Chapter 1
Author: Sotonye
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

An air dragon warrior rode his white scaled air dragon through the night sky, making his way to a small village.He landed his dragon near a house in the village.

The air dragon warrior then got off his dragon and the very moment it did the dragon disappeared.The air dragon warrior, who was severely wounded with blood dripping out of his body carrying something on his arms went to the house and then knocked at the door.

A few moments later the door opened up and a woman stepped out of the door.

“Victor” said the woman, shocked to see the air dragon warrior so badly wounded.

The air dragon warrior could barely walk because of how serious his wounds were.He attempted to take a step closer to the woman but stumbled and almost fell down to the ground but the woman managed to catch him before he could.“What happened to you?” asked the woman.

“Don’t worry about me, I came here because of him” said the air dragon warrior before he opened up his arms, revealing the young unconscious boy he had been carrying.

The woman upon seeing the boy he was carrying helped the air dragon warrior in to her home.

The man spent the night, along with the unconscious boy in the woman’s house.The next day the air dragon warrior left the house and prepared to leave, fully healed of all his many wounds.

He stood in front of the house and about to summon his air dragon to leave but was stopped when he heard the door of the house open.

“Leaving so soon, you didn’t even have the decency to say goodbye” said the woman that welcomed him in to her home the night before.The air dragon warrior just sighed before turning to the woman and saying, “I have to go”.

“And what about the boy that is currently sleeping like a rock in my house” asked the woman.The air dragon warrior sighed once more before saying, “he’s safer with you than with me”.

“He’s safer with me but I am I safe with him” said the woman worrying about her safety while having to stay with the boy.

“Yes, after all you made sure of that last night” said the air dragon warrior.

The woman then sighed, remembering what she did to the boy the night before while he was still unconscious.

“I still don’t think what we did was the right thing, he’s just a child” said the woman feeling terrible for what she did to the boy the night before.

The air dragon warrior just sighed, upon seeing the look of sadness on the woman’s face as she pondered on whether or not what they did to the boy the previous night was the right thing, went to her and said, “What we did was the right thing Abari, not just for us but for the boy as well. We freed him from a burden no child like him should carry”.

“I understand but he will have many questions when he wakes, questions I will have no answers to,” said the woman.

“He is a child, just give him an answer he would have to believe, it doesn’t necessarily have to be true” said the air dragon warrior.

“Do you expect me to lie to a child?” asked the woman, shocked that the air dragon warrior would suggest that she lied to the boy when he wakes up.

“Given the delicate situation were in, yes I do expect you to lie” said the air dragon with a serious look on his face.

“I don’t know if I can” said the woman with her face bowed down as she wondered how unearth she could lie to a child.

“You have to, if not for my sake, then, do it for Ibierana, my sister who made that ultimate sacrifice to stop the Dark Dragon Lord and his army of dark dragon warriors all those years ago” said the air dragon warrior.

The woman sighed upon hearing the air dragon warrior mention the golden dragon warrior and her sacrifice.

“What you’re telling me to do isn’t easy,” said the woman.

“Nothing ever is” said the air dragon warrior before he summoned his air dragon.

“I have to go, keep the boy safe and no one should know about who he is or the power that lies within him, not even him. Understood” said air dragon warrior with a strict, firm and serious look on his face.

The woman sighed, not enjoying the idea of having to lie to a child before saying softly, and saying “understood”.

The air dragon warrior then nodded his head at the woman before getting on the back of the air dragon and riding away.

Once the air dragon warrior was gone the woman heard the screams of the child from within her house.

She then rushed inside the house and went to the room where she had placed the boy the air dragon brought with him the night before to rest.

Once there she saw that the boy was awake, lying on the bed, shaking out of fear and horror.The boy then looked at, still shaking with fear and horror in his eyes and then asked, “Who are you?”

The woman took a deep breath, summoning all the strength she could muster and then went to the boy.

“My name is Abari, what’s yours” asked Abari.

“Da…vid, David” said the boy, stammering almost as though he was struggling to remember his own name.

“Where I’m I” said David as he looked around the unfamiliar room.

“You’re in my home, in the village of Dugrunal” said Abari.

“How did I get here?” asked David.

Abari, upon hearing the question David had asked, Abari became nervous as it was at that very moment which she had to do something she didn’t wish to do, she had to lie to David.

“I found you in a forest outside the village, you were badly hurt and had lost consciousness when I found you and so I brought you here” said Abari.

“Thank you” said David with a weak smile, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Abari for finding him and bringing him to her home.

“Why were you screaming?” asked Abari.

“I had a nightmare,” said David.

“What was it about?” asked Abari.

David remained silent, not wanting to tell Abari the horrible dream he had.

Abari sighed upon seeing that David didn’t want to tell her his dream before seating down on the bed next to him.

“I get it, nightmares are scary. I remember when I was little, I use to dream about this a scary monster who would chase me in my dreams. It was completely terrifying” said Abari jokingly.

“My dream is a bit similar to yours except for one small difference,” said David.

“And what is that” asked Abari.

“In my dream, I’m the monster and I’m the one who chases people in my dreams, and do you know what I do when I find them?” asked David.

Abari who was a bit frighten by what David said about his dream but couldn’t stop herself from asking, “What do you do to them?”

“I kill them, all of them” said David with serious but yet sad look on his face.

Abari upon hearing David say he killed people in his dream became even more frighten, fearing what David might be capable of but tried her best not to show it.

“How did you kill them in your dreams?” asked Abari.

“Sometimes I burn them with fire, sometimes I drown them alive, sometimes I crush them with rocks and stones, sometimes I suck the air out of their lungs and suffocate them and most times I release the strange and destructive power out my body that complete destroys them, without a trace of them remaining” said David as he remembered all the horrible ways he killed people in his dream and upon hearing what David said Abari realized that there was only one dragon warrior who could everything David just mentioned and that was the Dark Dragon Lord himself.

She then looked at him, this time unable to hide her fear, looking at him although he was the Dark Dragon Lord, with a look of pure fear and horror, even though death itself did not fill Abari with as much fear as she felt after hearing everything David just said.

David then looked at Abari and saw the fear in her eyes, fear for him and upon seeing that fear small droplets of tear began to fall down from his.

Abari, upon seeing David crying, went to console him, forgetting about her fear and remembering that David was still a child before going to him, embracing him in a warm hug and then wiping away his tears.

“Why are you crying?” asked Abari.

“You looked at me like I was some kind of monster,” said David.

Abari looked at David, and saw pain, sadness and fear, fear for himself and that he was indeed a monster, and that fear brought him nothing but pain and sadness.

“You’re not a monster child” said Abari, consoling him more.

“You just had a bad dream” said Abari.

“But it felt more than a dream, like it actually happened,” said David.

“Alright tell me, do you possess the power to all four elements” asked Abari.

“Yes, at least I think so” said David, a bit unsure of himself and the power he possessed.

“Then show me” said Abari.David then got up and attempted to show Abari his power and ability to control all four elements but as he tried to summon out his power, he felt something strange, it felt as though something within him blocking his power.

He tried to his best to summon the power of all four elements; fire, water, earth and air but out of all four the only power he was about summoned was that of air.

It felt strange to him as he could feel all the power, he possessed within him but yet could not bring out, it felt as though something was keep all that within him and preventing him from using it.

“I don’t understand what’s wrong, it seems as though the only power I can summon is the power of the wind” said David shocked and confuse as to why his power refused to come out.

“I understand, it’s because you’re just a wind dragon warrior like me” said Abari as she turned to air and then reformed next to David.

“And can only control one element, the air” said Abari.

“No, that can’t be right. I remember, I was able to do much more than just control air, I could command fire, earth and water, not just the air,” said David.

The woman then sighed, unsure as to how she would be able to convince David that he was just an ordinary air dragon warrior.

“Alright even if you did have all that power was it a good thing, you just told how you killed many with the very power you claimed to have in your dream” said Abari.

David upon hearing what Abari said bowed shame and sadness as he thought about what Abari said, as he did so he remembered the dream he had and how he killed some people within his dream, the thought of being able to hurt someone to the point of death greatly terrified David and he would himself wanting to believe more than ever that it was indeed just a dream.

“There are only two dragon warriors in existence who could possessed the power of all four elements, one is a kind protector known as the golden dragon warrior, the other was a destructive monster known as the Dark Dragon Lord and you’re neither of them” said Abari.

“Then who I’m I?” asked David.

“That’s simple, you’re David an air dragon” said Abari.

“I think I need some time to think about everything that has happened” said David as his mind was foggy and unclear with him trying desperately to unravel the mess that was his mind.

“I understand; you look like you need some time to yourself” said Abari.

As Abari approached the door, about to leave she stopped and turned before saying, “David, if you don’t have anywhere else to go, you’re well come to stay as long as you want”.

“Are you sure, I don’t want to be a burden on you,” said David.

“You won’t be and it would be nice having some company around here, plus I can’t have you wondering around aimless, you could get seriously hurt or worse and I can’t have that weighing on my conscience” said Abari.

“Thank you” said David with a smile on his face, grateful to Abari for allowing him to stay in her home.

“Don’t mention it” said Abari with a smile on her face before leaving the room.

David was now alone with thoughts, thinking about his powers and trying to make sense of all his scattered and unclear memories.He then began to wonder if the dream he had was just a dream and the powers he believed he had only existed within that dream and if in reality he was truly just an ordinary air dragon warrior.

David hoped with all his heart that it was indeed just a dream because if it was it meant that he wasn’t a murder and those people he killed within his dream had not really died.

While David continued to try and make sense of scattered mind Abari spied on him through a small hole on the door.

She was relieved to see doubt on David’s face about himself and the power he possessed as it meant that he was slowly being convinced that he was indeed an ordinary air dragon warrior but in reality, he was something far greater than an air dragon warrior as he possessed powers similar to that of the Dark Dragon Lord and the golden dragon warrior but she did not why or what it meant.

The Dark Dragon Lord was a being feared by all and near plunged the world in to chaos while the Golden Dragon Warrior was a warrior of peace, one who used her power to protect and defend the entire world before ultimately losing her life to put an end to the Dark Dragon Lord’s reign over their world.

The Dark Dragon Lord and Golden Dragon Warrior were opposite, while the power of the Golden Dragon Warrior was pure and used solely to protect the world, the Dark Dragon Lord’s was corrupted and was only used to destroy, so it greatly baffled Abari as to how a child like David could exist, one who not only had the dark and corrupted powers of the Dark Dragon Lord but also the pure and protective power of the Golden Dragon Warrior as those two powers were too opposite and should have never been able to exist together but yet they did and within a child that looks too innocent to ever suspect that lying within him were the powers of two of the most powerful dragon warriors to ever exist.

Abari decided not to think too much about the matter as it didn’t really matter at that moment as David would never be able to access the powers as she had, per air dragon warrior’s instructions, made sure to put a strong seal on David, preventing him from ever being able to use those powers, of course one of the consequences of placing such a strong seal on a young child like David was that it would make him losing his memory due to the strain and the seal puts on both the mind and body but it was for the best as it would make it easier for him to be convinced of whatever lie and explanation she gave him about himself and who he was.She could only hope and pray that with time David would be fully convinced that he was an air dragon warrior and never discover the tremendous power sealed within him.

Related Chapters

  • The Blood of The Dragon   Chapter 2

    Years passed and David grew, living with Abari in her home. It took some time but slowly Abari found herself loving and caring for David as if he was her own child, forgetting about the power sealed with him and treating him like a normal child. David, as time passed became fully convinced that he was an ordinary air dragon and that whatever power he believed he had only existed in his dreams. David didn’t remember much about his past or where he came from but Abari made sure he didn’t get too curious, dismissing any questions he may have about his past and then tried to convince him that his past did not matter but no matter how hard Abari tried she could not stop him from wondering and being curious about his past and the life he lived before they met. He would often try to remember his life before he met Abari but could only manage to recall bits and pieces of his past which were never clear, usually all David could manage to recall was the faint of a woman's voice whispering so

  • The Blood of The Dragon   chapter 3

    David and Abari walked through the forest on their way back to the village but before they could leave the forest David heard the roar of a high up, in the sky above his head.David then looked to see what could make a roar so high up and then he saw, flying high up in the sky a red fire dragon covered with scales that were as red as flames, and on the fire-dragon was a man.David couldn't help but smile as he had never before seen a dragon in real life before, it looked as elegant and graceful as he flew through the night sky but then with a loud roar, almost as though it was in pain it disappeared and the man who rode on its back began to fall.Abari who saw the dragon and how it disappeared just stood there in shock, wondering why the dragon would disappear and allow the dragon warrior who rode on it to fall.David, without much of a thought in his mind then rushed, jumping from tree to tree, using the power of the wind to propel him further and further to the sky with each and eve

  • The Blood of The Dragon   Chapter 4

    The next day Abari had to leave to collect some herbs from the forest and since she could not leave Binaru alone in the state he was in David had to stay behind to watch him as she felt more comfortable leaving David alone with Binaru now knowing that Binaru would not hurt him.She also hoped that he would tell David about the horrors he had experienced in his time as a Golden Dragon Guard, hoping that upon hearing those stories he would be discouraged to leave.David who was now alone with Binaru was free to ask him any question and Abari was there to stop him.“Who are you?” asked David.Binaru just smiled before answering David’s question, saying, “My name is Binaru and I’m a Golden Dragon Guard”.“What is Golden Dragon Guard?” asked David.Binaru smiled once more before answering David’s question, find David’s curiosity amusing.“The Golden Dragon Guards are a group of dragon warrior who had taken an oath to fight and protect the worlds from the dark dragon warriors” said Binaru.

  • The Blood of The Dragon   Chapter 5

    As David slept, he had a strange dream, similar to the memory that came to him when Binaru spoke about the dark dragon warriors.In his dream David saw himself standing face to face with the fire dragon warrior he saw in his memory, surrounded by dragon warriors in the forest.“Come with us now boy and we promise not to harm you” said the fire dragon warrior.“No, you can’t make me,” said David.“You will come with us whether you want to or not” said the fire dragon warrior before he grabbed David by the arm.“Let go of ME!!!!!!” said David as his voice slowly became as deep and ferocious as that of a dragon and his eyes glowing with violet light.After David spoke a flash of light consumed everything for a brief moment but when the light began to disappear, David witnessed something that would send chills down any man’s spine.All the dragon warriors that surrounded him laid down on the ground dead and lifeless, some of them were impaled with spike made out of stone that sprouted out

  • The Blood of The Dragon   Chapter 6

    Dragon warriors were not known only for their tremendous strength and power; they were also remarkable fast healers as fatal wounds that would take months to heal in a regular man would take a few days to heal in a dragon warrior because of this Binaru’s wounds healed fast and he was able to recover in a matter of days. It was now time for David to make a decision as Binaru, dress in his Golden Dragon Guard armor, stood at the door ready to leave, having been fully healed of all his injuries. David and Abari stood before him to see him off. David though, had his head bowed down as still hadn’t decided yet and he knew he had a make up his mind fast before Binaru left. “Here you go” said Abari as she gave him a bag filled with food. “What’s this for?” asked Binaru. “Think of it as a thank you for fighting to keep our world safe from the threat of the dark dragon warrior” said Abari. Binaru smiled upon hearing what Abari said before saying, “Thank you, honestly I don’t know what I

  • The Blood of The Dragon   Chapter 7

    David and Binaru flew through the skies, above the clouds on fire dragon’s back. As the rode David looked down to see the magnificent fields, hills, valleys and rivers below where creatures of all kind lived, like the green antelope with fur as green as the grass it grazed upon and antlers that resembled the wooden branches of a tree or the serpent, a snake like creature that lived the rivers below that had the ability spew out massive jets of water out of its mouth. David then looked up to sky above his head and saw colorful birds called rainbow canaries who sang melodious as they flew passed them. David could not believe how incredible and mystical the world as never before seen such breath taking, beautiful and mystifying lands before. The sun soon began to slowly disappear and the darkness of the night began to consume everything. David and Binaru had been riding the dragon throughout the entire day and as night began to all Binaru knew he had to land the dragon so they could

  • The Blood of The Dragon   Chapter 8

    After riding through the sky for a long time as night began to fall David heard Binaru say, “take a look David, we are finally here”. David then looked down below and saw massive building that bared the crust of all five dragons; a water dragon, fire dragon, air dragon, earth dragon and a massive golden dragon at the center. David then realized that the building must have been the Dragon Academy Binaru told him about. As they flew down closer to the Dragon Academy David noticed what looked like an ancient golden temple not too far from the academy. “What is that?” asked David, pointing at the golden temple. “That, it’s the Temple of The Golden Dragon Warrior, not much is known about it other than its doors can only be opened by a golden dragon warrior. Legend says that within the temple walls is hidden an artifact of great and immense power” said Binaru. “What kind of artifact?” asked David? “No more knows for sure though rumors say the artifact hidden inside the temple was wha

  • The Blood of The Dragon   Chapter 9

    David was dragged through the empty academy’s halls by Flani. “Where are you taking me?” asked David as Flani continued to drag him. “The room you’ll be staying in while you are allowed to stay within the academy’s walls” said Flani. Flani dragged David through the hallway, passing different rooms. As they walked through the hall way David noticed strange symbols on the doors on some of the rooms they passed, some had a symbol of fire, some of earth, some of water and others of air. “Why are they symbols on those doors?” asked David. “Those doors lead to the rooms where the students of the academy stay, the ones with the fire symbol are for fire dragon warriors, water for water dragon warriors, and earth for earth dragon warriors. All the students in the academy are currently fast asleep, observing the curfew, all students of the academy are expected to fast asleep before the tenth hour at night” said Flani. Flani then took him to one of the rooms that had an air symbol on it.

Latest Chapter

  • The Blood of The Dragon   

    Goodbye for now

    Hey guys. Wow, you actually made it all the way to the end. It really means a lot to me that you took you time to read this book all the way through. This is a work I'm really proud of though it's still a working progress. It been a strange, stressfull, some times annoying and infuriating ride writing this story but in the end I'm glad that i was able to finally finsh it and get out here to you all. You guys have no idea how heart warming and amazing to feel that they are people who, even if this isn't a perfect story, still took the time to read it and allowed my to take you on a journey in to a world of my own creation. Sincerely, from the bottom of my heart I thank all. For those of you who love this story and who love this story and my writing, don't worry, I'm currently working on a sequel and I have a few other works I'm working on as well. Regretably I don't think I will be able to be able to publish anything anytime soon, I mean as much as I would love to write all day for y'

  • The Blood of The Dragon   

    Chapter 42

    Once everything had settled down the Golden Dragon Guard left with the bodies of the Golden Dragon Generals so as to give them a proper burial befitting them as the legendary Golden Dragon General.Before they left, however, they informed the Head Master that they would return the remaining students of the academy the next day and would be searching for the dark dragon warriors that attacked the academy.Binaru said his goodbye to David, still a bit taken aback by the fact that the little wind dragon warrior he had met a few weeks ago turned out to be the son of the most powerful dragon warrior of them all.“It still can’t believe you’re really her son,” said Binaru.“Neither can I, to be honest,” said David with a small smile on his face as he recalled how a few days ago he believed that he was just a regular wind dragon warrior, only to find out he was actually one of the most powerful dragon warriors to ever live.“I wonder how Abari will take the news when she finds out,” said Bin

  • The Blood of The Dragon   

    Chapter 41

    David continued to scream out and yell like a raging beast, releasing more and more power further damaging the already plummeting sky dragon as he did so.As his screams echoed through the sky dragon as it descended down from the sky, Susan, who was lying on the floor not too far away from him, upon hearing the ferocious roar of David’s yells dimly opened her eyes, barely conscious but was able to at least make out and recognized the image of David standing with raw power emitting from his body along with the five rings that surrounded.Susan upon witnessing the state David was in wondered if this was the power the Head Master told them.She continued looking at her dear friend with tired and weak eyes, barely able to keep them open.She tried mustering the strength to call out to him but her voice was too weak to utter a single word.She then tried to lift her hands up in an attempt to crawl to him but her tired hands just collapsed on the ground the moment she tried to move them.Su

  • The Blood of The Dragon   

    Chapter 40

    David slowly opened up his eyes and found himself falling into a dark and empty abyss, sinking deeper and deeper in to the void almost as though his body was tired down to an anchor, pulling him deeper and deeper down into the abyss.David felt his body had gone numb, losing every sense of feeling, he also felt cold but was shivering or craving warmth, and his body felt too heavy to move even a single finger.It felt strange to David but at the same time he felt strangely at peace within the darkness and just wanted to continue to sink further down into it, but then he had a familiar voice call out for him, saying, “David”David then found himself out of the darkness and in a strange room.It was a bedroom with a neatly made bed, a cupboard filled with clothes, and a single window next to it.David then heard saw sound of someone crying from underneath the bed but just as David was about to check the room door opened.David then turned around to see who it was that opened the door.A

  • The Blood of The Dragon   

    Chapter 39

    Akiri, Flora, Susan, and Steven fought valiantly against the dark dragon warriors but as the battle waged on the numbers of the dark dragon warriors slowly began to overwhelm them.Soon the four young dragon warriors found themselves backed into a corn surrounded by dark dragon warriors from all directions.The dark dragon warriors then attacked, unleashing the full might of the four elements on them but luckily, Akiri was quick enough to create a protective wall of earth and stone around them, strong enough to protect them from the full brunt of the dark dragon warrior’s attacks.“This won’t hold forever,” said Akiri as struggled to tough and reinforce the stone wall but despite putting all the strength he could muster into the barrier it began to crack due to the ever-growing pressure the endless attacks mounted on it.Steven looking at the cracks forming on the barrier and how Akiri was struggling to maintain it yelled out to Akiri, “Hey four eyes”.Akiri then turned to Steven.“Wh

  • The Blood of The Dragon   

    Chapter 38

    After a while of flying on their dragons at high speed they eventually caught up with the Sky Dragon where dark dragon warriors and David were on.“Think that’s the dark dragon warrior's sky dragon?” asked Akiri.“No, it’s a random sky dragon that has the crust of freaking dark dragon on it. Of course, it is you moron” said Flora annoyed with Akiri’s question when it was obvious that the sky dragon belonged to the dark dragon warriors due to the dark dragon crust on its sides.“Just wanted to make sure we had the right one,” said Akiri.“I still can’t believe we are actually doing this, it’s basically suicide,” said Steven annoyed with the fact that not only were they planning to face up against an army of dark dragon warriors they were powerful enough to defeat their parents but they were doing it all to save David.“I don’t know why you’re whining so much, it’s not like we asked you to come along with us,” said Flora annoyed and enraged by Steven and his grime attitude.Steven just

  • The Blood of The Dragon   

    Chapter 37

    David upon hearing what Felix said remained and as much as David would want to believe otherwise something within, for reasons he couldn’t, knew he was right, somehow, he knew about the existence of the endless cycle of fear and hatred between mankind and the dragon warriors.David then began to recall something, something from his forgotten past.A memory of a silver-haired girl being bullied by a group of kids in the orphanage, calling her all sorts of names like demon spawn, witch, and monster, and it was all because she was different, while they were regular people she was a dragon warrior, a water dragon warrior to be exact, dumped in the orphanage by her own father after her mother was revealed to be water dragon warrior and was killed by the people the who lived in the village where the orphanage was.She had hidden her powers from all of them, never once using them against them but still the children chose to attack and pick on her, she did nothing wrong but yet was still bein

  • The Blood of The Dragon   

    Chapter 36

    David heard a knock on the door before it slowly began to open up, startling and scaring David as it did so. David braced himself, unsure of who was going to walk in through the door, a figure then walked in holding a tray but the darkness within the room cloaked its appearance making it hard for David to figure out who it was or what was on the tray which made David feel even more unsettled and sacred. The figure then approached David with the tray still on its hands, and upon getting close enough for the light from the candle near David’s bed David was able to make out who it was and what was on the try. It was none other than Felix and, on the tray, he held was some food he had brought for David. “Hey, sorry if I startled you there, I just thought you might be a little hungry,” said Felix with a warm smile on his face. David upon seeing the smile on his face couldn’t help but feel a little at ease. “Who are you?” asked David. “Ah yes, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Fel

  • The Blood of The Dragon   

    Chapter 35

    In the Sky Dragon, the dark dragon warriors rode on Joshua made his way to his private quarters holding the golden locket.Once in his quarters, Joshua looked at the locket, thinking about all the power it possessed, having heard from the many legends about the Golden Dragon Warriors of the power that was within the small locket he held in his hands.The power of the locket was rumored to be great enough to make every nation in the world to fall down to their knees, a power that could not be matched by any other form of power except that of his master of course.Joshua couldn’t help but wonder if the power of the golden locket was so great then maybe it would be able to grant him the power he needed to bring the dream and the other dragon warriors shared to reality and for a moment he felt tempted to wear the locket and to see if it would grant him the power he needed to fulfill his dream but before he could he was stopped by a menacing deep voice from behind saying, “If you dare put t