Collapsed World [MxM, Non-Con, Mpreg]

Part 9 [Iris]

It might have been an interesting to Iris to have seen the different types of structures that the Corvines built, in some alternate reality where he could observe them of his own free will, to blissfully stroll down the cobblestone paths and roads of alien species. That would have been something that he would have liked very much. He adored books that came from other worlds, especially ones with paintings and still pictures of what each of their planets was like, the exotic wildlife, plants and flowers. There were so many interesting things outside of their own little world, Iris had always dreamed of exploring the galaxy, but with the isolationist society of his race, it was a dream that was never likely to come true, and impossible in these times of enslavement. Iris noticed the difference in Lykaios' home. He recognized some of the same materials that had been popular in Avaen architecture, though it was used in much different ways than how his people had built things.

There were many things of beauty within the house, the crystal and the windows, and yet it seemed to be a perversion of beauty, a mockery of the culture of a people that once indulged deeply into the arts and the earth. Avaen's rarely built roofs for their homes, or constructed building with crystal or glass roofs with access points built into them. Iris quickly found out that being inside of a building and not being able to look up and see the sky was almost panic invoking. It was a terrifying reality that he couldn't just take off into the air and sore through the skies, which was what their wings were best for. It was much more difficult to try to fly around in an enclosed space, their size and weight making low to the ground flight harder to maneuver, whereas in higher altitudes the stronger winds aided them greatly. Flying wasn't something that came naturally to them either, it took the young several decades to master the skill and after so many years of being grounded, it wouldn't be surprising for Avaens that still had their wings to be too afraid to take flight again. Iris refused to forget about flight though, even though it had put him greater risk, he would still take to the skies in the nights sometimes.

It was sad to think that he may never feel the wind beneath his wings again.Iris moved cautiously from the carriage. He felt a great foreboding to finally have arrived. He looked up with a small glimmer of hope in his eyes when he saw other Avaen. They were clean and had their wings in tact, and at first Iris felt his heart skip a beat, thinking for just a second that perhaps this wasn't going to be hell on earth. He quickly realized he was wrong though, it didn't even take him until Lykaios so coldly dealt with the one boy. It was their eyes that gave it away, like they were nothing but empty shells now, just a physical remnant of something they used to be. In a way it was more horrifying this way. To see his kind paraded around, kept pretty for the sake of being dolls in a doll house was truly disturbing, and perhaps even worse than seeing them beaten and killed, because at least that was an honest form of evil to be plainly seen for what it was.

This...Iris didn't know exactly what was in store yet, but his stomach churned with bad feelings. Iris winced when the boy was grabbed by his injured wing. Poor thing. Iris was tense from that point on, desperately wanting to do something to relieve the boy's pain, but knowing that any effort that he made on his part would be fruitless in the end. Lykaios' cruel behavior and words made Iris cast his gaze off to the side, not wanting to see the face that reminded him of his beloved, and yet was nothing like him. Iris could not even begin to fathom how any creature could derive enjoyment from the suffering of another. Still, Iris didn't want to make any waves, so he followed Lykaios as directed, his anxiety growing with every step that he took. It felt strange to have restraints put on him by one of his own kind, and it even hurt a little, that any Avaen would aid in the torment of another, even in the face of punishment and death. If their race did eventually come to fall, it would be their own kind betraying them out of fear that would be the last straw.

He closed his eyes, his knees hitting the floor painfully when he was forced to kneel, though he would have done so on his own if told, that obviously wasn't the point though. Iris was silent while he was being washed. It was degrading and he felt like one of the animals that the Corvines took to slaughter to feed on. He thought back for a moment, to bathing with Julez, who would always wash him so tenderly and with such kindness, helping him wash his hair. He never felt small with Julez, but he did now as he was scrubbed almost mechanically.

The only part that gave Iris any relief was that the boy with the hurt wing was sent away for the time being. Iris hated seeing others be harmed more than anything. He would gladly take all of their beatings for them, if it would prevent them from being harmed.Iris heard Lykaios commands, but he didn't respond. Bathing every day was most likely going to be the least of his problems. Iris did good with putting up with being bathed without a fuse, that is, until his privates were touched, and not just touched for the sake of cleaning, blatantly groped. Iris felt sick when Lykaios touched him like that, and if it weren't for the fact that he hadn't eaten anything in days, he might have lost it. He winced instinctively away from the touches without much luck. Iris was too uncomfortable and too frightened for his sexual organ to respond in a positive way. The only thing that he felt by being touched down there was repulse that anyone other than Julez was touching him. Iris hadn't had sexual contact with anyone since Julez, and that was such a long time ago that Iris' body was about as close to a virginal state as one could get without actually being a virgin, so even the probing was quite uncomfortable. Iris was glad when Lykaios finally stopped, but that feeling of relief only lasted a moment before he was once again put in a frightening position.

The table was foreboding to say the least. He didn't want to get up there, and he couldn't stop his trembling as he crawled up on the table as commanded, unsure of what was coming next, but he was frightened. Nothing could have prepared Iris for the horror that was about to happen. He found himself completely unable to move, his cheek flat against the table as he fought back his tears. Iris only heard the first part of whatever it was that Lykaios was saying to him, the rest of it was blocked out by the piercing sound of Iris screaming, as soon as he felt the blade touch his ankle and he realized what was happening. He lashed violently, sobbing, crying, and bellowing all at the same time.

"No, no, no,no,no,no!" Iris protested, jerking so roughly that he nearly knocked the rolling table over, the restraints cutting in his skin from his efforts, but he cared not. It wasn't even about the pain, that was nothing compared to the consequences of having his mate mark removed, effectively severing his tie to Julius. Five minutes ago he wouldn't have believed a word about Julez being dead, because he could still feel his mate's presence in the world, but now, he had no way of knowing if he was alive or dead. Though he had no idea what state Julius was living in, at least he had known that he was alive. It was his link to Julez that kept his strong and gave him courage to continue living. Even though his mate wasn't there with him, he always had a part of him in his head with him, and now that was gone, stripped away from him violently. By the time Lykaios bandaged him up, Iris was laying limp against the table, sobbing pathetically. Without Julez, there was no point in living. In that moment he couldn't think of anything to live for, not even his children being out there somewhere was enough to make him want to live some miserable existence as the pet of a depraved monster. When his chin was lifted, he stared at Lykaios with dead, uncaring eyes, stained with his tears.

"Death is the purest form of freedom, and I would always choose freedom."