It was exactly that, when we slipped through the wards again it took my breath away. The room was lined on one side with shelves that held magic weapons, armor, jewelry and other magical items. More than I had ever dreamed of, the opposite wall was lined with chests full of wealth. Gold and gems twinkled in the light, enough to buy the entire domain if it had been for sale. On the wall opposite was something to truly held my attention though, three items hung on the wall.
The first item was a staff, something about it resonated with me, I focused on that feeling and recognized it. The staff was made from the bone of an Earth Ape King, the power washing off of it was strong. I would definitely be using this staff, it would need a disguising enchantment though or its very presence would give me away.
When I reached to take it the resonating song rang out in a joyous tone, this wasn’t just made for any bone it was made from the same king whose core I had absorbed. The two connected inside my torso and I could feel my strength and agility increase. More than that the staff could be stored within its core and called to hand when I needed it.
Staff of the earth king- increases strength, agility and flexibility in physical combat to match that of the mighty earth ape king when combined with your core.
The next item down was a ring, its power was different not resonating with me as strongly but it was still a strong magic. I used Identify on it before picking it up.
Ring of Domination- this ring gives you dominating control of any creature within the domain. The price of this power is paid in life force, the longer it is used the higher its cost. It is also one of three rings used together to capture any creature and bind it with soul chains.
This had to be how the forced the dragon to surrender its shards. It was also part of the set used to initially capture the dragons. There were two others out there but did that mean there were only two dragons left? Or had they captured more and not needed the rings for them? It was another mystery to solve later, for now this ring was leaving with me, thankfully it went into storage easily.
The final item hanging on the back wall was a dagger, it felt dark, violent and somehow benevolent. This was a sentient weapon and not a friendly one. I didn’t have time for that battle of Will right now, and I knew there would have to be one. Just as I was reaching toward it Badb flashed infront of me, taking the dagger.
“I will deal with this thing.” Was his only explanation. Something in his tone said there wouldn’t be any debate in it, but still I wanted an explanation.
“What is it?” I could feel he didn’t want to answer, but eventually he gave in.
“It’s a void blade that’s been imbued with the soul of a darkling.”
I understood immediately, darklings were creatures from the nether. Something that myth said existed outside of our domain, they were devourers of life. What little I knew about them said they knew nothing but hunger, taking life force from any creature they came into contact with. What truly got my attention was the fact that Badb was capable of handling it. Now that I thought about the power he had used against the dragon was too much for him, something even an ancient raven shouldn’t have been able to do.
“What are you Badb?” Was all I could ask, but I knew he was more than he said.
“Bound to you, that will have to be enough for now my friend.” Was his response, it wasn’t what I wanted to hear but I could feel I wasn’t going to get anymore from him.
“Will you tell me someday?”
“Yes, but know that I mean what I say. We are truly bound as partners so trust in that my friend.” His voice was calm, but there was a hint of fear in it.
“I trust you Badb.” I said after the silence had stretched out for a few minutes.
“Thank you.” His voice was soft now, the fear lessened. “Now can we get back to looting this place?”
“You haven’t already taken it all?” I laughed easing the tension immediately.
“I left you some.” His echoing laughter hung in the air as he took the dagger into his ring.
When I turned and looked I saw that he had taken about half the gold and gems, I couldn’t help but laugh at the greedy bird. I collected the rest and the other magical items, I would have to go through them later and find out if any of them would be worth keeping. Now I needed to finish my exploration.
Following the mail halls I eventually found the last thing I was looking for, the lords study. Thankfully it was empty at this time of night so when I stepped from the wall I found myself in a dark room. As I studied the area I found the walls lined with books, a massive desk sat in-front of the far window and I went to search it. After finding the drawers locked I decided to not waste time, I simply took it into my storage. The books followed it in, all of them than I decided to just take everything. By the time I was done the room as stripped to the stone walls. I also left the portrait above the fire place, having no interest in the sever looking man pictured in it.
I did find and empty a small personal vault that held three ledgers, they would be studied later. I might find clues about the rest of the dragons or at least the nobility involved in this poisonous trade. Now I had a dragon to free, it was time to grant his wish. I moved back down through the keep to were the dragon was held.
“You’ve returned faster than I thought.” His voice rang out in my head as I approached.
“I’ve come to grant your wish.” Was all I said, still unhappy about his death.
“Kraxel.” Was the only word he said but in understood he was giving me his name. I was already expanding the area around him. Slowly moving the stone around to give him room, he didn’t need much a few feet on either side.
“Thank you Kraxel, I wish I had come sooner.” I said while working.
“To have saved me from death you would have needed to arrive before your birth child.” His voice was kindly now. “I have been trapped here for hundreds of years, possible a thousand now. I am not even sure how long.”
“Do you know how many others are trapped?”
“Not anymore, nice there were ten of us now I am unsure. I only know in recent years their demands for shards have increased which makes me think there aren’t many.” The melancholy in his voice was heavy. “Know they are all housed by the nobility similarly to this chamber. I fear you won’t be able to save them either.”
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“I’ll free them one way or the other.” I stated assuredly.
“One way or the other.” He agreed recognizing the truth of my words. “Show them this, they will know what’s become of me.”
He flicked a claw to me, it was almost the size of a great sword but I managed to catch it. Only then did I notice the blood on his left fore leg, somehow he had removed the claw while he waited. I had just finished clearing the last of the room he needed when he spoke again.
“Go, flee this place. I will wait for them to arrive before I break the chains but once my soul is destroyed I won’t know friend from foe.”
“I know what will happen and understand.” I started slipping into the floor but he last words caught my attention.
“Come back here after it’s done, take the shard and anything else that can serve you. Harvest my body, most of it will be of use in some way. Your magic once you absorb the shard will be able to shape my scales into armor, my teeth into blades of your choice. I can feel the dragon in you, they will know what to do.”
“I will.” I said disappearing into the ground but keeping my awareness near the surface. There was no way I was missing this, I did take the time to shield myself and mask my mind. No need to take any risks from a soulless dragon.
It was about two hours later when the excitement started. The distant clang of a heavy lock being released then a bar being removed. Than foot falls echoed down the tunnel heading to Kraxels chamber. It sound like a full compliment of guards but when I searched out the course it turned out to be ten guards surrounding a well dressed man. I could feel faint power from him, probably a single shard mage. Human from what I could tell, pacing slightly behind him was another figure. He was shrouded, a three shard mage from the power washing over him. I could pierce his shroud if I chose to but felt no need, let Kraxel have his fun.
“Something is off lord Gywin.” The shrouded figure said calmly.
“Nothing could have altered your fear is always getting the better of you Pardit. The beats is trapped as it has been for generations.” Gywin stated haughtily, the arrogance of the nobles on full display.
“Lord I can feel magics here.” Unperturbed the mage insisted.
“Good perhaps retrieving the shard will be ways this time!” The lord seemed pleased with this idea. “We won’t need to retrieve the ring for once, perhaps the lizard has finally accepted the situation.”
Just as he finished soaking they reached the landing that put them eye to eye with Kraxel. On his request I hadn’t opened the area around that so they couldn’t see the dragon. Kraxel opened his eyes at thier approach and while they couldn’t see it I felt his happiness. It settled any questions I had about the decision to help him die.
“Good you’ve arrived!” Kraxel beamed at the group, than he roared. “Witness the cost of your arrogance!”
With a mighty heave the dragon moved, shattering the chains. I felt the brilliant light of his soul shatter into a thousand shards, the explosion shock the ground. Suddenly a roar more deafening than anything I had heard before filed the area. The men all fell to the ground silently screaming, that roar would have shattered their eardrums. The ground began to shake in a mighty upheaval, just as it built up Badb reappeared on my shoulder.
“This will be brutal, fair well Kraxel.” Badb said queitly from his perch.
With another mighty roar the ground ruptured around the dragon. Free him for the first time in however long, his snout shot forward and snapped quickly inhaling the majority of the men in front of him. There was the sound of cracking bones as he crunched down on them. Pardit, to his credit reacted quickly, started casting. In second a massive fireball began to form in front of him. Sadly for him and the noble cowering behind him, it would t be enough. Kraxels head shot forward again, inhaling the mage and noble in one fast bite. The fireball was nothing more than a snack.
Then the real destruction started, the ground erupted up destroying the manor above and launching the dragon into the air. In one move Kraxel had destroyed everything above him, collapsing everything around it. As he pulled himself out roaring his challenge to the city. Screams of terror echoed back down into the crater, the dragon thrashing everything he could in the brief time he had left. I sank back into the ground, not wanting to witness the death he would cause before he died.