Chapter II

A New Beginning

Tiberius made his way down the helix-shaped southern stairwell.

Moving through the tight confines of the stairwell had forced him to adopt a slight hunch to his posture. Although this didn't alleviate his height problem, even now he could feel his horns and the tops of his wings scraping alongside the underside of the stairs above.

Though his scaled flesh was quite protected and his horns didn't have any feeling to them. It was the constant resistance he felt and the occasional bump on his horns with each downward step.

Was this passage always so small? I guess this is the difference between reality and a game. And what I get for creating such a large avatar.

Thankfully enough for the Dragonoid, the stairwell was an especially long one and it soon opened up to the large hall.

Stepping out into the hall Tiberius was quick to reclaim his full height with a low grumble. Making his way through the hall outside the Council Chambers he eyed the final staircase that would take him to the Throne Room.

From now on I will avoid these stairs whenever possible.

Once again adopted the stooped position and began his descent. As he moved along the stairwell his acute hearing allowed him to detect the subtle sounds of conversations being had. As acute as his hearing appeared to be, he was still unable to make out anything clearly.

No sooner had he exited the mouth of the stairwell and stepped into the Throne Room that all sounds seemed to cease.

The gathered NPCs stood about the room.

The Valkyries stood gathered by the foot of the throne platform. Nido and the smaller Kip stood upon the lowest steps. Not far from himself stood the Orrery Keeper, Mathias. His head tilted much like a dog as he looked to the Dragonoid.

The last individual stood alone, halfway between the throne and the mouth of the stairwell.

Yuliana stood her hands clasped together before her and a soft smile on her face. Her green eyes seemed to sparkle hypnotically in the light.

Having all eyes upon him made Tiberius feel like the time he was to give a report to the department heads on quarterly productivity.

"MASTER!" a rapturous voice cried out shattering the peace.

Much to the surprise of those gathered, the little Kobold launched himself from the platform. Breaking into a full sprint, his little feet making quite the racket as he raced to stand at his master's side.

"Master better now, yes? No mad at Kip or others?"

The small reptilian bard gazed up at the towering figure of the Dragonoid before him. His silver eyes were wide and pleading while he wrung his hand nervously. The Kobold's mannerisms reminded Tiberius of a small child. Particularly when they had done something naughty.

The Dragonoid turned his gaze away from the small reptile and looked over the others.

The Valkyries stood in a semi-circle, their expressions showcased how mortified they were at Kip's outburst. A few stood with mouths agape and eyes wide as if they had just beheld some kind of sacrilege being committed.

Collectively their expressions reminded Tiberius of the time an intern had been over-enthusiastic in his greeting of the department supervisor.

Nido remained in his usual position, his face as impassive as ever. Yet a closer inspection revealed a knitted brow, a slight part in his lips, and faint lines could be seen around his one good eye. All spoke to there being more going on than he wished to let on.

Only Matthias rivaled Nido for being hard to read. But only because having a skull for a head was by its fleshless nature hard to display expressions.

It was the Guardian Overseer, however, who appeared the most bothered by this turn of events.

Yuliana stood halfway between Tiberius and the throne. Her eyes were focused and unblinking as she eyed the Kobold. This was contrasted by the wide grin she wore across her face. It was a smile that even a distance the Dragonoid could tell was fake.

Her body posture was stiff as she slowly began to approach.

Taking his eyes from the approaching Guardian, Tiberius turned his attention back to the diminutive bard.

"Yes, Kip. I am better now, and I was not mad at any of you."

The reply earned a short squeal for glee from the Kobold much like a child receiving a most desired gift.

Observing the Kobold, Kip's smile filled Tiberius with a pang of envy. It seemed the Kobold was capable of a far less threatening smile than his own.

"I trust you are well, master."

At the sound of the feminine voice, the Kobold seemed to shiver before going as ridged as a plank. Kip, it seemed had forgotten about his fellow inhabitants as his smile faded and his mouth opened wide. Sheepishly the Kobold turned like a child caught with their hand in the proverbial cookie jar and stared up at the female Guardian.

Standing before the miniature reptile the Guardian Overseer stared down at Kip with a stern expression.

Kip managed a nervous chortle to which Yuliana responded by simply narrowing her eyes. Unable to stand against her withering gaze the Kobold hunched his shoulders and lowered his eyes to the sapphire floor.

Without much more ado he bowed to Tiberius and repeated the act before Yuliana then turned and scampered back towards the throne.

"Well, now that that distraction is out of the way. Shall we?"

The Guardian Overseer shifted, turning to the side she held her arm outstretched as if to guide the way.

With a nod, the Dragonoid strode passed the female Guardian, who in turn fell in line behind him. Tiberius paused a moment before turning to the Orrery Keeper.

Mathias met his gaze and seemed to understand as he too began to follow.

At their master's approach, the Valkyries formed up, once again falling into a regimented line before the throne.

Standing before the dais the Dragonoid froze. He gazed up at the shimmering throne, its colour shifted from an electric blue to a dazzling green. To his left, he took notice of Yuliana making her way upon the platform and retake her customary spot.

Tiberius gazed up at the Guardian Overseer.

The grin she wore seemed to grow –if that was possible- when she met his gaze.

In looking upon her, Tiberius again felt the nagging guilt for his earlier outburst, and though he did intend to speak with her about it, now was not the time.

Lifting his foot he took his first step in his ascent to the throne. It was odd for him. This was an action he'd done countless times in his time playing YGGDRASIL. Yet now, with it no longer being just a game, it felt different. Tiberius couldn't quite put the sensation into words. But the closest approximation he could come up with was it felt heavy.

Reaching the top, the Dragonoid paused reaching out he ran his taloned fingers along the arm of the gemstone seat. His eyes closed for a brief moment, he inhaled deeply, then turned and lowered himself down onto the throne.

"Shall the Valkyries begin their report, Lord Tiberius?"

The Dragonoid shifted at the question. Leaning to the side he rested his armoured elbow upon the shimmering stone and his chin upon a closed fist.

I guess we should listen to it. But what about the others? There are the other Floor Guardians to consider here. I mean if we exclude now, it just means having to tell them about this later. Besides, having them here would also give me an opportunity to see them interact.

Lifting his head, Tiberius turned to address the female Guardian.

"Delay that for the time being."

This response was one the Guardian Overseer had not expected to receive. However, her master's intentions were soon clarified.

"I think it would be best for the others to be able to hear the report for themselves. Summon the other Floor Guardians."

Yuliana smiled, "As you command."

The Dragonoid watched as the female Guardian gave a brief nod before raising her right hand and pressing two fingers to her temple. It was a curious movement as surely she was using the [Message] spell. As such there should be no need for such a gesture.

The action, however, was one Tiberius had seen used plenty of times before. Particularly in just about any film or game when a character was to speak over a radio or communicator.

Not knowing how long it would be before the other Floor Guardians arrived the Dragonoid took a moment to relax.

Yet there were certain obstacles that needed to be overcome. Relaxing was not the easiest thing to do when seated upon a stone throne and wearing a suit of plate armour. But that wasn't all there was to it.

Finding himself inhabiting the body of his former game avatar was providing a new set of challenges. Namely, these were the set of bat-like wings that sprouted from his shoulders and the long thick tail. With the wings in their normal resting position would place them upon the throne's seat. So to cope with this Tiberius was forced to expand them a bit thus having them rest on either side of the chair. The tail meant that the Dragonoid was unable to sit with his back flat to the chair. To accommodate this he sat further forwards on the throne and allowed the bulk of this muscled appendage to drape over the side of the stone seat.

While not the most desirable position it was certainly a far cry from some of the more uncomfortable positions he'd found himself in before.

That honour belonged to the overcrowded orientation he'd endured. There he and other new hires had sat crammed together like sardines on their knees for nearly two and a half hours.

The Dragonoid sat upright on the iridescent throne, his eyes watching the doors on the far side of the Rotunda. Without YGGDRASIL's in-game HUD to display the time Tiberius was at a loss of just how much time had passed. This unknown quantity of time resulted in the Dragonoid soon falling into boredom.

In sitting there Tiberius was struck by the sense of déjà vu as he remembered all those meetings he suffered through. So many meetings he'd been called into, meetings that never seemed to start when they were supposed to and always dragged on far longer than was desired.

The Dragonoid slouched on the throne, his eyes still locked onto the doors. Tiberius had to resist the urge to drum his fingers upon the armrest in his tedium.

At last, the monotony was shattered by the echoing sound of the Rotunda's great doors being parted. Tiberius sat up straighter upon the throne, his gaze following the pair of silhouettes traversing the foyer.

"Guardian of the Eighth Floor, Lord Aeon."

The raspy, almost nasally, voice of the Kobold bard echoed throughout the silent chamber.

With the sudden outburst, Tiberius' attention was pulled away from the approaching figures. Instead, he stared down at the well-dressed reptile. The announcement was unexpected and left Tiberius puzzled.

Was his proclamation something of his own devising? Or was this something that his creator had programmed into his behaviors?

I know we were a bunch of role players. But did they create routines for the NPCs to follow as well?

Deciding it was best to ponder such questions at a later date, Tiberius turned his mind back to the forthcoming individuals.

Aeon was the first to reach the base of the throne platform. His every movement was purposeful and appeared to be more of a marching stride.

He was a member of the highest order of angelic beings, the Seraphim. These high-tier celestial beings were marked by unique traits. These traits could vary as it was left up to the player. In Aeon's case, it was his wings that marked him. A typical angel of the lower or middle tiers had the classical avian wings. Aeon as a Seraphim had wings of ethereal flame. Tendrils of brilliant azure blue flame flowed from his shoulders to take form into the general shape of wings.

Aeon stood at seven feet tall with a powerfully built frame of lean muscle. To protect him he wore an equally robust set of plate armour.

The armour possessed a gold and silver hue and left a hint of flesh uncovered. From about his waist hung a stout tasset of heavy red cloth with gold edges came down to his shins. Emblazoned upon the cloth skirt was the insignia of a fiery star over a kite shield in silver thread.

Upon his head, Aeon wore a classical barbute style helm. The helm, with its distinctive sharp Y-shaped opening, lent a certain air of menace to him. Normally such an opening would only prove such a weakness. However, the helmet had been enchanted to protect against piercing strikes to negate this flaw. As a secondary effect, the enchantment hid the wearer's face beneath a veil of deep shadow creating the appearance of an empty void.

Stopping before the dais Aeon immediately dropped to one knee. Fiery tendrils flared outwards as he leaned forwards placing a hand upon the lowest step.

"Lord Tiberius, I have come to heed your call." The angel's voice was deep and his words were like iron.

Before the Dragonoid could formulate a reply the self-appointed announcer spoke again.

The Seraphim remained unfazed and unmoved at the sound of the Kobold's voice rang out.

"Guardian of the Seventh Floor, Lady Naziah."

Like her compatriot, Aeon, the Guardian of the Seventh Floor too was an angelic being. However, she belonged to a completely different order. Naziah was what was known as a Legion Archon.

According to YGGDRASIL lore, the Seraphim were primarily combat-focused. This made Seraphim a fitting choice for players who focused more on PVP combat. Whereas the Legion Archons sought peace through compromise. This meant they possessed more passive abilities that made them better suited for support roles. Primarily many who played a Legion Archon went for summoner-style builds. This, conversely, didn't mean they were useless in melee combat.

The female angel stood average in height with a lithe and athletic figure. Naziah possessed a fair complexion, smooth and unblemished, with a face that was the definition of angelic beauty. A soft smile that seemed to exude innocence graced her lips. While her brilliant cerulean eyes radiated compassion. Naziah had pale blonde hair that she wore in a high-top ponytail that hung to her shoulders. Her bangs hung loosely and were parted to frame her beautiful face in a shape resembling a heart. From her shoulders, a classical pair of white dove wings were folded in a resting position tight to her form.

Naziah's armour was made from several different layers.

The base layer consisted of a burnt orange bodysuit which was imbued with regenerative magics. Over top, this was a layer of glittering chainmail which itself sat under the final layer of plate armour. The plate armour was not a full set but more akin to what was often referred to as half-plate. The metal plates were crafted from a silvery metal that possessed a bluish tint. At the waist, she wore a long skirt of white silk with purple edging. Overlaid on the cloth was the image of a star housed within a diamond. In place of a helm, Naziah had instead donned a hood of golden silk decorated with swirls of white.

In her right hand, Naziah carried with her a staff made from the same metal as the plates of the armour she wore. The staff was slightly shorter than she and etched with fine scrollwork that emitted a fluorescent blue glow. Atop the staff was a large emerald the size of a child's fist which sparkled in the light.

Stepping up beside the taller Aeon, she released her hold upon the staff which remained floating upright on its own accord. Naziah clasped her hands together before her and bowed deeply.

"My lord."

Naziah's honeyed voice seemed to float on the air before reaching the Dragonoid's ear. At the sound, Tiberius couldn't help but feel a level of peace settle over him.

The Dragonoid scanned over the pair of angelic beings a final time. With a nod of acknowledgment from their master the two rose and strode to stand with the Orrery Keeper, opposite the Valkyries.

"Guardians of the Fifth and Fourth Floors, Sir Koraboros and Lady Lyleth."

Emerging from the hallway a pair of newcomers strode along the emerald carpet.

On the left strode the figure of Koraboros, a powerful and intelligent Demon Lord.

Koraboros was a fair bit taller than his female companion but still shorter than Aeon. He appeared to be within his mid-thirties or so, with messy long black hair that draped down to his shoulders with his bangs crowding his face. His face was ruggedly handsome with dark stubble smothering his jawline. Belying these regal features was a sense of danger and malevolence. It was a sensation further enhanced by the blood-red iridescence of his eyes with their catlike vertical pupils.

The Demon Lord's attire consisted of clothing befitting nobility.

A loose-fitted white undershirt with frills that ran alongside the buttons. The shirt's laced cuffs puffed out from beneath the sleeves of his Red Dragon leather duster. His lower half was garbed in a set of dark trousers with polished shin-high boots. Around his waist sat the wide band of wyvern leather belt, its silver skull clasp gleamed under the light.

To the left of the Demon Lord strode his fellow demonic Guardian.

Lyleth possessed a striking beauty with faultless alabaster skin, a slender feminine face, and remarkable violet coloured eyes. Her long hair hung loosely and was as white as freshly fallen snow, yet this was sullied by the raven frosted ends. Heavy black eyeliner accented her eye's unusual colouration. It was a colour she copied for the lipstick that graced her luscious lips.

Lyleth was different from her compatriot. Whereas Koraboros was a natural-born demonic lord, or at least as natural as could be given the situation. Lyleth was a convert, for she belonged to a race known as Erinyes. Within the lore, Erinyes were fallen angels who had been cast out of paradise for their actions. Mainly from what the Dragonoid could recall it was that their sense of justice had become corrupt and grown too harsh as the darkness held sway over them. Because of this Erinyes had been transformed into darker parodies of their more innocent kin.

Lyleth still possessed a set of avian wings much like those of the typical angel. However, the once pristine white feathers had been darkened to the colour of damp ash with their tips tainted by crimson as if dipped in blood. Hovering above the crown of her head the last reminder of her angelic heritage. The golden halo that once shone with warm radiance had been charred and blackened. The formerly smooth form had been twisted into a jagged appearance like a crown of thorns. The front of the halo appeared to have been melted at some point and allowed to drip creating the resemblance to a set of inverted metallic horns.

Her equipment was befitting.

The demonic femme fatale wore a dress of pure drider silk, dyed a deep crimson. Modifications had been made to the gown to enhance its wearer's sex appeal. The neckline plunged rather deep to reveal much of her generous cleavage. The sides of the dress had been sliced from near the hip to hem. These cuts allowed for plenty of free movement but also showed off the entirety of her legs. The front of the gown had also been cut noticeably shorter, only coming down to the knee. Atop the crimson dress, there was a vest of leather. Or perhaps corset was the more applicable term. The leather had been dyed to colour a wine, a rich burgundy colour. The lower portion had a V-cut to it, with the sides sitting on the hips by the front and back dipped lower. Crisscrossing the leather were countless silver rivets, these created a sort of grid pattern. Around her neck, she wore a gorget of leather that matched the corset in colour and was covered with yet more riveted studs. From under the gorget's edge, a plume of lengthy golden feathers lay over her shoulders. Beneath the dress, she wore a pair of dark full-length stockings. The fallen angel had gone further to gird her legs with plate armour. The armoured leggings covered her legs from the mid-thigh to her toes. The plates were stylized with sharp lines and flares on the sides of the knee which looked much like bat wings. It was a wardrobe choice she had Lyleth had duplicated to cover her arms.

Together Lyleth and Koraboros made up the negative karmic side of the Floor Guardians. Just as Naziah and Aeon made up the positive karmic side. This balancing of the light and dark was something that was put in place by Socrates Architect. It was surprising how spiritual he was with his belief that all things must have balance.

"Thank you for coming."

The Dragonoid rumbled in greeting as the pair stopped at the podium base and knelt.

"You summoned us, we came. It could not have been otherwise."

It was Koraboros who responded. His voice possessing a rich timbre though it was low, almost hoarse, at the same. Beyond that, there was an accent of some type that Tiberius was unable to identify.

"Indeed, my lord," Lyleth's voice was soft and came off with an almost cat-like purr.

The pair received the same nod as the previous Guardians. Rising from the floor the two turned to join their angelic counterparts. Although in their departure Tiberius had found it particularly difficult to pull his gaze from the slow gyration of Lyleth's hips as she walked.

As the demonic duo took their place beside Aeon and Naziah, Tiberius eyed the four carefully.

In lore angels and demons are supposed to be mortal enemies. And yet they show no signs of hostility. Could it be because they belong to the guild and thusly are in the same faction? Or do they simply hide their dislike? I guess it's something I'll have to look into. I don't need them going to war within the guild.

"Guardian of the Sixth Floor, Sir Gorkon."

Pulled from his thoughts Tiberius spied the Kobold from the corner of his eye.

I think after this is over I'll have to speak to him. This formal reception stuff is fine for first-timers. But I don't want him doing this for every meeting. Besides, it's REALLY boring! I never understood how anyone put up with it.

An interruption came in the form of heavy footsteps accompanied by the sharp sound of clanking metal. This was the announcement of the arrival of the next visitor to the Throne Room.

Sir Gorkon moved with the disciplined movements one would expect of a soldier. His head held erect and his eyes unblinking as he marched towards the throne.

His long mane of silver hair was pulled back into the top-knot style favored by the samurai of old. Only a few stray pieces hung across scattered upon his forehead. Beneath this, his features were strong and masculine. This was a face that would have been considered rather handsome. However, the unnatural grey of his flesh marred with webs of dark veins made him appear otherwise.

On any other being, this would be a sign of concern. Yet for one of the undead, it was nothing to worry about. From what Tiberius could recall Gorkon was some kind of evolved Death Knight or something. Gorkon's iridescent blue eyes were the only trait that the Dragonoid could pick out that linked him to these creatures.

The Guardian was clad in a full suit of black Fel-iron armour.

The armour plates were heavily tarnished, rough, and pitted as if they'd spent a considerable time submerged in an acid bath. The shapes of the plates were disharmonious, possessing sharp angles while others flowed smooth. There were jagged edges contrasted by clean flat edges. The pauldrons were dotted by a row of harsh-looking spikes that flared outwards. The armour was marred by numerous scrapes and gashes, even a few oblong holes could be seen. Still, these were purely cosmetic damage and gave the armour the feel of being old and having been through countless battles. Hanging from his shoulders a tattered cape the colour of ash. Coupled together this created the visage of a fearsome warrior.

Sir Gorkon moved with an almost robotic fashion as he approached the platform and knelt. On his face, he wore an expression that told of grim seriousness.

For a moment Tiberius wondered if Nido and he were to engage in a staring contest, just who would emerge the victor.

Same as the others he remained unmoving until he received the customary approval before taking his place among the others.

Shifting on the throne Tiberius straightened his posture as he awaited the arrival of the final two Guardians. Moments passed by and yet the reptilian bard remained noticeably quiet. The Dragonoid's fiery eyes shifted from the Kobold to the Rotunda's entrance and back again. When Kip continued to remain silent, his gaze locked onto the far side of the Rotunda, Tiberius turned to face the Guardian Overseer.

Yuliana could only offer a nervous smile in response as she too eyed the room's entrance. After what seemed like an eternity to the now stressed female Guardian the great doors finally parted. At the disturbance, the Dragonoid's attention shifted and Yuliana felt a sense of relief wash over her.

As the pair of figures drew closer the sounds of hushed and frantic conversation could be heard.

"Guardians of the First to Third Floors, Sirs Romulus and Remus."

Being allowed to finally announce the pair's arrival, Kip let out a relieved sigh and seemed to relax in his stance.

The brothers, Romulus and Remus, were so named in honour of the mythical figures who found the ancient city of Rome. Legends told the founders were brothers who were raised by a she-wolf in the wilds before going onto achieve greatness. So in keeping with this wolf motif, this pair of NPCs were created as werewolves.

On the right was Romulus, who could be said to be the younger of the pair.

Not to say that either looked particularly aged. Both looked to be fresh out of their teens and were perhaps somewhere in their early twenties.

Romulus was around average height with the lean build one tended to associate with that of an athletic runner. He was fair-skinned with auburn hair that he kept in a wind-swept style. Though he allowed his bangs to fall free. Overall his face was that of a handsome youth with eyes of amber-gold like honey. Before his eyes, he wore a set of small rectangular silver-rimmed spectacles that gave Romulus a certain scholarly appearance. Situated atop the young man's head, a pair of triangular fluffy wolf ears. Ears that perked up and twitched with any sound.

The young wolfman was well-dressed. On his torso, Romulus wore a plain long-sleeved white shirt beneath an emerald green jacketed vest. Over this, he possessed an azure-hued hooded cloak. Emblazoned upon the back of the long coat was the silhouette of a howling wolf head. Upon his legs he wore a pair of dark trousers, the ends of the baggy legs had been tucked into the tops of his shin-high boots. The boots he'd apparently taken time to polish to a mirror-like sheen. About his waist a soft brown leather belt with a number of small pouches. There was even a small book, no larger than a deck of cards, sat in a holster, and attached to the belt by a small chain.

Whereas Romulus was more fastidious about his appearance, it seemed that his brother was more the opposite.

In contrast, the elder brother, Remus, was a few inches taller with a far more muscular build. His skin had the soft tan colouration of someone who spent a fair amount of time outdoors. Being brothers Remus bore a resemblance to Romulus, primarily being that of a more rugged version of Romulus. Further enhancing the look were several scars. A trio of scars cut diagonally across his left cheek, a small scar lay across his lips, and a final scar sat on the bridge of his nose. He also sported a bit of facial hair in the form of trimmed beard stubble. Like his brother, he too had auburn hair. But where Romulus took time to groom and style his hair, Remus' hair was a shaggy and unkempt mess with stray locks of hair lay here and there at random. Like Romulus, Remus too possessed a set of wolf ears atop his head. Although the fur of his ears was much sleeker creating a more pronounced triangular appearance.

In his choice of clothing, Remus' more lax attitude showed forth.

He wore a simple pair of trousers, that looked to be made from something akin to canvas. These he'd tucked into the tops of his rough leather boots, the surface of which was marred by scrapes and several stains. Upon his torso, Remus wore an oversized V-neck black sleeveless shirt tucked into his waistband. Over this, he was adorned with the large pelt of an arctic dire wolf. The snow-white furred pelt functioned as a vest of sorts for him while the creature's furred head could be pulled up and worn as a hood. Draped around his neck a simple leather cord that held a trio of several inch-long fangs, the fangs of a forest dragon.

The pair did their best to pay little mind to the annoyed expressions worn by their fellow Floor Guardians. Instead, the brothers held their heads high and focused on their master waiting upon the throne.

As the others had done the two Guardians stopped before the dais and knelt. Their movements were mirrored by the other. The two lent forwards placing their hands upon the lowest step and touched their foreheads to the cold stone.

The pair held this position for several seconds before rearing back to sit upon their folded legs.

"Lord Tiberius, please forgive my brother and I for our apparent tardiness. We were inexorably detained before we could make our way here."

The spectacled young wolfman spoke in a calm and concise manner as one would expect of a professional.

"What my brother really means to say is he spent too much time fretting over his appearance."

This time it was the older brother who spoke with a far more casual tone. He'd even lent over to give his brother a friendly elbow nudge to the ribs. Though such a jest seemed lost on the more serious mannered individual.

Indeed, the clear difference between the brother's attitudes was apparent.

Romulus sat upon his folded legs, his spine held as straight as a board. He spared his brother only a cursory glance before returning his full attention to the Dragonoid seated upon the throne. However, even in that brief moment, his irritation was on full display.

Remus seemed to pay no heed to the fleeting look. The more rugged wolfman allowed his posture to slouch as he folded his arms behind his head. A look of boredom settling over his features.

"I am sorry brother. But some of us care that the proper decorum is observed beyond simply picking leaves from our hair and fleas from our pelts.

Hearing his younger brother's words set the elder wolfen's hackles on end. The triangular ears atop Remus' head lay flat as he turned to face his twin. Remus turned with rapid motion, his gaze falling upon the younger in a hardened stare. It was a threat, but more than that a challenge punctuated with a low growl.

Romulus shifted his amber-gold eyes meetings his brother's matching pair with an equally firm glare. His own ears lay flat as he took the display a step further with a slight lip curl to showcase his fangs.

Yet before the wolven spat could escalate any further someone interceded.

"Silence!"

Yuliana's voice rose with her ire to echo harshly throughout the chamber.

The wolven pair were quick to forget their disagreement and turned as one to face the Guardian Overseer.

Yuliana stared down at the pair. Her usual serene expression was now twisted by anger.

"Have you no shame?! Do you forget where it is you are?! Was it not bad enough that you have forced the master to wait upon you? But now this."

With each line of her tirade she took a step, and step-by-step she began to descend the throne dais.

"You are in the presence of the Supreme Lord of the Creators. And that you would choose to sully your positions as Guardians by acting like mewling pups. It is an outrage, a disgrace!"

After being admonished like a pair of children, the brother was quick to sulk like children.

Ears were pulled back against their scalps and their heads hung in sullen silence. Each stared at the ground beneath their boot-clad feet as if it held the answers they sought. Yet their own voices were not forthcoming to respond to the Guardian Overseer's comments.

"Take your place with the others."

Meekly the pair turned, their proverbial tails tucked between their legs, and slunk away. Their hurried footsteps were more of a shuffle as they kept their heads down. If they had thought the stares of their fellows were harsh before. Now their fellow Guardians met them with a new set of glares and disapproving head shakes.

Yuliana watched the wolven brothers slink off from her spot on the third step. As the pair took their place in line, she turned and moved to retake her place at the side of the master's throne.

From his seat on the throne, Tiberius had watched the proceedings. Though a part of him did feel bad for the brothers, the two did bring it on themselves with their childish antics. But more so the Dragonoid felt a certain sense of relief. Relief that it was not he that had been called upon to step in and end the short-lived quarrel.

However, with all the Floor Guardians now gathered and that distraction out of the way, all eyes now fell on him.

All right, I guess it's time to test the waters.

The Dragonoid grunted softly to clear his throat before rising from his seat.

"Before we begin I would like to thank you all for coming. Even those who were late in attendance."

At the kind words of their liege, the unnamed duo seemed to shrink back further.

"None would think to refuse your call."

"Indeed, to do otherwise would be a mark of sheer madness."

Similar words of praise were echoed by several others in the room.

"If I may, my lord?" one of the Guardians stepped forwards.

Tiberius inclined his head to look upon Gorkon, "You have a question?"

"I am sorry, Lord Tiberius. But shall we not wait for the arrival of the Area Guardians as well?"

"No, they will not be joining us at this time." The Dragonoid's baritone voice rumbled, "After this meeting, you are free to inform them of what you have learned here. However, for the constraints of time and the overall safety of the mountain. The Area Guardians shall be remaining at their posts."

"Understood," Gorkon bowed his head and retook his place amongst the others.

The Dragonoid eyed the other Floor Guardians and once satisfied there would be no words of contention returned to his seat. Once again the gemstone chair he took a brief to make himself comfortable before turning to Yuliana with a small nod.

Understanding the meaning behind her master's gesture, the Guardian Overseer returned it with a slight bow. Yuliana took a step towards the edge of the topmost step.

"Synnova, approach, and deliver the report of your findings to the master."

Her words were punctuated with a beckoning motion.

Heeding the call, the raven-haired Romanesque beauty stood up straighter –if such a thing were even possible- and strode forth to stand before the assemblage.

"Under the orders from Lord Tiberius, my fellow Valkyries and I set out from the mountain earlier this night. As directed we traveled out to a distance of three miles and circumnavigated the mountain's perimeter."

"And what did you find?"

"We discovered that the mountain of Tyrnaust is surrounded on all sides by dense forest land. To the northwest, there lies a great mountain chain. Near the foot of these mountains lays a lake, some miles across. To the east, we observed the forest continues for several leagues before giving way to flat grasslands. During our initial survey, we found no signs of habitation within the forest."

"Thank you, you may now step back."

Yuliana then performed a gentle motion no doubt to shoo away the Valkyrie.

Synnova bowed before her superiors and turned to retake her place amongst the others of her group.

Tiberius shifted on the throne, leaning forwards he rested his chin on his closed fist, and ran his thumb along his jaw. It was a habit he had of doing when he would think about interesting subjects.

This new information seemed to confirm his earlier theory.

Through some unknown means, Tyrnaust and all within had been transplanted from the green hills of Asgard to wherever this place was.

Well, at least whatever it was that brought us here was kind enough to drop us off near a mountain chain, instead of someplace where a mountain doesn't belong like those grasslands. Still though, if the area does have any inhabitants I'm sure they would be aware of a mountain being out of place.

Withdrawing from his thoughts Tiberius turned his gaze to the gathered NPCs. A variety of expressions were on exhibit across their faces. Looking upon them the Dragonoid decided it would be best to act quickly, lest this possible fear takes root amongst them.

His sudden rise from the shimmering gemstone throne made sure to garner the attention of the crowd.

"There you have it, the crux of the situation my Guardians. Through a means as of yet unknown to me, we have found ourselves in this new land."

The Dragonoid paused for a time. This allowed the NPCs time to adjust to the reality he had just presented to them. From what he could discern they seemed to have little trouble accepting it if there was any they didn't show it.

Feeling the moment he continued, "For now we don't know what lies beyond the green of the forests. Nor as to just what manner of threats may be lurking in this world. And yet, I am unshaken. For none of us are alone in this. We are together and our unity gives us strength…"

The Dragonoid made a grand sweeping movement with his arms as if to encompass the room in his grasp.

"We will not be cowed by this new world. We will rise to any challenge and crush it underfoot."

His words appeared to be having the desired effect. Gone were the looks of uncertainty evaporated to be replaced by vigor and mirth. As he gazed at the gathering of NPCs the Dragonoid could not help to recall his fellow members of the Sanguine Dragons, his friends. People who had crafted this cast of characters and helped to shape the guild into what it would become.

While they may not have been there with him, they could be said to be there in spirit. Their collective legacy was there all around him and it would continue through each of their creations.

"There are many uncertainties that stand before us. Yet we must be proactive in this endeavor. To remain ignorant of this world and its inhabitants is to invite disaster to our very doorstep. So to this end, we must expand our collective knowledge and discover just what awaits us out there.

Koraboros, I hereby place you in charge of Tyrnaust's intelligence-gathering capabilities."

At the calling of his name, the aforementioned demon lord placed a hand atop his heart and bowed.

"I thank you for this honour, my master. I pledge to fulfill this task to the best of my abilities."

"I have no doubts that you will. Furthermore, Mathias, I wish for you to make use of the divination crystal. Begin surveying the lands that surround the mountain, coordinate your efforts with Koraboros."

The fae's canine skull-head moved in a silent nod of understanding.

"As with any undertaking, there will come potential risk alongside the rewards. In time our presence will become known and it will draw others. Of this, I have no misgivings. Thusly we cannot simply assume that all those we meet will be peaceful. We must be ready and able to defend ourselves, aggressively if needed, against all who would wish to harm us.

Yuliana, though you are the Guardian Overseer I would like you to cooperate with Koraboros and Aeon in this matter. In all matters pertaining to this, I expect all others to follow their commands."

"I and my fellow Guardians shall not fail you, my lord."

Again, Tiberius paused.

"My trust in each of you is unequivocal and I know you will perform your duties to the best of your ability. But always remember this, there is an ancient proverb which states a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. A weakness of one is a weakness shared by all. So we must support one another, work together and our combined strength will carry us through this."

As the Dragonoid fell silent there came an outpour of cheers from those gathered. Words of undying praise and unyielding declarations of loyalty were heaped upon the draconic figure.

Tiberius atop the dais and simply allowed their acclamation to wash over him. With their words came a feeling of exhilaration and a newfound vigor that filled him. As if without thought the Dragonoid descended the podium to stand amongst the NPCs.

Standing at the base Tiberius swiveled and turning his gaze up at the female Guardian positioned beside the throne.

"Yuliana, walk with me for a time."

The Guardian Overseer's posture seemed to go rigid in reaction to her master's words. However, with a gentle nod, she acquiesced and began to descend the multi-tiered platform. Upon reaching the base she took her place at his side and followed in stride as he began to make for the Rotunda's distant entrance.

Although Yuliana may have appeared calm on the outside it was quite the opposite on the inside. Within the confines of her mind, a storm of uncertainty raged and a flurry of questions dominated her thoughts.

Why had the Supreme Creator requested her to accompany him?

Did he wish to impart further instructions away from the distractions of the others?

Or perhaps he was still displeased with her earlier behavior and had chosen to admonish her out of sight of her fellow Guardians.

Soon enough the sounds of the others faded from earshot as they moved further away from the Throne Room.

Occasionally as the pair strode through the carpeted foyer Yuliana would sneak a glance at her master. In doing so she did her best to study the expression worn on his draconic visage. Unfortunately, much like it was reptiles –including her own true form-, their scaled countenance made their emotions and inner thoughts difficult to discern. That is unless it was something powerful they wished to display, such as the Dragonoid's earlier outburst of fury.

The Dragonoid hesitated briefly as the pair came to the great cathedral-style doors of the entrance. He rested the flat of his palm against the cool metallic surface and swiveled his head as if to ensure that the Guardian Overseer had kept up. With a push, the doors parted just wide enough to allow their passage.

Tiberius remained to hold the door and with a polite gesture indicated for Yuliana to proceed through the gap. No sooner had the exotic beauty passed before him than Tiberius followed suit.

Outside the pinnacle was washed in a gentle night breeze.

Yuliana moved a short distance away to stand beside one of the great marble columns that marked the front of the Rotunda. She kept her hands clasped tightly to stop herself from fidgeting.

The Guardian Overseer gazed out over the pinnacle plaza. Behind her, she could the slight rumble of the Titanite doors closing before meeting with a clank. Then came the soft clink of armoured plates and clack of claws upon the stone as her master approached.

"I know you are no doubt curious as to why I asked you to come with me. Truth is I wished to address what happened earlier away from prying eyes and ears."

Hearing those words leave her master's mouth only served to confirm her earlier fears.

So it was true, he was simply offering her a kindness by not reprimanding her in front of the others. It was a kindness she did not deserve. She had failed in her duties as a Guardian and failure meant punishment.

Steeling herself, Yuliana turned to face her master and accept whatever punishment was going to be doled out.

"I wish to apologize to you for my actions. My outburst was uncalled for and it was cruel of me to direct it at you and the others. So I ask if you can forgive me for it?"

The Guardian Overseer stood unmoving, surely she'd misheard what he'd said. The words he'd spoken couldn't have been true and that it was simply wishful thinking on her part. Inclining her head Yuliana looked over her superior's face, his eyes were soft and the inner fire that once blazed seemed tempered. It told her his words were indeed earnest.

Tiberius looked on, feeling more nervous by the moment. Subconsciously he clenched his hands feeling the talons press against his palms.

He had hoped the matter would be simple, he'd say his piece, and then she'd give her answer. However, after he'd given his apology the Guardian Overseer just stared at him blankly.

"Yuliana?"

The sound of her name seemed to bring the female Guardian back from wherever she'd gone.

"B-but my lord, you have nothing to apologize for. 'Tis I and my fellow Guardians that are the ones to ask for forgiveness. For it was we who failed you."

Yuliana lowered her head, her gaze directed towards the cold marble rather than to the being before her. Having to say those words aloud, having to admit to those thoughts seemed to make the shame and guilt more palpable.

"What do you mean?"

Resolutely Yuliana raised her head.

"As Floor Guardians the entirety of our existence is hinged on our ability to fulfill our duty. We are to protect the creators from any outside threat. Yet we failed to notice any of what has transpired. It was only you, Lord Tiberius. The sole being amongst us who was aware that anything had happened."

She paused.

"And as you sought to understand it, we… I only served to distract you from your goal. We failed, and in our failure, we could have brought doom down upon us all. But most importantly to you. You are the last of those who gave us life that yet remains with us. If something were to happen to you, we Guardians wouldn't be able to live with ourselves."

The Dragonoid stared down at the woman before him.

To say he was surprised was quite the understatement, this was not a reaction he was expecting.

In his life, he'd had plenty of interactions with the opposite sex. From friends to coworkers, he'd seen them react in a myriad of different ways. He'd been there to see them cry and even offered comfort to some. But rarely, at least far as he knew, was he ever the cause for one to be so upset.

To see Yuliana before him, the emotion raw upon her face like this. It reminded him that this was not a game anymore. This was real and he was dealing with real people.

For the next several moments the two individuals stood in silence. Each taking the time to process what had been said.

A soft breeze wafted through to dislodge several strands of Yuliana's raven locks to cascades freely over her face.

"You did not fail."

The low rumble of the Dragonoid's voice cut through the silence.

"None of you have failed me. All of us were caught off guard by this. There was no way any could have predicted this would happen. Even if you had been aware, what could you have done? You did the best that you could and that is what matters most."

Reaching out Tiberius brushed away the strands of hair from the beauty's face. His scaled fingers gently grazing her flesh as he tucked the hair behind her ear. He wasn't sure why he did so and was quick to withdraw his hand after doing so.

His actions seemed to have been equally surprising to Yuliana, a slight blush quickly enveloping her cheeks.

The Dragonoid gave a light cough, "The day has been a long one. I will be returning to my quarters for the time being. Contact me if anything new occurs."

As the Guardian Overseer nodded softly, Tiberius turned and began to make his way down the Rotunda steps to the plaza below.

Yuliana stood rooted to the spot, something compelling her to stay until Tiberius had disappeared from her sight. Reaching up she carefully traced her fingers along the patch of skin the Dragonoid's own scaled flesh had graced. In doing so she felt a noticeable increase in ambient temperature.

Or at least that's what she would've claimed if anyone had asked.

Unwilling to face her compatriots at the moment, the Guardian Overseer continued to wait until the feeling had dissipated.

Opening the might doors Yuliana couldn't help notice the lone figure that stood just inside the foyer.

"Eavesdropping, Lyleth?"

From her position leaning against one of the obsidian columns, the Erinyes broke out in a toothy smile.

"Oh, but I wish I could. Unfortunately, those doors are far too thick and I'm not one to muss up my hair by pressing my ear to them."

Pushing off the pillar the winged beauty approached Yuliana. The slow roll of her hips with each step she took was something the Guardian Overseer couldn't help but notice.

"So what did the master want to speak with you about?"

Yuliana crossed her arms below her bust.

"It does not concern you."

"Oh come now, you can tell me. I know how to keep a secret."

Lyleth circled the other female. Halfway around she leaned forwards, her hair tickling Yuliana's right shoulder.

"Was it something special? Something saucy, something intimate?"

The fallen angel's voice was little but a low and husky whisper.

The tone and implications therein struck a chord with the Guardian Overseer.

"Even if such things were discussed, I would definitely not be telling you about them!"

"Oh," Lyleth's voice dripped with sarcastic disappointment while a smug grin spread across her features. "So, I guess the others were right after all. It was just business after all. But I guess that is to be expected."

The Erinyes finished her circle of the other female and now stood before her.

"After all, aside from your shared reptilian natures. Though I couldn't compare the majesty of his draconic being to the slinky tube you call a body. I can't think of anything the master would care to do with you. I, on the other hand. I mean who could say no to this?"

Turning away Lyleth strode several lengths away before turning back. However, as she did the Guardian of the Fourth Floor chose to strike a rather salacious pose.

Lengths of her snow-white hair cascaded to partially obscure her face. Her eyes were half-lidded in a manner typically referred to as bedroom eyes. Luscious lips pursed in a seductive smirk. She was partially turned at the waist, the uneven position of shoulders combined with the turn did well to emphasize her prominent bust. While she'd done something similar with her legs. The left leg was held back while the right was thrust forwards with a slight bend at the knee. This allowed the cut of her gown to make a full showing of her upper thigh.

"You should be careful, Lyleth. Else I might just have to pluck those chicken wings of yours."

Yuliana hissed out through clenched teeth as her eyes narrowed into a harsh glare at the other female.

An odd smile came over the Erinyes as she dropped the pose and moved closer.

"You know, I could always use a new pair of boots. Perhaps the master might find them rather fetching, you overgrown handbag."

Both females squared their shoulders, their muscles tensed, and their eyes locked in hardened stares as they began to size each other up.

The standoff ended only with the sounds of heavily armoured footfalls.

"Is it not unfitting to belittle others for the same behaviors you display, Lady Yuliana?"

Disrupted the two females forgot about their spat and straightened up. Turning the pair looked to the one-eyed gentleman who had addressed them.

Clearing her throat the Guardian Overseer disengaged from Lyleth and moved to join the Chief Attendant.

"You are right, Nido. I do despise lowering myself to such base levels." Yuliana paused momentarily to eye the Fallen Angel. "But it is the only means of communication some lesser creatures seem able to understand."

Lyleth's response was a sharp-eyed stare at the back of the raven-haired Guardian. The Erinyes Guardian watched the pair move for a moment before following suit.

Back within the confines of the Rotunda's Throne Room, the others stood gathered about in conversations.

It was here that the Chief Attendant and the Guardian Overseer parted company. With a bow, Nido moved to return to his usual place. While Yuliana sought out the other Floor Guardians. In doing so she found herself attracted to the conversation being had between the Demon Lord and the Fae Abomination.

"Koraboros, Mathias" Yuliana received a nod of acknowledgment for her greeting. "I take it you two are discussing how to carry out the task the master assigned."

The taller of the pair tilted his skull-like head. "Indeed, we have been discussing the matter most thoroughly. As the master has decreed I shall begin surveying the lands that surround the mountain. And should I discover any signs of habitation I will pass along the information to Koraboros."

"Once I have the information in hand, I will dispatch a selection of minions to conduct a thorough investigation of the location. The units will consist of creatures that specialize in stealth. Beings such as Shadow Demons, Mimics, and others of that ilk. This will allow us to maximize efficiency by not having to waste time or resources on random searches.

"And what plans do you have in mind for the defense of the mountain itself?" the resolute voice of the Seraphim interjected.

The Demon Lord turned to face his karmic opposite.

"For the time being, I suggest we continue operating under the high alert status. At least until a more in-depth measure of our surroundings is taken and the full extent of our resources is known."

"You speak true," Aeon nodded, "I must concur. One cannot conduct a battle without knowing their forces. And only a fool would do battle in unknown terrain."

"Very well, for now, we shall continue operating under the high alert."

"Then if my presence is no longer necessary, I believe I shall return to the Orrery and begin preparations for the divination."

Mathias bowed to his compatriots, receiving an acknowledging nod from each in turn before turning and left for the exit.

The three that remained continued to exchange ideas before separating.

Koraboros was the first to move off and was soon rejoined by Lyleth before the pair followed Mathias' example and left the Rotunda. Soon thereafter others began to filter out of the Throne Room. Aeon and Naziah were the next to depart and head back to their respective floors.

As Yuliana watched the others she was soon approached by a familiar pair of wolven brothers.

Romulus and his brother, Remus, still carried themselves with the same bearing as they had when receiving their reprimand. Their shoulders were hunched, their wolven ears folded flat to their scalps, and the same morose look mirrored across their features.

"Lady Yuliana."

it was Romulus who addressed her, his voice low and soft. As he spoke the younger brother held himself in a half bowed position. His eyes aimed squarely upon the sapphire tile work underfoot.

"We wish to express our regret for our atrocious behavior. You were correct when you said it was shameful and unworthy of someone entrusted by the creators to guard their realms."

Yuliana stood before the pair, her thoughts hidden behind a mask of impassivity. No sooner had Romulus finished speaking than her gaze shifted to the elder brother.

Remus remained upright seemed less concerned by the matter. However, his eyes roamed the room, he would shift gaze everywhere but to the Guardian Overseer.

"Yeah, my brother's right."

The older brother's tone was one of sincerity as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry for egging him on like that. It's just that he makes it so difficult sometimes. What with his prim and proper attitude." That last remark again earned a glare from the younger twin. "But you're both right, I made an ass of myself. And in front of Lord Tiberius too."

The shaggy-haired wolfman groaned.

"Geez, you don't think he's really mad. Do you?"

Yuliana remained as expressionless as she weighed the twin's plea. After what seemed like an eternity to the tension was lifted.

"That such behavior happened at all is inexcusable," the raven-haired beauty's voice still held an agitated tone, "However, I am glad to see the two of you have to your senses. Still, I cannot speak as to the master's state of mind on the matter. That you will have to take up with him. As for myself, you are forgiven. Perhaps this will serve as a lesson for the two of you."

Though the brothers stood in restrained silence, Yuliana was sure they were turning flips on the inside. A clear tell was the fact their triangular ears had once more perked up and swiveled freely.

"See I told you, bro," the elder twin blurted out, "We weren't going to be banished or whatever it was you were blathering about."

Their lightened mood, however, was somewhat short-lived as the Guardian Overseer spoke.

"Just because you have been forgiven does not mean you are escaping without punishment."

Their ears drooped once more as they gazed up at the female Guardian. A feeling of foreboding descended on them as a smile crested her lips.

o – o – o – o

Tiberius shut the door behind him. This time remembering to get the entirety of his tail through the threshold first this time.

Once again within the confines of his abode on the Ninth Floor, the Dragonoid felt his energy flee from him. He felt utterly drained as he sagged against the wooden barricade. It felt like he was submerged in quicksand and every movement seemed to sap more of his strength.

Leaning against the door Tiberius reflected on the events that had just transpired.

I haven't been that nervous since my days as an intern. Though it wasn't as bad as when the boss called on me to give that presentation. Still, I hope I didn't screw anything up with that impromptu speech. I just wanted to put them at ease and make a show of leadership. I mean it always worked back in the office for lifting the team's spirits.

Thinking back on the moment, the Dragonoid recalled the calls and words of praise the NPCs hurled his way. Perhaps his idea had worked and he'd lifted their spirits. It had certainly helped him feel better. He'd felt quite invigorated at the moment.

That feeling had only last so long.

No sooner had entered the Ninth Floor than he began to feel rather tired. Currently, Tiberius felt as though he could just collapse and sleep here by the door.

Gods above I am tired though.

While the idea was appealing, he knew doing so would only mean waking up with many an ache.

Rather sluggishly he rose and began to make his way towards the bedroom at the far end of the building. Upon entering his destination Tiberius didn't bother to close the door behind him. Instead, he merely stood there eyeing the oversized bed with an innate desire.

However, he stopped in his tracks by the clink of the armour plates he wore. Turning his attention away from that oh so welcoming slice of pillowy heaven. He glared at the offending metal encasing his draconic body.

Damn it! There's no way I can sleep in this getup.

Shifting he trudged his way to the mirrored nook.

Fiery orange eyes shifted about his reflection for the second time this day.

The Dragonoid's eyes wandered over the elaborate metallic plating that guarded his form. The removal of the armour would be a tedious chore but it was doable. It was just the simple matter of unfastening the various straps that held the armour to his body. However, there was one thing that would hinder him.

His wings.

How am I supposed to get this stuff off with those in the way?! Back in YGGDRASIL, they didn't matter. I all had to do was just deselect the armour in my inventory menu and select another piece if I wanted. Hell, for that matter I had the bonus of my wings being a toggleable feature.

The Dragonoid focused on the problematic appendages as he went thinking of a means of the armour's removal.

It was as Tiberius' thought on the matter that a curious sensation came over him.

At first, the feeling was a sort of minor tingle as his wings shook and flexed of their own accord. Then startlingly they began to shrink!

Muscles atrophied while flesh and bone seemed to simply vanish into the ether. Inch by inch the wings receded, becoming smaller with each second. It was a shocking experience to watch as once-mighty wings were reduced to simple protrusions of bone and flesh along his spine. Smaller still they grew until they amounted to little more than nub-like protuberances. Then they disappeared entirely.

The Dragonoid spun in place, rotating to the left then the right as he stared at the reflection of his back in the mirrors.

Tiberius didn't know how long this process had taken.

Mere moments? Or perhaps was it minutes?

Whatever the timetable had been didn't matter to the Dragonoid. No, what mattered was the fact a part of him was now gone. As if to add another layer to the mystery, the back plate of the cuirass had been altered. Whereas before there had been strategically cut holes, placed there for the wings, was now naught but smooth metal.

Inquisitively Tiberius reached behind him. His taloned fingers running across the cold metal of the armour seemed to confirm this was not some kind of illusion.

H-h-how…W-what the hell just happened?! Where are my wings?

Tiberius' mind whirled at this.

Did this mean that gameplay features had also carried over from YGGDRASIL?

Within YGGDRASIL, appendages such as wings, horns, and some others had models that could be toggled off. This option was purely for cosmetic purposes. After who wanted to see a character's horns clipping through a cool new helm? Or a set of wings interfering with the look of a new armour piece.

When toggled on, however, just as with his gear, armour and clothing would have simple holes to address the clipping issue. Not very aesthetically pleasing but it worked for the sake of explaining things.

Maybe whatever had just happened was this reality's way of interpreting this particular game mechanic. As freaky as it was.

But new questions quickly dawned on him. Could he get his wings back?

The Dragonoid's thoughts turned once again to his wings and he soon received his answer.

The process was much the same only in reverse. First came the rending of the armour as the buds of his wings began to sprout. Like saplings, they grew from the flesh of his back. Lengthening and widening the appendages grew as the flesh was molded to form. Bones and muscles stretched as leathery membranes connected the wing's digits. Before long the Dragonoid's wings had returned in all their glory.

Instinctively Tiberius unfurled the wings. Though the confines of the mirrored nook prevented the wings from being outstretched to their full span. Still, it felt good to stretch his muscles. Testing Tiberius willed the wings to move and move they did, generating a short yet strong gust.

So my wings are retractable?! I guess this means that some options still function here. Then if that's the case I wonder what else still works?

It was an interesting proposition for Tiberius.

The subject had to do with the choice of his avatar's chosen race. Within YGGDRASIL there were three racial classes: Humanoid, Demi-Human, and Heteromorphic.

Humanoids were by far the most common and numerous types: Humans with a few subtypes, various types of Elves, and an equally diverse array of Dwarves.

Demi-Humans came next, and they consisted primarily of the near-human types. Beings such as Goblins, Giants, Ogres, and others. But it also contained numerous types of Beastfolk. Creatures like Kobolds, Lizardmen, Merfolk, Minotaurs, Nagas, Centaurs, Gnolls, were just some of the most common.

Finally, there were the Heteromorphic races.

These were the least human of all races available to a player to choose from. Often being termed the Monstrous Races by other players. Things like: Dragonoids, Doppelgangers, Lycanthropic races, Dryads, Fae species, Golems and Half-Golems, a variety of Insect races, and of course the Undead. The most popular of those being the Liches and Vampires.

Heteromorphic races were the least prevalent choice for players in YGGDRASIL. The reason for many was while they could attain some of the strongest endgame stats. They were hampered by only being able to achieve this through racial levels.

This meant they had to sacrifice XP on increasing their racial level, while others could instead focus on spending XP increasing job-classes.

Humanoids typically lacked racial levels entirely and Demi-Humans sometimes had one or two levels. However, Heteromorphic races stereotypically had a minimum of three evolutionary stages. As players gained levels they could invest in their avatar's racial level. This in turn would unlock new more powerful forms of their chosen race alongside unique abilities.

One of these special abilities granted to some was the capacity of transforming into a human-like form.

As luck would have it, Dragonoids was one such race.

Tiberius again fell into his old habit and performed his breathing exercise as he did his best to calm his mind.

Moments ticked by as he sifted through his memories, recalling the time when first began his adventure in YGGDRASIL. It was then when he'd first decided to play a Dragonoid that he had to design the avatar's base humanoid form.

With the proper memory, Tiberius envisioned the design he'd created that day.

The air around him grew hazy as if a light fog had rolled into his bedroom. The fog grew thicker and thicker still until his entire body was obscured behind the veil. In the mirrors before, the Dragonoid could still make out the general shape of his body but none of the details.

The silhouette in the mirror began to change. Its height shrank rather dramatically losing nearly two feet as his body shifted and changed.

Slowly the murkiness receded and the curtain was lifted.

Gone was the eight-foot-tall draconic being. Now staring back at him from the mirror was a different face.

The human in the mirror stood around six and a half feet with an appearance that would suggest mid to late twenties. Although the armour he wore had shrunk to fit this new form it still added considerable size to his body. Yet Tiberius knew that under that bulk his body was lean and with strong musculature. Overall his face could be said to be handsome. Clean-shaven with slim symmetry, thin lips, defined cheekbones, and a rugged jawline. His once orange-red eyes that seemed to blaze with an inner light were gone. In their place, a set of cool steely blue stared back from the reflection. The expression currently worn on his features made him appear rather serious, almost grim, with a piercing stare. Atop his head was a crop of shaggy dark brown hair. The hair was not quite at shoulder length but was approaching it with a layered styling and given a sort of windswept look.

So it is possible. Well, at least now if we do find anyone out there I can better blend in. And it looks like my armour changes with me. That's good, I'd hate to be stuck with gear I can't use because it's too big.

Tiberius stood looking over his now human appearance. It was an odd feeling. So strange to be human once again but not to be himself.

But more than that it felt fake.

The Dragonoid couldn't put his finger on it but it just felt as if something was off about this form. To best explain it he supposed it was akin to wearing a mask. That this form was just a façade, a disguise that he had adopted. Oddly enough he realized that this was a sensation that he'd not experienced in the time he'd spent in his more pure draconic form.

As his thoughts turned again to his draconic visage, it seemed to again trigger the transformation.

The misty veil returned to surround him and in a matter of moments, the changes wrought on him were undone.

Once more Tiberius stood gazing upon the majesty of what he would call his true face, and with it came a feeling of comfort and satisfaction.

Rather thrilled by the results of his little experiment, Tiberius returned to the subject that had started all this. His hands roved over his body as buckle after buckle was undone. One strap after another was loosened and the many pieces of his armour were slowly removed.

If I had known I'd being doing this by hand one day I'd have installed a quick-change option in this armour.

The Dragonoid paused momentarily as he eyed the portion of the armour he held within his hands.

I wonder if I still can? The whole mountain is here, so that would mean that everything is here. I wonder if the data crystals still work. I guess that's something to look into.

Tiberius felt relieved as the last piece of the armour was set aside to join the rest in a nearby pile of metal bits. Following this came the task of removing the clothing worn underneath.

First was the padded gambeson made from thick layers of dark blue cloth. Beneath that, a loose-fitted V-neck shirt seemed to shimmer. As the Dragonoid recalled it was woven from mithril threads, surprising it moved like cloth and weighed like silk. Next the trousers of dragon leather that were comfortably loose upon him. The odd feature of a third leg, or more accurately a sleeve, was for his tail.

The sleeve, much like the pant's waistband, had two rows of belt loops encircling it. This was to accommodate the pair of belts which allowed him to adjust the sleeve for a snug fit around his tail.

Attached to the sleeve were a set of straps with gold buckles which allowed him to adjust the sleeve for a snug fit.

Taking hold of the shirt's excess the Dragonoid tugged it free of the trouser's waistband and repositioning his hands yanked the shirt upwards over his head.

At least, that's what he'd planned to happen.

Unfortunately, the metallic cloth had gotten snagged upon his reptilian muzzle and balled up under his horns. Though this was quickly sorted as he freed his head before balling up the shirt, tossing it aside with an irritated huff.

The Dragonoid set his hands upon his waist, thumbs hooking under the waistband of his trousers. He held them there for a moment before remembering the second set of drawstrings that needed to be dealt with.

Craning his head, the Dragonoid watched his mirrored reflection.

He reached behind him and fiddled with the golden buckle of the first belt. Once he'd pulled the tongue free of the buckle he repeated the process with the second. In doing so he felt the slight pressure they'd been applying to his tail relax. Without the straps, the sleeve split and fell away.

Finally came time to remove the garment. He once again placed hooked his thumbs beneath the waistband. Tiberius took a breath and then pushed the pants down along the length of his legs.

Thankfully his pant legs were roomy enough to easily accommodate the animalistic configuration of his legs.

He'd slipped only one leg free and with a kick of his other leg, the trousers were flung through the air to join the shirt.

For the first time, Tiberius was looking at this new body of his without the obtrusive coverings. That is save for a pair of simple undergarments that clung to his pelvis.

Without the armour and clothing to get in the way he could fully appreciate his draconic visage.

Scales the colour of dark gold-covered his flesh, while those that ran from the underside of his jaws, down his throat, along his abdomen, and then to his inner thighs were silver in colour.

Turning Tiberius inspected the scales of his broad back.

Here the scales were large and ridged much like crocodile scutes. These ridges ran the entire length of his back, from the horns on his scalp down to his tail. Upon reaching his tail the individual rows merged to form a singular row. This row diminished in size the further it traversed the lengthy appendage.

In his examination, he discovered the scales around the areas of his joints such as his inner elbow, underarms, and the back of his knees were all rather minuscule. This seemed in line with his previous assumption that the fine scales were there to limit friction and allow for ease of movement.

The Dragonoid's scaly hide was much thicker than any human skin and would provide good protection. Beyond that, it also obscured some of his musculature. Though the thick cords of sinewy muscle were still clearly visible. From the well-developed muscle of his arms, each looking about as thick as his thighs had once been. To the broad pectorals and his well-defined abdominals alongside the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and back.

He watched in rapt fascination as each movement sent a ripple through the muscle. Like a child, he made simple movements at first taking note as muscles bulged as they contracted while others expanded to lay smooth.

Unable to resist the budding temptation, Tiberius raised his arms and flexed his biceps as he'd seen done in many films. Next, he placed his hands upon his hips, the Dragonoid tightened his abs and pectorals. As excitement built, vanity reared itself within the Dragonoid as he began to mimic every pose he'd ever seen an athlete strike.

Throughout the entirety of the ordeal, a smug grin was plastered across his draconic muzzle. This truly was a body that would have struck any professional athlete, or bodybuilder for that matter, with a sense of envy.

"Damn!" the word was punctuated by his slow pronouncement. "I never would've imagined I'd be this ripped. I bet I could take on a full wrestling team easy."

With all his posing the Dragonoid couldn't help but eye the last vestment of his wardrobe. Returning a more typical stance Tiberius placed his hands on his hips. He had to admit that his curiosity about lay concealed by that cloth was rather strong.

Yet at the same time, he couldn't bring himself to face it. After all, he'd been lucky that aside from a few main differences the rest of this body was a fairly typical affair. But who knew what kinds of changes had occurred to that particular piece of his anatomy.

Repressing that urge to satisfy his curiosity Tiberius allowed his arms to drop to his sides as he turned away from the mirrors.

Leaving the mirror nook behind him, the Dragonoid trudged towards the beckoning bed.

Standing at its edge he just about threw himself onto the massive pillow-like mattress. On impact, the Dragonoid's bulk sank deep into the overstuffed cushion.

This level of comfort was a foreign concept to him, seeing as back on earth all he had was the standard-issue flat mattress. The mattress, if you could call it that, was little more than a thin slab of rather firm foam padding.

Compared to that, this was on a whole different level. It was like being able to lay upon a fluffy cloud.

Extending his arm, he grasped one of the many furred pelts and dragged it over top himself. Although his mental exhaustion combined with the warmth and plush softness beneath him did their best to force him to sleep. He still could not.

For as he lay there under the dim glow of the mage lights, alone with nothing but his thoughts for company. New and invasive questions crept into the forefront of his mind.

Was he dead?

Had he suffered an aneurysm or perhaps a heart attack as he lay connected to his Neural Interface. Was it possible that this was some kind of afterlife? A reward of some kind, crafted for him to enjoy.

Or since magic seems to exist within this world, had some sort of magic been involved in a transference? Was his apartment now sitting vacant since his abduction and subsequent transformation? Or what if it was only his mind that had been absconded with, meanwhile his old body was left lying there in a coma or something.

How long would take anyone to notice his absence from work, or even care? How long would it be before anyone would stumble upon his vegetative body? Could his body die before then?

So many questions came to him. But perhaps one of the most unnerving was this one in particular.

What if he really wasn't abducted, but what if instead he had been merely cloned?

Could it be that his mind had been copied into this duplicate of his YGGDRASIL avatar? Was it possible all this was happening while his true self was back on earth living his life completely unaware of any of this?

Could this explain why he felt so comfortable in this alien body?

Tiberius could just picture it.

YGGDRASIL's servers had shut down as planned. He'd awoken from his brief nap to find himself still connected to his rig. He'd take a moment to tidy up before going to bed. Then morning would come and he'd go about his routine.

If that was true what did this mean for him? Was he truly an individual or merely a copy? Did he have a soul or was he just a vessel with implanted memories? Created by some experiment for some unknown purpose.

The more he thought about it the more his mind reeled at this.

Tiberius had no answers to any of the dilemmas that plagued his thoughts and it left him feeling very unsure of himself.

However, there was one thing he was certain of.

There would be no answers forthcoming anytime soon and that sleep would come easy to him this night.

o – o – o – o

The night had come and gone in the blink of an eye.

That is after Tiberius had finally managed to quiet his mind enough to let sleep take him.

Rousing himself from his slumber proved to be a disorientating affair for the Dragonoid. Flame coloured eyes scanned the room around him in a bewildered haze. For a moment Tiberius was rather befuddled as he tried to regain his bearings and remember where it was he found himself.

As more of his brain was dragged from its hibernation his wits returned.

Recalling the events of the previous night the Dragonoid felt a fleeting sense of relief. At least he knew where he was.

Laying in the warm and soothing embrace of his rather plush bed was a difficult feeling to resist.

However, his desire to remain was quickly being overcome by another more pressing desire. It was a primal urge, an urged he'd experienced nearly every morning of his waking life. The call of nature now gripped his bladder firmly and was not relenting.

Gripping the pelt he'd used for a blanket, Tiberius was quite to toss it aside.

In sitting up he became acutely aware of a painful tightness in the muscles of his neck. A quick stretch and vigorous rub down was all he could do to assuage the soreness.

Shifting his gaze to the mattress he examined the pillow that once cradled his head. The pillow now had a very clear divide in the stuffing and was almost completely flat in this void.

That was the culprit that was responsible for the pain he now experienced.

To the Dragonoid's best guess as he'd moved in his sleep, he'd inadvertently shifted the pillow stuffing. With no stuffing to support his skull, he sank. This in turn had caused his horns to prop his head up in such a way to make his chin rest upon his chest. Now he was simply dealing with the results of sleeping in that position.

Tiberius narrowed his eyes and glared at the pillow. Lashing out he grasped the cushion, his taloned fingers sinking deep into the padding. Then with a growl of frustration, he threw it to the other side of his oversized bed.

Ugh, I'm gonna need a better pillow. Or at least multiple pillows.

When he again felt the gnawing urge claw at his awareness did he rise from the bed. Exiting the bedroom he passed through the only other door in the hallway.

This was his private washroom.

In YGGDRASIL it was purely there for aesthetics. After all, what house would be complete without a bathroom?

Inside it was the stereotypical bathroom. There was a sink against the left wall with an oval mirror positioned above it. There was the toilet and thankfully it looked like it was large enough to accommodate his size. Then there was the large tub that was recessed into the floor, making it appear more like a small pool.

In setting eyes upon that porcelain throne, he'd never been so glad he'd taken role-playing so seriously as to create this once useless room.

Approaching his goal, Tiberius realized that with this his earlier curiosity would be answered.

Disentangling himself from the last of his clothing the Dragonoid was left bare as a newborn. The last of his body's secrets were now laid equally bare to him.

Inclining his head the Dragonoid took the opportunity to study this bit of his new anatomy.

It appeared his genitals reflected his more bestial nature.

His malehood was encased within a scale-covered tube of flesh, an animalistic sheath similar to what a dog or a horse would have. Looking things over he was glad to find the family jewels had remained external, sheltered in much the same manner as before. Only now with tiny scales covering the flesh.

The bizarreness of the sight caused the Dragonoid to mentally freeze up, seemingly at a loss at how to proceed.

Though as his luck would have it, nature was there to readily guide him where conscious thought had failed him.

As the pressure grew stronger, the scaled flesh of the sheath relaxed allowing his more intimate parts to free itself. With that part over with it was just a matter of taking things in hand and of having a proper aim.

After alleviating himself of that immediate problem, the Dragonoid now found that he was free to conduct a proper examination. In looking over this particular piece of flesh Tiberius found it to be strangely transfixing. It certainly was a far cry different from what he'd been used to seeing every day of his life.

The first thing he noted was the obvious increase in size when compared to his original bits. Then there was the shape. The shaft was thick with what appeared to be several ridges along the underside and was surprisingly rubbery yet firm. The tip rather than being blunt and rounded as typical was more pointed. Now the end resembled more of a spearhead than a battering ram.

What followed in his inspection amounted to little more than crude fondling. The sensations and desires that began to well up left him reminiscing back to his days as a fumbling teenager and the discoveries of puberty.

The Dragonoid was incredibly grateful for the fact no one was around to witness this. If there were, Tiberius was certain he'd die of shame.

As was to be expected from this stimulation Tiberius had provoked a primal reaction.

The Dragonoid's body had taken a different interpretation of his actions and had reacted. Desire welled up within him as a new urge reared up to make its presence known. As the feeling surged from his loins, the pillar of flesh swelled and rose to salute as it throbbed in tune with his heartbeat. Not since his teen years and his sticky fumblings had been so utterly embarrassed.

Heat crept across his face until he felt as though he might just burst into flames. Not wishing to deal with these new instincts and cravings, Tiberius quickly abandoned his experimentation.

Crossing his arms, the Dragonoid simply stood there doing his best to ignore the incessant throbbing of his loins. He even turned his gaze to the ceiling as if to even look upon himself would only make the urges more real.

Moments ticked by at a sluggish pace. But eventually, his efforts were rewarded.

The persistent urge began to fade and the rush of blood receded. Deprived of further stimuli his intimate appendage shrank. Returning to its flaccid state the muscles of his body took over and retracted the length of flesh back into its scaly covering.

This is gonna take some getting used to. Though I guess it could be worse. I could've chosen to be a slime or something. Or I could've done like DeMonst r and gone with a female avatar.

The Dragonoid paused for a moment, his gaze turning to the reflection in the mirror over the sink. Looking over his body Tiberius took a second to envision a female version of himself and shuddered. That would have been an entirely different set of issues to deal with and it was not something he wanted to deal with.

With a shake of his head, Tiberius rid himself of the image. Reaching out he depressed the lever and hearing the familiar whooshing sound he turned to leave the room.

Wait a second, how does the plumbing work?

Deciding it was a mystery he'd rather leave unsolved Tiberius returned to the bedroom.

Entering the room, his first move was to get dressed. The armour remained in the pile where it had been placed after its removal. However, as his eyes roamed the room there seemed to be no signs of his clothing.

Puzzled by this the Dragonoid performed a quick search. He searched around and on the bed only to turn up nothing.

He wondered if perhaps one of the Nymphs had tidied up the room while he slept. After all, it was one of their tasks to clean and maintain the quarters of guild members.

Unable to locate his clothing the Dragonoid crossed the room to the large wardrobe near the mirror nook.

The wardrobe's doors swung open wide to reveal a void within. Tiberius gawked at the sight before him and felt a tad unnerved by the emptiness. For long moments he remained unmoved, simply staring into the blackness. Eventually, curiosity began to gain the upper hand and the Dragonoid tentatively reached out.

Before his hand could contact the inky darkness a recognizable opaque menu appeared in front of him

Scanning over the information presented to him, it seemed to operate the same as had done in YGGDRASIL. Displayed on the semi-transparent screen was an extensive listing of any and all of his equipment. Some of the items were things he'd not seen for quite some time as he'd acquired them pretty early on in his YGGDRASIL adventures.

Scrolling through the register the Dragonoid selected a basic set of clothes such as he'd previously worn. Tiberius was surprised by quickly the menu disappeared and with it the darkness. Where once was naught but a void was now filled in with a set of wooden shelves upon which lay his clothing selection.

Neatly folded too.

Taking the offered garments from the shelves he closed the wardrobe and set about dressing himself. It was a simple task, just had to go about the reverse of what he did last night. Although, redoing the buttons on the tail sleeve was a tad annoying.

Next came the task of redonning the armour.

This proved to be a tad more difficult than the removal had been. Namely, he had to hold some parts in place while also doing up the straps and buckles. This led to frustration as he had to readjust the straps for being too loose as the piece had slipped. Or the strap was too tight to move properly in.

Finally, he managed to affix the last buckle in place. Following this, the Dragonoid strode back and forth the bedroom testing the armour's comfort. The armour clanked softly, straps were pulled tight as muscles were flexed. A few final adjustments and he was set.

Tiberius moved to the mirror nook and examined his reflection. Satisfied the Dragonoid turned and left the room behind.

He passed through the main room at a brisk pace on his way to the exit. Yet inexplicably he found himself stopping short of reaching for the doorknob. The Dragonoid was unable to put it into proper words. But it felt as if something were missing, and he couldn't leave without it.

Turning away from the door Tiberius began to go through an impromptu checklist.

Absentmindedly he started to pace the length of the room in his attempt to solve this puzzle. Yet there was no answer as everything on his list was internally crossed off. Only when he'd come to a stop did he realize where it was that he'd stopped.

Tiberius stood before the alcove that resided on the western side in the study.

He cocked his head to the side as his eyes took in the sight of the glimmering guild weapon. As he stood there gazing upon it the Dragonoid forgot about the odd feeling that had vexed him. Extending his hand the Dragonoid took hold of the weapon's shaft.

The Dragon Staff seemed to come to life.

The draconic runes along the shaft began to glow brightly as if heated to white-hot. Bolts of power leaped from the crystal spike to arc and dance between the dual axe blades. With the polearm in hand, a most invigorating feeling spread throughout its wielder.

To Tiberius, he felt as if he'd just downed a gallon of coffee. He felt as if he could run circles around the mountain before tiredness ever set in.

The staff was designed to boost its wielder's stats. I guess that could explain the feeling. Or at least I hope so. But I wonder if everything about it works the same here.

Hefting the Dragon Staff in hand Tiberius found it to be surprisingly lighter than he had expected. Tiberius could count the number of times he'd removed the guild weapon from its resting place on a single hand. Usually, they'd use it more ceremonially, but there were the few times when he'd actually wielded it as a weapon.

He backed away from the alcove and with the Dragon Staff in hand, made his way towards the door.

Outside, the Ninth Floor was well lit by the artificial sun that hung high overhead in the virtual skybox.

Casting a glance at the orb of light he guessed the time to be somewhere in the early morning. Definitely before noon but how far ahead of he could not tell. With the idea to test out the powers of the staff in his hand, he turned northwards.

For in the northern section of the floor lay his destination, the Grand Arena.

With his course decided the Dragonoid set out on his trek across the Ninth Floor. His journey was punctuated by only the clacking of his claws and the jingle of his armour.

o – o – o – o

The granite walls of the Grand Arena loomed overhead as the Dragonoid entered the passage that would lead him inside.

The corridor was lit by mage lights, their spectral forms cast a pale blue light along the length of the hall. Within the normally soft clank of the armour's plates was amplified, and along with the clacking of his taloned toes on the stone floor created a cacophony of noise. It sounded almost like someone was shaking a bag of coins while simultaneously loudly tapping a pencil.

At the far end of the passage, the brighter light of the arena shone in from outside. The light filtered through a shut portcullis leaving a checker pattern upon the stone floor.

On his approach, Tiberius eyed the gridwork of dark iron bars. From what he could discern there seemed to be no apparent means of raising the gate. However, it seemed that there would be no need for action on his part. The hall was soon filled with the echo chains rattling and the low rumbling creak of gears in motion.

With a squeal of protest, the portcullis started upwards.

Should probably get that oiled.

Exiting the passageway the Dragonoid officially entered the Grand Arena.

The Grand Arena was a massive U-shaped structure that stretched just over fifteen hundred end to end and three hundred feet across. At the western end of the arena there stood a wall and perched atop it a statue of a phoenix easily as tall as three men. The phoenix was posed with its head was thrown back frozen in mid-call and its feather wings flared outwards towards the sky.

A low retaining wall traversed the middle of the arena but it stopped short on either end by two hundred feet. This wall served to divide the arena's floor and create an ovoid track for races. For decoration, there was a small break in the retaining wall at even intervals and the middle of each section was marked by a marble column. Atop the pillars sat a bronze brazier and within a magically created flame for illumination.

The Grand Arena only had seating along the lengthy north and south walls.

The grandstands were little more than long benches carved from the same marble as the arena. Periodically a row of stairs broke up the bleachers into distinct sections.

Here along the southern side of the arena, there were luxurious box seats stationed at the top of the grandstands. These luxury boxes were reserved for the higher-ranked guild members to watch the events playing out below.

This place had been remarkable to behold when it was naught but a virtual recreation. But to stand upon the soft earthen grounds and gaze out over the architectural wonder as a realized manifestation was truly mesmerizing.

This gawking at the handiwork of his guildmates was something the Dragonoid found himself doing plenty as of late.

Placing a hand on the cool stone of the passage Tiberius stepped out of the dimly illuminated tunnel and into the open air of the showground. His eyes scanned up and down the length of the arena. The Dragonoid's intention was to seek out a special group that would be helpful with his tasks.

It was nestled against the western wall, gathered under the statue of the roaring phoenix statue was a group of six NPCs.

At first glance, one might be forgiven to think the unmoving figures were perhaps simple statues. Decorations set to fill out the audience. But in reality, they were not statues, but the caretakers of the arena.

Stone Golems.

Each golem stood seven feet tall with bodies of rough-hewn granite into a humanoid shape. Their features were vague and their bodies were partially covered by moss and lichens. A fluorescent glow of turquoise seeped from the slight gaps in each joint. This gave the impression that their bodies were held together by the magic within.

Within a few short strides, the Dragonoid stood before the golems.

The stone figures remained idle, nondescript faces expressionless as their empty eyes stared off into the distance.

The lack of acknowledgment was something Tiberius found surprising given his experiences with the other NPCs.

Well, they were given only basic commands to follow. Now let's see…

"Retrieve practice targets."

Receiving the proper orders the golems were prompted to life. The stony individuals began to move, one by one they turned and set off. Their heavy footsteps thudding as they trod towards one of the nearby entry tunnels.

Perhaps a minute or so had passed before the Dragonoid heard the weighty footfalls echoing down the corridor.

It wasn't long before the six figures emerged from the shadowy passage with their cargo. The golems moved in a two by two fashion and each carried a humanoid figure made of straw under each arm.

Striding passed the Dragonoid, the golems moved towards the center of the earthen grounds. Acting in unison the golems split into two groups and moved an equal distance from their fellows. Hefting one straw man from under their arms the golems thrust the wooden supports deep into the soft sands. Assured the dummies were planted firmly they moved off a short distance and repeated the process.

Once all twelve target dummies had been properly set up the arena caretakers turned their backs on the straw men. Leaving deep-set footprints they trekked back to their original positions.

Planting their feet into the same imprints each golem took its place before returning to its inactive state.

Through this, all Tiberius had watched the impressive silent display of unity.

Turning the Dragonoid moved off from the stone men and strode to stand before the assembly of scarecrows.

The straw men had been set out to form a half-circle with evenly spaced gaps between each of the mounted figures.

Looking out over the arranged targets Tiberius tightened his grip on the shaft of the polearm. However, the unfortunate truth was while the Dragonoid knew what he wanted to do, yet he hadn't an idea of how to do it.

The Dragonoid started small with simple swings of the polearm which earned him nothing more than a nice whooshing sound. Next, he moved on to trying to replicate the actions of his avatar back within YGGDRASIL. Still nothing. Finally, he began to replicate the techniques he'd seen performed by various magic-using characters in media. Again, nothing happened other than making him feel rather foolish for his attempts.

Each consecutive attempt became more forceful and only succeeded in furthering the Dragonoid's aggravation.

Unable to deal with his mounting frustrations Tiberius unleashed a vicious snarl. Hefting the Dragon Staff into the air, the Dragonoid thrust the pointed diamond of the staff base into the soft sandy earth before storming off.

"I have no clue what the hell I'm doing," the Dragonoid's voice was rough and more of a growl, "Is everything here going to be so damn difficult."

Tiberius paced before the straw men, his stamping feet left deep impressions only for his thrashing tail to wipe the sand clean. Back and forth he marched, his angry gaze locked onto the guild weapon.

The polearm remained upright, the metallic shaft gleamed under the false sun. The crystalline spear point created a kaleidoscope of colours across the ground. The cold gemstone eyes of the five-headed dragon stared back at him, their open mouths seeming like mocking grins.

A low throat rumbling growl was his only response to the unflinching figurine.

After what seemed like an eternity the Dragonoid slowed his pacing as his frustrations started to simmer down.

Stopping Tiberius took a deep breath and released it.

With his fury at more manageable levels, he realized that acting on his anger would solve nothing. Instead, he would try a new approach.

Reaching up he rubbed the bridge of his snout idly as he contemplated his next course of action.

It was the glint of the guild ring worn on his index finger that grabbed his attention. As he eyed the silver band wrapped around his finger an idea formed in his mind. The Dragonoid's gaze shifted to the waiting polearm.

Start with something simple.

Within YGGDRASIL, the Staff of the Dragon was a summonable object when in close proximity to the Guild Master.

The Dragonoid straightened himself up, squared his shoulders as he stared down the stubborn polearm. He narrowed his eyes and stretched out his right arm as he focused on the staff. As moments ticked by with nothing happening his temper again began to rear his head. However, this time Tiberius steeled himself against it.

It was a trail of his mental prowess as he did his best to remain focused and calm.

The staff twitched.

The movement was subtle and the Dragonoid wasn't sure he'd seen anything at first. But then it happened again. Slowly, the Dragon Staff freed itself from the soft soil and rose into the air. It hovered motionless several inches above the ground for a moment.

Then like lightning, the staff rocketed across the arena grounds.

Tiberius fought back the urge to flinch as the polearm came at him. Yet he stood steadfast, hand open, ready to snap shut when he felt that smooth wood against his scaled palm.

A slow smile crept over his draconic visage at the sight of the Dragon Staff displayed proudly within his grasp.

"Well, that's a start."

The Dragonoid's voice was heavy with his glee for his success.

He strode with purpose and an air of dominance about him. The Dragonoid returned to his original spot several yards out from the wood and straw training dummies. The basic sculpts of their faces stared back at him with vacant expressions.

A challenge for the Dragonoid.

It was a challenge that Tiberius accepted.

He shifted his gaze to the polearm he carried, feeling a comforting warmth fill his hand. As if sensing his focus upon it the staff came to life. Bolts of electricity danced along the length of the weapon's shaft, while other large bolts arced from the crystal spear tip.

Feeling that perhaps he'd been overthinking things by trying to force them along. Tiberius let go of his thoughts and instead let his instincts act as his guide.

Turning the Dragonoid looked to the scarecrows and with a single fluid motion thrust the polearm out towards his chosen target.

At the apex of the thrust, a bolt of power leaped from the weapon's crystal spear tip.

With a brilliant flash, the lightning struck the straw man squarely in the torso. On impact smaller arcs erupted from the dummies' limbs, the spider web of tiny bolts lit up the immediate area. The wooden flesh of the dummy crackled and blackened. Streaks of glowing embers erupted across the figure. Unable to contain the power that surged through its body left the dummy with but one option. With a thunderous bang, the humanoid figure of the training dummy was reduced to a shower of splintered wood and burning straw.

As the debris rained down upon the arena grounds it filled the Dragonoid with thereto unimagined delight.

"YES!"

Tiberius shouted as he hoisted the Dragon Staff towards the sky in triumph.

In that moment of destruction, all the Dragonoid's previous frustrations had evaporated like so many a water drop under the sun.

Now the pure unmitigated joy of success coursed through his veins.

Raiding high on the wave of victory Tiberius was unable to control himself. Shifting his aim to the closest target, he again repeated the motion and thrust the pole-axe at the dummy.

Just as before a bolt of lightning was expelled from the spear point to strike its mark.

The straw man shook violently and began to smoke as the straw and wood frame caught ablaze. The air of the Grand Arena echoed with a boom of thunder as the second dummy was transformed into naught but scattered fragments.

The Dragonoid's muzzle was agape with a wide toothy grin.

Planting the staff's tip into the arena sands Tiberius' thoughts began to drift to other things. A look of intrigue soon spread across his reptilian features.

"I wonder if my spells and abilities still work too."

However, this prospect was trickier than his utilizing the staff's abilities. These were powers that lay dormant within him.

After all, getting the Dragon Staff or his guild ring to function was a rather straightforward matter. Yet the Dragonoid had no earthly idea of how to he would go about gaining access to his abilities.

Tiberius cupped his chin idly in thought.

"I was still able to use my transformation ability. Though admittedly it was by sheer accident. So it stands to reason that I should also still have access to magic and such. Right?"

The Dragonoid spared a glance about the arena as if he might receive confirmation from the gathered scarecrows.

Releasing his grip upon the shaft of the polearm, the Dragon Staff seemed unaffected as it balanced upon that impossible diamond point.

Making use of what he'd learned from his practice it seemed that letting his body's instincts guide was his best bet.

Tiberius eyed the target before him. As his focus closed in upon the dummy the rest of the world around him seemed to disappear. Within his mind's eye, it was like a targeting reticule now hovered over the dummy blocking out all else. With such a narrowed focal point provided by that reticule came a new feeling. The Dragonoid had the impression he was looking upon some unseen menu and on this menu a list of all his innate skills and spells. Selecting one was as easy as simply thinking of the name from that list.

As he made his selection, a tidal wave of information flooded his conscious mind.

Information such as the spell's effective range and the area the spell would have an effect upon. What the cooldown time would be before the spell was ready for use again, and more was funneled into his brain.

The experience was so far removed from what it had been like back within YGGDRASIL. Back within the virtual world, he would be given such information in the form of a simple text popup. As for spell or ability selection, it would be presented to him through a series of menus that he would scroll through.

It was a cold and detached affair, like choosing something from a vending machine.

So completely unlike this world.

As the knowledge filled him, so too did the power. It coursed through him, filling every fiber of his being.

It was like an extension of his will. A part of him, and not just some series of inputs he'd made before watching it play out as an animation. Even with all its sophistication, there was nothing in YGGDRASIL that could compare to this.

The Dragonoid lifted his muzzle just slightly and began a slow intake of breath. Deep within Tiberius could the flames of his inner core stoke higher and hotter with the sudden inhalation. To him, it felt as if his chest had doubled in size and continued to grow as he drew in more air.

Then the moment came.

Like the snapping of a rubber band, the draconic head shot forth, his jaws parting with the swift movement.

From the depths of the Dragonoid's throat, an amber glow began to shine. Wisps of flame bubbled up like froth at the edges of his mouth. These tails of fire were but the herald of what was to follow.

A great gout of blue flames came welling up from deep within only to spray forth like water from a hose.

The liquid inferno barreled towards its intended victim as a tsunami of fire.

The wall of flame washed over the dummy to completely envelop it. In a fluid-like fashion, the flames splashed and flowed across the surface of the target. The intense heat whipped the air into a frenzy, making the flames dance wildly. In what amounted to mere moments the formerly six-foot wood and straw human was converted into nothing but a pile of ash and glowing embers.

With a gentle sweep of his head, Tiberius wielded his internal fire like a flamethrower.

The fiery geyser spread over the other scarecrows, engulfing them in an inferno of blue flame. Black smoke billowed up as wood crackled, popped, and hissed before collapsing in heaps. While soot-stained the arena's once pristine earthen floor.

Only when he felt his lungs empty did the Dragonoid close his mouth and straightened up.

His gaze swept over the scattered piles of ash and cinders. A feeling of immense satisfaction filled Tiberius at the sight of those glowing coals and the small fires that consumed the last remnants of wood.

It was a rather primal type of pride.

With the completion of his test, Tiberius could feel the expenditure of energy just as if he'd read it on screen. While his instincts spoke to him of how long it would be before he would be capable of repeating the performance. From what he could sense the recast cooldown time felt to be about the same as it had been YGGDRASIL.

But the most noteworthy thing was perhaps the speed at which Tiberius was able to act.

"I guess without YGGDRASIL's menus to navigate and the animation playtimes things would be considerably faster. Following that logic, then it stands to reason that magic casting would equally quick."

Taking the Dragon Staff in hand once more the Dragonoid turned away from the smoldering fires. Moving away from the center of the sandy arena Tiberius came to stand near the corridor that had ushered him into the arena.

From his position here, Tiberius watched as the Grand Arena's custodians came out of the stupor.

The Stone Golems came to life once more. The sextuplets moved in their robotic fashion as they left their rest spots behind and preceded towards the same passage as before. Moments later the group reemerged carrying various cleaning implements.

Three carried with them wide push brooms while the other three brought with them large fan-rakes. Those with rakes set about gathering the debris strewn about. While those with brooms set about smoothing out the sands disrupted by their brethren.

Occasionally one of the golems would encounter a piece of still burning wood. To which the golem would simply lift their heavy feet and stamp out the flame.

Slowly the golems straightened out the area and gathered the mess into one central pile. It was a true show of dedication when one of the golems would stop and bend down to retrieve some small piece as they performed a final search of the showground.

Once seemingly assured they had not missed any piece, no matter how small. The golems moved to encircle the pile of refuse.

Each took up equilateral positions about the trash heap. Then extending their arms they pressed their palms against those of their neighbors.

Witnessing this left Tiberius puzzled as to what the group was doing.

The magical glow emanating from the joints of the stone men intensified. The light continued to grow brighter by the moment forcing the Dragonoid to shield his eyes. Once the glow had reached its zenith there came a single blinding flash.

Even from behind his hand Tiberius had been forced to squint and now blinked rapidly as his eyes readjusted. When his vision had cleared and he looked to the golems the reason for their display was evident.

Where once had been a small mound of rubbish was nothing but smooth sands.

The golems lowered their arms and turned towards the side passage. The two golems at the rear of the band dragged their brooms behind them to flatten their tracks. As before the stone custodians disappeared, no doubt returning their brooms and rakes, before reappearing from the shadowed hall. Their tasks completed the Stone Golems once more moved to stand below the great phoenix and went back to their standby mode.

What was that? It looked like it was a disintegration spell. Well, I guess that is one way of taking out the trash.

With a shrug of his shoulder, Tiberius turned his attention to other matters. Chiefly it was something rather close to him, namely his current lack of wings.

As his mind turned to the subject of wings he began to wonder, were they functional? Could he actually fly with them or were they purely for aesthetics.

Back in YGGDRASIL, there were numerous means of traveling through the air.

There were three main ways players achieved this.

First, there was the use of the [Fly] spell. It was by far the most popular form of flight in the game. The second was through having a mount capable of flight. This option was typically used by lower-level players, players who role-played, or those who just desired a leisurely flight. The final means was for their avatar to have wings that allowed them to fly naturally.

But that was a game. This was reality and there was no telling if his wings were able to.

Tiberius felt a twitch of his shoulder muscles and heard the odd dull warble of metal buckling. The telltale prelude to the sprouting of his wings once more.

Bone grew, flesh materialized, and tendons knitted themselves together as the appendages sprouted from his back. Like great fingers framework of the wings spread as leathery membrane spread.

Soon enough the rapid growth petered out.

Experimentally Tiberius moved his wings feeling the muscles stretch and contract as the wings unfurled. Technically this was all new to him, and yet at the same time, it was as natural as extending an arm or moving a leg. Or even a tail as he'd recently learned to do.

It was just another part of the body and with it came an instinctive knowledge of its operation.

The first moves seemed easy enough, just flap.

The movements were gradually to start with, just simple back and forth motions. The movement of his wings produced gusts of air that kicked up the sands around his feet. As he grew more confident Tiberius increased the tempo of his wing beats. In the process, he had subtly begun to curve his wings as he flapped. Sort of like cupping your hands as you swim. This increased the turbulence which kicked up more of the loose sands, creating something akin to miniature dust storms.

Growing more confident Tiberius increased the ferocity with which he moved his wings. Soon he felt his feet beginning to part with the ground.

Within moments his reptilian feet had several inches between them and the earth. A thrill ran down the Dragonoid's spine. As the distance between him and the arena grounds steadily increased, a new issue crept up.

Hovering stationary in the air was one thing. He merely had to hold his body position while flapping his wings. However, if he wanted to move it became a much more difficult proposition. Shakily the Dragonoid tested his ability. Shifting his body while still maintaining his wing's movements. This did not end well and saw Tiberius grow unsteady before plummeting back to the ground.

With a groan, the Dragonoid stood up and tried again.

This attempt brought the same result. He would drift a foot or two in one direction or another –sometimes not even in the direction he wanted- before things got shaky and he tumbled to the floor.

Again and again, he got up, wiped off the dirt, and tried again.

In the process, he found new irritation.

After each failed attempt one of the arena's Stone Golems would approach and set about smoothing out the disrupted sands.

Time blurred together as Tiberius continued his flying practice.

It wasn't until he realized that to fly properly, he didn't need to just shift his body weight. But also adjusted his wings and the angle at which they moved did he begin to see success.

It was still a tricky maneuver at first. Yet he quickly found himself growing comfortable with the method. Luckily the heft of his lengthy tail aided him greatly in steering his movements and providing a stabilizing ballast once airborne.

Tiberius took a deep breath, steeled his nerve, and started to flap. As before he began to rise from the ground. Gradually he rose higher and higher into the air, and when he stopped he was hovering far above the arena grounds.

The Dragonoid shifted his weight to lean forwards as he fine-tuned the angle of his wings. His draconic body straightened out as he started to move.

Promptly Tiberius found himself traveling towards the arena grandstands, with surprising haste.

Knowing this could be an early end to the airborne journey, the Dragonoid leaned to the side as his left-wing flared to capture more air while the right leveled out. With these changes, the flying Dragonoid was able to alter his course. Now he skimmed along the stands at a height of little more than six feet.

Once, twice, then thrice did he perform a full circle of the Grand Arena. All along the way Tiberius whooped and cheered like an excited child.

Pulling back the Dragonoid took off skywards.

With each beat of his wings, the Dragonoid gained altitude. Though the sky appeared infinite that was not the case. Sensing the approach of the ceiling Tiberius slowed.

Rearing back into an arc, Tiberius reached out allowing the taloned fingers of his right hand to brush along the smooth skybox painted ceiling.

The arc became a steep rolling dive as Tiberius shot back earthwards. Pulling his wings in closer served to increase the speed of his dive. He rocketed towards the grandstands like a falling star. In his game of chicken, the Dragonoid had little choice, after all, it wasn't like the arena was going to suddenly move out of his way.

At a distance of fifteen feet, the Dragonoid flared his wings. The sudden expanse acting as a parachute to arrest his momentum. With heaving beats of his wings, Tiberius managed to slow and then hover above the stands.

No sooner had his clawed feet touched the cool stone of the arena bench seating than Tiberius ceased to beat his wings. Unable to contain it a deep rumbling laugh erupted from the Dragonoid. The cackle shook his frame and from an outside observer might have made him appear quite mad.

Letting himself relax the laughter became more of a chuckle than a soft snicker before ceasing.

Tiberius gazed out across the length of the Grand Arena, noting that he now found himself on the far opposite end from where he started. Turning his gaze to the skybox overhead he took note that the artificial sun had traveled a fair distance since his arrival.

Well, I can't spend all day flying around, though it was fun. I guess I should check in with Yuliana and the others. Now let's see, since she was able to use the [Message] spell to contact me before, I know that works.

"[Message]"

It was a strange sensation for the Dragonoid. When Yuliana had spoken to him it had been nothing but a voice within his head.

But this was different and difficult to properly put words to.

It was an odd numb sort of feeling like when an arm or leg falls asleep. The limb is still connected but there is an odd disconnect to it. It was similar to this feeling. Like some phantom limb was reaching out, grasping for something beyond him. As to what this phantom was reaching, Tiberius had no idea.

"[Oh, Lord Tiberius.]"

The Guardian Overseer's sweet words echoed in his mind.

"[I hope you have rested well. Is there something that you require?]"

"Ah, good morning, Yuliana." It felt strange to be having what essentially amounted to a psychic phone call. "And yes I have slept well. Thank you,"

"[I am pleased to hear that. You must have rather drained to have slept for an entire day]."

"What do you mean a full day?"

"[Indeed, my lord. Since the last you and I have spoken a full day has elapsed.]"

To hear that he'd slept for a whole day left the Dragonoid a tad speechless. Surely she was mistaken and merely meant it felt like a day. However, Tiberius knew that Yuliana had no reason to mislead him.

So then it must be true, he'd actually been asleep for a full day. Yet more than that this also meant that he'd been in this world for nearly three days now.

"Why didn't anybody bother to wake me up?"

"[My Lord, your words to me were explicit. You said to contact you if anything out of the ordinary had occurred. As nothing had transpired, I saw no need to disturb you.]"

Tiberius couldn't help clamping a hand over the bridge of his draconic muzzle in his imitation of facepalming.

I should have known better. They seem to take everything so literally.

He wanted to shake his head at her and her interpretation of his words. Perhaps it was these feelings that were shared across this neural link. Because the Guardian Overseer's voice soon cut in.

"[Did I do wrong?]"

Her voice was much softer now, almost afraid. It reminded Tiberius of the tones she'd used when last they spoke.

"No, Yuliana. You did nothing wrong, you simply followed my orders." He was quick to try and console her. "I… never mind that now. I wish to speak with Koraboros, Aeon, Mathias, and yourself about the state of affairs."

"[As you wish, my liege. Shall I summon them to the Throne Room?]"

Tiberius paused a moment to give thought to the matter.

The Throne Room was not his style. It was more of a formal reception thing, such as the events of the other night. It was too impersonal for his taste.

"No, we will be holding this meeting in Tyrnaust's Council Chamber."

There came an audible gasp from the female speaker.

"[Are you certain about of this, Lord Tiberius?]"

It was a statement that made Tiberius wonder why she had an issue with his suggestion.

"Why not? Is there some problem with this choice?"

"[N-no sire. It's just the Council Chamber is reserved for the Supreme Beings and the not likes of their servants.]"

From Yuliana's point of view, her words must have made sense. Given the clear reverence with which the NPCs held him and by extension the other Sanguine Dragons in. He knew this, he'd seen it firsthand. They probably view the chamber as some kind of sacred site.

However, to Tiberius it was nonsense.

"It may be that none of you had been allowed entrance before. However, I see no problems with changing that. I am sure my fellow Sanguine Dragons would not object to that."

Especially given the circumstances.

"[V-very well, Lord Tiberius.]" Yuliana's voice wavered, "[I shall precede to summon the others immediately.]"

"Very good, I will be there shortly."

"[I shall eagerly await your arrival.]"

The Dragonoid turned to make his way along the bench seats towards the nearby set of stairs. Following the stairs, he descended into the sandy arena showgrounds. Tiberius made his way along the retaining wall towards one of the now opened passages that led back out to the rest of the Ninth Floor.

He halted at the yawning opening of the corridor.

Whirling around Tiberius held his right arm outstretched. His keen eyes locking onto a small, narrow object in the distance.

It was an object that then began moving at a high speed towards him. A cloud of dust being kicked up in its wake.

Answering its master's summons the Dragon Staff settled itself into his waiting hand. A smirk crossed the Dragonoid's muzzle.

With the polearm in hand, Tiberius turned and made his way into the dimly lit corridor.