Page 19 of Fated to the Alien Chieftain

“I saw it! Told you she was a good girl,” Pebbles says full of relief and joy.

“There’s still one standing. Be careful,” I caution.

I inch closer to the wreckage, taking cover behind trees. The only sound is the cracking fire burning away. Then I notice a masked face taking cover behind part of the glider. He watches the sky as if waiting for Cupcake to swoop down.

“He’s behind the ruined glider. I’ll draw his attention and you finish him,” I suggest to Pebbles.

Picking up a small stone, I toss it at the Magaxus warrior, hitting him square on his warvisor, jolting his head back.Good!I make a dash through the trees, hearing the familiar sound of molten hot plasma scorching the air and everything it touches. None are close to hitting me, the desperate blasts of a warrior full of fear.

“Rahhhh!” Pebbles' absurdly cute war cry echoes through the woods, prompting me to peer out from behind my cover. I don’t think her opponent is finding it particularly cute, however, asshe runs him through with her spear. The long weapon is deeply embedded through the lightly armored armpit area, straight through into his chest. He turns before collapsing to the floor in a lifeless heap.

“An excellent strike, my love,” I commend Pebbles as I rush over, making sure the warrior is truly dead. I strip off his warvisor to see his lifeless eyes and long green hair. Not the hair or face of a youth, but a seasoned warrior.Whoever sent them wasn’t taking chances.

The sound of flapping wings announces the arrival of Cupcake as she lands with a thud. Pebbles squeals in delight, rushing over to greet her. “Such a good girl, saving daddy Krogoth.” Cupcake does an excited spin before they both embrace. Cupcake licks and nozzles Pebbles in a frantic blur of feathers and fuzzy mane, while Pebbles desperately tries to withstand the assault with rubs and scratches. I can’t help but laugh watching the pair of them. Until I remember.

Another one still lives. I turn my attention back to the wreckage moving to the other side. A little distance away, movement catches my eye. A huge warrior on his back struggles feebly to move a thick section of glider off himself. My warvisor informs me he has numerous broken ribs, and a broken left arm. I extend my claws, ready to deliver merciful vengeance.

Moving with lightning speed, I kick off his arc blaster gauntlet, leaving him disarmed. I next tear off his warvisor and gasp in shock in recognition. “Dracoth?”

“Krogoth,” his face winces in pain from the effort of speaking. “I nearly got you,” he chuckles before coughing.

“You would throw your life away committing such open sacrilege? Even if you had killed me, you would have still been condemned to death.”

Dracoth tries desperately to heave the hunk of glider off himself before answering. “Elder Zyraxis spoke. Said the Council had ordered it.”

I shake my head. “You were lied to. You all were,” I gesture towards the wreckage. “Zyraxis is an elder no longer. He was stripped of his rank by the Council of Elders.”

Dracoth’s red youthful eyes show genuine shock before his face twists into a sneer. “Did you come to bore me to death or just gloat?” he splutters with more coughing. “I don’t fear death.”

I move to stand over Dracoth, his eyes never leaving me as I grip him by his red hair, ready to rip open his throat with my claws.Such a waste, the youngest Klendathian with his mind unaltered, size and strength equal to his father. He could be the best of us had he not been led astray.

Just before I deliver the final blow, his hand clutches the back of my ankle. I peer down to see tears leaking from his eyes, as he shakes from quiet sobbing. His face pleads for mercy, yet his stubborn pride prevents him from speaking the words.

“You ooze fear,” I bring down my claws, cutting savagely and crudely, pulling clumps of his red hair off his head, the traditional way of marking him as a defeated warrior. “Live and grow from this shame. So one day you can stand before me with your head held high.”

I deliver a swift blow into his temple, rendering him unconscious. Turning away, I feel a sense of relief wash over me.

This was the right thing to do.

Chapter 7

Roxanne

The Sun and the Moon

“Cupcake stop! Pfft, ah!”I exclaim, trying to fend off the slimy tongue of my avian friend. Despite wearing my exoenhancer armor, I can barely support her weight as she places her two front talons over my shoulders and nuzzles frantically at my face. “You’re such a big girl now!” I continue to scratch and ruffle her fuzzy mane. Her underside is the color of the night sky and her topside is the purest white.

Joy and relief still resonate within me. I was terrified watching the glider chase Krogoth, and when I heard the crash, I feared he was dead. Only because of Cupcake’s timely intervention did he survive at all. “You’re the best girl, aren’t you?” I try to rock her head with affection from side to side, but her fierce strength makes it difficult.

I’m so glad to see her again, even just to know she’s still alive and well after we parted at the temple of Sunaisor. I reach a hand down and start rubbing her fat tummy.She’s been eating well, at least!“What have you been up to, you big silly fuzz?” Cupcake finally relents, sliding off my shoulders with her long tongue lolling out, panting from excitement.

Cupcake barks and wags her tail. Looking behind me, I turn, noticing Krogoth approaching, his eyes cast down, looking thoughtful. “Is everything okay?” I ask.

Krogoth looks up as if noticing us for the first time, “Yes,” he nods, before looking at Cupcake “Don’t let her near there,” he gestures to the wreckage’s other side. “I don’t want her eating Dracoth.”

Who’s Dracoth?

“Ah, you’re done eating smelly Klendathians, aren’t you, Cupcake?” I try to grab a handful of her feathers, but she dodges quickly before spinning happily.

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