Story Pt. 28

In a valley borne of the earth and sitting upon a throne between mountains rests Stonedragon Castle. Perilously high slit windows letting the smallest amount of light in to it’s interior regions. Even such windows as these were covered in curtains of a sort, long sheets of moss hung from the roof just above each window. No dust swirls through the lone beams of light that penetrate the moss.1

One man, kneeling in front of another, looks like he was just dug up out of a shallow swamp grave. Still with various insects burrowing parasytically through his clothing and his flesh in some areas.2

The other man looked closer to human than his supplicant did. Sitting upon a throne of stone dragon bones. The throne itself resting directly on the ground. Ribs splayed outwards from the center of the back, the neck going up curling straight down in front of the spine and twisting up so the man is sitting on the dragons skull. The four legs on the ground look menacing even after death. Wings folded to the side stretching back to the wall behind the throne. The man upon the throne has raw wounds biting his face, still oozing a minor amount of pus. Never would those wounds heal.3

“So we will lay seige to Pyre Omen and take over the lava lakes he calls home.  From there we will be easier able to subdue the Rannek. Filthy cats. I wish they were all dead. Then they could be in my army, and there would be no problem,” Azuroth pondered.4

“Lord, won’t the dragon be hard to take in his homeland? I know You are capable of taking him my Lord but you will not be there for our triumphant victory,” something supposedly human responded to Azuroth’s voiced wishes. How he was capable of speech, speaks highly of Azuroths talents, for though this creature had no bottom jaw it still managed speech.5

“I will see to that right now, then won’t I?” Azuroth grew tired of this ones company. “SEND HIM IN,” he bellowed to the end of the hall.6

Without outside force the doors to the hall opened outwardly. Letting in a lone Gnome. The Gnome went shuffling down the hall. Turning in muted horror as the door swung closed behind him. He continued his pace down the hall. Noting the moss covered windows. Seeing that the floors were immaculately clean. Nothing seemed to be out of place. The Gnome didn’t stop his distracted shuffle until he had unwittingly trip on the bottom most step leading up to the dais.7

‘That’s odd, I don’t remember a step up to the dais when I first came in,’ the Gnome thought to himself.8

“Now Gnome, do you know why I have brought you here?” Azuroth began.9

“The names Gnotor, Sir,” Gnotor kindly filled in. “And no si-“10

“DID I SAY YOU COULD SPEAK? Now if you answer that question I will kill you. As I WAS saying. Do you know why you have been brought here? No you don’t, so please allow me to fill you in.” Azuroth began to outline his plan for the Gnome. “All I need you to do is steal the Lightstone while I and my troops attack the dragon from the front. Do You Think You Can Handle That?” He spoke slowly so the Gnome would realize he could talk.11

“Y-Yes S-s-ir.”12

“I will send this one with you,” he gestured towards the ruin of a man standing off to the side of the room. “When he dies, again, that is your cue to advance upon the dragon. I have given him specific directions to follow, he will be telling you what to do, you must comply without fail. Or I will be unhappy.”13

“Yes, Sir.”14

“Now get out both of you, OUT!” he seemed to be shouting past the Gnome and his new undead companion. Noiselessly and without any person touching it the doors again opened to these egressors.15

The Gnome made his way out of the main hall and before him was a lone torch and down both aisles it was immediately dark. Then magically torches flickered to life along the right hand corridor. The left hand passage was still dark as night.16

“We go this way…,” Gnotor fell short on the creatures name. “Excuse me fellow do you have a name?”17

“Diskota Orenmar, I will tell you where we go, until I need to ask you where to go. There is no way but that which is offered you, in Stonedragon castle. Only the master of the house goes where he pleases.”18