The elf on the platform had just reached the next opening when Klassh painted it with white-hot flame. The platform caught fire instantly. The ropes holding it disintegrated. Leaving a flaming trail, the fiery wreckage crashed down to the rocks and landed near the hapless goblin’s body.
Klassh spiraled down and landed near the burning ruin. He examined the debris closely, but could not find any trace of the elf, any of its belongings, or the purloined sword.
“Dwarf entrails! The thief must have managed to get into that opening!”
It took Klassh nearly an hour to find a small, disguised cave-an egress from the tunnels nestled at the foot of the mountain near a vale. The glade offered plenty of cover with a forest beyond. An ideal spot for an ambush.
Klassh found a sturdy ledge on the mountain and lay in wait for the elf.
*****
Klassh was not disappointed. An hour later, the rain had eased. The elf poked his head out of the cave.
Focusing his concentration on the elf once again, the dragon strove to reestablish the mental link.
Where is the dragon? the elf was wondering.
The thief had his answer. He saw Klassh on the ledge.
FEAR.
The elf’s emotions once again flooded into the dragon’s head, but they were not very satisfying. The dragon still could not penetrate deeply into the elf’s mind.
The thief advanced again, moving quickly but silently through the glade, using trees and boulders to hide.
FEAR!
The elf moved faster now, running full out for the relative safety of the forest. The thief would be well hidden if the dragon chose to fly above the trees. Despite his fury, Klassh was loathe to use his flame on his beautiful forest. He rose into the air, went into a steep dive, and laid down a line of fire between the elf and its goal, careful not to let the flames get too close to the trees. The dragon pulled out of his dive a few feet from the ground, climbed into the sky, and swung around.
The elf continued running as fast as he could directly toward the flames, not slowing at all. With a leap, he dove right through the fire. A golden shimmer surrounded the elf’s body as he passed unscathed through the flames, rolled deftly to his feet, and dashed into the forest. The elf continued to run through the sparser outer growth until he reached the heavy canopy, and then vanished inside.
“Thief,” Klassh spoke and this time felt the word penetrate the elf’s mental block.
SURPRISE. FEAR.
“Thief. Elf,” the dragon continued. “I know you can hear my thoughts. I can feel your fear. You think you are safe within the forest, but I will burn it all to the ground, destroy every last tree, plant and creature to get to you. Give yourself to me. Since you have been a worthy adversary, I promise you a quick death.”
Go to the Abyss, the elf responded.
“Come now, elf. I know your kind well. I have fought you for millennia. You would not let all this forest be destroyed just to buy yourself a few more moments of life.”
Silence from the elf.
“B’ynn al’Tor,” Klassh said smugly.
SURPRISE.
“Yes, thief. I know your name. I know your family as well. The House of Tor is well known to the Dragons. We have always regarded your family as a powerful adversary. How far you have fallen. A mere thief, not worthy of the name of Tor.”
SHAME.
… am worthy … the elf thought.
“No, you are not worthy,” Klassh said sternly. “A worthy Tor would not resort to sneaking into my lair through a back door, running away, hiding in dwarf-made tunnels, and skulking around in a forest, which I will burn down around your ears if you do not give yourself to me.”
SELF-LOATHING.
… foolish …
“Yes, you are very foolish, young elf. Do you not know who I am? My true name you will never know, but I have been known to the world as Klassh, most ancient and powerful of dragons.”
SURPRISE.
“Surprised?” Klassh laughed. “You should be. Takhisis herself released me from my earthen tomb, and as she requested, I have kept my freedom hidden from the world so that I may be more effective in aiding the new generation of dragons to conquer Krynn. I tell you this now since I know that, one way or another, you will die before the day is out.”