Chapter 9: Evil Starts its Journey
"The poet, W. H. Auden wrote, 'Evil is unspectacular, and always human, and shares our bed and eats at our table.'"
Orean had spent most of that previous night planning on what he was going to do, who is was going to bring and other things like that. He recruited some of the wickedest people in this city to help him search for the crystals and find them before his brother Orion does. His headquarters was in a tent that sat in the middle of the Star forest named for its unique star shape. He sat talking to the two appointed leaders of his new expedition troop.
"What are we going to do with the crystals once we find them all?" Temper, a local gang leader stated as his brown scales shone.
"Once the crystals are united, then it will create a sword that legend calls the sword of destruction or if your heart is right, it is called the sword of creation. If we find them all and unite them, then the sword will be ours to do whatever we please with it. We can even destroy our enemies to where they cannot do anything to us at all," Oreon told the tale.
"You mean to say," started Darkaesus, "That this sword will knock out any of my opponents?"
"Yes, but only if your heart stays true to evil and not good. If your heart turns to good, then the sword's powers will change and instead of helping you, it will keep you from your goals because you want good to happen not evil."
The two dragons were leaders of opposing gangs but they agreed to work together for a chance at uniting evil amongst the entire nation and possibly the human race as well. Oreon especially want the Sword of Destruction to be able to stand up against his brother Orion. Even though Orion spent more of his time studying then out training, he still had the upper hand of strategy. His brother was just the opposite of Oreon as his heart was bent on good and to make Denderath and the surrounding countries good as well. He hated his brother for that but maybe, if he got his claws on the crystals and created the Sword of Destruction, then just maybe his brother would turn to see his point of view rather than his own petty ideas about the poor living in society with the wealthy.
"How will we know where we are going if you do not have the map written down?" Fangpire the right hand dragon to Darkaesus asked.
"I have it memorized," Oreon began, "Until we find the other half of the map that will tell us where the last two crystals are located, then we cannot create the Sword of Destruction."
"Well how will we find the other half of the map before your brother Orion does?" Temper asked starting to lose his temper a little bit.
"I have a hunch," Oreon started as he lumbered over the entrance of the tent, "I overheard my father talking to someone about a human ship just off the coast of the mainland. If I remember my history correctly, during the reign of King Rashiram, he had planned on handing down the map to his son Ragnarok. But he and another dragon got into a fight over who should have the map and it was torn in two. The other half of the map that we do not have was given to the humans and if my hunch is correct, the crew of that ship should have the other piece of the map with them."
Temper, Darkaesus and Fangpire marveled at this new revelation with oohs and ahs.
"Well what are we waiting for? Let us go and get ourselves the other half of the map!" Fangpire stated.
"We cannot go search for that ship." Oreon argued firmly.
"Why can we not?" Darkaesus inquired.
"My father, King Garmadon, ordered that ship to be destroyed. He went himself to see that it was done. He got back earlier this morning before I got up and evidence suggests that the ship is destroyed for good," Oreon replied in anger towards his father. If Garmadon would not have destroyed the ship, then he would be on his way to find the five crystals not just three.
"So what do we do now? It seems to me that you have not thought this whole thing through," Fangpire stated as he drew closer to the now sitting Oreon.
"Legend says that there are a set of twin dragons that are heirs to the throne of Denderath, would find the five crystals. I am one in a set of twins and I believe that if we were not to find the crystals, then those humans who I believe have the other half of the map would not be here on the mainland. I think that our first mission needs to be we go out and search for them," Oreon stated very thoughtfully.
"I hope you are right, for your own sake," Darkaesus started, "I am not called 'Dark Fierce' for nothing and you better remember that."
"Dually noted, but may I remind you that you are looking at a prince of Denderath and if you harm one scale on my body, then it could mean death for you by the hand of my father, King Garmadon."
The room stayed silent after Oreon finished. They knew he was right. As being a prince of the country they lived in, it would mean a lot of strife to them if they were to harm Oreon. Oreon had special rights that no one else in the room had.
"Well either way, I am going to keep an eye on you and if you do fail to deliver what you have promised us, then you will not be able to walk down a street in Denali without one of us watching you," Temper threatened.
Oreon sunk lower in his chair. He was the youngest one in the tent and he could be easily taken out by any of the three dragons that stood before him. He just hoped that he would be able to deliver the goods to them that they so desired. He also hoped that Orion would not stand in his way. For if he did, then it could mean death to his only brother.
Deep in the heart of Mephistopheles, in the Temple of Destruction, sat a lone dragon whose scales blended in with his surroundings despite the fact that he lived in a volcano that always had lava running through as red and hot as the sun. His red eyes were really the only thing that made him look living.
This black dragon walked forward and as he did, the clanging of chains soon followed. The chains that bound this dragon were not the traditional grey of most chains, but they were made out a kind of metal that is basically impossible to destroy unless you had the Sword of Destruction.
The only sound that could be heard in this temple, was one of the boiling lava and the occasional rock falling from above. Until the silence was broken be the huffing of a dragon that had been flying for way too long.
The dragon soon came to a screeching halt as his claws scraped the rock underneath him to keep him from falling into the lava below. But unfortunately the smaller dragon ended up falling over the edge of a crevice. If it was not for the last minute efforts by the black dragon, he would have plummeted to his death. The black dragon had caught him by the tail and was dragging him back up to the top. But when he finally cleared the edge, the black dragon did not put him down, but left him hanging there flailing.
"Sir, your greatness, would you kindly put my down please?" the smaller dragon asked his master.
"As you wish Revelian," the black dragon said in a deep gruff tone of voice as he sort of slammed Revelian to the ground.
Revelian sat up from the fall and rubbed his head as if he was hurting. With squinted eyes and puckered lips, it definitely showed that the slam on the ground hurt him badly.
The black dragon just smiled as he watched his helpless servant.
"What is it that you want Revelian? You really only come when you have a message for me."
"Well, I came here to tell you that Garmadon, your brother, has allowed your nephews to go search for the crystals and they are starting their journeys as we speak," Revelian stated a little nervously. Being in front of a dragon that brought so much destruction a few years prior made Revelian stutter at his words.
A angry growl came out of the black dragon's mouth and he pounced on Revelian like a cat to a mouse. He utilized his long claws to make a cage around Revelian's body and he pressed lightly on Revelian to where his voice sounded a little strained from lack of air.
"Are you sure that this information is accurate? Last time I heard anything, I heard that the king did not want his sons to go one the journey," the black dragon yelled.
"I am positive. I pose myself as a guard of Garmadon's and I hear just about everything he says. I overheard him talking to his son Orion about the reason why he did not want him to go on the journey at first, but now he is willing to allow both Orion and Oreon to go search for them. He also said something about a legend that one of a pair of two dragons will. . . . ."
"Will find the five crystals and unite them into the Sword of Creation or Destruction depending on the motives of the dragon that finds them. I know the story otherwise I would not be in these chains," The black dragon stated bitterly.
"Do you not want your nephews to find them? I mean after all Garmadon is your brother and family means a lot to some people," Revelian stated as he writhed underneath the vice grip of his master.
"Do not mention my brother's name in my presence ever again or you will have something to reckon with, Revelian!" the evil twin of Garmadon yelled as he lowered his face closer to his servant's.
"Sorry my lord, I did not mean any harm," Revelian stated as he shuddered.
"You had better not have."
Revelian gave a sigh of relief once his master and employer took his claw off of his chest.
"He thinks he can defeat me?" The black dragon said talking to himself. But as he was talking to himself, he got steadily louder and louder to where Revelian could hear him, "I am Lord Garmatron and the rightful king of Denderath. I will have no brother of mine come and take what is precious to me. My nephews have no right to go search for them. I do not believe that they are the twins that the legend speaks of. I believe that was Garmadon and I. But did my father listen? No he did not."
As Garmatron continued to talk to himself, he was pacing back and forth on the ledge that overlooked the lava on the volcano floor. Rocks from the thinner parts of the ledge clattered down the wall of rock and into the lava floor below.
"Do not reveal that I know that Oreon and Orion are out on the journey. My brother must not know that I know, because it could mean devastating consequences for me," Garmatron roared to Revelian.
"I will not, sir! You can count on me!" Revelian stuttered as he nervously backed away from the menacing black dragon that loomed over him.
"You had better not fail me! Or you will end up like the last dragon who served me," Garmatron yelled as Revelian took to the sky.
Garmatron sat down watching Revelian fly off to his destination and smiled to himself. If he knew anything about his two nephews is that Oreon's heart was evil and that is just what he needs to get out of this dastardly cave and take on the world as he once did before he was banished to this land.