The sweat beaded on Dron’s forehead and drip down the side of his face.
The fighters all got ready underground. The sa place where all the heat that was sucked out from the town above filtered through before it was transferred back as cool air. It was nearly suffocating.
He’d always though of himself as used to the harsh environnt of his planet but nothing could have prepared him for this.
Dron took a deep breath while he reached down again to fasten the borrowed armor around his waist. The tal plates didn’t fit correctly. There were at least a full size too bit but it was all that was left for him. Either he used them or he would go out to fight wearing nothing but his tunic and vest. The fabric was expensive but it would do nothing to protect him from the deadly blows that would soon be coming his way.
"If it isn’t the cursed one." A husky voice sounded from behind Dron.
He looked over his shoulder and saw a scarred alpha standing there. The man had the strangest coloring next to Dron. The man speaking to him had a semi tanned complexion. He didn’t have many markings, only enough to go from his fingers up to his forearms and they were silver. That wasn’t what made him look so strange to Dron though. It was the random pieces of light blue patches that seed to quilt random parts of the man’s body.
"What the hell happened to you?" Dron asked unable to keep his curiosity at bay.
"I complained about the heat so they froze ."
Dron clenched his jaw hard as to not show any shock about what the man had just said. He’d read about a technique that was used many generation ago. A mineral that was found deep near the core of the planet that was so cold it could freeze whatever it touched for ages. The mineral was used by the first settlers after a bit of trial and error to deal with the intense heat.
Unfortunately, though good advancents were made using the mineral, it was also used for bad. Imagine having a finger that is perpetually frozen but can not fall off. The pain must have been excruciating. It was one of the reasons the use of the mineral was outlawed. There was no infraction that would warrant a life long sentence of excrutiating pain.
At least that was what Dron was led to believe. Turns out he was lied to.
"What do you want?" Dron asked him, turning once quickly to grab a spear and an extendable mace.
"I just wanted to size up my challenge. Looks like I’m going to be a free man after all." The alpha sneered at Dron and showing a row of unnaturally sharpened teeth.
"What are you talking about? This is just supposed to be a sparring match." Dron narrowed his eyes at the man.
There was a round of hoots, sothing that most military n did usually to express disbelief or to call attention to sothing.
The man in front of Dron shrugged his shoulders quickly twice. "You’ve got the wrong information, monster. Word has co down all the way from the top. Whoever kills you will be free to leave the black cells and live out the rest of their lives as an apprentice in the military class."
Dron gasped. That’s not what this was supposed to be. He was well aware that he might be hurt. That he might even fall but never once did he think that his life would be purposefully taken from him. There would be no mistake, these n were all coming for him. He was the key to their freedom.
That made the whole situation that much more dangerous. An Alpha with nothing to lose is a dangerous alpha in the most complete sense.
Suddenly, Dron no longer felt as safe as he had a few monts earlier. The sweat dripping down nearly every inch of him chilled on his body as the hairs rose on the back of his neck.
There were other alphas in the small room with him. All of them getting ready for the battle. All of them with their eyes directly on Dron.
Four others in total. Two of which looked like they weight at least double Dron’s weight. One who was more than a foot taller than Dron and finally the last one who looked as if he would literally use those razor sharp teeth to rip him to pieces.
"I have no problems with anyone here."
"You may not have a problem with us," One of the overly thick n talked as he flipped a dagger up in the air over and over without even looking at it. "But we have a problem with you. You’re kind. The ones who think they know what’s best for the world. Trying to insert yourself where you don’t belong. Why can’t you just crawl into a ditch and die like your disgraced father."
Dron lunged forward but stopped himself before he made contact with the man. In this small space, there was no telling what could happen. More than likely Dron would be overco.
"You know nothing about or my life. I don’t care what is best for the world. This world had never cared what was best for ."
"The lies you spew should be etched in a book. Do you truly believe that? Do you truly believe that you don’t care what happens?" The man with the sharp teeth hissed at Dron.
"I know it."
"You’re a fool. That’s the only reason I can co up with for all that you’ve done. You’ve raised in rank in the military, number two in all the active combat duty. For what? You won’t get any comndations. You’ll never be first in command. You built a massive ho right on the border of the lower and military class, a ho that I’ve been told is so out of place a stranger might believe it belonged in the Academic class, but you will never be allowed in the academic class. You will never rise any higher than than the military class and the day you are no longer of use to the military they’ll drop you down to the poor class to live the rest of your life in squalor.
Finally, you married an oga who might hold the answer to our entire worlds plague. She could be the answer to all of our problems. Her offspring could be the start of a whole new life for the Thraqen people and you had the nerve to think that you were suitable for her. Yes, you’re a fool."
Dron shook his head. Everything that the man said was true except for one part. He didn’t choose Tempest. Tempest chose him. If it were up to him he’d never have married Tempest. His life would be that much worse because of what he would be missing out on but he would’ve never taken that chance in the first place.
"I didn’t force my mate to chose , she did that on her own." Dron replied.
"Sure, But then again the woman had never seen a planet like this before. She’d never seen the people like us before. She doesn’t even understand the language without a translator. You should’ve declined to marry her."
"To be sent to the black cells? Why would I do that?"
"You would’ve taken it if you’d known your place. But you think you are better than what you are. Better than the cursed blight on our community you actually are. You’ve tried to reach above your station one too many tis and now it’s ti to bring you back to reality."
Dron growled and readied the weapons in his hands. They were supposed to wait until they were called out to the fighting grounds but the way things were going at that mont, it seed like the battle could pop off at any mont.
"Don’t worry, we won’t kill you in here. The Prince wants us to kill you out there for everyone to see.
Wants you to fall to your knees and beg before one of us separates your head from the rest of your body.
I wonder if the oga will cry when she sees your blood soaking through the sand?
Either way, she’s going to need soone to comfort her. Who better than the Prince himself?"
Dron’s frustrations threatened to drive him mad. He had to find a way to get back to Tempest. Had to find a way to get through this. He closed his eyes for a second trying to formulate a plan.
He wasn’t paying attention. In a room full of people who were trying to kill him, he wasn’t paying attention. How stupid could he be.
He heard the whooshing sound before he registered that it was sothing coming in his direction. Dron flashed his eyes open at the last possible second to see a small dart flying in his direction. He pulled his hand up trying to block the small attack and winced in pain as the small needle pierced his skin.
Seconds later it felt as if he were in a fog so thick he couldn’t even move his mouth.
The alpha instinct suppression dication was already sliding through his blood.
He stumbled to the side having to use the wall to hold himself up. Then he heard the loud gong.
It was ti to start the battle.
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