AN: This is my first story, so it may be quite riddled with errors and other things that bother you. I hope you can get past that and enjoy.
The first 4 chapters will introduce the main characters and their backstories. The story may at times progress in a nonlinear fashion, jumping in time. BUT It will have an actual coherent storyline. With that being said, enjoy.
LONELINESS. That feeling always seemed to accompany her. LONELINESS. For as long as she could remember. LONELINESS. Roxanne realized where she was. She was atop a cliff staring down at a steep incline. One that should she make one false move she would tumble down to her death. She scrambled back into the safety of the hill behind her.
Thoughts raced through her head. How did she get here. What was she about to do. Roxanne couldn't remember anything clearly besides leaving her friend, Edwyn, in that park. She had no idea how long ago that was or what had happened inbetween now and then.
As she looked around she noticed that everything had an ethereal glow under the moonlight giving her an unreal dreamlike feel. She stood up and brushed the dust off of her jacket and pants. She notices a large rip along her sleeve as she brushed dust off. There was no sign of an injury. The rip was clean as if cut by scissors.
Roxanne shook it off and looked down the hill. It was nearly completely covered with trees. She began down the hill, but her foot caught on an overgrown root protruding from the ground. As the dragon slayer lost her balance she hit the ground face first and continued rolling down the hill. She tried grabbing a tree to stop herself but slipped. "Gem scales!" She yelled. As her skin turned to shimmering gems she grabbed a tree and shoved her hand into the dirt. The rough scales against the tree and in the dirt slowed her descent and brought her to a stop.
She stood up, her skin becoming normal and caught her breath. She looked back up at the hill and saw how far she had fallen. "Jesus." The young slayer sighed and continued down the hill. Roxanne spent most of her time thinking, while traversing the hill. As hard as she tried to come up with answers, thinking only brought up more questions. She stopped thinking and focused on on walking.
Before she knew it the land below her feet had leveled out and she was in the middle of a vast forest. As far as she could tell every direction led to the same place. Anxiety built up within her as she realized she was lost. The trees above her head meshed into one large canopy, blocking all of the light. There was no way of telling what time it was or how much time had passed. If not for her heightened senses she would be completely blind and lost.
The dragon slayer calmed herself and began to make her way through the forest, marking her way by scratching the bark off of trees. Eventually after what seemed like days of wandering Roxanne spotted rays of light beaming into the forest. Roxanne bursted into a sprint towards the light and out of the forest. She stopped on a road and looked up at the sky, it was still night.
Roxanne did not know whether to feel worried or relieved, she didn't know if it was the same night she left that hill or days later. It frustrated her to no end, what once seemed trivial made all the difference when lost. Her thoughts were disrupted when her dragon slayer ears picked up conversation coming from down the road. Being weary, she jumped back into the forest and watched. After a while the gruff voices she hear had formed into bodies, a group of bandits. It looked like they had just got out of a fight and were searching for their assailant. The dragon slayer stayed in the cover of the treeline and cautiously watched them. It was a group of about 4. Two men were being carried, as if they were unconcious.
She wanted to avoid a confrontation and get behind them. Roxanne waited for an opening then when one was present she took it. She tried to make her way down the road as quickly, and as stealthily as possible. She was nearly out of sight of the men when she heard a gruff voice call out, "Oi! Look what we have over there, boys. Ain't she just purdy." She couldn't help but cringe at that voice. It held so much sleaze and hatred.
Roxanne, rather than run, decided to hold her own. Something about these men brought about nothing but contempt from her. The bandits, now focusing on her, were grinning and staring her down. Under their gaze she couldn't help by shudder. The tallest of the group called out to her, "Righty now little lady, c'mere withour a fight and I might let you be my personal plaything." The men in the back dropped their unconcious comrades with no regard and cracked their knuckles.
Anger welled up within Roxanne, not just because of their taunting and jeering, but because of their complete lack of empathy for their own. She couldn't handle it anymore. Pulling upon all her magic she let out a fierce Gem Dragon's roar. The men scattered, a few being hit by the roar, and stared at her angrily. "Another goddamn magic user!" Yelled one. Roxanne jumped back a few feet, ready for an attack.
The man, who Roxanne assumed was their leader, got up off the ground and screamed at his men, "What are you doing? Get that bitch and teach her a lesson!" One man leapt foward at Roxanne and swung his fist. Roxanne dodged the fist and as he was distracted let hit him with a gem-covered fist. "Fist of the Gem Dragon!" The man flew backwards, and hit the tree with a loud crunch, splintering the wood.
Grimacing at the rest of the group Roxanne charged at a man coming towards her and threw an uppercut towards him. As he was caught under the chin by a powerful punch, and launched into the air, multiple bandits charged foward in his place. Roxanne had a devious grin as she delivered a kick into the side of one of her assailants and met the other with a Gem Dragon's Elbow, sending them both sailing away.
The dragon slayer was getting cocky and slipped up when meeting her next attacker in combat. She was about to attack when she was caught in the leg with a club. She gasped in pain as she heard a loud crack. She growled and jumped back as best she could. The man with the club licked his lips and swung again. The dragon slayer dodged causing bursts of pain to shoot up from her leg.
Desperate for some opening to escape she let forth a weak roar and turned to get away. Waves of fear burst through her as another bandit yelled, "Not gonna get away that easy missy!" He was coming at her when suddenly he fell limp against the cold ground. Not questioning what happened she limped away as fast as she could. The bandits scrambled around in confusion behind her looking for the person who caused one of their men die. "You again! Show yourself, you cowardly bastard!" He too, shortly joined his comrade cold, and lifeless on the ground.
It was hours later before the adrenaline stopped and the pain of Roxanne's leg stopped her. Ever since she left the sight of the bandits she had been subconsiously following a familiar smell. Only when she stopped did she realize whose scent it was. "Edwyn." She whispered to herself. She made an effort to get past the pain and continue towards his scent. Roxanne limped foward with all her strength, but ended up falling against a tree after a few yards.
Roxanne, laying there, looked up to the sky. The sun was beginning to rise, in any other circumstances, she would have found the orange and purple painting the sky beautiful. She eventually gave way to exhaustion and slept against the tree. The last feeling she had before she slept, was loneliness.