Page 20 of Galactic Sentinels, Vol. 1 (Chronicles of Pherebos #1)

Pherebos.

I’m swimming in the lake, and it feels incredible—like something I haven’t felt in ages. God, I’ve missed this.

On the shore, I spot Ileana. She slips off her shoes and dips her toes into the water.

She’s wearing these short boxer-style shorts that barely cover anything.

Then she pulls them off, followed by the tunic she had on.

Now she’s completely naked—nothing left to hide.

I’m too far away to really see her, though.

Not well enough to take in the full beauty of the moment.

So I swim closer, drawn to her, eager to admire every curve.

But then—her skin starts to blister and peel. Her face twists in pain, and my blood runs cold. She turns toward me, crying out, and suddenly everything around us is burning. The water, the air—it’s all fire. I can’t reach her. I can’t help her. We’re both trapped. And I know what’s coming.

She collapses, unconscious, and for a second I feel almost relieved. At least she won’t have to suffer anymore. My heart’s pounding so hard it hurts. I remember this. I’ve lived this. I’ve begged for death with every breath. I never want to go through that again.

“Pherebos!” Wingo’s voice cuts through the chaos.

“Save yourself!” I shout. “Run! Get as far away as you can!”

“Pherebos, wake up! It’s just a nightmare!”

“No, you don’t get it. They’re all dead… you have to run… they’re all dead…”

Then I feel it—a cool, wet tongue dragging across my face.

It grounds me, pulls me back. Slowly, the nightmare fades.

I wake up gasping, heart racing. I’m not boiling alive.

Ileana’s fine. She’s asleep in her room, safe, on the other side of the complex.

It was just a dream. A terrible dream, born from memories I wish I could erase.

Wingo’s always the one who pulls me back from the edge.

“Oh, I’m up! Stop drooling on me. And seriously—your breath is awful.”

I know, not the nicest thing to say when I’m this grateful. But I’m still shaking.

“You’re welcome, my friend!” he says cheerfully. “And hey, not my fault. I found a nest of slime larvae. Couldn’t resist. You should try them sometime—you might actually like it!”

“No way. But thanks for the offer. And… sorry I snapped at you,” I add, rubbing my eyes. “Guess I’m just a little cranky when I wake up.”

“Why do you say maybe? ”

I glance over at her, still a bit groggy, and stretch out my stiff muscles. I’m fully awake now—no chance I’m falling back asleep.

I check outside. Still a while before sunrise.

I pull on some comfortable pants and slip into my running shoes.

“Thanks, Wingo,” I say. “I’m heading out for a run. Stay with Ileana, okay? She’s still adjusting to the place.”

“I’ll take care of your beauty!” he replies with a little mental grin.

As I start my jog along the inner perimeter of the dome, I breathe in deeply, letting the fresh air fill my lungs. Each breath feels like it’s scrubbing away the stress clinging to my mind.

The soft breeze from the generators is a constant, comforting presence. As I run, I notice the subtle changes along the border since my last loop—some plants are still taking their time, while others have exploded with growth. Life here moves at its own pace.

I love the feeling of my body in motion, every muscle working in sync. On the SIL, we’ve got a pull-up bar mounted to the ceiling for static workouts—it hits most muscle groups—but nothing compares to running outside.

I slow down as I reach the edge of the small lake. I wonder what Ileana would say if she knew my home planet, Asgarne, is an island. That I could swim before I could walk. For nearly five years, I haven’t been able to go anywhere without that tight knot of anxiety in my chest .

But now, I’m finding my rhythm again. I focus on the sensations: sweat trickling down my temples, the steady thump of my heart, the rhythmic beat of my feet on the ground, my long hair swaying behind me. The rustling leaves and grasses soothe me.

By the time I circle back to my starting point, the sun is rising over MyFaS.

I feel lighter. Running is the best way I know to clear my head after a nightmare.

That moment with Ileana by the lake probably triggered this latest one.

Thankfully, we’re on MyFaS. But I’m not always here when the dreams come.

I lean forward, hands on my knees, catching my breath.

I inhale deeply, taking in the crisp air of our waking bubble of life.

It’s a welcome change from the stress and guilt that usually follow me out of those dark places.

When I get back to the complex, I find Ileana and Wingo already up, sharing some fruit. “It’s a beautiful day,” echoes through the room, brushing away the last shadows of my nightmare.

“Hey,” I say, running a hand through my damp hair.

She doesn’t respond right away. I’m not sure she even heard me.

Her gaze lingers on me—on the sweat still clinging to my skin.

I’ve never thought of myself as particularly striking, but she seems to see something I don’t.

I’ve noticed before how my presence unsettles her, just a little.

Her eyes drift to my forearms, oddly fascinated. I mean, they’re just forearms, right ?

She’s clearly caught off guard, cheeks flushed, and I can feel the tension between us. When our eyes meet, there’s a flicker of something unspoken. I raise an eyebrow and walk past her.

“I’m gonna hit the shower.”

As I scrub off the sweat and dust, my thoughts drift to her—my Soul Dedicated.

On the SIL, I saw her broken, weighed down by grief and fear.

But something shifted yesterday. She seemed lighter, more curious, even drawn to the world around her.

I hope this place gives her the safety she’s been missing.

I’m not rushing anything. I know she’s healing from something painful—maybe even abusive.

I want to earn her trust, step by step. I know I’ve caught her attention, but she’s human, not Asgarne.

On her world, the idea of a Soul Mate isn’t something they grow up believing in.

But on Asgarne, it’s real. It’s why leaving her was so hard.

Now that I’ve found her, I’m not letting go.

I’ll protect her. And yes, I’ll win her heart—but gently, patiently.

When I step out of the shower, I throw on a clean pair of pants and slip into my sandals. I skip the rest—no harm in using a little charm to my advantage, right?

Outside, I find Wingo and Ileana crouched near a violet-colored plant, deep in observation.

“So, what do you actually do all day when you’re here?” Ileana asks as I approach.

Ugh. That question again.

“Well… usually, we come to MyFaS between missions. We change clothes, fabricate a few fake parts fo r the black market, recharge a bit. We don’t stay long.” I keep it vague.

I haven’t exactly shared that part of my life with her yet. And now she’s waiting for a real answer.

“Wingo showed you the young biloa shoots?”

“That’s right,” she says, narrowing her eyes. “But you’re dodging the question.”

“She’s sharp!” Wingo laughs in my head.

Caught off guard, I have no idea how to respond.

“Don’t tell me you spend your days watching plants grow,” she says, clearly suspicious.

“I can’t wait to hear your lame excuse!”

“Clever boy, better think of a diversion!” Wingo adds, grinning mentally.

He’s no help. Just watching me squirm.

“And what about you?” I ask, trying to shift the focus. “How did you spend your days on Jaga-18?”

Her nose wrinkles slightly, and she answers with a hint of irritation.

“Apart from taking care of my sister? Contrary to what you might think, our days were full. We were studying medicine—well, medicines. From different cultures on our world, and from Polaris, the founding people of the Confederation. I didn’t have the qualifications to continue our parents’ research on Prianka disease, but I’ve always felt I had a gift for healing.

I just never had the time to move from theory to practice.

Prianka needed me too much. Still, I’m good at diagnosing and treating symptoms. But I doubt this is the place where I’ll finally get to apply all that. ”

“You’re probably right,” I say. “I can assure you—Wingo and I never get sick. So you’re free to spend your time relaxing, reading, watching documentaries.”

“I see. So you’re suggesting a life of idle contemplation. Wonderful.”

The sarcasm doesn’t go unnoticed. I really thought she’d appreciate a life without drama or pressure.

“If you’d like, I can bring you more gadgets to help pass the time. Just let me know.”

“ Just saying… but are you aware that with every sentence, you’re digging yourself in deeper? Her aura’s getting more and more… irritated, I’d say ,”Wingo remarks in my head.

“ That’s nonsense! We’re having a calm, reasonable conversation. I get that she’s worried about being bored. We’ll find something that suits her .”

At this point, I’m afraid Wingo might be right. The look Ileana gives me is anything but forgiving. I’m a little lost—what did I miss?

“And you,”she says, eyes narrowing,“did you think I forgot that you never answered my question? Tell me—would you be okay just sitting around, watching plants grow day after day?”

“Oof. She’s got a point,” Wingo mutters in my head.

“Oh, you’re really starting to get on my nerves,”I snap.“What do you want me to do—take her on a stroll through a Coalition base?”

She crosses her arms, clearly annoyed, and stares me down.

“Wingo and I travel the galaxy on assignment for the Confederation,”I admit, rubbing my forehead in frustration.“We search for terraformable worlds. We stop at Confederation bases often, and because of that, you can’t come with us. You’d be arrested.”

“So what you’re saying is, you’re just going to leave me here while the two of you go off exploring. Is that it?”

Is it just me, or does that sound like a trap question? I glance at Wingo, hoping for backup—but the traitor is grooming himself with great focus, as if the conversation has nothing to do with him.

“Well… only for a few weeks. We still have time to figure things out. This is all happening so fast—I didn’t really think through the consequences and—”

“And when exactly were you planning to ditch me?”she cuts in.

“Realistically, I need to leave in two days. It takes two weeks round trip to reach a supply base. We can’t survive on just the plants growing here, and with three of us, the stocks are running low.”

She’s clearly not thrilled by the news. Her stormy gray eyes flash with anger—and I’m the target.

“You’re safe here!”I add quickly, as she turns her back and storms into the complex.

“I’m no expert, not even close, but from where I’m standing, you’re not exactly on track to seduce your lady.”

“You’re right—you’re not an expert.”

“Gnuffgnuff!”

I sigh. “Okay, fine. What would you do if you were me?”

“I’d stay with her this time. You can’t just drop her on MyFaS and vanish. Even I can tell how weird that looks. ”

“I’m not abandoning her!” I protest. “I just need to make a supply run. A quick one. I’ll go alone this time—you stay here and keep her company.”

“Now you’re talking. And I’ll sing your praises while you’re gone—if you don’t mind. I don’t need help winning over my Dedicated Soul.”

“Are you sure? That’s not the impression I’m getting.”

“Absolutely. Just stay out of my way. She’s a little distant right now, so I’ll prep for departure. She’ll settle in while I’m gone.”

“I’ll let you explain that to her.”

As expected, Ileana doesn’t take the news well. She crosses her arms and starts negotiating.

“You don’t want to drop me off at a Confederation base—I get that. But what about a Coalition base? I could volunteer at a hospital.”

“You’re not serious. Do you even know what the Coalition is?”

“It’s a rival to the Confederation, right? I may not know everything, but I’m not na?ve. I know their leadership might be more aggressive, but they’ve got planets where people need doctors.”

“The Coalition doesn’t do charity work. They’re all about profit. Everything has a price. And trust me, someone like you? They’d see you as a valuable asset—for all the wrong reasons. ”

She doesn’t say much—just presses her lips together and gives me a look that could cloud over a sunny day. Clearly, I haven’t been persuasive enough.

“While I’m gone, I’ll leave you with a few ground rules.”

“Should I take notes?” she asks, all sass and raised eyebrows.

“Gnuffgnuff!”Wingo bursts out laughing in my head.

I frown but push on.

“Rule number one: don’t send out any signals from MyFaS. You’d be giving away your location—and that’s the last thing we want. Rule two: stay away from the edge of the energy dome. And three: don’t go near the lake.”

She stares at me like I’ve lost my mind, ticking off the rules on her fingers with exaggerated patience. There’s a twitch at the corner of her mouth—she’s clearly not planning to follow any of this. I can’t tell if I want to shake some sense into her or kiss her until she forgets what sarcasm is.

Instead, I turn away. Wingo catches my eye, and I give him a look. He knows what it means.

Without another word, I head straight for the SIL.