FSE

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Chapter 19

Lyndis maneuvered around the stabbing skewer of a Lumarian security construct. It was built like the war constructs they’d seen before, a pulsating mana crystal at its core, fueling the mechanical abomination of gears and wires. One arm was a sharpened spear, dark and cruel, marred with dried blood. The other was an energy crossbow, growling with deadly intent. Unlike the ones from the forest of despair, these ones were smaller, shaped like a man, trading raw power for speed. The rogue moved and flowed around in the debris littered hallway, using her movement to her advantage. The clashing of steel and the shattering of stone gave away her struggle as a trio of these metallic beasts beset her.

From the moment she and her dragon escort had arrived in the uniter, they’d been assailed by these mechanical beasts. She hadn’t even gotten a chance to fully take in the weathered carvings around them, or the human sized chunks of stone that littered the vast halls. Wasn’t this supposed to be a Lumarian weapon? Their constructs walked the halls, but it was no better off than the tombs she plundered. Something wasn’t right.

She moved like the wind around jagged rocks, her rapier crackling with magical electricity, setting an uneasy mood with every step. As they neared she increased the distance, only able to test them for moments at a time, lest she let them skewer her upon their blades. They were relentless, untiring, she wondered how long they could keep this up, perhaps forever? She took a chance to clamber up the rocks and turn invisible, giving her attackers the slip. As the dragons had battles of their own throughout the hall, these few went still, searching for their now missing quarry.

Battle was known to these constructs that was certain, their armored hides littered with dents and signs of puncture. Beneath the rogue could spy their gearwork and wires, even the faint glow of a mana crystal, weaknesses she could exploit. Silently she waited for the perfect moment, falling between them and letting her blade sing. One by one she flowed like lightning, piercing through their weak points in the blink of an eye. They sputtered and shook, her blade erupting in thunder with every pierce. Metal hides trembled and exploded, showing the stone below her boots with gears, metal, and wires. Lyndis could only smirk, tossing her hair back, suppose she still had it. So much for Lumarian craft.

Lyndis brushed her bangs away of her eyes, “Next time Lyyreth, when a clearly empty suit of armor asks if your part of the Lumarian army, just say that you are!”

The green dragon was busy batting off a trio of constructs similar to what Lyndis had been quarreling with. They’d tried using their energy crossbows on the dragon, but he’d used a spell to encase his scales in a shimmering blue shield, deflecting them uselessly into the walls.

“How was I supposed to know that? I thought it would help being truthful!” Snarled Lyyreth, his frills flared as he snagged a construct by its leg, using it as a club to smash aside the other two. “All I’m saying, this could have happened to anyone.”

“Oh please, clearly something was amiss.” Added the dragoness Night Rising, swooping through the air to encase another pair with her cerulean flames, melting the bolts that held them together. “I’ve never set eyes on things such as this, and even I know better” She landed with a fluff of her wings, batting away a construct, smashing another with her tail, “Better question, how is it we know Cordenth even came down this way? These things don’t seem very friendly to dragons.”

“I’m sure he came down this way, even if his scent was faint, it was here!” Lyyreth turned his scales to stone, blunting the spear tip thrust his way. He whirled around and slammed the bold construct aside, shattering it against the wall.

And yet there was no sign of him other than that, not even a sign of his paws against the stone. Sure, he could have flown, but Lyyreth insisted he’d walked. Lyndis couldn’t help but feel her worry weigh her down, slow her movements, nearly causing another construct to skewer her on it’s spear. “Just keep the scent and lead us through! These things might be bloody numerous, but they’re utter shite!” Lyndis snapped, already maneuvering to repeat what she’d done to the other to this one. Did they not learn?

“You’d think they’d make better ones, considering how Lyyreth described them before!” Growled Infinity, bounding to Lyyreth’s side. “These are hardly larger than most humans!”

“Those were different.” Lyyreth lowered his snout, trying to get the scent, “Those were spherical shaped, had better defenses…They were actually a marvel of engineering and magical, I’d have loved the chance to tear them apart study them, catalog all their inner-“

“Lyyreth! Not the time!”

“Right.” His frills pinned as he resumed his work, letting Night Rising and Lyndis keep the constructs at bay. He let not the clattering of steel or magical explosions deter him. Around the weathered stone he padded, nostrils flaring. By the time he’d picked up Cordenth’s scent, the floor was littered with gears, wires, and fragments of mana crystals. “I got him!” He plucked Lyndis with his paws, bounding into the air with a flush of his wings.

“Bloody finally.” Lyndis remarked as Night Rising followed on his tail.

The scent brought them to yet another door, this as large as the other. It seemed this place was built more for dragons in mind than mortals. Lyndis dusted herself off as she inspected the draconic rune covered door, noting unlike the first one, the mural that adorned the stone here was far more intact. It depicted a floating castle above the flowing hills, rays of light spreading down like the sun to touch upon the land. Mortals had gathered in subservience, bowing at the paws of dragons that beheld them as if ruling lords. There were gifts before them of many sizes, some mortals even offering their children to the amused beasts. Above them all flew a golden scaled beast, it’s angel like wings spread wide across the sky. Twin whiskers adorned his snout, seeming to sway in the dim light.

“It would appear we’ve been granted a breather.” Lyyreth stated, trotting to Lyndis’ side with a swish of his tail, “Good thing too, my paw was starting to sting from swatting them aside.”

“Still can’t believe Cordenth got through them without no problem.” Infinity glared back into the shadows, “Not even a trace of fighting. Did he sneak on in?”

“He must have.” Lyyreth rested his paw on the stone, “His scent goes through here.”

“Then what are we waiting for, an invitation?” Lyndis asked.

“Its just…The artwork here.” His snout wrinkled, gesturing to the runes and the gold dragon, “You know what this depicts?”

“That the uniter wasn’t made by the Lumarians?” She pointed, “That this was the Emperor’s castle eons ago?” As she stared at the stone, the dragon’s benevolent gesture’s took on a sinister glow, this was how it wanted to be remembered.

“Look, I don’t care who made it, lets just get to Cordenth before we have our guests hounding at our paws.” Infinity growled, opening the door with a push.

Bursting free from the crack was the terrible scent of rot and decay, stinging the nose and eyes of dragon and mortal alike. Inside was a dining hall of long tables, expertly crafted by skilled hands, but now shattered and splintered across the floor. Bodies of both man and gryphon alike adorned this place, slumped over, without color, some torn apart and sprinkled about the mold covered floor. The putrid cloud hung over their resting place, stinging the eyes of both half-elf and dragon alike.

“By the gods, what happened here.” Lyndis covered her nose her arm, eyes darting over the blackened, dried blood that painted over their lifeless forms. Among them she spied sliced open armor, forgotten weapons, they’d fought for every breath.”

“The Lumarians….All dead.” Lyyreth said tentatively, his frills pinned.

“Yea, it’s sad, but its not like we haven’t seen bodies before.” Infinity pushed them both into the grim hall, slamming the door behind them so hard that dust and stone shook loose above. “There we are, safe. Unless they can tunnel through stone.”

“I wouldn’t put it past them.”

“And this was where Cordenth went?” Lyndis made her way around the corpses, careful to not to disturb them. Usually she might search for articles they’d no longer need, but now wasn’t the time.

“How could he not see this and turn back?” Asked Lyyreth, following behind Lyndis, pinning his frills when his paw squished rotted flesh, “Perhaps they all died in the crash? Humans are quite brittle.”

“Not likely.” Pointed Lyndis to a once blue gryphon, his feathers eating away at her, reminding her of Krotos. “Right near his chest, see the piercing? That was by a spear. It looks as though something else got them.”

“Wonderful.” Growled Infinity, taking a wider trip through the hall, not getting too close to the corpses. “More things than dark spirits and constructs?”

“What’s with her?” Lyndis asked, as the dragoness swatted aside corpses, cerulean flames licking at the edges of her snout.

“She’s had bad experiences with spirits lately.” Replied Lyyreth, gesturing to his wings, “Believe it or not, she banished a demon!”

She rose a brow, “I’m impressed, not everyone can do that. Where you pick her up?”

“On the road. Escaped from a lich’s tower if you’d believe it. Was there for years, tortured…She doesn’t like to talk about it much.”

“Is that the real reason she’s keeping her distance? Untrusting sort?” Her arms crossed as she eyed the dragoness, sticking close to the door, keeping a solitary eye upon her. “Do I need to be worried she might think I’ll hurt you?”

He rose his head, wrinkling his snout. “She’s not that aggressive, I think she trusts you enough. If not, you’d probably not be lingering around me.”

“Ah.” Lyndis chuckled, “The protective sort, is she?’

“She has more reason than most.” He nudged aside some mangled bodies, frowning, “You think Cordenth did this? Forced them to attack one another? Mother said he might be confused…but I never would have thought-“

“Spears, infighting, mutiny. Besides, look at the mold, been here for awhile I think.”

“Right.” He laughed nervously, “I’m just afraid the state we’ll find him in.”

She sighed, resting a hand on his scales, her head drooping, “Same. Best we can do is hurry.”

“How I wish my nose wasn’t so astute now.” He weakly laughed, “You’re the lucky one.”

“If not for your snout, we wouldn’t even have a chance.” She replied flatly, striding to the far wall. Dread curled in her gut, weighing on her mind. She should have seen the signs prior in their quest, stopped Cordenth before it’d gotten out of hand. She rested her fingers on the cold stone, finding the Lumarians had hung up pictures of their own, of far away landscapes, gryphons, knights in shining armor.

She followed these pictures the length of the room, recounting all the things she could have done differently these past few weeks. She turned at the end, searching back over the splintered tables, destroyed chairs, seeing that this place used to be a dining hall. Above she spied engraved beams, large enough for dragons to perch. What had Cordenth seen? Something clearly more wonderous than this hellhole.

“Any luck over there?” Huffed Infinity, settling down on her haunches furthest from the nearest corpse. “Lovely as the scenery is, I’d rather look at your brother’s stupid snout.”

“You know how hard it is to get his scent when surrounded by scores of corpses?” Growled Lyyreth, lashing his tail, “it was already faint enough as it was.”

“If you’d practiced like I told you, perhaps this wouldn’t be happening.” She cleaned one of her paws, “But no, you wanted to read books and study.”

“Not now!...Please.”

Infinity’s ears pinned, “Ah…Sorry.”

Lyyreth paced around, his growls and snarls ever increasing with every desperation filled step. He paused to twist a spell around his scales, giving his sense of smell the boost that it might just need. Nostrils flared, frills fluttered as he trundled about, ending in but another frustrated snarl. “That should have worked!”

“Maybe it isn’t you, you’ve already seen his scent can be suppressed.” Interjected Lyndis, catching the dragon midstride, “Let’s not rule out the door he left out of is a secret one.”

“Secret doors? What is this place, a fortress or a lich’s lair?” Scoffed the black dragoness, flaring her spines.

Yellow eyes of Lyyreth traced the old stone, peering through the patches of blackened mold. His tail flicked, “So you noticed it as well, no exits.”

“Precisely.” Said Lyndis, “And I wouldn’t put it past them, no one ever said they were thick, no matter how much we wish they were.”

“Bet it’s hidden along the wall somewhere.” He whispered, padding along, starting to tap his claws against the stone. “Maybe behind a painting or something, humans love to do that yeah?”

“Or removable books if we’re going for the classics, a bust that opens up, a moveable stone.” Lyndis rattled off several more cliches, heading in the opposite direction. As she did, the air seemed to cool around her, an overwhelming sense of unease settling about her ears. There was power in the air, old magic, this place was not dead, simply waiting to be awoken. They had to hurry. They searched for several minutes to no avail, no matter what trick they pulled, nothing was responding.

“What are you two getting at?” Infinity called to them with a growl, “Now is not the time to be inspecting the architecture!”

Lyndis caressed her chin as Lyyreth protested this was not for his study, that it was on Lyndis’ order. The rogue had paused, searching up, not within her reach as she’d expected. Despite the circumstances, it was marveling to see the old draconic structures. That long ago they’d been numerous, perhaps if things had worked out differently, they’d not be so few as they were this age. As she searched above, spying the perches that overlooked the hall, a sudden realization came over her. Why was she thinking like the Lumarians were hiding this door? If this was a place meant for dragons…Her eyes darted back to the wall, finding draconic runes not at her height, but perfect for someone else. “Lyyreth, Night Rising, know you love the married couple bit, but get your haunches over here, I think I found something.”

Lyyreth came bounding over, an intrigued twinkle in his eye. Night rising was instead drawn back to the entryway, as the doors cracked open to the unrelenting strength of a dozen constructs. The black dragoness warbled as electricity crackling down her snout. She waved to them with a star covered wing.

“You two have fun playing archaeologist, it would appear I have some friends to play with.” With a hiss she pounced herself into the middle of their metal mass, shielding herself with a faint blue glow.

“Will she be alright?” Lyndis stood, holding her rapier as Lyyreth didn’t immediately go sprinting to her side. “I thought you fancied her?”

“Oh, I do, but she’ll be fine.” He scoffed, “She’s quite good at killing, should be more concerned, but I kind of like it. Then on top of her regenerative abilities, favoring electricity and regrowing her heads, I’d rather say the constructs are the ones that should be worried.”

“I’ll say she has spirit.” She replied, as a construct was hurled against the wall with draconic fury, fragmenting into a thousand wires and gears, “You said she regrows her heads?”

“Yup, turns into a hydra-“

She shook her head, gesturing to the runes, before they’d slip back into catching up, “Lyyreth, would love to chat away, really I’d do, but the runes.”

“You’re the one…Right” He pinned his frills, following her finger, his disappointment evaporated as eyes dazzled like a child with a new toy, “Ooooo, old draconic, I haven’t seen that in forever! Where do you think the Lumarians found it? Its only a few dragon tribes that actually use it, though most of them are-“

“Lyyreth! We don’t need a history lesson, just tell us what it says.”

He wiggled his nose, catching himself before he sneezed. “It says that in order to pass forward you need to put your best paw forward.” Rearing up he rested his front paws upon the stone.

At his touch the stone shuttered, ancient gears sprung to life. Light swelled below his paws, painting the floor below with flashes of blue-white sparks. The sound of grinding stone thundered through the hall, stomping over thought, and drowning out the cacophony of destroyed constructs and angry dragoness behind them.

“Hey, something happened, I think I did it!” Lyyreth warbled, thumping his tail as Lyndis hugged at his side. “Kind of easy though, bit disappointed. No riddles?”

“Don’t go knocking it! Take the win.” Lyndis smiled, “Cordenth here we-“

A trill cut her off, followed by the sound of a monotone voice, “Press any rune and speak the password.” From the stone emerged ten different stones, adorned with the same draconic runes as above. They pulsed with demanding purpose, waiting their answer.

“Which one’s the any rune?” Lyyreth asked, eyes wide. “I’m don’t know everything about ancient draconic!”

“Bigger concern.” Lyndis sighed, pulling away to look over the hall, “The pass code, something verbal. Doubt anyone is left alive to be sharing that info any time soon.”

He growled, “So we use magic to bypass it right? You say you’re the best at getting into places and disarming locks, I’m great at magic, this should be easy, no?”

“Not ancient defense systems! I don’t even know where to begin! You might as well be asking me to move a mountain with nothing but my grit and a spade!” She gestured to the field of corpses, “Guess someone might have the password in all this mess, that we could nick from their corpse. But I doubt Cordenth has the time for us to be mucking about.”

“That’s it?” He followed her as she paced, “You’re not even going to try?”

“I mean I could, but again, mountain, spade. How are you not getting this?” Her voice nearly cracked, heart sagging in her chest.

“But he needs us, he needs you! We must try anything right? From the wolf desert to dragon’s crown coast, if anyone can do it, it would be you!” His eyes filled with flames, “Come on Lyndis, help me save him!”

She remained calm as he advanced on her, yet noticed she’d reflexively reached for her blade. He saw it the same time as she, both exchanged a worried, mournful look.

He retracted with a whine, “I’m sorry, I should have remembered. You’re trying your best, and especially because of brother.”

“It’s fine.” She shoved past him, resting her head on the door, “Think.” She muttered to herself, eyes closing. What was she missing? Surely something could be done, it couldn’t all end here, could it? Delayed by a door, missing their chance?

“So, you’re telling me, without this code we can’t get past this door?”

“Yes.” Groaned Lyndis.

“Then stand back.” He extended a wing, gently tugging her away from the door. With her safe he flared his wings, took a deep breath, eyes filling with determination. “Then if finesse doesn’t work, we’re going to try brute force.”

As he cast his spell to increase his strength, she had not the fortitude to tell him it wouldn’t work. Let him work through his guilt, it would give her time to think. She strode away, hand on her temples as Lyyreth took a running start and slammed his shoulder into the door with no effect.

“Damn’t.” He groaned in pain, collapsing on the floor.

“Really? We’re reduced to hitting things?” Infinity called from the entrance, her light grey scales slathered in the oil of her enemies, “Sure you don’t need my help then?”

“No…Other option!” Panted Lyyreth, unwilling to give up. He rose to all fours, trying the door once more, it had the same result. “I can’t give up, not now.” He moaned, tail curling inward, “He’d never give up on us!”

Give up? Give up? That was it! Lyyreth stop uselessly battering the door.”

“You have a plan?” He stood, shaking his head.

“Yup.” She smirked, whirling around, “Night rising, stop beating them senseless. We need one to surrender!”

“Them? Sure, not so hard, but them surrender?” Scoffed Night Rising, “Haven’t heard them speak again!”

“Them? No, us! We’re going to surrender!”

The absurdity of her statement settled upon the air, putting an end to whatever conversations that would come. Both snouts of the dragons shot to her, heads cocking as if it were the craziest thing, they’d ever heard uttered. Infinity smashed a construct across the floor in a shower of sparks, Lyyreth cocked his head.

“Lyyreth, I think your lady friend has gone insane.” Said Infinity.

“I’m not making a mental breakdown you dolts! I’m being serious!” Lyndis countered.

“So am I, you’re insane.”

“Lyndis.” Lyyreth sheepishly added, “Didn’t these things last time try to kill us? These ones actively so?”

“More reason not to surrender!”

Lyndis grabbed him by the snout, “But these are different, security models, seen these before ages back. If you surrender, they’re forced to bring you back to the highest authority. Noble they called it, gentlemanly, I know…Lumarains, but this might be the answer. Highest authority? I’m betting it’s the control room.”

“But what makes you think that’s where he’s heading?” Lyyreth asked.

“Big fuck off castle? Big powerful dragon that wants control of it? Come on, that’s screaming of where he’s going.”

The dragon weighed it over, searching over the corpses. His frills flickered, uncertain, he too didn’t see a way out of this, “But what if you’re wrong?”

“Then I’m fucking wrong and no worse than we were. Right now, I got no other ideas, no plans, it’s a shot in the dark, but I’m willing to take it! Otherwise, Cordenth is as good as dead…Lyyreth, help me save him.”

For a moment she thought her words would fall on deaf ears, that the dragon unwilling to take risks would shoot her down. His eyes closed, resting his snout against her with a tired sigh. She took it as a good sign.

“Oi, Night rising, surrender before you kill them all!”

“Oh, you can’t be serious.” Replied Infinity, holding the final construct by the torso. It’ s body had been shredded by her claws, both it’s arms ripped off at the stumps, sparks spurt from the sockets. “Nothing will-“

“Just do it!” Barked Lyyreth, “We’ve got nothing else to lose! You want to see Cordenth too right?”

The black dragoness ears pinned to her head as she set the construct down with a thud. She rolled her eyes, sitting on her haunches, “Lucky day for you construct, we surrender.”

Gears whirled in the constructs head, computing what it’d heard. It swiveled its tattered form to take in the advancing Lyndis and Lyyreth, “You have the tactical advantage.” It spoke with a crackling voice, barely functioning, “And appear barely harmed.”

“Yup.” Infinity growled, “And yet here we are” She held up her paws in mockery, “Surrendering.”

“But you destroyed thirty-five units.”

“YUP.”

It cocked it’s head, “Really? Why?”

“Fuck if I know.” She snorted, “Lyndis, why are we doing the stupid thing I said?”

“Cause we’ve seen the light. No way to win.” The rogue smiled, “So here we are, right as rain, surrendering to the Lumarian empire, you win.”

The construct swiveled it’s head, inspecting them from head to foot. “But you still have weapons.”

Lyndis threw her rapier at it’s feet, “Oh no, I’m disarmed.”

“The dragons, they are still armed.”

“How do you expect us to disarm.” Infinity brandished her claws, “Built in.”

“Dragons?” Lyndis scoffed, leaning against Lyyreth’s scales, “I’m sort of a magician myself, these are not dragons…They’re my cats, polymorphed!” She pretended to trip, collapsing to all fours. She held her head, “Oh my head, curse my frail and womanly body, I’m losing concentration of the spell.”

The dragons looked to her with confusion on their snouts, frills pinned, ears splayed, not quite sure what the moaning queen was on about. But one harsh look from her, hidden from the construct, was all they needed to understand. As she dramatically flailed on the floor, Night Rising and Lyyreth adopted the forms of two cats, one tabby and the other black. The construct stood still, none the wiser.

“Your surrender is accepted.” The mechanical being spoke, satisfied that its captive was disarmed. Sparks flickered from his socket as the rogue stood tall, dusting off her leathers.

“Your floor is dreadful, should get someone for it. Take it were being led to the control room?” Lyndis grinned, mischief gleaming, “Always wanted to see one of them.”

* * * * * * * *

Thank you guys and gals for being patient. I've just had some stuff going on in the real world. Never stopped writing, but it delayed the typing up and editing process. If you like whats going on here, don't be afraid to comment and stuff, it really helps in motivation and stuff.

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