CYOA: Out of Darkness

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You were awaken by a soft shake. You decided to spend your downtime resting under a tree by the riverbed, but you didn't expect the lazy river to lull you to sleep.

"Get up, we're leaving soon," Lindy says, crouching down in front of you. If we want to reach Sarcorn today, we need to leave in under an hour,"

"Before Midday, right?" You ask. "Matthew told me already."

"Yes, but the village wants to give us a proper send off."

"I think I'll pass," you say dismissively. "I'll join you soon. You seem nice, but nobody here seems to like me very much."

"They like you enough to give you over a thousand gold pieces from the gold we found on the pirates."

"Their gratitude doesn't keep them from giving me weird looks whenever I pass by."

"Look, you're new here," Lindy declares, annoyed. "You're strange acting and looking, and it doesn't help that you're-," Lindy bites back her next words quickly, and you think back to her changing your head bandage yesterday, and oddly enough, to memories of last night's nightmare. The details of which have already slipped your mind, but you distinctly remember that you were flying.

You feel a slight brush on the back of your hand from Lindy's delicate fingers as she gently pull your hand away from your tightly wrapped forehead.

"Not here," she whispers.

So she does know. Whatever it is you are, she knows.

"Help me," you whisper back. "Tell me what I am."

Slowly, sadly, Lindy shakes her head no. "It would be safer for everyone I think if you left as soon as we reached Sarcorn and went as far east as possible before your memories came back."

"Why east?" You ask again, almost pleading now. "How could keeping the truth from me be safe."

"Because it isn't you I'm afraid for. I'm afraid about what Matthew would do if he found out that..."

"I'm not going to hurt you or Matthew. You are both my friends. That's why I'm coming with you in the first place, right."

Lindy looks like she wants to protest, but reluctantly, she begins to speak. "I really shouldn't ask you this, but do you know about the Manaketes?"

Well wise guy, there's more to it than just that, but you won't get it tonight. I've had a busy day followed by a busy day tomorrow and need my sleep.

Yes and no.

I'll lean displaced lord of a nation conquered by manaketes, etc.

So someone close is being held prisoner by manaketes?

Both of you realize that there isn't a prize for guessing right, and that I'm not actually going to tell you if you are right, right?

"Manakete," the word rolls off your tongue easily, and it gives you a sense of familiarity. The image of a castle of black stone spiraling high into the sky flashes through your mind, making your head throb, but while you know there is more you should know, the information lies just beyond your grasp.

"Yes, the Manaketes are a race of shapeshifters who rule over the Altnoirian empire, all of the lands east of Majera. They have always been at odds with the rapidly expanding Renarrian Empire to the west, but with the Monarch's skilled diplomacy, and Majera's role as a buffer between the two more powerful nations, there was peace. Five years ago though, Altnoirian forces marched right up to the border and demanded safe passage through Majeran lands in a sudden declaration of war on Renarre after eight hundred years of peace. Naturally, The Monarch of Majera refused them passage, which Altnoire's King, the Dragon King Zairthe took denial as an act of war itself and soon we were thrown into the fray. This village has been relatively safe, since Forks lies directly on the Renarrian-Majeran border, but all settlements on the western front have been almost completely wiped out. Mine and Matthew's village was one of the first to burn."

"I'm-I'm sorry," you stammer, at a loss for what to say. You were caught completely by surprise, but Lindy keeps on talking, not missing a beat, "this war has cost tens of thousands of lives, and the number grows by the day. That's why you aren't safe here," she whispers, drawing you close, "if anyone this side of the front found out that you are a manakete, they would not hesitate to kill you, even Matthew."

"Wait." You say, "you think I'm secretly some kind of dragon?"

"I know that you're some kind of dragon. Ones with such human-like forms such as you are a rarity, but not impossible. Your ears, as I'm sure you noticed are much different from everyone else's, haven't you?"

"I have," you nod.

"However close to human a manakete looks, their ears are just as pointed as even the most reptilian Manaketes. Everyone who saw them would know what you were in a heartbeat."

"I still don't understand this," you say aloud, "you would think that if I could transform into a dragon, I would have done it earlier. I still remember how to fight, so you'd think I would remember to turn into a dragon when things look grim. Being a living fortress sure would have helped on that bridge, or against that Pirate Lord."

"Well in a way," Lindy says, you kind of are. "I've been watching you fight and move, and you've brushed off blows that would cripple any normal man, and your combat skills fit veterans that look twice your age. As for the transformation, Manaketes need a special kind of item or emblem to unlock their power, and enter their true forms, though I don't quite remember what or why. You probably dropped yours before the pirates grabbed you or else they would have had it on them, or if anything else I've heard about dragons to be true, you would not have been captured in the first place."

"So what if I'm just a good soldier," you shrug. "That doesn't make me a dragon. I don't see how being able to fly through the sky would make me a better fighter." As you say this, you know that isn't what Lindy is talking about and you remember your dream where you were flying, then falling. You know that Lindy is right, and you think you've known since she named you as a manakete, but part of you, a large part of you, does not want to be the mortal enemy of your newfound friends, or anyone else within one hundred miles.

"Dragons live a long time," you mumble aloud as you absentmindedly think back to your dream. As you understand what Lindy is hinting at, a voice in your head fills in the blanks. "You're saying that I'm a lot older and stronger than I look, because I'm actually a dragon?"

"Correct," Lindy gives a small smile, seeing you come around. "Yes, you my friend, are a manakete. As much as you can hide your ears, sooner or later someone else is going to find that out soon, and you want to be as far east as you can before that happens."

"One last question, then," you say, a thought suddenly crossing your mind. "Why are you helping me? I'm the enemy, right? Shouldn't you be killing me instead of mending my wounds?"

"I'm a doctor," Lindy gives a melancholic smile, "I heal people. War is a strain on everyone's morals, but I'd like to keep mine intact for a little longer if I can, and also... you saved my life by pushing me into that river, and you didn't abandon me not Matthew when we needed you. You could have walked away at any time and no one would blame you, but you stayed and fought for us, with us. You are an ally in my eyes, and that isn't changing soon.

Golf claps for Neo .  Congrats Neo on Lindy and Thio b/c clearly they are S rank right now. Surely a shipping legend has nothing to fear a little expert like  me right?? I could make a CM Punk reference about pipe bombs but the all mighty Neo has nothing to fear right??  So congrats on winning the war and send me pictures from the wedding.

Anyways when does the dragon Thio return?  Also do we encounter any other recruit able characters soon or is just the lovebirds Thio and Lindy and there crazy lord friend Matt for a while?

You will be getting a lot of new characters relatively quickly. Possibly two this chapter, but some stuff needs to happen first. Shopping mostly.

Is the Lindy shipping war really over? Hm, I guess I better do something about that.

To answer the dragonstone question: quickly and not for a long time.