Burning Rage - 6

[??? pov]

"Stay, or be put to death." 

That voice still echoed within the bounds of my mind. Her eyes… so apathetic against the slaughter of my kind. Merely raising hand, chopping down every single one of my kin. Those who had succumbed and those that had endured.

Each and every one of them had died. To that hand of hers. A force that brought with it such heat that the mountains I was born in would never be the same. Cleaved into twain, brought low against the current of her force.

So when I looked to that last fading orb of burning passion. Who lit the world with its flames. I faced my head away, closing my eyes and submitting to the death brought by that devil.

Instead I found my fur stained with that blood of hers. And when I opened my eyes she looked straight into them, clear red eyes against my own. Staining them with a horrid red.

She spoke. A verdict. To obey - or to die. There was no other choice. To disobey was to suffer the consequences. Bleached from the world and cast from the coil of this vessel back to that pure world.

There was no other option, for even more than my comrades and kin, I valued life. Valued the day after today, and each and every one that came after.

It was why I stood here, my limbs stretching. My tail swishing in the wind as I crouched lower. Commanding those of lesser blood. Who had succumbed to that torturous voice.

I let them batter at the walls. I knew that if I were to intervene… I would kill one or two before being slaughtered myself.

That was why I was using this place as a sort of command tower. Letting those of lesser blood die of their own volition. For a taste of that scarlet blood.

Only when they did, when those monstrosities claimed a limb, or even a whole torso. Those around would gather the remains, still breathing and the very next day…

No, not even the very next day. It was the very next hour that the slaughtered came back to the field. Beating back those that had once killed with such viciousness.

I scowled myself, letting out a great roar. Rallying those around me. Not to fight, not to attack for they who defied death would not relent. 

But to retreat. There would be a wiser time to attack, for now we needed to retreat. Find information on why we were placed in this realm, what our purpose was. And most of all… how to escape.

It is the only option.

…

"Are…" She began, letting out huffs within each of her words. Caused by the caustic wound that flared with pain. A hole within her torso that brought great pain to even those that saw it. Cringing at the sufferings of the being that had fought so hard.

I stretched my back. My claws scraped against the floor and my tail and fur puffing up as I yawned. Letting out what to others would be a great roar. 

But to me it was merely a yawn.

"Of course." I spoke within her mind. For that was the tongue of beasts. An ability born from the taint within our souls. That allowed us to communicate with others who held that same taint.

It was as much of a blessing as it was a curse.

For with each and every essential use it drew that taint even further into our soul. Little by little we would be swallowed. And only those that devoured more and more.

Gaining the soul and spirit of those they killed would truly ever overcome that deathly taint. An ever present devil over the shoulder.

Drawing us towards insanity.

But when I turned, she was no longer there. Her blood was. I looked again and again. Trying to find where she had gone.

It was obvious though. Meaning one thing. That she, the good sheep she was, would go and die a warrior's death. Fighting for the freedom that we so longed for.

But I didn't want that for my friend. I wanted her to stay with me, ignore the taint within her soul. Who told her that she must go. 

To stay.

I just wanted her to stay.

But because of that injury, that wound given to her merely a day ago, she would die. We were unlike those blessed humans. Who could heal with a touch.

Given by that angelic figure. No, we must heal with our own efforts. Such an injustice. Was that what we were to be?

Merel-

Kill… Murder…Take

I licked my lips… this was the time. I must go now, there was no other option for me. I must leave now.

Now… it was only now that I should leave. But why… Why did my soul tell me to stay? To not take this clear… this obvious weak point.

I would kill whosoever healed those from the brink of death. And with it I would take over this realm.

Proving… proving… What was I proving?

I tried again and again to try and find the reason but when my head cleared there was no more ambition within my barren claws.

I only found rest between the leaves that I pawed into a bed. Scratching them with such force that even the dirt and stone below was not enough to withstand my apathy.

…

Another day passed, another creature bound from the mortal coil. Sent to their death and soon replenished with more and more creatures.

Who then sent themselves to their deaths. A never ending cycle of death and repeat. Where one would be brought only to be killed the day after.

Not even the depths of this realm was safe. This was the fifth time I had to escape, finding another hole to hide in.

And with each week the circle grew shorter and shorter in radius. And there was nothing I could do. I had no power within these walls.

I would be discovered soon and when that happened would I live?

No, it was grim. That this day would soon end and with it my hope to live. Even that irreplaceable life of mine would be forfeit to the powers that be.

Those humans who thought themselves the apex predators.