PUER MORTIS (Child of Death)

19: Retrieval

The next day, Leilyn is woken up by a loud and desperate yowl, instead of the usual morning gut wrenching nausea. She jumps up, wide awake and conscious. She looks at the analog clock on her bed side – which reads 9am (s**t! She overslept) – before her eyes darts over to Chibi’s empty pillow.

“Ms. Leilyn!” Zoranne yells out a second later.

“Z, what’s the matter? Where’s Chibi?”

“They’re outside! They have been taken by aliens!”

“What?” Leilyn asks, removing her duvet from her body.

“Chibi – who was playing outside not long ago, so as not to disturb your much needed rest – was suddenly immobilized before being taken by some aliens.”

“s**t!” She jumps up. “Where are they?!”

“Not far from here. They’re currently heading to a space ship.”

Leilyn doesn’t ask any more questions. Instead, she throws aside a pillow and grabs the two weapons which lay there; Shadow, and a g*n she calls Infernal, before proceeding out of the open balcony.

Infernal is a g*n gifted to her on her 23rd birthday by R, Damien and Ming-Mei. It’s an 8 inch (20 cm) handgun and it is a mixed between a colt python and a glock, mixed in with the advantage of being silent when shots are being fired. The silver bullets are placed in like that of a glock’s and the cylinder of the g*n acts as a conductor on how the force of the bullets are going to be, ranging from one to ten. The barrel of the g*n is made with Haecarite – a new metal discovered ten years ago and it is the strongest metal up till date, and very expensive too, seeing as it is low in quantity – and painted black. The cylinder of the g*n is painted sliver with the numbers on it painted in green; the safety and the trigger a dull grey and the handle of the g*n black with emerald designs. She has never used it before, much less taking it out of its box.

Leilyn has always have a distaste in guns, going for swords and daggers as she always view killing with them being more enjoyable and intimate. It’s only due to her getting her memories that she started keeping it under her pillow, along with Shadow. There will be no repeat of what happened the last time. This time, she’s blowing heads off.  

With Infernal in her right hand and Shadow in her left, Leilyn runs out of the balcony and promptly uses the baluster to propel herself into the air and over to a tree branch. She does the same thing, jumping from one tree branch to another.

If Leilyn were to look back, she would see that the baluster is now cracked, a bit of it crumbling to the ground below. If she were to be focused about anything other than killing some idiots and rescuing Chibi, she’d have realize that the jump she made was impossible and unbelievable. The trees of the woods are way far from her balcony, 23 meters to be precise. When she made that jump, it looked as if she was flying.

Each jump Leilyn makes from tree branch to tree branch cracks said branches and also gets her closer to Chibi. Before long, she sees the outline of a ship and different colored figures with long, elf like ears, standing few feet away from the opened hanger of the ship. In a tall buffy aliens hands is Chibi, who’s in a cage – which bars is cackling with electricity – and the Eldritch’s collar is glowing red.

Leilyn doesn’t waste much time when she’s above them now. She just attacks while still in the air, coming down to the ground.

        ____________________

Uthaeria Mogryoame has never encountered any opposition in her life before. Well, except for those from her two elder brothers and father, of course. As a princess and the only daughter of King Horem – who’s the ruler of their galaxy –, she’s given anything she asked. So, it was only natural that she was given the captured Eldritch being as a pet from the rouge Angel, Faerai. For seven thousand years, she has kept them on a lease, doing as she saw fit with them.

That is, until they managed to escape a thousand years ago.

Oh, she was mad about that. She even tortured and killed the imbecile who made it happen. The servant in question managed to steal her control device for the collar on their neck – in front of a whole freaking crowd no less – and then broke it. Her pet – who was in her room – escaped with the little power they got from the control being broken and escaped to another galaxy.

Due to them running away to a far Galactial Sector, they couldn’t pin point them fast. It was after the Angel showed her face after thousands of years before they could be traced. Even after that, they still evaded them, jumping from one planet to another.

Due to the collar begin malfunctioned, they couldn’t pinpoint where they were. Until now.

They entered the planet’s atmosphere, undetected by either the moon station or satellites – which, according to the scans, regulates the planet’s atmosphere – due to their superior cloaking device, and landed in a plant covered area, meters away from a house from whence the weak signal was coming from. She sent two of her Elites to capture them, giving them the new control activator. A few minutes into their departure, she heard a loud yowl, which made her smile. Her Elites came back with her pet in a cage, their collar glowing red.

With a pleased smile and nod, she turns back, heading back to the ship.

Well, they were, until they heard the sound of wood breaking. She, along with her two Elites and ten guards, turn back, frowns on their face. It doesn’t take long for their silent question to be answered.

With a gunshot no less.

From the trees comes out a red haired beauty; her beautiful caramel skin glowing in the morning sun and her hair blowing in the wind as she descends. In her hands are a g*n(?) and dagger. Her g*n fires two more bullets, promptly killing the three guards behind her Elites in a shower of blood and brain matter.

When her bare feet touches the ground, it breaks. Her eyes are narrowed, not allowing her to see their beauty – for a mortal such as beautiful as this will surely have equally beautiful eyes. Immediately she lands, she continues her assault. Her Elites jump back and stand on both sides of her, allowing the guards to deal with the treat.

Well, they tried anyways; but they are quickly brought down.

The Terran runs to the side as the guards release fire, dodging their ray guns. While she runs, she also releases fire at them, bringing down two more guards. She then uses the trees as distractions and shields, evading their fire.

Out of nowhere, too quick for their eyes to catch, she throws her dagger and imbeds itself into another one’s chest. Their armor – which naturally deflects every weapon imaginable – doesn’t seem to be working. When the red head comes out again, Uthaeria sees why.

The Terran seems to have a dull cognac glow surrounding her form, looking more like a visible aura. It makes her hair to sway and it seems to also affect her weapons too. Looking at the dagger in the dead guard’s chest, she sees that it’s clothed with the dull cognac glow.

The guards run towards her, their fire never ending. The few rays that touches her are immediately deflected by her dull cognac aura. She jumps from side to side as she runs at them, and when they’re few feet away from her, she jumps into the air, throwing a triple backflip, and lands behind them. They didn’t have much time to react as the Terran promptly ends them. She shoots one guard in the head, brain matter exploding and splattering the guards beside him and a little bit landing on the Terran.

Two make move to attack her, unable to shoot at her due to her closeness. One manages to grab her g*n while the other dives at her. She lets go of the g*n and, jumps back a little, with the other guard still following her move. She catches his punch and promptly breaks his arm with a loud crunch. He screams in pain as his bone pierces out of his skin, blood gushing out in heavy doses.

While all this is going on, the g*n suddenly releases a high voltage of electricity – and seeing as she could hear the cackling from here, then it’s very high –, electrifying the guard holding it. The guard is screaming, body convulsing and hand unable to release the g*n. The Terran release the broken arm of the 9th guard and lands a devastating punch in his abdomen, which sends him flying at the still electrifying 8th guard. Once his body makes contact with his colleague, he joins in the electrocution fest.

Without further delay, the Terran dashes at the other guard, ground breaking under her feet. Once again, her aura cancels the ray shoots. She does a roundhouse kick and kicks the g*n out of his hands, rights herself before grabbing his face – more like his helmet – before promptly slams his head into the ground, creating a small crater. The helmet scatters like glass and the guard coughs out a handful of blue blood; a few drops of it splattering on her face. She then grabs his head with both hands and without any hesitation, swiftly snaps his neck.

A heavy silence envelopes the area after that. The Terran stands up and turns, staring at them with narrowed eyes. With eyes still on them, she walks over to the smoking copses some feet away. She squats down and picks up the g*n, holding it tightly in her hands. As she walks over to them, hips swaying and ample bosoms lightly bouncing. She uses her left hand to remove her dagger from the dead guard’s chest with a loud squelching sound. Then without further ado, the Terran starts shooting at her, feet still moving.

One of her Elites – Jaewen, who possesses the ability to change his body – turns his body into the strongest metal in their galaxy, stopping the Terran’s bullets from hitting her.

The Terran halts, eyes glaring at the Elite in front of her.

Jaewen dashes at her, fist raised.

The Terran suddenly smiles- a cold, terrifying thing. She scrolls down the cylinder of her g*n, which lets out a loud whirl.

“Perfect opportunity to test this out. My lucky day.” She says, before her finger pushes the trigger. The ground beneath her feet cracks, forming spider webs.

The sound that the g*n lets out is nothing short of loud. Uthaeria won’t be surprised if the human town miles away from here hears it. Jaewen’s upper body explodes in a shower of blood, guts and brain matter.

Uthaeria hurriedly raises three translucent shields, which manages to stop the gore from landing on her, as well as the bullet. She exhales heavily, body tensed.

It took a lot out of her to stop that bullet. Heck, it even had her skidding back. She bubbles the bullet with a shield, bringing it close to herself. She examines it closely and sees that it’s coated with that dull cognac aura. The silver bullet also has some engravings on its body.

“My Princess!” Neranne, her other Elite who’s currently holding her pet, screams out in fear.

Uthaeria sees why when she focuses back on her surroundings.

The Terran has her g*n pointed at her, a smile on her lips.

Now that she’s close, Uthaeria could finally see her eyes through those narrowed lids; and by her father, they are beauty. They’re like glowing jewels, the emerald in her eyes making itself known as her eyes shines with unknown power.

“My Princess!” Neranne makes a move to move but the Terran points her dagger at her, making her stop in her steps. The treat is loud and clear, and Neranne gulps in fear.

“Kindly tell your servant to release my friend, or the ground will gladly welcome your brain, princess.” Leilyn says in a bland, silky tone, a look of cooled detachment on her face.

Uthaeria c***s an amused eyebrow. “You can tell that I am royalty?”

“You carry a pompous air around you that I’m all too familiar with. And the expensive diadem on your forehead is a dead giveaway.”

Uthaeria lips stretches into a small smirk, her eyes roaming the Terran.

Even with the blood on her, the Terran is beautiful.

“Terran, what is your name?”

“Why do you ask? Seeing as you’ll be a b****y mess on the floor any second from now if you don’t release my friend, I see no use in telling you.” The Terran says with a look of cool indifference.

“Hmm. Why don’t we make a deal?” The Terran’s eyes narrow into slits and her lips presses into a thin line. “Are you interested?” Uthaeria c***s a perfectly plucked eyebrow.

“What is it?” The Terran asks with a sigh.

“Your name, for their freedom.”

The Terran blinks in confusion before she raises an eyebrow. “That’s all?”

Uthaeria nods, her smirk still on her lips. “That’s all.”

The Terran contemplates for some seconds before finally saying, “Leilyn. Leilyn Xander.”

A smooth smile – more of a smirk – graces itself on Uthaeria’s lips, her eyes narrowing a bit.

“What a beautiful name, for a beautiful mortal.” She says silky, making Leilyn’s eyebrow to raise. “Leilyn Xander of Earth, become my consort.”

                                                            __________________________

Of all the things Leilyn expects to hear from the alien princess, this isn’t one of them.

Her other eyebrow joins its colleague and they raise high in disbelief. Her mouth gapes slightly in shock. The alien who holds Chibi chokes, eyes going wide.

“I’m sorry, what?”

The princess’s smile increases, amused by her reaction.

“Become my consort.” She says. “One such as yourself; beautiful, elegant, brave, vicious and strong don’t deserve to be in this retched planet.” She sneers as she looks around. “Come with me, and you’ll live the life of a queen.”

“Thanks, but I’ll pass.” Leilyn says without hesitation, a deadpan look on her face. Her answer has the princess frowning. “Seeing as I’m a descendant of two royal linage, I’m already royalty. Besides, I don’t even know your name.”

“Ah, forgive my rudeness. I am Uthaeria Mogryoame, Princess of Hoaeurum Galactial Sector and Queen of the Mogryoame Sections.” She places a hand on her chest and gives a short bow.

“Well, Princess Uthaeria, like I said, I’ll pass.”

“Why?” The princess tilts her head. “Is it because you belong to another and are carrying their child? Show me to them, and we’ll settle for your hand with a duel to the death.”

Leilyn’s eyes narrow. “I belong no one. I am my own woman and will rather die than become a slave to another.” The princess’s eyes shines with a pleased glint, which disappears when Leilyn continues. “Much less a f*****g consort to some alien, who tried to kidnap my friend. They told me about you, and let’s just say that I’ll sooner blow my brains out than become a w***e for some alien shank.”

Fuck. Her hormones are acting up.

The alien’s facial expression changes and Leilyn feels a sudden burst of l**t. Uthaeria, she comes to realize, is f*****g hot. And not in the s****l kind of way.

The tall blue skin princess has aristocratic facial looks; two intense, electrifying grey eyes, which borders on the line of looking like mercury; her frowning lips are painted a beautiful purple; her eyebrows are trimmed perfectly; and her long ears are home to two jewel earring each. She wore a sleeveless fantasy like white dress that makes her breasts to be slightly visible – by the Cosmos… they look so comfortable, and Leilyn wishes for a second that she could rest her head on them and drift off into wonderland – and it exposes her toned abs. Her toned biceps are home to two aqua metal bands; her shoes are to die for; and her hair is waist long and slicked back – which lightly sways in the wind. What really intensifies her whole look is the single short bang that lay on her face and reaches her chin.

If Leilyn isn’t so attached to her planet and has common sense, she’d have think twice about the princess’s proposal. But alas, she wasn’t one of those women who fall for cheesy shits as this. No matter how utterly unbearable this planet is.

“Now, if you’ll be so kind.” Leilyn raises her g*n higher, her grip on it tightening. “Release them.”

The princess kept staring at her with hard gray eyes and Leilyn gladly returns the look. She looks into her gray eyes with equally hard agate eyes. Suddenly, the princess’s hair starts to sway vigorously and with a flash, an offensive pink aura envelopes her. The ground beneath her feet cracks and her purple hair begins to float.

With a bemused smile, Leilyn tilts her head. The dull cognac aura around her intensifies, a small crater forming under her, which shakes the area and also the ship. Leilyn sees the princess going stiff. Unknowingly to her, the princess felt something she didn’t feel a while ago.

The oppressive feeling of death.

Uthaeria slowly calms down, gulping inaudible. The green alien who still had Chibi gulps loudly, sweat pouring down her face.

Who is this mortal? How could someone in a backwater galaxy and planet possess such power?

“Neranne… release them.”

The green alien in question splutters in shock, her eyes going wide. Was her princess accepting defeat? “My Princess?”

Uthaeria gives her a side eye glare, making her to stiffen under her familiar deadly stare. “Now.”

Neranne nods, doing as told. With a side eye glance, Leilyn watches as Chibi is released from their cage. She watches as the Eldritch shakes themselves, their fur puffing and shaking. They send a scathing glare at the green alien before cat walking over to Leilyn. They stand beside the dark red copper haired woman, purple eyes glaring hatefully at Uthaeria.

“Now, remove their collar.” Leilyn orders.

“I can’t.”

A deep frown settles on Leilyn’s face. “What do you mean you can’t?”

“Only a divine being can remove a divine artifact like that from its neck.” Uthaeria explains.

Chibi meows and Leilyn understands perfectly.

Fuck.

“I see.” Leilyn says. “Just make their collar to stop glowing this offensive red.” Uthaeria makes to either lie or deny, but Leilyn turns her g*n’s velocity to five and fires. The bullet whizzes pass her and into the open ship. “The next bullet will be going into your brain if you dare lie to me.” She turns up the g*n to eight and smiles coldly. “Return their collar back to its original color. Now.”

With her eyes still on Leilyn, she raises her wrist and taps her wrist. A hologram pops up and the princess taps on it. “Done.” She says.

The collar on Chibi makes a beeping sound and Leilyn spares a glance at them. Their collar is no longer red and the Eldritch isn’t as tensed as before.

“Good. Now leave.” Leilyn says in a loud voice. “And if you dare try to do anything whilst in the air, I won’t hesitate to shot you down.” She turns her g*n to ten, and like before, it lets out a loud whirl. “Don’t bother to come back to this planet. If you do, I’ll personally kill you myself.”

A momentary silence descends on the area, before it’s broken by Uthaeria, who has a pleased smile on her face. “It’s honestly a shame you refuse my offer to be my consort. You’ll look exquisite by my side.”

“Sorry, but I’m not an accessory.” Leilyn says with a mock smile. “Knowing the irony of obsessions, sooner or later, you’ll eventually get tired of me, and then, onto the next consort you go!” She says with a cheerful voice. “Seeing as you’re immortal, I can’t imagine the amount of consorts you have amassed and disposed of. So, once again, no.” 

Uthaeria, who still has a pleased smile on her lips, hums. “Not only are you strong and powerful, you’re perspective too. Very well.” She jerks her head at Neranne, who clearly understands. The green alien make her way to her princess, who’s about to make her way to the ship, Leilyn’s bubbled bullet hovering beside her. “Until next time, Leilyn Xander of Earth.”

“I don’t count on it.” Leilyn gives the princess a mockery of a soft smile.

With an incline of her head at Leilyn, the princess with her Elite walk back onto their ship.

Agate and purple eyes watch as the ship takes off into the air, activating its cloaking mode. Even though it’s invisible from sight, Leilyn could still feel them, and knowing Chibi, they could see the ship clearly.

Leilyn drops down her hand, g*n and dagger resting by her sides. She heaves a sigh, her body going slack in relief.

                                                            ______________________

 On the ship, Uthaeria and Neranne look at the Terran on the screen – which has zoned in at the two down on Terra –, who slowly drop down her hands. Her hair is swaying in the wind, her eyes still narrowed. They ascend slowly, their cloaking sequence activating. They stopped when they make it to the upper part of the atmosphere, suspended in space.

“My princess… is it wise to leave the creature here?” Neranne hesitantly asks.

Uthaeria turns and faces her, a wicked smile on her lips. “Who said anything about leaving it? Alive no less. Certainly not me.”

Uthaeria taps her wrist and the small hologram screen controlling her pet appears.

“Ahh, it’s honestly said to see a pet go. Oh well, such is life.” And with that said, she taps the red skull icon. Without further ado, the screen blinks a warning sign, shining red, before it turns black and then disappears.

With her Elite watching with her, Uthaeria watches in glee as her wayward pet meets its end.

Her possible reunion with the Terran will definitely won’t be pleasant.

                                                              __________________

Leilyn’s momentary relief washes away as Chibi starts making a choking sound.

Her body tenses, head snapping to the Eldritch. Chibi suddenly transforms into their humanoid form, a hand gripping their neck, most specifically the collar on their neck. Said collar is glowing black.

“Chibi!” Leilyn drops her weapons and kneels down, taking the Eldritch’s face into her hands. Their face has veins popping, and they are look as if they’re not breathing. Soon, black tendrils start to appear on Chibi’s neck, before it spreads to their whole body. “That b***h!” Leilyn snarls out, her head snapping up and eyes narrowing.

With a tsk, Leilyn places her hands the collar. Well, she tries to, but her hands are electrocuted. She yelps, removing her hands immediately. Her mind jumps to her baby and she lays a hand her bump. She looks at Chibi, who has black blood coming out from their mouth, eyes, ears and nose.

With a determined frown, she places her hands on the collar again. She screams as the electricity runs into her, causing her pain. With her lips set in a determined sneer, she focuses the strange power she feels surrounding her and moves them into her hands. The aura enveloping her shifts to her hands, glowing bright white.

With a snarl, Leilyn grips the collar and pulls.

The collar, which has been on Chibi’s neck for thousands of years, breaks.

The Eldritch lets out a deep gasp, taking in deep breaths. “Wha- what?” They gasp out, holding their neck. Chibi slowly runs their hands on their neck, eyes widening in disbelief. “Lyn… how did you-” They are immediately silenced as they eyes sees the scene in front of them.

Right before them stands Leilyn, who’s glowing in a bright, divine cognac aura, tinted white on the edges. She’s hovering a feet in the air, her hair – which has turned to a Nordic white – and b****y nightdress swaying in an invisible wind and her eyes are glowing in an eerie, vivid emerald green. In her hands are the two halves of the collar.

So… they were right. He is the father.

Leilyn slowly raises her head, looking into space. With a smile, she tightens the grip on the two halves of the collar before releasing them. They begin to float in the air, coming together. They float above Leilyn’s head, and with her eyes narrowing and her smile turning sweeter, she raises her hand. The assassin makes a circle with her finger and a green circle appears under the broken collar.

“My goodbye present to you, Princess.” And with a snap of her fingers, the collar scatters into dust and the seal disappears.

                                                         ------------

 Uthaeria and Neranne stare in shock as the Terran suddenly changes. She’s glowing a divine glow. Uthaeria twitches when the Terran’s eyes suddenly finds them, looking directly at them; as if she knows they were there. They watch, transfixed, as the Terran suddenly activates a green seal, the collar above it.

Neranne jumps when her princess suddenly lets out an agonizing scream, going down to her knees. Her neck snaps to face her and her eyes widens in horror.

On her princess’s arm, which holds the control to the Eldritch’s collar, has black tendrils rapidly making their way up. Her princess arm starts to rot, going from her fingers and upwards.

“Neranne!” Her princess yells out, bring her out of her shock. She has a look of fear on her face. “Cut the arm off!”

“My princess-“

“Now you fool!”

Neranne unsheathes her blade and activates its ray coating. Uthaeria outstretches her arm, which the rot has reached her biceps. With bated breath, Neranne sliced her hand her arm, from an inch of her shoulder, clean off.

Uthaeria screams in pain, body trembling in agony. She’s bleeding profusely, light green blood sputtering out of her wound and onto the ship floor, creating a small puddle of blood. Neranne lets go of her blade – which ray coating deactivates as her hand leaves its hilt – and kneels down. Her hands hover over Uthaeria bleeding appendage and a lime glow covers it. Neranne heals Uthaeria in ten seconds, the blood stopping and the wound closing in on itself.

“I- I can’t seem to regrow your arm, My Princess.” Neranne stutters out as she moves back, her head bowed. “Whatever she casted on you is too strong to be reverted.

Uthaeria gives a breathy chuckle, her eyes shining with unholy glee and l**t. “It seems I underestimated the mortal.” She gazes at the screen. “Know this mortal, I’ll have you, no matter what.”

It seems that the Terran heard her. Leilyn raises her middle finger, a smirk on her lips.

Without any more hesitation, Uthaeria and the remaining of her crew left, jumping into hyper-speed, going back to their galaxy.

                                                          -----------

Leilyn – who has dropped down her hand – and Chibi watch as the ship disappear. Leilyn slowly turns her entire body to face Chibi, who is now clean of any blood.

Immediately their power is restored, Chibi immediately changes. No longer are they a child, but a full grown adult. Everything is still the same, except they’re now older and they no longer wear a kimono, but a low riding, black baggy pants that’s tight on their ankles and a white shirt. On their head are pairs of beautiful black antlers, curled back and looks like a crown of horns on their head.

“Lyn…” They slowly make their way over to Leilyn, who smiles warmly and softly at her.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” It’s the last thing she manages to say before she loses consciousness.

“Lyn!” Chibi appears before her, grabbing her into their arms before she could fall. “Lyn!” The check on her pulse, heaving a sigh of relief when they find it stable. They check her stomach next, exhaling in relief when they find nothing wrong with the child. She has no wound on her. She just looks to be in a deep sleep. No doubt she passed out due to exhaustion.

They blink in surprise when her hair turns back to its former dark red copper glory. The only thing that proves what just happened is real is the Nordic white streak in the very front of her hair. Looking at it in surprise, they’re reminded of how right they were.

Of all the half breeds known in existence, Leilyn is carrying the child of one of the deadliest being in the entire Reality. This mortal keeps surprising them every day with the impossible.

With a smile on their lips and a snap of their fingers, Chibi cleans Leilyn up and changes her clothing. Now, she has on a tight grey dress, with two mid-thigh length slits on both sides. They stand up and start making their way over to Leilyn’s house, her weapons floating behind them and landscape that was destroyed in the fight rebuilding.