Joseph Smitthy

Joseph is a fiercely devoted Kandarite.

Bio

Cowboy of Avaleris

Joseph Smitthy had always been a good ol' boy, the kind of man whose roots ran deep into the soil of his homeland. Born under the unblinking crystal lights of Avaleris’ inland farms, his upbringing was one of simplicity and vastness—a boy raised amidst the wild expanse of a world that still felt untamed. Avaleris, with its unique blend of towering mountains, endless grasslands, and ancient technology woven through its natural beauty, was a planet like no other. It was a place where dinosaurs—creatures long thought extinct on other worlds—still roamed freely, serving as both livestock and guardians of the lands.

Joseph’s childhood was an odd mix of tradition and wonder. The ranch where he grew up had been in his family for generations, and the life of a rancher was ingrained in him from the moment he could walk. His father, a stoic man with hands calloused from years of hard labor, had run the place with the kind of silent efficiency that made Joseph admire him. He often spent his days working alongside the great beasts, the dinosaurs that roamed their lands. Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Ankylosaurus—these were creatures of legend on many worlds, but for Joseph, they were just part of life.

But ranch life wasn’t all hard work. There were moments of freedom, moments when Joseph would ride across the plains, his hat tipped low to shield his eyes from the glare of the twin suns above. In those days, the days of his youth, he was free. The future stretched before him, limitless and full of promise. It wasn’t uncommon for him to spend his nights chasing after the excitement that only came when the work was done—wild nights that faded into a blur of laughter, music, and adventure. Avaleris’ inland towns, bustling but still small enough to know nearly everyone by name, were full of opportunity for mischief, and Joseph wasn’t one to pass up on fun.

He’d find himself in bars where the air was thick with smoke and the low hum of conversation mixed with the occasional roar of laughter. The sound of boots hitting the wooden floorboards as men danced, the clink of glasses as drinks were raised, and the sweet tune of a fiddle playing in the corner—it was all part of the charm of those nights. The town folk adored Joseph. To them, he was the picture of the Avalerian dream: young, strong, full of life, and yet grounded in the simple joys of the land.

And then there was Vust Oreamia, Joseph’s closest friend. Vust was trouble, no doubt about it. Where Joseph was steady, Vust was reckless; where Joseph respected the law, Vust skirted its edges. Yet, despite their differences, the two had been inseparable since they were boys. Vust had a sharp wit, and even sharper tongue, often getting them into situations that Joseph would later have to find a way out of. To some, Vust was a petty criminal, someone who never quite found the straight and narrow. But to Joseph, Vust was the spark that made life exciting. He was the wild wind that stirred the still waters of Joseph’s quiet world.

Vust’s schemes were legendary among their peers. From harmless pranks that had the townsfolk laughing for days, to more daring escapades that skirted the boundaries of the law, Vust always had something up his sleeve. There were times Joseph should have walked away, should have left Vust to his own devices, but he couldn’t. Something about the thrill of those nights, the rush of adrenaline as they outwitted the local lawman, kept pulling him back in.

On weekends, the two of them would saddle up and ride into town, the dust from the dirt roads trailing behind them as they passed the wide-open dinosaur paddocks. Joseph would tip his wide-brimmed hat to the girls, flashing a smile that was equal parts charm and innocence. He hadn’t seen the darker sides of the world yet, hadn’t faced the hardships that would come later in life. Back then, everything was simple. They’d laugh, drink, and by the end of the night, they’d be weaving their way back to the ranch, the stars twinkling overhead and the soft glow of Avaleris' moons casting long shadows over the fields.

The dinosaurs, massive and serene in their pens, would watch as the two young men rode past, oblivious to the weight of the world outside their small bubble. In those moments, with the cool night air on his face and the sound of Vust’s laughter echoing in the distance, Joseph felt invincible. There was nothing that could touch him, nothing that could take away the freedom he felt in his heart.

But like all things, those days didn’t last. Time has a way of catching up with even the most carefree of souls, and as the years went by, the wildness of Joseph’s youth began to fade. He grew up, and the weight of responsibility settled onto his shoulders.

The Change

As the years rolled by, life shifted in ways Joseph couldn’t have imagined in his younger days. The wild nights and carefree rides across the plains slowly became memories, tucked away in the quiet corners of his mind. Marriage, family, and the responsibilities of the ranch settled upon him like the soft dust that accumulated after a long day’s ride. The transition wasn’t abrupt; it came gradually, like the changing of the seasons. One day he was laughing in town with Vust, the next he found himself sitting at his father’s desk, tallying up expenses and wondering how to keep the ranch thriving.

It wasn’t long after his father passed that Joseph met Lila, a woman as beautiful as she was strong. She had hair the color of sun-bleached wheat and eyes as sharp as a hawk's, always watching, always understanding. Lila had grown up on a neighboring ranch, and though she had seen her fair share of hardship, there was a quiet determination in her that drew Joseph in from the moment he first laid eyes on her. Their courtship wasn’t some whirlwind romance full of grand gestures and declarations of love. It was simpler than that. They spent long evenings talking under the stars, her laughter mingling with the soft lowing of the dinosaurs in the distance. She understood him in ways that surprised him, knowing the ranch life as well as he did, but bringing a warmth and light that he hadn’t realized he’d needed.

When they married, it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Their wedding was small, held on the ranch with close family and friends, the wide Avalerian sky their ceiling, and the distant calls of the dinosaurs their music. The day was beautiful, but what came after was even better. Life with Lila was steady, like the rhythm of the ranch itself. They worked side by side, raising the dinosaurs and tending to the land, their lives intertwined not just by love but by the hard work that defined their days.

After his father passed, Joseph officially took over the ranch, a legacy that had been passed down through the Smitthy family for generations. The ranch had been his father’s pride, and Joseph intended to honor that by running it with the same care and dedication. Under Joseph’s watchful eye, the ranch didn’t just survive—it thrived. The dinosaurs roamed free, grazing on the rich, fertile land that stretched for miles. From the moment the first sun broke the horizon to when the second one dipped below the sky, Joseph worked tirelessly to ensure the ranch was a success.

The creatures he raised were not just animals—they were partners in the work of the land. The Ankylosaurus, with its massive, spiked tail and armored body, became Joseph’s favorite for the hard labor of plowing the fields. They were slow, methodical beasts, but their strength was unmatched, and they could turn even the most stubborn soil into fertile ground. The Stegosaurus, with its distinctive back plates, made for excellent pack animals, able to carry heavy loads across the expansive fields. But it was his prized Triceratops herd that truly set his ranch apart. Their sturdy frames, adorned with three sharp horns and a bony frill that shielded their necks, made them perfect for work, but also majestic to behold. Traders and farmers from all over Avaleris would come to see his herd, marveling at their size, strength, and impeccable care.

Lila bore him three children, two daughters and a son, and with their arrival, Joseph’s life shifted yet again. His rambunctious spirit, once untamed, softened in the face of fatherhood. He adored his children, watching them grow, their laughter filling the house and the fields. His oldest daughter, Evie, was a spitting image of Lila—strong-willed, independent, and already showing signs of being a natural rancher. His younger daughter, Maria, was softer, more inclined to spend her days drawing the creatures that roamed their land than working alongside them. His son, little Jack, was the wild one, full of energy and curiosity. Joseph saw his younger self in Jack’s eyes, and while it made him proud, it also made him worry.

Though the ranch took up most of his time, Joseph still found moments to reminisce about his youth. Every now and then, he’d ride into town with Lila and the kids, tipping his hat to old friends, smiling as the children gawked at the world outside the ranch. But those rides were different now. Where once he had entered town with the carefree swagger of a young man, now he came with the quiet pride of a family man and a respected rancher. The weight of the world had settled on his shoulders, but it was a weight he carried gladly.

Yet, as Joseph’s life grew more settled, the world around him seemed to shift in unsettling ways. The once-clear skies above Avaleris, dotted with the ever-blinking lights of the Stations, seemed more distant, the twinkling of the stars less comforting than before. There was a heaviness in the air, a tension that Joseph couldn’t quite place. The traders who passed through brought strange stories, whispers of shapeshifters lurking in the wilderness, creatures that could mimic the form of men but moved with a savage, animalistic grace. At first, Joseph dismissed the rumors. Avaleris was vast, and the wilderness beyond the ranches and cities had always been wild. It wasn’t uncommon to hear tales of strange beasts or shadowy figures haunting the more remote areas.

But then, the disappearances began.

It started with livestock—dinosaurs vanishing from the far-off paddocks, their tracks leading off into the hills, only to disappear without a trace. The first few incidents didn’t raise much alarm. Avaleris was home to all manner of predators, and losing an animal or two was part of the ranching life. But then, people began to go missing. Ranch hands, traders, even a few travelers who had camped too far from the safety of the city walls. Each disappearance was quiet, almost unnoticed at first, but the frequency increased, and the fear among the locals grew.

Joseph tried to push the unease from his mind, focusing on the ranch and his family. He had enough to worry about without chasing shadows. Lila noticed the change in him, though. She saw the way his eyes lingered on the horizon a little longer than before, the way his hands tightened on the reins as he rode the perimeter of their land. “What’s on your mind, Joe?” she’d ask in that soft, knowing voice of hers.

“Nothing that ain’t always been there,” he’d reply, but they both knew it wasn’t true.

The ranch remained a sanctuary, a place where Joseph could lose himself in the rhythm of the land, but the world outside its borders felt increasingly distant, as if something dark and unseen was creeping ever closer. The peace that had once defined Avaleris seemed fragile now, as though one wrong step could shatter it forever.

The Discovery

The weight of time was something Joseph had come to terms with as he grew older. His hair, once a rich chestnut, had faded to a salt-and-pepper gray, the signs of age creeping in slowly but surely. He felt it in his bones each morning when he rose at dawn, the familiar aches and stiffness a reminder of all the years he had spent working the land and raising his family. It was a life he wouldn’t trade for anything, but the peaceful rhythm of the ranch seemed more and more like a bubble shielding him from the world beyond. And lately, that bubble felt fragile, as if something dark was pressing in from the outside, waiting to burst through.

One such morning, Joseph was out early, long before the rest of the ranch had stirred. He’d risen before the first sun had fully crested the horizon, the pale light casting long shadows across the fields. His boots crunched over the gravel as he walked along the fence line, surveying his land, his thoughts drifting to the unusual tension that had been gnawing at him for weeks. There had been strange noises in the night, odd rustlings in the tall grass, and the feeling that something—or someone—was watching him. But he had always chalked it up to paranoia. Avaleris was a wild place, after all, and it wasn’t uncommon for the ranch to draw in predators, both animal and human.

That morning, though, Joseph’s routine was shattered when he found them—the bodies.

The sight made him stop in his tracks, his heart leaping into his throat. Just beyond the edge of his property, near a dense cluster of trees, the mangled remains of two planet guards lay sprawled in the dirt, their uniforms torn, their bodies twisted at unnatural angles. Joseph crouched down beside them, tipping his wide-brimmed hat back as he tried to make sense of the gruesome scene before him. The planet guards were Avaleris’ first line of defense, patrolling the borders of the city and keeping the peace in the outlying territories. They were trained, tough as nails, and they had a reputation for handling whatever threats the wilderness might throw at them.

But this? This was unlike anything Joseph had ever seen.

The bodies were shredded, their limbs torn as if by some monstrous force. Blood soaked the earth around them, but it wasn’t the sheer brutality of the attack that disturbed Joseph—it was the precision. The cuts were clean, deliberate. This wasn’t the work of some wild dinosaur or a frenzied predator. Whoever—or whatever—had done this had wanted them to suffer. It was personal, cruel, and terrifyingly methodical.

Joseph’s Triceratops herd, grazing not far off, seemed unusually skittish, their low grunts echoing through the stillness of the morning. The air was thick with an uneasy silence, the kind that made the hairs on the back of Joseph’s neck stand on end. He scanned the area, his sharp eyes narrowing as they caught sight of something half-buried in the dirt nearby—a broken spear. It was standard planet guard issue, its shaft splintered, the tip missing entirely. There was no sign of a struggle, no evidence of a fight. Whatever had killed these men had come quickly and without warning.

A cold knot of fear tightened in Joseph’s chest as he stood and looked out over the fields. The ranch, his home, his family—it all felt too close now, too vulnerable. The guards had been patrolling not far from the main house, close enough that if whatever had attacked them decided to venture further, his family could be next. He glanced back toward the distant outline of his house, the familiar silhouette against the sky. Lila and the kids would still be asleep, blissfully unaware of the horror he had just stumbled upon.

Joseph wiped his brow, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of what had happened. He had lived on Avaleris his entire life, and while there had always been dangers, nothing like this had ever happened so close to home. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something far worse.

He crouched down again, his eyes locking onto the faces of the dead guards, or what was left of them. Their expressions were frozen in terror, their mouths twisted in silent screams. These men had seen their killer, and whatever it was had been beyond their ability to fight off. Joseph muttered a curse under his breath, his voice low and grim.

“What the hell did this?”

The question hung in the air, unanswered.

Joseph stood and wiped his hands on his trousers, glancing once more at the broken spear. He couldn’t let this go. If there was something out there capable of taking down armed planet guards, then the entire region was at risk. His family, his neighbors, even the city of Avaleris itself. The thought of something creeping along the edges of his land, watching, waiting for its next move, sent a chill down his spine.

Over the next few days, Joseph tried to keep things normal at the ranch, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had settled deep in his gut. His nights grew restless, the comfortable sleep he had once enjoyed replaced by hours of tossing and turning, his mind filled with images of the dead guards, their broken bodies haunting him. When he did manage to fall asleep, he would wake up with a start, drenched in sweat, convinced he had heard something moving outside his window.

It wasn’t long before strange things started happening. It was subtle at first—odd movements along the distant horizon, shadows that seemed to shift and move in ways that didn’t quite make sense. At times, Joseph thought he saw figures out there, just at the edge of his property, but when he blinked, they were gone, swallowed up by the darkness. He told himself it was just his imagination, that the stress of what he had seen was getting to him. But deep down, he knew better.

One evening, while sitting on the porch after a long day of work, Lila came out to join him, her eyes full of concern. She had noticed the changes in him—the sleepless nights, the way his gaze would drift off into the distance as if he were waiting for something terrible to happen. Lila was a strong woman, but she knew her husband well, and she could sense when something was wrong.

“You’ve been restless,” she said softly, sitting down beside him, her hand resting on his arm. “What’s going on, Joe?”

Joseph hesitated, his eyes flicking to the horizon, where the last rays of sunlight were fading into twilight. He didn’t want to worry her. She had enough on her plate with the ranch and the kids. But he couldn’t keep it from her any longer.

“I found something,” he said, his voice low. “Out by the fence. Planet guards. Dead. Torn apart like nothing I’ve ever seen.”

Lila’s eyes widened in shock. “By the ranch?”

Joseph nodded. “Too close for comfort. And it wasn’t an animal, Lila. Something else did this.”

She frowned, worry etched across her features. “Have you told anyone?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know who to trust. The planet guards are supposed to protect us, but whatever’s out there… it got to them first. I’m not sure anyone can stop it.”

For a long moment, they sat in silence, the weight of his words hanging between them. Finally, Lila spoke, her voice steady despite the fear Joseph knew she must be feeling.

“Then we’ll be ready,” she said. “Whatever it is, we’ll protect our home. Our family.”

Joseph looked at her, admiration swelling in his chest. She was right, of course. They couldn’t afford to live in fear. They had to be prepared for whatever was coming, and Joseph would do whatever it took to keep his family safe.

But even as he nodded in agreement, the uneasy feeling that had been gnawing at him refused to go away. Something was coming, something bigger than they could have ever imagined, and Joseph had a sinking feeling that they were running out of time.

The Conspiracy

The days passed slowly, the tension around the ranch growing with each new sunrise. Joseph couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them, lurking just beyond the borders of his land. The disappearances had continued—more livestock gone, a few neighboring ranch hands missing without a trace. It wasn’t long before the rumors reached a fever pitch. People whispered about things in the night, creatures that weren’t quite human, but not quite animal either. Shapeshifters, they called them—beings capable of assuming human form but who could shed that guise at will, becoming something far more dangerous.

Joseph wasn’t one to give in to superstition. He had always been a practical man, grounded in the hard realities of ranch life. He believed in what he could see, what he could touch. But there were too many strange things happening, too many stories that lined up too perfectly to ignore. The noises at night, the shifting shadows, the unnatural stillness that had settled over the land—it all pointed to something more sinister than a pack of rogue predators.

His wife, Lila, was the only one he confided in about his growing unease. The children were too young to understand the danger, and Joseph didn’t want to scare them with stories of monsters in the dark. But Lila had noticed his restlessness, the way he patrolled the ranch at odd hours, his rifle slung over his shoulder. She didn’t ask questions—she trusted him to handle whatever was happening—but Joseph could see the worry in her eyes. She kept the children close, never letting them wander too far from the house, and they both agreed that it was best to keep a low profile until they could figure out what was going on.

Then came the night that changed everything.

Joseph had been riding the fence line, his usual evening patrol, when he saw it—a flicker of movement in the distance, something that didn’t belong. At first, he thought it might have been an animal, but as he squinted into the darkness, he realized it was far too large, far too upright. He guided his horse closer, keeping to the shadows, moving silently as he approached. His heart pounded in his chest, his grip tightening on the reins. The figure ahead was hunched, its outline indistinct against the horizon, but there was something undeniably human about it. And yet, it moved in a way that was not human at all—quick, low to the ground, disappearing and reappearing in the blink of an eye.

Joseph’s instincts screamed at him to turn back, to retreat to the safety of his home, but something held him in place. He couldn’t let this go. Not now, not with his family so close by. He urged his horse forward, staying low, his eyes locked on the strange figure ahead.

As he drew nearer, the figure disappeared into a dense patch of brush, and Joseph dismounted, tying his horse to a nearby tree. He moved cautiously, stepping quietly over the uneven terrain, his boots sinking into the soft earth. The night was eerily quiet, the usual chorus of crickets and night birds absent, as if the entire world was holding its breath.

When Joseph reached the ridge, he crouched low, peering down into the small clearing below. His breath caught in his throat.

There, hidden in the brush, was a camp—one he had never seen before, despite knowing every inch of this land like the back of his hand. A small fire crackled in the center, casting long shadows over the figures gathered around it. Joseph’s eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. There were at least a dozen of them, hunched figures moving in and out of the firelight, their forms shifting unnervingly. Some appeared human, but their movements were wrong—too fluid, too quick, as if they were struggling to maintain their human shape. Others had already shed their disguises, revealing their true forms—hulking, wolf-like beasts with elongated fangs, savage claws, and eyes that gleamed in the firelight with a feral intensity.

Joseph’s heart raced as he crouched lower, watching from the safety of the ridge. The creatures moved with purpose, speaking in low, guttural tones that sent chills down his spine. He couldn’t make out all of their words, but the tone was unmistakable—they were planning something. Something big. He strained to hear more, inching closer, his breath shallow.

It was then that he saw it—the device.

At the center of their camp, surrounded by the shapeshifters, was a large, spherical object. It was unlike anything Joseph had ever seen before, its surface gleaming with a dark, metallic sheen. Wires and strange components jutted out from its sides, and it hummed with an eerie, low-frequency vibration that Joseph could feel in his bones. His gut told him this was no ordinary device. Whatever it was, it wasn’t meant for anything good.

Joseph’s mind raced as he listened, piecing together fragments of conversation. They were talking about the star-core—the heart of Avaleris, the energy source that kept their world alive. The star-core was what allowed Avaleris to thrive, its energy powering the Stations that orbited above, driving the planet’s seasons, and maintaining the delicate balance of life. Without it, Avaleris would fall into chaos.

And these creatures were planning to destroy it.

Joseph’s blood ran cold as the realization hit him. The device was a bomb, designed to detonate and trigger a chain reaction that would destabilize the star-core. If it went off, it would cause unimaginable devastation, wiping out Avaleris and everything on it. The shapeshifters weren’t just wild animals—they were terrorists, willing to sacrifice the entire world for their cause, whatever that might be.

Joseph’s hands clenched into fists as he watched the creatures move about the camp, his heart pounding in his ears. He had to do something. He couldn’t let this happen. But who could he trust? The planet guards? No. He had found their bodies on his land, torn apart like ragdolls. They were no match for these creatures, and even if they were, Joseph couldn’t be sure that there weren’t more of them already infiltrating the guard itself.

As Joseph considered his options, a new figure stepped into the firelight, and Joseph’s heart sank.

It was Vust Oreamia.

Joseph hadn’t seen Vust in years, not since their wild days in the inland towns. After they had grown up, Vust had taken a darker path, delving deeper into the underworld of Avaleris. The last Joseph had heard, Vust was running with smugglers, moving illicit goods between the Station elites and the dregs of the planet. But here he was, standing among the shapeshifters, deep in conversation with one of the wolf-like creatures, his familiar sharp eyes glinting in the firelight.

Joseph’s chest tightened as he watched his old friend laugh and gesticulate, clearly in league with the creatures. He hadn’t seen this coming. Vust, for all his faults, had never been heartless. Reckless, sure. A criminal, definitely. But he had never been someone Joseph had thought capable of something like this—plotting the destruction of their entire world.

Vust’s presence complicated everything. It wasn’t just a group of shapeshifters now—it was personal. Joseph swallowed hard, his mind racing. He had to stop them, but he couldn’t do it alone. And he couldn’t let his family get caught in the crossfire.

He carefully backed away from the ridge, retreating into the shadows. His heart hammered in his chest, but his mind was clear. He had seen enough. The shapeshifters were preparing to destroy Avaleris, and Vust, his old friend, was right in the middle of it all.

Joseph returned to the ranch that night, his face grim, his thoughts swirling with what he had just witnessed. He couldn’t go to the planet guards, not with them already compromised. He couldn’t risk exposing his family to the danger either, but he couldn’t sit back and do nothing.

The time for waiting was over. Whatever happened next, Joseph knew one thing for certain: he was going to have to take matters into his own hands.

The Showdown

Joseph couldn’t sleep that night. His mind was a swirling storm of memories, fear, and rage. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the shapeshifters’ camp, the monstrous figures moving in and out of the firelight, plotting the destruction of everything he held dear. And then there was Vust—his old friend, standing among them like he belonged there, laughing, scheming. It had been years since Joseph had last seen him, and now, the image of Vust grinning beside those creatures was burned into his mind. It felt like a betrayal of the highest order, a punch to the gut that left Joseph reeling.

But there was no time for sentimentality. The shapeshifters were planning something catastrophic, and they had a bomb capable of wiping Avaleris off the map. The time for questions and second-guessing was over. Action was needed, and it was needed now.

The next morning, Joseph made preparations. He fortified the ranch as best as he could, reinforcing the doors and windows, locking away supplies. His children, unaware of the looming danger, played outside with their favorite Triceratops, the large, lumbering creatures happily munching on the grass as the kids laughed. Joseph watched them with a heavy heart, knowing that whatever happened next, his family needed to be protected.

Lila noticed the shift in his demeanor. She approached him while he was sharpening his old blade, the serrated edge glinting in the early morning light. It was an heirloom, passed down through his family for generations, said to be enchanted by one of the old gods. Joseph didn’t know if he believed the stories, but the blade had always been with him in his darkest moments, and he trusted it more than any rifle.

“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” Lila’s voice was soft but firm. She wasn’t one to mince words when it came to matters of life and death.

Joseph paused, looking up at her. He could see the worry etched into her face, the way her eyes lingered on the blade. He sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow as he placed the knife down. “I have to,” he said quietly. “There’s something out there, something worse than we’ve ever seen. If I don’t stop it, everything we’ve built, everything we love... it’ll all be gone.”

Lila’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she didn’t argue. She knew better. They had always faced their problems head-on, side by side, but this was something Joseph had to do alone. “Just promise me you’ll come back,” she whispered, stepping closer and placing a hand on his chest. “Promise me you’ll come back to us.”

Joseph’s throat tightened. He couldn’t make that promise, not truthfully, but he nodded anyway, pulling her into a tight embrace. “I’ll do everything I can.”

That night, under the cover of darkness, Joseph rode out. His plan was simple—find the shapeshifters, stop them from detonating the bomb, and make sure his family and his world survived. It was a suicide mission, and he knew it. The creatures were too many, and he was just one man. But if he could take them by surprise, if he could stop the bomb before they could deploy it, maybe, just maybe, there was a chance.

He followed their trail into the wilderness, his horse navigating the rocky terrain with ease. The plains stretched out before him, vast and silent, the stars above blinking coldly as if watching his journey with indifference. As he rode, Joseph’s thoughts drifted to his children. He pictured Evie’s determined little face, Maria’s sweet smile, and Jack’s wild energy. He saw Lila, strong and steadfast, waiting for him at the ranch, her heart heavy with worry. They were the reason he had to do this. They were the reason he couldn’t fail.

After hours of riding, Joseph found himself at the edge of a cave system he hadn’t known existed. It was hidden deep within the plains, masked by the natural contours of the land. The entrance was wide and dark, the jagged rocks resembling the gaping maw of some ancient beast. Joseph dismounted, securing his horse to a nearby tree. His gut told him this was the place. He could feel it in the air, a thick, oppressive energy that seemed to pulse from within the cave.

Drawing his blade, Joseph made his way inside.

The cave was a labyrinth of narrow passageways, the air damp and heavy with the scent of earth and stone. Joseph moved with purpose, his senses on high alert. The deeper he went, the more he could hear—faint voices, the low hum of machinery, the unmistakable growl of the shapeshifters. He pressed on, following the sound until he reached a large chamber.

There, at the center of the cave, was the bomb.

It was massive, far larger than the device he had seen at their camp. Wires snaked out from its core, connecting to strange, glowing crystals embedded in the walls of the cave. The bomb hummed with an ominous energy, its surface pulsing with a sickly green light. Shapeshifters moved around it, their hulking forms shifting between human and beast as they worked to prepare the device for detonation.

And standing at the heart of it all, overseeing the operation with a cold, calculating gaze, was Vust Oreamia.

Joseph’s breath caught in his throat. Vust looked older now, harder, his once playful smirk replaced with a grim determination. He was dressed in dark, functional clothing, his eyes sharp as they swept over the shapeshifters, giving orders with a calm authority that sent chills down Joseph’s spine. This was no longer the friend Joseph had once known. This was a man who had embraced the chaos, who had chosen power over loyalty.

Joseph stepped forward, his boots scuffing against the stone floor. The sound echoed through the chamber, drawing the attention of the shapeshifters. They snarled, baring their fangs, their eyes glowing with a predatory light as they turned to face him.

But Vust didn’t react immediately. He stood there, his back to Joseph, his head tilted slightly as if listening to something only he could hear. Then, slowly, he turned around, a small, humorless smile curling at the edges of his lips.

“Well, well,” Vust said, his voice smooth and cold. “Look who’s decided to join the party.”

Joseph gripped his blade tighter, his knuckles white. “What the hell are you doing, Vust? This isn’t you.”

Vust’s smile faded, his expression hardening. “You don’t know me, Joseph. Not anymore. You think I’m the same kid who used to run around town, pulling pranks and getting into trouble? That was a lifetime ago. The world’s changing, and I’ve adapted. You should too.”

Joseph shook his head, taking a step closer. “Adapted? You’re planning to destroy Avaleris, Vust! You’re going to wipe out everything—our families, our homes. For what? For power? Is that what you’ve become?”

Vust’s eyes flashed with anger. “You don’t get it, do you? The world’s already falling apart. You’ve been hiding on your ranch, pretending everything’s fine, but out here, beyond your little bubble, everything’s crumbling. I’m just speeding things up.”

Joseph’s heart pounded in his chest. “You don’t have to do this. We can stop it, Vust. We can fix things.”

Vust’s expression softened for a moment, and for the briefest of seconds, Joseph thought he saw a flicker of the man he used to know. But it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by cold, unyielding resolve.

“No,” Vust said quietly. “This is the way it has to be.”

Joseph felt a surge of anger, his grip tightening on the hilt of his blade. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

Vust’s smile returned, but there was no warmth in it. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

With a flick of his wrist, Vust signaled to the shapeshifters, and in an instant, they charged.

Joseph’s instincts took over. He moved with the precision and strength of a man who had spent his entire life working the land, his muscles honed by years of hard labor. He swung his blade in a wide arc, the enchanted steel slicing through the air with a sharp hiss. The first shapeshifter lunged at him, its massive claws extended, but Joseph was faster. He ducked under its swipe, driving his blade into its side. The creature let out a howl of pain, its body convulsing as it fell to the ground.

But there were more—dozens of them. They circled him, their glowing eyes filled with hunger and rage. Joseph fought with everything he had, using the narrow passages of the cave to his advantage, forcing the creatures to come at him one by one. The blade cut through their thick hides, sending sprays of dark blood across the stone floor. He moved with a grace that belied his age, his body fueled by adrenaline and the desperate need to protect his family.

But it wasn’t enough.

For every shapeshifter he took down, two more appeared, their snarls echoing through the chamber. Joseph’s arms ached, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he fought to keep them at bay. His body, worn from years of ranching, was starting to give out. He could feel it in the way his muscles burned, in the way his movements slowed, his strikes becoming less precise.

And then he saw it.

The bomb, pulsing with an unnatural light, was nearly ready to detonate. The shapeshifters had done their work well, and the device was primed to unleash its destructive force upon Avaleris.

Joseph knew what he had to do.

With a roar of defiance, he fought his way through the horde of shapeshifters, his blade cutting a path toward the bomb. His body screamed in protest, blood trickling down his arms from cuts and scrapes, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t stop.

As he reached the bomb, he glanced over his shoulder, locking eyes with Vust one last time. Vust stood there, watching him, his expression unreadable.

“I’m sorry,” Joseph whispered, though he wasn’t sure if the words were meant for Vust or for his family.

With a final surge of strength, Joseph drove his blade into the core of the bomb, its enchanted edge slicing through the machinery with a crackling hiss. The device sputtered, sparks flying as the crystals embedded in the walls shattered.

The bomb was disabled.

But the shapeshifters weren’t finished. They swarmed him, their claws tearing into his flesh as they attacked with savage fury. Joseph fell to his knees, blood pooling around him, his vision dimming.

In his final moments, as the world faded around him, Joseph’s thoughts drifted to his wife and children. He pictured Lila’s face, her smile, the warmth of her touch. He saw Evie, Maria, and Jack, their laughter filling the air as they played in the fields, their joy untainted by the darkness of the world.

And then, there was nothing.

Joseph Smitthy had saved Avaleris. But he had paid the ultimate price.

As the shapeshifters retreated, their bomb disabled, Vust Oreamia stood in the shadows, watching the scene unfold. His expression remained cold, though his eyes lingered on Joseph’s fallen form for a moment longer than he intended. There was a strange flicker in his chest, a pull deep inside that he hadn’t felt in years, but he pushed it down, locking it away as he had done with every other feeling that had threatened to shake his resolve.

Joseph Smitthy—his oldest friend, the man who had been more like a brother to him than anyone else—lay still in the center of the cave, his body broken, his blood staining the ground beneath him. For a moment, Vust considered walking over, standing beside him one last time. But what was the point? Joseph had made his choice, and so had Vust.

The shapeshifters around him snarled, their frustration palpable. They had been so close to detonating the bomb, so close to achieving their goal. But Joseph had stopped them, and in doing so, he had crippled their plans, at least for now.

Vust’s cold gaze drifted to the remains of the bomb, sparks still sputtering from the severed wires and shattered crystals. The device was beyond repair, its power neutralized, but the shapeshifters wouldn’t give up that easily. They never did. Their cause—whatever twisted ideology had driven them to this point—would push them to try again. Vust had no illusions about that.

As the remaining shapeshifters began to file out of the cave, retreating into the wilderness to regroup, Vust lingered, his sharp eyes scanning the chamber one last time. His expression was unreadable, a mask of indifference, but deep down, something nagged at him—something he refused to name.

"Joseph," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head as he turned away. He had warned him. He had told him to walk away, to let this happen and save himself. But Joseph, ever the stubborn rancher, had refused. He had chosen to fight, to sacrifice himself for a world that was already on the brink of collapse.

Vust’s jaw tightened as he stepped out of the cave and into the cool night air. The stars above were the same as they had always been, indifferent and distant, but something in the world felt different now. Something had shifted, and Vust wasn’t sure if it was the outcome of this night or the weight of his own decisions finally catching up with him.

For a moment, he stood at the cave’s entrance, looking back toward the ranch in the distance. He knew what he was walking away from—the friendship, the memories, the simpler days when he and Joseph had ridden together across the plains, carefree and untouchable. But those days were gone. They had been gone for years.

With one last glance at the cave, Vust pulled his hood up over his head and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Joseph’s lifeless body behind, knowing full well that the consequences of this night would ripple through Avaleris for years to come.

Back at the ranch, Lila Smitthy stood on the porch, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she stared out into the darkness, waiting for any sign of her husband. The night was quiet, save for the occasional call of the dinosaurs in the paddocks, but there was an unease that hung heavy in the air, a silence that felt wrong.

She had been waiting for hours now, her heart heavy with dread. Joseph had promised her—he had promised he would come back. But as the minutes turned into hours, and the hours into the deep, late night, that promise felt more and more like a lie she had desperately wanted to believe.

The children were asleep inside, blissfully unaware of the danger that had been looming just beyond their home. They didn’t know what their father had gone to do, what he had sacrificed to protect them. But Lila knew. She had always known, deep down, that Joseph wouldn’t return.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them away, refusing to cry. Joseph wouldn’t have wanted that. He would have wanted her to stay strong, for the kids, for the ranch. He had done what he had to do, and now it was her turn to carry the weight of that burden.

The sky began to lighten with the first hints of dawn, and as Lila stood there, watching the horizon, she knew—Joseph was gone. But his sacrifice had not been in vain. The shapeshifters’ bomb had been stopped, Avaleris had been saved, and their children would live to see another day.

She would carry on, as she always had, with the quiet strength that had seen her through every challenge life had thrown at her. But now, she would do it alone, without the man she had loved by her side.

As the first rays of sunlight broke through the clouds, casting a warm, golden glow over the ranch, Lila took a deep breath and whispered a silent goodbye to Joseph, her heart heavy but resolute. The world had been saved, but the cost had been great. Avaleris would live on, but it would never be the same without him.

And somewhere, far beyond the reach of that morning light, Vust Oreamia walked alone into the wilderness, his past behind him, his future uncertain, and the memory of Joseph Smitthy—a man who had once been his friend, and who had died a hero—haunting his every step.

Epilogue: A Debt Repaid

The years had not been kind to Avaleris. The world had kept turning, as it always did, but the scars left behind from the shapeshifters’ failed plot had never fully healed. The wilderness beyond the cities had become more dangerous, and the uneasy peace that followed Joseph Smitthy’s sacrifice hung like a shadow over the planet’s future. But far above Avaleris, in the floating metal spires of the Station Nations, Vust Oreamia thrived.

Vust had grown his criminal empire from the embers of what he’d once been—a petty thief running scams with Joseph—and now, he was something else entirely. His gang, known simply as The Treaders, controlled vast networks of illicit trade across the Stations, running everything from smuggled goods to information that could topple governments. The cold, calculated man who had stood in the cave that fateful night had become even more dangerous in the years since.

The Stations were a different world altogether, a series of floating metropolises that orbited Avaleris, governed by their own laws, their own rulers. Here, the air was thick with the hum of industry, the glow of artificial lights illuminating the sprawling streets and towering structures. The rich lived in the upper levels, looking down upon the teeming masses below, while the underbelly—where Vust operated—was a place of shadows, deals made in dark corners, and the constant scent of oil and decay.

Vust sat in his office, high above the bustling streets of the lower station. The room was sleek, minimalist, with a wide window that gave him a view of the endless expanse of space and the distant glow of Avaleris below. He leaned back in his chair, fingers drumming lightly on the metal desk, his mind wandering as it often did in these quiet moments between deals. The years had hardened him even further, his once expressive face now a mask of calm indifference. There were no more second thoughts, no more regrets. The boy who had once ridden alongside Joseph Smitthy was long gone, buried beneath layers of survival and ambition.

A knock on the door broke his reverie.

“Come in,” Vust called, his voice steady, though the tension of constant vigilance never truly left him.

The door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing one of his lieutenants, a wiry man named Dero, who had been with Vust since the early days of his rise to power. But this time, Dero wasn’t alone. Standing beside him, dwarfed by the older man’s lanky frame, was a boy—no older than fifteen, maybe sixteen at most.

The boy had a quiet confidence about him, though his youth was evident in the way his eyes darted around the room, taking in every detail. His clothes were simple, worn but sturdy, the kind you’d expect from someone used to hard work, not the polished look of a street-smart orphan trying to make a name for himself. There was something familiar about him, though Vust couldn’t place it right away.

“What’s this?” Vust asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked from the boy to Dero.

The lieutenant cleared his throat, gesturing toward the boy. “This kid says he’s here to see you. Said it’s about a debt you owe.”

Vust’s eyes narrowed. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. “I don’t owe anyone anything.”

The boy stepped forward, unflinching under Vust’s cold gaze. “My mama sent me. She said you owed my family a debt, and that you’d give me a position.”

Vust studied him for a long moment, his sharp eyes searching the boy’s face. There was something in the way he spoke, something about the tone of his voice that tugged at the edges of Vust’s memory. He frowned.

“And who exactly is your mother?” Vust asked, his voice low and measured.

The boy didn’t hesitate. “Lila Smitthy.”

The name hit Vust like a punch to the gut, his calm exterior cracking ever so slightly. For a moment, the room seemed to tilt, his mind rushing back to the days on Avaleris, to the ranch, to Joseph. He hadn’t thought about Joseph Smitthy in years—hadn’t allowed himself to—but hearing that name again, seeing this boy standing in front of him, brought it all flooding back.

Vust swallowed hard, keeping his expression neutral despite the sudden storm of emotions swirling inside him. “Joseph’s son?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.

The boy nodded. “I’m Jack. His youngest.”

Joseph’s youngest. The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Vust’s mind reeled as the realization hit him—Joseph had died not knowing that Lila was pregnant again. He had sacrificed himself for Avaleris, for his family, without knowing that a part of him would live on in this boy.

“You weren’t born when your father…” Vust’s voice trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

“No,” Jack replied, his voice quiet but steady. “But my mama told me about him. She told me about what he did… and about you.”

Vust’s throat tightened. Lila had sent this boy to him, a boy who looked so much like Joseph it made Vust’s heart ache. And now he stood here, asking for a place in Vust’s world. A world Joseph had fought to protect him from.

For a long moment, Vust didn’t speak, his mind racing. He could turn the boy away. It would be easy. Send him back to Avaleris, back to the ranch, where he could live out his days in the quiet, simple life his father had died to preserve. But as Vust looked into Jack’s eyes, he saw the same fire, the same determination that Joseph had once carried. This boy was here for a reason, and Vust knew he couldn’t deny him.

“What do you want, Jack?” Vust asked, his voice softer now, the edge of authority tempered by something more personal. “Why come here? Why not stay on the ranch?”

Jack met his gaze, unwavering. “I want to see the world. I want to see what my father never did. Mama told me you could show me that.”

Vust leaned back in his chair, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. Joseph had died to keep this boy safe, to keep him away from the dangers of the wider world. And now, here he was, asking for the very thing Joseph had tried to protect him from.

But Vust understood. He understood that hunger, that need to see more, to break free from the small world you were born into. It was the same drive that had pushed him to leave Avaleris all those years ago.

With a deep sigh, Vust nodded. “Alright, Jack. I’ll give you a position. But it won’t be easy. This world… it’s not like the ranch. It’s dangerous, unforgiving.”

“I’m not afraid,” Jack said, his voice steady.

Vust smiled faintly, a flicker of the old Vust showing through for just a moment. “No, I don’t suppose you are.”

He stood, walking over to the window and looking out at the expanse of the Station Nations, the vastness of space stretching out before him. “I’ll start you as a carrier. You’ll travel between the Stations, see the world, meet people. It’s a dangerous job, but it’ll show you more than you ever imagined.”

Jack’s eyes lit up with excitement, but Vust’s gaze remained fixed on the stars outside. His heart was heavy with memories of Joseph, of the days they had spent together, of the choices that had led them down such different paths. He had lost his friend that night in the cave, and now, years later, he was faced with the son Joseph had never known he had.

Turning back to Jack, Vust crossed his arms, his voice firm but not unkind. “I’ll honor the debt, Jack. Your father… he was a good man. Better than I ever was.”

Jack nodded, his expression serious. “I know.”

As Jack left the office, Vust stood alone, his mind filled with thoughts of the past, of Joseph’s sacrifice, and of the boy who had just walked out the door—his best friend’s son, now part of the world that Joseph had fought to keep him from.

Vust sat back down at his desk, his gaze distant, the weight of the years heavy on his shoulders. He had built an empire, a life far removed from the ranches of Avaleris, but in that moment, as the stars blinked outside his window, he couldn’t help but think of Joseph Smitthy, the man who had given everything to protect the ones he loved.

And now, it was Vust’s turn to protect Jack, to give him a chance to see the world his father had never known.

Maybe, in some small way, this was how Vust could repay the debt that had lingered between them all these years.