Shurik arrived at the black gate, the hidden passage to the area of Necropolis drew the Fire King into the depths of the winding walkway. As one pushed further along the path the walls lost their normal color. The deep red and orange of scorched rock, removed through the use of blasting by those before him, slowly seeped away and became black as the dragon caves that littered the peaks of these mountains.
Small lights refracted off the smoother edges of the twilight stone. Though little illuminates escaped the deepening darkness, one could just see far enough ahead to forge a path into one of the most restricted areas of the city.
And so he was brought, after some travel, to the gate which protected the Pillar. The only light now came from the large room. Shurik refused to use his fire to light his way in this most sacred of places. Hovering Globes that encircled the pillar, spreading out and then contacting back to the massive obsidian obelisk. In the dim light, the shadow of a monolith door extended towards Shurik's planted feet.
The right bar was heated first, then the left. Shurik touched the metal until it turned red hot and he could no longer hold on. The cross bar was then heated and the door slid open, disappearing into the wall. Shurik then stepped forward, guarded in his armor as he took the first step down. The gate closed behind him as the stone beneath his feet shown blue. The next step he took shone a bright white on one side and glossy black on the other. Shurik paused on this step, remembering when only one color was able to be seen here. Another walk down and the step became bright red, burning through the air. One more step shown Brown and began to cast a small sandstorm upon the step itself. And the final step turned many colors, flowing through different colors before he took his final step onto the landing and allowed The Door to appear before him, shining brightly with its glory as his purple eyes once more gazed upon it.
Shurik had found himself visiting this door more often, seeking the wisdom of those behind it. Some say the King called forth the ancients to talk with them, but this rumor was false. Shurik could only listen to the millions of voices whisper from the beyond and hope to pick out those he wished to hear. The Dome in which he stood filled with the calls of the dead, their soft voices echoing endlessly from all sides.
Today, this was not what Shurik sought. Turning towards the left side, he gave the royal salute of Saravya and then presented his spear, crossing it over his chest and then thrusting it forward. The wall slid away and he disappeared into the new hole he had created, the wall closing and the room once more fell silent as no trace of the fire king was there existed.
Once in this new area, Shurik could only walk a few more feet as the gave once more opened up to a massive room. But instead of a massive pillar of the dead inhabiting this cave, but the Dragon Mount of the kings. Ragnarok appeared before the Dragoon. The massive dragon stood taller than a mountain to Shurik. The head of the beast being foretold to be able to swallow squads of men in one passing. This was the true king's mount. And being a traditionalist, Ragnarok had not accepted Shurik as the lawful ruler after the coop had come into fruition.
"And here, the false king once more seeks my counsel. The true king still banished into the land of the dead. What, pray tell, could he wish of this humble being." Shurik hated the tongue of this dragon. Though they had worked together in seeking royal engagements, Shurik had never been able to get this truly remarkable beast to work with him.
Ragnarok himself was a massive beast. An old soul who was fabled to have breathed life into the first Saravyan and given them their power over the flames. His scales where black, but tipped with bright reds and oranges, the hues giving him the image of a shimmering flame on a midnight background. Each tilt of his head seemed almost to light the cave through illusion. Some fabled this very beast to ignite the sky itself as he flew through the clouds. Though he was Shurik's rightful dragon, Ragnarok only held a distaste for the man.
"Ragnarok, I was only visiting my old friend so we could talk about future events." The Dragon bellowed a small laugh as he drifted his head down towards the man, Shurik almost a speck in the beasts eye as he stared at the man. "Well, Shurik, So called king of Saravya, Speak." With a glimmer of fire flicking through his nostrils, Ragnarok withdrew his head and laid himself fully on his belly. "You are a proud beast. The times have changed, Dragon. The old king was not doing his job, as I have told you." The beast huffed at this. "and I would rather us be allies than this passive aggressiveness you seem to emanate every time I walk into this room in order to become more antiquated with what should be my friend and my mount."
The beast slid his long neck along the ground, bringing his muzzle only inches from Shurik as he spoke once more. "You have not proved your rank. Therefor I will not refer to you as friend or ryder. The soul reason I have not destroyed your rule is because I have conceded to the fact that you dethroned a mad man and brought this age of Prosperity to us." With this, Shurik could only bow his head, his fingers clutching his prized spear as he growled. "I was bread to tame beasts like you. You know I am Dr'agoon." With defeat, Shurik walked towards the hidden exit which lead back into the palace, a one way exit. "I also wished to inform you that we will be traveling soon. I hear news of trouble and wish to discover what the other clans have heard or seen. Ragnarok grumbled, nodding as he laid back down. "So be it."
Shurik left without another word. The stale familiar taste of failure hanging in the New Kings mouth. With one whisper from the massive Ragnarok, Shurik knew his reign would be no more if the beast spoke ill of him in the high peaks.
