Arztschlange inspired awe even in repose.

Vast and foreboding, the lonely bones of the ancient dragon held their eternal vigil in the depths of the foul valley. A noxious miasma emanated from the remains of the great beast, swirling and eddying in sickly, scarcely-visible tendrils. Atzar Kellon suppressed a gag, the fell stench overpowering even outside the vale. He stood near William peering into the gloom, their goal. He had learned quickly that idle conversation was neither a strength nor an interest for the revenant. So he looked on in silence, fingertips correcting a wind-blown strand of long black hair as it strayed across his face.

Their mission was simple in scope: create a way into the realm of the Horseman of Pestilence and kill him. Atzar would use his magic to establish a link from Dragon’s Folly into the fell land. Once he completed that task?

Withstand the corruption and survive.

When William had approached him, the wizard accepted the undertaking with little hesitation. There was danger, but he trusted his strength; he could take care of himself, and perhaps others if need be. And the potential reward matched the risk. He knew, as did the world, that the domains of dragons bowed under the weight of the riches they held; if not gold and jewels, then the scales and bones of the beast itself. And if he earned fame and goodwill for cleansing the world of a danger? So much the better.

He fought back another gag, this one accompanied by a brief feeling of nausea. He needed to do something about the rancid aura surrounding him. Already it threatened to overturn his stomach, and they hadn’t even entered the haze yet. Fortunately, the capabilities of magic were varied, and the mage had an idea.

A pocket of fresh air coalesced around his face, and greedily he sampled its sweetness. It didn’t completely block the pestilence, of course. Faint traces still assaulted his senses, and the foul embrace of the fumes made his flesh crawl. And it required focus. It drained only minimal energy, but he would not be able to defend himself and maintain his bubble at the same time. Sooner or later, he would be forced to face the full brunt of the miasma.

But for now, it made life just a little easier, and it was with a higher spirit that he waited for William’s signal to advance.