Oath of Vengeance
Copyright © 2004, James L. Snyder. All Rights Reserved.

The Enforcer stood, unmoving. He was not afraid of the ebon dragon that stood now before him, but there was a feeling in his gut that he could not yet describe. "It is true," he spoke, his voice deep and resonant. "I would seek to avenge my Emporer and my people. Enforcer Thysarlis shall pay for his treachery by my hand in life or by my soul in death."

"Do you mean that?" the dragon asked, its right brow raising just slightly as if in contemplation. "You should only speak words that you mean."

"I have never had cause to deceive," Valeryx answered. "I have no cause now."

"I offer you then that vengeance." The dragon smiled, acidic saliva dripping from its teeth. "All I ask in return is your service and loyalty."

Valeryx considered the words of the dragon before him. Looking to his right hand, he saw the ornate metalwork of the Hand of the Dragons, the sceptor of the Emporers' lineage. Four dragons tails twisting along the staff, leading up to the dragons themselves, encompassing a platinum ball that seemed to have a glow of its own. Each of the dragons on the staff was of different color. Gold for the dragongod of good, azure for that of order, crimson for she of chaos, and black for the dragongod of evil.

Slowly, he returned his gaze to the dragon before him. "Surely you cannot be..."

"You show wisdom, Valeryx," the black dragon said, a small violet glow twinkling in its eye, almost as if darkness itself was glowing. "I am the one your people know as Zenarthentolex."

"Then to swear service to you, I would swear myself to the ways of evil."

"You would," the dragon nodded its head slowly. "It is a small price to pay for the vengeance you seek. Even now, your people die. Thysarlis' men advance on the capitol, and they will overrun your own. I can give you the power to see Thysarlis' life end."

"Why you?" Valeryx asked, looking back to the sceptor in his hands. "Why not the Azure One or the Gold One?" He felt a sense of betrayal that of the dragongods who would visit during this time, only evil would dare show its face.

"The universe is not without balance, Valeryx of the Dragotha. In everything there is some chaos, some order, some evil, some good. My brother and sisters will not come to your aid, for they believe this course is the destiny of the Blood of Dragotha." Zenarthentolex waved one of his clawed wings toward himself. "I, on the other hand, recognize evil in all of its forms, and the evil which Thysarlis commits today is without honor, without reason, save a thirst for power. Should he be allowed to reign over the people of your Empire, Your Most Holiness, he would use the Hand of the Dragons to further his power. I would not see that come to pass."

"Then we are in agreement." It nearly sickened him that he was about to swear fealty to the god of evil, but if he had to sacrifice himself and his mortal soul for the good of his people, he would do so. Dropping to one knee, he looked straight into the Eyes of Evil. "In return for the power to defeat Enforcer Thysarlis, I will serve you."

"Good." The dragon's eyes began to glow brightly with violet. "Very good."

Twin bolts of darkening energy shot forth from the dragongod's eyes, encompassing Valeryx where he knelt. There was a power to the bolts, a power that pained him as he received it. Letting out a scream of pure pain, he fell forward to the floor. He laid there, unmoving, thoughts racing through his mind. He could feel a great power coursing through his veins, but could not yet bring himself to move. He knew not what power the dragongod had just bestowed upon him, but something in his mind, almost instinct, told him that the power was great.

"Your Most Holiness!" It was the voice of Fraxis. "Sir, my lord, are you okay?"

"I am fine," Valeryx replied, slowly pushing himself off of the stone floor. The dragongod was nowhere to be seen, but he knew the power remained. Standing, he took a deep breath, letting his mind settle.

"My lord, Thysarlis' men advance upon the palace."

Valeryx turned to Fraxis, and smiled. The room took on a brief twinge of violet as his eyes began to glow with the energy of the power within. "Do they indeed?" Turning, he strode across the chamber, and to the doors through which they had entered. From the top of the stairs, he could see his men preparing for battle, though there were far fewer than he remembered. "Where are the others?"

"Elves, my lord." A captain at the base of the stairs was staring up at him. "Four legions of elves came through, and they have gone in pursuit. They did not expect to see us here."

Valeryx nodded, and then looked down the street to the approaching line of verite-clad soldiers. He could feel the anger welling inside, that any Dragothan soldier would dare raise weapon to another of his kind. He opened his mouth to speak, but the voice that boomed out seemed to be far stronger than his own had ever been. "Traitors to the Blood of Dragotha, you will surrender now, and perhaps I will show leniency in your crimes."

"By what right do you think you order this? My men have you outnumbered." The traitor Thysarlis stepped to the forward ranks of his men. "You will surrender now, and perhaps I will allow you to share in my power."

"I have a much better idea," Valeryx said with a smile. Everything now had a tinge of violet to it, and he could almost see the energy crackling in his eyes himself. "I will share my power with you." He extended his hand, holding forth the Hand of the Dragons, Sceptor of the Emporer, and instinctively willed the energy within himself forth. A beam of pure darkness shot forth, striking Thysarlis in the chest. The darkness continued to pour forth as Thysarlis let out a scream, and tilted his head toward the sky. Valeryx knew he wanted to run, but the power of his divine will kept Thysarlis from moving. And so he stood, screaming, and swiftly dying. The energy began to fade, as Thysarlis' voice became but a ghost on the winds, his lifeless body dropping to the ground with a thud.

A sense of relief washed over Valeryx as he knew Thysarlis' reign would never come. He would have to select a new Emporer now, but his people had been saved. He knew not what servitude to the dragongod of evil would bring, but his people would survive.

Thysarlis' men began to charge, a couple of his commanders crying out in his name. Valeryx waved the sceptor again, ready to share Thysarlis' fate with those who would die in his name, but he found he could not move. "No," the voice of Zenarthentolex filled his mind, "you have had your revenge. You are mine now."

He could still see the advance of Thysarlis' men, but he knew, somehow, that he was no longer standing upon the steps of the Emporer's palace.

The bloody battle played out in front his helpless eyes, but it did not go well for the traitors to the Empire. Valeryx watched on with pride as his men fought off the advance. His own men were falling, but not near as swiflty as those who brought disgrace to the Empire. Soon there were less than a hundred of his own men, and far less of Thysarlis'. His people would survive, his men would restore the Dragothan Empire. Fraxis yet lived. Perhaps he would become the next Emporer.

His thoughts were disturbed by the approach of more warriors.

The elves. They were moving swiftly, and they struck hard and fast. In their treachery and jealousy of the Dragothan race, it became obvious that their pact to Thysarlis was a lie, for they struck down all Dragothan soldiers, no matter whether clad in the light blue valorite of Valeryx' men, or the light green of Thysarlis'. Soon he could see no living soul in Dracona that was not an elf.

"Why?" he cried out, and the world around him faded to black expanse. "WHY, DAMN YOU?"

Two violet eyes blinked, and then focussed on Valeryx. "You have had your revenge. Thysarlis is dead."

"It was my intent to save my people. The elves have slaughtered them," Valeryx called out. He did not know where he was, but there was a certain solidity to his form again. He might not have been aware of it save for the tears that streamed freely down his cheeks. "You allowed them to kill my soldiers!"

"The universe is in Balance, Valeryx." The chamber began to lighten some, and he could see the dark figure of the ebon dragon just barely outlined on the slightly less dark expanse of the realm he now stood in. There was a smile upon the dragon's lips. "This was the destiny of the Blood of Dragotha."

Valeryx felt anger well up again, but this time at himself. He had listened to the poisoned words of the Ebon One, and now his servitude would mean nothing.  "Why betray people who have always befriended dragonkind?"

"Betray?" Zenarthentolex smiled, his white, acid-dripping teeth almost blinding in the perpetual darkness. "Betray? Your people survive, Valeryx of the Dragotha." There was a deep laugh from the god of evil. "You yet live."

Valeryx closed his eyes, his failure complete.

*     *     *     *     *
The End

Intro • 1 • 2 • 3 • [4]