Scales of Power
To say that Rexor was nervous would be quite the understatement, even as he hid it behind a stern mask of taciturnity as he traversed the natural tunnels of the Mountain of Power, carved over Millenia - some widened and smoothed to aid in movement - with the Princess Yasimina in tow. While that would undoubtedly please his Lord, the rest of what he had to report would not, to put it mildly.
“Wait there.” He commanded Yasimina in a calm, controlled tone upon reaching their destination, one room away from Thulsa Doom’s Personal Chambers, pointing to the bench at the side of the carved and decorated wall. “I will inform him of your arrival.” At which point, he entered his Lord Doom’s Absolute Domain.
To an uninformed observer – who would have no business even being in this place, let alone so deep in – it would be a place that spoke of Wealth and Power beyond Imagining, with its rich, opulent furnishings, massive desks and shelves of black marble, a roaring hearth – which lay unused at this time – fine tapestries and lush carpeting, beyond pristine in their condition. But so saying, that was fast becoming a reality.
His steps took him to a thick curtain where for but a moment his legs betrayed his fear. Steeling himself, Rexor reminded himself that he had not become his Lord’s most trusted Lieutenant, his High Priest, by hiding the Truth from Him, by fearing consequences. It was with such a mental reprimand, that, at a Silent Command – one though he knew not how it was done, it was enough to know it Was – he parted the curtains to enter, to see his Lord…
…bereft of Mortal Guise. Wearing the finest robes, a serpentine being, who silently looked directly at him through his slitted eyes. The Secret known only to the highest ranked, the most trusted. The True Face of Thulsa Doom.
“My Lord.” Rexor began at the unspoken command. “I bring news. Some joyous, some troubling. The first is that the Princess Yasimina, daughter of King Osric in now here, she awaits you just outside.”
Now came the troubling news, to which Rexor prepared himself as best he could.
“However, during the Ritual in the Temple of Shadizar, there was a terrible disturbance. Infidels broke their way into it, disrupted the Ritual, Assaulted and Murdered the Faithful. They Stole from your Sacred Place, many jewels, and, the Eye of the Serpent. They even slew the great Serpent who resided there.” This, he knew, would Grieve his Lord greatly, so he paused a moment to permit him time to process this.
“Worse. Our Spies in Shadizar report that Osric has learned the identity of the three who dared Defile the Temple, and seeks to contract them for his own purposes.” There, he had given his Lord all that he knew. “I am, prepared, to face the Consequences, of my Failings.” Rexor finished with a humility reserved only for him.
His Lord, for his part, raised a scaled hand to in front of his snout, seeming to ponder the matter for many long moments. Rexor, for his part, simply remained where he stood, awaiting whatever judgement he arrived at.
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