Who? WHO ARE YOU? Get away from me. You're not welcome here. No one is welcome here. Leave. Now. He pops his head out of his cave, eye to eye with you. They're mismatched, the right one blue and the other gold. A large skull mask stares you in the face, his forelock long, yet his mane braided and banded. His left ear is torn and cut off at the top. Well then, I guess this is Caere after all. Not gonna leave are you..well, whatever happens to you, I am not to blame. He scowls, but allows you to come into his den. Your first move was successful.

Well, aren't you going to tell me your name? He asks, irritated. You tell him guest. Yeah, whatever. I'm Caere. He glares at you. What are you doing here anyway? This is cursed ground. You're unlikely to make it out of here alive. Of course..if that was of my doing, well, you wouldn't be able to tell the story. He laughs sinisterly. Dead men tell no tales. He turns and lunges at you, his gold eye staring you down. You take note of his torn ear. This wasn't a peophin to mess with. Hahahahaha. He laughs. He's launched his counterattack.

You warily slide down the wall of his den, wishing you'd never come here in the first place. He's coming towards you now, grinning maliciously. Suddenly a loud sound shakes the cave, and you realize his den his caving in. Unexpectedly you find yourself thrust out the door by Caere himself, trying to escape. Alas, only his head and legs made it out. The den crashed down around him, trapping him in the sediment. He looks scared, but mostly sad. I tried to warn you..this is cursed ground! Get out of here while you can! You're shocked. Why did this peophin, so intent on scaring the living daylights out of you just risk his life to save your own? Fine..if you help me out of here, I will tell you my story. He pleads. You're in control of the game now.

This ground is cursed because I am cursed. Cursed by a cursed Dark Faerie.. He spits out the word. I was a regular colt, with black points, checkered socks, and a checkered tail. There wasn't really anything abnormal about me other than the fact that my right eye was blue and my left one was gold. That freaked some peophins out. Most of them didn't think anything of it. Anyways, I was never accident-prone until after the curse. I never got hurt, no matter how rowdy I was. I had just grown into a stallion when I met HER. Again, he says the word with much hatred. It was a stormy night, and I was up at the beach. It wasn't safe up there, and I was trying to make my way back to the ocean against hurricane-like winds blowing against me. I heard her calling out to me. She was being blown around by the wind, and needed something larger to help her get to saftey. I felt bad, but she was so far away and my own saftey was in danger..How was I going to help anyone if I could not save myself? Reluctantly I left her there, hoping she'd think I didn't hear her in the howling wind. Well, the bloody thing obviously made it through the night. She found me in this very den, sleeping easily. Angrily she awoke me and placed this blasted curse on me for not helping her. Trouble follows me everywhere. I'm not allowed to die, but I will bring bad luck to everyone I consider a friend..therefore..I have no friends. And never will. Well, are you going to dig me out or not? Now you have to decide whether you believe his story, odd as it is, and free him with the chance he might come after you again, or leave him there, not sure of what would happen to him. He's got you cornered.

Although you have an horrid feeling it isn't a good idea, you manage to pry the rubble off of the battered peophin. He moves upright, scars on his tail and his right leg apparent. Thank you.. He mumbles. It's been a while since someone has done me an act of kindness. He lingers momentarily, his mind in a far off place. Actually, I can't remember the last time someone helped me, His voice softens greatly, but only briefly. Soon his harsh tone is back. Listen you, you're in danger here, why are you bothering me anyway? He swivels his tattered ear around uselessly out of habit. No, I can't hear out of that ear, He explains as he notices you staring. Quit it! How would you like it if I stared at YOU all day long? You are rather ugly anyway!! He swims impatiently in a circle, finally stopping a few feet from your face. He grins, his skull mask gleaming in your eyes. Didn't I tell you to get out of here? He repeats impatiently. It's not safe here, and you're beginning to annoy me. Survival of the fittest. These are the rules of the game.

Bravely, you stand your ground to the scarred peophin in front of you. After witnessing what seemed to be a soft spot, you're sure you could break through to him. Suddenly a glimmer catches your eye from the rubble, and you bend over to investigate. Slowly you reach your hand out and pick up a broken picture frame which contains a picture of a green-maned white peophin. You look at it for just a moment, before Caere snatches it out of your grasp. DON'T TOUCH THAT! He snaps. Looking down at the photograph, his features relax and he seems content, for once. At your inquistive look, he rolls his eyes. Sanseveria. My one and only love, but she left me. She sure was a lot prettier than you. You glare at him, getting used to his constant insults now. I have no other friends..only acquantinces. Dark_Kishou and his family, Evaenescense in particular, and Reinenteh. I once knew a Soletude, but have lost contacts..he was quite an idiot anyway. Also, Sombrfire, another friend lost. Perhaps because of the curse. I will never know. He sighs heavily, and you know he longs for true friendship, if only he weren't such a jerk...In this moment of weakness, the tides have shifted, and now you have the upper hand.

Suddenly, Caere's good ear flicks back, and he quickly thrusts the picture of Sanseveria into your hands. HIDE THIS he pleads, whirling around to meet a troop of faeries, armed with bows and spears. They screech at him, scolding him for talking to you. SHUT UP! LEAVE ME ALONE! He yells at them, but they advance. Get out of here! he hisses at you, and you for once, obey him. You scramble behind a reef, hiding from the battle. Peeking above the crest, you watch the faes ambush Caere with a million to one odds. Your gaze slips down to the picture still in your hand of the white peophin mare, and wonder if this has anything to do with it. LEAVE THEM ALONE!! THEY WERE LOST! You hear above the reef, and suddenly realize that Caere is talking about you. Frantically you run, finding a crevice in an underwater mountain. Panting, you slide into a sit, your head between your knees, trying to regain your breath. You replay the events, and sit straight up. You've reached the truth about Caere. It all adds up. The curse, the attitude, and the lack of friends - he was rude to all to avoid friendship, because his friends were affected by the curse, and within that hardened heart of his, he could not bear to see his friends hurt on his accord. Congratulations. You've been kinged.