Scourge of the Dragons by Cody J. Sherer

onward into the tunnels below the
palace.
    Erlkan stopped when they reached the second
set of stairs. He drew his sword and headed up the steps. His men
followed closely behind, ready to spring into action at any moment.
They continued on their way and reached the dungeon. The sun King
ordered his men to split into two groups so that they could check
lower level before circling back and heading to the other level.
They both met back at the stairs, neither group having found any
sign of their opponents. Erlkan took a deep breath as he headed up
to the upper level of the dungeon. Based on the information given
to him, the Empress would be located in this portion of the
palace.
    “State your purpose,” a voice called out as
he opened a door to the upper level.
    “Stand down or feel the wrath of your King!”
Erlkan yelled as he jumped through the doorway.
    The elven guard raised their spears and
surged forward, but the elf King was too quick. He knocked their
weapons aside and dealt each of them a powerful blow. They each
drew back and dropped to one knee in surrender. Erlkan’s men came
rushing through the door and met three more guards. They quickly
overpowered the outnumbered dungeon guards and gathered them
together with the other two. The sun King sheathed his sword as he
approached the captives. He didn’t recognize any of them as having
served under him or under the Empress.
    “I wish to know where the Empress is being
held. If you tell me, I won’t need to hurt any of you,” Erlkan
said.
    “Do you think us mad? The dragons will have
our heads if we give up that information,” one of the guards
said.
    “What makes you think that I will not?”
    “You’re the sun King, they’re the sun
dragons. We’ve seen you pardon criminals, but the dragons have
never done so. Not when in the employ of the new master.”
    “Who is this new master?” The King
asked.
    “The sorcerer Elorhan, he is incredibly
powerful.”
    “He is simply another obstacle to be
removed,” Erlkan turned to address his soldiers, “find them a
cell.”
    His men nodded and gathered up the five
captives before searching for the nearest cell. Erlkan drew his
sword and headed in the opposite direction. He slowed down when he
spotted a robed figure outside one of the cells. There was another
man pacing back and forth behind him. The King held back and
watched as they opened the cell door and went inside. He crept
closer, making sure that there were no guards before stopping just
outside the door. Melisandre’s voice was easy to recognize, but he
couldn’t make out what she was saying.
    “Peligrin here thinks that you should stop
this nonsense and pledge to support me. If I didn’t know better,
I’d think he cares about you. As for me, I made an idle threat. Do
not think that my next one will have no teeth behind it,” one of
the men said.
    “Master, is there not a better way to go
about getting others on our side?” Peligrin asked.
    “The contempt in your voice when you refer
to me as master has returned. Perhaps I should leave you in this
cell for a few days. It may rid your mind of whatever shortcomings
you believe I possess. I am not here to strike up an alliance with
the Empress. The elves gave up on me quite some time ago, my
friend. If I can even call you that. Perhaps you are but a parasite
like so many others. No matter, you’ve done nothing compared to the
elves and humans who sought to be rid of me. They didn’t even have
the decency to kill me.”
    “I am no parasite, nor do I wish to spend
any time rotting in a cell with an elven Empress. The contempt you
hear is directed at me for being foolish enough to pledge to serve
another until one of us dies. Not that serving you is so bad, but
freedom is always preferable.”
    “There it is. You’ve struck on exactly why I
am here to punish the elves and humans. My freedom was wrenched
away from me. That is not something you understand. However,
because I understand what it is