Stellar Saviors

fifteenth chapter

    The grip I had on Robreal kept me from running, despite the urge in my legs to do so. Coming up ahead was a light.
    The cave opened to a larger round clearing, surrounded by hole-filled rock. In the middle of the ground above us, the rock hollowed out and revealed the sky above. The sunlight barely peeked in, dimly lighting the cave.
    My attention was focused on the hole directly across the clearing from us. A voice came from within.
     "Marlee, Marlee, Marlee . . ." The last time it said my name sent chills up my spine. The combination of those I knew and its own voice. A shrill noise. I could hear gross squelching noises from the darkness ahead. I released my grip on Robreal and stepped to the side, my hand reaching back to my gun.
     "You--fool," a pale face slowly revealed from the shadows, a familiar grin tearing at its features. It's eyes looked pained now, but I knew it's face. That night, and Stirling. How could I forget?
     A long hand reached forward to grip at the edges of the rock, pulling the front of its lumpy body out of the hole. Most of it stayed hidden but I could see the faces morphed in its skin. Arms and legs twitching at random, lodged deep in its flesh.
     I could see bullet holes going up what I assumed to be its chest. Were those from me all those years ago?
  It coughed dust leaving its mouth, the faces along its body copied. They didn't look recognizable, their skin molded into the mutants body or their own skin too decayed to look human.
    "So easy to lure- and. . . you brought extra," it cackled, multiple limbs on its body stretching up with glee. Robreal sent one of the other humans out with his communications device, saying to call for backup. Was he worried?
     With a few of us left we watched for it to make any moves. My mind was racing with questions. Its eyes stayed locked on me as I fumbled with my necklace.
    "It was you who killed Stirling, and the Golden One too, right?"
     A wheeze came from it. Its body shrunk back into the hole little by little as it reached one of its longer arms into itself. It rummaged for a second, a revolting sight.
    From inside it pulled out a limp body, skinny and bumpy at the joints. I could see familiar markings on its head as the mutant dropped it down in the middle of the clearing. It hit the floor with a cracking noise. A few twitches came from the body, but no response.
  If that's the Golden One, do I actually want to see Stirling?
    Before I could decide it was reaching into its throat. I heard the click of a rifle and turned to see the remaining human pointing at me surprisingly. Why me?
    A gag sounded and the mutants head tilted to the side as its hand came out its mouth. Balled up for the moment. But no body. It's smile widened again, "you humans- so easy to manipulate. You go crazier than me with a simple scratch," it cooed.
  Following after the sound of multiple gunshots, hitting mostly the wall behind me. The others were pointed to the Shakall standing behind Robreal. And then slowly pointing upwards, the human shot their own. . ..
    A hand slamming to the ground brought my attention back. The mutants knuckles were pounded to the ground. Slowly their fingers unraveled and in its absence, a necklace.
  The silver of a moon pendant flashed at my eyes. I knew he was gone, how did he get the necklace.
    "His memories were the most delicious of your bunch. . He was quite fond of you, made me want a taste, " then its face turned to stare crazy at Robreal, "and that little alien of yours, his heart tasted- err- out of this world. It woke something new in me. Consious. Power. Greed." The smile turned to me again, "More than everything. It made me so. . . so . . Hungry,"
    I didn't want to hear anymore, my hand reaching for my gun. Much like last time, I aimed then fired. The jaws of a lunging mutant nearing me just as the bullets flew.

   I ended up on the ground, pushed just as the monster's mouth snapped shut. Closing on the shoulder of Robreal.
   He held both the spear and the sword from the fallen Khagvek now. There was a grit in his teeth as he took the bite.
   The mutant reeled back, a trail of gold liquid dripping from his mouth. I saw the exposed skin from where it tore at. Robreal only sharply drew in. Breath before he raised the sword.

    A quick cut to a hand reaching for him and it fell to the floor. I reached for my rifle once more and shot up the mutants side. The faces in it skin cried out, though no noise left their mouth.
    Another hand swooped forward, knocking Robreal to the wall. He stalled for only a second, a flinch running through his arm. I saw the baring of his fangs before a darkness fell over the cave. Possibly a cloud rolling over the sun.
    I heard the thumps, the vibration of the large mutants body moving. I kept a firm hold on the gun until I could finally see once more. More hands laid on the floor, faces dug out of the monster's body and no longer responsive. Robreal had splatters of green over his armor, a red glint in his eyes.
     And still it smiled.
  
      It's neck craned in my direction and I raised my weapon up to aim for the face.
     A blade met it before I could. The sword Robreal picked up lodged between the beasts eyes. A laughter erupted from the beast.

     "You can kill me, but you won't forget me," its hand reached forward towards me, "I've become a part of you." The hideous chuckle echo then stopped abruptly.  The sword pulled back from its head, allowing it to go limp.
    With it finally down, the wounds oozed a deep green. I couldn't feel disgusted by that at the moment. My arm shook as I slung the rifle across my back once more. The clatter of metal hitting the ground bounced off the walls.
    My gaze lifted to look for Robreal. He stood disconnected looking, eyes to the ground. I saw the necklace on the cave floor before him.
    I still needed to check something. . .

    I slowly wobbled to where the skinny limp body was dropped, its form contorted uncomfortably. It had broken spikes going along its spine, much like any Shakall could have. Just a confirmation though. I reached down for its shoulder, hoping to turn it.

     It lurched forward at me. Cold fingers stabbed at my throat, wrapping to constrict my airflow. A choke noise escaped me, my hand stretching for my rifle. It let out a gargled growl and raised one hand to hold my wrist down.
    "I warned you- you can't get rid of me. . . Not when you'll become
Just

Like

Me."

    The head of a spear stabbed through the corpse's face, its jaw slacking open. Dark blue ran down its arms and spewed over me. The uncomfortable feeling of dampness at my collar and in my hair.
      The hands went limp but I couldn't bring myself to push it off. Instead a clawed hand did it for me, and to the side it fell.
      A stand burned through my body from the scraped on my neck. My hand involuntarily raised to wrap my own neck as I sat up.
       From the corner of my vision i saw more movement, a repetitive blur. Again and again I could tell he was stomping on the corpse of the Golden One. Slowly I turned my body to direct towards him, not daring to twist my neck.
       "He's dead," I called out, my voice scraped sounding. The beacon of Rebirth turned his head to face me now, his eyes looked distant.
       "You're injured." He simply stated.

       It was much worse than injury.
      This was infection.