Sca, an elite Anolis warrior, stood proudly before Salem Alex and her harem at the edge of the arena. Her smug expression and confident stance sent a clear message of her scorn for Alex and her own prowess. "I challenge the mammal for her entire harem."
As Sca's own harem sat down obediently, they showed no signs of fear. Their tails wrapped around each other in submission. They knew their mistress was not angry with them and were relatively safe under her rule. But for Salem Alex's males, it was a different story. Clutching each other in terror, they awaited their fate at the hands of Sca if Salem Alex should lose.
As the audience roared in anticipation, Salem Alex turned to Razz with irritation. "Can she really do that?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Razz replied with a tone of resignation. "By surpassing the minimum number of males required to issue a harem challenge, Sca has every right to claim your entire harem as her own.
Sca's sharp laughter filled the arena, causing Salem Alex to shift uncomfortably. "I challenge you to the death," Sca declared, her eyes gleaming with malicious intent, and the audience erupted into cheers.
Salem Alex had never been challenged to the death before and it showed on her trembling hands and sweat-soaked brow. Rile watched from the sidelines, remembering how this version of Alex had submitted to Morgan in order to survive. He could see the fear in her eyes and his confidence in her faltered.
"You do not have to accept a harem challenge," Sca said in an oily tone, smirking at Alex's unease, causing some of the audience members to jeer.
"I don't?" Salem Alex bit her lip, just like her counterpart had.
With a flick of her clawed hand, Sca revealed her true intentions. "No, simply give me half of your harem and I cannot challenge you again for two lunar cycles."
"I emancipate them!" she declared defiantly, facing the arena audience.
Sca laughed and waved at the audience, who laughed along. "Too late. Challenge has been issued. Now choose four males to give to me or take up your sword."
With unwavering determination, Salem Alex locked gazes with Sca and ignored Rile and Razz standing beside her. She reached for the over-sized Bowie knife at her side, ready to defend what was hers.
Razz looked on with admiration as he saw Salem Alex's resolute stance. "She never once considered giving up her males," he remarked proudly.
Rile grudgingly admitted, "A little respect."
Salem Alex's eyes narrowed into slits as she walked past Rile. "You're the Guardian of the universe," she hissed. "Do something."
Rile looked at her with a mix of pity and frustration. "I already told you a plan, but you brushed it off," he reminded Salem Alex.
Alex gripped her sword tightly. "Are you going to continue saying 'I told you so' or are you going to help me?" she challenged Rile.
"I honestly don't know how I can," Rile admitted, gesturing towards the little male next to them. "Maybe Razz has an idea."
Salem Alex turned to face Razz, who wore a blank expression on his face. "What should I do?" she asked him desperately.
He simply replied, "You must win."
Salem Alex groaned and rolled her eyes. "Not you, too. Look, I screwed up, but my boys will suffer for it. Help them, even if you hate me. There's got to be something you can do to save them."
"You must goad her into saying something...injudicious. Something we can use against her. Zilik is here. There is no better witness," Razz said.
"Goad her? How do you goad someone who is trying to kill you?" Alex asked in disbelief.
"Typically, females insult each other's sexual prowess," Razz answered.
"I can't do that. I can't...well, you know...I can't." Salem Alex searched their faces. "Why are you two looking at each other funny?"
"She doesn't know?" Razz whispered.
Rile shook his head. "No, she doesn't know the full range of her powers."
"I don't think I want to hear this. Do you have anything helpful?" Salem Alex asked.
Razz tilted his head and regarded her with his black button eyes in the way the other Alex had found so adorable. "If she threatens your males, or any emancipated males, her claim to your harem will be invalidated."
Sca yelled, "Hurry, mammal."
"Shut up, reptile." Salem Alex's gaze shifted to her opponent, already sizing her up. "Get your knife, Sca. You can't lure me into a sword fight."
"That strange blade of yours is big enough for a short sword."
"Whine, whine, whine," Salem Alex mocked. "Is my knife too big for the widdle hatchling?" She changed to an insulting coo as she stepped into the fighting area.
As they circled each other in the fighting area, Salem Alex again taunted Sca about the size of her weapon. But when Sca charged at her, Salem Alex deftly sidestepped and tripped her up. She followed it with a kick, but it only grazed Sca's tail as she scrambled back to her feet. The balance of power shifted as Sca launched a flurry of attacks with her dagger, but Salem Alex's quick movements kept her just out of reach.
"Why the battle to the death? Afraid your boys will tell what a lousy lover you are?" Salem Alex asked. "Can't live with the shame of being a loser in bed?"
With a quick flick of his wrist, Sca's blade sliced through the air, grazing Salem Alex's skin and causing a searing pain to shoot through her body. Salem Alex wondered if Razz was trying to get her killed. No, he might hate her for not emancipating her males, but he wouldn't sacrifice them for revenge. Even this Alex knew that much about Razz.
"Will you kill my boys when they realize how incompetent you are next to me sexually? You'll be the laughingstock of the Anolis country. You, an Anolis warrior, inferior in mating to a mere mammal."Salem Alex called out for the audience to hear, who murmured in disapproval. Salem Alex smiled that her venomous words sliced through Sca's ego like a sharpened blade and next, her Bowie knife did the same to Sca's hide.
Sca raised her hand, signaling a halt to the duel. She walked over to her harem, who stood dutifully by her side. Salem Alex followed suit and approached her own harem, shoulders slumped in defeat.
"I'm sorry," Salem Alex said, her voice barely above a whisper. "If I make it through this, I promise to emancipate all of you. I still have a chance at victory."
But as time passed, and the duel continued, Salem Alex grew weaker and weaker. Sca's blade came closer and closer to gutting Salem Alex as her reaction time worsened. Finally, she had to call for another break. Rile rushed to her side, concerned.
Salem Alex gasped out, hands on her knees, "Please, do something. You're a Guardian. You must be able to do something. I'll do whatever you want. I'll even be her for you."
***
A/N
Things are looking bad for this Alex!
Dedicated to
YOU ARE READING
Guardians - Alternate Universes
FantasyAU's are addictive in all fandoms and I am no exception. Here in the AU, I am free to do what I want and kill whatever character I want. So buckle up, buttercups, here we go!
