Naya's fingers curled around the bio mask as she lifted it above her head. Her abs tightened and her muscles bunched. With a cry, she forced the metal down with all her strength. The spiked rim of the bio mask punctured flesh. She immediately pulled the mask back up, only to slam it down again as a snarl tore from her throat.
Over and over Naya beat the mask down, barely taking a breath in between. Enough blood splattered onto her face that she was forced to close her eyes. The sound alone was sickening. Still, she knew she couldn't stop-not yet.
Finally, she felt her hands jerk forward as the skull caved in. Naya grunted as she pulled the mask out of the side of his head. The metal dropped from her fingers and hit the floor with a clang. She let out a slow breath.
She wiped her face off and studied the green blood on her palms first. Then, her gaze lifted to the body. It was hard to see the mangled face of her tormentor under so much blood. One mandible stood straight up at an impossible angle. A waxy dred came loose and slipped off the side of the mattress to land between her feet.
He was dead. He was really dead. His black reptilian skin was splattered with his own blood. A smile tugged at her lips as a wave of relief flooded over her. She chuckled once, but couldn't contain it. Laughter bubbled up from her throat.
Naya laughed until her sides hurt, then dropped to her knees and began sobbing. She crawled back to her bed, dragging the chain attached to her ankle. A sense of dread began to eat away at her insides. She laid on her side in the furs and cried herself to sleep.
()~/ /
She didn't understand why they didn't just end her life. Naya clutched the cold bars of the cage, wondering what they intended to do with her. Would she be put on trial? Would she be sold to another yautja?
She had light green eyes of the Arabian Sea and contrasting long black hair. Another yautja was bound to look at her beauty and want to keep her chained. Naya glanced down at her ankle. Though the shackle had been removed, there were still rings, permanent scars in her skin from wearing one so often.
When she heard footsteps, Naya's head bounced up. A yautja herded a group of baffled humans down the corridor. They were ushered into the cage with her. Shrieking with fear, they each jostled for space. She pushed back with a grumble when one female stepped on her toes.
Her sense of balance swayed for a moment as the cage began to move upward like an elevator. The group of humans stilled and their shrieks turned to harsh murmurs. Bright light assaulted her as the roof opened up. The cage lifted into an outdoor arena.
Other cages had risen to the surface as well, each containing a different species. Yautjas were crouched on pedestals between cages. Behind all of them them, on the arena walls, hung primitive weapons. Naya's eyes widened. She'd been in captivity long enough to know what what about to ensue.
The bars of the cage began to lower. As soon as they were short enough, Naya vaulted over them. She didn't go for a weapon. Instead, she ran for cover. The center of the arena was filled with huge boulders. There were gaps between them just big enough for her to slide in sideways.
Through a small slit in the rock, she watched the slaughter. The humans scrambled as yautjas descended on them like a plague. Screams and bleating cries were drowned out by the mighty roars of the yautjas. None of the humans lasted long. Naya didn't recognize all of the prey species, but neither of them fared well against the yautjas either.
Naya squeaked when something touched her shoulder. She contorted her body between the boulders but saw no attacker. Her finger wiped a dot of blood from her skin. She lifted her eyes. Above her, blood seeped through the cracks, creating veins on the rock.
Her frightened squeak had drawn attention to herself. One yellow eye settled between the crevice of the two boulders. The yautja slowly crouched down near the bottom where the space widened, but his body was too bulky. He still was not able to squeeze inside. The yautjas low growl make Naya shiver.
The sunlight glinting off his weapon gave her an early warning. Naya squeezed herself as far back as she could before he thrust the long blade of his glaive at her. It made a shallow scratch on her upper arm, but no more. The yautja wedged himself further in the crevice. Naya had nowhere to go.
The yautja was suddenly torn away from the boulders. He gave a clipped growl before the glaive fell from his hand. After a moment there was a hiss, then long black fingers curled around the rock. A xenomorph. Her chest was pinched between the rocks, unable to draw in a full breath.
Naya used her foot to lift the glaive to her hand. She gripped the pole of the weapon, ready. Before the xenomorph could do anything, it was speared through the chest by a combi stick. It's acid blood smeared across the rock, dissolving it. Now, she was more exposed.
A pair of orange eyes spotted her. Naya lifted up the blade but as prey dwindled, the yautjas had to fight for their kill. Another yautja stepped in. When they began fighting, she took the opportunity to slip past them.
Bodies were strewn around the arena-not only prey species but yautja as well. There was so much blood it clogged her sense of smell. The dirt was stained with it. One yautja ripped out the spine of is kill, flinging more blood onto the ground. The yautjas in the stands pounded their fists on the railings in approval.
All of it made Naya sick to her stomach. She turned away from the bloodshed and ran for a cluster of boulders. The tail of a tripod creature wacked her in the chest, sending her to the ground just before a khopesh slashed at her middle. Before the yautja could try to strike again, an animal like a tiger lunged and bit into his shoulder.
Naya rolled out of the way then got back on her feet. She scaled several boulders, only losing her grip on the very top one. Right after she slid, an ax broke against the rock where her head had just been. She clamored away with a cry, desperate to reach the top of the boulder.
Up there she was able to see each oncoming attack. She clutched the glaive to her chest as she swiveled. One yautja threw a spear at her. Naya barely twisted her body out of the way on time. Her footing on the small platform wavered for a moment, but she regained balance.
As the yautjas fought amongst themselves, one male began to climb the cluster of boulders. His skin was primarily green, and his black mottling was almost in stripes. This red-eyed demon was her grim reaper. His movements were swift and precise. He'd quickly reach the top.
Naya had maybe a minute to live.
The realization should have made her resolve crumble. Instead, Naya pulled back her shoulders as she looked the male in the eyes, "To kill me is to free me! So bring it on!"
The male paused for a moment, most likely surprised that she spoke yautja. It wasn't enough to stop his advance.. Once he was close enough, she thrust the blade of the glaive at his head. Yautjas were quick, nimble, and excellent climbers. He found new grips in the rock to evade her futile attempts. Then, when she lost balance again, he made his move.
His black claws wrapped around her ankle. She started to teeter backwards. At first she held the glaive horizontal for balance, but then hooked it behind his shoulder to prevent herself from falling. The yautja gave a bellowing growl, then yanked the weapon away from her.
Naya ended up tipping forward. They both tumbled down the sloping sides if the boulders and hit the dirt. She landed under him. The sheer weight of the yautja was enough to stun her. She was done fighting.
The green-skinned male grabbed her arm to haul her upright. Naya swayed on her feet. He spun her away from him so that she faced three other males in the arena. She cringed when she heard the wrist blades extend. She swallowed, then closed her eyes.
She felt his arm slide against the side of her neck to drape across her torso. With a growl, he tugged her back against his hard body. Naya's eyes flew open. She tried to squirm out of his grasp, but his arm constricted around her.
A male charged, intending on claiming her. With just one arm, the green-skinned male was able to fight him off. Another male came at his back. The serrated wrist blades flipped direction in a heartbeat and her green-skinned captor sliced into the male's chest. The two backed away and the others turned their heads in submission.
The green yautja had kept the right to kill her.
Instead, one of his hands clamped onto her thigh and the other her ribs. He hauled her into the air above his head. The yautjas in the stands all stood up. They pounded their fists on the railing in excitement.
With a roar, he declared, "Ru jen'de-kan!"
Naya paled at his words.
~Yautja Translations~
Ru jen'de-kan - my trophy