"AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!" "That wasn't good enough, do it again." "Y-yes Ma-ma-master." Blood pooled at the feet of a teenage boy, freshly open cuts on his back spilling the crimson liquid down his legs. The young boy could barely stand but he walked back to the steel table he was at before. "First cut needs to be shallow," the boy said in a dazed tone as if he had said the same thing a thousand times before." Picking up a curved blade from the table placed the knife against the warm flesh of the body lying before him. The blade tip traced a red line along the tanned skin. The young girl's muffled voice pitch as she attempted to scream through the gag tied around her mouth. The teenage boy didn't even flinch. "The second is perpendicular to the first and just as shallow." The knife edge touched the girl just below her sternum and made a second cut down to her navel. Thrashing in her restraints, the girl on the table tried to get away from the boy cutting her open bit by bit. A fist hit the girl in the temple just enough to daze her, the young boy pulling his fist back and turning back to his work. "Pull the flaps of skin back carefully as not to cause any unwanted damage." The teenage boy slowly followed his own hypnotic instructions and continuing to progress with the task he was handed.
"Very good Takai," A voice from the darkest corner of the room boomed, a shadow moving towards the teenage boy at the steel table, "you almost beat my record for keeping a victim alive." The once beautiful girl lay upon the table mutilated, flaps of skin pulled back in every direction and organs missing from their proper place. "Here," The shadow dropped a plate with scraps of food on it, "you've earned your dinner now eat." Without a word the Takai started to down the food on the plate as quickly as possible. Only about a fourth of the food was missing from the plate when Takai was sent flying into the stone at the far side of the damp room. "IS THAT YOU TREAT YOUR MASTER," the shadow shouted angrily, his hand still out from when he had backhanded Takai, "I SEE WE NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER LESSON IN RESPECT." Seals of Dark magic glowed at the shadows fingers, tendrils gliding from the circles and waving in the air, "NEXT TIME I GIVE YOU FOOD YOU THANK ME FOR IT." A black tendril lashed out and hit Takai squarely in the back opening a new cut from one shoulder to the other. Takai's arced his back, letting out a haunting shout before collapsing against the splintered floor. "I TEACH YOU ALL I KNOW," another tendril hit Takai's back, "I FEED YOU," then another, "I TAKE CARE OF YOU," and another, "AND THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT ME?" The shadow lashed out his tendrils of dark magic over and over again. What seemed like ages to the young boy, the lashing from the tendrils of Dark magic finally ceased.
What happened next was nothing but faint images and impressions in Takai's memory. He remembered his Master dragging him by the air, but to where he couldn't remember. Trying to open his eyes, Takai turned his head to get a look at where he was. His left eye was so swollen that opening it was close to impossible for the young apprentice. From what he could see with his right eye he was back in his room. It was hardly a room, barely big enough to fit the growing lad and the only furniture was the ragged old matress that Takai had been using since he came here. As dingy as it was, this was Takai's safe place, the one place he knew his master would never hurt him. This was the one place he could forget his training and the evil he was taught, the one place he was able to suppress his other half. Slowly, Takai placed a hand on his back at the places that he knew his master had torn open his flesh the widest. Each wound had been closed and replaced with a long jagged scar. Healing magic was something that his master excelled in but not for the use of healing other it was used for torture. Takai's master knew how to close the wound to keep the subject from bleeding out but still leave behind the pain from the injury. That was what Takai was feeling at that moment as he lifted himself up on his arm.
It had been nearly eleven years. Eleven years since Takai had come to live here. Eleven years since he had been taken from his family. Eleven years of being tortured by the man who was teaching him magic. Eleven years and this was the night it was going to end. Takai had been learning, studing, and preparing for this one night for the past five years. Of course his plan didn't involve him being beaten to a pulp, but with his Master that was never something easy to plan for. The beating didn't matter though, soon he would never have to suffer a beating from his master again. Tonight was the night that Takai was going to take everything his Master had taught him and use it to escape. He had been developing and practicing this spell for a while and he had finally was sure that it was perfect. Closing his eyes, Takai listened waiting to hear the sounds of his master with his latest fling, their sounds could be heard even through the stone. It was too bad that the girl would be dead in the morning, but there was nothing Takai could do about it and he had to take this chance to escape. "Here goes nothing," clasping his hands together Takai focused his magic, the dark seal for his magic forming beneath his bed. A wave of magic shot up from the seal, coving Takai in its magic and his belongings. Everything the Magic touched slowly started breaking down. What was once physical became nothing more than flakes of darkness being sucked into the shadows. The feeling was over whelming becoming one with the Darkness that he controlled. It was cold, distant and at the same time exhilarating. Takai could see everything and was still in his room but at the same time he wasn't, it felt free. He was free. 'Alight time to make my escape' The rush of moving through the darkness was the best feeling Takai had felt in such a long time. He could transverse any solid surface and so quickly, that there was no way for his master to stop him now.
Free. But what is it one does when your free? This was Takai's biggest problem. He had never been free before, the only life he had ever known was with his master. Well whatever it was that one does when they're free, Takai was going to do it. The small village that he had travelled too wasn't very large but it was leagues from where his master lived so he was safe from him. The night was cold, the streets were empty and there was no where for a runaway to go to spend the night. Wrapped in his heavy cloak, Takai roamed from house to house looking for someone he could escape the cold. The wounds upon his back still pained him and he knew he couldn't keep looking all night long. Near the end of town was a simple abandoned shack, the only home unoccupied by any of the villagers. The windows were smashed and the door hung on a single hinge. It was a sorry excuse for a shelter but compared to what Takai had been living with it was a palace. Slipping in through the falling door, the teenage walked into the abandoned hut, his new home. The walls were peeling and the sound of rodents emanated from the walls and ceiling. At least inside those decaying walls, the cold wasn't as bad and the wind didn't whip past his face or cut through his clothes to the very bone. The matress beneath his arm dropped to the floor, unrolling to be Takai's bed for the night. So exhausted from the day of training, beating he took and the magic used to travel, Takai couldn't stay awake any longer. Falling to the bed with all his clothes and gear still on him, the young Dark mage passed out without another moments notice.
"What are you doing here?" The voice filled Takai's ears but he didn't know who's voice it was or why someone would be asking what he was doing. It was pretty obvious what he was doing, he was sleeping and would like to stay that way for a few more hours. "Hey I'm talking to you." The voice sounded again but this time it was accompained by a swift kick to Takai's ribs. The young Takai rolled from his bed and smacked against the wood wall of the shack with a resounding crack. "Next time answer me when I talk to you." Takai's eyes snapped open. Who ever it was that said that sounded just like his old master. Focusing his eyes, Takai stared at the one that had kicked him. It was a boy not much older than Takai but he was much bigger. He wasn't taller than Takai, well not as far as he could tell, but he was much broader. A group of boys, all smaller than the leader, stood behind him every single one wearing a mask of arrogance. They were Bullies. Well that is what Takai would have thought if he had ever had to deal with bullies before, but this was the first time he had ever seen another boy his age that wasn't strapped down to a steel table. "Now anwser me, What are you doing here?"
"Well I was sleeping," Takai replied not meaning to sound flippant. The boy had asked what he was doing there so he answered he was sleeping. The boys did like that answer, especially the biggest one. "Are you trying to be a smart ass," the large boy grabbed Takai by the collar and lifted him into the air, "boys lets show him how we deal with smart asses in this town." Takai was startled by all this. He had lots of dreams about being free and in all of them this never happened. "No please I don't want to you hurt you," Takai pleaded but chose the wrong words to do so. "You hear that boys he doesn't want to hurt us." The large boy laughed, the others joining in, "lets show him who's going to hurt who." Shoving him by the collar, the larger boy stepped back and let two of his minions forward to fight Takai. "Please don't, I don't want to fight," Takai said again feeling around his cloak for something to defend himself with. The only thing he found was the dual scythe given to him by his master to train with.
The first of the two boys came up to Takai, throwing a left hook. The teen mage saw it coming and was able to deflect it with relative ease. His mentor had made Takai fight him on a regular basis, he was far faster than these two with their clumsy fighting style. The boy's fist hit the wooden wall with a smack. "Oh, look what that asshole made me do," rubbing his wrist, the boy looked to the biggest one, "let's just annihlate him boss, no playing games." Takai looked at each of the boys in turn move away from the wall and more into the center of the room. It wasn't the most strategic move but he was hoping he could just run away the moment he got the chance. That wasn't the bullies plan. The boys including the larger one all surrounded Takai, no giving him any chance of escape. "Your not going any where until we treat you how to respect your superiors," the larger boy said, cracking his knuckles in his hand, "GET HIM BOYS!!!" Takai knew that a simple dodging of an attack wasn't going to stop them this time he'd have to fight a bit smarter until he got the chance to run. A hook came from his right and Takai quickly ducked under, letting the boy's fist pass over his head. A knee came from the left and just as quick as he could, Takai crossed his arms and stopped the attack from connecting with his face. Another punch came from the right but Takai wasn't fast enough to avoid it. The fist connected and Takai was knocked off balance just a bit, he had to use his scythes if just to scare them.
Pulling the weapon from the inside of his cloak, Takai wrapped the chain around another punch coming his way. The boy who had thrown the punch by both the sudden appearance of a weapon and that Takai had just caught him in its chain. This surprise threw the boy off balance just enough that Takai was able to get a little leverage and flip him over his shoulder. The boy fell into another two boys who were just about to attack. Takai unwrapped the chain with a quick tug of a scythe, but before he was able to catch the chain again another hand grasped it instead. "Think your all big and bad do you," the larger boy sneered as he punched Takai twice in the ribs before wrapping the chain around the young mage's neck and pulling it tight, "come on boys free hits." Those that had fallen smiled as they stood back up, blood lust in their eyes. One by one they hit Takai in the stomach in the groin, in the face, in the ribs and they continued with out end. "Ple---ase sto----p," Takai begged as another couple of punches landed in his sternum. "You don't get to tell us stop, asshole," the larger boy said as he yanked the chain tighter cutting off the air in his throat, "the only way we stop is if you or us die."
Whatever it was, the tone in the boy's voice, the words he choose to use or the constant attack, something set Takai off. Another boy came into attack but Takai's foot launched up and met the boy in the groin. The other boys looked wide eyed as their companion crumpled to the floor. "WHAT THE HELL?" The larger boy shouted as the chain in his hand slipped though his fingers like a shadow. "I find your terms acceptable," the shadow chain unwrapped around Takai's neck as he spoke in a evil tone, "this stops when you die or I did." The chain flashed black, the metal links slamming together to form the true form of the Dark Scythe. The boys in the room gasped in horror as Takai placed the bottom blade of his weapon against the downed boy's throat and pulled up. The scythe cut through cleanly, a spray of crimson liquid flowing over the largest boy and one of his cronies. "Only when I say you die," Takai said as the scythe twirled in his fingers, "I mean your entire village." The boys started to scream but Takai was already moving, his Dark Scythe spinning and cutting each boy as they tried to run or stop him. Blood stained the splintered wood floor, the bodies of the boys that had tried to kill Takai scatter in various ways around the hut. In the center stood Takai drenched in the blood, a wicked grin on his face. Turning slowly, Takai moved to the broken door, each step causing ripples in the life's blood of the boys.
Takai's shot up from the bed he was laying in, the light from the setting sun coming in the windows. "It was just a dream," his voice was raspy as if he had been yelling and he shook his head to try and clear it. Blinking furiously he looked around the room and tried to pieces things together. The bed he was in wasn't his own, or it wasn't the one he had arrived in the village with the night before, nor was this the hut he had gone into. Takai looked back out the window to the setting sun. The setting sun? Takai couldn't have slept the entire day, that wasn't possible. Jumping from the bed, the mage rushed from the room to figure out what had actually happened. He didn't have to any farther then the next room over. A family of three lay dead, the mother, father and young infant all sliced to pieces. What was this horror? Had Takai done this? Images flashed through his mind of the day, the carnage all wrought by his hand. This wasn't what he wanted. Takai had fled his master so he wouldn't become a monster like him. Somewhere, whether in his head or upon the wind, Takai could hear his Master's laughter.
"Very good Takai," A voice from the darkest corner of the room boomed, a shadow moving towards the teenage boy at the steel table, "you almost beat my record for keeping a victim alive." The once beautiful girl lay upon the table mutilated, flaps of skin pulled back in every direction and organs missing from their proper place. "Here," The shadow dropped a plate with scraps of food on it, "you've earned your dinner now eat." Without a word the Takai started to down the food on the plate as quickly as possible. Only about a fourth of the food was missing from the plate when Takai was sent flying into the stone at the far side of the damp room. "IS THAT YOU TREAT YOUR MASTER," the shadow shouted angrily, his hand still out from when he had backhanded Takai, "I SEE WE NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER LESSON IN RESPECT." Seals of Dark magic glowed at the shadows fingers, tendrils gliding from the circles and waving in the air, "NEXT TIME I GIVE YOU FOOD YOU THANK ME FOR IT." A black tendril lashed out and hit Takai squarely in the back opening a new cut from one shoulder to the other. Takai's arced his back, letting out a haunting shout before collapsing against the splintered floor. "I TEACH YOU ALL I KNOW," another tendril hit Takai's back, "I FEED YOU," then another, "I TAKE CARE OF YOU," and another, "AND THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT ME?" The shadow lashed out his tendrils of dark magic over and over again. What seemed like ages to the young boy, the lashing from the tendrils of Dark magic finally ceased.
What happened next was nothing but faint images and impressions in Takai's memory. He remembered his Master dragging him by the air, but to where he couldn't remember. Trying to open his eyes, Takai turned his head to get a look at where he was. His left eye was so swollen that opening it was close to impossible for the young apprentice. From what he could see with his right eye he was back in his room. It was hardly a room, barely big enough to fit the growing lad and the only furniture was the ragged old matress that Takai had been using since he came here. As dingy as it was, this was Takai's safe place, the one place he knew his master would never hurt him. This was the one place he could forget his training and the evil he was taught, the one place he was able to suppress his other half. Slowly, Takai placed a hand on his back at the places that he knew his master had torn open his flesh the widest. Each wound had been closed and replaced with a long jagged scar. Healing magic was something that his master excelled in but not for the use of healing other it was used for torture. Takai's master knew how to close the wound to keep the subject from bleeding out but still leave behind the pain from the injury. That was what Takai was feeling at that moment as he lifted himself up on his arm.
It had been nearly eleven years. Eleven years since Takai had come to live here. Eleven years since he had been taken from his family. Eleven years of being tortured by the man who was teaching him magic. Eleven years and this was the night it was going to end. Takai had been learning, studing, and preparing for this one night for the past five years. Of course his plan didn't involve him being beaten to a pulp, but with his Master that was never something easy to plan for. The beating didn't matter though, soon he would never have to suffer a beating from his master again. Tonight was the night that Takai was going to take everything his Master had taught him and use it to escape. He had been developing and practicing this spell for a while and he had finally was sure that it was perfect. Closing his eyes, Takai listened waiting to hear the sounds of his master with his latest fling, their sounds could be heard even through the stone. It was too bad that the girl would be dead in the morning, but there was nothing Takai could do about it and he had to take this chance to escape. "Here goes nothing," clasping his hands together Takai focused his magic, the dark seal for his magic forming beneath his bed. A wave of magic shot up from the seal, coving Takai in its magic and his belongings. Everything the Magic touched slowly started breaking down. What was once physical became nothing more than flakes of darkness being sucked into the shadows. The feeling was over whelming becoming one with the Darkness that he controlled. It was cold, distant and at the same time exhilarating. Takai could see everything and was still in his room but at the same time he wasn't, it felt free. He was free. 'Alight time to make my escape' The rush of moving through the darkness was the best feeling Takai had felt in such a long time. He could transverse any solid surface and so quickly, that there was no way for his master to stop him now.
Free. But what is it one does when your free? This was Takai's biggest problem. He had never been free before, the only life he had ever known was with his master. Well whatever it was that one does when they're free, Takai was going to do it. The small village that he had travelled too wasn't very large but it was leagues from where his master lived so he was safe from him. The night was cold, the streets were empty and there was no where for a runaway to go to spend the night. Wrapped in his heavy cloak, Takai roamed from house to house looking for someone he could escape the cold. The wounds upon his back still pained him and he knew he couldn't keep looking all night long. Near the end of town was a simple abandoned shack, the only home unoccupied by any of the villagers. The windows were smashed and the door hung on a single hinge. It was a sorry excuse for a shelter but compared to what Takai had been living with it was a palace. Slipping in through the falling door, the teenage walked into the abandoned hut, his new home. The walls were peeling and the sound of rodents emanated from the walls and ceiling. At least inside those decaying walls, the cold wasn't as bad and the wind didn't whip past his face or cut through his clothes to the very bone. The matress beneath his arm dropped to the floor, unrolling to be Takai's bed for the night. So exhausted from the day of training, beating he took and the magic used to travel, Takai couldn't stay awake any longer. Falling to the bed with all his clothes and gear still on him, the young Dark mage passed out without another moments notice.
"What are you doing here?" The voice filled Takai's ears but he didn't know who's voice it was or why someone would be asking what he was doing. It was pretty obvious what he was doing, he was sleeping and would like to stay that way for a few more hours. "Hey I'm talking to you." The voice sounded again but this time it was accompained by a swift kick to Takai's ribs. The young Takai rolled from his bed and smacked against the wood wall of the shack with a resounding crack. "Next time answer me when I talk to you." Takai's eyes snapped open. Who ever it was that said that sounded just like his old master. Focusing his eyes, Takai stared at the one that had kicked him. It was a boy not much older than Takai but he was much bigger. He wasn't taller than Takai, well not as far as he could tell, but he was much broader. A group of boys, all smaller than the leader, stood behind him every single one wearing a mask of arrogance. They were Bullies. Well that is what Takai would have thought if he had ever had to deal with bullies before, but this was the first time he had ever seen another boy his age that wasn't strapped down to a steel table. "Now anwser me, What are you doing here?"
"Well I was sleeping," Takai replied not meaning to sound flippant. The boy had asked what he was doing there so he answered he was sleeping. The boys did like that answer, especially the biggest one. "Are you trying to be a smart ass," the large boy grabbed Takai by the collar and lifted him into the air, "boys lets show him how we deal with smart asses in this town." Takai was startled by all this. He had lots of dreams about being free and in all of them this never happened. "No please I don't want to you hurt you," Takai pleaded but chose the wrong words to do so. "You hear that boys he doesn't want to hurt us." The large boy laughed, the others joining in, "lets show him who's going to hurt who." Shoving him by the collar, the larger boy stepped back and let two of his minions forward to fight Takai. "Please don't, I don't want to fight," Takai said again feeling around his cloak for something to defend himself with. The only thing he found was the dual scythe given to him by his master to train with.
The first of the two boys came up to Takai, throwing a left hook. The teen mage saw it coming and was able to deflect it with relative ease. His mentor had made Takai fight him on a regular basis, he was far faster than these two with their clumsy fighting style. The boy's fist hit the wooden wall with a smack. "Oh, look what that asshole made me do," rubbing his wrist, the boy looked to the biggest one, "let's just annihlate him boss, no playing games." Takai looked at each of the boys in turn move away from the wall and more into the center of the room. It wasn't the most strategic move but he was hoping he could just run away the moment he got the chance. That wasn't the bullies plan. The boys including the larger one all surrounded Takai, no giving him any chance of escape. "Your not going any where until we treat you how to respect your superiors," the larger boy said, cracking his knuckles in his hand, "GET HIM BOYS!!!" Takai knew that a simple dodging of an attack wasn't going to stop them this time he'd have to fight a bit smarter until he got the chance to run. A hook came from his right and Takai quickly ducked under, letting the boy's fist pass over his head. A knee came from the left and just as quick as he could, Takai crossed his arms and stopped the attack from connecting with his face. Another punch came from the right but Takai wasn't fast enough to avoid it. The fist connected and Takai was knocked off balance just a bit, he had to use his scythes if just to scare them.
Pulling the weapon from the inside of his cloak, Takai wrapped the chain around another punch coming his way. The boy who had thrown the punch by both the sudden appearance of a weapon and that Takai had just caught him in its chain. This surprise threw the boy off balance just enough that Takai was able to get a little leverage and flip him over his shoulder. The boy fell into another two boys who were just about to attack. Takai unwrapped the chain with a quick tug of a scythe, but before he was able to catch the chain again another hand grasped it instead. "Think your all big and bad do you," the larger boy sneered as he punched Takai twice in the ribs before wrapping the chain around the young mage's neck and pulling it tight, "come on boys free hits." Those that had fallen smiled as they stood back up, blood lust in their eyes. One by one they hit Takai in the stomach in the groin, in the face, in the ribs and they continued with out end. "Ple---ase sto----p," Takai begged as another couple of punches landed in his sternum. "You don't get to tell us stop, asshole," the larger boy said as he yanked the chain tighter cutting off the air in his throat, "the only way we stop is if you or us die."
Whatever it was, the tone in the boy's voice, the words he choose to use or the constant attack, something set Takai off. Another boy came into attack but Takai's foot launched up and met the boy in the groin. The other boys looked wide eyed as their companion crumpled to the floor. "WHAT THE HELL?" The larger boy shouted as the chain in his hand slipped though his fingers like a shadow. "I find your terms acceptable," the shadow chain unwrapped around Takai's neck as he spoke in a evil tone, "this stops when you die or I did." The chain flashed black, the metal links slamming together to form the true form of the Dark Scythe. The boys in the room gasped in horror as Takai placed the bottom blade of his weapon against the downed boy's throat and pulled up. The scythe cut through cleanly, a spray of crimson liquid flowing over the largest boy and one of his cronies. "Only when I say you die," Takai said as the scythe twirled in his fingers, "I mean your entire village." The boys started to scream but Takai was already moving, his Dark Scythe spinning and cutting each boy as they tried to run or stop him. Blood stained the splintered wood floor, the bodies of the boys that had tried to kill Takai scatter in various ways around the hut. In the center stood Takai drenched in the blood, a wicked grin on his face. Turning slowly, Takai moved to the broken door, each step causing ripples in the life's blood of the boys.
Takai's shot up from the bed he was laying in, the light from the setting sun coming in the windows. "It was just a dream," his voice was raspy as if he had been yelling and he shook his head to try and clear it. Blinking furiously he looked around the room and tried to pieces things together. The bed he was in wasn't his own, or it wasn't the one he had arrived in the village with the night before, nor was this the hut he had gone into. Takai looked back out the window to the setting sun. The setting sun? Takai couldn't have slept the entire day, that wasn't possible. Jumping from the bed, the mage rushed from the room to figure out what had actually happened. He didn't have to any farther then the next room over. A family of three lay dead, the mother, father and young infant all sliced to pieces. What was this horror? Had Takai done this? Images flashed through his mind of the day, the carnage all wrought by his hand. This wasn't what he wanted. Takai had fled his master so he wouldn't become a monster like him. Somewhere, whether in his head or upon the wind, Takai could hear his Master's laughter.
