Girl With The Dragoon Tattoo

"She who fights too long against dragons, becomes a dragon herself." ~ Friedrich Nietzsche (paraphrased)

There weren't always dragons in the Valley of Ataúd, but Nyx was the third person on Draco Primus to find an artifact originating from the ancient Dräägz⁠ civilization. The first two had been the twin brothers, Ereboz & Eroz. Both of them became human-dragon hybrids known as Dragoons. Egregiously, either one had raised an army of Dräägz⁠ and launched attacks against settlements situated in the valley's outer rim.

Nyx however, was affected somewhat differently, perhaps owing to the pacifist personality of Renna-Ür—Matriarch of Dräägz. Ever since Nyx put the emerald diadem on her forehead, Renna-Ür had been a constant companion as well as a source of urgency. As her title implied, the Matriarch of Dräägz was closely linked with her warlike sons, Bel-Katran & Dorn-Atrax. Although to be fair, her impetus was to prevent them from doing harm to themselves and others.

Currently, Nyx was on a mission sanctioned by the High Council in the capital city of Teloz. Four armed Gardz had been assigned to assist her in summoning reinforcements from the planet's interior: Anankh, Kronoz, Phanz, and Pontuz. They'd been following her into the under-lands because those were their direct orders and besides, she seemed to know where she was going. Nevertheless, after three sunless days of trudging through tunnels and vast cavernous chasms, they started to wonder about their wanderings. Nyx wasn't the talkative type, so when they came to a rest Anankh asked her:

"Nyx, I know that there's a dragon talking to you inside your head, but can you tell us where exactly we're heading?"

The girl stared into nothingness, hesitating before answering:

"I'm sorry, I'm really not sure. Sometimes Renna-Ür speaks clearly, but mostly she guides my impulses. All I know right now is that there's a place not too far from here where help can be found."

Hearing this, the others gathered around her and Kronoz queried:

"Well, I don't mean to rush you, but this is starting to feel like a bit of a death march. Any chance we can get an ETA?"

Nyx knew then:

"Another day at the most. I can sense it strongly now. We are close."

Phanz praised her:

"That is welcome news indeed. We're all eager to see what we find there!"

Last but not least, Pontuz predicted:

"Yes, hopefully we'll locate water soon too. Our supply will run dry in just three days."

They finished eating their rations and resumed the journey after a snooze. Nyx didn't want to worry them, but she had dreamt about the heinous attacks perpetrated by Bel-Katran & Dorn-Atrax. Thousands of people in the Valley of Ataúd above them had already perished. The gravity of the situation could not be overstated. Fortunately, within half the time she'd said, they arrived at the portals of what appeared to be a city surrounded by columns of stalagmites reaching up twenty feet from the floor.

Inside the crumbling walls they encountered thousands of ice statues. Or so they thought before Nyx went into a trance that ignited her diadem with verdant light. The emerald beam radiated and thawed the ice, reviving bipedal beings with greyish skin. They were clothed mainly in drab garb that made them resemble human miners. It didn't take long for a silver haired fellow with ram's horns to come forward. He was dressed regally compared to the others, although tusks protruded from his lower lip. Only Nyx understood him when he introduced himself:

"Welcome travellers to Gezh-Galekh. I am Mullugh, Warden of the Gnomykh. Whom has freed my folk and I?"

A draconic tattoo drew itself on Nyx's face as Renna-Ür spoke through her:

"Warden of the Gnomykh—I am Matriarch of Dräägz and I charge thee and thy folk to escort us to the armory at Abyzz. Bel-Katran & Dorn-Atrax art waging war again; wherefore we must thwart them."

Mullugh was visibly startled by this revelation. He accepted the charge:

"Hail thee Renna-Ür, we shalt do our duty forthwith!"

Nyx and her companions were brought inside a castle and offered food, which had the consistency and flavour of oatmeal. They were also able to refill their water bags from a fresh spring flowing through the courtyard. Three thousand of the Gnomykh made preparations alongside them. Nyx explained to her Gardz:

"I'm afraid this isn't our final destination, but instead, a sort of waystation. Mullugh says that the armory at Abyzz is located roughly two thousand leagues away. However, Renna-Ür is confident that the weaponry waiting therein will even the odds when we fight Bel-Katran & Dorn-Atrax."

Anankh agreed on behalf of the cadre:

"You've proven yourself beyond doubt. We will keep following you and offer whatever protection we are capable of providing."

All four placed their right palms open on top of Nyx's, then closed them together in a genuine gesture of camaraderie. Yet no sooner did the citizens of Gezh-Galekh tuck in for a necessary sleep before undertaking the task, than Anankh scurried away to a secluded corner that they had seen earlier. Anankh clicked on a quantum communicator and opened a private channel with their commanding officer, General Kaoz. Anankh delivered the details of their ongoing expedition, to which Kaoz confirmed:

"Excellent status report, Captain Anankh. I knew you could be trusted. Continue onward and secure the secret weapons buried at Abyzz. Two townships have already been totally destroyed by these wretched Dräägz, so needless to say, aid cannot come expeditiously enough. I wish you the best of luck in carrying out this dangerous assigment!"

Nine hours hence, everyone exited the rear portals of Gezh-Galek and made way for Abyzz. This was good because back in the Valley of Ataúd, Bel-Katran & Dorn-Atrax were each preparing another attack.

To Be Continued...

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