The air was tense, and Brogg himself forgot to breathe many times. Brogg failed hide his excitement that filled him with each exchange of fists. However, regrets lingered in the back of his mind.

Brogg knew all the boy’s tactics by now. The boy liked to plan out his attacks and be a few moves ahead. Brogg questioned the humanity of the person before him. He was too calm. Victory looked far away. there was one silver lining. This new berserk rage played to Brogg's advantage

All the damage to his body became apparent. Most of his steel gone and only a few thin layers were around his body now. It helped him move faster. He relied on the twin magic to help him move during fights. The main problem with his magic the weight of the metal. Without the twin's pinpoint weight spell and speed boost spell, his body refused to move.

With those two keys to fighting, he needn't worry about much. He still waited to get the spell. Carelessness would only lead to death. With his injuries, winning would be harder

The damn slave girl got several hits in and the black sand one almost broke the remaining shells. Murdering them later, was foremost in his thoughts. Nice and slow. Raping them would be fun as well.

Lost in the mad thoughts, the boy approached him. His whole body pulsated, ready to kill, but the boy walked right on passed him. A large wound to Brogg’s pride appeared. His rage blinded him, but he didn't charge. No, he would wait. Better to build the terror of his assault.

When the boy turned to face him, he would break the barrier. Slaughtering a few people would be fun. Make them know they were not safe. A smile broke out on his face. He would relish the whole thing.

The boy faced him. More than ready to draw blood Brogg readied himself to charge, but he stopped. The boy's eyes stopped him dead in his tracks. They still held the calm of an ocean, but now strong tides were setting in. The pressure from the kid was different. Brogg felt a cold sweat appear on his skin. His instincts told him to get away or run. He didn't realize he had stepped back.

This was no kid! It was almost comparable to the 8th. Borgg considered himself a good fighter. He had enough experience under his belt to get a little prideful. That pride, however, was hiding in a corner. Fear was rippling its way through his veins. It attempted to surface on his face, but he bit his tongue and swallowed the fear.

The kid’s presence was overwhelming. It was like a weight slowly pressing down on his chest. Brogg’s breath was uneven. He cleared his head and fixed his pose and ready himself. He felt the tingle of the weight spell on him.

Got you!!... Brogg hadn't even felt his feet leave the ground. His vision flipped, and he was on his face before he knew what had happened.

He regained his senses and got up. He couldn't get it out of his head. Just as the spell did it thing, the kid became a blur. but one thing remained visible the whole time. Those eyes…. They weren't human.

He attempted to stand firm, however, his legs trembled and threatened to cave in below him. He forced them to stay up. Rage was building in him, the boy was pushing him farther than anyone had before. Dynames was being more aggressive than before. However, from the last strike, one emotion had struck his brain loud and clear.

Bloodlust. But something else popped into Brogg’s mind. He had this eerie feeling. Something subconscious, so he didn't even register the thought.

What if….. he was holding back?

Fear. Something that creeps its way into any warrior's heart when they face something stronger than them. However, Brogg felt a far different emotion surface within himself.

Excitement.

It overpowered his rising fear. He may as well be fighting a monster, but he didn't care. After climbing over multiple hills of bodies, he had finally arrived. He had found his fighting ground.

Brogg knew boredom had ruled him for years now. No one was strong enough to make him think he would lose. He could've tried the 8th king, but the odds of him winning didn't look favorable. He wanted something that was more his level, and fate had given him that.

Pure bliss filled him. A worthy prey had stepped right up to him.

All he had to do was lay the perfect trap. He would just need to play with the boy’s anger to win.

However, Brogg’s plan had a fatal flaw. It was a good plan. It would have been very effective. Only if Dynames was normal. Brogg and everyone else had failed to realize it yet.

The boy was a dragon.

Erica

Erica was in a state of uproar. Her emotions were everywhere and her thoughts not much better. Her angry rose but it quelled quickly. Her mind set to work. It would help her understand it all if she thought about it.

Curiosity appeared first. The relationship between Ashley and Dynames. A history between the two was clear. In Ashley eyes she could see a longing and a clear fondness for Dynames. Erica was still missing a lot of facts. She still felt something weird work its way into her heart. She shook it off. It would be rude to make speculations against her because Ashley was close to him

She brushed the petty issue aside and focus more on the present disaster. She had a lot more questions than she could bare.

Just what or who is Dynames? She thought to herself. She had always wondered how a kid like him with no last name survived. She could only be curious. He still had the strength to smile and persevere through it all.

He was a subject of a lot of rumors around the school. Hate would be an understatement. It was one of the first things she learned. It was a few months after that when she would meet him. She only recently gained the student council president title.

At the start of a new semester, she had been searching for her class. Her stubbornness had kept her from asking for directions. Having run out of options on the second floor she motioned toward the stairs. Going up seemed like the reasonable decisions. Then it happened.

While looking at the number of the classroom, she failed to notice an out of line step. Her foot found just the right angle, causing her upper body to sail forward. A silent curse left her mouth upon realizing a collision was emanate. Books flew upward and papers scattered like feathers in the wind.

She knew this could ruin her. With her new position, students would use anything to get to her. Her pride... no her family wouldn't stand for such things. She needed a plan to make it look like something else. Yet... no amount of planning could've prepared her for what happened next.

The boy ,she had run into, had retrieved all his books and yelled at her. Students ,standing near by. looked as it happened and she knew something was off. The stares weren't at her. The boy drew all the attention away her and then he walked away. She felt like she dodged the bullet and yet it pissed her off.

At first she was shocked someone had the balls to taunt her and then yell at her. Erica huffed and then searched for her schedule.

Finding it next to the window at the edge of the platform. On the back she found directions to her class. Her head swung back to the boy. Had he defended her and placed all the blame on himself to save her? Her mood was not the best. Relief should have been the first instinct, but instead annoyance appeared. Having wasted too much time, the mental battle faded out.

The directions were far more help she thought possible. She found the class far faster than expected. However, joy wasn't the first thought... More annoyance surfaced. It was just some dumb magic formula class. She found a seat in the middle of the five rows available. The bell rang and 10 minutes into class. The same boy came in.

Kids went into whisper mode, saying many things about him. She wondered who he was to cause this much commotion. The teacher turned to him and nodded.

“You are late Dynames.” Her voice full of malice. Her eyes held no trace of sympathy for this student. Even for a late student, no one deserved this much crap.

“Yeah sorry I had other business first then I came as fast as I could.” The teacher placed her face in her hand and just waved her hand from him to find a seat.

Confusion would be an understatement. He smiled through all the noise. Without so much as a wink, he moved past her. She was still a little angry, but she wouldn't cause a scene.

Near the end of class, students compared notes. Erica never was part of that. Not that she didn't want to, but being the president made it harder to approach her about notes.

Well it should have made it harder. The echoing sounds of a chair scraping across the ground filled her ears. The sound combined with her annoyance made her look to the side to see Dynames sitting next to her.

“What are you doing?” she whispered to him.

“Sitting” he replied with no sarcasm.

“I see that. Why next to me?”

“I find you to be interesting. I think you're the only one I can talk. Who will, at least, tolerate me.” she processed this, decide she didn't care and simple nodded her head.

“So let me see your notes then.” Her words rushed out of her mouth before she could even think about them.

He handed her a notebook, upon hoping it, shock filled her mind. The notes he had taken were in such detail it was amazing. She looked at him and wondered the question again. She controlled and tired not to acted impressed.

“These are good, no great. Why all the detail?” Curiosity burned hot in her mind.

"Well I can’t use magic. I thought sharing this with anyone who was having trouble," She backed up mental. So the rumor about him not being able to use magic was true.

“But then why show them? I'm the student president and the leading student with magic.” Trying her best not to sound patronizing and snotty but failing horrible. She had wanted to die after saying it.

“So what? Even the best need a push forward. Plus I know being alone sucks, so I thought I could take some of it off your shoulders.” She couldn’t understand what he had just said.

At first, she was then she was mad, but she laughed she couldn't do anything else. She felt a smile on her face. After she had stopped, she wiped a tear from her eye.

“So even you can smile and laugh?” Smiling or laughing were seldom in her new life. Warmth filled her almost frozen heart. Her interest in him only doubled.

“Why did you go so far? You don't even know me and I don't know you.”

“Well it's true I don't know you. I think you are more than just the 'scary' class president. I mean solitude is fine, but no one can survive being alone forever.” His words, he had said them with a smile, but a deep loneliness was evident in his eyes. He may have been speaking to help her, but she knew it was to save himself.

She felt like she found a friend. She was so happy, but her habit, which had the strength of steel, was not backing down

“Well that's cool. What make you think I need friends?” She cursed herself for the damn habit. Years of training were hard to undermine. Since she had been doing it for so long, the habit was a core of her, much to her own regret.

Dynames looked at her and laughed. After he finished, he spoke.

“You shouldn’t lie to yourself like that." He moved his chair forward. “If you can’t be truthful with yourself how can others believe in you?” It was like a veil being ripped from her eyes. It was the first time someone had seen through her act. She hesitated for the first time. She felt herself from a real honest answer, but she stopped by Rick.

He came in soaked and a bucket on his head. He was someone who she had always wished to never encounter. Rumors said he was a bad boy and not a social person. She had the 'fun' opportunity of meeting him. He showed no emotion and ignored most of everything anyone said. He seemed so different from them. Almost like an anomaly.

He tipped the bucket so his face was showing. She looked at Dynames who was laughing hysterical. She couldn’t believe he had the guts to mess with Rick. A person famous for a bad temper, and an outright hostility for the whole school. She also guessed this was his “important business” he was talking about early.

“So the wannabe gangster got caught in the trap.” he said between his laughing and claps. Rick ran from the door and grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him up.

“You want to fight you little weirdo,” Rick said.

“Catch me first.” He broke the grip and tried to run. Rick placed him in a choke hold and stopped him.

“Now apologize!” He said. Erica got up and tried to stop them. Dynames broke free and stood at odds with him. Two books flew down. Both were on the ground holding their heads.

“I would appreciate if you didn't treat my class like free time! ALL three of you have detention!” she commanded

“Wait why me? I did nothing!”

“No excuses!” she yelled at Erica. They all spent detention together. After that odd experiences just piled up. Friendship for her was odd. She never had it before. Much less with over one person.

What is he?

Erica never asked about it. It was a touchy topic even for this happy go luck fool.

Snapped back into reality, she refocused on the fight. Brogg had gotten back up and wobbled toward Dynames. The whole dragon slayer thing was unreal to her. A strange pain rocked her heart.. Before her was no fool, it was someone different from she knew. Someone used to killing.

“So boy? Will you settle this and stop running or do I have to kill another person?” Erica could no longer tell if Brogg was a true warrior, or just crazy. At this point she knew no words would stop Dynames. At this moment, if it had been her, she would choose the side of caution. Further insults would scare her too much.

Brogg rushed him at full speed. Dynames remained still and at the point of impact he swiped Brogg feet. An uppercut found the now airborne Brogg sending him falling backward. Dynames then jumped up and looked at the stunned Brogg. His face was full of anger. He clenched his fist and falcon punched him toward the ground. After the impact Dynames placed his hand on his head holding it down. He then grabbed his jaw and dragged him a crossed the floor send wood and cement in the wake of the trail. Like a rock, Brogg flew outside of the destroyed gym. Dynames stood and walked back with a dissatisfied look on his face.

“Is this all for the famous walking wall?” the question directed at the at the enemy, but no one answered.

“I'm not done yet!” Yelled Brogg as he limped back into the remains of the gym.

It was a miracle he was even standing. The steel held together in some areas, but a good chuck was now missing. His back was bare. The right side of his face was missing some. His chest had large hole from the uppercut. Fresh blood rolled down his face.

He was struggling to stand up and even talking seemed to wear him down. He was breathing erratic and was audible to everyone. Erica felt pity for him, but her own anger soon drowned it out.

Erica noticed then that the rain had calmed. It was now a light sprinkle. The thunder and lighting still shot through the sky. Dark clouds filled the sky, which made the situation all the more depressing. They had all lost friends, and still had no contact with the outside troops or the other teachers.

Their only hope right now was Dynames the dragon slayer. Who was waiting for Brogg to get closer.

Brogg found his way to stand (or sway in this case) in front Dynames. He kept up his confidence and continued to taunt the enraged Dynames.

“So....... Is that all a slayer has?” Dynames rushed forward and delivered a right hook to his chest. Brogg feet, still covered in steel, held him to the ground. He slid a crossed the floor leaving to streaks a crossed the ground.

Brogg coughed up blood, and he staggered even more. Dynames strolled up to him and threw left jabs at his body and face.

Brogg withheld the assault. Even daring a smile as he stood. His body, however, spoke a different tale. Bruises lined his body, and the protective steel was almost completely wiped out. Dynames seemed to playing with his food at this point. He didn't seem to care about anything else. His eyes never fell or moved off Brogg.

He came out of his guard and stood firm again. He raised his hand and opened it to where his bar palm was facing Brogg. Magic circles appeared on his body. The remaining steel moved to one point. It converged right below his left breast.

Erica realized what he was doing. He would kill Brogg the same way he did to Rick. When the metal stopped moving, it had form 4 small squares that stuck away from Brogg's body. There were small. Their size was equal to a think wooden box. A huge amount of force, would be needed to break it.

“Ashley!” A called filled the silence. Most didn’t realize they had forgotten to breathe. “I need power! Let me have it!”. Ashley nodded and pulled the top half of the makeshift scythe out. It was now smaller and reminded Erica of a meat cleaver. It still held it curved blade but its length just larger than her hand.

Ashley stuck out her right hand and brought the blade just above her knuckles. She closed her eyes and spoke. “O fire that rages may you calm and return to thy true owner. Release!” She brought the scythe back. A chain appeared on her hand. The chain, free of her, shot toward the other end of it which lead right to Dynames's upper back. Instead of just smacking into his body, it receded into his body. Raw magic rippled from the ground.

“So he still hasn't found his magic?” Cross’s voice stole erica’s attention. He had been resting, but he was still watching.

“What?” Her eyes flew open when Ashley piped in to answer.

“All mages have types of magic they can use. Once they know it, the magic responds and manifests. At this stage, only toddlers or infants use that white magic. It is the simplest form of magic."

“What was that chain?”

"That chain I released will help him find it, but he will have to the do the rest himself.”

"Huh?" Erica had no words.

“I mean he has always been a slayer.” Erica drew back at this “The council put a seal on him nullify the contract. Before the seal, he placed his elements in his most trusted allies. In case he should ever reappear”

Erica, after everything, just nodded and agree to it. She would ask questions later.

While this was happening, Dynames had summon a lot of white magic. He then pointed at the dragon and yelled something. The dragon moved its head away from the pillar. In a seconds, a torrent of flame engulfing Dynames.

Erica wanted to run and help but she could do nothing. Her magic depleted, left her no hope of moving.

Her thoughts and fear vanished in seconds. The flames danced and move in a spiral. Dynames was in the middle. His next word filled the silence.

“Dragon form: Baslith!!!”

The white magic turned crimson red and then into flame. The flames reached out from his body taking the shape of dragon wings. They were much smaller than the actual dragons wings. Yet the effect was the same. Pure awe and silence. The wings receded, and the fire vanished. Dynames took a crouched form and placed his left hand over his right.

“Dragon art: Hammer!” Fire erupted covering his concealed hand. He jumped forward and bounding toward Brogg who could only stare at the coming doom.

Dynames extended his fist, colliding with the metal squares. The blaze only gained strength as it battered through the metal panels. Before anyone could even blink, fire shot out of side of Brogg sending it toward the town behind him.

After the fire burned out and vanished, Dynames pulled back leaving a hole burned through Brogg’s chest. The blackness of the world spoke of the heat. The damage was all too clear. It was burned so bad Brogg couldn’t bleed. He did cough up blood and fall but Dynames grabbed his face and held him up.

“That was for Rick.” his voice was cold and full of hate. His eyes were as cold as grave stones. “This next part is just me letting out some anger." Dynames releases his grip.

“React”

The next moment, complete horror became vivid. Upon his silent word, black spikes came out from within Brogg. It was like watching a porcupine buff its needles out. She heard several students gagging or just throwing up. She almost did herself. The way they popped out of his arms and his chest was horrid.

Their reach extend to the ground and a foot away for Brogg's body. The damage was unspeakable. Yet one person didn’t even flinch at the brutality. Dynames stood unaffected by the massacre.

Landing face first on the ground, Brogg scattered his blood everywhere. His weight brought him down in front of Dynames. He leaned down right next to the corpse.

“In case you were wondering how? Remember when I slashed you with the hot swords. I was feeding black sand into your wounds. After that, it burrowed into your bloodstream and, on command, would end your life.” His voice had been audible to everyone.

He stood up and gave no second thought to the corpse. Droplets of blood had found his face, but his clothes were left unstained. Eyes calm and unaffected.

He began a slow march toward the other three. His eyes had no remorse only more unsatisfied angry.

The twin put their arms together and looked ready to fight. The had determined glares on their young faces.

“You think we will let you get away with killing him!?” they yelled in unison.

“No, but you should know something. Be it women or even children I will show no mercy to those who hurt my friends,” They chanted a spell when Dynames interrupted.

“Dragon art: Boost!” Fire shot out of his foot sending him forward. He planted his foot into the girl. Then spun with a back fist to the boys face. Sending them both back and knocking them into separate walls.

Dynames was relentless. The blows clearly meant to kill. He boosted toward Aroma. His fist ignited in flames. He swung, but only connected the ground. Aroma was now In the sky above him.

“Dragon art: Boost!” Like a fireball without direction, he went forward. Dynames made contact, sending them both out of Erica’s sight.

The energy to run and check was nowhere inside her. She noticed a boy running back toward the injured. Before he could even get to them, fire and black arrows collided. A hint of doubt wormed its why into her mind, but she discarded it.

“Just let it end already.”