by Lisa Jones
Blood of Four Dragons
By
Lisa Jones
* * * * *
PUBLISHED BY:
Copyright © 2012 by Lisa Jones
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Blood of Four Dragons
Dragons still exist on the world of Oleskia, far to the North on a continent untouched by any race of mortal being they sleep. The world of transition goes on; dragons have passed into myth, a story for a child at bedtime. The dwarf lord of Thazdulrene has been told of their rumored existence, so despite not having an encounter with one in over fifteen hundred years the dwarven people still hold the possibility the age of the ravaging dragons could return. Calamity seems to come from underground and the dwarves always have the misfortune of being on the frontline of every war. Another less stout people would have passed into extinction long ago. The dragons sleep, fifteen hundred years ago Zangoath who is the true lord of evil, also the master and creator of this current ages dark lord, his protégé Zangonath created a spell using the fog crystal, rending one of the invisible worlds and extracting only dark energies, using them to control the minds of the four dragon lords through the murkiness of the fog crystal, directing them to ravage the lands of the world. Zangoath had no concern for the people, not even as slave labor. He only wanted power, power over the dragons and secondly power to remake the world his kingdom for unspeakable evil, so he could own all.
By this rending he corrupted the minds of the once benevolent and wise dragon lords. This rending far exceeded the limits given to a sorcerer no matter how powerful they may think their dark magic makes them. Zangoath’s rending caused Xamuiez, the carrier of the universe to intervene. Zangoath was stripped of his power, changed into the form a hideously crippled old man and had the same spell of corruption placed upon his mind. In men, this instantly causes amnesia and madness. He was cursed to wander the earth in dementia and confusion until the final age. As for the dragons, they could not have the spell altered or removed once applied. Like a poison it would take time to run its course and work its way out of their system. This could take anywhere from hundreds to thousands of years. Xamuiez in his wisdom, understanding these four dragons were sick and not evil chose to place all of them and their hatchlings to sleep until the madness had left them, there was no need for their destruction. In time they would return and bless the world again, rebuilding what they had been forced to destroy against their will. It is true dragons are very wise and strong in the magical arts, yet their mind is reptilian in nature leaving them with a flaw no one knows of save a few sorcerers. This flaw allows certain magical spells combined with the right crystals and intentions of the sorcerer to control the dragons mind or at least alter its emotions or thoughts. There has not been found a way to stop this weakness despite millennia of magical study and experimentation. The saving grace is that no one living except Bultan the wizened and the now mad, wandering Zangoath even knows the nature of the dragon brain as it relates to this issue. To this date it has been fifteen hundred years according to the document titled dragons and their origins, said to have been spoken to Bultan by the carrier of the universe Xamuiez himself to serve as a guide for the races of the world and to be kept in the deepest dwarven mountain under the safety of the dwarven lord Nokaesh. Xamuiez has thus far not seen fit to wake them according to the legends. The four dragon lords, two male and two female are put forth in the ancient document, the document of dragons and their origins describes the four dragons before and after their corruption under Zangoath’s evil fog crystal spell.
Herein lies the four dragon lords, they now sleep away their corruption in the unseen northern land whose existence is known only to our lord Xamuiez. I shall describe the four great dragons, as they were for millennia before the evil spell and after, explaining what was done under Zangoath’s evil fog spell.
Zebial- Male, possessing powers of fire and flight, he was the first and largest of the dragons. Living underground in his hidden cave lair for four hundred years he reached a very large size, dragons continue to grow their entire lives. Benevolent from the beginning, yet curious and mischievous being the first of the dragons he made many mistakes learning his powers. In the process setting villages on fire on a few occasions and killing hundreds. Zebial is unfortunately responsible for creating the fear and hatred against dragons some humans still hold to this day. These accidents were done before the corruption of Zangoath, through the actions of a bumbling baby dragon with no other dragons to teach or guide him. The equivalent to unleashing a hundred foot child upon the world to explore and learn, bad things will happen in the process. Over the millennia many good things also happened and he performed many good deeds. I, Bultan found Zebial two hundred and forty one years after he had flown from his underground lair. Making Zebial six hundred and forty one at the first encounter in the western Sharmdewmon forest, I, Bultan could communicate telepathically with the great dragon and thus taught him the languages of all the races including the secret languages of plants, trees, insects and animals. This is how the first dragon learned to speak and the seed of the fabled dragon wisdom was planted. I tutored Zebial for millennia until his own knowledge and experience had outgrown mine. Zebial had grown both physically and mentally immensely under tutelage. Zebial began traveling far and wide to all races announcing his newfound understanding to the peoples of the world and begging forgiveness for his past blunders in their own tongue, thus the reputation and the understanding of the people in regards to the great dragon began to change. Zebial followed his words with action. The following is one such occasion in which he changed the world for the better.
One section of the country in the north of what is now Rozim was dry all year as their water source was a salt water sea. Yet the south had plenty of water from the river of separation. The leader of the north at the time found and begged Zebial to speak to the southern king and see if there was any way the river could be diverted to water both north and south without conflict. Zebial approached the southern king asking him to allow the construction of an artificial river connecting north and south. Zebial, in his wisdom explained not only would it increase happiness by providing the people with more food and an end to floods but trade would greatly increase as well. The king agreed, Zebial immediately sent out word to have the entire middle of the country evacuated and he waited. Two weeks later after all people and animals had been cleared out, Zebial flew to the southern half of the country at the edge of the river of separation. From there he flew close to the ground, slowly using his fire breath to burn a canal five hundred feet wide and fi
ve hundred feet deep across the entire country. Upon finishing and breaking his levee Zebial allowed the canal to flood thus creating what is today known in Rozim as the river of life, connecting the southern half of the country with the north. Flooding and hunger was eliminated, there was no longer a need to fight each other over resources and the kingdom united into what we know today as Rozim, all due to Zebial.
Though many among men held onto hate in their hearts, including the young wizard Zangoath who determined he would learn to own these beasts and rule the world. Zebial spent three thousand and seven hundred years guiding, protecting and nurturing the races of the world until the dark spell of Zangoath, who by that time had gained control of the fog crystal came upon him. For three years until Xamuiez himself intervened he ravaged under the spell of the dark lord Zangoath. Remaining a hostage within himself, forced to watch his evil deeds, he sleeps now until it is time to awaken. Before the time of the curse he is still remembered fondly by some kingdoms as a lover of nature, children and he had a habit of nursing injured animals back to health. Zebial was also a master builder and architect and is responsible for five of the seven castles in the realm of Rozim from ancient times still standing today. His counsel given to the first Vaulk king is still used to this day as a guide on everything from ethics to martial strategy.
Anortast – The second male dragon, incapable of flight, his skin is different than usual dragon scale. Nothing has ever penetrated his skin and there are no soft spots on his underbelly as other dragons have. His scales appear clear and diamond like instead of colored and reptilian. Looking like glass they seem fragile, but are indestructible as far as anyone knows. Anortast more than makes up for lost flight by his sheer size and armor, in addition his breath is of ice not fire and his tail is a spiked club as agile as an arm. Anortast grew to an immense size barely smaller that his elder brother Zebial. While Zebial preferred warmer southern climates, Anortast preferred snow and ice as that was his gift. Before being cursed by Zangoath he would provide the peoples of the kingdoms with a soothing light snow on scorching summer days, earning one of his nicknames, king of mercy. His wrath under the dark spell however was terrible, a city in the northern mountains where the winter is year round in what is today the kingdom of Grazlin that he attacked still lies frozen, villagers, animals and every action of a regular day frozen forever. The village stands frozen in time exactly as it was twelve hundred years ago when Anortast froze it as the people of the area want it kept to remind them to remain vigilant against creeping evil. Anortast developed a special relationship with the dwarves. Over the years he gave them all his scales that he shed. These the dwarves turned into shields of great power. His teeth he shed were also given to them and made into daggers for the dwarven nobility.
Iezlear- The firstborn female dragon, her powers include flight, wind and fire. Born under the care of Bultan, Iezlear’s egg hatched in his study under candlelight and the old wizards loving, dancing eyes. She is known as the mother of the world among the mortal races. From her all dragons have descended or will descend. Before Zangoath she was so lovely to look upon that her very presence would cause the masses to weep tears of joy. Known as Iezlear the creator and Iezlear the loving among the races of the world for her ways and deeds, there are still entire peoples and religions who mourn for her having to endure the evil spell of Zangoath and long for her return. She would spend entire days sometimes gathering flowers simply to fly over villages and shower the inhabitants. Even when the evil curse came upon her and began to drive her mad she never destroyed a single village or killed any living thing. Instead, she fled immediately back to Bultan who realized right away the severity of the situation and placed Iezlear in a temporary sleep to relieve her panic and fear until the master Xamuiez came and placed the true spell of sleep on the four dragons so the evil spell could pass without consequence. Thus, upon the return of Xamuiez, that is why Iezlear was the first put into a deep slumber.
Malgren- First daughter of Iezlear, her powers include flight and ice. Youngest of the dragons, raised by the three previous dragons Zebial, Anortast and her mother Iezlear for millennia, she grew to be known as the wisest and gentlest creature far and wide. All races sought her advice on differing subjects. She helped the dwarves construct their capital Mak-Thazul by freezing and then shattering masses of rock creating large caverns for them to then detail. The only one of the three dragons to never harm or kill any other creature before the curse, she was revered as holy. Even Iezlear when young either through anger or accident killed some creatures. Malgren was gentle from the beginning, even having to be helped from her own egg. However, her mind was not as disciplined as Iezlear. When the evil spell of madness came upon her she did not have the ability to understand and flee to Bultan, she instead answered the call of destruction. The spell instantly turned a gentle, lovely dragon into a raging, mindless killing machine. Her power is ice; many villages were frozen and smashed to pieces by her feet. They are forgotten in the lost passages of time. Zebial, Malgren and Anortast ravaged together for three years, it took Xamuiez himself to place them into slumber. A visit from a God is rare, even for a dragon, but their destruction was caused by an unnatural event thus allowing Xamuiez to intervene and eliminate the root of the evil.
Xamuiez gathered and cast Zangoath among the stars like shadow dust. The evil wizard thought he was immortal, in the end he was shown he was not the God he fancied himself. Zangoath however had been clever at planning; he created and left both a castle and a pupil on a secluded lake to carry on his evil work and legacy. He had been training his pupil for several hundred years and had even named him similarly to himself as a personal honor. Thus began the reign of the evil Zangonath the clouded, who would organize the Eshken and bring the horror of world war to Oleskia both above and below her ground. Each of the four dragons wore a jewel on their chest containing their life’s essence; before they were placed in slumber each was removed from them and placed on a statue that looked like them deep within the earth to be hidden until Xamuiez would reawaken the four dragon lords. These statues are guardians of the precious gems and if they are disturbed they are activated, what they will do if activated only Xamuiez knows.
When the dwarves were created from the stone the fathers of the dwarves were born with the knowledge and desire to mold the mountains into cities. The legends tell they toiled generation after generation carving under the mountains glorious kingdoms and cities spanning thousands upon thousands of miles. Each successive generation not only created their individual cities and specialties but also worked on a special project collectively. The entire dwarven race is immune to the heat of fire and the cold of ice, and are said to have been since the beginning of their existence been building piece by piece in the middle of their underground world what has been whispered and named only as the forge to smelt the world. What does this mean and does it even exist? Most likely it exists only in legend. However, there is an ancient dwarven document called the smelting. This book contains the intended use, finished size and look of what it describes as the great smelter of the world. Throughout time it has been thought to only be another dwarven mythical or religious text containing a symbolic meaning. Nevertheless, it makes for an interesting read. It is said to have been written by Kalsh the elder who lived to be nine hundred, when he was a mere fifty years old and was dictated to him by his grandfather Nokaesh. The purpose of the smelter if it exists is absolutely horrifying beyond all comprehension. If the myths are true, the smelter by this time since it would have now been worked on for eons is said to encompass the entire iron core of the planet as a vice would a ball. If the dwarves are ever overrun by their enemies and face extinction it is to be activated. Upon activation the entire planet from the inside out would melt, turning into a molten ball of iron.
Digging is a dangerous occupation, even for a dwarf. From what our spies tell us, the great forge is nearing completion, only the southeast remains to be excavated and constructed. The dig will be the
deepest ever by any people and will delve into areas even unknown to the under the mountain dwarf. Unlike the above ground forest dwelling dwarves, their cousins, mountain dwarves prefer to spend their lives underground. The forest dwarves or skychasers as the under mountain dwarves call them left the underground cities millennia ago as they didn’t agree the dwarves had the right to construct the forge to smelt the world. They felt that a species who creates the means of its own destruction forfeits their right to exist. For voicing this opposition they were permanently exiled. They are how the rest of the world has come to know of the existence of this forge to smelt the world.
The under mountain dwarves have grown deformed and dark in their demeanor under the mountains. Their skin is a dark blue, their eyes are black and their hair, including beards are white. Rising within their civilization is based solely upon conning and killing your way to the top. Class and family are nothing but words, meaning nothing more than political tools used to their advantage. They mine an ore they call blue iron that they say they have constructed the forge with. Yet, it does not behave like iron; it has taken over their minds and their will. All under mountain dwarves will discuss is either blue iron and its beauty or the forge and its divine purpose. It is as though some evil force, perhaps even the iron of the forge itself is leading them to some nefarious purpose. Forest dwarves have been sending scouting parties to observe and collect even more intelligence than their spies on their now brainwashed blue cousins.
Yesterday, the rock smelters moved through four miles of mountain in sixteen hours. We started our work where the forges southern arc currently ends and began southeast excavation, moving downward from there. After proceeding two more miles we came upon an open cavern and in this space in the rock, ancestors help us as to what we saw. We came upon a dragon made of stone. Perhaps he was a living dragon turned to stone; the beast or sculpture as we know not whether it ever lived was massive. The dragon measured one thousand two hundred and six feet from snout to tails end and one hundred and forty eight feet high from ground to shoulder, unbelievable! We have come upon many unexpected wonders in our years of excavation, but this discovery immediately became the most important. A dragon, even a stone one had not been seen in fifteen hundred years! Much less hundreds of miles under the ground, who could have put it there? Never the Eshken they don’t create only destroy. The dragon stood on all four legs with its wings tucked; neck extended and mouth open as if it was frozen right before beginning to spew fire, it did not look happy. There was a huge triangular ruby in its chest the size of a large boulder. Even as veteran excavating dwarves who have both seen and mined many large and varied gems, the size of this ruby was beyond any of our imaginings. We were stunned as we were unaware gems that large even existed, though our halls are studded with precious gems. The ruby had not turned to stone; it remained a blood red, glowing so deep it appeared to pulsate.