I shoved past the cages of chameleons. The doctor behind me spluttered, but I'd had enough of his voice. The only clear spots in this charnel house were three rusted metal chairs. I dropped into one.
I propped one boot on my opposite knee. Casual and careless. As if I hadn't slaughtered half a dozen thugs with my bare hands. Claw, to be more accurate.
The doctor slammed his fist down as he mumbled. Instruments scattered across his tray clanged.
"Who the hell are you?"
He coughed a bit.
I met his eyes and held them. "Sirius."
The doctor furrowed his brow. His gaze snapped to my exposed arm, where scales caught the dim red light.
"So tell me..." His tongue darted across cracked lips. "Did you consume a Dragoshard?"
The chair groaned as I leaned forward.
"What's a Dragoshard?" The words came out harder than I'd intended. "Those lizards? Like the one they shoved down my throat?"
I jerked my head toward the cages. The chameleons inside shifted colors, cycling through several hues.
The doctor's finger pointed at them.
"Yes, those." He said. "They're parasites. You've heard about the Damned, if I'm not mistaken, Sirius."
I replied with a nod.
"Good."
Good? Turning into a monster is 'good'? This swine must be mad!
I frowned, and the doctor laughed.
"What's wrong?"
"Everything," I said.
"Well, these do grant you powers. You should be grateful you're not dead. Most die when they consume one."
He paused for a bit.
"But it does come at a fatal cost. The little reptiles do inflict curses."
Oh, so that's why they call them the Damned.
"Judging by the color of your scales, you consumed the green one, I presume?"
"Yes."
He slapped his forehead hard enough to leave a mark. "Why?" Why did it have to be a child?"
I leapt from the chair.
"Child?" I towered over him. "You're mistaken, gramps, if you think so." I thrust my hand toward his face.
He brushed off my fury like swatting a fly. His expression didn't change.
"Have you seen them? Letters? Numbers? Did they appear in front of your eyes?"
My throat went dry.
"Yes." The admission came out as a whisper.
"Those Dragoshards were smuggled from the Wastelands."
"You mean from beyond the Fortress?"
"Exactly. Or how else would I get my hands on them?"
His eyes avoided mine, and he said. "An ally of mine sent them here."
Ally. Right. Like doctors who experimented on people in abandoned hospitals should have a friend.
"My ally needed subjects." The words came faster than before. "Test subjects. He needed to develop a tracking system for the Damned. He needed it tested before implementing it on the Damned."
I wanted to grab him by his stained coat and shake the answers out.
Finally, he met my eyes. His expression had gone bleak.
"My ally discovered the truth. Not all the Damned hear Dekaros' Voice." He paused again. "Without the Voice, the curse manifests randomly, and the Damned suffer from a fate worse than death. Some burn in inextinguishable flames. Some have their flesh rot. The list is nearly endless."
"So, the acid blood… It's a curse?"
"Precisely."
"And the commands, what about them?"
"They also come from the Voice."
"But the Damned must grow. We are Dekaros' last hope." His voice dropped nearly to a whisper. "It's dying. Earth must become its breeding ground. To do that, the Blessed must be eradicated."
"Are you insane, you freak? You'll be dying as well! You do realize that, don't you?"
The man laughed.
"There are things that a child can't grasp. It's far beyond your understanding! I am just a catalyst interested in observing changes and an unseen evolution.
"But you have to die too."
"Listen, child, none of us are immortal. We will have to die at some point. However, I must quench my curiosity. That's what I live for."
I sighed. There was no point in arguing with a madman like this one.
"What about the guards? You know what they'll do if they find you here, right?" I kept my voice steady.
He snorted. "Ah, they won't. I paid them to keep their mouths shut."
Huh, no sense of morals, I see. But who could blame him? Even I would do anything to keep trouble out of sight.
An awkward silence built up in the room. A minute or so passed before the iron door creaked on its hinges.
The doctor jumped out of his chair. His pupils dilated as he gasped.
"Not now, damn it!"