Alrighty folks! How are you all today? Once more happy fourth haha. I found the time to write this and wanted to post it as a holiday treat for you all.
Before we begin however, I'm going to use this time to answer a few questions and concerns I have seen posted in private messages and in comments regarding Rage. I receive more messages than I thought I would regarding when he will finally gain a romantic interest. This is the answer to that question. He already has a 'romantic' interest, but because of his mentality he does not yet fully understand the emotions. It's partly due to his heritage ; he's a bit of an emotional recluse. But he will begin to grow more interested, and mentally change through out the rest of this volume. I just don't like the idea of it happening instantly, to me they have to grow to that point. So I am sorry for those that enjoy instant romantic situations. Please keep in mind his people are violent, warlike creatures with him as a Berserker making those tendencies even more dominant.
For those that have voice a dislike for how he treats others of his kind. He does not hate his people, I will clarify that now he just hates certain people, and as a Berserker that hate can turn easily into rage and make him lose reason. Pretty simple to understand I believe.
Finally, those that have messaged me saying, and these are few in number, how they wish he were more OP considering what he can do. People, he's literally five years old. Physically mature, yes, but his mentality is still in a stage of growth, and absorption of knowledge. He can plan, reason, and evaluate threats in a fight because he was trained for that, but detailed things such as emotions, and how to treat others he and the other 28 cubs were denied that. The reason they are more advanced is because they interacted with each other, Rage never truly did. He will also never be 'God like' in power, he will gain it, and grow into a power of there world, but he will not be the strongest. Telling you that now.
Ok, my rant is done, the last was the real rant because one private message was rather rude, and frustrated me but moving on. Haha, enjoy this chapter you amazing people. Please, comment, rate, follow and all that fun stuff.
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Rage
The first night after arriving to Tridant had passed with relative ease. When we had entered the fort itself, I could see the damage, and began to wonder how I would turn this into something worth defending over the course of my stay. It was all wooden Palisades and a few gates.
It wasn't horribly planned mind you, the construction appeared very solid, and well thought out, but for such an important point on the map for the Draconian Empire I wondered why the damn thing was wood.
Tridant was made of three layers. A small outer wall that circled the circumference of the fort (more a town really as I learned the entire cat beast man tribe resided within it) which lay in shambles with breaks all over. The wall was only four feet high and expendable, it was a killing ground for the feline tribes archers. Moving further in were shambled buildings made of sticks and cloth, I was informed this was a slum, and had been set on fire at the base of the second wall when the enemy had reached it and the civilians extracted. The second wall was roughly seven feet tall, and unlike the first was maned by archers, and soldiers with long spears, each log that made of the section was sharpened to a point, a few bodies were impaled on them. I like that personally.
Finally, the third, and final wall which surrounded the keep, the town portion being just outside of this, was the largest. They had used old trees to create this wall, each log was at least five feet thick, and ten feet tall. It had the most promise, and the least real damage done to it, a few scorch marks here and there, but it was fully in tact.
The gates of the first and second wall were in shambles, the third and final gate before the forts keep was battered but usable.
I also learned the force that had retreated was nothing more than a vanguard for the rest of the beast men coalition army. We'd taken a third of there number singlehandedly with aid from archers at there rear, but the main host numbered over nine thousand, and would be on them in a few days. So little time for me to work on improving defenses.
I could see where we would be able to immediately improve the third gate, because it was the most intact. But the first was gone. The second could be redone with help from the members of my Pride that could control earth and stone with there essence and further reinforce it. The third, would be left to Forge, and his steel essence.
Those were my thoughts while we were all led to separate sleeping quarters within the keep itself upon arrival. My escort was a very curvy and mature tabby female that had spectacle on her face, and a book in her hand. I had enjoyed watching her hips shake from side to side while I walked behind her, but personally didn't care for her, she was somewhat of a snob, sniffing at my appearance after the initial shock of my scars had been over come.
It seemed her main dislike was the fact I had an unconscious tiger beast men female child thrown over my shoulder. All I did was glare at her a bit before she stopped staring at my pet.
When I reached my own room, I turned and asked her for a large heavy chain and thick choker collar. I enjoyed watching her jaws clench after she said she would get what I had requested. The Tabby's name was Hellen. Such odd importance upon names these people had.
My own chose emotions, objects, body parts with the very rarely shown animal or creature species name. Most of those were given when they reached the peak of there power at five hundred years, if at all.
When Hellen returned with the objects I closed the door in her face, and tossed the child from my shoulder, and onto the ground with some force causing her to wake a moment.
She didn't stay awake long, 'weak' I thought. Sliding the collar on it fit the child perfectly, the simple strap of hardened leather held a ring on it for the chain as well. Hellen had done wonderfully for me.
Looking around the sparse room I wondered what I would attach the chain too. The small single bed room had a simply cot, looked like sheep wool for padding and a pillow, a wash basin, and a night stand. I had no idea what the nightstand with its single compartment was for. Maybe clothing.
Anyway, lifting the bed I slid the end of the chain beneath one of the pegs, and attached the heavy thing to her neck, the chain weighed at least sixty pounds. The child would barely be able to walk, good, another small torture for her.
When all was said and done, I got into bed, and began to drift to sleep. Today had been fun, and I had finally eaten some eyes after so long. Tomorrow, work would begin.
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Fredrick
I was sitting in my chambers watching my wife, Hellen, begin to run a hole in the floor from her pacing as she ranted and complained about there saviors, and in particular Rage.
"He asked me for a chain and collar! That little girl is a white tiger beast man Fredrick, why was she in slaves garb? Why are YOU not stopping this!"
It was the third time she'd repeated the same sentence. I winced, and tried to appease my lovely wife as best as I could. "Darling, please, they saved us from death...I also cannot take her from him. I know enough about his people that they practice slavery, and there contract with the Draconians that we both serves allows them that right..."
I got glared at, crap. She stomped her foot rather cutely onto the ground before looking very meaningfully at the candelabra she held in her hand. Putting my hands in front of me I tried to stop her before she brained me. "Please! I'll talk to him tomorrow about the child. But I cannot make him give her up."
She hissed at me before turning on her heal, and leaving our bed chamber, tonight I sleep alone I suppose.
The child would be a sore issue though for his own people. She was a tiger, and an easy outlet for their anger at the other beast men, not to mention the fact that we did not practice slavery and kept it from Tridant. Tomorrow, would be a cluster fuck for me. Sighing a bit, I blew out the candle and went to bed, cuddling a pillow that smelled like my wive.
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Forge
I sat upon the bed in the simple room I had been given. I went over the events I could remember of the battle before. It had been glorious, amazing. The thrill still beat within my blood. Every ache, every new wound that would become a scar a tribute to my survival and growth over the last five years.
The only troubling thing in my mind, was that Rage had not killed the child that had stopped our mad charge after retreating enemies that had been overcome by fear.
I was glad she had stopped him, but she did need to die for it. It was a simple fact, she was an enemy. But he had ordered my underling to heal the child, and then took it to his room. Rage had called the little female a pet.
A small shiver went down my spine, something had caused there leader to break from his routine regarding this child. I had heard the whispered plea to kill her, perhaps that was it? Rather than end it he was going to play with her? I could only wonder at that.
A light knock sounded on my rooms door, breaking me from my thoughts. Taking my shield, which I had been staring into as I remembered the fight, and following events, I opened it to find the water essence underling. I smiled a moment while looking down at the little five foot tall female, and embraced her in my arms; lifting her slightly to lay a kiss on her forehead.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
"River.." I said softly before carrying her to my tiny cot, and setting my shield down on the ground. Unlike the others, I had decided to keep my attentions a secret, as best as I could. I enjoyed this females company, and had decided she would be mine. I remember a vague incident after I first decided this of almost killing a young male from the twenty others that had gotten within three feet of my River, the rest is a blur because Rage had silenced the fight by breaking my arm, and each finger in that hand.
I could not help it however, our species is highly territorial over females we decide to make ours, the females are almost as bad. We are lions, but unlike our counter parts each male is allowed to mate with a female if he is strong enough to take her, or she consents to a bonding. The bonds themselves tend to last only a year, thanks to our long life spans the normal people of the Pridelings coupled for a year for the child, then separated leaving the child mostly to the mother to care for, until it was older. Then they would mate again if they wished with that same male, or female, or find another.
There were a few occurrences where Prideling pairs would mate for life, the two members of the Ten, Frost and Ogre were on such pair, and the only one of that group to do so.
Hearing River whimper as I slid my considerable length into her, a fire ignited in my own amber eyes as I took her. I would not ever allow this female to leave my side. She was mine.
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Hydra
Growling while in my room, I regarded the still red line across my stomach, my intestines only now returning to their proper place. I was the worst wounded of all the others, mine the only life threatening injury. That bastard though, I had seen him smirk at me and my pain.
HOW DARE HE! I roared within my own mind, punching the floor and causing cracks to form around a small dent in the wood. How fucking dare he mock me and my wound. We had all lost our sense, he most of all, but I had fallen first among the eight others, and with the most serious wound. A sting to my pride, and another notch in my hatred for Rage.
I would show him why he should never mock me. One day, one day he will see my smile as the last fucking thing on this earth. I swore this to myself, refusing to sleep as I practiced with my ice, creating a small detailed figurine of Rage, and smashing it within my hand.
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Bitter
I was one of the few who decided to explore a bit before being taken to a room. I also was the only one who declined after finding a small garden area within the keep. It smelled like a smaller version of Hyborium. I instantly loved it, and went into it by the small little pond, and young tree. Sitting beneath it, with my feet in the water as the sun faded I smiled lightly as a bird chirped in the last rays of the sun.
Today had been marvelous, I had shown my strength to them all by not falling from exhaustion and spent anger. Even more so by keeping pace with Forge, and Anvil. No one would think me the weakling anymore.
Frowning, I corrected myself. Almost no one, Rage would always think it. I still smelled like fear to him I knew it. I had even caught him staring at me after the battle, looking with an intense feeling behind his eyes that disturbed me. I told myself it was the gore that covered me, Rage was oddly entranced by blood, and rent flesh.
The child he had taken, the little white tailed girl intrigued me a bit. She was the first thing that got in Rages way that did not meet a gruesome end. I'd have to get alone with her sometime, I wanted to hear why she had done it. Along with why she smelled like resignation, instead of fear and defeat.
Laying in the grassy knoll by the pond, I listened to the little gold fish jump at the bugs, and slowly drifted to sleep, for the first time since I was born, a smile remained on my lips as sleep took me.
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Curse
In my little room I had used my ability to summon and called forth a little imp from the nether planes. I had forced it to my will days ago. It had knowledge I needed on how to call forth stronger creatures to do my bidding. I was still weak, and could only hold one creature at a time, though I was able to summon the souls of the dead and drain there power into my ability.
I would do that with the countless outside after I learned of hell hounds from the imp. I knew Rage would need more killers, better sacrificial pawns, anything for Rage. Anything.
I did not like how he acted with the little girl he had restrained himself from killing. I didn't like it at all, I had almost killed her myself when i saw her on his shoulder. How dare some no named bitch touch him! But he called her a pet, so I couldn't touch her. I wouldn't want him to be mad at me, never would I want this. But I would watch her, yes. I would watch her until I could kill her when Rage grew bored.
Learning what I could from the Imp, I sat down with my legs crossed beneath me and began to summon the souls of the hundreds of dead one by one, dominating them, and using the little energy they had left before departing this world to feed my ability.
I would please MY Rage.
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Saphiria
I had woken up in a strange dark room, I could feel pressure on my neck that told me I had a collar, and a heavy heavy weight that let me know I was chained. I was beginning to panic. Why, why was I still alive? I wanted to die, why had that monster not killed me? Where was I? These questions ran through my mind as I moved my head and tried to sit up, barely managing to do so even though I was stronger than others because I was a tiger beast man.
Looking around, trying to see in the dark room, I saw a flash of amber, and knew the rattling chain had woken something. Amber, the same color as the eyes I had pleaded into for death. It was the monsters room.
My panic kicked into high gear, why was I in his room, and chained? I was a child of five, but had been a slave for a year. My master had never taken me, his tastes didn't run that wild, but I had heard stories. I knew the fate that awaited every slave. Would I become this things sexual plaything?
I was surprised when a large, scar riddled hand, each finger tipped with a claw that dug lightly into my scalp, was placed on my head and I was lightly petted.
What? The soft glow of amber that were his eyes the only real light in the room. His voice, soft with a growling tenure that made him seem more beast than man, considering what I had seen earlier that was not shocking. "You are my pet, you also stopped me from killing more of that army." Pet? What...I suddenly felt his claws dig into my scalp, a trickle of blood running down my white hair. I winced in pain when he continued talking, growling at me now. "I will make your life and living hell child. You will never know peace. But be good, and I will also allow you small comforts to make hell more enjoyable....Name" I was resigned now, I had wanted to die, and thought the order of my previous master to stop this monster would finally grant it. Instead, I now had a new master that saw me as a pet to destroy. "Saphiraia" I whispered.
I felt the weight from the chain lift, and he dragged me into the bed, placing me at his feet like a dog. Patting my head even as he pierced my scalp to cause me pain. "Good girl. Sleep." He ordered, and I just curled into a ball, silent tears trailing down my face in the night, and began to fall asleep. Fate was cruel, I had sought death, and found someone who would treat me as nothing but a pet, never allowing me to die for simply stopping him.
Why Gods, were you even there? Why not grant me peace...Why..
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Rage
I watched as she winced in pain while I petted her before she fell asleep. Good, not enough to rend her skin, but to cause pain. This would be a learning experience in how to break her, without killing her.
What interested me most however, was aside from the panic that woke me when I smelled it, she didn't smell of fear, only sadness and resignation. I fell back asleep shortly after he, while watching her sleep a moment; wondering how I would get those bright blue eyes to show fear. If they never did, it would be good though. I would grow bored of fear, but constant acceptance would grow tiring as well. She had a strength inside her, I could understand that. But not how someone so weak could have it.
She would be an experiment, and I would learn what I could from her. I absently wondered how she would look as an adult, and why I wanted to experiment with something like this at all. Why had I simply not killed her? It made my head hurt trying to understand the reasoning, so I ignored it and fell asleep once more, my feet pressed against the back of the child in her rag dress...
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I made this chapter a bit longer I think than my normal length. I'm hoping it's long enough to satisfy you all. I introduced two new key folks, I think you'll all like them in time. Hellen is a seductive cutie, watch and see haha.
This chapter was meant to simply show the perspectives of a few of them after the initial battle, and the next several will be a great deal longer as I go into as much detail as I can regarding what they do to improve Tridant in preparation for the beast men army.
It is also surprisingly dead at my place of work. Expect that chapter sooner rather than later ;p unless it picks up of course.