Goran

It had been a long winter for my people. Food had been scarce, even the bravest traders had refused to brave the historically difficult weather, and the Harai had grown more numerous. Spring was approaching, but things looked like they would get worse before they got better. I took a moment to meditate on the weariness in my old bones as I trudged across the mountain trail, keeping my eyes peeled for food or resources. The march of time simply could not be denied, but the village needed me to be strong even as my body fell apart. The world hadn’t felt so unforgiving since…

I shook my head. I couldn’t allow myself to grow distracted. I had a job to do and complaining about my circumstances wouldn’t help me accomplish it. I sped up, clawed feet easily piercing through the top of the snow. I glided over the landscape, the cool wind whipping through my beard, as I scanned for threats and opportunities. I was making good time and searching diligently but having no luck, when I heard a strange roar. It cut right through my concentration and startled me. I had never heard an animal quite like that before.

I hastily paused and weighed my options. Fighting it out with an unknown creature was a fast way to get yourself killed, but my lack of progress and my curiosity almost demanded I investigate. I could always turn around if I deemed the creature too dangerous.

I immediately started making my way towards the sound, scrambling over ledges, and climbing up a sheer cliff face. I second guessed myself as I looked out over the snowy plains at the foot of the mountains from the top of my perch. Everyone knew that nothing was out here besides some flying Hi’cor and the poisonous Fu’roak who preyed on them.

I wasn’t sure that the sound I had heard had come from here, and I couldn’t afford a long trek down and a similar journey back up for no gain. My knees were hurting already. But eventually, I convinced myself to satisfy my curiosity and look around.

“You’ve already come this far,” I thought to myself, “It would be a shame to not at least try.”

Spurred on by the impetus of this fallacy, I made my way down towards the base of the mountain. I constantly scanned my surroundings for anything unusual and, with a thrill of interest, I noticed some small movement to my left. The creatures didn’t look like anything that would create such a powerful sounding noise. They were bipedal, just like my own people and the Harai, but they were clearly not like either of us, since they were both pale and rather small. However, a closer investigation revealed exactly what they were.

I leaned over a bit and sped up, excited. It wasn’t every day that these fellows journeyed into Maegar territory and I was eager to investigate, though I doubted that they were the source of the strange noise.

Arriving near to the entrance of their meager shelter, I saw that they had already readied their weapons and were staring at me with a mixture of fear, awe, and curiosity. Perhaps they had never seen my like before. I held up my hands in the universal gesture of peace, before bowing my head and rumbling out a greeting in the words of their tongue.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Greetings, children of Men. I am Goran, of the Maegar people. What, pray tell, are you doing here?”

Senshaaz

I drummed my nails in irritation on the arm of my throne as I listened to the messenger’s report. I could see the sniveling worm shaking as it delivered the news of my spawn’s failure and humiliating death. Right here. In front of my entire court.

Things had been going well for the clan on nearly every level. I had tabled this minor issue the moment I sent Rakshaaz to extract retribution. Like an itch that had been scratched, I considered things taken care of. But this itch had turned into a minor pain that was only starting to grow. No matter how small our losses had been, this was a terrible humiliation for the leading family that only compounded with each failure. To lose an adopted son was one thing, but to lose a blood scion…

The only thing that kept these bottom feeders from challenging my leadership immediately was my personal strength and our recent successes elsewhere. There needed to be some sort of meaningful action taken to alleviate this failure. But tracking the soft ones when they were so far away from us would prove difficult. If Rakshaaz wasn’t enough to finish the task when finding our prey was much easier, then none of my children were up to the task. There was only one thing to do.

I rose from my throne and the messenger flinched in terror, but I had no intention of harming him. Worms did not deserve to be slaughtered by dragons.

“Call my retinue.” I hissed, “I’m going hunting.”

This wasn’t a true hunt, though. It was an execution.

Magathar

In my sleep, I stirred.

I wondered, in slight irritation, what had happened to interrupt what was turning out to be a very pleasant nap. I extended my senses through the sand my miles-long body was buried in, searching through my domain for the irritant.

My annoyance turned to pleasure, however, when I realized that the disturbance had simply been an old acquaintance of mine waking from a particularly long slumber. I had allowed him to recover from a near death experience in the northeast portion of my territory. That was some time ago, as I remember it. He would prove to be a useful ally if I got around to recruiting him.

The upstart in the east was proving himself to be more and more difficult to deal with, so having a capable lieutenant in that area would make things much easier.

Not that it truly mattered, though.

I needed no aid to crush arrogant fools.

In these sands, I alone am sovereign.

Narbacor

My prey had, shockingly, escaped me once again. I was in no hurry to catch them, really. My slumber had been long, and I was feeling very sluggish in its’ aftermath. I had enjoyed the feast immediately after I awoke, and I delighted in the pursuit of those few who had escaped me afterwards. Some of them smelled particularly delectable, and I would never pass up such easy prey.

But they had proven more resourceful than I had expected, and I had proven even slower than usual. Eventually, I turned back towards the other human settlement that I had smelled earlier. I would have another feast and rest for a bit to ensure that I was truly totally recovered.

But that didn’t mean that I was done with those evasive morsels.

The chase only intrigued me, and the great smelling ones would prove rare delicacies, even beyond this backwater region. I had marked those little ones, and even now they stood out in my senses. An old enemy of mine dwelled within the mountains to the north but now that I was recovered, I did not fear them.

Without question, I would find my prey. Wherever they ran.

And wherever they hid.