Slave to the Tyrant Alpha

Chapter Five – The death of a girl

I struggled to breath as I regained consciousness, a veil coated my eyes as tears blurred my vision. I blinked as a pain seared through the back of my head as a large wooden plank rested at my side with hints of blood soaked into the wood. The air was electrified with panic as shredded bodies of my relatives lay in a discarded mess around me. I pressed my fingers forward and felt my way to the edge of the room, the air from outside drifted through the massive hole in the wall, urging me forward and towards freedom.

Death clung to the air as the blood of the Asli was shed upon the purified land that had once been the border between this world and the next with my body being the catalyst.

Pellucid trees sprouted from the soil, their branches were made from an impenetrable crystal, the limbs remained cold and numb as translucent leaves wove within the stiff breeze. The oxygen absorbed through the fragile bark fed my sanity as I sought to view the remaining world through the scarcely surviving anomalies.

Save me, the words ricocheted throughout my mind as the plead floated through the air as an indescribable command.

My breath froze in my lungs as a figure appeared before me, his silver hair was dirtied as it hung over his eyes and yet his face was unmistakeably familiar.

“Atlas!” I cried out.

“You don’t need to suffer anymore,” Atlas said with a saddened smile as he grasped my wrists and pulled me to my feet.

“Atlas,” my silent words filled his mind like a delicate wave.

My crystal eyes shifted as I examined the air surrounding him. My stomach dropped as his lifeline was cut short, Atlas was destined for the afterlife soon, it was a thought that troubled me. I wanted to forewarn him of his fate and yet my tongue refused to move to form the words. I gave in to the exhaustion that consumed my being as he pressed me into him and supported my weight. Silver strands hung over my face as I pressed my temple against his broad chest, his breath was ragged and stiff with tense muscles that had been pushed to their limit.

Escape is impossible, I thought sullenly as a man in the form of a wolf brushed past us.

He cradled me within his arms and straightened his back as he lifted my weight and carried me past the thresh hold, I couldn’t remember what the walls of this forsaken mansion looked like as it hid away my existence. I linked my arms around Atlas’s neck and sighed as nerves consuming my small frame, the thought of death occurred to me many times and yet I had never considered the potential of my freedom.

What awaits me now?

The wind burned my cheeks as we rushed out of the crumbling mansion, fine sand particles tore through my skin like jagged shards of glass, I winced from the pain as I turned my head away from the debris and buried my head within Atlas’s neck. My head swooned as the scent of cinnamon overwhelmed me and drew me into him, the torment and misery that surrounded us became mute as his breathing held my attention.

Massive stone walls shook and cracked as thick greying roots tore through the once snow-covered ground and surrounded the walls and corrupt the once sturdy integrity of the ancient structure. Relief quivered past my rogue lips as pieces of the foundation crumbled from under its weight and crashed into the frozen ground, many lives of the Asli were lost within its walls as they sought its grounds for protection and sanctuary and yet I held no remorse for the dead. Deceased bodies surrounded me in a blurred mass with their limbs a faint effigy of what they’d once been. The formless masses stumbled about as they emerged from the shredded carcasses with their mutilated meat and bones torn from around them.

I will make them slaves to those they worship, I thought sullenly as I relaxed within Atlas’s arms.

The air reeked of blood and decaying organs, snow floated from the darkened sky and blanketed the dead as their ghostly crystalline blue eyes stared motionless into the abyss, there were no children amongst them as those of their blood ceased reproducing years ago. The Asli were once thought of as immortal with an endless and undying connection to the realm of the spirits with the grace of the gods purifying their souls and gifting them with an endless life.

They are not invisible, I thought as my grip on Atlas’s neck stiffened as he pressed forward.

“Hold your breath, or they will see us,” Atlas breathed nervously as he attempted to shield me.

A shimmering halo of light surrounded us with the source of protection originating from the centre of his chest where his heart made from crystal resided, it was the Asli’s source of both power and immortality, obtaining a heart of an Asli would enhance the bearer’s abilities and lifeline.

Those who manipulate the fates of time will pay for what they have stolen, I thought as I bit down on my tongue and drew blood.

“Alaïa,” Atlas hissed.

He glared down at me as he tilted his head disapprovingly as the scent of my blood hit him.

“s**t” he mumbled.

Golden eyes bore into me from the distance, traces of white seared through the air and fleeted past my face, a massive wolf with a thick white coat stood amongst the army of rogue wolves and stared down at me as I attempted to hide amongst Atlas’s chest. My fingers buried into his shirt with the fabric tearing as I pulled and tore the stitching. The wolf pulled his jaw back and bore his incisors as a soundless growl erupted from his broad chest, his paw dug into the frozen soil as he lunged forward and tore his way through the blackened mass of those from under him.

He’s coming, the thought mimicked through my mind as Atlas glanced back.

“You cannot let him have you,” Atlas said through gritted teeth.

“Release me,” I managed to say through a clenched throat.

“Don’t be stupid,” Atlas murmured.

“Atlas,” I warned.

I pressed a shaky hand into his chest and focused on his erratic heartbeat as he rushed past the burning houses that were made from stone and wood, the structures collapsed in on themselves as a fiery black flame consumed everything in its path. I exhaled shakily as I twitched my fingertips and halted the muscles within Atlas’s chest making him stumble and involuntarily release me. I pressed my bare feet into the snow-covered ground and winced as the endless cold shot up my calves and shook me to the core, the sight of the mesmerizing winter white wolf was held within my mind as an undeniable urge pulled me towards him and yet my feet refused to move. Silver hair brushed along my cheeks and obscured my view as Atlas gripped my upper arm once he composed himself and regained control over his limbs.

“Alaïa!” Atlas snapped as he shook my shoulders.

I was torn from my trance with my lengthened hair billowing from around me, the split ends danced towards the ground, begging to become one with the earth when Atlas pulled on my arm and dragged me past the hoard of corpses before anyone had the chance to peer through the illusion that he cast over us.

It’s not strong enough to contain us both, I thought, panicked.

A raven-coloured wolf caught my attention as he rose his head with bloodied entrails dripping from his canines, blood stained his damp fur as he sensed my gaze and locked eyes with me, crumbling the illusion that hid our presence. A snarl ripped past his snout and rippled through the air causing Atlas to halt in his steps as fear consumed him, massive, blackened paws tore through the ground as the beast charged towards us.

“Where are we going?” I asked through a strained voice.

“Anywhere but here,” Atlas said as he released my wrist and instead wrapped an arm around my waist.

“Azrael must have been planning this attack for months,” Atlas said as he glanced about.

Azrael, I thought curiously.

His name was one that I’d tasted upon the air as those from around me would whisper his name as they roamed the halls and hide behind closed doors, his name was powerful and made those who opposed him shiver from fear. Azrael’s lust consumed the land as he murdered those who stood in his way, the Asli were his current target as they openly rejected his demand for the only daughter of the Asli.

They brought this m******e upon themselves, I thought bitterly.