My heart was pounding and my lungs were burning with the effort. The ship was only a few meters away. We approached the ship, but before we could climb aboard, a thunderous explosion shook the ground beneath us. The roar sent us reeling, and then, in the blink of an eye, a nearby building collapsed with a violence that took my breath away.
Debris began to rain down around us, like uncontrolled projectiles. My mind barely had time to process what was happening before the debris completely engulfed us.
-Damn it! -I muttered, the hope I had felt moments before vanished.
The immediate pain was overwhelming. I struggled to catch my breath as dust and debris settled around me. My vision was blurred by tears and the sharp pain that coursed through my body.
-Draktharos, are you all right? -I groaned in pain, my voice trembling in the midst of the chaos.
The Zyphronia warrior answered with a choked grunt, struggling tenaciously against the debris that imprisoned him.
-I'm trapped, but I'm not seriously injured," he replied with determination in his hoarse voice. And you?
The words escaped between clenched teeth as I tried to assess the extent of my injuries, each movement a stabbing echo of pain in my body. -I don't know, Draktharos. It hurts too much to say for sure-
Draktharos grunted tenaciously as he struggled to open a passage through the debris that imprisoned him. -Fate seems to have a somewhat twisted sense of humor," he mumbled with a bitterness oozing from his words.
With almost supernatural strength, I crawled painfully toward him. Barely any light filtered through, but his presence was so overwhelmingly dominant that I could feel it. When our fingers brushed, my body seemed to give up, on the verge of collapsing completely. It was only thanks to her strong arms that I avoided plummeting to the ground.
-You know what, I've been thinking? -What do you plan to thank me with for rescuing you?
I mustered the last reserves of strength I had left and, with one punch, reached for his stomach. Although his reaction was minimal, I managed to elicit a faint moan from him.
-I could say the same about you," I growled in a resentful tone.
He smiled cheekily. -I'd settle for a thank-you kiss.
-Yuck! You're a disgusting alien," I exclaimed in disgust.
He let out a throaty laugh from deep inside him. -Oh, Thorne, I'll never tire of your venomous tongue.
-Stop playing games! -If it weren't for your self-centeredness, I'd be a million light years away from this place.
Feeling the moisture on my hands, I suggested, "I guess for an incredibly strong alien warrior, you seem to be able to bleed, too.
-What are you talking about, Evadne? -laughed Draktharos, clearly confused.
At that instant, I noticed a thin wet line flowing from my lips, its metallic taste making it clear that it wasn't saliva filling my mouth.
-Damn it! Look at me, Thorne," his large hands gently cupped my cheeks, "Stay conscious, I'll make sure we get out of here.
His words rose like a plea and I responded with a faint smile, as I sensed a garment being torn and felt it being tightened around my waist, which triggered an agonized moan.
-Gr! Hold on. I'll drive you to the ship. -He let me rest on the rubble, struggling to break through the barricade that had been erected around us.
Each clatter of Draktharos' blows against the rubble reverberated in the vast darkness, a symphony of continuous effort. His towering figure stood out like a titan in the gloom, a majestic and overwhelming presence.
Finally, with colossal strength, he managed to open a gap large enough for both of us to squeeze through. Satisfaction shone in his eyes, but there was no room for celebration. Time was a luxury we could not afford.
-How are you, Evadne? -Draktharos asked me, deep concern reverberating in his husky voice.
-I've been in more adverse situations," I replied, keeping a defiant look in my tired eyes.
-Of course, you are the fearless Captain Thorne, unyielding in the face of death," Draktharos added, lifting me into his arms as if I were a feather in the wind.
-Don't take such liberties," I murmured reluctantly.
Draktharos, with a mischievous spark dancing in his eyes, fixed his gaze on mine, in the blink of an eye, his expression shifting from amusement to seriousness without uttering a single word. He moved forward with unwavering determination.
A stony silence fell over Thaloria; the terror provoked by the worm seemed to have vanished completely. I tried to communicate with my crew through the Holo communicator, but the screen remained ominously blank, with no sign of life or response of any kind.
-AG! This thing doesn't seem to want to work," I muttered furiously, feeling my body growing heavier and heavier, on the verge of unconsciousness.
-Try this," he handed me what appeared to be a Zyphronian Holo-communicator.
It was the first time I held one of these in my hands; any object from their planet was a technological marvel. I couldn't help but marvel at the artifact, which was used in a completely different way than the conventional technology traded throughout the galaxy.
-Wow, this is amazing! -I exclaimed, letting out a sigh of delight. However, the joy turned to pain in an instant. My blood was still gushing out, and unless I got medical attention immediately, I would literally end up bleeding out in the strong arms that held me.
He interrupted me with an exasperated whisper, "Shut your mouth, Thorne. You don't want me to twist your wound in pain," he warned with a burning, piercing gaze. I dared not retort; my condition did not permit me to provoke him.
The sensation of being held in his arms was strangely comforting, despite the circumstances. The husky voice and genuine concern in his eyes were difficult to reconcile with the image I had previously formed of him.
-Tathavex? -A holographic image appeared showing a guard, his expression a mixture of confusion and sternness. Draktharos kroxar eshnot?
-He... -I tried to answer, totally surprised by the Zyphronia language.
-We are in Thaloria, Itharlon," The individual's expression softened as he listened to his ruler's voice, barely able to catch some fragments of his speech in Zyphronian as he continued speaking in his native tongue.
-Help is on the way, hold on a little longer Evadne.
The guard's hologram faded after the brief interaction with Draktharos, he advanced with a determined pace through the desolate ruins of Thaloria, aiming to reach the destroyed platforms. That way, his guards would be able to spot us without any difficulty.
- Why did you decide to help me, Synthor? -I asked, my face reflecting a confusion that tinged my expression.
-Draktharos," he corrected firmly.
The city lay silent, like an abandoned graveyard, the remnants of the explosion that had trapped us standing as mute witnesses to the destruction.
-Sorry," confusion painted a fleeting canvas on my face.
-My name," I replied with a look that denoted my realization that he was offering his name and that he considered it unnecessary, which elicited an exasperated exhale from him, "Call me that," his voice echoed with a tinge of resignation accompanied by a hint of irritation.
-Really? I thought you weren't exactly a lover of informality.
-How many guesses do you make about me? -he asked with obvious curiosity.
-Well, where to begin? -I said, allowing a mischievous smile to escape my lips, aware that there were many more surprises in store for him than his seemingly simplistic alien mind could have foreseen.
-Oh, woman!
As I was about to blurt out a scathing comment, a dazzling spacecraft landed just steps away from us, and the imposing doors opened with a mechanical hiss that echoed through the air. A formation of alien warriors emerged with perfect timing to greet their leader and ensure his safety. They were dressed in garments and armor that could only have come from their distant home planet, Zyphronia.
Once aboard the ship, I was ushered into a medical ward that emanated a soft, welcoming light. The walls seemed bathed in a palette of ethereal colors, and the room was populated by strange devices, all unfamiliar to me. At that moment, I understood that Zyphronia's technology was a world apart, a corner of the galaxy where science and healing had reached unimaginable heights.
-We will heal your wounds in a matter of minutes," Draktharos promised as he carefully monitored the doctor's actions.
-I've heard that their technology works much faster than conventional technology.
The doctor smiled, "And they are not wrong. -He said as he deftly manipulated his devices.
-We use crystals, nanobots and energy fields to regenerate the affected areas of the body," explained Draktharos, with a confident tone, "The nanobots are introduced into your body and work at the cellular level, restoring damaged tissues and eliminating toxins. Don't worry, the pain will be minimal and you'll feel as good as new in no time.
His penetrating gaze made it clear that he shared this technical detail as much out of my innate curiosity as out of a need to gain my trust. Life had taught me to distrust others, but for now, he was in the ambiguous gray area between ally and enemy.
-I guess now I understand why they have the best technology and almost no chance of getting it," I commented.
Draktharos nodded grimly. -Yes, that's not to mention a planet of technology like this.
-I imagine this is nothing compared to what resides on your planet.
He smiled with a suggestive tinge in his voice. -You imagine well, as clever and sassy as ever, Evadne.
He approached with his piercing gaze fixed on me-When we are done with you, I will ask to have you moved to a room on the ship," he warned with a touch of possession, "I will accept no complaints, Thorne. This wound is deep, and you need rest.
-Of course, I won't say anything," I admitted with a sigh. -My body is exhausted and sore anyway.
Draktharos let out a derisive laugh. -You only had to tell me you'd keep that filthy mouth of yours shut by wearing your body out a little." His provocative words made my cheeks flush a faint blush, a product of anger and shame, but also of an attraction I couldn't deny.
-Don't you have anything better to do than to provoke me right now? -I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady despite the pain.
-You have no idea how much I enjoy provoking you," she whispered, as her dark eyes glowed with a dangerous intensity.
-I'll see you later. Try to get some rest," he added with an enigmatic smile before walking away.
-I have to contact my crew," I replied quickly.
-I'll provide you with communication with them later," he nodded sympathetically. And we'll also discuss your tokens of gratitude.
-Go to hell! -I growled, throwing the pillow resting behind my head. No sooner had I let go, however, than I regretted it. The last thing I heard before the doors closed behind her departure was her thunderous laughter.
I don't know at what point it happened, but suddenly, my eyes felt so heavy that I could no longer fight the sleep that haunted me. I sank into a silent darkness, accompanied only by the soft beeping of machines working to heal the wounds on my body.
When I finally awoke, I was in a completely unfamiliar room, far from the medical care room. The bed was comfortable and fluffy, a dim light illuminated the bedroom. I carefully sat up, noticing that the pain in my body had significantly diminished. Zyphronia's technology had done wonders for my recovery.
I ventured a few steps around the room, letting my curious fingers explore the objects that decorated it. My eyes then fell upon a peculiar mirror, resting in what appeared to be a cabinet. As I gazed at my own image reflected on its surface, I was stunned by the sight that unfolded before my eyes.
I was wrapped in a garment whose composition appeared to be a hybrid of cloth and liquid metal, molding gracefully to the contours of my figure. The image of my bloodied, sand-smeared body from Thaloria had vanished, replaced by a heady scent of exotic flowers. Also, I noticed with surprise that my hair, normally pulled back in a high ponytail, now fell in loose cascades, save for a headband that gracefully held back a couple of unruly locks.
The door to the room opened, breaking my self-absorption at the sight of myself in such extraordinary garments, which made me feel like a princess compared to the rough, threadbare, dark clothes I usually wore, similar to the descriptions I had found in scarce human books about pirates.
-I see you have regained consciousness, Thorne. How are you feeling? -His voice echoed with a tense calmness that hinted at a world of hidden emotions.
-I feel much better," I replied, trying to keep my voice as unruffled as his.