The Death Game II

A young lad in his late twenties ran through a narrow pathway between two large buildings that lay in ruins, but he wasn't fast enough. He was frail, his body almost skin and bones.

Phillip had lost track of the others as he ran, but he didn't dare stop to look for anyone. Every little sound set his nerves on edge, even the rustling of debris beneath his feet filled him with dread as he ran.

Suddenly, his barefoot struck a small rock and he slipped, falling face down on the dirt ground. He lost some teeth and his mouth and lips were stained with blood from the impact. As he struggled to rise in that disoriented state, he didn't realize how close the same dragon that had killed Freya was until it landed before him, blocking his path. He froze to a spot, fear consuming his entire being.

"Run, you coward," the dragon snarled, its sharp, menacing fangs glinting as it slowly approached.

Philip couldn't move. His legs had suddenly failed him. His eyes were fixed wide as his life flashed before his eyes. He briefly remembered what his life used to be like before the dragons took him captive. He used to be so...happy and carefree, without a worry in the world. Now, here he was, desperately running for a meaningless life. Survival no longer seemed worth it. Living suddenly lost all meaning.

"You won't run...?" The dragon growled lowly.

Phillip collapsed to his knees, his hands sinking into the dirt as tears streamed down his face.

"Just kill me already, you monster! Isn't that what you want?!" He shouted from clenched teeth, his eyes tightly shut in despair.

The dragon released a low rumble as it lowered its large horned head, fire briefly illuminating its throat.

"How utterly pathetic." it hissed.

With a swift strike, Philip's life was ended, his headless body falling to the ground as the dragon unfurled its wings and flew away. His head rolled a few feet from where his body lay, a horrified expression fixed on his lifeless face forever.

Three other slaves were equally unfortunate. The dragons didn't hesitate to kill them the moment they were caught. Meanwhile, Aria crept cautiously through the ruins of the abandoned houses, her heart racing in her chest as she made every effort to remain silent. Rhysann was right about one thing; the dragons were ruthless beings, and they had an insatiable desire to inflict pain and torment on humans.

A wave of fear overwhelmed her as she crouched behind a pile of fallen bricks. She had heard some thuds and decided that it was only wise to stay hidden at that moment. Aria could still hear the distant roars of the dragons, and even more unsettling, she had heard screams of what seemed to be a woman before the voice went silent. Aria didn't need a soothsayer to tell her what that meant. Another life had been lost. But what happened to the others? And Constance?!

Aria hoped that she was alright and safe. After ensuring that it was safe to move on, she rose and continued walking hastily, weaving through the abandoned homes, the thick layers of moss and vines clinging to the walls, like nature, itself was trying to conceal the horrors that had occurred here. Aria's eyes darted from corner to corner, her senses heightened as she was careful not to make a sound.

Then, she heard a soft whimper, followed by hushed voices. Aria froze, holding her breath. She searched the area for a moment, hopeful that some of the slaves were close by and alive.

The five remaining slaves, with Constance amongst them, were huddled together in a small wooden shack that was almost eaten away by termites, their bodies trembling with fear. The space was tight and infested with cockroaches, but they paid it no mind. The fear of getting caught and killed outweighed any disgust they might have felt towards the crawling insects around them.

Constance was the first to notice her.

"Aria…" Her voice was barely a whisper, but it was enough to bring the others to silence. "You're alive!"

The tears glistening in her relieved eyes broke Aria's heart. She quickly approached them and managed to squeeze herself into the little space left in the shack. It was suffocating; the air filled with dust and the heavy scent of fear and sweat.

"W... We couldn't run anymore. They have us surrounded and we had to hide here..." Constance explained but Aria quickly placed a hand over her mouth to silence her.

They all heard the low rumble and the sound of heavy thuds vibrating through the ground. Their faces went pale as it dawned on them that not one, or two, but three dragons were just around the corner.

Constance and the others shut their eyes tightly as they awaited the worst, but Aria watched. She was determined to stare those beasts straight in the eyes before they killed them all. But then, a familiar voice called her name.

"Aria!"

Her eyes widened in surprise as she quickly got out of the shack. A few feet away stood Rhysann, and the moment he sighted her, he quickly approached.

"Are you alright?" his deep, raw, accented voice was laced with concern.

Aria, visibly enraged was about to respond when the four dragons landed behind her. They quickly reverted to their human forms with Raiken stepping forward.

"Are you joining the game, cousin? We were having such a good time—"

Rhysann clenched his jaw, glaring at Raiken.

"Enough of this nonsense!" he commanded in a sharp, authoritative tone.

"Don't worry, we weren't planning to kill all of them," Raiken said with a voice full of arrogance, and it was void of sympathy.

Aria was so furious at how casually he spoke about torturing her people as though they were animals. She desperately wanted to strangle him, but how could she?

"You bastards! I hope you burn in hell for what you have done to my people!" she screamed with a voice full of agony. Rhysann reached out to stop her, but she pulled away from him swiftly.

Raiken merely chuckled chillingly and stepped closer to Aria. He grabbed her chin with a firm grip and pressed her features a bit hard with his fingers. Rhysann reacted instantly, tearing Raiken's hand away and pulling Aria protectively behind him.

"I said enough, Raiken. Leave now. I forbid any of you from hunting down slaves without my permission, do you understand?"

The two men were facing each other now, their fists and Jaws clenched as their gazes locked in a silent, intense battle.

"You 'forbid' us?" Raiken repeated with a sinister smirk tugging at his lips.

"I believe I made myself clear the first time."

Rhysann responded coldly.

An intense silence hung in the air as everyone watched the two, unsure of what would happen next. Then, Raiken chuckled and stepped back.

"Of course. After all, you're the king. You make the rules. But, I wonder what will happen if everyone else finds out that the king's slave wears no ownership choker." Raiken uttered with a wide, almost creepy smile, his gaze shifting from Aria and back to Rhysann again.

Rhysann's handsome features were slightly contorted with unspoken rage. Was Raiken threatening him now?

"How I treat my slave is none of your concern," he said without mincing words, and Raiken laughed mockingly.

"She blinded me, your highness. I told you to bring her to Scalethorne and punish her, but you haven't done that yet! Instead, you treat her like she is your—"

Rhysann's eyes blazed with a fiery intensity as he glared at Ares, the markings on his muscular arms emitting a subtle, dangerous glow. Ares cautiously stepped back, a bit intimidated as a flicker of unease crossed his face. He knew that Rhysann's power surpassed his own, and challenging him was a waste of time. The blue Dragonfire power was boundless, and he barely stood a chance.

"Enough, Ares. Let's go. I'll handle my cousin later. For now, he wins." Raiken said as he placed a firm hand on Ares's shoulder.

He shot a venomous stare at Aria before shifting to his dragon form and taking off. The others followed, and Rhysann watched as their massive figures gradually faded, heading towards the castle.