~Chapter 3: The Dragon Forge and The Sacred Song~

Nestled in the heart of the Ancient Labyrinths of Khaz’Aurus is the Dragon Forge, resting miles deep through the earth and lava caverns in the center of the mainland. It is the Forge that created the Mardune, and after seeing the loyalty and adoration of the Mardune to him, Aurus, God of Magick, granted his eternal Flame to them: to ever burn in the heart of his sacred caverns in the hearth of the Dragon Forge.

He sent another child and Kin to the Mardune, a Dragonkin, who is bound to serve the Dragon Forge and Protect it before all others, even his Kin the Mardune responding only to the Eternal Flame of Aurus. To show their adoration to their creator, the Eldest of the Mardune, lead in ritual by Arch Mage Malgus, would gather around the Dragon Forge at the Full, and other Sacred Moons, and perform their Sacred Ritual to Aurus.

The "Labyrinth Song", the mortals would call it, though only a Dwarven handful of various races have ever seen the Labyrinth, let alone witnessed their Sacred Ritual; although from an allied kinship, the Druids have been known to bear witness to the Song - it is from the mouth of a Druid the world knew of this ancient ritual to begin with - with such high respects to the Mardune, this Druid was trusted to share their story to the purest of heart and people the Druid knew could be trusted.

Inside, the Mardune built a fortress in the center of the Labyrinth Caverns, built around the resting place of the Dragon Forge, and in the fortress it housed the sacred vault of various ancient Artifacts, gathered and hidden by the Mardune, Dragon Kin and welcomed guests after the destruction of the North Gate by the Empire.

The Elders would travel from all four corners of the Labyrinth for the Ritual, the Elder Mardune never left their home in the exception of Arch Mage Malgus, who would frequently act as a Dwarven Emissary when one was required; he was always accompanied by his most loyal friend, Thelgen, except for when he stood without him at the fall of the North Gate, because he had sent him on a quest prior.

The Elders would all gather together, waiting for each one outside of Khaz’Aurus Fortress; clothed in all the same runic etched black robes, they would together walk in through the stone archway entrance, the fortress adorned in decorative and intricately carved Dragon sculptures and statues. Some of these statues standing tall and some slithering along the walls and over the ceiling in the chamber housing the Dragon Forge.

As they would enter the Forge, they would circle the Forge, and lower their hoods. Malgus would stand before them at the Forge, and beside him, on a pedestal next to the Forge, would be a medium sized Cauldron made of Pure Elementium Steel, with runic engravings and moldings; this Cauldron being one of two that were crafted.

Within this Cauldron was contained the dust of the Lyre, or as the mortals would call it, the "Labyrinth Star": an elegant crystal that was incredible and catching and reflecting light even at its smallest grain.

While devoid of Magick, itself, the natural properties of the prismatic crystal paired with the small residual Magick given off from the Pure Elementium of the Cauldron, along the roaring Flame of the forge, would cause the dust of the Lyre to glow a vibrant yet deep purple.

Malgus would carry this Cauldron around to all of the Elders and each, one by one, would untie their black cord belt and let their robes drop to the ground, revealing their unclothed, rune-scarred black skin. They would each take turns getting finger dabs of the Crystal powder and rub it on their runic scars, causing the symbols to glow in the dark chamber. Once they all had dusted their runes Malgus would place the Cauldron back on its pedestal and he too would remove his robe.

They all wore nothing under their robes, except Malgus: as the Ritual Master he wore his Silver and Platinum coated Pure Elementium Steel circlet that he never took off. He would do as the others did and rub the dust on his runes; he would then mold his way into the circle.

Each ritual, he would consistently adjust who he stood beside. Acknowledging himself as the Arch, but equal in the blessing of Aurus. They would hold hands and look to the ceiling of the Fortress, which at the center of its large ceiling, circled by stone dragons, was a massive opening. Above the opening, above the Fortress, on the ceiling of the large Labyrinth cavern in which the Fortress lay, was a large formation of Lyre - which lit the outside of the Fortress and inside the chamber with Sun and Moon light created from the smallest crack in the land, extending all the way to the surface that developed through the ages.

This was how all Lyre throughout the Labyrinth had been formed and it lit the way of all travelers through the maze of tunnels, adding to the hypnotic puzzle of the Labyrinth; the Lyre provided light, but also because of the very slight difference in position of the Crystal formations, they would often confuse any traveler not knowledgeable of the Labyrinth and be the ultimate factor in explorers being lost to the maw of the Labyrinth.

As the Elders would gaze into the prismatic radiance of the Lyre and were blanketed by the dancing light from the flames of the Forge, the Light of the Lyre dust of their runes would appear to be moving and dancing around their bodies. They would open their mouths together and, in unison, their voices would bellow and echo through the Caverns, extending to all the four corners.

The Dwarves developed a pipe system that would catch the vibrations and carry them into the Gate Cities, for all to hear - the haunting sound still echoing through the ruins of the North Gate: taunting any Imperials and showing them the resolve of the Mardune.

When their song was finished, they would all slowly step down into the forge and dunk themselves in the Sacred Molten Fire: for each Elder who did this, their Lyre dust would leave their body and burn off in the flames, causing the flames to temporarily burn purple until the Elder stepped out. They would then retrieve their cloak and wrap it around their ritualistically “reborn” bodies, and tie the cord leaving their hoods down until they left the temple.

Malgus would be the last to be “reborn” in the same methods as the others. He would cloak himself in the same way, and in a final bow of their grouped heads to the Dragon Forge, the Elders would exit the sacred Temple. With a final parting ritual and warm-hearted farewells, they would hood themselves and part in their four groups, each group leaving through one of the four Heart Chamber archways that lead back into the Labyrinth, going back to their respective corners of the Khaz’Aurus and the Gates until the next Ritual Moon.

~~~

“I couldn’t believe my luck; all the stories were true of the Mardune. It took careful maneuvering to get through those tiny tunnels, it seemed as though I was walking in darkness for days until I saw it in the distance, a flicker. Was this actually the Labyrinth or had I just walked through a tunnel and found my way out? I rejoiced as I made it to the end and before me was the most beautiful radiant crystal I had ever seen, it was like a star that had fallen and become embedded into the cavern ceiling, as I looked down the corridor each way there were more in the ceilings seeming to create chandeliers to light a traveler’s way so I figured why not? I could remember my way back in fact I marked the place with a stone so then I ventured--- I have become lost in this place, no matter how much I back tracked, retraced and followed my steps I could not find the rock and all this Labyrinth Star is beginning to all look the same… I haven’t seen the surface in what appears to be weeks, the occasional water I find is what has kept me going. Other than roots and mushrooms there is nothing down here but this blasted Crystal, I cannot eat it… I’ve tried, This Light is driving me insane! That Rogue did this, that traitor I shouldn’t have trusted his words I shouldn’t have trusted his intention, that Drow Rogue who betrayed me one last time…--- Here I give my last entry, it has been a month in these caverns and I just couldn’t find the way… I laughed at the stories and now the stories laugh at me… If you find this I hope your fate was much better than mine… I came for treasure of the Ancients and now the Labyrinth has consumed me… In my solitude amongst the cavernous depths I made peace with my past, I just hope my Son Mickael turned out to be a hidden jewel your Loving Mother knew you would be in this stricken world, that is all I would want for him… Goodbye cruel Labyrinth, you made a believer out of this Rogue.

Signed the Guild Master of the Shadow Alley Clan

M.Vultheran”

--- This letter was found in a pack clenched in the arms of a Rogue dressed skeleton in the darkest part of the cavern located around the corner from the rock in which he placed.