Page 64 of Shadow's Chosen

"Ah, Ryxok, you've returned," Pyra greeted the alien at the door.

The alien in question was not of a kind Nezka had encountered before, but if he had, he would have gladly challenged it in a fight just to see who was deadlier in practice and design. The alien looked lethal on its own, a solitary predator like Nezka himself. If things were different, perhaps he would have felt a sense of comradery or kinship with the intimidating creature, but instead, all he saw now was a threat.

Ryxok glared back at Nezka with blood red eyes, seeming to think the same thing. His tail, tipped with spikes, swished casually beside him. His head, piled with twisted horns, bowed.

"Did you find the others?" Pyra asked.

"Yes," Ryxok hissed. "In a building connected to ours. I injured one nicely, but I'm afraid the other took me by surprise. They ran. I expect they will be back."

"Maybe you should call on them, Nezka," Pyra suggested. "Tell them to come and we will not harm them. They could join us as well."

Nezka's eyes narrowed on the dark red alien before him. "In time. I want to hear your arrangements first. I will tell them to hold off until then."

"Suit yourself. But if they attack again, Ryxok will have to go after them. It might be wise that they come here unarmed."

"I will tell them not to attack."

Ryxok moved swiftly over, eyeing Nezka curiously. "I have not seen the likes of your kind before."

Nezka tilted his head. "Nor I yours."

"Have you not?" Pyra said. "I would think you would have encountered the vrisha at some point in your travels, Nezka."

Nezka made a swiping gestured at his throat. "No, I have not."

"They are a formidable race. Ryxok has never met defeat. It is too bad his kind have exiled him. A bad assassination attempt on one of the vrisha queens. But he has been my most faithful servant. Having you both here, I can't see anyone ever daring to challenge me." Pyra worked at the controls on her terminal, bringing up an image of several Xolis-made ships. "Now, with the last human female in our care, we can begin preparations for their departure. I will send a message out to Vesra. Once we speak, I will determine where the humans shall go. To Vesra or to the nillium's home world. I expect by now another ship of humans will be on its way to us, containing another team. Qorey has yet to confirm, but I know they will come again to save their own."

"You mean Councilman Qorey?" Nezka asked.

Pyra smiled as she glanced at him. "Yes, of course, he is one of my own."

The attack on the first gate now made sense. "Did you get them all then? The team of human soldiers?"

"Not all, I'm afraid. We left those who were too injured and were likely going to die anyway. Thankfully, they were only males."

"I see," Nezka said flatly. He fixed his gaze back on the image of the ships. "How do you plan to fly them out from the undercity with the threat of the ships powering down?"

"I will have to lift the shields momentarily. It will be a necessary risk. I don't expect any drogin fighter ships to be waiting. Qorey has seen that they remain too afraid to approach." Pyra brought up another map, this time of the inner workings of the energy deposit. He studied it carefully before she swiped the map away. "Enough talk of this for now. We wait on Vesra's call. Let us celebrate our inevitable partnership." Pyra turned away from the terminal to face him. She stepped closer and lifted her hand to the now healed side of his face, brushing it softly with her fingertips. "Then the final phase will begin."

Twenty-two

Elise struggled all the way down the passage but couldn't wrench away from the grips of the Red Blades that held her. As they came to the door at the end, they forced her to stand upright as they stripped the armor plates from her suit. Now with no shields to protect her, they unlocked and opened the door then shoved Elise inside. With the gas still working on her brain, she fell to her knees on the hard concrete floor. Her vision swirled, and she thought she might throw up. The door shut behind her, covering her in darkness.

"Who’s that?" someone whispered close by.

"I don't know, can't see," whispered another.

"Vince, turn on the light."

There was a moment of shuffling around then a clicking sound followed by the flicker of a flame. A silhouette of a man could be seen touching the flame against a strip of cloth, lighting it on fire then placing it into an empty bowl.

As the flame grew and the light burned brighter, Elise began to make out the edges of a room filled with mats and clothes and people.

"Elise?"

Elise blinked and looked around. She tried to make out the faces of those around her, but they all seemed to meld together.

"My god, it is her. Quick! Pull her up, and bring her over here."

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