The Defying Child

Snow was falling on a forest of Falkoma. The quietness of the place resembles a dead man's bed. The wind cold as a corpse's face. Not a place for a weak heart could bare.

And by the foot of a dark cliff. Right beside a freezing river flowing with ice's breathes. A monster with wings resides—hiding. An open wound was right beside its sturdy chest. Big and wide. Heavy breathes from its mouth. Pair of burning eyes couldn't help to rest. A creature as big as a boulder. A so-called monster from the human-tongue. Created to hunt and destroy.

But with its gritting teeth, and its defensive form. Creeping into the darkness—not minding the cold. It almost looked like it is the one being hunted.

Its silent sanctuary was disturbed not long after, when a pair of boots fitted in by the legs of a human appeared beside that gloomy hiding place. Axe sturdy as a diamond was held on his hand. Eyes, colder than the air but ready for battle. The eyes of a warrior ready to die. Or an eyes of a slayer ready to kill.

And as he stared through the darkness he faced. The line of his lips curved up, forming a smile. Gripping the axe's holder with much mored determination to put blood on its blade. He shouts with all air he was holding. "FIRE!"

From the woods upfront of the creature's hiding place. Hundreds of fireballs flew into the cold air. And hits straight into the mouth of a somewhat cave. Explosions inside the tight space crumbled the whole place. Screams of the creature inside followed. While a single man watches it burn without a blink of an eye.

Until the huge dragon emerged from that burning cave, steaming and crisp. But could still slam the man infront of him into nothing with its palm. With a dying heart, it screamed for battle. If hiding was not an option anymore, fighting will be the second and only one it could chose.

Then came after a hundred more slayers surrounding him. Swords, sharp as its claws. And as one of them throw a gripping axe into the air, shouted in such full voice. "Hunt for honor! And die with honor!"

Everyone shouted back with courage. And together, they ran, jumped, and even sprints toward the giant burning death. No weak hearts could be shown into their eyes. Only valor and bravery only great men could possess.

And as they approached the dragon upfront. Seven brave men was cut through their heads and hearts already with a single swoop of its tail. An epic battle have started. The dying creature remained on its four feet, against the slayers around him. No matter how many of them got caught on every slams, stumps, bites, and claws.

No one dared to stand back. "No mercy!" As one of them shouted, now with only one arm and bleeding excessively. Had its final breathe when the dragon saw an opportunity and releases fire from its mouth. Burning almost ten of the slayers.

These brave men was on the verge of retreat. The monster was too strong for them. Not to mention it is heavily wounded and suffering in the middle of the fight, but could still destroy them all at once if needed to.

But a single man, appeared from the white sky and like lightning—striked down a swing of its red-bladed sword down through the dragon's neck.

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"Master Ryuzo. You might want to see this." A man in his mid-20s emerged from the door after the knock.

Ryuzo Vlaizer. The current head of the Blazing Blade Clan, raised an eyebrow toward the man. Tip of its pen almost at the blank paper on his desk, ready to write something. "What is it this time?"

The man from the door, sighed. "He had beaten three kids down. And this time, it's the nobles' sons."

Now Master Ryuzo left a breathe out. "Where's my son now?" He walked down a hallway, beside a fountain full of fishes.

"He is inside his room. But you must talk to the son's parents first—they're right on the front door waiting."

"You offered them to come in?" Ryuzo asked. Taking a turn across a big hall.

The man behind him shooked its head. "They looked mad."

"Obviously." Not long after, Ryuzo opened the front door and met three known faces of the city. A famous trader, descendant of a warrior family, and the last one was a part of a group highly recommended for its generosity and wealth. Such important people visiting a head of a known slayer clan, obviously not for business but rather on personal matters.

And before these three gentlemen could utter a word of advice, or a threatening phrase hoping to remind the man responsible of this home, Ryuzo immediately bowed to them. "Let me apologize to my son's unattended manners, gentlemen. I hope you could forgive him and I assure you I'll do anything on my end to give a rightful punishment to him."

One of the visitor—the known trader crossed his arms. Looked at Ryuzo's seemed poor attitude which he sees all the time when his son's in trouble. "You better do it this time, Ryuzo. Or else someone might."

"I'll keep that in mind. Now please excuse me."

The other two could only give him the same look of judgement and anger before they decided to leave.

Ryuzo then went to his son's room. Knocked on the door before pushing it open. He saw a bed right by the closed window. A not so tidy place, where clothes are crumpled everywhere. A small boy sitted on his bed, tending to his bruise by the cheek with ointment. Crumpled hair and lifeless set of eyes.

"Zuko." His father called with a serious look.

"They started it."

"I know." Ryuzo crossed both arms, staring at his son's bored face. "And I also know the cause."

This time, Zuko sighed and looked through his father's eyes. "I'm not fond of fighting against dragons. I hate it."

Ryuzo's eyebrows furrowed. "And you only liked beating people."

"They're making fun of me!"

"Making fun of you. How so? Because you don't like to be a slayer? You'll be killed if you don't want to. We literally talk about this everytime you get in trouble. And I'm not gonna be soft like this forever, Zuko. We have rules. And no human are above them." Ryuzo doesn't want this conversation over and over again. Just because his son—the heir of his position as the Head of the clan is like this.

A long deafening silence ensued between them. "Tomorrow's the ceremony, right?"

Ryuzo nodded. "And you are attending it."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are. Be ready." Ryuzo closed the door after. And Zuko could only sigh on his bed in frustration. I hate this family. Zuko thought as his eyelids got heavier and let his aching body rest for the whole day.