I looked into his eyes, seeing for the first-time true fear and concern. For me? For what was about to happen? I didn't know. All I knew was Steele had once again protected me from certain death; me and my daughter. My breath was hitched somewhere in my throat. I felt myself trembling, but holding onto my daughter kept me grounded.
Steele's violet eyes were filled with that same look, just for a moment, as he looked seemingly into me right through to my soul. Koova ka'non psion. The look I knew only recently from this – my Orion. Love. There was the faintest smile on his face before his features hardened.
I caught a glimpse, in that moment, of the Orion he used to be. I didn't see an older, matured Orion. I saw a battle worn warrior. His features were stoic. A burning deep in his violet eyes that I saw the first day we met when he scolded the guards returned, though it wasn't just a glow – it was an inferno.
"Come back to me," I said, unsure if he heard me.
With an astounding speed, he suddenly was on his feet, left had brought up to hit right in the crook of the opposing Orion's neck. I heard a harsh gagging followed by the sounds of massive feet stumbling backwards. Steele now stood defensively between me and the threat of the town.
I didn't want to leave. I couldn't – but I had to. As I heard Steele and the other Orion exchanging words harshly, I began pulling my daughter away, ushering her with my body and coaxing her with sweet words of reassuring. I could only pray Steele would be safe and that my request for his help would not be his downfall.
~~~~~^*^*^*^~~~~~
I knew the blow hurt him, but the ache in my ribs hurt more. I knew rushing in with a harsh blow was the only way to gain the upper hand, so I used my natural movement of standing to my advantage. As I stood to my full height, empowered by the will to protect Raina and her young daughter, I stared down my opponent.
My heart clutched in my chest. I recognized him immediately. Mithos. My son. I suspected it was him, but why he was here I hadn't a clue.
My stomach dropped as he turned the eyes we shared onto me. There was a sly smile on his face even as he caught his breath. Immediately, he began speaking our shared language.
"Father, it's been far too long; and here I was thinking you'd passed in this miniscule nightmare," he said as he finally caught his breath.
"Here I believed our people would serve justice to the monster responsible for these peoples' deaths. Last I saw, you were being carried away, while I was left behind to be retrieved later. Did you implicate me?" I growled at him.
"Perhaps, but what does it matter?" he asked. I tensed, feeling a swirl of conflicting hatred and disappointment. How could I have raised such a monster?
"What does it matter?" I spat. "Perhaps my life no longer posses value, but these peoples' lives matter. They have families and homes and lives. It is not up to you to determine what the Four Sovereigns have fated."
"The Four Sovereigns? The Four Sovereigns have no sway over these pathetic creatures. Our people suffer and refuse to expand because of them. We all have families, even the ones we breed as pets. How are they different?"
I couldn't believe what I was hearing from my son. Rage boiled in my gut as I clenched my fists. How could he do and say such things? What had tampered with his mind like this? Somewhere in my heart a reluctant realization took root – this was no longer my son.
"Leave this place. Leave them be. Go home and accept our peoples' justice," I said stiffly, unable to say anything more without losing myself. At this, my son laughed.
"Or what? You will put me in my place? You haven't fought in years, and that was when we exchanged blows before. You think you can win? After all this time?"
I had heard enough. Perhaps it was embarrassment and shame that drove me. Maybe it was rage and the need to set things right. Maybe it was because I needed to make sure people like Raina and her daughter were safe for years to come. Whatever the reason, I struck first.
I snarled and lunged, letting all of my reservations dissipate as I landed a strong blow onto his jaw.
"Time aged me, but not my spirit."
I wasn't ready for a glancing blow from my son's foot as he too used the momentum of him stumbling backwards. The top of his foot collided with my jaw, sending a cracking pain that rattled my teeth. Dazed, I raised my arms just barely in time for a battering round of quick jabs meant to disorient me right by my ears.
I managed to snag a handful of fabric just in time and brought my elbow colliding with his nose. I knew it had broken based on the resounding hollow crack. I wasn't able to get away in time. I was too close, and Mithos knew it. He reached up and snagged a fist full of hair, ripping me away and taking a chunk of hair with him.
I gritted my teeth, the area on the back of my head stinging from the removed hair, and pummeled his elbow so I could get closer. It took a few tries, but the joint yielded and a grabbed the clothing by his neck. I had hoped to throw him to the ground, but evidently he had the same idea.
We grappled, hands wrenched around one another's clothes and tossing one another around in hopes one would stumble and fall. As we threw one another, I had the additional challenge of ensuring I was causing no one else harm. Fences crunched under our feet, and I was certain Mithos had just knocked an entire barn over, collapsing it over whatever might've been inside.
I cursed myself. I needed to bring this to an end as soon as possible. Sadly, my son was much younger than me and his natural strength overpowered my own.
He threw me to the ground in an instant, knocking the wind right out me. I gasped and hunkered down as he delivered three swift kicks to my ribs. I swore I heard cracking, but let the adrenaline of the fight override the temporary pain. It wasn't the first time I endured this injury in my life.
The pain stopped and, for a moment, I had a chance to counter. My racing mind suddenly dropped instantly in a panic. We were by a road, and just up the way was a horse drawn wagon.
"Get up old man," spat my son as he wiped a gob of bloodied snot from his broken nose. "Show me why their lives are important." He leaned forward in a sprint toward them, his intention to kick the cart all too apparent.
I growled and leaned forward as I got up from all fours and dashed as fast as I could. My son had youth and strength, but I still had my mind and my speed. I knew there was no way to stop Mithos, but there was a way to grab the cart.
As he reared back, I slid beside the cart, interlacing my fingers with the gears and wheels below, and lunged off to the side as I clutched it to my chest. I tried to ignore the screams of the family inside as I barely dodged the kick my son swung in my direction, his foot barely grazing the ends of my all too scraggly hair.
I saw it. My chance. He was off balance. I grabbed his leg out of the air and thrust upward, sending him flailing onto his back. He let out a hiss and a moan as he tried to regain his breath. I, on the other hand, took a moment and stepped further off to the side, setting down the cart. I heard the screams before I saw the terrified faces of a young family.
"I'm sorry," I said, making sure I spoke in their language so they could understand. "Run. Get away. You need to…" I was suddenly grappled from behind, an arm wrapped around my neck and pulling back hard. The other hand reached forward toward the cart. I gritted my teeth, already gagging and eyes blurring, and threw myself off to the side, hoping I could gain leverage against the ground.
My vision started to fade. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I couldn't move. In the back of my mind, I could only see Raina's face in the place of that terrified family and knew she would undoubtedly meet the same fate if I should fail.
I refused to fail.
I reached back, digging my cave grimed fingernails into my son's face. I heard him shout, but I couldn't let up. I began twisting in his grasp and lunged, catching something that gave back. His eye? I couldn't think about it now. What mattered was his grip let up entirely as he cried out in pain.
I could only wheeze and attempt to regain myself faster than him. There was a stream nearby. I staggered forward on all fours hoping the water from it would give me a momentary reprieve. Ahead, I could see only flames and fire in one of the nearby houses. What was worse was that there were shouts coming from inside.
No.
I pressed my lips to the unforgivingly cold water. I was about to dip my hand in and reach for the home when I felt a tight grip on my ankle. It was trying to drag me backwards. Another hand reached up and grasped the back of my leg. Heart racing, I turned and spat the water in an icy mist toward my son's face which was closer than I thought as he clawed his way up, most likely in hopes of getting me into another hold.
The distraction worked. The water covered his face and he recoiled. I kicked out with my heel harshly twice, hearing another crack as my foot made contact with his face. He was stunned, rolling over and groaning, giving me time to roll out of the way. I cupped water into one of my hands, bracing myself for what was to come.
I reached forward and spattered the water onto the front of the home. The flames were extinguished, but nothing happened. I braced myself as I shoved my fingertips beneath the edge of the roof and pried. It came loose and, instantly, there were more screams.
"Apologies," I muttered in their tongue, my voice broken and hoarse from being grabbed from behind. I crouched and pulled down one side of the wall while holding the roof, wincing as the still burning structure began to burn my hands. There was no time for them to be afraid. Not when Mithos was so close. I regrettably reached in, fingers brushing against furniture and things that made the home.
There.
I pulled the roof free and reached into the house, scooping the family into my hands. I hoped none of them were injured as I set them by the river.
"Run." I rasped in their language as I stood. Mithos was almost on his feet as well.
My heart clenched.
I knew there would be no true end to this fight. I knew we would continue until the end; and I could clearly see what would happen if it were to be my end. My heart began pounding in my chest as I felt myself wavering.
What I saw before me was my son as a boy. He was just a boy. Foolish. Selfish. A person who I held so dearly in my heart for all my life, even as I suffered for his crimes. A person I let suffer and failed to train. I had failed him.
The phrase repeated itself over and over.
I knew what would happen if I were to bring him to our home. There was no doubt he would suffer in the trial and be sentenced harshly. There would be pain in his end for what he had done. The damage he did was nearly irreversible.
Unless.
I fumbled in my steps as I walked toward him. I managed to catch him off guard, grappling him much easier now that he was stunned.
"May the Four Sovereigns have mercy on you, my son. I… I'm sorry," I pressed my lips against the top of his head. Suddenly, there were several sharp, painful jabs in my side. I wrenched his hand away. I gritted my teeth, grunting as I looked down.
The hilt of a dagger was imbedded in my side. I took in a shaky breath as a cold sweat gathered on my brow.
How fitting.
~~~~~^*^*^*^~~~~~
I couldn't see what was happening. In the nearby fields, I could see the two Orion pummeling one another, throwing one another to the ground. The quaking earth gave way to their forms. My mind was consumed with fear, but not for myself.
I feared for my daughter.
I feared for the people in the town.
I feared for Steele. What was going to happen? What was he doing now? Was he going to be okay.
I stopped running with my daughter as we caught our breath.
"Momma? He… He's… He's an Orion," said Terrilyn as she looked up at me with fearful eyes. "Why is he helping us?"
"He's my friend. My job was been to be his Factotum. I taught him to speak our language. I know he may seem scary, but he's brave and kind. He came to help me help you because I asked him to and for no other reason," I replied, cupping my daughter's face in my hands.
Terrilyn, wisdom shining in her beautiful tear glossed blue eyes, seemed to understand.
"You're worried about him?" she asked. Tears gathered in my eyes as I nodded, bringing my hands down to rub on her shoulders.
"Yes, baby. I'm very worried about him," I replied. Terrilyn nodded a few times before looking back over her shoulder.
"If you're worried, we should go back and get him. That's what friends do."
I knew she was terrified, but it meant the world to me that she said this now of all times. At that moment, I looked past across the fields to see two figures. One was standing behind the other while the other seemed to be only partially standing. I felt my insides drop as I heard an ear shattering crack like a clap of thunder.
One of the figures dropped to the ground, completely limp.
No.
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I stepped forward involuntarily, unable to see which Orion was victorious. Was it Steele who just fell? Or was it Mithos?
The standing figure turned and started walking back toward us. Even though we were running as fast as possible, we hadn't made it very far by comparison. After a moment, I felt my heart leap with joy.
It was Steele. He was standing and walking back. I turned to say something to Terrilyn about waiting for Steele to come to where we were when my blood ran cold. My heart stopped, mouth dried.
Steele staggered several steps. Then he fell to his knees, and finally crashed into the ground.
No motion. He wasn't getting up.
He wasn't moving.
A panicked shriek escaped my mouth, though I don't remember breathing enough for it to make my ears ring the way it did.
"Momma? Is… he gonna be okay?" asked Terrilyn, clutching onto my skirts.
There was only one way to find out. I pulled Terrilyn along at my side at a brisk walk and then to a run. My feet carried me faster and faster toward Steele. I had to force myself to slow to not leave Terrilyn completely behind me. Each time we stopped to breathe, I kissed the top of her head and commended her for being so brave. She looked scared, but also curious, about Steele.
I hoped Steele was safe and that exhaustion had finally gotten the better of him. Yes. That was it. He was exhausted. Just tired. He wasn't hurt. He was going to be fine.
We crested over the top of the hill past the tall grass; that's when I saw it.
Blood.
The ground around him was soaked in blood; and there, lying there wheezing on the ground, was Steele – and he wasn't moving.