Re: Disturbing News
Battles Part 27
Interlude Part 12
Inside Doom
The Gifted Mordel and Malicore appeared over the pad in Doom, hovering after the use of a random group teleport by Malicore from the ancient Grand Hall in Dralk. Mordel knocked Malicore off his back. Mordel was in a wrath and Malicore was dodging his swiping claws while running around his feet with great agility.
“You took away my glory of battle Ssilk. I could have fought the entire race of Dragons alone! What did you do? You snatched me from battle and made us appear to be running away like bipeds or cowardly Helians!” Mordel roared.
“Quit acting like a hatchling Mordel. You are an ancient so think like one!” retorted Malicore, “Lilith kept her word and made us the most sought after pair in all the Dragon lands. Let them stew in their frothy hatred and get really worked up! We got business here on the back side of Doom methinks.”
“Did you bring us here purposely Malicore?” snapping at him with his great jaws.
“No, I did not Mordel. I just used the only group teleport I had. Remember, oh ancient forgetful one, how you admonished me several years ago about wasting good gold on trivial matters like teleport scrolls? So I picked one up in a disreputable second hand shop out of Aughundell, in a discounted clearance sale for one silver in the lower side where the thieves hang out. But, it was a random teleport and thus the discount. So don't get grumpy about following your instructions. In the meanwhile we got business here.”
Continuing to swipe at him Mordel thundered, “By whose authority Naka?”
“By Istaria's and Kaasha's authority so help me Kaasha! But, if you keep this up then I will lose my temper and we will lose our fame garnered in the sky! I will kill you with my special arrow and you will materialize on the pad in Dralk. I imagine the dragons will line up and kill you one at a time for at least five thousand times. One kill per dragon before you fully are fully materialized and able to fight. You my ancient friend will then be known as Mordel of the Five Thousand Deaths, the laughing stock of Dralk till the end of days. I will die over and over on the receiving pad in Aughundell, since the last time I heard about anything over there, the whole place was being over run.”
The idea of five thousand ignominious deaths caught the ancient's attention very quickly. Suddenly Mordel was very calmly appraising Malicore's thinking, “There was after all no doubt about Malicore's efficacious ill conceived death arrow project, according to Lilith. To give up any Glory in the quota he had garnered was an anathema of a thought. He squinted suspiciously at Malicore saying, “So just what did your God tell you little Naka?”
“While we were teleporting Kaasha told me 'Into Doom will Istaria send you both. Another will have further instructions. Delve deeply therefore my Gifted child. Therein you will see a secret that which has never been seen by mortals before and kept secret by the Dryads.' That was all I was told. You know how cryptic the Gods are.” Malicare said shrugging.
“Now are we finished threatening each other Mordel??”
After stamping one taloned paw on the flooring Mordel snorted with smoke coming out of his nostrils returned rather waspishly, “Hrumphh!! Very well. Did that snake God of yours assure you of a battle coming? Will there be blood and glory in it for us with many enemies?”
“Truthfully Mordel I am not sure. Kaasha seemed uneasy and envious all at once. Be that as it may, we must move quickly. Time is of the essence and something is very wrong here. I can smell it in the air. I will scout ahead.”
Mordel thought to himself, “What would a God be afraid of? This just might turn out to be interesting. Secrets could bring great horde wealth and power.” He eyed Malicore walking quickly in front and followed with nary a complaint.
Without further discussion both went around the bend then stopped at the intersection. The stench of decaying flesh was nearly overpowering. The usual inhabitants in this area were gone. Scattered small piles of Myloc warrior corpses filled the areas. Taking a left Malicore went to the first cul-de-sac. The other monsters were also dead with numerous Myloc warriors. Going back to the intersection he found that Mordel was gone. Going further down he went under the rock overhang. Mordel was standing on the small elevation. Hundreds of Myloc warriors littered the floor. Scattered Dwarven weapons lay amongst the piles but no Dwarves were in sight.
“What do you think Mordel? It is the same down the other way?. Dead creatures, dead Mylocs and scattered Dwarven weapons drenched in Myloc blood?”
“Malicore, these were battles of vengeance or dominance, so I believe. I sense much the same further in. One thing I am sure of. The stench of WA power is completely and absolutely gone. This could be a far more dangerous puzzle. I will lead now,” harrumphed Mordel.
Malicore followed without a word thinking to himself, “The ancient Gifted Dragon had his good points even though he was a prickly picky ole fart. He was composed now and a bit of leadership in their duo would go far to assuage his perceived loss of Dragon face by leaving Dralk in the manner they had to.”
The scene was the same in all the tunnels and side branches up to the stone arch over now empty pool of former glowing green goo. The creatures in the emptied pool were dead with scattered Mylocs bodies around the corpses. Mordel suddenly stopped just past the stone archway.
Malicore came around, “What is wrong ancient one?”
With a talon Mordel moved a slimy body away from the pile of rotting flesh.
“This Myloc is not the same. This one is different. We have not seen his ilk till now. The color of his flesh and its smell reeks of power unlike all the others we have killed before now. This one carried authority as a warrior unlike the other drones. You will also note that the WA associated smells of the typical Myloc is not on this one at all. This puzzle is becoming clear to me now. We must go to the area of the Dwarven King's last stand and burial site.
Once again the same was seen. Many more of the strange Myloc warriors were noted in the piles of heaped dead. The dead numbered far too many to count.
Pointing Malicore spoke with conviction, “Well Mordel there is only one direction to go and that is down the steep incline towards the caverns of the Myloc Queen.”
Malicore quickly turned around and headed to the opening. With a single step on the incline bright light flashed in his eyes. Unable to see he jumped to his left with his bow out and two arrows notched. Mordel slowly followed hearing Malicore's sudden warning. He stepped into the bright lights with his spells and breath of fire ready then looked almost shocked seeing the scene below him.
“Well the Gifted aerial duo has finally arrived ready to go forth into battle! You are late Gifted Ones. This is not the time to go sight seeing. Telak already left after he accomplished what he wished. #1 and I needed you both a half hour ago to do your part in this repair then leave via the portal,” said the glowering and glowing little Gnome. Pud cursed quietly muttering in ancient Gnomish technospeak not realizing Mordel's ancient ears could hear him quite clearly. The Gnome headed to the dust covered moldy Portal which had been partially dismantled.
Mordel followed first. Malicore stayed atop the slope sticking his head in and out of the illusionary barrier that only showed an empty interior around the teleport. Pud Blowfuse looked up seeing Malicore dally about.
Exasperated he addressed Mordel, “Can you please get your friend down here. My time here is limited and this must be done. I should have already been in Old Rachival with Telak. Kaasha is going to be very angry since it was he that recommended both of you to bear witness for the Gifted of Istaria and his children.”
Mordel bellowed for Malicore to come down. Malicore huffed and puffed, all put out that he was not able to investigate further.
“But I could not sense the magic Mordel!! We need that spell. We could use it in aerial combat!”
Pud huffed, “Never happen Sslik. A magical device is creating that. Telak does not share with those who do not honor him. He does not play well with others.”
Ignoring Malicore, Pud addressed Mordel, “Come Mordel you need to separate the back half of this teleport from the front half.”
Mordel followed the instructions with care. Pud turned and addressed a smaller than average automaton, which had been standing still throughout the discussion. Suddenly it dissembled to several dozen very tiny automatons which crawled into the intricate circuitry disappearing within the depths of the device. Pud motioned to Mordel, the huge Gifted Dragon, to pick up the top of the standing area and lay it down to the side. Dozens of darkened cracked crystals could be seen, connected by strange silvery strands throughout.
Without looking up from peering into the circuitry Pud held out his hand addressing Malicore, “Please give me two of those Dragon Crystal you have. It does not really matter what kind they are just two of them. Telak was very specific.”
“No! Not till you give me some answers. You are not the Leader here. You decide nothing for us Gifted.” Malicore snapped.
Still not looking up Pud made the request politely again holding out his hand, “Actually I am the leader for these few moments and you will follow my instructions. Kaasha told you 'into Doom will Istaria send you both. Another will have further instructions.' to be precise. You did the teleport, Istaria used it to send you both here and I am the one giving the further instructions.”
Pud stood up giving Malicore a flat hard stare continuing, “Just so both of you know, I don't like toasted Gnome on a stick jokes and barbarians traipsing out of the jungle. I told Telak this was a big mistake, but he is my Boss. Kaasha is finally getting in the game now. It was your crystals he specified to Telak. There is an agreement between a new ancient Goddess an old Goddess and two Gods with one of them being the most ancient of all. Telak is leading because unlike the Gifted and the other Gods he will no longer be reactive to the high and mighty WA. So he already sent Yule Tide greetings early, just a few moments ago before you arrived. So Malicore get out of the jungle and make it snappy. I will send you both to go and play in the Big City. Then you will give Kaasha's own personal greetings to the Fallen One. Mordel didn't get to play in the Grand Hall but he will get to say hello to a creature far worse than the power bloated mad queen down here.”
“So there will be great danger, a battle of glory and plenty of blood to wet my talons in?” Mordel interjected greedily.
“Depends on you both but it is going to be an absolute dark mess. Telak agrees with the General Az. It is time for an unexpected first strike on this terrible creature, whom is the Wa leader of the rest of the world. He is after all the one Torrin and others long ago made the agreement of power with. Do you truly believe it was Torrin's power that raised that sky encompassing God like barrier!? Az was right about the WA though he does not know the true measure of this fel power on this world or any other as a matter of fact. If you don't hurry up Az will get all the glory. Personally I do not care about any of it.”
Malicore growled brandishing his bow at Pud, who had a finger on a big red button on a little black box and did not back down from the Gifted's nonverbal threat. As Mordel's Dragon senses expanded, he realized several big invisible somethings without a scent were moving closer.
Mordel bellowed at the Ssilk Gifted ranger, “Give the blasted Naka two of the crystals, Malicore, that I made for you. I can always make more. I will have the glory that you denied me in Dralk!”
Mordel turned his head slightly looking at the Gnome with a single eye, “I do have one final question Gnome. What has been going on down here?
Grudingly Malicore went to give the little Gnome the two crystals under the baleful eyes of Mordel. Pud snatched the crystals and set them into the silvery latticework.
Pud scratched his head, “A simple enough question but for the full answer there is not enough time now to delve into it. I will give you the bare bones of it as the humans say. Once in the first age of the world two races of the sea built the majority of this place for it was under water carved out of a mountain. With the near destruction of the world with the Great War at the end of the First Age and the cataclysms that followed destroyed almost all that was built. The Goddess down here discovered it later and drained it. The Withered Aegis long ago looted this place for its wealth and stone to be used elsewhere. Telak says Doom was known by another name and was a beautiful place long before our histories began. The Dwarves rediscovered it with the appearance of a sinkhole. The fact of what it has become is tragic. This ancient portal is the only thing left here of a glorious civilization's history long since forgotten. The builders of this place and their glory are now just dust of the ages long since blown away by the wind as far as we know. Telak did not explain anything further about these races.”
“Now on with the present. Put on the back of the portal quickly Mordel as well as the stone flooring in front. The activation sequence is about to start. Malicore, get on Mordel's back. Mordel, back up as far as you can then hit the opening portal flying. Sorry you missed the fight here Mordel. The WA pulled out all of its power. The Dwarves got loose and attacked anything that moved and the mad Myloc Queen tried a land grab. The outcome was predictable. The Dwarves were already dead. Mylocs were in the flesh so the Dwarves left them in piles so to speak. The Queen is still frothing over such a big number of dead children. Remember that where you are going, up can be down and down can be up. Also remember that....... ”
Mordel's bellow of angry Draconic frustration with the Naka's rambling cut the Gnome's instruction short while filling and echoing into the other passages. Mordel quickly backed up to the far wall with Malicore on his back as the winds from the portal snatched at his great wings. The floating upright disk of the portal was fully lit up and expanding already now three times its normal size. The batteries to both sides were bubbling and exploding. Mordel launched himself off the far wall with his hind taloned paws, wings beating then folding around himself and Malicore, as the shrieking winds sucked them in.
Pud Blowfuse gestured frantically screaming, almost drowned out by the howling swirling winds and flowing colors as the Gifted pair passed him, “Fly Fools Fly!!! and don't forget that in magically enhanced Darkness….........”
Suddenly the portal was quiet before he could finish. The dust and silence settled quickly. Pud sighed, stepped up to the palm of a huge glowing metal hand. Both vanished in a puff.
In the distance the power bloated Myloc Queen's howls echoed faintly over a Divine interloper so close to her kingdom..........
Twilight of the Gods continues
