Quest for the Spire of Morpheus [Mature]

[Philomel]

Standing against the horizon like a giant ogre, or an oncoming storm, or an ill-fated destiny, or anything else ominous, the tower of the Shadow Diety of Darkness could be seen for miles. Peasants cowered in its shadow, fearful of the monstrous tyrant within. He laid heavy taxes on the people he didn't have any right to ask taxes from, threatened to kill them if they did not pay, but killed them anyway. His name was Lord Mortus Gangriddidy and he was as terryfingly ugly in looks as his name suggested.

To keep with the theme of his tyrannical rule his tower was very tall, and very dark. Especially inside, where only candles were allowed, and his own special eerie blue magic flame. As he leant back in his bone white throne, that was made of bones, he surveyed his henchmen with a horribly scarred face. An old fight with his long lost (dead) wife had ended up with a large wound that slashed down his face and left one eye permanently closed. His hair was black, lank and dirty, and he was robed in black, because all evil tyrants wore black in those days. In his one good eye he had placed an enchantment to make it glow red and evil, but really it just looked like he hadn't slept a lot of the time.

A portly, huffy man ran in, clutching his sides, pushing past the various groups of shuffling henchpeople (henchpeople because of gender equality). He was short and looked a bit like a dumpling, as in the food.

"Masssterrrr," he hissed in a snake-like voice. "Masssterrrr!"

"Ah, Villanus," Lord Mortus leant forwards and waved a hand. "Come."

The dumpling shuffled forwards and threw himself, prostrating, on the ground. "Masssterrrr ... I bring newssss."

A blue flame appeared in Lord Mortus' fist. All the henchpeople began to shuffle faster, sqeauking in higher voices. They didn't like his fire. It hurt.

"What news?" Lord Mortus demanded in a loud, evil voice that dripping with evilness and sounded very evil.

"Masssterrrr," Villanus said, "I -" and he shivered. "We f-failed in kidnapping the princesssss of Sssnowbell."

Snowbell was a very magical kingdom with pixies and unicorns that could be found via an enchanted doorway in the wood nearby. It was bright, always sunny and very beautiful, where the purest of heart lived. Mortus did not like the place. He had wanted the princess to lock her in the top of his evil tower, because he had heard that is what evil people do.

"WHAT?" Lord Mortus yelled, getting to his feet. The flame in his hand became bigger. Really , it was the only magical thing he could do, but it was scary enough for Villanus to press his face deeper into the stonework and for the henchpeople to bump into each other as they scurried around blindly in fear. (Literally, blindly, as it was that dark. You had to make it dark and scary somehow, including building your evil tower stupidly tall.)

"Mmyyy Masssterrrr ..."

"UGH!"

Lord Mortus yelled like a grumpy teenager, and stamped his foot like a toddler. Lifting up his fist of flame he threw the fire far, so it arched and then landed onto one of the henchpeople. Suddenly there was light, and the fearing faces of the numerous short and tall, female and male, fat and thin henchpeople could be seen, as one of them was set alight and burnt to a crisp.

"Why? Why do I have such incompetent henchpeople!"

"Masssterrrr!" Villanus shrieked, "pleasseee! There is - there is another way for you to get power!"

"How?" Lord Mortus stared around with his one red eye. "How?!"

"The Ssspire of M-morpheussss!" Villanus hissed. "A tower of unknown origin and possibilities!"

"But what power does it hold?" Mortus asked.

"That'ssss the p-point masssterrrr. Itsss ... Unknown."

"Oh."

And he burnt someone else for the hell of it. Because he was evil.