So apparently people actually somewhat liked what I had written, however I got some much needed criticism and realized I kind of fucked up a little. The story already contradicted itself and once this was pointed out to me I felt bad about it and decide I would rewrite this and start paying attention to this.

Hope you enjoy this one better.

chapter 1: Greetings

As he expected the bar was as loud and bombastic as any bar should. People were singing, dancing and even a few were trying to fight, though it's not looking good for the smaller guy that decided to pick a fight with someone bigger than him. The bar also had a warm and welcoming glow to the place. To people who never had to deal with problems in life this seemed like a place you would want to avoid, but to him it was enough.

Hon: "I am going to get myself a drink. Do you want anything?" he looked towards the gray bird that was on his left shoulder. Rax: "you know I can't drink you idiot." He chuckled a little as the parrot was glaring at him. "well hey, I thought I would ask." All the bird did was look the other way as he murmured something that sounded an awful lot like "sure you did." When he heard this his laugh was haughty and big and eventually his friend even joined in with the laugh.

Times like this he loved. He approached the bar with a ghost of a smile and ordered a drink of mead and received one in good time and payed for it with twenty gold pieces. Bartender: "whoa, are you sure you want to pay that much?" he thought for a second and after a few seconds he had an idea. Hon: "you can keep the gold but could you offer me a little help? I need to know if I am nearby anything that would be willing to have one more guard." He looked at me with a smile as he took the gold pieces into a pouch.

Bartender: "sure. There is a temple at the mountain called montem draco that looks as though they could use someone like you up north of here. Just continue to follow the road and in a day's walk from this town you will find another town and the you will see the mountain. From there you can find your way up."

Hon: "thanks." He took big gulps of the sweet, sweet liquid as he savored the taste. And then all the sudden he realized it was all gone. Hon: "damn, all gone already." He then noticed the bartender was looking very intently at rax. Bartender: "that is one nice bird. Don't see many of those around here." Hon prepared himself as he knew his bird was about to say something. Praying to the gods that he wouldn't. he knew the gods failed when rax opened his mouth to speak.

Rax: "what the hell are you staring at? I am not something that's for sell." He immediately smacked his head as the smartass parrot decided to talk like that. After he was done he found the bartender to be looking at the rax with very wide eyes. Surprise very evident in his eyes. Bartender: "your parrot can actually talk?!" he tried to think of a way that he could avoid this but saw no way around it. he threw in a bag of 50 gold coins at him and said, Hon: "you saw and heard nothing. Got it?" he instantly took the bag and looked to confirm that there was in fact 50 coins and raised his head with that greedy look in his eyes.

Bartender: "who are you? Get out of here." They both smiled as he walked away. "good, enjoy the gold." He made his way outside and pushed the door that lead to the cold winds and dark skies as he started to walk in the direction the bartender said. Rax: "you tricked him, didn't you?" rax said. Hon: "yup. And if he tries to buy anything with it then it will simply disappear like it never existed. Cool trick huh?" his companion sighed. Rax: "hon, I am not sure if this is a good idea. You are already tricking people and are going to make some enemy's." he smacked himself when his bird said this."since when were you the voice of reason. Most of the time you are just an ass, and we wouldn't even be in this mess if you didn't talk." His friend's feathers started to ruffle.

"well it's not my fault he gave me that look like he was looking at merchandise. I had to let him know I wasn't for sale." He shook his head as they made their way down the road. Heading further and further away from the tavern. Hon: "well next time try don't talk to anyone other than me. You remember the rules I made you follow last time something like this happened." He then heard the bird mocking him, almost like he wanted him to hear what he was saying but he just ignored it. And with that they fell into silence as the man with a grey shirt, brown hair, brown skin, blue eyes, and a grey parrot march until the sky grew darker until they decided to make camp with a silent promise to continue.

The next day*

Hon: "And here we are." They had managed to make it to the town that was specified by the bartender and made it to the town that had the mountain looming over head with time to spare. "come on. We need to make our way up by going through the town. Maybe there is something we can buy from there, we can rest, and we could ask around to" My companion simply rolled his eyes. "doubtful, but I'll bite." He smiled as he walked down the street with the taste of this small victory.

The town looked to be busy, even for one of the bigger city's he has seen. Towers and guards were watching outside and around the town yet they seemed to care and he even saw a soldier helping a man whose carriages wheel. The town seemed to be almost right next to a mountain that seemed to kiss the clouds and ascend even further up. It was so high, if fact, that he almost fell backwards and caught himself before he did. Rax: "smooth dumbass." He wanted to talk back with a resort but held his tongue. He would get him back later. As the town came closer he could hear horses walking up and down the street carrying various loads from big too small.

He could also hear merchants trying to sell what they had by yelling the deals. He even heard something about 'fashionable clothes' but he wasn't interested. Soon he came across a inn that gave off a radiant glow that made him feel welcomed. He went inside and was greeted by almost the same smells as a bar and felt the need to have some more mead but his friend tightened his claws showing that he wouldn't do this again.

Hon: "fine, fine. Just stop." Immediately he stopped but he knew that the bird would do more than just tighten his claws next time. He moved to the innkeeper who happened to be a woman of fair skin and greeted her with his usual smile. Hon: "I need a room for one and food." The woman happily accepted the money and gave him directions to his room as well as give him the key with the promise that dinner would be served soon. He thanked the woman as he moved up into his room and followed the direction to the letter and was soon reworded with a modest sized room that was more than big enough for him.

Hon: "finally, we can rest in a bed not made of dirt and grass." He slipped his back pack onto the floor then flopped onto the bed as his parrot flew before he could get crushed under his weight. Rax: "watch what you are doing! You nearly crushed me!" he chuckled to himself as he came up with a resort. Hon: "well at least I would have to not listen to you talking all the time." He started to laugh as his bird's feathers started to get ruffled. Eventually he stopped and silence filled the room.

He felt like he was still missing something. Ever since he left home it seemed like he was looking for something. He couldn't ever stop his search because there was nothing left for him at his home. Everything was gone and all that remained were bad dreams and too many memories. This thing he was searching for was purpose, and a new life. He needed a new home and he would fight to find it. Even if he only got a glimpse of it.

He was brought out of thought whenever his parrot bit his finger. Hon: "oww, the hell was that for?" the bird seemed relieved when he responded instead of annoyed. Rax: "were you thinking about what happened again?" he turned his head away from him. Hon: "yes…I just wish that I didn't do it. I wiped out an entire country in a single day yet I am haunted by all those that died. What I did was unforgivable and…inhumane. I was the monster that day but what choice did I have?" He imagined the faces he has seen behind his eyes. Men, women, and children had all been killed because of him, but he made sure to give the dragons pay back.

Rax: "you need to stop and act. Stop wallowing in your own self-doubted and start moving." His voice was firm and determined. He looked at his parrot with a smile. Even if his bird was an ass at times he could still rely on him to be there. Even when he killed an entire country he still stayed with him. One time he was so angry and attacked Rax, yet he still gave advice and helped him, even on the darkest of days.

Hon: "ok…come along. Might as well eat and ask around what this job entails at the mountain." The mood in the room brightened as he made his way to the door and closed it back and locked it to make sure nobody touched his stuff. He soon founded himself eating some type of stew with meat and potatoes that tasted very good as Rax ate his banana.

The mess hall had a few people and none of them looked to be very interesting. An hour passed and he saw a woman who looked beautified came over to him and started to pick up his plate and cup of what used to be a full cup of mead. Hon: "ma'am, would you mind if I asked you a question?" she laughed and answered in a smart way. woman: "you already did but yes." He chuckled at that then dawned a serious face as he got down to business. Hon: "I have come a long way in search of a job and I have heard that somewhere on the mountain they had available openings."

She looked straight into his eyes with immediate scrutiny. Woman: "well you are going to have a hard time getting into that place. They only take the best of the best. Nobody gets in without having the proper skills and experience in combat. And even if you do get in the training is brutal and hard for many to finish. Its likely that you will be rejected but they do have openings." He was surprised to hear about this. Most jobs like this only involved the volunteer to know how to wield a blade.

Hon: "well its obvious that they are protecting something, but what is up there?" She looked directly into his eyes to confirm what he said. All the did was nod and then looked around to make sure that nobody was eavesdropping into their conversation then looked back at him and quietly whispered. Woman: "I am technically not supposed to tell you but since you are trying to get the job I will tell you. What they are protecting are…dragons." She emphasized the word as it left her lips and he nearly fell over with shock and anger but quickly suppressed his emotions. Woman: "I am sorry but after that, that is all I know. I wish you luck and my the gods have mercy on your soul."

She then walked away with the plates in hand. Hurrying away from him trying to act normal. He no longer felt safe in the mess hall. He immediately stood up and hurried to his room, unlocked the door, then slammed it shut while trying to keep the memories of the past from resurfacing. His parrot then flew to his night stand and waited for him to start talking. A few second of silence follows before he started. Hon: "this was a mistake coming here. I can't work with dragons after what happened." He was furiously grinding his teeth while trying very hard not to break something.

Rax: "Hon, calm down and think about this for a second. I think we were given a second chance. It's almost as if the gods led you here to help redeem yourself. Don't turn you back on this chance!" his mind was in a frenzy as he was trying to calm himself. It was true, but he was denying it. they took everything from him. Hon: "why should i?! I don't need redemption from those beasts. I am my own master now and forever!" rax simply shook his head. Obviously disappointed in him. Rax: "Hon, you know as well as I do that you regret everything and even though you act heartless you are simply not cruel. It's time to stop hiding and face reality. Your nightmares are intense and often. Your mind needs this and you know it. now stop acting like a child and just do it!" (got to love this meme)

he said this with true wisdom. He felt angrier at his statement but finally managed suppressed his anger and faced the truth. Hon sighed before replying. Hon: "your right…about everything. Mabey this is my chance to be forgiven for my sins. A chance for me to maybe not forgiven, but too ease their pain…I guess I really don't have a choice now do i?" rax shook his head, confirming what he thought. Rax: "no, you don't but I won't force you to go unless you want to." Rax was right, he had no choice. It was either be forgiven, or be inside of a living nightmare for the rest of eternity.

Hon: "I'll do it."