A Show of Force

There were blips of light in the sky and cracking booms as large metal objects appeared and floated silently miles over Bhrathair; dozens of them, warpships of Colagartrune design, bearing the simple checkered black and white crest of the Dark Dragon Army. One eventually made its way down to the village, finding an available courtyard to occupy, before a ramp descended and several Dark Dragons marched out. They were clearly alive, but their minds were empty of independent thought, eyes glazed over and black veins permanently stricken across their bodies. Securing a perimeter and entering formation to await the officers on the ship that would inevitably follow.

Mercy stepped out clad in his time rig, pulsing blue, with two other self-aware soldiers in decorated armor that if one read their minds, could be felt receiving all sensory input from the other soldiers and controlling their actions like puppeteers. Their own link to Mercy showed a muddle of three minds advising each other, under command of Mercy himself.

Titan and Charon stood watching from the shadows. Their tail curled around their feet as the glowing Stone pulsed violently in their hands. "Sshh, calm your worries. He'll take you to the Nocturnal Plane. No harm shall come to you." Charon said as Titan called for the Grand Master. An old man teleported to the side of the dragon and reached out an ancient knarled hand. "Give me the Feldstern Heart. I can feel him calling." He rasped and took the stone. At his touch the pulsing calmed to a constant beat closely resembling a heartbeat. Ungrin's flint colored eyes glowed as he black tendrils surrounded his body grasping the rock desperately. In the blink of an eye he had teleported off the planet with the Heart.

By now the villagers had exited their homes and flocked around the courtyard. Hundreds of blank stares greeted the invaders as they waited for the return of their leader. The crowd made way for Titan and Charon. The abnormally large psychic dragon walked up to the ship, both heads staring down at the leader of the group. They turned into their human form and looked at the ship. Oberon fixed his cloak and waited in stoney silence. Reports echoed through his mind telling him that ships had landed throughout the planet.

Mercy spoke up as the crowd gathered around him.

"Greetings population of Glendower," a sourceless voice rung throughout the planet, broadcast by psychic dragons aboard the vessels along with a common tongue cypher for the message to be comprehended by any of a different tongue, "fear not this night as the Dark Dragon Army treads upon your land; for my name is Mercy, and I bring these forces not to conquer, but to protect! The overseer of these forces would speak with your leaders in representation of our King. Bring them forth, and he can present the terms of your alliance with the Scourge and the Dark Worlds to accept!"

Scorn rippled through the crowd at the arrogant words and the crowd began to disperse back to their homes. Soon Oberon stood alone. He crossed his arms and replied, "Then let us speak in Staghall." He pointed at Mercy and continued, "Only you and one other may come.The rest stay here. Any who set foot out of this courtyard will be slain upon site." Without waiting he turned and walked down the mane road beckoning for Mercy to follow. Until Ungrin returned he would do the dealing. The old dragon would tell him what to do anyways through the mental link they shared. "And leave your arms behind. I wish this to be a peaceful meeting and weapons are forbidden in Staghall. No harm will come to you or your soldiers on my word."

Mercy would need an extra shower tonight. He started to relate to why the King preferred conquering than giving peace-speeches. They were plain revolting.

Mercy took several pieces of his armor off, as well as his wrist braces, before gesturing to a man still aboard the ship.

"Well that went about as smooth as expected," I said, placing my own wrist bracers alongside Mercy's as I strode off following him and our host.

Oberon's hand twitched slightly but otherwise showed no sign that he had heard. The village children ran along the path behind, following a bit behind jeering at the strangers. One threw a rock that came close to hitting Mercy in the back of the head. Oberon whirled upon the child grabbing him by the neck and lifting him to eye level. "What do you think you're doing brat? I said they are not to be touched. One more step out of line and I'll cull your entire family. Do I make myself clear?" He snarled furiously. His purple eyes glowed dangerously and for a second black tendrils coursed from his body. The child's eyes were wide with fright and Oberon dropped the boy and turned back to face ahead, walking on as if nothing happened. The child sat frozen in fear on the ground. His other friends had long gone and he picked himself up and bolted off. "Forgive the children, they're a bit excited. Tonight was to be the Elmren celebratory games and feast but it looks like that will have to be another day." Oberon said to the two in a calm voice.

"I'm afraid I could not know the significance of the feast," I answered him, "but I can understand the displeasure. I hope once this is over, you'll be able to offer us a chance to make amends for interrupting such an occasion."

Mercy chuckled at the behavior of the children, raising his hands in friendly surrender, "I remember doing the same to off-worlders on Colagart; trips through the tourism districts for some late-night trouble-making. We will take no offense at the behavior of any who are not appointed representatives."

The smallest hint of a smile flickered across Oberon's face. It was not a pleasant one. He stopped in his tracks and looked to the left. A portal ripped open and the old man stepped through. His skin was pail and thin, his head wrinkled and bald. Dark robes draped about him like clinging night as he pointed a grimy claw at the two strangers. His flint eyes locked onto Mercy as he rasped in a commanding tone. "Oberon rathnic res zetal si nicghall!" Oberon shook his head and muttered a low reply pointing instead to a large shrine up the hill. The old man's dark eyes flared up and he held out a piece of stone. It was blood red in color and glowed an eerie green in the moon light. However just under the surface black sludge swirled and danced in different unidentified patterns. The rock began to pulsate like a heart, beating faster and faster as Ungrin hissed angrily in another language. Oberon stared in surprised anger that he had brought the Feldstern Heart back into danger. Surely the old man had snapped. A calming voice washed through his mind reassuring him that all was fine. This is what HE had wanted and so the Feldstern Heart had been brought back. Ungrin fell silent and watched the strangers expectantly, his body tensed painfully. He waited for their reply.

"I expect you are the mortal leader of this population; the Dark Dragon King sends me as his representative in securing your allegiance," I spoke to Ungrin, "I am Lieutenant Tavarius Tyberius, leader of the forces currently occupying your planet. They are a show of force from the King of what protection we can offer your people in the war. It is, after all, outskirt planets like this that tend to be used as disposable land in large-scale wars such as the turmoil between the Council and Scourge. We offer negotiable terms of allegiance for your people. His Majesty would have a standing army placed under your command as one of his Generals, in exchange for your able bodied trained for war in the ways of the Dark Army. He would have you answer his call for forces to be sent to war, as he would answer your call for forces to defend your homes. But we assure you, no territory has been penetrated by the Elemental Council's forces since the end of the Time Dragons. He would also have the complete political fealty of you and your people. Now then, if I am understanding this correctly from your minds, Ungrin, what terms and questions do you raise?"

Oberon shook his head and said, "It's a waste of your time trying to talk to him. He doesn't speak your language. No speech technology is going to change that. You'll be speaking with another." Oberon took the stone from Ungrin and said to the two, "When you enter the shrine, dragon form only. No exceptions. If you have any arguments then you will not be allowed to enter. The red stone glowed brighter the closer they got and the pulsing quickened. Oberon kept muttering to it as if it could hear him, speaking of the vigil and the sacrifice. Oberon stopped after a few feet and pointed ahead. "Here is the barrier. Revert into your dragon form and you may pass on to the temple." He ordered. He changed himself into his own dragon form. Titan watched Mercy and Tavarius closely while Charon gave the rock back to Ungrin. Titan and Charon were a two headed psychic dragon. Their scales were dark purple tinted with silver and the underbelly a pale pearl color. Polished Lavulite was set in there foreheads and glowed pale in the light. "Move it, the portal doesn't last long." Titan growled before the dragon stepped forward. It looked like he had vanished into thin air. Ungrin turned into his dragon form too. His scales were a very pale lavender and quite dull. He pointed ahead and muttered something inaudible.

Mercy and I transformed into dragons, his mossy bog dragon resembling a cross between a monitor lizard and crocodile, with the size to match, crossing over ahead of me. My own form was silhoutted, the form of a bipedal dragon with glowing round eyes and downward facing horns, with a spiny and skimpy body. It walked forward following the group.

Once through the barrier it was like stepping through to another planet. They were suddenly at the foot of a huge mountain, the sky was a darkening red and the ground red dirt. "Do not drink or eat anything while you are on this side. If you do, you may not leave. We have seen dragons stronger than you fall to the touch of this place." Titan and Charon said as one. They lead the group around to the right before coming to a large cave opening. Four silver orbs floated out of the darkness to greet them. An orb was soon by the side of each dragon. "Translators, so you may understand the elders. They speak in tongues different from our own. Languages this world has long forgotten." The headed down the path to a large cavern.

Four other dragons were seated around a huge stone slab serving as a table. "Welcome dogs of the dark army."one hissed from the far left. His scales were a patchy grey and brown with little bumps and ridges that almost looked like rocks. Moss-like hair flowed down his back in whisps. The dragon next to him was thin and delicate. Her scales were a snowy white tinted blue with flecks of gold here and there. A crown of pearly horns adorned her delicate face. To the right closest was a completely black dragon. His scales looked thick and heavy and his claws were abnormally long and sharp. By his side was a smaller dragon with a worm like body. It's arms and legs were quite small and it lacked wings. Shrouded in darkness a ways away large orb like eyes glowed an a pale yellow. Watching. Always watching.

"With equal respects, our terms have been laid, the twinheaded one is psychic; so I'm sure you've communicated them by now. Where do we stand," I moved straight to the point. This may have been a neutral world, but that didn't mean it wasn't hostile. I began to get a sense this must have been what Colagart was like before the World Eaters, but let those thoughts drop. They weren't open to easing tensions, so I wasn't going to offer anymore ease. Strictly business from here on out.

"Please, take a seat." The female said, ignoring his hasty words. "I am Aedith of Angald." She said. The dragon who had initially spoke went next. "I am Rhaturmor of Rothone. It has been years since slime of the dark king have come slinking around here." The shadow dragon snapped, "Calm yourself Rhaturmor. It is only by your father's good will that you are here in his place. Do not forget that." He turned his gaze back towards the two. "Forgive him. He is young and unaccustomed with dealing with strangers. I am Jath of Bural and my companion here is Turvesuth of Torrim." He said indicating the worm dragon next to him. "The leader of this planet will be here shortly. He is..... resting. Any talk of terms shall wait until he has arrived." Aedith faced the two again and said, "While it is true that Charon and Titan are of the psychic element, we prefer to speak face to face with our visitors." She fell silent as the ground shook and a cold wind entered the cavern. A large shape stepped out of the darkness and approached the table. It was another dragon, much bigger than the rest and quite.... odd looking. A skeletal face stared down at the Council and grinned. The glowing eyes locked eagerly upon Mercy and Tavarius as it nodded it's approval. "I am Nartik of Glendower and leader of the council. Welcome to Staghall. It isn't often that we get outsiders here." His dark striped scales shimmered in the low light while his long whip-like tail curled around his legs. "It has been long since I've spoken with servants of the king. I wondered when he'd set his eyes here." Nartik shook his head and laughed humorlessly. "You claim that we need YOUR protection? From whom exactly? Your enemies? We've held our own in this world longer than you've been alive."

"Many can claim that, and yet each I've heard it from before have fallen to our armies; proving the claim dangerous ground upon which to lay the foundations of a plan for the future. The universe is changing rapidly, and at the least, your ways will be threatened by outside influence. At worst, you will face genocide like us against the Elemental Council. Your other prospects are just as grim. Without officially recognized faction control, your world will be seen as neutral ground, ripe for raiding, to use as war ground, or just to scoop up forcibly. The same will go for every other planet in your control. Aligning now will stay you from becoming a part of the front lines in any of these ways, and all we ask are a small but steady supply of forces and goods to repay that debt wherever the frontline a do end up."