Carmino

Far past Big Apple, Pea's beloved desert or even the isle of Peron. Theres a mountain fortress at the coast of an old, bleak, dead land, standing mighty against the raging sea storms for centuries. This fortress is gargantuan with high spires and many windows that look like thousands of eyes at a distance. The entrance is a close kept secret but there are wide open patios of stone near the top, for those who would dare to fly in. This fortress is the home to the Roxcites and the lair of Borox. The fortress' name; Loigerhin.

This Fortress is full of lightless creatures of malicious alignment. Chimeras, dark griffons and other dark creatures cursed to walk on the land for the rest of their lives. Borox inherited the coastal fortress from one of his mentors and molded it into a place of refuge for other nefarious creatures. Here they can make alliances with others, train themselves in various arts of combat or build their muscles to monstrous size. On the higher floors creatures were taught ancient forms of Illusion, Destruction and Restoration magic. Those who master both the body and mind hold a grip over their weaker peers. On top of this malevolent food chain are the dragons, for a few reasons. Firstly they outlived most of the other creatures that lived there, so the Roxcite dragons had an advantage. Second, Borox himself is a dragon and even though he accepts efforts from non-dragon races he still thinks them inferior. At the bottom of the food chain were creatures of ill-will like the others but they are either too stupid to learn magic or are slaves to the higher-ups.

In the entrance chambers Sidzo was shaking off the rain on his scarred back. He had taken a ferry to Loigerhin, and was on edge. Any time he was out on the field Sidzo was a powerful beast that no one questioned but here...he was but a student. He sighed gruffly as he went through the damp cavernous halls.  His presence was held in reverence by the younger dragons that passed, some no more than hatchlings. The yellow dragon snarled as he approached the main hall. It's tremendous size was staggering even to him now, with the many walk ways taking up the arial space going to different caves throughout the fort. He walked inside, any dragon that was near bowed or hurried aside. He held his scarred, grizzled head high. One of his peers, Grudose, stopped teaching his young students the art of runes for a moment. He told them to stay put as he hurried to see who was the dragon of importance. Grudose was a gaunt Copper dragon. His scales shown brightly in the hall, squinting his glossy opal eyes he gasped at the sight of Sidzo.

"Sidzo...is that thee? O tis been too long old friend! How is life treating you?"

"Amigo, its great to see you. Su bueno, I'm good...but-"

Sidzo led Grudose to a less populated area off the hall. He spoke in a grave whisper," I don't know if I will be...the Amo, Borox wants to see me."

Gudose laughed nervously,"Perhaps the Master wishes to congratulate thee on thine feats of strength outside our borders?"

"Your words show kindness amigo...It was good seeing you...I don't want to keep Amo waiting." Sidzo's feet made audible thuds as he went off to his task, Grudose went back to his.

Borox's lair was deep beneath the fortress, not at the tall towers as most creatures expect. He is occasionally seen up at Loigerhin's lofty spires, but not always. Sidzo traveled further underground, the air becoming more stale and hot as he went. His massive heart began to beat like a panicked child's. His one eye darted from step to step on the descending staircase. The cramped tunnel he was in opened up into a large cavern with flowing pools of magma. Piles of gold and other precious metals lay about the cave floor. In the dim light from the magma Sidzo could see the other side. There was Borox. His dark figure couldn't be identified from Sidzo's distance. The cave's halls were lined with runic writing and trophies of all kinds. Slaves of various races sat in groups with blindfolds over their eyes so they don't behold the majesty of Borox. The yellow dragon walked carefully towards his master.

Borox was a dragon of a rare breed. He was some kind of Red dragon that are all but extinct, similar to the blue dragons of deserts. His face was ridged, with tusks jutting out from his bottom jaw, a pair closer to the front of his mouth, the other closer to the back. His ominous yellow-green eyes were shaded from devil horn-like ridges on his head.  Ears stuck out the side of his head, heavy with jewels and earrings. His skin was made of interlocking dark red scales that made a suit of armor over most of his body.  Large, predominate spikes lined up his spine leading up to a almost unicorn-like crest on his head that was studded with gold plating. If you never saw him with wings, you would have assumed he had lived on the land his whole life.

He leaned his massive girth on a throne on stone and gold. He rested his mighty head on his powerful hand. Each of his fingers was studded with a ring of some sort. Among him were several dragonets of metallic breeds. They tenderly draped their shiny silver or gold bodies over the dark red dragon. He caressed the nearest one and Sidzo took small steps toward him. The powerful yellow dragon was dwarfed incredibly before Borox. Sidzo kept his eye away from his master's in sheer terror.

"O Sidzo, hide not thine face," Borox's powerful voice filled the chamber, it had a father-like quality to it," You are a guest here and a son of mine. Come eat and drink your fill."

At this a feast appeared before Sidzo. Several meats, wine, gems. Anything he could ask for to eat was there. He reached for a large leg of roast mammoth," Amo...I shall eat, but why have you convocado...summoned me here?"

"I wish to learn of thine progress, simply that," he brushed one of his concubines away from his face," Sidzo, hast thou been advancing your healing magic as I hath requested?"

"N-no..."

"Ah, I'm disappointed," the banquet vanished," Now that I ponder further..."Sidzo went into a cold sweat,"What hast my student been putting effort in accomplishing?"

"Well, my grip on Peron is muy fuerte...very strong. I have stamped out a rebellion against our kin in Peron."

"Who organized such a ludicrous idea? Ah, do elaborate."

"...well...the leader was an Alicorn-"

Borox burst into a fit of deafening laughter. His concubines giggled in unison, It seemed as if the cavern would crack if he laughed any louder. Sidzo chuckled nervously.

"Molest me not with the name of those damned, pretentious, simple minded animals," he bore all of his sharp teeth into a blood chilling smile," Surely they possessed no threat, that would be an insult to nature!"

Sidzo now made a similar smile," No Amo, I have not found their leader, but their pueblo is nothing but cenizas...ashes!"

Borox nodded his ornate head in approval," Good, very good. As I'm sure you, SIdzo are aware, thou may stay with us here at Loigerhin as long as thee sees fit. I would appreciate if thee educated some of the newer students here to mold their bodies into marvels such as what you have done for thineself."

"It would be a blessing, great Amo," Sidzo said as he bowed his head.

Borox nodded his heavy head and Sidzo took his leave. The mountainous red dragon took back to the soft touch of his smooth scaled dragoness. The yellow dragon felt relieved as he hurried to the surface levels of the fort. Borox seemed to be in an unusually good mood...

Sidzo met back up with Grudose at the hall and Sidzo took a look at the copper dragon's students. They were all flightless in some way, as were all Roxcites. There was one that seemed to be to soft hearted though. Sidzo shoved his war beaten face in front of one of the hatchlings. She was a chimera with rounded features of youth, she cringed with him looming over her.

"What do you here, el pequeño?

"I-I...I've been learning r-runes from G-Grudose," she stuttered.

"What does a Roxite do with runes?"

"Uses them to protect themselves from....danger and..."

Sidzo's scarred face had all the children on edge," What do you do when they, no trabaje...don't work?"

The chimera froze. She had never heard that before. Sidzo stepped back and raised his front paw into a fist," You use this nino, your body must be an arma, a weapon!"

The young dragons cheered and began to play fight amongst themselves, inspired by Sidzo's words. Grudose was still in charge of teaching them runes for the day, and they weren't listening.

"Students, listen....Children!"

Sidzo cocked his head to the side, he glared at Grudose. The copper dragon didn't notice until it was to late. Sidzo grabbed the nearest student and held her up in the air. She dangled dangerously close to the jagged teeth of Sidzo's mouth. He let go and Grudose and the young dragons were frozen with fear. His jaws snapped shut as she bounced off Sidzo's nose and landed onto the floor at the yellow dragon's feet. Sidzo looked over at the copper dragon.

"Miedo! Fear ,Grudose! That is what you underlings should have in you, that is how Borox has taught me. "

Sidzo left the hall. He had had enough of those pampered, snot nosed babies. He wanted to get back to fighting on Peron, not playing babysitter over here. He was nearing the exit when he heard a booming knock at the door. That wasn't how Roxites requested entry, it had to have been some one else. Sidzo quickened his pace and shoved two Slaad guards away from the door and gazed through the one way glass. On the inside it looked like a window but rock on the outside. Sidzo's eye widened. Outside was Ruchos, a master to another group of flightless dragons. This massive dragon stood broodingly outside the gate with storm water rolling off his body.

Sidzo opened the door and the dragon stepped inside. His body was muscular like Sidzo's, but much bigger. Ruchos had maroon scales with a light red under belly. He had Armor plates of steel bolted into his skin. Unlike most flightless dragons, he was only missing his wing membranes and his wing's fingers. His whing's thumb claws were massive, and looked like red mantis arms on his back. He looked down at Sidzo with his fierce lilac eyes.

"Little lizard, I'm here to speak with your lord and master, Borox. I have news to speak of."

Sidzo bowed deeply before he turned on his heels. He sped through the many corridors of the fortress, plowed through the creatures in the main hall and squeezed into the lower halls. He almost rolled into Borox's throne room. The metallic dragonets gasped in surprise at his entrance. Borox raised an eyebrow;

"Sidzo, thou hast returned...what is the under what circumstances?"

"O mighty Amo," Sidzo panted," Ruchos...is at the gate...he wishes an audience-"

Borox rose to his feet. His concubines rolled off of him as he erected his neck to a regal stance. He disappeared  in a dull flash of light that left a singe mark on the floor. The massive red dragon reappeared at the gate next to Ruchos. The guest was startled by his sudden arrival.

"Thou art seeking an audience?"

"Yes Borox, but ..." he eyed the gathering crowd," we must hold council in a place of solitude."

"I shall grant thy request, Ruchos."

In a second they both teleported to one of the open rooms in Loigerhin's towers. It was empty and quiet with smoothed stone walls. There were lounging sofas fit for creatures their size, and Ruchos planted himself onto the softest one. Borox remained standing,"Speak, Ruchos."

"Firstly, do not think of yourself higher then me, Borox," Ruchos scratched his chin with his wing's claw," Now, as I came to tell you. Your apostle's assistance on the jungle isle of Zenduram was most helpful, we converted the isle's dragon population with minimal casualties," Ruchos folded his hands," Aside from that I wish to speak of your student's...'demeanor'."

"Their assistance served no pleasure for thee?" Borox asked dryly.

"Not entirely," Ruchos looked out the room's windows watching rain bead off the stained glass," A few of them were defiant and did as they saw fit in the campaign."

"My apologies Ruchos. I shall see to them," the Herculean red dragon stepped over to the window to regain his guest's attention," Is there any thing else? Art thou hungry or in need of drink?"

"I'm famished, bring food and women!" the maroon dragon's laugh boomed in the tower room.

Borox magically fabricated a scroll, wrote a note and it vanished with a puff of smoke. It reappeared in the fortress' food stockade. The Chief of Meals read it with wide eyes. The ovens began to blaze as his kitchen servants fetched meat for the two kingly dragons. Others went into the kitchen's brewery to bring them Loigerhin's barrels of Lavender Metheglyn for Ruchos. Finally two  brought a portable furnace into the fortress' vault and piled in the purest gold and silver as a cocktail for Borox.

The feast was brought up on the backs of four slaadi (which are bipedal toad-like creatures that serve in the fort) and a brothel of female dragons followed the slaadi with a quartet of Troglodite musicians. (Also servants in the fort) They climbed up the many flights of stairs leading to Borox's tower. Upon arrival they burst into the room with savory sights and sounds flowing along side them. Ruchos clapped with delight, Borox made a disgusted face when his guest wasn't looking.

Ruchos gorged on the food, not taking the time to enjoy the flavor like his host. He poured the aged wine over his mouth, making a barbaric mess. He clapped along drunkenly    with the lizard musicians. Even when the dragonets attempted to comfort him, he thrashed around like a ditzy youth. Borox sipped on his beverage of molten gold. He had an unimpressed air to him as the small celebration rattled around him. Ruchos rose to his feet and wobbled over to him.

"Ey Boraaaax...my friend," the guest said drunkenly," I got something to tell ya!"

"Proceed Ruchose," grunted Borox. The maroon dragon leaned over and wrapped a wing and an arm over his host's massive shoulders.

"You don't have control over yer...little dragons 'round here!"

"Excuse me?"

"You are excused! Don't feel bad...mebbe some day you'll be as good as me..."

Borox sprung to to his feet causing Ruchos to roll on the floor in a drunk heap. Borox stamped over to him. The musicians, dragonets and slaadi sprawled to get out of his way, knocking over trays and barrels, even spilling some of Borox's gold. The herculean dragon loomed over his drunk guest. Ruchos snickered weakly as Borox clamped a hand to his neck. The Maroon dragon began to squirm under the clamping hand. The very air seemed weighed down with Borox's venomous temper.

"Thou dare to barge in my home, complain about the blanket of protection I provide, waste my food and wine, mistreat my women..." his grip tightened turning Ruchos' face an ugly shade of pink,"....and then thou spit in my face with insults?! In my own palace...I should wring thine neck..."

"P-please! Borox, O Mighty Beast," Ruchos croaked," Spare me! I only meant to...ACK!...only jest!"

Borox smiled nefariously,"Thou art correct...all thy can do is jest."

He let go of Ruchos and rose the winded dragon to his feet. The servants cowered in the far corners of the room as the red dragon began to laugh quietly. He glared at Ruchos with wild eyes,"Now my friend, Thou art spoke of a student of mine who did not meet expectations?"

"Yes..er...his name was Grudose. T-tell me, Borox...what are your plans with him?"

Suddenly there was a dull flash of light and a copper dragon appeared in the room. He looked stunned and then terrified to see Borox. He slammed his face to the floor with his tail between his legs. His shivers of terror were shown by light reflecting off his shiny scales. Borox walked over nefariously to the cowering dragon. He stopped a few feet away from Grudose, Borox called over his shoulder;

"Doth thou want another to the Luchadite Ranks that is under thine command?"

"...perhaps...what are his skills?"

Borox leaned his massive head over to Grudose and spoke in an icy whisper," Speak with convincing words Copper Lizard, if thou fail to impress...they will be the last to leave thine lips."

At this Grudose wriggled away from Borox and over to Ruchos. He kept his face low as he pleaded," O merciful Ruchos, listen to my humble plea?"

"Proceed Grudose," the maroon dragon said cooly as he rubbed the sores on his neck left from Borox.

"I am a skilled teacher, O Mighty One! If thou spares my life...I-I could teach others your ways," he began to sweat," I'll do whatever you command, say the word and it will be done!"

Ruchos seemed unimpressed. He waved his hand away and Grudose looked up at it with horror. He slowly turned his head behind him to see the massive wall that is Borox. He tried to scream or dodge, but his body was frozen. He began to levitate up to Borox's eye level, the red dragon's magic grip was smothering. Borox eyed him for a few seconds, then smiled his blood-chilling smile," I have had a recent craving for a suitable piece of copper..." The servants at the corners of the room retreated even further, Ruchos seemed relieved.

Borox opened  his mouth and beads of lime yellow drool oozed on his snake tounge onto his gums and landing with acidic splashes on the stone floor. He moved the petrified copper dragon closer and snapped his unearthly powerful jaws shunt. Blood spurted out of Grudos' torso's back-half and landed wetly onto the floor. The hind legs twitted awkwardly and his long tail wriggled like a tortured worm. Borox pinched this part of his meal that fell off and held it aloft. He cast an animalistic gaze at Ruchos.

"Care for some, friend?"

"I am full, but I...appreciate your 'offer'..."

Borox shrugged as he consumed the rest of Grudose with malice. He looked to his guest with a satisfied smile.

"Ruchos, is there anything else I may do to assist?"

"No I'll take my leave...It was good to see thee again Brorox."

Borox returned to his chamber underground. The maroon dragon raced through the halls to the main gate. He burst out of it and into the rain outside. Some of his subordinates waited outside. Ruchos shook his head in the rain and walked toward his anchored ship at the coast. His followers trailed close behind in silence. Lone, an ogre mage who was his right hand fighter, was the first to speak, "So boss, how did it go? Did you get what ya came here for?"

Ruchos lashed him with one of his wing arms,"No...that Bastard is still as twisted and stingy as always. I didn't even get the chance to ask"

TO BE CONTINUED...