Music in The Shadows

3. The Blade of Fire Never Misses

The Ragnor snake.

A snake that could take the shape of any size it wished, whether it chooses to be as small as a worm or as big as a mountain. Rhey was still young. Ezra and I had only found him a year ago as an egg in a lake inside the Corat Forest just outside the skirts of Merlanis. He was said to be the last of his kind.. the rest had died in battles used for war or were either hunted and killed for their skin or even sometimes venom. We had always wondered how he ended up in Corat, as his kind could only ever be found in the territory of the Kingdom of Darkness.. but what could you expect, most animals, even dangerous ones, have fled from there.

Rhey had beautiful black scales that sometimes shone blue in the sunlight, Ezra and I had taken care of him from the moment he hatched. We had always been brushing off questions or notifying any curious eyes that he was just a python. We would never put Rhey in the arena as too many cunning eyed would seek him out and capture him for their own benefit. Rhey was ours and we were his.

Rhey was always with Ezra, they had a bond no one could decipher.

Rhey also, surprisingly tended to be the more patient one among us. The three of us were inseparable. A small family as I would like to call it, along with everyone we worked with in the Arena.

Rhey clung onto Ezra like a decoration and hissed at any of the guards who came near.

"Thank you for the breakfast, my little Lord, you even remembered which color is my favourite, I see you care, unlike some people. " I smile lovingly at him, reaching out to brush his head.

"Kiss ass" Ezra softly mumbled as I took a bite out of my apple in a smug way.

I softly laughed as Ezra rolled his eyes and held the opening of the tent for me to pass through.

I walked through and took another bite of my apple. I chewed slowly, savoring the sweet but mainly sour taste as the juice bit into my cheeks.

I scanned the training room- Ezra and I were the only ones present. The targets for archery, blade throwing and for magic were all set in place. Some of the dangerous creatures we fought in the arena were here too, creatures most soldiers and guards would kill without a thought, well... if they were strong enough to kill them. The creatures of the "underworld", as most call them, come in all different shapes and sizes, we keep them as part of our performances in the arena, Fala's one rule ever made regarding these creatures was to never kill them but beat them in battle. These creatures were forged by darkness itself. These creatures can not feel pain and they aren't wounded either, the only way to defeat them in the performance is to tire out so they eventually submit to whoever challenges them.

If you aren't careful, their razor sharp claws could slice you open-bleeding to dearh, and their venom in them is enough to paralyze you for hours, but this is if they don't eat you first which they're capable of doing in less than 5 minutes.

The creatures are contained in a magic compound keeping them at bay. My first encounter with them wasn't a good one..

I was only 11 when I first sneaked into the training tent, curious and positive that I could help these creatures. My heart felt hurt and guilt as these creatures had to stay in these caged compounds and not be free or live a peaceful life. Every living being wanted or dreamt of a peaceful life.. no one could possibly want to be contained..

I had gone close to their compound-  reached my hand through the magic shield that covered the area and to my surprise my hand wasn't zapped away, it let my hand through as if it were never there and then just like that..

I had stepped completely in.

The creatures were all in the cages, all quiet.. none had been snarling or growling like they had when fought in the arena. I went to the one closest.. its blue glowing eyes boring into mine.. I couldn't help but stare for a while, almost entranced by its presence, the other creatures regarded the situation almost warily. I noticed how this dark creature almost resembled a sloth.. seemingly made of shadows itself.. with only its eyes and claws gleaming. I reached to open the cage and in a flash I felt a sharp slicing pain on the tip of my index finger. I couldn't help but let out a shrill scream, not in pain but in shock as I fought to scramble away, it was then that all the dark creatures started howling and snarling- making everything in the compound sound as ferocious as I had imagined them to be.