25

Justified homicide

"You guys ok?" K.O grunted out. His arms strained as he dangled in the shackles that hung from the ceiling of the cell. His muscles ached and the Demagic collar they had decked them with weighed heavy around his neck. It was keeping him from healing as his cuts remained intacted.

The collar was something they had never seen before. It completely cut them off from their source entirely leaving them feeling almost like they had a black hole inside of their being. It made them feel as if all of the energy was drained out of them creating an empty shell. It was definitely an experience they didn't enjoy.

"I'm hanging in there." Maya huffed, then rolled her eyes at the pun. Her body hurt the worst, so being shackled up just added to her distress and pulled at her wound. Her patched side was on fire as she could feel the blood filling out the bandage.

"Rockie? Belle?" K.O called out again when he didn't get a response.

"Shut the hell up," Rockie sniped, then opened his mouth to let out off a yawn. "I'm trying to take a nap."

"This isn't the time to be playing," K.O. growled as a vein throbbed on his temple. "Can you stop joking for one second?"

"Well, what you want me to do? Cry?" Rockie asked sarcastically.

"I want you to get serious!"

"I'm serious alright. Seriously fucking stuck." Rockie snorted. He jerked hard in his shackles, yet the chain holding him proved stronger, only causing pain to his already sore arms.

"Just shut up and grow up," Maya snapped, glaring in the direction she thought Rockie was in. The cell walls were solid dark rocks, almost like hollow caves. They couldn't see the other and talking just sent there voices echoing off the walls.

Rockie gritted his teeth, "How bout you two grow up and think of a way out of here."

That started an argument between the three which turned to Maya and Rockie throwing shots at each other.

"Do you hear this boy, Belle?" K.O asked, however he still didn't get anything from the girl.

His frown deepened in concern. "Belle, you there?"

In the cell next to his, Belle hung limply with her eyes staring vacantly to the ground below. Her heart was gradually hammering against her chest until it felt as if it was drumming at all of her organs. Sweat beads glistened along her skin.

She was at the cusp of a panic attack. She knew it and tried to reel it in because this was not the time for that, yet she couldn't stop it as it's dark tendrils crept towards her mind. She heard something, almost like a calling, trying to penetrate her foggy hearing. The only thing she could make of the voices sounded like fussing and a slight call for Belle. 'Who was that again?' Belle thought giving into the panic when her mind started clouding over.

Still, the screaming wouldn't let her delve deeper as the shouting of 'Belle' drug her back down from the clouds.

'Oh wait. That's my name. I'm Belle,' her mind registered. She wasn't too far gone, but her heart was still pounding. Who were the others talking though and where was she?

"...fault, so I don't wanna hear nothing else coming from your mouth." Maya snarled, still arguing with Rockie. Her face was flushed in anger. "You should be glad I'm restrained because I'd be beating your ass as we speak."

Rockie blew his lips out, "Whatever Maya. You know you don't want these problems."

"Will both of you stop already. Damn, you're giving me a headache." K.O snapped in annoyance. He then turned his attention back to Belle. "Bel-"

"We're going to die." Belle exclaimed in a rush then gulped in air like she had been drowning. She released a stuttered breath. "We're going to die. We're going to die." She cried out and started hyperventilating.

Rockie, Maya, and K.O grew silent at that as the daunting truth was finally spoken, left to gloom over their heads.

Belle hastily shook her head. Her throat felt like it was closing up as she kept to her mantra. "We're going to die."

"Yes you are."

Belle jerked up letting out a gasp when Aadhis was suddenly standing before her cage, wearing that ugly smirk.

"You are foolish for coming back, little girl." Aadhis stated basically indifferent. "The fact that you once escaped will make killing you very entertaining."

"Leave her alone," K.O yelled out. He couldn't see the orc, but his ears worked enough for him to know it was Aadhis teasing his sister.

The orc clicked her tongue between her rotten teeth, and she stepped over until she was watching the blonde.

"So protective," she purred then looked the boy up and down with an interested grin. "You actually cute."

Aadhis burst out cackling when K.O's face contorted in disgust, then she continued walking passed Maya's cell and stopped to peek into Rockie's.

The boy sent a glare her way.

The orc just blew the boy a kiss. Aadhis continued walking towards the steps leading to the exit and entrance door. She pivoted in place before taking a step and stared down the corridor.

"Yet so young you are. I do not understand why you decide to come here." She spoke carelessly, but only received silence. Clicking her tongue, she once again faced the door, then proceeded up the steps. "Well, I guess it does not matter. You definitely entertained me. Thank you. I really needed it. I will see you all again in a minute."

Aadhis opened the door and closed it behind herself.

Silence so thick you could cut it lingered around the teens as they slowly took in their fate. All hands were dealt and there was no going back.

Literally a minute later, the door opened again and four orcs marched in, trailed by an irate R'gug. Each orc walked to a cell and waited as R'gug unlocked each cage for them to go in and gather the kids.

When they were all unshackled, the orcs rounded them up and led them out onto the platform. It seemed like the entire border was surrounding to watch.

Lord Xhair watched as they were brought to him with his hands behind his back wearing a hard expression. His chin was raised high showing everyone just who held the power.

Once the doves were before the lord, they were forced to their knees. They each stared up at Lord Xhair with mixed emotions.

Lord Xhair bared his teeth at the teens. "You have trespassed onto my land and started a war that you sadly cannot win. Do you have any last words?"

"Fuck you," Rockie spat. He didn't care who this man was, he would never let anyone put fear in him. He was going to die anyway, might as well go out with bravado.

The orc behind him grabbed the back of his head, its hand was so large that its three fingers dug into his face, and slammed Rockie's face down to the concrete.

Which fucking hurt.

"Watch your tongue demon." The orc growled, lifting Rockie's head back up.

The boy's face was scraped with blood dripping from his possibly broken nose and busted lip.

The ginger looked up at the orc still holding his head, then gave it a taunting, bloodied smirk. "Fuck. You too."

Releasing a nasty snarl the orc slammed Rockie's face down again. Once. Twice.

"STOP!" K.O and Maya shrieked, jerking were they kneeled.

The orc growled at the two, snatching the dazed boy back up to his knees. His face was a bloodied mess and if his nose wasn't broken before, it definitely was broken now.

"You join him?" The orc angrily asked K.O and Maya as it pointed to the gingers face.

They quickly shook their heads no.

Lord Xhair just stood there watching them so calmly it was scary. The atmosphere grew tense before he finally decided to speak.

"Demons from outside of our walls. For trespassing and causing severe disarray onto my people, you shall die today. This will forever bring me great pleasure." He peered at each of their faces, then squinted on Rockie's. "Do you still wish to speak?"

Rockie only licked his lips, then spit out a wad of blood at the lord's feet.

The man finally smiled, "Very well."

He turned to his congregation. "Citizens of Fall border. Today shall be the last we allow poison to enter and taint our soil. I, Lord Xhair, will make sure that our fortress is from here on out truly impenetrable. Magic is evil and shall be ridden of immediately. No longer will we fear these creatures and their vile existence. No more will I allow them to make a mockery of myself and put fear into your minds."

The citizens watched on, torn between respecting their lord and mourning their only hope.

Lord Xhair turned again to face the teens, whipping his hand out which now held a sharp knife. He pointed it in Belle's face, but the girl was so far gone that she didn't even flinch. "No more," Lord Xhair said.

"Monsters… deserve to die," he started lifting his chin domineering. "Those that help them deserve to die as well."

K.O, Maya, and Rockie looked on in confusion.

"Bring out the traitor." Lord Xhair ordered proudly.

They heard the door behind them open and were startled once they heard a familiar voice crying out.

"Let me go. I didn't do anything wrong."

The teens craned their necks around to watch as Drew was being carried out. The young boy was struggling in the orcs hands.

The teens instantly whipped around to yell at the lord.

"Let him go!" Rockie hollered.

"It was us, not him!" K.O yelled.

"We don't know him!" Maya insisted.

"He's innocent!" Belle bellowed.

They continued to beg with Lord Xhair, whose smile only grew watching the teens reaction. He signalled for the orc to bring over the boy. It walked over, carrying the crying child.

"Let him go. He didn't do anything." Rockie growled.

"You must play me for an idiot, demon? I am not that easy to fool. Not only did this boy help you inside to try and attack my people, he also aided you in killing some of my soldiers and burrowing them in hopes of catching me off guard. Did you really think I would not find out?" Lord Xhair seethed with his face pinching in. This was the first time he broke his calm facade.

"No, my lord." Drew cried out as he begged. "I would never do that, my lord. Never."

"We don't even know him." Maya glared at the lord.

"He's innocent." Belle shouted again.

Lord Xhair nodded to the orc and it took Drew to one side of the platform towards some stone steps and headed to the stake.

The slums watched in sorrow as a melancholic air wafted over the land. The orcs stared at their entertainment with glee.

When the orc started to tie up the child, the doves really started to cut up giving some of the slums confidence to use their voices as well. This caused an uproar.

Everyone else looked around in shock.

R'gug's face was still irritated, yet Aadhis watched on with a eager smile.

This however really pissed Lord Xhair off and the man suddenly reared his head back to let out a deafening roar. Silence spread quick like wildfire.

Lord Xhair's chest rumbled as he started chuckling, which grew into laughing then turned to boisterous cackling like a madman.

"You fucking coward." Rockie cursed, venom latched in his voice. "You deserve to be the one burning on that stake."

Abruptly, the ginger's eyes rolled back in his head and his body rocked forward when the orc behind him knocked him out. The boy fell face first.

"Anyone else?" Lord Xhair asked the other three who were smart to just remain silent.

"As for you filthy slums. It is I who provide your bellies be filled and it is I who keep you guarded, yet you raise your tone against me." Lord Xhair seemed calm as he lectured to the crowd feigning hurt feelings, but they knew better. Lord Xhair didn't have a soul to hurt.

"You slums have been acting out lately. Defying my loyalty and betraying my trust. This punishment does not give your behavior justice. It will not do at all. Bring out Dalilah."

At the order, the ground slowly rumbled to life and two orcs strolled from around the corner wheeling in a tall wood cage. Inside of the cage was a two headed griffin. The fur of its body was slick black. The bird-like heads themselves were different colors. One head was silver with red eyes and the other one was red with gold eyes. The orcs pulled the cage and stopped it at the foot of the platform, giving everyone clear view of the terrifying beast inside. Dalilah cawed and scratched at the bars.

What could the man have up his sleeves.

Lord Xhair glanced to the boy tied up. "Bring him."

The orc did, untying Drew from the stake and carrying him back up the platform. Lord Xhair grabbed the child by his neck and raised him high beaming a sinister grin. The kids resumed yelling.

Drew clawed at the arm choking him as the man brought him over to hover by the cage. Dalilah snapped at the cage bars.

"Drew Gole. Due to your transgression against your fellow man and betrayal to your lord, you are hereby sentenced to death. I pray your soul seeks forgiveness in the afterlife."

He wouldn't...

The orc opened up the cage door and Lord Xhair tossed the child inside.

Dalilah wasted no time as they immediately tore into the limbs of Drew's small body ripping apart flesh from bone.

"Aahhggg," the child's blood-curdling shriek sent out a chill almost causing time to stand still.

The doves stared in disgusted horror, frozen with their eyes wide open.

Blood sprayed out as the griffin enjoyed the meal, splashing crimson onto the Lord's face. The image made him more menacing than ever before.

Drops landed on the teens and K.O's stomach lurched hard before the boy lent his head down and vomited at his knees.

Once the boy was no more, Lord Xhair turned to the kids. "Start with the mouthy one."

An orc picked up Rockie and walked him to the lord and the still hungry griffin.

Lord Xhair snatched Rockie by his collar and lifted him up. His smile grew.

Before the man could toss him in, a booming voice cried out from behind the crowd.

"STOP!"

Everyone turned their head to see King walking up. The man's face was horrified, but he continued approaching.

Lord Xhair glared at the newcomer who had interrupted.

King bit into his bottom lip. "Please just… Just hear me out. You don't want to do this."

The orcs guarding drew their weapons and pointed them at King, causing him to stop.

"Who are you?" Lord Xhair snarled seethingly.

"Please," King continued to beg. His frightened eyes skittered along Rockie's limp form then migrated to the petrified faces of his other children. "I just want a moment of your time. I promise if you give me atleast that it'll be worth your while. If I'm wrong... then you can continue on with this."

Lord Xhair squinted his eyes suspiciously then slowly lowered Rockie and dropped him to the ground. "Very well. Let's talk. Let him pass."

The orcs spread apart to let King by and he stepped up to the platform, purposely sparring his eyes away from the bloody cage.

"Follow me." The lord said and turned to head toward the dungeon door with King hesitantly catching up. "Aadhis." Xhair called.

"Yes my lord." Aadhis perked up.

"Join me." He said and the orc smiled and joined the lord's side. "Everyone else stay put and await our return. This will not take long."

Lord Xhair opened the door, waiting for King to enter. The master paused then looked over his shoulder to see his kids hopeless eyes on him, then stepped through. Lord Xhair and Aadhis entered next leaving the door to slam loudly into the silence.

outro: Lovely, Billie Eiish ft Khalid

Dove Clan Family

Beetle

age: 15

weight: 130 lbs

height: 5'5", 165.1 cm

eye color: ?

hair color: green

magic type: bug

likes: bugs and nature

dislikes: predators

guild sign color: green

Born Hosai Nose, Beetle has always been one with mother nature, or rather the creepy crawlers of it. He collects bugs, using his spare time studying and learning more of their unique anatomy. Beetle is rarely around the other kids, not because he doesn't fit in. Well, it kind of is like that. Beetle can be weird to be around at times and can come off really creepy to those who don't know him, but hey, he's family. He is forever wearing those swirly goggles even when he sleeps.