Royalty Of Monsters

My jaw remained on the floor as smoke comically poured off the top of my head. It wasn't long before Sam waved her hand in front of my face. "Yep. He's done." They slowly moved me to a chair and had me sit down and they started talking.

" It would appear that my brother has forgotten to mention a few things." The king said in a slightly frustrated voice. He rubbed the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb. I slowly came to from the shock. I listened as Sam and the king talked. The previous king had died many years ago leaving Kylisius, Hargo, and their Mother ( the queen). Unfortunately for them their mother passed not long after due to a broken heart. Hargo had departed after their deaths in hopes of finding a method to make a golem that a soul could inhabit so they could speak with their parents. Originally Hargo was supposed to take the throne but hadn't felt worthy enough, so he gave the right to his brother who had been studying for years to take up the position. After a couple years, The king sent out scouts to find him but found no traces. After a few attempts to find his whereabouts they gave up trying, and started saying he was lost.

As the king spoke it was obvious that he missed his brother. But his face brightened slightly as he pointed at me. "That was until you showed up. " The kings look changed as he looked at me with a very sad look in his eyes. "You were the last to see my brother. How was he? And what happened to make it so he couldn't come home?" His voice low and gravelly.

I thought for a moment before I started describing what happened. " We met Hargo by chance. He was staying in a village that was full of dwarves. Unfortunately it seems that Hargo made an enemy or two on his travels. One of them unleashed ghostfire on the village and destroyed it's inhabitants. Only Hargo managed to survive. The unfortunate thing is that he was left as an undead. He contained the ghostfire in the hearth of one of his forges and worked to contain and control it. He was like that for 20 years before I showed up. "

As we talked the kings face became long and sad. His eyes seemed to sink in and he seemed to age. He nodded and let out a long sigh as all the info sank in. He slowly leaned forward and set his elbows on the table with his chin on the back of his hands. "To think that my brother had to endure the agony of being undead for 20 years." His eyes lifted to meet mine. The dark eyes held anger and sadness that I knew too well. " There was something Hargo had been working on for years before he left. Perhaps you could enlighten me as to what it is?" The chairs moved slowly backward as the king moved. He approached the back half of the hall past his chair. There was a stone door leading to a descending staircase.

" This is where our family has held our smithing techniques for generations. Very few outside our family know them. Fewer still are able to fully utilize them." He grabbed a torch from the wall and led us down the spiralling stairs. We heard distant clanking and hammering but soon found the source. A large football field sized hall filled with 30 dwarves. Each working on a project of some kind. They all stopped working for a moment to bow to the king as he passed and quizzically look at us as if to say " What are they doing here?" We approached the end of the hall and found a large dry dock. Not for boats or any form of ship. But a massive golem made of golden material stood before us.

It was covered in markings similar to the gauntlets that held Hargo's soul. I slowly looked between the king and the giant and found myself asking. " Your majesty... What exactly do you want me to tell you?"

His gaze drifted to me then my gauntlets. He pointed to a hole in the golem. It was shaped to fit something. I grabbed a ladder and got up close enough to see what exactly it was. When I got close I noticed it. It was an indent of two gauntlets. The exact size of my two. I looked down and quietly nodded. I took them off of my hands and placed them gently in the insertion points. To my horror and surprise the materials swallowed the gauntlets whole and began to glow. I quickly sprung down from the ladder and put a shield in front of Sam and the King. The glow began to spread outward from the chest to the rest of the golem till the whole of it was glowing a bright gold color. Slowly though the color turned crimson and the eyes glowed green. A deep baritone voice echoed from the chest cavity.

" For Pete's sake! Can't a dwarf rest for a bit after 20 years?!..." Dead silence filled the room. I knew the voice all too well. I had heard it for months as it tutored and instructed me in the ways of the Forge. " Hargo...." I breathed out. My shield hit the floor with a thump as I bowed to the floor before my master. The giants head turned and looked down at me. "This is a right strange dream this is. Had plenty up till now and now I'm a bleedin giant. What's the world come to?" I raised my head as a confused expression crossed my face. "Master... You're not dreaming.... We made it to the capital city. Your brother the King is here with me." Kyle stepped forward with some color back and a smile practically filling his face. " Brother! You did it! Your machine works!" He shouted. The golem shifted its head to the side as the symbols finally settled in and melted into the metal seamlessly. "I made it back..." It hummed out as it's mitted hands were lifted before its face in an inspecting manner.

The eyes shifted to me again. " You did well Ignis. You brought me home. I could never repay you enough." He said. I bowed even lower as tears began to stream down my face. ( I really didn't kill my teacher!) My heart cried out as joy filled me from head to toe. "Unfortunately for me, I need to stretch because it's a bit cramped in here." Hargo said as his large frame stretched out a little hitting a hole in one of the walls. He turned and slowly took a wobbly step outward. He grabbed what appeared to be a huge cane and applied a little pressure to it to stabilize himself. ( Dwarves really do plan for every detail) I thought in awe. He slowly made his way down the dry dock and onto an open platform that was as wide as the smithy. I truly got a good scope of this behemoth now. A large metal man standing 60 feet tall with shoulders spreading 15 to 20 feet wide. Built like a brick house if it was gold instead of clay. It held no real humanistic features besides arms, legs, and a face with a large hinged mouth.

He stretched like a man that had rested for far too long. Before we could try to get closer Kyle place his hand on my shoulder or at least close to it and spoke. " You have returned my family to me. I need to reward you before I forget." My eyebrows rose up in surprise.

Sam giggled a little. "I love it when he makes that face." She tried to say quietly. I looked at her quickly. Her face turned red and she quickly looked away. Kyle spoke to a couple of the dwarves close by who had huddled into a corner when the golem started moving. He got them to set up a few things and told them Hargo was piloting the golem. Hey calmed down at those words and quickly went about the kings errands while he led us upstairs.

We reached the throne room and kept going up a different set of stairs. We went up a good 100 steps seeing as Sam was panting like a dog on a hot day. We reached a large ornate door that was covered in jewels. Kyle pulled out an amulet and pushed it into the doors surface where a hexagonal slot sat. The door clicked and slid open with a creak. We entered quickly as the king ushered us in. The room was similar to a ballroom. It was spacious, large, and filled with neatly organized piles of treasure. Coins in one area, metal ingots another, etc. What caught my attention was a large yellow stone embedded on the top of a Staff made of green and white wood in the weapons pile. Kyle saw where my eyes had landed. He laughed heartily before grabbing it and tossing it to me. "Have it. You may choose one more item while the two behind you may choose one item each."

I felt like a giddy schoolboy at those words. I actually used earth detection to find the best items and figure out what I wanted. I found a dormant pheonix egg. Essentially a stone that would never hatch. Could be tasty though. Sam chose a mantel made of a water dragons pelt. Great protection from the water element and immunity to the fire element when worn. Legion chose a Halberd made from a silver metal with a red jewel on the top that screamed the fire element. Kyle inspected each item and nodded. " Well chosen. Now I believe todys events have brought a great deal of excitement. Enough for this old one to say that I need some rest. I thank all three of you for bringing my brother back to me. I could never say it enough. Now Mar will take you back to the inn. Perhaps we can meet again in the next few days." He said with a kind smile and a hopeful grin.

We all bowed deeply as the king took us from the chamber and left us in Mar's care for the evening. I'll admit that I was exhausted. When we got back to the inn I laid down on the bed and passed out.

The morning came quickly and much to my pleasure we were allowed to explore the area around the city to get some breathing room. I needed it. I'll be honest cities always made me feel a bit stuffy and claustrophobic. While we were out I looked at Sam and she slowly nodded. I took out the staff and the egg. Legion leaned in close as I did so. "What are you planning on doing?" They asked excitedly. Much to their surprise I responded. " I'm going to eat them." The mask changed to one made of pure shock and horror but my head had already changed and I was munching on the pheonix egg. It was exactly like a rock outside. Hard as hell until I cracked it. The inside was filled with soft yolks that reminded me of yogurt. Gluttony chimed in my head.

/ Host has acquired complete sleeping pheonix bloodline. Acquired Divinity Eater Title. You acquired Immortal Pheonix Rebirth Body. Combining with current skills. New skill born. Immortal Dragon Body: When host body is destroyed the possessor will return from the ashes in an infantile form with current skills reset to Disaster level.

Ash breath obtained. Breathes ash like spores through the air making it hard to breath. combining with current skills.

Host now has control over 2 more types of fire. Immortal flame ( unless user wills it it will never stop burning) and Reincarnation flame( Causes forced reincarnation on those who die within it.) Flame Monarch now 6/10 flames. Due to the flames in hosts posession you have been upgraded to low level Calamity class./

My body shook as smoke began to pour off of me. My wing shot out and my clothes tore as my dragon form took hold. The power coursed through my system like a tidal wave of electricity. My scales changed color and my wings meant for flight felt a change as well. The fur that covered between the scales fell off and was replaced by feathers that shifted between red, gold, and blue in a hypnotic fashion. My scales became more lustrous as my horns grew slightly. The began to curve and branch out similar to the japanese and Chinese dragons did in earth's legends. ( Now.... Should I try eating the staff....) I thought.