“Dewe am nu gweatah teachah, den defeat. Fo’ defeat am dah most honest teachah 'ou wiww ebah know”
[A quote from Tethius, during one of his lectures]
Running at the exposed renegade, I tried my best to get to them before Enoch was harmed. But I wasn’t fast enough as they got closer and closer to Enoch and he started to turn, with a face of horror on both his and Gusto’s face. I was looking away in horror and disgrace when I heard the slice, but then a few seconds before looking back I heard one of the guards speaking.
“Gwandpwiest!”
What!? Looking I see what had happened I see that Enoch was safe, with him on the ground completely unharmed. But Gusto… He had a sword plunged deep in his upper left shoulder with blood all over him. He must have pushed Enoch out of the way. Only a few seconds later I saw Charles running ahead of me, sword and hand. The Renegade had a look of horror and shock as he tried to get his sword out of Gusto but it was to late as Charles swung at him from behind leaving a cut so deep, the renegade was almost decapitated. Now with the Renegade bleeding out, screaming can be heard as I, the rest of the guards and Enoch and Tethius make there way to Gusto.
Once there it doesn’t look good, Gusto had his hoove over the wound and was bleeding out rapidly, one of the guards speaks.
“Deaw Anu! nu wowwy siw we wiww heaw yo-”
Gusto sways his unoccupied hand and looks at Enoch speaking the best he could.
“C- C- Come…”
Enoch kneels down next to him, with trying to hold back tears as Gusto speaks holding his hoove.
“Enoch- O- O- 'Ou cant wet Tuwwos take dah fwone. Tuwwos am a puppet, he destwoyed dah pawace. Giben ideas fwom someone ewse.”
Enoch’s face is filled with shock hearing this (Did neither Tethius or Gusto tell him!?) And my unit as well were in shock with them silent. What did he mean by Tullos is a puppet wasn’t he behind all of this? Enoch takes a deep breath and looks a Gusto and he speaks, one last time.
“Speak to Tethius ow wead my… Jouwnaw in dah cawwiage, it wiww expwain aww. Huh- Huh- Huh- Mummah, Fathah… Gusto am wetuwnin.”
And with that there is a sudden silence as Tethius now also sit’s besides Gusto, and he closes his eyes, his breathing stopping and passes along into paradise.
Enoch looks at the corpse for around 10 seconds before looking at Tethius who was preforming a silent prayer and speaks to him.
"What Gusto said, was dis twue?
Tethius gives a silent nod and Enoch speaks again, this time with a slightly raised voice.
“Why nu did 'ou teww me dis! Tuwwos he did dis, why did gusto say dis whiwe at Stabwewot. We maybeh stiww be dewe wite nao if he did!”
Tethius get’s up and speaks.
“Gusto nu did wan’ to wuin stwongwings weputation, said that dewe wewe sebewaw membews that wewe wikewy not inbowbed, an’ wouwd be needed to hewp 'ou.”
Enoch starts getting up looking at us and speaking.
“We can not wet Gusto’s passin’ be in bain. We must head to dah estate at once an’ wegwoup, an’ begin pwannin’ fuwthah action. we nu hab much time.”
Now we were all back on the wagon and began moving again, this time though there was an deafening silence as also in the wagon was Gusto’s covered body. Dar speaks looking down at his sword.
“What did hr mean Tuwwos was behind dah pawace cowwapse, dammit! fiwst dah city feww nao dis, Daw feews wike whewe goin’ to hab ouw necks at dah end of wope befowe cowd time am fwooh.”
Ix speaks.
"C’mon Dar just give it a rest, when we get to the estate we can ask Tethius for answers! And who knows, there might be support for Enoch outside of Stablelot "
Charles now also speaks, with him seeming the most calm out of all of us.
“Yeah, an’ who Innah Motow isn’t dah onwy pwace we can buiwd suppowt. Maximus an’ wuwaw awea’s wub dah doe dynasty. Dey wiww suwewy come to ouw aid.”
After a few more seconds Dar speaks in the direction of me.
“What’s am thoughts about dis webewation Emiwy? 'ou’be been pwetty siwent.”
I think about if I want to say something, and for a moment I’m about to. But pull myself back just shaking my head at Dar and he seems to understand.
For the next 2 hours we head northwest until we reached the estate, it was pretty hidden all things considered. With no buildings surrounding it and large trees making it hard even for the wagon and carriage to get there. Once at the gate I could see Tethius leave and go up speaking loudly.
“Open dah doow, we know ‘ou hab Gusto’s wettew, an’ whewe hewe wiff dah king!”
We could see two guards look down at us for a few moments, before one of them speaks.
“I wecognize 'ou Tethius. Whewe am gusto, stiww in stabwewot?”
“Dead”
There is silence with that word, and a few moments later the gate opens and we are allowed to enter. When we do I can see the estate for the first time, it was a large wooden one story building with a flat roof and having multiple windows. There were also several other buildings as well, with them mostly being for the guards of the estate. As the wagon and carriage stopped we got out and were met by three guards with only one not wearing a helmet, a unicorn stallion with a dark green coat and light black mane. He speaks.
“My name am Netwin, am dah captain of dah guawd at dah shady estate. Am majesty, his famiwy an’ Tethius may 'ou fowwow me. Ebewyone ewse dewe am bawwacks to dah most souff east point of dah estate.”
After that they all left, and despite a bit of annoyance that we couldn’t speak to Tethius. we followed our orders heading to the barracks.
For the rest of the day it was spent in silence, with us only speaking a tiny bit for the remainder of the day. During the next day it was mostly the same but we were told that once it night a funeral would be held to Gusto and we would be there. I also started noticing a change in temperature, even though it was still cold, the worst was over and I even saw a bit of melting as I familiarized myself with the Estate. Now as the hours passed the sun was setting and it came time to begin Gusto’s final rites, and cremation. As we began to make our way there, something strange started going on. More and more I saw guards running to the gate and less than 10 seconds after noticing this one of them approached us speaking.
“What am 'ou doing, dewe ‘s an awmy appwoachin’ dah gate!”
WHAT! Completely shocked Charles quickly speaks.
“Who weads dis awmy, am dewe any stwongwin’ symbows!” (Those symbols including Excalibur, Soul, Two black wings, The Green Roof coat of arms, or a green roof guard)
The guard speaks to us again, sounding a bit confused.
“Nu, It’s symbows of bweadbasket.” (Breadbasket symbols include mostly fluffies harvesting food, or one of there leaders)
We began running over to the gate seeing what was going on, with me being able to recognize Tethius, Netrin and reverend at the gate. Now there I’m able to see the army, with it being well over a thousand fluffies strong. Than looking at the front of the army I see it’s… Commander? He was a colt being only a few months old, with him having a neutral yellow coat, and a silver mane. He wore expensive looking clothing, and wore a crown that in no way fitted his head. The colt began making his way up to the door on his Raccoon, and Tethius spoke.
“Who am 'ou, what do ‘ou wan’!”
The colt stopped, looking up to us speaking with a smug grin.
“Oh nu wowwy, Duke Baastu doesn’t wish to cause 'ou hawm. I wish to speak to his majesty, I wish fo’ an awwiance.”
Hearing this Tethius looks annoyed for a second, like a grandparent getting annoyed at a noisy grandchild. Than he stops and put’s a hoove over his mouth, and starts thinking and I’m able to hear him speak under his breath.
“Dis cowt has obah 1000 sowdiews wiff him…”
Finally after a few moments Tethius looks at the gate commander speaking in a stern tone.
“Wet dah duke in, he may onwy bwin his bodyguawds.” Fin
Thank you for reading my story! I hope to have the next part done in a few day’s to a week, and of course constructive criticism is appreciated. May you have a good day!