Luna's Tale

Well, here it is. Luna's Tale. I hope you all enjoy the story for it has taken awhile to finish it.

Udpate: I am currently revising the first and second chapters of L.T., so expect to see some major changes. Also any feedback will be greatly desired for any constructive comments will be very helpful.

I know the first few chapters may seem like a mess but I am trying to rewrite them and make them follow, read, and sound better than their current state. I have many plans for this story and I hope it can go far.

Luna's Tale

Chapter I – Deception; Betrayal

In a small clearing within a forest, laughter could be heard as four figures came out of the foliage. The beings were nagas or nagalings, as they were quite young. One child was a head of the others, slithering towards the middle of the clearing. Three of the children sped up and attempted to pounce at the lead child. Her long, slender ears wiggled slightly, before she coiled her tail quickly and sprang forward, avoiding the dog-pile.

"Awww, no fair Lunaria! We almost had you," one of the children called out in a protesting tone.

"Hehe, I'm the nimble naga queen, bow down before me!" Lunaria remarked with a triumphant pose, smiling at her older brother.

Her brother got up and slithered over to her before placing an arm around her neck and proceeded in giving the girl a noogie. Luna started to flail from the skull rubbing and writhed in her brother's grip, trying to get free. The other two watched and giggled at the sight; one of them smiling. The two slithered over to their sister and brother as both of them smiled.

"Looks like we get to see your b-o-y-f-w-i-e-n-d Lunaria," said the child on the right.

"Yeah what Salrin said, Sis. When is Elric coming by?" the child on the left asked.

Lunaria managed to get away from her older brother, panting lightly. She glared at him before she stated, "Elric may not be coming by today, Lucas. Also, that hurt, Ichna! My head feels funny after you did that! Salrin, Lucas, promise me you won't dog-pile Elric if he comes?"

Ichna laughed, patting Lunaria's before gently rubbing her head, making her hair become messy. The young girl blew a strand of hair out of her face, crossing her arms over her chest and stared at her two brothers and sister. Her younger sister and brother simply smiled innocently at her. She didn't suspect a thing as the two had their hands behind their backs with fingers crossed. The child looked at the two in disbelief but sighed.

Her ears twitched and looked to the far end of the clearing to see a young boy, looked around the age of eight, was sitting on a tree branch. The other three looked over and waved to the boy who in return waved back. The boy leapt off the branch, landing on the grass before jogging over to them. His white blond hair lightly gleamed in the afternoon sun as he stopped in front of Lunaria, lightly panting. Both the girl and the boy looked each other in the eyes. Her deep blue eyes meet his light gold eyes.

"Aw, look sis found herself a boyfriend," Ichna said, smiling as the two blushed and moved away from each other.

"Th-That's not funny Ichna! W-W-We're just friends!" Lunaria huffed, her arms crossed, glaring at her older brother. "Don't listen to big brother, Elric."

Elric was looking down at the grass, shifting his feet slightly. He simply nodded, looking up at her and Ichna. Taking a deep breath, he said, "How are you four doing today? I don't see your parents around, aren't you scared of dwarves coming up and plucking your eyes out before turning them into jam?"

Lucas and Salrin hugged each other, lightly squealing from the very thought. Ichna, however, simply laughed and hit his chest with a fist, doing a heroic pose. The blond haired boy looked at Lunaria who had her face buried in her hands, lightly giggling, plus a soft snort, came from them. All five of them began laughing, enjoying the joke that was told. The elder sibling grinned and silently slithered behind the girl. With a gentle, but firm push, he caused his sister to meep as she fell towards Elric. Shock etched across both the human's and nagaling's faces as one fell on top the other.

When Luna fell on Elric, both their lips meet. A kiss, that was the first thing that went through both kids mind, staring each other with wide eyes. They blinked and quickly moved away from each other, spitting, scraping their tongues, and wiping their mouths. A series of laughter came from the three nagalings who watched the scene. The human boy glared at the older nagaling, but looked over at his friend. The girl looked over at the boy before slithering away, her dark, electric blue scales gleaming in the sunlight, as well as the light yellow streaks running down her tail.

The three other nagalings looked at each before slithering to catch up to Lunaria. The blond hair boy watched them go before brushing off grass and dirt that had clung to his shirt and baggy pants. A cracked smile stole across his face as he walked in the opposite direction, ducking into a bush. Searching around, he spotted a small grove and went in to it. Digging though the pants pockets, he pulled a medium sized, golden disk out and placed it on the ground. Pressing his left forefinger against the metal edge until he softly grunted, seeing blood slowly soaking into the edge of the disc. Moving his bleeding finger around the edge of it until it looked like a pure red edge before tossing the metal diskette in front of him.

The disc glowed as it stopped in mid air, floating and spinning. A translucent robbed figure formed around the metal object. Glowing ice blue eyes was the only visible feature, the rest hidden by the hood. The boy knelt down on one knee, in front of the demonic figure.

"My lord," the child said, his head bowed low.

The being looked down at the boy before raising a armored hand. "You have been well Elric Kraiyen. The time is close to claim the child. Do not fail in this task like the last time. You have already been given the title close to that of the arch-demons of the fifth circle. Fail in this task, however, and the consequences won't be as forgiving," the demon said in an ancient, demonic accent.

"Of course my lord. Within the next day I shall have her. Though, I wish to take command of the skeleton Wyvren," Elric said, looking up at the demon lord.

"It shalt be done. Go and if the child's parents intervene... Kill them as you see fit," the hooded demon said before his image faded, the disk cracking and soon shattered.

Elric stood him, smiling before walking out of the grove. He jumped up into a tree, staring out into the clearing where he had been moments before. His mind raced with questions, yet one kept rising up, 'The child, Lunaria... Why must feelings for her come when I think of her... Why? Such trivial things I have long abandoned come back... but tis simply trivial feelings.' Looking up into the early dusk sky, watching the clouds go by before disappearing into brush.

****
Lunaria, Lucas, Salrin, and Ichna slithered through the forest, following an old trail until the four came to a small clearing. At the end of the clearing was a large cave, at least fifty-five feet in height. A large greenish-blue scaled wall was at the entrance before it lifted up to reveal a woman with long, sleek turquoise hair. She yawned, looking down at the four children.

"Hello little ones, you four are back rather early. Your father isn't back from the markets yet," the woman said, with a soft smile. "You have the smell of the human child on you Lunaria." Her eyes focused in on the small nagaling, causing the child to shift uneasily.

"B-But he came over today, plus it's big brother fault. He pushed me and made me fall onto to Elric, Mama," Lunaria piped, looking up at her mother's face.

The large naga stared down at her child and sighed heavily, scratching the back of her head. "Alright, fine. Though, he is a human and you should still be cautious. Even if naga's are allowed into human societies we are still looked down upon, but not as much as the dwarves. Now, next time you see him, bring him here so he doesn't have to go back home in the dark."

All four nodded before slithering past their mother and towards a tunnel in the left side of the cavern. Dim, glowing, white crystals illuminated the passageway as the nagalings traveled down it. Before long, they entered a large cave lit up by towering columns of crystal. A large lake took up most of the area, the light from the columns reflecting off it's surface, casting cascading effects onto the cave's ceiling creating a wonderful sight.

The kids went over to a part of the lake that was enclosed with faint lines of steam coming from the water. Lucas and Salin sped towards the artificial hot spring, taking off their shirts before leaping into the warm water with a loud splash. Both Lunaria and Ichna laughed before taking off their shirts and slithered into the spring. The water was at the right temperature due to a couple runic stones that warmed the enclosed spring.

The children bathe and played within the soothing waters for a long time before their mother came into the cavern, carrying a small pile of cloth. The towering naga laid the pile next to the spring, watching as the nagalings climbed out of the water and made their way to heap of cloths. Leaning down, she picked up a large rag from the pile and gently started drying of her kids. Once they were dry and dressed, she carefully picked them up and placed them onto her tail before slithering away from the underground lake. The mother naga went down the same tunnel used by the kids earlier, humming a soft, melodious tune.

Soon the mother came into the main cavern of the home and laid down near the entrance. She moved her tail slowly so that her children could slide down it. The nagalings looked at each other smiling and slid down their mother's tail, giggling and laughing the entire way down. The woman smiled as she watched her kids glide down her tail, happy to see that they are enjoying themselves.

Rustling sounded nearby as a large male naga came into view. A large sack was slung across his broad shoulder as he slithered into the cave, the children slithering up to him. With a soft smile, he gently placed the bag down and scooped of the kids, giving a gentle hug. His soft green eyes gazed on them before glancing over at the tall female naga.

"Welcome home my love. I take it that everything went well at the market?" The woman asked, lifting her tail towards the male.

He chuckled, placing the nagalings on his wife's tail, saying, "Things went well dear. Got enough goods to last for a long while. Smelled some dwarves on the way back, a small camp. Though... it looked as if something massacred the entire site. It is cause for some concern, Galza"

Galza gently coiled her tail around the children, bringing them close to her taunt belly. She softly stroked each of their heads with a loving touch. The four nagalings stared at the large sack with curious eyes, wiggling within their mother's coils.

She looked up at her husband with a raised eyebrow, stating, "A dwarf camp? Ruined? Why is it cause for concern, Harv? According to law they aren't suppose to set camps in this region without a permit or permission."

Harv sighed, moving over to his wife and sat down next to her, watching the children. He reached over and gently patted them on the head, smiling. Using his tail, he dragged the sack over to Galza before opening it and brought out a small handful of bright red, star shaped fruits before offering it to the kids. The nagalings stared at the fruits with smiles on their faces and each of them grabbed a few before biting into the sweet, tangy food.

"Seems that the kids like the fruit I brought home, love. Only a bark coin for an entire casket of them," Harv stated, chuckling as the children devoured the fruits he held in his hand.

"Yes, it would appear so," she said smiling before her ears flickered slightly as she looked out of the cave. "Hm, Lunaria sweety, can you go and drag whatever it is that's peeping at us that is hiding in the bushes?"

Lunaria looked up to her mother's face, pieces of fruit covering the area around her mouth. With a big smile she nodded, saying, "Mhm. Okay mama!"

The young naga moved out of the cave and to a nearby bush before pouncing into it, grabbing hold of something or someone. The being yelped and began to struggle against the nagaling's coils. The being turned out to be none other than Elric, who was eavesdropping in on the conversation.

"My, my. Elric Freiya, how bold for a human child to come here," Galza said, leaning her face close to the boy, somewhat amused, "Afraid to head back home are we?"

"I-I came here out of my own will a-and yes... th-that too," Elric said, somewhat uneasy with Lunaria's mothers face so close to him. Just her size was imposing and intimidating, but having her face really close made him feel uncomfortable.

With a sigh, Galza leaned back, looking at her husband, who simply chuckled. "Alright, you can stay, but think don't about trying to leave during the night. Monsters roam at night even with your kind having hunters," she said placing a hand over her mouth, stifling a yawn.

All the kids nodded and settled down, for the light from the sun was fading in the mouth of the cave as the sun began sinking below the treeline. It was not long before the family of nagas and the human had all fallen asleep in the early hours of the night. However, unbeknownst to the nagas, the human was still awake and carefully made his way out of mother naga's protective coils. Moving out of the cave he sprinted into the trees, his fist shaking
.
"D-Dammit. Why am I so concerned with these dead feelings?! I haven't felt these... things in a decade! Why now. Why... It matters not, I must fulfill my master's task and bring Lunaria into the dark and within, bind her and corrupt her," he said his eyes glowing a burning gold, before pulling a crystal from a shirt pocket and placed it on the ground.

A large summoning circle appeared and in the middle rose a towering figure. Sparks flew out of its skeletal mouth with each breath while its blazing red eyes stared down at its summoner. A chuckle came from Elric before it turned into a mad hysterical laughter, saying, "It's time, my fiend. Its time to fulfill our duties. Ehehehehahahahahahaha!"

***
The next morning, Lunaria woke up, feeling refreshed and well rested. She looked over to see her brother and sister still sleeping. There was a soft tap on her head, causing her to see her mother's smiling face. She smiling up at her mother and waved. The mother patted her head once more before placing a large piece of fruit in front of her child.

"Seems like you slept well, Lunaria dear. Now before you ask, Elric has already left. Don't know when, but I figured he left early in the morning before me and your father woke. Now wake your brothers and sister," Galza said with a soft smile.

With a nod, Lunaria slithering over to her siblings and gently shook their shoulder to wake them. One by one they woke yawning and stretching. The mother placed fruits near them, enjoying the relaxing morning. Though, she couldn't help feel an uneasy vibe. What was she worried about, the dwarf camp, the human child? She wasn't sure, but pushed it out of her thoughts and relaxed a bit more.

A load roar resounded throughout the forest before a large figure was hurled into the clearing. The figure happened to be non other than Harv, bruises, cuts, and scrapes covering his body, plus long gashes were on his tail. A large skeletal beast came out of the forest, its bony mouth let out a low growl before it let loose a piercing roar.

"G-Galza.... Take kids.... R-Ru-AAAAH!" Harv cried in pain as the beast pierced his chest with its barbed tail, killing him instantly.

"HARV!" Galza said, keeping the children hidden with her tail.

The monster lower its head to the dead naga before striking its neck in a swift notion, tearing the flesh, eating it. It moved its head, looking at its next victim. Its flaming red eyes stared at the mother naga, making it feel like it was seeing into her mind and spirit. Spark blew out of its nostrils before a torrent of lightning spewed from its mouth, hitting the left side of the cave entrance, blasting a good chunk of it way.

"Well, well. We meet again Ms, Galza," a familiar voice said as Elric step out from behind the beast.

Galza's eyes went wide eye in surprise and confusion. "E-Elric... Wh-What is that thing? Wh-Whats going on?!" she asked.

"Simple. I'm here for Lunaria and take her back to the dark realm of hell and corrupt her for my master's cause. The rest... you all are expendable," he said snapping his fingers.

The Skeletal Wyvren lept forward, sinking its jagged fangs into the mother naga's tail. The woman cried in pain before swinging her left hand, sucker punching the monster in the head, knocking it away.

"Kids! RUN!" she said, using her tail to move the kids far behind her before the Wyvren jumped her, pinning her to the ground.

It a blurred motion it sank its teeth into the naga's neck before an audible crack resounded through out the cave. The kids, rooted where they stood, saw their mother just being murdered in front of their own eyes. Lunaria, who was the first to start moving away, had fear gripping her heart as she saw Elric laughing like a psychotic madman. She didn't know what to do, but her instincts were telling to run, fast and quickly. Before she could turn, a blinding lightning bolt flashed from the monsters mouth.

"Luna-" A voiced called out before a thundering boom replaced it.

Lunaria blinking seeing a crater and scorched, unrecognizable bodies smoldering. She was stunned, frozen in place at the site after seeing some charred face with mouth open in a scream-less pain.

"B-Big... B-Brother? L-Lil' s-sister?" Lunaria called out.

"They are gone, Lunaria my dear. But don't worry, you'll soon forget all about them in no time," Elric said walking past the skeletal beast, "Now then. Come with me and you won't be harmed."

At the remark the young child quickly turned and slithered as fast as she could. She barely heard the command to capture her, but she was in such a panic, her mind in complete chaos that she had to run and get away. the echoing roar of the monster resounded throughout the cave tunnel as the child fled, causing to her to flee faster. However, unbeknownst to her the landscape was rapidly changing from caverns and into snow and ice.

As soon as she made contact with the snow, she was rudely stopped and fell into the fluffy, yet stinging coldness of its abode. Quickly picking up her head, she blinked in surprised at the sudden change of the landscape. For all she knew, she should still be in the mountains, not in the icy north. The world she once knew was gone, but now she was in a world far more dangerous and perilous than her own. A world that would soon twine her fate into that of another.

I think that this story has a future, keep up the work!

thanks! it really does and luna...well.....she wont let me take a break. T_T

All. Freaking. RIGHT!!! I freakin' love this story so far! Keep up the good work!!

thanks joker. ^^

Well, in that case, make that douchebag Elric pay!! Pay with what, you ask? I have no idea!! You decide!!

well joker...you decide, and im glad to see someone has voted for me never to write again. Maybe some constructive help would do.

Wow, I can't believe someone actually put that down. You didn't have to go and do that, you know! You could've just left constructive criticism or something along those lines!!

Anyway, what to do with Elric...hmmm...(pulls out switchblade) Would you care to know how I got these scars?

Luna's Tale Chapter 2

A New World; Winding Strings of Fate

Cold, bitter cold, bit flesh while howling winds of ice stung, sapping heat from a lone child's body as she slithered through the white snow. Her whole body was shivering as she looked for a place or anything to make a shelter out of sorts. Cold tears slowly made their way down the sides of her face, bearing the painful event that took place only seconds ago. Just thinking about it made her stop before she started to cry endlessly.

"Wh-Why Elric... Why did you kill Mama... Papa... my brothers and sister... wh-why..." her voice was drowned out when she heard a low snarl of a creature coming from somewhere nearby

Quickly as she could, she hid herself under the snow before a large, two-tailed white wolf came out from an unseen den. The transparent spikes on its back glowed a dull blue. It lifted its head, sniffing the air before snarling and howled. It bolted away from its den and the unseen nagaling, howling once more.

Getting up, Lunaria slithered to where the wolf came from and found a low ceiling den. Looking around, she pondered what to do before the icy wind reminded her. She made her way inside and hid behind a large boulder before coiling up to stay warm. Cold, hungry, and alone, the child did not know what to do except to try and keep warm and mourn the loss of her family.

****
With a sneeze, Mike sniffed and rubbed his nose as he walked through the snow on the slopes of Frost Peak. He cursed, seeing he had to make a dangerous journey from the Akaptor Desert all the way to the frozen mountain just for an herb that doesn't grow in the scorching plains of sand. He also cursed that his demi-chimera friend wouldn't come and help him.

"Tch. Damn woman, letting me freeze my ass off while she's getting a sun tan. Next time I'll give her extra spicy pasta," he said, moving a scarf over his mouth and nose.

Long weeks had tested Mike's ability to survive Felarya, ranging from simple stealth to running for cover before a predator could catch him. He had his fair share of close calls before when he first arrived almost fifteen years ago. The first ten years were a constant battle with nature and predators. While he became somewhat of a renowned bounty hunter in the city of Negav, he also was quite skilled at paying attention to his surroundings and using both the crossbow and a simple bow. But now he was regretting traveling possibly halfway across the world for a simple herb for a potion.

"A bloody potion. Why not make a damn trip to Negav and be done with it?! But nooooooo. Miss goody two shoes wanted a fresh supply of herb that only grows in some cavern near Frost Peak. Hpmh, that chimera owes me a freaking large keg of ale when I, no, 'if' I get back," he said to himself, grumbling all the same.

A howl flowed along the sound of the wind. This made the human grip the handle of his handheld crossbow. He stopped, his eyes searching and his ears listening. Then a soft crunch of snow came from his right. In a swift motion, he took aim before jumping to the side, barely avoiding a swipe of a tail with a spike at the end. Glowing yellow eyes stared at him while a low snarl echoed in the wind.

"Perfect. She cursed me," he said before firing the bolt without taking aim.

The wolf jumped back, missing the bolt as it landed in the snow where it was seconds before. It growled before digging its paws into the snow, lunging towards the human. Without time to reload, Mike tossed his crossbow aside and placed a hand on the hilt of a katana on his left hip. In a flash, he unsheathed his sword, pulling a draw slash at the beast. To his surprise, the creature used its tails to push itself even higher into the air, avoiding the draw attack.

Dodging out of the way, the wolf dropped onto the ground, using one of its tails, and slashed at the human. Luckily the slash cut the strap of his small bag, but it also cut into his shirt and skin, making a small scratch. The human yelled in pain, not because he was hit, but because what ever was on the spike's tip made the wound burn horribly. He rolled away, positioning his sword in front of him.

Both man and beast stared at each other, waiting for the other to make a move. The wind howled around them, pelting them both with snow. Mike twitched his blade and then the crystals on the wolf's back glowed brightly before a blue beam was fired out at the boy. Cursing, the boy deflected the blast, but gritted his teeth in pain as the beam covered the sword, and his right hand lightly, in ice.

"Shit, an ice-beam?! Damn, Felarya has some strange creatures," he said dashing forwards at the wolf.

Knowing his sword was frozen, he still was determined to bring this fight to a swift end. The wolf turned and lunged for him. This was his chance, he moved his body to avoid the attack before bringing his frozen blade up and swung with everything he had. The frozen blade bit into the wolf's body, cutting through it about half way before the blade itself snapped. The beast landed heavily on the ground, breathing heavily. A long gash marred the right side of its body with blood gushing out of it while the broke blade was stuck in the last bit of its ribcage.

Mike turned and blinked when he felt something hit his right side. Looking down, he saw a spike from one of the creatures tail had nicked his right side. Pain filled his body before he swung his broken sword, cutting the tail in two. The wolf let out a gurgling howl of pain while the human fell to one knee and carefully pulled the spike out. He was lucky it wasn't a barbed spike. Slowly getting up, he moved to the fallen beast and stared at it.
"This battle you lose... but I hope you lived a good life. One of us had to survive, I am sorry," he said before swinging the remnants of his sword, piercing the wolf's chest, ending its suffering.

He knelt, panting, knowing he had to find some kind of shelter in order to mend his wounds. Looking at his broken blade, he sighed and slide it into his belt before getting his pack and crossbow. The wind was starting to change, meaning a blizzard must be on the way. Sighing, he looked for paw prints in the snow, figuring that the wolf would have a den in the area. He smiled as he found the tracks and started to follow them. But he did not know that these tracks would lead him to a being that would become part of his life.

He followed the tracks, hoping to find shelter. Luck smiled upon him when he saw a barely noticeable cave ahead. With a renewed step he quickly made his way into the cave. However he suddenly stopped when he watched something or rather someone come out from behind a boulder. The being in fact was a young naga, or a nagaling, a race both large and small. But that did not what concern him. What concerned him was that there was a child here and wearing human clothing. He was stunned at this find, for he never came across a young naga ever in his life except for the large adult predatorial versions of the youngling.

***
Lunaria groaned as she woke up from her slumber before she shivered, feeling the cold reminding her of her situation. To make matters worse, her belly complained as she hadn't eaten anything for an entire day. With a sigh, the child slithered out from her hiding spot and was caught off guard at what she saw. A human, a human was standing in front of her. She quickly recoiled and moved back away from the man as the images of her human friend killing her family sprang up into her mind.

However, she noticed something. Blood, the scent of human blood wafted into her nose. She was confused to why she smelled blood. Though, she didn't have to wait long as the human placed one hand over his mouth and dropped to one knee before puking up blood. Then it dawn on her, the human was injured and bleeding from his right side. But why was he hurt, why was he here and why was he not trying to kill her?

"H-Hey... k-kid... c-can you... g-gr-grab a small t-tube from my bag? I-I'm afraid my... my wounds may be the end of me this time," the human said looking up at Lunaria with weak, yet honest eyes.

Not knowing how or why, but her body on its own as she came over to the human and looked into his bag for the tube. Feeling something long and smooth, somewhat like smooth glass and steel. She pulled it out of the bag and looked at it curiously. It was an odd shape. It was transparent with a type of blue liquid inside it. Before she good look at it more, the human grabbed it and placed the top of it in his mouth. He pulled the top off part before spitting it out.

"This is going to hurt like a duiker hog ride on a Wednesday afternoon," he said before jabbing himself in the right leg with the strange object.

The blue liquid decreased, being pumped into the human's leg. He sighed heavily, tossing the tube away and sat down. He looked up at the ceiling before looking at Lunaria. He smiled, chuckling softly. The nagaling didn't know why, but there was a peaceful aura about him that made her feel at ease. She was highly curious to why this human asked for her help and why he was smiling.

"Thanks, kid. I owe ya my life. A few more minutes more and I'd probably would've passed onto the other side," he said smiling again before holding out a hand, "The name's Mike, Mike S. Draiyen."

"Uh... um... M-M-My n-n-name is L-Lunaria... V-Vres B-Balleer," Lunaria said hesitantly taking the human's hand.

"Lunaria. Nice name, kid, and a pleasure to meet you. Never expected to meet a nagaling here near Frost Peak. You aren't one of them ice naga are ya?" Mike asked, placing his bag on the ground before wincing in pain, placing a hand on his right side.

"Ah.. uh um... l-let me help... I-I can make it heal faster," Lunaria said, moving to Mike's side, grabbing his right arm and bit it.

"Huh? What do yo-Yeow!" the human yelled feeling the child sink her fangs into his right arm, "O-Oi! What the blazes are you doing?!"

Letting go a second later, she quickly moved back, placing her hands over her mouth and looked as if she was about to cry. She stared at the man, small tears welling in the corners of her eyes before saying, "You have a disgusting taste, Mr. Mike."

"Wha?" Mike said, blankly blinking at the child before feeling a numbness and warming feeling coming from his wound. He looked down and saw that it was slowly healing. "Wh-What the? H-How? What did you do child?"

"... I healed you... That what I can do... I can't kill anything with my venom... its has the opposite of poison. Instead of killing, it's healing," Lunaria said, "... erm... When was the last time you took a bath, mister?"

"What the-Why are you so concerned about me having a bath?!" Mike said, confused on the quickly changed subject.

"Because you smell and you have a horrible taste, sir," the nagaling said, staring at him with a somewhat annoyed and disgusted look.

"… You're telling me to take a bath… in the middle of a blizzard, right after I nearly got killed by a four foot wolf. Well that boasts confidence," the human said moving a bit so he could lean against the cavern wall, "So tell me. Why is a nagaling, as young as you, way out here on the slopes of Frost peak?"

Lunaria looked at Mike for a moment before placing her left hand on her right arm and looked away. A single tear stole down the side of her face as she gentle bit her lip. She didn't want to tell the human what happened, but what could she do. She was in some weird place and doesn't even know how she got here. And the human, Mike, was injured and the first being she met in this strange land.

"I… My…" she could not find the right words, nor could she explain what happened. The only thing she could do was break down into tears and cry for the loss of her family.

"… I'm sorry," Mike said as he slowly got up and walked over to the crying child. When he got close, he knelt down, placed both hands on the girl's shoulders, and drew her into a hug. "It's alright little one. Whatever happened, you are safe now."

She opened her eyes when the human hugged her. Her mind went blank at what he did and just thought, 'Why, why was this human being so nice to her?' Whatever the reason, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head into his chest and wailed, tears streaming down her cheeks. Even if the guy was human he wasn't Elric, he wasn't like that betrayer, that monstrous murder. Slowly, she realized that this human had a similar aura that matched her father's.

"P-Papa..." she sobbed, tightening her grip of the young man.

"Papa?" he repeated to himself, confused at what she meant. 'Poor child, just what exactly happened to her? It's probably for the best that I don't ask right now…'

This was the first time he was called that, it confused him, but he inwardly sighed, gently stroking the child's head. He had no idea what to do except to comfort this lost, crying lamb, whom, if he had to guess, was deposited here in Felarya by its infamous portals. What a way to go for a child to have come to an unknown world and be utterly scared about not knowing whats going on. Truly the laws of this maddening plane of existence had no mercy on any that takes as its prey from other realms. However, this event sparked something within Mike, as if telling him that fate placed the child here for a reason and that she needed a protector, a caring person to help her.

'Fate, you can be a cruel thing at times,' he thought, as he comforted the weeping child, 'Well Eliza... looks like there was one promise that I was able to keep before your passing, my love.'

Yes, a promised made years ago, a promise that if ever he was to become a father that could rely on him. A single promise,where all other promises that he couldn't keep, was finally able to keep and hold true to.With a soft sigh, he softly placed a hand on the child's head and gently stroked it, comforting the weeping lamb.

"Go ahead and cry little one. I know it's a painful thing, but take heart and head these words I say. Keep the memories of your past that made you happy and filled you with joy. Those will your be strength in times of hardship," Mike said, looking up at the stony ceiling, smiling again, "As well as these words too. For I, Michael S. Drayous, hereby make a pledge and a vow that I am to adopt and raise you, Lunaria Vres Balleer, as my own kin."

When Lunaria heard those words, she looked up at him, tears at the corners of her eyes. She trembled lightly before hugging him again, burring her head into his chest, saying, "P-Papa!"

"And this is a promise. I will try to make the rest of your life as enjoyable and filled happiness as much as I can," he said, patting her head, "Now then. I'm sure that you must be hungry after such a confusing journey here. Lets see, I'm pretty sure I have some bread, cheese, and a large pouch of peppered duiker jerky."

Mike gently placed Lunaria in front of him before rummaging through his belt, unhooked a large pouch, took out a piece of dried meat and placed it in his mouth, chewing on it. He also grabbed his pack, looked through it and produced a a large bundle, setting it down next to the pouch. He unraveled the bundle, revealing two loaves of bread and a few blocks of orange cheese. Reaching into his left boot, he took out a small knife and cut off a slice of bread and a few slices of cheese before taking out two sticks of dried meat. With a soft smile, he handed the quick makeshift meal to the young nagaling.

"Don't worry. It's safe. This was mostly my meal since I began my travels from the desert. Not as good as a warm soup though," he said, smiling and chuckling with the stick of dried meat sticking out of the corner of his mouth.

The nagaling looked at the offered food and then at Mike before quickly snatching the small meal from his hand. She bit into the meat with vigor, gnawing on it and ripping small pieces off the tough material. Taking the slice of bread and a slice of cheese, she stuffed them into her mouth, making her cheeks puff out a bit. The human chuckled as he watched the child eat and handed her a canteen of water. Looking at it for a moment, the girl took it and started chugging down water, washing down her meal. She sighed after lowering the canteen, before looking down at it. This the first time since the incident that she had eaten and she was very grateful for it. With a glance, she turned to the human, coiling her tail up, and sat on top it, staring at the young man.

"Why... why did you make that vow?" Lunaria asked, curious to why a human would go out of his way to adopt her.

"You ask why? Well it is simple. Before me is a lost, little lamb that has entered a world that is filled with danger and untold horrors. For me to see this lost child wander out into said world would fill my heart with grief and worry. So I made a proclamation that I would stand by the child and raise her as my own daughter. For better or for worse, I will see her grow up into a beautiful woman that will know how to survive this perilous world and enjoy her life as long as she can. That is why, my child, that is the reason," Mike said, placing a fist on his chest, "This is my oath to you, Lunaria. Now then, let's get a fire going so we don't freeze."

Lunaria was a bit stunned by what Mike said. She wanted to lunge and hug him, but when the icy wind blew into the cave, it reminded her of their situation. Looking at her new friend and father, she nodded with his agreement and stared looking for anything that would be good fire material. The human watched her and let out a soft chuckle. The nagaling looked at him with a confused look.

"All we need is to make a small circle with rocks and I'll show you something cool," Mike said, taking out a few black round objects.

"What... What is that?" Lunaria asked, gathering a double handful of rocks before placing them in a circular pattern.

"This my child," the human said, placing the two black objects in the circle. He pointed a finger at the circle before his eyes glowed a soft green. "Zel Iefin Friarek."

A small, green ball a fire formed at his finger tip just before shot its way towards the black objects. The instant it hit the objects, a fire came forth, staying within the stone circle. The heat from the fire slowly filled up the cave with warmth. The swirling, twisting flames illuminated the cave while the outside was slowly getting darker.

Lunaria stared at the fire for a second before looking at her father with amazed eyes. "Are you a wizard, Mike?" she asked him.

"Me? A wizard? Sadly I am not. Even though I am talented in magic, I do not partake in it often. I only use it for practical needs and to survive in this world," he said, pulling out another strip of jerky and tore off a piece with his mouth.

"Oh. But that was still cool. Um... Could you teach me magic?" she asked, slithering to his side, coiling up next to him, and looked at him with wondrous eyes.

"Hm. Maybe. Though, that all depends if you have a the ability to use magic, Lunaria. But none the less I will teach it to you. However, that is for another time when we are not in such a dangerous environment," he said, placing a hand on the child's head, ruffling her hair a bit, "For now, it is best that we get a good nights sleep, for tomorrow will be the start of a long journey back to my, our, home."

"Okay... p-papa. Can you... sing me a lullaby?" she asked, yawning softly and leaned against him.

With a soft smile, he placed an arm around the child, and started to sing in a strange tongue. He knew a few lullabies, but the one he was singing now seemed to fit with the situation. For the song he sung was one that mothers would sing to give peace of mind to their child when they would be frightened of the dark. Closing his eyes, he continue to sing, remembering the good memories of his past and to look forward to the new memories is to make.

Lunaria listened to the song intently, feeling at peace in both body and mind. It was as if the darkness clouding her heart was being driven away. Sweet memories of her family drifted through her mind as she fell into the welcoming embrace of sleep. A single tear stole down her face as she entered the realm of sleep and dreams, seeing sweet, joyful, and loving memories. Unconsciously, she moved her tail and wrapped it around Mike's waist, snuggling closer to him.

The human sung for a few more minutes before stopping to see the child was sound a sleep. "Good night Lunaria, sweet dreams to you," he said softly before pulling out a disc-shaped object, with a red cover on it, from his right pocket, "Sadly, we won't be going by foot."

He flipped opened the cover and pressed a blue button that was inside the cover. It glowed blue before going into a blinking sequence. Sighing, closed the cover and placed the disc back into his back pocket and yawned. He looked up at the ceiling one last time before he too soon fell into the welcoming embrace of sleep. Within his sleep, he softly smiled, knowing that this was the day his life would change. For this was a day when the winding strings of fate would intertwine and become one, setting a path that would led the two into an untold adventure.

Another wonderful chapter, Gold! And as always, I hope you and Luna rip Elric a new one!

Luna's Tale chapter 3 revision is now done and I hope you enjoy reading it and follow along with this new journey.

Luna's Tale Chapter 3

Slopes of Frost Peak; Fight and Flight from Frost Peak

The first rays of light shined on Mike's eyes as he woke up somewhat stiff, but well rested. At first he noticed a weight on his legs before looking down to see Lunaria was laying on them, sound asleep. He blinked a few times before remembering yesterday's events and sighed. Reaching into his pack, he took out a small flask, opening it, and took a swig of it. Once he lowered it, he exhaled, enjoying the tingling, yet warming filling he got after drink from the flask.

"Ah, nothing beats havin' a good ol' swig of Akaptor Cactus Ale," he said, returning the flask to his pack. He looked at the mouth of the cave to see most of it was covered in snow. With a saddened sigh, he gently picked up Lunaria, a bit surprised to how heavy she was for a child, in fact for a nagaling for that matter. Probably all that muscle in the tail.

Standing up, he moved to the entrance of the cave and exhaled. His eyes glowed before he moved into a fighting stance. He breathed in and exhaled once more before saying, "Shin Zao!"

His right hand glowed for a second before he palm punched the icy wall. When his palm meet the snow, there was a small flash before the white wall was blown away, clearing the entrance of the cave. The human exhaled softly and relaxed before turning around to see Lunaria staring at him. He stared at her, wonder how long she had been watching him.

"... Morning Lunaria," he said, walking over to his bag and got out the same food they had last night, "Hungry?"

Lunaria didn't say anything, but she did get up and slithered over to Mike, taking a couple slices of bread, cheese, and duiker jerky. "Th-thanks," she mumbled before turning away and sat down, munching on her breakfast, "Where... Where are we going exactly pa-Mike..."

"Hm? Oh, right. We're heading to the Akaptor Desert. A long ways away from where we are, Lunaria. Though, I was expecting to make a stop over at Negav, but plans have changed since I met you," he said sitting down and bit into a piece of cheese.

"What do you mean? Why can't we go to this 'Negav'?" Lunaria asked, looking over at Mike.

"Tis simple. You are a naga. An enemy of the city of Negav and its inhabitants. Not particularly you, but your kind that is," Mike said pointing a finger at the nagaling.

"Wh-What? Why can't I go there? Wh-Why do they hate my kind?" the child asked.

"..." The human stared at the child before rubbing the back of his head, not expecting to hear that response. "Uh um.... well... If I told you the answer, I'm sure you'll not like it," he said, sighing.

Lunaria puffed out her cheeks, looking away a bit miffed. "I'm not worried about some dumb answer. I can handle it," she said.

"... Alright. Though, don't say I did not warn you," Mike said, before moving over to Lunaria and gently grabbed her jaw.

The nagaling blinked and jumped in surprise by the sudden grab of her jaw. She stared at the human before he let go and sighed heavily. She tilted her head in confusion at what he had done. "Wh-What was that for?" she asked.

"Nothing, just checking something. As for the answer... The reason why your kind is so disliked is because your kind eats beings like me, whole, alive, and without any remorse or consideration," he said bluntly, staring at her.

The piece of bread she had in her hands, dropped to the ground as she stare at Mike with a shocked looked. "Wha... Tha.... What do y-you mean Mike?" she asked, not understanding the words he said.

"You're a naga, Lunaria. Meaning you can dislocate your jaw and eat living creatures that are your size, or eat creatures that are smaller than you. That is why you kind, nagas, are generally not welcomed in negav for your kind here in this world are the predators and see people like me as little more than the piece of bread you just dropped," he explained, giving her the answer to he question.

Lunaria was speechless. She didn't know what to say except to stare at Mike before looking down at the group. "A-Are my kind really that bad?" she asked.

"That all depends, Lunaria. Most giant beings here don't care if someone like me can talk and think. However, there are some that are not like that. For instance, some humans and fairies live together, though I'm not really sure if that is a hundred percent accurate for I never really cared to find out. But I will say this, you, Lunaria, are still a child and that you have not done anything to have distrust and some hatred directed towards you," Mike explained, "But there is still caution, because even if we do go to Negav I cannot guarantee that you won't be safe."

"I... I think I understand Mike. So we will not be going to Negav then?" she asked.

"That's correct. Recently there has been a couple small scale gang warfare in the lower places and having a nagaling there would bring unwanted attention," Mike said folding his arms, "So, we are going to go around the city, but it will take longer. I think we'll manage though."

Lunaria was silent as she picked up the piece of bread she had dropped before munching on it. The revelation of her kind on this world being giant and eating other people was simply too much for her to grasp. To think that if she was taken to a human city, she would be looked down on with mistrust. Glancing at Mike, the child wondered what the human thought of her. A single question echoed in her mind before she worked up the nerve to speak, asking, "M-Mike? Can I ask you something?"

"Hm? What is it, Lunaria?" Mike asked, looking over to the child.

"Do you... dislike or not trust me?" she asked, looking down at the rocky floor.

He sighed rubbing the back of his head, saying, "Well that's an odd fish. I'm like most folk in Negav, Lunaria. You're a child, alone and on the slopes of Frost Peak. I made a vow and pledge to become your adoptive father. I cannot view you with mistrust or misguided anger. Now then, it is about time we head out. The sooner we do, the better, for staying here isn't a good idea."

The child looked at the human and nodded, smiling softly. She finished her meal and wiped her hands on her only shirt before blinking as a jacket was handed to her. Taking the jacket, she put it on. Though it was a bit big for her, it still did its job by covering most of her upper body and a small portion of her snake half. She smiled up at Mike, who smiled back.

"Alright. Let's go. It is going to a long journey, Lunaria... Mh... Maybe you should have a nickname or something," Mike said, scratching the side of his face with a finger.

"Huh? Nickname? Um... I was sometimes called Luna on... on my world...." she said before looking down.

"Luna... that's a nice name. Alright then, you shall be known as Luna for today, but you will still have your old name since both fit you well," Mike said smiling as he walked out of the cave.

With a small smile, Luna followed her new father out of the cave and into the crisp morning, setting out with renewed vigor. Looking back at the cave, she frowned, saying, "Goodbye... Mama, Papa... Brothers... Sister..."

****
It was sometime around half past noon when Mike and Luna stopped to have a rest. They spent the last four hours traveling, with a small stop to gather some herbs that grew on the slopes, and were lucky to not have come across any predators so far. The human sat down, placing his bag next to him and pulled out a small rectangle bar. The nagaling looked at with a confused look.

"This Luna is called a chocolate bar. You can have half of it," Mike said, unwrapping the bar to reveal a light brown bar before snapping it in half. He tossed half of it to the child with a small grin.

Catching it, Luna sniffed it before hesitantly taking a small bite. She couldn't describe the flavor very well except that it was sweet, creamy, and a bit rich. Her eyes were transfixed on the piece of candy she eyed before stuffing it into her mouth greedily, enjoying its flavor and sweetness. The tip of her tail moved back and forth as she savored the richness of the chocolate bar, showing how excited she was over it.

The human chuckled as he ate his own piece, saying, "Well, I've never seen a child devour chocolate so mercilessly before. Guess this is your first time have something like this."

The sides of her face turned red as she swallowed before looking down, hiding her face. "It... Y-yes. I've never had anything like that... so sweet, so creamy... it... it was really good, Mike," she said, embarrassed.

"Haha. No need to be embarrassed by it, child. Chocolate is good, but it is even better when you mix it with a nice warm cup of milk on a crisp day like today," he said with a big smile.

He handed Luna another piece of chocolate and watched her eat, smiling. Times like these really put his heart at ease. Shifting his bag in front of him, he reached in for another piece. He stopped, staring at his pack, slowly moving his left hand to his back. With a glance, he motioned to Luna to move away.

Luna blinked when she saw him motioning to her and was confused what he was doing. However, she soon knew what he was motioning about for she felt faint vibrations coming from the ground via with her tail. She wasn't sure, but the vibrations were getting closer and stronger. With a nod she slithered to him before the ground shook and suddenly stopped. The sudden stop caused both of them to freeze.

Before either of them twitch, the ground ten feet away from them burst opened violently as a nine foot, ten legged creature came out from the earth. It let out a piercing screech before make a series of whistles and clicks. Its single crystallized eye looked around while the other four red bug eyes stared at the human and nagaling. The crystal moved back and forth before centering its gaze of the two beings. A deep red glowed within the frozen orb before pulsing a bit. It raised its tail, clicking two rigged stones together, creating electrical sparks. It moved two of its fours forelegs, shaking the dirt off of its conical, spiraled pincers. The other two forelegs came together, rubbing their long spiked arms against each other. It rubbed its mandibles together, creating a chatter sound.

"Luna... when I tell you to, run, run as fast as you can," Mike said, slowly moving his right hand to the other side of his back, gripping two handles of a small, box-like pouch.

"Wha... what do you mean? You're not going to fight it are you Mike?" Luna asked with concern.

"I don't plan on dying, but I do plan on giving you a chance to run and hide. Not promising that I won't get my ass kicked, but I think I can take this bug," he said, smirking.

Luna didn't say anything and nodded before movement caught her eye. The creature struck fast with one of its drill-like arms before Mike dashed in front of nagaling, drawing two long daggers, quickly deflecting the attack by forming a 'x' with the weapons. The human gritted his teeth, moving the blades in front of him in a defensive stance. The right blade glowed red as wisps of flames circled around it, while the left blade glowed orange with swirls of steam coming off it. He stared at the creature before looking back at the nagaling. He smiled once before dashing towards the giant bug.

"Efin Hass Wels Verda!" He shouted swiping both blades, the first sending a heatwave followed by a crescent line of fire.

The heatwave did little to the creature except agitate it a little, but the crescent fire struck its legs, causing it to screech in pain. The two rigged stones began vibrating before striking each other, producing an electrical bolt that was shot at Mike. The human barely saw the attack coming and was hit full force on the left shoulder which knocked him back into the snow. He didn't scream because the pain was so much that it felt like his shoulder had just had boiling oil slapped on it. He tried moving his left arm, but it was not responding at all. Cursing, he staggered to his feet, moving the flaming blade in front of him. The smell of burnt clothes and flesh emanated from his left shoulder, giving confirmation that his left arm would no longer be of any use.

The creature shrilled, taking a couple steps towards the human, vibrating its mandibles together. The crystal eye stole a glance at the nagaling before it turned and thrust one of its drill legs towards her. The child saw it coming and tried moving, but her tail would not respond to the danger that was flying towards her. She blinked when Mike stood in front of her a second before the arm struck him just below his heart. The arm moved back, pulling him slightly before the tip of the arm came out of the man. He fell, landing heavily into the snow, giving the only sign that he was alive by a hard cough.

"M-Mike!" Luna cried, coming beside him and pulled on his right arm to see him.

Her face contorted with fear when she saw the wound. A hole, just bigger than her fist, marred the humans body as warm blood slowly pooled underneath him, soaking the white snow in crimson red. A small trail of blood snaked down from the left side of his face. His eyes looked at the child with a regretful, yet hopeful gaze and smiled softly.

Placing his right hand on the side of the child's face, he said, "Forget about me Luna. I know we only met, but run. Run away as fast as you can. There will be some preds that will take care of you, this I know... I've done all that I can, sadly... it wasn't enough. Heh, I must look pathetic right now."

"M-Mike... I... I won't leave you... Don't leave me. I'm scared... I don't want to be alone again. Please... Please don't leave me," she said, tears flowing down her face and falling onto the humans.

"Take... care Luna. This life may be finished, but there is another life I will live again. Live not a solemn life, but a joyous one. Farewell, Lunaria Vres... Balleer," he said softly as he closed his eyes, smiling one last time.

"M-Mike? M-Mike? Come on... you can't die... you can't go... p-please... M-Mike..." she pleaded, crying as she stared at the human with sorrow filled eyes.

The creature made a series of chirping sounds as it moved towards the nagaling and the human, eager to have its meal. The child looked up, scared and horrified as the beast moved closer. She didn't know what to do as the monster came closer. But then, there was a faint whistling in the wind, coming from behind before a different sound came. With the second sound something flew past overhead and struck the creature in the head, causing a thundering explosion. It let out a pained screech, retreating from the human and nagaling.

The whistle sound now became louder and just then two metal legs landed in the snow in front of the two. The child looked up to see a large metal bird-like being standing before them. It was a bit bigger than the bug, possibly twelve to thirteen feet in height. The sun reflected off its gleaming steel colored wings before it moved what appeared to be an arm, holding some sort of long tube. It tightened its forefinger, causing the front of the tube to flash, making a series of strange thundering sounds.

The creature hissed in pain as whatever was coming from the weapon struck it, placing a series of holes in its abdomen and carapace. A black-green liquid oozed out of the wounds on the beast's body as it moved away from the metallic being. It screeched once more before using its drill forelegs and burrowing into the ground, seeing that it had lost its prey to something stronger than itself. It would find other prey that would be easier to eat.

The human opened his eyes a bit, quietly saying, "Ah... so he's arrived... I knew... he'd make it... in... in time."

"M-Mike!" Luna said, looking down to see that he was still alive.

"I'm... still not dead... but so very close... The world is growing dark, Lunaria... go with the person... he... he'll take you to safety," he hoarsely said, coughing, causing a few more streams of blood to escape the side of his mouth.

The metal being turned around and lowered a hand in front of Mike and Luna. The child looked up, tears streaming down her face as she shook her head. The being stood there before moving its hand underneath, scooping up both of them gently. A third, smaller arm came out of the metal being's second arm and snatched the human's pack up before dropping it next to the girl. It moved its fingers to create a wall behind the two. A whining noise filled the air as the metal creature lifted off the ground and soon moved away from the area it was at seconds ago. It made sure to shield its passengers from the cold wind as it flew away from slopes of Frost Peak.

Luna cried along the journey, not caring for anything else except for her new father's well being. She gulped before she bit his neck, injecting a large dose her strange venom into his body, hoping, just hoping that it would save his life. She let go after a second, feeling dizzy and strangely fatigued, as if her strength had left, being replaced by tiredness. She heard someone call out to her before the faces of her family flashed in her eyes. Soon after, darkness came, embracing her.

You know my thoughts on this. Just keep that in mind as you take the story forward. The one big reminder I would throw out is to keep dialog from multiple characters separated across paragraphs. It really does help.

As to the story, you managed to raise a lot of questions in a very short space. I have no idea what will happen now with Luna and Mike.

I'll be looking forward to more stories about those two.

xD thank you timing, i'm already scheming on the next chapter.

Well, I've gotta say, Goldclaw, it's been quite awhile since I've seen you on here, and it's good to see you again. I love the new chapter you've put up, and I look forward to your future submissions. Keep up the good work!

why thank you joker. ^-^ i had help from timing2 with editing the chapter.

I wouldn't worry about making the story uber long - the main thing is you have fun writing it. The higher the word count, the more tedious to becomes to proof-read, so you may want to keep that in mind. I did this once with a story on another forum that ended up at over 140k words - I'll never volunteer to do that again, I can assure you.

Really?! uh... damn, I'll be sure not to try and make anything like long, except for chapter of a book.

Yeah, 140k words is well beyond novel length and I don't recommend you use that as any kind of bar for writing (a novel is typically 40k - 50k words minimum). Short and sweet is what most people look for - which is why many stories submitted on dA are less than 5k words. Make the story too long and people won't bother to invest the time necessary to finish reading it.

great work im looking forward to the next part goldclaw ^_^

thank you Sonik and Timing2, i did not realize that, hm. maybe i should go back and revise my first story saif and cut the chapters into two now

The first half felt a bit too random for my taste. I could draw too little connection from the order in which everything happened; there seemed to be almost no link between events except for the infinity demons, which you seemed to assume all of us would know what they were. Yet the only similarity between them is an infinity symbol.

I know the first two chapters aren't good and a grammar mess, but that was my attempt to write a new story. I mean I'd like to get help in fixing the first two chapters, that would be great. I will try and post the next chapter soon.

Alright, so for the long wait but here is the next exciting chapter of Luna's tale! I also would like to thank a few people that helped proof read this for me. So anyways enjoy the next episode of L.T.!

Also, has a Demi-Chimera character and this chapter has implied vore.
Update: This chapter has been revised.

Luna's Tale Chapter IV

Destra, The Desert Town; Reunion

Nightmares plagued Luna's dreams while she slept. Flashes of the monstrous skeletal wyvern killing her mother and father, the scorched silent faces of her siblings, and the malicious and crazed look of enjoyment coming from the betrayer friend. The laughter that came from him haunted her, chasing her as she ran. She tried to run from the horrible memories when a sweet fragrance filled her nose. It was followed by a scent of freshly baked bread. Slowly she opened her eyes, and the first thing she noticed was a roof above her. She softly groaned as she sat up, placing a hand on her head. What caught her interest was that she was in a bed and also wearing tan color shirt. Looking around from her spot before she saw a dresser and a mirror on the far side of the room, a table and a chair next to a window that was across from her, and lastly a bedside table next to the bed she was in, with a tall oil-lamp. Right next to it was a plate with a loaf bread and a jar of what looked liked jelly.

Luna hesitantly picked up the bread loaf and sniffed it out of caution. After inspecting and smelling the bread, the nagaling tore a small piece off and placed it in her mouth. She hummed as she savored the bread, as the flavor was exceptionally good; it tasted of honey and hazelnut with a hint of cinnamon and sugar. She swallowed, and slowly but surely started to eat the loaf she held. Within a couple minutes she had eaten half the loaf, placed what was left on the plate, and got out of the bed. Once she was out of the bed, she noticed some birds on the windowsill and grinned.

Crouching low and coiling her tail, she waited for a second, and then sprang forward towards the birds. The birds instantly flew away a second before the nagaling could catch them, at which point the child slammed onto the windowsill, grunting when she landed. Rubbing her sides, Luna looked out the window and went wide eyed at what she saw.

Flat roofs of buildings sprawled from her view point until it ended at a wall with a vast desert that stretched into the distance. She leaned her head out the window before looking to her right, staring in awe as she saw a beautiful oasis that sprawled next to the town. The bustling sounds of people, music, and some animals could be heard from the girl's window. She looked down from her position and smiled as she watched the people below go about their business. The tip of her tail started to twitch when voices came from behind the door across the room, prompting her to look over at the door.

"So tell me again, Ali'Vad. Why do we have a naga, a bloody naga in the village? Do you know how much it took for Shier and Nergüi Khan to keep the people from protesting?" a voice said from behind the door.

"She's simply a child, Drenv. I saw her with my own eyes. She managed to place him in a stabilized state until I brought them here. We're lucky that there is not a grave out there near the oasis," another voice, possibly this 'Ali'Vad'.

"Hpmh. Fine, but ya gonna owe me a keg of ale after this ya know. So, what are we waitin' for. Let us see this 'nagaling'," the first voice said.

Luna looked around and found a small round object. It was smooth and oddly light. She picked it up with her tail, aiming for the door. She gulped, her ears twitching as the door opened. In a flash, she launched the round object straight at the door. In an instant, a small man appeared before he was hit square in the head and was knocked off his feet, prompting him to make a strange sound when he got hit.

A taller man appeared in the doorway and began laughing, saying, "Hahaha. Never would I imagine you getting your stubby tail handed to you by a child, Drenv."

"Ah. I'm so sorry mister," Luna said, slithering to the person she bulls eyed in the head.

"Oh. Ruzin, fluster, haggis balls. What the bloody hell was that for?! You hit me in the head child! Why the eight halls of Valhazin did ya shoot me with a rubber ball!?" Drenv shouted as he got up, rubbing a small, very noticeable, red mark right between his eyes, "Ya could've killed me with that ya know!"

Luna blinked, pointing at Drenv, saying, "Y-you're a dwarf?! Y-You're going to pluck my eyes out and turn them into jelly!" She moved away from him as she began thinking that he was a dwarf and he certainly almost smelled liked one.

He sighed heavily, hearing his friend laugh again and placed a hand over his face, saying, "I'm not a dwarf, missy, and I certainly don't want your eyes, either. I'm a Froan'tarian. I have a small horn on me nose, long frilled ears, and plus I have a small stubby tail to boot." He turned sideways and pointed to a stubbed tail that wiggled a bit. "And I don't take kindly to being called a dwarf either, for anyone who calls me that can shove it up their-"

The taller man placed a hand on the Drenv's left shoulder. "Alright Drenv, calm down. It is obvious she is not of Felarya. Besides, we were told to guide her through the town and take her to him after she bathed, and ate. She also has to meet with Shier," the tall man said in a soft accent.

"Malarkey! Why people keep saying I'm either a dwarf or an mutant midget, it be insulting to me pride. Besides, dwarves are fat, lazy hogs! If you weren't such a soft good two shoes, Ali'Vad, I'd probably drowned myself in ten kegs of ale by now!" he piped before he stared out the window and spat at the floor, "Great, now the plant is laughing at me."

As the two were talking, Luna quietly slithered past the two, slipped out of the room, and down the hall. Her ears twitched when she heard the faint yet enticing lull of a strange music. She followed the music until she came upon a split in the hallway and was pondering which way to go. Flexing her ears, the nagaling closed her eyes and slowly went down the right hallway, at which point she reopened her eyes and used her hearing to hone in on the source. Drawing closer to the sound of music, she came upon a door blocking her path. Pressing herself against the tall wooden obstacle, the door slowly opened and a bright beam of light shined in the girl's face. As the temporary blindness faded, the small child gawked in amazement.

A large plaza lay before the child with many stalls set up throughout it. Various people went about their business, visiting the stalls and talking amongst themselves, bartering many a good strange and weird items. Trees and plants dotted along paths leading to the square where a large cactus like tree stood high above. Music of the same soft and exotic tune made her ears twitch, causing her look around for the source. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a small group of people near the center of the plaza playing an assortment of instruments while several women danced nearby wearing strange yet colorful clothing. Slithering towards the performing band, a sweet, fragrant smell drifted into her nose, prompting her to look around to see where the smell was coming from. Spotting a stand near the group, she went over to it following the sweet smell that was coming from the stall.

When she came up to the stall she saw a person, with a hunched back, hovering over a large mixing bowl. Sniffing the air, Luna looked around and spotted a large plate with many pieces of round bread. As she was reaching over to the plate, her hand was swatted by a long scaled arm. However, when she looked at the said arm, it was actually the person's tail. She recoiled her hand as the being stood up.

"It is not polite to steal from one's stall, mademoiselle. Hm? Hoho, what have we here, a young nagaling at my stall? You must be the one that has been the latest gossip trend. Hpmh, away with you, for I don't serve your hog bellied kind," He retorted, looking down at her as he stroked one of two long tendrils hanged down from the side of his semi-long snout like a mustache. His slitted, rust colored eyes stared at her, giving the girl an uneasy feeling. "I'll say this once more, go away before I call le-"

"She is with us, Ghislain. No need to call anyone," a familiar voice called out as both Luna and Ghislain looked over to see Ali'Vad and Drenv walking towards them. "Though, we do appreciate you keeping her out of trouble for us."

Ghislain wrinkled the tip of his snout, making the tendrils sway slightly. "Humph! Trouble? She was causing trouble by being in front of my stall. Take the little snake girl before I have to taunt her a second and third time, with more taunting and insults to follow. I don't want her stinking up my stall an further than necessary. Also, tell the English Dullard of an elderberry, that next time I see him, I'll give it to him thrice if he mocks me again, oui!" he huffed, fixing his beret before turning around and resuming his cooking.

Drenv placed a hand on Luna's right shoulder, motioning her to come. The three moved away from Ghislain's stall, who whacked a passerby on the face, trying to take a loaf without paying. As the trio walked close to the town's center, the nagaling couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched by someone or something. A small rustle came from a nearby bush, catching the girl's interest. As she slithered closer, more rustling came from the bush, just before a vase like plant flew from it and enveloped the child. The petals closed behind her and the plant quickly disappeared into the bush.

Screaming at the top of her lungs, Luna banged and clawed furiously at the walls of the vase plant, hearing it moving to some unknown destination. After what seemed like a few minutes, the girl was thrown down against one of the slick walls as it felt like the plant was being lifted up. Rubbing her head, she looked around and started to bang on the plant walls again as she was yelled for help.

A soft, soothing voice crept into the child's mind, saying, "It's alright child, you're safe. I'd expect the reaction from you. Now don't be frighted when I let you out, okay?"

Before she could say a word, the entrance of the plant opened underneath her. Feeling it open, she tried to claw at the walls to stop herself from falling through, though the slick walls did little to help as she fell passed the entrance and into the light of day. Her descent came to an abrupt end when something came up under her, catching the small child. The bright sun gleamed in her eyes before the light was dimmed by a large object coming into her field of view. A face, a giant green face loomed over the nagaling as it smiled while looking down at her. She was about to scream, but a large green finger was gently placed on her mouth.

"Shh, it is alright. You have nothing to fear child. I am Shier, the cactus dryad of Destra," Shier said in a motherly tone as she gently rubbed Luna's back with a finger. "I am sorry for the scare, but I couldn't pick you up normally so the holding pitcher was necessary."

Looking around nervously, the small nagaling fidgeted, unsure what to say or do. Feeling the back massage she was getting from the large dryad, Luna wondered if there were more beings like this person. In a low voice she asked, "Uh… um… M-Miss S-Shier, y-you're not going to eat me or anything, a-are you?"

The ground, or rather the hand she was on, started to tremble as Shier softly laughed. With a smile the dryad responded, "Of course not dear. I would never eat a child, especially a young nagaling as you. Others of my kind in the desert may not be as kind or as caring since food and water is hard to come by. Now then, your name is Luna correct? It is rare for one of-"

"Shier! Where is the child? You better not have traumatized her," someone shouted in an irritated and harsh tone.

Peering over the right side of the hand she was on, Luna saw Ali'Vad and Drenv standing a good few feet away from the base of the dryad. From her point of view, the two looked like nothing more than a couple of small dolls. A sudden nauseous washed over the girl, causing her to recoil back from the hand's edge as she held her stomach with her arms. Taking notice, Shier slowly lifted the girl up to her face only to see that the child's visage feature was a bit pale. Before she could say a word, the girl made a huff sound and hurled right on the dryad's hand.

With a small sigh, Shier brought her hand close to her mouth, saying, "Alright little one, come into my mouth so that I can clean my hand. Don't worry, I won't swallow you," she shifted her gaze down to Al'jihad and Drenv, giving them a look that showed that she knows what she is doing.

Still feeling ill, Luna gingerly slithered into the dryad's mouth, unsure whether it was wise or not, but deciding to obey the large being. As soon as the last bit of her tail passed the teeth, she was suddenly enveloped by darkness and the ground she was on began to move. With the sick feeling plaguing her, the nagaling was helpless as something large, soft, and wet wrapped around her, causing her to squirm uncomfortably. An audible 'Hmm' vibrated throughout the dryad's mouth as it was followed by what sounded like a giggle.

Feeling the tongue gently squeeze her a few times, the child lightly squirmed, her entire body soaked with thick saliva. A couple times she swallowed some of the dryad's spit, though mostly by accident due to her wiggling around within the fleshy cocoon she was held in. Another giggle resounded within the mouth as the tongue unraveled itself off Luna, leaving her soaked and weak as she laid on it. Light slowly poured inside the moist, fleshy cavern, momentarily blinding the poor girl as two sets of hands gently took hold of her and dragged her out.

"Dang it Shier, look what ya did to the poor girl. Ya probably traumatized her for good now."

"She became ill; I only did what I had to do. Besides, it is not my fault for giving food to her that could've caused her sickness."

"You could have given her a small part of a flower petal though. It would most certainly have eased her nausea. Any change to her, Drenv?"

'Wha- Who's talking… The voices… sound familiar…' her mind echoed these thoughts, staring blanking at blurred figures hovering over her. Slowly the blurriness subsided and the odd beings formed into people.

"She's conscious; lift her up slowly now. Ali'Vad, can ya get some cheese or bread from Ghislain?"

Luna blinked a couple times, staring at Drenv who had an arm around her shoulders, helping her up. The Froan'tarian held out a small canteen before pulling his hand back as the nagaling clamped down on it, chugging down the contents within. A warm feeling filled her stomach as the sweet, pulpy liquid flowed from the jug, into her mouth, over her tongue, and down the throat. Chuckling sounded as the child looked over at the small man, who was softly laughing while watching her.

"Looks like she is recovering fine now, Shier. Drenv's own special brew. A bit of Oosoon berries, some mangos, a pint of apple juice, a cup of cherries, a drop of almond oil, and a dash of pickle juice, with of course a wee bit of grape juice and vinegar."

Drenv smiled at the nagaling, who looked down at the jug. The child simply stared at it before lifting it up with her mouth and continued chugging down the sweet yet somewhat bitter nectar. A loud sigh came from above the two as a large finger gently patted Luna on the head. She looked up to see Shier towering above with a look of relief on her face.

"How are you feeling child? Hope I didn't scare you," the dryad said in an almost motherly tone; still petting the nagaling's head. "I am sorry for what I did. Though, I could not just let you go without making sure you were not coming down with something. That, and it is somewhat of an old habit"

"An old habit? Ha! Ain't that the fat truth of a sourthen boarbis," Drenv said, who lightly flinched when Shier's finger stopped in front of his forehead.

Luna looked up at the dryad and smiled, saying, "I feel better Ms. Shier. Um, thanks for not eating me. Food I ate was yummy. Maybe with me being up in sky made me sick."

Noticing something off about the dryad, the nagaling couldn't help but stare at the top of the woman's head. She noticed something large and round was encompassing Shier's head. Though before the child could speak, the dryad took off the object to show that it was a very large straw hat.

"Are you wondering about the large hat, young one? It was a gift from a friend, don't know how it was made, but it does help to keep somewhat cool on the hotter days," Shier said with a smile, placing the hat back on her head.

Luna went wide eyed when Shier took off her large hat and slowly smiled, amazed that such an enormous piece of headwear existed. She smiled and nodded, asking, "It was given by friend? It must be important to you Miss Shier and it must be hard to find place to keep it. It's so pretty too."

The dryad smiled, gently patting the child on the head. With a soft tone she answered, "Yes, it is important and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Now then, run along, I'm sure Ali'Vad and Drenv have many more places to show you and a few people to meet."

The child nodded, taking hold of Ali'Vad's hand before slithering away from Shier and moved along a path towards a small domed building. Drenv stopped in front of the door, sighing heavily before banging loudly on it, saying a short phrase of words that the girl didn't understand. After a moment, a reply came back, that was a series of strange sounds and calls. The door opened to reveal a strange looking woman standing before them as she yawned loudly.

Luna took notice that the woman had a single horn curving over her head and large, long, furry ears that moved up and down slightly as the person rubbed her left eye. Light glistened off patches of dark violet scales that covered her arms and face; sunlight also reflected off several crystal like spikes on both shoulders. Two bright, multi-colored, feathered wings unfurled, flapping for a second before tucking themselves into their positions behind the young woman's back. The only clothing on her was a tan cloth wrapped around her waist and another tan cloth wrapped around her bust.

She looked at Ali'Vad and Drenv before shifting her gaze to the nagaling. Her pure, deep, crimson eyes stared at the child, causing the girl shift where she stood. A cracked smile formed on the demi's face and proceeded to make strange hand gestures to Ali'Vad. Luna tilted her head, wondering why the woman wasn't talking, but rather using her hands to form weird gestures.

"Yes, Crimsna, this is Luna. She is the one that was secured from Frost Peak. Luna, say hello to Crimsna, the demi-chimera," Ali'Vad said, gently nudging the child toward Crimsna.

The demi-chimera crouched to look Luna in the eye. Her fluffy ears flicked up and down as she tilted her head before smiling and patting the child on the head. A long slender tail snaked out from behind the demi, holding something at the end of it. The end of the tail looked like an armored three fingered hand that held a bright green apple within its clutches. The nagaling slightly back away as the apple was held up to her, before she hesitantly accepted it. When she accepted the apple, she noticed a long tuft of hair running down the tail's length until the fur changed into a few crystal spikes. The spikes continued down the tail to where it turned into a three fingered, armored hand. Crimsna lifted her hands in front of her and made several hand gestures before smiling.

Drenv chuckling, saying, "Crimsna says she's delighted to meet ya lassy. Most time she don't speak to folks except for a few people. Ya be lucky to meet a demi, too, child."

Crimsna looked at Drenv with her cheeks puffed out slightly, the crystal spikes of her shoulders glowed with a swirl of orange, yellow, and red. Using her hands again, she did more strange gestures which caused Ali'Vad to laugh while the Froan'tarian huffed in disapproval of whatever the demi-chimera said with the movement of her hands.

The woman looked at Luna and gently picked her up into a gentle, yet firm hug. The child looked at the demi and suddenly let out a small 'eep' when the tip of her nose was licked. Ali'Vad softly chuckled, watching Crimsna walk into the building, cradling the nagaling in her arms like a doll. The girl looked down and saw most of her body was hanging with the very tip gently brushing the floor.

A low, smooth, musical howl came out from the Demi-Chimera as she walked down a hallway. As the demi-chimera flexed her ears, a low, deeper howl came from further inside. Luna looked up at the woman who in return looked down with a bright smile. Both came into a large warehouse like room and at the far end was a tall, ruined machine with someone atop it. The child recognized it to be the strange construct that had saved her and the man that time on the frozen mountain. But last time she saw it, it was not broken done with several rust spots and certainly not missing an arm and half of its left wing.

The person on top the machine looked down at Crimsna and Luna before turning off a torch he held in his right hand. Standing up, the being lifted his goggles up, revealing his soft, glowing green eyes. He smiled down at the two and looked over at Ali'Vad and Drenv when they came into the room. Lifting a hand up, he motioned to the Chimera who in response set the child down.

"It's been awhile, Luna. You look better, well better than the past two days anyways" he said with a soft smile before jumping off the machine and landed in front of the small nagaling.

Tears slowly seeped from Luna's eyes, recognizing the person before she pounced to him and cried out, "Mike!"

Mike embraced her with a firm hug, patting the child on the head. He chuckled softly, smiling down at the girl who buried her face into his chest, crying softly and coiling the end of her tail around his left ankle. Stroking her hair with a soft touch, he asked her, "You missed me that much, eh?"

She nodded, rubbing her face gently against the man's chest, sobbing as she clenched his clothes tight in her grip. In a shaken voice she responded, "Y-you're alive! Y-y-you're not dead… y… you…" The sobbing turned into a soft wail as she clung close to him, not wanting to leave his side, nor wanting to let go of him in fear of losing him again.

Ali'Vad motioned to Drenv and both left the room, only leaving Crimsna alone to watch over the two reunited people. She walked over to Mike and Luna, placing a hand on the weeping child's head. The girl looked up at the chimera, tears streaming down her face as she softly sobbed. Leaning down, the Demi placed a kissed on the girl's head and smiled before walking away to leave the two. Mike smiled and gripped one of the chimera's hands before letting her go about her day.

"Though, Luna, you haven't been calling me by the right name," he said sighing.

The child looked up at him with a confused look, asking, "What do you mean not calling you by the right name?"

"Remember that I made the vow and pledge to be your new father, Luna. So I guess we both need to get used to hearing the word," he said smirking.

Luna blinked before smiling widely, tightening her hugging, saying, "Yup, you're my new papa, Papa."

"Guess there is much to talk about then, Luna. Though why don't we head up to see a friend of mine real quick. He's waiting to meet you, but we can talk along the way if you'd like," Mike said as he started walking to another door at the far left side of the room. He rubbed the back of his before looking back at the child and smiled once more.

Luna looked up at Mike and answered, "Okay, Papa. But promise me you won't get hurt again."

The young man smiled and held down a hand to the child with his pinky extended before saying, "Alright, pinky promise then."

"Pinky promise!" the child said happily, hooking her pinky finger around his as they both shook, sealing the promise. The two smiled before they left the large room, but not before the guy looked back and smiled, closing the door.

___________________________________

Luna reunites with a dear friend and made new friends. Who is this friend Mike mentioned, find out in the next chapter of Luna's Tale.

Comments and Critiques are most welcome.

Good pacing, nice story structure, and I like the characters so far. I say keep up the good work.