Chapter 242: Undercurrents (2/2)
”Don't worry. Baron Hargrave is a fool, but he cares about his image as a military man. He won't abandon the army for fear of being labeled coward. That said, we'd better not plan on relying on any of his troops in the coming fight.” Morris whispered back, before turning to address the assembled crowd. ”I suggest we continue this conversation in the command tent. Its smaller than I'd like, but we can accommodate most of the senior leadership. As for the rest of you, please return to your duties. You will be informed of what we decide in due course.”
His suggestion was met with general approval, and the collective leaders began walking to the nondescript tent. Mike took a moment to whisper to his friend. ”You know, I made a floor in the keep for just this kind of thing.”
”I'm aware, but think of it this way. If you were the enemy, where would you look for our leadership? A fully formed keep, or a dingy tent?”
Mike laughed. ”Alright, fair point.”
”Not to mention the fact that you didn't put any windows in.” Sera muttered from his right.
He looked over at the plain brown structure, and realized that he'd completely missed that fact. ”Ah, whoops. I knew I was forgetting something.”
---------------------------------------------------
Far to the northeast of the central continent sat a volcanic island whose constant state of activity had given it the name Stonebirth. It had been erupted for so long and with such intensity in the centuries since its appearance, that only the strongest and best equipped adventurers were able to scout its molten shores. Even then, they could rarely penetrate deep enough to make the investigation worthwhile. As such, there were few beings on Ea that knew of the island's most powerful inhabitant, an ancient and reclusive Flame Dragon by the name of Murthinax.
This mighty creature had the habit of spending his days soaking in the magma of Stonebirth's caldera, enjoying the warmth in the same way an elderly human might when sitting outside on a sunny day. It was during one of his lengthy soaks that the messenger of the goddess Teun arrived, and spontaneously burst into flame.
”Hm, I seem to be on fire.” The plant creature commented curiously as its limbs began to blacken and disintegrate in the intensity of the heat coming off the molten rock that surrounded it.
Murthinax opened one glowing, crimson eye, and issued something that would have been considered a sigh in another creature. As it was, this slight exhalation unleashed a small torrent of magma which threatened to engulf the unfortunate Gartun. Only a quick application of draconic magic spared it.
With a few words in the ancient language of the dragons, he lowered the temperature around the plant creature to the point that it was no longer in danger of combusting, and then fixed his gaze on the blackened, but still living, messenger and rumbled his now standard greeting. ”I don't care what you want. Leave now before I decide to incinerate you.”
If the Gartun was aware of its peril, it didn't demonstrate it. Instead, it made every attempt at delivery a perfunctory bow, only to fail when one its vine-like legs snapped off, causing it to tumble onto the ground in a heap. It began speaking anyway, as if the minor distraction of losing a limb was easily ignored. ”I carry a message from the Mistress of the Earthen Realm. The Lady Teun commands you to go forth and investigate an incident.”
The dragon growled, ”As I said, I don't care. She may be a goddess, but she does not give me orders.”
”Ah, the lady said you might reply as such. In this case, I was supposed to relate that if you don't follow her wishes she would, and I quote, 'sink that eyesore of island into the ocean.'”
Murthinax considered the Gartun with mild annoyance. He knew the goddess was petty enough to reconfigure the landscape to get her way, even if it meant expending a portion of her accumulated power to do so. That was just the kind of irrational being she was.
[It would be troublesome to have to find a new home again. After all, there aren't many places in this world that are suitable for my charge.]
Resolving himself to dealing with the annoyance, he decided to avoid making any decisions until he got the full story. ”What is this incident she wants investigated?”
”I am unfamiliar with the specifics, but supposedly a human mage managed to summon a supremely powerful storm in the vicinity of the central continent. My lady believes that this mage might very well be the person that the creator gods have been looking for.”
The dragon snorted, ”Hmph, I should have known it was just a matter of her wanting me to do her dirty work. Very well, tell me where this human is, and what he looks like.”
”The event took place to the northeast of the city of Almirn. If you leave now, you can use the remnants of the storm to guide your path. As for the human's appearance, I'm afraid we don't have any information. The mage apparently has some means of hiding from divine sight, so we have only been able to locate signs of his or her passage after the fact.”
”How useless.” Murthinax growled, already frustrated by the task.
The Gartun tilted the mass of vines that served as its head, ”Perhaps you can consult with your kinsman in the area. He may have some idea of where to find the mage in question.
”My kinsman?” The dragon asked, feeling his heartbeat quickening for the first time in years. How long had it been since he'd seen one of his own kind?
”Indeed. There have been several sightings of a Flame Dragon around Almir over the last few weeks.”
Murthinax rose to his feet, causing a minor tidal wave of magma, which parted around the Gartun thanks to the dragon's spell.
”Excellent!” He roared as his wings beat the air, lifting his massive bulk in the process. ”Tell your goddess that I accept her mission, but I will expect an appropriate reward for my efforts.”
He vanished through the opening in the caldera before the Gartun had a chance to say anything else.
”Perhaps I should have mentioned the Dragonknight that was seen in the Flame Dragon's company. Oh well, I suppose he will figure it out.” The plant creature murmured to itself as it began the complex process of returning to its goddess's realm.