-Prelude-

A blanketed quiet envelopes the country side. A long time has passed since there has been any type of hostilities. The peasants are going about their daily routine of working the fields for the local lord and lady. The field’s stretch as far as an eagle’s eye can see. At the center of this land is a relatively medium sized manor. The lord of this keep does much to his home, so that it remains in immaculate condition; one never knows when the king may show up for a visit.

The stories are still told of when this manor was erected, how the lord wished it to be the biggest keep without being larger than the king’s palace. The size was measured out in trees, set full length end to end it measured out 30 wide and 17 deep, it held many floors, too many to really keep straight. Many stories about how guests would get lost from the half floors that run into each other.

During construction of this abode, the lord wished to have his personal quarters built to the west to see the sun rise every morning and be able to look out upon his lands. A design was presented to have his room set just off from the second floor, on top of the main hall; it was made of four pillars, and a roof. One of the walls was attached to the keep as a means of entrance and exit. While the other three walls were designed to move, allowing the lord an unobstructed view and also the airs to pass thru.

Every morning the lord would rise and open the walls, he would look out and watch the peasants going about their daily tasks tending the fields, preparing for the harvest and tending livestock. He could also look down on the small village that surrounded his keep. It was a small castle he loved to think to himself, large stone walls of the keep allowed him to feel secure. He watched merchants attempt to peddle there wares, and children running thru the streets enjoying the morning sun.

He stood there, a smile hanging on his face. His servants running around quickly attempting to cloth there master. He fights with them getting aggravated with there incessant claims that he will catch cold from the walls being open yet him in only his night cloths.

“Sir, breakfast will be ready soon” speaks a timid sounding servant
“Wonderful” he smiles “is the lady up yet?”
“No sir, it seems she wishes to sleep in again.”
“Very well, I don’t really need her for anything today” he says while takes one more glance out of the open room.

As he’s about to turn and walk away something catches his eye. He looks again at the sky, squinting, he is barely able to make out a shape that is silhouetted with the sun. He strains to get a good look; from this distance it only appears to be a bird. He quickly realizes that the shape seems to be heading his direction, and rather fast by how it seems to be getting larger. He stands watching, the black shape still appearing to be a bird, a rather large bird at that suddenly splits into two. He rubs his eyes, thinking he’s still got sleep in his eyes and looks again.

The silhouettes have grown larger now, he realizes that there not birds, whatever they are, their too big. He calls for his viewing glass, a device that allows him to see things at a distance. A servant runs to a mantle on the wall outside the room door. Running back in the servant pulls out an object, long and tubular with two different sized pieces of round glass at each end. The lord takes the viewing glass and holds the smaller end to his eye, and gazes thru. It takes a moment for his eye to get use to looking at the sun, when the shapes finally come into view.

“Dragons, They haven’t been seen this far south in centuries, why are they here now?” he ask himself out loud. He continues watching, seeing them get closer there speed has caused him to not need his viewing glass for long. He stands watching the two massive creatures come into plain view, one red and the other green in color. The servants have already been passing the news on to others in the keep, as well as to those around it. Many have gathered to see the site. The lord looks down at the village and sees adults and children standing outside watching.

The dragons finally make it to close range. The lord is nervous of such creatures, the legends and stories are known by all of there ability to breath fire among other things. The larger red dragon flies around the keep once, causing a large gust of air that knocks the lord off his feet. The other just hovers and watches its companion.

A sudden roar of air announces the horrors that will remain the day. An explosion of fire flies from the red dragon’s mouth into the village, catching the wood and thatch on fire, engulfing all immediately. Screams come rolling up as the villagers quickly run for cover.

“ASSEMBLE ALL GUARD WE MUST STOP THEM.” Yells the lord. He runs quickly from his room to join his guard. The sound of the dragons roars have filled the air now, drowning out the screams. The keep shutters suddenly, and yells of “they have attacked the keep” are being bellowed out. He stops quickly in his armory and grabs his sword and shield, and any armor he can.

The dragons continue there blasting of the keep and village. They fly in circles, taking turns, almost a game it seems to some of the guard, like there seeing who can make the biggest balls of flames and kill the most. The entire village is a flame now, and the keep is starting to show signs of weakening. Guards get to high points and take up bow and arrows already waiting for them. They attempt to thwart the dragons but the arrows are not enough, mealy an annoyance to the dragon. The green moves in close to the keep, and releases a stream of flame that hits the top, with a force that knocks brick and mortar off, and moves across the top, quickly eliminating all force on top.

The lord runs to a window and looks out, finally he’s able to see what has happened so far, and reels in horror. He runs again, trying to muster and rally his guard but all seem to be fleeing in terror now. He takes a group and goes to his room, since it is the only other open area that they can fire from. Some guard with swords, some with spears. All with bow and arrow follow quickly.
“Line up and prepare to fire!” he barks the order
“FIRE!” He sees the arrows fly free of there owners. They make contact with there target but that only seems to enrage the dragons more. Both turn and move closer to the open room. They position themselves with one head in front of two of the open walls. Both take in a deep breath. The lord hears the sound of his death, and just collapses as he feels the wave of blistering flame burn thru his very soul.

The attack continues all day, the dragons destroy the keep, and all the surrounding lands, leaving nothing but dark scorched lands and flaming blocks that was the keep. Bodies lying around still smoldering and filling the air with a smell that couldn’t be explained as anything except a victory for the dragons.