The streets were crowded and alive with activity. This was the normal, every day air of the City of Taras. Tobias had yet to get used to it. There were too many people for his liking but it was the best cover he and Grandma could find. The people, the rustling of shoes and bare feet on cobble stone, the clang of blacksmiths, the calling of numerous animals, the orderly chaos. It was a sight to see for Tobias. He was deffinately not used to the activity.

Coming from a town much smaller than that of Taras, Tobias was just a simple messenger boy. He would run errands for the King’s advisors and send messages of great importance. He did his work well, and with much pride. They provided him and grandmother with a beautiful home and an abundant income. Now, he and Grandma stay in a rundown room with a rude landlord. Grandma did manage a reputation as a teller. She was a sorceress and used her gift to give people tellings of the future to come. Though the pay was meager, it did keep them fed and under a roof.

Tobias was walking the streets of Taras, looking for employment. A man bumped into him and took his purse. Tobias yelled for the man to give it back as he fled. He had no choice, he had to run after him. People got out of the way as the two ran through the throng. They broke out into an open square. It was a dead end and there was no where to go for the thief. Tobias was winded and very angry. He has his staff in hand, ready to strike.

It was a beautiful day in the streets of Taras. People were going about their usual business and paid no attention to the half angel. Several times, street merchants called Eden’s way and offered to sell him their goods. It was enticing but he still refused. There were a wide variety of goods being that day: dried meats, vegetable stews, chickens, gilded leaves, animal carving, fortune telling, and weapons of all kinds, herbs, and more amongst them. Eden let his gaze linger on the weapons. He fancied some of them. Some were made from master crafters.

Turning a corner, he found a square with a few tables and chairs to sit at and enjoy the day. Old men were sitting at most of them and sharing conversation with one another. Eden took a seat and let in a deep breathe. He leaned back and rested himself. The day was young and bright. Just before he could take another breathe, there was a commotion at the front of the square. It was a boy chasing a man. Eden wondered what was going on. Maybe they were friends just having some plain fun. Eden’s thoughts on that dissipated after the boy’s hand tightened on his staff. Eden stood up and checked for his dagger and broadsword in their sheathes.

Tobias glared at the man who stood in front of him. He did not know what to do. For all he knew, this man could be an assassin, come bring Tobias’ doom. He bravely stepped forward and reached out his hand. “Give me my money back now. I am no mood to play games.” Almost right after Tobias finished his sentence, the thief lashed out at his hand with a short dagger. The sharp blade met the back of Tobias hand and cut through the skin. Blood immediately rose from the wound and flowed down his fingers, dripping to the sun warmed stone floor. Old men near by jumped out of their seats and staggered back for their own lives and safety. Tobias had just now seen that there were people in the square. He hadn’t noticed them before when he chased the man here.

Right after Tobias was cut on his hand, he swung his staff upward, aiming for the man’s jaw. The pain was not a bother at all. He had been through much worse, both physically and emotionally. The side stepped and dodged the swinging staff. He then struck again, this time slicing Tobias’ arm. The cut was deep, but not serious. The bottom of the staff was now up in the air and behind his back. He had the chance to take the man down with a swift and quick strike. He waist no time. The staff came down in the blink of an eye. It met the man’s shoulder with a loud whack, He cried in pain, as his shoulder bones and muscles were crushed in.

It all happened so fast. The boy and man were battling before Eden could think. He instinctively unsheathed his dagger, ready to fight. The boy was quick but not quick enough. His hand was bleeding and now dripping with blood. The old men were no longer carrying on their conversations. The air that was once so loud and alive with life, was now quiet and dead with anticipation. The young boy struck the man’s shoulder, only after being cut once again in the arm. The man’s scream of pain was saddening. To see a grown man like that. Though Eden had seen worse, it was still sad.

There was no sound but from what the two made, fighting. Eden sheathed his small dagger and took out his broadsword. There was no telling what was going to happen next, He thought this was going to be a good day with nothing gone wrong. Eden’s mind raced with many questions as to what he might do. Should he go and help the boy? HE seemed to be well off on his own. Eden remembered hearing the boy telling the man to give back his money. Had he been mugged? Who was he? Was he really a thief?

Eden stepped forward, breaking the silent spell and spoke. “You two there, stop this right now and drop your weapons.” Eden had to do something. He could not just let the two go at it until one of them were dead. Were the man a thief, Eden would have to seize and arrest him. Justice would prevail.

Tobias stood before the man as he cried out in pain. Everything was a blur to him. He had a tunnel vision, the man being his center of attention. He saw that his shoulder was crushed in. The man dropped to his knees. Tobias had done a considerable amount of damage, now that he looked at the broken shoulder. Using his staff, he hit it out of the man’s hand, knocking it to the ground with a clang. Tobias stuck the bottom of his staff to the man’s neck and shoved him down to the ground. He was furious and wanted to make him pay for what he did.

“Did you think you could get away with this?” Tobias was only bluffing. He did not actually think he could catch up to him. “You will pay for you have done. I warned you that I was in no mood to play games, yet you still acted foolishly.” Tobias pushed down harder. Now he could ask what he really wanted to know. Now he could find out if his fears had come true. Tobias thought the man too good at dagger for a mere thief. He struck with swiftness and accuracy. “Who sent you after me?”

The man looked up and smiled and nasty smile. Despite his current situation and pain, he laughed aloud. Tobias thought him to be crazy. He had a menacing look in his eyes. Those were eyes that did not care, eyes that cared not for life. “You know who sent me…. Tobias.” Tobias stood in shock. Fear rushed in over him and seized him by the throat. Was it true? Yes. The man knew his name. There could be no other way. With all his might, Tobias swung his staff at the man’s head. Bone snapped and blood rushed out. Brain was exposed and chips of skull stuck inward.

It all happened so fast. Eden had never before seen a child kill a man before. It looked as though he had no regret. The child was deranged and insane. Why would he do this? The man was down on his knees, weapon out of his hand. Eden unsheathed his sword, gripping it tightly. What could cause a child to do such a thing? Eden was sad for the child and outraged that he would down a man on his knees.

“Put your weapon down now! I will offer you this one chance.” Eden walked over to the boy. The old men were staring at boy in disbelief. Their day had been ruined. It was supposed to be peaceful. Nothing wrong should have happened. Some people were staring at the dead body with wide eyes. Blood gushed from his head, creating a large pool that surrounded his body.

Before the angel finished his yelling, Tobias burst into a dead run out of the small square. He knocked over some of the people that stood in his way. For all he knew, the angel could be another one sent to kill him. How did his hunter find him here? Tobias was sure that he safe in the cover of the large city. People cursed Tobias as he ran into them and knocked a few down on their bottoms. He turned a corner and ran into a street vendor. The world around him no longer seemed alive with people. To Tobias, they were only bodies of mass that stood in his way.

The prey was discovered and no longer safe. Tobias had to find his grandmother and warn her of the bad news. They had to flee again. The thought of moving from their new home was agonizing. Tobias wanted to just live a normal life. If he had not been so greedy that one night, he would not be in this current situation. Greed is what got him into being hunted. He wanted to earn a large a sum from the king for his services. He knew of the man who plotted to murder the king and his men. Greed is what brought him to this.

Tobias rounded a corner and found a dark alley way. This could save him time. He could hide in here from that angel who wanted to destroy him. Tobias was good with the dark. He was usually more comfortable in the shadows, they seemed to welcome him. Darkness is what saved him from that monster who hunted him. Tobias heard talk on the streets about Shadow Dancers. They were sneaky assassins, being very difficult to detect. Maybe Tobias could become one of them some day. He could hide away from the dark and cruel world.

The boy ran off before Eden could finish yelling at him. He sighed and quickly sheathed his broadsword. When he brought his eyes back from returning the sword home, the boy was out of sight, but not out of ear shot. People were screaming at him for what sounded like knocking them over. Eden heard a crash and some one yelling about their merchandise. A street vendor. Before Eden could lose his earshot of the boy, he kicked off into the air and was now airborne.

Eden flew high up above the buildings. He surveyed the scene of the murder. The blood covered a good part of the small square. Eden forgot how much one person could bleed. Eden saw the trail the boy left behind: people still on their bottoms, rubbing their heads. They seemed dazed and confused as to what was happening. Some of them seemed to have taken a fall to the head. Eden followed the trail of fallen people and it lead him a dark alley way. With a soft thud, he landed on the ground. He hate darkness. It always made him feel uneasy. Only those of evil fled to the shadows of darkness. Eden held out his hand and emitted a soft glow of light. It was just enough to see the figures beyond him.

“Show your self, boy. You will not get away from me. There is no use in trying.”