Page 21 of Fated to the Alien Chieftain

“What if it wasn’t only Zyraxis, but this war chief guy you’ve mentioned? Isn’t he from the Magaxus clan, too?”

Krogoth shakes his head. “No, War Chieftain Gorexius would attack directly, with overwhelming force.”

I shrug, not entirely convinced, when I’m buffeted by flapping wings. Cupcake barks loudly, ensuring no one can be in any doubt that the giant fluffy avian monster has returned. She licks her muzzle as she eyes the two bodies.Ah crap, not this again.

“No, Cupcake! They’re not for you!” I exclaim, trying to push the voracious brutonous away from the remains. But, it’s no use. She’s too big and strong now, and she easily brushes me aside. I turn round to see her happily wagging her tail as she brutally picks at the charred remains of the warrior with her talons.

“Krogoth stop her!” I exclaim, looking at him in disbelief.

“I can’t without hurting her. Is that what you wish?” He asks, calmly watching Cupcake savagely tear strips of flesh from the corpse.

“No...” I turn my head away from the grisly scene dejectedly. Sadness and anxiety churn in my stomach. “I’m sorry, Krogoth. I just hate when she does this. If she grows up thinking it’s okay to go around eating Klendathians, then she’ll be hunted and killed. If only there was some way to teach her to stop.”

Krogoth’s eyes show sympathy. “This is her nature.” He gestures towards Cupcake who is raking her claws over the body’s chest armor.

“What about dogs from Earth? They are domesticated and trainable, but were once wild animals.”

“She is no timid borack, nor a pack animal eager to please. She is a queen of the skies, an apex predator. Solitary and deadly.” Krogoth looks at Cupcake with respect painted on his face.

“All animals can be trained, even solitary ones,” I insist.

“Then you would break her? Tie her up? Watch her wither and grow sickly? Having never known the joy or beauty of which she is capable?” Krogoth says, his voice rising a rare sign of his frustration. “Such a thing violates the teachings of our Gods.”

As if to emphasize his point, Cupcake tosses the charred body into the air, watching it fall while wagging her tail, then barking eagerly as it crashes noisily to the ground, before pouncing on it to start aggressively shaking it.

Krogoth laughs, watching Cupcake play with the body. “When the Council of Elders find these remains, they might think we cannibalized them.”

I smile. “Does it count as cannibalism if I’m a human?” Cupcake throws the charred remains towards me, forcing me to leap out of the way, nearly tripping in surprise. She lies on her talons, waiting excitedly, expecting me to throw the massive, heavy body back to her.

Krogoth raises an eyebrow. “That depends on who you ask.” He then looks to the sky, which has an unusual level of darkness at this time of day. “Come, the eclipse is nearly here.” He offers me his giant hand.

Together, hand in hand, we move away from the scene of carnage. The sounds of Cupcake dragging her new favorite toy echo through the dense woods until she whimpers in frustration, finally leaving it behind, panting from exhaustion. I can hardly take my eyes from the ancient temple of Lanaisor. With its strange central spiraling tower that reaches into the heavens, the end is beyond sight.How did they build something like this? And how does it not collapse?The gentle flutter of butterflies inmy stomach evolves into a storm of tornadoes with each passing step.

We reach the odd clearing section again. My instincts prompt me to pause. There’s something unnatural about it, the way the trees all end in a perfect circle some distance around the temple. Like a caretaker working tirelessly, keeping nature at bay. It’s also the perfect place for a trap, which we’d just experienced firsthand.

“I’m nervous. What if there’s more Magaxus waiting for us?” I ask, looking at Krogoth standing on the last line of trees.

Krogoth gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “They would not have kept reserves.” But still he places his warvisor on and scans the area. “It’s clear,” he declares after a moment, causing me to release a deep breath.

Cupcake nudges my back with muffled yelps, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin as my nerves unravel to a delicate thread. “Easy, girl!” I blurt out. Cupcake licks me in the face before leaping into the air. With her majestic wings outstretched, she flies towards the temple.

Krogoth gasps, “She’s leading you to the temple,” he takes off his mask, revealing a look of wonder on his face. “Was Rylar right? Did the Gods send her to guide us?” he asks excitedly.

I feel uneasy at his words; the implications send a tingle down my spine. It’s hard to deny the strange events that have taken place, and with Klendathor having such a wild primordial aura surrounding it, you could easily believe some ancient spirits dwell here. But I’m convinced there’s a more logical explanation.There usually is... right?

“She probably likes the look of the tower,” I answer dispassionately.

Krogoth scoffs. “Always the skeptic.”

“What can I say? I’m a hard girl to impress.” I shrug nonchalantly.

Still hand in hand with Krogoth, I step forward into the clearing, now convinced it’s safe. Without the trees obscuring the temple, it’s easier to pick out more details. Such as how open it is. There’s no door, but large arched openings dotted along the walls on every side. Nestled above these openings are moss covered statues standing elegantly in various poses. They appear happy, with smiles etched on their faces, heads held high, carrying children or embracing each other.

The structure looks to be made of stone, although it’s difficult to tell with so much reddish moss covering it. In between the statues are large windows, but instead of glass they’re laced with thin webbing of stone, with incredibly intricate patterns the purpose of which escapes me. As we get closer, the sheer size of the place becomes apparent, filling me with a sense of awe and wonder as it looms over us like a mountain.

The area grows dark, as if a thick cloud has passed over the sun. I glance up, remembering the eclipse is due at any moment. The sight of the huge sun casting a sparkling purple halo around the dark moon takes my breath away. It sits like a radiant celestial ring encircling the entire temple of Lanaisor, like a god beckoning us onward.

“Look, my love, Machsin and Dagdorix are joined. They are welcoming us to do the same,” Krogoth says, his voice laden with reverence.

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