Talscor's Arc

Chapter 1 of 1

Talscor crouched at the valley's edge and watched the empty plain below. Zedd's army would march there soon—hundreds of Tainted Tar soldiers moving as one. He would lead them. The thought made his claws flex. This was his purpose. This was what he was meant to do. He descended into the underground chamber where the army waited. The air grew thick and hot. Tar bubbled in massive pits—black, green, and dark purple pools stretching into the darkness. Ancient druidic symbols glowed faint on the stone walls. Something evil stirred beneath the surface, bound by old magic that would soon break. Talscor walked to the largest pit and raised his clawed hand. The tar rippled. Shapes began to rise—twisted forms of soldiers ready to obey. Victory in Cutlass Valley was close now. All he had to do was give the command. But first, he needed more tar. The army would consume vast amounts as they marched. Talscor moved to the crude contraption at the chamber's far end—a prehistoric machine with bladed injectors that could harvest the tar from deep below. He gripped the lever and pulled. The machine groaned. Metal scraped against stone. The injectors plunged into the pit and began to draw up thick streams of tainted tar. The receptacle collector filled quickly, its chambers glowing with dark energy. Talscor watched the tar flow and felt his heart pound. He would lead Zedd's army across Cutlass Valley. He would crush everything in their path. This was his moment, and nothing would stop him now. The collection finished with a hiss. Talscor climbed back up through the stone tunnel to the surface. Dawn broke over Cutlass Valley, painting the sky red. He walked across the barren ground until he reached the towering spike ahead. The Nexus of Dread rose from the earth like a stone fang. Its blood-colored aura pulsed in the morning light. This was where his army would gather. This was where they would receive their orders before the march began. Talscor placed both clawed hands on the monolith and felt its power run through him. Today, he would become what Zedd needed him to be—a commander of destruction.