Nukledeus

The others guys finally snapped out of it and hurried to surround Chloé who still had the knife in her hand. Fergus also held a blade and ordered the boys, by sign, to stay away. He wanted to handle this by himself. Always this sense of honor: he had made the decision to bring this enemy among them, he had cared for and watched over her, thus he wanted to face the consequences of his error on his own and take responsibility for his choice like a true leader and simply as a man.

Ever since the beginning, Nikodem had always supported his leader without fail. His only regret was that he had to drag Olek along with him. As it had been proven just before their eyes, the young boy was an easy prey. A little earlier, they had held a council. Everyone could speak his mind during the meeting, even Olek, the youngest, had his say, but sometimes he simply didn't wish to attend.

The matter regarding the stranger's presence and the related risk had worried them so much that they had unconsciously lowered their guard for a moment. No one had noticed that she was alone with the boy. In his mind, Nikodem was berating himself for being unable to protect his brother from the harmful influence of this woman. Unable to intervene, he could only watch his friend Fergus who was about to fight her.

The others were ready to act in a snap. One word from their leader and they would jump into the fray. One woman alone would never be able to escape them unless she had unknown powers. However, Chloé was on alert as well. She sprang on her feet with an amazing speed even if she was obviously sparing her injured ankle. Perhaps Fergus and his friends could take advantage of this weakness.

With the same speed, she grabbed the blanket and struck Fergus' hand and knife. The blade slipped from the young man's fingers. At a disadvantage with regards to numbers, she just had to act first. The stranger obviously knew how to fight and how to use any weapon including a harmless blanket. Had the cloth been weighted, the damage to his hand and wrist could have decided the fight.

Fergus whistled and caught in mid-air the knife sent by his friend Sumai to his right. She would not surprise him a second time. He now had to seize the blanket and use it to block his opponent.

She was cornered against the rock. Fergus moved carefully forward and his companions arrived in numbers to block any escape on the sides. It looked like she had no chance, especially with her injuries.

Slouching at the top of the rock in a deceitfully apathetic posture stood a loner, Torgny. A single glance had been enough for Chloé to form an opinion. Despite his upbeat and casual look, Torgny was the most dangerous. That was where the arkian Capitan itched to hit. The others trusted him, no one felt the need to have his back. If she managed to get through, she could escape with a lead of a few meters at least.

Despite the pain in her ankle, she jumped like she did in training and kicked him. Torgny didn't expect her to be able to leap this high, it was impressive for such a small body. Moreover, she was fast, he couldn't completely avoid the kick. If she had been wearing her military boots, everyone could have heard, even down on the ground, the cracking of the ribs at the point of impact. She then sent the other end of the blanket to her opponent's face to blind him. He grabbed the cloth and ripped it from her hands. The pain in her right shoulder flared up once again and she screamed in pain as much as in anger. She would not allow Torgny any rest and threw herself forward, her knife firmly held in her fist. Once again, he blocked the attack by grabbing her wrist and dealt a spectacular blow to her face.

As he still held her with one hand, he grabbed her waist with his other arm to keep her from attacking again, his embrace so tight as to crush her bones. She struggled and hit the young man in the crotch with her knee. The chilling, almost inhuman howl escaping his lips reminded Chloé that the No-lights were intact, there was no Removal ceremony in these barbarian tribes and these external organs were very s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e. Due to the agonizing pain, Torgny's legs gave way. He fell and dragged his captive down with him at the base of the boulder.

By reflex, the tall young man had curled up under the pain. Nevertheless, he still held Chloé firmly. The arkian's torso was trapped between his strong arms and legs that seemed so huge to her. She felt that she was stuck at the center of a protective ball and, actually, the position had efficiently cushioned the impact on the ground.

"Are you OK?" he whispered in her ear. In shock, she raised her head to look at him. What kind of soldier cared about his enemy while he writhed in pain on the ground? The tremendous slap he had given her still burned her cheek but she did not answer. Her strange eyes, so big, stared at him as if to read in the depths of his soul. He felt himself blushing. He had never hugged a girl before. She probably knew that by now.

He released her with regret, she allowed him to do so. The others soon arrived, going around the boulder. Without thinking, he signaled to his comrades that everything was fine. He did not try to get up, the pain in his crotch was too intense and he wanted to extend the moment a little more, alone with her.

He couldn't take his eyes off her, yet he knew that she was not for him. He was the next heir, the one who should ensure the survival of the tribe by marrying Lana or another and thus creating a strong alliance. His future only included duties, other feelings did not count. He had to accept it and succeed where Fergus had failed. That was the tradition.

"You may think you won this time, but I won't concede defeat" she says quietly. Just loud enough for him to be the only one to hear it.

– I must admit that you are surprising and you know how to fight. He replied wryly, wincing slightly.

– Thank you. I'm Capitan Chloé, commander of the seventeenth Squadron of the Ark City Elite Police.

In the fight, she had strained her right arm, still attached to her splint, so she held out her left hand to him. He took it respectfully and shook it with an unexpected gentleness.

– I'm a fighter too, but there are not enough of us to build a real army. You look young, how many men under your command?

– About one hundred and fifty. Twelve sections of twelve men and one chief per section, exactly. At least, if they are still alive.

For a split moment, the young woman's clear gaze became misty. Torgny found her very beautiful and courageous. The wounds on her face and body only strengthened her warrior vibe. He felt his heart pound harder in his c.h.e.s.t and had to tear his eyes away from the steel blue color that had captivated him. Up close, her eyes were utterly mesmerizing. He was almost grateful for the pain that still radiated in his crotch and lower abdomen and reminded him of the sad reality.

He hung on to Chloé's words, as if they were a lifeline in the storm that was troubling his mind and feelings. As her words sank in, he was impressed and even speechless. Capitan Chloé, such a petite woman, was in charge of a unit of soldiers almost as large as the whole tribe. Even if one day he became the head of his tribe, it still comprised the elderly, the wives and the children. Truth be told, it was far from an elite unit. As one, Chloé and Torgny turned their eyes towards the city and they quietly gazed at it, deep in thoughts.

After a long time, Torgny got up slowly, picked up the forgotten knife and slipped it into his belt. Once he managed to stand up, he stopped for a little while, without looking at her, and whispered "I have to leave tonight to lead the group in Fergus' stead. I'll be back as soon as I can. I hope to be blessed enough to see you again." Then, still a little hunched, he went towards the river, while waving his right hand in a slightly odd manner.

"What did he say?" she asked.

After Torgny had left, Fergus had quietly come a little closer. He was standing back, a few steps away so as not to interrupt the young woman's thoughts, while keeping a close watch on her. Chloé immediately sensed his presence. In just two days, she could already recognize the sound of his steps, his smell and his aura without even turning her head.

He was not surprised by her question. She had obviously noticed that they communicated a lot by gestures.

– He said he was going fishing. He'd planned to hunt, but he can't move fast enough because of the...blow he got. We're running out of supplies, we have to stock up on a day-to-day basis.

– He told me he was leaving tonight.

– We're all leaving. We've been in the same place for too long. It must have caught the attention of the Outcasts.

– Outcasts ? What do you mean ?

– Cannibal tribes. The ones that scare you so much. We're not like them, you know.

As they exchanged these few words, he knelt next to her and, gently taking her hands in his own, he resolved to bind her wrists. She obediently let him do it, without looking at him even once, her eyes still staring at the walls of Ark City. It was impossible for Fergus to know whether they managed to convince her that they would not harm her. She could attack at any time. When he was done, he went on:

– We can't bring you with us to live with our tribe. It's too dangerous for our families. You nearly beat Torgny and hurt Olek. They're more seasoned than many in our tribe, and yet it almost ended badly for both of them.

- I took this knife without thinking. I saw an opening to take the boy hostage and acted by reflex, such an opportunity was too good to be true, I couldn't miss it. As he is your mascot, you would have obeyed me and I could have returned home without any more damage for you or for me. However, his brother was the faster than me.

Fergus stood up and smiled, thinking that Nikodem would certainly not share her opinion and that he would blame himself for a long time for his carelessness.

- Where are we going? she asked, still seated on the floor, while looking at him.

He looked down at her and their eyes met. The white shirt she was wearing was torn and dirty, a bit too big as well. If he no longer doubted her strength, Chloé's skinny figure gave her a falsely fragile look. She looked like an angel that happened to be in the middle of a desert, completely by chance.

- Torgny takes the others back to their families. They had been separated for far too long, they need to be reunited. I asked for volunteers to stay with you. We need to be constantly on the move, it's our only chance to escape the Outcasts.

- Why did you choose him ?

She didn't understand why she was upset that Torgny wasn't staying with her. He also looked like he wanted to be by her side, and would never have failed to volunteer to accompany her. Fergus felt a pang of jealousy. She was the same as Lana, she preferred his rival over him and this time she had chosen one of his best friends. First it had been Olek, but he was just a kid, and now Torgny. Once again, he suppressed his feelings and his frustration and decided to get rid of this woman who was starting to cause trouble in his group.

- Torgny must go to the tribal council to apply for the heir status. He will then have to marry the woman the council will designate, a woman from another tribe, if she is willing and accepts the proposal.

Chloé turned her head toward the river and squinted to see the tall silhouette of the young man who was throwing his line into the river. Torgny was still close by. She did not seem disappointed that he had to go, which surprised Fergus. She looked at the latter again.

- Take me home and you can also go back to your family.

- It's very risky to come closer. I have to think about it.

This idea was enticing. If Chloé could enter the city, maybe he could as well. He didn't really feel any strong tie towards the tribe anymore. Stripped of his heir status, he could not claim any privilege, and the dull life that lied ahead gave him shivers of horror. He needed some action and adventure, and yearned to discover new horizons. He continued:

- I haven't made up my mind yet, but if I accept, there must be a compensation. I want to enter the city with you.

He watched her closely. She had slightly paled and her tightened lips had also turned white. She leaped up, looking determined.

- This is impossible. Given the circ.u.mstances, they must have proclaimed a state of emergency. For a start, I will probably have a hard time getting in. As for you, they won't allow an enemy within our walls. You should understand that, right?

Indeed, she had just shot his reasoning back at him. Looking at her right now, he suspected that she would find a way to leave by herself.

Torgny returned with his catch. Others had joined him and the overall catch was exceptional. They were preparing a feast before setting off. Fergus and Chloé ignored each other and did not exchange a single look for the rest of the day. The afternoon was spent packing their camp up. Preparations were quickly over. They were coming back empty-handed when they should have been accompanied by a fiancée for Fergus, with her retinue and many gifts from the sedentary people wishing to be in their new ally's good graces.

Fergus sighed and went looking for his friend Nikodem.