Lucas pov

After following the direction Cyril ran off in Tide and I come across something very strange. On the ground is a hole of about two feet in circumfrence. That may not sound too strange, but there's more. There are multiple cracks running along the ground, which start from the hole. They all go out by a few feet so whatever did this has to have some serious strength. The thing is, we are not even that far out in the forest. There shouldn't be any monster around these parts that could do something like this.

"Do you think Cyril was here? Lucas?"

"I have no idea. I don't think Cyril would be able to do something like this...Was he fighting something?"

"Lucas! Look over there!"

She shouts while pointing right in front of us. A few feet away from the hole and cracks in the ground is more carnage. Burned grass, patches of dirt missing from the ground and unnatural damage to trees. We both walk over to take a look around.

"Looks like there was a fight here."

"Was it Cyril?"

"No. It couldn't have been him. He doesn't know this much magic."

The only magic he knows from my knowledge is [Fireball] [Bolt] [StaticPalm] and one summoning spell. This looks like the works of more experienced fighters. People that know more advanced techniques than Cyril. This is definitely the way he went, but none of this was his doing. There is no sign of him being here at all. What happened to you, little brother?

"Maybe he was being chased?"

Tide gives a suggestion about what she think might have happened.

"What could he have done to be chased? None of this makes any sense."

"Hmm."

Looks like Tide is just as confused as I am.

"Looks like we don't have any other choice but to follow the trail, Lucas."

I give her a nod. She's right. We'll just have to see where this takes us.

"That's as far as you go kids."

"That's as far as you go kids."

Two voices ring out from the quiet behind us. Both of us quickly turn around and draw our weapons. Tide with her Warhammer and me with both of the Falchions drawn. It's the twins that Elder is so fond of. Their peircing blue eyes seem to glow in the darkness.

"Lucas it's the twins!"

"You know we have names, right? I'm Prusy and this is Pasky."

The one to our left names himself and then points to his brother and introduces him.

"Really? Prusy and Pasky? Those are...very unique names."

[AN: You talkin' to me? Look my imagination isn't that great give me a break man.]

I didn't want to insult them so I had to stop myself there. Despite them being well known in the Village I never heard their names before. Just 'The Twins' is all people ever call them.

"Enough talk. Come with us and neither of you will get hurt."

"Is that a threat, Pasky?"

"Kid, that is a fact. Put your weapons away or we do it for you."

I stand my ground. I can't help but sweat a little when being faced with these two. It's like facing off against a mountain.

"Lucas, what are we going to do?"

I can see Tide is is begining to tense up as well. She seems a bit scared like me.

"Run!"

Without any more words both of us turn and cast body strengthening spell to increase our speed.

"[Leg Enhance 1]!"

"[Leg Enhance 1]!"

Once we cast the spell, we leave our previous position in the dust. Prusy and Pasky are both nowhere to be seen.

"This is the best that two little geniouses can do?"

"You're 10,000 years behind us kid."

Wha-!

*Bang!*

Before I could even notice them, both of the twins had gotten in front of us. With a bang Pasky decked Tide right in the face!

[AN:It just doesn't feel right writing about a little girl getting decked in the face. Makes me feel guilty! Am I a bad person?]

God damn! Did he have to punch her in the face?! Oh man Atlas is going to be so pissed.

"Sorry about this kid!"

*Bang!*

With another bang, Prusy does the same as Prasky and knocks me out with a fist to the face.

Cyril pov

The next day we go to meet Gnat at the city Gate. Ambrogino looks to be on guard. It looks like he's really worried about this adventurer him and Gnat were both talking about. He must be very powerful if he can put Ambrogino on edge this much.

"Hello friends! Nice day isn't it?"

Gnat calls out to us from a distance. He looks to be in a good mood. Is it because of the new body?

"Hurry up shit eater! I don't want to be here longer than necessary."

"Understandable. Looks like we are on the same page for once, Ambrogino. In fact, I don't plan on coming back here so let us hurry out of here."

"Hmph."

Doesn't seem like he likes agreeing with him too much... Are they really friends?

After leaving Warsent we headed west for five hours and then stopped at a clearing.

"Here is good. Cyril sit over there."

Ambrogino points toward the center of the clearing. I once again do as he says...I don't like it, but what other choice do I have?

"What is this ritual even for? You said I didn't need a ritual for a Dragon form."

I can't help but question him. I know I said I would trust him, I just hate not knowing what a weasel and some parasite are going to do to me with some unknown ritual.

"Cyril, you need to trust me. I may be Tayrn's servant, but remember that I was sent to protect you. /if something happened to you, Tayrn would butcher me. I'm your friend."

"Mm."

I really can't argue with that.

"Gnat, start now."

"You gotcha."

Gnat kneels down in fornt of me. He sticks out his index finger and holds it right on my forehead.

A sudden feeling of bliss flows through my mind and I close my eyes. I feel as happy as when I was back at home. With Mom, Dad and Lucas. Playing and laughing together. Then I feel something...horrible. I open my eyes and Gnat now has his finger on my heart.

[AN:BAD TOUCH! STRANGER DANGER!]

I can feel something swelling up inside me. I close my eyes once again and it reminds me of back then. Way back when I was in my old world. The pain of my constant beatings! The verbal abuse! The bites of that dog that would leave scars all over my body!

Iget to my feet and leap away from Gnat. I keep trying to calm myself, but-but it won't stop! This anger and sorrow won't stop!

I fall to my knees and grab my head in both hands.

"What did you DO!"

I look up to Ambrogino and demand answers. And he has that same stupid smirk on his face!

"I helped you. I removed that pesky seal your Elder placed on you. Now you can realize you potential and Master Tayrn is happy. It's a win-win situation, right?"

"You bastard!"

Now I'm even angrier than I was before. Why does this always happen to me? Why why why why?!

"I trusted you! You said that you- You were-!"

"What? Your friend? Hahaha! I can't believe you really bought that!"

I'm pissed, but he's right! How could I have ever trusted him? How could I ever trust anyone?! Even Mom or Dad! Or even Lucas! I hate them! I hate all of them!

"No! No! I don't hate them! How could I hate...my family."

(Family? They were never your family!)

It's that same voice from before. The one that made me kill that Vampchicken. The same one that popped in my head when I went berserk. I close my eyes as hard as I can and put my face in the dirt.

(They mean nothing to you! They were only there to fill the hole in your heart! They were fake! They never loved you.)

"You're wrong! Mom always talked with me and Dad was always there to cheer me up! And Lucas-!"

(Lucas? He hates you, remember? He disowned you. Threw you away like a pest! That whore is the same. She used you like a tool ever sinse you caould walk!)

"That's...Not true..."

(Why do you lie to yourself? You know the truth already.)

"Stop! Don't say it! It's not true!"

(You have no friends! You're an outcast! No one loves you and they never will!)

"NOOOOO!!"

I grip the sides of my head. It hurts. It feels like I'm dying! Suddenly the pain stops. However, it feels like a part of me is gone. Like I'm empty inside.

I open up my eyes to check on my condition. I completely ignore Gnat and Amrogino and start to check myself. I look down at my hands.

"What!"

Instead of my normal hands I'm greeted with something completely different. A three clawed paw with jet black scales all over my arm. This isn't even close to an arm! This is more like a kanine's leg!

"Yes! Finally! The Black Dragon has returned!"

I hear Ambrogino yelling about a Black Dragon. Is this my Dragon Form? Is this The Black Dragon?