Sorcha's Secret World, Part one.

Chapter 47, The darkness that lies within.

Beyond the door lay a cavernous area. There were holes high up in the walls through which daylight came in, thin beams of light that did nothing to illuminate the area around them, merely deepening the dark shadows that permeated the cave.

"It wasn't like this before. There were tables and benches and huge caskets filled with ale and mead. There was a stage for dancing, and playing music, and there were torches and braziers everywhere. It was bright, merry and festive!"

Thor's voice sounded so sad I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

There was nothing festive about the cave. The sensation of evil around us was like a thick miasma all around us. I readied my magic, but there was no sight of what lay in wait for us, dragon or otherwise.

"Well, there is not much we can do here, let's just reseal the door and leave, shall we?" Loki's voice was thin and brittle.

"I'm not leaving until we cleanse this place," Thor barked back.

"This feels nothing like the dragon's nest we stole the egg from, Thor! Don't you sense it? I have seen and done terrible things, dark, unholy, heinous deeds that would rattle you to your very core if only you knew, and even I have never encountered its like!

Let's leave! Before one of us loses our lives, Thor! None of us is immortal, or have you forgotten that fact?"

Loki sounded genuinely scared. And after almost losing me to the curse, who could blame him.

"Loki is right. Let's reseal this place and leave," I agreed with Loki. "I'm not willing to lose either of you here today. We can come back with reinforcements later if you really want to, but it isn't wise to go on."

Thor stepped forward, Mjolnir raised high. Bolts of lightning sparked from the hammer as he bellowed:

"My name is Thor, son of Odin, Prince of Asgard, god of Thunder! And you trespass on my holy sanctum! Show yourself, so I can defeat you and cleanse this place!"

"The bull-headed oaf! Ready yourself," Loki warned me as his eyes glowed green. I was already gathering my own magic, drawing in as much anima as I could.

"So the godling has returned?"

It wasn't so much a voice as a sensation echoing in my head.

In the darkness ahead of us, two huge blueish green glowing orbs came to life, an unnatural, unholy glow that sent shivers down my spine.

"Oh, shit, ohshitohshitohshit..." Loki whispered next to me.

"It is my territory that you are trespassing on, little mewling whelp,"

the condescending voice spoke in our heads almost conversationally.

"RUN!" Loki bellowed and grabbed my hand, dragging me towards the doors. They slammed shut in front of us.

"Thor Odinson runs from no man!" Thor thundered as he stood his ground.

"Foolish princeling! I am no man!"

And slowly, with the clicking sound of bone on rock, the dragon moved closer towards us.

If it once had been alive, it had been a long time ago, because nothing but bone remained. Held together by the sheer force of its will and its magic, the dragon spread its boney wings.

It stood at least 10 feet high, with a wingspan of 30 feet. Its huge head hung in the air above Thor, with teeth bigger than Thor's arms. It was the most terrifying thing I had ever seen in my life.

Thor threw Mjolnir at its huge head, but the hammer merely bounced off.

"Thor, it is a dracolich, you can't fight it!" Loki warned.