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You listen as the dark man before you describes his position to you. Standing at your side is a woman who can be no older than eight- or nineteen. You see two guns holstered at her sides, which surprises you; guns are almost unheard of in these days. She was offered the opportunity to search for some cure to this plague that's apparently swept over the land, while you were asked to go into battle with the Dark Dragons. You contemplate your reply... would it be right to fight against the young Prince, or is it true that Prince Corey is too young to rule over the land?
The fire brandished by the human villagers that inhabit this town you happened upon is the least of your worries. The rope that they used to tie you to the cross is chafing, and they are piling timber and straw at your feet. Your eyes flick back to the young panthress in the cage only three spear lengths away, your gagged muzzle unable to offer her any words of hope. You know you'e done for. You should never have stopped at a tavern in a human's village.
Your cry of insistence is carried amongst the many others as you wave your torch in the air. You hope that the Elder will choose you to set flame to the logs at the anthro's feet. You've never had the chance to end a useless life like this; usually they died at your hands after a long battle. But this time, this life, there would be no fighting; the black feline hanging helplessly from the cross would die at your hands, without a fight. You wave your torch more persistently, hoping to catch his gaze.
When they threw you into the cage, you didn't have time to notice the dark feline brooding in the corner. It had been hours before you saw her, and even then she didn't even speak to you. You tried to open her shell of silence, but she didn't speak until morning. "Get down," the tigress whispered to you, and she stood to block you from view of whoever was opening the door. They grabbed her by the elbows and gagged her as you watched, helpless, and the humans carried her out, allowing the door to squeak shut behind them. There is one guard standing a spear's length from the door on the outside. You peer out of the crude bars on the door and can only watch as they tie the dark tigress to a cross and lie timber at her feet.
You have been "Cordially Invited" to the castle in the center of the Nexus. Prince Corey lives here, but you have not heard from nor seen him at all. You are sitting in an elaborately decorated waiting room when a handsome dragon in his Warrior form steps in, his beautiful pearl-colored scales illuminating nicely in the candlelight. You stand, not sure what news he is bringing you. "Follow me," he says after bowing slightly. You do so, and as you are led through beautiful hallways adorned with tapestries and sconces, the dragon continues to speak. "As you know, Draksylrosis is spreading quicker and quicker. While it is only a mere irritant to the Light Dragons, it can be deadly to our Dark enemies. Prince Corey has come down with this disease and we already have forces searching for the cure. However... that is not the problem..." He pauses and turns towards you, his amber eyes gleaming sadly. "Prince Corey is missing."
"My daughter is black of fur, as I," says the black tiger, watching you through amber eyes shaded only a little by the candles. "Her headfur is red, and eyes amber." You nod, creating a picture in your mind. "You will be rewarded greatly if you find her and bring her here, alive. What else you do; who you kill or let live, is up to you." Your hands rest on the hilts of your swords projecting from their sheaths. You already agreed to help him find his daughter, so there was no turning back. He was a powerful Necromancer (not as powerful as you or your father, but fairly close), and you could tell he was a man of his word, anthro or not. You are led out of the castle and now you stand on the golden sands that surround the area. West of here is the Human Village, South is Darsh Village, and North, only more desert.
It seems that the girl was given the easy job, but after all it is a job, and you could use the money. You think about his proposal and reply, "I'll help, but my loyalty only extends as far as my payment." The man laughs generously. "You will be paid as well as you act," he says. "I'll give you a hundred silver now, and the rest will await you here after the End. Is it agreed?"
"Elder!" you scream, insistant to grab his attention at any cost. You wave your torch around. "Elder!! I should be the one to end this creature's life! I've killed many of them before! It's my right and you know it!" You bransidh your torch higher, waving it to catch his eye. The elder cups his hands around his mouth and demands silence, though he is not angry; there is a smile on his face. "I have chosen!" he announces. The villagers silence and lower their torches; you do the same. The elder looks over the crowd again. "Belladonna!" he announces, "of the Marquent family. Your father was a great man, fighting in the war of humans against the anthros and contributed to our win. With more men like that, we may overcome the pests one day. And your lineage, tracing back to the founders of this planet! It is your duty, this day. Come and set the timber aflame."
CHARACTER HAS NOT RESPONDED YET (11/03/02) 8:52 AM
You look into the dragon's amber orbs, surprised. You step towards him slightly, concerned. "Although I don't see why you would call on me for such a reason, as I am but as slave. I fear my visit to the palace has something to do with the Lord's disappearance... what can I do to help?" you ask. The dragon closes his eyes and lowers his head. "As you know, there is a continuing War between the Light and Dark dragons. Lord Ludack of the Dark Dragons has claimed to have found the cure for this plague and I fear that Corey has gone off to find it. We need someone good in tracking and escaping to find him... every lead ends with you."
You decide to walk South, towards the Darsh Village. An anthro wouldn't last very long in the Human village, and as far as you know, Elves are friendly with them. It was only sensible to go South. You're walking through the Ruins of a war long ago; dragon skeletons protruding from the sand and old, rusted weapons beyond repair lie scattered across the landscape. You see a cockatrice only two spear's lengths from you, but she is not looking in your direction. If properly killed, the deadly creature could provide quite a meal.
At the Oasis just west of Blackstar castle, you pause to clean off your weapons. Your short sword still had dried blood on it from your last kill (which happened to be a desert lizard for supper). The water is clear and cool, despite the heat that surrounds it. You've been walking for days and it was good to have a rest, but you can't stay here forever.
You're standing just within the borders of the City of the Tower. This is the only city that looks like something they might have had on Earth before the Humans destroyed it. And now the humans were here. How wonderful. You walk in, recognizing the inhabitants as Dragons. Some actually walked about in their Warrior form, unclothed. As you reach the center of town, you notice a tavern, the "Twister," nearby. Straight ahead is a stable and you remember passing an Inn and market on your way deeper into the town.
CHARACTER CAN NOT RESPOND (11/03/02) 9:41 AM
