Storm

*Saram Talon*

I could feel it, the mana of three First Commanders. 

"What is it?" 

Cain asked in confusion.

I told him that it was nothing and made the excuse of having to get supplies down in the main village so that I could leave. I was planning on leaving this island sooner or later ever since I started training Cain. When I first came here I had little care for the inhabitants and what would happen to them if I was ever discovered. However I never accounted for the possibility of taking on an apprentice. I was too comfortable, I should've left last year, but now I've endangered the Gilya Tribe. 

I walked towards the exit of the cave, and as silently as I could, I put three massive boulders blocking the exit. And left a message to Cain explaining that if I ever met him again and I was unable to save his family, then I was sorry in advance. It's not enough to make up the chaos that's about to ensue, but it is all I can do right now.

I grabbed my sword, and released mana in my heart that flowed throughout my body. Digging my heels into the side of the cliff, I exploded out towards the beach. 

Boom!

With an explosion I landed in the sand, looking ahead I spotted them. Three dragons flying this way. One of the dragons was missing an arm, however he still had the two wings on his back.

Blue, Red, and Green. 

How fortunate is that, no Onyx Clan Commander.

First Commander Vaskar Tears of the Cedeth Clans military faction. First Commander Lipin Zarn of the Ivern Clan, and First Commander Riken Voros of the Andath Clan. These are all White Heart stage dragons. Being a "First Commander" means that they are the head of their clan's military faction. Riken seems to be the oldest out of the three of them. He participated in the siege of Epsilon, he will definitely be the biggest threat.

After almost thirty seconds they landed a few feet away from me on the shore with a loud crash. Heaps of sand flew up into the air, and when it settled, the three dragons could be seen ahead.

Riken transformed back into his human form, it was probably because he felt it was a more optimal form for fighting than his dragon form. Considering that he was missing an arm, his aerial combat skills would be severely lacking. His balance would be off and everything.

Vaskar began to speak.

"First Sothen Commander Saram Talon, we have come to take you as a prisoner to the Four Rings." 

I looked ahead at the three.

"How long has it been again? Four years, six..? What took you so long, I've began to grow old, I don't know if I can take all three of you anymore." 

I said sarcastically while stretching my lower back.

"Come with us without resistance and we might spare this island." Riken responded.

I enveloped my sword in a purple-ish black flame with a white outlining. My aura color was originally just purple, but since I am one of the three Ghostwalkers, it appears like this instead for some reason.

"Knowing you and your bastard Monarchs you've already been ordered to destroy this island. So enough with this meaningless talk, you said you came here to capture me, I don't see that happening without you losing another arm."

Riken pulled out his curved sword of Andath, and it became shrouded in white flames. 

"In that case we could always just kill you and claim you died of battle wounds. One less Ghostwalker to worry about." 

After saying this he thrust forward at a fast speed from where he was standing and leaped up into the air, the flames on his sword bursts out as he slashed diagonally downwards towards me. Before the attack could reach me however, I counterattacked with an upwards flame slash of my own.

The two gushing streaks of magic fire collided with each other mid air, and with it a loud boom and crackling sound filled the space around us, and harsh winds blew the sand on the beach away.

As soon as the attacks collided I filled my legs with mana to use a technique called Shadow Step, where I seemingly appear from one place to another in almost an instant. Only Crescendo mages and above can use this skill.

Dragon's have a similar technique called Fire Step. Except with theirs comes a boom and crackle from beneath their feet.

I shadow stepped towards the blue dragon Vaskar as the explosion ensued in the air. When I reached about twelve feet away from him, Lipin, the Green Dragon opened his mouth and shot out a white gushing stream of fire that hit the spot where I was about to walk.

Szzz!

They call this attack "Dragon's Breath."

The sand infront of me became black, having seen this Vaskar flapped his wings and hovered in the air above me. And then both of them them shot out a dragon's breath attack at me. As the exploding stream of white flames came rushing towards me, I gripped my sword with two hands, lifed it over my shoulder, and poured heavy amounts of mana into it before slashing sideways and sending out a horizontal stream of dark purple and white fire.

As soon as the attacks collided with their dragons breath, I shadow stepped in the air above Lipid from where he was also hovering, and while falling I stabbed my sword into his dragon back, and while the sword was still in his flesh, I commanded the black magic and white heart magic to combine and explode in his back.

Shhhhh, Boom!

I then pulled my sword out his back and began falling.

Lipin Zaran let out a roar as his massive green body flew up and turned around at speeds so fast that would normally seem impossible for such a big being to accomplish.

As soon as he turned around, he shot out a dragons breath, and since I was falling in the air I could do nothing but block with my sword. The dragon's breath collided against my sword, and with it, a loud shearing sound. Vaskar noticed my situation and taking advantage of it, he flew behind me and sent another dragon's breath towards my back.

Boom!

"Ah! Bastard!"

I cursed out as the hot flames burned into my back. Since I was once a Crescendo Mage and now a Ghostwalker, the dragon's breath didn't burn a hole through me, instead they burned through my clothes and seared my skin.

After their attacks subsided, I crashed into the shore.

As soon as I could stand both dragons began speedily flying down to my right and left, with their mouths wide open. I was about to send another gushing mana slash from my sword to intercept them, but just as I was about to, Riken Fire Stepped with a crackle infront of me.

As soon as he appeared he struck down with his sword. I could do nothing but block his strike as the other two enemies sent their hurtling dragon's breath attack from where they were flying, which seared heavily into my sides. Both dragons eventually caught up to their attacks and bit down on my torso.

SZZZZ! CRACKLE!

I beared the full brunt of their attacks as the shallow water that was once up to my knees, exploded outwards creating a small crater of wet sand where I stood. 

"Gah!!"

I filled my foot with mana and stomped down, and with my stomp their jaws temporarily let go of me as the wet sand below us caved in. However before it could completely cave in I shadow stepped behind Riken, and sent a punch that smashed him into the small crater. Vaskar and Lipin were able to hover with their wings above the crater as the water quickly flowed back into it and covered Riken.

It wont hold him permanently, just a couple seconds.

Both Vaskar and Lipins claws became covered in white flames. As both of their claws came slashing down diagonally towards me, I ducked below them, and quickly combined a shadow step with a stab from my sword as it went into the thick green neck of First Ivern Commander Lipin Varn.

I then copied what I did when I first stabbed his back, and sent an explosion from within his neck, only this time I didn't pull it out. Lipin let out a shrieking roar as he sent a dragon's breath attack towards the ground in hopes that the attack would affect me. I could feel the gushing heat from the flames, but I didn't retreat my sword from his neck. Instead, I filled my foot with mana, and stomped into another side of his neck so that I could perform a shadow step in time before Lipin could use his claws to rid me from his neck.

I gripped my sword handle with both hands and shadow stepped sideways, slashing his neck all the way through.

"NOO!" 

Vaskar shouted out for his fellow Commander.

Ivern then transformed back into his human form, and fell into the shallow water. 

"Arrrg.. grrgg." 

He grasped at his throat that was gushing out blood.

Normally, he'd be able to easily heal it considering the level of white heart magic he is at. However, I combined my attacks with both white heart and black magic. This is why we have been at war with the dragons, Any stage at or above a Crescendo Mage's black magic is a threat to them, they cannot heal fatal wounds from it.

Just then an explosion ensued behind me, and Riken bursts out of the crater.

"You handle him!" 

Vaskar shouted as he flew away.

He's going to attack the island! 

I turned to follow Vaskar but before I could, Riken Fire Stepped and appeared at my side. 

"You brought this on yourself, if you cared so much for this island you wouldn't have stayed here." 

He said bitterly as he struck with his sword towards me.

I blocked and parried with another slash of my own. With each of our swings and attacks came loud explosions. 

Boom!

Boom!

Each of our strikes would send the other crashing or flying out into the air or ground.

Boom! Clang!

We fought at high speeds, as everytime our swords collided, we would either fire or shadow step back and quickly parry.

Crackle!

I met his sword in the air once again, this time we were caught in a bind.

Just then I looked to my right and saw the Blue Dragon Vaskar reigning down explosions of white fire on the island.

"Noo!" 

In a desperate attempt I filled my entire body with both black magic and white heart magic. My pupils became black as dark purple-ish and white fire enveloped my entire body. And I slashed out with my sword, sending Riken crashing into the shore. Before he could do anything I bursts down to where he landed and sent another sword strike down on him. He blocked it with his sword while on one knee as he enveloped his entire body with white flames similarly to me.

"Aaargh!!" 

We both shouted out as the two of us struggled to overpower the other as loud crackles resounded from our swords being against each other.

Boom!

Our sword bind released with an explosion and we crashed into the sand on our backs. As fast as I could I got up and shadow stepped before he could get up and stabbed my sword into Rikens side. 

Shhk!

Just as I was about to pull it out and finish the First Andath Commander. I heard a scream coming from the beach.

"Milura!"

I looked over and saw Cain's parents, they were running from Vaskar's dragons breath attack, and Cain's mother had tripped and fallen into the sand. Behind, a stream of white fire was rushing towards her.

"Damnit, No!" 

They're to far away! To get all the way over there I'd need to use almost all of my mana in one shadow step!

Without much time to contemplate a decision I decided to just do it, I poured all the magic my heart could produce into my legs, and with a massive explosion that created another temporary crater in shallow water, I shadow stepped behind Cain's mother.

Even if I block the dragons breath, she'd still die from just being in this vicinity alone! Damnit! I need to move them then shadow step back!

Using half of what was left of my magic, I picked her up, and using both my arms, I huddled both of them, and shadow stepped to a tree that was enough of a distance away.

"What just happend, how did we get here so fast, where is Cain? Sam what's going on!?" 

Cain's father shouted for answers.

"Not enough time, Cain is safe, I sent him on a boat off the island, please, you must do the same, quickly before they destroy the island. I won't be able to protect everyone after this!"

I said in a weak tone as I turned around.

"Wait how do we find Cai-" 

Using every last drop of magic that my heart could produce. I shadow stepped back to the spot where I saved them, and where Vaskar was also leading an onslaught of dragons breath. As soon as I appeared in the spot I fell to my knees.

Cough, Cough, Cough!

I began coughing out blood as my heart was aching in pain in revolt from my overuse of shadow step. I looked up and saw the white flames burgeoning towards me.

Boom!

The dragon's breath collided with my body.

"Argghhh!!!"

I grunted out in pain as I felt the fire severely burning my entire body. If I didn't have the body of a Ghostwalker, I was sure that I would have been burned alive here and now. As the dragon's breath subsided. The blue dragon landed before me, and transformed back into his human form. He looked over to see Riken limping over to us with my sword still in his side. 

"Unfortunately for you, you weren't able to pull out the sword, so First Andath Commander Riken will live. You may have been able to kill First Ivern Commander Lipin, but in the end your fondness for this islands people became your undoing." 

He said as he outstretched his sword and pointed it towards a now fleeing Cale and Milura

"n-no!-"

I barely speak as he put his foot to my throat. And I watched in horror as he conjured a white flame around his sword, and shot it out towards Cain's parents. It connected. And when the flames settled all that was left were their shoes. I felt an intense rage bubbling inside of me, I wanted to lash out, to kill this bastard that has restrained me, but I simply had no more magic nor strength left to give.

When Riken reached where we were, he used the handle of his sword and got into position to strike the back of my head. So as to knock me unconscious and take me as prisoner to the four rings.

Smack!

*Riken Voros*

Damnit, it hurts. Why am I always getting the short end when it comes to these missions. First it was my arm from that half-breed brat all those years ago and now I have a Sothen Generals sword lodged into my side.

"tsk!" 

"Destroy the island, make sure no survivors can tell the truth of what happend here."

As Vaskar flew up in the air to begin the destruction, I dragged Saram's unconscious body back to shore.

*Cain*

It's been almost an hour since Sam left, and since then I've been trying to remove one of the boulders so that I could squeeze through to see what's happening. This whole time I've been hearing massive explosions, and screams coming from the island. What the hell is happening!?

Boom!

Just then everything in front of me exploded. And I was sent flying backwards into the cave. I tried to get up but was covered in the rubble, however I could see through a small hole. 

A massive blue dragon landed on the cliff where Sam's house used to be. Then it transformed into a human body before walking in the cave. I could feel his domineering presence as he walked further into the cave where Sam would train me, and after a long time he came back out again, and headed for the exit.

Can he not feel my presence? Is it because I haven't awakened yet? Fuck! Why is a dragon here! What did they do this time!

*Vaskar Tear*

I could feel the presence of no one in the cave.

Seems like he used this space to train while he was in hiding..

I exited the cave, then transformed back into a blue dragon before flying above the island, activating the mana bomb that held dark magic inside of it, and then dropped it in the forest.

BOOM!

Purple mana exploded all over the forest. Turning the remnants of my white fire that was burning the island to purple fire.

After that I flew down to the shore where Riken was waiting with Saram's unconscious body. After tying him up, I left for the island one last time to check for survivors just in case. After that was done I then returned to the shore again. However, just as we were about to leave someone shouting could be heard in the distance.

"Did you do this!?" 

I turned to see a boy with long black hair and orange eyes running towards us with a sword in his hand, it seemed that the boy was quite lean and muscular for his age. And for some reason he had an immense glare of hate in his eyes. A glare that was unbecoming of a child, it seemed more like a soul that has been filled with hate for years.

"And what if it was, boy?" 

*Cain*

Why, why did this happen again! Just when I was starting to finally settle a little, Why the hell did this have to happen! damnit damnit!

I cursed in my mind over and over again as I became overflowing with rage.

"Why is it always Dragon's" 

I said through clenched teeth.

"What?" 

The blue dragon responded.

"I hate you, I hate every last one of you. You just massacred an entire island of people without any care! You haven't changed for shit!" 

I pointed my sword at the two, when just then I realized something while staring at the familiar red dragon. Not only did he have a sword lodged into his side, he was missing an arm! Aasimar's words echoed in my head.

"Riken, hand me your sword." 

I looked down in horror to see that in his hand. Was the very sword that was stabbed into my chest when I was still Ron.

"R-Riken.."

I said as my eyes went wide with fear.

"Do I know you child?" 

That voice! That's the voice! that is the monster the put his arm through my mother's stomach!

"Shut up!" 

I said as I began charging towards him while gripping my sword with both hands. I'm strong now, I know it, if Sam could leave them like this then maybe I had a chance to..

Ting!

Out of nowhere Riken appeared in front of me with a crackling sound, and gripped my sword with his hand. His eyes were unbothered.

he gripped my sword, and the blade shattered. 

"Hhg!"

Then he grabbed my throat and lifted me up. My kicks and punches did nothing. It was as if nothing had changed since that day.

Damnit! I'm such a dumbass! I haven't grown strong at all, Sam can use magic and I can't. Why did I even run out here! I should've hid while I had the chance... I should've let them leave so that I could get stronger in the future then get revenge... Why am I always making the wrong decisions!!

As he lifted me up by my throat and I cursed at myself in my mind. I let out a long, painful, and tearful yell. All of my emotions of confusion, rage, revenge, and frustration with myself for throwing my life away so easily poured out in my yell. Because of myself, I will die here, and I will definitely not be reincarnating a second time.

I became filled with a similar feeling to when Aasimar began walking towards me with Riken's sword in his hand to end my life on that day. The feeling of giving up, because it was meaningless at this point. As if it wasn't already ironic enough, it started to rain, and I could hear the thunder from the clouds in the distance as it started to pour down.

Chh!

After he let go of my throat, I looked down to see that he had punched his arm through my stomach and he began to spin my body around while holding my arm.

He threw me high up into the air and my body hurled through the sky before crashing into the ocean. As began to sink the water around me was dark due to the storm. With the occasional flashes of lightning being my only source of light. When a lightning strike flashed I saw the shadow a dragon flying away.

To think that I would spend all those years training with the sword, building my body, and building up my knowledge about this world to avenge mine. Only for all of it to be flushed down the fucking toilet because I couldn't hold myself back. I should have hid, and trusted Sam's decision. What a failure of a short life that was. I wonder if Cale and Milura survived, but it's probably unlikely..

I really should have treated them better. Even if it wasn't true or I didn't like it, I still should've said that I loved them like a normal son would have. I shouldn't have left to train every single day of the past four years, and instead should have spent some more time with them. I also should've thanked them every night they were there for me when I would wake up screaming. I wonder if they hated me, or thought they were cursed with such a child. Dam, I have so many regrets and I'm only supposed to be ten years old.. heh, And Sam, what the hell man...why didn't you tell me who you really were. Who's this "Saram"? Well, I guess it doesn't matter now.

As my body sank to the oceans floor, I began to think about the combined past twenty-five years. How everything was ripped away from me so unfairly, my life, my family, my world. Then I was given a second chance, Cale, Milura, Sam, and then that life was also ripped away, by the same monsters.

I guess I'll be going back to that black void... Or maybe that was just exclusive to me since I reincarnated. Honestly I'd rather be in hell than be in nothingness. Or maybe nothingness is hell. 

Anyways,

despite everything,

I truly hope, 

that I don't come back.