Two humans, a man and a woman, cowered from Peacock. Both were naked and unarmed.
Nex glared down at Peacock from outside the stalagmite arena, Alainn standing as close to Nex as she dared. “You did well yesterday, Two, but there’s still a lesson you’ve yet to learn. Attacks need to be efficient. They also need to be precise. Remove the humans’ left feet.”
Peacock growled, careful to keep his eyes locked on the woman. The two people huddled together; a position Peacock used to his advantage as he drew close. His jaws closed around the woman’s neck in an instant. Peacock swung his body sideways, slamming into the man’s head. It worked. Both crumpled lifelessly to the stone.
Now that they were dead, Peacock could do whatever Nex wanted without causing the humans more pain.
“Enough!” Nex’s roar echoed throughout the chasm. “I said their feet. I said nothing about their heads. Try it again.”
He opened another woman’s cage, creating a stalagmite tunnel leading from her cage to the arena. When she didn’t budge, those same stalagmites closed in behind her, forcing her into Peacock’s range.
Peacock had to give the woman credit. Once she realized she couldn’t stay away from him, she lunged forward with a snarl. The last desperate act of a condemned existence. Peacock lunged for her foot this time, but let his right-hand claws slip across her neck as he went. He felt her body go limp a second before her foot came off in his jaws.
The floor shuddered as the arena walls started to come down. Nex didn’t wait. The stalagmites cracked and splintered under his weight as he crashed through them, nostrils flared and teeth showing.
Peacock’s resolve faltered, terror enveloping his mind at the sight of the enraged dragon. A flash of pink and red disappeared behind Nex’s bulk. Alainn. A soothing calm eroded the edges of fear. That’s right. She needs a distraction, and Nex is looking damned distracted. I just have to keep it up as long as possible. As Nex’s hand slammed into his back, Peacock wondered how long that would actually be.
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***
Because of the large number of healing and support spells Nex flung at Peacock, he was still awake, fully aware, and fully healed when Nex tossed him into his cage and left.
Pain exploded across Peacock’s body while Aisha blared a low health warning in his head. A giddy laugh slipped out. I’m putting these health alerts through their paces. As many times as I’ve heard it today alone, you’d think the poor AI would have laryngitis. Can AI’s get laryngitis? He shrugged, creating fresh waves of suffering. He didn’t care anymore.
After a day spent having body parts removed and restored, his senses had become muddled. He still felt everything, but much like a word said too much in too short a time, it had lost all of its meaning. I wonder how long it would take for Nex? How long before torture lost meaning?
Nex sure enjoyed tormenting others, but Peacock doubted he was on the receiving end much, if at all. Peacock imagined all the ways he could change that. Parts he could take off, and in what order, to inflict maximum suffering while still keeping Nex alive.
Peacock giggled. This is fun. I’m starting to see why Nex likes it so much. Of course, he’s still a lot bigger than me. If I want to return the favor, I’m going to need some help. Or cheats. Cheats….
The thought settled deeper into his mind. There was something important about the word. Something buried beneath the waves of broken senses. Oh, shit!
Clarity cut through Peacock’s haze. He spun toward Alainn, his question dying on his lips as he stared at her cage. Her empty cage.
No, no, no, no. None of his plans worked without her. He couldn’t get revenge, he couldn’t escape. But it wasn’t just that. Peacock wanted to see her face, to hear her voice, to have her tell him it would all work out.
A pit opened up in Peacock’s gut, the anguish flowing from it far worse than Nex could ever inflict. If Alainn wasn’t there, it meant she was still with Nex. Peacock roared, throwing himself against the bars of his cage until it all lost meaning once more.