The town’s true name was lost ages ago. All that had remained was left on a sign above the massive gates that obviously protected the settlement. It was known only as “Fort.”
Fort had a population of some few thousand and given the small homes and amount of farming vehicles, it was clearly not a place of warriors but of farmers.
There was a series of booming blows, knockings on the gates as if something giant and gargantuan sought refuge. As the pounding continued, two men moved towards the protected opening.
“What beast is beating on the doors?” shouted one of the men.
“It is not an army, leader!” called out a sentry watching from the top of the gates. “It is Sabuk! And a man in dark armor!”
Permission was given. The doors were pulled open, creaking and whining as a collection of makeshift warriors stood with pitchforks and blades.
Some expected the sentry to be wrong - they expected an army or a giant.
They found only the boy and the armored Blackstone standing alone.
“Greetings, sir,” said the leader, “I am Manning!” The leader had long blonde hair, was of good build but used a crutch and had a wounded leg. It appeared to pain him.
“You have found our Sabuk!”
“I have,” Blackstone replied, “I found this child on the edge of the forest. At first he did not want to return. He said he was escaping this place. Then suddenly, he lowered his head and asked to return.”
“He will save our people!” The exclamation belonged to a man who wore a unique robe covered with phylacteries and decoration. He was clearly of some importance.
“I am town speaker Devant and the boy, he will save our people!”
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Blackstone inhaled and rumbled slightly. “He is but a child.”
Manning stepped forward just as several men and women took Sabuk away. There was a momentary flash of pleading in the boy’s eyes that was quickly replaced by surrender. Manning’s eyes had a look of sorrow and a dash of explanation.
“Blackstone,” the leader began, “We are beset by a terrible force - a woman of pure power, of lightning and frost, we call her the Storm. She has shown us a handful of compatible males in our town and made it clear that we are to offer up each one to pleasure her or face her wrath. Unfortunately, any male we have sent has…failed…and died.”
Manning pointed to his wounded leg. “I am in no condition to attempt to lay with her. And Sabuk is our next eligible male.”
“A sacrifice…” Blackstone rumbled.
Manning now had a look of shame. “Only if…if he fails…”
Devant interjected “It is the boy’s life or all of ours!”
The armored man found his hand sliding to the hilt of his sword.
“She comes!!!”
Just as the men who patrolled the massive gates to the town shouted out a warning did the doors tremble from a great force before blowing off the humongous hinges that held them.
A glowing figure levitated into the town’s boundaries. It appeared to be a woman but a woman of near giant stature. Blackstone himself was nearly seven feet tall, despite her levitating off the ground, it was clear she was as tall if not slightly taller than the armored wanderer.
She was nude in form, consisting of some type of energy that was physical and ethereal at the same time. Her body was long legged yet curved. Her breasts swayed with arousing heaviness, arcing light outlined her projected nipples. Her face had a glow about it and full lips glistened with semi-cosmic moisture. She grinned wickedly.
###
Blackstone stood his ground, showing no emotion beyond his shadowed face, burning eyes and battle stance.
“RELEASE, MORTALS! RELEASE!” the Storm’s voice echoed and was hollow as if she spoke with the rage of a dozen. She was lightning, she was thunder. Ice and chill were subjects to her command.
Speaker Devant fell to his knees before the entity.
“Please O’ great Storm! Our sacrifice will be at the giving place!”
“RELEASE SOON OR MORE OF THIS IS TO COME!”
The woman thing screamed out and bolts of lightning danced inside Fort, tearing up the ground and shattering many an abode. The air chilled with tremendous speed sending many into huddles for heat lest a cold death await them. Winds howled and sheared, lifted and hurled parts of the town with ease.
As quickly as the storm had come, it had passed. The ethereal being was gone along with it.