“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet”
[Matthew 24:6]
[Pov Charles]
After day’s of non stop travel we were approaching Bomber Bay, the last known location of WingScratch. Getting a wagon for the journey was actually pretty easy. With us being seen as hero’s in Outer Glow, the mayor generously offered us one with a load of supplies as well once hearing of our quest. As we passed the forest Ix spoke, with her sitting right next to me.
“It’s good we haven’t run into any of those “Uncivilized” Tribal’s I heard about, they stories I’ve heard…”
Ozymandias seeing that a conversation had started, speaks.
“How am we eben goin’ to find dis biwd Chawes? dewe’s a whowe wot of wand, an’ not many of us.”
I speak a bit annoyed, answering Ozymandias’s question.
“Fo’ wike dah twewfff time Ozymandias! We wiww wook fo’ a few day’s, see if dewe am any weads. An’ if not we cwoss out WingScwatch’s name, an’ head back to book a ship fo’ Maximus.”
I sigh and think to myself. How were we going to find her? There is a whole lot of forest, and lot’s of places to hide. And who say’s that WingScratch will even want to help us? I look back at the road, my mind focused on getting us to Bomber Bay.
Once we arrive at the city, I see the gate already opened. This wasn’t my first time here, but every time I come to this place I is still shocking. Once the Wagon and Raccoon had been settled we entered the city, and by the amazed looks of Ozymandias I knew it was his first time here. Ix speaks.
“I’m going to look around for info, Tavern maybe? Charles you think the mayor might know anything?”
I speak.
“Maybe, a Tawon membah hidin’ hewe wouwd be quite impowtant to know. Chawwes wiww ask them. Ozymandias come, wet’s go!”
As we walked throughout the market, Ozymandias took his time to admire the unique buildings of bomber Bay. The large metal pipes they were, able to house dozens of people in just one. Making our way to the tallest building of bomber Bay (And the Mayor’s residence) A guard came up to us, speaking.
“What bwings ‘ou hewe woyaw guawd? An’ who am dis?”"
I speak.
“Fwuffy am wiff me, Chawwes just wan’'s a quick wowd wiff dah Mayow.”
The guard nods and speaks.
“Fowwow fwuffy.”
entering the building, the place looked more like a barracks than the home of a city Mayor. With weapon and armor stands in plain sight, and many rooms dedicated for the housing of guards. Once we arrived at the door of the Mayor’s private room, the guard knocked and spoke.
“Mayow Fwyby, we hab a woyaw guawd that wants to see 'ou!”
I heard the voice of a mare on the other side of the door speak.
“Weawwy? Wet them in at once!”
The guard opens the door and we head inside, and sitting at a desk I see the Mayor. She was a Pegasus that had a bright orange coat with a light brown mane. She wore a leather jacket, with a strange hat. It being some sort of leather helmet that didn’t fit her, with goggles placed above her eyes. She speaks.
“One of dah King’s sewbants? What do ‘ou nee’?”
I speak.
“Chawwes am wookin’ fo’ a Puffie Gwiffon said to be in these wands. WingScwatch am hew name.”
Flyby had a hint of stress on her face, and speaks in a respectful tone.
“Wook if ‘ou am hewe, Fwyby knows it’s impowtant. Buh fwuffy hab nu idea whewe dis tawon membah eben am. Causin’ newbes fwoughout dah city, an’ those mewcenawies awen’t makin’ it any bettew… She pwobabwy awweady weft, that sightin’ was wong time ago.”
I speak, sounding a bit desperate.
“Do 'ou know whewe dah cawabannews saw hew, at weast.”
Flyby gives a quick answer.
“West”
I speak as I begin heading back out.
“Goodbye, an’ hab nice day. Ozymandias wet’s go!”
Heading back out, I felt a bit defeated. Almost nothing useful! I began making my way back to the markets as Ozymandias spoke.
“We’ww find that gwiffon, eben if we hab to stay up aww dawk time! am Ozymandias wight-”
Ix suddenly came running at us, she looked almost out of breath. Ix spoke.
“COME WE HAVE TO GO NOW, THE MERSANARIES SPOTTED HER!”
Ix began to run outside the city with us following her, I barely had any time to process what she just said. I spoke.
“What am ‘ou tawkin’ about!”
Ix speaks as we near the exit.
“I discovered it while in a Traven. The Bartender told me that a few hours ago somebody barged in, a mercenary. Saying that they spotted WingScratch!”
We exited and I speak.
“Weawwy!? Whewe did dey go?”
Ix points in the direction of the west, speaking.
“The mercenary said she was spotted a mile west. Come we have to be fast, we might be able to find her before them!”
With that we entered the forest and began to run fast as we can, us searching everywhere and Ix filling us in on a surprising detail. It seems like this bartender Tubo recognized the armor Ix was wearing and said that he met someone a few day’s back that wore the same armor, and gave a description that matched Emily. I felt happy to know that Emily and Dar were well on there way (Probably already at Chicago by now) But something striked me as a bit strange as Ix said that Tubo remembers Emily being with two other mares. We couldn’t see the mercenaries at first, but the signs of them were everywhere. All around we saw over a dozen puffy footprints, with even a few pieces of dropped equipment even being found. After around 20 minutes of more running, we were almost out of breath when suddenly we heard a high pitched voice coming over hundred feet away.
“Alexander we have been looking nonstop for almost an hour, can we just have a minute to rest!”
We all get on the ground, trying not to be seen. And this “Alexander” Speaks.
“Does it look like a give a fuck BigBeak! This is the closest lead we had in a month, I am not letting 5 years worth a wages disappear because you’re a lazy bastard!”
I hear a groan from this “BigBeak” and Ix speaks, sounding a bit happy.
“They haven’t found her yet, that’s good! Let’s go, we have to find her fast.”
Making sure to be extra quiet, we snuck around the searching mercenaries, with us trying to find any clue of where WingScratch is. Going out a bit more west me, Ix and Ozymandias separate a bit from each other, and I continue to look without any luck until I find something most interesting… I see a small hill with a stump on top, I think nothing at first But then I notice what looked to be a carving on the stump. Curious I begin to make my way up the hill, than I started hearing something to… The sound of what I think is clucking chickens, and footsteps. I was about to speak but then as I made my first steps down the hill, it caved in completely and I fell through. I was lucky enough to not be seriously harmed, but I felt so dizzy I couldn’t see at all. As I tried to get up I was thrown to the ground almost instantly, and I felt a sharp object touch my throat as voice yelled out at me.
“WHO ARE YOU, HOW DID YOU FIND THIS PLACE!”
My vision started clearing a bit, and I was greeted by a enraged puffy griffon that could only be one person, WingScratch.
from my first glimpses of her, I saw that she had muddied white feathers with a few red ones by her ears and back head. Her lower body was gray, with her wearing Talon chainmail but without any symbols or the white cloth. She continues to look at me enraged and a bit scared and finally I speak.
“Wook, Chawwes was owdewed to come hewe to sabe ‘ou! King’ Enoch was dah one who owdewed it!”
The look on her face told me she wasn’t buying it for one second, but it didn’t matter as we both heard the sounds of footsteps coming from above and I was relived to hear the voice of Ix.
“He fell through here Ozymandias, we need to save him!”
WingScratch takes a few steps back, with her looking more and more afraid. I speak.
“Chawwes am a woyaw guawd, wepwesentin’ his majesty. We nee’ to weabe dis pwace nao, befowe those mewcenawies find 'ou!”
I could now hear the footsteps stop as I look to see Ozymandias and Ix looking down on me with Ozymandias speaking.
“Am ‘ou otay’ Chawwes, that was quite dah faww!”
I speak.
“Am fine. Boff of 'ou come down hewe!”
Both Ix and Ozymandias carefully climb down and once they do, they are shocked to see WingScratch. She was still holding her sword at us, but spoke sounding a bit more understanding.
“Why did you come looking for me!”
Ix was about to speak, but than noticed WingScratch’s expression. Ix turns to me and speaks.
"Charles you can speak, we and puffies aren’t on the best of terms.
Hearing this I speak.
“Whewe wookin’ fo’ wecwuits to join dah Woyaw Guawd. Chawwes heawd ‘ou am a pwetty high wankin’ membah of dah Owdah of Tawon an’ we think that can hewp us owganize an entiwe new genewation of guawds, make them a pwopah fightin’ fowce. Does that sound gud.”
I could see WingScratch sigh as she lowers the sword and speaks.
“My rank was Deputy Major, 3rd highest in the Order. And-”
We all can hear voices coming from above.
“Come let’s go check over here!”
WingScratch looks a bit panicked and speaks.
“No time! If you want to help me, help me pack my things!”
Following WingScratch I get a first hand look at her house. It was a dug out hill, with the walls mostly being of dirt, but the floors were made of wood. And there wasn’t much in the house either, only basic appliances. Once we got to what I assume is the bedroom I can see 3 open bags, with WingScratch speaking.
“There might still be time, everything that needs to be packed is on my bed.”
We begin to pack, and less than 2 minutes later we are finished. Just as we were about to head out WingScratch speaks.
“I need to get my two chickens, I have a wagon outside.”
WingScratch leaves and as we wait Ozymandias goes to the front door and looks out. A few seconds later he looks back wide eyed and full of fear. he speaks.
“We hab a pwobwem!”
Going to the door, I hear voices coming outside and I already knew the situation we were in.
“There’s a house here Alexander!”
WingScratch comes out a few moments later carrying two chickens, and Ozymandias speaks.
“Miss Wingscwatch, dah mewcenawies am hewe!”
WingScratch yells out, looking defeated.
“Fuck I’m to late!”
I speak as I get out my sword.
“We can fite them!”
WingScratch responds.
“No you can’t! We’ll just have to leave the bags and make a run for it!”
We were but just than we heard Alexander speak.
“Surround the building at once! Than we head inside…”
WingScratch looked as if she had no idea what to do, and to be honest I felt the same. We were about to go against experienced mercenaries with us being outnumbered 3 to 1. Ix who was being silent throughout the whole emergency, strangely looks at the chickens and speaks.
“How much do you value these animals.”
WingScratch speaks in a stressed voice.
“Why!”
Ix speaks with a smile.
“I think I have an idea.”
[Pov Alexander]
We have done it, the treacherous WingScratch ends today! I look to my men and speak.
“Come let’s finish the job!”
We begin walking towards the hut, BigBeak sounding just as pathetic as ever.
“Boss shouldn’t we wait outside, she might attack us!”
I speak, sounding pissed.
“Did you’re balls fall off!? Go in there!”
A few steps later, there is a sudden shake coming from the house. What the fuck! My men look confused, but a few seconds later we hear a blood bloodcurdling scream coming from the house. BigBeak speaks.
“It sounds like a fluffy, what’s happening!”
Than as BigBeak finishes we hear a roar, a horrible shrieking roar… Than the door of the hut opens and we see WingScratch crawl out, she was covered beak to talon in blood. I speak quickly.
“Get her now!”
But to late, as I see the entire hill break. And a monster comes flying out…
It was double the size of any creature I had ever seen. It’s body was of hairless black leathery skin, and had wings large enough for it to fly. It wore heavy spiked armor and carried a Warhammer. It had bright cyan eyes and a face that was covered in scars, with it’s teeth looking so “Unnatural” BigBeak speaks, falling back.
“MOTHER OF ALL THINGS HOLY, WERE FUCKED!”
I speak, now in a panic.
“GRAB WINGSCRATCH!”
Nobody listened as I saw my men beginning to run, some even crying. I begin to run as fast as I could to WingScratch, but just than the monster flew right infront of me, speaking in a low horrible voice.
“DEATH TO THOSE WHO ENTER MY FOREST!”
The monster raised it’s Warhammer but it was to late, for I had already turned and ran, screaming in terror as I joined the rest of my men.
[Pov Charles]
Exiting the destroyed house, WingScratch get’s up trying her best to remove the chickens blood. I look to see Ix who was still in the form of WarBeast, still laughing as she began to transform back and fell to the ground speaking.
“That was hilarious, I think one of them pissed themselves!”
Ix suddenly let out a loud groan and spoke again.
“But I’m never doing that again! My body is so sore, dammit I shouldn’t have turned my my right hoove into that Warhammer!”
WingScratch approaches Ix sounding impressed.
“To be honest that has to be one of the most badass things I have ever seen! Come let’s get out of here!”
WingScratch picks up and carries Ix, and I speak.
“Ozymandias wet’s go!”
With that we all begin making our way back to our wagon, Ix still groaning as we walked.
[Pov Emily]
It was quite the journey but we were finally arriving at WindTrail. I knew we were close as we were stopped as we passed some fortifications. Being told that we had now entered the Chicago Confederation, and to state our business. We just wrote that we were visitors and it seemed good enough and they let us through. At first there wasn’t that much difference just more wilderness, but soon we started seeing villages and outposts. As we passed a sign saying WindTrail Dar speaks.
“How wong am we stayin’ dewe? dah sun am stawtin’ to go down.”
I speak.
“Pwobabwy just dah dawk time, aftah that we head to chicago itsewf.”
As we started get closer, Kri speaks.
“Wow These people aren’t like the ones in Motor, lots more armor and weapons these folks.”
Dar speaks.
“Yeah, was wike dis when Chicago was founded 100 yeaws ago. Aftah two debastatin’ waws, dey am awways weady fo’ a fite.”
Kri speaks.
“Well another fight is Sssoon going to fall in there lap.”
As we finally arrived at WindTrail I got a first hoove look at the city. It as like a combination of a city and castle. First you had the castle, with it’s walls surrounding the entire inner city and one giant large tower that towered over everything and had a Talon banner (A white background with a golden Talon) hanging. And than you had the city. The outer city is where most of the people lived, with farms being quite common. And the inner city, where the businesses and markets were. Parking the wagon and putting the Raccoon in the stable, we had got out first glimpse of the people living here, a vast majority of them being puffy griffons. We enter and begin looking around, trying to find Lip anywhere. As we looked the people of WindTrail gave us shocked looks, with them seeing Kri. We just kept going trying to see if there were any fluffies anywhere, and I started thinking he wasn’t here. Did he actually go to The Dock, did he get lost? I was about to head back to the stables and try looking there when suddenly I heard my Mom yell out.
“Wip, it’s fwuffy!”
Looking I couldn’t see much, with how many people were in the way. But I heard my brother’s voice.
"What’s goin’ on hewe! Mummah!?
I finally saw him, as he came near us. Once Lip sees me he speaks.
“Emiwy am hewe to!? What’s goin’ on!”
I speak.
“Emiwy wiww teww 'ou, do 'ou hab any pwace whewe we can stay?”
Following Lip, he kept constantly asking us why we were here, and who Dar and Kri were. As we walked across the outer city, we arrived at a small house and entered as Lip spoke.
“Can 'ou teww me nao!?”
finding a place to sit I begin to explain what had happened over the months after Lip left, how I was sent to Nickel city to battle, meeting the dragons, hearing about a threat to the east and my quest. Than I talked about what happened when I got back, finding out I was related to… Him, the house burning down, and being captured by Madanak. Lip looked extremely troubled by the news and after I explained everything he spoke.
“Wip am goin’ to nee’ moment to pwocess dis… Stay hewe if ‘ou wan’.”
With that we all try to find a place to put our things down. The house wasn’t that large, with there only being a few rooms and most of it dedicated to carpentry supplies. Looking at Lip I speak, trying to lighten the situation.
“What hab ‘ou been doin’ these past months? Wibin’ in chicago am pwetty intewestin’.”
Lip speaks.
“Mostwy just wowk, dah offah was to gweat to pass up. An’ dah peopwe hewe awen’t that bad, just a bit diffewent 'ou know.”
Mom speaks.
“diffewent?”
Lip adds context.
“To wibe in Chicago am to be constantwy twyin’ to be bettew, get’s tiwin’ sometimes. Buh hey, nobody fowced me to wibe hewe.”
Lip goes and picks up a mug of water, and speaks looking at me.
“Su am weabin’ tomowwow?”
I nod and Lip speaks again, looking at Mom.
“Mummah am ‘ou goin’ wiff them?”
Mom speaks.
“Mawia doesn’t know, buh Emiwy if ‘ou wan’ Mawia ca-”
I speak, interrupting her.
“It’s otay’, can stay hewe. 'Ou too Aubwey, ‘ou nu did sign up fo’ dis.”
Aubrey speaks.
“Oh am comin’ awwight, ‘ou nee’ aww dah hewp can get!”
After that Lip went out for a few moments and come back with a loaf of bread speaking as he started cutting it up.
“It’s gud to see ‘ou again Mummah an’ Emiwy, I’be hoped of dah possibiwity of goin’ back once an’ awhiwe…”
Lip stops as he thinks about the destroyed house and speaks again.
“It’s otay’, I’ww hewp 'ou webuiwd it.”
Me and Mom smile as we all eat. Once finished, enough of the work supplies was cleared that there were spots of the floor where we could lie down. So as I lay down on the uncomfortable wooden floor I think to myself. “How will I even get an alliance with Chicago?” Fin
Thank you for reading my story! After a short break I will start work on Chapter 5, and constructive criticism is always welcome. May you have a good day!
[Epilogue, Swab Priest]
I feel someone grab and shake me as I awake, them yelling.
“JUS, JUS WAKE UP! IT’S THE HEADPRIEST!”
I get up and see that it is the groundskeeper, hemi. She looks completely panicked as I speak.
“WHAT IS GOING ON!”
Hemi begins to cry as I grab my glasses.
“JUST COME, SOMEONE… SOMEONE KILLED HIM!”
now I am starting to panic as I run, following Hemi to the HeadPriest Goldwing’s body. It is the dead of night as we run, with me barely even able to see as I speak.
“Who killed him! How did they get in the temple!”
Hemi speaks, sounding like she was on the brink of tears.
“The broke in, through the window!”
What!? We get to the main chamber and I see him on the chandelier. Hanged with his own intestines, his body almost completely unrecognizable from how badly beaten it is. I am left horrified and I see that the window high above was broken, how was that even possible? Hemi turns to me and taps my shoulder, speaking.
“Jus… Look at this!”
I turn to look at a large wall, and on it I see a message covered in the HeadPriest’s blood.
[YOU’RE FALSE GOD’S WON’T SAVE YOU NOW]
[GODKING ELOHIM WILL MAKE ALL BOW]
[MAN WILL BEGIN AGAIN]