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Authors: Bianca D'Arc
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Lucan’s skin had an earthy cast and it rippled with scales in the candlelight. Venerai didn’t know what to make of it and for once in his life of political intrigues and power struggles was at a total loss for words. The young king noted all with his new eyes and laughed, but Venerai didn’t care.
Lucan was dangerous now. Let him laugh. As long as King Lucan wasn’t ordering his death, Venerai was pleased to serve as the king’s fool.
As Lucan approached him, appearing to slither more than walk, Venerai held himself still. He started to notice changes in the room since last he had been summoned to pleasure the king. Desperately trying to hide his reactions, Venerai knew one misstep here could easily get him killed.
A ragged girl cowered near the foot of Lucan’s bed, bound to its ornate golden post with a golden chain. She was dressed scantily, but dressed nonetheless, which indicated to Venerai that she was not there for the king’s pleasure, but for some other purpose he could only guess at. The girl watched Lucan’s back with hate-filled, startlingly green eyes.
Venerai also noted the large trapdoor that had been installed near the ornamental golden fountain at one end of the grand room. It opened and Venerai tried to hold his reaction back as three giant skiths slithered into the room, making their way to Lucan’s side as if seeking their master.
Skiths were native to Skithdron, and gave the land its name. They lived in the rock formations that littered the land, menacing all living creatures.
Most active at night, skiths would eat anything that moved and seemed to rejoice in ripping people’s heads from their bodies. Skiths were truly evil creatures, with acid venom that could burn through just about anything.
Only the stone walls that surrounded every village kept the people of Skithdron safe from the predatory creatures.
They slithered like snakes and had slitted eyes, but they were as large as dragons, though of course they couldn’t fly, or even climb very well. Solitary creatures, Venerai knew Lucan had found a way to herd them before his armies. Just how he’d learned to control the creatures was a subject of much conjecture and Venerai almost feared he was about to find out the secret of Lucan’s power.
The power itself was tantalizing to Venerai. The hideous creatures were not.
Lucan welcomed the deadly skiths with outstretched arms as they twined around him like puppy dogs. Venerai had never seen the like. It was a moment before Lucan turned back to him, his pet skiths standing tall, extending upward from the floor on their sinuous bodies, backing Lucan with their immense size and fearsome presence.
“You have pleased us greatly, Lord Venerai. You have always been a faithful servant.”
Venerai bowed low, nearly scraping the floor, and dropped his gaze as the king demanded of his subjects. “Thank you, your highness.”
“In recognition of your service to us, we have decided to raise you higher yet.”
Venerai’s heart stilled with a mixture of fear and anticipation. Power was what he wanted, but what price was too high?
“Come forward, Lord Venerai, and join with us. We promise it won’t hurt…much.”
Venerai stumbled forward as the king laughed.
Chapter Four
War came on a quiet day. The wild skith raids on border villages had diminished in the days just before Skithdron launched the entirety of their first wave. Venomous skiths were herded before the army, bringing utter destruction to anything in their path. Somehow the generals were able to direct the creatures, bringing their army up behind. They destroyed three villages completely before enough dragons raced to the incursion to put up a decent defense against the unprecedented swarm of skiths.
Flames flew everywhere as Jared arrived on the scene, swooping in on Kelzy's back to lead the dragons and knights in their forays against the lethal creatures. But the skiths weren’t the only thing to worry
Lucan’s skin had an earthy cast and it rippled with scales in the candlelight. Venerai didn’t know what to make of it and for once in his life of political intrigues and power struggles was at a total loss for words. The young king noted all with his new eyes and laughed, but Venerai didn’t care.
Lucan was dangerous now. Let him laugh. As long as King Lucan wasn’t ordering his death, Venerai was pleased to serve as the king’s fool.
As Lucan approached him, appearing to slither more than walk, Venerai held himself still. He started to notice changes in the room since last he had been summoned to pleasure the king. Desperately trying to hide his reactions, Venerai knew one misstep here could easily get him killed.
A ragged girl cowered near the foot of Lucan’s bed, bound to its ornate golden post with a golden chain. She was dressed scantily, but dressed nonetheless, which indicated to Venerai that she was not there for the king’s pleasure, but for some other purpose he could only guess at. The girl watched Lucan’s back with hate-filled, startlingly green eyes.
Venerai also noted the large trapdoor that had been installed near the ornamental golden fountain at one end of the grand room. It opened and Venerai tried to hold his reaction back as three giant skiths slithered into the room, making their way to Lucan’s side as if seeking their master.
Skiths were native to Skithdron, and gave the land its name. They lived in the rock formations that littered the land, menacing all living creatures.
Most active at night, skiths would eat anything that moved and seemed to rejoice in ripping people’s heads from their bodies. Skiths were truly evil creatures, with acid venom that could burn through just about anything.
Only the stone walls that surrounded every village kept the people of Skithdron safe from the predatory creatures.
They slithered like snakes and had slitted eyes, but they were as large as dragons, though of course they couldn’t fly, or even climb very well. Solitary creatures, Venerai knew Lucan had found a way to herd them before his armies. Just how he’d learned to control the creatures was a subject of much conjecture and Venerai almost feared he was about to find out the secret of Lucan’s power.
The power itself was tantalizing to Venerai. The hideous creatures were not.
Lucan welcomed the deadly skiths with outstretched arms as they twined around him like puppy dogs. Venerai had never seen the like. It was a moment before Lucan turned back to him, his pet skiths standing tall, extending upward from the floor on their sinuous bodies, backing Lucan with their immense size and fearsome presence.
“You have pleased us greatly, Lord Venerai. You have always been a faithful servant.”
Venerai bowed low, nearly scraping the floor, and dropped his gaze as the king demanded of his subjects. “Thank you, your highness.”
“In recognition of your service to us, we have decided to raise you higher yet.”
Venerai’s heart stilled with a mixture of fear and anticipation. Power was what he wanted, but what price was too high?
“Come forward, Lord Venerai, and join with us. We promise it won’t hurt…much.”
Venerai stumbled forward as the king laughed.
Chapter Four
War came on a quiet day. The wild skith raids on border villages had diminished in the days just before Skithdron launched the entirety of their first wave. Venomous skiths were herded before the army, bringing utter destruction to anything in their path. Somehow the generals were able to direct the creatures, bringing their army up behind. They destroyed three villages completely before enough dragons raced to the incursion to put up a decent defense against the unprecedented swarm of skiths.
Flames flew everywhere as Jared arrived on the scene, swooping in on Kelzy's back to lead the dragons and knights in their forays against the lethal creatures. But the skiths weren’t the only thing to worry
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