Kaarik's POV
"Damn…" My heart beat against my chest as the dust settled.
I had somehow barely survived the Skrill's attack. Subconsciously, I ran my hands over my body, checking if I was missing any body parts. To say the least, I was stunned into silence.
Peering over what little remained of the boulder I had ducked behind, a ring of scorched grass spread from the Skrill to me. Walking out from behind the rubble, the Skrill snorted at me, seemingly annoyed that I survived.
I didn't know how often it could pull that attack off, and I didn't want to find out. I needed a way to end this battle. Steadying my breathing, I began firing arrows at the dragon. The Skrill shrugged the arrows off as it dashed toward me, moving at a speed that was faster than before.
I was barely evading its attacks. Its previous attacks were child's play compared to what it was putting me through now. I tried dodging another attack, but the dragon quickly responded by firing a lightning blast from point-blank range.
My body moved before I could even process what was happening. I lifted my shield, praying it would at least put up the slightest defense against the lightning.
Have you ever wondered what it was like to be struck by lightning powerful enough to send you flying? No? Well, nothing I can say can put it into words.
The Skrill's lightning could blow apart boulders, let alone my shield made of metal and wood. The blast lifted me off my feet, sending me into the air. I land on the ground with a hard thud, screaming as I clutch my left arm.
My arm was a mangled mess, while bits and pieces of my shield were sticking out from it like some twisted porcupine. The pain was unbearable. I nearly blacked out every time I moved it, but the pain kept me awake. I'd say I was lucky that I'm not dead, but the pain is making me wish I were.
With tears streaming down my face, I grit my teeth as I struggle to stand. I wouldn't be able to last much longer like this. Not only was I heavily injured, but the fatigue from fighting for so long was taking its toll on me.
But I knew that if I stopped for even a moment, I'd be dead. Pulling out my last remaining weapon, I took my dagger from my boot, pointing it at the Skrill before taunting it.
"Come, get me, you overgrown chicken." I spat with an uneven tone.
Hissing at me, the dragon shot lightning toward me. I was barely dodging the lightning before, but now I almost feel the static against my skin as it whizzes past me. In a desperate bid to end things, I dashed toward the dragon.
As I neared, my vision began flickering in and out, which didn't help my already hindered ability to dodge the dragon's blasts. As I ducked under another blast of lightning, I felt my feet slip from under me.
Landing face-first in the mud, I lifted my head only to see the Skrill about to shoot me with another blast of lightning. Rolling along the ground, I managed to preserve my life for the umpteenth time by dodging the lightning.
I held back screams as my mangled arm scraped against the dirt. Biting my lip to the point I bled, I tried to distract myself from the pain. With ragged breath, I get back to my feet.
By this point, either the blood loss or the Skrill would kill me. One way or another, neither one sounded like a good option. Without my sword, my efforts against the dragon were barely effective. I was starting to make mistakes, costly ones.
The longer this battle lasted, the surer I was that I wouldn't make it out alive. I needed to escape. But I knew it would only prolong the inevitable. This dragon would not stop hunting me until I was dead.
On the other hand, the dragon's behavior was becoming more aggressive. The dragon was visibly angry at the fact that I wasn't dead. My thoughts were cut short as I saw the dragon fire lightning at me.
I attempt to avoid it, barely moving out of the way as the lightning grazes my side, burning me as it tears through my flesh.
"Fuck!" I need to escape now. Pushing through the pain, I begin to trudge down the cliff.
Seeing this, the Skrill soared into the air and dived toward me. I didn't even get a few feet from my previous location before the dragon caught up.
The dragon attempted to tackle me to the ground with its claws, but fortunately, I ducked in time to avoid being caught. Landing in front of me, the dragon blocked my path.
'Guess this is it. There's nowhere to run, so I might as well make my last stand, right?' Gripping my dagger, I charged the dragon.
My final mistake. The Skrill spun around, using its tail like a bludgeon as it crashed into me. I heard a sickening crash upon impact before I was sent rag-dolling through the air. Once I hit the ground, my body tumbled before finally coming to a halt after a few seconds.
"Fu…ck..." A gurgling whisper came out of my throat as the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
Turning my head to the side, I vomited a decent amount of blood, which was not the best sign one could have. I didn't have the strength to do anything but lie on the ground.
I listened to the Skrill get closer, each of its footsteps thudding against the ground, reaching my ears like thunder.
When the Skrill finally came into view, it stared down at me. I watched as it unfurled its wings and roared into the sky, lightning striking around us. Then it all ceased—its roar, the lightning, all of it.
For moments, nothing but the sound of rain and thunder could be heard, and then the next thing I knew, its mouth was opening, a hue of purple and white radiating from its maw.
Closing my eyes, I waited for death. That was the only thing left I could do. A few seconds passed, then a few minutes. More and more time passed, and I am still alive.
'Why aren't I dead yet?' Opening my eyes, I see lightning an inch from my face.
Everything was still. Frozen and trapped as if it were a painting.
"Told you… He isn't ready." I heard an exhausted and dejected-sounding voice mutter.
"Well, did you want him to die?" Another snapped.
Sighing, the other voice tried to come up with a rebuttal.
"T-that's not what I—"
"Shut it… both of you." A third exasperated voice demanded.
'Who?'
"Don't worry about who. Right now, you need our help."
'What—' Before I could question further, the voice interrupted me.
"Quiet. Just let us do our thing." The voice commanded.
I couldn't see much because the lightning obscured my vision, but I could see what looked to be a small portion of the dragon's blood being taken from the stab wound I had made.
I quickly questioned the voice. 'I'm quite literally about to have my head blown off, your voices appear out of nowhere, and time is frozen. I think I deserve to know how the hell you intend to help me.'
I wasn't going to allow whatever these voices were to do whatever they wished. Not when they came out at the exact moment I'm about to die, and I know next to nothing about their intentions. It screams suspicion. The voice was quiet before sighing deeply.
"Fine, we're going to help you by—" The voice was cut off before it could explain.
"Power~." A fourth voice interjected.
A cold presence surrounded me, prickling my skin like needles as it spread throughout my body. A shiver went down my spine as I felt like something was piercing into my very being.
'YOU.' The disdain in my voice was palpable.
"Me~." The voice replied.
"Y-you're not supposed to be here…" The first voice spoke.
"And why not? I'm here to save 'us'. Plus, you all sound so… what's the word? 'Miserable'." The voice said.
"Leave." The third voice demanded.
"Aw, come on, don't be like that. Wouldn't you 'hate' to deal with the consequences that come after?" The voice said in a smooth-sounding voice.
It sickened me. I could almost hear the underlying intentions behind it.
"Leave them alone!" The second voice shouted.
"Or what? What can you possibly do to help as we're about to get 'ourselves' killed?" The voice questioned. "Besides, if he doesn't agree, he'll 'regret' it."
"We can do just fine without you interfering." The third voice growled.
"Oh, don't be so sure about that. After all, he needs "all" of us, doesn't he?" The voice said, directing the last part at me.
No response came from the other voices.
'Keep your damn power, I don't need it.' I'd rather die than accept a deal with this thing.
"Stubborn, hmm. I see that this life has given you some backbone." The voice chuckled before speaking again. "But don't you want to live and see your family again? It's all you've ever wanted… isn't it? A happy life free from the chains of your past?"
The voice whispered, trying to reel me in with its honey-coated words. It was true. I did wish for those things, but a lot had to be done to achieve those things fully. However, I don't trust this 'being' in the slightest.
'I. Don't. Need. It.' I hissed.
"We weren't asking for your permission…" The voice lost all its whimsiness. "This should help 'us' survive. Don't waste it."
I watched as the dragon's blood began to seep into my wounds. Suddenly, my body began to get hotter and hotter. It felt like my blood was boiling.
'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!' I screeched, unable to do anything but feel as if I was being tortured.
"Oh, stop being a baby~. We're helping." The voice giggled, though the other voices were not amused.
"Sorry…"
"It'll be over soon…"
"Tsk."
'AAAAARGH!!!'
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Third POV
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The blast of lightning hit the boy, creating a cloud of smoke. Once it cleared, Kaarik was gone. Surprised, the dragon confusedly looked around before finally spotting him standing a few feet away.
The dragon roared in what seemed to be frustration. This human was supposed to be turned into a sizzling pile of flesh, yet here he was. He was becoming more trouble than he was worth.
Sinking its claws into the dirt, the dragon crouched to the ground and began channeling lightning through its spikes and absorbing it into its body. Once that was done, it glowed a faint purple and black, electricity skipping all over its skin.
Looking at the boy standing still in the same spot, it screeched as it dashed at him, its speed enhanced by the lightning it had absorbed. This human was finished. The dragon would end him in an instant.
To its utter shock, the boy swiftly stepped to the side and in one single moment, delivered a haymaker to the side of its face. A sickening crack echoed from the boy's hand as his fist made contact.
The dragon's body lurched forward, its head tilted toward the ground due to the punch, and it was sent flying into some boulders. Getting up and out of the rubble, the dragon staggered slightly.
Its face showed confusion as it looked at the boy. The blow it received felt like a fraction of its strength. Though that didn't mean the blow was weak.
"Confused?" Kaarik asked as he turned to the dragon.
Popping noises could be heard from his body as he moved forward. The dragon roared before shooting a bolt of lightning toward the boy. Dodging the lightning, he continued making his way toward the dragon.
"Good. Prepare yourself, dragon. I'm going to beat you into submission, and then you'll finally be MINE." A crazed smile was plastered on his face as he declared his intent.
Round two begins now.