed the word “No!” over the top of it all.
An energy shield. The Daijuar were here. The village had become immune to the attacks. In all its tragic beauty, Jaden couldn’t help but feel more tears rise. It was the most majestic yet dreadful thing he had ever witnessed, for it was a display of power like no other, but it had come too late, and it meant the absolute demise of his home.
Jaden stood. Almost unconsciously he had got to his feet and began walking slowly toward where the voice had come from. He had to find the Daijuarn Sentinel that was making the shield. He was not sure why or how he had found the strength. He knew only that he had to get an answer. An answer to a question he would not ask, but would receive simply by confronting the Sentinel.
He had taken no more than four or five steps when the ground began to rumble once again, this time so powerfully that the earth beneath his feet began to split apart. A deep crevice of which the bottom could not be seen opened up a few feet in front of him, while more tears in the surface threatened to open behind. It was just as in the stories he had heard of the earthquake of thirty years ago. There were groaning movements of rock and the screams of those falling to their deaths as much of the village was being swallowed or pulled into the dirt. A great chasm had formed between him and his home, only it seemed to be on the wrong side as almost instantly, what was left of his house was all gone, a whole edge of the chasm caving in.
Jaden was speechless. It had just been there a moment ago, but had vanished so quickly it took him a moment to accept that it was completely gone. He looked down into the pit and thought he could see something lit with blue below, but other than that, it was only darkness. The earth churned again beneath his feet, this time making him fall backward. When he was able to stand again, many of the chasms, including the one that had taken his house had sealed shut. It was almost as if the planet itself had become hungry, opened its many mouths and taken much of what was on its surface down into its gut.
With a mixture of so many emotions, Jaden yelled as loudly as he could as the shield disappeared. The ground settled as the earthquake passed half a minute later, and the sounds of war resumed. Jaden remained where he was, no longer sure of what he was doing or where he was going. The urge that drove him forward to find the Daijuarn Sentinel had disappeared. He would now have to rely entirely on his survival instincts to know what to do.
There were soldiers nearby. He had heard their shouts to one another and the cries of their victims that were not killed instantly. They were getting closer, but how far away, he could not tell. His answer came as he spotted something moving around a corner to his right. It was a figure wider than any man he knew with strange devices attached to its head and body. He knew this could only have been what so many travellers in the past had described. It was a soldier of the Alliance. These were not the same men of Hawan that had taken him earlier. The soldier took aim immediately, but did not have the chance to fire. An unknown man wielding a broken plank of wood had struck the soldier hard in the head and knocked him to the ground. Jaden was ready to run and help finish the soldier off, to mount a small resistance and save what little they could, but the man soon fell lifeless, a second soldier becoming apparent and putting a quick and brutal end to the man’s short-lived bravery.
Jaden looked on
in defeat, the small hope that had bloomed crushed as quickly as it had formed. There was no use in fighting. They were outnumbered and overpowered.
Jaden would mourn the fallen man later, but for now he would not allow his efforts to be in vain. He used the distraction to make his escape, bullets chasing after him as he dodged around the building to his left, some of the shots ricocheting off stone blocks as if still seeking their target. Soldiers seemed to have infested every part of the village, with two or three in sight no matter where he turned. He found his way to the eastern border by weaving through the buildings on the way. He was heading for the crops, hoping to hide within them as he made his way to the mountains.
The only stretch of land in his way was the end of a road that dropped off with a steep edge. There was a fifty-yard dash between the houses that marked its sides, but it seemed soldiers had not yet reached this part of the village. To be safe, he waited for the next round of explosions before making his way across the opening. Halfway over, he heard the wind up of a soldier’s weapon. The next thing he knew he was falling hard to his right, down the slope where his arms and legs were battered by the pointed rocks. As he landed on the grass below, he got up carefully, his head spinning from how fast he had been sent rolling off of the edge.
He had been hit by something. A bullet perhaps, he was not sure. He checked himself over. There were no visible injuries except from the rocks. What had happened? Had he just fallen? He looked back up the slope to regain his bearings, and saw that there was a soldier standing on the edge, looking down to where he must have thought Jaden had landed. Jaden moved cautiously backward a few steps, careful not to make any sudden movements. The soldiers seemed to have keener sight than he did, their helmets fitted with some kind of vision-enhancing device. This was proven true as Jaden hadn’t realised he had been spotted until bullets began to slip into the dirt in front of him. Quickly he turned and jumped into the thickest section of trees he could find and then ran as fast as he could without looking back. He zigzagged through the crops as he had done so many times before when escaping Ardim and his gang, and was soon on the mountainside, hiding as much as he could among the leaves and bushes as he hiked up its slope. The soldiers could not keep up, their weaponry most likely too heavy to run with, allowing Jaden to leave them far behind.
In the clear, shock from the disastrous onslaught was now weighing him down, forcing him to trudge along at a slow pace as he tried to focus on three things at once; on the path that faded in and out of his vision, the sounds of the explosions and gunfire echoing in his thoughts, and the sickening feeling that was now bubbling in his stomach, threatening to make him fall with each step he took if it were not kept under control.
The floor was soft, but the fragments that lay upon it were sharp and broken, inflicting pain as they scratched and jabbed at his skin. This gave him some relief, an unexpected cure as the pain distracted him from the chaos he was leaving behind.
After long minutes of travel, his body finally failed him at his destination, outside his cave high on the mountain. He could go no further this night, and he threw up, exhausted by the furious running and climbing of rugged terrain.
He had made it. That was all that mattered.
As his eyes closed, he fell onto the cave’s floor and lay motionless, trying to keep up his fight to remain conscious. But just as with his village against the military force, it was a battle he would inevitably lose. There was no more strength to be called upon, no more will to go on. In seconds, he would pass out. A final thought of his family was his last memory of the day that he had lost everything.