Nalgus Primus Chapter 4

---

The Nalgus Battle Games Arena was alive with tension. Elizabeth Higgins’ Zilfur stood alone, facing the battered but menacing form of Xiu Ying Hong’s Glyphor Fang. Around them, the desert-like battlefield bore the marks of a hard-fought struggle—collapsed cliffs, scattered debris, and the motionless forms of disabled Nalgus units.

Elizabeth gripped her controls tightly. The voices of her teammates cheering her on over the comms faded into the background. “I can’t believe it's down to one on one again!”

The announcer’s voice boomed across the arena.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is it! The final confrontation between Elizabeth Higgins of the Zion Lions and Xiu Ying Hong of the Iron Typhoon! Will history repeat itself, or can Higgins pull off a miraculous victory?”

---

Xiu Ying’s smirk was audible over the comms. “So, what’s it going to be, golden girl? Got any more tricks up your sleeve?”

Elizabeth’s plasma blade hissed to life as she raised it defensively.

“This is the worst possible outcome,” she muttered under her breath. Her combat skills and Nalgus are superior in close quarters. I need to keep my distance.

Xiu Ying charged forward, her plasma spear gleaming in the artificial sun. Elizabeth rolled her Zilfur to the side, narrowly avoiding the thrust. She countered with a slash from her blade, but Xiu Ying blocked it effortlessly and pressed her attack.

Inside the Glyphor Fang, Xiu Ying’s thoughts were focused. I don’t like Higgins’ stupid ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’ talk, but I can respect her strategy and how she’s adapted to my style. If I wasn’t as skilled as I am—or didn’t have this Nalgus—things might be different. But my family has to pay off these machines, so I can’t let her win.

---

Xiu Ying suddenly unleashed a barrage from her vulcan cannons, forcing Elizabeth to retreat. The Zilfur darted behind an abandoned water tower, the structure shielding it from the onslaught. Elizabeth’s plasma rifle hummed as she fired back, her shots precise and methodical.

I need to create distance, she thought, her heart pounding. She’ll tear me apart in close combat.

Elizabeth spotted an old factory building nearby and used her mobility wheels to dash toward it. Firing her Mortar Launcher, she aimed at the structure’s ceiling, sending debris cascading down behind her to block Xiu Ying’s path.

The crowd erupted in mixed reactions. The human and alien spectators from the Outer Ring cheered loudly for Xiu Ying, while the Folium fans rallied behind Elizabeth as a symbol of the Empire’s so-called meritocracy.

---

Xiu Ying rolled to a stop, her grappling anchors latching onto a nearby ledge to avoid the falling debris. “What’s wrong, golden girl?” she taunted. “Why don’t you use that hard work and determination to get yourself out of this one?”

Feng’s voice crackled over her comms. “It’s a miracle the Glyphor Fang hasn’t fallen apart by now. But I’ll give you this—you’ve been necessary for every victory we’ve had.”

Xiu Ying snorted. “Nice to know you care, cuz. Let me focus here.”

Her cockpit filled with warning lights about overheating. She cursed, slamming a fist against the controls. “You pile of garbage,” she muttered, rerouting power to stabilize the systems.

---

From her cover, Elizabeth spotted Xiu Ying’s momentary pause. She’s overheating. This is my chance.

She fired a series of smoke rounds from her Mortar Launcher, shrouding the battlefield in a thick gray haze. While Xiu Ying worked to stabilize her Nalgus, Elizabeth quietly moved through the smoke, positioning herself near an abandoned building.

Suddenly, a massive boulder flew through the haze. Xiu Ying reacted instantly, using her grappling anchors to shatter it midair.

Elizabeth burst from the smoke, plasma blade raised. “You asked me to use hard work and determination—here it is!”

Xiu Ying smirked, spinning her spear to pole vault over Elizabeth’s strike. In midair, she unleashed her vulcans, disabling the Zilfur’s rifle arm. Elizabeth stumbled but quickly recovered, firing another mortar round. Xiu Ying evaded effortlessly, her spear darting in for another attack.

---

The two Nalgus clashed in a flurry of strikes. Elizabeth’s plasma blade hissed and sparked as it blocked Xiu Ying’s spear, but the weapon’s short range put her at a disadvantage.

She’s keeping me at bay, Elizabeth thought, her frustration mounting. I need to close the distance.

As her ammunition ran low, Elizabeth loaded her final mortar round, targeting the foundation of another nearby structure. The collapse sent a cascade of debris tumbling toward Xiu Ying.

Xiu Ying laughed over the comms. “Is that all that fancy Nalgus is good for? Starting cave-ins?”

Elizabeth didn’t respond. Instead, she fired her grappling anchors into the falling debris, pulling herself high into the air. Using the momentum, she lunged toward Xiu Ying.

The announcer’s voice rose in excitement.

“Elizabeth Higgins is on the offensive! Could this be her comeback moment?”

Her plasma blade aimed for the Glyphor Fang’s core, but Xiu Ying sacrificed her vulcan cannon to block the strike. Sparks flew as the weapon was disabled, but Xiu Ying countered with her claws, slashing at the Zilfur’s armor.

---

Elizabeth fired her grappling hook again, hoping to gain an advantage. Xiu Ying, however, fired her own anchor into the ground, using the tension to bounce over the incoming hook.

“It’s over!” Xiu Ying declared, bringing down both claws in a powerful strike.

Elizabeth spotted a discarded rifle from one of her teammates. She threw it, forcing Xiu Ying to deflect it with one claw. The distraction gave Elizabeth a brief opening, and she lunged with her plasma blade.

But Xiu Ying was ready. The Glyphor Fang’s foot came up, blocking the blade. Using the momentum, she spun her spear, plunging it into the Zilfur’s core.

Elizabeth’s cockpit went dark as the Zilfur shut down, its systems locking into standby mode.

---

Inside her cockpit, Elizabeth sat in stunned silence. “No,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Not again. We worked so hard. We were supposed to win this time.”

Across the battlefield, Xiu Ying leaned back in her cockpit, letting out a long breath. Relief and satisfaction filled her as she looked at the disabled Zilfur. “Guess you couldn’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps Higgins,” she muttered.

The announcer’s voice trembled with excitement.

“Elizabeth Higgins has been defeated! Xiu Ying Hong is the victor!”

The crowd erupted into chaos. Cheers and jeers clashed as the Outer Ring spectators celebrated Xiu Ying’s triumph, while many Folium fans started in stunned silence.

---

To Be Continued…