(??? POV)

It has been a long time since I've seen a war in this giant puzzle box.

Twenty years. Possibly more.

I was born in the camps of the warlord of Tunris, his only child. My food was milk mixed with the blood of our enemies. The giants, their blood is said to be the strongest and best elixir in the world... and I drank it every day for fourteen years. If I am any indication, the stories are true. I was the only boy in the nation with his own slave giant, who was bled daily. How such a creature can be called strong I don't know, because mine was broken after only half a week of fun with a hot poker. Well, to be fair he was chained by his own oh so precious steel...

At the age of seven I killed a boy twice my age for stealing my dinner.

At the age of ten I killed a man, gutted him because of his bad manners. Daring to cough on me, really?!

When I came of age the capital celebrated. Three days the city streets ran with the blood of sacrifices to the Watchers, three nights I slept with dozens of beauties and I'm proud to say, none lived through it.

How proud my father was of me; a genius, a legend, the ancestors of bygone days reborn.

By the age of twenty I had ransacked several settlements on the borders, by my own power.

It is so easy to raze these pitiful cities with my magic.

Well, it is natural. I am special.

My father sadly over-extended on a skirmish and caught a spear in entirely the wrong way. Still he remained alive long enough to give me formal ownership of this nation. Ah, father... you told everyone in public I was the next ruler so naturally I could not let you live a second longer; if only to ensure you did not go back on your words or choose a new heir. From your proud gaze I know it was all you expected of me.

I had the coronation the same day and of course father remained to oversee the ceremony, from where I left him crumpled on the floor.

I believe as a jest I even used him as a footrest, but that may have been the corpse of someone else. I did smash in the faces of three different men that day personally... eh, it's the thought that counts I guess.

Still things have been slow lately. When I'm not slaughtering some nameless hick or torturing some beast or other for sport then quite frankly, I'm bored.

For the last decade the neighbors have gone quiet, I suppose I did come onto them a little strong. Ahhh... show some backbone you freaks! I want to break you, where's the fun if you cower?!

At least there doesn't seem to be any shortage of these red dog men. It is slightly off they come running toward our border, but who am I to complain when my prey walks into my jaws and places it's throat on my teeth?

They do make for excellent practice, they are so very tough.

Did they forget about me? I mean I'm very hard to forget.

I wonder why they're running. The dog people don't really give ground, even to monsters. I'm excited now.

After 'questioning' one I found some very amusing things.

Someone out there has a power similar to mine and is selling it to the highest bidder.

A man after my own heart.

Naturally I have to rip it out.

How dare he imitate me!

I wonder what he is? What skill does he use? If he will plead if I spill his intestines?

With all haste I rush to the site of this calamitous invasion. So that I can add my own kind of devastation to the beautiful work of art scrawled in death and carnage.

This 'creature' is a wholly artificial being of clearly sub-standard intelligence at best. It is certainly tough and strong, composed of solid steel, gemstones and gold. It really has flair.

I take the creature's still moving head as a memento. The size of melons; the eyes are brilliant blue gems. The torso is less intact, because I over-estimated it's fortitude. Still there are several dozen casualties among the apes from the shrapnel, so not a complete waste of effort.

While I amused myself playing with the logistics unit controlling the metal creature I was rather annoyed to learn the remainder of the resistance forces of the red dogs fled. It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, I wanted to have the pleasure of being the cause of their extinction as a species. Hmm. Well, they're scattered and leaderless. It's only a matter of time and focus.

In the streets of Tunis Passage on the main road Canil just outside the city gate I meet an old woman who stands in my way, she gives me some cryptic advice she claims is about the future that I don't bother to consider. I can't have this kind of disrespect be tolerated, I'm ruler here. I have her bound and gagged, strapped to a pole and used as a banner. This way she will forever be following me silently rather than impeding and second guessing. Ha! If she really could see the future she would have known better.

I don't need random assholes dictating my life-journey anyhow. I'll walk my own path.

But damn is it boring here. I miss TV.

Yes father, I know. Meeting the clan leaders again. Ugh. Just because you're dead doesn't mean I can't still kill you! Stop bugging me with this annoying stuff. Fine. I'll just kill them. Their replacements should learn the lesson, right?

*************************************************************************

Day 66

(Ape Golem Commander POV)

Look at the savages run!

Our mighty creature, it makes the world shake and the red-furred beasts cower.

It is a wonder, seeing the mighty scatter like little lityani. Their forces are shattered, their fortifications demolished, their weapons useless. The creature cannot be stopped. Boulders snap under it's blows. Crowds are trampled. Buildings pulled down.

The creature is fast too, with such large strides it can chase the fastest of the beasts down. For amusement's sake we caught the leaders of the defense force and sent them home in chains to die in the arena.

Finally we shall be supreme in the Endless Twilight Realm.

If the beasts cannot stop us, then who?

Perhaps next we shall be sent against the giants or the arrogant birds...

Hey, there's some kind of bright light...

Is it one of the beasts?

It's targeting our creature!

What? What is that thing?!

(Muffled explosion)

…

(Hours pass)

Day 67

Uh...

The creature... it's arm was destroyed in a single strike... that can't be real...

?!?!?!?!?!

No! The creature's been torn open! It's dead! That person killed the creature! Everyone around me is dead, ravaged so badly I can't tell them apart.

My arm hurts… no, it's gone.

How could this happen?!

What kind of monster was that?!

It looked like one of us, almost.

For now I need to get back and report this before...

I'm tied down?

(Sounds of movement)

Is it a monster? Or a beast?

No, thank the spirits it's one of the young captains. He looks very badly injured, but at least he's free.

Come help me, already!

Oh good, now just untie the straps on my arm...

… spirits save me... he's biting me!

What we learned:

The dead return... in more ways than one.

Someone out there has power enough to demolish a solid lump of steel. Effortlessly. (one-punch man is that you?)

Walkers (oh wait, I don't have to tip toe around the word: ZOMBIES!)... they're popping up everywhere these days.

Finally someone who is actually more powerful than Rick is in town. Let the carnage begin...

From the looks of things in the poll Chanti will be living after all. How she actually manages to survive the geas... we'll find out when Rick invades.