Chapter 1

"Suzanne!" My mother rushed at me, hugging and weeping. "I'll miss you!"

I was going away from my birth village, Oaklore Keep, to train as a Mage apprentice in Falconreach, the city. As I am the most responsible one in my family next to my eldest sister, I was the next to receive training.

"Mum, Angel is here. I've got to go. I promise to write to you often." I gently detached my mother's arms from my shoulders. Angel, my eldest sister, stood in the doorway, smiling. The eldest of my siblings, and at age 22, Angel is the most highly trained in my family. She regularly fight monsters to protect Battleon from them. Battleon is the Capital of the lands of Adventure Quest. Dragon Fable is this state belonging to Adventure Quest.

"Come on, Suze. Warlic will not be happy if you're late." Angel had also started off training as a Mage, before moving on to Wizard training. Warlic is an Archmage, and he is very strict.

I said goodbye and walked to Falconreach with my sister. Suddenly, a dragon appeared out of nowhere.

"Stand back, Suze! I'll take care of this!" Angel brandished her staff and chanted a spell. However, suddenly, a moglin appeared.

"Hiyas!" The moglin said to us.

"Hello, Twilly," Angel greeted it.

"The path is clear, Priestess!" Twilly shouted back. A priestess dressed in white, carrying a box, walked up from the dragon's back.

"Please pardon us, friends. We are just passing through," the Priestess said to us. Angel nodded.

The priestess and Twilly passed us. Suddenly, there came shouts from their direction.

"That's a Gorillaphant!" Twilly shouted. "I'll protect you, Priestess!"

POW! Twilly went flying in the air and bumped into the ground before us.

"Join our party, little fella… Let's save her!" I shouted.

Angel stood back and watched. "I'll watch you take this one, Suze! Gorillaphants are easy."

Well, she said it's easy. But I'm only level one. After several tries, I finally managed to tackle the Gorillaphant to the floor.

"Thank you for saving me, brave mage! Might I know the name of my heroine?" The priestess called. I blushed. Brave mage. Heroine. Hehe.

"But Priestess…you said her name was Suzanne and she is the one who is destined to save the world!" Twilly said.

I blinked. What?

"Oh…tee hee hee… Twilly, do not be so silly." The Priestess giggled. Would be be proper for a Priestess to punt a moglin? I don't think so.

"Well, thank you again. I am certain we will be meeting again soon." The Priestess turned to walk away.

"Especially since she is going to take that Black Dragon Box and…" Twilly began.

"Twilly…" The Priestess gave a sigh. And then she walked away with the moglin.

Well. I doubt my day can get any stranger than this. I should go to the Keep ahead and rest, then go across the bridge to Falconreach.

I turned to see the backs of the Priestess and Twilly. Instead, I only see clumps of trees at all sides. They couldn't have gone in front of me to the Keep. I would have seen them. Where could they have gone? I am 'stumped'.

I shrugged and moved on to Oaklore Keep. The Keep was a clump of mansions built around a big oak tree. Angel and I stopped at the mess hall to eat. I had some doom burger while Angel had a large piece of chocolate cake. After that, Angel and I travelled to the bridge.

On the way there, we met some bandits hidden in the dark canopy of the forest. After my experience with the Gorillaphants, the bandits were like easy targets. I managed to kill them without losing a lot of my own health. The forest is creepy. Things glowed green in the dark, like blinking eyes.

We went to the bridge and met a Knight, Sir Pent. He was sent here to guard the bridge from the serpent.

Angel and I were in the middle of walking in the bridge when suddenly, three serpents erupted from the bridgework. They were very enormous, a serpent mother and her two kids. After fighting vigorously for a moment, we managed to kill all the serpents. The mother serpent's head was lodged in the gap in the bridge, so we were able to cross over.

We entered Falconreach on the grassy plains. A stranger was standing there. He looked very evil, and when we passed him I feel colder and the surrounding seemed darker somehow.

"Keep walking." Angel whispered. "He is the Doom Master. He sells Doom Weapons."

"Maybe I can buy one." I said.

Angel looked at me sideways. "You wouldn't be able to afford them. They cost more than a billion gold."

That shut me up. We hurried on, passed a barber's shop and apothecary, until we reach the inn of Falconreach.

"Welcome to the Falconreach Inn! What can I do for you?" The blonde lady standing behind the doors quipped. Angel introduced her as Serenity, the Inn's owner.

Around me blazed a cozy fire. Two people were chatting with each other. "One room for the night, please, Serenity." Angel said.

"You're not staying?" Serenity asked.

"No," Angel said. "I must go back to Battleon. Warlic says I must help him fight the Ice Clawgs attacking Battleon. Take care of my sister for me." And with that, Angel teleported back to Battleon.

Serenity brought me to my room. Well, so this is Falconreach, the City. That makes me wonder what Battleon is like. I've only heard of Angel talking about it. I had never been there before.