| Prologue: Hunted... |
| Speedily, a hooded figure raced through a field where tall, exotic looking, cornlike plants grew. Following quickly behing the hooded figure were three burly, strange dog men with whips, luminous torches, and strange looking crossbows, on winged horses that resembled the mythological Pegasus. As they pursued their quarry they howled like wolves when hunting prey. Finally, the dog men overrun the hooded figure and brought him to the ground with a whip. They all got off their horses and one whose features who were hidden in a night sky spoke, partly reprimandingly and partly with humor, "Did you really think you could outrun us you little fool...", then he raised his whip and cracked it across the cowering body below him. A long sliver of blood appeared as the figure moaned but refused to cry out. The second spoke tauntingly, "Where's that little temper of yours now? You sure had it back there when your little Victoria was involved. Come on, show me." Then his whip crossed his back. Finally, the third came to the group, "Enough with this. Listen you little alei, we're gonna teach you a lesson you'll NEVER forget." With that he brutally began beating the man shivering below him, followed in turn by his companions. While in the distance, a woman's crying and screaming from labor pains and watching helplessly her mate being brutalized mixed into one. |