House Of Gods 9 - Samantha Snow Page 0,67
have set foot on this realm, so we know nothing of what has happened here.”
“It is not just here,” the dragon huffed as it adjusted its uncomfortable neck. “All nine of your worlds are infected with the disease of apathy. Are you not supposed to be the leader now?”
“Yes, but as I’ve said, we have had no idea what occurs here. Tell me, why do you refer to these worlds as mine, are they not yours as well?”
The dragon made a loud noise that sounded like it could be a laugh. “Oh no, definitely not. My world is peaceful and beautiful, and far from this.”
“What is it saying?” Tannin asked anxiously.
The dragon reared its head toward him. “Tell him that I am not an it any more than he is. My name is Nidhogg.”
“He,” Tara clarified. “Said that he is from another world, one that lies outside of the nine worlds.”
“That’s impossible,” Tannin said. “There is nothing outside of the nine worlds.”
“You can tell him that he is wrong,” Nidhogg said. “There is much outside of the nine realms.
“What is your world called?” she asked.
“Dragharia.”
“And there are other dragons there?”
“Yes, countless others.”
She looked at Nidhogg’s neck, which was missing scales due to the scraping of the shackle. She saw a pile of animal bones in the corner and a dirty barrel full of water.
“How long have you been chained here?” she asked.
“More years than I can remember.”
“You are here to guard the world, are you not?”
This time when the dragon laughed, it sounded exceptionally sad. “Is that what they have told you?” He shook his massive head, and tiny puffs of warm air shot out from his nostrils. “No, I am here to guard nothing. I have been kept here merely for the twisted entertainment and hubris of those who walk above this room.
Tannin continued to watch on awaiting the answers that Tara was gathering.
“He says he has been held captive here by the obnoxious trolls we met as we came in. I believe he just wants to be freed so that he can go home to his own world.”
“The world that he says is located outside of the nine realms?”
“Yes, he calls it Dragharia.”
“And you trust that he is telling the truth?”
Tara paused and looked at Nidhogg. “I think so.”
Her response didn’t sound entirely confident, which gave Tannin hesitation about whether or not to free the giant creature and risk having them both eaten alive. But he already liked the dragon better than he liked the men upstairs, so he took a chance on it. Tannin drew his long sword out from the sheath at his hip, gripped it tightly by the hilt, and ushered his powerful magic into the metal itself. Then he wielded it with a giant thrust against the shackle so hard that the reverberation alone made him lose his grip and sent him reeling backward. But the sword had done its job, and the shackle popped open, releasing Nidhogg from his lengthy captivity.
Tara quickly picked up the sword and ran to Tannin to help him to his feet as they both watched the dragon stretch its wings to an enormous breadth. Nidhogg reached his neck up to the ceiling of the dim cavern and thrashed his tail back and forth. At first look, he was a frightful and impressive looking dragon, and all of his stretching and shaking about was intimidating to see and easily mistaken as aggression. But after he had stretched, he stood in front of them both and bowed his giant head in deep appreciation.
“Thank you.”
“What can you tell us about Niflheim?” Tannin asked the dragon directly, which surprised Tara.
“You can hear him now?” she asked.
Nidhogg answered for him, “I choose who I wish to hear me,” he said. “Your mate proved his trustworthiness when he broke me free from my shackles. As for this place, there is nothing here of value for you. The beings here are harsh and cruel. They have been sent here thanks to the pestilence of their own lives. I know that you seek to rule the nine worlds as one, but this realm is not worth ruling over at all.”
“All of the realms must be presided over equally,” Tara said. “Without a united rule, there will be continued strife for Yggdrasil and the unity of the worlds. Even this barren realm must fall into its place with the others.”
“I wish you luck then,” Nidhogg said. “It is a fool’s errand.”
“Where will you go?” Tara asked the