Silence lingered in the destroyed courtyard.
Shades of crimson and orange filled the sky as the empire of the sun was coming down. The faint smell of rotten wood hung in the air with a hint of blood. It was quite suffocating.
Heaps of dirt and splinters of wood flew through the air that came from inside the destroyed pavilion.
Eventually the silence was broken by the hiccup of Meria.
"...What?"
The young boy paused and scratched the back of his head.
'Black Dragon Company' was a fancy sounding word that he had heard for the first time in his lifetime considering his entire existence was limited to the prison.
He didn't knew the meaning of the word except 'Black'.
"What do you mean by Black Dragon Company?"
The bestial creature broke into a laugh... or was supposed to, but a low growl came out. It's ember eyes glowed even more than before.
It looked amused.
"Ah, what a nice joke. Funny indeed."
Meria shifted slightly seemingly uncomfortable by being beside the beast. She looked scared for some reason but for which reason the nameless one didn't know.
"I really don't know what you mean."
The magnificent creature stopped laughing or growling and stared at the boy for a while. Her eyes grew colder and colder while her eyes seemed to burn even more.
Meria's pupils contracted as her hands trembled.
"Please forgive that boy for he doesn't know anything! He spent his entire life in the prison."
After what seemed like an eternity the creature sighed deeply and licked it's paw.
"I see. That is unfortunate."
The sun had fully set and the last rays died down as the moon rose through painting the world in a cold and blue tone.
"You've spent your entire life in a cage." It continued. "And you stand there not feeling scared. How curious."
"Why should I feel scared of you?"
The voice of the nameless one even though gentle carried a lot of weight.
The air seemed to grow heavier and heavier as the red eyes of the creature shimmered violently.
Then,
It came crashing down, like the weight of a mountain stacked 10 times over.
And it was directed to one poor soul.
"Can't back up his words."
The beast's voice was rough like steel scraping against stone as it shook his head and turned behind.
Meria gritted her teeth as she shut her eyes in anticipation of the horror.
But...
The boy stood there unmoving, his pitch black eyes showing the essence of nothingness. It was like he didn't feel anything.
His black and rugged hair swayed in the direction of the wind as the scar became visible. The boy was what he was like before, devoid.
"What is the Black Dragon or whatever?"
The black Dragon snickered and growled with joy and amusement.
"Heh. You are very strange. From which faction are you?"
The boy frowned.
"What's that?"
Black Dragon chuckled.
"You don't really know anything."
"You weren't sure..?"
Meria accidentally let her thoughts aloud and covered her mouth just as fast.
The one with no name didn't pay attention to them anymore and looked around.
There was no one around anymore. The grand mansion that he had loathed before was gone, reduced to dust. The soldiers dressed in rich iron and steel were not to be seen anymore.
There were spots of red puddle everywhere. His eyes restricted into a point as he had finally realized what it was.
Blood.
It was like everyone was squashed by a giant... many of them in fact.
In some areas there was a large concentration of it while in some it was lessened to one or two. It was like a beautiful pattern to the boy which was a feeling he never felt before.
It was again, euphoric but incomplete.
'Why am I feeling this way?'
Before he could ponder a voice called him.
"Hey! Boy what is your name?"
The one with no name paused for a while. He never had a name because his parents were dead after they were born and he never had a proper guardian.
"I have no name, I never got one."
The beast looked truly surprised now.
"You have never ventured outside nor you have no name."
The boy shook his head and said,
"It is what it is."
Meria looked down and was silent for a while. Perhaps, she felt pity for the boy.
She had spent 2 years in the prison when her mother had revolted against the empire's wishes, to be sure she had also seen her share of nightmares but it paled in front of the boy.
"Can you tell me what is the black dragon company?"
The boy asked the mighty creature.
"Alright. I can explain but I need to get something too, don't you think?"
"I'm listening."
The Black Dragon stared at his face.
"I get to name you."
The boy's face contracted as his facial muscles strained.
"Why?"
The Black Dragon shook her or it's head.
"Because it's interesting to name a boy who has no name."
The boy sighed.
"Sure."
The Black Dragon's tail shifted slightly.
"So let me start. We all die and have a lifespan, don't we?"
Meria had also started listening attentively as she leaned in closer to them.
"Yes."
The Black Dragon had sat down on the ground as she lazily stretched her fore legs.
" So, we can gain-"
Before she spoke anything further the nameless one interrupted her.
"But I asked about 'Black serpent company' "
The creature sighed deeply letting out a low growl and walked forwards. Her eyes glowed even more than before and now small slithers of ice blue had followed her body, circling around.
"Don't interrupt me or you will be dead, do you understand?"
Ice had started to form around the boy's arm growing with tremendous speed as the boy winced, clasping his hand tightly as a groan escaped his throat.
The figure of the dragon was more imposing than ever betraying a sense of absolute authority.
"...And it is not serpent, it is dragon."
The boy quietly stood up as he saw no need for further argument or next, his head would be flying.
"Anyway, some people can use lots of power by sacrificing a amount of their lifespan. That is called Life force."
The boy's eyes glistened for a while.
"That means that man was using Life force?!"
The creature grinned as it's canine white fangs showed itself.
"Smart for you are, no doubt. Now coming to the main topic. Do you think that only humans can use life force?"
The boy pondered for a while.
If humans can actively us it why can't other animals use it?
"No.. I don't think so."
The Black Dragon's grin became wider.
"Bingo. There are creatures can use it too and they mutate in different ways and some become sentient like myself while others lose their tiny minds and become aggressive. They can pose a threat to human life so the Black Dragon Company which is mine, slay these aggressive creatures."
Meria had also listened attentively as she shuddered at the thought someone was willing to die to get power.
"But I don't have such power."
The beast looked surprised but continued,
"You don't have it but you can have it. We will train you to gather it."
The one with no name pondered for a while.
He could grow extremely strong if he joined the company. But he wasn't so sure that he was willing to die. He could die if he wanted to as there wasn't anything substantial he had achieved nor he had anyone left to protect.
But he felt a strong to desire to grow strong... to kill.
He was surprised that he was compelled to join. There was also another reason to it. He would have again get back to that hell, even if he escaped now there would be someone to hunt him at all times.
He didn't want to live like that. To be at alert at all times.
It was better to die than be poached like a rabbit.
"You don't have to say it now. Take your time. Till then, let's go to the sky!"
Meria looked puzzled as if to say something but stopped. The young teen had no emotions present in his face like always.
She wondered if he couldn't feel anything or this was his usual face.
The mighty lady of the south closed it's eyes and muttered something under her breath.
Then,
A pair of beautiful black wings flapped from the sides. White skin was the outline of the arm or what had been the arms but was lost to evolution.
It was as majestic as the body of the dragon.
Before any of the two could say anything the beast grabbed by their tunic and leapt off.
#
The moon shone with brilliance even if it wasn't of herself.
Stars quietly hung by her side as if performing theatrics with the white ball at the front. The shimmering point of lights supported the front actress with all they've got.
The milky way galaxy glistened above the moon and was even more mesmerizing. Patches of pale black and white mixed well with the moon and together it looked more amazing.
The boy reached his hands towards them in a try to reach them.
Someone had told him that they were bigger than earth but he didn't believe them but today, the fact looked more true than ever.
'I want to reach them... the stars, one day to be at the top and observe them like today."
Then he realized that he was hundreds of meter above the air only not dropping to his death by fangs.
Meria was frantically pushing her hands and legs and was screaming at the top of her legs.
But before he could do the same a voice called him from behind.
"So beautiful, isn't it. I have also thought of your name, want to hear it?
Meria stopped her desperate actions and glanced behind.
The boy nodded but couldn't hide his excitement
"From now onwards, your name is Imus."
The boy stared at her and... smiled.
'Imus, huh? has a nice ring to it.'
The night sky looked even more beautiful now.