12. Forever We'll Defend~ Part 1

"No one could outrun the crash.

It was all reduced to rubble, and then again to ash.

To the blinding, burning light, it's no use to fight.

There's no one out there."

I tried to control myself. Tried to still my rapidly beating heart, my pulse that quickened with every step as our small parade of teens and toddlers shuffled to the ships. I keep my wings behind me, folded tightly against my back. I can feel them quivering against my skin, but I control the rest of my body.

"We're okay, Seti," my brother says from beside me. He clasps my hand tightly while in his other arm he carried our younger brother Ishme. "We're gonna be okay."

Ishme has his head tucked into my brother's shoulder, and the older boy tucked his chin over the younger's light purple wisps of hair. 

The three of us are bathed in heat from the crowded bodies of other children. I lean into my older brother's shoulder, trying my hardest to keep calm like he is. It'd be easier if I didn't know what is happening.

"Caomh," I whisper urgently, and he tugs me closer to him. I can feel the layer of smooth scales of his shoulder, peeking out from beneath his wide-cut t-shirt. Pressing my cheek into the cool scales, I shut my eyes, but just until I hear the first round of screams.

Caomh spins, pulling me with him and forcing me to face the wall of fire rising up behind us. The children around us scatter in all directions, but Caomh, being older and wiser that the teens, has a different approach. He grips my hand tighter and we run. The flaming wall doesn't cease, and it sends plumes of smoke into the dark night sky, covering the glittering stars. Then Caomh surprises me by settling Ishme into my arms.

"Cao-"

My brother cups my cheek, his violet eyes staring into my gold. "I'll catch up, I promise. Go, Seti. You have wings. Get Ishme to the ships."

I look from him to the spaceships still arguably far away. Then Caohm pushes me forward.

"Go!"

I spread my wings wide in sudden fear of him and lift myself into the air. Ishme buries his face in my neck, and I look straight forward. Neither he nor I want to watch our older brother fade out of sight. 

I near the ships, seeing the scramble of women and children fighting to get in. I tuck my wings in and dip down to land, but as I do, the ground collapses beneath my feet. I clutch Ishme closer to me as the ground swallows the two of us up. I shut my eyes and fold my wings around our bodies, letting the darkness consume us.