Page 75 of The Warrior's Oath
A smile crept onto Korvin’s face as well. His friend, his brother in arms, was alive, and it felt good having a trusted ally ready to fight at his side. And against this many armed Raxxians, he’d need all the help he could get.
“I will rejoin the others and devise a plan. Be ready to act when the time comes.”
“Others? Are more of us with you?”
“Not exactly. Two humans, actually.”
“Oh,” the captive said, disappointed. “Too bad.”
“There is much to tell you. But first things first. We must get you free and take this Nimmix captive.”
Movement from the bushes caught both of their attention. A Raxxian strode out, tightening his waist strap having apparently just relieved himself. From where he stepped into the clearing, he had a clear view of the Nimenni hiding just behind the prisoners’ pen.
“Intruder!” he bellowed, his hand instinctively grasping his back looking for a slung rifle.
But the lone rifle possessed by the group was leaning up against a tree across the encampment. The guard immediately realized his error, drawing his knife as quickly as he could.
Korvin was already upon him.
The fight was short and violent with Korvin coming out on top, but the element of surprise was gone. The other Raxxians leapt to their feet, a call to arms echoing among them.
“Go!” Halvax urged. “I will join you momentarily.
Korvin didn’t hesitate, rushing into battle against the superior forces. Halvax charged the gate, his knife slicing the cordage holding it shut with ease. The guard outside, however, was not going to be so easy, and he found himself locked in a pitched battle with the stocky alien.
“They need our help!” Nyota exclaimed.
“But he said—”
“Fuck that!” she cut Steve’s protest short, grabbing her knife and bursting into the clearing.
“Well, shit,” Steve grumbled, following her into the fray, his spear held at the ready.
Nyota raced to the holding pens, cutting the binding of the first gate as quickly as she could. Steve was moving for the other before he realized he was carrying a spear, not a blade. He quickly turned to face the Raxxian defenders, jabbing at them with the pointy stick, amazed it was actually holding them at bay. At least, for the moment.
Nyota moved toward the other pen, but the guard charged her, blocking the path and putting her on the defensive. Seeing this, the remaining Raxxians seemed to realize more action was needed than simply corralling these escapees into a pen and a proper fight broke out in full.
Steve did the best he could, though that consisted mainly of using his spear to keep the Raxxians from attacking en mass as Nyota fought the guard. She was drawing from her runes, pulling energy and skill from Korvin’s as well as her own, and she was actually giving the Raxxian a run for his money. She had improved, and a lot, at that.
Halvax engaged a second Raxxian as best he could. He was good, but he was injured and moving at reduced capacity as a result. Handling two at once was the upper end of his limits.
Korvin, however, had no such handicap.
Nyota was focused on her own fight, but she caught glimpses of her lover mowing down his adversaries with brutal efficiency, disarming them both figuratively and literally as his blade flashed into action.
A lucky punch shook him, knocking him into another’s kick, but that only seemed to enrage him, sending more force to his attacks. Korvin dove forward, plowing his hard elbow into the nearest Raxxian’s temple, his pulsing runes helping drive the attack hard enough to crack the alien’s skull.
Korvin didn’t slow to enjoy his handiwork, spinning toward the next nearest adversary and gutting him from belly to neck in a single, vicious blow. The Raxxian fell in a twitching heap, a threat no more.
He glanced at Nyota, a feeling of pure joy washing over him as he watched her fight with far more skill than she ever knew she had. His runes twinged a bit, but he was enjoying the feeling, knowing his power was protecting his love.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw the one called Nimmix snatch up the group’s lone rifle and charge straight toward Nyota.
“No!” he bellowed, leaping through the air just as Nimmix lined up a shot.
He slammed into the rifle just as it discharged, taking a portion of the hit while directing the bulk of it harmlessly aside. Nimmix didn’t hesitate, dropping the larger weapon and pulling a smaller pistol free. He aimed at Nyota and was about to pull the trigger when he fell to his knees, the hilt of the long knife protruding from his chest. Nimmix looked at Korvin in disbelief, then collapsed, bleeding out on the rocky ground.
Korvin, Halvax, and Nyota closed ranks, working together to ensure the rest of the Raxxian guards soon met the same fate. Breathing hard and dripping with blood that was mostly not their own, the rescuers stood looming over the dead and dying, victorious, but at a cost.
