“Get up you mangy gits!”

“Yeah, this is your last meal! It’d be a shame not to enjoy it!”

My day started with this. The gruel crew coming in to give us our breakfast.

Naturally the one with the snaggle tooth and freckles had decided to gloriously sow fear in the children. Fucking inbred bastard.

………I’m rather cranky today…………

I did after all only sleep fitfully last night.

“Mnn!? What’s going on?”

Uh-oh……

“Don’t worry Marin just eat and follow big sis and Kilting ok?”

“Mmm!”

Phew…. Alephi diffused the situation…

Alright then…. *ppphhhhh* *hhhaaaaaa*

Today is the Blood Bloom.

I can feel the nausea and headache coming. I guess my wonderful anxiety attacks followed me over to here………….fuck.

Food. I need food….and lots of it.

Interestingly enough that inbred bastard dropped the huge cauldron of gruel in the middle of the cell while the other guy, whom I’ve nicknamed “Wilbur” after a certain famous pig, Distributed the bowls to all of us……..empty.

Oh you clever bastards. You’re going to rile us up before we even step foot into the arena!

I’d better take control of the situation before it gets ugly. I’ve seen plenty of these scenarios play out already, by now I’ve figured out how to stave off the deterioration of order in the system.

Which in this case is a bunch of children……..greaattt~

“Follow me.”

Currently the other children are figuring out just what they are supposed to be doing. Thankfully they’ve been so beaten down that they don’t react like a kid normally would and immediately rush over.

“Ok.”

“kay~”

The two sisters follow me as I walk casually to the cauldron.

“Alright now give me your bowls I’ll get the gruel for you.”

Alephi gives me a dubious look but complies. Marin just hands it over with a big smile.

Awe Marin you’re too cute!

I use my bowl to ladle gruel into there’s and then have them go back to our spot. By now the other kids have figured it out and are all tensed up as if waiting for a spark to set them off.

Very well……but this won’t be an explosion….rather a slow burn.

“Alright, who would like some gruel next?”

“me!

“ME!”

“Me!”

And now I have a room full of greedy kids on my hands. Who all decide to rush over.

“Then line up!”

Naturally only some listen, they’re smart. The ones that don’t get a whack on the head from me. Then like a light went off in their heads I get a squirming line in front of me.

Good.

Seems the reputation I’ve built up over the past week of being the strongest has helped out.

I’ve heard them whisper to each other, debating whether myself or the mutt was stronger. That’s why I knew I could pull this off. I’m ‘bigger’ than them so they’ll follow my lead.

…………Except for that one.

I was mid-way through serving the other kids when the mutt decides to stick her snout into things. She decides she doesn’t need to wait and comes for the cauldron directly.

Damnit. I do not need this turning into a free for all like the gruel crew wanted!

I can see them snickering at my predicament out of the corner of my eye.

“Wait your turn.”

Might as well try and settle this peacefully.

“No!”

Naturally it doesn’t end up that way.

As she reaches for the cauldron I drop my bowl and grab her hand. She looks up at me in frustration and I flick her in the

nose.

“No!”

“Grrrr!”

I get a snarl in return. Then I get a left hook.

I sway to my left and grab her left wrist with my right hand. Then I quickly turn and grab onto the wrist with my left hand as well. I use my shoulder as a fulcrum and send her flying towards the wall. I regulate the strength just enough so that she doesn’t throw a tantrum. With my perfect memories I was able to review all the fights I had with my siblings, I know just how far I can push her. If only I had Grand Archive there might’ve been an even better way.

Naturally she gets back up and growls again.

I respond in kind.

I win.

Dominance finally established.

The line goes back to normal.

…….

The gruel helps a little in curing my nausea. The fight with the mutt also helps, it got my adrenaline pumping.

I was now sitting with Alephi and Marin. There was extra gruel left in the pot after I was done serving it. I took a bit extra and left the rest.

The mutt took it.

I don’t care anymore. An all out fight in the cell was averted……mostly. They must do this every time to get the children riled up before the Blood Bloom.

I didn’t give them the satisfaction.

“Get up! You’re leaving!”

The guards ousted us into the hallway.

It’s time…….

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The damp hallways were cold.

That is all.

I can’t really process anything currently. It’s all a mess.

Today…… I’m going to kill….. probably.

I don’t want this.

I may be an adult….. but right now I feel more lost and alone than a five year old alone in a supermarket.

Suddenly I feel something warm worm its way into my hand. It’s Marin.

Her tiny hand clasps mine tightly, so much so that her little black nails dig into my skin.

Such an interesting oddity of us Beast Racers. We look mostly human but we are clearly different.

I look almost entirely human except for my eyes, ears, and nails.

The sisters are similar but their facial structure is…..foxy? They also have this weird sensual suppleness, a trait I imagine of their kitsune clan.

I glance up front to the mutt girl. She her hands were similar to paws with tiny little claws on them. She walked barefoot and if I listened carefully I could here the click of her pads and claws on the stone. Furthermore her legs were shaped oddly in comparison to a normal human. She also had a tail and the ears and eyes of a wolf as well.

We truly were an odd race.

Blood Bloom……

Damnit! I had almost perfectly escaped into a tangent! But our reality re-surfaced in my mind. I gave Marin’s hand a slight squeeze. When she looked up I gave a small smile and then glance up at Alephi. She’s holding Marin’s other hand. I can see the concern on her face but I give her a reassuring nod.

She gives a weak smile.

I truly admire her. She’s old enough to understand what is going on, yet she’s holding up. I can’t imagine what she must’ve been through before this while taking care of Marin.

Compared to me…..well.

Then again like me she’s probably holding it in.

“STOP!”

The guard’s sudden shout startled me out of my thoughts. Like I thought, we had been lead to the gladiator entrance to the arena.

It’s about to begin………

“You’ll be given a weapon. You will then walk into the arena.”

Simple instructions….. I guess no real pleasantries are necessary.

The line was quickly processed and each child received a short sword. No daggers for us, we were far too strong. Giving us one of those was just like adding another claw onto our hands. I could feel my own unsheathe and re-sheathe in tension.

The swords were all about two feet long. From working on various machinery I could tell they had been cast rather than forged.

They’re brittle.

I won’t be surprised if they break within the first few hits.

*RRRrrrroooooooooarrr*

A raging crowd could be heard as we step out into the bright sun of noon. My ears instantly flattened as I heard the cacophony.

Marin grabbed onto Alephi in fear.

I will protect them.

I glare up into the crowd. I don’t know what I’m searching for….. I guess, for the faces of the monsters who’ve come to watch us.

Along the majority of the arena it was packed with the unwashed masses. At four points along the lowest level were covered seating spots with cleaner monsters sitting in there with there fancy teacups and guards.

At a fifth point a raised dais was positioned behind………glass? I haven’t seen glass that well made since earth. It was

obviously where the royal family would watch from. The biggest monsters of them all.

“They’re all savages.”

I growled out the words unconsciously. I could feel the worried look from Alephi but I ignored it.

As the last of the children filtered into the arena, most of them awkwardly carrying their swords, the noise from the crowd picked up.

…….

“Welcome LADIES AND GENTS! To the BLOOD BLOOM! As everyone knows we have entered the time of blooming! What better way to celebrate it than with a wonderful blood red rose!”

The crowd roared at this point. Savages.

“It is my honor to welcome King Lyle Opasno Snaga and Queen Lorelli Prekrasan Snaga! As well as the First Royal Prince Everand, the Second Royal Princess Alectra, and the Third Royal Prince Abel!”

Ah so that’s the name of the big monsters and their spawn.

The crowd slowly quieted down. The biggest monster rose to speak.

“As is tradition today is both a day of celebration and rememberence! Today… two-hundred years ago, the nefarious forces of the Overlord were defeated by my ancestors and their followers. Today Snaga stands as the first line of defense against any and all threat from the west of the Great Baltic River! Today we celebrate our victory and remember the savagery of the Beast Race. May all of you remember what these creatures truly are!”

After a short pause where that cesspool sat down in the crowd roared in enthusiasm.

So….was it really that bad? Did our ancestors really commit such atrocities that we must still be reviled?

I doubt it. This is just propaganda to justify the subjugation of an intelligent race.

“Now……LET THE BLOOD BLOOM BEGIN!”

*WWWOOOORRRROOOAAARRRRRWHWOOO*

In word the crowd of fiends went apeshit.

In the arena it didn’t seem like anyone was going to fight. In fact some of the younger children were about to cry. I could see Marin getting ready to burst.

But then it began.

It started as an annoying drone in the back of my skull. I could feel myself becoming enraged.

Why though?

Then just as quickly it disappeared.

What the hell was that?

I looked around. On the walls of the arena countless symbols were flashing red and black sparks arced between them………..

Oh shit………..those two colors are never a good combination!

“Hey Alephi…..Alephi?”

I looked towards her, her eyes were unfocussed as her brow grew more and more furrowed. I could see her hackles rise. It wasn’t just her though……everyone was like that.

…………So this is how they’re going to do this.

“ggggrrrrr!”

A collective snarl was emitted around me and the crowd cheered with even more enthusiasm.

“Hey Aleph – oof!”

I was pushed into the ground by her. I could feel the hard packed sand dig into my back as Alephi pinned me with a strength I never knew she had.

Beserk style then?

“Sorry!”

I head butted her.

Ouch.

She tumbled off of me. Before she could cause any more damage I chopped at her neck and knocked her out. Thank god I had practiced this move for the past two weeks.

“Marin!?”

I looked and found her snarling and fighting another small child, their swords forgotten. The other was one of the lizard – clan. Both of them sported small scratches from the others claws. While small they were deep.

They’re really going for blood……

Before I can think too much more I dash towards them and kick the lizard boy away.

Sorry I have more important things to worry about.

Before Marin can do anything I knock her out and then carry her to her sister.

Alright, now then….. *BAM!*

“Guahhh!”

It HURTS! HOLY SHIT IT HURTS!

I blearily struggle up off the ground and find bovine boy stamping the ground and getting ready to charge again.

I can definitely feel at least one rib is almost completely broken. My right side is scratched up and bleeding from the brush burn. He actually sent me flying over twenty feet!

I pick the sword off the ground and grimace in pain as the mutilated skin on my right hand is stretched. But I need to stay strong, right now the sisters are defenseless!

“UUrrraaoo!”

A feline clan member suddenly tackles Bovine boy and they go down in a flurry of claws and canines. It truly is a free for all. Suddenly I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I tumble forward. Above me I can hear a blade whistling through the air where my head had been. It seems not everyone discarded them.

I twist around on the ground and roll up into a crouch ready to face my new opponent. My ribs don’t agree and I end up

kneeling on the ground panting as I look up.

It’s someone from the dog clan. Not to be confused with the lupines, he has large fluffy ears and a tail.

A halfer.

Shit, with my condition right now I can’t take on someone with that strength.

The dog-boy leaps towards me, his eyes blank of anything except rage.

Placing the sword at a forty-five degree angle will pierce the breastbone and sever the spine with minimal force.

Before I could even think what was happening, my body had already braced my sword at the required angle.

Then it was over.

There was a squelch and then a click as the sword hit bone.

The boy’s eyes bulged and regained clarity.

“Thank you.”

Then he was dead.

Why, why, WHY!?

Why did it have to happen? Wasn’t there anything I could have done?

Damnit!

These are just a bunch of kids!

Slice with twenty pounds of force……..

Protect…..

Goring in this manner ensures most efficient use of movement……..

Protect them……

Five steps back, target will charge. Side step then cut……..

Protect them both……

Guard left strike to generate necessary momentum to push right target into left, then stab.

Eh?

What happened?

I look down at my body…..red, red, red, red……

RED!

It’s all red?

Why?

Why are the demons silent? What happened to their cheers.

What happened to Bovine boy? Where is that Dog k---……………..

“UaaahhhH!”

Blood! It’s all theirs!

Corpses all around me! There’s nothing left!

“GGfrrrrkkk!Heerrkk!”

*CRITCH!*

My eyes shifted to my right, then slowly did the rest of my body.

Across the field there she was……the mutt.

Our eyes met.

She snarled and then let her last prey drop from her teeth……then she swallowed something.

Was that the kids throat?

What the hell have these monsters done!?

“Mmm? What’s going on?”

I hear a voice below me.

It’s Alephi, blood is splattered across her!

No! Not her----- no wait it’s everyone else’s.

Marin is still asleep, thank goodness.

“Stay down.”

“huh?”

Alephi stands up and blearily looks at me.

“I said----“

“AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!”

She screams when she finally sees me. As she looks around it only serves to fuel her screams more. She falls backwards and scrambles away.

*Squelch*

“uuuaahhhH!”

Her hands are covered in blood…..no that’s not right. Her hands shouldn’t be covered………only mine should be…

“GGGGGRRRRRRRR! Aaaawwwoooooooo!!”

A feral growl and baleful howl cut across the relative silence in the arena.

The mutt.

Apart from us she’s the last one left.

I don’t want to fight anymore.

I glance over, but she’s no longer looking at me.

All she sees is the prey near me. The screaming, weak, prey.

She sees Alephi.

Now, she pounces.

Within the blink of an eye she crosses into our area as another guttural growl leaves her lips.

Alephi doesn’t notice and is still crying.

She’s almost upon her!

“GGrrrrwwwoooooaaarrrrrrr!!!!”

A roar sounded out as I tackled the mutt.

Grab neck and press hip into the target to generate enough centripetal force to snap the neck.

NO! This is my body!

I grab her shift instead and rotate her before sending her flying into the wall of the arena. My shoulder muscle screams in protest. It seems part of it was cut at some point.

“eh?”

Alephi looks dumbfounded as I stride towards the mutt.

“Take Marin and run. Stay out of our way, this’ll get ugly.”

With that I run towards the mutt. She’s just beginning to climb out of the wall.

Heel press the nose to shatter nasal bone and puncture----

NO.

I will fight on my own terms! This is my battle!

I press the attack immediately with a right straight. Blood spatters as a popping sound occurs when her nose breaks. She slumps back into the wall.

Is it already ov-----!!

“OOFF!”

Her kick knocks the wind out of me an sends me flying for a whole ten feet before I tumble and skid along the ground for another five.

“Grruurrgggrrrr.”

The mutt snarls and stalks towards me.

The sword to the -------

NO!

She charges towards me and then pounces on all fours. Her head is angled forward to bite my throat.

I press my back into the sand and kick up.

The action sends her flying over me to land in a pile of corpses.

“EEEAaaKKK!”

Marin woke up.

“RUN!”

I roar the command as I myself speed towards the mutt.

“Grraoorr.”

She leaps off the ground, her messy silver hair splayed out and glinting in the sun.

“Raaaooourrr!”

I respond with a roar of my own before feinting right then going left. I place my right leg behind hers and grab her throat, my claws digging into her. In the next moment I slam her to the ground.

Suddenly she grabs my arms and then using her powerful legs she rips apart my front.

Blood begins to drip down her legs and splatters her face……my blood!

Borrow force of the kick to twist, the bite arm and sever the vein.

no……

The action is completed. On the next kick I twist right and then sink my teeth into her left wrist. My lower canines find the

vein.

The mutt’s blood floods my mouth. I can feel her heart beat with my tongue. Then she rips her arm free, making the injury worse.

My teeth click shut with her arm no longer in between them. Sometimes brute strength isn’t always the best.

“hhrrk!”

She grabs me by the throat using her still good arm and throws me into the wall.

“Guaah!”

The impact knocked all the wind out of me before I fell flat on my face.

My head hurts…..

My arms hurt……

My legs hurt………

My whole body HURTS!

“Nooo!”

I summon just enough strength to look up. Blood covers my left eye so in reality I can just barely see anything with my right.

What I see is Alephi clutching onto Marin and scrambling on the ground. The mutt has already shifted her sights from me to the sisters.

Move…..

She’s slowly stalking towards them as Marin starts to sob.

Move!......

My arms refuse to move and even breathing becomes difficult. It seems the rib may have completely broke and is now puncturing something.

Move!.....

The mutt is almost upon them!

MOVE!!!!

>> Pausing data collection and extraneous applications

>> Beginning energy(unidentified) dump in: 3…..2……1…

>> Energy(unidentified) dump initiated

*BOOM*

“RRRRROOOOOOAAAAAWWWWRRRRR!!!!”

I moved.

The distance between me and the mutt narrowed instantaneously. Then within the blink of an eye and a light tap she slammed into the Arena wall.

“CCCkkuuaa!!!”

Blood spewed from her mouth and she hurled up whatever was in her stomach before falling to the ground unconscious.

“Kitling?”

“I’ll live.”

>> Data collection and extraneous applications resuming.

I looked around at the Arena. The once golden yellow sand now carries a red hue as the field of corpses spreads across it.

The corpses of children.

Children I killed.

“No..”

It came out as a whimper, a pleading whine that what I saw wasn’t reality.

My pleading went unanswered.

“Bbbllugrrrggghhh.”

I vomited everything, but the taste of the mutts blood seemed to coat the interior of my mouth no matter how much bile I spewed out.

Huh? That’s weird, why am I on the ground?

I feel so fuzzy…….

“KITLING!!!”

~Gathering Data: 50%~

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Here you are my grateful followers! Muahahaha dead batteries and shitty internet on Megabuses won't stop me from posting!

......................but laziness will [th_093.gif]

anywho I banged this puppy out. Enjoy!