Empire's Son: An Epic Science Fiction Novel Series

Rainus stood at the entrance of the auditorium as he watched the defenders of the College rush to meet the coming enemy. He'd just gotten an update from the Fordex. The attacking ship had made it past Vang's blockade and was racing directly for the College. He looked up at the still hazy sky above him to see the black vessel off in the distance.

He could not see much detail of the ship. It was still quite a distance away, but he was sure that wouldn't last. Surrounding the dark vessel, Rainus could barely make out what appeared to be birds circling it. They darted around as if they were predators attacking the ship. Rainus recognized them as the star fighters.

The fighters were engaged, but the ship continued its relentless approach toward the College. Rainus felt a sudden vibration shake the ground and an intense hum coming from somewhere beyond the walls of the College. Then he noticed a short green burst of light as it cut through the air and raced for the enemy ship. The star fighters zipped away from harassing its target as the light slammed into the black vessel.

"What was that?" Rainus asked the man at his side.

"The Wardens. They're electromagnetic defense towers circling the College."

Rainus raised an eyebrow as he looked at his Protector. "I didn't see any towers."

A small smile cut across Jamiss's face. "That's because they are camouflaged as rock formations."

Rainus turned back to see what would happen to the ship. "Clever."

The green energy enveloped the black ship, causing it to shudder visibly, even from this distance. For a moment, Rainus thought the College's defenses had succeeded.

"Is it disabled?" he asked.

Before Jamiss could answer, the ship released what looked like dozens of small, dark pods from its underside. They plummeted toward the College grounds, trailing wisps of smoke.

"Drop pods," Jamiss said, his voice tight.

The pods whistled as they cut through the air, their sleek black surfaces absorbing rather than reflecting the desert sun. Half of the star fighters broke away from the main ship to go after a pod. A few of them were destroyed, but most of the smaller vessels crashed through the College's dome shield, which had only been reactivated a few minutes ago. The shield seemed to have no effect on the pods as they rained down on the College. Two of those pods were headed close to where Rainus was standing.

"Majesty, I suggest we get inside." Jamiss didn't wait for a response as he grabbed the King's arm, pulling him through the entrance archway, and into the building beyond.

The impact of the pods striking the ground shook the entire auditorium. Dust rained from the ceiling as Rainus steadied himself against a nearby column.

"What's going on?" Nathias shouted from across the auditorium, where he had gathered two dozen of his men.

"They are landing drop pods. Get your men into position," Rainus said as he moved further into the atrium of the auditorium.

Nathias gave a series of commands that sent his men rushing off in different directions. He then jogged up to Rainus. "Let them come. We are ready to go."

The King nodded. "Good. Make sure you and the rest stay out of sight until I give the order. I can't get information from them if you move too soon."

"I'm staying with you, Majesty," Nathias said with a firm tone, as if it wasn't up for discussion, even though he was the subordinate.

"No. You, your men, and Jamiss need to be out of sight. That's the only way this is going to work. Once I have what I need, then you can come in." Rainus said in a commanding voice, making it clear there would be no further arguments.

He saw the grim look that passed between Jamiss and Nathias. He knew neither of them was happy about this part of his plan, but he didn't really care. The Emperor needed information, and he was going to get it.

"I know this is difficult for both of you," Rainus said, his voice softening slightly. "But this is why I'm here. My Dome-ni is our best chance to understand what we're facing."

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Jamiss's jaw tightened. "And if they kill you before we can intervene?"

"They won't," Rainus replied with a confidence he didn't entirely feel. "They've gone to considerable trouble to breach our defenses. They want something, and dead men tell no tales."

A thunderous crash echoed from just outside the auditorium, followed by the screech of metal being torn apart. The nearest pod had landed.

"Positions. Now," Rainus ordered.

Jamiss hesitated, his hand instinctively moving to the weapon underneath his coat. Rainus could see the conflict in his Protector's eyes—duty to obey warring with the need to protect. Finally, he gave a sharp nod and backed away, disappearing into the shadows of a nearby alcove with Nathias.

Rainus stood alone in the center of the auditorium, the elaborate silver designs that decorated his long dark green coat catching the light that spilled through the high windows. He straightened his posture, adopting the calm, commanding presence that had served him through countless diplomatic crises. The sounds of battle echoed from outside—energy weapons discharging, shouts of College defenders, and a thundering boom of more pods striking the ground. It was a strange contrast to the still silence that hung over the auditorium.

The King did not waver a moment in the time of waiting. He had asked Protectorate Command to make sure that those with the best mental control were put in defensive positions around the auditorium. And that each of those defenders were to keep in the front of their thoughts their duty of protecting a high-profile person who was sheltering in the building. Not an outright lie, but he knew who these invaders were looking for and it wasn't him. But it would ensure the confrontation that Rainus had been seeking. In the meantime, he might as well gather as much information about the enemy as he could.

Rainus activated his unity ring and pulled up the feed from the recording devices he had Nathias's men put up around the outside of the auditorium and surrounding area. He wanted to make sure they had as much fresh data as possible about the enemy, including how they engaged in ground battles.

On several small holo-screens floating around him, Rainus watched the invaders emerge from their pods. They moved with an unsettling fluidity, neither rushing nor hesitating as they secured their landing zones. Their forms were humanoid but wrong somehow—limbs slightly too long, movements too precise. Each wore armor of a material that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it, making them appear as moving shadows in the harsh midday sunlight.

There had been little time to view the information from Vang about the invaders. Rainus had briefly skimmed through the files to get an idea of what he was dealing with, so he'd seen a still image of the creature that had attacked the Admiral, but these warriors looked different.

While the creature in Vang's video was cloaked in shadows, which made it difficult to see much of what the being looked like, there was much more to see with these attackers. They were tall. Far taller than any person Rainus had seen, towering at least eight feet. Their limbs were slender with elongated fingers that ended in what appeared to be sharp talons. The shape of their heads was oblong with no visible hair. The armor they wore seemed almost alive, shifting slightly as they moved, conforming perfectly to their bodies. Most disturbing of all were their faces—or rather, the lack thereof. Where eyes, nose, and mouth should be, there was only a smooth, featureless plane with three vertical slits that occasionally dilated and contracted.

Most carried weapons that resembled elongated rifles, though the barrels ended in what looked like organic apertures rather than mechanical muzzles. Rainus watched as the invaders methodically dispatched several College defenders with an eerie green light that emitted from the muzzles. The victims crumpled on the ground. Not disintegrated, not visibly wounded—just... still. The King narrowed his eyes, studying the invaders' formation. They moved with coordinated precision that spoke of a hive mind, or at least some form of instantaneous communication.

The Pledges and Disciples were putting up a good fight, their disciplined maneuvers and tactical responses displaying their rigorous training provided by the Protectorate. They coordinated their attacks with precision, using both their combat training and strategic placements to slow the enemy's advance. But for each alien they struck down, the invaders adapted with unsettling efficiency, showing a seamless ability to regroup and maintain their advance. Rainus watched closely, noting that where a defender fell one of the alien warriors, two more would immediately adjust their formation to fill the gap.

Their relentless progress was unnerving. The invaders seemed to absorb losses without hesitation or concern, advancing steadily and with purpose. Overwhelming in number and resilience, they pushed through each line of defense the Pledges and Disciples established. The defenders continually repositioned, struggling to hold their ground against an enemy that appeared almost mechanical in its persistence and coordination. Even with their lethal accuracy, the aliens never faltered, employing a relentless precision that made them seem almost unstoppable.

Rainus watched with growing unease as the invaders methodically worked their way toward the auditorium. They weren't rushing, weren't displaying any signs of frustration or urgency. Just steady, inexorable progress.

"They're herding," Rainus murmured to himself, recognizing the pattern. The invaders weren't simply attacking randomly—they were deliberately channeling the College defenders away from certain areas, creating a clear path toward the auditorium. Toward him. Well, at least they got his message.

The King dismissed the holo-screens with a flick of his wrist, his focus shifting to the main entrance of the auditorium. The massive doors shuddered as something impacted them from the outside. Another blow followed, then another. The ornate metal began to buckle inward.