Voices - DSMP

Chynea - Today is the Day (Woe to thee, ye people of order)

                                                                        (CW: Blood and violence)

I woke up to the usual sound of my holding room guard yelling at the top of his voice. "Wake up Subject DM.17,22,7! Time for your tests!"

Another day in prison. As usual. Another morning of cardboard breakfast. As usual. Down to the lab - a left, two rights and a straight. As usual. Pain. But this time, not my own.

I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised with how easily the surgical knife cut flesh - especially since I knew first hand how effective it was. Standing over my torturer's body, blood spilling from a slit in his neck, I felt my body ease. I knew that I would never be experimented on again. Straightening up from my semi-hunched position I waited for the two guards as they forced their way into the room - alerted from the scientists' cry. Turning to face them I smiled. I still had some cleaning up to do after all.

Dodging the male guards' strikes was easy. His armour slowed him down and made it harder for him to move in the crowded space of the testing room - also meaning that the female guard couldn't jump in and have a 2v1 against me. Moving to the side of the guard's clumsy thrust, I stepped behind his guard, using my free arm to keep his sword arm immoble and slitting his neck before he had the chance to react. Without dropping a beat, I let go of the guards body - picking up the guards weapon as I go, ducking as the female guards' sword swings past where my neck would have been.

"Nice try, but you'll need to do a bit better than that."

Sensing the energies and sounds around me, I felt the guard grip her sword hilt harder - I could tell she was angry and afraid. But still willing to fight. It was admirable in a way I suppose. As we continued to trade blows, striking and parrying, I could feel her getting tired. Voice cracking as she yelled, the guard locked our swords together, pushing against me. I pushed back. "What is your name?"

Her demeanour shifts for a moment and her strength slackens before she pushes back again. It was small, but would have given me a perfect opportunity to kill her. I increase my strength pushing against her little by little, tilting my head. I asked her again. "What is your name?"

She finally responded through gritted teeth, her voice strained. "Veiná."

"Veiná. You fought well." Twisting my sword, I fully pushed against Veiná, causing her to stumble and slip on the blood that had pooled behind her.

Eyes widening as she struggled to regain her footing, Veiná gasped, cold blade piercing through her sternum.

The Subject holding me in place against herself. Letting go as I slid to the ground, my blood pooling with my comrades. Walking to the door she almost looked ... regretful. Clenching my fists I tried to gather enough strength. "Wait..." She stopped, turning her face back to face me. "H–how are you so good ... with the sword? You are blind and ... have been here ... since you were sold. You h–had no ... opportunity to ... learn." She smiled, somewhat sadly, her tone soft, "Blood for the Blood god." Even without knowing who she was referring to, somehow, I understood what she meant. My limbs were beginning to get cold. I could hardly see. "What is ... your name?" She paused for a moment, considering. "My name is Chynea."

As the barred metal door closed behind Chynea, I chuckled. I hope she succeeds.

Door closing behind me, I sighed. Veiná would have made a good member of the Khupashai. Hearing the patter of footsteps coming from the hallway. I extend my senses - feeling the energies and smelling the iron tang of blood. "Nyx?" Fur pressed against my hand, a soft whine. It was Nyx. She must be in her wolf form. "How are you? Are you hurt? In pain anywhere?" Nyx shifted into her more human form. "I'm fine ..." I was still worried, she sounded exhausted. "It's not my blood. And my powers haven't been too draining. I can still fight." I frowned, still worried. Of all the members of the Khupashai, Nyx was the one I was most conflicted about. At 15, she would be considered nearly a full fledged adult in wolf packs, but by human standards she was still just a child. Her power of mind reading and control is strong ... but so is the price of using it. My thoughts must have slipped through because next to me, Nyx laughs. "I'll be fine Chynea, I have you and the Khupashai to protect me." I smiled ruefully. "Alright then, let's get this show on the road."

As Nyx reverted back to her wolf form, I once again extended my senses to see if there were any guards or scientists coming. Turning left from the lab room, I whisper to Nyx. "All clear - we can proceed. How are the others doing?" Behind me, I could feel Nyx pause as she stepped into her powers - the strain instantly fatiguing her. I waited for her signal before moving forward again. "Altair and Jackal have just met up, Ailtair has a cut on his lower left arm but other than that he is fine. Jackal has a cut over his right eye but it doesn't seem to have cut his actual eye. They are advancing to the Governers room. Heidi and Nori have been together for a while, they don't have any injuries but Heidi says that they are hard pressed to fight and are only just keeping ground." Nyx nudged me and we continued on while I thought of a way to help Heidi and Nori. "Nyx, ask who is closer when Nori ecolocates. Whoever is closest will then go and help them clear that area before they split again or they can continue together. "Ok ... Nori says that Altair and Jackal are closest."

"Alright, let them know that Heidi and Nori need help and where they need to go." "Yes ma'am."

Quietly chuckling, I froze, hearing three guards running in our direction. Behind me, I could hear Nyx growl. Holding out my sword, I let her know that I would handle this one. She growled again but complied, giving me the space I would need. Silently grateful, I turned my attention back towards the guards who could now see me. I could feel their confusion and fear as they drew closer - one of them calling out to me. "Hey! Subject! What are you doing? Get back to your lab!" I frowned. Three guards. One with a sword, one with a crossbow and the last one with a whip. "Subject!" Turning to face the guards I tilted my head, a phrase bubbling up in the back of my throat. "Blood for the blood god."

The first two guards didn't even have time to shout or pull out their weapons before their blood stained the ground. The third had time to do both, pulling his whip out in an attempt to disarm or kill me. First he tried to use the whip to injure my legs. A brutal trick. But it wouldn't work. Not on me. Lightly stepping back, I allow the whip to pass me, feeling the rush of wind as it does. Behind me, Nyx growls again. The next crack fo the whip was coming to my neck. I wouldn't let it. Hearing the swish of the whip I follow along its path, grabbing its end. Turning my head towards the guard, I smile, feeling his fear and confusion. "My turn."

Pulling on the end I had caught, I overbalanced the guard, causing him to stumble. As I go to pull again, he drops the whip, reaching to a sheath on his leg, pulling out a dagger before standing in a defensive position. I chuckled. "How cute, unfortunately you won't be able to beat me using that little toy." Extending my own sword, I waited for him to move. "Well are you going to get on with it?" Huffing in annoyance, the guard finally began his charge, aiming straight for my heart. I scoffed, he was so predictable. Sidestepping from his charge easily, I moved behind him, bringing my own sword through his heart before he knew what was happening. Shaking the blood off the sword, I turned back towards Nyx. "All sorted. How are the others doing?"

"Altair and Jackal have joined with Heidi and Nori, they just finished clearing the area there."

"That's good. What have they decided next? Are they sticking together or separating?"

"They are planning to stick together for a while before splitting off again."

"Alright then, I suppose we'd better get a move on then too."

(Again, why did no one tell me that I had missing parts 😭I won't bite if you (constructively) critique my writing - I want to be able to improve)

Woo this is a long one - I am pretty proud of how this one came out.

This was supposed to be one chapter but it's gotten much longer than expected so I have decided to break it into 'smaller' parts.

I hope you enjoyed ^^

Stay happy and safe,

Melza