Azure Chronicle

The Beast Within

AZ

I awoke to a rumble, light flashed through the window curtain.

"Lore"

no response, I looked toward the door where she was laying, her mat was empty.

Muted sounds of panic came through the closed window followed by heavy gunfire. I jumped up and ran to the window. 

I opened the curtain to see a blast of purple light. Down in the street were Hack and Lore. Hack turned and looked up into the window.

"RUN BOY!"

The window shattered as their flesh peeled back in burning streaks.

I sat up.

The room was quiet and still. I was covered in sweat. Warm light poured in through the curtains.

"You too?" I heard a familiar voice.

"Lore!" I was immediately aware of overly excited response.

"Good morning," I said mundanely.

She smiled and turned to the window, taking a sip from a white mug.

The room was still for some time. Lore looked so content. Her face lit by the warm morning light. 

"How did you get blight burn?" I broke the silence.

She stood for a moment, then touched her scar.

"When I was 10, an umbra killed my family and destroyed our home." She looked at me, her eyes now piercing.

"The pain and confusion you feel will never go away. And seeking revenge will not answer your questions."

Suddenly Lore seemed to be speaking to someone else entirely. 

"I never said I wanted revenge, why does everyone assume I want to be a warrior!"

"Az, I didn't say that you did, but I know that you want revenge, and I know that you want to fight back. But you have to be smart, you're not ready."

"I know I'm not ready, I don't want to be! Maybe I'm happy that the dragon burned that stupid place to the ground! Everyone thinks they know what I want!" I jumped from my bed and ran out of the room, tears streaming down my face.

"AZ!"

I threw the flophouse doors open and ran out into the street. I kept running, street after street.

Soon I reach the open gates, but I didn't stop. 

I ran for what felt like a good 20 minutes before reaching the foot of a plateau. I crawled into one of the caves near the base, a cool moist breeze flowed out from its mouth.

Nobody understands me, I don't want to fight, or go to war. I just want to... What did I want to do? I always knew I didn't want to fight, but I have never thought about what I would rather do. Do I even know myself?

I watched the sun ripple in the desert heat. It slowly rose into the clear sky. Sparse trees cast harsh shadows down on the dry ground below. The moist air was refreshing.

As I sat, I heard something deep in the cave. I quickly stood up and spun around.

The gentle sound of wind and faint rushing water.

"Az!"

"Lore?" How did she get in here without me seeing?

I stumbled into the cave, the wind now stronger with large drops of water. The floor was now wet and slimy and the rushing water now loud.

"Lore?" I yelled. No response.

I started to leave.

"AZ!" The sound was distressed.

I took off running into the cave. The cave grew dark, too dark to see, then I saw the next section was filled with blue light.

I carefully traversed a faintly lit stream that split the cave.

The light came from dozens of worms on the ceiling, hanging from thin slimy strings. The roaring of water now overpowering. To the side of me, a large river blasted down into the darkness.

"Lore?" I yelled over the roaring fall.

Suddenly a wave of fear passed over me. I looked around scanning the dark recesses of the cavern.

A growl evolved from the roaring stream.

The sound came from behind me.

I spun around, nothing. I tried to run but realized I was unsure of the exit. I went to where I remembered only to find a wall of solid rock.

A blow to my back, knocking me to the ground.

Rolling onto my back i came face to face with a set of yellow eyes. Cocrottat.

It cocked its head back for a bite and I grabbed it by its horns. It viciously snapped at my wrists before resorting to kicking at my legs with its hooves. The edge of its hoof making cuts in my thigh.

I rolled it over onto its back pushing my knee into its gut. The blight yelped and squirmed, sulfur filled my nose as it breathed.

Letting my hand off its horn I began to punch. The satanic mutt turned its head, clamping onto my wrist.

Grabbing its horn I tried to pry it off, but the more I pulled, the more its teeth sunk into my wrist.

I picked up its head with my clamped hand and slammed it against the stone.

Again.

Slam.

It released my hand to whimper. I had a hard time breathing as the smell got worse. The fumes burned my eyes.

I punched it in the face several times. My fist became black and the beast limp.

After several more punches, I drug it over to the falls and slid it into the dark grave. The beast ended in silence.

I found the exit and made my way into the sunlight once again. My hands covered in black sticky ooze. The breeze clean and cool. My leg, bleeding and sore.

I started my long walk back to Titum.

While I walked I realized how little I understood about myself. I walked back to town, wearing a badge of blood on my hands. I felt so much power at that moment. If a life of war wasn't for me, then what was this feeling I felt?

The trip back took much longer on account of my condition. The heat had also was taking a toll on me. My mouth was dry and sticky.

"AZ!"

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AUTHOR COMMENTS

Dang Az, Who would have thought. Im kind of interested to see more than cocrottats? How about you guys?