his great library. His servants it was said, were those who had written books he considered unworthy in some way. Some had borrowed too much from others. Others served because their writings had contained glaring inaccuracies. Occasionally they served because what they had written went against the dragon’s cherished beliefs, whatever they might be. How he obtained his servants Edouard didn't know. No one did. All they really knew was that when such an unworthy tome was printed the dragon knew. And then its author vanished only to appear in his cavern. Supposedly to begin his new life in servitude, learning what the dragon considered important for anyone of letters to know. Ascorlexia cared nothing for people, only for what they might set down on paper.
His servants it was said held books for him to read day and night, and his library was held to be the largest in all the realms. Of course his books were likely on the large size too. He might well have sent a librarian to seek out and retrieve any books that might have been damaged or lost in the attack on Theria. Books which might not be in his collection. And perhaps even an archivist, if there were any interesting artefacts or curios no longer with a home.
Yule on the other hand probably wouldn't have cared about any of it. The fire giant would have sat in his castle working on his riddles. It had been years if not centuries since he had last interfered in mortal affairs, and his servants didn't even venture into the city save to buy what they were short of. But then his servants were taken from the slave pens. When he needed them he bought them from the various markets in the thankfully more distant cities. And they weren't handmaidens with a calling like Tyrel's, nor even scholars like Ascorlexia's. They had no special status and they carried none of his magic. They were just servants.
Edouard was also now wondering if in fact one of the powers actually had launched the attack, opening the portal and driving the great beasts through it. Though not Yule, Ascorlexia or Tyrel. There were only the three of them in the realm. Of course there were thousands or tens of thousands of other powers scattered throughout the rest of the world. Any of them could have done such a thing. But he couldn't imagine a reason why any of them would want to. Not the nearby ones. Not even the others.
They were powers. They already had everything they could wish for. Wealth, servants, comfort, immortality and a home. What else was there for them to desire? And all of them, like Tyrel herself, were mostly quiet beings, comfortable in their homes. If they weren't disturbed they were happy to let the rest of the world pass them by. In fact they preferred it that way.
Which left Edouard with the uncomfortable thought that there was another power somewhere out there who was not quite so happy to do the same. A flame could have created the portal, but it would have been a lot of work for him. And a lot of travel as he had to head north to the home of the mammoths – or else had a partner. Apart from which there was no flame with the magic of dimension living anywhere nearby as far as he knew. Besides, what would be the point? No one had stood to gain from the attack as far as he could determine. But a power, that was a different matter. Opening the portal would be a mere nothing for one and they wouldn't have to travel vast distances to do it. And the purpose could be no more than a whim.
But a whim was a very real possibility. The powers were mostly old beings. Ancients in truth. All that remained of an age long since passed when their races had walked the lands or flown the skies. Before the younger races had arisen. Many even heralded from the time before when even the older races; the elves, dwarves and gnomes had walked the lands. While the rest of their kind had passed from the world, they for some reason had remained.
But there were a few new ones as well.
His servants it was said held books for him to read day and night, and his library was held to be the largest in all the realms. Of course his books were likely on the large size too. He might well have sent a librarian to seek out and retrieve any books that might have been damaged or lost in the attack on Theria. Books which might not be in his collection. And perhaps even an archivist, if there were any interesting artefacts or curios no longer with a home.
Yule on the other hand probably wouldn't have cared about any of it. The fire giant would have sat in his castle working on his riddles. It had been years if not centuries since he had last interfered in mortal affairs, and his servants didn't even venture into the city save to buy what they were short of. But then his servants were taken from the slave pens. When he needed them he bought them from the various markets in the thankfully more distant cities. And they weren't handmaidens with a calling like Tyrel's, nor even scholars like Ascorlexia's. They had no special status and they carried none of his magic. They were just servants.
Edouard was also now wondering if in fact one of the powers actually had launched the attack, opening the portal and driving the great beasts through it. Though not Yule, Ascorlexia or Tyrel. There were only the three of them in the realm. Of course there were thousands or tens of thousands of other powers scattered throughout the rest of the world. Any of them could have done such a thing. But he couldn't imagine a reason why any of them would want to. Not the nearby ones. Not even the others.
They were powers. They already had everything they could wish for. Wealth, servants, comfort, immortality and a home. What else was there for them to desire? And all of them, like Tyrel herself, were mostly quiet beings, comfortable in their homes. If they weren't disturbed they were happy to let the rest of the world pass them by. In fact they preferred it that way.
Which left Edouard with the uncomfortable thought that there was another power somewhere out there who was not quite so happy to do the same. A flame could have created the portal, but it would have been a lot of work for him. And a lot of travel as he had to head north to the home of the mammoths – or else had a partner. Apart from which there was no flame with the magic of dimension living anywhere nearby as far as he knew. Besides, what would be the point? No one had stood to gain from the attack as far as he could determine. But a power, that was a different matter. Opening the portal would be a mere nothing for one and they wouldn't have to travel vast distances to do it. And the purpose could be no more than a whim.
But a whim was a very real possibility. The powers were mostly old beings. Ancients in truth. All that remained of an age long since passed when their races had walked the lands or flown the skies. Before the younger races had arisen. Many even heralded from the time before when even the older races; the elves, dwarves and gnomes had walked the lands. While the rest of their kind had passed from the world, they for some reason had remained.
But there were a few new ones as well.
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