I heard a scream and I was on my feet and out the door, bow and sword in hand. “Why hello there. Were passing through and noticed these lovley flowers wer-” “Drop them. If you don’t ill decorate my mantle with your ribs.” “There’s five of us. One of you.” “Don’t make me say I told you so.” “You could try.” “Girls are you ok?” “Yeah. Just at knife point but aside from that, peachy.” “Uh huh…so who wants to die first? No one wants to be my first volunteer?” I was quick to strike and I killed the man holding vex. Then I killed the other one holding lydia. Then sophias captor. Then striton. I cut all of their heads clean off. “Class dismissed. But little timmy cant leave ye-” I was cut off by him running off. “Oh no you don’t.” I drew my bow and charged that sum bitch till I felt my blood run hotter than shit. “Boom.” I let that thing rip and it put a hole in him the size of a melon. “Sum bitch. Try and touch them again.” I got the bodies and piled them up. “What the hell was that?” “Just forget it.” I lit the bodies on fire. “Lets just go. Im sick of this.” “Youre covered in blood. Get in the creek.” “No.” “Child if you don’t. Get his limbs. Were cleaning him weather he likes it or not.” “What no. abso-” I was grabbed up and dragged into the water. “Fuck you! You serpentine.. Mother..” I was being scrubbed furiously. “Youre so childish. I don’t see how sophia loves you so much!” I stopped struggling and I felt my heat speed up. “you can get out. Youre clean.” I got out and got dressed. “Lets go..” “Fine. But torl if you act up again I will drop you.” “Ok.” I was picked up by sophia and we were flown back to kel. I stabled my horse and we made our way to draconia. I pretnened to sleep so I could evesdrop on them. “Did you really have to say that stri? I practically felt his heart speed up.” “I think hes adorable. Your children would impress any family.” “You forget cousin. Hes an other worlder. He does not belong here. Her father would disapprove.” “He doesn’t have to know. Plus hes young. Im almost a hundred. Hes a mere boy. He has a life besides this world. We know that. He hasn’t had it easy thre either.” “He deserves a good life. Maybe you can give him that? Free him from the ret-” “Enough! I wish to forget the whole ordeal.” I held myself closer to her. “Were almost there. I hope hes in a better mood.” Ifell asleep for real this time with a heavy heart.

I woke up to thunderous voices. “Wha..who..” “I will not allow a mortal here! Not in these halls!” I was in lydias arms. “Whats happening?” I whispered. “Her dad is THROTTLED.” “Figured. I should have just said no. I should have stayed behind.” “Don’t worry. Youll be here.” Sophia held her hand up. “Ill let him speak for himself.” I almost flew out of the room. I didn’t want to fuck with dragon. Hed soon eat me than invite me into his home. “Torl. Can you make a case of why you should be allowed here?” I slowly was stood up. “Boy. You come before me, and my advisors seeking refuge here?” “I do sir. Im a humble traveling soul. I met your daughter when I first came east. I had been riding hard from legion lands. I was hunting you see, and I met her on the border of lunitate. We made way to the inner city where we parted ways. I met her again recently.” “She tells me you saved her.” “That I did. Im no great warrior but I step up when im called.” “Hmm…and you?” “Me sir..im but a boy. Im just doing the right thing where I lay my head.” “You might stay. But there are some things around here that must be done.” I looked this monster up and down. He was a dragon of black and gold. His eyes were deep red. “I would do whatever I could to help.” “Sophia. Show him to his room.” “Come on. lets get you settled in.” I followed her. “What will I be doing while im here?” “Hard to say. More than likely hard labour until your stay is up.” I shrugged and sat on my bed. “Coin for your thoughts?” “I heard you on the way here. You wont…couldn’t.. Love me. I have no place here. Rember that?” “Gerald..i.” “Its fine. Im just a man. Mortal coil..all that mysticism.” “Gerald I don’t know..i don’t.” “Were friends. I get it. Im not in love I just don’t see why you love a hu-” She kissed me. “Gerald you are one of the best people ive met. Don’t beat yourself up over this.” she walked out and shut the stone door. “GOD DAMN IT TO HELL AND BACK!!” I hit that stone wall with every ounce of magic I had. I hit it so hard it was glowing red. “Sum bitch! Its always me! Right? Isn’t that a twist of fate?” I hit the wall again. And again, and again. “FUCK THIS. IM GETTING MY SHIT AND LEAVING! AFTER I DO THIS IM DONE!” I grabbed my bow and went out back. I saw a pillar and I took aim. I fired off bolt after bolt. Pushing mysef to use more and more. I blasted it with all my hatred, anguish, fear. I brought up all of my memories. All my hardships. “I was made to suffer. I was made to be a hurt man!” I felt a dark prescence crawl into me. I saw my bolts turn black. I dropped my bow and fired off a blast at the pillar. It was black as night. It cut through the pillar.

“You only did this to yourself! You shouldn’t have ever trusted anyone! No one cares! They never could! Im not normal here!” “Finally I fo-” I heard vex stop mid sentence. “My…oh no.” I spun around and glared at her. My eyes lit with dark fire. “You.. You vile evil serpent who-” I was hit by fire. I could feel it wash over me but I was not burned. “You will not stop me! I will exsist only to hate!!” I blasted back. “You need to calm down! Youre being eaten by your hatred! You have to stop this!” “Why?! If you knew what ive been through.. I have been dead for years!” Two more dragons hit me I finally reached my limit and fell to my knees. I saw sophia walk to me. “Just kill me.. Please.. I want to free this mortal coil. I wish to join my fallen family.” “Youre hurt. And I know how it feels.” “YOU KNOW NOTHING!!!! NO ONE HERE KNOWS WHO I HAVE LOST AND HOW I WAS REWARDED FOR BEARING CROSSES I DIDN’T HAVE TO!!!” I had tears flooding my eyes. “Do it now.” I felt a hard thud on my head and I went into darkness.

I woke up in a white room. “Wake my child.” “Who ar-” “I have many names. But you may call me darkness. You are angry my child. And I feel your soul being torn.” “That wasn’t me. I didn’t want to do that. What did you do!?” “I gave you power beyond your mortality. I gave ou everlasting life. Unlimited power. Is that what you wanted?” “I didn’t want to become a vessel of darkness!” She grabbed my neck and squeezed. “You cnnot stop this.” I was choking. I couldn’t breathe. In my desperation I pushed my hand into her chest. “NO NO! THIs ISNT POSSIBLE!!” I was dropped and she laughed.