A woman kneels on the floor looking down at her baby laying on the teleporter. The room is pitch black except for the glow of the flickering ring of light around her son. The power is nearly out, and she knows the teleporter can only carry one. It’s taking longer now to charge up enough energy for the distance needed, but that’s okay because she knows this is the last time she will see him, and she will take all the time she can get.

  His silver eyes are wet with tears as if he knows what’s happening, but she knows he just dislikes the loud noises happening outside. Her mind drifts to what she witnessed on her way to the teleporter.

  The sky was barely visible due to the smoke and dust blanketing the air. Invaders everywhere discharging their weapons into crowds of her kind. Her neighbors, friends, and family being killed before her eyes. The fires running rampant all over their great city, melting through all kinds of metal and stone. The smell of burnt flesh mixing with the smoke making it oppressive to breath.

  In the distance standing above the sea of flames, was the Aether Forge. The jewel of their race. An intimidatingly massive tower that sparkled in the sunlight. A beautifully intricate spire pierced the clouds and brought pride to all that lived in the city. On this day, however, it was a source of dread. Instead of reflecting the radiance of sunlight, it was reflecting the horror they found themselves in. It looked like the tower itself was burning. The spire was barely visible after being swallowed by the all-devouring smoke.

  It had taken a week for their defenses and defenders to be overrun. The Creation Coalition’s forces were just simply too numerous to stand against. It had taken another few hours to take down the power cores even with the best technological defense barriers in the universe. What was worse was that while the fires were raging outside, the fire inside them had gone out. Hope was gone. This was their extermination.

  Across the planet, the once, beautiful, glistening, luminescent cities were being turned into dust. Zax’xian had fallen. That was clear. It would be a desolate, primitive wasteland after this. The Coalition would not allow anything to remain standing. The Zax civilization and its history would be forever wiped from existence after today.

  She shook her head ridding herself of the thought. There were only minutes at most before they came for her and she still had a duty to her son. She brushed her hand through his black hair even though there wasn’t much of it. Her voice came out choked and barely audible at first. She said, “Our people and their histories are complex. You deserve an explanation, but there just isn’t time. I will say that we have made mistakes and I’m sure you will suffer for them later in life. I’m sorry. You will remember this due to our unique physiology, but you won’t understand until you’re older. We failed you. I failed you. You’re going to an escape vessel to flee and hopefully live your life. I cannot follow”. She had to stop; the tears were too much. Her vision was blurry, and her voice was barely understandable. She had to compose herself before continuing because she knew this was going to be his last memory of her and she couldn’t fail at this too.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  After taking a second she looks back into his deep silver eyes and continued “Sorry about that too. I’m afraid your mother isn’t the best with goodbyes and yes, that’s what this is…our goodbye. I won’t get to see the person you become. I won’t get to see the path you choose. Whether you make friends or find a suitable partner to spend your life with. I will miss it all and I can’t handle that thought. I only had three months with you. When you get to the escape vessel they will take care of you. You’ll have a new mom who gets to spend your life with you. You’ll forget all about me and the short life you had here. But that’s okay. We want you to have a good life free of us and our past. Just remember the most important thing, I love…”. Before she could finish there was a flash, and he was gone.

  She stared silently at the teleporter. Silver tears were leaving trails down her cheeks as they fell and puddled on the floor. The ring of light died, and she was left in the dark. Alone, tired, broken, yet the only thought on her mind was of the person her son would become. With everything she had left, which at this point wasn’t much, she wished he didn’t follow in the footsteps that led to this day. It was always the hope of parents that their children would turn out better than they did. There was thump, and then another. Her hand settled onto her chest to check if it was the heartbeat of a failed mother. Instead, she realized it was someone approaching the door from the hallway. There was always hope they would keep walking, and her presence would go unnoticed. That was until the door behind her slid open.

  A broad-shouldered man with grey hair and a long, matching beard stepped in. He was holding a pair of glowing red-hot swords and wearing a Coalition uniform including the insignia they all wore proudly. His shoulders filled the entire space of the wide doorway. With him was a stream of light from magical artifacts hovering around his head.

  He spoke with a deep voice, “Trying to teleport away from us, huh? Where would you go? To your pathetic attempt at an escape plan?” Her eyes widened, causing him to continue. “HA! I knew that was your plan. An escape vessel in a different galaxy was already accounted for. We destroyed all of them hours ago”.

  She couldn’t believe it. Now she was certain that the thumping was her heart racing. What happened to her son? What did she do to him? Her thoughts were passing through her enhanced brain at a speed that she could barely comprehend. Her eyes darting from the man to the teleporter. Maybe there was a chance to escape long enough to make sure he was okay. Perhaps she could make a run for it and find something to give the teleporter enough power to send her too, even if it was to her death. Her son’s face passed through her mind one last time.

  That’s when she felt the blade slide across her throat.