A King's Legacy Chapter 4: A Fractured Message
Aster was not exactly enjoying his time alone. He was completely cut off from the world around him, unable to see anything, unable to hear anything, unable to feel anything. His emotions ran rampant with his imagination. He would die soon, and never even know it. Would his consciousness just slowly slip away? Was he already bleeding out at this very moment? What if he was already dead, but was just trapped here forever alone like this? What if this was the afterworld? How long had he even been here? He had no way of knowing, there were no sunrises or moonlight where he was. No light at all to guide such thoughts through the darkness of his true isolation. Just him. Just his rambling mind. He incessantly went over the trial in his head, again and again. Was his father truly safe? Did he... Did he have to do it himself? Was he ordered to kill him? Would it really be better for anyone else if he didn't? Aster was starting to breakdown and lose himself, his doubt and anxiety spun a deadly web of fear that further entangled the boy in this place. He wanted to scream, but it would do no use. There was no way for him to hear it... There was no way for anybody to hear it... And suddenly there was a light, as the spell was finally released.
Aster recovered from the state with a heavy jolt, his senses rushed back to him. He barely managed to catch himself on unsteady arms as he fell forward, gasping to draw in a breath, to know he was still alive. He could see! He could feel the cold stone beneath his hands! Aster never thought he'd be so grateful to know texture beneath his touch. With another gasp of realization after getting over the initial shock of returning to his body, the boy shot his head forward, trying to piece together what had happened while he was... Away. His vision was met with Prince Tyfin standing less than a meter before him. The young lion made eye contact with the human and held it steadily for a moment before he spoke to him in a calm and clear tone.
"Aster Venatus, you are hereby cleared of all charges brought against you today. Furthermore, as the crown prince of Alora, and the deciding vote in this matter, I hereby lift ALL restrictions placed upon you and your family by my father, King Alocer Tonitrus, and grant you full citizenship of this country. You may live your life in the open as you see fit." Aster couldn't even fathom what the prince was saying, regardless, the young lion only continued. "I give you my full authorization to continue taking The Selection should you desire so. I wish you luck in your endeavors, in whatever you may decide to do with this freedom you've fought well to obtain... However, just as every warrior here had sworn a life oath to me just moments ago, you too must swear your fealty to this kingdom. Aster Venatus, raise your right hand before me."
Aster was shell-shocked. The boy could only drop his head and stare at the stone beneath him in his disbelief. His mind raced to make sense of what he had just heard. A mere moment ago, he had all but given up on life, yet now... Reality clicked into place for the human, and he obeyed his Prince's request by holding his right palm up for the lion, returning to a proper kneel when doing so. Prince Tyfin took a hold of his hand, and pressed his thumb to the human's wrist before he began speaking in a far louder voice this time. Aster could feel a tingling sensation where the claw pressed into his skin.
"Aster Venatus, do you swear by your life to never take up arms against this kingdom? To only serve as a protector to her people, or as a peaceful citizen thereof. Should you further pursue a life of combat, will you raise your weapon when she calls for your aid? Will you yield your body, your mind, and your spirit to Alora for the longevity of both your king and country?"
Aster scrambled to respond, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. "YES SIR!" The prince let out a small sigh of relief, and pressed the claw of his thumb into the flesh of the boy's wrist, drawing forth a small stream of blood. Aster felt a searing pain for just a moment as the blood formed into a circular rune, and burned it's likeness into his skin. This was a life oath, a personalized mark every soldier of Alora bore before they could consider themselves a soldier. This was an unbreakable promise in this world, yet one the boy was overjoyed to finally make.
"Rise Aster Venatus, and rest well for your battles ahead. You are dismissed by this court. Take leave with your father, but hear this... You have a long road of changing both the minds, and the hearts of our people before you. Remember the resolve you showed on this day as you make that journey."
Aster replied with an energetic "Yes Sir!" Before he felt his father laying his large red cloak over his exposed shoulders and torso. Aster was always a bit ashamed of his furless body, something the knight had been considerate of even then. Jagón placed his hands on his son's shoulders, and hurriedly rose with the boy, ushering him quickly to the back exit of the platform where the pair left the sight of the remaining beastmen. Some of them were emotionless, some were visibly angry, and some even bore a soft smile as the duo left that place, A place where only moments ago, they had prepared to part from each other for the final time. They had survived. Somehow.
King Alocer silently walked over to his son as the knight left with his boy. He stopped before his young cub, and made a single comment his way.
"I pray by the gods that you made the right decision today, my son. For your own sake." The younger lion closed his eyes and bowed his head a bit before responding quietly.
"As do I, father. As do I."
Aster was walking behind his father through a sloped tunnel as they left the king's platform, the very father that hadn't looked him in the eye even once since their reunion. Suddenly, a thunder of roars and protest assaulted his ears as the stadium reacted to the prince's proclamation, when they learned the human had not only been freed, but was also allowed to compete. Aster stopped in his tracks, and looked over his shoulder with a twinge of hurt buried within himself. He understood what the prince was referencing when he spoke of the road to changing minds, but even still, the weight of such blind hatred pushed down heavily on his heart. When the boy did turn back around, his father Jagón was finally staring at him with a mixture of fatigue, sorrow, and relief all forged into one very tired looking panther. The knight stood silently as he stared down into his son's eyes.
"I make one request of you my son. I will honor your decision no matter your answer." The great knight, the right hand to the king, and the boy's very own father did something unthinkable then, and knelt before his son. Before a human. To say Aster was uncomfortable was quite the understatement. The great knight persevered anyway.
"Drop out of The Selection and return home with me. I almost lost you today, and I am terrified I will lose you for certain to their hatred... I... I cannot shield you anymore, my son... Not from an entire world... But perhaps here, from yourself at least, from your foolish gamble, I can protect you. I can try... I can beg this of you, my son. You are not safe here." Aster felt lower than the tone his father had just spoken in as he heavily lingered on every word. He had obtained his freedom after all these years... Was serving in the army his true desire? Or was The Selection only a means to an end? Aster steeled his thoughts, and softly answered his father when he had made his choice.
"I cannot." The panther stood, clenched both his fists and his jaw, turned around sharply, and started walking towards the exit with his son trailing behind. Even as he escorted Aster back to his inn, as they passed by such gawking stares and the looks of astonishment from the beastmen in the streets, the boy heard not a single sound more from his father on that day.
Aster was met by Javis at the entrance to the inn. His father remained silent even still, even as he turned and walked away from the pair. Javis placed a reassuring hand at the small of the boy's back as he watched his father leave, never casting another glance back towards him as he faded from view.
The pair returned to their room after, and Javis had Aster lie down on the bed so he could begin healing his injuries from the battle with the tiger. The boy told the Antelope everything he could remember about the unbelievable events which had transpired that day, even how everything had made him feel. The buck only listened patiently on as the boy recounted his story, reassuring him when his fears and worry were made known. Javis understood the true nature behind Jagón's request and his actions in the tunnel, but didn't find it his place to elaborate at that time. Aster needed rest now. He had chosen to fight on. So instead, the buck finished his treatment, and started to gently run his hands through his young master's hair, petting him over and over as the boy grew tired from his efforts that day. This was an old trick he'd been using to get the boy to sleep since before the human could even crawl, but the buck felt a sadness from the motion instead of the usual peaceful sensation it brought upon him. Maybe somewhere in his soul, his instincts just knew that it was going to be the last time he would get to do it.
Stahl was deep in thought as he laid in bed, gazing at the ceiling on the final morning of The Selection. Who could really blame him, he'd received more than he bargained for witnessing the final part of that trial. Stahl had heard secrets that shattered any reasonable expectations he had. He knew everything, who the human really was, what that shield really was. He learned of Aster's past, his upbringing, and his heritage... Secrets the boy was forbidden from knowing about himself. And worse yet, the wolf had realized he was the only one there that day that could ever even tell Aster the truth now. The only one who wasn't physically present to have their life oath modified to prevent ever openly discussing what that council had revealed amongst themselves... To prevent Aster from ever finding out where he came from... That Aster Venatus was undoubtedly and indisputably the heir of the final human king to fall in King Alocer's war, King Calium, as well as the sole inheritor of the legendary bloodskill known as The Peacekeeper's Shield. Aster was a royal. Aster was born to be a king among humans. A king to only corpses and grave markers now...
The young wolf heard a knock, and called out for his father to enter. He was expecting this visit. The older wolf let himself in, and turned to his son as he closed the door. Stahl sat up on the bed as his father spoke.
"I imagine I don't have to tell you that you'll need to keep your presence at that trial a secret. You have to pretend you know nothing of that human's truth. Will you promise me that my son? Or do we need to just renew your life oath to cover the matter as well?" The silver wolf gave an inquisitive raise of his brow as he spoke down to his son. The younger wolf sighed and reassured his father he had grasped how sensitive the matter and the information was. The older canine nodded in acceptance of that answer, considering the matter resolved, and quickly changed the subject to something more embarrassing to distract his son.
"So, why do you have that? Trying to get a feel for it's scent?" Byron was pointing at something sitting on a table. Something that belonged to the human, the helm and the staff. Aster hadn't exactly had a chance to recover either after he was revealed, so Stahl had grabbed them for him... Though, he wasn't certain why he did so himself, he was sure it wasn't to catch a whiff as the old wolf had implied. Stahl bantered on for a bit longer with his father that morning before setting out to the arena with his thoughts just a little lighter from the older wolf's efforts. Before FINALLY getting to get a good, up-close look of his weird little friend's face with his own two eyes, eyes that could see him clearly.
Aster was thankful Javis had agreed to come witness the final two rounds since his cover had already been blown. He was more grateful to have an ally stand by him for at least the first few steps into the scary new reality that was his life now. In truth, the human was feeling deathly anxious, knowing what awaited him as he stepped through the entrance of the Selection Grounds. The curses and booing spat down by the audience towards the human as soon as he walked into sight was nothing unexpected for Aster, and yet his chest felt a little tighter still. A few more paces in, and the pair stopped. The teacher gave his student one final reassuring nudge despite the vulgar cries and primal snarls around them, and parted with the boy he'd half raised as he went to find a seat among spectators.
Aster swallowed hard and turned to the entrant seating, feeling smaller than ever now that he was alone. The human kept his sights on the dirt below as he practically fled to the furthest corner, as far away from every other person in that overwhelming arena as possible. Aster couldn't help but to recall his father's final pleading words at that time... They replayed over and over again in his mind, enticing his heart to beat right out of his very chest.
`You are not safe here.'
Stahl watched on in utter disbelief as his weird little friend didn't even acknowledge him... Just... plopped down in the corner, never even glancing his way. The wolf's mind went on quite a rant over the cold shoulder treatment. What happened to all that composure and eagerness to socialize from yesterday? Was he just tired? No... Regardless, did his servant not get my message about the staff? The human hadn't brought a spare weapon... How is he planning to fight now? AAHHHH!! This is ridiculous, what is he even doing here like that? It's like he's already getting his ass beat- The wolf's eyes went wide as he realized his selfish oversight. The human was already being beaten on. He was alone, and a sea of scared and angry voices were inflicting wounds he couldn't block with any shield. Wounds that nobody could block for very long. Stahl believed he had finally figured out why he was so curious about the human. He pitied the creature's circumstance. It was only sympathy, that's all.
The wolf stood, grabbed his and the human's belongings, and walked right up to where the creature was sitting. Most of the yelling closer to the wolf died down a bit as he dropped his swords and the staff on the seating beside the human with a `Clank.' Aster visibly jumped at the unexpected sound, and the crowd began murmuring amongst themselves as the human warily turned in his seat to meet the imposing gaze of the large gray wolf now towering above him. To most of the spectators watching, it appeared that a noble son of Alora, Stahl Aschefell, was clearly ready to handle the human himself... They weren't completely wrong, but their ruthless voices fell to only hushed whispering and murmurs at last when they witnessed the wolf extend a hand out to the human.
Aster had underestimated how terribly cruel people could really be. He had waited his entire life for this day, working away relentlessly in hiding to be able to stand here, just to find that nobody wanted him there. He had finally made it, but there was no place for him here after all... There wasn't a single seat at the table available for a human outside of the same place he's always been... No steady hand close enough to grab onto anymore...
The gear falling on the stone made Aster jump high enough to embarrass himself, the wolf he saw above him when he looked over at the sound was the same one he had been deceiving for the past two days. The noble was undoubtedly angry he had been talking to a disguised human that entire time. That made sense to Aster. Everyone here was angry at him for showing up today, after all.
"Stahl Aschefell, officially." The wolf held his hand out towards Aster. Stahl awkwardly waited for the human to get the gist and take his hand. Aster didn't move, he only stared at him cautiously. The wolf cleared his throat a bit and repeated himself, finally getting a response from the human. Aster rose to his feet, and began reaching his hand for the one outstretched before him. He wavered for a second, hovering just out of grasp before his uncertainty yielded, and he grasped a hold of the large, steady hand thrust before him with his own trembling one.
"A-Aster, Aster Venatus... Sorry about before..." Stahl only looked on at the human before him, absolutely reveling in his opportunity to finally get a close look at his weird little friend for real. Aster was a bit taller than Stahl had previously guessed, standing at exactly 6 feet high with a close knit kind of tone to his musculature. The human had shaggy dark brown fur atop his head, it was longer and smoother than most fur Stahl had seen on beasts, and the length of it was currently tied back into a short bundle behind the creature's neck where it stopped. The foreign beast appeared to have some stubble along his jaw. This led the wolf to believe that hair normally grew there, but the boy had shaved it back for whatever reason before the Selection. Maybe it got in the way? His muzzle, (or at least Stahl believed it was his muzzle,) was short. His snout was a bit on the large side, but the pale lips below it seemed oddly enticing to the wolf. The boy's eyes were a creamy rich brown as well, a color that seemed to trap the very sunlight itself inside of them. There were small golden lines dotted hap hazardously around the boy's pupils, further solidifying the wolf's theory that the human was really a mage who had somehow managed to ensnare a bit of the golden warmth of their very sun behind his irises. Stahl had found himself feeling incredibly at peace by the Aster's features for some reason... Well, aside from one such feature that made Stahl unreasonably angry to look at, much to the wolf's own surprise.
Aster had two pinkish claw marks beginning on the bridge of his nose that extended across his cheek beneath his right eye, and ended right about where his earlobe began. Stahl hadn't heard the story behind that yet, but found himself eager to know it. The human was definitely different looking than any beast or creature the experienced soldier had seen in his time, but he didn't seem nearly as scary as everyone had made him out to be. This was no monster before him. This was just a scared and lonely pup.
"Nice to meet you, the real you I might add..." Stahl let out a sigh of exasperation after a moment of silence as he decided to level with the unsure human a bit. "I hope you don't mind me saying this, Aster, but you need to pull yourself together here."
Aster visibly flinched at the wolf's words, and brought his hand up to cover his face. The wolf noticed he was rubbing the part of his snout between his eyes, seemingly in effort to gather himself for a moment, before dropping his hand and answering.
"Sorry, I know. I let myself get stuck in my head. It's just... a lot... a lot more than I expected." The human finished his statement with a slight nod towards the spectators. Stahl had understood. He couldn't do much about that at the time, but he could at least try to distract the human for a little while with some banter, a trick Stahl hadn't realized he had picked up on from his father. Aster was more grateful to the wolf for what he had done that day than the canine would ever know. For the next twenty minutes or so, Aster felt the wolf slowly chipping away at his fear. It was still very much present, but for a short moment, the human could manage it solely by the distraction at hand. By finally having someone to talk to in such an alienating world. A short time later, the beginning of the final day of The Selection was signaled by the sound of thunder, and both warriors prepared for their final battles.
"We are both listed among the undefeated at this point, so as long as we can win one of our two matches today, we are guaranteed a spot by the end of it." Stahl was starting to get excited about his matches, he wanted to fight some strong opponents, and there was no more likely time to do so than on the final day. Aster was just ready for it to be over with. Still, the human agreed with the wolf's sentiment anyways. The pair wished each other luck, looking forward to fighting side by side after it was all said and done.
"Stahl Aschefell. Dargot Phitz." The large wolf rose with a smile plastered upon his muzzle. Not only was he getting to go first today, but he had a good opponent, one he had specifically wanted to be paired against. Dargot was a komodo dragon that was a dual wielder just like Stahl, only he swung two hefty hammers instead of swords. The wolf's smile grew as he sized up his opponent. This was definitely going to be a interesting match.
Aster was a bit worried partway through his new friend's round, Dargot had even managed to score a point on the wolf and was putting up a powerful fight. In the end, the ashen wolf secured his victory with a quick flick of his wrist by finally managing to disarm the reptile's right handed hammer, and striking through the opening he had made. Aster would never say it out loud, but he found himself often strangely comforted by the powerful and graceful movements of the large wolf during a fight.
The human offered his congratulations as the proud wolf made his way back to him. No matter what his next match put him up against, Stahl had made it into the Elite King's Guard. However, that victory celebration was short lived as Aster's own opponent was named just a few short matches later.
"Straga Raxos. Aster Venatus." Stahl's ears perked and his eyes went wide when the names were called. The wolf quickly glanced over to his smaller friend, and saw a very serious look on his face. Aster was clenching onto his staff so tightly, his knuckles had turned a bone white. Stahl understood, of all the entrants present for this year's Selection, Straga Raxos was the only one the wolf didn't really believe he could best... His human friend definitely stood no chance against such a monster. Aster was well aware of that fact also.
Straga Raxos was not only a noble born between two of Alora's most powerful warriors, he was a true brute and a giant compared to most beastmen. The nearly ten foot tall black dragon was considered the number one ranking competitor at The Selection, one that had crushed each opponent that was placed before him without ever taking a single point loss... One who had immediately disarmed any who opposed him on their opening attack, all while electing to fight without his weapon of choice. His towering frame was covered by diamond-hard ebony scales dotted with small, flesh rending bumps. He had a spiked horn on the end of his snout, and two larger horns protruding from his massive head. Straga had crimson red scales along his belly and chest, with the same red tint upon the tips of his claws and spiked horns that faded into the darkness of the dragon's other scales like a river of blood flowing over his tremendous frame. The most impressive feature, however, was the giant set of wings protruding out of his back. A rare trait even among dragons. He may have been the son of Cerula Cascus, the majestic, wingless blue dragon who had acted as a judge in the human's trial the previous day, but her stark cerulean eyes seemed to be the only similarity the two shared. There wasn't a beast present that hadn't prayed to the gods they wouldn't be matched against him, and now the human was deemed his latest victim.
"You need to forfeit. You can't beat him, Aster. You would have better luck next round against ANY other opponent. He will destroy you...EASILY!" Stahl had began pleading with the human as he finally stood to meet his opponent in the ring. Aster looked to Stahl with sadness, but also with a tinge of appreciation for the fact the wolf had worried about his safety.
"Stahl... I think we both know that this wasn't JUST a random pairing... I could run, but that's only going to make it all worse on me. If- if I won't fight now, then I will never be taken seriously as a warrior. My family will continue to bear the consequences and responsibility of protecting me. If I won't face him, they beat me here. I lose here." The grey wolf looked carefully at the human's expression before he finally yielded. Aster was right. This was very much a test, albeit an impassable one. Still, the wolf moved aside and allowed the human to make his choice. To make his way to the ring where the malicious terror stood with his arms crossed in waiting. The dragon flashed a deviant smile showing off a maw full of pointed teeth larger than Aster's own fingers. The boy shuddered at the sight, but took his stance despite the fear. Despite the roars from the crowds.
"TEAR THAT HUMAN APART, STRAGA!" "TEACH THAT MONGREL HIS PLACE!" "GIVE US A GOOD SHOW, NOBLE DRAGON!"
The crowd was relentless. They thirsted for blood. Stahl had managed to silence a few of the Closer ones with a stern glare cast their way, but they persisted in their taunts for the most part, even as the judge called the start to the match.
"May the superior reign. Fight!" Neither fighter moved, as if they hadn't even heard the command. Instead, they stood sizing each other up for a while longer. When Aster had finally shifted his weight forward and began running towards the dragon, the beast's foreboding smile intensified just a bit. This was going to be fun. For him anyways.
Aster propelled himself further towards his opponent. He had closely watched the great dragon in his previous rounds, and had devised a plan. Straga made no move, and simply let the human close in. As the boy made it into striking distance, he held his staff in front of himself, much like one would hold a joust. The human thrust his staff forward, and quickly snatched it back by the very end, letting the pole glide back through his loosened grip just as the large dragon went to snatch it from his grasp. Aster used this fake out to grab the base of his rod with his other hand, make a quick turn, and spear into the side of the beast's massive chest, being the first among all who had faced the monster thus far to both keep his weapon beyond the initial strike, and to secure a point... Or so he had believed.
As Aster's staff made a sharp `Clank,' against the dragon's thick armored scales and slid off mark, the boy realized the point hadn't been called. He knew the beast would attempt to disarm him right out of the gate, and had acted according to that astute observation to take the lead early on. It was a solid plan, and it was well executed... But the human had overlooked something important. Something the dragon had known before ever taking the stage.
This wasn't a match. This was just a message. One he was hand picked to deliver.
As Aster hadn't expected a follow up, since he assumed his point would be called and their positions would reset, he was unprepared for the dragon to grab a hold of his weapon as it deflected off of his polished scales. Straga easily snatched the staff from the stunned, weaker human's grip with a sneer, and carelessly tossed it over his shoulder behind him where it landed in the dirt outside of the ring. Aster had been disarmed. His point wasn't called and he now stood defenseless within grasp of the great beast due to the unfair ruling.
Stahl was furious! He looked to the judge in question, and saw a look of contempt satisfaction upon the otter's face. He had no intentions of making fair rulings here. He had no intentions of calling any points for either fighter. He was just here for the show, and most of the beastmen in the stadium were wanting the same thing, to see the human broken, defeated, and humiliated. They were not left wanting for long.
Aster barely managed to back step away from the dragon in time as his giant, clawed hand reached out to grasp at where he had just been. Aster was beginning to understand his present circumstance when the dragon suddenly spun and used his large tail to sweep the human off his feet and onto the cold, compacted dirt of the ring. Straga took the opportunity to grab a hold of the boy's left arm, and lifted him high into the air, bringing the anxious human eye level for just a moment while he leaned in and whispered into his ear. Straga had a voice that chilled Aster to the very core.
"Do you know which bloodskill I inherited from my father, little human?" Aster felt his heart seize as his mind raced to find the answer. He had studied the great houses of Alora... The Raxos family... Their bloodskill... The boy's realization and the look of fear that flashed across his face afterwards brought upon a delightful, sadistic feeling of power to the monstrous beast before he softly whispered a single word to his captive with a toothy sneer, activating the bloodskill for the first time that Selection.
"Fracture."
Stahl shuddered when he heard the ghastly `Pop,' sound of Aster's forearm snapping in two from the skill. The piercing cry of agony that followed the injury, and the roaring applause that soon drowned out the human's own scream just made him feel incredibly uneasy. The wolf felt sick. He felt angry. He felt helpless as he watched the brutal display continue on, the rough treatment only intensifying alongside his emotions as it progressed. It was all just so overwhelmingly... Brutal. Unnecessary. They didn't have to go this far... They just wanted to.
Aster writhed in place as his body was playfully dangled by the dragon's unyielding grip. He could feel the pressure of his own weight pulling the broken bones further apart, bringing new waves of intense pain shooting up his forearm. A heavy sweat had began forming on his brow and his back from the searing sensation, but he wasn't beaten yet. The human focused every bit of strength left in him, curled his knees up to his chest, and kicked both of his legs with all the force he could muster directly into the dragon's snout, effectively freeing himself at the cost of more pain shooting down his arm from the impact. He hit the ground with a hard thud, and instinctively used his good arm to cradle his injured appendage as the human struggled to his feet. He almost even managed to fully stand in time.
Straga was furious now. He looked back to the boy trying to regain his footing before him, leaned his head back, and stepped forward into the blow as he bashed his scaled brow down against Aster's own. The maneuver brought stars, and a sharp pain darting through the boy's skull as the softer flesh on his forehead split beneath the great impact and his knees went weak. Aster fell to a kneel. Blood ran freely from the fresh gash over his eyes, and filled Aster's view of the dragon with a scarlet tint. A view that now seemed quite befitting of the bloodthirsty beast. Aster struggled to move backwards in a daze. He managed two feet of distance before the dragon rammed his fist into the human's nose, breaking it as well on impact. Even more blood flowed from these wounds before the dragon pulled his fist back again, and thrust it roughly against the human's jaw, this time shattering a molar. The human spit pieces of the broken tooth out, and noticed there was a lot of blood in it too. His own teeth had badly shredded the inside of his mouth when the dragon punched him. Aster was beginning to feel oddly fuzzy now, and it didn't feel like the hits he was taking were hurting as much anymore. In truth, he was only just that disoriented and out of touch from the concussion the mighty head-butt had given him, that, and the state of shock his body was falling into. The dragon punched him two more times in quick succession, lacquering his scaly fists with fresh human blood as aster fell backwards.
Aster was pretty well out of fight. Who wouldn't be? Even through such abuse, he still desperately clung to his desire, his dreams, albeit only barely at this point. He felt the dragon give him a bone-crushing kick in his midsection, bringing forth fresh wails from the boy as two ribs cracked beneath the pressure. His body twisted as it was knocked further back from the blow, landing with him on his back, gasping to take a breath. He shakily managed to roll over with use of his good arm, and was immediately met with an unstoppable feeling of nausea as his breath returned to him. Aster wretched up what little breakfast he had eaten that day, his broken ribs screamed in protest as the muscles contracted sharply around them, forcing the bile from his lips. He dared a glance upwards, and saw the dragon approaching him again, his deranged smile had grown even larger now, and a glint of ecstasy shone brightly in his truly unhinged eyes as he slowly inched closer to the boy. Aster's fear escalated to a point he had never known possible as the icy realization penetrated his mind with it's chilling claws. Straga stood over Aster for a moment, the large wings blocked the sun behind him while casting a chilly shadow down upon the broken human. Aster realized then...This beast was here to kill him. This was the face of death, it was here for him, and it was still smiling.
Aster desperately struggled to get his shield up from the true rush of fight or flight instincts that swept over him. This was it, he needed to get away from this monster NOW before it killed him. As the golden shield finally appeared between Aster and the dragon, and the warm light washed over the stadium, the boy tried to speak, only managing to spit more blood out of his mouth at first. Before he could even get the words "I yield," to form on his busted lips, he was stopped by a sense of terror as the dragon descended upon him. He had merely jumped over the shield like it wasn't even there with a small boost from his wings, and was now diving down at the human with an outstretched hand.
Straga's giant fingers easily encased the human's skinny neck in his grasp as he fell towards him. Aster's head was slammed into the ground below as the dragon landed in a hunched over position. Just as with all his attacks, the dragon had held back just enough. The plaything would be long dead by now if not, and no matter how much he wanted to finish the human off, he didn't want to be tried for murder just yet. That soft prince of his would probably push for a charge after that proclamation he made yesterday about letting the human survive. Straga couldn't kill him, but he could have just a little more fun before he had to put his toy away for the time being. Using his tight grip on the boy's throat, the dragon pulled him up to his own shoulder, pressing his mouth right next to the boy's ear as he spoke in that terrible whisper of his once more.
"I have to leave you for now. But don't worry, I'll be back for you someday." The great dragon began sadistically stroking the back of the human's head, dampened with his own blood. All the while holding his tight grip, firmly preventing the human from getting a breath with his other hand. "We are going to play a lot more then, my new little toy, but I have to put you away for now. Do you know where you belong, human? Have I made it clear to you yet?" Aster struggled vainly beneath his claws to draw breath. The dragon only let out a hollow chuckle, and released his grip, dropping the human to the ground. Aster didn't have the fight left in him to even try and catch himself, and let out only a muffled grunt when he hit. He fought to draw air, but his throat was raw, and still felt crushed. He hacked and wheezed heavily. He started to cough as he choked on some of his own blood for a moment. There was no real time for the human to brace for what came next.
Straga leaned over the human once again, almost as if he was being delicate, and pressed his knee firmly into the boy's stomach. The scaled monster began settling his weight on the boy's stomach, stealing away any room for air. Aster could only manage to squirm beneath the mass, as he helplessly looked deep into the eyes of the dragon who was sent to deliver this judgement. The savage dragon leaned his head forward, bringing it directly in front of Aster's own face, never breaking eye contact. The dragon slowly opened his maw and extended his long, bright red, pointed tongue. The dragon made a large pass with it over Aster's face, coating it with the human's blood, leaving behind a saliva residue that made Aster want to vomit again. Straga withdrew his tongue, made sure Aster was still watching and had seen how well it had been coated, and closed his jaw, savoring his first taste of such a rare delicacy these days. Straga began speaking once again. Aster was fading.
"Hmm, father was right! Humans may be salty, but your blood sure does have a nice, bold flavor. I can't wait to find out how the rest of you tastes some day." The dragon leaned forward, and used a massive hand to gently cup the boy's injured jaw. He was turning colors pretty heavily at this point from the lack of air. Whether from the crushing pressure on his guts, or from pure fear the dragon wasn't sure, but the boy had definitely soiled himself with piss by this point. Straga chuckled just a bit, his playtime was up, so he began speaking his parting words to his newfound affection.
"Remember this feeling should you believe yourself to ever be our equal in any way. Wallow in your inferiority, as I can easily take the very breath from your body whenever I desire. Remember the feeling of me breaking your bones. Of me shedding your blood, and feasting from your body. Of your own father watching you struggle pathetically beneath me in a puddle of your own piss. Live in constant fear of being crushed by me once more, for I will play with you again someday, my pet. I never leave a toy alone for too long." The dragon simply smiled down at the boy as the lights slowly dimmed. The human managed to raise his right arm in a fleeting, desperate final attempt of pushing the mass off of his gut, trying to allow just a small breathe of life in to his screaming lungs. Straga pressed down just a little harder, straining the broken ribs beneath him with a pain Aster could no longer really feel. After what seemed like forever to the human, his body gave way, and his arm fell limply to the side. The sound of booming applause as he faded off into unconsciousness was the last thing Aster could remember from that day.
Thanks for reading this far. You've officially just finished the beginning of this story. We get some softer parts next, and a certain duo finally gets a bit of alone time. Feedback is always appreciated.