Chapter 39

Disclaimer: I do not own Alien/Predator series or any characters and may not follow all customs and cultures found in Alien/Predator movies.

Hand-to-hand combats went much faster than expected. Kaail could count a few that finished within half an hour or more. The lack of participants was starting to show, much to the disappointments of the crowd. Still, it wasn't barren of some entertainment. Kaail, along with Bu'at and the others, watched from the holding area via screen as each Hish faced each other. Some were quick and calculated . . . others were brutal and ended with broken bones and dismemberments. The blood and gore it left behind left an imprint on the warriors still waiting to taste victory but it did little to keep the rumors spreading.

"Man . . . This isn't what I remembered."

One male grunted. "I agree. Ever since the disappearance of Hish, the masters are getting restless. Enough that they're sending patrols and arresting anyone who isn't supposed to be there."

"Is there some kind of curfew?"

"If not, there will be soon."

Kaail pretended he wasn't paying attention but he could hardly ignore the males talking about servants and the Amengi. It's ironic that he had the answers but couldn't say anything directly. It was exhausting in some ways. He looked at Bu'at who was much frustrated as himself. Both wanting to say something.

The rumblings of the stadium echoed easily into their room, reflecting what's going on even without visuals. The cheers grew immensely and all turned to the screen to see Mor'dath roaring in victory. He held up the skull of a fallen Hish warrior, ripped from the body with the spine still connected at the base. It dripped with green blood from the corpse left on the ground, kicked like scum as Mor'dath paraded with his trophy. Hand-to-hand combat isn't as favored as the other events but still a bloodbath.

"That ego of his will go straight to his brain and make him explode."

Bu'at wasn't wrong about that. Kaail thought the same thing.

"There's nothing we can do about it."

Kaail glanced around, seeing the males getting antsy and nervous. But not because of the fights. Rather . . . the earlier topic was still in discussion. Bu'at was interested in the goings of it.

"If the masters are sending patrols, does it mean they feel threatened?"

"It could be possible." There was a long pause. "Do you think that this so-called rebellion can pull it off? Bring down the masters and make us all free?"

"Shut up! Do you want us to get in trouble?"

When Kaail heard that last part, it told him that many were starting to question the Amengi. The seeds of discord were starting to rise. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment. The words of the males kept ringing in his ear, followed by A'stea's own.

What would it be like . . . to be free?

Without hesitation or drive by instinct, Kaail spoke softly. "What if it's possible?"

The males looked towards Kaail with astonishment. Even Bu'at was taken by surprise. Although he should feel the same, Kaail was calm. He watched as the males clicked their mandibles nervously.

"You think that?" The shorter one puffed. "You? The Great White Warrior?"

Kaail didn't say anything. His silent response was all they needed.

"Do you honestly think the Rebellion can?"

"I do." He didn't hesitate to answer. His voice was as clear as day with no doubt or worry. "If they can, would you do the same?"

No one had the chance to say anything when the guard came into the room for another announcement. "Kaail! You're next."

Grumbling with annoyance, he shifts his weapons and pulls his spear from his back, placing them with Bu'at since they weren't needed in this match. The guard gave a look that he didn't tolerate very much . . . like he was suspicious. With a rumbling growl, the guard lowered his head. He never thought about it before but seeing the guard's reaction made him wonder.

Why do I obey them . . . if they are so scared of me?

Pushing that thought to the side, Kaail moved to the opening and entered the stadium with the twin suns beaming down strong and the deafening cries from all around. He raised his chest and walked toward the right side to wait for his opponent. He looked up to the private section and saw the masters grinning but they were blocked out by his desire to see A'stea who stood by her master. A nerve in his forehead popped in anger when he saw Master S'wqua try to reach for her thigh but she pulled away in disgust. Luckily, he turned away and A'stea was left alone and gazed back at him with a smile. He closed his eyes for a moment.

"And now . . . is it time for the Great White Warrior to make his debut! He will be up against the warrior from Master G'ita of high rank . . . X'itar! The Bone Crusher!"

The door on the other side opens and a Hish comes forth that surprised Kaail a bit. This warrior was much different than all the other Hish. His size was almost twice as tall as himself, built like a rock with muscles packed so hard, he thought they would burst. The worst was what he saw in this warrior's eyes. They were full of bloodlust, devoid of any emotion. A beast . . . One look at the warrior's arm and Kaail could tell there were punctured scars about the size of a pin. Only a needle could leave such damage.

It wasn't unusual. Many Amengi masters chemically enhanced their possessions so they could make them stronger and faster . . . but turn them into nothing more than beasts. It has been that way since the beginning of their race. A cruel way.

"Warriors! Are you ready!?"

Kaail nodded at the guard but his opponent merely grunted. It was enough. The guard steps back and raises his hand for a few moments before bringing it down.

"Begin!"

His opponent was the first. He came at him like a raging wall of fury, almost screeching like a banshee. It almost took Kaail by surprise and he barely dodged the beast with a roll. His opponent smashed into the side of the stadium wall. Huge chunks of rubble fell over him. Kaail crouched in position as his opponent turned around and growled.

The next thing he knew, his opponent began to throw some of the rubble right at him. Kaail moved back and forth to dodge them and then sprinting towards the male. He roared smalling a fist into the male's abdomen, hoping it would make him double over and this battle would be done.

But the male didn't budge or even feel it. What the pauk?

Surprised, Kaail tried to pull away when he was met with a punch to the gut and a gash to his chest. The impact sent him barreling across the dirt, halted when he got his heels dug into the ground. But it wasn't over yet.

When he thought he has time to recover, the beast of a Hish grabbed him by his dreadlocks and pulled him off his feet. Kaail roared in pain but instinct drove him to fight back or at least cause some damage. He managed to grab the male's lower mandible and twist it off like a turkey leg, using it like a knife to jab it into his opponent's neck.

But it only aggravated the male. He was thrown backward and pressed by his throat onto the ground. What caused him to freeze in pain was his back. Kaail wasn't yet fully recovered from his master's beating and it aggravated the wounds that were barely healing. It stunned him for a moment.

The crowds were deafening, wanting blood to be spilled. It fueled his opponent's lust for death but the male took his time, walking slowly with drool dripping from his remaining mandibles. Kaail struggled to get up but the ache in his back worsened, almost forcing him to topple back down. C'jit. Pauking back. If I don't get back into the fight, then I'll . . . He didn't want to think about it. For every male that failed in this tournament, they would either be severely punished or killed. For his status, it would be far worse.

As his opponent got closer, Kaail was pulled towards somewhere else. His eyes wandered back to the private room and saw A'stea's worried look. It chiseled at his heart . . . a stab into his chest was far worse than his back.

But then something snaps in him. If he continues to fight, it shouldn't be for the master's benefit or anyone else's. To him, it would be for A'stea. She'd never asked or demanded him of anything, only giving her support regardless of what it could be. More for protecting him rather than the other way around.

He bit into his mouth. No. I can't lose.

His opponent was right on top of him, raising a fist to deliver a fatal blow when Kaail lunged at him. He cuffed the male's fists and held it high between them. He stared down at the beast in front of him as it growls and shrieks, still with its broken mandible in his neck. He wasn't about to lose to this monster.

And then, Kaail came up with an idea . . . something that A'stea had taught him during one of their hunts with a Kr'aken, an armored turtle-like creature that lived in the small swamps in the jungle.

Prey is only as good as its weakest point. The joints can be your greatest weapon . . . or your most terrible enemy.

There was his plan.

With a quick tug, Kaail pulled the male towards him but twisted his body to get somewhat out of the way. The unbalanced momentum gave him the opening he needed. With a jab, he plunged his claws into the underside of the male's knee and ripped his tendons out, holding them out like discolored strings of red, black, and purple. His opponent immediately dropped to the ground, crying and screaming. Kaail didn't stop and went for his other knee, repeating the move until the male was lying on his stomach.

The crowds went crazy, seeing their beloved warrior standing up victorious. Kaail threw the tendons far and moved to stand over his opponent. The male reached for his feet in a futile attempt. When Kaail saw him look up, it struck him unexpectedly. It wasn't bloodlust he saw but fear and despair replaced it. Before all of this, he wasn't affected by such a change in emotion, thinking it was some kind of trick.

But this was different. Or rather . . . he was different.

All of a sudden, a chant began to take over. The Amengi in the crowds wanted blood. They wanted death.

"Kill him! Finish him!"

Over and over again, they called for it. Instinct urged him on. He raised a clawed hand and pointed them right at the jugular of his opponent. The male lowered his head in submission, waiting for death to take him.

Kaail was about to do it, driving everything out of his head. He roared and was about to execute the deed when an unknown breeze flowed through him, making a part of his dreadlocks sway in front of him. His eyes widened as the sight of the bead A'stea had given him, clearly revealing the honor symbol at him.

This isn't right. His inner voice called. He's already been defeated. There's no point now.

With a firm resolve, Kaail lowered his hand. The chant suddenly died and was replaced with some groans of disappointment. But there was no penalty for not doing the deed. Either way, the male was going to die . . . but not by his hand.

"The winner is the Great White Warrior!"

The guard's announcement made the crowds cheer again, forgetting what recently happened. They wanted more fights and blood and there wasn't any shortage of that.

Kaail turned around and headed back to the door, feeling humble in some way. It could be that his back was still stinging and he was already weakened. With his match finished for the day, he needed to return to his home and take care of his injuries.

But the longing to see A'stea was making the strain even harder. He held the bead for a moment and smiled. I hope she approves it.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The matches were done and over with for the day and everyone began to return to their homes. This gave A'stea some freedom to leave. Her master and Master Thu'at were tired and retreated to their buildings, neither up to check in on their warriors. But A'stea wanted to make sure Kaail was alright. She saw the strain he was trying to hold back, knowing it had something to do with his injuries. Making sure Fi'ka was alright by herself, she headed off as fast as she could.

She got down to the ground level of the stadium and exited to run towards the door once more, hoping Kaail would go that way. But right as she moved around the corner, she saw him walking off and close to the jungle with a limp. Since it was almost dark and there was no one to be seen, she ran to him.

"Kaail."

Immediately, he turned his head around. "A'stea?"

She smiled softly as she approached him, being cautious as she pressed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

He chuffed softly. "I'm fine. It's been a rough day. How are you?"

She nodded her head. "As well as can be expected." She lowered her gaze. "But that match was brutal . . . and you didn't seem like yourself."

She saw a sudden change in his demeanor. The smile on his face waned and he turned to look away. A'stea swallowed hard and looked to his back, noticing the deep gashes. They looked like they were healing and then turned bright green with a few dark hues. Must have been irritated in that match he was in.

"What happened to your back?"

A'stea reached for it involuntarily but gasped when Kaail grabbed her wrist tightly and pulled it between their bodies with him facing her. For once, she felt intimidation weighing heavily on her from Kaail. He didn't appear angry but he wasn't keen on being calm either. It was too close to being terrifying.

But it lasted for a few seconds before Kaail lowered her wrist, still holding onto it as his expression softened in anguish. "I don't want to talk about it."

She nodded softly. "Okay."

She obeyed his wishes and pushed that thought in the back of her head. Whatever they came from, she had some idea but his reaction told her that it might be personal. But the worry of his back still concerned her.

"You need to get them treated though. Where are you heading to?"

Kail grumbled. "Back to my home on the outskirts of the city."

"Then I'll come with you."

"No."

A'stea pulled her head back in surprise. "Why not?"

She watched him hiss as he turned his back on her. "Someone might see us. I can't risk it."

He tried to walk away but then dropped to his knee, suppressing a grunt filled with pain. She knew it was bad. He can't walk like this on his own. Despite the known fact that he's trying to protect her, she can handle herself with or without his help.Tightening her lips in determination, she walked to his side and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Kaail asked.

"I don't care if someone sees us. You're hurt and need medical attention. Now, come on."

A'stea positioned her legs so that she would get the most lift and stood. He was much bigger than herself so it seemed impossible to give him support. But some miracle, she managed to get him and herself on their feet. When she turned to face him, Kaail's eyes were widened in surprise.

She smiled. "Plus, I owe you for carrying me back to the hideout."

It took him a moment to respond with a chuckle. "True to that."

She rolled her eyes. Don't try to think this was your plan.

With each other's support, they began the walk towards his home to get him some help. A'stea looked over and saw the bead on his dreadlock hanging from there. A piece that she worked so much to get it done for him.

She smiled. It looks good on him.

Hi everyone!

Sorry for the last post. I was finishing a new chapter for Balance and I got carried away. But better late than never lol.

Kaail fought well, thanks to the silent support from A'stea. It seems that not only did he win but he's starting to convince others about joining the Rebellion. You can tell from the faces of the other Hish that they might be willing to come. Can it be possible for the Hish to be free?

And A'stea, being so worried about Kaail, goes to help him heal. It's severe but what are they going to do when they get to his home?

I wonder . . .

Find out when Chapter 40 comes on Friday! I will be taking the day off since I had to attend my grandmother's funeral so I hope all of you can wait. I appreciate it greatly :)

Thank you for the reviews (Anonymous-E, Mariah, Larita1976, and IanAlphaAxel)! They are very important for me and I hope I see more readers posting as well. All opinions are welcomed. I hope you keep on reading! ;)

And thank you for your support in such a difficult time. :)

Happy Hunting! :))))