Read Online Kastori Revelations (The Kastori Chronicles Book 1) by Stephen Allan - Free Book Online
Authors: Stephen Allan
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to change.
“There’s a giant monster that hunts at night, Cyrus,” Celeste said. “It’s terrifying. It’s probably triple the size of the ship. At least.”
Cyrus paused, his back to them, and slowly turned to face the two women. His face looked grim, and Celeste felt the hot rush of panic hit her—if he felt this way…
“You’re telling me… there’s a creature that can destroy this ship by itself… and it comes out at night?”
Celeste grimly nodded. Crystil displayed no emotion, but Celeste could feel her tension.
Cyrus looked at both of them, bit his lip, and burst out laughing.
“Oh man, Celeste, I have to give you props, that’s a good one, I almost believed it with Crystil’s face! Is this revenge for all of the stories I made up? I bet you even have some sound effects for this monster!”
“Cortanus,” Crystil said.
Celeste turned to the display on Cyrus’ wall, which showed a replay of the previous night with the creature’s low roar. Cyrus’ laugh, which had started in response to a presumed joke, continued but quickly became a defense mechanism for the truth.
“Hahaha, oh man. We’re dead.”
He bowed his head, mumbling to himself as Crystil ended the replay. Seeing it again, Celeste wondered if she’d exaggerated the creature’s features. Even if so, the creature could crush them with its feet.
“We are if you think like that,” Crystil said. “Don’t make any assumptions. Maybe the creature will never notice us and won’t care. In the meantime, get ready. We’re going outside.”
Celeste perked up at the chance to finally leave the ship.
“Do we need any protection? Like for the atmosphere or anything like that? Just wondering since breathing might be tough and—”
“Shouldn’t be,” Crystil said, heading back to her quarters. “However, go to the armory by the training room before heading out. Grab some weapons just in case. Better to have an unfired gun than a bloodied body if we run into anything predatory.”
Celeste didn’t want the first moment contaminated by a reminder of Monda’s annihilation but could not find the counterargument.
She also knew she had to stop finding counterarguments. She told herself, walking to the armory, that she had to get more comfortable with war and fighting. If fights come here, have to fight. Nowhere else to run. Dad’s army can’t protect. Crystil can’t do it alone. Be strong, Celeste. Own the gun.
She walked up the armory and waited for authorization. After fifteen seconds, Cortanus permitted her entrance, her first into the armory. To her left, five rows of twenty pistols lined the wall. To its right, higher caliber rifles, ten per rack, ran up the wall. In the center of the room shotguns, grenade launchers, and RPGs rested. And finally, to Celeste’s right, various knives, swords, and protective armor covered the racks. She began to think she had to sleep in the armory before she could come to grips with war’s equipment.
“Hahaha, beautiful,” Cryus said as he walked behind Celeste, heading straight for the assault rifles.
He gently brushed his hand over it, almost caressing the metal of the weapon.
“I’ve gotten rather sick of shooting at imaginary creatures and practicing sword fights against Crystil. I’m ready to blow things up! It’s been too long.”
“Cyrus!” Celeste said, yanking his arm. “You don’t get unlimited ammo in real life. If you want to blow things up, use a sword and pretend you have magic.”
He grunted but stepped away from the gun.
“She’s right, Cyrus,” Crystil said, standing in the doorway. “Don’t shoot unless something attacks you. But, Celeste, imaginary playtime is over. We aren’t magicologists, thankfully.”
Cyrus gleefully grabbed an assault rifle and a clip, and Celeste begrudgingly followed. With the eyes of Crystil on her, Celeste attempted to display strength and confidence in holding her gun. Crystil followed without a word, grabbing her
“There’s a giant monster that hunts at night, Cyrus,” Celeste said. “It’s terrifying. It’s probably triple the size of the ship. At least.”
Cyrus paused, his back to them, and slowly turned to face the two women. His face looked grim, and Celeste felt the hot rush of panic hit her—if he felt this way…
“You’re telling me… there’s a creature that can destroy this ship by itself… and it comes out at night?”
Celeste grimly nodded. Crystil displayed no emotion, but Celeste could feel her tension.
Cyrus looked at both of them, bit his lip, and burst out laughing.
“Oh man, Celeste, I have to give you props, that’s a good one, I almost believed it with Crystil’s face! Is this revenge for all of the stories I made up? I bet you even have some sound effects for this monster!”
“Cortanus,” Crystil said.
Celeste turned to the display on Cyrus’ wall, which showed a replay of the previous night with the creature’s low roar. Cyrus’ laugh, which had started in response to a presumed joke, continued but quickly became a defense mechanism for the truth.
“Hahaha, oh man. We’re dead.”
He bowed his head, mumbling to himself as Crystil ended the replay. Seeing it again, Celeste wondered if she’d exaggerated the creature’s features. Even if so, the creature could crush them with its feet.
“We are if you think like that,” Crystil said. “Don’t make any assumptions. Maybe the creature will never notice us and won’t care. In the meantime, get ready. We’re going outside.”
Celeste perked up at the chance to finally leave the ship.
“Do we need any protection? Like for the atmosphere or anything like that? Just wondering since breathing might be tough and—”
“Shouldn’t be,” Crystil said, heading back to her quarters. “However, go to the armory by the training room before heading out. Grab some weapons just in case. Better to have an unfired gun than a bloodied body if we run into anything predatory.”
Celeste didn’t want the first moment contaminated by a reminder of Monda’s annihilation but could not find the counterargument.
She also knew she had to stop finding counterarguments. She told herself, walking to the armory, that she had to get more comfortable with war and fighting. If fights come here, have to fight. Nowhere else to run. Dad’s army can’t protect. Crystil can’t do it alone. Be strong, Celeste. Own the gun.
She walked up the armory and waited for authorization. After fifteen seconds, Cortanus permitted her entrance, her first into the armory. To her left, five rows of twenty pistols lined the wall. To its right, higher caliber rifles, ten per rack, ran up the wall. In the center of the room shotguns, grenade launchers, and RPGs rested. And finally, to Celeste’s right, various knives, swords, and protective armor covered the racks. She began to think she had to sleep in the armory before she could come to grips with war’s equipment.
“Hahaha, beautiful,” Cryus said as he walked behind Celeste, heading straight for the assault rifles.
He gently brushed his hand over it, almost caressing the metal of the weapon.
“I’ve gotten rather sick of shooting at imaginary creatures and practicing sword fights against Crystil. I’m ready to blow things up! It’s been too long.”
“Cyrus!” Celeste said, yanking his arm. “You don’t get unlimited ammo in real life. If you want to blow things up, use a sword and pretend you have magic.”
He grunted but stepped away from the gun.
“She’s right, Cyrus,” Crystil said, standing in the doorway. “Don’t shoot unless something attacks you. But, Celeste, imaginary playtime is over. We aren’t magicologists, thankfully.”
Cyrus gleefully grabbed an assault rifle and a clip, and Celeste begrudgingly followed. With the eyes of Crystil on her, Celeste attempted to display strength and confidence in holding her gun. Crystil followed without a word, grabbing her
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