The tall black human yanked on Gaulirax' chain a little, snickering rudely as the trio passed through the glittering tunnels of the Gem Deeps. Many of the huge vaulting caverns still retained an un-worked sort of feeling, not because the dwarves had become lazy or unorganized in their delving, but because long ago they had chosen to let the shape of the sloping tunnels and cave-side stairs follow the natural shapes of the massive geodes and shiny seams of gems. Many were simple quartz in a variety of colours, the druzy worthless when mined but astonishing to behold. 

[b][color=00a99d]"Then yer a DEAF slave. I called yer a lizard, norra sheep!"[/color][/b] The dwarf struck Gaul across his tail with a square mace, purposefully picking a spot that wasn't vital but would hurt like hell.

Upon passing certain tunnels that sloped outwards towards the surface, the warm salty breeze from the sea blustered in, leaving moisture on the worked stone around them to feed moss and shrooms that glimmered with their own light. Other times, the faint breath of wind was earthy and faintly perfumed like the jungle all around the base of the Ash Peak.

But Gaulirax would not feast his eyes on the outside world for over an hour. It took that long to trek up the inside of the volcano, through the subterranean city that was just as strange and beautiful as what lay on the outside, just in different ways. Eventually the tunnels grew much wider and even more ornate, with carvings on every surface. While the dwarves prefered logical, geometric designs, the architecture and artwork near the balconies was meant for a different audience. Here the carvings and gem-studded mosaics were more organic in design, insinuating various wildscapes and depicting dragon silhouettes. 

Here, the massive scaled masters of the peak strolled through the expansive corridors, their deep tones growling through the shadows. Dragon faces of every colour turned to peer briefly as Gaulirax was marched by on the end of his leash. Most concealed their reactions well, but some sneered openly, and the half-breed would hear the word 's'karawtem', which meant mongrel.

They passed huge doors that lead to the dragon's individual chambers. Many had an attendant stationed outside, and it was not uncommon for any one dragon to have a household staff similar to lord and ladies the world over, be they employees, servants, or slaves purchased outside the city. The huge metal-reinforced stone doors were meant to imply power and wealth. At the apex of the engraved frame, a stylized lightning bolt identified the owner as one of the Shochra clan.

A female dwarf stationed at the doors sqaured her stocky shoulders and challenged the black-bearded dwarf in their native tongue, eyeing Gaulirax suspiciously. The dwarf replied arrogantly, jerking his thumb at the dragonkin over his shoulder. The female dwarf scowled and set her hands on her hips for a moment, but then moved to the side to let them pass.

The tunnel beyond the doors sloped ever upwards, lit with slow-burning oil lanterns. The black basalt corridor opened up into a large kidney-shaped cavern. One end a pair of doors similar to the underground entrance were open inwards, revealing a balcony and the blackness of the night sky. Much of the room was decorated by a seam of blue-white crystals lining the wall and ceiling. It had been incorporated into a carving of a huge Shochra diving out of roiling stormclouds at a tiny three-masted ship. 

And in the center of the room a blue-scaled figure reclined lazily on her side like a smug cat, speaking pleasantly with a rather business-like red-bearded dwarf. As far as dragons went, Keraunilath was not a beauty. Her dark blue scales faded to a rather matte black along her spine. Her wing membranes were a rather colourless gray with several tatters in the edges. She had the slender neck and tail that was considered 'feminine' in her kind, but her limbs in general were rather knobby rather than gracefully curving. Her black horns tilted towards each other at their tips, and her face was bony. Turning towards the newly-arrived trio, the mere motion of her snout caused her company to stop speaking. There was a scent in the air like ozone after a heavy summer thunderstorm. She lifted a wing slowly, making room for a slender tan-skinned human girl who was scrubbing at her scales with a stiff bristle-brush. The young woman glanced shyly at Gaulirax before resuming her work. She was dressed in almost as little as the dragonkin, her chest and groin covered by scanty blue silk.

[color=0072bc][b]"Ah. My fiesty little pit fighter. You look like a sow ready for the slaughter. At least now I know why Rathrid keeps asking for more food for you. Come, join us. It's been too long since we last spoke."[/b][/color] 

She sniffed haughtily and tapped the stone floor near her with an imperious claw. The black-skinned man unfastened the chain from Gaulirax' collar and shoved him forwards.