On the island of Shenkuu, inside a saloon, an elder Ruki named Anshu enters. He approaches the bar and sits next to a grizzled purple Lupe, wearing a red hooded cloak, named Greyfang.

"Greyfang?" spoke the voice of the bearded Ruki.

"I am he." answered the old purple Lupe.

"Captain Tuon told me I'd find you here." said Anshu.

"What is it that you want?" asked Greyfang.

"Do you remember the amulet on Tyrania?" asked Anshu.

"What of it?" asked Greyfang, curiously.

"There's another." answered Anshu.

"What makes you say that?" asked Greyfang.

"Research. History books. What do you say you join us on our expedition?" asked Anshu.

"Very well." Greyfang agreed, following Anshu out the door.

Outside of the bar Anshu and Greyfang walked along the cobblestone pathway.

"Hmm?"

"Is something wrong?" asked Anshu.

"Someone is following us." said Greyfang.

The two turn around and catch a glimpse of a yellow Gelert following them.

"What do you want?" asked Greyfang.

"Uh... nothing... I just overheard you say you were going on a quest. I'd like to join if you'd have me." said the young Gelert.

"What is your name?" asked Greyfang.

"Miet. And with me in my backpack is my pal Kazeriu."

Miet takes off his backpack and shows the two his pet Kazeriu slithering inside.

"That is quite the rare petpet you have." said Anshu, admiring the Kazeriu.

"I'm sure he may be able to help you find what you're looking for."

"How so?" asked Greyfang.

"Ever since I found him I've been teaching him to find valuable items on my adventures."

"I think we could use you then." said Anshu "What do you think Greyfang?"

"As long as do not slow us down." said Greyfang.

"Oh I promise, I will never slow you down." Miet promised.

"Very well. You may come with us." said Greyfang.

"First however, we must stop by and see Linae." said Anshu.

"Why Linae?" asked Greyfang.

"She has the map that will tell us how to get to the temple holding the Shadow Amulet."

"Shadow Amulet?" asked Miet.

"Miet, do you know about this amulet?" asked Greyfang.

"I've heard stories about it, but I never thought it was real." explained Miet.

"Stories? What kind of stories?" asked Anshu.

"Stories about how it can awaken the dead. Bring destruction to any living thing in it's wake."

"So the usual?" joked Greyfang.

"I'm serious..." said Miet.

"So are we Miet. That is why we are heading for the Shadow Temple, which should be located here in Shenkuu." said Anshu.

"Are you certain this Shadow Temple is located here Anshu?" asked Greyfang.

"Of course I'm certain Greyfang." said Anshu "More than certain. Now come, we will go to where Linae, grab the map and head towards the temple."

After meeting Linae near the beaches of Shenkuu, she handed them the map.

"This map should help you find your way to the Shadow Temple in no time." said Linae.

"Thank you Linae." said Greyfang "Give my regards to Captain Tuon."

"Sure thing Greyfang." nodded Linae "You three best be careful now."

Together the three began their adventure, but unbeknownst to them someone had been watching.

"That's it. Lead me to the temple." whispered a hooded figure, standing atop a tall tree.

"Hmm..." growled Greyfang.

"Is something wrong?" asked Anshu.

"I just had a feeling someone was here." said Greyfang, looking up at the tall tree behind him.

Greyfang huffed and continued to walk with Anshu and Miet.

Somewhere on the other side of Shenkuu, a group of bandits plotted. Their bandit leader sat in his tent awaiting for one of his bandits to arrive.

"Sir." spoke the bandit, entering the leader's tent.

"I have been waiting for you." said the bandit leader "Where were you?"

"I was awaiting to hear from the new recruit." said the bandit.

"Any word from this new recruit?" asked the bandit leader.

"Something about a... Shadow Amulet." said the bandit.

"Shadow Amulet?" said the bandit leader "Sounds important. How do we get our hands on it?"

"I asked the new recruit to follow three explorers heading for the resting place of the Shadow Amulet." explained the bandit.

"Good. Haraku better not fail." said the Bandit Leader.

"I think we have to go here." said Miet, pointing towards a path that lead into a dark jungle.

"Why does it feel like we're close?" asked Anshu.

"Because we are." said Miet, pulling back the vines to reveal a village with a temple on the other side.

"That must be the Shadow Temple." said Greyfang.

"I suppose so." said Anshu.

Feeling his backpack wiggling behind, Miet puts down the map and takes off his backpack to look inside.

"Kazeriu? What's wrong?" asked Miet, taking Kazeriu in his hand.

Kazeriu wiggled out of Miet's hand and slithered away into the village.

"Kazeriu hold on!" called Miet, running after the Petpet.

"Come Anshu, let's follow," said Greyfang, chasing after Miet.

"Very well." said Anshu, following after Greyfang.

In the village Kazeriu slithered, until he came upon a nearby shop being run by a scrawny, brown Tonu.

"Where'd that crazy Kazeriu get off to." said Miet, scratching his head.

"I think I saw him go this way." said Greyfang, pointing to a nearby shop.

The three stepped inside the shop and were greeted by the Tonu owner.

"Salutations." said the shop owner "Feel free to look around and see what you like."

"Excuse me..." started Miet "Did you see a Kazeriu come in here?"

"I found him." called Anshu from the back of the shop, holding a cup.

"Kazeriu. Thank goodness." said Miet, taking Kazeriu and putting him in his backpack.

On the shelf, next to where the cup had been sitting lay a strange looking device shaped like a key.

"What is this?" asked Miet, grabbing the device and showing it to the shop owner.

"Oh no! Keep that away! I don't know how it got here!" said the shop owner, stepping backwards.

"You don't mind if we buy it from you, do you?" asked Miet.

"No! Just take it! Free! No charge!" shouted the shop owner before running towards the back of the shop.

"He seemed uneasy about this thing." said Greyfang.

"Maybe we should ask around to see what this thing is for." suggested Miet.

"I'm think we already know what it's for." said Greyfang.

"Let's head to the temple." suggested Anshu.

Greyfang, Miet and Anshu walked out of the shop and walked straight in the direction of the Shadow Temple. Unbeknownst to them however, the cloaked thief who had been watching them earlier, followed them to the village and heard everything from on top of the shop's roof. The thief jumped through the hole of the roof, landing in the storage room of the shop.

"Well?" said the cloaked thief to the frightened shop owner.

"I told them what you asked me to tell them." said the shop owner "I told them to take it, free of charge."

"Very good." said the thief, walking towards the door.

"Wait! Don't I at least get paid?" asked the shop owner.

The thief turned back around and glared at the shop owner.

"It was... only a question." gulped the shop owner.

The thief walked out of the shop, leaving the shop owner alone. Outside, the thief follows the three explorers until they approach the door of the Shadow Temple.

"Now how do we open this place?" asked Miet, searching for a keyhole "Oh well, looks like there's no place to put the key, guess we can go home."

Miet started walking in the opposite direction, but Grayfang grabbed him by his shirt collar and turned him back around.

"Give me the key." demanded Anshu, taking the key from Miet and walking towards the temple door.

After waving the key in front of the door it began to open.

"There we are." said Anshu "Step this way."

Anchu, Greyfang and Miet stepped inside. The door behind them closed shut immediately. Anshu led the others to a small room where the Shadow Amulet lay upon a pedestal.

"Let's grab it and get out of here." said Miet, shaking.

"Are you scared?" asked Greyfang "I thought you were an explorer."

"I am." said Miet "This place just makes me very uneasy."

Before they knew it the temple began to quake.

"What's going on?!?" shouted Greyfang, trying to keep his balance.

"The Shadow Amulet! It's gone!" said Anshu, before spotting a hooded figure running for temple's exit "After them!"

The three adventurers fled after the figure as debris began to pile behind them. The door slowly opened, enough for everyone to escape, including the thief.

"Darn." mumbled Greyfang "We almost had it."

"Kazeriu?" said Miet, seeing Kazeriu had escaped his backpack again and headed in the direction away from the village.

The three followed Kazeriu, thinking he may have been going after the thief, but as soon as they reached an abandoned campground they fell in a hole that had been hidden with dirt and rocks.

"Is everyone okay?" asked Greyfang.

"Good luck getting out of there." said the hooded figure, standing at the top of the hole.

"Let us out of here you!" shouted Anshu.

"And give us back the amulet!" demanded Greyfang.

"Ah, I see you are back."

The hooded figure looked back as another fellow came by.

"And these must be the explorers you were talking about." said the stranger.

"Who are you?" asked Greyfang.

"I am Hanso." said the stranger "Thief extraordinaire."

"I see." said Greyfang "I'm guessing you ordered the other thief to steal the Shadow Amulet?"

"Is that what this thing is?" said Hanso, snatching the amulet from the hooded figures hand.

"You have no idea what that amulet is capable of. So I suggest you hand it over." demanded Anshu.

"Nope. Don't think I will." said Hanso "Hope you guys enjoy it down there."

As Hanso and the hooded figure walked away they noticed something in the bushes.

"What is it?" whispered the hooded figure.

"I don't know." whispered Hanso.

Out of the bushes jumped a lone Shenkuu soldier, with others jumping out from the bushes around them.

"Halt, you thieves!" commanded the soldier, pointing his sword at the two.

"What is this?" said the hooded thief.

"What does it look like?" said the voice of the Shenkuu Emperor, stepping out of the bushes.

"It looks like you are going to arrest us." said Hanso.

The Emperor approached the hooded thief and removed her hood, revealing a yellow female Aisha.

"You." growled the Emperor.

"What do you want?" snarled the Aisha.

"I thought I banned you." said the Emperor.

"I'm back." said the Aisha.

"Sir, there are three trapped in this hole." said one of the soldiers, looking into the hole.

"Get them out." ordered the Emperor.

"Yes sir." said the soldier, throwing a rope into the hole.

"And then arrest them." ordered the Emperor.

"What?!?" shouted the three explorers, as climbed out of the hole.

"But we did nothing wrong." said Anshu.

"You have been in the Shadow Temple." said the Emperor, turning to face the three.

"Yes we have." said Greyfang.

"Then that is enough." answered the Emperor "Come, let's go to castle."

The Emperor and the soldiers, along with their prisoners journeyed back through the forest and headed in the direction of the Shenkuu Emperor's castle.

To be continued...