The night had unleashed another blizzard that left Argos covered under a thick blanket of snow.
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The weather advisory read:
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WARNING! All citizens must remain indoors until further notice.
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But by the break of dawn, the urge to bolt outside and plaster each other with snow was too much for the children of Argos. After all, school had been cancelled—a special treat of the highest order.
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At quarter till seven, they had stormed into the woods to set off a complete riot. They chose captains and formed teams; each side drew battle plans and quickly manned their posts. Boys and girls alike made snowballs by the dozens, dumping them in large buckets that were hauled away by the older kids.
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Others took to the hills and trees to gear up their snowball launchers for what they called the Winter Wars. “ONE, TWO, THREE…FIRE!” shouted the captains as the two rival teams blasted each other with what looked like a magnificent hailstorm.
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For a brief moment, the children had forgotten that they were under military lockdown inside the Province of Argos.
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Of course, the military was always cautious not to call a citizen of Argos a prisoner. That wouldn’t sit well with the Watchers. Yet civilians were forbidden to do anything that was against military rules—and with Lieutenant Abner in charge of the security of the city—everything was prohibited.
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The Lieutenant was a tall, skeletal man with a dark beard and a pointed, crooked nose that nearly touched his chin when he smiled, which was rare. He called the citizens of Argos guests, yet he forbade them to leave the city without permission. He ordered all citizens to be in their cabins by six in the evening each day, and required them to bear an armlet to track them at all times. He would’ve made the kids wear them, too, were it not for the Watchers who ruled it illegal for the military to strap them on children.
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Actually, the word around the province was that Lieutenant Abner couldn’t possibly be more dull. He didn’t care to indulge in feasts or gatherings—and he certainly didn’t approve of the children’s ridiculous Winter Wars!
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Even so, when snow fell, the children constantly pleaded with their mothers to let them take part in the winter games, and many felt it was their duty to let them go. Hannah was one of those moms who found it completely absurd to tell her son, Simon, that he wasn’t allowed to play like a normal child.
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Hannah had dark red hair that reached down her narrow waist. She had retired from the armies of the Ninth Order recently—after having fought seven years in the War of Angels—a brutal battle between the Dark Legion and the Ninth Order.
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The conflict had taken a deep toll on planet Nibiru, especially on the soldiers and families of Argos. What was once a city full of life had been turned into a place of ruins. Thousands of families with children were forced to abandon their homes. Thousands more died fighting, while the living became displaced citizens in their own land.
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The Order had been successful defending against enemy insurgents in the last nine months. In fact, there hadn’t been any attacks in Argos since then—but the war was far from over.
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Hannah and Saphira sat quietly on their porch counting the minutes for their two boys to come home. Three long hours had passed yet the children were nowhere in sight, and with hordes of fretful moms swarming outside their cabin, the silence had utterly vanished.
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Saphira paced back and forth on her porch. “I told him. I told that Gadi not to leave,” she said. “If the Dark Legion—”
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“Saphira, let’s not assume what we don’t know. Agree?” said Hannah.
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“I swear, if that child isn’t back in five minutes, I’m going to smash open this stupid bracelet, find him, and give him a swift beating.”
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Hannah stood in front of Saphira, trying to stop her from pacing. “And then what? You’d risk going to jail for removing that silly device?”
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“Maybe.” Saphira walked back and forth even faster.
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“They’ll be home soon. They’re just kids having fun.”
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Saphira finally stood still.
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“You’re right. You’re always right, Hannah. I’m sure young Simon is perfectly fine, too. They’re good children, the two of them. But you know how trouble just seems to creep up on those boys.”
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Hannah grabbed Saphira by the arm. “Come, let’s go inside and get you some warm—”
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BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!
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A thundering explosion came roaring from the woods and shook the earth beneath the moms who were scurrying for cover like scattered ants, debris flying everywhere. They tried to brace themselves, but the force of the blast hurled them twenty feet into the air and plunged them to the ground as if they were disposable rag dolls.
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Saphira and the women landed by a hedge, buried under a mountain of snow, which had fallen from tall trees.
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Hannah lay nearby, a drop of blood running down her nose. Perched on her belly, she dug her knees and elbows into the ground, propelling herself toward Saphira and the others who were breaking their way out of heaps of snow.
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“Is everyone all right?” said Hannah.
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Shivering with fear, Saphira pointed toward the woods, where a rising white cloud of smoke slowly began to shape into what seemed like a giant mushroom.
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Terror sank inside Hannah’s heart. “Simon,” she whispered.
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She rose to her feet and ripped off her steel armlet as if it were a thin rubber band.
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“DO NOT FOLLOW ME,” Hannah warned Saphira. She fell on her knee, crouching like a Niberian tiger. Snow dust began to swirl around her, the earth beneath trembling. Then two glorious wings, each at least six feet wide, coiled behind her before snapping wide open.
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With great force, she thrust herself into the sky and took flight in search of Simon.