Races of Armis - Midnight Oasis
Page 10
As Sofia and I along with the rest of her family boarded our craft to return to Armis I was overwhelmed by the thought of the many magnificent adventures that undoubtedly awaited us when we arrived on Armis. With the planet in chaos and the possibility of its destruction so near we were fearful for all the other creatures that lived there. Our initial understanding of the health of the planet was uncovered by interpretations of the writings on the walls of my elder’s cave but much new information came from the new ship.
Many of those writings stated that Armis grew weaker each day since Sofia and Ely departed with the rest of their royal blood line. The species that took over the planet and enslaved most of its species had drained the planet of most of its life force. The friends that arrived only months before had told us that each day something caused the planet or one of its species to suffer. Many areas of the Armis planet could no longer sustain life and some species had already died out.
The only option to Sofia and Ely was to return home as fast as possible to try and save their home planet. Our fight with the invading species on Armis was to be the true test of Sofia’s leadership as well as the survival of the all other species left alive on the planet.
Ely, Wisteria and Steven had already been placed into their Kyro tubes and Sofia had checked to ensure that they would be safely asleep while we made our journey to their home planet. The many years that it takes to reach Armis, even with their extraordinary spacecraft, is something that I must confess worried me. Never had someone of my species had to endure such a long time without feeding. Sofia was confident that the state that the Kryo tubes place our bodies in would ensure I did not suffer during our long space travel.
Sofia and I returned to our chamber on the ship. Everything was ready. The ship had been checked and rechecked. The awaking schedules for the various crew members had been double checked by Sofia to ensure that the trip home to Armis was carefully monitored.
Sofia had been somewhat distracted – more than usual – the past few days as we prepared for our departure. As we prepared to join our families in sleep, Sofia appeared to shimmer even more. Her sparkle was back. Our night in the meadow only a few short days before had helped bring her life force back. As we lay down in our tube she smiled and kissed me. She was so much a part of my life at that moment, I could not ever fathom life without her.
I kissed my wife, my Sofia, and wrapped my arms around her. Sofia announced she wished to tell me something of great importance as the lid to our tube slowly closed. She told me that the change in her health was caused by our night together in the meadow. I had no idea what she might be trying to tell me. I was already getting groggy as the Kryo tube was being filled with our sleep vapor. Sofia rolled next to me and whispered to me that I’m to become a father.
As my eyes closed my last thoughts were of my wife and soon to be born child that had been conceived against all possible odds.
* * * * *
Chapter 30:
As I stand and watch the 3 moons of Armis slowly move down to the horizon – I’m still in awe of the coming of the sun each day. Today is special, like all days now, when I can watch the sun rise without fear of the effect of its rays on my body.
My mate is resting this morning as she was up late attending to her realm this past day and night. Her arrival back to her home planet has been received with much enthusiasm but it is all extremely tiresome on my sweet Sofia. As the queen of Armis, her duties will always keep her busy with the welfare of our planet.
I can hear sounds coming from our other room. Our son, Zenyth is awaking from his slumber. The birth of our son has brought more happiness into our lives then we could have ever expected. His birth gave our home planet, Armis, new life and as it turned out he was blessed with gifts beyond our expectations.
I go now to hold my son in my arms and together we will watch the sun rise this morning. I no longer fear holding a human child in my arms, now that my heart beats strong and sure like all other human fathers would.
I open the door to our son’s room and the first thing I see is the black leopard skin proudly displayed on the wall. It is from an animal that was killed the first night I had returned to my home in the jungle. It was now my son’s gift so that he would always know of his heritage and where his father came from.
I arrive in our son’s room only to find that yet again another miracle has occurred; he stands – even after only a few short weeks since his birth. I can smell his warm sweet scent and feel his heart beating strong and sure, filling my heart with such euphoria that leaves me wordless to describe.
I carry Zenyth outside to watch the sun rise – only to find Sofia waiting for both of us in our favorite chairs by the shore line of the great liquid gold lake near our home. I hand my son to my mate and together we will watch the sun rise over Armis with great hopes that this day and our future will be always blessed as this day is for us now.
I can see off in the distance the giant dragon, Alamight, who is our planet’s protector. You can not yet see the beauty of her body as the sun must touch her scales to bring her magnificence into view. I am witness to her greatness each day as she is so much a part of our lives on this planet now. When the great sun touches her scales you can see the gold, green and blue hues that are her clothing. Her eyes glow red as emeralds and sparkle as if diamonds are held inside her iris. Her squadron of dragons slowly rides the night current as it gives way to the morning light.
Her mate and rider is Ely and Wisteria’s son, Steven. Steven’s long journey to the planet of Algamo in search of the great voice that was calling to him led him to the stone cavern in which the egg of Alamight was forever imprisoned by a witch. I make a note to myself that Steven and Alamight’s story is so unique and filled with such adventure that I will endeavor to place that story into another journal someday.
It is time for me to allow Sofia and Zenyth to be alone. I must continue with my journals and write down the words as they are still fresh in my head. So much has occurred since we boarded our ship and it departed the old world. I feel I must write everything down so that Zenyth will have all of the events of our lives in great detail.
I hear Sofia just then: “There will be time for writing later my mate.” Sofia can always read my mind now. “Come sit with your son and watch the sun rise on our new home.”