Getting the Dragonbone - Epilogue

They arrive back at the base after a month of travel. They take the whole journey by foot as taking a ship after a heist is risky at the best of times. Also that brunette knight still wanders around the area and the last thing Uklag wants to do is listen to her boundless bravados again.

The first few days of the journey are quite painful but the wound heals well and thanks to his initial ‘helping’ with the process Uklag is left without a scar.

They walk over a small hill and finally the well-known cave comes into view. “So, how do you feel as a renegade?” Uklag asks as he slowly walks down the somewhat steep ground. “Brillirant.” Alratha answers with a snicker, she is quickly rewarded with a mental nail into the forehead. Somehow that makes laugh even more, although with a few pained sighs in between. “I was asking Catherine, you dumb broad.”

The apprentice makes an annoyed sigh. “Well, I can no longer backstab you and turn back to Estara as a heroine, so that’s a downer.” She says with total hoesty. Uklag chuckles in response, “I could act surprised now but that would be a lie. What conditions would you have betrayed me on, if you don’t mind telling me?”

Catherine kicks a pebble down the hill, it lands a few metres further in front of her. A moment later it is kicked again. “First would be if I one day surpassed you.” “Not gonna happen but continue.” Catherine gives him a slightly pissed off look but otherwise ignores the interruption, “Second would be if you became useless to me even though you are stronger. For example if you stopped teaching me. Third if you would have become the losing side in the the contest against the queendom. Finally if you died I wouldn’t hesitate to rat out the rest of your following. After salvaging what I can find in the enchantment quarter, of course.”

Uklag nods earnestly. Sound a lot like things he would do himself. Except for the last part. “You do realize that when I am gone you take over right?” he asks. Catherine shrugs in response. “Yes, with you, An and Al gone I would be the next in the ‘succession’, I however fail to see how your base is better than a minor ladyship.”

“No Morals, Publicity or annoying codexs.” Uklag lists the three things that are holding back his research. “Granted. However a high standing in society gives you prestige, funds and power. I like power.”

‘Burrowed power, given to you by subjects and superiors. Useless power, to be taken away at any given moment.’ Tbe warlock thinks to himself. Another kick, the pebble flies into the darkness of the cave. Instead if the expected echo of stone bouncing from stone they are greeted by a very unladylike, “Hey!” from Aelana.

“We go so far to meet you at the entrance and get stoned for it?” The redheaded demoness voice says with slight annoyance. “Catherine, I think you are in for some apologise this evening.” Uklag whispers towards his apprentice before walking into the darkness. “My dear wives, how I have missed you!”

Afterwards Uklag tucks away the Dragonbone in the treasury where it awaits the day it will come of use instead of rotting away in some useless cellar. Uklag however stands in the middle of the dining hall. He just has made the announcementof his successful return and send the people of his organization to go back to their daily business, which likely consisted of literally fucking around.

Only the twins have stayed with him. “What do you think we should make out of this?” he asks as dips his hand into a bucket of animal blood and draws runes on the floor using it.

“We should go for three levels now, Master Uklag.” Analea says, “Yeah. slaves, your actual important personell and us.” Aelana supports her sister. “I guess so.” Uklag hums. “Well then.” It takes a few more minutes of drawing until he is ready to reshape the room. Power channels into the world as the walls become semi-liquid and shift under his will.

In the end Uklag stands up and gazes upon his new dining hall. As the twins suggested it now has three levels. The base one, being the biggest, contains four tables if the same grey stone that he uses just about everywhere. Stairs lead up to the second level. There are two tables with a slightly more luxurious look with chairs for ten people. From there a single way leads up to Uklag’s own highly decorated table with the broad chair standing at the back wall.

“Something is missing still.” Uklag says and walks up the stairs. His staff clacks on the stone floor with each step he takes, in contrast the succubi follow him silently, their naked feet making no sound on the clean new floor. “Something that really ties the room together. Maybe a rug or something?” He stops in front of his own table. The golden ornaments on the edge catch his eye and he smiles with satisfaction at his masterful craft. The three eyes of his emblem look back at him.

“Yeah, that would do it.” He rams the tip of his staff in the wall and carves runes into the stone. A quick transmutation later the wall is adorned by a giant version of Uklag’s emblem in shining gold, just behind and above his chair.

“You really like pompus stuff.” Aelana drily comments. “Megalomaniac, remember?” Ukalg muses in satisfaction. “Now with that out of the way, how about we visit my bed room?” The twins seem very much in agreement with that idea and the trio is on their way.