AN: Okay, so we got a new lay out and everything is really weird. Not sure if I like it or anything. Well, not my say in any case. Next chapter will reveal something of a point to the whole conquest bit he's angling, and not just because he wants it done, either.
As always folks, thank you for reading thus far. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to voice them.
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"Your Majesty," cried out a feline courier, as it burst through a pair of gilded doors leading to an equally gilded and brilliant throne room where a brawny lion beastman sat upon his throne of gold. His fur was of an orange glow, whilst his mane held the colours of blood and shadows. Surrounding his body, however, were clothing and robes of rich, deep purples and blues, whereas what appeared to be a crown of golden thorns wrapped themselves around his brow.
To the right of such a regal figure was another male lion, an exact copy of himself, but much smaller. This was the lion's son, of whom was in the process of showing his father a new toy one of their crafters had made for the child, when the feline burst through the doors. The action of such a creature startled him enough to bring a few tears to his small eyes, of which caused the other to grow increasingly angry.
"What is the meaning of this?" The king's voice boomed throughout the room, causing several guards nearest them to raise up their spears in defense of their leader.
"Your majesty," cried out the feline before them. Of whom shivered under such an intense gaze, as the child stuck its small tongue at the offender before scurrying off to play elsewhere, "The Dragonock have revolted once more!"
"What?" This time, his voice caused a tremor throughout the whole of the castle, as a dark cloud fell over his eyes of crimson, "Who is leading them this time?" His growl was low, as his body slumped against the throne with impatience.
"They claim a dragon has-," began the other, until a different voice interjected with a laugh.
"A dragon? You can't be serious." This voice was melodious and haughty, as a lion beastwoman approached the king with a sway of her hips. The creature wore a simple, red velvet dress which revealed much more than many believe possible, and many more have openly lusted after such a creature. What with her fur appearing to be as soft as silk, along with the vibrant hues of reds and violets strewn throughout her body. Of which complimented the emerald glow of her eyes quite brilliantly.
"It is most likely some conjurer who summoned up a minor basilisk, and called it a 'dragon'," she continued with another laugh.
"No, My Lady Queen, it is not a conjurer this time," whispered another voice, but one full of age and wisdom, as an old Dragonock strode forward whilst leaning heavily upon the arm of a bear beastman. This creature, whose form was that of a peeling, grey-scaled Draconian, pointed a clawed forefinger towards the east, "An old god has risen from the depths of His great slumber, and He is angry at what has happened to His children. Even now, His armies prepare for war against you, King Ramses," the clawed finger pointed itself towards the couple upon the throne. Of whom were now showing great anger towards the old fool.
"Veni Deus Venenum is coming for you, Great King Ramses," the old Dragonock began to cough a retched cough into his right clawed hand. When he pulled it away, however, his body fell to the floor with a stain of blood within the palm of his clawed hand. "Ah," he sighed softly, "Have I done as you ordered, My Lord High God?"
"You have," a voice unheard of shook the entirety of the castle and land surrounding it, as a Draconic figure wearing endarkened leathers about his person appeared next to the fallen body of the elder. This action startled all within the room, as the other had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. However, before any would react to such actions, a golden barrier pushed all away from himself and the one upon the ground.
"This will keep them from interrupting us, San'yuu." This figure then knelt down next to the fallen, lifted him to his breast, and held a vial of a viscous and clear liquid to the elder's lip, "Drink, San'yuu. Drink the Elixir of Extended Mortality. Drink, and be welcome amongst my chosen, as we cleanse the world of those who had oppressed my children."
The elder, San'yuu, grasped the slim vial with a shaking, clawed hand and drank the liquid quickly. Once all of it had been consumed, did his eyes widen and his body arch as golden energies swirl around his figure. These energies would go further, rejuvenating and revitalising his body enough to make him look far younger than he originally was.
This process took, but moments to accomplish its task. of which caused the eyes of all within the room to pop with amazement at the results. "My Lord High God?" Spoke a deep, rich voice coming from the now younger body of a well toned San'yuu. Gone from his scales were the peeling and grey hues, and in their place were vibrant hues of sapphire and ruby. Even his own eyes, though they once appeared lifeless and greying, now contained that spark of youth nearly all who are young still have, as they shone with a brilliant colour of crimson and gold.
"Hello, San'yuu," spoke the other called "god", of whom chuckled as the young Dragonock knelt before his person with worship in his eyes, "I have delivered my promise, and now you are free to tell the others that I deliver what I say." A rift appeared behind them, revealing a hazy world of vibrant greens, greying stones, and a multitude of creatures prancing and dancing gaily about themselves.
"You need not fear Death any longer, San'yuu, as my Elixirs will grant you enough of a life that you may even see your children's children ten generations from now; so great my gift is to you," this being smiled slightly, then pushed the tear filled other through the portal, before shutting it behind him. Then, he turned towards those in attendance with a loud, booming laugh as his entire form slowing stretched itself into a great and terrible dragon of shadows and emerald flames.
*****
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The Ageless, in the guise of a giant creature, stood silent for a time whilst he watched the day-star fall beneath the horizon slowly. Of which painted the failing lighted heavens with blood and fire, as though some great being's blood had splashed itself upon their world of Terra. Whereas those beneath his great self mingled together in silent eating, as their bellies were filled with the meat of their regenerating human captives.
"My Lord High God?" Called out Naga, of whom had grown restless from the ever growing silence which permeated the air about them, "Is everything alright?"
To these simple queries, the giant turned his head slowly to stare upon them all with unblinking eyes, 'Everything is well,' whispered the mental thoughts of this being called "god", 'Allow my person to pose a query to you who hear my thoughts. Why do you suppose I skip ahead in time within my stories?'
Below, monsters great and small milled about as they pondered such words within themselves and with all others. For a time they stayed this way, unsure of how to respond, until a metallic orc asked aloud his thoughts, "Because you do so, Master?"
Slowly, the multi-eyed head shook from side to side in answer towards such a small query. 'No,' whispered the giant's thoughts, and gave a small mental sigh, 'Many generations ago, your ancestors grew bored of many of my stories. For they believed that which is boring should not be permitted within such texts. Thus, they were written out with only the major tales of my exploits throughout the various worlds.' Various creatures below stirred with anger upon such an explanation, but were held silent by the mental imagery of their Ageless shaking his head and calling for silence.
'Peace,' his voice whispered, calming all within his small army, 'They were allowed to do this, whereas all of my words can still be found within many old texts strewn about our world of Terra. These children desired to hear less of my frivolous tasks and accomplishments, and more action, adventure, and the like. Hence the time skips.
'However, for those of whom are curious, I shall speak of what I had accomplished up to the point of my gifting an elder Dragonock with an Elixir of Extended Mortality.'
*****
Now, upon entering the forest once more, we trekked towards what we assumed were mountains in the far distance. However, they were actually calcified fossils of a great dragon. Indeed, my surprise was evident as we came upon the remnants of a massive skull deep inside the earth. Of course, thoughts ran rampant throughout my mind, as my clawed hands gently caressed the bones buried inside the rock.
"Such a beautiful creature this one must have been," my voice was naught, but a hushed whisper full of excitement as we delved deeper into the earth and found more skeletons of ancient dragons.
"Why do you suppose no one has come journeyed this far into the land, My Lord God?" Asked Brutus, who appeared by my side with a fossilised egg of some sort of creature between his four clawed hands.
"I may have the answer to that one, Lord Brutus," called out Sal'ruum, of whom was now backed into a corner by several large basilisks which stared upon his person with great hunger.
"Hmm," I hummed aloud, tapping my pointed teeth with my right primary foreclaw, "Capture them, but have the female Scarab slay a couple to add to her ranks." They then followed my orders, as I turned back towards the bones embedded into the walls.
"Gahn," my voice thundered about my person, causing a few stones to fall with a crash from the ceiling high above. For you see, my dear audience, this area beneath the earth was nothing more than a cavern. One of many, I might add, but this was the largest of them all. Of which would serve as our primary base of operations until such a time as we would no longer have need of it.
The stone creature appeared by my side within mere moments of my call, and opened his body to receive my poisons once more. "Gahn," my voice gently shook the air about us as I placed a primary clawed hand upon the stone wall which housed the bones of the dragon before us, "Retrieve the bones of this great creature, for I desire to know if my abilities as a god would allow its resurrection."
Upon my words, the creature, my servant, pulled away from my touch to fuse himself with the stones of the wall. Of which allowed my person to easily withdraw the bones slowly. However, all that was extracted was the fractured head of naught, but a wyvern. "I feel... disappointed," my voice came out as a whisper, as my clawed hand slowly ground the bones to powder.
For you see, the bones within the wall appeared to my person as though they were of a dragon, but instead came out as a wyvern. Now, the difference between a wyvern and dragon are vast when you look upon them, but when you are only given the head of such a creature, the similarities are striking. Although they both have similar facial features, wyverns are built much the same as a bat. What with their wings and forearms are one and the same, whilst a dragon's wings are situated along their spine.
Looking closely upon the rest of the bones which appeared to be draconic, every last one of them had the similar features of being a wyvern. Whereas the rest were more of a basilisk, and the smaller ones were of animal. Yes, I was disappointed in my hopes of finding those of actual dragons, but would not be deterred as I turned back towards what my Undying servants had brought me.