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“Are you a god?” the Dragon’s “voice” boomed in her head. Mira froze, dumbfounded. She had just spent the summer with her family and a favorite nightly activity was a family movie night, watching ancient movies that didn’t even have immersive VR interactivity. One of them was the ancient classic, Ghostbusters. The scene writer for this dungeon should be shot for plagiarism, lifting this scene verbatim from the movie. She was about to respond, hopefully correctly when Tiamat laughed from above and spoke.
“Her a god? Are you glanding some happy juice, Big Guy?” Tiamat said, voice oozing with sarcasm.
Screaming in fear, Mira activated her boots and was already in motion as the expected response to Tiamat’s outburst proved true. The monster’s maw opened wide, and a nuclear furnace of fire shot at her position as the Dragon’s words boomed in her head.
“Then die!”, the Dragon bellowed.
Mira was already running, the flames blasted into the massive door behind her as she was already past the blast, dodging left and running up the damn Dragon’s back. Fulfilling the accursed scenario’s obnoxious expectations. She snatched and caught Tiamat, like a football, as she rocketed past with magical haste and dimension stepping up to the blasted Vault’s balcony.
Tiamat! I know you didn’t see the movie, but when someone asks you if you’re a god - you always say Yes! Mira thought. She summoned her staff, charging it while running, and then skidded to a halt at the door with a sinking feeling. It had far too many traps.
She had hoped to aggressively disable the door’s enchantments and duck through. Seeing it up close, she knew it was impossible. Shields, trap attacks, time distortion, elemental wards, and more. One more step would trigger far too many to counter. Mira turned back, holding Tiamat tight in one arm, and extended her staff in the other, triggering her best shield spell.
The Dragon loomed as it rose higher and higher, glowing fire burning deep in its throat, as its eyes blazed with anger.
“Move, little cousin! No need for you to die with this thief.” It boomed.
“No! She’s my friend. If you want to kill her, you’ll be killing me too. We’re bonded with a Familiar pact.” Tiamat’s growls sounded a little squeaky, she was terrified.
“I swore by my name, Vercynath, to the Grand Magister Glaucus. I am Geased to guard this vault and defend it against all intruders until my Bonded is restored. I sympathize with your plight little cousin, but I cannot let you pass unchallenged.” the Dragon’s voice boomed forth. Mira gasped; this was the same dragon from ancient history. It must be over five hundred years old. The dragon’s precise wording gave Mira some small hope though.
“Great Dragon, Vercynath! I think we can resolve this, please hear me out.” Mira said desperately, stalling for time.
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“Speak then youngling. Your lives depend upon it.” Vercynath growled, his eyes narrowing.
“Oh, great Dragon of myth and legend. We seek an artifact of the gods that does not belong to the Grand Magister Glaucus and seek to recover it. I am Mira, a Magus as well and I know that the wording of a Geas may enable…certain liberties…to be taken in exceptional circumstances.” Mira began.
“Flattery. I do not share the weakness of vanity that some of my kin indulge upon. Myths and legends indeed. How long have I slept? What year is it, mortal?” Vercynath rumbled.
“The year is 2123, Great Vercynath.”, Mira said helpfully. The dragon’s roar that followed came very close to bursting her eardrums.
“GLAUCUS, YOU VILE DECEIVER! I’VE BEEN WAITING 600 YEARS FOR YOU TO FULFILL YOUR PROMISE!!” Vercynath raged. After the Dragon raged and slammed the walls for a minute, Mira risked speaking again.
“My apologies, Vercynath. I presumed that you knew how long it had been. Maybe we can help each other? If I recover the artifact I seek, perhaps I can convince this Glaucus to release you.” Mira said cautiously.
Some Geas were so powerful that even contemplating bending its term could be a trigger for violence. Mira released her breath slowly as the Dragon settled down from his rage and regarded her and Tiamat skeptically.
“My first question was not an attempt at humor, hatchling. I smell a touch of divine Aether about you, though the scent is old. Your elven blood carries a strong bloodline of the Fae and the Faen holds you tightly in its waxing. You have a taint of soul drinker upon you, but your core is not corrupted. I can see your Akasic array. It is almost formidable by the standards of hero mages, peers of my Bonded, in times apparently long past. Does the faen drive you or do you use its power?” the great beast asked.
“Is there ever really a difference? I dance with the Faen when I must and avoid it when I can.” Mira said diplomatically. The room rumbled in what she hoped was a chuckle. She inspected the Dragon in turn.
It radiated overwhelmingly with Qi and multitudes of its scales had fine glyphs of Akasic mana etched upon them. It bore a heavily enchanted Adamantine key of gigantic size around its neck. This thing was a juggernaut of almost limitless power; physical might, advanced Qi cultivation, and dense Akasic power.
The magical faen lines of power swirled about the Dragon and her together with a chaotic mix of gold and shadow. A sign perhaps that the faen tide wouldn't favor either of them. The creature had another threading of Fae about it in abundance that Mira had never seen in such power: several silver Faen threads wound tightly about the Dragon.
It was the last sub-type of Faen mana. It tied leaders and royals to their followers in complex ties of obligation and power. Only the gods themselves had stronger power than this creature, able to tap into the belief of their worshippers to become ever more powerful. This Dragon was a creature of legend. The myths of its power must still be popular in the realm for those threads to be about him and flowing with such power. Mira knew that in a straight fight, she wouldn't stand a chance.
The great Dragon let out a puff of smoke, so reminiscent of Tiamat that Mira almost giggled. She held it in as the Dragon considered her closely.
“Very well, Mira Fae-Touched. I sense you have a proposal to resolve our conflict. I will hear you.”
“Ah yes. I believe there is a tradition of Draconic challenges being resolved with riddle contests?” Mira suggested raising an eyebrow. She was well versed in multitudes of riddles and word puzzles and Tiamat’s database was near obsessive.
“No. Mincing words and calling it cleverness is not to my liking. I must have a real challenge, or we must resort to traditional means!” Vercynath grumbled, shaking the balcony with his displeasure.
The fires in its maw surged and Mira knew she had seconds to live if she didn’t find an angle against this impossible creature. She shook her head in despair. This Dragon must be the Great Filter for this damnable dungeon.
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