Rau tapped his fingers impatiently on the arm of his chair. Any moment, he expected his general to walk through the doors with news of the gathering. He’d called his dark creatures from everywhere in Tomiro and they responded with great enthusiasm. His own excitement had grown with each new arrival. Soon his army would be here; ready to command and the elf nation would be no more. Haulua and he would be safe once again.
The absence of Haulua still unnerved him, but as there was nothing he could do, he decided to continue with his plans. He would prove to the god, his help was unnecessary. A dark and sinister smile spread across Rau’s face. There was nothing he loved more than war and devastation. The screams of death and pain made him giddy and soon, very soon, the air would be filled with the sweet music.
Dak’s presence was announced by the opening of the great stone doors at the end of his throne room. The general strode across the room, his long dark hair streaming behind him as he moved quickly to bow low in front of Rau.
“My lord, they have all gathered,” he said, his deep voice sounding muffled by the fact he was facing the floor.
“Every dark creature in my command?” Rau practically purred in excitement.
“Those and those who are sympathetic to your cause,” he replied still facing the floor.
“This I must see for myself.” Rau stood and followed his general through the stone doors and down a hallway to another doorway. This led to a balcony placed on the highest tower of Blackwell. The balcony encircled the tower and gave him a full view of the entire island his kingdom dwelled on.
“Yessss,” he hissed as he beheld the mighty image in front of him. Indeed, it was all around him. Stretching from his castle all the way to the edges of the sea were thousands upon thousands of dark bodies. It appeared as if the very ground was rolling and shifting in anticipation of the great war. There were his torlics, earagos, narooks, the tookoos, and even his mauks. Many more creatures dotted the landscape. Many that were never named, for how do you name fear itself?
Rau walked slowly around the tower, the image the same in every direction that he looked and he was pleased.
“They wait for you my lord,” Dak said, staring out into the sea of bodies as well. The clouds thundered and lightning struck somewhere in the distance, lighting up the monsters all around and bringing silence from all the creatures.
“At the end of the week, you head out to finish what was started long ago.” Rau’s voice rang out loud and clear for miles in every direction, capturing the attention of any and every dark creature around. It seemed to fill their minds and make their ears ring like the thunder that sounded in the sky above. “We have been much too lenient with the so called favorite race of the gods. It is time we show them who is really fit to rule this world. It is time for us to destroy every last male, female, and child. We will not stop until we have wiped every elf off the face of Tomiro.”
With this last declaration every beast roared, screamed, and bellowed its approval. The castle shook with their celebration.
Yes, Rau thought, in three days’ time, I will send them out and bring the elves to their knees.