Page 43 of Torn from the Alien Commander

The robot looms close, almost blocking my target. But I don’t care. I aim over its shoulder, desperate to take the sick bastard with me. The corpulent Nebian throws his hands up as time seems to slow, his face shifting to frantic panic. It’s too late for him. I squeeze the trigger with a smoothness that belies my torrent of rage.

My laser beam punches straight through the polymer window into the sadist’s face, burning through the top half of his head. The machine’s laser is so close now, its heat causes me to wince. I brace against the wall, expecting my agonizing death. But as my frantic heartbeats pass, death eludes me.

With a surprised peek, I see the machine towering over me, unmoving. Its laser cutter silent and deactivated. “Smart move, taking out the remote operator,” Felixus states in a frantic tone. I could cry or laugh, not understanding that’s what I did, only wanting raw, brutal revenge for Xandor’s suffering.

I squeeze past the machine, rushing over to Xandor, my heart pounding as I adjust the torturous red collar. “Bloody bastards, left it on punish mode...” Felixus whispers. “Tyrxie... there mightn’t be much left of him.”

“I don’t want to hear it!” I roar back, turning to the others in fury. They all stand with downcast eyes, unable to meet mine, unable to speak, showing only despair. Even Quad looks away, filling me with disgust—disgust at them, myself and the entire cruel universe that allowed this to happen.

“I’m here, Xandor,” I whisper, taking my rifle and shooting off the collar. It clangs to the ground, broken, but Xandor still doesn’t stir, filling me with dread. “Please Xandor, it’s me, Tyrxie, your Rebecca. Remember?” I plead, reaching up to cup his face in my hands, only now noticing the dried tears of green blood weeping from an empty eye socket.

“Oh, no!” I wail, with a hand to my mouth, the horror overwhelms my senses. Only the faint rise and fall of his chest gives me any semblance of hope. “It’s okay. I’m going to get you out of here,” I promise, as tears of anguish stream down my face, threatening to pull me into a bottomless pit of pain.

Through blurry eyes and frantic sobs, I shoot off the metal clasps around Xandor’s wrist and legs. He falls forward, and I try to catch him, but he’s too heavy, knocking the wind from me as we both tumble to the ground.

Hyanxa tsks, “Quad, grab him. We don’t have time for this.”

“Give them a moment, for pity’s sake!” Felixus snaps back.

I barely hear them, only seeing Xandor, his head resting on my lap.He’s so pretty. They could never take that away from him.My mind is a blur as I stroke his green hair. “You’re safe now,” I mutter, repeating the words like a healing mantra. My tears spill onto his handsome face, and I smile, brushing them away, cleaning his blood.

Xandor gasps as if awakening from a nightmare, his eye snapping to my face, a look of surprise turning to one of love. “Tyrxie...” he mutters, the sweetest sound in the universe. His massive hand reaches up, brushing the tears from my face. “Is this real?”

“Yes!” I exclaim, my heart soaring, tears of joy streaming down my face. “It’s real... I’m real.” I splutter through wet laughter. “See, it was me that found you this time,” I say, kissing his rough hand, wishing I could soothe and take away all his pain.

Xandor smiles, “But your eyes are glowing,” he states, his voice growing stronger. He cups my cheek, peering deeply into my eyes. “They dance like emerald stars, behind a beautiful eclipse,” he says, his tone full of wonder.

Again?

He jerks upright, clutching my wrist, looking at my hand, which also glows with a faint green hue. I gasp in shock, drawing my hand back. “What the void is happening to me?” I ask, staring at Xandor in disbelief.

“Our bond—we’re ascending!” he declares, and within his golden eye I glimpse traces of green glowing in the swirling mix. “Your love brought me back, Tyrxie, and because of that, a path of victory remains.” He stares off as if seeing something else, his words unsettling. “The cycle can be completed.”

His words elicit echoes of that strange dream I had, sending a chill down my spine. An eerie sense that everything I took to be solid suddenly feels shaky, opening up possibilities of bonds, powers, and void knows what else that shouldn’t exist.

Sensing my unease, he rubs his nose against mine. The simple motion is the most soothing touch to my weary heart. “I knowhow hard you fought, Tyrxie. I see the paths that lead you to me, the courage and desperate strength you displayed.” He smiles, then lowers his head. “Your beautiful soul sets the darkness ablaze. I’m sorry I ever doubted you. I was a fool not to see it sooner.” He rises to his feet, towering above me, his hand extended.

My heart soars at his dramatic words, but I know something’s changed within him. He speaks of things he cannot know, with an unnatural clarity. “There’s nothing to forgive, Xandor.” I smile, taking his hand. “My light was more like a confused, blinking strobe until... I fell in love with you.” I chuckle, feeling giddy, speaking the words, overwhelmed with joy that I can finally say them to him.

“In every path, I always love you, Tyrxie.” Xandor hoists me to my feet, laughing in a rich, deep voice.

“But there’s another light that needs extinguished,” he sneers, revealing fangs.

Chapter 15

Xandor

Possibilities

Imarvel at thebeautiful female before me—my Tyrxie, my Rebecca. I never dared believe she could reach me. So many paths, each a desperate attempt leading to failure, like countless veins of a leaf with their ends clipped off. Yet among the mass of defeat lay a few glimmering trails of triumph, few and far between. Graceful as always, Tyrxie navigated her way to victory.

Her mesmerizing green eyes still glow faintly, touched by the Gods, blessed with the ability to heal and soothe. Good, for I endured enough pain for half the universe. My torturers left my collar red, hoping to shatter my mind, too afraid to ask their questions—the truth they long to forget. But I will remind the Prefect, I will remind them all.

Only with Maru-Tok and the surging presence of Tyrxie through our bond did I stay alive and sane during the maddening agony. I clung to life in the crushing darkness, like a dying ember fluttering in solar winds. But now I swell with strength, my hand clenches, shaking with murderous power, my mind laser-focused. My agonies have fled; even the throbbing phantom pain of my missing arm has vanished. Cast aside by Tyrxie, her presence is the sweetest balm, banishing all that ails me.

She has honored me, and I will honor her. I see it clear as the bright Klendathor sky—our glorious destiny shines bright, a gift from the Gods for all we’ve suffered. Our souls tempered and reforged by their will.

I kiss Tyrxie on the forehead. Her gorgeous eyes shimmer with newly dried tears—too many for one so pure. Ripping my gaze from my love, I see most of the Mutalisk’s Hammer crew, who stare with a mix of shock and horror. Among them, a familiar face stands out.

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