Page 1 of Kryxis

BEFORE

Kryxis

The cry came from afar. A piercing howl, echoing off metal and rock. It started as a yelp then turned into a long drone, a call.

Kryxis crouched on the roof of a metal ruin, his head tilting toward the sound. Something hunted nearby. As he scanned the area below, he saw movement in the dark, along the side of one broken wall.

An itch started at the back of his neck, that instinctual need to leap off the roof and go hunting for the thing that hunted others. Stalk it, observe it, make it think it heard him one way when he approached it from the opposite side. Seeing the creature bark in surprise or watching its eyes widen in terror when it realized he was right there was an amusing game.

Or in those rare times he was hungry, he’d take a bite. But usually, the things that hunted other things tasted awful.

As the shadow of the creature slithered away, he remained crouched, his tail sliding to one side with impatience.

Bored.

He was bored.

His gaze shifted across the tops of crumbling buildings, a burial ground of stone and metal. To the east was a green cloud rolling slowly down one hillside.

He’d counted the many cycles he’d been here but didn’t remember much of his time in this strange, forgotten place, save for the small moments where a memory slipped through the cracks, something setting it off—a bright light, a strange sound, a familiar smell. He’d jerk away from the memory like that of a painful jab right between the eyes. And he let the memory slip away. A moment long past in his youngling years, where all he saw was metal. Metal that hurt to touch.

Fuzzy but annoying memories.

Still, all he knew was this place, his home. His kingdom, where he hunted, and played, and created. Where he had only himself because the other creatures were either too scared or too unintelligent to make a friend.

It was growing lonely here.

If only he had someone to hunt with. To play with. To share a meal. To speak and listen to.

For many nights, this hadn’t even occurred to him. He was so happy to be free to do as he liked; to have no one and nothing stand in his way. Now, the excitement was beginning to dull.

He let out a growl of frustration. A furry little creature skittered too close, and he hissed at it, making it bolt. He tugged on one of his horns, black fangs slipping from his upper lip.

Maybe he would go break something instead. Break everything in his path just because he could.

How he wished he wasn’t alone.

Letting out a slow breath, he rose and went to hop off the roof to go skulking into the dark when something sparked like fire above him. His eyes shot up to the brilliant sky above, to the blue planets hovering.

Through the rocks and debris floating past, he saw it. A ship. Orange and pink fire streamed behind as it hit the atmosphere. Far above, a much larger ship from which the smaller one must have come floated along the dark. His eyes followed the smaller ship as it fell toward the ground.

It was going to land here. Not far away. He watched its light like a beacon in the night. His eyes widened, his body trembling with excitement. His mouth thinned as the dull ache in his hearts faded.

Finally, someone had come.

Finally, something new to play with.

He leapt off the building and started for the ship.

CHAPTER ONE

Dani

The ship shook, causing the orange lights along the walls to flicker. Dani didn’t so much as flinch or gasp at the turbulence or tighten her hands around the handles of her seat like she used to on her first dozen trips. Instead, she took the moment to examine her crew.

Six in total. Most had their heads bowed or tilted back, eyes closed, waiting to feel the ship slow as it reached the ground. Only Morse and Phen had their eyes open. Morse stared down at the ground with his teeth bared as if trying not to get sick, and Phen stared up at the twinkling lights like they were the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen.

Myrell cursed softly beside them, her hand plunging into her suit pocket as she gripped something within. Tom smirked next to her, humming softly. Sheek—barely fitting in her seat—hardly stirred, while Lex snored with their head on Sheek’s arm.

---