As the hissing grew louder and more intense, I pulled out a silver dagger that I had strapped to my leg, under my tan skirt. Backing myself up to the wall and searching all of the openings in the rooms for the source of the threatening chatter, I felt more than saw the creature that was above me on the wall. A small sound, under the continuous snarl, was all I had to alert me to the coming attack. Blindly, I slashed the air where I heard the sound and whipped around to face my attacker. Feeling the connection of blade and flesh I pulled at the hilt and with a satisfying rip it was free. Before me was a serpent, similar to Grid but perhaps a bit smaller. It sat back on its hind legs and clutched at its torn throat. For a moment it stayed there struggling to bring air into its lungs and keep it there.
Seconds past, before it hit the frost bitten ground with a final thud.
My thoughts raced and must have alerted Grid to my distress, because the next few moments were filled with him pulling me back and checking me for injuries.
There was a dull throb in my hand that still clutched the dagger, but beyond that I felt completely fine.
Three long fingers probed my hand and it was then that I felt a focused burning. Looking down I saw that my right hand was covered in shallow acid burns and the blade of my knife became the size of a toothpick. Grid clasped my hand and added pressure as I used all of my self control to keep from screaming.
In a small part of my mind, the part that felt little and stood objectively observing all of the things that went on around me, noticed that Celtic had gone and examined the thing I just killed. He was kneeling next to it and exposing the wound track. A sharp jolt from Grid's claws removed me from my awareness and brought a hiss from between my teeth.
The sudden sound caused Celtic's head to whip towards me with his dreadlocks twirling around his face. Screwing my eyes shut I tried to block out the pain of my burned hand and focus on a healing energy for it. Visualizing the blood cells in the flesh clotting and the skin knitting back together focused my energies to mend the wound. The faint feeling of itching, made my fingers twitched, as the nerves rebuild themselves. A thick white scar covered the wound, surrounded by a lighter pink that signaled it being newly formed.
As the finishing touches of the healing ended, a rougher hand grabbed mine. Barely glancing up from beneath my eyelashes, I saw that Celtic was examining my previously burned hand. He turned it over in his large clawed hand and studied it as the last effects wore off. Taking a quick breath through my nose, I observed my former wound as well. The mark was the same color as what my skin should've been; not that it was all that surprising, I had many marks covering my skin and most shared that quality.
Clicks and what almost sounded like a purr came from the Yautja in front of me. Slowly he went to grab a finger of the alien corpse and rip it off. There was a moment where he let the blood drip onto the floor and burn small dents into the solid granite. When he put the ripped stub to the ground and burned a symbol of the lopsided 'T' near the dents. I stared at it for a moment, full of confusion, and asked what it meant.
I knew I wasn't going to get a verbal response, but he pointed to my cheek, the finger, my heart, and then his own. I wasn't entirely sure what the full meaning was, but it seemed that it would make me similar to him.
Since that didn't seem to bad considering the circumstances I nodded before baring my unscarred left cheek to him. As he burned the symbol into my skin, I clutched the other arm that wasn't scarring me. I couldn't stop clutching him as the burning sensation consumed my mind. Unlike the short exposure that I experienced before, where my blood was able to dilute the acid, the scalding blood was able to sear the wound shut forming an instant scar.
The firm muscles clutched under my hands rippled as he took away the finger and placed it onto the ground. Lightly pulling away, he pulled at a few tubes that connected to his mask. They pulled away with a hiss and said mask was tugged away to finally reveal his face.
Admittedly, I had witnessed the many faces of even more species that were shocking. There were the faces of half morphed selkies that resembled something between frog's eyes, a horse's nose, and a human mouth. There were the many different types of Goblins, that could be either tall or short, but they were all surprisingly different with tusks, tentacles, elephant like noses, or tails. So when I saw his high forehead and four mandibles that surrounded an inner mouth, I wasn't scared in the least. I simply gazed at him and observed these new details now that they were nearly half a foot away.
A light purring bubbled up from the back of his throat as he watched me with startling hunter green eyes. The rumbling in his chest was what had alerted me to how close we were. My back was against the wall and my legs were splayed in front of me; while Celtic kneeled over me straddling my left leg and keeping some of his weight on the hand that had burned me. Despite how little we touched, I still felt every movement that either of us made, whether it was a breath or the slightest shift.
My eyes widened with surprise, and I quickly broke my grip on his arms. I felt my cheeks warm, but there was nowhere I could go. Distressed embarrassment filled the bond and Grid quickly pulled me up the wall and onto my feet.
Out of the near embrace I started to walk away from the scene. Hearts, no matter how fast they may beat, can't be trusted. They had lead to some of the ugly scars that permeated more than just my skin. Grid walked close behind me, probably sensing the tone of my reflection, but remaining silent about it. Little sound was made by our group, my thick and comfortable shoes padded while the others used whatever knowledge they had to keep the metallic sounds of claws and boots non-existent. Occasionally I'd feel small comforting pin-pricks through the bond, but there was no real language behind it.
After another shift, the room opened up and a chasm dropped between the two sides of the room. The sides were connected by a crumbling bridge that looked as if it wouldn't support the weight of a goblin, none the less a member of our group. Yet, when two humans erupted through a door and took a flying leap to cross the now destroyed bridge, I wasn't surprised to see that one of them had nearly fallen to their death. The other, in his attempt to save the other girl, was dragged away by one of the serpents. We watched, detached as his screamed echoed and faded into the dark.
The other scrambled up the wall and called for her companion. After a few steps, she picked something up off of the ground, I couldn't see what it was, but whatever it was she slipped into her pocket as she trekked on.
Grid tapped my shoulder with his tail, and I turned to see that there were other serpents in the tunnel, and that I should definitely move if I wanted to remain unseen. Phantom pain emanated from my hand as I stood back and watched them approach. Celtic turned and watched them as they noticed him.
He had pulled a piece of his armor and it turned into a disk, which he threw at the oncoming things. The ones that were in the way soon became piles of acidic corpses. Some parts flew in other directions and what had my attention was the sharp tip of one of their tails. It was through a half dozen feet towards us and it was barely out of my reach. It was the only thing available that I could see as a spare weapon. I needed something to protect myself with, but with Grid blocking my way there was little chance of getting my hands on it. There were still four of the serpents that Celtic was fighting, but I hated standing by and doing nothing.
Grid, I need a weapon.
He spared a glance back before answering. No, you don't. We'll protect you.
What if we get separated? I need something to defend myself with, at the very least. My exasperated reply shot back. Softening my tone, I continued, it'll make me feel better, please? Just let me grab something.
He paused, and I felt his resolve shaking. What did you have in mind?
When Celtic through the disk a piece of their tail blade had been thrown over there, I could use it as a knife.
He stilled a moment, and I felt him shaking the discomfort from his mind, but he still darted out and grabbed it. Before anyone noticed anything, he was back and pressing the blade into my hands, which I gratefully grasped. Feeling at least somewhat safe, I studied the colliding forces in front of me.
They were fast, incredibly fast. Precise slashes and stabs, met with armor or flesh. I'd never seen anything like it. It was simply amazing, and I couldn't look away. Then Celtic brought his arm, as well as his blade, back to make a swipe at his opponent's neck. He barely missed, but before the serpent could recover from the near fatal blow, Celtic had taken his other arm and brought another knife straight up and into the creature's chin.
Not even a second passed before it fell to its side, dead.