Thousands of years ago there was a single, blue sentient seed that floated through the Galaxy before finding purchase on an asteroid. It took hundreds of years for her to fully grow into a large blue tree and when she was at full size, the asteroid it was on became the center and her roots spread out to make a large planet. It was a few more hundred years before the tree created her first offspring, her Nabosians, who were each very gifted in their own ways. No two were alike, but they were all mentally connected with their mother and with each other. They all had a Link with one another, a mental connection that each needed to live and thrive. Without it, they would slowly perish.

As her children grew and thrived, so did she. But everything lives, and everything dies.

Thousands of years after the tree birthed a new life, she started wilting. The Nabosians new that it was only a matter of time before their Mother Tree finally shed her last leaf. They knew that once that happened, the planet of Nabos would descend into darkness and their people would die. But they didn't know that there was something else on the horizon. Something that could lead to the complete destruction of the Nabosian people, or a way for their line to continue.

Chapter One

A young looking girl sat in a field of blue flowers that swayed gently in a breeze that ruffled her long sky blue hair. A pale blue arm reached up and pulled the hair over her shoulder where she tied it up in a braid.

She had come to the field to relax. She had a horrible dream the night before, dreams of fire, screaming, and death. Vanarika, the Elder of the Nabosians, sometimes reached out to the young girl to talk to her about her dreams. But this is one she didn't want to speak of out loud. All of her dreams usually came true.

She sighed and collapsed onto the blue grass and breathed in the scent that was her home, the tangy scents of the krono fruit that the men were chopping up in the village drifted to her and she could smell the monka bread baking at Yibbiri's house not far from the center of their village. The noises of her people coming and going lulled the girl into a sense of calm as she relaxed against the grass and slipped into a light sleep.

"Why are you sleeping, child?"

The young girl jumped up and smoothed out her dress as she faced her Elder, Vanarika. "I was only resting my eyes, Elder."

The older woman looked at the girl with calculating eyes. Her blue wrinkles almost folding in on themselves as she moved. The Edlers topaz eyes studied the young girl before her before she nodded which had her navy blue hair fly around her face before settling gracefully on her shoulders.

"So you were. Anything new you wish to tell me? I could sense your uneasiness from the temple."

The girl couldn't help the wince that crossed her face, "I dreamed of fire, Elder."

"Walk with me, Panorakai."

The young girl, now identified as Panorakai followed the Elder as she walked back to the village. They passed by their family, a sea of different shades of blue, with smiles and small waves, walking by the stone homes that littered the village before they made it to the Temple of Wakina.

"Come and sit with me, child. I would like to know more about your dream."

Panorakai sat across from her Elder on the stone floor and it took her a moment to calm her racing thoughts before she spoke. "Would you like me to tell you, or show you?"

"However you feel most comfortable, child. I know showing through the Link can be hard for you."

"I wish to show you. I do not think that I can speak it out loud."

"So be it. Come here."

Panorakai moved as close as she could to the Elder before she closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, The familiar, warmth that Panorakai knows is the Elder responded and so she lets down the barriers of her mind and shows just what she glimpsed the night before.

Fire rained down from the sky as screaming echoed throughout the village. Bodies of their kin lay strewn about and their Mother Tree was burning in the distance. Glancing around, the Elders body was easy to pick out in the mess and that brought fresh tears to the young girls eyes.

"Exterminate!"

Panorakai gasped as she opened her eyes to see the Elder staring at her with a hard expression on her face. One that the young girl had never seen before.

"Have you told anyone if this dream?"

"No, Elder. Just you."

"So be it. I will speak to the council and we will decide what to do with what you have shown me."

Elder Vanarika stood up and began to walk away, Panorakai stood and quickly followed, "What would you have me do instead? I can start getting supplies together and we can move north. Maybe that will alter something."

The Elder paused before glancing back at the young girl before her, the last to be born. "That will not be necessary. I shall find you when I need you again. Until then, go about your day."

Panorakai wanted to say something more but the small push in her head told her that the Elder wouldn't stand for that right now. "Yes, Elder."

0o0o0

Days passed with Panorakai lingering around the temple. But the Council hadn't left at all. Their minds closed tightly to any prying minds and nothing was heard outside of the walls.

She spent the first day sitting in the fields until she got bored and went back to her small home.

The second day was spent drawing out faces she kept seeing in her dreams, though she mostly remembered the man large ears and nose and a pink and yellow woman. There were more faces, but those two stood out the most.

The third day was spent anxiously cleaning her home, even though it was already clean. She decided to even dust the roof. She was very anxious.

But on the fourth day, the Elder approached her in the field and gave her a small nod, "Come with me, Panorakai."

She stood immediately and followed the Elder back to the temple. They walked into a part of the temple that Panorakai had never been in.

"Where are we going, Elder?"

Without looking back the Elder responded, "You will come in front of the council."

Panorakai's breath got caught in her throat. Only council members were allowed in this part of the temple. "Have I done something wrong?"

"Of course not, child. The council has deliberated and we have come to the conclusion that you have a decision to make."

"A decision, Elder?"

"We must not speak of it here. Come, we shall speak with the council."

Panorakai followed the Elder through the village and into the temple. She was lead down hallways that she had never been down before.

After few minutes, they came to an archway which opened up into a large golden room. In the middle of the room, there was a round table where nine of the council members sat in their golden robes that complimented their wide array of blue skin tones. The golden room had runes carved into them that Panorakai couldn't understand and as she tried to get a better look at them, someone cleared their throat.

"You have witnessed things in your dreams that the council has feared will come to pass." Elder Tahmuhn said as he stood up and beckoned Panorakai closer. "We have known about our impending visitors for years."

Shock flooded her mind as she opened and closed her mouth a few times, "Then we must do something! They will kill us all! I have dreamt of the deaths of everyone in the village! No one lives."

"One shall live," Elder Ferzon said with a nod of her head, her greens eyes almost unseeing as she looked at the wall.

"I've not seen anyone survive." Panorakai made eye contact with each of the council members before dread filled her stomach and she truly understood what they were saying. She had a decision to make. She did. Elder Ferzon saw her live.

With that thought, Elder Ferzon nodded, "You have a decision to make, child. We have means to send you away. Away from the death and destruction that is to come. There is more that you must do out in the universe. Your life doesn't have to end here."

"But-but I would die the moment you all did! The Link-"

"Can be saved, you will find a way, you're life can continue on with a new journey. It won't be an easy one, but it will be a fulfilling one." Elder Ferzon spoke with more strength in her voice that Panorakai had ever heard.

"You wish for me to go?" They brought her into the councils meeting room, they didn't want anyone else to hear what was being talked about.

Elder Vanarika grabbed onto Panorakai's hand and looked into her eyes, "We have been shown what you could do, they countless lives you could save. You do not need to make your decision right this moment. Go back to your home tonight and we will summon you when you're ready to give your answer."

Panorakai nodded and pat Elder Vanarika's hand before turning around and walking away.

0o0o0

She stayed in her home for over a week, only leaving to get food before locking herself back inside. The visions that plagued her dreamstate were getting worse. But there was a man in quite a few of them, sometimes he had the big ears and nose but sometimes he had another face. She could always tell it was him though, there was something in his eyes. No matter what the face looked like, there was something in his eyes that seemed to sear itself onto her soul.

She knew what her decision was, even though it pained her to think about it. There was something out there that she needed to do. So she reached out with her mind to fine Elder Vanarika and when she got a response she took a breath and walked out of her home and towards the temple.

As she walked, she let her mind reach out and feel the happiness of her people as they went about their daily lives, unaware of what was to come. She kept those thoughts locked down as she embraced the positive feelings that were flowing from their minds into hers.

"That will only hurt you, child."

Panorakai looked up into Elder Vanarika's eyes and could only smile sadly.

They walked together further into the temple until they reached the councils chambers where they rest of the council members were waiting for her decision.

"This is my home and every living being on this planet is family. I have spent the last week thinking about what was spoken last when I was in this room and I don't think it is fair to put this decision on me. I would be saying goodbye to everyone I have ever cared for and then to feel as everyone dies, I don't see how I could happily move on from that."

Elder Ferzon nodded and stood up, "We have known about our future for many years now, have known what part you will come to play in the universe. We discussed it a great deal before you were ever brought into our presence. If we had not agreed about what you will come to play in the universe then you would not have been brought before us."

"So you all wish for me to leave?"

"For the first few years we spent months in this room, trying to figure out how to save our people. But Mother Tree is dying, this we have known for years. This is something everyone knows. And every possible plan we could think of would make the fate of our people worse. Everything has it's time and everything dies. We are coming to our end, but there is hope that we can all continue on through you. We know your future, we have all seen it. Though there will be great sadness, happiness will be there waiting for you when least expect it. You will find a family in a time of war that will bring a new light into your life."

She knew what Elder Ferzon was saying was true, she couldn't feel a shred of lies as Elder Ferzon opened her mind up. Panorakais's mind was flooded with the visions that Elder Ferzon had seen and it was true, no matter what they chose to do everyone would die.

She opened her eyes as tears fell down her face and took a deep breath, "I will go."

"Then you must go now, Child." Elder Vanarika said as she grabbed Panorakai's hand and started draggin her out of the council room.

"Now? I thought I had time?"

"There is no time to spare. We have been ignoring the signs, waiting for you to start seeing in your dreams what was to come. The enemy is near."

"Elder-"

"No, your mind shall stay focussed on your path. We have acquired a ship for one, for you. You will grab your belongings and you will be departing today."

"But, I still have so many questions!"

Elder Vanarika grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room as the other Elders stood and began to walk out as well. Panorakai heard it then, the council was reaching out to everyone. They were telling them what was happening. The fear, panic, and some acceptable almost brought her to her knees but Elder Vanarika kept her on her feet.

"They will all understand, nothing is hidden now. We know our fate but yours is much more important. You will be the flame in the darkness, the one that is needed. You're more important than you know and that is why you must live."

They arrived at Panorakai's house and she could only stand in shock as items were thrown into a bag for her. She was once again grabbed and her mind wouldn't stop racing as she was pulled through the village and into the center of the town.

Panorakai was surprised to see everyone there, looking at her. As she walked by them they brushed their hands against her arms and she could feel their farewells. The ship they were talking about was now in the middle of town, silver, shiny, and nothing like she had ever seen before.

Elder Ferzon walks towards the crowd and holds her hands out, "We say farewell to one of our own, we all know what is coming for us and we have reached our through our Link and everyone agrees, our light must survive. Panorakai, you will be the last of our race. Mother Tree is dying and we all will not be here for much longer. It is time for the universe to move on without our planet, but not for it to move on without our race. We shall survive in the youngest of our race. You are our future even though we will not be around to see it. We all know this will be a hard, extraordinary adventure for you and we want to make sure that you will be around when you're needed. So we offer you a gift, a gift of life. The council will be bestowing you extra time on your journey by giving you some of our life force."

Panorakai looked at the Elders in shock and could only stand there feeling numb as Elder Ferzon continued, "Without the Link, Panorakai wouldn't make it very long. So we offer up our life force to sustain you until your new Link if formed."

Elder Ferzon held her hands out further and closed her eyes as the other council members joined her, then one by one the rest of the village, her family, lift their arms and Panorakai felt a surge enter her body. It was exhilarating and painful all at the same time and she couldn't help the tears that fell down her face as he family bestowed their Lives upon her.

"Go into your next adventure, knowing you will live, you will be a light that will be needed."

Elder Vanarika walked to Panorakai and grabbed her hand, for the last time. "It is time for you to go, child." She leaned forward and kissed Panorakai's forehead, "Though we will not be with you, we shall remain in your heart."

The village began to sing the Song of Goodbyes and tears filled her eyes as the doors to the ship opened.

"It is time for you to leave. But do not mourn for long, we are with you always. Remember that everything has it's time and ours is now. There is nothing wrong with that, it is just the way the universe works. The ship is programmed to take you to Earth so remember us with fondess, child. Do not forever wallow in the pain."

"Yes, Elder. I will try."

"Good. Now go, run and see the universe."

"Goodbye."

Panorakai slowly stepped onto the ship and gasped at seeing all the buttons and lights that were inside. She reached up and gently stroked the light on the ceiling, marveling at how bright and hot it was. The door closed behind her and she sat on the seat up front before the buttons lit up more and the ship jerked as she was taken off of her planet and into a new adventure.

0o0o0

She wasn't sure how long she had been flying. Time seemed strange while surrounded by the stars she she had marked each time she had slept and her journal was filled. Every now and again her ship would do a strange little jerk, freeze, and then jerk again. when she had looked out at the stars after one such event, they seemed to be different stars entirely.

It was after one such event that she felt it, the emptiness. She collapsed onto her chair and and screamed as she reached out with her mind only to hear screaming. She jerked up and felt the tears pour as she reached out for one of the Elders but only got silence instead. For hours she sat there reaching out and listening as her family perished.

She sat numbly in her chair trying to remember each and every single one of them. The sound of their voices and the way they smelled as the hugged her. The words of love and acceptance that were spread. They were gone. All of them.