Fated to the Alien Chieftain (The Klendathian Cycle #3)

6. Krogoth

Chapter 6

Krogoth

Merciful

S uch a wonderful morning to jog through the woods. What if the sky is overcast, threatening a downpour? Or that the wind is gathering speed, pulling and whipping at my long hair? Because today is the day. Our Mortakin-Tok.

A pang of anxious doubt sprouts in my mind like a weed. But like a weed, I ruthlessly pluck it out. My mind is now a serene garden. The Gods will give their blessings. I will prove the divine nature of my burning love for Pebbles. Astraxius and his work will prove correct, revealing a new path for my people.

“How... much... longer?” Pebbles pants heavily between labored breaths.

“Only a couple hours now, my love,” I reply excitedly, stopping so my Pebbles can catch her breath.

“What... about... the... eclipse?” Pebbles asks, with hands on her knees bent over, sucking in air.

“Not sure,” I look at the sky. It’s a lot darker than normal. “A few hours, to half a day.”

“So, what’s the rush then, big guy?” Pebbles asks, finally straightening.

I scratch my head. “There is no hurry.”

Pebbles snorts. “You’re speeding through the woods like a bloody bullet train.”

“This is but a leisurely jog.”

“A death march more like,” Pebbles laughs. “Let me catch my breath for a minute,” she strolls towards a tall, thin tree.

I watch her sexy hips sway as she walks. Hmm, her gait is different. A slight pause between each shortened stride. Maybe I am going too fast or… ? I hope I haven’t caused her an injury from our vigorous love making. My empty balls tingle pleasantly, eager to recreate the memories of the previous night.

A smile creases my lips as I ruminate on our frantic sex. Greedily I squeeze more joy from the memory. I’d almost lost control, so awash in my lust and Rush. Maybe I was too rough with her? But my Pebbles definitely enjoyed it. She had even said as much afterwards, although her screaming orgasm was indication enough.

She is so beautiful and sweet. I recall despite a slight hint of nervousness in her eyes, before she bent over presenting her delicious pussy. So submissive and full of desire for me throughout. She worked so determinedly to take my entire cock inside of her. Gods, I can’t wait to take her again! But next time I’ll try harder to keep control. I want to gaze into her loving eyes and for it to be reflected in mine. To look upon her face as she whispers my name when I slide into her. Alarmed, I notice my eyes are misting at the mere thoughts. I need to control myself.

I divert my attention away from my lusty thoughts back to Pebbles, to see she is resting her back against a tree, playing with her Elerium necklace, appearing lost in thought. I’m happy to see she still likes it enough to continue wearing it.

In my peripheral vision, a large shadow passing over the ground suddenly catches my attention. Without a second thought, I leap, grabbing Pebbles, forcing both of us to crash into a nearby bush for cover.

“Not now, Krogoth!” Pebbles exclaims.

“In the sky, look.”

We both peer out from our refuge, looking above for any signs of danger. Amongst the enormous trees between the giant leaves, barely visible, is the fluttering of large wings.

“There!” I point.

Pebbles' eyes follow my finger. She squints for a moment. “I can’t see anything. Is it an arrohawk?”

I can’t see it anymore. “I think so, but it’s gone now. Probably didn’t notice us.” I get to my feet, brushing off the leaves and dirt from my armor. “Strange for an arrohawk to be this close to the temple.” I offer my hand to Pebbles. Although we passed the hunter’s borders earlier. “They usually prefer high mountainous terrain.”

Pebbles takes my hand as I help her to her feet. “They probably heard I was around,” she chuckles as she brushes off the debris from her golden armor. “The beasties love chasing me.”

I laugh. “Me included.”

An ominous feeling stirs within me, being so close to the temple with so much at stake. Others know of our intentions, and if any seek to interfere, now would be the time to do it. “I don’t want to take any chances,” I unfasten my warvisor from my belt, placing it over my face.

Immediately, enhanced awareness fills my senses. The rustling of each individual leaf, the heartbeat of Pebbles, the chirps and growls of the animals in the trees. That there’re three hundred and twenty-three minor lifeforms within a one-mile radius.

With a mere thought, I cycle through numerous sight spectrums, casting my gaze over the area. It doesn’t appear anyone is using stealth within the vicinity. And there’s also no sign of the arrohawk. It must have flown further out of range.

“All clear,” I declare.

“That’s good,” Pebbles says before peering up at my face, scrutinizing “You look so scary wearing that.”

“Fear is a useful weapon.” How many times I’ve witnessed a much larger force break upon my warriors, towering over them like titans, slaughter with lethal precision. The enemy should they live long enough doesn’t see doubt, fear or even hatred, just the cold, uncaring face of the warvisor.

Pebbles snorts, “As if you need the help, Korgy,”

“Let’s see how fearsome you look wearing both your armor and warvisor,” I suggest, gesturing to the mask attached to her belt.

Pebbles cautiously takes her golden warvisor, placing it over her face. You’d think she was placing a vipertail on her face with how carefully she moves. Standing proudly with one hand on her waist and the other outstretched in a heroic pose. I gasp at the sight. A golden goddess, lithe and dangerous, her warvisor while feminine, also conveys a sternness that will chill the hearts of many.

“Very impressive, indeed,” I study her as she smoothly transitions into various poses, making silly noises. “What about your war cry?” I jest.

Pebbles stops flexing. “My war cry?”

“Yes, to instill maximum fear in our enemy, we perform a war cry,” I say with a nod. “Go on, try it.”

Pebbles clears her throat. “Hmmm” she pauses before shouting “Rahhh!”

She’s so adorable! I struggle to stifle a laugh. If not for my warvisor, she would notice my lips quivering with barely contained laughter. I circle around her, stalling for time until I feel I can speak without bursting into laughter.

“Yes... I see... Not bad if you intend to scare puffrio chicks!” I exclaim, standing before her, shaking my head. “Now this time louder, and add more. Like an insult, anything to scare them.”

“Okay...” Pebbles pauses, planting her feet as she sucks in a great big breath. “Rahhhh! You mother fucking bastards!” Her voice booms out even louder than last time, echoing through the forest.

I burst into laughter, doubling over. “Mother fucking bastards!” I wheeze out while shaking uncontrollably.

“Ah Krogoth, you asshole!” Pebbles exclaims. She gently hits me on the shoulder. “I thought you were being serious!” She soon starts laughing at herself.

I temporarily remove my warvisor to wipe away the tears of laughter, the hysterics finally out of me. “Gods, that was funny,” I say, as I straighten. “Come, let’s continue now that we’ve frightened half the forest to death.”

Together we jog through the forest once again towards the temple of Lanaisor, this time at a pace that Pebbles can handle with ease. Along the way, I teach her more about the warvisor and how she can use it. She learns, using her thoughts to tap into enhanced senses and change vision spectrums.

It takes a few attempts, but it’s not long before she exclaims with joy that she can see heat signatures of the wildlife or switch into a night vision that hurts her eyes in the daylight, or ultraviolet, biometric and many other spectrums some more useful than others.

“Pebbles, wait by this rock. I want to teach you something else,” I ask, pointing to a large boulder.

“This better not be another one of your jokes, Krogoth?” she asks, as she moves to stand beside the stone.

“No, I swear on my ancestors. Wait there, I’ll be right back,” I explain as I dash deeper into the forest, creating enough of a distance that we wouldn’t be able to hear each other even if we shout. I turn my thoughts via the warvisor to communicate with Pebbles.

“Can you hear me, Pebbles?” I ask, waiting for a reply but hear only silence. “Think the words to reply to me. The warvisor will do the rest.”

Just before I turn back to join Pebbles, her voice comes through. “Hello? Can you hear me?”

“Excellent, Pebbles, I can hear you now,” I think the words to her, my lips not moving. “You learn quick.”

“This is so weird. I can hear your voice, but it’s not with my ears but directly into my mind or something?” Pebbles asks via the warvisor, preserving the tone of her surprise.

“Yes, no one’s sure how it works. Biometric or psychic, or some combination of the two, perhaps. But it can read your thoughts and discern your intentions,” I answer as I walk back to Pebbles.

“Oh really? When does it discern intentions?”

“It’s reading your intention right now. It knows you want to communicate with me, but also no one else,” I pause for a moment, thinking of an example. “The range of the warvisors can reach across planets in the same solar system. Imagine you’re onboard a battlebarge overlooking a solar system. Two of the planets are bathed in the fires of war. You want to communicate with your Draxxus brothers, but not all of them. Just a war band with a battle commander that, let’s say, has an overly large head. The warvisor will know to do that, without your explicitly thinking it.” I attempt to explain.

After a brief pause, Pebbles’ thoughts come in. “It can read your unconscious thoughts without you knowing? I was right, warvisors are bloody scary. What about a power source? Do they suck the life force from us or something crazy?”

I chuckle. “No. It uses Elerium. That was something I wanted to discuss. You must be mindful of the power level. Elerium isn’t cheap and using abilities such as cloaking can drain it quickly. That’s why we seldom use the warvisors if it can be helped.”

“How do we know what the current power level is?... Oh, I know. It’s ninety-eight percent,” Pebbles pauses. “This is so freaky. As soon as I thought of it, I just knew the answer.”

Now back beside Pebbles, I take off my warvisor. Opening the tiny compartment at the bottom of the mask. I show her the small sphere of Elerium. “Here is where you replace it. But you shouldn’t need to worry about that for a while yet,” I smile at her before continuing. “And now you know how to use your warvisor.”

Pebbles removes and scrutinizes her golden mask, running her delicate hand over its surface. “Amazing and also terrifying.”

“A gift from the Gods,” I nod.

With haste, we continue in silence towards Lanaisor. The forest is becoming noticeably darker, despite the sun being high in the sky, but with each passing moment, the moon inches more and more to obscure portions of the sun. The trees and foliage whirl past me in a blur as I leap over or duck under treacherous branches, hidden rocks, and crevices. So close now to the temple with the solar eclipse looming, I can hardly wait another moment.

I glance over my shoulder to see Pebbles struggling but still close by. Joy wells within me. Few could keep up with me at this pace and yet she manages. My beautiful golden blur of fierce determination. I turn my head forward again to see the temple of Lanaisor coming into view beyond the thick trees. “There!” I exclaim, coming to an abrupt stop.

Unlike the underground temple of Sunaisor, Lanasisor proudly sits upon the land, looming large and tall. Its rectangular stone shape is covered in ancient runic designs and images that I do not recognize, and embedded along the walls are enormous statues of Klendathians standing serenely. In the building’s heart, there’s an immensely tall spiraling tower that reaches such heights that it vanishes into the clouds above.

“Wow,” Pebbles says as her eyes travel upwards, following the massive spire.

There’re no trees or bushes near the temple, only short reddish grass. An unnaturally large clearing as a perfect circle has somehow originated from its center. The work of the Gods? Eager to see more, I boldly stride into the clearing, until Pebbles’ thoughts come through my warvisor.

“Wait! A small ship is coming,” she stands still in the woods, her masked face follows something in the sky. “Four people, armed.”

Adrenaline already rushes through my veins, my fear now realized. Immediately we retreat, seeking refuge amongst the trees. A glider rushes into view, hovering high above the clearing with one of its doors open. I can just make out two Magaxus warriors with arc blasters unloading super-heated plasma bolts in my direction.

“Run!” I roar at Pebbles, fearing for her safety. I pump my legs and arms, sprinting with all the speed I can muster. I dare not look back. The slightest delay could spell death for the both of us. Pebbles, heeding my words, hurries into the woods, disappearing. My sense of relief is short-lived as splatters of scalding hot earth explode around me, the zap and sizzle of plasma bolts narrowly missing me follows me into the woods.

“Pebbles engage cloak,” I command, as I do the same.

“I’m so glad you’re okay, Krogoth. What the fuck is going on?” Pebbles asks. The warvisor conveys her sense of panic.

From the corner of my eye, I can see the glider repositioning. This will only end one way. They move the ship to hover amongst the trees, weaving and turning, barely avoiding trunks and dislodging branches. Their reckless disregard for their own safety takes me by surprise. More blistering blue plasma bolts soon come raining down after me as I dart, zigzagging amongst the trees for cover.

“Magaxus warriors want my head. I’ll lead them away from you.” This must be the work of Zyraxis. Attacking me, a Chieftain in my own territory with forbidden technology, is an outrage. He condemns himself to death with this action, the mad fanatical bastard.

“I’m not leaving you!” Pebbles’ stubborn thoughts come through.

The sounds of blasts and chunks of wood exploding grows increasingly distant as I frantically navigate my way through the forest. The glider while nimble, still has trouble getting around the huge thick trees. One thing is clear though: they can see me despite being cloaked. I rack my brain for a way out of this mess. How do I overcome such an overwhelming disadvantage?

A large tree looms ahead, with many branches leading from the ground to the very top. giving me an idea.

“Pebbles, I’m going to attack them from above.”

“Above?” Pebbles asks incredulously, but I don’t have time to answer.

I scamper up the tree, leaping from branch to branch as quick as I can. The sound of the glider hovering closer with each passing second causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up. Within moments, I reach the top limb, peering down just in time to see a bright blue bolt whizz towards me, the heat distorting the very air as it burns through the branch I’m standing on. I attempt to leap back out of the way, but it’s too late. My platform half melted, sloughs off from the tree, taking me with it.

Desperately I reach out with my claws, clutching, grasping for a branch, the trunk, anything. But there’s nothing, only the terrifying plummet back to the ground. Tensing my muscles and gritting my teeth, I curl, positioning my heavily armored back, preparing for the impact. With a deafening crash, an explosion of agonizing pain erupts in my mind. The force of my impact nearly knocks me unconscious as it jolts my head forward and back. The air is forced from my lungs as I wheeze between bruised or maybe cracked ribs, trying frantically to suck in more.

All around me is darkness. I would assume I’m in the afterlife if not for all the pain. Waving my arms around, some light reaches my eyes. It’s leaves! I’m covered by leaves and broken branches. An unwelcome and familiar sound catches my attention, although muffled and fuzzy. The glider. It’s slowly lowering its altitude.

“Krogoth, you, okay? I heard a loud crash,” Pebbles’ frightened voice echoes through my hazy mind.

Pebbles, I need to save her! Brushing more leaves away, I try to rise, but I’m half buried in the very soil itself, having fallen so far and with such significant weight. Glancing up at the glider as it hovers a short distance away, I can clearly see two warriors adjusting their arc blasters, about to confirm their kill... No doubt, no fear, no hatred, just the cold, uncaring face of the warvisor. Ironic.

Suddenly frantic barking can be heard, as a flurry of flapping wings comes crashing on top of the glider, sending it spinning wildly out of control. What in the void? One warrior aboard the glider is flung out, plummeting to the ground. A brutonous chick, no Cupcake, has her talons dug into the glider flapping, her huge wings turning and twisting. The pilot has no chance of regaining control as it continues to spin, crashing into a thick tree.

Cupcake barks nosily, letting go of the gilder after it smashes against the tree before she hovers watching the pandemonium. The glider, a peacetime vessel, is not designed to withstand any serious attacks. It collapses easily against the hardwood tree, plummeting to the ground into a burning wreckage.

I blink in total amazement. Pebbles’ pet brutonous just saved my life! I’ve never witnessed nor heard of anything like this. Struggling, I wiggle out of my crater in the ground, wincing in pain with each breath, as I survey the scene of chaos. My warvisor enhanced senses tell me two of the four warriors are dead, one is heavily injured, barely conscious.

“Pebbles, you may not believe this, but Cupcake just saved my life.”

“I saw it! Told you she was a good girl,” Pebbles says full of relief and joy.

“There’s still one standing. Be careful,” I caution.

I inch closer to the wreckage, taking cover behind trees. The only sound is the cracking fire burning away. Then I notice a masked face taking cover behind part of the glider. He watches the sky as if waiting for Cupcake to swoop down.

“He’s behind the ruined glider. I’ll draw his attention and you finish him,” I suggest to Pebbles.

Picking up a small stone, I toss it at the Magaxus warrior, hitting him square on his warvisor, jolting his head back. Good! I make a dash through the trees, hearing the familiar sound of molten hot plasma scorching the air and everything it touches. None are close to hitting me, the desperate blasts of a warrior full of fear.

“Rahhhh!” Pebbles' absurdly cute war cry echoes through the woods, prompting me to peer out from behind my cover. I don’t think her opponent is finding it particularly cute, however, as she runs him through with her spear. The long weapon is deeply embedded through the lightly armored armpit area, straight through into his chest. He turns before collapsing to the floor in a lifeless heap.

“An excellent strike, my love,” I commend Pebbles as I rush over, making sure the warrior is truly dead. I strip off his warvisor to see his lifeless eyes and long green hair. Not the hair or face of a youth, but a seasoned warrior. Whoever sent them wasn’t taking chances.

The sound of flapping wings announces the arrival of Cupcake as she lands with a thud. Pebbles squeals in delight, rushing over to greet her. “Such a good girl, saving daddy Krogoth.” Cupcake does an excited spin before they both embrace. Cupcake licks and nozzles Pebbles in a frantic blur of feathers and fuzzy mane, while Pebbles desperately tries to withstand the assault with rubs and scratches. I can’t help but laugh watching the pair of them. Until I remember.

Another one still lives. I turn my attention back to the wreckage moving to the other side. A little distance away, movement catches my eye. A huge warrior on his back struggles feebly to move a thick section of glider off himself. My warvisor informs me he has numerous broken ribs, and a broken left arm. I extend my claws, ready to deliver merciful vengeance.

Moving with lightning speed, I kick off his arc blaster gauntlet, leaving him disarmed. I next tear off his warvisor and gasp in shock in recognition. “Dracoth?”

“Krogoth,” his face winces in pain from the effort of speaking. “I nearly got you,” he chuckles before coughing.

“You would throw your life away committing such open sacrilege? Even if you had killed me, you would have still been condemned to death.”

Dracoth tries desperately to heave the hunk of glider off himself before answering. “Elder Zyraxis spoke. Said the Council had ordered it.”

I shake my head. “You were lied to. You all were,” I gesture towards the wreckage. “Zyraxis is an elder no longer. He was stripped of his rank by the Council of Elders.”

Dracoth’s red youthful eyes show genuine shock before his face twists into a sneer. “Did you come to bore me to death or just gloat?” he splutters with more coughing. “I don’t fear death.”

I move to stand over Dracoth, his eyes never leaving me as I grip him by his red hair, ready to rip open his throat with my claws. Such a waste, the youngest Klendathian with his mind unaltered, size and strength equal to his father. He could be the best of us had he not been led astray.

Just before I deliver the final blow, his hand clutches the back of my ankle. I peer down to see tears leaking from his eyes, as he shakes from quiet sobbing. His face pleads for mercy, yet his stubborn pride prevents him from speaking the words.

“You ooze fear,” I bring down my claws, cutting savagely and crudely, pulling clumps of his red hair off his head, the traditional way of marking him as a defeated warrior. “Live and grow from this shame. So one day you can stand before me with your head held high.”

I deliver a swift blow into his temple, rendering him unconscious. Turning away, I feel a sense of relief wash over me.

This was the right thing to do.