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The BloodVaine EpicChapter 16: Dragons At Drullen Bell Keep
Dragons. The most powerful beasts in the world. Scaly armor, fire breath, and the ability to fly. Not to mention their tails and claws. It’s hard to imagine how any faction could stand an assault by a squadron of dragon riders. Still, it has been done. While dragons are fearsome foes, they are difficult beasts to control and if their riders are killed they will scatter.
So how do you solve this problem? Get some better dragons. Eroth Gamus: The largest dragon in the world. An army of men could not kill him. Bahamut: A giant among dragons. Swiftest in flight and strongest in battle. Coal Blood: A general among dragons, eliminating the very need for dragon riders.
The three of them had just returned from a successful attack on the Crusader fleet which had foolishly tried an assault on the island. How magnificent they looked as they landed on the floor of BloodVaine’s lair.
And who should be watching them but Dacker Colagart.
Dacker Colagart was back in Dametreos. How long had it been? Thirty-five years more or less. He had been called back by an old friend. BloodVaine was embarking on a great conquest and Gart was there to assist. As Dacker watched the dragons, BloodVaine came up behind him and spoke.
“Magnificent don't you think? Soon I shall use them to crumble this land’s cities at our feet.”
“At your feet you mean. This is your war and my only wish is to repay the debt I owe you.”
“You are not interested in power?”
“Oh yes, I am. Believe me. But this land, with all of it’s factions... One could be at it for a hundred years and still not conquer Dametreos.”
“Well, it will be enough for you to help me destroy Lord Void. That must be accomplished before I even begin the conquest of Dametreos.”
Suddenly there was a loud crack and a zap of magic. The two men looked, and there, where once stood the Eroth Gamus now stood only a lizard. The men stood in shocked silence for a moment and then BloodVaine spoke.
“Curses! I was afraid of this. It seems that the dragons magical link to the two brothers has been severed.”
Dacker was confused. BloodVaine noticed this and explained.
“The Eroth Gamus was a lizard when I first stole him. Lord Void wasn’t able to transform him because he needed both the Twin Pendants and their wielders. I thought I had succeeded in finding a way around this by making a magical link to the two brothers. Obviously the link wasn’t strong enough. It seems I will have to complete the magic in person. Fortunately for us, I know where the latest heirs of the pendants are staying at present. Tonight we’ll be paying them a little visit.”
“Excellent.” said Dacker taking a swig from his flask of dragon blood. “But what about that Searil fellow” Are you sure it’s wise to be in league with a demonized elf? He may call you lord but I fear he serves another master.”
“You can let me worry about that, Dacker. Now, let’s prepare for tonight.”
It was a cloudy night in Forestmen land. High above the Drullen Bell Keep, hidden by an ominous, black cloud, soared Bahamut the dragon. The clouds were a bit of dark magic, conjured up by the dragon’s rider. Accompanying BloodVaine was Dacker Colagart, riding his own dragon, Coal Blood. With perfect timing the pair leapt from their mounts and plummeted to the earth. As they dropped through the clouds, Drullen Bell Keep appeared below them, illuminated by the torches of the night watch. Now, a magical whirlwind was swirling up in the council chamber and out through the open center hole in the dome. The small tornado sucked the two men through the roof and deposited them safely on the floor of the council chamber as it blew out.
“I can sense them.” BloodVaine said. “This way.”
Sir Dractor felt very uneasy, there was something in the wind that didn’t feel right.
“Sir! Look up!” called on the watchmen. Sir Dractor joined him. They looked up. In the far distance, above the keep, was a large flying beast. It might well have been a dragon, a griffin, a roc, or some other mighty, magical beast. Then something dropped from the creature, straight towards the Council Dome. It fell too fast for him to catch sight of it, and soon it vanished through the hole in the dome. Sir Dractor’s instincts were aroused.
“Wake the other watches,” he told the soldier. “And find me a patrol. I’m going to go see what this strange occurrence is.”
“Sir,” said the soldier, “at the speed that thing, or things fell, if its an animal or person, it could be long gone from the dome before you find it. If you find it.”
“Any strange occurrence must be investigated,” replied Sir Dractor calmly. “And I have a hunch that it, or them, won’t be moving as fast now. Still, I should hurry, or I may miss them anyway. And you make haste to rouse the men. Drullen Bell mustn’t suffer another tragedy tonight."
Doubtfully and fearfully, the soldier rushed off as Sir Dractor commanded. Unsheathing his great sword, Sir Dractor marched off to find a patrol and head to the Council Dome.
Radjar jolted awake. Gladwheel pulled him an inch from his face.
“Grab your sword. They’re back.” he said gruffly.
Radjar grabbed his sheathed katana and quickly strapped on his armor over his rough tunic and bounded off behind Gladwheel, who was holding his wickedly curved sword on his shoulder. Down they went, through the twisting pitch-black corridors that smelt of warm summer air and the sweat upon so many sleeping bodies. Finally they reached the council chamber. Inside, the heavy breathing of a beast blew against the door, and the sounds of clashing. Down the other hallway came Sir Dractor, wielding his great sword.
“Dractor,” Radjar whispered, “What is it?”
“A beast,” Dractor replied, face grim. “A great beast.”
“Open the door…” Gladwheel ordered.
Dractor kicked it open, and an orange spit of heat blasted through the doorway, searing, blazing, burning. The trio cowered, and dashed in, screaming cries of battle.
A tremendous bronze dragon, flanked by one wiry-looking fellow and a great, sinister silver-haired warrior, stomped towards them. Then a third man fell through the dome- Where he landed, the stone floor cracked and buckled, and he stood up, an evil grin on his face.
“Searil,” Radjar growled.
“No.” Searil laughed. “Aezazel.”
But there was no time for conversation. With the dragon marching for them, Gladwheel took out his long yew Ranger bow, and pulled back one great arrow with a long stroke of his fingers. Then, as the dragon tilted its head, he let loose, and the arrow whizzed into the eye of the reptile. Blood gushed from the gash, and the dragon let out a shriek, stumbling back.
The three men were ever closer now, and Aezazel jumped for Radjar at lightning speed. Radjar pulled out his katana and held the sharp edge in front of his face. Searil jumped just as he did this, but when the demon hit the blade he disappeared in a red mist and reappeared behind him.
“Looking for me“" he exclaimed mischievously, groping for Radjar’s throat.
Radjar gagged. He was just about to pass out when Sir Dractor came lunging with his great sword, slicing through the demon’s hands.
“YAAAAAAARGHH!” he screamed in pain, staggering.
The wiry man, whose name was Dacker, attacked Gladwheel, who pulled out his sword and cut ruthlessly at the surprisingly quick man.
The demon, Aezazel, might have been wounded, but he leapt towards Sir Dractor with unnatural stamina, a strange, wicked-looking sword in hand.
Sir Dractor put the rest of the battle out of his mind -- the wounded dragon, Radjar lying on the floor, Gladwheel and his opponent fighting -- and concentrated all his thoughts on the enemy confronting him.
Aezazel was superhumanly fast, seemed unaffected by most wounds, and had incredible strength. Sir Dractor was barely able to fight him. The great warrior had immense speed, strength greater than the once-half-elf, and stamina beyond that of most men. Nonetheless, he was very grateful that he had his armor.
The two opponents circled each other, round and round, stabbing, slashing, attacking, defending, parrying, looking for a weakness in each other. He-who-had-once-been-called-Searil slashed at the knight, who raised his shield. The wood and iron hissed in a cloud of steam where the strange sword crossed it. With his other hand, Sir Dractor stabbed at the demon's stomach, making contact, but getting pushed away as the demon spun around.
The demon reacted to the wound, and it seemed to slow him down, but it did not fell him, as it would a normal man. Sir Dractor took yet another steaming blow under the sword, and this time only had the opportunity to jump out of the way of a blow as the sword swung back.
Around the room they rushed, Sir Dractor as yet unwounded, but becoming more and more tired, and the demon slowed by the blows to his hands and stomach.
Then a cry was heard as Kellenwyn and a detachment of Forestmen burst into the great dome. Arrows went flying towards the combatants. The demon took several in back and legs, while the few that missed him glanced harmlessly off of Sir Dractor’s armor, save for one that pierced the bindings by his right shoulder.
The demon fled, still not mortally wounded, vanishing back up through the hole in the dome. Sir Dractor looked around. Gladwheel lay wounded. His attacker, Dacker, had fled with the wounded dragon to see to its wounds. Radjar was picking himself up off the floor. The Forestmen were searching the chamber for more enemies.
“Wait a minute!” said Sir Dractor. “Two men came down with the dragon. Where has the other gone?”
He looked around, but there was no sign of the sorcerer BloodVaine. He had left the dome when the battle had started in search of his goal.
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