Today was like any other.

At my age you'd think I'd be retired and sitting at home. Not at a Desk in an orphanage. heh.

I look towards the open door across the room and hear laughing children as they run by throughout the orphanage. The Joy filled outcry still brings a tear to my eye when i remember how i got to this point. An orphaned child with unique hair and striking blue eyes. praying for help from anyone as he watched a spell moving fast and destroying everything in its wake as it rushes toward him. only for in those last moments be saved and the orphanage behind him also protected by what could only be something divine.

Then which followed was the boy being taken in by the church of the divine being and made into a paladin. set upon the land to do the gods biding. It was never their bidding so much as their requests really. the paladins made oaths to their god for the things they would d while in that gods service and would strive to do more, as any good paladin should.

After I retired from duty, my god told me that I was their favorite I treated them like something other than a god because they asked me to. I saw her as more than just a god. She was my mother in all but blood. She saved my family from assured death and on that day, I swore I would do the same for the rest of my life. I swore to protect Those that needed it and smite down those who deserved it. A protector of the weak and a bane to the greedy.

I served My Goddess for many years, and at the ripe age of sixty i requested to retire and open an orphanage in the town i had first met her at. She smiled at me and granted me her blessing to do so. It was hard at first, learning how to take care of an orphanage at such an old age. i truly understand why my old caretakers were always exhausted when in their offices dealing with paperwork.

I glance back behind me towards Next to the window to glance at my armor i used to wear. It stood on a mount holding my sword in hand. A salute was its position. i should know i stood like that quite alot heh. i chuckled to myself aloud as i turned to look out the window at the bustling town I could see caravans passing down below and the merchants selling tings along the paths all over. As i admired the view i saw a shadow slowly moving over the town, i figured it was just a cloud covering the sun for a moment before i noticed the orphanage begin to go quiet.

The orphanage was never quiet...

I stood up from my desk and moved towards the window but before i could try and look up i saw a stream of flames engulf the further part of the town near the center. before a Dark Rad ad black thing blurred past before going up and out of view.

"No... It cannot be." I rushed towards my armor and pushed it over and yelled out my door. "SELENE, GET IN HERE I NEED YOUR HELP NOW!" as i began to remove my armor from the stand i had pushed over. it may be a couple years but i still kept in shape for the day i might need to use my armor again as my goddess' last bit of advice she had told me.

As I was partially struggling with the leggings, Selene one of the caretakers, Walked into the room with a terrified expression. she was about to say something before I cut her off. "Don't Speak, I know. Hurry and help me get this on before it gets any worse." the moment i spoke those words there was an explosion in the distance. The alchemy shop a few streets away had exploded from all the chemicals they had stored.

She Nodded with tears in her eyes as we heard screams from the children around the orphanage. in a few minutes i was suited up and already heading out of the door. being on the outskirts of the town had its perks. you could build higher and had a huge yard should you be close to enough to the wall. I got a decent amount of land at a cheaper price because of what i was. There was a large yard that extended 50 yards away from the orphanage at 10 yards across. before i exited the door i turned to Selene who was holding my sword. "Take the children to the center of the home. the barriers I have set up are the only thing that can keep them safe. if they run it will think they are easy prey... wish me luck" i said as i took the sword from her.

She nodded and said, "good Luck Torren." before closing the door behind me as i walked out. I watched as the barriers i had made light up and a small bubble started forming around the orphanage. as i was slowly backing away while making sure the orphanage barrier fully formed i heard a loud thud behind me.

i turned around to the see, at the far end of the yard. The beast responsible for all the chaos in the town. Her Town. My Home. i was angry but i pushed it back. i will not be controlled by my rage. It will only make me reckless. The beast stood on all fours, Two Scaled wings on its back, and a long neck with spikes down its spine and horns on its head. it had a long tail that had a very prominent point like a great sword like edge. it looked heavy yet it cut into the ground easily as its tail was flicking about. it was what i can only describe as a Dragon. i had slayed one when in my prime many, many years ago. but this one was bigger. it was at least 10 stories tall. it was muscled as well. i had almost lost my life then. now more than ever i was truly afraid, not for myself but for the children. it seemed to be content staring at me as if tauntingly knowing I wouldn't be able to kill it.

I Stuck my sword in the ground and got to one knee and made a small prayer since i knew it would let me do so. Dragons for as big as they were, were still intelligent beings and judging from the look in its eyes told me all i needed to know. It was doing this for fun. The dragon i had slain in the past was an elder dragon and it was well known to be greedy and one day it decided it disliked living anywhere even remotely near any beings and decided to just start slaughtering. it destroyed 2 kingdoms before i could pet it down. this one before me though was an ancient dragon. its scales were a blood red with hints of black in them. it should have no reason to attack but i guess even the ancients just want to cause mayhem.

Finishing my prayer i stood up and grabbed hold of my sword and pulled it out of the ground and stood ready for the beast that was a decent distance away. it stood there looking smug, as if i were nothing but an ant to it. which technically i was. but this ant bites hard.

I charged towards the dragon sword at the ready and it spewed aa stream of flame towards me. i dodged left and kept running towards it. it seemed to nod towards itself before smirking and jumping towards me like a cat. it tried to pounce on top of me and crush me but before it landed i jumped towards its stomach and slayed my blade towards the wrist(?) of its front right paw. it was to low of a cut and way to shallow as i could see sparks coming off from the scale not leaving a scratch. in fact, my blades tip cracked off and started repairing itself. i rolled under its belly and i ran towards its left paw and aimed higher as i ran by.

i had to see what a normal attack would do to judge its scale density. with the dragon i killed it would have at least left a small mark on the scale with my blade. this was enough to tell me just how outmatched i was. but as i was nearing its left paw in sent my mana into the blade. adding to its sharpness and durability hoping to leave a deeper wound. this got a reaction but all i could see as the sparks cleared was a small Knick in its scales. i spent a tenth of my mana and it did nothing. as i was readjusting my course i saw the scale light up red and mend itself together causing the only damage i did to vanish.

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i heard a sigh and it jump left fast. and next thing i know i saw its tail swinging at me. i had a small amount of time so i infused half of my mana into the blade and struck downward onto the tail as it came towards me. i heard a snarl as i got thrown away from the dragon. i landed hard and my sword was thrown out of my hand and with that one attack i could tell two things. i severely pissed it off and i am too broken to even stand. my legs were broken and i had a few cracked ribs my left arm... was gone. my righ while not gone was in a lot of pain. i looked in around for my sword and saw it a few yards from me. i struggled to crawl for it in a desperate attempt to protect the children and the caretakers i was responsible for. my armor cracked dented and bloodied all over had a deep gash across it. the damn spike at the end of its tail had gotten me. it changed what part of its tail would hit me because it would be inconvenienced with the amount of damage i probably would have done. as i was crawling for the sword i felt a pressure on my back and felt my self be pushed into the ground a mere two feet from my sword. i could hear my armor begin to crack from the pressure on me and start to crush me. the pressure released but not by much. i couldn't pull myself forward at all. my helmet was dug into with what i assume was its claw as it cut into the side of my head just barely, before being pulled off. i put the side of my face to the ground as i looked up from in-between two of its claws.

Its face still in a Smile as it leans in closer to me. and speaks "all of that and barely even a scratch... tisk, tisk. dear paladin. how far your skills had fallen since you had slayed one of my kin." it mocked before continuing "all that struggling you did was pointless. you knew when you saw me you had no chance and yet... you still tried. quite pitiful. heh. i don't know why i was woken up just to deal with a pest that was due to die of old age but what can i say no to the one i owe my life to... hmmm. shall i kill you now?" it paused before its smile grew even larger and it looked towards the orphanage. "Or shall i burn that which you promised to protect first, hmm?"

I yelled in pure desperation. "NO" and all i got was a small chuckle before it lowered its head back toward me and said, "it's a shame i wasn't asking you." before its mouth started to glow and it fired a beam of flame towards the orphanage. the beam flew fast, but the barriers i set up to protect the orphanage reacted. the barrier lit up and tried to hold off the beam. emphasis on tried they lasted a few seconds before it broke through the first barrier, then 2 seconds later the second. and finally, five seconds after that the third and final barrier.

Then just before the beam hit, the flames spread out to surround the orphanage. instead of just erasing its existence with the heat alone. and not even 3 seconds later i heard it. The Screams of terror and pain of children. "NOOOOOO," i yelled and tried to do something, anything to save them. i knew it was futile but i couldn't not try, i made an oath saying so. i was screaming in rage as i could hear the gravelly laughter of the dragon... no, the demon keeping me in place. i yelled in rage as i was forced to watch the orphanage went up in flames until after a while just before the screams stopped i saw the door to the yard open and a small body fell reaching out towards me. "no." i called out weakly before the sounds died down. it had blown another beam and watched as it collapsed into itself.

"One of them almost made it, good job little paladin, you almost saved one. oh wait, no you didnt. i made the flames around it hotter." it laughed as i began to cry while unable to look away as the body i could see turned to ash in the small breeze. but not a moment after the building collapsed the dragon was knocked back by something and started cursing before backing away from me and staying there not moving.

above the orphanage a white pillar fell from the sky. and from that pillar, she descended. my goddess. on her face was a look of pure sadness. she reached out down towards the wreckage and i could see blue motes of light rising from it. broken and hoarse from all my screaming and yelling i said "i have failedd my goddess, i am not fit my lady. please end my being for this failure." while closing my eyes. after what felt like hours the pillar of light faded, i opened my eyes towards the wreckage. the goddess stood before it and slowly turned towards me, she began to walk towards me after a moment.

as she got to my blade she picked it up and stood before me. i closed my eyes and waited. while waiting i felt like my wounds started to heal. my arm didnt grow back but i was healed somewhat. i opened my eyes got up to kneel before my goddess. i waited there before hearing the snarl of the dragon and the rage in my heart boiled. i looked up at my goddess and saw the streaks of dried tears, i hated it when ladies cried and i hated it even more whn it involved the innocent. "Why did you heal my wounds, that breaks the gods' rules, my lady." i asked

She shook her head and said "i didnt break them, i am correcting the breakings of another." and then it clicked, the dragon was sent by a god and imbued with the power of the divine.

"Then if i may my goddess, may i have the power to seek vengeance and ensure this demons soul be erased from the cycle in its entirety." i was too clouded with rage to really understand the gravity of what i was asking. but i didn't care i just wanted the revenge i desired.

she looked at me in the eyes and said "if i do that and give you that power. it would overload your soul and destroy it. possibly dooming you to the same fate." i could see in her eyes she spoke the truth but again.

" I care not what happens, i just wish to be free of this pain i have in the depths of my soul at being forced to watch. i cannot left a soul that wicked exist my lady." i looked away from her towards the demon and i saw its face twisted in a snarl but not daring to leave.

i heard her voice hitch for a moment before correcting itself. "As i am not allowed to act myself, i will grant this wish but this will be your final request of me, Torren the Silver Paladin." she spoke with conviction. After a moment I could feel myself being empowered, the power felt like it was overflowing. which it was as i started to glow white my skin starting to burn from the divine energy, i stood and stepped back an reached formy blade from th goddess and she obliged. one armed and standing tall i looked towards the demon and started marching.

Funny thing about dragons they are too prideful to run away. at least the older ones are. thankfully this one was no different.

It looked at me and snarled realizing i as actually a threat now, my body was starting to fall apart and i could feel my soul burning. The beast also noticed, and we rushed at each-other, i had to end this in one strike or i wouldn't be able to make another. I put all of the power i had available to me int my blade and swung as the jaws of the dragon began to clamp down on me. I felt a flash of pain and then i felt nothing at all, only darkness. i started to feel myself being ulled upwards untill i was standing on top of the head of the dragon. its eyes dull and its body unmoving the top of its head split in half stopping at the base of the skull. the dragon laying with its paws forward like a stretching cat. i looked back to where my goddess was to see her appear before me. i tried to kneel before i looked down to realize that my soul was falling apart and fading. she reached out t me and tried to slow the process usign her power.

"no my lady, let me go. my suol is tainted with the darkness of beyond. i am beyond saving, you told me once that once the beyond touches something, there is no hope for it, that even you could do nothing." i said with a smile on my face to try and cheer her up.

"No, i cannot loose the little boy i had seen as my own son. i cant lose my little Torren." she was crying and trying so hard to save me, and while i did appreaicate it i knew it was my time as i looked back down to notice my legs gone and slowly reaching upwards.

i started to cry a bit "Terra" i said and she looked at me in the eyes surprised. while i treated her differently i never said her name. she had a look of genuine surprise as her magic slipped for a moment speeding up my fading. "Let Me go, its my time mom."i said, then my vision began to fade for the final time.