Empire's Son: An Epic Science Fiction Novel Series

It was a lot harder to fall asleep than I would have liked. I was anxious about this working and being able to do something to save Rainus. It didn't help to have Markus sitting there in a chair next to the bed staring at me as if he would need to inject me with the stimulant he held in his grasp at any moment. Eventually, the weariness of the last few hours finally pulled me down into unconsciousness.

I was in my parent's house again. This time, I was in my room. The bedroom looked like a hurricane had hit like it usually did in my teenage years. I was parked in front of the Xbox playing Fable and working my way through a bag of cool ranch Doritos. I was in the middle of the battle with Jack of Blades and paused the game so I could stick my cool ranchy fingers back into the bag for the little bit that was left at the bottom.

A sound came from behind me. I swiveled my gaming chair around to find a battle royale in progress on my bed between three hobs. I blinked at the ridiculous sight as one of the fat grotesques creatures that looked like a cross between a pig and a goblin attacked another of its kind with a staff, sending it sailing across the room and crashing through my second-story window with a deafening crash.

The victorious hob jumped up and down at its win, only to be bashed in the head by another taller hob with a sledgehammer. The ear splitting squeals were deafening. I stood up from my chair to get away from the violence, only to come face to face with a balverine.

The tall black wolverine-like creature stood much taller than my almost six feet. Its black eyes and pointy teeth a deadly promise. Worse was the crimson I saw slashed across those teeth. It made me back until I bumped into my entertainment stand. I heard something crash to the floor behind me. The fetid breath of the monster before me making my stomach roil in disgust.

I did my absolute best to control my fear. I knew if Markus sensed any distress from me, he would pull me from the dream and I hadn't even entered the dreamscape yet. So I clamped it down as best I could, reminding myself these creatures weren't real and this was just my imagination going off the deep end.

I turned my head away as the balverine brought up gleaming sharp claws, and that's when I saw it. The crack in the wall. It was near the broken window. I would have to pass close to my bed where the hob with the sledgehammer was currently bouncing on the bed like he was a little kid instead of a gruesome monster. I braced myself and made a mad dash for the crack.

The balverine roared behind me and I could feel the brush of air behind me as his claws swiped through the air. Thankfully, it missed. The hob stopped jumping as it saw me and raised its siege hammer to come after me too, but I was already at the crack. I placed my hand on it and immediately felt the pull. I was yanked off my feet and sucked into a vortex.

Moments later, I was in the dreamscape. My heart pounding, but I turned to see I was thankfully alone and no longer under threat. I sighed with relief. I really needed to find a better way into the dreamscape. And what the heck was with the dreams about my old life? Was my subconsciousness trying to tell me something?

After I calmed down, I looked around to get my bearings, but the place was empty except for me. There was still the black polished floor beneath my feet and the soft, pulsing white light on every other side of me. I opened my mouth to speak Razivi's name, but a gentle voice spoke from behind.

"Have you come to try again for your first lesson?"

I turned around to see the woman form of Razivi. As the other times I had seen her, she was glorious to behold with her honey eyes and hair that seemed to change with the whim of her moods. Right now, hair cascaded in large white gold ringlets that fell down her shoulders and back. And her long, flowing dress of deep blue seemed to match the color of my eyes.

"You are alright," I breathed in relief.

I had to admit that part of the reason I wanted to see her was to make sure the dragon was okay. I had not liked the way we'd parted, and half feared the Shixxaminti had found and harmed her in some way.

A warm smile cut across her face. "I am. I awoke in time. I had to stay awake the whole of the battle. Thankfully, it didn't last too long. I dislike being in the waking world much anymore."

A dark look passed her features, and I could feel a deep sorrow radiating from the woman. Part of me ached for her. I knew her sorrow. I had been feeling it myself for the life and family I had left behind on Earth. Had she left behind or lost family too? I decided to keep the question to myself for now. Instead, I shifted my mind back to the reason I had come here in the first place.

"I'm glad that you are, but I'm afraid the Shixxaminti left Sora X with someone important to me and the Empire. I am attempting to get him back. I was hoping you could help?"

The woman titled her head to the side as if listening to something only she could hear and then spoke. "And how do you think I can help?"

"This person I am seeking is bonded with a Protector. His name is Rainus Nador, and Markus's father. Do you know who I speak of? Do you have a way of knowing where he currently is? The Shixxaminti have left the Sora Star System with Rainus and we have no way of knowing where they went with him. Markus and I were hoping to track his father through the bond, but Rainus's Protector is gravely wounded and unconscious."

The woman nodded. "I know of the one you seek. Another bond was attempted to this man recently, but failed. It is always sorrowful when one fails, but just because a person will carry a bond does not mean that they can."

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"Is there any way to tell before bonding if a Pledge will survive it?" I asked, in sudden curiosity.

Razivi shook her head. "No, until tested, there is no way to know who will pass and who will not."

"Oh." Well, didn't that just totally suck? I suppose that anything involving significant risk also carried the potential for great reward and great loss as well. I took a deep breath and plunged forward with my next question. "Can you tell me where Rainus is now, or have another way of tracking him without doing a full blood bond?"

Razivi was quiet for a moment as a faraway look came on her face. I hoped she was checking in with the bond. After a short time, she refocused on me and spoke. "I know where the one you seek is, but telling you would do no good. He is on the move and quite quickly."

"They are traveling through hyper-light?" I guessed as disappointment filled me.

Razivi nodded. "But even if I gave you a direction, a successful rescue mission would require a more specific tracking ability once you board one of the Shixxaminti's ships. I know little about their vessels, but I know they are dangerous. Stealth and speed will be most beneficial in going up against them. Though I would caution such a venture without understanding them better."

"I know and we are working on that part, but like you said, the better we can home in on his location, the better chance we have."

The woman pressed her lips together for a long moment and gave a small nod. "Very well. If there was a volunteer, I could place a bond tracer keyed to the one you seek in their mind."

"Could it fail like the previous attempt?" I didn't like the idea of another Pledge's possible death, and I knew the College wouldn't like it either.

"No, because it is not a blood bond in the strictest sense. It is only a tracer I place in the conscious mind. One that can sense the distance and location like someone who is bonded. The greatest advantage is that it won't cause significant side effects or death. But it will only work for a short time––a week or two at most––and then the tracer will fade until it's gone entirely."

"Well, that's kind of cool. I'm surprised the College didn't offer that as a solution."

Razivi shook her head. "They do not know it is a possibility. There is much about me and what I can do they know nothing about. They know only what I have shared with them," Razivi continued, her eyes flickering with an ancient light. "The College believes they understand the full extent of my abilities, but they have merely scratched the surface."

I stared at her, suddenly realizing how little anyone truly knew about this being. "So you could place this tracer on anyone willing? Without risk?"

"Not without risk entirely," she corrected, her hair shifting to a deep amber. "The mind is a delicate instrument. To place such a tracer requires a willingness to open oneself completely. The volunteer must surrender their mental barriers, leaving themselves momentarily vulnerable. Most find this... uncomfortable."

"But it wouldn't kill them?"

"No. Though some may experience disorientation, vivid dreams, or temporary sensitivity to others' emotions. Nothing permanent."

I nodded, already knowing someone we could ask to volunteer because after Pledge Hinamor's death, I doubted Dexter or the Directors would be eager to suggest anyone even with the reassurances against significant side effects for the bond tracer.

"So what would this volunteer need to do to have the bond tracer placed on them?"

"They need to come see me and it would only be a matter of stating their consent, and then me mentally placing the tracer within. It is a quick and painless process."

I nodded. "Okay, good. I need to secure a volunteer and send them your way. Thank you, Razivi. This means a lot to me and to Markus, especially if this works."

"You are welcome, dear one," Razivi said, her eyes softening. "Though do not forget my caution about going up against the Shixxaminti. They are ancient and powerful. It is not an enemy you should engage without proper knowledge and preparation."

"Is there anything else you can tell me about these beings that might help us?"

The woman shook her head. "My knowledge comes from others and through the dreaming. I've never engaged them personally and was warned against doing so. They are predators of the mind. They feed on consciousness itself, on the patterns of thought that make a being unique." Her form shimmered slightly, hair darkening to a deep russet. "They can kill, especially those they don't consider worth their time, but they much prefer to… harvest. Extract. Leave behind only shells where minds once dwelled."

A chill ran through me. "Is that what they're doing to Rainus?"

"Perhaps. Or perhaps they have other purposes for him." Razivi's eyes took on a distant quality. "The Shixxaminti value certain mental architectures. Those with natural resistance to telepathic intrusion, those with unusual neural pathways. They collect such minds, like rare specimens."

Damn. Well, I hadn't known Rainus long, but he seemed to fit those qualifications pretty well. "I see. Well, thank you again for your help. I will be careful moving forward."

"When this is over, you should call to me from the dreaming and we will speak more about using the dreamscape. Good luck finding your King and I will await the one you send me to receive the tracer bond." Razivi then shimmered out of existence before I could say another word.

I then closed my eyes and imagined a door, just like she had taught me. A moment later, I was stepping through and I blinked awake.

"That was fast. You were barely asleep for half an hour." I looked over to Markus, who was still sitting in the chair next to me. He had a data pad activated and I could just make out the screen. He was watching a recording from the ground battle with the Shixx.

"I got what I needed," I said as I sat up, feeling more rested than I should after just a pitiful half hour of sleep.

"Good. Let's talk about it over a meal. I'm starving."

I rolled my eyes as I swung my feet out of bed. "You are always hungry," I said playfully.

Markus grunted. "Oh, and while you were sleeping, Captain Pylor commed and said we'd be arriving at Vega Prime within the hour. That was nearly fifteen minutes ago."

I paused a moment, taking that in. With everything going on, I'd forgotten about where we were headed. "You think we could pick some ships up to take with us on our mission?"

Markus nodded as he stood up from his chair. "I was planning on it, but we'll need to talk to Admiral Havoreat. He's in charge of the fleets stationed at Vega Prime."

I didn't like the idea of having to talk with yet another Admiral, especially if he was anything like Vang. I slipped on my boots and long coat, and followed Markus out of the bedchamber, wondering how long it would take me to piss off yet another big ranking member of a military force.