LOST IN SPACE

‘Argh’

Why is my head aching so much? Each pulse like a hammer against my skull. My eyelids feel like they weigh a ton

Where….. am I? Who…. am I? I can’t seem to remember anything

‘Ah, you are awake… finally”

Someone is talking around me. Who are they?

‘She is awake.’

‘She survived.’

‘At least, one of us made it to the new world’

Who are these people? What are they talking about? Who are you?………… Oh, seems I can’t get any sound out, I should focus on opening my eyes first.

Oh, I can open my eyes now.

‘Ouch’

A sharp sting burns my eyes as I force them open.. How long have I been out?

‘Yeah, you have been unconscious for over two days. We thought we had lost you too’

‘Wait, who is speaking to me?’

‘Look over here. We are all here’

‘All?’

As my vision clears, I finally see them, people all dressed in space suits, just like mine. I could feel the kinship, a strange sense of familiarity…. Yet I couldn’t recognize a single face.

‘Its fine, you are safe now’

An old lady was saying to me, yet, he mouth never moved. Wait a sec, that guy responded to my thoughts earlier on too. Am I from a place where we communicate with our thoughts? I can’t remember anything. What’s my name?

‘You are the princess of the Auristar tribe. You are our hope and your name holds the very meaning to our essence in our language. You are VEYTHARI’

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The sound of my name unlocked floods of memories. Memories of a beautiful home, Auristar, of people who shared everything. Our bond was unbreakable, woven into our very motto “Veyna, Tharion, Zhevari – Hope, Family and living for all”. We believed in the survival and preservation of every life and we strongly believed in Seyva, The thread of life.

We believed Sevya connects us all, binding our souls as one. War or fights were so foreign to us that we never considered having a military or security. So, how could such a civilization be destroyed by war? Just how?

My name, Veythari, was more than just a title, it was a symbol of our progress and ideals. Vey-tha-ri was more than just a name, it stood for all we were, it meant ‘to live in hope of all family’. The Vaelis said so. They have always guided us, foretelling of the child that would carry on our legacy. Vaelis is the echo of all who lived and all to be, it has been and always would be our connection to all who are gone and for this reason, we all were connected. Both those alive, those dead and those yet to breathe, Vaelis held us together.

When I was born, my people suddenly found an anti-gravity ore. Our civilization had grown so much in my 23years alive. From floating cars to the proposed floating buildings, to our ever beautiful Vaelis forest being placed above ground, it was paradise.

Every year, when a child comes of age, he and his peers are gathered in the Vaelis forest and marked with the Sayva lines and asked to sing till their Kaelor appeared. Your Kaelor is your destiny, the path you must take. An unbreakable vow between you and your home.

During this year’s Kaelor, we all gathered in Vaelis forest and celebrated the birth of the new Kaelors. It was a peaceful gathering but I felt strangely restless. A strange unease settled over us. We looked up as our instincts kicked in. giant warships loomed above, their dark silhouettes blocking out the stars. We knew something wasn’t right but we were not sure what it was until the earth started to shake.

Blazing fireballs rained down from the ships, setting the heaven alight before crashing down on our home. The air reeked of burning metal and flesh, thick smoke clouded our sight and made it difficult to breathe. The smoke coiled around us, turning our once beautiful dream home into a deathly nightmare. We ran for cover and tried to protect the children.

‘What is happening?’

‘Run, go the ships’

‘It’s an invasion’

There was so much chaos as everyone tried to avoid the unfolding disaster. I ran towards home, I had to protect the king and queen.

‘Get Veythari onto the ship – no matter what. She must survive’

‘This must have been what the Vaelis meant by she would carry on our legacy’

‘Veythari, come back here’

I could hear the people trying to save me but I had to protect my parents. I ran till my legs felt like lead but I couldn’t stop. The flames grew hotter, devouring everything in their path and the once white paradise was now covered in smoke and red and yellow lights from the flames. My breathing was getting harder and shallow.

I lifted my gaze - my home was just a few steps away.

‘Mom, Dad’

I yelled as I ran towards home but almost as if time slowed down, I saw it happen even before it began. I saw the fireball falling towards my home, I saw my mom step into the doorway, as her lips formed words I couldn’t hear, I saw someone run towards me to stop me in my tracks just as my home erupted in fire and debris, my mother….. Swallowed by the flames.

I fought and tried to break free from their grip, I screamed, scratched and cried till I fainted from exhaustion.

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‘What happened next?’

I asked the young man that had been with me since I woke up

‘“Well, a lot of us didn’t make it to the ship, those who did were shot down. Only this ship made it this far and only about 50 of us boarded together. We had to lock you up in a tube because you kept trying to get off the ship every time you woke up. If you are hungry, get some food from that box beside you’

Okay, this guy is suspicious, something about him just feels…. Off. Who was he again? I remember home but I don’t remember him……… or anyone’s face. What is going on?

'You have to leave this place. Let’s go to the crash’

‘Wait…., a crash?’

‘Yes, we crash landed’

‘Okay?’

‘We fell into this hole, that’s why we are still here’

‘What do we do? I suggest we keep hitting the space ship to cause some noise, which might attract people’

‘I don’t get it but did you hit your head or something? How do you expect a space ship to make enough noise to travel that far? We would use fireworks once it is night’

‘You should have just said you had a good idea, why make me bother?’

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It’s been about two weeks now and strange things keep happening. First, I have noticed, asides from when the older woman speaking to me once, only this nameless guy ever talks to me. Are they mad at me because I caused a scene on our way here? Also, I don’t think I have ever seen them eat.

We’ve launched fireworks every night for two weeks but no one has shown up. Where in the universe are we?

“It’s over here”

“I found the spot. It’s a big hole”

“I think it’s a crash”

‘Wait - voices! They are getting closer. We are saved...... Or are we? Who are they?’

‘Don’t worry, you are safe, that’s why we headed here.’

Their touches cast flickering light over the hole. Figures gathered over the edge, tossing a thick rope down into the cave. I was so happy that I yelled in joy.

‘Let’s go everyone’

‘Lead the way princess’

I climbed the rope all the way to the top as they pulled me up as well

“Let the rope back down, the others are coming”

“What others? you are the only one down there” One of the locals replied

“What are you talking about? Look at that guy waving and smiling at me”

‘It’s ok Veythari, you have to live on and carry our legacy. It might be a heavy burden but it’s the Kaelor you were born with, it’s your destiny.’

Why does his voice still sound so close as if he’s right beside me when he’s far away? I looked back at my rescuers – and froze. For the first time, I noticed it; my people were as white as sheet and slightly – translucent. That’s when the questions flooded my head.

Is that why they never spoke to me?

Was that why his words always sounded like thoughts in my head?

Is that why they never ate in front of me?

Was that why the cave was so cold both day and night?

Was that why even with how connected our people were, I could never remember us using telepathy?

Was that why it felt like my memories were missing?

It wasn’t that I couldn’t remember them, it was that I didn’t know them. The Vaelis were with me for two weeks because I was the last surviving Auristar.

Why did I have to survive alone?

How can I continue a legacy of thousands of people alone?

Is this a Kaelor or a punishment?

Was my birth a curse to my people?

Even through all this turmoil, I could feel the souls of everyone in me and around me. Why did Sayva have to do this to me? I have to live on to prove my name Veythari, to live in hope of family. I also had to carry on the dreams of my people.

I screamed and fell down is anguish as the locals gathered around me, not sure what to do.

I knew what I had to do. Our legacy must live on in me, this is our Zethryn.

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ZETHRYN – Auristar word for a deep or great promise. A vow that defies time

Auristar – A small developed and peaceful planet

Veyna – Auristar word for Hope

Tharion – Auristar word for Family

Zhevari – Auristar word for Living for all or surviving for everyone

Veythari – Word from Vey-hope, Tha-family, Ri-living for everyone, meaning to live in hope of family or to live, not just for oneself but for the whole.

Seyva – The eternal thread that connects all things

Vaelis – A gathering of all the past and future Auristar spirits and souls. The echo of all who lived

Kaelor – Destiny of all Auristar born. A chosen path.

Seyva Lines – Lines in mimicry of the eternal thread, drawn from the middle finger to the chest with a phosphorescent chalk