I woke up on a beach.
Sand invading my sandals. Azure waves gently lapping against the smooth sand. The sun beats down on my skin. The smell of salt and seaweed comforts me, it reminds me of the good old days of sailing the sea with my crew; my friends. A squawk rings out from the forest... the treeline appears to be creeping closer to me. I draw out my waterskin and take a large, long gulp of the cleansing water. The throbbing pain in my head stops, allowing the rest of the beach to become clear. I stare out to sea trying to find any signs of life out there, my vessel 'The Treasure Island' is nowhere to be seen.
A mighty menacing roar shakes the ground under my feet. The crabs stop ambling around on the sand and quickly bury themselves in fear. I look up to see what it could be. A dark green dragon. The scales shine in the sunlight. It glides gracefully over the canopies and disappears out of sight. I dash to the forest to conceal myself in the shrubbery.
Slowly and carefully, I creep through the green leafy undergrowth, insects buzzing all around me. Water droplets splash on my skin, sweet smells tantalize my noise. Snap. I drop quickly and silently to the leafy floor. A massive millipede crashes its way through the foliage meters in front of me. I drag myself off the ground and start trekking further into the forest, now more cautious than I had previously been.
I reached the end of a set of trees into a large clearing, one much more well maintained than the rest of the island that I have been walking through. In the centre of the open sits a grand building with a glistening stream running around it. Shaded ominously by trees the building seemed dark and forgotten, creep vine ascending the wall covering them like a coat of paint. A massive door spans the archway of the stone. Intricate carvings of dragons soaring through clouds reached from end to end of the wood.
I gingerly rap on the door and a deep booming voice radiates from within. "Who is it?" From my quivering mouth I say the name Riptide, the door flings open and standing there an elderly human. A fierce human though still with a friendly-looking demeanour. His hand rockets out for me to shake. He exclaims, "Welcome to Luth's monastery, I am Luth, and I am the master here." As he finishes his introduction, a crash echoes from the forest, he yanks me inside and shuts the door.
The man named Luth gestured towards a stall, on which I gratefully take a seat, still curiously glancing around the room. My eyes are greeted by the gaze of other eyes but not those of a human, but instead dark, expressionless training dummies' eyes. It seems like I have stepped foot into a training arena for an ancient type of martial art that is used by the monks of this land. "Go upstairs and put your stuff down!" exclaimed Luth "Then come back and we will begin training."
