Zookeeper's Lounge

Hello! It's me again! I'm reposting Lunescente Unleashed from the old site for those who wish to read it. This time, however, I decided to add a difference. I'm posting all the chapters I've done so far and from them on I will welcome any members that want to take part in the quest. If you want to be in it then please PM me. If no one sends me any PMs then I shall just carry on with characters of my own, adding anyone if they decide to join later. So here's all of LU I have written so far! Hope you enjoy it!

Lunescente Unleashed

Introduction - The World of Eladia

Welcome to Eladia. My name’s Rayven and this is a story about me. Well, it’s not exactly about me. It’s about the world of Eladia, the fascinating diversity of living organisms that inhabits it, the striking landscapes and the period of time we Eladians now call ‘The War of the Ancients’.
Before I begin, you’ll want to know a bit about me first, right? Well, to start with I’m not human. I am in fact a small furry creature, known as a Molki, about seventeen years of age (we have the same average lifespan as you humans) and living with my mother, father and younger brother.
Molki are like a cross between a swift wild rabbit, powerful cat and sly weasel. We have short snouts, long tufted ears, a mane of soft fur and a bushy tail of medium length. We also have long whiskers and wear clothes like humans do. I’ve often heard some people talk about legends where apparently we were once humans but were cursed to live like wild animals for the rest of our lives. Well, that’s rubbish! We’ve been like this since the beginning of time!
I’m an unusual breed of Molki. My fur is jet black with an emerald sheen like a raven’s wing – hence my name. I also have violet luminaries whereas most Molki have brown or green eyes. I usually wear a deep indigo tunic and auburn trousers. I’m an excellent fighter with a sword – my father taught me how – and later on I will tell you how I discovered an amazing power that I never knew I had and the reason why I am so different to the other Molki.
My family are pretty peaceful and tend not to move much for fear predators will feast on us. My mother is calm and collective and very sweet. She cooks the best meals every day; one of my favourite dishes is Gyor Root pie. My father can have a bit of a temper at times and sometimes the world gets on his nerves, but he’s strong and protective a professional warrior. He taught us all how to handle a weapon so we may defend ourselves at all times. I now carry his first and best sword – the Slayer – and I have wielded it many times. My brother, Urdu is actually quite well behaved as far as younger brothers go. Sure, he might be annoying at times but he admires me and looks up to me. I’m quite fond of him.
Our house is in a burrow underneath the trunk of a vast Gyor tree. These trees are sacred and their name literally means ‘Light Tree’. Our home is divided into rooms (or underground chambers if you prefer) and I wouldn’t like to move anywhere else. Despite the hassle we have with flooding – if it rains too much we need to block our burrow with a huge boulder – it’s safe, comfortable and situated under a holy tree. What more could a Molki ask for?

*
Anyway, enough about me: now I’ll tell you a bit about Eladia. The first thing you should note about this world is its elements. Eladia is split into eight kingdoms, various small islands and one large island, which could be called the headquarters of all Eladia. Each kingdom has its own element and the people and creatures there are adapted to live with and use that particular element. The power of the element is transferred to the towns, villages and cities of the continent by means of an elemental tower. These towers house a large orb at the highest point that emits the energy of the element it symbolises. There is also one mammoth being that guards each of the kingdoms. These are known as the Elemental Guardians and are essential protectors to Eladia. That’s a general overview of the world, now I’ll give you a quick tour of the places we have on offer.
Starting in my home kingdom, the Kingdom of Earth, we have the capital city of Earthil, situated in the harsh terrain of Rock Valley. We live near the outskirts of this city and it is home to the kingdom’s monarchs. To the east is an island with no name but it is home to our guardian. Across the hazardous Boulder Plain you will see Rayden’s Palace, the residence of Guardian Rayden. South from the main city lies the Veiled Forest, a forest shrouded in thick mist and full of treacherous plants and animals. Few have ever seen it, but rumours say that a community of dragons known as the Mysti Dragons live in this forest. To the west of the woodland sits the small town of Port Sodan and to the east the immense Bordan Mountains. Make your way across the Sandbridge - a strip of natural sand, which is free to walk on for half the year – and you will see the Earth Tower.
From here we’ll travel south across the Great Flamerock Bridge and enter the Flamelands. You will be stunned to see a large forest of bare, decaying trees called the Dead Forest. A volcano by the name of Mount Verlus looms over the forest; this is the domain of the fire guardian, Verlus. A disastrous eruption wiped out a lot of life here but to the south is the Glade of Hope containing a diminutive village nestled near the coast. We go swiftly to the west through Rogen Pass – home of a Fire Troll who fines travellers as they come by – and we now enter the scorching Sorad Desert. In the centre is the Spring of Paradise, a soothing oasis of pure healing water. North lies lively Peranza Town and in the south the town of Juillemba and the Flame Tower.
If we glide swiftly to the west we will find the oddly shaped Lands of Water. This small continent contains the bizarre city of Ogenlau where the many buildings, streets and residents are trapped in a huge dome made of Draiglass, strongest material in Eladia. Northwest are the Wet Plains and the ancient Azmel Temple. The Aqua Tower sits off the coast on a separate isle and in between, a colossal, raging whirlpool is the Lair of Dragunis, the water guardian.
In the far north of Eladia is Element Isle – the main base of the planet. If you make it past the mysterious Rainbow Plains you will find Elementis. This is the largest city in the whole of Eladia and uses the power of all elements via a massive rainbow hued orb. Recently there have been sightings of an impenetrable diamond-shaped isle coloured pitch black. It has a quality that draws whoever nears it towards it and whoever has approached it has never come back. This island has now been named the Isle of Destiny.
The Darklands are best avoided. The lands there have been cursed and the guardian – a demon called Dastri – is now sealed within the crust of Eladia due to the fact he was uncontrollable. The only inhabitants are the Orcuans who live in the Ruins of Destrin. This island has been shattered and even the tower of darkness has been destroyed. This kingdom would have been forgotten if the few Orcuans that live there didn’t exist.
The Ice Continent at first glance looks like a frozen wasteland but life does dwell there. The Ice Tower supplies power to the cold Village of Frost and the icy town of Valuu. Guardian Titan lives in his own glacier, where blizzards frequently blast the pillars of ice that watch over the continent.
The Lands of Light consist of an arching bridge of land where patches of woodland grow known as the Pure Glades. Then on a rounded protrusion to the southeast are the City of Purgeaton, the Tower of Light and the Holy Lighthouse, which is the lair of the light guardian Angeluna.
Moving up is the Kingdom of Thunder where an Arkeon-shaped (type of arrow-headed reptile) island houses the town of Flasheti (built in a vast hunk of rock) Corevas Canyon and the Storm Plains where it never stops thundering. Guardian Stormox resides in a palace a little way from the island and the Lightning Tower is situated on an island shaped like a lightning bolt.
North lies the Ruins of Anciarta. This was thought to have been an ancient city built in the ocean but was somehow destroyed. The story of Anciarta has never been fully concluded. Still north lays the Air Country. South of the continent is the town of Aeros and to the east Guardian Roc’s nest stands on a soaring pillar of rock. West is the Canyon of Echoes where numerous travellers say they’ve heard spectral voices whispering through the cliffs. Between the nest and the canyon is the intense twister named the Barrier Tornado and through here is the only way to reach the Wind Tower.
To conclude our tour we will look at the island located in the farthest southeastern part of Eladia. On this island lies a high cliff with a spiralling trail winding around it to the peak. Here, a peculiar rock shaped like a winged monster is perched peering at a raised platform, indented as if something should be placed there. This island is known as Summoner’s Rock. Many people have tried placing something on the pedestal but nothing has happened. All Eladians ponder over the reason for this landforms existence but we eventually found out. And it wasn’t very pretty.
This is the end of my introduction to Eladia. If you would care to listen to this Molki’s words I will now tell you the story of ‘The War of the Ancients’. It all started about two years ago when I was foraging for food…

The adventure begins...

Chapter 1 - Meeting Kara

It was a truly magnificent day at about noon when I was foraging for Eladian mushoons (a type of small brown mushroom which likes to propel itself into the air and are wonderful to catch…), discarded Gyor roots and mulberries for our evening meal. Eladia’s two suns – a fiery red orb named Solnu and an icy blue wisp named Soltu – burned like twin gods in the brilliant blue sky. Earthgulls glided across the land with ease, their emerald plumage glittering in the sunlight. It was a peaceful, tranquil and generally pleasant day and the perfect time to go foraging.
To start with I searched around the base of our home tree for broken roots. Urdu trailed around behind me as usual. He always liked to follow me and help with my daily chores and continuously badgered me to teach him how to use a sword. At fifteen years he was perfectly capable of wielding a weapon but father needed to find the right kind of weapon for him and so far none had been found. He was too weak to carry an axe, to small to hold a longbow and he didn’t have the courage to swing a sword. But for some reason he showed an interest in sword fighting and I couldn’t understand why he didn’t give it a try. One day he asked me something that I wasn’t exactly sure how to answer…
“Rayven? If I could wield a sword do you think I could become a great warrior?”
I replied: “Urdu…Whatever weapon you wield you can become a great warrior. But maybe the reason we can’t find a suitable weapon is because you can work with something much bigger that we don’t know about yet.”
“What do you mean?” he questioned as he blinked confused and cocked his furred head to one side.
“Maybe instead of wielding something that needs physical strength you can use your mind and spirit!”
“That’s silly. How can you use your mind and spirit to wield something?”
“You know what magic is, right?” I peered at him, smiling agreeably.
Urdu’s features lit up like the Holy Lighthouse. “You mean--?
I didn’t really know he could use magic of course; I just wanted to encourage the little guy and squeeze some determination out of him. I couldn’t bear to see him disappointed. At that point in time I felt that maybe he just wasn’t meant to fight with anything. But to say he was a magic wielder would be a great compliment!
“Rayven! You really think I could be a magic wielder!?” he replied eagerly.
“Sure, little brother. You can do anything if you believe in yourself”.
He smiled at me and just said: “Thank you” before running cheerfully back to the burrow.
I sighed contentedly before resuming my search. I found a few broken roots and put them in the olive green sack I was carrying. Then I journeyed further from the Gyor tree and nearer to the bustling city of Earthil. I could see the bleached marble walls that protected the city and behind them I could hear the familiar cries of humans trying to sell their wares. I dashed into the bushes beside them where a healthy crop of mulberries grew. Molki are naturally secretive and don’t like to be seen by humans too much. Sure, some people see us at times but sometimes it can’t be avoided. Some have even chased after us in an attempt to converse with us but being about twice the size of a Molki they couldn’t follow us into our burrows. To us, a proper meeting with a human could be suicidal and was frowned upon.
I picked the fragrant mulberries gently so as not to crush them in my strong paws and soon found myself humming a melody that mother taught us when we were young. We called it ‘Mother’s Melody’ for obvious reasons and it is used as a method of calming oneself. We shouldn’t sing it far from the burrow though or it might attract humans or predators but I was doing it regardless of danger. Maybe the sweet aroma of the berries caused me to forget the outside world and tune me in to the world of the bushes, the mulberries and me.
Whatever caused it, it wasn’t long before I realised it was a mistake. Well…now I think about it, it really wasn’t a mistake, but it seemed like it at the time. With my bag full of succulent berries I turned to search the patch at the back of our burrow where mushoons tended to sprout from the soil. As I exited the shrub barrier I was greeted with the beaming face of a young female human that had obviously heard my melody and stopped to listen.
The girl looked quite healthy and had pale skin and a slight frame. Her hair was midnight black but highlighted with snowy white and swept gracefully down past her shoulders. She wore a glittering tiara, sapphire blue robes and ivory boots. She bore the emblem of a sea serpent on the back of her mysterious garb, which meant she had come from the Lands of Water – she could even be the princess.
When I first sighted her smiling, gentle face I was transfixed and stood for a few moments blinking mystifyingly. Then I ran for my life back to the burrow. I heard a call: “Wait!” as the girl then pursued me. My paws worked hard as they pelted the soft earth causing clouds of dust to rise. I panted heavily after a while as Molki are only good for sprinting, not long distance running. The girl showed no signs of tiring and ran after me almost urgently as if she desperately wanted to tell me something. I was almost fooled but Rayven isn’t foolish! I finally reached the burrow and dived in head first before quickly explaining to my waiting family what had happened.
“Rayven, don’t go near her! You know humans mean danger!” growled my father gruffly.
I stepped closer to the entrance of the burrow and the girl continued to call down the hole.
“Molki! I need to talk to you…”
I thought to myself: Maybe she really does have something important to say?
As I almost exited the hole my father grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me back.
“Stay AWAY from her!” he shouted.
“No, wait! I think she really wants to say something. Maybe it’s important!” I edged forwards again.
“Rayven, come back here ri-”
“Let him go dear. We’ll keep an eye on him and that girl doesn’t look like she’ll do any harm,” my mother cut in.
“You don’t understand. Humans are deceptive creatures. She might look harmless but I assure you she isn’t,” father replied.
“Father, I can look after myself. If she really IS dangerous then I can use the Slayer. You know how good I am with the sword!” I explained to him and smiled reassuringly. I exited the burrow and my family stood worriedly watching the entrance to our home.
The girl stepped back as I walked out from the burrow and suddenly became silent. It seemed that now she could really see me she was shocked or amazed or something. After a while it became a little offensive as she just stood there looking at me.
“What is it?” I finally said breaking the silence.
“This probably sounds rash but Eladia is in danger,” she said quietly.
I stood silently for a few moments, questions running through my mind like fleeing gazelles. The girl sensed my apprehension and continued.
“It’s a long story but…you know Eladia has guardians?” she stopped.
“Yes, go on.”
“Eladian’s guardians are under attack. Recently there have been sightings of peculiar creatures crawling from the centre of the world itself and wreaking havoc upon the kingdoms. They are like parasites, feeding on fear and consuming their prey by possessing their bodies. Some have even been mingling around the various lairs of the guardians. If they were to be possessed then I don’t know what we’ll do…”
I stood with mouth open looking gob smacked. I was speechless. Was this girl crazy or was it true? And why tell me? A Molki couldn’t slay a million monsters! The girl continued.
“There is a legend that says in ancient times a mighty monster named Lunescente was created to purge evil citizens from the world. But like all powerful creatures, Lunescente went out of control and eventually the ancient people that created the beast had to seal it in the core of Eladia – the only thing strong enough to hold him. I know it’s only a legend and it sounds pretty farfetched but maybe somehow Lunescente has been released and all the dark creatures are rising from the planet.”
I thought this over, and then decided it sounded pretty stupid.
“Well it depends whether you believe more in legend or fact. Maybe Dastri is released? He could create dark creatures in the blink of an eye seeing as he is the guardian of the Darklands. And I still don’t get what this has to do with me.”
The girl sat pondering over what I just said.
“Maybe you’re right about Dastri… I know you think I’m stupid but I came searching for you because of recurring dreams I’ve been having lately. I saw this tree and a voice from nowhere said: “Seek out the one that’s different”. Then I saw a group of Molki. I know it has to be you!”
“That was just a dream! And how am I different?”
She peered at the floor uneasily. “I noticed you were black…”
“Oh. I see. And that makes me a hero does it? Come back to reality and forget the dream. It’s just a load of mixed up pictures in your head. Nothing more!” I was extremely annoyed at her and at the same time fearful for what this insane human might do to me.
“When you come from the Lands of Water…dreams can become a reality. All the people of Ogenlau will tell you that”
I gasped with astonishment.
“I thought you were from Ogenlau! Well, if you say so... I’m still not convinced, let me think it over, ok?”
“If something comes up you can find me where we met today. I like it around there”.
“Alright, but I can’t promise anything.” The girl began to walk away.
“Before you go what’s your name?” I asked and waited tetchily. She turned to answer.
“My name’s Kara.”
“Nice to meet you. My name’s-”
“Rayven. I heard it in one of my dreams…”
And with that she left and I stood gawping at the fact that she even knew my name. Ogenlaunian dreams were really powerful…

A new creature appears...

Chapter 2 - Darklings

The night was cold and the vicious wind howled, complimented by violent thunder and lightning. I lay curled in my downy nest – made from the chest feathers of a Silken Hawk and soft feathergrass – and stirred as the roaring platoon of wind glided aggressively overhead. A while later a growling noise was emitted outside our burrow…
I woke up with a start as a tremendous roar echoed through the chambers of my home. Then a piercing howl came forth, just like a wolf’s only it was as if the wolf was in a resonant metal room. It entered my ears like a knife enters flesh. My first instinct was to flee and run anywhere away from the attacker, but I knew that would be a deadly error. Whatever hunter was outside our burrow had trapped us inside. If we ran to the exterior it would surely grab and kill us.
I got steadily to my feet and felt for my sword. The Slayer’s polished and smooth surface glimmered in the fragmented light of the Eladian moon and I stealthily edged towards the entrance to my room. The creature was pacing outside our den, growling agitatedly to itself. I kept walking at a steady pace. The creature hadn’t aroused my family yet but if I warned them there would be panic so I tried not to wake them with my footsteps.
Eventually I reached the entrance hole. My pace slowed even more and I raised the Slayer to strike the beast that prowled outside. Suddenly, the noise stopped and the night’s darkness shrouded whatever creature lurked outside. The storm continued though, and a flash of bright thunder illuminated the horrific fiend! It curled its pitch-black lips back in a snarl as it sighted me and my courage faltered.
The monster looked just like a wolf but was washed over with black. It had a blunt nose and jagged, erect ears and dangerous canine fangs. Its shoulders were adorned with dull, horned, ebony pads and so was its curved rump. Its sleek abdomen was wrapped in mythril mail and its huge paws were festooned with bands of pallid metal. Its eyes were missing pupils and glared hard at me with a brilliant yellow glow. Maybe Kara was right!
The wolf lunged out at me with teeth bared, letting out a terrible roar as it moved. I leapt back and it missed me by inches. I heard Urdu awaken and then my mother whispered: “What was that?”. This didn’t look good…
My father appeared behind me and instantly took a step back as he sighted the wolf. “Rayven! Get away!” he called to me.
The wolf’s gaze shifted to my father and I stepped away as it snarled and padded gradually towards him. My father’s weapon was still in his bedchamber so he was completely unarmed! Panicking I approached the wolf from behind and attempted to stab down on it’s back. This had no effect as the mythril shield repelled the sword’s efficient blade. “Father, move!” I shouted as the wolf got ready to pounce.
I saw him dash to the side but the wolf’s large paw caught him in the side and the deadly talons slashed across his skin. He fell down gasping in pain. Then the creature leaped on him, its dreadful jaws clamping down on his body. After that I knew my father must be dead…
“No!!” I shrieked and then I spotted Urdu and my mother coming towards me. “Get back! There’s a monster in here!” I shouted to them and they immediately stepped back as they heard me. My mother looked fearfully towards me and then spotted father on the floor.
“Oh my--!” she rushed towards him. The wolf pinpointed its next target and I charged at it with anger. “Get away from my family!” I shouted loudly and stabbed at the creature’s neck. The Slayer stuck fast into its flesh and the wolf screamed in agony. I lopped off the end of its tail as the Slayer arced through the air again. The beast writhed for a while on the floor and mysteriously vanished in a puff of purple and black smoke. Only the tail remained and I picked it up assurance that I wasn’t dreaming. There wasn’t a drop of blood anywhere…
…that is, anywhere that wasn’t where my father lay. His crippled corpse looked horrifying and I couldn’t help the tears coming. My mother sat over his body, merely saying ‘no’ over and over again. Urdu was too shocked to say or do anything. It was from that moment onwards that I knew Kara wasn’t crazy. Something had happened, Eladia was endangered and dark, evil creatures were roaming the world. Shaking a little with fury I walked outside, in the pouring rain and cruel thunder, to get some fresh air…
After that day, nothing was ever the same again. My father was buried at the back of the divine Gyor Tree where the gods would look after him. His sword was speared into the soft earth by its point to mark the spot where his remains lay. All I could think about was revenge, so I trained hard with the sword every day and decided that I would try and find Kara soon.
When that day came…I had to explain to my mother and Urdu what my intentions were. It was dinnertime and we silently ate our food without much enthusiasm. I prodded my food but hardly touched it. “Mother…Urdu…” I said quietly. They both looked up sharply.
“I need to leave you for a while…that human was right. Eladia is in danger and I have a feeling I’ve got to do something about it. Besides, I wish to avenge father.”
“I understand…You’re strong so I know you’ll be able to defend yourself. But do you have to leave so soon?” my mother asked. She was obviously trying to hide her anxiety but I could see right through her. She was frightened. Urdu gut up abruptly and looked at me almost angrily.
“Rayven! If you go, I go too. We always go together, right?” His eyes shone with tears.
“I’m sorry Urdu. This time you can’t come with me. It’s far too dangerous and mother needs someone with her. You have to defend our home and this tree, ok?”
“No, I won’t let you go!” my brother shouted. He burst into tears and latched onto me. I thought he’d never let go…
Mother, took hold of him gently, trying to comfort him. He let go slowly and I knelt down in front of him. He stopped crying but and sniffled.
“Rayven…I want to be a warrior like you. Let me go!” he requested.
“Urdu, remember what I said about magic? I wasn’t lying” I replied. Oh boy, I was probably making things worse by getting his hopes up. “Tell you what. Stay here for a while and if destiny makes our paths meet then you can join me. Don’t worry. One day you will be a warrior”.
I ruffled his fur in a friendly manner and smiled. Then I approached the door. Mother and Urdu followed me outside. With Slayer by my side and a satchel full of provisions (as well as the wolf monster’s tail), I turned and said: “Goodbye. And may this holy tree protect you.”
“May it protect you too, Rayven. Goodbye, son. Come back soon…” my mother said.
“I’ll come find you someday Rayven. Bye, brother.” Little Urdu said.
And with those final words I headed towards the city of Earthil. Kara must have gone inside. No Molki had ever been inside the walls of a human colony before. This was one large challenge, and I wasn’t about to fail.

A dragon in distress...

Chapter 3 - Strange Happenings At Earthil

I’d never seen anything more intimidating in my life! As I entered the lively city, it was as if a solid brick wall had been forced into my face. People, mainly human, bought and sold from the colourful marketplace. Tropical fruit, green vegetables, hot and cold food, stunning jewellery, dusty books and many other products were being sold here. The noise was atrocious. As people gossiped and chattered it made the air thick with a terrible din. I felt warm and claustrophobic as I staggered through the crowds, getting shoved left and right and being treated like I didn’t exist. After a while this started to annoy me and I felt like I would explode with antagonism. I didn’t dare speak to anyone though; I wasn’t looking for a fight.
I silently entered a dark alleyway, not aware of what can happen somewhere like that. It wasn’t long before I ran into the feathered back of an anthropomorphic vulture, or something like it. It eyed me vigilantly; its body remained facing away from me. Its beady blue eyes were fixed on my features as if it was surveying every move I took. I had a feeling it was hiding something…
“Ahh, what do we have here? A rabbit?” it squawked with a rasping voice. The bird wore small, scruffy robes that were tan coloured. Its plumage was a deep sapphire blue and its wings were complimented with eagle-like taloned feet. The beak was curved and jagged and an attractive azure crest adorned its lustrous head, highlighted with emerald green. A peacock-like tail glistened behind it. I tried not to look afraid even though I was scared to death inside. “Err…actually I’m a Molki. We don’t usually enter cities” I began to explain.
“Molki? Never heard of it. You’ve travelled far?” it questioned.
“Not that far…yet. I’m on a journey and I was wondering-” It was at that moment that I thought I caught a glimpse of something golden glowing in front of the bird. As it saw me trying to peer over its shoulder, the bird gathered its robes around its body and hissed. I recoiled but quickly let my curiosity take over. “What have you got there?”
The bird seemed to cackle to itself then cleared its throat abruptly. “Nothing that concerns you. Now go away, and mind your own business”. I began to walk away slowly but the bird, feeling it could use me for something, hurriedly called me back. “Wait, wait! Maybe I was a little hasty…what would you say if you could keep this, hmm?” The vulture like animal shuffled around and stretched out its feathered arms.
My eyes sparkled in the light and they were wide with awe. In the creatures cruel claws sat a small iron birdcage and in it a tiny dragon. It wasn’t any ordinary dragon; it was a rare example of Draco elementis – an elemental faerie dragon. It was about the size of a blackbird and its frail wings looked like withered petals. The luminescent rainbow aura of its dragonfly wings was dull and lifeless. Tiny giraffe-like horns protruded from its skull and fin-like ears hung limp. Its scales were a golden colour but the colour was far from vivid. It squeaked a little to itself and lay flat against the bottom of the cage. This faerie dragon was in pretty bad shape and I couldn’t hope but feel sorry for it.
An exceptional few creatures on Eladia had ever seen these amazing dragons. It was said that they used to gather around a tower in the city of Anciarta but after the city was ruined, the faerie dragons died out. Very rarely, these miniature beasts were seen drifting in the skies of our world, usually looking lost and lonely…
“Where on Eladia did you find that? Let it go free!” I screamed at the apparent merchant.
“Simple. I saw one drifting around, plucked it out of the air and shoved it in a cage. I’m sure it’ll fetch a lot of money and the lucky owner can do what they want with it,” it screeched at me.
I was raw with rage. I wanted to grab the faerie lizard and let it go but then I wondered – did it have the strength? Even so, keeping it in that birdcage was cruel and the dragon obviously needed treatment. I would have bought it…but I didn’t have the money and it may only have strengthened this new illegal trade. Trade…Hmm, I considered this and tried to strike up a deal.
“Would you be willing to trade the dragon for something other than money?” I questioned the bird. He glared at me suspiciously.
“Such as? The only thing I’d be willing to trade it for is something even more valuable,” it rasped, “and I don’t think anything could be more valuable then one of these.” It held up the cage for emphasis and chuckled sourly.
Boy, this bird was stubborn. I pondered over this for a while and watched as the bird prodded the dragon teasingly with a curved talon. There was no way I was leaving without that little reptile. As my mind failed to come to a conclusion on an object worth trading for I switched on to living things. And then it struck me.
“Have you not heard about the…” I trailed off, not knowing what to call the dark creatures that terrorised Eladia. As I desperately groped for a name, I finally got one and continued, “…Darklings that have appeared on Eladia? I’ve heard they’re very valuable. They’re definitely worth more than an almost extinct species of dragon.” I smiled smugly at the merchant who continued to glare distrustfully at me.
“You lie. There is no such creature on the planet. Show me evidence and maybe I’ll consider,” it squawked and filled the air with raucous laughter. Its laughing was beginning to get on my nerves.
“Ok, what do you call this then?” I said, miffed and stuck the wolf Darkling’s tail a few inches from the merchant’s gnarled face. The tail was bushy and glowed with an eerie black and violet light. The bird look stunned by this piece of anatomy then reached up a claw and snatched it. It inspected it thoroughly as if expecting it to be fake.
“Interesting. Where did you get this?” it said.
“A creature attacked my family. I chopped it off.” I said morosely.
“These animals are dangerous?” asked the merchant.
“They can be but they’re pretty easy to tame,” I lied.
“Very well…if you give me the whereabouts of these new beasts I will hand the dragon over to you.”
Uh oh. I didn’t know where you could find them; they could be anywhere! I decided that if they were after the guardians of Eladia there would be some around the lairs of the guardians pretty soon.
“They roam near any guardian’s lair. If you go to Rayden’s hideout you’ll find some.” I explained. “And I don’t lie.” I added for effect. The bird gave a stiff smile (as much as a bird can smile with a hard beak) and passed me the cage.
“Fine, fine. Take the dragon. But if you are lying and I find nothing at the guardian’s home I will make you pay. Your punishment will be slavery. I’m sure a slave could be sold around here somewhere.”
The vulture-like merchant staggered out of the alleyway and into the rushing crowds muttering to itself. I took a closer look at the dragon. It looked so helpless in that iron enclosure. Maybe Kara could help…Kara! Where would I find her in this bustling mess?
I thought maybe Kara would be staying at an inn so I began to set out to find one. Then I realised maybe I should release the dragon before I went anywhere, otherwise people would mistake me for a black merchant. I pulled at the cage door and to my dismay it was locked. How could I be so stupid! Not even asking for a key…
After that I placed the cage on the ground and unsheathed my sword. Maybe the metal would be old and rusty; it didn’t look that strong. I lifted the sword up high and swiftly slashed downwards. The dragon squealed in alarm as it felt the impact of metal on metal. Unfortunately this didn’t have the desired effect but it did alert someone to my presence. A door opened from within the stone walls of the building next to me. A figure stepped out…