Chapter 1:  Striton's Dream

	It was a bright sunny day on Zenturas, Striton thought. Striton
rose out of bed, yawned, and donned his armor. "Today, I get my 
promotion," thought Striton. He set his wings by the window to let them
generate some power.  He would need a lot of power to fly the ten miles
to school.

	School was about the extent of his life now.  Every day he flew
ten miles to school, where he trained to become a mapakin knight, an honor
in his town. Striton was very familiar with honor.  Since he was born
on The Day of the Hero, he was supposed to be very honorable and heroic.

	Still, he always found time to have fun.  Today, as he flew to
school, he saw one of the new trainees. "Lets try some of my new skills,"
thought Striton, as he went for his lance.  Striton dive-bombed, aiming
right in front of where the new kid was walking. However, something
completely unexpected happened.  

	Just as he started his descent, the world around him changed.
When he landed, he was someplace that was not Zenturas.  He was in
the middle of nowhere.  He couldn't see anyone nearby.  He jumped as
high as he could to get his bearings.  All around where he was there
was a great large sea.  He was on an island someplace.  "Oh no.... I
must have flown right through a portal...." Striton thought.  All
Mapakins knew about portals.  It was the way their economy was based.
The traders knew where all the portals were, and how to get back to
Zenturas with them.  He landed back on the ground.

	"I got to find a way back" said Striton.  He looked for nearly
an hour for the portal back. "It has to be someplace on this island." he
thought.  Eventually he gave up on finding the portal there.  "I have to
find a town or something," he thought. He began taking short flights away
from the island, to try to find other islands. Finally, after many
attempts, he found a continent west of the island he had landed on.

	After resting a while on the shores of this continent, he decided
to have a look around. Leaping high into the air, he surveyed the area 
around him.  To the north east he saw nothing but long, desolate plains.
To the south, he saw rolling hills and forests. To the west, he saw
a large group of buildings on the other shore. "Must be a town," he thought.

	He flew west, toward the buildings.  He landed a few miles 
outside the town.  He walked the distance to the town.  "Wings don't charge
as fast here, so i'll need to walk more" he thought aloud.  When he 
reached the town, the first place he went was what looked like an inn.

	When he entered the tavern, stares were about all he got. "Remember
that they don't know much about Mapakins, and have probably seen them
less often." he thought.  He walked up to the tavern keeper and asked, "What
is the name of this world?"  Everyone in the tavern broke out laughing. 
"What world is this! Ha Ha Ha Ha! Kid, don't you know what planet you are on?
You are on Nu, in the town of Evergreen. What happened to you? Fell from
another planet or something? Ha Ha..."

	"How rude....." he thought.  He decided to leave this strange place.
As he walked out of the tavern, someone approached him.

	"You are new to this world aren't you?" he said.  "Yes, I am." 
"Be careful when you are asking questions in this town, son, if you catch
my drift." said the old man. "Why?" "Because this is where the mafia 
resides. They look for bounty hunters to carry out their dirty work, and I
think they would be most interested in you..." "I don't work as a hitman
for anyone evil."  "Well, then you best head south, to the next town because
if they hear about you, they'll send you an offer for sure." "Thanks sir"

	As he left the town, he thought carefully "I might have to be here
a while. Maybe I should offer myself to the Mafia. The work isn't all that
hard. Probably just taking notes between towns, and catching a criminal
every now and then."

	He headed south, the way the old man had told him to go.

	He reached another town late that evening. Using the mapakin kit
he carried, he set up a camp a few miles away.

	In the morning he strolled into this town.  The sign in front of the
town said "This is the town of Brightsand" The people eyed him curiously.
"They must not see Mapakin Knights very often" he thought. He approached the
town's tavern.

	Inside, there were many people who looked like adventurers.  As he
went around, he queried many about the world of Nu.  Most were friendly, but
a few asked him just to leave. "We don't need newcomers here."

	Eventually, he left.

	He explored this town for some time, locating it's shops and inns
and cultural centers.  This afternoon, while he was exploring the 
residential areas, he felt someone going for his wallet. Turning around,
he saw that there was something trying to get his wallet. He didn't know 
what it was, but it was trying to be a pickpocket. He startled whatever
it was. Staring into it's eyes, he saw that. "No, you chose the wrong person
to mess with today" he said to it. And with that he jumped onto the roof
of a nearby house, withdrew his lance, and launched himself at whatever it
was.....

	And now he woke up, drenched in cold sweat. "It's that dream again,"
he thought....

	He was in Evergreen. It was shortly after midnight. He had had a 
rough day searching for Miles Diablo, his prey.  He was now a bounty
hunter, and he was good at it.  For a few moments, he wondered if he 
should go out now and look for him.  "Good time, he'll be asleep and won't
put up much of a struggle."

	And so he donned his Aqua Blue armor and readied his gear. He walked
out of the inn around two in the morning. "It's going to be a beautiful day"
he thought as he walked down the streets of EverGreen.  As he walked by an
alley, he heard someone wisper, "Come, Striton Razoni, so that I might give
you an assignment...."

	and he walked into the alley....