Fan Fiction: Verag

by Dave Dooley

Introduction to Verag

"Alright class, open your text books, HeroQuest's Quest Book, to page four and five. Here you will see the floor plan for Fellmarg's Catacombs. Silently be reading Mentor's parchment on page five to yourselves. Next we will be reading a story written by Dave Dooley about the gargoyle mentioned in the text, entitled "Trial", by the name of Verag. Class, do you know who Dave Dooley is?"

One very excited young boy, Eddie, raises his hand franticly "Me! Me! I know!"

The teacher calls on the girl next to him, "Suzy?"

"He's an author."

"Yes, but can you add something to that, George?"

"He wrote a story about Verag." The teacher was a little annoyed. By this time Eddie is about to pop.

"Alright, Eddie, who do you think Mr. Dooley is?"

Eddie puts his hand down and sits dumbfounded. Actually he didn't know who Dooley was. "He..." It was plain that he didn't know.

"Go to the principal's office!"

Verag

As the rain falls upon him, Verag can feel it wash away his mental demons. Night storms always soothe his mind. For hours he sits in the gale, eyes facing the violent sky. Quickly, his attention snaps to a new point. Was there no rest for him?

Verag sits watching the four intruders from his perch, the roof of Barak Tor's highest tower. He had flown to the spire not to watch for trespassers but to clear his mind. A lot is on it now that the war has begun. Once again he would be called to strike in the name of Morcar.

This sorry excuse for a raiding party is pathetic. Do they plan on just walking right in?

Lightning cracks its whip deep inside a thunderhead. Rain pours down relentlessly. Verag looks at a stone spout fashioned in the shape of a deformed head, mouth gaping open letting the rain pour out and away from the castle. How much more was he? As a gargoyle he had been fashioned from stone to do his masters bidding. The spout was the same way; only their jobs were different.

Once again Verag turns his attention to his attackers. The stupid fools were now scaling the wall to the first window. Verag supposed they had some way to get past the bars that it contained. No matter. They would not reach it.

For a moment he watches them pull their small bodies up their rope. He wonders what motivates them so. They can't possibly think that they can kill all the inhabitants of his castle. And it would be beyond belief if these characters thought they could use stealth to accomplish their goal. Verag wonders whether he is procrastinating or if his thoughts are so important that he lets them scale nearly all the way to the window. Either way, he need not worry.

The massive gargoyle stands. He pauses for a moment. Something had crossed his mind but like a slippery worm had left before he had time to grasp its nature. Verag shakes it from his head. It was time to feel the warmth of blood on his claws once again. Like switchblades his enormous wings spread.

Verag dives from the tower's top. He drops gaining great speed. Then, just before reaching terminal velocity, he swoops up and over. Now he is flanking his prey, coming from behind and below. He rockets upward. Up and past the "heroes" he climbs, much to their dismay. He perches in the window and draws his sword.

The sound of his voice calls from deep within the cavern of his mountainous chest, "Do you still wish to climb into this window, foolish humans? No? Then I shall help you down." With that he cuts their rope.

How helpless they look to Verag. With no wings to fly they simply drop. The terror in their eyes as they plummet is a mystery to the gargoyle. The screams they loose as they realize the swiftness of death's coming cause Verag to wonder at the endless curiosities of human behavior. One thing was for certain; these humans would not live to see past the one hundred thirty foot drop that not so long ago they were glad to be climbing. Foolish humans. He watches as they hit.

His next annoyance will be to have the goblins clean up the mess on the entryway's stone floor. Perhaps he would let the wolves have it. Yes, he decided, I will see the wolves feast well tonight.

Already he could hear their howls above the tempest.