Demons and Dragons and Rangers, Oh My!

Chapter 9: Vrael's Request

Oromis

As Oromis sprinted down the halls, a bestial elf fell into step next to him. Blodhgarm was his name, Oromis recalled. He was an immensely powerful spell weaver, a good friend of Hathar's. A sort of uncle or grandfather figure, if he recalled. Interesting. Last time he had observed Blodhgarm, which had been during a fight with a gang of bandits with skilled spellcasters, he had taken the form of a humanoid salamander. Now he was a deep blue humanoid wolf and gave off a musky masculine scent. Oromis wondered what sort of effects it might have on women. It might be a dangerous thing. Of course, elves would have no problems with it, but he would be able to influence, say, the Queen of the Broddring Kingdom without any effort. Hmmmmmm. He would have to keep an eye on him. Back to the task at hand.

"And why, pray tell, are you accompanying me?" Oromis asked brusquely. Back in Ellesmera, this would have been an almost criminal offense. However, due to the presence of human Riders, normal elven manners were abandoned in Doru Araeba.

"I accompany you for reasons of my own. I have been summoned by Vrael. That is all you need to know." Blodhgarm replied with equal gruffness. Ahhhh, Oromis loved the company of his people, but they're manners are exasperating. It felt good to treat everyone with the rough and rowdy attitude of the humans. Of course, it still felt strange to be spoken to that way. But etiquette is a two-way path, so it was just as well. While contemplating these topics, Oromis arrived at the heavily warded oak door and knocked.

Vrael's rough voice drifted through the door, "Blodhgarm? Oromis? Come in and speak to me of these strange matters that wrack our land."

"Yes, Commandant." Oromis responded obediently. He opened the door, which swung on well oiled hinges, and stepped inside. A wiry bearded elf sat across from him, on a simple chair of wood. A purple sheathed sword lay across his lap. He was fully dressed in mighty armor, with the exception of his helmet, which he held tucked under his arm. His blade was thicker than most other Rider's, too thick and heavy for any Rider but Vrael to wield with one hand. For most Riders, it would be a broadsword, and not a light one. For Vrael, it was a hand and a half sword. He had been blessed by the dragons, and thus, even being far from a heavyset elf, he was the strongest one alive.

He appeared, to the untrained eye, a human. To Riders and elves, it was clear that he was an elf in the guise of a human. He spoke.

"Blodhgarm. Oromis. I am afraid that Naegling and Sundavargarm may soon be forced to do their foul work. I feel that our age may soon end, and be replaced by a new one. Tell me, Oromis, of this Al-Sakkhar. Tell Blodhgarm. And Oromis, I fear that if your story matches my conclusions, then I may be required to send you to assassinate choice people. I wish it were not so, but it is. But I digress. Inform us." Vrael declared.

"Yes, my liege. Well, Glaedr and I were on an expedition over the new lands that have appeared. As I flew, I noticed a shape in the distance. It appeared to be a man, but with the head, feet and wings of a falcon. As we approached it, it suddenly expanded to the size of an elderly dragon, the color of verdigris. Glaedr attempted to contact its consciousness to inform it that we came in peace, but its shields were more powerful than any I had ever encountered. Well, there was that once…" Oromis trailed off thoughtfully.

"You digress, Oromis." Vrael reminded him. "Yes, yes. I believe it may be relevant later. Either way, in response to Glaedr's contact, it assaulted Glaedr with a message that informed us that we were going to die. While it was busy battering Glaedr, I seized its mind. Its consciousness was infinitely foreign. I could not, nor do I wish to, comprehend its mind. It worked on seven different levels, and then a couple more, which were very dull. It bargained with me that I release it, and it would release Glaedr. I obeyed, but I do not think I could have truly controlled the thing." Oromis spoke impassively, as if it meant nothing to him, but inside himself he recalled the fear of that experience.

It was at that moment that Raethorn appeared through the open top of the roof. Raethorn was a massive violet dragon, linked to Vrael, dwarfing even Glaedr directly before his death. She growled deep in her throat, and declared with her mind "Let this Al-Sakkhar tremble in fear before the majesty of my Rider and I! He is in our world now, and let him know the wrath of our people!" Glaedr roared in agreement from above and descended.

Blodhgarm finally spoke. "Perhaps we should negotiate peace," he cautiously suggested, "before striking out at them. After all, if there are more of these creatures in this strange new land, then we may be foolish to make war with them if peace and even alliance are possible."

"I am not done, Blodhgarm." Oromis bluntly stated, "This Al-Sakkhar proclaimed himself the God of War. He also demanded that we make peace with a King Duncan of Araluen. I suspect that it is a small, weak country, and that he wishes to have us humbled by negotiating with such an insignificant thing. And sir," Oromis added, seeing Vrael draw breath to cut him off, "Its mind was quite similar to that of a spirit, my liege."

"Was it?" Vrael quietly wondered. "Well, we have negotiations to organize." He stated decisively, rising from his chair, "Oromis, I am sending you and Blodhgarm to solve this. Bring Hathar, he could learn from this."

"Very well, my liege." Blodhgarm and Oromis intoned simultaneously, and then shot dagger glares at each other. He then began removing his armor. Quite suddenly, he drew Sundavargarm and flung it at the wall. "Practice." He explained as it stuck quivering in the wood. Oromis and Blodhgarm both shot each "Yikes" looks, and dashed away.

Ah! Scary sword flinging Rider! Sorry about my Border line issues. And R&R peeps! Do you like my new Paragraph style? My buddy, Groose Almighty, kept bugging me about "Writing in block" So I stopped. I will change all my chappies to be like that! Raethorn was my idea, and I'm sticking with it. Weird virus attacked ma compooter, so that is why it took me so long. Actually respectable Oromis chapter! Its 1140 words long!