My eyes calmed and a small grin twitched on my face. With a nod, I walked to the door with the paper work at hand. Sandra pushed the door open in front of me and made my way into the room. To my immediate left and right there were two other doors that lead into other rooms where our meetings would take place. In front of me, three hundred people came into view.

Women remained seated while children played with the toys we had provided them. Small wooden horses and dolls scampered and scattered along the main aisle. The children took kindly to the toys and though their faces seemed to drag and seemed heavy, there seemed to be a glimmer in their eyes that sparked as I looked at them. I couldn’t tell if they knew what had happened to their home and had such high hopes despite the possible unforeseeable future or if ignorance was truly bliss. Most of the men stood against the walls twitching and fidgeting, eyeing each other. Glares bordered the room and bounced off each other as if invisible lasers were being fired. I gulped as I attempted to calm my nerves.

I took a deep breath and walked up to the center podium. I could see that there mostly women that survive. Luckily, none of the survivors needed much medical assistance and many of them seemed physically apt to handle themselves. Many if not all of them were fit with toned muscles and no one had shown any signs of physical disability. Much of their kind was the same. I raised an eyebrow as I attempted to see if there was any sign of weakness. What made their world fall?

“May I have your attention, please?” My voice carried with ease. No microphone was needed as it echoed throughout the massive meeting room. Heads turned and looked my way. Children ran to their mothers and the men glared at me. I took the impression with great heed and pulled my shoulders back to hopefully shun away my intimidated heart. I had done this a couple of times before. All I needed was for a time to take from them to give them all of my own. With my feet touching, weight shifted to my toes and knees slightly bent, I spoke my words of encouragement… or at least tried to at any rate.

“My name is Alex Christle. You may call me Alex. I thank you for your cooperation and calm resolve as this has become a tragic day for you all. I understand your fear of no home and I understand your pain as you have lost many loved ones and possible hope. I welcome you to a place of peace; a place where life is abundant. We will gladly explain all that we can of the disaster that occurred to your world as well as anything about ours that you would like in full detail. Know that there is no economic system here. I am aware that yours had a system that is actually well admired. But money is not an issue here. I can go over it in more detail at a later time. But first, you must be wondering where your home is and what has become of it…”

I suddenly watch as the children began to cry. I relaxed my shoulders as my eyes slowly shifted downwards. I turned my eyes away from the people and turned around, eyeing at Sandra. A simple blink was her only response. I turned back to my audience and scanned around the walls at the men that glared still at me. I couldn’t quite come to a conclusion on how to say it this time. I had done this a couple times before and yet I couldn’t fathom the looks on the children’s faces as I, myself, felt I was about to cry.

“You ok?” Sandra asked me in my thoughts. It sounded like she was teasing me over the ordeal. I was normally really well adjusted for this but due to my lack of rest it has been quite difficult to focus. I turned to her again as I searched for words and saw a hint of disappointment in her eyes as she shook her head. I bit my lower lip and clenched my fists as Sandra opened her mouth to speak. A sudden and quick jolt of worry spread throughout my body and couldn’t stop her in time. I wasn’t sure what she was to say but I knew in my mind that it wasn’t going to be sympathizing.

“Our status of your world is quite unknown. We are unsure of what its condition truly is. We could try to go back but nothing would happen when we open another portal and attempt that destination. A portal wouldn’t even form at all.” She snapped her fingers in attempt to summon up a portal. A simple technology and the country life spread with green grass and golden lights. The blue, clean and clear river flooded her mind. A spark emitted from the sound and stayed in the exact position of the initial snap. A continual small sparking of white energy floated approximately shoulder height. She tried with all her consciousness to summon it up the portal but the sparks stayed pinned to the space it inhabited. With a simple wave of her hand the sparks stopped. Children looked at their mothers and all that could be delivered in their eyes was empathy. Tears poured down there faces and mothers wept with them.

“So your saying that we are all that is left! The work and the struggle that we had to get for what we needed for ourselves in every way are just gone!?” One man yelled at the top of his lungs. His face red with disgust and a bull to his step; he made his way from the farthest back wall and walked down the main aisle of the seats heading straight towards me. His eyes were on fire and I swear I heard him snarl through his teeth. I questioned such a feat as he was too far away for most to hear. Still I could feel anger crawl into my throat. People near the surrounding area began to take notice of the scene as it unfolded. Mothers called for their children and sat them upon their laps. I held my hand near the center of my chest, still closed from the worry of Sandra’s remark, and summoned a portal in front of me. I laid the papers on the podium. They weren’t rolled like most would suspect. We kept them all rolled out for easier handling. In what seemed like an instant, I stepped through the portal and was now back to back with the man in question. The portal, just as quickly, dismissed. He turned to see my back side. I looked at what audience members I could and took note of a little boy sitting with his mother clenching the horse that my staff had given him prior.

He fully turned around and began to stomp towards me. His leather armor failed to hold him back and was swift despite his bulky figure. A quick spin on my toes and I immediately faced him. I cupped my left hand over my right and stood calm despite not knowing his intent. His fist rose to level with my eyes, shaking it in attempt to intimate. I could smell his breathe of garlic from last night’s dinner we served to them and saw his teeth that he did not clean. I must admit that I did flinch at the site. Though I could not come to look him in the eyes at this point, I could only stare at his scarred throat. Tanned skin broken by what I could only tell was claw marks of a long past fight. He spoke from his lungs and was rough to hear. Eyes blood shot red and hair cut short but uneven. He did not wish for a clean up this morning like the rest of his people. Dirt covered his face and armor.

Sandra spoke in hope of a distraction. “We don’t know where your world is. For all we know it is just misplaced but I highly doubt it. I seriously believe that this is the end of the line for your people. I am terribly sor-.”

“You think that’s enough!?” He turned his head slightly back to Sandra, who now had taken the podium. The audience had started taking notice.

“You can apologize all you want.” His head turned and his eyes met mine. “Nothing will change the fact that our land is gone.”

“Your right,” I spoke. “No amount of apologizing can change the horrible travesty that has come to you all. Nothing can be done from anyone. I know you are mad. We wish to help you. We wish to make you as happy and comfortable as possible. I know my sisters words are rash but she means no ill will by it. I simply ask for you to give us a chance. We can give you a new home; a new place to start over or even continue to live on where you last left off… to some degree.”

Eyes slammed shut, he pressed his palms against his ears to listen no more. His teeth gritted and grunts gurgled from his throat. Everything left them yesterday. Something dark and hellish had swallowed there planet and everyone on it. He saw everything go black in one swoop. So did everyone else. They had all seen black above in the skies and one white light to get them out. Tucking his head down, tears escaped his eyes. Sanity began to slip from his grasp and alas he began to break.

“I lost my wife!” His voice carried across the whole room. A slight shiver came across my back as his voice roared in my ears and faded in its echo. Children cried in fear of him. Mothers held on tight to them.

“Donavin, please for the love of the children, stop!” shouted one woman a few seats back from us. Her tall, thick, black boots peaked out of the aisle. She wore black, leather pants with her brown leather corset. Her white, puff sleeved undershirt had one single button keeping it closed; a wooden heart. A simple, smooth, wooden heart held her top together. I turned my head and took note of the beautiful trinket. I am not sure why I took note of such a button. Maybe it was because of its placement where a broach should be. It held it all together quite nicely. The lady wrapped her hand around her arm as if to pull up a sleeve but none was there. The sleeves were far too short to do such an action. I thought that by chance it could have been a habit of hers since she quickly put her hand back down when her hand reached her elbow. No child was hers from what I could tell. She sat half tempted to stand but couldn’t quite get her legs to move.

Donavin stared at the women. Anger still boiled in his veins as he clenched his teeth. I understood his anger as he had every right to be. His wife surely was gone. Taken by the darkness that engulfed their world, she was gone even before the world had started its descent into the void. There was nothing he could do as she was possessed by the being that lived in the darkness. He couldn’t snap her out of it. She was no longer in her own body and the world soon after did the same. The women in question placed her hands on her knees and pushed herself up. With Donavin in front of me and the lady behind me, I shifted myself so that I was between the two.

“Not here. Not now.” Sandra spoke. A sudden stiffness came over me as I raised my head higher. Everyone was attentive. Children were still crying, most of them have dropped their toys on the floor. The small young boy I had seen earlier had clutched his mother. By some chance of fate our eyes locked. The toy horse was loose in his hands but that didn’t distract him from his gaze. Sturdy hands and a pause that could test the patience of the ill-tempered flowed between the two of us. I couldn’t hear Donavin and the women anymore. My attention was not on those two anymore. Murmurs flooded my ears and I took my step toward the mother and child. Donavin started to take a step forward and I hesitated, questioning whether to continue my intention. I quickly glared at Donavin but his eyes evaded mine. His step became a strut. Shoulders level and hands were to his side. His lip curled and brow lowered. I had certainly missed something. I looked at him, as he ignored me, and back at the boy. I clenched my fists and sprang to my toes. I whipped my head and went to the middle of them again.

“Sandra!” I yelled for her for assistance. I dashed between the two of them and turned my back to Donavin holding my arms out and facing the women. At that exact moment my back was turned, Sandra opened a portal to my back and stepped through, now facing Donavin. The portal closed and we both stood back to back but face to face with Donavin and the women. She looked at me confused, tilting her head and squinting.

“I didn’t antagonize him.” She spoke.

“I am unsure of who antagonized who so I must take a position that defends both sides. Until we know what’s going on or someone apologizes and attempts to make things right, we have to assume the worse.” I replied.

“You got this Sandra?” My telepathy echoed in her ears.

She simply turned her head as much as she could without losing sight of Donavin and nodded.

“Then let me show you that I am not the one with foul play.” The woman spoke with anticipation and slight disgust. She took three steps back and spun on her toes, her back now to me.

I dropped my arms and turned towards the boy once again and began to make my way to him. Donavin caught my gaze and Sandra extended her left arm out, not to stop me but to hint at him she will defend me. He made no movement to the action but still glared at the women he was fighting with earlier.

“So you weren’t paying attention to us?” He snickered. I turned to him for a moment. I felt sick in my stomach and my heart sunk. I did just ignore a man flaring in pain for the loss of his wife.

“No. The gaze of a child has caught my attention.” Donavin was taken aback by this comment. His eyes followed my gaze and turned to see the little boy with the horse. I walked to the boy and sat on my right knee and grinned. The boys eyes quivered and his arms wrapped around the horse tightly. He crossed his ankles and gazed down at his feet. I looked to the women sitting with him.

“This your son?” I asked the lady. She nodded. Sandra dropped her arm and watched me interact with the child. She wasn’t best with little ones and observes me when she can. I placed my hand between my legs and loosened my shoulders.

“What’s your name?” I asked the boy. My voice was sweet and light. Though his eyes were looking down, I kept my eyes on his. He changed his gaze and looked at his mother. She nodded with approval and he again looked at his feet.

“Toffur.”

“Hello, Toffur.” I shifted my weight and sat on both knees. I still kept my hands at center to the floor. I tilted my head and kept a calm collective attitude.

“Donavin is yelling. He lost his wife?” Toffur ponders. I nod. Toffur stood from his seat and looked at me. He must have been no more than seven years old. He started to grip the horse more so than before. I wasn’t sure of the boys intentions but he looked at me then at Donavin. He took a step toward Donavin and looked at his mother for a brief second. Sandra was hesitant and thought of his safety and went to place a hand on his shoulder. I put my hand on the seat Toffur was sitting at and attempted to push myself up. My legs were mostly bent still but I still raised my hand slightly to signify an ‘at ease’ motion. Sandra took the hint and let the boy continue to Donavin. I fully stood and watched carefully.

“Toffur know Donavin?” I asked his mother. She nodded in complete confirmation. “He looks up to him. He wants to fight as well, someday.”

So a warrior at heart, huh? I thought to myself. Toffur moved closer to Donavin with careful steps. Though his weight was not on his toes, he still stepped toe first. His eyes were sad and pained. Donavin could give any reaction to this boy’s action. The women he was fighting with from before turned around and stood with just as much wonder and curiosity as the rest of us. Everyone was in silence.

“Donny,” Toffur spoke. ”I miss her too.”

Donivan’s eyes began to water. He came down to one knee and looked at his biggest fan. Toffur had no clue why his world was gone. He has no clue why this happened to them. His mother spoke on the matter.

“His father died not too long before all of this happened. It’s probably still fresh in his head.” A tear streamed from her eyes as she placed her hand upon her head. The mother walked towards the women who fought with Donavin and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Jody, you are not alone. We have all lost someone because of our world being engulfed. I am the only one left in my family.” The women comforted the mother. Jody placed her hand on hers and smiled as if to say thank you.

“I only wish that no one else goes through the same fate. You think that’s possible, Morgan?” Jody asked aloud. I turned to her briefly and couldn’t make eye contact with either one. I closed my eyes for a moment and my shoulders dropped.

“You aren’t the first.” I replied. Before I could utter another word, Sandra spoke.

“Unfortunately, you won’t be the last.” I could sense in her voice a sense of stiffness. Not in a nasty tone in regards to our guests but as a hinder of pain and loss. She hadn’t lost anything but she could sense the hardened hearts and broken ones. Her tone laid heavy in my ear and hesitation to finish after her first word.

Donavin’s eyes widened and jaw dropped as he broke his stare with Toffur. His mind raced with the concept. Standing up, he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

“I can’t sugar coat this. I see no reason to play around and make it sound like it will be fluffy rainbow clouds and mystical beasts in the end. I am telling you up front. You may never see your land again. We never have in our line of work. That is why we do our best to provide for you our resources.” Sandra was steady this time and held her tone. Donavin was not accepting it. As if he was deaf to her words, he stomped towards Sandra.

Stay where you are. Sandra spoke in her mind to me. I flinched at the thought. I hadn’t noticed at first that Donavin had even made the attempt. I quickly turned and mentally prepped myself. What maneuver could I make? Could I pull Sandra out of the way? Maybe I could pull him away somehow? His face turned blood red and his eyes showed flames. His steps picked up and he was almost right in front of her face. By instinct, I took a step forward. I had prepped my tongue to speak but Toffur not only beat me to it but took the words away from me as well.

“NO!” Toffur yelled and grabbed Donavin by the waist. He hugged him, dragging his feet behind him. Donavin took a couple of steps but stopped and looked at Toffur once more.

“Please!” Snot came from Toffur’s nose as tears flowed on his face. “Why?!”

Donavin prepared himself.

“You have lost before.” He replied. Toffur looked down with his arms still wrapped around Donavin’s waist. He slammed his eyes shut and howled with pain as if stabbed. I suddenly felt my chest weigh on me. It caused me to clasp my chest and hiss. Sandra ran to me and looked at my eyes. Tears began to leak, for it was not pain of my own but the boys. I was feeling Toffur’s pain. It was over whelming. My throat began to swell making it hard to swallow. Donavin’s words hit him this hard? I thought to myself. Sandra embraced me in an attempt to calm me. We both knew it wouldn’t work but it’s always worth a shot.

“But Donny, I just…” He hesitated, for whatever reason he hesitated. Donavin’s eyes have not left the boy even as I had been struck with such pain. I looked at him over Sandra’s shoulder. He looked back as a mess with a desperate calling all throughout. I could feel what he wanted to say. I nodded. I tried to smile passed my pain. Go on Toffur. I attempted to tell him through my mind. He seemed shocked at first. He paused and stared at me. I winked and his eyes widened with great surprise. Gulping and taking in a deep breathe, he raised his tone in demand.

“… I just want you all to stop!”