==== Draconic Demon ====

“BORED!!!”

Grimacing in pain from the thing looping around my neck, I sit back down on the floor of my humble abode. My life has been extremely short, or what I can remember of it and apart from that beautiful cave I was taken from, this is where I have spent most of my life. In this black barred cage with solid floor bottom covered in blue, pulsating runes. Well, the runes only show when I cause the thing on my neck to activate.

Although the sheet covering my cage barely lets any light through I can see extremely well. I watch as I breath out, causing the dust to dance in the stagnant air and the sheet slightly ripples as the breath impacts it. It feels weird being able to see so clearly. I vaguely feel like my vision should be blurred and have caught myself trying to push something up my nose.

A small yellow circle, slightly brighter than the rest of the light penetrating the sheet occasionally moves as the waggon carrying my home shifts direction.

The journey has been long and extremely bumpy causing my skin to darken as it bruises. After realising that shifting positions just caused pain somewhere else I decided that I preferred being naked over battered and bundled up the blanket to sit on.

That was until in a momentary fit of anger, I ripped it up and stuffed it through the bars and out the small gaps where the cage and sheet met. It was so rough that the movements of the waggon caused my skin to rub raw as well as being so itchy it felt like you were sleeping on an ants nest.

-”You're not welcome in my home itchy blanket, BEGONE!..... And what's an ant?”

Settling back down I reflect on the actions that cost me a blanket and try to come to terms with mental state. The voices, well thoughts in my head had all merged into one, feeling a bit lonely but definitely saner.

-”Who has three trains of thought going off in their head a the same time, this way I am not crazy.”

The journey was boring and at first, I managed to distract myself with my body… Not in any dirty way but as I have no memories it was all new and interesting. The biggest discovery was my tail.

It was long and lizard like but not very flexible meaning that I had failed to notice it until I tried laying on my back. Catching it out the corner of my eye I noticed it had a shiny black tip that looked incredibly sharp. Wanting to get a better look, and trying all manners of strange positions I ended up running in circles trying to grab it.

It wasn't long before I gave up trying to catch my new nemesis. Mainly because it enjoyed hitting the bars causing extreme pain in its escape.

-”You win this round tail but I will be back! And with longer arms”

Wondering if I had anything else I started to feel around my body, being extremely careful of my long, razor sharp, black fingernails. I cut myself more than a few times but at least it hurt less than the collar. My thick red blood rapidly turned into scabs and within a couple of minutes fell off leaving a slight, white scar.

While wondering about my healing ability I scratched my head and bumped into something. There were two long hard objects sticking out the top of my skull curving backwards and ending in a sharp tip. I grabbed one and gave it a tug, making my neck abruptly twist sending a shooting pain down my back.

”Better not do that again” I mumbled before trying to cut the things on my head with my nails. A flash of pain came from my finger and when I examined it my pointy fingernail had been broken and now barely hanged over my finger.

-”Aww man, they look funny when they are different lengths, better even them out.”

After biting my nails down to the same length, only cutting my tongue once I settled back into boredom.

-”Sharp teeth and claws, tail and horn-like things on my head… I must be something pretty cool!. Shame it seems like they shoved me in a cage to bore me to death.”

Growing tired of my tiny world I decided I should try and find out more about the outside world.

I sit down and start to focus on my senses. I started with my hearing as it seemed the easiest and after blocking out the rattling of wheels and the grinding of metal axles I was able to hear little drums, rhythmically beating all around me. There were 17 in total, 8 on each side and separated into groups of two. There was also a lone beat at the front of waggon.

Moving onto my sense of smell I nearly gagged, everything stunk. Ignoring the nauseous feeling I kept going until I noticed the scent of sweet, grass, shit and metal coming from where the drum’s beat. Thinking about it I focused on my heart and realised that it was almost the same. My heart beat much slower and louder with four rapid beats instead of the others two.

-”Maybe that's why they have two hearts, so they can have four beats as well?”

Finally, I tried to sense the creatures outside with the sense of touch. This took me the longest as it was impossibly frustrating to block out the vibrations coming from the waggon. As I had nothing better to do I kept going and after what seems like an eternity I finally had a breakthrough. I could feel the feet of the four-legged creatures hitting the ground which caused my mind to go into overdrive.

-”Four legs, two hearts, disgustingly strong smell… what the hell are they?”

Trying to imagine what kind of miraculous creature was outside I stared at sheet as if trying to will myself to see through losing all sense of time. My vision started to dim and my senses merge until the heartbeats I had been listening to started to appear as little red orbs. Each beat sent ripples outwards that stopped at some sort of barrier. A coughing noise came from above the heart and it caused its own red ripples to flow outwards.

Other red spots appeared one by one causing their own rippling event painting the world in a gruesome, red rippled light. Everything around them was pitch black. I couldn't even see the bars of the cage that should be in front of me. Taking another look around I realise I had been making monsters out of mortals.

-“PEOPLE ON HORSES! Hahaha well, there goes my imaginary monster and two heart theory.”

A feeling of warmth flows over me making me feel invigorated. I stop focusing on my senses causing the cage to once again fill my vision before trying again. It happens almost instantly, feeling as natural as breathing.

It seems that I can only sense about 5 meters away from me. After that everything goes black. I test this theory by pacing back and forth watching the red silhouette of the driver appear and reappear. I stopped my experiment on the fourth time I walked into the bars of the cage.

-”Not very useful if I can only see living things. I have the feeling I would have a very flat nose if I use it too much”

I soon lost interest in my new skill and I let out a low growl and feel the need to start smashing stuff.

-”I AM SO GOD-DAMN BORED!”

While letting the need to destroy wash over me I notice the heartbeat of the people and horses around me quicken and slightly distance themselves. Activating my senses I realise that they have left the 5-meter area around me. Well all apart from the guy up front. His heart is beating like a jackhammer but soon returns to normal when my anger gives way to curiosity before realising what caused it.

-”hehe… Seems fun”

After much trial and error, I realise that the effect is caused when I loose my temper and want to kill something and after repeating it for the next hour or so I feel that warm feeling enveloped me again. It feels like whenever I master something I get that feeling and after that, I can do it pretty much with a thought.

After continuing for a little bit I feel heavy and tired and decided to stop.

-”Meh it was getting boring anyway.”

Falling into boredom again I wonder what else I can do and start experimenting before realising I have had a weird sensation since I woke up. Focusing I realise that I can feel someone else keeping a steady distance from me.

Playing with the connection I realised I could amplify or reduce the information up to a certain point. Occasionally I felt like the being was in pain and chuckled to myself.

-”It must be playing with a collar as well”

Although I found it funny, a wave of irritation descended upon me at the thought of it being in pain.

-”Why would I care about something I have never met before….Well, I do care for some reason and it is only making my mood worse.”

Deciding I didn't like this feeling I reduced the link and pushed it to the back of my mind and revert back to my oldest goal. Catch my tail.

It wasn't long until the waggon stopped and the people around me get off their mounts to stretch their legs.

-”What about me? I have been locked in this cage since… I can remember. This is so unfair”

It wasn't long before boredom once again set in and as loud as I could without causing pain I started to try and barter my way out of the cage to no one in particular

”C'mon, let me out! I'll be good! I promise on my blanket!”

My false promises continue for a while until I hear someone approach and activating my senses. A lanky kid and some overweight, old man are walking over. The old man's heart sounds weird and its ripple is distorted. They walked towards my cage at a steady pace.

-"Wonder what they want?"