The Shadow's Curse

Chapter 1

A cold chill ran down my back as I lay in this ally. The only feeling of warmth is coming from the blood dripping down my busted up eye. "STAY DOWN!" yelled a guard as he fixed his gauntlet. I watched the second one drag a limp, young man's body over. "Sir Leo, what about this one?" asked the guard holding up the head of the man. "What about him?" Leo looked over at my bloody face. "He is the one the church wants, not that filth. Dispose of him. It's not like anyone will care about another rat disappearing." Leo said, finally getting his gauntlet to look perfectly in place with his silver plate mail. "You can't." I said weakly as I tried to sit up, looking Leo in the eyes. "He is just a boy." I pleaded with the guards. "Let him go, and forget about him." 

   "And why should I?" laughed Leo. "He's just another waste of mana for the system just like the other rats that hide in the streets waiting for their next meal," as Leo grabbed the collar of my tunic, pulling me up to my feet. "But my friend, you are my ticket to finally getting off the streets and being stationed at the capital. You know the church has put a mighty fine bounty on your head," he said with an evil grin starting to form on his face. I laughed at him, causing some blood to splatter across his face. "What is it now?" I ask him. "Last time, it was 50 gold dead and 100 alive." I said before feeling a sharp pain in my lower stomach. "The new bounty is 100 dead!" Leo said, holding a dagger hilt as he plunged the blade in the lower right side of my stomach. Coughing up blood, I yelled in agony as I felt the hot stinging pain run through my body. I struggled to get away. Throwing a left hook at his face, I held his right hand on the hilt, trying to stop him from pulling it out causing me to bleed out. I won't give him the satisfaction of my death. As my fist collided with his face, he just laughed as it felt like punching a brick wall. "Dammit!" I cried out, as Leo started to twist the dagger. "You will die here today, and the church will praise me for it."

    I kept fighting and struggling as the blood pooled at my feet. Anger rose up as I kept punching Leo's face till my hand was nothing but a bloody mess. Still Leo looked in perfect condition, like nothing happened. "The hell man, what are you made of!" I yelled as I felt my vision fade and body go limp. Leo leaned in and whispered, "Everything you're not." Dropping my body to the floor, letting the dagger slide out.