Caelestis

Chapter 28 & 29

Chapter 27: Lord Ragus

Lord Ragus paced the floor of his castle throne room. He was furious. The Gramores had come back with news that their army had been spotted. He was hoping for a surprise attack! Now, with the Queen's army at the ready, he would have to either attack or be looked upon as a coward by his whole army.

Ragus walked down the steps of his throne and shoved the doors open. He drew his sword. The journey to the Queen's castle was about half a day but he could make it in less than that if he went by dragon.

Walking at a fast pace, Ragus pushed forward to his dragon's lair. Gramores fell before him begging for mercy as he walked by. Some of them, he slaughtered, without thought. As the screams of the Gramores died out, Ragus arrived at the dragon's lair. He pushed open the huge, bolted doors and stepped in.

"Zashnyx!" Ragus ordered. The great dragon lifted his head up and stared at his master, eyes glowing.

"Yes, master?"

"War, as you know, must happen," Ragus put his sword back into its sheath.

"Yes, master."

"I will not ride you into battle unless the Gramores fail. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly, master," Zashnyx bowed his head and Ragus left the room.

* § *

In the dungeon of the castle, Gramores worked to make all the weapons. Vulcan, the overseer of the weapons, was wandering around screaming orders.

He looked just like all the other Gramores but a huge scar ran from the top of his right eye to just below his neck.

It was dark in the room. The only light was coming from the fires in heating the metal to make weapons for Ragus' army.

"Get to work you bone bags!" Vulcan screamed. "Lord Ragus won't be too proud of your scrawny woman's work!"

"Oh, give them a break, Vulcan," a soldier came up behind him. It was Le-quin, the general of Lord Ragus' army. Vulcan shrugged his shoulders and walked off. Le-quin stood over a Gramore and watched his work like a hawk. The Gramore held up a huge battle ax and swung it at the air. It would be a lethal weapon against the Queen's army for sure.

Vulcan wandered back to Le-quin's side and watched the work of the Gramores carefully watching for any mistakes in the weapons.

Suddenly, the noise of the room halted and Ragus himself walked into the dark dungeon.

"Le-quin!" he called.

"Lord Ragus?" Le-quin stumbled forward and bowed to his master.

"Where did you send the first five legions of Gramores?!" Ragus demanded.

"The forest, my Lord..."

"They have been spotted and now," Ragus yelled, "the Queen's army is fully ready to take us on!"

"I...I had no idea, Lord Ragus..."

"Of course, you didn't!" Ragus was getting angrier. "Vulcan!" Vulcan jumped to Le-quin' side.

"Yes, master?"

"How much longer will it take you to make up enough weapons for the whole army?"

"Uh...uh...not long, master..."