How? How did it happen so fast? How was it even possible? It just didn’t make sense for something like that to happen.
How could something that big, that bulky, that robust and awkward-looking be so quick, so agile, so nimble? How could it move so fast that it looked as though it were in two places at once?
How was its body was so tough that it could ram into protruding blood spikes as though they were nothing but paper walls. How was it able to run through objects that were nearly, almost, next to, immovable? How?
Jim and Anya, both lying on the ground and barely alive at that point, looked at each other’s beaten, bruised, battered, and embarrassed bodies with thousands of questions and thoughts of disbelief racing in their minds.
In one moment, they swore they were battling the High Grade and even had an advantage over him...but in the next, they were fighting for their lives and losing.
Commander was just too fast, too quick, too agile, and downright terrifying for them to simply keep up with. His movements were fast, strong, and firm, to the point that even they weren’t able to keep up in a foot race with him.
His punches carried a lot of strength and energy behind them, and that sword of his was used so skilfully that it was as though it were a part of his body.
This Ethisian, this damned High Grade, gave the two Acolytes a run for their money and a thorough beating, showing them the absolute unit he was in battle. And the aftermath? Two humans lying half-naked, bruised, and barely conscious as their bodies pulsated in painful tremors, both barely alive, let alone conscious, at that point.
They were out of breath, their hearts beat in painful, unrhythmic pulses, their lungs burned fiercely as they tried to grasp for air with pathways that were close to shutting. Their skin burned and itched uncomfortably, and the wounds inflicted on them were taking too long to heal.
In a few short minutes, the Acolytes wasted their energy, their blood, and their reserves in a struggle to stay alive.
Well, he was nearly untouched, the only thing on his body being dirt and blood from the most unsatisfying and disappointing fight he had ever had.
Like before, he sat in his slightly damaged tent as he cleaned blood and dirt off his sword. The two humans were placed next to each other, left at his mercy.
"Humans. As a species, you’re too proud, too cocky, and arrogant for your own good..." he spoke as blood trickled down from his body. With his sword clean, he went on to sharpen its edge and continued taunting and mocking the humans. "... I have dealt with your kind fewer times than I have fingers to count on, and you assured me that you’d kill me where I stood. But all you did was run when I attacked, shielded when I got close enough, and cowered when I was close to killing you. The only thing you were good at was running your mouth and boasting about the strength you so poorly lack.
"Now that I have seen your strength for what it truly is, I begin to wonder how one of your kind was able to kill my comrade. You two are so weak that it’s embarrassing and downright disgusting to the Blood Mutant name, and I have what true Blood Mutant strength looks like. You hyped yourselves up, filled those little human heads with ungodly levels of pride, and failed to even live up to half of what you proclaim to possess.
"But perhaps now I’m not surprised by how the other killed Enoris. When we battled, he was leagues above you two in strength...and I wasn’t nearly as strong as I am now...."
Commander then gazed at the stars, momentarily losing himself in thought, and then continued;
"...I wonder how I’ll fare against him with my newfound strength. Or perhaps, I’ll keep improving until the day we inevitably meet again.
"Now, you two. I promised I wouldn’t kill you. You two are my prisoners and, for the moment, my little playthings. Once you have replenished your strength, we’ll fight yet again.
"After that, I will personally hand you over to High Lord Enor, and he’ll decide what to do with you then. Pray you find the strength in you to escape before then...and don’t disappoint me."
[Outer Edge of Akrina]
In the vast void of space, a massive fleet of Granian ships hovered, with one Granian taking out its frustration on another. Fınd the newest release on 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢•𝓷𝓮𝓽
Shortly after Grim’s soldiers were raided on the Rayan Planet, the Granian was snatched away by his Cyclitharan counterpart, who later led them to safety.
In a cowardly escape, they had left behind Helda, who was with child, and the other two Blood Mutants at the hands of the Ethisians.
Even worse, one of the Gates was destroyed, leaving them stranded somewhere deep in Akrina’s edge. All of these feats performed by Grim were seen as weaknesses, a weakness that made the Granian Lord lash out in rage.
"YOU CONTINUE TO INFURIATE ME WITH YOUR INCOMPETENCE, GRIM..." Grania yelled as his large, bulky arms grabbed Grim by the horn and leg and threw him across the main deck of the Behemoth ship they were in.
Hundreds of Cyclitharan and Granian soldiers watched as the black-scaled Granian, who was once the most feared and respected of them all, was thrown around and mocked by the Granian ruler.
Some felt pity for Grim, who was stripped of his high horse and title. Others, who didn’t like or admire Grim in the first place, felt contempt towards him and even mocked him along with Grania.
There was a certain way Grim held himself, acting as though he was superior to them all. Ever since he was stripped of his title as Lord, though, the Granian was seen as weak and incompetent by most of his kind who enjoyed seeing him fail, especially now of all times.
"...HOW COULD YOU THINK OF ESCAPING WITHOUT THE HUMANS? WE NEARLY LOST THE WAR WAITING FOR YOU TO RETURN WITH AN ARMY OF BLOOD MUTANTS, AND YOU ONLY MANAGED TO BRING BACK FOUR. ONLY FOUR OF THE HUNDREDS YOU BROUGHT WERE SUCCESSFUL, AND MANY OF THE OTHERS ARE UNRESPONSIVE!!! AND OF THOSE FOUR, YOU’VE LOST TWO!! TWO!!! DAMN YOU, GRIM!!!’
Grani slammed Grim on the floor again and then held him in place, angrily glaring into his nearly swollen eyes.
"YOU’RE LUCKY YOUR PAST GLORIES AND VICTORIES OUTWEIGH YOUR CURRENT FAILURES, GRIM. FROM NOW ON, I STRIP YOU OF ALL YOUR PRIVILEGES. YOUR FLEET IS NOW GRAVAX’S. YOUR MEN ARE NOW HIS. YOUR EQUIPMENT IS NOW HIS, AND FROM THIS DAY ON, HE IS YOUR SUPERIOR UNTIL YOU MAKE ATONEMENTS FOR YOUR FAILURES. NOW, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT."
With his tail tucked in his legs, Grim picked himself up and left with the little dignity he had left. The declaration made didn’t apply to him, however, but also to the Cyclitharan that was responsible for Grim’s hasty escape.
From now on, Grim answered to Gravax and was no longer among the ruling/governing society in the Granian hierarchy.
And as for Gravax....
’I’ve done it. At long last, I have done it.’