Life in a new Kingdom

"What are you doing, Sato?" Soriko pokes her head through the tiny hut. I had my eyes closed while my katana lay in my lap. Her dark red kimono was tight around her chest.

"Just meditating. A samurai must be one mind and body." My response was cold and void of emotion.

With a curious glance, Soriko sat beside me, took out some food, and began eating. The smell of fish and rice brushed my nostrils. A low grumble in my stomach erupted, and Soriko froze when she heard it.

"Do you want the rest of my food?" Offering with a gentle hand, I push it away despite my hunger.

Inhaling for a moment and exhaling to clear the mind. My eyes open to see Soriko still trying to push her food to me. "That's okay, you may eat. I'll have a rice ball later."

"That's no good."

"Your harvests this year has been harsh. I wouldn't want anyone to starve while I stuff myself."

"And this portion is bigger than me. Please, eat big brother."

I stared into her eyes. She cared for me despite the blood-stained soul of mine. She offered the fish and rice once again, and I simply took her food and looked at it momentarily.

"It's not going to bite you."

" I know that."

"Then eat." Stubborn as the day I first met her, wouldn't leave me alone. I gently ate each piece until I finished the meal. Clasping my hands together and saying my prayer. Soriko copied my exact stance to feel included.

"Thank you for the meal." My words pour through my lips. Soriko opens her eyes and stares at me. Watching me as I got up and exited the small hut. The bright sun obstructs my vision from seeing the small village. It's slightly run-down, but the hut I was staying in was serviceable.

"Will you be swinging that katana again?" She points to the sheathed sword in my hand.

"I must continue to hone my blade. Only rust and incompetence would remain if I don't."

Moving away from the hut and village, I find a secluded spot with a massive tree with dark green and brown leaves. Previous marks of my katana riddle the base of the tree. Soriko sits down and watches me with boredom in her eyes.

"What about living your life without a katana?" Her words blurted to me deeply. I stopped in the middle of my preparation and turned to her. I gripped the handle tightly.

"My purpose in life is this katana. Without it, I bring dishonor. I am my Lord's blade on the battlefield. Through me, I bring him the heads of many. A young girl like you would never understand the complexities that a samurai must take upon."

Letting out a small scoff, Soriko smiles. "You helped a lot of the people since coming here. I think you'll like it a lot more if you let go of that sword."

Such a young girl speaking with such certainly made her special. She saw something in me that I didn't understand myself. She knew I had something to contribute other than killing. I wish I knew what she meant then. I wouldn't have to live through the nightmares that haunted me all these years...

"You need to wake up and see the rest of the world around you, big brother!" Soft warm hands grasped mine. The bright smile across her face made waves inside me. Gently caressing her head, I opened my eyes to look at her. Her body is missing, blood pouring from her lifeless head. The flames surrounded me in the burning village.

Nothing but the painful screams I couldn't remove from my mind.... Betraying everything I once was...

My eyes shot awake. Staring at the sky above, I was still alive. In the body of Caleb Aris, which was who I am to be. Remembering what happened before, I blacked out for a moment. I struggled to move my arms and chest, but the curse impeded my body. Empty coughs and groaning escaped my lips.

"I'm...still alive..." Processing what happened...why do I have that nightmare all of a sudden... It reminded me of a few things that Soriko had told me I should focus on myself.

A low growl and grumble came from Slyr as he examined his right hand now missing nearly two fingers. Dark crimson blood poured from the wound. He turned his frustrated head toward me and drew closer with his elongated neck, hovering just above my body.

"G..Grrr!! Agh!! Hrrr.... Heh...Hehehe....! Hehehehehe!! You're Cassandra's son for sure..." It came back to me at that moment when he mentioned my mother. Bounds of questions popped into my head.

"M...My mom?"

"The one and the same." The deep growl of the dragon seemed much calmer after the initial pain had dispersed. "Only her spawn would be this crazy to do this much damage to me."

"I...see..." Breathing was hard. The curse made me put in the effort to stay awake.

"You've been cursed I see."

"For some time now... By a Stalker..."

"Witchcraft. Nasty work those Hags and their creations cause."

"Are you going to kill me or watch me suffer?" Training my eyes on the dragon, he looks at me, slowly debating with himself.

"Neither... I owe a lot to Cassandra, and killing her child would betray our long years of friendship. Stay still; I know something to help with this curse."

Dipping his head low, the warm breath of Slyr pooled across my body. Tingling sensations covered my entire body. A blanket of warmth from head to toe soon diminished the aching pain and heavy soreness inflicted onto my body. Breathing became easier, and I could slowly shift my body to my side.

"What... Did you do?"

"Ancient power long forgotten by most of my kind. An antidote of sorts that aids against curses. Your body is still riddled with the poison, but you should still live long enough to be cured." Exhausted, Slyr eases low, and his body begins to shrink slowly. Using dragon magic to shapeshift himself smaller, he reduces his size to half.

"Dragons sure are mysterious creatures..." My awe and wonder for such a display captivated my thoughts.

"So, son of Cassandra..." Slyr posed himself, his single eye trained on me. "Has your mother passed on in this life?"

"She has; when I was much younger, she did."

Slyr's expression saddens. I never thought I would see a dragon of such caliber like Slyr to show regret and sorrow. "Cass..." His voice trails off through his mouth before he opens his eyes again. "Your mother and her father mattered to me for many years. It was her father who tamed me and forced me to admit defeat when I was nothing but a spoiled youngling."

"My grandfather?"

"You do not know...? Of course... I figured after he died, your mother would have kept many secrets to the grave for your safety."

"P-Please...tell me everything..." This was my chance to learn about her than what my dad could tell me. Desperation filled my heart as I awaited a response.

"I'll tell you what you should know. But nothing more until you have grown much stronger."

"But-"

"This is what your mother would have wanted."

My voice fell silent. I was in no position to ask for any special treatment, even if Slyr knew of my mother.

I nodded "Tell me what you can..."

"Your mother was a very powerful woman. She was my best friend. I...we...were like family. I watched her as a baby to her becoming a full-grown woman. I'm sure you know...she was a Demon."

I did. It was something I only told myself and had come to terms with that I had Demon blood within my veins.

"What of my grandfather? Was he Demon born like her?"

"Your grandfather? No... He was a human like you with Demon blood in his veins."

"Then how-"

"Your mother was Cassandra Raiden. The daughter of the Second Demon King Raiden."

"M-My grandfather was Demon King Raiden?! T-That isn't possible... Raiden was thousands of years ago. No way my mother would be-"

Slyr let out a growl which cut me off. "Believe it or not, but this is the truth. I took her away from the war with her father's order and left her in Heistorm to live. When I returned to aid Raiden, news of his death drove me into a spiral of madness that lasted for many years. I lost my brother and best friend."

"That's why...why you have been roaming the lands, hunting, killing..."

"My rage and hatred for humankind for taking the person who gave me a purpose, who gave me a great life, and I couldn't live without my revenge. Until I eventually settled on mountains as far away from humanoids. Killing those who enter my territory."

His rage had been consuming him all this time, I thought. What I held against him and my desire to fight had been removed completely. I sat up and looked at Slyr, who was just as broken as most who lost everything.

"I won't forgive you for the senseless killing Slyr..."

"I wouldn't want forgiveness... I know what I have done."

"But I understand it." Deeply seeded in my own heart was a deep hatred for the Empire and humanoids similar to his own for what happened to my mother. If not for Tia and realizing how stupid everything was, I would be on this self-destructive path like Slyr.

"I see... That is everything I can tell you for now..."

My brain couldn't process all that information immediately, but I kept my composure. Slyr's breathing slowed as his wounds began to slowly regenerate by his own abilities. He suffered a lot from me.

"Thankfully, you didn't kill me or my companions."

"Heh... Cassandra's kid wouldn't go down without a fight like her old man. Once I saw your eyes and smelled your blood, I knew for sure who you were. Don't feel upset about my injuries now. These are new scars that I will remember now. I also have the names of them... Caleb Aris, son of Valum Aris and Cassandra Raiden, a boy strong enough to wound me as a child. I do not feel shame for it all."

"And I'll know that Slyr, the Crippling Dread was once family."

For a moment, Slyr seemingly chuckled to himself and slowly got to his feet, spreading his injured wing before looking at me. "Our time here must end, Caleb."

"What?"

"Your companion... The woman with you, is nearby. She shall return you to the others. I shall leave these mountains alone and find someplace to heal for the years needed."

"W-Wait! How will I find you?"

"If you must need me... Then I shall bestow a contract with you like I did your grandfather."

"A contract?" I had no idea of any contract or pact dragons had given to humanoids or the like.

"Stay still..." Drawing close, Slyr gently licked my chest, where my blood had stained my armor. "I have your blood for the contract. If you truly request my aid or need my assistance in any position, raise your hand to the sky, call my name with all your might, let the blood within you boil, and reach out. I shall return to you. I owe Cass many favors... Let this be one of them."

"Slyr..."

"Farewell, we shall meet again, Caleb..."

Turning in the opposite direction, Slyr moves away from sight, escaping to the other side of the mountain where I could not see him. Leaving me there, sitting and waiting for the approaching footsteps...