The Dragon's Pirate Warrior | oc insert

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Eleven years ago_
Four months before the shipwreck_

"Don't forget, Arcane, you're the Colourless Dragon," mum walked over and smiled, "people will still seek your power. That's why you can't leave the village or go anywhere alone. OK?"

"It's not fair," I pouted and looked off to the side, "it's so boring in this village. Nothing ever happens around here."

"Don't wish for trouble when none is needed," dad told me as he walked in the house, "son, you'll realise in the near future that the peaceful nature of our village is going to be something you'll forever be glad to return to when you start travelling and doing whatever you wish."

"What do you mean?" I asked, he gestured for me to follow him, so I did.

"Look around you and tell me what you see," he gestured to the village around us.

"Well I see the village," I stated naïvely.

"Yes, that you do," dad nodded, not laughing at all at my blindness to what was around, "but look closer. What do you see when you focus your senses?"

I hummed and looked around again.

There were children running around, playing together. Adults were working but they were clearly happy. Everyone was smiling and enjoying what they were doing.

"I see happiness," I told him, he patted my head.

"Good," he nodded, "now, imagine this place without any happiness or light in it."

"Huh? How do I do that?" I asked, confused at what exactly he was asking me to do.

"Just imagine everyone's smiles being frowns. Everyone's happiness sorrow. Everyone's enjoyment, despair," dad told me with a terrifyingly serious face.

I didn't want to. My mind told me not to. But I did. I imagined the opposite of what I was seeing and somehow scared myself.

"I don't like it, dad," I looked to the ground.

I just heard a laugh and watched as he crouched down in front of me.

"Don't worry, my boy," he gave me the most gentle smile I've ever seen and reached out and placed his hand on my head, "that is what the world outside our village looks like. But you don't have to see it properly, not yet at least. I promise you, I'll protect you from that darkness."

He pulled me into a hug.

"I won't let you face that darkness alone," he told me before standing up and letting me go, "anyway, I'm going to go and help your mother with dinner. If you're going to play, take Shi-Zen with you."

"OK," I nodded and watched as he walked back into the house.

The world is dark past our village? How dark? Is it like the night-time kind of dark? Or worse?

"Arc!" a sudden weight appeared on my back and sent me falling to the floor.

I looked over my shoulder to see the red mop of hair that was Shi-Zen.

"Oi-- what're you doing?!" I rolled over and toppled on top of him, "how dare you push me into the mud."

Shi-Zen just stuck his tongue out at me before rolling us over again.

"Don't dare a fool!" he grinned, "because we're the smartest of them all!"

"Oh yeah?" I asked, rolling us over again.

"Yeah!" he challenged, flipping us back before getting up, "I bet you couldn't catch me even if you tried your hardest!"

"Why you-- is that a challenge?!" I shouted as he began running away. He paused, turned around and made a stupid face.

"Why of course it is my dear Arcane," he laughed loudly before running off.

I stood up and chased after him.

"You won't escape!" I laughed.

We ran around the village and somehow ended in the forest off the border of our home.

"Got you!" I grinned as I jumped on Shi-Zen's back.

He'd stopped running but I noticed he was shaking when I was on him.

"Shi-Zen? Whats the matter?" I asked before noticing he was staring forward and looking forward as well just to come face to face with some ugly looking guys. They were huge and carried some jagged by threateningly large blades.

"Look at what we have here... Two snot nosed brats wandering around the forest all alone," one of the men, the ring leader, I assumed, laughed loudly. The rest of the group laughed as well.

This is bad.

Who are these people?

What do they want?

Why do they have such big weapons?

When did they get here exactly?

Why has no one noticed them yet?

Question after question flooded my mind until it finally settled on two conclusions.

'These guys are dangerous,' and 'run.'

I quickly grabbed Shi-Zen's hand and started dragging him off in the direction of the village as fast as we could physically run.

"Arcane," Shi-Zen called out, "what're bandits doing here? How did they get here?"

"I-I don't know," I shook my head, "just run!"

"Oh look. They're running away, some good entertainment it seems," the man laughed behind us.

I didn't dare to look back, instead I just kept running until suddenly, something wrapped around my ankle and I was dragged to the ground along with Shi-Zen.

What? What is going on?!