Slaves can do many things: do chores for you, entertain you, kill for you.

But be careful, because one day, they might kill you.

Two lines of slaves stand before me, heads bowed, staring at the ground.

“I want to see their faces,” I say. The manager besides me barks an order and the slaves lift their heads. One of them sways slightly and a worker slaps him across the face.

The crack is sharp in the air and the slave drops to his knees. The manager spouts apologies, but I ignore him, watching the reactions of the others instead. They're mintue, but I see everything.

The tall one clenches his jaw. The tan one tightens his fists. Another stares forward, eyes hardening. But one catches my attention. His eyes flit over to the worker, smoldering with hatred.

“I want that one,” I tell the manager.

The man follows my eyes and immediately says, “Young sir, are you sure?”

I stare at him and he chokes on his words but keeps going anyway. “He's dangerous­”

Dangerous? I smile. “I want him.”

I will break the defiance.

I will break the slave.

I will take the shards and throw them at the world.

I will take that smoldering hatred and it will burn.

~ ~ ~

My name is Tao.

It means war.

It's the name Master gave me.

I hate him and I hate the name.<