The Necromancer's Dragon

by C D Muller

  “Hopefully we won’t have to anymore,” Selena assured.

  Thor sniffed the air.

  I think you were right from earlier. I sense something unnatural and… it feels malicious.

  He got up and walked down the passage. Selena grabbed her shield and sword to follow him.

  Their path continued to lead to a stone door with moss growing along the sides. Water leaked from the ceiling. A few rats ran towards them; one of them went towards Thor’s leg and began to bite him. Selena quickly slashed her sword at it, killing it instantly while Thor stomped on another. He picked it up with his talons and sniffed it.

  It’s diseased, he hissed in response and tossed it aside.

  Selena looked at him and turned her gaze back upon the stone door. She lifted her hand and pushed it open.

  Chapter 27:

  Although she was not sure if this chamber would lead to the resting place of Ragnarok, Selena had a feeling that it would. Perhaps she could put an end to the continuous bloodshed. She would avenge those who died in Helshire, Erik, and everyone who suffered from the wrath of the Lich.

  The next chamber was in complete, utter darkness. It was as if they were trapped in an endless void. It was a realm of emptiness and fear.

  For a moment, she felt alone. It was not a normal feeling; it was more of that sense of being in complete and utter darkness; a cold whisper that brushed against her ear as she shuddered. She continued reluctantly into the unwelcome embrace of the darkness as it swallowed her and Thor into the abyss of secrets that it contained. She began to breathe heavily as she reached out, blindingly trying to touch her dragon. Aside from the lightning and thunder, she was terrified of the dark. She tried her best not to scream. Even if she did, she felt that her cries would be swallowed by the void, leaving her silent.

  Her hands touched his rough hide and she felt calm once more.

  I was scared you had left me, she whispered through her tears, ignoring the pain.

  I will never leave you. I don’t want you to be afraid. There is nothing that we cannot overcome together.

  Thor whispered back. She felt him nudge his head against hers.

  But the darkness…

  Thor kept whispering to her.

  Let me be your light.

  She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck to embrace him before taking another step forward.

  “I can’t see shit,” Rahim whispered.

  Selena was not sure if her idea would work; she waved her hand and a small flame appeared in the middle of her palm. Holding her hand up as if it were a candle, Selena looked around her surroundings to get a better.

  The darkness faded away. The inside of the chamber was enormous. Both she and Thor walked along a stone path while Rahim propped himself up from the saddle’s edge. They were enclosed in a circular room where parts of the walls were made of stone, and the top edge that merged with the ceiling was made of metal.

  Selena, over here, Thor called out. She followed where he was and saw that there was a lever sticking out of the wall near the entrance. What do you suppose this does?

  I don’t know, but let’s find out.

  Selena, without another thought, pulled it down with one hand.

  A loud screeching noise pierced the air. The top of their circular dome began to move. The metal casing at the very tip opened at the center and folded downward, revealing the night sky above them. It stopped when it reached the walls, leaving a dome of thick glass in its place. The beautiful stars were like candles in the emptiness and the full moon that hung in the sky lit the entire chamber.

  In the middle was a large, circular, metal object with a large crystal that glowed on the very top. A metal arch was above the device with a smaller stone in the middle. Surrounding it appeared to be mirrors stationed on the walls of the chamber.

  The device was alien; she had never seen anything like it before. It looked similar to the drawings she saw from the scroll that the Empress gave her.

  Thor, I think I know what this does. I think this is one of the inventions made by the dwarves that can predict the future. But how do we make it work?

  Thor lifted his head and stared at the crystal that stood at the focal point of the machine.

  I think you should try to cast magic at it.

  What makes you believe that will work?

  Crystals give off energy. Perhaps if you shot magic at it then the stone will power the device.

  Selena repeated what Thor said to Rahim.

  “Just shoot magic and hope that it works, right?” Rahim asked enthusiastically.

  The three laughed. Selena remembered from her research that the dwarves combined magic to power their technology.

  She held out her hands and cast a fireball in the direction of the large crystal. The rays of light from the magic reflected off the mirrors. The smaller crystal in the middle of the arch began to collect the light from the stars above. It then projected the light from the stars onto the stone wall behind the device.

  Selena and Thor quickly ran over behind it to see what the crystal was creating.

  When she reached the back of the metal object, she saw that there was something written in the Elven Language from the stars.

  The dwarves were very technologically advanced in creating such a mechanism, Thor said in awe.

  I can’t believe that we’re here in discovery of this! I just wish I knew what this reads. I have so many questions about the future. Nevertheless, this is still absolutely amazing, such an astonishing find!

  “That’s great, but how do we read the darn thing? Ugh! I wish Niamh were here! She started researching the Elven Language! She could have helped us!” Rahim cried.

  Selena turned around and saw an altar hidden in the shadows behind it. The light refracted onto the mirrors reflected upon the surface of what appeared to be a blade sheathed in the altar.

  It was thick and black, while emanating a peculiar purple glow. The metal was alien; she had never seen anything like it before. The hilt of the sword had a large purple stone with two black dragons on either side of the handle, twisting together near the guard. The blade was smooth, but she could sense an unnatural presence about it.

  “Whoa! Is that it?” Rahim asked.

  Selena’s heart began to race as she wanted to reach out and touch it. She was this close to Ragnarok, just a mere breath away. The legend was true, it was right there, almost as if it were mocking her.

  So tempted to reach out and grab it – but she quickly pulled her hand back. Her other research notes were also perhaps correct, that she might end up going insane with a simple touch.

  “Be careful!” Rahim called out.

  She closed her eyes as she reached forward. For a moment, she was expecting to feel herself slip, mentally.

  When she opened them, Selena saw that she was touching the smooth and glossy surface of the weapon. She breathed heavily as she wrapped her fingers around the handle and pulled it out of the altar with ease. The sound of the unsheathing sword rang through the inside of the chamber.

  The weapon was ice cold to the touch and light as Dragonheart.

  “By the Divines, you found it!” Rahim exclaimed.

  You are brave, young one. I was afraid you would have grown mad like Gundisalvus. What do you plan to do with it?

  Selena was not sure; at first she thought to perhaps take it for herself, but she knew that with whatever power it contained, she could not even control it. She then thought that maybe she could destroy it so that it would never be used. No matter her solution, it would have to be immediately brought to the Empress for her final decision as to what to do.

  However, after a few moments, Selena felt another cold feeling. She suddenly froze in her place, feeling a sense of fear rise within her. She could not find the strength to move nor to speak. Her heart rate increased drastically as she struggled to take a breath.

  Thor noticed this and spread out his wings. He frantically looked around him. Selena then heard
laughter in the back of her head, followed by a deathly shriek.

  She fell to her knees with the sword still grasped tightly in her hands. The purple aura became brighter as she wheezed and coughed. The air became a chilling frost that bit into her skin. Her body trembled out of absolute fear, like she felt in her nightmares. The laughter she heard sounded eerily familiar, pulling on the strings of what little sanity she had left. She felt as if she were being mentally torn from the inside.

  Selena clutched her chest out of pain, as she fell on all fours and began coughing uncontrollably. She dropped Ragnarok beside her, wondering if this was the effect of the sword. However, she forced herself to glance up as she saw her dragon growl at the similar figure she saw within her mind.

  The man who walked over to her lifted up his hood and Selena recognized him as Myrrdin.

  “You? How did you get in here?” she asked.

  “I saw you running through the forest and I had to come in after you! You and your friends are in danger! Come with me!” Myrrdin responded.

  All the while he spoke, Thor kept glaring at him and remained unresponsive. Selena ignored his demeanor.

  “We’re about to leave here anyway, but you shouldn’t have followed us,” she said again. Myrrdin’s eyes sparkled when he saw Ragnarok but he tore his gaze away.

  “I saw how large the Lich’s army was in Alfheim,” he continued, “we honestly don’t stand a chance against him. It would be a futile effort unless we leave the city behind.”

  “What are you talking about? We can’t leave Alfheim behind in this state!”

  Selena, I sense something is wrong. Was this the boy that you met at the Grand Exchange?

  Yes, but very briefly and again when we finally got to the city. What’s wrong with you?

  “Is your dragon okay?” Myrrdin asked, interrupting their thoughts. “Has he grown mad from Ragnarok?”

  “I think you should listen to your dragon,” Rahim warned. “Something doesn’t seem right about him!”

  Thor’s low grumbles turned into menacing growls.

  What’s gotten into you?

  Don’t you see? Can’t you feel it? He’s the Lich! Myrrdin is Venexus!

  At his words, Myrrdin clasped his hands together and began uttering a prayer in an unknown language. He looked up and gave a heartless and malevolent smile.

  In that instant, his form changed. His face became concealed behind an eerie white mask with black holes for the eyes and mouth. His ghastly white skin tightly hugged the features of his narrow skull, set deep within the black linen folds of his cloak. Black poison dripped from his sleeves. What terrified her most were his new piercing red eyes containing slits for pupils. Surrounding him were five others, all too indistinct for her to see.

  She tried to scream, but could not find the strength to.

  “It seems you saw right through me, dragon. No matter. I would have spoiled all the fun if I kept up this charade any longer.”

  His voice was cold and shrill.

  Selena trembled to stand up as she reached for the sword beside her. Thor circled around her, hissing with his fangs bared. He nodded towards his minions as they stepped forth. Selena quickly looked all around frantically and held up the blade in defense.

  “There it is. I already knew where it was, but no one was allowed to touch it, except someone of divine birth. I thought that perhaps what I was solely after would have followed you here.”

  “What do you mean?” Selena was confused.

  Her question was ignored.

  “Shape-shifters are magnificent creatures, aren’t they? They hold power and immortality. You should know that out of all people. They can also be manipulative. I’m sure that he didn’t tell you. I thought that you were his precious darling after all?”

  The more he spoke, the more baffled Selena became. He sounded as though he were mad, babbling nonsense about shape-shifters.

  Thor looked around with his wings spread out, readying himself for an attack.

  “I thought that maybe you were used to hearing babbling nonsense by now,” Venexus said after a long moment of silence.

  “You can read my thoughts?” Selena asked in astonishment and fear.

  “I’ve been reading your thoughts since the day you were born, or should I say, born again? Don’t you recall all of those wonderful dreams you’ve had since you were living with Chaliss? They were a gift from me to you. I gave you those dreams of parts of Gundisalvus’ life for you to enjoy, since you have developed a keen interest in him and his works. I led you to break into his house. I knew that the curiosity was sparked within you the moment you first heard about Ragnarok and that you couldn’t resist not knowing any secret that he left behind after his death. I figured that it was the least that I could do for you.”

  “You led me there for the Order to capture me,” Selena whispered. “They knew I was there.”

  “Yes, but they were incompetent,” Venexus said as if he were bored. “I should have gone there myself, but I didn’t want to make such a scene. Besides, I figured it would be more fun to watch you as my puppet while I get to pull the strings. As I’ve planned, everything led you directly to me in the end. Even from the very moment you and I first met face to face in the Grand Exchange till now. It was so easy of me to gain your trust.

  “You have no comprehension as to what sort of power you have in your possession at this very moment. You are too immature in the uses of magic to control such a powerful weapon. Your spells are—shall I say—too elementary. I can sense your ambition, though. The very desire to grow powerful in the ways of magic rests within you. Give it to me, and I will show you how to use it. I can show you how to unlock your abilities.”

  Selena, he’s tempting you! Don’t listen to anything that he says!

  Her hands continued to shake, and she was unable to think rationally. She did wish to learn more about magic. However, she felt that it might be for the wrong reasons; but she could then use that power to protect what she could not before. She had the possibility of using Ragnarok to rebuild her village; to bring back all of the people she knew, to get her life back, to be with her mother and father again.

  She looked at him as he held out his hand, expecting her to give him the sword. Selena then stared back at Ragnarok.

  “Selena! Don’t do it! Don’t give him Ragnarok!” Rahim cried out again.

  “You only want Ragnarok to use its power to take over the world,” Selena stated.

  “You still know nothing,” Venexus growled through his teeth. “Haven’t you noticed all of the corruption within this so-called perfect world you see? Look around you! Why do you fight so hard to keep this filthy world? Everyone you know selfishly used you as a tool to protect themselves! Look at the Council. Do they really try to maintain chaos and to make this world better? They are even more corrupted than I am!

  “Don’t you want to live in a world of perfect harmony where the very creator won’t turn his back to let the world run its course towards destruction as its fate? Give me Ragnarok, and I can give you that perfect world. I will show you how to live forever and to possess the magic to protect a world that’s worthy of existence. Together, we can use the Divine’s power from the sword to open the portal to Oblivion itself! Within Oblivion, we can cleanse the world’s sin!”

  “You're mad! That would only disrupt the balance of all that exists! It would destroy everything!” Selena exclaimed.

  “It's the only way,” Venexus continued, “Ragnarok can make it happen! It's the key that I need, the one that you're holding in your hands right now!”

  Selena trembled and backed away. She knew that the Council manipulated everyone in Armageddon, including the Empress herself, like a puppet, to do what they wished. However, her thoughts then raced to all of the friends she had made through her adventures: Thor, her life in Helshire Village, to Silver, to her parents; it could not have been a lie.

  Or could it?

  She tightly closed her eyes as she b
egan to cry.

  “You liar!” she forced herself to scream, “even if what you said is true, the world still deserves a second chance! They can change!”

  “You’re despicable, Liongod!” Venexus cried out. “You grow sick of seeing the corruption around you and yet, you want to give this world another chance to redeem itself? How pathetic! Have you already forgotten how the Council used you as a tool to save their skins? How your parents kept your birth a secret? They were going to kill you and you still want to save them?”

  “Everyone deserves a second chance at redemption. They can change, and I will do what I can to protect everyone. I will save the world from you!” Selena called out again.

  “Then you are condemned to Oblivion just like the rest of them,” Venexus responded with a hiss, “I will not let you stand in my way. You will learn to bow to me!”

  Selena glared at him, fighting off her feelings of fear. Although she was standing in front of the lich, the most powerful necromancer from Oblivion, she felt a sense of courage rise within her. She held Ragnarok proudly in her hands, ready to use its power.

  I used to think that I would never find Ragnarok, she whispered to Thor.

  But you did! All of that research just to know where it was so that you could protect it from ever being found. I know you and that your intentions are good. Use its power against him!

  Try and keep Rahim safe.

  “Lich or not,” Selena shouted, this time towards Venexus, “I am not afraid of you! I will fight back to protect our existence!”

  “You have already interfered with my plans and I will not let you interfere again,” Venexus growled. He then waved his hands and muttered something in an unknown language that sounded more like a chant. His skeleton-like hands were covered in a black and purple aura, as a mist appeared near him, summoning a weapon for himself. The hilt consisted of a skull that sat squarely in the middle at the handle, caressing the large scythe that curved inward, a crimson blade that was the color of blood.

  Venexus hissed at her as he lifted up his weapon to try to attack her. He moved too fast for her to follow his movements. She ducked as she saw his blade slash through the air towards her head, but he stopped and aimed for her side.