Descent of Nightmare (Prologue)
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Prologue
Vassek City, Hatu. September 12, 2272 Kaldriel time. Time instance 842N.
Claws clicked on the stone pathway as their owner walked away from his ship, breathing in the air of his homeworld for the first time in twenty years. It had been a long flight to get here from Kaldriel, and a longer journey before that.
It felt good to have his hood down, allowing his body to be seen and his limbs to feel fully solid. His footsteps felt more natural, less ghostly, and his tail didn’t feel almost entirely nonexistent. He swung his head to look around, seeing other raptors hard at work. Their eyes passed over him almost as easily as those on Kaldriel, but when they paused on him, it was with a tinge of surprise and reverence instead of confusion and fear.
That felt good. That felt really good.
“M!” He paused, turning around to find the source of the voice. A raptor that seemed vaguely familiar sprinted down the street towards him, stopping uncomfortably close. His gray scales and bright green eyes triggered M’s memory, but he wasn’t quite sure-
“M, you’re back! That is wonderful news, wonderful. Do you have what I asked you to obtain?”
M’s eyes widened slightly in realization, remembering who this raptor was almost immediately. “Of course. If a member of the second class asks me to obtain something, I do it.” He reached into his cloak and produced a heavy brown box, made of sturdy wood and with hinges of steel. The vials hidden inside clinked softly as they were moved.
“Oh, thank you.” Zatar took the box from him and held it close. “This will help me greatly. And you know that you are outside the system, being Mystrex and all.”
“Legally, I’m not.”
“Eh, legalities. Who cares about those anymore?”
“I do. I’m meant to-”
“Uphold the orders of the Kavakras, yes, I know.” Zatar shook his head. “What a waste of the Mystrex. But I won’t keep you. I’m sure you want to go home.”
Home. M had barely thought about that. He’d be able to go home.
And see the other Mystrex. That was perhaps less desirable.
He watched Zatar leave with the box, grateful to be rid of it. It had been quite the hassle getting everything he’d needed for it. He shook it off and continued walking, pulling up one of his sleeves to take a look at the two rings of beads around his right wrist. They were worn and in dire need of replacing, and he suspected that they were all this way. Twenty years of neglect would do that to them, and while his beads were often hidden beneath his cloak, it was considered bad form to let them fall into disarray.
He pulled his sleeve back down. He could deal with that once he’d settled back in again. The feathers along his back and head would undoubtedly need attention as well, not to mention the ones at the end of his tail and his elbows. He glanced at his tail and quickly looked away. Maybe he might need to push that up his priority list.
Another form ghosted up beside him, another Mystrex with their cloak on. He recognized her immediately by the dark purple glow of her eyes and couldn’t suppress a smile. “Hey, Q.”
Q flipped down her hood, revealing her form and allowing her to walk in step next to him. Her scales were dark gray, almost black, and her feathers were silver, just barely brighter than his own. She nudged him and grinned. “It’s good to see you, M. We were wondering if you’d ever come home. It’s been only the twenty-five Mystrex for twenty freaking years.”
“I wondered that myself.”
“You look like you haven’t taken that hood off in all that time. You’re more gray than silver and your feathers look awful.”
“Thanks.”
“You should probably fix that before the others see you.”
“I’d intended to.”
A mischievous glint entered her eyes. “Did you enjoy the toaster?”
M growled and pulled it out of his cloak, throwing it at her. “You almost blew my cover with that!”
“How? Kaldriel surely has toasters! Seeing one with you wasn’t going to make them think ‘by the Traveler, he’s an alien!’”
M glared at her and she laughed, holding the toaster close. “I’m glad you didn’t leave it somewhere. That would be...inconvenient.”
“What is with you and that toaster?”
“It’s important.” Q shrugged it off. “I’ll leave you alone for now. I’m just glad you’re back.” She flipped her hood up and disappeared behind a crowd, shape vanishing into the shadows of the buildings.
M shook his head.
It was good to be home.
no subject
Date: 2016-10-22 07:14 pm (UTC)M’s eyes widened slightly in realization, remembering who this raptor was almost immediately. “Of course. If a member of the second class asks me to obtain something, I do it.” He reached into his cloak and produced a heavy brown box, made of sturdy wood and with hinges of steel. The vials hidden inside clinked softly as they were moved.
I wonder what's in those vials. I'm guessing samples of some sort, but are they environmental samples from Kaldrial or samples from the inhabitants, for example the members of the Black Market?
A mischievous glint entered her eyes. “Did you enjoy the toaster?”
M growled and pulled it out of his cloak, throwing it at her. “You almost blew my cover with that!”
“How? Kaldriel surely has toasters! Seeing one with you wasn’t going to make them think ‘by the Traveler, he’s an alien!’”
M glared at her and she laughed, holding the toaster close. “I’m glad you didn’t leave it somewhere. That would be...inconvenient.”
“What is with you and that toaster?”
“It’s important.” Q shrugged it off. “I’ll leave you alone for now. I’m just glad you’re back.” She flipped her hood up and disappeared behind a crowd, shape vanishing into the shadows of the buildings.
Q's responsible for the toaster, but why was she glad M didn't leave it behind? What is the secret of the toaster? That's the M level mystery of this story XD
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Date: 2016-10-22 09:02 pm (UTC)Yep. Theorize about the toaster.
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Date: 2016-10-22 10:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-10-23 02:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-10-23 04:11 am (UTC)Really Tanadin? Mystrex. Mystery t-Rex? Alright.
Looking forward to hearing about the Mystrex more.
Will we ever find out what was in that box? Is it important?
I like this Q character.
THE TOASTER. It's important, huh? Interesting...
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Date: 2016-10-23 03:58 pm (UTC)It just sounded cool.
We will find out what's in the box quite soon and it's absolutely vital to the plot of DoN. Nothing would happen the same way without it. Its contents quite literally change the course of fate.
Q is based on Monique, so its a bit of an odd friendship.
The toaster is also vital but perhaps not quite as much as the box. Although it's more mysterious.
no subject
Date: 2016-10-23 04:07 pm (UTC)I hope there is more de- I mean... less death... yes. Fewer people should die.
-ToC's Anon