Bloodbound to the Beastly King

Kai had seen many things in his life. Deals gone wrong? Turned bloody? Pups sold for the price of a loaf? Broken men turned beasts… He had seen it all and yet…

Nothing… Nothing could have prepared him for this.

He hid behind a stack of crates; he was supposed to be the lookout. The one who sent overstepping people away. He was okay with the role given to him. After all, he didn't need to even do the deal, but he'd still get a share of the coin.

He'd been waiting for the men, eyes darting around, knowing all they had to do was bring the woman. It was supposed to be simple. Easy. Just a simple grab, they'd said. Knock her out, stuff her in the bag. It was quick and easy coin. The woman was small, fragile-looking. Some rich bitch, he supposed. There were a lot of them. Mistresses of high-ranking lords.

He stepped away for a second, only a second, seeing some villagers walking towards the alley. He jumped out from where he was hiding and scared them away. He grinned, watching them run. It was always fun.

He returned to his hiding spot only to freeze; the air had changed. He no longer heard the grunts and laughter of his fellow men… no, it was all silent. He squinted his eyes, trying to make them out but suddenly found it difficult too. The air denouncing them was black. A black mist.

He gasped, shocked to his bones. The birds, hoards of them, flew into the alley, and he fell to his knees, hands clasped tight against his ears, eyes squeezed. It went on… for hours, it seemed. Then came the scream. Horrendous. Terrifying. Even with his hands pressed tight against his ears, he heard the shrilling scream. Finally, it stopped. He'd been so afraid, but he peeked one eye open and slowly got up, looking towards the alley. What he saw would forever be ingrained in his head.

He fell down, scrambling backward, body trembling. His brothers… they were all dead. Their eyes leaking blood. Nose, ears, mouth.

He clasped a hand over his mouth, chest heaving heavily.

Kai ran. He didn't think, didn't wait. He bolted right out of there, heart beating wildly in his ears. His legs burned, and his chest felt like it might cave in.

But still, he ran.

The alley gave way to cobblestone, then filth, and then finally wild grass. He burst out into the woods, running and gasping for air.

He didn't know how long he ran. Hours maybe. His feet bled inside his boots, but he didn't dare stop. Not when every time he shut his eyes, he'd see that horrific sight of his brothers dead. No! He couldn't stop.

Birds squawked over the trees, and he fell to the ground, covering his head like a child. "No, no, please—" he cried out, curling into himself.

The birds weren't even the same ones. He peeked out again and saw that they were gone. He got up on his feet and continued to run. Convinced that the woman's birds were after him now.

He had to be safe. Needed to be safe.

He ran and ran and ran, and then… finally, he stumbled into the fields, from afar was the gates. It was tall, rusted iron bars, covered in vines and filth.

He dragged himself towards the place. He pounded on it once before falling to his knees, face streaked with sweat and grime.

He was gasping, wheezing, fingers clawing at it like a madman. "Open—please, open, OPEN—"

Finally, the gates opened on their own.

He stumbled inside, gasping and tired from running so long. He walked straight to the place he knew, and when he got there, he fell to his knees.

A mona appeared, a frown on her face, eyes narrowed. "I told you not to come here except it's important," she snapped.

Kai bowed deeper. "It is, my lady. It is important," he rushed out.

She looked him over, brows raised. "Where are the others?" she asked.

Kai couldn't respond, tears filled his eyes again. The woman's eyes narrowed, and she stepped forward, hands raised, she slapped him hard across the cheek.

"What have you done?" she snarled.

His head snapped to the side, spit flying from his mouth. "M-M-my lady," he choked out.

"Where are the others!"

"Dead!" he screamed. "They're dead—gods, please, she—" His face whitened, tears streaming down his cheeks like he was reliving it again. He shook his head rapidly, begging. "Please, please— they're dead! S- she wasn't normal—"

The woman stepped closer, frowning. She gripped his jaw tight, forcing him to look at her.

"Who is she, and what did she do?"

Kai looked up, horror carved into every inch of his face. "We were only supposed to take the girl. We were done with those neeed, and w-we just wanted to add her. The money was too good a-and we needed the coin. But then… then she turned."

"She turned what?" the woman growled.

He clutched his head. "Her eyes… they went white. The air went black. And there were birds, everywhere, and screaming—I couldn't see—I couldn't—"

He broke into sobs. "She killed them. She killed them."

The woman crouched, her fingers curling around his jaw, squeezing tighter. "What's her name?" he asked.

Kai stared at her, but his eyes seemed unfocused. "I- I don't know who she is. He didn't say. Just that we had a girl and the pay was good."

The woman stared at him for much longer than stood up. "Take him away." She said, turning away from him.

Kai gasped, eyes wild. "Please…forgive me! I didn't do it." He screamed but even his words weren't making sense any longer.

The woman turned away, hearing Kai scream as he was dragged off. She then looked up at the sky, frowning. Her eyes turned white.

She frowned harder… Was the sage closer than she thought?