My anger was burning hotter than ever before. Upon seeing the kingdom, flashes from my dreams were coming to me, but dream and reality were not matching at all.

The brightly colored streets were dark, cold, and littered with despair. The happy go lucky people were replaced with beggars that all had dark empty eyes. The surge of life in the dream was now long gone and forgotten. It was like walking straight into a nightmare.

Could he be the 8th? I thought. I could only remember the man in my dreams. I could barely remember him. I was sure he had made a strong impression on me, but he  faded in and out as i walked.

I doubted he was, but it never hurt to think so. It could've been a psychological attack on me. Some way of showing he knew I was coming. But this was also a bad sign.

Why? It because I was a coward. A coward borrowing power from people I wasn't sure I knew.

A coward can’t save anyone, only themselves, though they aren’t wrong to live like that. The hardest thing in life is to save someone other than yourself.

But i am going off topic.

The black world that surrounded us was amazing, but then I heard the voices. Cries for help, pleases for a savoir. Yet all could think of at the time was..

Why won’t someone save them?  Do you know what I did when I thought that? I looked to the shadow.

The second we entered the city, the shadow wasted no time in appearing and walking next to me. He, of course, was just a black figure of a person, but even then i could still feel it.

The chill of anger. No maybe loathing would be more accurate. It was like it was emitting a silent cry. It was at that moment, i saw the shadow not just as an invader, but uas a single person.

“So even you  get anger?”

It was then i knew it. I didn't count myself as the hero there to save others. I was there only to escape the weight of making my own choice. The simple choice of deciding where I would go from there. I was a tag along.

He was a the real hero. His actions had lead me and the others here. He had spearheaded the whole operation. It made me feel pathetic. Someone who shined so brightly was inside of me.

“But even then we are still enemies” it finally escaped my lips. The inner hostility i held for the shadow. I didn't see a savior all i saw was a being trying to snatch my body.

It was like i was just a side act, the interlude even, to the main show that was him. I couldn't help but think about why i was even in the city. I was running away.

That was all.

I saw how people would react, no that too is an excuse. After it was all said and done, I would have nowhere to go.

I went with the plan, not for revenge, but the chance to escape the place I had called home. I was no longer sure I belonged there.

It was clear then that i was a coward.

The cry that filled the air was a great excuse to end my thoughts. I ran pounding of the the ground like  frog leaping of a lily pad.

The attackers fled as soon as i appeared. I gave no chase. I need to focu on the victims. A man and a young girl, but one lay on the ground, a pool of blood soaking the ground below him.

I took weak steps toward him. I wasn't exactly afraid to touch him, but i knew i was scared to she the face of a dying man. I placed my hand on his shoulder, but instead of turning him around. His thought bleed into my head.

I'm sorry...

I'm sorry my king

I failed you

Please forgive me

Please..save my...daughter

........

The man then faded. His breathing stopped soon after. I was about to pray when the shadow appeared next to the man.

In seconds to follow, a small fragile flame came out of the man;s body. It rose and then gently fell into the shadow’s extended hand.

It was then that the pulsation started.  Fell to my knees holding my ears. It was like a fire was burning its way through me.

Water!! The words wouldn't leave my dry mouth, but then it all just stopped. All i could do was stare confused.

I was given no time to think before the girl approached me.Her words, and the look on her face are forever etched itn my brain. I felt disgusted.

Not for the girl, but that she chose this life. What had this place down to this little girl? The weight of it all was staggering. Then I lost control again.

The dark realm inside me was like drinking lukewarm water. It did nothing but make me feel crappy and unmotivated.

All i could do was wahc as he made the situation better, goes as far as make the words i spoke as a joke into reality.

“Electus?” the concerned growl came for the other inhabitant of my “world”. Baslith a giant black dragon. Why he was here and not Danzeth had failed to ever register.

Baslith was a good person at heart. A dragon with a literally thought extrait,b tu a heart of gold underneath.

“It’s nothing” The same lie escaped. If i couldn't even handle my own problems what was the point of telling others?

As “I” rounded a corner, three men blocked “my” path. The men’s face flashed before my eyes and oddly enough i knew them. The three generals of the 8th king.

Gael had flashed me their faces briefly before heading out.

Targets for later after the start of the take over.

The taller one grabbed “Me” by my shirt and brought me up close “ You got a problem, punk” He reeked of alcohol and so did his friends. If i had been in control, panic would have taken my mind. But he was in control

“I” laid a strong grip on the man’s arm, He fell to his knee crying in pain. The cold stare in my eyes was incredible to look at.

“The only problem is that you are in my way!” “I” flicked my arm and the man I was holding flew into a wall. The other two, still wobbling on their feet, took stances to draw weapons.

“I” few forward.  I doubted the show knew who they were or cared. He was anger. He was clouded with hate.

“Let us begin” The shadow said as he pushed both their faces both the hard ground. His gaze going toward the coliseum in the distance.

Samuel Lugosi felt the dark light from the sky infect the room. He moved slowly and closed the curtain. He moved back to his chair and examined his subject.

The subject was a good size this time. Easier to obtain than he had expected. Then again he never got resistance in the first place. People always were eager to removed trash from their lives.

The subject struggled. Having regained consciousness, confused panic swept in. At first a confused looks, but then vision returned. An attempt to scream was stopped by the gag. Next more struggling, but soon it was over. They always do. He thought.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

Samuel moved up from his fancy chair and played with drapes and ran his fingers over desk and other nearby furniture as he walked toward the subject.

He would now enter stage two. He removed a white glove for his hand. He put it up to for the subject to see.

He made a show of it. Rolling it and flexing his fingers. He decided he wanted more terror.

As lightly as he could, like a fly landing, he touched a nearby lamp. He moved his hand away and the lamp crumbled to dust in a matter a seconds.

Samuel could see the pure terror reflected in the eyes. The pupils dilated, and the eyes as wide as possible. He needed more. He removed the gag, and the wonderful music of screams filled the room. He listened intently and was lost in ecstasy as he listened.

The symphony soon stop and he took a minute. He wanted to apply more terror. He moved to the restraints. He poked and prodded the metal skewers that were implanted into the hands and feet. He so enjoyed it when the subjects couldn’t run. They just laid there accepting the fates.

The blood still ran on the table, but Samuel applied magic to keep the subject conscious, will she bleed, slowly. He moved to his notebook.

He picked up the leech book. He moved his finger throat every page. The details of every experiment got his blood going. He loved reading it over and over till the page were run ragged.

He stopped and move to the latest page. After moving to nearly the last four pages, he found a clean one. He began to write down. the experiment.

Test subject 356. A light female in her mid twenties. She was traded for her family to spare them from taxes momentarily. The subject was unaware that her house was burned shortly after. He wrote down quick detail of their terrified looks as they burned alive in their own house

He breath ragged from excitement. He moved back to the girl, she was in nothing more than her undergarments.

“Time for the final” he could see her skin crawl at his words.

He moved his hand to her thigh and touched her light pale skin. He felt her skin began to fade away. The music soon started again. He moved up to the waist and counted his adventure up her body.

The music soon ended all too soon. He reached her breast, and then her heart gave.

“Dann over already?” He wanted her to last until he got to her head. “Oh well might as well snack a little.”

He grabbed the blue light that was leaving her now half rotted body. He moved the blue light to his mouth and  gobbled it up like a famished beast.

After his snack, he moved his hand over the rest and the body turned to ash. Clean up was easy. He strode over to the balcony window, and opened the doors.

“Natural clean up” the wind took the dust as it left the bloodied room.

He felt the excitement and thrill leave his body. The familiar sound of the door unlocking from the other side, grabbed his attention.

He move to the closet and pick his more refined clothing. He needed to look appealing for the masses. A festival called for such things. He put his pure white glove back on.

Samuel had developed a taste for the older version of clothing, He had snapped his  hsi ginger and a white flannel shirt and black business suit covered his body.

He put a leather jacket they only went as far as the ribs .He liked showing off the fancy midsection of frills and such to the crowd.

He feed his long stands of purple mane of hair. He shaves the two sides of hsi hard and let the hair in the middle grow long enough to reach his eyes and the upper back he looked his the mirror and got lost in himself.

He loved every inch of himself. From his dark purple eyes, to his dark purple lipstick. He moved his fingers over every inch of himself, until the a special subject beckoned him.

He moved away from the mirror reluctantly and moved toward the girl. She was sixteen this year, yet her features showed a more refined women. She was so prideful for being a puppet. He moved up to her and got a good look at her.

Her black dress reflected his taste well. It would of been the high of fashion a hundred years ago, but even so black silk suited her well.

He grabbed a piece of her long blonde hair, he had hoped for a jolt, but she never gave him any.

He enjoyed the fact that he towered over her in size. He would put the average man to shame, not just in looks, but also in power.

He let it fall back to her shoulder. She hadn’t bothered to do anything with it and that saddened him a little.

Dolls should dress up. He smiled at the thought. His evil grin would of made babies cry and mother hide their children.

“Shall we go?” She asked in a little, yet dignified voice. Even after six years, she still held her pride and tried to think she had an advantage over him. Well soon enough that won’t matter. He laughed to himself.

He grabbed her hand and he felt her grip on his hand grow strong. Trying to make me  afraid? He almost applauded her for trying, but his hand was busy.

He waved his right hand and a portal formed. He looked back. “Can’t leave it like this.” WIth a wave of his hand, the blood and torture devices went to their respective places.

With a smile,he moved toward the portal and in an instant were sent to the podium where they would sit.

The subject moved to her seat in the queen's chair. He moved to the front and stood over the thousands of people in the stadium. He looked back to her.

“Shall we begin princess Charlotte?”he released a small snicker and saw a her hand grip the dress instantly. He looked back and raised his voice so all could hear him.

“Today, we begin the fifteenth tournament of Haven!" Of course he was the only one excited. He may have said tournament, but was really the poor or those who went against him fighting friends, or lover, for the right to die by his hand. He smiled bigger.

Then a feeling began to naw at him. It wasn’t the usual contempt he always felt. He tilted his head ever slightly to find it.  A slight breeze of wind flew by him.

Then all the noise in the world faded. A small pain burned on his face. He moved his hand to it and when it he brought it back blood was on his fingertips.

He looked to his left. “What the hell?!” Inches from, the seat he would of been sitting, a spear was lodged into wall. Pieces of rock falling away as it shook from the strike.

Then it hit him: Someone had tried to kill him. But not just that, they had hidden themselves so perfectly he couldn't even find them.

He looked to find the thrower, at first all he saw was beggars and peasants, but then he saw someone standing in the stadium. No fights had been started yet, so no one should be there yet

He face may have been hidden, but the bloodlust was able to reach samuel just find. That is what gave him away.

A spark of excitement, one he had no had in a long while, pulsated in him.

The urge to fight.

The stranger threw away the long cloak to reveal a boy maybe in his twenties. Short black hair swayed in the slight breeze and his blue eyes looked like rage story full of anger.

Samuel felt his excitement grow, but he felt annoyance for someone interrupting his fun.

“Who do you think you are fool?” When he got no answered. He raise up a hand. “My generals will be more than enough for the likes of you!” He yelled indignantly and he felt the fear for the citizen, but the stranger just laughed and his serious expression did not seem fazed.

He raised his hand and pointed north. “You mean those guys?” Samuel looked and there he saw them, his three generals, banter and broken. Hung by their capes to the wall.

Instead of hate, a different feeling boiled his blood. He turned back the stranger. “What your name mongrel? He shouted with a hint of excitement.

“Dynames!”  he yelled in sheer confidence. the name threw samuels into a nostalgia trip. While he suffered this the boy continued.

“I have come for a fun brawl. Oh and to  break the damn sky!” A delighted smile on the stranger face, sparked more emotions in Samuel.

I suppose I will have some fun.

The citizens, struck by fear, soon seem to be shift. Samuel snapped to his senses

“What can a lowly, being such as yourself do?” The stranger smiled. An act that pissed Samuel off a bit.

“Oh I'm no lowly being,” In an instant, the stranger was on Samuel. He took a step back. “I am a dragon slayer. Now burn.”

The statement silenced every sound. Samuel could only process the words as his move came. “Dragon art’ Hammer”

The mass of fire blasted into the podium.

The smoke, having consumed the stand,  cleared. Much to everyone’s relief the princess was unharmed. Even better samuel was on where to be seen.

Then a voice broke the silence. “Who are you?" the stranger looked up turned to look at the princess. All she’d  seen was a man suddenly appeared from the smoke. The words slipped from her mouth all too easily.

“I am just someone here to pay a bastard back for showing me disgusting things.” He answered confidently.

“Do you even have a plan?” she yelled at him. Such a petty reason had brought him here to fight a king!

He turned away from her. He extended his ahd into the side and gave a thumbs up. “ I only got as far as punching him, now it just all up to my own power to see if I can beat him.” It was then a figure long dead appeared before her eyes. A back she had entrusted everything to.

She was mesmerized, but the sound of fire burst free shattered it

Now let's go!” Fire his feet and he toward the sly “I don't need a lot of power or even a lot of allies. Right now the only thing on my mind is how i'm going to beat this bastard to death!” His words trailed behind as he jettisoned toward samuel.

“Dragon Art: Soaring dragon.”  The trail of fire burned in the sky. It sheer brilliance captivated the whole colosseum. The image of a beast burned forever into their minds.

Samue having dodged his first waited on an island floating above the coliseum. “So the fight begins. Excitement burned in his black heart. He ready himself for the coming assault.

“Dragon art: Axe blade”  Before he could react to the sudden charge of the stranger, A sudden downward kick, blasted him through the island and away from the city. The sheer force and speed made it hard for Samuel to open his eyes.

He hit the ground, but he didn't stop. Not the force shot him further leaving a path thru the ground to his finally stop.  

“There goes my clothing”

Remnants of his clothes filled the trail, he was disappointed. It had been too long since he had fought someone.

He cracked a few joints and dusted himself off. He was finally in the mode to trade blows. Though he was frustrated his clothes were in tatters. He let an evil smile touch his now dirt covered face.

“Let’s get this started, you fool” He said it so cold the air around could have frozen.