By LLBane
From the valley below it, the Dragonwatch, so named for the ruins of an outpost from a prior war, Erix watched the weird lightening in the sky. Red lightening arched across the sky to strike, what was that, a dragon? Quickly Erix signaled for his scouts. Pointing up to the mountain all could see the wild light show and feel the magic rend the air. A sickening boom boom boom boom thudded over and over. The ground shook and the earth cracked. Trees fell and a hot wind rushed down into the valley to sear any who looked at it. The same sounds echoed from the deep distance, from Emmani. Erix called for all to be battle ready. Very loud explosions could be heard coming from somewhere higher up in the mountains. The dragons were under attack thought Erix. What madness he thought. The sounds of thunder echoed into the valley and Erix made ready. His glowing sword hung at his side. His elite soldiers, their swords too were at the ready. Through the rain and fog came two huge black horses in front of a chariot. Bane was riding the chariot. Without stopping Bane led his chariots up into the mountains. Their larger northern born horses with steel shod hooves threw up permafrost and mud as they past. Realizing the urgency Erix ordered his men to mount up and follow. Erix did not know what they would find but he knew his Emperor would need him.
As dawn broke the heavy fog wafted through the air like tendrils. By the time Erix had caught up they had passed dozens of dead dragons. Their bodies burnt to a crisp. Some still had the blood seeping out of their noses, mouths and ears. No tree, no animal, no stone was unscorched. Erix looked about him in awe. The Dragon High Guard lay slaughtered on the ground. The bodies of Dragoncasters lay strewn about. Their organs and blood seemed to have been taken. There were many great palaces but they now lay in ruins. Erix sent men out to find survivors and to find Lord Bane. Soon he would find Bane. He would later wished he had not.
Chariots lay still smoldering. Bodies of lycans lay drained of their essences. Several had large wounds. Silveron wounds. Erix shivered. The stench of the dead was overwhelming the further in he went. Walking through the high vaulted throne room where the most powerful beings had held court Erix heard the strong pounding on stone. Parts of the room shuddered. Erix quickened his pace with his men down wide stairs where they stopped. The scene was almost too much for Erix. There among dozens of dead dragons lay the Dragon Queen. She had died protecting the dragon nurseries. Then Erix saw Bane, pounding his fist into the broken stone wall. Erix walked past him to peer into one of the nurseries. Hundreds of dragon eggs had been broken into and the life essences had been taken. And then it hit Erix. This was the end of dragon kind. He turned to see a tear stained face of Bane. Bane's body had been burnt and he had been stabbed over and over by silveron weapons. His wounds were not healing and they oozed a greenish colored puss. Bane fell to his knee. He pointed to the side of the hall. Erix looked. There laying on the tiles was a nightmare. A death demon with silveron claws. Erix shuddered. Bane motioned for him to come closer before falling over.
"Find my son Zoushan, tell him, his day has come." Then Bane fell over. Erix howled a loud howl of pain. He picked up his Emperor who had fallen. Bane was still breathing but the wounds were not curable. He would not survive this without help.
"Bring me Hawry and the fastest chariot. We need to get the Emperor to the Glenmalden home of the Elves. Also send word we need a Raven Necrocrat to examine a body of our foe." Many scrambled about. Erix wondered what could have done this but the tall necrocrat bowed deeply and knelt down with his instruments. Erix turned his head as the Necrocrat began his work.
"Lord Erix, there were no survivors." Erix did not take the news like a surprise. How could Bane take so much damage and live, and actually kill one, who could slay a dragonslayer? Erix pondered the strength of Bane. He called for Toul and his other advisors. He wished Drax had been there with him. Sitting on a stone bench with his head in hands Drax saw many lycans weep. The beauty of the Dragonwold was unmatched anywhere. Forged with pure magic out of the purest white marble found anywhere. Such magnificence, such beauty, gone. How could they defeat something that had done this?
By LLBane
