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He awoke with a start breathing heavy and sweating. Quickly he looked about the room seeing everything where it should be. The chairs, the table, everything was where it should be. He listened for any noise and heard nothing. He knew the castle was still empty and went back to sleep.
Upon the battlement stood a lone figure masked in the shadows. Looking down upon the town he shuddered. "Fools." he said solemnly.
Stepping from the wall the moon cast an eerie light across his face. Brushing the dark brown hair from his eyes he leapt from the wall to the courtyard. Looking up to the tapestry hanging across the yard from him he sighed.
"Chimera, Sphynx, Griffon, I know you're there sleeping. I can hear your cries. I promise I'll come."
As he walked to his room a small white dog ran up and followed closely behind his master. He looked down at the animal and gave a smile. He walked up the dark narrow stone stairs to his bedroom. He undressed and went to bed.
He awoke the next morning with a strange feeling. Something was wrong, something weird... visitors. Moving from the bed to the window he peered out. Stepping from the window to the top wall he moved behind a large stone lion where the shadows would mask him. When hidden he called out "Who dare disturbs the Last of the Dragien?"
The two children at the gate called back "Our parents were killed and we are homeless. No one in the town would grant us hospitality. Please sir we will work for food and lodging."
"Go away. You are not welcome here. Find someone of your own kind to take you in."
"Please sir. From those in the town that would speak to us we learned about you. We know you are an outcast as are we. Please sir we will do anything."
"Fine. You may stay here but you may only go to the room I show you and this courtyard. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir. Thank You." they called back but he had already gone.
He showed them to their room still not revealing his face. The children laid on the beds they were given very grateful for the hospitality.
It had been two weeks and their curiosity was building. They set out looking for an unlocked door. Their search hadn't turned up any results. Finally they came to a door with tapestries almost identical to the one hanging in the courtyard.
With courage the twins tried the door. It actually opened and they peered inside. Watching closely they saw a fairly young man looking over maps with many books scattered about. He worked without looking up.
Finally he said "If you want to come in then do so... You're letting in a draft."
The children slowly walked in and closed the door. They looked around in awe at the thousands upon thousands of books. Still looking at his book he asked the siblings "What do you want?"
"Sir we were curious about this castle and about you." the girl asked
"Yeah. Like what's your name? Do you have any siblings?" the boy chimed in
"I have no name." he said and pushed aside the book he was reading and chose another one.
"You have to have a name! Everything has a name." the girl said
"There is no need for names when there is no need for words." he said finally looking up from his book. He then returned to his book pondering over the map displayed.
"You must have a name! What did your parents call you?" The girl insisted
"I lived with the voiceless ones. I was the only one who could speak. I was shunned and banished. I have no name I only have what I am. My family and my kind have disowned me. I am alone." Standing he pounded the table "You have more than you think. Do not question me! You disobey my orders and you believe you can question me!?"
The twins stepped back in the face of his rage. The girl spoke, "Sir. We are sorry. We thought that you would understand us. Though if you want us to go we shall."
Something in the girls voice changed his view. As the children turned to walk away he said "Landon. Landon Artemis."
Turning around the girl gave a warm smile and the boy said, "William and Alisa. Please to make your acquaintance." And they both bowed. William turned to Alisa and said, "Let's go turn in and stop bothering him."
"I would rather say here and help if I can." She responded turning back to Landon.
He looked up at here then back to the map. William left closing the heavy door behind him. Alisa decided she would ask the questions she wanted to. "That tapestry. I've seen ones like it a lot around here. I'm not familiar the story depicted on it. Is it a family story?"
"So to speak." He stood up walking over to the tapestry. "It is the four ancient races. The chimera is... damn names... Kim, the griffon is Grif, and the sphynx is Spynxra."
"Well who's the fourth figure? He seems human."
"Far from it. It is the last of the Dragien."
"So that's you?"
"Yes."
"You said they were your only companions?"
"Yes."
"Well where are they? If I may ask of course."
"They were put under a mythical sleep."
"Is that why you have so many maps? Are you trying to find them?"
"Enough of your questions child. Now I have a few. Where do you come from and what is your full name?"
"I come from a remote village called North Cove. It is small and secluded. It is... or rather was quite beautiful."
"And your full name?"
"Alisa Drakians."
"Drakians... Who was your father?"
"Kain."
"Kain Drakians... son of Cecil."
"What?"
"I knew Cecil."
"How is that possible they were at least 100 when they died and you still seem fairly young."
"I am young. In dragiens standards at least. I remember Cecil in training." He gave a loud laugh. "If you are a true Drakians then you are a magii. You should be able to cast low level spells by now am I correct?"
"Me and my brother are not magii yet. We are still in training. Sadly we don't know any magik. If we did we would have helped mother and father."
"He was a magii, a good one too, how did he die?"
"Some sort of beast."
"Even if you knew magik you couldn't have helped if he died then you would have too and his sacrifice would be in vain. Get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
"What?"
"You'll see." He said with a grin.
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