The hivemind is conquering for me?

Chapter 353 - 353: Bastion

"Holy Guacamole Keyla! You are a menace with those knives!" I said as I extended my hand to Keyla who I just had to backhand with the hilt of Zircon to get her away from me. After spitting out some blood, she looked at me with Sparkling eyes as I helped her up as she asked. "Really?"

After nodding my head I brushed her cheek to make sure she was ok before replying. "Yes, absolutely. I mean, you clearly lack the training I have and your footwork was sloppy, but the way you used the knives, it was like they became an extension of your body and that having affinity with your weapons can be deadly."

I emphasize my point by highlighting the shallow, yet long cut across my body that was in the process of healing. "I still recommend you using your Bloodfiend form when we engage as your regeneration will leave me at ease, but at least now you have a fallback if for some reason you are forced out of it."

Keyla's eyes glazed over as the thought of the battle to come fuelled her bloodlust. She was pulled out of it when the creature, commonly known as Orchid, from the side of the room finally walked over, after fighting the urge to lick Apollo's wound clean and said. "You are right Apollo-love, she has an affinity for small weapons, but you were also holding back a great deal. I informed you not to."

I began to look around guiltily before replying. "Oh, you noticed that huh? Sorry Orchid, I was holding back because we are nearly there, I don't want to injure her before a big fight." Orchid looked at me lovestruck as it was not often she saw her amazing Apollo have a dud moment.

"Keyla, heal your mouth please." Orchid requested, to which Keyla turned into a bloody mist as she turned into her Bloodfiend for two seconds before turning back, spitting out a tooth that had regrown after the blow from Zircon knocked it loose.

"Oh." I simply said, a little flush covering my cheeks as I had even just mentioned her regeneration to her. Keyla was about to say something cheeky to lighten the mood before I said. "I guess I just did not want to hurt my short stack too badly then. She is too cute after all."

Before anyone had a chance to react, Keyla ran up to me and jumped, wrapping her legs around my midsection before kissing me aggressively. Having our second fight and walking away victorious once more, Keyla brought her head away from my own and began stroking it with both of her hands in a frenzy.

"After the bloodshed, we will find the bloodiest, most gruesome location on the battlefield and you will split me in two! I don't care If I am screaming in agony, you are going to make me look like I am on a stake!"

"Oh my." I blurted out at the vivid image that just popped into my head as she said that. To change the pace of the conversation, leaving Keyla around my torso for now, I said. "Speaking of the battlefield, how about we have a wager among the hive?"

Keyla and Orchid tilted their necks to the side in unison before Keyla wrapped her arms around my neck and asked. "What kind of bet are we talking about here? I am more of a calculating gal, I don't like 'getting lucky.' So to speak."

Waving my hand I said. "No, nothing like that. Maybe wager is not the correct word, more a friendly competition? Jewel you can participate too, just not with your main body. I shouted to the room. Jewel was connected up to the Ships brain like she did during the Kermin assault.

She had done a scan ahead and noticed a lot more Psionic activity than usual coming from our destination. "Basically, what I was thinking, is that whichever hive entity kills the most 'prey.' They get to spend an entire week, alone with just me and no one else. We can do whatever you want during that week. If you just want to mate, we can do that, if a lower caste wins, they can be given freedom to free think and perhaps even develop a body if they so desire and spend the week with me in that etcetera. Or, and this is my personal favourite, we can do re

The thought of unknown creatures sent a shiver down her spine as she thought of the creature that spoke to her. Onyx. She did not know how or why that creature spoke to her, why she knew its 'name' and why she was not dead like her previous Rekosh, but she feared one thing about her future. She knew she was destined to meet that creature again somehow.

The thought sent another shiver down her spine, she had scarcely felt fear before that encounter, but holding the amulet around her neck gave her a great deal of comfort. She was a powerful Psionic user who knew the secrets of how this Galaxy flowed.

The Hunger might be sending a large force directly towards her position, but she had a few secrets up her sleeve. that she knows will secure a major victory for her during the upcoming conflict.

Down below, the structured defences were made in a way that, to the soldiers of the coalition, looked normal, but ironically to the blind Seer, she could already see the Psionic energy creating a pattern as the gigantic Array began to form.

Aeletha could not help but smile as her emotions got the better of her. Catching this she walked back to her desk to make herself some tea. She could not have her emotions swaying her sight after all.