《Beyond Gods》Chapter seven: Whispers and Howls
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(Had a fever right after vacations. Fuck yeah missed my first two school days! -.-)
The village entrance was only dimly lit, a few torches and lamposts hear and there, nothing much.
The guards had ordinary weapon and armor donned, most of them were already at a critical state in their durability, a proof of countless battles, battles against beasts and bandits.
Four watchtowers were placed on each corner of the village, at least 100 meters apart from each other and forming a perfect square.
There was one main entrance, the one where Argant and his group arrived and another one opposite of the main entrance.
With their hawk like eyes the guards immediately pinpointed Argant and co.. Staffs, bows and crossbows were raised in a menacing manner.
“Halt! Who goes there?“. One of the guards barked down. He was a sturdy man, at least two meters high with a magnificient brown full beard, brown skin and deep red horns sprouting from his head.
“Guard Captain! It's me Silana, Erik, Kai, Eor-!“
“I get it already come on in!“. The captain interrupted and jumped down the meter high gate, landing right behind it.
After a while the two wooden doors openned up and revealed a small pastoral village made up entirely by wooden huts. Only two buildings seemed to be extraordinary. The first was a giant house made of stone and bricks with a roof of raven black tiles and a hanging sign with two crossed swords and a wolf head as background, hanging on its side. The second house was just extraordinary big and seemed out of place in this village. The house of a noble.
The black roofed house stood right in the middle of the village, while the noblehouse was not to far away. All the other huts seemed to center around the black roofed house and multiple roads like a spiderweb spread out of the stone house.
Directly around the black roofed house was clear space, as if the other huts did not dare to draw closer.
The carriage was lead by the guard captain directly towards this empty place. Now they stood infront of the entrance of the black roofed house.
The sign swayed in the wind and loud jeers of drunken laughter and the tales of bards rang out from within. It was also one of the few houses were light still burned, defying the pressuring darkness like a twinkling star.
Crash! The sund of something breaking rang out from within and shortly afterwards the sound of a brawl could be ehard as well.
“AHHHH!“. With a shout a figure flew out of the entrance at high speed, only seconds after three people followed suit and landed hard on the ground.
Surprisingle the group did not paid these persons any mind but the person who threw them out. A man as big as grizzly, with an awfully hairy body but an even more so hairless head, so hairless that his facial features looked like a young child, if not for the wrinkles and the murderous gaze, a psycho-grandpa-baby face then.
The gaurd captain immediately began to laugh out loud. “Hahahahah! Strenok you old fool! If you treat all youngsters like that there won't be any more adventurers! Harhahahah!“, the gaurd captain went closer and gave the grizzly man a strong hand shake and a bear hug.
“Hahahahahhahah! Don't blame me Arlarn! These guys tried to wreak havoc in my guild house! Tell me how would you have punished them. They would probably be beaten balck and blue! HAHAHA!“. Arlarn and Strenok still laughed a while while enjoying the company of an old comrade.
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Arlarn directed his gaze to the carriage and the adventurer group that were exiting mentioned carriage.
“Silana, Kai, Erik, Eorina, Lana, Lara! Have you guys finished your job already?!“. Arlarn said, surprise and relief filled in his voice. Surprise about them finishing their first job so fast and relief that none of them had to be lifted down the earth.
“Haaaa... Well more or less.“. Silana answered.
“Ho? What do you mean more or less?“. Arlarn asked while tilting his head.
Strenok also turned around. “Yeah. What do you mean more or less?“.
“Let's go in at first. Strenok come in as well, I am sure they got a nice story to tell.“. Arlarn turned already around as he said this and the group of seven plus Argant entered the guild house.
Crack. Crush. Creak. *Break*.
In a far away land stood lone mountain in a deserted wasteland and yet atop this hill stood a mighty blood red beast. With a closer look one could see that the creature did not stood on an ordinary mountain, it was a pile of bones. Some were already broken, others were fresh and had even some muscle tissue or skin sticking to them.
The beast was currently curled up but suddenly it moved its head and gazed into the sky.
“It... seeeems... myyy... timmee... hasssss... COME!“
The beasts body quivered and soon it stood up, shattering skulls and other bones in just a second as if there was no resistance at all.
The blood red limbs supported an equally bloody body. It was the body of a domineering wolf. The fur of the massive wolf seemed to flow like rivers of blood and each hair had sharpness that rivaled grandmaster swords. The monster shock its head from side to side to ease its, by a thousand-year-sleep caused, diziness.
The head of the wolf had a pair of grey eyes that held no hint of life or emotion in them at all. Under the chaps rows upon rows of charcoal black teeth was revealed, so sharp that one might faint from a simple glance.
Moving its head to the front the creature started to perk up its ears and sniff in the air.
“Master...! I... I have waited so long... Hhahahahah!“ The wolf started to tremble in ecstasy as it sended its demonic laugh towards the heavens.
“The day I felt your presence I swore to the gods! 'The descent of this mighty creature shall be heralded by burning winds and twisted lands. And with the coming of this horror those who draw breath shall know the true meaning of eternal slumber.' They shall pay!“
The wolf lolled and shook of the dust that settled on its body over the countless years. A dim white light was shining under the pile of bones but after only a few seconds it started to flicker and then...
BOOM! A sound as if the world imploded into itself. CRAK. Followed by the sound of glass breaking.
The wolf only smiled and revealed its predatory weapons in its whole splendour.
The wolf flexed its leg muscles and then... vanished. Only the super sonic boom created by the wild dash was proof of the wolf moving away. The pile of human and non-human remnants was pulverized by the sheer force and was soon carried out by the gentle wind, leaving behind an ordinary flatland with a few rare patches of wild grass.
In the plain a red blur flashed at the horizon and wherever this red blur flashed past, death would await. Only a trail of blood was evidence for this creatures awakening. All lifeforms, plants or animals, started to die out or wither once this red flash moved past them, even the ground dried out and started to split apart, this thing was the walking apocalypse.
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Seconds later the red blur was already way past the horizon.
“I, Ragnar shall be by your side, master! I, the living cataclysm will serve you forever!“. The wolf howled against the skies and continued on in its swath of destruction.
The guild house was warm and welcoming. Tables with chairs circling them were already occupied by a variety of people. Lizardmen, avian people and other types of beast men and demi humans. In a far-off corner was a group of three people,
Two male Valkros, beings that look the same as humans on the outside, except for a red crystal in their foreheads, but are completely different on the inside. Velkros are like vampires, except that they galore absorb the life essence of their prey, killing them on the spot. Once their red gem perceives prey their anatomy changes greatly and turns them into disturbing abominations, their heads turn lamprey like and their limbs became sharp and dangerous. Even among demons their bodies were still in the top ten of the most terrifying.
One of them had blonde hair while the other had black hair, they looked pretty average so I won't specify them.
The other person was completely covered by a black robe, only two long black spikes penentrated the robe on the back. The spikes looked akin to the legs of a spider but thin silver lines were hanging down from them.
Only a few whispers escaped the mouths of the three people and soon they stood up, threw some copper and silver coins on the table and left the guild house.
Argant's group was directed past the reception to a massive wooden door. Behind the door was a staircase which seemed to go up forever.
The guild master Arlarn moved his hand against the side of the staircase and activated a blue light. Soon the space began to distort and revealed an immensly shorter staircase than before and another massive door at its end.
One could realize easily how strong this illusion magic might have been, probably so strong that one might seriously walk up the stairs forever without going up at all in reality.
The room they entered was quiet and spacious. It felt warm and friendly.
Three large brown leather sofas surrounding a giant table of black marble stood in the center. Behind the sofas was a massive wooden desk with a huge pile of paperwork on top of it.
The walls were blocked by rows upon rows of bookshelves filled with the most exotic of lectures, even from teh human continent. Of course the group paid the books no mind.
A golden chandelier was lighting the room in a comfortable light.
The group of nine seated themselves on the sofas. Immediately cups of tea or coffe, depending on the guests requests, were given out by a old butler. The butler smiled, bowed and left the room.
Eight cups were placed on the table. The cups were for Arlarn, Strenok and the adventurer group. Silana and the rest immediatley noticed the missing cup and Silana was the first to speak.
“Master Arlarn I am sorry to inconvinience you but one cup is missing.“. Salina and the others had an appologetic look on their face.
“For whom?“. Arlarn gave Silana and the rest a questioning gaze.
“For our companion Ar-? Huh? Where is he?“. Silana gazed around the room but Argant was nowhere to be found.
“Hum? Did he not come up here with us?“. The others also questioned.
Strenok and Arlarn just gave them a confused look.
“Hooo? Why do you worry so much about him? Don't tell me! You got a crush on him?!“. Arlarn looked at Silana with big eyes.
Silana's cheeks reddened so much that it was even visible on her tanned skin. “Of course not!“. She shouted but somehow her tone did not seem to be convincing. Even her own companions started to chuckle and grin. “It's just that he was the one who rescued us.“. Silana shouted at Arlarn.
Arlarn quited with the teasing and gave Silana and her group a seerious look. “Rescued? What do you mean he 'rescued' you guys?“.
Silana and the rest just scratched their heads awkwardly. “Well... We somehow overestimated our abilities...“. Kai said, not wanting to be left out in the conversation, Elfs were arrogant and prideful after all.
“Ok just tell me exactly what happened.“. Arlarn's tone calmed the group of newbie adventurers and they started to talk abot their mission and how Argant saved them from their deaths.
“He should be pretty strong it seems. Hah... you should really thank him then, but 20/80! He sure wants the money. HAHAHAHA!“. Arlarn's laughter rang out trough the guild house, he already took a liking to Argant. Not only was Argant talented he also had a strict personnality and would stick with his descisions. He liked such people.
Silana and her teammates could only sigh, they knew Arlarn's problematic personality. “I guess I should look for him.“. Silana stood up and left the room.
“What has he done that Silana admires him that much?“. Arlarn quietly mumbled to himself.
While the group was still chatting Silana already browsed the entire guildhouse. “Hah... Where is that guy?“. Silana was really wondering where Argant went, she could swear he was right behind them. “Got no choice but use this.“. Silana frowned lightly.
Her nose started to twitch and instantly all the scents in a hundred meter radius entered her nostrils. Alas Silana did not like this tracking method, it made her seem more animalistic and unwanted or smelly scents were also present.
She needed only a few seconds to distinguish Argant's scent from the others. A 'trail' appeared in Silana's mind and she hurriedly followed it.
It leads.... to the roof?! How did he get up there?!
Silana started to wonder. The roof was very high and the walls were protected by a thin magic membrane that loosens your footing and grip. She could not imagine how Argant went up there. The huts were to far away as that he could use them as a means to jump over.
Silana circled around the hosue but found no point where she could climb or jump on the house. Nevertheless she focused her wind mana in her legs and took off.
Unfortunately she could not reach the roof and even if she had no way to hold onto it.
“ARGANT!!!!“. She knew she couldn't reach up there, so why not shout his name so that HE moves.
*Silence*
“ARGANT YOU ASS! I KNOW YOU ARE UP THERE!“. Her voice grew even louder.
*Chirp* *Chirp*
Nothing. She got no reply. Only the sarcastic chirping of the cicadas.
But sadly she couldn't know that Argant was simply unable to answer her.
In the midst of a different universe.
A greenish door stood obstinately in the center of a super massive blackhole. The door had no holding nor did it seem to be sturdy but the blackhole could not even deform nor swallow it. The door appeared to be in another dimension and could not interact with the outside space at all.
A woman clad in golden suddenly manifested right before the door. Her golden curly hair waved in the windless space. Her features were breathtaking. Eyes – that changed color depending on your position – so rich that you could lost yourself in them. With just a glimpse these eyes seemed to suck you in and trap your soul but in a positive way. Her lips were full and had a beautiful rosy color, one just wanted to kiss these pair of magnificient lips. Her nose was slender and just simply perfect, position, symmetry, size, everything. Her body seemed to be made up entirely off curves, be it her hips, her full ass or her breasts, curves to the max!
Her golden robe fluttered in the space and her beauty made even the blackhole seemingly blush. A freakin physical extreme was blushing! The power of true beauty. A goddess of beauty.
With a flick she appeared in a pocket dimension inside the dimension the door led to. From the pocket dimesnion she observed a chained figure inside the 'door's dimension'.
A greenish giant with multiple arms and black claws. Instead of a face was a simple clowns mask.
White chains bound his arms and different white stones pressured the being in a kneeling position.
The creatures head hung low and he silently muttered something indistinguishable.
“Hum... Brother seems to be doing fine but father sure is cruel...“. The goddess silently mumbled.
The green giant shot his head up.
“bo...g b...r..ng.“ The goddess's ears perked up
“Bor...ng boring, boriNG, boRING, BORING! WHY IS IT SO BORING HERE?! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I wanna do something! This boredom will kill me!!!“. The giant yelled inside the dimension.
Even the goddess had to chuckle a bit. “Since when had brother such a childish side to him? Hihihi.“. She truly could not understand her brother.
“FUUUUUUCK and what's up with this uglyass body? Why did it had to be this assholes body?! AHH DAMMIT!“
“Wait... what did he say?“. The goddess questioned herself. She exited the pocket dimension and stood right before her 'brother' now.
“What do you mean with 'this uglyass body'?“. The goddess asked her 'brother'.
“What do YOU mean with what I mean? Of course I mean this ugly piece of shit body you put me in. Couldn't you at least give me my body instead of sticking me in the body of this stupid asshole dipshit?!“
“Wait... you don't mean...“. The goddess instantly shot threads of gold into her 'brother'. The threads pierced right into the soul inhibiting the respective body.
The goddess recalled her threads and stumbled back. “No way... How can this be possible? Father... you moron.“
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