A Test Turned Trap
T he first rays of sunlight filtered through the cavern’s natural skylight, painting the stone walls with a golden glow.
Kisan leaned over Samira, his hand brushing her temple.
His fingers, rough-skinned but now tender with care, slid down to her crux of nape.
‘You’re fussing,’ she murmured, her eyes struggling to open.
‘It’s a pulse check,’ he replied, his eyes solemn. ‘Need to believe you’re truly here with me.’
She smiled, her hand coming up to rest on his cheek. ‘You’re such a softie, handsome.’
‘I am,’ he said, kissing her forehead. ‘Never take anything for granted is my new motto.’
He proceeded to show her just how much he appreciated her.
Much later, after a quick breakfast and walking the kids to their subterrane school, they joined Sax in the armory, a cavernous space that buzzed with activity.
‘Where’d you sleep last night, wanderer?’ Kisan asked his friend, who appeared none worse for the wear after his adventures.
‘You’ll be surprised by how soft a rock moss is,’ the Sarabaite replied. ‘Though I spent most of the night gazing at the beauty of the lagoon and its luminous lights. I think I saw a Quiran mermaid surface at one point. Freakin’ awesome.’
Kisan shook his head at his errant mate, turning to the present.
Samira was chatting with her crew and engineers at a workstation, their voices blending with the hum of machinery and the clang of metal against metal.
His woman waved the Sable men over and introduced the unholy man to her crew and Sharin, her chief technician.
The head engineer’s gaze lingered on Sax for a beat, her expression unreadable.
The Sarabaite raised a brow, his sensual lips twitching into a grin. His imposing frame caught glances as he surveyed the scene.
His penetrating eyes landed on Samira’s unit, and he used his chin to point at them. ‘These are your fighters? Don’t look like much.’
Sharin crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes in mock offense. ‘Don’t look like no soldier or merc to me; more like a pretty boy monk better off begging for donations on the streets or at your monastery cleaning up floors.’
‘As a matter of fact, that is one of my chores in the abbey,’ Sax shot back.
‘I guess appearances can be deceiving.’
Sax’s smirk was instant. ‘You’ve got fire. I like that.’
Samira exchanged a look with Kisan, who muttered, ‘It’s been less than an hour, and he’s already making moves.’
Sax shot him a glare. ‘Some of us don’t need a lake and romantic lighting to get the job done.’
Kisan snorted. ‘Some of us don’t rush into flirtation like a starving man at a buffet.’
Their banter is surprised and then amused by their companions, who all laughed.
‘Shall we get this shit done?’ Samira murmured.
With a chin lift, Kisan produced his mask and the blueprints they’d acquired, spreading over the central work table.
The Sable men dove into work alongside the Vaelorii, using the mask schematics to fashion weapons and shields capable of channeling kinetic energy.
The plans, though intricate, required tweaking when applied to Vaelorian weapons, leaving much to be improvised.
Sax proved adept at welding components, his sinewed hands moving with precision as he fashioned prototypes.
‘This is a nightmare,’ Sax grumbled, holding up a half-finished shield. ‘Who designs this stuff? A sadist?’
‘Maybe,’ Kisan said, lips quirking. ‘But I thought monks were all about forbearance.’
Sax shot him a look. ‘Patience is for prayers. This? This is engineering hell.’
Sharin, working nearby, laughed. ‘Perhaps you’re just not as competent as you think.’
Sax turned to her, his grin turning flirtatious. ‘Careful, Miss Engineer or I’ll make you regret you questioned my competency.’
Between their hours in the armory, Kisan and Samira carved out moments of joy amid the chaos.
Days were filled with shared meals, laughter with the children, and quiet walks along Thalassi’s bioluminescent lake.
One night, as she stood at the kitchen counter, slicing a bundle of wild seaweed for dinner, Kisan walked by, his shoulder brushing hers.
She didn’t even have time to protest before he delivered a playful swat to her behind.
‘Seriously?’ she asked, turning to glare at him, though the corners of her mouth twitched upward.
‘Just keeping you on your toes,’ he said with a smirk, grabbing a piece of fruit from a plate and biting into it.
She shook her head, muttering something about him being insufferable, but her cheeks held the slightest blush.
He took over the meat platter prep, and soon, the aroma of sizzling protein and fresh bread filled the air as Kisan moved around the kitchen.
He had skills, flipping flatbreads with one hand while frying a delicious protein steak with the other.
Samira leaned against the doorway, arms crossed. ‘I assumed all you knew to whip up were eggs.’
He paused, giving her a smirk. ‘Says the woman I whipped into ecstasy all night,’ he murmured, his eyes flashing with amusement.
‘Kisan!’ she admonished, face flushing as she glanced at her children and aunt at the nearby dining table. ‘Stop it.’
‘ Nada, because you like it,’ he rasped, handing her a spoon. ‘Now savor this and tell me if it’s good enough for your picky palate.’
When they put the kids to sleep later, Samira leaned against the doorway.
Eyes on her loved ones as the Rider stored away their books and gave them each a kiss.
They were falling hard for him, fokk , she was too.
Bleary eyes closed as Kisan turned off the light.
He crossed the room in two strides, cupping her face.
His lips touched hers, slow and deliberate, memorizing the moment.
She slid her caresses up his arms as he pulled her closer. When they broke apart, her forehead rested against his, her breathing unsteady.
‘Come with me,’ she murmured.
‘I’ll follow wherever you lead,’ he growled with conviction.
With a smile, she led him to the hidden pool beneath her chamber, where they found paradise in unbidden passion.
Kisan found himself falling hard.
He marveled at Samira’s strength, unwavering dedication to her people, and ability to find moments of softness despite her responsibilities.
He felt something shift within him each time they lay together—a quiet hope he hadn’t allowed in years.
Sax, too, discovered a surprising connection. He spent more and more time with Sharin, their banter sharpening into something warmer.
Though he never spoke of it outright, Kisan noted the change in his demeanor—the rare instances of ease that softened Sax’s usual edge.
One evening in the armory, Kisan caught Sax watching Sharin as she worked, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
‘Didn’t even wait two days, did you?’ Kisan said, his tone dripping with mock disapproval.
Sax shrugged, his smirk unrepentant. ‘What can I say? Some of us have charm.’
‘Is that what you label it?’ Kisan retorted, crossing his arms. ‘I call it desperation.’
Sax chuckled, setting down his tools. ‘I dub it efficiency. You’re just jealous because I don’t need moonlit swims to seal the deal.’
Kisan rolled his eyes. ‘At least I don’t come with a vow of chastity.’
‘ Fokk chastity, I’m just picky,’ Sax said, grinning. ‘For the record, she doesn’t seem to mind how fast I move.’
Samira, walking by with a clipboard, raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you two done? Some of us are trying to win a war here.’
‘Blame him,’ Sax said, jerking a thumb at Kisan. ‘He started it.’
‘Yeah, put it all on me,’ Kisan shot back. ‘You’re the one who can’t keep your vows—or your mouth—shut.’
Samira sighed, shaking her head as she walked away. ‘Children,’ she muttered, her tone exasperated but fond.
Kisan’s eyes locked on her, his smirk fading into something softer.
The conflict loomed, but he’d stumbled upon something he hadn’t thought possible in the midst of it all.
A sense of found family and a touch of an essence that reminded him of home.
The air above the Thalassa continent shimmered under the afternoon sun, its light reflecting off the jagged peaks that cradled the concealed canyon.
Kisan, Sax, Samira, and Sharin stood at the center of the hollowed ravine.
Its rocky expanse is dotted with vibrant green moss patches and still-water pools fed by underground streams. The mountains around them loomed like sentinels, their dark faces etched with centuries of erosion.
‘This place better be as camouflaged as you say,’ Sax muttered, his sharp eyes scanning the ridge. ‘From the sounds of it, Corilians aren’t the giving-up type.’
Sharin smirked, her confidence unshaken. ‘The volcanic rock surrounding us blocks most scans. Unless they sit on top of us, they’ll never see a thing.’
Kisan adjusted the strap of his rifle, glancing toward the makeshift assessment range they’d set up. ‘Let’s get this done. The longer we’re out here, the riskier it gets.’
Samira and Sharin moved to the testing site to prep the newly crafted weapons.
The designs were sleek and compact. Their smooth surfaces pulsed as the devices powered up.
Sharin held up a kinetic disruptor firearm, its barrel emitting a hum.
‘This beauty can paralyze anything within a hundred-meter radius, as long as it has a nervous system. Crats included.’
Samira nodded, taking her rifle and inspecting it. ‘What about the magnetic fields? They’re stable?’
‘Solid enough,’ Sharin replied, grinning. ‘Try it.’
A sweeping laser arced across the rocky terrain as Samira fired a test round. The pulse struck a distant boulder, shuddered, and cracked as the dynamic force rippled through it.
From the ridge above, Sax let out a muted whistle. ‘Nice. What happens if it backfires?’
‘It freakin’ explodes,’ Kisan muttered, his eyes canted toward the horizon. ‘Let’s hope she doesn’t miss.’
The first warning came as a rumble, just audible over the soft hum of the valley. Kisan tensed, his glowing aqua eyes scanning the skyline. ‘Sax, you feel that?’
Sax cocked his head, his hand drifting to the long gun slung over his back. ‘Something’s off.’
Before they could react, the sky erupted with the sharp whine of fighter ships descending at breakneck speed.
The Corilians came in waves, their repugnant crafts cutting through the air like predatory vultures. Energy bolts rained down, scorching the earth and sending shockwaves through the gorge.
‘They found us!’ Sax bellowed, raising his weapon as the first ship strafed their position.
Kisan leaped into action, grabbing the kinetic rifles from the testing site and tossing one to Sax.
‘Make them count!’
Samira and Sharin were caught in the open. Sharin discharged a wild burst, but a sudden blast knocked her to the ground. Samira screamed her name, rushing to help, but the Corilians were faster.
Cyborg soldiers dropped from the ships, their metal limbs glinting as they moved with mechanical precision.
Kisan fired the disruptor rifle, sending a sweeping pulse through the atmosphere. A cluster of cyborgs froze mid-step, their movements jerky, collapsing in a heap.
Sax’s long gun bristled with meta-power.
He expelled a volley of noid bullets, the projectiles exploding mid-air into streams of ravenous nano-metanoids.
The noids tore into the fighters, chewing through hull plating and turning off their turrets. Several ships faltered, crashing into the valley floor in fiery bursts.
Despite their efforts, the Corilians overwhelmed them. More vessels descended, their cannons blazing.
Samira battled with unstoppable fury, her fierce resistance igniting Kisan’s rage.
A pair of relentless cyborgs lunged at her, seizing her with iron grips and dragging her toward the looming ship, its ominous engines roaring over the expanse below.
‘Samira!’ Kisan roared, charging in her direction. A blast of gunfire forced him back, the heat singeing his armor as he fell to one knee.
Sax grabbed his arm, pulling him into hiding. ‘You can’t take them all!’
‘I fokkin ’ can —’ Kisan choked, his fury boiling.
He surged forward, his belt’s hidden compartments activating as he drew twin hyper-alloy blades. He carved through a wave of androids, their metallic limbs sparking and collapsing under his assault.
It wasn’t enough. The Corilian ships lifted off, Samira’s scream echoing as the ramp closed behind her. Kisan fired after them, the disruptor rifle’s surge reaching only empty air.
The remaining Corilians turned their attention to Kisan and Sax. Fighters unleashed a barrage of energy bolts, forcing the pair into withdrawal.
Sax activated his belt’s EMP pulse, the shockwave disabling the closest enemies. ‘Time to go!’ he shouted, his cassock shimmering as its metanoid-infused fabric deflected a stray shot.
The Rider called for the Cephei, its engines roaring as it emerged from stealth mode. The gunship descended in a roar, its weapons systems firing in controlled bursts to cover their retreat.
Sax and Kisan sprinted for the tunnel entrance, their boots pounding against the scorched earth.
The Cephei’s energy cannons unleashed a final volley, obliterating several more fighters before disappearing into subspace flight.
The resulting shockwave sent debris flying, but the Corilians were already retreating, their prize secure.
Inside the shielded passage, Kisan paced like a caged animal, his glowing eyes blazing with contained rage.
He turned to Sax, his voice raw. ‘We have to go after her. Now.’
Sax grabbed his shoulder, holding him back. ‘You’ll get yourself killed, brother. We need a plan, more weapons, and reinforcements. Charging in blind won’t help her.’
Kisan shook him off, his hands clenching into fists. ‘You don’t understand.’
‘I do,’ Sax murmured. ‘I’m telling you, we’ll get her back. Just not like this.’
Kisan kicked a rock, wanting to smash his hand through a boulder. ‘How did they fokkin ’ find us?’
Sax inhaled. ‘It wasn’t anyone’s fault,’ he growled, inspecting one of the damaged disruptor rifles. ‘However, we haven’t tested these firearms under live conditions before. The Corilians discovered our location due to a subtle but catastrophic miscalculation. Despite Sharin’s assurances that the volcanic stone surrounding us blocked most scans, the new weapons we were testing emitted detectable energy signatures. These were unique—an unintended byproduct of the hybrid kinetic technologies—and they disrupted the EMF of the valley. The power pulses aren’t just hitting targets but bouncing back into the environment.’
Kisan frowned, his jaw tightening. ‘You’re saying the Corilians picked up on that?’
Sax nodded grimly. ‘Appears to be the case.
Sharin clapped a hand across her forehead. ‘ Fokk , you’re right. Their drones equipped with advanced hyper-spectral sensors have been patrolling the region in search of us. The new weapon signatures must have created a blip in the natural electromagnetic readings, which the UAVs flagged as an anomaly. The signal was subtle, but it might have been enough for the Corilian commanders to dispatch fighters to investigate. If we’re lucky, they didn’t get a full read before the militants arrived. But if they did—’
‘They’ll know how to track us again,’ Kisan finished, his voice heavy.
Sharin, pale and shaken, spoke up. ‘I can tweak the designs. Reduce the emissions. But I’ll require time.’
Sax crossed his arms, his tone sharp. ‘Time we don’t have if they come back with more firepower.’
‘ Fokk ,’ Kisan growled.
‘Have faith, brother.’
‘How can I? We’ve lost Samira! ‘ Kisan barked.
‘Rider, all today was is a harsh reminder of the stakes. The Corilians are not only relentless but technologically advanced. Capable of exploiting even the slightest mistake. We need to balance innovation with caution, ensuring the weapons don’t put them at greater risk. The fight against the cyborgs isn’t just one of strength—it’s a battle of strategy, precision, and adaptability.
Kisan stared at him, his chest heaving. Finally, he nodded, though the fire in his eyes didn’t dim. ‘We refine our shit, we find her, and we eviscerate every last one of them.’
Sax sucked his teeth, his voice tinged with dark humor. ‘Now you’re speaking my language.’