Young Survivors

"It's not," Walter said as she told him that she would like to go with him, as long as he wasn't staying. When she asked if this was where he was from, he shook his head, gathering his things in his bag once more. "I'm not really from anywhere. My family never stayed in one place long enough to have a real home. A year, at most, is how long we stayed in one place. We were heading for Westridge in the south when everything went to hell."

Walter didn't say any more, remembering how his mother hadn't wanted to stop, she'd wanted to get to Westridge that day, even though she had been complaining all day about being hungry or something. She'd been two months pregnant with her third child the day she died. Shaking his head to get those thoughts out of him mind, he said, "I'm going to Harper's Borough. If you want to come, fine." He turned around, towards the direction of a rubble-strewn street.
 
Ren fell quiet as Walter took off in the opposite direction. She could see the pain written all over his face, just like she could read an open book.
She waited until he was a few strides ahead of her before shuffling behind him, kicking up unwanted dust, sand and dirt. She stared up at the unfitting blue sky. It mocked her, so sunny and happy. How she yearned to feel that way again.
'Is happiness even an option when everyone you know and love is dead?' She thought to herself, picking up her speed as she noticed she was slowing Walter down by quite a few yards. She sighed, longing to turn her mind off- to enjoy the utter silence that surrounded them without having her thoughts interrupt it every few seconds.
 
Walter kept walking, judging the compass direction by the position of the sun in the east. The town was so quiet now, when he had come here it had been bustling with life and people. Now, every footstep he made echoed out into the morning light, a final, hollow sound that mirrored what his heart felt like on those recent nights when he got caught up in his thoughts of the past. He still jumped at every sound, occasionally going in the direction he had heard one he couldn't identify, to make sure it was only the wreckage settling and not something more sinister. when he had ascertained that all was clear, he would continue on his way, occasionally looking over his shoulder to see if she was fine.


After a while, he stopped, turning to her. "Once we get out of the town, we might be able to find a car that isn't completely destroyed. I can drive, what about you?"
 
As Xual'lan rode through the capital city of Zech'hua, he heard the gossip of the citizens. Most of it was quite typical, controversy over the recent wars, over exaggerated tales of the most powerful warriors. Xual'lan overheard something else in the mix, him. It seems for once the Xelopians actually paid attention to him, although not in a good way. So little was known about him that the people just made stories up. His trial was going to be a huge event he heard, the whole empire would be watching.

Then he saw it, the enormous temple of Cualt-zech'huan. It stood like a god itself off in the distance, he judgement would be soon. Xual'lan began to ponder his fate again. It was no use, he had no say in his punishment. He thought to himself that execution would be the best way to go, but that in itself was highly unlikely, Xelopian code and strict ordinances against spilling royal blood.

As Xual'lan got closer to the temple, more and more Xelopians began crowding around the hover-caravan. This made him especially uneasy, he couldn't stand being so close to so many people. He closed his eyes, just a few more moments and he would be their. No commoners where aloud inside the temple unless they where being judged, so he would be safe from them when he got there. He heard more and more voices and shouts surround him, closing his eyes couldn't save him for his fear.

But then he heard something, the sweet clicking voice of dear Ita'anti, that couldn't be her. Could it? Yes it has to be her he thought. He opened his eyes and saw his love shouting at him "Down with the coward!" she was chanting in unison with the rest. How could this be? Even the love gods did not favor him. He let out a long sign, and exited the caravan and enter the curved walls of the temple. Defeated, Xual'lan enter awaited his judgement.
 
Ren squinted, looking at Walter. "I had my license, so if it comes to that I'd be able." Ren said, her mood almost turning. There was something kind of enticing about this adventure. They had the whole world to themselves, and the challenge of survival. Ren wondered if they would actually live long enough to die peacefully of old age. It was doubtful, considering the amount of pollution that dusted the water sources, and the quick to spoil food remnants.

But it could happen. It could.
 
And so he stood, in front inside a ring of elders, with their elongated faces and frivolous helmets. Their faces themselves looked like judgement. Xual'lan gulped, this is it, he thought. Then a blinding light filled the temple from the back of the room, the High Priest had arrived. His helmet was large, perhaps bigger than his torso. You could tell easily that this man held much power, from his smug grin too his ring collection he kept on his claws. Xual'lan hated this creature, he manipulated his father to gain his own power. Many statues where erected in his honor, stars bearing his name. All for doing almost nothing but pulling the strings safely behind the walls of his temple. He wasn't even a warrior, in fact the High Priest's stature was perhaps as meek as his, if it wasn't for all that frivolous clothing he may be just as much of an outsider as he was.

That didn't matter right, what mattered was his punishment. As the High Priest stepped out from his chambers the whole council averted their gaze as to not pollute the energies surrounding his holy presence. Instinctively Xual'lan did so as well, but then something happened. Some little spark of bravery sprouted from the fallow soil inside him. He look the High Priest straight in his beady eyes, the stung his Xelopian pupils. "Why do you not avert your gaze?" inquired the High Priest. Xual'lan thought for a moment and answered "Because I'm tired of running". "Ah, if only you thought that back in the stadium. Maybe then you would've died honorably. Maybe then the gods would not frown on you!" The High Priest gave a long, inspecting look at Xual'lan. "The trial will now begin".

The burning light was replaced by a frozen darkness as the doors behind the priest shut. Xual'lan could not see anything but the two red specs of the High Priest's eyes. The High Priest began chanting, and the Council joined him. The song felt like a howl from a wolf before he eats his prey. Xual'lan was a helpless little sheep, surrounded by a pack of hungry canines. The Council continued chanting as the High Priest began his Judgement. "O great Cualt-zech'huan, giver of law, maintainer of order. Let your Judgement be swift and vision be true." The council slowly stopped chanting, and in an almost trance like state proceeded to repeat what the High Priest just said. "Tell us O great Lawgiver, how should we punish meek little Xual'lan? What manner of torture should be suitable for the coward?" Xual'lan was ready, ready to get this trial over with. The chanting resumed, stronger than ever, it continued for several hours, then several days, until the priest and the Council lie unconscious.

The priest awoke, and so did the Council after him. Xual'lan was forced to stay awake this entire time, which wasn't really a punishment as he did not want to have another nightmare. "O Lawgiver, you have come to me in a dream, and given me my verdict. I thank you for your divine judgment", the High Priest said, and as did the Council after him. The light came on again, perhaps more blinding than before. "Xual'lan son of the late king Ze'eshu". Xual'lan stood, ready for his punishment. "Cualt-zech'huan has sentenced you too exile". Xual'lan's heart leap inside his chest, perhaps he would be sentenced to Dephon. Trying to hide his excitement, Xual'lan asked "On which planet?" The High Priest paused and look around at the Council, then at his star chart, perhaps trying to find the most remote planet under his control. Or perhaps the planet the Xual'lan would hate the most. He look up from his star chart and back at Xual'lan. He said one word that would hurt Xual'lan more than any execution or duel.

"Earth."
 
Walter nodded, not willing to add that while he knew how to drive, he didn't have a license, and wouldn't now that the world had fallen apart. Another thing he wouldn't mention is that he knew how to hotwire a car if they needed to. Not the time or place, Walt, he told himself, resuming his original gait. He was silent for the most part, trying to calculate in his head how long it would take to get there, and figuring out how they'd cross the bridge they'd need to on their way there if it was blown to pieces. The river wasn't shallow, and its current was fierce. Deciding to take things one problem at a time, he cleared his mind, taking a deep breath, and increased his pace a little, intent on getting out of the town before midday. If they could, then they might be able to get to the next town by nightfall, by his figuring.
 
Earth? Dreaded Earth? The wet planet! Xual'lan sunk to the ground, almost weeping. "You are to be sent there immediately, with enough provisions to maybe survive, maybe". Two burly guards grab Xual'lan by the arms and dragged him too a nearby hangar. Xual'lan tried to resist but it was no use, they where too strong. The guards pushed him into a silver chamber and shut he hatch. Xual'lan was overwhelmed by the urge to sleep all of the sudden. He tried to resist, but he.. felt...so....tired.....

***

Xual'lan was flying over the clouds of Dephon, holding Ita'anti by the claw. He was in utter bliss, this was his paradise after all. He embraced his love, they where both holding each other in the clouds. This was so perfect he though, no war, no glory killing. Just peace, for once utter peace in the universe. Xual'lan could be happier in the arms of Ita'anti he the light, gaseous clouds of Dephon.

***

Screeeeccchhhh.

Xual'lan wasn't on Dephon any more, he wasn't in Ita'anti's arms. Where was he? The walls around him where shinny, and quite cramped. He looked out his small cracked window at the starts, he found the home star of Dephon. His memory rushed back to him, he must've been breaking through Earth's atmosphere. He must've been dreaming, and a nice dream for once. The snippets of memory from that dream helped relieve the pain of his exile. In a few minutes now he would come crashing down on Earth's crust. He always wondered what it would be like to be a meteorite, now was his chance he guessed.

***

Ren and Walter look toward the sky, and so the most beautifully bright meteor fall down from the sky. They wonder if they should investigate.
 
Ren's small mouth dropped open into a perfect 'o' shape- why, the meteor that plunged from the midday sky was almost sparkling! It emitted a beautiful silver glow that drew her to it like a moth.
"How stunning! Should we go look at it up close!?" Ren gasped, eyes shining- her excitement was evident. She could only imagine what lay within the meteor- treasure? Survival kits? Humans? She knew it was wishful thinking, but there was just something so peculiar about the space-rock that gave her a sliver of hope.

"C'mon!" Ren laughed, taking off towards the meteor. She was a child at a candy store, smile wide and feet moving swiftly. Her mind grew hazy as she closed in on the meteor- something wasn't right.

"W-walter-" Ren fell to the ground, her eyes clouding over.
 
"Ren!" Walter said as she said that they should go look at the meteor. While he would admit that it was dazzling, his common sense spoke louder than that. It had been the first time he had said her name. He had been trying to convince himself that if she didn't have a name to him, her death, if it came to that, would mean less to him. But now that boundary was broken, wasn't it? When she began running, he knew he should go after her. And so he did.

As she collapsed to the ground, he knelt by her side, cradling her head in his hands and checking her breathing. He was cursing as he did so, pulling up her eyelids and looking at her pupils. She didn't have concussion, that was good. Well, better than having one: he wasn't sure how to fix something like that. Taking deep breaths, he wondered if she might have had an injury of disease that she hadn't told him about. "Damn it, Ren. We're the last two humans on earth. I won't let you die on me yet."
 
Crash!

Xual'lan's pod it the ground, dust was kicked up around him and he could not see a thing out of his window. Welcome to Earth he said to himself, as he scrambled around trying to find a way out. Why didn't these things have instructions of some kind? He found a lever, that must be the hatch release. He turned the lever, dust poured into the pod and into his lungs. Nope that's not it either. After several more minutes of searching around he gave up and using the force of his body. tried to shake the pod. He knew he was on a dead planet, but he hoped that something would find him, or if not that the wiggling of the pod might be enough to let him out.
 
Ren didn't dream while she was unconscious- but nor was her mind completely black. Shapes of color flew at her, giving her a false sense of dizziness that left her feeling unsettled. She shook in Walter's arms, trying to snap out of it-but not being able to.

((Sorry its so short xD Not much to say whilst passed out c:))
 
Walter continued cursing, coughing in between breaths as he did so, the dust kicked up by the meteor forcing its way into his lungs. Looking around quickly, he saw the meteor shaking slightly, and fear filled him. It wasn't a meteor. The realization sunk in slowly, but when it did he ignored the physical health of Ren, instead focusing on getting her away. When he'd been little, he had thought the concept of space was intriguing and awe-inspiring, but now all he felt for space and that which came from it was terror and animosity.

He wasn't strong enough to pick her up by himself, and had to settle with dragging her by her arms away from the decent-sized crater caused by the projectile that had come out of the sky. What was it, he wondered. Some sort of chemical weapon, or maybe it contained more Xelopians, come to kill the few remaining humans on earth. Both ideas were terrifying to him.
 
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