Treasurebound - Prologue: A Father's Legacy
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Explosions rocked the surface of the planet and the ground trembled beneath the enemy's onslaught. The villagers scrambled about in random directions searching desperately for cover. Aram carried his young daughter in his arms, running toward the caves some distance away.
He descended the hill and made it nearly halfway across the Great Plain when a space-fighter landed between him and his goal, cutting off his means of escape. In haste, Aram reversed his direction, heading back towards the village, but it was too late. The hatch of the fighter slid open and several armed guards burst forth.
"Halt!"
Aram half-turned toward the attackers for a moment and then decided to make a run for it. With great burst of speed, he made one last effort to widen the distance between them. As a bolt of energy stung his back, he fell to the ground on his side, paralyzed.
His daughter climbed out of his loose grasp. "Father! Father, what's wrong?"
"I'm sorry, Sonya-Anita. I failed you." Aram could hear the approaching footsteps of the armed contingent as they advanced upon his fallen form.
"Foolish dog!" the gruff commander spat. He motioned for some of his men to go on into the village. "Did you really think you could run from us?" He chuckled and then turned to the small, frightened figure huddled near her father. "And you..."
"Leave her alone!" Aram demanded. He tried to will himself to move, to summon his strength, but failed miserably.
"Shut up, scum. I'll do as I wish! You." His eyes settled upon the little girl. "You would make an excellent slave. There are those that would pay quite a high price for you."
"No, please," he begged. "Take me instead!"
The commander responded by kicking the helpless man, rolling him fully on his back. He yelled in pain, still limp and unable to move.
The commander snapped his fingers towards the guards remaining with him to take the child. As they dragged her kicking and screaming toward the ship, Aram was powerless to stop them.
"Sonya-Anita," he yelled before she could be taken out of earshot. "Remember the Treasure! No matter what happens, remember Him. Pursue Him! He will be with you always! He has promised! Remember!" With tears streaming down his face, he fought to make himself heard, as his voice dropped to a whisper. "Remember…"
The commander laughed as he peered over at his face. "No, my friend,” he mocked. “We will see to it that she forgets everything about your pathetic religion. She's a slave, and that's all she'll ever know."
As Aram heard the men returning with other children taken captive, he felt sick to his stomach. Yet he found the courage to stare directly into his enemy's eyes with such intensity that the man visibly recoiled. "I hope that she does indeed become a slave... to the Treasure."
The commander then smiled and shook his head, "Not a chance." He spun around and strode off into the distance toward his ship.
Aram heard the whine of the engines as the fighter ascended up into the atmosphere, until it vanished from his sight. "Dearest Treasure," he prayed. "Watch over her. Guard her with Your infinite mercy and grace."
