The Shadow Rising.

Interlude. (A Castle and a Dragon)

Interlude

A Castle and a Dragon

“Lucar” The black robed man tasted on the word, he didn't like it. It was his old self a mere human and a fool, a fool that served in the Order. Served until he was awoken by the true power and felt what could be his, power unending and immortality. All the Lord asked in return was that he renounced his old life and the corrupt kingdom, a deal only an imbecile would pass on.

He wasn't at full power yet, but it every day he felt more of his Lord within him and it made him tingle with anticipation for the day his Lord would be fully within him and he could lay waste to the corrupt kingdom.

Looking down at his hands he could see the black lines as they wormed their way along his body. The mark of his Lord had never been seen so clearly on a any man before and it made him even more special. His master's most treasured follower and now he was about to show his Lord that his trust is well placed.

Taking a steep forward he stands at the the edge round marble hill, a master work of the best craftsmen in the world, hidden away here in this forest another thing this corrupt world was guilty of, but the creature buried here would have it's vengeance and the world would tremble at its might.

“Angror, Domver, Sanar.” Lucar began chanting his arms moving in a pattern that left a purple sign in the air. The ground trembled as the chant went on first one hour then another and at the third the marble tomb cracked open.

Two huge bone wings was the first things that appeared from the ground and then the rest of the creature followed, until a dragon stood in front of Lucar. It was no more than bone having been dead for a hundred years, but every bones was like a man in size. It stretched its wings and let out a howl that flattened all the tress around the tomb, making a clearing where before there was none.

Lucar knew that had he not been imbued with power he would have been dead now, but as it was the dragon followed him and together they would shape this world. He approached the dragon wanting to touch its ancient bones and share with it the glory of his Lord.

The dragon twitched as he put his hands on it's rib cage, but it didn't try and move as the black lines from Lucard twisted their way around the its bones. The hollows where the eyes had been were filled with a green light that burned like fire and it stretched its wings a black shroud covering them and giving the dragon back its ability to fly.

“You are back to bring destruction once again.” Lucar used his mind to converse with the dragon.

The dragon threw with its head and screamed in rage and Lucar smiled. He should be angry the humans had slain the dragon and left it here in the forest to be forgotten, a dragon shouldn't be forgotten it should be used.

“ I understand your rage and we will kill them all.”

“Death.” Came a reply from the dragon and Lucar laughed, yes death to all and then a new world would be born from the ashes.

Lucar uttered a few word and his feet was hovering above the ground. The dragon crouched and made itself lower so Lucar could mount it, the black shroud on the dragon's back forming around Lucar.

With another roar the dragon took its first steps in a hundred years and the ground trembled as it moved. Lucar willed it down a path that lead from the tomb and as they walked the forest around them came alive with movement.

Skeletons in the thousands moved through the forest, knights dead in hundred of years, but now brought back to fight again and animals with green eyes and black hides followed in their wake. Lucar's next goal Castle Archen was straight ahead and Lucar laughed as the sun rose above the hills and the alarm horns filled the air.

“Tremble for the shadow is unending.” The army howled as the the dragon let out a stream of green fire as it lifted from the ground and soared through the sky.

Laura de Archen was a powerful woman, with no husband she was the Lord of her own castle and she loved it. She had never felt so alive as the day as her horrible husband died and she was free again, before that her blue eyes had been tired and she never smiled. Now free she almost always smiled and her eyes had a new lustre to them.

She was standing at her balcony as the horns were blown and she could see the army that threatened her castle far away in the distant. “Stop that.” She waved away the servant that had been brushing her hair, she was the Duchess of this castle and there was a defence to organise.

The gate was already closed and she could see guards running all over the walls with arrows and bolts for the ballistas. She turned away from the balcony and walked back to her room. A room fitting a Duchess with gold everywhere and five servants waited on her.

“Find me something fit for war and get me my Marshal!” She shouted at them feeling her good temper ruined and it had been such a fine morning.

She had around three hundred different coloured dresses, but to find something that could pass for a war dress took a bit longer than she thought it would and she was just done when the Marshal arrived.

“The men are ready and we will send them back to their graves.” So it was true, Laura had never really believed all this talk about walking dead.

“Have we sent for help?”

“Yes mam I sent our fastest riders to Cirwal, help will get here.” Marshal Dugan was a capable man and Laura was glad she had him.

“What about the catacombs?”

“They are secured and we are ready to burn anything that moves.” Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all, now they just had to hold the walls and that they knew how to do.

“Then let the Saint bless us and bring us the strength to send these walking dead to the grave where they belong.”

“We all pray for that mam.” He looked ready to go and Laura let him, there was nothing more to do than wait.