A Rising Knight: Vol1, Issue 10. Every story that has an end has a beginning. He was raised in silence and will awaken in cacophony. This is beginning of Vlad’s story, the moment the Knight begins to rise.   Vlad was a killer by fifteen, a warrior by sixteen, a revolutionary by seventeen and a legend by eighteen. He won't live to be nineteen. These are first steps Vlad will take to define his destiny. He will be born in darkness and baptized in blood. He will choose a name and standard. He will spit at the feet of god and slay his angels. A Rising Knight: Vol1, Issue 10 – Awakening is the Tenth issue from the first volume of an anthology short story series chronicling the journey of a half wizard living in New York. The first volume covers the start of the three journeys he will take to becoming the most hunted wizard in history. Excerpt Blood ran down his forearm. A dark stain bloomed on the cuff of his white shirt. The hand would probably become infected. Taking note of those details seemed very important for some reason. It was better than looking up. He’d caught a glimpse of it as he fell. Pain was good too. Something to focus on. Vlad heard heavy breathing. Slowly, he raised his head to look at the other end of the alley. It reminded him of a velociraptor…except that is had arms like a gorilla. Whatever it was stood nine feet tall with rough, soot-colored scales and black, hooked teeth. Powerful muscles rippled under thick scales when it moved. A long tail tipped with an evil looking spike whipped behind it. That was what it had used to grab him. Whiteless black eyes stared at him with naked hunger. The creature’s mouth opened and harsh savage sounds came out. Vlad couldn’t understand any of it. But it sounded…happy? Then it stopped…talking. It opened its maw and charged with a shrieking cry that drove a chill into Vlad's blood.