Away Mission - Book 2 of the Guardians Series - EDITED version

CH. 5.3 Fighting for Gabe

Alex speed-burst by all the guards, too upset to worry that she was escaping. he could hear the guards shouting after her, but she was already too far away. She didn't stop until she reached the Anolis embassy building and slammed into the door, her small fists pounding on the wooden surface.

"Let me in! I challenge you, Cla!" she bellowed, her voice echoing off the walls of the surrounding buildings. "Come out, you fire truck female! Come and get me! The mammal is challenging you! Stop hiding behind that door! Are you afraid of an overgrown chitterer? Come out, Cla!" Alex shouted.

After a few minutes of pounding and insults, the door opened. A grave-looking Anolis male led Alex to a courtyard. The courtyard was beautiful, with a center fountain that threw sparkling droplets into the air. Cla leaned against one of several tall columns, her hide shimmering in the sunlight like freshly polished metal. She didn't seem nervous in front of the crowd of all Anolis females that had gathered for the occasion. The brothers are nowhere in sight, Alex noticed.

Alex felt claustrophobic as the crowd of females stepped closer, forming a circle in the courtyard. Cla pulled a dagger from her belt and pointed it at Alex, her voice commanding and fierce. "I accept your challenge. Now, mammal, come forward and fight. Mina, give the mammal a weapon."

Mina handed Alex a simple dagger. It was utilitarian steel, without decoration. Alex grasped the handle and it was too thick for her hand. Cla smirked at her unease.

Okay, it's time now for knife fighting techniques! Alex tried her best to lower the mental barriers against her past to access that training.

Cla stepped forward, her feet leaving shallow dents in the dust. She motored around Alex, who pivoted on one foot, making a full rotation every few seconds. Cla's sword glinted under the moonlight as she made a fraction of a second slash towards Alex's forearm. Alex felt the fire of pain spread from her arm to her shoulder and knew that it was only reflex that had saved her from greater injury.

With a growl, Alex changed their roles and paced around Cla. Alex toyed with her dagger, poking its point toward Cla in a menacing dance. Seeing an opening, Alex lunged forward and kicked out at Cla's midsection. Despite the power of her leg muscles behind the kick, there was no satisfying thud of impact; instead, Alex felt as though she were kicking metal as the armor absorbed all energy from the blow. Her foot throbbed in pain, as if protesting against the strength of such armor, while Cla merely smiled and showed no sign of discomfort.

Kickboxing was not meant to be used against Roman type armor.

Cla lept forward, her claws slashing fiercely through the air. Alex could feel the heat of the blade as it sliced along her chest. Reacting quickly, Alex threw herself to the side and managed to dodge Cla's attack. She cursed internally for not training harder with Cale and Rile; she should have known that hand-to-hand combat was necessary in a fight like this one.

Taking a steadying breath, Alex darted back in and tried a foot sweep to trip Cla up, but it wasn't enough to bring down the larger reptile. Instead, Cla brought her dagger crashing down on Alex's shoulder, and a cry of pain escaped her lips as she slumped to the ground. Gasping for breath, Alex scrambled away from Cla and faced her opponent again.

If only I dared blast the witch openly. But not yet. I'm not beaten yet. I don't see Gabe or the others. I must find them.

Alex assessed how best to deliver a surreptitious blast to Cla. Cla was armored and armed, unlike the Gila. Alex concentrated too much on Cla's knife hand and didn't see her other fist until it slammed into her mouth.

Then Alex saw the flash of the blade. The shock of the impact made her see stars, and when she stumbled backwards, she saw the familiar flash of metal slicing through the air. She managed to turn just enough for the blade to graze her side instead of sinking deep into her abdomen as she crumpled onto the ground.