[Inside the Caverns of the Second Starship Citadel] Follow current novels on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢·𝔫𝔢𝔱 Inside the dark caverns, two Blood Knights, already transformed in their blood forms with a Granian, stood between stubby-looking creatures and ravenous beasts known as Crawlers. The Crawlers, humanoid in shape, stood at almost the same height as the Blood Mutants with long, fragile-looking bodies with four arms and two legs. Their bodies, tightened with muscles from head to toe, were as stiff and sturdy as a redwood tree yet light enough to enable their incredible levels of agility. Their faces were bland, void of eyes or nostrils. Only their wide, blackened mouths with separated teeth decorated their faces, giving them an eerie presence wherever they went. "NONE OF THOSE ARE TO LIVE!!" The escorting Granian angrily sneered, giving false commands to the Blood Knights even though it knew its lack of authority over them. "KILL THEM, NOW. THEY MU..." "Calm down, Granian," Anya grunted, her voice echoing across the cavern walls. The Crawlers and raiders shuddered in fear, the latter more afraid than the former. "Our orders were to interrogate them an..." "YOU WON’T TAKE US ALIVE!!" One of the raiders shouted with a weapon aimed at its head. The others next to it mimicked the same gesture, each ready to end their own lives rather than land in the hands of a Granian or a Blood Mutant. "Easy now," Jim crawled toward each of them with a tendril quickly wrapping their bodies. ’We can’t let you die just yet. Your blood smells far too good to let it go to waste that quickly." "LEAVE US!! LET US GO!! KILL US IF YOU MUST!!" "WE’LL NEVER TALK. YOU’LL NEVER MAKE US TALK." "THEY DON’T SPEAK FOR ME!!" One of the raiders shrieked at the top of their lungs, earning threatening gazes from its comrades. Judging by the way it spoke and reacted, it was more willing to cooperate than die just yet. "I’ll tell you whatever you need. I’ll tell you everything I know. Please, don’t let me die. Not just yet. I surrender..." The creature begged and pleaded earnestly while its comrades frowned, their eyes daring not to look back at it. They were stubborn and not willing to cooperate with the enemy. "The pure look of a warrior," Jim snarled, bearing his long teeth at the two that opposed him. The hot, rancid stench of iron in his breath made them regurgitate the contents of their stomach but still, they refused to talk. "No matter what I do, you two won’t talk." Jim then looked at the Crawlers which, like him, were dying to have a taste of the raiders. "Well since you two are not willing to talk, I guess I’ll feed you to these Crawlers." The Blood Knight taunted and watched as a strange fear encamped both raiders. While the one who was willing to cooperate watched on with fear for its own life, the two before it began to scream, plead, and beg to be spared. "You can’t or you won’t?" Anya barked and snatched one from Jim. She then lifted it above her head with her eyes glaring at her victim, her long tongue licking its stony face. With one slit, her tongue pierce its hide and drew blood. Like an enchanting toxin, the scent of the blood delighted the Blood Knights greatly. Still, they needed to interrogate them one way or the other before having their fill. "Perhaps I’ll make an example of what I’ll do to you if you refuse to cooperate." Anya stretched her hand at one of the Crawlers, her fingers arched with her claws pointing at the beast. With one flick of the wrist, Anya drained all the blood from the body of the Crawler, its body shriveling before everyone’s eyes. The raiders and Granian shook and quaked in fear, their bodies urging them to run as far away as they could from the Blood Knights. Even the Crawlers, beasts that were known for their savagery, feared the Blood Knights and wanted to run, but where would they go?The only exit from the cavern was blocked by the towering golden Blood Knight. Behind them was nothing but a wall of rocks and boulders blocking them from another potential exit. "Look at all of this." Anya smiled, her hand coated with a decent volume of black blood flowing. Her victim’s body, withered like a raisin, dropped to the ground, void of any life force. "This’ll be you next if neither of you complies. Or would you rather I feed you to the beasts?" "We’ll talk." Finally, the raiders were willing to comply which meant that the Blood Knights could leave the caverns. Before leaving, however, they laid waste to the rest of the Crawlers and didn’t consume their blood which was bitter to the taste. "Who sent you?" the questions began as the Blood Knights and Granian made it back to the Citadel. "We’re nobodies. Just wandering bandits stealing from whoever we can, whenever we can, however we can." The first who agreed to talk spoke up immediately. Still afraid of death, it made sure to answer whatever questions the Blood Knights had just so it could live. "Not too long ago on our desolate planet, we were approached by three beings who offered us credits to come and attack the Citadels..." "You lie. You dare to lie to us? When your life’s at risk?" the Granian questioned. To it, the raider’s words weren’t making any sense. How could a band of bandits overpower Granian forces? How were they able to possess weapons strong enough to destroy fortified Granian settlements? "I’m not lying, Green Claw," the raider replied, its feet shaking as it feared that the Blood Knights would drain it dry. "I swear to you. It’s the truth." "He knows nothing more because he’s just a soldier," one of the previously stubborn raiders muttered. "I was among those who were given the orders. We were approached by different species who told us that there would be money and minerals on these Citadels for us to take. All they provided were ships and weapons." "Could you recognize who they were? What species they were? Their language, speech patterns, body size, anything?" "No, but...more of us are coming." The raider whispered with its head hung in shame. "When? And how many?" "Anytime from now..." As soon as it finished speaking, a loud explosion came from the Citadel, followed by a flood of ships surrounding said Citadel. Another raid befell them, only this time, the enemy returned with a more advanced fleet with stronger weapons. The First Attack from the Enemy.