The Quenching of Grandfather Flame
Grandfather Flame, the hottest, fiercest fire upon Amoris. His reign was terrible; with the absence from the world of Iximyon, he was perhaps the most powerful single creature on the face of the world. His breath could fuse any metal, his claws could rend any soldier, and his scales could deflect even the mightiest blow. Two things in the world did he fear - a javelin and a shield. He was right to fear them. However, there are two more things he should have feared as well: the Tears of Amor, and the Auspice Bond of the Forge.
Our tale starts with the poisoning of Daenerys, the unorthodox High Priestess of the Forge of Caminus. Through evil machinations, Duke Zabulon of Belerr, acting in service to the wicked Eburoni, had plans to compel the priestess to forge an Iron Circle. The Auspice-Bound of Daenerys were then compelled into service, and began a long quest to wake her, finally employing Oryxys, whose fire burned the Bloodstone Poison from the priestess' veins.
In a draconic treachery, Oryxys then took Daenerys for himself, and this, my friends, was his undoing, for by this action, he galvanized the Auspice-Bound of the sign of the Forge against him. Six of them were there: Tithe, guardian of the Forge; Fantus, scourge of Cherry Lane; Aefra Stone-Wedded; Salazar the Rake; Aetan Bridge-minder; and Galen the Pure. Also was there Lyra Stoneheart, who sought the killing blow, bound to the six by their word of honor.
It was a quest for the ages. Careful they were, for they knew that even the Ruby Shield could not protect them all against Grandfather Flame's fury. So they undertook to obtain the Tears of Amora. Fafnir, the dwarf who led them there was swallowed up in ice, and they dedicated Oryxys' treasure to his memory and clan.
With the tears to clench his flame, the six needed a weapon to pierce his hide. Though Fantus had crafted himself a fearsome blade capable of the task, the auspice-bound knew to pursue alternative means as well. Iyi, thief of dreams, produced for them the Black Dart (?), and Aetan Finn crafted, with the help of Grimelda, the Sword of Caminus Pater Patriae. Gird such, the auspice-bound set out to retrieve their lady.
They came upon Oryxys far to the east, in a blasted valley, at the tip of which was a lake of fire, in the center of which was Oryxys' lair. The beast explode from the mountainside, and battle was joined - Tithe upon a pegasus, Fantus borne by his construct Ruby, and the rest of the brave combatants upon Aefra's magic carpet. Grandfather Flame then did roar his anger at the intrusion, whereupon Salazar, concealed from all sense by Aefra's magics, shot an arrow bearing the Tears of Amora straight down his draconic gullet. Thereafter, did Oryxys have his flame taken from him.
The auspice-bound gave their everything; Tithe struck the beast again and again, though his spear could not breach dragonscale. Aefra conjured all manner of illusion, though the dragon gave it little heed. Both Lyra and Aetan flung themselves through the Old Ways directly onto the great serpent. Fantus swooped in, drawing first blood; his blade passed through the thick scales with little resistance.
Then Salazar picked up the Black Dart, and flung it straight and true; it pierced reality itself and sundered Oryxys' soul. Yet, even though the dragon was certainly doomed from that point, it was not yet dead; the auspice-bound had to fight the enraged creature to the end, even more dangerous now that it was so wounded.
Aetan stabbed Oryxys, as did Lyra, as did Tithe and Fantus. The great creature roared, and then gazed at Aetan, putting the troll under his spell. His allies, unknowing, continued to fight Oryxys, until Aetan did try to take Tithe's life straight away. The seasoned warrior, though suprised, dodged the blow, and then all the auspice-bound prayed to their combined strength and to Amora, and the dragon's spell was broken.
The beast roared again, shaking Aetan free, and knocking Galen to the ground as he tried to heal his wounded companions. Only through (Tithe's? Aefra's?) alacrity did they survive the fall.
The beast was close to dead, and Lyra Stoneheart summoned her power and struck, hoping to kill the creature and further her own power. The blow glanced off the thick, scaly hide, and it was left to the other auspice-bound to slay the beast. Aefra then bid Aetan Finn become invisible, and so cloaked, Tithe bore him to the dragon's side, where a rending blow from the Sword of Caminus Pater Patriae drained the last of the life from Grandfather Flame.
Oryxys died as he lived: hot. He leaves behind Grigori, an elemental of rage and vengeance, currently under tutelage at Akrea.
