In a distant town, civilians panicked as they evacuated their homes. Despite the defenses they had, a monster had gotten into their lovely town, and was now ripping anyone it could reach to shreds. As the citizens ran, an eerie black liquid shot up from the sewers, small tendrils of it severing the buildings and sending them crumbling down. Guards rushed up with magic weapons and shields at the ready as the liquid splashed onto the rubble-filled street. Slowly, it began to take a human form, with glowing red eyes and a sharp-toothed grin. "Wh-what is that thing?!" one of the guards yelled, the others unnerved by the disturbing sight.
"H-hold your ground! It's just one monster! Show it what we can do!!" The captain roared, charging in with his magic lance. His men followed suit and the monster melted back into the shadows as they approached. The men stopped in their tracks looking around in fear and confusion until a tendril shot down from a rooftop and pierced one's neck. Blood poured from the newly made hole as the soldier's spirit left his body, and he slid down the tendril to the ground. Following the tendril up, they found the monstrosity grinning down on them from a destroyed rooftop, more tendrils forming from it's limbs. With a distorted, demonic laugh, the monster pounced on the soldiers.
"It's too late for us...I've heard of this creature before...the liquid nightmare." The mayor stated sadly in his office. "Evacuate everyone we can, but I will not feed this monster any more of my soldiers." he said. His attendants nodded grimly, and left the man alone in the town hall. Stroking his beard, possibly as a distraction from his sorrow, he sat down at his desk and began to write:
This is our final hour. The monstrosity known as the liquid nightmare had infiltrated our city despite how prepared we were to bring it down should it even attempt to. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of my citizens have already been butchered. And I know, deep in these old bones, that he'll be coming for me shortly. This monster is relentless, and worst of all, merciless. It knows not love and kindness, but hatred and blood lust. I only hope this warning reaches anyone in time, for who knows where the monster will attack next once it's done here. If you are reading this message, I can only hope that you can bring it down. And, as a second request from a dying old man, I would like you to take care of this phoenix. Her name is Eve, and she will serve you loyally. Thank you...and farewell.
-Mayor of the Town of Joulairre, Anderson Monroughe
His message finished, he went over to the birdcage in the corner of his office, where he kept his beloved phoenix Eve. The majestic creature gave Anderson a sad look as he handed her the message. "Take this to whomever you can, Eve, and do not return." he ordered. He then stroked the bird's head with his bony finger. "I only wish we were together longer than two years. Now go." With grief in her heart, the phoenix soared out of the window just as the office's door broke down. Anderson faced the torrent of tar-like liquid, closing his eyes as the matter consumed him.
Eve soared toward Opium, praying she could find help from someone at the guild there to avenge her master.