The dust was thick and suffocating. It tickled her throat and burned her eyes as they eased through the dark hallway. Reaching a set of spiral stairs, Ursus lowered Pavel onto the lowest steps. His body shuddered before he coughed up more blood. His chest was barely moving.
"He needs the chamber."
"The chamber?" Ursus pulled up a hologram of a cool dark tube. "It helps the body recover by keeping the person in stasis. It's only used for our most seriously injured since the machine is expensive and the minerals needed are few and far between."
"Alright, so you go take him to the chamber."
Ursus frowned. "And you?"
Me? She frowned. What can I do? She was a human. She didn't have their strengths. She looked down at her hands. I don't have their survival skills.
"Hey," she met his gaze. "The caves of Lumanora, that Plesiosaur cave in, those were you, love." Ursus' smile softened. "All you." Grabbing her hand, he placed the blaster in it. "Let's get this registered to your thumbprint, shall we?"
Eileen's hands tightened around the blaster before she pecked his cheek. "You always know what to say." At his widening smile, she pressed her thumb against the blaster pad. Looks like a certain hybrid better watch out.
With Pavel's watch and the blasters, Eileen followed the map through the servant hallways toward the throne room. Alright, if this map is correct then I should be coming to the exit right about....now.
Her hands brushed against the loose brick. Kneeling down, she carefully removed the stones to reveal the hidden vent. Eileen closed her eyes. Please don't let all my walking through the park be in vain. With a deep gut suck, she squeezed through.
"This isn't what I paid you for." Eileen frowned. That voice. She peeked through the vents. One of the council members stood in front of the woman. "I paid you to kill the hybrid, not start another war!"
A chuckle ripped from the hybrid's lips. "Oh, Jarek. You should have known better than to trust a hybrid." Shadows moved in front of the vent. Eileen gasped as two large cat size creatures stalled toward Jarek. Their jaws, paws, even their heads remind Eileen of a grizzly bear.
"Ocria, don't do this." Jarek stepped back. "Don't-" One of the creatures lunged. Eileen snapped her gaze away as his cries turned into gurgles and then silence. Eileen's hands clenched. How am I going to stop her now?
"Your highness." A guard rushed forward. "Someone activated the healing chamber in the clinic room."
Ursus! Ocria's smile widened. "Well, looks like they finally came after all." She slid off the throne. Her movements were agile and sharp, like a predator that finally found their prey. "Thank you, my loyal guard." She grabbed the hybrid's chin. "Once I finally get this thorn out my side, I'll finally be free to cover this place in council blood."
Eileen's jaw clenched as she waited for the two to leave. She pressed against the vent. Come on....come on! She turned her body. Open! Her foot slammed against the vent, sending it flying out. As she eased back, she collapsed onto her bum. Umph.
Snarls ripped through the silence. Her gaze snapped to the two cat bear creatures. Blood dripped from their jaws, creating splatters on the ground. "Oh right." Eileen sat up. "I forgot about you guys." She pushed herself to her knees. "Nice kitty-bear things. Nice-"
With a snarl, they lunged. Eileen threw herself to the ground. Her hand snatched her blaster. "I said nice kitties!" She pressed the button. A beam shot out, knocking her back. She sat up. A hole right between the eyes dripped blood before the creature dropped. I did it!
A vicious snarl snapp her gaze to the second. Its lips revealed full canines. I celebrated too early! With a snarl, it lunged, knocking her back. Its jaws slammed down, grabbing a mouthful of blaster instead. "Get off!" Eileen grunted, slamming her foot into its gut. It staggered back with a pain yelp before another kick to the face had it retreating.
Eileen staggered to her feet just as the creature snarled again. She pointed her blaster at it. "Alright, time for you to join your friend." The creature snarled. She pulled the trigger. Die!
Nothing. Eileen's eyes widened. With another snarl, the creature spat up a piece of metal. Eileen's heart stopped. "You eat metal!" The creature charged. Eileen dodge to the side. Take this! She threw her blaster, knocking it right in the head. Yes, all those glove trashcan tosses came in handy!
Shaking its head, the creature hissed. Eileen's gaze snapped around the throne room. I need a new weapon! Something to kill this thing! The creature stepped forward. Its claws scraped against the ground. Her gaze snapped up. At the sight of the cyndilar a thought crossed her mind. Maybe....
The creature inches closer. Its tail thrashed against the ground before it pounced. Eileen threw herself to the ground, as it nearly missed her arm. Her heart leaped in her throat. Come on! She grabbed the blaster. She aimed it at the cyndilar. Please fire, please fire! She clicked it once, twice...
The creature stalked forward. "Please!" A single shot blasted out. Eileen's heart dropped as it smacked the chandelier, cutting straight through. Run to the vent, run to the vent, run to the vent! She ducked in as the whole thing came crashing down.
Glass pricked her skin. She shuddered. An exhale left her lips. "Alright." That was too close. With a glance back at the blood covered throne room, she eased herself free of cover. "Take me to the medical clinic." The hologram flickered and shimmered before she followed the flashing red dot.
As she turned a corner, a figure slammed into the wall in front of her. Her eyes widened. "Ursus!" She raced to his side. Blood seeped through a wound in his side. Mismatched eyes looked up at her with shock. Laughter snapped her gaze to Ocria.
"Ah, I should have known your little human wouldn't have gone too far." She stepped toward them. Her eyes glowed an intense light. "I can't wait to hear your cry of agony when you personally rip her heart out."
A cry of pain ripped through Ursus's body. His tracker glowed a bright yellow. The code!
Eileen staggered back. "Why are you doing this? What did we do to you?"
"You?" She shrugged her shoulders. "You did nothing. The council-" her smile widened. "-they're only getting what they've given us for years. Pain, suffering, and looking down on us like we're nothing but a disease."
"But a war?" Eileen countered. "Hybrids will die."
"And?" She chuckled. "Maybe that's the sacrifice that should have been made." She stepped forward. "Or maybe that's revenge for taking away what rightfully belonged to us."
A hand latched onto her throat. Her eyes widened. "Ursus," she gasped. "Ursus, please fight it!" His grip tightened.
"Let me tell you a little story," Ocria chuckled. "Once there was this hybrid named Navo who lost his life. Now imagine a certain woman's surprise when a councilman hired her and showed her the truth about the hybrid war. Showed her who really should be on that throne!"
Eileen grunted. "You're Nova's descendant."
"Wow, you are smart." She chuckled. "And just as quickly as the hybrids turned their backs on him, I'll turn my back on everyone else and claim what's rightfully mine. Even if it's by force!" Ursus stepped forward. His eyes burned into her own. His lips curled into a snarl. Eileen gasped. "Ursus, please."
"He can't hear you." Ocria smiled. "I control him now!" As he stepped even closer, Eileen dropped her hands and closed her eyes. With one last gasp, she felt his hold loosen. Ocria staggered back when his blaster pointed at her.
"Ok, that's too much." Ursus chuckled. "Stick to nursing, love."
Eileen scoffed. "Hey, I'm an amazing actor."
"You!" Ocria snarled. "I should have known you would break the code." Her eyes narrowed on the blaster. "You think you can stop me?" She chuckled. "Even if you kill me now I gave my first command." Her eyes flashed. "The city will burn."
No.
That moment was all Ocria needed. Her hand slammed into the blaster. Click! The blaster smashed against the ground . Eileen staggered back right into Ursus's arms. "We need her watch! She's controlling them-ugh."
Ursus grabbed his side. Red seeped down his leg. "You're too injured." She cupped his face. "I'll get her." She pressed a kiss to his lips. "Rest."
Kneeling down, Eileen grabbed her blaster. That's when she noticed the red droplets. So the blast did hit her. She followed the droplets down the hallway and up the stairs. The blaster remained close to her chest. Her steps slowed as she followed them toward the edge of the hallway.
"Computer, open the door." The silver doors slide open. Her gaze snapped around the small office styled room. A desk with a book laid open while two windows surrounded the side and front of her, adjacent."Ocria." Eileen stepped through. "You don't have to do this. You can just give me your watch. I'm sure Pavel will have mercy."
"Mercy?" Eileen turned. A fist slammed into her face. Black spots flickered across her visions. Hands grabbed her shirt, yanking her close. Her eyes stared into two merciless ones. "I don't want mercy." The blaster pressed against Eileen's chest. "I want revenge."
Eileen inhaled. Her hands grabbed the blaster barrel. "Please, Ocria, don't make me do this," she whispered. Don't make me kill you.
Orcia's thumb pressed against the blaster. "Please, we both know you don't have the guts." Eileen's eyes narrowed. Don't I? Eileen forced the barrel up. The movement shifted Ocria before Eileen slammed her shoulder into her side. Turning sharply, the blaster gripped free. EIleen staggered back and aimed the barrel at her chest. "Please Orcia, just surrender." A wild cry ripped from Orcia's lips. Her eyes flashed. She charged. Click. A gasp left her lips. Gripping her chest, Orcia staggered back. Each step took her closer and closer to the window. "Orcia, don't-"
The window swung open. The last thing Eileen heard was a mind numbing thud.