This story is a continuation of the first story which is Beyond Worlds, and that story was based on the videogame The Tenth Line. If you have not both experienced the game and read the story you may be confused. I highly recommend you catch up on how the game and my story ends before reading, and if you have then enjoy this work of fiction.
Prologue
It watches you while you sleep, and it sees your deeds both good and bad and it will stand as judgement over you. The one with the mask, watches with the eye holes dark and menacing, yet at the same time illuminate with a light to see through universes throughout. As the saying goes, 'The Watcher is Watching, and if he sees a thing amiss your life will no longer be of bliss'. Morality has no meaning to this creature and if you are ever in contact with it then there is a chance you are in real danger. Even when it goes away there is always the possibility it's still stalking in secret and that it very well may return. According to the Directorate these findings are ludicrous but I know what I've seen. We have seen things previously thought impossible in these other worlds, so what would make this 'Watcher' any different? Fear. They fear to believe a creature like this can stalk and silently dispatch one like a predator of the night. They say ignorance is bliss but when it comes to The Watcher that bliss can very much be taken away…
Story By: PalmerDude Gaming
Proofread by: Rageage
The Tenth Line by: Sungazer Software
Every other copyrighted property is owned by its respective owners
Chapter 1: An Average Day
Rik the Kobold is sleeping in his bed, and blissfully too. He used to have nightmares after the incident with the gem but now they all have seemingly gone away. One morning he woke up realizing that he had no nightmares, but it was there, that thing. The strange creature with dripping dark ooze and the mask, it was looming over Rik and when Rik blinked it was gone. Strangely enough that was also the very last time Rik had seen the creature.
Rik wondered 'Did he get rid of the nightmares?' if the creature had, Rik is grateful for it, perhaps that's what the creature was trying to do all along. Then again there was the fact that it wanted something to do with the gem, Rik still had no answer for that. Eventually he wakes up and stretches, he walks over to his mirror and meets his canine gaze. He scratches the blond fur on his face, one upside to being a beastman was never having to shave.
"Hey dad, see you're already up" Greg said entering the room. Greg was Rik's adopted Kobold Child, he obviously look similar to Rik as some Kobolds do. Greg had different markings and patterns on the fur however as well a somewhat darker tone to his blondish fur compared to Rik.
"Yea, I am" Rik said.
"No more nightmares still?" Greg asked.
"Nope" Rik said, "these things pass and it looks like I'm in the clear."
"That's great to hear" Greg said, "mind if Dax comes over today?" Dax was a Black Draconmage, a year older than Greg who was eleven.
"Sure Greg, just make sure you two stay outta trouble okay?"
"Okay" Greg said, "I will leave ya to get ready for Knight duty then." Greg leaves the room and Rik gets ready for his duties, meanwhile he thinks back to how Greg even made such a friend.
It was just a month ago in the waning days of the summer, Rik came home to see that Greg was with a Black Draconmage crying about his mother. He seemed to wear a leather jacket of some sort instead of Draconmage robes, and his hair was of a greenish tint. Of course Rik was concerned and he asked what he could do to help the poor child.
"Where is your mother?" Rik asked the Black Dracon child.
"She-she was taken by bad humans" The Black Dracon mutters.
"Okay" Rik said, "what is your name?"
"Daxtertalias , or just Dax if that's easier to remember." Dax then told Rik where they were attacked.
"Okay Dax, you wait here with my boy Greg, I will get your mother." Rik left to round up his Knights, they were no strangers to having to perform their duties even after their regularly scheduled hours. Rik was not sure who to expect his mother to be since Dracons often live in broods, but he was betting it may have been a human. They made haste through the forest to where the attack took place. Luckily there was a trail of blood leading to a nearby cave, Rik hoped that it was from one of the bandits. Rik and his Knights charges into the cave and attacks, they took care of the bandits with little to no problem. They all would serve their time since they made sure there were little to no casualties, Rik afterward walks down the cave and into an opening with cages. There was only one prisoner, it was a kobold with more of a reddish auburn colored fur and fur patterns that didn't match on either side of her face. She seemed to wear simple enough beast clothing that seen some wear and tear. It was a give way sign that she has been wandering for quite sometime now. She spoke to Rik with great relief,
"Thank whatever higher power folks worship around here," she said, "I was afraid I would see no rescue" she said.
"Yeah, I came when I found this Black Draconmage kid cryin" Rik said.
"My little Dax?" she gasps "I am glad he is okay, can you uh, break this lock or somethin?"
"Yeah, I was lookin for a key, but I got picks for a reason" Rik said, he gets out his lock picks and begins to work on the lock. "I didn't think a Kobold would be that boy's mother"
"Yeah, I know" she says, "it is a little strange, but I did not expect a Kobold would be a knight."
"Yeah, I am a commander actually" Rik said, "been doin this sorta thing for about six years now."
"Wow, that's great, um, I am Rehre by the way, thank you for your help" she says.
"Yeah, no prob miss" Rik said, "don't mind me askin, but where you headin?"
"Me and my boy are just wanderers, we have no home" Rehre said.
"Sad to hear" Rik said.
"It is isn't it?" Rehre said. "I would like to make an honest living maybe farming and gardening but I cannot afford to do so." Rik remembers at that moment Ol' Danielson recently was moved to an old folk home in Skyweather's Castle Town.
"Hey, I have an old friend who doesn't live in his house no more" Rik said. "Maybe I can buy the deed and give you a place to live and do your farmin." Rik finally unlocks the tumbler in the lock and opens the cage door.
"You would do that?" Rehre asked exiting the cage. "I don't understand, we are strangers to each other."
"Yeah, well I am a really good Kobold" Rik said. "That and well, you two need the help, it's dangerous out there sometimes, as you saw."
"Yes, I can agree to that" Rehre said, "I lost my pack due to humans muscling in on beast territory in the East." "Unfortunately Dax have been left by his brood at that time as well so I ended up fending for him and allowing him to travel with me." "After awhile we became quite close, anyhow that's why we are here."
"Sounds rough" Rik said, "but don't worry, beasts are treated right here, you both will be safe in the farmlands outside Skyweather." "Things have been better since the passing of The Tenth Line and the New King, well he's not so new now but you get my meanin."
"I am glad to hear that" Rehre said, "thank you again." They walked back together and Rehre waited with Greg and Dax while Rik went to Skyweather. Rik was able to negotiate a price with Ol' Danielson for his deed. They agreed on a bottle of 'the good stuff' as he called it and a fair sum of Gildeds that Rik agreed to pay later in the week. Rik returned later that evening deed in hand and gives it to Rehre.
"Here ya go" Rik said.
"I don't know how I can ever repay you, thank you" Rehre said, "um, where is the house?"
"Behind you" Rik said, "right across from my home."
"Really?" Rehre said, "this is wonderful! I am glad, so far you have been the only one I could really call a friend."
"Aw that's nice" Rik said, he then overheard the two boys,
"You hear that Greg?" Dax said, "we are staying!"
"Yay!" Greg said, "we can hangout everyday now!" Rik was happy that Greg finally had a real friend, and someone reliable nearby. First earlier that morning his nightmares cleared and then him and his son made new friends, it was a good day.
Rik then snaps back to reality and looks at himself in the mirror. He got his light armor with the bronzish color, his knives and of course his arm cape with the Kobold emblem. Rik is not a cape wearing type but it was a gift from Anne, his best friend, so he wears it. He tosses the cape behind him so it wasnt obstructing his arm and then looks outside the window.
"How long was I daydreaming for?" Rik wondered out loud. For some reason his mind has been doing that recently. Rik has been day dreaming about the past a lot recently, including that day he met his new neighbors. He also kept having flashbacks to himself and Tox when Greg and Dax play together, it takes Rik back to the days when the two of them were kids. Rik missed those days he took for granted. As a child you don't think about the future and what any minor change can lead too in the future to come. Nothing lasts forever and you never realize what you have until it's gone. Rik shakes his head, it's time to get himself going, he still had to eat some breakfast before leaving. Upon entering the main living area Rik saw that Dax was already over having some eggs with Greg.
"Hello Mr. Rik sir" Dax said.
"Hey" Rik said, "you don't have to call me mr or sir right now though, just Rik."
"Sorry, you are a Knight Commander though, I can't help it." Dax mumbles
"No need to be sorry," Rik said "just sayin you can just call me Rik off-duty is all."
"Um, speaking of that dad" Greg said, "you are cutting it close."
"Yeah I know" Rik said, "I have been movin pretty slow so far." Rik quickly eats some breakfast and grabs some fruit to take with him since he was in a hurry. The two boys exit the house, with Rik following soon after. It was a nice sunny Autumn day, the few trees scattered about were rustling. Rik begins to walk towards Skyweather on the dirt path dividing between the two farms in the vast meadow of agriculture surrounding the castle town of Skyweather. Rehre stops him short mid-walk.
"Good mornin Rik!" she said.
"Mornin, I'm gonna be late so I can't chat too long" Rik said.
"Yeah I can see that" Rehre said, "but I still need to pay you back for this nice plot of land here."
"Don't worry 'bout it, just glad to help." Rik said
"Well I owe ya," Rehre said "why don't you and your boy come over for dinner? I got some nice steaks with my earnings."
"Steak?" Rik said, "a'ight we will see ya later tonight then."
"I knew you would say yes to that" Rehre said with a chuckle, "take care Rik". Rik begins to walk and he overhears the boys talking and looks back.
"Wow, that's a big hole" Dax said looking down as Greg was digging into the ground.
"Yeah, and it will be huge once we hit a cavern!" Greg said enthusiastically. "We'll find treasure and be famous!"
"What? Treasure? Where's your map?" Dax questioned.
"Don't need one Dax" Greg said, "I will find treasure if I dig deep enough, gut feeling."
"Oh, I'm sure your gut knows all Gerg" Dax said.
"It's Greg, you know that and you don't believe me now," Greg said, "but your gut feeling is never wrong!"
"Except for when it is" Dax said, Rehre then spoke to Rik again,
"um hello? Rik?"
"Wha? Oh yeah I was just wonderin what they were up too." "Guess Greg is treasure huntin."
"In your front yard too" Rehre said, "guess you can't blame him though."
"Nah, I can't, I dug holes in our parents yard all the time." Rik said
"Our?" Rehre said.
"Yeah, I had a brother" Rik said, then he corrects, "an adopted brother, since he was also a Black Draconmage, his name was Tox, never knew his full name though." "The two of them reminds me of us a lot, it's weird, like I am looking at the past or somethin like that."
"That is kinda strange" Rehre said, "what happened to him?"
"Well, it was kinda cause of me" Rik said, "but at the same time he saved everyone by suckin Black Draconmage poison outta the air."
"Wait, that was him?" Rehre asked, "the one who cleared the skies himself?"
"Yeah, so you heard all the way out East too huh?" Rik asked
"Rumors," Rehre said, "I had no idea he was your brother".
"Yeah, most tend to forget that" Rik said, "I really gotta go, see you later tonight."
"Oh, right," Rehre said "go quickly you don't want to be late now!" Rik raced to Skyweather. He ran into the city and up to the wall where the morning roll call was taking place, when he got there he began to out of breath do the roll call.
"(Pants) (Pants) Phew, okay roll call, Kenny?" Rik says
"Here" says Kenny the Self-Aware, dressed in the usually Skyweather Knight armor. He tends to be quite literal about things to the point no one even knows what he is talking about sometimes. He also happens to be a specialist in swords as well as daggers.
"A'ight," Rik said, "Anton?"
"Here" said Anton the Connoisseur. He wore the standard Knight armor but never wears a helmet because he wants everyone to see his hair, he tends to be bit of a narcissist at times. He specializes in heavy weaponry carrying his battle axe on his back.
"Okay," said Rik, "John?"
"Uh-huh" said John Firstego. He was always a quiet one wearing light armor and being an expert with a bow.
"So, um, we also have someone new to replace Knight Lee until we find him" Rik said. "That is actually one of the orders for today, we are to search for him.. Just sayin." "Anyway it's a.. Blue Draconmage? What? Where is he?"
"Hey, hi!" The Blue Draconmage shouted running up the steps. "Sorry not used to waking up that early!" He seemed to be wearing metal armor over a heavy looking hide jacket instead of typical Draconmage robes.
"A'ight now that you're here, tell us your name" Rik said.
"Why? you are the one in charge?" The Blue Dracon asked, "seriously who is in charge?"
"I am" Rik said.
"What? Really?" The Blue Draconmage asked.
"Yep" the other Knights responded in unison.
"Oh, well my apologies, Commander" The Blue Draconmage said, "I am Lixilvalious, or just Lix if that's too much of a twist of the tongue." "I am surprised to see a Kobold is the one in charge though, I was caught off guard by that."
"Yeah, you must be new 'round here, most outsiders are a bit surprised at first" Rik said, "anyway, now I can get to the orders." Rik reads the orders and then they proceeded on with the day. Lix was a bit cold towards Rik though (no pun intended). Despite the cool and calm like demeanor he seemed to resent Rik's authority in subtle ways. And later on in the day he wasn't all that subtle anymore. He constantly interrupted Rik and would talk back to him questioning something or even complaining at one point. Lix must have felt like he was superior compared to a Kobold just because he was a Draconmage Finally towards the end of the day Rik checks the orders. The last order they completed was patrolling in search for a criminal in the farmlands surrounding Skyweather. There was one more thing to do for the day.
"A'ight guys," Rik said, "we need to find our missin knight."
"Why?" Lix asked, "sick of me already fuzz boy?"
"Maybe a little, but no that's not why, it's one of the orders," Rik said, "Lee gots a family, we gotta find him."
"It's been over a week though" Kenny said, "chances of finding him are quite slim sir."
"So we would be wastin time?" Lix asked, "yeah we may as well just go home then."
"Well I didn't say that" Kenny said.
"Guys," Rik said, "we have to look, and we do have some lead 'cordin to the orders and its near the outskirts of Skyweather on the North-West side." "Besides, Lee isn't the only one missin."
"I get paid for my extra time right?" Lix asked. "This seems like it may take awhile."
"That's not up to me" Rik said, "let's go everyone."
"Yeah yeah, fuzz boy" Lix said dryly. They travel to the outskirts of Skyweather on the North-Western side and began to investigate.
"Like I said," Rik stated, "Lee was not the only one to go missin 'round here, there are other people and beasts missin too." "They were all last seen in the area somewhere."
"Maybe they just keep gettin lost in the forest over there" Lix said.
"That is a possibility" said Kenny. "But unlikely since no one has been found yet, people and beasts have been going missing for a few weeks now."
"Yes, I can attest to that" said Anton, "I had a date that went missing here as well."
"Of course you did" Kenny said. The group combs the area keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious in the open area. The group also poked around the nearby forest a little too. They found nothing, and to Lix's dismay they have been looking for over an hour now.
"Jeez guys, it's gettin dark lets just go already" Lix said.
"I got a lantern" Kenny said.
"That's fine Kenny, I am late for dinner anyway" Rik said.
"You are having a dinner with someone?" Anton asked.
"Yeah" Rik said, "my neighbor offered for me an' Greg to come over."
"Well I am stayin behind I s'pose" Kenny said. "I will notify you if I come across anything."
"Finally!" Lix said, "now if you excuse me, the tavern awaits." Rik returned home to see that Greg was already at Rehre's house waiting.
"Dad, you're super late y'know" he said.
"Yeah, we were out a bit longer than I thought we would" Rik said. Dax opened the door and asked,
"Greg your dad here ye- Oh he is here, hello Mr- I mean Rik"
"Hello Dax, how's things? Good?" asked Rik.
"Yeah," Dax responded, "pretty much, come on in dinner is pretty much done." They enter the warmly lit home and enter from the living space to the dining area.
"Hey Rik," Rehre said, "I had a feeling you would be slightly late so I started dinner slightly late."
"Well you were spot on" Rik said, "we were tryin to find missin people and beasts, and my Knight too."
"Yeah, I heard that the forest has something just makin people and beasts disappear, kinda spooky." "Anyway sit down and let's eat." They took their seats and ate and carried on general conversations.
"So Greg," Rik said, "find that treasure?"
"Nah, not in that spot anyway" Greg responded.
"Yeah, told you you were dead wrong" Dax said.
"I won't be next time!" Greg said, "anyway y'know my birthday is tomorrow right?"
"It is?" Rik asked.
"Yeah, and I want to go with you on knight duty" Greg said.
"Well, uh, it could be dangerous" Rik said. "You sure 'bout that?"
"Yeah" Greg said, "I mean if something did happen I know how to fight".
"Yeah, I know, taught how to throw knives myself" Rik said, "but if we were to get into a real fight I want you to run away and hide okay?"
"Oh alright" Greg said. They continued chatting about stuff while eating, eventually Rehre asked why Rik was missing a piece of his ear.
"Oh about that" Rik said, "uh well, I had an ear ring once, tried it on just for fun but couldn't get off so I was stuck with it." "But birds tend to be violent and annoyin, so me and my brother Tox were just walkin mindin our own, and then a huge bird came outta nowhere." "He saw my ear ring I guess cause he ripped it off along with some of my ear."
"Really?" Rehre asked, "I have a sneaking suspicion that is slightly untrue."
"Nah, it's true alright," Rik said, "I mean it's not like I would do that myself, that would hurt before I even tore it off."
"That is kinda silly though" Rehre said, "the bird stealin the ear ring though, not your ear gettin torn of course." "Anyhow, what other true stories you have?"
"Well" Rik said, "there was the time I mistook lapis oil for water, that burnt my tongue a bit-" There was a knocking at the door at that moment, Rehre goes and answers it and then returns.
"It's for you Rik" she says.
"For me?" Rik asked, "who is it?"
"It looks like one of your knights" Rehre said. Rik goes to the front door to see that it was Kenny standing there.
"Rik" he said, "I told you I would return if I found anything and well.." Kenny shows Rik a sword. It was the sword of Knight Lee.
End of Chapter 1
