Guardians - Alternate Universes

CH 13

Rile stared, horrified, at Alex's offer. "Is that what you thought? I wanted you to become my Alex? No wonder you hate me. I never wanted that. I only wanted you to see the error of your ways, to join our side."

"Good vs. evil again?" Alex asked.

"In your world of weak vs. strong, you are going to die and your males are going to suffer," Rile said.

"The good never suffer or die in your world? I don't believe it." Salem Alex gingerly touched one of her wounds.

"If you had emancipated them right away, none of you would be here now." Rile saw she wasn't convinced, so he continued, "The good may suffer, but they have hope. There are always the strong who choose good, and in the end, we win."

Salem Alex straightened with a groan and rubbed her temples. "You really believe that?"

"I believe it so much that I'll die for it," Rile said.

"Like your Alex did."

"Like my Alex did. These bands on my arm show that I'll join her one day and forever. Do you want to be with Morgan forever? He is very, very strong."

"Okay, I'll join you and fight evil. Now what do I do?" Alex leaned against the brick wall of the arena, wincing.

Rile sighed as Salem Alex bit her lip again. Rile realized that he had gotten through to her, as she was just about to be killed. What was that saying? Better late than never?

"You can blast your wounds and numb them. That will help you maneuver, but it's not a healing power. Still, Razz's plan is best. You must make her to say something that will invalidate her claim, even if she wins," Rile said.

"If?" Salem Alex asked.

"Yes, if. You've got more strength than you know. Numb those wounds. Look at your males facing torture and death and draw power from that," Rile advised. "And send your power through your blade to inflict greater damage on Sca."

Salem Alex set a glowing hand on each of her wounds. As she looked into their eyes, some filled with hope and others with love, all with fear, she made a promise to them. "I won't let you suffer," she whispered fiercely. "I will emerge victorious, for your sake."

Salem As Alex stepped back into the combat ring, a sly grin spread across her face, and it was clear she had thought of something devious. "You truly are foolish, Sca," she taunted, her voice dripping with disdain. "To challenge me to the death when I am rejuvenated and you are clearly suffering. Which one of your so-called friends convinced you to do this? Can you not see that they are your bitterest enemy, setting you up for humiliation and death?"

Salem Alex's smile widened as Sca's expression change from confident to concerned at the mention of a betrayal. In an instant, Salem Alex pounced on her opponent, fueled by vengeance, fear for her males, and unable to feel the wounds reopening across her body. "Your pathetic males will dance on your grave once I've had them in my bed," she spat. "And your treacherous friend will revel in your downfall." Salem Alex's power sizzled through her blade and tore through Sca's chest armor and down to her ribs.

With a force like that of a raging bull, Sca surged upward and flipped Salem Alex to the ground. The impact was fierce and jarring, causing a searing pain to flare across her chest. As Salem Alex lay there, gasping for air, the icy blade of a knife pressed against her throat, its sharp edge digging into her skin.

"Your harem will suffer slow and painful deaths, screaming your name in hatred," Sca hissed with venomous words. "And once they are gone, I'll take my time torturing and killing every emancipated male in sight."

The knife began to slice through Salem Alex's skin before she summoned all her strength and sent Scan flying back with an explosive burst of power. The Anolis warrior landed hard on the ground and remained motionless. Still clutching her bleeding throat, Salem Alex struggled to sit up and turned to Zilik with a desperate look in her eyes.

Zilik nodded at her and faced the crowd, all solemn president. "Heard and witnessed. Sca has broken the law by threatening the emancipated males. She is an enemy of the Council."

A sea of harem males, hers and Sca's, engulfed Salem Alex, chattering excitedly about her victory. They petted her hair and kissed her arms and hands, showering her with praise and adoration. Alex couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm.

"I emancipate you! I emancipate you all!" she declared triumphantly, resisting the hands that were desperately trying to tend to her wounds.

"Heard and witnessed as well," Zilik interjected with a small smile. "It is now officially legal, after you've had one night with Sca's males."

The crowd erupted into both cheers and hisses about Alex's victory.

Rile pushed through the throng of males. "Let me see," he ordered, trying to pull her hand from her throat.

"Since when are you a healer? I want a professional," Salem Alex groused, shoving him with her free hand. "Get out of the way for the real healer."

The healer wasn't far because he always attended these matches.  SalemAlex let him examine her, and once he pronounced it wasn't severe, she relaxed.

Salem Alex batted away all the hands, even the healer's. "Let me up. It was a death match, and she's a murderer. I'll execute her as justice calls. She'll never kill again."

Salem Alex made it quick.

***

A/N

Thanks to

IanReeve216

who is enthusiastic that I dusted off this old manuscript and published it.

May everyone have as supportive a critique partner as him!