Laihud watched with concern as a group of Xylopians gathered near their camp, their voices raised in protest. He knew that the locals were wary of outsiders, but he had hoped that they would be more understanding of their situation.
The Xylopians were angry at Reaper and his undead soldiers, whom they saw as a threat to their peaceful way of life. They also blamed Reaper for the recent strange behaviour of the local animals.
Laihud walked over to the group, his hands raised in a peaceful gesture.
"Please, we mean no harm. We are here to investigate the abandoned facility in the forest and to capture the Deacon, and we have no intention of causing trouble to any of you."
One of the Xylopians stepped forward, his eyes narrowed. "We have heard enough lies from outsiders like you. You bring nothing but trouble and destruction."
Laihud took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "I understand your concerns, but we are not your enemy. We are here to help, to find out what is happening on this planet."
The Xylopians murmured amongst themselves, still looking sceptical.
Laihud continued to speak, trying to reassure them. "We are willing to work with you and respect your ways. We do not want to cause harm to anyone or anything on this planet. But we need your cooperation and understanding."
The Xylopians remained unmoved. They shouted and gestured wildly, their anger growing with every passing moment. One of them, a tall, lanky creature with sharp claws, stepped forward and lunged at Laihud.
Laihud quickly dodged the attack, raising his weapon in defence. But he didn't fire as he knew violence would only worsen the situation. The Ghosts jump into action as well, but Laihud instructed them to stand down.
"Please, calm down," Laihud said, his voice calm and steady. "We are not your enemies, and we are here to help you deal with your problems!"
But the Xylopians didn't seem to care. They continued to shout and protest, their frustration boiling over. Laihud knew that they had to diffuse the situation before it got out of hand.
He signalled to his crewmates to fall back, hoping the Xylopians would follow suit. But they didn't. They advanced, their claws glinting in the sunlight.
Laihud had no choice but to raise his weapon and fire. The Xylopians recoiled at the blast, but they didn't retreat. They continued to advance, their anger and fear fueling their attack.
"What's going on down there?" Ashton called out. His annoyance was evident in his voice. He had been in the middle of a much-needed nap when the commotion had started.
Ashton flew above the group of Xylopians, using his vampiric wings to hover in place. He watched as the aliens glared up at him, their eyes filled with anger and suspicion. Weirdly enough, some of their eyes resembled that of the controlled creatures.
[This can't be a coincidence.]
'Nothing ever is...'
One of the Xylopians stepped forward, gesturing towards the undead soldiers behind the crew. "Your soldiers are evil! They are causing the animals to act strangely and attack us!"
Ashton rolled his eyes, feeling a surge of frustration. "They're not evil; they're under my command. And as for the animals, we're dealing with the issue as we speak. Now, what's the real problem here?"
The Xylopians continued to mutter and grumble amongst themselves, clearly not satisfied with Ashton's response. Laihud stepped forward, trying to calm the situation yet again.
"We understand your concerns, but we're not here to harm anyone. We're simply trying to stop the person responsible from causing more harm. Please, let us do our job, and we'll be out of your way."
The Xylopians weren't listening, as if they were in some sort of trance. They started to advance towards the crew, their movements aggressive and hostile. Ashton narrowed his eyes, his patience wearing thin.
"Alright, that's enough," he said firmly, his voice echoing across the clearing. "We're not here to fight, but we won't hesitate to defend ourselves if we have to."
As soon as he said those words, Sven and Dolos jumped in front of the Ghosts, ready to slaughter the natives. The Xylopians hesitated for a moment, seemingly considering their options.
But Ashton didn't waste any time. He swooped down, landing gracefully on the ground. The crew followed suit, forming a protective circle around him as they prepared to face the threat.
"Although I appreciate the sentiment, there's no need to get protective over me, guys." Ashton joked as he approached the Xylopian leader. "now for you..."
He took a step forward, his vampiric wings unfurling behind him. The Xylopians backed away, clearly intimidated by Ashton's imposing figure.
"Something's not right here," Ashton muttered to himself. "Looks like you're not yourself. Someone's controlling you, and you're unaware of it."
The Xylopians scoffed at Ashton's words, but he was undeterred. He stepped forward, his eyes glowing with an eerie light. He extended his hand and focused his energy, tapping into his vampiric powers.
The best way to free someone from mind control was to bombard their brain with a foreign aura. And just so it happened, Vampiric aura was the best option for the procedure.
Suddenly, the Xylopian leader's eyes widened in shock. He stumbled backwards, clutching at his head.
"What...what's happening to me?"
Ashton continued to channel his energy, breaking the Deacon's hold on the Xylopian leader. The Xylopian leader shook his head, looking dazed and confused.
"What...what's going on?" he muttered again.
"The Deacon has been manipulating your leader's thoughts," Ashton declared, turning to face the rest of the Xylopians. "He's been using him to turn you against us."
The Xylopians looked at each other, clearly shocked by Ashton's revelation. Laihud stepped forward, backing up Ashton's claim.
"We've seen the Deacon's influence firsthand. He's been using his creatures to attack us and manipulate the animals in the forest. He's the real enemy here, not us."
pαndα`noν?1--сoМ Ashton turned back to the leader, who was now staring at him with wide eyes.
"I don't blame you for what you did under the Deacon's influence," he said, holding out his hand. "But next time, be careful who you're up against. Not every mercenary is as forgiving as yours truly."
The leader looked up at Ashton, accepting his hand, but confusion and fear etched on his face. "I...I had no idea. I thought I was doing what was best for my people. I...I would like to apologise for my unbecoming behaviour."
Ashton's expression softened slightly. "I give you my word as a warrior. We are not here to harm you or your people. We are here to stop the Deacon."
The Xylopian leader seemed to be reassured by Ashton's words. He turned to his people and spoke in their native language, and they listened intently before nodding in agreement.
Ashton turned to face the Xylopian leader, his arms folded across his chest, his voice stern. "So, are you with us or against us?"
The Xylopian leader hesitated, looking around at the gathered crowd. The other Xylopians murmured amongst themselves, unsure of what to do. Finally, the leader spoke up.
"We will work with you, Reaper," he said, his voice firm. "We have seen the truth of what you say and believe that the Deacon must be stopped."
"Good," Ashton nodded, a small smile crossing his face. "We'll need all the help we can get."
Laihud stepped forward, a relieved expression on his face. "Thank you," he said to the Xylopian leader. "We appreciate your cooperation."
"We may not agree on everything," The Xylopian leader nodded in response, his eyes meeting Laihud's, "but we can agree that the Deacon is a threat that must be dealt with."
"That's all that matters," Ashton said. "Now, let's get to work."
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦