Fantasy Rp, Temporary name

[charmanth]

"I found you crying for your mother and father, not far from the burnt cinders of a house that must have once been your home," the old, blue dragon had said. "I took you in and raised you, even though we dragons do not normally interfere in human lives. Now you are old enough to go out on your own. You must choose, life as my dragoon, or life with the other humans. Choose carefully, for though there are temporary contracts, I want a permanent one." She had chosen to be a dragoon. It was the only life she knew, really. Though she had shopped in the nearest village, she didn't mingle much with the other humans.

"My last wish... Take my son, Grevalin, and flee this island. Raise him the best you can. He is yours, now," and the old blue dragon had died. Deep gashes covered his body, and it was quite obvious the cause of death.

Dreams and memories were tormenting Stera. She woke up, the last words of her master ringing in her ears. How odd, she thought, that after so long, I still have dreams about it. She was out in the woods, leaves covering her and her dragon companion. Her dragon companion couldn't speak, by some defect, but understood everything that went on around him. She got up and rolled her thin blanket into a bundle. She took her pack down from the tree, and started to cook herself breakfast, while Grevalin still slept.

The smell of stew roused the not-so-large dragon. He was only three times the size of a horse, while most adult dragons measure the size of large houses. But Grevalin was still fairly young, and may not have fully grown yet.

"Good morning, you fine young fellow. You know I don't have enough for your greedy guts, so you'll have to hunt for yourself," Stera told him. The white dragon dipped his head, and went off to hunt.

Alone for the moment, Stera played back the memories. For her dreams were certainly memories she had not thought about in a while. Sighing, she decided that she really must take vengeance on the one who killed her master. But how does one kill a dragon killer? Dragons were supposed to be the toughest creatures in the world, but a man had managed to kill one. The gashes on Aggravor's body were too clean to have been done by claw or tooth. And besides which, the dragons hadn't had a war amongst themselves in two thousand years.

A noise stopped her reverie. It was the crunch of twigs. Could Grevalin be returning from his hunt?

[PapayaCrazy]

Beert. Beert. Beert.

"Gosh! Damn!" Hayden yells. Cursing as she looks at the clock. She was late for for job interview. Quickly she struggled into her jeans and teeshirt. Her signature short shorts and tanktop were down the drain today. They wouldn't have made a very good impression on the interviewer.

She wresteled a comb through her short pixi hair and stingily applied on mascara and blush. She was halfway out the door when she noticed she forgot her shoes. Rushing back to her shoe shelf near the kitchen, she took notice of her friend Sean drapped on the couch with a remote in his hands.

"Sean!" she cried out in surprised.

Sean looked over at Hayden with a lazy look, "The job called and said they've already found an applicant to fill the position."

Her jaw dropped open in shock. "What?! They can't do that!"

"Honey. You've more than three hours late. They can't sit there and wait for you."

"But! But!" Hayden protested.

Sean shook his head at her stubborness. "Let's go have a pitty party over at the cafe shall we?"

Sean shut off the visa-screen system and put down the remote.

"Goodbye," came the visa-screen's monotonus voice.

"System, lock doors and windows," Sean commanded.

"Command Recognized."

"Let's go."

[charmanth]

Looking toward the sound, she did see a winged creature, but it wasn't the white dragon. It was a feline, with triangular ears, and with tawny fur and black stripes. Stera looked into its eyes, and thought she saw fear. She couldn't be sure, for the eyes were on a creature she didn't know.

Stera stayed absolutely still. If it was hunting, it may pass her over for more lively prey. If it wasn't hunting, she knew posing a threat would only put herself in danger. She had no idea if this creature was sentient or not.

So this is a human! Myotica thought. They don't look so scary. She peered at the human for a while. She smelled fear, but most of it had come from her. Some of it still was coming from her.

Carefully, she made her way down the hill, on all fours, and stopped. The human had gotten up, and was brandishing something at her.

"Wait!" She cried, in the tongue common to sentient species.

Stera stared at the creature. It had spoken! Hearing a heavier crunch of twigs, she lowered her bone sword. Grevalin had returned, and he would champion her if there was need.

"What are you, and what are you doing?" Stera replied as Grevalin came up beside her.

"I am a Katso, and I was curious. I had heard that humans were very hostile, and I wanted to know if it was true," Myotica said. She shifted her gaze to the white dragon. "You are friends to a dragon?"

"Well, when faced with something that may be a threat, most humans can be hostile," Stera admitted. "Some are always hostile, but there are some who are always kind and caring. And yes, I'm friends with a dragon... I'm an ex-dragoon. This is my dead master's son."

"I've met a dragon once. Very odd fellow. He was jumpy, and he could change shapes," Myotica said. "I talked to him for a while, then continued on with my travels. He said something about wanting a dragoon, but that they'd have to be a shapeshifter, too, for his job was easier with that ability."

"Then you've met Shift. Keeper of the Underworld. He says it's easier on the departed souls to first meet the Keeper as one of their own species, but some already know the truth about the shapeshifting dragon. Mostly all of them are dragons and dragoons," Stera said. "I've decided today that I was going to track down the one who killed my master, and kill him. My life was ruined when he murdered my master. I don't know what to do, or what's in store for me. All I know is that my fate is bound with Grevalin's."

With that, she turned and returned to her meal. She was hungry, and there was no threat. Grevalin had eaten, and it was time she had eaten too.

Myotica followed, and said, "My name is Myotica. I have nowhere to go, I just travel. I have no family, they all died from plague. I have no friends, the others of my kind I've met are bitter and old. May I travel with you?"

"I guess. I have no more food, though. We'll have to hunt for more meat and buy flour in the next town," Stera said. "I'm Stera. This is Grevalin. He can't speak, but he understands everything we're saying."

[PapayaCrazy]

"Live Update!" the visa-screen systems from the shop halograms announced.

"They always have live updates these days," Sean murmered.

"Well, small bits of magic seeping through the wall barier is a pretty big thing. As far as the new world has known, that's impossible," she says off handedly, using her left hand to block her eyes from the harsh glare.

"The magic seeping through the wall, no matter now small of an amount it is, is a cause for deep concern. Over the past three months the scientists have noticed a gradual saturation of the magic around the wall," the visa-screen bot tones. "It is very unfortunate that the last living maker of the wall had died off half a year ago. The scientists have resorted to reading testiments from the making of the wall in the library of records."

Sean shoves his hands in his pocket. He notices the crowd gathering around the playing visa-screen displays so he grabs Hayden by the wrist and pulls her away.

"Come on. Let's go. I need some new sunglasses."

"I thought we were going for coffee and a bit of breakfast first."

"Fine. Let's do that first."

[charmanth]

After breakfast, Stera packed up. Myotica helped, and the three set off. No one talked while they walked, instead there was an uneasy silence cast around everyone.

Stera lead the way, both dragon and Katso falling in step behind her. Soon they had reached a town, and only Stera and Myotica went in. Grevalin stayed outside of town, for the streets were crowded, and he wouldn't be able to go through for fear of stepping on a beggar or someone's foot.

People stared at the Katso, bust most went on with their business, being used to other beings roaming the streets. Besides, there were resident Katsoes here, far from the remote place Myotica had come from.

"Get your newspaper here! Anyone who can read, get your newspaper here!" a cryer cried.

"I'll take one," Stera said as she paid the man for the paper. She took the paper and walked off to the edge of town, her companion following her.

"A mysterious man has single handedly overthrown the kingdom of Berntington," She read allowed, once out of the town, and with Grevalin. "That must be the man who killed Aggravor. Let's go, guys."

She left the paper, without reading the other major stories. For also on the front page was a headlline that read "Magic seeps through wall, and experts on other side freak."

[PapayaCrazy]

"How do these look?" Hayden asks holding up a pair of narrow, yellow tinted sunglasses. It was late afternoon and Sean and she had spent most of the late morning visiting the shops around he plaza.

"They make you look like a librarian. Besides, if I recall correctly, you're almost broke. Save your money for your bills dear."

Hayden rolls her eyes at him, "Well, that's what you're for aren't you?"

"Hey!" he protests. "I'm not made of money. I'm just a florist."

"Flower boy," she jokes.

He glares at her and turns back to the rack of sunglasses. He needed some new ones. Preferably something a pair of dark ones. His old ones were broken. He picks up a pair of practial black ones with a red square frame.

"How do these look?" he asks putting on the pair. "Are they dark enough to cover my eyes?"

"You can barely see them. If you're asking if I can still tell they're purple, then no. I can't tell."

Sean nods and walks toward the cash register.

"Ring this up please."

The cashier meets Sean's eyes for a moment but then quickly ducks his head.

Sean turns his head to watch Hayden's form by the sunglasses rack.

"Aren't you going to get a pair?"

"Didn't you just say you weren't made out of money?"

"Well, just think of it as a present for your pitty party."

Hayden smiles and picks up a pair of brown tinted glasses with wide white frames and jewels on the side in the form of a vertical line.

"Thanks."

"Ring that one up too."

The tall fat cashier gives a slight nod. "Your total is 52.34."

Sean quickly pays and picks up the small bag. He reaches inside to take out his new pair of sunglasses and slips them over his face.

"Let's get out of here."

The cashier seems relieved at the pair's exit.

"Idiots. They can't even meet my gaze."

"Well... you do have unusual eyes," Hayden says, quickening her pace to match Sean's.

"Well, you have platnium blonde hair."

Hayden quickly sticks her tongue out at him.

[charmanth]

Jomando paced his new castle, still restless. That fool dragon could have had rule over everything not human, not just the seas, he thought. The wall... soon it will stop functioning completely. Technology will stop, and everything will revert back to the old ways. Everything. If the dragons don't cooperate, I'll just start exterminate them once I control everything. He stopped pacing, an evil smirk stretching on his lips.

He had chosen to take Berntington because of it's proximity to the wall. Only those closer to the wall in the old world knew of it and it's purpose.

A carrier pigeon landed on the sill of a window. He let the bird in, and took the message tied to it's leg. He read the message, and discarded it. It was of no importance.

He decided to add to the magic that was already concentrated on the wall. Uttering a long incantation, a seal on the wall broke, and he smiled again. "Let those fools in the new world cower before my might!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The group stopped for the night, and they would hopefully reach Berntington by the next night. The group was used to sleeping out in the elements. Thankfully, the night was clear and warm.

"Tomorrow we reach Berntington, hopefully. We'll want to arrive as inconspicuously as possible. That's why Grevalin stays out of the towns, and stays hidden at all times. I'll put a spell on him to help. Aparently, there are other Katso here, too, so you'll be safe, Myotica.

"Alright. Do we keep watch?" Myotica asked. "Cause if we do, then I'd like to take watch in the deepest, darkest part of the night. I have good night vision.

"Alright. Yes, we do keep watch. Not only for wild animals, but for bandits as well," Stera said. "Good night, then. Grevalin, get some sleep. I'll take first watch."

[PapayaCrazy]

Hayden dropped her bags on the couch of her spacious living room. She loves living in a big housing appartment. It was like owning a house but the house was in the form of a section of an appartment. This was started after the new world began running out of housing space.

'I need to clean,' she tiredly thinks. 'On second thought, I'll do that tomorrow.'

Hayden takes a hydro-meal out of her cubboard (Grilled Chicken and Pepper Stir Fry) and read the instructions.

A cup of cold water for each serving will hydrate your meal. Instant hot. No need to heat. Please hydrate your meal in the container provided. Add extra seasoning if needed. Sir throughly before eatting.

Hayden shrugges and does as the instructions ask for. Instantly, the dried meal exspands out and steams. She eats quickly and makes her way to the bathroom for a nice bubble bath.

------------

Sean is exhausted as he enters the small studio appartment floor. The bedroom/livingroom/dining room was neat and organized. The books and magazines were organized by type, title, and then issue/voluen number. His shoes were organized by ocassion and then color. His small closet was much the same. The best he liked about his dwelling was the fact that it was his. His own and he worked hard to pay his rent. Many times Hayden had asked if he wanted to say with her, though it would be easier, the took out the whole factor of 'his own'.

Sean places his wallet on his nightstand and enters the small bathroom to take a quick shower. Since late afternoon he had been feeling very tired. He hadn't felt this tired since the time he stayed up the whole night helping Hayden with his history project.

He dries himself up and leaning against the wall, weakly pulls on a pair of boxer. He walks wearily to the bed and falls on top of it, already asleep.

------------

It is in the middle of the night that Hayden wakes up to an annoying itch that seems to be covering her whole body. She struggles to sit up on her queen size bed, clutching the bed in annoyance. She finds that she doesn't have controll of her body at all and the fear sets in.

'Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.'

She opens her mouth to scream but she finds she cannot. Her mouth is slack too. Her breathing quickens and soon she is panting hard. An unexpected sharp pain shoots through her spine. She's starting to feel as if something is going wrong but at the same time she feels as if that something wrong is something that's completely right.

She has always suspected that her parents had entered the new world from the other side of the wall. Though new citizens were rare, sometimes it did happen. Her parents had the accents of the people from the old world and they had strange habits she began to realize that were different from the parents of her peers in school. Both her parents had the same platnium blonde hair that she had and strange pointed ears. Sometimes, their eyes would flash different colors. From blue to green to yellow and back again. She would try to watch, but when either of her parents noticed she was staring they would turn the other way. The next time she looked, her parents' eyes would be a solid blue.

The pains and itching feeling continue and she quickly grows exhausted. After awhile she falls into a deep sleep.

[charmanth]

Stera woke the Katso up for her watch. Stera then went to sleep herself, and dreamed.

Stera found herself grasping the edge of a cliff, the chasm below deep and dark. A man in black leather and black hair with reddish brown eyes jeered at her. Then, as she tried pull herself up, he stepped on her hands, and let up. She hung there, ignoring the pain in her hands. He stepped on them again, this time twisting his heal, grinding the fingers into the dust. She screamed, and as he let off she fell...

Stera woke with a start. It wasn't a new dream, but it was much more vivid and clear this time around. Normally, the pain wasn't so sharp, and before she couldn't see the man of her dreams. She shook her head.

Grabbing her pack, she began to rummage through it for a special concoction she had made for Grevalin when he couldn't sleep. She'd take a small dose, and try that out. It was supposed to give a dreamless sleep.

Taking her dose, she went back to sleep, and no dream troubled her that night.

Myotica watched the night, watching for anything that shouldn't be there. She watched and watched, and nothing happened, save for the brief time Stera had woken up. She sat on her haunches, ready to spring to action if anything untoward were to happen.

Then, it was time to wake Grevalin for his watch. Grevalin wasn't too happy at being woken up, but it was his turn to watch the night. She only hoped he wasn't completely mute.

Grevalin watched the night, watching for bandits and wild animals. What animal would dare attack a dragon, even one his size? Still, he watched, for the sake of his adopted mother, and his newest friend.

The night was alive with sound and movement, but nothing moved near enough to cause alarm. Deer skirted away from his scent, and he could see some mice scuffling in the undergrowth.

Soon enough, the dawn came, and he turned to wake Stera. He nosed the human softly, gently waking her from her drugged sleep.

"Is it dawn already?" Stera asked her dragon companion. At his nod, she went on, "then go fetch us all some meat, then, please. I'll get the rest of breakfast going."

[PapayaCrazy]

Hayden woke to a an urgen banging on her door. It was very early in the morning and for some reason she felt sore all over. The urgent banging continued on. She groaned as her head started pounding. Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders she stood up.

"I'm coming! Quit it!" she shouted.

She dragged her feet though the hall and to the door.

"Door open," she comanded her system.

The monotonus voice rung through the appartment, "Door opening."

The door opened and to her surprise she saw Sean in PJs and the new pair of sunglasses.

"Sean? What the hell are you doing up?"

"No time to talk. Close the door before someone sees me," he wispered urgently, steping through the door.

"Door close."

"Door closing."

"What?"

Sean yanked off his sunglasses. "Look."

"Yes. They're purple. I know. Are you losing your mind? I already know this."

Hayden sat none to gracefully on the plush couch with her blanket wrapped frimly around her.

Sean kneeled down by her knees.

"No. Really LOOK at them."

"Wooooaaaaahhhh."

"Yeah. Woah."

[charmanth]

"So, Stera, what exactly makes you think the same person who took over Berntington is the same one who murdered your master?" Myotica asked. She was quite curious as to how Stera knew, if she found her master near death.

"Simple. My master told me the name and description of the man before he died. Also, he said that the man wanted to rule everything," Stera replied. "What better way to start than to take over a prominent kingdom?"

A fealing of unease crept over Myotica. Something told her that something was going to go terribly wrong. But, she shook it off, figuring that perhaps it was that they were going to have to flee for their lives after a failed mission. She hoped that's all that would happen, anyway. She did not want anything larger than that to happen, though what that could be, she didn't know.

"I guess you're right," Myotica said.

[PapayaCrazy]

"They're weird! NO ONE has pupils like mine. No one! My gosh, I'm like a cross between a guppy and an asian."

Hayden sighed from her position on the couch, the blanket still wrapped around her shoulders. "It's not that bad."

Sean gave her a glare and just laid on the floor. "It is. Now I can't go anywhere without my sunglasses on."

Hayden just shook her head at him, "Well, that's your problem."

She stood to grab the remote for the visa-screen. The blanket slid off her shoulders and she shivered as the cold air hit her back.

"Visa-screen on. Channel 25 New World News Station."

"Screen turning on. Please adjust the dim of the lights with the remote."

"Oh my gosh. Hayden. HAYDEN!" Sean yells in shock.

"WHAT?!"

"I think you need to look in a mirror."

"I know. I look horrible. Well, I shall inform you that I just got out of bed."

Sean dragged her into her bathroom. "No Hayden. No. Not that. Look," he insits as he sets her in from of the mirror.

"My gosh... I have wings. I have wings," she whispers though gasps of short breaths.

[charmanth]

When Stera and Myotica walked into the next town, the townspeople gave them wary glances. Stera ignored the glances. She was an ex-dragoon, and no ordinary human could match her in strength. The bond between dragon and dragoon often changed the dragoon for the better.

They went to the market, and to gather food and possibly learn someting about the new lord. Berntington wasn't exactly a vast kingdom, but it was prominent. In fact, it was only a few days walk from the current town to the Citadel where the ruler was.

Myotica strained her hearing to catch conversations on the other side of the market. She filed away information, and questions she had, for discussion later. Her great sense of hearing had its uses, and she could "tone down" her hearing if there was a loud noise.

She noticed that there were a few Katsoes about, not many, and they ignored her. Well, she could play that game too. Just as Stera ignored the wary glances, she ignored the other Katsoes. It was just as well, for she did not know any of the culture the proud hunters and huntresses shared.

Stera bought a few things, and listened to what she could in the conversations. Her hearing, though better than that of any normal human's, was not as good as the Katso's. When they left town, and were quite a ways away, they began to compare notes.

"They don't talk much here. But most of the conversation seems to be about a wall," Stera said.

Myotica nodded. "I noticed that too. The few snatches not about the wall they talk about are complaints that the new lord allows more bandits about than the last tyrant."

[PapayaCrazy]

"Yeah. You may have wings. But I turn into a freaking merman in the water."

At least you can hide your eyes! I can't hide wings. That's impossible!"

"Calm down darling. It's not as if you have or job or need to leave your spacious house anyway."

Hayden sighed in frustration and said, "I'm going to be a freaking hermit in my own house. Joy..."

"Hayden, hold on for a moment. Look at the visa-screen."

"Yesterday night, a seal on the wall broke. This caused much panic among the scientists. They noticed that the saturation of the magic around the wall spiked dramatically.

"Earlier this morning, there were reports of old world citizens changing back to their non-human forms and teenage non-humans gaining their inheritance. The wall used to convert the non-humans into mostly human look creatures since the magic was sucked out and prevented from entering the new world. Now that they're converted back, the new world army and the government is much concerened."

The visa-screen switched to show the commander of the new world army. "These non-humans are of much concern! They will have gained back their unusual abilities making them an immediate threat to the new world."

"The commander has issued the arrest of the non-humans. He also encourages citizens to report any non-human neighbors and any non-human that might be hiding."

[charmanth]

"Really? The conversations about the wall concern me, because I got the impression that the wall is very important," Stera said. "But it will have to wait, for stopping Jomando is important too. Grevalin was just too young before hand for me to chase after Jomando."

The three travelled ever closer to the Citadel. Stera remained as calm as ever, but her companions weren't as composed.

I probably shouldn't have gone so far with this human, Myotica thought. But I have no one else, and besides, at least this is much more interesting than traveling alone.

"Stera, have you been here before?" Myotica asked, suddenly wondering if they were even going the right direction to the Citadel.

"Actually, no. Before my master died, I've never left the island except for a few Yearly Meetings. Those are meetings the dragons hold each year. But, Aggravor had a map of the world, and I memorized it. Also, since I was heading this direction anyway, before I met you, I had bought a map. I just don't see the need for it quite yet. If we follow this road a few more miles, then we should be heading into another town, where we can stay the night. It'd be nice to sleep in a bed. Though, I'm not sure what to do about Grevalin," Stera explained.