You should have seen it coming. The past month he had kept coming to you, telling you that something was following him. Of course you just brushed it off, the boy had an imaginative mind and was always talking to his imaginary friends. A week before his disappearing he had visited you in the night many times. Telling you that there was something under his bed, or in his closet, or lurking outside his bedroom window. You told him it was just a night terror and to go back to sleep. The day of his disappearance he had woken up pale. He looked like he was on his death bed. Sweat clung to his forehead and his eyes were sunken in. His hands were clammy and he looked like he hadn’t eaten in days. He complained of being cold, his body shivering, but as you place your hand on his forehead it felt like he was on fire. Not knowing what the cause of this was your mother phoned the school, telling them that your brother was sick. You, however, were not and was still forced to go to school. Upon arriving at school you were feeling odd, peculiar. Almost as of your head wasn’t screwed on just right, almost like you were in a dreamy state. You knew you were most certainly awake when one of the football jocks pushed by you in the hallway causing your books to slip and fall to the floor below. You slowly knelt down to pick them up but as you were gathering them you heard your name being spoken. It was just above a whisper, like the leaves talking in the wind. You shook your head paying no mind to it as you made your way to your chemistry class. Somehow you had manage to make it through the school day but on your walk home you heard the faint whisper of your name being called once again. You turned around looking for the source of the noise. “Hello’ you called out ‘who’s there?” You waited there for a few moment your eyes darting around looking. There was no answer. You continued your walk home only to be met with a bunch of people and police cars gathered in your front yard. You hurriedly rushed into your house, scanning around for your mother or brother. “Mom?!” You called out your eyes finally landing on her form that was curled up into a little ball on the couch. A blanket was wrapped around her and multiple people were trying to comfort her. “Mom, what happened?” You asked upon approaching her. Slowly she raised her head her eyes meeting with yours. Dried tears stained her cheeks as more flooded from her eyes. “Your brother,’ she gasped ‘he’s gone. No one can find him.” She said holding back a sob. “Gone?’ You questioned, ‘what do you mean gone?” She looked up at you trying to speak but failing miserably as a tremor shook her body. “She went to grab your brother a glass of water, when she came back he was gone.” A police man says coming up behind you. “We’ve been trying to find any clues as to where he may have gone but haven’t found anything so far.” He says quietly as another sob wracks through your mother’s body. Not believing what you had heard you rushed out of the house not stopping until you were at the edge of the woods. Your breath hitched in your throat as you heard your name once again. You must be going crazy, there was no explanation for this. No one was around and everything was silent. You peered into the woods, looking for something, anything. You were about to turn back to the house when something caught your eye. Looking back you saw what looked like a black velvety smoky shadow slithering between the trees. It glided smoothly silently beckoning you to join it. Hesitantly you waked forward, your body in a trance as you followed the mysterious shadow, hoping that it would help find your missing brother.

War. Destruction. Death. He didn’t want this to happen, didn’t want the Warin race to end like this yet here he was, about to kill the last one of its kind. Sir Randar raised his sword over his head before brining it down to kill the last of the species he so loved. It had not always been this way, when Sir Randar fist took the throne he had lived in peace and harmony with the Warin. They had respected each other and were the best of companions. Never did he think that in 5 years time he would be killing the last one. Sir Randars brother, Sir Lumen, had left the Kingdom of Tanua when Sir Randar took the throne, claiming he was the son who rightfully deserved it not his older brother. When his mother found out about her son running away she went into despair and was never the same after. Her once bright face fell ashen and she no longer smiled. In two months time she became so frail and weak she died, the disappearances her son being the death of her. News soon spread that the queen of Tanua had died and months latter Sir Lumen had found out. He could not believe his mother had died and because of it returned back to his kingdom, not believing the news he had heard. When he arrived his brother greeted him, confirming the terrible news. Anger flooded through Sir Lumens veins as he stormed out of the castle and into the woods where the Warin lived. He was angry with his father for leaving the family shortly after his birth. He was angry at his mother for dying. He was angry at his brother for not caring for his mother enough to keep her alive. He was angry at himself for running away. He became so angry all he could see was red. Out of pure anger he raised his sword slashing through the body of a Warin nearby who was concerned about why a human had made his way into the forest. A cry left the Warins lips as is it fell to the ground, the sound pulling Sir Lumen from his mind. He looked over to see his sword dripping in a metallic gray blue ooze then slowly turned to see the Warin he had brutally murdered laying lifeless by his feet. Little did he know that the sound of the Warins last scream had alerted the other nearby Warin and before he knew it a group of Warin were surrounding him. Their fangs glistened as they growled at him the spikes on their backs raising as they got into their fighting stance. Everyone knew to never kill a Warin, including Sir Lumen. He had heard the stories of the countless number of kingdoms who had fallen due to a soul who killed a Warin. The creatures were not to be reckoned with. With wide eyes Sir Lumen ran back to the castle the Warin hot on his tail as their claws scraped against his ankles as he ran. Once inside he called for his brother. “Brother, Oh brother! The Warin are here to attack us and kill our kingdom!” He yelled alerting his brothers attention. Why would the Warin do such a thing, he thought to himself. Then it dawned upon him, one of the stupid peasant men in the village must have killed one of them. Sir Randar grew angry, quickly putting on his armor and gathering his best knights. “I shall talk to them first,’ Sir Randars voice boomed ‘if they should attack me I order you all to kill them. Every last one of them. I shall not let my kingdom fall to the ground for my people shall not go a day without having a home.” Slowly the two massive doors opened and Sir Randar walked out being meet with the whole population of Warin that took up the forest beside his humble castle. “My dear Warin,’ he spoke ‘I am so sorry to hear of the passing of one of your kind. Please know I mean no harm to you, and the one who did this crime shall be locked up in the dungeon for eternity. War is not the answer here, and I would like to respectfully go back to our rightful ways of living.”

“And why shouldn’t I kill you?” Your captor questions you holding a small pistol in your direction. You had no idea how you had gotten in this position in the first place. One minute you were walking down the busy streets of New York City and the next you were awakened by a jolt of pain running through your head. You had no idea where you were or whom your captor was, heck, you didn’t even know why you were here. All you knew was that you were tied to a wooden chair and cement walls covered the room. There were no windows and the only light was from a naked bulb handing from a thin wire, just waiting to short out. “Answer me!” Your captor screamed, not enjoying your silence. Your head lolled to the side in an attempt to look up into your captors eyes. Your bones ached and your feet were numb from the way you were bound to the chair. Slowly you forced your eyes open meeting harsh green ones staring back at you. The man, you assumed, was covered in all black attire. The only skin showing was his lips and eyes which peered out from behind the ski mask he wore. Your mouth was dry and your voice cracked as you spoke. “What do you want with me?” You choked out before starting into a coughing fit. The man stared you down his green eyes burning into yours. “You know why your here.” He said his voice gruff and strong, asserting dominance even though he had already won it in your current situation. You shook your head, no, you did not know why you were here. “So,’ he said again taking another step towards you, ‘why shouldn’t I kill you.” Your face was filled with fear not understanding what this man wanted. “I, I don’t know. I don’t even know you are or what your talking about. I don’t know where I am or what’s going on or why you want to kill me.” You said your voice breaking as tears started streaming down your face. The man looks at you closely trying to study your face trying to figure out what game you were trying to play here. “Don’t play dumb with me!” He spat in your face his breath smelling like blood. “I honestly don’t know what your talking about.” You said earning a slap across your face. You gasped in shock knowing a red imprint would surly follow. Heavy tears rolled down your cheeks as you let out a sob gasping on what little air you could intake. “Tell me!” He screamed his eyes full of anger and hatred clicking the safety off of the gun. “Please, please don’t kill me.” You sobbed your body shaking with fear. “Why?!” He questioned coming before you and grabbing your chin with his hand, forcing you to look up at him. His fingers dug into your skin and you knew there would be bruising there tomorrow, that is if you survived that long. You looked up at him, your eyes pleading for his mercy. Aggressively he let go of your face taking a few steps back to look at your pathetic body. Slowly he made his way around the back of your chair, your eyes darting to the side to see what he had planned. All of a sudden a hand was grabbing a fist full of your hair and yanking it back. You let out a scream as your head was pulled back by so much force you thought you were going to choke on your own air. Whimpering you felt his hot breath by your ear as he leaned in to whisper to you. His voice laced with venom and hatred. “Your running out of time.” He said sending shivers down your spine. His tongue darted out for a split second giving your ear lobe a quick swipe, your body reacting with a shutter. He chucked to himself as he stood up again, letting go of your hair, knowing what that small effect had done to you. His finger tips ran down your arm as he walked back to standing in front of you a small smirk playing on his lips. “So little one, why shouldn’t I kill you?” He asked once again. One of his eye brows raised in amusement as you let out a small whimper, that small sound was music to his ears.