by Max Jager
Alerius hopped over to the rock and tried to move the big boulder but even with all his mighty strength he couldn't move the massive rock. He turned back to Aurela and said in a hopeless tone, "Oh great, we're stuck. There's no other way out."
Aurela couldn't help but to bat those beautiful ocean colored eyes of hers and say in a very seductive tone, "It's kind of romantic Firius."
Alerius just gave her this hard sideways stair. "Don't start!"
She just kind of gave him this childish grin.
He rolled his eyes knowing full well what she was trying to do. Lure him into a romantic setting through her seductive tone. It was working too! Her charm was staring to get to him. He knew something about the human psyche. Anybody who is with anybody in difficult times through a certain amount of a time period, maybe no less then a day, will grow a bond. Either friendship or romantic.
Alerius looked all over the place. "I don't think we're getting out of here any time soon. There's got to be a way out!"
"There is."-"Yes, there is."-"There is a way out."
Three voice came out of the slightly lit cave room. The first voice was a man's and the other two sounded female.
Alerius looked all around to see who said that. As his eyes scoured the cave room he then looked at the ten small holes. He suddenly saw small, reptilian-like creatures come to the edges and stop. They were as small as chameleons but looked more like geckos. Alerius didn't know what to think of his new found hosts. All ten holes were occupied by a small lizard.
"Tell us who you are."-"Yes, you must."-"You must indeed."-"Indeed, who are you?" Four voices sounded off. The first three were male voices and the last was a female. Alerius knew it was the small lizards talking. It took Alerius no time at all to remember who these small lizard creatures were.
"Calsins!" Alerius blurted out.
"He knows us?"-"Yes, the stranger knows us."-"He won't for long."-"No, not for long." Each voice seemed to be different that time.
Alerius didn't know what to do! He knew that the calsins were not known for their hospitality. He figured he should play this one a little bit more cautious then usual. Unarmed and somewhat outnumbered, any wrong thing said or done could be the end of them both. He was not about to underestimate a potential enemy without a weapon.
Alerius outstretched his arms and in the most subtle tone he could muster said, "I am your friend. I mean you no harm."
After he had said the last word he kind of shut his eyes and his mind's voice yelled out, 'God! You suck!' He silently agreed with himself too.
Alerius's eyes bounced across the room expecting anything. He half expected the alien dinosaur to come plowing through the wall! He expected anything except what happened next.
The voices from the calsins began again. "He comes in peace."-"Peace?"-"Peace is how he comes."
Alerius cocked his brow in confusion. He didn't know whether to take that as a threat or a reassurance. He knew he wasn't that good at offering peaceful resolutions to any situation but maybe something else was behind this. Maybe they could partially read his mind? Maybe they knew he was telling the truth and he just didn't know how to make it sound truthful? Or maybe they were just bluffing and trying to lure him into a false sense of security? One thing was for sure, he definitely wasn't going to do the last possibility.
He still stayed ready for something to go wrong. He would protect Aurela at all costs. He knew that these calsins were a lot more dangerous then they were showing. He had heard the stories and knew their reputation.
"What is it that it wants?"-"Yes, what do you want?"-"What indeed?"-"Indeed is the question."-"Question being: What do you want?"
This whole repeating was really starting to get on Alerius's nerves. He decided that he should tell them the whole story. Being careful not to divulge anything to sensitive about his mission. Like being sent by The Osiris itself, Agent Dark, or his run in with Yellow Korzen and the Flaming Meteorite. Most of it he left out or lied about because he felt it would in-danger the both of them and/or it was too delicate to share with a race of beings who haven't picked a side in fifty years. Either way, he felt it was in Aurela and his own best interest.
Aurela did not understand why he had lied to them and was about to say something but Alerius stopped her. She looked at him funny and asked, "Firius, what are you doing?"
Alerius made this painful look on his face. It was not because of his leg either. He knew that the calsins had heard her. Hopefully he could think of something to cover them both fast.
Aurela looked at his leg after he made that painful look and then asked, "Your leg, does it hurt you?"
Her voice was still as sweet as ever and that icy wall around his heart started to melt away quickly. He was almost taken in by her charm. "No, just a little bit."
His voice no longer had that hard tone. His military demeanor had melted away. He was also lying too. His leg hurt like hell. He didn't want her worrying about him though. She came close and hugged him.
He was surprised by her actions. He knew he shouldn't have been but what scared him the most was that he returned the embrace. He hugged her back enjoying her company. His hard stubborn mentality had gone away with her one little question. Her care towards him turned his heart to jelly along with his brain. Her skin so soft and warm. To be in her loving embrace was wonderful. Like a beautiful dream that he couldn't, nor did he want to, wake up from. He felt so good in her loving embrace that his exhaustion finally caught up with him and he passed out to her warm touch. Sort of just melting into her. Wanting to be part of her. Drifting off to sleep being so relaxed. He was at peace both with his emotions and his body. He was no longer fighting himself.
If he had not been so tired he probably would have taken her right then and there. Being so tired though from both the physical fighting and mental combat to maintain his stature had taken a toll on him. Not to mention the severe pain from his leg. Even though it was no longer infected it was still shooting pain up his thigh and his ankle like lighting. He didn't care about it though. He was in the arms of the one he loved and that was all that mattered.
Aurela about fell over from his weight. She carefully put him down on the ground and looked at the calsins. "Will you help us? Please!"
Her voice was pleasing to the ears and filled with a loving care. She was worried about her beloved and wanted these creatures to help her.
Some of the calsins looked at each other and then they all looked at her at once. A male voice came and a bunch of others followed. "Help? Yes. Help!"-"Yes, help, we will help."-"Yes, we will."-"Will help you."-"Yes, and him."-"Yes, him as well."
Aurela nodded her head once as a sign of her gratitude. She was very thankful that they were going to help them.
The calsisns scampered back into the holes disappearing from sight. Then, Aurela watched in amazement as this huge white crack split the wall in two. It seemed to come from the ceiling and run down to the ground. It had this bright white light emanating from it as if something powerful was on the other side. Suddenly, this small quake began and the wall opened up. It opened outward towards Aurela reveling the essence of the light.
Bright diamond! It was a hallway made out of diamond! It was bright and almost blinded Aurela. It was like a whole other world inside the diamond corridor. She saw the small lizards again only this time they were on the floor which was also made of diamond in this bright hallway. It wasn't the same ones though. These ones seemed younger to her. She felt they were. She really couldn't see that they were she just 'knew' they were.
They were also accompanied by a large hovering bed. It seemed like a bed anyway. It was able to fit a large man on it and was more or less a technical slab made out of a clear material. Like glass or crystal. It was definitely not diamond. It was thinner and more clear. It was probably hand crafted to look a little like diamond though.
They brought it into the diamond cave and stopped right next to Alerius. All of them lifted him onto the slab and then walked off with
him. Aurela followed the small lizards and noticed, as she proceeded into the diamond hallway inside, the cave wall shut behind her. Leaving her now enveloped by sparkling bright diamond.
She followed Alerius and the little lizards. Aurela figured they had walked maybe ten yards but it felt more like a mile. She was so entranced by the beauty of the hallway. She also had not noticed that they were going deeper and deeper into the planet's crust.
Finally, she and the rest came to the end of the tunnel and when she emerged from the sparkling tube, being the last one out, she saw a sight she would never forget!
An entire city made out of diamond! She stopped about five feet in front of the exit to the hallway to stare at the city in a mystified trance. She saw little lizards scouring about everywhere. Little houses made of diamond that seemed to come out of the walls that where also made of diamond. From what Aurela could see everything was carved out of diamond. In fact, the city had been one big giant diamond at one time. Since Aurela was in such shock at the underground civilization she didn't noticed that all she was standing in was a creatively and elaborately hollowed out geode.
She walked slowly towards Alerius, wherever they were hauling him off to.
While she walked, she looked all over the place at the brilliant craftsmanship and the inner workings of the small city. She saw families inside small houses through their windows. Houses that were sometimes as big as her and some that were no bigger then her foot. Windows brilliantly done with carefully crafted symbols. The symbols and windows were sometimes bigger then her head. Above her head, about a foot or two, was a track with dangling carts being swiftly moved through small tunnels about the size of the calsins themselves. The carts were smaller then the tunnel entrances and exits. Aurela couldn't see exactly what they were transporting but it had a red tint to it. She saw small carved out trails underneath her feet that went all through the diamond city. She was careful not to step on the few calsins that crossed her way.
Finally, they stopped over a huge building that was as twice as big as her. It was dome shaped and had a skylight ceiling. It looked like a huge stadium but was too clustered to be anything of the sort. Aurela was so overcome with curiosity that she peeked inside the building through the dome roof. Inside, it looked like a big mall. She was surprised to see most the inner interior of this building; unlike most, wasn't made out of diamond. Except for some steps, some tables, and a couple other ordinary objects. Everything else was either living or on display and not made of diamond.
There were small living plants that were probably like trees to the calsins. Metal hunks of spaceship parts and each one had its own display section. Their was a library; at least, that's what it seemed like, and a couple food courts. There was also other things from on and off the planet that seemed to be on display for the entire okren populace to observe in a safe environment. It was like having a mall, park, and museum all rolled into one magnificent building.
Alerius was on the thin diamond medical slab right over the roof of the building. Aurela looked at him with concern. The calsins that had escorted him this far began to crawl off. She looked at them and asked, "Will he be alright?"
One of the calsins turned and looked at her. "Not to worry. Worry not, for he will be fixed. Fixed well, fixed soon." That okren then crawled away fast to catch up with his confidants.
Aurela was left with Alerius all alone. Over this model sized mega-gathering building. She cupped Alerius's hand and held onto it. She then gave him a small kiss on the cheek and whispered into his ear. "I love you."
Planet Traxus: The Red Carpet
Yellow Korzen tracked the ship right through the atmosphere of Traxus. He too entered through the fiery shield of the planet. He was hurt by the turbulence and the heat but un-detoured and unaffected. He didn't let it effect him, mentally.
He hit hard about thirty-five miles away from Alerius and Aurela. That was when his tracking devise aboard his ship was terribly damaged. He could no longer find Alerius or Aurela. He looked all over the desolate landscape of Traxus. He knew that he was in for quite a walk. He also had a plan. He knew a race loyal to him on this planet and that would welcome him with open arms.
Migzights. Lethal, deadly, ravenous monsters. Their home world was about two star clusters away but he knew that some of them were on Traxus. Their home world was a dangerous one even for the migzights. It was a hostile planet of wars upon wars. Making them a warrior race. That's why they were also spread out throughout the universe. They really didn't have any enemies and that causes turmoil for them. No enemy means no wars, no wars means no peace. These creatures are not at peace unless they are at war with somebody. So they fight themselves. They probably had colonies set up all over the planet. They were a lizard-like race and were perfectly comfortable with Traxus's brutal environment.
Most migzights looked like alligators walking on two legs. With a slightly shorter snout. A little more leaner and a lot more intelligent. They had dark black scales and most either had red, green, or yellow eyes. They were slit reptilian eyes and were very keen with the knowledge for death. They were very masculine and were skilled in bladed weaponry. Anything from knives to spears. Bladed attire to full blown fast moving saws.
One of the biggest reasons for them being on Traxus was probably to find an enemy to fight. Not just any foe will do. Some migzights are sent into the vastness of space to find worthy opponents. Enemies with ferocious tempers who will destroy worlds. Some people liked to think of them as freelance peacekeepers. Korzen thought of them as good friends.
Korzen had saved their tails from destruction more then once and he was probably the only true ally that the migzight race had. He was sure that they wouldn't care what side he was on. The migzights were on the side of the human race just because the hellion forces seemed more destructive and better foes but Yellow Korzen was sure they'd make an exception for him.
Yellow Korzen walked across the barren land for about two hours before having an encounter with one of the dragon worms. He killed it easily. Oh sure, it took him a bit but nothing he couldn't handle. His skill and determination was far more vast then that of any other rogue's.
He pressed on hoping to find the migzights. He was sure he would come across a tribe or a rabble of them sooner or later.
It wasn't until the next day that he found a small encampment of them. They may have been small in numbers, maybe only consisting of twenty, but they were heavy in weapons. Yellow Korzen was pleased by this.
Yellow Korzen was indeed welcomed as a hero and was led to the commander. He walked right into this small hut made out of black wood. It was made out of dead tree limbs and tied together by some kind of green colored rope. It was better then what the rest had though. The rest had these big tents. Not as big as the commander's hut though.
When Yellow Korzen entered the commander's hut, he was escorted by two other sentries. He saw right in front of him a nice size table and sitting across from him was the commander. He could see why too.
He was bigger then most migzights Yellow Korzen had seen. He had broad shoulders that seemed to support two shoulder pads with one blade a piece on them. A slight pinkish scar was scrawled across his face just under his right, green colored, eye. Korzen could tell it was made by some bladed piece of arsenal. His neck was also broad which held his proud, regal, wide, razor-toothed filled head. On his broad neck was a necklace decorated with at least ten or fifteen black claws that Korzen recognized as volcanis claws. The piece in the middle of the strewn claws though puzzled him. It was a dark, pearl bone that was not round nor was it square. It was an odd shape looking like distorted rock. Korzen couldn't identify it.
The two sentries stepped back outside and guarded the front entrance.
Yellow Korzen stood across from the commander. The commander spoke first. "Welcome Korzen. Hopefully your stay on Traxus has been pleasant?" The commander's voice hissed with a bass sort of growl. Much like an alligator or crocodile. He was still formal in his
tone of voice though which made him more intelligent then the rest of his soldiers. Which made him all the more dangerous.
Korzen just gave him a sly sneer and muttered out, "No."
The commander shrugged his shoulders. "I'm Commander Rathus. Welcome to The Traxus Blood Letter's Encampment. Viceroy Ground Squadron 4229."
Yellow Korzen just smiled. He knew they were enemy hunters otherwise they would have not even left their home world. He looked at Commander Rathus and asked, "So, what're you doing here?"
Commander Rathus took a drink of something in a cup on the table. He put the cup back down. "What do you think?"
Korzen could only smile at the commander. He leaned forward and said, "I need help commander."
Rathus gave him a crocodile smile and said, "You came to the right place Korzen."
"I knew I did."
"What's the favor?"
"Do you know The Red Firius?"
"Yeah, the hero from the dragon's home world, why?"
