Page 20 of Found By the Alien Warrior

Chapter Nine

SONYA

I was given the rest of the night off. I couldn't help but regret joking about getting a stomach bug earlier; now, I genuinely felt queasy and battled a pounding headache.

How could I sleep, knowing that tomorrow could be my last if Aurik didn't win the match and stop the cage from falling in time? My breath came out shallow. I tried to calm myself, focusing on the steady hum of the ship's engine.

The door to my room opened abruptly, making me jump. Korga stepped in, his presence darkening the room. I backed away from the door, trying to hide my fear.

"I thought you were Vessa," I managed.

"She’s still celebrating her victory. I, however, can provide you company of another kind." He gave me a lewd look, and I fought back a wave of nausea.

"Suit yourself," he said angrily when I didn't respond. "You're going to be lonely on what could be your last night."

"I want to see Aurik."

"The fighters need to be fresh for tomorrow."

"But you know the risks that could be involved.” I didn’t dare name them for fear of them coming true.

Korga's eyes narrowed. "That's what makes it entertaining. You have no idea how many bets were placed for this match alone. I've already made double the sales of admission."

His chuckle made me want to retch. "Just leave me alone."

"You're getting in that cage tomorrow. The guards out in the hall will make sure of it."

As the door closed behind him, my knees buckled, and I sank onto the floor. My hands shook as I tried to steady my breathing.

"Get it together, Sonya," I whispered to myself, trying to focus on Aurik's promise that he wouldn't let me fall. But even though I trusted him, I couldn't shake the fear that consumed me.

The night crept by for an agonizing eternity, my mind refusing to grant me the solace of sleep. Each minute that passed was a cruel reminder that time was running out, and all I could think about was the cage that awaited me.

Morning finally came, bringing with it a sense of impending doom. I was led to the ring, my heart drumming against my ribs as I stepped into the cold metal cage. Gornoc's hands were steady on the controls, his eyes betraying nothing as he sent the cage closer to the edge of the ring. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the horrible reality of my situation.

The crowd roared as the challenger was introduced, but his name barely registered in my ears - Hyl'teron, or something like that. It wasn't until Aurik's name carried through the arena that I dared to open my eyes. He strode confidently into the ring, his gaze locking with mine. In that moment, I saw the fire of determination in his eyes and remembered his promise: he wouldn't let me fall. I clung to those words like a lifeline as the match began.

"Come on, Aurik," I murmured under my breath, watching him trade blows with Hyl'teron. They were evenly matched, and the crowd grew restless as neither fighter seemed to gain the upper hand. A bead of sweat rolled down my temple, but whether it was from the heat of the match or my own anxiety, I couldn't tell.

My pulse spiked when I spotted Gornoc cranking a mechanism nearby, and my cage lurched into motion, inching toward the edge of the ring. The stakes were raised, and the crowd's attention shifted back to the fight with renewed interest.

"Shit, shit, shit," I muttered, the panic clawing at my insides. My hands gripped the bars of the cage tightly, the skin on my knuckles stretched tight as my nerves danced all over the place.

My blood pressure skyrocketed as the cage inched closer to the edge, and I couldn't help but let out a scream. One side of the cage had already cleared the edge, leaving it hanging with only a cable weight preventing it from toppling over completely. Desperation sliced at me while I scrambled to the other side, trying my best to put as much weight and force as possible on that one side. But no matter how hard I tried, the cage continued its mission to go over the edge.

"Please, help!" I cried out, my voice cracking with fear. The crowd roared in response, enjoying the drama unfolding before them.

Suddenly, I was forced to witness Aurik being caught in Hyl'teron's chokehold, his face contorted with pain as he struggled to break free. My heart sank, and my screams became more frantic as I watched the cable rope holding up the cage begin to fray. Time seemed to slow, and my breath caught in my throat as I saw Aurik glance up, our eyes meeting for a split second.

Aurik's eyes widened, and I could see something spark within them. He suddenly found the strength to throw Hyl'teron to the ground, breaking free from the chokehold. Hyl'teron tapped out, signaling his surrender. An automatic win for Aurik.

But there was no time for celebration. Before the announcer could even finish declaring Aurik the winner, he sprinted towards my cage. He scanned it, searching for a way to open it. There was no key or anything that would allow him to free me. Korga's sick laughter echoed through the arena from his VIP section, and I knew he had planned this all along.

"Hold on, Sonya." Aurik called out to me.

The sound of his voice reignited a small glimmer of hope within me, and I clung to it like a lifeline. But as the cage continued its relentless advance, reality came crashing back down.

"Please, Aurik. Don't let me fall."

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