Shadow (Paused and Undergoing MAJOR Editing)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Eddie

Yes, master," I mutter. He glares at me.

"Look at me when you speak. Do you understand that?" Master hisses. I nod and look at him. "Why did you disobey me?" he snaps. I flinch.

"I... I don't know; I was dumb, I wasn't thinking..." I bluff. Dylair smirks at me from his position beside the door. I restrain myself from snapping something back. I look at Master in the eye.

"I disobeyed you because I thought you were wrong," I blurt out before thinking. Master narrows his green eyes.

"And why, exactly, did you think that you had a choice?"

"Er..."

"Sir!" Sylith barges in. Master glares at her. "Sir, I am sorry for interrupting, but we're under attack!" Master lifts his chin importantly.

"Deal with it," he snaps. Sylith bows and her gaze catches mine. I shake my head. She ignores me.

"What's Eddie doing here?" she asks. Master sighs. She purses her lips and turns away. Once she leaves, Master continues.

"You want to live? Fight," he snarks. I widen my eyes as he throws me a gun. Finally. This is my chance!

"Thank you, Master," I say. I flurry out of the room, looking for Sylith.

"Ed? What are you doing here?" she cocks her head. "Whatever. You have a gun? Good; you know how to use it?" I shrug.

"I pull a trigger." She says nothing, stifling a laugh.

"Is it loaded?" I check.

"Yeah." She looks at me skeptically but doesn't stop me.

"Come." I follow her outside.

"Er... Is this normal?" I ask, staring at the humans and beasts clashing. Sylith looks at me.

"Sure. Sir doesn't- You know, Sir is Master- really cares about hiding where he is; he just constantly mo-" A beast with long ears leaps at me. Surprised, I pull the trigger. When it falls to the ground, my heart soars.

"I think... Maybe I'll become a-"

"You can't get a higher rank. You know why." I sigh. She looks at me sadly. "Come on."

I never knew that there were so many different beasts. It really surprises me. A fox-tailed person grabs my gun out of my hand and pins me down. I scream, seeing its sharp teeth, and roll over. I smack the beast with my forehead and run, grabbing my gun. I wildly shoot with my eyes closed, and jump when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I spin around, about to shoot, when I recognize the face. "Uh..." I murmur.

"Whoa! Careful with that; you're off aim and you're shooting everybody, on our side, too!" Sylith growls. I smile weakly.

"Sorry?"

"Just fight with your eyes open, okay?" I nod and she helps me attack a blue haired human with shimmering, scaly legs. Soon the battle ends.

"Did we win?" I ask, peering at the beasts in cages and on the bloody ground. Sylith nods. "That was... not as exciting as I had hoped." Sylith looks at me oddly but says nothing.

"What did you do?" she asks, changing the conversation. I know what she's talking about. I look at my feet.

"Well... Two things," I admit. "First, remember that group of beasts, the ones on the streets?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, you know I don't fight, but I was supposed to keep them in cages. I... uh..." I pause and take a deep breath. "I didn't. Dylair did it instead. I felt so- I felt sorry." Sylith narrows her chestnut eyes.