A tiny speckle of light blinked in the distance, no bigger than a star. Aldric pressed his nose against the misty window and stared out across the fields. The light pulsated as if being forced from the shadows from which it had been hiding.
A tremor ran through the house. The pane in the window rattled violently and Aldric fell to the floorboards clasping his ears. Something was falling from the sky, bringing the thunder down with it. Blinding light gushed through the window, spreading and devouring all in sight. When it became too much, Aldric rolled over, shuffled into a corner and held his legs up to his chest.
Flames scorched through his window, singed his tatty curtains before being sucked back out into night. He didn't witness the fear his father had etched on his face as he realised exactly what rested in his beloved field. He also did not see the starved, bloodthirsty beasts slink from the wreckage unscathed. Neither did his father.
Aldric kept as still as possible. A long silence followed, broken by a collaboration of voices. Young and old, men and women. Overcome by curiosity, he uncurled and tiptoed around the shards of glass. Words were lost to him as he gazed upon the wreckage steaming in a crater. Aldric stole down the rickety staircase two steps at a time, stopping at the front door.
***
The crops were dead. Chesley cared for nothing else. He would hunt down the fool responsible for destroying his livelihood.
A tall man dressed in black approached. Chesley raised his sword but the familiar face put him at ease.
'Take your son and leave,' said Graison, lowering his own weapon. 'Let the authorities handle this.' Chesley raised his head, eyebrows narrowed, but Graison looked away. 'I didn't mean to offend you but it's not your place anymore. Your son needs you. After all, you left us for him.'
'What's going on?'
'Jagophites.'
Chesley's eyes glossed over.
'I'd do anything,' he said. 'Anything to stop this from happening all over again.'
'I know,' Graison sighed, 'but your son...'
Chesley turned to look at him lingering on the doorstep.
'I'll get him to safety,' he said. The image of his son alone and vulnerable pushed him into panic. He hurried back to the humble yet dilapidated house they called a home and shoved the boy back into the house.
'What is it?' said Aldric. 'What's out there?'
Dismissing his son's enthusiasm, he grabbed a shabby brown shoulder bag off a peg, rushed into the pantry and opened a trunk. He shoved a load of fruit and vegetables into the bag, muttering under his breath they were precautionary, before throwing it aside.
'Are you going somewhere?' said Aldric.
Chesley stopped. After a short hesitation, he gathered everything up and thrust them into his son's arms, along with an old sword.
'No,' he said, 'you are.'
'Why? What was that? Why aren't you telling me?'
Chesley raised a finger to his lips and without moving his gaze from the door, whispered, 'you can get out the back. Go to December's Place. You'll be safe there.'
'Can't I go to the village? K would let me stay with her.'
'Do as you're told. The village won't be safe for long. You're not to go back for anybody, you understand?'
'But K's my friend and if she's in danger-'
'We're all in danger,' said Chesley. 'You have to listen to me.'
***
Graison stepped up to examine the wreckage. A blackened rock-like ship filled with many tiny craters emitted copious amounts of smoke.
'Okay,' he spoke over the crowd, 'back off and let the professionals handle this.' A group of men, all wearing the same uniforms and sashes, stepped forward. People scuttled back to their homes but a few remained, refusing to leave until questions were answered.
A resounding boom blasted, stretching across the yard and shaking the barns with a metallic echo. A beam of blinding light blasted up into the starry night sky and temporarily stole the night. It stirred up cries of surprise amongst the lingering few.
A dark figure stood on top of the wreck but for a minute nothing happened. People backed off. Others tried to negotiate. But it jumped. It jumped straight on to one of the men and dug in its jagged claws. Someone screamed, a slash tore the air followed by a thud and a squelch.
***
'What's out there?' said Aldric, hands shaking as he held onto the luggage his father had burdened him with.
'Go,' his father urged, 'run!'
A loud crack sounded and a blizzard of splinters hurled past as the door obliterated. Stomach heaving, Aldric took off and raced out the back and over the grass. He didn't get far. Skidding, he turned. A dark scaly figure dressed in piloting gear stood tall behind the kitchen window. Its gaze wavered to the floor.
***
Chesley stared at the ceiling. Cuts decorated his war torn face. His sword lay beside him.
'Give it up old-timer,' snarled the scaly humanoid. A flash of white gleamed against the creature's its jagged teeth as it passed through a beam of moonlight. It bent further and glowered into the glossed eyes of his prey. Chesley fumbled his hand along the floor until he reached his sword's hilt. Gripping it securely, he swung upwards but the creature dived, lunged and seized him by the neck. Chesley choked and his weapon fell from him.
'Get off him,' Aldric yelled. He banged the window. The creature released Chesley's weakening body, picked up the sword and clasped it. He fumbled, examining the sleek design, embellished hilt and rusted edged blade. The creature took a snide glimpse at Aldric and directed the blade towards Chesley's heart. His victim dived and the sword stabbed straight into the dry wall. Plaster and dust projected exploded into the air. By the time it settled, the creature had disappeared.
'I told you to leave,' said Chesley.
Aldric peered round the doorframe and shuffled his feet against the gritty tiles.
'Where did it go?' he asked.
'It has more important things to do than pick battles with people like us.'
The low sinister rumble of the Jagophite's growl met their ears. Three of them stalked into the front garden. They were on all fours, reptilian and ferocious, with their yellow teeth like jagged rock. They all shared the same webbed feet, twitching fins, stumps for legs, claws and bulbous skull. Aldric's childhood stories were not enough to prepare him for this fascinating yet monstrous sight. The middle Jagophite flailed its thick tail. They sauntered closer and Aldric froze out of both enthrallment and fear.
'Get away from here,' his father shouted.
One Jagophite took a step closer and tilted its head in a curious manner and the realisation the beasts were real and deadly forced Aldric's legs to run.
The Jagophites curved round and bared their fangs. They leapt at Chesley who dodged and threw himself down, landing underneath the belly of one of his foes. He unleashed all of his rage and thrust his blade up into the Jagophite's leathery skin. Dark green blood gushed out and the creature gave out a terrible roar. It thrashed against the walls. The other Jagophites snapped their jaws, desperate to take revenge. Chesley slid across the bloody tiles, towards the backdoor.
He sprinted to the wreck site but slowed when he reached the scene. Blood soaked bodies surrounded the crater. The two remaining Jagophites chased towards him, snarling and foaming. He reached for his sword but it wasn't on his belt anymore. He fumbled, for something, anything lying on the ground. Chesley hurled a rock in their direction but they darted out of the way. As one lunged, someone else stumbled past and pierced its underbelly. The other Jagophite fled.
'Coward,' growled Graison clutching at his wounds. Chesley thanked his friend but the relief of finding him alive did not last long. Graison's sword fell out of his hand as he stumbled sideways to the ground.
'Do you have a communicator?' Chesley knelt by his side. 'Let me call for help.' Graison shook his head, his breaths coming in short gasps. Chesley saw the damage done and bowed his head in remorse. 'They will pay for this Graison. I promise.'
'He took my blood,' Graison shuddered, 'but the beast won't stay humanoid.'
'No. But it'll be on the prowl for a new source. I must fight it.'
'No, don't choose...'
Chesley gazed at him, pained and puzzled.
'Don't choose the battle over him, Ches,' he whispered. 'Choose your son...choose him. Go, I don't matter.' Graison's grip loosened. Chesley held his hand, helpless as his friend struggled to breath.
'He'll be okay. He doesn't need me.'
Graison opened his mouth but no words escaped from him. 'Aldric's in safe hands, I've no reason not to fight anymore. Comrades in battle, together, remember?' No more could be spoken. Graison was gone.
Chesley noticed a communicator hanging off Graison's belt. He dialled the code enabling him to get in touch with the authorities. No-one answered. Graison's words echoed in his mind and he winced, hit by a surge of guilt. With a roar, he threw the communicator at the Jagophite's ship. The device smashed into sharp black plastic shards with wires protruding in all directions.
'I'm so sorry,' said Chesley. He turned from the dreadful scene of slaughter and raced over the hills to chase after the person, who to him, was the only one alive who mattered.