Elements of Glory: The Princess of Nothing

’Don’t think that you know who the Dark Master is in any combine of evil… there is always one bigger than the other, pulling the strings… and if there isn’t… there soon will be. Those who serve evil are treacherous…’

-Grulem the Wasgician, in teaching Aragam Spendal

OTHER-REALM

A host of cowering slimy, green-skinned, Voglons, with long warty noses, toad faces, and big glowing yellow eyes, bowed themselves even lower to the soggy ground as Ratikgurr walked into the forest clearing. Tall, pillar-like trees enclosed the clear, and were soaked by the downpour. Ratikgurr ignored the Voglon minions and strode into the centre of the dark and rainy clearing, where a Hag and an elderly Wasgician – with a long white beard, dressed in black and white robes, with a tall black hat and a silver staff – stood.

The Hag was crouching beside the Wasgician. She would easily be two metrons tall – if she stood her hunched, twisted, withered body straight. Her face was repulsively ugly. She had curled horns out the side of her head and long, matted, black hair. Her purple-skin was covered in rags. Her body looked thin and emaciated. Despite that, Ratikgurr knew she was more powerful than she looked.

‘Vodwat!’ Ratikgurr snarled, walking up to the Wasgician, glaring. ’I sent you to retrieve the Element for me. I trust you have it?’

‘No,’ Vodwat replied, his bearded face grim. To look at him, Ratikgurr guessed, some would probably see him as a kindly old Grandfather. Though, to know the man’s black heart, he was as far from that description as a Dragon was from a fluffy, white, sheep.

’I trust you have an explanation,’ Ratikgurr snarled through his needle-point teeth, narrowing his eyes, and clenching his grey, clawed, fist.

’A Wasgician took off with it. We fought two Warriors, but they too escaped us… There was a Tyrim... he used his Gemgic power,’ Vodwat said carefully, when he saw the boiling rage in Ratikgurr’s dark eyes.

’And since when, my good, Vodwat,’ Ratikgurr sneered barely containing his wrath, ’does the simple Gemgic of a Tyrim best one of my Dark Wasgicians?’

‘We were taken by surprise,’ Vodwat complained.

’NO!’ Ratikgurr shrieked, backhanding Vodwat with such force he knocked the old Wasgician to the soggy ground. ‘You were incompetent!’

Vodwat cradled his face as crimson blood stained his snowy beard. He stared up at Ratikgurr with terror in his eyes. Everyone knew how unwise it was to rouse the wrath of Ratikgurr... and what happened to those that did… even to the Dark Master’s most trusted minions.

’You’ve failed me again, Vodwat. I despise failure!’ Ratikgurr spat, kicking the old Wasgician in the ribs and causing the Hag to jump to the side. She cocked her head, watching as if she were simply some dumb animal.

’I will not fail again,’ Vodwat sobbed, fear in his voice, ‘I know the direction the Wasgician fled!’

’And yet you did not pursue?’ Ratikgurr barked, kicking Vodwat again, smiling at the satisfying crack he heard in the area of the old man’s ribs. ’Thus you have failed me yet again, old man!’

‘Please,’ Vodwat whimpered, ’the Wasgician took the Element into the Lands of Weral! We could not pursue without you. Even my best power is no match for the monsters you let loose in those lands two decades ago. The Dead Man alone-’

Ratikgurr bent down, grabbed Vodwat by the wrinkly neck, and lifted him, choking him as his black, curled, slipper laden feet, dangled above the ground, little bells on the end of each slipper jingling softly.

’Please,’ Vodwat gagged. ’We… needed… your… help, My Master… it… is… why… I… I… sent for you!’

Ratikgurr threw Vodwat cruelly to the ground, and the Wasgician tried to hide the pain Ratikgurr had expertly inflicted through his brittle body.

’Only because you are my Father,’ Ratikgurr sneered down at Vodwat, ’do I give you one last chance.’

‘Thank you, My Master,’ Vodwat grovelled, crawling to Ratikgurr’s feet and kissing them.

Ratikgurr kicked the old man in the face, sending him sprawling backward. ’Get back, scum!’ Ratikgurr spat. ’If you touch me again I will destroy you!’

‘Forgiveness,’ Vodwat said, bowing low to the ground, ‘forgiveness I beg. What service might I be to you, My Master, what service, I beg?’

He was pathetic! Ratikgurr believed all people were pathetic when compared to him.

‘Find and destroy the two you let escape,’ the Dark Master hissed. ’Go wherever they go, find them, and do whatever it takes to destroy them!’ He frowned down at the old Wasgician. ’If you do that, you will find favour in my eyes again… if not… I will give you to the Dead Man, who resides in the Woods of Weral… that being you so fear.’

Vodwat stared up at Ratikgurr with pure terror on his face. Then he bowed low again. ’I will do all you say, My Master.’

’Then go!’ Ratikgurr sneered, kicking him away, and then turning, as he started out of the clearing, toward the Kingdom of Weral. ’I have to seek out the Dead Man before he feels the power of the Element and gets very foolish ideas in his dark, dark mind.’