Well, here it is, the first chapter of my very first fanfiction. I haven't played Star Fox in a while, so some things maybe, possibly could be wrong. I'll try not to let that happen.

I don't own anything relating to the Star Fox franchise. Nintendo and Namco own it all, since they're apparently programming the games nowadays.

The Remnant

A Fanfiction by: knightcommander

Prologue: The Fall

Far across the heavens, in a remote section of the galaxy, there lay a planet of unrivalled natural beauty. Upon this world were seas as blue as the most perfect sapphire, contrasted by land so green and lush, it seemed to be made of the purest emerald. The air was clear, thus allowing the natural beauty of the planet to be viewed in it's fullest. This beautiful planet was known as Cerinia and to its inhabitants it was paradise.

Dawn had come to the Western hemisphere of the Cerinia. Already, the black, star-studded sky of night was being replaced by the dim light of the early morning. As the light of the sun began to cloak the landscape, the land began to come alive. In the lush green forests that rivaled those of the famous Amazon of Earth, birds and insects could be heard singing their joyful morning songs. Animals, which had been asleep during the night, began to come out of their homes to greet the dawn. All over the bright green landscape, life had begun to return.

This was no different for the residents of the tiny jungle village that mingled in with the trees so well one might think that it was merely a bizarre extension of the jungle flora. Inside the collection of small, white stone houses that made up this village, called Sivamarra by its inhabitants, the lights of cooking fires began to appear as residents arose to prepare their morning meals. One of these residents, a young girl of about eight years, came out of her house and climbed the small hill outside which faced to the east. The girl, who's name was Krystal, stared into the dim light of early dawn in anticipation of the sun coming over the mountains to the east. A light breeze came whispering through the trees, ruffling her light purple robe and rustling the light blue fur on her face. Yes, fur, for the inhabitants of Cerinia were all humanoid foxes. They all shared the same characteristics; light blue fur with white on their stomachs, tips of their muzzles, and bottoms of their paws. Krystal herself had sapphire blue eyes, a trait she had inherited from her father, the village leader. From her mother, she had inherited her slender frame and gentle demeanor.

As the breeze died down, Krystal opened her eyes and gazed at the mountains in the distance. The sun had begun to creep over the snow-covered peaks, bathing the mountains in golden light and giving them a heavenly appearance. The jungle began to come alive with a cacophony of noise; birds, insects, and animals all began to raise their voices to the sun, as if rejoicing the fact that the day had come again. Krystal smiled at the gorgeous sight before her. The beauty of the mountains during the sunrise never ceased to fill her with awe, and she never missed the opportunity to watch it. Krystal was so caught up in the beauty of the early morning sunrise that she failed to see the person coming up behind her.

"Krystal." A soft, melodic voice said. Krystal jumped up, startled by the sudden sound. She turned to see her mother, dressed in an ivory white robe, ascending the hill toward her. In reality, Krystal wasn't supposed to go outside unless her mother or father gave her permission.

"I'm sorry mother." Krystal said. "I know I'm not supposed to be outside without asking you. I just wanted to watch the sunrise." She looked down at the ground and shuffled her feet slightly. Her mother, rather than be angry at her, smiled at her daughter and walked over to her.

"It's quite alright, my dear." Her mother replied, smiling. "I was actually going to wake you up so we could come watch it together, but you've spared me the trouble. You sleep so deeply, one would think you were a doll." Both mother and daughter shared a laugh at this.

"The sky looks so beautiful during the sunrise." Krystal said, closing her eyes as another morning breeze overtook them.

"Yes, it does." Her mother replied. "When I was your age, my mother and I used to watch the sunrise together. Every morning, she would wake me up at dawn and climb up this very hill to watch it." It was just then that her mother remembered something; something important.

"Oh, dear! I almost forgot! Today is your brother's initiation ceremony!" Her mother yelped. Krystal's brother, Ja'kan (Cerinian for "first"), had just completed his training to become a warrior, and was about to be initiated at the local temple, located a couple miles outside of town. Their family was holding a feast in the town center that evening to celebrate, and her mother was tasked with preparing the main course, a wild pig brought back from the hunt by her brother, as was customary for a new initiate.

"Don't worry, mother, the feast isn't until later tonight. You have plenty of time to prepare the meal." Krystal reassured her mother. Her mother smiled.

"It's not that, it's that I just can't believe I almost forgot." She replied.

"Everybody forgets, mother." Krystal said. "It's like grandfather used to say. If our heads weren't attached to our necks, we would leave them at home." Her mother laughed.

"Well, we best go make sure all our things are ready." She said, and the two made their way back to their house, a little stone cottage not unlike the rest of the homes in the village. Krystal eagerly followed her mother. She loved to help her mother around the house, helping to clean up, and such. They pair made their way over to the back door of their home and entered their living area, a large, spacious room, oval in shape, and decorated with colorful mosaics on the floor and fine silk shades in brilliant hues of red, green, and violet (Krystal's favorite color). The hallway of the house was the same white color as the rest of the house, and in two spots were doors carved from the finest Cerinian yekemma wood, and painted in brilliant emerald green. It was through one of these doors that her mother led Krystal, into her chambers. The room was much like the rest of the house. The windows were draped with red silk draperies, and in the walls were marble white. In the center of the room was a large bed, big enough for two, covered with a royal blue blanket inlaid with gold thread, which formed intricate, swirling patterns across the fabric. On the floor at the foot of the bed, a beautiful floral patterned rug sat. Off to one side was a large dresser, made from the same yekemma wood as the doors. Krystal and her mother walked over to this dresser. Upon the dresser was a gorgeous jewelry box. It was gold inlaid with amber, with tiny blue and green gems along the lid. In the center of the lid was their family crest, formed from enamel and rimmed with tiny diamonds, indicating that this item was a family heirloom. Krystal's mother opened the lid, revealing an assortment of beautiful jewelry. Rings, earrings, necklaces, all were included. She focused on four items in particular. She picked out two tiaras. One was a gold chain, which wrapped around the head, and was capped off by a beautifully cut ruby in the center charm. This one she gave to Krystal, after shortening it so it would fit snugly around her head. The other was a solid piece made from silver and containing a green emerald in the center, which fit on one's head much like a crown. This one she would wear herself.

Next, she pulled out two talismans. Both were gold chains with large, beautifully cut gemstones in them. The difference was that one was a ruby, and the other was an emerald. The emerald one she gave to Krystal, and the other she would wear herself. After sorting out their ceremonial jewelry, she went into the drawers. After rooting around, she found her ceremonial garb, which consisted of little more than a top woven from golden silk, and a white loincloth inlaid with golden patterns around the edge, and held together with two golden clasps at the waist. After laying her garb out, she sent Krystal to retrieve hers. Krystal went to her own bedroom, which looked exactly like her mothers, except that the bed was smaller, and the windows had violet drapes rather than red ones. This room also had a dresser and bed, except the dresser was smaller, and the bed was also smaller and was covered with a bright red blanket. Krystal ran over to her dresser and rooted through it. She finally found it underneath a stack of robes similar to the one she was wearing right then. Like her mother's, it was ivory white, and consisted of a similar top and clothe. Krystal gathered her ceremonial clothes up and ran back to her mother.

"I've found them, mother." She said, showing them to her mother. Her mother smiled and took them from her, placing them next to hers.

"Well, now that we've got everything situated, we best get cleaned up." She said, looking at the sundial near the window facing the mountains. "The ceremony starts in about an hour." Krystal then happily skipped off to take her bath, excited about seeing her brother fulfill his dream of becoming a warrior.

Meanwhile, off in a remote location in the jungle, a lone figure made his way through the underbrush, hacking away the foliage with a long, silvery knife. The figure made his way into a clearing in the forest, revealing himself. He was a male, about 17 years of age, with a strong, well-built physique and piercing jade eyes. He wore white pants with gold trim down the sides, along with a shirt made of silvery scale armor, gold shoulder pads, and a pair of armored boots on his feet. Two leather straps ran across his back, which were attached to his two swords. The swords themselves were beautiful to look at. They were crafted from the finest sinarra, a beautiful silvery metal unique to the planet Cerinia, and which was harder than any metal that the Gods could forge. They were curved like scimitars, and as sharp as a razor. Their grips were forged from the finest gold, and inlaid with precious stones. They were as beautiful as they were deadly.

The figure was none other than Ja'kan himself, on the final legs of his last test. He had been brought out into the wilderness and told to find his own way to the village temple in time for the ceremony. This was meant as a last test of his resourcefulness, a tool essential to a warrior, as such things decided more battles throughout the course of history than weapons ever did. He had been out in the jungle for many weeks, relying only on his innate psychic powers to guide him. When a warrior initiate was going through his final test, the priests of the local temple gathered around a large crystal that magnified and projected their own psionic emanations. This acted like a sort of psychic "beacon", guiding the initiate to the temple, so that he or she could be honored for their achievement with the coveted title of warrior.

Ja'kan stopped briefly to allow his psychic powers to hone in on this signal. He picked it up almost immediately, and it was so strong that it nearly gave him a headache. This told him that he was close to the temple, probably no more than a mile. If he hurried, he would make it to the temple in time for his ceremony.

Krystal and her mother, having cleaned up and changed into their ceremonial garb, met each other in the sitting room of their house. Both were fully decked out in their ceremonial jewelry, and their slightly revealing clothing revealed their tattoos. They both had the same tattoos, a line of geometric patterns circling their upper arms, and a spiral marking with four triangles pointing from the sides, tops, and bottoms.

"Well, are you ready?" Her mother asked, glancing at the sundial by the window and noticing that they had about thirty minutes to get to the temple. Krystal nodded briskly, excited as never before. "Well then, let's be going." The two of them walked out of their house and began trekking down the path out of town. They noticed that others had begun to make their way to the temple as well. It was, after all, a special occasion, as one of their own was about to complete the circle of his life. Not only was he about to complete his trials and become a warrior, but Ja'kan's family had also announced that their neighbor's daughter, and incredibly beautiful young woman, had selected him to be her husband. Not only was their son about to become a warrior, but he was also about to get married. Needless to say, their father was extremely proud.

The path leading up to the temple was surrounded on both sides by the jungle, causing the early morning light to cast an eerily green glow on the white stone path. The surrounding jungle was so thick, it gave the impression of green wall, with spots of yellow, red, and white from the orchid flowers, which grew like wildfire in this part of the jungle. The throng of Cerinians that made their way down the serene path, however, weren't thinking about the jungle's beauty. Their minds were on the ceremony. Few men were even considered to become warriors, and even fewer actually completed the trials to earn the coveted title. So, when they heard that Ja'kan was close to finishing his trials, everyone in Sivamarra wanted to present to see him accept his mark. Also, the evening before, his father announced that his wedding would be later that day, so the people of Sivamarra had an extra reason to be excited.

Krystal held onto her mother's hand tightly as they made their way through the jungle to the temple, so that she wouldn't be swept away by what was quickly becoming a flood. The entire village, it seemed, would be on hand to see her brother receive his honor. She noticed some of her friends from her school with their parents, and even called to some of them. The trip was mostly uneventful, until they reached the temple itself. The temple stood on a hill, it's ivory white visage standing in stark contrast to the blue sky behind it. The main body of the temple was a massive pyramid, surrounded by four obelisk-like structures. Unlike the typical obelisk, these ones were chopped off at the top, and where the pyramid-shaped tops would be, were four ornately carved statues depicting the four main Gods in Cerinian religion; Hesora, the God of Thunder and King of the Gods; Menasal, God of Fire; Ulika, Goddess of Knowledge and Wisdom, and Dalinar, God of War. The obelisks themselves were entwined with gold and silver inlay, curling up the length of the shaft and forming four claw-like structures that surrounded the statues. In fact, the whole temple complex had symmetry of four, which was a sacred number in Cerinian religion, for it represented the four main Gods of the pantheon. The grounds of the temple were alive with a sea of colorful flowers, and the pathways leading into the temple were made of the finest polished marble inlaid with jade. The whole scene made Krystal's eyes grow at least a size bigger. The two of them made their way up the pathway to the front door of the temple, which was crafted in gold and inlaid with more precious stones than Krystal had ever seen in her life. Two temple guards, wearing purple shirts and pants with a blue cape and a vest of silvery scale mail armor and helmets, guarded the door. They were armed with silvery staffs at least as tall as they were, with a blade at one end and a green orb on the tip. The guards crossed their weapons in front of the door as the throng approached them.

"Halt!" One of the guards called to the assembled crowd. "What business brings you to the temple of Sivamarra." He asked them, even though he already knew the answer. They still asked, just in case the person trying to enter was a thief trying to get in and steal anything.

"We've come to attend my son's initiation ceremony." Krystal's mother told him.

"Ah, so your son is the one coming." The guard replied with a smile. "Very well, then, I won't hold you up. Enter." He said, nodding to another guard. The guard nodded back and proceeded to open the door. The throng then began to make their way into the temple.

Ja'kan hustled his way through the jungle, determined to make it to the temple in time for his ceremony. He had no way of telling exactly what time it was, but he did know that he had six days to make it back. He had kept careful count of the days as he made his way through the wilderness, and he knew that it was the sixth day. His thoughts were so consumed by this thought that he almost missed the cliff in front of him. He yelped as the ground in front of him suddenly stopped, but he managed to prevent himself from falling off the edge. After regaining his balance, he looked out over the cliff's edge and saw the temple, so close he could practically touch it. He whooped in delight that his trials were now over, and then said a quick prayer to Hesora for delivering him safely. He then noticed a set of wooden stairs leading down to the valley where the temple was located. He quickly ran over and flew down the stairs as fast as he could, caring little if he fell or not. Once he got down to the valley floor he could see people filing into the temple. Praying he wasn't too late, he immediately took off full speed towards the back of the temple. Even he was surprised at the speed in which he crossed the field. Finally reaching his intended goal of the back entrance, he noticed an elderly man in gold robes whom he identified as the Vicar of the temple. The Vicar's eyes were closed, apparently in some sort of meditation. Ja'kan walked over to him and attempted to get his attention.

"Vicar. Excuse me, Vicar." Ja'kan said. The Vicar opened his eyes and noticed the young man standing before him. He smiled.

"Ah, young Ja'kan, welcome home. We have missed you during your ordeal." The Vicar said, standing up to admire the young warrior-to-be. Ja'kan looked at him nervously.

"Did I do it?" He asked, his voice betraying his nervousness. "Did I make it here on time." The Vicar merely smiled.

"You tell me, my child. What do you think?" The Vicar replied. Ja'kan could tell, by the tone of his voice, that the answer was the one he hoped for.

"I have made it. I am a warrior." Ja'kan said, giving what was possibly the biggest smile he had ever made.

"You're half-right, my child." The Vicar replied. "You have indeed arrived on time, but you are not yet a warrior. You still have yet to be tapped." Ja'kan nodded, no less happy that he made it on time, and now could not wait to be tapped. "Tapping" referred to the part in the initiation ceremony where a higher-ranking warrior applied the warrior's mark on his hand, replacing his previous initiate's mark and sealing his place amongst his peers.

"I am ready, Vicar." Ja'kan replied. "I am ready to take my place amongst my fellow warriors." The Vicar smiled and clapped his hands on Ja'kan's shoulders.

"That you are, my son." The Vicar replied. "You have completed your trials, and are ready to step up and defend your people. Now, let's get you inside and cleaned up. Your ceremony starts in fifteen minutes." The Vicar then led the beaming Ja'kan inside, where his destiny awaited him.

If the scene outside the temple was beautiful, then the interior was a rare jewel. The walls and supporting columns of the temple were made of the same white marble as the rest of the buildings in Sivamarra, the exception being that they were inlaid with gold and precious stones. Lining the wall were torches, which unlike most that burned, were capped with bright blue jewels that glowed with an ethereal light that seemed to come from within, bathing the walls with a bright blue hue not unlike the color of a Cerinian's fur. Their shafts were crafted from the same silver metal that made up the weapons of the temple guards. There were no pews in this temple, only padded beams that the worshippers would kneel on, showing their reverence for the Gods. On the high walls were stained glass windows displaying scenes from Cerinian mythology; images of the Gods battling evil demons, images of great heroes from Cerinian myth, such as the mighty Je'kar, who possessed the strength of a thousand men and the ability to heal grievous wounds, and images of the creation of the world, showing Hesora crafting the first Cerinians from magical blue crystals of his own design. At the end of the temple was an ornate altar that could quite possibly put the throne of the King of Cerinia himself to shame. The altar was crafted entirely from the finest gold with silver inlays, and had so many gems in it that it sparkled like the night sky. In the center of the altar was an enclave with a golden statue of Hesora, King of the Gods, holding in his outstretched hands a tome. This tome was the Velarca, the holy book of Cerinian religion, presented to the people by Hesora himself over a thousand years ago, outlining the path to the Afterlife for all Cerinians to follow.

Krystal and her mother kneeled down in the front of worship chamber, in a spot specially designated for the family of the initiate, and began a prayer to Hesora, asking him to guide their loved one safely to the temple, so that he might take his place amongst the warriors of Cerinia. Krystal followed her mother's chant almost to the letter, adding a little part near the end asking Lasania, Goddess of Love, to bless her brother's upcoming marriage to their neighbor's daughter, Kelia. After they had finished their prayers, they anxiously awaited the arrival of the Vicar, so that they might begin the ceremony.

Meanwhile, Ja'kan and the Vicar were preparing themselves for the ceremony, as well. Ja'kan stood in front of a marble sink, washing the dirt out of his muzzle and face fur. He also took some time to groom his tail, carefully brushing the dirt out with a comb the Vicar had provided him. He would bath himself later, before his wedding ceremony began at three. He allowed a smile to form on his face as he thought about it. Kelia was perhaps the most beautiful woman on Cerinia, and he felt that the Gods had truly blessed him. When he learned that Kelia had chosen him to be her husband, he felt as though he were lighter than air, he was so happy. It was for this reason, more than becoming a warrior, that this day was truly the happiest of his life. His musings were brought to an end when the Vicar stepped into the washroom.

"Well, my son." The Vicar said. "Are you ready?" Ja'kan wiped a bit of water off of his muzzle before answering,

"Yes Vicar." He said. The Vicar then wrapped a blue, scarf-like garment emblazoned with golden Cerinian letters around the back of his neck and picked up a golden scepter encrusted with purple opals.

"Then we shall begin. Follow me, please." The Vicar replied. Ja'kan did as he was told and followed the Vicar through a door leading to a hallway. When they reached the set of doors at the end of the hallway, the Vicar stopped.

"Wait here." The Vicar instructed. "You'll be called out when it is time."

"Yes Vicar." Ja'kan replied. The Vicar smiled and then entered the worship chamber to begin the ceremony.

As Ja'kan readied himself, his family was still sitting in the worship chamber, anxiously awaiting the start of the ceremony. Krystal kept her gaze locked on the door to the left of the altar, as this was the one that the Vicar would enter. As she and her mother waited for his arrival, they heard the front entrance to the temple open up. Glancing back she saw none other than her father, Kel'mar, enter the temple. Dressed in his finest red robe and blue cape, topped off with some pieces of gold ceremonial armor on his shoulders and a dress dagger on his belt, Kel'mar quickly made his way over to where his family was sitting. His wife turned her head and saw him as he sat down next to her.

"Kel'mar, you are nearly late." She said. Kel'mar turned to his wife and smiled sheepishly.

"My apologies, love. Town Councilman Jo'gan had to stop and chat with me, and you know how he is, babbling about this and that." He replied. "By the time he was finished, I barely had time to dress for the occasion." Krystal giggled at her father's sheepishness. Her mother was about to make another comment when a priestess rang a bell indicating that the Vicar had entered the chamber. They immediately put their conversation aside as the Vicar took his place in front of the altar, looking out at the assembled congregation.

"My children, as you all know, we are assembled this morning to observe one of the most solemn rituals in Cerinian tradition, the Marking of the Initiate." He began. Krystal watched him with rapt attention. "Just this morning, Warrior Initiate Ja'kan of Sivamarra completed his final trial. Placed in the wilds far from home, he trekked across miles of wilderness, using only his senses and his faith to guide him home. With the blessing of the Gods, he succeeded in making his way here, and now stands poised to take his place amongst his fellow warriors. Now, let the marking commence." He politely bowed off stage and gestured to the right of the altar. Almost immediately, Krystal heard drums begin to play rhythmically, growing louder as they got closer to the chamber. As Krystal watched, amazed, a group of five warriors, decked out in full battle regalia, marched out onto the altar to the beat of war drums. When they reached the center of the stage, one of them, the apparent leader of the group, stopped and turned to face the congregation. Dressed in full armor, gold in color, and wearing a blue baldric and red cape, the leader's appearance awed Krystal. In fact, the whole pageantry of the affair amazed her. She had never seen anything like it in her entire life.

As the leader took his place, the remaining four warriors split into groups of two and stood in front of each other by the door. As they took their positions, the leader turned to the Vicar and spoke.

"Vicar, is the initiate prepared?" The leader asked in a deep, commanding voice.

"He is prepared." The Vicar replied.

"Bring forth the initiate." Was the leader's reply. The Vicar then closed his eyes, sending a telepathic call to Ja'kan, and then gestured to the priestess to open the door. The priestess nodded affirmatively and then began to make her way to the door. Krystal clasped her hands together in excitement, as this was the moment they all had been waiting for.

Ja'kan stood behind the door, nervously awaiting the Vicar's signal. His palms were nearly drenched with sweat, and if one looked him in the face, one could see tiny droplets of sweat upon his brow. He reached up to his face and wiped his brow off, and just as he did, he heard a voice in his head.

"Be ready, Ja'kan. It is almost time." Said the Vicar's voice in his head. Ja'kan straightened himself out and wiped the remaining sweat from his brow. Then, the door to the worship chamber opened. From his vantage point, he could see his family sitting in the front row. He took a deep breath and began to make his way out onto the altar.

Krystal watched with rapt attention as her brother made his way through the assembled warriors out onto the altar. As he passed each set, they warriors would draw their swords and hold them in front of them with the tips of the blades pointing down, a traditional salute amongst Cerinian warriors. As he reached the last set of two, the leader signaled for him to stop, which he did.

"Initiate Ja'kan, can you tell us truthfully that you have completed your trials successfully?" He asked. Ja'kan stood himself up as straight as possible before answering.

"I have." He replied. The leader than turned to the assembled congregation.

"Are there any that may vouch for him?" He asked. Kel'mar stood up and cleared his throat before speaking.

"I, Kel'mar, the initiate's father, can vouch that he is honest, brave, strong and just, and that he has completed his trials with integrity and is worthy of the mantle of warrior." He said. The leader looked out amongst the assembled congregation again.

"Are there any amongst you who would raise objection to this young man receiving this honor?" Krystal knew that no one would object, but she got nervous anyway. It was a relief to her that no one spoke. The leader turned to face Ja'kan.

"Initiate Ja'kan, come forth." The leader said. Ja'kan then walked over and stood in front of the leader. The leader then put his hand on Ja'kan's shoulder. "Initiate, do you promise to uphold the principles of honor, courage, and service to your people that every warrior holds dear, and to give your blood, and life if necessary, to ensure the safety of our people?" He asked.

"I do." Was Ja'kan's answer. The leader than turned to the priestess, who came up to them carrying a box. The leader opened the box and took out what looked like a metal stamp. Engraved on the bottom was the Warrior's mark, in the shape of a shield with a pair of crossed swords behind it. The leader slipped it onto his hand and turned to face Ja'kan again.

"Ja'kan of Sivamarra, you have completed your trials with honor, and made a solemn promise to uphold the values of a warrior. With this mark, I now confer upon you to mantle of warrior, and entitlement to all the rights and privileges that come therewith. Extend your hand." The leader said. Ja'kan extended his hand, which the leader took. He then closed his eyes and began to focus. As he did, the mark began to glow bright blue until it nearly lit the entire room. The leader than placed on Ja'kan's hand where his initiate's mark was, and held in place for about five seconds. Ja'kan, surprisingly, felt no pain as the mark was seared into his fur. When the mark was lifted, his initiate's mark was gone, replaced with the mark of a warrior. The leader opened his eyes, took the mark off, and placed it back in the box. The priestess closed the box and bowed before stepping off the altar to join the Vicar. "Now, go forth, and be valiant." The leader said, with the ceremony completed. The congregation then stood up and clapped loudly, proud that one of their own had attained the coveted mantle. Ja'kan's tail was wagging with happiness. After many years of hard work, his dream had finally come true.

Outside the temple, Krystal anxiously waited for her brother to emerge. Behind her, their parents stood, beaming with pride at their son's accomplishment. Krystal watched the crowd emerging from the temple for any sign of her brother. It wasn't long before she caught sight of him rushing down the steps to greet his family.

"Big brother!" Krystal yipped with happiness before rushing towards him. Ja'kan yelped with surprise as his little sister tackled him into the dirt. Their parents smiled at the sight of her clinging to his legs.

"Easy, little sister. I may be strong, but I'm not invincible." He said with a chuckle. Krystal let of his legs long enough for him to get back up. Ja'kan brushed the dust off of him and then walked over to his parents. His mother immediately wrapped him up in a hug and kissed him on the forehead.

"Oh, honey. I am so proud of you." She said, choking up slightly as tears of happiness welled up. Ja'kan just hugged back while his father beamed.

"You've done so well, son. I couldn't be prouder." He said proudly.

"Me too! I'm proud of you too, big brother!" Krystal said, wagging her tail and smiling from ear to ear. Ja'kan chuckled and scooped her up before putting her on his shoulders.

"Thank you, but I couldn't do it without you. If you all hadn't had supported me, I probably would never have made it past selection." Ja'kan said modestly. His mother and father just beamed while his sister laughed with delight from atop his shoulders.

"Well, now that you're a warrior," His father began, "I do believe that we should celebrate." Kel'mar then turned to his wife, who nodded in agreement.

"Yes, but first, there is another ceremony that must be performed." Ja'kan said.

"That's right, you're getting married, aren't you." Krystal said. Ja'kan smiled.

"You're right, Krystal." Their mother said. "But the ceremony isn't for another two hours. We have plenty of time to get ready." Ja'kan nodded, smiling.

"Come, let's go home. We have a celebration to plan out." Kel'mar said. The whole family agreed, and they began to make their way towards the village.

Meanwhile, in the darkness of space, a fleet of ships made it's way through the void. They were all dark gray in color, except for the lead ship, which was blood red. Most of them had long, cylindrical hulls with their massive plasma engines spewing purple exhaust mounted on the back, and large wings. The lead ship was the exception. Its bridge was shaped almost like a crocodile's head, and its hull was long and thin. All the ships bore the same insignia, a black A superimposed on a green globe, with a sword going through the globe.

Upon the lead ship in the fleet, a tall, burly ape in a black military uniform stood on the bridge, surrounded by crewmen bustling about the myriad of electronic devices and panels. One of them, who manned the sensor readout, noticed something on his console, something that made him happy.

"Admiral!" The officer called. The ape turned to the sensorman and walked over to him.

"What is it, lieutenant?" The Admiral asked. The officer pointed to a spike on one of the sensor readouts.

"I noticed this energy signature just now." The officer replied. "I think it may be the one we are looking for.

"Can you pinpoint its location?" The Admiral asked. The officer went over to another console and typed a few keys. In a few seconds, readouts appeared on the monitor.

"Here, sir." The officer said, pointing to the readout. "It's coming from a planet in Star System A23. I believe it may be the source we are looking for." The Admiral smiled. It was indeed the one they were looking for, he was sure of it. The Emperor would be most pleased when he found out their mission was a success.

"Prepare the troops." The Admiral ordered. "We attack as soon as we get into orbit."

Back on Cerinia, the people continued to go about their daily activities. Farmers tilled their land, merchants sold their wares, and priests and priestesses readied their temples for afternoon services. All about the planet, people bustled about their daily lives as though this was just another ordinary day. They had no inkling of the horror they were in for.

In the village of Sivamarra, it was no different. The residents bustled about their houses, busily preparing themselves for the coming celebrations. One of their number had just earned the Warrior's mark, and was now about to get married. As this was an occasion for the entire village, they all busily worked to prepare themselves. Nowhere was this more apparent that at the house next door to Krystal's, where the young Kelia had been up since early morning preparing for her wedding. She had spent the last few hours cleaning herself up, getting her ceremonial robe and jewelry ready, and making sure that everything she had planned for the celebration afterward was in order. The reason for the haste was another important part of Cerinian tradition. For eight days and nights before her wedding, a Cerinian woman spent time in a remote section of wilderness undergoing umaikara, a ritual consisting of intense meditation meant to cleanse the body and mind in preparation for her role as a wife. The ritual was very arduous, and taxed the practitioner to the limit. The majority of the time leading up to the wedding was simply preparing for this demanding ritual.

Kelia cringed slightly as she remembered her umaikara. All she had to eat during her eight days in the wilds were scraps of bread, as Cerinians believed that eating large meals during the umaikara ritual interfered with its cleasing aspects, and she nearly passed out several times during the ritual from lack of sleep. It had been the most arduous time of her life, but it was worth. She had come through, and she felt stronger in both body and mind, although this could be simple relief that her trial was now over. But, it didn't matter. In less than three hours, she would join in union with the man she loved.

"Kelia." A woman's voice sounded behind her. Kelia turned around to see her mother, Selya, standing in her doorway, holding a bride's dress in her hands. "Your dress is ready, my dear." Kelia stood up, revealing her white sleeping robe as she went to retrieve her dress.

"Thank you, mother." She said as she took her dress. The dress itself was beautiful. It was a lovely royal purple color with gold trimmings along the sides and top. When it was stood up, it resembled an evening gown, cut so that it showed the branded symbols on her hips. Kelia thought it the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Try it on." Selya said, giving her daughter a warm smile. Kelia nodded and stepped behind a screen on the far side of her bedroom. She removed her white sleeping robe and slipped the dress on. She stepped out and twirled around so her mother could see both sides. The dress was strapless and low cut on her chest, revealing her family marks on her upper arms. The slits on the side revealed the family marks on her hips. Her marks were, as expected, distinctly different from Krystal and her families. The marks on her arms consisted of two parallel lines going around her arms, in between which was a pattern that resembled ocean waves. On her hips were white triangle-shaped marks with blue starburst patterns in their centers. Selya smiled as her daughter showed off her dress.

"How do I look?" Kelia asked.

"My dear, I cannot recall a time when you looked so beautiful." Selya replied with a proud smile.

"Do you think Ja'kan will like it?" She asked. Selya laughed.

"Oh, my dear. He will love it." She said. Kelia laughed too, as the answer was obvious. Selya then looked at the sundial near Kelia's window.

"Well, the ceremony wont is not for another two hours. Ja'kan's Marking should be finished by now." Selya said. "You should take the opportunity for some rest. You look like you could use some after those days in the wild." Kelia laughed.

"Yes, I suppose I could use a little extra sleep." She said. "I'm surprised I haven't passed out yet."

"I'll take your dress, then." Selya replied. "I'll wake you when it is time." Kelia nodded and once again stepped behind the screen. After changing back into her sleep robes, she handed the dress back to her mother and climbed into her bed. Selya smiled as she watched her sleep for a few moments, then left her to rest.

Back at Krystal's home, Ja'kan stood out behind his house, holding one of his swords in his hand. He got into a fighting stance, with his sword held out in front of him, and began to slash the sword through the air in intricate practice patterns. The silvery metal of the sword gleamed from the sunlight as it slashed the air. After completing some sword motions, he flipped the sword into the air, spun around, caught the sword as he was spinning, and smashed into the ground. He then pulled the sword out of the dirt, wiped the soil off of the blade, and sheathed it. Ja'kan practiced like this everyday, and he was quite a skilled swordsman. He was also versed in the art of using throwing weapons, particularly throwing daggers. Like most traditional warriors, he disliked using the energy weapons and explosives of the regular army, and instead favored traditional weaponry like swords and daggers. As he made his way back to his house, he thought about Kelia and his upcoming wedding to her. The last time he saw her was eleven days ago, before he set out on his final trial. He remembered that day clearly.

Ja'kan and Kelia stood in front of the temple, holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes. Kelia was the first to speak.

"You have to leave soon, don't you?" Kelia said. Ja'kan nodded.

"My final trial begins tommorow. I was allowed to come by here to allow my family to wish me luck." He said. Kelia smiled, and she could feel her heart swelling with pride.

"I'll miss you while you are gone." She said. "I have a trial of my own to go on."

"Yes, that's right. The umaikara ritual." He said. Kelia nodded. Ja'kan then managed a glance at the analog clock displayed on the temple at night, when sundials became useless. It read eight o' clock. His transport left in one hour.

"I'll miss you, as well, my love." Ja'kan said. "But I promise you that I shall return, and I will return a warrior." Kelia smiled.

"I shall wait for you." She said. The two then closed their eyes and melted into a passionate kiss. When they broke, they said a final "goodbye", and Ja'kan ran to the back of the temple to catch his transport.

"Best of luck to you, my darling." Kelia whispered, before turning and heading back to the village.

Ja'kan smiled as he remembered the kiss they shared that night. His musings were brought to an end when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"I know you're out here somewhere, big brother! Mother is looking for you." The voice of his little sister rang as clear as a bell in the quiet air. Ja'kan turned around and saw her running toward him.

"I can't escape you for two seconds, can I?" Ja'kan said as Krystal ran up to him. Krystal looked up at him crestfallen. I didn't say that to be mean, I was joking." He quickly said. It didn't take long for Krystal to get her smile back. Ja'kan noticed that Krystal was dressed in her day clothes, which consisted of a simple white skirt and shirt.

"Mother wants you to come see her. She wants you to try on your formal clothes." Krystal said.

"I'll be there shortly. Thank you." He said to her. Krystal immediately took off to find her mother.

Meanwhile, the sinister fleet of ships made it's way through the colorful emptiness of hyperspace. Their destination was the planet they had discovered on their long-range sensors. All about the ships of the fleet, the crews worked feverishly to prepare their vessels for battle. Missiles were loaded into the missile pods, laser cannons were charged, and starfighters were armed and readied to fly into battle. On the bridge of the lead ship, named the Emperor's Wrath, the Admiral sat in his chair, staring into the colorful tunnel that surrounded his ship. The lieutenant busily typed away at one of the computer consoles.

"Sub-lieutenant Kale, how much longer until we reach our target?" The admiral asked. Sub-lieutenant Kale, a young panther with a scar over his left eye, turned around in his chair near the front of the bridge to face the Admiral.

"Approximately three more hours until we reach our target, sir." Kale replied. The Admiral nodded and then turned to the lieutenant.

"Lieutenant, what can you tell about this planet?" He asked. The lieutenant turned to face the Admiral.

"The planet is a Class 4 planet with an atmosphere capable of supporting life." The lieutenant replied. "Long-range scans indicate that it does contain liquid water and is inhabited." The Admiral nodded.

"How many inhabitants?" He asked.

"The sensors couldn't get an accurate reading because of hyperspace interference, but the computer estimated somewhere between 100 and 200 million inhabitants." The Lieutenant replied.

"That many, hmm?" The Admiral said. "That number will make it difficult if the planet needs to be 'cleansed'." The lieutenant smiled.

"The numbers will be no problem, Admiral. The Emperor was kind enough to equip all ships in the fleet with his latest weapon." The lieutenant slyly replied. The Admiral's eyes widened with surprise.

"You mean he has given us Decimators?" He said. The lieutenant nodded and gave an evil smile.

"If it does come to a point where we must exterminate the populace, we have enough Decimators to kill every living being on Katina, Macbeth, and Corneria combined." Both the lieutenant and the Admiral chuckled evilly at the prospect.

"Remind me to thank the Emperor personally when we return to Venom." The Admiral said.

Two hours later, back on Cerinia, all was prepared for Ja'kan and Kelia's wedding ceremony. The entire village returned to the temple in their best formal wear, white sleeveless shirts and white pants for the men, long dresses in varying colors for the women. In the front of the assembled guests was Krystal, her mother and her father. Upon the altar stood Ja'kan, likewise in formal dress, wearing a golden band around the top of his head. He had left his swords at home. As a warrior, he was permitted to take them with him wherever he went, but he decided to forego wearing them. Kel'mar and his wife stood side by side while Krystal stood in front of them. Her mother was wearing a rich velvet colored dress, while Krystal wore a white one. Next to them stood Kelia's mother, Selya, who wore a light pink colored dress and a golden tiara. As the assembled guests watched, the Vicar of the temple walked out onto the altar along with two priests who held silver staves capped with red jewels in their hands. The Vicar smiled at Ja'kan, who weakly smiled back.

"Is something troubling you, my son?" He asked, noticing Ja'kan fidget a little.

"Just a little nervous, I guess." Ja'kan replied. The Vicar patted him on the shoulder reassuringly.

"Don't worry, my son. You'll do fine." He reassured him. Ja'kan felt a little better with that. Just then, one of the priests rang a bell, indicating it was time for the ceremony to begin. The Vicar stepped back in front of the guests.

"My children, this morning we gathered to watch Ja'kan, son of Kel'mar and Lenala, achieve to mantle of warrior. Now, we gather again in these hallowed halls to observe a ceremony of a different kind. Here, in this temple, we now gather to unite Ja'kan and Kelia, daughter of Ta'lars and Selya, together in the bonds of marriage. Unfortunately, Ta'lars is no longer with us in body, having joined the company of the Gods many years ago. However, he is with us today in spirit as we celebrate this union. And now, we begin the ceremony of marriage." The Vicar gestured offstage, and a priestess entered the worship chamber. She stepped out onto the stage and, after clearing her throat she began to sing a traditional Cerinian wedding song that told the tale of how Lasania, Goddess of Love, fell for Ra'jas, God of the Sun, and joined with him in marriage. As she sang, the front door to the temple opened, and several little girls in white dresses came through, throwing flower petals on the aisle of the temple as they went. Behind them came two older girls, carrying large fan-like objects, who stopped and held them in front of the door after they entered. When the flower girls had finished coming up the aisle and had fanned out, they lifted them away, revealing the bride. Ja'kan gasped at the sight. He had never seen Kelia look as beautiful as she did then. She was wearing her purple bride's dress, and tucked behind her ear was a Cerinian orchid, pink in color, the traditional symbol of love in Cerinian culture. In her hands she held a boquet of Cerinian purple roses, another symbol of love and romance. Around her head was a silver tiara adorned with precious stones, a huge sapphire it's centerpiece. With a smile as dazzling as the starlit oceans, she made her way up the aisle to where her groom anxiously waited. Ja'kan simply stood there, mesmerized by her beauty. Kelia stepped up onto the altar and faced her soon-to-be husband, still smiling warmly. The Vicar gently nodded to Ja'kan, who took her hand as he began to speak.

"Ja'kan and Kelia, the Gods smile on you as stand here. With their blessing, you are about to begin a new chapter in both of your lives, one that will be filled with many blessings and infinite joy." The Vicar began. "If there are any amongst the assembled who object to this union, please speak now, or hold your peace forevermore." Not one of the guests uttered a single word. The Vicar then turned to Kelia. "Kelia, daughter of Selya, do you take as your husband this man, to love him and cherish him through whatever trials life shall make you endure, until you draw your final breath?"

"Yes, I do." Kelia said. The Vicar than turned to Ja'kan.

"Ja'kan, son of Kel'mar, do you take as your wife this woman, to love and cherish her through whatever trials life shall make you endure, until you draw your final breath."

"Yes, I do." Ja'kan replied. The Vicar smiled in approval.

"Then by the power vested in me by the Gods above, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now seal your union with a kiss." Kelia and Ja'kan threw their arms around each other and kissed each other passionately, and the entire congregation clapped. Kel'mar, Lenala, and Krystal all smiled approvingly.

"And now," Kel'mar said, "let the celebration commence."

Far above the planet Cerinia, a brilliant blue flash of light seemed to tear the very fabric of space apart. From within the blue flash, several ships emerged. It was none other than the fleet of ships sent to take control of the planet below. On the bridge of the Emperor's Wrath, the Admiral and the Lieutenant stood by and watched as the planet came into view. The beauty of the planet did not cause any response in the two men, both hardened officers of the Venomian military. The Admiral did crack a smile when the sensor reports came back.

"Not sensor grids, no planet-based defenses, no military starships to speak of." He said. "Heh, I'll bet they don't even lock their doors."

"All units are ready to begin the attack." The Lieutenant said. "All we need is your order." The Admiral turned to him and smiled wickedly.

"Land units at these drop points." He said pointing to a holographic map of the planet with white at certain points. "Kill any natives you find and plant the targeting beacons for the Decimators." The Lieutenant's eyes widened slightly.

"You wish to deploy the Decimators against them?" He asked.

"Yes, do you object?" The Admiral asked. The Lieutenant smiled maniacally.

"Not at all sir. I have no objections to exterminating backwater wastes like these." The Lieutenant replied. "Besides, it will make a fine test for the Decimators if they were deployed in an actual combat situation."

"Then it shall be so." The Admiral said. "By tomorrow morning, there won't be a single life form left on this planet."

The town square of Sivamarra was alive with activity as the feast in honor of Ja'kan and Kelia's wedding proceeded. The entire center of town had been decorated, and a massive ten was set up in the middle for the townsfolk to sit down and eat. Ja'kan and Kelia sat at the high table, with their families on either side of them. Krystal wandered about the food table. Her little eyes glowed with amazement. She had never seen so much delicious food in her entire life. She immediately helped herself to some chicken and wild rice and then went back over to the high table to eat her meal. She sat down next to her brother, who sat on a tall chair next to his new wife. The two of them ate their meals happily, occasionally sharing bits of their food with each other and nuzzling. Krystal giggled at the sight before starting on her own meal.

"Krystal, are you sure your eyes aren't bigger than your stomach?" She heard her mother say. She simply nodded "yes" before stuffing a piece of chicken in her mouth. At that moment, her father stood and lifted his goblet into the air.

"If I may have your attention, I would like to propose a toast to my son and his lovely bride." All the assembled guests shouted "aye" before sipping their drinks. It was then that Kel'mar noticed something in the sky. It looked like hundreds of meteors falling from space. He knew that they got a planet fall of the Hakaran meteor shower every few years, but now it was too early for that. He tapped his wife on the shoulder and pointed to the display.

"It does look like meteors. Perhaps the astronomers were wrong when they said the Hakaran came every five years." Lenala said.

"Perhaps." Kel'mar said before returning to his food. Little did he or any of the assembled guests know the horror that was about to befall them.

Unlike their compatriots in the drop pods, the Lieutenant took his men down to the planet in a stealth lander, which was basically a standard Venomian transport ship equipped with a cloaking device. The ship was black in color, and instead of the standard emblem of the Venomian Empire on the hull, it bore another symbol. This symbol consisted of red triangle with a hand grasping a hammer in its fist in the center. This was the symbol of the Emperor's Hammer, the most elite special unit in the Venomian Army. The Lieutenant and his men, dressed in black combat uniforms and carrying black laser rifles in their hands, jumped out of the lander and assembled in a forest clearing not to far away from their insertion point. The Lieutenant turned to his men.

"Alright, let's make this a clean mission." He said. "Get in there, waste the inhabitants, and place the beacon, understood?" The squad nodded. "Good, then let's get going." And with that, the team of commandos rushed out of the woods.

Kel'mar and his family continued to eat their meals, the sight of the apparent meteor shower pushed out of their minds. The feast continued for a few more minutes, until somebody spotted something emerging from the woods.

"Who are you people?" They said. Kel'mar and Ja'kan looked up from their plates at where they pointed. They saw a group of men in black uniforms, carrying guns and looking at that had gathered around them.

"Greetings." Kel'mar politely called to them. "My I assist you in any way?" The apparent leader of the group, a gray wolf, reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a spherical device. The wolf tapped it once and tossed it toward the crowd. Krystal watched in slow motion as the strange device, with lights glowing red on it, arced toward the crowd in slow motion. Once it reached the ground, the red lights blinked twice, and a terrible explosion consumed the crowd. The men then raised their rifles and began to fire red laser bolts into the feasters. Screams of horror and pain filled the air as laser blasts tore through people, snuffing out their lives faster than the most grievous of sword wounds. Several men, Kel'mar included, pulled out ceremonial weapons and jumped in front of the men firing, creating a barrier of psychic energy that blocked the lasers.

"Ja'kan!" Kel'mar called to his son. "Get Krystal out of here! These men are landing all over the planet, you must escape!" Kel'mar had read the mind of one of the soldiers, and learned of their plan.

"No! I can't leave you, father!" Ja'kan said.

"He is right, son!" Said another man. "Live today, fight tomorrow!"

"Hurry, son! Get Krystal to the evacuation pod!" Kel'mar shouted over the din of firing laser rifles. "Go!" Ja'kan realized that his father was right, and immediately scooped Krystal up in his arms and ran from the square toward their house as fast as he could.

"Daddy!" Krystal cried.

"Don't worry, little sister. He can handle them. We must get off of this planet if we want to help him." Ja'kan said. Krystal nodded. The two ran back to their house and went inside. Ja'kan grabbed some extra food, blankets, clothes, his swords, and a staff that he found under his parent's bed. They then ran outside of town, the din of battle still sounding in the distance.

The two were on the run for probably less than a few minutes, but it seemed like hours before they reached the evacuation pod. The tiny craft was triangle shaped and pure white in color, with room enough for two people. The craft was attached to a launching pad, and hummed with energy. Ja'kan pressed a button on the side of the pod, which opened the back door. He quickly threw the extra supplies and the staff into the pod, and then put Krystal inside.

"Don't worry. We'll come back and help the others, I promise." He said to her. Krystal continued to cry and shake with fear as Ja'kan walked over to the cockpit of the pod and opened it. He set the pod's autopilot to take them to the first planet that its sensors detected, and then initiated the launch countdown. The back door to the pod closed, and the computer console on the pod began to show Cerinian numerals as it counted down. Just then, several more soldiers popped out of the nearby bush, startling Ja'kan.

"You're not going anywhere, blue boy." One of the soldiers, a gruff looking dog, said. Ja'kan looked at the countdown. He knew he would have to hold them off until the pod took off, and it would be impossible for him to get on. In a selfless act of courage he decided to give his sister a chance to live by standing against to butchers himself. Krystal had climbed into the cockpit and watched as her brother drew his swords and readied himself for battle. The soldiers drew long bars from their belts that sparked blue at the end.

"I may not be leaving, but you will not harm my sister." Ja'kan said in a low voice, before leaping into the air and slashing one the soldiers down. Ja'kan then dived into the squad, hacking, slashing and blocking the soldier's weapons. Krystal watched in horror as the cockpit closed and locked. She realized that her brother was sacrificing himself to save her. She pounded on the class of the cockpit as the holding clamps gave way on the pod and it shot into the air. The pod blazed through the air until it reached the black emptiness of space. Well, not empty as a fleet of ships stood in front of her. By the grace of the Gods, they did not notice the pod as it flew under them. Krystal could see large racks being lowered from the bodies of the ships. The pod continued the fly until it was past the fleet. Just then Krystal turned around and saw giant rockets come out of the racks and impact with the surface of the planet. The rockets impacts created giant green shockwaves that ripped across the planet's surface, leaving barren rock in their place.

"Mama, Papa, Ja'kan, no!" Krystal cried in despair. When the full realization that she would never see her family again struck her, the young girl fell onto the floor of the pod and cried. She cried for the next several hours, finally crying herself to sleep.

Oi vay! Can you believe it? 22 pages and over 10,000 words! But, finally I'm finished with the first chapter. Please read and review. Constructive criticism is welcome, but flames will not be tolerated. So long for now!