Flames of War and Passion (Razgriz x Ironic)

Khrelan could hear the pain in her voice, the anguish of deciding between breaking out and staying to fight. If he could, he would certainly try to escape this prison, but his captors seemed hell-bent on keeping him here. And as much as he wanted to help her as she helped him, there was nothing he could do. Not now, at least; maybe in the future there would be an opportunity.

With that in mind, he merely said, "Like you said, this has become survival." He couldn't really believe he said that; he sounded so...heartless. So unlike how he was raised. Was this experience able to corrupt him so easily? No, he thought, shaking his head. He would find a way to end this without having to snuff out another life.

But he couldn't dwell on it, lest it drive him mad. "Kori...I wish I knew what to say. But I do not...Just know that I am here for you, as you are for me."

*Next day*

"Oi, Fire Pit! Wake up!" the alien heard, following by the loud ringing of the metal bars being kicked. Khrelan groaned as he stirred, slowly sitting up and facing the chill of the light once more. "Why do you do this to me? This light...It hurts. Please turn it off." he then said, to which a guard sneered, "Oh aye, I bet you'd like that! We saw how you burned Jhaspir. And that was just from him touchin' you! Like hell we're shutting it off!"

Laughing he then threw down a box-tray filled with slices of grilled flesh and some kind of vegetable, "The King was quite impressed with you yesterday, so here's your reward: Fresh cooked Saladar meat and tubers. Best not get used to it though; don't expect more delicacies any time soon." He then went over to Kori's cage, "And for you...Your favorite form of gruel. Since you seem so content to throw away royalty, His Majesty figures you wouldn't mind eating the poor man's food, hahahaha." He then placed the tray down, showing the same slop they were fed yesterday.

And with that, he took his leave. But not before kicking her tray over and spilling some of it on the ground. Khrelan looked at the guard's back in disgust, then down at his tray. It did look good, and his stomach growled at the scent; he honestly didn't know what to do though. He got lucky with eating the gruel yesterday, even if he didn't think about it before. Being isolated while meditating meant using the star in the heavens as his sole form of sustenance. It didn't seem like food was going to kill him...But then, if he wanted to have any energy at all, he needed to eat.

The ringing of the bars echoed against her ears, making her head loop in tune to the reverberating metal bars. Jolting awake, she watched the guards, not speaking a word after what they’ve said and done to her.

“Filthy pigs.” Kori muttered under her breath, looking at the little bit of food she had left to eat. It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough to subside the ache in her stomach. The scent of Khrelan’s food entered in her flared nostrils, a very good dish. He was quite lucky to get something that was such a delicacy.

She laid in the same spot briefly, unmoving and deep in thought. “I don’t need their food anyways, but being stubborn will not help my survival.” Speaking to herself, she reached over to grab the little bit of goop left and ate it slowly. It wasn’t divine, but she needed it to live. As soon as she began to ate, it was already over, and she sat her empty bowl back down.

“Better eat up, it won’t hurt you.” It was as if she was listening to his thoughts, but it was easily seen that he had so much on his mind as he stared at the divine dish. “I know this isn’t how you would want to celebrate killing someone, but take this for granted. I am even surprised my father did this. He’s very cold-hearted.”

Khrelan knew that he needed to...But he was finding it very hard to want to. He shouldn't be rewarded...Not for something like that. That was not praiseworthy. It was worthy only of contempt, of his elders being ashamed of his actions.

"I don't deserve this...Your father must be punishing me. When I was in the arena, I tried so vehemently to reject it. I tried to reason with my opponent, to make a stand against that cold-hearted King. But she would not have it...She told me that if I would not fight her, I would die. In some ways, perhaps that would have been preferable."

The guilt was eating him from the inside out, his stomach like feeling a solid block of stone; the King must have done this on purpose, given him this supposed exquisite food to remind him that he belonged in the tournament. That to kill was to live. What kind of life was that?

"Khrelan..." he then heard within his mind, to which he said out loud "Verath? Verath, is that you?" "My child...Do not blame yourself for what happened. The blame lies with me. I am sorry you had to witness it; I had hoped to finish the fight and make her submit before my power ran out. But it seems their interruption of the Cycle weakened our bond more than I expected." Khrelan shook his head, "No, my Father...I know what you did was not out of malice. It's just..." "It is difficult. You have never been in a situation like this. But for now, we must act the part. Now eat...I fear you'll need your strength all too soon".

Khrelan just muttered aloud, "Yes" and picked up one of the slices. It was relatively thick, dense meat that oozed with juice. Taking a bite, he found an explosion of flavor to erupt in his mouth. It was really, really some of the best meat he'd ever had. He was sure to eat slow though; he knew of the effects of eating too quickly when one was without food for some time. He wasn't sure how this was supposed to work; normally, the energy of the heavenly stars would have sustained him during his meditation. But right now, he just needed to get some food in his stomach.

He then looked over after finishing off one slice, seeing the meager scraps Kori had been left with. "Kori..." he muttered, pushing his tray over towards, "Please take some as well. You need your energy too."

“She is right. There will always be one winner. It will just make it easier to kill the one unwilling to participate. You can’t just walk out and expect them to say it’s okay. No. They want a show, and they WILL get what they intended to come and see.” Grinding her teeth in distaste from side-to-side, a long puff of air was exhaled through her flared nostrils. It began to trouble her now that she was blind all of these years to the countless tortures she watched over and over again. It was nauseating.

“Verath? Verath, is that you?”

Lifting up her head Kori would scan the room with her glowing emerald eyes. No one was in here? Strange. Who was Khreland talking to, she wondered. “Hey what are yo-“ He was talking again to this so called Verath. Was this an imaginary friend? No… he mentioned Verath in the past, was this the God he prayed to? It would be rude for her to further interrupt his conversation that seemed to be packed with emotion and feeling. The pain oozed from his lips, and it made Kori shudder sympathetically.

She couldn’t help but wonder what was going through his head. All the stress he may bare on his shoulders, homesick, let alone the sorrow for killing an innocent life. Kori wished she could ease inside of the metal barriers to hold him tightly against her. To know she cared for him and felt his same pain. It was easy to get lost in her own thoughts, and almost didn’t notice his warm hearted offer.

The first thing she wanted to do was decline his offer. He needed everything he got and she did not want to be a burden on him… but he did offer and that also would be rude for her to not accept such a generous act of kindness.

“Thank you, Khrelan. You hold a special place in my heart for being so nice to me despite what we’ve been through.” Reaching towards the tray she would grab the smallest piece of meat on it, not wanting to take too much. It smelt heavenly, probably the best thing she will eat since the incident blossomed. The juices dripped from her fingers and she wanted to devour it but that wouldn’t end well for her stomach. Taking small bites she would eat with him, the sounds of their jaws grinding down on the meat would be the only thing heard. She felt some sort of bonding connection, or maybe she was just lonely and was desperate for some sort of company.

The meat was finished all too soon to her likings, but nonetheless grateful. Taking the remnants of the bone she sat it on her empty tray, sighing contently at her stomach feeling the fullest in a long time. “So, I hope you don’t mind me asking who you were talking to earlier.” She was blunt and almost felt bad for asking that way, but her curiosity was digging into her.

Khrelan had yet to understand why she was demeaning herself; it wasn't as if she forced her father to be like this. Forced him to take denizens of other worlds and make them shed blood for sport. No, he could see that this...being...was inherently dark-hearted and cruel. But nonetheless, he and his comrade-in-arms continued to devour their meal. And before long, the helping of meat and tubers was cleaned completely, save for a few bones in Kori's bones.

Taking those back onto his plate, he then said, "Consider it no trouble. On my world, it was instilled that we rely on those we can trust when difficulty arose, and help them as they help us. We call them 'Fyrshn', meaning 'joined in spirit' in the tongue of our elders. I would be glad to consider you a 'Fyrshn', Kori"

When she then asked who it was he was talking to, he hadn't really realized he was speaking aloud, causing what appeared to be a confused expression - however much confusion could be apparent on his near-molten features - to cross his face. Only when he had the cognition to remember that he had done as such did he realize what she was referring to. She would find him quite open about it.

"Not at all." he replied with a gentile smile, stating, "On my world, when the heavens would turn over one million times, one of my people is chosen to become the vessel for our Father Spirit, Verath. It was he and his Patron Flame which gave life to the land, and allowed our people to flourish." The smile then faltered, "When I was captured, I was in the midst of accepting Him. Of letting him use my mortal form as safe harbor so that he might bless those with his Light. But then, who I can only assume to be your father's warriors came and interrupted the ritual...Now Verath lies within me, the bond between myself as his vessel and Him severely tried.

He then motioned to his body, letting her see the magma vein-like cracks that covered the entirety of his form before adding, "The result is what you see before you. I do not know what this means for me...But I can only imagine that it has harmed him. It is why I was so hostile towards you...I must return to my world. To complete my duty as His vessel."

Kori couldn't help but blush as he told her the meaning behind 'Fyrshn'. It was touching that he would consider her on such a high term. It made her happy to know he trusted her enough despite all that they've been through. Without a second to waste she responded, exciting coating her tongue and was apparent. "Oh, wow... You consider me someone as meaningful as that? I don't know what to say... I consider you just the same. I really do." Twiddling her fingers, she found herself acting coyly about the situation. No one ever deemed her worthy enough like this, it was special to her.

It was as if Khrelan was telling her a fairy tale by his unique story. She was engrossed with each word, listening as if all of it were nothing but candy. It was a different culture and a different way of life for him, and all so new and unheard of on Kori's part. Sad that they could only talk in terms of being imprisoned instead of meeting elsewhere.

Her eyes would then scan the magma vein-like cracks, inspecting them closely to nod in understanding. "I see now. It all make sense..." This new information ate at her, and it hurt her to know that the bond between Khrelan and Verath was affected in some way. "If they didn't get you though, we wouldn't of had met. And for that I am at least grateful. What's done is done, so now all we can do it to try to find the positives in things. Like for instance, we have some food in our stomachs. That's enough to feel thankful for, right?"

Taking her hand she would comb through her hair, letting out a puff of air before turning to face him. "Look, Khrelan... We will get you back home, don't you worry. I will make sure of it." Reaching out, she would grasp his hand and roll her thumb over the backside of it reassuringly, wanting to give him some sort of comfort in this troubling time.

She was as refreshing as a drink from a fresh spring; indeed, there was as much to be thankful for as there was to regret. "Indeed...If anything, I am glad we were able to meet" he replied, his cracked mouth forming a strong semblance of a smile.

Khrelan's eyes widened in fright as she grabbed his hand; he was worried that what happened to that guard would happen to her. However, she did not recoil; in fact, that characteristic sizzle of singed skin did not echo out. It was like her comfort allowed her to be near him, his accepting of her as Fyrshn allowing her to touch him without harm.

"Your words are kind, Kori...But I fear that we have many trials ahead. I only hope I am strong enough to endure whatever comes next".

---

The days passed on and on, the fights growing more and more brutal as the 'preliminaries' slowly began to sort themselves out. Khrelan thankfully did not have to fight again, and neither did Koriand'r.

However, today's match would be something a little different, something that was always a classic in the tournament: The Grand Survival Circuit. A deathmatch style game where a group of the imprisoned would fight against some of the best beast-breakers the King had under his command. Around the perimeter of the arena their opponents would ride, whilst the enslaved had to do their best to survive the onslaught.

The crowd roared as the gaggle of 'contestants' were led to the center of the arena, Khrelan and Koriand'r among them; there they found shields, spears and wrought-metal swords for them. Five sets of equipment for the five battlers of today. "Fellow Luimbians! Welcome to the Grand Survival Circuit! We saw how each fared alone, but how well will they band together? Can they hold out long enough to have them all survive? Or will they turn against each other for the guarantee of victory?!" the King shouted to the roar of approval.

Khrelan glared at this ruthless ruler as he spoke; now he wanted to see how they would fair as a team? What was the point of that if there could be only one? "I sense your question...A valid one." he then heard someone say with a distinctly feminine voice; he turned to see a short-statured creature with an enlarged cranium - much of its thick flesh bright white, with the joints and forehead a deep purple - looking up at the King as well. The slim legs ended in three toes and the arms in four fingers, a thick muscular tail swinging nonchalantly from 'her' waist. "I am Dvaro from Alcron...Pleasure to meet you, Khrelan from Praoamia." she then said once more, her featureless eyes seeming to gleam with unknown intent, to which Khrelan replied, "How do you know me?"

Her expression was flat as she replied, "My people are scholars. Our evolution granted us abilities of the mind that many cannot comprehend. A fragile line between godhood and insanity, and yet here I am, somehow confined with this accursed device limiting my ability." She turned and pointed, allowing him to see the badge on the back of her head. "I suppose I can chalk it up to being one of the youngest of my people. Much like you, except less versed in the field of battle."

Khrelan turned away in shame, adding "I am not versed at all." Dvaro frowned a little, "I understand that war is not your way. Neither is it ours. But I hope that I can count on you to hold up your own weight; it is paramount if we wish to leave this with as few holes in our bodies as possible." Khrelan just nodded, "Of course. I cannot say that I am excited for this, but know that I will help protect us all." It was here that she did give a slight smirk, "Very good...Now, do any of you know how these contraptions work?"

Just then another much gruffer voice shouted, "Bah! Too much talking! Garda fight now!" A large creature with a humanoid upper torso connected to a six-legged black-armored lower body was agitated at the lack of action. A skull of sorts hung at the area where the upper torso and lower body connected. Garda - as the beast called itself - shouted, "When fight?! Garda want kill! Garda want blood! Meat and blood! Bloody meat!" It was here that Khrelan noticed it was still chained up; was that one of the things they were going to fight. "No...." Dvaro stated, adding "Surprisingly, it is on our side...For the moment." Khrelan just wondered how that was the case, to which Dvaro stated, "Bribe. Myand'r offered the monster any of the contestants that fell...But only that they would be killed by those that we are facing."

The arena was fairly cleaned up nicely from the blood battles that have been taken place this past week. A new game had to be made, as Luimbians grew tired of seeing just one-on-one action. As she made her way towards the center, a large group of creatures from all over the galaxy would catch her attention. Such a different array of life that existed in the universe. It was intriguing but also alarming as to not knowing what each individual was capable of.

“What a piece of trash for a father.” Kori couldn’t help but grouse those words out with flagrant eyes, reviewing the man that she thought would look after her no matter what happened. Evidently she made a wrong judgement, realizing it was always about the higher ranked he had other than what truly mattered most.

The exchanging of words between Khrelan and Dvaro held her attention, though she did not turn her head to join in on the discussion. Eavesdropping was more than enough to comprehend what was going on, and by the sounds of it Dvaro would be on their side through this endeavor.

Good. They needed someone smart to strategies plans and attacks.

Pivoting around Kori would make eye contact with the inimitable creature, nodding affirmatively as she joined herself into the conversation. “Please to meet you, Dvaro. I am not too sure how you feel about me truthfully due to my species taking part in these obscured tournaments. I can only hope for forgiveness from you and that we can work together to stay alive.” The roaring beast in the background had little to no effect on Kori, simply brushing off the rotten growls with an unamused expression.

“It is quite alright, though I am not fond of your rituals.” Dvaro had a smug utterance on her tongue, giving Kori a bad impression on her; later coming to terms with that was just her way of life and she had no right to judge. After all, her family was putting everyone through a difficult time.

“Yeah, I know.” Slumping her shoulders down before crossing them above her chest, Kori let out a long exhale through her widening nostrils.

Being a Luimbian whose rank was so high was an advantage enough, having powers that are infrequent to come by. The weapons looked like child’s play in her eyes. But they were there for others too, not just for her own ‘advantage.’ “I feel as if Garda will turn his back on Myand’r and slaughter some of us due to being bloodthirsty. I mean, just look at him. Foaming at the mouth, widened pupils. He’s definitely hungry. We should keep our distance from him regardless. I don’t want to take chances.” Looking in front of her, two large cement-like doors would open, the darkness within showing no soul inside.

Slowly, around 16 large Xenomorph’s would seep out, their matte skin giving off a smooth textured surface as the rays of both suns beamed down on the arena. In the midst of the snarling creatures exiting out of the enclosure – acting as a meat shield – the queen who controlled the army was staying close behind them, taunting the group with hisses and showing all of her teeth that had a thick sheath of spit sparkling from them. Their maws would dribble with frothy goo, their appetite just beginning as they finally caught foretaste of their meal.

“They might not look as if they can do much, but they have many tricks up their sleeves…” Kori whispered in a hushed tone to the two, her feet beginning to sprawl out in shoulder length to ready herself for any unsusceptible attacks. “Stay on your guard at all times.”

Garda was certainly starting to become impatient as the minutes passed; it was like they were torturing it. Making it wait for its meal; it didn't care what it was, so long as it filled the howling void that was its stomach. "Garda hungry...GARDA HUNGRY!" Garda shouted mindlessly, pacing back and forth on the six armored legs that carried it massive form. Garda then turned towards them, thirst for blood and flesh more than prevalent in its gaze.

Khrelan tensed up at this, as did Dvaro. "If only I wasn't so limited, I could overpower even this creature's savage mind" the alien muttered mostly to herself. Last thing she needed was one of their physically strongest to turn against them because they couldn't control their impulses. However, the reprieve soon came in the form of the first wave starting...And the creatures were absolutely horrifying to look at.

Their bodies were covered in thick chitinous shells, the heads dome-shaped with an apparent lack of visible eyes. Some stood upright, but the majority walked on all fours, the limbs ending in sharp armored claws that seemed capable of rending even the best-smithed Luimbian metalwork. A few even seemed to drool a corrosive saliva; audible sizzling could be heard as each drop ate away the rock. They hissed between each other as they spread out and encircled the group, some of the larger 'drones' staying behind to protect the largest of their group. Now this is something Khrelan had seen before, and he was certain that the others noticed it as well.

"The largest one is obviously in charge...Look at how some of them stay to defend it" Khrelan pointed out, to which Dvaro added, "That much is obvious. We're also outnumbered three to one. How do you propose we..."

But before she could finish her sentence, Garda was all over it. "FINALLY! MEAT FOR ME!" it bellowed, instantly rushing the biggest one. The larger drones tried to form a defensive barrier...But they were no match for the massive titan barreling down on them. And as they went scattering like leaves in the wind, the largest one let out a shriek of terror as Garda's powerful jaws ripped out a large chunk of its armored skin. Garda however, howled in agony, for it seemed his face was beginning to burn. "AAAAAARRRRRGH!" it bellowed, stumbling backwards as it tried to wipe the corrosive fluid from its lips. And in an instant, the others swarmed, intent on using their numbers to remove the largest threat. The crowd went crazy at the burst of action; they knew this brute wouldn't hesitate for a second but never did they think it would go straight for a Hive Queen.

"We have to help him!" Khrelan shouted; and much to the surprise of the crowd, the flame man picked up one of the spears. And with much practiced precision, he threw it as hard as he could. It impaled one of the smaller drones through the elongated skull, the force carrying it and pinning it to the wall right as it had tried to jump on Garda's back. It hung and writhed from there before going limp; he was relieved that these creatures seemed to have similar weakpoints, for if they were going to survive they needed Garda alive.

Garda meanwhile, unwittingly used the chaos to its advantage; while it was thrashing about, two more were stomped to death beneath the pointed tips of its thick limbs. The acidic fluid sputtered from their broken bodies and coated a few of Garda's limbs, making it stagger and howl even more. The Queen now joined in the fight, tackling the monster and grappling to try and get an advantage while it was down. Her minions swarmed again, spitting acid and clawing at Garda to kill him.

"Verath...Guide my hand. Help me save this creature from unnecessary torture and agony" he then said as he picked up yet another spear, one that Garda had left behind in his unflinching charge and went towards the fray. "I am with you, my son...I will do my best to ensure you come to no harm" he heard his Patron say to him.

Dvaro meanwhile was trying to analyze their communications; though she was limited, she could sense a 'web' of sorts between the creatures. "A hive mind...Just as I figured. The hissing and screeching isn't them talking to the mind itself. The largest one acts being in control would have no use for that; the noises must act as a form of echolocation for them". She would help the best she could...But her talents lay with her mind far more than her hands. If she could just disrupt them, she might be able to make them go against each other to an extent. That would create enough chaos to help save their monstrous 'friend'.

Little did she sense that one of the other Xenos was creeping towards her slowly; it had received instructions on eliminating this one, as the Queen could sense the psychic 'presence' of this strange creature. Such a thing would prove fatal if allowed to interfere with their communications. Closer, closer, and closer it got, its mouth opening in a silent hiss as it readied to strike, the long striated tail lurking overhead in a stinger-like fashion.

This was a bloodbath. There was no denial of that. Being the senseless beast Garda was, he took a savage bite out of the Xenomorph’s thick exoskeleton only to bring him crippling pain and not the sheer enjoyment of soothing his grumbling stomach. Sizzling was heard, almost comparable in sound to the candy “Pop Rocks” that humans enjoyed on Earth. Gosh, that’s going to hurt for him. It might even do so much damage that he cannot even eat anymore after this is over with; if he still has a life to live. Kori wanted to help the poor soul, but then again wasn’t this a competition to fight for yourself? All of these emotions, mixed feelings and painful thoughts kept her distracted and staring off at the ground. Everything fell upon deaf ears from her, being in an inner struggle with what to do. “It shouldn’t be this hard to make up a life-or-death decision!”

Just then, in the corner of her eye, one of the Xeno’s was close by. It must have departed from the group to do their own task, smart and stealthy as the rest were focused on the main action – but not smart enough for Koriand’r. Inspecting the alien methodically, she would notice the scorpion-like tail flexing over its head, the stinger pointing in the direction of Dvaro.

It was out to kill someone right away, limiting the amount the group would have to deal with later. And it would go for the feeble first.

“Watch out!” Kori would bellow out, dust from the graveled ground soaring upwards as she picked up pace, whizzing towards the predator. With auburn hair flailing against her back, a bright neon green orb emitted from her balled up right fist. Whipping around to face the bellowing girl, the stalker hissed and directed its stinger in her direction – a new target. With great speed and precision, promptly she dodged the stinger only to have it make contact with the hard ground. Perfect, just enough time to go for a deadly blow.

Jumping aloft, her knuckles made contact with the hard surface of the skull, the force so strong that the body flung backwards, hitting the concrete wall as its head seemed to be caught in an explosion moments ago. Acidic goo splattered against the gray pavement, its limbs nervously twitching before dying down to a cold and chilling nothing. Giving the hand that slugged at the xeno a quick shake to dismiss the pain that started to riddle her body, her attention was now on Dvaro.

“Are you okay?” Clearly there was not a scratch on her, a rhetorical question. Gripping ahold of her shoulders, she inspected her carefully, only to have her hands gently take the palms off from them.

“I am just startled is all, fine to say the least. Thank you, Koriand’r. That was a close call. I thank you gratefully for that.” Giving an affirmative nod, her eyes scanned the area, this time more cautious than before.

“You’re more than welcome.” Eyeing Khrelan prudently, she was thankful that he was holding his own despite his previous behavior towards killing and fighting. As long as it had a good cause towards his actions she seen that he had no problem to do it. “We need to get a good view on where the Xeno’s are going. We don’t want something like that to happen again.”

Right on cue, a Xeno stopped right in front of the trio, its tail whipping from side to side with its maw open with acidic drool dripping out. The rancid breath lingered in her flared nostrils, feeling woozy and out of balance now. Did this acidic spit have something in it to make someone feel weaker just with a small whiff? Whatever it was, she was feeling sick to her stomach now. No, she wouldn’t fall victim to this sickness, now was not the time. Just before she had a chance to ready herself up for another head-to-head match with one of these bastards, unsuspectingly its tail changed course and lashed at her. The strength was shocking as it hit her abdomen, knocking the wind right out from her lungs. She fell on her back, a hard thud against her head as it bleakly pounded against the hard ground. The galaxy seemed to swim in her head, purples, blues, and an assortment of colored stars twinkled in her irises. It was up to Khrelan to do something to keep this beast away from herself and Dvaro until she got up to brawl with one of its kind again.

Garda continued to thrash, the assault of the Queen and the larger drones starting to overwhelm the monster. His massive limbs acted as battering rams, sending some of the Xenos flying and crashing into the high walls. One came so close to the crowd of spectators that it recovered and threatened to try and attack them, only for one of the guards to rush down and give it a good punch in the face. Its skull cracked like porcelain hitting stone, its lifeless body striking the arena floor with tremendous force after hurtling down. Suddenly, one of the titan's armored legs crashed into the Queen, hurling the enormous hive nexus back and into the opposing arena wall, causing her drones to redouble their efforts.

Dvaro was trying to hold herself ready for more Xeno assaults; even though her species was one that exhibited a frightened level of calmness, it was blatantly obvious her run-in with Death left her shaken. And now there was one more trying to kill them and her new acquaintance. Dvaro witnessed Koriand'r falter after being struck, her own hand coming up to cover her mouth, oddly enough being where her scent detectors lay and took a step back as if steady herself as well. She felt so vulnerable, even as she raised her own weapon and placed herself between this creature and Koriand'r.

There would be a slight reprieve, however, as a spear struck the beast down. The spearhead stuck out grotesquely from its gaping maw, hissing weakly as it tried to reach out towards the white-skinned alien, before collapsing, its breathing weak and erratic. She looked up to see Khrelan attempting to liberate Garda from the brutal assault, now devoid of the only means to attack. "N...nicely done" the female stated nervously, feeling slightly shocked at the alien's strength. She was incredibly thankful to see that she had been chosen to fight alongside those who were more of the warrior breed. "Come on, stand up....This isn't over yet" Dvaro stated, attempting to hoist the former Princess up so that they could even a little distance to recover.

The rest of the Xenos were now focused on taking down Garda; however, they were being hampered as Khrelan moved fluidly from one creature to the next. He regretted having to end life so unnecessarily, even if his actions did not display this remorse. But without a weapon, only the shield to protect him, he was finding it difficult to protect himself and the monster that was his current ally.

"Verath...Help me, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up" Khrelan pleaded mentally, to which the spirit replied, "Something is blocking me...Like it's forcing my own energy back in on itself. This is all I can muster at the moment". Just then, a Xeno struck with its tail, Khrelan raising the shield reflexively as the barb lodged itself in the ultra-dense wood. Much of its surface was heavily degraded from the corrosive saliva of these beasts. He pulled hard, forcing the alien toward as he landed a swift kick to the underside of its elongated jaws, stunning the creature. Two more tried to swarm him, and they were coming from opposite sides; right as they attacked he leaped, causing them to collide with each other as he landed on top of Garda.

The Xenos all stepped back as they evaluated this new presence; they had the numbers, and he was now completely surrounded. His head turned one way, then the other, noticing that the alien monsters seeming to hesitate in attacking.

But it was only brief, and soon they all rushed at once, knowing that they had the environmental and numerical edge. "Khrelan, move!" Verath pleaded, not knowing what his charge was doing. But the young Praoamian instead held fast and closed his eyes, his body beginning to glow. If he could summon enough energy, perhaps he could vaporize them. If he were on his home planet, he would have been able to burn the entire surface to cinder as his role in the Cycle. Surely he could muster enough to save Garda like this?

And right when they were on top of him, the crowd and even the King on their feet in anticipation of what would happen, Khrelan tried to release everything he could muster. Instead, all he got was a blinding pain that shot through him and made the shrillest and most agonizing of screams rip from his throat as he fell over on all fours. And unlike the wave of fire he was hoping to emit, he only succeeded in raising a cloak of vibrant flame around himself. A far cry from the detonation he was hoping to achieve.

However, something unexpected would happened: The Xenos hissed in obvious and retreated to a fair distance, eyes still locked on the pair as they were relatively easy targets. But none of them dared to approach; it was as if fire was the one thing that their species feared above all else. And as Khrelan wheezed, the pain starting to subside, he would take note of this. "Verath....What happened?" he asked the Patron. "I do not know...But it seems to have bought you and your friend some solace. Are you well, my son? Well enough to stand?"

Khrelan nodded and slowly rose, the agony still somewhat prevalent as the glowing embers of his eyes scanned the crowd. What would he do now? Sure he kept these beasts at bay and bought Garda some time to recover, but there were still too many. And to make it worse, the Queen was recovering from her previous vicious counterattack by the armored monster. He couldn't release the fire more than a foot or two in front of him, something that was problematic.

Dvaro noticed this as well; it was definitely something useful. It was here that she had an idea; it seemed that any form of long-range techniques were blocked, but they could be used in short distances. "Koriand'r...I think I might have a way to take them down. But I need you to hold this one down, in case it's attempting to fake injury." Honestly, she was sure the Xeno that their fiery friend had skewered was weakened...But then, she had no clue as to their actual physiology. "If I possess even a speckle of my capabilities, I should be able to implant a suggestion that will have this drone attack its fellows. And if that works, I should be able to force the Queen to order her subordinates to turn on her."

Staggering back up on her feet, she gripped at her aching head, a pained expression apparent on her face. The wall was hard and rough, and the impact didn’t make anything better. Now was not the time to feel sorry about herself for faltering slightly. It was now her chance to make up for that lost time and to do something about the situation.

Darting her neon green eyes from left to right, she glued onto Khrelan, surprised each time he made a swift move. “He’s changed a lot. I don’t know if he’s finally realizing this tournament or if he is doing this to help someone in need.” Holding her hands against her chest, she tightened them into a balled up fist. It pained her, as she now looked up at her father, how he enjoyed seeing such blood bath. And to think not too long ago she was one of those above watching down below. No, now she changed. She was better than the rest and would never grant this anymore. That is, if she has a say after all of this is finally over with.

That gut wrenching scream! The hairs on her body did handstands, chilling her right to the bone, and it was coming from Khrelan. It didn’t come from the Xeno’s, did it? Was it the strain he put on his body from trying to produce a large flame? Kori wanted to rush over to his side, to make everything better and to take him back to his home planet. Damn it! Why did her father have to drag everyone into this mess? For now, all she would do was swallow her pride and watch from afar as she worked out a way to help.

As her name was called by Dvaro, her reality swiftly changed and her attention was now on her. “Hm, a plan? I’m guessing you need me to keep those Xeno’s off from you in order for you to do your work? I can do just that.” Gently two talon-like fingers tapped against Kori’s side, prying to grab her attention. Hastily pivoting around, she would meet eyes with an unusual creature. He was large and stocky, thin yet muscular. Towering over her, she could only stare before swallowing down the lump in her throat. “Can I help you?”

Smirking briefly, his right hand lifted up in the air, only to violently swipe at her side, attempting to knock the two girls over. It looks as if they have other enemies besides the Xeno’s… Luckily Kori was quick on her feet, sweeping towards Dvaro’s direction to scoop her up and fall down to tumble on the ground. They missed the deadly blow, but they weren’t cleared out just yet. “You need to go, I will try and keep anything I see in your direction off from you. Got it?” Not waiting for her response Kori gave the frail girl and push out of harm’s way and face the bastard once more.

“That wasn’t very nice. We could have been on each other’s side. You want to play dirty? Heh. Alright. Let’s play!” Wiping off the sweat that began to coat her brow, she would charge unexpectedly with glowing green orbs around her balled up fists. Upper cutting her arm she aimed for the jawline, successful in her attempt as she felt knuckle alongside scaly flesh. Lifting up from the ground its drool spattered aimlessly onto the ground, falling on its back in astonishment. Straddling him on his abdomen, she snickered evilly. “Wasn’t expecting that, huh? Next time you better check what you’re doing before fucking with a Princess. A shame I have to end your life!” Speaking through clenched teeth, blow after blow she pounded into his face, unforgiving and harsher. Orange colored blood stained her hands, telling a story as each speckle of blood splashed on her tan skin. Maybe she was taking this too far, but in this game of life and death you had to limit down your opponents. Death is the only way out. Not long after her punches the creature would lay limp and lifeless beneath her body. Kori panted, her chest heavily rising and falling and full of adrenaline. Now was when she finally realized what she had done, and cupped her face with each hand and began to sob. “What have I done?” Weeping softly to herself, it was wrong to do this, but what made it so right before? Lifting her head up, Dvaro was alive and well, and that’s when she comprehended it. Her friends’ life mattered the most. It was her job to protect them as long as she stood on her own two feet.

Standing up, she turned her head against the beast she had murdered and made her way to Dvaro’s side. She was ready for anything now with this new profound feeling of appreciating that she truly had friends out there even though this world. Even when it felt cold and lonesome before.

Dvaro let out a yell as another creature entered the ring, her body pushed aside and to the ground as it took a swing at the Princess; just how many things would they have to fight? She didn't even feel the presence of this creature; even with her limited abilties, she should been able to at least get a feeling SOMETHING was there. She needed no further convincing; at Kori's urging, she was already towards the downed Xeno.

By this point, the crowd was silent..Not that it mattered. The combatants had all but tuned them out, this first wave.

But this did give Dvaro a chance to test out her new theory; thankfully, it seemed she wouldn't need Kori's help after all. The Xeno writhed weakly, its life force nearing its end. The white-shelled alien grasped one end of the spear; strangely, she felt a near instant connection. Her brain was suddenly overloaded with sensory input, her dark eyes going wide as she froze: She could hear the Hive. She could hear everything. It was soft and muted, but she could hear it. The drones calling out to their queen, warning her of the 'dangerous cloud' and the 'painful light'.

And the Queen, she was hurt, but not incapable of continuing the fight; yes, this would work even better. If she could get Kori to run interference...Then she might be able to mind-jack the Queen herself. She was the command structure, the nexus. She was entirely dependent on her drones to protect her.

She was defenseless. Impressionable.

But...She still needed to test how much so on this drone. With some effort, she was able to plant one of her three-toed feet on the alien's head and eventually remove the now-corroded spear. "What an interesting species" she noted, her hands coming down to rest on the elongated skull. There it is, she thought...The psychic web.

Focusing, she found the relay neurons within its synaptic systems and exerting herself just a little, she was able to 'infect' this drone's mind with psychic suggestions by matching the resonance of her thoughts with that of the Queen. It was hard though; the drone being a receiver of instructions, she had to deal with not only the Queen, but the other drones still alive enough to fight.

"Obey."

Her hands glowed, the palms an invisible blue, as she wormed that thought into the subconscious network. The Xeno squirmed in response, trying to figure out if this was its Queen or another presence. The Hive Mind reacted to Dvaro's intrusion, attempting to shut her out. But she was too far in now. This one, at least, was hers. Her eyes squinted shut, the badge on the back of her head restricting the amount of influence and energy she could put into this technique.

"OBEY."

With this command, it slumped; Dvaro fell to a knee, her breathing heavy and labored. The Xeno lay still, like she had killed it from an overload. She looked up to see Kori covered in orange stains; seemed she took care of the new intruder. And to keep the good news coming, the Xeno stood up...And turned to face her. It gave an angry hiss, its gaping maw dripping with that nasty acid. It took one step forward, then another, then another...And brushed the bump of its 'forehead' against Dvaro's own.

"Yes...You are mine now, aren't you? I think this will work just fine."[/i] the female muttered in a bemused tone, slowly standing up of her own volition. She then gave one single command, one hand coming up to point towards the large group of Xenos still surrounding Khrelan:

"ATTACK."

The injured beast took off as fast as it could; the long serrated tail came crashing through one of the smaller drone's skulls, splitting its chitinous shell with ease. Being one of the larger ones, all would see a spectacular display of its might. Within moments, its former brethren swarmed, now dealing with a traitor...One of the 'Unminded'.

Khrelan, meanwhile, turned his head and watched all of this unfold; just what had happened? "Khrelan! Are you alright?" Dvaro called out, to which Khrelan replied, "I'm sore, but uninjured. What made them turn on their comrade?" "That was my fault! Listen, I have a plan, but I'm going to need you and Koriand'r to help me!"

Khrelan looked down at Garda; the beast of a man was barely moving, though the acid seemed to finally not be affecting him as much as it was. Even still, Khrelan wasn't sure he would fully recover from these injuries; they were far too extensive. And he seemed to be fine for the moment, in terms of not being attacked. Dvaro came over to him regardless, adding, "I was able to connect with that creature. Influence its thought pattern and make it hostile towards its own kind. This cursed thing is a hindrance, so I can't command them all."

She then pointed towards the unsteady Queen, stating "But she can. She's the Queen of this brood. If I can infiltrate her mind, I can enslave them to my whim." Khrelan looked at her with a rather odd expression, "You want to control her? To do what?" Davro just chuckled, "To help us win, of course." By this point, it seemed the Queen had recovered, standing sturdy and ready. "Her shell is much thicker than her guards, and she's much stronger. I'll be gone if she manages to even sneeze in my general direction, so I'm counting on you two to give me an opening."

Khrelan let out a sigh, but just nodded, "It seems these creatures fear the flame. I can keep her attention on me, use this phobia to our advantage." Dvaro just said, "Then go push her into a corner, but be careful. Animals like this are dangerous as it is; to be cornered will make the worst of them come out." A truth that all knew too well; the fiery male then went forward, and almost instantly, the Queen shrieked a deafening bellow, her long spindly legs taking steps back as Khrelan moved his arms and body to cut off escape routes.

"Kori...When the opportunity presents itself, I'm going to need you to knock her down again. When I grabbed the spear that our friend impaled my assailant with, I could feel a weak connection. But direct contact will give me the best result." Dvaro told the Luimbian, adding "Can you do it?" in a slightly provocative tone, even if she didn't intend it that way.

Kori stepped back and watched in amazement. How was something so small and fragile having so much power to a creature like that? It was breathtaking. It brought reassurance to know that she could actually do something to help everyone out. Eavesdropping at Dvaro’s and Khrelan’s conversation Kori grasped the main goal. It made perfect sense, to attack the Queen who had control over the entire hive. Would such a task to get inside of her head be more tedious and cause some harm to Dvaro? The weaker Xeno already put somewhat of a tear on her.

Nodding towards Dvaro, she would ready herself for a strategy to immobilize the Queen yet leave barely any scratches on herself. “I can do it. I’m keeping my hopes on you.” Before departing she gingerly rubbed Dvaro’s shoulder in reassurance and wishing her good luck. This task wasn’t no skip in the park. She was messing with the Queen now, and just wrong move or not paying attention to her surroundings would mean death. For once her heart rattled inside of her chest, but Khrelan was here too. He would make everything okay…

“Be careful and stay back far enough that you can still keep her cornered but be in a safe range.” Tilting her head from side to side a sickening popping sound echoed in her ears. The Queen hissed in fear and in warning, showing those cutthroat teeth with acidic drool dripping against the ground. It sizzled, burning all that had come into contact with it. Shit… what did she get herself into?

Xeno’s started to circle around Khrelan and Kori, hissing as the light was a nuisance from helping their Queen. Maybe some will get over their fear and charge towards Kori anyways. Well, that was just the chance she had to take. One casualty would benefit the rest if she was successful. Sputtering to life, her green orbs that glowed like a gas giant in her fists brought another sense of trepidation in their eyes. Oh, that’s right! Her powers were similar to Khrelans. A bright light that burned just as hot as the flames on his back. Kori might be okay after all.

In between Khrelan and the Queen, she inched closer. The Xeno’s around watch with anticipation, waiting for a chance they could sneak through to rescue the damsel in distress. Stiffening up in a stance, green eyes scanned her surroundings. An idea clicked in her head after seeing what she had to work with. The Queen would be too distracted with her hands and not expecting this attack. It would be perfect.


Kori’s green irises seeped through her entire eye, making it an even shade of the same green. Gaining up enough power and feeling confident with it, her eyes aimed towards the middle of the Queen’s own eyes. Squinting those eyes for a split second, a large ray of green light poured out from them, creating a laser that was blinding and brought a great deal of searing pain. It caused her great pain, screeching and cupping the sizzling piece of armored flesh with her talon fingers and closing her eyes tightly. This right here made her blind and susceptible to Kori’s planned out assault.

Darting towards the crippling Queen, the tip of her right boot dug into the dirt as she crouched down slightly to gain enough strength to launch herself upwards. Hovering over top of her, abruptly she let herself fall down and landed on her back. She was still conflicted with what was happening as everything came to her at once, making it easy to coil a hand around her neck as the other hand held onto her head to stabilize her.

“Khrelan, make sure the other Xeno’s don’t charge at me and Dvaro as she connects with it. Please!”

Khrelan had positioned himself so that when Kori came over, her assault would be as straightforward as possible. Even still, he could see that the Queen would be not that easy to take down. Not from the front at least; it also didn't help that some of the others had abandoned the converted drone attack to come assist their leader. For the moment though, they could not approach; the flame Khrelan emitted was too great for them to get past their pyrophobia.

Dvaro stood to the side of Khrelan, waiting for Koriand'r to bring the beast down so that she could get on top of it and access its mind directly; if this worked, she could get them to turn against their Queen. Or...Oh, that would be an even greater possibility. And it could help her in the future too.

Once Kori forced the Hive leader to kneel, Dvaro climbed up as quickly as she could; it seemed Khrelan was doing his part in keeping the drones at bay. The alien now held two orbs of flame, one in each hand, and was holding them in such a way that when a drone might try to feint an attack he would shove in his face. Though he would have a near miss as one tried to spit a corrosive glob; Khrelan just ducked and let it hit the Queen, who bellowed out in agony as it struck one of her eyes. This earned that drone a cursory strike from one its fellows, angry that it so carelessly harmed their leader.

Naturally the Queen thrashed, forcing Dvaro to grab hold of the thick spikes that protruded from its back. "Hold it still, Koriand'r! I need stability to make the connection!" she shouted; once it was subdued, she grabbed hold of the massive skull, her palms glowing once more as her psychic energy permeated the monster's neural network.

She could hear the Queen screaming out for help, calling out for her drones to destroy 'the pale intruder'. It was so loud that Dvaro was almost forced to let go.

"BE SILENT"

The command was given...And unsurprisingly rejected. Dvaro was getting a dull headache; the damned badge was putting too much of a restriction on her. The device began to glow more brightly, reacting to the increased psychic activity, and starting to make minor ache evolve into what her people called a 'brain seize', an event that was often followed by full body pain and in extreme cases, neural short-circuiting. Her limbs shook, teeth clenched as she tried to enforce her will on the Queen, flooding the synaptic relays with waves of information and commands. If only she could silence the monster's protests.

"BE! SILENT!"

This time it made some progress; the howls lessened in her mind, and she could feel the resistance waning. Now was the time to take control.

"OBEY. SUBMIT TO ME."

The resistance lessened even more, the Queen's eyes beginning to glow, evidence of the near-complete mental takeover. Now, to hammer the final nail, she thought.

"YOU. ARE. MINE!"

Any thrashing the Queen was doing before immediately stopped; she lay slack on the ground, breathing hoarse and ragged. Dvaro then removed her hands from the Queen's head, leaving behind two glowing circles where they had been before. She could feel it: The flow of information. This was something she wasn't expecting. She didn't have control over the Queen.

She had control over ALL of them. This Hive was hers. She was their Queen now.

As she hopped down from, she said, "Khrelan, Koriand'r. that's enough. They won't attack now." Khrelan just looked over at her, confused; what was she talking about? They were still surrounding him, their bodies tensed in a very obvious attack position. "Trust me. You are safe."

Khrelan didn't seem to buy it, his fiery defense still raised. "My son...Lower your wall. I believe what she says is true." he then heard Verath state; the young Praoamian was reluctant, but eventually lowered the cloak of fire. And surprisingly enough, the strange beasts instantly calmed. "See? They're harmless...To us, at least." Dvaro then stated, a smirk playing across her thin lips. She then decided to demonstrate: A mental command given, and soon the Xenos - Queen included - stood in front of her.

And bowed.

This made the crowd start to clap and cheer; no one expected all of them to survive a full Xenomorph assault and survive. And now, it seemed that the one less suited for combat had dominated their leader. And all surviving drones as a result. Dvaro then looked up to the King, "Well, Myand'r? Are you entertained?"

Amazing. How could someone so small and defenseless do something so magnificent and brilliant? Just imagine what her full powers would be if there wasn’t any interference that she had mentioned earlier. It was hard to hold the queen down as she continued to flail around, so Kori had to use all of her might to keep her still enough for Dvaro to gain access from within. It took longer than Kori had anticipated, but soon the Queen fell slightly limper than before, a beautiful glow casting where Dvaro’s hand was. Her irises shined with the brightness, intrigued by everything.

Everything felt fine now and there was no needed extra force. Releasing her grip Kori took a step back to give the Queen some space to readjust to the new sensation she was probably feeling right now. But, this made Kori wonder, could Dvaro access minds like hers? OR was it just on species like this? It was confusing still to think about. When the time is right she would ask her questions, but for now this wasn’t over yet. She could sense it.

Was Dvaro telling the truth when she said they were going to be alright? Safe and sound? Or, what if Dvaro was tricking them and going to slaughter the rest with her new profound power? Bidding her new toys to do her dirty work? “Stop thinking like that, okay?” Kori hushed her thoughts, giving her head a quick shake to rid of anymore imaginary thoughts. It could happen though. Hopefully it doesn’t.

The applause was loud and filled with amazement. It was a treat to watch something change direction so fast. Kori made her way to stand beside Khrelan, giving him a worried expression. “What do you think she had planned? I know she has a trick up her sleeve. I just KNOW it.” Tapping her chin thoughtfully she would gaze up to her father, a wicked toothy grin glazed over that bastard face.

Clapping along with the audience, Myand’r nodded thoughtfully at the sight before him, admiring how someone as weak as her could now hold so much power. “Very well done my dear. That was wonderful. Your new pets certainly love to obey their new master.”

His thumb and index finger twisted the tip of his beard, swirling it around his finger while chuckling to himself. “Your power certainly is strong. I am wondering what else you are capable of little one. Should we bring out something else just to see what your new pets can do, or are they too weak from earlier?”

“Do it!” The crowd cheered, flailing their hands around in excitement. “We want to see more bloodshed!” Someone called from the boisterous commotion, following many “Yeahs!” and other agreeing words.

“Now now, settle done. You will get what you came here for soon enough.” Myand’r assured, turning his head to a nearby guard and nodding before the guard departed.

“I’d like to see your blood on my hands.” Koriand’r hissed under her breath, giving her once beloved father a death stare.

Dvaro allowed herself a slight smirk; it was honestly amusing to see them change their opinions so easily, just to get their little violence fix. It was partly why her race largely abandoned violence; emotions were far too easy to sway in turbulence, and violence - as their research on other species had shown - rarely led to any meaningful dispute resolution. She could see its applications in 'certain' scenarios, but even those could be settled without it should the parties be willing enough to try.

But she abandoned that thought, taking in Myand'r as he praised her for her achievement. She knew she couldn't have done this without Khrelan or Koriand'r, and honestly, she was indebted to those two for keeping her alive long enough. And besides...Having this Hive under her control could prove useful later.

Khrelan just watched as Myand'r called to the crowd, hearing their cries for more violence; was there no sating this bloodlust? His head turned to look at Kori as she asked her question. He then shifted his focus to Dvaro, who currently stood impassively as she waited the King's decision; the alien just replied, "I honestly cannot say."

He then noticed one of his guards taking leave. "Where in the world is he going?" he then asked; if the King sent him off, no doubt he was up to no good.

The guard came back only moments and whispered something in the King's ear; the King seemed somewhat displeased, his features wrinkling into an obvious frown, but resolved with a small nod.

"People of Luimbia, it seems that the beasts in question have escaped containment. These are quite dangerous now, and as much as I love the spilling of blood, it should only be that of those who fall into the Tournament. So for today, everyone will return to their dwellings." The crowd booed, but were soon being ushered out by the guardsmen patrolling the stands.

"Guards, take the Queen and her drones back into captivity...Young alien, if you would be so kind as to follow the guards, they will escort you to the holding cell." he then said to Dvaro; within moments, the Queen and her subordinates surrounded the strange creature. The King just chuckled, "Seems they've become quite possessive, even more subordinated than I expected." Dvaro didn't want to push her luck; if she wanted to catch the King off guard, she would have to play his game. A mental command was given and the Hive creatures dispersed, Dvaro herself being led back to her own little prison.

Myand'r then looked down at Khrelan, stating "Fire Pit...Excellent performance today. Not many can claim to have withstood a full Xeno attack, especially with a Queen present." Khrelan's fists clenched, "Just know I did not enjoy it. I will never take pleasure in this senseless slaughter." The King just laughed, "And that attitude is going to be your downfall...We'll just see how long you last."

And just like that, the guards came out to meet Khrelan and Koriand'r; instead of backing down this time, Khrelan stood his ground. "No! This will not continue! I will not be your entertainment! Not like this!" Myand'r just grinned, his slightly crooked teeth showing in a malicious manner. "Starting to develop some backbone, are you? Good, good!" He then took something into his hand; it appeared to be a small metal block. "While my guard was going to check on the beasts, I had him bring something in the case you four decided to try anything."

Khrelan developed a puzzled look, to which Myand'r added, "And now...You get to see what happens to those that defy me." He then held the box a little higher, and suddenly pressed his thumb into the middle of it.

A gargantuan scream of pain erupted from behind them; Khrelan turned to see Garda starting to move, convulsing and thrashing violently. The alien then turned back, horror very clear on his face, "Stop this! Please! He did nothing!" Myand'r snickered, stating in a apathetic voice "No...But you did. And he's half-dead in any case. Now he pays for your insolence. And you tried so hard to save him. He was weak, to have his savior be a diplomat like yourself." Khrelan then felt that surge again...That dark emotion that was so foreign to his people.

Anger.

"You...You're nothing more than an Azahrat! Stop this!" he then shouted, calling the King a very foul name in his native tongue as his glowing sockets seemed to leak small streams of vapor. One that was only reserved for the truly evil, the ones kept at bay by Verath's purifying Light. He felt disgusted for thinking of it, and even more so for letting that word cross his lips. But what else could he name one so despicable?

The anger that now infused Khrelan brought Myand’r’s eyes sparkling with delight. Sadistic and nothing good from it. Was this the side of her father that Kori never noticed? How could she not notice something so cruel? And to say that she once was proud to have a father like this? Sickening. “There…. That is the trigger that I have been waiting for! Yes! Bring that out into the battlefield and many deaths will be with your own two hands, resulting in power that quenches the thirst!” Clutching his hands into hard fists he brought them towards his chest, pounding on it with such might and excitement.

The screams still persisted by Garda who was now foaming at the mouth. It was unbearable to even think of the pain that he was going through right now. Kori’s face wrinkled with a pained expression, trembling with the purest form of anger known. Her cheeks felt as hot as lava, was this how Khrelan felt too? “Stop this now! Stop this right NOW!” The woman’s glowing green eyes radiated with an intense flame blazing around her tear ducts and outer corners. “If you want to punish someone, punish the very thing you created furthermore…. right here!” Casting her hands outwards she would stick her chest up defiantly. “Do not hurt something that cannot do anything for itself!”

“Oh-ho? You have a lot to say for someone who is in the same position, isn’t that right daughter?” Ignoring her absurd request he would turn a knob on the box all the way to the right. Instantaneously Garda would feel the effect, shouting at an earsplitting frequency. It was so intense that Kori couldn’t help but shied her ears from the sound that started to cause her body to vibrate from it. Thrashing around, beating the ground, eyes rolled back inside his poor head…

Falling to her knees Kori would cry out, tears streaming down her bronzed complexion. The cries died out but Garda was still thrashing around, perhaps the shouts caused his vocal cords to shatter? It wasn’t long before his body jolted to a stop, his muscles twitching involuntarily from the aftermath. His blood seeped out from his eyes, nose, mouth and ears.

And there was nothing she or Khrelan could have done to stop this madness from ever happening.

“You Typhua!” Stumbling on her on two feet she would charge at the cemented wall that separated herself from her father, jumping up in an attempted to take flight. Her small attempt in disobedience lead to a nearby guard grabbing ahold of lengthy device that was able to reach up to her, causing an electrifying shock to jam into her stomach. Immediately she dropped down to make a severe impact on the solid soil. Kori didn’t have time to shout out in pain but suddenly fell into unconsciousness. A large simmering burn mark sizzled on the right side of her abdomen.

“I’m done with seeing this nonsense.” Myandy’r waved his hand stubbornly as he stood up from his throne. “Take them where the other alien is – the one who managed to control the Queen with the drones.” And without a question the guards went into action. The one that caused the trauma to Kori lifted her up and threw her over his shoulder. She was light and seemed to be picked up with ease without her struggling if she were conscious. Another guard took the same weapon that was used on Kori and threatened Khrelan with it. “Better follow us or what just happened will happen to you.” Daring him he would pry it towards him, commanding him to move forward. “Now go!”

"Koriand'r!" Khrelan cried out as she was shocked, only to be stopped as another guard pointed the weapon menacingly towards him. Honestly, he didn't care if he got hurt, but then he heard Verath speak to him. Words to calm the anger and fire in his soul:

"My child, I understand your frustration...But please bide your time. Our connection was severely tried today, and I do not wish to see what would happen if we were to over-exert ourselves."

Khrelan almost didn't want to listen, almost just wanted to go after Myand'r anyway and make that King regret forcing him into this senselessly violent competition. Make him regret hurting Garda and doing such despicable things to his own daughter. But what could he do? He was outnumbered, outmatched and at the moment far less than capable of simply attempting to grab a guard's weapon.

"Very well....But I only go under the most extreme of protests!" Khrelan shouted defiantly, the guard moving a little closer and giving the alien a small prod. The contact sent a painful electric shock through him, but it was quick at least. And with that, the group was led out of the doors into the prisoner complex; however, they went a different path. A path that would lead them to where they kept the various beasts for use in the competition. And as they reached the back, they came upon a very secure looking door.

One that screamed 'KEEP BACK'.

Khrelan felt it: A reviling hunger. A unrelenting instinctual urge to hunt and slaughter. Just what kinds of creatures lived on this planet? Did Myand'r somehow make it so that only the most violent species thrived on this world? And as Khrelan pondered this, he did not notice the guards step back from the entrance, dropping Koriand'r unceremoniously and within moments, a sizzling blue wall of light surrounded both him and the Luimbian princess. Khrelan turned his head and realized what had happened; a reckless charge against the barrier only served to throw him onto his rear, his front sizzling from the surge of repulsive power.

"Open the gate!"

That was the only shout he heard before the door behind him opened, the darkness beyond howling like a ravenous beast threatening to swallow all that stood before it. Khrelan turned his attention frontwards, another guard stating, "Don't worry, Fire Pit...Nothing in there is going to kill you. That's saved for the Arena." His comrades chuckled at the remark, the mocker adding "Now, go in there...And take the traitorous raizcha with you. I'm sure your new friend will be more than happy to see the both of you."

Giving the guard a glare, the Praoamian gently picked up and cradled Kori in his arms, walking resolutely into the void as the heavy door slammed behind them. He could hardly see where he was going, and the little light he could produce did nothing to provide any meaningful illumination.

"Welcome, Khrelan." he then heard a familiar voice say calmly, the undertones of civility and amusement resonating like a haunting melody throughout the empty space.

"Dvaro? Where are you? I can barely see..."

"Yes, a rather important evolutionary characteristic of these species. See, light isn't something they particularly care for. The only reason they came out at all for the battle was because Myand'r practically starved them. They were desperate for a meal, you see."

"How cruel...Even for base creatures such as this, they do not deserve such treatment."

"Base? Hardly, my young friend. They're far more intelligent than their subservient nature implies. And the Queen? Such a beautiful specimen; if only I could bring her home. The things my people could learn...Their neural networks are incredible!"

At this, Khrelan couldn't help but smile a little. This made Dvaro state, "What? I'm fascinated, truly! I mean, our species' ways of communication are advanced...But this is something different. Their synaptic relays, it's like their intertwined with each other. A true Hive Mind."

Khrelan then asked, "Dvaro, why were we brought here?" The alien laughed, "I have no clue; I think Myand'r wants me to be close to this Hive. See how well I can weaponize it. Or maybe he's hoping there will be another battle right here in this cage...But don't worry about that, they won't attack you. Not while I have control."

Muffled sounds came and went through Kori’s ears, her eyes flinching now and then but not fully waking up from the powerful shock her body went through. Why did it feel like an eternity when only half an hour passed by? Millions of images penetrated through her mind, showing the torment she had went through the past few days. After a while all the screams started to sound the same. That fear, desperation to stay alive, the fight of trying to not lose your sanity. What has this dark and cold world become? It’s different on the other side.

Her body swayed back and forth, unaware that Khrelan was the one who had scooped her up and took her into their resting spot for the night. His radiance was warm, soothing her sore and aching body. For the first time in a long time she finally felt comforted, maybe even something more to it.

Steadily, Kori’s slumber drifted away to be replaced by consciousness. The sounds more audible and registering.

"Dvaro, why were we brought here?" Khrelan spoke firmly, the voice was close and her body even vibrated as he made out the words. Fluttering her eyes, everything was still dark as if they were still shut. The only difference was the faint glow of Khrelan surrounding her. Cocking her head upwards, his face was alight, his hands gently holding onto her securely. As if he was protecting her from any more damage.

"I have no clue; I think Myand'r wants me to be close to this Hive.” Dvaro is here too? Why was everyone in the same cell? And why did everything have to be so dark?

“Ugh….” Kori groaned out as her hand cupped her forehead, a headache shaking her body similar to that of a hangover. “Khrelan, what’s going on?” Each word had a scratch to it, her throat dry and parched.

“I didn’t know you was here too, Koriand’r.” Dvaro spoke clearly, but the direction of where she sat was unclear, her voice bouncing off the walls. “As I was telling Khrelan earlier I believe they placed me here to be close to the hive. Though I am not too sure as to why you were brought along.” After some time had passed, she added, “Perhaps this may even be their way of saying this is the last time we will be together like this before one of us is defeated.”

Defeated. That was a sweet way of saying death. “I haven’t really thought too much about dying, to be honest. I’m too busy focusing on how I am going to live.” What was death anyways? Sure, who hasn’t thought about it as this point, but to go in depth with it was a scary thought. Very scary.

“No sense in worrying about it too much. Battle or not, death will have the last laugh in any situation. Rather is be fighting, disease or just naturally. It has been something I accepted long ago.” Dvaro’s voice never changed, not showing a hint of emotion. It was hard to register how she felt.

Kori was silent after that. What was there to add? She was right after all.

“Don’t get too strung up on it, Koriand’r. Life is precious, and enjoy living while it lasts.”

Khrelan just listened as Dvaro told Kori her thoughts about the meaning of them being brought together; did Myand'r's morbidity know no bounds? Why did he take such joy in tearing people apart? This whole blasted tournament had not gone on for very long, and yet Khrelan felt as though he'd been warring for centuries.

"Khrelan, I will give the same advice to you. Do not let these thoughts invade your mind too much. They will distract you, and lead to your downfall. Then any hope you have of making it back to your world goes up in smoke." she then added, forcing the young Praoamian to break his self-absorbed thought cycle. "Even if what you say is true, does that mean it is hopeless for us to fight? Should we just lay our weapons and let whatever the King wants destroy us?"

"Oh goodness, no. Believe you me, I want to get away from this world as quickly as possible, and probably even more so than you. Filthy savages these lot are...Present company excluded of course. My apologies, Koriand'r." Dvaro added the last bit honestly; even she could see that the Princess was awakening to the true horrors this tournament embraced. It wasn't like she was doing this out of joy; like Khrelan and herself, this was a fight to survive.

Still, there was the possibility that they would eventually have to face each other; if Dvaro's people-reading was anything to consider, there would only be one winner. No prize sharing, it was kill or be killed.

A thought that was also shared by Khrelan; could he really raise his hand against Koriand'r? True, she was technically someone he would have to fight, but she was in the same position as he. And the other thought was: Would she show him any mercy if it came to that?

"Khrelan, my child, do not let these thoughts pollute your heart. We are not at that point yet...I am with you. We will find a way to make it through this" he then heard Verath say to him, the alien responding "What of Garda? My rashness cost his life...I have to live with his blood on my hands." Verath was silent at this for a moment, only to add "No...It was Myand'r that ended him. Garda was brutalized not because of your brave words, but because his heart is tainted with the evils of rage and destruction. The sin lies not with you, my son...Never think that, even for a moment."

“No offense taken.” Kori glanced down at the ground, her thoughts the same as Dvaro’s. They were filthy savages. Who would put other species in such torment over minor enjoyment? She wasn’t an exception, once supporting the yearly activities. Awkwardly she bit the inside of her cheek in distraction, the trio sitting in silence as the night carried on.

“If we want to be prepared for the following day we should try and get a good night’s rest.” Kori broke the stillness as just sat up and tried to find a contented position on the stiff ground beneath her. She folded both hands together and rested them underneath her head, tucking her knees up towards her chest as she closed her eyes shut in attempt to get some rest. “I will see you all in the morning.”

Surprisingly it didn’t take long for the Princess to fall into her slumber, only to be awaken by the commotion at the door that enclosed them. Five guards intruded into the dark enclosure, the light from the door seeping into the room and spilling onto the floor. “Come on, get up! Kings Orders!” One of the guards shouted as he held up a bladed staff in protest if they rebelled. Guards individually grabbed each one in the room, using special caution when handling Khrelan.

“Make sure those beasts do not lunge at us or it will be us who lunges at you.” A guard whispered in Dvaro’s ear as he gripped at her tiny arms, shoving her out of the darkened room. Kori squinted as the light was invading, her pupils closing in to adjust to the sudden change in brightness. The area wasn’t familiar as they walked through it, the entrance of a jungle closing in on them.

“Your next obstacle is to venture off into the jungle and attempt to return to the arena unscathed. It’ll be hard, but hopefully luck will be on your side because I am eager to see you all make it through.” Myand’r made an appearance as he shimmied his way through the guards, both hands clasped behind his back as he eyed every single one of them. Kori glared at her father, ashamed to even give him such a title.

Khrelan was startled awake as the King's guard wrenched them from slumber; they had come in carrying torches, using the Praoamian's earlier display to their advantage as they had not known of the beast's pyrophobia. He tried to ignite his skin, but then a guard pointed a dagger at his throat, stating "Try it and we have orders to erase you if necessary." Khrelan still struggled but was led outside, the crushing darkness soon replaced with blinding light as they were dragged to the edge of a dense forest.

Khrelan felt a bit of dread grow in his stomach as Myand'r then appeared and explained this next leg of the tournament. The fiery alien could only glare at the King; was there no end to his depravity? None of them except possibly for Kori would know how to navigate this forest; this wasn't their world! Dvaro was uncharacteristically silent in this matter, her eyes locked on the dense growth as if analyzing it. The next words he then spoke were:

"Actually...Let's make this more interesting. Guards!"

And just as all were looking from him, a sudden blow to the back of the head would render them unconscious.

*Hours Later*

Khrelan stirred awake, the sound of lapping water rousing him from his unconscious state. His head throbbed and his vision was bleary for a moment; looking around he did not see Dvaro or Koriand'r. "Verath...Where are we? Where are the others?" the alien asked, to which his god replied "I do not know...Were this our world, I could easily tell as my energy is tied there. However, this one does not have a point of reference. I'm afraid this is going to be your greatest survival challenge yet, Khrelan. Use everything you learned on Praoamia, and I have no doubt we will get through this."

The soil was soft and resembled the bed that Kori once slept in, causing the alien to dream about her laying on her bed as she stared off into the window. The light of the two suns shined into her eyes, causing her to squint painfully, only to open her eyes in real life to find herself covered in dirt and alone. It took her a minute to finally sit up, gripping the back of her head as a decent sized knot bulged outwards.

“W-When did this happen?” Kori mumbled to herself as she tried to analyze what went down before she was left unconscious. It was a blur, and there was no sense wondering about the past when the future was more of a battle. “Khrelan, Dvaro? Are you nearby?” Her voice only echoed through the dense terrane, leaves rustling to shield the suns that shined its radiance down onto the humid forest. It wasn’t long before large gray clouds clustered together to permanently shield the shining stars from their view.

Rain slowly dripped onto the leaves, the comforting sounds of pitter-patter adding a soothing aura to the tragic situation before it heavily began to pick up. Kori’s body quickly became drenched and the soil beneath her grew slick and messy.

Wiping away a clump of damp hair from her vision she would decide to press forward to reunite with her friends, tossing branches and leaves out of the way as she walked along a path that was littered with decaying leaves that had fallen from their branches.

A twig crackled in the distance, Kori hasty to swivel her heal to face the direction of the sound, only to see nothing but bushes and leaves obscuring her vision. Her breathing deepened and picked up pace, trying to keep it as hushed as possible to not draw any more attention to whatever was lurking in the shadows.

The forests of Luimba looked serene enough, but deep inside this tropical bush lay predators of the worst kind: Ones even the strongest of the natives tried to avoid at all costs. And a number weren't even physically strong, but could hide very well and knew when and where to strike. Thankfully, this tournament was held at such a time that many of the more dangerous species were in hibernation, readying themselves for the Grand Freeze as it was called on this world.

However, Kori would not find herself out of the woods just yet, for she was in fact being stalked. One species of quick and agile predators, the Zan'gi, often flocked this area in large numbers. They were an odd-looking species, possessing digitigrade lower limbs that carried them at high-speeds, their upper forelimbs designed into a pair of lethal claws. The left one was slightly slimmer and serrated, more apt to grabbing prey, whilst the other was blunter, larger and stronger, designed to crush its victims windpipe and kill it instantly. And while they did not have much in terms of physical endurance, they made up for it numbers/

And Kori would find this out for herself as she pressed on, a quintet of them stalking her in the dense brush before one lunged out ahead of her and blocked her forward advancement, two more flanking her from the sides. Two of them had their heads covered in layers of chitinous armor plates, evidence of their being females of the Zan'gi, the last covering the base of the neck as an evolutionary protection for when they would undergo mating. The skin a dull green-brown to seem like one with the trunks of the trees here.

The first one let out a low warbling hiss, the other two following with strangle gargling noises to help coordinate their incoming attack, naturally unaware of who they were going to be trying to snag as a meal. Or that she had back-up.

Kori would hear a loud squelch as the two behind her were instantly crushed to pulp by some unseen force, a familiar voice stating, "Ugh, finally, this cursed thing is starting to wear off; I was worried that I was never going to catch up to you, Princess Koriand'r." From the treeline came a white-clad figure, none other than Dvaro herself.