Author's note: // = thinking. ~ = talking through minds.

Preface:  Terrasinagua

 A small teenager clad in brown sat at the corner of an old, dusty town, his face slanted towards the dirt.  He was dirty, hungry, and though he didn’t like to admit it, he was lonelier than he’d ever been in his life.  His part time job was lost: he got fired for saying something against his employer’s liking, and now he would starve.  Such a poetic end…

He was a run away; a lowly child who had lost his way in the desert sand, and it was unlikely that he would ever see his family again.  It was truly his own fault, he knew.  Everything was always his fault, and this time he made a big mistake.

 “Go back to them,” a voice urged the teen.  Still, the teen merely shook his head.

 “Are you really that blind, Rayith?  You should know as well as I that they are better off without me at this point.  Some never wanted me in the first place.”

 An image appeared out of nowhere, showing an elderly man with deep, and wise blue eyes.  “I believe it is you who can’t truly see others.  Danal, you’re looking only at misconceptions of yourself.  Nothing more, grandson.”

 Danal shivered slightly; he wasn’t used to even having true family, much less a family member that kept reminding him of their relations.  He was supposed to have been an orphan, or so he’d thought two years ago.  It was still a shock to the system, knowing that he had a family, and that his siblings had all grown up with him.  None of them could’ve known.

He’d lived on Gaia, a rural world with limited technology.  It was beautiful there, and most of the people were very strong, but there were problems for those not native to the world.  The original inhabitants didn’t like other races, and they often made it known through their harsh words.  Though he lived with human foster parents, the Gaians always tried to force him out of their society.  He even had a criminal record.  The teen had been given away by parents he’d presumed had died.  That theory came to die, however, when his twelfth summer came around, and he found his father standing before him...or rather, before his foster mom.

Flashback:
The room was dark, lit only by a small lamp and the moon’s glow.  Danny hid around the corner, half expecting shouting to begin.  He wasn’t sure he liked the feeling of the room, but there was some mystery about it that intrigued him.  As if something would soon change by this meeting, though he knew not what it could be…

“It’s about time you came back, Kien.  Your boy has been causing a lot of trouble around here.  Discipline from a real father might save him, but if I were you, I’d take him away quickly.”  The old woman scowled darkly, shaking her head in shame.  “Have you seen his record?”

Shawn Kien looked faintly surprised, almost mirroring the expression of his son around the corner.  This man had been posing as a neighbor for a few months, and now it looked as though he’d soon become more than a neighbor.

“No, I haven’t, Telexia” the man answered truthfully, “There didn’t seem to be any reason to research such things.”

The old woman’s eyebrow rose, and she sighed.  “Well, I suppose I’ll tell you the main things.  He’s been kicked out of school for skateboarding on the roof.  He has engineered and blown up many small engines with imported materials around this street.  He has argued continuously with any and all authority figures, and has tried to run away twice this year.”

Danal watched Shawn’s jaw drop.  Great…now he’s going to hate me too.  …Why do I even care?

From what everyone had told Shawn about Danal, it seemed that the teen was a problem child.  The father could see, however, that whatever he might have become was a product of his atmosphere: the harsh adults, native people, and general lack of friends…besides Mellisa, his sister who lived across the street.

“So,” The woman said loudly, attacking the silence.  “Are you taking the boy today or tomorrow?”

The teen stood, furious.  //I’ve had enough.// With that thought, he stormed into the room glowering at very surprised faces.  “And just where do you think I’m going?”  Both adults stayed silent, letting the air thicken around them.  Shawn looked deeply into his angry eyes, trying to pacify him with a sympathetic look.

“So nice of you to exclude me from a conversation that concerns me,” he continued, shifting his gaze from Shawn to his long time foster mom.  “You knew about this, and you didn’t tell me?”

Sneering, Telexia narrowed her eyes.  “This isn’t under discussion, child.  This agreement was made before you could talk, and don’t you ever glare at me in such a manner.”

“I’ll look at you however I wish,” Danal snapped.  “You don’t control me.”  He paused, looking from one adult to the other.  In a low, cold voice, the teen continued, “If you plan to take me anywhere, it concerns me.  I don’t care when this was planed.  You don’t have the right to force me.”

The old woman simply smiled in return.  “I don’t have to force you to do anything anymore, boy.  You’re not my problem.  You’re his.  Your father will amend your ways now.  Though, if I were you, I wouldn’t get into trouble with him.  He is, after all, a mindwalker.”

“I don’t need to be amended,” he bit out, tears streaming down his cheeks.  The crone, however, took no notice, and calmly walked out of the room as if a heavy burden had just been lifted.

Sighing, Danal looked back to the man in front of him.  He arched an eyebrow ever so slightly.  “Father?” he asked coldly.  “You pose as a neighbor, and now all of a sudden you’re related to me?  What the hell is going on?”

Shawn looked at him kindly and calmly, seeing what his son truly needed.  “I’m sorry this turned out so bad.  This isn’t how I intended to tell you.  Danny, I know this must seem strange, but…”

“Strange isn’t the half of it,” he retorted,  “Why did you lie to me?  Why have you come back now?  Why am I even here in the first place?”

The rest of the teen’s questions were silenced as his father came to him, taking and holding his hand.  “I will answer everything.  I promise you.  It just can’t be now.”

“I’m not going anywhere without proof.” :End Flashback

His father had shown him the proof, Danal reflected silently.  The man had pressed his mind against his own, showing him both logic and emotion, the intensity of it all shocking his system.  Danal had felt much of his anger and bitterness leaving.  The fear however, was left behind.  Once Shawn had begun to show love, he knew he’d have to flee.  To run before someone got hurt.

There was something inside him, still to this day.  A darkness that always ended up winning, turning around everything in his life that might have been good.  It was like a malicious being trapped inside, ready to pounce at any given time.

“You have a chance, Danal,” the quiet voice spoke.  “Don’t give up where others haven’t.”

“If they haven’t given up, they should,” the teen replied simply, lying back against the dirt hut.  “I don’t know who would have by now.”

“How about your father?”

Danal’s eyes narrowed slightly.  Sighing, the young teen drew into himself, allowing his thoughts to connect with those of the elder.  It was a habit that had come more often than not lately.  The only way to have a private conversation.
 ~ I’m not having this discussion again.  The man is too hopeful for his own good.  He wouldn’t want me.  Besides, how can I change what’s already come to be? ~

~ It’s not the end, child.  Whatever you think is within you can be fixed. ~

~ Better it be fixed without others in harms way. ~

Rayith sighed quietly, braking the connection.  The boy still didn’t understand.  He needed help, yet he refused to ask for it.  Still, whether his great grandson liked it or not, he was going to get help.  One way or another.

“Gramps?”  Danal called softly, looking around him.

~ I’m tired of seeing you this way, boy.  Whether you like to think it or not, there are people that like having you around.  There are ways in which you are good to have around.  You need help. ~

~ I need nothing, ~ Danal replied darkly, getting up from the small dusty corner.  With that said, he began to walk away.  He’d thought about adding to the reply, but decided not to anger the spirit.

  Looking up to the sky, the teen cursed.  A sandstorm was coming; he could see it in the reforming of the clouds.  If he didn’t get back to shelter soon, he would be in trouble.  The teen’s feet kicked up dust as he ran down the street briskly.  He had a mile to go, and only five minutes.

***

~ Shawn… Shawn! ~

Shawn Kien woke up with a start, coming out of his deep meditation.  Green eyes searched over the room as he got himself used to his surroundings.  Breathing slowly, his eyebrows creased, sensing an urgent presence.

~ Grandfather? ~

Images of Danal came to him in his mind, a poor desert bum sitting in the shade of someone else’s property, lonely and out of a job.  Then came the most urgent of messages: a young teen running as fast as he could under a red and black sky, gusts of wind threatening to blow him over, sand swirling viciously.

Sandstorm…

 Quickly the mindwalker got up, and started running toward the cockpit.  “Eric!  Eric, stop the ship now.  I know where he is.  I’ve sensed Danny.  He’s on Terrasinagua, and he’s in trouble.”

 Eric flipped a few switches, getting the engine ready for an all-stop.  “We’ll have to turn around quick, it’s just a little ways back.”  Sighing, he put new coordinates into the navicomputer, and headed back at top speed.  “What exactly is your plan for getting him in the ship, brother?  He is hiding from you, you know.”

 Shawn shook his head.  “He may not have a choice, he’s trapped in a sand storm.  I know where he is, and I’ll get him back.  Just wait up above the planet and wait for me.”

 Nodding silently, the elder sibling engaged the drop pod.  “It’s all yours, Shawn.  Be careful.”

***

 Panting, Danal made his way through the dunes.  He’d made it at least a quarter of the way, but within the breeze was a forbidding warning.  And had already begun to fly, and his trials had made him nearly too exhausted to go on.  As he looked around he saw homes torn apart, and small children huddling behind flimsy boulders.  Carefully, he made his way behind similar boulders, planning his next move.

 ~ Go back child. ~

 Young blue eyes meet the deeper pair, focusing on them with terror.

 ~ How?  What can I do? ~

 ~ Watch the skyline. ~

 The boy rose his eyebrow.  ~ What are you talking about, Rayith?  Don’t give me riddles now.  Help me. ~

 A pod landed with a thump after several minutes of blowing in circles.  Its occupant was looking out of the window expectantly.  He had gotten as close to the boy as he could, but Shawn had to wonder if he was close enough.

 “Danal!”  a man yelled against the howling wind.  “Danny!”  God, I hope he can hear me.  Walking near the boulders, Shawn shouted against.  ~ Come to me, son.  Quickly.  I’m not leaving without you. ~

 The spirit looked up from the boy, finding Shawn’s worried face.

 ~ Go child, go. ~

End Preface