Chapter 1: A Strange Request
Marina absentmindedly petted the tropical leviathan swimming in the water beside her, gazing into the distance. It was rare for her to get more than a few hour's relaxation. Inasi Keep was such a busy place – she was constantly caring for creatures and finding them new homes, or out helping other magi. Luckily, she had her two allies, a naga and a centaur, to help her. A purple koi popped up in the water, and Marina smiled, feeding it a bit of food.
As the sun went down, Marina gave a sigh, and rose, dusting off her robes. She turned and, with a wave to the leviathan and the koi, walked back to her Keep. When she reached the front gate, she knew something was up. Frowning, she saw the two strange noctis enoxes standing in the courtyard. Visitors? She saw her centaur ally, a female named Zarifi, talking to two magi by the front door.
"Marina! I am glad that you are back. These two men would like to talk to you."
"Thank you, Zarifi." The centaur nodded, then clopped away to make sure that everybody was comfortable for the night.
"I am Marina of Inasi Keep. What brings you here?"
"We seek your help in a matter of great delicacy," one said. Marina suppressed a shiver – he was very, very pale, with slick black hair and bright red eyes. She could have sworn she saw the flash of fangs as he spoke.
"What is it?" Marina asked, as a female black ice dragon entered the courtyard, spreading her wings as she approached the three humans.
"We need you to retrieve something of great importance from one who stole it long ago," said the first man. The other one was just like the first, although he was much younger. "It is imperative that he does not keep it any longer."
"What is this item?" Marina thought privately that she did not want anything to do with these two .
"Ah. It is a young woman, my daughter. My son here will help you in any way possible."
"You want me to kidnap somebody? I couldn't!" said Marina, horrified. The dragon snorted in agreement, icy cold breath making the two strangers shiver.
The first man frowned. "Very well. I was hoping that you would agree peaceably. I can see that you will not come without a fight."
He gestured, and a quartet of skeletal dragons, a pair of dark bone dragons and a pair of molten bone dragons, descended into the courtyard, hissing. "Take her."
"No!" Magic pulsed through Marina, as a wave of lake water washed through the courtyard, dousing the dragon's fire for a moment. They shook their heads in befuddlement, and suddenly turned on the two men. "Stop!"
They did, turning to look at her with skeletal heads. "Leave, both of you. I do not want to see you near my Keep again."
The five dragons roared in agreement. Although the first man gave her a look of pure loathing, his son gave her an admiring smile before his father spoke to him sharply to get on his enox. "I hope he forgives you," he whispered before complying with his father's orders.
"I can take care of myself," Marina said angrily. She sighed, running her fingers through her long white hair as the two enoxes took flight.