A Dangerous Game (Krel x Reader)

~3~

Krel watched (Y/n) train with Aja with interest, focused on (Y/n)'s grace and skill. Though she was Zadra's daughter and presumably trained by her, she didn't fight like Zadra. Krel couldn't place who she did fight like, however.

"Hey!" he called after a while. "About the daxial array."

"Oh, that," (Y/n) said, sheathing her serrator. Aja swiped a hand across her forehead and followed them down to the engine room. "Take what you like, I guess. If we're all coming back together...."

"Of course," Aja said. "Your generosity would prove that you are worthy to return with us."

"Hadn't guessed." Krel walked towards the array, two of his hands touching it. Could it be that easy?

"Careful what you wish for," he murmured to himself and began pulling small wires out to detach the array. He glanced back at (Y/n), but she made no move to stop him so he continued.

"You don't know how much this means," he said as they walked out with the daxial array.

"It's fine," she said. "Just, uh, run along now. Get your ship fixed. I'll see you later." She quickly shut the door and Krel and Aja returned to the mothership.

~

Krel stood back and admired his work on the daxial array. "Power it up, Mother," he said. He turned around suddenly as a crack sounded. "Hello?"

"Hello, King in Waiting." He grunted and flew backwards into the daxial array. He shook his head and looked up. A figure stepped into the engine room, wearing a cloak with a hood that shadowed their eyes, a mask covering their nose and mouth. Their voice sounded strange; something was messing with the delivery to protect their identity.

"Who are you?" Krel asked, pushing himself up. The figure kicked him back down, shoving their serrator to his neck.

"Your worst nightmare." They raised the serrator, but before they could plunge it through Krel's core, Aja let out her battle cry and knocked the assassin aside. However, her blow only annoyed it.

"I was trained by King Morando himself," it said. Krel jumped up and it flashed the serrator out, pinning him in place. It slowly turned its head to look at Aja. "And you? By Varvatos Vex?"

"Varvatos is honorable!" Aja shouted. "You are not!"

"I fight to win," it said. It suddenly paused, then jabbed the serrator against Krel's neck, making him gasp. "Where are the royal cores? Tell me, and I may give you a fighting chance."

"Never!" Aja snarled. "Get away from my brother!" She lashed out and the assassin stumbled closer to Krel, the serrator digging into his neck.

"Aja!" he wheezed, pushing at the serrator.

"The cores!" the assassin yelled. She suddenly grabbed Krel and the pressure was momentarily released, though they only threw him back onto the ground and pinned him there by stabbing the serrator into his shoulder. He screamed in pain. "Or I kill him."

"No!" Aja cried. The assassin drew the serrator through Krel's shoulder towards his core, small pixels floating off him. "Alright! I'll show you! Just let him go!"

With one movement, the assassin ripped the serrator out of his shoulder and he sagged, shivering. "Aja, don't," he said, lifting a hand weakly. 

"Quiet." The assassin jabbed the serrator into his other shoulder and he cried out. They withdrew and Aja reluctantly led them out of the engine room. 

Thinking quickly, Krel forced himself to stand, pain lancing down his whole body. He pulled up the controls and quickly began shutting every door but the one to the engine room. No one was getting to his parents. 

"KREL!" He winced as his sister bellowed his name, but continued what he was doing. 

"Mother," he said, and her icon appeared beside him. "Show the intruder the door." 

"Of course, my royal." The icon floated out and a crash sounded before Aja ran back into the engine room, embracing Krel. He gasped and she quickly released him. 

"Medical attention," she said. "Varvatos! Status!"

"Playing a glorious game of chess!" 

"Get over here, now!" She looked back to Krel. "That was brilliant, but dangerous." She glanced back. "I do believe that she will be returning." 

"She?" 

"I guessed as much." She hugged him again, gentler. "Just don't die, alright?" 

"I'll be fine." He rubbed his shoulder, pixels flaking off him. He turned to the monitor and looked up at it. "For now, I'm going to focus on finding this assassin."