1.8 Sword of Words, Ashes of Allies

Damian stepped into his office, ensuring the door clicked securely behind him. He reached for his beamer, swiftly entering the coordinates for Dorian's cave, relieved that the location lacked surveillance cameras.

With the coordinates set, Damian activated the beamer, instantly materializing in the cave. His eyes landed on Dorian, comfortably lying under a cover on the tarp, engrossed in a movie on his tablet. Dorian's hand clenched into a fist, sensing someone's presence.

As Dorian rose and turned, he found Damian standing there. Dorian loosened his hand, his spiritual force fading. Coldly, he inquired, "What are you doing here?"

Damian closed the distance, suggesting, "I thought we could talk alone."

Stopping in front of Dorian, Damian met his gaze, noting the chill in those blue eyes. Dorian, unmoved, stated, "I already told you I'll only see you as the supreme commander from now on, so you can leave."

Undeterred, Damian pressed further, "Do you hate me?"

The earlier look in his eyes was full of hatred. It's evident that Dorian took his words hard, as if they were something he'd heard too much. Dorian responded curtly, "I do, so you can leave."

Damian swallowed and said, "I swear I didn't mean it. I was jealous and angry when I found out you've been in love with Aries since you were kids."

Dorian looked at him in silence, his expression unreadable. Damian continued, "I promise I'll never use those words again."

Dorian looked down, a mix of anger and hurt brewing within him. It frustrated him that he allowed himself to feel curious about someone, not just on a physical level, only to be met with such hurtful words.

Damian took a step forward, lifting Dorian's chin to meet his eyes. He said, "I feel possessive of you. I don't want you to look at someone else as anything more than a friend, let alone love them."

Dorian sighed, "Even if you didn't mean it, let's just have the same relationship you have with any other candidate. In a couple of days, you'll meet someone new you'll feel physically attracted to, and after sleeping with them, you'll go back to your girlfriend. I meant everything I said; I'm not going to waste time with someone who doesn't feel the same way I do."

Damian's heartbeat quickened, "Is that what you've been thinking all along, that I only want to sleep with you?"

"It is because it's the truth," Dorian replied bluntly.

Damian held onto Dorian's face, and when Dorian attempted to push his hands away, Damian tightened his grip.

"I always thought I was different than other alphas. I believed there was no such thing as meeting someone and feeling that they are meant to be your mate – feeling possessive, jealous, uncomfortable when they're upset, or wanting to always be close to them. But I felt all those things as soon as we met."

Dorian's heartbeat quickened as Damian continued, "After I found out you loved Aries, I decided that I would just leave you alone, but I can't do that. I'm not going to give up until you believe that my feelings for you are real."

Dorian looked into Damian's eyes, sensing sincerity. But in a way, the fact that Damian was sincere made it more challenging. He felt unsure about what to do or say.

Damian gently caressed Dorian's cheek. "I don't mind you not answering. I just wanted to tell you how I felt. I'm really sorry for what I said. I swear I'll never say it again."

Pressing his forehead against Dorian's, Damian murmured, "I'm so sorry, baby."

Dorian closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax as Damian's scent surrounded him. They stayed in that quiet moment until Dorian pulled back, and Damian released his grip.

"I should go."

Damian silently hoped that Dorian would extend an invitation to stay a little longer, but Dorian merely gave him a fleeting glance before looking down. Damian offered a simple "Good night" before beaming away.

Dorian stared at the spot Damian had occupied for a while before getting into bed. The night passed, and Dorian awoke to the sound of his watch ringing. He washed his face and brushed his teeth, holstered both his blasters, and left the cave.

Switching off the light, he moved the rock. Once on the other side, he carefully positioned the rock back in front of the entry. Dorian had no intention of letting anyone stumble upon this hidden place.

As the galaxy finally observed Damian, there was a sense that he hadn't taken the trial seriously. Most candidates rose early, around 6 or 7 at the latest, but Dorian had slept in until 10, as if it were the weekend.

Dorian came to a halt when he spotted three aliens emerging. His attention fixed on the trio of sizable quoridians. The quoridians, renowned for their remarkably tough and impenetrable skin, presented an otherworldly blend of metallic and organic components. The play of iridescent hues danced across their surface, creating a captivating display in the shifting light.

While smooth to the touch, their skin boasted a formidable hardness, making it nearly impervious to penetration. This natural armor served as their primary defense, offering enhanced protection against a variety of external threats. Despite their imposing exterior, quoridians were a sentient and diplomatic species, relying on their resilient skin for defense rather than aggression.

The leader grinned at Dorian. "Hello."

Dorian reciprocated with a smile. "Hello."

Curious, the leader inquired, "What's your name?"

"Dorian. And yours?" he asked.

The alien replied, "Xylothrax."

Dorian couldn't help but say amused, "That's an odd name."

Xylothrax's smile faded as he approached Dorian and declared, "Lead me out of this force field, and I'll let you live."

Dorian countered, "Who told you I want to live?"

Xylothrax extended his tongue, slithering it all the way to Dorian's foot. It coiled around his leg, and he menacingly stated, "If I prick you, you'll die in less than 24 hours. I can assure you those 24 hours will be hell."

Undeterred, Dorian retorted, "Perhaps, but first you need to prick me, something I believe you'll be unable to do."

Xylothrax, exuding a murderous aura, warned, "I'm serious. Lead me out of this hell, or I'll kill you now."

Nonchalantly, Dorian crossed his arms and challenged, "Have at it."

The galaxy sensed that Dorian was toying with danger. Though powerful, he wasn't immune to poison. Seeing that he would gain nothing from Dorian, Xylothrax decided to go through with the pricking.

Stunned, Xylothrax found himself blocked by an unseen energy when attempting to prick Dorian's leg. He looked at Dorian, who wore a mocking smile.

Before Xylothrax could react, a scream escaped him as Dorian shot out his tongue. Quick to retract it, Xylothrax barked orders to his comrades, "Kill him."

The two quoridians, formidable adversaries covered in shimmering scales, launched coordinated attacks. Tension hung in the air as the skirmish unfolded.

With a swift draw, Dorian unleashed a volley of shots, each bolt strategically aimed at the head of the first quoridian. The blaster spat energy bolts with precision, hitting its mark five times. The quoridian staggered, scales momentarily flickering in response.

Undeterred, Dorian pivoted, directing his attention to the second quoridian. Six shots echoed through the forest, each targeting the head, the metallic resonance of the blaster ringing through the alien-filled air. The second quoridian, now reeling, struggled to maintain its aggressive stance.

Seizing the opportunity, Dorian swiftly turned back to the first quoridian. His blaster thundered five times again, bolts piercing through scales with lethal accuracy. The once-menacing quoridian froze in place, its movements halted as if time itself had come to a standstill.

With the first adversary frozen in place, Dorian shifted his focus to the second quoridian. Four more shots echoed, each hitting its mark. The second quoridian, too, succumbed to the freezing effect. Both alien adversaries stood like statues, their scales shimmering in the aftermath of Dorian's calculated onslaught.

Xylothrax stared at Dorian in disbelief.

"How did you figure out how to defeat us? No one else knows."

Dorian smiled.

"Unlike most folks, I enjoy reading battle reports. It helped me learn a lot about various aliens, including how to take them down. Those reports are like a puzzle, and once solved, you get a clear picture of how to dismantle them. The trick with quoridians is to penetrate the drasel lobe. Unfortunately, it took 10 shots with this blaster, but a more powerful one would do the job in two or three shots."

As Xylothrax took a step back, he abruptly encountered an invisible barrier. Turning around, he felt a surge of energy. Before he could react, a spiritual sword materialized in Dorian's hand, slicing through him and leaving him in two.

He repeated the process for his two still-frozen friends, sprinkling powder on them until they turned into ashes. The entire galaxy was left in awe. It was unbelievable that someone trying out for the army knew how to defeat quoridians, while those with years of experience had no clue.

Aeron, still stunned in the control room, turned to Damian and asked, "Did you know how to take them down?"

Damian, sporting a smile, replied, "No."

Luna shot Damian an angry look and then directed her gaze back at the screen. She couldn't wait for that young troublemaker to encounter a phobosian. Then, perhaps, his cockiness would come to an end.