Iwalkedinthemiddleoftheblackroad,litonlybytorchesandthesunlightthattheashcloudsletthroughwhentheyparted.Inavigatedthedarknesstheybroughtwhenthefiresandcloudcametogether.IclungtomysmallpouchfilledwithgoldthatIswipedfromunsuspectingpockets.IonlyhadenoughtogetmetoEsiorandkeepmefedforaweek,IhopedthatIcouldfindajob,maybeevenaplacetostaybythen,IdoubtedthatdreambutIhopednonetheless.Ilookupattheblacksky,Iseetheupperlevelsofthecityandit''sblackandredwalkways.IlookattheentrancestothewindingstairsthatleadthereasIwalk.Iseethesunlighthitthegroundonlyinthewaythatitwouldhittheborders.Isawmyfreedomandasmilespreadacrossmyface,Iwasgoingtotheprosperous,greenandbountifullandofEsior,whereIamnothuntedforsomethingIneverchosetohave,ashopeswellsinmygut,mysmilequicklydisappearswhenIseeguardstakingpeopleintoalleyways,Iknewtheywerelookingforme.Theywerealwayslookingforme,Iwastheevilonewhowoulddestroytheworldintheireyesatleast.


    Theguardsworehelmetswiththeirfacesexposed,theyworenocloaksandtheycarriedaswordintheirhandanddaggersontheirwaist.Ihearthecomplaintsofthepeopleastheyhavetowaitforaguardtotakethemintoanalleyway,makethemstripandsearchthemforTheMark,mymark."forfucksake,howhaven''ttheyfoundthatevillittlecuntalready?"themaninfrontofmeaskedtherhetoricalquestion,iflookscouldkillthenhisscowlwouldmakebirdsfalloutofthesky,wellthatwasiftheyweren''talreadydoingthat,whentheyflyneartheashclouds,"likehonestly,theydidn''tmakethesesoldiersliketheyusedtoittookthemaweektofindtheonewiththeMarkofTheFireGodwhenSummercame,it''sAugustnow",themanhadblueeyes,Ithink,beingunderaceilingofdarknessdoeslimitone’svision,probablypaleandblonde,likemostofthenativepopulace."Ifthey''resoshitattheirjobsmaybeyoucouldcontributeinsteadofbitching"themannexttohimretorted


    “Iwasn’ttalkingtoyou”themanwiththeannoyedlookretorted


    “Whowereyoutalkingto?”withthatblueeyedmanstayedsilent.Itriedtorepressmylaughter.


    Iconsideredleaving,Ididn''twantto,Ididn''twanttogiveuponmydream,beinginthesun,workinginthefields,awife,andafamilyfreefrompersecution.Ididn''twanttoleavethat.Istarttoturn,mysightgrewfoggywithtears,asallIcouldseewasdarknesswithorangeblemishes.Iwalkedawayfrommyonechanceathappiness,Ididn’tknow,whenanopportunitylikethatwillcomeagain,Imightactuallydiehere.Iwantedtoscream,IbitetheinsideofmymouthuntilIfeltthefleshtearandbloodpoolinthemouth.IclenchmyfistsandasIfeelthepainofmylonguncutfingernailspressintomypalm,Iclenchharder.Iwalkbackintothedarknesswhichispiercedbygapsinthecloudsandglowingorangefire.Istartsobbing,Itrytohidethenoises.Iconsiderlettingtheguardstakemetoendallofthisbutsomethinginmedidn''twanttodie.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Hey!Boy,comehere"someoneshouts,Ikeepwalking"hey!!Boy"Iturnandseetheguardislookingatme,Istartrunning,mydespairturningintofear.Ikeeprunning,theguardischasingme,theguardisgainingonme"runningfromaBloodWarriorispunishablebywhipping!"hethreatened,Ipaidhimnomind.Istillkeptrunning,theguardwasgettingcloser.Iturnandrundownthealleyway.Iseethewindingstaircase.Iturnaroundandkickthemandownthesteps,hegetsupandkeepschasingmebuthe''safewstepsbackthankfully.IgettothefirststageofUpperSkotash,theskywardcorridors,windingandtwistingaround,pillarhousing,Irunpastcarriagesandbeggars.Flameslitupthepaths,thecloudsdidn''tpartformeanymore.Istarttofeeltiredmylegsareweak,withoutintendingtoIstarttoslowdown,Ikeepmakingattemptstopushon.IseeanotherstairwayIgoupthestairsandthepathsbecomenarrowIkeeprunningtakinganytwistandturnthatInoticemakinganefforttoavoidgoingincircles.Peoplestarttohearthecommotionthattheguardiscausingbyshoutingatme,peoplegivemeeitherconfusedordamninglooks.Isawanumberofbuildingsgrowsparseexceptforone,itwaslevelwithme.Iseetheguardgainingonmefast.Ididn''thavetimetothink,soIjumped.Ilookbacktobepushedtotheground.Theguardintendedonincapacitatingme,Iwasnotdyingtoday.Imanagetowriggleoutfromunderhimafterhescratchedme,hechargesforanotherattack,Ipanicandkickhim,hefallsofftheroofscreaming,Icouldn''tseemuch,butIcouldstillhear.Iheardonecrackandthenanotherfaintone.Istartrunning,Ijumpoffthepillaredbuilding,Icollapseontomyknees,whenIlandmyhanddancesovertheedgeIrecoilinstantlyregainingbalancebeforeIsharethesamefateastheBloodWarrior.Igetupandwalkdownthestairs,Iwalkthetwistsandturnsofthewalkways,sowhenIgettotheground,Iendupasfarawayaspossible.Iwalkaway,throughthebrokendarknesstomyhome.TheBlackForest,therumouredhomeofthemonsters,fromwhatI’veknownitwasonlyarumour.Thereweren''tmanytorchesdeepintheforestandthecloudsleftfewgaps.Istoleoneandstartedwalking,Iwalkedthebrown,worn,familiarpathswhichwerespeckledwithdeadgrassandash.IranmyhandalongthetreesasIwalked,lettingtheblackduststainmyfingers.IcontinuedwalkinguntilIfoundapileofstickstheonesIleftandluckilytherewereafewfreshlydeadbirdsaswell,thepoorthingsflewintothedarkfromEsioronlytocollapseanddieandbeusedasfood,foracursedthing.IputthetorchtothebundleofsticksasIlookformore.AftergrabbingsomeextrasticksIthrowthemintothefire.Ilaydownnexttoithitsme,Ijustkilledsomeone,Ididn''teventhinkaboutit,Ijustkickedamanwhocould''vehadkidstogohometo.Tearsstreamdownmyface,makenoefforttowipethemaway,Ikilledsomeone,Ikilledsomeone.I''mthemonstereverybodythinksIam.MaybeIshouldsendmyselftothem.Savetheworldandall.No,nogoddesswholovesherpeoplewouldletaninnocentchildbemarkedforcinghimtoleavehisfamily,hissister,forcinghimtohurtsomeonetosurvive.