place.”
The little darkling looked around to his companions and they chittered in the strange language of their species for a moment but, eventually, the leader nodded his head, “That is acceptable, oh ghoulish freak. The reptiles are currently under observation by my people as they climb the slopes of the mountain. Once they delve we will be able to find them quickly enough. In the meantime why don’t you make yourself comfortable,” he said and pointed to a wooden chair in the corner. “We’ll be in contact as soon as something happens.” With that the creature smiled, bowed ever so slightly, and walked out of the room leaving the monstrous beast behind with three of the other small darklings.
He walked a few yards down a narrow passageway to a large stone door, went through it, and closed it behind him. The door opened into a longer corridor, which he followed for twenty or so paces past two doors on his left, and one on his right, and eventually arrived in a large cathedral cavern where hundreds of the small darklings went about their business as they cooked, cleaned, and sharpened their weapons. A dozen passages led off to the side of the large chamber and the creature took one of them, walked for another hundred paces, passing open corridors on each side, and eventually arrived at a thick stone door that he opened without hesitation.
Inside the room a large wooden desk sat in one corner near a shelf that contained numerous skulls of strange creatures and other bones. Standing near the the desk was a tenuous black shape that seemed to undulate smoothly back and forth.
“Tenebrous,” said the darkling with a smile and a deeper bow than he gave to Thantos. “I apologize for the delay. I was on state business when I heard of your arrival but I came as quickly as possible. What can I do for you?”
The black form oozed and seemed to bow, if that was possible, and the deep but hollow voice spoke, “Chieftain Ramkalla, I appreciate you taking up your valuable time to see me. I am here to keep tabs on my friend Thantos. I know you harbor no love for him and hoped that you might keep me apprised of his doings?”
“What does the Lady of the Abyss offer me for such services?” replied the little darkling creature as it took a seat behind the large desk and ran sharp fingernails over the surface which caused an odd little squeal to permeate the air. “My people do not do the bidding of the Mistress of Death for free,” he said.
The black cloud ebbed for a long moment before the voice that came from its interior suddenly sounded again. “I am currently working for myself, having had a falling out with She Who Rules Eternally,” it said both deeply and slowly. “This is my task and I will supply any and all payments.”
“What does a shadow have to tender,” said Ramkalla with a shrug of his shoulders. “You do not have any power in the Abyss other than to do your ladies’ bidding, you certainly have no power here in the darkling lands, and you have little, if anything, that I desire. So, Tenebrous, although we have worked together successfully in the past I do not see common ground for us today.”
Tenebrous oozed slowly over to the desk as long blackish tendrils floated out to either side, “I do not ask you to do anything other than keep me informed of his location,” said the thick voice. “In return I offer you the death of an enemy of your choice. I do not have wealth nor power, as you state, but I can still bring death, it is the one thing the Lady of the Abyss allows me to do.”
“An intriguing offer, Tenebrous, but what if I were to demand the death of an important being in the world, someone wnose power exceeds your own?” said the darkling leaning back in his chair and smiling broadly, his many sharp teeth exposed.
“The choice is yours to make although the likelihood of my success under such circumstances is relatively slim. Yet I will endeavor to carry it out if that is your request,” said Tenebrous his dark form flowing out and around the desk.
“That is a reasonable offer, Tenebrous,” said the Ramkalla with a shrug of his shoulders. “It makes sense for me to name only something you are capable of slaying and the service is relatively small. As you know, I never cared much for Thantos and that disgusting tongue of his. I agree to your terms but the question of whom you shall slay is open-ended. I can ask at any time in the future when, perhaps, your power has grown from its current state.”
Tenebrous drew up for a moment, his form coalescing into a vaguely humanoid shape with a head and arms but then relaxing back into its wavy blob shape, and the creature spoke again, “That is acceptable Chieftain Ramkalla.”
The chieftain smiled happily, “Then, you should know that your friend Thantos is not more than two hundred steps from this location. He awaits word of news from the surface dwellers and, when given that, plans an excursion into our territory. When that happens I will inform you of his further movements and keep you abreast during his stay in my territory. In the meantime, can I offer you anything? Food, drink, women, boys?”
“I have little need for such things,” said Tenebrous, “a simple chamber in which to meditate and perhaps receive visitors is sufficient.”
The little darkling nodded his head and smiled again to display his many teeth, “Very well, Tenebrous. One of my assistants will make sure your needs are accommodated. Now, if you don’t mind I’ve important tribal business to which to attend.”
Tenebrous slid out of the chamber and under the door, his smoky form capable of movement through apparently even the smallest opening. Ramkalla watched for a moment, shook his head, and then snapped his finger; within a few seconds another little darkling of the same species entered the room from a small side door cleverly built into the chamber to look like nothing more than the cave wall.
“Yes, chieftain?” he said and bowed deeply.
“See that Tenebrous is given a room in which to mediate, it need not contain any amenities,” he said with barely a look up from his desk where some thick papers awaited his attention. “Inform me as soon as the reptiles head underground.”
He servant bowed deeply again, “Sire?”
“If you have important news then say it,” said the chieftain with a shake of his head. “You don’t have to ask for permission.”
“Yes, great chieftain,” said the underling with another deep bow. “It does not come under your direct orders but there are some freeriders who follow the lizards in the mountains.”
Ramkalla looked up sharply, “Freeriders you say?” he said. “That is most unpleasant news. That first batch of them killed my best warriors.”
“Yes, master,” said the simpering subordinate.
“How many of them and do they appear powerful?” went on the chieftain and looked at his hireling with steady black eyes as he fingered the little knife at his side.
“Four master, and Unglata reports that he thought one was the leader of them, the First Rider,” said the creature and took a step back and his eyes wide.
“What!” shouted Ramkalla. “Why was I not informed of this immediately. The First Rider in the mountains? There is more to this than I realized. First Thantos shows up wanting to track a group of reptiles in the mountains, then that devious Tenebrous wants to keep track of Thantos, and now the leader of the freeriders tracks the creatures as well. Why was I not informed immediately?”
The little darkling fell to his knees and raised his hands to the prayer position, “Oh great chieftain, mighty leader of the Skullbone Tribe, our scouts only just found out about this and we reported it as quickly as possible.”
“Lies!” shouted the leader of the darklings. “My orders didn’t cover these circumstances and you assumed they were outside the scope of this operation. Don’t deny it!”
“My master, forgive me,” pleaded the little darkling creature his head bowed, “I came to you as soon as I knew but our scouts did not report it to me immediately.”
“Then you are to blame for not giving them correct orders,” said Ramkalla. “Leave me alone to think for a moment.”
“Yes, master,” said the poor little servant, his legs shaking so badly he had to put his hand on the large desk to pull himself to his feet. “I await further commands,” he said stumbling out of the room, his already ashen face almost ghostly white and his hands trembling.
“I should have held out for a higher price,” said the chieftain to himself as he looked up at the stone ceiling where little sparkly minerals glinted back at him. “I should have guessed as soon as Tenebrous showed up that this was more than a simple job for the Mistress of the Abyss. I’ve been a fool again! A fool.” He snapped his fingers
