Defiance

The sounds of gunfire jolted me from sleep, the pain from the gunshot was less intense now and it is down to a dull ache. Judging from the sounds outside it would seem that someone is trying to take me again. Seeing as though I can hear bullets going through the walls down stairs, hitting paid and shattering glass. Dammit I didn't think that they would me this fast, of course I knew that they find me though. Glass try to sit up but I feel one of my stitches give,  and start to leak, Fuck I can barely move. I lay back down and I run my fingers along the bottom edge of bunk and feel my fingertips brush something cold and hard.  I smile and pull out about a footling dagger,  I test it's edge by shaving my arm with it,  the bare spot on my arm confirms that it is plenty sharp,  hell it'll slice through flesh like butter. The gunfire stops for little bit but it starts back up again,  I hear one single shot fallowed by the sounds of dogs howling. I know of only one weapon and one person who can use it like that, Good that bird Brian finally got here, I close my eyes and try and find the spirit energy that he gives off.  I find it and work on trying to establish a mental link with him, which isn't very hard seeing as we both kind of share the same body. I'm in "Yo James Rodney koskin, you finally decide to show up to the party?"

"you little shit, we are in the middle of firefight right now and you decide to break your way into my mind? What the fuck is wrong with you? And where the hell have you been for the past year and half?"

"would you believe on vacation in Fiji?"

"no."

"okay fine I stuck about a half mile underground,  getting tortured for the past year and half."

"so what with the vampire chick?"

'wow man thanks for the sympathy,  you jackass. And as for her she saved my life and helped get me out of that hole."

"well then. I like her keep her or there will be hell to pay. Plus she has a killer rack."

"shut up man, and tell me what the fuck is going on out there."

"first wave was ten honor guard dressed in their armor of carbon fiber, chainmail and plates that hooked into it."

"where they packing some heat?"

"not really Kelly took them all out with that damn Tommy gun. The second wave is who are getting right now,  by the way that girl has got some moves like damn I'm glad she is on our side." I listen to sounds of battle outside there was the first shot fallowed by two more shots then grandpa with Tommy gun.

"sounds like old grandpa took out the rest of them."

"oh yea made Athenia hit the deck,  now she is covered head to toe in blood." Good she lived through that depending on how bad they want to take me they might send in a third wave with even more people

"who the hell is this guy and why does it… shit that guy is her bother? Wait she killed her father to save you? What the fuck happened in that year and half?"

"James hold did you say brother?"

"James?" I listen to see if there sound coming from outside, there is nothing.

"We had to retreat there was to many of them Danny, Athenia, and I are going to treehouse if you can make it out of there meet us there."

"what about grandpa?"

"stayed behind to cover us." I hear the sounds of fire fight start to rage outside, the whole hose shakes from an explosion, which mean that grandpa blew the massive propane tank to cover his own escape. I keep listening and I hear the door explode and smash against the wall, there a multitude of footsteps going though the house,  tearing it apart. They are looking for me and I know that it is only a matter of time before they find me,  it's a good thing that all the lights are off up here. I hear them move through the house, I lay perfectly still and wait with the dagger on one side of me, it is kind of warm up here, and I feel a tinny bead of sweat start form on the top of my forehead. They finally make their way to grandpa bedroom, I hear stuff getting tossed around,  and broken,  then find the attic door I close my eyes,  and feel the door open, I squint to see what happens, I see one head scan the room,  then he comes up,  fallowed by three or four more. I can at least take one or two of them out before this goes sideways. They made their way toward me using  the utmost caution, finally they are standing over me,  one of them pokes me with the barrel of his gun, I don't move at all. They all relax and point the barrels down, I take my chance I shoot straight up and grab one of them and stab him in the heart, pull the blade out and slit one others throat, he in turn had his pistol out and fired and hit one more person in the leg, however I now can't see because of that flash,  and I can no longer hear anything besides ringing. I feel a sharp pain crash against my skull then I sink into the void of unconscious. Here's the thing about fainting and being knocked out,  your subconscious is still active so can hear everything,  now don't get me wrong there is still that few seconds or minutes before your subconscious takes over where it is just pitch black and you can't hear anything or feel anything. However during my captivity I learned how control it, so with at being said I start to search for J.R's spirit energy. I find a faint trace of it and as soon as I touch it I can tell that it gets stronger towards the base. I start to climb my way down and as soon as I get maybe within my fifty feet of the base I feel a surge of energy exploed through the line and I'm in.

"were you suppressing your energy?"

"Yup."

"so did you guys make it?"

"yea Danny got smashed and puked all over himself, now Kelly is back and we are formulating a battle plan."

"okay well I need you here, now they found me and with this bullet hole inside of me I can't get really that far,  you know what I mean?"

"Yup be there in few seconds, you do remember how to open your mind and let me don't you."

"when were together last time I could bareily breach you mind, and now I can bypass your walls with ease. So yea I can open p my mind to let you in."

"ok good just send up a flare when you need me take over and heal you up.'

'can do, I need to see what's going out there anyway."

"see you soon."

"ditto." I sever the link and open my eyes against the harsh light.  I let my eyes adjust and take stock of the room,  there is a pool blood at the foot of my bed,  that is about six or seven feet across, in the middle sits a stool,  around the legs of the stool dotting the floor are cigarette butts. Sitting on the stool is Stephen, with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. I look past him and see the guy who got shot getting stitched up,  by someone else,  they are drinking a couple of beers, with four empty ones. I look back to Stephen who is now smiling. He blows out a cloud of smoke.

"so your still alive hmm?"

"same to you, how's the neck?"

"it's a little stiff."

"so your turning trick for council Hhhhhmmmm, just like a little bitch. Now tell me do you spit or swallow?"

"well now aren't you just full of jokes."

"so what is the deal, are you here to torture me some more,  man we had some fun times."

"yes well you can say that now,  but the fact of the matter is that I was holding back when I was doing all those things to you, now I can strip every layer of flesh,  crush every nerve ending, and stuck the marrow from your bones and not receive and punishment from the council it's quite a beautiful thing." I know that he really titillated by this because the look in his eye is like a kid touring the Hershey's factory, he had a smile on his face that spoke volumes, he was going to make me pay for all the stuff I did to him. I wasn't scared however though I should have been,  really and truly scared beyond belief. So I can't help the laughter that is starting to bubble in my throat, I can't hold back I laugh a hearty laugh. Stephan looks confused and pissed off.

"what is there not gonna be any Vaseline before you fuck me?"

"keep up that spirit, you'll need it later." He leans back and grabs a bone saw, sharp enough to cut through a femur in under a minute. He twirls in his hand. I try and sit up in bed and feel another stick give loose. I can feel the bandage start to get wet, hot and sticky.

"no please don't get up on my account, see I won't be using this just yet, I more intimate things I can do you." He sets the bone saw back on the table,  stands up causing ripples in the blood, I hear his boots stick to the floor and peel away as he's walk towards me. He leans over me and pushes finger through my shirt, past my stitches and into the bullet wound,  I grunt in pain and I can feel him wiggling his finger inside my body. He has a smile on face, and with his one good eye he looks at the pain that is on,  I meet his eye and hold his gaze and I start to laugh which at this moment is probably the worst thing to do,  but what can I say I laugh when I'm in pain,  can't stop it,  it just happens,  it's what I do.

"ah so think that is funny do you? Well I can make a allot worse,  see humans are so… fragile, you hit them to hard and they die,  you puncture the wrong thing and they die,  lose to much and die.  It's quite vexing when trying to torture them. Like for example-" he moves his finger and I feel his nail against my liver. "all I need to do in order to cut you liver is move my finger downward fast enough and you will eventually." He stiffens his finger and I can tell that he really wants to do but he doesn't for some strange reason. Instead he remove his finger, while still leaning over me, he lifts up now blood stained shirt not that anyone could tell anyway I've been wearing it for the past year and a half. Grabs my bandage and rips it off. And like a busted levee I start gushing blood,  the smell of blood, gunpowder, cigarette smoke, beer, and weed makes me want to puke. I look up at Stephan and see his fangs barely poking out from his top lip,  his eye only holds hunger.

"I guess you didn't have dinner before coming here,  then?" he looks at me.

"I did actually, we stopped by this little shop along the highway that had a house next to it,  the family was a little old but they were divine,  like a perfectly aged fine wine." My eyes widen. No he couldn't have found them,  please not them. My mind is racing, I feel my veins turn to ice.

"what was the name of the shop?" my voice is barely a whisper.

"hmm what was that?"

"THE NAME OF THE SHOP,  WHAT WAS IT?" I scream at the top of lungs,  it catches everyone off guard that I can get that loud. Stephen starts to scratch his chin

"the shop was called Forten's big rib repair." There is a moment of silence, I can feel tears start well up in my eyes, he did it he got to my family, see Danny's father and my father are bothers,  two different mothers, and grandpa is actually my dads step dad,  who's brother was gorge Forten, so to clarify grandpa,  is my grandpa,  Danny is my cousin,  his father Jeff is my uncle, and the Forten's are my second cousins.

"was there a girl then named Sam? She is about five foot eight long blonde hair perfect completion,  white but not too white?"

"hhhmmm let me think…" he looks deep in thought then he smiles. Which isn't a good sing "no that you mention it there was, I believe she just got of the bathroom after a shower,  juntas I tore some man's heart out of his chest. Why did you know them?" I didn't have to say anything, the look on my face was enough,  I couldn't help it I started to cry.  Stephen jumped out of his seat,  clapping his hands.

"oh this is just to good,  I found a soft spot,  a pressure point of yours and it was there the whole time. Well I guess there is no time like the present." I look at him and before he says anything I have this pit in the middle of my stomach I don't want to be true that they are all gone.

"you are lying." he stops and looks at me with very serious expression

"I am many things but I'm not a liar, it gets you nowhere in life,  but if you don't beilve me-"

"I don't."

"then I just have to show you."

"oh Sam won't you come up here a minute please?" he says in a sing song voice.  I watch the ladder waiting to see if what he say is true. I don't have to wait long because I see blonde hair fallowed by perfectly skin, a beautiful completion,   green eyes behinde black rimmed glasses, wearing a dark green long sleeve shirt,  and white skirt that now had blood stains on it. I start shaking everywhere,  I feel my hands go numb, I start to see red,  my heart rate increases then it calms down.

"you basttard,  you turned her?" my voice calm even though I wasn't,  stephan looks at me with a fanged smile.

"oh yes I thought she was divine,  so I just had to have her." He says licking some of the blood from her neck.

"shy don't you show, this man your smile my dear?" she does as instructed her eyes are dead like a sharks, she smiles wide,  and shows me four razor sharp fangs. She licks her lips

"what's matter cousin? Don't like my new look?"

"no not really." She looks at Stephen then back to me,  she takes off her glasses,  and looks at me with wanting eyes.

"Awe why not? It's the fangs isn't it? Although you never could take a hint to save your life." She starts walking towards me slowly. My heart drops into my stomach, I start to cry, I cry because I'm sad,  hurt,  and severely pissed off. Sam giggles, it's high sweet sounds that would make any guys head turn.

I look at her through teary eyes and ask

"what's so damn funny?"

"oh just you,  I can hear your heart beat, it's calm which only means only one thing that you are beyond pissed, to people who know you, this level of you being pissed would make everyone take a couple of steps back, but I've seen you like before, you are cold, calculating, strike with the speed and precision of a snake. Hell I've seen you just destroy someone twice you size with a smile on your face." I laugh again I can't help it,  I look at her right in the eyes.

"then are you telling me that you are scared Samantha?"

"no I'm not,  not anymore."

"you say I can't take a hint,  but your wrong I noticed all things you tried to get me to notice you,  walking around in your bra and panties when you know I'm the only one up. I didn't take the bait though because I respect danny and grandpa to much." She looks taken aback by this.

"farther more we can't be together now or ever."

She finnaly reaches me and smack me hard enough to have my head bounce off the back of the headboard. I feel scratch marks start to bleed, my head clears and I look at her she is crying,  and I feel and because no matter what she is still family and I just hate to see a girl cry.

"like I said cold." She leans down and licks my scratches, it feels weird warm, wet, and kind of rough while she is doing that she is also sliding her hand under my shirt. I feel her touch it's as lite a feather,  her fingers as well as the rest of her body are trembling. It doesn't feel good at first,  but as soon as she forced me to lay down. Got on top of me lifted my shirt and started lapping at the gunshot wound, I start to feel well high like really high. She let's out a moa, she grinds her pelvis into my groin. She lifts her head up and whispers into my ear

"by the way Xavier I'm not wearing any panties" she giggles at this ear,  can feel my face get hot.

"isn't good,  the saliva In our mouths is natural pain killer,  and with enough of it I've seen humans over does on it." Stephan says leaning over us,  I know that I have a glaze over my eyes,  and I know that I shouldn't be enjoying this at all but I can't help it.  There is only one thing I can do at this point.  I punch Stephen in the throat,  Sam stops and gets off of me while Stephen is coughing, he stops and with look of rage in his eye.  His hand wraps around my throat, I can feel my windpipe being slowly compressed.

"you little shit." I look at him and just smile,  he turn with me still in his hand looks at the two by the table, tells them to move and throws me at the table,  the force behind the hit was like getting hit by a truck,  I hear loud crack in my knee,  as roll off the table grabbing the bone saw as go off,  my leg is for sure busted,  offend I'm in a crumpled heap on the floor with the bone saw underneath me.  The tow guys on the table pick me up,

"stop don't touch him.' Sam yells, but it's to late I take the opportunity and hack one of their heads off, the blade comes out with a small stream of blood that splatters against the wall, he lest me go and grabs his neck with side eyes, but it's to late his head falls backwards and the rest of him,  drops to his knees spraying blood all over the place. His body finally hits the floor and is still bleeding with his blood mixing with pool that's already on the floor. in the same motion as I'm coming out, I come down and take the other ones leg off at the knee,  lucky it was the guy who got shot. However there is a puase before he starts bleeding all over the place where I can see the rest of his knee bone and the muscle still contracting. I have a wicked smile on my face till I look up and Stephen standing front of me covered in blood.

"your move little bitch or should I just skull fuck you right now?" he wipes blood from his face,  and backhands me with such a force that I go head first into a wall, I really blackout this time. I wake up and try to lift my right hand, but it stops I look down and see that it's handcuffed to the decapitated guys belt buckle,  I strain my arm against the weight but I can lift him,  dead weight is hard to move let alone pick up. Plus I can't move with broken knee away so it's pointless,  I close my eyes and try and search for J.R's spirit energy however I can't find it anywhere I see about seven in the inmate vicinity but nothing father than that.  I open my eyes and see Sam sitting on the stool now.

"Sam do me favor?" so looks at me and I can tell there is a sliver of fear in there.

"depends on the favor.' She says in the sweetest voice possible.

"get me a fat joint of that grimcreeper, as soon as Stephan gets back he is going skin me alive."

"sure she says." She gets off the stool,  and starts picking bud,  she grinds it and rolls a fat joint it's as big around as my thumb and as long as my middle finger,  she comes back over and sticks in my mouth and lites it.  I take a deep drag and hold it, I finally breathe out and only little smoke comes out.

"so where is Stephen?"

"shower."

"Huh all right then." I look at her and she seems almost worried for me.

"I'm sorry Sam, you and little sisters where the last people I would want to drag into this whole mess."

"Xavier how did escape? Stephen told me that you did and that his father died and that his sister was mia.  He also told how he tortured you day in and out,  for the past year and half." She looked hurt,  like really hurt,  like I had destroyed her entire world. No matter if she is a vampire she is still my family.

"look I had crush on you for longest time,  but we are blood with means that you are off limits I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you Sam I really am."

Man this whole situation and conversation is ruining my high right now.

"we are family but we are not blood, I was adopted in."

She smiles and laughs with tears in her eyes.

"god it feels so good to say that,  you have no idea." I offer her the joint,  she takes it and inhales,  I can start to feel the high coming into full effect now. I'm uncomfortable so I sit up, which is a bad move I wince in pain as my wound starts to leak again,  and my knee is killing me. Sam appears by my side looking directly into my eyes,  her nose twitches as she catches the smell of my blood.  She smile and I watch as her fangs slowly come out.

"you know you have the sweetest blood." She blushes and giggles again.

"I could just sink my teeth into you." We both laugh at the horribly bad joke. Once we get done wiping the tears from our eyes,  we sit there in silence just looking into eachother eyes. I don't know why but I hug her,  it catches both of us off guard. Then I hear the door open and Stephen climbs up all showered and clean. We pull apart real quick. He looks at us and smiles,  I don't like that smile at all.

"well Sam I'm going on a little run to pick up some food, I'd ask you if you wanted anything but it seems like you have already chosen your meal,  just lock the door when I leave okay?"

"yes sir." Stephan starts to head back on the ladder and pokes his head up one last time,

"oh and make sure he suffers long and good okay?" she nods in response. I just flip him the bird, he laughs and shuts the door,  Sam goes over and locks it. She turns to me with a wicked smile on her face,

"Sam what are thinking?"

"oh nothing." She says with a giggle, then she just appears right in front of me.  Before I can react she kisses me,  I try and pull back it don't work, I feel her tongue inside my mouth. She moans from the back of her throat. I can feel her saliva start to kick in,  on top of the high that I'm already feeling. There is nothing I can she has me under her spell, I starts kissing her back.  It was passionate, her lips tasted like cherries, they are so soft and inviting, she pulls away and lays me down on the bed, my body is so relaxed,  and I'm so high you could have a gun pointed to my head and I wouldn't even notice. She climbs onto and starts kissing my neck,  I lay my head the other way so that she has full unrestricted access to it,  I feel her fangs lightly brush against my skin. She rips my shirt off my back and rips it to shreds. She gets a good long look at my now exposed upper half and she lightly runs her fingers over all my scars, some have faded others are still red and angry. She lightly kisses everyone of them,  my bullet wound is still bleeding,  frankly I'm surprised that I haven't died from blood loss at this point. She kisses her way down to it and moan a couple of times, as she makes her way down to it, she cups her mouth around it and starts to drink from it. It's a weird feeling,  I can feel my blood leaving my body at the same I feel her saliva entering in and making the high even stronger. She starts to rub the inside of my thigh, I shift my weight in order to try and adjust the bulge that is now in my pants. She looks up at me and smiles.

"nervous are we?" I can't find my voice, I just nod. She keeps on sucking at the wound,  and let's her hand travel with shaking fingers to the button my pants,  my heart rate increases, and with that she moans. I take off her shirt with one hand and she starts grinding me again. I can feel a heat between her legs and there is a sweet smell to her. She is back to kissing me and moaning and grinding. She pulls away from the kiss and looks at me with loving eyes. She smiles and start kissing my neck again then I feel it a sharp pain quick pain,  then the high that fallows, I feel my heart rate quicken as she sucks my blood, I know I'm going to die by her hands and I don't care. Then she pulls away again and I feel a single prick in thigh.  I lift my head up and see a syringe sticking out of it. I look at her with a quizzical look.

She just smiles "I am not going to kill you babe,  I know what Stephan did, I can see it when I close my eyes, I need you  kill him for me so that I can be free.  I hate him for what he did to you and I want him to pay,  I love you Xavier that's why I'm only making it look like I killed you,  by the way this stuff I just injected into you will slow your heart rate enough to make it appear as if you died, I in turn will get all the information I can gather about what the council is planning." And with that I slip into utter darkness this time however it's different, I can't control my subconscious. There is not a thing I can except ride it out. The weird thing is that I can hear and feel everything around me, I feel someone touch my neck,  then I'm getting moved somewhere.  I send up the mental flare in my mind,  and I feel J.R's presence wash over me, I feel the wings start poke through my back,  he has complete control over me,  I'm just along for the ride.  He starts to heal my body,

"damn kid what the hell happened to you?" he asks

"shit man you don't know the half of it."

"are you high right now."

I laugh  "hell yea I am."

"we will talk about this later." He opens my eyes, and everything slows down, the first guy is couaght off guard long enough for him to almost drop me. But J.R reaches up and grabs his face on both sides and twists I hear his neck snap.  My feet drop and J.R uses this to jump up over the first guy,  his body is stiff so when this happens his head does a complex one-eighty,  as J.R twirls in the air now looking down at his back.  With a little shove he pushes his head back and starts to bring the spine with it,  I see it start to stretch the skin,  then it tears free from the skin bringing so much blood and his ribs with it,  I see his still beating heart and lungs shrivel as they collapse when exposed to the atmosphere. They slide down and fall into his stomach. J.R is now standing while hanging onto the skull,  he looks around and sees a sword hanging on the attic wall,  he picks it up and cuts the small intestine that is holding this man's two half's together,  his bottom half falls to ground spreading his organs,  blood and other viscera onto the floor.  He is now handling what remains, which isn't much. The other man is nowhere to be seen, Stephan appears from the ladder. Upon seeing this as he enters the room,  he stops and looks from J.R and the first half to the second,  his eye ones wide upon the realization that I now have wings,

"what the fu-" his sentence is cut short by the tip of sword slicing through his neck. He drop to the floor face first into the bottom half of the guy. Crushing his heart.

"well that's really losing your head. Haha." He takes the guys head and moves his bottom jaw to what he is saying.

"EEW."

"I agree but I should get back to the other,  can you handle things from here? "

"Yup sure Can." And with that the wings shrink till they are no more,  and I have full control of my body. I look for a weapon that I can use that is quite and effective,  then I spot it. A beautiful six foot tall bladed bow,   it is one solid piece of perfection, the blades seem to be attached to the bow itself,  and not be welds but by hand worked metal,  I run my thumb across the blades to test the sharpness it nicks my finger, it has a beautiful dragon engraved on with a sword coming out of its mouth, there is so much detail, that I can clearly see each and everyone of the scales, all for legs are perfect as well you can clearly see the rippling muscles and sharp talons that come to point that looks as if they can cut through you just by looking at them, the spins along the back are perfect as well each one staggered just enough to add depth, the head and snout are engraved in immaculate detail. It travels down the side that faces you, the eyes of the dragon have a deep blue sapphire for each one, the more I look at them more the light dances in them,  it looks like and ever gasping hole that can look into your soul, it almost seems like that there is something in them,  some dark entity. The blades come to points just off the main body of the bow, half way up from the bottom and half way down from the top,  are two half oval holes that my hands can slide through,  with a space in the middle to allow arrows to pass through. I pick it up to test it's weight, it feels good,  it's not as heavy as thought it would be,  it's light as a matter of fact. I start to pull dark the draw string there is massively startling weight in the string,  it takes all my strength to get even half way to a full draw.

"wait don't pull it back all the way." J.R screams in my head.  I ignore him and pull it back to full draw.  The eyes which rest right beneath where the arrow sits come to life, I see the head of the dragon move, the muscle moves with the massive head and looks directly at me, then I'm plunged into pitch darkness, I feel as though I'm falling down. It's so pitch black that I don't know if my eyes are closed or open. I reach for any spiritual energy and find nothing at all. I stop falling I'm on solid ground, I give myself a good once over, no wounds just the scars, I still have the bladed bow in my hands, and I now have a quiver on my back,  and judging by the weight it's full of arrows. I also notice that I feel heavier,  like weight wise. I notice that my arms have a little more muscle, and my pecks are more pronounced, and my abs have a little more definition. I sit there in the pitch black,  just listening,  I can hear the sound of water dripping, I fumble around looking for anything that will give at least some induction of where I'm at,  my hands brush something cool,  and rough. It's a rock wall, I turn around and take a couple of steps and find that there is another wall there as well. I sit there letting my eyes adjust,  I can see a light coming from a long ways off. I start making my way toward the light,  then I hear it the sounds of cheers coming from the light,  the noise is loud enough to vibrate the walls around me. I keep my eyes forward and she a blue shimmer, swirls around getting faster and faster till it matrilizes into a the form of a man,  he stands there with a gaping hole in his chest. I can feel a tingle in the middle of my forehead. This means that someone is trying to enter my mind,  and seeing as though there is no spiritual engery anywhere to be found,  I through up every mental wall I can think of,  one right after another, I retreat into my mind closing off every section I can,  till I reach my place, the tingling just gets more intense which means someone is really trying to get in,  however no one has ever made it past my defence's not even J.R. the tingling starts to burn like white hot,  and it's painful I drow to my knees and struggle to make the walls hold, to make sure that there is not single crack that could exploited as a weakness, I should my memories,  so that whoever is trying to get in can't get to them. I can barely breath at this point. Then it suddenly stops,  just vanishes. I open my eyes when I hadn't realized I shut in the first place,  I'm gasping for air,  and there still stands that man with a smile on his face.

"you pass the first test,  you may proceed."

'what the fuck do you mean first test?" he just smiles and disappears

"son of bitch." I keep my walls up just in case something  like that happened again. I get to my knees,  still taking shaky breathes, I stand on shaky feet I put my hand out to brace me against the wall. I catch my breath,  and keep on walking,  towards the light,  it seems like it takes forever, the sounds people get louder and louder,  I let my eyes adjust to the light,  so that I can see,  what's going on.  There is an arena with high walls that can protect the spectators, a sandy floor that is the color of rust. I step onto the sand,  and the crowd falls silent.I look around and see the deep midnight black mountain laying off to one side. It is so black that seems to draw the deepest shadows toward it,  just swirling and churning into a mass of black that even the brightest light could not penetrate, The ground starts to shake,  and I turn around to see a rock slab sliding up to close the hole from which I just emerged. That door is blocking my only escape out from here. I turn back around and see this shaphier blue eye staring at me. The beast lifts it head up which alone is as wide as a school bus,  with razor sharp teeth that look like they can crush moutians,  then it raises it's front legs which are two of me tall, and with razor sharp tallons, arches it's back reviling scales that are bigger than my face, stretches it wings out and they are not bat like they are scaled feathers with red tips  that are such a deep red that it looks like crimson pool, it's tail come to a flattened point that looks like a sword, and is now standing if front of. The thing opens its mouth and a column of smoke flows out from it. It's rib cage starts shudering and a sound come out its throat like a car engine being drug over a freshly gravel road.

"so you made it past the first test then?"

"holy shit you can talk,  and your dragon man this is so unfair son of bitch."

The dragon laughs "how amusing, a tooth pick like you is astounded by seeing a dragon who can speak." It's eyes never leave my body.

"so what shall I call you?"

"call me? Oh yes you mean a name."

"yes what is your name?"

"I have had many names spanning multiple millennium, they have called me Pavass: the deathlord, Coteinyg: destroyer of men,  Oroisderth chambria: the dark warrior. All of these names mean nothing to me however for I  care not what men call me,  they all die by my hand. I crush there bones into powder,  rend their souls from their bodies, reduce their towns to cinders.  I am the first dragon of Adhoin the dragon cast from the seat of power,  the one cast aside by this man." He lifts his foot and there lies J.R in a crumpled heap of blood and broken bones.

"James are you okay?"

"run Xavier in oroder to use this weapon you have to beat this dragon,  the first that stood by Adhoini's side,  the first dragon in all of creation." The dragon slams his foot down on top of J.R

"quite worm,  you and he both cast me out and imprisoned me in this bow,  s I could learn my lesson and now you return and wake me from my slumber to battle again isn't that correct." He lifts his foot.

"why did we implosion you in the first place? What was your crime? So until the day Adhoin says you are free you shall remain here." He slams his foot down again

"I hate fighting, it solves nothing,  there is no point,  all the souls you see here are the souls of the lost and defeated, they lost everything on the battle field,  by my hand."

He gets this sad look in his eyes and I can't help but ask,

"what was your original crime?"

"I slew the wife of Adhoini for stealing my eggs,  and using the souls of my children in dark rituals in the pursuit of immortality."

"wow that's fucked up."

"yes it is indeed as you say fucked up,  now I have to fight anyone who tries to use the bow that you know hold."

"well I don't want to fight you,  coul-" the dragon cuts me off by laughing.

"you do not understand,  young hatching,  if I don't fight then I die."

"but in order to beat you and use this bow do I have to kill you?"

"no you merily have to wound me.' His forced tounge flicks in and out of his mouth.

" and let me guess no one has ever done this correct?"

"no one ever has even scratched my armored scales."

"so if I do here what happens to my physical body?"

"every atom will start attacking itself and you will explode into a fire ball that will scorch a mile of land. For this is place between world, between space and time combined." I smile, and rub my hands together.

"I don't want to fight but if that's what it takes to use your bow then I shall." He laughs again

"that bow isn't just some vessel used to contain me, it is me,  the arrows are my fire,  the blades my wings,  teeth and talons,  the string is my power,  my very existence to breath and live,  on any plane of existence or dimension. Are you ready to do battle little mortal?"

"born ready" say with a smile.  The dragon starts to turn and swings itt tail directly at me,  I take the bow and try to shield myself,  the feel his tail crash into full force,  the energy from the blow vivibrates my whole body,  thre is rush of wind,  and I open my eyes and his tail is right there in front of my face,  I use all my strength and push it back, he uses the momentum to swing around and slash at me with his front leg,  I roll under,  and see his other foot coming down to crush me,  like a pancake,  I throw up the bow and block it, he read back on his hind legs,  and I scamper out of the way just as the full weight of his body comes crashing down, a wave of sand shower the spectral spectators, they all cheer. He doesn't miss a beat,  however and uses hihis fire breath to blast at me, I smile,  close my eyes and eenvision a bubble around me,  I feel the intense heat from the flames surrounding me, I take an arrow out from the quiver, notch it and start to pull the string back with all my strength,  inch by inch it slowly becomes a full draw I open my eyes and let it lose in the middle of the flames, it splits them down the middle and the dragon closes it mouth to protect its throat, the flames stop and I can see the arrow strike one of his teeth with enough force to knock his head back and up. I can see his tooth were the arrow struck begin to crack and splinter. It breaks off and falls to the ground,  the crowd gasps and all is silent. He shakes his head,

"how interesting you withstood my flames and struck a blow against me. This should be very amusing indeed. If I may ask how did you withstand my flames,  that melt stone?"

I smile "it's called energy manipulation, seeing as though energy can neither be created and or destroyed. Does that count as wound?"

The dragon starts to laugh, and I don't like it. He thrusts his head forward with blinding speed jaws gaping open,  I jump back just those things snap shut with a clap that sounds like thunder,  his tail comes sweeping around at breakneck speed I barely have time to block it with the bow. His front leg slashes out at me and grabs me he hurls me aginast the far wall,  I slide down with my head in a fog,  he starts running at me, roll sideways to avoid being rammed into a fine paste giant the wall, he hits it full speed,  I see his whole body ripple like a shock wave, he flips one of his wings open and lifts me up into the air, I look up and he tail waiting for me there, I pull the bow up in order to block the blow,  however it fails I feel the blade strike my shoulder and travel down to my right hip,  it throws me down into the sand with such a force that there is a crater where I land, the wound that he just dealt is just deep enough not to be fatal,  I am having a hard time breathing so I know that at least one or two broken ribs, I reach to my quiver and grab an arrow,  his massive head swings down to me,  his tounge flicking in and out checking to make sure I'm not still alive,  I slow down my heart rate and hope, he takes one of his massive feet and pick me up between his talons,  I can feel were they dig into my skin and price my flesh on both sides of my ribcage, it takes every amount of will power I have not to scream.

"you fought bravely and with honor, it was fun to have met someone like you,  no one has impressed me as much as you have just done,  for this I shall tell you my true name young hatching.  It is Neimryiruss: the dragon lord." I can smell his breath,  and I take my shot,  my eyes fly open,  notch the arrow,  pull it back and sparks fly,  as soon as I let it lose the arrow turn into a lighting blot. Nemiryiruss's eyes go wide with shock,  I smile and say

"it's nice to meet you Nemiryiruss, my name is Xavier and this will be the wound that will allow me to wield your bow. I promise that as long as I am the welder many souls shall yet join these ranks,  and I shall also get Adhoini to release you from your prison,  so that you may feel the rush of wind under your wings yet again." He drops me and shuts his mouth,  to late however the arrow is already in it. I see a flash as it strikes his stomach, I hit the sand and fall into unconsciousness. When I open my eyes there J.R's face with a smile from ear to ear he picks me up by the shoulders and hugs me.

"hey you jack ass my wounds."

"what wounds?" he sets me down,  I look at my left shoulder and see there is a red hot scar that travels down to my right hip, it has serrated edges that look like teeth to a chain saw. I look just past J.R and find Neimtyiruss sitting with blood at the edges of his lips,  his firece saphier eyes boring hole into me.  I shove J.R out of the way and walk over to him,  I plant me feet right infront of him.

"so does this mean I can weld the lord of the dragons bow?" he curls his lips into a smile.

"Yes Xavier you may weird my bow,  you fought well,  and I will hold you that promise you made me. You have free rein to call upon me as you see fit,  I may be able to assist you n your training as well. And any other thing you want or desire." I look back to J.R and see his mouth drop open. I get on my knees and bow to him.

"thank you lord of the dragon for healing my injures I hope the blow I dealt you was not to great,  and I will keep my promise as well,  see the thing is that I hate fighting as well,  and I agree with you on the point that it solves nothing,  however I fight to protect my friend and family,  those who I take Nader my charge shall only know sunshine and happy memories, while I fight the darkness that plagues my land."

"then you are a true warrior of the light as am I, but be warned that your hide may become as black as mine. Good bye young hatching." And just like that I'm back in the attic holding the bladed bow in my hands I feel the weight of the feel the weight of the quiver on my back so I take it off and look at it, it's simple leather with runes carved along the bottom,  I have no idea what they mean,  so strap it back on and hang my head, I feel my hair in my face and feel a smile start to creep it's way to my lips.

"dude you just beat the lord of dragons,  no one has ever done that,  like ever!"

"I know James I know. Look just get back to the other I'll be there shortly." I sever the mental link and notice that all my mental walls are still up. I turn around there sits Stephan not moving or breathing. I lazily swing the bow in a downward motion on top of the operating table and cuts clean through it. I keep smiling,  I search the house for any spiritual energy and find none. I make my way to the ladder making sure to grab a couple bags of bud,  and climb down, the house is a mess part of grandpa's bedroom has a hole blown through it,  everything is turned upside down the mattress has been slashed pillow diembolwed, I make my way out into the living room and broken dishes, huge chunks of wall and plaster laying about, I exit through front door and outside, the cool summers breeze feels good against my skin,  under the light of the porch I look out into the yard, it looks like a war zone,  a couple of coyotes are eating one of the many bodies,  they look up from their meal at me and flee. I look down at my shoulder and see that I still have the scar that Nemiryiruss gave me,  I touch it and smile. I'm wearing no shoes and only pants. I start off into the darkness and head for the tree house,  I walk and walk with twig and pine needles poking my feet, I look around the forest which in the beautiful state of growth and decay from the winter,  and spring,  I start up the hill right past the house and trudge along, I finnaly reach the treehouse just as the sun is poking up past the mountain ridges,  I climb to the top of the ladder,  and watch the sun rise,  and all the birds wake up.  I open the door,  go under the bar,  hit the sector panned,  type in the password which is my birthday,  stupid I know but it works,  the elevator comes up and opens I hit the top button and the door slides closed. I wait for it to open again,  and I see everyone standing there packing for what looks like an all out rescue mission.  Athenia stands there ripping J.R a new one for something or another, grandpa is looking at map, Danny is cleaning up something that smells puke. I step in and say

"geez why don't you to get over with and fuck already?" heads snap to attention and eyes fly to me,  no-one says a damn thing.

"look I'll answer all your questions later,  but right now I'm going to go take a nice long hot shower." I move through the room and no one moves they all have a shocked exspresion on their faces,  well everyone except J.R who is still wearing that shit eating grin.  I go to my room,  and yes I have my own room here I helped build this damn place.  I grab a new pair of pants,  a hair tie,  and gray v-neck shir that says suck this with the outline of a middle finger,  and the best part is that it is all in dark red. I exit my room and make walk towards the bathroom,  everyone has moved and are now leaning against the pool table,  Danny opens his mouth and put my hand out to stop him from saying anything,  I walk into the bathroom, shut the door and lock it.  I turn on the water to as hot as it will go, I set the bow and quiver down next to eachother by the door,  I stop off my pants and make a mental note to burn them later,  and jump in. I sit down and wash my hair three or four times,  same with my body,  and then just let the water run over me for awhile. I shut off the water,  grab the towel,  wipe off the mirror, open he draw and grab a razor, I shave my face,  and by the time I get done,  the steam and condensation has disappear. I look at my self in the mirror, I have put on some muscle and tone since I got captured,  I looked bigger than I felt, my arms weren't to bulky and not to thin they are just right.  I notice that I now have a six pack and no flab,  I flex a little bit and they pop with refined definition, they are almost washboard,  and the scar don't ruin them at all. I get dressed in the pants and underwear I picked out,  they fit but just barely,  I throw the t-shirt on and it's just a little bit to small. I brush my hair out and suck it up into a shoulder length ponytail. I walk out of the bathroom and out into the living room and lean on the wall next to the TV.

"okay now, come sit down and ask any questions that you want. But only one at a time."