CHAPTER 1:

Riza Wolfe is an ordinary teen with an ordinary life--a little too ordinary for her liking. Her friends are sort of crazy, but she's so used to them that they don't do much to break the monotony.

When Riza gets home from school, her mother tosses her a gift from her aunt--a dream catcher. She hangs it in her room, just for the heck of it, and does some thinking about her made-up character, an anthropomorphic wolf named Luna, and what she might be like in real life. Eventually, she goes to sleep.

When Riza wakes up, she finds herself not in her room, but floating in a sort of other dimension. She is greeted by none other than her character, Luna. Luna offers her an opportunity to get away from her average life, and follow her back to her world. Riza is skeptical of the idea, looking for a catch. She is interrupted, however, when she starts to disappear--very literally. Luna tosses her a small, vaguely glowing blue jewel, tells her to think on it until the next night, and directs her back to the portal to Earth. Riza returns to her room, seemingly through the dream catcher, and almost immediately goes back to sleep, back to worrying about the math test she has in the morning. The next day, Riza thinks about it some more, and decides to take Luna up on her offer. She returns to the other dimension (which Luna informs her is called the Gate World) that night, and follows her new werewolf friend to another gate--the one to her world. Riza is able to unlock it with the jewel, and they step through it.

Sure enough, a moment later, Riza finds herself in a brand new place, which Luna introduces as Rokenthia. And that's not all that's changed--she quickly discovers that she's not exactly human here, having gained fuzzy ears, a tail, paws, and a couple other wolf-like features. Once Riza's done freaking out about the change, she follows Luna back to her house--a hut in the woods, basically.

Suddenly, they are confronted by what appear to be, according to Riza, "mutant porcupines". Luna corrects her, informing her that they are Spike Demons. Luna calls out their leader, who takes on a humanoid form to introduce himself to Riza as Raus Cyrus Delmax III. After the pleasantries, he attempts to take her, claiming she'll make a nice chew toy for his so-called minions (the smaller Spike Demons). Riza, however, quickly puts him in his place (Raus is a wimp :P), and chases him off.

Luna, after a quick congratulations, steps inside, then returns and asks to see Riza's jewel. Luna uses some wire and string to make a necklace out of it, to prevent it from getting lost. Finally, they set off to see the one that recruited Luna to bring Riza to her world in the first place.

CHAPTER 2:

Riza and Luna travel through the woods, Luna telling Riza about some of the things in Rokenthia, such as demons, elves, and half-creatures. She tells Riza that she appears, currently, to be a half-wolf. They eventually make it out of the forest and to a rocky area, where they are dropped in on (literally), by a strange old man named Ooji. He informs Riza that it was he who asked Luna to bring her there, and leads them back to his home for further explanation.

Ooji tells Riza that she is one of the new generation of Dreamers, and that her jewel is called a Dreamstone. However, he doesn't seem to know much more, and advises them to check the local libraries and other places for information. Riza realizes that she's been away for hours, and inquires about how to get home. Ooji tells her, and she leaves for the time being. When she returns to her room, she finds that only an hour or so has passed since she left--evidence of some kind of time warp between the worlds.

The next day, Riza's friend Suzume takes an interest in the Dreamstone, asking all kinds of questions about it. Riza makes something up, and Suzume doesn't believe her. Riza angrily stalks off to class, and Suzume decides that eventually she will find out what her friend is up to.

CHAPTER 3:

Riza and Luna, after some searching for information with no results, decide to take a day off and head to the market in a nearby town, Kraydir. They do some wandering around, and speak to a jewelry salesman who seems to talk an interest in Riza's Dreamstone. Quite suddenly, it begins to rain, and everyone quickly closes up shop. Riza and Luna run for cover in a nearby alley, only to find that they've made a poor choice--the alley is the lair of a colony of rat demons.

The rats chase them back out into the street, and quickly surround them. Riza and Luna try to fight them off, but they are outnumbered. As a rat jumps to attack Riza from behind, someone steps in between, nearly slicing the rat in two with a large knife. Riza, surprised, thanks the hooded figure, and continues to fight off the demons. Between the three of them, they quickly dispatch the remainder of the rats, and Riza sighs in relief before turning to thank their helper. However, he's already running off. Riza chases after him, determined to at least find out who he is. They run through the back alleys of the town, and the mysterious helper nearly makes it to a hiding place. However, he trips on a crack in the pavement, and falls headfirst into the ground.

He wakes later to find himself on Luna's couch, and bandage tied around his head. Riza introduces herself and Luna, and the boy introduces himself as Daemian. Riza tells him that he's welcome to go home whenever he likes, but Luna quickly realizes that he's a "street rat" and doesn't really have a home. She soon regrets pointing this out, for Riza invites the boy to stay with them (which Luna allows after a bit of puppy-eyed begging). He rather hesitantly accepts, figuring he has nothing to lose, and a split second later Riza's excitedly offering him a tour of the area.

Daemian can't help but wonder what he's gotten himself into.

CHAPTER 4:

After another dull real-world school day (and some rather disgusting lunch), Riza heads back to Rokenthia to see what her otherworldly friends have been up to. Upon finding out that Luna and Daemian have been as inactive as herself, Riza proposes that they take a walk to kill some time.

When walking gets old and the trio gets hungry, they decide to turn around and head back to Luna's hut. However, they are stopped in their tracks by the appearance of a Spirit Demon. After some shushing and words of warning from Daemian against getting the demon's attention, the three attempt to make a quiet retreat. But, the loud crack of Riza accidentally stepping on a stick causes the Spirit Demon to snap its focus to our heroes. Riza, Luna, and Dae take off running, the Spirit Demon close behind.

As they tear through the woods to escape the first demon, more begin to appear, and soon enough the group finds themselves surrounded by the glowing beasts. Left with little choice, they prepare to fight.

After destroying a number of the demons, the group notices that they don't seem to be diminishing much in numbers. Riza decides that the solution is to kill them faster, and rushes for a demon. However, she does not see the one coming up behind her until the last second. She shuts her eyes and waits for the worst, but instead finds herself being lifted through the air and away from the demon. Upon landing, Riza begins to thank Luna for saving her...only to find out that the werewolf demon standing over her is not, in fact, her guardian.

However, a split second later, Luna is between Riza and the new werewolf, snarling at him to get away. The other wolf insists that he was just passing by and is only there to help. Riza defends him, saying that she'd have been demon food if it weren't for him. Luna argues, telling Riza that she doesn't understand who he is. When Riza asks for further explanation, Luna backs off, and agrees to let the other werewolf assist them in disposing of the Spirit Demons. As Riza runs off to help Daemian, Luna and the new wolf, who she apparently knows and refers to as "Lunos", prepare to fight their own way.

CHAPTER 5:

Swinging her now trusty stick, Riza dispatches one of the several Spirit Demons surrounding Daemian, earning a thanks from him. When he inquires about the identity of the new werewolf, Riza replies that she has no idea who he is, but that Luna seems to know him.

After the last of the demons are gone, Luna tells Riza and Daemian that they're going home, and begins to walk away. Lunos seems distraught that she didn't even bother to introduce him, so Riza ignores Luna and greets him herself. Luna angrily tells Riza to leave him and get moving, to which Riza argues that they at least owe their helper a meal. Grudgingly, Luna agrees, and they head back to her hut.

Riza volunteers herself and Daemian (against his will) to make dinner, and drags him behind the house. As they cook, Riza admits that Luna's unusual behavior is worrying her. Daemian tells her that it's probably not that odd for her to not trust someone who shows up out of the blue and tries to play hero. Riza flatly tells him that he did the same thing, to which Dae replies that Luna doesn't really seem to trust him either.

Later that evening, Lunos tells stories of his adventures around the campfire, which Riza finds quite entertaining. However, when Lunos inquires about Riza's hunting ability as a half-wolf, Riza lets it slip that she's a Dreamer. Lunos is confused, but after some explanation, offers to teach her to hunt himself the next day, which Riza accepts.

Later that night, as Riza and Dae are asleep, Lunos watches Luna leave to go on a hunt. He then peers through the hut window at Daemian, figuring that he must be the kid that his "boss" is after. He decides that he should tell his master about Riza being a Dreamer too, and then gets ready to make his move.

CHAPTER 6:

Daemian slowly wakes up, trying to remember where he is. Suddenly realizing that he's flying through the air, tied up and being held by the back of his shirt, he looks up to find the one carrying him: Lunos. Remembering how he got in such a situation, Dae decides that escape would be a good idea. He struggles, earning a warning from Lunos about the probability of that causing them both to fall out of the trees, and the higher chance of Dae winding up with a broken neck than Lunos. Lunos keeps moving, worried that it won't take long for Luna to realize what's wrong and come after him.

Meanwhile, Luna returns home after her hunt, and realizes that Lunos is missing. Deciding that he must have taken her hint and left, she heads inside to check on the kids. Riza is still sleeping soundly, but all she finds of Daemian is the book he was reading. She wakes Riza, and they go to search for him...and Lunos.

Still on the run, Lunos stops on a tree branch momentarily. Dae takes the chance to squirm some more. Lunos rolls his eyes and explains that he's just making it more difficult for both of them. Dae responds by headbutting Lunos in the nose. As Lunos is in the process of threatening him, he's interrupted by Riza and Luna. Luna puts a blade to his throat, but Lunos points out that if she kills him, the boy falls too. Riza reminds him of her presence, but he laughs her off, shattering her confidence. Out of backup, Luna grudgingly lowers her blade, and Lunos starts to take off again. However, as he jumps through the air, something flies past him. Riza lands in the nearest tree, Daemian in tow, growling that she wouldn't let Lunos run off with her friend.

Now that he has no hostages, Luna chases Lunos down to settle the score while Riza unties Daemian. When she asks if he knows what he wanted, he replies that he has no idea, but he seemed to be working for someone. When Riza wonders who it could be, Daemian tells her that she has no idea how much he wishes he knew.

Meanwhile, Luna and Lunos are tiring of their battle, and both agree that the next move will end things. They rush towards each other, and wind up back to back. Lunos clutches a wound in his side, and admits that Luna won...this time. He then lets off a smoke bomb, and when the air clears, he is gone. Luna sighs and asks the kids if they're alright, and says they're going home. Riza stops them for a moment, apologizing for ever trusting Lunos in the first place. Luna says that Lunos once said told her that as werewolf demons, they were both hunters, and that he's always lived by that. She supposes some things will never change.

Riza and Dae exchange looks, and they head home.

CHAPTER 7:

While on the road to the city of Relecross to do some information hunting about Riza's Dreamstone, Daemian finds himself wondering just how he wound up in his current situation and in his current company. He admits that it's an improvement over being by on the streets of Kraydir...but that doesn't make being with Riza and Luna and less strange. He supposes things are alright though...at least for the moment.

Along the way, they pass a sort of flea market, as well as some handlers and a salesman trying to restrain a wild horse. When Riza asks about the horse, the salesman tells her that he can't be tamed, and is headed to the slaughterhouse when they get a grip on him. Riza considers it for a moment, then asks how much the salesman wants for the horse, earning jaw-drops from Luna and Daemian. The salesman tells her she's crazy, but has his handlers bring the horse down anyway. Ten seconds later, Riza has made a friend out of the animal.

Despite everyone's baffled-ness, Daemian manages to argue that they can't take care of a horse. When he turns to Luna for backup, however, she says horses can be useful and that she could really care less if Riza wants to keep him, as long as /she's/ not bothered with it. Riza names the horse Arashi, and hands him to Daemian, deciding that it will be /his/ horse. She tells him to try riding him, and he tells her she's insane. While she doesn't disagree, she still insists that Arashi be ridden, and Dae eventually agrees to give it a try. After mounting the horse, Dae realizes that he has no reins. Riza simply tells him that they're not necessary, and tells Arashi to move. Before Dae can argue, he's flying down the hill atop his new horse.

It doesn't take Daemian long to realize that yelling at the horse will not make him stop, so he changes tactics: He asks him nicely. Shockingly, Arashi slows down. Confused, Dae tries asking him to do a few more things, all of which Arashi does with no trouble. Convinced that the horse can /understand/ him, Dae decides to quit while he's ahead and asks Arashi to take him back to Riza and the others. When Riza asks if he had fun, he tells her to just get him down from there. Arashi, however, hears the request and bucks violently, sending Daemian flying through the air and crashing into the ground.

Riza decides that it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Daemian wonders who she's talking about.

CHAPTER 8:

New horse in tow, Riza, Luna, and Daemian make it to Relecross, and start heading towards the library there. On the way, however, they run into a young mage--literally, in Daemian's case. The kid gets into an argument with Dae, but it's cut short when the clock tower rings and he remembers that he has somewhere to be. Daemian follows Riza and Luna away, grumbling.

When they arrive at Relecross Library, Riza comments rather loudly on the size of the place, earning her a shush from the librarian. After that, the trio sets off through the library, digging for anything they can find on the Dreamers, Dreamstones, or other old myths and legends. They don't have much luck, which Riza complains about. Daemian, however, says that he may have found something, and tells them that the book he's currently looking at says something about the Dreamers being the first half-creatures, brought from another world to aid that one in something known as the Dragon Wars. At Riza's inquiry, Luna explains that Rokenthia's dragons are mostly extinct, and that she may know someone else they could ask for information: The Mayor-King of Relecross. As they exit the library, Daemian hangs back a moment. When Riza asks him if there's a problem, he replies that everything's fine and follows them out.

When the gang arrives at Relecross Manor, the gate guard, Peroe, stops them and asks what they're there for. When they explain, he tells them to go away. However, a man comes around the corner and stops Peroe, asking what they are there for. Riza tells him that they want to see Mayor-King Relecross, and the man tells them that that should be fine, so they follow him inside the manor. They arrive in a large room with a desk in the middle. The man sits down at the desk, and asks what he can do for them. After a moment of confusion, it dawns on the group that the man /is/ Mayor-King Relecross.

After shaking off the surprise, Riza tells him that they're looking for some information on the Dreamers and Dreamstones, explaining that she is a Dreamer. She's interrupted, however, when Mayor-King Relecross's son barges in. As he begs his father to let put off homework to play, he notices the group of people standing in his father's office. Recognition dawns he and Dae--the fire mage that they ran into earlier was none other than young Xan Relecross.