it felt good to have something that truly belonged to him once again.
The day's warmth was draining from his body and Stryne felt the suggestive siren's call of sleep spreading through his body. His eyes closed and he was just drifting off to slumber when he heard it: the sound of rocks and loose scree sliding down the side of the mountain where he kept his refuge. Convinced, in his half slumbering state, that it was Dominus returned to take his sanctuary from him once again, Stryne's eyes snapped open. They blazed in the dim light and a low rumble of warning shook the rock of the cavern and loosened a fine sifting of dust from the ceiling.
However, it wasn't Dominus, or any dragon, that appeared over the lip of the cave. It was a woman. Not a human woman, but the exotic grey skinned curves of a Lamiad. She stopped just inside the cavern and presented herself with a respectful bow. Stryne snaked his head forward, protecting the meager, almost laughable, treasure he had amassed. Still, the treasure was his, and instinct was a powerful thing.
“ You may enter, Nerillia,” the dragon said, his mind touching hers.
“ Thank you, My Lord.”
Nerillia responded in the same way she had been spoken to. Stryne much preferred direct mind-to-mind communication with the species who were capable of such a feat. There was much less opportunity for misunderstanding, or deception. True, a skilled telepath could still influence either their own thoughts, or the receptive thoughts of the other party, but Stryne felt that he was as skilled in that arena as any.
“What have you to report, Nerillia?”
“ I was able to smuggle the High Priest into the city without incident. Likewise, the girl you recommended we recruit has been found. How did you know about her, My Lord?”
“ Her essence is a blight on the Quintessential Sphere,” the dragon replied. “The forces of death, darkness, and disease are drawn to her like moths to a flame. The Ancient Dyr seeks to make her its avatar.”
Nerillia's eyes widened. He could feel her uncertainty. She wasn't sure whether or not to believe what he said about the Ancients. She was still young enough to know that there were forces in the Deep Void more powerful than any mortal could comprehend, but old enough to be skeptical when another invoked those primordial powers.
“Is it wise to meddle in the affairs of an Ancient, My Lord?”
“ If we were to truly anger the Ancient Dyr, none of us would survive long enough to worry about it, Nerillia. Our task remains the same. To eradicate the human pestilence and recover what they have taken from me. In return, your soul will be made whole again.”
Stryne felt the pleasure spill out from her, a cup filled past the point of overflowing. Though he wasn't certain exactly how long the other half of her soul had been trapped in the cavern under the Xarundi's adopted home, he knew that it was long enough that the desire to be made whole would override all other concerns that might arise.
“You honor me with your assistance, My Lord.”
The dragon snorted, blowing Nerillia's hair out behind her like a bridal train.
“I assist you because it benefits me to do so. Remember that, tiny creature.”
“ As you say, My Lord.”
“ Have you obtained the Chalice of Souls?”
“ Of course, My Lord. The information you provided was invaluable. All proceeds according to your plan.”
“ Very well. Then leave me and continue to carry out my instructions. I will summon you as necessary.”
“ As you wish, My Lord.”
The Lamiad bowed deeply and backed out of the cavern. Stryne listened to her descent down the mountain, following the sound of her feet on the loose earth until it was outside his senses. Then he turned his eyes toward the Quintessential Sphere, stalking her until she reached the foot of the mountain and turned back toward the city. Satisfied that she was well away from the cave, he closed his eyes and slept.
#
“
The day's warmth was draining from his body and Stryne felt the suggestive siren's call of sleep spreading through his body. His eyes closed and he was just drifting off to slumber when he heard it: the sound of rocks and loose scree sliding down the side of the mountain where he kept his refuge. Convinced, in his half slumbering state, that it was Dominus returned to take his sanctuary from him once again, Stryne's eyes snapped open. They blazed in the dim light and a low rumble of warning shook the rock of the cavern and loosened a fine sifting of dust from the ceiling.
However, it wasn't Dominus, or any dragon, that appeared over the lip of the cave. It was a woman. Not a human woman, but the exotic grey skinned curves of a Lamiad. She stopped just inside the cavern and presented herself with a respectful bow. Stryne snaked his head forward, protecting the meager, almost laughable, treasure he had amassed. Still, the treasure was his, and instinct was a powerful thing.
“ You may enter, Nerillia,” the dragon said, his mind touching hers.
“ Thank you, My Lord.”
Nerillia responded in the same way she had been spoken to. Stryne much preferred direct mind-to-mind communication with the species who were capable of such a feat. There was much less opportunity for misunderstanding, or deception. True, a skilled telepath could still influence either their own thoughts, or the receptive thoughts of the other party, but Stryne felt that he was as skilled in that arena as any.
“What have you to report, Nerillia?”
“ I was able to smuggle the High Priest into the city without incident. Likewise, the girl you recommended we recruit has been found. How did you know about her, My Lord?”
“ Her essence is a blight on the Quintessential Sphere,” the dragon replied. “The forces of death, darkness, and disease are drawn to her like moths to a flame. The Ancient Dyr seeks to make her its avatar.”
Nerillia's eyes widened. He could feel her uncertainty. She wasn't sure whether or not to believe what he said about the Ancients. She was still young enough to know that there were forces in the Deep Void more powerful than any mortal could comprehend, but old enough to be skeptical when another invoked those primordial powers.
“Is it wise to meddle in the affairs of an Ancient, My Lord?”
“ If we were to truly anger the Ancient Dyr, none of us would survive long enough to worry about it, Nerillia. Our task remains the same. To eradicate the human pestilence and recover what they have taken from me. In return, your soul will be made whole again.”
Stryne felt the pleasure spill out from her, a cup filled past the point of overflowing. Though he wasn't certain exactly how long the other half of her soul had been trapped in the cavern under the Xarundi's adopted home, he knew that it was long enough that the desire to be made whole would override all other concerns that might arise.
“You honor me with your assistance, My Lord.”
The dragon snorted, blowing Nerillia's hair out behind her like a bridal train.
“I assist you because it benefits me to do so. Remember that, tiny creature.”
“ As you say, My Lord.”
“ Have you obtained the Chalice of Souls?”
“ Of course, My Lord. The information you provided was invaluable. All proceeds according to your plan.”
“ Very well. Then leave me and continue to carry out my instructions. I will summon you as necessary.”
“ As you wish, My Lord.”
The Lamiad bowed deeply and backed out of the cavern. Stryne listened to her descent down the mountain, following the sound of her feet on the loose earth until it was outside his senses. Then he turned his eyes toward the Quintessential Sphere, stalking her until she reached the foot of the mountain and turned back toward the city. Satisfied that she was well away from the cave, he closed his eyes and slept.
#
“
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