Slayer's Vengeance

by Jago-Dakari

A meeting between a yautja huntress and a human marine turned vengefull slayer will shake the very foundation of both races in this story of adventure, love and loss.

18. Chapter 18

Hey all!

i apologise about the wait, this chapter is running longer then i first anticipated as more and more ideas float in my head. and also the release of Mass Effect 3. i'm only playing multiplayer until i play through the series in order for an up to date understanding of the universe.

but enough of that, this is the first half of the chapter, the second half will be posted as soon as it's complete.

so without further a due, read away!

Update 6/5/2012 :uploaded second part.

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Chapter 18- Sacrifice

Mal'kah and Qul'dan were waiting for them. They had been waiting ever since Alaric and the initiates ventured into the mines. And they had kept themselves busy by examining the abattoir that was the courtyard.

Qul'dan was following the trail of destruction that Alaric had caused with the APC, even going up and examining the three crushed hunters between it and the cavern wall. Mal'kah was casually looking down the ice tunnel, wiping a finger on the bloodstained ice. He then picked something from the ice. A gold piercing. He grunted in disappointment and flicked it down the tunnel. The piercing jingled down the crystalline tunnel, echoing as it made it's bumpy descent.

"Seems I missed a few" Alaric said, turning his head to the initates. "Stay close."

The veteran then turned his head towards Alaric and the initiates, having heard their arrival with his mask's audio enhancers.

Mal'kah sighed in mock exasperation towards Tan'kor's demise as he fully turned to them. Not that he thought Tan'kor didn't deserve it, but rather he was relieved not to have that pompous noble rubbing his "superior" heritage in his face.

"I told him not to underestimate you but his arrogance got the better of him." Mal'kah said in fluent english. "But I suppose arrogance is a prerequisite to be a noble. I admire your...out of the box thinking, crashing one of your machines right through your structure and the wall."

He then walked closer to Alaric, gesturing at all the yautja bodies. He was amazed at the level of carnage that this human could create, taking down a whole hunting party by himself. Then again, he expected nothing less from Alaric.

"And you have become stronger. I had a thought that they would be no match for you and I have been proven right."

Alaric aimed his pulse rifle in front of him defensively. He then gestured to the initiates to get behind him. Mal'kah stopped walking towards him, offended by Alaric's hostility.

"Oh, come now." Mal'kah scolded. "Do you always aim a weapon at those who want to talk."

"Sorry, but your goons cast a bad first impression." Alaric said, keeping his rifle up and aimed for Mal'kah's head. "Especially that pinhead I sent down that chute."

Mal'kah looked back to the chute and then chuckled.

"Well, he had it coming to him." Mal'kah admitted before turning back.

Qul'dan looked away from the APC at this point. He noticed Alaric and the initiates all bunched up and began half walking, half stomping up to them, cracking his knuckles and grunting with overdue satisfaction. Mal'kah walked over to the brawler, heading him off and held out an arm, keeping the large hunter in check behind him. Qul'dan growled at the veteran's insistance.

"Not yet." Mal'kah ordered.

He turned back to Alaric.

"It never surprises me how naive and inquisitive your race can be." He said. "Receive information from an unknown source, especially ones about riches, and you dive headfirst into it. And even my race can be fooled, but not easily."

Alaric processed in his mind what Mal'kah said. He remembered how foreman Hernandez mentioned an anonymous tip off about resources to this planet. However, after thinking about, this world was so remote that it seemed unlikely that prospectors would have stumbled upon. And with the blizzards that raged above, it was unlikely that anyone could even land a small ship.

Their shuttle, more advanced then any human make, crashed landed as a result of trying to land.

"You're the ones who lured us here." Alaric concluded. "And you released those stone age bugs from that temple, didn't you?"

Mal'kah resumed his attention on Alaric. He was mildly surprised that Alaric learned so quickly.

"Yes and no." Mal'kah said. "While I did open it, only the blood of those who had lock them away could release them.

"The unknown clan, who had been so conveniently forgotten?" Alaric guessed.

Mal'kah was surprised when Alaric mentioned that subject.

"Ah, so you heard the legend, too." Mal'kah said, looking over to the initiates behind him. "Seems something about them could never be extinguished."

Qul'dan grunted, his eagerness for battle was slowly eroding his control.

"Why are we talking? Lets just kill them now!" Qul'dan growled.

Mal'kah looked up at Qul'dan.

"Not yet." Mal'kah ordered.

Qul'dan growled louder in annoyance.

Mal'kah returned his sight back to Alaric.

"I feel that an introduction is needed. I am Mal'kah, honoured hunter veteran of the yautja race." Mal'kah introduced before gesturing to Qul'dan who was now cracking his neck. "My over eager companion here is Qul'dan."

Mal'kah then did a bow towards Alaric, formal and honourable, unlike Qul'dan who grunted in greeting and thumped his fists.

"It's a pleasure seeing you again... Alaric."

Alaric was somewhat taken back that this yautja knew his name.

"How do you my name?" Alaric said, cocking his rifle at Mal'kah. "Through stalking us on this planet, watching us fight for our lives against those freaks of nature?"

"In truth, we have faced each other before." Mal'kah said as he pulled the tubes connecting his mask, the air spewing from them in cloud jets. "You have your scars. And I have mine."

Mal'kah removed his mask, slowly for dramatic effect and Alaric's eyes went wide. This Mal'kah was the leader of the Marked who took everything from him that tragic day. And his left eye was nothing more then a patch of metal, after Alaric tore it out of his socket. Alaric's trigger finger started to twitch.

"You..." Alaric started before he noticed another.

Qul'dan reached to his mask, getting Alaric's attention as he removed it. And Alaric was getting more agitated when he recognized his. Qul'dan was that large brute who had sadistically tortured his son with another hunter.

"Hello there, Alaric." Qul'dan greeted tauntingly, holstering his mask and cracking his knuckles. "How's mate and pup?"

Alaric could already feel the fire in blood boil. The urge to draw his axes and kill them was filling his head and he was forcing it back down. He couldn't afford to go into The Rage while Kra'vyx and his friend were in the way.

He had to get them clear before hand.

"Guys, get of here." Alaric ordered, his voice trying to maintain calm. "You don't have much time."

"Alaric?" Kra'vyx asked.

"Just go." Alaric ordered, more loudly this time. "This is between me and them. No one else."

Kra'vyx looked at the two hunters, how Alaric was reacting to them and realised what Alaric intended to do. He nodded to Alaric and gestured to the others. The initiates then reluctantly tried to leave the area, keeping a clear rein of the two yautja but they were immediately headed off by Qul'dan who leaped right to their position with surprising strength and speed and was enthusiastically smacking his fists together.

"Sorry." he said, grinning. "Orders are orders. No one leaves here alive."

"Qul'dan, leave them." Mal'kah ordered.

Qul'dan looked crushed. He had been waiting patiently, as patient as a violence addicted warrior could even be, and now Mal'kah wasn't letting him get to do any fighting, despite assuring that he would.

He looked back at the veteran with annoyance in his eyes.

"What?" he spat in anger.

"They fulfilled their purpose. Our target is right here, not quite as planned, but here regardless." Mal'kah stated. "Let the Primarch deal with those initiates and that ooman colony."

"Oh, no!"Qul'dan said, rearing up to the veteran with barely restrained anger. "I have been waiting weeks for this moment. I am not leaving any of them walking on two feet. Especially since they are now blooded hunters, not puny initiates anymore."

Mal'kah sighed. And the initiates had already drawn their melee weapons and ditching their human ranged weaponry, sensing that they were going to have to fight their way out. And also, as the hunter code demanded, on fair terms. Kra'vyx shook his head, shrugging of some of the pain meds' inebriation for the fight that was to start and raised his kataras. Mal'fax hefted his hammer and Fel'tak held his stave high. Ly'enta swung her whips into circles in counterclockwise cycles.

"Fine." Mal'kah said exasperatingly, before pointing a finger authoritatively. "Just wound them. Leave something for the Primarch."

Qul'dan grunted but then nodded. Evidently, wounding the initiates will be the best thing he can do at this time. But a fight is a fight no matter the outcome.

Alaric was incensed by the order.

"You lay a fucking finger on them and I will tear your fucking heart out!" Alaric shouted at Qul'dan.

"Ha! I like to see you try!" Qul'dan shouted back, charging at the initiates. "You couldn't even fight me before!"

Qul'dan engaged the initiates and the young hunters evaded his charge before counter charging.

"By all means do that." Mal'kah said, drawing his sickles. "But first, as the saying goes, you gotta get past me.

Alaric dumped his pulse rifle, drew both his hand axes and gave both a small flourish. Mal'kah then readied himself into a fighting stance with both sickles out to his sides and gestured Alaric to attack.

"Shouldn't be too hard." Alaric said, before charging at Mal'kah.

Mal'kah brought his sickles into a defensive stance as Alaric came charging towards him.

Alaric brought his axes down hard with a yell and a loud clang of impacting metal was heard. And the result was something that surprised Alaric. Mal'kah had blocked Alaric's attack and his sickles had stopped his axes in their tracks.

There wasn't even a scratch on them.

"What the?" Alaric said in surprise.

Mal'kah grinned.

"You're not the only one with God-Forged blades." Mal'kah stated.

Mal'kah then gave a sharp kick into Alaric's gut, pushing the slayer back and counterattacking with a dual slash. Alaric barely managed to dodge the attack, only just as the erupting sparks indicated. There were now two deep cuts in his chest plates, two diagonal gouges marking where his heart was. Blood started to seep out of his armour, indicating that the damage was closer then he thought and Alaric saw that he was in deep trouble.

"How does it feel not having the advantage of weaponry?" Mal'kah questioned.

Alaric wasn't going to let this faze him as he readied himself.

"Then I'll just have to adapt." Alaric answered.

He charged back into the fight, swinging his axes. Mal'kah parried with his scythes before countering with another kick. Alaric blocked before delivering one of his roundhouse kicks but Mal'kah saw this coming and grabbed Alaric's leg by the ankle as it reached his head. He wrenched Alaric's leg down forcefully but Alaric responded by jumping and using his other leg. His armoured foot connected to Mal'kah's head with a loud crack right where the plate was. Mal'kah recoiled from the blow as Alaric hit the ground, staggering back a few paces with a hand in his eye as Alaric hit the ground on his back.

"Well said." Mal'kah strained against the pain in his eye socket.

Mal'kah regained his composure and charged at the recovering Alaric.

The initiates in the mean time were holding their ground with Qul'dan, much to the hulking yautja's amusement. Kra'vyx, for one, was fighting in near perfect condition despite his current state and, under the pain-meds inhabiting his body, was able to weather most blows that landed on him. Mal'fax and Fel'tak were striking at precise moments, trying to exploit any weakness to Qul'dan's fighting style.

Whenever any blows did land on Qul'dan, he just didn't notice them or the initiates weren't striking him hard enough to warrant his attention.

Ly'enta was nimbly flailing her whips from behind, trying to immobilise Qul'dan so that Mal'fax and Fel'tak could counterattack. Her chance came and her whips managed to lash around Qul'dan's wrists as he reared back to punch Kra'vyx and she pulled hard as she could, bringing the brawler's hands behind him.

Mal'fax and Fel'tak nodded to each other, their opening finally here and they charged at Qul'dan from the front, hoping to spear or smash him whichever came first. Qul'dan saw them coming and he smirked. With a pull of ungodly strength, he tore Ly'enta's whips from her grip, provoking a gasp from the initiate and held his hands in front of him, reaching out for Mal'fax and Fel'tak.

"Oh shit!" Fel'tak cursed when he saw Qul'dan's claws reaching towards them.

Qul'dan had allowed himself to get caught so as to let them get near for some real pain.

Mal'fax and Fel'tak were both grabbed by the neck, lifted off their feet and then had their heads smacked together with a sickening thud, face to face. Both dazed, their masks fractured and sparking and their weapons limp in their hands, they were then tossed over Qul'dan's shoulder like trash, landing in heaps by Ly'enta who reached for her ceremonial knife and her ice pick. This was something that Kra'vyx and Ly'enta could only stare at with dropped jaws.

"Hold on, kids. You can't all play at once!" Qul'dan cackled with glee as his wristblades extended even further.

With only two targets to concentrate on, Qul'dan was now getting more excited, or more bloodthirsty whichever was more relevant, and dangerous.

It was evident that whoever was unlucky enough to be left standing would suffer Qul'dan's full wrath. They had to keep him surrounded so he couldn't focus on one.

Qul'dan charged at them, cackling sadistically.

"He's too strong!" Ly'enta cried out, narrowly dodging a ferocious swipe from Qul'dan.

"Keep moving!" Kra'vyx shouted, rolling under Qul'dan's blades.

While the initiates were being whittled down, Alaric wasn't doing good himself.

Alaric was getting more and more on the defensive as Mal'kah brought his centuries of experience into play. Alaric was finding himself being outmaneuvered and his attacks blocked with disciplined professionalism. Mal'kah was not an opponent Alaric had ever faced in a fight.

Seeing an opening, Alaric swung his axes with a flourish, followed by a swiping kick with his left leg. Mal'kah parried each strike before slashing Alaric on the leg. Blood sprayed in the air in an arc and Alaric instinctively drew his leg back and saw a clean cut sliced through his tear resistant fatigues and into his leg above the knee. Alaric grunted through the pain and continued blocking Mal'kah's attacks.

Mal'kah tried to stab Alaric through the chest with both sickles. However, Alaric dropped to the ground on his back, the blades missing his face by an inch and he rammed both his feet into Mal'kah's gut. Mal'kah recoiled from the force, slightly gasping for breath but that was all Alaric needed. He rolled backwards, onto his feet and then rammed Mal'kah in the gut again before punching him under the chin. Mal'kah's head went rocking back but he then gave Alaric an elbow to his back and then a hard knee to his head. Alaric went rolling back, fighting back the pain from his skull plate, giving Mal'kah a slash across his shin as a leaving present. The axe sliced through armour and flesh, green blood seeped out the gash in his greave.

Mal'kah grunted as the pain reached his brain but he shrugged it off as Alaric rolled to his feet, shrugging off his migraine.

They fought even harder, Alaric defiantly hanging on against the veteran's superior skills. Mal'kah would be lying to himself if he said he didn't enjoy this. It was not often that he got to fight a worthy opponent. In fact, had it been different that night and his orders more 'honourable', he would've gladly formally dueled Alaric.

Both had managed to land a number of bruising blows on each other and even a few cuts from lucky strikes but they were skilled enough to dodge most of their attacks.

That, though, couldn't be said for the initates.

Qul'dan lunged at Ly'enta, managing to grab her by the arm before heaving her up and over his head, ready to gut her with his wristblades. Kra'vyx leaped to her rescue, jumping up and driving both kataras in Qul'dan's sides. However, his aim was off by an inch and both blades screeched as they slid off. However, Kra'vyx followed up, after watching Alaric so many times, with a roundhouse kick to the back of Qul'dan's head. This was enough to get Qul'dan's attention as he turned his head towards Kra'vyx who was stepping back.

Qul'dan cackled as he tossed Ly'enta away, her head hitting the platform and stunning her, before focusing on Kra'vyx now. She landed hard onto the ground as he charged at Kra'vyx.

"Time to play!" Qul'dan roared.

Kra'vyx evaded Qul'dan's ferocious attack before counterattacking with a dual slash from his kataras, catching Qul'dan across his arms. Qul'dan laughed at the initiates attempt.

"Pathetic!" he taunted. "You can do better then that!"

Kra'vyx, as the only initiate standing, could only try to outmaneuver Qul'dan as the hulking brawler attacked, secretly toying with the initiate and intending to whittle him down bit by bit. Kra'vyx was taking hits

While Kra'vyx was reaching the high point of his fight, Alaric and Mal'kah were reaching the climax of their duel.

Both their weapons connected and a fierce struggle ensued as both tried to force their weapons into each other. Sparks showered both as axe and sickle screeched against each other. Both battle damaged combatants refused to give way.

"We underestimated your resolve to survive." Mal'kah said, pushing his sickles even harder.

"No shit!" Alaric said, pushing back.

Mal'kah kicked into Alaric's gut, momentarily making Alaric lose his standing. Mal'kah then tried to drive his sickles into Alaric's neck but Alaric managed to fluidly evade and block with his axes. Alaric flourished his axes, gaining an opening and he struck, only to be countered by Mal'kah.

The stalemate resumed again.

"Until recently, even I thought we had disposed of all four of you that night."

Alaric, for the first time, was confused by what Mal'kah said.

Four of us?

Alaric pushed Mal'kah away from him, before delivering a flourish with his axes. Mal'kah parried the attack with skill. Mal'kah lunged back and the struggle began again.

"There was only me, Sam and Ares that night!" Alaric roared. "Did you butcher some bystander for practice before hand!"

His anger filled outburst caught Mal'kah's attention and the veteran in turn was puzzled by Alaric's reaction to what he said. The confusion was evident in his face as his brows relaxed.

"What? You mean you didn't know?"Mal'kah asked in surprise. "By the gods, I'm glad I'm not the ones who tortured your mate."

"Shut up!" Alaric roared, pushing hard enough for Mal'kah to stagger.

Mal'kah then shoved Alaric hard away from him. Alaric rolled onto his back and back on his feet, his axes ready for Mal'kah's counterattack. Mal'kah casually flourished his blades but didn't attack. Alaric panted as he waited for Mal'kah to make the first move.

To his puzzlement, Mal'kah sheathed his weapons. The veteran then gave Alaric a serious look, like a parent scolding a naughty child.

"Since you're having difficulty understanding with that rage induced head, let me make this clear so your anger clouded brain can understand." Mal'kah explained, taking his time for his answer and enunciating each word. "Your mate... was... with... child."

That last word had hit Alaric right to the core. So much that his axes went limp in his grip.

Sam was pregnant?

No, if she was then he would have already known about it. The anger quickly came back.

"You're lying!" Alaric accused, regaining his grip on his axes and charging.

Mal'kah dodged the attack effortlessly and smacked Alaric hard face first into the ground and he skidded and rolled for a few feet.

"Am I?" Mal'kah asked, reaching for his wrist pad.

Alaric recovered from his miss and turned, axes raised to see a holographic projection. Alaric would've charged and tore Mal'kah a new one were it not for the image of his dear wife Sam that was projected. It was a recording of that night, the moment Mal'kah and his cohorts arrived. Sam and Ares were trapped in a corner of their home and it was there that Mal'kah scanned Sam. Alaric saw bio-scan readout and what he saw had truly got him where it hurts.

Sam was indeed pregnant and there, within her womb, was a developing fetus. No more then eight weeks.

"It... can't be..." Alaric said at a loss for words. "She..."

He fell to his knees as his axes dropped out of his hands. One hand was on his blood stained chest, where his heart is located.

Alaric could feel his heart was in pain. But it wasn't a heart attack in the medical sense. This pain occurs whenever something had hurt anyone on an emotional, personal level. His mind then recalled a memory, a more pleasant memory that preluded that tragic event.

---

"Parry right!" Alaric commanded to the new recruits. "Parry left! Thrust!"

Alaric was in the middle of teaching a hand to hand training session. Despite being technically on extended leave, he was occasionally recalled to for a special mission or other duties. In this case, his hand to hand expertise was required to harden the latest batch of new Spec Ops recruits.

Alaric watched from the side as each pair followed his command in sequence with their rubber replica combat knives. Alaric noticed that some of the recruits were sloppy or to unwieldy with their movements. Being from regular marine units, they were more about gung ho and going in guns blazing. Opposite to the Special Operations division.

There were no more then twenty potential candidates out of a pool of over one hundred remaining. The training of Spec Ops was much more physically and psychologically harsh then those of regular units and a great majority of those selected end up resigning, rendered unfit for service or even die.

Spec Ops were expected to fulfill missions that most units would stand no chance of completing. Be it assassinating Xenomorph queens or taking on Yautja hunting parties.

Alaric would hammer these remaining raw soldiers into refined troopers.

He repeated his commands until he deemed the recruits' skills adequate for the next exercise.

"Commence counterattack maneuvers." he ordered. "Reversal pattern against attacking foes."

He watched as each pair assumed stances that would alternate between attacker and defender. The attacker would lunge with his knife and the defender would then try to counter, using gravity to throw the attacker to the ground and then deliver a knife to the throat or other vital body part. There were many variations of the technique as Alaric saw. So far, he was seeing that most of them had been adequately skilled. Others were too slow or misjudged with their timing and would lose the mock fight.

Then, his experienced eyes immediately saw a fatal error by one trooper.

"No, no, no!" he interrupted, walking up the nearest pair and causing everyone else to cease their actions.

He picked them both off the floor. They were two marines from the United America's section of the marine corps. One was a stopky american and the other was of brazilian heritage.

"Private Sandro, what are you doing?" He questioned.

Sandro looked at him confusingly.

"I was following your instructions." he explained.

Alaric shook his head negatively.

"You didn't. And, you know why?" Alaric questioned.

Sandro took too long thinking for an answer, English not being his strong suit.

"Oh for the love of..." Alaric sighed before explaining. "You hesitated during mid attack. Why?"

"He wasn't ready."

"That's his mistake. None of your concern." Alaric said.

He looked to the recruit.

"Corporal O'Neil, did you fumble with the knife?" he asked.

"Lost my grip on it, sir."

Alaric looked at both of them before making up his mind to use them as an example.

"Marines, listen up!" he called out.

The recruits ceased their training and paid attention to him as he walked back to his podium. He made sure they were all paying attention.

"In a battle: there is a very important lesson: Don't hesitate." Alaric told the recruits, emphising the last two words. "Don't use 'training session' as an excuse. This training is designed to keep you alive in the harshest of war zones." He then indicated to O'neil and Sandro. "If you hesitate in battle, like how these two did just now, you will be cut down within seconds."

He paused for a moment to ensure that his words got through.

"You think the enemy, especially bugs or hunters, would let you get ready?" He questioned the recruits. "They see a weakness and they will exploit it with horrific efficiency, be it punching holes in your skulls or tearing your heads off, whichever comes first."

Alric drew from his shoulder holster his own archangel's variant knife for everyone to see. This was a more elegant and sleek model compared to the ka-bar style knives of the marines. It's elegent leaf shaped blade, modeled after the ancient greek kopis, designed with swift, efficient killing in mind.

"When you lose your firearms, this knife will be your lifeline." Alaric told them, showing them his knife. "This knife can very well be the most useful and deadly implement in your arsenal. Provided you know how to use it."

He then threw his knife into a target mock up of a xenomorph on the other side of the sparring ring. The recruits instinctively ducked as the knife went whistling above them. They turned their heads around when they heard the knife hit it's mark and they saw that Alaric had scored a bullseye right in the target's head.

"Remember, Don't hesitate and if you see the foe's weakness, exploit it."

Alaric's headset then beeped. He had an incoming transmission.

"Continue." Alaric ordered to the recruits as he hopped off the podium.

He walked out of the sparring area as the recruits resumed their training and went to retrieve his knife. He held a hand to his coms, establishing a link.

"Lt Ce'tarn here." he responded. "What is it?"

"Lieutenant, I have a personal call on hold for you." the operator said.

Alaric's brows raised.

"Hang on a sec." Alaric asked, signaling to the recruits to continue without him.

Alaric left the training center, notifying his observing supervisor about his absence and headed to the recreational park, far from prying ears, at a jogging pace. He arrived within a few minutes and he sat down on a bench under a large oak tree.

"Okay, patch it through." Alric told the operator

The frequency then changed with a bunch of static and a much loved voice was heard on the other end.

"Hey, Alaric." Sam, Alaric's wife, chimed.

Alaric smiled as he heard his wife's voice.

"Hey, Dear." Alaric greeted back. "How's things."

"Things are going well. I managed to tidy up finally after Are's little escapades with your paint."

"Even the ceiling?"

"Yes, even the ceiling. He takes after you in the 'moving absolutely anywhere' department."

Alaric chuckled.

"Well, all kids are like that at his age. Being little monsters. Where is he?

"He's fast asleep. Like you, he sleeps like a rock."

They both shared a chuckle.

"When are you coming home?" Sam asked.

"Not too long." Alaric assured her. "Shouldn't be here for more then a few days. Newest recruits are fumbling like a bunch of monkeys having seizures."

"You are supposed to be on extended leave, Alaric." Sam reminded.

"I know. But Command insisted that my assistance for training recruits was needed." Alaric explained before having an idea. " Tell you what. When I come home, we can all go on a trip to Eden IV. Lovely pristine forests, clear blue lakes and snow capped mountains. How does that sound?"

There was silence on the line as Sam processed the proposal.

"Will we stop off to see my parents beforehand?"

"Why not?"

"Okay, you got a deal."

Alaric was going to end the conversation, to his reluctance but then duty called, but Sam had one more thing to tell him.

"Alaric."

"Yeah?"

"I have a surprise for you when you get home." Sam revealed

"A surprise?" Alaric questioned. "What kind of surprise?"

"if I told you then it would defeat the purpose of being a surprise."

"oh, don't I get a little hint at least?" Alaric pleaded playfully.

"Well..." Sam said, coyly. "Lets just say it will leave a mark on you."

A sharp beep sounded from Alaric's coms. It told him that he was needed back for more tactical instructing. He sighed.

"Sorry Sam, gotta get back to pounding greenies into shape." Alaric apologised. "Say hello to Ares for me."

"I will." Sam assured. "Bye."

"Bye."

Alaric shut off his coms and reluctantly headed back to the training block. The question as to what Sam had in store for him when he arrived back home filled his head. He kept this contained as he focused on training the recruits.

Alaric would later return home within a few days. And he would find only pain when he stepped through the door.

---

Sam, Alaric thought in pained realisation. Thats why you called me home.

"If it is any consolation." Mal'kah told him, shutting off the projection. "I alone had no part in her... defilement."

Alaric was silent. It wasn't known if he was emotionally shattered after this dramatic revelation but he was most certainly angry. Mal'kah's admittance to not personally harming Sam or Ares did little to calm Alaric.

"I'm gonna kill you." Alaric whispered as he lifted his head, anger filling his mind. "I'm gonna fucking kill all of you!"

Alaric was now getting so enraged that he felt his hair and muscles twitch and his eyes flickered crimson. He fought back against the rage that was even now beckoning him to unleash. Mal'kah was now taking a few steps back, placing himself between Alaric and Qul'dan.

I can't go into Rage, Alaric thought as he picked up his axes and preparing to attack. I can't risk it with Kra'vyx and his friends here.

But Alaric would have to.

Qul'dan had toyed with Kra'vyx long enough and, smashing the kataras out of the exhausted initiate's grip, managed to grab and lift Kra'vyx into a bear hug and was beginning to crush the life out of him. Kra'vyx desperately punched Qul'dan in the face, but they were proving ineffective as Qul'dan broke into a grin. Ly'enta, having regained her strength, jumped onto his back, digging her taloned feet into his back, grabbed one arm and tried to break his grip on Kra'vyx with all her strength.

But Qul'dan had no intention of letting Kra'vyx go.

Mal'fax and Fel'tak, just regaining consciousness, heaved themselves up, nursing bruised limbs, ruined masks slipping off throbbing heads and they saw Kra'vyx about to get crushed like a insect by this abomination of a yautja's grip. They rushed to his aid, jumping onto the arm that Ly'enta was pulling.

"Let him go!" Mal'fax shouted.

Qul'dan wasn't fazed in the slightest by the resistance they were giving him.

"It'll be over in a second." Qul'dan said before giving Kra'vyx a squeeze. "Make that several seconds."

Kra'vyx gave out a loud yelp of pain as bones and armour could be heard cracking.

Alaric heard the cry of pain, his eyes dilating at the sound. Keeping his axes up, he turned his head in the direction of the cry and what he saw made his heart beat faster and the world slow down.

Kra'vyx was getting crushed to death and his friends were struggling to get Qul'dan's arms off of him. Qul'dan was having none of it and he swatted Mal'fax and Fel'tak away with a swing from one arm, keeping Kra'vyx pinned with his other arm before grabbing Ly'enta by her dreadlocks and slamming her to the ground with a shriek before kicking her away like a ball.

Alaric's eye's flickered and he felt his blood turn to fire. His hair twitched and started to form into spikes. Mal'kah saw Alaric getting enraged and he turned his head to see Qul'dan toying with Kra'vyx.

Qul'dan was letting his eagerness for fighting get the better of him, unknowingly goading Alaric to get enraged.

"Qul'dan, put him down!" Mal'kah ordered, as Alaric's biceps twitched.

"Fuck off!" Qul'dan responded before giving Kra'vyx another squeeze. "This is my fight, not yours!"

Kra'vyx cried out again and that set Alaric over the edge. Alaric gave off a loud anger soaked roar, his eyes flashed into glowing crimson and his hair transformed into his mantle of spikes. He then smashed Mal'kah to one side, the veteran landing in a heap and charged at Qul'dan with lightning fast speed, becoming a blur.

Mal'kah on the ground watched as Alaric pounded his way towards Qul'dan.

"Put him down!" Alaric roared, in his flanging voice, as he charged.

Qul'dan turned his head at Alaric's demand, just in time to see Alaric as a blur jump for his head with his boot leading the way. The boot connected to Qul'dan with a loud and, well deserved, crack dead center to his face. Qul'dan lost his iron grip on Kra'vyx from the sheer force of Alaric's battering ram of a kick and the initiate went slumping to the ground in a heap, gasping for breath while the large yautja went skidding back a few paces before falling to the ground. Alaric landed on his feet, panting and straining with crimson blood seeping down his cut chest, trying to keep his Rage in check.

Qul'dan picked himself up, rubbing his face and the large boot print that was now on it. He saw Alaric standing in front of Kra'vyx who, gasping for much denied breath, was being fretted over by Ly'enta and being joined by Fel'tak and Mal'fax.

The grin on his face reappeared.

"Get Kra'vyx away from here." Alaric growled to Mal'fax, who nodded and dragged his friend away. "This bastard is mine!"

"Now this is a fight I will enjoy." Qul'dan said, bringing his wristblades to bear. "Come on ooman! Time to join your whore of a mate!"

"Qul'dan!" Mal'kah shouted, picking himself up. "Don't encourage him!"

It was too late. That one slur against Alaric's deceased wife was all that it took to send him over the edge. Alaric gave out a loud, rage filled roar and charged at Qul'dan who was bracing himself with glee.

Alaric reached within striking distance of Qul'dan's blades and Qul'dan struck. He thrusted with his blades but somehow Alaric slipped right between them and Qul'dan received an elbow right between the eyes. Qul'dan was knocked back by that, clutching his face. Alaric then gave a volley of punishing kicks, landing with violent thumps onto Qul'dan's armour. He then finished up with a backwards flip, connecting a boot to Qul'dan's chin and staggering the brawler.

Mal'fax gestured to Fel'tak and Ly'enta to help him and they all carried Kra'vyx to the shelter of a stack of crates. They saw that Mal'kah was getting to his feet and was backing off to a safe distance. Not that anyone would blame him.

Qul'dan was weathering the punishment, despite his armour starting to get buckled and the number of blows to the face. He only laughed at Alaric's attempts to kill him. Alaric brought his axes towards Qul'dan's head, intending to decapitate the yautja. Qul'dan effortlessly blocked them with his wristblades, sparks erupting as they struck.

"Surprise!" Qul'dan shouted, before head butting Alaric in the face.

Both of them reeled back from that, Qul'dan from unknowingly smashing his head against the hardened metal plate and Alaric from the migraine that followed. Alaric wasted no time, forcing the pain back before resuming his attack with a roar. He delivered slash to Qul'dan's chest, slicing through armour and into flesh. Qul'dan replied by kicking at Alaric in the chest with his leg with enough force to send Alaric several feet from him and onto his back before quickly rolling back to his feet.

Alaric charged back into the fight.

However, he was about to learn something the hard way.

Qul'dan, as it turned out, had already planned for his encounter with Alaric. Unknown to Alaric, Qul'dan had been issued a special, if somewhat dangerous, cocktail of stimulants and biological enhancers made especially for fighting Alaric.

When he questioned his lord about what it was made from, he was simply told that it is like 'using Alaric's own blood against himself'.

Rage Serum, as it was aptly dubbed.

And Qul'dan, hungry for the power within it, wasted no time in using them.

Hitting a button on his wristpad, the cocktail was injected directly into his bloodstream via injector implants. Instantly, from the stimulants that leeched into his body and amplified all of his biological functions, his muscles bulged, his senses were heightened and the world slowed down. Alaric even in his Rage mode now looked like he was moving at normal speed.

And Qul'dan, who's eyes flashed into a fierce venomous green, was the one who was blurring as he counterattacked.

Alaric was smacked across the face and then punched in the gut before he knew what hit him, sending him through the air and crashing into the snow. He wasted no time picking himself up and charging back, Qul'dan intentionally letting him get close. Alaric gave out a series of fierce slashes with his axes and Qul'dan in his heightened state was dodging and parrying everything that Alaric was doing.

The initiates watched as Qul'dan was evading everything that Alric was unleashing with complete surprise and confusion. That hulking monster of a yautja was nasty enough but now he was like a demon from the depths of hell.

Mal'kah watched on from the side with aanticipation.

Qul'dan, he thought. Don't toy with him!

Qul'dan smashed the axes out of Alaric's grip, the two ornate implements skidding over the snow, and proceeded to pummel the life out of him. Qul'dan landed a few jarring blows to Alaric, sending him off balance before smashing him to the ground. Alaric sensing the sudden change in Qul'dan's strategy, barely managing to evaded the wristblade driving down to his head. He rolled out of the way, the blade bitting deep into the ground and Alaric gave a fierce kick to Qul'dan's face before rolling himself to his feet. Qul'dan wasn't affected by that and he ripped his wristblade out of the ground and charged at Alaric who quickly resorted to the defensive.

Both fighters were now nothing but blurs as they fought. The sounds of blows impacting armour and flesh sounded between them. But Qul'dan was the quickest as Alaric was slowly but surely being beaten down. But Alaric would not falter.

It was evident that while the Rage gave Alaric the edge in fighting a yautja, a yautja with the Rage coursing in it's veins was nigh unstoppable. Qul'dan was faster and more stronger then Alaric, even in his Rage state, who was unable to reach for his great axe to even the fight.

Qul'dan was getting more ecstatic as Alaric was getting more and more beaten up but was defiantly holding on, his Rage just managing him to hold on.

Qul'dan enjoyed the fact that Alaric was holding out for so long. Now, he decided to take the fun to a higher level. And started by momentarily lowering his guard

Alaric, instinctively sensing a gap in Qul'dan's defence, attacked with give a fierce punch to Qul'dan's face followed by a double roundhouse kick, each connecting with a satisfying crack. Qul'dan weathered the blows and a grin broke out on his face.

He had let Alaric get close.

"Ooh, the Slayer is playing rough!" Qul'dan shouted before brutally smashing Alaric hard into the ground with a backhand swipe. "Just how I like it!"

Qul'dan grabbed Alaric by the hair and yanked him off the ground. Alaric was like a cat being thrown about from it's armpits by a small child. Qul'dan slammed him into the ground, a cloud of snow erupting around him, Alaric just barely managing to land on his hands and feet, absorbing the shock through his limbs before Qul'dan swung him over his head. Qul'dan swung Alaric around for a few cycles, slamming him into the ground with loud thuds a few times before hurling him like a bola into a large stack of crates. Alaric crashed into the crates with a roar, muffled by the loud crash of metal against metal and clattering of ore as the whole stack collapsed around him in a cloud of snow.

"Bullseye!" Qul'dan yelled out in victory.

Mal'kah spoke out now that Alaric was temporally incapacitated.

"Qul'dan, hurry up and finish him off!" he ordered.

Qul'dan shot him a defiant glare.

"I've waited a long time for this moment!" he shouted back. "Stay the fuck out of my fight!"

"Qul'dan, don't let him tap in!"

The crate wreckage at that point started to rumble and then something surprising happened. Alaric let out a load roar as he erupted, battered and bleeding from the debris in a flash, sending scrap flying in all directions. Qul'dan was taken back at first but then laughed in delight.

"So you want some more?" he questioned, as Alaric charged at him. "Fine, I can spare some more!"

Alaric roared inhumanly loud as he jumped into the air, both feet aiming for Qul'dan's face like before but Qul'dan reacted with lightning speed. He grabbed Alaric by his boots and slammed him hard into the ground before hurling him into the wall were the APC was embedded. Alaric connected to the rock wall on his back with a loud crack of bone and a loud yell from his lungs before he landed in a heap to the ground.

His landing was enough to make the initiates cringe. Mal'kah himself even flinched. An impact like that would have surely knock Alaric's skeleton out of alignment and, judging by the unnatural angle one of his arms, it positively had.

Qul'dan charged at Alaric roaring loudly and, just as Alaric got to his knees, smashed him into the wall a second time, embedding him several inches into the rock and causing hairline fractures to spread like a wildfire. Qul'dan then ripped Alaric out of the wall, blood seeping from his cut and battered body, before hurling him to the opposite wall by the ice tunnel. Alaric flew like a rag doll, his limbs flailing before hitting the wall with a sickening crack before landing in a heap. Alaric coughed up blood violently, cracking bones back into position as he barely managed to heave himself up as Qul'dan raced up towards hims.

Qul'dan smashed Alaric to the ground, before rearing up his foot for a crushing stomp. Alaric, as best as his battered head would allow, looked around for a weapon of some kind and he found a sharp shard of metal. No doubt from his explosive entrance from the refinery before. This was his chance to inflict some real damage on Qul'dan and he wasn't to waste it. He rolled hard and fast, Qul'dan's foot impacting the ground with a loud thump. Alaric grabbed the shard and stabbed it deep into Qul'dan's knee, hopping to sever the tendons and render his leg useless. The shard penetrated the armour and speared right through Qul'dan's knee. Alaric twisted the fragment trying to maximise damage as Qul'dan bent down.

Qul'dan simply chuckled as he reached down.

Qul'dan finally managed to get his claws around Alaric's neck, his wristblades retracting before picking Alaric up like a rag doll and ramming him brutally hard into the wall. Alaric let out a loud roar as the air was smashed out of his lungs. Even under the Rage and having exceptionally high pain suppression, the punishment at the hands of the Rage enhanced Qul'dan was crippling Alaric badly. Keeping Alaric pinned, he reached down and tore the shard from his leg, blood seeping out and the bleeding stopped within a few seconds. Alaric tried to reach for his great axe on his back but Qul'dan beat him to it. Qul'dan grabbed his hand and wrenched it down hard before lifting the weapon from it's holster.

"You want this?" Qul'dan asked, before dropping it at his feet. "Well, you can't have it!"

Qul'dan then proceeded to give Alaric the headache of the century by punching him in the face repeatedly.

The initiates could only watch in horror as Alaric was having the life beaten out of him. Ly'enta wanted to rush out to help Alaric but Mal'fax grabbed her shoulder and shook his head at her. In truth, despite their intentions, there was nothing that they could do to help Alaric now and if they did, they would only get in the way and prolong this torture. Kra'vyx, struggling to get on his elbows watched on and was defiantly trying to shuffle over, despite his own injuries and being restrained by Fel'tak.

Mal'kah was observing from the sides, patching up his wounds and watching as Qul'dan was taking his time in killing Alaric. He saw that Qul'dan was dragging this fight as long as he wanted, fulfilling his overdrawn urge for combat.

Like a predator toying with it's prey.

Deep down, Mal'kah wasn't approving of this. Not that he wouldn't follow his Lord's orders, but turning the fight into sadistic torture was against the hunter's code. No better then a badblood's level.

Qul'dan, enough of this!, Mal'kah urged in his mind. Finish him off before his power awakens!

Qul'dan, however, had no intention of finishing Alaric off yet.

"This stuff is amazing!" Quld'an shouted in praise while punching Alaric in the face repeatedly. "I feel like Cetanu himself!"

He stopped punching Alaric momentarily, finishing with an lung emptying punch to the gut so that he could gloat. Alaric shook his head and coughed up blood, trying to blot out the pain and dizziness. Blood was streaming from his chest and nose and mouth, cuts were littering his face and arms and his warpaint was now so smudged that it was indistinguishable from the bruising forming around his face. But, miraculously, nothing other then a few ribs were broken, a twisted arm and several joints sprained. His eyes however showed just how weak he was becoming. His eyes were no longer crimsons orbs but his irises were still shining showing that he was just barely keeping his rage under control.

The blood stopped flowing from his nose within a few seconds.

"Your bloodline's power is amazing." he told Alaric, gloating over his supposed victory. "How ironic that even you, yourself, can't handle it."

Alaric grunted as he defiantly tried to dislodge Qul'dan's iron grip.

What do you know of my Bloodline? Alaric thought in his oxygen starved brain. How did you even learn to use the Rage?

"Look at you. Just like you were one year ago: A weakling!"

"Says the coward who would kill innocent children?" Alaric coughed back.

Qul'dan closed his grip even tighter, choking Alaric and lightly crushing his windpipe.

In his mind, Alaric could hear his family's screams and the insane laughter at their torturous demise.

Qul'dan then held Alaric by the neck with one hand, slid him further up the wall, rocks digging into Alaric's back, while he withdrew back the other. Qul'dan clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking and his wristblades extending, glinting with murderous intent.

"My Lord will reward me greatly for this." Qul'dan cackled with confidence before driving his blades forward. "Time to die, Slayer!"

Qul'dan nearly had ran Alaric through with his blades if not for a welcome piece of divine intervention. A shot was heard coming from the refinery and the next thing that happened was Qul'dan's wristblades just exploded into a hail of shrapnel.

Qul'dan's fist stopped just centimeters from Alaric's gut as the blade itself tumbled to the ground.

Another shot was heard and his other set of wristblades exploded. Alaric didn't even flinch and Qul'dan watched as his favourite weapons fell apart from his arms as twisted scrap.

"What the?" Qul'dan sputtered.

Alaric looked up to the refinery where the shots were heard from, as did Mal'kah. The initiates looked up also and they saw Alaric's rescuer.

Up on a refinery balcony, resting on the rail, was the reflecting light coming from the barrel of anti material rifle and the cloaked marine who wielded it.

"Sergei!" Alaric choked.

The russian archangel was up on the balcony, looking down his scope and hidden under his cloak. He casually and fluidly worked the bolt on his rifle, the spent shell pinging out before readying for his next shot.

"Now the odds are even!" Sergei shouted back, cocking his rifle. "Get him, Reaper!"

Mal'kah located Sergei on the balcony and his plasmacaster locked into firing position. Sergei saw the veteran take notice of him through his scope and was already planning on relocating from his position as he heaved his rifle up.

"Time to pluck this angel's wings." Mal'kah growled slipping on his mask.

The tri-sight homed in on Sergei, who had now lowered his rifle. Sergei cursed in russian as he saw the sights home on his head and the plasmacaster charge up.

"Sergei, get out of there!" Alaric called out, before being smacked against the wall by Qul'dan.

Mal'kah fired a shot at Sergei. The Archangel ducked in time and the wall behind him blew up in a flash of blue and twisted metal. Sergei grunted as the shockwave and bits of red hot frag went erupting around him, tearing his cloak to shreds.

Mal'kah fired more shots at the Archangel and Sergei sprinted across the deck, dodging plasma bolts by an inch and getting more cut up by flying shrapnel. Mal'kah then proceeded to hunt down the sniper, giving a flourish with his sickles and giving chase.

Alaric resumed his struggle against Qul'dan who had now returned his attention. He grunted as he decided to change his method of death dealing.

"Fine, I won't gut you like a pig." he corrected, tilting his eyes back to Alaric. "I'll crush the life out of you, like an insect under my foot, instead."

Alaric had to get out of this death grip immediately. And he had to get out now.

Focus, Alaric thought before shutting his eyes and reciting a prayer. Ancestors of the hallowed past, give me the strength to defeat the enemy of our clan.

Sergei jumped down from the balcony as the last section of wall exploded. Rolling onto the ground to absorb the fall, Sergei got to his feet in a snow cloud and aimed his rifle at Mal'kah. He managed to get one shot off, Mal'kah narrowly dodging the shot with scrapped his left pauldron deepy before charging at Sergei, roaring loudly. Sergei ditched his rifle and drew his shashka sword and lowering himself into a defensive stance.

Blades clashed and sparks flew as the two combatants met. Mal''kah was surprised when Sergei's sword had withstood his sickles. Sergei quickly maneuvered around Mal'kah's attack, resorting to speed and skill to over come the veteran's superior strength. Mal'kah gave off disciplined strikes which Sergei narrowly managed to evade or block. Sergei counterattacked when he could with focused stabs or swipes, but he was not the close combat specialist that Alaric was. He was trained for long range shooting and sniping, not close quarters.

Oomans replicated God-Forged blades? Mal'kah thought with genuine surprise. Inferior make but commendable none the less.

He then heard fast and almost silent steps running towards him from behind. Turning his head, Mal'kah saw the shining curved blade of a katana and the archangel who wielded it. He raised his second sickle and parried the blow in a shower of sparks.

"About time, Mac!" Sergei said, maneuvering around Mal'kah to attack.

Mac didn't say anything, his attempted silent kill foiled and was now concentrating on a stand up fight. Mal'kah flourished his sickles at Mac, the archangel nimbly dodging and counterattacking. Sergei charged in to support his comrade.

Impressive, Mal'kah thought. These Archangel oomans are more worthy then I first thought. And I never thought I would fight another Samurai again.

Qul'dan kept Alaric in his grasp, watching as the veteran took on the two spec ops marines. He didn't mind this intrusion too much, as it meant new playthings for him to break. Alaric was still struggling to get free and Qul'dan occasionally smacked him against the wall to silence him.

Sergei and Mac were holding their own against Mal'kah, managing to evade or block his attacks. Mal'kah was content in testing their capabilities. He would attack one or both of them to test each of their skills in movement, evasion and hand eye coordination.

Despite their courage and extensive combat training, the two archangels could only hold out for so long against the more stronger and experience veteran hunter.

Mac, after countering a diagonal swipe from a sickle, was smacked hard from a backhand, flying through the air for a few feet before into a stash of crates, causing them pile to collapse on him as he gave out a yell. Sergei attacked Mal'kah while his back was turned, hoping to run him through the heart. Mal'kah fluidly evaded the attack, before driving his elbow into Sergei's back, sending the archangel into the snow. Sergei cursed in russian as he recovered to see Mal'kah rearing up at him. Before he could dodge, Sergei had his sword swatted hard from his hand before being grabbed around the neck and then thrown hard into the ground.

Sergei barely had time to roll out of the way as Mal'kah stabbed the ground just inches from his head. Sergei drew his knife from his shoulder scabbard and jabbed into Mal'kah's armour, managing to slip in between the armour plates protecting his right arm. The blade dug deep into Mal'kah's bicep and Sergei twisted the blade. Mal'kah grunted, suppressing the pain.

Mal'kah grabbed Sergei's hand and pulled the knife out with one fluid motion, dislocating the russian's wrist with a crack. Mal'kah then grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the ground again and heaving him up and over his head, throttling the archangel.

Qul'dan saw that Mal'kah had this sudden variable under control and resumed his torture, and soon to be execution, of Alaric.

"You should've heard your son squeal like a stuck pig." Qul'dan said, tauntingly. "I wonder what your second pup would've squealed like? Had it been born."

Alaric strained even harder, his anger at this point burning through his body, even further at those words against his family until something in his mind awoke. Something locked away within him, his whole bloodline. It was the fire in his blood as was normal whenever he went into Rage. But it felt stronger. More purer then before. He could feel it fill up his whole body, granting new strength and his senses felt like they were awakening to a level they never reached or even thought existed.

Then he heard whispers inside his head. Chanting to be precise, by voices he had never heard in his life and they were speaking in the Slayer tongue. And as the chant was getting louder and more clearer, Alaric understood what the chant was.

He read about it in his tome covering the battle hymns and prayers of his clan but had never used it.

The chant of inner power.

His ancestors, if that what the voices were, may have answered his prayers.

Alaric's eyes opened as the chanting ceased and they surged once more into crimson orbs. Qul'dan gave an excited cackle as his fun was going to keep resisting. But Alaric didn't didn't stop there as he was being smashed into the wall. After a minute of intense struggling, rock breaking, and Qul'dan gloating, Alaric underwent another transformation as he suddenly went calm, breathing growl-like breaths. His eyes were actually starting to glow with an intense bio-luminescent ferocity slowly but surely. It was like his eyes were aflame. And if one looked closer enough, the light withing his eyes was like the auroras in the night sky.

That was the first sign that Qul'dan saw as he stopped smacking Alaric against the wall.

"What the?" Qul'dan said in surprise.

He then paid sight of Alaric's face and he saw strange white glowing lines, like tattoos and yet not, appear in an intricate network of lightning arcs and sweeping curves in his skin, flowing from his eyes and covering his entire face before leeching down his neck. Like a mask of archaic primal design, not unlike his warpaint, had bled into Alaric's face. Alaric then grabbed a hold of Qul'dan's hands while the yautja was distracted and started to pull. Qul'dan shook out of his stupor, noticed what he was doing and was applying more strength into throttling Alaric.

But something was wrong.

Somehow, against all logical thinking, Alaric was getting stronger. Even with the serum coursing in Qul'dan's body, Alaric was slowly overpowering him.

"What... What is this?" Qul'dan stammered as he saw the lines pulse down Alaric's arms.

Alaric had by now managed to loosen Qul'dan from his neck, opening up his airways for precious oxygen to flow down and was able to say what he had been trying to say since Qul'dan first started choking him.

"Get... ...the fuck... off!" Alaric roared in a voice that didn't seem human.

Or even his own.

Alaric got his leg between himself, boot to Qul'dan's chest and with a hard forceful shove, Qul'dan lost his grip on Alaric's neck and was sent rolling onto his back a dozen meters away. Alaric landed nimbly on his feet.

Mal'kah turned his head in the direction of Alaric's roar, ignoring his throttling of Sergei, and his eyes went wide when he saw Alaric.

By the gods, Mal'kah thought. Qul'dan, you idiot!

Sergei, following Mal'kah's gaze, saw Alaric and his eyes went wide. Having fought alongside Alaric during many missions for most of Alaric's career, he knew what Alaric was capable of.

But he, nor anyone else, had never seen Alaric like this before.

"I think your friend has pissed Alaric off to the next degree." Sergei choked

Mal'kah tilted his head back to Sergei.

"Evidently, yes." Mal'kah agreed. "I think a safer distance is required."

Malkah went about taking Sergei off, still in his iron grip, to a safe distance just as Mac came round. The Archangel groaned as he heaved a crate fragment off his head and body and he saw Alaric in his new state. He couldn't help but let a few choice japanese words slip his mouth before barricading himself within the rubble.

The initiates' reaction to Alaric's sudden change were of confusion. Alaric, despite all the crippling punishment he had been taking, had suddenly shoved Qul'dan back like flicking an annoying insect off your arm.

Qul'dan picked himself up from the ground. Unlike every one who was in a combination of awe and perplexity, Qul'dan was one of excitement.

"So you do have some fight left!" he shouted in glee. "Come on then, Slayer! Let's fight!"

Alaric just stood there, panting heavily as he reached for his great axe by his feet. But rather oddly, instead of taking it up, he just tossed it to where his other axes were laying, landing with a loud clatter before walking directly to Qul'dan, taking a slow and calm pace. His eyes and the lines on his body surged with inner power.

In Alaric's heightened senses, he saw something else. On Qul'dan's forehead, appearing to burn into his flesh, was a glowing rune. His family's rune. The indicator of the Marked.

"Hand to hand?" Qul'dan asked, cracking his knuckles. "Fine by me!"

Qul'dan didn't wait to think out his attack as he charged at Alaric with a loud roar.

Alaric, for a lack of a better word, blipped out of existence as Qul'dan tore right past him. Qul'dan skidded to a halt in confusion, turning his head back to see Alaric standing right where he was with his back to him.

Qul'dan was stupefied as to what just happened and he was more stupefied when Alaric turned his head towards him. Qul'dan saw the cuts and bruises on Alaric's face and arms knit with disturbing speed. and fade and the blood that seeped from his wounds just stopped bleeding.

Qul'dan, casting his puzzlement aside, charged at Alaric once more. He punched out for Alaric's head and once again Alaric blipped again and Qul'dan skidded to a stop again. Qul'dan then turned and charged him for a third time, only for Alaric to faze out and to reappear in the air right by Qul'dan's head with a leg coming down for him. Alaric's boot connected to the back of Qul'dan's head with a loud crack, sending the yautja face first in the snow. Alaric then grabbed Qul'dan by the leg and tossed him away into a wrecked truck with a loud crash.

Qul'dan picked himself up, holding the back of his head and shrugging off the concussion that was swelling in his head. He looked back at Alaric and saw him walking towards him, the lines on his body and his eyes surging with light.

"Are you a fucking ghost!" Qul'dan shouted. "Why can't I hit you!"

Qul'dan looked at the snow from where he was before his sudden flight and he saw what was really happening. There were footprints where Alaric was walking, and saw that there were steps out of line where he once stood, indicating that he was in fact dodging out of the way. Alaric was dodging so fast it was like he wasn't moving at all to the naked eye or even to Qul'dan's enhanced vision and reflexes.

"So, you're fast all of a sudden." Qul'dan said, reaching for a steel girder that was in the trucks load pad. "But you're still frail as any ooman!"

Qul'dan swung the girder to Alaric's head with a load roar of exertion and Alaric did something unexpected. He brought his right forearm up to block the girder and with a loud metallic thump, the girder was stopped in its tracks and had bent out of shape slightly. No damage to his arm was received, even though his gauntlet had buckled completely, as Alaric eyes flashed intensely and he wrestled the girder from a shocked Qul'dan's grip.

"You want this?" Alaric asked, quoting what Qul'dan said with his axe. "Have it!"

He then proceeded to beat Qul'dan senseless with it. The first and only blow smacked Qul'dan to the left like a baseball in a major league game, the big yautja landing face first in the snow and skidding for a few feet.

Mal'kah sighed saw he saw Qul'dan feebly move his limbs. Sergei watched on, letting out a long whistle of surprise.

Qul'dan, you just had to draw it out too long, the veteran thought. Oh well, as the ooman saying goes: You made your bed, sleep in it.

Alaric tossed the even more bent girder away over his shoulder, the slab of metal thumping into the snow and paced over, his eyes and the lines on his body flashing more intensely.

Qul'dan heaved himself onto his knees. He shook his head a few times to shake off the concussion from the impact. He looked up to Alaric who was coming closer and closer.

How has he gotten this strong in such short time? He thought. It's not possible! Gotta kill him now!

Qul'dan heaved himself up, cracking some bones back into place as he got to his feet. The look of anger in his face was evident.

"Thats it!" Qul'dan shouted. "No more games! You die now, Slayer!"

Alaric merely cracked a grin.

"You cannot defeat death." He said, his voice resonating. "Death is what all life meet in the end."

Qul'dan readied himself, cracking his knuckles and his neck.

"Then get ready to meet yours!" he roared before charging.

Alaric caught the oncoming punch with one hand, skidding back as Qul'dan pushed him along. Alaric then braced himself, his boots digging into the ground and they came to a skidding halt. Qul'dan punch out with his other fist and Alaric grabbed that as well.

Alaric, in a feat of great finesse and skill, did a backwards flip and kicked Qul'dan in the jaw with a loud bone fracturing crack. And he followed up a punishing downwards kick at the back of Qul'dan's head.

Qul'dan hit the ground again, clutching the back of his head and rolling to one side.

"What is this?" Qul'dan sputtered, scrambling to pick himself up. "How did you get such power!"

Alaric didn't answer as he picked Qul'dan over his head and hurled him into the APC with a roar. Qul'dan crashed inside and Alaric blurred right inside after him. Several loud metallic clashes were heard resonating from within. From something large being rammed against the APC's superstructure, causing the vehicle to rock from side to side. Qul'dan could be heard shouting from within, indicating that he was the one being pummeled. With a yell from Alaric, Qul'dan went flying back out, looking more beat up then he did when he went flying in.

Qul'dan landed in a heap and scrambled to his knees as Alaric stepped out of the APC, the glowing lines and eyes making him out as some kind of otherworldly being. Like an angel from the heavens or a demon from hell.

In fact, what Qul'dan saw in his battered head was something disturbing. Instead of Alaric, in his place was a yautja warrior clad in jet black armour with glowing runes of unknown dialect burning like stars, archaic but yet incredibly advanced. Covering the armour was robes that seemed to have been made from the void of space itself. The eyes of the mask on the yautja's face were like balls of crimson flame.

Qul'dan could think of only one person who this could be. It was a figure who was prominently featured in the yautjan pantheon.

Cetanu! Qul'dan thought. No! He's gonna get my soul!

The visage suddenly dissipated and Alaric was into view once more, still pacing towards him. Qul'dan was somewhat confused from the sudden change in his vision. He concluded it was just the concussion making him hallucinate, but it was still unnerving.

Qul'dan watched from the ground and saw that Alaric was veering off, heading for the ice tunnel. Alaric has going to retrieve Qul'dan's intact wristblades.

Qul'dan saw his chance and he ran towards Alaric as fast as his battered body would let him. Alaric might have heard Qul'dan thundering behind him but he didn't react to it as he stooped by the blades.

Qul'dan managed to grab Alaric from behind as he was about to reach down, into a bear hug.

"I gotcha now!" Qul'dan cackled as he started to squeeze. "I'm gonna pop you like a zit!"

Alaric didn't say anything as he slowly but surely forced Qul'dan's arms off. Qul'dan frantically tried to keep Alaric in his grip but Alaric wasn't having any of it. Alaric managed to wrench one of his arms free and then drove it backward right into Qul'dan's gut. Qul'dan felt it right through his armour, nearly knocking the wind out of him. Alaric then raised the ante by smashing blow after blow into Qul'dan's gut. Qul'dan could only take them with eyes bulging as he tried not to lose his grip, and his breath. Alaric was building up more and more power with each thump and Qul'dan was struggling even to stand at this pace. But there was only so much punishment that anyone could take. With one last pile-driving blow, Qul'dan lost his grip and fell backward, gasping and retching for breath and eyes ready to pop out of his skull..

The damage to his armour spoke for his damage internally. The armour protecting his abdomen had now been completely caved in, reduced to a pulverised mass of metal that fell apart when he hit the ground.

Alaric turned to Qul'dan, his eyes surging and the lines on his body pulsing as Qul'dan got to his knees. Alaric then delivered a sweeping kick to his gut, sending him away a few feet and once more into the ground in a heap. He then bent down and picked up the blades, slipping them into his belt.

Qul'dan heaved himself to his knees again, coughing up blood and the contents of his stomach with a loud vomiting retch. He coughed and sputtered, looking at the glowing splatter in the disturbed snow and he could see that the bleeding wasn't stopping as quick as before as blood continued to trickle from his mouth. Qul'dan eye's widened with horror as he realized what was happening to him.

His body's immune system was starting to counteract the serum and it was now starting to lose it's effectiveness and with it, his heightened abilities.

Not good, he thought. Gotta kill him now!

Qul'dan riled himself and he charged back at Alaric as he unleashed a lightning fast barrage of blows to Alaric. Alaric blipped out of the way out of each and every one and reappeared behind Qul'dan. Qul'dan didn't stop to think as he lunged at Alaric. Alaric evaded the increasingly clumsy attacks, responding with a calculated kick or punch that was more intended to psych Qul'dan out.

It would seem that Alaric, in an act of cruel irony towards the sadistic brute, was now toying with Qul'dan. Mal'kah watching from the sides knew that.

Qul'dan, unknowingly to him, landed a few blows on Alaric. Alaric weathered each one before reversing the next attack, Qul'dan overreaching himself and then delivering a roundhouse kick to the face. Qul'dan staggered back a few paces, blood spraying from his face in a nice arc. Alaric then delivered a barrage of his own, smashing Qul'dan throughout his body before kicking his legs out from under him and piledriving his elbow into Qul'dan's face.

Qul'dan rolled to one side and, in an act of desperation, grabbed a syringe from a pouch on his belt. The syringe was full of the glowing lava like fluid that Alaric had been injected with that day. Alaric bent down to roll Qul'dan onto his back. Qul'dan lunged to his feet with his trump card and got Alaric right in the neck. The pain fluid surged into Alaric's body and Qul'dan started to cackle in supposed victory.

"Gotcha!" he shouted in supposed victory.

But something disturbing was happening. Alaric was not noticing that he had been spiked, not showing any pain in the slightest from his movements. He simply grabbed Qul'dan's hand, squeezing with enough force to relinquish his grip on the syringe and fracture a few bones with a loud crunch. Qul'dan grunted as he tried to prevent Alaric from getting free. Then Alaric wenched Qul'dans arm down hard with a loud crack of bone, followed by a knee into his already punished gut that brought Qul'dan to his knees as he pulled the syringe out of his neck.

"How! Why isn't the pain serum working!" he shouted, stifling back the pain. "Even you couldn't withstand it!"

Alaric grabbed Qul'dan by the dreadlocks and wrenched his head up to face him. Qul'dan could see Alaric tilt his neck, showing where Qul'dan jabbed him. Qul'dan's eyes went wide when he saw the serum literally being forced out of Alaric's body. The serum trickled down his neck, intertwining with the glowing lines on his neck in contrasting white and orange.

"Adapt or die." Alaric quoted before he smashed Qul'dan in the face with his knee.

Qul'dan fell backwards into the snow, clutching his face as more blood seeped profusely from his mouth. Alaric then drove a foot down towards Qul'dans head. Qul'dan managed to roll out of the way and then kicked out at Alaric. Alaric grabbed Qul'dan's foot and pulled hard, heaving Qul'dan off the ground before slamming him hard back down like a sledgehammer forcing down a spike.

Alaric reached for one of Qul'dan's pouches. He then grabbed whatever was inside and he showed it to the beaten up Qul'dan. Qul'dan's eyes went wide when he saw what it was. It was a vial of the pain serum. He struggled to get free as Alaric kicked his legs from under him, bring the yautja to his knees. Alaric then headbutted Qul'dan to the ground onto his back and Alaric then knelt down, grabbing Qul'dan's battered face.

"Open." he growled, popping the vial seal off.

Qul'dan kept his mouth shut and tried to force Alaric off him. Alaric dodged the blows without so much as flinching as he forced Qul'dan's mouth open. He forced the yautja's mouth open with such force that his jaw was cracking in it's joints. Alaric, to make sure it would stay open, thumped Qul'dan in the gut, making him yelp and opening his mouth. Alaric, faster then a naked eye could see, forced the vial's contents down the yautja's throat.

Qul'dan tried to vomit it back up but it was futile. Within moments, even breathing was causing unimaginable pain. Not even the last remnants of the rage serum could alleviate it.

Now anything that Qul'dan would do or receive would bring unimaginable pain. Nothing more then he deserves.

Alaric heaved him up and held him by the throat, holding high over his head and the yautja's feet leaving the ground.

"This is only a fraction of the pain you caused me." Alaric said. "And now, it will be paid in full!"

Alaric slammed Qul'dan hard into the ground with a loud thud and erupting snow before giving a fierce punch to Qul'dan's face. And in his heightened sight, Alaric saw something odd. A white mist evaporating out of Qul'dan's mouth, obscuring his head as he retched in pain.

Alaric didn't know what that mist was and, in his heightened state, he didn't care.

Qul'dan was then hurled onto the platform, blood trailing through the air and landed with a loud thump against the decking. Alaric drew Qul'dan's wristblades and then impossibly jumped high into the air right before him and drove a knee right into Qul'dan's back. Qul'dan gave out a loud roar of pain that echoed throughout the caves and possibly the entire planet.

Alaric got up and he saw that Qul'dan was trying to feebly crawl away and he wasn't having any of it.

"Oh no, you don't!" Alaric roared.

He raised the remnant's of Qul'dan's wristblades and with incredible power, he drove them right into Qul'dan's lower legs, one for each limb, piercing armour, flesh and bone, nailing the yautja to the deck. Qul'dan gave out a loud roar of pain as Alaric walked up. Alaric stood on Qul'dan's back before stomping his head into the deck and then, to make sure Qul'dan couldn't free himself, roughly grabbed Qul'dan's arms.

"This is for Sam and Ares." Alaric snarled as he got a good grip on Qul'dan's wrist's.

Alaric gave Qul'dan's arms a long hard tug, using his boots to hold down Qul'dan's head and back. Qul'dan thrashed around in desperation, fighting through the pain to get free but Alaric had Qul'dan right where he wanted him and he wasn't going to let him go.

Alaric pulled even harder, twisting Qul'dan's arms for greater leverage. The battered armour was creaking and starting to fracture from the strain.

Alaric's eyes and the lines on his face and arms glowed more intensely, like he was about to go supernova, as he pulled harder and harder. Bones were heard popping and cracking. Qul'dan was still defiantly trying to get free but Alaric was like pulling like a freight train hauling cargo. Blood was starting to seep from between the armour protecting Qul'dans fore arms. And bones were starting to crack.

"And..." Alaric said as he waited for the moment to come.

With one final tug and a roar of exertion, followed by a roar of pain from yautja, Alaric tore both of Qul'dan's arms out of their sockets at the elbows with a loud crack of bones in gore streaked arcs of green. However, due to the last remnants of serum coursing in his veins, the bleeding had stopped almost instantaneously. Alaric hopped off Qul'dan and held up the severed arms for the yautja to see.

"Pop goes the yautja." he finished with a rhyme.

Qul'dan saw his arms, limp and lifeless in Alaric's grasps.

"My arms!" Qul'dan shouted, watching his arms dangled lifelessly from Alaric's grip. He struggled to get his legs loose but they were nailed fast. "Do you know how much these arm's are worth, you bastard!" he cursed trying to get up.

Alaric in response did something surprising.

Alaric's eye reverted to normal, the lines on his face faded away and his hair dropped back down. He almost fell down from a sudden decrease in stamina but he defiantly stayed up.

"Now they're worth shit like the rest of you!" Alaric declared, chucking the useless appendages back to their owner.

Alaric panted as he hopped down from the platform, exhausted from coming down from his odd state of inner power as he half walked half staggered over to where his axes laid in the snow, rotating his aching shoulders. He picked up and holstered his hand axes before hefting his great axe onto his shoulder.

Mal'kah watched on as he still had Sergei up by his throat. He was speechless from what he just saw, the power that Alaric had within and had warned Qul'dan about. Sergei was just as speechless, having seen a human, if you could call Alaric that, dismember a yautja with his bare hands.

Alaric met eyes with Mal'kah with the intention of getting to him next.

Qul'dan tried in vain to pull his legs free but they were nailed fast to the decking and the serum was dissipating completely in his veins. He could feel himself getting weaker, coming down from his bout of augmented strength and was now barely capable of moving his limbs. He heard the thumping of boots approach his head and he looked up to see Alaric standing over him. Alaric had a look of disgust on his face and his eyes burned with vengeance as they flashed.

"You like being the conquerer, but how do you like being the conquered?" Alaric asked. "Do you like how it feels?"

Qul'dan continued struggling to get free.

"I wouldn't even bother killing a pathetic excuse of a warrior like you. But, since you took everything from me, I'll make an exception."

Alaric's eyes flashed. Qul'dan desperatly looked to Mal'kah for aid. Mal'kah only shook his head.

"By spilling the blood of the marked, the grudge is fulfilled." Alaric recited as he hefted his axe and raised it above his head.

Alaric would have dealt the killing blow, and bring peace a little closer, if not for a big problem.

A loud series of explosions were heard coming from inside the mines. The charges had detonated, hopefully collapsing the tunnel. A loud series of roaring screeches were heard soon after, as if the whole planet was reacting to the devastation. Alaric lowered his axe in realisation.

"Shit!" Alaric cursed as he looked at the timer on his wrist.

The timer read zero.

Mal'kah relinquished his hold on Sergei and looked all around him as the archangel landed on his feet. Mal'kah walked away from Sergei, heading over to Qul'dan.

"Looks like the bugs are pissed." Sergei coughed before shuffling to safety, reclaiming his sword.

Mac heaved himself to his feet, holding his head. He quickly got up and ran towards Sergei.

"We can't stay here." he shouted, picking up his katana. "We need to move now!"

Fel'tak and Mal'fax were heaving Kra'vyx to his feet as Ly'enta holstered his recovered kataras.

Alaric looked down at Qul'dan, who was still scrambling to get his arms with his stumps. Alaric then noticed something on his armour, one of the clasps that held the now ragged fur to his shoulders. A symbol what looked like an archaic yautja mask with a crown of spikes, possibly a clan glyph or a mark of allegiance.

Alaric's memory suddenly flashed as he remembered that one yautja who had brutally executed his father's squad. Perhaps, these events are related more then he thought.

Whatever the case, this was Alaric's chance to track down the rest of the Marked. Alaric reached down and clasped it.

"I'll take that." Alaric said, ripping the clasp off and taking a shred of fur with it.

Alaric then pocketed it in a pouch on his belt.

"I was going to kill you, avenge my family, but I think I'll let the bugs have you instead." Alaric told the yautja. "Either way, Death will take you in the end."

Alaric hopped off the platform and paced over to the initates. He shot Mal'kah a glare, subconsciously telling the veteran that they'll meet again. Mal'kah responded in kind as he hopped up onto the platform and examined the damage to Qul'dan's legs.

Alaric caught up to the initiates. The four of them were watching Alaric with uncertainty, after hat just happened.

"Come on, lets get you out of here." Alaric said to Kra'vyx.

"What about your vengeance?" Kra'vyx wheezed.

Alaric reached for his pouch and showed him the clan glyph clasp.

"Don't worry about that." he assured, putting it away. "I got it covered. Now lets get you to safety."

Helping Kra'vyx on his shoulder, Alaric lead the initiates to Sergei and Mac who were waiting at the refinery's entry, tending to their own injuries. Mac cracked Sergei's arm back into position with a grunt of displeasure coming from the russian.

Alaric stopped he turned back to Mal'kah who was preparing to free Qul'dan.

"We'll face each other again." he called out, catching their attention. "And I hope you'll fight with honour then cowardice!"

Alaric turned back and carried Kra'vyx to the refinery. Sergei walked up to him, tightening a compression bandage on his arm with his teeth.

"What the hell happened back there, Alaric?" Sergei asked, removing the bandage from his mouth. "What's going on with your body?"

Alaric didn't answer as he had a question too.

"Sergei, what are you two doing here?" Alaric asked. "Where's the Archangels?"

Sergei gestured them to follow him and Mac through the refinery.

"We were ambushed by patrolling bugs." Sergei explained. "They had no choice but to get back to the colony before they were overwhelmed. By chance, me and Mac was inside the refinery at the time and we elected to stay and meet up with you. They're readying the colony for any future attacks in the meantime."

"Then that means we do have a few stragglers out there." Alaric surmised before turning to Ly'enta and Kra'vyx. "Looks like you'll be getting your trophies soon." he said in yautjan before turning back to Sergei. "Did they get away?" he asked in english.

"Da. Sven had managed to get another truck moving. But we'll have to get back on foot Via the quickest route."

Mal'kah watched Alaric and his friends disappear into the refinery and went about pulling out the blades that were pinning Qul'dan down. He grabbed the first blade and gestured Qul'dan to brace himself.

"It would seem the primarch is more intelligent then we first thought." Mal'kah said. "It was waiting for us to bleed each other out before it makes it's move."

The first blade came out with a loud screech of metal and ruptured flesh. He placed the blade by his feet as he reached for the second. He found that the second blade was driven further then the other and it took a lot of force to pull it out. And it felt like it had gone clean through his bones too. Qul'dan stifled back the intense pain as Mal'kah finally pulled it out.

"This was exactly what I was talking about." Mal'kah explained, holstering Qul'dan's blades. "His inner power temporally emerged, but, no, you had to keep toying and goading him and now look at you.

Mal'kah helped the literally disarmed brawler to his feet and supported his weight on his shoulder. Qul'dan felt highly undignified and humiliated by his defeat at Alaric's hands. His injuries added extra sting. Mal'kah poked around in a pouch and pulled out vials of regen serum and pain inhibitors. He jabbed them Qul'dan's exposed chest, provoking a sharp hiss each injection.

"I could've had him" Qul'dan muttered. "I almost had him, but you saw, he took me by surprise."

Mal'kah sighed.

"Your ego and pride will mend." he halfheartedly assured. "For now, we must leave, observe and prepare for our next encounter."

Mal'kah carried a hobbling Qul'dan down the platform's ramp.

"Next time we fight him, he'll die for absolutely sure." Qul'dan declared, before losing his calm. "And I'll be the one to do it!"

He flinched from that outburst as the pain rose in his chest.

"Not if the Primarch beats you first." Mal'kah stated. "Now, we must leave."

Mal'kah carried Qul'dan to safety down the darkness of the tunnels, blood leaving a glowing trail behind them.

---

It turned out that the way that Alaric and co came to the refinery via the APC, much to their annoyance, was the much longer, but safer, route. And with the situation at hand, they couldn't afford to waste any time. The fastest and most direct route to the refinery was only negotiable on foot and was rife with hazards. Many areas and tunnels were nothing more but catastrophically tight squeezes between ice drifts, rock fissures, and ungodly ice caverns of razor sharp crystals. Other sections had been attempted to be reinforced in the past but in the end it only prolonged the inevitable collapse.

At least there was one respite and that was the xenomorphs wouldn't be able to follow them this way. Or so they hoped.

Many stretches seemed to be taking them higher and higher, causing them to think that they must be reaching the surface. But Sergei clarified that they were merely traveling though the mountains from which the colony was located under, much to their annoyance.

In fact, with so many tunnels littering this planet, there was no way that all of them were natural. Someone had to have hollowed them out.

Maybe the clan who had built that temple or the xenomorphs were responsible?

It was slow going, trying to get the initiates through these cramped areas, especially Kra'vyx in his battered condition who was now sedated to minimize injures from movement. Alaric was tempted to charge forth, hacking a clear path with his axes but was advised against it. The last thing they need is a shower of razor sharp ice or even the caves collapsing down on them.

But Alaric wasn't going to let any of them fall behind, taking the rear and watching their backs.

Traveling along one of the few spacious tunnels, questions were directed to Alaric. Everyone wanted to know what happened during his battle with Qul'dan.

"Alaric, what happened back there?" Sergei asked, pausing at a relatively more spacious area to let everyone else catch up. "What happened to you?"

Alaric merely shrugged at the question as he helped Ly'enta squeeze through a gap. He then helped Kra'vyx to Ly'enta while he helped Mal'fax get his bulk through

"I don't know what happened." Alaric bluntly said as he squeezed after her.

Everyone now took the chance to stretch their limbs for five minutes. Kra'vyx was seated against the cave wall and checked over by Ly'enta and Mal'fax while Fel'tak was busy stretching his back. Sergei and Mac took Alaric to the side out of the initiates' earshot.

"You don't know?" Sergei questioned

"I never felt anything like it before, so I can't compare it." Alaric stated.

Sergei rubbed his arm, still tender from when Mal'kah wrenched it out of it's socket.

"Wasn't it like whenever you go completely round the bend? It looked like it to begin with." Sergei compared.

"Vaguely." Alaric replied before thinking for a moment. "It was... more intense, purer or something."

Alaric tried to think of how to best describe what he felt.

"It felt like... I had the strength of many within me, or something." He postulated.

Sergei processed this information, not sure what to make of it. "Strength of many? So was it something psychological?"

Mac was thinking of his own explanation as Alaric talked, venturing into the mythical and supernatural when Alaric added another change he experienced.

"And I heard voices." Alaric added.

This caught both his comrades' attention.

"Voices?" Sergei asked. "Alaric, I think all that time you spend alone is starting to mess with your head."

"Not schizophrenia." Alaric clarified. "I was praying for strength against that bastard and I felt something... stir inside my head. Voices that spoke my family's language."

Mac processed this.

"You're saying that your ancestors were speaking to you?" Mac stated, which was relating to that he was thinking. "So, you were in a trance-like state?"

"I don't think that was what I was under. It was more of an... awakening." Alaric clarified.

"Then how does that explain those glowing lines that appeared on your body?" Sergei asked, pointing to Alaric's arms and face. "There's no way that could be psychosomatic."

"I don't know." Alaric shrugged. "But let's face it, if I didn't 'change' we would all be dead."

"Well, I hope we don't run into anymore fights. Not until we're back at the colony at least." Mac concluded.

"Yeah, my arm is still throbbing from that." Sergei added. "And we should keep moving. We get caught out here, we're dead."

With that, they walked back to the initiates. Alaric called to them to get Kra'vyx ready while Sergei moved to the front of the procession. The archangel moved up to a narrow tunnel and stuck his head through. He looked back to everyone after a few moments.

"I hope you lot are ready." Sergei said. "This next area is a bitch."

"How so?" Alaric asked.

"Well... you better suck in your gut and keep your head down." Sergei warned as he squeezed through and everyone else followed.

---

Reaching the halfway point, as indicated by signs of Sergei's previous navigational markings, they were now navigating their way through a cavern of low hanging stalactites and spires of stalagmites. It was like they were now suddenly in the maw of a gargantuan beast of rock.

Everyone had the hard task of staying low as they can to avoid any head injuries and not trip over and be impaled on spikes. While the Alaric and the Archangels merely stooped, the initiates were reduced to shuffling along like crabs. Kra'vyx was simply being dragged along as he dozed.

Sergei was up on point, guiding them through. He had left his anti-material rifle back at the refinery, not that it would be of use in these tunnels with it's long length and for the fact that it had been destroyed in the fight with Mal'kah. Mac opted to take his turn in the rear, much to Alaric's reluctance.

Progress was agonizingly slow, uncomfortable and nerve wracking. Extremely so because, against all logic, there was an incessant drip, dripping of water echoing around them.

"How the hell did you even manage to get through here, Sergei?" Alaric called, keeping low.

"Wasn't easy and I had plenty of head banging to prove it." Sergei answered, shuffling between two protrusions of rock.

A thud was heard from ahead and a curse from Fel'tak who had bumped his head again for the eighth time.

"Keep low." Alaric told him in Yautja

Fel'tak looked back at him, rubbing his head and a seething look on his face.

"Seriously, if I get any lower, I'll be dragging my face on the ground." Fel'tak said, rubbing his head.

Mal'fax laughed at that comment as he helped Kra'vyx through. Ly'enta followed suit.

"At least we won't hear you griping if that was the case." She said.

"Oh, ha ha ha. How original." Fel'tak mocked as he turned his head back forwards.

Another thump was heard as Fel'tak got up to stretch and hit another stalactite with an annoyed grunt.

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" He fumed. "Ask your archangel friend how far we've got, now!"

Alaric rolled his eyes.

"Sergei." He called out in English. "Fel'tak wants to know how much further till we're out of this cavern?"

It took a moment for Sergei to speak.

"We're reaching the end." Sergei pointed out. "Just round this next bend."

Alaric told Fel'tak the news and Fel'tak responded with a mixture of praise and griping. He ducked under another stalactite, mocked it, and then promptly walked into another. He cursed loudly, provoking a snicker from Mal'fax.

Sergei moved up and stuck his head around the bend, checking for any dangers. After he was sure that there was no threats, he signaled the others to follow him and they moved through the tunnel. Mal'fax helped Kra'vyx through while Fel'tak was busy stretching his limbs and nursing his bruised head, thankful to be out of those cramped spaces at last. Ly'enta followed through and Mac followed after her.

Alaric was about to move through when he paused. His ears twitched as he quickly turned his head back into the cavern, his eyes darting around and searching. He then cautiously reached for Razeal, like he was expecting something to emerge. Mac poked his head back into the cave when Alaric wasn't following.

"What is it, Alaric?" Mac asked.

Alaric, after a pause, relinquished his grip on Razeal. He still kept his eyes searching for anything.

"I thought I heard footsteps behind us." Alaric said softly.

Mac looked around the cavern, trying to see any signs of pursuit against them. He couldn't see any sign off being followed.

"Some of the Bugs following us?" He questioned.

"No. Didn't sound like bugs." Alaric answered. "We should keep moving."

Mac moved on and Alaric followed, giving one last look around before heaving himself through the gap. They had now left that ungodly restricting cavern and were back into a nice wide tunnel. No sooner did they leave than a dark figure slowly crept after them, dripping glowing blood.

---

After nearly another agonizingly slow hour of traversing difficult terrain, the group had now reached something awe inspiring. They were in a vast space that was set into a large fissure as vast and far as the eye could see. Almost like they were moving between tectonic plates. In front of them was an arcing bridge that was formed from the same reflecting ice as the caverns. This bridge was roughly the same size as the stone bridge leading to the hive. Light from surface, possibly the dawn, shone down, illuminating the bridge which sparkled and glistened like it was carved from diamonds.

No one had any idea how the ice had formed into a bridge spanning between the chasm walls. One assumption was that there was originally a layer of rock stretching from side to side and ice had accumulated on it over the centuries.

Looking up, through his mask's enhanced vision, Alaric could see that the blizzards had somewhat dissipated and there was now a light snowfall in place of a storm. Snowflakes drifted gracefully down the chasm. He then looked down and saw that the chasm, like the many others, seem to go far down into the planet further than the eye could see.

'Wel…'He thought as he removed his mask. 'At least the transmitter would get a better signal.'

"Where are we, Sergei?" Alaric asked, looking down the chasm as he holstered his mask.

"This is the only direct route back to the colony." Sergei explained. "Only four more kilometers after this."

"And by route, you mean an ice bridge over a bottomless pit with a chance of fracturing under our feet?"

"Don't worry, I navigated it myself." Sergei assured.

Sergei walked up to the bridge, stopping right at the edge where stone met ice.

"Providing you know where the weak spots are." He added under his breath.

Sergei then, somewhat gingerly, placed a foot onto the bridge, paused for a second and then slowly made his way onto the bridge. It was apparent that Sergei was treating the bridge with distrust as he carefully and methodically placed each step. After he had made some progress, he motioned everyone to follow.

"Take it slow and steady." He told them. "I've slipped enough times to know best."

Mac then stepped onto the bridge, following Sergei's path and trying his best not to look down. Ly'enta was hesitant in even laying one toe on the bridge. Mal'fax and Fel'tak were just as reluctant and were looking down the dark abyss, somewhat mesmerized by it.

"By the ancestors, it wouldn't surprise me if their hive was at the bottom of this abyss." Mal'fax surmised before steeling himself. "Fel'tak, help me with Kra'vyx."

Fel'tek looked down at the darkness below as he took Kra'vyx's free arm and help his friend onto his shoulder.

"Well, it would be kinda fitting if you think about." He pointed out. "Demons from the darkness of ages past."

"Shut up and get moving." Alaric urged, watching their backs.

He ushered the initiates to move on ahead, giving Ly'enta a reassuring nudge before moving onto the bridge as soon as they were a few paces away. Ever since the maw-like cavern, he had been constantly watching the rear. He had a feeling that they were being followed but he couldn't tell what was following them. Still, he knew in his gut that it wasn't good.

Taking weight into account, everyone kept a good distance of several paces from each other, aiming to spread the load as much as they could. They were also taking their footing into consideration, being careful not to slip and plummet into the darkness.

The bridge may look thick and sturdy enough to support them but ice is a fickle substance.

"Watch your footing." Sergei warned, as he carefully traced his steps. "Some parts of this bridge are unstable."

A loud crack was heard coming from Mal'fax as a large fracture snaked around his foot. He gingerly lifted his foot and stepped somewhere else, getting a more secure grip on Kra'vyx. Fel'tak was muttering to himself 'don't look down' repeatedly. Then he slipped on a slick spot and he fell to his knees. Mal'fax caught Kra'vyx in time while Fel'tak skidded to the edge and his head peeked over the edge.

Alaric paced over to his aid as Ly'enta reached for her whip.

"Don't look down." Ly'enta urged, flicking her whip to him

"Too late, I did." Fel'tak said, grabbing the whip and being pulled back to safety .

"Careful." Alaric cautioned, helping him up. "Don't rush anything. Step where Sergei steps and don't look down."

Their progress across the ice bridge was agonizingly slow as they stepped each pace with care. Sergei led them through this obstacle, delicately retracing on the route he had memorized from his past scouting. Every now and then, ice would crunch underfoot, causing everyone to stop in their tracks. They would then cautiously resume their hike at an even slower pace.

One wrong step and the bridge would collapse, taking them all into a dark cold death.

They had finally reached the middle of the bridge at the peak of arch when a loud crack was heard behind them causing them all to freeze, the blood rushing from their faces in shock. It came from behind them where Alaric was. None of them even moved an inch, not even to turn around when the ice gave off a smaller series of cracks.

"Alaric, did you just step on a weak spot?" Sergei asked, keeping calm.

"That wasn't me." Alaric said, reaching for his great axe. "We've got company."

They all hesitantly turned around and they saw someone unexpected.

Standing before them was the hunter who had fled during Alaric's rescue of the initiates. And it looked like he had taken the hard way following them. He was battered and bleeding from many cuts that littered his armor and flesh. It looked like he'd gotten on the bad side of either the planet, the xenomorphs or both.

From the limited ornamentation on his armor, this had to be Tan'kor's subordinate.

A large hairline fracture was under his feet, revealing him to be the culprit.

"Just when I thought I got them all." Alaric cursed.

The hunter removed his mask, revealing what looked like a wholly passive face, none of the usual intimidation that revolved around a hunter. He looked like he belonged in a library or a temple then on a hunt. His head was also odd is that he had a smaller then average head crest, reaching back to just half of his head.

The hunter then tossed his mask over the bridge, the piece of gear falling like a leaf in the wind.

"You have proven to be a great nuisance." He said in a soft but harsh tone. "No wonder He was so obsessed with your death."

"You're the one who fled earlier." Alaric concluded.

"You're very observant." The hunter mockingly applauded. "However, after some inner... reflection, I returned."

"Then you have a reason for being here? Other then bleeding out, of course."

"Obviously. I am here to make sure you won't survive past this point. These injuries are merely part off the price."

Alaric scoffed at the hunter's intentions. He couldn't believe that after how the hunter fled during the battle at the refinery that he would return to try again.

"You know full well what would happen if you fight me." Alric told him, hefting his axe onto his shoulder. "I suggest that you crawl back to your leader and return when you have the guts, and health, to fight me."

The hunter chuckled in disagreement before straining when his wounds bled more, dripping onto the ice and pooled around him. He coughed up blood before wiping his mouth.

"I can't do that." He said. "My lord... he would kill me."

"Mal'kah?" Alaric asked. "Obviously since Pinface is all in pieces."

The hunter shook his head.

"No... He who conquered Death." He corrected.

'He who conquered Death?' Alaric thought with curiosity. 'Is that he and Mal'kah's leader? And what does he mean 'He who conquered Death'?'

The hunter then pulled out a syringe filled with a crystal clear liquid. He evidently seemed hesitant to use it for some reason. He watched the light reflect off of the needle in thought and anticipation.

"I never wanted to do this... again." The hunter admitted. "But He assured redemption will be waiting for me when I succeed."

"Who?" Alaric questioned. "Who is He?"

He reached for the clasp that he took from Qul'dan. He showed the spike crowned mask emblem to the hunter.

"Is this related to him?" Alaric demanded. "Answer me!"

The hunter started to chuckle in a sinister tone. It was apparent that the hunter knew that the two were connected even if he didn't admit it.

"You are a fool. No one can stand against Him." He declared. "Not you, your ancestors, not even your entire bloodline!"

Alaric was taken back by the last words. His ancestors and his bloodline? Qul'dan had mentioned his bloodline during the gloating when he was getting the life pummeled out of him.

This whole ordeal and mystery was starting to be more complicated and Alaric, placing the clasp back into it's pouch, could no longer keep his anger in check.

"What do you know of my bloodline?" He shouted. "Answer me?"

The hunter then brutally jabbed the needle into his neck and squeezed. The mystery fluid went surging into his body. The hunter then withdrew the needle and tossed it down the chasm.

"More then you know." The hunter snarled.

It took a moment before whatever the hunter injected started to work. He started straining, recoiling, and doubling over as if in perceived pain as he grunted and growled.

Alaric was puzzled from this. What had the hunter injected himself with? He looked to the initiates for an explanation on this behavior and only got fear and dread in their eyes.

Sergei and Mac wasn't much help either, guessing in their heads that the hunter was undergoing some kind of biological reaction to whatever he injected.

Something about what the hunter did to himself was scaring the crap out of the initiates. And it was intensifying when the hunter was starting to make feral growls. His muscles started to twitch and veins started to protrude. He then drew a clawed hand across one arm, his talons digging deep into his exposed flesh and blood gushing from his self inflicted wound.

The initiates were now starting to back off, step by terrified step, as the growling grew louder and louder.

"Oh, no." Mal'fax said, dreading what he thought was going to happen. "He didn't..."

"Don't say it!" Fel'tak snapped.

The hunter at that point reared his head at them. And what they feared was a reality. His eyes were blacked over, the veins in his face were protruding and he gave out a long blood crazed, foaming at the mouth, feral roar that echoed throughout the chasm.

Like the planet itself sounded off.

"By the gods!" Ly'enta screamed.

"Hish!" Mal'fax cried.

"I hate it when you're right!" Fel'tak cursed.

Whatever was in the syringe that the hunter jabbed into his neck had activated his kill glands. These glands, located in the neck, when stimulated release hormones into the bloodstream which renders the recipient into a psychotic blood frenzy. Like the process of an adrenaline rush but only far more dangerous. If over stimulated, the Yautja degenerates into a feral bloodthirsty beast.

The latter had happened and now nothing would be able to snap him out of it. He would be a slavering homicidal maniac until killed.

This is one, if not the only, reason why berserkers were so feared by the Yautja.

Alaric stepped forward, readied his great axe, and placed his mask on his face. He had to settle this quickly.

"Get across the bridge and don't stop for anything!" Alaric shouted. "I'll handle this animal."

He then charged towards the feral Yautja, trying to keep as much space as he could between them and the hunter. Both combatants met with a loud crash of bodies.

Sergei and Mac knew at once what was happening, knowing from prior experience that it would be wise to give Alaric space in moments like this. They nodded to each other moved back to the initiates and ushered them to get across the bridge.

"Come on!" Sergei urged.

They both moved themselves between the initiates and Alaric, ushering them away.

Mal'fax continued to carry Kra'vyx who was now coming around and noticing what was going on. His eyes struggled to focus, going all tunnel vision and blurred on him, but he could just make out Alaric engaging the hunter.

"What... What's happening?" He wheezed.

Mal'fax looked down and saw that Kra'vyx had come round. How was he going to explain what was happening?

"Kra'vyx, stay calm." Mal'fax warned as gently as he could.

"What's Alaric fighting?"

"One of those hunter's we faced is back. And he's a Hish."

"H... Hish?"

"Stay calm and let Alaric handle it."

Alaric, in all his years, had never faced off against a hunter in a blood haze before. Every opponent he fought, beast or civilized, had a pattern or style of fighting, something that he could counter. This hunter was completely unpredictable, moving erratically and attacking like a storm.

Alaric was forced to use his axe much less then he hoped because if he missed the hunter and hit the bridge then the whole structure could shatter, sending them all into a dark cold plummet. He had to time his attacks carefully with absolutely no margin of error.

Alaric was soon struck across the face with enough force for his mask to be torn off and it went skidding across the side of the bridge and dropped off the edge.

"Thats it!" Alaric shouted. "You just pissed me off!"

Alaric dodged the next swipe and drove his axe shaft right into the hunter's face with a loud crack, stunning him for a single vital moment. Alaric then swung his axe hard, hoping for a clean kill. The hunter managed to dodge the attack, the axe head whizzing overhead and then charged for Alaric again. Alaric held back the Yautja with his axe as a barrier as they both grappled to keep or remove it, respectively.

A shot was heard and a bullet went whizzing past the hunter's head. Alaric looked back for a moment and saw that everyone was just watching from a distance and not heading over the bridge. Sergei had his sidearm, a heavy duty magnum revolver, drawn and was evidently trying to get another clean shot. Mac was even now drawing his own sidearm to assist.

"What are you doing?" Alaric shouted, shoving the hunter back. "Get across the bridge!"

That distraction would cost him.

The hunter slammed into Alaric with the force of a runaway truck, forcing him into the bridge and the worst thing happened.

Alaric's great axe went flying out of his grip, up over the hunter before embedding it's head into the ice bridge with a loud crack several feet away from them. The archangels and initiates took several frantic paces back as they saw cracks spreading like a spiders web from the blade. Alaric, struggling to keep the hunter at bay, looked at the cracks that spread like blood through the circulatory system under the two of them. And the sound of cracking ice was getting louder.

"Oh, shit." Alaric cursed as he scrambled to get clear.

Then the inevitable happened.

The section of the bridge they were grappling on collapsed with an almighty rumble and Alaric and the hunter slipped off the bridge. Alaric barely had time to grab hold of the fractured edge as the hunter was fanatically trying to pull him down with him by his feet. Alaric's great axe went falling down into the abyss below, whistling through the air. Alaric cursed aloud in fresh anger as one of his treasured possessions was swallowed up by the void.

"Get off my boot!" He roared kicking the hunter in the face.

Kra'vyx heaved himself off Mal'fax's shoulder and immediately tried to rush to his aid but Mal'fax grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Kra'vyx, no!" Mal'fax said. "It's too unstable!"

The ice bridge then cracked even louder, emphasizing his point. Great fracture lines were appearing in it's structure. Fragments started to chip off and more started to follow as Alaric struggled to both detach the frenzied hunter hanging from his leg, intent on taking Alaric with him and to pull himself up with one hand.

Sergei and Mac were backing off with the Russian lowering his magnum.

"Let me go, I can help him!" Kra'vyx shouted, trying to break free.

"Don't!" Fel'tak shouted, rushing over to restrain him.

Kra'vyx, despite his own injuries, managed to elbow Mal'fax in the face and broke free. He started staggered over towards Alaric as Mal'fax recovered but Fel'tak quickly grabbed him and pulled him back.

"Kra'vyx, don't kill yourself!" Fel'tak urged.

"We can't leave without him!" Kra'vyx cried.

Sergei nodded to Mac, they both ventured to the edge and they aimed their pistols. They fired at the hunter to try and knock him loose. Aiming was difficult from their vantage point and most of the shots went wide and the few that did impact did little to help Alaric in dislodging the hunter. And they were in no position to hope for a head shot.

"Can't get a clean shot!" Sergei cursed.

Alaric felt the hunter pull even harder, causing him to slip and was he now barely holding on with his fingers, which were already starting to slip. The damaged section of the ice bridge now gave off a loud series of cracks. Alaric followed the cracks that were snaking their way towards Kra'vyx and the others who were frantically backing off from the cracks.

Alaric, going through the options in his head, now understood what he had to do.

Either he falls or they all fall.

Alaric looked to the initiates and the archangels and he could see the desperate expression on Kra'vyx's face. This wasn't going to be easy.

He steeled himself as he made his choice.

"Run!" Alaric shouted as his eyes surged crimson.

With that, in a supreme act of self sacrifice, Alaric let go of the ledge. Kra'vyx fought at Fel'tak and Mal'fax, screaming and futilely trying to reach to Alaric as he plummeted down to the dark abyss, returning his attention to the hunter. The bridge let out a large crack and the large sections of ice snapped off completely, following Alaric and the hunter down below.

"Move!" Mac ordered, grabbing Ly'enta by the arm.

Mal'fax and Fel'tak heaved Kra'vyx away, the initiate still struggling in vain to follow Alaric, who had now vanished into the darkness. The marines and initiates ran across the ice bridge as it collapsed behind them. The fractures rushed after them with predatory intent and the ice collapsed behind them with increasing speed.

The ice further up the bridge was now starting to lose stability, causing the whole bridge to lose it's rigidity. Everyone now had to put everything into getting across in time. Mal'fax heaved Kra'vyx onto his shoulder, ignoring the initiate's protests and sprinted as hard as he could force his legs. The Archangels quickly and nimbly navigated their way across. Ly'enta was coping as much as she could without slipping. Fel'tak, in comparison, lost his footing several times and stumbled, furthering himself away from the rest.

They were now only meters from the end when the bridge finally collapsed.

"Jump!" Sergei yelled.

They barely managed to get across as the last of the bridge fell apart. Mac and Sergei vaulted off the ice and rolled to a halt followed by Ly'enta. Ma'fax heaved Kra'vyx off as he hopped off just as the last section collapsed. Fel'tak jumped as hard as he could on the falling ice, his arms, and legs flailing through the cold air and was rewarded by landing on his chest on the newly formed ledge. The breath was knocked out of his lungs and he scrambled for a secure hold, sliding back until his head and shoulders were above the ledge. Turning back, he watched as the large chunks of ice collided with each other on their plummet into the void.

Following Alaric to his fate.

"Bye, Alaric." He said as he pulled himself up.

Fel'tak frantically scrambled up the ledge, his feet clawing against the rock and ice face, to see Mal'fax trying to calm hysterical and grieving Kra'vyx down who was laying against the cavern wall and thumping it with his fists in emotion filled frustration. Sergei and Mac were bent over and panting hard, getting their breaths back and muttering in their respective tongues as they watched the Yautja bicker among themselves.

Fel'tak rolled onto his back and breathed a sigh of relief before picking himself up.

"Why didn't you let me help him!" Kra'vyx shouted, distress in his voice.

"Calm down!" Mal'fax ordered, trying to calm Kra'vyx down. "There was nothing we could do."

"There was and you wouldn't let me!" Kra'vyx objected before flinching in pain from his ribs.

"If you had tried, you would've ended up following him down there." Mal'fax stated, drawing a sedative.

Fel'tak walked over and sat down next to Kra'vyx, wiping the cold sweat from his brow.

"Kra'vyx, Alaric is gone." Fel'tak stated as Mal'fax tried to administer the sedative. "As much as I hate to say it, there is no way he could survive a fall like that."

"You don't know him!" Kra'vyx cried. "He survived that monster of a bad blood!"

Kra'vyx shoved Mal'fax's hand away from him.

"That's different from falling down a dark void with a Hish grappling him!" Fel'tak corrected.

Ly'enta was silent throughout this. Silently grieving over Alaric in her mind. The only indication of her feelings were simply rubbing her eyes to hide the tears. She was also whispering a desperate prayer for the gods to save Alaric.

"Ly'enta, you alright?" Mal'fax asked.

Ly'enta stopped whispering when she heard his voice.

"I'm fine." Ly'enta answered sharply before moving towards them.

Sergei and Mac watched on as the initiates argued about whether or not Alaric could have been saved. They were perplexed by Kra'vyx's behavior towards Alaric's fall.

"That one is particularity upset about Alaric, Sergei." Mac said. "You think that one must have been close to Alaric?"

"Looks like it." Sergei muttered. "Alaric's involvement with them is getting stranger and stranger."

"He's not going to be much use if he's like this."

Sergei, sensing the distress in Kra'vyx's voice and from Mac's gestures to step in, straightened himself up and walked up to the young Yautja. He ushered Mal'fax and Ly'enta out of the way and knelt down. He placed a hand onto Kra'vyx's shoulder and gave it a shake getting the young Yautja's attention.

"Kra'vyx, listen to me." Sergei told the initiate, not caring if he understood English or not. "I know you're upset about this but you've got to steel yourself. For now, don't worry about Alaric." He then told Kra'vyx his own thoughts on Alaric. "Alaric is the toughest sonuvabitch I have ever met. Throughout all the missions I fought along side with him, he has never let anything stop him, no matter how hazardous the situation or how deadly the enemy may be. Xenomorphs, even a whole hive of them… couldn't kill him. Your race, whole parties of them… couldn't kill him. And so long as there is one spark of life left in him, he will never give up." He then gave Kra'vyx a reassuring pat. "So, for Alaric, don't let him down by giving up."

This heartfelt assurance managed to calm Kra'vyx down, meaning that Kra'vyx understood what Sergei was saying or knew at least from the tone of his voice. Kra'vyx simply nodded his head.

He was still upset but now he wasn't as hysterical.

Sergei got up, content that Kra'vyx calmed down and walked into the dark tunnel as Mal'fax and Fel'tak heaved Kra'vyx to his feet and hooked his arms around their shoulders. Sergei turned back to them as he flicked his lamp on.

"Come on." Sergei said, taking command. "The colony is not far now."

Mac flicked his lamp on and ushered the initiates on. As they entered the dark tunnel, he gave one last look down the chasm and gave a short prayer in his native tongue. A prayer asking the spirits of the shinto faith to protect Alaric. With that, the archangel hurried after the others.

Mac reached Sergei as the guide was reloading his revolver. He gave the initiates a look of positive assurance before asking Sergei a big question.

"You really think Alaric can get out of this one?" Mac asked in a hushed and serious tone.

Sergei didn't answer as he clicked his revolver shut.

---

Just because Alaric was plummeting down a dark void of ice and rock, with a psychotic feral Yautja grappling him, doesn't mean it was going to prevent him from surviving. No sooner did he let go of the ledge, than he was already beating the crap out of the hunter.

His first objective was to separate himself from this beast, then he could worry about slowing down his descent. And the sooner he could do that the better. The more they fell the further will Alaric be separated from safety

They exchanged blows with each other, Alaric's disciplined strikes against the hunter's bestial swipes. But despite using every move Alaric could think of, the hunter was persistently hanging on with primal aggression.

Fragments of the ice bridge plummeted down with them, showering them in hails of ice as the larger heavier chunks passed them, crashing loudly below. This, and the gradual reduction in surrounding light, indicated that they were getting close to the bottom of the chasm.

Alaric grabbed a fist size chunk of ice that was zipping past them and smashed the hunter a few times in the face with it. The ice shattered at the third bash but the damage had been done. One of the hunter's eyes were ruptured and glowing blood trailed from the gaping socket but it did nothing to deter it from attacking.

Alaric wrestled with the Yautja, trying to get over him. The hunter had no sense of self preservation, the desire to kill dominating his mind.

Alaric was forced to the bottom as the hunter thrashed him around until Alaric countered and forced him under. Alaric tried to draw Razeal for a point blank head shot but the hunters erratic and bestial motions were restricting his movements.

Not that he would have a chance to use Razeal.

Alaric looked down and saw that things were about to get more out of control. The abyss was starting to get narrower, turning from a canyon into a shaft. Now the brawl was going to be taken in close quarters. He steered themselves to one of it's sides as they dropped through the hole. On cue, lights on Alaric's armor, another feature he included, lit up and illuminated the both of them.

Alaric had an idea to dislodge this crazed Yautja. He forced the Yautja back against into the shaft wall, pinning him into the ragged sides drawing showers of sparks the hunter's already damaged armor. The sparks were soon replaced by glowing blood as the armor wore out in several places. Alaric seized the moment and finally drew Razeal to finish this fight here and now. Unfortunately, the hunter still had Alaric in his grip as he pushed off the wall. A fist flew out, swatting Alaric's pistol out of his hand, the firearm discharging and briefly illuminating the shaft for a split second before it went falling down the shaft.

Alaric was enraged, to put it lightly, that his keepsake of Razeal was suddenly taken from him. His eyes flashed crimson as he smashed the hunter's head into the rocks, tearing a few dreadlocks out and managed to command his plasma casters into firing position, aiming for the hunter's face. But then a hidden arch of ice impacted both of them just as Alaric fired his plasma casters, blue bolts firing in all directions, casting them in shifting blue light as they tumbled. The energized bolts impacted the shaft walls, sending more razor sharp rock and ice down with them.

Alaric was then forced into the cavern wall and his back connected to it. Sparks erupted from his back and his plasma casters as he struggled to shove the hunter back. He managed to push back, narrowly missing another ledge. Then the hunter managed to get onto Alaric's back and grabbed his neck with both clawed hands. Alaric now found himself falling and being strangled with no way to get the hunter off.

Then, in an appallingly convenient moment, Alaric's plasma casters detonated. Blue explosions illuminated the shaft and the force was enough to make the hunter lose his grip and Alaric exploited that opening by reaching for the Yautja's neck and pulling him roughly down.

Alaric repeatedly punched the hunter in the face several times in rage before the hunter forced Alaric by the neck below him. Alaric struggled to prevent the hunter from throttling him again but he saw that the bottom of the shaft was appearing below them.

'About bloody time!' He thought.

Thinking quickly, he shook the hunter off him with a well placed knee to the groin, shoved him in front as a living shield, and waited for the impact to end their fall.

But, unfortunately, this would prove to not be the end.

The impact came with an almighty crack of breaking rock and the two combatants smashed right through it into another plummeting shaft. The hunter took the full brunt of the impact as the rock face and the last remnants of his armor exploded, sending even more sharp fragments falling down with them.

"You've got to be shitting me!" Alaric cursed in frustration.

He then noticed that the more incredibly battered hunter was momentarily dazed from the impact and this was Alaric's chance.

Alaric pushed the hunter away as hard as he could but the Yautja quickly managed to grab a hold of Alaric's belt.

Alaric had to get the hunter off, now or never.

"Get off!" Alaric roared as he wrenched free and drove both his feet down.

Both his boots connected to the hunter's face with a loud crack of bone and the hunter finally lost his grip on Alaric and was sent roaring down the shaft, quickly vanishing from sight as he impacted the walls with loud cracking of bone, flesh, and armor.

Now that distraction was out of the way, Alaric had the urgent problem of stopping his descent.

Thinking fast as he veered towards the nearest wall, Alaric drew both his hand axes, twisted them around to their spiked backs, and drove them deep into the rocky face. Sparks and shards of ice and rocks erupted from the gouges being cut. He could feel that this was having some effect but it was not working fast enough. He dug his boots against the wall for more friction, sparks being drawn from the armor plating scraping the rock. Despite this, he was still going too fast for friction to come into effect.

"Shit!" He cursed 'Too much velocity.'

It was at this moment that things were going to hit rock bottom. Literally.

Alaric soon found himself surrounded by mist, enveloping him in it's haze. He looked down and saw to his horror that the shaft was coming to an end but not the type of end he was hoping for. Below him and approaching fast was a vast limitless void of misty darkness awaiting him.

He was going too fast to stop. He knew this and all he could do was brace himself for the inevitable drop.

'This is gonna be hard to negotiate.' He thought with dread.

Within the span of a few tortuously long seconds, his axes left the rock and his grip and he fell into the dark abyss, the light from his armor made him look like a like a star plummeting from the heavens. He could feel the temperature plummet and ice started to form on his body. The cold air was stinging his crimson eyes, causing tears to seep into the air and freeze.

As Alaric fell, his thoughts returned to Sam and Ares, Razeal, and his squad. He could see their dead and tortured forms burning into his mind. But most of all, he thought of his promise to Ja'anya. He could hear the cruel laughter echoing around him as the darkness consumed him, mocking him for his failure for vengeance.

Despite this, despite the most impossible odds of his predicament, he vowed to survive.

'Ja'anya…'He thought as his vision darkened. 'I will return to you.'

A sudden violent and loud impact was felt throughout his body and he lost consciousness.

---

Ja'anya awoke with a frightened gasp, shooting bolt upright with her eyes wide, panting hard with her skin sweating bullets. She frantically looked around in the darkness to see where she was, calming down when she remembered that she was in her bed. Her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness confirmed this. She felt all around her and on her, expecting a grisly sensation at her fingertips but she sighed in tense relief.

She rubbed her eyes and groaned sleepily.

"Not again." She whispered to herself.

She has just had another nightmare. The third one that night. But this one felt more intense and real then the others. She could have sworn that she was covered in blood that wasn't hers.

She readjusted herself, the sheet falling to her waist as she rubbed her chaffed neck, disturbing the silver chain around it as she gathered her thoughts.

'Calm down.' She thought. 'Alaric is all right.'

Ja'anya looked down to her bare chest. She still wore the shield-hawk pendant around her neck, it's bronze and silver patterning glittering as it nestled between her breasts. She had not taken it off all day since learning of Alaric's disappearance. She gently caressed it, feeling the cool metal on her fingertips.

'I hope…'She prayed.

She knew that she could be wrong but that wouldn't serve her. She needed to think positive and keep hoping that Alaric and her brother would return. But, after the amount of nightmares she had been having in this night alone, she was starting to grow less confident.

She looked next to her to the spot where Alaric would be sleeping. She reached over and dragged her hand along before clenching the sheets. She then imagined seeing Alaric fast asleep next to her, watching his chest slowly rise and fall as he slumbered.

She laid back down and grabbed his pillow. She brought it close to her and sniffed the faint trace of his scent left on it.

It comforted her but not by much. It would seem that Alaric was right about her not being able to sleep without him after all.

She felt a small tingle originating from between her legs as she remembered her dream, intensified from his scent and, regrettably, the nightmare that ruined it.

She had dreamed that she and Alaric were together in bed in a romantic embrace when, without any warning or sign, he was suddenly cut open, gaping wounds appearing all over his body by invisible claws and his blood pouring out all over them. Then a great darkness swarmed over him, devouring him from this plane of existence. She was left soaked in his blood and she screamed in terror.

'Not that nightmare again.' She thought with disdain and sadness. 'Always the same one that intrudes my dreams.'

She rubbed her eyes as she recognized what the wounds in the nightmare represented. Her fear of Alaric sharing the same fate as her father did. Death from the hunt. One hand reached for her pendant while the other stayed on Alaric's pillow, substituting it as Alaric.

She thought that she had grown out of them by now but with Alaric gone, they arose once more. And was worse then ever.

Her mind, involuntary, went back to that sad day many long years ago.

---

Kra'vyn's ship landed in the bay with a much harder thud then usual. Zel'tyr had Ja'anya in her arms and Kal'deris, the newly titled and youngest Elder, was standing beside her in his new red cloak and robes. The docks weren't busy and only a light detachment of personnel were on duty. The only other ship was that of supply ship carrying goods from another clan and was being unloaded.

They had been expecting Kra'vyn to be back for the last two hours and were relieved that he had finally returned home.

"Kra'vyn's late." Kal'deris stated before smirking. Probably found a new species of plant during his mission.

"Doesn't surprise me." Zel'tyr agreed. "He's always been like that. It's how we met."

Kal'deris turned to Zel'tyr.

"How is he going to take the news regarding..." Kal'deris started, gesturing to Zel'tyr's exposed slightly bulging gut.

Zel'tyr smiled as she cradled her belly.

"He'll be surprised and happy. As he was for Her." She said, before cradling Ja'anya closer. "Ja'anya is happy to have a sibling at last."

She looked to her daughter.

"Got your father's present?" She asked.

Ja'anya held up the carving she had made. It was of a plant that had many spiraling leaves arcing from it's circular center as a representation of a sun. It was a solar rose and it was said to be able to heal even the most infectious of diseases. Unfortunately, the rose itself is rare and scarcely seen in the galaxy save for few planets and Lai'karis' own botanical gardens. And even then the rose is hard to cultivate.

"It's very pretty. I'm sure he'll love it." Zel'tyr praised.

A dock officer walked up to Kal'deris, typing into a datapad. It had Kra'vyn's ship registered on it and he was puzzled from what he was seeing.

"Elder, something is wrong he told Kal'deris. Kra'vyn hasn't answered our hails, even though clearance was transmitted."

Kal'deris turned to the officer.

"Autopilot would've been engaged."He concluded without a second thought. "He does that every now and then if he is working on something."

"Yes, but it is procedure to always personally call in for security reasons." The officer clarified before typing into the pad and frowning. "That's odd."

Kal'deris turned his attention from Kra'vyn's ship

"What is it?" He asked.

"This can't be right." The officer stammered. "It's Kra'vyn's life signs and they're... dropping?"

The ship's landing ramp hissed out steam in jets getting everyone's attention and lowered. Ja'anya hopped up in Zel'tyr's arms to get a better look for her father.

But the sight that met her eyes would scar her for life.

Green blood slowly trickled down the ramp and a pair of bloodstained boots staggered into view. Kal'deris and Zel'tyr' paused from this sight. Ja'anya's father, then tumbled into view, rolling down and hitting the bottom of the ramp with a painful thump, provoking a strained groan from him.

Zel'tyr gasped, Kal'deris and the deck officer cursed in shock and Ja'anya's eyes went wide. Onlookers reacted to the sight of one of their doctors in such a mauled state. One of the transporter crew even dropped the crate he was carrying with a loud smash of breaking glass.

"Get the medics!" Kal'deris shouted to the dock officer before rushing to his friend who was painfully and determinedly crawling towards them.

The dock officer immediately went to his comm unit on his pad and demanded a medic team to the hanger bay. One of the crew, the captain from the transport ship, shouted to one of his shipmates for a first aid kit.

"Father?" Ja'anya squeaked, fright and confusion in her voice.

"Ja'anya, be calm." Zel'tyr hushed.

Kra'vyn was seriously wounded. His armor was torn to shreds and his flesh was slashed and gore soaked. Attempts on his own to stem the bleeding were seen from the multiple bandages and synthskin patches. But despite this, he was still losing blood. Something was causing him to continue to hemorrhage.

Zel'tyr firmly held Ja'anya in her arms, struggling to keep her daughter in check. Ja'anya was struggling to get to her father.

"Father?" Ja'anya cried.

"Ja'anya, be still!" Zel'tyr ordered, controlling her emotions.

Kal'deris skidded to his knees at his friends side who had rolled over onto his back and was now trying to get up.

"Kra'vyn, stay still." Kal'deris urged, keeping him down. "Oh gods, look at you."

Kra'vyn was having trouble breathing and upon closer inspection of Kra'vyn's wounds, made difficult by the amount of blood on him, it was shown that both his lungs had been punctured.

"What did this to you?" Kal'deris muttered, trying to stem the bleeding with his hands.

Kra'vyn took deep painful breaths, trying to get as much air into his ruptured lungs as possible.

"Ambush..." He wheezed. "Khiande Amed... lured right to..."

"Don't speak, save your strength." Kal'deris urged.

Kal'deris tore his cloak off, tore it into small bundles and pressed them hard onto the open wounds in an attempt to stop the bleeding. He knew that it was disrespectful towards the weavers and artisans who made it but this was an emergency and it could be made again. Despite his efforts in plugging the wounds, blood was continuing to seep through the cloth and his fingers. He pulled his hands back, covered in his friend's blood.

Kra'vyn's blood wasn't clotting.

"I can't stop the bleeding." Kal'deris said.

Kra'vyn coughed hard.

"Toxin in my blood... preventing healing..." He explained "Illegal..."

"What?" Kal'deris asked.

"Against the hunters code!"

Kra'vyn retched hard, coughing up a torrent of blood and choking as it spurted out. Kal'deris cradled his head to the side, letting the blood drain from Kra'vyn's mouth. At this point, one of the crew from the transport skidded over with a med pack.

Ja'anya struggled even harder in Zel'tyr's arms at the sight of her father in such pain.

Kra'vyn reached for his belt and held out a small medical container to Kal'deris. His mission's purpose.

"The sap..." He said, forcing it into Kal'deris's hands. "Take it..."

Zel'tyr at this point lost her grip on Ja'anya and her daughter landed with a thud onto the deck. Ja'anya scrambled over to her father as Zel'tyr gave chase. Ja'anya knelt down by her father's head as the crewman injected an adrenaline shot before trying to seal Kra'vyn's wounds with a plasma cauterizing unit.

"Father?" She cried.

Kra'vyn turned his now glazing amber eyes up to Ja'anya and he smiled, not bringing himself to flinch as he felt the plasma beam burn into his flesh. Zel'tyr arrived knelt by him taking Ja'anya into her arms. Kra'vyn clicked his mandibles in defeat.

"I'm sorry you...had to see me like... this." Kra'vyn said sadly.

"Kra'vyn, don't say that!" Zel'tyr scolded.

Kra'vyn chuckled before weakly trying to lift his hand to Zel'tyr and Ja'anya reached for it. Zel'tyr clasped her mate's hand over Ja'anya.

"Zel, you haven't... changed a bit." Kra'vyn smiled.

Zel'tyr was inwardly hoping that Kra'vyn would see, even smell that she was carrying his pup. But the stench of his blood was overpowering everything and crouched down like she was, her pregnant belly was obscured. And the fact that his vision was getting weaker meant that he could possibly have no inclination that she was pregnant.

His eyes were starting to get heavy and he was having trouble keeping them open. Kal'deris reacted immediately, knowing full well what would happen if Kra'vyn lost consciousness.

"Kra'vyn, stay awake!" Kal'deris ordered, shaking his friend before turning to the crew medic. "How bad is it?"

The crewman refrained from shaking his head in negativity, but his news was just as grim.

"He's been run right through in multiple places." The crewman bluntly said, shaking his head and still working hard. "I can't seal the wounds effectively."

Kal'deris looked up to the deck officer.

"Where are the medics!" He demanded angrily.

The officer acknowledged his question and checked his pad.

"Coming up for the bays now." He answered.

Kra'vyn, already knowing full well that he was long past recovery, concentrated with the last vestiges of his strength to see his family one last time. To say his goodbyes.

"Kal." Kra'vyn called in a pained whisper.

Kal'deris turned back to his dying friend

"Kal, you were the... brother I never had." Kra'vyn professed. "Take... care of them for me."

"Kra'vyn, hold on!" Kal'deris pleaded.

Kra'vyn looked up to his mate and just managed to clasp his hand around hers and squeezed.

"Zel, the ancestors... smiled on us when we met." He whispered. "I'll always watch... over you all."

Then was the most painful part, saying goodbye to his daughter. He could see the tears streaming from her eyes.

"Ja'anya... be strong..." He sighed.

With that, the last of his strength left him and Kra'vyn's head and hand dropped. He sighed as he lost consciousness and his chest sank.

"Father?" Ja'anya croaked, shaking his hand. "Father?"

"Kal?" Zel'tyr asked, struggling to keep her composure.

Kal'deris lowered his head onto Kra'vyn's chest to hear for a heartbeat. His mandibles drooped when he realized what happened.

"His pulse is almost gone." He said with dread in his voice. "He's lost too much blood."

Footsteps were heard racing towards them as a medical team rushed over with a stretcher. The crewman backed off as the medics quickly and carefully placed Kra'vyn onto the stretcher and attempted to stabilize him. Regen serum was administered intravenously, a respirator was placed on his mouth and he was hooked up to several blood packs to hopefully retain what blood was left in him. His wounds were then quickly cauterized or plugged as he was lifted up.

"About time!" Kal'deris ranted, his emotions spilling into his voice. "Get him to the med bay, now!"

The medics then rushed on, carefully not to knock Kra'vyn around and agitate more bleeding. His blood dripped from the stretcher slowly, leaving a glowing trail behind them as he was carried to the transit tram.

Kal'deris wiped his hands thoroughly on what was left of his cloak, tossing the bloodied cloth away, and watching his friend being hauled off. Zel'tyr was comforting Ja'anya in her arms, who had her head buried in her mother's shoulder and sobbing quietly.

"Shh. It's alright." Zel'tyr whispered.

A squad of five arbitrators arrived. They lined up in front of Kal'deris and bowed to him.

"Arbitrator investigators, reporting, Elder." The lead arbitrator greeted.

"I want every corner of Kra'vyn's ship checked thoroughly." Kal'deris commanded. "I want to know exactly what happened in there."

The arbitrators voiced their acknowledgment and paced up the landing ramp, reaching for their masks and wrist-comps. Kal'deris hoped they could find some clue as to how Kra'vyn had got into this mess.

He turned back to Zel'tyr and her daughter.

"Come on." Kal'deris said, gathering Zel'tyr and Ja'anya to him as he walked. "There's nothing else we can do here."

He held them close and Zel'tyr rested her head on his shoulder for comfort. Ja'anya hugged close to him as well. He closed his arms around them

"How could this have happened?" Zel'tyr whispered, a tear trickling down her cheek.

"I don't know." Kal'deris replied. "We can only pray that the gods will help him."

They then left the blood drenched hanger bay, hoping that the gods and the ancestors would help Kra'vyn pull through.

---

Despite the medical caste's best efforts and spending many blood packs to buy time, Kra'vyn regrettably died through loss of blood from his wounds. No matter what procedure his fellow doctors and healers could think of, nothing could stop the hemorrhaging. And despite trying to find the cause, they could find nothing. There was no trace of what ever toxin Kra'vyn said was coursing in his blood.

The Arbitrators conducted an investigation, detailing his travels from Lai'kairis to the planet and back but could find not a single shred of evidence on that world or on Kra'vyn's ship. The only thing that they concluded was that Kra'vyn was indeed ambushed by xenomorphs, escaped and then slowly bled to death on the way back home. But the exact cause of this incident was never discovered and had remained a mystery ever since.

The loss of one of their finest doctors was a blow to all of Lai'kairis but there was a silver lining. The sap he collected proved to be instrumental in devising a vaccine against a plague of influenza in the east sector. Within days, the plague had died out with only a minimal loss of life. In fact, the new vaccine was effective against most known diseases. Having been successfully synthesized, this vaccine became one of Lai'kairis' best exports and was immediately dubbed the Kra'vyn Vaccine in honor of his memory.

Saved by Kra'vyn, one last time.

Zel'tyr was distraught by her life-mate's sudden death. She never got to tell him about their second child. Despite offers and gifts from potential suitors, she never chose another mate. Kal'deris was depressed by his old friend's death and subsequently didn't take office for a few days, though he presided over Kra'vyn's funeral. Both we're able to eventually overcome the grief but the same couldn't be said for Ja'anya.

Ja'anya, the poor soul, suffered from nightmares ever since that day and was often awake at night crying her eyes out. Zel'tyr took it upon herself to train her daughter in her meditative ways to ease the trauma, as she herself had done. These helped but the dreams returned every now and then.

Months later, Zel'tyr gave birth to a healthy baby boy and named him Kra'vyx, a variation of her mate's name with whom he shared his father's eyes and markings. Kal'deris then decided, at Zel'tyr's approval, to become Ja'anya's and Kra'vyx's guardian and became the father figure to them throughout their childhood.

Even though they returned to a normal semblance of life, the wounds were still deep.

---

Remembering that day, coupled with Alaric's disappearance, was enough for Ja'anya to break down.

Tears started to trickle down her cheeks and soaked into her pillow. She curled up, clutching the shieldhawk and Alaric's pillow to her chest, where her heart was. She buried her face into his pillow muffling her sobs.

"Alaric..." She sobbed softly. "Please return, alive."