Shasto, Muttley, & The Dogz of the Rox

It was a beautiful summer evening, and Shasto was out for a walk in the park with his loyal canine companion Muttley. The sun was setting over the horizon, casting a warm orange glow across the landscape. Shasto, a tall, thin man in his mid-30s, walked with his eyes fixed on the path ahead, lost in thought. Muttley trotted beside him, his tail wagging happily as he sniffed at the bushes and trees they passed.

As they reached the far end of the park, they came upon a strange sight. There, nestled among the tall grasses, were a group of rocks unlike any they had seen before. They glimmered and shone in the fading light, almost as if they were alive. Shasto and Muttley approached cautiously.

"Wow", Shasto muttered, crouching down to examine the rocks more closely. "Look at these. They're... pulsing".

Muttley let out a low growl, his hackles rising. Something about these rocks didn't feel right. He could sense a strange energy emanating from them, like little sparks of electricity in the air.

All at once, the rocks began to move. They lifted off the ground and started to float in the air, hovering and dancing around Shasto and Muttley. The man stumbled backward in shock, but the dog stood his ground, baring his teeth.

"What in the world...?" Shasto breathed.

The rocks arranged themselves into a circle and began to spin, faster and faster until they became a blur of colour and light. Shasto shielded his eyes against the glare. When he opened them again, he gasped in amazement. In the centre of the circle stood a figure made entirely of crystalline rock - the Rox.

"Welcome, Shasto and Muttley", the Rox spoke, its voice echoing like thunder. "We have been waiting for you".

"You...you can talk?" Shasto stammered.

"You have been chosen", the Rox said. "Chosen to lead us, to be the Dogz of the Rox. Together, we shall reclaim our rightful place as the rulers of this world".

Muttley let out a fierce bark. He didn't understand everything, but he knew he didn't like it. These talking rocks were bad news.

Shasto looked at his loyal companion uncertainly. He had always known Muttley was special, but this was beyond anything he could have imagined.

"What do we have to do?" Shasto asked hesitantly.

"You must find the others", the Rox commanded. "Gather the rest of the Dogz of the Rox. Then, with our combined power, we will conquer all in our path".

Shasto gulped. This was a lot to take in. But he also sensed how much the Rox wanted this. Their desire was palpable, overwhelming.

"Okay", he said finally. "We'll do it. Muttley and I are the Dogz of the Rox. We won't let you down".

The Rox let out a grating screech of triumph. "Excellent. Your first assignment is to retrieve the Celestial Scepter. It is in the tower of the old wizard. Bring it to us".

And with that, the Rox broke apart into its component rocks, which scattered across the park. Shasto and Muttley were left standing alone in the darkening night.

The man looked down at the dog, his faithful friend. "Well Mutt, looks like we've got a job to do. Let's get to it".

Muttley yipped in determination and the two set off together into the unknown, the first of the Dogz of the Rox on a quest for power.