The Dark Curse

Chapter 1: Mark of the Gods

   

The exit out of hell was so close but so far for Draco. The endless pain and heartache wore him down, like he was being dragged to the bottom of a lake that he couldn't escape. He was a slave deep in the Kobold mines, taxing his body so he could get a little more food and less abuse. He was the embodiment of pain and despair. He had visible cracks in his scales from lack of hygiene.
"Hey, you filthy peasant!" A Kobold guard shouts.
Draco continues with work but quietly pays attention. He hears snickering from the other slaves in the mine, with mutters of; He's so dead, and He's finaly going to get what's coming.
Footsteps start to approach Draco, dread filling and starting to overflow. The butt of a sword digs into Draco's neck. Knocking him to the ground.
"What's wrong?" Draco askes.
The guard kicks Draco in the stomach, "You know what you did you filthy peasant."
Draco is picked up by the guard and brought to a cell. The cell was all stone with a rock as the bed. Draco lies there, thoughts running through his mind of what caused his false imprisonment.
Minutes turn hours and hours to days. The only thing keeping him sane was the thought of his beloved. So after what felt like eternity, the cell doors flung open making the door rattle. Standing there were three guards holding what his time would be for the next hours or days. They grab Draco, strip him, and hang him from the ceiling.
"You know what this is?" The guard asked.
In his hands were a set of lock picking tools, along with a small crossbow with some bolts, and a short sword.
"Some of your fellow slaves told us you had a plane to escape later tonight. Wanna tell us why?" He explains.
"I don't even know what most of those items are! And why would I-"
The wip slashes across Draco's chest making a loud cracking noise. An audible yelp could be heard from Draco.
"If you just give up it'll be easier for you," he said.
"I don't know anything you apostate scum!" Draco shouted.
The guard posture changed to an aggressive stance. "Watch your mouth you pathetic weasel!' He shouted.
The wip connected with Draco leaving gashes and bruises all over. Draco lifted his head revealing his competent smile. The guard steps back, wavering his confidence. "You acted above it all, but you're just a pathetic weasel as well," Draco says.
The guard erupts with anger whipping Draco till his body is covered with lashes. "That's not enough for scum like you," He said grinning.
He reveals his sword. The other two guards look at each other uneased. The guard begins slashing and stabbing Draco until his body goes limp. "That's enough boys," The guard announces.
The guards turn and leave, leaving Draco. Draco lets out a sigh, but immediately starts coughing up blood. Draco looks up at the sky, tears filling his eyes. "Gods, if you're out there. I'm sorry for whatever I did and promise not to repeat it in my next life," Draco says.
Draco's tears stream down his face. "But if you're there and you haven't given up on me, please give me a sign," Draco says.
Nothing. Not even the creaks of rocks, or the clanking of armor. Draco lowers his head in defeat. "Oh my child," a voice said.
Draco looked around puzzled at the voice. "Who are you?" Draco asked.
A light appeared in the middle of the room, filling the room with light. "I'm Vita the god of Life. I heard your call. We haven't abandoned you. We've been watching over you, and we would like to give you a token of appreciation for following us to the bitter bone."
A hand reaches out from the light and caresses Draco's face. Tears fall from Draco's face evaporating when coming in contact with Vita. "We would like to give you the mark of the gods." Vita explains.
The mark of Vita appeared above Draco's head. "Here is the mark of Vita, Life and New beginnings."
A flame replaces the sun. "Here is the mark of Ignis, Fire."
As the last, the mark of gods started to appear over Draco's head. The mark of Magia, Scientia, Sapientia, until another mark not of the gods appeared. After the last mark faded a symbol of a hand holding an eye appeared. Draco's eye exploded spraying blood over the walls. In its place an eye of Dark magic appeared in the socket. "Ahh!" Draco cries out.
"Oh my. My child you have been cursed by an evil presence. It's too powerful for me to dispel. But here," Vita says, placing her hand on Draco's chest.
The light emanating from the Eye disappeared. "I locked away most of the power away, but to dispel the curse you want to go to the temple of the Magia, and have a high level cleric dispel it. That's all I can do for now," Vita says.
"Will I ever see you again?" Draco asks.
Vita turns to look at Draco. "With that curse you'll have a tough and cruel journey. If you can push past all of the cruel and despicable things in your journey then you will see us again," Vita replies.
As sudden as it appeared, the light faded.