Given the option of eternal bliss or a chance to bring peace to all that inhabit the planet. Most would be hard press not to choose bring peace to the world, but does the world include you, the hero. The one that was asked to carry such a burden. Doesn’t he deserve to enjoy the fruit of his labor that was born from his effort. Eternal bliss wasn’t bad until she came around, she would change my world, for better or worse I accepted her request. To seek glory and obtain the peace that she promises, she of course being the light. The light, the same one that introduced me into this world, they say will be there to escort me out of existence. The light is beautiful, warm, and welcoming, but before the light ever reached out and invited me into this life. The darkness had already excepted me. Even after when the light realizes her mistake and no longer wants any part of me and decides to remove me from this beautiful, warm, and seemingly welcoming life, darkness will be there. She will always be there, even after I betrayed her for the light, darkness will smile at me with open arms and accept me. She may be nothing like the light, she’s not warm but a little cold, and she isn’t welcoming but overbearing, but she's peaceful and that's all anyone ever needs, peace. I yearn for peace, where I can go to a place, I call home and enjoy the company of those, I hold dear, but a place like that doesn’t exist for me. Peace like that was never an option when your portrayed as the villain. Peace is reserved for heroes, and I am unfortunately not one. I am a villain; a villain who has taken too many people's lights to light my own darkness. A poor attempt to rekindle a snuff out flame that once illuminated so bright, no one ever saw the darkness diluting the light. A dark light that doesn't ever seem to get illuminated enough for everyone to see, the hero that could have but never came to be. A hero who came from nothing, overcame the odds, and actually made his dreams come true. Just to find out it was nothing like he had dreamed of. Unfortunately Lucky as I would soon come to know that my life is a tragedy and not a happy ever after. So come one come all and listen to the story of Khadfa the Mad Dragon King. The caterpillar that did not become the beautiful butterfly basking in the light but a moth. A moth that travels at night and forever attracted to the unacquired love of the light. The same light that introduces him to the warmth of life, will beg for the brutal demise of a once promising hero. Because a villain is only required to reach peace, after the curtain closes there’s no place for a villain in a world full of peace

BANG, a loud knock could be heard coming from the front door. I quickly rolled out of bed and reach underneath my pillow where I store a large survival knife. I quietly got in my fighting stance as I made my way out of the bedroom. I open the bedroom door, making sure not to make a sound and was greeted by a long dark hall. At the end of the hall a dim lantern light could be seen. Whatever intruded was at the end of the hall and unaware i was here. I tippy toed down the hall not to make a noise and peaked over the corner. There was a large overweight man with a sword trying desperately to break the chains I wrapped around the refrigerator.

"I can't take this guy on a one on one......well not now"

As the man struggled, he managed to break thru the chains, as a smirk came over my face. He opens the refrigerator door and to his surprised an explosion came afterword’s. BOOM!!!! The man flew back 10 feet, aggressively hitting the wall behind him. He sat hunched forward gushing blood from the arm he once used to open the refrigerator door, now blown off. The front portion of his body was also badly injured with shards of what was left from the refrigerator. They plunge into his skin causing blood to run down multiple areas of his body. I walked toward him content with the result, as he struggled to looked up at the child before him. He let out a slight gasp, maybe surprise of the knife I had to his neck.

"Hey there, I guess you can't sleep ether because you invaded my house at 4am! But don’tcha worry I will make sure you sleep, and never wake up!"

Before he could plead for his life the deed was done. The knife had slit his throat. He struggled trying to cover the cut in his throat but with the amount of blood lost it didn't take long before he was no longer moving. The only thing left to do was take the spoils of the battle. I took his sword that was now damage from the explosion. I also check the man’s pockets just in case he had any valuables and to my surprise, nothing.

"of course, you don't have anything valuable, typical."

I went to my room and grabbed my pocket watch, and my small pouch that I kept on the side of my hip. I looked at my pocket watch, the time read 4:28am.

"it's about time to get going home, but first."

I walk toward the lifeless man and picked up his lantern. As I proceeded to have a conversation with him.

"So, the story is going to be that you clumsily caused this house fire and just so happen to get yourself killed, okay?...... great! I knew you would be more then willing to cover for me you’re a real pal!"

I thru the lantern on the man’s body and began to walk outside the house. It was a broken-down house that I used to lure in that man. He had been hunting me down for the last couple days, so I pretended this abandon broke down home was mine. Even pretended to have food in the fridge and locked it, after seeing a child with food it didn't take long for him to take the bait. The old refrigerator door unpinngs the grenade trick works every time. I faced back to look at the house now with a small fire inside the living room. I decided to used dragon breath to light the rest of the house on fire faster.

"Burn baby burn, make sure there is no evidence, this is just another random house fire nothing to see here."

I walked away from the now burning building as I made my way to my real house. At least that is what I would have like to do but it is dangerous not to scout out the area before returning home. I had to make sure no one was watching me. It wouldn’t surprise me if the guy had some friends that wanted revenge now, so I got to be extra cautious, and prepare for the worse. I reached over and grabbed a large rock nearby. I continued my way home but to various detours to confuse anyone following me. I ended up in a forest, that periodically had patches of plain fields. As I crossed one of this plain field devoid of any trees, I sensed a set of eyes on me with blood lust.

"About time they decided to make a move."

I stop walking at the edge of the plain field, letting the large rock drop to the floor. As I stood still, staring at the area of the forest that I felt the set of eyes were coming from. I am acknowledging their present and the stare was meant as a challenge to them to come out.

"Come on I know you’re out their! Scared of a little kid, or are you mad your friend got himself killed! At least I kept his sword look!"

I have a better chance seeing my enemy and adjusting accordingly so I can’t have them hiding among the trees. There are too many factors to consider if I fight them in the forest. So, I have to lure them out to give myself a real chance of winning.

You stupid brat! You got guts if you think you can take us both on by yourself. You must have got cocky from killing Joe. But we won’t be"

" I really don’t care what you got to say. Your just another dead man talking."

It was two men; one was scrawny and had a dagger. He must be quick; I can't see him overpowering anyone with that physique. The other man had a large sword and looked healthy and strong. He seems to be the leader of the two. I sense no magic in them, so their physical abilities are all they have.

"You stupid brat! I will beat that smirk off your face!"

I reached into my pouch and pulled out a smoke bomb.

I yelled, “got to catch me first”

PUFF!! A giant cloud of white smoked covered up the area I stood at. With my opponent now unable to see me it was time to take advantage.

“I don’t see him sir”

“don’t let him get away, he killed joe remember he is dangerous. Their look!! he is making a brake for it into the forest.”

“Don’t worry I got him; he can’t outrun me”

Just as I predicted the scrawny man with the dagger ran quickly across the field, blade in hand ready to chase me down. Until he got close to the edge of the plain field and saw a rock tied with a jacket.

“Huh, where is the kid?”

As he turned around to inform his comrade. A hand came out of the white smoke screen. A knife had penetrated his throat. He realized the kid had never left the smoke screen; he just needed him to get closer. The scrawny man fell to the floor lifeless as his friend watch at a distance. Unable to take his eyes off his fallen comrade.

“NOOO! TIM NOT YOU TOO! You’re going to pay kid; I’ll make sure you suffer a painful death!”

He ran directly to his fallen comrade, but caution of the smoke screen that had took his friends life. With his sword he pointed toward the now depleting smoke screen.

He yelled “come out you cowered!”

A sinister voice behind him whispered.

“As you wish”

At that moment the man felt something penetrate his chest. He looked down to his amazement it was a knife. He fell to his knees and looked behind him before receiving a kick to his face.

“HA HA, you really thought you had a chance?! I knew I could take you out by pretending to run away, and I knew you would take your eyes off me if you saw your friend die first! I just needed to retreat to the forest while you were distracted! No worries your other stupid friend fell for the same stupid trick! Oh well, it can’t be help you guys never had a chance. I hate to keep you guys apart; you all look like great friends so let's end this."

As I walked toward him, I realized the man had died from blood lost before I could stab him again. Which meant it was now time to check for valuables. I took the man’s sword and the scrawny man’s dagger. Unfortunately, once again nothing else valuable, but the scrawny man had a decent black hoodie jacket, so I decided to take that too. As for the bodies the monsters that inhabit the forest should dispose of them. So, all that was left is to get my own jacket and actually go home now. I looked at my pocket watch, the time read 5:30am.

"Come on man! You guys really wasted this much time; I'm at least trying to get some sleep! I’m a growing kid after all."

I was suddenly awoken by a warm feeling on my cheek. I quickly rolled out of bed and reach for my knife under my pillow. I looked around the room prepare for battle and was shocked just to realize I was home. The warm feeling was sunlight peeking from the blinds.

“Dam”

I looked around the room and found my pocket watch on the floor by my bedside, the time read 10am. I started stretching to prepare my body for the day, afterword’s I started getting dressed. I put on the black hoody I recently acquired and some faded jeans. I grabbed my pouch that still had a few smoke bombs and one grenade, also grabbed my knife, and tucked it on the opposite side of the pouch. I was now ready, but I peeked out my bedroom window just to assure the area wasn’t surrounded. I opened my bedroom door and made my way to the kitchen. Unsurprisingly no one else was home and at this point it was expected, no one else has been home in the last month.

“No Mom or dad again huh……….”

I open the cabinet to reach for my breakfast, a sweet bread that I stuffed into my mouth before my head had left the cabinet shelf.

“This is the stuff that makes life worth living”

I headed to the front door as I looked back at my empty house before opening the door.

“I won’t be out to long today guys”

I locked my door and decided to make my way back to the house I had burn down. I need to verify that no one is looking for those three men. They weren’t magic users, and they were very weak. I might be overreacting, but they just seem like a normal group of men that were kicked out of the empire. Forced to live in the outskirts and not understanding the rules or the danger they were in. As I arrived to the now pile of ashes that was once a home. I could see that the ashes were disturbed.

“Fuck! Is someone looking for them”

I pulled out my knife and started looking around to assure that it wasn’t a trap. I can’t sense anyone near me, and I can’t see anyone around. Coast must be clear, but I need to stay alert. I got closer to the ashes, and I could see footprints and handprints almost like they were playing on the ashes.

“Kids? It’s got to be, the handprints are small, and the footprints are also kind of small, but I didn’t know they let kids play out this far. Must be a home nearby, but that’s not important right now”

Now that the ashes were disturbed, I could scoop up some of the ashes without being the main suspect. It would be the kids that have the footprints and handprints on the ashes, my involvement would be covered. I scooped two hand full of ashes into my pouch as I looked around and got ready to leave the scene. Staying out in an open plain to long is dangerous, so I made my way into the woods to find some food. I went to the lake by the entrance of the sixth floor, I knew it was dangerous, but animals always gather there to drink water. I was more than willing to take the risk for food but when I arrived, there were already three large tri horn hogs drinking water. They are about 6 feet long and about 4 feet tall and have three horns on the front of their head as the name implies. They also had thick skin on the top portion of their body and head that makes it difficult to pierce with regular weapons. The rest of the body is a brownish fur, but they are known to be very aggressive. With a top speed of 30 miles per hour and a weight of 3 tons this is not an animal I would want to take on a fair fight. Lucky for me I was never planning to fight them fair but unfortunately for me there were three of them and they were aware of my presents. I carefully made my way to the water, making sure not to make any sudden movements. They kept their eyes on me as they drank water, but I could tell they were ready to kill. I summoned my dragon wings that came out of my back and teared the fake skin I use to keep my human form. They are small black wing with sharp edges, and they could barely carry me across the water to a little rock pad that I use to meditate on. The hogs were startled, they were no longer drinking water but watching me, caution of my next movement. I smirked now that I was in place, all I need to do was pull out my last grenade. I was about 15 feet out in the lake and the hogs were looking at me, unaware of my next move. It’s not as if they couldn’t swim but at this distance, they wouldn’t be fast enough to stop me from making my escape. I grabbed the grenade like a baseball and infused some fire magic around it like a shell. I wined up like a baseball pitcher and thru my fastest, fast ball to the nearest hog. BOOM!!!

“Aww ya! I hit the batter………. (Stared at the flames) dam I’m good”

The other two hogs ran into the woods as fast as they could. While the one I hit had half of his face blown off, front right-side leg broken, and its body scorched from the fire magic. Still, it clings to life and with all its might try to run. With a smile on my face, I flew for the hog, knife in hand ready for the kill. I latched myself to its back and quickly started stabbing the right side of his furry body. The hog struggled with all its might but after a minute and several 100 stab wounds it died. I begin to eat the dead hog from the bottom of the stomach, like an animal that hadn’t eaten in days I teared it open with no problem. Since I am a dragon, the uncooked meat wasn’t dangerous and normal skin isn’t an issue to tear with my sharp teeth. Although compared to cook meat, raw meat does not taste as good, but it’s convenient. Especially when I can’t cook, I rather have raw meat over burned food any day of the week. After devouring enough to momentarily satisfied me I went to remove the single horn that had survived undamaged from the hog’s head. Lucky for me it was loose and after a few pulls it came off.

“Yes, this will come in handy for a weapon, maybe a spear?”

As I walked back to the stomach of the hog carcass, I could hear chains close by. I quickly ran to the forest for cover, since I was on the edge of the lake there was nowhere to hide. I climbed up the nearest tree to have a seat on the branches. A place where I was out of sight but still had a view of the hog carcass. I wanted to see what was causing those loud dragging chain noise. I didn’t need to wait long to see what the cause of the noise was, and it wasn’t what I was expecting. It was a large 10-foot-tall monster, and its length was about 6 feet. It was gray with a large black line running on the top portion of its body from tail to neck. It had no arms but two powerful looking hind legs that had broken ankle chains. It’s neck also seem to be able to extend 6 feet from its body. It had no eyes but two large nostrils in the front of its head that it used to navigate itself. Its mouth was filled with human teeth that it paraded very often since it looked like it was smiling but, with two rows of teeth on top and bottom it look less welcoming and more menacing. It seemed to have smelled my hog and it was approaching my hog ready for a free meal.

“Aww hell no, you’re not going to punk me for my lunch. Get closer I got something for your ass”

It extended its neck about 6 feet out and began eating the hog while the rest of its body slowly got closer. I watched it eat my hog, with its smile as if mocking me.

“I just need your body a little closer and will see if you’ll be smiling after that”

As soon as the monster’s body was close enough to the carcass, I began my assault. I jump down the tree and use my earth magic. I incased its right leg and chains with rock prison making a large solid ball around its foot. The monster was confused by my rock prison and before it was able to do anything about my spell I casted another spell. I used rock bullets, a spell that shot sharped rocks at my target while I closed the distance. My rock bullets penetrated the monster’s skin without a problem and left large wound marks on its body. It surprises me that it didn’t have any thick skin for defense like most monsters. The monster let out a distorted human laughter as it faced me again smiling almost like the teeth were too big for its mouth. I was shocked by its roar, what type of monster am I fighting that makes a creepy human laughter?

“This is some freaky shit, even for the outskirts”

It tried to rush toward me but was having a hard time moving with the rock prison on its foot. Before it could make another effort to destroy the incasement I used rock prison on its other foot. The monster became distress and extended its neck toward me, chomping its teeth trying to bite me. It seems I was wrong; it could extend its neck 8 feet from its body but too bad for it I was out of reach. It was squirming its head around chomping its teeth trying desperately to bite me, but it was all for nothing.

“Look here you worthless monster, I don’t know what you are or why you crawled out of the six floor but your going in for a nice soak"

I hit the ground with my fist casting the earth magic destroy. It caused a large crack to form on the ground until it reached the monster. Then the edge where the monster was standing on, broke off causing the monster to fall into the water. It fell into the water as plan and with my rock incasement on its two feet it would sink to the bottom. The monster began to squirm around letting out its weird laughter as it realized it was sinking. As it began to sink it extend its neck and used its teeth to bite into the rock, to prevent itself from drowning. I was surprised but this wasn’t my first time watching a desperate last-minute attempt to live. I used rock bullets and aimed for its head, direct hit but it continued to hold on.

“Oh no you don’t when I say die you die. I’m tired of hearing your weird *** laugh, so do me a favor and die”

I was done waiting for the rock bullets to kill it, so I decided to use a little more fire power. I gather some magic energy and unleash it into a concentrated dragon’s breath on the monster. The usually red flames turn blue and within a few seconds I could hear the splash of water as the rest of the monster’s body dropped into the lake. All that was left was the smell of burned flesh, melted skin and teeth marks dragging across the ground. I walked over to the lake to watch the air bubbles from the monster vanish from the lakes surface. I smirked and turned to see my trophy, the reason I picked a fight with a monster that could have killed me, my beautiful lunch. Just as all things in life, disappointment came across me as I looked at my over burned hog.

“NO, NO NOT YOU. I was trying to protect you not hurt you! DAM it! You stupid walking snake thing! All you did was mess up my lunch, although the blue dragon breath thing was cool. But………. did you actually come from the six floor?”

I looked at the direction of the six-floor entrance.

“I was told by dad that the fifth floor was a floor where they did experiments but was that really what they made and how the hell did it make it across the sixth floor. What the hell are we trying to create, something to help us with the war?”

I don’t have the answers, but I could always go to the fifth floor and find out. That would require me to trespass into the sixth floor and that is a whole other mess. I was always told to stay within our floor since the dragon specie was hated by all other species. We serve our realm like all the other species but since were consider unparallel in power they despise us. Hated by the realm you serve and the outside world you fight. What a life, but that is to be expected we are creatures that live in purgatory and there isn’t anyone feeling sorry for the strong.