The next day come swiftly and as the last of the high elves leave the ships at the port on beginning to set sail. Cloud and Dawn wait to see off Elanee while Cynn, Straud and Maylor said their goodbyes already and are on the path waiting to embark back to the enclave, Elanee Namor and Tristan come to the ship and with a rehearsed good bye from the king they go to the dock to board the ship, Namor goes walking by both Dawn and Cloud only nodding his head for his good bye while Tristan’s gives them both a hug and shakes Cloud’s hand for everything they did. They pet the tiger of Tristan as it went by and finally they saw Elanee.
“Are you sure you want to go with him Elanee?” Cloud said softly to her in a hug.
“No, but it’s for the city and that’s all that matters right” she responded and giving them each a hug and a kiss to Cloud’s cheek the group watches Tristan take her hand aboard the ship’s hull.
Up in a corner building overlooking the ships Rain watches Elanee board the ship and his heart sinks a bit wondering if he will ever see her again, she looks around scouting for Rain’s face and finally spots him in the building cargo window sill, smiling in his direction she blows him a kiss and waves good bye and tossing his hand lightly to the air Rain gestures a wave back for it one he didn’t wish to let go.
“Where’s Alisianna, Cloud” asks Dawn
“She left early today to go train with the elders a bit more now that we are leaving the woods, she can no longer be with us right now” Cloud explained
“Oh” Dawn said with a sigh
“But we will see her again I promise you” Cloud smiles to her saddened face
“You like her; don’t you Cloud” Dawn said with a grin, and not saying a word just a smile he turned to walk off the dock “Oh it’s more then that is it, due tell” Dawn harasses him all they way off the docks and up to the meeting place of the clan. Rain joins up with all of them at the same time and they head off for a second until Cloud tells the clan to stop.
“What’s wrong Cloud?” asks Straud
“Were missing one…ok you can come out now Artanis we know you’re up there” Cloud bolts and coming out of the trees he falls down right on the back of Rain’s horse
“Holy shit” Rain jumped get scared suddenly
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you Rain, mined if I join you on your horse”
“Sure why not the more the merrier” Rain says rolling his eyes and going a fair distance they finally cross the outside line of the woods.
They are surprised to see Alisianna standing there waiting for them and getting off his horse Cloud goes up to her, they say a personal goodbye to each other wanting to see each other again and Cloud turns to go to his horse when Alisianna spins him around and kisses him. It lasts seconds until clearing his throat loudly Straud says they should press on.
“I’ll see you when I get back” Cloud says whispering to her
“I’ll be waiting” she smiles and disappears into the woods,
“Something you want to tell me Cloud” Straud says
“Nothing you’d want to hear uncle” Cloud says
“No need, anyways if you wait until night fall you can hear it all you want and sometimes when you don’t” Rain smirks knowing that it’s not true and giving him a glare Cloud changes the subject and they move on.
Getting a day away they reach the foothills of the mountains, Cynn and Maylor turn around and tell them that this is where they split off and go their separate ways teleporting away to the enclave. Straud then explains to the group that Lalandra will only allow the clan members who she has already seen stay their, leaving the three Drow children, Artanis and Straud who continues that they need to get back the eggs before they are allowed to join the enclave.
“Believe me I argued this point of your safety with her for awhile and she is very persistent on getting her eggs back before lending out anymore trust” Straud says and telling them that to get the eggs back they need to go south for a distance. The young group then prepares for a long trip with Straud at the helm.
For three days they camp and talk amongst themselves, reminiscing about past events that happened before and after the city life. As midday hits the high skies does the group arrive to the area; led by the veteran Drow Captain they gazed upon some old ruins from a distance.
“Is this it uncle?” asked Rain looking at the site of rubble “Doesn’t look like much”
“No not on the surface their base is under ground” replies Straud who already had gone into detail on the foe guarding the eggs; a race called the Rasha.
“What can we expect from them uncle?” inquires Cloud
“They are good fighters and most of their ranks are made up of warriors and rouges, so be careful and Artanis we might need you to watch for any sneak attack coming at us(Artanis nods) but they do have some sorcerers, so watch for spells too” explained Straud
“What do they look like” questioned Dawn
“Like big tigers in a humanoid stance, their leader is a white tiger and all his followers are yellow and black striped, they also have a likening for expensive clothing” Straud adds and slowly they creep up to the rubble ruins noticing a couple of guards making rounds through out the area, trying to get closer Straud point out a Stonehenge like stone structure with a door in the middle part telling everyone that must be the entrance to the base. As they start moving closer an alarm sounded and the Rasha take a defensive stance. Straud has everyone hide behind the rubble in the area in an attempt not to be seen. Some Rasha start moving around looking passed corners to locate whoever set off the alarm, closing in on their position one Rasha peers around Rain’s rock and Rain throws a lightning bolt into his face blowing him back and on his back. Looking around at the tiger Rain is surprised to see him alive.
Laughing a bit and getting to his feet the Rasha shouts out “Your spells won’t work on my kind Sorcerer, you’re useless here”.
Rains notices three more baring down on his position and casts a fireball at their feet blowing all of them in the air, seeing them land and get up again Rain rolls his eyes and falls back to where his uncle is hiding.
“You want to find out the hard way that’s fine with me sorcerer but you’ll be weakening your self while you don’t accept the truth right away” the Rasha continues and about to cast another spell Straud spots his hand
“Rain no!” he whispers “They’re right it won’t work they’re immune to your spells”
“Then why am I on this egg hunt if I can’t be of any help” Rain franticly whispers
“Cause I didn’t know for sure, I thought it was only a rumor that they were” continued Straud and while they reassess the situation two other Rasha come from the door wearing robes throwing fireballs at random areas trying to flush them out.
“Oh joy they can hit and kill me but I can’t do anything to them” Rain bolted
“You have a sword Rain, use it!” snapped Cloud
“Well then you go first and don’t blame me when you get fried before getting to them”
“Enough both of you we need a plan” Straud interrupts them.
While hearing the spells being fired all around but mostly in their direction Straud thinks fast. There is more movement through the doorway and five more Rasha emerge from the shadows of the base and engage them in a fight using crossbows and missile spells the Rasha pummel the area where Straud, Rain and Cloud are concealed at with Dawn and Artanis a little ways behind. Artanis quickly moves Dawn back to the brush line of the trees.
Watching further Artanis and Dawn witness the first bunch of Rasha moving in around them to get a cross attack, Dawn makes her hand glow with a flame but is interrupted by Artanis holding it down.
“What are you doing they’re going to catch them off guard” Whispered Dawn
“I know that’s why I moved back here, they haven’t seen us yet” replied Artanis
“I won’t sit here when I can do something” and moving to attack Artanis grips to hold her down “Let me go!” Dawn squirmed
“Wait” and letting her up they watch as Straud and her brothers are over run, disarmed and taken inside “Ok look Dawn now we only have to deal with one guard and they don’t know that we are here”
“But they have my family” Dawn whispered with a gritting teeth look.
“Yes they do and as much as I don’t want anything to happen to them the longer we sit here, the less time they will be alive” Artanis explains, and nodding her head with a face of fear about her family’s well being they move up to the guard post. With the knowledge of Vampirism stealth and quick sword moves Artanis slits the throat of the guard. Letting him fall slowly to the ground in an effort to not make much noise Dawn closes her eyes at the sight of the cruel act.
They open the door and peer inside the complex, lined with brick walls and an elegant display of candle wall sconces spaced evenly apart, the twin way halls run deep with a slight degree of a down angle.
“Well I didn’t expect this to be the lining for their base”, said Dawn “Which way do you suppose we should go?” she asked, and putting his hand down to the floor, Artanis feels the ground on both sides of the entrance way.
“We go left” responds Artanis
“How can you be sure?”
“The floor is still warm from their feet passing by” he explains quietly, and keeping their footing light as they go down the hallway hiding in the shadows cast by the fiery light of the sconces they make their way down.
They reach a closed door with an open room to the left of it, perking his hearing Artanis takes focus to voices from the closed door, and brings his ear to the door listening in.
Straud, Rain and Cloud had been gagged and blind folded coming to this room and when their sight was returned to them they saw six Rasha with the one white colored leader before them.
“Who are you” the leader bolted and Straud tells the boys to say nothing, and being yelled at and spit on for a little bit on what will happen to them if they don’t talk Rain finally loses it.
“All right already, we came with a contingent of men fifty I think; soldiers all of them” Rain blurted out
“You idiot” said Cloud “I can’t believe you; (and staring at him Cloud smiles) actually it was more like seventy five I think all in the tree line right now”
“Right seventy five, never was good with math was I” added Rain and getting slugged in the face both of them are given bloodied lips for their lack of cooperation.
“My lord what if they were sent by Seph-”
“Don’t say her name in front of them you moron, we don’t know if they are with her or not” said the leader
“I’m sorry I didn’t quite catch that name could you say it again please” asked Straud in a sarcastic nice voice
“Yeah I thought as much you are here for them aren’t you?” the leader replied
“Here for what sorry” Straud continued the charade, and just smiling to him the tiger leader told the other guards to check the tree lines for their friends, if spotted kill them.
In hearing the soldiers coming to the door Artanis tells Dawn they need to hide and running back down the hall they can hear footsteps coming from that way as well. Thinking quickly Artanis grabs Dawn’s hand leading her into a open room, going around the corner of the door they wait for the guards to go past, looking around the room they see it has tables and chairs.
“Must be a mess hall” said Artanis quietly while hearing the other pack coming their way; Artanis goes to one of the two doors adjacent to the room.
Moving up to the first one he hears men inside clanging around with metal objects
“Armory” Artanis says and takes Dawn toward the other one, opening the door just as the Rasha enter the main room; Artanis and Dawn quickly run into it.
Like a swift wind the door blew open and a rotten stink came to their noses, it was dank with a moldy putrid smell of rotting flesh and the sudden rise in both humidity and heat from the room only enhanced the smell more. It smelled similar to fresh pig manure spread over a field and carried a thickness in the air that could almost be tasted.
Looking around they gazed at the sight of partially deformed and skinned corpses hung suspended in the air attached to thick ropes coming from hooks on the ceiling that covered the middle of the room. Lying on the ground was small parts of hands and feet as well as organ portions and dried blood all over the floor making it hard to not step in anything when walked on.
Putting her nose up and turning to the sight of what the smell was, she was both horrified as well as shocked, fighting the urge to regurgitate but failing, Artanis turns her to the wall as she threw up, looking to him when she was finished she saw Artanis only closing his eyes and turning his head.
Dawn whispers “How does this not bother you Artanis?”
“Oh believe me this does every time I see it, I have just seen it more often than you would like to know and it doesn’t bother me to your extent” he responds
“I’m so sorry for you that you had to grow up around such sights” she adds
“So was I” he says
“What is this place” she asks
“Looks like a food storage area” Artanis guesses
“What kind of food?” shivers Dawn
“Human” says Artanis disturbed a little
“Oh god; I think I’m going to be sick again” she says getting the urge back, and Artanis comes over to her and hands her a bag
“Here breathe from this” he suggests and in doing so her senses are filled with the scent of pedals from roses, tulips and lilies and looking in the bag curious to the source of the pleasant scent Dawn sees the pedals.
“I always carry something like that on me in case I’m in this situation” Artanis continued
“What situation are we in” asked Dawn
“A very shitty one, no pun intended” concluded Artanis
Artanis then starts to quickly look around for a way out, as Dawn tries to change the subject in attempt to ease the stinky smell. Breathing into the bag again she continues while Artanis found something in the residue of a corpse.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
“Why did you do it Artanis?”
“Do what?”
“Let that Lich go, back when I was sick, I mean he had done so much wrong and he’s going to kill more people now that he is loose again, have you been tracking him?”
“I was but I lost him after about two weeks of doing it, just before the battle at Silverspire”
“If he kills anyone Artanis I swear I’ll blame myself for it” Dawn says staring at him, and stopping his examination in the book he found he comes to her and grabs her slimy covered hands
“Look it doesn’t matter what was done” he says lifting her chin to look in her teary eyes “All that mattered then was what was at stake, and that you were more important to be kept alive then him let out” he smiled under his mask “and besides if we can catch him once we can do it again and easier this time now that they know how he fights right” he added and Dawn nods her head, Artanis then hands her the book
“What’s this” she questioned taking it while having a mossy substance fall from it “Where did you find this” she asked
“You don’t want to know, but it might help us a little bit it looks like a journal from a scholar or something and pushing some body parts to the side she sits on a open area to read it.
“How long do you figure we can stay in here” Dawn questions
“Probably a little while, they don’t look like they come here to often except after eating”
“Lovely” replied Dawn faking a smile to him, they hear some voices outside the door in the mess hall and Artanis then squishy foots his way to the door and stands to listen.
“So are those intruders telling the truth about more men outside” one guard Rasha says
“No there’s nothing out there, no fifty men at least like the mage said” another finishes and thinking how Rain would have said that to them makes Artanis shake his head a bit with a smile
“Well then are they from Sephinroth?”
“You dumb ass you’re not supposed to say her name, ever!!”
“What! The intruders are locked up and if they continue to not tell us anything Goron is going to kill them anyway so who cares”
“Yea lighten up a bit” another says biting into some meat still talking “I mean since when did knowing a name of something bring down a whole masterful operation, especially one from a legendary Red Dragon” they all laugh a bit making fun forms of that happening; finishing their meals and leaving the room they open the room where Artanis and Dawn are to toss their scraps. Running to Dawn he shouts quietly “Dawn HIDE!!” and looking around she says to him
“WHERE?!!” and watching him jump on the side of a corpse hanging from the roof where it’s not facing the door, she looks at him with disgust
“You have got to be kidding; I’m not jumping on one of those” Dawn strikes out in a whisper
“They’re coming Dawn” and hearing the door open swiftly she closes her eyes and jumps on the hanging meat sack, her head splats into the side of it as ooze and slime runs down her hair and face to her body leaving a skin trail of a sticky residue. The guards take turns throwing their scraps and as the last one throws he then turns back around to sniff inside the room, waiting a second and closing their eyes to concentrate on not making any noise the Rasha shakes his head.
“Does it ever stink in there we should clean that out soon” he says shutting the door, and being relieved Dawn and Artanis let go of the sacks jumping to the ground.
“THAT WAS GROSS!” snapped Dawn
“You know one thing baffles me, how they can stay so neat after seeing this; truly amazing that is” and waving her hand as if to brush him away she goes back to the book
“Come here” Dawn says “I think I’ve found something” and going to her side she pulls her hair back to read while picking some body bits out of her hair.
“This guy was studying them I think listen to this; from my understanding a bolt true of spirit can slay these creatures of stripes and whiskers, the bolt must be fired from a cross bow and like an arrow of slaying any where on the body will kill them; Blessed, he must have meant to bless a bolt before it is fired at them it’s the only thing that makes sense” Dawn said with a grin
“Good thing I’ve still got me a priestess, and might I say a most beautiful one” and giving him a look of non belief she says
“Oh please I’m covered in crap and scraps of things I don’t want to know about and smell like I don’t even know what”
“Well I know something” Artanis interrupts “Those Rasha were using crossbows earlier and the weapon storage is right beside us” and smiling at where he’s going with this they open the door slowly and with seeing no one there they creep out and move to the other door.
Back in the interrogation room Cloud and Rain along with Straud are being occasionally pummeled and with bloodied up faces and cut arms Straud finally speaks up
“Fine, fine enough already we are here for the eggs ok the eggs”
“Uncle” Cloud barks
“Shut-up Cloud” Straud says to him, and going up to Straud’s side the White tiger Goron goes to a small laugh
“You can’t get them anyways; they are in a sealed room that needs me to open the door” and smiling a bit Straud laughs
“You guys are always so easy to get the locations out of you realize that and now I know it will only be a matter of time before we get loose and obtain them” and hearing a ruckus outside the hall Goron turns to Straud
“We shall see” and with the door being blown open by a Rasha corpse Dawn and Artanis emerge from behind it walking through the doorway and into the room, they are holding crossbows one in each hand while Artanis also has two strapped under his forearms for added attacks.
Seeing that the crossbows are lined with the dragon figured bolts Goron starts to laugh
“Those won’t kill us they’re only for a dragon of silver color”
“Oh really” says Artanis and firing one at a guard that suddenly dies from only being hit in the foot.
“How” Cries Goron
“Ah right forgot to tell you, umm these bolts are blessed, by her you know the priestess” and being angered Goron calls for the guards to attack them, and displaying some acrobatics and leaping around Artanis gets over to Straud, Cloud and Rain and cutting their chains loose they join in the fight.
Shooting some of the Rasha mage’s and slashing open the swordsmen they battle the Rasha in the room, more in moments fill the room and they keep engaging them until Straud seals the door with twin spears through the door locking hinges.
Standing alone with Straud and the rest closing in on the room he has to his back Goron stares and the Drow Captain.
“Like I said you need me to get what you want, but as of now your luck has run out” and finishing his sentence Goron takes a flaming blade from his belt and suicides himself with a stab to the chest, they all cover their eyes from a bright fiery flame that disintegrates his body to nothing.
“Well I have to say, I didn’t expect that as a outcome” says Rain uncovering his head
“DANM IT now what do we do we need those eggs” cried Straud
“And we will get them uncle” responded Rain and looking confused Cloud pipes up
“But we needed his body to open the door Rain” and smiling Rain leads them to the door, and asks Artanis to touch the door knob, seeing no harm he carefully touches it and the knob suddenly turns to sand and the wall reforms into a solid stone wall matching the rest of the room. And expecting as much Rain then approaches the door himself
“So how are you going to get in there Rain” Straud asks and turning around he explains
“Lucky for me I think I’ve studied his body structure from being interrogated long enough to do it”
“Do what?” impatiently said by Cloud
“This” Rain replied and altering his appearance he changes into Goron, looking shocked at Rain never performing this magic before Cloud asks if it is still him, he says yes and that it only changes what Rain looks like on the outside.
“How disappointing” Dawn said
And going to the door Rain could touch the knob and open the door entering he grabs one egg at a time and hands them out, one to Straud and one to Cloud, Dawn seeing something in the room worth taking goes to go through the door but is block by an invisible force field stopping her from entering
“It’s protected, only allowing Goron to be in here, why is there something you want Dawn?” and letting her point to some prayer beads hanging from a hook on the wall he takes them and gives them to her
“They have many uses, healing, curing and can also be used for missiles like Rain can throw”, standing beside her Rain puckers his nose
“What the hell is that smell?”
“It’s us Rain, we had to hide and-
“That’s all I need Artanis thanks” Rain interrupts him by waving him to shut-up and with hearing a banging to the door from the other side, from more guards using what sounded like a battering device to get inside Straud asked if Rain can teleport them all from here to the surface. Shaking his head with uncertainty they all join hands and he flashes out.
Emerging in the light after being down their for hours, Rain hits the ground of the sunny surface with an added feeling, like being punched in the stomach Straud looks to his nephew with concern.
“You ok Rain” says Straud
“Yeah just took a lot out of me that’s all” gasps Rain holding his chest “Never teleported a group before” and patting his should with gratitude Straud helps him up followed by a hug, they travel back for a little while when Dawn jumps off her horse and runs through the bushes, the rest confused dismount to see what happened and going through the bushes see her in a river splashing water all over herself, Artanis right behind her joins in. After a good clean up from all of them they carry on to the enclave.
With no further complications getting there they arrive at the mouth of the huge cave, Straud takes both eggs in his arms and following him in to the opening they enter the cave, moving through the cavern of mazes in the rock they come to an opening into a huge treasure chamber, laying in front of it rests Lalandra.
They all gazed upon a flawless beast of liquid mercury in color and having to not look directly at her due to such brightness she bestowed they took short careful glances. She had long symmetrically shaped horns arrowed dynamically perfect, and had deep silver toned eyes. Her mouth was largely based with evenly spaced apart teeth six feet in length filled and embedded on either side of the jaw line. When she exhaled the air filled to a winter fresh scent causing a chill to their skin as it went by; she arose to a eighty foot height and held herself up with a muscular physique speaking in a soft but a commanding voice
“You have brought me what I required young Drow guard Captain of the Bloodhawk Clan” Lalandra inquired, and bowing to her in a royal manner he extended his arms showing the eggs. She then transformed in to a humanoid form to look less intimidating to the group, and matched that of a noble lady like woman with shoulder length black hair in a crimped style that held silver strands through out. She had light tanned skin and held the looks of a human in respects to her ears and mouth, her eyes were silver as well as her long lashes and she carried a scent that smelt of peppermint. She wore a black tank top with a silver outlined rim and a skirt wrap color matching bottom that had a black laced cover piece that draped to the floor; she gripped the eggs with her glove covered hands and took them to a secured area of the cave.
She then returned quickly to converse with them, first she took Strauds hand and lifting him up off his knee she then went to hers kissing his hand at the return of her eggs.
“You have helped me again, young Drow Captain” and with a spell cast she then tells the others that they are now welcome in the enclave.
“Again” asked Rain
And answering his skepticism Lalandra explains that about eleven hundred and fifty years ago an evil red dragon cast a holding spell on Lalandra keeping her in human form, she could last in that form for a little while, if enough time was to pass though would they start to lose their dragon lineage. In the form of a little girl at the time but not remembering why she was lost in the woods and getting scared and starting to cry, she was found by Straud.
Taking her back and finding evidence to support her claim of what she used to be Straud offered his wisdom and patience to make her whole again, it took many years and a bond between them grew very strong until the day they were triumphant enough to restore her back. There was heart break after for she knew that she had to stay in her dragon form for a time to regain her powers and with Straud in the Rouge clan by this time they could not been around each other for a long time, as for tracking a dragon’s presence would surly expose them to the Drow hunting them down.
“Now if I only knew who was behind this” Lalandra said
“I’m sorry but Goron never revealed the name to us” Straud said
“What about someone called Sephinroth?” Artanis blurted out, and just hearing the name brought a blood curdling anger grew through Lalandra’s vines as the name echoed through her ears. Even through she was silver based being did a tinge of red began to color her face; Lalandra turned to Artanis and with an obsidian dark scowl mouthed out.
“What was that name again?” she replied heated
“Sephinroth” he replied and she grew again more upset
“Something wrong Lalandra, who is that anyway,” inquired Straud
“A Red Dragon of massive power as well as older than myself, more specifically she was an alchemist of sorts that used creatures and powerful abilities instead of mixing and matching potions and oils”. Lalandra faced all of them and continued “And she is the only one responsible for putting me in my childhood hell; no offence lord Straud” she finished
“None taken, such an act would anger me as well” Straud added
“When I find her and find her I will I guarantee that slut of a bitch will pay for what she has done to me”, and pausing for a second she looks at Straud “I’m surprised that you haven’t heard of her Straud, given the age you are you surly must have crossed paths with her name somewhere, and if you had you wouldn’t be relinquishing you services so free and foolishly”
“I thought Silver Dragons were stronger than that of a Red Dragon?” boasted Rain
“RAIN!” yelled Straud
“What it’s a fair question” said Rain
“No please Straud it’s ok; you are correct young sorcerer we are more superior when a fight is one on one, but when I went to comfort her proposal she had made me for control over a part of land, she had another with her at her side. Wielding Celestial lightning and demonic flame bursts she displayed a showcase of immense power and combat knowledge, and to that end I was quickly overwhelmed and outmatched”
“Who was this being” asked Straud and thinking for a moment with her back to all of them she answered
“Larissa, Larissa Blackstaff I think” and turning to them giving her a look of somewhat disappointment on her memory “Look it happened over a millennia ago give me a break; in fact it’s been such a time since I even have heard Sephinroth’s name being said or remembering that of Larissa and her power, I wonder where she went or Sephinroth for that matter”
“Then it is clear that a conflict is arising with her again” said Artanis
“And for that I fear, for I am not yet at full strength” Lalandra responded
“Huh, wait you’re still recovering from the last battle?” Rain asked very curious
“Understand this Young Rain, we as Dragons when at birth spend centuries in the eggs we are concealed in forming our magical heritage that we are bonded to and honor, we simply don’t have such powers that come to us over night or in nine months”
“On that note, sorry to interrupt but are your younglings ok?” asked Dawn
“They are unharmed, it takes a great deal of power to crack an unhatched Dragon egg so do not be worried my dear” Lalandra replied with a smile
“So why are you still recovering from the battle anyway don’t you heal quickly” asked Cloud
“It’s true that our material bodies given to us can heal at a great pace but our magical essence that we cherish is much more fragile, draining our powers or having us in a mortal humanoid form for a long period of time as I was imprisoned can have long term magical deterioration, in the battle with Sephinroth and Larissa I was mortally wounded and hid in a child form to escape their magical tracking radar, Sephinroth knew that I would do such a thing as she has seen in previous battles that we had and that’s when she implemented the curse on me, being in the state I was in for almost three hundred years my Dragon abilities were almost nearly torn from my being” Lalandra explained
“Until my uncle found you” replied Cloud
“Yes, I merely had only months left” she finished
“And what would become of a Dragon if they remained in the form forever, wouldn’t they just turn into that form then?” asked Artanis
“No, we would die” Lalandra concluded and leaving the cave she said that she needed to find out why Sephinroth hasn’t shown up in centuries and once again welcomes them to the enclave.
Straud then shows them around the enclave and the three along with Artanis then pitch in their help with finishing the settlement setting up.
They stay for a couple weeks building shelters and setting up a courtyard as well as a temple. During this time Dawn growing more and more curious about the battle her uncle and Logan had finally asking him what kind of history they had.
He explains that for forty seven years before the tragedy happened, they were partners in sharing a camp together. The rebel Drow worked with the Asmairian’s to be shown an easy way of life down the right path. And during that time the two grew a bond of unwavering friendship and always fought back to back with each other, a week after the tragedy happened, Straud went to check on the Asmairian camp when he noticed the whole place had been decimated, everyone killed and displayed in a terrible manor to almost say a message. Straud now knows that the message was for him from Logan thanking him for trying to save him after the incident.
“Well then here’s another question uncle why hunt Artanis so passionately” Dawn asked with a worried face, and not having a clue Straud really couldn’t answer her.
“Because he is a Tiefling Dawn” said Lalandra who was coming up to them from behind, she explains to both of them how Logan bites a low end recruit and with the bite done a certain way can he transfer knowledge to them without saying a word, like transferring information such as the name of an enemy and where to find him he can have his orders carried out with even enemy spies in his mist. She continues to say that he had only ever done the process to humans because of their easy corrupted will power, but when he had a recruited Tiefling join him he couldn’t resist the opportunity. She goes on to say that since forever Tiefling and Asmairian races have hated each other and rightfully so that they are opposite side of the same coin. Tiefling’s being the demon side of the race closer to evil and the Asmairian’s being half celestial beings having some healing powers, long life and other abilities but above all being on the side of good. So when Logan tried to give him his knowledge he lost control of his mind when Artanis went to far away and with his own demonic resistance he had he fought the mind link and won. He then betrayed Logan to his enemy he was sent to kill and the leader almost got a fatal blow on Logan himself, angered by such an act and having all the knowledge that Logan possessed; he then used a stealth experience given to him to hide away from Logan.
“Some say that Logan cannot be killed and has relinquished the vulnerabilities left to a vampire making him absolutely invulnerable and impossible to kill, but from what I have learned he has a secret that is the key to his undoing” Lalandra concluded
“Would Artanis know this as well?” asked Dawn
“I believe he does” Lalandra said
“Then why won’t he tell us?” Dawn ponders
“It’s called levels of trust Dawn and with him none of us have reached that one with him yet, but I believe that in time he will get to that point, we only have to keep doing what we are doing now” Straud responded
“Was that why you came over here Lalandra?” questioned Straud
“No I have some news about my findings, that I have shared with Cynn and now I want you to know, there has been no records of activity with regarding Sephinroth and more so the being Larissa, except that she had went on a rampage after separating from Sephinroth. Sephinroth then was rumored to have collected the parts of an artifact known as the Dragon jeweled staff, seven jewels that when put together could grant one cosmic wish to the holder and after it is granted the staff is separated and needed to be found and assembled again in sought out.”
“And you think that she used the staff” added Straud
“Yes to erase the history of all she has done after the Larissa disaster, the girl’s fate was intertwined as well and the demonic possession of the girl was from my knowledge buried entombed deep within the girl never to be released again” Lalandra explained
“So what happened to the girl” asked Dawn very curious about all she was hearing.
“The girl from what I remember was incased in ice, frozen but not killed due to her power she could not die that way, and remained concealed for all this time until she was found by the fate of chance about twenty years ago” the silver dragon stated
“Wait a minute wasn’t the girl a young women when you fought her all those years ago she would have aged right?” asked Straud
“I imagine that when the power of the staff changed and rewrote history and when the power of the Larissa was reverted, she was de’aged if you will to the time of the enchantment, and that would have been a little girl, putting her on ice would have been done magically so age would probably not have taken place” Lalandra finished
“So this little girl is some young girl in her twenty’s running around with all this power held inside her, wow and I thought having Colossus running around was enough on our plates” added Dawn
They break away from their group huddle and go back to their work and finishing in a couple of weeks they have a little celebration for the enclave’s new conception.