Shattered Destiny Read Online Free Page A

glared at the invisible space where the laughter had come from. “Nor are voices coming from thin air. Please try to keep your exclamations silent until we can get you some clothing. We will soon be reaching farmsteads, and that means that we could be coming into contact with people.”
    The Volgons tried to remain silent, but every now and again, one of them would see another sight that would bring an exclamation. The Volgons would whisper questions about the wondrous things they saw and the Astrans would whisper answers, enjoying the excitement of their fellow Chosen. It was as if they were seeing their own world for the first time, through the eyes of the Volgons. The warriors could smell the life of this planet, and they found it intoxicating. They ran through the tall grass, oblivious of their bare feet, running until they felt their lungs would burst.
    Brok opened his mouth to chastise them again, but he didn't have the heart. He had felt much the same when he had first arrived on Astra. He could not imagine how different this world must be from their war-torn planet. At least his home world of Gentra was alive with sound, color, warmth, and life. He felt a rush of sympathy for the Volgons and hoped that the war between them and their Gorkon enemies might end one day, so that they could live on the surface of their planet once more and make it bloom once more.
    Feeror and Voilor were the first to spot the farmstead. They ran back to the others on feet so quiet that the two warriors startled Gwen when they crept on her right. For all the noise they had made not five minutes before, the Volgons did not make a single sound as they approached the farm.
    Brok and Saemus took the lead as they approached the farmstead. Brok frowned. The corn stood tall in the fields and the fruit trees were full to bursting. It was too late in the season for crops in the field. They should have been brought in, or at the very least,the men of the farm should have been hard at work harvesting.
    Something was wrong.
    Brok's senses were on alert, and he gestured to the others to stay where they were. He and Saemus crept toward the modest two-story house. There was no sound but for the birds. There should have been cows lowing, horses neighing, chickens clucking, and many other noises that indicated a working farm. Brok reached out with the power, trying to sense if there were any signs of life.
    “Stay here. I'm going in.” Brok crept up the stairs without looking to see if Saemus obeyed his order. The front door was wide open so Brok slowly walked inside. He sucked in a breath at the stench emanating from the home. His arms exploded in goose pimples, and he had to force his feet to keep moving.
    The home looked like the family had simply stepped out for a moment, with every intention of returning. There was nothing out of place, nothing broken. The only thing that was amiss was the rotten food in the kitchen. Flies buzzed over the decomposing meat and vegetables. Nausea struck Brok as he observed maggots crawling all over the rotten meat.
    Brok hurriedly searched the small farmhouse for signs of the people who lived there. The beds were all made, and the clothing was still placed neatly in dresser drawers. Brok emerged into the back yard through a door in the kitchen. The first thing he noticed was the dead vegetables in the garden. This family has been gone for a long while. Overripe tomatoes and pumpkins lay on the ground, too heavy for their stems to keep them aloft. Insects crawled over every surface, chewing holes into the plants and their bounty.
    The smell was worse in the yard. Underneath the stench of rotten plant life, Brok could sense the sickeningly sweet smell of dead flesh.
    Brok's eyes scanned the rest of the yard, his senses stretched to their limit. There was laundry still on the line. It was splattered with bird droppings and dirt. To the right of the clothesline was the chicken coop. All of the birds were dead, their bodies