《Rising of the Serpent》


 Chapter 1- Martial Dallas is a Human

    When I dream, I dream of my childhood home. I used to live in a small town, filled with nice people. In my dream, I''m a monster, ripping them all apart and feasting on their insides. Eventually, I reach the outskirts of town. There stands my sister, starting up at me with an empty-looking gaze. "That''s all you are, isn''t it?" Her face morphed into one of pure horror as I reached down and threw her up into the air. The world goes black as I listen to her let out a blood-curdling scream.

 Chapter 2- How the Hells a Virgin Gonna Raise the Ranks?

    "I thought you said you hated cheap beer?" Roxas shrugs at me, handing over a bottle of Joe''s Brew. I pop off the cap and take a sip. Of course, it still tastes like expired candy, but considering my day, it¡¯s better than nothing. The cold night air snips at me as I look up at the digital billboards that cover the buildings.


    ¡°So, this pornstar thing. Is this school really worth it? I mean, there are so many other places you could go to that cost so much less.¡± He¡¯s right. I even tell him that he¡¯s right. It wouldn¡¯t be worth it if it wasn¡¯t for one thing.


    ¡°It¡¯s the school my sister went to. I haven¡¯t heard from her since she left.¡± It isn¡¯t something I like talking about. Anyone outside of my family is unaware of the situation, so, I guess that speaks to my trust in Roxas if anything.


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry, man.¡± He puts a hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m gonna get in and I¡¯m gonna find her. It¡¯s just a matter of, you know, actually figuring out how to do this thing.¡± Roxas finishes off his beer and sets it down.


    ¡°Alright, well, we already know that there are a lot of people in this industry. If you want to sneak up to the top quick, you¡¯re gonna need to do something noteworthy. In truth, the fact that you¡¯re human is already something that makes you unique. We just need to find an in. Before that...we have a bigger issue.¡± He coughs for emphasis. ¡°You need to lose your virginity.¡± I sigh. Damnit, why couldn¡¯t I have already done that by now?


    ¡°I mean, you could start out a virgin, but that¡¯s only gonna make it harder for you to be accepted early on.¡± Roxas finishes his explanation and stands up. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to start supporting the escort industry, my friend!¡± I¡¯m curious what compelled my friend here to yell this at the top of his lungs, but I do know everyone walking by is giving me a dirty look. Damnit, Roxas.


    ...


    For an Island named after an apparent saint, the escort industry is certainly booming. Upon reaching the designated district and having our ID codes on our glasses scanned, Roxas begins giving me the lowdown on where everything is and the best places to go. Personally, I find great interest in the giant bar sitting just next to the district entrance, but Roxas disagrees. ¡°Alright, so, a lot of places here are very much non-beginner friendly. But, when you are more experienced, I definitely recommend Nile¡¯s. Now for you, I¡¯m definitely gonna recommend Daniel¡¯s Hotel. Very basic and very beginner-friendly.¡± After Roxas goes on about the surrounding buildings, he leads me toward his recommended spot, and we run into a problem.


    ¡°Oh, hello human. What¡¯s your name?¡± The man dressed in an intimidating black suit gives me a condescending stare.


    ¡°Um, I have my ID right-¡±


    ¡°Oh, that won¡¯t be necessary. I know quite well most of you can¡¯t read, so I¡¯ll spell it out for you. We don¡¯t want your fucking kind here. Am I clear?¡± The man¡¯s voice is mixing between a fake kindness and a threatening crack.


    ¡°Wow. So this is how you treat your customers? We¡¯ve come here to spend our money on your service, and you¡¯re gonna disrespect us like this?¡± The man grabs Roxas¡¯ collar and pulls him off the ground. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°People associating with vermin are just as bad to me, you know? I¡¯m known to go too far sometimes. Some people are left to pick their brains off the pavement. You understand?¡± Roxas frantically nods and the man drops him. ¡°You ain¡¯t welcome in this district! Ever! Now get your asses out of here before you fuckin lose them!¡±


    I feel my teeth clenching. Before I can do something stupid Roxas pulls me away from the establishment, down to the bar I saw earlier. "Okay. Well, that didn''t go well. We can always try somewhere else, but I''m guessing it''s just tempting fate to keep doing this tonight. Wanna head back?" I look through the mirror door to the building''s interior. I feel my heart soar staring at the giant collection of alcohol, most of which I have never even set my eyes on before. "I guess I am kinda thirsty. But you''re paying." Roxas lightly punches my shoulder and walks inside, and I follow after him.


    The inside is packed with people. Loud music is playing over the speakers, making it hard to understand what Roxas is saying. He orders something and tells me it''s special. I nod to him before looking around. Beautiful lights shine down from above, painting everyone in a beautiful red. "Hey, does she have cat ears?" I feel a glass slide into my hand. It''s larger than a shot glass, which surprises me.


    "I guess I was also wrong about you being a shot guy." Roxas shrugs and smiles, chugging down his drink. Well, he knows what he''s doing. I guess I''ll trust him.


    I start sipping from it.


    ¡­


    What is this? It''s soft...really soft.


    "Mmph...ah!"


    I feel hot. Is this normal? No, this is different. I don''t feel sweaty. Wait, why can''t I see anything?


    "M-mistress!"


    Who is that? Her voice is really cute...wait.


    Waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait-


    "You liar! There''s no way this is your first-ahh!"


    --


    I open my eyes to see an outline of a body sitting on my crotch. I feel my hands resting on her waist. I can hear her making these uncomfortably soft morning sounds.


    ''Oh god. Oh my god. When the hell did I-''


    That''s when I notice the second outline laying atop me. Her hair is tickling my side, not to mention the quite pleasant feeling of something soft squishing against my chest. She leans forward, and I feel her lightly grasp my chin. Our lips meet and I feel any thoughts or worries start melting away.


    I feel my lower half start moving faster and those moans start getting louder. I feel my breath growing ragged. "I-I-I think I''m gonna-"


    "Lisa, he''s close." The girl atop my chest speaks in a soft, low voice. I feel the girl grab my hands that had stayed almost frozen in their position around her waist. I feel them stop atop her breasts. Oh god, they''re amazing. They''re just the right size and softer than I can describe.


    "Haah! Hah, hah." I feel myself emptying into one of the condoms I''d picked out, not expecting I''d be using them anywhere outside an associated establishment. I feel my eyes start to close.


    "Aw, you''re tired already? Sorry, we''re not done with you yet." That low voice spoke just inches from my face, smelling like vanilla.


    I think this isn''t gonna end well.


    ¡­


    The next three hours were a blur of pleasure I was unable to decipher. I do remember when they''d decided they were finished with me, and I could finally pass out. Those few hours of rest were probably the best of my life.


    "Huh?" I open my eyes and find myself in someone else''s apartment. The floor is clean of any stray items, and everything is as clean as it can be. To my right sits a pile of folded up clothes. "Ahh!" I hold my head in agonizing pain, sitting up in an instant.


    "Oh, you''re awake!" A familiar, soft voice comes from the room''s doorway. There stood a woman in a beautiful maid uniform. She seemed to be around the same age as me, and she had a beautiful, yet mischievous, smile on her face. Oh, and standing up at the sides of her short blonde hair are two cat ears.


    "Um, you have very nice ears," I say the first thing that comes to mind.


    "Oh, thank you! I believe you said your name is Martial?" I nod my head. She gives me a short bow. "My lady wanted to stay and thank you for a lovely evening, but she had to leave early. So, thank you...and, I need to thank you myself." She stuck the tip of her tongue out at me. "I hope I''ll be seeing you again, Dallas." She winks, and leaves, leaving me in confused silence.

 Chapter 3- You Cant Be Trusted

    "So, you weren''t watching, right?" Sitting on the apartment building''s fire escape, I decided to pry Roxas for details on why he''d decided to spend the night out here.


    "No, of course not. I was just following you to make sure you didn''t end up in any trouble. Can''t have my friends getting killed on my watch, right?" I thank him for his concern. "So how was it?" He asks, a shit-eating grin on his face.


    "...it went well, I think. Headache is a bitch, though."


    "First time drinking real beer and you turn out to be a lightweight." We share a laugh before I return to hissing at the aching in my head. "So, I guess I''m ready for step two?" Roxas nods.


    "Just not right now. At the moment, I''m still trying to figure out what you can do. I suggest you take this time to study. I''ve sent you some recommended material." I see something pop up in my messages.


    "It''s almost like you were waiting for someone to be in my situation." I joke.


    "I''m prepared for everything, Martial. You could leave your whole life in my hands and you''d come out of the experience a god among men. Not magicians, of course, but men." His spiel continues on from there but I almost naturally drown it out.


    Once Roxas is done talking (or preparing to launch into another collection of loosely tied together ideas) a call window appears in the middle of my display. "Crap," I answer, and I''m met with my grandpa''s voice.


    "Hey, Martial. I''ve got something I need you to try out for me. Are you available?"


    "Yeah, I am." I''m pleasantly surprised by the calm voice on the other side of the call.


    "Good. I also hope you''ll tell me about where you were last night?"


    "Yes, sir." He hangs up the call before I can finish.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "You should probably get going before he actually kicks you out this time," Roxas warns before standing up.


    I want to tell him the chances of that are unlikely, but I can only let out a sigh.


    ¡­


    "Ah, welcome home." Matthew''s voice has a venom laced with it that makes my stomach drop. A man in a dark cloak is bent over his wide-open desktop, eagerly inspecting the components. "Oh, yeah. I had to call the Cult of Muta again. These damn Vernie spawns keep fucking with my baby here whenever I''m distracted."


    The man turns his attention to Matthew and shakes his head. "Apologies, sir, but your system is now comparable to a piss bucket. We''ll be happy to walk you through the process of creating a new one, but nothing in here is salvageable. Which isn''t surprising, since the kid actually pissed in it."...


    It''s not funny. It''s not funny. Don''t fucking laugh.


    "Fuck it. How much is it gonna cost?"


    "Well, most of the parts here aren''t being made anymore, and they sell for a higher price than necessary. Would you prefer something different?"


    "I guess. I''m gonna be busy for a little while though. Can we do this later, maybe?" The man and Matthew come to an agreement on their next appointment and the man leaves. "Alright, I need something to take my mind off this. Come here, Martial, let me show you my new toy." I follow him into his workshop and, sitting on the table, is a sword with a chainsaw''s chain wrapped along the blade.


    "Um, grandpa, I think this might be a little overkill." Grandpa shakes his head at my assessment. "How can you not see, Martial, that this here blade will be strong enough to defeat even the most powerful of magicians...in theory, of course." Grandpa rubs the back of his head.


    "Relying on your ability to get close enough to rip someone in half is pretty useless when someone can rip you in half from fifty feet away. Still, it may be popular with monster hunters." I hold the blade up and feel it''s weight. Despite doubling as a chainsaw, it''s extremely light.


    "Come on, let''s test this baby out," Matthew says before leading me through the door to the shop''s fenced-in backyard. Sitting right in the middle of the yard is a wooden test dummy. The dummy I presumably will soon be shredding to ribbons.


    "Alright, how do I turn this sucker on?¡± I begin examining the sword for a power switch.


    "You pull down on the end of the hilt," Matthew tells me after watching as I examine the blade''s edge for an answer. I take hold of the knob at the end of the hilt and pull down. The sword starts up, and I''m knocked off balance. Falling onto my back, I just barely manage to save myself from splitting my head open. "Oh shit, you okay?!" Matthew pulls the knob again and the sword powers down.


    "Alright, well, kickback is an issue," I mumble. After picking myself up, I try again, this time planting my feet firmly on the ground. After the initial jolt, I manage to keep my balance. The sword jiggles around in my hand, making it hard to control. I charge forward to try and attack the dummy and just manage to scrape off the top of its skull. Still, the cut was smooth and had little to no resistance, proving the sword''s potential. I turn the sword off and walk back over to Matthew, who is rubbing his temples.


    "It''s cool, and I can see it being an effective weapon. Just maybe find a way to stabilize it and shave off the kickback." I finish my examination and hand the weapon over to him.


    "Alright. Thanks, Martial." He doesn''t look up at me when he starts talking again. "I''m gonna forget about last night, okay?" Surprised, I freeze in place.


    "Thank you. It won''t happen again." I give him a bow.


    "Martial, you know I love you, right?" I nod. "Good. Don''t take this badly, but I don''t need to get another phone call. Understand?" I feel my fists clench up. I manage to breathe out a yeah before walking back inside.

 Chapter 4- Come On, Lets Go Kill That Thing

    "Martial, I think I''ve got this sword figured out. Come in here" I hear Matthew calling for me from his workshop.


    "Aw, can''t it wait, gramps? Cousin here was getting ready to tell me what it''s like in the red light district." My cousin can hardly contain her laughter. Her black hair is tied into a bun, a color that matches her four eyes. Sticking out from her shirt are eight legs, four on each side, which she is currently standing on. Her name''s Marissa, and she can transform into arachnids.


    "She''s lying, I promise!" Despite being fourteen, around nine years younger than me, she seems to have a way of pulling the strings on the people around her. She''s a witch in an admittedly adorable body.


    "Just get in here." His exasperation is understood fully. She really is a handful.


    "I can tell you''re acting holier than thou in that skull of yours." She threatens me with her sharp fangs.


    "You don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "And there you go proving it! I ought to bite you and send you into your golden coffin, your highness!!"


    "That''s an adorable thought, but maybe you should focus on not cheating on your girlfriend."


    "I''m gonna fucking kill you!" I''m thrown off my seat by an enraged spider-human demon.


    "Hey, I''m just stating-You fucking bit me! What the hell''s wrong with you?!" I try pushing her off but she''s sunk her teeth deep into my shoulder, making it impossible to pull her off without losing my arm.


    "Apowogeeze, bith!" It''s not like it actually hurts, but the realization that losing an arm would hurt makes me give in.


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, now get off!" Satisfied, she pulls her teeth out of me.


    "Not gonna mess with me again, are you, cousin? Ow!" Grandpa smacks her in the back of the head with a newspaper.


    "The next time I see you biting someone, I''m gonna switch to a fly swatter, ya hear?!" My cousin nods, skittering away.


    "Thanks, gram-"


    "And what did I hear her say about the red light? You think I took you in to raise a damn hooligan?!" I feel the newspaper smack against the top of my head. My pride is hurt more than my body. "The next time I hear about you going near that place, you''re gonna be my new test dummy! Capiche?!" This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Capiche!" He seems satisfied with my answer and motions for me to follow him. I and Marisa share a look and I can tell there''s one thing we agree on.


    Grandpa is not to be fucked with.


    ¡­


    "Have a good day." I bid the customer farewell and watch them leave. By now, the sun is starting to set, and the streetlights are turning on. As I start to relax, the door opens-


    "I tried to make him go to the hospital, but he won''t let me take him. He''s insisting I take him here." -and in walks Roxas, covered in the blood of the dying farmer hanging off him that''s hardly breathing.


    "Matthew! I need your help!" The farmer lets out a raspy yell.


    "Gregory?! What happened?" Grandpa runs out of his workshop and cleans off the sitting area''s table, laying the farmer down on it. "Marissa, get me my first aid!" I walk up to see what''s going on. Gregory''s right arm is completely gone, and three long slashes appear to have gotten close to tearing his heart to ribbons.


    "Damn lizard jumped me. Froze my arm and ripped it off."


    "We don''t have enough here to treat him. Grandpa, we need to take him anywhere more prepared than we are." Matthew seems to agree. Gregory reaches up and grabs grandpa''s shirt.


    "You can''t. If they find out that my farm had a lizard in it, I''ll be done for. I''ll just have you make me an arm, I''ll even go somewhere else if you want, but please. This is all I have." Matthew gives his friend an understanding look. The shop is silent for about half a minute before he turns to me.


    "Go get your sword. I have fire canisters in the third cabinet. Roxas, you go with him. If it gets too hairy, call for backup, but only if it is absolutely necessary. Understand?" Seeing that there''s no way out of it, I nod my head and walk into the workshop. Lying against the wall is a hefty sword in a strap sheath. I grab it and my coat, making sure to pick out the canisters he told me about.


    "You ready?" Roxas asks. I give him a thumbs up and we both take off running.


    Gregory''s farm sits just outside the city''s perimeter. Thankfully, grandpa''s shop sits near the perimeter as well, so by the time we turn the corner, we''re already almost there.


    "Ow! Hey!" I bump shoulders with a passerby and throw her a quick apology. "Asshole!" I do my best to ignore that last part. Once we reach the end of the street, we see the farm. Sitting just outside the farmhouse is a giant, light blue creature. The creature''s body is covered in scales and its eyes are dark purple. Gregory''s blood seems to have stained the thing''s mouth, and every few seconds its long tongue pops out and runs across its chin, probably savoring what it has left of its prey.


    "We can''t fight it too close to his farm, otherwise this will have been pointless." Roxas points out. I agree.


    "I have an idea." I pull out the fire canisters I threw in my pocket before leaving. "How quickly will these blow up after you charge them?" I ask.


    "Ten seconds," Roxas answers, summoning a small bolt from his finger.


    "Alright, that''ll work. When I say charge, charge and aim for its mouth." I hand him a canister and unsheath my sword. After taking a calming breath, I slide down the hill leading to the farm. Once I reach level ground, I let out a loud scream. It turns to look at me and screams back. It charges forward and I hear Roxas making his slide down.


    "Charge!" I watch Roxas as his hand is engulfed in electricity. Once he touches the ground he takes aim and throws the canister into the thing''s mouth. We watch with relief as the thing explodes into thousands of pieces.


    "Alright, let''s go tell Gregory-" the ground quakes. I fall on my ass and look around. "What''s going on?!" I yell out, hoping maybe Roxas sees something I don''t.


    "I don''t know! Could there maybe be more?!" His suggestion gives me a headache. The shaking starts getting stronger and cracks in the earth follow soon after.


    "Climb, climb!" Roxas yells out before starting to make his way up the hill. The shaking reaches its climax as a giant leg rises from under the earth. It''s comparable to the lizard we''d just faced off with, save for the fact it could crush us to death.


    "Oh god." We reach the top of the hill in time to watch the thing pull itself out of its hole.


    "That''s a surprise. I wasn''t expecting a king to show up." I turn to see a girl with short brown hair wearing a black skinsuit under a red jacket and skirt. She holds a sniper over her shoulder, watching the scene with amusement.


    "What are you two doing sitting there?" I feel her lightly kick my back. "Let''s go kill that thing."

 Chapter 5- Dethroning the Unwelcome King

    "Huh?" I must not have heard her right. There''s no way that she actually wants to fight that thing. That''s impossible. No one''s that stupid.


    "Um, did I say something wrong?" She asks.


    "Do you not fear death?" That must be it. She gives me a confused stare.


    "I mean, if we die, the reinforcements I called in will finish the job for us. So death doesn''t really mean much here." I can''t think of a rebuttal to her point, besides the fact that I don''t wanna die.


    "I''m in." Roxas finally speaks up. I sigh.


    "Screw it, I''m gonna die either way." I agree to help and the girl points at the creature''s head.


    "I''ve been given shakily reliable info that the top of that thing''s head is free of scales. In short, it''s just waiting to be shish-kebabed."


    "I assume that''ll involve climbing. Who''s gonna be the distraction?" The girl smiles at me and shows off the sniper that has been leaning on her shoulder this whole time.


    "You two go. I''ll keep it distracted with some high-grade firepower. Just try to be quick. I only have so much ammo." I see her hand heat up once she grips the trigger. She motions for us to slide back down while she takes aim. We begin our descent and the first shot rings out. The giant lizard screeches with a force comparable to an earthquake and begins making its way forward. Each step it takes sends us a few inches off the ground, making the run difficult, though thankfully not impossible.


    I decide to go first, taking hold of a scale and pulling myself up. Despite being ice, the feeling of the scale is comparable to cold water, which is good, because I don''t know how long I could last if it felt like I was burning my hands every time I grabbed something. Still, I do have a long way to go.


    I look down and see Roxas beginning his ascent when he seems to notice something. "Martial, your right!" I grab my sword and turn to face a serpent made of ice coming from under one of the thing''s scales. I reach out and slice off its head. It shakes and then goes limp. "Martial, there''s more!" I look around and see hundreds of them starting to come out from under the scales.


    "Martial keep going! I''ll cover you!" Roxas yells up before sending a bolt of electricity at a serpent just above me. "Just try not to die, okay!" I hold in a groan and nod, continuing to climb. I can see gunshots in my peripheral, reminding me of my soft time limit. I speed up, occasionally shifting directions to avoid suspicious-looking scales.


    "Ahh!" I look down and see Roxas being ripped away from the leg and thrown around by a couple of speedy serpents. I take out one of my canisters and throw it at one of them, sending them into a dying fit. Roxas grabs hold of the other and uses it to swing back to the leg. Enraged, the serpent bites his side, making Roxas weaken his grip. The serpent slides out and wraps itself around his neck. "Keep...going." He mouths.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "Not happening!" I decide to try getting its attention by slamming my sword into the lizard''s leg. It works...a little too well. The serpent let''s go of Roxas, who barely manages to grab onto a scale during a brief free fall, and turns its attention to me. "You know what? Fine." I get back to climbing, this time much faster than before. I do my best to avoid the serpents appearing above and below me. A few of them are decimated by some bullets from my new friend atop the hill.


    I finally reach the top, trying to keep my balance atop its back. I see my goal just ahead. Thankfully, it isn''t another climb, so if I can carefully make my way forward, I''ll be okay...yeah, of course not. A giant cloud of cold air bursts out of the thing''s back as another serpent makes its debut. Oh, and it''s bigger, too.


    "Why?!" The thing shrieks at me before zipping forward at lightning speed. I dodge and grab one of my last two canisters from my pocket and shove it into my sword''s hollow hilt. I hit the button at the top of the hilt and fire springs forth, covering my blade with blazing heat. "Alright, come on you speedy fuck." It lets out another powerful roar and charges forward. I swing my sword before rolling away, managing to hurt it with the flame''s trail. It turns around quicker than I expect and snaps its teeth around my arm.


    I take the opportunity to slam my sword into one of its eyes, turning it into small fragments. Black blood oozes out and it lets go of me to run and recover. Upon inspection, it appears it froze the inside of my arm, making it useless. The serpent turns to look at me. Its rage is clear to see.


    I come to a decision and get ready for it to charge again. I hold my sword in my armpit and pull out my final canister. I throw it up and return my sword to my hand as it begins charging forward, screaming out with all its might. I swing my sword...and cut through the canister. The fire explodes into life, sending me flying backward. I force myself to sit up, hoping I have finally done it in.


    The icy layer around the snake''s body has been destroyed, leaving me the fleshy insides. Blood oozes from its form, but It''s still alive. I grab my sword, flames brighter than they had been before, and try standing up. My legs are wobbly and I can hardly hold my weapon, but I have a chance. Thankfully, I don''t even need to try.


    Before I can move to attack, a person flies over me, slamming their sword into the creatures exposed insides.


    "Go, kid! I got this!" I hear the figure yell down to me. I take the opportunity and run down the lizard''s neck. It seems the lizard is catching on to what''s going on atop its body and begins shaking. I fall and grab onto the scales. I crawl forward, seeing the exposed skin just inches away. I push myself up and jump forward, jamming my sword into the creature''s skull. I feel the sword slam through the bone and into the brain.


    The lizard screams out, thrashing about violently. I and my sword tumble off the things head and I fall onto the ground below. "Agh!" Thankfully, the only things that seem to be damaged are the bones in my already frozen arm. I see Roxas slide down from his spot on the leg, running over to me.


    "Where the hell were you?" I ask, not sure if my tired body can even manage to get up off the ground.


    "Sorry. It turns out getting strangled is a good way to get tired out. Can you get up?"


    "I don''t know." We both turn our attention to the lizard, letting out its last breath.


    "Well, you did a pretty good job up there, Martial. Hats off to you." I look up to see the girl with the sniper giving me her praise.


    "Well, thanks. Could I also ask for some help up?" She extends a hand. I take it, somehow managing to stand up.


    "Ahh...we did it!" Roxas cheers with celebration, laughing up a storm. I join in as well, and so does this friendly stranger.


    "Apologies for calling you an ass, by the way. If you hadn''t bumped into me I probably would have missed out on all the fun." Upon inspection, I realize her figure does look similar to the person I''d bumped shoulders with on the way.


    "Well, it''s a little late, but I think I forgot to ask you your name." Now that I think about it, I don''t really remember telling her my name either. She seems surprised by my question.


    "It''s Sarah. I guess a girl with cat ears is gonna be easier to remember though, huh?" I feel my heart stop. She cocks her head at me. "Hey, you okay?"


    "...It''s a pleasure to meet you."

 Chapter 6- Theres No Way You Can Beat Me

    "Hey, um, you''re making me a little uncomfortable. Could you please say something?" Sarah pokes my shoulder, jolting me from my trance.


    "Sorry. It doesn''t have anything to do with you¡­


    it''s mostly not about you." I rub my eyes before pointing out the gigantic wreckage of what once had been Gregory''s farm. "I''d come here just to save that farm, and I failed. Pretty bad rookie''s mistake, if you ask me." She punches my shoulder (the one that isn''t broken) and gives me a piercing glare.


    "Quit that. There''s nothing you could''ve done. It''s not your fault a king lizard was poking around here."


    "Oh, so that''s what it''s called. I remember you saying something about a king earlier. I''m guessing they aren''t all that common?"


    "Nope. They actually only really exist in Europe. That bad boy, though, is specific to the poles, so It''s pretty interesting to see one up close."


    "Wow, you know your stuff."


    "My sister really likes monsters, and I decided it would be a good way to get her to talk to me. N-not that we have a sour relationship! She''s just always distracted by the academy. I guess that''s what it''s like, being an A-rank." I perk up.


    "Your sister is one of the A-rank sisters?! Oh my god, that''s amazing!"


    "I guess you''ve heard of her."


    "Who hasn''t? Being one of the world''s greatest magicians is obviously gonna get your name out there. I mean, there''s Savannah, the greatest fire user in all of existence. I mean, just recently she maxed out her magic level, making her close to being as powerful as Pola. Oh, but Pola is on a whole other level. Ice jungle is an absolute masterpiece of a combo." I realize I''m prattling on and chuckle, cheeks reddening. "I read the news from time to time."


    "Impressive knowledge. I didn''t expect you to be so informed."


    "Well, If I''m gonna be going there, I need to know as much as possible beforehand, right?" Sarah smiles at me, patting me on the back.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "No way, I never thought a human would get accepted. How''d you even pass the test?" In response, I point to the sword at my side.


    "My grandpa taught me how to make and use canisters of artificial magic. Without this thing, I''d have failed in the first few seconds. Those robots we''re no joke." The test that decided whether such an esteemed academy as Saint Victor''s would even consider you involved succeeding in many different combat situations you''d be expected to encounter should you become a soldier. With my canisters and sword, I managed to make it through while only sustaining two life-threatening injuries.


    "It''s weird I made it through all of that yet couldn''t beat a serpent covered in ice. Speaking of, who finished that thing off for me?" Sarah sighs.


    "Well, you were just talking all about her. I''m surprised you didn''t recognize her. Are you just bad with faces?" I wanna say no, but she now has two examples to back her suspicion, so I just laugh it off.


    "Oh my god, I got saved by an A-rank." I feel giddy. Sarah points at a figure with long red hair wearing a sleeveless white tee and jeans. Hanging at her waist is a scarlet longsword that''s immediately recognizable.


    "That''s Savannah, the world''s greatest fire user, as you said...and my sister." She explains, looking down at her knees. I nod my head.


    "Make sense. I''m guessing talent runs in the family." She looks up at me and starts laughing.


    "You must think you''re really smooth, huh?" Her smile makes my chest feel warm.


    "Well, I think I am, anyway." I cross my arms and do my best to keep some kind of a poker face.


    "Well, I''ll give it to you. It''s still all you have, anyway." She seems to be waiting for a comeback.


    "That''s a change from what I last remember. I believe your friend told me you wanted to thank me for a lovely evening."


    "Oh, yes. That''s just manners though. Let''s be honest, your stamina is less than desirable."


    "Oh, don''t be like that. I know I''m high on the list."


    "Being at the top of a one listing ranking isn''t something to be proud of."


    "Making fun of someone on the same experience level as you? Not something to be proud of."


    "Please. Battle or bedroom, I''m better than you in every way."


    "Oh, that sounds like a challenge. Looking to be proven wrong?" She places a finger on my lips and leans in until our faces are only inches away from each other.


    "I look forward to seeing you try, Dallas." I feel her place a small peck on my cheek, before giving me a closer look at her smile.


    "Is this where I ask for your number?"


    "I''m gonna retract that "being smooth" part."


    "Please don''t."


    ¡­


    I lay in bed, unable to be in the same room as Gregory. As much as I don''t like it, I still do feel responsible for the destruction of his livelihood. I want to think there was something I could''ve done differently, but I can''t. "Is this what it feels like, being one of them?" I''d always dreamed about being like the people I read about in my hand me down books, but I don''t think I ever really thought about what it was really like when people''s lives were in your hands. Was it really ever about becoming a soldier? A protector of the peace?


    Is it really just about her? I bite down on my knuckle. How pissed would she be if she found out I was just a selfish prick? Get your head out of your ass. Of course, this isn''t just about her. It can''t be. It can''t be.


    I decide to go to bed.

 Chapter 7- You Wont Like it, But the Truth is the Truth

    "That''s all you are."


    "That''s all you''ll ever be."


    "A demon in human skin."


    Stop it. That''s not true.


    "Quit lying to yourself. You know you want to rip their heads off and feast on their insides."


    ¡­


    "Are you so scared of the truth? What a painful vice. How much longer will you keep up this resistance? Let me fix you."


    Please, just leave me alone.


    "Not when you''re so close."


    Close to what?


    "Breaking."


    --


    I open my eyes to my dull room, still filled with darkness. I unplug and grab my glasses off my bedside table and turn them on. "6:08" is what the clock shows me. "..." I sit up, rubbing my eyes.


    "Huh?" I pull away my fingers to see the tears I''d wiped away.  I shake my head and wipe away any remaining wetness before getting out of bed. My eyes are drawn to the mirror sitting on the wall. A young man with dark brown hair and green eyes stares back at me. The only difference between us is the blood pouring down his face.


    ...


    "You''re up early." I turn around and see grandpa leaning on the back door''s doorway. I lower my sword. "How''s your arm?"


    "Better. Soon I''ll be able to hold heavier things with it." Since I was recognized as a helping hand in the fight against the King Lizard, I was given the same care as Roxas, something I''m not used to. Turns out, magician doctors are a miracle when they''re forced to care for you. They thawed and reformed the bones in my arm. For now, I''m giving it some rest and only using my right arm for practice. "How''s Gregory?" Grandpa shakes his head.


    "Not great. It''s gonna take some time, but until then, the couch is his." I nod. "Don''t worry. He doesn''t hate you if that''s what you were thinking." Grandpa reassures me and smiles. I smile back.


    "That''s good. I''m gonna get back to it if that''s okay with you."


    "Alright. Well, don''t push yourself, okay?" I reassure grandpa and get back to practice. Turns out, you can''t do much with just one arm, so practice consists of practice swings and some basic combos. By the time I''m done, I feel like I''ve just wasted my time. Still, It did what it was supposed to; Keep me distracted. I drag myself over to the door and walk inside. Maybe I should finally get around to skimming through Roxas'' study material¡­


    "...something like this should work." I reach the store area and find grandpa talking with a customer. I feel my heart stop. A woman around my own age, with long, light blue hair sitting against her shoulders. Her clothes, a white dress shirt under a light blue vest and khakis, give off a sort of professionalism that most customers who come in here lack. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Pola¡­" I whisper the name of one of the most powerful magicians this world has to offer. What the hell is someone like that doing in a shop like ours?


    "Martial, take this into the workshop and leave it on my workbench." Grandpa hands me a light blue long sword. I put down my own sword and I carefully take the blade from grandpa, holding it so that the least amount of weight is lying on my left arm. I enter the workshop and slowly lay the sword on the metal workbench. I exit and find my grandpa gone, leaving me with the warrior.


    "..." I try to find a string of acceptable words, and end up empty-handed.


    "Hello, brother Dallas. It''s nice to finally meet you." She gives me a small bow.


    "O-oh, thank you! Same for you." I hold out a hand and we share a handshake. "Wait, finally meet me?"


    "Oh, yes. I''ve heard quite a bit about you. Your sister enjoyed talking about what you were like when you were kids."


    "You know my sister?!" I hold onto the counter for balance. "How''s she been doing? What''s she been doing?" I start asking every question that comes to mind?


    "I...I apologize. Did Matthew not tell you?"


    "Not tell me what?" I can hear my grandpa descending the stairs


    "Julis has been missing for a month now." I feel my stomach drop. The footsteps stop. I move away from the counter, trying to contain the cluster of emotions forming in my chest.


    "Oh...I see." I whisper.


    "I-I sincerely apologize-"


    "Don''t. Thank you for telling me. I just-I need to go." I stagger away from the counter, ignoring the voice of the concerned soldier behind me. It feels like my soul has separated from my body, making everything look farther than it really is. I trip and fall into the backyard, feeling the vomit rising in my throat. I hold my stomach as it''s contents fall out just in front of me. I don''t know how long it is that I stay crouched there, spitting up whatever my body decides to eject.


    Gone. She''s gone. My sister is gone. I hold my head, trying to steady my unbalanced breathing


    I wanna cry but any energy I could''ve had to do so Is lost. "Martial." I hear him speak up from behind me. That feeling in my chest starts narrowing into something much more focused. I grit my teeth.


    "You lied to me."


    "I didn''t lie."


    "Yes, you did!" I stand up, turning to face him. "You think I didn''t deserve to know my sister is fucking missing? Do you think that little of me?!"


    "I didn''t tell you because I was scared of how you''d react! You can''t blame me for that!"


    "You still wanna hold that over my head? I haven''t had an episode in years! I think I''ve earned the benefit of the doubt by now, don''t you?"


    "Benefit of the doubt? You''re lucky I even kept your ass!"


    "What the hell is that supposed to mean?! I hurt some people without even knowing I was doing it! Is that really the worst thing in the world?!"


    "You''re a murderer, Martial! And you''re damn lucky I''ve had the decency to not blame you for it. I knew you were an evil little brat the moment you were born. Just like your dad-"


    "Don''t you dare compare me to him."


    "Don''t you talk to me like that! You know I don''t deserve it. Not after you killed my little girl."


    "...what are you talking about?"


    "I''m sick of everyone going easy on you just because you got something in you! You killed your own mom. You know how it felt, having to pick pieces of my own daughter''s organs off the ceiling because her demon son finally went off the fucking rails?!" No...I never did that. I would never do something like that. I feel any form of emotions leave me. I simply stare silently into my grandpa''s eyes. He seems to slowly switch from anger to regret.


    "...look, Martial, maybe I went a little too far. Let''s just-" I push past him, making my way into the hall and then into the store area. Pola didn''t seem to have heard our argument, giving me a look of sympathy rather than one of horror. I look away and exit through the front entrance.


    I''m a murderer? That can''t be true. I would never kill anybody. That has to be a lie.


    "Are you so sure?"


    That familiar voice breaks me from my thoughts. No. Please, no.


    "I think I have some stories to tell you, Martial. Hopefully, I''ll crack that vice of ignorance before you know it."

 Chapter 8- Roxas Does His Job Right

    "I''m sorry, Roxas, but I''m really not comfortable doing a job with a human that doesn''t already have experience in my field. Of course, I''d be happy to meet with YOU for a personal session."


    "Haha, well, I''m free tonight. Eight good with you?"


    "Myes. Good day, my friend!"


    "Good day, Suzy."  I already told Martial I''d figure this out for him, but I''m starting to lose hope. I''ve gone through message-boards, company pages, the Dick-Tube forums, and nothing involving humans. Then again, I wasn''t really checking for the more "interesting" options, for obvious rookie reasons, but maybe I''ll need to bite the bullet. I click on my notepad of fetishes I had combed through and go to the top results. "Hmm...I guess domination." I head back into my private browser window and head back into my favorite message board and search for listings involving ''Dom-play''.


    "The Torture Princess Invites you to play. Magicians preferred, but other species may be considered. Oh god, finally." I click on the listing and it takes me to a channel filled with old live streams. I hit the ''About Us'' tab and it gives me a pretty good idea of what I may be getting my friend into. Turns out, torture princess is a very fitting name. Whips, electric collars, chains, and, for certain participants, knives.


    "Well, that doesn''t sound appealing." Still, despite that, they still have an audience that goes into the millions. Seeing a human go through this and not die? Well, that will probably be a good start, to say the least. Besides, if I don''t consider this, how much longer is it gonna take for me to find another opportunity? I should just talk about it with him. He is the one going through it, after all. I grab my glasses and close my laptop, throwing it in my carry bag. I send him a message, asking to meet him at the shop.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    "Erm, let''s go to Frankie''s instead."


    I try prodding and all he tells me is that he and his grandpa got in a fight. I sigh. This guy, he really is gonna get kicked out one day. Whatever, I do like pancakes. I hop out of my chair and get going.


    ¡­


    Waiting for our food to arrive, I cut straight to the chase. "Alright. I think I may have found you a job, but it may be a little out of your comfort zone."


    "Sounds good." He mumbles an answer.


    "You alright?" The whole time we''d been sitting here, Martial was giving me nothing but short mumbles, and I''m starting to get concerned.


    "I''m fine. Just a little upset with someone. Anyways, what''s the catch?" I decide to believe him.


    "Chains, whips, electric collars, and maybe knives. Needless to say, you won''t be the one using them." Martial nods along as I list off my items of concern.


    "Okay, I''ll do it." He nods his head, giving me a look of determination.


    "Are you sure? I can keep looking if you like." He shakes his head.


    "I need to get started already. If I don''t, then the chances I won''t be ready in time will just get higher." Hearing that gives me some small amount of relief. At least I can take a break from the research for now.


    "Now we just need to get in contact with her. I''ll send her an email and hopefully, we get a response." Martial nods and proceeds to look back down at his hands. I look down at my laptop and send the email I''d typed out earlier.


    ¡­


    "Ping." Almost 30 seconds later, I get a response. I give an agitated sigh, putting down my fork and opening the response.


    "Yes. Meet me here anytime today." Below the message is an address that seems strangely familiar to me.


    "Oh, right, red light." Martial freezes up when he hears me say that. "What?"


    "Nothing, you just brought back an unfortunate memory." I smirk.


    "Well, It looks like that''s where we''ll be going today." I say, shoving a pancake down my throat.


    "G-great." Seeing him so uncomfortable gives me some relief that he isn''t totally lost in his head. With a breath of relief, I take another bite.