Coil of Gold

XV: Savage of Venom

He walked out of the tent, throwing on his cloak as he walked through the sloppy mud. Rain poured from the sky, causing his light brown hair, which was parted towards his left, to become dark and stick to his sharp cheeks. Drake followed behind him, as well as some of the other members of venom. Slaves turned their heads as he walked near them, and raised them once he passed. Bandits smiled and nodded as he passed. Everyone knew where he was going.

He walked up the hill. Coming into his sight, twenty wooden posts with chains attached to them were scattered out into an open field. A few bandits were already up there, unchaining some of the slaves and dragging them away.

One man was chained to one of the posts, with his cheek pressed against the splintering wood. His arms were wrapped around the pole, hugging it as his bareback was raised towards the sky. It was covered in dripping blood and opened wounds, some of which leaked a green ooze. The moment his swollen eyes looked towards Aldrich, he turned his head and pulled his body tighter together. Aldrich heard his whimper, but only kicked mud his way while he let out a small grunt.

"Chain Drake to the pole," Aldrich commanded.

The men did not push nor tug Drake, instead, they watched as he walked up to the pole and pressed his arms around it. One of the bandits pulled the chain, dragging it across the mud as it came closer to Drake. The click of the chain filled Aldrich's ears, telling him that his next prey was ready to be fed to his whip.

While his men ripped Drake's shirt, Aldrich stared at his throne. A throne that was made of moss, mud, and countless stones that they had taken from buildings that Venom once raided. A throne made in the age of his great grandfather before the savage war. With each step, he climbed up towards his seat. The heels of his boots echoed on the rock texture. He lowered himself, placing his knuckles underneath his chin as he watched the men prep Drake. Rain dripped down his face, trailing around his eyes and into his scruffy facial hair. His lips twitched into a slight smile as he waited in anticipation.

A tall man walked up next to his throne. His chest visibly displayed the snake, venom's symbol. Aldrich looked down at him, and the man's large face nodded his head while sliding the whip against his fat fingers. Aldrich waved his finger, giving the man, his punisher, the signal. The man took a step forward, flexing his dark muscles as his grip tightened around the whip's handle.

With a jerk of his head, the men quickly scattered away from Drake, each of them with wicked smiles. The whip cracked in the air, eventually finding its bite against Drake's back. Blood quickly seeped out of the broken skin. With another loud crack, the whip was brought down. Again and again, it bit away at Drake's skin. The rain spilled down his bare skin. The blood on his back drenched down towards his sides. His hands hugged the pole to the point his nails bled from the wood digging in his fingertips.

Aldrich watched as crimson ran down Drake's back. The corners of his mouth curved slightly, and it was just enough to give him a slight smile. Aldrich tapped his foot against the step, making the tall man stop. Raising himself from his throne, he strolled over to Drake. His ice-cold fingers pressed under Drake's chin and he lightly lifted up his head.

"Do you think you've had enough?" Aldrich asked in a soft voice. Drake shook his head, causing Aldrich to drop his hand. "No? Very well, if you insist."

Aldrich waved his hand, signaling for the man to bring his whip down once more. Drake gritted his teeth in an attempt to muffle his voice. It didn't take long for his screams to escape. The ground beneath him had become a sloppy mixture of blood and mud. His body slid and he held to the pole as a means of keeping him stable, but the ground kept attempting to swallow him whole. Aldrich looked down at Drake, locking eyes with him as he was beaten.