Dr. Bryant was beside himself with worry. A cold sweat beaded down his cheek.
Their goals teetered on the precipice of ruin... For so little. It frustrated him greatly. He rubbed a handkerchief across his brow. As he watched Zephyr dismantle puck enforcers on his tablets view.
The blood evaporated from Zephyr's armor. Some kind of self-cleansing feature. That was something at least. She was frozen in contemplation now.
It's not like Zephyr hadn't killed before. Before Aboleth even. During her tenure as a telepath hunter—she did what she could to avoid getting her hands dirty. But her human trafficking mother wouldn't allow her to do nothing at all.
So she did what she had to. Zephyr's skills at subterfuge didn't fall from the sky. They were well practiced. The 'sultry seduction' act she does was just one tool in her kit. Telepaths had to be caught somehow after all.
Sometimes they had guards. Sometimes they had friends or family protecting them.
And sometimes. Sometimes Zephyr was the one to do the dirty deed. She seduced, lied and murdered in order to bring some telepaths in. What else could she do? She wasn't big and strong like Boulder was. Or a quick draw like Julie was. But she was a good liar.
But this?
Zephyr looked around at the enforcers bodies around her.
This was different than before. Stabbing someone from the front for the reasons she did now—it was very different.
Was it... Justified?
..Whatever it was, she felt far less guilty about it. Sure, sure. They were just doing their jobs trying to stop an alien race from taking over territory. Which was justified. The Zykra's intentions weren't friendly at all.
Buuuuut it's not like Zephyr could just stand by and let them ruin humanities one true chance at survival by killing or capturing the Zykra's only human-favoring queen. That would be stupid.
So in the end it was odd. To kill somewhat justifiably. On a Zykra queens behalf.
"..Zephyr? Is that you?" Selene grumbled behind her. She sat upwards on the dune she was laid on. Her eyes half lidded and sleepy.
How did she know it was her so quickly? Zephyr was all armored up in a skintight battle-suit. Maybe it was her telepath powers or something.
"Selene... You're up." she said insecurely. Unsure of what their relationship currently was. They hadn't left things off in a good place. Given everything with Aboleth, she was worried Selene hated her.
Selene looked around at the carnage. The dead enforcers. The dead moth.
"Evo..."
"He died protecting you." Zephyr said sullenly as she walked over to Selene and knelt beside her.
"Did you do this? To the soldiers?" Selene said, glancing over the black rigid shapes of their corpses.
Zephyr nodded.
"And this is the gauntlets powers..."
She nodded again.
"Aboleth. She is... Okay?" Selene asked accusatorily.
"She's fine... I think. I'm not sure how Zykra eggs work." Zephyr answered.
"Okayokayokay..." Selene said somewhat more relaxed. She was still dismayed over the tiny moths demise, but she didn't have the privilege of being so broken up about it in this situation. So she resigned herself and flopped back onto the dune; "I'm so sleepy... I can barely move at all."
Zephyr looked at Selene. She was just staring up at the stars. Her violet eyes were dimmed to the base color—without their usual glow.
"Selene.. About Aboleth."
Selene didn't look away from the sky a she spoke; "-You hurt her on purpose."
Zephyr flinched from the sudden revelation. Then relaxed bitterly. "Yea..."
The wounded bug-girls eyes drifted to the silver armored woman kneeling next to her. An emotionally neutral yet appraising look in them.
"Don't do it again." she said flatly after a moment. A serious look in her eyes. And she waited. For a response.
"I won't. I'm sorry."
"I don't forgive you." Selene said quickly. Looking away.
It was a painfully quiet moment for long after that. Before Zephyr found the words to say. They came naturally to her now. They weren't forced, or an act. But she had no way to prove that. Even to herself. She was just too good at lying.
"I don't deserve forgiveness. But I'd really appreciate a chance to make it up to you. To show that from now on—I'm team Selene. No matter what."
Zephyr didn't know what she expected only days ago. Or what she wanted from Selene. But ever since she saw the reaction Selene had to Aboleths death... She.. Wanted that? Someone to care for her like that? Whatever compelled her—saving humanity or Selene's innocent nature. It seated her firmly on Selene's side now. And Zephyr felt it strongly.
Selene swallowed and closed her eyes bitterly.
"We'll see."
Zephyr sat next to her; "Guess it'd be unfair to ask for more than that... So now what? We just wait for Aboleth? I could go look for the healing stuff—I have these flies still that Evo gave me." she held out an arm and showed Selene the fly there.
Selene shook her head. "I need you here to protect us for now. Pipsqueak is more of an emotional support scantid, no offense Pipsqueak..." she said weakly. She was clearly still very tired.
The tiny scantid near them chittered softly.
"Okay." Zephyr said, partly choked up by the trust Selene had placed in her. However meager it was.
And they shared a one-sided awkward silence then. Selene seemed unbothered... Disinterested by her presence. While Zephyr was eager to make up for past wrongs—to talk like they did before. And time passed. Before 15 minutes had passed Zephyr just HAD to talk again.
"Are you cold? Should I make a fire?" Zephyr asked.
"I'm fine."
"...Maybe I could signal that drone. Write a message... Tell Dr. Bryant to move the ship over."
"It would just make us bigger targets... You're new to this, aren't you?"
Zephyr had no idea what she meant.
"New at what?"
Selene gave a tired sigh and turned towards her.
"Listen. 'Sorry' doesn't fix anything by itself. Being sorry means making positive choices for the person you're feeling 'sorry' towards. It takes time. So don't annoy me with your sad puppy 'let me help' attitude. It makes me feel like you're weaponizing my pity against me to forgive you when you haven't earned it yet."
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Zephyr was amazed into silence. But then she chortled. Selene was such a strange person. Was this that thing people called 'emotional intelligence'? She was right. As much as she wanted to feel sorry for herself, it wasn't about her.
"Alright jeez! I get it... I'll try to lighten up until I prove myself I guess?"
"Good. Also sit over there."
Zephyr got up and sat on the flat sandstone across from Selene.
"What is up with the suit anyways..." Selene muttered as she did.
"What? You have a battle form!"
"You can't compare mine to yours... Mine is protective. Covered in armor. It's cute sure, but it's not... Yours is like..." her cheeks flushed a purple color.
"I didn't design it..." Zephyr said, also blushing and looking away. People had no problem with bikinis and stuff but the second it was battle armor it was too much? She hated double standards in fashion.
An hour or so passed, and they spoke idly ever so often. But whenever they did it was something painfully formal. Like where they would go next. What their plans against puck were. What they would do about the resistance when the time came.
Until suddenly Zephyr felt uneasy. Her fight or flight instincts were triggered. And she was unsure of by what.
Sand launched into the sky from the spot Zephyr sat instantaneously. Dust filled the air and chunks of sandstone rained down from the sky.
When it cleared, Zephyr was pinned to the ground with a waspish Zykra standing over her. It's two sets of dragonfly-like wings were out and buzzing. Clearing the dust away.
Zephyr was holding a scythe shaped claw stabbing down at her with both hands. It was impossibly sharp for carapace- like metal. It happened so fast.
"STOP!" Selene called out to it. But it ignored her.
It stood on two sets of thick insectoid legs, barbed and covered with orange/brown and purple carapace. The flesh beneath was dark purple and wrinkled. Shiny like plastic. It had an abdomen and thorax, with a head just like a wasp. But it stood upright. It's head twitched side to side as it examined it's foe.
All of it's legs ended in blades. The two sets that stabbed the ground, and the set of 'arms' it currently assaulted Zephyr with.
It's segmented black eyes had a purple glow within and it had antenna pouring out the back of it's head like braids. Hanging loosely down the 'shoulders'.
Zephyr groaned in frustration.
"GET... OFF!"
She snapped the end of the scythed claw with her hands and kicked at the Zykra. Which dodged backwards. Sliding across the sandstone towards Aboleths chrysalis.
It was after the preserver device. Clearly. It wasn't here for Selene. Or maybe it was. In any case, it was a fight to the death.
Zephyr drew the blade of light from her gauntlet. Which erupted outwards alongside the sound of a transformer exploding. It was brighter and longer than before.
Her amateurish fighting stance was deeply concerning to Selene—who was trained by Protectorate specialists for months.
The praetorian wasp Zykra looked at the broken claw curiously. And it slowly regrew.
"I think it's after the device! Run!"
Zephyr ignored Selene's shouts. And charged at the bug. It blurred around her and stabbed her in the side of the stomach. The bladed tip looked like it would pierce her, but instead a blue flash resounded and it punched her like a sledgehammer. She flew into the sand dune next to Selene. Sending out an explosion of sand and dust.
"Don't be an idiot, run!" Selene told Zephyr as she pushed herself out of the sand as if it were snow.
"Shut up. I'm busy." Zephyr said angrily. And charged again.
The Zykra pulled back onto two legs and stabbed at the approaching silver blur with four scythes at once. Time seemed to slow for Zephyr as she stopped a moment before it stabbed. When it did she stepped backwards and to the side as the four points come together beside her.
She grabbed them beneath an armpit and slashed the arms with her blade of light. Severing them.
Selene's eyes widened. There wasn't much technique in that. But she had to admit it worked.
Purple blood spouted out as the Zykra retreated backwards with painful chitters. It flew backwards into the sky as the arms regrew.
"I'm not done yet!" Zephyr shouted at it and jumped into the sky after it.
But it was no longer underestimating it's opponent. This Zykra was fully aware and prepared for her now. It spun backwards towards the ground and began to dodge in various ways as the limbs regrew. Dancing along the ground and air with impossible agility.
Then it attacked again.
Selene noticed immediately—they were too evenly matched. Zephyr while mostly impervious to the praetorians attacks, lacked the experience to land a killing blow reliably.
And the praetorians regenerative abilities were too potent to be defeated by anything less. So the two were locked in a stalemate as they battled. And battled.
A swirl of dust and debris followed them. Changing the landscape. Thankfully, both seemed to be making an active effort not to bring Selene or the Zykra eggs into the battle.
After so many hours, both began to show signs of fatigue. Whatever was powering the device Zephyr wore was depleting.
Zephyr was breathing hoarsley. The suit was compensating for her lack of fitness until now. And gradually her body beneath the suit was feeling the burden. She was fit enough- naturally toned to a degree. But she never trained to fight.
"Getting.. Tired yet... Why don't you buzz off?" Zephyr said jokingly.
The waspish praetorian answered her with another charge.
While Zephyrs blade of light could cut through exposed flesh between the chitin, it would deflect off anything else. Sending white sparks into the air. Which happened now as their blades locked.
Their movements were becoming slower. More sluggish.
"Screw... This..." Zephyr breathed as she stepped closure to the creature. It's bladed arms began to embrace her. Her blade of light could only deflect two of the scythed arms during this grapple. The other two legs that weren't on the ground were racking across her back. Sending out flashes of blue light that were progressively becoming dimmer. Whatever was protecting her was growing weaker by the second.
She grabbed the praetorian by the 'throat' with her free hand.
And headbutted it.
The thing shuddered but did not relinquish it's grip. So she headbutted it again. A sickening crunch sounded as purple blooded leaked from every orifice on it's face. It staggered but held firm.
"Tough... BASTARD!" she reeled back with all her might and crashed her head into it's own once more. A final ditch effort. It's head whipped back from the force leaving a spiral of blood spinning off behind it. It dropped to it's knees.
And that was the opening Zephyr needed.
She reached down and grabbed the space between it's segmented eyes. Fingers burrowing into either eye as she did so.
Then pulled.
It's face opened up in grotesque display of gory carnage. Zephyr was free of the arms that now hung limply by the monsters sides—so she impaled her blade down into the opening she had created.
It was almost disappointing how quickly it was over after all the hell it put her through. But Zephyr smirked tiredly as it slumped and fell over.
"Zephyr..." Selene said, unsure of what else to say.
The silver warrior stood there seemingly unharmed. But judging by the way she swayed—the battle had taken it's toll on her.
"It's done..." she said. Out of breath. Before she returned, staggering towards Selene. "A lot of help you were." she said towards the scantid next to Selene. Then plopped down. Sitting.
"What were we saying about my armor?" Zephyr teased.
Just then another creature landed in a plum of dust and sandstone chunks ahead of them. Next to the praetorian and enforcer corpses. And the landscape that had been largely changed from their battle.
This one was also one of the ones that had accompanied Ku'senai before. Large, like two cars stacked on top of each other.
It was far less humanoid in shape and posture than the last.
It was a giant centipede fuzed with a scorpion. Or at least that was the closest comparison Selene could draw—it was completely alien. Segmented like a bug, long like a snake, with many legs. It's body was wrapped in thick bulbous purple and orange carapace plates.
It's tubular maw opened up and spewed a jet of acid at Zephyr. Who brought up an arm to protect herself.
A translucent blue shield appeared around her which the glowing green fluid splashed off of, harmlessly into the sand around her. The shield flickered and vanished a moment after. The hulking bug, a fusion of countless different kinds, slithered up to her and pulled it's upper body into the air.
It was going to slam into her with all it's might.
"Zephyr, no!" Selene shouted.
Zephyr raised her arms up to protect herself one final time. Her blade of light re-emerged. Flickering. Seemingly having difficulty retaining it's form. It waved and warped weakly.
"Inadequate as ever."
A voice said from behind the praetorian Zykra. Quiet in the roar of it and the frightened scream Zephyr made.
Two scythe arms reached around the mid section of the creature just as it slammed itself downwards. Green, but flat and shiny like metal. They bit into the armor plates. Cracking them and sending purple blood spilling out over Zephyr. The creature strained against the grip that held it at bay. It's many legs reached for Zephyr desperately.
But the force from behind it yanked and dragged the creature backwards.
They were claws emerging out of Aboleths mid-section.
Just above a thick serpentine lower half. About 3 feet in diameter, making her look like a medusa from greek myths. Her torso was smaller on top, giving the serpentine lower half the appearance of having wide hips. Shining green plates of carapace covered it like scales. Her serpentine body coiled and pulled away from the two of them. Wrestling the other praetorian the entire journey.
Her bare human torso was the same as before. If a bit more well-endowed and muscled. Her hair was spilling over her, down towards her snake-like lower half. And her eyes glowed a violet color similar to Selene's.
The arms on the top of her snake-hips began to bisect the eldritch monstrosity she wrestled with. But it wasn't her only weapon.
Aboleth's arms became covered in a similar shining green armor and she impaled both into it's sides. Sending spouts of purple blood onto the cracked sandstone around them. Punching straight through to the center. And she pulled. While the claws on her hips pulled the opposite direction.
She ripped the upper half of the centipede like monstrosity free and tossed it aside in a heavy heap.
The lower half slumped to the ground next to it.
Zephyr and Selene stared at Aboleth in shock. She was... Larger. Than before.
Her shimmering green serpentine lower half was about ten meters long. Gradually tapering off, becoming more narrow towards the end. The hips flared outwards towards the base of Aboleth's torso. Which was similar to before, asides from the differences already noted. And the claws that had gripped the other praetorian shrank down. Resembling two small foot-long, wing-like scythes that hung from the sides of her snake-hips.
The armor on her arms disappeared into her skin, becoming normal human arms once more. Albeit with a pale green hue that her skin had. Her eyes dimmed, becoming regular violet without the glow.
She brushed a bit of the floofy now-dark blue almost black hair out of her face and looked at them. Then looked towards Zephyr.
"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now." she said flatly.
Behind the chapter...
<<<>>> SHOUTOUT SECTION! <<<>>>
Stuck in a roguelike where dying resets everything? How many times can you die before you stop pretending it's just a game?
It's a flippin roguelike.
What to expect:
- gallows humour
- strong multi-dimensional characters
- vicious rodents of unusual size
- slow grindy but satisfying growth
- an adorable companion
- real world stakes