MONARCH - Discontinued

Chapter 1 - Thanks for Breaking My Fall

Don't ask how Ava got across the lake (she doesn't want to talk about it). Here she stood, where many soldiers have before her, in front of a Baal, a Dungeon (soaking wet -). She was clutching her necklace, her other hand limp at her side.

Letting out a breath that sounded like a sigh, she walked forward, taking her time on the many steps. "Hello," Ava jumped at the voice, a hiss lodging in her throat as she whirled around to see a man dressed in green, blond hair in a long braid over his shoulder.

"Hello..." Ava replied, attempting to force her hackles down, her ears pinned back as her tail bent furiously, her hand hovering over her sword's hilt. The man held his hands up, smiling warmly, "Sorry, I didn't know you were so jumpy."

This finally caused Ava to relax out of guilt, an apology nearly slipping out of her lips before she inwardly shook her head, knowing she had nothing to say sorry for. "So..." Ava trailed, urging the man to explain himself. "Oh! I'm Yunan, and I realize you're going into Baal."

Ava nodded boldly, "Naí, I am." "Well, I would just like to wish you good luck, and also give you this." He held out his hand with a piece of folded paper, which Ava took hesitantly.

She stared at it for a moment before looking up, about to ask what it was when she noticed Yunan wasn't there. "Huh!?" Ava's eyes widened rapidly, before blinking and shaking her head, her ponytail thrashing wildly behind her, causing some form of familiarity.

"Paráxena..." Ava mumbled to herself, staring down at the paper once more. Slowly, she opened it:

Hold your sword up to your face and say, "Monarch, Djinn of sound, wind, and power, take refuge within my body and help me guide a human's will."

Ava stared for a moment, almost doing what the note says, nearly sliding her sword out of her belt, but stopped herself. This could just be a trick. Sighing, she decided to put if off to a better moment, stuffing it into a pouch that hung off of her belt and turned to the Dungeon's door, taking in a breath.

It was pure white, and seemed to be glowing, nothing like it was before. Ava flinched at the brightness, before charging in. And for a moment, her feet weren't on the ground. A red planet with pale red lights coming off of it was all Ava could see, and for a moment, she felt weightless.

Then, her feet touched the familiar ground, and she blinked, and it was gone. Ava stumbled backwards, catching herself, before staring out into the Dungeon. It was in ruins. Vines and collapsed pillars and dragons... dragons -

Ava jumped backwards before a dragon could touch her, the creature screeching in annoyance as it missed her. Her breath only slightly altered, and she once again snapped her gaze out to the mysterious world, now aware of the dragons threatening to eat her at every turn.

The only reason Ava noticed they had lightning powers is because she watched one fry the other. Gulping, she bent her knees slightly, pressed her side into a pillar.

Turning to look over her shoulder, Ava realized dreadfully that there wasn't an exit. The only way to get out is to go inside.

***

Ava huffed, panting as she ducked, a rebellious dragon swooping down to aim an attack on her. She grinned to herself as she heard the dragon hiss, finally used to the noise. She's made her status clear in this Dungeon.

After a couple of days - a few without food until she learned that the dragons were eatable - she was starting to get the hang of ducking and rolling and finding a secluded area to take a two minute nap before claiming the day to be started again.