Chapter 22: "Vengeance"

The air in Mary Geoise was thick with the chaos of the fire and the confusion that gripped the city. It was the year 1509, and the night's events had set into motion what William and the Boa sisters had waited for—freedom. For seven long years, William had endured the horrors of this place, and for four years, the sisters had suffered alongside him. But tonight, that would all change. Tonight, they were going to reclaim their lives.

William led the sisters through the shadows, their footsteps barely making a sound as they moved swiftly out of the arena and toward **Master Callen's** palace. The towering, opulent structure loomed ahead, its polished white stone reflecting the orange glow of the fires raging in the distance. Inside that palace was the man responsible for their years of torment, the man who held the chains of their slavery in his hands.

As they approached, William's heart pounded—not with fear, but with a cold, simmering rage. Tonight wasn't just about escaping; it was about making sure Master Callen and his wife paid for every ounce of suffering they had inflicted. He could feel the heat of his dragon powers coursing through him, the fire burning just beneath his skin. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

The palace guards had rushed toward the fires in a futile attempt to restore order, leaving the mansion defenseless. With swift, lethal precision, William and the sisters slipped inside, cutting down any servants or guards who crossed their path—except for the slave maids. Those women, with their hollow eyes and trembling hands, were no different from William and the Boa sisters. He left them untouched, watching as they scrambled to hide, too afraid to believe that their nightmare might soon be over.

"What are you still doing here?" William said, his voice as cold as steel. "Run, We're only here for Callen. Meaybe this is your only chance for freedom. So run along now; run."

The maids nodded frantically, running out of the palace as William and the sisters ascended the grand staircase leading to the master's bedroom. The luxuriousness of the palace was sickening, the wealth and extravagance a mockery of the pain endured by those forced to serve here. Every gold-trimmed vase and fine silk drape was a reminder of the twisted hierarchy of the world.

At the top of the stairs, the massive double doors to **Master Callen's** chambers stood before them. William paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing. His heart raced, but not with fear—this was pure anticipation. Tonight, Master Callen's reign of terror would end.

He pushed open the door, and they stepped inside the lavish bedroom. There, sprawled across a bed draped in luxurious linens, lay Master Callen and his wife. The two Celestial Dragons were fast asleep, their faces twisted into peaceful expressions that only deepened the hatred William felt toward them.

William moved quietly across the room, his eyes gleaming with malice. He gestured to the Boa sisters, his voice a harsh whisper. "Girls, let's have some fun, shall we?"

The sisters watched in silence as William raised his hand and slapped Master Callen awake. The loud crack of his palm against the man's face echoed through the room, and the Celestial Dragon shot up, his eyes wide with shock and fury.

"Wh—what is the meaning of this?!" Callen spluttered, his fat fingers clawing at the bed sheets as he tried to comprehend the situation. His wife stirred beside him, equally confused and disoriented.

Before either of them could fully register the danger, William slapped Callen again, harder this time. The Celestial Dragon's head snapped to the side, and a trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"You filthy slaves!" Callen bellowed, his voice high-pitched with indignation. "Do you know who I am?! Kneel before me, or I'll—"

"Shut up," William interrupted, his voice low and terrifying. The coldness in his tone silenced Callen immediately. "Do you really think we're here to listen to your nonsense?"

Callen blinked, confused, before his arrogance returned. "Guards! Guards, come here at once and punish these disobedient—"

William cut him off with a vicious backhand, sending the Celestial Dragon sprawling across the bed. His wife, finally realizing the danger, shrieked and tried to crawl away, but Hancock stepped forward and grabbed her by the hair, forcing her back onto the bed.

The room fell silent, save for the terrified breathing of the two Celestial Dragons. William's expression twisted into something dark and sinister, his lips curling into a smile that sent shivers down the spines of the sisters. This was a side of William they hadn't seen before—he was no longer the cold, controlled fighter they knew. He had become something else. 

Something terrifying.

"Oh, Callen," William said in a mocking, singsong tone. "I've been thinking about how I should deal with you. I've come up with some *fun* ideas."

Callen and his wife exchanged nervous glances, but they still didn't seem to fully grasp the gravity of their situation. Callen opened his mouth to speak, but William was already moving. He reached out and grabbed the man's throat, squeezing just enough to make him panic but not enough to kill.

"Here's the thing," William said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You like to mark your slaves with that stupid hoof of yours, don't you? Thinks it makes you powerful? Untouchable?"

Callen gasped, his hands clawing at William's wrist, but he couldn't break free. His wife sobbed beside him, shaking uncontrollably.

William's eyes glowed with a sinister light, and he slowly raised his right hand. His fingers elongated, turning into sharp dragon claws. The fire element he had honed over the years began to swirl around his hand, heating the scales until they glowed red-hot.

"I think it's time you felt what a real mark from a dragon feels like," William said, his voice now a low, menacing growl.

Callen's eyes widened in terror as William tore the man's shirt off, exposing his pale, trembling back. His wife screamed, but Hancock slapped her across the face, silencing her.

"Please!" Callen cried, his voice shaking. "I'll give you your freedom! Money! Treasure! Anything you want!"

William laughed, the sound echoing through the room like a madman's cackle. "You really are stupid, aren't you?" he said. "Why do you think I'm here? You think I care about your money? You think I want your pathetic bribes?"

He grabbed Callen by the hair, lifting his head so the man had no choice but to look him in the eyes. "No, you idiot pig. I'm here because tonight, you're going to pay for everything you've done."

Without another word, William slammed his burning-hot dragon claw into Callen's back. The searing heat of the flames burned through his flesh, and the smell of charred skin filled the room. Callen screamed—a long, agonizing wail that reverberated off the walls.

William twisted his hand, branding the Celestial Dragon with his own twisted mark. "How does it feel, Callen?" he asked, his voice cold and devoid of mercy. "How does it feel to be marked like the worthless pig you are?"

Callen's wife sobbed hysterically as William branded her next, burning the same twisted mark into her back. The room was filled with the sounds of their pain, but to William, it was music. His eyes glowed with madness, and a wild grin spread across his face.

He lay down beside Callen, mimicking the man's cries in a cruel, mocking tone. "Oh no! It hurts so much! Please, have mercy!" William laughed, the sound maniacal. He enjoyed this far too much—far more than he should have.

The sisters stood by, watching in stunned silence. They had seen William fight before, had seen him brutal in the arena, but this... this was something else entirely. He was no longer just fighting for survival. This was pure, unfiltered vengeance.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Hancock stepped forward and smacked William on the back of his head. 

"Ouch!" William winced, turning toward her with a mock glare. "Hancock, what was that for?"

"As much as I enjoy this," Hancock said, her voice steady but urgent, "we don't have much time. We need to get out of Mary Geoise before the chaos dies down."

William blinked, as if coming out of a trance. He looked down at the two pitiful, sobbing Celestial Dragons, then back at Hancock. His lips twisted into a final, cruel grin. "Alright," he said, "but before we leave, I'm going to give you girls a good show."

With one final, chilling laugh, William prepared to finish what he had started.