In towers of flame and fire he fell upon the cities of the Aenochians, and in his anger he cared not whether they were good men or bad. The Red God, Nehabak, fled in fear of the fell dragon, as he had no desire as yet to reveal himself. Frafnog scorched the lands of the Red River first, and then turned west and crossed into the lands of the Ethrum, and there hunted all he saw, burning towns and villages, boats on the rivers, men in their fields. Dwarves, elves, whatever creatures came into his view, all perished. The dragon moved over the Inner Sea, turning north along the mountains and crossing the plains. The beast visited his rage upon the Horse Tribes of Mardiu, and they fled from his wrath, or died on the steppes. He soared into the Channel Lakes to burn and scorch and leave his mark like none other. He passed down the Marl and brought a wave of destruction to the sea, scorching all that sailed its surface.
In the end Frafnog came to the lands of the Long River and Al Liosh. Coming from the south, he set all to ruin along the Udunilay, burning any and all, plundering, devouring, slaying all who challenged him. When Al Liosh at last stood before him, with her long walls of white stone, towers and temples, he hesitated. He flew slowly over the city looking upon the glory of its majesty. All there could see the weight of him and his size was beyond imagining. Four hundred feet long, and half as wide, wings that blotted out the sun. Frafnog, first born of Inzaa, his eyes emblazoned with his mother's ire.
When all had seen the dragon and the stink of his fear soiled the hearts of men, Frafnog fell, plummeting like a mountain into the city. The buffet of his wings tore roofs from buildings, the tail slap brought towers to ruin, his roar broke the hearts of men and drove them mad, and his breath washed over them like the fires of damnation. The dragon raged in Al Liosh for days, killing and burning. When the wages of his rage were at last paid, Al Liosh lay in ruins, the Red Men fled to the north, their temples cast down. Frafnog called the God Emperor forth. And Antek IV came, for such was the power of the dragon that none could resist him, and with him came the remains of his court.
Long the dragon looked upon the God Emperor. In his gaze, Antek suffered a fear few could bear, and only the blood of the Val Eahrakun that flowed in his veins kept him sane. In the end Frafnog could look upon the man no more, and with a snap of his mighty tail he tore head from torso and ripped Antek IV in twine. The dragon devoured the God Emperor, grinding his bones to meal.
Even as Frafnog roused himself to lay waste to the last of Al Liosh, Wenafar came to him. She interceded on behalf of man and begged him to stay his wrath. She bid him leave off his war and let history unfold. But Frafnog was not so easily dissuaded, even by one of the Val Eahrakun. Long they struggled, the effulgence of Wenafar set against the iron bones of Fraffnog, until at last she convinced the drake to return to his lair deep in the earth.
Thus dragon fear was born and after that age all men came to loath them and fear them for Frafnog’s rage had burrowed a fear of dragons in the hearts of men, and ever after only the greatest of those folk could stand against their might, though they knew not why.
~The Codex of Aihrde
No comments:
Post a Comment