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Description
Chapter 3

The dragon had not flown far before landing at the entrance of a cave. Neshae was dropped on the rocky floor inside. After a roll he got to his feet and immediately took a defensive position.

The dragon blocked the entrance, growling at him. Behind him was a nest of five eggs, each larger than the vampire. All of the eggs were moving. One of the shells cracked, while another was already breaking apart. An eye peered through a large hole.

Suddenly Neshae understood. The dragon had brought him here to teach her babies how to hunt. At knot formed in his stomach. It would have to be dragons. He never liked the thought of harming dragons. One of his best friends growing up had been one.

One of the babies broke completely out of the egg. The rest were well on their way. Its scales gleamed in the light from outside. It made its first sounds as it sniffed the air hungrily. In a few seconds its head turned to Neshae. Having located its first meal it headed in his direction.

Neshae backed away. He glanced around trying to find a way to escape. The vampire could easily take on the baby dragons and probably evade the mother, but he really did not want to do that.

Outside the cave the other three harthen caught up. Crouched behind a rock, they observed the dragon at the entrance, but could find no trace of Neshae. But they also could not see inside the cave from their angle.

“He's probably dead,” Nathyn sugggested.

“I don't want to assume that and leave him here to get eaten,” Willie said. “Besides, I'm pretty sure that cave is where we have to go for the treasure.”

Nillie aimed her guns at the dragon. “Well then lets simplify things.”

Willie put a hand on her arm. “Wait. I don't think these will do much more than anger it. And also, remember Neshae talking about the dragon friend he had? He may not like us killing one.”

“He also won't like us hiding behind a rock watching as it eats him.”

“If that cave leads to the treasure he might have already made it through,” Nathyn said. “He could have gotten away from the dragon and just booked it.”

Willie nodded. “Maybe. We have to get over there to find out though.”

“Any ideas?” Nillie asked.

Suddenly a cry rang through the air. The three harthen jumped, at first fearing it might be their missing friend meeting his end. The dragon turned its head as a human ran towards it with his arms up in the air. As soon as he realized he had the reptile's attention he turned away and ran in another direction yelling “SPRING BREAK!!!” at the top of his lungs. Seeing another prey to teach her babies, the dragon took off after him.

The harthen did not understand what was happening, but they weren't about to waste the opportunity. They left the shelter of the rock and headed to the cave.

They weren't alone in this. A group of humans ran into the cave with them. They all appeared to be in their late teens or early twenties. They were cheering as they ran in, unconcerned that they might attract the dragon's attention with their noise.

“It worked!” one of them cheered.

“You shouldn't have made him do that!” a girl approached him. Her face was red with anger. “He might be killed!”

“So?” the first asked, unfazed. “His sacrifice will not go in vain. We will get the treasure back and Delta Alpha Omega Beta Gamma Nu will be the best, most bad ass fraternity that ever existed!”

“At the cost of your friends?”

“He was a freshman and he took one for the team.”

Nillie was furious. “Fucking humans!” She started toward them. “If you think lives are just pawns to be sacrificed at a whim--”

She then had the fraternity's attention. The first to speak, obviously the leader of the bunch, looked their way. “Hey, look! Nekos!”

Willie's ears lowered in exasperation. “Really?”

Nathyn chuckled. “Better than cat, at least, right?”

“I think my favorite was that dude that assumed we were those monkey people that turn into King Kong apes during the full moon and are obsessed with collecting balls.” Neshae was suddenly next to them. “We should run.” He took off toward a tunnel at the back of the cave. The harthen were now aware of the nest of baby dragons coming at them.

“Nillie!” Willie called as he and Nathyn ran after Neshae. The female looked back, saw the danger, and abandoned her quest to teach the stupid college humans a lesson.

They stopped after a while to catch their breath. Neither of them knew how far back the dragons were, but they imagined the fraternity was providing a distraction. Hopefully they were safe for the moment.

There hopes were dashed when a figure appeared at the edge of the light provided by Nathyn's light marble. It looked like a marionette, a black body with a head that was like a smiling porcelain mask.

“What the hell is that?” Neshae asked.

“Would you like to play a game?” the puppet asked.

Suddenly they were no longer in the cave. The harthen glanced around disoriented at their new surroundings. They were in a small room with two doors. Each door had a button to close it and a light to shine down the hall. In front of them was a desk piled with little trinkets, a desk fan, a tablet, a phone, and a cupcake.

Nathyn picked up the tablet. He could see a room as though through a security camera. There were three animatronic characters unmoving on a stage: a bear, a chicken, and a bunny.

“Where are we?” Nillie asked.

“I don't know,” Willie answered. “But I don't like it. It feels...creepy...”

“Wait till you see this.” Nathyn showed them the tablet. He flipped through various screens. “It looks like we're in some child's nightmare.”

“Cool. Maybe we'll find some pizza,” Neshae hoped.

The phone rang. All four of them watched it, neither quite willing to answer. Fortunately the answering machine kicked on and began recording.

“Hello? Hello? Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Capture the Flag. I just wanted to let you know what the rules are and what to expect from the game. I assure you you're perfectly safe, it's not that hard. You just have to find the enemy flag from it's hiding place in the restaurant and keep the other team from getting in your office to get your flag. Then once you have the other flag you just make your way back to the office and then you win. See? Easy.

“Now one thing you should probably know, the other team, Freddy and his friends, do tend to get a bit quirky at night. So you might wanna get that flag and end the game before it gets dark. They do sometimes wander around when the place is closed. If they see you, they might think you're one of them. And since it's against the rules for them to be without a costume they might try to force you ineo one. Now that wouldn't be so bad if the suits weren't filled with crossbeams...”

“What the hell is this?” Nathyn asked.

“Shhh...” Willie put a hand up.

“...but really there's nothing to worry about. It's gonna be a breeze. Just find their flag and get to your office, keep an eye on the power, and you've got this. See you on the flipside.”

“Okay...” Neshae started.

“So we have to get a flag before the sun goes down. Big deal.” Nillie said. “What time is it?”

“This says it's pretty close,” Nathyn answered. “We need to find it fast.”

“Someone should stay here so they can guard the flag.” Willie pointed to the flag hanging on the wall. “If we keep the doors closed they can't get in, right?”

Neshae pushed the button on a door and it closed. Willie's left eye suddenly filled with static. Nathyn looked at the tablet where it indicated the amount of power remaining. “We can't keep them closed for long. They use power.”

“Are you serious?” Nillie asked. “Who the hell would design a room like that?”

Neshae pushed the button again and opened the door, causing the static in Willie's eye to clear. “Someone sadistic. Hell I'd bet he's made other rooms like this where there are no doors to close.”

“I don't like that.” Willie held his cane close to his chest. “I don't like any of this. We need to find that flag pronto. Nathyn, you and Neshae go find it. Nillie and I will stay and hold down the fort.”

Description
Chapter 3

The dragon had not flown far before landing at the entrance of a cave. Neshae was dropped on the rocky floor inside. After a roll he got to his feet and immediately took a defensive position.

The dragon blocked the entrance, growling at him. Behind him was a nest of five eggs, each larger than the vampire. All of the eggs were moving. One of the shells cracked, while another was already breaking apart. An eye peered through a large hole.

Suddenly Neshae understood. The dragon had brought him here to teach her babies how to hunt. At knot formed in his stomach. It would have to be dragons. He never liked the thought of harming dragons. One of his best friends growing up had been one.

One of the babies broke completely out of the egg. The rest were well on their way. Its scales gleamed in the light from outside. It made its first sounds as it sniffed the air hungrily. In a few seconds its head turned to Neshae. Having located its first meal it headed in his direction.

Neshae backed away. He glanced around trying to find a way to escape. The vampire could easily take on the baby dragons and probably evade the mother, but he really did not want to do that.

Outside the cave the other three harthen caught up. Crouched behind a rock, they observed the dragon at the entrance, but could find no trace of Neshae. But they also could not see inside the cave from their angle.

“He's probably dead,” Nathyn sugggested.

“I don't want to assume that and leave him here to get eaten,” Willie said. “Besides, I'm pretty sure that cave is where we have to go for the treasure.”

Nillie aimed her guns at the dragon. “Well then lets simplify things.”

Willie put a hand on her arm. “Wait. I don't think these will do much more than anger it. And also, remember Neshae talking about the dragon friend he had? He may not like us killing one.”

“He also won't like us hiding behind a rock watching as it eats him.”

“If that cave leads to the treasure he might have already made it through,” Nathyn said. “He could have gotten away from the dragon and just booked it.”

Willie nodded. “Maybe. We have to get over there to find out though.”

“Any ideas?” Nillie asked.

Suddenly a cry rang through the air. The three harthen jumped, at first fearing it might be their missing friend meeting his end. The dragon turned its head as a human ran towards it with his arms up in the air. As soon as he realized he had the reptile's attention he turned away and ran in another direction yelling “SPRING BREAK!!!” at the top of his lungs. Seeing another prey to teach her babies, the dragon took off after him.

The harthen did not understand what was happening, but they weren't about to waste the opportunity. They left the shelter of the rock and headed to the cave.

They weren't alone in this. A group of humans ran into the cave with them. They all appeared to be in their late teens or early twenties. They were cheering as they ran in, unconcerned that they might attract the dragon's attention with their noise.

“It worked!” one of them cheered.

“You shouldn't have made him do that!” a girl approached him. Her face was red with anger. “He might be killed!”

“So?” the first asked, unfazed. “His sacrifice will not go in vain. We will get the treasure back and Delta Alpha Omega Beta Gamma Nu will be the best, most bad ass fraternity that ever existed!”

“At the cost of your friends?”

“He was a freshman and he took one for the team.”

Nillie was furious. “Fucking humans!” She started toward them. “If you think lives are just pawns to be sacrificed at a whim--”

She then had the fraternity's attention. The first to speak, obviously the leader of the bunch, looked their way. “Hey, look! Nekos!”

Willie's ears lowered in exasperation. “Really?”

Nathyn chuckled. “Better than cat, at least, right?”

“I think my favorite was that dude that assumed we were those monkey people that turn into King Kong apes during the full moon and are obsessed with collecting balls.” Neshae was suddenly next to them. “We should run.” He took off toward a tunnel at the back of the cave. The harthen were now aware of the nest of baby dragons coming at them.

“Nillie!” Willie called as he and Nathyn ran after Neshae. The female looked back, saw the danger, and abandoned her quest to teach the stupid college humans a lesson.

They stopped after a while to catch their breath. Neither of them knew how far back the dragons were, but they imagined the fraternity was providing a distraction. Hopefully they were safe for the moment.

There hopes were dashed when a figure appeared at the edge of the light provided by Nathyn's light marble. It looked like a marionette, a black body with a head that was like a smiling porcelain mask.

“What the hell is that?” Neshae asked.

“Would you like to play a game?” the puppet asked.

Suddenly they were no longer in the cave. The harthen glanced around disoriented at their new surroundings. They were in a small room with two doors. Each door had a button to close it and a light to shine down the hall. In front of them was a desk piled with little trinkets, a desk fan, a tablet, a phone, and a cupcake.

Nathyn picked up the tablet. He could see a room as though through a security camera. There were three animatronic characters unmoving on a stage: a bear, a chicken, and a bunny.

“Where are we?” Nillie asked.

“I don't know,” Willie answered. “But I don't like it. It feels...creepy...”

“Wait till you see this.” Nathyn showed them the tablet. He flipped through various screens. “It looks like we're in some child's nightmare.”

“Cool. Maybe we'll find some pizza,” Neshae hoped.

The phone rang. All four of them watched it, neither quite willing to answer. Fortunately the answering machine kicked on and began recording.

“Hello? Hello? Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Capture the Flag. I just wanted to let you know what the rules are and what to expect from the game. I assure you you're perfectly safe, it's not that hard. You just have to find the enemy flag from it's hiding place in the restaurant and keep the other team from getting in your office to get your flag. Then once you have the other flag you just make your way back to the office and then you win. See? Easy.

“Now one thing you should probably know, the other team, Freddy and his friends, do tend to get a bit quirky at night. So you might wanna get that flag and end the game before it gets dark. They do sometimes wander around when the place is closed. If they see you, they might think you're one of them. And since it's against the rules for them to be without a costume they might try to force you ineo one. Now that wouldn't be so bad if the suits weren't filled with crossbeams...”

“What the hell is this?” Nathyn asked.

“Shhh...” Willie put a hand up.

“...but really there's nothing to worry about. It's gonna be a breeze. Just find their flag and get to your office, keep an eye on the power, and you've got this. See you on the flipside.”

“Okay...” Neshae started.

“So we have to get a flag before the sun goes down. Big deal.” Nillie said. “What time is it?”

“This says it's pretty close,” Nathyn answered. “We need to find it fast.”

“Someone should stay here so they can guard the flag.” Willie pointed to the flag hanging on the wall. “If we keep the doors closed they can't get in, right?”

Neshae pushed the button on a door and it closed. Willie's left eye suddenly filled with static. Nathyn looked at the tablet where it indicated the amount of power remaining. “We can't keep them closed for long. They use power.”

“Are you serious?” Nillie asked. “Who the hell would design a room like that?”

Neshae pushed the button again and opened the door, causing the static in Willie's eye to clear. “Someone sadistic. Hell I'd bet he's made other rooms like this where there are no doors to close.”

“I don't like that.” Willie held his cane close to his chest. “I don't like any of this. We need to find that flag pronto. Nathyn, you and Neshae go find it. Nillie and I will stay and hold down the fort.”