"Level thirty exceeded. Current level is thirty two. Health drastically increased. Damage of all skills increased. Shadow step skill acquired. Blood rage skill acquired.". I stood out in the Grand Arena for a few moments as I obtained my new stats and skills from killing my father. I noticed that there were no gates opening for my exit, and a large hawk circling overhead. "Bring out the prisoners!", the king demanded. After his demand three guards, each pushing a prisoner, came out to the balcony of the arena. One was my mother Mary, one was Alice, and the final prisoner was Zach. "John told me of the origins of this creature below. He told me everything. John was fighting the beast as punishment for his role in the beasts life. Now these three, the one who birthed him, and the two who raised him will be put to death!". I couldn't just watch this happen I had to do something, anything, try everything I could. I shot beams, threw spear after spear trying to break the barrier between us, as the axe came down on my mother's head. Her body went limp and it was over in a second. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh" I screamed out, now flying up and clawing the barrier. "Kill them all Dracul. Kill them all.", Alice said for the last time. Blood rained down, the whites of my eyes turned crimson as I entered blood rage. As the guard was walking up to Zach I noticed the large hawk swooping down towards one of the enchanted stones which held the barrier in place. The bird was as black as night, with a purple magic mark on its wings. The guard raised the axe above his head just as the hawk grabbed the stone and began to soar upward again. "Avenge her Dracul. Avenge Alice.". The section on barrier closest to me flickered then faded away just as Zachs head hit the concrete. Enraged I flew out of the opening implanting my claws under the guard's lower jaw. As magicians and rangers fired volleys of attacks. I vanished high into the clouds above, and released the guard as I reach the clouds. His body must have exploded when it hit the ground. Thinking of the death that awaited him brought back memories from my past life, but I wouldn't ponder on that very long.
After flying east for ten minutes or so I swooped down into the middle of a vast forest. From the ground each tree looked as if it touched the sky. The woods were thick and lush with greens. A stream of water about ten feet wide flowed throughout it. It was a perfect place for animals to drink and hunt, and what was I but the top of the food chain. I followed the stream up, slashing at trees in anger. I wanted to fly back, but I couldn't afford for them to trap me again. I needed one of two things, raw power, or vastly superior numbers. I pondered and thought as I shadow stepped from one side of the stream and back to the other, vanishing within a cloud of black smoke before emerging out of another. I could kill anything and everything to level up, or I could try to compel the beasts of this forest to fight for me. I continued to think as I happened upon a large cave. I walked inside and up to the roof. I forced out my wings and wrapped them around my body in normal resting fashion, after deciding to sleep on my thoughts.
Back in Falmon the king was furious. He called in his top generals and advisers into the war room of the castle. It was a large circular room with a large round table and marble floors. On the table was a three dimensional scale of the kingdom. Twelve chairs surrounded the table, each one sat a general or an adviser. "The beast flew to the east. Send soldiers out to every village east of the kingdom from here to the dark elf lands of Nightshire.", the king said as he pointed out toward the three dimensional map. "Your highness, we should also put a bounty out. I say any adventuring party level twenty five or higher should have the option to search the forest.", a robed man stated who sat just to the left of the king. "Make is so. Five hundred gold pieces to the party who can capture the beast.", the king replied. The men that surrounded the table all rose up, balled their right fist placing it over their hearts, and said, "Long live the king!". The room cleared out as the men set out on the kings orders to move squadrons of soldiers, and post the bounty to all adventures throughout the kingdom. Beast masters used various birds to fly the bounty notice in all directions, reaching each of the five guild halls within the kingdom of Falmon. Generals coordinated the movement of soldiers and supplies eastward, the direction I had flown away. They would send half of their numbers east, and leave half to maintain the capital. Each of the ten squadrons dispatched would be lead by either a warrior or Paladin class. There were also mage squads with battle mages, healers, enchanters, and an arch mages to command them.
I had no knowledge of it then, I was sure they would come to search for me, but the entire kingdom was at arms. It was me against every combat and support class in Falmon. I had no understanding of how this world worked. This was my first time to see it while truly being free. I didn't know if I would find allies, or if any existed. Was there any race who were ready to stand against the king, and did they have the strength to put up a fight. How would I come to fight against them? Who would stand beside me? My loved ones were slain before my very eyes, and a war was brewing. That was the price paid for my freedom.