CHAPTER 1

The city is not much. The few farms and cottages surrounding the city all seem to gather here for some purpose or another. The streets are dusty, and the rocky twisted buildings creep alongside the people that are seemingly unaware of the danger ever looming.

The man stays behind you, looming over your shoulder, seemingly unable to stay quiet. You don't think you will find good accommodation here. The city almost looks out of another age, even compared to Jaghn. The prattling he gives off might as well accompany you as long as you need to be here.

It is some ways until you meet a longhouse of some importance, the senatic house, the councilman's office; where you, maybe, with your position of conscript executioner, might find some authority.

As you approach the senate office, the man that had been following you has seemingly vanished.

"Good" you mutter; entering through the wide open doorway.

"You don't do much, do you?" says the old man "Come now, I understand. A lumbering beast like you, entering an alienage? But you look like a turtle, or a sleeping bear..."

"Look" he gets up and looks at the ceiling above "You might as well leave, you came here for nothing, nothing at all"

"Old man, explain yourself! Your city will die! That is why I came here..."

"Boy, I've lived for 95 years. No illness befell me, but my kin are all dead. Understand, that this city is somewhat meaningless...it has possibly no power to overtake the armies you speak of. Now, you must understand this, for this is the whole truth: I am telling you to leave, you have come here for nothing."

"You really expect me to leave? What of the people here?

"They know nothing and desire nothing. This entire city is their lives. But you, Beast, do me a favor. They took some incredibly precious thing...Take that jade hawk, leave, and don't look back! Ever! You understand?"

The old man simply looks dismayed. "95 years...Soon to be 96...You look trustworthy enough, for some reason, and that is why I am saying this to you. But don't look back here! Ever! Go through the pass, and run away, quick!"