Moonlight bathed the platform in a silvery glow. The bars of the stalagmite cages stretched skeletal fingers toward the night sky. The cages’ occupants slammed into the stalagmites, hurling words at Nex, Peacock, and Alainn in a rough language Peacock didn’t understand. What he did understand was these weren’t plant-folk.
Every cage on the platform now held clearly human, and entirely naked, men and women. Some, like the man in the front-most cage, were screaming in fury at the three dragons. Others hunkered down, their heads in their hands as they sobbed. A few were curled up on the ground, unmoving, the steady rise and fall of their chest the only sign they were still alive.
Peacock stood stock still. His heart pounded against his chest. It didn’t make sense. Why switch to humans when he hadn’t harmed a plant-folk yet? Did Nex think he’d be more likely to harm a Rebirth who still looked human?
“Step away, Thirty-One. Stand by me.” As he spoke, Nex took three large strides back, leaving a good thirty feet of open space between him and Peacock.
Peacock jumped as stalagmites shot up from smooth stone, forming a circle around him and the cage which held the screaming man. In a matter of seconds, Nex had trapped them in a large enclosure. Peacock looked at the wide-eyed human. Bile rose in Peacock’s throat. This is an arena.
The bars of the man’s cage slipped into the ground. He backed away from Peacock, pressing against the stalagmites as if he could slip through with enough force. He looked at Peacock, his mouth set in a grim line, muttered something, and spit. The ground rumbled at the man’s feet. A sharp point emerged, surrounded by a halo of light. It continued to rise, revealing a thick pole attached to a pointed blade.
Peacock took a step back as he realized what was happening. Nex was arming the man.
The man’s gaze flicked between the weapon and Peacock, eyes wary, as the spear finished materializing in front of him.
For the first time, Peacock understood how vulnerable he was, even to the other races. It wasn’t a good feeling. Being easily subdued and hurt by an adult dragon made sense, but they were still a dragon, too. The thought of a naked human being dangerous hadn’t crossed his mind. Yet, while he was far longer than the human, the man stood a good foot taller, with muscles rippling across his body, and where he looked like a seasoned warrior, Peacock remained stuck at level five.
Peacock’s breath caught in his throat as Nex’s voice thundered from behind in the same rough language the man used. Whatever Nex said was effective.
All hesitation vanished from the man’s face. He snatched the spear from the air. A light enveloped him, solidifying into a suit of armor that looked straight out of a medieval painting.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Like Saint George and the dragon. It was Peacock’s turn to back up against stalagmite bars in an attempt to escape.
“The armor is weak, Two.”
Nex’s hot breath blew across his back, but Peacock didn’t dare take his eyes off the knight balancing the spear in his hand.
“Even a hatchling could bite through such riffraff. It does nothing but give the worm a false sense of confidence. The spear, however, is plenty sharp. Take the trash out before it takes you or suffer by both our hands.”
The knight strode toward them, his sabatons ringing against the ground in a steady rhythm.
Peacock didn’t have long before he was in attack range, assuming the man didn’t decide to throw the spear. Blood rushed to Peacock’s ears, beating in time with his hammering heart. It’s me or them. His mouth ran dry. As much as he hated it, he knew it was true. Letting himself lose wouldn’t keep the humans from dying. In fact, it would probably mean a worse death at the hands of Nex.
Now only about ten feet away, the knight pushed off with a yell and came hurtling toward Peacock with his weapon aimed straight at the center of his chest.
I can’t stop the suffering, but maybe I can lessen it. A calm came over Peacock as the truth settled in. He shifted.
The spear sank in, not in his chest, but his shoulder. Peacock grimaced at the pain but didn’t waver. He braced his hind legs against the bars and shoved forward. The knight was already pulling the spear free, but Peacock’s lunge made it impossible to strike again. He released the spear and tried to step back. Too late.
Peacock snapped his mouth shut over the man’s neck. There was no resistance or taste of hard metal as his teeth severed muscle and bone. So that’s what Nex meant, he thought in detached curiosity. The armor’s not just weak, it never really existed.
The man’s body fell away, naked once again. Peacock released the head, turning to face Nex outside the arena to avoid staring at the corpse.
Screams and yells rose from the remaining humans as whatever hope they might have had died with their champion.
Peacock craned his neck up, locking eyes with Nex as he pushed away the taste of blood on his tongue and the aching in his stomach.
Nex smiled in a way that reminded him of a father looking at his child with pride. It made Peacock sick. “Well done, Two. Very efficient. Such obedience deserves a reward. You may eat the body.”
The ache in Peacock’s stomach switched to roiling. “No.”
“No?” Nex’s smile vanished.
Shit. If he didn’t come up with a good reason, he’d end up getting punished worse. Peacock grasped onto the first idea that sprung into his head. “I’m not hungry.”
Nex snorted, an action that caused Peacock to tremble.
Idiot. Like that’s going to fly. I’m starving, and he knows it.
“Very well. Rewards don’t have to be taken. Both of you, come.”
The stalagmite bars of the arena pulled back into the smooth stone floor with a rumble, leaving Peacock to scramble after Nex while avoiding looking at Alainn. He couldn’t handle seeing disappointment in her eyes. He was supposed to resist, to not let Nex and Zenith Flight win, but when push came to shove, he’d buckled without a fight. Even though he’d refused to eat the man’s body, it didn’t erase the fact he killed him. Worst of all, it felt right.