Night Rider

Chapter Six

Ten’s Point of View

The vibrations that flowed through the air were similar to the disturbance I created when I flew. There were some differences, however, like this disturbance was more powerful. Almost like whatever was creating it was carrying an immense amount of weight. The rhythm was off too, it seemed to be moving a lot slower than I usually do.

I opened my wings slightly. Just enough so if I had to move quickly, I could just fall and glide. I laid my hands upon the support beam so I could push off it if necessary.

I felt whatever was approaching reach me. The disturbance was rhythmic and strong. I could hear it with the feathers from my wings, it was almost unbearable. It was so loud.

There was a brief moment of utter silence before a hand shot forth. The nails were grimy and caked with hardened blood. The knuckles were covered with calluses and the skin was dry and gnarled.

In a moment, I had rolled into empty air, away from whoever my attacker was. I plummeted for a few seconds in my panic, they I righted myself and turned to face my attacker.

My attacker was a boy, large and strong. I think I recognised him as Subject Four. He didn't live in the same Holding Room as I and the younger subjects did. However, he was usually scheduled before or just after I was, so I saw him when it was time for us to exchange.

Four turned to me, his eyes narrowed and focused on me. His wings angled towards me, upon his face was single-minded determination. He bared his fangs and growled, his dark skin folded around his lips and nose.

I wondered briefly what they had offered in exchange for him to attack, probably not much. I didn't have much time to ponder this, however, as Four launched himself at me.

His finger latched themselves into my shoulders. His grooming teeth dug into the primary flight joint. Where my wing merged with my spine. The pain was like acid poured directly into the bloodstream. I know better than most what that feels like.

I elbowed Four in the ribcage. He ripped flesh from my wing, I hit him again, under the ribcage. He released me I flipped over, facing him. I felt the wound he caused burn for a moment, then my regenerative property sealed the wound. There was just a thin sheet of skin covering the wound but it was enough.

My blood dropped from Four’s mouth. I could see the flesh he tore from me in between his teeth. His eyes gleamed with a sadistic light as he swallowed the piece of me he had in his mouth.

“What did they offer you to attack one of your brothers?”I asked, unnerved by what I had just witnessed.

“Just the chance to kill,” he smiled, his teeth stained red.

“So cannibalism is just your own touch?”

Four smiled and lunged towards me. I grabbed his shoulders and used his momentum to roll us over so I was on top. Four pulled me down towards him, he tried to get a hold on my throat. A major wound like that I couldn't heal fast enough.

Four spun us over so he was on top again, his wings worked to keep us at our present altitude. I withered around. I tried to beat him off with my wings, but every time I brought my wings toward Four, it was timed so his would beat mine out of the way. I couldn't even propel myself toward the floor.

Four bared his teeth and snarled, he sunk his teeth into my shoulder. The pain was intense and nauseating, not as severe as the one he had previously inflicted.

I went limp, forcing him to relinquish the grip he had on me. Fortunately, he didn't rip off a piece of me, I don’t think that I could stand watching him eat me again.

I caught myself before I fell too far. The wound in my shoulder was just a puncture wound so it didn't take too long to seal up. I rotated my shoulder, it was painful but I could still move it.

I decided that I would take the initiative and attack first. I initiated a downward stroke that brought me closer to his altitude. Disadvantages to fighting above ground included the fact that to gain altitude, I had to expose the largest area of my body to my attacker.

I heard Four dive down towards me. Just before he made contact I rolled and grabbed his shoulders. I somersaulted and dragged him around, forcing him to lose altitude. His momentum carried him forward so he could do little to stop himself from falling, by the end of the ordeal I had the advantage.

I didn't give Four anytime to recover, I tucked my wings in and dropped on top of him. I latched onto his wings with my fingernails, I clawed out handfuls of creamy off white feathers. After a moment of hesitation, I also sunk my grooming teeth into his wing.

It was disgusting, I could taste all the grim that he had encountered since he had last bathed. I could feel the grit of the sand from the training pits. I could taste sweat and blood, it was revolting. Once I felt my teeth hit bone I let go. It was revolting.

Four laughed as he watched me spit his blood out. He rotated his wing, and narrowed his eyes at me.

“Little brother, if you wish to copy my fighting style, do please take notes.”

As if you could call what he does fighting.

Four lunged towards me, he grabbed my arms and pinned them against my sides. His strong, vast arms held my wings against his chest. His long nails dug trenches into my skin, then, once he had subdued me, we fell.

We plunged from our height of one thousand five hundred metres. I felt the wind slice past me. It stung my eyes and ears. I took note of the niches carved into the walls, marking our decent.

One thousand metres, seven hundred fifty metres, five hundred metres, two hundred fifty metres. Two hundred metres, I felt my heart beat rise to unnatural speeds. We were approaching one hundred metres.

Four released me and threw open his wings, he slowed his desent. I didn't have enough time to throw my wings open.

I hit the ground with enough force to shatter every bone in my body. I felt red hot pain shoot up every square centimetre in my body.

I felt Four’s fingers grip my shoulder, effectively, but unnecessarily pinning me to the floor. His touch sent fire through my veins. I felt his teeth sink into the flesh of my wing, along my second humourous. I felt acid travel through my veins.

The colour red built up at the edges of my vision. The world seemed to spin for a moment. The colour black flashed momentarily, buzzing rang in my ears and I passed out.

A/N

It took me a long time to be somewhat satisfied with this chapter, I'm still not. Some of the terms may change in this chapter as I completely develop the Angel Wing's anatomy. I got side tracked reading about metal wings and genetic engineering... Oops