A deep rumbling shook the entirety of the cavern, The trembling lights casting shadows to dance along the cold stone walls.
Cries wailed out from every corner of the village as the metal gate ruptured with each escalating blow from the outside, Dust scattering from the rusty hinges of the scarcely used metal stalwart.
The town's Inhabitants were gathering in the town square, Petrified as the monotonous pounding shook dust off of the mossy cave's mouth. Then sun began to set, The entire afternoon of pounding on that metal door having taken it's toll, Sending scrap of metal debris floating foam the numerous crystalline blue rivers.
Amidst the chaos, A figure rose above, Standing atop the boxes of grain and towering over the clattering stampede of fleeing townsfolk and releasing a bellow. "ALDERBROOK!" The shout rang out past the old gentleman's voluptuous white beard.
"You bumbling batch of buffoons! Sturdy yourselves now, Find your courage!" The man bellowed, Gesturing towards the vast expanse of cold stone and mossy plateaus, Illuminated by trembling golden bulbs hanging from the plant life. "Are you not the same town that stood up to King Ramses when He tried to take the Healing Pools under our very own feet? Are you not the same town that refused to abandon their home when rumors of acquisition arose?"
The man's arms raised above his head in a gesture of grandeur, The crowd locked onto his every movement. "After five generations of Mayors leading this town, Let me be condemned to the deepest pits of the underworld lest I abandon it!"
The crowd began to murmur and sway, The man's face turning to a pasty red hue as he leaned over the boxes on which he stood and slammed his fist against his palm. The next words he spoke proving of his eloquence, The kind of which only a politician could bear.
"Alderbrook isn't just a place, It's a people! look around you, You aren't fighting for this cave, The rivers... No, You're fighting for the Children! The Women! Our future generations!" With one grand movement, He spun and pointed at the gate, Barred by nothing more than the bodies of the men pressed against it and a few decaying bolts.
The head of the battering ram crashed through the door, A tall, Slender man climbing his way to the peak of the flaming, Dragon carved head behemoth war machine that crashed through their doors. "In the name of King Ramses, Hand over your land or face the King's wrath." The captain ordered through a hollowed device, The noise reverberating throughout the cavern.
The mayor raised his cane, Sliding the hilt off to reveal a gleaming silver sword, Pointed towards the foe. "TAKE MY HOME, TAKE MY LIFE! FOR ALDERBROOK!" He bellowed, The town rising to the occasion as the townsfolk, Of all different shapes, Races and sizes banded together.
"Alright then." The captain said with a disappointed sigh, Snapping his gloved fingers towards his right hand man. "They've made their choice, What a shame. Desmond, Order fire." He demanded bluntly.
"Alright-, OPEN FIRE!" The young man yelled, Prompting the waves of oncoming archers to raise their bows and strikes their arrows, The volley doused in a bright crimson flame.
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Arrows rained from above, Leaving fire laden splashes to burn their way through whatever miniscule amounts of shelter they had. As the arrows planted into the wooden crate he hid behind, A voice echoed over the resounds slams of the arrows.
"Virgil!" A woman cried, Jolting the young man from his cowardly stupor as he ran over to her aid. "Penelope get down! Are you daft!?" He called out, Helping her down below the porch of the wooden hut, Behind a curtain of grass.
"Virgil, They hit me..." Penelope wailed, Her eyes wide with shock as crimson fluid dripped down her tainted white wings. The arrow had found itself dug deep into her shoulder, Having cleft the flesh in a clean motion. "Just go fight, I'll be fine, Okay?" She pleaded through tear filled eyes.
The man's trembling hand touched her wound, It had hit deep. The touch had caused her entire body to jolt with pain. "...Are you kidding me? No, It's fine, You're fine! Listen, We can get you out of here!"
Her hand cut his sentence short, Tracing the side of his face. "Listen to yourself, You know you won't escape with me alive. There's one way out and it's through that army." She said with a sigh, Rubbing the side of his face with her thumb affectionately. "Just... Just go fight, If you don't we'll all die here anyways and-."
Virgil's body jolted, Dragging her out from under the cover of the porch and Heaving her over his shoulder in a quick motion. "VIRGIL! What are you doing, Where are we going!?" She cried out. "The Healing Pools! Listen, If we can just get you the Healing Pools then we can get you out of here!"
She gave a nod of approval, The woman leaning on his should and shielding them from debris using her powerful white feathered wings. The village was torn to shreds, The two weaving their behind the soldiers under the cover of the shadows cast by the shaking lights which dances across the cavern ceiling.
As the two made their way past the forefront of the fray, They approached a deep chasm filled with numerous crystalline Pools below. "...Well, Tough guy." Penelope began. "How do you suppose we-?"
As she turned her gaze to Virgil who's mouth was agape, Nothing more than a gurgle escapes his throat as a crimson red tip of a sword peeked it's sharp head out of his larynx. He eyes shoot over towards Penelope before a pressure on his back causes the sword to slide cleanly out the other end.
"Isn't that just a pity." The voice of the captain rings out with an optimistic tone. "You mangy creatures had no right to keep a human amongst you." He stated cynically, Kicking the kneeling body's head and sending it tumbling into the deep blue abyss below.
Penelope fell to her knees in shock, Staring as her lifeless love fell into the distance, Only to hit the water with a resounding splash. "Consider that my... Personal vendetta against any other traitors of his caliber." He said sternly, Whipping his blade once more in a clean and precise movement to slice her neck clean open.
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The man's eyes fluttered open, A gasp escaping his throat as he swam to the surface. The surface of the body of water was a deep, Scarlet coloring stained with the blood that had been oozing from his wounds.
Virgil touched his throat and gasped, Taking on the miraculous water into his lungs as his head broke the surface of the water, His lungs sputtering out the fluids. "Penelope..." He gasped, Shuddering as the cold cave air licked his exposed skin shown through the tattered garb lacing his shoulders.
Virgil swam with whatever little energy he had left, Heaving his entire body onto the chilled stones near the water's edge, Gazing into the flawless surface. The quaint moment was quickly interrupted as the sounds of shouting echoed down into the crevasse.
His teeth grit as he stared up the towering wall of stone before him, Tying some of his tattered cloth around his knuckles. "I've gotta get Penelope..." He murmured to himself, Using the cloth ties as climbing gloves to hook onto any sharp edges to assist in the perilous climb.
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Deep bellows of smoke wafted throughout the cavern, The stone walls stained a putrid black all the way to the ceiling. The dark, shadowy clouds oozed and culminated at the smoking face of the ram which acted as the catalyst for all of this destruction.The flickering red flames illuminating the town's crumbling structure in a grim silhouette through the smog.
"And even still..." He grumbled, Looking down over the encroaching armies of the Alderbrook militia. "You're powerless in front of the mighty hand of King Ramses the Great."
The captain's boot pressed into the Mayor's neck, Turning the man's blood soaked beard towards the ground and his face outwards. "You'll never crush our spirit." The man sputtered, Grunting in pain as the boot crushed his skull. "You can't hide your fear, You wretch. It's over."
The captain's body trembled, A chuckle escaping his lips before erupting into a cruel, Uncaring laugh. "Oh you're too hilarious, Desmond!" He snapped, Calling the young boy to his side. "Order a retreat."
"A retreat!? We have the high ground, If they get any closer reinforcements won't arrive on time-!" "I SAID." He snapped, Turning over his shoulder, A cold gloved hand Slapping the child across his trembling face. "ORDER A RETREAT. Never, Defy orders again." He hissed through his gritted teeth, The boy scampering away.
A horn blew, Marking a retreat. Waves of men began turning tail and run, Diving behind their cover and ducking on the spot, Falling prone.
"Bahaha-! It's over!" The mayor cackled before a scream of pain escaped his lips as his scruffy neck was crushed by the man's heel. "Desmond, Why don't you show this wretch our lovely surprise."
The boy hesitated, Inching away before the captain flinched at him. Prompting him to scamper off and call to the backlines of the troops. The mayor's head turned as his weak, Near lifeless body was picked up, The captain's knife piercing his hand to lock it into place against a crate of supplies.
"You can do the honors, Your highness." He sneered, Ignoring the protests as the surprise reared it's ugly head.
The barrel of the machine blotted out the sun as it hit the apex of the tunnel, The cranks and barrels of ammunition by revealed as the platform was wheeled forward. The enormous gun was pointed down the hill towards the oncoming troops, It's barrel towering over the struggling mayor's forehead.
"It's been an honor, I'll see you on the other side." The captain snapped, The mayor's body filling with enough holes to turn him into a window.
The cascade of lead caused screams to erupt as the machine's rotating barrel poured out waves of misery with every rotation. The captain towered proudly over the destruction, Watching the numerous creatures being suppressed deep into the ground lest they be torn to thin ribbons by the war machine.
"Isn't it just beautiful?" He asked, Running his slender fingers through Penelope's hair, Twirling it's golden strands into a bouncy curl. "You know, It was a shame it had to be this way, My love. We could have been so much more." He cooed, Letting a sadistic cackle escape his lips as he raised the stick bearing the woman's severed head, Resting it on the crates beside him.
"Desmond, Get me my-"
The sound of metal piercing flesh hit the man's bitter ears.
Staggering forward, He lurched over the railing of the supply platform, Turning to face the assailant eyes to eye. "And to my surprise-," He murmured, His eyes widening as if he had seen a ghost before his lips purse with coy delight. "Wouldn't be the first time you tried to stab me in the back, Now is it, Virgil?" He asked, Facing the man's blood soaked body.
The captain untied the knot around his cloak, Revealing the plating and lifting a flap further, Revealing the chain mail below.
"Chainmail, You might have been one of the best assassains in our league but you're forgetting who trained you." He said with fauxdisappointment, Clicking his tongue towards the man. "Come now Virgil! You may have cheated death twice but it's third time's a charm!"
Virgil swung the cold metal spike he wielded at the captain, His body clothed in blood stained, Battered armor torn from the bodies he'd eliminated. The two clashed, The blades sliding off eachother as Virgil's cold hand planted into the Captain's nose, In exchange for a deep slash into Virgil' armored knees, Slitting the straps off.
The wind whistled through the entrance of the cave as the men withdrew, Circling faintly once again as each one waited, Poised for a strike. "You know Virgil, You were always a good student, It's a shame I learned faster!" The captain sneered, Whipping a throwing knife concealed in his breastplate which was promptly avoided by Virgil's nimble manuevers.
Using this opening, The captain closed the gap, Bashing his shoulder into Virgil's chest and slamming him against the wooden fencing. "I taught you everything you know, You can't beat me! You're NOTHING Virgil." He cackled, Slamming a boot into the man's gut as he attempted to rise, Only to be pinned down by the spiked heel. "We could've hunted these creatures together, We could've been RICH Virgil! But what did you have to do?" He growled spitefully.
"You had to sympathize with them, You betrayed me! You betrayed US Virgil." He bellowed, Each sentence marked with a metal gauntlet crushing his head with a devastating blow. "And for what? Some mediocre maidens love..." He sneered, Hate filling his words as he gripped the spear, Jutting her severed head into the man's bleeding face.
"You're powerless, You're nothing. I AM EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING VIRGIL!' He cackled, His cruel face contorting before his eyes widened. "You're right."
Virgil clutched the boot on his gut, Clenching his trembling fists as the gunfire faded into the distance. "I may be powerless but-,"
"Yeah that's nice."
A knee slugged into his jaw, Prompting a scream of pain, A cold metal hand lifting the man's neck. "Don't you see? You're not special! You're not the main character, You don't have wings, Magic or claws. You're human."
The man threw Virgil over the fence and into the line of fire of the reloading gun, Hoping over the fence himself and shoving the man operating the dastardly machine out of the way, Aiming its barrel directly down to the ground.
Virgil's head touched the copper tip of the machine, His eyes peering into the deadly abyss. "Any last words, Traitor?" The captain called out, Peering over the gun's deadly barrel.
"...I'm done running." He muttered, His hand reaching for the cold metal spike at his side, Jabbing the long prod deep in between the rotating barrels, Jamming the gun in place. The machine began to heat up, Smoke oozing from deep inside the machine.
"VIRGIL YOU SNAKE!" The captain barked, Sliding down the barrel of the gun, His armor clattering along the barrel before landing ahead of the gun, Staring at the bloody prints left in the ground. "Where did you-,"
A chill went down his spine as the gun began to whir to life, Virgil's body slicked in black oil after crawling below the machine's maw. With the metal prod in hand, He tugged the metal piece out from the barrel, The gun whirring into full throttle.
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Dawn kissed Virgil's blood coated forehead, The sun hovering over the horizon. A taloned hand reached over and clutching his shoulder.
"You got rid of that gun!.. Come on soldier, Let's get you home." A creature's voice called out. As he was hoisted onto their shoulders, He looked to the sky.
He could feel her smiling down on him.
Vielen Dank für das Lesen!
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