“Unfortunately. I know you’ll be here for another two weeks for treatment. Valorie will check on you while I’m gone.”
“I can do that myself.”
“I know, but it will make me feel better knowing that Val is here for you. I may not be in range of cell service for a bit.”
“That sounds… odd.”
“I’ll bring you back a souvenir.”
“Oh! I have always wanted one of those little bobble heads in the airport stores.”
She laughed. “I will get you one.”
“When do you leave?”
“Two weeks.”
“I’m glad you’re getting to travel. I wish I could go with you.”
“I wish you could come too. I’ll miss you.”
“Take lots of pictures. When you get back, you can show me all the places that you’ve been to.”
“I’m looking forward to that.”
“Can you turn the volume up a little?”
“Sure. I love you dad.”
“Love you too, sweetheart.
Chapter 2
Vaelor
Vaelor of the Frostbound Clan stood on the icy mountain peak, gazing out over his beloved home world. Crytharia was a realm of cold and stone, a planet shaped by ice and endurance. Most of its people lived beneath the surface, carving their Clan-Settlements close to the planet’s warm core where life could survive.
The air was warmer than it should have been, carrying a faint unease he couldn’t name. Far below, blue-green lakes glittered like fractured crystals against the white expanse, beautiful and dangerous all at once. This was his world—harsh, resilient, and worth any price to protect.
There were two seasons. The Cold Season, which was the most brutal period on Crytharia. The surface temperatures plummet to their absolute lowest, making the frozen landscape nearly uninhabitable. During this time, the Frostbound Clan and other inhabitants must retreat deep into subterranean shelters to survive, relying on the warmth of the planet’s core.
The Warm Season offered a brief reprieve where the air became notably warmer than usual for the ice-covered world. It was the only time clans could safely venture to icy mountain peaks to look out over their lands or engage in activities on the surface before the intense cold returns. During this time hunting for fresh meat is the most prominent. The meat is prepared to last throughout the Cold Season.
Vaelor took a deep breath. He could detect the scent of melting ice and hear in the distances the faint sound of shifting ice panels breaking over the water. A few aerial creatures flew overhead, also searching for fresh food. There would be stews made from the fresh catch.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
He turned to face the speaker. Anchora was one of the clan’s elders, and an old family friend. She knew his struggles better than anyone.
“I have to.”
“There has to be another way.”
He sighed. “Crytharia is constantly under siege by other worlds and pirates. Joining the games will bring attention to our predicament and will help us finally be recognized and accepted into the Galactic Nations. The prize money will go a long way toward providing our planet with defenses and allow us to expand our Clan.”
“You’re our clan leader, let someone else go in your place.”
Shaking his head, he looked out over the mountains once more. “I have a blood debt, and I chose to use this as my penance.”
