THE PAIN OF LOSS
"Hey…Eli…Eli….ELI!" a voice yelled in the darkness.
Eli's eyes shot wide open and he quickly sat up, almost bashing his head against the wall behind him. The Kamad's vision took a few seconds to clear up and take in his surroundings. The scents of his surroundings came to him before the images.
The smell of home.
Ice and snow.
The scent of Arkadia Prime.
Eli's golden eyes came into focus as he looked around him. The Kamad was sitting on the equivalent of a street bench, a stone carved bench on the side of what looked like a regular Arkadian street. The snow-capped rooftops and shimmering icy streets were an instant identifier. The cold icy air-filled Eli's lungs as he took in a deep breath, when he exhaled the steam that exited his mouth served as a welcoming.
The golden spires, towers and obelisks meant he was literally home. The royal city of Arkadius. A city that had existed for the better part of a million years, the city of his birth, the city of the great Kamad Kings of the North.
It had been so long since he had felt the icy kiss of his home world.
To a Kamad, the cold icy air was like a Mother's embrace.
It felt natural and right.
Eli turned to where the voice came from and was met with the red eyed and black-haired form of his best friend. Rezeal.
"Let me guess…another late night?" Rezeal asked.
"Yeah…You should know, you were there" Eli chuckled before reaching up and rubbing his eyes.
The two Kamads weren't wearing their armour, but were dressed much more casually. Their black leather coats and weapons of course where present. But the metallic plating that covered their arms from the shoulders down and their torsos in general were replaced with black zip up vests and long black sleeves.
Around their shoulders Eli and Rezeal wore black fur rimmed cloaks, Eli's fur rim being a pure showy white just as pale as his hair. Rezeal's fur a browner colour mixed with black.
The casual clothing of the Kamads reflected a mixture of Aincent Norse and Feudal Japanese. This was also reflected in the clothing of Kamads walking down the streets, mixtures of Kimonos, Yukatas, leather tunics and Armoured Gambesons. Even the structures of the buildings were mixtures of Japanese temples and Norse mead halls.
That was not much of a surprise as Kamad culture was very much like both ancient human cultures. Their codes of honour combat and the afterlife would remind a human very much of the Samurai and the Ancient Norse.
Eli flexed his hands, his clawed fingers allowed to feel the cold air around them.
"I am still surprised that the Prince can't handle his liquor" Rezeal smirked before standing up and stretching, his tail curling in the same way.
"You call that shite you drink Liquor?" Eli stood up beside him and began cracking his neck.
"Not my fault you can't handle it"
"It almost burned through my tongue. Not to mention it tasted like La'Guar vomit" Eli replied with a smirk.
The two Kamads began walking through the streets, the snow crunching beneath their boots as they walked. Other Kamads walking through the streets bowed their heads in respect to their prince, every other one murmuring "My Lord" or "My Prince". Eli didn't have the time to correct each and every one of them so he simply smiled and nodded in response.
Eli never liked being referred to as "My Lord" it kept reminding him of his supposed superiority to everyone around him. But like a good Prince he smiled and thanked them with a nod of his head. He couldn't be angry at the fact that his people loved and respected him, although that couldn't stop him from wanting them to treat him like an individual and not something to idolize.
It didn't take long for Eli and Rezeal to walk into what was the equivalent of a city square. Kamads of all ages walked the snowy streets, young Kamads ran around playing and laughing, oblivious to the two Hulking Elites. Adult Kamads walked around, simply content in enjoying the brisk cold against their white scaly hides.
In the centre of the square was a large, towering statue. The way that the children steered clear of it, and the way the adults silently showed reverence to the figure it depicted implied a deep respect.
The figure portrayed was that of a Kamad warrior, clad in full plate armour, a fur rimmed cloak around his shoulders planting an intricate runic longsword into the ground in front of him.
Two things anyone present would have noticed about the figure were the fact that for one, the Kamad wore a crown that belonged on the brow of a conqueror. And two, the Kamad's face had an uncanny resemblance with Eli. The eyes of the statue were actually made of gold, signifying that the statue depicted a member of the Kamad Royal Family.
At the Statue's feet was a golden plaque, it read:
In memory of the Great Eleran Vakran, first of his name. High King of the Kamad race, saviour of Arkadia Prime, Liberator of the joined North, South, East and West. Conqueror of the known Universe, Last great Chieftain of the Western clans. The Gold Touched, The Blade that shines in the Darkness, The Unbroken, The First Emperor and protector of the Empire.
May the Ancestors of old bless his soul and those of his kin.
May his memory last until the end of time.
The statue depicted Eli's great ancestor, Eleran Vakran. The first every Emperor the Kamad race had seen. The Kamad to have united his people and led them in their first steps amongst the stars.
Even Rezeal had to admit that the resemblance between Eli and his great ancestor was almost scary. They looked so much alike, even from the old vids depicting the Great Eleran, he had the same snow-white hair, the same golden eyes, one could be forgiven for thinking Eli and Eleran were the same person.
The blood of the First Emperor ran strong in Eli's veins. More so than anyone else of his family.
Yes, Eli had a striking resemblance to his father, and his brothers looked very much like him. But Eli's resemblance to the Great Eleran was downright off-putting for him. Many of the Kamads in the square saw their prince gazing at the statue of his great ancestor.
Many of them gave him a wide berth out of respect.
Eli and Rezeal stood in front of the statue of the first Emperor. Eli crossed his arms as he gazed at the depiction of his kin. This was not the only statue of the Great Eleran by any means, but it was one of the grandest. The statue itself dwarfed many of the structures surrounding it, the tallest of the surrounding buildings only came up to the statue's waist.
"No matter how many times I look at him…I always feel…Inadequate" Eli said softly as he gazed at the face of his forefather.
"You don't have to keep doing this you know? It's not like he is silently judging you or anything, if anything he would want you to forge your own path" Rezeal replied.
"How can I? By my age he had already turned the tide of the war against the invaders, he had united our people and was already leading them toward a brighter future. He had done more for our people than any Kamad before or after him…I share his blood, and I share his face" Eli replied before he took a long deep sigh and closed his eyes.
"I…I feel like there is a reason behind this" Eli gestured to his face.
"Eli, please. You can't keep doing this to yourself" Rezeal put a hand on his shoulder.
"No other Kamad in my bloodline has had such a resemblance to him. The Priests, the Primarchs, the other Elites, even my own family…they sometimes act as if I am him. Like…I'm him reborn or something" Eli sighed before opening his eyes again.
Rezeal snorted, holding back a laugh at the absurdity of the statement. Out of all the beliefs Kamads held, reincarnation was not one of them.
"You know for a fact they don't think that" Rezeal replied.
"I know…but I can't help but think that everyone else does. The expectation put on my shoulders because of my likeness to him…I feel that…I have to live up to that" Eli walked closer to the statue and placed a hand on the base.
"You can't keep comparing yourself to him. It's not fair on yourself" Rezeal replied, stepping up to the Prince.
Rezeal could tell that his friend needed some more convincing than this, when Eli went depressed he went big time. The Prince spent so much time hiding his emotions that when he eventually let them out, it would take quite some convincing to chill out.
"Have I ever told you why I continue to follow you…even to this day?" Rezeal asked.
"Not really. You could have made a life for yourself here on the homeworld, a peaceful one with a wife and children…yet you followed me in becoming an Elite…why?" Eli looked up at Rezeal.
"Unlike everyone else here, I don't see the gold in your eyes and kneel. I don't see the Vakran Prince, I don't see the descendant of the Great Eleran…I see the man that saved my life, the man that raised me up to be something" Rezeal explained before putting a hand on Eli's shoulder.
"Eleran didn't save my life, you did. I owe you everything, my life, my service, everything. This life I have now is thanks to you. And if you think for a second that your father, mother, Taruro, Yuna, Lex, Yarin or I would trade you for him…" Rezeal gestured to the statue before looking back at Eli.
"…Then you would be the biggest fool ever to wear the crown" Rezeal smirked at the end of his sentence. Eli let out a chuckle, looking up at the statue of Eleran.
"Always remember that. You are my Emperor, now and always. And no matter what…you can always count on me" Rezeal smiled.
Eli would have smiled back if his vision didn't suddenly go black. All feeling of cold and pride escaping him as consciousness left.
Eli's eyes opened slowly, a feeling of grogginess settling into him. He could smell naught but his own blood and sweat, pain shot through most of his body as his eyes went into focus.
He remembered being home.
He remembered the cold air and the snowy streets.
He remembered the statue of his ancestor and…Rezeal.
The memories began flooding back.
The cries of pain.
The defiant snarling.
The sound of arrows cutting through air and flesh.
The flash of a plasma grenade.
The sight of his oldest friend, mutilated, bleeding, in pain. The sight of his single red eye tearing up in absolute pain before all the light left it.
The feeling of Rezeal's once strong grip go limp in his hand.
The realization that his oldest friend for the vast majority of his life, the man who always stood beside him, the one man who was a brother in everything but blood, the man who was to be his right hand when he became Emperor, was dead.
No physical pain could ever hurt as much as that feeling. As the tears began to well in Eli's golden reptilian eyes.
Eli looked down at himself, his armour and clothing still covering his body. It was no surprise seeing as no-one but him and Rezeal knew how to take off Kamad armour. Norma, the Myrmidons and the Yautja were pretty tech savy, but Kamad Bio-armour was beyond anything they had.
Eli looked at his left arm, it was covered in his newly repaired bio-armour, but he could feel that most of his hand was still missing beneath the gauntlet, in desperate need of regeneration. However, his head still ached, probably a concussion that had yet to fade away. His chest still killed him, ala a few still broken ribs, and he was pretty sure he was a bit short in the blood department.
Looking to his right, Eli saw that his arm was connected to an IV. Norma was a smart one, the addition of some liquid food would definitely help regenerate his liquids. He would need to eat something pretty soon, if he wanted to get back to 100%. Liquid food was one thing, but he needed some hard bio-mass to get back to his old self.
That's when he noticed the figure sitting at his bedside.
The sight of a short brown-haired hybrid with her hands in her lap, a sorrowful look in her blue/gold eyes. Her eyes widened the slightest bit as she realized his eyes came into focus on her, her mouth opened just the slightest bit as she inhaled in relief.
Norma.
She didn't look like she was holding up well.
Eli took a deep breath as he reached out and took her hand in his. The size difference in their hands was still striking, even with her ongoing growth spurts Norma's hand was still tiny compared to Eli's.
gently squeezed her hand.
"I'm sorry…I'm...I'm so sorry" Norma almost whimpered as her eyes teared up.
"Don't be…it isn't your fault" Eli whispered back, his throat feeling hoarse and dry.
"You lost him…If…If I had just given myself up then…"
"No…Don't…don't you even dare. I Made the choice, and I would have made it again given a second chance" Eli replied. He was not the sort of coward that would betray his friends simply because it was the easiest way out.
"Even knowing what you do now?" Norma asked, her brow arching.
Eli's eyes widened in shock. He didn't know Norma for even a percentage of the time he knew Rezeal, she had a point in asking him that. By all rights he should have rethought his answer, honour or not, Rezeal was like a brother to Eli. But Eli had only just met Norma a few weeks ago. By comparison they barely knew each other.
Yet here he was…glad to know that through all the pain he had suffered. Through the death of his best friend. That this amazing human…Kamad hybrid, was safe, and alive.
He still couldn't understand what it was he felt for Norma.
Friendship?
A need to keep a steady alliance with humanity?
His Kamad sense of Honour?
Or what it something else?
All he knew was that he would gladly suffer through the injuries and pain ten times over just to keep her safe.
"…Rezeal was ready to die for me…I was ready to die for you…" Eli replied, his eyes half closed.
"But why? I'm…I'm nothing, just an idiot scientist that couldn't even keep her friend safe" Norma let a tear drop down the side of her face.
That's when it hit Eli like a freight train. He hadn't even noticed before now, and he felt like a monster for not realizing it until now. Sophie was missing, when Rezeal had thrown him past the doors for his own protection…in the aftermath where he wasn't sure who was alive or dead.
Sophie hadn't been there.
Eli didn't know Norma and her blonde friend for very long, but he could tell they had what could be described as a sisterly relationship. They seemed as close as he and Rezeal, and now he understood why she looked so distraught.
"Is…is Sophie…" Eli began to ask, immediately thinking the worst had happened.
"No…at least I don't think so. That Yautja…the one with the cleaver…the one that killed Ramirez…he took her" Norma squeezed her eyes shut at the memory. Eli couldn't bear to see her like this, she was in as much pain as he was, at least he knew the Black Yautja couldn't harm Rezeal anymore.
Especially when considering the Black Yautja that took her, a menagerie of Psychopaths, serial killers, murderers and honourless scum. The one that took Sophie especially, Lin'Thiew the Butcher was feared amongst even his own kind.
Luckily for Sophie, by what Ma'Zax had said they needed her for a reason. A reason that he had yet to find out.
"We'll get her back. I'll do everything I can to make sure that…"
"No…Don't you dare. Don't you dare try that oath swearing warrior bullshit with me" Norma glared angrily at Eli, tears still in her eyes.
"...Norma, I…"
"This code of honour, samurai, knight in shining armour bullshit is going to get you killed…it got Rezeal killed and it almost took you too" Norma gripped Eli's hand with both of her hands.
"I can't help it…its who I am. You asked not to see the Prince…or the Elite…just Eli. Well this is who I am Norma, I'm not some coward who forsakes those close to him just to save his own skin. It is the way of my people, my family, my entire family line, if it gets me killed…then so be it, I'll meet my ancestors with pride" Eli replied without a stutter.
Eli held his honour in high regard, all Kamads did, it was in his nature. To deny that was to deny his own blood.
Norma's eyes welled up with tears, squeezing them shut she gripped Eli's hand tightly.
"Just…just promise me. You'll look after yourself" Norma whispered.
After a few seconds Norma felt something touch her face, but she was still holding Eli's only hand. Opening her eyes, she found Eli's tail stroking her face before wiping away her tears. The Kamad's dexterous trail working as an extra limb.
"Always" Eli smiled at her.
It was never pleasant for Erik.
Losing a teammate.
Having lost one earlier that day was bad enough, but losing another a few mere hours later was simply cruel.
Vlad was like a brother to Erik.
Ramirez was like the father figure to the group. He was the oldest, the veteran that didn't surprise easily.
The body of the Spanish Myrmidon was laid down on the table in front of Erik. His neck bandaged shut, to spare the others from the sight of his carved open windpipe. His helmet shut and his hands clasped over his mid-section.
The other Myrmidons were present. Erik, Baako, Hanzo and Sasha, for some reason the rookie seemed absent during the battle, but that was a matter to be dealt with in a minute…right now, Alpha Squad grieved for two fallen brothers.
"I remember whenever the lot of us used to get shitfaced. He would never drink with us. He always said it was because Alcohol always messed with his eyesight…but I knew that was never the case" Erik spoke out loud as he put a hand on Ramirez's helmet.
"He didn't drink because someone had to watch us…to keep us safe. That was always his job, to watch at a distance and keep the rest of us alive. We were like his second chance, to prove he could have saved his daughters if he were there for them" Erik smiled before he gave the helmet a tap.
"He deserves a proper burial. We lost Vlad in that hive…we aren't leaving another man behind" Erik finished.
"I doubt Vlad would have bothered if we retrieved his body. Going down fighting…it's how he said he wanted to go" Hanzo replied, his hand resting on the hilt of his katana.
"We all wanted to go down fighting. What other way is there?" Baako replied, twirling a serrated throwing knife between his fingers.
"Da, but we still have a mission to complete" Sasha replied. Her shotgun balanced on her shoulder.
"Where the hell is the Rookie?" Erik asked, almost blanking out the others.
"Last I saw him he said he was going to do a perimeter check. About 10 minutes before you came back" Hanzo replied.
"He must have found something or he's taking his sweet fucking time. Try to get into contact with him via Comms, I've got to try and keep the Yautja from bailing on us" Erik said as he picked up his helmet from the table and under armed it.
"I doubt your girl will be running anytime soon Major" Baako smirked.
Erik didn't even look back at his fellow Myrmidon and simply walked through the door without missing a step.
"I uh…Don't think he's in the mood for jokes" Sasha patted Baako's shoulder.
"IT ENDS HERE ZEN'TAU! WE WON'T LOSE ANYONE ELSE ON THIS FOOLISH MISSION!" a Yautja Hunter roared into the face of the stoic Elder.
"We came here with a purpose, we don't leave until we have served that purpose" Zen'Tau replied calm as can be with his arms crossed in front of him.
The Yautja had become more restless than usual, more than half of their number were dead from the battle with the Black Yautja. Around 10 of the original 20 hunters were dead, along with one of the Dark Blades. Another 5 were pretty badly injured, but nothing fatal. Many of those not nursing their wounds stood behind the hunter.
The hunter roaring in Zen'tau's face was the very hunter that almost got into a fight with the Myrmidons earlier. Under normal circumstances this hunter wouldn't have nearly the authority to question Zen'tau, but after losing half of their number and siding with Myrmidons, desertion was beginning to look pretty good to some of the Yautja.
"We've already lost half of our number! I for one don't wish to die for a hopeless cause such as this! Especially fighting besides Oomans and Kamads!" the Hunter growled.
"You will fight for whichever cause I say you will fight for! As long as I am in command you will follow my orders, or I swear to Paya you will be exiled upon us returning to the clanship…so make your decision…Death in duty or Bad Blood?" Zen'Tau glared at the Hunter.
The Hunter growled before huffing and backing away.
Zen'Tau narrowed his eyes to the other hunters before walking over to his niece and nephew. Sha'ra hadn't taken much damage during the battle, only having suffered a scrape or two, some of Yeyinde's wounds however had reopened and needed a bit of first aid to take care of. Sha'ra was applying some care to her brother's wounds as well as rebandaging him.
"How are you two? Holding up well?" Zen'Tau asked as he sat opposite his kin.
"Been worse, I'm just glad to be conscious for a change" Yeyinde replied before wincing and growling in pain as Sha'ra injected him with a healing needle.
"Stay still Brother. We'll be alright, you know us…we take after our uncle" Sha'ra smiled. Zen'Tau smiled back.
Turning his head back to the other Yautja, watching many of the grumble and murmer to each other, Zen'tau's mandibles clicked.
"I don't know if I'll be able to stop them from leaving next time" the Elder said to his kin.
"Don't they understand what is at stake?" Sha'ra asked.
"Do we? We came here knowing that the Black Yautja had taken over a large Ooman ship, by all rights we shouldn't have come here yet alone lose half our number. Now If we understood what this ship was and why Ma'Zax wanted it so much" Zen'Tau sighed, putting his face in his hands.
"You know him?" came a new voice from the door.
There standing in the doorway with his helmet beneath his arm stood the Myrmidon Major, Erik.
"Major Reaver…so nice of you to drop by" Zen'Tau smiled.
Sha'ra smiled, she liked seeing her uncle be a little easier on Erik, his rescuing of her and Norma from the hive probably had something to do with it.
"Elder Zen'Tau…and please, call me Erik" Erik said as he approached the three.
"Do you mind if I take a seat?" Erik asked, pointing next to Sha'ra. Zen'Tau merely nodded, choosing not to notice that he took the spot next to Sha'ra and not to one next to Yeyinde.
"That Black Yautja…their leader, you know him?" Erik asked, placing his helmet down beside him.
"Ma'Zax, yes I know him. If I had known that he was the one in charge of the Black Yautja here, I would have had second thoughts about coming to this ship" Zen'Tau replied, keeping quiet so that only Erik and his kin could hear him.
"That bad?" Erik asked.
"Very bad. Ma'Zax isn't any old Black Yautja, he's one of the most dangerous killers in their race, he's the mentor of the Pale Twins, he's an Elder with 2000 years of experience. His clan is one of the original clans of the Black Yautja sovereignty, an ancient clan spanning back about 7000 years, his own grandfather was the Sovereign when our people were nearly exterminated by his" Zen'Tau explained, taking a deep breath before leaning back to continue.
"…and there is the fact that he has never once failed in a mission or hunt in his life. Add that to a bad attitude and a reputation for being a Genocidal maniac…he's not the sort of enemy you want to fight even on equal terms" Zen'Tau finished his explanation.
"Huh…and here I thought we stood a chance" Erik chuckled at the end.
"As if it wasn't bad enough. You remember those Albinos? The Black Yautja with the Cybernetic arm? The one with mace? The one with the cleaver?" Zen'Tau asked.
Erik knew of the Black Yautja he was referring to, the one with the cleaver was the one that killed Ramirez after all. He and the other Myrmidons itched for some retribution.
"I do. I'm guessing they weren't garden Variety hunters either" Erik arched a brow as he leaned forward and clasped his hands together.
"No, they were not. The Pale Twins are Ma'Zax's pupils, every bit as deadly as he is, they have a reputation for being Kamad hunters…they were the ones that killed the Black Haired Kamad after all" Zen'Tau replied.
"Eli's going to want some payback for that I can tell you"
"Be that as it may. The other Hunters are all dangerous in their own right. Mh'Jax the Breaker, Lin'Thiew the Butcher and Tra'Kan…Ma'Zax's right hand man so to speak. Each one of them is a distinguished hunter of the highest calibre, the Twins especially" Zen'Tau sat back and took a long deep breath.
Talking about the situation they were in, was clearly putting the Elder through a bit of stress. And why wouldn't it? Here he was, a Yautja Elder on a ship controlled by Black Yautja, infested with Xenomorphs, with half his men dead, allied with an enemy that he would have wanted dead under any other circumstances, and if that weren't bad enough…it was Ma'Zax who controlled the Black Yautja.
The fact that Ma'Zax was here…made this more than a simple Black Yautja raid.
"If Ma'Zax is here…this is more serious than I thought. The Black Yautja Sovereign doesn't send their best warriors and their best military commander on a mission like this without good reason" Zen'Tau finished, clasping his hands together.
"It's the ship"
"Excuse me?"
"It's got to be the ship…something about this ship is important enough for the Black Yautja to want it…the question is: what?" Erik asked, pondering why anyone would want control over the Asclepheus.
"Why would Ma'Zax want it? It's just an Ooman ship, isn't it?" Yeyinde asked.
"No, it isn't. Our people salvaged the wreck from a desolate planet. Most of the ship's exterior hull and inner workings have been refurbished and rebuilt, but the sheer size…its Energy core and Drive core were still intact. The United Systems agreed that it could be put to good use, its reconstruction began about a decade after the war finished" Erik explained.
"Eli did mention something about recognising the ship. Though he did say that he couldn't quite put his finger on what alien race it would have belonged to" Sha'ra interjected.
"I'd say that out of all of us, the Kamad would have the best idea of what the Pauk this ship is. The problem is finding a section of the ship that your people haven't altered in anyway" Zen'Tau replied.
"Why Eli? Wouldn't you have some idea? You are an Elder" Erik asked.
"If the ship isn't Ooman, Yautja or Black Yautja then I'm afraid I won't be able to help. My experiences with Alien races isn't as varied as you might think. I'm not a Pauking scholar, if you want to talk battle strategies then I would be glad to help but I know Pauk all about ship design" Zen'Tau replied.
Erik let out a frustrated sigh, clasping his armoured hands together.
"I have the feeling we will all need to converse with the others. The Hybrid, the Kamad…they may have information we can use" Zen'Tau replied.
"You are willing to work with us now?" Erik asked.
"I think after finding that Ma'Zax is involved, it would be foolish to refuse each other's aid" Zen'Tau replied, clasping his hands together, the metal of his cybernetic hand clanking.
"Are you sure that your lot will like that?" Erik asked, nodding his head in the direction of the other Yautja.
"The two remaining Dark Blades are with us till the death, but regardless of whether the others stay, we will fight beside you" Sha'ra replied, putting a hand on Erik's wrist, the Myrmidon smiled in return.
The action wasn't lost on Zen'Tau. But he decided that now was not the time to make it an issue.
"Sha'ra speaks true, the other hunters are a mistake away from leaving the mission. But the stakes are too high to simply abandon ship" Zen'Tau agreed with his niece.
This was good, not great but it was a start. Allying with the Yautja would put them in a much better position than they were previously. In order to complete the mission and stand some chance of surviving, they had to pull their heads together and work as one unit.
"I'll talk to my men, we need to put a plan together, all of us. I would suggest you take stock of whatever weaponry, equipment and manpower you have. It's time we actually get something done on this godforsaken ship" Erik suggested.
Zen'Tau nodded. For all his flaws he had to admit, this Ooman knew how to plan, when faced with a situation as dire as the one they were in it took a large amount of courage and willpower to stay calm and think carefully.
"Very well. I'll see what I can do" Zen'Tau replied.
Erik nodded, picking up his helmet and standing up. He took a split-second glance at Sha'ra before he left, the Huntress naturally taking notice of it before she looked at her Uncle. He hadn't missed the little look exchange between the two of them and he gave Sha'ra an almost curious look.
The Huntress disregarded the look her uncle gave her and followed Erik out of the room almost as soon as he left.
Once outside in the hallway Sha'ra called out to the Myrmidon Major, "Erik" she called out, gaining the attention of the Myrmidon.
"Sha'ra…anything wrong?" Erik asked with a raised eyebrow.
"That's what I was going to ask you…are you alright?" she asked softly, approaching his slowly.
"I'm holding up well if that's what you mean" Erik replied.
"Are the others…alright?" Sha'ra asked, stepping closer.
"They know what it's like to lose someone close. At least Ramirez went down fighting…it's the least the rest of us can hope for" Erik replied.
A moment of pause came between the two of them, the awkward silence growing with every second with something unsaid. Sha'ra stepped closer until only a foot came between her and Erik.
"How are you holding up? Did you know any of the fallen Yautja?" Erik asked.
"Not very well…the Dark Blade that fell I knew, but not enough to lose sleep. I'm just glad my brother and Uncle are still with us" Sha'ra replied.
"Good…I, uh. I should really get going" Erik cleared his throat before turning to leave. But before Erik managed to get that far from the Huntress he felt a hand grab his own and hold him in place. The Major turned to see Sha'ra had grasped his right hand in her own firmly.
"Sha'ra?"
"…I…I'm glad you are alright" Sha'ra almost whispered.
"…You too" Erik smiled at the Huntress.
"But you shouldn't have risked it" she whispered.
"Risked what?" Erik took a step toward her.
"Coming to rescue me. It was too great a risk, you could have died, Eli could have died" Sha'ra continued.
"I knew the risks"
"But why? Why did you do it?"
Erik found himself gazing into Sha'ra's eyes as she asked that question. There was genuine concern in her gaze, something he hadn't seen that often. She was a battle-hardened Huntress, her body was littered with scars, she had proved her worth in battle many a time on this ship…so why was she acting like this.
"I had to take the risk…I…I couldn't" Erik faltered in his words before he turned away.
"Couldn't what?"
"…I couldn't leave you down there. Not after all we went through"
"Erik" Sha'ra murmured.
"I wasn't going to let those things have you!" Erik said behind gritted teeth. The image of Sha'ra plastered to a wall still lingering in his mind like a nightmare that partially came true.
Sha'ra then noticed that Erik had let go of her hand and had instead firmly grasped her biceps. The look in his eyes was one of complete determination and surety in what he was saying. There was no doubt that what he was saying was utter truth.
"I know we have only known each other for a short amount of time but…but" Erik faltered yet again, as if doubting that he should say what he felt.
"Erik please…talk to me" Sha'ra whispered comfortingly.
Erik looked into her eyes, unflinching "I…I've never felt like this in my life Sha'ra. I don't know what it is or why. But…I just know I couldn't bear to lose you on this ship" Erik replied.
Sha'ra understood the context of what he was saying, it was something she always imagined a worthy male telling her one day once they got past her small stature. What Erik was feeling was not a simple friendship or a bond with any ally.
Erik was falling for her.
And though she hated to admit it.
She was falling for him.
The Huntress and her Myrmidon.
It was a dangerous match.
All that their people had been through. The war still left scars on the Human and Yautja races. Despite the peace treaties that ended the war, there was still much hate between both species. By all means, Erik and Sha'ra should have hated each other, humans had killed hundreds of thousands of her people and the Myrmidon corps had almost wiped out a third of the Yautja population.
But here they were, an Elite Yautja Huntress and a Major of the Myrmidon Corps.
It put a smile on Sha'ra's mandibles and a chuckle in her voice. Here in the middle of the blackness of space, onboard the most dangerous ship in history, surrounded by Black Yautja, Xenomorphs and other alien horrors…two people who would otherwise be enemies were not only allies, but they had developed feelings for each other.
Erik however hadn't had this revelation. His development had been very stunted due to the combination of the deaths of his parents, his childhood as an orphan, his non-existent teenage years and a life full of war, death and intense military training. Not to mention becoming a new species of human.
Erik was not sure what to make of his feelings. He knew he was attracted to Sha'ra. Why wouldn't he be? She was smart, strong, funny and have a great sense of humour.
He had to admit, even though their time together had been short, he felt a connection with the Huntress. He felt a connection with her that he had never felt with anyone else before, a want, no…a need to protect her.
"Erik…I couldn't bear to lose you either. But, now isn't the time for distractions…we…we have to keep our minds on surviving" Sha'ra whispered to Erik, wrapping her hands around his forearms.
"Yeah…Your right. I'm sorry if I overstepped my boundaries" Erik let go of Sha'ra's arms.
"Oh, for Paya's sake Erik. Don't apologize, your personal problems are what I like about you" Sha'ra smiled back.
"Just like? Nothing more?" Erik smirked.
"Maybe. It depends how the next few days go" Sha'ra leaned forward and whispered in his ear. Erik chuckled as he regained his posture.
"I've got to go get Eli and Norma…check if the big man is up and about. Do you, want to come?" Erik asked.
"I thought you would never ask" Sha'ra smiled.
After a much-needed nap, Eli's eyes opened. Norma insisted he get a little bit more rest before he attempted to get up and move about. Eli agreed but only on the condition that she wake him up after an hour.
Seeing that she hadn't woken him up herself, he guessed his nap didn't last long.
The Kamad took a deep breath before forcing himself to sit up. The metallic plates of his armour clanking as he moved and when the metallic rings and endings of his dreadlocks fell upon them.
Norma initially thought Eli would be uncomfortable, waking up in his armour and full gear, but then again, considering how technologically advanced Eli's armour was, and seeing how he moved in it whenever he fought, he moved pretty naturally in it.
Eli's armour, along with all of his gear was hundreds of thousands of years ahead of anything the Human race had. Sleeping in his armour felt comfortable, as Kamad Bio-Armour was tailored to its wearer for maximum efficiency and comfort. The plates of the armour would shift and change to its wearer's specifications without fault. Where Humans would need to repair or do maintenance on their armour, a Kamad's armour would do it automatically.
The billions upon billions of tiny Nanomites that comprised Eli's armour were endlessly reproducing and repairing damage and faults. The Bio-metalic structure of the Nanomites was based off of Kamad DNA, its ability to regenerate in particular.
Each tiny robot was had an AI that made 21st century human supercomputers look like pocket calculators. While Eli slept his armour had been rebuilt and was as good as new.
The Kamad Prince now sat up straight, and fully took in his surroundings, now with a much clearer mind.
It looked like one of the rooms that would have belonged to the crew when the Asclepheus was still operational. Eli was surprised that Norma and the others were able to find a bed big enough to him to rest on. Whatever the race that created this race where, they were big enough to require rather large cots.
"How long was I out?" Eli asked as he cracked his neck side to side.
The Kamad didn't have the chance to ask many questions when he first woke up. Norma was very insistent on him taking a nap to regain some more energy. But now, after his short rest, with a much clearer mind he could finally have some questions answered.
"About a day and a half. Everyone else is still recovering, you had it the worst out of injuries, but then again you are recovering better than everyone else" Norma sniffed, wiping the leftover tears from her face.
"And…who else didn't make it?" Eli asked hesitantly.
"Ramirez, Half of the Yautja, and one of the Dark Blades. Everyone else is pretty worn out, but no missing limbs, nothing fatal in terms of injuries" Norma explained, standing up to check on the IV.
"Where did you take Rez's body?" Eli asked.
Not knowing how Kamads took care of their dead, and Eli was very close to Rezeal. Naturally everyone agreed to not do anything to the Elite's corpse until Eli was awake.
"His body is in the next room. Believe me he looks better than he did, the armour covers the damage now" Norma replied, placing a hand on Eli's shoulder.
Norma wasn't the only one surprised when Rezeal's armour rebuilt itself over his corpse when he was long dead. Kamad tech was as surprising to the Yautja as it was to the Myrmidons, it was scary to think that even with all the advances the human race had made over the past few decades since the war, that there were still Aliens lightyears ahead of them.
"Good…I…I want to see him" Eli grunted as he ripped the IV from his arm, a little spurt of glowing blue blood came from his arm as he did. The wound was so small that it healed in a second.
"Eli, please you have to rest" Norma stood up as the Kamad shifted so he was now sitting upright with his feet on the ground.
"I've had enough rest. If I spend one more second lying down I'll rip my own throat out" Eli grunted as he cradled his still healing hand in his other. His gauntlet had repaired itself and was as whole as his other gauntlet, but beneath the steel he still had to regrow fingers, bone, skin, flesh and all.
"Does it hurt?" Norma asked as she walked around to face Eli.
"It stings…but I've had worse very recently" Eli groaned as he stretched out his tail, feeling the bones click into place.
"Kamads must have a high pain threshold?" Norma asked.
"Yeah…my family especially. My great Ancestor only survived thanks to it…all my forefathers inherited that endurance to pain…but it isn't the godsend you would think it is" Eli replied, simply staring at his empty gauntlet.
"Physical pain I can take…but up here…" Eli reached up and tapped the side of his head "We are just the same as you".
Eli stood up, his knees shaking under the weight of his own body. He would have fallen to the floor if Norma hadn't been there to catch him.
"You sure you're ok?" Norma asked with a tone full of concern.
The look on Eli's face wasn't something Norma was expecting. His face was one of a man that had just realized how weak he was. The beating Eli had taken still lingered in both his mind and all over his body. The shock that came to him when his knees buckled was unlike anything he had ever known.
All his life, Eli had been strong. He was a Kamad, an Elite, a natural born warrior, the son of the Emperor, a crowned Prince and the descendent of the great Eleran. The blood of the first king flowed through his veins, he had never felt this weak once in his life.
To say it terrified him would be an understatement.
Norma could tell it scared him. The feeling of weakness, the feeling of failure, the feeling of loss.
All were present in the eyes of the Kamad Prince.
It was scary in itself to see Eli with fear in his eyes. Norma had seen this man stand against such horrors that would make most people crumble and scream in fear, she had seen him fight alien monstrosities with his bare hands. Seeing him realize how weak he was in that moment, was heart-breaking.
"Eli? Are you sure you are ok to move?" Norma asked as Eli's took heavy breaths.
"I…I need to see him. I have to" Eli stuttered through his heavy gasps of air.
"Alright…let's…let's just take it slow" Norma whispered as she let Eli lean on her shoulder as he walked.
Even weakened, Eli weighed a tonne. Norma only dreaded to think how heavy he would have felt if she hadn't the strength of a Kamad thanks to his blood running through her veins. For the next five to ten minutes, Norma assisted Eli in limping down the hallway. His metallic boots still made the same clinking sound they always did.
When the two came to the door, Eli placed his good hand on the side of the wall besides the door.
"How…how bad of a condition is his body in?" Eli asked.
"Are you sure you still want to do this?"
"Answer me Norma" Eli demanded with his eyes squeezed closed.
"…His armour rebuilt itself around him…he…he doesn't look as bad as he did" she spoke softly.
Eli inhaled deeply before exhaling, a few seconds passed before he opened his eyes and moved to open the door. With a hiss the door slid open, revealing a standard format room with a table in the centre.
Laid on that table was a large oversized black body bag. Myrmidon body bags were adjustable so that they could be used to cover men of many sizes. Lucky thing too, considering Rezeal was bigger than any human.
Eli slowly stepped forward, his handless arm still hanging over Norma's shoulder. Once Eli was close enough he stumbled the rest of the way and caught himself on the edge of the table.
The Kamad looked at the body bag in front of him for a few seconds before he reached forward with a trembling hand. Peeling away the zipper, Eli unveiled the form of his stalwart companion and best friend.
Norma was right; Rezeal's armour had reformed around his mutilated and broken corpse. The helmet, Visor, gauntlets and chestplate were in pristine condition as if they had never been damaged. It was a good thing too, Eli didn't think he could possibly look at the sight of his friend, mutilated and lifeless.
It was hard enough dealing with the fact he was dead.
"I always thought we would grow old together…that when I took my father's throne, that he would be my Primark" Eli's eyes began to well up.
"Primark?" Norma asked, not quite understanding the terminology.
"The most honoured position a Kamad can receive. He would have been my most trusted advisor, always ready to question my decisions and show me all the paths…he always told me what he truly thought. He was never a kiss ass" Eli chuckled as his voice broke and eyes welled up with tears.
"I wish I could have known him better" Norma spoke up as she walked up next to Eli, placing a hand on his.
"He was always there for me…ever since we were children. 1400 years of friendship, and it ends on this godforsaken fucking ship" Eli squeezed his eyes tightly, a few tears falling down his face.
"He didn't die for nothing" Norma held onto Eli's hand tighter.
"Oh no…he didn't…I won't stop until I'm wearing what is left of those Black Yautja scum" Eli growled as his clawed gauntleted fingers dug into the table, the metal bending as his claws pierced them.
"I noticed…you…you painted your face with his blood after he died" Norma stated carefully.
"…Did Erik tell you?" Eli asked as the tears fell down his face.
"Yes…I also heard you…roar afterwards…it…it didn't sound like any other roar you made before" Norma cautiously said, not wanting to accidently offend Eli about his culture or beliefs.
"Its…it's a custom…an ancient one, not one many practice these days. Back before the days of Eleran…before the Empire, when a loved one died by the hand of another…Kamads of the western clan would mark ourselves with their blood…" Eli sniffed before he opened his eyes and looked deeply into Norma's.
"…It's a blood oath. It means that my soul…my body…everything that I am will not rest…until those that killed Rezeal have paid back in full" Eli borderline growled the last part of that sentence.
"That sounds…I'm sorry but, it sounds pretty primitive" Norma honestly replied. Norma, like most humans during this time in human history were Atheists.
Many religious types in this day and age were not as staunch as they were in other parts of human history. Organisations like the Brotherhood of Flesh served as what many people described as the final nail in the coffin for the religious organisations of earth. Yes, some humans still practised their religions, but it was a very niche and a very rare thing to see, especially after the horrors it had cost them at the rise of the Brotherhood.
Being overly religious in this day and age put a huge target on your back, as many people that openly practised their religion…it didn't take long until they were kneeling in front of Facehuggers and Xenomorph Drones like deities.
So, hearing Eli speak of souls and oaths…didn't put her at ease. To think that the strong Alien warrior she had come to know was a religious type.
"I know how it must sound. Believe it or not…Kamads are not religious creatures…until things like this happen. We value life, and we never look away from death. I know very well that this…" Eli reached forward and pounded a fist on Rezeal's chest "…Is just dead tissue…an empty vessel that looks like my friend…but I won't forsake his memory or the things he did for me by accepting that I will never see him again" Eli's tears began to flow faster.
"He's dead Eli…how do you know?"
"…I don't…and neither do you, what I chose to believe is my own fucking business. I don't have to mince words about my beliefs with someone who is nowhere near being a hundredth of my age" Eli growled before his eyes widened. Seemingly shocked at what words he let spill from his mouth.
The Kamad turned to Norma to apologize.
"It's alright…your friend just died…I know you didn't mean it" Norma smiled sympathetically. Glad to know Eli's beliefs didn't come from a bad place.
She grasped Eli's hand again and leaned in, resting her head against his shoulder, or at least try to, considering how tall he was compared to her. Even after her constant growth spurts, Norma still didn't even come up to Eli's shoulder. She stood at about 6 feet 9 now, taller than any of the remaining Myrmidons, nearing Yautja height, she was still dwarfed compared to the Alien Samurai beside her.
"I'm sorry if I offended you" Norma almost whispered to him.
"You didn't…it's just…he was my brother in all but blood. I'll miss him" Eli replied.
"I hope your people are right…I really do. That there is something after death" Norma whispered caringly.
"I like to think so…that he stands besides my ancestors. The Emperors and Kings that came before me" Eli replied as his tears trickled onto his armour.
Norma reached up to wipe his tears, but the Kamad's dexterous tail stopped her.
"Don't…I won't hide this…these are for him…and I shed them gladly" Eli replied, refusing to let Norma wipe away the signs of his sadness.
The two stood there for a good minute until Norma noticed Eli eying Rezeal's hookblade. Norma remembered Eli saying that a Kamad's weapon was like a part of their soul, a very Samurai-like belief. She wondered what became of their blades once they died.
"What happens to his Hookblade? Isn't it part of him…like your Katanas?" Norma asked.
"Yes, his Hookblade is a part of his soul…all that is left of it on this plane" Eli said as he gazed at his friend's weapon.
"What will you do with it?" Norma asked.
Eli looked at her before he reached over and pulled off Rezeal's weapon belt, his daggers and Hookblade with them.
"He didn't have a family by blood, no brothers or sisters…no father or mother, no children, no mate. So, I will take his blades…and honour him with them" Eli replied.
The Kamad prince's tail sprung to life and acted like an extra hand as Eli slung Rezeal's weapon belt around his waist and pulled it tight. Eli's Katanas, Swabbie dagger and throwing knives now accompanied by Rezeal's Hookblade and daggers.
"Usually, a Kamad with no family, with no titles or ties with this world…their weapon would be melted down and re-forged for someone else…but I will not allow that for him…he will be remembered" Eli's tears dried on his face.
Norma finally reached up and cupped Eli's face. The height difference still stunning after her growth spurts, but she did not care. Her bare hand caressed his face caringly, the skin of her hand against the smooth reptilian scales that covered his whole body. The sensation against her hand was pleasant, like rubbing the scales of a snake right after it had shed.
"You don't have to fight this alone" Norma whispered to him.
Eli held her wrist and nuzzled her hand, taking in the scent of the brown-haired hybrid.
"I'll try…I promise…I'll try" Eli whispered back. His golden reptilian eyes gazing into Norma's Blue/Gold irises.
That's when both heard the door behind them open. Eli didn't need to turn to know who it was, he knew their scents. Norma turned and saw none other than the other half of their odd quartet.
Erik Reaver of the Myrmidon Corps and Sha'ra of the Yautja.
Erik had his helmet underneath his left arm while Sha'ra had her bio-mask hanging from her belt. The two of them didn't look any worse for wear, and that wasn't any surprise. In terms of fighting ability both Erik and Sha'ra were more than capable of holding their own.
"Uh…I was going to ask if the big man was up…I suppose that answers my question" Erik said with a raised eyebrow as he stepped aside to let Sha'ra in before closing the door behind her.
"How are you feeling Eli?" Sha'ra asked.
"Like I've been through a meat grinder" The Kamad replied.
"I know the feeling" Erik replied as he patted Eli on the shoulder.
Erik looked at Rezeal's body, and the fact that Eli was now wearing Rezeal's weapon belt as well as his own. Erik took this to mean that he had paid what respects he needed to his departed friend. The Myrmidon smiled a bit, taking solace in the fact that Eli wouldn't let this hinder him.
"Do you want a few moments with him?" Erik asked, gesturing to Rezeal's body.
"…no…I've had my goodbyes. Anything else amongst Kamad funeral rites are pretty impossible to do right now" Eli ran his hand over Rezeal's chest.
"Ok. We'll take him with us when we move again. We aren't going to leave him here" Sha'ra replied as she put a hand on Eli's empty gauntlet.
"Thank you…all of you" Eli whispered loud enough for only them to hear.
"Come on…we've got planning to do" Erik patted Eli on the arm before turning to leave the room.
Norma stood beside Eli, ready to offer her assistance to the Kamad. Eli smiled but shook his head before slowly limping by himself towards the door.
"Is he going to be alright?" Sha'ra whispered to Norma.
"…I hope so"
*2 Hours later
The body of Rezeal lay upon the table, still and unmoving. All signs of life were long gone from the corpse of the once ferocious Kamad Elite.
His Elite Bio-Armour acted like a cocoon of sorts, keeping his body preserved underneath the metal plating. Rezeal even when dead had a large figure. At 9-foot-tall the Kamad was huge, most humans could never even hope to grow to his size.
The silence in the room was interrupted when Rezeal's body twitched. His arms that were previously crossed over his waist were thrown to his side. His body shook a few times before the sound of tearing flesh began to fill the room.
Blue luminescent blood began to pool in the centre of Rezeal's chest as the sound got louder and louder. The armour plating covering Rezeal's chest began to bend under pressure as the sound of breaking bone filled the air.
*CRRAACK!*
Rezeal's chest borderline exploded as something ripped its way out of the Kamad's chest cavity, spraying blue blood, flesh and viscera all over the room.
Whatever had just burst its way out of Rezeal's chest tumbled out of his body and fell to the floor with a wet slap. Blue luminescent blood dripped from the table and pooled around the large pile of flesh that was curled up.
Slowly the pile of flesh began to uncurl, a long spiny tail uncurled first and stretched out.
The tail was bony, long and tipped with a long scythe-like blade.
The creature's arms and legs stretched out, its long meat-hook-like claws scraping on the metal floor. Its feet like the talons of a bird of prey, leaving large dents in the floor beneath it as it stretched.
The creature's hide was slick with glowing blue blood, covering its almost black armoured hide. Its long skull was different compared to others of its species. It had a frilled-bladed ridge riding along the centre of its skull along with what looked like horns protruding from the very back of its head.
Its back was absent of the usual dorsal tubes, but soon it became evident why that was the case as two large appendages extended from its back. The appendages soon unveiled themselves, long shiny black membranes extended from the appendages.
They were wings.
The creature reached up and peeled the soaking wet viscera from its face, its formidable claws peeling the slimy essence of Rezeal from its snout.
The newly born creature peeled back its lips, revealing shining silver teeth. Sharp like those of a shark, serrated and deadly. Then as it reared back, its lower lips split open, revealing long mandibles like those of a Kamad, each mandible tipped with a grizzly looking tusk of solid bone.
The creature's teeth seemed to extended further as it opened its mandibles, its maw dripping with saliva.
…
…
Then it opened its eyes.
Two burning red eyes, slit pupils like a reptile, but the sclera of its eyes were pitch black instead of white.
The Xenomorph let out a long, ferocious roar. Splitting the air as loose bits of blood and viscera flew from its hide as it reared back. Its serrated teeth bared and extended, its secondary mouth revealed and its wings spread.
The Asclepheus had been hell…now it had a demon taking residence.
So here we are...nearing the end of our journey. Not that many chapters left until the secret of the Asclepheus is revealed. Eli is prepping for Vengeance, Sha'ra and Erik are growing closer and the worst horror has just been born from a fallen hero. Our heroes have quite a rough few chapters to endure before they can get their reprieve.
I for one hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter, I know I liked writing it. never thought I would get this far. and I would like to thank everyone that had stuck with me for this long...especially those that gave me the drive to keep going (you guys know who you are)
Next chapter:
Our Heroes plan their next move, finding the heart of the ship itself and finding out the mystery of its origins.
Erik and Sha'ra struggle to deal with their growing feelings.
Eli struggles further with the impact of his best friend's death.
Sophie finds herself in less than reputable company.
and much more.
the roller coaster ride is far from done everyone...I hope you have strapped yourselves in.
Dakkman777...see you guys next time :)
