BREAK THE BROKEN

It was a night shaken by the tremendous rage radiating from both bestial beings. The once peaceful forest shifted into the woodland of the battlefield meant for shedding blood and proving domination.

It would seem that my judgment was wrong about them getting along. Perhaps the friendship that I expected them to have would never come true…yet. My prediction shall still rule in the end. I was no brother of a boneheaded brute for nothing. They will get along. I was sure of it. I swear on the sharpness of this cucumber.

I stood in between them, picking up the fruits that Slade made me drop while they growl at each other. Their voices were raspy yet whole, deep and thunderous. Their booming roar drew a line of deafness in my hearing. The intensity caused vibrations throughout my whole body. Though they already scared the entire forest into a scampering mess, my stomach still overpowered it all.

Should I have peaches or should I have apples?

Slade bared his teeth at Caleb who transformed into Fenris. Neither of them would be backing down any time soon. What should I do to enjoy a night filled with munching on my precious peaches? Why must this battle hinder me from having a midnight snack?

Slade attempted to let out one loud snarl with his body ready to attack Fenris. I took the opportunity to shove the peach inside of his mouth to test if the food will solve the issue between them.

The newcomer's eyes widened. He tried to chew what I rammed inside his gob. I faced the assaulting Fenris and stayed anchored to my spot. Slade choked on the lethal peach. As Fenris nearly closed the distance, I opened my arms and a yawn escaped from me.

"Fenris, I am sleepy."

The wolf's active legs abruptly shut together, leaving his butt to undesirably close the distance. He smiled at me, giving my face a long lick. I grabbed on to his black fur, walking with the fruits in my arm. We sat beside the pyram and snacked on the fruits.

Fenris snarled. He was still focused on ripping Slade into tiny ribbons. The latter successfully spat out the fruit, wiping the drool from his lips with his arm.

"Slade, would you like to sit beside me?"

The man gave us a glare but he accepted the offer with a loud and angry "huff". I was trapped in a line of a tense atmosphere while I ate a peach. Food shall solve all disputes. The next time someone fights, I will grow a fruit tree from where they stand.

Hopefully, they know how to climb down because I will be growing a very tall tree that will surpass the Tree of Beginnings.

If Lucius was here, he would be very much delighted with how I interacted with other people.

"Is there any lake that we can bathe in tomorrow?" I asked.

Fenris started to speak but his words came out as short and mild howls in different pitches. I listened to every word and as soon as he was done, I stroked his fluffy chest.

"Thank you for trying Fenris," I praised blankly.

"You understood what he said?" he asked. Slade appeared flabbergasted.

"No," I deadpanned. "But his efforts were plausible," I added, causing Fenris to howl happily.

Slade glared at me for a bit before answering me.

"There's a small lake near here but it's an Asperger's territory."

I narrowed my eyes from his concern for there was no reason for worry. Why would Slade have problems with that?

"It is fine, they are delicious."

"The Asperger?" He asked for confirmation. His face was twisted in disgust.

I thought he loved vegetables?

"Asparagus is crispy and delicious. I specifically like them in a vegetable stew."

After that statement, Fenris let out harsh coughs. The werewolf was rolling on the floor while he wheezed. His long mouth was curled into a smile.

A heavy hand was placed on top of my head. Slade was grinning.

"I was referring to an Asperger. They are ferocious beings that eat dead catastrophes."

Again, where was the problem in that?

"They are allies then."

"But they eat those things," he rebutted.

"Do they attack anyone else?" I questioned.

I stared at the fire in front of me, rubbing Fenris' stomach.

Slade shrugged.

"We attack them before they attack us so I don't really know."

Killing something before they pose any threat must be considered wise to a fool.

I closed my eyes, feeling the rise and fall of Fenris' chest. There was still this thick and deadly connection between the two of them but things were more settled down than before. Right after I got warm with Fenris' body, I slowly succumbed to a peaceful slumber and woke up to the sight of myself dragged by my ankles.

The events were as fast as the whip of the winds. Fenris barked as I was thrown over Slade's shoulder. Strong dusty gales were generated from Slade's sprint. This reminded me of the day I was kidnapped by my stupid older brother.

The werewolf pursued us. I reached out to him, causing lighting over his face from the luminescence of my hand. My heart sped up. The tip of Fenris' nose nearly touched my hand yet Slade leaped, leaving a circle of air beneath him.

He soared high. Fenris was engulfed in darkness while he howled in melancholy. The moon was closer to touch now as our bodies went higher and higher.

There was the sound of bone cracking from the man carrying me. He emitted another growl but this time the sound seemed as though it didn't come from a man but instead from a monster. I was tossed up, like a sack of feathers.

My body was in tingles in midair. Slade disappeared in a mass of thick clouds. The winds formed a blanket beneath me. My hair flew the opposite direction from where my body was heading. A huge creature twirled out of the clouds. He grabbed me by its claw, carrying me further away from Fenris. It had the size of a castle. Its long and wide mouth was lined with sharp teeth.

I became drowsy and teary from the strong winds. Since I was able to hear something that could be considered as a lullaby, I could finally get some sleep.

I was sure that Caleb would manage to catch up like he always had. I will see him tomorrow and I will bathe his dirt-covered fur.

Where was Slade? He must have gone home already.

The claw that held me captive took in my whole body except for my arms. It served as a warm blanket that added fuel to my lethargic state.

"Bonne nuit, (goodnight) Caleb."

I didn't know why I had a dream this time. The only dream I remembered was about that weird tree that I met.

Everything was bright and white. There was nothing to see and nothing to look at. I couldn't even see myself.

"Lucian..."

The voice was as soft as my okaa's yet its tone was honest and pure.

"You are light and dark. You are pure yet tainted. You are hope and destruction. You are everything but nothing. You will be the destruction that will cause a new beginning and this new beginning will be the cause of your own ending. You are a flower of death that blooms life."

What was this man spouting? Did he want a peach shoved in his throat as well?

"Fuzakeru na (Stop being stupid)..." I deadpanned.

Instead of having the same silly reaction I get from Caleb and Lucius, the man chuckled. His delight was followed by more laughter that came from different voices. There were men, women and I even heard the voice of a little boy.

"Your Highness, you are the living dead that we will never regret saving..."

The bright light was replaced by total darkness. The resonating sound was substituted by the noise of a beast grunting and something heavy scraping the floor.

My eyes flew open. I could only see my glowing body amid all the darkness. Fire erupted from the perfectly carved confinement of one of the rocky scoops of the wall. One by one more flames followed it, starting from the bottom wall up to the circular frame of the stony and uneven ceiling. They were like little bonfires caged in craggy incarceration in which their radiance represented their presence.

"The look of this cave is more tolerable than where we reside," Slade's voice sounded from behind me. "Although we have a whole city inside of the cave with a big castle and houses, the water is contaminated and the establishments are already withering. We have no food so we hunt."

I stood up from my sitting position and faced him. I couldn't read his expression. He was harder to figure out. I saw myself in him. I could understand the struggles of Caleb and Lucius when they dealt with me.

"Why did you bring me here?"

My eyes were still squinted from the lack of sleep. I wished to snooze more.

"That werewolf was a hindrance. I want you all for myself."

His red eye glimmered.

"The time that I have spent with you is short compared to my time with Caleb and my brother. You are still unnecessary to me," I told him. "Return me to Caleb and from there we can start peacefully."

Slade took huge steps towards me. His breathing was flared; the slit of his red eye narrowed further.

"I merely need you for my desires. I have no intention of loving you. I will only impregnate you. Your feelings do not matter to me."

He snatched my wrists, grasping them tightly above my head with one hand. I was sure they'd bruise later. He twisted my shirt, ripping it off with one strong pull. My chlamys that served as a cloak were also thrown to the side. My whole shirt was torn in half from the front. He roughly grabbed me by the waist, bending my neck to the side. His teeth sunk through my neck, warm blood flooded his mouth.

A memory spoke to me. 'The king and queen will never know…'

If the kingdom knew of that occurrence, what would they think about my parents? The reputation of my parents always came first. I was trained from their standards of perfection.

That person had broken everything in me and left nothing so that I could reach the standards of my parents. He turned me into something that Lucius had hated. Nothing mattered in my body. I was prepared to drink the pain as it was taught to be essential at that time.

Slade's nails dug into the skin of my naked back. His hands roamed up to my neck where he cradled the area where he bit me.

"Once I break you apart...my brother will also break. The high and mighty Sevor will fall. He won't be as great as everyone thought of him to be."

His eyes contradicted what he said. Why was he lying?

"You say that your brother is high and mighty. Don't you think that you fall in the same category?" I questioned him calmly, unfazed by all the injuries that he had carved into my physical form.

"You think you can break me. You are cocky to have such thoughts," I scorned. "Do break me then. Let's see if you can."