Page 48 of Saving the Alien Chieftain

Could it really end like this? Dead to some overgrown bugs!

With trembling hands, I fumble for the small vial Xandor had provided, desperately hoping it contains an antidote of some sort. The faintly glowing green liquid stings as I apply it to the wound, the pungent scent reminiscent of antiseptics from Earth—a fragile glimmer of hope in this terrible situation.

In the cave’s dim recess, I wait on tenterhooks, every twinge or tingle in my body scrutinized, unsure if it signals the venom’s fatal embrace. Foolish of me to stumble into this mess! I thought I had the Proving all figured out, only to find myself plunging headfirst into an unknown abyss. I can almost hear Krogoth’s mocking voice, “Silly, tiny Pebbles. Should’ve stayed safe on Earth.” A dry laugh escapes me at the thought.

Surveying the lifeless vipertail corpses, I recall Xandor’s advice about using their venom to coat arrowheads.

Well… I’m not dead yet.

Gritting my teeth, I meticulously extract the repugnant poison from each vipertail’s stinger, applying it on every arrow. Suppressing a gag, I try not to succumb to the vile repulsion.

Though my face remains swollen and numb, the affliction doesn’t seem to advance to anything more serious. Perhaps Xandor’s remedy has stopped the poison’s course. Regardless, lingering here won’t help.

I cautiously step out from the cave, allowing my eyes to adjust to the outside’s daylight. Judging by the sun’s descent, dusk looms closer by the moment. Not far off, I spy suitable trees for a night’s rest. As I approach, rustling behind me snatches my attention, and in an instant, I’m almost face-to-face with that same bloodied hydralith. We freeze, locked in mutual surprise for a fleeting moment before instinct takes over. I sprint withevery ounce of strength toward the nearby trees, my legs a blur in the rush.

Terror courses through me as the beast’s approaching footfalls echo on leaves and foliage. Heart pounding, I push myself to the limit, sprinting with sheer panic. The trees become my sanctuary, but I can hear the creature closing in. Spotting a tree with a reachable branch, I time my jump precisely, knowing any mistake could mean I end up in the belly of that creature.

Thanks to the exoenhancer armor amplifying my leg strength, I leap high, landing on the branch, but the slick rain almost sends me sliding off. Frantically, I steady myself against the trunk, realizing how narrowly I avoided a fatal fall.

The hydralith is relentless. It still barks and growls for my blood, attempting to leap onto my branch, banging against it many times. Quickly, I spring from branch to branch, ascending the tree, trying to discourage the persistent monster from chasing me.

Still, it circles the tree until stopping below a lower branch on the other side. I watch in horror as it leaps onto the easier branch before leaping onto another. My fleeting relief at having made it up the tree turns into frantic panic. With my bow ready and a poisoned arrow notched, I aim at the branch the creature will reach next. Holding my breath, I wait unflinchingly. As the hydralith leaps into my view, I smoothly release the arrow. The creature roars out defiantly in pain as the arrow penetrates its shoulder, a surge of pride and relief washing over me.

It stumbles before making another leap. I notch another arrow in preparation. However, before I can release another shot, the creature leaps feebly, missing the next branch. It tumbles from the tree, crashing noisily to the ground. Looking down, I can see the beast lying unmoving. I breathe a great sigh of relief as the threat is finally gone.

Hastily, I assemble the tent and fall onto the cozy mat. Totally exhausted, sleep takes me immediately.

I survived day two. Barely.

Chapter 18

Krogoth

Blitz

Sweat blooms and glistensall over my body. After a few days in a cramped cell, it feels glorious to stretch all my muscles. My powerful legs propel me over the ash covered jagged charred rocks of Magaxus Clan territory. With each thunderous step, my lungs heave and puff rhythmically in response to the blistering pace I have set. Ash clings to me, stinging my eyes and choking my lungs, but still, I press on towards my Pebbles.

For half a day, I sprint east, never daring to stop for a moment. My pace is punishing. Few could maintain such speeds, even in the wider universe, but I am strong. A noble son of Draxxus Chieftain Terigon and Chieftainess Velasin, forged in countless battles and hunts across the galaxies. And now I’m driven by abond none have experienced for over two hundred years. I will not fail.

The volcanic landscape blurs past, a mosaic of danger, with bubbling streams of cooling lava, their perilous hue nearly indistinguishable from the surrounding rocks. Were it not for the shimmering heat haze signaling the danger, I might have mistakenly stepped into their molten currents several times. Among these fiery hazards lie steaming geysers, erupting into scalding jets of water, prompting me to swiftly shield myself with the scaled cloak I fashioned for protection.

Mercifully, no more terrible visions of Pebbles being abused have haunted me since leaving my cell in the Peak of Scarn. Whether caused by my fevered mind, sick with worry, driven mad by the bond, or some portents from the Gods, whatever drove them seems satiated now that I’m moving closer to her.

The sound of wings snaps my attention high above me. Two arrohawks twist and turn roaring in defiance as they fight viciously for territorial control. I find recalling the animals native to Magaxus a struggle, having not spent much time here, as our two clans were often in a heated dispute. But judging from the harsh terrain and sparse vegetation, it looks mostly devoid of larger creatures. However, I keep my guard up as I continuously scan the horizon for any potential danger.

If I am able to maintain this pace, it should take me a few days to pass through Magaxus lands into Clan Sanaxus territory. If I can forgo many sleeps and keep pushing hard, I estimate getting through the deserts of Sanaxus in roughly a week. It’s a grueling task, keeping such a pace through the dunes, with scarce water and food, enduring the blistering sun. After Sanaxus would come my clan territory Draxxi, and from there, I can trace Pebbles’ steps, assuming she is attempting the Proving.

I contemplate heading southeast towards Star City to use a glider back to Draxxi. It might save some time. However, the riskof detection is too great, and the added problem that I no longer possess my wrist console means I can’t order a glider. No, this is the correct path to take. Avoiding others, especially in hostile Clan Magaxus lands, is paramount. If anyone recognizes me, I will have groups of hunters on my trail slowing me down.

I sprint towards a small herd of snarlbrocs as they move with an eerie grace. Their gray shells, adorned with an array of bioluminescent patterns, speckled with hues of blues, purples, and greens. They explore the jagged environment with an almost rhythmic motion; their elongated tentacles grasp and probe between rocks, seeking some kind of sustenance hidden deep within.

I recoil in disgust, leaping over their glistening trail of luminous mucus that they leave in their wake. They retract their gelatinous bodies into their large shells in defense as I draw nearer. Their extremely tough shells and the disgusting texture of their meat dissuades me from hunting them. Few in my clan enjoy the taste of snarlbrocs, but they are a delicacy amongst the Virennix clan.

Before long, I come across a few geysers absent the hissing and bubbling heat of others, with parched lips, dried from volcanic ash and endless sprinting. I test the temperature of the water with my hand. Something near the bottom catches my attention, glowing faintly. Suddenly, elongated snapping jaws explode out of the water.

I leap back in shock, narrowly avoiding having my arm ripped off by its rows of razor-sharp teeth, thanks to my lightning-fast reflexes.

I recognize my attacker as a salamadile, a creature that prays on victims that venture too close to the volcanic hotspots. With its ambush a failure, the animal turns on its four-legged body, revealing the heat-resistant scales that shimmer in hues of fiery orange and molten reds along its back.

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