As the rain fell relentlessly onto his dying body, Darud looked all around the great battlefield that surrounded him.
For a moment he thought back to when this land was not stricken by war. These lands were once his home. He recalled how the sun used to shine upon the glorious fields that surrounded the quaint little town that once stood here. Iton was a peaceful village, part of the kingdom of Zhoril, they lived in peace and harmony with all nations...until the day when the sky began to darken, and the dark armies of the dragon king, Dragoth began to cross the land, destroying all in his path.
A green dragon fell from the sky, covered in the blood of a dead griffin it held, within its mighty jaws. It fell just three feet in front of Darud, snapping him back into reality.
He pondered for a moment looking at this fallen creature; its breathing was slow, and shallow. Why is that? Soon Darud noticed the great flesh wound near its heart. He began to pity this creature, then cursing its leader. Suddenly the dragon stirred slightly and released he deceased griffin from its jaws. Then it began to speak.
“May the Gods forgive us, we who have forsaken our future.” and the dragon began to breathe deeply
Darud stirred slightly and began to speak.
“They will forgive us, they will forgive....urgh...our children, but will they forgive those that began this futile war...argh!?”
“I believe they will...argh....human. May Risolth guide us though death” then the dragon stopped breathing.
Darud said a silent prayer for the fallen dragon, knowing that though they were enemies on the battlefield, they may have been comrades at home.
Risolth? Darud though for a moment attempting to recall the last time he’d head that name before. He pondered for a moment with the memories slowly returning to his old brain.
He had heard the name from his second eldest brother, Oldoth. He chuckled remembering Conan’s old, nick name Dranoth, which translated as mother dragon from the ancient Elfish language. He laughed once more.
Darud thought about his two brothers. He the youngest, having lacked in intelligence joined the Royal Guard thinking that there would never be a war, at least not in his lifetime, how wrong he was as always. Oldoth, having the highest intelligence went off to try and keep the peace between the hostile kingdoms of the humans, and the dragons. Oldoth had been missing for just over ten years, this had caused their mother great anguish up until her death bed.
Then there was Darud’s eldest brother Vorith. He was Oldoth’s equal in all things except standards, Vorith unlike Oldoth was ruthless, he was soon banished after murdering a young child, at the age of six years and two months. Vorith vanished just seven years before this war began, people began to believe that he had caused the war as vengeance, for being banished.
Then Darud’s let loose one final burst of air from his lungs, and with the last of his strength closed his eyes, so he would not cause fear to any who found his corpse. As death finally took him all his thoughts turned to his brother Oldoth...
The man suddenly awoke from the terrible nightmare he was having. Then he realized that it wasn’t a dream, but in fact it was a vision sent to him. Instinctively he knew what he must do. He hurried and collected his belongings (a pointed wizards hat, a wooden staff that twisted into itself at the top, and a small bag) and rushed to the door. He began to walk towards the stairs when he heard a scratch at the door of the room he had just left. He rushed back opened the door and saw a black cat standing before him.
“I apologize for my ignorance Shuo. I swear this will not happen again.”
“Your forgiven.” replied Shuo the cat
He hurried once more towards the stairs with Shuo at his heel. As they reached the bottom of the stairs they saw a masculine woman serving the customers at the bar, they hurried over.
When they reached the desk the man reached into his bag and asked this fearsome woman, “How much do I owe you then Magdaléna?”
“Well good sir, if me memorie serve me right it be sixteen gold and three silver.” replied Magdaléna as she slowly began to lean against the bar.
The man pulled his hand out of his bag with the amount required, and walked towards the door. He quickened his pace as he left the old inn, named ‘Dogs Grave’.
As the man walked, Shou following like a shadow, people began to take notice of him. This man had lived for some time for he had many deep wrinkles etched into his face; he wore a blue robe that dragged behind him as he walked; he had a great white beard that reached the tips of his cream coloured boots, (which were made from cloth); the bag he carried was light brown and seemed very small for what a wizard like himself needed to carry with him at all times.
The man suddenly stopped at the edge of the town.
“Well Shuo it seems time is catching up with us.” said the man
“You are right, as always, Master Oldoth.”
“I just hope we are not too late, or our world may be lost….”
Oldoth paused thinking back to happier times. He thought to himself ‘Will they ever return?’