The Fate of Nations Book II The Harvest by Laura Watson Read Free Book Online

the two combatants, his
    peaceful reverie had been interrupted by the Brancher's sudden arrival. He almost jumped into the air ten feet when the Brancher skidded to a stop behind of him.
    What was more frightening, when he turned around, was the presence of a huge Herrie, almost within snatching distance. Mikel averted his eyes from the glittering green of the Herrie's eyes before it could mesmerize him and looked at his benefactor.
    Mikel had never seen anything like the being that now stood protectively in front of him. He saw the Herrie reach for the stick like being and despaired. Poor thing!, Mikel groaned in his mind, it was only trying to help me. Mikel knew the Herrie would make quick work of the stick being. There was nothing he could do to help it now. The Herrie was too close to it.
    The Herrie's claws were open, poised to snatch the Brancher. His hunger raged in him. He was hungry...so hungry. He snatched the Brancher up, ready to quickly stuff him into his gaping maw. As he lifted the Brancher closer to his snapping jaws, his eyes began to burn.
    The Herrie smelled an unfamiliar smell. His vision blurred, and then blackness enveloped his once glittering eyes. The appendage that held the Brancher burned hotly for an instant and then disintegrated, depositing the Brancher neatly back onto the orange ground. The Herrie beat at it's head with the remaining appendages. It was no longer hungry. It would never be hungry again. The Herrie drifted away from its'
    ravenous shell, into space and time. It's head burned and in a second, the hairy black appendages, still operating on the impulses they had received, smacked at the disintegrating head. The ashes flew in every direction from the wildly beating appendages. The bloated body and remaining appendages quickly followed suit and burned to ashes.
    Mikel watched in utter despair as the Herrie grabbed the stick being. He waited for the snap and crunch of the being's delicate looking frame. The Herrie's appendage stopped moving. It held the stick being in mid air. Mikel smelled a burning smell. A sickening greenish black smoke boiled from the Herrie's green eyes. In an instant, the Herrie was gone. It had been reduced to ashes in less than two seconds. The light breeze that blew steadily across the planet's surface took the ashes with it. There was no evidence that a Herrie had ever been there just a moment ago.
    The Brancher saw the Herrie's mind. It was starving and was meant to starve. Ravenous, repulsive beast. The Brancher focused one word into the Herrie's primal mind. BURN. And it did.
    The Brancher now turned to face Mikel. His fascination for Mikel increased as he gazed upon his small face. What will he do now? The Brancher wondered. Wonder...that was a luxury that he had not had in eons. Will he flee to his ship? Will he try to communicate? What will he do now? He studied Mikel's face eagerly.
    Mikel looked at the stick being that had just saved his life. What is it? Mikel wondered, how did it just do that? Will it do the same to me? The stick being stood in front of him on long spindly legs. It defied logic. Mikel had encountered many strange beings during his existence, but this...this being was FANTASTIC!!
    Mikel stretched forth his hand. The stick being scuttled forward to meet it. As Mikel placed his hand on the stick being, feeling the rough, bark like flesh, his mind became illuminated with a brilliant white light. He saw what the Brancher was. It was one of the highest order of beings. It gathered and stored knowledge and power...raw power.
    I will stay with you, the Brancher's silky voice slid through Mikel's mind, wrapping it, caressing it.
    This was a decidedly delicate discussion. Mikel felt like he was balanced on a razor blade. If he moved incorrectly in any direction, well, it is best not to think of that right now, Mikel reasoned.
    Mikel told the Brancher that he was scheduled to be back on board the patrol ship. Serel, his Commander would not