Alien General's Fated (Brion Brides 5)(13)

The champion was alone, but it was clear he was nothing like his smaller, weaker brethren. Ryden was pleased. That was the first enemy to face him head-on, even if he did try to stab him first. But at least the champion didn't turn and run. Instead, the towering Clayor, with knives as long as Ryden's arms in both hands, started circling him.#p#分页标题#e#

The general moved with him, not letting the enemy out of his sight. The regular Clayors were easy enough opponents, but the champions were different. The hive mind paired together strong individuals to create them, and every once in a while, it got very lucky. The Clayor before him looked like a real fighter.

With his spear in hand, Ryden waited for an opportunity, for the enemy to show weakness. But apparently the hive mind wasn't as foolish as he'd hoped. That was bad news—but it gladdened him even more to have found a worthy target.

Finally, he attacked. The Clayor crossed the knives in front of his chest to stop the spear, but it had miscalculated the strength of the weapons. Ryden locked them together on purpose, knowing he couldn't let the champion swing those knives around. One lucky hit and he was dead, while the hive mind would have simply been out of one warrior.

The knives were holding the spear in place, but it was damaging them to do so. The champion noticed that too, the way the spear's blade was slowly but surely cutting into the knives. It was known there was no match for the spears. The champion should have known better. Once he realized his mistake, he broke the lock and pushed himself away. Ryden stumbled back and the champion was on him in a second, the knives slashing wildly at his throat.

Clumsy, clumsy, Ryden thought, blocking the blows easily. The hive mind must really hate me.

It was no wonder. Through the eyes of the others, it surely witnessed the deaths of the Clayor delegation.

He let the champion approach again, giving it an in. The Clayor came as it was supposed to, lured further into the room. The few steps he took back gave Ryden time to see the damage he'd done to the knives. He noted the cuts and the gashes. He knew he could count himself lucky to wield the weapon he did. Against any other, the champion would have undoubtedly triumphed already.

He knew it was important that he time the attack correctly. One wrong move and the hive mind would slice his head off, blunted edges or not. The champion, a towering, exaggerated version of the average Clayor, certainly looked like it had the strength to simply knock his head off his shoulders.

The enemy came at him, irritated and tired of games. Ryden agreed. It was better he finish the fight and get back to the tasks that were truly important.

He stood his ground, trading lightning-fast blows with the champion. The knives and spear threw sparks into the air as they fought. The only thing that could be heard was their panting and the shrill sounds of the weapons coming into contact with each other. Ryden knew he was better and stronger from the first moment they clashed. It didn't take long for the champion to realize that too.

The Clayor’s blows turned erratic then, desperate for a lucky hit.

It was what the general had counted on. For all the hive mind was, it still couldn't entirely control every single entity in its web. There had to be a shred of individuality or they wouldn't have functioned as separate beings at all. They were all the hive mind, but deep, deep down they were something of their own too.

And Ryden was trying to piss off the self of the champion. Cutting him, causing him pain, urging him on. The champion was strong. It was entirely possible for him to win or at least give Ryden a good fight, but he didn't choose to. He wanted to end Ryden quickly, be done with him before he tired.

When he judged that the moment was right, the general dropped his guard a bit too obviously. The champion fell for it. The hive mind didn't. For one confused second, the Clayor's body was trying to do two different things—strike at him and back away to regain his stance. It left him twitching awkwardly somewhere in between. And a moment was all a Brion general ever needed.

He struck a blow, but not at the champion. Aimed at a right angle, the spear hit the knife in his left hand. It broke into shards. Another destroyed the other knife and the champion was left weaponless. He was still a huge warrior, but Ryden was clearly a better fighter. He saw the hive mind realizing its defeat and then... it left. The champion stood stunned in the middle of the room, looking more confused than any being Ryden had ever seen. A creature with self-awareness turned on for the first time. The death blow was more like a mercy kill by that point, as the Clayor collapsed on the ground.

Panting, looking down upon his fallen enemy, Ryden noticed something next to it. A note, scribbled in a hurry. The couch had been knocked over it, so Ryden hadn't seen it before.

He read the note and his body shook with fury. It said:

"You have a weakness in your defense, General."





CHAPTER TWELVE

Aria#p#分页标题#e#



For the longest time, Aria saw nothing.

There was only darkness after the kidnappers blindfolded her. The attack had been so sudden she hadn't even had the chance to cry out and call for someone before she was gagged. Aria had tried to struggle and fight back, but found it to be impossible. Strong, merciless hands had gripped her, hurting without care. It was clear her well-being wasn't a priority. The realization should have terrified Aria, but it only brought stubborn determination. She was not going to be some weeping maiden. She was an ambassador of the Galactic union  , and rescue missions were bound to be swift. All she had to do was hold on until then.

Then she only struggled to find out as much as she could about her attackers. Thrashing around, she finally came to the conclusion that the ones who had broken into her quarters... were Clayors. Judging by the voices she heard and the way they dragged her along, they were considerably taller than her.

Which meant Clayor champions. Still on Ilotra. It made her blood run cold.

Thinking of Ilotra's safety before my own. There is something wrong with me.

Despite the horrible situation she was in, Aria almost laughed, realizing that none of it would have happened if she hadn't sent Ryden away. It had been the right call, Aria knew that, but the general would never have let them take her. In fact, she was sure he was going to tear her captors to pieces once he caught them.

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally stopped. Time to learn why she was there. So far the enemy hadn't hurt her, but there had to be a reason why they needed her, right? Aria saw no benefit in deluding herself into thinking she was safe.

The blindfold stayed, but the gag was removed from her mouth. Aria coughed.

"Let me go," she said then, as soon as her vocal chords obeyed her again. "The punishment for abducting an ambassador is extreme. I haven't seen you yet, I don't know who you are, so if you just cooperate—"

"Terran," a voice very close to her said, the hissing edge marking the speaker as a Clayor. "After all we've done and all we're about to do, taking you is the least of our concerns."

True. Also not comforting at all.

Aria thought of the explosions, of the war declaration and the incoming armies. The enemy had no fear of dirtying their hands, they'd shown that.

They probably wouldn't hesitate to kill her if she was no longer useful to them either. That was not a pleasant thought, but Aria refused to let fear take her.

"What do you want from me?" she asked.

It was better if she knew from the start. Aria figured then she could plan how to delay them. She didn't trust Ilotra's security to find her. They hadn't been able to locate the champions so far. It would be a miracle if they did now. She was on her own, but she was far from helpless.

Ryden, she thought then, the general's name jumping into her mind.

Aria shook her head clear. A man like that couldn't be relied upon to help, to save anyone. He was a killer; his job was to end lives, not preserve them. She doubted her disappearance was a priority issue, considering Ilotra's other problems. The enemy was right about that, at least.



"We want you to help us," the Clayor was saying.

Ha-ha. No.

"You seem to have everything under control," she said carefully. "You've managed to elude our security."

The Clayor laughed.

"That is not the problem," it said. "This moon is not run efficiently."

Tell me about it, Aria agreed silently.

"The Brions concern us a lot more. We didn't know there would be an army here. We are not pleased."

Good. Serves you right.

Out loud, Aria said, "They haven't found you either."

There was movement near her, a shifting of something huge, coming toward her suddenly. Aria took an involuntary step back. The creature came closer, whatever it was. Aria's mind was working frantically, trying to understand how something so big could not be found already. It felt like the world was closing in on her. The presence she sensed was enormous, but that wasn't the most frightening thing about it. It seemed to press down on her mind, overwhelming all her senses, making her thoughts feel claustrophobic. With the last vestiges of her self-control, Aria only just barely managed not to scream.

A voice so deep she barely made out words said:

"They're not really looking."

Aria didn't respond. She couldn't utter a single word, nor move. Cold sweat ran down her back, her entire body felt paralyzed, frozen by someone else's will. While her body was unable to move a finger, her mind was similarly fixed in place, focused on the horrifying presence near her.#p#分页标题#e#