“I tell you SourBeak. When we get back to Chicago, and this whole war is over, I’m going to get a new carriage. The outside of this thing is a mess, and I have to admit I think I made it a bit to small, what do you-”
[GrandMaster Vissarman speaking to Royal Governor SourBeak, him interrupted when the Chicago Governor’s carriage suddenly comes to a stop.]
I was sitting with my eyes closed, looking up at the warm sun when I felt the wagon suddenly come to a stop, it so sudden I almost fell down. Charles who was sitting next to me yells out as I regain composure.
“Dah Fuck?”
Looking out in front of us, I was just as confused as Charles. All of the wagons had come to a complete stop, with it ending in the Chicago and Motor carriages stopped as well. For a good 2 weeks now we had no incidents when in came to broken wheels or mud, and I couldn’t see any broken wheels and the mud had long since hardened. Something is wrong… I speak to Charles.
“Shouwd we check in at dah fwont?”
Charles speaks, his hoove on his chin.
“Gib them a minute, maybeh just be somethin’ on dah woad. Wike a Wawge wock, ow a ditch.”
A few minutes later still no sign of movement and a few of the soldiers in the other wagons began getting out to either investigate or to just lay about. I speak, Charles already knowing what I had to say.
“Wet’s go.”
Beginning to walk up we quickly ran in to and recruited Dar, who was just as confused as us, him having no answers despite being closer.
“What in Anu’s name am goin’ on?”
Dar says, me speaking right after.
“Emiwy am wondewin’ that to, come wet’s go see.”
Once we got to the front, there was a growing crowd blocking the way. Some of soldiers I saw coming back looked horrified, some looking as though they were about to throw up. Just before we were about to make our way to the front, we suddenly heard a Dragon speak, him sounding like he was at his wits end.
“Go back to you’re wagons, the Sssituation is under control!”
The second the Dragon had said this, most of the soldiers began returning. With me looking at Charles and Dar, about to say if we should maybe return if the situation was under control. Than just before I could speak, I heard Enoch’s voice, a bit faint but still recognizable.
“Chawwes, Emiwy, Daw!? Gud, Enoch was just about to send someone to come wookin’ fo’ 'ou! Come hewe nao, we got somethin…”
We go and head towards Enoch, me finally being able to look forward. With Enoch I saw Tethius and other than that I saw the Chicago leaders, a few Dragons, Madanak and is guards, and a few Bat pony family heads. They all seem to be looking at something, and as I get a better look, I understood the reactions I saw earlier. Animal corpses, lots and lots of animal corpses… The corpses looked fresh, like they were killed only a few hours ago, large large bite and claw marks all across the bodies, and some looking well eaten. Enoch speaks, as we finish looking at the grisly sight.
“Dah dwagons think dey know what caused dis… Site.”
One of the dragon guides speaks.
“There called Ruk’s, rodent like pests we Sssometimes have deal with. Horrible creatures they are. They usually don’t hunt this far in, but Sssince there here we have to deal with them.”
Vissarman protests.
“Why can’t we just keep on moving!? Who cares that there are a few rats!”
The dragon speaks, his face full of frustration.
“These aren’t just Sssome “Rats” These pests will tear you apart the Sssecond they look at you. They hunt in large packs to, can’t hit em once they Ssstart hunting. Monsters are almost as bad as Nuuk’s, certainly have the temper…”
Enoch speaks.
“What do we nee’ to do?”
The Dragon speaks.
“Were going to need to Sssend some Sssoldiers to go to a Ruk Den and kill as many sleeping Ruk’s as they can. We need to put their blood on the wagons, the Sssmell of it is like a repellent, they won’t go near.”
Enoch and the other leaders were looking at us, and I already knew what they were thinking. It was going to be one of those day’s…
Me, Charles and Dar left with a hunting party of about 2 dozen. Them being volunteers from both the Order of Talon, and Royal Guard. We followed the trail of blood and animal remains, the Dragon guide pointing it out. As we walked the forest It was kind of dark, the high density of trees covering large parts of the sky. Charles speaks as we climb up an especially large rock, me only noticing the scratch marks as I climbed.
“Chawwes weawwy hopes these things am heaby sweepews, y’know. I do not feew wike chasing, ugh…”
I speak.
“Nu did 'ou say 'ou fought some munsta at Quin’s house? Nu can be wowse den that!”
Charles looks at me with a slight eye roll, speaking.
“That’s diffewent Emiwy. Wiff dah house Chawwes fewt howwified, it actibated somethin’ deep inside of me. Wiff dah wat’s, dis feews wike pest contwow.”
Dar annoyed by both of us speaks pointing forward.
“How about we just get dis obah with?”
After about 10 minutes the trail came to a rocky area, the large rocks providing excellent protection from the elements. I speak, looking at the party.
“Wet’s mobe in siwentwy, get cwose an’ chop theiw heads off.”
We slowly begin crossing into the rocky area, not making the slightest of sounds. As we turned a corner I finally got a glimpse of a “Ruk” It was almost completely hairless, it’s skin so gray and leathery it almost matched the rocks. The Dragons were right, it sure looked like a rat, whiskers, a rat face & body, long thin tail. But there were also many differences like the lack of hair, long almost knife like claws, and dozens of small tumors that covered it’s body and face (I didn’t know if it was a species thing, or that Ruk was just sick) We were lucky enough for that Ruk to be sleeping and I turn to the party, speaking as silently as I could.
“Emiwy am goin’ to go kiww it, wait hewe.”
I approach the Ruk wielding Durandal, it showing no sign of waking up. As I stop right at it’s face I could see the nose of the beast begin sniffing, it probably smelling me. Quickly I raise the sword and the shadow causes the eyes of the Ruk to open, but it was to late. I slice it’s head off with a single swoop, and the body falls limp. One by one we look for, kill and collect the corpses of sleeping Ruk’s. And after about 30 minutes we had collected about 8 corpses, Dar speaking silently as he lay’s the 8th down.
“'Ou think that’s enough?”
Dar speaks.
“Maybe, buh Daw thinks we shouwd cowwect a few mowe just to be safe.”
Just than we saw two Talon Knights coming with a corpse, them speaking silently but Iwas able to hear.
“I tell you Broth, if were on the cart for one more fucking week I’m going to lose my shit. Whole wagon basically forced to do this useless task, fuckers!”
The frustrated Knight kicks a rock with force, and it hits a wall. Causing an echo…
I speak with anger and frustration, barely keeping my voice down.
“What am 'ou doing!”
For a few seconds after I spoke we could only hear the echo, and we all waited in silence. Than just as I was about to say that we were lucky, the ground began to shake like never before… I yell as loud as I can.
“GET DAH HEWW OUT OF HEWE, GET DAH BODIES!”
Just as I said that I felt something come out of the ground next to me, the force of the exit almost knocking me back. Looking right at me was a Ruk that had the look of pure unfiltered rage, it making a high pitched sound so loud my ears were ringing. Without a moment of hesitation I pull out Durandal and strike without looking, hitting the beast across it’s middle face. The Ruk responds with a horrible shrieking and strikes my face, my helmet protecting me mostly with only by nose getting hit. I fall back and feel my blood falling down my face, the Ruk infront of me bleeding horribly now. We both looked at each other with a defensive stare, waiting for the other to make a move. We noticing around me the chaos of Ruk’s coming up to the surface and Talon and Royal Guard soldiers facing them. As we continue to look I get an idea, something to possibly get me an opening.
I quickly turn my head and the Ruk foolishly follows suit. Moving as fast as I can, I strike the creature’s neck with so much force I thought I’d drop my weapon. The Ruk falls with it’s head almost completely severed from it’s body and I breath quickly, now covered head to hoove in my and the Ruk’s blood. For the next minute or so I went around collecting as many of the hunting party as I could, with me quickly finding Charles and Dar, who had only minor scratches and bruises. But not everything was well, I found a Royal Guard who had two limbs and his entire face ripped off, me having to give him mercy after I found him still breathing. And even more disturbing was that of the two Talon guards that were carrying the dead Ruk, the rowdy one starting all of this. His buddy lay dead, a Ruk tearing his armor off and tearing out his intestines, but the rowdy one suffered an even more horrible fate. I was almost finished collecting the hunting party when I saw him being grabbed, him screaming in terror as the Ruk took him down underground, never to be seen again and most likely fed live to the Ruk’s young. It almost got me thinking if that the Ruk’s could recognize his voice and take him, maybe these creatures weren’t so animalistic, and maybe had a sort of intelligence.
As I and the Hunting party all got close and battle ready, we began killing the Ruk’s at breakneck speed. Them charging at us as we slaughtered them, these monsters probably never having to face soldiers before. Soon the Ruk’s began realizing that there strategy wasn’t working and tried to draw us out, but it didn’t work. We charged at them at high speeds and soon what Ruk’s remained buried themselves back underground, we were victorious. After the battle we spent some time cleaning and wrapping our wounds, collecting a dozen Ruk bodies and the bodies of the Royal Guard and Talon Knight. Once we got back Vissarman was fuming, not with losing a two Knight, but the fact that a Knight was so careless and got a soldier of an allied nation killed. Vissarman command that the entire Talon order be the ones to cover the wagons in blood, and to dig the graves for the fallen Royal Guard and knight. After an hour of the Talon knights cutting the Ruk’s open and covering the wagons, with us all getting a much needed rest to there expense. Finally we left, a Dragon guide saying we would soon arrive, and soon I hope so. The wagons smelling rancid as one can think. 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!