[Black Dragon]

Aye aye aye! *Digs topic out of second page* Ok, I finally wrote more.


Chapter 2

The temple of Queen Kara was unusually busy today, filled with Glukkons hurrying here and there, all with stressed expressions on their faces. Drok eyed them suspiciously and asked the warrior leading him to Kara’s chamber “What’s going on? Why’s everyone so freaked today?” “Her highness will explain everything,” was all the guard said, still with his usual quickness and fear. Sun streaked the walls through the windows in the ceiling. The only thing the native Glukkons took from the modern world was windows. Paintings of beautiful colored Skartah performing numerous acts of virtue took up all of the temple walls, while torches hung from the stone pillars lining the great hallway to the queen’s room. At the end of the hallway two massive stone doors were, one had a winged Skartah male on it and the other was engraved with a finned female. “Skartok marah!” the guard shouted and the two large doors opened slowly. The guard ran in quickly, leaving Drok behind. “Hey, hey! Wait!” he shouted, running in as well. Kara’s chamber was always filled with both torchlight and sunlight. On numerous platforms around the circular room stood the members of her council. They were all large, muscular Glukkons with dark brown skin and headdresses of colorful feathers. They all had the Skaroh symbol tattooed on numerous parts of their bodies, showing that they were indeed the high council. The back of the room was Kara’s nest. She wasn’t ugly like most Glukkon queens. She was thin and sleek, and surprisingly agile when the need arose. Like all Glukkon queens, she had many legs that made her resemble a centipede, and four long arms. Her face was always bright and cheerful, and her large yellow eyes always shone with their own light. However, today her face was grim and stressed, just like everyone else’s. The guard, panting, bowed swiftly to Kara and said “Your Highness, Drok is here, as requested.” With that he straightened up and swiftly ran out on his long arms. Drok bowed solemnly and asked, “You called me?” “I did, Drok. And no, I’m not going to give you the usual lecture this time.” Kara answered in her loud voice, sounding a bit disgusted. Drok blushed and heard some of the council members chuckling. “I have summoned you for a far more important reason, my dear. The explosion that took place minutes ago was the result of our industrialized kin cutting down the Great Tree of Ghormet. Appears the tree didn’t go without a fight so they just blew it up to save time and profit. They are growing closer and closer to our city at an alarming rate, my dear, and I fear the worst.” She stopped and looked up at the ceiling, biting her lip. Her glowing yellow eyes suddenly became full of sorrow. “If they invade the camp,” she said slowly in her most serious tone, “they will capture all of us, and kill me most likely. My cousin Margaret won’t want our kind to remain in existence, and she will turn all of my children into those…those…demons! Drok, we cannot let this happen!” As she spoke, she paced the room on her many legs and the councilors occasionally mumbled something or shook their heads. Drok didn’t know what to think: this was all so sudden, but nothing could bring his fear to its peak more than what Kara said next. She turned around and walked straight up to him. The queen put her face gently level with his and said, “Drok, for once, please think about the others instead of yourself. You are indeed the strongest Glukkon in the city and somewhere deep down, you are the cleverest. I need you to go out there and stop the Magog Cartel from invading us.” Drok’s jaw dropped nearly level with his toes. “Me? By myself? Great Kara, I don’t know if I am the strongest or best for this job,” he stuttered, slowly backing away. Quick as lightning, she moved behind him, blocking the doors with her long body. “Please, Drok, for all of us,” she said, her voice cracking. Drok looked to the side to avoid her eyes. “Alright,” he finally said, “I’ll do it.”