“Are we safe from being charged? They are too fast and somehow my shield didn’t send them flying.”
“If we back away they will calm. Their faithful task for the past twenty five millennia is to guard the City of Wind and so they have. It is their armor that defends from barriers. They will not attack. Come.” He spun and walked away in hidden metallic shoes. No one could see what lay beneath the robes of an Archiver, but they were hardly defenseless.
“Fall back.” Oliver ordered and he never once took his eyes off the large creatures. Stone and Steven did likewise.
Passing a certain point the biggest one in the back made a much louder roar and the others went silent. They sat down still as statues, but their bright blue eyes stared unflinching. Oliver never once looked way as he said kindly “I will be thankful to any help you can offer, but what did you call them again?”
“Zeramndillieq villip or as the humans may refer to native fauna species as a Liger. A feline species with the trainable mentality of their canine, but vastly more intelligent. This Pride is the last we know of and we cannot move them. They will kill themselves and any others to do their master’s duty. To take them from this world and city will kill them as surely as if I slew them myself. And their duty has been to watch over and kill any who dares to cross into the city and leave only to sate their hunger.”
“Makes sense now that we haven’t seen any Tarantula carcasses lately. I’d bet my left nut they eat every part of their prey.”
“Your wager would be correct. They leave nothing behind and give their waste to the forest to grow.” The Archiver returned to the task. “These remaining twelve are the last of the Queen Fru’s Pride. They have lost nine others from accidents and they do not breed without the approval of a master. Hence our request you make them your Pride, Oliver Void. You have the skills necessary to bind them to your will and allow them to live again. If I must beg, I shall. Do not…”
“I’m not heartless. They have been alone and forgotten all this time yet still they stay and work.” Oliver took a breath and turned his head to stare into smoky blue eyes and was one of the rare moments he had to look up to someone. “I know how it feels to be left behind without answers too… they must be sad without her.”
“Do not touch their mind or it will provoke an attack and they will come. Only their master is allowed, but I can tell you I have done it and what sadness they can feel is great. But they only see Solarians as their master unless the master gives their young as a gift. Many of our greatest warriors have tried to sway them, but it is impossible. Your Match is too weak to survive so you must undertake this task alone.”
“What must I do?”
“It is called the ritual of Vasiqk. Fighting the Pride is suicide as you’ve witnessed their unparalleled speed and strength. No fauna in existence is their superior in physical combat. The armor you see is like what you wear and it makes them even more deadly. They were bred for such perfection and are inherently immortal, such as yourself. They were bred to defend if ever a Cerberus came too close and are well equipped to fight even without the armor.”
“I take it fighting is out of the question.” Oliver said dryly.
“Indeed. To force that old Pride to give you their loyalty you must endure the greatest pain imaginable and make not a sound. You must go naked and unarmed right up to the Pride leader without the scent of fear. If you smell of fear he will eat you, but should you stand before him, he will bite down over your shoulder and mentally stab at the pain receptors to feel your pain as his own. If you survive and don’t make a sound, he will submit and the entire loyalty of the Pride will shift to you. So you know, that male is one of the largest I’ve ever seen before. He will be difficult. He has been trained to endure pain only Queens are trained to endure. Let him inside your mind and do not resist. It would be a challenge deserving of death he will not hesitate to act on.”
“One snag you left out. The air is toxic. He can’t go naked.” Renee said, her heart hammering at hearing all this. She feared greatly, knowing Oliver already made up his mind by the setting of his shoulders.
“To human physiology, yes. To Solarians, no. He will choke and cough some, but his biology will adapt, just as yours will.”
“I don’t like this.” Stone said too late as Oliver removed his mask and doubled over as the first breath burned down into his lungs like acid. Renee was at his side in an instant, her concern greater than before as his bronze skin turned red as he coughed for breath.
But before she could go over and punch the Archiver, Oliver’s gagging coughs slowly relaxed and his coloring settled. “Give me a few minutes.” He leaned back to sit down. Not one to let her man suffer alone, Renee remover her mask and fought the sudden influx of toxic air, but slowly the pain receded to the point breathing was a little labored, but bearable.
“Brother, these Creelin are quite literally sending you into a lion’s den. Forget twelve of these so called Ligers and…”
“You know I can’t, Stone.” Oliver said kindly. Knowing his friend was merely concerned and well founded. “They are part of my heritage and I can’t bring myself to kill them regardless if they get in my way.” He gestured to the three Creelin still standing around. “If pain lets me take them out of here, I’ll bear it. Besides, imperial laws are against slaughter of endangered species, especially numbering twelve. Thank you, but…”
“I understand, Brother. I’m just going to let you know that if things go south I’m going to kill them.”
“No, I will… because I know I’ll die anyway if my Match does. You guys get out and make sure to report this place.” Renee said and turned to frame both sides of Oliver’s face. “Do your best, Idiot.” And gave him a deep kiss, hiding tears to seem strong. “Don’t die before I kill you myself. Got that?”
“Love you too.” He stood up, laid his weapons and bag of transmitters down and completely absorbed his armor back into the vambrace on the right arm.
Deciding on a course of action, Oliver looked off the road and moved to a flowing stream that was ice cold. Chilly temperature made it feel as if something kicked him in the chest, but he did a quick bath to remove four days worth of body odor. When Oliver sniffed his arms it was going to be as good as he got, being watched by a single pair Liger eyes while the rest hardly blinked to the rest of the group.
Leaving the water completely naked, cold and shivering did though settle the emotions. Doing a mental exercise Callier taught, he began to shed every emotion away till nothing was left. No fear, happiness, nothing. Just leaving a sense of determination to succeed.
His approach antagonized the Pride into roaring warnings, but he didn’t pause. Primal fear didn’t take hold. Merely washed away like warm water. It only got louder and still he came forward completely naked and mentally open.
At the line, they stopped warning so one swiped at him and Renee shrieked.
The paw’s extended claws simply didn’t connect. He kept walking. Two snapped loudly centimeters from his face and arm, but also didn’t connect. Roars, feints and displays were meant to frighten, but he paid them no mind and they never touched him.
Until he came to a stop in front of the Pride leader, the great alpha male. The Pride’s king. It yowled deep and threatening, displaying long, deadly fangs to show his dislike at this when he was already hungry, but stopped and came forward to sniff. He had that much control over basic needs. When it leaned back the extra frightening armor began to ripple towards the neck and withdrew into a collar the same color as his icy eyes.
Left behind was a glorious white Liger standing near face to face with Oliver. The anger in his expression would make anyone cower even without the sound that shook the air much like Jake Dorgen’s gravelly voice. Thin black stripes pattered down it’s lithe and muscular length. A mane of platinum hair with just the very tips being black encircled a thick, muscular neck while deep blue seething eyes like a mountainous glacier seemed to bore into Oliver as if saying ‘Last chanc
e. This pain will be far worse than being eaten.’
Oliver stared back defiantly.
It happened in an instant and Archiver Branbbit had understated the amount of pain involved. Understating gravely. Pain that made one want to die to end it all. To end the suffering. Having four teeth twice as thick as a man’s thumbs and twenty eight centimeters long were a scrape compared to the mental stab that came from the Liger. It was so great, screaming didn’t have a chance to vent out what would happen. The teeth could have crushed his entire upper torso, but it just held him still. Length of the fangs piercing the bare chest nearly came out the other sides. The pain was enough to make the mind want to shut down to protect itself. The Liger intended just that as collapsing was tantamount of giving up and becoming prey.
The thing was, the Liger also felt the pain and it was a test of wills to see who could hold on the longest. To make it harder, the Liger had been long ago trained to eat his own leg off to get free of a trap and still do his duty immediately after. To be burned, whipped, cut, stabbed and trained to never surrender except to one individual who would understand pain and be worthy to take on responsibility for their needs.
Only sheer willpower kept Oliver looking straight down the feline’s muscular length to distract some and as a focal point to not pass out even as spots danced in his vision in greater numbers and depth. The mental stabs were like cherry red hot spikes being driven repeatedly inside his skull.
It wasn’t as bad as losing Renee and he held onto that memory to endure. That hollow pain was all that could match the searing jabs rapidly being delivered at the speed of thought.
Seeming days, months and agonizing years passed within the mind, but in fact was merely a dozen or so physical hours.
During the hours of waiting Renee already dislocated a finger punching Steven’s helmet covered face and sent him sprawling for some comment she forgot about as her emotions were too high as was anxiety. She paced like the felines had, no one able to calm her down. It was so difficult for her no one dared say anything else or risk her hair raised wrath and burning green eyes. Her jaw throbbed from clenching, her gaze locked onto Oliver’s form being bitten completely over the whole left shoulder and most of the upper torso. She was too far gone with worry to think clearly with her life-mate in so much danger, but any time she paced too close the other white creatures they yowled or grunted and she scurried back a little. Even Sparky withheld personal comments.
As painful as it began, the attack ceased and following it was not exactly a voice. The king of the Pride could take no more after thirteen long hours. More a sense of loyalty and regret for the pain that had been given came from the feline.
Showing the upmost care, the beautiful Liger unlocked his jaws and fangs gently slid out.
From him followed other gentler emotions of respect as the Pride leader had found one truly worthy to be the new master. As a show of loyal submission, a wide tongue lapped trickled and older dry blood from the great and deep puncture wounds. Thankfully the bite was done in a way that nothing vital internally hemorrhaged. Nanites were already clotting the gaping areas, but from behind another Liger without armor licked gently up his throbbing back that shook involuntarily.
His whole body shook from the experience and standing completely still the entire time.
A shuddering breath left Oliver and the large male sensed his weariness and about to collapse to grunt and a third great head came up to lift his right arm up to hold him erect. An offer of support.
An influx of sensations from the twelve gently eased the raw searing of his frayed mind and the dancing spots were gradually shrinking. Oliver had never been through anything so draining where all he wanted to do was curl up in a ball and pass into oblivion. It was so bad he couldn’t think straight for several minutes as they tried to help. There were three large males in comparison to the barely noticeable nine females without manes and from them he felt their willingness to please him much like Oliver had read about dogs. They were eager to work too. They had slept and done the same thing for so long they longed for something new to do. Sights to see like the mistress they had not felt since before she had tasked the Pride to keep their territory safe. The females especially longed for cubs to their mates now that they had someone to ask.
It was a tremendous amount to take in, but not at all difficult to work with and comprehend. What was odd is they felt like an extension of himself. It was proven as widening the link allowed Oliver to easily see through the big one’s eyes the best, but the others weren’t hard. With his mind, he saw from thirteen different views and wasn’t confused. What’s more, they were happy he saw through and with them. It proved he was of the people he were born to serve. Oliver’s ability to take in rapid quantities of information merely extended to them, but was effortless compared to seeing through another’s eyes without delving too deep. It was mesmerizing how connected they all were now. And he could hear through them too. Their acute senses were his at will and was returned so they could know where he was at any time.
He knew right away they wanted praise for working so hard and long all alone. “You guys did a good job. I’ve got you now and won’t let you be all alone ever again.” He began to roughly pet them how they liked and found their fur was silky soft and warm.
They didn’t understand words he learned, but by his intent and emotions. They were telepathic creatures, which made them much more efficient. He didn’t need to speak. They were now locked into his mind through the king of the Pride. The largest one was the focal point. The bridge to them all. By focusing a little on him, he could sense the others who follow his commands and they go through him to reach Oliver. He was the smartest and deadliest among them.
“He has done it.” The Archiver radiated pleasure. “We shall leave you now.” No one could say another word as there was a flash and the three Creelin vanished soundlessly.
“Well I’ll be… They don’t look so bad without armor. At least it’s over.” Commented Satellite as he landed on Stone’s pauldron perch.
Renee didn’t think as her fear at long last was ended and she began running.
Hearing her inhuman flight footsteps, the Ligers all spun around like one mind and the armor covered them in a few moments to roar and take her down.
“No!” Oliver yelled. Seeing her in danger cleared his foggy mind and was consequently like a mental slash that made the Pride all wince and hesitate. They all looked back remorsefully and rumbled why they were so angrily reprimanded for being bad. To ease their fears he said soothingly “Never hurt Renee. She is my mate. My wife. She won’t hurt me. Do not fear she will hurt me so I’m lost like the Queen you have missed for so long. She is good… and ask me first should you need to kill. You can defend, but don’t attack anyone without asking permission.”
Renee held completely still as several minds probed her gently and they were unlike anything she ever experienced. Yet from them she felt an overriding presence and knew the patient and loving man she was also bound to. Through the probe she began to sense they were telling Oliver they were sorry and wouldn’t let it happen again. Mates were sacred to them. Renee was Oliver’s and would be part of their Pride. But then they asked to scent and taste her in a non-harmful way.
“Red, are you willing…”
“To be recognized? Yes.” She clearly feared Ligers nearly as tall as she was, vastly outweighed, slower and could easily be made into a snack, but she barely reached above some of their muscular shoulders. She bit back a squeak as one sniffed and licked her hand she freed from being covered by a gauntlet. The tongue was rough as wet sandpaper. In return she got a pleasant response from the large female Renee felt as the Liger alpha female and got the feeling the giant cat would know any children Renee may have now and keep them safe too. But she wanted a scratch badly so she itched under her collar where the itch irritated. “So soft. And they don’t smell too bad.” She admitted as she scratched the chin and got a rolling eyed purr of pleasure that shook
Renee’s whole body from proximity.
“That and they are very beautiful aren’t they.” At his words the whole Pride purred together at the praise as loudly as Renee’s new best friend did.
“Do they have names?”
“Only he makes me feel should be named. They are an extension of him. They won’t be able to respond to our words. All they know of is emotions and how to differentiate between bad and good. I’m going to call him… Nova.” he stroked the shoulder of the king.
“Your naming skills are at least better than Renee’s, Brother. Can we visit too?” Stone didn’t raise his voice, not with their sharp hearing.
“All of them are friends. Do not hunt or hurt them.” Oliver said and the same feeling to wish to check them out came across and he mentally told him it is alright, but that the air was bad and they couldn’t remove their coverings.
Oliver sat down when his legs could no longer support him and Nova mostly encircled him well before any other Liger could let Renee through. Each wanted to have a short visit and scratch. And they got their way. Saying no to these great cats was not possible. They wouldn’t leave her till they all got a scratch too. Spoiled brats. She actually crooned back to their gentle mental touch before finding her man now in a pair of pants as Nova licked the angry and swollen red wounds. “Oliver, tell him to stop, I don’t know what kinds of bacteria are in his mouth. If you want healing saliva, ask Sparky. Now let me check… damn those are deep muscle and soft tissue marks. You should be in enormous pain.” She lowered her hand after medically scanning the injuries.
“Understatement. I’m going to wait here for the rest of the day. I’m exhausted and don’t think I can take another step in this condition. The castle can wait another night. Please sew me up.”
“Alright. We’re safe here with these overgrown kittens around… as long as they don’t need to put you through anything else. We need to check in… I’ll send word to…” a feminine mind slid in.
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