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This isn't a fairy tale. Sure, it has knights, warriors, kings, and queens, magical creatures and dark lords of fire and doom, but it isn't a fairy tale. It's not about a princess and her prince charming, it's about something much more. It's about how a nation became two.

I guess it all began where everything else begins, with a city. Although, this city was rare. It was built on a small hill, alone in a great valley. To it's north, an intraversable river of raging water. To it's south, a forest filled with deadly creatures and demonic monters, and it's sides were massive mountains brimming with draconic activity. Ay, the land of Laothnea was secure from invaders, as if there were any in this time of ease.

The capital and the valley shared a name, but that wasn't so with the other smallers towns and settlements around the valley. About twelve miles south of the city of Laothnea, on the edge of the Fardrid Forests, was Xjagto, a lumber mill bent on industry. About ten miles north of Laothnea was a large, dock city named Vu'Eltrys. Eight miles north west of Laothnea was Vail Stone city, a mining camp made by a family of shorter people.

The people of this simple nation were all canines. Foxes, wolves, huskies, and german shepherds, all living together in fair harmony. The only problems were crime, and even that was low. The prisons were mostly empty, and the only sign of any danger was an abandoned mining camp named Nox'Hyem. For a long time now, magicians and alchemists had holed themselves up in this ancient cavern, and they wouldn't show themselves any time soon.

They weren't necessarily a threat, and most magicians steered clear of the dark power that lurked in magic. In fact, anything that had come from Nox Hyem was good and helpful, but for nearly a century and a half, the kings raged about it. They couldn't control or monitor the actions that went on in their, simply because no guard was brave enough to enter the dark crevice.

Of course, this doesn't stop a messenger like me, Cairn. As a child I was left on top of hill, marked with stones and boulders. An at-the-time young magician found me and raised me as his own. According to him, my parents were over religious, and when they saw what their child was, they damned me to a life of magic and splendor. Like I care, my life's a lot more fun, now!

And by fun, I don't mean neat and relaxing. No, being a messenger means you venture 'cross the lands, and transfer information between the four holds. I've seen sights that most haven't, and even wandered into the Fardrid forests, under the supervision of Neyclos, that is.

Neyclos was the magician who raised me, and he did teach me a little magic. According to him, if magical abilities are strong enough, they show themselves in people in a multitude of ways. Glowing inerds, vibrant colors, and strange patterns are just a few of the signs. Personally, I'm glad I'm not glowy or tattooed in dark symbols like others supposedly are. No, I'm a fusky with a sky blue back and a snow white under belly. Between the two, an orange so bright it glimmers in the sunlight as dazzling gold and amber.

Neyclos didn't believe in teaching people about his own magical endeavers, or at least how they worked or happened. He simply made money off of things that worked. He claimed he could embue any item with a spell that would improve a chosen aspect about it, and the strength of said spell would be based on the profit. Unlike other magicians who used wording and lettering to force the enchantment upon the object, Neyclos wrote elaborate spells and songs that he bound to the object. It always worked, but Neyclos had hewn a safe word into every spell that would render it inactive.

This morning, I was given a message from the leader of Xjagto, Lord C'Jrn, and had to deliver it to the king of Laothnea. I'd delivered messages to him before, just give it to some guard and have them do it, but this time was different. I was ordered straight into King Crogar's study.

I entered through the great oaken doors and heard them slam shut behind me as the guards pulled them shut. The room had a massive balcony behind it, and the inside walls were all decorated with racks upon racks of weaponry and armor. King Crogar himself was admiring the sheath of a sword from one of the racks when I enterred.

I began to bow, but he stopped me, "I don't have time for formalities. Tell me, have you ever used a blade?"

"Uh, I know how, but I have yet to use it, Lord-"

"I told you, but the formalities. All of them."

"Okay... Sorry... Crogar?"

"Thank you. Now, what is your name?"

"I'm Cairn, but I fail to see as to how that's relev-"

"Okay, Cairn. You and I going to become good friends for a while. Unless you die. Then I'll have scarlet flowers sent to your funeral."

"Wait, death?"

"Anyways, I need to explain something to you. When was the last time you went to Xjagto?"

"Actually, I have a message from them right here-" He took the scroll out of my hand and tossed it onto his desk.

"Good, then you'll remember the area very well. Look over there, you see that small dot on the edge of Fardridia?"

"Uhh.... Yes."

"That's where you're going. Find out what they're doing. You can have no other purpose until you figure it out."

"If you don't mind me asking, why is this so important?"

"Imagine if there was another group of magicians like Nox'Hyem. We'd be surrounded by magicians, and have no one on the inside. If they're establishing another settlement, we need guards there! Now go!"

I didn't want to anger the king. I bolted out the doors and ran as fast as I could to the stables. I mounted my horse and within three hours was at the settlement. It was a simple, wooden fort, not even very big, but it was strange. The canines on top of it were unusual, and I didn't entirely understand what was so different about them.

They stopped me on my way to their gate, "Who goes there?!"

"I am a messenger from King Crogar."

"King? What king?"

"What do you mean, 'what king'? There's been a damn king for nearly two millenia!"

"Well sorry if I'm not ruled by any king, I'm just doing my job and asking questions!"

"Listen, I need to speak to your leader! King Crogar needs to learn about this settlement!"

"Well I'd hardly call this a settlement."

"May have admittance?!"

"You know, I don't particularly like your tone."

"I don't particularly like you! No let me in so I can speak with your king!" Another guard walked by. His helmet reveal more about his face, and I saw that his snout was much shorter than any canine's I've ever seen.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know, this prick says he's from the king."

"What king?"

"I know, right?"

"Any how, I'd let him in. If he tries anything, he'll be scewered."

"I'd personally prefer it if he'd be a little more polite, at least."

"Okay. You there! We'll let you in if you say the magic word!"

Really. These people are strange and incompetent fools. "The magic word is 'please'!"

"Well use it in a sentence!"

"Will you please open this door?!"

"Why yes, we will." They both jumped down off the ramparts and opened the thick, log door.

The one with the shorter snout held out his right hand and stared me straight in the eyes, "Name's Riley."

"Uhh... I'm Cairn."

"Okay. You have no manners. Nrasky's over there, at the watering hole. Feel free to go talk to him." He gestured to a man at a small fountain in the center of the camp, who was handing out buckets of water.

He wasn't like you or me, he was different. He had a broader snouth, and his nose was simply dimples in his dark gray fur. He had massive bat wings protruding from his back, and he stood a foot taller than me. His tail was about eight inches thick at the base, and the uncovered claws on his wings were a dazzlingly bright white. Iron capped horns stuck out of the back of his head, and the only thing he wore was trousers and the sheath of a long blade.

When he saw me, he got a curious look on his face, "Why hello, who might you be?"

"Uhh... I'm Cairn. Why... What is this place?"

"Ah. You must be one of the natives."

"Natives? Look buddy, I'm no tribal-"

"No, native as in this is your home. This whole valley is owned by some creature we've never met. For nearly a century have the other creatures met and mingled, and yet some how these creatures haven't!"

"Creatures- Look, I was sent by King Crogar to find out what this place is, and so far I've only been answered with questions."

"Then let me explain. Nearly a hundred and fifty years ago, the people of the world started moving and and met up with each other. Some of us became enemies, and some of us became friends. You'd need a lot of time to figure out how many there are, but this is the only place that hasn't interacted yet. There's a lot of different alliances and groups, and they're all seperate. Every single on is going to try to claim your people for themselves, so you'd better make a good decision."

"Wait, how many are there?"

"So far we have five of them here. I'm a Dragonoid. Winged, furred, fire breathing beasts of logic and reason."

"Ah, dragonoid in the sense that you resemble dragons."

"Yes. Most under estimate us, we remind them that we mounted dragons."

"You can't mount a dragon."

"And why not?"

"They're lawless beasts and tyrants! It'd be like trying to mount a wild deer!"

"You can achieve anything if you know how. Dragons are a lot smarter than your people think, or at least what you think. They speak in a language that's native to my people, and so we and the dragons have gotten along since the dawn of time."

"Native language? What do you mean?"

"Think about it. Every creature speaks it's own language. Horses need a way to communicate with eachother, as do wolves, frogs, rodents, and even insects. It's not so surprising that the anthropomorphized beasts of the world speak their own renditions of language, now is it?"

"I guess not. So who are all these other people?" I gestured around to the creatures wandering, bringing in lumber, eating, and talking.

"Oh, well there's a lot of us here. About five races. I told you that I'm Dragonoid, you're..."

"Huh? Oh, Canine."

"Canine... Interesting. The man who brought you in is a Ferret, and a rather fine specimen at that." He added in this comment as Riley walked by.

"Shut up, Nrasky. You know I don't roll that way." [Riley]

"Anyways, the Ferrets and Otters hail from the same region, and have grown very close." He gestured to a small group of people who were talking with some Ferrets. They all had shorter noses, and thick, pointy tails.

"The others are the Leapards. All very high and mighty." He pointed to a group of people who also had shorter snouts, and long tails like the Ferrets, but they were longer and much thinner.

Suddenly a man covered in scales came up behind Nrasky and grabbed him by his waste, lifting him up in the air, "Woah!" The man dropped him and kissed Nrasky on the cheek. Wait, what? They're... They're gay too?

"And this hansome devil is Duskle. He's a Snake, and a very cute one at that."

"Snakes? Wait, the same kind that poison and kill people who dare to go near the sand pits in Vu'Eltrys?"

Duskle glared at me, "My ancestors only protect themselves from threats, as you do from our brothren, dragons." His voice wasn't like I expected it to be. It was deep, strong, and very clear. Absolutely lisp and hiss free. I heard a bit of a rattling sound and looked over at the small bob on the end of his tail that was shaking like crazy.

"Calm down, Duskle, he's only asking a question." Duskle buried his face into Nrasky's fur and his eyes rolled backwards in his head. Nrasky wrapped a wing around him and pulled him close.

"So, why are you people here?"

"We're here because your people need to make an alliance. Staying neutral in this time is dangerous, if war breaks out, you're people are going to crumble when no one comes to their aid."

"I don't know, the king keeps a lot of secrets."

"Nothing can stop an army one thousand strong."

"What about an army two thousand strong?"

"Fighting with numbers rather than skill just leaves more people hurt and upset."

"Well we don't have an army that big any ways. I'll tell the king."

I began turn around but Nrasky stopped me, "Wait... Are you single?"

"I'm no fag." Everyone in the camp glared at me when I said this. Apparently Canines were the only ones to despise homosexuals. Not that I cared, I just wanted them to think that I was like them. I was wrong though... They aren't like us at all. I bolted out the gates and got to the king's castle by night fall.

I flew open the doors to the King's study and saw him cleaning a midnight black blade, "Oh, good! You've returned! What news do you bring of the settlement?"

"It's amazing. You won't believe what I'm about to tell you."