1 The not so happy beginning

Ever wonder why the sidewalk ends or time seems to flee from our lives. Why dawn becomes mid day, into afternoon and finally twilights' end. Why the simplest of memories are forgotten, and fated to become the very dust we walk on. Why some people keep their families, while others find themselves mourning in black regalia.

Ever listless, ever churning, the cycle repeats. We question, we dream, we despair, we die... fated or serendipitous, we all return and are forgotten...all that is left is the legacy, the bitter murmur that echos in the distance, the small ripple of a wave, and finally silence.

Whether draped in silk, broken and decrepit, successful or defeated, keen and wise , ignorant and ugly, sacrosanct or fiendish, known or outcast; you return to that silence; for however quiet it may be, it calls for you. The lucky ones continue to fulfill the right of life and sire offspring, while the misfortunate ones meet the dead end of their line, "an early cough out" people might say.

We know of our end, yet why do we rend ourselves out of depravity into hope. We see lights that are just dreary hallucinations, we hear serenity in the sweet lies, we feel peace in the midst of the gunpowder, and yet knowing however blissfully ignorant we may be, we still dream. I stoke the embers of the campfire knowing that they may go out at any moment. Another plight of a morbid thought passes through my head, as I realize how utterly pointless it is to waste my thoughts on such a pessimistic rhapsody.

As my parents used to say "Well, the despite individual can still go down, and being complacent isn't going to row the boat out of the turbid waves". As I relinquish my thoughts, I gloss upon the camping grounds and left over supplies. A pity it would seem my rations are running low. A low grumble passes through the sky as dark clouds seems to obscure the little light dawning over the horizon. It would seem I need to pack up and get back to my shelter with haste, for with the upwind my way, I am not going to be able to miss the storm.

An abrupt sigh and chuckle arrives out of my mouth as I stand up from the dark ebonish and red looking log I sat on. I briskly walk past the camp fire and came upon my handiwork. Five bodies laid before me. Their group consisted of two fohnor(lizard heyna human hybrids), two sermon dressed inquisitors whom I promptly assumed were the star chosen humanish fanatics of this world, and a dirty mercenary whom species I didn't recognize with the purple and overly inflamed tissue on its extremities. Their postures ungrateful and their emotions of anguish and contempt are overly apparent and accompanied with their plastered unfocused eyes, no graceful ends here. Yet I would give none, as they still willing took up the mantle to hunt me down, mercy is not something I can give.

Fresh but unfortunately not edible as I have poisoned all... not that I have a habit of eating humanoids...that and from the bloody mess it would seem the rheugorth root salve did its work in providing the ohh so needed effects being asphyxiation and hemoptysis (coughing blood) that this situation remedied.

I knew nothing about the enemies plans, so I was not going to take a loss and let them know more about me. Of course this only worked, due to their lack of knowledge of the ecology of the fauna and flora here, that and as my sure luck would have it, they were not immune to this native poison. As a backup and escape plan I could have always retreated or led them to hazardous areas in the forest if my plans went awry.

However It would seem they overestimated themselves as many have, or simply didn't bother to evaluate their target. If the pay was good, even some of the most savvy minds can be corrupted and produce such unbecoming results. From their signs of struggle to breath, and the cast metal pan and plates strewn about with the putrid smelling contents of whatever remained, you could probably draw an inclination of the trick used for their demise, not that it matters.

It would seem it did its job too well as four of the five of this separated platoon did not have time to take off their armor. Beggars can't be choosers as I divest the light weight armor off this slouch of a mercenary, carrying it rather abrasively by my side. I sequently decide to grab the currier's bag that lay to the side, hoping whatever it divulged would give me an edge for survival. Another monotone shout from the sky tells me, it is uncaring of my time. Without further ado, I sprint towards the forest disregarding the leftovers from the camp clearing and the treacherous terrain that lay before me; I may break a leg but It is better than getting flogged into a pile of mush by this storm.

****************Flashback******************

The first time I found myself in this foreign domain, I didn't think twice or care about a small storm as a little drizzle from slight overcast would not make it past my tempered windbreaker jacket and boots.

Although the landscape was beautiful and had life I've never seen or read about, I just believed it was attributable to some government back door experiment under lock and key and hadn't made it into the books yet. 11 years I was locked away, so despite my caution and sore body, I wanted to enjoy the fresh air.

However the air was unexpectedly heavy and dry with a slightly metallic feel. That is also when I noticed a weird phenomena; six lunar bodies could be observed throughout the clouds. At first inclination, I thought surely after being locked 11 years underground, my visual system had developed some kind of complex like quadrantanopia(blindness in one of the four corners of the eye typically happens in both eyes) with diplopia(double vision) like conditions, but sure enough as important research material, they made sure I wouldn't face atrophy(degradation) in multiple tissues.

At least during my stay there, most of my body would be in prim and proper conditions. Unfortunately as this was synthetically induced and combined with the fear that I might escape as I have now, I was heavily sedated and not allowed once in ten years to walk around or exercise. As my body was screaming from not using locomotive muscles in a long time, an incessant low buzzing pulled my attention to one of the six lunar bodies.

That was when my trouble began. A haze of dark objects was streaming ever closer to the ground. A little twinkle of lights could be seen dancing around the objects. Most people would be mesmerized, but I knew better to quell my curiosity for whatever objects they were, were approaching fast and would leave little respite. As much as I felt gratitude for the insurgent group that had assaulted the lab, I knew they probably had no better intentions than the lab themselves. I ran as fast as I could into the forest.