Abnormals

Kronos looked around the small village of Zlona, located deep in the Dragon Woods. Many others were moving about, children running around playing, adults working. Kronos walked amongst the busy village streets nodding to people as they passed by. He hardly received acknowledgment back, but that was nothing new to Kronos. He stopped as he walked by a window and looked at his reflection. Nothing about him really stood out. 6ft 3 pale white skin, silver eyes with black hair that hung just past his ears. For attire, he wore a hybrid of a vest and trench coat.

His right arm was covered in a sleeve, his left arm exposed, his well-toned torso also exposed. The coat portion reached to the ground. He also wore a baggy white Gi bottom with black boots. He wore two silver earrings, one on each ear depicting a roaring dragon and a tied dark red headband. He sighed and continued his trek in the cold morning air. He left the village and floated in the air heading for a nearby tree. No one ever really noticed if he was around or not, so he could just spend the whole day by himself.

He did this regularly, spending weeks in the woods at times. He watched the rising sun as he always did, listening to the birds chirping. Kronos sighed and leaned back against the tree trunk, hands resting behind his head. He had lived in Zlona village his whole life. It was a tiny village nestled deep in the unforgiving Dragon Woods, the most treacherous woodland in the land of Ocrad, ruled by the Ishtar Dynasty. Kronos had only experienced brief glimpses of the outside world when he was away on work assignments for his people, the pride and fierce descendants of the dragons that had once called Ocrad home, the Sintars. Kronos looked at the clouds lazily passing by, wishing he could be like them and leave.

He yearned to be free like the clouds but however, he wasn't. He was an Abnormal, a being that was either half-human or not human at all. Which made him an outlaw in the eyes of the Ishtar Dynasty. If he left the village and was discovered as an Abnormal, he'd be publicly executed. Kronos yawned and closed his eyes I wonder... is true freedom a reality? He was rudely shaken awake a few hours later. Kronos's eyes shot open to see another member of his village standing over him.

"There you are. The Headman wants to see you." Kronos stood up, nodded his thanks, and flew off, confused. I didn't think the Headman knew who I even was, he thought as he landed in his village. As he hurried to the Headman's wooden hut, he noticed people stare at him and whisper to each other. Kronos was in too much of a hurry to concern himself with what they were possibly saying. He was so caught up in his trek that he bumped into an elderly man. The elderly man whirled around and glared at Kronos.

"I'm sorry-" Kronos began, but the elderly man snarled at him.

"Watch where you're going, you Digamma Half-Breed!" That insult stung as always. The Sintar Dragon Tribe had several ranks for their warriors. There was Gamma, reserved for those too young, too old or just unable to fight. Then there was the Digamma, the rank usually reserved for those in training. Most dragons outgrew the ranking before graduating their training regimes. However, Kronos, having seen twenty-two winters, had never been able to do so.

The following rankings were Delta, Beta, Alpha, Sigma, Zeta and the highest rank of Omega. As for Half-Breed, that stung even more. A slur thrown at Kronos do to his heritage. Half human, half dragon. Taboo in the eyes of the Sintar Dragon Tribe. Kronos apologized again and hurried past the old man, trying to ignore the eyes staring at him, judging him. Kronos made it to the wooden hut of the Headman and went inside. He walked through the narrow hallway to the shrine where the Headman was waiting. He was balding with a silver beard and a black robe.

"About time you got here," he said, narrowing his blue eyes at Kronos. "I shouldn't have to send my elite guards to find you, Half-breed." Again with that insult. Kronos did his best to shrug it off and bowed his head to the Headman.

"Forgive me, sir." The Headman handed him a rolled-up parchment, a look of utter disgust on his face. Half-breeds. Nothing but abominations, the lot of them the look said. Kronos felt it fierce him, the hate behind it attacking his very being.

"I don't know why but we got this letter from Queen Hera herself," The Headman of the Village said. " Addressed to you." Kronos's eyes flew open at this. The Queen of the Sintar, addressed a letter to him?! Hurriedly, with slightly shaking hands, opened the parchment and read. It was a simple job request to clear out a band of bandits that had been attacking nearby farms and towns. Kronos didn't get it, why would the queen waste her time giving him such a simple and insignificant task?

"Why me?" Kronos asked. "I don't know. Maybe because she knows that's the only task an Inferior warrior such as yourself can handle," The Headman sneered. Kronos's eyes stun at this. Inferior. Half-breed. These two insults had plagued him his entire twenty years of life. All because his father had been a human and his mother a dragon from the village, he was an outcast.

He was also considered one of lesser rank, fodder, am " Inferior" as it was called by other Sintar dragons. Someone deemed weaker than most by the standards of the Sintar. He approached the main gate and was about to talk to the guard when he heard someone squeal excitedly.

"Kronos!" Kronos turned around to see a five-year-old little boy with green eyes and brown hair run up to him. He wore a simple white robe and sandals, standard attire for children still in training.

"Icarus," Kronos said, squatting down and catching the boy as he leaped in his arms. Kronos gave his first genuine smile that day as the young child hugged him. Icarus was the only one in the village who didn't demean him. Kronos set the boy down who was chattering with excitement.

" Are you going on a special mission?" Icarus asked.

"I am," Kronos said, handing the child the parchment. The eye of Icarus widened when he saw who wrote the letter.

" Mydame Hera herself?!"

" I can hardly believe it either," Kronos said honestly.

" You must have done something to get her attention! Maybe this is a mission only you can do!" Icarus said, his eyes growing even wider. "Can I come too?!" Kronos laughed.

"I wish buddy, but you know the rules. You have to finish training before you can go on missions."

"It's not fair!" Icarus shouted, stomping his foot, folding his arms, and pouting. Kronos laughed and ruffled the kid's hair.

" Sorry sport. But I promise I'll bring you back something." Icarus smiled.

"Okay. You probably don't even need my help! Those bandits don't stand a chance against you!" The guard at the entrance gate to the village rudely snickered when he heard that.

"More like they're too weak to pose any real threat. Her majesty is just sick of the Half-breed lazing around, disgracing our kind." Kronos's happiness evaporated like morning dew. Icarus opened his mouth to give an angry retort, but Kronos placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. Icarus just glared at the guard then smiled at Kronos.

" Before you go, could you help me with my studies?" He asked his eyes wide. Wanting to get away from the guard and his verbal barbs, Kronos nodded. He followed the young boy back to a bench where a thick brown leather journal was bound by a strap. Icarus sat on the beach and removed the strap. The journal flew open, yellow goes turning on their own. Icarus handed Kronos the journal and frowned.

" I'm stuck on the different types of Genetic Makeups," he said. Kronos flipped through a few pages of notes, a frown slowly spreading across his face.

" Dust and cinders!" He swore. " So much of this information is wrong! Who is your instructor?!"

" Master Midas," Icarus answered. Kronos rolled his eyes and grumbled.

" How that brainless lizard became a instructor will forever baffle me. You'll never graduate with him as your teacher." He shook his head and flipped the journal to a blank page, sitting next to Icarus on the bench. He grabbed the quill that has been sitting next to the journal and dipped it in the jar of ink Icarus provided.

" Alright first thing's first. The three scientific types of Pureblooded Abnormals are known as Etherbloods, Aetherbloods and Netherbloods. I see Midas got that right at least, but of course he didn't tell you the proper term for Half-Breeds, Xetherbloods. Has he told you the story of the Primordial Siblings?" He asked.

" A little. They are the dragons that created everything from the sky to the sea and everything else. And then they birthed the gods," Icarus answered.

" Of course he told you they were dragons. The fool probably believes they were indeed dragons," Kronos muttered. He began to write in his journal as he spoke. " The Primordial siblings were not dragons. No one knows who they really are, other than the fact they were made of pure Mana created everything by expending parts of themselves. Ether created the sky, bodies of water, and the ground we are standing upon. Aether created plants, animals, and weather. And Nether created the sun and moon, this giving us night and day. However all that creation had an unexpected consequence. The leftover Mana formed into another being, Xether."

" Xether?" Icarus asked tilting his head. " Ive never heard that name before."

" I'm not surprised. Xether isn't part of the accepted curriculum. Because he created the first Half-Breed. By the time he shows up the other three has just started to create sentient creatures. They weren't really given a name so most scholars call them the Mordean, meaning The First People. Xether wasn't really accepted by the other three, and because Xether wasn't delegated any responsibilities, this led to resentment and bickering." Kronos dipped the quill in ink and turned to a fresh page to keep writing. After making sure Icarus was still paying attention he continued.

" Xether decided the only thing he could do is meddle in their plans the Siblings had for the Mordean. Xether wanted to create a superior race of beings. So Xether created the earliest ancestors of Half-Breeds, the Xikram. The very being and conscious of Xether was then infused into Xikram, thus they became the first to be able to wield Mana."

" Xether was infused with them? How?" Icarus asked furrowing his brow. Kronos shrugged in response.

" You got me. This is all translated from the Ordinveir, The First Tongue. The translation isn't entirely accurate and tends to conflict with other versions of this story. All I can tell you for certain is Xether became part of their very genetic code. But the end result were the first of what would eventually be known as the Sordean, The Fourth People, also known as our ancestors, and us."

" But wait!" Icarus protested. " If we known as the Fourth People, who came before us

" The Second People were the Kordean. They were an odd bunch from what I've read. Apparently they were a race of mutations, fully Xikram and fully Mordean, created by the Paragon himself, Kealdin, yet they weren't considered to be of mixed blood. All I know for certain about them is they are the ancient ancestors of humans. The Third People, the Lordean, are shrouded in mystery I'm afraid. All that is known is that mysteriously vanished after The Paragon was vanquished."

" How do you know all this Kronos?" Icarus asked. Kronos grinned.

" I sneak into the forbidden library often. Due to the fact my Mana Signature is lower than most, no one will pays attention to me unless they have to. It makes sneaking in and out of places I'm not supposed to be very easy."

" You should be an instructor!" Icarus exclaimed.

" I would love to," Kronos said. " Originally I was going to be after I graduated from training but they decided to make me fight on the frontlines and gave the position of instructor to Midas. Ah well, it's not bad. The frontlines are where I met your mother and father. How are they by the way?"

" They're okay," Icarus said. " Father and mother speak of you often. They want you to visit more."

" Perhaps I shall," Kronos said handing Icarus the notebook. " Anyway, I should go on my mission. I'll seek you out once I get back," he said. He ruffled the boy's hair then started to walk away.

"Good luck!" Icarus said before running off. Kronos smiled, nodded to the guard for him to open the gate, and then took off into the air. Kronos didn't get back until that evening. He flew through the air, disappointed with how easy the mission had been. He opened his left hand and stared at a small figurine of a warrior he had snagged for Icarus. That boy loves his figurines, and I know he doesn't have this for his collection. Gods bless his soul. He continued flying before the smell of smoke and blood stopped him.

He stopped midair as he tried to pinpoint the source. He looked every which way sniffing the air before his eyes widened in horror. The smell is coming from the same direction as my village! Did someone attack?! No, no way! No one would dare attack the Sintar! He thought as he sped off.

When he reached his village, he stopped and looked on in horror. From his aerial viewpoint, he could tell his village had been completely destroyed. The wooden huts on fire, the fence that had been guarding the village ripped to shreds. The smell of fresh blood flooded his sense of smell, causing Kronos to gag. What happened here? Oh no, Icarus! Kronos landed in his village and ran towards the child's house. As he ran, he looked at all the dead bodies that littered the ground, his heart sinking when he recognized his fellow tribesmen's bodies.

He reached Icarus' hut, and he stared at an unmoving, small shape. Icarus! He hurried to the body and scooped the little boy up in his arms. The child was covered in blood but was faintly breathing.

"Icarus? Icarus, can you hear me?!" Kronos asked frantically. Icarus' eyelids fluttered open.

" Kronos?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's me, buddy. What happened here?"

"Imperial soldiers came..." Kronos's blood froze at this. The Imperials?! The ones in charge of eliminating Abnormals in the name of the Holy Ishtar Dynasty?!

" But that doesn't make sense! Our tribe has been in an alliance with them for years, why would they attack us now?!"

"Don't...know. They...killed mommy...in front of me", Icarus whispered. Kronos gritted his teeth as he listened to Icarus' breathing, and the flames hungrily devour his village.

"Icarus listen, you're going to be alright. Just stay with me."

"Goodbye...Kronos. I'll see you... In the Realm of Dragons." Icarus said before his eyes went lifeless, and his chest stopped.

"Icarus? Icarus?!" Kronos shouted, tears forming in his silver eyes. No response came from the boy's body. Kronos's tears began to fall as he gently set the child down and closed Icarus' eyes. So...the Ishtar Dynasty has betrayed us, have they ? They'll rue this day. He looked down at Dakon's body and placed the small figurine in the boy's hand.

"I'm sorry Icarus. You were my only friend. I swear. I'll avenge you." Kronos stood up as a new scent reached his nose, a smell he didn't know. Moments later, a patrol of four Imperial soldiers wearing black armor approached him. "I wondered where that repulsive stench was coming from," Kronos said.

"Hey guys, look, it seems like we missed one," one of the Imperial soldiers said. The four took defensive stances, readying their weapons. Kronos gave them a cold glare.

" What is the meaning of this?!" One of the soldiers chuckled.

" Come on pal, did you really think the truce would hold out? Everyone knows dragons can't be tamed. Sooner or later, you would have risen against us. But don't despair. Cause we're gonna be sending you to join the rest of your kind. All the way to hell." Kronos clenched his fists as his body shook.

"I swear...before the dead bodies of my people... you're the ones going to hell, you bastards!" With a yell of pure fury, Kronos's body became engulfed in a whirlwind of white lightning. Before the soldiers could react Kronos rushed them, punching one in the chest so hard his fist penetrated the body. The soldier gurgled and slumped, blood pouring from the body. The three remaining soldiers thrust and slashed their swords towards Kronos but being an Abnormal, he dodged them with ease. The whirlwind of lightning then struck the soldiers in the blink of an eye, sending them flying backward. Kronos stiffened as he noticed more Imperial soldiers hurrying towards him, presumably having heard the commotion.

Kronos whirled on them and before they could draw their weapons Kronos was upon them. His mind a blank. The blood roaring in his ears as he fired lightning bolts into the bodies of those Kronos that attacked his home. Soon a pile of bodies were piling up at Kronos's feet and steadily increasing.

" Enough!" came a loud and commanding feminine voice. The small gathering of the few remaining soldiers parted for a six-foot woman with light blue hair and golden eyes full of contempt and disdain, She wore elegant black plate armor. The shoulders were pointy, wide, and quite large. They were decorated with two rows of bones on each side, one row is at the front and the other on the backside. Her upper arms are protected by squared, fully covering rerebraces which sit perfectly under the shoulder plates. Her lower arms were covered by vambraces which have a metal snake curling around them. The breastplate was made from several separate pieces which are layered on top of each other.

It covered almost everything from the neck down and ending at the groin, but the sides are only covered near the bottom. The upper legs were covered by a chainmail skirt reaching down to the knee. The lower legs were protected by greaves which had a dagger attached on the outer sides. She gave Kronos a cold, calculating look, studying the blood of Kronos's foes that covered the Half-Breed.

" So, you managed to cut through several scores of my soldiers. And not just any troops but my elite guard as well. Yet, if my memory serves, Kronos, you were ranked as Inferior upon graduation." She gave Kronos a mocking smile. " It's been a long time."

" Calypso," Kronos said, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. Better known as Calypso the Eradicator, holding the rank of Alpha. It was often said she was the greatest warrior in the history of the Sintar Dragon tribe. Kronos had trained with her when they were children and had been her own personal punching bag.

" Why do you always have to pick on me?" Kronos had grumbled after he had lost a sparring match. Calypso had just giggled and given him a sly glance.

" Because it's fun," she had simply said before walking away. Calypso had grown up tp become the right hand to Queen Hera herself and was the Lord Commander of the armies of the Ishtar Dynasty.

" Why in blazes are you attacking us?! Have you taken mad?!" Kronos demanded. " You're one of us damn it! Or have you forgotten?! You're the right hand of the Queen by the stars!"

" Of course I haven't forgotten," Calypso said calmly. " But you see, Queen Hera is quite disappointed with the Sintar as of late. Too many weaklings among us, holding us back. So, her majesty has decreed all villages of the Sintar that she deems are holding us back must be destroyed. Sadly my poor childhood home is one," Calypso made a show of pretending to wipe a tear from her eye then continued.

" I must say, I am surprised to see your anger over the destruction of this village," Calypso said, narrowing her eyes. " After all, these are the same people that treated you so badly, I hid you in my family's cellar just so you had a place to sleep where you'd be safe from the elements. That is until you were caught. I remember that day vividly. I thought my father had killed you due to the injuries you had. I caught hell for that."

" I don't give a damn about the rest of them," Kronos said honestly. " But because of your soldiers, Icarus is dead." He clenched his fists. " And that is something I cannot forgive," he finished through gritted teeth.

" Icarus? Oh, you mean the spawn of Perseus and Artemis?" Calypso asked tilting her head to one side. " Pity. The boy had promise. As I once thought you had." She shook her head in dismay. " But it would seem you're weak as ever Kronos. To think so many of my elite warriors fell to you," she continued eyeing the bodies in disgust, kicking one away from her.

"I'll have to make sure nothing like this happens again." Her hate-filled gaze met Kronos. " After I send you to join the others in the Dragon Realm, if your kind are even permitted to go there in death, Half-Breed." With a smirk, Calypso yelled as her body became engulfed into a mighty whirlwind of wind. Kronos had to step back, with one hand up to shield his face. Even though he was several feet away, he could feel the force of the wind. Has she always been able to channel this much Mana?!

Mana was what flowed into all those who had Abnormal blood in their veins and was the source of their powers. Every Abnormal was born capable of wielding one element, through vigorous training as a child, Abnormals discovered which element they could wield. It usually took even a Pure-Blooded Abnormal a full decade to fully control and master their power but Calypso was a true prodigy, having completed her training at only seven. Kronos had been left in the dust, having graduated far later than everyone else, having to spend a little time with the class to succeed his own before finally managing to graduate. Kronos was ashamed to admit he held the record amongst his people for the longest time it took to complete the training. . How am I supposed to win?! Kronos snarled and summoned every bit of Mana he could muster, summoning his own whirlwind of white lightning, causing Calypsoto raise an eyebrow.

" Huh? Well, it's not often I am surprised. You've never been able to channel this much Mana before Kronos. I must say, I'm impressed. It's nothing compared to my own, but for a Half-Breed, it's almost commendable," she said with a sneer. Kronos let out a roar and before Calypso could blink, Kronos rushed her and connected with a punch to the jaw. Calypso staggered back, blinking in surprise. Knowing he didn't have much time before she reacted.

Kronos punched her in the face two more times and tried for an uppercut but Calypso grabbed his fist.

" Someone's full of piss and vinegar," she said in a mocking tone before kicking Kronos in the stomach. Pain flooded into Kronos's body, pain like he never felt before. He choked and doubled over breathing hard. He weakly tried to punch Calypso again but she caught his other fist. Instinct took over Kronos and she straightened up and headbutted Calypso, causing the smug smirk on her face to vanish in surprise. Calypso took a few steps back and put a hand over her left eye. When she withdrew it, Kronos noticed he had slightly cut her from his headbutt next to her left eyebrow.

I have to take advantage! Kronos got some good distance away from Calypso and two balls of white lightning appeared in his palms. Jumping into the air and floating Kronos began to fire a barrage of white lightning balls at Calypso rapidly which exploded upon impact with their target. After a few moments of his barrage, Kronos landed on the ground. A thick dust cloud had blocked his view from Calypso. Once the dust settled, Calypso was standing there, seemingly unfazed. It was as if she hadn't noticed Kronos's attack at all. She was just staring at her, looking at the blood, transfixed by it.

" You cut me. You cut me," she mumbled softly. She then looked up and fixed Kronos with a stare he could not identify. " You cut me! Of all people!" She exclaimed. " There was a time I had to let you hit me, but now..." she trailed off. Kronos let out a cry of frustration and rushed Calypso but was met with an uppercut from his opponent. Before Kronos could even register what had happened, Calypso sent him flying backward with a kick to the stomach.

Kronos gritted his teeth as he felt himself crash through a stone house, felt nails and jagged wood cut into his flesh as a result. He landed hard on the stone floor but before he had a chance to recover, Calypso was upon him again. This time her kick below his jaw sent him crashing through the roof of the house. Kronos felt himself flying upward before being violently sent back down to the ground by another kick by Calypso. However, Kronos was able to land on his feet and looked up to see Calysp flying towards him. Thinking fast Kronos extended his arms, palms together facing outward along with his fingers.

" Ekmidenis Kaoni" Kronos roared the name of one of his go-to techniques he had developed. A burst of white lightning fired out of his palms right when Calypso was about to crash into him. Kronos was able to catch a glimpse of the surprised expression on her face before the attack engulfed her. The burst of lightning raced into the sky before dissipating, Calypso nowhere to be seen. There's no way I won that easily, but perhaps I hurt her. He knew it was a slim hope but even Calypso couldn't be that close to that much Mana when it was fired without being affected.

" Ah damn!" Kronos yelled falling to one knee. His body was battered and torn as if he had been caught in a tornado. But how, he hadn't taken that much damage! Unless...Of course! She was using wind to reinforce her blows!

" Kyklonas Lepida!" Kronos bolted upright as he felt blades made of wind cut into his back. He choked and fell on his chest, feeling blood rush out of his body. He heard footsteps walking towards him from behind and stop when they were in front of his face. Calypso knelt in front of him and grabbed him by the chin, forcing him to look at her. Kronos felt his body shake in horror when he saw his attack had done her minimal damage.

" Not bad Kronos," she said with a sneer. " You almost had me. You may have actually done some damage... if your Mana control wasn't flawed." Kronos gritted his teeth at that. His Mana had never gained coloration, the symbol one had mastered their Mana. Try as he might, Kronos had never managed to achieve that. Kronos had never lived down the fact his Mana control was incomplete, flawed, unable to gain color.

Calypso grabbed Kronos by the neck and lifted him up. With a sinister smile, she began to choke him. Kronos grabbed her arm with both hands, trying to pry her hand off his neck to no avail. He choked, his vision darkening. Out of pure desperation, Kronos fired whatever lightning he could fire out of his mouth, hitting Calypso square in the face. It had no affected but the smile on her face grew. With a chuckle, she slammed Kronos on his back, hand still squeezing his neck. With her other hand, she conjured a ball of wind that she slammed into his torso. Kronos yelled in utter agony as the wind tore into his flesh, driving him further into the earth.

Calypso had a look of joy on her face as her attack persisted, driving Kronos deeper and deeper into the earth, creating a small crater. Only when Kronos's eyes had closed and he had ceased yelling did she stop. She stood and looked over his motionless body.

" Worthless," she sneered before hopping out of the small crater. She met with what little soldiers Kronos hadn't killed earlier. " Alright, finish burning this shithole to the ground and then we'll-" Calypso trailed off when she sensed movement behind her. Looking over her back, her eyes widened in shock. Kronos was climbing out of the crater, onto his feet, his breathing ragged. His right arm dangled uselessly, his left eyes swollen shut, covered in cuts, bruises and blood. His clothing was mostly torn. With his good eye, he glared at her.

" Damn... you," he growled, opening his left hand, palm facing upward, and conjured an orb of white lightning. White lighting that cracked and grew, the white seeming to darken. Calypso backed up, eyes widened in shock as Kronos's white lightning changed to silver. She could feel the power emitting from it, power she never would have dreamed Kronos of all people would have. How? With a roar, Kronos extended his hand, firing a large burst of silver lightning, engulfing the nearby area, causing a massive explosion.

Once the dust had settled, Calypso stood with a groan after shoving two dead bodies off of her. She had landed in a pile of debris and slowly stood up. Lying facedown in a now deeper crater was Kronos. Besides the two Abnormals, everyone else was dead. Calypso stared in disbelief at the motionless body of Kronos. His last attack had actually hurt her, damaged her. She would have to buy new armor once she got home. After this set cost me so bleeding much! What was that? Calypso slowly walked towards the crater till she reached Kronos, knelt down, and felt his pulse.

Still alive, but his body is ice cold. He must have depleted all his Mana reserves. She stood and looked at the darkening sky as evening gave way to nightfall. " I should kill him. But..." She looked back down at Kronos, a smile slowly spreading over her face. But, from what I saw of him, perhaps I could use him for my plan. Of course, he will need lots of training, but if I play my cards right, I will be the ruler of this land!

When Kronos woke up he noticed he was being transported in a carriage. He sat up and winced, placing a hand on his head.

" Hey. You're finally awake," came a voice. Turning his head left, Kronos saw he was not alone. Three others were with him, one male two females. The male was scrawny with a bald head, purple and green scales where his hair should be, green snake-like eyes, and white as snow. He was shivering in his simple brown robe as if he were cold despite the warm morning. This was a Naga of the Azrez Naga Tribe, or as most Abnormals called them, Imperial boot lickers.

The Naga were well known as being Abnormal traitors, allying themselves with the Ishtar and their gods. The word Naga was thrown as a curse amongst other tribes. They were the most despised of all Abnormals and the only reason they weren't wiped out was the empire's backing. Kronos instinctively spat at his feet three times, a Sintar way of telling the Naga before him he was beneath him.

" No need to be so rude, friend." The Naga told him with a smile. Kronos turned his attention from the Naga and focused on the two females in the carriage. One was small and lithe with a short brown bowl cut. She wore a silver eyepatch over her left eye. She was short but Kronos could feel her power dwarf his own, it was almost like Calypso's

She wore silver armor that had clearly seen a number of battles. Kronos recognized the seal of the Ryoharu Kitsune Tribe. The Kitsune were known assassins, sneaky, intelligent, and masters at deception. Kronos looked at the other female. She was tall, at least six foot four, and burly for a woman. She wore a scowl that Kronos suspected was usual for her.

She had long flowing silver hair and piercing blue eyes. Her blue tribal markings, ceremonial jewelry, and tribal tunic told Kronos she was a member of the Augar Giant Tribe.

" You were out for some time," The Kitsune said, her right eye looking Kronos over. " You were in rough shape when I first saw you. But you being of the dragon blood, it's no surprise you're doing better now. Your kind are quite adept at healing from damage sustained in battle."

"We were," Kronos said, memories flooding his mind. " I don't know how many of my sibling tribes were eliminated in the massacre, but I do know for certain I'm the last of my own village." The Kitsune's face grew somber.

" Yes. I heard what happened. I'm sorry. I heard several of your sibling villages also met the sword. What do you call yourself?

" Kronos. Who are you?"

"Arai. And my friend here, who hasn't seemed to find her tongue, is Thora." The taller woman was glaring at Kronos. The energy emitting from her made the hair on the back of Kronos' neck stand up. But there was something else, something his nose told him.

" You're a Half-Breed?!" Kronos exclaimed before he could stop himself. He received a withering look for his statement from Thora.

" As are you," she said harshly.

" I'm sorry, It's just rare to meet another Half-Breed before," Kronos said. He noticed his hands and legs were bound in chains. Looking around his surroundings he noticed they were being carted through a dense woodland not even the sun could bathe. Kronos noticed his carriage was not the only one. They were leading the way for a dozen more, all with people in the carriages, Imperial troops escorting them.

" If I am not mistaken, we've been captured by GeneralCalypso," the Naga said.

" You are correct," Arai said, looking at him.

" I am confused. I didn't think General Calypso took prisoners. Do you think we are about to be executed?" The Naga asked.

" No, if she intended to kill us, we'd already be dead. I know her quite well from my time fighting beside her in the Half-Breed Uprising." Kronos raised an eyebrow and looked at Arai.

" You fought in that war?" He asked.

" Thora and I both did," Arai answered. " Did you?"

" I saw very little action but yes," Kronos replied.

" Excuse me but what war are you speaking of?" The Naga asked.

" You don't know about the Half-Breed Uprising?! What, do you live under a rock?!" Thora sneered.

" Remember Thora, the Naga have walled off their society in the past three hundred years, ever since their alliance with the Ishtar. It is no surprise this one has not kept up with current events," Arai said before looking at the Naga. " What is your name?"

" Kima. Kima Dikashpu. Third noble son of House Dikashpu, Tenth ruling house of the Azrez," the Naga answered.

" What is a noble doing here?" Thora asked.

" I was caught in a bribe with another noble. I was arrested and a few months later was released from my cell and thrown in the back of this carriage," Kima answered.

" Nice to meet you," Arai said with a small dip of her head. " Going back to what we were talking about, nearly twenty years ago a group of Half-Breeds from all tribes banded together to rebel. Back then, Half-Breeds either didn't have rights or had very little. They were led by a Half-Breed from a Sister tribe of the Shuza Basilisk Tribe, Drapin."

" I know this name. He's the Half-Breed who could form weapons out of bones!" Kima exclaimed.

" Yes, a very unique and rare ability. To my knowledge, less than thirty Abnormals are capable of that," Arai said, nodding her head. " Anyway, the war lasted only a few years. Drapin committed suicide to avoid capture. Afterward, all the rulers of the tribes declared that all Half-Breeds should have rights. They were very basic and it created more problems than it solved but in the end, Drapin got what he wanted I suppose."

" And you fought alongside Calypso?" Kronos asked.

" Yes. Me and Thora were assigned to her legion. To this day I've yet to see a more fierce warrior. Aside from those that rule over the tribes, I don't think anyone can beat her. Just surviving in a fight against her is a miracle."

" Guess that makes me special," Thora said with a smirk. Arai chuckled at that.

" I suppose it does Thora. Although she still won the battle you two had without question."

" You just had to bring that up," Thora grumbled, the smirk leaving her face. Arai looked at Kronos in puzzlement.

" One thing I don't understand is why Calypso spared you. A Pure Blooded Elite sparing a Half-Breed? You must have given her a pretty good fight."

" She probably spared him because she felt sorry for the weakling!" Thora jeered.

Kronos opened his mouth to retort but stopped when he noticed the carriage he was on was approaching a great stone wall.

" Well, it would appear we've reached the end," Arai said grimly. The great wooden double door opened and the carriages containing the prisoners moved inside. The carriage began to move through a small military outpost with Imperial soldiers on every corner.

" This is Fort Darius. I was afraid we would stop here," Arai muttered as she looked at the various stone buildings. " This is where Calypso houses her prisoners, pits them against each other." The carriages continued along a cobblestone path passing barracks, a blacksmith shop, an armory, and a horse stable before stopping in a wide-open area.

" Get the prisoners out!" Came a loud command. Kronos recognized the voice of Calypso. One by one the carriages were emptied and were forced to stand shoulder to shoulder. Kronos held his breath when Calypso flanked by two soldiers, walked in front of the prisoners. Calypso strode to the group farthest from Kronos and looked each one in the eye. She then smirked and nodded towards a girl who looked younger than Kronos by several years. One of the soldiers drew his blade and cut her down without blinking.

Several startled gasps from the others filled the air along with a few curses. Calypso and her soldiers moved to the next group that shrank away from her as best they could. After looking over each of them, Calypso nodded towards an older man who was cut down in the blink of an eye. With a satisfied nod, Calypso moved on. Kronos watched in horror as Calypso stood in front of each group, nodded to one of them and that unfortunate soul would be cut down.

Kronos tensed as Calypso approached him and the others that were in his carriage. He knew he was going to be the one she nodded at. Any pure-blooded dragon relished the chance to kill a Half-Breed. But Kronos wasn't going to go down without a fight. The second she nodded at him, he would attack with everything he had. He knew he didn't have a chance to defeat her, but he refused to sit back and let death come to him.

Calypso looked over Thora and Arai before setting on Kronos. He gritted his teeth waiting for the kid. Her gaze lingered on him, Kronos felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead. Calypso then looked at Kim's and nodded. Kronos stepped back, eyes wide as the Naga was cut down.

" By the name of the gods!" He exclaimed. Kima's people worshipped the Ishtar Dynasty and those that worked for them. Why had Calypso selected him?! Calypso looked at Kronos and leaned in close, putting her mouth to his left ear.

" Even though you are a filthy Half-Breed, you do have dragon blood. So I will give you an honorable death, in my arena," she whispered and drew back. She looked back at the prisoners she had spared. " Take them to the dungeons, except for that one," she said looking at Kronos. " He will be the first to fight in the arena. Make sure he is prepared."

A couple of hours later, Kronos was in a small tunnel that led to a gladiator's arena. He could hear the loud cheering of the spectators, chanting for blood.

" Move worm!" A soldier growled, pushing Kronos forward. He stumbled slightly but found his footing. He moved slowly towards the arena, the cheering growing louder and louder. When Kronos stepped out of the tunnel he squinted in the glaring afternoon soon as the spectators booed and hurled abuse towards him.

" Scum!"

" Rodent!"

" Parasite!" A chant came from the crowd.

" Kill the Half-Breed! Kill the Half-Breed! Kill the Half-Breed!" Standing in front of Kronos in the center of the arena was a man wearing a full set of heavy black steel armor. He had an angular face, square jaw and a shaved head with ice-cold blue eyes and a scar ran from the right side of his forehead to the left side of his chin. He glared at Kronos with contempt, by his scent Kronos could tell he was a Pure-Blooded Dragon. From her throne at the highest point of the arena, Calypso stood and started to speak in a microphone.

" Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my arena! Today we will see my champion, the undefeated Achilles vs the filthy Half-Breed, the sole survivor from the Zelina tribe, Kronos!" A mixture of cheers for Achilles and boos for Kronos echoed throughout the arena. " The first one to kill his opponent will be declared the winner. Assume your battle stances! Fight!"

Kronos gritted his teeth. So this is what she meant! She means to make my death a damn spectacle! And she's set her lap dog upon me! This is just one big game to her! Achilles smirked cruelly and began to power up, conjuring a whirlwind of dark energy to engulf him. Kronos swore under his breath, his energy was immense. It was comparable to Calypso's!

Not having much of a choice, Kronos powered up in response, white lightning surrounding him. Achilles loudly laughed.

" Is that all you can muster whelp?!" He called on a brash arrogant voice. " This won't take long at all!" He rushed Kronos and kicked him hard in the gut. Kronos choked and bent down, eyes bulging. A chop to the back of his neck put him on the ground. He rolled over on his back and kicked Achilles in the stomach, but the bigger dragon just chuckled.

" That didn't even tickle!" he shouted before kicking Kronos. The kick sent him flying but Kronos was able to control his momentum. However before he could prepare a counter-attack, Achilles was upon him and put him back on the ground followed by a stomp to his chest. Blood flew out of Kronos's mouth and he choked. Achilles picked him up by the neck and conjured a mass of dark energy in his left hand.

" Skia Cheirovomvida!" He exclaimed before slamming the mass of energy into Kronos's chest. Kronos was sent flying towards one of the arena walls, just before impact the energy exploded. Kronos yelled in agony as he was thrown into the wall with even greater force, a pile of debris landing on top of him. The crowd cheered loudly for Achilles as Kronos climbed out of the debris, only for a black beam of energy to strike his arm, causing Kronos to cry out in pain, it was like getting stabbed with a red hot needle.

Achilles laughed as he fired beam after beam out of his right index finger. Each beam that struck Kronos added to his pain. Kronos was soon kneeling in a pool of his own blood, trembling, his vision blurry. Achilles was soon upon him and pick him up by the throat. With a sadistic smirk, he threw Kronos into another wall.

" You may want me to put you out of your misery whelp, but I'm not done torturing you yet! These people want a show and I'm here to give them just that!" Achilles roared as those in attendance chanted for more of Kronos's blood to be spilled. Once Kronos manages to get to his feet, Achilles rushed him.

However, he was sent backward by a sudden punch to the jaw from Kronos. Calypso sat upright as she saw white Lightning covering Kronos.

" I was wondering if he'd use that," she said with a small smile. Achilles grunted as he put a hand where he had gotten punched.

" Lucky hit," he grumbled before flying at Kronos again. He threw a punch but Kronos moved his head out of the way. Achilles tried to punch him again but was unsuccessful. Achilles tried again and again rapidly but each time Kronos got out of the way. " How are you dodging?! Just a second ago I was knocking you all over the arena!" Achilles yelled. Kronos said nothing, just reared back and punched him in the stomach.

Achilles choked and spat, eyes bulging. Kronos then sent him stumbling backward with a punch to the jaw. Achilles gritted his teeth and flew back several feet, firing a large burst of dark energy at Kronos that exploded on impact. Achilles crossed his arms and started to laugh but his laughter was cut short by a kick to the back of his skull that sent him on his knees. Achilles gasped in shock to see Kronos behind him.

" How did you escape?! And what the hell got into you?!" He demanded. Kronos smirked.

" You mean you haven't figured it out yet? Well, it's a two-part explanation. This is my Astrapi Panoplia, it enhances all my capabilities. In fact, it was your master that helped me develop it, back when we were kids. Hence why I didn't use it against her in our battle. As she helped me develop it, she knows how to counter it too well," Kronos said, looking up at Calypso who gave a cheeky wave.

" And as for the other half-" Kronos was cut off when Achilles suddenly lunged at him. However, in the blink of an eye, Kronos disappeared and appeared a few feet behind Achilles. His larger opponent stumbled, regained his footing, and lunged for Kronos again but again he disappeared and reappeared a few feet away.

" Before I was so rudely interrupted!" Kronos spat, firing a lightning bolt that landed in the back of Achilles, driving him to his knees. " Each time you've sent me flying, I've created a small rune made out of Mana, which allows me to teleport to each location they're set at." Eyes bulging, face red with anger let out a roar of anger and lunged for Kronos again but was sent flying backward by a kick to the stomach, crashing into an arena wall.

" Vast power you possess, Achilles was it? But between the ears, it would seem there's a vacancy where your brain is supposed to be," Kronos said. From her throne, Calypso couldn't help but smile. She should have known Kronos would outsmart her champion. What he lacked in power, Kronos had always made up for in strategy and intelligence. He was a lot of things but a fool was not one of them.

With another hate-filled roar, Achilles rushed at Kronos, desperately flailing at him. Kronos dodged his attempts at punching and struck him in the chest with a chop, causing Achilles to cough up blood and stumble back. Kronos went on the attack, striking him again and again. Achilles spat out a curse as Kronos's palm crushed his nose, causing blood to flow.

" InterestIng," Calypso muttered as she watched the fight. " He's using Mana as reinforcement for his strikes. The Martial Art style of the Sintar, Meala- Brinza. Not bad Half-Breed. Not bad."

Kronos dodged a sloppy attempt at a punch from Achilles and sent him stumbling with a kick to the jaw. Both of them were breathing hard. Those in attendance were cheering louder than ever, hoping to motivate Achilles to overcome this Half-Breed who had made him look foolish. Achilles growled at Kronos, hatred gleaming in his eyes.

" I will kill you!" he roared before flying in the air, extended his arms above his head and began to power up. He began to power up, creating a large ball of darkness. Kronos swore as it grew larger and larger. I don't think I can stop that! Achilles saw the panicked look on his face and laughed.

" I am the champion of General Calypso! I cannot, I will not be on or with a weakling like you! Now wither and die like the repulsive parasite you are!" With one final laugh Achilles launched the massive energy ball towards Kronos. The Half-Breed summoned whatever Mana he had left and attempted to push it back. Kronos grunted, sweat pouring down his face. Despite his best efforts, he was engulfed by the attack with a final yell of pure desperation.

Achilles laughed loudly as he landed on the ground, waiting for the dust to settle. " So, what do you have to say now, Half-Breed? Guess you can't answer that since you've been turned into dust!" Those in attendance began to chant Achilles' name at the top of their lungs. However, the premature celebration was cut to a swift end once the dust settled to reveal Kronos still standing amidst a vortex of silver lightning.

Ayame bolted to her feet, mouth agape. This is impossible! He should be dead! Unless... " It can't be," she whispered, sitting back in her throne, gritting her teeth. " Aporrofisi. One of the Lost Techniques, going as far back as the original Abnormals to settle this land, one of the abilities used to slay the Paragon. How is it that this Half-Breed obtained such a power?"

Achilles stared at Kronos bewildered. " How the-"

" Honestly I'm not sure. This is only the second time this has happened. The first time I fought a Phoenix. I was so sure I was going to die but I had such a burning desire to live that as I struggled for the upper hand, just as I did for you, my Mana somehow absorbed the attack, turning my lightning red. Although I'm unsure how to conjure it, the ability seems to only come up when I'm in life or death situations," Kronos said. The arena had gone completely silent as everyone marveled at the sight before them.

Achilles growled and started to cough heavily. He dropped to his knees, hand over his mouth, coughing violently, his face turning red. When he withdrew his mouth, Kronos saw blood trickling.

" Ah!" Achilles snapped, grabbing his chest. " My heart! It... it hurts! What's... going on?" His eyes bulged. " No... no way! You... you know Meala-Brinza?!"

"I'm surprised it took you this long to realize that," Kronos said standing in front of him. " But yes, I have been using the martial art of our race this entire time. As you know, it consists of one focusing their mana to their fists, feet, knees, whichever part of the body one is using to strike to reinforce their blows. Given enough training, the strikes can be quite precise. Since you're a dragon, you know what happens when one takes too many blows, say close to the heart."

Achilles gasped and grabbed his chest with both hands. " How.. how did you... get the... upper hand?"

" I planned this, most of it. Your onslaught at the beginning was unexpected and caused me to change my plan a few times but I knew once I landed that first stole it was over." Kronos said standing in front of him. " Face it, you're done. You allowed yourself to become lazy, fighting for sport against those that posed zero threat to you for fans and glory, losing the natural fighting instinct all dragons have.

Whereas I'm a frontline expert, having fought in bloody conflicts where survival was all but an impossibllity. Strong as you are, brute force is all you have. And as I've shown here, a sharp mind and careful planning will always trump that."

Achilles growled and weakly lunged at Kronos but he stepped to the side and extended a hand, firing a massive burst of silver lightning, blanketing the arena floor with dust. Once it had settled, Achilles lying face down, a massive hole having been fired into his chest, Kronos with no energy left, swaying on his feet.

" Achilles is dead!"

" The champion?! Our champion?!"

" NoNoNo!" Calypso heard the crowd's cries of bewilderment but did nothing to address them, watching Kronos fall face down.

" Soldiers!" She snapped, looking at two guards. " Take the Half-Breed to our securest infirmary! Now!" As her soldiers hurried to obey her orders, Calypso looked back toward the arena. Kronos. Could you be the one I have been searching for?

When Kronos woke up, he noticed he was in an infirmary, torso heavily bandaged. It was a small room, with only a few beds. He winced as pain raced throughout his body. He didn't think he had an ounce of strength left on his body. Blazes. I can hardly move; I'm as weak as the day I was born.

" So you're awake," came the cold, calculating voice of Calypso. Kronos turned his head to the left to see her standing in the doorway. The Lord Commander strode onto the infirmary and glanced at a nurse wearing a simple gray dress and leather boots who was writing some notes on the whiteboard.

" Will he be able to keep fighting? He better be able to. Instead of checking on this Half-Breed, I could be watching the other battles right now," She said.

" He should. With enough rest, he should recover all of his Mana." The nurse stared at Kronos with mild curiosity. " That was quite the display, Half-Breed. Achilles spent the better part of a decade undefeated in the arena. To think, he was defeated by your hand."

" That's enough," Calypso said firmly. " You may leave now." With a bow at the waist, the nurse exited the infirmary. Calypso and Kronos stared at the other, the Pure-Blood, carefully regarding the Half-Breed. Kronos tensed, waiting to see what she wanted. He doubted he could put up much of a fight if she were here for revenge for what he did.

" Can you stand?" She asked. Nodding, Kronos threw back the cover and swung his legs over the side of the bed, shakingly standing. Before he could utter a word, Calypso rushed him, smashing him against the wall, arm pressed firmly into his chest. Kronos tried to push back, but he was too weak. Calypso snarled and grabbed his neck with her right hand with her left arm still against his chest.

" Enough games, Half-Breed!" She snarled. Her eyes bore into his like fire. " We have known each other since we were children! I know for a fact your lightning has no color! Yet this is the second time I witnessed the contrary. The other time it turned violet." Her face was inches from his. " I don't care how smart you are; there's no way you could have defeated my champion like you did unless you were hiding something! How did you obtain Aporrofisi."

What in blazes are you going on about?!" Kronos demanded, trying in vain to break free from her grip.

" You know what I mean, you accursed urchin!" Calypso yelled in his face, droplets of spit landing on him. " You were never skilled at anything! Yet you have one of the most sought-after abilities of all Abnormals!" Her voice lowered. " Aporrofisi. The ability to fuse your power with the powers of another and use them as your own. I spent my life in search of it. How could you, the least of all Abnormals, have such a legendary technique at your disposal?!"

Kronos said nothing, searching for an answer. He didn't know; he hadn't even a guess. He didn't fully understand what that power was; he hadn't been able to call forth that Violet lightning again for ages, only managing to do so for the first time in his battle with Calypso. And now, he had somehow done it again.

" I don't know. I really don't. It just happens," he muttered.

" Nothing 'just happens' with you, Kronos!" Calypso yelled before driving a knee into his stomach. Kronos choked and fell to his knees as Calypso stepped back, releasing him for her hold. With a growl, she sent him crashing through the infirmary wall with a kick to the jaw. Kronos grunted and tried to get up, but Calypso stepped on his right hand.

" Come on, Half-Breed. Show me that dormant power. Prove yourself worthy of the Sintar dragons. Kronos glared at her, trying to summon any power he had in reserve. Instead, he felt a burning sensation in his right eye. It was so intense he had to close his eyes. Calypso stepped back with a growl, looking at a guard. " Take the bastard to a cell in the dungeons."

A couple of hours later, Kronos found himself in a cell that had just enough room for him to lay down with a small pile of straw for him to sleep on. There was barely enough light from the nearby lanterns to see. He was smarting from the blows Calypso had dealt him. A set of footsteps approaching his cell caused him to look up from the floor. The one called Thora stood in front of his cell, keys in hand, sneer on her face.

" Well, if it isn't the new celebrity," she said, disdain in her voice. " You probably don't recall my name, do you?" Kronos just shook his head, too tired, sore, and hungry to venture a guess.

" It's Thora, but I wouldn't expect someone so big and important to know the name of someone as insignificant as I," she said with a mocking bow. " You are the big bad warrior who slew the Almighty Achilles after all."

" Did you come here just to mock me for your pleasure?!" Kronos demanded. Thora chuckled and held up the keys.

" I was going to offer to let you out and join the rest of us for dinner, but now, I'm not sure. Say please, and I'll let you out. Go on, say please," she said with a large smile.

This smug little banshee! Kronos wanted to refuse to play her game, but the grumble of his stomach convinced him it wouldn't be wise to do so. With a resigned sigh, he looked at the ground again.

" Please," he muttered.

" What was that? I couldn't hear you, hero." Thora mocked.

" Please!" Kronos said louder. With a snicker, Thora stuck the key in the door and opened them. She opened it wide and stepped aside.

" Come on out, hero. Let me show you where the food is," she said. Kronos stood and followed Thora out of the cell, eyeing her warily.

" How did you come in possession of the keys?" He asked. Thora flashed him a smug look as she walked in front of him.

" Calypso has named me acting warden, if you will. I can't say I'm surprised; I am only one of two Abnormal warriors ever to push her in battle. Arai, of course, is the other. Oh, I know you were able to wound her, but that's only because she let you most likely," she said, mockery thick in her voice. Kronos ignored her as they both walked down a thin hallway towards the sounds of loud and rowdy shouting.

They came to a large room full of men and women sitting at three large wooden tables on both sides, food piled in front of them. There was a large hearth fire behind the tables. Against the walls was clutter that looked like it hadn't been touched in years. The entire room was filthy, with so much dirt on the floor it covered one's foot.

" You eat as much as you like; just don't waste anything. Or you'll have me to deal with," Thora said, narrowing her eyes before waving him away. Kronos curled his lip, deciding there and then he didn't care for her. He walked to one of the tables and grabbed a cracked bronze plate, and grabbed a roast turkey leg, grapes, roast potatoes, and grapes. After pouring wine in a glob, he went to the far end of the table and sat down.

He began to eat, not remembering his last meal ravenously. He was soon interrupted when Arai sat across from him.

" I thought she took you away," she said. " Good to see she's not tired of you yet," Kronos paused his meal to look at her.

" What do you mean?" He asked. Arai gave him a friendly smile.

" Whenever Calypso finds someone interesting, she has her guard grab them in the dead of night. Those she selects are never heard from again. I'm not sure what becomes of them, but knowing how she is, I think that is for the best," Arai said.

" What is the purpose for all this?" Kronos asked carefully. Arai sighed and shrugged.

" I'm afraid I don't know. I only served with her in the war. You are from the same tribe as her, and if what I've heard is true, you two are childhood friends."

" I wouldn't go as far as to say we were friends. Half-Breeds do not have companions. We were training partners, I suppose, is the best term. Although I suppose saying she used me as a training dummy would be more accurate," Kronos said, folding his hands.

" I see. And is that why you're sitting by yourself?" Arai asked.

" I prefer my own company," Kronos responded coldly.

" Point taken," Arai said with a dip of her head before getting up and walking away. Kronos turned back to his food, suddenly not hungry. Her energy felt like it had engulfed him; her power was so vast, it was all he could focus on. He pushed his plate away and stood up to leave. As he was attempting to leave, Thora stood in front of him, arms folded.

" Where do you think you're going?" She demanded.

" None of your business," Kronos retorted. He was about to walk past her when a punch to his jaw sent him skidding across the floor, causing everyone else to take notice. All their yelling and laughter went dead silent as they watched with interest. Kronos glared at Thora but smirked.

" Oh, I'm going to enjoy this," he said preprint to retaliate.

" Same here," Thora said, cracking her knuckles. However, two of Calypso's soldiers entered the dining area before any more punches could be thrown.

" You!" One yelled harshly, pointing at Kronos. " Hope you've enjoyed your last meal. You're due in the arena. Now!"

" What?!" Kronos demanded. " I already fought in the arena!"

" Mistress Calypso wants to see you fight again. Now move!" The soldier demanded, pointing at him. Kronos growled but walked towards the soldiers, flashing Thora a withering glare that she returned. I look forward to taking care of her. He grabbed the spot where Thora had punched him. Although I hate to admit it, she has one hell of a right hook.

For the second time that day, Kronos found himself standing in the arena. Whereas his battle with Achilles had plenty of screaming spectators, the stands were mostly empty this chilly night. Aside from Calypso sitting on her throne, a few groups of well-dressed men and women were there. From their attire, Kronos could tell they were nobles. Calypso shot Kronos an angry look as if to say to him he better die quickly or else. Kronos's attention was then turned to the tunnel, where he sensed approaching energy. This aura... why does it feel familiar, like I know who it belongs to?

A 6ft 3 man with silver hair fashioned into a Mohawk wearing gold earrings came into view. He wore a bronze breastplate made from many layers of smaller metal pieces, mimicking the scales of a dragon. It covered everything from the neck down and ending at the groin, but the shoulder area was fairly exposed to allow for more movement space. He wore a white martial arts gi bottom with brown leather boots. He had amber eyes, a jagged scar over his left one.

" My name is Acacius, former guard of the royal palace of the Lord of Dragons, Lord Zeus. I have been tasked to slay you. I was promised to be set free from my imprisonment for a crime I did not commit. Forgive me, my fellow half-human, half Sintar dragon." Kronos was taken aback; he could tell by his scent this one, too, was a Half-Breed. But how?! I thought I was the only one the Sintar would tolerate. Yet, one was permitted to serve as a guard in the palace? Interesting.

" Well, met Acacius. My name is Kronos. A real shame we are to fight for the entertainment of that she-devil, but I look forward to sharing the battlefield with you," Kronos said, dipping his head.

" As do I," Acacius said, dipping his head in return. " May the greater warrior prevail."

" Begin," came the order from Calypso, causing a gong to sound. Acacius was the first to respond, beginning to power up. A vortex of dark fire surrounding him. Kronos responded by powering up as well, becoming surrounded by a vortex of white lightning. The two auras crashed into each other, causing sparks to fly. After a few moments, the two auras died down, and the two warriors flew at each other.

Kronos connected first, a punch to the jaw. He stepped back when Acacius responded in kind. Focusing his Mana into his hands and feet, Kronos struck him again. Acacius stepped back a few steps before kneeing Kronos in the chest. Kronos choked, his eyes bulging as he could tell Acacius too was channeling his Mana in his strikes. Kronos and Acacius struck each other again and again, neither willing to back down.

Kronos grunted as Acacius nailed him with a hard strike to the temple. He aimed a kick at his chin, which Acacius ducked. Thinking fast, Kronos spun on his foot, catching Acacius with a roundhouse kick. Kronos smiled at the satisfying cracking sound he heard. The smile was soon gone, replaced with a grimace by a palm strike to his nose. Blood began to flow down into his mouth. He spat to the side and met an oncoming fist of Acacius with one of his own.

The two stared at each other for a moment before Kronos ducked down and elbowed Acacius in the stomach, driving the air out of him. Kronos followed it up by sweeping his legs and attempted a kick to his chin, but Acacius moved his head out of the way. Kronos swore as he felt an elbow slam into his side. Acacius followed it up by standing up and cracked Kronos's left cheekbone with a swift punch. Thinking fast, Kronos dodged an uppercut and retaliated with a haymaker to the side of his head.

Calypso watched the melee battle with mild interest. " These two are similar in terms of fighting style. Almost too similar."

" Enough of this warm-up. What do you say we get serious?" Acacius asked Kronos, conjuring another vortex of hot green fire. Kronos smirked and conjured his vortex of white lightning. He grimaced as he felt the burning sensation in his right eye once more, only more intense. He put a hand to it, the pain receding after a few seconds.

He was soon sent flying by a kick from Acacius. He was able to land on his feet and flew back at Acacius, forming two orbs of white lightning on his hands. He threw one of them at Acacius that vanished. Extend the arm that contained the other one; he slammed it into Acacius. As he did, the fiend orb reappeared behind Acacius, crashing into him. He roared in agony, trapped between two spheres of lightning.

Searing pain in his right eye caused Kronos to let up and back away, hand over his eye once more. Why does this keep happening? What is going on? His thoughts were interrupted by finding himself suddenly unable to move. Dark green flame held him in place, the best being like nothing Kronos had ever experienced. Acacius chuckled as he walked up to Kronos, his armor covered in dents.

"' Having trouble moving? A nice little trick of mine, I prevent my opponent from moving free by entrapping them in my flame." Acacius cracked his knuckles and channeled Mana into his fists before raining down lefts and rights upon Kronos again and again until his face was covered in cuts and blood. I've got to break free! Kronos thought desperately. He tried to raise his Mana with no other ideas, hoping it would be enough to free him.

Acacius stepped back and felt pressure like none he had ever experienced coming from this other Half-Breed. He watched as he continued to power up, eyes wide as the green flame he had holding Kronos in place evaporated. The ground began to shake, cracks appearing in the arena walls. The white lightning of Kronos slowly turning violet. Before Acacius could react, he was sent flying from a brutal punch, crashing into the stands.

Spectators screamed and fled as Acacius landed hard into the stands, Kronos close behind him. Acacius leaped to his feet and narrowly dodged a lighting-covered fist. He dodged a couple more attacks, including a lighting-covered kick that caused a mighty gust of wind to blow towards Calypso. She grimaced and narrowed her eyes. All this wind just from one kick from a mediocre at best Half-Breed?!

Kronos caught Acacius in the stomach with a punch, causing him to stumble back. After several more successful land strikes, Kronos's arms became engulfed in violet lightning. Before Acacius could react, Kronos sent him flying with a strike. Kronos flew after him and sent him crashing back into the arena. Kronos floated in the air and extended his arms towards the night sky, firing the lightning upward then flying after it, letting the lightning engulf him. Then, in the blink of an eye, Kronos charged into the arena engulfed by a mass of violet lightning, causing the arena to become engulfed in a blinding white light.

Calypso shielded her face, looking away from the blinding light gritting her teeth. This battle is getting too out of hand. I should step in. Once the light died down, Calypso looked back at the arena; her eyes widened in astonishment. The arena floor had been turned into a crater several feet deep. Kronos staggered to his feet and looked down at a pile of rubble Acacius lay under. By his faint breathing, Kronos could tell he was still alive, but before he could make another move, the pain in his eye flared up again, causing him to cover it with a hand.

A second later, a tentacle made of green fire grabbed him by the leg, lifted him in the air, and slammed him on the ground. Acacius groaned and slowly got to his feet, his armored breastplate hanging off his torso.

" Impressive. I thought I was a goner," he said before swinging Kronos around and slamming him hard on the ground. With a smirk, Acacius swung Kronos into the wall. Then, moving in circles, they dragged Kronos alongside the wall, lifted him in the air, and slammed him on the ground. Then he began to gather Mana, creating a massive orb of green fire on his outstretched hands.

" Farewell, Kronos. It has been my honor to defeat you." He said, releasing the attack. Kronos was soon engulfed by the attack, sending him crashing deeper into the ground. Acacius cautiously walked over to his motionless body to see the rise and fall of Kronos's chest. " Still alive, are you? Not for long," he said, raising a hand in the eye but stopped when a sharp, searing pain entered his left eye. " Not again!" He growled and stumbled back.

Kronos's eyes fluttered open; he was in agony, smoke flowed from his body. He groaned and fought to sit up, his right eye adding to his pain. Acacius looked at him, seemingly unable to focus due to the pain in his own eye. Then, at the same time, both Kronos and Acacius opened their respective eye, except it looked drastically different. Both of them gasped as they stared at each other, looking at their eye. " It can't be," they both said at the same time. " Ryuijin."

Calypso's ears perked up at that. Immediately she sat up, mouth agape. Impossible! The Ryuijin. The ultimate technique of the Sintar Dragon tribe, the ability that made their race the most feared of all Abnormal tribes. But this is impossible! Only those with blood tied to our founder, Zurvon, can awaken this ability. And both of them are half-human; they shouldn't be able to use it!

Kronos stiffly got to his feet, still looking at Acacius. The two eyed each other, unsure of how to proceed. Kronos studied the eye of Acacius. The white of the eye was now black with a golden pupil and dragon claw-shaped mark located at the top right of the eye. The claw reached fro the pupil to the eye, the top of the claw stopping right at the pupil. Before either of them could say anything, Calypso flew through the air and landed on between them. Aside from the three dragons, the arena was empty.

" Both of you managed to awaken our kind's most potent power," she said, eyeing them both. She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, both Acacius and Kronos were shocked to see the Ryuijin in both of her eyes, except with a dragon claw shaped mark at the top right, top left, bottom left and the bottom right, the fully evolved Ryuijin. The tips of the claws stopping right at the golden pupil. " I never would have thought you two were capable of that. Of course, I was born with this gift; I do come from a family of nobles, after all. Hence why mine are in their intermediate stage." She fixed both eyes on Kronos. " Question is, how did you two unlock it. What was that human mother of yours name again?"

" Ino," Kronos muttered. Acacius's eyes widened at that, but he said nothing.

" Right, so there's no way she could have blood ties to Zurvon," Calypso said. " And what was the name of the dragon who sired you?"

" I believe his name was Caelus ," Kronos responded. " The one known as The Dragon of the Beyond. Supposedly he was from the Western half of the world." Nobody said anything at first as it began to rain. After a moment, Acacius spoke.

" Those were the names of my parents as well." Kronos and Calypso fixed their gazes in him, mouths slightly agape.

" What did you just say?" Kronos asked.

" Caelus was my father. My mother, who died in childbirth, was known as Ino," Acacius said.

" Hold on," Calypso said, holding up a hand. " When it comes to Half-Breeds, most human women are only capable of birthing one. Any more are just too much of a strain. Kronos, I remember hearing about how your mother died in childbirth. And both of your energies are similar, very similar. And you both awakened your Ryuijin at the same time, something common for siblings to do, especially twins," she said, noting how alike both Kronos and Acacius looked. " This can't be a coincidence. You two must be brothers."

Brothers?! Kronos thought, shocked, staring at Acacius. I have a brother?! He has to admit, it was the most likely explanation. He and Acacius could at the very least pass for being related. Acacius studied him in turn and scratched his head.

" If we are brothers, why didn't we grow up together? It doesn't make sense. Why would I grow up in the palace of King Zeus and Queen Hera and Kronos in the village?"

" Maybe that's what your father wanted," Calypso said slowly. " After all, I'm a few years older than Kronos; I remember hearing people talking about him. Normally we wouldn't have raised Half-Breed babies. But Kronos was an exception. From what I overheard, a dragon, claiming to be from the Western Lands who was several times stronger than Lord Zeus, asked the headman of our village to look after Kronos."

" I know a little about this Caelus," Acacius said. " There wasn't much information on him in the library, but there was some. He has another son older than either of us Kronos, by the name of Darius. It's unknown who his mother is but she was a Pure-Blood, so I guess that'd make him my, I mean our half brother. Supposedly he went back west with Caelus.

Allegedly Caelus was indeed powerful, so strong he supposedly scared Zeus with his mere presence alone. According to him, he's one of the few dragons in the west who still has sentience. And according to him, he's a direct descendant of Zurvon. That's all the information I could find on him." Kronos's mind was reeling; he had a twin brother, he was the son of a dragon stronger than his king?! This was all too much. Just too much.

" Now the question is, what should I do with you two," Calypso pondered out loud. " Having the two of you fight in my arena now would just be irresponsible. You two, while impressive for mere Half-Breeds, are far from the strongest of my prisoners. You could possibly die after all, and you two have become too valuable for me to allow that to happen. For now, you two need to rest. The Ryuijin is quite straining; after all, it takes a steady amount of Mana to use."

Before Kronos and Acacius could say anything, Calypso chopped them both at the back of the neck, knocking them both out. Calypso sighed and lifted her face to the sky. For now, I'll place them in my private bunker. Then I'll go from there. To think, two weak Half-Breeds could be the answer I have been searching for. I never expected anything like this from the likes of these two. She looked down at Kronos and faintly smiled. Especially him.

" You always were an odd one," she said aloud." Too odd. If Queen Hera knew about you, it wouldn't end well for you. Do as I say, and I'll make sure she doesn't get her hands on you."