Darksong- Warning, mature content.

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Aylstra Illianniis
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

The remaining days before his Blooding passed swiftly- perhaps too swiftly, to his mind. In no time at all, it seemed, only one day remained before he would be sent out to complete his hunt. Most young dark elves looked forward to the rite of passage, eager to shed the blood of an enemy, no matter if it was man or beast. To Lothir, the ritual represented the end of his life in Argos Hall, and the loss of what little freedom he had.

Naturally, he spent those days in fervent preparation, both overtly, with the tutors, as well as in secret, spending as much time as possible becoming familiar with the winding passages and dark caverns, both within his secret warrens, as well as the larger tunnels patrolled by the House guards. He knew that learning his way around the Underdark might mean the difference between life and death.

He spent most of the last day wandering the silent tunnels of his secret domains, for he had been given the day off from studies to rest and contemplate a plan for victory. He made a quick visit to the kitchen for more fish to take down to the albatross, which he simply stuffed into a large sack and carried down to dump in the enclosure. He had no idea how long he would be gone, so he made certain to leave enough fish for at least ten days. He knew that if he was gone longer than that, he would not be coming back.

From there, he went out into the hidden passages, taking one last trip to the secluded little valley outside the hole on the surface, hoping- as always- to see Elistarrya again. However, only Snowfeather was there to greet him. He left a small white flower on the stone by the clear pool, an offering to the goddess to grant him victory. He did not know if it would do any good, but at the very least, it could not hurt.

It was while he was stopping by the aranea’s cavern on his way home that he sensed the warning pulse of his house insignia being activated. He glanced down at his left wrist, as it pulsed again, glimmering briefly with red radiance. He tapped it twice to answer the mental call; he knew instantly through the small token’s magic who had triggered the device. It was a call from the Lord Patron himself. His father. Lothir’s heart sank, knowing that only the most urgent of reasons would have prompted his stern sire to use the device.

<You are summoned to the Grand Hall,> came the silent sending, the Patron’s mental voice every bit as intimidating as his audible one. <Your presence is required immediately!>

The young drow gulped, and nodded in acquiescence, though he knew his father could not see him. <Yes, Patron,> he replied nervously. <Right away, sir!> He turned to regard the aranea with a shrug, grimacing.

“I have to go, Shelatchka, but I’ll come back soon!” he said, and turned to leave.

“Oh! So soon? But you just got here!” she said, pouting.
“I just received a message- they want me at home. It sounded important. Maybe it’s about my Blooding!” he replied with a wave, and winked at her.

“Hmph. If they knew half the trouble you’ve been getting into, they wouldn’t even bother,” she said wryly, as he raced off down the entrance tunnel with a laugh. She could still hear the echo of his laughter long after he had disappeared down the tunnel.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
Legend
Posts: 1933
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:51 am
Location: Texas
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

Lothir reached the audience chamber at last, nearly out of breath from having run all the way from Shelatchka’s lair. He took a moment to catch his breath, and smoothed and brushed off his rumpled and dusty clothes so his mother would not have reason to chastise him for being messy. She always seemed to spot every little speck of dirt on him, or even a single hair out of place. More annoying still, she took every opportunity to point out such minor faults, as if nothing pleased her more than to remind him that he was inferior simply by accident of gender.

At last, satisfied that she would have nothing to fault him on- particularly in front of his father- he took a deep breath and entered the audience hall. The first thing he saw was the Lord Patron seated in a large, comfortable chair toward the center of the far wall, with the Lady Consort in another chair beside it. Both wore their official robes of station; the boy frowned, for he almost never saw his father out of his sturdy, comfortable leather warrior’s garb. The Patron even wore his “royal” crown, a simple, wide gold and mithril band studded with a row of black opals alternating with blood-red star rubies.

He knew this summons had something to do with his Blooding. When he glanced around the room, his suspicions were confirmed, for there was a huge cage to one side of the audience chamber, covered at the moment, but very obviously occupied, as was evidenced by the strange, deep rumbling that could be heard from within. It was twenty feet long, and at least half that distance wide. It reached ten feet high, as well; whatever was inside, it must have taken up most of that space, since he could see the cage shaking and hear a heavy, periodic thumping noise. He tried not to wonder how they had managed to get the thing into the hall- it was far too large to fit through the doors- and instead tried to imagine what sort of creature it might be.

There was a low, deep growl from inside the cage, followed by a metallic scratching sound. He eyed the covered cage warily, wondering what in the Nine Hells could be inside. Something big, that much was certain. The huge enclosure rattled with every move its occupant made. The growling continued, along with the sound of something scratching on metal. Then Aldan motioned to one of the dour-looking males who had rolled it into the large audience hall, and the warrior nodded, and pulled away the cover.

“This will be your prey for the Hunt.” The words reverberated through the chamber, and the young drow’s jaw dropped as he saw what was inside. Staring back at him, its mouth clamped shut with a huge adamantine muzzle, was a dragon. Its scales gleamed silver in the light from the pillars along the walls, as the great beast struggled to turn within the tight space of the cage. The young dragon- for it surely was young- was nearly thirty feet long form nose to tail, with wings that might have spanned almost as long. It was squeezed into the too-small cage, its long sinuous tail curled close, its wings pressed tight to its sides, unable to spread them. He felt sorry for it, being confined into a tiny prison barely large enough to move in. Worse, it was thin, with dull patches on its scaly hide. It had obviously been starved, no doubt to increase its ferocity for the hunt.

It growled again, shaking its large head as it pawed at the restraint on its jaws. There was that distinctive sound of grating metal again; the creature let out a muffled roar of frustration and anger, and began to pace the narrow confines of the cage, shaking it with each step. Its feet were chained, as well, with heavy bands around its two front feet, attached to the bottom of the cage. It whipped its head about again, the long crest of spines on top scraping against the roof of the enclosure. Lothir quailed, his face growing ashen. Surely they could not mean for him to fight that?!

He stared at the huge cage, aghast. The young dragon glared back at him, its reptilian emerald eyes filled with rage. He looked at his mother, who gazed down at him with a look of satisfaction. His father only fixed him with a cold stare, unfeeling and dispassionate. The young drow could not understand how they thought he was the match of a dragon, even one as small as the pitiful creature in the cage. He fleetingly remembered something he had read once, about metallic dragons being able to transform into other creatures, and wondered why it did not do so. Was the cage enchanted, then? He turned his gaze on the wyrm again, and felt a stab of guilt. They expected him to kill the marvelous beast, yet he could not muster the desire to kill such a noble being. Yet he knew there was no choice.

“You have been told the rules of the Blooding- you will be released into the wilds for nine days to hunt and kill your foe. If you succeed, you must bring back proof of your victory, before the time is up. Do not fail in this, boy, for if you do, the consequences will be dire.” His father’s words held a finality that frightened him.

“Be aware that if you fail in this, I will do as I told you that day in the temple. If you do not slay your chosen prey, you will join that accursed sorcerer in the drider pit. There will be no second chances.” Lothir’s eyes went wide as his mother spoke the words that would condemn him if he did not defeat the dragon. Not that it mattered, he was absolutely certain that if he did not kill it, he would be dead himself.

So that was it, then. Tomorrow, he would be thrust out into the Wilds to face his enemy. Then either it would die, or he would. If he failed, his mother had left no doubt that she would carry out her threat of turning him into a drider. He shuddered, remembering the sight of Jezdin being transformed into one of those hideous monstrosities. He could not bear the thought of living as such a monster.

“I beg permission to speak, Lord Patron,” he said, bowing low with his head down in the formal manner of addressing one’s superior. He waited; when Aldan nodded, he cautiously stepped forward, swallowing hard, and lifted his gaze up to meet those of his parents. “If I may say so, my Lord, there must be some mistake. Surely you do not think I can defeat such a fearsome beast as this?” He tried to sound as unconcerned as possible, though inside he was quaking with dread. Was this his mother’s way of getting rid of him? Or did his father truly think he was strong enough to kill a dragon? Either way, the very idea was insane.

“There is no mistake. You are the heir of the First House- if you cannot defeat a powerful foe, then you have no place in this family. That is the purpose of the ritual, after all. A test of power and skill, wit and determination. While it is true that the Blooding is often a mere formality, you have yet to shed the blood of an enemy, and more importantly, to prove your worth. If you fail this test, you will be taken down to the drider pit.”

The boy opened his mouth to speak, but their imperious gazes made him think better of it, and he clamped it shut. He knew there would be no dissuading them. They had made their decision; now it was up to him to live up to their high expectations, or die trying. He rather suspected the latter. Even if he had been willing to divulge the secret of his frequent outings into unknown territory, they would never believe that he had fought, let alone killed, a worthy foe. He had no proof. Without the proof of his victories, they would not accept his word alone. Even if he showed them the tunnels, all it would do was reveal his hidden sanctuary- and he refused to give up that precious secret.

At last, sensing that the Patron’s mind was made up, he bowed his head and nodded. “As you wish, My Lord. I will not fail.”

“See to it that you don’t,” was Aldan’s only reply. He waved his hand, dismissing his son as if he was no more than a servant. The boy stared up at him sullenly for a moment, then turned on his heels and left the room- and his new enemy- behind. As the doors closed behind him, he suddenly felt a chill that he had not noticed before; once again, his family had shown him that his life meant little to them, if anything at all. He swallowed down the lump that rose in his throat, wishing for what seemed the thousandth time that it could be otherwise. His world had just become colder than ever.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
Legend
Posts: 1933
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:51 am
Location: Texas
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

An hour later, he sat on the large cushion on the floor of the library, delving through all the tomes he could find on draconic lore. If he was to defeat the silver wyrm, he would need every advantage he could get. If nothing else, it might help him devise a plan to trap the dragon, so that he could fight it with less danger to himself.

So far, the only thing that seemed to be in his favor was that, with the battle being below ground, the creature would be unlikely to have room to fly- a fact which relieved him immensely. If the dragon took to the air, he would not stand a chance. Even as young as it was, any dragon at all was capable of killing most creatures it encountered almost from hatching. He had read stories of orcs or even ogres stealing dragon eggs, only to have them hatch, and the newly emerged wyrms slaughter the thieves.

He wondered how it had been captured, and whether it still had nest-mates and parents. Seeing it inside the cage, its icy breath kept in check by the muzzle, the drow had almost felt sorry for it. He wished he could help it escape, but he knew that would be impossible. Even if he could somehow succeed, the price would be his own downfall. It was a risk he could not take.

He was still searching feverishly through heavy volumes of dragon lore, when he heard the soft creak of the door opening. He looked up quickly, and exhaled in relief when he saw that the intruder was Ravyn. He smiled at her, and she came to sit beside him on the cushion. The elf woman picked up a tome whose title read Wyrms of the Eastern Empires, and turned over another to glance at it. She smiled when she noticed the title- Azuroth the Blue- Encounter with a Great Wyrm.

“Studying up on dragons? I heard about your Blooding. So they’ve pit you against a dragon. And a silver, no less. They could have at least used a white- it would have been more fair. They are so numerous in the mountains of Storm Island that I doubt one would be missed. Do you think you will be ready?”

He paused in reading, staring thoughtfully at the various tomes spread out before him. “I don’t know, but I have to try. Did you hear what will happen if I lose?” He knew that rumors and news of any kind spread fast through the House; the warriors and servants were prone to gossip and idle talk, and often did not bother to avoid speaking in front of the slaves.

“Yes. I am worried for you, my dearest. I could almost suspect Lady Ardra of arranging this so that you would be doomed to failure. I know how much she despises our Patron, and she would do almost anything to bring him down. If his own son were to prove a disgrace, he would lose face among the members of the Council. She might use that to steal the loyalties of his followers, or unite the Matrons against him. I fear for you greatly, young Master. Be careful- your true enemy may not be the dragon at all.”

He sighed, closing the useless book and shifting through the volumes for another- this one with the peculiar title The Elder Brood- Myth or Reality, which he opened in his lap. “I know,” he said softly. “I saw the look she gave me when they told me what would happen if I don’t win. She would love to see me fail and shove it in his face- never mind what happens to me. But what choice do I have?” He wanted to scream at the unfairness of the situation, to rail against the world and especially his own scheming kin, but he knew that it would do no good. All he could hope for was to succeed through luck or planning, to prove his mother wrong in thinking him useless. It might almost be worth putting down the magnificent beast to see the look on her face when he strode boldly in with a trophy of his victory.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
Legend
Posts: 1933
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:51 am
Location: Texas
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

Ravyn nodded, and gave him a sad half-smile. “Just remember that no matter what happens, I love you, little warrior. I have faith in you- and I know that you will do what you must” Then she looked down at another book on the small stack. “Brassina’s Book of Riddles?” she asked, “What is this for?”

“Oh! Well, I just thought it might help; maybe I can distract it with a riddle? It was written by a brass dragon, so…” He shrugged, and rose to pull another from the shelves- Firewind, the Red Rampage, said the letters on the cover.

“Riddles? I’m not sure a silver would appreciate those. Besides, don’t you need to speak a language it understands for that to work? Somehow I doubt it speaks drowish.” she said, with a soft laugh. He gave her a sour look, and shrugged again, sitting down to continue perusing the tomes.

“Well, it can’t hurt, can it?” He said hopefully. “Anyway, there must be something in these that will help. Maybe I can trick it into taking a weaker shape- silvers can shapeshift, can’t they?” he asked. When she nodded, he looked down at the book in his lap thoughtfully, and shrugged. “Maybe I can trick it into turning into a mouse, and squash it.”

“Now that would certainly be a unique approach!” she laughed. He grinned, and soon they found themselves deep in the books, digging through ages of draconic lore. It was late when he finally decided to call it a night. Ravyn had long since left, so he had spent a few quiet hours searching through the stacks for some means of conquering his foe. By the time he had gone to bed, he was more worried than ever, having found almost nothing of use.


He was awakened early the next morning by the sound of the door opening. He opened his eyes to find Master Nalvir standing just inside the door, with two grim-faced warriors standing at attention outside. The Weapon Master scowled, clearly annoyed to find him still abed.

“Get up. It’s time to prepare for the Blooding. You have a half hour to gather whatever you will need, then report to the Patron in the Grand Hall. Rations and a map will be provided before you leave. Now get to it.”

He turned and marched out, leaving the two soldiers to stand watch outside; the door shut with a resounding thud, leaving him to dress and pack a few necessities in solitude. He knew he should be excited- any other dark elf would have been eager to be going, yet somehow he felt instead as though he was going to his own execution. He felt as if he was drowning in a sea of hopelessness, knowing there was no escape. Yet there was no other choice. Everything depended on this- Ravyn’s hope, as well as his own life. He paused to pull the small hymnbook and pendant out of their hiding place, and on impulse put the amulet on and slipped the book into his small travel pack.

When he had gathered what few items he could carry, he took a deep breath and opened the door to leave. He found the two warriors standing at attention, waiting for him. He grimaced; suddenly feeling more like a prisoner that one going to complete a rite of passage. Did they truly trust him so little that they would send guards to keep him from running away? He glanced at the guards, who simply gazed down at him impassively, and then he sighed and made his way down to the Grand Hall, with the warriors following close behind.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
Legend
Posts: 1933
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:51 am
Location: Texas
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

When he had gathered what few items he could carry, he took a deep breath and opened the door to leave. He found the two warriors standing at attention, waiting for him. He grimaced; suddenly feeling more like a prisoner that one going to complete a rite of passage. Did they truly trust him so little that they would send guards to keep him from running away? He glanced at the guards, who simply gazed down at him impassively, and then he sighed and made his way down to the Grand Hall, with the warriors following close behind.

When he arrived in the hall, Nalvir was waiting, along with his parents and Shiallin; even Morganna stood silently gloating as she leaned against the wall behind the Patron’s chair. He shuffled uneasily toward the dais, and knelt on one knee as he greeted his parents, his eyes lowered in deference.

“Vendui, ussta Senger Ilharn. I greet you, my Lord Patron.” He spoke the words of the traditional greeting without enthusiasm, feeling trapped by their cold gazes. He did not look up, even though he was anxious for some sign of concern or perhaps encouragement. He knew it was pointless, though. He could feel their eyes on him, as uncaring as if he were a common servant. His heart felt leaden in his chest, like a weight was clamped down on it.

“It is time. I have had a map and enough rations for the time allotted prepared for you. This is all the aid you are allowed. A patrol will escort you to the border of our estate. You will leave at once.” Aldan’s words held a finality to them that told the young drow he was dismissed.

That was it,then. No words of farewell, no well-wishing. Just a simple command to be off. He should have known better than to expect anything more- it was not in their nature to give more. He let out a soft sigh, and rose to look up into their impassive faces for a brief moment. Only Morganna showed any emotion- and her eyes were filled with a dark pleasure at his disquiet. At last, he spun on his heels, and began to head for the door.

“One more thing- Morganna will accompany you to the border.” The Patron’s comment stopped him in his tracks. He whirled back to face his sire again, even as he heard his sister’s shriek of outrage.

“What?!” she shouted, storming down the dais to turn and stare up at their father defiantly. Her violet eyes burned hot with rage and hate. “This is an insult! I will not-” she began, but Aldan stopped her protest cold.

“That is an order. I have decided that both of you need to learn to work together. This will be a step in accomplishing that. Do I make myself clear?” He glared down at her, and she finally dropped her gaze. Cruel and malicious as she was, the half-blood girl knew better than to rouse the ire of her deadly Patron. She respected few people, but he was at the top of that very short list. Though she was wild and uncontrollable under most circumstances, Morganna knew that her one chance of ever getting what she wanted lay with courting his favor, much as she might hate that fact. At last, she turned, stomping across the room angrily, and tossed her brother a blazing glare as she passed.

“Come on then, runt. Let’s go.” She practically hissed at him, the rancor in her voice evidence enough of her feelings about their temporary journey together. Lothir swallowed hard as he followed her out of the room, taking the rolled-up map and small sack of food supplies from Nalvir on the way out. This was hardly a good beginning.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
Legend
Posts: 1933
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:51 am
Location: Texas
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

It took Morganna only a few minutes to prepare a small travel pack for the trip. He waited in the entry foyer of the main tower. When she returned, she simply glared at him, and stalked out the doors. He followed- albeit reluctantly- with the assigned patrol right behind him.
As they marched out across the cavern, toward the small fort at the far end that guarded the only known land entrance, he glanced around at the soldiers who accompanied him. He recognized a few of them as members of the same group he had spied on before. One was the snarky male named Karas; the older warrior Valefyrr was present as well. Lothir strained to recall the name of the other familiar face- Hathmar, he thought it was. Fortunately there was no priestess along this time, only a journeyman wizard he had seen from time to time, a ratheryoung male named Ken’dorl who dressed in uncharacteristically bright red and yellow robes of the finest silk- no doubt stolen on a raid to the Lands Above.
Lothir remembered having heard rumors that the oddly-dressed mage was a favored apprentice of Jezdin, and seeing his mincing steps and vaguely feminine manner, he began to get a glimmer of why. Shiallin had mentioned once, during his “lessons,” that some males’ attentions ran toward their own gender, and this one’s surely did!
The young drow could not help but wonder why his father had sent such a large group with him, even if it was only to the edge of their domain. He was especially worried about Morganna’s presence, for he did not doubt that she would take any opportunity to sabotage his hunt.
Then suddenly he realized- that was precisely the reason Aldan had sent the patrol! He shot a wary glance at Morganna, who strode angrily ahead; as much as she had protested coming along, she seemed uncommonly accepting of the situation once they were out of the House and away from their father’s eyes and ears. With a new understanding of just how treacherous his situation had become, as well as the true extent of the challenge, he was more determined than ever that he would prove them all wrong.
Several minutes passed while the boy mulled over the problem; then they came to the gates of the small fort and training grounds for the common soldiers. Aside from the three elite contingents stationed within the House proper, most of Argos Hall’s slave-soldiers and low-born drow warriors lived here or in the second outpost on the small island that guarded the cove entrance. As they marched up to the gates, he felt a strange feeling as if he was sliding down into a pit, with nothing to grab hold of.
The gates opened, and he was taken by surprise by the stark order and severity of the place. The barracks were in a large cut-stone building to his left; the armory, smith, and tannery were along the wall with the gates they had just come through. To his right sat the pens for the riding lizards and steeders- a type of giant, hairy spider bred as mounts- as well as the storehouse and private quarters for the officers and war mages. The fort was much different from the flowing, natural shapes of the House towers. Whereas they had been shaped by magic from natural stalagmite formations, the fort had been built stone by stone, mostly using orc and bugbear slave labor, under the direction of drow or enslaved duergar masons and architects.
Lothir watched a regiment of drow warriors going through morning drills on the grounds, and paused for a moment to marvel at their precision and discipline. It seemed at odds with their natural inclination toward chaos, which was so evident in almost everything drow did. Without the iron rule of their fanatically religious Matrons, their society would quickly degenerate into utter anarchy. And their dark goddess apparently liked it that way, keeping them forever on the verge of chaos and destruction, ostensibly to keep them strong and sharp. In truth, it was the madness and cruel whims of the goddess herself that made them so, in their never-ending yet futile quest to please her.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
Legend
Posts: 1933
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:51 am
Location: Texas
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

“Hurry up, mal’ai! We don’t have all day,” growled Morganna, glancing back with a look of disgust. He hastened to comply, wishing for the tenth time that he did not have to listen to her snappish comments. They were nearly halfway to the second set of gates already, surrounded by high stone walls and turrets. The fort was built to withstand most attacks, its strongest point being the three pairs of gates and portcullises which sat flush against the cavern wall guarding the only way in. slits along the inner walls of the gates allowed crossbowmen to pick off invaders, while sluice pipes, vats for scalding oil, and huge piles of boulders waited atop the crenellated walls to dump on anyone who managed to avoid the deadly bolts. Two small towers at the near end of the death trap were constantly manned by a squad of crack archers and javelin-throwers.
“I didn’t ask for you to come, you know,” he replied, perhaps a touch more caustically than he had intended.
“No, I was ordered to come by our beloved sire! Do you truly believe I would have anything to do with your fool hide if I hadn’t?”
“Of course not, Morg. You would probably rather be off tormenting slaves or butchering some beast. Gods forbid you should have to spend any time with your brother!” He said acidly, rolling his eyes with a sour expression on his face. Her cutting insults were stretching his patience to the breaking point. He idly mused that with females like her, it was no wonder so many males spent the majority of their time on long patrols! Or turned their interest toward other males, he added, catching a glimpse of Ken’dorl watching the soldiers on drill with what he had come to recognize as a lustful stare. He suppressed a shiver of disgust- that was certainly one taste he had no intention of picking up.
She whirled on him as they neared the first set of outer gates, a savage look on her dusky features. “Let me make one thing clear, waele. I do not claim you as kin. You are weak- soft. You are going to die out there, and my only regret is that I will not be there to see it!”
“Do not count me dead yet, Morg. I might just surprise you.” He shot back, just as they were passing the gates. He could not help feeling a vague sense of dread, however. It seemed as though the narrow passage was closing in on him, and he felt panic rise up in his chest, stifling his breath and chilling his spine. They were nearing the point of no return.
She merely laughed, as if the very thought of his succeeding was amusing to her. “Hardly likely. Do you see these?” She asked, holding up her hands. She was wearing a pair of copper-hued gloves, newly tanned and still gleaming. A pair of matching boots graced her feet. “These are what is left of the two wyrms I fought in the arena the last time I visited Terrillis with our Patron. Do you really think you could do as well against even one?”
He was silent for a moment, knowing she was probably right. It was true that he had managed to slay several dangerous creatures in his private explorations, yet he knew he had been lucky. Any one of those beasts could have slain him easily if not for fortunate flashes of inspiration. It was that, more than skill, which had allowed him to prevail thus far.
“Why do you enjoy killing so much?” he finally asked. It had occurred to him that of all the members of their House, she was the most blood-thirsty, even more so than most of the priestesses, or even his father’s brutal crew of cut-throats.
They passed the last gate, entering a long, wide tunnel with a high ceiling. Though well-hidden, he could barely discern the edges of a secret door about fifty paces from the gate, on either side of the tunnel. These were ambush tunnels, hiding chambers dug right into the solid stone of the cavern walls, and used to send soldiers into the tunnel to surprise any would-be invaders.
Morganna shot him a cold look. “Why shouldn’t I?” she said simply. “To stand over the bodies of one’s foes, and to bathe in their blood and hear their dying screams is the greatest pleasure there is. If you were truly drow in heart and mind, you would know this. That is what makes you weak. You think and feel too much. I saw how you pitied that dragon- that worthless sentiment is going to get you killed.”
He stopped short, suddenly realizing something amiss in what she had said. “What do you mean, you saw? You weren’t-” He began, puzzled. He continued on again, but watched her with narrowed eyes, wondering how she could have seen him when she was not at the presentation.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
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Aylstra Illianniis
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

“Ha! You are not the only one who knows how to sneak around unseen, remember? I was in the room when they revealed your prey, watching from behind one of the pillars. I saw your face. And I know about your little talks with that pathetic creature who calls herself my mother.” Morganna gazed at him sideways, a satisfied smirk playing over her lips.

That did it. He whirled on her in a fit of anger, almost sending the mage sprawling, as Ken’dorl had been walking too close behind. The mage let out an annoyed curse, and Karas stifled a snicker as the effeminate wizard tripped again over his own robe. The others all grinned, save Valefyrr, who smacked Karas on the back of his head.

“I’ve heard enough out of you. If you think I’m afraid, then you’re wrong. So just…” He paused, too flustered to think of anything to say. Suddenly, it struck him, and a wide grin of satisfaction spread over his face.

“Ofil'nisha tlu alus!” He swiftly spat out the words to the spell, and grinned even wider when he beheld the results. In an instant, all of Morganna’s clothes inexplicably fell to the ground around her feet; even her boots and the gloves she had been taunting him about had somehow ended up amid the heap of items on the tunnel floor. Stranger still, her weapons had found their way into the pile as well. Not one piece of clothing- not even jewelry- remained on her. The half-drow girl gaped down at herself, stunned. She clearly had not expected him to retaliate, particularly in so humiliating a manner.

Then came the inevitable explosion. Morganna shrieked in fury, and bent down to grab her blade-staff, a peculiar bone-handled weapon with a long sword at either end. However, her brother had expected just such a reaction, and stepped forth to plant his left foot firmly on top of the weapon, and slid one of his own sabers out of its sheath across his back in the same instant.

“I wouldn’t do that,” he said coolly. She looked up from her half-crouch, to find his sword-tip pointed down at her throat. “Well, I must say, that is a definite improvement. At least now I know you’re not hiding a dagger to shove in my ribs- you haven’t anywhere left to keep it!” He grinned, and stifled a laugh when he heard Karas muttering a crude comment to Ken’dorl beside him. The mage tittered, and was joined by several of the others, before they both received a sharp smack on the backs of their heads from Valefyrr. Morganna simply glared up at him, knowing she had been thoroughly humiliated.

He tossed a sly smirk at the other males; most of them bore looks of approval for his clever yet unorthodox method of seeking vengeance. Only Valefyrr seemed to view it with anything other than admiration for a trick well-played. He merely stood shaking his head in silence, clearly annoyed by the display of petty rivalry between the two.

Meanwhile, Morganna slowly began to gather up her discarded garments, keeping a wary eye on her young brother. Likewise, Lothir watched her carefully, well aware of the smoldering anger behind her violet eyes. Nor did he miss the dangerous promise of retribution there. He kept the blade pointed down at her, meeting her gaze with a cool one of his own. He knew that his prank, while certainly harmless, had made her lose face in the eyes of the soldiers- a slap to her pride that she would not soon forgive. It occurred to him that he might have made a mistake.

She rose, still seething, and he stepped back as she began to pull her black leather breeches and ivory tunic back on. She shot a dark look at the other males, and they hastily averted their eyes. Her tendency toward murderous rages was well-known among the commoners of the House- enough so that most of them knew to avoid her whenever possible.

“If that dragon doesn’t kill you, I certainly will,” she growled darkly, finally tugging on her boots and tying the red sash that marked her membership among the Daggers around her waist.

“I’m not afraid of the dragon, nor of you,” he replied, though her glare sent ice running through his veins.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

He waited impatiently until she finished; he was more than ready to move on. Morganna's snapping had made him realize that the sooner they were on their way, the sooner he could be rid of her. If it came to it, he thought he would rather face the dragon.

"Are you finished yet?" he asked, mimicking her tone and cold sneer almost perfectly. Karas coughed, earning him another glare from Morganna, while Ken'dorl put his hand to his lips to hide a smirk.

"I almost hope you fail," she said acidly, "So that I can have the pleasure of watching Lady Ardra turn you into a drider."

He grimaced at the reminder, and decided that, escort or no, he had taken all he could stand of her presence. "Fine, then. I'll go alone, and gods hang the lot of you!" Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a dragon to go and slay!" He drew his other saber; then he turned on his heels, and began to jog off down the tunnel, ignoring her curses.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

Morganna watched with a scowl as he disappeared into the darkness; she would see him pay for his insults, one way or another. But first, there was another matter to deal with. She turned to the silently watching males, suddenly smiling wickedly. She stepped close to the leering pair who had commented, giving them each a sultry gaze.

"Did you like what you saw?" she asked, purring huskily. Karas flashed a wicked leer at her, and the young mage made a kissing motion with lips, smirking. She licked her lips slowly, invitingly, a tempting smile curving her satiny charcoal lips. Despite her youth, she was nearly as tall and well-endowed as many females in their sixth decade, a fact which did not go unnoticed by the males. She breathed deep, letting them both watch as her close-fitting tunic stretched over her already generous expanse of cleavage. Karas turned his gaze downward, his thoughts clearly visible on his obsidian features. Ken’dorl looked mildly amused, so she ran her hand down the front of his gaudy robe, and slipped it inside to his leggings, just below the waist.

“Would you like more?” she asked with a seductive purr. She raked her fingertips lightly over the mage’s groin, and stepped closer to Karas, letting her breasts press against his chest.

The young soldier lifted a hand to fondle her; she grasped Ken’dorl’s belt and tugged the wizard closer, until she was loosely sandwiched between the two. Then she rose up slightly to lean in toward Karas, until her lips brushed lightly against his sensitive ear. She kissed and nibbled it, eliciting a deep growl of pleasure from the soldier.

She ran her hands up to stroke their necks invitingly, pressing her breasts against the warrior, while Ken’dorl’s hands fondled her smooth, taut rear. She saw the warrior’s eyes darken in obvious desire, even though he was at least a half-century older than the half-breed girl. Morganna was still in the middle of the long, tumultuous stage of adolescence, with the beauty of a girl of fifteen, yet with none of the innocence. She had lost hers many years earlier, playing games of chance and drinking with many of the rough sailors of her father’s crew. In the years since, she had discovered a taste for strong spirits and decadent pleasures, some of which were deviant even by drow standards.

Morganna turned to the others, who were staring in obvious shock at her lusty display, and smiled sweetly. “Do step back and turn away for a moment, if you please, boys. This won’t take long,” she said. The other males all glanced at each other uneasily, and slowly did as she had bid them. Though Morganna was not full-blooded, nor an official member of the house, obedience to females was ingrained in most of them, and they had no wish to rouse her ire.

Her hands drifted down to deftly loosen the pair’s belts and trousers, letting the belts fall to the floor unnoticed, while she grasped what she sought and began to stroke each of them gently. She twisted slightly to gaze up at Ken’dorl with a smirk. “Tell me, handsome- do you like what I’m doing?” she asked in a sultry tone.

The effeminate wizard tittered softly. “Darling, I’ve never actually done this with a female before, but there’s a first time for everything, hmm?”

She laughed invitingly. “Well, then, just imagine me as a very pretty lad, and enjoy!”

He chuckled in reply, and then suddenly gasped as her fingers found a particularly sensitive spot and rubbed teasingly. “Ooh, you are an amusing little playmate, aren’t you dearrie?” He purred.

“Mm, you have no idea,” she replied.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
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Aylstra Illianniis
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

She continued to stroke them both into a heated ardor, as Karas began to fumble with her clothing, and the wizard untied his bright robe to open it. She moved the warrior’s hands aside to undo her sash, then slipped her tight leather breeches down, leaving her lower torso invitingly bare to them both. Pressing herself tight against Karas, she let him slide one hand up her belly to caress her right breast, while his other slipped down low, to stroke her supple thigh. With a low, throaty growl of pleasure, she kissed him deeply, their tongues soon engaged in a fencing match, while Ken’dorl, not to be left out, squeezed her behind and nipped playfully at her ear.

Then he pressed his full, throbbing member into her from behind, causing the girl to let out a squeal of delight. Karas quickly followed suit from the front, with only a quick glance down at her nether region. He lifted one thin white brow curiously. “So, I see you’ve a streak of silver there, too,” he mused playfully, bringing up one hand to idly play with one of the long silver locks that framed her face, its soft shimmer a stark contrast to the rest of her blue-black tresses.

Pressed between the two lusty males, Morg let out a low moan of pleasure as they began to thrust rhythmically, each taking her in his own fashion. There was a moment of awkwardness as they worked to find a mutually enjoyable rhythm, while she simply arched her back and enjoyed the game. Still holding the crimson silken sash in her hands, she began to tease them by brushing it against their necks.

Several minutes passed while they continued their liason, the two males enthusiastically engaged in what could only be called an animalistic rut with her pressed between them so closely that each thrust lifted her nearly off her feet. With a languid smile and an odd, almost mad gleam in her eyes, Morganna teased and encouraged them both with lips and sash until she sensed that they were nearing their peak of excitement. When she felt their breath coming harder, and the sweat beading on their faces and necks from the exertion, she pressed a deep, penetrating kiss on the soldier’s mouth, draping the long red sash over his neck before turning slightly to favor Ken’dorl with a similar kiss as she drew Karas closer with the sash until he was nibbling her throat.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

She felt the first spasm of climax from the pair, and knew she had them. Still kissing the young wizard, she took one end of the silken strip in her right hand, draping her arm up over his neck, while the other end still lay lightly over the neck of the warrior. Then she leaned aside, drawing them both together until their faces were inches apart. Ken’dorl leaned in to echange a kiss with his companion; Karas, clearly aware of his fellow male’s preferences, apparently had no qualms about participating, and leaned forward to respond in kind. As the two males engaged in a deep, probing bout of tongue-wrestling, Morganna smiled. Then, like a snake, she struck

Seeing that they were fully preoccupied, she took hold of both ends of the sash, and almost unnoticed by the pair, she flipped the ends over the middle where it hung between the two, and tugged down viciously. Leaning in close as they were, the males were hardly prepared for her attack. The sash had become a double garrote, and now their eyes bulged wide and they instinctively jerked back, effectively tightening it further. Their hands flew up top try to remove it, while they gasped weakly for air. They tried to rip it off, but the sash was made of woven spider-silk, stronger than any ordinary cloth, and only stretched slightly.

Morganna pulled it tighter still, now laughing with dark glee at their comical attempts to save themselves from suffocating. Their onyx skin faded to a pale ashen color, the lack of air compounded by the fact that their blood had already been diverted elsewhere than their brains. Had either of them been thinking clearly, they might have reached up and snapped her neck like a stick, but blind panic had already set in, and now they could only flail helplessly as she strangled them both with one cord.

Karas appeared to briefly recover his senses enough for his hand to go for his weapon- only to belatedly realize that it was not there. It lay on the floor, still hooked to his belt, along with Ken’dorl’s wands. The wizard tried to cast a spell, but without breath to speak the arcane words, such was impossible. Yet even as the pair frantically struggled against the deadly young girl, their bodies continued to jerk and spasm in the throes of passion, finding their release even as they slowly found death. In savoring the thrill of the kill combined with her own sweet physical sensations, Morganna suddenly climaxed as the last of their feeble struggles ceased. The two sagged together, their heads lolling to the side limply, their arms falling to hang lifelessly at their sides.

At last, after she was certain they were both dead, she let out a sigh of contentment, stretching like a cat, and released one end of the sash to tug it roughly away. Then she lay one hand against each male’s chest, and pushed them apart. Both bodies fell back with a soft thud to land on their backs, staring up with lifeless, bulging eyes in faces forever contorted in expressions of shock and horror.

“Mm, that was exquisite, boys. Let this be a lesson. Perhaps next time you’ll learn not to make such lewd comments in front of a lady, yes? Useless, fools- always being led by your we’has. This is why we females are superior.”

She glanced down at the pair of corpses, with their members still poking up out of their breeches, and laughed. In a flash of inspiration, she knelt down beside the two, deftly searching for any items of value or magic on the bodies. She tugged the packs from their shoulders, and pulled off the wizard’s piwafwi, then dragged him over to lie face-down atop his companion, placing their arms around each other as if in a lovers’ embrace, giggling mischievously.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

She turned to the remaining males, who were still turned away, and snapped her fingers loudly at them. "Alright, boys, I think we're done here. It seems we will be short two members, unfortunately. The other two will not be joining us, alas.On the other hand, we have extra rations and gear now!" She laughed gaily, and held out the belt with the sword to Hathmarr. "You look like you could use an extra blade, Enjoy!" She smiled at him, and he slowly reached out a hand to take in, not wanting to annoy the girl who had just casually killed two of his comrades.

"Shall we go after the prince, then?" asked Valefyrr, as she tossed Ken'dorl's cloak to him. He took it uncertainly, thinking that he might need to talk to the Patron about the girl's habit of killing off the House soldiery. Not to mention the loss of another good spellcaster. The little vixen was going through males like a fox in a hen house.

"No, if the little fool wants to run off alone and get himself eaten by some wandering monster, let him. I have a much better idea. I feel like going on a hunt of my own. Shall we go, then?" She was still smiling, but her tone left little doubt that her suggestion had been a command, not a request. They all glanced at each other worriedly, wondering who might be next to fall to her whims, then resignedly followed as she sauntered off into the dark passage.


The young drow ran through the passage at an easy lope, finding his way easily in the gloom. His eyes glowed faintly with the red light of his darkvision, as his feet flew lightly over the hard stone of the main trade tunnel. He still held the sabers in his small hands, ready in case he should need them. He did not anticipate running into any dangerous beasts before he found the wyrm, but one could never tell. Besides, he reasoned, after the way he had embarrassed her in front of the others, the more distance he put between himself and Morganna, the better.

He ran on, never breaking stride; his steps were so light that hardly a sound was made, in spite of the echoing depths of the long stone passage. He jogged steadily past narrow, winding side-tunnels that mostly led only to tiny caverns and deep holes that were too small for much more than a few bats or a shallow pool of water. On he went, anxious to reach the borders of his home, for he knew that the dragon was out there somewhere beyond the territory of his kin.

He did not know how many miles he had gone when he finally slowed to a walk. Soon enough, he found himself in the wilder territory along the wide trade road. He was still more than a half-day's travel from the edge of his family's domain, but he had begun to recognize some of the terrain. Lothir was on familiar ground now, not far from some of the tunnels he had explored once he had found the connection from his own secret playground.

At last he stopped, aware that he would need rest before going on, on the chance that he might encounter the dragon or some other dangerous creature before he could regain his energy. So he found a small side cave lit by pale blue and green luminous fungi, and sat down to eat. He almost had not noticed how hungry he was; in the excitement of the early morning, it had almost escaped his attention that he had not yet eaten anything that day.

He pulled out the map and unrolled it, then opened the bag of rations, fishing out several mushrooms and a couple of boiled lizard eggs. He chewed absently on the rations while he studied the map intently, searching for the most likely place to hunt for his quarry. He managed to count out much of the map almost immediately, simply because the tunnels and caverns were too narrow and low to accommodate a dragon, even one as small as the one he sought. He focused on the ones that might allow it to move freely, judging those to be his best bet for finding his prey.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

He managed to count out much of the map almost immediately, simply because the tunnels and caverns were too low and narrow to easily accommodate even a dragon the size of the one he sought. Only three areas looked promising. The first was a large open cavern with a small lake in the middle, which was kept warm by a bubbling geyser at the bottom. The heat made a permanent fog within the cavern; fungi and lichens, as well as a few pale underground ferns. He had visited the place once before, and remembered that small fish swam in the shallows of the underground lake. No doubt larger creatures lurked in its depths. He wondered if a dragon would seek out such a place, or if it was simply wandering about in the darkness, hungry and enraged at having been captured only to be released into the endless depths of the earth like some mindless beast.

He studied the map, and soon determined that the only other likely locations were a huge stalactite-studded chamber at the end of an ancient lava tube that led north, the chamber dropping off into a pit whose bottom, hundreds of feet below, glowed from the molten rock that bubbled in it, while the other possible spot was the very cavern which held the ledge with the small tunnel which connected back into his secret warrens. He sat pondering for a time, still chewing thoughtfully on the mushrooms and lizard eggs. From what he knew of silver wyrms, they were creatures of ice and high mountains or cool forests, preferring lands with snow and massive clouds in which to lair. That appeared to rule out the lava tube and its heated cavern, since the dragon would no doubt wish to avoid a locale that held its greatest weakness.

That left either the lake grotto, or the huge open cavern with its stone bridge spanning the giant rift that ran across its center. On the one hand, the grotto was more likely to have food for the young dragon- and he had no doubt it was quite hungry. Hungry enough to eat a drow, whispered a small voice in his mind, an unbidden reminder of why he sought it in the first place. He shook off the thought, and reasoned that even if it was ravenous, the noble metallic wyrms were rarely known to eat other intelligent folk, no matter how hungry. In any case, it was more likely to seek out a vegetarian diet, since metallic dragons generally chose not to eat meat.

So, he reasoned, the larger cavern with its wide open space for spreading wings cramped from enclosure within the cage, and its deep crevice which was perfect for a place to rest, might be the best place to begin looking. Even if it was not there, he might be able to lure it to that place and somehow knock it down into the rift so that it might fall to its demise. Lothir hated the thought of using petty tricks to try to kill it, but he truly did not see any other way he could stand against it. Even on the ground, a dragon was more than a match for most folk.

At last he sighed, having formed the beginning of a plan, and put away the map and food. He was still far from the edge of his family’s domain, with more than a day’s travel to the rift cavern. If he wanted to make it there and home again within a week, he could waste no time in useless worrying.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
Aylstra Illianniis
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Post by Aylstra Illianniis »

The drow rose, picked up his gear, and continued on his way. Eventually, he came to the place where the worm burrow he had hidden in was. He almost passed it by, but something told him to make a detour. He remembered that dragons were fond of gems and other valuable items; what if he could distract it with some of the crystals from the geode cave? Or perhaps the flute? He did not know if dragons liked music, but perhaps he could use its own natural acquisitiveness against it. It was worth trying, in any case.

He shrugged off his pack and began to crawl through the worm burrow, dragging it behind him hooked around one foot. It was nearly an hour before he came out of the other end, but he stood up, dusted himself off, and picked it back up before racing off down the familiar passage to his crystal cavern. By the time he reached it, he was out of breath and more tired than he had ever been, but he shimmied through the hole just the same. Once inside, Lothir opened up his belt pouch and began scooping up fallen gems from the floor by the handful. He grabbed the flute, and even dug through the gear of the goblin the cave fisher had devoured as well, until he brought out the remaining potion bottle. He did not know why, but something told him that he might need it- especially if the wyrm happened to see through his plan of sending it falling into the rift.

Satisfied at last, he pushed everything back through the hole, and quickly made his way back down the tunnel. He was fortunate in having decided to take this route, for it would cut some time off of his journey, and coming out into the rift cavern from the hidden ledge entrance might work in his favor. So he continued on, confident that he had done all he could to increase his chances of victory.
It wasn’t until he had come to a blockage in the path that he began to sense that things would not be as easy as he had hoped.
By the Dark Maiden''s grace do we meet. May she guide and protect us.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins." -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

A link to my tales, including my Marvel hero!:
http://mickeys-tavern.com/index.php?showforum=188
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