Ok... Just to clarify... The extremely epic quote "The end is where we begin" is not my creation, but it rather belongs to the band Thousand Foot Crutch, from their album The End is Where We Begin. Just so there isn't any plagiarism issues, I quoted their work.

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Ash stood up on a barren plain of stone. A scorching wind quickly whipped across his face and scratched it raw. Several obelisks made of an obsidian material with a floating crystal on the peak were the only features on the lonely landscape. Spotting several figures mulling about in the distance, Ash started trudging through the dusty shale towards them. Looking up into a starlit sky with no moon, he saw the jaws of a mighty dragon close around him,

And

The Dragon's fangs

burned like fire,

froze like ice,

consumed all,

And

Ash

felt

true

pain

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Clutching his hands to his throat, Ash, curled up in terror for a few minutes before he realized that he was back in the coach. Taking deep breaths, he took off his jacket and felt his shoulder, and winced when he saw the wound. The bite mark was about four inches deep into his shoulder, and the skin and muscle around it was puckered and red. Ripping the hem of his shirt into several strips, Ash bandaged the wound and covered the bandages with his jacket. When the coach pulled up to the factory offices, Ash stepped out onto slick cobblestone streets. Drenched instantly by the rainfall, Ash looked towards the driver's seat and saw a completely different person than before. Frowning grouchily, the driver sent Ash off with a wave of his greasy hand. Confused, wet and in pain, he stumbled into the factory office. Walking up to the secretary, Ash said, "I need to talk to whoever is in charge. I have a question about some of your products."

The secretary stood up and said, "Wait here please.", as she walked down a hallway towards a big oaken door, with brass framework.

Plopping down in a leather armoire, Ash waited until the secretary came back and said, "Mr. Chase will see you now." Standing up, he thanked her and advanced towards the door. Pushing on the door, it opened with barely a sound. Ash examined it to see that is had a small system of gears instead of hinges. A man at an imposing mahogany desk stood up to shake his hand.

"Hello, and you must be the young warder Miss Hampton told me about. Come in, sit down, sit down." Ash, complying, sank into a large leather chair and handed Chase the gear.

"I found this gear in a clockwork golem, after I had destroyed it. It appears to be one of your gears, but oversized, and enchanted. I was hoping you could tell me why it's so large."

Frowning, Mr Chase took the gear and inspected it closely. Tossing it into an incinerator, he said with almost a nonchalant manner, "This is obviously sabotaged by one of the employees. You see, we've been having a few troubles with workers going on strike, and sabotage. They want to have higher pay, and fewer hours. But we have already acceded to their wishes before ! They now only work twelve hours a day, and get paid three gold crowns per two hours. But they still want more!"

Interrupting, Ash said, "The overall taxes have increased, but let's get back down to business. You're sure that this... thing is not normally manufactured by your company?"

Folding his hands across his desk, Mr Chase frowned. "I assure you that we nev-"

A brick sailed through the window behind Ash, showering glass on him. More debris crashed into the office, wrecking the desk, and splintering it. Flinging himself backwards, Mr Chase slammed into a wall, hurting his arm. Sliding along the floor to him, Ash grabbed Mr. Chase and signaled for him to crawl to the door. Sifting through the desk, Ash came across a small cannon. About the same size as Ash's fist, the shells would easily tear through all but the strongest materials. Looking at Chase quizzically, Ash held up the weapon. Shrugging, he mouthed, "I like to be prepared." Shaking his head, Ash pulled back the hammer and pointed the handcannon at the door. A thumping sound came from the hallway, presumably from a battering ram. Waiting till the shouting got louder, Ash tightened his trigger finger around the firing mechanism. When the door to the office began to crumble under multiple blows, he fired, shooting through the door. A fiery explosion ripped through ten of the attackers, killing them instantly. Shrapnel and bits of bone shredded the others, disabling them.

Stepping over fallen factory workers, Ash and Chase walked out into a warzone.