Desyan's+Quest

His eyes opened and the bright light poured through the broken branches. Desyan sat and brushed the dirt and twigs from his hair. He looked up and saw the blue sky. //Where was he?// He heard the sound of some kind of animal in the distance. Desyan stood up and began to walk towards the noise. He leg gave out under him and he hit the ground once more. He rolled over and looked at his ankle. It was purple. “Damn,” he yelled out. He tried to stand again but his foot twisted once more. He had no choice, he had to change into someone else. Desyan liked being other people more then he did animals. As a child he always feared larger animals, he was so small and the beasts seemed to freak him out.

So he changed into Niko, the last man he saw as he jumped off the cliff. Niko was a beggar who Desyan knew very well. He had taken care of Desyan when he was younger and he always nice to him. It seemed like the right person to turn into. Desyan's body began to shake, his skin pigment turned darker and more dirty. He eyes turned grey, and his hair brown. He opened his eyes, seeing only grey in one and darkness in the other. His pain had changed into the loss of sight. When he morphed, his pain would move, but he had no control over it. He made his way through the forest, and slowly saw a hole in the trees. He sprinted out of the woods and his eyes focused on a woman who sat leaning on a tree. She looked tired, her white robes where covered with a strange silvery stain. He looked beyond and saw volcanoes exploding, everything around him had seemed like chaos. The South was truly uncontrolled. He walked towards the woman, looking over her body. //Why is she out here alone?// he thought to himself. As he was walking, he tripped on a branch, smashing his face into the ground. She looked up noticing him and gave a small laugh. Desyan pulled himself up and looked the woman.

“Who are you, and why are you here?” he asked urgently.

One delicate eyebrow lifted. "I could ask you the same question," the white haired woman replied.

A little offended by her answer Desyan began to explain himself. "Well, since you asked so nicely, my name is...ahhh...Niko, and I'm was just.....um....fighting dragons. As you can see I am a bit beat up."

The woman smiled, clearly amused. "Fighting dragons, were you? Tell me more."

Desyan smiled in return. "I was just flying across the sky when I spotted two dragons. They seemed to be having a strange argument, so I thought I'd settle it, I mean it is my sky, and no one should be causing problems up there." He motioned pointing up to the sky. "They put up a damn good fight, but I figured them out eventually. Once the battle was over, I flew into the woods here and washed off the dragon blood." He looked over the woman, but he couldn't read her. "Now, I'll ask my own question again, who are you and why are you here?"

The woman's teal eyes sparkled with laughter. "Oh, what a mighty warrior you must be, to fight not one but //two// dragons. However..." she paused, as if thinking hard, "how did you get into the sky? I see no wings sprouting from your back. Therefore, I must assume that you can change shape. But as for taking on two dragons? No, I think not. I also know that there is no water in the woods, so you would not be washing off any blood, dragon or otherwise. And to answer your questions, I am Madame Cho, librarian of the Great Library at Xandi-lat and..." here her form shimmered into a huge white dragon, shining brightly in the Southern sun, "a dragon."

Desyan stood strong. "Oh....well, guess what, you were right I can change, I am Desyan Puca, shapeshifter of the West." Desyan transformed back into himself forgetting his hurt limb, he fell onto his behind.

"Very impressive, little bird," Cho said, trying very hard not to laugh. "Do you, perhaps, need any help?"

"Help? Why would I need your help? I am perfectly fine the way I am." Desyan pull himself up so he leaned against the tree.

"With your broken leg." Cho tilted her head to one side. "I could fix that for you, if you'd like."

"Well, since you're giving out help, I was wondering if you had a book that could explain my shapeshifting. Could you bring me to your library?"

Cho's eyes narrowed and she opened her jaws. Desyan squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for a blast of flame. Instead, he felt a cool tickling sensation envelope his body. He opened one eye to see Cho breathing what looked like a covering of frost over his leg. In a matter of moments, he was able to put his full weight on it again.

She shimmered back into human form, hands rubbing at her temples. "In answer to your question, yes, I //could// bring you to my library. But I won't, at least, not right now. You will need to prove you are a True Seeker and not some dilettante. Besides, as you say, you are Desyan Puca, shapeshifter of the West. Your quest should begin there. Eventually, you //will// come to my library. But not today, little bird."

"Little bird? I don't care who you are, but no one calls me little bird." Desyan stepped up face to face with Cho.

Suddenly a white flash came over Desyan's eyes. He fell back into his mind, and memories began to appear. There was a statue of a Tiger with eyes glowing a dark red, a baby laying on a cold cobblestone floor, and two adults being dragged away from their crying child. Then a book, sitting alone in a throne room, glimmering with gold and silver. Another white flash and Desyan woke laying against the tree with Cho looking over him. His body was cold, but his mind was racing with heat.

"What....what happened?" he spoke to Cho. "I remember confronting you, then a white flash."

"Tell me what you saw," she commanded, her teal eyes boring into him.

"I saw a child," Desyan was breathing heavily. "A child, its parents, a book....and a Tiger."

Cho closed her eyes, but not before Desyan saw something in them. Something like recognition mixed with pain. "Go West, Desyan. It is there that you will find your destiny. And that will lead you back to me and my library. But you must begin to understand //who// and //what// you are before you do that. And be careful, shapeshifter. The path you walk is a dangerous one." With that cryptic advice, she walked a few paces away and then transformed into a dragon again. Desyan watched as she launched herself into the air and then was gone, seemingly in the blink of an eye.

Desyan watched as Cho flew away. He stood up a brushed the dirt on his knees. Cho wanted him to find something, was it the book, was it child, why did Cho reacted so strange to the Tiger. Why was this happening. As the sun began to set Desyan watch the horizon towards the West. Just as he was about to take off, he turned back to the tree, He looked it over, and noticed a notch in it with the initials O.M on it. “The Guardian Tree.” He said aloud He was puzzled, how did he know that, he thought it might have been another persons memories but he would have know that. He tried to forget about, he changed into a bird and flew West, with nothing but his thoughts with him.

Days Later Miesta opened the door the local pub, noticing his companions sitting around the bar. It had been a hard day of work. Some of the local poor people or “scrubs” as the guards called them, decided to break into a store and thronged to kill the owner. Miesta and his friends were force to attack the store and burn it to the ground. Scout one of Miesta closes friend was talking loudly, you could tell he was already over come by drink. “…And then I put the man in a headlock until he passed out on the floor. What a fool, to think he can mess with me.”

Scout had always been loud and proud of everything he did. He was a small man with not much muscle. He boyish brown hair, seem to make him look even younger. Scout was always quick with his word and alway new what to say to women. There was one thing Miesta disliked about Scout. He was a traitor. He attack his fellow companies one day when they were breaking into the House Of Omin, an old Guardians home. Scout and turned around a defended the old mans children, killing one of his friends. Scout was locked away in prison for 4 years until he was let out, by the government.

“Miesta my friend, I thought you left to use the bathroom, and I thought you were wearing different clothing, oh whatever it must be the Rum getting to my brain.” Scout sounded honest with his words

“Scout, I think its time you go home.” a man said from crossed the table “Your drink has taken your mind” The whole table burst into laugher. Miesta had chimed in with a few chuckles. He put his hand on he friends shoulders.

“Miesta, can I speak with you alone for a moment.” Scout spit out “We have some business to take care of.” “A moment would be nice.” Miesta responded “I’d like to get back to my life.”

Scout lead Miesta out threw the back door into the alleyway. A cold breeze, rolled over him, and he heard a famiar voice, but it was not pleasant.

“Piggy, piggy, piggy.” Desyan stepped around the corner of the store wear what looked like to be Miesta close. “I paid your wife another vist again, and lets just say, the second time is a little more pleasant.”

“You touched my wife again you, you bastard.” Miesta stepped towards Desyan who stood his ground. “Scout, help me rip this man apart, limb by limb.”

Miesta felt a boot kick him from behind, he landed face first on the ground.

“I don’t think I can do that.” Scout laughed “You see, you put me in prison, I was trying to protect a family while the rest of you pigs felt it was right to kill them. It had to be done. Your friends Desyan came to me saying he need help breaking into the Guardian tower. In return he is helping me get my revenge, on you. So that is why I will not help you.”

Miesta slid back on his hand until he bumped into Desyan.

“Oh and one more thing.” Scout whispered “I’ll take good care of our wife.”

A scream was heard from out the store and the guards quickly stood up and ran out the door. The saw blood dragged down the alleyway with a note stuck up against a neer by wall. A guard plucked the note from the pin and read aloud “Don’t look up.”

All of the guards looked up as the large body of Miesta was dropped down on them. Scout and Desyan ran over roof top, pulling hood over there heads. They were a target now. They could hear guards yelling to get in line, weapons being draw. The two jumped down into an deserted market. A small breeze rolled through. The sin was going down, and the two men were lost in the city. They had never been here before. This place seemed almost, dead. Scout looked through one of the shops and tossed him a green apple. Desyan looked it over, noticed a black spot on the side. Suddenly, a man stepped from behind a cart. He was wearing a white robe, with the flag of Soulovas patched onto it. The Jarl of Cextra. Soulovas had many Jarls placed all around the city because it was so large. Some would wage war on others, and someone would just sit back and watch there section die. The Jarl step towards the men with his arms arms reaching out. “water.” He moaned.

The man had seemed as dead as the market. Desyan passed the Jarl the apple, who feel onto his knees, thanking the two men. A whooshing sound, came through the air and stop, directly in the Jarl. As the man collapse, the two noticed the arrow sticking out of his back. They looked up and saw the guards, pointing arrow at them. Desyan dropped his knife, but Scout stood his ground.

“I’ll break you out.” Scout said quickly “What?” Desyan responded, not knowing what his friend meant “I’ll break you out of prison” Scout repeated. Scout then quickly ran toward the nearest alleyway, dodging arrows as the rained down on him. Then he was gone, and Desyan was alone. He put his hands behind, and kneeled down, The guards jumped down, and through a sack over his head.

Desyan eyes were thrusted open, as the sack was torn off his head. He sat in a cell, alone on the stone floor. As the metal drop closed, Desyan tried to shape-shift, but his power had failed. It must have been stopped by magic. He remembered how the outer islands used magic to keep people from coming in unwanted. He pulled his legs in and leaned up against the wall, “Was Scout going to break him out, or would he turn against him now that he got what he wanted.” He still could not figure out what Madam Cho wanted from him. He would never get to the library with something, or someone. He eyes began to closes, and his body began to shut down. He blinked and watched the world he lived in fade away.

He opened his eyes suddenly, but he was in a different place. He was standing at the end of a room. He put his hand down and felt the cobble stone floor. His eyes panned over the room, until they caught a small figure laying on the floor. The baby. He ran over and picked up the child, it was sleeping. He brushed his fingers through its hair and felt it warm body. The child began to cough, and sneeze. The baby was sick. He held the child, and rocked him back and forth, until he felt something fall open of the child, cloth. A book lay on the floor, shining a bright gold, and silver. It was the book he saw before, and this was the child, but were was the tiger. He looked up in a hurry and scanned for the tiger, but it was no were to be found. Desyans eyes came back to the child just as it was waking up, It coughed and yawn, and slowly open its eyes. They were blood red like the tiger. Desyan dropped the child as it turned into the tiger and began to run, the tiger chased him down the hall, then jumping on top of him. As Desyan felt his body being torn to shreds he heard a women yelling, calling out from his child. “Desyan” she screamed “Desyan, Desyan, Desyan.

Desyan woke quickly, smacking his against the stone wall. “Desyan.” He heard someone whisper from outside. He looked up and saw Scout crouched by the window. “Hey mate, Its time to break you out.” Scout pulled a small package out from his bag, and set it near the window. “Scout must of had, this all planned out.” Desyan thought. “Scout had always seem like a guy who always plans his next move. “I think you should step back.” Scout mumbled “It going to be a big bang, and I don’t mean Miesta’s wife.” Desyan let out chuckle as he stepped back. He began to think of the book. Were was it, and how could he get to it. It seems almost impossible. He heard Scout strick a mach and and put it near the package. Scout stumbled away from it and covered his ears. Boom. The sound of crumbling stone and rock echo through the streets of Soulovas. Desyan stepped through the wall, dust collecting in his hair. Scout helped him out of the room, and the two man began to walk causually done the road. They heard the sound of men yelling and people fighting. “Wait and second.” Desyan stopped “You destoryed the wall, which means not only I got out, but everyone else.” “Well shit.” Scout cursed

They turned around and headed back for the prison. They had to fix what they broke. Both men jumped back into the cell and broke down the metal bars. Since the room had been broken, its power stopping magic could do no more. Desyan and Scout walked down the hall way, looking into every cell, and seeing no one. A loud thud came from above, and they two ran up the near by steps. Scout kick open the door, and open a room of prison ripping the guards apart. They had swords, they had magic, but they didn’t have smarts. Scout and Desyan both got out there weapons and ran into the croud of men. Desyan plunged his blade into a bald oldman who was eatting the ear off another. Scout cut the arms of a guard was trying to tackle him with a knife. “Scout.” Desyan shouted they fought off on coming enemies. “give me a boost.”

Scout put his hands out, and Desyan jumped off them. He flew through the air over a larger croud, transformering into a large cow. He fell on the prisoners, as other ran away in fear. Scout, propeled himslef off a sword, and ran across the heads of people, swing his sword as he skipped along. He landed nears Desyan, as he formed back into a human, The guards had seemed to have taken control of the prsion.

“Well then, I guess we better get going now.” Scout whispered into Desyan ear A booming voices flew over everyone, causing people to fall. There stood a man covered in art. His hands shock as magic flowed out of them. He looked in pain, but yet a smile grew slowly on his facing. “Thank you.” The man pointed to Scout. “For helping us all out, without you my friend, I don’t know were we be “Who is this fool.” Desyan murmered to Scout “Do you know him.” “Well heres the thing.” Scout smiled at Desyan. “He my brother.” Scouts fist planted into Desyan jaw, and he fell to the floor. He ran over and stomped on stomach. Scout lifted up Desyan head and poured a liquid down his throat. “This will help you sleep, my friends, help you sleep for a long time.”

Desyan eyes where white as he was layen against a tall wall. Scout and his brother stood in the throne room of the guardian tower, with multiple criminals watching the door from the outside. They were here for the book. The book they found in Desyan mind. Scout's brother had been a mind reader, and could turn anyone against there best friend. Scout, was his first victim. As boys Scout's brother you to make him break into build, and steal food from carts. If Scout was caught, his brother was no where to be found. Until one day, when Scout had joined the Guards Barracks, his brother has forced Scout to break into prison to free his friend. Scout had gotten the man out, but in turn, he traded in his brother for his friend, Miesta. It wasn't until after Miesta sent Scout to jail, that he felt bad for his brother, and swore he would get him out. Desyan was just a pawn to get to the book, but Scout had no idea why his brother needed it.

"So, brother." Scout whispered "Why are we here, what could possibly be in that book that we need."

His brother shrugged of the comment and continued to search. Scout had been treated terribly by his brother his whole life, "why was he protecting him." He snuck over to Desyan a spoke into his ear.

"I'm sorry my friend, it's my brother, he can control me, I should not have trusted him as I did, please wake up."

He began to shake Desyan violently smash his head against the wall. Scout brother turned around to see what was going on. He watched as his brother shook Desyan's body around and them drop him on the floor.

"Brother." He shouted "What are you doing?"

"Just seeing if we need to put more "juice" down his throat, we don't want him waking up now do we."

"Well we need him awake, he must know where the book is."

He ran over and picked up Desyan. He tossed him across the room until his body connect with the stone tiger, it's eyes a deep read. Life was suddenly thrust back into Desyan, and he felt the pain of the tossed race through his body. He saw Scout and his brother staring at his across the room, Scout had a look of terror in his eyes. He brother raced over and picked up Desyan again, this time hold him high above his head.

"Where is the book." He screamed at Desyan

Desyan then remember the book, he was really here in the hall where he had seen the child, the book, and the tiger which sat behind him. Scout brother was breathing heavy, as if his life was being suck out of him, he looked sick.

"Where is it." He screamed again as he fitted connect with Desyan jaw.

Blood slide from behind teeth as he shook of the blow. "Who was this man."

"Who as I?" the man spoke " I am Figette, the mind remember, I am one of the world most powerful mages, and I am slowly weakening from my power, and I need to find a way to stop it."

He dropped Desyan to the floor pulling out his sword and putting up to Desyan's neck.

"Now, who my friend are you."

"I am Desyan." he replied as he stood up, cracking his nuckles. "And I am a shapeshifter."

Desyan suddenly shifted into the tiger, tackling Figette to the floor. Figette sword flew out of his hand and his a small circle neer the stone tiger, causing a book to fallout. Scout stood as watched has his brother and the tiger fought each other. Blood began to poor from both man and beast as the crashed into tables and chairs. Scout eyes stumble, across his brother blade."Who would he help?" He picked up the sword as ran towards the two.

"Brother, I am here to help." He yelled jumping at Desyan.

Figette swung is hand back, nocking his brother across the floor and into the table. He swung back around kick the tiger Desyan, in the stomach, sending him in the opposite direction. He pick his sword and stepped toward Desyan as he changed back into as human. He put the sword to Desyan neck again, this time drawing blood.

"Your power, will break you down to." He choked. "Soon your body will decay until your power has completely taken over your body. So think of me kill you as a gift."

As he began to swing the sword back, Scout grabbed his brother, and the both of them vanished, leaving Desyan in the room alone. He looked over and saw the book, laying there at the foot of the tiger. He heard the sound of screaming man trying to get inside the room. He stood up, and quickly slide the book into his bag, he grabbed Figette sword and through it in the wind. Changing into a bird, he flew out, as this time. He was headed West.

THE CONTINUED VERSION:

Desyan's feet land softly in the snow, causing a frozen chill to run up his body.

"Damn, its cold." he swore

His eyes looked over the mountain, grazing over the drop off, the peaks, and the rock that are bigger then a dragon. He began to walk up the large mountain, jumping from snow bank to snow bank, he started to pretend he was fighting of guards and running along roof tops. He noticed that there was a cliff edge, neer the path he was following. He stepped off the path and planted his foot in the deep snow. The ground underneath him begin to move and a loud crack echo through the air. Desyan scrabbled back letting out a girlish scream. He fell onto his butt and slide back. Once the ground settled Desyan picked himself up and swung his head around, hoping no one heard the scream he let out. He continued up the path, until he heard another rumbling, the ground began to shake again, and Desyan rolled up in a ball to protect himself. A large rock came bouncing down the path and neer hit Desyan's head.

"Seriously." he exclaimed "Are you trying to kill me......Fine ill just fly then."

Just as Desyan began to take off a large ball of snow struck his left wing.

"Well, screw you then." He bitched. and he march ahead.