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| Whisper of a Demon's Shadow | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A Waking Soul | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The war is lost | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abundant gains | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Horrific loss... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ...The Prophecy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chapter Eighteen: The Waking Soul | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The questing band had managed to elude the massive army that was hunting for them. Some days the army would almost be on top of them - yet - something kept them just one step ahead. At the point and time that they were in - they all chose not to question good fortune. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| After what felt like days of traveling in circles and doubling back - they finally found themselves at their next destination - the last recorded resting place of the artifact known as the Waking Soul - the extinct volcano that had been dubbed the Dragon's Roar. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why do you suppose they call that the Dragon's Roar?" Thomas asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Depends on what story you like? Some people say that the volcano isn't as dead as others claim. Some people say that a dragon once lived there," Louie began. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They call it that," Gnar began. Getting their attention. "Because an old - Black Dragon lives there. She sits atop a small mountain of treasure - and one that we seek will be guarded by her," the dwarf clarified. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why do I get the feeling that the dragon isn't going to want to cooperate?" Louie asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Dragons do not readily part with their bobbles. And if the dragon knows what the Soul is - does and can do - the dragon would sooner die than let it slip away," the dwarf stated seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We have encountered many things - I was hoping we could skip dragons," Thomas muttered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Have faith - Thomas - when all else leaves you - be it person weapon or what have you - faith will always be there to aid you," Gailin stated reassuringly. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How much faith will it take to get us by a dragon?" Thomas humorously remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "More than you are showing," the monk rebutted as they slowly made their way across the barren plane that was littered with jagged protruding rocks. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At that moment within a cave deep within that very volcano - a pair of large eyes were looking at a glowing crystal. In it was Rubius. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They seek to fulfill the prophecy," an old voice stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I had hoped - the traps and so forth would be sufficient deterrent - but this one is proving more tenacious than the others," Rubius answered. The large eyes looked up and then down at the crystal. "They are close?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Very close - I can smell them," the voice answered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do not underestimate them - I made that mistake. They have four of the five keys. If they get yours," he began. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I have been guarding the Waking Soul - since that ancient time when a wiser mortal thought it safer to entrust the artifacts to separate champions across the lands. Had they remained with me - none of this would be happening," the old voice stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Arguing over mistakes of the past will not deter the present," Rubius pointed out. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That - I will agree with," the old voice stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "At all costs - and I do mean - all - that prophecy must never come to pass. They must not be permitted to undo what has been done," Rubius stated seriously. The large eyes looked over to the side - then back down at the crystal. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I understand - the cost could be heavy," the voice reminded. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And if they complete this fool's errand - will the cost be lessened?" Rubius asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No - just the opposite," the voice admitted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then you know what you must do," Rubius concluded as his image faded from the crystal. The large eyes blinked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know what you ask - but I hope there is another way," the voice concluded. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Back up above - the questing party found themselves at the base of the dormant volcano. They looked up at the jagged mountain of jagged peaks that only parted where rivers of molten lava once washed down. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That looks like a hell of a climb," Louie remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "As fun as it will be one way - you know it will be even worse going down," Gnar pointed out. The thief looked over at the smirking dwarf. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are not helping," he began. The two were going to argue when a hidden passageway opened up before them. The four stood before the giant opening. The sent of sulfur leaked out. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know you are there - you know I am here - you might as well come to me now rather than you all hurting yourselves trying to sneak in undetected," an old voice echoed. The four looked at each other and then into the darkness. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I think the element of surprise has been screwed up the ass," Louie muttered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We have bigger problem," Gnar muttered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Like?" Louie asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That voice was old," Gnar stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Meaning?" Louie asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What made that invite - was very old. What rumors have you heard about something living in this volcano?" Gailin asked seriously. It was then that he remembered the name. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Dragon - old dragon. Old dragon - oh yuck," Louie muttered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Old dragon's not good?" Thomas asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well - I never actually met an old dragon - never met a young dragon for that matter - but I heard stories about the old ones. They - are crafty - and very territorial," he replied. Thomas looked at the cave before them. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then why the open invite? If he is territorial - how would this keep us away?" Thomas asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't claim to understand dragons," Louie rebutted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I doubt there are traps - I heard stories of old dragons too - they said that the old ones were wise,' Gailin pointed out. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Either or - what we seek lies within. Be it dragon or troll - I will not be turned away," Thomas stated as he marched into the darkness of the cave. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| After what felt like hours of walking through the shiny, black, rock tunnels - the gathering found themselves in a large chamber that had to be a fair distance beneath the floor of the volcano. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All around the large chamber were marble statues that wielded torches. The light they cast - danced off the mountains of treasure that surrounded the walls of the room.. it was then that their attention focused to the right. there they saw a large throne. On it grim looking dragon with large glowing yellow eyes. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I have been waiting for you Thomas," the dragon remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You know why I am here?" Thomas asked. The dragon craned his neck and looked around at his treasure. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I have known since the moment you started hunting the relics from their havens. Were it not for you," the dragon began. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This age of darkness would never end," Thomas angrily interrupted. The dragon graoned and slowly looked over at the tiny looking human. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Darkness? What does a tiny-brained human know - of darkness? You have not seen the battles that have been fought to keep the true darkness bound. You know nothing of sacrifice," the dragon began. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The hell I don't! Tia was taken from me by agents of Rubius - so don't you dare tell me I don't know of sacrifice," he protested. The dragon seemed to smile as it shook his head. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They have eyes and can not see - they fight for a cause they do not thoroughly understand - for a goal - that none of them could ever - hope to want. You fools have no idea - the damage you are doing in the name of this fool's prophecy," the dragon bellowed - smoke escaping from its nose. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sounds to me like Rubius got to you," Gnar stated drawing his axe. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You fools have no idea - what you face - who your enemy is - who you are fighting," the dragon remarked. Thomas drew his sword and pointed it at the dragon. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Right now - I am facing a dragon - a dragon that is standing in the way of the prophecy - a dragon that is my enemy," Thomas stated seriously. The dragon snorted a wisp of flame from its nose. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I - am the enemy? You are more bent to the cause of darkness than he warned," the dragon stated baring its huge fangs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He? Rubius - you are allied with that dark bastard?" Thomas asked enraged. The dragon slowly stood on its hind legs - spread its wings and craned its neck down at the intruders. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I ally myself with no one mortal fool. For time longer than your puny brain can even hope to imagine! You speak of darkness - fulfill your prophecy and you will know of darkness. No! I can not even humor that prospect," the dragon bellowed as it spewed flames down at the questing band. Flames hit the floor and began to dance across everything. When he stopped - the flames began to settle. It was then that the dragon saw that the band was unharmed - and the artifacts that were in the party were mildly glowing. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Was that your best you foul old beast?" Gnar taunted. The dragon was going to reply when he saw a specter floating behind Thomas. It took on the form of Lia - and she was smiling at the dragon. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I can not let you go further. Even if it costs my life - I will end your madness now!" the dragon screamed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Outside everything seemed normal - quiet around the old volcano. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A moment of silence... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Just then a deafening earth-shattering explosion rocked the volcano. A pillar of fire and smoke erupted. Lava poured out over the sides of the jagged mountain - just before it caved in on itself. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A short distance away from where the mountain fell - two people garbed in black robes looked at the pillar of smoke that towered where the old volcano used to be. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do you think that worked?" the taller of the two asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If - half of what you told me is true - not even close," the other replied as she watched a small stream of lava pour slowly by. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You think they escaped?" the tall one asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I would stake my life on it. Come - we haven't much time," she stated as they hurried towards the other side of the pile of smoke and rubble that was once a volcano. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||