Yonder: Volume 1

Chapter Two

"Her heart rate has gone back to normal and she has just witnessed her first five emotions. Including fear, curiosity, shock, anger and happiness. However, we have one problem," The Yonderian doctor said.

The Yonderian commander's spiked skin bristled, he'd never had a problem with his Yonder fighters.

"What is the problem?" He growled slightly. Looking over his best Yonderian doctors shoulder at the computer screen, showing his newest recruit.

"There has been a malfunction," The Yonderian doctor said tapping at the keyboard.

"How did this happen and when?" The Yonderian Commander frowned. The Yonderian doctor continued to tap on the keyboard and win his clawed fingers pointed to the screen.

"It happened in the afternoon at the time she felt the emotion anger. You do not think..." The Yonderian doctor hinted.

"No, it cannot be," The Yonderian Commander said thoughtfully.

"Maybe she's an emotion learner," The Yonderian doctor insisted.

"Hmmmm...it would seem so. How far?" The Yonderian Commander questioned. Reading every detail as quickly as possible; just as quick as it disappeared.

"Not too far...I would say she has reached the next stage. And on the day of the contract. She could be the next Yonderian Champion if she continues her learning level as quick as she is," The Yonderian doctor said astounded by the patients learning level.

The Yonderian Commander stood straight in subtle silence. He didn't know what to think. The last champion had been his best friend, otherwise known as Volca. She had been the best thing that ever happened to Yonderians until the world of Yonder was at war. And their champion stayed.  As all Yonderians fled, they watched as their very world exploded in oblivion by a darkness. Ever since then, the Yonderians lived peacefully alongside humans on Earth; protecting them from the darkness that had destroyed their lands.

"I do not think I would like the of another champion," The Yonderian Commander mumbled to himself.

"Commander, right now, I do not think you have a choice," The Yonderian Doctor answered.

The Commander nodded to herself.

"Take her to level two. If she learns quickly to the next level we'll take the patient in and teach them the rest," The Commander commanded.

"Very well, commander," The Yonderian doctor smiled.

"And keep me up to date," The Commander reminded. The doctor nodded and went to do as the Commander bid.

The Commander stoodback on his steel clawed heel and walked his long gait to the exit. He had noticef a while ago, that each Yonderian was a different creature in itself. A replica to its human form mixed with the Yonder alien. The Commander could only come to one conclusion as to what he was in Yonder form. He was known by the humans of Earth as a fantasy creature known as the dragon. The dragon in these fantasy tales could breathe fire, fly, had armour and better vision then any other fantasy creature. The Commander had liked that. Had liked the clear cut description of the dragon in Earthen fantasy tales. A dragon was he.

He had never felt more scared in his life until the doctor gave him the news that his new fighter could very well be a champion. He had lost many Yonderian fighters from the darkness. It had destroyed them inside out and corrupted them into darkness. That this Yonderian fighter had increased its learning on the day of the contract with the emotion anger worried him even more. He could feel his scaly tail moving rhythmically from side to side in a warning to others to stay away. The Commander needed to think straight and to do so, he needed time to think. How could he deal with such an obstacle? He knew he needed to bring the patient in to help control that anger and if not, to end the patient's suffering. It would be the only way. As it was, a champion was hard to contain. His best friend had been proof of that. Sadly, he walked to the command centre. He could hear the clank of his claws, the echoes clanking afterwards of his steel scales as they changed direction to the rest of his feet, and his tail as it moved left to right.

He wrapped his claws over the door and pried it open. Looking up to see all the commanders staring up at him and nodding. He looked into the golden eyes of a lioness-woman, the gray eyes of a ghost-woman, the rainbow eyes of a horned horse and the emerald eyes of a snake with small wings.

He nodded to them before slamming the doors closed.

"What seems to be the problem, Dragon?" The snake with wings hissed.

"I have a new Yonderian fighter," the dragon-man answered. All the creatures looked at him not amused

"The patient is a fast learner," the dragon-man continued. Suddenly the room was silent in sudden realization.

"How bad is it?" The lioness growled.

The dragon-man helped himself into a chair.

"The doctor says the patient could be our next champion. He also informs me the patient learned level one, the day the contract was signed by using anger emotions," the dragon-man informed.

"Cut our losses, kill the patient!" The ghost-woman commands.

"Shut your gob," the snake hissed.

"Give the patient a chance. The patient is new to the Yonder project. The patient doesn't know what is happening or why it is happening. Most of our patients have help through the first stages. This test has shown us we should wait before giving help. On level two, we bring the patients in and train them. Letting them learn level one also gives them their own independence," the horse informed.

"Independence! Independence! We don't want to give them independence! How will we control them? How are you not in a Looney bin!" The lioness roared at the horse. The horse snorted in disapproval at the lioness' rude comment.

"You have your independence, do you not?" The dragon-man inquired.

"That is none of your business," the lioness grumbled.

"Then why care that one of our patients is independent?" The dragon-man questioned. The lioness grew quiet.

"All those in favor of independence? Raise your hands," the dragon-man commanded.

The dragon-man raised his arm and watched as the horse with the horn raised its hooves and the snake raised its head higher.

"The ones who want the patient to have independence have it," the dragon-man stood smiling and left the room.