Cause and effect. It is impossible to be sure what consequences our actions will have. We can only do our best to estimate the outcome. No one can know the future, because it is uncertain. Molded not only by the choices that we make, but the choices of others. Sometimes, we are doomed before we begin. What other way is there to account for the lost lives of children who were never given a chance to make decisions, to live their rightful time?

A monorail hummed silently along its singular track, unaware of the majestic vista above which is sailed. The view wasn’t lost on the passengers, however. Hundreds of feet below crashed the waves of an azure ocean that stretched out to the horizon. The monorail track’s base plummeted deep under the water, lodged unseen in the ocean floor below. Looking out the opposite window from the ocean revealed an equally beautiful view, verdant forests lining an untouched valley of red stone. The foliage effectively covered the ruins of some lost people who had once settled in the valley. It had long been uninhabited.

Out of one of the windows peered the hopeful eyes of a teenage boy, with shortly shaved black hair and pale skin. The chance to get out of the city was enough to fill him with joy, he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, after all. His mouth was stuck in a wide smile, unflinching, as his eyes darted from one thing to another.

Less pleased than the boy was the girl sitting next to him, several years younger, with auburn hair put up in pigtails. She had her arms crossed over her chest and her lips were pursed.

“It won’t be too much longer, Dory.” A comforting voice reassured her.

Dory shook her head petulantly, ‘soon’ wasn’t good enough. “I don’t feel good.” She said, looking hopefully at her mother, who sat across from the siblings.

“Just motion sickness. I used to get it the same way.” The woman had similarly auburn hair, long and tied back in a ponytail, though her bangs were left forward to frame her face. She had lightly tanned skin, matching Dory’s, and just by looking, you would be forgiven for assuming she wasn’t related to the boy with the black hair and pale skin. Around her neck rested a simple leather cord, hanging from which were three long ivory fangs.

Dory just stared at the floor, arms crossed tightly.

“Dominic, why don’t you take your sister to the bathroom?” The woman asked, glancing over to the distracted boy.

“I don’t want to miss any of this. We never get out of the city.” Dom didn’t turn away from the window as he spoke. “Besides, I’m not her babysitter.”

Dory responded by sticking her tongue out at her brother. “I didn’t want your help anyway.”

“Good, because you weren’t gonna get it.” Dominic laughed, and he returned his full attention to the view outside. It was a sunny day, and the ocean was glimmering like a sea of gemstones. It was the first time he had seen the ocean.

“You’re going to have to help keep an eye on your sister a little bit during the trip, Dominic.” Their mother reminded him, but he barely heard it. “When we get there, we’ll go check into the hotel first, then we can go take a look around, find a place to eat dinner. I’ll need you to help make sure Dory doesn’t get lost in the crowds.”

Dom just waved his hand dismissively behind his head.

“I’ll remind you again later.” His mother said, and then she turned to Dory. “Do you want to go to the bathroom now? Once we arrive, it might be a few minutes before we’ll have time.”

Dory nodded enthusiastically and practically jumped out of her seat. Taking her mother’s hand, they started off down the aisle together towards the bathroom.

Dom spent the next several minutes surveying the ocean in peaceful silence. Eventually, the view got a little old, so he turned and sat properly in his seat. Rustling through his backpack, he found that none of the books or games he brought seemed interesting, so he left them where they were and looked to the inside of the train car for entertainment.

The car they were in was regular fare, so there wasn’t too much to see. Families going on vacation, business people doing business things. One particular passenger did catch his attention. It was an Indicia, sitting on the far end of the car, opposite him. Indicia weren’t uncommon, but this one didn’t seem to be with a Collar or Vassal. It was just a cream colored kangaroo, sitting in a seat by himself, reading the contents of a yellow folder.

Dom couldn’t help but stare for a moment at the kangaroo. Someday, he planned to be a Collar, and he found himself wondering what his Indicia would be like. Powerful and fierce like his father’s? Or cold and calculating? The kangaroo did look intelligent, and he also looked thick enough to fight in close quarters. Maybe his Indicia would be well rounded like that.

His heart skipped a beat when the kangaroo looked up from the folder and they made eye contact. He knew staring was rude, and he should look away, but he didn’t. They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment, the kangaroo smiled, and then looked back down into the folder.

Dominic was only fourteen years old, it would still be a few years before he could apply for an Indicia. He had pleaded with his mother to attend the CC school at the Registry, but she wouldn’t have any of it. Given how her husband had died, it was understandable. He had considered on a few occasions running away to the Registry, but he always decided against it. It didn’t matter, it wouldn’t take him long to catch up to the training the Collar Candidates received in school. He was going to be one of the best. Just like his father.

Looking around, he began to wonder where his mother and Dory had gotten off to. It shouldn’t take so long to go to the bathroom. Maybe there was a line, it had been a long trip. He looked over the back of the seat, towards the little bathroom nook in the rear of the car. A small sign proclaimed it was “Out of Order”. So they must have gone to the bathroom in a different car.

Dom’s train of thought was suddenly derailed by a flickering of the light in the car. Looking out the window, he could see a large shadow blocking out the sun over the train. He swiveled quickly in his seat and crawled to the window to get a better look outside. The train car shuddered lightly. Glancing upward, he couldn’t see what was casting the shadow at the angle he had. He pulled the window open and stuck his head out, looking fully up towards the sky.

His ears hurt as a powerful, otherworldly screech echoed through the valley. Above, he could see a massive black form, shaped vaguely like a bird, with a narrow front and back, and a wider mid section that resembled wings. The wings didn’t flap, and there was no visible face, head, or distinct limbs. Instead, the bird shaped creature simple floated through the sky, mocking reality as it did so. The sight and sound together were unsettling. Dominic pulled his head back inside the train and tugged the window shut.

The other passengers in the train had begun to panic as a worried murmur filled the previously quiet car. A quick glance around revealed that the kangaroo had disappeared. If the creature outside was a Thrall, maybe he had gone to fight it. Dominic felt a swell of pride in his chosen future profession. That pride was shortly replaced by fear as the train car shook again. A monorail attendant motioned for everyone’s attention.

“If everyone could please calmly make their way to the front car. It is the largest, and can move faster if we detach the other cars.” He explained, motioning towards the door in a large sweeping gesture.

But Dory and their mother had gone backwards, to a car further back. Dominic couldn’t go to the front car without going back to get them first. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and stood up. The car shook again, and out the window, he saw a flash of silver light. A Collar must have been on the train after all. The main cabin lights shut off, and were replaced by Lightglass structures, forming glowing orange arrows pointing to the front of the car.

Dominic ignored the instructions of these arrows and made his way to the back of the car. Just to be sure, he jiggled the handle of the out of order bathroom door, and it swung open to reveal it was indeed empty. The next car was attached directly to the back of the one he was in, so he slid the door open manually and stepped through. He had to stand aside to allow a river of people to flow past, no doubt making their way to the front car like he should have been.

He kept his eyes peeled for his mother and sister in the crowd, but he didn’t see them passing him. When the aisle was clear enough, he took a few steps forward, trying to look at the bathroom nook in the back of this car. Sure enough, he saw his mother tapping on the bathroom door. She was saying something, but she was too far away to hear.

“Mom!” He called out, and she looked his way, hiding the worry on her face.

“Go to the front car, Dominic! We’ll be right there!” She shouted, waving him away.

Outside the window, more silver flashes lit the sky. The Thrall was moving away from the

monorail. More flashes. The Thrall turned and was angling itself back towards the train now. Towards the car they were standing in. Dominic shouted, but he didn’t hear anything. He started to run forward, the wrong direction of course, but it was all he could think to do. His mother shouted as well, and again he heard nothing. She started to run towards the front of the car. They both made it about two steps before the Thrall tore through the side of the train.

The world tumbled and grew bright as the train car was torn in half. Dom lost his grip on his backpack and it went flying as the monorail was thrown off the track. He saw the bright sky above, but it wasn’t shining bright for him anymore. Pain filled him as he tumbled around the mangled, falling train car. There was a heavy shudder and a strong jerk as the car stopped falling. There was a loud groan of metal as the half of the car he was in swayed precariously, hanging from the next car, which was still mostly on the track.

Dominic sputtered and coughed as he stared up at the sky. He had landed on the back of

one of the seats, that was why he hadn’t fallen like the other half of the car. Panic engulfed him as he scrambled onto his hands and knees, looking out over the edge. Far below, he could see the azure of the ocean, waiting to swallow him. It was splashing around the rear half of the train car already, the metal box sinking quickly under the water. Shards of metal, people’s luggage, and even bodies littered the water as well.

Dory and his mother were gone. He felt his stomach climbing into his mouth, ready to empty over the edge, but he knew there wasn’t time for that. He still had a chance to climb up to the sturdier cars. Based on the sway, he wasn’t sure how much longer the hanging car would last.

“Mom? Dory?!” He called out into the valley below, not expecting a response, but he couldn’t leave without asking.

“Dominic? Are you okay?!” He heard his mother call, and his hope was renewed.

“I’m fine! Where are you?” He shouted, trying to locate the source of her voice.

“I’m...hanging off the edge down here. Can you get to me?” She shouted in reply, and he leaned over the edge of the seat, looking down at the very bottom of the car. Hanging on the back of the last seat was a set of hands.

Without thinking, Dominic slid his feet over the edge of the seat he was perched on, and carefully lowered himself down to the next seat. In this way, he was able to slowly and carefully climb all the way to the end of the car. He was sweating heavily and he still felt like he was going to vomit. When he reached the last seat, he dropped to his hands and knees and reached for his mother’s wrists.

“Mom, where’s Dory?” He asked, trying to pull her up to the seat, but it was difficult, especially with sweaty palms.

She took a moment to answer. “Don’t worry about that right now.” Her voice cracked as she finished speaking, and she fought back a sob.

Dominic pulled as hard as he could, but she was slipping away. His arms were already tired from the tumble and climb down. Every time he thought he was making progress, his arms would give out and he had to give some slack just to avoid dropping her altogether.

“You can do this, Dominic.” His mother reassured him, but he was starting to doubt it.

“I can’t do it. I’m not strong enough.” He said, even as he lifted with all of his strength.

“Dom, you wanted to be a Collar someday. Do you still want to?” She asked, and though he wasn’t sure what it had to do with anything, he nodded firmly.

“I do.”

“Then there is one more thing we can try.” She said, and her wrists started to slip through Dominic’s grasp.

She couldn’t hold on much longer, her hands were cramping up. As she began to fall, she moved as fast as she could, grabbed the leather cord from around her neck and yanked it up, snapping the back of it, and held it up to Dominic. He reached out frantically and managed to get the leather in his left hand. The leather wouldn’t hold, so they only had seconds. Dom’s right hand could only hold onto his mother’s slipping left wrist for another moment.

Dominic blinked, and when he opened his eyes, he fell backwards. He was no longer holding onto his mother’s hands and he was no longer dangling from the side of the monorail track. Instead, he was in a dark wasteland, and it appeared to be night time. The entire world was tinted a dark blue, and there was no sound other than his own breathing. What appeared to be mountains jutted into the blue sky in the distance. Blue dust swirled around kicked up by a silent wind.

“Hello?” He called out, and his voice echoed into the distance.

He turned around, called out again, and still received no response. In the distance, he could see what appeared to be a small hut made out of mud and straw, possibly in front of a small campsite. Remembering that he only had seconds to save his mother, he felt compelled to move fast, even if he didn’t know entirely what was going on. With a swift jog, he approached the hut.

A fire pit situated in front of a simple hut with no other real furniture. No camping equipment, no bed, no food. It was just an empty hut and a fire pit with no fire. He stared into the empty hut and spoke again.

“Hello?”

“What the Hell do you think you are doing?” was the snarled response. It came from behind him.

“I’m...not sure.” Dominic said, turning around slowly.

In the dark, on the far side of the fire pit, he could see two glowing yellow eyes. He could also hear ragged breathing in accompaniment.

“Then get the Hell out of my home.” The voice snarled again.

“I’m looking for help.” Dominic pleaded, stepping towards the glowing yellow eyes, against his better judgment.

“This is not the place you come looking for help,” growled the voice, and the growl grew louder the closer Dominic got.

“My mother, my mom is going to fall.” He said, and he remembered that Dory was already gone. No matter what, he had to rescue his mother. No matter what it took.

“Do I look like a safety net?” The eyes blinked, and when they opened, they were several feet closer.

Dom took a few steps back instinctively, and he was glad he did, because the fire pit suddenly burst into life. In the new light of the fire, he could make out the form of a massive wolf standing on four legs.

“No, you don’t. Your name is...Tyloki.” Dominic whispered, trying to remember what he knew. It wasn’t much.

“So you have heard of me.” The wolf said, “If you know what is good for you, you will walk away now.”

“I haven’t just heard of you. You were my father’s Indicia. He died a long time ago, but I still met you a few times. When I was a kid.” Dominic explained.

“You are still a kid. A kid I do not remember ever meeting.” The wolf walked forward, and Dominic didn’t back away. When they were standing face to face, the wolf raised a paw, placed it firmly on Dominic’s chest, and shoved the boy to the ground.

As Dom tried to crawl away from the massive wolf looming above him, the creature pinned him down with a hefty paw on his chest. The wolf’s muzzle was pressed against the boy’s chest, and he inhaled deeply. “Indicia go through so many humans, it’s hard to give value to any particular one, much less their insufferable offspring.” The creature leaned down and whispered in Dom’s ear. “So many pets, just buried in the ground.”

“That’s horrible to say. People aren’t just pets.” Dominic stammered, turning his head away from the imposing wolf.

“But I do recognize that smell.” Tyloki’s muzzle twisted into a grin, and he licked his lips. “Pets like your father. He was a decent warrior, but in a few decades, I’ll have forgotten him completely.”

“He was a great warrior, and I want to be just like him.” Dominic said defensively.

“Oh, you should not strive to be like him.” The wolf looked up and down at the boy, taking in his body. “Well, you should not strive to do anything requiring strength.”

“I’ll be strong one day. I just need help now. We’re wasting time. My mom is going to die. Please, you were my father’s Indicia, and you were important enough that my mom held onto your totem all this time.” Dominic tried to reason with the wolf.

“She kept my totem because I told her I did not want any new Collars.” Tyloki said with a grunt. “Which she clearly did not understand.”

“So you do remember.” Dominic stammered hopefully.

“I remember. But he was not good enough. And you, you’ve got nothing to offer me.” Tyloki said, stepping back from the boy.

“I can fight. I can be a warrior, like you want.” Tears were starting to well up in Dom’s eyes.

“No.” Tyloki said flatly. “You can not be. You are a child.”

“When I grow up, I’ll be stronger.” Dominic pleaded.

“And what in the meantime? I can not get any use out of you.” Tyloki spoke with a lewd tone in his voice as he said the word “use”.

“I make great warriors greater. I do not waste my time making mediocre...pups less mediocre.”

“How can you say I’m mediocre? You don’t know me.” Dom spat back, defensively.

The big wolf laughed at the pathetic retort, lifting the paw that pinned the boy down, “Hit me.”

“What?” Dom took the opportunity to scramble to his feet.

“Prove you are not the pathetic pup I think you are. Hit me. Show me there is even a hint of warrior in you. One free shot.”

Dominic stared at the wolf, unmoving. He couldn’t actually argue that he was a warrior. He’d never been in a fight before. He didn’t know how to throw a proper punch.

“Weak. Untrained. Dull. And unable to follow directions. Mediocre was far too kind a word to use on you, Great Warrior. You must want your mother to die.”

Frustrated with the situation, worried that he was running out of time, each word that Tyloki spoke stung worse than the last. The anger that was building swelled violently at the wolf’s last words, and Dominic lashed out, stepping forward, throwing his fist as hard as he could at the wolf’s muzzle.

Tyloki watched the boy’s temper rise, the seething anger boiling within, the blaze waiting to be unleashed. The wolf didn’t even flinch from the uncoordinated strike.

“Hit me.” The wolf snarled louder, baring his fangs, a living fire dancing in his eyes.

Dominic wound up and struck at the wolf again, his second punch no more coordinated than his first.

The wolf dipped his head easily under the blow, springing forward to shoulder check the boy. Dom, already off balance from his punch, stumbled backwards a few steps before falling down.

A wall of fire erupted around the fallen human, encircling his prone form. The flames blazed higher with every step of the wolf’s approach. His face parting the flames as he walked through the fire untouched, not a fur singed or out of place, his predatory gaze leering down with disdain and contempt.

Dominic once again tried to crawl backwards, away from the wolf, but he found the blaze behind him blocked his path. He turned to face the wolf head on, but the fire in Tyloki’s eyes was enough to fill his stomach with fear. He averted his gaze to the ground.

One paw reached toward the boy, making first contact on his leg and slowly trailing his claws up along the boy’s form, almost sensual in the way he brushed over the trembling body until he reached the human’s chest, pressing his weight down to pin the child once more as he leaned closer to the runt, burning eyes only inches away from fearful human ones. A low growling voice spoke slowly and clearly. “You are useless to me. You are unwanted. You are not good enough to be a pet. That makes you just a pest.”

“I just need you to help me.” Dominic whimpered. “What’s the point of having so much power if you won’t use it to help someone?”

“I am not your protector. I am not your safety net. I am not your servant. You humans need to learn to clean up your own mess. If you were not such a weakling you could lift your mother up yourself. Why do you need me? Because you are lazy. Because you are a spoiled runt. Because you are weak. Because you are useless, you want me to give you a use.”

“I’m not lazy!” Dominic shouted, though he still couldn’t bring himself to make eye contact.

The big wolf head laughed as it lowered, sniffing around the pinned body. “You smell nothing of hard work, training, or sacrifice. You have had no need to work or fight for anything in your life, have you? This is your punishment.”

“Punishment? I haven’t had a chance to do anything yet. How can I be punished for that?”

“Every day you squandered was a chance to prepare. You have thrown them all away living like livestock instead of a wolf.”

“I...”  Dominic didn’t have the words to respond.

“Tell me I am wrong.” The wolf challenged, glaring directly in the boy’s face.

“It’s not fair.” The boy responded, finally looking up into the wolf’s eyes. “That’s not fair.”

“Fair? You want fair? You traveled to another realm to beg for help to fight that which is fair. Letting your mother plummet to her death, like any other accident in the world. That would be fair. Is it my responsibility to prevent every death in your world? You do not want fair at all, do you?”

“It won’t be an accident if you don’t help me. You’ll be killing her.”

“Your weakness sentenced her to death. Just because I may be the only one who can save her from you, does not make it my duty. That would not be fair.” The wolf explained, lips curled in sadistic enjoyment of using the boy’s own words against him.

“Stop calling me weak.” Dominic whispered, hands clenching into fists on the ground.

“Admit that you are.”

“No.”

“Then why do you need my help?”

For this, the truth was too much for Dominic to admit. Anger had worked its way to his core again, and he let that anger out in another hopeless punch.

Tyloki didn’t even look phased by the pathetic blow. Repeating his question. “Why do you need my help?”

The boy answered the question the same way, another punch. Then another. None of them doing anything but causing his anger to seep deeper into his being.

“Why do you need my help?”

Hearing the question again, having no answer for it, Dominic felt something break inside. He started swinging his fists wildly at the wolf, not caring about words anymore, he thrashed against the Indicia. He screamed at the top of his lungs as he struck, trying to land just one hit strong enough to convince the wolf he was worthwhile.

The black wolf weathered the rain of blows with a stoic and unflinching gaze, letting the boy exhaust his rage before rearing up high and slamming down onto his shoulders with both paws, pinning his arms firmly as he leaned in closer than ever, lips practically touching lips as if he was moving in for a kiss. Dominic couldn’t turn his head away from the wolf’s warm breath. Tyloki whispered five more words. “Why do you need me?”

“I don’t.” Dominic whispered through a bout of coughing brought on by the wolf’s slam.

“Then why did you come? Return to your dying mother.”

“Alright! I need you to help me. Because I’m too weak to save her on my own.”

The wolf smiled. “Was that so hard? I will make you a deal if you are so willing to do anything to save her. I could pact with you.” He started with his offer, lewdly licking his lips before passing that tongue over the human’s. The boy trembled as he felt the rough tongue passing over his skin. “But I do not want you as a pet. Once she is safe, I will kill you.”

Dominic’s head swam as he tried to comprehend what he’d been told. He’d have the power to save his mother, but his life would be over. It wasn’t fair, he told himself. This was all so unfair. “No, you can’t. I’m...I haven’t...gotten to live yet.”

“Learn now while you still have the time. No matter how much you want to save the things you care about, you can not protect them all.”

“You can’t make me choose between my mother and my own life!”

“Then how can I expect you to choose to fight for others over your own life? If you can not put your family’s life above your own, what chance does a stranger have? You will never be a great warrior. And you will never be a hero. If you are not prepared to die for your cause. You are not prepared to deal with my strength.”

Dominic’s fists were clenched again. If he did nothing, his mother would certainly die. If he agreed, he stood some chance of saving himself later. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“You would die to save her? Do not think you can weasel out later. I will kill you. I will burn you alive, and I will return to my life of peace, away from the petty problems of humans.”

The boy’s stomach twisted. He had no reason to disbelieve the wolf’s words. But wouldn’t it be worth it? To be a hero. To save his mother. Dory was already gone. He couldn’t let them both die. “Yes.” He said, feeling like his stomach was about to empty itself on the ground.

The wolf shook his head, the fire in his eyes seeming to mellow out as the fire circle around them began to falter and weaken. The wolf turning around, releasing the boy as he started to walk away, every step the flame circle dipped down lower and lower to mere embers.

“Go away.”

“What? But I did what you wanted!” Dominic shouted after the wolf, panic taking over.

“You are just another damn martyr. Just like your father. A worthless pet who is just going to get himself killed. Who does not understand life or family. Go away.” The wolf finished, sitting down on the opposite side of the firepit and looking longingly into the distance.

“You’re insane! No matter what I say or do, it’s not good enough! You can’t just sit there while my mom dies! I said you can kill me if you want! You can rip my throat open, tear my heart out, cook me alive, I don’t care!” Dominic screamed, standing up.

“I know.” The wolf sighed.  “You are not good enough. And you do not care. They never care. They always try to tell me what they think I want to hear. Maybe after dealing with so many of you, I no longer care.”

Bellowing as loud as he could, Dominic charged towards the wolf, skirting around the firepit, not sure what he planned to do when he got there. In the end, he decided to tackle the wolf, throwing the entire weight of his small body onto Tyloki’s back.

“Please. You can save her. I need you!” Dominic cried.

The big wolf didn’t budge from the impact of the small human. He stood up to shake the boy off his back and snorted at the child.

“I do not need you.” Tyloki said coldly, raising a paw to smack Dominic squarely in the chest. Not a punch, not a blow. A shove, pushing hard with the impact and toppling the boy backwards into the fire pit, flames shooting out of his eyes as the whole area erupted into an inferno, the flames closing in, surrounding the fire pit and the human trapped within and in another flourish of fire, Tyloki was alone once more.

The next time Dominic blinked, he was holding his mother’s wrist again, and she was slowly slipping away. He held on as tightly as he could. They didn’t need to speak. He could see in her eyes that she understood, he had failed. The leather cord snapped, and she let go of it, let the totem fall first.

“Mom!” Dominic sobbed, hands starting to cramp.

“You’ll be great.” His mother said as she slipped from his grasp and started to fall to the ocean below.

Dominic couldn’t watch, he scrambled back from the edge of the seat and wrapped his arms around his knees. The car shifted again, and the flashes of silver light in the sky continued. He heard the screech of the Thrall, the noise and chaos of the battle, but it all echoed as if it was so far away. He cried as long as he could manage, but eventually, the train shifted enough that he was afraid it might fall.

Stoically, he began to climb his way up the seats again, back up towards the cars that were still firmly on the monorail track. He stopped crying as he climbed, and he thought that maybe he was out of tears, that he wouldn’t have to cry about it anymore. He would be strong, become a warrior. Prove Tyloki wrong.

As he climbed through the doorway, and into the train car that he had started in, he passed by the yellow folder that the kangaroo Indicia had been reading. He didn’t see it, and he didn’t see the papers that were scattered around the train. Even if he had seen them, he wouldn’t have been able to process them in the state he was in. He moved up the aisle and to the door to the next car, which would lead to the next car. The same as each day would lead to another day, one day closer to proving he could be strong.

Maybe he would have chosen a different path if he had seen the papers that were littering the train car. If he had seen the label on the yellow folder than the kangaroo had been reading. If he had even been able to understand what it all meant. A simple biography next to the picture of a boy.

Dominic Hale

Brother of Doreen Hale, Son of Aubrey and Dyson Hale

Dyson Hale Deceased, Collar of Tyloki the Flame

Priority: Critical