In this darkness, I could still tell the form of my enemy. He smiled at me, a flash of lightening brightening up his features, and I hated the look of him even more. He was a rat that held too much false power, and I did my best to take away as much of it as I could. He kept his positive demeanor as he spoke to me.

“You pathetic piece of ----!”

A burst of thunder censored his words, yet I knew already as to his contempt for me. The rain that fell did little to cool my brow, and my sword grew heavier in my hand as I held it. I stared back at him, doing my best to summon up a smile.

“Talking to yourself again, Voltragen Murinus? You should hold a higher standard for yourself.”

“Don’t give me your worthless attempts at banter, Corvin Musgard. You’ve already lost and you know it.”

A flash of lightening lit up our battleground once more, and I could see that his words were not a mere threat. By his side still were two mouse soldiers, my brethren turned traitor by Voltragen’s influence. Though smaller than their master, both looked ready to die at his command. A score of his men already lay at our feet, however, all having met their end by my blade.

“So long as I hold breath in my body, I know only that I will continue to fight!”

“Yes, yes, and all for the love of your life, I know. You’ve already polluted the world with your constant spew of romantics. And yet, as we stand, she is in MY abode…my very bedchamber, to be precise.”

“Setanya!” I could feel the strength returning to my body at just the mention of her, “If I find that you touched even one hair on her head…”

He laughed aloud at my remark, “Oh, but it’s not the hairs on her ‘head’ that I touched, oh no. My use for her was more…well, let’s just say that certain carnal desires were met before I began my search for you.”

I made no attempt to hear anything more that he had to say. I charged at him and met resistance by his final two soldiers. I parried the strike of one and ducked the swing of another. Moving quickly, I was able to step on the tail of one and prevent his advance. I used this chance to strike at the other, my sword carving into his side and sending him to the ground. I leapt up and vaulted over the one remaining and, before he could catch his bearings, my sword made a brief rest in his chest. I removed my blade and allowed him to fall to the ground, my attention focused on Voltragen once more.

I hold my sword in his direction, “And now, only we remain.”

“Are you sure?” he asks before snapping his fingers.

Another flash of lightening lit the battleground, and I saw what he meant. An archer behind let lose a single arrow, one that I tried my best to dodge. In spite of the bodies on the ground, I was able to move just enough so that I was lightly grazed on the shoulder. Thunder rolled across the sky as I felt the sting, but I stood quickly and faced him once more.

“It will take more than that to dispense of me.”

“Actually, it will take ‘only’ that to dispense of you.”

I raised my sword, ready to attack once more, when I felt something within me…something that caused my body to feel the fatigue it’s been trying to ignore this whole time. My shoulder ached as I knelt to the ground, and I then realized what had happened.

“Oh, don’t worry,” Voltragen chuckled, “You won’t die from the poison. No, I’ve much better use for you while alive. Just enjoy your rest, Corvin, and know that it will be the last shred of peace that you feel under my control.”

I did my best to stand, but my muscles wouldn’t let me. Fatigue shook my mind and I could feel the weight of my sword lessen to where it fell to the ground. The rest of my body followed suit, and I could only watch as the archer approached me.

“Tie him up and drag him back with us,” I heard Voltragen say, “Make sure he finds a nice spot within the dungeon to continue his rest.”

The last thing I remember was the feeling of a rope constricting my arms. As I moved across the ground, everything grew dark and I lost sense of everything else.