Part 1. The part that is the first

It was always cold in the castle of Akonigh. Never much light allowed on the inside and very few windows that weren't barred. It had once been part of the prison system but it hadn't been built right for that sort of thing so it was put to other uses. It was a foreboding thing to come across. One second you could be walking through the forest and the next it was there, looking down on you like a cliff face. From the outside it looked like a fortress. On the inside it looked like it did on the outside, no more inviting and no more color, just gray stone wall, floor and ceiling.

And some of the people dwelling inside would have it no other way.

The master of this manor (if that's what you could call it) was an old old wizard. Master Faren had been around before the castle was even built, he knew every stone of it, loved every bit of it...and he was mean as hell. But that couldn't be helped, years of frustration and anger had thrown him into this sort of bitter state that he was permanently in now. He sat in his small dedicated little room that was host to all manner of strange items; A locked wooden chest that shook every so often, a red painted Axe that hung above the door frame, and perhaps the most odd of all the things, a pair of ornately detailed black gloves that were locked up in a small bird cage for what looked to be no apparent reason.

He looked at these gloves once in a while, while he waited patiently for his messenger to arrive. It was about two AM when there was a knock on the door.

“Enter” Faren instructed, standing up.

The door swung open slowly and the person stepped into the room. The place seemed darker with him in it. How could it not? The guy dressed all in black, from his hair to his boots, not to mention eyes that lacked any whites at the moment, Though his skin was unusually pale. There was nothing natural looking about him nor anything kind. “Master” he addressed in a voice that lacked all human emotion, and he bowed just slightly.

“I trust you did as you were told” Faren said.

“yes master” He replied “I have the captive”

“and?”

“weak sir. A complete embarrassment to our kind, I've never seen someone with less potential in my life, I barely knocked him upside the head before he fell unconscious”

“uh huh” Faren raised an eyebrow, “is there something you're not telling me Rethro?”

The dark haired one looked up and for the first time Faren noticed a big bruise around his eye “yeah, he socked me”

Faren was unimpressed “what?” he asked.

“I said the little bitch socked me, right in the eye!'

“oh dear” Said Faren, “and you let him do so?”

“well-come on, he's like a head shorter than me, i didn't think he'd actually try anything! I didn't think he was that stupid!, like I told you, complete waste of your time, no need to bother”

“you know, you always say that”

“I'm always right”

“fine, where is he now?”

“locked in the pantry,”

“....fine .....he really punched you?”

“only once” Rethro said grudgingly “now, i did what you asked, give them back” he was looking at the gloves that had been locked away.

“Is that what i said?” asked Faren “I said You could have them back when you proved yourself worthy of having them, but now i think you've grown too dependent on cheap tricks, so I think you had better start training more, without the gloves”

“that sounds like a stupid idea to me, If I had had them tonight this wouldn't have happened”

“yes and I wouldn't have had such a good laugh about it, they stay locked, now, oh, and just one more task that you should find pleasant, go get as much information out of this kid about himself as you can, go go!,” He started chuckling. “just a kid!” Rethro heard him laugh as he phased through the door. He cringed, that trick hurt, a lot of them did, but not with the gloves, magic gloves made things easier, more focused even, yeah, he was pretty kick ass with the gloves.

“just wait you” he found himself saying, and he wasn't talking about Faren, no, despite the fact that this was technically all his fault he didn't really blame Faren at all, in his mind it all linked up to the stupid little punk that he was about to interview. That was the reason he didn't have his gloves back, because of the SLP.

Which was why he decided to give him a nice warm welcome with a good kick in the stomach, “Wake up!” he said, and even though he was definitely awake he kicked him again for good measure. “The master wishes to know about you” he said, looking him over now he could see that he was about fifteen, the bratty age (of course to him, every age was the bratty age).

The kid sat up, and stared for a second before saying “is the master as messed up as you?”

Rethro kicked him again and he keeled “even more” he said delightedly “what is your name insolent brat?”

“Do you have to keep kicking me?”

“yes, your name is?”

“insolent brat is good”

“you insolent brat!” He was kicked again.

“damn that hurts! How do you expect me to talk like this?!”

Rethro pondered this for a second “I figure eventually you'll get it and stop being an idiot, pain is the best teacher”

“fair enough, then I've decided to be stupid from now on.” the kid folded his arms and tried his best to look defiant.

“what?” This was the first time that Rethro had ever had to deal with someone like this, most of the time they gave in by the second kick “you can't just decide to be stupid”

“why not?”

“Because I said so.” And he kicked him again.

“Dammit I said stop that!” the kid said, was it just him or were they getting harder every time?

“what's your name?”

“I can't tell you that, I'm stupid”

“stubborn little bastard” Rethro cursed under his breath. Then said directly to him “stand up” he was being too nice.

The kid obliged, he didn't look too terrified “OK” he said “why?”

“so I can get a good shot at you”

Needless to say, when the punch sent him straight into the stone wall it knocked the breath out of him.

Rethro waited for him to start breathing again before asking “your name?'

He had been bruised, kicked and beaten and yet still somehow, he managed a glare, “It's Arith” he said still grudgingly.

“that's a stupid name” Rethro informed him. “allow me to introduce myself, I am known as the shadow, the walking shade, the soulless terror-”

Arith coughed.

“it's Rethro, don't forget it”

“yeah, okay” said Arith “I don't think I could forget the name of the person who killed all those people.... ... That was you wasn't it?”

“Now, i don't think I'd let anyone else do the fun job, would I?”

“Can I ask another question?” he asked.

“No, I ask the questions and you answer them, that's how it goes around here”

Arith sighed “okay, shoot'

“where do you come from?”

“I can't answer that question due to my stupidity.”

Rethro growled, this kid really didn't learn.

Both Arith and Rethro had at least one thing in common, they were both used to getting what they wanted when they wanted. Right now Rethro wanted to be anywhere but in the presence of the SLP, and that meant getting enough answers out of him to satisfy his master's orders. And right now Arith just didn't want to answer any questions from a guy that he didn't feel he should be talking to. You just didn't talk to creeps like these, they were the sorts of people that you were supposed to ignore and not except candy from.

All in all the next day the only information Rethro had been able to bring back to his master was that

his name is Arith

He 's 15 years old

and

He's pretty much useless and annoying no matter what.

“That's it?” asked Faren “that's all you got?, three little facts...two really, i hardly say the last one counts. How long did you interrogate him?”

“Five hours” Rethro said, it was also coincidentally the number of hours of sleep that he got. He looked at the gloves pleadingly.

Faren pushed the glove containing bird cage behind a pile of books “no” he said “you have obviously failed, and you rarely do that”

“But this isn't fair sir!” Said Rethro “he isn't a normal kid!”

“Exactly!” Faren snapped looking pissed “that's exactly why he's here, remember?”

“Yeah, but he has like, super brat powers!, do you know what he asked me before I left?”

“please go on, I'm just dying to know”

Rethro missed the sarcasm “he asked for a glass of milk....can you believe that? He should have been writhing in terror, writhing I tell you! But no! Not only is he useless, he is also spoiled!”

“Oh speak for your bloody self” Faren muttered under his breath in an exasperated tone Sometimes he wondered why he hadn't created a more compatible killing machine, Rethro was great and all but without his gloves he almost turned into an insecure pansy. Which was not what he needed. “and what did you tell him?” he asked, looking stern.

“I kicked him sir, and then I phased out”

Faren knocked his head on the desk “so he didn't respond to your meaningless violence and you reacted with?”

“more violence sir” Rethro replied diligently.

“I thought you were supposed to be smart”

Rethro looked at the pile of books that were hiding the gloves, “magic gloves now?”

“Nope, there's a lesson to be learned here for you”

“gloves sir?”

“what the?-no, no gloves until you learn the lesson”

Rethro's eyes went all black for a second in annoyance “yes sir' he said, though with very little enthusiasm, and once again he forgot that he didn't actually have the gloves and phased through the wall. He cringed, that really smarted. But mostly he cringed because he had just run into the SLP.

“hey!” he said “you're supposed to be in the pantry writhing in fear. What are you doing out here?!”

“well” said the spoiled one “remember last night when you came and kicked me a bunch of times?”

“yeah kid i have a memory”

“well, when you did that creepy wall seeping thing-”

“it's called phasing”

“yeah that, you forgot to lock the door” His eyes wandered down the various hallways.

Rethro felt as if the place had been invaded“That doesn't give you the right to wander someone else's castle!”

“oh yeah, and you forgot to bring me my milk”

“what are you five?”

“Rethro!” Faren called from the lair room.

“ grrr...”Rethro growled “The master will see you now”

“good” said Arith “because after this is all sorted out I'll just be on my way”

“good, I hope I never see your ugly punk face again”

So Arith walked into the room, nodded curtly to the authoritative figure looming over him and found a comfortable chair to slump in.

“er...” began Faren “hello”

“hello?” asked Arith “what kind of establishment is this anyhow, I decide to file a complaint on your room service and you say “hello?'”

“room service?” Faren remained unamused, though, after all he had had to put up with a lot of shit lately. “just where do you think you are?”

“Oh, well inns are always looking for the strangest places to open, they think it attracts business...yeah, this is just the sort of place that someone like you would build”

“You honestly think that this is an inn?”

“my complaint is about your wake up call system-”

“this isn't an inn!”

Arith looked vaguely on the verge of confusion. 'good' thought Faren, 'at least we're going in the right direction'.

“of course” said the boy “these places never want to be called 'inns' anymore, that's what my father said, it's out of fashion, now it's always tavern or-”

“No no NO! Don't you get it! It's not a tavern either it's-”

“A motel?”

“NO!...I mean, when have you ever been interrogated at an inn?”

“Is it because I didn't have any money? Father says you're leeches” he yawned and looked up at the ceiling.

“Hmm, and who is this father of yours?”

Arith made to look as if he was about to tell him something at last. Faren held his breath. was he actually going to tell him something finally?

“I can't remember” he said.

“INSOLENT BRAT!”

“No, it's Arith, you already got that from me remember?”

“Get out of my office!”

“Does that mean I'm free to go sir? Because I'll just be on my way”

“No” said Faren “It means that you have to get out of my office, and if you try to leave the castle Rethro will get you back before you're ten feet of the place”

Arith stared at him blankly, then rolled his eyes “yeah, what's he gonna do? Kick me some more?, I'll risk it” And he walked out.

“Rethro was right” Faren said when he was alone “he's just a spoiled rich kid!...and not much for brains either”he began to putter about his office in a paranoid fashion, which is what the antagonist

“so you admit it!” Rethro had of course been spying, which was easy to do when you could be literally in the wall.

“he's actually going to leave”

“try sir, try, he won't get far'

Faren reached behind the stack of books and after struggling with the lock tossed the two gloves at him. “Show that brat what 'we're really capable of here, and then maybe he can take us seriously.”

Rethro looked delighted “gladly master”

Arith was navigating his way through what seemed to him like a vast tunnel system of the fortress. which is what the protagonist was expected to do at this time in the plot. I bring this up simply to assure you that he is in fact the protagonist. Only saying this because so far most of what you have read surrounds Rethro and Faren. And though both said are cruel, evil villains, the word 'protagonist' doesn't have anything to do with how nice a character is, it is simply who the story surrounds. Rethro is also the protagonist. This is where you may be confused and I shall allow it if you feel the need to be so right now....okay, you can stop now. As I said before, 'Protagonist' describes the main character/s. The struggler, if you will, the one we can sympathize with, The MC, The SLP.

So how, you ask, can we have two protagonists that are enemies? Easy! They are also both 'Antagonists' (AntagonistThe character/s against the protagonist.) I hope that cleared up a few things before you go on to read more of this incredible waste of time.

As was said Before:Arith was navigating his way through what seemed to him like a vast tunnel system of the fortress. He was almost certainly lost and definitely couldn't remember ever being here before. He really wished there was a sign that said 'exit here' or something, or better yet 'food here' (nothing could betray him more than his stomach right now). He found another door and opened it, it led to more hallways with more doors, if there had been a window he would have been able to get a sense of where he should go, but there wasn't. This whole place was confusing.

But eventually he found what looked like a main hall and there were...people? Just a few, and the odd thing was none of them seemed too intent on trying to stop him, or go after him, in fact, they pretty much ignored him.

“huh” he said, and shrugged, the door was just at the other side, and strangely enough, it never occurred to him that this was 'too easy', you see, he was the sort of kid that had grown up where everything was too easy and it just seemed the norm. He was almost there, he had his hand on the door knob when-

“who are you?”

Ugg! Of all stupidly stupid things, this stupid little girl had to come up and talk to him! Why? He was escaping here.

“not relevant to my situation, I'm sorry” he turned the knob, it was locked “Damn! What do you have to do to get out of this place!?!”

“get...out?” she asked, it seemed that the words meant little here “you use that door” she pointed to her left where a small door stood lamely.

“oh” Said Arith a little sheepishly “why can't we use this door?”

“out of order”

“oh” there was in fact a sign that read 'out of order, door must stay closed or unspeakable evil will seep through' under it in bold was 'trust system, wizard's honor'. “isn't that a bit risky?” he asked after reading the note (slowly, because he wasn't very good at reading).

“oh no” said the girl “not risky at all, in fact, just to be extra sure we keep at least ten feet away from that door at all times, which reminds me” she coughed.

“what?” he asked.

She coughed again, Arith still had a hand on the door knob, he blinked. She gave up “you're still by the door” she hissed a little frantically.

“what? I'm not going to move just because a stupid sign 'trusts' me to.”

“err...” the girl wasn't sure where this was going “but...weren't you about to go through that door?” she looked toward the lame looking door to her left, as she did so it made a protesting little moan and one of the bolts came undone. She cringed.

Arith looked at the lame, nearly broken door...then he looked at the big grand door way that he had been told not to open, he looked from one to the other about three times, there was a long silence.

“yeah” he said distractedly “right after I open this one”

But before even the girl could put up one of her protests someone else managed to take her glory (amazing really, her mouth was already open and everything)

“That's not advisable” said a menacing voice from behind them, To Arith it was starting to get boringly familiar.

“You again?” he asked “You keep talking, that should distract you long enough” he turned around, and found that there was no one there.

“you're on your own” the girl said hurriedly, and smartly rushed for the nearest hallway. (which was what the other people had done SMARTLY only a few moments earlier.)

“huh” he said to himself, and he reached for the door handle again only to have it pushed away by some invisible force. “hey!” he said, and then because he was a being of trial and error reached for the door knob again only to have it this time pushed away rather more violently “ow' he said quietly, and decided not to go for that approach again

“congratulations, you officially posses the brain of a rodent” This time Arith lost the will to cover up the fact that he was absolutely terrified, He froze (sort of like what a rodent does when it thinks that if it stops moving the snake will not be able to see it. This is a good assumption, and true, but it doesn't prevent the snake from smelling/ hearing or overall sensing the rodent) The voice had been only a foot or so away, but he couldn't see anything. But when he moved his head only at a slight angle difference, he could see something, just a faint line. It wasn't invisibility, it was disguise, and a good one at that.

“err....” he thought a little helplessly “maybe we can talk about this?”