Page 13 of Rescued By the Alien Acolyte

Suddenly, a shout rings out behind us. “There! The prisoner is escaping with Master Finzar!”

“Loelle, run!” I yell, grabbing her hand and pulling her along.

We sprint across the dunes, our feet sinking into the soft sand with each step. The whine of the approaching sand-skimmers grows louder, the beams of their searchlights cutting through the darkness.

Just as it seems they’ll overtake us, I spot a rocky outcropping ahead. “This way!” I pull Loelle toward it, hoping the rough terrain will slow our pursuers.

We duck behind the rocks just as a blast of energy sizzles past, so close I can feel the heat of it on my skin. Loelle stumbles, crying out in pain as her ankle gives way.

Without thinking, I throw myself over her, shielding her body with mine as another blast impacts the rock above us, showering us with debris. I can feel her heart racing against my chest, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps.

“Finzar,” she whispers, her eyes wide with fear and something more, making my heart skip a beat.

Another volley of blasts shatters the moment. I roll off her, my mind racing. We’re outnumbered and outgunned, but I refuse to let it end here.

“Stay down,” I growl to Loelle, my eyes fixed on the approaching skimmers.

As the first skimmer rounds the rocks, I spring into action. With a leap honed by years of training, I land on the back of the vehicle. The acolyte driving barely has time to react before I’ve grabbed him, using his momentum to hurl him off the skimmer.

I seize control of the vehicle, spinning it around to face our pursuers. The other acolytes hesitate, clearly shocked by my sudden appearance on one of their own skimmers.

“Loelle, now!” I shout, using the commandeered skimmer to provide covering fire.

She limps toward me, and as she nears I reach out, grabbing her arm and swinging her onto the skimmer behind me.

“Hold on tight,” I growl, gunning the engine.

We take off in a spray of sand, weaving between the other skimmers. I can hear Loelle’s sharp intake of breath as we narrowly avoid a collision, her arms tightening around my waist.

The night air fills with the whine of engines and the crackle of energy weapons as our pursuers give chase. I push the skimmer to its limits, using every trick I know to stay ahead.

“There!” Loelle shouts in my ear, pointing to a narrow canyon ahead. “If we can make it through there, we might lose them!”

I nod, angling the skimmer toward the opening. It’s a risky move; the canyon is barely wide enough for our skimmer, and one wrong move could send us crashing into the walls.

As we plunge into the darkness of the canyon, I feel Loelle press closer against my back. Her trust in my abilities is both thrilling and terrifying.

Their pursuit continues, the sounds of our hunters echoing off the canyon walls. But with each twist and turn, we gain a little more ground.

Finally, we burst out of the other side of the canyon, the vast expanse of the desert once again stretching before us. The sounds of the chase have faded, lost in the twisting passages behind us.

I slow the skimmer, allowing us both a moment to catch our breath. Loelle’s arms are still wrapped tightly around me, her cheek pressed against my back.

“We did it,” she says, her voice filled with a mix of relief and awe.

I turn to look at her, a smirk tugging at my lips. “Did you doubt me, little flame?”

She laughs, the sound bright and genuine in the desert’s quiet night. “Not for a second, sun scum. But now it’s my turn to drive!”

Before I can protest, Loelle’s already shifting forward, her nimble body sliding past mine to take control of the skimmer. I’m momentarily stunned by her boldness, but I quickly adjust, moving back to give her space, admiring the confidence in her movements.

“Hold on tight,” she calls over her shoulder, a mischievous glint in her eye. “I’ll show you how it’s really done.”

With a sudden burst of speed, Loelle guns the engine, and I instinctively tighten my grip on the skimmer’s frame. The desert landscape blurs around us as she pushes the machine to its limits.

As we speed across the desert, the wind whipping past us, I cling tightly to the skimmer’s frame. Loelle handles the machine with impressive skill, weaving between dunes and rock formations with a grace that belies the vehicle’s clunkyappearance. Her red hair streams behind her like a banner of flame against the night sky.

“You’re quite the pilot,” I shout over the roar of the engine, unable to keep the admiration from my voice.

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