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"Well that's not good. Not only did my worst enemy come back to life, he brought with him a horde of undead monsters that are slowly overwhelming our defenses. So at what point did any of this seem like a good idea?"
"Listen, it seemed like the lesser of two evils. We could either resurrect a moderately powerful necromancer and use him to kill the Dragon King, or we could have let the Dragon King consume the last of the Mystics and attain immortality. Things, just didn't work out as planned."
"Work out as planned? The Dragon King is still on the loose, and the necromancer is currently pursuing a century long vendetta against me. Sounds like you guys screwed up pretty royally."
A quiet click from the lock on the door and it swings open, the long unused hinges squeaking angrily in protest. The figure standing before is that of young man, but his youthful appearance is a lie. Ancient wizards like Marcellus often like to look their best when begging for help. I slowly stand up from my cell's tiny bed and start to saunter towards the doorway. He raises a figure and points it at me,
"Listen, if you want out, you have to promise to help us. Otherwise I'll just leave and let your nemesis come and kill you, while you remain defenseless without a weapon or armor"
By this point I had come within a foot of his stretched finger. The magical energy almost crackling to be released, probably a lightning bolt or something. I sigh and then in a span of a split second, I spin around Marcellus and pull his dagger from his belt and come behind him, dagger at his throat. He tries to spin around and confront me, but I hold him in place, pushing the dagger a little tighter to his throat.
"Not another move, we both know I would enjoy slitting your throat. Next time, make sure to get my word before you open the door to my cell. There's a reason I've spent the last ten years in a magically sealed prison. Now you're going to take me to where my sword and armor is sealed away, or I'll kill you and find them on my own. Clear?"
"Clear."
Marcellus was upset, but it didn't concern me. I was just glad my reflexes were still as good as they used to be. Ten years have dulled them somewhat, but I'm still a lot faster than the old wizard. He walked down the dusty hallway and quickly led me towards the storeroom. The dust in these hallways made me realize that this place must have been abandoned for quite some time.
"Marcellus, quick question. Why did this place got abandoned when I was still a prisoner here?"
"Well, Malcolm, to be brutally honest with you, they forgot you were here. The magical stasis on your cell meant they never had to check in on you. About six years ago, this prison was abandoned, since they thought there were no more prisoners being held here. It was only a stroke of luck after we revived your nemesis, Demetrius, that we thought to find out where you were."
"Wonderful, I was forgotten. There was a time when I was the most famous swordsman in the entire world. Funny what a few years can do to a reputation."
We arrive at another locked room, and Marcellus opens it, the hinges squeaking a little less angrily this time. Without even looking at any of the other items covered in dust throughout the storeroom, I walk into one of the corners and grab the sword that is carelessly wrapped in cloth. Quickly unwrapping it, I hold it out and examine it for a damage,
"Well, you certainly have lost your edge over the past ten years."
She replied quick, her wit certainly hadn't gone any less sharp
"You're one to talk. You're as slow as dwarf after three kegs of ale and as dumb as an ogre dropped on its head as a child."
"I missed you too, Nassie. Now let's get my armor, it should be right over here."
Sure enough, sitting in a box of other random amulets, rings and earrings, my armor was resting. Grabbing the iron necklace with its little albatross symbol, I hang it around my neck. I head back to Marcellus and say,
"Alright, old man, let's get out to the command center. I'm sure they've got some crazy strategy cooked up for me to perform."
"Old man? Listen, this is a fresh body, I've only inhabited for about three months."
"Your body is young, yes, but your soul is old and decrepit. Now let's get a move on."
It takes only a few minutes to exit the prison. It's connected to the once-grand Imperial City by a sole bridge. The citadel is ablaze of fires, and even from the mile or two I am away from the fighting, the roar of the combat whispers to my heightened senses. Taking the advantage of a long flat surface to stretch out, I launch myself into a flurry of spins and twists, culminating in a triple back flip, mid-air spin. Ami speaks up again,
"Show off."
"Hush Nassie, I'm enjoying myself. You'll get your chance to play later, I'm sure."
MArcellus shakes his head as he runs to catch up. As we enter the city, we take advantage of hid flying carpet to bring us to one of the outlying magisterial houses. It bustles with activity, with messengers running in and out while the building is ablaze with magical energies. Landing near the roof, we hop off and Marcellus leads me into what used to be a master bedroom. It's been emptied and replaced by a large table and a map of the world. Gathered around the table are a few familiar faces, Miranda the head priestess of the White Clerics, Draco, the Rogue Dragon-Lord, and even Randver, the Dwarf-King was speaking politely to the great Elven Lord, Oberon. There was someone else, but these illustrious figures were standing in the way of whomever is actually calling the shots.
"Dearest Miranda, it has been far too long since I have seen your smiling face."
Ami coughs in exasperation, but thankfully remains quiet as Miranda turns to me with a look of pleasant surprise,
"Malcolm, you were still locked away, what a relief. I was convinced you weren't still there, or else why would they have stopped using the prison?"
"Did he swear the oath?"
That was an unfamiliar voice, I start moving to the table to see who this mystery commander is.
"No my lord, he did not swear the oath. He took me by surprise before I could force him to swear."
Marcellus called him a lord? Things must have really changed since my imprisonment, Marcellus never made an oath to anybody, he was far too powerful a wizard for that. After a quick and gracious nod to the Elf and Dwarf, I reach the table and see a young man in his 20s, with dark blue hair and bright baby-blue eyes. He looks at me intently and suspiciously, I speak,
"It seems someone has been channeling more magic than he should have recently. Yet, I don't recognize you. Who is the illustrious commander of such powerful and vaunted individuals?"
"The name is Jacob. You're the famed Malcolm?"
"Indeed I am."
"One can tell you've not spoken to a soul in the last ten years. The great Elven forest has been burned to the ground, Oberon and his elves are the last of his kind still alive. The dwarf king Randver is an exile who has been cast out by a malicious cult. Draco is the only dragon not actively hunting the last of the Mystics and Miranda's grand temple was razed over eight years ago. I myself, am human who purposefully exposed myself to large amounts of crystallized magic in order to gain powers to fight the evils plaguing this land. As such, my hair is permanently stained this color, till the last spark of energy leaves my body. We are a bunch of nomads and outcasts, rallying to stop an enraged Dragon King from attaining immortality and then destroying the world as we know it."
I look around the people around the table, the shame and pain evident in all their eyes. Looking back to Jacob, I reply,
"Crystallized magic is lethal to humans in minuscule doses. How could you survive, much less absorb the latent magical energy in them?"
"It's far too complicated to explain at the moment, but suffice it to say that I used a process called fission."
"Fission, I know what it is. Well, Jacob, do you have a plan to stop Demetrius from putting an end to your rally permanently?"
"Now that you're here, we'll draw Demetrius and the rest of his forces into the city where his massive numbers will be less effective in the close quarters of the city streets. Once he's inside, you will take Draco and Miranda to meet up with Sebastian and capture Demetrius."
"It won't work. Demetrius will not come into the city, he will wait until the undead horde has eliminated all resistance before entering into direct combat himself. Also, he's too smart to commit the horde into a strategic blunder like that. Here's what we're going to do. You and the rest of these heroes will take to the battlements and force the horde back outside of the city. Then I will personally go and meet with Demetrius and settle this once and for all."
"That is suicide! Stasis has dulled your senses and your mind it seems. You cannot hope to cut a path to Demetrius and overcome him and his entire horde by yourself."
Draco replies loudly, he never seemed to master the art of subtlety. Stupid dragon. Jacob adds in,
"Without both of you alive, we do not have a chance to stop the Dragon King. So a fight to the death will be unacceptable."
"Death isn't the end for me or Demetrius for that matter. We're cut from finer stuff. That's the plan I'm following, and if you'd like to speed up the process, help me push the horde back outside the city."
As I walk away and head back outside, I hear Jacob say, "Follow his orders, it seems we have no choice." Smiling, I walk back out onto the roof and grab Marcellus's carpet. After waiting for MArcellus and Miranda to join me, we take off. Oberon and Randver depart the ground level and join their respective troops. Draco and Jacob take off and fly alongside the carpet. Miranda smiles broadly as she sits next to me and out of nowhere gives me a big hug. Ami snorts, and Miranda shoots Marcellus a death glare. He shakes his head and mutters about crazy women. Resting my hand on Ami's hilt, I prepare for the battle ahead. Draco and Jacob fly off to deal with the flanks. Upon reaching the height of the battle, a breach about 100 feet into the city, Marcellus and Miranda jump off the carpet and into the battle. A whirling circle of blades tells me precisely where Sebastian is. Taking the carpet to a higher level, I watch over the battle, and wait for Demetrius to let me know he's ready. Ami speaks up again,
"If she smiles or touches you one more time, I will cut up her pretty face."
"I know you will, Nassie. I know you will. Do you think Demetrius will still recognize you?"
"I had a feeling you were planning on releasing me. Of course Demetrius will recognize me, I'm his twin sister."
"Good. It looks like there is a lot of work to do. The last time the Dragon King went on a rampage, he destroyed the island continent of Craecia. They say life still did not grow there even after four hundred years. I don't know if that's changed in the past ten years or not, nor do I want to find out."
A light eerie green glow starts to emanate from outside the city. The battle below looked like the undead were being pushed out of the walls. After a quick pat on the carpet, I leap off, plunging through the icy night air, straight towards the green glow. The ground rushes up to meet me and the collision cracks all my bones instantaneously. The albatross around my neck glows slightly as my body quickly mends and I get back up. Demetrius is standing just a few feet away, shock over his face. It's one thing to go on a rampage to find the man who kidnapped his sister and kill him, it's another thing entirely to see that same man fall to his death a few feet away, and see him get back up again. Holding out Ami, I speak the words of power,
"Wench, we've had our fun but I refuse to pay."
With that, the sword floats out of my grasp and begins to change. It elongates and stretches out, all while growing larger, as it gradually assumes the shape of a young woman. Her deep brown eyes look unamused and the moment the transformation finishes, she puts her hands and her hands and says,
"Those are the words of power? You really are useless, you know that?"
Demetrius runs up to her and looks st her while saying,
"Ami? Is it really you? It has to be, no one has that much attitude other than my dearest little sister."
He hugs her tightly and she replies,
"I was born first, doofus. Honestly, going on with that whole vendetta thing was awfully inconvenient."
"Well, sis, I didn't know you were that sword. What was I supposed to think after he shows up and then you both disappear without a word?"
Jacob speaks up at this point, I have no idea when he got here, or how he got there unnoticed by any of us, or any of the massive undead horde surrounding us.
"Well, that was quite the plan, Malcolm. Now Demetrius, will you join me and the other leaders in our quest to stop the Dragon King?"
Demetrius looks at Jacob and then to Ami.
"Well, it's up to my little sister here, I just want to protect her."
Ami shakes her head at the little sister comment and looks to me,
"It's up to him. Malcolm, what's it gonna be?"
Jacob shakes his head and looks at me as well. I pause and think for a moment before replying,
"The Dragon King is a force of nature. At his will, the earth can quake and the oceans can come rushing onto the land. He can reduce vast swathes of land into scorched earth where nothing grows in the span of an instant. He commands all of the pure-blood dragons who are strong powers in themselves. With the forces we have here, defeating him is impossible."
"Impossible? It will be a tough fight, but even the Dragon King has his weaknesses. We will find a way to stop this catastrophe from happening."
I look up to the sky and try to remember back to that day. The day I first met the Dragon King, the day I received my albatross pendant, the day I died and was born unto eternal life. The Dragon King was merciful that day, as were the others standing in as part of my tribunal. My crimes seemed petty at the time, but looking back, it was a damning action that defined how the rest of my existence would be lived.
"There is a way to kill the Dragon King, but we do not possess the means nor the power here to accomplish it. However, if you're willing to try the greatest undertaking in human history, then I will tell you what we can do.
"Agreed."
I look to Jacob and see the fierceness in his eyes, the dedication and the conviction to see this through to the end. Demetrius nods and he is ready to join our forces. Ami looks at me with those beautifully soft eyes, tears starting to well up. I go over and hold her in my arms, whispering,
"Nassie, Nassie, it's going to be ok. I have a plan and it's foolproof."
She whispers back,
"Every one of your foolproof plans goes terribly wrong but you still manage to come out with a victory in the end."
"Then just trust me to see this through, the Dragon King will be stopped."
Marcellus approaches on his magic carpet, and Demetrius, Ami and I climb aboard. Jacob takes to the air and we return to the command center. Once everyone is gathered there, I go to the map of the world and start explaining what must be done.
"There is only weapon that can deliver a killing blow to the Dragon King and only one type of person that can deliver the blow. The Lance of Shards, when properly assembled and wielded by a pure blooded Mystic has the power to kill the Dragon King. The Lance of Shards is scattered all over the continent, in seven different pieces. Finding these pieces will be the easy part. To reactive the latent power within each shard, they must be steeped in the sap of an Elven Grand Tree. This will mean the restoration of the Elven forest and people, which will be an arduous task. Once each shard is re-energized, they must be forged within the hottest fires deep within the earth. Only the dwarves have access to such locations, so we will have to see Randver returned to his throne and a master blacksmith must be found amongst his people. Once the lance is reforged, it will have to be activated by submersing it in the waters of the Land of the Dead. Only in those icy waters that steal the very life from your body can the lance's destructive power be awakened. Then a Mystic who realizes the fullness of their potential can wield the Lance to deliver a killing blow to the Dragon King. So, there you have it, the only way to stop this catastrophe from occurring."
The stunned and horrified looks of these heroes was precious, the only person looking not shocked was Ami. She looked, as she often does, not amused. She speaks up,
"Well now that you've had your fun, why don't you tell us what really needs to be done to kill the Dragon King."
I burst out laughing at the confused looks on the faces of these heroes.
"I can't believe you guys actually believed all that. That would be impossible to accomplish in a single lifetime. All you need to kill the Dragon King is a sword through the heart. Of course, the real problem is getting anywhere close enough to the Dragon King to actually stab him. So you need to make a special armor to protect you from his power. A lightweight chain shirt made of mithril ore from the dwarves, combined with a special liquid potion made out of some elven amber and with a little fission, you can create an armor that is impervious to the Dragon King's fiercest attacks."