• Chapter One
    Blissful Ignorance

    Ever notice how on hot summer days when the sun is shining it’s hardest; all the worldly worries in your head seem to be less important. My name is Salem and I’m what you would call a pretty carefree guy. See to know my story first you have to know the land I live in, this world of Kartera has been considered by many to be perfect. Kartera is full of many species from vampires to werewolves however not always getting along. A war one thousand years ago ended the constant feuds between the species and now we mostly live in harmony, however some species still believe in the ways of their ancestors that humans are a controlling race that are bent on taking over all forms of society…are they wrong? I don’t have the answer all I know that human nature has proven in the past that we care more for our own well being then the needs and cares of others; and they call this perfect? Well reality can be rough with all the problems in the world… well I guess they always said ignorance is bliss right?

    The sun beat down like a consistent rain on the roof of my shed. As I wiped the sweat from my brow as I looked outside into the woods surrounding my half broken home. The forest around my home was a dense forest stretching for fifty miles in all directions from my home strategically placed in the center of the forest. It was quiet out here which is probably why I loved this kind of living opposed to the noisy bustling city that my friends preferred. I had thirty acres cleared out for my home and for farming since I never ventured from my encampment unless I needed ammo for hunting the game that called this forest home. I moved here from a small urban town were I lived as a priest…however I found it wasn’t the profession for me, so now I’ve turned to this life style which I find much better then taking peoples confessions and working for a corrupt system as i would see it.

    Well now at least I get to sit here and work on motorcycles and catch up on reading. Its pretty tranquil here. Well so I thought, till almost on cue, that through the forest the sound of an engine began filling the air. As a delivery van with a picture of a mailbox posted on its side rumbled down the small dirt road to my home.
    “A mail carrier? What are they doing out here?”
    The van pulled near my shed and roared to a stop as a small women wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of baggy blue jeans carrying a small pack over her shoulder began to approach me.
    “Uhm excuse me, are you mister Salem Wolfheart?” the girl asked
    “Ya that’s me…”
    Her posture seemed to brightened up “finally I’ve looked everywhere for you, I have a letter for you?” she presented a simple white envelope from her bag to me.
    “You said you’ve been looking everywhere for me?”
    She cocked her head to side for a moment before answering. “Oh yes you’re a very hard man to locate mister Wolfheart, I came all the way from South Terramon” she put her finger to her cheek as she smiled with satisfaction.
    “South Terramon! Wow that’s a good five week journey even with wheels” I than looked down at the letter “this must have been urgent”
    “Apparently so cause the man that paid me to do it did so quite handsomely” she let out a simple smile as to confirm the thought of her getting paid a lot for this. Though I began to ponder for a moment what could have been this urgent as to send me a letter from South Terramon, however before I could think on it too hard; the young girl looked at me with curiosity. “uhm sir are you gonna open it?”
    Caught off guard I replied “ugh yeah just le…wait isn’t this my letter?”
    “Oh” she scratched her deep brown hair with a smile of embarrassment “Im sorry its just ive been traveling for six weeks almost and I’m kinda curious of what it says hehe”
    I laughed for a moment at the honest comment “uhm well I don’t even know yo…” before I could finish.
    “My names Missy Romera! Nice to meetcha Mister Wolfheart” she stuck out her hand in a quick single action.
    I stuck out my hand and grasped hers and shook “yes of course Missy…call me Salem please kay”
    “Sure thing mister Salem” she said with a smile.
    “sigh… thanks” I put my hand to my head for a moment before turning again to look at the white envelope which this entire conversation started with.
    I began to crack the seal as the young Missy watched. The envelope contained a normal white piece of folded paper. I slid the paper out and unfolded the handwritten letter addressed to me, and it read as follows

    Dear Salem,
    Hey, Salem It’s been a while hasn’t it? Well I’m down in southern Terramon and I might need you help. I know you said you were done with fighting but I think this little fight down here could prove very interesting to you. How you ask? well if your even slightly interested than i suggest you take a small vacation to see me, meet me in the town of Keerston I will be waiting for you Salem.
    Your friend,
    Rufus Sanguin

    I looked at the piece of paper for a moment, “I hate that p***k” before crumbling it up and tossing it to the ground behind me.
    “uhm Mister Salem what did it say?”
    “I’ve got to head down to Keerston for something.” I said while I began to walk to my shed to gather some supplies.
    Not missing a beat “I could take you! Im heading back that way anyway” she said with a smile.
    “No offense Missy but its too dangerous for you.”
    “Why!? Im tough I swear…is it because Im a women” she folded her arms over her breasts in a type of anger.
    “That’s not even close to the reason” I said trying to lie.
    I mean how could I possibly put this young girl in the line of danger, if an innocent got hurt I couldn’t forgive myself.
    “Please! Im honestly not a nuisance I swear and I know that region really well! Please!” she begged while getting close to me as to make sure I knew she was there.
    I stopped packing for a moment. Its true I had never been that far south and I didn’t know the first thing about the region, and this girl seemed pretty persistent to take me… but why?
    “Fine, but why do you wanna take me?” I turned facing her as I asked.
    “I ugh just don’t see the need for you to go by yourself when I’m willing to take you…”
    I didn’t see the reason behind this women’s persistence however I might as well take you up on the offer and besides I don’t have to waste gas.
    “I’m joking I know were going the same way and you just trying to be nice” I smiled.
    She looked up with a surprised look before giving a seemingly innocent smile.
    “Really?”
    “Well yah you do know the region and my bike is broke anyway so might as well right?” I said.
    She turned and ran to her mail van and hopped in and waited for me to finish packing for the trip. Something told me it was a mistake to listen to Rufus, but mentioning that it would be interesting isnt something he would say if it wasn't... i fiigured the only option i had was to listen, no matter how much trouble i normally get into with him.
    “Mister Salem?”
    “Huh” I jerked back seeing Missy standing there snapping her fingers.
    “You awake in there? You could’ve burned a hole in the ground for as long as you’ve been staring at it” she pointed at the ground.
    “Sorry just thinking about what to expect from Terramon that’s all”
    Well she didn’t question it but simply got back in the van and waited for me to gather the remainder of my things. Once gathered I hopped in the van as she casually drove us south toward Terramon and more importantly Keerston.
    She was a talkative girl no doubt but it kept the journey interesting as we passed major cities by day and slept in tents by night, she constantly discussed her own adventures and the people she had met and was always eager to hear any of mine… I didn’t tell her much; apparently she was a blacksmiths daughter and was always looking for something to take away from the daily boredom we call life, huh sounds like me. The journey we took together was pleasant but I knew it soon had to come to an end; this women was nowhere near capable of fending for herself and I had no time or patience to protect innocents.
    The trip brought us to a small inn, a quaint little establishment with worn bricks, near broken windows… not much more then what I would expect from an inn this far south.
    “Hey Salem”
    I turned toward her “huh what do you need”
    “What do you think about staying here for the night?”
    “Uh well nothing wrong with it in my opinion, why not” I said with a smile.
    Missy pulled the van next to the inn and parked it, I proceeded to hop out and begin unpacking a spare set of clothes and some materials to wash up with; as she pulled out a small pack and went inside.
    “Hmm I wonder…” I looked down at my magnums “Nah I won’t need em.”
    I locked the remainder of my stuff in the pack I brought with my and left it in the van. I turned to face the inn and then began to enter, upon entry the room that awaited me was small and hardly lit despite the windows. The only form of actual light seemed to emanate from the somewhat large in proportion fireplace next to the counter. I looked at the old man behind the counter, rough composer and seemed unfriendly at first glance, all except the unexpected smile that stuck out on the mans face followed by a…
    “Welcome to the Rosetta Inn! How may I help you!?”
    I chuckled from the sheer surprise but then replied “uhm was there a lady that just came in here a moment before me”
    “Why yes sir she has already got a room would you like one?” he answered
    “Oh yes yes uhm how much”
    “1 gold and 2 silver pieces”
    “oh that’s not bad” I reached in my pocket and pulled out the appropriate amount and handed it to him”
    “Thank you, your room is number 17, oh Sakura! We have another visitor!” he yelled in a direction
    Out of the corridor came a maid… not quite any maid I have ever seen before. She had deep crimson hair, with elegant black eyes. She wore a more skimpier version of a maids outfit and had a bow in around one ear and her neck, and most of all… just flat beautiful.
    “Can I help sir?” came the voice from the werecat who had caught my eye.
    “Ugh yes I have uhm room 17” I gently held up the key and tag with the number 17 imprinted on it.
    She cocked her head a moment looking at me “oh ok right sir” she said with almost gentle smile as she turned “right this sir”
    She began to walk back down the corridor as I followed, no words were exchanged as I occasionally glanced at the hips moving back and forth in a nice rhythmic motion. Beautiful women always get me in trouble was the only thought that entered my ignorant mind.
    (end part 1)