h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Winding obsidian bridges weave through the towers and over the lava. There are three levels of walkway.

A drow high guardian lands in front of Cymoril and her ward. The beast the guardian rides is a wyvern. A pair of wings are attatched to arm-like appendages braced on the floor. It's hind legs end in powerful talons. A long neck ends in a reptilian head with yellow eyes that blink across. The beast is black and scaley, and it's rider wears ornate black full-plate and bears a very sharp looking lance.

GUARDIAN 1 : "Cymoril, returned from another of your absurd green-skin hunts? And what is this pitiful excuse for a mortal you've brought back?"
The rider looks down on Skullsplitter, then the eyes in the eyeslits of the helm flicker onto the axe Cymoril has strapped across her back, then flicker back to Skullsplitter himself.

Skullsplitter looks up at guardian.

"Hi!"

Cymoril bows low to the high-guardian. The figure splutters in surprise, then it's eyes half close and it collapses off the wyvern.
Cymoril looks at the figure with surprise.
"Impossible." She turns to Skullsplitter and gives his rope a tug.
"Know you sorcery? Have you bewitched this Guardian, one of the most powerful among us?"

Skullsplitter's brow furrows in mild confusion...

"Nae," he says at length, "maybe it's cuz ah'm so scary!"

"Doubt it." Cymoril looks worried at attempts to approach the unconsious figure, but is stopped at the first step by the wyvern. After a few moments another pair of high-guardians land and dismount. One shakes his head.
GUARDIAN 2 : "I knew this would happen. I warned him against it."
GUARDIAN 3 : "Orders Sir?"
GUARDIAN 2 : "Accompany the Green-skin chaser and her new pet to the Emperor. He will be most pleased."
GUARDIAN 3 : "My Lord." He turns to the confused pair "This way."

His mount begins to lead through the obsidian walkways to the tallest tower. Meanwhile the second guardian is bringing the third to.

Skullsplitter trudges through the streets behind Cymoril, attracting curious glances from any Drow who are about.

On the highest walkway a pair of huge doors stand set into the biggest obsidian tower. Above them the two other Guardians fly onto balconies high up on the tower and enter the building. The gates are opened by a pair of Drow in red armour with longswords, and the guardian leading them dismounts and sends his mount up to the balcony with the others...

Skullsplitter attempts to feign disinterest, but even his hatred of the Drow cannot completely bury his awe.

"This is tha biggist place ah've e'er seen..." he says under his breath.

Cymoril smiles, for some reason she is pleased to have impressed her charge. A tiny part of her regrets handing the celt over to this fate, but it is crushed under the weight of decades of cruelty. If she started to get soft now, where would that leave her actions in the past? And she wasn't about to start regretting.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?"

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