Chapter 10: The Liberator

Well, as for the journey, a lot of things happened.  One that really stood out for me was when I passed through a forest and came upon a large elven community.  It occurred to me that I could use some supplies so I donned my cloak and ventured in.  While I received a few suspicious stares, my gold was still welcome and I was able to acquire the tools and rations I would need to continue.  Though what I really needed was a new set of armor but alas, that would require the blacksmith to measure me which was sadly out of the question if I was to maintain cover.

Just as I thought myself ready to move on, my stomach's rumbling reminded me that I had been so preoccupied with my goals that I neglected eating.  I decided to pay the local inn a visit to help remedy that.  I always picked the quietest corners I could find but even then, I was always leery in these kinds of places.  I feared being seen by one of the many patrons in the bar and not only being chased from town, but having my location betrayed to my enemies.  Ordering the largest roast they offered, I looked forward to some peace of mind to gather my thoughts.

As always, it was not to be...

Most of the inn was filled with laughter and the telling of stories but sitting on a bar stool was an elven man who stood out in that he only stirred over his drink in silence, his face full of sorrow.  The bartender also noticed the man's apparent distress and tried to comfort him.

“I heard about what happened to Miana, I'm so sorry Ruthgar,” he said.

“Why her?” he said trying to make sense of things, “She never did anything to deserve this!”

“Don't worry,” the bartender said reassuringly, “The rangers will find whatever did this and put it down so we can sleep safely.  Maybe you should visit Argentia, she'll know what to do!”

Ruthgar shook his head, “That's exactly what Miana was on her way to do when...when...”

He trailed off as he broke down, leaning on the counter.  My heart went out to him.  I couldn't sit idle.  I slithered up beside him in hopes that I could offer a helping hand.

“A lost love is it?” I asked.

“Yes...my fiance in fact,” Ruthgar replied not turning his head.

“I see...I've had ones I cared deeply for taken away too.  That's why I want to know if I can help.  I have much experience fighting...monsters,” I said, hesitating at the taste of that last word.

“I don't know, I wouldn't like having your death on my conscience on top of everything,” Ruthgar replied.

“If something is preying on your people, I intend to stop it whether you tell me anything of it or not.  So you could only help by telling me what you know,” I said hoping to put his fears to rest.

“Very well,” he said finally turning to me, “There had been several disappearances in the forest for the past weeks.  Miana was one of the rangers trying to track down the cause.  She went to see Argentia for guidance but never made it.  They found her....frozen and shattered...”

“It's okay,” I said trying to comfort him as he told his painful story, “Who is Argentia?”

“She's a silver dragon who has acted as the guardian of these woods for as long as anyone can remember.  She lives near our neighboring village.  She's always helped us before but we haven't heard from her lately or from anyone in the village for that matter.”

“No witnesses?” I asked.

“None left alive,” he said, “If that's enough to go on then I wish you luck.  Please leave me.”

“Thank you for your help, I'll do whatever I can,” I said as I returned to my table to try and make plans.

Oh yes, just another day for any adventurer.  At least that's what it sounded like at the time.  But I couldn't have been more wrong.  I would be witness not only to new horrors, but also reintroduced to some inner demons of my own.

With Ruthgar's directions, I began to make my way towards the neighboring village where this silver dragon Argentine could be found.  Hopefully I could learn the cause of their silence and perhaps learn the identity of the killer.

The journey was only a few hours and little happened of note until I grew close to my destination.  I noticed something out of place when I saw frost on the trees...during the summer months.  But that was nothing compared to the village itself.  It lay buried under ice and snow.  The houses torn asunder and the villagers either frozen in a permanent expression of terror or simply ripped limb from limb savagely.  The chill of death hung as greatly as the chill of the ice and mist.

“No...what could have done this?” I wondered when I noticed movement nearby.

Darting behind a ruined house, I peeked around the corner to see several figures walking by though the mist made it hard to make their forms out despite my sharp eyesight.  I began to slither forward for a better look when I noticed a large shadow overtaking my own.  I had barely enough to react as I turned to see a massive creature attempt to put it's appendages on me.  I rolled away as the creature straightened up.  It was a monstrous sight indeed.  Standing easily 8 feet in height, it looked down on me with red, snake like eyes that shone with malice.  Scales covered it's hulking body, colored white with tinges of red as though stained by blood.  It's head was crowned with twin frills that ran all the way down it's long, prehensile tail.  Most striking of all were it's limbs.  It stood on two muscular, taloned feet while it bore four arms.  The two lower ones ended in clawed hands while the two larger ones above them ended in the heads of dragons who's tongues flicked the air as they all gazed at me.   The creature walked slowly forward snarling as I pulled out my flintlocks, aiming them at it defiantly.

“Hmm...all alone out here?  Was it curiosity?  Recklessness?  Or perhaps simply ill fate?” the creature spoke to my surprise as it continued to advance slowly.

Whatever it was, I fired at it in desperation only to watch in horror as the attacks were rebuffed with the creature not even flinching.  Taking advantage of my surprise, it seized me around the waist with it's draconic claw.  It seemed to study me as I struggled from it's terrifying grip.

“Heh heh heh...yes!  Struggle all you want!  I savor your terror!  Even more than your flesh!”

Not about to meet my end here, I brought my scythe into being pointed at my assailant, causing it to be driven into his chest, making him release his grip on me enough that I slipped out of my cloak.  Withdrawing to better prepare myself, I drew weapons and watched his movements carefully,  The creature groaned in pain but raised an eye upon seeing my true self.

“You, you're no mortal,” he said with interest now.

I caught my breath enough to finally reply to his enigmatic speech, “I came here to learn the fate of this village.  I see my search is at an end.”

“Hmm...” the creature pondered, “Ah, you think me the culprit?  Ah ha ha!  I only wish I were permitted to undertake in such glorious blood shed, but no.  I am not the one you seek.”

“Who are you then?  Who is the one responsible?” I demanded.

“The masters simply call me...XX6,” the creature replied, seemingly enraged when referring to the ones he called the masters.

“The masters?” I asked.

“Alas, I say too much already but it matters not.  You'll not leave this place alive by their command...and by my hunger!” the creature replied as it pointed it's dragon arms at me, spewing searing fire from one and bitter ice from the other.

I rolled behind a house to repel the attack as I drew my axes in my middle hands to fully arm myself for this mysterious foe.

“I see this will be more sporting than most of the fools who came here,” the creature taunted as continued to attack.  I leapt over the blasts as I dove at the creature with my scythe and axes flying but even the few blows that could pierce it's scales accomplished little as the cuts began to seal over and fade away in mere seconds.

“Ah ha ha!!  You can't end my life fool!  Only the masters have such power!” the creature roared as it hit me with both breath attacks at once, knocking me back as I frantically put out flames on my left side as my right struggled to regain it's sensation and break away the ice formed around it.  I regained my footing as I rose to face the creature again, still trying to drive it back with my flintlocks.

“Your persistence is futile!  This place will be your grave like all those before you!”

Just as he mentioned the concept, an idea came to my mind.  Turning my guns downward, I fired a blast at the ground that melted the ice and destabilized the soil, turning it to a pit of mud that quickly pulled in the creature.  As the mud covered form struggled back to the surface, I fired another ray, causing the mud to solidify into stone, trapping it.

“Not if I put you in yours first!” I retorted as I retracted my weapons.

Now came the matter of learning the one behind all this.  Even if the creature lied about it's direct involvement in the destruction of the village, it still seemed clear that it did indeed answer to a master, a master who surely was the mastermind behind everything.  I returned to the direction the figures from before were walking in hopes of picking up their trail.  It led to the mouth of a massive cave in the side of the nearby mountains.  Weapons at the ready for anything, I slowly ventured in to put a stop to all of this.

The icy mist persisted inside the cave even as the walls began to become frostier as I proceeded.  The sound of heavy breathing was what greeted my ears next, breathing that echoed like thunder in the cold passages.  But then came something else, something I had not felt in a long time.  That eerie humming that echoed in my head.  It was them!

The cave widened into a much larger room where the glint of silver met my eye.  A massive dragon lay on the cave floor looking weary and sad somehow.  Beside it was an illthid clad in ornate robes, much moreso than most of his kind.

“So, XX6 failed to repel curious trespassers.  He shall suffer for such failure indeed,” came a voice speaking directly to my mind.

“Who are you?  What have you done to Argentine?” I demanded of the illithid.

“I am Zarnathos, and I recognize your mind.  I would never mistake it.  Thrall X6, you were to be my test subject were the delivery successful.  But that matters not.  This one suits my purposes just as well,” the creature stated as it indicated the ailing dragon.

“What are you doing here illithid?  What are your kind plotting now?  And why did you destroy the village?”

A sense of amusement came to my mind as the illithid replied, “Why don't you ask her yourself?  Beast!  Enjoy your last moments of awareness!”

With that, the illithid faded away.  I quickly made my way to the dragon in hopes of helping whatever was wrong with it.

“Are you all right?  Can you hear me?  I came here to help!”

“Ungh...” the dragon groaned as it weakly struggled to it's feet and looked down on me, “A marilith...kind eyes...a flower in her hair...you are... Aryll?”

“You know of me?” I said curious.

“One of your prodigies came to me years ago for guidance and told me a fascinating tale of a demon that learned to love,” the dragon explained, “I had hoped to meet you someday...but not like this!”

“Are you ill?  Do you require healing?” I asked with concern.

“RRRGH!!!” the dragon roared in pain, causing me to recoil in fear, “No!  I can't...”

“What's wrong?” I asked now more worried than ever.

“The illithids...they sought to gain my service as a thrall and through great force of will, they dominated my mind.  Knowing they couldn't keep control of a powerful dragon's mind for long, I simply waited for a chance to break free.  It was a chance they found a way to deny me.”

“What?  What did they do?” I asked, almost afraid to hear of what atrocity the cruel tyrants had concocted.

“They simply call it Mind Leech, a brain degenerating drug.  It leaves me weak against their psychic invasions...”

I felt terrible rage at such an affront, “The fiends!”

“It's not the worst of it friend....I am addicted now...  if I am left without it, my rational mind will fade out, leaving me little more than a feral beast.  The first time I defied them, they left me without the drug for days until my consciousness faded.  When I regained my senses, I...I stood in the middle of the village, everything destroyed.  The very people I had grown to know and love all these long years....dead at my own claws.”

I stood in shock.  Even I had never experienced such a horrid plot in my days serving Nethkazar.

“They said that was my warning.  The next time, they would never give me another dose and I would destroy all in my path until death finally claimed me.  I...I had no choice.  They wished to use me to breed the ultimate thrall...using my blood and that of a demon.”

That was when the truth came to light.  The creature I fought outside, XX6, similar to my own designation.  Was it my...

I had little time to ponder that possibility as the dragon began to writhe in agony, wrestling between instinct and rational thought.

“NO!!  It's taking hold of me!  I beg you friend!  Flee!  Flee before it's too late!  I can't...control myself!!” Argentine pleaded desperately.

“No!  Argentine!   Surely there has to be a way to heal you!” I replied, trying hopelessly to calm her.

“It's too late!” she cried out, “They have what they want from me now.  They intend now to let my rationality die out completely and leave me their obedient slave...  To be forced to commit even more atrocities...no!  I can't endure the thought of it!!  Please...I know you have the power to do it!  You must...kill me!!”

“What?!  Kill you?  No!  I can't!  I swore I would never harm an innocent again!”

“I free you from any accountability for it Aryll!  This crime is the doing of the illithids...and my own failure.  You are not at fault.  Please...you must...no!  Bahamut help me....I must....fight it!!” the wretched dragon spoke it's last words as the intelligence that shone in it's eyes faded away and it began to approach me menacingly.

I almost couldn't dodge out of the way of her claws as she attacked.  What could I do?  Slay a good hearted creature such as her?  I couldn't!  It was unthinkable.  But then I could see it in her eyes, her pain, her suffering, her heartache at having everything taken from her including now her very mind.  I was powerless to bring any of it back.  All I could do now was end her misery.  I reluctantly drew my weapons and began to retaliate.  I couldn't match her for strength given the difference in our sizes but I was able to fend off her claws as my scythe sparked against her hard scales.  Argentine moved back slightly and began to take in a deep breath.  Knowing what it signified, I took shelter behind a nearby rock as she rained freezing ice over the area.  Despite my perch, the biting wind numbed my muscles and stiffened my movements.  I wouldn't be able to parry another attack as her massive claw came down upon me again.  Acting quickly, I encircled her wrist as she swung with my tail, allowing me to pull myself out of harm's way and latch onto her front leg.

“Argentine!  If you can hear me!  Please calm yourself!” I cried out to no avail.  She was gone.

She furiously tried to shake me from her leg but I held tightly.  That was when she began to take another deep breath.  I wouldn't avoid another breath attack at this range so I looked quickly for a distraction.  That's when I realized, her once shining scales now bore irregularities and shed areas.  Obviously caused by her declining health.  It was a terrible thing to do but I had no choice.  I reached out with my scythe and cleaved at the weakened areas, causing blood to spew from them as Argentine screamed in pain.

“It will all be over soon as I leapt from her leg and dug my scythe into her spinal ridge to get a firm hold onto her back.  That's when I looked at the ceiling.

“It will all be over soon,” I said reassuringly as Argentine reached for me, only to have me bound off her claw to the ceiling.  With one swing, I brought the massive icicles that decorated the cave crashing down onto her, impaling her through the shoulder blades.  She struggled fiercly for only a moment before her blood began to pool around her and she finally grew silent.  I looked on as tears filled my eyes at what my hand had been forced to do.  I knelt down with my weapon placed on the ground and my hands spread out.

“Gods...forgive me!” I called out to the dead silence that permeated the cave.