Dragon's Lover {KiriBaku}

~: Chapter Three :~

- Felt nice, enjoy an extra chapter -

-Kirishima's POV: Age 17-

I've been fighting for so long now, almost ten years of my life spent in this tiny room. I've seen many come and go, some at my own hands, all going in a bloody fashion. All of the fighters were forced to watch the fights, to keep us in our places and show the strength of our master. He was a large man with many children, all of them watched the fights, little monsters in their own manner.

There was one that spent time with the fighters daily, Shoto. He was a kid my age with white and red hair, he seemed ok though I always remember the rules I was told. Do not speak unless directed to. I always stuck to it, especially when I saw one person break the rule. The ringmasters had dragged them out before a fight and made up a lie about them then cut out their tongues. I was nine when they had done that, succeeding in keeping the others quiet.

I had just got out of a fight, cleaning off my wounds and the blood from my mouth and hands. One thing I found while here was the ring my mother left me, helped to keep my clothes from tearing when I shifted. I sometimes shifted when I fought, seeing as the winners got extra food or a book or something to keep in their room. It wasn't much but we all fought to the death out in the ring. I have been fighting long enough to be able to shift quickly almost at the drop of a coin. This made things much easier in a fight when I needed to be big, fast.

"135! Nightly rations!" the ringmaster yelled, sliding the food in for me.

I ate it slowly, I had earned the extra bread that was on my tray. The screams for mercy of all my opponents haunted me nightly as the wind whistled through the small duct-like window in my room. Their faces and blood haunted me in the dark as the days passed over these long nine years here. Never ending screams could be heard, either from those that are being punished for weakness or the fights getting ready to start.

-Time Skip: 2 years later-

I was resting before a big fight when my door opened early. The kid with dual colored hair peeked in slowly, Shoto, inching into the room. After him came in a small boy with green hair that was all over the place. The boy had bright green eyes that sparkled in the dimly lit room. He looked shocked as they made their way in here. Growling softly, I inched back against the wall farthest from them, that didn't deter them from getting closer.

"Don't worry we won't hurt you, we want out just as much as you do. Do you think you could help us out?" the boy with green hair asked, making me look at him suspiciously.

I only lowered the volume of my growl, still following the rules. He seemed to like that as an answer as he left with the other kid, though leaving the door open. They peeked in through the doorway and motioned for me to follow. I did, slowly, hesitantly. I didn't trust them all that much and expected a trap outside the door.

"Come on, we know the way out. You can shift when we get outside and we'll be out free." the greenette said, excited.

I quietly followed them, still waiting to get caught. We made it to the hall with the opening, almost out when there was sudden shouting. I knew this would happen so I tried to turn to run and found the master walking towards us, furious. Whimpering, I got the others' attention real fast as they also saw him coming towards us.

"Shoot, come on shift out here. We gotta get away now or never." the dual-haired boy stated, dragging me to the exit.

I shifted before anything else could happen and they climbed on quickly. I took off running, not knowing how to fly. I leapt up and flapped my wings a few times, though it never held flight for more than a few minutes. Even with the lack of flying we managed to make it quite far after losing them.

When we did land they hunted down a decently sized rock and broke off the collar that had grown when I shifted. Each halfling had one so we could be led around with ease. We made a small camp, though the peace didn't last long as there were people who found us after we went to sleep. They had dragged us back, though this time to the palace above the cave.

They brought us to a grand looking room where the master and his other children stood, watching as us three were brought in. It didn't take him more than a breath to declare us guilty, even his own son, sent to be killed. So following the large argument that followed his declaration we were all led down to a cell, not too different from the tiny room I had been staying in. We stayed there until dawn, it was actually quite beautiful. I hadn't seen a sunrise in my eleven years in the arena.

"Come on you three, time to face your final moments." an old guard stated, leading us out.

We were taken to the cliff side where there was a railing in all but one spot. I was the first up, seeing as I was the most difficult to kill. They brought me to the side of the cliff, my arms bound behind me. Master came over to me, towering as he always did. I could see the distaste in his face as he looked me over.

"My prized fighter, a dragon at heart. I'll miss the attention and money you brought in. You're pelt would've been quite nice too." he stated, chuckling darkly to himself.

With one final growl I launched at him, shaking loose from the guards and bit into his throat. The taste of blood filling my mouth and a warm and sticky liquid running down my chin. There was loud yelling as well as a quiet crying behind me as they pried me off of the evil man in front of me. I shifted before they could grab me and I picked the other two up and put them on my back. I growled at the guards, watching them back off as I turned and ran into the woods with my two passengers.

-Time Skip: Six Hours Later-

I had been running for quite some time, turning and swimming when I thought it would help. We found an alcove against a steep hill, hidden by some ivy. They climbed off of me and I shifted back to normal. The two of them started to gather branches and leaves to make a fire as I wandered off to clean up and find food. When I came back with a bunch of berries, twigs, and some small creatures they had set up the fire so that it was hidden behind the ivy and the smoke wouldn't be too noticeable.

We cooked up the small creatures I caught and ate a little bit before the two of them went to bed. I decided to stay up and watch through the ivy for any sign of pursuit. I couldn't hear anything over the bugs outside and natural critters scurrying around in the dark. I looked over past the barely glowing coals at the two who helped me get out of the arena. They were snuggled together, Shoto holding the greenette as they both slept peacefully. They actually looked....happy together.

I wonder if I'd ever find someone like that, though who would want a vicious halfling like me. With these thoughts I fell asleep, the wind whistling past and the long lost victims screaming to be left alive.