Intro Statistics Drakkin Story
Aubrey focused her mind on the globe in front of her, allowing herself to slip into a sort of trance. The charm on the globe began to pull Rey's mind further down, closer and closer to the globe until she could see each person, hear what they said, see what they did. Immediately, something caught Rey's mind's eye: two women, one young and one middle aged, trekking through the shady woods towards Rey's home in the mountains. They were only a few minutes away. She couldn't imagine why they were coming, but felt a pang of regret that she could not leave her home to greet them. Although she could easily watch the outside world from her mind, any real exposure to sunlight (even reflected moonlight) would nearly kill her. |
Rey did the closest thing to greeting them outside that she could, and walked through her pitch-black home to her second front door. A small screen next to the large metal door showed the women as they knocked. Rey pushed a button to turn on the speaker, and said, "Who are you?" |
"Domain Leader Sahara," said the younger woman, and Rey choked. See, the Domain Leader walking up to her house was a little like the President striding up and knocking on a hermit's front door. Not surprisingly, Rey was more than a little shocked. "And this is my friend, Guiana," Sahara said, gesturing towards the older woman. "We're here to speak to Aubrey Hannaka. You're her, right?" |
"Um, yeah, I'm Aubrey. Come in, Domain Leader, but make sure you close the first door before you open the second one. Grab some goggles, if you need 'em." To ensure that no sunlight accidentally entered Rey's home, her front door led into a dark chamber, where there were night-vision goggles available for visitors. The second door was sealed shut until the first one closed. |
A moment later there was a slight hiss as the second front door opened, and Sahara and her friend stepped in. Sahara had on her long red gown, and her feathered wings were folded at her back. Guiana had short grey hair, and wore plain pants and an embroidered tunic. They looked a little like bugs with the large night-vision goggles on. |
"Hi, I'm Aubrey," Rey introduced herself. "You can call me Rey. Sorry about the dark, it's just, I'm allergic to sunlight, and... yeah. Sorry," she said lamely. "How can I help you?" |
"Rey, what do you do in your free time?" Sahara asked. |
The unusual question caught Rey off guard. "Um, I dunno," she said. "I read, and Watch people. There really isn't much I can do, sealed up like this." She was a little embaressed; What would the Domain Leader think of a fifteen-year-old girl who spent all of her time Watching other people? |
"Is that all?" |
"Well, yeah..." |
Sahara pulled a few photocopied papers out of a pocket in her gown. "Look through these. Tell me what you think." |
Rey took the pages. The first showed a photograph of a strange beast, draconic, with spiral horns and sharp spines down its back. Underneath, the caption read, "Male Drakkin." Skimming over the texts, Rey found that these drakkin were fighting animals, kept by drow in some otherworld. They were very ferocious, and... Rey gasped. They were photosensitive. Couldn't stand light. |
"Why are you showing me these?" Rey asked, but she felt a rising excitement. Sahara was well known as a sort of collector of fantastic creatures from many worlds, and often requested that other people care for them for her. |
"The three breeders of these drakkin have recently begun adopting them out to foreigners. There is a single hatchling still available for purchase from their most recent clutch..." Sahara gave a sly smile. "What do you think? This is something you could do! A companion, a fighter to raise and train. And end to day after day of living other people's lives." |
Rey's mind was made up in a heartbeat. "Well, there's nothing to lose," she said, and Sahara grinned. "What do I have to do?" |