It was not Lance's day. First he was shipped of to the other side of Zenoa, next as he was being loaded up a fellow slave tried to escape resulting in that prisoner dying, and Lance being shot in the arm. Then he was stuffed into a box and set on a bumpy wagon pulled by donkeys, and getting robbed by bandits. That is where our story begins.....

Lance's POV

"We demand 20 gen for its return!! No less!!" The lead bandit said, as I peeped through my little box. As I surveyed my surroundings I realized where we were. The Forbidden Forest. Then it hit me. I am screwed. The choice was either get taken by bandits, my master, or go into the Forbidden Forest.

"No! It is worth 5 gen!" My master, Dave said. "If you can't agree to this you can keep him!" The Forbidden Forest is house to all sorts of bad things, including bandits, slave traders, lesser monsters, and the Woodland Dragone. (Drag-Own)

"Alright, but first..." The bandit let out a shrill whistle and out came another bandit who I assume was an assassin. She whipped out a knife and threw it with pinpoint accuracy. It sailed right to its target, or what I assumed was its target, the bandit.

"Oh thank the Gods you are here Melanie, I thought it was over." Dave said with gratitude laced in his voice heavily. I don't remember a person named Melanie at the crop farm. Must have been another slave trader. I sneered in disgust. How people find this a decent way of living is beyond me.

"Yes welcome back Dave. Do you have our payments?" Melanie asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes I do. Right here in this box here is 50 gems worth at least 10 gen per." Dave answered smugly. Fuck. It's me in the box not 50 gems.

"Alright good doing business with you. But one last thing... Don't come back. Ever." As she said this she took another knife at threw it like an assassin should. Fast, precise, and deadly.

"Ugly male scum." Melanie said disgust evident in her voice.

"Now for the prize," she said as she walked over to his body and grabbed his gen bag. She gave it a little shake.

"Hm, about 300 to 400 gen in here. Nice. Now for the real surprise." She walked over to the box and as she got closer, it dawned on me that I was worse off than when I started. If she opens the box and finds me instead of gen or gems she will be furious to say the least. At least when the bandits had me I could have escaped but now with that accuracy I doubt I would make it a yard.

Before she could. She could make it to the box I yelled out, hoping in vain that she had a sliver of mercy in her heart.

"Please! Don't hurt me! I am from a very wealthy family and they will pay handsomely for my return, but only if I am unharmed." I bluffed, lacing my voice with pride and concern in an attempt to sell my bluff better.

"Hey there's a kid in here?! Where's my gen?!" She screamed in surprise and then turned to glare at me. "You had better not be lying or I swear to gods you will die a very painful death."

"Ok, I swear. Now can I get out of this box? It is rather uncomfortable and humiliating." I said pridefully to help reinforce the lie I just told.

"You're a little rude aren't ya? Alright I am breaking it now so cover you face." She said with a little amusement hidden in her voice.

I barely had one to register the words and cover my face before the box exploded. As I stood up from its remnants, I looked around and finally it sank it. The Forbidden Forest. The house to the mythical cave of Earth, but also the home to the fearsome Green Dragon. Nobody has faced it and come out alive. Nobody even knows what it looks like,

"You know where we are now kid?" Melanie said,  obviously knowing  hat I was thinking.

"T-T-The Forbidden Forest," I said as I scolded myself for stuttering.

Melanie laughed at my fear, and stuck out her hand," Melanie Denorse, if we are gonna be traveling to the capitol we might as well know each other."

"Lance, not such a pleasure to meet you." I sad then I saw the scowl in her face and quickly fixed my sentence. "No offense! I just meant I don't enjoy being kidnapped by bandits."

"It's fine kid, happened to me aswell. Now, are you the son of the emperor or a duke?"

"T-T-The duke." I stuttered as I was not prepared for the question and it caught me off guard.

"Which duke?" She asked suspiciously.

I-I-I can't remember any dukes! What am I gonna tell her? Then my mouth took over before my brain could protest.

"Duke James is my father."

"Duke James eh? He was always one of my favorites." She sighed, "Well let's go we aren't going to get there by teleportation. Oh by the way, don't even think of running or I will put a knife through your skull." 

                      ***

As we walked through the Forbidden Forest, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if we ran into the Green Dragon. Would she run off and leave me to die, or attack and get herself killed. Would I help her? The answer came a little more hesitantly than I would have preferred, No. Although  she saved me from Dave, she was still a criminal, and I would not risk my life to help a criminal who also happens to be a murderer, when she would watch me get eaten alive in a heartbeat. Also I would no-. I was broken out of my thoughts by a shout coming from Melanie.

"What's the big deal? I didn't steal anything, and I didn't kill anyone! Let me go!" Melanie shouted about 100 yards in front of me. Going against my own thoughts I rushed forward putting on a facade.

"Sister! What is happening?" I said, putting up a believable bluff.

"This, is Melanie Denorse. She is a highly wanted criminal, and has almost 100 counts of stealing and murdered on her head." The first of three guards said.

"No that can't be possible! She is Kylie Noason, and I am Mason Noasone! Please, we are just on our way to get supplies for our father, Winston Noasone!"

"Then why is there blood on her garbs?" The second guard asked.

"Because... us and our escort, Sylas Pikdran, ran into the... Green Dragon." I whispered the last part to simulate fear. "He ran to attack it while we ran, and next thing we know we hear a scream and a blood fountain erupted, spraying blood everywhere. Please let her go, we need to go.... please." I said almost sobbing.

"Hey c'mon let the kids sister go, can't you see he is traumatized? " The
third guard said to the other two, obviously worried.

"No if we do, the emperor will have our heads." The second said, while the first nodded.

"If it's not Melanie it shouldn't be a problem. Plus he is just I'd just a kid, there is no way he could survive alone, especially without a weapon of some sort." The third guard tried to reason, but to no prevail. However, while the other two were focused on the guard, Melanie took a knife from who knows where and stabbed the first. Then she twisted out of the thirds grip, and stabbed him. Finally she turned to the third, and was about to stab him, but I intervened.

"Melanie no!" I shouted and jumped in front of the guard who had already drawn his sword, and stood at the ready. "Please, spare him! He is innocent, and even tried to persuade the other to let you go!"

"Hell no! He knows and he needs to be killed! End of story!" She said as she attempted to throw the knife past me, but somehow I grabbed the knife out of the air. The third guard, snapping out of his surprise took his sword and swiped at me, and I by reaction blocked and swiped back ending his life with a quick cut of the throat artery.

"Oh you just wanted the kill yourself? I can respect that, although it would have been better if you wouldn't have let him take a swing at you." Melanie said, and I couldn't do anything but look at the body and at the blood covered blade in my hands. The worst thing? I enjoyed it, I enjoyed slaying the man that was about to kill me. It excites me, and now I feared the worst. I was becoming a monster.