Snippet #2141759

Vrael suppressed a snigger as Contalabutte almost blew his top. To be honest he didnt give a damn if Briarose overheard, in fact, it would be rather amusing, as he reckoned that the knowledge that her son had almost died with her powerless to help him would make her even more depressed, and there was nothing he liked more than causing the sufferance of others. However, the servant had to go. Vrael opened his human mouth and a small ball of fire hit the fireplace, causing the servant to yelp in suprise and jump back.
"Out." Vrael barked, and the nervous little man obeyed and ran out.
With the matter of the servant out of the way, they could get down to business.

"A scout of ours has located the prince, mi'lord." Vrael said in a hushed voice. "He is in Effledus, attending a meeting that has being held by King Lufgaw. Many assorted enemies of the empire are there too. However, when we scryed the scouts mind, we were eventually cut off by a strange magical force. We questioned the darahurnian elders, and they called it Niffliem. It seems that it is a spell that covers all of Effledus in an almost inpenetrable fog. Thus I am afraid capturing the prince will have to wait until he leaves. Luckily, now weve pinpointed his location, we can track him. If he leaves, we shall know. To be honest im rather looking forward to the little brat losing his head."
Vrael smiled, hed added that line to get Briarose riled. Seeing her upset filled his black heart with joy. He cleared his throat as he prepared to speak some more.

"However, there is a problem." he whispered "When we scryed the scouts mind, we realised she had been killed. Someone had put a shard of malachite through her brain, but the magical discharge given off by the malachite had given her brain a jolt, allowing us to scry it. When we found out WHO had killed her, well, you may be suprised to hear this, but we actually felt real worry."
With that Vrael clicked his fingers, and Tael, still in snake form, coughed up a mysterious magical powder. He clicked his fingers again, and the powder turned into a childrens book.
"Did you read this book as a child, mi'lord? It was published in Matakin almost ninety years ago. Its called 'Mortimus and the dwarves' and its quite a nice little thing." he rasped, showing Contalabutte the lovingly decorated book. "If not your first wife or that dragon you ride has surely told you the tale. It recounts the true story of Mortimus, a powerful dragon born in the Hatchen a hundred years ago. It speaks of his benelovence, and his daring escape from the Hatchen to be free from servitude. But that is only half the story. Mortimus still lives, and he is extremely dangerous. He has constantly fought in many wars against the empire, both physical and political, and he is a master strategist and veteran upon the fields of battle. But why do we fear him so much? It is because he is our greatest enemy to date, and has a personal vendetta against our race, for reasons too complicated to discuss at this present time. He has defeated us countless times, killing darahurne thousands of years older than himself. We have a name for him, the white warden, a grim shard of the wrath of the very heavens who is blessed by the goddess to extinguish our flame. He is a threat to the existence of the empire and the existence of the darahurne race as a whole. He killed the scout and he is present at the meeting."
Vrael paused, speaking of Mortimus made him writhe in loathing for the dragon.
"One of Mortimus' greatest assesets is his ability to see the true potential in people and inspire them to take action. From what our scout gleaned before making her entrance, he is going to train a group of young dtalents and help them unify the kingdoms against us, and Dayerin is among them. War may well be upon us, Emperor Contalabutte. What course of action shall you take?