“Hey brother, this is where you and I part ways,” said Lana as she stared in awe at the stone dragons carved upon the side of the mountain, eyes keen and full of malice.
“You said you knew the way,” Kalar told the lithe thief in a raspy voice, dry and brittle like autumn leaves.
“I brought you here, didn’t I?” Lana said. “I never volunteered to go in there with you.”
“I will double your reward,” the wizard told her, his face shaded by the hood of his dark-red robes.
“It’s not about riches or treasure, you know,” Lana said while she tied up her knapsack for the journey back. “I just have an affinity for life and avoiding certain death at the hands of some ghastly inter-planar horror with three dragon heads.”
The wizard sighed and stayed silent for a moment. He then cleared his throat, raised his glowing staff, and after uttering arcane words, he conjured up moving images out of thin air.
"Woe!" exclaimed the surprised Lana, drawing her short-sword.
“This is No’Urius- The Hall of Dragons. Mystic heart of the elven empire. Alanasia of the house of Triple Stars was priestess and daughter to the King. While her art and industry lay in matters of the spirit, she was also a fighter and an avid huntress; a very good one on all accounts."
Floating images showed a slender elven woman racing through the forest in flowing garbs, bow and arrow in hand. Her silver hair flashing in the sunlight.
"While she was naturally gifted," continued Kalar, "she was also in possession of a pair of gloves that allowed her to perform many extraordinary feats such as striking targets at a distance, pilfer items unseen, and unlock even the toughest lock.”
“Witchery!” cried the thief.
“It is magic of the highest elven order," said Kalar correcting her. "I mention it because I see that your own gloves look a bit weathered. I’m sure your business would much greatly improve with a new pair of magic elven gloves such as the ones that happen to be buried in that mountain.”
A pair of glistening green gloves with intricate knot designs hovered in the air between them.
“How do I know you just won’t take them for yourself?" Lana said looking at the conjured gloves. "No offense, but I hardly know you.”
“What I seek in those halls is something else and is none of your concern,” said the wizard cryptically.
Lana looked at the ground. “Well, it kind of is my concern when my neck is on the line,” she muttered under her breath.
“Suit yourself.”
Without saying another word, the wizard turned and headed down the trail that led to the mountain, his muddy robes gently rustling against the summer flowers.
The thief grabbed her knapsack and walking stick, then she headed in the opposite direction. The birds chirped on the tree canopy, and the smell of honey wafted through the air.
She stopped at a fork in the trail and took a deep breath.
“I just know I’m going to regret this.”
Turning around, she followed the path that led back to the wizard and the Hall of Dragons.
I was messing around with AI image software when I created this video based on the image found in this post. I liked the world and the atmosphere in both creations, so I came up with a story fragment that places the two characters in that world. At first, I only had a vague idea about the nature of this environment, but soon, the pieces fell into place. It is not a full story with a proper beginning or end because I considered it more of an experiment. I hope you enjoyed reading it.
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