Heirot

To The End of The World
Part 1 Runaway Slave meets Beast

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Kat wandered the forest in exhaustion. It was warm and humid within the forest and she longed to go back to the cold snowy mountains in the Border, but she couldn't go back. She couldn't face him now after-- No, don't think about it. I'm so stupid, she thought to herself. She wipped away the sweat forming at her brow. She was so thristybut her canteen had run out a few miles back, she hadn't come across a stream since.

The was a rustle behind a circle of trees and brush, Kat thought it was an animal of some sort... maybe even a wolf. Wary of what it might be, Kat walked slowly towards the trees. Maybe there was a lake behind them... Taking a deep breath, Kat pushed her way through the brush and moved branches aside. When she came out there was indeed a small lake there. Clear sparkling waters fed by a small stream coming from the opposite direction. Kat said a small prayer of thanks to the gods and rushed forward to the lake and fell on her knees at its edge. She cupped her hands in the clear and refreshing water and drank deeply. She did this several times before her splashed the water in her face then retreived her canteen from her belt. She hummed while filling it; danger seemed so far away...

A splash sounded to her side and the next thing Kat knew, she was spralled on her side. Her middle aching from a pain brought on by...something.

"Why aren't you dead yet?" A harsh and deep voice sounded from behind the trees. The voice's threatening tone scarred Kat out of her wits. She couldn't answer. Finally, hearing a growl sound moments later, the creature emerged and Kat screamed. It towered over her with massives legs belonging to a dragon with blue scales, its tale whipped about menacingly and the axe it held so calmly on its shoulder glared at her in the sunlight with its bloodstained metal edge. Kat lost her voice when she saw his eyes.

"You should be dead with the sheild I have placed upon this oasis." It kneeled down at her level, studying her with its orange, slitted eyes. "What manner of a creature are you to be resistant?" Kat couldn't speak. "Well?" Still, she lay silent. Eventually the creature grunted and stood up. Its tail wrapped around her legs and her held her upside down facing him. It didn't seem to matter to him that her skirt had flown up. It sniffed the air around her.

"You smell human." it spat out the last word like a poison on its tounge. "A sorceress?" He inquiered from her. Kat was still too afraid to speak. The creature growled in frustration. "You will answer me or I shall behead you with my axe." Kat's voice squeaked as she spoke to save her life.

"My lord," old habits die hard for her, "My sincerest apologies for trepassing in your abode. I was thirsty, I feared I would die without drink. I did not know my lord!" It kept staring at her with its peircing orange eyes.

"You know no magic?" Kat shook her head.

"Please my lord, I came upon you in ignorance of your presence. I--"

"Name?"

"What?"

"Come now, all you humans have names." it snapped.

"K-Kat my lord." her voice shook in fear. She could feel her blood rushing to her head.

"Such polite mannerisms from a creature such as you. It intruiges me to know from whence you have come." It was not a question of curiosity, she was to answer him.

"From the Border, my lord." He nodded for her to go on. Kat was getting dizzy from her position but she fought to stay awake. "I-I was a slave to my master but--"

"You ran away," It chuckled then dropped her. Kat's head swam from the sudden change in surroundings, but the blood rush subsided. It sniffed the air again. "You suffered loss..." For a moment, its eyes changed to that of an understanding towards Kat, but it subsided quickly. "Why have you come? To gain fortune by taking my head?"

"Pardon, my lord?"

"All you humans desire the same thing." it said bitterly. "No matter who gets in the way.'

"No my lord, I only desire to prove myself."

"To whom?" Kat opened her mouth to answer but then she closed it. It laughed. "You do not know. You only wish to stop being a slave to those who would enslave you." It paused for a moment, thinking. "Unluckly for you, I cannot let you go."

"M-my lord?" Kat shook, frightened. Would he kill her?

"You've stummbled upon magic that did not affect you. That leads me to believe two things: You are either a skill sorceress who has managed to deceive me, or you are something much more than meets the eye. Tell me, what skills do you have so I may learn of you."

"I know of herbs, my lord." The creature drew back thinking once more. It couldn't figure out how she had managed to get past his protective sheild alive. Maybe it was these herbs she spoke of? It looked at her again. The girl still sat on the ground and she watched the ground at his feet fearfully. Whatever she has upon her that countered his spell... he was hungry to learn of it.

"LIttle slave girl," She looked up at him with her wide ice blue eyes. Ironic, it matches his scales. Were The gods were playing some cruel joke? "Look upon me, Zeikiel, last of the Drago-sapiens, as your new master."

Kats eyes grew wider, her entire body froze and she could not move. A slave to this creature? She would be dead soon, she could see it now. She couldn't attempt to save herself by running away again. She could see that he'd kill her by the time she took her first step away from him. He even made sure she wouldn't even be tempted to run by fastening a magiced collar around her neck. It glowed green then was like a vine around her throat. Zeikiel, the half dragon half human creature-he had explained to her-would know her every movement now. Any hope of escape was gone...

It must've been 3 weeks since Zeik had enslaved Kat for his own purposes. He constanly asked her about herbs though, so it set her at ease. Zeikiel had her make trips to the nearest village, Hepian, to restock on supplies and make visits to the towns magic users.

Her fourth time there she had to flee; there were wanted posters up for her return home. Lord Bryon wanted her home at any cost. She now had to go there in cover of her cloak and Zeikiel's masking spells... She couldn't go back to him though... she didn't have the strength to return to--

Forget about it. Just concentrate on here and now. Now she had to bring back her supply of rockroot, thyme and their food supplies. She was almost at the safe cover of the forest...

SNK

An arrow flew past Kat's head, she stopped in fright and looked around.

"Time to return you to your master girl." said a man while emerging from the shadows. He was a treasure seeker. Kat took a step back.

"no..." she protested softly. But the treasure seeker rushed her and he had her in his grasp in just a few seconds. "No!" His grip upon her was too hardand fast. SHe couldn't defend herself so she couldn't escape. She tried to cry out but his hand was upon her mouth instantly.

"None of that now." he grinned. Kat tried to kicked away from him, to make any noise to warn and alert Zeik... if he'd save her.... if anyone would save her...

Drakoe had been in search of Zeikiel for some time now. He knew that he must be getting close. Fully alert now, Drakoe heard a rustle in some nearby brush. He snuck over to see what it was .

He saw a man holding a young woman against her will. He stepped out to where he could be seen. "Let her go!" he said calmly.

He spoke smoothly and calmly. His face showed no expression.

The man looked up at the new comer. He glared and moved away.

"I've got mean's to return this girl back home. What I'm doing is a service to the Lord missing this young girl. Best not get in my way." he said and back away with Kat in tow. Kat tried to escape and call out to the man but her captor wouldn't let her move or speak.

Drakoe yawned, taunting the man. "I asked you nicely t let her go," he proceeded.

Drakoe now recognized the girl as being the one on all the wanted posters. He had been tempted to hunt for her himself but didn't care much for making the lives of slaves any worse than they were already. Who could really blame them for running away. He didn't know this girls personal motives for leaving and didn't really care to know them.

"Don't make me take her from you," Before the man had a chance to respond Drakoe had knock him to the ground a held the tip of his blade at the man's throat.

"Now you have another choice," He said pushing the servent girl behind him. "Leave or die? Which is it?"

The man wasn't stupid as he stared in total shock at the tip of this man's blade.He hadn't even seen him move. Kat recovered herself and gathered up her fallen packages.

"Al-alright..." the man stammered and scrammble to his feet, running away. Kat clutched her packages to her chest and looked at the man who saved her.

"Th-thank you, my lord." She bowed to him.

Drakoe watched the pathetic man stumble through the trees. After he was out of sight he turned to the girl.
Drakoe nodded in response to her thank you. "Are you going to be alright?" he asked. "You shouldn't be wandering this close to the woods all by yourself. there are far more dangerous things than old, puny little men.

He looked her over slightly and then caught her eye. She seemed about his age and rather lovely. "You don't have to call me lord, my lady." he said with a grin. "If you're going to be alright now, I'm going to be on my way."

Kat straightened and looked at him again with curious eyes. "I'm sorry," she apologised, "My old habits are still with me. I thank you for saving me..." she didn't know what else to say, but a blush rose in her cheeks. Suddenly remembering herself and where she was, she thanked him again.

"I must be on my way. My master does not tolerate lateness. I thank you again." she said with a soft smile and walked towards the trees. "I bless you with a safe travel, sir."

"Thanks," He replied quietly watching her dissappear into the trees. Something wasn't right. He was so tempted to stop her.

'Why would she leave one master for another' he thought aloud, 'and why is she going into the trees.'

Instead of stoping her, he decided he would follow her. He could make time for it. He needed a break from his hunt anyway. Some strange force kept urging him to follow her.

He leaped into the trees and within a matter of moments he could see her again. He followed her quietly and unnoticably amongst the treetops. Following someone wasn't something he was a stranger to. He does it quite frequently in his line of work. He likes to scope out his subjects before he encountered them in a fight.

Unaware of anyone following her, Kat rushed through the tree's that encircled the oasis--no longer enchanted.

"My Lord Zeik! I return!" she called and was welcomed by a gruff voice within the shadows. Only his tail flicked out to show he was there and listening.

"Stop calling me that." he said sharply. "What kept you? You don't normally take that long."

"I'm sorry, my lord." she still couldn't break that habit. "I was... held up."

"Make sure it doesn't happen again then." Zeik didn't care for whatever had happened to her along the way, just as long as she made it back with his supplies. Kat nodded and began sorting out what she had brought into their proper places. Though Zeikiel was rough and had a none to pleasant disposition, Kat felt safe within his presence. Anyone else would call her crazy. Though she did find it quite upsetting when he observed her even in her nude form. He never gave explanation for, only said he had his reasons.

He did. Zeik was trying to study her, to find out how she had broken through his magic alive. Though he never thought it nessassary to explain himself to her.

This was most curious, Danwynn had to admit: a part-humanoid, part-draconic creature - killing that had to be worth something - with a human slave? No ordinary slave, either, but one with a considerable reward for her return to a former master. The money-making prospects were through the roof. Of course she wouldn't be the only one after this prize, though. She could make out a young human man moving through the trees a few hundred feet away. This just kept getting better! The elf grinned to herself from her perch in the canopy and moved in closer, glancing back and forth between the mercenary and the dragon-man and his slave girl as she ghosted through the branches.

Drakoe halted quickly as the girl stopped short of the giant monster. That was his target. He was a lot bigger than he had thought. 'Oh well!' he said softly to himself, 'The bigger they are the harder they fall.'

He watched closely as the slave girl sorted the herbs and things. He couldn't make out what they were though. He eased down a couple of branches without so much as shaking a leaf.

He tried to stick to the shadows as best he could but the sun was still shining brightly. He still couldn't tell what they were talking about or what kind of things she was laying out. He sat down on a large branch and watched the two of them, studying the monsters every move. He got distracted by the girls presence rather often though.

Danwynn drew ever nearer, stopping in the next tree to Drakoe. She glanced over at him and smirked slightly, wondering how long it'd take him to notice her presence. He seemed quite besotted with the beast's little pet. Humans were so entertaining. She didn't call any attention to herself, but neither was she putting much effort into hiding; she wondered how this would play out on its own.

Drakoe felt as if he were being watched by someone. He turned to a tree next to him and saw an elf. He jumped back nearly losing his balance. His sword was already in hand before he relized it. Bark fell from the tree and hit the ground in front of the half-human, half-dragon.

Drakoe was back in the treetops before he could be spotted. He cursed himself for being so off his guard. The last thing he wanted at the moment was a confrontation with the creature.

Danwynn chuckled softly, raising an eyebrow. "New at this, boy?" she asked in a low voice. It probably wouldn't be audible to the two down below, but she had no real idea of how good the beast's hearing was and wasn't sure she cared. She focused her attention on him once again and strung her bow, then selected an arrow from her quiver with more care than was really warranted. Though she didn't turn her eyes from the target, she continued speaking to the human: "How do you plan to bring anything down if you're so easily surprised, much less that oddity on two legs?"