His hands trailed gently down her sides, gentling her down from her peak. Her claws dug impatiently into the wings of his shoulders as he frustratingly slowed down, his hands pinning down her waist when she tried to buck into his thrusts. His lips curving into a smug smirk while skimming the pale skin, between her shoulder and neck.
By the Holy Light, how can someone be so damn frustrating.
Caressing the freshly made mating mark, his eyes softened before he angled his hips hitting a spot of nerves that made her back arch off of the cot and bury her sharpened canines into the flesh of her companion's neck. Growling darkly as his thrusts became punishing, she raked her claws down his back as she came again. This time with her companion following her. Their names echoing through the small cabin in completion as the ecstasy slipped away.
"Zera."
XxxxX
The shuttle rattled ominously and made a sudden downward jerk, jarring Zera from her reverie. There was a sudden yelp from the other passengers, as the breached the atmosphere of Parum. Zera looked out the porthole window in time to see a piece of armor tear away from the shuttle.
That probably wasn't a good thing to be flying off, fingers crossed that the shuttle won't burn up in the atmosphere. But by the Holy Light, is this shuttle even going to be intact by the time we touch down? Zera's white fluffy ears twitched as the speaker came on.
"We are experiencing some technical difficulties, but please don't be concerned we are working to repair the problem. We thank you for your corroboration in this turbulent time."
They didn't repair the problem, instead the problem made itself worse. When the guidance computer shut down, because of technical difficulties, the little shuttle was careening towards the planet at terrifying speeds.
Casting looks at the other passengers, let's be honest there were only two, Zera noticed that while the human looked like they were going to faint. The Newman was barely phased. That was until, smoke started pouring in from the vents, in a steady stream, looking vaguely like the underground waterfalls in the caverns of Moatoob. (Zera felt a pang of melancholy homesickness, how long had it been? three years since Vivienne went AWOL? More?).
Then the Newman shifted uncomfortably, his eyes tracking the smoke as it pooled around our feet. Feeling the flooring shudder and groan as screws and bolts began popping out of their confinement. Abandoning ship, in a way that Zera envied.
The landing, if you could call it that, was more of a guided crash than an actual landing. With dock workers scrambling to put out as much of the fire that they could. While others were pulling apart the mechanical doors trying to get them to unlock.
When the doors finally opened, smoke lazily crawling out as the human took off and retched over into the closest trashcan. The Newman had a better resistance and moved towards a bench. Hands clenching into fists as he tried to regulate his breathing. His back trembling with nerves and a by-the-holy-light-I-made-it, feeling for what must have been his first time flying. Poor guy.
Zera's heart thrummed a steady beat, as she walked out of the now, glorified pile of scrap. Eyes closed as she breathed deeply, enjoying the manufactured beauty and letting the tension leave. Before turning and heading off to the newly found relic site. She has a job to do. Her stomach made a loud gurgling protest, and hopefully a paying one this time.
XxxxxXxxxxxX
This Relic Site was familiar, in the way all relic sites of the previous civilization were, when people poked around too much.
They were deadly.
Zera groaned as the doors to the only exit closed, leaving her trapped. Damn, there was a reason she avoided these sites, because things that could go wrong will always go wrong.
The last time she was in a relic site it was with Headmaster Nav. And that involved chasing Helga through an arbitrary number of hoops. Helga, who deserved everything that happened to her, and worse for what she put Vivienne through.
Zera breathed deeply, unclenching her jaw as she forced herself to relax. Helga is gone, and there is no way for her to come back. She can't hurt Vivienne ever again.
'Focus Zera, you have a job to do'.
Her ears twitched as she heard banging and screeching, really there wasn't another word that so aptly described that sound, that a kid, probably no older than fifteen, was begging to be let out. 'This day just keeps on getting better'.
Rolling her shoulders to release some of the building tension, Zera made a mental list of items that she had to get the kid through this relic site.
Selling off her S class items had been tough, especially when searching for lost fake-casts that somehow managed to erase both of them from any data banks, and somehow managed to alter the actual memories of people; and because of that Zera's progress with her weapons and class type was wiped clean, meaning no decent weapons for Zera. (Seriously, Vivienne way to kick someone when their down).
Single Saber, a pistol, a shield, and a wand. All of which were C class, with varying elemental damage. Zera frowned before coming to a grim conclusion. 'This is going to suck.'
'Focus Zera, you have a job to do.'
Moving towards the girl, Zera placed a hand on her shoulder. The kid jumped, looking startled as she turned around. Her short blonde hair rustled in the stale air, as her hand clenched her staff in a white knuckles grip. The girl's lips thinned into a single line, before locking onto Zera's ears.
"I guess I wasn't the only one to get locked in here, huh?"
Zera raised an eyebrow at her, a brief quirk of her lip before the girl continued, starting a monologue. Looking despondent when Zera shook her head at the questions she asked. Zera sighed as she started making her way towards the only open route, positive that the kid will come. Pausing briefly as the girl blocked her path placing her hands on her hips and looking at Zera with a glimmer of determination. (Vivienne used to look at her similarly when faced with a statistical improbability, funny how we see ghosts in living people).
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You know this is a relic site, right? It's dangerous here! And you want to go further in!"
Zera laughed softly at the girl, before gentling her expression at the brief look of pain that crossed the girl's features. "Yes, right now our priority is getting out of here. If we don't move we are going to activate the defense mechanism, and trust me, we don't want to be here when a Svaltia wakes up."
The girl looked undecided for a few more seconds before nodding at Zera, the glimmer of determination returning. 'Damn, why does this kid remind me so much Vivienne?'
'Focus Zera, you have a job to do.'
Shoving her hand out with her face set in a determined line. "I'm Emilia Percival, what's your name?"
Taking the offered hand in a firm grip, smiling faintly at the sudden boldness. "Zera."
Emilia looked thoughtfully at Zera. Almost as if she was trying to place her name. (Good luck with that kid). Before nodding in acceptance.
"Huh, never would've guessed." Emilia hummed before shaking her head. "Well, let's stop wasting time and get out of here."
XxxxX
Zera moved around Emilia, taking point as they began to navigate their way through the chilled air of the Relic Site.
The narrow hallway depositing them into an open room where an Evil Shark patrolled. Feeling the tension practically radiating off of Emilia, Zera glanced at her with a raised eyebrow.
"It's just, I never actually had to fight before. Ya' know?" Emilia shifted her weight, looking vaguely embarrassed. "Can you take point?"
Zera hummed in agreement, brandishing her single Saber and pistol, she took off in a paced jog towards the enemy. Shooting a few rounds before closing the remaining distance to deliver a well timed strike with her Saber.
Watching with detached apathy, as the Evil Shark dropped to the ground. It's flesh deteriorating into a pile of goo, as steam raised from the bile with a putrid stench. Zera reached into the steaming carcass retrieving a monomate.
That was how they cleared out two areas; Zera either running in slicing and dicing her way through one horde of enemies to another dismantling them like clockwork. Or letting Emilia go on ahead while she blasted the unfortunate being that was in her way with a technic power. (It was either fire or ice, Emilia noticed, as she stared at the frozen enemy a meter from her mid lunge, it's jaws opened ready to tear a chunk out of her, before it was shattered with a well placed bullet).
Emilia couldn't help but watch as her companion seemed to have a scary level of proficiency, in using all of her weapons. Watching Zera block a would-be nasty hit with her shield before freezing her enemy and switching out to her Saber before reducing the monster to chunks of ice.
(Seriously Zera was probably only a head taller than Emilia, and she was built like a tank. Watching her literally slice open an Evil Shark from head to groin, was in equal parts horrifying and fascinating. Probably because she looked so bored).
By the time they reached the end of the second area Emilia was out of breath. Panting as she leaned against the wall, watching Zera roll her shoulders with practiced ease, releasing tension as she mentally geared herself up for the next fight.
"Wow, you really are a mercenary."
Zera looked over from where she was standing raising a questioning eyebrow, provoking Emilia to clarify.
"I'm kinda relieved actually. With you around, maybe I'll actually get out of here."
Zera cocked her head to the side her right ear brushing against her shoulder as she studied Emilia. "Don't you work at a mercenary company?"
Emilia stared at the floor fidgeting under Zera's gaze. "I mean, technically, I work for a mercenary company, but this fighting stuff really isn't for me."
Emilia pauses, gathering her thoughts, before continuing. " Not that my boss cares, he dragged me here to this death trap because he said I was too lazy." Emilia picks up momentum as she vents hands coming to rest at her hips. "Ooooohhhh, how he gets under my skin. I mean who is he to tell me when to work?" Emilia's eyes were full of vitriol, as she ranted, before casting Zera a hopeful look, "I mean you're with me on this right?"
Zera cast Emilia an amused look, before schooling her features in mock outrage. "The Nerve!"
Emilia rolled her eyes at Zera, before letting out a giggle. "I know you're being sarcastic, but thanks.' Emilia pauses before looking at Zera, "You know something. It's strange, I mean have Relic Sites become active when there weren't any seed attacking? I mean sure it's possible, but they react to elements released by the seed. But does that explain the disruptions in the magnetic field? Hardly." Emilia closes her eyes as she tries to come up with an acceptable theory.
Emilia continues talking about the Relic Site, Zera began to feel a throbbing behind her temples as she gave up trying to figure out what Emilia was getting at. Something about a master program, and triggering it?
"Or, um. Yea. Something like that."
Zera closed her eyes trying to will away her headache. Before opening them and meeting Emilia's earnest expression with a weary smile. "You some kind of expert or something?"
Emilia cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Who me? No." She pauses for a moment, still looking confused. "That's all common knowledge."
At Zera's disbelieving look, Emilia frowned shoulders hunching up in a defensive posture. "Ask any mercenary you want they'll tell you the same thing." Emilia glared at Zera, "You know what, forget I said anything! It's not like people believe me anyways. So don't you go starting on me now!"
Zera locked eyes with Emilia, suddenly serious. "Actually, I do believe you." At Emilia's stunned look, Zera continued. "But right now we need to focus on getting out of here, and that may now have to include looking for a master override, as well as fighting our way through whatever is ahead." Zera paused looking at Emilia's determined expression. "It's not going to be easy, but if we are going to get out of here, you're going to have to follow my lead. Because if we wake up a Svaltia, it's going to be a hard fight."
At Emilia's nod of acceptance Zera rolled her shoulders, feeling her tension leave as she blazed the trail for Emilia to follow.
'Focus Zera, you have a job to do.'
XxxxxXxxxxxX
It was awful getting to the exit of the Relic Site. It's not like the hordes of creatures regrouped or anything, it was just long. This was another reason Zera hated Relic Sites, long fucking hallways. So when she spotted the end of this stupid, useless, Relic Site. She couldn't have been happier.
At least she would have been had a Svaltia not dropped right in front of her. It's spear thrumming with light energy as it gave the equivalent of a roar. Shaking the pillars holding up the ceiling of the room.
Seriously. Fuck. Relic. Sites.
"Oh, crap. What is that?" Emilia's voice raised an octave. "What. Is. That?!"
"Svaltia." Zera paused taking a deep breath. "We can handle this."
Emilia let out an indignant squawk. "What do you mean: 'We can handle this.' Do you see that thing!" Emilia paced for a few seconds before turning to Zera. Grim determination lighting her features. "Alright, I'm with you. If you think we can take this, then we can take this."
Zera smiled grimly at the Svaltia. "Dodging is very important here. If that thing charges you with its spear, get out of it's way. It hurts like hell if you get hit by that spear." Emilia nodded at Zera, before breathing deeply.
"Alright, let's do this."
'Focus Zera, you have a job to do.'
Moving towards the Svaltia, Zera threw her Technic powers at, the ancient machine in hopes to freeze it. The technics, were easily discarded by the Svaltia. Watching as it charged for her, Zera readied her shield before diving out of it's path. Wincing when the machine, arched it's spear around itself and the spear colliding with her shield. Switching her wand for her Saber, Zera continued to block the increasingly stronger attacks. In her peripheral vision Zera saw Emilia throwing her own spells at the ancient machine.
Not paying attention to the Svaltia, it managed to hit Zera in the side with its spear. Sending her crashing into a pillar.
"Zera!"
Turning her head she watched with blurry vision as the Svaltia turned towards Emilia. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Staggering to her feet, Zera threw her shield to the side discarding it. As she switched to her pistol and fired two shots to the machines back. Before stumbling, then jogging, then sprinting towards her quarry. Snarling, her fangs bared in the Svaltia's direction, Zera propelled herself towards it as she slammed her Saber into the space where it's neck would be. Before letting gravity, and her own body mass pull down on the blade. Before emptying out her charged bullets into the hole she had just made.
Feeling the ancient machine crumble forewarn, Zera smiled at Emilia. "Nice work."
Emilia grinned brightly at Zera. The atmosphere giddy, and exuberant. Until Zera saw another Svaltia rise from its slumber, clawed hand making an arch for Emilia. Grabbing Emilia by the collar of her shirt, Zera jerked Emilia behind her.
And all Zera saw after was red.
'Focus Zera, you have a job to do.'