The Captain (The Last Horizon, #1)

by Will Wight

Six lights. Six childhoods, six apprenticeships, six sets of fears and hopes. I learned more lessons than anyone else, and I learned the same lessons more times. I saw myself die and I saw the galaxy fall.

Benri dusted off his hands and braced his staff, ready for battle. “He’s not out, is he?” “I think he’s casting.” The interior of that dome should have been completely cut off from the Aether, but Benri nodded as though it made perfect sense.

SURRENDER. YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO SURVIVE.” Bishops aren’t stupid. He just wanted me talking in case that might buy him some time. I finished my incantation and leveled my wand. “Absolute Burial,” I said.

I happened to know that the last of the titanic insects known as the D’Niss were under control. The Titan Knights had taken care of them, and their queen wouldn’t start an incursion into our universe for years. If she woke up early…well, she ate entire stars, not archaeologists.

The only thing inside was my staff. Using that to clear out the native wildlife would be like using a starship’s cannon to start a campfire. But as the saying goes: “Someone has the biggest gun on the planet. It might as well be you.”

When I finished removing the seals and flung the crate open, verdant power gushed out from my staff. Eurias, the Life-Giver, was perhaps the most powerful magical focus in the galaxy. It was a length of smooth, pale wood as tall as I was, with a blue crystal orb on the top that seemed to contain an entire world’s oceans. In reality, it contained the spirit of an ocean world. Magically speaking, that’s roughly the same thing.

Sure, it’s a waste to use a starship cannon to light a campfire. But sometimes you need a cannon.

“Are you curious about what’s going to happen?” “I am not curious.” “That’s disappointing.” “I can demonstrate curiosity, if that is a component of your plan.” Her mouth fell open robotically. “I don’t think that will be necessary. It’s horrifying.”

“You seem too artificial to be artificial.” “If it would help improve your performance, I could pretend to be sentient.” Her face took on an unconvincing expression of doubt. “What is my place in this universe? What is my meaning? My impending mortality lends a sense of value to my rapidly dwindling life.” “Piercing accuracy. There’s no doubt you’re self-aware.” “Do not be fooled. It was only an imitation.” “I wasn’t fooled.” “No need to be embarrassed. The nature of sentience is to fall for flawless deception.”

“The galaxy shall witness our return and tremble,” Horizon’s voice said into our minds. “Good luck, Captain.”

She eyed my hand, but I gave her the confident and mysterious expression that every Archmage is required by law to practice.

“Just a little hive-mind humor for you there, human. Relax.” Benri let out a breath. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t laugh.” “You’d have more fun if you did.”

The condescension burned Benri’s pride, but there was nothing he could say. There should be no shame in being less intelligent than a galactic hive-mind.

“Rest? I’ve had too much rest! I’m stronger than ever!” He had his pants on now, so he flexed a crimson bicep. “I could lift a planet!” He slapped his muscles, showing how strong he felt. Then his knees buckled. He caught himself on the edge of a console. Sola’s stare was so pointed that I could feel it from behind her helmet. “Don’t worry about that!” Raion said. “It’s just my knees. Who needs ‘em?”

In the corner of my eye, I pulled up his file. “You want me to call you Omega? Grave Hound? How about Omal?” “Whatever name feels best on your lips,” Omega said, kissing the glass.

Raion rushed to put himself in front of me. “Don’t trust him!” “I don’t trust him. I trust magic.” “Well, I don’t understand magic!” Raion said that like he’d somehow won the argument, which was in fact how many of our disagreements had ended back in the Titan Force.

“Surprise!” Omega shouted as he pointed his gun at me. His finger froze on the trigger, unable to pull it. I had time to see a brief expression of disappointment on his face before Raion punched his head off. “See?” I said to Raion while Omega’s head re-formed. “He can’t do it.” “I’m going to hit him every time,” Raion said. “Let’s see if we can get through this meeting without a murder,” I said to everyone. Sola shot Omega. Gray goo splattered all over the far wall, and the portion of his body that remained human slumped to the floor. “I wanted to,” she said through her helmet. Raion gave her a thumbs-up.