“When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”"
[revelation 6:5-6]
In the morning we headed out, not even bothering to meet with Hawkes before leaving. Fort Tu’karr was where we were going, a Pandemon logistics hub that would be much needed for the war. As we travel through the dark quiet forests I look and speak to Ix, trying to get my mind off the upcoming battle and what happened yesterday.
“How many Nuuk’s ‘ou think am goin’ to be dewe?”
Ix speaks, by the tone of her voice I could tell she was still pretty shaken.
“I don’t know… Maybe a few dozen? If were lucky we might be able to take it before Elohim can send troops to the front, take it without much of a fight.”
Charles chimes in.
“‘Ou think dis waw am goin’ to wast’ wong?”
I speak.
“Wet’s hope not, nu can imagine dah state back home if dis thin’ goes on to faww ow wowse case scenawio wintew time…”
I was about to continue but I stop. Me and the others beginning to notice the change of landscape.
The trees quickly began disappearing as forest became plains. But this just wasn’t any normal plains, it was obvious that it was once a forest. Tree stumps littered the landscape, with the grass being dead and gray, and no critters or birds could be seen anywhere, what the hell happened here? Ix speaks, seeming horrified by this plague upon nature.
“My… What have these monsters done to this place!”
Charles speaks.
“Dah Nuuk’s destwoyed it?”
Ix adds on.
“What do you think, that destruction on this scale occurs naturally? They destroyed it!”
I couldn’t argue with Ix, this level of destruction can only be caused by them. I speak.
“Why wouwd dey destwoy dewe own wand?”
Ix speaks, seeming just as confused as I.
"I don’t know. Maybe it’s some sort of scorched earth, or there mere presence curses the land they conquer… Either way this is horrible, Changelings are taught young to have great respect for nature and seeing it like this is heartbreaking. "
With me and Charles paying attention to Ix, Dar’s voice was a bit startling. His tone dark and emotionless.
“Ughhhhh Daw thinks wewe hewe…”
Looking in Dar’s direction, I see it. Across the horizon a horrible fortress stood, it’s spikey walls tall and black, and emitting smoke blacker than night.
Stopping the wagons by some long dead bushes we all got off, the Royal Guard sitting huddled around us. Charles speaks.
“‘Ou wan’ to take it fwom hewe?”
I speak.
“Suwe… might hab an idea.”
I look at the guard and speak.
“Wet’s make dis quick an’ easy. We entah as siwentwy as we can, an’ get dah dwop on dah Nuuk’s. Emiwy wepeats do not hesitate! Dis am dah weaw deaw, ebewythin’ am on dah wine… Mawch!”
Everyone in the Royal Guard raises there weapon in agreement and we begin the march to the fortress, completely fearless. Getting to the main gate about 10 minutes later we don’t see anyone, the fort seeming completely quiet. Dar speaks in a quiet voice.
“do nuuk’s sweepies duwin’ dah day ow something, it seems empty?”
Ix speaks.
“If they were sleeping, than who’d light the fire Dar. They might of spotted us, waiting for us to enter to launch a surprise attack. Dammit, what should we do?”
Only a few seconds of quick thinking later I speak, looking at the Royal Guard.
“Does a smaww team bowunteah to entew, scout dah pwace out.”
A moment later a team of 3 approaches, one of the stallions speaking as he walks towards the gate with his team.
“We’ww do it commandah.”
They talk and giggle, me overhearing something about a promotion as they walk inside. As they reach the end of the gate and look around the courtyard, I see a large machine emitting smoke in the center, a bit curious of it’s purpose. The stallion speaks after the quick search.
“I think dey weft dah pwace, nobody is-”
The Guard was interrupted by the sound of a horrible horn, it’s loud screeching sound almost causing me to cover my ears. The familiar sound of a Nuuk could be heard.
“LONG LIVE ELOHIM’S ETERNAL REIGN, ATTACK!!!”
Instantly several winged Nuuk’s fell down upon the Royal Guards at the end of the gate, the camouflaged with the inner walls. Before they even had a chance to attack they were all slaughtered and I shout out, raising Durandal with fury.
“MOTOW AM BEHIND US, ATTACK!”
We all enter the fortress prepared for battle. By the time we got to the mangled bodies Nuuk’s had started coming out of every building, them obviously seeing us beforehoove. And they were just as ugly as I remembered, horrible unnatural beasts with black leathery skin and faces covered in scars that in a way looked almost pig like. As the Nuuk’s rushed at us I speak, me seeing Dar strike down a skinny flying one that tried to grab one of us.
“Howd defensibe positions, wet dah Nuuk’s come to us!”
And so they did, striking us with unmatched fury.
We were able to hold out in the beginning, the Nuuk’s initial heavy strike being blocked by most of us. But what came next was unexpected, leaving me personally on edge. It seemed during the time after the siege of Nickel City the Nuuk’s had learned a few hard lessons, them now actually going on some sort of defensive after the attack. It was a few seconds of tense silence between our two groups before the attack’s began again, both side blocking and delivering blows. I was on an attacking stance, fighting the Nuuk infront of me (It was hideous to look at the thing, the scars on it’s face and body looking extremely infected) After a few moments of us both dodging each others blows, I spoke to the person nearest to me, asking for a bit of help.
“Can Emiwy hab some hewp obah hewe!”
Instantly I saw Charles swoop in to distract the Nuuk, barely dodging a swing to his back left leg as he distracted it. With this brief moment of venerability I strike the Nuuk at full force, chopping it’s head clean off.
We continued fighting the battle for what felt like an eternity, the Nuuk’s and us getting more and more sloppy as exhaustion began creeping in. Ix speaks to me, her having a brief moment of peace as she slays a Nuuk.
“They don’t seem to be any more coming, no reinforments it seems!”
I respond, moving as far back as possible from a lunge attack.
“Gud!”
With the energy from the good comment I strike the Nuuk down, disemboweling it mid lunge.
After more grueling fighting the Nuuk’s began slowly began being outnumbered, with what was left of them breaking rank and running away or fighting to the end. Now with only one Nuuk, I thought it was either going to run outside or die fighting, but something unexpected happend.
The Nuuk began running inside the fort, almost tripping over the dead bodies of other Nuuk’s and Royal Guards as it yelled as loud as possible.
“EXÉCUTEZ LA VERMINE!”
What in Anu’s name was the monster saying? knowing I had no time to spare I speak, looking at the confused and recovering guard.
“Emiwy am goin’ to stahp that beast, stay hewe an’ be on dah wookout!”
I follow the Nuuk inside the fort and down a flight of stairs, it shouting as we both went down.
“ON NE PEUT PAS LES LAISSER PRENDRE NOS TRAVAILLEURS, LES DÉTRUIRE!”
What the hell is that language!? I get down and catch the Nuuk, beheading it before it had a chance to even look back at me. Than I saw what it must have been talking about, what I saw before me absolutely sickening…
In the cramped basement there were two robed masked figures going around slicing open the throats of the slaves down here, there were about 5 dozen or so. The slaves were all bat ponies, horribly pale and looking so emaciated that they looked like skeletons. Instantly I ran to save them and plunged Durandal into the figure closest to me, spilling there blood and guts everywhere. The other masked figure turns to look at me, speaking that strange language.
“OH TABARNAK!”
I rush at them and swing as hard as I can, them not even raising the dagger in a pitiful attempt at defense. The head comes right off and it drops to the ground, the mask falling off and giving me a second horrible shock. Under the mask was a fluffy, a fluffy that was severing the will of Pandemon. I couldn’t believe it, how was this even possible! But as I thought, my racing mind was interrupted by the slaves, remembering my current task. Turning to look at them, half were already dead and the others were completely terrified. As I slowly walk towards them a foal screams out and cries, speaking in pure terror.
“PWEASE NU!”
I was confused, did a forgotten Nuuk enter? Than I see where he was looking at, my sword. I put it away quickly and speak in a low in calm voice, almost speechless myself.
“Emiwy am not goin’ to huwt 'ou… Wewe hewe to sabe 'ou, fwee 'ou.”
It barely seemed to work, slightly calming the situation. Than as I was about to open my bag and offer my rations, I heard hoofSteps coming down and I quickly turned. I saw that Dar had come down, probably to check on me. The moment he saw the slaves he dropped his sword and looked in horror, only speaking two words.
“Those monstews…” 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!