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Terradox 1: Leaving the Monastery: Terradox, #1
Terradox 1: Leaving the Monastery: Terradox, #1
Terradox 1: Leaving the Monastery: Terradox, #1
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Terradox 1: Leaving the Monastery: Terradox, #1

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Pandora Hale is chosen by the head monk of his Monastery to face the trials and tribulations of a dark prophecy that will put the world into peril if the people cannot reconnect to the unity shared by their ancestors.

 

 

Planet Tier was a world blessed by twin moons. According to legend these moons were once a pair of Witch sisters who had sacrificed themselves in order to bring an end to a cataclysmic event that threatened all life on the world.

 

Taking up the mantle of Pandora, a lowly missionary from the Temple of Hale, he was selected by the head monk of his monastery to travel the world to proselytize as many non-believers as he could by any means that he could. The monk had seen a vision of the world coming to an end in a sea of Demons that rained down from the sky. The only way they could hope to defeat them was if the races once again came together. 

LanguageEnglish
Release dateOct 1, 2023
ISBN9798987764978
Terradox 1: Leaving the Monastery: Terradox, #1
Author

R.A. Rex Draco

I am an Illustrator and writer who has been in love with storytelling since we were a wee dragon. I am a member of the furry community with friendships within the LGBTQ+ community so I understand the need for being inclusive and as such these are often represented in my stories as part of my greater worldbuilding. I write comics, light novels, and other types of unique genre models that represent myself and the communities I am part of. I love science fiction first and foremost, romance, action and monster stories so those I love science fiction first and foremost, romance, action and monster stories, so because of that I enjoy writing genre-hybrid fictions. [Concerning my Erotica. It is only labeled as such for site genre purposes but all my books are [genre-bending]/[genre-hybrid] stories, meaning they are undefinable as one genre and include multiple genres within its universe.]

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    Terradox 1 - R.A. Rex Draco

    Chapter One

    Pandora! A voice called out from across the open market.

    It was early in the morning. The open air market of Akh, a village at the edge of the Red Water river, was full of busy people trying to take advantage of the arrival of fresh produce and fish from down the river. A young man garbed in traditional monk's attire, which consisted of a white tunic with a cropped red, long sleeved top. This young man was an Avius Tieran.

    Tier was a planet full of inhabitants known as Demi-Humans or Beastkin. They had human-like features mixed together with beastly figures. In the young man's case he had a humanoid upper body with the expected head and arms, but instead of a full hominid body he had bird-like legs. From his muscle dense shoulder blades hung a massive pair of black and silver wings. The anthropomorphic form was a consistent one seen in Tieran natives, but not the only one to be had.

    Upon hearing his name called, the young man, seemingly named Pandora, came to a stop. The wedge shaped tail feathers that hung from his rump tightly folded closer to his body as he tensed up.

    There you are Pandora! Rushing towards the man was a rotund fellow with a heavy gut,  wearing the same religious garb. The man had a fuzzy head and thick, curved claws on the tips of his fingers and at the ends of his paws, on which he wore a pair of sandals. The head monk was looking for you!

    The blue-haired Avius was reluctant to respond to the mole-like Rodrus. He had spent the past hour in the market running his morning errands, avoiding the dread of the coming day. Today he was twenty-two and as was custom at the Monastery a member of the brotherhood was sent out into the world to teach others and live a squalled life of seclusion. He wouldn't mind the life of seclusion but living in poverty seemed excessive.

    Turning his head slightly to let out a tired sigh he would adjust the cloth bag in his arms before putting on a fake smile to greet the Rodrus.

    Sinclair, I didn't expect the head monk to send you. The raven-like Avius sighed.

    He had not joined the Chapter out of choice, but rather necessity. He could starve on the street or pray to a deaf deity.

    Oh come on! The mole laughed, rubbing his hand on his shaking belly. I know you're nervous! This day always feels so far away!

    Couldn't it have been further? Sure Sin. Pandora smirked. I never thought this day would come. He hoped he was gone before it came.

    He wasn't a holy man. He was barely okay, but everyone in the Monastery expected him to do great things. He surpassed his peers in martial training, yet he barely could read two verses out of their book with the literacy of a child. They had done their best to teach him, but he never took to it.

    I don't know Sin. Pandora worked hard to keep his pessimistic outlooks inside. The other members of the brotherhood felt uncomfortable when he made his concerns known, so he learned to keep it locked up. Am I ready?

    The mole waddled over. He was half Pandora's height, but twice his weight so when he raised his paw to slap the man's back encouragingly Pan tumbled forward, some of the goods falling from his bag. A heavy pair of thumping noises sounded. Pandora turned his head away, Sinclair narrowing his eyes at the chunks of meat lying on the ground.

    Unfortunately for Pandora, meat was not allowed for members of the brotherhood, but lately he's felt the desire to eat meat grow more and more. He's tried on many occasions to sneak some into the Monastery, but the head monk was sharp.

    Oh Pan... Sinclair sighed. We should head back...

    Pandora sighed. .... right. He took a step, but paused to look back at the meat. He raised his talon, tempted to grab the haunch.

    Pan... Sinclair had started on, but stopped to look back at the man.

    Pandora slowly lowered his claw and followed. The men made their way through the markets. They began uphill towards the Monastery, which sat at the edge of the Red Ridge. It was a humble building that, unlike the village buildings which were half timber houses on stone bases, the Monastery was a wooden temple painted a sunset red so that when the sun fell beyond the horizon it would vanish before returning under the light of the moons.

    ... are you gonna tell the head monk? Pandora would sigh.

    Sinclair laughed. No, no... not this time. I don't want to spoil your send off.

    "I wish you would..." He grimly thought as the two made their way towards the Monastery's doors.

    Chapter Two

    The Monastery was called the Hale Monastery, because it was built on Red Ridge which overlooked Hale Valley. It was over two hundred years old and built just around the turn of the century as an order of reformation on how Monasteries were expected to operate was passed. In the past these places were built for the sole purpose of housing ancient books and relics belonging to the Tieran polytheistic religion of selenolatry, simply known as moon-worship. The natives of the world have long since worshiped the moons as it affects the everyday life of all kin on the planet. The moons were known to alter the biological systems of the natives and they all suffered from a type of macro metamorphosis condition which caused them to shapeshift under certain lunar phases. To the average Tieran this could be a blessing or curse. Some shifters had the ability to change at will into 'Hybrid forms' known as Ti. These forms were recognized as fully beastial visages common to Beast Races on other worlds, but others could only shift under the light of the twin moons that circled the planet. These forms were called Er, but these changes were often seen as more dangerous than the average Ti shifter.

    With this in mind they had worshiped two goddesses and often prayed to hasten change or reduce it as some could become dangerous, leaving many to often misuse their abilities. Little over half of the population could shift, leaving many with their meager forms to survive the dangers of the water-bound territories of Tier.

    Pandora hurried behind Sinclair as the mole entered the temple doors. The two men were greeted at the main entrance which was a wide open room flanked by two great columns which were carved in the Old Tongue with prayers dedicated to Hecate and Selene, the two moons of Tier. The ground was solid stone and the men were expected to walk barefoot along the surface as a sign of conviction. Sinclair leaned his paw on the wall and would raise his feet, one by one, to the side to remove his sandals, setting them aside on a rack with the various footwear of other members of the brotherhood. The wide-eyed mole looked over to Pandora's bare claws, his scale covered legs and long, curved talons bare as could be.

    I really wish you would wear sandals sometimes, Pandora... I always worry you will grow ill tracking the unwashed streets. Though Sinclair's worry was genuine, Pandora couldn't help but feel it was a little sarcastic. Maybe it was just his viewpoint after living so many years without ever lashing coverings over his talons. This made his pads hard and darkened his claws with travel.

    Don't worry so much, Sin. He assured the man. I never liked my feet covered anyway. It just feels wrong, you know? He looked over to the rack which had various flat foot coverings with straps made to wrap around the ankle and heels of the digitigrade feet, but as an Avius they had very different feet as past their ankles their shin region was more flexible than most. Besides, if anything was going to happen to me I'd just pray to the moons and it'd all be good—ita! He grunted when Sinclair firmly whacked his shoulder with his sandal, which was still in hand.

    Don't let the head monk hear you saying that nonsense. While the moons protect us from many things, our own negligence isn't one. He set the sandal onto the rack and raised his hand, Pandora rubbing the superficial damage. Don't get your feathers ruffled. Even though you'll be leaving today, isn't this what you wanted? As far as I remember, ever since you were young, you wanted to see more beyond the hall's walls, right?

    Tsk, sure, but I figured I would have had a job, some money, or something. He complained, following the mole into the inner parts of the temple.

    Hahaha! Sinclair laughed. You know our orders do not allow for that. It would be like cheating, you know? When out there they don't want you to forget the struggle and live off the charity of others to remain humble. You must practice what you preach.

    Soon the two men made their way into the temple's antechamber. On the way they passed many other brothers who greeted the pair and wished Pandora luck, knowing he would be departing on his journey today. Passing the library they would make their way to the study of the head monk. Sinclair stood in front of the door with his hands clasped together, his paws tucked into his sleeves. He looked back to Pandora and smiled, eyes pinching closed. And Pan, don't think this will be the last you see of us. Once your journey ends you are more than welcomed to come back home after the four year period. The mole turned to knock on the door.

    Come in! A familiar voice called from behind the barricade. Grabbing the door's handle, Sinclair pushed down and would step in, the raven Avius close behind. Oh, brother Sinclair, brother Pandora! The voice of the head monk still seemed muffled despite their being inside the room now, but that came from the fact that a cloak of tentacles hung from the head monk's shoulders. Their webbed limbs lay over the Cetophus Tieran's beak, occasionally brushing over their top, smoothing down the fabric, in a type of tick as the arms always seemed to need a reason to move. From the sleeves of the garb hung two more tentacles, in addition to the four that seemed to dangle from their rounded mantle. While their torso was akin to any other humanoid, they also had a set of webbed limbs that served as their legs with stretches of skin that acted like webs which allowed them to both move on land and swim in the sea.

    Brother Bryne, Sinclair greeted. It's so good to see you well today. The Cetophus Tieran had a book tucked between the suckers of their foretentacles and a few notes laid out over their simple desk. Scattered around were a number of empty ink pots with a fountain pen precariously balanced on one of the towers of books on the space.

    No, no! Brothers, as usual it's good to see you! I am quite surprised to see brother Pandora with you. They spoke. I am surprised he didn't try to run away!

    Pandora grimly grinned at the accurate accusation while Sinclair laughed nervously. Oh, no no brother Byrne, brother Pandora was dutifully doing his morning errands. Sinclair would clear his throat. Actually that is what I wanted to talk to you about.

    Errands? Bryne questioned.

    Goodness no! But I was thinking, because he is the sort that always likes to keep busy, instead of sending him out to one of the villages that he would do much better work in the Capital. Sinclair clapped his paws together, nodding his head.

    Pandora looked over to the mole. Sinclair... The head monk curled a foretentacle to their beard of tendrils and curled the arms together as if brushing through hair.

    You know, you're right. Unlike the other brothers, who can be a bit lackadaisical in their duties Pandora has always been so responsible.

    "That's because I always had to clean up after them. The Avius in question turned his head to the side and let his grim thoughts pass. Well you know me!" He reached his hand to brush behind his short, blue hair as he laughed. The head monk and Sinclair stared at Pandora. The

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