Chap 139: Never Leave Me

Blue light shone from Tee’s eyes, frying the manifestation of darkness over her body. The metal claws retracted into her gloves. Her white hair escaped its bun, flowing in the air as raw Ultramana energy surged from her. But the victory was short-lived. She fainted, collapsing flat on the ground.

The monster’s turmoil ended once the opposing power vanished. No longer torn between two contradictory commands, its transformation accelerated. The deep voice returned, ordering it to fulfill its task. Power surged through its being, and it levitated high into the air.

Kie saw Tee lying there, a bloody puncture in her back. It reminded him of the previous Xenosapian attack, but the thought vanished as the monster’s massive wings entered his peripheral vision.

Turning from Tee, he saw the creature pull its head together—and realized there was no human inside. The host was dead, and with it, their hope for a cure vanished. He exhaled, mourning the lost opportunity, yet clenched his resolve.

Determined, he bolted toward the monster, unleashing waves of energy. The creature folded its four wings around its body like a shield. As before, the wings absorbed the blasts, then a protective metal skeleton formed over each wing. With a powerful roar, it opened them.

The roar shook Saeda’s energy sphere. Kie’s spinning swords were blown back by the tornado-like wind from the wings. He couldn’t recreate his energy shield and dropped to his knees, bracing against the gust.

The wind hit Zod and Miko, forcing them to shift focus from Tee to the monster. All eyes widened at the sight of five curved metal horns forming armor around the creature’s head. It halted its ascent and fired an even more powerful energy blast at the human in the blue energy sphere.

Saeda’s life flashed before her eyes as the blast approached. It shattered her sphere, punching a hole in the dome that quickly resealed. She rolled twice, then slammed her fist into the ground to stop her momentum. Through the rising steam from her aching body, she saw the flying monstrosity hurtling toward her. She pushed herself up and leapt, narrowly avoiding another blast.

Kie yelled through his telecom, “Forget Tee! The Vergant host is dead—we have a monster to take down! I need my team!”

He leapt powerfully to reach the monster’s height, spinning to send multiple swords slicing like razor discs. The creature deflected them with the metal armor on its wings, but he had its attention. Its mouth opened, glowing red from within.

Miko helped Zod to his feet and dashed away. Shocks of pain still rippled through his body, and breathing was difficult. The monster blasted red energy from its mouth, looking even more grotesque. Fear of it becoming a Harbinger spurred him into action. A future of endless battles against the Harbingers lit his eyes with steady blue light as he dashed forward.

Tee was a foot from the dome’s wall. The Vergants outside used their combined telekinetic pull to draw her closer, eventually getting her safely outside. They paused to assess her condition.

While Tee was attended to, the four remaining Sentinels held nothing back against the monster. Zod took short, painful breaths to fire energy beams. Kie followed with energy waves, and Saeda sent razor-disc swords slicing toward the beast.

The monster shielded itself with its wings. Seeing an opportunity, Miko sprinted around the dome at top speed, locking her eyes on the creature. She teleported behind its wings and drove her glowing blade deep into its back, anchoring herself to it.

The energy blade was like a burning thorn lodged in its body. The monster spread its wings to shake off the attacker, giving Kie, Zod, and Saeda the chance to strike. It shielded again, but Miko plunged another glowing sword, forcing the wings open once more.

Zod aimed blasts at the monster’s head, trying to destroy the metal armor. Kie and Saeda leapt high, slashing relentlessly until both wings were severed.

Though the monster could not feel pain, the attacks disrupted its existence, and it roared in rage. Sharp spikes erupted from its skin, stabbing at Miko on its back.

Miko was impaled but forced herself to move, breaking free from the spikes. Wasting no time, she summoned more glowing swords inside the beast.

The monster lunged upward, smashing into the dome’s ceiling, flattening the “bug” on its back.

The spikes pierced Miko too deeply, and she let go, falling toward the ground. The monster slapped her away, giving her the quickest, most violent ride to the ground. But it barely had time to react before the relentless attacks continued.

Saeda and Kie focused on the monster’s eyes, while Zod’s strongest blast shattered three of the metal horns on its head. Assuming the creature was Xenosapian, he knew the brain was the key to killing it.

The opening allowed Kie to leap onto the monster. His hardened skin resisted the spikes, and he drove his entire flaming sword deep into its flesh.

The monster roared as its short, violent existence flashed before its eyes. Its mind wavered between levitating and trying to shake the intruder from its back. It began hovering closer to the ground.

Saeda saw her chance. Channeling all her strength into one sword, she ignited it with flames. She screamed her rage and leapt forward, slashing the back of the monster’s head.

The remaining horns shattered, exposing its skull. It begged its master for more power to create another explosion but there was only silence. Its spikes shot up feet-high as a final defense.

The spikes tore through Kie’s clothes but broke against his skin. He climbed the monster and sliced at its head. A spike pierced his chest, reminding him there was no brain inside.

The monster lost its eyes after half its head was destroyed, yet it remained alive, levitating and crashing against the dome’s barrier.

Miko sprang to her feet. Alongside her two teammates, she leapt and stabbed glowing swords into the monster, dodging and punching away spikes that shot up to impale them.

Kie shouted, “It has no brain! How do we take it down?”

Zod had an idea. Kie grabbed his arm, pulling him to the monster’s sliced head. Zod took a long inhale, channeling the most powerful blast he could muster. His energy tore through the monster’s head and out the bottom.

But he didn’t stop. Ignoring the pain coursing through his body, Zod screamed and let the energy explode from his hand, obliterating the monster into nothingness.

The force hurled Zod and his teammates across the dome, slamming them into the walls. Only Zod remained on the ground, and Miko dashed to help him up.

Outside, the Vergant natives analyzed the life forces in the dome before dismissing it. They mourned the loss of their brethren and the failed attempt to cure the Xenogene.

Kie moved with relentless purpose, ignoring aches and pain, toward Tee, who lay on a hovering stretcher. He knew she would wake again and see him.

Miko shifted her aching body while keeping Zod at her side, moving toward them.

When Zod pulled his arm from around her shoulder, Miko whispered, “Zod…”

Zod stood with his back hunched like an old man. “Thanks, but I can stand on my own,” he said in a hoarse voice. “Since I’m not missing any limbs… I’m going to rest in my room and heal once we get back.”

The Vergant natives thanked the Sentinels for their help. Though the outcome had been unfortunate, they were glad every option had been exhausted. They suggested leaving their unconscious teammate for proper treatment.

Kie objected immediately. “No. That won’t be happening. We’re leaving now,” he demanded.

The Vergants contacted Primus and performed their two-point teleportation chant. Kie didn’t have to hold Tee for another minute before they were teleported. Primus medics arrived with a levitating stretcher and took her away.

Kie didn’t take his eyes off Tee as she was rushed away, though his super-hearing caught the low conversation behind him.

The Lieutenant told the three nearby teens that their outing had been approved.

Miko couldn’t clap because of the pain but expressed her excitement with her voice. “How marvelous!”

Zod shifted the topic. “I think I understand now. The Balance Seal is like a crest for the Vergants,” he said. He paused, remembering his earlier question. “He mentioned never seeing anyone wearing a crest and asked if there were Xeno-victims at Primus.”

The Lieutenant replied, “Yes, there are Vergant Xeno-victims here—even in this base at this very moment.”

“Xeno-victims here?” Miko shrieked, looking around and twitching. “Why are there no MG officials here—this isn’t right!”

The Lieutenant comforted her. “Yes, there are Xeno-victims here, but you need not worry about—” She stopped as she caught sight of Tee disappearing under the distant archway and quickly corrected herself. “You need not fear Vergants mutating. As you said, Zod, the Balance Seal is like a crest. However, it eliminates the fear of Xenosapians, as it kills the host upon mutation. The threat of Xenosapians exists only in the modern world—mostly.”

Zod nearly fainted.

Saeda urged him, “You need to get medical help.”

 Miko placed one hand on his back, insisting, “I’ll guide you to the stairs.”

Saeda followed, mentioning their outing in her monotone voice. 

Miko shrieked again with joy.

Kie disappeared under the archway out of the base, thinking about the Lieutenant’s words. Vergant Xeno-victims had a Seal that killed them at mutation, but it was obvious from his recent mission that it wasn’t foolproof.

Bloody and aching, he decided to get cleaned up, but he stayed in the infirmary to rest so he would know when Tee arrived. He fell asleep and was awakened when nurses came through the large door.

He pretended to be sleeping but peeked at his darling in white trousers being transferred to a bed. When the nurses left, he went to bed next to her. He knew she would wake up. Thoughts of a future with her, knowing she would never leave, filled his mind. They were perfect for each other.

When Tee opened her eyes to see the distant ceiling of the infirmary, she leaned up to look for Kie. She wasn’t surprised to find him sitting up beside her bed.

“This has to stop happening,” she said, smiling.

“Are you saying you don’t like me carrying you in my arms?” he asked.

She swung her legs to one side of the bed and leaned forward, giving him the cue to lift her.

“I never said that,” she replied.

He lifted her into his arms, and she wrapped her arms around his chest and back in a snug hug.

“Let’s get out of here,” she told him.

When he guided her to her room and her feet touched the floor, the world seemed to shrink around them. The moment their lips met, all restraint vanished. The kiss was fierce, consuming—hungry and desperate. Fingers tangled in each other’s hair, pulling closer, seeking more. 

Tee’s back pressed against the door, her breath hitching as he pressed into her, their bodies moving in a taut rhythm of need and heat. Every touch, every gasp ignited sparks along their skin, making the air between them electric and suffocating.

Her pulse thudded in her ears as his lips traced hers, then her jaw, a whisper of teeth grazing, a soft moan catching in her throat. The hallway felt smaller, charged with their energy, the space between them vibrating with the impossible gravity of desire.

“Um,” came Miko’s voice in their left ear.

Their lips parted to see Miko standing there, eyes wide. Embarrassed, she looked at the ground and spoke.

She blurted in one continuous rush, “Sorry, I came for Tee, but since you two are busy, I’ll just be on my way.”

She turned to leave but didn’t get far.

“Wait,” Tee said. “What do you need me for?”

Miko looked back and whispered, “It’s girl stuff.”

“Oh.”

Kie heard every word.

“It’s fine, I’ll leave you two.”

Something inside Tee shattered. She couldn’t believe Kie was probably going to give her the time of her life—and then Miko stopped him. How dare she!

Tee pulled her arms from Kie and folded them. “Fine,” she muttered under her breath.

As Kie left, Miko tugged Tee to her room.

“Quick, I need help. I chose five sets of outfits and can’t decide between any of them.”

Tee knew Miko was talking about their next outing. She took one look at the outfits on Miko’s bed and shook her head. She understood the location might be chilly, but why so much fluff? 

She reminded Miko, “We’re going to have fun, not dine. Plus, we didn’t want to draw too much attention to ourselves. Public places are crawling with crooks. Worse, guys tended to stay away from girls who were overdressed, since it screamed I'm desperate.”

Tee went into Miko’s walk-in closet and helped her pick sensible clothes. It took a while. Everything seemed to shout, I’m filthy rich. But they finally agreed on an outfit, and Miko regretted that Saeda wasn’t there. Saeda was less versed in those matters.

Tee pulled Miko to her room to return the favor. Inside her head, she was already plotting a way to get more boots. It was clear Miko had too many. An hour later, Tee heard a knock on the door.

“Tee, I’m too excited—I don’t think I’m going to sleep tonight. Could we have a sleepover?”