The beast I faced was three times my size. He was green, towering over me, swinging his bulky arms wildly. All I could do was jump away to avoid being obliterated. It had been quite a few days since I had first run down the steps of Cronus to the Badlands. I had left the bustling city in the search of fame and fortune like so many adventurers before me but had found more trouble than I could have ever fathomed. On my journey I had also met some fellow fighters; most of them newly arrived to this realm like me, and just as helpless. Yet somehow, in all this confusion and chaos, I managed to survive and even increase in strength.
To my utter amazement, we were not alone in our fight against evil here. I was given some eggs to watch over and carry. And in time they hatched into impressive creatures, willing to aid me in my quests as long as I was providing the training. They were fastidious demons, sometimes with a will of their own, and I knew I would have to learn quickly to master their skills and strength. Good fortune seemed to be on my side and I found myself gathering armor, boots, weapons and gold. Most surprising of all, every so often, I was able to dispatch one of these unspeakable monsters and they would leave behind a treasure trove of gems of all colors and sizes, gold and weapons abound, more than I could possibly carry.
Curious by nature, as most females are, I started to venture further and further. I met a very helpful young lady, a teleporter by profession, who made travel to far away places much easier to achieve. In this manner I discovered that Cronus was not the only City here, much to my surprise, Cronus was only the beginning. I arrived in Elven City one late summer evening. It was and to this day still is the loveliest place my eyes had ever seen. Set high in the trees, nestled between branches and leaves, it blends seamlessly into nature��s beauty. Bathed in sunlight, filtered by the green canopy, and birdsong always present, one can find the most peaceful perches here. But if one hungers like me for the rush of combat, just walk down the tree trunk, step through the gate and you will find yourself in Misty Marsh. Far from peaceful, here a young mage can hone her skills. Demons abound at every turn, and if I thought they were big in the outskirts of Cronus, I had to learn the error of my assumption.
I had been busying myself killing as many as I could carrying my bounty back to Cronus to store in my warehouse. On one of these trips I realized that in all my venturing I had become a little lonely. Too focused on the task at hand, I had neglected to make contact with fellow mages and warriors. And on occasion, I had even found myself briskly rebuffing the feeble attempts of others to get to know me. I had noticed on previous trips to the City, the great fighters lining the road leading up to the steps, but I had never really paid any attention to them at all. I never wondered about their purpose here, never listened to the conversations all around me. So this time I stopped. And I listened. And before long I was approached by a young mage, taller than me, obviously more seasoned and experienced. His inquiry was simple and at the same time exhilarating.
An invitation to join the legion of Demon Hunters, how could I deny him? I agreed, even though I was not at all convinced I knew what it meant to do so. Being the woman that I am, I was not about to admit this lack of knowledge. Soon, however, I realized the benefits of being part of a legion. I had company on my travels, hunting alone no more, and there were comrades to talk to and share stories with. And, if I had questions, there were usually answers. I spent the next few weeks learning all I could, honing mine and my demons skills, collecting gold and gem stones, and above all growing in strength and ability. I was waiting, watching and waiting, for what, I didn��t know.
To be continued...
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