David Martinez
Stories
11
Chapters
3,348
Words
937.5 K
Comments
0
Reading
3 d, 6 h
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A team of three imperial thaumaturges cleared the street wide stone arch with wind and heat controlling skills as streams of people moved to where the three sky skimmers were hastily being pulled around the sides of the bluff. On the side Leif was standing, a temporary barricade was being hastily erected. The undead still rushed through the outpost in a near continuous stream. Fortunately their progress was being stalled by teams of soldiers holding the winding choke points of Far-reach’s streets.…
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Kaan Alfredi, commander of the Ahle-ho garrison, captain of the Empire’s Mercy, bondmate of an ancient guardian, and grandfather to forty seven grandchildren made the sky weep at his approach. He hung in the sky, as if the very air was capable of supporting his greatness. His well oiled moustache and beard remained perfectly still, despite the chaotic lashes of wind and rain that surrounded him. In fact, he wasn’t wet at all, a benefit of mastery over weather magics. Despite his age, Kaan Alfredi…
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The storm-front rolled in as the walls were abandoned. Carts, crates and debris were pulled into makeshift barriers to stem the undead's advance through the winding streets. Leif ducked behind one such barrier as it was closed off, the soldiers didn’t give him a second glance. His cloak hung heavy on his shoulders, the rain soaked fabric partially restricting his movements. But there was otherwise little discomfort. There was the ever present worry that his inhuman form may be revealed. But in the…
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Or rather, he was about to do something stupid. As he stepped up onto the sharpened wooden parapet a deafening roar split the battle. The undead seemed to shy back, recoiling from the sound as if in terror. Many of the defending humans flinched, several clasping hands over their ears as the near deafening wave of sound buffeted them. All eyes turned to the burning sky. For a moment nothing appeared, everything stood still as if soldier and undead monstrosity were united in waiting with baited breath.…
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Undead streamed up the hill in a near continuous tide. Some were skeletal, almost fragile looking. Others still possessed their skin, muscles or fur. Beasts, goblins and bizarre mixes of both met a hail of skills and weapon propelled missiles. A screech split the air as row after row of undead fell, only for their place to be filled. Intermittently blue light would coalesce in a small blue shard, only to fall into the swell of monsters and vanish from sight. As Leif reached the top of the wooden…
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The dawn broke, the sun lighting up the underside of a blanket of wispy clouds, causing the sky to burn as if aflame. Then turbulence asserted itself, and smoke began to rise up from the layer of white and grey. The condensed water vapour hanging above the world burned like the warmth of a hearth. The awe inspiring sight did little to revitalise the defenders of Far-Reach. The soldiers were weary, their exhaustion bone deep from what Leif had learnt was days of near continuous fighting. Small droplets…
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The smell in the air was sterile and clean. The scent of blood and sweat mixed with medicinal balms and clean bandages. There was a pervasive sense of barely contained panic as the number of critically injured had begun to climb. Climb, that was, until Leif got to work. “ The command resonated through the tent, the very world stirring at its utterance. The bedridden soldier, face gaunt and skin pale from blood loss twitched as golden light flashed. Where what was a near fatal bite wound to the lower…
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The slopes fronting the imperial outpost became still. Smoke rose in faint wisps where blasts from skills had scorched the hillside or ignited abandoned fields. Among this smoke rose motes of amber light. Leif hissed out a long breath as he allowed his limbs to finally dissipate. Around him the few remaining sentinels cracked, and broke apart, fading away into white light mixing with gold. Corpses littered around Leif’s feet, the hem of his cloak darkened with a mixture of dirt and blood. Throughout…
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A behemoth of twisted flesh and bone lumbered towards the imperial outpost. Each step shook the earth beneath its colossal legs. It wasn’t the first of its kind to approach the fortifications. But unlike the last time such a monster had threatened the outpost, the imperial defenders were run ragged from exhaustion and skill overuse. On the battlements, soldiers scrambled to get into position to repel the towering abomination. Overhead, the light cloud cover built, the pitter patter of rain plinked off…
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Soldiers fought atop palisade walls built barely a month earlier. Undead shambled, ran and prowled towards the encampment. Few could ascend the three metre high fortifications, clumping up at the base of the wall and ineffectually battering the defences. But some could, and those were the true threats in this battle. A large monkey-like creature used the shoulders of the weak undead amassing at the base of the wall to launch itself up and onto the battlements. It swiped out with long clawed arms rippling…
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