Luck Of The Claw - Episode 41.

- Episode 41 -

From within the throne room Tonniel could feeling the building pressure on the air as if the presence of what was coming was a tangible thing. He appreciated the poetic irony of the moment; it was like a coming storm - you could feel it in the air but you couldn't touch it. His left hand brushed reassuringly over the pommel of his sword always at hand, while he raised his right in a regal gesture calling for attention.

"Activate the wards," Tonniel commanded. He could leave the defenses to his Earl Marshal, and rightly so; there was no one else more capable when it came to strategy. But only the King himself held the authority to raise the ancient runes etched into the very foundations of the keep that warded it from outside forces. It had held strong against entire armies, spell onslaughts and a legendary rampaging raid of giants(or so the story goes). Tonniel had every confidence it would secure their safety as well against whatever had escaped the Vault. But nothing like this had ever happened before, so there was no way to know for certain what awaited them. Even so, Tonniel was a firm believer in being prepared, so he grinned with satisfaction as power channeled from deep within the earth to fill every glowing rune around the throne.

The sudden surge in magical current immediately alerted Trinity to it's presence as it sparked to life and set itself to it's designed purpose. She could see it's rushing flow, feel it as it conducted it's way beneath their feet and around them through the walls. Trinity studied it carefully as she realized a quiet part of her mind was already deconstructing it, analyzing how it was shaped and crafted. Some inner part of her grasped the core foundation of this magic, it's central design and whispered to her what it found.

What she was seeing was more than just illuminated runes along the walls and floor. No, it was far more than that; what was taking shape was a intricately woven layer of enchantment that was blanketing the keep. It was a beautiful thing to her sight, it shined like pale moonlight in the dark. This was a artfully crafted masterpiece.

Silver-Claws once more called to them, a restless growl alerting them before they could see the dragon's form. It's time away from the Vault had worked wonders in returning it's strength, and with the wards sparking to life the young dragon was all to eager. Camden could see it in his eyes, in the way it's scale-draped muscles flexed and shifted. Just as Silver-Claws could mark the same look of fiery promised fury behind the young boys eyes as well.

"Make for the courtyard," Mal snapped the short order from behind them. He gratefully mouthed his thanks as they all obeyed instantly without hesitation. The last thing he wanted was for them to be trapped inside with a dragon when the fighting began.