[spoiler]Warlock Holmes - Sheldon Hawkings Toaster - Garrus Hawke Virus - Virdun Corvus Disciple4Christ4 - Michael Disciple ACROCANTHUS - Ace Roy LeeTheSheriff - Leebendo Eriff RingLeader77 - Ringivek deatheater200 - Dreich THECHUBBYNINJA2 - Chu-Nin-Ja[/spoiler] “So!” Chu-Nin-Ja looked excitedly over the dinner table at his miniature guests. “I’m sure you all have many questions.” “Yeah mind telling us why the hell we’re here?” Snarled Virdun. To his right, Michael kicked his leg under the table. “Well there’s really no need to be so upset.” Said Chu-Nin-Ja in a reprimanding tone. “We’re all friends here.” “You didn’t answer the question.” Said Sheldon carefully, keeping on his guard but avoiding conflict between him and the 10 foot beasts that sat around the gigantic table with him. He felt like a children’s doll compared to his lumbering fish-monster captors. Quietly, Chu-Nin-Ja placed down his fork (or what Sheldon assumed was a twisted eating utensil used like a fork.) “Do you know where we are right now?” Said Chu-Nin-Ja, gazing intently at Sheldon alone. “Under the ocean.” Replied Sheldon, not entirely sure of his answer yet “Correct. We are deep underneath what you humans refer to as “The Bermuda Triangle.” But do you know where we are right this second. In this very room?” After thinking for a brief second, confused by the question, Sheldon shook his head. “We are within a city built underneath what you know as the ocean floor. And within this city you are in my home, and within my home you are eating my food, sitting at my table, and wearing clothes I had made for you.” He turned to Virdun “So I would imagine you could at least show me some respect in return for my hospitality.” Virdun glared stubbornly at Chu-Nin-Ja, not saying a word and no longer eating for the remainder of the meal. “Now, you want to know WHY you’re here in my home. Quite a simple answer really. We saved you. Ringivek and Dreich watched your boat go down. The only way to save your life was to take you here. Otherwise you surely would have grown tired of swimming and drowned.” “That’s not true!” Piped up Michael, his face turning red when every pair of eyes turned to focus on him. “I mean, we had a life boat, and life vests. We weren’t too far off land. We would have made it back to shore.” “And would your raft survive another wave like the one that shattered your boat? Would your life vests keep you above the storm long enough to swim back?” Michael fell silent. “I’ve got a question.” Said Garrus from across the table. “How’d we survive the descent to the bottom of the ocean? I mean, it’s possible to do in some cases but not without serious side effects.” “The Triangle is.......not like other places. You’ve probably heard stories of boats disappearing, planes vanishing, people gone without a trace. The waters have a way of swallowing you. Pulling you down with incredible force and holding you there until you drown. Ringivek and Dreich are my.....hunters, so to speak. They’ll rescue these doomed souls and bring them here. What with the speed of your descent and your unconsciousness, you hardly felt a thing.” “Wait....Your hunters pulled us down. Not the waters.” Said Michael quizzically “When we saw your boat go down, we went after you immediately.” Said Dreich unexpectedly. “Is it not better to save you sooner than wait for you to suffocate under the waves?” “I suppose......” answered Sheldon. Their stories weren’t completely sensible to him. He got the unmistakable feeling they were lying as their excuses went on and on. “So why don’t you bring us back to shore? Why keep us here?” Said Garrus, growing flustered Chu-Nin-Ja carefully folded his bone-like fingers together, placing his “elbows” on the table aside his plate. “We need your help.” He answered simply, again looking only at Sheldon. “Go on.” Said Sheldon uncertainly “As I’ve already told you, we’re currently in a city under the floor of the ocean. Well, we’re not the only city beneath The Triangle. To the south lies The Ones Who Sink. In the west there’s The Ones Who Wail. And in the east is The Ones Who Hide.” “What are you?” Asked Michael “In your tongue, we are known as The Ones Who Fly.” “I’m sorry but what does all this have to do with us?” Asked Virdun impatiently. Giving Virdun a frustrated glance, he continued. “Many years ago, war broke out between the four cities. A disagreement led to battle, and so we fought. For decades now we’ve been sending our sons and daughters off to fight against those we once thought of as friends. Without compromise, this war will never cease. No nation is stronger than the other, and no city can claim victory. Two years ago we came to an agreement to end the bloodshed. A single warrior would represent our entire city and fight to the death against the warriors of our enemies. The last city standing would rule over the others, and all four of us have sworn to honor this agreement.” “So where exactly do we come in?” Questioned Garrus. “Not you.” He answered. “Him” With his knarled boney finger, he pointed to Sheldon. “Within our agreement lies the rule that no training must be involved. No preparation. No advantages. No city can choose their own warrior. It was then decided that the warriors must be picked from the humans we find within our waters as a way to leave it up to fate. Explorer, you are that human.” [i]To be continued[/i]