Page 124 of Galactic Sentinels: Vol 2
But I refuse to accept it as mine.
I’ve always dreamed of our people being respected across the galaxy for their strength, their resolve, their power. But what I see here… is greed, gratuitous cruelty, and dishonesty. And suddenly, I feel uneasy—ashamed, even.
That image? I want no part of it anymore.
I step forward, claws already extended. My gaze locks on his.
He grins, then lunges.
The impact is brutal. Claws against claws. Skin against skin. Two powerful, agile bodies, shaped by years of battle.
He tries to sweep my legs, but I pivot and drive my elbow into his ribs. He staggers back, surprised.
“Not bad for a weakened Srebat!” he spits.
“Not great for a well-rested, well-fed one!” I shoot back, slamming a right hook into him.
He barely blocks it, but my claws graze his cheek. A thin red line appears. He touches it with his fingers, then licks the blood.
“You’re gonna regret that.”
“Then show me what you’ve got!” I taunt him.
He comes at me with renewed fury.
We roll across the ground, exchanging blows and feints, both of us hunting for an opening. He’s fast and dirty; I’m weakened and exhausted. But he’s no master. Just a copycat who’s forgotten what true strength is.
I shove him off with a knee to the gut. He stumbles back, panting.
“You think you’re better than me?” he pants. “You sold lives too. Took advantage of the system. Just like me.”
“Maybe,” I say, pulling myself upright. “But I’m not proud of it anymore. Especially seeing what you’ve made us look like.”
He screams and charges again.
Suddenly, a scream rips through the air beside us. Sam is being attacked—some Human who came out of nowhere. He drags her roughly by the hair, a blade in his hand.
In a flash, I see my mother, then Danayat, their throats slashed by Paviok. No way in hell is that happening again. Not to my sweet Sam.
A quick glance tells me Ayden’s too far.
I don’t think. I just act.
I turn my back to Danuk and leap.
With one clean swipe of my claws, I bring the attacker down before he can slit her throat.
Our eyes meet. In hers, I see shock… and deep gratitude. She didn’t expect me to save her.
I freeze for a second, heart pounding, claws soaked in her assailant’s blood.
What kind of being have I been, if she had so little faith in me?
I realize now—power alone doesn’t earn trust. It intimidates, it scares. But it doesn’t comfort. It doesn’t forge a bond like the one she has with Ayden, who risked everything to find her.
“Noviosk!” she shouts, her gaze fixed behind me, wide with fear.
Too late.
