Chapter 3
The castle the Dark Sorceress Eringaff claimed as her own was designed by the Elves of Old many hundreds of years before. Highly skilled dwarfs took decades to chisel, carve, and otherwise dig the immense structure right into the black stone of Rock Island’s northernmost mountain. Eringaff sat upon the twelve-foot tall throne in the center of the Great Hall of Rulers, but one of many, many rooms of the castle. Dull-black stone gargoyles, almost invisible against the walls, stood guard high above on shelves of stone.
With her left hand she held her wizard’s staff, the dreaded Maraska Pon Durk. So black was the staff that it seemed to absorb the very light about it, and indeed it did, for it was made of a rare wood from Korr, a land that no living being had ever dared enter. A grotesque human head with empty, vacuous eye sockets was carved into the uppermost end of the staff, and if one looked closely, a pinpoint of crimson light could be seen deep within. The twisted, gaping mouth held captive a shiny red snake in the place where there might have been a tongue. Only part of the live snake was exposed, the rest of the enslaved animal forever encased in the wood of the staff, seized by the evil magic of Essaa. It was, in fact, the rare and feared deathred viper. And, as everyone knows, so venomous is the deathred viper that no one has ever survived its lethal bite for more than a single minute. The dark sorceress held Maraska Pon Durk butt down, the head inclined forward.
The creature on the floor was her general, General Mordak, first of her army. He was half man, half dog: a darkhound. Over his left breast, a horizontal sword under three black diamonds denoted his rank of general. He tucked his tail in submission as she spoke. His clawed, near-human hands gripped a barbed spear.
Eringaff rose and took several steps toward the general with the smooth motion and grace of a choreographed dance, for the dark sorceress’ exaggerated mannerisms were indeed intentional and rehearsed. The wide sleeves of her floor-length deep-purple dress flowed almost as if they were wings. Her manner might have been charming and elegant, and she might even have been a beautiful woman, had she a different life style.
Her long, thick, well-brushed blue-black hair framed maddened eyes. “YOU! MORDAK!” She pointed a long, thin finger. “The Book of Life is soon to be Carried. Get it and BRING IT TO ME! Where are your advisors?”
“They await outside the Great Hall, your highness.” He looked at her when he spoke. To do otherwise would have been folly.
“Advisors enter!” she commanded. The tall, iron studded hall doors opened silently. Three darkhounds marched into the hall and took formation behind their general. They dropped to the floor and lay prone upon the cold, black stone.
“ARISE!” They immediately stood. Eringaff raised her staff. “Essaa! Perecta mocto du roct Feregaire! Anso forelless roah narren!" (Darkhounds before me except the General! Be changed into snakes!) She paused but for a second; the silence was deafening. She then tapped the butt of the staff upon the floor. The hollow wooden click echoed through her chamber. The darkhounds startled. The tap might as well have been a cannon going off, for they knew what it meant even if they did not understand the dark sorceress' invocation. Immediately the three advisors shimmered and shrunk as their physical shapes shifted into three six-foot long venomous snakes. General Mordak glanced at the snakes to his left and to his right, then to his hands to verify that he, too, had not been turned into a serpent. As he glanced at his hand, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Only his quick reflexes saved him from being bitten by the snake to his left. With a dog-like yip, he jumped back and away from the angry reptile.
Eringaff broke into a wild laugh. She arched her spine and threw her head back, then jerked her eyes back to the General. She did not want to miss any of the entertainment.
The snake to the right of Mordak lunged for his leg, but the darkhound was ready. He dipped the tip of his spear to the snake and lifted it from the ground and tossed it some distance. As he did so, the other two snakes lunged at him. He tossed them out of the way as well.
Eringaff roared with laughter. The general stood at attention, nervously glancing at the snakes.
The dark sorceress' laughter suddenly ceased. Her flaming eyes locked on Mordak as she spat through her teeth. "Do I make myself clear, general?"
"Yes, great queen. You shall have the Book of Life."
She pointed her staff at Mordak, lowered her head and aimed down its length. "I SHALL HAVE THE BOOK OF LIFE OR I SHALL CHANGE YOUR WORTHLESS CARCASS INTO A RAT AND FEED IT TO YOUR UNDERLINGS!" The deathred viper hissed loudly and went wild, snapping but inches from his face, venom dripping from its fangs. She withdrew the staff. "You will need new advisors.” She motioned to the snakes. “Now remove these from my sight!"
Mia's Stand Page 3