
It was midday, and the sun was shining down brightly into the grand hall of Matidoer Castle.The castle residents gathered angrily around Ambassador Ralf Simnel of the People's Republic of Hamenweir, ready to convict him to die, charged with being a traitorous dragon.

"You are all fools", sneered the Ambassador. "While you may have found the last of us, your efforts will prove useless in the long run. There will be no Alliance of the Three Nations, in fact, there was never going to be one in the first place. Hamenweir is already under the leadership of our great leader, and with the efforts of my fellows and I, your lands very soon will fall so as to be reunited as a part of the great Draconian Empire. I am proud to have served my leader faithfully, and to have helped in allowed for this noble reform to occur. The Kingdom of Matidoer is finished, you will not survive this."
"See him!", shouted Chef Walter Angrily. "Even when faced with certain death, he continues to lie through his teeth, just like his fellow zealots. What he says in untrue; we have finally defeated the evil that is the Dragons. With his death, they will be purged from this planet, and good riddance too, I might add. "
"You don't know how wrong you are", chuckled the Ambassador. "But enough of that, you will find out soon enough. Allow me now to gloat at your stupidity. You see, all this time I have been manipulating you, and you didn't even know it. You think we dragons would just leave letters around where anyone could find them? No, I have framed many of you throughout this whole escapade, and it even worked once, when I framed my fellow Ambassador, Sirion Vipont, to appear as one of us. Personally, I was very pleased with the outcome of that particular deception. In fact, I still have the offending letter here with me, if you would believe."

Holding up the letter, the Ambassador smiled smugly, pleased to see the shocked reactions of the crowd on hearing his news.
"But we've got you now", said Nicholas the Dromindurian Guard. "You may have been clever, but we outwitted you."

"Yes, you have caught me, I admit", sighed Ambassador Simnel. "You were better than we expected from people not sworn to the greatness of Dragonkind. Nevertheless, your time has run out, for very soon you will suffer for your betrayal of your history and your people."
"Enough of this!", cried Nicholas angrily. "As the newly appointed executioner after you managed to trick us into killing off Captain Geoffrey, I will end this right now. This is for your manipulation of Ambassador Vipont, you sick bastard!"

Rushing towards the Ambassador, Nicholas pulled out a knife. Ambassador Simnel quickly raised his arm to ward him off.
"Now wait just a minute", he hastily gabbled. "If I can distract you just a little longer I might survive this."
Nicholas was not stopping for anything though. With a quick, precise movement, he stabbed Ralf Simnel in the gut.

"Long live the Draggaaahh!!", gasped the Ambassador as he fell to the floor. Just then, the people heard a thunderous crash from out the front of the castle. Turning, they looked towards the entrance foyer, but could not see anything in there.

"What in the name of the Almighty was that?", wondered Hugh.
"Sounded like it came from up near the gatehouse", muttered Peter.
"Screw the children, won't somebody just think of me!?", exclaimed Agnes.
When no further sound could be heard, the residents collectively let out a heavy sigh, and relaxed a little.

Just then, a loud concussion filled the hall, and a blindingly bright light exploded forth from the main entrance. Shielding their eyes, the residents looked away from the source of such a display of raw power.

Apparently, the residents had some visitors.

Two men stood in the ruined entrance foyer, one of which the castle residents knew very well.

The residents stood in shocked silence, starring at the strange sight before them. Their eyes were drawn to the second figure, who pushed past the handsome robed man and ran into the grand hall, a triumphant smile plastered across his face.

It was Lord Griffin, the Dragon who had escaped them several days earlier. Stopping before them, he raised his hand theatrically and addressed the ragged residents.

"My dear friends", he began heartily. "How nice it is to see you all again. After you convicted me, I went straight to my master, and now we are here to finish you off. I am proud to say that I am the First Dragon, the leader of the group who has caused you such suffering during these past days. I was the one who ordered the deaths of many of your fellows, and it was I who lead the Dragons in their first attack on this castle. Now, my master and I are here to finish that job, so that the Dragons may live on forever as the mightiest rulers of this great land. Prepare to meet your makers, my friends, as we-"
"Yeah, that's about enough from you", interrupted the robed figure as he raised his hand. Lord Griffin turned to the robbed figure in confusion.

"You failed me, Edward, and you know I don't accept failure. I had hoped I wouldn't need to deal to these people personally, but obviously if you want a job done right, you have to do it yourself these days. Goodbye."
As the robed figure sent a charge of magic fire towards Lord Edward Griffin, the Lord threw up his hands in horror.

Screaming, he shouted, "If only I'd had the chance to-". He was cut off by the consuming flames. A charred mess toppled to the floor.

"I guess we'll never know what he wanted to do", muttered the robed figure. Turning to the cowering residents, he began to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Lord Dragonator. I am sorry to inform you that your fun is now over. You have killed almost all my agents that I planted here, an effort which I congratulate you on, however now you have forced me to come deal with the last of you myself. You will now die for your betrayal of your land and your traditions. Any questions?"
"I have a question", spoke up Walter hesitantly. "You said we have killed most of your agents. Surely you mean all?"
"No no, there is still one of my people here amongst you", smiled Lord Dragonator coldly.
The residents looked at each other in confusion. Who could it possibly be?

The Queen coughed. "That would be me", she announced regally. The residents gasped and turned in surprise and shock to face her.

"You filthy people make me sick", the Queen sneered. "How any person descended from the noble blood of the Dragon Knights could abandon their people and their traditions I do not understand, but I for one will not let it continue. Now that you know my true loyalty, I thinks it's about time I did this."
Pulling out a knife from a well concealed pocket in her bodice, the Queen turned towards the King. The residents looked on in horror.

"You can't kill our King!", they cried.
"Don't do this to me Mary", the King pleaded.
"Ha, just watch me", said the Queen gleefully as she stabbed the King through the middle. King Charles cried out in pain as his chair flew backwards, smacking into the rear wall. Blood poured from the gaping wound in his belly.

"How could you betray us like this?", demanded Hugh.
"Help me! Screw you all help me!!" screamed Agnes hysterically.
Lord Dragonator coughed. The residents froze and, as one, turned towards him, looking to each other for comfort against their fears.

"Now that you know the truth of your petty struggle and how futile it really was, I guess there is only one thing left to do."

Lord Dragonator smiled.
The residents gasped in terror as he ignited a flame above his hand. They tried to back away, but the Queen was an ever present threat behind them too. They were trapped, duped into believing they were fighting for the good of their fellow people against a terrible enemy, when really, they had just been fighting a decoy while the real threat arrived.

"Agnes", muttered Walter.
"Yes Walter", replied Agnes.
"I... I just wanted to say..."
"Yes?"
"I don't love you at all. Those times in the kitchen meant nothing to me. Sorry"

"Bastard", muttered Agnes, as the pair were blown apart by a blast of magic.

"Woe unto us", sobbed Hugh. "We are most surely doomed, may the Lord have mercy upon us."
"The Lord doesn't have mercy on the likes of us", replied Peter, winking at Hugh one last time.

"Awww, come here Peter", said Hugh affectionately.
"Oh my God, no!" screamed Peter in horror, as a loud snap was heard above them.

"That's not what you said last night", smiled Hugh, completely unaware until the last moment when the great chandelier crushed them both.

"Now, have I missed anyone?", wondered Lord Dragonator aloud. "Ah yes, you", he said jovially as his eyes fell on the motionless Nicholas who was standing shocked off to the side. "Too bad you didn't run, it would have made some nice sport."

"You may have taken this Kingdom, Dragonator, but you will never take my homeland", said Nicholas bravely. "Ambassador Vipont has already left to go and inform our people that the Alliance is not going to happen."
"On the contrary, dear Nicholas", chuckled Lord Dragonator. "I killed Sirion a number of days ago, and with him gone, my people in Dromindur are already acting to bring the popular support of the loyal citizens around to my side. The Draconian Empire shall live again, but without you, sir."
With a look of defeat on his face, Nicholas stood straight as Lord Dragonator raised his hands and tore him in half.

As his body fell to the floor with a thunk, quiet once more fell across the grand hall. It was a Grim sight.

Lord Dragonator, surveyed the carnage with indifference as he watched the Queen carefully step down and walk towards him.

"I thought you would never come!" exclaimed Queen Mary as she faced Lord Dragonator. "Whatever took so long?"
"I had to deal with the shields Sirion left behind", replied Dragonator. "They were very powerful, that one had much potential, but I eventually unraveled them. Looks like I was just in time too, these people would probably have realized what was going on if I took another day.

"Well, very good then" smiled the Queen. "Take me away from here, that King was such a bore!"
Dragonator chuckled as he turned his back on the carnage and walked out of the castle with Queen Mary, off to see to the rest of his plans.

Silence fell over the deserted castle. Not a soul was left alive. But then... a whisper.
"I tried to warn them, but their pride would not allow them to be saved." sighed the Friar.
"Who cares?", grunted the Sorcerer. "Stupid pigs. OINK!"
"You certainly didn't help any", added the wizard, peevishly.
"I wasn't supposed to!", the Sorcerer exclaimed.
"Oh, that's right, because you're neutral", said the Wizard, rolling his eyes.
"Exactly", agreed the Sorcerer.

"Well, nice going telling all of your secrets to that stupid wife of yours", sneered the Wizard. "Guess you didn't know she was a dragon!"
"Hey! You know I have a weakness for the ladies!", the Sorcerer chuckled.
"Funny, I never heard that one in confession", commented the Friar.
"You just shut up now!", scowled the Sorcerer.
"Don't let him bother you, we all know about the Friar...", said the Wizard, winking.
"You shut up, too!", growled the Friar.
"Look, we can at least take satisfaction knowing that none of them did any better than us", stated the Wizard.
"Yeah, look at them", said the Sorcerer in disgust.
"The wages of sin...", muttered the Friar.
"I never was paid nearly enough for all I did", commented the Sorcerer.
"That's not what he means!", exclaimed the Wizard.
"How should I know what he means, he speaks in riddles", complained the Sorcerer.
"Why, I never!", exclaimed the Friar in outrage.
"That's not what we've heard!", the Wizard laughed.
As the trio continued to bicker with each other, life went on in the lands around the castle. Very soon, the events there would be but distant memories in the minds of people who had seen a lot of war in their lives; just another sacrifice on the road to redemption. For many, life had far greater tragedies in store, but that's another story, for another time. For the residents of Matidoer Castle, the chapter was ended, the story told, and the chronicles of their lives completed.
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Winning Players
The Deceased





















