Page 23 of Kidnapped By the Alien Chieftain

Despite Carndor’s monotone delivery, I do my best to stay focused and absorb everything I can. I know this knowledge may come in handy. I’m lucky someone as experienced as he is willing to teach me.

It’s not long before my stomach rumbles, and my head spins, trying to remember each and every little detail and placement for the controls. I still have a lot to learn, but at least it is a start. I need a break but I’m already looking forward to exploring the ship’s controls more in the future.

Carndor’s demeanor is a stark contrast to the lively personalities of Krogoth and Xandor. His robotic andemotionless approach to teaching has me feeling a bit uneasy, but also it piques my curiosity. I wonder what experiences have shaped him into the warrior he is now.

I flash him a grateful smile and say, “You’re an excellent teacher, Carndor. Where did you learn all this stuff?”

“After the Proving Pilgrimage, the veterans taught me,” Carndor responds in a monotone voice, leaving me with a sense of awkwardness. I can’t read him, and it is making me curious and a little unsure how to proceed.

“Did you always want to be a warrior when you were a child?” I ask, trying to get to know him better.

Carndor stares at me with a puzzled expression. “I was never a child,” he finally responds, his discomfort his first display of emotion. “My first memory is being dropped off at Klendathor, then assigned to the clan Draxxus, already nearly fully grown.”

My mind reels as I try to process what he just revealed.Are all the Klendathians grown in incubation tanks and emerge near adulthood because they had no women? Is Krogoth the same?The implications are staggering, and a deep sense of sorrow washes over me. What kind of life is that, to be denied a childhood?

“I’m so sorry, Carndor.” My voice trembles slightly. “I did not know.”

“Don’t apologize. I feel nothing. It means I can be the best warrior.” Carndor’s response is chillingly flat, making it even more heart breaking.

But I press on, too curious to stop now. “What happened after you got assigned to clan Draxxus?” I ask him.

As Carndor speaks, I notice his eyes staring off into the distance, lost in thought. “Much. I remember the Chieftain and Elders reciting stories of Klendathian fables and history before leading us to grand temples deep in the forest,” he says, his voice low and gravelly.

“But like everything else, it bored me,” he continues, his eyes flickering with a hint of excitement. “It wasn’t until he taught me how to fight… how to kill. That’s when I discovered pleasure.” A chill runs down my spine as Carndor’s words sink in.

I take a step back from Carndor, feeling my unease building. But he remains lost in his memories, oblivious to the impact his words are having upon me.

“I still remember my first hunt,” he says, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “A venefex mother nearly killed me as she fought to defend her cubs. We battled for hours, blood running from our wounds. Even now, I carry the scars from that encounter.” He pauses, reliving the memory.

“After I finally killed her, I strung up her cubs and experimented on them, cutting pieces from their bodies to see how long they would live. One had no eyes or limbs, but it lasted for hours! Can you believe it?” Carndor’s tone is no longer monotone; his excitement is palpable. He turns his huge frame towards me, and terror grips my heart.

I take a deep breath and try to keep my composure as Carndor speaks. “Next came the Proving. They sent me into the depths of the forest, facing dangerous predators at every turn, in search of the great underground temple. It was a test of survival, and I barely made it. And for what? Upon reaching the temple, I was supposed to receive a vision. But it was all a lie. I saw nothing but ancient statues with accusing eyes, mocking my very existence,” Carndor roars, clenching his massive fist before his face in anger.

I stammer some incoherent words as I move closer to the exit of the Command Bridge, desperate to end the conversation before things spiral out of control. Carndor’s eyes burn with an otherworldly intensity, and his words drip with a savage delight that makes me shudder. “I received this warvisor after the vision that never was.” He takes a step towards me, holding thewarvisor in his hand. “The sacred lie. It helps me kill better,” he says with a twisted grin. A sense of dread washes over me and I take another step back to maintain a distance from him.

“Next, I was sent by the elders hurtling through space on a shuttle until I landed on a primitive planet in the Dominus system. And there, I had to survive as part of the Proving Pilgrimage. I could live off the wildlife there. But that wouldn’t have been fun!” he says, his claws extending and retracting repeatedly with a menacing click.

“I slaughtered the inhabitants. Ah! I can still smell the stench of their blood as I sliced them apart with my razor-sharp claws, seeing the fear in their eyes as they were powerless to stop me. Still it pleases me. Finally, free from the fake morality of the old ones, I was unleashed, free to express myself, free to kill.” Green mist wisps from his eyes as he trembles, lost in the hunt’s thrill. I can see the gleam in his eyes and the veins bulging in his neck.

A shiver runs down my spine as I realize I am standing before a monster. Violence and war have defined his entire life. Carndor seems unable to feel any emotion other than the pleasure of killing. I can feel a chilling aura emanating from him, causing me to back away further in fear, my heart pounding in my chest.

Suddenly, Carndor speaks with his previous flat, emotionless voice, “Goodbye, Rocks.”

Without hesitation, I run out of the room, stumbling in my haste, heading towards Astraxius’ lab, hoping for answers and safety.

Chapter 12

Krogoth

Scythian Whore

Briegs gives us aknowing nod as we dash out of the Solarstorm bar, drawing curious glances from the other patrons. We push our way past them, determined to reach our destination as quickly as possible.

The alleys of the dismal station loom ahead, a maze of makeshift huts and broken people we must navigate. But I have my sights set on Javik’s location, which Briegs revealed to me. The potential Elerium deal is too important to let slip away, and I can’t afford to waste any time, knowing that our deal with Yaksai could turn sour at any moment.

As we hurry down the dimly lit alleys, I commend Xandor on his performance back in the bar. “Xandor, you really outdidyourself in there,” I say, nodding my approval at my friend. Xandor lets out a hearty laugh in response.

“Thanks, Krogoth. That idiot’s bug eyes practically popped off his head when he thought he’d get his hands on a warvisor.”

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