A/n: here's your second ruff! I have to mention the Animus Storm, publication contest entry. now hope ya like the chap

Howling Thunder Ch34: Ignoring past glory

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Ever so gently we land on the roof and there's already a problem as Mora’s metal heeled boots make a rather loud tap against the roof tiles. Voices come from somewhere nearby.

“Hey did you hear that?”

“Are you kidding me? We’re off duty any time now, those bastards should hurry up. It was probly just a rock from the cliff anyway.”

Looking around a corner I spot two turul men seated at the edge of the upper section of the roof with a small fire in a pan and some blankets to rest on.

“Come on, we were told to be especially vigilant tonight!”

“You know, if you're trying to get promoted you should just offer your sister up to the captain.”

The sound of rustling wings, “Screw off you bastard, I’m going to do a quick circle.”

I pick up Mora and quickly duck into the shadow of this random roof feature, cloaking us in fog.

A winged silhouette passes directly above us, I hear the other guard muttering to himself, “Not like it matters, after that crazy shit today most of the family will probably be executed. I’m more likely to keep my neck the less involved I am, I should probably even quit tomorrow. When the General finds out he’ll likely hold the axe himself.”

Whispering to Mora, “Take of those boots while I grab this guard.”

She frowns, “And do what with them, are you going to try and make them disappear into your fog as well? I don’t fancy running around barefoot.”

They’re mostly metal, I really doubt I can absorb them, “Just leave them, we’ll come back later.”

Her eyes narrow, “No.”

The voice nearby, “Shit is someone there?”

“Dammit,” I knock my head back against the stonework in frustration.

Walking out from behind what I can now see as a window alcove I approach the Turul man, “I recommend you go ahead and call it quits right now, or you’ll be missing that head you're so attached too.”

He squints in the torch light, his eyes then go wide, “You must be Lord Nox...Right, knew this shit would happen. Well then, I’ll be going home your lordshipness.”

With a quick about face he gathers up his stuff and looks to be taking off, I stop him.

“Wait, where is...the hell was his name, the general’s son.”

The guard pauses and gives rueful grin, “The spoiled brat is probably huddled in a corner of the family hall, panicking in his feathers already my lord… Um, sire, you didn’t really torture the young miss did you? That's the rumor going around, she was a feather short in the head but a sweet girl.”

Finally I meet someone sensible from this family, “The girl,”

“Cressa,” Mora whispers.

I go on, “Cressa is perfectly fine, I gave her a small scare but nothing more, I even swore she’ll be fine after all this nonsense. Where is this family hall?”

He nods, “Good to hear, right, you're standing on it. The shift change is going on so you’ll be able to catch most the patrols. Enter in any of the windows or the front and then head past the tribe meeting hall. The main family’s hall is the next room back.”

As the guard flies off Mora steps out and checks the window, her boots clicking.

“It doesn't open, just a solid pane.”

Scratching my chin, “That kiss ass guard should be coming back any moment… for now just sit by the fire and hold that blanket over yourself.”

“I see, very well.” She walks over and puts her wings forward as if they were her actual arms similar to the Turul. The blanket loosely hangs from her shoulders.

While I hide in the shadows behind her I can already hear the flapping of wings once more.

Unfortunately it isn’t one but three men that arrive.

“Like I said it was just some noise I was checking out, hey Ajka, let’s go I’m starving.”

Well...shit.

A black cloud surges out from behind Mora like a beast pouncing on prey. I envelope all three men, giving them a shock and attempting to put them to sleep.

I’ve never tried this before however and while they do fall to the roof and on their knees, none actually fall asleep.

With no better idea I take out my trident and smack the back of each of their heads until the pass out. The last fellow is a bit larger.

“Go to Sleep already!”

With the fifth or sixth whack he finally slumps forward face first to the roof tiles. There’s a bit of blood, I don’t think that killed him…

Looking to Mora as the fog clears, “Um, let's find another window shall we?”

Searching the other window alcoves reveals them all to be completely sealed. Which leaves us with either breaking one or sneaking around the front.

Fortunately it’s at this time that I hear the sound of a bell ringing. Looking out at the estate I spot flames flickering out the window of a guard tower, moments late they also spring from the door in the courtyard below. I hope he isn’t getting carried away. It now occurs to me that having his family estate catch fire would definitely give Miklos reason to rush home.

“Mora we have to hurry, fly low and keep to the shadows, we’ll go through the front, I’ll cloak you, once inside, stick to the ceilings.”

She nods and spread her wings, our form seems bat like as we glide down towards the grand balcony we saw from afar. Feeling like there’s not too much value in taking this slowly, I take out the bone spear and hand it to Mora.

From this close I can clearly see the pupils of her eyes become sharper, a ferocious grin spreads across her face revealing several sharp fangs. Icy talons crystalize on her hands and her feet as her flight goes from a silent glide to aggressive leaps from shadow to shadow. Our form seems less bat like and more so the black dragon I was playing around with earlier.

Truly like a predator chasing her prey we come to the front of the building and wait while watching the guards fly about.

I peek inside like a snake made of black mist and see that the main hall is empty now, “Let's move.”

Mora’s claws dig into the stonework and we crawl out over the roof ledge. Clinging to the ceiling I see that we’re digging into a painting. Covering the entire hall ceiling over the tables below it depicts the war of 300 years ago from the Turul’s view.

Starting with them chased from their nests along a familiar yet barren plateau. Fleeing to the north and meeting the White Army. Assaulting the cliffs which had been topped with a half built fortress. A final stand featuring a woman with nine red tails, a silver furred wolf man in massive armor, and another woman with golden feathers, all facing off against a massive ...monster.

Its skin is painted as blue, black fur covers his arms, legs and mane. His eyes massive and red, his fangs stained with blood and too large to fit in his own mouth. In his long arms rests a massive club made of some unknown creature’s bone. The creatures metal armor depicts faces of other monsters. Great black claws are grabbing towards the small by comparison, silver wolfman on the frontline.

Mora whispers, “The demon general, a great ogre who laid claim to the plateau, his name was The Hundun Beast. Let's go, I see an archway leading further back.”

The final two scenes show the demon bathed in red flames of the Inari, howling in agony as the Fenrir is dropped from the sky by the Turul Queen, her wings radiating a blinding light. In the Fenrir's hands the Nemis Axe swings for the general’s head. The last shows the queen kneeling before the massive statue in the throne room, receiving the water grail n a glow of light.

An open archway at the side of the room lead back into the building. Glancing around once more to make sure no one is in sight we drop from the ceiling and separate.

I peek around the corner. The next room is grandly decorated with many golden drapes and treasures on display. Suits of armor designed for bird clansmen, even the massive belt from the demon general rests on a stone pedestal. Paintings of family patriarchs line one side while the other shows the queens, their crowns rest below their paintings.

Good thing thievery isn't a major issue in this city.

Several Turul are gathered at the end of the long hall in front of an altar holding two round objects. I can’t make out what they are from here, one is pink and larger than my head, the other is green and the size of a child’s fist.

One of the Turul approaches the man in front, “Kreiz, the manor is clearly under an attack of sorts all the guards are on alert, there are literally no more men to send out, even some that were injured earlier today have been roused.”

The lead man shouts, “Have them fall back to me then! If we are too short handed to defend the roost then we’ll just have to make our final attack tonight.”

As Kriez takes a step towards the altar the guardsmen reaches to stop him, “Young Lord, it’s still not too late. Your father can still repair this situation by negotiating with the Fenrir!”

The young man stops, “You’d have my father beg on his knees?!”

A metallic sound rings out as the guardsman's head takes flight from his shoulders. Blood drips to the white stone floor from a long, curved saber with an enclosed golden hilt.

Kriez shouts to the rafters in hysterics, “The days of Turul servitude are over, we will retake the homeland tonight! The dogs of Yoden shall be washed away, the city shall be cleansed by the waters of our Goddess Emese!”

He seems a bit mad, seven guards remain, several side passages lead out. If he has some final plan I really can’t let him leave this room.

Mora whispers, “Let's just fight the crazy bird. The city guards should be here soon because of the fires but if this fool leaves now it may be too late.”

Somehow I don’t like taking advice from someone whose very blood is boiling, but seeing no other options available I step out into the hall.

Letting my black fog spill out across the floor, I scratch my head and sigh. I’m supposed to have a good line to say here right? Guess I’ll wing it...shit.

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A/n wootskies, chap was slightly delayed due to a frustrating incident. if you write a review, please follow site rules. It did bring up concerns, while I intentionally do leave some things vague to reflect the MC's lack of concern over them, some people are getting some pretty wild ideas. so I'll reiterate a very important point, these are not humans in the modern age...ya thats all. Thanks for reading folks, please checkout inkshares contest, i posted my entry with some final edits up to chapter 9. shown as prolog + 4 chapters on the contest site.

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that feel when one person is determined to cause problems and I watch the story rank drop from 30 something to 50