Post-Apocalypse: Mated To Alphas Of Orion-Chapter 93: Beware of His Shadows

(Amaia)

The music still echoes in my brain even after I have lain down in bed. It’s the melancholy and feel of it that was beautiful and haunting at the same time.

Slowly I drift into sleep. The next day I woke up with a slight headache. Drinking last night was not a good idea.

I sit up in bed and grab my head with both my hands.

"Here, chew on this and drink up water." Kacir hands me a glass of a bottle with some weird-looking brown root.

"What’s this?" I ask, accepting it and turning it in my hands. It’s cylindrical in shape.

"Eleuthero root, it will help with nausea, headache and hangover."

Kacir is always so thoughtful.

"Thanks!" I chew at it. The earthly taste is slightly bitter and pungent, but I don’t mind; anything to get this over with.

Taking small sips of water, I gulp it down. It’s time to get ready for the day. After taking a bath, which freshens me up, we head down for breakfast.

My head is still spinning but that root has certainly helped. Something in my belly will help more.

We are already getting late, so we grab sandwiches and apples and head over for our first session.

It’s Transformation and Battle Strategy with Professor Jasian Ewine. The very similar session Alnitak and I won against his guild. I am sure this is going to be a revenge session. They already won against us in Tug-of-war and have been acting cocky since.

Twins and Rahria are already there, as fresh as morning flowers and here I am praying that I don’t have to fight today. Mintaka appears quiet and rigid.

Guild Pegasus stands on the other side, huddled together except for Rigel. I see him leaning against one of the tall crystals embedded in the ground.

His eyes, which appear like drowned sunsets, are focused on me, unsettling. I remember his warning, and if what he says is true, which my heart believes it is. Rigel is dangerous and can become a threat to my mates.

The uniform is snug against his lean body; he’s not muscular, but still tall and strong.

"How are you?" Alnitak says, placing his arm around me, enveloping me with his warmth and scent.

"Not as bad as I had thought."

Professor Ewine’s shrill voice has our attention focused towards him.

"Today we are going to have a strategy battle and teams will be formed on the spot. Each team will be given five minutes to form their strategy and retrieve this crystal."

He clicks his fingers, and the ground slightly shakes before splitting nearly open from the centre. A large, shimmering crystal emerges from the ground, powered by an underground mechanism. But the crystal has a lizard-like creature tied to it, the size of a horse but shorter in stature. I have never seen this creature before and have no clue what it is.

"What in the godly world is that?" Alnitak hisses from beside me, seeing the ugly creature which seems like a cross between a crocodile and a giant lizard with brownish green skin and a forked tongue which hisses out.

Others seem to have the same question, only Guild Pegasus seems unrattled. Do they know something about it? It feels suspicious.

"Whoever can get to the crystal by defeating the opposing team and this creature will be the winner of today’s challenge. Everything goes except taking each other’s lives. He ominously says.

"Team Leo will consist of Rahria and Kacir, while Team Pegasus will feature Luthial and our newcomer, Ezran." He points towards them. Rigel remains unmoved and uninterested.

"Let’s see who uses their abilities the best and gets the upper hand."

I am grateful for not being selected but at the same time, I fear for Kacir. Rigel is possessive, and he has clearly said that any obstacle in his way will be removed. He definitely sees Kacir as another object.

Malevolently, his gaze slowly moves towards Kacir, and my heart misses a beat.

"Good luck guys!" We wish our guildmates. Kacir appears slightly nervous while Rahria is brimming with determination as she sheds her clothes. We huddle around them.

"Ri—I mean Ezran has some shadowy ability, so be careful," I warn them and everyone just stares at me in confusion.

"How do you know?" Alnitak questions.

"I saw shadows crawling over his skin when he held me, so I am pretty sure he possesses some kind of darkness shadow-related ability," I quickly answer, and it’s true.

"Alright. Luthial is from a cat clan. He is either a cheetah or a leopard so he will be extremely fast. Kacir can you handle him? I will take on that vamp," Rahria asks, leaving herself in her lingerie while Mintaka hands her over an oversized shirt so she can put it on.

"Yes, transformation will give us an advantage in this case. We bring them down first and then go for that monster. Probably target his neck, because I don’t see any other weak spot," Kacir says, putting on the similar t-shirt to one Rahria wears.

"Be careful, it may shoot poison. It appears like a cross with lizard and they are always poisonous," Mintaka offers his insight.

They nod and we place our right hands forward, taking a vow.

"We believe in you. Go!"

With last encouraging words they enter the battle ground where Luthial and Rigel have already taken their spots. Luthial has the same kind of t-shirt on his lean body, his is just blue while our guildmates have black ones.

Luthial says ’hi’ with a small smile but Rigel has only blood lust in his eyes, which is frightening to say the least.

"No killing, if I see someone brutally wounded, the fight will be stopped and the person removed," Professor Ewine says. Ramian and Filana stand by his side, watching intently.

Alnitak squeezes my shoulder. "It’s going to be fine. Both of them have been trained since childhood. They know what they are doing." I know he is saying comforting words for me but he doesn’t know what I do and I fear for Kacir.

The whistles go off and battle commences.

Rigel stands tall and confident with his arms over his chest. A sinister smile rests on his lips as his eyes focus only on Kacir.

There is a hush in the air before they launch themselves forward. Kacir hasn’t even transformed when I see shadows elongate from Rigel, forming weapons. All kinds of spears, arrows and swords and they all aim towards Kacir.