SDIV El Juego Chapter 17 Part 1

Chapter Seventeen Cursed Hills Zone IV Grishak still retained consciousness, the pain had all but gone now and he hung onto life by a thread. Great swathes of flesh had been peeled away, the hungry tribesmen rushing and cutting free tasty morsels, impatient enough to risk burned limbs in their eagerness to feed. His sight gone, Grishak retained only partially his hearing, the once great Tauran Elite reduced to being nothing more than food. He heard the first cries, the roaring, the sounds of weapons striking flesh and was glad. At least he would not die alone. As his life left him, he witnessed the sounds of carnage, of the destruction of the last flicker of human life in the area as the Ambryn feasted, and internally at least, he smiled. Emerald Forest Zone I A sword rested lightly against Harms’ chest, he dared not move as he and the rest of his men were disarmed. The first of the Knights raised his visor, the obviously human face stared down sternly upon Harms from the back of the warhorse. “Bind them!” ordered the Knight and as Harms tried to speak, “And gag them as well! There will be enough time for explanations at their trial!” Helplessly, and none too gently, they were led away, their weapons hastily bundled into a sack on the back of one of the horses. They were tied together via a long piece of rope and with a jerk they moved off. Llorente fell and was dragged along the ground for a time, until Harms managed to help him to his feet, their captors looking on disdainfully. Cursed Hills Zone IV There was nothing left of the tribesmen, or Grishak. The only sign of life was the heaving mass of Ambryn, as they pranced around the fire in an inexplicable alien ritual of celebration. Then they were still, heads cocked to one side as they listened intently. This lasted but a moment and the dancing began again, its wildness increasing with each pass around the flames.

Emerald Forest
Zone I


“Monsters!” screamed Harms, the rope noose beginning to tighten around his neck, “I said, monsters...they’re coming!”

“Hold!” cried an older voice, “What do you know about monsters? We recently lost two of our brethren in the pursuit of such. Their loss has the distinct taste of magic...!”

“Yes, yes, that’s us,” gabbled Harms, in excitement, “We’re the magicians!”

“Thank you for that admission,” said the Knight moving into Harms vision, then turning to the gathered crowd, “You heard what he said … burn them!”

SDIV Chapter 16 Part 2

Child-like, Ngulu the Broken centered all of his concentration on the transformation before him. The flesh on Cornelius’ face melted, becoming one with the body of the winged creature, whose hold did not lessen as it consumed itself. Red skin arched upwards, struggling to meld the two forms together, ridging where there was union. Flames licked along Cornelius’ shoulder, neck and cheek, where a small head nestled in an ultimate caress. Ngulu saw the moment when Clari died, when her form became no more than an intricate tattoo which added to those already on Cornelius’ body. This was brighter though, a brilliant red tracing a line from Corneliu’s neck, wrapping round his throat and terminating at his eye.


As the human fell to the ground, Ngulu reached forward reverently. It was then that he heard the stamp of feet and the swish of a weapon. Rolling quickly, he tried to avoid the blade, which even now smashed downwards.

Flagship
Unknown Location


“Now, tell me,” said Shan, stirring the pieces on the board in front of him,” is this usual?”

There was no answer; putrid henchman did not make for good conversational companions. He had hoped to make up for that with the Ori in front of him, revived from a fist-induced slumber. Shan had found him bleeding in the main hanger on his return and reacted true to his nature. He had only recently regained consciousness.

Shan nodded and one of his henchman grabbed the Ori’s hair, and slammed him face first into the board.

“I am querying,” explained Shan slowly, “this chaotic amalgamation of characters. There is a randomness here, which just does not seem right.”

“I’ve noticed that too,” answered the Ori, spitting blood and tooth fragments from his mouth, “there should be more death and less resistance. Who is this one?”

His finger traced the screen, highlighting the small figure there. Unlike the others shown, it carried no data stream and flickered angrily.

“Don’t you know?” asked Shan, puzzled, “Your family has controlled this enterprise for generations.”

“True,” continued the Ori, “and this is the first time I have seen an unaligned piece enter the Game.”

“Explain!” snapped Shan.

“We didn’t put him there…”


Cemetary Plain
Zone III


Burns raised his rifle and fired, the slug smashing into the Knight’s weapon, spinning it from his hand.

“Missed!” said Kam, who had joined him.

“No I didn’t,” replied the sniper, “look!”

Cornelius now stood, dazed yet alive. In front of him, the monster waited, head bowed, ignoring the stupified Knight. Slowly Ngulu the Broken stretched himself full-length on the ground, his muzzle just touching Cornelius’ feet. He was ignored.


…the pain had gone, instead his mind was filled with a chorus of voices. Song vibrated within, opening itself to him. No-one had ever love him, shown him such trust and given him so much. He was ashamed, and yet exultant. She had died for him. Anger now built within. This thing before him had killed her, and must pay…

The reddened skin became more pronounced as Cornelius’ rage grew; what had remained seemed to take a life of its own, writhing and twisting with each contortion. Power surged through him, flames wreathing the ridges of his spiked mohican, curling around his forehead and running along his face and neck. He raised his hand high, the flames coalescing into a bright ball of energy which pranced greedily on his open palm. Cornelius wanted to kill, and his enemy lay open beneath him.


Flagship
Unknown Location


Shan cackled with glee. He loved this. Under his controls, the remote fighters shadowing him, jinked and weaved, hugging the terrain. The carefully segregated Zones meant nothing to them, and less to him. Here, he was the Lord and Master, and no shrunken dwarf was going to spoil it for him.

Power surges were common here, the instruments adjusting them in line with the Game’s parameters. The strange light show surrounding Cornelius did not register, and Shan dismissed it as nothing more than a distortion of the video feed.

His charges were close now, and he leaned in, concentrating on the controls beneath his fingers. One stroke and he knew it would be over. Eagerly he depressed the firing sequence, then sat back to enjoy the fruits of his labour.

SDIV Chapter 16 Part 1

Chapter Sixteen

Cemetary Plain
Zone III

Ngulu the Broken was upset. No-one understood him. Granted, his urges made it hard for him to be loved, but he found that people judged him only by his appearance. He could not remember how he had arrived on this strange planet, nor did he know how the magic worked, which moved him between places. It always seemed to happen when he was hungry, and that was the problem.

Food meant battle; he needed fresh meat and it just seemed to be there, waiting for him. More recently, he felt persecuted, especially by the strange detachable creatures with shiny skins. They were fragile, yet persistent. Now he was in pain, his mouth held rigidly open and feeding was not an option.

His hand burned, breaking into his simple reverie and he dropped the small warrior to the ground, shuffling round on his injured legs to stare curiously at the strange little man. The tiny winged animal clung ever tighter, seemingly intent on doing Ngulu’s work for him.

He started back as flames burst from the head of the red-haired human, grunting in surprise. Totally engrossed in the scene being played out before him, he forgot about Sir Frederic, who was pulling himself to his feet with the aid of his now recovered sword.

*

Cornelius was in a world of pain, his neck and face on fire. No longer did he rationalise, instead he existed. Where Clari touched him, nerve endings protested vehemently. His mouth opened, a scream trying to break free, but nothing came out. Head flung back, arms raised in supplication, Cornelius suffered.

*

Clari knew that her time had come. She felt bones become fluid, skin translucent and she surrendered to her purpose, pouring her essence into the process, sacrificing her existence for the one she loved.

*

Sir Frederic saw the monster leaning over his erstwhile saviour. The wounds on the creature’s legs had ceased to weep and he watched in horror as flesh began to reknit. There was little time; he needed to act now. Cursing, he clanked his way forward, certain that the thing would notice him at any moment. Sword raised he threw all of his training and muscles into one all-powerful blow.

*

Child-like, Ngulu the Broken centred all of his concentration on the transformation before him. The flesh on Cornelius’ face melted, becoming one with the body of the winged creature, whose hold did not lessen as it consumed itself. Red skin arched upwards, struggling to meld the two forms together, ridging where there was union. Flames licked along Cornelius’ shoulder, neck and cheek, where a small head nestled in an ultimate caress. Ngulu saw the moment when Clari died, when her form became no more than an intricate tattoo which added to those already on Cornelius’ body. This was brighter though, a brilliant red tracing a line from Cornelius’ neck, wrapping round his throat and terminating at his eye.

As the human fell to the ground, Ngulu reached forward reverently. It was then that he heard the stamp of feet and the swish of a weapon. Rolling quickly, he tried to avoid the blade, which even now smashed downwards.

SDIV Chapter 15 Part 3

Cursed Hills
Zone IV

Blood dripped slowly onto the fire, hissing and sputtering. The flames hurt Grishak’s eyes, not just with their light, but the accompanying waves of heat which had instantly dried out any liquid and now burned slowly and painfully. Quickly he closed his eyelids, only serving to momentarily block the intense pain, not extinguish it.

They had suspended him upside down over the fire and one after the other they came, tossing more fuel onto the conflagration. His hands were tied behind his back, his arms forced together and looped over an iron rod. His legs had been treated similarly and he was slowly being roasted alive.

His vaunted, god-given powers of recovery were useless here. The arrow wounds had started to heal but the flesh on his bare chest had begun to crack and peel. Tribesman danced and cavorted around him, and as he was rotated slowly he heard the accompanying ribald laughter.

Now, the flames were touching his back and he started to scream, long and endlessly.


Cemetary Plain
Zone III

Cornelius was losing consciousness, the agony being replaced by a sweet blackness. Pain flared again, this time near his neck, and he realised that Clari had bitten him. He forgave her. What could she do against this thing? Hands relaxed and his knives clunked to the floor, the pressure on his head overwhelming.

Clari was not angry, nor was she frustrated. She knew what she had to do. Another slash of her jaw opened the wound on Cornelius’ neck wider, red blood pumping clear. With a twist, her tail was in her mouth and she ripped into her own flesh, her green life’s blood mingling with that of her Master. Her tail tightened against Cornelius’ neck, forcing an invasive contact.

It burned. Oh, how it burned. No longer was he in a safe place, a coruscating fire had torn him free. It raged through his system. He was dying, badly.

Cursed Hills
Zone IV

The barrier flickered, its energy loss visible as the Ambryn flung themselves against it. They had seen the Tauran pass through and hunger drove them on. He had stayed a moment to taunt them, although this did little to excite them. Their urge to feed was strong, as was the other driving force of their existence, procreation. One followed the other, causing individual Ambryn to turn on one another. Without warning, the barrier collapsed and they could smell not only the Tauran, but a multitude of other meat.

Hissing, snapping and snarling they slithered over the rocks, vying with each other in their haste. Self-preservation to them only came with the satisfaction of their primeval urges.

SD IV Chapter 15 Part 2

Cursed Hills
Zone IV

Grishak was puzzled; he had seen no signs of life. Granted the ground was rocky, with little in the way of plant or animals, but he had expected to have crossed at least some type of trail by now.

He found himself in an area of numerous caves, their design evidencing that they were not purely a natural phenomenon. Still, he thought, as he bent down to drink from a swiftly rushing stream, laying his axe to one side but within easy reach, it was unusual.

An angry buzzing sound, made him reach for his weapon, as an arrow bounced off the rock in front of him. He whirled ready to face his attackers and was struck three times in quick succession. Once through his bicep, another through the meaty part of his shoulder and the third time into his left thigh.

Wounds which would not incapacitate him but irritate him for sure. There was a mixture of chanting, battle cries and plain screaming as a rag tag bunch of tribesmen charged his position. He grinned to himself and readied his axe, much opposition they would not be, but at least they would lift his spirits.

*

With a casual swing, Grishak decapitated the first of his attackers, ducking below an incoming stave, he drove his weapon upwards. Its sharpened blade tearing between the tribesman’s legs and only stopping when it ran out of momentum. He kicked the man off the axe, a mixture of blood and entrails stringing out from the falling body.

A sword slammed into his shoulder and he cursed, this was not as easy as he thought. It seemed as though these fools were intent on dying, their insane charge having been followed up by simultaneous attacks. He knew he was winning, but in his partially recovered state, he was weakening quickly.

Arms clasped him from behind and a huge tribesman rushed forward, his spear pulled backwards ready to strike. Leaning forward Grishak felt the man on his back unbalance and quickly he smashed his head back, being rewarded with a cry of pain. Breaking the hold on his arms, he grabbed his assailant and threw him directly onto the oncoming blade point. With a shout, he followed through with the axe, splitting the second man’s skull in two.

They were all around him, he was corralled like a wild animal with bared steel ringing him in. There was a whirring and the first arrow struck causing him to bellow in pain.

Rushing forward he lashed his axe from side to side, but his attackers melted away before him. Arrows flashed from behind, cutting into his limbs and he whirled once more, to be presented with the same scenario. Little by little his strength drained away, his wounds debilitating yet never fatal.

At last he fell to his knees, head swaying from side to side and with a concerted rush they came. Half standing he struck into them, two or three more fell before they pulled back. Then came more arrows and slowly he slumped to the floor, his vision blurring and finally he was overcome, a vast blackness overpowering him.

Cemetary Plain
Zone III

With a roar the creature stood to its full height, towering over the onrushing Knights. This did not stop them. One long arm reached out and plucked a Knight from his saddle, jaws closed and razor-sharp teeth sheared through armour. Cornelius saw the head spat aside, before the body was unceremoniously dumped on the floor, blood fountaining clear.

A lance shattered against iron-hard skin, splinters whistling past the monster’s head. One hoofed foot struck, cracking the horse’s ribs and caving in its chest. Its rider hit the ground hard, and did not move again. Butt was close now.

Sir Frederic screamed his war-cry once more, adjusting the angle of his lance at the last moment. The steel-tipped head cleaved through flesh and stuck hard, passing through one side of the thing’s jaw and out the other. It shook its head at the irritation, holding and snapping the weapon easily. The Knight drew his sword and whirled back to the attack.

Cornelius did not know what the thing was, but it still only had two arms and two legs. Granted they were huge, as were the muscles which rippled across its immense frame. The red-skinned monster had been bad, this was a nightmare. Someone had been drinking when they had created this; wolven-jawed, earless, with a lizard-like tail and hooven feet. Long strings of slaver fell from its partially opened maw, the remains of the lance blade fixing its features sadistically. He saw the Knight raise himself high in his stirrups and strike down, watched him fly backwards; his blow blocked and followed with a ringing slap. It was his turn now.

As the thing turned to kick out, Cornelius slid underneath it. Blades free, he scurried past, slicing at its taut hamstrings. With an audible twang they parted, causing it to drop to its knees. His plan was not as successful as he had expected though, as its tail helped it keep balance. A clawed hand closed about his head and began to squeeze.

SD IV Chapter 15 Part 1

Chapter Fifteen

Cemetary Plain
Zone III

Butt stared at the tower in the distance, lost in thought. He did not believe in prescience, but the dream had foreseen this. All it needed now was the arrival of the winged creature and he would begin to change his mind. Instead the crack of pistol fire shocked him back to reality.

Kam had disappeared, the waving grass giving away his position, that and the angry roaring.

“Burns!”

The sniper nodded; he had already seen the action and had dropped to one knee, rifle ready. There was a thudding sound, growing ever louder to their rear and Butt span, pistol ready. What he saw stopped him short, and that took some doing.

Barrelling down on them was a trio of heavily armoured knights; lances couched and pennants flying. They seemed not to have noticed the humans and were quickly past, aiming directly for Kam’s position. A horn sounded and Cornelius looked on in amazement as the lead Knight winded the instrument again.

“Don´t ask me,” muttered Burns, as he set off in pursuit.


*

For Sir Frederic D’Aix the chase was everything; they had followed the tracks of the beast for three days, crossing one of the magic portals in their pursuit of the monster. A village had been decimated, the remains of its inhabitants telling their own story. Sworn to defend the populace at large and with the love of battle singing in their blood, they had accepted the challenge.

He had noticed the two warriors, dismissing the strangely attired child and the soldier with his long stick as less than worthy of his attention, the Knight was now concentrated on the kill. It was close now.

*

Sir Frederic loved the charge; his horse and he as one, muscles in synchronisation as his vision narrowed to the target. The lance felt weightless in his hand as he prepared for the strike, knees gripping tightly against his mount, ready to transmit any minute adjustment necessary.

“Vandron!” he roared, and struck.

*

Kam was unaware of his rescuers, until he was bowled aside by one of the horses. He had been transfixed by the creature in front of him, unable to categorise it, apart from it being aggressive and deadly. His first two shots had bounced off its leathery skin, annoying it more than inflicting any lasting damage, and he was in the process of praying when the Knights joined the fray.

Thinking that he was hallucinating, but unwilling to look a gift horse in the mouth, literally, he turned and ran, crashing into Burns as he tried to make his escape. Cornelius raced past, his short legs pumping furiously.

“We´ll talk later,” he promised, as he continued on his way, Clari screaming her own retort.

Emerald Forest
Zone I

Harms peered around the thick trunk of the tree. Somehow they had gotten switched around here and once more, had found the Taurans, or at least their handiwork. The clearing in front of him showed the results of one of their typically brutal attacks. Men, women and even children had not been spared; rough, home-spun clothing was torn and rent, flesh burnt and bodies defiled. It must have happened recently, as evidenced by the still-rising trails of smoke from the camp fire and corpses equally.

They cautiously approached and could see that the fight had not been all one-sided, discarded rifles, an occasional Tauran soldier sprawled arms akimbo, all testified to some resistance. There was the jingling of horse tack, strange shouted commands and suddenly they found themselves surrounded. A body of Knights had appeared, their visors lowered making impossible to read their intent.

Harms was aware that in such a stand-off, their firepower would take a heavy toll, but eventually sheer numbers would win out. They were few and in a strange land. Friends would be an important tool of survival. He made his decision.

Carefully, the Sargeant lowered his rifle, holding his hand out in what he hoped was a peaceful gesture. Silence greeted him and he opened his mouth to speak. With a curt command, the lead Knight, whose rich apparel spoke loudly of his status, drew his sword. The other Knights followed his actions, kneeing their horses forward. This, thought Harms, is not looking good.

SDIV Chapter 14 Part 2

“Ah, Burns,” asked Kam, staring out across the main thoroughfare of the city, “isn’t that Cornelius running this way?”

“Yes, Sir,” muttered the sniper, taking careful aim, for a moment almost overcome by the temptation of firing.

“And, if I’m not mistaken, those things behind him are……?”

“Yes, sir,” replied Burns once more, ignoring all around him except the rapidly approaching figure looming large in his sights. One thing at a time, he thought ironically to himself.

“Okay. I’m not waiting any longer,” stated Kam calmly, as he checked his newly acquired pistol, “we need to follow Harms right now.”

He stepped through the portal, his eyes closed. When nothing pierced his flesh, he opened them, and jumped back through.

“Clear!” he shouted, and waved frantically at Cornelius, before rushing back into the portal, a grumbling Burns following.

As they stepped through, the world seemed to spin, turn upside down and then suddenly right itself once more. Burns fell to the floor in a daze, an overpowering stench causing him to gag.

Somehow Kam kept his feet, but only for a moment. He heard the crash of the Cornelius hitting the floor and slumped down next to him.

“Where the fuck have you been?” he asked, and then, “By the Egg, you stink!”

Cornelius spat to clear his mouth and then swore. Before them was a vast plain of rolling grass, a mosaic of patterns flowing through the vegetation in time with the occasional eddy of the wind. In the distance they could see the outline of a tower, an architecture all too familiar.

*

Grishak knew the Ambryn were close; he could hear their snarling cries and the buzzing of their stubby wings. He continued his run, the portal within his reach. Ahead he saw the back of the diminutive human, he who had speared him, passing through and increased his speed. That was a rematch he eagerly awaited.

With one last gigantic leap he cleared the barrier, his momentum propelling him forwards. A roar of triumph died on his lips as he crashed headlong into a rocky wall, the shock of contact stunning him. Warily he turned, axe in hand to await what he knew would be his final battle.

*

Harms had covered a wide area now, and there was absolutely no doubt; the portal was gone. He had with him the other four troopers, somewhere out there a significant band of Taurans, and he was in an unknown place, with the Prelate only knew what living there. He was screwed.

His decision, although he hated to admit it to himself, had been bad. The whiny little Taartun, Kam, had after all been right. Just about now, he could have done with the local and Burns at his side. Harms would even be satisfied with the annoying Cornelius to bolster his tiny force.

Calling his men together, he picked a line of travel opposite to the Taurans. They needed to find some civilisation and soon.

*

He had waited a long time, watching them throw themselves against the field, but they couldn’t get through. Grishak had tried a few ineffectual swipes of his axe against the barrier, but it had neither hurt them, nor the tenuous field.

Grunting to himself, he had finally turned his back on it, and made his way further into the interior.