A Dark Abode pt 1

The Crimson One watched as Lenora made her way to the Soldor estates. The Storms of Blue raged overhead in an unnatural violence. Gelt beheld them with an eye of achievement. With Draken now fully awaken, all he would need is for him to claim the Dalen Remnant.

Gelt knew the other states would sense something wrong when one went silent. They would bristle their defenses like a hedgehog at apparent threats before coming for the bones of what remained. Carrion eaters, all of them. Draken would prove himself against them.

The Iron Queen would hear of this. Undoubtedly, she would move to capitalize on the misfortune of Dalen. It would prove interesting nevertheless to see The Diablo and The Iron Queen do battle. Whether one was killed, both, or both weakened would serve him regardless. He would use any advantage he had. He would use any advantage that he found. And when left with nothing, he would change the situation to his advantage.

He parted the veils between here and there, arriving within his abode. His followers stood ready in audience, the hall just outside his crystal room a silent entourage of robed silhouettes in the dim light. "The Diablo has awaken. And soon, Esteban Soldor will be in our grasp. The time to shift the rancid peace that has infected this world has come. No longer shall we prepare. Now... We unite," spoke the Red Wizard.

As one, the robed ones removed their hoods, the cloaks they wore now cast aside. Now they stood in black leather armors, gilded with gold and supported by a breastplate inscribed with the arcane runes of his own hand. Each one to bestow protection of forces both mundane and magical. They stood five long against the wall, their own skin etched in deep scars of swirling and exact lines. And upon their throats, the one piece that united them glimmered red even in the dim light.

Each was a piece of Philosopher's Stone. Each held eternal youth. And each had access to the Power of Change, if but a fraction of it. These were his chosen.

As they beheld their lord and witnessed the cut upon his golden visage, all froze. A great shift seemed to move the land just a hint forward, a magical burst released forth that struck every strand of the Weave. The five clutched at their necks and chests, stumbling and resting along the wall in stooped positions. Gelt himself leaned upon his staff with the weight of time upon his shoulders.

In that instant he knew. It was inevitable, as he also knew. Once more, immortals walked the mortal realm. Now, it was all too real, the weight of the very power sensitive to his body. Whomever had crossed over had shifted the balance of the world. Gelt had only ever felt something akin to this once before, when the first of the demonic invasions began in Dalen.

The feeling passed as quickly as it came. "My- my lord," gasped one. She was the first to regain her compose. She straightened.

"This changes nothing. We must complete our mission. This is now war," Gelt responded, quickly turning about for the crystal room. "Our attack on Soldor's Bastion must go through. One hundred Kragan against the last memories of corruption... Go now, Liliana, for forces move against us now." Gelt commanded from the room. He stretched his hand over the seeing stone as he empowered it.

What he saw would have cowed a lesser man. The King In Blue himself had passed into this realm. But no sooner did he spot the demon king than his sight was shrouded in swirling misty clouds. He had been blocked. It was of no matter. He turned his gaze beyond that to his beasts. They were as strong as an orc, resilient as a dwarf, with the speed and dexterity of an elf, and given some resistance to magic from the devil's skin he infused into them.

In truth, he had crafted these beasts to be the ultimate shock trooper. By combining all of the most prevalent species in Aeran with mahangory, they were very real and very sentient. Whether he died or not, they would live on to be the greatest warriors to be have been seen.

One hundred had been sent to Soldor's Bastion. Another hundred was moving westward to Verden. And beneath his abode, hundreds more were being birthed from the earthen vats in which his craft was used.

A tone rang through the abode, Gelt aware that two people were outside the tower. He directed his attentions outside and saw the clouds that blocked his view. He knew then who came. He sensed the other presence as well, deciding to nullify an area with his own counterspell. He ordered three dozen Kragan to prepare for combat with a mental flick.

He studied the two. He recognized the form of Soularous but not that of the red-skinned tiefling by his side. He paused only a moment before willing the doors open. He knew the power that was at his front doorstep would kill his creations. He accepted that without remorse. He merely needed to weaken them.

~~

The heavy black doors slowly swung open for Aldous and Soularous. Inside, the foyer was lit at the edges with glowing balls of mage light. None was apparently there to welcome them. Inside, the truth waited in hidden alcoves, Kragan baring black blades. They would wait until the doors closed, striking from all sides. They waited, barely keeping in check the bloodlust that was building in them. They wanted the blood of the intruders upon themselves, to streak their blades, to stain the floors.

The doors closed silently but they knew. With a lion's roar from a dozen throats, the Kragan attacked.