"Start" Kaede!

I look around the hut as I slowly rose up, not getting off the bed. Though the makeshift bed was not too comfortable compared to other beds could be, my back did not crack too badly. The hut seemed on the smaller side. In a peasant's home, perhaps, I thought to myself.

I hardly noticed the other in the hut with me, not focused, nor listening, to my "host". Or was this my house? I could not recall. The lack of wealth seemed evident to me and I sincerely prayed that this ragged place did not belong to me. If it did, then I hoped it was the entire village that was mine and the home was given to another to reside in.

Other than the squeaky voice from the thing beside me, the place was quiet. Rising slowly to my feet, I noticed it was dark outside. For now. Dawn was coming soon, I knew. How I knew, I could not say. It seemed as if I had been rising at this time for a while, judging by the lack of exhaustion, and the naturally awaking over being forced awake early.

Stretching out, still ignoring the other, I headed to the door slowly, feeling weak, and looked out.

It took some time before I spoke to the other in the hut. By then I was leaning on the door frame and watching the sunrise over the horizon.

"Who are you," I whispered gently. "Where am I?"

Other than my name, I could not recall anything of how I came to be there. My outfit was foreign to me, so was the rest of my body and my surroundings. Maybe I would remember everything soon...

The Dinaurian looks vaguely startled when she sees you get up and walk towards the door, "W-wait! You shouldn't strain yourself! You only just woke up and your injuries were far worse than a mere simple scratch or a bruise or two!" she scolded you, rushing over to help you stand and she looked over you, frowning in worry and slight annoyance. "You should get back to bed and rest."

She steers you over to the bed and lays you back down.

"Sleep. When you wake up again, I will answer what I can, okay?" she smiles at you, brushing your feathered hair from your face before whispering something in a foreign language- but it felt somehow familiar to you.

Before you could recall what it was that felt familiar about it, you were out like a light.


When you wake up the second time, you feel much better- like a weight was lifted off your shoulders- and when you look out the door, it was much brighter than before, telling you the sun has already risen high in the sky.

"It's good to see that you're awake again," the Dinaurian speaks up, apparently having kept her promise, and this time she brings a small clay cup filled with water in it, holding it out for you to take. "How are you feeling? You look better, than this morning, for sure." she added, eyes eyes twinkling with relief. "My name is Liah, by the way, and as for where you are... well, you're in my home. In my village, Goment."

I resist her as long as I could, but Liah was right: I was injured more than just a simple cut or three. Though I did not wish to sleep, whatever she did to me put me under once more, for several hours.

Waking again a bit later into the day, I struggle to my feet once more. Though I still ached, I pushed it aside, the feeling of doing so natural to me. Somehow. Why could I not recall anything? That irked me the most.

It took a moment for me to realize the Dinaurian was speaking to me. Though I missed the first sentence, I made sure to listen a bit more closely to the rest of it.

"Liah," I say, testing her name on my lips. A moment passes before I say something else. "That name sounds familiar. Maybe it's just my imagination." I shake my head, wondering if I had had a head injury. Possibly, quite likely, in fact. "Well, Liah, nice to meet you, but I should get going now. Thank you for your hospitality, but I do not wish to intrude in your private space any longer."

I did not answer her question directly, though by the easy effort heading to the door, it seemed I was not quite so sore as the early dawn. Exiting swiftly before I allowed her to stop me, I start to wander in the village, unsure where to go, or what I was supposed to be doing. Why was I here in the first place?


[[Okay, so I'm just gonna say this: Liah could be someone in Kaede's past whom he can't recall, so the name seems familiar, though two entirely different characters. Okay? Perhaps an old girlfriend! *laughs*]]

"You wait one damn second, you... you...-!" Liah didn't seem to know how to finish her sentence and she rushed after you, stopping you in your tracks, eyes narrowed and her arms crossed tensely over her chest. "You have in no may intruded in my private space, you understand me? I volunteered to watch over you when the chief brought you into the village from the plains, battered and bruises and broken. Now you are going to go back in there, change into your own clothes that I patched up last night for you and don the weapon that my grandfather so generously repaired." she said, not budging an inch.

"Liah?" a new voice broke, almost very nearly cutting her off, and you both turn to see where another Dinaurian, another Velon- with black fur and feathers and white simple stripe markings on his body- was approaching you. He had bandages across his chest and on his tail and simple leather trousers that had a beautifully crafted iron longsword attached to them. Behind him was another Dinaurian, a blue and green Parasaur, that was looking at you curiously. "Is everything okay?" the Velon asked and Liah let out a sharp breath.

"It will be when this stubborn fool does what I tell him too," she muttered, looking pointedly at you and the other Velon snickers, turning sparkling emerald eyes towards you.

"Well then, best not make Liah any madder, yeah? Off you go!" the Velon seemed to understand what she was talking about, despite not having heard her ask in the first place, and he steers you back towards the house, leaving the Parasaur with Liah. "Sorry about the bit of man-handling, but you really don't want to make Liah mad. She might just tie you to the bed next time you decide to not listen."

"It's still rude of me to even be here," I reply simply. "I don't have any clue how I ended up here in the first place, so I really should not be in town until I figure things out about myself." However, as she continued, I looked down at my current clothes. If they weren't the greatest comfort, then no wonder they weren't mine. And I had a weapon? What kind?

I did not get to say another word as someone broke into our conversation. Another face I did not recognize. The two newcomers were dressed up like they were about to go hunting, in my opinion, but I stayed quiet during the pair's exchange.

Mentioning me, I glanced at Liah with a frown. "I'm no fool," I muttered in return. I did not argue on the stubbornness part though, already knowing that I was stubborn.

The Velon pushed me and I almost landed on my face as he did so, forcing me to pull away from him. "I can walk," I tell him dryly. "But she's already done made me go back to bed once. I'm intruding in this place and I really don't want to be of any problem or responsibility."

Glancing around the hut, I wondered where my stuff was. "Ah, she mentioned clothes and a weapon of mine might be laying around here? Happen to know where?" I was smart enough not to mess with her stuff, just in case it also got her upset.

The Velon frowns at you, eyes narrowed and he nodded to the chair that had a small pile of clothes for you and beside it was a wooden staff- one used for a witch or a warlock. "Can I... talk to you for a second?" he asked, moving over to sit by the bed and he made no further move to push you in any direction, but it still looked like he was expecting you to stay so you could talk.

About what though?

Casually stripping from the clothes I was currently wearing, I nodded to him, not certain what he wished to say, but also not stressing over it. "Okay," I say, grabbing my outfit and slowly putting it on. It hurt, but I worked through it, doing my best to keep everything on me straight.

The staff shocked me a little. I thought she has meant a sword or bow. Not a staff. Maybe...maybe that was why when she spoke softly and put me to sleep, maybe that's why I understood. Did I know it too?

"Do you have any idea what's going on? Where you are and why you woke up here?" the Velon asked, tilting his head, curious.

I shake my head. "I don't know much," I admit to him. "I know my name, know that I'm injured, but my past? How I was hurt? It's all a dark void in my head." I grab the staff and inspect it in silence after speaking, my voice more vulnerable than I had expected.

The Velon sighs and then pats the seat on the bed next to him, "Okay... I have to admit, that's... odd. Even for this. Uhm, I don't normally do this, but I have this feeling in my gut that something is going to go wrong if I don't tell you and well-" he cut himself off and then smiled, turning towards you. "My name is Kieran Codex, and I am the grandson of Nathaniel Codex- the creator of the Virtual-Isis. And of the virtual reality game called Dyno-V. The game you are currently playing. Do you understand?" he hummed and looked up at the ceiling. "You're probably wondering how I know that though, huh?"

I shrug. "I might have hit my head or something," I reply. "Maybe it'll come back to me later."

Listening with a little spark of uncertainty and worry, I furrowed my eyes, unsure what exactly this meant. Game? Was I pulled into a game and needed to somehow find a way out? Maybe learn to live here? I was at a loss for words. However, with my mouth hanging open long enough by this point, I remembered my niceties. "Grand to meet you, Mr. Codex," I finally manage out. "I'm mostly, uh, wondering, why am I in this game then?"

"Kieran please," Kieran said with a grimace. "Mr. Codex was my dad..." he sighed and then frowned again, narrowing his eyes at you. "You mean you really don't remember anything?" he asked and brushed a hand over his muzzle and then ruffling the feathered hair on his head. "Every player jumps into the game on their own. Something..." he started and then paused, frowning at the ground, "If you don't remember... something must have happened when you jumped into the game to make you forget. You shouldn't worry though, I don't think... I think the amnesia will be temporary. Anyway, I'll explain later why I'm here with you. For now, let's focus on the game okay? Now that you're dressed and have your weapon back, let me show you around, okay?" he stood up and smiled then, nodding towards the door. "Ready?"

"Kieran," I say instead, at his request. I don't venture on the topic of his father, feeling that might be murky waters, and turn to the fact he doesn't understand something. "Is that not normal? Like, am I not supposed to actually be here or something?" Though as he continued, I let the subject drop completely, allowing him to direct me instead. "Well, okay," I say reluctantly. "Though I might need tips on how to use my staff at some point," I add on a moment later. "Otherwise, yeah, I guess I'm ready."

Kieran shakes his head when he stops at the door, "No, I'm afraid... it's not normal for a player to forget they're in a game." Kieran tells you, but doesn't say anything more on that and instead goes to respond to your second comment. "Don't worry about that, though. I know how to use just about every weapon in this game, so when it comes down to it, I'll tell you how to use the staff. Okay?" He then leads you outside and smiles at Liah and the Parasaur. "Liah, Raz, don't worry. I'll take care of everything now." he said and Liah hesitates before nodding and she left off in the direction of the stables.

Now that you're actually paying attention, you finally take in the village that surrounds you. The village has several straw and wooden huts. To the right, you see an open hut with an old grey Dinaurian Raptor working on a sword; to the left you see a larger hut with several wooden and bone Celtic symbols outside; and in front of you, you see a open stable filled with several small Raptor-Saurians. On top of the stables is a sleeping Ptero, but your attention is soon pulled away when the Parasaur speaks up.

"Are you kidding me Ran? I'm not about to let you go off on your own! I'm coming with!" Raz says with a cheeky grin, linking an arm with Kieran's and the Velon blushes, but sticks his tongue out at the Parasaur before turning to you with a small grin of his own.

"Alright, looks like Raz is gonna accompany us. He's the son of the chief, by the way, and he's my best friend." he sends you a stern look, and for a moment you're confused about it until you realize that he's silently telling you to not say anything about this whole thing being a game. You're not sure if you actually need the warning, but then, you realize, he's only trying to help keep everything in line.

Oh joy. Just what I needed. Non-normalcy. At least he was willing to help me, as needed. "Thank you," I mutter. Exiting the house with my staff, which was rather intricate to me, I nodded slightly to Liah just before she turned and walked off.

The village was rather simple. Straw and wooden huts, the doors hardly strong enough to hold against a strong storm. Not that I was judging them. I had no clue where I lived at this point. Wandering off from Raz and Kieran, I venture towards the unique building to my left. I trace the Celtic symbols engraved on it, wondering what they meant.

Hearing Kieran's warning hidden within his voice, I wondered why he had not yet noticed I was not directly behind him anymore. He would see soon.

"What's this building about?"

Kieran grimaced and followed after you with Raz still on his arm, "That's the chief's hut. He'll want to talk to you soon, but for now we should get you acquainted with other people around the village. The stables are a good place to start, so let's head there, okay?"

I looked back at the building and shook my head. "what do these symbols mean, first," I ask, my curiosity of them winning out over meeting new people in this community.

"All seeing," Kieran said. "Most of them are protection symbols, but the chief likes to know what happens in his village. Nothing gets by him without him knowing about it."

"One or two are symbols that help with spirits, though," Raz pipes up with a grin. "My dad is a believer in the spirit realm."

Kieran nods and then starts towards the stables, "Showing new meat around?" A new voice said and Kieran snorted, narrowing his eyes at the human that spoke up. He had dark brown hair and brown eyes, clad in classic leather armor; he has a bow in his hand, and it is obvious that he had just gotten done using it. Despite the rude tone, he was smiling towards the Velon.

"Ne, back from your trip, Dalix?" Kieran trills, walking towards the other human.

"Yes," the human, Dalix, nods before turning his head and he narrows his eyes when he sees you. "So who are you supposed to be?" He questions, more than a bit rude this time.

"Dalix, meet the Dinaurian that the chief brought in from the fields," Kieran turns to you, eyebrow raised when he seems to realize he doesn't actually know your name. So maybe it's time to actually introduce yourself?

I nodded, listening to them carefully. I wasn't sure what else to say about it, so I simply followed them along and stayed quiet.

As the newcomer approached, however, I frowned and almost lashed out at him with some rude words. However, I managed to stay quiet and ignore the comment. "Name's Kaede," I grumble instead.

Dalix narrowed his eyes at you before huffing, "Never seen a Ptero Dinaurian before. Kinda rare around these parts," he said, as if that earned you a bit of respect just because of what you were. "Now if only the Saurians were just as rare," he added with a smirk and a sleepy growl could be heard from above you. That's when your attention goes to the Ptero that had been sleeping on the stable roof- with tan and brown skin and brightly orange colored eyes.

"See if I ever take you anywhere on my back again, Lix," he muttered, stretching out his wings.

"Soren," Kieran chuckled and then nodded to you, "come down here so you can meet Kaede."

The Saurian seems intrigued at that and he snorts, gliding roughly down in front of you- it's then that you notice he's rather big for a Saurian of his species. "Nice to meet you," he trilled. "Now then, if you don't mind... I want to get back to my nap." he turned and walked into the stables, disappearing from view and Dalix smirked, shaking his head before giving all three of you a slight downturn of his head before leaving as well.

Kieran sighs and rolls his eyes at the both of them before turning to you with a strange smile, "Sorry about that, they're normally not like that-"

"-except for Dalix. He's always like that," Raz offered and Kieran chuckled.

"Anyway, the blacksmith's is next. Master Han runs it and he's the finest craftsman you'll ever find in these parts- mostly because no one cares for his weapons more than he does." Kieran said, nodding towards the blacksmith's hut, where the old Dinaurian- Master Han, presumably- is still working.