The desert was quiet, seemingly as if all the inhabitants were hiding from something...or someone. It was hotter then usual, simply because there was an active volcano nearby. Any sane person would not be anywhere near such a place, but in the distance a single black dot was moving up the volcanoes base.

The figure was not bipedal, moving upwards on four claw-like limbs. It featured two large wings, but seemed to not want to use them for some reason. Its sockets were devoid of eyes, but a faint red glow radiated from them. It had no skin; rather its bones were its only attributes. It was obviously undead, but its intentions were unknown.

'My master....Why did you leave me here?' a voice whispered, mixing in with the winds sound. 'Do I not deserve death, just as you did? I am lost without you, I have no purpose...' The voice spoke again, seeming to come from the creature.

When the thing reached the top of the volcano, it looked down into its inferno...seeing its own fate. 'I have no purpose; my master has abandoned me for the afterlife. I must join him, for my life cannot continue without a master...' The creature thought before taking a step forward, ready to meet his end inside of a heated death.

The Anfauglir Desert seemed to be the only place of true intterest to the infamous Jack of Blades. Three-hundred years ago this is the place where he had his original base. It had resembled a fortress, and towered like a castle. it was located near an active volcano, a magical channel had run beneath the sands so that he could activate the volcano and quickly melt his enemies. It was here that he was defeated, and it was here that he had ruled. His defeat was brought in the burning sun that radiated it's heat and blinded the guards, allowing his enemies inside.

In these burning lands he would not make the same mistake again, this would not be the location of his next base. Perhaps it would be located on Isilpe, or he could overtthrow Lomedor. For now he would not worry about it until the time neared. The volcano had increased the heat and Jack of Blades looked it over in it's monsterous glory. Very few of Jack of Blades' enemies mananged to get through his strategically placed 'fortress.' Perhaps he would place it in the underworld so he would have the alliance of demons beside him.

A moment passed, and though his face was covered by his white mask he could see the light, and the full scale of the volcano. He could see a black speck make it's way up the side of the volcano's mouth. It seemed to be an undead beast, most likley draconic. It's darkened corpse seemed to show a capacity for evil and this interested Jack of Blades. He would need powerful allies, and this was a beast he would require, one without life and an eternity of afterlife. He headed up to the mouth of the volcano.

"My master....Why did you leave me here?" Jack of Blades could hear a whisper mized amongst the burning winds that the towering volcano spewed. There was nowhere it could come from other than the undead dragon. "Do I not deserve death, just as you did? I am lost without you, I have no purpose..." The voice seemed familiar to the masked Jack of Blades, yet at the same time he couold not remember it's origin. When he finally reached the top of th volcano he saw the undead dragon and quietly approached it.

"I have no purpose; my master has abandoned me for the afterlife. I must join him, for my life cannot continue without a master..." The dragon seemed depressed, from what it said it's depression seemed to come from a recent loss of it's former master. If it fell into the volcano Jack of Blades may lose a powerful ally, he had to speak up. "A shadow dragon of such great power and eternal life seeks to end it's existance due to the loss of a master?" His voice rang over the roar of the volcano. "It is truly a sorrowful sight, such weakness in such a great beast. You could find a new master, yet you mourn the loss of a former one."

It finally struck him where he had heard the voice before, this was a beast he had come across when he was still a hero, he fought it and won. He had then seen it again during his strike on Arda. It's name was Sekolath and he could not help to be amazed, but it was hidden beneath his mask. "So Sekolath, which master's death has thrown you into weakness? What death has sent your might quivering in sorrow?"

It is truly a sorrowful sight, such weakness in such a great beast. You could find a new master, yet you mourn the loss of a former one

The creature looked back to see a white and red masked figure responding to his vocalized thoughts, seeming to mock his predicament like it was amusing to his eyes. This angered the dragon, but he soon lost the emotion....feelings of dread overwhelming it.

"I could look, but what point is there? This world is ever changing, different rulers for every generation. This world is in ever present chaos, no order whatsoever. And because of this, I have no real place in this world, I need to find peace" the undead monstrosity spoke, its words echoing into the man's mind.

So Sekeolath, which master's death has thrown you into weakness? What death has sent your might quivering in sorrow?

The dragon, Sekeolath, looked up at the man angrily. "My master, the watcher who sees....saw all, has been destroyed by a mere mortal. He was my life, my focus...and now he is gone" it said, anger and sorrow controlling his thoughts. Sekeolath then looked up abruptly. "I know you....you were that annoying warrior who vanquished me so long ago. You are, but stronger...darker." Sekeolath remembered that day, the day that his life ended....the day he first found peace.

Many years ago, Sekeolath was a living wyrm shadow dragon that terrorized many a village and stole many maidens in his time. He held himself up in nearby mountains, only coming out at nightfall to hunt for his food. After a particularly pleasant night, Sekeolath came back with three young maidens and hid them inside of his cavern.

Unlike what most people think, Sekeolath did not eat young women or anything of the like. He merely wanted company and a quick minded companion. He did kill most of them, but that was because they were either quick to insult him or weren't smart in any sense. He did however let most of them free, with much reluctance.

One day, while the old dragon relaxed on his pile of treasures, a human entered his domain and challenged him to a fight. Sekeolath was a mighty opponent, but was killed after a heated battle.

After this, Sekeolath slept in his coma of death for many years, until a strong willed lich animated him inside of a wyrmling's skeletonal corpse. He was grateful, and served the lich for twenty years. But not so much as a month ago, Sekeolath felt the rumble of pain and sorrow in the pit of his soul. He felt his master's death, and had no more purpose.

These memories haunted the wyrm, but he shook it off before looking back to the man. "I know you, the great Jack of Blades....and I hold no grudge for what you did to me...but I must leave you now, my master awaits me" Sekeolath spoke softly before taking a few slow steps closer to the awaiting inferno.

"So that is the reason you carry on in sorrow? The death of an undead lich? Once you were strong, now you are weak and pitiful, sacrificing your life so you can quicken the trip to the afterlife. I remember, in the past when I was still filled with delusions of Justice. You were powerful, you took what you wanted and killed whomever got in your way. But now, just because of the death of a former master, you throw your life into oblivion. But you will find no peace here, for during your sleep this is where I originaly held Arda in darkness, killing yourself here will not take you into the afterlife, it may even prolong your pain. This is also where I fell to a wizard and a demon and yet I live on, but I do not quake in fear of a life without a former master, no, I embrace it! But you... you have grown weak from your coma of death, perhapas you must be reminded of why you were truly returned, it was not to serve or even like your summoner in the least, but to bring about darkness to Arda. Throwing yourself into that pit of fire will not save your already trapped soul, where do you think it will go? Nowhere, your soul has already been taken from the afterlife, and it is on rare occasion that it returns." Jack of Blades voiced his mind in anger and pity for what once was the mighty Sekolath. He would not let the powerful beast fall into the pit of lava, and for some reason Jack of Blades did not lie, every word that was uttered from beneath his mask was of the truth, and this undead dragon would need to hear it in order to realize what it had become. But if this was the mental strength of it than it was a useless burden.

"Fine, throw yourself into the boiling pits, but you will find no peace! All you will find is darkness and eternal suffering. You may not hold me in resentment but you obviousley hold your weakness a far great source than your true power ever was. I suppose you would be terrified if you were to see an insect crawl across the ground beneath your claws? Or even fear a gust of wind that howls in the night? You have grown weak, and pathetic! And obviousley nothing will change that. All you will find will been ash, darkness, and possibly contemplation of your own self-pity and endless sorrow. If it was to take a death of a 'loved one' to destroy Arda I would start with the royal family of Lomedor! But sadly for the rest of this pathetic planet that would not be the case, it would only grow anger from their pitiful souls! So if you truly wish it, than by all means, end your weakness and cast your undead corpse into the firey oblivion! But you will know no peace in what you want!" Jack of Blades held his breath and awaited a response, he hoped for one of anger.

Sekeolath took in the words of wisdom, and hatefully understood them. The man was correct, this was not what his former self would do. If he were alive, he would have killed his master's murderer....and his family...perhaps even his hometown! "You....you are right. I need no master, I am my own master. I have served him for many years, that is enough to pay him back for returning me to life" Sekeolath spoke mildly loudly, feeling his mental power returning...his reason coming back to him.

I suppose you would be terrified if you were to see an insect crawl across the ground beneath your claws? Or even fear a gust of wind that howls in the night? You have grown weak, and pathetic! And obviousley nothing will change that. All you will find will been ash, darkness, and possibly contemplation of your own self-pity and endless sorrow.

"No....no! I am strong, I only need a focus! I hold no fear, but I see my weakness now. I have hated you for many a decade, but I am in your debt as of this moment...What might I do for you Jack?" Sekeolath asked quietly, sounding like a calm breeze in the man's mind.

Sekeolath's mind was growing sharp, and filled with hate. He needed a purpose, something to calm his anger and pain. He needed a master, or at the least an ally. He didn't like killing for no apparent reason, but would gladly do it if advised to. It just seemed to ease the regrets....making him enjoy it even.

Sekeolath wanted to help Jack, he wanted to bring pain to those who deserve pain. He wanted revenge, to kill the man who killed his master. He wanted......death for all who deserved to die. Sekeolath smirked at that thought. 'Sad....it sounds like I'm a executioner....perhaps I am' the undead wyrm thought evilly before returning his attention to Jack.