I stood in silence for approximately five minutes. Before bursting out into a fit of laughter. It wasn't necessarily a hearty laugh, but a dry, frustrated, and weary laugh. When I was done Delemir sat with his nose raised in disgust while everyone else watched me in silence. Finally I speak without abandon.

"Clearly you people are mad. I just want to go home, watch reality TV, and scroll through Instagram wishing I looked like half the plastic surgery altered bimbos on there, or the fitness addicts who grow a nice butt."

I pause thinking about my next words.

"I am nobody important, at least not where I'm from. So unfortunately you have the wrong girl, and clearly all you people have gone mad. So I'm just going to go now."

"Wait, I have something you'll want to see." The beautiful woman said.

A piece of glass began floating in the air. I watched as images pulled up on the screen.

"It appears to be growing dark here. The government has issued a curfew, and all citizens are to stays in doors."

I watched as a news anchor churned out instructions, most likely from a monitor. The lights on the set began to flicker, the news anchor glancing upwards. The room began to shake, lights began crashing downward and people on set began to panic.

"NASA has been watching these objects closely, but we still don't know much about them. They speculate that they are space debris, but they are still uncertain."

A woman says, nervously playing with the collar of her suit. Next the screen shows images of people running, blazing balls of fire flashing through the sky. Entire cities burning, people screaming, and one of the last pieces of footage made my blood run cold. Darkness descended over a beach in California. People began screaming and running, and just before the screen cut off I heard deafening screams and bones cracking. The footage ended.

"So what are we doing here?" I ask quietly.

The woman smiles weakly and stands from her seat.

"There is a deep evil that exists. All will become clear in time, but as it seems you all may be the last hope for us both."

I had no idea what was going to happen, but anything seemed better than returning to earth right now. Not only that, I had to wonder if I had family left on the ground. The only hope I had was to figure out what in the world was going on here, and how I would get back home. For a short while I contemplated it.

"I'm in."

*****

Awhile later I was escorted back to the large doors I had seen my sister go through. Walking in it seemed to be a giant modern version of a collosiuum with a podium in the middle. Here I could have guessed I seen a hundred thousand other people of my age group. We all wore the same skin tight suit and a badge. Some looked scared, some indifferent, some sad, others confused. I'm sure I looked all of those things.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

I got one of the spots closest to the podium, standing on either side of me were two guys my age. One appeared to be Native American, he had tribal tattoos snaking up his hands. He appeared to be 6'1, and I could see his ripped frame through the suit. His long dark hair sat in a bun. He looked stern, but upon seeing me stare at him he looked curious and amused.

Far to my right stood a Caucasian guy, he had messy Ash blonde hair, a blazing white smile, and stood about 6'0 his ripped, but slim frame riplling through the suit. He gave a slight wink, and I scowled at him turning forward. The Native American guy seemed to be chuckling now, it sounded like a deep rumble building in his chest. I glanced at him, although stoic, I could see that he almost wanted to grin.

Hushed whispers echoed around me, and we all waited in anticipation. If it was possible, I was more nervous than others. I could feel something coming someone and I knew it was him. As if somehow we were tuned in to the same frequency. Sure enough, he walked in with guards on either side of him. He seemed to have the air of being super important.

It was impossible to tell for sure, but just for a second he appeared to stiffen as he drew near me. But within seconds, he appeared to be striding up to the podium as if nothing happened. Behind him his silky black hair swished in one long braid, his muscular frame moving effortlessly, he appeared to be extremely tall, but not unnaturally so, the only strange thing about him is that one moment he seemed lighter, while in other moments he seemed bronzy. His eyes looked normal in this moment, but to me they still looked slightly strange. I was almost certain every female in the room was swooning.

Finally he made it to the podium, crossed his hands slightly, and took a deep breath.

"Good evening," he said.

I heard gasps as his voice sounded both soothing, and rough at the same time. It was probably the voice every woman dreamed of hearing when she woke up in the morning. It seemed even the males were enchanted by his voice, most of them eyeing him now out of curiosity and silently beating their chests to prove their manhood.

"My name is Dominic Kallastia or in other terms Kallisto." He said, seeming to make eye contact with everyone but me.

"In this moment, our world's collide. I'm sure all of you have been wondering, but have not said it out loud. We are a different race, in a different galaxy. Yet we are much like you."

He walks away from the podium guards following.

"I'm sure you are all curious about how you got here and why. Your memory for the last several months have been erased."

I heard gasps come from the crowd.

"Something in your DNA is unique. It can be easily manipulated and put back together, which may become necessary as your time here progresses. So you were chosen to be taken on our ships to safety."

He pauses now looking at me, but the same time looking through me.

"It was your passion that lead you here to this moment. Your drive, your determination, your uniqueness," Finally, he looks away.

"I would be a liar if I wasn't up front with you. You all were tested in different ways and many of you died. Many of you lost friends or family members. You have every right to be angry, but I can ensure you of one thing. Had they not died there, they would have died soon enough."

A girl steps forward from the crowd her face reddened in anger. She has choppy honey blonde brown hair, bronzed skin like she spent most of the time in the sun, and an athletic stature. Although rough around the edges she was still beautiful.

"What about my sister? She was 13 years old she didn't deserve any of this!"

Dominic stares at her momentarily, an emotionless look on his face. Then he walks to stand right in front of her.

"You remind me of someone I once knew. Tough as nails on the outside, but inside she was probably one of the most human people I knew."

He walked around her slowly looking her up and down. Her jaw tightened, and finally he stood in front of her once more.

"If we had left your sister on earth she would have died. Her cancer left her too weak. And only the heavens know what she may have faced."

"You don't know that!" She yelled in his face spittle flying.

One of the men stepped forward. He raised his hand, and the man froze in place.

"Zalia?" We all turned in the direction of the voice.

We all gasped looking towards a humanoid looking creature. It was beautiful yet foreign. Tall, graceful, curvy body. It camouflaged with the environment, and in some instances seemed invisible or made of light. It stood in front of her, tall and long eyes unblinking. Around it floated what appeared to be hair, yet it had a life of it's own.

"Brooke? What is this? Why do you sound so old?"

"I share a consciousness with Aria now. I'm in her body. I can't discuss it right now, but for now this is what has to be done. You will train with her instead, and I'll be in the background learning."

Whispers filled the crowd as Zalia was taken away to be debriefed I assume.

Wa a

Dominic returned the podium. And with a final clasp of his hands, he began telling us everything we needed to know.