Tichaona was back in the infirmary again, bruised and battered. The man was a tad bit frustrated at the fact that he couldn’t get a hold of the mana during his fierce struggle against the wolves. When he had defeated them, the dark figure shortly arrived and carried his clobbered body. The trounced man was held like a child and taken back to the living quarters of the ship. The dark figure placed him on the infirmary stretcher, and took a vial that had a solution and injected it into his left hand. The solution not only acted as a pain killer, but it quickened his body’s healing process. Tichaona felt strange as the liquid did its wonders to his body, coursing through his veins.

His immune system kicked in and his tendons, blood vessels, ligaments, muscles and fractured bones from the bite marks, were quickly restoring themselves back to normal. Tichaona was fascinated by this, but was told to remain still as she cleaned his wounds using a dry cloth which she soaked in a marble dish tray. The dark figure’s aggressive hands were gently applying pressure as they cleansed his scabs. Tichaona would groan and whimper as she cleaned him up. When it came to working from his ankles to his groan, Tichaona began to yelp intermittently. He then stopped her from going any further up, and she obliged him. As soon as she was done, he then decided to ask her a few questions.

“My wounds, I feel like my body is rapidly getting better. That stuff you injected me with, is that like an elixir in this world?” he asked, shaking off the pain as he reclined on a stretcher.

“An elixir, I am not sure if I would call it that, but this liquid that I have forced into your body is a stimulant that increases the speed of your healing. If I may be honest with you, warrior in the making Tichaona, making this solution requires for me to find a certain insect that I need to dissect. I wish to maximize your training as fast as possible, but if we run out of solutions, every single time you come back all bloody, I will have to go through the burden of looking for such insects to make a huge bundle of these solutions. Your fight against the wolves was a mess, even if I did delight in your savagery when you used the wolf’s ribs as a weapon, you failed to utilise your speed to quickly dismantle them, one by one. It’s clear that you do not have any formal training in martial combat, but regardless of that, you at least managed to kill them all.” she said, looking at him with judgmental eyes.

“You should have told me what was up, so that I could have better prepared. Anyways, so where were you during that time when I was fighting them? I could hear your voice coming from somewhere close to the swamp area you put me in.” he said, as he writhed in pain.

“I was using the oculus soul stone to announce to you your situation.”

“The oculus what?” he asked, baffled by this new information.

“It’s a useful aid that I will explain to you later. For now, you should rest. You will be redeployed within the next 2 hours.” she said, averting her attention towards the exit.

“Wait, what? You want me to go back there and fight again. In 2 freaken, argh, shit. My back, god damn it.” he yelped, as he tried to lean forward in protest.

“Were you resisting my orders just now? I sensed opposition in your talk.” she said, glancing back at him.

“I nearly died from facing those wolves. How can you just give me 2hours and then send me back there? Are you fucken crazy?” he said, agitated by her logic.

“To use profanities before me when you are clearly indeed of instruction, I see. The solution I gave you will patch you up quickly, do not fret. You will be ready by then.” she said, averting her attention once again and facing the exit.

“That’s not the point here. Wasn’t that enough? I nearly died facing those things; I wouldn’t be in a rush to return to face any of those wolves…” he said, before being interjected.

“No, you’re going back in there once you’re all healed up. This is an order. I told you that your training would get serious. Facing one wave of my wolves will not do much to improve your strength. You must continue facing those beasts until you can kill them without having your body entirely inflicted with damage. Until then, the process will continue until you have made progress.” she insisted, with a cogent tone.

“You’re crazy, argh,” he said, quivering a bit as he looked at her cold eyes, “at least give me something to work with. Like the mana plant!”

“No, you rely too much on your ability. It is special, but your base form must be honed. You will eventually overcome this trial once you can defeat your enemies without being a trump card drunkard.” she said, drawing closer to him and towering over him.

“A trump card drunkard, hmm, that’s a really insipid analogy, but I guess I don’t have a choice in the matter. I don’t get to decide because I am the weakest between the two of us, right?” he said, aggravated beyond control, but quelling his anger due to understanding that there was nothing he could do.

“Yes, like I told you, as much as you’re my future mate, I am still the one who gets to have the final say because of the difference in strength between us. I implore you to not dwell on the inferiority that comes with your position. I also wish that you mentally prepare yourself for what’s to come. You will become extremely strong, but you must endure the pain I cause you. Power is a worthy sacrifice.” she said, patting his back and then giving him an endearing look that came from nowhere, “Rest for now. You faced the wolves before, so this time, combine your brawn and mind to slaughter them easily.”

The dark figure soon enough exited the room, leaving the disconcerted Tichaona who was recuperating, as he stressed over how he was going to have to adjust to her whims. Testing her would probably lead to him being beaten again; something he definitely didn’t want a recap of. As he buckled under her demands, he began to curse inside, thinking malignant thoughts about her.

Being forced against his will to do something was never part of his identity and he really wished he could just sneak out with being detected and run as far as possible away from this hulking woman. Alas, he would have to lie on his bed, think about his next strategy against the wolves and hopefully rise above his next trial. It was clear that she had no intention of letting him die and wanted him to be her future mate, but regardless of that plot armour in his narrative, having to endure all that pain was going mentally taxing at best.

Tichaona healed just enough that he could easily move, but still felt slight pangs on his back. Tichaona was met by the dark figure who was now dressed in her dark military regalia. She was wielding a heavy glaive which had some technological elements in it’s make up. Tichaona was then order to go back to his living quarters where he would be transported down to the battle arena. The dark figure then recommended to him, “I will be out to incubate my soul stones and to get a few things. Try to keep yourself alive. If I were you, I would go for the legs and then kill.”

“Thanks for the tip.” he said, with a begrudging tone.

“Well, I am off now.” she said, leaving him in his living quarters.

The hatch shut before him and then he waited for a few seconds, using the custom goal mechanic to track her movement. As soon as she was at a distance, he opened the hatch and left the living quarters. Tichaona sighed and then put his shoulder against the wall as he tiptoed. He then said to himself, “So you think your ship cannot be escaped, well you have got another thing coming.” Tichaona entered ‘escape this ship’ as his custom goal and got 2 options.

He chose the one that involved destroying the ship’s control room and quickly trotted off as he glanced at the navigation point that cautioned him with how far away the dark figure was from. Tichaona passed through a number of corridors and walked towards a steel jute composite styled door. The door seemed to have a mounted interface that needed biorecognition from the touch of the hand. Tichaona immediately placed his hand, hoping that it will trigger an opening mechanism, but instead, it triggered an alarm.

A grating siren like noise magnified his stress levels as he realised that things weren’t going his way. He suddenly became angst and struck the door before him with his fists. After a series of violent whacks, the door imploded and he forced his way inside the room. A lot of gadgets, reinforced cables and what looked like servers, were all around this place. Most of it didn’t make any coherent sense to him and he seemed like an antiquated tribal man seeing technology for the first time.

The custom goal had instructed him to blow up a certain terminal which would disengage the heavy security that was going to restrict him during his escape and he made sure to quickly identify the target. He was worried that the boss lady would be back with vengeance and he clearly had’ had enough of her domineering lunacy. As he prepared to strike the terminal, he realised that the distance between him and the dark figure, as pointed out by the navigation point on his peripheral vision, had shortened to just 20cm. As he glanced to confirm this horrifying revelation, he witnessed something spectacular.

A dimensional rift occurred, as if space had bent and distorted above him. This breach in space created a hole that folded on itself and out came the dark figure. She immediately landed behind him, wielding her glaive and what looked like an amulet that she had wrapped around her left arm, that had a glowing emerald gem. She immediately yanked him and lifted him by the collar. Her face had become wrinkled with anger as she gnawed over what to do with him.

Tichaona could feel the blood lust exuding out of her and if she wasn’t careful, she would probably end him with her rage. As the towering warrior vented, she began to breathe heavily, taking deep breaths as she calmed herself down. As Tichaona braced himself for whatever she was going to do to him, she suddenly said, “If I leave you alone, just once, you become engaged in mischief. Like a child, you disobey me and wish to do things that could compromise my ship. Cursed custom goal, that hands out classified information.”

“I am sorry. Just let me down, I won’t do anything crazy.” he said, as he pleaded for her mercy.

“I would like it if you were to remain silent for now. My violent urges seek to harm you, but I cannot do that. To jeopardize the plan because of your tendency to frustrate me, would be foolish of me. Leaving a man alone who desperately seeks to escape is also foolish. For now on, we shall stay together and I shall closely observe you. I want you to understand that you are the one who has limited your own freedoms. I am taking you back to the arena.” she said, as she tightened her grip.

“No I am not going to go back there…” he said, before being interrupted by her violent swing at him. Tichaona was struck in the gut by her fist and almost blacked out from the pain. That one strike was enough to silence him and he fell limp. Realising that the now healed man had to go through another treatment session, she went ballistic. She dropped his body to floor and watched him agonize as he failed to even crawl.

She knelt down to inflict more damage on him and then stopped. Her inner conflict was making her second guess and then she took a few steps back and screamed out loud. The scream was so loud that it made the room they were in vibrate, peaking her voice to the extent that Tichaona couldn’t help but cover his ears whilst in anguish. After she let out her rage, she panted and then sat on the ground, as if she had become exhausted by her antic. Tichaona watched as this towering figure said something out of character.

“As a Quendalion child, I suffered from issues of rage and the anger I had towards those who infuriated me. Because of my habit of lashing out, I became a public menace who killed at a very young age. This anger would have just been put to waste in a prison cell, but someone made me join the military where I could freely become one with my rage. I channeled the morbid thoughts, grudges and sick thoughts threw that way and became a strong woman. I am a danger to you if you disobey me. I know that I have sold you on the idea that you’d get stronger and that I would reward you with me as your mate, satisfying all your carnal desires as a Quendalion woman should to her male counterpart, but you must understand the seriousness of why I need you. My brother, who is much worse than me, slaughtered the majority of the beta testers who enlisted to become part of Sedulous’ experiment. He is an evil that trumps all my vices and a man with a strong will. I have never been good with adapting to individuals nor living a life where I didn’t dictate to those below me. You must understand, that whether you like it or not, you’re my trump card in defeating him and getting rid of his aura for good. Your ability will be able to do so once you have reached greater heights, but if you continue to provoke me, there is no telling what I would do to you. I am well aware that I have a temper and I can easily break an arrangement due to this weakness of mine, so if you value your life, then be obedient.” she said, talking slowly as she huffed and sometimes sounded monotone.

“No you bitch, you got it all wrong. Leave me out of your family drama,” he said, as he coughed out blood, “unlike you who enlisted to come to this planet, I commited suicide and just happened to wake up on this cluster fuck of a planet with weird shit and you know what, I think life here sucks ass, so I am not going to play along to your sick sob story nor did I think sleeping with you is a reward. Your crotch is probably toxic from your bipolar anger issues. So you know what, kill away, I have nothing to lose.”

“Why won’t you listen you insolent fool. Do not bluff with nothing.” she said, as she rose from the ground and dashed towards him. She lifted him by the neck and smashed against the wall. Tichaona became woozy and his body writhed in pain, but he didn’t waver.

“Go ahead, kill me you fucken blue skinned idiotic ugly alien. Do it, fuck up your plans you stupid bitch!” he shouted at her as she looked at him with cold eyes.

“Don’t test me, don’t you dare bluff you puny insect!” she screamed, raising her voice which dropped to the lower octaves and began to sound monstrous. Her grip became tight and she began to choke him, this time, without holding back. Tichaona just capitulated to his death and made no attempt to resist or fight for his life. He didn’t know where he would go from here, but wished that it would be far from her. As he began to feel his life slip away, the dark figure suddenly lost herself in tears and let go of him. She cried and soaked her face wet, a sight that resembled a demon mourning for the first time in its existence. Tichaona laid there limp, seeing that his life bar was in the critical levels. He coughed and gurgled the blood in his mouth and spat it out, as he gazed at her crying. Tichaona instigated her more by calling her names and telling her to end him. The dark figure soon enough stopped crying and then walked towards him. Lied beside him and embraced him. Tichaona didn’t understand why she would do this but then she whispered something to his ear.

“You have broken me. You, the man with little regard towards your life, you have completely broken me. I will not force you for fear that I would probably kill you, so tell me, what kind of arrangement can we make that benefits us both. Please Tichaona, help me take vengeance upon my brother. Let’s become more cordial and fight less.” she said, to him in warm embrace.

“Are you going to let me go?” he asked, as he barely made the words come out of his mouth.

“No, I can’t lose you and besides, if my brother were to eventually find out about your existence, he would destroy you before you’d become strong enough to stand up to him. I will treat you different, I will compromise the honour and pride that I have to keep you here. I am lowering myself to you and begging you. Let’s come up with an agreement.” she said, sounding poignant.

“Do I also get to have the final say?” he asked.

“Yes, but within reason.” she said, trying to placate him.

“So, I will bargain with you, but I hope you will keep your end.”

“I will hold your terms with reverence.” she said, sounding solemn and weak.

The tables were now turned in favour for him. As her trump card, he now had to leverage his value and capitalise on this moment. Soon, things would be looking up for Tichaona.