Xandrian Stone 4: The Academy Part 3 Read Online Free
Author: Christian Alex Breitenstein
Tags: Science-Fiction
think that we need to fly around the star but can pass through it." I was frowning because I really did not understand how the physics of that might ever work. But it seemed that they did, much like magic for that matter. How that worked I had no idea, just that it did. Evidently.
"Correct, we do not need to concern ourselves with physical obstacles."
"Course set, ma'am." Navigation was ready.
"Engines, Rail Drive if you please."
I was happy that my reflexes had not dulled at all during the week of luxury and pampering, so my engines shield was up when the Rail Drive zipped us forward. I kept my navigation open, and by pure chance got a glimpse of the inside of our star, enough to imprint it on my internal navigation map. Not overly useful, but nifty!
Eden 2 was rather alien to me. My scan showed it to be dry, rocky, barren with the occasional copse of gnarly tree-like plants and small, sturdy, leathery, surprisingly ugly animals that moved so slow that they might not have moved at all. The air was bone dry and hot. I wondered how the few colonists who did live on the planet managed to survive, even with all their magical help.
We landed at the main barracks for the courtesy call, from which the captain returned sweaty. She only had to walk a couple of steps in the open air, but that was enough. And she had a surprise for us cadets.
"Navigation, Engines, take us to the usual spot." Usual spot? I did not like the sound of that.
We flew a couple of minutes along the surface and landed in the middle of - nothing. a vast, hot, dry, dead desert, the closest drop of water likely hundreds of kilometers away from us. "Cadets, this is the captain speaking." This was something new, her voice came from everywhere at once. It seemed that the captain had some way to address the entire Brick at once. "As we have practiced on Eden 3-1, you will now equip your personal shield-armbands and exit the Brick through the front airlock."
I licked my lips. What had I missed? While I heard the other cadets shuffle to the airlock and outside, I turned around. "That means you also, Prime Cadet." Swallowing, I nodded. "Aye, ma'am." Shooting a glance at the Commander whose face was stony and did not betray anything I turned and marched to the airlock with steps that looked much surer than they were.
The others were outside, I was the last to leave the Brick. As soon as I stepped on the planet two things happened: First, I was hit by the incredible heat that threatened to bake me alive and second the Brick rose, flew exactly 2 and a half kilometers to the planet's north and landed again. The others started walking to it while I was busy dying.
Or at least it felt that way. There must be some sort of test behind this, so there must be a way for me to overcome this obstacle. When I tried to take a step the heat hit me with redoubled force and I reflexively raised my arms against it, making it go away. A couple of steps later I realized that the heat had really gone away and that I felt it still being present outside of the - SHIELD! I had been an IDIOT! Of course!
The shield stopped the heat from the star to hit me, and it was so weak that I only felt its presence when I focused on it. Grinning, I stuck my tongue out at the star and looked into it in the process. That was a mistake, I got blinded and actually had to heal my eyes. Okay, there must be something I could do about that as well, I was a Wizard after all. Following my fellow cadets I focused inwards and analyzed the shield I had raised reflexively. It was basic, only held off the heat. Focusing on also holding off the light, everything got pitch black and I stumbled over a small rock before me.
I fell flat on my face. My hands got stung by a multitude of small, sharp rocks and burned by their heat, so did my nose and forehead. Grunting in surprise and pain, I tried to get up too quickly, lost my equilibrium again and fell on my hands
"Correct, we do not need to concern ourselves with physical obstacles."
"Course set, ma'am." Navigation was ready.
"Engines, Rail Drive if you please."
I was happy that my reflexes had not dulled at all during the week of luxury and pampering, so my engines shield was up when the Rail Drive zipped us forward. I kept my navigation open, and by pure chance got a glimpse of the inside of our star, enough to imprint it on my internal navigation map. Not overly useful, but nifty!
Eden 2 was rather alien to me. My scan showed it to be dry, rocky, barren with the occasional copse of gnarly tree-like plants and small, sturdy, leathery, surprisingly ugly animals that moved so slow that they might not have moved at all. The air was bone dry and hot. I wondered how the few colonists who did live on the planet managed to survive, even with all their magical help.
We landed at the main barracks for the courtesy call, from which the captain returned sweaty. She only had to walk a couple of steps in the open air, but that was enough. And she had a surprise for us cadets.
"Navigation, Engines, take us to the usual spot." Usual spot? I did not like the sound of that.
We flew a couple of minutes along the surface and landed in the middle of - nothing. a vast, hot, dry, dead desert, the closest drop of water likely hundreds of kilometers away from us. "Cadets, this is the captain speaking." This was something new, her voice came from everywhere at once. It seemed that the captain had some way to address the entire Brick at once. "As we have practiced on Eden 3-1, you will now equip your personal shield-armbands and exit the Brick through the front airlock."
I licked my lips. What had I missed? While I heard the other cadets shuffle to the airlock and outside, I turned around. "That means you also, Prime Cadet." Swallowing, I nodded. "Aye, ma'am." Shooting a glance at the Commander whose face was stony and did not betray anything I turned and marched to the airlock with steps that looked much surer than they were.
The others were outside, I was the last to leave the Brick. As soon as I stepped on the planet two things happened: First, I was hit by the incredible heat that threatened to bake me alive and second the Brick rose, flew exactly 2 and a half kilometers to the planet's north and landed again. The others started walking to it while I was busy dying.
Or at least it felt that way. There must be some sort of test behind this, so there must be a way for me to overcome this obstacle. When I tried to take a step the heat hit me with redoubled force and I reflexively raised my arms against it, making it go away. A couple of steps later I realized that the heat had really gone away and that I felt it still being present outside of the - SHIELD! I had been an IDIOT! Of course!
The shield stopped the heat from the star to hit me, and it was so weak that I only felt its presence when I focused on it. Grinning, I stuck my tongue out at the star and looked into it in the process. That was a mistake, I got blinded and actually had to heal my eyes. Okay, there must be something I could do about that as well, I was a Wizard after all. Following my fellow cadets I focused inwards and analyzed the shield I had raised reflexively. It was basic, only held off the heat. Focusing on also holding off the light, everything got pitch black and I stumbled over a small rock before me.
I fell flat on my face. My hands got stung by a multitude of small, sharp rocks and burned by their heat, so did my nose and forehead. Grunting in surprise and pain, I tried to get up too quickly, lost my equilibrium again and fell on my hands
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