In the second year of the War of Light arose an unspeakable evil, the slayer of kings the one known as Stormbringer, Master of Shadows.

On the black throne sat Brindle, wild elven King whose rise to emperor was swift and deadly. In the thousand years of peace proceeding the land was rich and prosperous But after slaying the elven king Silvanos, Brindle unleashed the hoards of darkness into the lands of men and his bloody reign began.
The room was dimly lit and in the corner sat Brindle, his hands clutching the Book of Shadows, a magical tome of conjuring. The book pulsed a violet light and seemed to waver in his hands as if trying to free itself. But Brindle was its master and only the Strongest most vile beings could even be in the presense of this hellish tome and live.
He was studing most intensley when the door burst open and a frantic messanger stood before him, his clothing torn and bloodied. "Master" he exclaimed, but the emporer did not move. "Master I must speak with thee, the Chosen ones are at the inner gate and threaten to breach these very walls... we cannot hold them"! With a blinding flash Brindle turned and with a furious sweep of his hand the messanger was consumed with black flaming shadows, his skin seeming to disintegrate as his unholy scream never made a sound before his body was fully consumed. "Fool, i have studied for three weeks and almost finished the verses, now i must begin again or risk a conjuring for which i do not posess complete knowledge".

Brindle made his way to the great door, his silver hair flowing and entangling with his shifting violet cloak, his feet never touching the ground but moving with the swiftness of the wind. The sounds of battle could be heard as he passed through the huge throne room and the black throne, its obsidian form pulsed and shifted as if alive.
Arriving at the inner courtyard he saw his soldiers hurridly rushing to the battlements and trying to reinforce the great gate as the sound of a battering ram smashed the opposite side threatning to burst through at any moment "Let them through" Brindle exclaimed. "But master..." a quick glance silenced the lieutenant an he rushed to the gate yelling out his masters orders. The men released the ornate bars holding back the screaming soldiers on the other side and the gate swung open. The elven soldiers burst through and suddenly stopped gazing in amazement at the figure of Brindle suspended a dozen feet in the air his arms spead and his eyes glowing of green flame, a demonic smile on his face, he leaned forward and screamed, a scream so terrible and unearthly that its shockwaves blasted into the elven forces tearing the flesh from their bones and sending their shining armor and weapons flying back some thousand feet, impaling their comrads and smashing into their ranks killing countless others. The scream slayed some 12 score of the chosen's finest troops.

The remaining troops were overcome with a terrible dread and fled in terror lest they meet the same horrid death as their countrymen. Their flight would be shortlived as they heard the unholy chant of Brindle high atop the castle's tallest tower and suddenly the ground began to erupt around them and the gruesome decayed forms of the countless fools that tried to storm the castle before them began to rise from thier slumber of death, bits of flesh and torn cloth still clung to their bodies as they fell upon the elven warriors devouring their flesh and tearing them to pieces as they frantically tried to make their escape. High above them flew Brindle, "Destroy them my children follow them to their homes and their lands, let none escape, then return to your rest till i have need of thee again".

"Bring the wounded to the dungeons and feed the dead to my precious mounts, bring me their commanders dead or alive... i must speak with them".
Back in the study Brindle prepared for the conjuring for he needed a servant of great power, and the tome promised to release a demon that had been trapped below the surface in another dimension for some 5000 years, for his power had weakened repelling all the would be conquerors who seek to userp his throne, a throne that was not yet truely his. He posessed one of the items needed to sit upon the Black Throne, the great sword called Doombringer, but the other two had yet eluded his grasp. He must locate and retrieve the other two himself for the people would only follow one powerful enough to accomplish this alone, and without the other two he could not sit upon the throne and receive the knowledge of all the emporers before him without dying.

The candles burned a black flame that danced in the dimley lit room and smelled of burning flesh. In the center of the room sat a large flaming cauldron its black, violet and red flames seemed to silently erupt as Brindle sat levitated within them chanting an unearthly rythmic chant, words that seemed not of this world and were never meant to be heard by mortals. It had been two days since he began the chant and Brindle began to think he may not have been well enough prepared or had missed some minor detail but he knew he had to try now for he had repelled three more invasions in the last two weeks and his strenght had drained to far to wait any longer. He needed this servant, this master of shadows, to defend his throne. For a week prior to this while repelling the Mor-Var he killed Nelzarra the dark elven lord whom held the second of the items needed to sit upon the throne, the suit of armor called Dancing Shadows, a black etheral suit of platemail that shifted and flowed like the night sky. The only item left to find was the Crown of the first emporer of Dracia known as Dreamweaver.

A hellish silence overcame everything as a great rift was formed in the center of the room, nothing moved even the flames of the candles were frozen in time as the portal to the unknown dimension tore into the land of men. With its opening could be heard the moans and screams of the thousands of dead and tortured souls trapped within this realm, forever slaves of this evil place. The rift was a mere foot wide and six feet tall and crackeled of energy, "Come to me Stormbringer, i summon thee" Brindle screamed " I have need of the Master of Shadows, come do my bidding"!
It seemed as hours passed without a sign of the great demon and the portal began to shrink for Brindles strength began to fade, he feared that all was lost hence he could no longer keep the gateway open.
At Brindle's greatest moment of despair when he feared he missed somthing in the conjuring, a great black taloned hand began to reach through the portal, which was now only half its original size, grasping the glowing border of the gateway then another hand on the opposite side. With a great scream the portal was ripped open, the walls of the room began to crack from the volume of the great demons fury and a great red cloud of smoke filled the chamber. The scream was heard all around the surrounding countryside as its force shattered windows and fell trees, all knew the prophecy was at hand and they trembled in fear.
The gigantic manlike shape began to emerge from the rift, first the massive arms then the head of the great demon peered through but no facial features were apparent as his horned visage was cast in shadows, only his smouldering bright green eyes shone through the blackness along with the long gleaming white fangs that dripped a caustic venomous liquid that when it touched the ornate stone floor seemed to melt away the places it landed. His glimmering deep blood red body was well muscled and draped in bright crimson and violet cloths and a huge pair of folded wings trailed behind this incarnet of purest evil.

A deep echoing voice rumbled "greetings master?" The exhausted half elven ruler slumped to the ground and a great sigh of relief whispered from his grinning visage.
"it has worked... the most powerful demon of the shadow realm is at my call" exclaimed Brindle. "What do you wish of me master now that you have brought me to this land of men?" The demon stood to its full height, its horns barely scraped the carved ceiling that stood some 15 feet above the now kneeling elf. As brindle rose to his feet, with nearly the last of his waining strength, The demon leaned forward and cast a chilling gaze upon Brindle that seemed to freeze his very black heart. "Tell me what you wish... Master" he growled "lest i become impatient and do my own bidding... master"
The conviction was fleeting from his echoing voice and Brindle felt fear, a fear that seemed to emminate from the huge beast. "Wait here for now.. i promise to fulfilly your bloodlust soon, but now i must rest and regain some strength for tommorow promises to be... exciting.

In his chambers Brindle rested in a hot bath, attended by a dozen scantily clad human slave girls, he was brought up to date on the past weeks happenings from his second in command Sithas, a sturdy elven nobel Draped in flowing violet clothing and long silver hair, his most interesting feature was his deep violet eyes that seemed almost eathreal, a pair of glowing rapiers hanging from his belt, he was also skilled in the ways of magic and darkness. "My Lord two nights ago we drove the Forest Keepers from the gates.. their families will morn heavily for none escaped my leige" exclaimed Sithas. "We only suffered minor losses, but now they will serve your undead minions sire. "The Forest keepers traveled very far to assault my kingdom, what would be king will be next to die at my gate?" What is the status of my cousin Denthor.. did my Tree dwelling rival survive the attack or did he not have the nerve to meet my children in battle"?" He was not present sire and there were many less troops then we would have expected, I fear they may be massing forces on the perimeter of the west mountains with the Suntiea, For not even three nights ago we captured a scout of the Suntiea not more then 1000 footfalls from the west gate". Brindle sat upright, The Suntiea are very powerful, even though they serve a false human god Brindle thought "Send my watchers to the edge of the black range hastily.. I may have a task for my Demon, and i must soon for even so soon after entering this realm he grows restless and his appetite for souls must be sated quickley lest my hold over him fades and we are all victims of his rage".

have read this story.

Chapter 2 August, 1999

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