Free Descent Into Darkness (Book 2) by James R. Vernon Page B

host.
    Pushing himself up on wobbly arms and legs, the Cruxlum seemed oblivious to the pain that Ean felt crippled by. He regained his feet, letting all four arms dangle at his side, and watched as the creature tried and failed to right itself.
    With grim determination, the Cruxlum hobbled around the creature, staying out of reach of flailing pinchers and legs, until he was positioned behind it. Taking his time, he reached out with his four large hands and carefully gripped the creature's head, his patience allowing him to grip it in a way that didn't sacrifice any fingers to the creature's mandibles.
    The creature began flailing about even more wildly as the Cruxlum's hands squeezed tighter and tighter, but its pinchers could not reach him. Gathering what little strength the Cruxlum had left, he closed his eyes for a moment, taking away Ean's only way of knowing what was happening. Ean felt one of the Crux's feet step on the back of the creature, and then the Crux took a deep breath.
    With a surge of his muscles, he yanked backwards while pushing off his foot. In the darkness, Ean felt the resistance of the creature's body to the effort and then heard the sickening tearing sound as the strength of the Cruxlum won out and the creature's head was torn from his body.
    The Cruxlum stumbled for a moment, and then stood still, his eyes closed and the creature's head in his hands. He took deep breaths, his nostrils catching the scent of both his own life seeping out of his wound, as well as the putridness of the creature's blood. There were erratic sounds of the creature flailing about, diminishing to a small rustling sound as the creature's body began to succumb to death. And over it all, over the pain and the agony, both Ean and the Cruxlum heard the thunderous cheers coming from above and all around them.
    "Victory is mine," the Cruxlum thought, finally opening his eyes, pride and joy almost drowning out the pain and the noise for the briefest of moments. "The glory is mine."
    As the thought drifted through his mind, the Cruxlum's legs finally gave out and he dropped to his knees. The creature's head tumbled from his grip, bouncing once off the stone floor and then rolling away. Numbness swept through his body, and Ean could feel the blood from the wound flowing down his side. It was then that the Cruxlum looked down at the wound, allowing Ean to see the damage as well.
    A large hole, spilling blood, gaped on the right side of his abdomen. The hole was in a place that the Cruxlum knew did not hit any organs, but he pictured himself dying anyway. And yet somehow that knowledge seemed to bring Ean's host peace instead of fear, which was fine because Ean was feeling enough fear for the both of them. The Cruxlum might be ready to accept his own death, but Ean certainly wasn't in the same state of mind. Unfortunately, there seemed to be nothing that he could do.
    "Well done! Well done!" The same gravelly voice that Ean had first heard high overhead was now coming from behind him. The voice soured the Crux's sense of pride at his victory.
    "A truly spectacular battle, one worthy of my guests. You have served your Master well this day, and for that I will make sure that you live so that you can serve me just as well again."
    While hearing that the voice was going to save the Cruxlum's life filled Ean with hope, it was despair that flowed from his host's mind. Despair and rage. With an energy that Ean didn't think the Cruxlum had left in him, he turned and rose in one shaky motion, then lunged in the direction of the speaker.
    Before he had even completely turned around, blows struck him from every direction, forcing him back down to his knees. They continued to rain down on him, hitting his head, body, arms, legs, practically anywhere there was a spot to be hit, except on the wound in his side. The Cruxlum had his eyes closed again, which meant that Ean couldn't see where the blows were coming from. And then, just as quickly as they