5
The first day of travel went by fast. TJ and Hallie made good time. As they walked, they learned more about each other and where the other came from. There were few other travelers, and even less monsters.
The next couple days went by about the same, until they came to the Eastern Checkpoint that lead to the Dauna Region. The Checkpoint was a huge gate that ran along the boarder between the two lands. The half in which the two had been traveling was considered to be the "Unknown lands," though; TJ's clan had explored most of it. "Let me do the talking, Hallie, all right?" She nodded as TJ stepped up to the guardhouse.
One of the guards came out for information. "Reason for crossing?"
"Hello. Just heading to Wyndia," TJ said.
The guard pulled out a small book and something to write with. "Names?"
Since TJ, or any other members of the brood usually never had a last name, he didn't give one. "TJ and Hallie Angora." TJ noted that the guard wrote down the names as if the two shared the last name, but nothing was said about it. It wouldn't have been a good idea to tell the boarder guard that he had made a mistake.
"How long will you be here?"
TJ thought a moment. "Not sure, exactly. Indefinitely." The guard didn't seem too thrilled about that.
"Eight-thousand Zenny."
TJ had expected the price to be high, but this was outrageous! That was about all the money he had brought with him. After paying him, TJ and Hallie began to head south.
The land was beautiful. Forests stretching as far as the eye could see. Mountains towering over everything. Leading down from the Checkpoint, the Ogre Road headed straight to Mt. Levett off in the distance.
Hallie and TJ had been traveling for six days when they came to the end of the forests when a figure dropped from the trees. The creature was crouching down, but only on its back legs. Its fur-covered arms were held just above the ground. It looked like a tiger, but also like it had some human in it. The were-tiger's body was pure muscle. The tiger's arms were about as big around as TJ himself. The head was huge. Bright, yellow eyes glared at the two travelers. Glistening fangs dripped foul smelling saliva. The orange fur was dark in places. Mostly around the claws and mouth. Fresh blood. "Hallie, get back." TJ moved between the tiger and Hallie. He drew his katana and took a step forward. Before he knew it, the Dragon had been knocked about twenty feet into an old tree. The blow had been so powerful; the tree had cracked at its base and was now leaning. Hallie tried to go to TJ, but the were-tiger blocked her path.
As the tiger advanced toward her, a deafening roar distracted the beast. Before the tiger knew what was going on, a huge, blue-scaled body slammed into it.
TJ had transformed into a Frost Dragon.
The tiger quickly recovered and eyed its opponent. What had just a moment ago looked human, was now a nine foot tall Dragon.
The Dragon tossed his head and let out another roar. He was standing on his hind legs. His arms were too short to walk on. His horned head was held high on a long neck. The sun glistened off the Dragon's leathery scales. His wings were held in tight, and his tail lay on the ground, around his talons.
Hallie took all this in and couldn't help but take a step back. "T-TJ?"
The Dragon nodded.
The tiger had very little chance of winning. TJ wondered if it didn't know that, or it just didn't care. He looked into the beast's eyes and all he could see was madness. No fear. No doubt. Only terrible rage and a crazed madness.
In his Dragon form, TJ couldn't use his own battle magic, but he had other abilities, now. He took in an enormous breath then let it out at the were- tiger.
The blast of air was so cold; it froze the moisture in the air in the path into ice crystals that clung to the tiger's pelt. The temperature in the path of the attack dropped way below zero in a matter of seconds. The tiger's joints began to grow stiff. In just a few moments the beast wouldn't be able to move.
While it still could, the tiger turned tail and ran.
TJ returned to his human form and leaned against a near by tree. "So, what do you think, Hallie?"
"C-cold," was al that Hallie could answer as she stood there, teeth chattering.
It was an easy climb up the mountain later that day. Very few monsters showed their faces. None attacked. The air was warm and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.
In the distance, TJ could see a cabin. By the look of it, no one had been around it in some time, though it was hard to tell from that distance. "We'll head for that, and rest for the night."
Hallie only nodded.
Since the fight with the were-tiger, Hallie had been very quiet. Whether it had been TJ, or the tiger, he had no idea. TJ'd ask her later.
The first day of travel went by fast. TJ and Hallie made good time. As they walked, they learned more about each other and where the other came from. There were few other travelers, and even less monsters.
The next couple days went by about the same, until they came to the Eastern Checkpoint that lead to the Dauna Region. The Checkpoint was a huge gate that ran along the boarder between the two lands. The half in which the two had been traveling was considered to be the "Unknown lands," though; TJ's clan had explored most of it. "Let me do the talking, Hallie, all right?" She nodded as TJ stepped up to the guardhouse.
One of the guards came out for information. "Reason for crossing?"
"Hello. Just heading to Wyndia," TJ said.
The guard pulled out a small book and something to write with. "Names?"
Since TJ, or any other members of the brood usually never had a last name, he didn't give one. "TJ and Hallie Angora." TJ noted that the guard wrote down the names as if the two shared the last name, but nothing was said about it. It wouldn't have been a good idea to tell the boarder guard that he had made a mistake.
"How long will you be here?"
TJ thought a moment. "Not sure, exactly. Indefinitely." The guard didn't seem too thrilled about that.
"Eight-thousand Zenny."
TJ had expected the price to be high, but this was outrageous! That was about all the money he had brought with him. After paying him, TJ and Hallie began to head south.
The land was beautiful. Forests stretching as far as the eye could see. Mountains towering over everything. Leading down from the Checkpoint, the Ogre Road headed straight to Mt. Levett off in the distance.
Hallie and TJ had been traveling for six days when they came to the end of the forests when a figure dropped from the trees. The creature was crouching down, but only on its back legs. Its fur-covered arms were held just above the ground. It looked like a tiger, but also like it had some human in it. The were-tiger's body was pure muscle. The tiger's arms were about as big around as TJ himself. The head was huge. Bright, yellow eyes glared at the two travelers. Glistening fangs dripped foul smelling saliva. The orange fur was dark in places. Mostly around the claws and mouth. Fresh blood. "Hallie, get back." TJ moved between the tiger and Hallie. He drew his katana and took a step forward. Before he knew it, the Dragon had been knocked about twenty feet into an old tree. The blow had been so powerful; the tree had cracked at its base and was now leaning. Hallie tried to go to TJ, but the were-tiger blocked her path.
As the tiger advanced toward her, a deafening roar distracted the beast. Before the tiger knew what was going on, a huge, blue-scaled body slammed into it.
TJ had transformed into a Frost Dragon.
The tiger quickly recovered and eyed its opponent. What had just a moment ago looked human, was now a nine foot tall Dragon.
The Dragon tossed his head and let out another roar. He was standing on his hind legs. His arms were too short to walk on. His horned head was held high on a long neck. The sun glistened off the Dragon's leathery scales. His wings were held in tight, and his tail lay on the ground, around his talons.
Hallie took all this in and couldn't help but take a step back. "T-TJ?"
The Dragon nodded.
The tiger had very little chance of winning. TJ wondered if it didn't know that, or it just didn't care. He looked into the beast's eyes and all he could see was madness. No fear. No doubt. Only terrible rage and a crazed madness.
In his Dragon form, TJ couldn't use his own battle magic, but he had other abilities, now. He took in an enormous breath then let it out at the were- tiger.
The blast of air was so cold; it froze the moisture in the air in the path into ice crystals that clung to the tiger's pelt. The temperature in the path of the attack dropped way below zero in a matter of seconds. The tiger's joints began to grow stiff. In just a few moments the beast wouldn't be able to move.
While it still could, the tiger turned tail and ran.
TJ returned to his human form and leaned against a near by tree. "So, what do you think, Hallie?"
"C-cold," was al that Hallie could answer as she stood there, teeth chattering.
It was an easy climb up the mountain later that day. Very few monsters showed their faces. None attacked. The air was warm and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.
In the distance, TJ could see a cabin. By the look of it, no one had been around it in some time, though it was hard to tell from that distance. "We'll head for that, and rest for the night."
Hallie only nodded.
Since the fight with the were-tiger, Hallie had been very quiet. Whether it had been TJ, or the tiger, he had no idea. TJ'd ask her later.