the Tarthun barbarians and raiders. As they surveyed the land and moved their gazes west, everything appeared so still and peaceful. With the sky ablaze with pink and orange hues, Al couldn’t help but comment on the beauty they saw.
“Give me my tunnels,” Alferug replied. “I wouldn’t trade my home for a vast, empty sky. It feels so cold.”
Al laughed. “Spend a few nights under the stars, and you will change your mind,” Al said.
“I spent time sleeping under the stars, when your brother exiled me,” Alferug said curtly. “No, I prefer to have a roof of stone over my head. I want the forges burning hot beneath my feet and I want walls of stone so thick that dragons themselves couldn’t claw through.”
Al smirked and slapped Alferug on the shoulder. “Come, the moon should be high enough soon.”
The day ultimately yielded to the dark, thick blanket of night. Stars began to appear as the last colors of the day faded away. Twinkling blue and green dots littered the sky, adding their lights to that of the bright crescent moon. Al scanned the rocks in the same spot where he had found the moonstone before. It barely took more than a minute to locate the glowing stone. “There,” Al said.
“As impressive as it was the first time,” Alferug commented.
Al rushed over and placed his hand below the moonstone. “I Aldehenkaru’hktanah Sit’marihu, command the door of kings to open and allow entrance to Roegudok Hall.”
The mountain groaned. Shale and pebbles bounced and vibrated away from the landing they stood upon as the rock itself came alive, sliding and scraping as it writhed before them. A massive, arched slab of slate and granite removed itself to the side and revealed a shallow cavern that covered a glowing blue doorway, covered in runes and designs of stars and moons.
Al walked inside without hesitating. He reached up to the side of the cavern, grasping a brass tube. As Al twisted the brass tube, a stream of light emerged from the end and shone upon a small spot on the door. Satisfied that he had adjusted the light correctly, Al walked forward to the door.
“It appears the jewel is missing,” Alferug pointed out.
“No, we left it here after we entered,” Al said. He moved toward the door and slid his fingers along the edge of the hole where he had placed the pink gemstone. “It should be right…”
“What is it?” Alferug asked when Al didn’t finish his sentence.
Al didn’t answer. He turned and started frantically searching the floor of the cave. “It was here. It was here!”
Alferug dropped to his knees and the two of them searched everywhere for the gemstone they had used to open the secondary barrier the first time they found the secret library.
“It’s gone,” Al said. “The key is gone.”
“How could that be?” Alferug asked.
Al shook his head. Then his face soured as it dawned on him. “Threnton must have taken it after catching us.”
*****
On top of a snow-capped granite peak which rose high above the clouds in the sky, Hiasyntar’Kulai was stretching his wings as he surveyed the land before him. The sun was just rising in the east, throwing its pink and orange hues through the sky and starting to warm the world as it shook off night’s blanket. He had flown thousands of miles to the west of the Middle Kingdom, traveling over oceans and nations to arrive last night upon the eastern most edges of Svatal Island, which was inhabited by Svetli’Tai elves.
It was also the last known resting place of Gorensikdar, a mighty Ancient who had also been the cause of much mischief and grief in Terramyr. This particular dragon had been slain in battle at the hands of elves, and a human king who rode upon a great white dragon.
Hiasyntar’Kulai threw his mighty head back and let out a roar that caused the mountain upon which he stood to tremble, and scattered the clouds from before him. His terrible voice echoed around him several times after he finished.
“Give me my tunnels,” Alferug replied. “I wouldn’t trade my home for a vast, empty sky. It feels so cold.”
Al laughed. “Spend a few nights under the stars, and you will change your mind,” Al said.
“I spent time sleeping under the stars, when your brother exiled me,” Alferug said curtly. “No, I prefer to have a roof of stone over my head. I want the forges burning hot beneath my feet and I want walls of stone so thick that dragons themselves couldn’t claw through.”
Al smirked and slapped Alferug on the shoulder. “Come, the moon should be high enough soon.”
The day ultimately yielded to the dark, thick blanket of night. Stars began to appear as the last colors of the day faded away. Twinkling blue and green dots littered the sky, adding their lights to that of the bright crescent moon. Al scanned the rocks in the same spot where he had found the moonstone before. It barely took more than a minute to locate the glowing stone. “There,” Al said.
“As impressive as it was the first time,” Alferug commented.
Al rushed over and placed his hand below the moonstone. “I Aldehenkaru’hktanah Sit’marihu, command the door of kings to open and allow entrance to Roegudok Hall.”
The mountain groaned. Shale and pebbles bounced and vibrated away from the landing they stood upon as the rock itself came alive, sliding and scraping as it writhed before them. A massive, arched slab of slate and granite removed itself to the side and revealed a shallow cavern that covered a glowing blue doorway, covered in runes and designs of stars and moons.
Al walked inside without hesitating. He reached up to the side of the cavern, grasping a brass tube. As Al twisted the brass tube, a stream of light emerged from the end and shone upon a small spot on the door. Satisfied that he had adjusted the light correctly, Al walked forward to the door.
“It appears the jewel is missing,” Alferug pointed out.
“No, we left it here after we entered,” Al said. He moved toward the door and slid his fingers along the edge of the hole where he had placed the pink gemstone. “It should be right…”
“What is it?” Alferug asked when Al didn’t finish his sentence.
Al didn’t answer. He turned and started frantically searching the floor of the cave. “It was here. It was here!”
Alferug dropped to his knees and the two of them searched everywhere for the gemstone they had used to open the secondary barrier the first time they found the secret library.
“It’s gone,” Al said. “The key is gone.”
“How could that be?” Alferug asked.
Al shook his head. Then his face soured as it dawned on him. “Threnton must have taken it after catching us.”
*****
On top of a snow-capped granite peak which rose high above the clouds in the sky, Hiasyntar’Kulai was stretching his wings as he surveyed the land before him. The sun was just rising in the east, throwing its pink and orange hues through the sky and starting to warm the world as it shook off night’s blanket. He had flown thousands of miles to the west of the Middle Kingdom, traveling over oceans and nations to arrive last night upon the eastern most edges of Svatal Island, which was inhabited by Svetli’Tai elves.
It was also the last known resting place of Gorensikdar, a mighty Ancient who had also been the cause of much mischief and grief in Terramyr. This particular dragon had been slain in battle at the hands of elves, and a human king who rode upon a great white dragon.
Hiasyntar’Kulai threw his mighty head back and let out a roar that caused the mountain upon which he stood to tremble, and scattered the clouds from before him. His terrible voice echoed around him several times after he finished.
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