Page 58 of Saving the Alien Chieftain

My eyes widen with apprehension as the hydralith paw tracks converge some distance away with Pebbles’ tiny footprints once again. They tell a story of another frantic chase through the woods. Each bush or thicket I pass fills me with breathless dread, fearing I may discover the remains of my beloved Pebbles.

I fear the worst as the scent of blood and decay reaches my senses, emanating from nearby. Zooming around the berth of a massive tree, the sight of a pile of remains causes my pulse to quicken with concern. Approaching the pile of bones, I breathe a sigh of relief, realizing it’s the eaten remains of a hydralith. I crouch, inspecting the bones, picking up a thin wooden stick with an arcweave tipped point. Having studied human weaponswhen I extracted Pebbles from Earth, I recognize the weapon as a human arrow.

My heart swells with pride for my love, having defeated such a fearsome beast as a hydralith with such a primitive weapon, a feat few in the universe could boast. I would never doubt the bravery of my Pebbles. She had proved it time and time again, although she herself appears blind to her own inner strength, but still, the thought of her out here exposed fills me with dread.

I pick up her trail once more as I speed through the dense woods, eager to hold Pebbles in my arms, shielding her from such dangers. Suddenly my ears prick up as soft paws rustle nearby shrubs and bushes.Hydraliths, a pack, surround me.Instinctively, I extend my claws and press my back against a nearby massive red leafed tree.

Sure enough, their hungry eyes gleam in the sunlight as six hydraliths stalk from amongst the foliage. My eyes burn with intensity as the Rush flows through my veins, fueled by the need for defense and the anger at being distracted. “Stop wasting my time!” I roar as I charge towards the nearest one. Astonishingly, the pack recoils, tucking their armored tails between their legs before fleeing in the opposite direction.

A chuckle escapes me as I emerge onto the large plains that separate the woods from the looming black cliffs in the distance. It’s harder to follow Pebbles’ tracks here. The ground is harder with less broken foliage to give clues. Yet there’re still signs of trampled tall red grass I follow.

The sight of a crumpled mass with wisps of smoke catches my attention. Drawing closer, my eyes widen in shock to see an arrohawk with half its upper body melted to streaming piles of blue viscera lying dead before me.What in the void happened here?Using plasma or any advanced weaponry is forbidden on Klendathor. Especially during the Proving. Examining the beast’s lower half, its talons bear claw wounds.A Prospectcarried off by an arrohawk desperately uses a weapon he shouldn’t even possess.

Zyraxis wouldn’t dare arm the Prospects with plasma weapons?His threats from the Peak of Scarn resurface in my mind. He’d stop at nothing to see Pebbles fall, saying he’d not leave the fate of Klendathor to chance. My heart aches with fear for my poor love, having to endure so much because of me. Not only having to survive the brutal natural environment but also fully armed trained Klendathian Prospects. A fresh wave of fear comes over me.

I scan the area for more clues and my attention is drawn to the partially melted cluster of black rocks in the distance. As I move towards them, my foot brushes something hidden amongst the short, red grass. Reaching down, my suspicions are confirmed, holding aloft a plasma pistol.Zyraxis risks much with this treachery!I place the weapon in my bag, knowing it might be vital evidence should the need arise.

With every step, I fear I’ll find Pebbles dead as I frantically head towards the molten slag of melted rocks. Only the trail of thick trickling green blood trailing off into long red grass shows what might have happened.Pebbles used these rocks as cover as the cowardly bastard shot plasma at her. Her attacker, distracted by an arrohawk, allowed her to flee into the tall grass.

“Please let her be safe,”I plead to the Gods, rushing into the grass, following the trail of blood. Glancing at the collapsed remains causes me to hold my breath in fear until I notice the body is armored in the unmistakable colors of a Magaxus warrior. The green-haired warrior bares terrible wounds, his midsection punctured with vast holes. But it’s the arrow jutting out of his chest that really surprises me.

Pebbles had not only escaped, but killed an armed Klendathian warrior. The realization is an astonishing relief; it’shard to think of my tiny, beautiful Pebbles as a warrior. She shouldn’t have to endure such a task, but the evidence is plain to see that she makes a fine warrior.Thank the Gods she has the strength and skill to survive.She’s still out there now. I can feel it!

Using my claws, I cut a length of green hair from the dead Prospect and remove one of his armored gauntlets, placing them in my bag.More evidence of Zyraxis’ treachery.

I continue following the trampled long grass, noting the sun descending overhead. It won’t be long until the only light is the waning moonlight. Still, I will not stop despite having barely slept in the past two weeks. I’m so close!

Looming ever closing are the massive black cliffs that lead to high peaks of Draxxi forest. I remember many years ago during my own Proving scaling this cliff face, which signals the last stretch to Sunaisor. It’s strange to be here again after all these years. Finally, I emerge from the tall grass into the open plains. I prepare to scale the walls when a colossal venefex paw print catches my eye.

Kneeling for a closer inspection, I’m taken aback by the sheer size of it. Large male venefexes wouldn’t leave prints three quarters of this size. This must be a very old, very strong beast to reach such a size. I glance over the area, relieved to see no signs of bloodshed or struggle. Still, the sight is unsettling. If it picks up Pebbles’ scent, this venefex might be hunting her down right now.

With any luck, I’ll find her tracks atop this cliff.

With resolve and determination, I ascend the obsidian rock face, digging my claws deep, forcing the very stone to yield for me. My muscles strain and flex as I propel myself upward, almost as if leaping. Sweat blossoms on my head as the eerie purple moon light reflects beautifully off the black wall. It’s as ifthe universe is silent and resting, frozen in time, while I press on relentlessly, unable to stop.

I’m surprised as my hand reaches over the edge of the cliff, recalling this climb taking me hours last time, but now it had taken mere minutes.Surely, I can’t be far behind Pebbles now?At the top, I survey the dense trees in the low light, trying to find a hint of her tracks yet again.

Even though the darkness obscures my sight, I still find her tiny footprints, heading north through the dense woods. Continuing as fast as I dare with the poor visibility, I’m forced to stop as I lose sight of her tracks.Where did you go?Casting my eye around the area for any clue, I spot the tracks of a venefex, much smaller than the previous tracks. Thankfully, no signs of a struggle either.Maybe the beast frightened Pebbles, and she took cover in the trees?

If I head north, I’d probably pick up her trail again. But curiosity compels me to follow the venefex tracks. A little distance away, I discover the mostly eaten remains of a venefex with brown fur laying amongst the woods.There was a battle here! Not Pebbles, the claw marks show a Klendathian.Thousands of little insects scurry away from the venefex remains as I move closer to inspect. A broken ax lies on the ground, its shaft split in half, and green droplets of blood litter the scene.

Venefex and Klendathian lock into a battle to the death. The Klendathian prevails but is heavily wounded.Droplets of green blood lead off north… North towards Pebbles! Wasting no more time investigating, I hurry after the bloodstains, simultaneously hoping and fearing they’ll lead me to Pebbles.

Racing through the dense forest in the cover of night, I sprint northward with every ounce of speed I can muster in the scant illumination. What awaits me at the end of this trail of blood? My mind is besieged by haunting possibilities, each one more ominous than the last.

Sheer white marble cliffs come into view, looming large. The final assent before Sunaisor. Close by the pristine white walls lies something less pure, a grisly scene of blood and carnage. My initial panic turns to relief at the realization the bloody mess is the collapsed form of a Magaxus Prospect, crumpled in a pool of his own blood.

A twisted manic grin is etched on his features, his lifeless gaze fixated on the night sky, as though privy to a secret joke shared only between him and the Gods. His body is a ruinous mess, with dozens of gashes and lacerations, probably from his battle with the venefex. The three puncture wounds in his chest must have done the actual damage; the holes are deep.

The three wounds are too clean and precise to be the work of a beast. It would have taken great strength to drive a weapon so cleanly through arcweave armor.Could Pebbles really have managed this?Tilting his black-haired head reveals the back of his neck is a gory wreck, nearly cut down to the bone. A network of dozens of quick stabs.

The scene depicts a brutal and desperate struggle, as perplexing as it’s relieving knowing Pebbles is not amongst the fallen. With only a short distance until Sunaisor, she must be very close now. Redirecting my focus to the white marble cliff face, I grasp at its contours, climbing with an urgency that matches my impatience.Where are you, my love?

In mere moments, I ascend the cliff face, feeling the cool breeze of the night air brush over my body, bringing with it the scent of blood. Already my eyes scan for any sign or hint of Pebbles’ whereabouts. Transversing the rocky soil on the peak, the sound of flapping arrohawk wings catches my attention.

Maintaining my guard, I cautiously move around a black menhir stone, discovering piles of venefex corpses strewn about, their bodies savaged by massive claws and teeth. An arrohawk bellows in anger at my intrusion, momentarily distracted fromits meal as it feasts upon chunks of dead venefexes. It turns its bloody, muzzled head in my direction.

The arrohawk underestimates me, preferring to lumber over rather than attack from the air where it’s strongest.A fatal mistake.The beast charges towards me, roaring and baring its muzzled fangs. I maneuver, placing my back to the edge of the peaks, preparing my strike. Leaping high with its talons clutching for my throat, I expect the lightning-fast attack, rolling under the creature, raking its webbed wings with my claws as I tumble behind it.

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