10 O'clock and All's Amiss

The eyes of a snake glowed in the night, scanning the area for prey. But this snake was not out for fresh kill. No, he had something else in mind.

On the heavily populated walkways of Ctoncis, Ywrixk blended in perfectly. Maintaining a low profile, Ywrixk made it a point to avoid any and all conversation until he saw his target...

A young, athletically competent looking weasel keeping to herself was walking down the side of the walkway near a building. She was dressed in a large, raggedy jacket with the hood on. With it, she had almost completely concealed her identity. Avoiding eye contact with any of the passers-by, she muttered a few words to herself.

"Lae, just don't look at them. They don't want to look at you, so don't give yourself to them. I just need to get out of here. This is no place for-"

"Someone like you?"

Target acquired. Laexinsong found herself face to face with Ywrixk's mischievous likeness. Ywrixk leaned his long slender body against the wall of the building as his tail curled up. He continued, "Excuse me. Perhaps I should give a formal introduction. My name is Yochnus Wrinma Xaelick. You may refer to me as Ywrixk."

As if I cared to know, Laexinsong thought to herself, leaning against the wall, examining the mysterious slender form of the snake. Whatever...

"It's common for people to give their names when they greet each other, if I'm correct" Ywrixk interjected.

"Laexinsong. Just call me Lae." Laexinsong replied, looking off to the side.

"Hm. You don't seem like the type to spend evenings walking alone in places like these. Perhaps you might consider taking haven at my place."

"That's nice of you to offer, but I was just on my way out of town."

"Alone? I'm afraid I can't allow that."

Offended, Laexinsong lashed out, "Allow? What do you think gives you the power to control where I go?"

Laexinsong then realized the danger of making eye contact with Ywrixk. Far too late.



It was not uncommon to find Klyvv at the gym working out. This time of night was no exception at all. As Ywrixk entered the room, the burly otter was sitting on a bench, curling a 150 lbs benchpress weight with one hand, saying something or another to motivate himself, when Ywrixk nonchalantly came and sat down next to him.

"Excuse me, but you wouldn't happen to be Klyvneck ViSontri, would you?"

Preoccupied with his exercise, Klyvv replied rather absently. "It's just Klyvv, thanks. But yes. I'd shake your hand, but I'm in the middle of a cool-off, and you don't seem to have any, sorry."

"That's quite alright. If I may, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Right. If you could give me a moment, then. I prefer looking people in the eye when I talk to them. It's a good thing to practice."

Excellent, Ywrixk thought as he grinned wickedly.

"What's your name, by the way?"

"Yochnus Wrinma Xaelick."

Klyvv glared at him a moment. "...seriously?"

"You can call me Ywrixk, if that makes it easier on you."

"Quite. Alright, I'm finished here." Klyvv set the weight down with the rest, and looked at Ywrixk and asked, "Now, what was it you were--"

As Klyvv looked into Ywrixk's eyes, something seemed to grab him. He felt his face being covered by some cold hard crystal, and his conscience began to face. He did what he could to fight it, but his physical and moral strength had nothing on Ywrixk's pure mental power. As black covered up the last of his vision, he realized it was his mental weakness that was his ultimate downfall.



Likely the last thing one would expect to find a dragon doing is settling down to a book. However, that's exactly what Ciidn was doing at this time of night. His overweight frame was slouched on a rocking chair on his house's front porch in the middle of nowhere, with one fading candlelight guiding his way through the story. As his eyes glided smoothly across the words on the page, the lateness of the hour began to catch up to him. His eyes slowly drooped as he tried to fight his drowsiness and finish the captivating chapter, but it was to no avail. About the time he was ready to fall fast asleep, his keen sense of sound alerted him of someone approaching. Within seconds, he was wide awake and ready in case the character intended harm.

Ywrixk politely broke the silence, "Evening."

"It's quite late. Are you sure it's a good time to be out?"

"Duly noted. I must see you, however. You are Cninx Idmaln?"

"That would be me. Did you need to ask me something?"

"Yes. You see, I thought an intellectual such as yourself would be able to give me advice."

"How have you heard of me?"

"A friend of yours, Klyvneck, directed me to you. He said you would know a question about life."

"Life, you say? That sounds quite broad. I'll see what I can do. What seems to be troubling you?"

Ywrixk raised himself level with Ciidn, made the inevitable eye contact, and enquired, "Why do people seem so hesitant to look each other in the eye when they speak?"



Not too long later, Ywrixk was the hall of his mansion, looking over his prizes- three unique characters that he had to control. Their heads were encased in crystal shells, completely silent. He only was looking for one more to complete his collection, when a voice broke through.

"You were looking for me, I imagine."

Caught somewhat off guard, Ywrixk looked around the hall, empty save for himself and his new minions. "You must be Shyalanon Zcarinwus. I should thank you for saving me the time to look for you" spoke Ywrixk, attempting to mask his shock with confident expectancy. Shylln was unimpressed, evidently. Ywrixk looked behind him to discover a falcon, penetrating his evil stare with a pair of eyes that seemed to be hand-crafted in Hell.

"You are a fool to believe that you will ever serve as a threat to me. And for your plans to control me you will pay."

"Hah. A mercenary of justice. You are the fool if you think I, the great Yochnus Wrinma Xaelick, will ever fall to a--"

One slice of his fierce talon-like hand cut his sentence short. "I am no mercenary of justice. Anyone who crosses me, however, will cease to breathe."

Immediately the shells shattered into pieces. Shylln walked away swiftly, leaving the carcass of Ywrixk to rot. Laexinsong called out to Shylln as he approached the door of the hall, "Wait. Who are you?"

Shylln ignored the question and left the room into the outside. He looked back at the three for a moment, then vanished behind the crowd of passers-by of Ctoncis.

Ciidn quietly said to the other two, "I don't believe we'll ever really know for certain..." As the clock struck Ten.