Spawn of Evil | ONC 2021 ✔️

10

I struggle to open my eyes. They're heavy, and it's dark— I can't see anything the split seconds my eyelids care to obey my will.

My whole body is dangling, my heels sting, and as I move them I figure I'm stuck against some stone wall. My arms above my head, my wrists feel broken.. Everything hurts, but the worst pain is the one in my chest.

I never even got to know her, and it's my fault that she's gone.

As I try to swallow my throat hurts as well. It's so dry, though I can hear water dripping somewhere around me. I've lost all hope. I have no memory of what I did to the poor soldiers after I realized Mina was beyond saving, except for the fact that I stepped on and effectively squashed the man who put the spear through her body.

I hope he suffered as I unknowingly killed him.

A groan echoes off the walls.

"Hello?" My voice comes out way worse than I thought it would. It's like water hasn't run down there for years.

A deep cough sounds in the dark.

"Corie?"

My stomach turns over as I recognize my father's voice. He sounds to be in as much pain as me.

I've force my eyes to open up for long enough to be somewhat accustomed to the dark and I see light above us, and some water reflecting it below. We're in a dungeon. Hung by our wrists and left for dead inside a fucking dungeon. For what reason, I don't know, but probably for being dragons and not being able to control ourselves— in their minds.

"I'm here, I'm okay," I croak out, though the rasp in my throat makes it less believable. Then it hits me— "How are we both here, and talking? Shouldn't—"

The sentence is cut off by my throat closing up and then a series of harsh coughs breaks through, coating my tongue with the tang of blood. My head spins, and I barely even know up from down anymore as I try to figure out what time of day it is, through the light from above.

"They drugged us," father explains, coughing slightly himself. "Sedatives makes it impossible for our bodies to change—" he coughs again— "they gave me some when you swung your tail around in rage, and they captured you, drugged you to get you back here, and I suppose they waited it out until you changed back, I—"

His cough sounds harsher, more painful, and my own chest aches from hearing it.

It's all my fault.

"I'm sorry," I whisper.

My eyes droop, and my body goes limp. The fire inside my lungs is nowhere to be found, like it's vanished now that I don't think we'll get back out there. If I'd just left well enough alone, if I hadn't been intrigued by the shadow in front of the stars, by the chance that I could meet a real dragon outside of my books...

There's no changing the past. Though I want to, there's nothing I can do to bring her back. To change the outcome of every choice I've made since I saw my father's silhouette interrupt my assessment of the night sky.

"I'm sorry, Mina," I whisper, letting my eyes go up to the sky, to wherever she might be watching my failure from. The promise that 'we could' hanging between time and space somewhere, eternally unfulfilled.

"Don't be sorry, son, it's not your fault. It's mine, I should've stayed away."

"No," I protest calmly. "I'm glad you didn't."

The words linger in the air, and though I can't see him through the dark, the thought of him smiling softly towards me gives my mind some peace.

Another sigh comes from me, just as shouting is heard from above. Then a canon blows. Steel clinging against steel in what sounds like a vicious sword fight— several of them.