Hey folks!  Here is chapter nineteen, the polls are closed and damn. You all really feel for Envy and Hate don't you? Well, they will receive some sexy loven either in this chapter or the following chapter but very soon. I was shocked to see Hellen getting her ass spanked in the top three, but should expect it. Ya'll are pervs like me haha.  That will take a little to build to, because I doubt you want just a random smack. I imagine you all want it to have some meaning and sexual innuendo to it; if not let me know in the comments and the next chapter her ass get's red for no reason haha.

The one thing that will take place this chapter is his weapon change. I think you'll like this, been a while since the last evolution and now it's got a LOT of blood that it drank down. 

This will also be the only authors not this chapter, because I don't wanna accidently throw out spoilers at the end like I tend to do. It will also have no POV changes beyond maybe a paragraph short change for reaction value. It will also be longer than most if I can make it so because a lot happens at this point. I hope you enjoy, 

P.S: I am going to be starting another fiction soon, likely when this first volume ends to allow people something to read while I get volume two set up. I have not come up with a name, or even the kind of fiction it will be. If anyone has ideas they would like to see me write, feel free to PM me, or leave it in the comments. I'd love to see what you all want. 

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Rage

I was lost in a sea of darkness, floating and staring back into a purple abyss. Swirling crimson pathways making there way in every direction, seemingly at random yet they seemed to make a pattern.

My thoughts echoed outward, 'where...am I?' I didn't know fear, I didn't feel pain. I knew I had passed out after dropping the head that had belonged to the beast men army General. 'Is this death?' filled my mind. Had I died from my injuries? I couldn't seem to hold a coherent thought, it was like my mind was a jumble of emotions I could not understand, along with those I could.

Yet they did not touch me, it was like my mind was separate from my body. It was rather disorienting. 

I had no idea how long I stayed within this, just floating and staring at the crimson pathways as they twirled and twisted with the purple-black abyss around it. Almost like they were dancing and entwining themselves around each other. "Master..." a whisper, soft and distant; like it came from a great distant. "Soo...will...Jo.." I couldn't make out the whispers though I strained to hear. I couldn't even call out to it, I struggled I knew that. Then a figure began to coalesce from the crimson and purple swirling mass before me, soft definition, an outline really...Before I could make out the shape I lost it. Everything went away and I was greeted by a blaring light against my eyelids.

Dream, I thought absently.  I groaned lightly, my arms hurt like hell but I could move my shattered fingers at least, I couldn't feel much of my arms from the shoulder to my elbow though, it felt dull, and asleep. Moving my head I looked to either side and was a bit shocked. On either arm were Hate, and Envy. Both naked, and curled around my arms. 

For us, sleeping in a group was considered comforting, we were a pride based species. But not me. I was hurting where they had latched onto, I had just woken up, and I was pissed in general that they were touching me. 

I began to growl a bit, stopping before it left my chest when I raised my head up and looked down my body after hearing a slight whimper. 'What the fuck?' on each leg was another person. What on earth was going on here? One was my Pet, she was supposed to be here; though not curled around my leg. The other, was Bitter...I was floored, and stunned. I also was confounded by a feeling that made me feel like I was light as air. I frowned at it, and was beginning to grow more confused when I heard a cough somewhere to my left. Forge, I raised an eyebrow at him.

He smiled, keeping his fangs covered and shrugged. "I just got here, don't ask me Rage." he said without a hint of the amusement I saw in his eyes. Alright, enough of this. I started to growl more, and shaking my body; it hurt.

After a moment, all of them but Saphiria opened there eyes, she just snuggled closer. I growled louder, Envy, and Hate slowly got off the bed...Wait, this wasn't my bed, it was massive and soft. The room was elaborate as well. The hell? Ignore it, ignore it. I regarded both of them, then Bitter who joined them and each one looked weird. Bitter had a slight redness to her face, Envy looked said that she had to leave, and Hate looked very pointedly at my Pet who was still asleep on my leg.

I sighed a moment, leaning up, and groaning as my bones snapped, and my arms slowly gained life which added to the pain. God damnit. I reached down, and pried her arms from around my calf, and shoved her to the side. She still didn't wake up, I growled in frustration before reached my thee Sisters, and regarded them a moment. "Why were you with me like you are?" It was a very simple question, I ignored there nudity as best as I could, my eyes drifting over to bitter off and on.

Bitter got more red, Envy just smiled and it made her face light up, dear god what is this?, Hate was the one who spoke. "We were worried, and all ended up here on our own." Blunt, as always. I sighed, trying to analyze the feelings in me and shrugged it off as best as I could. I just told them to leave for now, we'd discuss it later. Forge was there, and told me that the enemies forces were under guard, and subjugated in the mass of bodies outside the third gate. 

He also told me what had happened when I had passed out, the only reason I was alive was due to Envy, and Bitter showing up when they did, followed by Hellen, and Fredrick. 

My pet was likely passed out still do to stress, frustrating all the same. I told him to leave, and sat on the large bed a bit thinking. Wondering what on earth was happening to me. I felt what could be described as the serene joy I felt when killing after seeing the three of them naked around me, but it was different and odd. It felt weak by comparison. 

Dragging myself to my feet, I shrugged it off for now, leaving Saphiria to sleep curled on the bed. I didn't have time for our daily walk. 

When I managed to find my way to the meeting hall, I got lost for a time, I was met by most of my Pride. Anvil, and Curse were apparently out with the enemy forces who were bound with Cruelty doing much the same. 'Good' I thought before turning my full attention to Fredrick. "Master, the siege is broken, and you have an enemy army to cleanse.." I stopped speaking, confused when he was shaking his head. Hellen looked disgusted, normal for her when looking at me. 

"No, they will be let loose to return home." I just stared at him, in utter shock. There were at least three thousand of them left, and they could easily turn around and slaughter the few defenders that remained alive at the end of the siege. Tridant had only three hundred soldiers in total remaining, including the returned hundred that had left to recruit others, I was not shocked to see no lizard men. The scaled bastards likely felt it was not needed to shed there blood for beast men slaves that guarded the entrance to Luxio. 

I growled a bit at that knowledge when informed. "Master, they need to be killed, all of them" He shook his head again. This was starting to anger me, I began to glare at Fredrick, the rest of my Pride slowly growling as well. 

"It is our way, Prideling, not yours. You keep calling me Master, so I will be that until you are returned to Lord Dravon. Release them, and let them go home." the spineless little worm. I growled again, flexing my hands, my nails elongating slightly to a larger claw on each digit. But he was right.

Chains bound me tighter than anything, and even from birth we were brainwashed to follow duty and orders. The Berserker caste more so. Every order was followed, or met with pain; often times death.

"Yes, Master" I spat and told Forge and the others to do what we were told. None of them looked happy. I saw Envy, Hat and Bitter looking at me uncertainly, and I just growled at them. They moved a step quicker out the doors. 

I was turning to follow them when I was stopped by Fredrick, he was still fucking talking. "For saving Fort Tridant, our home, and my family; I have given you a title within my people. Bulwark, as well as a some of currency to spend as you see fit during your time with us. A messenger had also arrived while you were passed out in your new abode."

I was handed a letter, and opening it I skimmed it's contents frowning.

I heard you repelled the army of the Beast Men, Rage. Congratulations on your achievement. No doubt Fredrick has released them as is there custom, and ordered you to not do anything about it. I won't gainsay his orders while you are his. This will also allow them to spread word of Draconian might, and those that are under it's thumb. As such, I agree with the actions he will no doubt take.

There is also a surprise heading your way, it will take a week before it arrives my little lion. Continue to serve Fredrick, his words when you return to my hand will decide if you life or die, do not fail me.

Lord Dravon.

I growled as I read the words, and handed it back. More chains, more time spent in this place to repair and defend it. It could be years, judging by how the letter was worded, before I could gain freedom from this binding. 

I would endure it however, I will make the best of it I can; using these weaklings to further my own strength and power. I knew most of the surviving defenders idolized and feared me, I could use that to my advantage. What worried me however, was this surprise. 

I knew the Lizard was on par with our bastard of a leader, The Blood Father, in terms of conniving, and the Blood Father never simply gave something without an agenda to be met. Thinking a moment, I asked to be allowed to leave, and was given permission. 

When I left the meeting hall I went to the gate on the third wall, the metal still sported along the outside of the wooden spikes, holes all along it. Lucky the weapons from the fight, dead and living, were taken and piled near it. I could use it.

If I were going to be trapped her for a time I would make sure that no one ever breached these walls again. I knew the enemy that lay in the west would not stop with this failure. They were all but handed three thousand veterans that knew knowledge of the inner defenses, and had survived my Prides attacks. 

The future did not bode well, but I smiled at the knowledge. Stronger enemies would come, and I would slaughter them all to grow myself. I would return, and break my chains one day. No matter what.

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Lost in my thoughts, I was taken from them as Forge came up beside me, hefting that massive shield. I eyes it with hate, seeing it had changed slightly. The blades were curved and serrated while retaining a single blade on both sides, and the shield seemed thicker. I would never hold that damn thing again. 

"What, Forge" I asked, he obviously had something in mind.

"Fear of what you will do to them will only last so long Rage. We are beast before people. More so we are Berserkers. You need to choose, or act like our animal brethren and take them all. But do something." He paused, and regarded me without backing down from my glare. "I don't want to bury more sisters, they are to useful with our numbers so low." I growled at him, insightful bastard. 

Shrugging, I waved it off. Trying to ignore him. He pushed it, did he want to be harmed? I thought mildly. "You've changed." I moved toward him, getting inside his personal space and looked up. "Shut it Forge, I am not weak."

He shook his head, and looked at me with...what was that? It pissed me off, causing me to growl further and start to get ready to attack him. 

"I never called you weak Rage. You embody the very definition of our kind. But you are changing, you are feeling." I stopped a moment, and stepped back confused. Why did he knows this? Yes he was one of the most intellectual of the Pride, rivaled only by his little female underling River, but this was frightening, his level of insight.

"You need to learn what it is to feel something other than hatred, and rage Brother. It limits you to much." 

A moment passed, then another, he wanted me to respond. I turned my back to him, hiding my confusion. "Repair this wall, and when it's done do the same to the second wall. Have Anvil begin turning the first wall to stone, and increasing it's height to five feet, then increase the second to ten. The third will remain at fifteen." I spouted off orders, ignoring the sigh I heard followed by an affirmative grunt. 

Learn to feel? It was a weakness, nothing more. I would understand it, then kill it's cause. I thought that while regarding the three who were slowly untying prisoners in groups, the three who were causing it. How it had moved to Hate and Envy after I woke up this morning, or why, I did not understand. But it disturbed me. More so at the implications Forge had implied. I did not like this, another choice I had to make, another chain that would bind me. 

I wanted only freedom, only to be left alone. To hunt, to run, to be free from everything. yet I have never felt such a moment beyond that first child like wonder when I felt the sun. I am beginning to fear I never will again. That I will never truly be free. I shook my head, ridding myself of those thoughts and swore once more I would, no matter what, be free.

Leaving my people to there task, I went back in. Following the small scent trail I left back to my new rooms. When I entered them, I saw Saphiria sitting on a chair, a wooden desk in front and staring at the mirror in front of her, looking at her face and soft hair. It was interesting she didn't hear me. I saw her raise the chain around her neck, and look at the leather that bound her, before scratching a little flower in it. What? I wondered why, and walking behind her, making her jump a little in her seat before planting herself firmly there, her eyes gaining a resigned look once more.

I turned her around in the seat, and asked her why she did that, what was it's purpose. Perhaps I did this because of the confusing things I felt, or the anger that was unexplained when I saw her speaking to the other underling who had since not been allowed near what I claimed as mine. I frowned a little at it's mentioning, and Saphiria began talking. 

"I..I thought it would be pretty. I am sorry Master." I placed my index finger beneath her chin, and forced her head up and to the right to look at it. It was crudely sketched, and seemed lightly put in there.

"Hold still" I told her, and moved my free hand to it. Digging my claw into the leather, and began to scratch lines in it, in the resemblance of the first flower I saw after opening my eyes to the sun. It had been a purple lotus, and I had ingrained the image so deeply into my memories that I knew what to do, and drew it from the top of her leather choker, to the base in an elaborate design. To me at least.

When I finished, I saw true resignation in her eyes, and for once defeat. That..upset me for some reason, so I motioned her to look. When she did, I saw her eyes widen in surprise and spin around to look at me with those big blue eyes, her little white tail twitched, and her ears perked up before she threw her arms around my neck.

I stopped the first reaction, barely, to hit her in the stomach, and send her into the wall. I was very disoriented by this action, but...I liked it. What was happening to me? Why was I growing weaker. She could have tried to kill me, it would have failed, but it would still be an attempt. I felt her little body starting to shake a moment; followed by wetness that had reached my shoulder. Tears, again. Such a weakness to display before me. 

On instinct, I picked her up, grabbing the heavy chain in one hand to keep her from being pulled to the ground, and sat on the bed, letting her cry.

I was bemused, confused, and saddened. I didn't understand these feelings, nor my actions at all. I had a small glimmer of understanding thanks to Forge, the bastard, but it wasn't enough. I still saw only weakness in them. But I let the little girl with big blue eyes cry on my shoulder for hours before she finally fell asleep exhausted on my shoulder.

I laid her down gently. Looking at her chain, before removing it. The collar was enough. 

I left the chain on the ground, she was mine anyway. She knew this, and the chain only hampered our walks. When I left the room, I was met by one of the cat captains that had survived. His name was Lance. Names again, annoying to remember.

"My Lord Rage, would you join us outside? We have repaired the sparing pit. A lot of my men wish to have a match." I regarded him with a deep coldness, to close. To near my place. I growled at him for moment before he finally stepped back a few feet. 

I grunted at him, and made my way out to the place I assumed was what he was talking about, it reminded me of the pit. 

I saw several soldiers there fighting with wooden weapons, and snorted. Weak, I said as much. I saw the captain point me to the big cat that wanted to spar with me. He was easily the size of Ogre, but less muscled. I eyed him with a very clearly bored expression, yawning and exposing my fang filled mouth.

When I took to the sand, I told him to get something that would get him a chance, and he grabbed a short sword made of wood. I eyes it, ripped it from his hands, and handed him a real one. "But..." I growled, silencing him. "Weakness is what you showed me with those wooden toys." 

I called my gauntlets, surprised when they fully formed from the blood that seeped out of my pores, to coat every inch of my arm. They had evolved, after so long and killing so many they changed.

They retained the same color, black, while the red swirls had become more elaborate, a small trace of purple in the center of each crimson line. It reminded me of my dream, and I followed them along the length of my forearm. Where each line had a separation, and moved out a blade grew, spikes really, but with edges. They looked like quills, and shaking my arm slightly I saw them move. Interesting, I snapped one off, and another grew while the one that snapped off grew hard as steel. Very interesting. The half sickle blades on my elbows had increased in length by two inches, the curving blades growing thicker, and stronger looking. They could be called true sickles once again, added to that, there were two of them. As if the first had split, and now resided on either side of my elbow joint. My forearm, and hand portion of the gauntlets retained the dragon scale pattern within the armor itself; but were thicker again, my claws longer. From about three inches into my bicep however it changed. The scales had become three instead of many, and become almost plated in there design, elongating to the side to create miniature shields almost (AN: Think some of the old time samurai arm guards) before it formed and elongated into the demon pauldrons on both shoulders. Now they were detailed to a disturbing degree. The horns on there skulls numbers five each, they also no longer resembled and Grummel, but a skull of something like it, though seemingly more sinister. There were eye sockets, and nose holes, but it was certainly a skull. The crimson, with purple at it's center, swirls changes there pattern her, moving to look like blood was coming from the eyes sockets, and coating the skull with splashes of the crimson liquid against the black. It then further progressed to my shoulder blades, cupping where the muscles bulged out, and the blades ended, before moving along my neck muscles, and collar bone, ending just beneath my jaw line.

I regarded this change, liking it oddly enough. I also wondered when it would stop growing, changing, if ever. Each weapon seemed to evolve in proportion to a massive strength increase of it's owner. I needed to learn how they were made, it would be a step toward freedom.

Shaking that, and ignoring the gaps of the cats who saw this change, I took a step forward, and the massive cat fell to it's knees, my fist planted firmly in it's gut. I didn't kill the weakling, but decided they need to be stronger.

I'd seen there strengths, and weaknesses during the siege. They were not meant for combat like Forge, or Anvil. Most seemed more suited to small hit and run tactics, and the bow. I knew they would receive numbers to bolster there soldiers when the civilians returned, and the younger generation grew older in a year or so. 

From there, my plan formulated, I would ensure this place never fell, by my own means. I would create an army that rivaled anything that could touch this border fort. 

Maybe then, I would gain one less chain. Time would tell, but for now, everyone needed to grow. 

I felt the weight of each chain that bound me tighter and tighter as I took the second mental step toward breaking them, imagining the stainless steel bind I saw in my head shaking in fear. With that, my new life slowly began to take form.

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Hey! I know I said no AN at the end, but couldn't help this. I had to ask, how do you like his growth so far? I am implementing the poll changes but I doubt you want it instantly like I said. earlier, so I started it however. I hope you enjoyed that nice wake up scene. Haha! But I digress, enjoy folks, and please comment or PM about that second story if you want to see me make one, or have ideas that you'd enjoy seeing me write. I truly would love to know.

And now, what I feared, the small spoiler. 11 more chapters till volume one ends. I am going to increase there length as much as I can to tide you all over in the time I make the second. Don't kill me! ;p