A blur slams into the coliseum where Liaz and Whisperclaw are fighting. It doesn't matter. The simple, curious glance allows my opponent to land a clean punch straight to my jaw. The sheer power behind it sends me sliding backwards. I spit out the blood pooling in my cheek.
My opponent, a human man with an unnatural muscular form, rushes me. When his foot hits the ground, however, he stops. The air around him shakes violently, and he sinks into the sand below. It's as if someone strapped a hundred-ton vest to his back.
"Need some help?" I see Goldenclaw to my left.
His paws glow with golden light and aim at the man. I look over at Whisperclaw and Liaz. It doesn't look well. Liaz is wrapped in some kind of whip. It doesn't seem to be cutting through his scales, but he has dropped both of his pistols.
Whisperclaw is standing ready, her claws out. In front of her are two different women and a panther. They are outmatched in a four-to-two. It would be better if Goldenclaw helped them instead, I think. I can handle this guy on my own.
"You should help Whisperclaw and Liaz." I look at Goldenclaw. "I've got this."
"You sure?" He asks, concern written all over his face.
"Yeah. I'm sure." I smile. "Now go!"
Goldenclaw nods, letting his hands fall back to his sides, the glow slowly fading. The man's fist collides with my jaw again. I try to retaliate by slicing upwards with my blade, but I'm still dazed by the punch. I completely miss, and the man leaps away, out of range.
"I'm surprised you're still awake after that. Hahaha." The man's frizzy black and white afro sways in the light wind. "That same amount of force put your jackal friend to sleep last night."
The man flexes his pale-skinned, green, vein-covered muscles. He looks like a creep. The thought of him putting a single finger on Whisperclaw sends waves of anger through my body. For the first time, I notice the blood-stained coat he's wearing.
"You're supposed to be a doctor?" I ask, my gaze icy.
"Huh? What's this?" The man smiles widely. "Why does it matter? Oh! Don't tell me you want one of Doctor Fraken's special treatments?"
"I see. You're insane." I sigh. "So there's no point in reasoning with you then."
A vein bulges on Fraken's forehead. I don't care if I upset him. The thought of this kind of man being a doctor makes me want to snap him in half. I close my eyes, visualizing Celestria's energy flowing through me and around me. I feel a tingling sensation running through my whole body, and the pain in my face dissipates completely.
"Reasoning? Hahaha!" Dr. Fraken laughs. "Why would I ever need to reason with someone so weak?"
"Celestria, I pray you'll forgive me for what I am about to do." I pray. "You told me to fight for what I deem right, and in this moment, I know I have to stop this man."
"Are you pitying me?" Fraken's voice is fading into the background. "Do you know what I've done to achieve supreme power? I am the pinnacle of success! I am more knowledgeable than even the gods! How dare you look down on me?"
"Amen." I finish my prayer and slowly open my eyes.
"No! I look down on you! You are beneath me!"
Foam streams down Fraken's chin. His eyes roll back into his head. The bulging veins in his muscles grow significantly, as well as the muscles themselves. It looks like whatever he injected himself with is reacting to something, probably his anger. It's causing his blood to rush to his brain. He's probably been slowly losing his sanity for only Celestria knows how long. I am confident that he will overdose within the next sixty seconds.
The ground rips beneath his feet. He tries to grab me, but his movements are sloppy. I sidestep, and he misses me completely. I follow up with an elbow to his nose. Before he hits the ground, he twists himself into a backflip. His shoe clips my chin, sending waves of searing pain through the bottom of my jaw. For a moment, all I see are stars.
Through the stars, his massive arm swings toward me. I slip underneath and slash his stomach area. Dr. Fraken doesn't even see it coming. We separate, each heading in the opposite direction. He's behind me now, our backs facing each other. I can hear him turn around, his arrogant voice transformed into a mix of guttural snarls and screams. I can't bring myself to look at him. If the overdose doesn't kill him, he'll bleed to death instead. This fight is over.
"Arghhh!"
I hear Dr. Fraken cry out in agony, and his feet shuffle. I instinctively dodge left, barely avoiding his beefy hands. I counter with another slash and get a clear view of his face. He's become a raging beast, still attacking me even though his fate is sealed. If he had even a shred of sanity left, he could retreat and heal himself. I look into his rolled-back eyes, and a single teardrop rolls down his cheek. I'm too stunned to move. This man, however sick, needs help.
"I'm sorry…" is the only phrase I can form.
The glimpse of humanity remaining in Dr. Fraken disappears. I know it's too late to synthesize an antidote. However, I can ensure he doesn't suffer any longer than he has to. My goal has changed. I'm no longer stopping a mad doctor. I'm helping a soul find salvation.
I throw my blade to the side. Dr. Fraken rushes me, throwing his shoulder forward. I may not have fought in years, but even I can see how telegraphed his movements are. Our shoulders collide. Although he is massive for a human, we Chim-Chi are known for our strength, unparalleled except by the giants. Doctor Fraken drops. The overdose has reached its peak. His muscles and veins are deflating. His eyes are no longer rolled back, and he seems to be returning a shadow of his former self.
"Ugh!" He coughs up thick, slimy, green fluid. "Dammit…"
"I wouldn't move too much." I take a seat next to him.
"...Haha." He laughs dryly. "Tell Vanhiel…I'm sorry…"
"Sorry for what?" A deep sinking feeling hits me in the chest. "From what I can see, you fought for what you believed in. There's nothing wrong with that."
"Please…" Dr. Fraken coughs again violently. "...don't look at me with pity then."
I don't know what to say, so I look away. The coliseum is almost destroyed. The once full stands are now empty. Even still, different fights are taking place. Whisperclaw, Goldenclaw, and Liaz fight their opponents while the snargle man from before fights with Vanhiel. A fight that completely reshapes the terrain, even as we sit here in the charred sand.
"Do you think…" Dr. Fraken reaches out towards the sky with a quivering hand. "...I'll get to see them again?"
"Hmm…" I ponder the question.
Before I can give a response, his arm falls next to his lifeless body. I stand up slowly, dusting the sand off my coat. Then I reach out and close his still-open eyes. At least now he can rest.