Emily and Tyler knew only of struggle. Struggle to get food, struggle to survive. Both orphaned at a young age, they learned how to be independent early on. Even so, jobs for children were scarce. People wanted strong men and women for the big jobs, and the small one's earned hardly any pay. 
 Tyler, suprisingly, had the hardest time. Even though he was 13 now, people didn't seem to like him. Yes, he was a little odd. With red eyes and pale skin, some might say he was a little scary. 
Emily didn't understand why though. He had always been there for her, and was the hardest worker she had ever met. 
Tyler and Emily lived in a dark alleyway that was home to many poor people. The king taxed harshly, so you were either born rich, or forever slaved to a life of poverty. Then, when the guards came through for that tax day, everything changed. 
 "I'm sorry mam', but houses are needed for people that actually effect this town for the better. We can't keep waiting for your rent so you can dwiddle your thumbs." 
Tyler clenched his fists, overhearing the conversation. The poor women had gotten in a horrible accident just a year before, and had a very hard time looking for work due to her injuries. 
"Please Sir! I am just a lonely widow. Give me just another month, no, a week and I'm sure I can pay it!" 
The guard laughed. 
"You say that everytime, confinscate her from the house." 
 "Wait! Please! NO!!!!" 
Tyler watched in horror as they dragged the lady away by the arms as she kicked her feet and shouted in pain and woe. This was a similar scinario throughout many taxations that day. 
"I can't take this!!" 
 Tyler yelled to Emily. 
"These are the kings people too! How dare he do this!!" 
Emily sat on an old box giggling to herself. She was 12 now and this was odd behavior. 
"What are you laughing about?" 
Emily held up a piece of paper that titled an event. 
"I think I know a way we can help them, but we would need some help." 
 
2 days later 
 
Tyler found himself next to a large stadium, minutes from Emily's crazy plan. 
 "I can't believe I'm going along with this." 
 He said to himself. Emily had found out about this huge gladiator tournament. The prize to this was 100,000 gold pieces. It would be enough to help everyone back where they lived. The only problem though, is that they couldn't enter. Tyler was to young and Emily was was definetly to young. So she came a plan. As the tournament was going, a friend of theres named Michal, was going to distract the guards by doing something stupid. Then, Tyler would sneak around back well Lily, a girl that they knew well, pick locked the door. Tyler would then steal the gold while Emily was ready as a getaway with a wagon. 
 
Tyler and Emily snuck under the seats to stay hidden. Above them sounded of a thousand horses trampling through a field. Drinks and other fluids seeped through the cracks and stuck to them both. 
"Are you sure we can't be seen?" Tyler asked. 
"Positive." 
 "How can you know?" 
"Because I used to came here like a thousand times when I was younger. And I scoped it out yesterday." "Maybe this isn't they right way, it's to risky." 
"Michal and Lily are already in position, its time to take back what the king greedily takes from us. Isn't that what you want?" 
"...I guess, bu-" 
"Wait, it's about to start." Two large men came from oposite ends of the stadium. The crowds stomped and yelled, waving banners of either blue or red. 
"It's time!" 
Emily said to Tyler. Tyler crawled his way under the seats over to the food stands. He noticed that the guards were gone. 
"Nice one Michal." Tyler thought to himself. He ran over to the entrance of the pits, where gladiators were training. It was there in a vault, that Tyler would find the gold. The door opened easy, for Lily had picked the lock just moments before. Tyler made his way down the stairs, and around the training room. There it was, the vault. He went up to it, face beaming with joy. This would change everything...then he grabbed the handle. 
 
It was locked. 
 
"Hey!! What are you doing!?" Tyler quickly turned around but something hit him hard in the back if his head. 
 
Emily, Michal and Lily sat outside of the stadium, shaking with fear. 
"He must have gotten captured." Michal spoke up. "After messing with those guards they almost put ME in the slammer. If Tyler got caught... I'm not sure what they will do." 
Emily started to sob. 
"This is all my fault, if I wouldn't of done this stupid plan..." 
Lily patted Emily's sholder. 
"Lets go back in, maybe we can find him."  
 
And she wasn't wrong. 
 
Looking from under the seats, an unconscious Tyler was seen being dragged by one of the gladiators to the center of the arena. 
  
"This boy tried to steal the gold prize!" He yelled to the king, who was seated above. The king was furious. "Stand him up!" 
The gladiator grabbed Tyler by the head and slapped his face. 
"Wake up little boy!" 
Tyler opened his eyes and stood to his feet, stumbling. 
"What's your name little boy! The king shouted. 
"Ty-Tyler." Tyler said, still dizzy. 
"You are a bad bad boy!! Stealing from me and these gladiators!!! Your a disgrace!!" 
Booing came from the crowd, at Tyler. Tyler mentally slapped himself and woke himself up. 
"Me!? A disgrace?! What about what you do to those people downtown!! The amount you tax them!! I'm not a thief, YOU are!!!!  
 
The others watched Tyler from underneath the stands. His eyes were now aluminating bright red, and his hair stood strait up. The king stood up quickly. 
"Dragon!!" Tyler's vision went fuzzy, and he felt as if his insides were exploding. There, infront of everyone, Tyler turned into a large red dragon. It then hit him, something from his past that he had long forgotten. He wasn't abandoned. His parents were killed. Killed by...Him, the king. In an effortless motion, Tyler grabbed the king with his mouth... 
 
And ate him 
 
Problem solved.