After turning Fortis into a graveyard, Muerte decided to turn her forces loose on the world. The dragons would be first. She knew her power over them had increased since she took the underworld. In fact, she on longer needed the gods she held. She would let them rampage against the world. Then free all the hell-bound souls in the underworld. But first the dragons.
In a cave not far from Castle Jorania. Fiero, Maxius, and Arik slept with fitful dreams of being attacked by dragons. They didn't understand why the couldn't just wake up. Dragons could control their dreams, but these were out of their control. All they could do was run and fight over and over again. What they didn't know was that Muerte sent the dreams. She showed then Rage and Valen hounding them. Jandar and Eheren sending spell after spell at them as they tried to getaway. She gives them nightmares to brainwash them into doing as she told them when she was ready. And that time was now.
In his dream, Fiero heard her call. He and Arik had just fought off Blaze and Nautica, fire and ice. They had knocked the fire dragon out of the air to be rescued by his water companion. They could hear him bellowing how they would find them again and destroy them.
As they topped the mountain, Valen came flying around the peak sending bolt after bolt at them. Fiero and Arik took separate paths, Fiero went high and Arik low. Valen chased Fiero roaring at him. Fiero lured him toward the cave where Maxius was waiting for them. Shooting blast after blast behind him, Fiero flew as fast as he could. He saw Maxius waiting in the water keeping low so the enemy wouldn't see him. He dipped lower as he passed over the lake. Valen followed close. As they reached the deepest part of the lake, Maxius sent a blast of hard water onto the air. It hit Valen and knocked him into the water. Turning back, Fiero came in and picked up Maxius then pushed himself to gain altitude to join Arik in the heights.
[ Brothers. I need you. Come to me.]
[ She calls.] Arik sent as a stab of pain entered his head. {ARRGGGHHHH!!!]]
The pain was so intense, Arik almost fell from the sky.
[ Hold on, Brother!] Fiero sent. [ She's not far away. Fly with me. The dragons no longer chase us, we can make it to her now.]
Muerte followed them in their dream. She planned to wake them, but she didn't want them to know the difference between their dreams and their time awake. Their cave was over the ridge beyond the lake. Muerte sent them back to the cave showing them Valen flying off in the opposite direction. In Fiero's mind, he drowned. Something about that seemed strange to him. But he and his brothers did as they were told and landed back at the cave. Inside the bronze dragoness waited for them. In their minds, she planted a subtle command to wake. Fiero opened his eyes and shook his head. In his mind, they had just walked back into the cave. Somewhere out there, Valen was searching for them to kill them.
He stood and walked to the entrance. He looked out at the skies, he wanted to fly. But his enemy was up there somewhere? The thought was so strange to him. He had enemies? No, she had enemies. In his mind, he saw scenes of Valen and the others attacking them. Why? What did they want?
[ To destroy us.] She sent. [ They have been trying for years to kill us. Dont you remember?]
Fiero and the other minds spun. They were so confused. They knew dragons didn't fight each other. But they couldn't explain what was going on. All they knew was that this beautiful dragoness needed their help. But help with what? Every time they tried to remember, pain stabbed into their minds so they stopped trying and just followed. Still, Fiero knew, something was not right.
[ I agree with you Fiero.] She sent as she caressed his mind. [ I want all the fighting to stop. But they will never stop chasing me, not until I am dead. And im tired of it all. Maybe I should sacrifice myself. Give myself to them so they can kill me and get it over with.]
She walked to the cave entrance and looked back at them,
[ No.] Arik called to her. [ we can protect you.]
[ But for how long?] She asked.
[ As long as it takes.] Maxius said. Pain ripped into his mind. He fell to the ground in human form rolling in pain.
[We are under attack!!]
Fiero ran to Maxius side and held him in his arms. Sweat ran down his face as he convulsed in pain. No one noticed the smile on Muerte's face through her disguise.
Arik rushed out of the cave and scanned the skies. There was no one there.
[ No one attacks us, brother.]
[ Its his magic attacking us.] She told them. [ The large one you fought earlier. We have to destroy them. Kill them all. Its the only way we can be safe.]
As she spoke, she sent pain into all of their minds. She fell to the ground, faking her own pain and watched them struggle and scream. Minutes later she stopped the pain and got to her feet. Still in the guise of a dragon, she helped Fiero to his feet.
[ We have to stop this or they will kill us.] She looked in his eyes. [ Take your brothers and attack Yadessa. They will come. Kill everyone you see. Show no mercy.]
[ We can't do that.] Fiero told her. { The people there are innocent.]
{ NO ONE IS INNOCENT!!} She screamed. { You'll see, their all monsters. Go before they attack again.]
Confused, Fiero didn't know what to do. But it hurt so much to think he followed her orders. The dragons left the cave and took to the air, Maxius riding on Arik's back. They were on their way to do something that went against all their instincts. They were going to attack. Muerte walked outside and watched them fly off. Everything was working out perfectly. She threw back her head and laughed. No one could stop her now.
With the dragons on their way, Muerte knew she had to move on to her next task. Freeing the trapped gods she captured and releasing all the souls from the underground. She planned to bring all of her powers to bear against the world, no one would survive.
" DIROD OF THE MOUNTAIN. CRESSCA THE MAD, KEARN OF THE SAVAGE WINTER AND ANTILLES THE BEAST. I RELEASE YOU BUT HOLD YOU IN MY HAND TO DO MY BIDDING. COME FORTH AND ANSWER MY CALL."
All around her, the ground began to shake and rumble. The skies grew dark and cold. Fissures opened and steam seeped from the ground as they emerged to answer her call. Dirod's eyes were red with anger for being trapped by her. In his hand, he held his weapon, his hammer with its long handle. He wanted to rush down and bring it down on her head, but he knew he couldn't. he was totally in her control. Kearn's terrible cold eminated out from her and frost covered the surrounding area. The great bat Cressca came forth next. He screamed out his hunger. He hadn't eaten since his capture and his hunger drove him mad. The last to emerge was Antilles the Beast. Not a god but powerful and savage. he had been a powerful mage in his day and had angered Rimnar and been cursed into a mindless beast. Rimnar had turned him into a great man-beast able to rip down trees with a single swipe of his massive clawed hand. He was covered head to toes with dirty brown fur and his mouth was filled with sharp teeth.
" You called death goddess?" Dirod thundered.
" Yes." She said. " Im freeing you all to ravage the earth. Bring down mountains and tear up the lands until the dragons come to stop you. Then I want you to destroy them. Do you understand?"
" We understand Muerte," Kearn said. "And will obey."
" You better." She told them. " Destroy everything."
" No, go and do your worst."
Into the sky flew Kearn and Cressca, on their way to follow their master's orders. Dirod sank back into the ground and Antilles bolted off in a run. Muerte smiled, It was time to watch the carnage.
High in a tower, Balthazar positioned a guard to watch the horizon for anything strange. From up there he could scan all around the castle, he could see far out into Yadessa. Nothing could escape his notice. As he looked out, he saw two figures flying towards him. He strained his eyes to see it. it was to big to be birds. What else could it be? As he watched they came closer and closer until he recognized what they were. Dragons and they were heading toward Yadessa. Quickly he opens the hatch and made his way down the ladder to the top floor. He had to warn Balthazar of the coming dragons. Down he ran, passing guards and servants wondering where he was going. Finally, he reached the door to Balthazar's quarters. as he reached out to knock on the door, the castle was rocked by some kind of blast that shook the floors. Falling against the doors, the guard righted himself as the door flew open. There he stood face to face with his lord Balthazar.
" What goes on here?" Balthazar yelled at him.
" Sire, we are under attack by dragons."
" Damn them!!" Balthazar stormed out to the balcony as Fiero flew by sending a stream of flame into the courtyard. As Fiero rose up, he left five burned guards lying on the pavement. The second he saw them, Balthazar knew this wasnt the work of Rage and his clan. These were different dragons. Much older than the Keanna dragons. Quickly he called for his mages and told his guards to man the catapults on the castle walls.
[Tanis!!} He sent out and waited for an answer. A few minutes passed as he watched the three dragons send their elemental destruction down on Yadessa. From his castle he watched the people run from their houses into the streets and into their deaths.
[ Father] Tanis answered. [ What do you want?]
[ Yadessa is being attacked by dragons! Tell Rage and Valkar we need help!]
[ I will give them your message.]
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