Chapter One of Six
Beaten but not Broken
Irradiating boiling heat seeped into Blur's back just a little too hot for comfort as his burning head thumped in pain, sticky globs of sand and blood congealed around his sinuses oozing down his tongue and scratching at his dry throat.
Heavy eyelids struggled to open and were vividly attacked by an all too bright sun peeking over the coliseum's highest stands, recognisable roaring and applauding slowly filtered through as Blur regained his bearings...a battleground?
Blur: Pro...
Whispering the name of the lovable rogue Blur's fur bristles in adrenaline, the last few hours etched into his mind that somewhere in this scorching heat one of Blur's friends is fighting for his life against impossible odds. Something Blur never accepted and couldn't bear Pro suffering, even if it was his foolish choice to go against Blur's orders.
The pounding of blood rushing around Blur's cracked head made him wince at the war drums and trumpets channelling barbarity, booming rage surrounded the coliseums contestants cutting each other down around the fallen king and Blur could sense time was not on his side to get everyone out, alive and well.
Taking a much-needed gulp of air and dislodging whatever disgusting blob stuffed his airways the white wolf rose with purpose, leaving his bloody splatter patch he stumbles forward scanning the battlefield trying to find his assailant.
His mind raced with memories of Ulric's determined swings breaking Blur's nose with the butt of his greatsword and shoving Blur to the ground, the Blade of Exodus slipping from his grasp snuffing the light of its power in the process, each strike stabbing Blur's heart deeper and deeper that the person he loves and trusts turned on him in an instant.
Blinking a few times for his eyes to adjust to the blinding light which caused uncomfortable watery eyes to carry away damp sand across his face, he wobbles with a sickening feeling shooting down from his head through to his legs flattening the monarch with gravity alone.
Coughing into violent fits Blur hacks up blood groaning as he stares at the black sand with laboured breaths blood gushing from a ruptured wound inside the wolf's head, horrible suffocation threatens and leers as he tries to stop blood blocking his airways.
Limbs and body shaked with pain feeling dizzy all over, Blur could only lift his head and roll it around searching for the rebels fighting for their lives, his eyes locking onto the screaming silhouette of a husky slashing erratic attacks at a much bigger menacingly cold target closing in around him.
Weakness riddled Blur leaving his brain wary yet his heart thundered to save his friends and stop the bloodshed, summoning strength from the deepest pit of exhaustion he struggled with slow drags along the coarse sand towards his two friends.
Blinking and blurry eyes captured Ulric and Pro locked in a heated battle claiming an offshoot of the centre line of defence, Pro who should have been a dancer of daggers now exhausted all of his grace against the unyielding mastery of Ulric's greatsword.
Unfocused pain slumps Blur's head to sweep across the massacre surrounding the two rebels, this self-destructive challenge has claimed lives on both sides of Viviens and Draycu's armies, blood trials from the dead and dying scattering across the coliseum echoing with metal slashing. War screams from Ulric draw Blur's fading hot vision back to his two friends dragging the white wolf closer with painful determination.
Blur's claws fill with grating sand stinging dried cracked flesh as he pants at being cooked alive, finally dragging himself forward taking it slower than before ensuring his mind doesn't comatose from incredible pain. Barely closer to Ulric and Pro's their strained voices struggle through to Blur's perked ears with heated pleas coming from them.
Ulric: If you're willing to kill me, then do it!
Show me that our friendship means nothing to you!
Pro: But we're family...
Pros voice pours with desperation as he backs away from Ulric's intimidating march forward, his eyes wide in heartbreak with his ears flattened to the side.
Ulric: No! That's just an excuse you made up.
Pro: Wha...Why are you saying this?!
Even in Blur's drowsy state, the sharp hateful words of Ulric lit a flame in Blur's heart, how dare the bigger wolf torture Pro's emotions and cut deep wounds into his best friend's heart. The poison lacing Ulric's words made him more viper than a wolf trying to kill his friends with his tongue alone.
Ulric: I don't believe you're willing to kill me, but I stand here ready to kill you at a moment's notice.
That pathetic need for friends, for family. To be loved? That's your weakness!
All I ever wanted was to change this nation for the better.
You, Damek, BlueBlur... you're worth less than pawns to me, so I'll give you one chance to kill me, take my life or lose yours.
Pro: Ulric stop!
Blur's sharp inhale of shock was immediately swamped and webbed in sticky blood swallowing shards of sand and dirt making him cough even harder, his chest burning from strangled pain choking on blood watching Ulric ready his blade against Pro's squierley posture.
Pro's intentions were betrayed by his defiant eyes as his back hits the wall, forced to attack Ulric with a hail mary. Blur reached out weakly crying to them both to stop but the roaring of the crowd drowned the weak wolf out. Fast brutal strikes ripped through the air as Pro tried with all his might to outdo the sellsword. Deep down the rogue knew he'd need to be lucky.
However.
Lady luck had long since left the lean lawbreaker, this was entirely apparent as Ulric's counter-swiped Pro's dagger from his paws with a sinister snarl. Pro's life at Ulric's mercy carrying with him Alarinthia's and Alestia's fate.
Ulric: So that's the way it is huh?
You always were a fool.
The glint of realisation drips with Pro's tears understanding how he just played himself into Ulric's hands, defenceless and alone. Ulric drops his greatsword twirling the dagger through his fingers savouring the scent of fear in the air. Chanting eggs the champion on as the crowd grows hungry for the fight's climax.
Beyond desperate now Pro knows he's fighting a lost battle yet still he lungs at Ulric with as much vigour as a deadman walking can muster, the husky is roughly grabbed by Ulric and is firmly held in place, closing his eyes Ulric doesn't want to see the dying breath of a friend he's defended more times than he can count.
Pro: Ulric let me go!
Ulric: I'm sorry it came to this little one, but know your death will create a better nation. Hopefully, it will lead us all to a better world...
Writhing rage flailed from Pro's body as one after another Ulrics struck down Pro's dagger into the huskies chest and gut, sharp, calculated and ruthlessly efficient. Again and again and again and again.
Time seemed to slow down as Blur watched Ulric dispassionately dispatch Pro's life and soul, treating him like a piece of meat and dropping Pro to the floor, worthless to him now but a shadow of remorse flickered across Ulric's face, something he hid even from himself. Refusing to feel the guilt of Pro's decision, however, his closed eyes and folded ears signalled genuine guilt.
Soft whimpering and crying left Pro's body as he cradled his stomach squeezing himself into a ball, rolling on his side in a fetal position and then...lifeless and limp.
Ulric: Looks like you were finally good for something.
...
...
Blur: E-FUCKING-NOUGH!
A rally cry burst from Blur shouting red spit and breathing deeply, flaring bloody bubbles expand and pop from his slanted nose exploding in pain as he shot up to his feet, blade in hand glaring down at Ulric desiring his head.
YOU ARE A MURMUR
...
MURDER..MUR
DER DER
Blur doesn't get to see the face of Ulric as the weaker wolf finally snaps his breaking point and falls flat on his face, completely out cold as his brain shuts down mid-scream from overexertion. Faint cries from Fortaime wriggling through the battle-torn gates come to Blur's side, unaware of the celebrating ruler of Alarinthia.
Vivien stands proudly holding Ulric's hand up to the cheering crowd and surviving soldiers, and coliseums workers raid and ready the battleground taking whatever they can use and repair from the dead and damaged. More vulture than dragonic.
Life it seemed was continuing, even for the rebellion who could never recover from such a loss. This victory came at such a heavy cost it could even break the bonds of love.