☆ Demi-human Bar Owner of The Last Stop ☆
Hello and welcome to my page!
As follower goals are met parts of my lore will be released, I'm very eager and excited to share with everyone my best friend as he's getting ready to show up. I hope you love and adore him as much as I do
━━☆🥂 Follower Goals 🥂 ☆━━━━
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100 Followers Unlocked: Lore Chapter 1- Things take a turn
250 Followers Unlock: Chapter 2- Lore
400 Followers Unlock: Half Up Reveal
500 Followers Unlock: Lore Chapter 3 + Vasti Reveal
*1500 Followers Unlock: Chapter 4
【Chapter 1】 Things take a turn
There was a time before being a bar owner, a time that feels like another life but not a fading memory. A time I dream of frequently with fond memories and terror, excitement, but no regrets. The only thing I can stand by, that no one can take from me, that I live by is that I’m a man of morals. There is a very thin line I won’t cross, even now with my days ticking by...
Bartender, bar owner, man, but thief was the most exciting title, my hands still flex instinctively without thought in the presence of jewels but I should have known better at my last job...
Being a well sought after asset in a prominent gang with a high standard of 'money can get anything done' motto, I was summoned for a one-man task by an enchantress well known for making deals. Deals where there are no take backs from until it was completed even after death, the scorching black symbol left of our deal still burns on the palm of my hand as a reminder. I was hired to steal a crystal bedazzled dragon's egg buried at who cared, behind didn’t matter and had to travel not far enough to get it done. I’m not one to ask questions.
In my opinion, the egg looked tacky, I couldn’t wrap my mind around why anyone would want such a thing for a collection except maybe to remove the jewels but she said “ intact”. I had spent tireless days staking the place out, hidden in shadows, sitting, watching, and waiting for the perfect moment of opportunity.
Blessed with rain on the night with only four guards on duty, rookie numbers, I headed towards the security entry, looped under the cameras, and began my specialty lockpicking. How easily I could infiltrate this place with guards hardly trained I felt puzzled by such a high stake deal for such an easy task. Peering inside the unlocked room there was nothing special to it, just a dark classic room with a glass case over a tasteless dragon's egg, which assuming from the lack of security I was sure had a pressure-sensitive plate under it. A small scribbled plaque with rune symbols sketched into the side, at the front reading ‘The Last Dragons egg’ as if it was real, made me chuckle to myself.
“Yeah right,” I thought.
Opening the case, I could feel my hands eager for the grab, feel my feet already turning towards the door ready to bolt but I felt frozen as soon as my hands wrapped around the surface- as there was heat. Sturdy and warm had caught me off guard. My ears perked up as footsteps approached, muffled voices, without another thought I had stashed the egg into my pack and kept low to the floor crouched, and made my way out hidden in shadows.
Feeling disappointed for such an easy task, I made my way out of the facility area and waited by the docks an hour out for the retrievers. Curiosity getting the best of me, I retrieved the egg from my pack and looked it over in my hands carefully, the weight on it was expected with all those jewels but the warmth still threw me off.
Ears twitching; fast shuffling headed towards me but I couldn’t keep my eyes off this as I still looked it over from hand to hand.
Hands appeared in front of my vision of sight with outstretched pale hands as they cleared their shaking throat demanding I hand it over, I almost didn’t hear it.
“What do you want it for?” Not looking away I asked, unable to keep the question from leaping from my lips.
“That's not how this works” he sounded apologetic. Red flag.
Finally looking up and taking them in, I’ll never forget the appearance of darkness encased by a figure. Just two black voids standing in front of me with white eyes and white gloves, no other appearance. Creepy, red flag two.
In my hand I could feel the weight of the egg shift, something was definitely inside which suddenly made this so much harder as we were now crossing into my very thin line of morals.
“There’s something inside this, isn’t there?” I formed a question but I already knew the answer as they just stared.
I took a deep breath and paced in a circle, holding the egg under my arm as I rubbed the bridge of my nose. This crossed my line and I had sold my soul for a deal to be completed.
“Yeah… that’s gonna be a no from me.”
【Chapter 2】Acting on instinct
I clutched the egg closer to my chest, the warmth getting hotter with each other step. I've spent my life completing many tasks, jobs, favors without much thought as my morals were very low but I still had morals right? If a man didn't stand by his word what was he good for?
With my mind made up I turned on my heel ready to leave these goons in the dust as a low hum broke my concentration.
"WAIT, YOU DON'T UNDER-"
The humming grew louder as I ran, stretching all my muscles, forcing every step to go faster and faster, my heart hammering in my chest filling my ears but the humming was louder. My concentration breaking, my stride slowing as the heat of the egg in my arms was almost burning and the humming becoming deafening, I ducked away into a nearby alleyway.
Out of breath panting, I throw my arms out in front of me holding the egg-
I could see my hands were burned, the skin a nasty pink, my mind unable to register any sort of feeling as I watched white liquid drip from my fingers. My jacket sleeves were burnt off with little remains of the same mystery liquid, but my eyes focused stunned at the red ball in my hands.
There he was, a dragon. A real red hot dragon curled up with the melting remains off his egg sliding off his tiny body.
Curiosity building, maybe even fear, I shifted the weight onto my left and with my right, I reached towards his head to touch- just to make sure it was real.
It moved his head away from my hand and unfurled his wings in a mighty swoop, the humming turning into a hiss.
Cool air hitting the sores on my hand brought back the pain, it felt like I was hit in the face all at once I couldn’t keep focused, couldn’t keep my body from swaying, my eyes heavy and closed before I could even think-
I knew I was on the ground as there was a whirling in my head but the impact didn’t come, all I could feel and see was a roller coaster of black and white swirling, sucking me in further, deeper into the void. Faintly behind me, I swore I could hear “ Oh, Kade… What have you done?” before I was gone.
【Chapter 3】Consequences
One of those recurring nightmares is of his face, Leo’s face, painted with sadness and worry as orange light swayed highlighting and masking the troubled lines of a broken man watching me. Tear streaks glowing softly, the way his eyes looked half-closed and hid lip torn open bleeding before I fade again into another dream.
As someone in my field of work, guilt isn’t common and is considered a weakness. But every night I dream of Leo's bleeding lips, those puffy ears, I feel my chest tighten with that same weakness because I know that was my fault. Leo is a damn good man who is a hell of a fighter, but a very anxious man with a coping mechanism of chipping away at the skin of his upper lips. For him to destroy both top and bottom I knew I caused him immense pain... Tears of a thief- I caused him such dishonor. I am the worst and I will never forget that.
My ears twitched as my mind finally came back, I thought I had opened my eyes but saw nothing. There was a warmth under my right arm the size of a small ball that had my hand moving up and down.
“I wouldn’t move yet.” the familiar voice said softly.
I wanted to ask what had happened, what was going on but I felt exhausted, my body wasn’t really mine but my mind was aware of everything.
“ Kade… you really screwed up this time” his voice cracked, so vulnerable.
I tried to roll my shoulder, just to test control and as I focused forcing the bone to move up there was a piercing surge through my body of pain I could imagine being stabbed everywhere all at once. This is where I die, amongst who knows how many, being held down and stabbed to death.
A force pushed me down, before I could imagine it hitting the floor I couldn’t feel my body once more. I was a part of nothing, but as my mind became more aware my senses were at least coming back.
“Please brother, don’t move. I had a hefty fee for this to be painless.” Leo said sternly.
I thought back to that haunting face of a huge man in pain, painted with sadness as he wept. Pain that I caused a good man.
Leo was in the same ranking as me within the pack, he was used as muscle during big raids or community events. A beloved man who looked like muscles with a face but respected everyone and took part in helping all neighbors nearby regardless if they were with or against us. That’s just the kind of man he was, never-changing regardless of the lashing from the boss.
“When I heard you took a job from Lady L… I thought surely it was a rumor.” With each word, his voice became louder and echoed. “Surely my brother was NOT THROWING AWAY HIS LIFE TO THAT BI-”
‘Shhhhhhhhh’ was written in my mind.
I was taken back, as was Leo as he stopped and began again but more softly.
“You sold your soul to the devil, and for what Kade?”
I laid there unable to respond. There was no way I could even begin to explain as we fell into silence, I knew we were thinking of Saffie. He had said the same thing to her as we buried her.
“It’s only been two years and I’m losing more of my heart. My family is being taken from me, for what? Money? Did you do this for money? You could have come to me, or boss, we could have found more jobs.”
“Did you do it for her?” he spat. As if he could read my mind he continued.
“It was, wasn't it? She asked you to deal with Lady L and you just rolled over like a love-sick puppy. I know, I know not to that degree but basically that, and this is why- this is why we keep within the pack. You don’t know love, she could never be part of us. Boss already had such a nice Kitsune lined up and you still went for a Fox.” He sounded disgusted.
I could feel my chest burn without much thought, I was getting heated listening to him bash her-
“Alright, alright. That’s all I’ll say about her, just stop moving. You must be still until it’s finished.”
He left out a loud sigh.
I imagined him sitting close with his head in his hand as he pinched the bridge of his nose like he does when annoyed. I felt calmer imagining him with me, picturing us together.
“I’m sure not knowing what’s going on is killing you, huh? Heh.” I listened closely as he took another breath.
“There was a rumor in the black city years ago about a dragon's egg, one destined to be prophesied to end it all. Can you believe that? A PROPHECY, Kade.” he chucked.
“A dragon to end it all. I’m guessing it’s that little guy you got there, he sure is mean.”
So that was the ball under my arm, I imagined him resting under me sleeping peacefully. Then I imagined my hands, the skin melting off...
“I thought it was a tale. Nothing really to come of it but it seems that was true. You didn’t know about this did you?” He waited for an answer that wasn’t coming.
“Of course not. You didn’t know, but if you did would you still have taken it…” he trailed off as if in thought.
“Heh I’m sure you would have, she’s a collector after all ain’t she? Was she selling it… no-no… collecting? That would have been a waste… but did she know…” he trailed off again.
“I don’t know your reasonin’ for what you did. Why you would take the job after… after what happened but you clutched to that thing there when I arrived. The Sisters couldn’t even get him from you, ain't that something?”
A cold chill ran down my body at the thought. The Sisters were of a witches group, a very powerful one that used to work for Lady L the enchantress as they work with corrupt magic.
“They said they felt the presence of the dragon's awakening and ran towards the power before the shadows could tell. I didn’t know what to do Kade, you were already marked for death… So when they gave me a choice of both of your death now or….. I had to take it. “
I thought back to Saffie… the pack's first run-in with Lady L was with her. No one knew what she was doing or where she was going for long periods. Especially not Leo, her mate. He was always so worried for her and as she always returned tired and restless. Until her last return when she was brought back in a bodybag, tossed in front of their front door for Leo to find.
‘Almost finished’ the words appeared.
‘ Kade FallCrest’ I could feel the warmth behind the new words ‘ You have been marked as a dead dog to be found. We have reversed the marks many effects but the location is tricky. As you stay here in this world you will be hunted down, you must leave.
My mind was filled with thoughts and pictures of Leo, my pack family, her, saffie.
‘All to be left behind. These symbols are not to be removed from the flesh and you will not seek us out again’
