A Prince Among the Ranks

"Do you think we're stupid?" Diona asked. "We got these from our parents and these children just got here. They live in a place far away from us. They're so much younger."

"Ah, well, when you fell from our planet, you were young, like the young princesses. You two were lost in time for so long, we had given up hope. The king and queen had those two lovely princesses and then they, too, fell to this planet."

"Why this planet?"

"We have no idea but we have traveled many years to get here and now we will bring all four of you back to the King and Queen so that we may end the war wee are going to wage on this silly planet."

"We can't handle two wars."

"We couldn't do that to this country." I answered my sister back. "Let alone the world apparently. What do you say, Kantra?"

"I don't like his voice."

"Neither do I," my sister said.

"What is your answer, your Majesties?"

"Show yourself." I ordered. "Then we'll make our decision." A man dropped in front of Gandra, making her jump and squeal, and I immediately turned to point my sword at him. The sword's blade was larger than anything most men could carry. The blade was like my sister's scythe. It was as long as me and the edge, instead of staying straight, curved at the end. My hands gripped the edge of the blade while my sister's hands were tight around the end of the scythe. She moved forward and the man gripped Gandra's neck.

"Won't you get in trouble for that?" I asked.

"I was told to bring back the children any way possible. If that means forcing you, then I will do what I must. Please, come with me." He said.

"We'll get him to let her go and then we take him." Diona lowered her weapon first, then I did.

"Alright," she said. "We'll go with you. Just let Gandra go." He nodded a little and let the girl go.

"My apologies, Princess, but I must get you home." Gandra nodded and moved to stand by our sides. "Now, please come with me." I stood up straight, placing my hand in my pocket as the blade grew shorter. It was something I enjoyed about the blade. When it was the size of a hand knife, I threw it at the man and he fell back while the blade passed through his head and out the window. My sister walked over to the window and held out her hand. The blade returned and she threw it at me.

"Try not to break the ship."

"We need to get the ship up and running." I muttered as I headed towards the door. "The main controls are on the bottom floor. There should be a master reset switch that we can throw to get the ship back up. Kantra, go to the control desk and read the number in orange. It should be flashing." I said as I took Gandra's arm in my hand. "You ok?" She nodded and swallowed hard.

"Fine," she said with a small smile.

"Good. I'm going to need you to stay with Diona. I'll be back after I get the lights back up."

"I'm sure the crew has it, Romar."

"I don't care. The crew can always use help, Diona. We're going to have to do something. That's what we do. We are supposed to protect people and helping with anything is the best thing we can do." I said as I looked at her. She frowned and glanced at the two girls.

"Fine, I'll keep the girls safe and when you get back we'll see what's going on."

"Alright, be back in a second." She nodded and I headed down the hallway and towards the end of the floor and then down to the main floor. Red lights were flaring all around and it made me quicken my pace. I ran to the end and found people rushing around.

"What can I do?" I asked the group.

"Sir, we've almost got the ship back online," one man said. "We need the access code from the captain but he wont answer."

"Because he's dead. I know it though," I said as I pulled the keypad close and typed in the password. The lights flickered before they stayed on.

"It seems the fourth floor is isolated. Nothing is working up there."

"Can we get the ship back to normal altitude?" He nodded and I echoed his actions. "Do that and I'll go check the top floor. Have someone check all the recruits."

"Sir, did you know what happened?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I replied as I headed back up through the second and third floors and I took off my tie and threw it on the knob of my door. I undid my cuffs and rolled up the white sleeved shirt that I was wearing before running up the stairs to the fourth floor. It was a lot of running….

By the time I got there, Diona was standing in the hallway, her head bleeding and the girls hiding in a corner. I ran to her side and extended the blade that was in my hand. She glanced my way and stiffened her hands.

"The girls are hurt." She said to me, making me glance back at the girls. Gandra's arm was bleeding and Kantra was bleeding from her forehead. I bit my tongue and stared down the hallway.

"Where are they?"

"I'm not sure."

"Number?"

"At least three. They're fast. Faster than anything we've seen. Not to mention nearly invisible. It's hard to even see them in all this darkness. I thought you said you were going to get that fixed."

"They isolated the top floor. They couldn't do anything. The only box is up here in the captain's den." I said to her in Siberan.

"Great," she muttered. "Now the only thing that separates us from that box is three very fast, very dangerous creatures that we have no idea how to kill."

"Taking off their heads usually is a good way to kill something."

"You haven't seen their teeth yet." She muttered to me.

"How do we want to do this?" I asked her, ignoring the comment.

"I'd rather kill them all with one blow."

"That could destroy the whole ship. We'll need to get them one by one."

"And who will take care of those two?"

"We can handle it!" Gandra said, making the two of us look at them.

"I don't have any weapon to give them." I told Diona.

"Father gave me something but I never got it to work. It's in my office."

"I can hold them off for now while you go get it." She looked at me and I nodded. "I'm a big boy, I can handle a few of these things. Go before I go and rummage through your things." She sighed and backed up to the door. I nodded to her once more before glancing at Gandra and Kantra. "Kantra, get into that room right there. Quietly, please." I stared at the darkness and moved forward. "Anything you boys need? I'm general of this ship, maybe I can help."

"Your majesty, we were told to bring you aboard the ship." Said a voice.

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen. This ship is my priority. Perhaps when we land?"

"The orders were to get you there as soon as possible."

"Then I'm afraid we're going to have a little fight." I said as I let the blade grow and stared at the darkness.