Chapter I
Awakening
It was a curious sensation for the young man.
Sort of like floating.
But that wasn't quite right. No, it felt more like being suspended given the gentle pressure he felt encompassing him. Perhaps he was in some sort of fluid? But if that were true what of his need for air? Surely being surrounded by liquid would interfere with such a pressing need. Yet most curiously he seemed untroubled by such a thing. Instead, his breathing came to him as natural as it ever it did.
It was simultaneously an entirely alien sensation and yet one that on some level was wholly familiar to him.
Whatever it was held him securely and comfortably.
It caressed over him with gentle wavelike motions. Each wave taking away any desire to move as he simply let himself be held and resigned to drift. Still, his curiosity was strong, stronger than the numbing warmth. Opening his eyes he viewed his surroundings for the first time. He blinked several times in disbelief as he beheld the view clear to the horizon.
There was no way of knowing just how far this vast opaqueness went but it appeared to be without end. Pivoting at the waist he glanced over his shoulder. Beneath him, there was a deepening haze that grew darker further down and with it a feeling of uneasiness. The young man didn't understand how he knew this. But something told him that down was not a direction he wished to go.
Instead, he turned his gaze skyward.
At least he thought it was the sky. Above him, a surface akin to polished silver shimmered. It rippled and undulated like a turbulent sea as the light from some unknown source glinted so bright he could hardly see.
As he grew more aware of his surroundings the young man became aware not all was silent. Listening close he could just pick up on a faint noise. It was a soft sound, muffled and distorted but it was clear to him the sound was that of voices. Voices too faint to understand, much like trying to listen to someone talking on the other side of a wall while standing some distance from it.
While it would have been natural for the young man to be unnerved in this situation. Something inside him put his mind at ease.
Trying to focus upon the sounds the young man had failed to register a new sensation. It was the feeling of being propelled upwards. Had it have been more forceful or perhaps a quicker ascent he might've taken notice. But they weren't and so he didn't.
He only took notice when he caught a glimpse of something in the shiny surface growing larger did he realize something was up. A distorted shape, a figure that seemed to be staring back at him from above.
At first, he believed it to be someone else standing above the surface looking down. Yet it mimed his movements with perfect duplication. Forgotten were the sounds of voices as all his attention was now held by the vague reflection. Focusing upon the silhouette the young man took note of several oddities.
For one thing, the shape was easily larger than himself with a far buffer physique judging by the well-developed body shape outline. Atop its head looked to be a crest, or perhaps a set of horns? While from behind it hung a heavy yet sleek-looking tail that stretched down passed its feet.
As alien and unsettling as it should be to see this looming figure he was not. The young man couldn't quite place his finger upon it but there was something that held his calm.
There was something all too familiar about this figure but he couldn't quite place it. Like being able to recall a person's face, however, you couldn't quite put a name to them.
It seemed the young man had finally ceased moving and now just hovered a few feet from the rippling metallic surface.
Extending an arm he reached out attempting to touch it. This action was equally mimicked by his opposite above. Placing his hand against the cool surface he looked on as his own was dwarfed by comparison. He was surprised to find the surface was not cold to the touch but possessed a certain warmth to it.
The pair then placed their second hand against the shimmering barrier just like the first. Upon contact, the young man felt a jolt traveled throughout his body and a wave of heat flashed over him. Compelled he pushed hard against this divide only to see his hand sink through. Inch by inch his arms disappeared into the shiny obstruction. Still, he felt no desire to pull away, he wasn't afraid as more of himself slipped through.
It was as his cheek was pressed against it that he felt something new. A feeling of warmth akin to the joy felt at being reunited with an old friend.
Then with a gentle ripple, the young man had passed through entirely.
o – o – o – o
Gradually and with great reluctance, Tiberius was pulled from the land of dreams and returned to the waking world. Lethargy clung to him like a warm blanket which demanded that he ignore all else and simply go back to sleep.
Begrudgingly the Dragonoid began to stir. Each movement worked to stoke his internal fires forcing his body from its dormant manner. His eyelids cracked to reveal a bleary view of his environment. Though sleep still addled his mind Tiberius had no difficulty in recognizing the location.
Still here? I must've fallen asleep. I guess there's still time before the shutdown.
With a tremendous yawn, he moved to sit up stretching out on the high-backed throne. A familiar stiffness pulled at the muscles of his neck. It was something he was used to, having fallen asleep multiple times in his chair. Craning his neck to and fro, stretched the muscles in an attempt to compel them to release their stored tension.
A brief flitter of movement to his right caught the Dragonoid's attention. Tiberius ceased in his stretching turning to look to the beautiful Yuliana.
The attractive woman stood with her pleasant smile.
"You're awake. I do hope you rested well, my lord."
Her soft sweet voice swept away any residue of sleep that still clouded his mind. All he could manage as a reply was to stare at her impassively.
"Though should you feel the need to sleep I would suggest retiring to your chambers would be a better option."
Wordlessly Tiberius gawked at the striking woman before him.
Fiery orange eyes roamed over her form. He observed the broad range of motions her mouth made as she spoke. Something none within YGGDRASIL were capable of. Tiberius noted the shift in her gaze whenever she would make eye contact with him. He was even vaguely aware of the subtle rhythmic movements of her bosom with each intake of breath. Everything he observed about her spoke volumes that she was more than a rudimentary game NPC. Tearing his gaze away, he turned his attention to the others gathered. Indeed it seemed that whatever change had occurred was not limited to just the Guardian Overseer.
Not far away stood Nido and Kip, both of whom moved to stand at the base of the dais. The stout man stood his arms folded across his chest his face remaining the most impassive of them all.
Besides him, the short reptilian bard stood.
The Kobold bard stared up at him with his wide silver eyes, a slight tilt to his head. It was mannerism reminiscent of a puppy looking to his master in curiosity.
Behind the pair Tiberius could see the Valkyries; no longer did they stand divided into two unequal groups as before. Now the entire band stood in a unified line, all of them staring up at him.
"Something's wrong…" Tiberius' words were little more than soft muttering.
With that utterance of those two terrible words, the gentle smile Yuliana wore evaporated. In its place a new expression of concern overtook it.
"What do you mean, Lord Tiberius? What's wrong?"
The Dragonoid ignored her words and bolted upright from the throne.
In his haste, he barely took notice of the beautiful female flinching as he did so. With great strides –skipping over several steps with each stride- he descended the throne platform. The Dragonoid moved with such swiftness the Valkyries barely had time to snap from their surprised stupor and part their ranks before him. Not knowing what else to do, each team member hurriedly bowed in turn at his passing.
No sooner had their master left their presence than they stood upright once more. In unison, the battle maidens turned to face their superiors. Their collective expressions were one of bafflement.
Standing atop the throne dais the Guardian Overseer paid them little mind. Instead, her gaze was focused squarely upon the retreating form of her master. Her own face clearly showed her confusion and concern.
She like the others in the room couldn't help but wonder as to the cause of their lord's sudden behavior.
For a scant moment, Yuliana wondered if perhaps they were the cause. If by somehow they were the reason for his displeasure.
It was a thought that was not limited to the Guardian Overseer. It was a notion that had come to each of the NPCs in turn. Unable to reason out an answer she did the only thing she could. Descending the podium Yuliana moved at a clipped pace of her own as she chased after her liege.
It was an action the others were equally quick to adopt for themselves.
Tiberius moved quickly his armour clanking noisily, cape fluttering behind him, and his heavy footsteps echoing through the hall. Moving at such a pace it took the Dragonoid little time to close the distance to the great metal doors of the entrance. Placing his hands upon the cool metal slabs he pushed against them. Had he bothered to take note he would have been rather surprised to see just how easily they parted before him.
Passing through the doorway Tiberius paused briefly on the other side upon catching sight of the night sky above the mountain.
The sky is wrong.
He raced down the multitude of stairs to the plaza. Several times the Dragonoid nearly stumbled, threatening to send him tumbling down the staircase. But luckily he managed to catch himself and keep his pace.
"Wait, my lord! Please wait!"
Tiberius was vaguely aware of a female voice calling out for him. Behind that, he could hear the dissonance of rapidly approaching footsteps pursuing him across the tiled plaza. Still, he refused to slow in his pace as he strode towards the plateau overlook.
Passing under the triumphal arch he stepped onto the veranda.
Here the Dragonoid slowed if only just, and made his way towards the raised platform at the balcony's edge.
Standing atop the overlook the Dragonoid surveyed the horizon.
Nothing was as it should have been.
Beyond the horseshoe valley where once there were rolling verdant hills and a pristine blue river that snaked its way through the terrain. Now lies a dense forest that stretched across the horizon. From east to west and everywhere in between there was nothing but thick foliage.
Throwing his head back Tiberius again intently scanned the night sky.
Gone were the memorable star patterns that littered the fabric of the night. No more did the bright neon bands of gaseous nebulae illuminate the heavens. In its place was a sky that was completely foreign to him.
None of this is right. What the hell is going on here?! First, the NPCs and now the world itself has been changed. Is this is some kind of upgrade, an expansion pack, or is this a dream?
The Dragonoid stood in a motionless stupor. His reptilian head inclined and his muzzle pointing to the heavens as his mind tried to come to grips with the situation. The clanking dissonance of armour plates and sharp strikes of a myriad of footsteps brought Tiberius back from his floundering thoughts.
"My lord, please stop" Yuliana's honeyed voice called out to him.
Gradually Tiberius turned to face the ensemble cast of NPCs who gathered around him. His eyes roved over each of their faces in turn and noted one quality they all possessed. All had an expression that seemed to be a mixture of fear and concern etched into their features.
"Please tell us what it is that troubles you so. Is it we who are the cause, have we displeased you in some manner? If it is so, then we ask that you tell us and allow us to make the appropriate restitution."
Others joined in, giving voice to their worries.
Their voices mixed to become a cacophony of indiscernible sounds. In a moment Tiberius' annoyance and irritation boiled over.
"Enough!"
The Dragonoid's voice thundered across the open-air plateau. His lengthy tail thrashed about, the narrow tail tip lashed the stone floor with a sound akin to the crack of a bullwhip. Leathery bat-like wings unfurled and held outstretched to their full impressive width. The normally placid expression was gone from his draconic face and in its place, the fearsome visage of a predator had emerged. The Dragonoid's fiery eyes had narrowed into a glare as his lips curled into a snarl exposing many of those dagger-like teeth. This was exacerbated by the harsh rumbling growl ushered forth from deep within his throat.
It was an intimidating sight for those gathered.
In an instant, the myriad of voices fell silent.
Overcome by trepidation the NPCs took several collective steps backward. It was only the Guardian Overseer, Yuliana, who managed to contain her emotions and remain, for the moment anyway. However, soon enough even she found herself backing away to rejoin her fellows.
For several long moments, the Dragonoid stood, his threat display continuing to issue his challenge towards the NPCs. It was only when they had showcased the proper submissive postures did he feel any sort of relief from his tensions. The visage softened and the aggression subsided leaving him to clear to think with a more level head.
Ruffling his wings before once more furling them into a resting position Tiberius turned away.
With his back to the NPCs he wasn't able to see them, but more than that they were unable to see him properly.
He sighed and inclined his head and closed his eyes as his hand ran down the length of his reptilian muzzle.
The truth was he hadn't meant to lash out so harshly at Yuliana and the others. However, their incessant questions of him were not something he could deal with at the moment. Though now returned to a calmer mindset he felt the slow creep of guilt. After all, this situation was just as unnerving to them as it was for him. They were simply being more vocal about their concerns than he.
Maybe they didn't shut down the servers after all.
Craning his head the Dragonoid cast a covert glance towards the NPCs.
They're so lifelike. Could this be some kind of test? Maybe a closed BETA of YGGDRASIL II or something? But if it was, they would've had to inform me about it unless they wanted a kidnapping charge against them. Besides the programming skills needed to create such an advanced A. I would be God-tier.
Tiberius raised a hand to his chin.
There has to be some way to sort this out. Some kind of tes… Yes! That's it! I need a test.
Shifting the Dragonoid's eyes roamed the gathered group.
"Valkyries," Tiberius' voice rumbled.
No sooner had the words left his throat than Tiberius felt a new wave of surprise. For the first time, he had actually listened to the sound of his voice. It was markedly different from his normal speaking voice. This voice possessed a deep, almost guttural, baritone with a rumbling resonance that was warm and rich. It reminded him of those voices that were often heard belonging to those chosen to narrate for epic fantasy or sci-fi films.
It was a change that he liked.
Heeding their master's call the group of seven female NPCs stepped forth.
It was an impressive sight in how quickly the seven went from a gaggle of disorganized rabble to that of an orderly unit. The group formed up in a single file line with their backs straight as a board and their heads held high awaiting commands.
Now let's see… back in YGGDRASIL only mercenary NPCs could enter or leave a guild base. While NPCs created to guard a guild base couldn't move passed its boundaries.
"Synnova, come forwards."
At the sound of her name, the stern-looking woman at the head of the group clicked her heels then stepped forth. Her expression was one of cold confidence.
Synnova was the de facto leader of the Valkyries. She was a statuesque beauty with finely crafted features as if fashioned by a master artisan. Her raven black hair was neatly shaven on either side, while the rest was pulled back to be worn in a single-braid ponytail. Her body was athletic with a clear muscular definition. Yet at the same time still possessing good curves.
Synnova's most notable trait was the numerous intricate tattoos that adorned her body.
Tattoos on her arms were spirals made of spears and arrows. While those that marked her legs were bladed weapons such as swords and daggers. Even a few axes found their way into the patterns.
Covering her body was a set of armour in the style of the Roman Legionary.
A scarlet tunic over which she wore a cuirass of dark metal banded segments. Pauldrons were faceted like the top of a diamond from which more dark metal bands protect the upper arm. A skirt of scale mail made from a silvery metal over a wyvern leather tasset hung to just below her knees. A pair of shin-high soft leather boots with bronze-coloured shin guards covered her feet.
"What are your commands, my liege?" she questioned in a gruff voice after taking to one knee before him.
"You and the other Valkyries shall leave the mountain to survey the surrounding area. To that end, circle the mountain three miles out and then report back once you have done so."
"As you command it shall be done."
Rising from her knelt position Synnova clasp a hand over her heart then bowed deeply to the towering Dragonoid. Turning abruptly she strode back to her fellow teammates. Without a word the Valkyries turned and moved in lock-step fashion towards the balcony's edge. With such perfect synchronization between them, Tiberius would have sworn it to be a choreographed procession.
Tiberius watched them intently awaiting the results of his little experiment.
The group stopped a couple of yards back from the edge.
One of their numbers moved to stand before her sisters.
It was Ryoko –the group's Kitsune magic caster- her seven fox tails being the clear giveaway. From his position, he could see her mouth move but was unable to hear what was said.
She extended her right arm the palm of her hand facing out. Soon after a faint glowing aura enveloped the other Valkyries for a brief moment before fading away entirely. Well, that is all saved for Gairwyn, after all her being of the avian race of Birdmen; she was already capable of what the spell had bestowed.
Synnova was the first to take flight as she pushed off the ground with a slight jump. She took to the air like a natural and hovered some thirty feet up. Then one by one she was joined by her fellow Valkyries as they too took to the sky. Once gathered the Valkyries adopted a flying V-formation and retreated into the distance as they left the mountain behind.
The Dragonoid could only look on in astonished silence as these once guild-bound individuals turned to tiny dots in the distance.
They can leave?!
Rapidly he turned about to once again face the others. "Yuliana, I need to confirm some things for myself. Inform me when they have returned and until then I shall be in my chambers."
"Of course," her reply was punctuated with a small bow, "And what would you have the rest of us do, my lord? Shall we alert the other Floor Guardians?"
Tiberius couldn't help but take note of the softness of her tone.
She's probably worried I'll yell at her again.
"Yes. Inform the rest of the Floor Guardians to be on alert. Nothing is to enter or leave this mountain without me knowing about it."
Tiberius didn't wait for a response before he strode passed the three remaining NPCs. Leaving them behind as he made for the stairwell at the center of the plaza.
"Ooh, Kip not liking seeing master so upset" the Kobold spoke with his raspy yet surprising higher-pitched voice. "It not being anything that we be doing, you think?"
Nido moved to place a comforting hand on the shoulder of his smaller compatriot. "Indeed. Our lord does seem most troubled as of late. Though I cannot say as to its cause, something tells me it was not us per se."
"It does not matter. The Supreme One has given us his commands and it is our duty to carry out his wishes." The Guardian Overseer spoke dispassionately, "Kip, you will see to it the other Floor Guardians are informed of the master's orders."
"Yes, yess Kip will do," the little reptile spoke enthusiastically.
Without further prodding, he turned and set off on his mission. In his excitement, the Kobold tripped over himself before landing with a soft oomph. But it was only a minor hindrance as the Kobold was able to again find his footing and was off running.
Nido watched his compatriot leave before stepping forwards.
"I believe I shall follow the master. He may have need of assistance. What shall you do, my lady?"
"Very well, Nido." Yuliana stood stark still staring at the tunnel her master had descended through. "I will return to the Throne Room and oversee the mountain's defenses are properly activated."
With nothing more to say to one another the pair parted. Nido strode at a pace of a brisk walk matching that of Tiberius, behind him his furred cape flapped slightly as he moved.
Yuliana cast a glance at the stairs as Nido too disappeared.
For several moments she lingered, hair and clothing fluttering with the soft breeze. Reaching up Yuliana tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and turned her gaze to the Rotunda and the waiting Throne Room.
o – o – o – o
The Ninth Floor was a floor unlike any other within Tyrnaust.
While the other floors had been designed to serve as obstacles and battlegrounds to thin out and eliminate any intruders. This was not the case with the Ninth Floor. Instead, it had been designed to serve as the primary residence for the members of the Sanguine Dragons.
The Divine City, they had named it for this was their own personal slice of heaven.
As one of the largest floors covering an area larger than two square miles with a ceiling height of six hundred feet. It was rivaled only by the slightly smaller third floor for scale. The terrain was mostly flat and level, save for a large hill on the eastern side. It was here the guild's members set about creating a virtual township.
The small city was dominated in the four cardinal directions by a specific landmark.
To the west, a myriad of buildings were crafted in seemingly every conceivable fashion.
These structures served as the member's private abodes. A place to store their more private mementos, or a place to just get away for a time. Each domicile was thusly customized to reflect their personal sense of style and taste.
There was a classical wizard's tower that stretched up towards the mock sky. A floating Egyptian-style pyramid made of gold and capped with a diamond block. A surprisingly out-of-place mock-up of a modern apartment building. A beautiful castle built in the style of the ancient Edo period and many more could all be seen in the western section of the city.
To the north, there stood a scaled-down replica of the ancient Roman Circus Maximus. Something the guild's members referred to as the Grand Arena or simply The Circus.
This structure served a purpose much like its historical counterpart in providing entertainment for the guild's members. It was here the Sanguine Dragons would showcase their own events. Events included things like tournaments, where members would face off against one another for prizes. Competitions that pitted combatants against increasingly powerful monsters where the last man standing was the victor. There were training events too, where new members could receive instruction or test out skills and equipment in a controlled manner.
A few times the Grand Arena had been used to settle disagreements between guild members through single combat PVP bouts.
Residing on the eastern side upon a hill whose elevation allowed it to overlook the rest of the city stood the Temple of the Dragons.
It was another building reminiscent of a historical piece, this time being the Greek Parthenon. By placing the temple upon the hilltop it was to preside over the whole of the floor. A dedication to all the guild's members to be visible from any point on the floor.
Located on the southern side of the city sat the aptly named Safari Park.
Created by members Green Tea Tsunami and her sister PunyTea Puddle as a place to keep a variety of beasts collected from all over YGGDRASIL's nine worlds. This zoo was pretty spacious with creatures being given a decent amount of freedom to roam. Within the Safari Park was a large stockyard simply known as The Stables. It is here the guild members kept the majority of their mounts. Particularly the rare ones, such as those gained through special events.
Lying between these elements was the city itself.
It was a dizzying clash of styles with ancient Greek and Roman standing alongside Medieval European and even Feudal Japanese.
There were streets of smooth cobblestone as found in ancient European civilizations. Egyptian obelisks stood tall upon the corners, their sides engraved with various hieroglyphs and runes. Romanesque fountains dotted the cityscape, statues glorifying the achievements of the guild. The walls of numerous buildings were covered by colourful murals and intricate tile frescoes that told stories through their depictions. Crystal topped lampposts illuminated the pathways during the night cycles.
Of course in such a varied landscape there were a number of interesting locations.
The Euphoria Baths, a large building found towards the city center. Within its confines are a number of communal baths and beauty spas. The bathing areas were varied with different themes for each. Classical Roman open pools, traditional Japanese outdoor, and indoor onsens. There were mineral baths, bubbling hot springs, steam-filled saunas, and others. Several of these pools had been enhanced with magic to speed up recovery and buff an individual's stats.
There was a large open-air café in the style of an ancient Greek dining hall that served special attribute-boosting foods. While across the way a medieval-style tavern served many drinks with equally special qualities.
A large extravagant dining hall that was more akin to a ballroom taken straight out of a palace.
An impressive smithery marked by the pair of chimneys fashions like a pair of cooling towering from an old nuclear power plant. This was home to NPCs Oddr and his brother Randr.
All of this sat under an exacting recreation of the YGGDRASIL skybox. It even had a working day and night cycle.
It was on this floor that Tiberius currently found himself.
Traversing the cobblestone streets he made for his personal residence. Now that he was moving under his own power in a seemingly real environment, he was reminded of how big the floor was.
But also that it was not without its own residents.
The NPCs here were the custodians of the guild, responsible for much of the base's upkeep. Nymphs, within YGGDRASIL's lore, were guardians of purity and protectors of sacred places. In keeping with lore, it was decided that they were would be the caretakers of the Divine City.
Nymphs were well-known as a beautiful elf-like race that possessed an almost ethereal quality about them. Often the only way to tell the difference between them was the substantially longer ears of the Nymph.
It was as he rounded the corner that Tiberius was met by one of these individuals.
She stared up at him, her eyes wide with surprise and mouth held agape. It was an expression Tiberius pictured one would make upon meeting a famous idol.
The Nymph's moment of shock didn't last long.
In the blink of an eye, she had dropped to her knees upon the cobblestone. Her back was arched as she touched her forehead to cold stone. Before she held her hands pressed together as if in prayer.
"Please forgive this one, my lord." Her plea was soft, little more than a whisper, "I did not mean to impede you."
Sheesh, you'd think I was royalty or something. Is this what it's like to be a CEO? Not sure if I can get used to this.
"You did nothing wrong, please rise."
The long-eared female remained motionless. No doubt in contemplation of her reprieve. Tentatively she lifted her gaze from the grey stone as if to test if it was truly okay to do so. Seeing no indication otherwise from the Dragonoid she slowly rose to stand once more.
This allowed Tiberius to get a better look at her.
She stood a little over five and a half feet with a slender build. Her attractive face was framed by sky blue shoulder-length hair. Around her neck, she wore a golden chain-like collar from which dangled a small heart-shaped plate. Her garments were simple, a pale blue tunic chiton that hung down to her knees. A girdle of rope did a good job at wrangling in the excess cloth as well as framing her voluminous bust. On her feet, she wore a set of dark leather moccasins.
"What is your name?" the Dragonoid gave a small smile to ease the tension.
"I am called Blue," this time the maid bowed much to Tiberius' preference.
Not the most imaginative name.
"Well Blue, you did not hinder me at all. So everything's alright."
"I see," was all she said.
From then on the pair stood in silence as the blue-haired Nymph gazed up at the taller Dragonoid. The silence was something Tiberius was quick to find uncomfortable.
"Well, I guess I'll let you get back to whatever it was you were doing, Blue."
The maid bowed once more and then stepped back and to the side, she strode around him giving ample space. Tiberius watched her walk off and once she was out of sight he again set out.
Following that brief delay, the Dragonoid was once more on his way. In total since his arrival on the Ninth Floor, it had probably been a couple of minutes. It was a journey made all the longer by Tiberius' frequent detours to avoid meeting any more of the Nymph maidens.
He felt a certain sense of relief when he finally caught sight of his humble abode awaiting him just ahead.
Tiberius never was one for being very extravagant and had kept his designs simple. He had gone with a simple boxy structure resembling a Norman Keep. Its walls were straight and smooth made from ordinary grey stone blocks. While the actual ones he'd seen in his research depicted them being several stories tall, he had kept his design at one.
A simple large dark oak door marked the entrance.
With a simple push and the door opened allowing him inside. Stepping inside the Dragonoid reached back to shut the door only to be met with a rather odd sensation. So surprising was it that Tiberius gave a startled jump.
It felt as though someone had thumped his arm or leg with a hard rod. But it was not his arm or leg. Rotating his draconic head he beheld the uncomplicated answer to his predicament.
In trying to close the door without looking he had inadvertently shut the door on his tail. Luckily it would seem his armour and scale-clad appendage was sturdier than he would have thought. With an agitated growl, Tiberius turned yanking his tail through the doorway and shut the door properly.
Behind the wooden door was a rather simple room some forty feet across and twenty feet deep. With a floor of a rich lacquered rosewood and overhead exposed rafters of oiled mahogany. The inside walls were plastered and painted with earthen tones that complimented the bare wood. Overhead a chandelier hung ringed by enchanted candles providing illumination. Opposite the front door was a short hall with two doors, at the end of the hall was the door that led to the bedroom and just to the right door behind which lies a private washroom.
The east side of the main room was a cozy setting.
On the floor, a large bearskin rug lay spread out before a large fireplace. Inside a crackling fire cast a soft glow about the room. Not far sat an oversized, overstuffed couch opposite a pair of equally robust chairs. Between them, a short rectangular table with legs carved into the form of wolves seated upon their haunches and a tabletop of clear crystal.
To the west, the Dragonoid had done his best to recreate a Victorian-style study.
He had been inspired to do this after reading a series of books about a famous fictional detective who had lived during that era. A round green rug with concentric gold rings lies in front of a large wooden desk and between a tall wingback chair. Behind the desk, a pair of tall bookshelves laden down with books.
To the left of the desk, the wall was taken up by a ten-foot-long glass display case filled with a number of items. On the floor next to the desk was a magic globe that would take on the topography of any of YGGDRASIL's nine worlds.
On the northern wall, an alcove that held probably the most precious thing in the entire guild base.
Tiberius crossed the room in silence.
Standing before the alcove he gazed in reverence to the item held within.
The guild weapon, a symbol of the guild's unity that if ever destroyed would mean the dissolution of the guild.
For the Sanguine Dragons, it was known as the Staff of the Dragon –or more simply the Dragon Staff. Although in actuality it was more of a pole-axe than a staff.
The polearm was just less than eight feet in length with a hexagonal shaft made from a silvery platinum coloured metal that possessed a wooden texture. The lower end of the shaft is capped with a crimson sphere resting upon a multi-faceted onyx diamond carved to resemble the head of a spear. Though the tip was impossibly fine the weapon managed to balance itself and remain upright. This was an effect of the magic imbued within the staff.
Crowning the pole-axe was an icy blue crystal spearhead. Affixed to the base of the crystal spire was the figure of a golden five-headed dragon. The creature's long tail wound its way down the upper portion of the shaft. The beast's limbs were wrapped tightly about both the metallic shaft and the base crystal. So secure was its hold that it seemed to be holding on for its very life. The dragon's wings were only partially unfurled to create a diamond shape that formed the dual axe blades. The eyes of the dragon's five heads were crafted from magical gemstones of varying colours: red, white, green, blue, and black.
For ornamentation was a series of beautifully intricate etchings engraved into the length of the shaft. These runes were said to be the ancestral tongue of the dragons and inlaid with gold. These symbols would glow a fiery orange-red as if intensely heated when the staff was held. For further effect, the staff emitted an electric blue aura from which small bolts of electricity could be produced. Larger arcs of electricity would traverse along the length of the shaft. These bolts could be focused to be expelled from the crystals on either end of the polearm for offense.
As the symbol of the guild's collective might, it was crafted with only the finest materials in all of YGGDRASIL. It had taken the Sanguine Dragons nearly a year to fully gather all the materials needed for its creation. It truly represented what the guild could accomplish when its members united to achieve a goal. Being a weapon that represented the guild's prestige, only the master of the guild was capable of wielding the weapon and utilizing its capabilities to the fullest.
Reaching out the Dragonoid gently ran his taloned hand along the length of the polearm. Feeling the smooth surface beneath his scaled fingers brought back so many memories. Memories of meetings to decide on a design, of grueling marathon sessions to farm the necessary mats, and of the incredible rush he felt when all their collective efforts finally took shape.
It was probably the single biggest achievement in their guild's history.
Subconsciously a faint smile of satisfaction crept across his reptilian muzzle.
Yet catching sight of the golden scales upon the back of his hand brought back the cold reality of the situation, and why he had come down here in the first place.
Moving away from the alcove Tiberius made his way along the short hallway to the door at the end.
The bedroom was large, possessing the same width as the main room, and lit by mage light giving off a soft glow. However, the room was L-shaped with a recessed area to the left of the entrance. In this nook, the walls were lined by mirrors of varying angles to create a panoramic view. Not far along the western wall was a wardrobe. It was tall, nearly touching the ceiling above, and made from dark wood with etchings of intricate spiral patterns across its surface.
The real attention grabber of the room was the ridiculously oversized bed.
The bed resembled less of a bed in the traditional sense and instead was more of a massive pillow-like cushion. It was easily two feet thick and spanned near the full length and width of the bedroom itself. Strewn across the bed haphazardly were a myriad of much smaller pillows with many furred pelts in place of blankets.
Though the bed was a tempting option, Tiberius currently had no intention of going to bed right now.
Turning away the Dragonoid approached the mirror-walled alcove.
Sheepishly the Dragonoid advanced towards the mirrors, almost afraid of what he would see. Straight away he was met with the reflection of his draconic visage.
Tiberius could only gawk at his reflection, eyes roamed over his body taking in every detail. He turned this way and that way in his attempts to observe himself from every possible angle.
Everything was a match to his memory. This was indeed the body of the avatar he had created those twelve years ago.
Reaching up he placed a palm against each side of his face.
Tiberius could feel the warmth under his hands before running along the length of his reptilian muzzle. Taloned fingertips traced over every contour as he explored his new appearance in detail. Under his palms, the Dragonoid could feel the tips of his teeth that extended passed his lips. Continuing on his hands finished at the rounded end of his muzzle feeling the heated air with each exhale beating against his palms.
Holding his hand out in front of him Tiberius now focused on the appendages. The Dragonoid marveled at the golden scales that sheathed his flesh. They resembled the classical shield-shaped reptile scales. Yet these didn't overlap and were instead more fixed to the skin like the scutes of crocodilians. Flexing his hands he watched the scales shift as the muscles beneath moved. Descending from his forearms the scales were large to gradually grew smaller towards his fingers. The scales upon the underside of his hands were minuscule by comparison. Across his palms and fingers, the scales were so tiny, no doubt made this way as to not hamper his hand's flexibility or dexterity. As he noted before in place of simple flat fingernails of a human, his hands now possessed sharp claws about an inch long and anchored firmly into the bone beneath the scaled flesh.
Dropping his hands back down to his sides, Tiberius' gaze returned to his face.
In YGGDRASIL –or all DMMO-RPGs for that matter- a character's facial appearance was fixed and unmoving. So whenever a character spoke their expression would remain set in stone and instead text would relay all needed information.
Even with the later expansions which added a few basic expressions to human-like races. These expressions were little more than wearable emoticons as a player would have to switch between the selected expressions.
Experimentally Tiberius began to move his facial muscles.
First, he arched one brow, then the other, and then both together. Next, he tried his lips, puckering them as if about to kiss, pulling them down in a frown before lifting them in a smile.
It amazed him with the range of motion his reptilian visage remained capable of.
Although his smile left much to be desired. Seeing as his attempt at a wide-mouth grin appeared more like a vicious snarl.
Ignoring that he went through several more expressions. From shock and awe to fear to simple concern to joyous and ecstatic. He watched them all as his reflection mimed his actions perfectly.
Leaning forwards, mere inches from the mirrored glass he opened his mouth as wide as it could go.
Strands of saliva clung in thin ropes from his upper and lower jaws.
Tiberius' focus was on the thick dagger-like teeth that lined his gums. From there, his gaze was drawn to the thick tongue lying on his bottom jaw. Interestingly the tip of the tongue had a slight bifurcation giving it a forked appearance.
Rising from its resting place, Tiberius ran his tongue over his fangs feeling the blade-like edge of each. Closing his jaws the Dragonoid pulled back from the now foggy mirror.
"This can't be real," his voice possessing a nervous edge reverberated throughout the room. "More tests, that's it I need more tests."
In his frenzied thoughts, an option he had overlooked before now came to him.
Why not log off?
He gave a rueful laugh at not having thought of it until now.
With a practiced motion, he lifted his arm expecting the game console to open. Yet it didn't. Repeating the movements several more times, each time more frantic than the last.
After failing at that he ran down his remaining options.
"This must be a dream. Yes, that's it. It's all a dream. Just gotta wake myself up."
Both hands came up abruptly to deliver several light slaps to either side of his face.
"Come on wake up, wake up."
Again and again, his hands clapped against the golden scaled flesh of his draconic muzzle. For nearly a minute straight Tiberius did his best reenactment of any scene from anywhere a character would try to wake themselves.
With the apparent lack of success, the Dragonoid's frustrations grew. It seemed the only result he would be granted was the warmth spreading across either side of his face. When he could no longer tolerate it his anger boiled over.
A golden scaled hand lashed out, racing through the air to deliver a strike to the side of his muzzle. The force of the blow was far greater than anticipated. Upon impact, the concentrated throb of pain radiated through his cheek. Beyond the pain, enough power had been imparted as to destroy his equilibrium.
The Dragonoid bereft of this crucial sense promptly lost his footing and was sent into an uncontrolled stagger. Throwing out his arms Tiberius managed to catch himself luckily before he collided with the mirrored surface of the wall.
Turning slowly Tiberius gawked at his wide-eyed reflection. Seeing clearly the look of shock etched deeply across his draconic features.
The searing pain which radiated from his cheek was a surprise, to say the least. Yet more so was the flavour that now spread across his tongue. Something tangy and metallic, like sucking on a greasy coin, coated his taste buds.
As if on autopilot the Dragonoid reached up with his right hand to run his index and middle fingers under his lip and along his gum line. Again he felt a definite sting when he applied pressure to the area. Withdrawing his prodding fingers he held them up under the light. The spittle coating his fingers glistened in the light and there on his fingertips he could see it. Diluted amongst the clear saliva was a tale-tell crimson dsicolouration.
Blood?! It can't be!
Nevertheless, it was, clear as daylight. There was his answer staring him in the face.
If this was a dream why could he still feel pain?
Wouldn't he have awoken before the pain had set in?
If he were still within YGGDRASIL why could he taste the blood?
No DMMO-RPG would go through the trouble of recreating a sense of taste. Besides that, players didn't want to experience the agony of suffering trauma on a battlefield.
It was obvious now he was within neither one of those two.
The answer was as simple as it was frightening.
Everything that had transpired with himself and the guild's formerly passive NPCs was genuine. This was nothing but cold hard reality and it was staring back at him from the mirror.
For Tiberius time stood still as the truth of his impossible situation settled into his consciousness.
"[Lord Tiberius.]"
The stillness of the moment shattered and the Dragonoid gave a startled jump falling over himself. He tumbled to the wooden floor to lay sprawled out. Sluggishly Tiberius rose to sit up, his head spun as he looked about the room in search of the mystery speaker.
A second time the voice called out to him and echoed through his mind.
"Huh, what?"
"[I am sorry to interrupt you. However, you desired to be alerted when the Valkyries had returned.]"
Yuliana, how? Could it be the [Message] spell? Can she hear me now?
Tiberius sat in silence for a time awaiting any response. However, as none came he at least had his answer to that puzzle.
"[My lord?]"
"Hmm… yes, that's right. Thank you, Yuliana."
"[It is my pleasure to be of service to you, master.]"
Tiberius noted the return of a more cheerful tone to her words. Although he was glad to hear the more upbeat take in her tone, it, unfortunately, brought back the feelings of guilt over his earlier actions.
"Yuliana, I…"
"[Yes, my liege?]"
"I-I," Tiberius gave an exasperated sigh, "I will talk with you when I arrive."
"[Understood. Will there be anything else?]"
"No, that will be all."
Several moments passed by and when no further communications came Tiberius assumed the connection had been broken. Rising from the floor the Dragonoid looked himself over in the mirror making sure nothing was out of order.
I guess I should go, but what am I supposed to do? They obviously look up to me as their leader. But this isn't planning some dungeon raid or going over the guild's daily business. No, no point in dwelling I've got to get a handle on this before I go crazy.
Closing his eyes the Dragonoid performed a simple breathing exercise. It was a trick he'd picked up sometime after receiving a promotion and used enough to become second nature to him by now. Usually, he'd use it before having to give a presentation or when speaking to the department supervisors.
Closing his eyes the Dragonoid shut out any thoughts and cleared his mind. Slowly he inhaled and exhaled while mentally keeping count. He repeated the process several times until he felt the tension fading from his being.
Finally, he reopened his eyes and stared himself down in the mirror. With a last look over and a single nod of self-assurance he turned and left the room.
Stepping through the front door and back onto the Ninth Floor, Tiberius was surprised to see a familiar face waiting outside.
The Chief Attendant, Nido, stood unmoving roughly a dozen feet from his front door.
His dark cloak pulled close around him, hiding his arms from view. Given his unwavering stance, if Tiberius didn't know better he would not be remiss to think Nido had returned to being a lifeless A.I.
"I don't remember asking you to accompany me," Tiberius moved closer to the man, "Just how long have you been standing out here."
Nido bowed deep before replying.
"Forgive me, my lord. But you appeared rather distressed not long ago. In my role as Chief Attendant to the Supreme Ones, I am to offer advice and aid should they require it. As such it would be negligent of me to ignore my duties."
His voice had an aged gravelly tone about it. Yet still possessed the strength of youth and had a certain graceful charisma to it. It reminded Tiberius somewhat of the tones and manner of speaking used by his fellow guild member.
So they still seek to fulfill their duties and original purposes. But is that their limit? Or can they do more? After all, he came here of his own will. The way he talks, it's just like Charming Rock. I wonder do the NPCs all behave like their creators?
"I do appreciate your concerns, Nido," the Dragonoid replied. "Though as you can see I was able to work through much of what troubled me."
"Very good, sir. Lady Yuliana has informed me of the Valkyries return to the mountain. I take it you will be returning to the Throne Room to listen to their report?"
"I will, but first there is something else I need to do before then. You should return to the Throne Room and I will be along shortly."
Nido nodded in understanding prior to performing a heel turn, his cloak making a small flourish with the act, then strode off along the cobblestone path.
Turning back the Dragonoid returned to the still-open door of his dwelling. Grasping the handle he pulled it shut and gave it a slight push reassuring himself it was properly closed.
As he removed his hand from the handle the Dragonoid's eyes fell on the figure of the serpentine dragon coiled around his index finger. His guild ring.
If the [Message] spell works here, then what else does? Does teleportation still function? It would certainly be faster than walking all the way there.
Taking several steps back from the stone keep Tiberius moved to stand near the middle of the cobblestone street.
"So how does this going to work? In YGGDRASIL I would select it from my console. Although I doubt it works that way here. I mean do I just think of the place or something?"
Tiberius looked intently at the ring on his finger. In doing so he began to feel himself being drawn to it as if it was demanding more of his attention. So he obliged it, focusing more intently upon the golden trinket.
Then to his wonderment, the gemstone held within the jaws of the little metal dragon began to glow. With this sudden change, a new sensation befell him. To the Dragonoid, it felt as if he was simultaneously within his body and somehow without it. It was like he had by some means formed a connection to Tyrnaust itself. With this bond came an innate sense for the locations of the numerous teleport nodes scattered throughout.
To the Dragonoid's perception, these nodes seemed like swirling vortexes of energy distributed across Tyrnaust's various levels. Should he focus on any point, in particular, he would feel a powerful pull as if to draw him there.
Shifting through these points Tiberius turned his attention to the furthest of these energy clusters.
Before Tiberius' eyes, the surroundings of the Ninth Floor were swallowed up by all-consuming darkness that quickly engulfed him. But then as quick as the world had blinked out, his sight was returned to him. Gone was the cobblestone street, missing were the structures of the Divine City, and in its place, a white marble corridor lit by magic torches that studded its length.
"It worked?!" Tiberius' voice rang out, filled with his astonishment, "I can't believe it, it worked!"
The hall was roughly thirty feet long and oriented north to south. To the south a spiral stair which led back down to the Throne Room. While to the north was another set of stairs that led up and to the Orrery Tower that stood behind the Rotunda.
The hall's only remarkable feature was the set of doors opposite where he stood.
Before him stood a set of doors made of white oak and etched with a winding vine motif. Around the doors, the stone had been carved in the form of a glorious rose and vine-covered arch. Behind these doors lay the chamber where the guild would hold their various meetings.
However, his destination lied not beyond those doors but at the end of the northern staircase.
o – o – o – o
The Orrery was a large circular room with a high domed ceiling.
The ceiling was painted a deep midnight blue dotted by numerous tiny sparkling stars. These stars were in actuality small diamonds placed upon the dark backdrop. The constellations of YGGDRASIL's night sky –or at least those of the Asgardian realm- were represented here too. To create these gemstones such as rubies, emeralds, sapphires, garnets, and others were set into corresponding positions showcasing a myriad of coloured patterns. There was even a great clockwork mechanism that shifted the star patterns as per the movement of the seasons.
At the room's center stood a modeled depiction of the World Tree made from pure electrum. Suspended from its high branches were nine crystal globes to represent each of the nine realms of YGGDRASIL. Each world was characterized by a different colour and on close inspection possessed the most up-to-date topographical data for the land. This particular addition to the guild was not crafted by any within the guild. Instead, it was purchased from the in-game auction house for a substantial price. But it was worth the cost for its purpose was to allow users to place markers and track the movements of tagged beings whether player, NPC, or creatures.
It was sort of like a GPS.
The Orrery also possessed a smaller ancillary chamber.
The chamber sat to the west and wasn't much bigger than a typical conference room, and separated from the main room with a wall of dark crimson curtains. Within the room was a great round table of black ironwood. At the center of the table, a crimson-tinged black crystal cluster was sat upon a golden crown.
This was a focusing crystal for use in divination rituals. When activated the crystal functioned in a similar manner as the Mirror of Remote Viewing, allowing the diviners to view far-off places. However, unlike the mirror, the scene being viewed was not played out within the crystal itself as with the mirror. Instead, the crystal would project the scene in a holographic fashion into the air above the table.
The divination crystal also had the advantage of perceiving sounds while the mirror could not without additional items and spell usage. Although the mirror had the major advantage of being portable while the crystal could not leave the guild base.
Proceeding into the chamber Tiberius was met with the recognizable sounds of clockwork mechanisms.
He scanned over the room searching for The Orrery's resident. An NPC who held the position of the guild's Chief Diviner and Teleportation Overseer. It was he who the guild's members would approach to utilize his skills in divination to spy on other locations. It was also he who was in charge of the teleportation network through the dungeon.
As per his capabilities, he could place teleport nodes on lockdown, redirect them to either a specific point or a random location within the mountain.
Though rather startlingly for the Dragonoid he saw no sign of him currently within the Orrery.
"Mathias?"
Tiberius was thankful for the greater resonance his new voice possessed as it echoed across the room. Before his worries of the missing NPC had an opportunity to settle in he received a response to his summons.
As the echo of his words faded he was met with the sounds of footsteps accompanied by a light tapping with each step.
Emerging from behind the curtained divider came forth the keeper of the Orrery, Mathias.
He was tall but still a head shorter than Tiberius with a fit form judging by what could be seen. He wore a set of fine dress slacks and a white business shirt over which was a charcoal grey vest. His feet were clad in well-shined loafers covered by a pair of spats. Over this formal attire, Mathias was adorned with a black spell caster's robe. The cloak was held by a clasp in the shape of a thorn-covered vine twisted into the looping infinity insignia. A thick collar of black raven and robin red feathers lined the robe's neck. The interior was crushed red velvet and the outer edge of the dark cloth was embellished in silver swirls. While the robe's deep hood which covered his head was embroidered with golden flames. In one of his white-gloved hands, a cane of lacquered cherry wood topped with the bust of a robin made of ruby.
The most notable trait aside from his impeccably well-groomed attired was his distinctive physical appearance.
Atop his shoulders where one a human's head would normally sit was instead the skull of a canine. This fleshless and polished wolf skull was adorned with two pairs of horns. The first pair of horns was knotted and rear-facing, extending out roughly a foot through a set of precut holes in his hood. A second pair was situated more to the side of his skull like ram's horns. They were smooth and rather blade-like. Instead of growing rearwards they curled to run parallel to his lower jaw and sat under his hood. Connecting his skull head to his body could be seen as the flesh of his neck covered in tiny scales the colour of amethyst.
Mathias' unusual appearance was due to his being a Fae. But not just any sort of Fae.
In fact, he was a high-tier Fae referred to as a Fae Abomination. This exceptionally rare race granted him some unique capabilities which combined well with his elemental mage skills. From what Tiberius could remember his creator had modeled him after some manga character.
"I am here, your lordship" the Fae answered with a warm voice.
Pausing before the Dragonoid, Mathias lowered himself to one knee and bowed with a flourished outwards sweep of his left arm.
Tiberius stood looking down at the unflinching being that remained in his pose. Perhaps he would have remained there still had it not occurred to Tiberius that he need acknowledge him.
"Oh, you may stand."
Gracefully he rose from his knelt position. Returned to his full height Mathias rested his hands atop his cane's ruby-crowned head.
"And how may I be of service to you?"
"I have a task I'd like for you to perform, Mathias." Tiberius turned towards the World Tree sculpture at the heart of the Orrery, "I would like you to ascertain the current location of the mountain."
The Fae being tilted his head in puzzlement for a moment. Then without hesitation turned and strode forwards to stand before the electrum tree.
Mathias stood motionless for an instant then raised his cane. The red gemstone bird atop the walking stick glowed softly. With it, he pointed to one of the nine orbs and made a small gesture. In response, the silvery sphere shuddered then rose from its perch and floated down to the Fae Abomination.
The globe came to hover a few feet in front of Mathias. Both Tiberius and Mathias moved closer to the slowly rotating pearlescent globe. The detailing on the globe was quite intricate with clearly defined coastlines, rivers, lakes, and mountain chains on the landmasses.
Mathias rested his right hand upon the cane and extended the left to the orb. The lights of his eyes seemed to dim momentarily as the globes rotational speed increased.
First, it spun to the left, and then it spun to the right. It even began to spin north to south. All the while Mathias stood in silence, his head tilted in tale-tell bafflement.
"Is something wrong?" Tiberius inquired as he moved to stand opposite the dark-robed NPC.
The light of the Fae Abomination's eyes returned to normal as he was brought out of his thoughts.
"I am afraid to say that there does seem to be an issue. I am unable to pinpoint the precise location of Tyrnaust anywhere within the Asgardian realm." Mathias brought his hand to his chin, "Most peculiar."
"So my assumption is true."
Mathias lifted his head at hearing his master's words. "My lord, if I may ask. To what assumption is it you are referring?"
"I shall explain shortly. For now, head down to the Throne Room with the others."
"Of course."
Mathias' eyes faded again –a blink, perhaps- then he nodded before repeating his earlier gesture to the crystal ball. The silvery globe rose into the air before once again returning to its perch upon the World Tree.
Tiberius stood silent listening to the sounds of footsteps and cane taps as they faded from the room.
The Dragonoid let out a huff.
"Huh, so I guess my earlier guess is true. It's not that YGGDRASIL has come to life. But that myself, the guild base, and all within it have somehow been transported to another world. If all this wasn't living proof," he groaned and gestured to the room around him "I'd swear I'd lost my damn mind."
The most poignant of these truths he could taste upon his tongue. With the taste again he could feel the creeping of some existential dread.
"No, I need to focus. First things first, I need to take stock of the situation. The NPCs don't seem to think of anything being out of place. Mathias was even surprised to find the guild base wasn't in Asgard. Could they be faking it? Or do they really think they have been alive all this time?"
To that end, Tiberius began to pursue a new train of thought. He recalled his few brief interactions with those NPCs he'd encountered.
First, the welcoming words of Yuliana as he was ushered into this confusion. The run-in with Blue down on the Ninth Floor, and then with Nido, and now with the Orrery's keeper.
All had behaved in similar manners to what he had witnessed before throughout his life.
"So should I then tell them the truth? That all they know was a lie, just a virtual game that I and others played in? That they were created just for fun?"
Tiberius thought deeply on the subject.
"No, I won't tell them that. Even if they were created just to enrich our game experience, they're alive now. Besides who knows what that kind of damage such knowledge would do to them. The last thing I need is for it to drive them away or crazy. Or worse what if they turned against me out of contempt for their maker? After all, I doubt many would react well if their deity came down to tell them their whole life is just a game to them."
With a low sigh, Tiberius eyed the doorway to the stairwell. As before he closed his eyes and slowed his breathing for several seconds. Then upon opening his eyes the Dragonoid squared his shoulders and strode off.
o – o – o – o
The Throne Room was dominated by a feeling of disquiet.
Yuliana could feel it all around her like a smothering blanket. She could see it etched clearly upon the faces of her compatriots. Though some seemed to be better at hiding it than others.
Particularly Nido, who stood on the throne dais in his usual place. His face remained as stoic as ever, betraying little of his inner thoughts. However, Yuliana could see it. He like the others was troubled by their master's recent behaviors.
Some were far more open about the troubling thoughts they wrestled with.
Little Kip stood near his superior on the dais. The little Kobold's body language broadcast his anxiety to all to read. He shifted nervously from one foot to the other while wringing his hands. His silver cat-like eyes never lingering on any one thing in the room for very long.
It appeared that he'd taken his position near Nido in an attempt to seek some measure of comfort. Though it didn't seem to be helping much.
The Valkyries were huddled together, busily talking amongst themselves. From her position, Yuliana was unable to grasp the full depth of their talks. Occasionally she would catch a word or two, but that was all. Yet even they seemed most concerned about the situation.
Yuliana, herself, had to wear the mask of her position.
As the Guardian Overseer, the others would look to her for guidance in troubled times. She could not afford to allow her personal feelings to interfere with her duties. However, even she was having difficulty with the situation.
How strange their master had been.
His cryptic words after awakening on the throne. The excursion he'd ordered the Valkyries to carry out, then placing the mountain on the highest alert. All before disappearing to his personal quarters.
Yuliana was unable to formulate an adequate answer to explain these things, and that caused a knot to sit at the bottom of her stomach. For the time being all she could do was deflect the worries of the others should they approach.
All she could do was hope that all would be made clear when he returned to hear the report.
Pulling the Guardian Overseer from her turmoil-filled thoughts was the arrival of another to the Throne Room.
Entering the chamber from the western entrance was the Orrery's keeper, Mathias.
The tall Fae Abomination stood quietly to the side of the room. His canine skull of a head looked about the room but focused on nothing in particular. Not surprising since this was his first visit to the Throne Room.
However, this generated questions of its own.
Why had he come down from the Orrery, and was it related in some way to what was going on?
Stepping down from the dais, Yuliana made her way to the newcomer.
"Greetings, Mathis. I trust you are doing well."
At the sound of his name, Mathias turned to face the Guardian Overseer.
"Ah, my lady." The Fae bowed at the waist and held his cane to the side, "Indeed, I am doing quite well actually. Thank you for your concern."
Yuliana offered a small smile, "I don't believe you've set foot in the Throne Room before. May I inquire as to what it is that brings you down from the Orrery?"
"The master has given me leave to await him here."
Hearing this was surprising to Yuliana.
When Nido had returned to the Throne Room she had inquired from him how their master had been doing. In response, the older male had simply stated that Lord Tiberius appeared to be fairing well and would be joining them shortly.
Hearing that their liege had visited with Mathias brought with it a new question.
What plans did the master have that required the Keeper of the Orrery?
Inclining her head, Yuliana met the gaze of the taller individual. "May I ask as what the nature of the conversation you had with the master?"
"The matter was simple. He asked me to ascertain the position of Tyrnaust within the world. Though I must admit his request was most perplexing as surely the master would know it to lie within the Whitewyrm Steppe Mountains in the realm of Asgard."
Mathias paused momentarily when he resumed speaking his voice had changed. It had taken on a subtle but more melancholy tone.
"Though I am ashamed to admit it, I was unable to provide Lord Tiberius with an answer. When I attempted to fulfill his request I wasn't able to correlate the mountain's location to known records. It is most peculiar. It is almost as if the mountain no longer resides where it otherwise should. Yes, most peculiar indeed."
There it was!
In his response, Mathias had given the Guardian Overseer a key piece of information. Perhaps even, the solution to Lord Tiberius' words and his behavior.
As she examined this train of thought the answer became even more obvious to her.
Something had transpired with the mountain.
Some kind of event that had transpired and went completely unnoticed by herself and her fellow Guardians. It was only Lord Tiberius who had been solely aware of the change.
This must be it! It explains everything. Why he sent the Valkyries to scout the surrounding lands. Why he left for his personal quarters, he must have been conducting some manner of investigation as to how this had transpired. Then he must have gone to confer with Mathias to make use of his position as Chief Diviner to confirm his suspicions.
This new piece fits neatly into the greater puzzle and completed it nicely.
However, where Yuliana should have felt a sense of peace at discovering the answer to this problem, she didn't. Instead, in place of calm, she felt a new wave of dismay and with it a new revelation.
They had failed.
As Guardians their duty, no their purpose, was the protection of the mountain of Tyrnaust and the Supreme Beings who ruled within. To have failed so deeply in that duty as to have such an event go completely unnoticed… It sent chills down her spine.
What if this placed the mountain in jeopardy? What if their inaction had invited harm to befall the sole Creator who remained with them?
This was completely unacceptable.
Yuliana did her best to carry on the façade of calm that her position demanded of her. These thoughts ran rampant through her mind and created a new turmoil in their wake. The revelation of such a failure was a crushing blow to one who prided themselves on their service.
Bowing to the Orrery Keeper, Yuliana turned and began to make her way back to the throne dais at a languished pace.
She glanced over the faces of the gathered Valkyries and her two fellow attendants. It seemed that the truth of the situation remained unknown to them. However, whether that was true or not she couldn't say.
But if they didn't know yet, Yuliana did not look forwards to them learning the truth. Though it made her curious to know just how well they would handle the news of their failure.
The Guardian Overseer was only nearing the halfway point when a series of sounds rang out through the chamber. At first, the sounds were faint, barely audible above an echo. But as they grew louder they became clearer.
It was the steady rhythmic sound of purposeful footsteps accompanied by a light metallic jingle. Though those with more sensitive hearing could also pick up the delicate clack of claws upon the stone floor.
At once the eyes of those gathered turned their collective gaze to the same entrance that Mathias had used not long ago.
It wasn't long before the sounds had ceased and the ruler of the mountain made his entrance.
