The sun was up, and so were the two of you. The two of you enjoyed last night's shenanigans, despite the delay. The camp was packed up, breakfast was eaten and the mountain was in sight. Hand in hand, the two of you set off.
"So Raphtalia, do you know anything about this mountain?"
"This mountain is called Dragonbone Mountain. Apparently, the bones of the last Great Dragon are wrapped around the mountain. It's also home to the dwarves. I hear they have really cool inventions and machines. But what's really crazy, is that mages and wizards are non-existent in their society. They all use guns or bombs. And they all live in that one mountain."
"A whole country in a mountain...well, let's just hope they're friendly to us!"
Suddenly, a thunderous roar tore through the air. The plains above the hill seemed to erupt in chaos. You dragged Raphtalia down onto the ground and crawled away to the top of the hill.. The two of you poked your heads upward, surveying the area ahead. What you saw, however, wasn't a green field of grass, but rather an army. An army of orcs and goblins. Ogres and giants. Wolves and spiders. A crude amalgamation of monstrous evil.
"What is going on..." whispered Raphtalia in a weak voice.
"It seems like Dragonbone is being invaded" you mumble. "(Can we afford more delays? I'm not even equipped to even harm such a force.)"
"What are we going to do?" asked a worried Raphtalia. Her tail sagged and her ears were low. Her eyes screamed of fear.
"I...I don't-" you were interrupted by an even louder roar than before. You cried out and jammed your hands into your ears, softening the pain. You looked over to see Raphtalia wail in agony, her 2 sets of ears suffering indescribable pain. On instinct, you covered her animal ears and buried her head into your chest, as she covered her human ones. The thundering shook the ground and caused a choir of screams from beyond. What was going on up there? You tucked your head into Raphtalia's, trying to block out the painful rumblings.
And then, the thunder stopped. You panted and rolled over with your ears ringing and your vision a blurry sight. "Ahh-Ahhh!" you moaned. Raphtalia poked her head up once again, and gasped.
"H-Hey...(Yn)...you might want to see this..." You groaned and dragged yourself up the hill, surveying the area ahead. You gasped and froze in shock at what lay ahead. A field once grassy and green was now bloated with muddy shell holes. An army thousand strong was now a tattered mess of gore; their blood ran like streams along with the aftermath of hellfire. A thick fog of gunpowder choked the air and burnt the throats and eyes of those that clung on to life. From the mountains, a flock of metal mechanisms came soaring down, opening up onto the fleeing scavengers with rotating guns.
"Are those...helicopters..." you mumbled
"What?"
"I'll...explain later. Let's get going before-" You were interrupted once again. You looked behind you to see another army. An army even bigger and more brutal than the last. A boulder was thrown from beyond the treeline, which crashed into one of the helicopters. The machine and its pilot were thrown down to earth in a fiery crash. "Oh god...(That first army...was that...were they...were they bait??) Raphtalia, we need to go NOW!" you snatched her hand and ran. You ran as fast as you could. Machine gun fire opened up behind you, causing a wail of gore to splatter tree bark. However, the aerial firing line was met with a shower of crushed up boulders. Each rock was about the size of a human hand, and when thrown at such speeds pierced the armoured plating of the helicopter. Soon, the dwarves started to drop, their bodies turned into goopy flesh before being roasted by the blazing corpses of the metal birds. The rest of the rocks exploded next to you as you ran with Raphtalia in hand. One rock pierced Raphtalia's bag, and grazed past her hip. She wailed and fell down onto the ground. "Raphtalia!" you cried, as her body fell to the floor.
"Ahh...the..bag..." blood poured from her side, and her hands were now stained red. You threw open your bag and found your black coat. It was cleaned recently, and shouldn't infect the wound. At least...you hoped. Horns were blared and a stampede of feet shook the earth. "(Yn)...we need to go..."
"I know that! But I'm not letting you die before we get there!" you cried, wrapping the cloak around her hip. "Can you stand?"
"Y-Yes..." Raphtalia stood up, limped a few steps before dropping to the ground.
"Damn...don't worry, I got you!" You picked her up bridal-style and starting to run.
"Wait you forgot the bag-"
"YOU'RE MORE IMPORTANT!" she was shocked at your answer and recoiled herself to avoid upsetting you. Her eyes rose up and widened in horror.
"(Y-Yn)...they're coming..." she mumbled
"Just focus on holding on tight ok? Raphtalia? Hey, hey don't fall asleep now!" you cried. Raphtalia's vision was blurry. The whole world seemed to be swallowed by darkness. As you ran across the mangled grassland, you were slowed by jumping between piles of gore. Dodging past a giant's head, slipping between piles of goblin corpses, and sliding down a hole full of blood. You heard a stampede of snarls and roars gets closer and closer. You wouldn't be able to make it. Past the battlefield lay 2 statues of gold, and beyond that was a long, wide road that led to the iron mouth of the mountain. But you didn't give up if you just ran fast. Run faster than you've ever ran in your life, then you'd make it.
"(Yn)...it's so...it's so cold..." You felt Raphtaia's grip on you weaken. In tears, you gripped onto her harder and ran faster.
"Just stay with me alright? STAY AWAKE RAPHTALIA!" And then, as you slipped past smoking corpses and bloody flowers, you tripped. You tripped on a disembowelled leg. Raphtalia was thrown forward, her body ragdolling across the battlefield, while you were plunged into an icy-cold bath of blood and mud.
The fight was going well so far. Those new landmines really did pack a punch, and those cannons still shredded greenie flesh as always. Grimgor took a deep breath from his cigar and sighed. The fight was going well so far, but that was just the vanguard. The main force would be following up at the sound and sight of dwarven aircraft. Still, they'd be fine anyhow. Greenies didn't have the tech to properly take down a gyrocopter. He huffed another breath of his cigar and placed it onto an ash-tray. He picked up his radio and surveyed his squad. Everything was going alright on his end. Gunfire erupted in a rhythmic tune; empty clips and magazines were dumped around, and fresh bullets flowed into the chambers. At this rate, the stragglers would be dead. By the order of the High King, not a single greenie was to escape this battle. They'd all pay for what they did.
"This is Grinear Squad. Everything is fine on our end, over" boomed the radio in Grimgor's hand.
"Affirmative. Grimgor Squad, report. Over." commanded the radio.
"Grimgor squad reporting: Everything is alright on our end. My boys are making short work of the greenie bastards. Over." replied Grimgor, nodding at his grinning comrades.
"Affirmative. Dalli Squad, come in. Over" affirmed the voice over the radio. Grimgor set it back down onto the table and let its chatter fill the air.
"Hey, sir, wanna bet on a fuck-up happening?" joked a brown-bearded sharpshooter
"Dulli, when does a fuckup NOT happen?" hearty laughs erupted in the bunker, as bullets whizzed towards screaming goblins. "Say, where's Telgar?"
"Telgar? I think he went for a piss" replied another sharpshooter, with a ginger beard and large earrings.
"A piss?? By Tur, I don't know how that grubby git can be so calm"
Just then, a chorus of horns was bellowed into the air. The dwarves looked up to see an army at least twice the size of the original one, most certainly thousands more. "Woah...the greenies really outdid themselves this time" muttered Grimgor.
"What'd I miss?" asked a figure from the doorway, with a messy white beard and matching messy white hair.
"Telgar, glad you can join us you lazy bastard!" mocked Dulli.
"Look ere I needs a piss and ye's done with it so I's gone take a piss while ye's finish up ye?" rambled Telgar, setting himself up onto a machine gun turret.
"Nobody understands you, you know that right?" said the ginger-bearded dwarf.
"He's from the edge. I don't think they can even tell a mushroom from a dildo up there!" mocked Dulli. As the grunts joked and shouted at each other, Grimgor peered ahead with steely eyes. The aircraft lined up, giving themselves adequate room to manoeuvre, and unleashed barrels of bullets onto the enemy. But, in retaliation, from the trees below, a boulder was thrown. At such an incredible speed and at such an incredible force. It collided with a gyrocopter, smashing it apart instantly. It fell from the heavens and landed in a glorious fireball. Metal and flesh were melted away, as the counter-attack began. The squad of dwarves gasped in horror, and the radio erupted in crazed chatter.
"Did...did you see that?!" cried the ginger-bearded dwarf.
"How...what could have possibly done that..." mumbled Dulli. His rifle was shaking in his hands. He had never seen an army field such effective anti-air weaponry. There were catapults and cannons from various races, but none could ever be thrown with such force or such speed. Or from such thick treeline. They watched as the gyrocopters emptied their guns onto the treeline, but many more pilots met the same fate: burning alive in metal graves. Goblin blood soaked the tree bark, which was when Grimgor realised the situation. He snatched up the radio, knocking down some whiskey, and screamed through the chatter.
"Command! Call off the gyrocopter unit now! It's being baited. I repeat it is being-"
The grey sky was lit-up in bright, muddy light. The rest of the gyrocopter unit had fallen, via what looked like...machine gunfire? A hail of arrows...no. It was something else. Crushed up rocks, thrown with such strength to pierce metal. The ground where the vanguard rotted exploded violently, as spare pebbles shook the ground. As the dwarves cried out again in awe and terror, Grimgor couldn't help but be taken aback by such brute strength. Giants couldn't do that. They were strong, but they never had the upper body strength to throw that far or that fast. Whatever the greenies were fielding, they were keeping it away from prying eyes or cannon fire. Grimgor suspected a battle of attrition was ahead, but greenies didn't think like that. Greenies loved to kill and steal and pillage and even rape, but their battle tactics could always be countered after a night of drinking. Grimgor's attention was taken elsewhere, however, as he saw what looked like movement on the battlefield. Between corpses, a young man - a human man, with a metal arm and a woman in his arms, was making a beeline for the main entrance.
"What in the devil...what is he doing!" shouted Grimgor. The other dwarfs glanced a confused look and then realised what he was on about; they too saw a young, foolish fellow run through a graveyard with a girl in tow. Grimgor grabbed the radio and spoke through.
"Command, we have...a situation. A human is running across the battlefield, and they seem to be carrying a girl. Over"
"W-What? Repeat that again? Over" asked a confused voice
"I repeat, there is a human with a girl in his arms, making a beeline for the main entrance?" Grimgor's eyes were drawn to the hill were goblin blood had stained tree bark. A horn was blared off into the distance, and a mass of cavalry rushed forward. Goblins atop wolves, and orcs atop boars. They grumbled and burped and panted and roared, and mushed the ground and the gore below their feet. To Grimgor, this made no sense, until he realised what their target was.
"Understood. You are free to take the shot then, Grimgor Squad. Over"
"No, command. I believe we can use them to our advantage..."
Grimgor watched as the young boy pushed his body beyond the breaking point, and tripped, delving into a pool of blood.
"That's our queue. Open fire boys!"
It was...cold. Cold, muddy and...bloody. You picked your body up from the shell hole, spitting and panting and fixated on finding your lover. "Raphtalia!" you coughed, spitting out mucus and blood. "Raphtalia! Where are you!" You heard the rumbling get louder and louder. You felt the ground shake. In fear, you scrambled your way out of the hole, pushing past thick mud and body bits. As you poked your body out, you turned to see a line of green blare their fangs at you.
"No...this...I can't here...not now..."
And then, green turned to red. Solids turned to liquid. Neat rows turned to mushy blobs. The orcs and goblins and wolves and boars were ripped apart by smoky lead. You turned violently to see the mountain erupting into smoke, blaring a violent light. The scream of bullets ripped through the air just as much as they ripped through flesh itself. Wasting no time, you scrambled up and picked a limp Raphtalia from the ground started to sprint once again.
"Raphtalia! Raphtalia, can you hear me?!" no response. You put your ear to her nose. She was breathing. Faintly, but breathing. You ran, no longer in fear of dying, but in fear of losing your beloved. You charged forward and screamed out. You ran and ran and ran and ran as fast as your body would allow and then some more.
The plan worked well. They took the bait, and the boy tripped at the broken leg. Thank goodness Dulli was a good shot, or else it might not have gone so smoothly. Grimgor didn't feel much need to save the idiots who ran through hellfire, but...eh, his wife would be proud of him. He took a swig of his flask and looked onward. The enemy cavalry was nearly wiped out. Good, that should limit their mobility and scouting capabilities somewhat. Still, he was worried about the enemy's trump card. Any minute now, another barrage of boulders could come flying out, and who knows where they could hit? There was little chance of a sneak attack. After all, the treeline was sliced off the map near their bunkers, and a moat of spikes and strengthened tunnelways kept an underground assault from happening. But in a world of magic and monsters, who knew what they had up their sleeve? Finally, the guns were silenced and smoking. The last of the cavalry force lay dead. Joyous cheers were sung through the tunnels. Grimgor picked up the radio and held it close to cracked lips. "Command, see if you can get a small hatch open for our new friends. I wouldn't want their contribution to go to waste. Over"
"I'll see what I can do. Over."
Grimgor put the radio down and breathed a heavy sigh. "Keep your eyes on the enemy, I don't think it's over yet." he said to his squad, taking a sip of whiskey.
"Yeah yeah. Hey Magath, are you coming to drink with us tonight?" asked Dulli to the ginger-bearded dwarf?
"Tonight...um, I'm not sure..." replied Magath, scratching his ear."
"Ayaka is going to be there" Dulli wore a smug grin while Magath's face flared up into a blush.
"I-I...I don't...um...well maybe I can find some spare time..."
"Who's Ayaka?" asked Telgar
"A very tall, very blonde elf. Who's admired very much by our Maggy over there" joked Dulli, driving Magath's faced into an ever deeper shade of red.
"Elves? Ahh lad, no shame in that! Ye's got good taste. I 'member my foolin' days. I tells ya, them elves, they now what they're doing under the sheets. Tell me, are ye an arse guy or a boob fella?"
"I-I...I don't see her like that...I...um...I don't..."
The dwarves bellowed in their friend's embarrassment. "Hey now, no need to be ashamed. You're a stand-up chap Magath, I'm sure you'll pull her if you try." said Grimgor, trying to cheer up his comrade.
"Y-You think so Sir?"
"Hey Maggy, you need to start believing in yourself more. Stop stalking her when she's at the bar and start, ya know, getting out there. Ask her out. Bring her to those lovely little elf gardens on level 3." Dulli rummaged around into his pockets and passed them over to Magath. "Those are tickets I booked for a play with me and the missus before, ya know, she left. Take her there, she'll love it."
"Y-You think so?" asked Magath, holding the tickets tightly.
"Yeah, girls like that kind of stuff. Especially the elven ones, all about nature and all. And you? You're a more...emotional guy. I'm sure you two will hit it off in no time"
"Ayy, I second that! You's just need ta...ta grab 'er, and like...make 'er yours! Ya know, like propa 'spank the arse, no farce' just like me pap said."
"I...don't think that's a good idea" pointed out Dulli.
"Yeah Yeah, you's city folk do it differently. But just...ye's a great guy Magath. You just gotta grow dem balls o' yers, and she's all yers." rambled a well-intentioned Telgar
"That's...one way to put it. Oh, Magath are you crying?" asked a worried Dulli
Magath chuckled and wiped his wet eyes. "No, No I'm just...thank guys. For everything just now."
"No problem Maggy" said Dulli.
"Be honest with her. The best character is your true character, after all" preached Grimgor.
"AYY! Now, I'll ask ye again. Arse or boobs laddie?"
Laughter and head-shaking sighs echoed from the bunker. Grimgor formed a small smile looking onto his squad. A shadow came over him. In fact, a shadow came over everyone in the bunker, and it was getting closer and closer.
You had made it past the statues. Just one long road ahead to the iron gate. While not silent, it did still feel unnervingly quiet for a battlefield. Whatever the case, you jogged onward. You refused to stop, even with your body breaking down with each step. Your arms were tired and your lungs felt stretched apart. Your body collapsed without consent, causing you to crash to the floor. You twisted your body so that your back smashed against the concrete. But that was fine, as no harm came to Raphtalia. While on the floor, you put your head to her nose. She was still barrel breathing. A fleeting glimmer of hope for you. You sat up to survey the battlefield. You stared death in the face as nothing seemed to live on that plain anymore.
Suddenly, the earth shook. Boulders flew through the air and descended onto the mountainside where gunfire once rained. The impact crumbled concrete bunkers into pieces, crushing their inhabitants. Cold fear ran up your spine as the world around you exploded. Another wave of wolves and boars prepped themselves to charge, with what seemed like giants in tow. You picked yourself up and darted for the iron gate, holding onto Raphtalia tightly.
"Hey! Open the gate!" you shouted, but nobody answered.
"OPEN UP! OPEN THE GATE!" your screams fell onto deaf ears. You charged the gate, as crushed-up boulders were thrown all around you. The neatly cut stone road was deformed into a pothole-infested abomination. You pushed forward, through the fear, through the stones and through pain as blood spouted from a fresh wound in your right leg. You never stopped, you'd crawl if you had to. But you would make it past that fucking door.
As the stampede got closer, and the boulders kept on coming, you took one final step and charged at the massive iron gate. You collapsed at its feet and started banging. "HEY! OPEN UP!"
No response.
"OPEN....up..." you banged on it again, harder and harder. But the door wouldn't open. Nobody said a word. The mountain was mute.
"Please...open up...I don't want her to die...please please open up" your hits became lighter, eventually turning into scratches. The rocks died down and focused on other parts of the mountain as the stampede got closer. You panted and set Raphtalia down. She looked...peaceful. Had she...you bent down and kissed her one last time. Through tears, you let your pure, unfiltered love flow through one last passionate kiss. You parted lips and got up. You took off the fake Rosmarinus arm and changed it into a shield. With your one arm holding the difference between life and death, you made your final stand.
"Come on...COME ON YOU BASTARDS!" you screamed your lungs out. You cried out from your heart. Your eyes leaked salty tears. You gripped the shield firmly and stood to defend Raphtalia. "TRY AND KILL ME! I DARE YOU!"
As you stampede closed in, the walls opened fire. Bullets spurted blood from bodies and separated muscle and bone. Cries rang out, bodies fell limp and were mashed underfoot. It was like a chainsaw being brought against a stack of kindle, or a log going into a woodchipper. A moment ago, you resigned yourself to your last moments. But now...now you wished to live again. To live for years and years, and to live those years with Raphtalia.
A door was opened up behind you. Human-sized, with a dwarf in the entrance. "Come on lad, grab yer missus and move yer arse!" said the black-bearded dwarf. Your heart was filled with hope. You gently grabbed Raphtalia, thanked the dwarf profusely, and ran inside to safety.
(Author's notes)
Hey all! So this was certainly a departure from my previous work, but I had a lot of fun making this chapter. And I'm sorry for the month-long absence. Things have been weird lately. I'll be sure to update you all on what's happening more often from now on, so keep your eyes peeled onto my timeline. I hope you've all enjoyed this chapter. Laters :D