The Adapters: A Life For A Life (Pt 11)

This story is not directly related to the prompt.

People featured in this story:

Ethan as Ethan

Sia as Sia

Luna as Liz

This story mainly revolves around the All-Beast battle, so any mentions in this story is minimal.

My breath caught in my throat, instant fear and horror overwhelming me. I barely registered that I had landed, looks of confusion on Ethan and Sia’s faces. 

“What’s wrong?” asked Ethan. “What did you see?”

“There’s so many,” I mumbled. “So many more. And Azazel, he…”

“Wait, did you say Azazel?” asked Sia, the blood draining from her face.

I nodded numbly as the vibrations became more pronounced, the army of death coming closer.

One by one, the people around me faced the sound, instant fear emitting on their faces as they saw the red and black spider flags.

Everyone stood frozen as Azazel approached, thousands of soldiers behind him. His spider legs shifted on the bloody grass, inhaling the scent of death, smiling as if he was already victorious. Azazel stepped forward, and I followed his lead. Everyone else stood back and watched, not wanting to miss a single moment of the second Battle of the All-Beasts.

“We don’t have to fight, you know,” said Azazel. “You can join me, and we can get rid of-”

“No,” I said.

“But are they not the ones who trapped you, experimented on you, treated you like a lab rat? You barely made it out with your life, the government should pay!”

I hesitated, and I suddenly wanted to join him. It all made sense- he simply wanted to end the government’s cruel ways.

“Y...you killed my mother,” I croaked, trying to fight the urge to drop my weapons and join him.

“She worked with the government. All of them do,” he gestured to the Adapters behind me. “They work with the very ones who denied you your freedom. We are willing to take that freedom back.”

I backed up, shaking my head, trying to get rid of the fog already entering my mind. This is how he gained allies. This is how so many people were on his side.

“...never,” I whispered, raising my knife.

“You know…” said Azazel, fiddling with the knife in his hand. “The last time this happened, I was victorious. I tried to give you a chance, a chance to win and take revenge, but you refused. I’ve killed an All-Beast before… what makes you think I can’t do it again?”

I hesitated, not knowing how to respond. “You won’t win,” I said.

He chuckled, sending a shiver down my spine.

“We’ll see about that,” he said, thrusting the knife towards me. I pounded my fist into the ground and raised my hands, a wall of pure rock rising from the ground. The knife lodged itself into the wall as Azazel lunged for me. I flew into the air to gain the higher ground, throwing a smoke bomb at Azazel. The grey mist surrounded him, his glowing red eyes the last thing I see. I raised a knife in my hands, prepared to strike as soon as the mist dispersed. Out of nowhere, a flash of black emerged from the smoke, causing me to lose my balance in midair. It dashed past me, the gleaming blade of a knife barely missing my head. I regained my balance just in time to find Azazel flying in the air, the wings of a bald eagle on his back, his black spider legs dangling below him. 

I raised my hands and manipulated the winds, shooting a burst of air in his direction. He folded his black wings and dived towards me. I dodged right, his feathers brushing past me. Warmth flooded my arm, and I looked down to find blood spilling out of it. Azazel sneered, lifting his bloody knife. I barely noticed the ice that had formed behind me, and I ducked down right as the icy spikes flew towards me. One of them made its mark on my wing, blood spewing from beneath the feathers. I flapped frantically, trying to stay in the air. Azazel’s mouth shifted, large teeth sprouting, sharp and white. I watched in horror and surprise as brown fur replaced his arms, large claws the size of daggers forming at his fingertips.

I gazed in wonder at the eagle wings on his back, tiger teeth, and the bear hands. All-Beasts could only transform one body part at a time, unless....

Sudden realization dawned on my face, Treasure’s last words echoing in my ears.

He can mutate.

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I was so caught up in the moment, I almost didn’t notice the blur of brown that swept in front of my face. Three fresh claw marks appeared on my face and I lost my balance, flailing my injured wing. I plummeted to the ground, landing on my back. Azazel jumped down in front of me, his wings shriveling behind his back. I lifted my last dagger and he instantly smacked it out of my hand, leaving me unarmed. I concentrated on the claws of a cat, and surprisingly, small bits of fur sprouted on my fingers. Azazel reached towards me, and I scratched at him using my newly formed claws. He clutched his arm, fresh blood dripping through his fingers. I leaped forward to attack, and he instantly swiped at me with his bear claw, sending me to the ground again. I charged again and again,  but each time he sent me back on the ground with a new wound. I got up, swaying and wobbly, swinging at him with all I had. He shoved me to the ground, and this time, I didn’t have the energy to get up. 

I laid on my knees, breathing heavily, clutching my side. Azazel chuckled, rubbing the blade of a knife on his fingers, the bear fur and claws dispersed.

“I will enjoy this,” said Azazel. “I will take my time and teach you a lesson no one will ever forget.”

I lifted my hands, refusing to give up, sending a boulder in his direction. He dodged it easily, and I took the opportunity to try and escape. I flapped my wounded wings, barely gaining any altitude, when Azazel gripped my ankle. He pulled me back to my knees, his foot on my back, his knife raised. I had no time to react when the blade severed the wings from my back, and just like that, the one thing I had left from my mother was gone.

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Warmth spread through my body as fresh blood spilled down my back and arms. I stared at the limp feathered bodies at my side, willing them to move, willing them to still be attached to me. I glanced behind me, and I heard someone scream as I saw the bloody stumps that once held beautiful grey wings. It took me a while to realize the one screaming…

…was me.

Azazel smiled, delighted by my horror. “All-Beasts may be able to transform…” he said. “...but they cannot replace body parts.” He gestured to one of his spider legs, and I noticed that it gleamed as if it was made of metal. I shuddered on the ground, my back light and my head heavy. Azazel lifted his knife to deliver the final blow when an arrow whizzed through the air, knocking it out of his hand. I glanced over to find Liz, bow raised, another arrow loaded. Several others had their bows or knives raised, all of them trained on Azazel.

“You fools!” he yelled. “Get them!” 

His army hesitated as Azazel lost his grip on their minds, previous promises of revenge disappearing into the air.

“What are you waiting for?!” yelled Azazel. “Get them!”

Several of the soldiers shook their heads, dropping their weapons, refusing to attack.

One by one, everyone slowly dropped their weapons. Adapters and Predators alike unarmed themselves. 

What caused the sudden revelation, I didn’t know. But it was a sign: a sign of peace, a sign that they were on the same side with a common enemy.

Azazel growled, realizing the odds were against him. While he was distracted, I attacked, creating a circle of fire around me. I grabbed the knife Azazel dropped and turned around, aiming for the kill. Startled, he jumped back, falling to the ground and exposing his abdomen. Large vibrations were coming from his belly, and I lifted the knife. 

I stabbed him, and a sudden pain came from my own abdomen. I was confused, wondering how I was feeling his pain. My brain became foggy and muddled, and I noticed people running around me. Ethan’s face appeared in front of me. He was telling me something, but I could barely hear him. Someone was pulling me away from Azazel, who lied motionless on the ground, and that’s when I noticed the purple scorpion tail dripping with poison before blacking out.