Welcome to Gaia! ::

It has been three days since the party of scientists and mercenaries left the port city of Regen. Now they were smack dab in the middle of the Nati Rainforest. Another day's trek and they would be squarely in the lands of Jord. The group itself wasn't that large. The caravan consisted of four wagons, one of which was an enormous cage. There were about fifteen individuals, six of which were scientists, four were hunters and trackers, while the remaining five were mercenaries hired on to provide protection for the group. This entire team had one goal: find and capture the elusive creature that had been stalking the forest for the last several weeks.

The reports had been varied. Some people reported seeing a strange shadow moving amongst the trees. Others said they'd seen glimpses of a monster that looked part bat, part lizard and part human. The strange clawed footprints of a large, bipedal, humanoid creature had also been observed around a muddy riverbank. One thing was for sure: there was something out there and the Scientists of Mesa were going to be the first to discover it!

As usual it was hot and muggy in the Nati Rainforest. Though the forest canopy protected the the travelers from the midday sun, it did little to help with the humidity which clung in the air like a perpetual mist. Head Scientist Professor Guall, in the front of the caravan, held up his hand to motion for the group to stop. “We shall set up our base here,” he said. “From the reports, this was the most recent area the creature was sighted in. The river bank that the footprints were found at is not far from here either. Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to begin our hunt.”

Boxes of supplies were quickly pulled from the wagons and within an hour the tents had been pitched and the research base was set up. The mercenaries were then gathered by Professor Guall and asked to search the surrounding area for potential threats. Though they all seemed proficient, Thanatos could tell he was a cut above the other four mercenaries hired for this job. On a map laid out on a box, the surrounding area had been divided up into four quadrants; the other mercenaries ask Thanatos which area he'd like to explore: North, East, South or West?

"We?" said Daniel, the older mercenary. He was a large man with a grizzled beard and a great sword. "There's not enough time for us to go around in one large group to explore each area. We got to get this done before supper! V, If you want north, you got north; that's the direction of the river anyways. I'll take the south zone. Charles, you got east, and Adam, you have the west. Joseph, you're the least experienced of us so I think you should watch the camp. The scientist will get nervous if there isn't at least one of us here."

The tall thin mercenary with a long bow then spoke up. "Aww, but I wanted to scout the east. Looks like there might be some good squirrels in those trees."

The older man looked at Adam grumpily."Fine! You take east and Charles, take the west. It doesn't matter as long as we get it scouted out before nightfall."

Charles, a squat man with a large axe, nodded at the older gentlemen. Joseph, who wielded a pair of short swords, seemed a little disappointed about hanging back at the camp, but didn't voice it.

Daniel spoke once more. "All right then. I've been through this jungle dozen times before. There are some nasty creatures out there but nothing beyond any of your capabilities. Let's get this done and over with so we can relax. Should be a pretty cake job after this, watching these guys futzing about the jungle for something that doesn't exist."

The other mercenaries laugh at V's second joke, though Charles stops and gives V a mean look once he realizes he's being serious. "It doesn't matter to me. I'll stay here for supper while you all go trudge through the mud. Don't get bit by anything, now."

Daniel nodded his head. "All right, then it's settled; let's head out. You all have your horns to blow if you get in over your head. Now let's get this done before Charles has a chance to eat all the food. "

As V stops to scan the muddy riverbank, he hears a rustling in the thick jungle underbrush behind him. Suddenly an enormous jungle boar emerged from the foliage, no doubt on its way to get a drink from the river. The beast had not noticed V’s presence earlier and is spooked now upon noticing him. The Boar squeals angrily and charges the fiendish fire elemental.

The Boar stops mid-charge as the flames engulf the ground around him. Confused and frightened by this sudden turn of events, the thirsty pig turns around and runs squealing back into the forest. His mud wallow would have to wait for another day.

In a tree behind him, V could hear melodious laughter. There, sitting on a large branch in a tree, was a young woman in leather armor. She had long, lustrous, black hair that was partly tied up in a bun. Her skin was quite pale and her bright yellow eyes had a mischievous glint to them. The top of her head was adorned with furry, pointed ears and she had a long bushy tail as well; both were the same color as her hair. She smiled at V and spoke to him in a soft, sultry voice. "My, my, that was the most entertaining thing I've seen all day."

The girl covered her mouth with one of her delicate hands and chuckled at V's response. "No doubt. That was quite compassionate of you. Most would have slain the boar... or run away in fear. They are quite the dangerous creatures."

The girl jumped from the tree branch she was reclining on and gracefully landed on the jungle floor. She walked over to V, her hips and tail swaying with each step. "I haven't seen fire like that in a long while. What brings you to the river? I doubt it's because you're thirsty."

The girl grins mischievously at him. "Oh, yes. I've seen fire as black as the pits of hell, and the utmost pure white flame of the divine. I'm afraid yours has a long ways to go to truly appear... fiendish." The girl casts V a sly look, teasing him almost affectionately. She says, in her playful voice, "Well, traveler, that is quite a bit of weaponry you have on you for a short jaunt through the jungle. Do you have a name perhaps, or should I call you Mr. Parlor Trick?"

The girl keeps walking towards him until she stops an uncomfortably close distance from him. At this range you see she is armed herself with two small daggers of her own sheathed at her hips. She smiles widely as she looks him over with her wild-looking eyes. There is a mysterious aura of confidence and grace about her actions.