The Trappings of War: Volume XXV

UnOrthOdOx · August 6, 2003, 16:25

An UnOrthOdOx View of the Glory of War

After the men calmed down and we had just begun our trip back to Shantung when I heard the now familiar sound of one of our horns blaring off in the distance behind me. I turned, straining my eyes to see where it came from.

There in the distance was a single rider, followed by a wagon being drawn by horse. I called for our unit to halt and await this rider to hear what news he brought with him. Something was just plain wrong with the sight. What reason could there be for a wagon?

As I watched him approach I was able to make out the standard, this was UberKrux. Something inside of me felt suddenly hollow, and I galloped forward to meet him.

“What the hell happened? And why are you here, damn it! You’re supposed to be in Neu Demogyptica!”

“UnO, I’m sorry, there was nothing I could do.” Uber started.

As I grew closer, I could see it was worse than I even feared. I looked over the cart carefully, sEctArIAn lay there still. I reached down and his arms seemed limp and lifeless, cold to the touch, yet a faint breathing could still be heard.

“What the **** happened here?!”

“I’m not entirely sure. There was this ******* who smelled worse than horse **** was causing a scene in the Demogyptican courts, cursing up a storm. He was calling you all kinds of names and pleading with them to cease relations with us. Well, sEctArIAn here stood in protest and this bastard stood down, presented a gift to the Demogypticans and left. That night, sEctArIAn became horribly ill, and it was discovered that so did everyone who had sampled this disgusting looking squid that was presented as a gift. While sEctArIAn was relieving himself of the squid, someone stabbed him square in the back several times with a dagger.”

I stared for a minute. “No one saw?”

“No, UnO. However, this squid eating ass who dresses in women’s clothes was seen leaving the area. The Demogypticans are convinced he is to blame, and told me his name is”

“MrWhereItsAt.” I interrupted.

“I should never have let that ******* live.” I placed my hands on sEctArIAn’s watched as he breathed slowly. How had things come to this? As I watched, I felt a small twitch in his hand, he opened his eyes, looked briefly into mine and made a slight grin. I heard the breathing stop, and watched as his eyes dulled over before I reached down to close them.

“By all the hells! UnO, you alright?” Eira had ridden up to see what was going on.

It took me some time before I was able to answer. “Eira, ride back and bring with you whatever riders you can. Ride hard. I am heading south. Uber, return to Demogyptica and see if they will aid us. I will not stop until I find this MrWhereItsAt and force him to eat his own intestines.”

“They are already awaiting your word, UnO. They are embarrassed by the incident as sEctArIAn was in their custody.”

“Good. Tell them we attack as soon as Eira can get me forces in position. What are you standing there for? Get your ass moving! I want to waste no time.”

I pushed us south to the limits of our mounts. Eventually, though, they needed rest and I had to allow both the men and the horses sleep.

I sat and looked around at the desolate plain. There seemed to be nothing here but the promise of death. As I watched, the sky seemed to blacken, the horizon disappear, and the ground grew barren before my eyes.

Damn it, the Dragon was inside my head again. “What do you want!?” I cried out.

I got up to flee, I had no time for this nonsense, only to trip over my flail. Picking it up, I noticed that the world around me was now completely black. I could hear the distant roll of thunder, and suddenly a storm broke out, forcing me back to the ground in the fury of the wind.

“NO!!!”

The lightening flashed and I once again saw everyone glaring down at me in horrified disbelief. Not able to help myself from looking down, yet knowing what I would see, I looked down to see myself covered in blood. The smell putrid as it had begun to dry and become sticky on my skin.

“NO! Not again.”

I could hear the labored breathing, the hot rush of air hitting me with each breath. Looking up, there was the eye. Nothing else mattered. I was aware of the Dragon’s body, but could only see the eye. As I sat there, consumed by it, feeling my own blood mixing with that of the Dragon’s, pouring itself from some unseen wound under my armor. I began to feel lightheaded, the world began to fade, and as I watched, the Dragons body seemed to change, to shrink. I fought to keep myself conscious, to see what new vision was in store for me, what sign. And then I saw it, a body had replaced the Dragon’s just before all went black.

No, it couldn’t be.

SEctArIAn.

Panzer32 · August 6, 2003, 21:37

GhengisFarb™ · August 6, 2003, 21:47

I hereby declare that I fully support the giving of MrWhereitsat to the House of Chaos (UnOrthO's family lineage for the unworthy) for sport. Is there such a punishment as Drawn and Eigthed? Drawn and quartered doesn't seem harsh enough......