Author's Notes: Next chapter! We have another character entering the fray, which you could probably guess if you read the last chapter.

But I also wanted to point out that I'm going to have a new poll up on my profile page. Feedback is a great thing, and the poll is simple enough: Who is your favorite character thus far? I'd like to see which characters are catching the attention of my audience. This poll is NOT BLIND, so you can see the results as they come in. But wait until you're done with this chapter! Or don't... you just won't know who one of the characters is. Either way. And if you leave a review, feel free to mention why that character is your favorite. I'd appreciate that!

Enjoy the next chapter.

Chapter 11

Unwavering Intentions

He'd grown sick of the accustomed attack upon attack routine, but for once Rend wished in wrenching agony that he'd taken the last attack. Had it happened to Vex, he could've probably cared less; it would've been no surprise for Rend to witness his veteran ally turn the tables back in his favor anyway. But of course, it wasn't Vex, as the norm seemed to show that the weakest target was the subject of the most punishment.

This punctured his skull all too sharply as Aura screamed in terrible shock. The beast—whatever it was—arrowed through the sky, flying effortlessly as it came to a hovering stop a couple dozen yards away.

Cold metal was pressed hard against the right side of her face, but with her left eye Aura could see a pair of glaring red eyes focused intently upon her. Screaming the only reaction in her helpless condition, she found she could no longer even do that as her breath eluded her.

Its crooked mechanical mouth opened. Piercing straight to its prey, a high, beastly roar sent a mind-shattering shockwave through the female's being.

"Hey!"

The blunt yet vigorous call garnered the captor's attention. Coming clean at him was a sphere of gunshot energy. With a simple stroke of what appeared to be multiple arms, a lashing swing diffused the blast easily. With an unalarmed grunt, the thing began to search for its attacker with a calculating look.

But Rend had moved with purpose, for he had little margin for error even with the distraction. Leaping up a garbage heap, he jumped at a pillar and wall-jumped towards his enemy with as much might as he could muster. Another charging shot at the ready, he fired.

To his great relief, it found its way right into the apparatus that held Aura. It proceeded to place a nice singed gash while the claw that was holding Aura loosened. Rend was at the ready. He landed and slid into place, positioning himself right below Aura. He'd barely had enough time to get in a balanced position, but he kept his footing as Aura dropped into his arms.

"Aura! Aura, are you all right?"

Her lack of response gave him momentary worry, but slowly her eyes began to open. The pale coloration in her face gave way to only a small bit of reprieve. "Rend…?"

But her attention was drawn quickly to her side, as was Rend's. Lighting now on the second story flooring before him, the new character took a lofty position and returned the glare.

It was by far one of the most bizarre things Rend had ever seen, which said something given what he'd witnessed thus far. He noticed now that the thing didn't have multiple arms, but rather clawed tentacles that enveloped its being as if it was a cloak. Atop a metallic chest plate and matching shoulder guards sat its head, its mouth metal with upward slivering fangs and its face that of a black spherical visor, with chilling red eyes the only other color visible; they appeared to be lights built right into the visor, and they twisted down and about in a crooked fashion. Not least of its features, it had a metal collar-like object that crowned its look with something reminiscent of a horror movie vampire; rather fitting, given Rend could've easily drawn such a comparison to his current situation.

As they stared off, finally what sounded like language came from the thing. "It has some kick. I prefer my cuisine with a little spice anyway." Its mouth made no movement, but rather its visor flashed red with every syllable, blotting out its eyes momentarily with each flash. Its voice, surprisingly, sounded refined like a gentleman, although a certain oily quality was also present.

Rend stood his ground, as it seemed to be the best option per Vex's behavior. Now was a better time than ever, anyway, to start using it himself. Boldly, Rend fired a straightforward question. "Just what are you?"

"What am I? Hmm…" A metal hand emerged from beneath its cloak and began to tap at what was supposed to be its mouth, the tapping noise lightly echoing through the large expanse. "That is certainly the question of the hour. Am I that much different from you? Or am I barbarous beast, who seeks only for the luscious delicacy that is… hm-mm, human blood? All things considered, truly, what am I?"

Its eyes floated up in a state of ponder, but he paused only momentarily from his speech. "But if you want to get technical…" Rend barely managed to keep from shuddering as the creepy figure locked its gaze back at him. It scratched at its armor, each faint noise of his mannerisms seemingly attempting to peel apart Rend's sanity. Rend had hardened himself plenty in the time he'd spent staving off humanoids and conspiring reploids, but this was yet another difficult test of his endurance. The mechanical being lifted its hands and leaned forward in a sort of bow. "I am the pseudoroid who flies in the bask of the twilight. I am the fanged assassin whose presence conjures a thousand tears of despair and pain. I am the bringer of your slow, tormenting destruction… the draculoid, Ghorlust."

"What do you want with us?"

"It is not obvious? Your red beverage appeals to me…"

"What? But... you're a mechanic being!" Rend shouted in pointed confrontation of the deranged character. "What good would that do to you?"

"Sport," Came the response without delay.

"Oh, this is crazy!"

"Crazy, you say? Not anymore. See, my good man… chaos reigns at every corner. Thugs and brutes have rule of the day. By all measures, if anything is crazy… it's the fact that two humans are bouncing about like this new world is their plaything."

Rend flicked his hand open. "I don't have time for this."

"I'm sure that reasoning worked well on everything else you talked too."

Again, Rend was getting a whole lot of nowhere fast. "Look you." Rend lifted an indignant finger at the pseudoroid. "I'm going to get what I came here for. As for you, you'll get more of what I gave you earlier if you see fit to stand in my way."

"What? This?" The pseudoroid Ghorlust took a glance at his damaged tentacle. "Bah, this is nothing." A second later, streams of data materialized and wrapped themselves like a bandage around the apparatus. In the matter of a few moments, the streams dissipated and revealed a tentacle that looked as if it was fresh off a production line. "Behold the power of biomerge. Astounding, isn't it?" A slight laugh could be heard from the pseudoroid. "And what do you have? A pistol that heaves the equivalent of pebbles. You don't scare me, feeble one. But…" The twisted red beams in Ghorlust's visor widened. "I am very inquiring. What did you come here for anyway?"

"That's none of your business."

"I'll make it my business. This ruin is no place for the likes of yourself. Perhaps I can assist you."

"You what?" Rend couldn't believe what was hitting his ears. Another trick, he presumed.

"Here's how it is. Let us have a gentlemen's duel."

"You can't be serious."

"Completely serious. I'm a reasonable one, and I need to kill the boredom anyway. Name your terms."

By now, it was all Rend could do to play along. The method of adapting to the flow was always showing itself to be the best way to survive. "Fine. I win, and you let this girl and me leave in one piece… as well as the other man I came for."

"Another man? You believe there to be others in this place? But then… oh… hmhmm…" Ghorlust chortled. "Of course…"

Rend searched the electronic expressions of the pseudoroid. "Excuse me?"

"Good. The terms are this. If you win, you and your friends can leave this place without any harm, barring what you sustain in our little skirmish. But if I win..." Ghorlust paused. "I get the pleasure of doing away with you… and then, judging on how fast she can retreat, the lass as well."

"Aura?" His eyes moved momentarily in Aura's direction, who was now back on her own two feet. "That's—"

"And as well… if you can seize victory, I will also be so courteous as to reveal the information pertaining to what's happened to your friend."

"You know what?" Rend clenched his fist. Despite his best efforts, the situation was being taken out of his hands again. "But—"

"Sterling. The duel is on."

"I never accepted those terms!"

"Given the circumstances, I don't see you having much choice."

So much for dealing like gentlemen. Rend whirled around and quickly spoke to Aura. "Run! Get out of here while I deal with this creep!"

"But Rend, I—"

"Don't argue! Just go! Meet up with Taylor and wait for me back at where we parked the cycle! We'll go about rescuing Ghar from there. If I don't come back…"

"Rend!"

"Just go! Forget about me and get the others! Now!"

Feeling cornered, all Aura could think to do was follow the command. She hesitated to take her eyes off Rend as she began to backpedal, but finally she started into a brisk sprint away from the arena of combat. It was now just Rend and Ghorlust.

Silence prevailed as the two once again eyed each other, locked on one another. A wind howled through the expanse, but neither budged. Ghorlust nodded. "Very good. Now its just you and me, so let's do this properly. Hmhmm…" Red light illuminated the surroundings as energy began to encircle the dreadful beast. Slowly, his body ascended back into the air, slender red surges all about him. Then, following a sharp yell, a flash sent Rend's arm over his eyes. Rend expected an attack, but the light dimmed and Rend saw what the intended outcome was. The six tentacles about his body had engaged a type of energy field that now intertwined the apparatuses in a pair of wings. The artificial cloak removed, Rend could now clearly see the slim metallic body that belonged to the dark pseudoroid.

He looked almost human in shape, and it was that false reality that truly shook Rend inside. Rend could almost feel the cold finger of the pseudoroid touch his chest as he pointed at the human, despite the fact he was several yards away.

Ghorlust's eyes surged as if effortlessly draining its target of spirit by merely having the human in his line of sight. "Well then…"

Gone. The red shorted out. Rend panicked only for a moment, but the returning darkness left him with little to work with. Was this just another scare tactic? Rend couldn't let himself crumble under pressure. But the black veil hid almost all from his eyes.

This time the fight was on. There was no turning back. No fleeing. This one was to be finished.

Memories. The times he'd covered Ghar's back for his clueless mistakes… every snide remark he'd ever hastily rattled off… it seemed to all flood back instantaneously.

"Ghar." Rend gritted his teeth.

"And we begin."