Entering and breaking

It had not been an easy trip for poor James. It'd started back at that little hamlet where he'd received the summons...

"STOP RIGHT THERE CRIMINAL SCUM!" A guard yelled, grabbing the begger. The young man he'd caught, a man in a brown robe and sandals winced and sighed. "Officer...I'm just asking for coins for donation. I am not collecting this for myself..." "Yeahh, that's what they all say! Off ye go, to the brig!"

Soon, the man was behind bars. Again. This had been happening a lot lately, but at least they fed him and he had a warm place to sleep. That counted for a lot when you lived without any money whatsoever. James was a monk, and a simple one. He had taken a vow of poverty as well as a vow of chastity (though people cared less about that one for the most part...) and lived off the land as best he could. And so it was that he'd end up in the prison again...

*few hours later*
"What? Him? Are you serious? He's just a lousy begger!"
"I have my orders. Get out of my way, fool."
"...!" There was a thud, and the door opened, a well-dressed man coming in. He looked completely out of place in such a squalid little hole, dressed in imperial finery. He sniffed as he looked him over. "YOU are the one I was sent for...? Hah! Well, I suppose that gods aren't picky..."

James watched him with benign interest, not saying anything. The man glared at him. "Well? What are you guards waiting for!? Let him out!" He snapped. A guard scuttled over, unlocking the door and standing aside. The monk got up and stretched, walking out and looking over at the man, tilting his head. "Thank you, stranger. To what do I owe this-"
"Enough, I am not here for your thanks. The queen has summoned you to the royal palace, and I am here to escort you to the city. I have brought a horse, you can ride on the back...or walk." His lip curled. "Good gods man, when was the last time you had a bath!?"

The young monk sighed slightly. "Last week, sir. There are no streams near here..."
"Well, you SHALL have one before you meet the queen! And you will have some proper clothes as well!" James stiffened and looked at him, shaking his head. "Sir, with all due respect, I won't. I have taken a vow to disdain worldly possesions-"
"Good gods man, it's for the QUEEN, not your stupid order!" James crossed his arms and shook his head. "No." The noble glared at him and waved a hand. "...whatever. It is YOUR head if she dislikes you. Now come along, I haven't got all day." He turned with a flourish of a cape and stormed out. James followed him at a more sedate pace, blinking in the bright sun.

*a few days later, in the city*
He had been abandoned by the noble at the city gates and had been left to fend for himself as he got to the palace. He approached front gates, smiling at the guards. "Excuse me, but I have been summoned by the Queen...may I request entry?"

The guard standing before the gate pulled a parchment from a satchel slung across his shoulder. Drawn on the paper were artist renditions of the warriors as described by Mourgra. The guard looked him up and down and chuckled to himself. When he spoke he had a gruff and heavy Scottish accent.

"your the first to arrive lad, follow me." The guard turned and raised his right hand to the gate. there was a flash of green light from the gem on the back of his gauntlet and the large gate opened. the guard then began to walk in gesturing for the young man to follow.

James blinked. The first...? That was strange. The first of what? He kept his questions to himself though as he walked forward with the dwarf, looking around with a mild curiosity. So much splendor spent in one area...it boggled the mind to think how much money had been spent on this palace...

And to what end? And...why had the guard chuckled when he'd seen him?

The guard led him through a massive courtyard full of lush gardens and people whispering to one another as they passed. They climbed a mountain of stairs leading to a massive set of doors. the Dwarf turned to the monk and with a stern voice said "when you face the queen be very careful not to insult her, be sure to refer to her as your majesty speak only when spoken too and....and," the dwarf began to chuckle and then fully laugh. "I can't do this anymore, I can't hold a straight face and do this." the dwarf slapped his knee, "the queen is not as up tight as people make her out to be. Just treat her with respect and remember, we're counting on you!" He raised his hand and a blue flash emanated from the gem on the back of the gauntlet this time and a massive blue eye flashed on the door and it slowly swung open revealing the throne room.

James blinked, listening carefully to the man, nodding as he explained how to address the queen...then the dwarf broke out laughing. It took James a second, but he smiled and chuckled as well, nodding. "Thank you." He said, smiling at the dwarf warmly. As he stepped into the throne room, the smile disappeared as he moved up to the throne and bowed very deeply to the queen and her lifemate.

Wait...they were counting on him?

What for?

Queen Ambrosia rose from her throne. watching the young monk carefully. Mourgra moved from the side of the throne and rushed to him. She circled him moving as quickly as her old body would allow. All the while she muttered to herself and nodded.

"this is him this is the one m'lady!" she yelled.

Once again, the young monk found himself looking confused as he was circled by an old (but powerful) female dwarf. She seemed very excited about something...though what he didn't know. He rose up as she watched him, standing tall and proud. His eyes didn't hold arrogance or malice towards anyone. As he watched the dwarf, he noticed another person watching him as well...the queen. His eyes met hers. There were calm, blue and serene. There was intelligence behind them, but not too much. There was respect, but not awe.

When she looked, he simply looked back, wondering why he had been summoned here.

The queen sighed and smiled. "wonderful Mourgra. young monk I am sure you are confused as to why you have been brought here." she said, noting the confusion in his eyes when he had first arrived. "Long ago a great beast attacked this land destroying everything in site, this beast yet again threatens our very existence. My adviser Mourgra had a vision that told her a group of heroes would rise to stop it." she gestured the the elder dwarf smiling at the monk. "You are one of the heroes from her vision."

He stared at her in disbelief, the disbelief growing with each passing word. "...ah...you think that *I* am a hero from your vision...?" He was shocked, to put it mildly. "...I...well....why?" He blurted out. "Why do you think I am one of these 'heros'...? I am just a simple monk..."
Not even an advanced one...he was still young. There were plenty monks more skilled than him!

The queen smiled Mourgra moved to her side "young monk, I have seen you in my visions. First appears the world devourer rising from the earth, bleak darkness and pain follow in his wake. then the darkness breaks the light burns the creature to nothing and from the light step the ones who bring forth the light and standing among them is you." she pointed to the monk almost as though accusing him.

"first and foremost" Queen ambrosia broke the tense silence that followed mourgra's speech. "what is your name young monk, where are you from, tell me about you I am intruiged." she sat down "I would like to know the one from mourgra's vision."

James absorbed the information once more, blinking slowly. This...had to be some kind of joke. He was a nothing! Just a man with a bad past who was trying to make things right. "I..." He shook his head, nodding as the queen interrupted. He was almost grateful. All this doom and apocalyptic stuff...could it be the truth? Never mind that. He offered the queen a smile and focused his mind back on that.

"I am James Oresten, a monk of the Order of Genesis. My mentor was Master Silvershine, and my past..." He sighed slightly. "Let us just say that our deeds do not necessarily make us who we are today." He didn't seem too eager to talk about that part of his past...at all. "I experienced a revelation in prison while the Master was my cell mate...he showed me the path to discipline and kindness. I have taken a vow of poverty...which is why I appear before your highness in this state." He smiled wryly. He was sure her royal highness would be a bit less eager to talk to him if she had been about 20 feet closer...he really had to find a stream one of these days. "I hope you will forgive my...lack of proper attire." He bowed again.

Ambrosia laced her fingers and rested her elbows on the arms of her throne, then rested her chin on her fingers she listened intently. "Well this is fascinating indeed." she sat back in her chair and a stern look crossed her face, "listen closely to what I am about to tell you. This creature from her vision will stop at nothing to destroy all we hold dear. I know it is asking a lot to go out in this world of ours and stop this.... thing, but we have no other options. We will provide more information when the others arrive but for the time being all I can do is ask... no beg you to help us." She stood and closed her eyes for a moment then opened them. Into the room stepped two fairly attractive scantily-dressed women, "these women will lead you to our guest quarters where you can ponder our request. You will be allowed anywhere on the palace grounds while you are here and should you choose not to take on this deed you will be allowed to leave at any time."

The monk fell silent as the queen spoke again, listening. Well, obviously she wasn't all THAT interested...the reason why was soon revealed as she spoke to him. He listened carefully; he HAD put points in the skill...

Anyways, what she talked about was quite serious. He nodded, thinking for a while, his eyes turning to the two women. Inwardly he smiled. Less than a decade ago, he would have leapt at the chance with such women. Now...he didn't worry about it. He merely noted their lack of clothing, bit back a sarcastic remark about such dress this time of year and turned back to the queen, bowing deeply.

"Thank you, milady. I will ponder this and meditate upon it." He rose, looking at her...and then at the man next to her. What did he think of this? He had been silent the whole time. He watched him for a second, then a small smile formed on his lips and he raised an eyebrow at her lifemate. He wondered...which of them was the real power behind the throne?

He turned, ignoring their state of dress once more as he smiled politely at them, gesturing for them to lead the way...

The women led him down the hall, walking slightly in front of him whispering to one another looking back at him and giggling. When they reached the room at the end of the hall they opened the door and gasped as from it stepped the queen's mate. He looked to the two women and they quickly left. He then looked to the monk he took a deep breath inhaling through his nose. He smirked and looked the monk up and down and merely walked away and as he did James felt an over whelming sense of having been approved of.

James ignored the women. He had better things to worry about than what was on their mind. Instead, he looked around carefully, examining the hallway they were in. As they reached the room, he blinked as the man stepped out, not expecting it.

Him? He was inspected, examined and smiled at. "...?" He had...been approved by something or someone. Interesting. He watched the man go carefully. The queen seemed nice, but her lifemate made him a bit nervous. He...didn't seem entirely mortal. Or something. Shrugging it off for now, the young monk sat down on the floor in the middle of his new room, more comfortable with the cold floor then the silk sheets...they brought up bad memories.

He closed his eyes and began to quietly recite the ancient prayers he had been taught at the monestary, centering his mind to remove the outside influences and taints of this place while he pondered what he was going to do...

***Searching for Answers***

It was a two days later. Nothing had really happened at the palace. He had spent the two days in meditation, thinking carefully about what he had to do...why had HE been chosen?

What he'd come up with was that he basically needed more information. Did this prophecy have anything to back it up? What was the evil they were fighting? Was the dwarven shaman right? Or...was she completely wrong and manipulating events?

All these were possibilities, so he needed to figure out more about it. This wasn't going to be as easy as it sounded though...yes he had unrestricted access but...

Where would he go? He didn't know how to use the library. He didn't understand enough to seriously research something...that was left to the scholarly members of his order rather than those that entered the world like he did. So, he walked down the hallway towards the library, deep in thought, unsure of how exactly he was going to proceed...

James entered the vast library, there were thousands of books on hundreds of shelves making his task seem rather daunting. When from the back of the library came the sound of a page being turned. From the very last row stepped a young cheetah, nose deep in a large tome.

James stared at the shelves in mild shock. "..." He had NO clue where to start. This was far bigger than even the Order's archives. But....there was someone in a back. He approached, clearing his throat softly.
"...excuse me?" He asked politely. "Do you think you can help me? I'm looking for information..."

The cheetah looks up from under his cloak and eyes over the giver of the query. He sighs a small exhale before releasing the tome and with a wave of his hand it flies off to some distant shelf. The tall cheetah is quite voice responds, "Certainly, what is it that the library can offer to you." Although it is definitely rehearsed he was eager to help answer your questions.

"Er...well...the lady Mourgra stated that I was one of the chosen in her vision...and...I'm not really sure WHAT I'm supposed to kill." He admitted. "Or anything about this prophecy...and I have no clue where to start. I am just a simple monk..." He looked a bit sheepish honestly. Not much like a good and noble hero.

Hmms for a moment scanning around the room as though he is deep in thought. "Is this in reference to one of here previous visions or is this one more recent." He raises a hand and a book high on the shelf in front of him comes whizzing down to his hands. This massive leather bound edition overs in front of the cat's face pages rushing past it. Soon it whizzes back up and into place. "What was it that she said you where after?" His eyes do not falter off of you.

James stared at the man blankly as one of the books came down. He felt...very out of place in such a materialistic room. So many books...who could possibly use all of this...?

"...er...well...I suppose it's the most recent...? The one about the end of the world. And...she didn't say what we were going after....just...that we needed to fight it. And that I was one of those 'chosen.'" Honestly he wasn't sure what to think.

Nods and snaps his finger conjuring a small flame that he talks to. "Benjamin, I need the emerald key please." There is an awkward silence as they wait for the key. The cheetah looks over James before he moves away looking over other tomes. Finally a small box comes flying down one of the aisle and straight over to the cheetah. The feline walks over to the human holding it. Setting it on a table he uses the same technique to burst the box into flame and as the wood burns away all that is left is an elaborate green key. He begins to walk away and motions for you to follow.

"..." He blinked slowly. Librarians were strange, but all right in their own ways. They didn't waste time with excess words, which he could understand...

He followed the man, deciding not to waste any words either.

Walking along for a ways and passing through several door yields a iron stair case that spirals down for quite a ways opening up to large stone room with three massive metal gate; one red, one green, and one blue. He motions for you to stop and begins to levitate in the air. The cheetah looks as though he is climbing invisible stairs almost to the top of the door. He breaths out a slow breath on the door revealing the key hole which he opens with the key he had been carrying. The door opens and green light pours out revealing a room with hundreds of glass plates flying in and around each other like a coordinated dance. He looks back over to the human and asks. "What again is your question, be specific or else the room will come crashing down." He steps back and motions you onto a small platform.