The King's Ring (The Netherworld Gate Book 2) by Sam Ferguson

that the black dragon was an Ancient, but there were many on the council in Svatal who disagreed with him. Without the complete records, it was impossible to prove them wrong.”
    “So you brought me here to identify him?” Jaleal asked.
    Phinean shook his head. “To help fill the gaps in our knowledge, and to help us use the Goresym to save the world.”
    Jaleal bit his lip and arched a brow. He stamped his spear on the ground and huffed. “If it is one of the Ancients, and he is black, then his name is Gorensikdar. He was the serpent who tempted Khullan to create the races of creatures that Icadion cursed. He is the father of deceit, and the patron of chaos. His cunning is what cursed Terramyr with orcs, goblins, trolls, and all the other ilk that Khullan set upon her face.”
    Phinean tugged at his beard with his right and fell backward against the wall, sliding down to his rump. “Then we are in more trouble than even Jahre suspected,” Phinean whispered.
    “If he is dead, then what more trouble can he cause?” Jaleal asked.
    Phinean shook his head. “If this dragon is the one you speak of, then a portion of him still lives.”
    Jaleal cocked his head to the side and then it clicked for him. “The sword you mentioned?”
    Phinean nodded. “Drekk’hul was forged by the black dragon and given to the Sierri’Tai. King Lemork wielded it, but the sword was buried in this tomb with the dragon and the king’s remains. No elf dared to touch the cursed blade, for it was said that it could control the one who held it, corrupting their very souls.”
    “So Jahre wanted the Goresym to finish off the last remains of Gorensikdar, then,” Jaleal said.
    Phinean nodded, but the shock on his face was replaced by fear. His hands trembled and his voice quavered. “Are you certain there are no other black dragons among the Ancients?”
    Jaleal shook his head. “Do you know how many Ancients there were?” he asked.
    Phinean shrugged. “In our holy writ it is said that there was a number of dragons who lived within the sun that Icadion created. It is said that they emerged from the fires and then were given the charge to guard the peoples of Terramyr. We know that after the creation, they were sent to the Heart of Terramyr so they could guard the most sacred secrets of the world.”
    Jaleal moved over and pulled Phinean to his feet. “Why are your scriptures lacking so much in detail?” he asked.
    Phinean shrugged again. “The first peoples who came to this part of the world were not very strong believers. Our history is not a pristine one. The mainland was settled by savages, raiders, and merchants. They weren’t the kind to keep scripture, or value it. The elves brought their scriptures with them, as well as their books of history, but in the wars that ravaged this land, many of them were lost. What we have left is now preserved by the councils on the Elven Isles. The council in Svatal has the largest library. That is why Jahre made this his homeland. Selemet Isle was in large part ruled by the Sierri’Tai, and they destroyed any records they could find. The council that presides there now has a smaller library, and it is acknowledged among scholars and priests alike that the collection is incomplete.”
    Jaleal put a hand on Phinean’s shoulder. “Then let me give you a quick version of the creation as it concerns the Ancients. There were seven such dragons that lived within the fires of the sun. They were not born of the sun that Icadion created, but hailed from somewhere else, a world known as Kendualdern. The seven Ancients each had a different appearance. Hiasyntar Ku’lai is golden, and known as the Father of the Ancients. There was also a silver dragon, a bronze dragon, a red dragon, a blue one, a white one, and a black dragon. Of the seven, only six were permitted to retain their status as they moved to live upon Terramyr. The seventh, Gorensikdar, was cursed to wander the plane of the living with no memory