Angel City - Isaac’s Bedroom

  Isaac was tossing and turning in his bed, sweat soaking through his sheets. His breath came in ragged gasps. He wasn’t in his apartment anymore.

  He was standing in a war room, surrounded by battered soldiers.

  “My King… We have just received the message,” Captain Henry said, his voice trembling with rage. “Sovereign Fall and his army have allied with Lord Vilgas… they are invading Olympia as we speak.”

  Isaac felt a fire ignite in his veins.

  “That bastard! Retreat your soldiers, Captain. I want you to take the citizens far away from here. Order Anabelle and ‘The Broken’ to hold off the invading army.”

  “Yes, my King… and Your Majesty?”

  “I am going to kill those two treacherous dogs myself.”

  “What? You’re going alone? My King, that is suicide…”

  “Obey, Captain! I don’t have time for this. If I kill those two, the war ends today.”

  Isaac and Henry locked eyes.

  “I will go with him, Captain. Rest easy,” a female voice cut in.

  “What? No, Mia,” Isaac snapped.

  “It won’t do any good to argue, Isaac,” Mia stepped forward, her hand on the hilt of her sword. “I am going with you. Period.”

  They stared at each other, a silent battle of wills.

  “Fine,” Isaac relented. “But you do everything I say, okay?”

  “Let’s go, my love.”

  Suddenly, a soldier burst into the room, covered in grime.

  “My King… My King…” he gasped, falling to his knees.

  “Speak, soldier!”

  “My King… I bring bad news. They have kidnapped Queen Aiko and Princess Selene… They left a message. They are at the Iron Palace.”

  Isaac roared, looking up at the starry sky through the window.

  “Bastards… it’s definitely a trap,” Mia hissed.

  “Yes…” Henry agreed.

  “I have to go there,” Isaac said, his voice cold as steel. “Captain, follow the order I gave you.”

  “My King… I… As you wish.”

  “Mia…” Isaac turned to her. “You will stay here with the Captain. I won’t lose you too.”

  “I already told you, Isaac. I am going with you. It’s no use… I’m with you until the end.”

  Isaac looked at her with infinite sadness. He stepped closer, cupping her face… and then delivered a swift, precise flick to her forehead. A pulse of energy knocked her unconscious instantly. She collapsed into his arms.

  “Forgive me, Mia… Please… don’t be sad with me,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. “Take care of yourself, my beauty… I love you so much.”

  He looked at her peaceful face. “You have suffered enough. I won’t allow it again.”

  Isaac carried her over to Captain Henry.

  “Henry… give her to Mary, please. Ask her to look after her for me.”

  Henry looked from the unconscious warrior to his King, tears in his eyes. He took Mia into his arms.

  “Good luck, my King.”

  Isaac turned. The ground cracked beneath his feet. With a sonic boom, he launched himself into the sky, flying at supersonic speed toward the Iron Palace.

  Mundus - The Iron Palace [???]

  Isaac descended like a meteor, decimating the entire army stationed in front of the palace gates with a single shockwave. He looked at the massive double iron doors. With a roar of fury, he shattered them like glass and stormed into the throne room.

  Sovereign Fall was sitting on the throne. Lord Vilgas stood by his side.

  “Look who arrived for the party,” Vilgas sneered. “Fell into the trap like a fool.”

  “I have been benevolent with you and your stupid war for too long, Vilgas,” Isaac’s voice echoed off the walls. “Today… nothing and no one will save you from my fury.”

  Vilgas drew his weapon, but Fall raised a hand.

  “Enough, Vilgas. That is no way to greet a dignified guest,” Fall said smoothly. “Hello, little Isaac. I regret that we have to meet like this, son… unfortunately, you forced my hand.”

  “I’ve heard enough of your bullshit, Fall. But this… you outdid yourself,” Isaac spat. “Allying with Vilgas? It just shows how foolish you always were.”

  “Foolish?” Fall stood up, his elf ears twitching. “Foolish is the one who puts a dirty, disgusting human among the High Elves. Nebulon lost its identity and authority because of you… because of Olympia. And today… that ends. Olympia will be wiped off the map… and all of Mundus, especially those damned Dragons, will know the error of crossing the Elves.”

  Stolen novel; please report.

  “Enough, Fall! Where are Aiko and Selene?” Isaac shouted. “This fight is between the three of us… leave them out of it.”

  “You are right, actually,” Fall mused. “Vilgas… kill them. I will take care of this one.”

  “What? NOOO!”

  Isaac flew at Vilgas with blinding speed, but Fall intercepted him, blocking the path with a barrier of magic. Vilgas ran toward the back of the room to execute the prisoners.

  “This fight is between you and me, little one.”

  (Time Skip)

  Isaac was lying in a pool of his own blood. Aiko was holding him, sobbing uncontrollably.

  “Isaac… don’t die, please… please don’t leave me alone…”

  Isaac’s vision was blurring. He saw Fall approaching with a spear.

  “You fought well, Little Isaac. But now is your end.”

  Aiko stood up, screaming, placing herself between Isaac and the Elf King.

  “No, Aiko… Run…”

  “I won’t leave you alone, my love!”

  “Going to fight me, filthy dragon?” Fall laughed.

  Aiko unleashed a breath of fire, knocking Fall down. He rose instantly, furious, and grabbed Aiko by her hair.

  “Filthy dragon… I will teach you a lesson.”

  “No… let her go…” Isaac groaned, trying to stand.

  Aiko kicked Fall in the face, knocking him down again, but she collapsed from her injuries. Fall stood up, his face bruised, and kicked Aiko across the room. She hit the wall and didn’t move.

  “NOOO! AIKO! You bastard!” Isaac screamed, blood spraying from his lips. “There will be no mercy when I kill you, Fall… that is my promise.”

  Isaac tried to move, but his body was broken. He coughed up blood. Fall raised the spear to pierce his chest.

  “Have a good death, Little One.”

  Suddenly, a blur of motion. Selene appeared, slashing Fall’s chest with a dagger and shoving him back with a telekinetic push.

  “Selene? You’re alive…”

  “Isaac, big brother… I’m going to heal you!”

  “No, Sele… Go check on Aiko… she is hurt, sister…”

  Selene looked at Aiko’s motionless body. “Okay, brother.”

  She ran toward Aiko. But Fall recovered faster than expected. He grabbed Selene by the throat, lifting her off the ground.

  “Despicable elf… I will crush your skull.”

  “Selene… NOOO!”

  Seeing his sister dying, Isaac snapped.

  [Berserk Mode]

  An aura exploded around him. His injuries didn’t heal, but the pain vanished, replaced by pure, unadulterated power. He flew at Fall, slamming him against the wall and punching him repeatedly. The sound of breaking bones echoed in the hall.

  Selene fell to the floor, gasping for air, and crawled toward Aiko.

  Isaac continued to pummel Fall, deforming his perfect elven face. He grabbed a sword from the floor and drove it through Fall’s chest. The Sovereign screamed in agony.

  “I TOLD YOU I WOULD KILL YOU!”

  From the shadows, Lord Vilgas appeared. He was bleeding from one eye, looking furious. He saw Selene healing Aiko.

  “You wretched bitch… you will pay for what you did to me.”

  Vilgas saw Fall’s dropped spear on the ground. He grabbed it and charged at Selene’s exposed back.

  Isaac, from across the room, saw it happen in slow motion.

  He didn’t think. He flew.

  Vilgas thrust the spear with all his might.

  SHUCK.

  The sound of metal piercing flesh.

  Isaac stood in front of Selene. The spear had gone completely through his chest, protruding from his back.

  REALITY SHIFT.

  “GAHH!”

  Isaac woke up screaming in his apartment. He scrambled out of bed, frantically tearing his shirt open, checking his chest. His heart was pounding like a jackhammer. He touched his skin.

  Smooth. Unblemished. No blood. No hole.

  But the pain… the pain burned deep inside his ribcage.

  “What was that?” he gasped, panting in the darkness.

  Angel City - Life City Hospital

  Isaac sat on the examination table, his shirt off, while the doctor scribbled notes. The pain in his chest still lingered, a dull ache that wouldn’t go away.

  “So, Doctor? Anything?”

  “Isaac… according to these tests… I found nothing, son,” Dr. Connors said, his tone flat, scanning the digital readout. “Your heart, your lungs… everything is perfect.”

  “Hmm. I understand.”

  Dr. Connors watched Isaac thoughtfully, tapping his pen against the pad.

  “What are you feeling, Isaac? Is there something you want to tell me?”

  “No… I…” Isaac hesitated. He couldn’t say he felt a spear hole in his chest. “I’m just having strange dreams, Doctor… headaches…”

  “Do you want to tell me what these dreams are about?” Connors asked, his eyes narrowing slightly behind his glasses.

  “Hmm… It’s nothing major, Doctor. I just… I think I need to stop eating before bed, haha.”

  “I see… well…”

  Dr. Connors walked over to his desk, unlocked a drawer, and pulled out a small orange bottle of pills. It had no label, just a generic medical symbol. Isaac watched him, suspicious.

  “Take this today… before you sleep. Three doses,” the doctor instructed, handing him the bottle. “It will make those strange dreams disappear… trust me.”

  Isaac found the medication odd — no label, no prescription on the pad — but he took it from the doctor’s hand.

  “Good boy,” Connors smiled, a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “If you need anything, I’m here.”

  “Thanks, Doctor.”

  Isaac left the office deep in thought, turning the strange bottle over in his hands. Three doses? Just to sleep?

  “Isaac? What a surprise!”

  A female voice snapped him out of his trance near the exit.

  “Alex? What are you doing here?”

  Alexandra, Joe’s girlfriend, walked up to him. She was dressed in expensive, flashy clothes that looked out of place in a hospital waiting room. She leaned in and hugged him — a little too tightly.

  “I was coming to visit a friend… It’s so good to see you, Isaac. You haven’t spoken to me lately, have you?” she pouted playfully.

  “I… I’ve been kind of busy these days.”

  They looked at each other. Isaac felt uncomfortable. The vibe coming from her was wrong.

  “I understand… Well… you know… since you’re here, I could use a strong arm to help me move something… over to my car. Could you help me?”

  “I can’t… I’m kind of busy right now, you know… I need to get home.”

  “Oh, Isaac…”

  Alex grabbed his arm firmly, her grip surprisingly strong for someone of her build, and pulled him toward the parking lot.

  “It’s quick… nothing heavy… nothing difficult.”

  They arrived at her luxury car. Alex opened the passenger door and pointed to a large, heavy-looking black bag on the seat. It was the size of a large suitcase but soft-sided.

  “There… just take that big bag… and put it in the trunk. That’s all.” She smiled innocently.

  Isaac looked at Alex, then at the bag. It had an odd, lumpy shape. He grabbed it — it was significantly heavier than it looked, shifting inside as he lifted it. He grunted and hefted it into the trunk.

  “All done, Big Boy.”

  Alex slammed the trunk shut with a finality that made Isaac flinch.

  “Okay… I need to go.”

  “Wait… Isaac…”

  Alex grabbed his hand again before he could turn away. She stepped closer, invading his personal space, her perfume overpowering.

  “Oh, Big Boy… I need to reward you… for your hard work.”

  “No need… I…”

  “Shhh… Relax… I’m not going to bite you, Isaac,” she whispered, a predatory glint in her eyes.

  She leaned in, burying her face in his neck, inhaling his scent deeply. Isaac froze, goosebumps rising on his arms, then pushed her away firmly.

  “Are you crazy? Why are you doing this?”

  Alex started laughing. It wasn’t a happy laugh; it was manic.

  “Oh, I’m just rewarding you… I know you’re my fan, Isaac… I thought I’d give you something every fan would want from their idol…”

  Isaac stepped back, disgusted and confused. He turned and walked quickly toward the exit, needing to get away from her.

  Alex stayed by her car, still laughing as she watched him go.

  “Okay, Isaac… Next time then! You’ll be my Big Boy…”