Live to Die

by T. M. Catron

  Light flashed from the staff. Surprised, Reynold was thrown off-balance. The armor’s stabilizers couldn’t compensate for Solaris’ burst of magic, and Reynold fell backward. The suit’s internal alarms went off. Solaris caught a glimpse of his face, terror-stricken.

  As Reynold fell, Solaris was inexplicably pulled forward with him. He grappled to maintain his balance, but Reynold was falling farther than just to the floor.

  He’d fallen off the edge of the chasm.

  Solaris gripped his staff in a death hold as Reynold swung out over the abyss. Solaris landed hard on his stomach, grasping the weapon like a tether. Reynold dangled off the edge, his boots pointing down to the stars.

  “Hang on!” Solaris yelled.

  But the weight of Reynold’s armor was pulling him out over the edge. Solaris’ body slid along the smooth metal floor. He scrambled for purchase, kicking his feet, hoping to wedge them against a wall. But he hit only air, and his flailing was driving him closer to the edge.

  “Enough, Solaris,” Reynold said.

  Solaris looked through the darkened visor.

  But Reynold was looking down at the stars below.

  “The magic will hold me in,” Reynold said, breathing heavily.

  “No. You don’t know that.”

  “The air’s still here, right?”

  Solaris heard the grin in Reynold’s voice.

  “No. Your armor is cracked. It won’t hold oxygen.”

  “I don’t need it. That force field will hold me.”

  “I’ll pull you up.” Even as he said it, Solaris slid further along the floor. His arms and shoulders burned from the effort—his magic was draining away. He was spent.

  “I hope you get out, my friend, and find the answers you seek,” Reynold said.

  And then, without warning, he let go.

  The weight on Solaris’ staff vanished. Reynold fell. As he passed through the ship, his armored body grew smaller and smaller. A few times, he grabbed for the broken edges of a corridor, the end of a wire, but he was never quite close enough. Solaris held his breath, waiting for Reynold to collide with the force field patching the hole in the hull.

  But Reynold passed through the invisible barrier, out into the vacuum of space.

  Solaris didn’t panic. There was time to get Reynold. Even with a minor crack, his armor would protect him for a short time. Solaris watched, waiting for the Order to send a ship to retrieve the Wizard. But no help came.

  They weren’t going to save him.

  Anger, rage, and grief coursed through Solaris. He hadn’t meant for this to happen. Why would the Order let Reynold die? With a whoosh, the alarms hit Solaris’ ears again. They hadn’t stopped, but he had blocked them out during the fight. Now, they hit him like a physical punch to the head.

  Reynold was gone.

  And if Solaris didn’t get up off the floor, he’d die too.

  Still gripping his staff, he heaved up. With a final burst of energy he didn’t know he possessed, Solaris leaped over the crevasse, trying not to think about his friend floating out there in space, slowing suffocating.

  If he got to a ship in time, he’d pick Reynold up himself.

  With renewed purpose, Solaris wound through the corridors. Now that he was in the main part of the station, he could take endless routes to the hangar. No doubt they were watching every move on camera, but the station was not well-guarded. Most Wizards were on missions throughout the galaxy. The Temple was a place for training, regrouping, and resting. Not fighting. Since it was hidden in the void of space, no one expected to be attacked from without. And no one had ever attacked from within.

  But at the entrance to the hangar bay, three more Wizards barred Solaris’ escape.

  A woman and two men stood there—without armor—with staffs and looks of hate on their faces. They must have found out what happened to Reynold.

  Didn’t they know there was still time to save him? If he didn’t save his friend, Solaris would never forgive himself.

  As one, the Wizards charged. Despite his weariness, anger surged through Solaris as the first reached him. He hadn’t wanted this. Didn’t want it to be this way.

  When he sent the first man sprawling backward, he thought in the back of his mind that the Order had orchestrated it all. Somehow, they had turned on Solaris, betrayed him.

  And then the three were on him in earnest, and he didn’t have time to consider anything other than the blur of staffs and the calm, almost beautiful way his own arched out to meet them. Time slowed, and Solaris whirled amongst his attackers, delivering two strikes for each one of theirs. He fought until their blows became fewer. Still, he swung, his anger fueling his muscles, grief blinding him to his work.

  And then they were gone.

  Solaris stopped, realizing how tired he was, and how hard he was panting. Where had they gone? As his vision expanded to include the whole hangar, he saw all three Wizards lying at his feet.

  None of them were breathing.

  Solaris let out an anguished moan. “What have I done?”

  He had never meant for it to go this far.

  With pain, anger, shame, and regret racing through him, Solaris ran for the nearest small ship. As he unlocked it and climbed into the pilot’s chair, he took one last look at the bodies lying on the floor.

  One of them stirred—a feeble arm movement.

  With a small sigh of relief, Solaris took off from the hangar.

  He didn’t allow himself to look back anymore. Someday he’d have to face the consequences of his actions. He only hoped the Wizards would give him a chance to explain before they executed him.

  As he swung around the Temple, he saw Reynold floating out away from the hole. It looked much worse from the outside, like a giant sword had cut a deep gash into the station’s outer hull.

  Hoping he wasn’t too late, Solaris opened a comm channel.

  “Reynold?”

  No answer.

  The gun turrets swung toward Solaris. He watched them, gauging whether he had time to pick up Reynold before they locked onto his ship.

  “Reynold, respond.”

  The comm crackled, tantalizing static that gave Solaris more hope.

  “Solaris,” Reynold wheezed. “Go.”

  “I’ll come get you.”

  “No, they’re rescuing me. Get out of here.”

  “Are they? I don’t see them.”

  “They’re coming. Now’s your chance. I sure hope you didn’t blow up my house just so you could turn yourself in at the last moment.”

  If guilt hadn’t weighed so heavily on his heart, Solaris would have laughed.

  “Now, Solaris,” Reynold wheezed. “Go. It’s too late to save me anyway.”

  “No.” Solaris angled the ship toward Reynold, slowing, hoping to latch onto his friend so he could get himself into the airlock.

  “So help me, Solaris, if you don’t turn around now, I’ll—” The comm crackled. “Take off helmet—time.”

  An alarm sounded. The nearest gun turret had locked onto Solaris’ ship. As he turned the cruiser away, he frantically scanned the space around, hoping to see a rescue ship. Nothing. They were going to leave him. Solaris’ heart turned numb with shock.

  The first blazing shot streaked past the ship, passing so closely the small cruiser shuddered.

  Solaris flipped on the shields, but they wouldn’t do much good. The cruiser couldn’t withstand more than one direct hit from those cannons, which could take out a ship ten times the size of his. Another shot headed directly for him, and he began evasive maneuvers. The alarm sounded again as another gun turret came online and locked onto Solaris’ ship.

  He tried once more to get in close to Reynold, but another blast rocketed for him, on an intersecting path with his ship. At the last second, Solaris swept away. He cursed. The Order wasn’t going to let him get close enough for a rescue. And Reynold’s time was running out.

  Solaris took a deep, shuddering breath. He couldn’t l
eave now. At least he’d stay, keep the comm channel open. Until the end.

  Another burst from the gun turret, and this time Solaris had to fly well out of the way to evade it.

  “Reynold?”

  Nothing. Solaris flew as close as he dared, but now he was within range of at least three of the station’s ship-destroying cannons.

  “Reynold?”

  Another crackle. And then, faintly, “Repeat the code, Solaris.”

  Without pausing, Solaris quoted, “Live to die, die to live, in us will the universe be saved.”

  “It’s about you, Solaris.”

  “What?” Solaris said sharply. What did that mean?

  “The code. Magic.”

  “Reynold?”

  More static, gasping.

  “Reynold,” Solaris said regretfully. “I’m sorry.”

  Reynold wheezed one last time, and then the comm went dead. The ship’s sensors beeped, registering more cruisers exiting the hangar. With a thrill of hope, Solaris saw one dart away from the pack, heading for Reynold.

  He only hoped it wasn’t too late.

  With a heavy heart and enemies closing in, Solaris turned his ship around. He punched hyperspace coordinates into the ship’s navigation panel. The hyperdrive spun up, the ship humming with it. Time to get out.

  Without looking back, Solaris hit a button. The stars shifted, black turned to blue, and he was free.

  Author Note

  Hi again! Thanks for joining my newsletter. Did you enjoy this story? I had it in mind soon after I wrote the first book of the Star Streaker series, Solaris. Hopefully, this will give you a glimpse of Solaris’ background and some of his motivations. Like Rance, he feels betrayed by his “family.” This isn’t the last you will see of the Galaxy Wizards, but it’s the first part I wanted to tell of Solaris’ story.

  If you haven’t read the Star Streaker series yet, go ahead and check it out! I’ve provided links to the books on the next pages. If you have read them, make sure you get my emails to your inbox and not your spam folder. That way you’ll always get updates when a new book is released or I have something else to give away.

  And now, I have a quick favor to ask. Will you help me spread the word about this series? I’m having a ton of fun writing it, but I would love to have more people discover it. The more people who read it, the more stories in this world I can write.

  This story is exclusive to my newsletter subscribers, so there’s no review to write for “Live to Die.” But you can still help me by telling your friends, sharing links to my books on social media, or writing reviews for other books in the series.

  Every time you tell someone about my books, you make it possible for me to do what I love, and also introduce your friends to some fun stories.

  Thanks again. As always, if you have a question or just want to chat, find me using the links on the next pages.

  Happy reading!

  T.M. Catron

  Acknowledgments

  A big shout out to the Phoenix Prime crew for their support, advice, feedback, editing, and occasional kick in the pants. Without them, I would not have finished this book when I did. Or even started the Star Streaker series this year.

  Special thanks to Carina, Ted, and Paula for beta reading, and Diane for editing. You are awesome!

  As always, a huge thank you to my hubby, Eric, who puts up with me disappearing for long hours to get my writing done. He’s been my biggest supporter throughout this journey. I love you, baby!

  Also by T.M. Catron

  The Shadowmark Series:

  Shadowmark, Book 1

  Aether, Book 2

  Glyph, Book 3

  Book 4 (2018)

  “Sasquatch,” Phoenix Force Anthology

  The Mine, A Shadowmark Origins Novella

  Hybrid, A Shadowmark Origins Novel

  The Star Streaker Series:

  1. Wizard’s Flight

  2. Prometheus Rescue

  3. Persephone Evasion

  4. Legend of Xanthes (2018)

  Defiance, A Star Streaker Story (Prequel)

  “Machinations,” Bluebeard Anthology

  Standalone:

  “Melting Point,” Cyberwar: Digital Battlefield

  As Wilhelmina Kirk:

  “Winter’s Goblin,” The Goblin and the Grocer Anthology

  “Flight,” Prime Peeks Anthology

  About the Author

  T.M. (Tiffany) Catron spent her childhood looking for hidden worlds in the back of her closet. When she didn’t find any, she decided to grow up already and write them into existence.

  She’s the author of the post-apocalyptic sci-fi series, Shadowmark, and the space opera (with wizards!) series, Star Streaker. Her stories tend to include strong female characters (or those who want to be strong) and fun, twisty plots. Although Tiffany primarily writes sci-fi, she enjoys a good story in any genre.

  If she’s not watching Doctor Who or putting together Star Wars Legos with her son, Tiffany is imagining what trouble her characters can get into next.

  Tiffany lives in Tennessee with her husband, son, and three spoiled dogs.

  To connect, visit:

  www.tmcatron.com

  books@tmcatron.com

  About Phoenix Prime

  Phoenix Prime began as a Ph.D. level workshop for writers to come together to improve their craft and their businesses. However, since its creation, it has evolved into a tight-knit group of authors who encourage one another, collaborate with one another, learn together, and write together.

  When you hear me mention Phoenix Prime, I’m speaking of a group of people I’m proud to know and work with. They are dedicated, supportive, and all-around fun. I’m honored to be a part of this team.

  Check out some of our cool items like mugs, t-shirts, phone cases, and more! Use the link below.

  www.phoenixprimerising.com