Escape Pt.1
(Word count: 2193)
POV: Melwyn
Date: March 369 Ac (2 years ago)
Location: An underground fighting pit, in the slums of the City of Kus'Qari
Trigger Warning: Child Abuse/Child Slavery
I think we were both caught by surprise when it happened. I still remember the shock on his face when he saw me enter the arena from the opposite gate. It perfectly mirrored my own feelings. Just a moment ago, in the tunnel leading into the fighting pit, Master had told me that this upcoming fight was in fact, a death match. I was surprised, since these were a rare occurrence, but i still wasn't too worried. Death matches were always fought against wild animals, not people. Not that master would make that difference. But it wasn't a wild animal that looked back at me from across the arena, or even a shapeshifter i didn't know, but my own friend, Caleon, a person i had known for all my life, that i had grown up together with, and that i considered a brother. I looked back at Master, who was still standing in the tunnel behind me. He smiled from behind the metal gate as it came down to block my exit. It wasn't a good smile. When Caleon smiled at me, it made me feel happy and warm. But Master's smile that night made my blood run cold. I still think he was happy however, happy to finally get rid of one of us. I think Master had been afraid that we could've been able to rally the others down here and escape together. We were the two strongest shifters in his possession after all, he had said so himself. Maybe he, or one of his guards, heard us talk one night across the stone walls and the metal bars of our adjacent cells, about our dream to leave this place with the others and escape to greener pastures, as Caleon put it. Master wouldn't allow that to happen. Maybe he thought the best way to kill that dream was to pit us against each other. Or maybe, he just wanted us to suffer. Whichever one it was, he had succeeded. I faced Caleon across the dusty fighting pit, both of us still in human form, as master's voice resonated in the arena, stating our names and fights records to the cheering crowd. I knew that soon, the bell above us would ring two times, which will signal the start of the fight. Caleon didn't like fighting very much. He was more peaceful than me. But when he did, he rarely lost, just like me. Unlike him, and despite the circumstances, i loved fighting, especially the thrill it brought. I was also stronger than him, although he would never admit that. Unfortunately, each match came with a set of consequences. If we lost of didn't participate, master would beat and starve us as punishment. However, a victory brought us food and peace of mind, at least until the next match, and while it wasn't our long coveted freedom, it was something. In this moment, however, i found myself wanting to starve or get wiped for the first and only time in my life. It was more than worth it if that meant i didn't have to fight Caleon in this match. I was scared. A voice, Caleons, suddenly resonated in my head, pulling me out of my own thoughts. His message was quick and simple. He told me that his journey had reached its end. I felt tears well up in my eyes, which i forcibly blinked away. i immediately understood what he meant. He was done, with everything. "What about our dream", i asked. "Didn't you say you wanted to see the snow one day, like old Makky told us about? The white snow covering the evergreen trees in the north?" He shook his head, saying that he's had enough chasing after that dream and that he wants to rest now. He adds that i should find a way to achieve it for both of them. I closed my eyes and looked down. I told him that he should be there with me to see it for himself. Caleon tapped his chest, saying that he would be in there, while i live out our dream. I asked him how i was supposed to do that without him, and he told me that he was sure i would find a way, since i had always been the strongest between the two of us. My eyes went wide at his confession and i looked at him. He was smiling at me. A warm smile that hid a insurmountable amount of sadness. The bell rang two times, which reflectively made us shift into our respective animal forms. Normally, this is when we would run across the fighting pit at each other, claws and fangs out. But not this time. We didn't move an inch, and simply kept looking at one another. The crowd began booing us. Must have been frustrating for them to pay to see a fight between a wolf and puma shapeshifter, only to be left with a staring contest. Caleon's voice resonated in my head again, telling me that we should make the fight look real enough, so Master is pleased, for my sake. I gritted my teeth and shook my head, that human reflex still present in wolf form. I pled to him, that i didn't want to fight him, and that we could still escape together, even if deep down, i really had no idea how we would do that at this point. He calmly responded that i should stop worrying since i was doing him a favour. I did not see it like that. He took a step forward, which made me fall back. He stopped and said that if only one of us gets to live, then he wants that person to be me. "I want both of us to live" I said to him. He looked at me for a moment, before saying that i knew it was impossible. I tried coming up with an argument, but eventually, i had to admit that he was right. One of us would not leave this place alive. i took a hesitant step forward, and then a few more as Caleon watched me closely. He was right. I needed to take responsibility and finish this. I didn't agree with his decision, but i would grant his last wish. The crowd switched their tone, and started cheering for me, which made me feel sick to my stomach. "Thank you for being my friend" Caleon said to me. "I'm happy your the one who'll live our dream. I know one day, you'll achieve it. I just know it" "I-i'm happy i got to be your friend, Caleon" As i got closer, we started circling each other. The crowd got even louder in our sensitive ears as they felt the battle approaching. "Are you ready", i asked him. "I've been ready for some time now..." He wished me good luck before suddenly stopping in his track. The fur along his back bristled as he hissed at me and dug his claws into the ground, before he then leaped at me. The start of the show. I growled back at him as i dodged his attack to the side, kicking up a cloud of dust in the process as my paws leaped along the ground. I turned to see him already running towards me again, cutting through the dust cloud to leap at me a second time. He was fast, but i dodged him again, noticing in the process that he was leaving himself open for me as he was attacking. He roared and ran at me, swiping his front paws at my face. I jumped back, narrowly evading his sharp claws striking my face. I could've attacked then -there was an opening again- But i found myself hesitating. I didn't want to hurt him. At the same time time, i felt like i was being selfish. I was only delaying the inevitable. Another swipe of his claws and i backed away again. I felt my tail hitting the wall behind me, and realised i had been backed into a corner, in more ways than one. Caleon had stopped for a few seconds, but when he started running at me again, that's when i decided to end it. Just as Caleon caught up to me, i lowered my head and struck up, hard into his chin, which sent him rolling backwards. He landed half-way across the arena, in a cloud of dust. I shook my head from side to side as the impact left me a bit woozy. I walked to Caleon as he rose to his paws and looked up at me. His eyes weren't angry however. He looked happy, at least for a little bit, until he growled and attacked again. As he leaped at me for the final time, i dodged once again, before turning towards and aiming for his exposed neck. I opened my jaw and bit down. A yelp escaped Caleon's mouth as we both fell and rolled on the ground for a bit. I was still holding him by the neck, hesitating to finish the job. That's when he looked at me, and told me to do it. I whined -I would've cried if i could- before telling him that i was sorry. I shut my eyes and bit down, closing my fangs around his neck. The taste of blood made my stomach churn and i fought to keep myself from vomiting as i applied more and more force. A sudden snapping sound startled me to a stop. I heard his voice again, softer and more distant now as he thanked me one last time. I let go of him and saw his body go limp on the ground. I took a step back and leaned down next to him and nuzzled his head. Deep down, i already knew he was gone, but seeing him unmoving confirmed it to me. I felt immesurable pain and sadness swell up inside me at what i had just done, and it exploded out when i lifted my head, and let out a long mournful howl. A eulogy, as i bid him farewell one last time. Suddenly, the bell rang again, signaling the end of the match and the crowd behind me erupted with cheers once again. Or maybe they hadn't stopped? I wasn't sure. I turned to look around the stands, my keen lupine eyes easily scanning the crowd in this dark environment, until i found my target. Master. He was looking down on me and Caleon from his perch halfway up the stands with a shit eating grin. I ran to his side of the arena and shifted back to my human form as i reached the wall. I stood there and looked up at Master as a whirlwind of emotions filed my heart, but anger quickly came to dominate as i stared him down. I knew i wasn't supposed to do that, to defy him, but i didn't care anymore. Whatever punishment i would get, it couldn't be worse than what just happened. The crowd around him grew silent in a few seconds as they understood what was happening. Master looked back at me, his grin long gone by this point, replaced by pure anger. His dark gaze was terrifying, but i wouldn't back down this time. I couldn't, not after what he forced me to do. "I'll make you pay for this!" I snarled at him. "One day, when i get my freedom, i'll come back here and finish you off" Master seemed even more angry now, if that was even possible. He rose to his feet and called the guards to drag me back into my cell, never looking away from me. Almost immediately, both gates lifted and two pairs of guards entered the fighting pit. I shifted into a hybrid form and turned back to him "You wouldn't dare come down here yourself." Master went red with rage. "Take him out of here!" He roared at the guards, who came at me with their weapons drawn. One of them had a battan, which in my experience, was extremely painful. But i didn't want to surrender to them, not after what had just happened. I wanted to fight, and so i did. Despite their armour making things difficult for me, i managed to take two of them down, but got stabbed in the side by another guard. I lost my balance and fell down. Another guard then hit me with the battan on my neck and it was over. Wild mana flowed into my body, paralyzing it and making all of my muscles cramp up at the same time. The pain forced me to shift back into human form. I couldn't do anything as they slipped handcuffs on my wrists and dragged me out of the pit, under the thunderous applause from the crowd. As i left the arena, a caught a glimpse of Master, looking at me. My blurry eyes couldn't decipher the emotion, but he didn't seem happy. Whatever it was, i knew nothing good was to come of what i had just did.
Part 2:
Part 3:
Date: March 369 Ac (2 years ago)
Location: An underground fighting pit, in the slums of the City of Kus'Qari
Trigger Warning: Child Abuse/Child Slavery
I think we were both caught by surprise when it happened. I still remember the shock on his face when he saw me enter the arena from the opposite gate. It perfectly mirrored my own feelings. Just a moment ago, in the tunnel leading into the fighting pit, Master had told me that this upcoming fight was in fact, a death match. I was surprised, since these were a rare occurrence, but i still wasn't too worried. Death matches were always fought against wild animals, not people. Not that master would make that difference. But it wasn't a wild animal that looked back at me from across the arena, or even a shapeshifter i didn't know, but my own friend, Caleon, a person i had known for all my life, that i had grown up together with, and that i considered a brother. I looked back at Master, who was still standing in the tunnel behind me. He smiled from behind the metal gate as it came down to block my exit. It wasn't a good smile. When Caleon smiled at me, it made me feel happy and warm. But Master's smile that night made my blood run cold. I still think he was happy however, happy to finally get rid of one of us. I think Master had been afraid that we could've been able to rally the others down here and escape together. We were the two strongest shifters in his possession after all, he had said so himself. Maybe he, or one of his guards, heard us talk one night across the stone walls and the metal bars of our adjacent cells, about our dream to leave this place with the others and escape to greener pastures, as Caleon put it. Master wouldn't allow that to happen. Maybe he thought the best way to kill that dream was to pit us against each other. Or maybe, he just wanted us to suffer. Whichever one it was, he had succeeded. I faced Caleon across the dusty fighting pit, both of us still in human form, as master's voice resonated in the arena, stating our names and fights records to the cheering crowd. I knew that soon, the bell above us would ring two times, which will signal the start of the fight. Caleon didn't like fighting very much. He was more peaceful than me. But when he did, he rarely lost, just like me. Unlike him, and despite the circumstances, i loved fighting, especially the thrill it brought. I was also stronger than him, although he would never admit that. Unfortunately, each match came with a set of consequences. If we lost of didn't participate, master would beat and starve us as punishment. However, a victory brought us food and peace of mind, at least until the next match, and while it wasn't our long coveted freedom, it was something. In this moment, however, i found myself wanting to starve or get wiped for the first and only time in my life. It was more than worth it if that meant i didn't have to fight Caleon in this match. I was scared. A voice, Caleons, suddenly resonated in my head, pulling me out of my own thoughts. His message was quick and simple. He told me that his journey had reached its end. I felt tears well up in my eyes, which i forcibly blinked away. i immediately understood what he meant. He was done, with everything. "What about our dream", i asked. "Didn't you say you wanted to see the snow one day, like old Makky told us about? The white snow covering the evergreen trees in the north?" He shook his head, saying that he's had enough chasing after that dream and that he wants to rest now. He adds that i should find a way to achieve it for both of them. I closed my eyes and looked down. I told him that he should be there with me to see it for himself. Caleon tapped his chest, saying that he would be in there, while i live out our dream. I asked him how i was supposed to do that without him, and he told me that he was sure i would find a way, since i had always been the strongest between the two of us. My eyes went wide at his confession and i looked at him. He was smiling at me. A warm smile that hid a insurmountable amount of sadness. The bell rang two times, which reflectively made us shift into our respective animal forms. Normally, this is when we would run across the fighting pit at each other, claws and fangs out. But not this time. We didn't move an inch, and simply kept looking at one another. The crowd began booing us. Must have been frustrating for them to pay to see a fight between a wolf and puma shapeshifter, only to be left with a staring contest. Caleon's voice resonated in my head again, telling me that we should make the fight look real enough, so Master is pleased, for my sake. I gritted my teeth and shook my head, that human reflex still present in wolf form. I pled to him, that i didn't want to fight him, and that we could still escape together, even if deep down, i really had no idea how we would do that at this point. He calmly responded that i should stop worrying since i was doing him a favour. I did not see it like that. He took a step forward, which made me fall back. He stopped and said that if only one of us gets to live, then he wants that person to be me. "I want both of us to live" I said to him. He looked at me for a moment, before saying that i knew it was impossible. I tried coming up with an argument, but eventually, i had to admit that he was right. One of us would not leave this place alive. i took a hesitant step forward, and then a few more as Caleon watched me closely. He was right. I needed to take responsibility and finish this. I didn't agree with his decision, but i would grant his last wish. The crowd switched their tone, and started cheering for me, which made me feel sick to my stomach. "Thank you for being my friend" Caleon said to me. "I'm happy your the one who'll live our dream. I know one day, you'll achieve it. I just know it" "I-i'm happy i got to be your friend, Caleon" As i got closer, we started circling each other. The crowd got even louder in our sensitive ears as they felt the battle approaching. "Are you ready", i asked him. "I've been ready for some time now..." He wished me good luck before suddenly stopping in his track. The fur along his back bristled as he hissed at me and dug his claws into the ground, before he then leaped at me. The start of the show. I growled back at him as i dodged his attack to the side, kicking up a cloud of dust in the process as my paws leaped along the ground. I turned to see him already running towards me again, cutting through the dust cloud to leap at me a second time. He was fast, but i dodged him again, noticing in the process that he was leaving himself open for me as he was attacking. He roared and ran at me, swiping his front paws at my face. I jumped back, narrowly evading his sharp claws striking my face. I could've attacked then -there was an opening again- But i found myself hesitating. I didn't want to hurt him. At the same time time, i felt like i was being selfish. I was only delaying the inevitable. Another swipe of his claws and i backed away again. I felt my tail hitting the wall behind me, and realised i had been backed into a corner, in more ways than one. Caleon had stopped for a few seconds, but when he started running at me again, that's when i decided to end it. Just as Caleon caught up to me, i lowered my head and struck up, hard into his chin, which sent him rolling backwards. He landed half-way across the arena, in a cloud of dust. I shook my head from side to side as the impact left me a bit woozy. I walked to Caleon as he rose to his paws and looked up at me. His eyes weren't angry however. He looked happy, at least for a little bit, until he growled and attacked again. As he leaped at me for the final time, i dodged once again, before turning towards and aiming for his exposed neck. I opened my jaw and bit down. A yelp escaped Caleon's mouth as we both fell and rolled on the ground for a bit. I was still holding him by the neck, hesitating to finish the job. That's when he looked at me, and told me to do it. I whined -I would've cried if i could- before telling him that i was sorry. I shut my eyes and bit down, closing my fangs around his neck. The taste of blood made my stomach churn and i fought to keep myself from vomiting as i applied more and more force. A sudden snapping sound startled me to a stop. I heard his voice again, softer and more distant now as he thanked me one last time. I let go of him and saw his body go limp on the ground. I took a step back and leaned down next to him and nuzzled his head. Deep down, i already knew he was gone, but seeing him unmoving confirmed it to me. I felt immesurable pain and sadness swell up inside me at what i had just done, and it exploded out when i lifted my head, and let out a long mournful howl. A eulogy, as i bid him farewell one last time. Suddenly, the bell rang again, signaling the end of the match and the crowd behind me erupted with cheers once again. Or maybe they hadn't stopped? I wasn't sure. I turned to look around the stands, my keen lupine eyes easily scanning the crowd in this dark environment, until i found my target. Master. He was looking down on me and Caleon from his perch halfway up the stands with a shit eating grin. I ran to his side of the arena and shifted back to my human form as i reached the wall. I stood there and looked up at Master as a whirlwind of emotions filed my heart, but anger quickly came to dominate as i stared him down. I knew i wasn't supposed to do that, to defy him, but i didn't care anymore. Whatever punishment i would get, it couldn't be worse than what just happened. The crowd around him grew silent in a few seconds as they understood what was happening. Master looked back at me, his grin long gone by this point, replaced by pure anger. His dark gaze was terrifying, but i wouldn't back down this time. I couldn't, not after what he forced me to do. "I'll make you pay for this!" I snarled at him. "One day, when i get my freedom, i'll come back here and finish you off" Master seemed even more angry now, if that was even possible. He rose to his feet and called the guards to drag me back into my cell, never looking away from me. Almost immediately, both gates lifted and two pairs of guards entered the fighting pit. I shifted into a hybrid form and turned back to him "You wouldn't dare come down here yourself." Master went red with rage. "Take him out of here!" He roared at the guards, who came at me with their weapons drawn. One of them had a battan, which in my experience, was extremely painful. But i didn't want to surrender to them, not after what had just happened. I wanted to fight, and so i did. Despite their armour making things difficult for me, i managed to take two of them down, but got stabbed in the side by another guard. I lost my balance and fell down. Another guard then hit me with the battan on my neck and it was over. Wild mana flowed into my body, paralyzing it and making all of my muscles cramp up at the same time. The pain forced me to shift back into human form. I couldn't do anything as they slipped handcuffs on my wrists and dragged me out of the pit, under the thunderous applause from the crowd. As i left the arena, a caught a glimpse of Master, looking at me. My blurry eyes couldn't decipher the emotion, but he didn't seem happy. Whatever it was, i knew nothing good was to come of what i had just did.
Part 2:
Part 3:
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