`There it is!' I exclaim. `Now all we have to do is lure him out of there.'
`Why don't we just go inside?' asks Flora.
`He'd be at an advantage there. I'm sure it's full of boobytraps. No, we'll lure him out into the open.'
`How do we lure him out?'
`Don't worry! I've got a plan!'
Flora tries to ask something, but before she could say a word, a man appears in front of us, out of nowhere. An elderly man with black, partly gray hair. He is wearing a wizard robe, and an idiot's expression on his face.
`Ah-ha! I've got you!' he exclaims.
Before I could respond, Flora addresses him.
`You? I know you! From Kh'Tal... You attacked me by Lake Yeren. You wanted my amulet...'
`Ah, you remember me! How sweet...' he replies.
`I take it you are Drabangar then?' I ask. `The soon-to-be-late Drabangar?'
`Save your wisecracks! I'm about to kill you both!' he replies.
`Last I checked, I had you beaten in Kh'Tal!' says Flora. `You ran! Today, I will kill you!'
`Will you now?' he asks, emphasizing the last word. Before either of us could reply, I feel a strange weakness overwhelm me, and I feel magical energies being released around me. Seems like Flora is feeling it, too.
`What the fuck?!' I exclaim.
`That's it, Zack! You're done!' says a deep voice from behind me. I turn around to see who it is.
`Grenshaur?!'
The lowdown motherfucking cocksucker is standing there in the company of six other lizardmen. All of them holding a wand in their hands.
`Yes, Zack! It is I. You didn't think I'd quit so easy, did you?'
`We should have killed you...' says Flora with an angry, but weak voice. Sounds like she's struggling to stay conscious.
`I'll rectify that in two seconds...' I tell her, and I pull out the SMG 11000 from my belt and aim it at Grenshaur's head. Before I could pull the trigger, he and his lackeys wave their wands at us, and a moment later, the tips of the wands all light up briefly with a reddish light. At the same time, a sense of weakness overwhelms me, and I drop to my knees and lower my weapon.
`You... shiteating... mother... fucker...' I tell Grenshaur, and then I fall to the ground. Darkness falls upon me...
*
I awake with a motherfucking headache. Damn, this is familiar... Except that it seems my hands are tied behind my back. I glance around, and see that Flora is lying on the ground in a similar state. There is a strange collar on her neck.
`Oh fuck!' I exclaim, and begin focusing on the ropes with my magic, trying to tear them apart.
Nothing happens.
`Fuck!'
`Do you like the collar, Zack?'
I turn my head towards the voice. Grenshaur sits there on a large rock, not far from me. He has my weapons and my magic pouch with him. He's examining the SMG 11000.
`Why don't you spare me the trouble and shoot yourself you thieving cumface fancyprick?' I ask him. He spits to the ground in response.
`You didn't think it would end up this way, did you? That Ghaubel would betray you, and I'd get you in the end? That's the problem with people like you. You have a such a big fucking ego, you think you're better than everybody else. That's exactly what leads to the fall of the likes of you. Every time! Those like you, Zack... You are your own worst enemy!'
Before I could reply something to his bullshit comments, I hear Flora starting to stir. I turn my head towards her, and I see as she slowly understands what is happening with us. She cries out in anger, and then starts to struggle like crazy. Well, this looks bad. As strong as she is, those ropes shouldn't be able hold her hands. She should tear them without any effort. The collar must be draining her strength.
Fuck!
`Pull them up!' says Grenshaur, and his lackeys approach us. They grab me and stand me up. They also grab the struggling Flora and force her to stand. Grenshaur arises and walks up to her and looks her in the eye.
`Forget it, bitch! You're not going anywhere. That nice collar you see on Zack's neck? It stops him from using any magic. You've got one, too. Yours stops you from shapeshifting, and renders you as weak as a regular elf. You are not breaking free. You're mine now.'
`Fuck you!' says Flora, and she tries to headbutt Grenshaur, or perhaps bite him. But his lackeys hold her tight, and she cannot reach him. Grenshaur grabs her hair and pulls her head back by the hair.
`Fuck me? Maybe fuck you! Bitch! I must say, no-one's been a tougher rundown than you! But I've got you now! You'd better get used to it!' Flora stares at him with anger, but he turns away from her, and faces me.
`Now Zack, this is the moment I take what I want. Neither of you is going to stop me.'
`I'll have to agree with Flora here. Go fuck yourself! Right, Flora?'
She doesn't reply. I glance towards her, expecting her to reply something sharp. But as I look at her, I see that she is just staring forward blankly with an empty stare.
`Flora?' I ask. She still doesn't respond.
Grenshaur turns back to her, and waves his hand in front of her eyes. She doesn't respond in any way.
`Strange... Well, no matter.' he says, and then he reaches for the amulet around Flora's neck. As he touches it, he narrows his eyes.
He pulls his hand back and turns around, then walks back a few steps. Then he turns towards me. He pulls a small rod from his belt. He aims it at us both, and it flashes brightly when he turns it towards me.
`Drabangar!' he exclaims. Only now do I notice that the dumb-looking mage is nowhere in sight. I hear his voice from behind me.
`What?'
`The amulet is around her neck, but your trinket tells me it is in his possession. She is wearing a fake amulet, they wanted to trick us! But I saw through it, I know how he thinks.' says Grenshaur, pointing at me.
The dumb-looking mage circles around us and slowly enters my line of sight. He waves his hand towards me, and a moment later he narrows his eyes.
`You are correct!' he says to Grenshaur. `He has it! Go, take it from him!'
Grenshaur approaches me.
`What, are you too chicken to take it yourself you fullfucked old cockgeezer?' I ask the mage. He doesn't reply. He just waits for Grenshaur to retrieve the stone. Grenshaur moves the rod around for a while, then he reaches directly towards the pocket of my coat where I hid the Shadestone earlier. He removes it, and examines it curiously. Then he turns to the dumb-looking mage.
`The artifact!' he cries out, and then rips it out of Grenshaur's hands. `He has removed the artifact from the amulet! The fool!'
Artifact? I suppose you could call it that... It's said to be pretty old. But isn't it shorter to call it a stone?
`You have what you wanted, Drabangar. Now where's my money?' asks Grenshaur.
`Later! Don't worry, you'll get it shortly! But this is urgent! I must summon my Master...'
*
Drabangar teleports away, and I am left alone with Flora, Grenshaur, and his lackeys. A few minutes pass, and the idiot mage returns. In the company of another mage. He's a tall human man, wearing a robe similar to Drabangar's, and a cloak. He carries no staff, and stands like a man full of strength, despite his apparent age. He looks a little older than Drabangar, but like him, he has no beard or mustache. He walks towards us slowly.
`This is him?' he asks.
`Yes, Master Voi'Shek.' says Drabangar.
The tall mage raises his right hand and reveals the Shadestone in it.
`You! Did you remove the artifact from the amulet?'
`Well, yeah! I did. It wasn't so hard. Why?'
`You fool! Do you have any idea what you were tampering with?!' he asks, strictly.
`Hell yeah! I heard all about the Shadestone. A fun little toy!'
`You ignorant fool! You know nothing!' he replies. Then the dumb-looking mage interrupts.
`I told you, Master Voi'Shek! He has no idea what he's meddling with! He's a reckless, careless fool!'
`Why the Hell is that retard calling you Voi'Shek?' I ask the tall mage. He stares me in the eye with a strict look, and then just says:
`Why shouldn't he?'
`Well maybe because it sounds fucking ridiculous to call you by the name of a guy who's been dead for five thousand years.'
`Not dead. Missing...' he says, slowly.
`Huh? What, are you claiming to be Voi'Shek? Hahaha! That's good!'
`You dare mock the Dreamer?!' interrupts Drabangar. `Silence yourself, you fool!'
I turn towards him.
`Are you two idiots totally fucking crazy? I mean you fucking pricks can't be fucking serious that you actually fucking think that... that... Wait a minute... That symbol on your chest... The dragon with the glowing orb... I know it. It's the symbol of the Draconian Brotherhood! Oh, fuck!'
I turn to the tall mage.
`Oh fuck! You really are Voi'Shek, aren't you? You look just like on the fucking painting!'
No response. He just stares at me strictly in silence.
`Oh fuck! How in the fuck? You can't fucking be alive! Oh fuck! Where the fuck have you been all this time? Oh... fuck!'
`A little less profanity would improve your image, young wizard.' he says, like he was trying to teach me a lesson.
`Well excuse me if I'm a little bit excited about having met the greatest fucking mage of this motherfucking world...'
`Excited? No. You are scared of me.'
`No I am not!'
`You are. You know of me. Of my power.'
`Well, I know legends... I was not exactly alive in your time, you know...'
`Legends... I have been largely forgotten, it seems. I am but a myth now. Aren't I?'
`Well... Everyone thought you were dead. A lot of things happened since you... well, vanished...'
`Yes. Five thousand years are a long time.' he says, and then he looks into the distance. A while later, he turns back to me.
`It's time for you to die. Drabangar! Kill them!' he exclaims.
`Wait!' interrupts Grenshaur. `Don't kill him! Give him to me instead!'
`Who are you?' asks the tall mage, turning to Grenshaur.
`He is a bounty hunter.' says Drabangar. `I retrieved the artifact with his assistance. He was very useful.'
Voi'Shek looks at him strictly.
`I expected you to be able to retrieve it on your own. You disappoint me.'
`Forgive me, Master Voi'Shek...'
`Quit whining and stop trembling!' says Voi'Shek harshly. Then he turns to Grenshaur.
`And you? Why do you want this man?' he asks, pointing at me.
`Because he's worth a fortune as a slave. I know someone who will pay me handsomely. Give him to me! He is no danger to you. Not any more. I will even forfeit my payment in exchange.'
`He is far too reckless to be allowed to roam free.'
`He will not. My buyer will most certainly see to that, I assure you!'
`Fine. He's yours, but I'd better not see him again!'
`Don't worry, you won't. He's not going anywhere!'
Voi'Shek nods, and then walks away from me.
`Drabangar! We are leaving. It's time we started reforming the Brotherhood!' he says. With that, they wave their hands and teleport away. So Flora and I are left in the company of Grenshaur and his lackeys.
For old times' sake
Somewhere in Draconia, present day (1 day and 12 hours before Twilightfall)
`Alright, Grenshaur, who's buying?' I ask, and the big ugly moron smiles at me widely. Yech, what a grin...
`An old acquaintance of yours.' he says.
`How much is he paying?'
`She.'
`What?'
`You heard me.'
`Fuck! You gotta be kidding, it can't be her!'
`Who else would pay a fortune for your ass?'
`She's gonna kill me! And you're selling me to her?!'
`I don't think she wants to kill you. She wants something else. Of course that might be worse than death... In any case, it's not my business what she does to you after she pays me.'
`Listen... I'll pay you double!'
`Forget it!'
`I'll pay you triple!'
`No deal, Zack! I owed you for sparing my life and I paid that debt to you a few minutes ago, but don't think I forgot how you hindered me in trying to apprehend the vampire bitch! This is my payback for that. After this, we will truly be even, you and I!'
`Do you actually trust her to pay you? What makes you think she won't just kill you?'
`What am I, Zack?'
`You're a bounty hunter.'
`Idiot! What kind of creature am I?!'
`Well, you're a lizardman.'
`That's why she won't kill me. I'm sure I needn't explain this any better. Don't play dumb for me.'
`Fine, she won't kill you, but what makes you think she'll pay you?'
`It's more likely that she pays me, than that you would if I let you go.'
`Are you saying I can't be trusted?'
He stares at me like a teacher at a dumb student. Very motherfucking nice of him, that...
`Do you really want me to answer that question?' he asks.
Before I could reply, I hear the sound of wings flapping. Dragon wings. I look towards the source of the sounds. A distance away, I see some flying creatures approaching.
`I'll pay you quadruple!' I tell Grenshaur, but he just laughs and walks away from me. He heads towards the arriving dragons. A minute later, eight adult dragons land on the small clearing.
Dragons... Large, threatening, yet beautiful creatures. I always admired their kind. They have a majestic grace that other species lack. They refer to the intelligent creatures of Ess'yer as lesser races, and while most Ess'yerians feel that is an insult, I strongly disagree. We are lessers compared to the dragons. We most certainly are...
Yes, dragons are majestic creatures. It's just a pity that a few of them are so arrogant that they think they are fit to rule the world... It's also a pity that these few always manage to find enough loyal followers...
Some humanoid figures jump off the backs of the dragons. Most of them are scale-covered figures. Half-dragons. But there is another figure amongst them, a woman who appears to be human. She jumps off the back of the largest dragon.
She looks the same in her human shape as the last time I saw her so long ago. A beautiful red haired woman with a most awkward choice of attire. Her reddish metal armor shines under the light of the sun. The armor comprises plate boots, a breastplate, and a pair of gauntlets. And pretty much nothing else. Her upper arms, her shoulders, and her thighs are completely bare, and the cleavage of her chest armor is significant as well. I always wondered if that armor does in fact offer her any protection at all, or she only wears it to distract her foes in battle. Or make her male followers drool at the very sight of her...
`Queen Meliorath! It is an honor to see you!' says Grenshaur.
`Spare me the ass-kissing, Grenshaur! Where is he?' asks Mel'.
`Right here!' he tells her, and he leads her to me. She smirks with a devious satisfaction when she spots me.
`Why didn't you gag him?'
`The collar is more useful than a gag. He cannot cast spells, or even activate magic tattoos of power this way. He's all yours, and he's not going anywhere!'
`Good.'
They get closer and closer, and finally she stops just a few steps away from me.
`Hi, Zack! It's been a while, hasn't it?'
`Yeah. Quite a while.' I tell her.
`Touching reunion.' interrupts Grenshaur. `Now where is my money?'
Mel' turns to one of her servants and slightly nods. This servant tosses a small pouch towards the lizardman. A magic pouch, probably filled with lots and lots of coin.
Grenshaur simply hangs it on his belt, and then slightly bows his head to Mel'.
`Won't you count it?' she asks him.
`No. I figure you know better than to doublecross me, oh Queen.'
`
Hahaha! Just get out of here, bounty hunter!'
He signals to his henchmen and starts to walk away, but not before turning to me briefly.
`Farewell, Zack! It's been nice knowing you.'
`Oh yeah? Well, fuck you, too!'
*
`You haven't changed a bit, Zack!' she says after Grenshaur's departure. `I haven't seen you in a hundred years, but you're still the same bigmouth lowdown bastard that you were a century ago.'
`Guys like me never change, Mel'! I say what's on my motherfucking mind, whether anybody motherfucking likes it or not.'
`Yes. Except when you're lying. Which is... why, just about whenever your lips are moving...'
`Are you still angry at me for that?'
`I don't forget easy, Zack. I especially won't forget what you did!'
`What I did? And here I thought it was something I said.'
`Both, actually.'
She steps close to me and she puts her right leg between my legs. Then she smirks and she...
`Argh!'
Fuck! The little bitch just planted her fucking knee in my balls...
`That was... uncalled for... Mel'...' I tell her, gasping.
`It was very much called for. I don't forget easy, remember?'
`Well... if that makes us even now... how about you let me go?'
`Forget it, Zack! You're coming with me!'
`Come on, Mel', please? Pretty please? Let me go... You know, for... old times' sake?'
`Old times' sake? Bah!' she says with an annoyed voice. `Those old times are precisely why you're here and still breathing. You're not dead yet because I want to torture you to death myself...'
Now isn't that nice...
Then she spots the dazed Flora to the left of me.
`Who's this? Your new girlfriend?'
`No. Just someone I know.'
`Really? She looks like she's your type. Pale skin, dark hair, elven features... Just what you like in women the most. Oh, I'm sorry, did I remind you of someone?' she says mockingly, referring to Ghaubel, I guess. As if I gave a fuck...
`That was so damn long ago that I barely even think about it.'
`Do you think she's watching us right now? We're out in the open, she can see it.'
`I have no doubt that she's watching. And smiling. The little bitch!'
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