Summary: A young teen-aged girl disguises herself as a male Dragon Slayer take revenge on someone very important. Little does she know that showing your face as a female contains dire consequences, especially if you're up against Lord Dilandou.

"The supreme art of war

is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
-Sun Tzu

Ch. 3

As we walked inside of a grand room I noticed Lord Dilandou kneeling on the ground in front of a large screen. He was with another man who I guessed was Folkin, and they were talking to some man on the screen. I was about to walk inside of the room but Miguel held my arm and pulled me back, "Never go inside when the masters are talking, Dilandou will get angry." I stopped and listened to what they were talking about,
"Folkin, it still remains. The dragon still casts his shadow over the Zyboks Empire's future," The man told Folkin, "The dragon has left Finelia, capture it at all costs." "Of course, we will do just as your majesty wishes." Folken replied, "And there is one other matter. That pillar of light, which my Destiny Prognostication Engine failed to predict…" I quietly gasped; I remembered that my father often talked about those things! I continued to listen, "…I sense the stirrings of a new power, capture it! We must remove the unknown element." "A new power?" I asked myself,

"The dragon can be found on the frontier of Vesteria, you must capture it! Capture it so that we can reawake the legendary power of Atlantis." Then the face disappeared.
"Atlantis? I always thought it was just a myth! Wait a minute, that's where my mother often said that she was from!" My thoughts were interrupted when Miguel told me, "Come on, let's go."
We walked inside of the room together and kneeled on our right knees, "You sent for us, Lord Folkin?" Miguel said, "What are you two doing here?" Dilandou asked us, "Relax, they were sent by me," Folkin said as he walked toward me and Miguel. He stares at me, "What is your name, young one?" The tall man asked me, "It's Erin, Erin Lancaster." I told him as I continued kneeling, "I heard that you defeated Dilandou in a match to prove worth." He told me, "Don't remind me." Dilandou added while scowling; I avoided his gaze. "I'm impressed about that, Erin." Folkin walked to Miguel, "You may both rise," He ordered us. We followed his orders,

"Miguel Lavariel, I hereby make you the guardian and teacher of this young student. You shall teach him all of our ways of the Dragon Slayers, and our land." I was shocked. Miguel Lavariel, my teacher? I felt happy, and scared at the same time. What if he finds out my secret? My thoughts were rushing everywhere. "You two have my leave to go." We both walked out of the room, "Alright, then. Meet me in the dining room and we'll discuss training there."

-THAT EVENING-

As I walked to the dining center wearing my new uniform that Miguel gave me while I looked around the hallways, they were hollow and dark. I could almost sense the millions of eyes that were gonna be watching me before I even got into the room. When I opened the door people stopped their conversations and stared right at me, "What are you all staring at? There's nothing to see here, he's just a regular guy like the rest of you." Miguel said breaking the silence, then everyone began talking again. Miguel and I walked to a platter with bread and took one. We sat down at an empty table and I noticed men from across us start to stare. Miguel then began to tell me exactly about Zaibach's creation and plans.

I remember him saying that the Zaibach was created because, before they lived in constant fear, hunger, and pain. Then Emperor Dornkirk rebuilt it and made Zaibach the most feared place in all of Gaea. I was very surprised, "But why would they want to control everyone here?" I asked, "Because Dornkirk had a vision that involved a new time of peace, controlling the world." He told me, "That's insane." I told him. "If this place wanted peace they would just leave things just the way they are now, or else the balance of the world will all be unstable." Miguel nodded his head, "I understand what you mean, Erin. But you don't understand, we're asking for peace by-." "By killing anyone who stands in your way! Don't you guys understand what you're doing? You're trying to mess with the natural order of things!" I shouted. "You still don't get it, Erin. Dornkirk saved us from starvation and hunger, and with this power no one here will ever forget that." Miguel said, "Whatever, then. It doesn't matter, everyone here's going to hell anyway." I spat, "And how do you know that? Everyone here has a back story as to why they're here. You shouldn't judge things or people before you get to know them. And if you don't like what we do then, why are you here?" He asked me and I paused, not thinking of anything else to say back to him. Miguel lowered his eyelids, "I'm waiting." He said with a serious expression. "Because-Because-."

"Because he knows that he can't rely on anybody else, not even himself. We all know that Erin wouldn't be able to last one day against the world by himself." Said a familiar voice, it was Gatti, no surprise. I stood up filled with rage, "Listen asshole, I kicked your ass once and I can do it again!" I said beginning to charge at him but I was once again stopped by Miguel. "Hold your temper, Erin. He's not worth it." I growled at Gatti again, and sat down at the table, "Come on Miguel, let him scuffle with us for a bit. I want to see this kid in action." Gatti said, "Forget it Gatti," Miguel continues, "Erin's my student and I will do whatever I tell him, and I'm telling him not to fight." I grabbed the palm of my hand and started clawing at it, I was just itching to kick this guy's ass and I'm pretty sure Miguel knew as well. He just stared at me wondering what I was going to do next. Gatti leaned close to my ear, "You know if you battle me it'll prove that you're not such a wimp after all," I tried to ignore him,

"and it'll prove to me and everyone here that you can take care of yourself, even though you couldn't even take care of your own family."
Then suddenly I started seeing flashbacks of my dead parents, the killer, those final words he said to me, and me being alone again. Anger burst through me like a wildfire, I growled then pounced on Gatti and started choking him with all of my rage, anger, and sadness. He struggled to get loose of my grip but I wouldn't let go, then I suddenly felt Miguel and three others try to pull me off of the poor, weak boy. They succeeded and Gatti started coughing again, he and the three boys who pulled me off of their leader all succumbed to their rooms. I was hyperventilating for some reason. I suddenly felt a jerk and somebody grabbed the back of my collar. I looked back and noticed Miguel holding me, he looked angry. Miguel opened the door and slammed it behind him. "What the hell was that, Erin?" He asked me, I looked down, "I-I don't know what I was thinking, sir. But I assure you, it won't happen again." "Bullshit," Miguel responded, "This has happened twice already, today. You have to learn to control your temper, Erin. Or else it's going to get you in even more trouble." I started remembering when Lord Dilandou smacked the two soldiers and my heart started to race, "He'll smack me won't he?" I asked Miguel, "Who?" "Dilandou, he'll smack me won't he?" Miguel shook his head, "No, much, much worse." HE told me. I didn't ask what though. But I knew that I didn't want to know.

Part of the happiness of life consists not in fighting battles,

but in avoiding them.

A masterly retreat is in itself a victory.
-Norman Vincent Peale