Page 75 of Alien Warlord's Fury

"Ready."

I opened my eyes, silver light blazing from them, and thrust my hands forward. A pulse of energy shot out, hitting the shield. It flickered, destabilizing for a moment before reforming.

The construct fired back instantly. Nirako pulled me aside as a beam of corrupted energy scorched the wall where we'd stood.

"Again," he urged. "I've got you."

I nodded, gathering strength, our bond pulsing as his energy flowed into me. I projected another pulse, stronger this time. The shield flickered violently, sections collapsing.

"There!" I gasped, pointing to an exposed section of the core. "Strike there, quickly!"

Nirako drew his blade and lunged, dodging a sweeping appendage. The construct fired another beam, grazing his shoulder as he rolled. Pain flared through our bond, but he ignored it, focused solely on the target.

I projected a third pulse, my body trembling with the effort. The shield collapsed completely for a heartbeat, exposing the core.

Nirako struck, his blade driving deep into the crystal component. The construct shuddered, energy crackling around the blade, up Nirako's arm. He gritted his teeth, twisting the blade deeper.

The core cracked like shattering glass. Energy exploded outward, throwing Nirako back across the chamber. He hit the wall hard.

"Nirako!" I rushed to his side, helping him to his feet as the construct collapsed, its appendages falling limp, its core energy dissipating into scattered, inert components.

"Are you hurt?" I asked, scanning him anxiously.

He flexed his arm, wincing at the angry red burn marks spreading from his blade up his forearm. "Nothing serious. You?"

I shook my head, leaning against him for a moment. "The energy drain is significant, but I'll recover." My eyes met his, fierce pride surging through me. "We're doing this. We're actually doing this."

He nodded, his own fierce determination mirroring mine. "Together."

No more words were needed. Trust, determination, shared purpose flowed between us. I helped him reapply the paste to his burned arm, my touch gentle. He did the same for me, covering the areas where my markings had burned through.

"The younglings are very close now," I said, my voice tight with urgency. "I can feel their pain clearly. Hammond is pushing them harder, trying to force a breakthrough."

"Then we need to move quickly." Nirako checked his blade, ensuring it was undamaged. "Lead on."

I nodded, focus returning. We crossed the chamber, stepping around the guardian's remains. A doorway on the far side led deeper, toward Hammond, toward the children. Toward the end of this nightmare.

NIRAKO

The air grew stale, tinged with the metallic scent of machinery and something else—a faint electrical burn that reminded me of lightning strikes against the mountain peaks during storm season.

"Wait," Claire whispered, her hand shooting out to stop me.

I froze instantly, trusting her instincts. Through our bond, I could feel her awareness stretching outward, sensing something I couldn't yet perceive.

"Sensor grid ahead," she murmured. "Advanced. Different from anything we've encountered."

I peered into the dimly lit corridor. At first, I saw nothing unusual, but then—a subtle shimmer in the air, like heat rising from sun-baked stone. The shimmer moved, shifting in patterns too deliberate to be natural.

"The paste won't be enough," Claire said. "These sensors are reading energy patterns at a much deeper level."

I studied the corridor more carefully. "Can we bypass it?"

Claire closed her eyes, concentrating. "Not around. But maybe... through."

Her eyes opened, silver light leaking from beneath her lids. "The grid isn't solid. It's a pattern—shifting null zones where the sensors don't reach. If we time our movements perfectly..."

"Show me," I said, opening myself fully to our bond.

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