A heart beats in the breast of a mortal or a majestic celestial being, he cannot defend himself against the overwhelming power of emotion. Even the cold mind cannot at times extinguish the blazing flames that flare up in the heart because, as a sage once said, every strength is also a sore spot. The heart of Harwadus, a powerful mage of an ancient lineage of famous mages of Feo, was seized by the lust for power. And he could find no rest day or night, but was tormented by thoughts of ruling the world. Even in his youth, Harwadus tried desperately to understand his predestination by looking into the mirror of fate and trying to glimpse the future in the murky waters of the rivers of time, but nowhere could he find an answer. He felt the power of magic fill his body with its blissful warmth, growing stronger every day and opening up new abilities in which he surpassed the other wizards. The wizard believed in his uniqueness and, in defiance of all the laws of the universe, placed himself on an equal footing with the gods. His heart hardened, oozing malice and hatred, it lay in the chains of an irresistible desire - the will to power. Harwadus saw only one way to achieve his goal - the theft of a powerful artefact. The right to use this artefact was held only by the great dragon mistress, the wonderful Sheara. With the help of the Dragon Mistress' sacred tablet, he hoped to gain inexhaustible power, which only the great dragons possess, to bring all of Feo to its knees, making him the sole ruler. And Harwadus found supporters. Some were tempted by treasures and heavenly goods promised to them by the cunning sorcerer, others wanted to gain strength and power, and the rest cherished the hope in their hearts of taking power themselves.
 

 

The battle mages who possessed the secrets of the elements and watched over the artefact committed treason by allowing Harwadus and his allies to steal the tablet. On that day, many brave warriors posted to protect the artefact fell, the halls of the celestial expanses were stained with the blood of the slain victims. Harwadus had triumphed. In his hands was a priceless treasure, which he used immediately. Forever casting off the human face, the sorcerer's body was transformed into a dragon, scales covered with fire. To strengthen the power of his followers, the treacherous wizard transformed his most worthy allies into dragons: the greedy and cruel Terrenus, the insidious Savorid and the bloodthirsty Lavrid. Only the suspicious Kofur, the only one of the mages whom Harwadus trusted unreservedly, refused to turn into a dragon. However, the dreamy plans about the mage's power were not destined to come true. The enraged Sheara was beside herself when she learned of the theft of the sacred artefacts. Using her divine power, she stripped the traitors of their magical gifts and imprisoned them in one of the worst places in the world - an ancient fortress whose entrances and exits were sealed with indestructible magical incantations. She condemned the dragon mages and their helpers to eternal banishment within the damp walls of the terrible castle. Eternity in ignorance and loneliness in the fortress of the exiles - that was the great Sheara's punishment for those who had let themselves be carried away into cowardly treachery and attacked the rule of the world.

 

 

The fallen magician could not accept the fate chosen for him by the goddess. For many centuries, bit by bit, he gathered and increased the remnants of magical energy still in his great body. Sheara had robbed him of his power, but she could not take away his magic as a whole, it permeates the body so much that even if it is taken away, it leaves smouldering patches. Harwadus accumulated the remnants of the spells year after year, drop by drop he filled his dragon body with it, feeling it grow in strength in every cell. The thirst for revenge, fierce hatred and inexhaustible anger supported in him the determination to get back the former power. His devoted advisor, the mage-vizier Kofur, was always beside his master and ready to support him. The curse that weighed on his soul forever changed the appearance of the wizard. The exterior of Kofur, who silently wandered the halls of the fortress, became similar to an undead. For the other dragon mages, too, the years of imprisoned exile did not remain without traces. Remorse was alien to them. In the dark caves of the castle vault they collected particles of magical elements with which they saturated their being in order to revive mind and body. And the day came when the captive Harwadus and his allies regained their former powers. The dragon mages broke through the previously unshakable spells that had held them in place and escaped the walls of their prison to take revenge on their oppressors. However, they did not want to repeat the mistakes of the past and risk everything, so they were in no hurry to leave the fortress of the exiles. What was once their prison, they turned into their home.

 

 

 

 

And to this day, Harwadus thirsts to pour out his rage and fury on the inhabitants of Feo who dared not submit to his will. A terrible death awaits all who approach the fortress alone. Giant, winged beasts guard the entrances to the fortress and circle the castle as black shadows. The intricate labyrinths of the fortress are protected by powerful battle mages, adepts of the elements who have remained loyal to Harwadus. It is said that fabulous treasures are hidden within the walls of the fortress, but few people are ever lucky enough to see them as long as the strongest of all dragon mages and his allies live there.