Umber

Bane looks in on his once-but-no-longer mechanical cuckoo, and finds the little brass dragon in peril. (sab)

“What wonders we have seen this day!” exclaims Enai as you take your evening meal. “I’d heard of, but never expected to  actually see, an Apparatus, much less that electrified lumbering beast that Bane was controlling.”

Through a mouthful of food, Magnus says, “You like machines, but don’t like armor and stuff. I don’t get it.”

Enai frowns, and responds, “But the ordering of Mind required to create such constructs, and with such elegant mimicry of life…”

Bane, deep in other thoughts, looks up from his rations. “…constructs…life…the Cuckoo! I haven’t looked in on the Cuckoo lately, damn it!” and begins scrabbling through his pack for his crystal ball. Within moments his attention is entirely devoted to it, and forms slowly gain focus…

The light is dim, and rivulets of water run from the walls. A smallish brass dragon walks restlessly about, trying to find a dry corner. Eventually, it gives up and heads to the opening of the cavern where a single rock is still bathed in the setting rays of the sun. It settles beneath it, curled against its warmth, stares petulantly across the valley for a few moments, then closes its eyes. After a few moments, its chest begins to rise and fall rhythmically.

Bane leans back and begins to let the image fade.

Serge and Psydney, looking over his shoulder, suddenly shout “Wait!”.

“Those rocks…”, begins Serge,

“have feet!” finishes Psydney.

Bane quickly refocuses his attention and with it the image. Two nearby rocks slowly grow in height, revealing themselves to be crouched humanoids. Their hoods pushed back, they grin at one another, and slide forward with the strange gliding step that you have come to associate with the silent approaches of Jake and Serge. As they move, they stretch their right arms forward and delicate blades spring forth from their wrists into their hands.

One moves to the dragon’s left, the other to his right, their blades angled to slide beneath his scales. The one on the right make minute adjustments to the placement of his blade on the dragon’s neck while the other selects a location immediately behind his eye.