STRENGTH OF A VOLCANO

I noticed that MTG had very few fics, so I saw a good excuse to write a Goblin one! You may now puke, take an axe to the computer screen, or whatever. You done? Good. This story centers around Sarpadia, at the time of the Fallen Empires card set. I use characters that aren't in the books (mainly) as main characters. If they exist, and I've got it wrong and out of character, please review and tell me. And now, on with the fic!

Disclaimer: Magic: the gathering belongs to wizards of the coast. In short, it ain't mine, never will be.

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THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Tirratirranum paced his throne room. It was empty, since he had thrown a fit that sent his advisors scurrying before he could have them executed. The human was late. He hadn't shown up in several months. The alliance with the orcs would have fallen apart but for the orc general Khurzog, and even so, it teetered on a knife's edge, for now. The human, Reod Dai, had promised to lead the combined destructive force of the goblin and orc armies to victory against the Icatian humans with the power of the dragon eggs, which he could explode, and the new "goblin eggs" which Tirratirranum had strapped to the backs of his soldiers and then exploded them all over the enemy. However, Reod Dai hadn't even been seen for a while, and without him, the current batch of eggs were useless. He would have to have them made into an omelette before they could hatch... He only hoped his new ace in the hole could do the same thing as the wizard. Dragon eggs gave him gas.

He shivered. It was getting cold. He would have to get someone to light a fire, after they came back tentativly. Someone was coming now. Tirratirranum wondered who it was, since the advisors were probably still shaking outside, and the orc ambassador/general Khurzog was at the seige of Gurn Keep. The Dwaven city-states, the orc had counseled, would appease the troops until they could form a good plan of attack. Of course he was right. But still, it galled him that an orc was leading a battle, while he, Tirratirranum, the supreme goblin leader, was stuck here. Everyone knew that the orcs were nothing but cowards with a good head for machines and a poor head for aiming. The goblins were the supreme race on Sarpadia, and Tirratirranum toyed briefly with betraying the orcs. However, he decided not to, as such a betrayal would cause many goblin causualties. Not that he would usually care, but one of them was likely to be him. Someone knocked at the door timidly, obviously seeing the courtiers cowering at their ruler's latest tantrum.

"Come!" The goblin king commanded in what he thought was an imperious, kingly tone, but which actually sounded more like a flock of crows getting eaten by an Orgg, a vicious but cowardly cross between an orc and a giant. The door opened slowly, and the guards admitted a trembling goblin messenger, obviously fresh from the seige.

"M-m-majesty," stuttered the messenger. "The s-seige goes well. D-d-dwarves are f-f-f-fleeing into t-the h-h-hills."

The courier looked as if he wished he could do the same. Tirratirranum's fits of rage and his inventive punishments were legendary.

"What about the wizard?" asked the king. "I have a batch of eggs ready to go, and if Reod Dai doesn't show up soon, they will hatch!"

The messenger gulped. This was exactly what he was afraid of. His stutter increased. Nobody smart willingly gave bad news to the king, unless they had a death wish. His stammer dramatically increased.

"He w-w-was seen i-in the f-f-fight, b-but vanished i-inside t-t-t-the Keep. T-the d-d-d-d-d-dwarves s-s-somehow g-g-g-g-g-got a d-d-d-d-d-dragon t-to h-h-help. I-i-it m-m-might h-h-have k-k-k-killed h-him."

"WHAT?" the goblin ruler shouted, his face darkening to a blotchy red. "GUARDS! HANG THIS SCUM BY HIS EARS OVER AN ORGG'S MOUTH!"

"Wait!" the messenger shrieked, terror killing his stutter faster than any wizard's spell. "The Keep has fallen! The Dwarves are defeated for good! We won! Don't feed me to an Orgg! Please!"

The king relaxed, and waved off the guards. "So, we won, hmmmm? I had hoped to keep the wizard alive longer, but if we won... Guards! Go feed the dragon eggs to the Orggs instead."

The goblin soldiers left the room, looking visibly relieved.

The king looked pointedly toward the shadows behind the door, then back at the messenger.

"However, we cannot ignore you bringing me bad news. I have a reputation to consider, hmmmmmmmm?"

The messenger looked down at the sword point protruding from his scrawny chest, the collapsed to the ground with a gurgle. A woman in black armor stepped out of the darkness of the cave. She callously wiped her blade on the dead goblin.

"So, you want help in invading Icatia, now that the dwarven speed bump is gone?"

"Yes, and I think the Ebon Hand would be a perfect ally for us, Lady Jursdotter."

"Please call me Ivra. It's shorter."

"All right, Ivra. I will alert the orc general as soon as possible."

"Excellent. Our combined armies will fall upon Icatia with the strength of a volcano."

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How was it? Do you have any comments? Questions? Complaints? Autograph requests? No, that was way too much to hope for.

R&R, please!