Perfectly, Imperfect

#22 The Dragon's Rath

(Lachlan's POV)

     I can only stare at the fish hybrid in shock. No, not a hybrid. He stares up at me with his arm still raised, blood polling from the twin cuts from my teeth. I can see how he fights my venom, trying not to let it knock him out. But that name.......

"R-Rob?", I speak out in a broken voice, the sound barely audible. Those memories have been pushed away. They're just too painful to think about in a place like this. My broken mind barely clings onto the idea of humanity. Rob finally drops his arm as my venom does it's work. "No No No, come on Rob! I c-can't let them t-t-take you away", I desperately cry, shaking his shoulders in vein. He mumbles something under his breath before finally passing out.

      This is when I hear one of the metal doors beside me open. I spin around in a crouch on all fours over Rob, instinctively hissing and growling out a challenge. It's the Pit Master. Seeing him with his big bat usually would have sent me skittering behind him. I've been trained to be a complete animal, killing when ordered. They failed with the second part. I was never meant to kill people for no reason. I'm meant to protect others. My human side is kind and good, but weakened by my imprisonment. The rage and bloodlust of a dragon is much more dominant with how I have been treated. And I finally don't care if I'm hurting someone. This is why a killing rage clouds my mind at the sight of then Pit Master coming closer.

It's funny how they think I can't hear them coming up behind me. I spin around with a roar of rage, my tail whipping to the side and hitting someone square in the face. This knocks him into another person. I use my own momentum to spring forwards and land on top of another. I'm completely out of my mind at this point. My animalistic reactions are stronger then my human thoughts. The crowd is still rouring with glee at the fight. My weight easily brings us both crashing down. I automatically dig my teeth into his shoulder and through his clothing. A sour smell assaults my senses before he even starts to struggle. I roll off of him and knock down my next victim. The man already on the floor quickly goes into spasms before becoming still.

The next person I knock to the ground so hard that I hear sickening crack when his head hits the ground. I don't care. I spring away and back over Rob, hissing and growling once again. My mind is clouded with bloodlust, and I can't think clearly anymore. I freak out when I feel a heavy chain land on my back. Screeching, I try to twist away as more chains are thrown onto my wings. They're slightly bleeding with how I've been trying to spread them. It's hard to keep the chains from falling on top of Rob as I struggle. My tail flicks out and slashes across someone's face, spraying blood, but it isn't enough.

I'm finally dragged to the ground, on my knees next to Rob. I'm still screeching and clawing and kicking at them as they come come closer. I even bite on the chains in my rage, my strong teeth just aching and ringing. This can't be it! They won't kill me, but Rob obviously doesn't know how to fight. They'll just leave him for something else to kill in this cursed place. I'll be kept here until I die with how crazy and monsteras I have become. I can't take it anymore! I'll kill myself before I'm forced back into the dark!

     My attention is taken away when something clatters into the caged arena. It distracts my prey as well when the canister explodes into a thick smoke. I can't help but roar in triumph as my chains loosen enough for me scramble free. I can hear the arena door slam open as I lift up Rob by the arms. I've never seen that door open in all my time here, but I know exactly where it is even with the smoke. I hear coughing and fighting all around me. I ignore it all as I swing Rob onto my back. I will protect, my killing will not be meaningless this time. Screaming is coming from the stand where the crowd used to be cheering. I could get away if I hide in the crowds. No one will notice my wings if I keep them tucked tight.

     And so I'm running. I'm running through the smoke with screams all around me. It's hard to run away like a coward. My Dragon pride and instincts make we want to drop Rob and kill everyone in this room. I've never let it take over so much before. It's like I'm drowning in rage. Later, I actually feel bad about the person I run into right in the doorway to the arena. The symbol on his shirt sends me into a whole new level of rage. I don't even remember what I did to him. I think there was blood...... a lot of blood.

     By the time I regain my senses, I'm already outside with Rob in my arms like a rag doll. I skid to a stop with my breath coming ragged gasps. My knees wobble with exhaustion. This is when I finally notice the sticky residue covering my bare arms. I shriek in fear and stumble to my knees, managing not to drop Rob too hard on the ground. He grunts, but doesn't wake up. What did I do to that person!? I have some cuts and bruises, but this can't be all of my own blood, otherwise I'd be dead! My rage has finally been released, and I don't remember how I got here. I feel drained and lifeless.

As my breathing starts to level out, it takes me a moment to understand what is underneath me. It's green and soft against my skin. Grass. It's grass. I look up to see more grass all around me, lights far off in the distance. Above me is all black, but with small lights shining down from the heavens. And the moon is full, making light glimmer off my metal collar and wing chokers. Stars is what the small ones are called. And the black is the night sky. I don't know where I was told about these things. I don't remember anyone telling me these things. But I know the stories about the stars...... no, constellations.

But the moon..... it feels like a welcoming hug after a thunderstorm. It has a strange affect on me. I don't understand it. My rage and roiling emotions are soothed and snuffed out in the moonlight. I feel calm. When have I ever felt safety? How does a ball of rock on the sky give me this feeling? A melody to a song starts to play in my head as I sit here. The words are forgotten to me, but I hear the melody.

    I can't help but start to hum the melody of the moon. It calms me. I know this song from somewhere, but now isn't the time to be dreaming. My wings hesitantly try to spread themselves before another shock of pain shoots through them. They fold back up and rest heavily on my back. I pick Rob back up, still humming. I force my weary legs to start walking towards the far-off trees. I draw pictures in the stars as I go.

I still hasn't quite hit me that I'm finally free.