Harriots Lore for September
The King’s Seal
Entry #145
The medallion was finally whole once again. But the words spoken by the ancient one and the warning that Charlotte had translated made me wonder why we had gathered and created this object. Charlotte seemed too excited about her discovery and wouldn’t stop talking about it till we reached the others. Even then she just paused for breath and continued to talk.
“Is that it?” Elliot looked at the item Charlotte was staring at.
“Yes this is it! We should give it a name, like ‘The Key of the King’ or how about ‘The Seal of the Drake King’ hmm they are a bit long to say.”
“The King’s Seal…” I hadn’t realised the words left my mouth until everyone was looking at me.
“I like it, from this day forth you will be known to all as The King’s Seal.” Charlotte was talking to the medallion as if in some kind of mediaeval roleplay.
“That’s all well and good but, I think you’re forgetting something. Where is the lair of the drake king?” Charlotte seemed to tense up, her grip on the seal tightened.
“Well I guess our journey ends here then, the seal alone would fetch a high price on the open market.” Charlotte was trying to distract Eliot with money and for a moment he seemed to ponder over the idea.
“No, we’ve come too far. I bet Harriot knows something.” all of them turned towards me as if I had the knowledge of the universe stored in my back pocket.
“If you want to talk about drakes, I’m not the person you need to seek. The NEO are the ones that hunt them for sport.”
Eliot wasted no time at all rushing us all over to Sypherton Gardens, Charlotte was looking more uncomfortable than usual. Sypherton Gardens had become the main base for the New Elysian Order, a group that was highly commended on their armour technology and craftsmanship. Not only that but they were the toughest warriors around, I hated to admit it but they were far better equipped than any on the island. Their pride often got in the way of any negotiation, you almost had to crawl on your knees for them even to take notice and share anything they had. Even if they did share something their pride made them obnoxious about it. I wasn’t looking forward to dealing with the New Elysian Order.
There were a few guards dotted around the building, they had a lot of disdain on their faces as they saw us. Elliot glanced over at us.
“It’s probably best for the rest of you to stay here, I’ll try get some information out of them”
NEO
Entry #146
Elliot had been gone for an hour, when he returned he was red in the face. “The damn cheek of them.” When Elliot made it back to the team he let out an almost angry sigh.
“They won’t talk unless we bring them something. At this point I don’t even think they know anything about the necklace or the drake king…” Just as we were about to turn away a guard that had been listening in came over.
“Seems you had some trouble with them in there? I think the technology has gone to their heads a little. I overheard you looking for a drake king?” I had never seen an outsider’s defences go up as quickly as Elliot’s did. Elliot grabbed hold of the guard’s arm and dragged him out of sight of the other NEO’s in the area.
Elliot held a concealed knife to his throat, I would have been impressed had the knife not looked so pathetic.
“Talk, or this will be the last place you see.”
The NEO guard seemed to smirk as if mocking us. He shrugged his shoulders in such a natural way as if this were an everyday occurrence.
“You kill me and you’ll never know. And let’s face it those top rank officers in there aren’t going to tell you. I heard them leading you on a merry dance.”
Elliot removed his knife, he gave him the longest coldest stare imaginable before speaking.
“Why not show us the way, seeing as you know so much about it.”
“What’s in it for me?” The NEO’s never did anything for anyone without expecting something in return. Elliot thought for a moment before removing something from his backpack. It looked like a liquid. The NEO guard’s eyes lit up as he reached for it. Elliot quickly withdrew his hand.
“Show us first then this is all yours.”
“The name’s Tibias not that you’ll see me again after today.”
Tibias led us into the mountains, at first it appeared as if he had no clue where he was going until he showed us what looked like an ordinary rock formation. Elliot was swift to press the knife against his throat again as he planted him against the rock he had shown us.
“What’s the meaning of…” Elliot lowered the knife. Carved into the rock were the words ‘The Drake Kings Tome” [Next Island, 134394, 92741, 321, Waypoint]
The Lost King
Entry #147
Elliot firmly placed the vial in Tibias’ hand. The liquid inside was like nothing I had ever seen before, it looked almost like smoke. Tibias had a greedy smile plastered on his face before casually walking away.
“I hope the Drake king is kind to you.” His words sounded more like a warning than a message of goodwill.
Elliot wasted no time at all taking out [The King’s Seal] but looked at the rock formation perplexed. The rocks themselves looked almost like a crown spearing out from the ground. But other than that there was nothing more significant. Elliot threw the seal towards the rock formation in anger. At the force he threw the seal I was surprised it didn’t smash into pieces. Something on the rock wall lit up briefly and only for a second but it was there. It looked exactly the same shape as [The King’s Seal]. Without really thinking it through, as if drawn to the symbol on the rock I picked up the seal, it was as if my body wasn’t my own at that moment. I didn’t get a chance to snap back or react as I heard the click of the seal against the stone wall.
The seal had dragged me into what seemed like the inside of a volcano. A thin rock path led to a central large round platform. Lava spat up from the pit below. The heat was intense but I had endured the worst. Chained to a rock in the centre was a Drake, his wings almost filled the entirety of the cavern. He looked almost tired as if his spark had gone out. I took a deep breath before approaching.
I was half expecting to meet a flame filled fiery doom on the other side of the bridge, but the drake only barely acknowledged me. His head lifted up slowly as he let out a sigh.
“I suppose the New Elysians sent you to finish me off. Go ahead human.”
He spoke… HE SPOKE! I almost flung backwards into the hissing lava below. Only barely stopping myself from falling.
“I didn’t know drakes could talk.” The drake rose up. I must have looked like nothing but a small ant to him.
“You’re not a NEO… No but you are another faction on Next Island. what was it they called them Stel… But you’re not fully a Stel any more are you?” The drake seemed to chuckle.
“Wait, how do you…”
“I know many things. This is my home land after all, well before you invaders came.”
The Story of the Drake King
Entry #148
“Long before the First-wave and the invasion of our homeland we roamed the earth. We were considered Guardians of this land. We had many different kinds, but the Drake Guardians were the top tier. We possessed the power of elements. I was their leader. I don’t know what became of the other Guardians. But I was their King. I have the power of all four of their elements so it was only natural that I was their leader. We spent our entire life in peace but something corrupted the land, something none of us saw coming. I tried to save them but it was too late. I don’t know how much time had passed before the First-Wave of invaders came. At first I thought this would be a chance to breathe new life into this planet but some sought to destroy or use our technology and sacred items for their own selfish gains. I was on my way to meet with the leader of the First wave but I ran into the faction now known as The New Elysian Order. I fought against them using the 4 elements. But it was no use their technology had already advanced far quicker than I could have imagined. Ever since then they kept me locked away down here to suffer their torment and constant experiments on my scales and even my abilities.”
The Drake King rested his head. Around his neck he wore what looked like a vial of swirling magic? Something so impossible I wanted to take a closer look. The Drake King let out a Roar that shook the cave as he backed to the furthest part of the cave.
“You humans are all the same. Only out for profit or what you can gain from this land.” I stood there looking at my hand as if shocked at how it was acting on its own.
“I only wanted to see it. Something about it is just mesmerising. Hey I’m not going to lie. I take things that don’t belong to me but I’m working on it, and with all those warnings everyone’s been giving me I daren’t touch anything in this cave. I get myself in enough trouble as it is on my own just fine, I don’t go looking for it.” The drake king seemed to eye my response suspiciously before lowering his head.
A voice that seem to talk inside my head spoke
-This Vial is my soul, if it were ever to fall into the wrong hands they could destroy this land.
The Soul of Drake King
Entry #149
His soul… I had so many questions, surely a soul should remain inside the body? So why, how even was he alive with his soul on display as if it were nothing more than a fancy trinket
“I know what you’re thinking, ‘that really can’t be his soul.’ The Guardian Drakes are the only ones with this ability; it’s how we can view the whole island and see what is happening anywhere on this land. When the NEO captured me I hid this vial so they wouldn’t find it. But ever since they stopped visiting me, I think they took everything they wanted from me, I’ve been wearing it once again. Mostly as a symbol of who I once was, but I’m tired now. After all their testing and experiments and being locked here only being able to see the world and do nothing about what is happening to the land I’ve grown weaker. My people are long gone, but I see a spark of what they once were in you. Its small and barely there but its there all the same.”
The Drake King lowered his head again to the ground as if he were going to sleep. But without warning he jumped and extended to his full height. His wings seemed to expand and fill the entire space. He let out a single loud roar that shook the cave before standing on guard. I had no clue why. Until I heard Elliott’s voice.
“So this is the great Drake King. I had half expected something more but it appears you are bound to this cave.” Elliot started to search the cave as if he had expected the riches of the world to be in it. The drake took a step forward. I found myself now underneath the massive drake as if he were trying to protect me.
The drake spoke once again in my head
-I’m sorry to do this but I don’t trust your choice in companions. Only you alone will hear my words and remember them well as they will be my last. My soul can be transferred to another, an unborn drake to be precise. You must find an egg, any drake egg and fuse my soul with it. The drake will be born as the new drake king who will serve to protect all drakekind. This is my last and only dying wish.
With that the tiny vial that had been around his neck seemed to gracefully float into my hands.