The foundation of castle Ulaid was all that remained, centuries of crumbling stonework without repair have left fragments of the wall to fall apart. Piles of the castles bricks laid around as moss started to grow over them, whatever majesty that was once in that structure had been left to ruin. Ghosts of the castles old denizens haunted the ruins, their auras moved around the landscape, from the foot of the hills that surround the ruins the edge of the fog wall. The fog was an endless expanse of stretching from the ground to the endless sky above and around the world in both east and west.
"You were there when the fog came," Aoife said "do you remember Ulaid as it was before?"
Aoife and Furbaide were seated at the top of a hill awaiting the approaching dragon, Furbaide was tense for the upcoming fight and she wished to ease some of the stress.
"Yes," Furbaide said, his eyes fixated on the dense gray void beyond, trying to sense the beast.
"What was it like?" Aoife said, trying to get his attention away from the dragon, who they weren't entirely sure when he'd arrive. .
"Cold," Furbaide said "winter was endless here back in those days, I didn't come here that often."
"What about the castle?" Aoife said, wanting to genuinely know what the castle was like in those days.
Ulaid castle from what she read was the envy of all the lords and kings in those days, being a structure to rival that of the great southern kings.
"Impressive," Furbaide said "the people who built it were strong and honorable, they didn't deserve their fate."
Furbaide's eyes turned to the ghosts whose auras he could see moving around, lost in perpetual state of confusion. Stories Aoife read told that the people and royals of Ulaid were massacred, fables arose that it was divine retribution for their rejection of the mountain gods, but the Crimson Witches believe that they were victims of circumstance. The fog wall formed right outside their castle splitting it in half, mannibles came afterwards killing everyone in the castle, cursing them to be trapped between life and death. Aoife could see the spectral figures and felt pity for them, she also sensed sadness within Furbaide, his blue eyes though stern were glassy with sorrow.
"Did you know them?" she said.
Furbaide nodded.
"I was here before the fog came, they welcomed me, I lived among them for years, I knew the royal family personally. They showed hospitality to me despite my reputation, I might've saved them if I stayed," Furbaide said.
Aoife didn't want to have the living god relate more as it became clear talking about his past was painful, hanging his head he looked like he was dealing with great shame. Placing a hand on his forearm she rubbed gently, trying to ease his mind. It helped but not by much, he sighed heavily, and then jerked as though his insides were trying to jump out of his body. Aoife shivered, a burning heat started from her forehead down to her spine.
A large section of the fog wall started to clear, the ghosts vanished suddenly as if they were clouds of smoke being blown away by a strong wind, what rubble remained of the castle fell over. Piles of the castle rubble made what looked like burial mounds that spread over the landscape as the ground began to shake, standing to his feet easily Furbaide stood firm as the approaching cataclysm was seething through the air, a destructive storm was brewing. Aoife had trouble rising during the ground tremors but she managed to get to her feet, Furbaide looked her in the eyes with a pleading look in his eyes. He wanted her to go, but Aoife returned his pleas with a stern face making sure he could read that she was not running away.
Both of them felt the presence of a great primordial power, a fantastical force that would tear their world asunder leaving it barren entirely barren and lifeless, the same as the patch of burnt ground they saw in the forest they saw near the Spider Mother's house. The living god felt exhilaration that the dragon stirred in him, however he was concerned that he might not be able to compel the behemoth. Worrying for Aoife's safety was also burdensome, but he sensed the warrior witch was already conjuring a spell between her fingers, something that he suspected would cut deep into the flying beast. Gradually the ground stopped shaking both of them stood side by side on the hillside as the fog moved back revealing a mountain.
Lost to Crel for ages behind the curtain of the fog but were now exposed to the world once again, running down the hill Furbaide and Aoife got closer as the fog wall started to ripple. Something was about to emerge, the fog wall stopped pulling back, just as both of them got to the bottom of the hill the air seemed to become still, they bracing themselves for what was about to emerge. Sensing a power that made them momentarily paralyzed, a deep anxiety and fear gripped their minds as they saw black smooth scales of the dragon's head came through the fog, it was colossal in size. Aoife never saw a beast so large before in her life, it dwarfed the mountains underneath it, panic came over her and she wanted to flee but a inner strength held her firm despite the crippling fear.
Furbaide never saw Dreq when he was imprisoned in the Dragon Keep, but he felt its presence deep under the lake of ichor, it slumbered for so long but now craved destruction. Forcing himself forward Furbaide marched ahead, seeking to stand before the dragon when it first crawls out of the fog. Showing no fear in his posture, but he knew his body reeked with anxiety, Dreq saw the small dark skinned speck walk towards him, deliberately and with confidence in his step. The scent of cowardice made Dreq stick out his tongue and lick it in the air, it was a pleasant smell to the dragon, a smell he hungrily inhaled.
After he devoured the deity and the witch Dreq was planning to cover the world in a ocean of ichor. Crawling on the mountain range the dragon strode out of the fog; Furbaide continued towards the dragon both feeling the tension become stronger between them as they came closer. Claws digging into the hard northern soil as Dreq walked off the mountain range in a few long steps, Dreq only walked a few more steps before he towered over Furbaide, the smell of the living god of the forest was stronger up close, the stronger scent of anxiety made Dreq's senses tingle pleasantly. Taking a deep breath the dragon found that there were no divinity in the air, accept what stood before him, the mountain gods were gone, that made Dreq jubilant.
"The mountain gods are gone," said Dreq, "after I devour you and that mortal I will ravage what they left behind."
"No," said Furbaide, a command in a thunderous tone caught the dragon's full attention, anger boiling in its stomach at such defiance. "This world is not for you to destroy, return to your lake of ichor beast or I will subdue and command you to do so."
At first Dreq was taken back by the words of the living god, words of authority reminded the dragon of when the mountain gods banished him, forcing him to obey like a tamed dog. A deep rumbling started in the dragon' chest, until it shot out in a monstrous roar, spit drops of dragon ichor splattered on the ground. Small black flames grew from where the spit landed on the ground burning like flames on a candle, the show of intimidation did not scare or waver Furbaide.
"Return now," said Furbaide, "or I will tame you."
Dreq was angered into a foaming rage, eyes become wild and hate filled.
"Dreq does not obey worms," said Dreq, lifting up its gigantic front foot the dragon wanting to crush Furbaide under his colossal weight.
Bringing it down swiftly for something of such massive size, Aoife stood back trapped in fear, expecting Furbaide to be crushed as she saw the foot smother her sight of the forest deity. Even under the foot of the dragon she sensed he was unharmed, after the initial shock her eyes cleared and she saw that there was a small gap between the dragon's foot and the ground. Furbaide was in that gap holding up the foot with both his arms, such force was brought down on the wulver god that it started to crush the ground at his feet but he stood firm. Unflinching and steady the living god pushed back with force strong enough to stagger the dragon back, making it lose its footing.
Lunging at the serpentine neck of the beast Furbaide grabbed hold of the beast's scaly skin and dug his fingers deep into the dragon's flesh. Scalding hot black blood oozed from the small wounds in the neck, a deep growling roar escaped from the dragon's mouth, one of irritation and anger. Whipping off the ground Dreq's tail swung and smacked against Dreq's thick neck, hoping to crush Furbaide, but the living god was too swift and leapt upwards. The tail smacked against Dreq's neck harder than was intentional and it gagged up a torrent of ichor which spread all over the ground.
Aoife backed away to keep from being killed by the falling ichor, worry for Aoife distracted Furbaide who spared a glance to see if she was still safe. That was enough for the serpent neck of the dragon to wrap aroud Furbaide forming tight knot, smothering the forest deity. Using his massive arms he sought to pry himself from the tightening grasp of the dragon, but the pressure was too great and he was being crushed. Thick powerful bones in his body creaked loudly as his durability started to wane; Dreq conjured in his sadistic imagination the feel of Furbaide's broken body going down his long throat as he strangled the tightened his grip.
Feeling the deity burn in his stomach filled with ichor for eternity was a pleasing idea for the dragon, Dreq's mouth gaped open as ichor dripped from its gaping maw. Aoife felt an intense guilt, she sensed Furbaide's eyes on her and she knew that it was his concern for her him that distracted him, sensing Furbaide was starting to give compelled her to act. Sensing Furbaide inner thoughts Aoife could read a constant thought going through his mind which was him hoping that Aoife would escape, that made her sick, how could he hope she'd leave him? If Furbaide would be eaten by that behemoth than she was sure he won't be devoured alone.
Throbbing in her hand was a spell she was conjuring since she sensed the dragon's approach, it had reached its limit, seething in her hand waiting for release. Just as the dragon applied more pressure around the knot it made around Furbaide Aoife pointed her hand towards the dragon. She shouted the incantation only few of the Crimson Witches have mastered and called down a mighty flaming spear to dig into the body of Dreq. Striking down from the sky above a spear made of pure fire and molten rock came from the sky, it was no bigger than a normal spear but it was hot as the fire in the conjurers soul.
A mixture of fury, pride, and a passionate were powerful emotions she used while calling forth the spell which made it immensely more powerful, the spear struck Dreq in its neck close to the head, then it shot down through the knot it tied around Furbaide. Pieces of the dragon's scales flew off from around the wound with a gush of blood and ichor, the spear then landed Dreq's left forefoot where it burnt away leaving a gruesome hole through his hand that was singeing. Excruciating pain was felt throughout the dragon's body and the complete surprise of the attack eased Dreq's hold around Furbaide, who sensed the falling spear and began to conserve his energy, then as the spear struck he burst out of the knot. Before the spear passed through Dreq's neck the living god smashed the beast's jaw with a strong punch, knocking it off its feet.
A deep hissing growl escaped as he laid there in great pain, more than Dreq expected to suffer on his first day in Crel again, Furbaide dove towards Dreq, his fist raised out to punch it into the dragon's eye; that was a mistake, overconfidence and underestimating was Furbaide's folly, the dragon was swift and swifter still when it comes to spitting out ichor. Aoife felt the approaching danger before Furbaide,vthe living god sense too late, he started to glide out of the way when Dreq spat out quickly a stream of Ichor. Furbaide tried to move away from the stream in mid air, but his left side was hit by a blob of molten black ichor. The force of the impact sent Furbaide falling to the ground, cries of agony escaped him as his left side became deeply scarred by the vile black substance, once he hit the ground however Furbaide quickly bounced to his feet the Ichor slided down his body quickly but his dark skin on his left side was covered in his own blood.
Long dreads on that side were matted down and still smoldering from the intense heat, a god cannot die but the pain can be still be unbearably intense, more so without the release of death. Dreq rose and moved towards Furbaide, lowering his head it was clear the dragon wanted to bury the living god in all the ichor the beast could unleash. Aoife felt as though thick strings in her heart breaking apart with a loud snap, with each snap her heart felt that the fire that started to burn there was growing stronger, burning with a overpowering heat. Her eyes were wide with rage and frustration, she was infuriated. In her anger something was starting to awake in her very essence and it was coming out, her body was not prepared for it but it had to be let out, an euphoric light burst from her mortal body.
Waves of frighteningly powerful energy was sensed by Furbaide and Dreq, Furbaide recognized the power and was stunned as he thought he'd never feel it again. Dreq became terribly afraid swallowing hard the ichor it was building up, but the dragon kept his footing, Dreq let out a threatening roar as Aoife approached them bathed in a aura of black and violet. From her mortal body rose a spectral form that flew over her head, it was a large crow, Dreq and Furbaide knew the aura as soon as it surfaced, it belonged to Morrigu mountain goddess of fate and doom.