A Walker Arises

"Hey, boy. Come and clean my shoes" the man jeered as Lukan walked past. the men around him laughed heartlessly. Lukan put his head down and carried on walking.

Lukan was a cobbler. He had come to the city a few years ago when he was young with his uncle. Since then alot had happened. His uncle had died and the debtors had taken everything including the house. Lukan had been thrown on the streets but had kept the trade and made little money, just enough to help him through the days. But there was also someone else, Lily, he loved her more than anything and there had been times when he had sat huddled in one the corners of a winding street, thinking about Lily. It was the thought that one day they would get married and he would spend the rest of his life with her that kept him going, but he was known to all as an outcast. They treated him harshly and with little mercy.

Lukan carried on down the street, his bag in hand. He had been summoned by a rich merchant to mend some of the servents shoes, that way he would have to spend less money on them.

After a short walk he reached the place and knocked upon the door. A servant opened it and let him in. He then proceeded to guide him to an office where the manager resided.

"Right you, get to work" the manager pointed to a pile of shoes and left. sighing he knelt down picked up the first shoe and examined it, it was worn in several places. he then fished in his bag for the thread, patches and a needle.

As Lukan exited the house, he was tired. he pocketed the few coins and went on his way. He has promised Lily that he would meet her tonight at the old oak tree where they usually met at nightfall.

As he made his way there he could think of nothing but the dreams he had been having lately.

An old man with bushy eyebrows and a long beard had come to him wearing robes of white samite.
"you are the chosen one, to walk among the people with your cloak of secrecy, whilst hiding what you really are. The time is drawing near when you will need to remove the cloak and show your true self. that time is closer than you think". Lukan had woken up sweating, on one occasion he thought he saw his hand turn a malachite green then change back.

As he reached the tree he saw lily, there were tears in her eyes. He ran forward calling her name. then came a blow to the back of his head. he stumbled to the ground holding his head and looked up. there stood a man with a long stick in his hands.

Lily, come here" the man shouted. obediantly she stepped forward. "Is this the boy you have been sneaking out at night to meet, this wretched outcast" he shouted harshly, spit flying from his mouth. "TELL ME".

"Yes, father".
"From this day forth, you will not leave the house unless i am aware of it, understood?".
"Yes Father" said Lily, her tears became thicker and she dared not look up.
"Now, go home". Lily Immediately ran home sobbing loudly, her face in her hands. "And as for you, outcast, if i ever hear that you have so much as looked at my daughter again, i will retrieve my sword and cut off your head, whatever the consequences". Saying this he threw down the stick and walked away.
Lukan was heartbroken, all his dreams were shattered in a single moment. he lay there and cried all night, and soon sleep overtook him swiftly.

The old man was there again, Lukan was on the ground weeping. The old man knelt down and placed his hand on Lukans shoulder.
"he will regret his words mightily, come the morning. He will eat his words and beg forgiveness of you. you will see".
Lukan looked up, he knelt and swiftly embraced the old man.
"There, there my son, you have a greater destiny than even you realize yet".

Lukan woke up suddenly. the morning sun was bright and hurt his eyes. he heard voices all around him. he stood and ran towards the city. wherever he went there were people running the way he had come.
he stopped a passerby and asked, "What is happening, Where are you going?".
"Have you not heard, or do your eyes decieve you. Moloch is here". saying this he pulled his arm free and ran. Lukan Paused to take in the mans words, then it hit him. The ogre demon was here, it's dark skin would gleam in the morning sun, it would raza the city down to every last brick and kill the people within. he had to stop it. then there came a voice.

"There he is, get him". rough hands grabbed him and pulled him down streets right into the centre of the city itself. There was Lily's Father satanding there with his sword in his hand.
"This is your fault, now you will pay for calling this creature here".
Lukan struggled with his captors but they were too strong for him. he was brought forward and the knife was placed at his throat. then moloch came ito view. lukan closed his eyes waiting for the blade to slice his throat, then he saw the old man.
"Reveal yourself. now is the time, tear your bindings and unleash yourself".
Lukan opened his eyes slowly. "You have to understand" he said, his voice now commanding and confident, "There is only one thing that can fight him, that thing is in me".
The men looked down at him in disgust," then go and unleash it" he jeered. lukan was pushed to the floor. the men stood behind laughing.

lukan closed his eyes, he felt for the beast within, he didn't even know what the beast looked like. then he felt it. it was like an untapped resource of energy. he waded deeper into it, let it consume him. then he opened his eyes. a roar emitted from his mouth. nails turned to talons, skin to scales, teeth to fangs. breath to flame and boy to dragon. he rose at least fifty feet above the houses. he saw moloch before him.
he ran forward, breath deadly flame all over the demon ogre. then tore into his flesh. all lukan could see was red.

It was over as suddenly as it had come. there he stood again, he was Lukan the boy. but before him lay the demon ogre, moloch, dead. his flesh torn to pieces and scorched. Lukan turned around and looked behind. There was Lily's father bowing before him with at least a hundred other men.
"Forgive me, Walker, for i have trated you harshly", the man was sobbing, holding his hands to his chest. the men behind were doing the same.
"You are forgiven, for i know mercy" Lukan said, "You did not know, I did not know. You are Forgiven".