• Life in the town of Armastella was a pain in the butt. Always on the run, Rayne Darkheart was a thief who was on the most-wanted list of criminals. Wearing a black mask and wearing torn up cloths, she kept her head high and her people seeing her on the down low. If you asked her, she didn’t have a problem with it. Her mom was a thief, her dad was a thief, heck, even her eight year old, sweetheart brother was going to become one. Actually, her brother was the only reason she kept going, risking her life for him. He was her only blood related relative she had, might as well keep him nearby. He always had a positive attitude, the cutest smile, and a big heart for her. If he wasn’t here, she would be in a wreck.

    Rayne looked around, blending her whole body in with the dark. She pressed her back against the brick wall of the deserted alley, slipping a mask on over her piercing violet eyes. “Looks like my work is all laying out perfectly,” she muttered, eyes keeping watch on the population of townspeople dropping by the second. The chattering of residents were dropping, soon, the town seemed deserted. She kept her guard up, sneaking like a snake as she walked the corner, sprinting down the street. The lights in the bakery slowly dimmed to only a faint light. The royal castle off in the distance looked peaceful, clouds behind it with the company of a twilight moon. Rayne’s footsteps were the only sound she could pinpoint, she estimated the time was around ten ‘o clock. Making her way to the end of the long road, she found what she was looking for: the bakery. Her reasons why, to get food. She needed enough to last her and her brother a good, long while.

    She reached the wooden door, the sign that read “Ye Olde Bakers” swung back in forth, it being nailed to the door. “Let’s see what I can do,” she whispered into the air, trying the door. Locked. She muttered a curse word, looking around just in case she might be caught. She looked closer, squinting her eyes to see in the dim light supplied, and found exactly what she was looking for. A key whole. She smirked with delight, grabbing a thin stick from a tree branch from her pocket. Why she had it, you may ask? She was a thief, having some break-in tools with her was only the smartest she could do. She stuck the small stick in the whole, twisting it and turning the key whole with all the strength she had within her. Click. The door swung open, gently hitting the wall. She tip-toed inside, with caution she lit a candle. Waving it in the air, she saw a stack of fresh bread stacked on top of the wooden counter, calling her with the sweet, sweet aroma. She sniffed the smell with happiness, feeling her heart fill with the most happy feeling.

    She carried the candle to the bread, grabbing one of the loaves and stuffing it in her cloth bag. “One, two, three,” she counted the loaves of bread she was stuffing into her bag, looking around with sneaky eyes.

    “HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE!?”

    She was quick to find the source of the booming yell. The lights slipped on, and the tubby baker waddled out with pajamas on. His face was beet red, and his eyes glared at her with anger. It was over. She shook her head. Not until my heart stops beating. She swiped the strap of her bag, and off she went. She sprinted out the door, as fast as her two feet could carry her. Raven black strings of hair went flying in the air, her mask still on and secure. No one saw her. That was good. She heard the voice of the baker say, “Thief! Thief!” She heard his footsteps come closer to her, she looked back to see his fist shaking angrily in the air.

    She made her way down the street, panic rising through her as the realized he was coming closer. She looked ahead, but something wasn’t right. In the distance, she saw a figure. Not just any figure. A big, huge figure coming closer. “I have to be hallucinating, I just have to,” she shook her head, blinked a couple of times in hopes the figure would go away. “What the heck?” she muttered, looking back to see the baker behind her. He grabbed her hair, pulling her head back with force as he looked at her with a devilish grin. “Thought you could run, eh? Looks like I’ve got you now.”

    It’s over. It’s all over. It was not going to go on. Her brother, a sweet, harmless, unselfish little miracle was going to starve, or even worse, cry himself to sleep until he starved. The thought hurt her own heart, but she struggled to get out. His grip on her hair was tight. Suddenly, his squinted, brown eyes grew wide, looking ahead. She raised her brow, looking back where the baker was looking. Like the baker, her eyes grew wide, barely noticeable through her mask. In front of her, maybe less than a hundred yard away, was the most terrifying thing you could imagine. Have you ever had nightmares with big, scary, indescribable creatures? You’ll know what this is like.

    A thirty feet tall, maybe more or less, creature with a long tail, waving across the ground and swiping the buildings with a bang, with a pair of fiery red eyes, a creature with a thick body covered with black scales, long spikes coming out of his back, was facing them with a clueless look on his face, then looking down at the two. With surprise and fright, the baker let go, making a “Run-for-your-life” scream as he ran back towards the bakery. Rayne backed up, not daring to make a noise, but failed at that when the creature heard the dim-witted baker.

    He moved closer, black paws making a loud, earsplitting crack sound on the ground as it moved with a blank look on his face, closer to Rayne. She ran, ran like she was, well, going to be killed by a scary monster. This was true. She heard the beast make a cry, a loud scream that made him, or her, shake its head with furry. Hush scary monster don’t say a word, spare my life and let me save my brother. She couldn’t think about remixing songs right now, she was more focused on running for her life.

    The monster made a loud, deafening cry again, coming closer. She still ran, but before she could, she saw a figure run at a fast pace to her. The human looked human, thankfully. She questioned it, but not stopping her run. Just then, she saw the figure jump. Literally jump. It made its way above her head, and she followed his movements as he took out a metal sword. It was long and thin, and it shined in the moonlight. A black cape waved out, making him seem more mysterious then he already was. The mysterious figure swiped his sword across the beast, making the thing cry in pain as it stood, looking around with his long neck. She felt her legs give out, falling to her knees. She gasped for air, keeping her eyes on the figure swiping the thing with a sword. The cuts were apparently to much, for it fell to the ground, landing on top of a house. Wood exploded everywhere, her hand reaching up to cover her eyes. The mysterious figure landed safely on the ground, waiting a few moments before he touched the monster’s paw. It was half her body size, and it was huge. He patted the paw, walking away. She shook her head.

    This man had saved her, it would be good to thank him at least. “W-Wait! Excuse me! I wanted to thank you,” she shouted, running up to him. He stopped, looking back at her. His hand came into view from his cape, and she skidded to a stop, eyes wide. The figure looked human, but the hand. A dark green, scaly arm with sharp claws where his fingernails should be. “Who-,” she started to stutter out her question, but the person, who was male, she figured, ran at a pace that would be hard for her to catch up. She couldn’t believe how he ran! He jumped into air, flying up to the roof of a house and to the next! It was amazing and awe rising. After he faded away into the darkness, she just kind of stood there. What did she just see? Maybe this was a nightmare. She convinced herself of that, walking away with wide eyes still glued to her face. Just focus. Bring the food to your brother. He’s probably starving.