《Of Life and Light》Chapter 65 [Brutus]
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I felt the death of a favoured pet, and screamed with rage at its loss upon the broken battlements. So great was the loss I felt that a great wind of cold blew around my form, which led to it removing many hapless Goblins who were milling about with boredom. Once my voice reached their ears, however, the fell away screaming as two pairs of skeletal and spectral hands pierced through the fabric of reality. Whereby they did enter our plane of existence with a body for each pair.
The bodies of these creatures were of drowned females with great gaping mouths as though their jaws were unhinged and stretched to the point of nearing tearing away. Their forms were lithe and petite with some sort of wet and tattered dress as though it was just washed in the sea. For it contained many strands of seaweed, but even they were transparent as the females. Even their hair was see through, but it moved as though the bodies were submerged in water.
"Brutus!" I heard the whispering call of our Lord to my right, and although he was within reaching distance of my primaries, his words were heard as though he were many dozens of metres away. Even his own touch was, but a memory as the lights within my eyes changed from the heavenly blue, and into a baleful crimson.
"Brutus," he called out again, "Snap out of your mental state," but I could not. It was the same as he when he lost one of favoured ch- subjects. The Madness which was ever present within our minds manifested within my own, and below mine and the females called forth into this plane came the etchings of a spell circle. Of which appeared to be quite strong, as it knocked back our Lord whilst beams of red and shadows erupted from below. Whereupon it did summon our persons away, and onto the battlefield where I found the ashes of my Wendigo.
Here, I fell to my knees, and if I were able to produce moisture for my eyes, I would have released a torrent to accompany the primal screech I released whilst cursing the uncaring world around.
Yes. There were Beastfolk and my spectral Skeletons still fighting one another, but I paid them little heed. Instead, and after my screeching did end, I stood tall whilst peering quickly about my person until I found the broken body of the female, and the dead male. My eyes were able to view the spirit of the latter of the two, by the by, and reached for it with my own strength. Whereupon it did shrink away and resist my touch, as I gripped it and pulled it close.
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Which then led to my person torturing it in its entirety, whilst its unearthly voice broke the boundaries between life and death in order to release the first song of death Asha'ruun will hear. For the death of my prized pet, the Wendigo, I would release many new choruses which the world will come to love greatly. Whether they desired to hear it or not.
"S-stop," commanded a fearful voice from the broken female nearest my person, of whom wept greatly from the voice of he who had slain my favoured pet, the Wendigo.
This, by the by, was spoken aloud during the ending of the song I had subjected the male's essences to. Whereupon it ended with its obliteration so that he could never be reborn into something new. Afterwards, I did turn towards this female with great disdain, "You are next." Whereupon I did command my newest pets, a pair of Banshees, by the by, to enjoy themselves upon the living flesh of a Human. Of whom then circled around her person, each wailing with a sorrowful song that caused her to bleed out of every orifice and pore.
Whereas I, on the other hand, turned my back on the females in order to spread forth my arms in concentration of a new spell. One that would need a great deal of concentration and time. Therefore, I sent out a command to my troops, calling for their aid as I chanted in a language which was called "Hara'lrectu". Or, as many call it, "The Language of the Damned".
All around my person, my spectral Skeletons ceased in their desire to slaughter the living, and instead marched upon my position. Whereupon they did set themselves in many rows with me within the centre in order to protect my self from all outside forces. Which led to more than a few to take it upon themselves to stand upon the shoulders of those next to themselves with two shields clasped against their forearms.
Yes. The scene was quite comical, but served more as an intimidation tactic against the living than anything else.
However, those without the area in which we stood had begun to come together in order to throw themselves against the gathered Skeletons in an attempt to end it all. Unfortunately for many of them, such an attempt ended poorly with their immediate deaths. This was due to the fact that only something imbued with magickal or holy energies could harm the army I had called forth, as stated previously.
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Once again, only a few came equipped to deal with such creatures, but they did become more determined in their efforts. It was believed that they had become as such after the fall of my favoured pet, which only served to hasten their demise further. For their equipment was lacking, and although they fought as well as they could, each still perished under the spectral blades of my Skeletons.
As to why this was so? Well, children, my Skeletons attack the essences within a being. Therefore, it is imperative that you must wear magickally enhanced armours to protect yourself from their touch. Otherwise, you may perish from the exposure.
In any case, these Beastfolk had lost half of their remaining force when I had completed in my incantations. Whereupon they noted my Skeletons were being absorbed into a great orb with the radius of my own height. Upon absorbing the whole of them all, did its shape slowly change into resembling a creature that is called a "Greater Skeleton".
The shape of it was that of one of my spectral Skeletons, but its height was that of five metres and the width was of two metres. Upon its body, however, was of a decrepit colour of old gold and rusted iron platemail, and within its clawed hands were a greatsword and tower shield. The latter, of which, was soon placed upon its back once it noted the lack of something to defend others from, and instead gripped its sword with both clawed hands.
This then launched itself forward, slashing down with expert ease upon the Beastfolk who were recognised as the enemy. Each of whom tried to scatter, resulting in a dozen out of two hundred to fall from where they stood. However, instead of being cut in half, their bodies instead fell as though their strings had been cut. What is more, the blade had passed through the ground as though it was only open air, which also sapped the life force from the earth. Thus, resulting in the area to become dead, dry, and very brittle.
"Run!" howled one of the few wolves to the remainder of the army, resulting in them scattering upon the wind.
Whereas I pointed towards the lot of them, and commanded my Skeleton, "Slay them all; leave none alive." Of which caused it to part its jaw in order to release a great screech into the open air before launching itself towards its newfound prey.
*****
"Whereupon it did hunt each and every one of them with great glee, until none remained," concluded Brutus as he replaced his own Story back inside the Void Pocket from whence it came, and stood tall in order to brush off the imaginary dust from his pristine, white robe.
Of the trio who sat in attendance, only the twins wiggled their tails with perked ears and smiles. Nox, on the other hand, frowned up at the other and inquired, "That's not all of it, right Uncle Brutus?" Which then caused the girl children to pause in their excitement in order to flatten their ears against their heads and widen their eyes at the Lich King.
"No," he replied with a shake of his skull, "It is not the end, but it is for my part in the story."
"What do you mean?" mewed Mia softly.
"He means," rumbled the voice of the Ageless, who then strode from the garden's entrance and over to his right hand in all things, "that only I can finish the rest of the story. For soon after the falling of the last member of the Beastfolk's army, the world became as white as snow. Afterwards, it became as dark as pitch as we were transported in front of Roj and his Tribunal of Fools.
"Therefore," the God King grinned down upon the children present, "only I will be allowed to speak of what had occurred. For this is where Melephas departs from my side. Which also means the end of the tale in its entirety."
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