A Citadel on Fire Part 2 - 2 (Big News - Read Note to Readers.)_Decide Your Fate Games - R.Malak

Tauren/minotaur [https://i.pinimg.com/564x/98/03/35/9803350a88305bd56facd829eb59a0ef.jpg]

https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/300122762664197900/

Quest Objectives

- Gather survivors

- Navigate your way through the Citadel

- Slay Colmar

***

Note to Readers: It will take some time before I can write up a version with Grey on his own, but for those who do not have the Balarock Tribe as allies, any damage taken or goblins killed is actually direct damage to yourself. Each goblins life is worth 40 Health Points. Please let me know if the difficulty is too great or too easy.

Additional Note to Readers: Great news people! The App Version of Survive on Coroleya is finally up (called Legends & Heroes), and is now available to be downloaded. Please show your support and download a copy, test it out, and hopefully leave some feedback. Best of luck and may the suns shine down upon you. https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.delightgames.legends

With Kradok’s warriors sweeping the streets ahead of them, Grey searched each of the homes, and dwellings that they passed by, a part of him still hopeful that he would find someone alive in all this mess. But all they ever really found were more dead bodies, both in the homes and stacked up on the sides of the streets, their corpses burnt to a blackened crisp. The bonfires that lit up the night sky in the distance, climbing ever higher towards the beacon’s flickering flame, which surprisingly enough was still alight. Another spark of hope that kept him moving through the chill darkness.

Head raised high to avoid the worst of the stench, he scanned the alleyways, feeling the wind against his fur, the taste of fog in the air, and heard the rustle of footsteps. The sound bringing with it the even sadder realisation that his sole remaining ally in this world was a surly goblin warchief, who seemed far too at ease with all the death and destruction that had been wrought upon the citadel.

Still with enemy patrols ahead of them and likely behind them as well, Grey thought it wise to keep most of the spears close together, although it was strange they had yet to encounter any such resistance from Colmar’s forces. Hopefully with any luck, that would continue, but Grey very much doubted it. And if he was being truly honest with himself, he didn’t expect there to be much of a fight even if it did happen. The goblins for all their bravery were still only lightly armed with scavenged bucklers, spears, and poorly enchanted robes, whereas they would face enemies in heavy plate that had been trained for battle, let alone the kindred. But what other choice did Grey have?

If this was to be his final battle, then he would fight it to the bitter end.

Pausing outside of another home, he ducked his head inside, and drew the flaming greatsword from his back, the place like most others turned over on its head with blood smears across the walls and ceiling. The dead he saw scattered in the rooms, torn, limb from limb, and drained of all life. Tamrel’s senses becoming his own as he searched for anything that could be of use in their battle. The Soul-Blade often alerting him to things that might interest him, such as weapons, supplies, or in most cases anomalies, such as the ritual sites he had seen at the mine. But so far as he could tell, the small, simply decorated home, had nothing of real worth to him, when he spotted movement to the side of him.

Greatsword reflectively swinging upward, he quickly spun around and advanced forward towards what he had assumed to be a mound of dead bodies, only to realise that among the dead was a woman lying on the floor, covered in blood, cradling her dead child in her arms, her blood stained fur, allowing her to blend in with the dead that surrounded her.

Sheathing the weapon away, he knelt down on one knee in front of her, and touched a hand to her forehead to wipe the blood from her eyes, the female cringing at his touch, and curling up into an even tighter ball.

“You are safe now,” he said.

But as soon as the words left his lips, she laughed bitterly, her whole body shaking uncontrollably. “Nowhere is safe. Not for me. Not for my little boy. Go. Leave me peace. I am where I am meant to be.”

Almost swallowed by the despair he felt come from her, Grey stood up gingerly, and left without another word. He would not dishonor her last wish, and yet every part of him cried out to say something. To do something. After all! Was he not an Honor Blade now?

Head shaking from side to side at the grim reality of the world, he left the home behind, angry with himself for not being able to save her, to convince her to come with him. That despite all the trials he had faced and overcome, he was still that same young mino hiding away while his father fought alone against the darkness.

But he supposed that wasn’t entirely true anymore.

With Tamrel linked to his mind, he did notice, he could smell the different air currents that permeated the air. The ghouls smelling of desiccation and rot, the skinless of corruption, the kindred had a metallic quality to them, whereas Colmar’s warriors were like infected sores, and strangely enough the Honor Blades brought with them waves of pain. But that was more of a feeling than a smell.

In anycase, Grey could no longer weigh himself down on the what if’s and future possibilities. Amaryllis, Sky, Calain, Glydel, Falkneer, Lorel. They would all have to wait. Colmar was all that mattered to him right now.

Continuing out along the darkened street, Kradok rejoined his side. The overgrown goblin, quiet and contemplative as he studied the strange architecture of the citadel. Each of the building molded into flat square homes with several structures built to loom overhead like watchtowers. Their smooth white surface, tarnished, and partially destroyed by gaping holes that had hammered through them.

With eyes keener than most, Grey was the first to spot the archway that had been smashed into ribbons ahead of them, as well as the tower that had been knocked onto its side to block the path. The mounds of rubble that flanked the overturned building making it a steep climb upward, but possible. However Grey was more worried about the threat of ambush. These streets were far too quiet, and with Tamrel whispering in his mind, he knew there had to be something out there watching them. The question was, why hadn’t they attacked?

He hoped it was fear, but that seemed like wishful thinking on his part, which meant the kindred or whatever else, was being commanded to hold their ground and wait.

Yellow eyes flashing in the dark, Kradok held his fist up in the air, summoning two wiry goblins to his side. The goblin chief, leaning down to whisper something to them, before they took off for wall of debri ahead of them. “We should take shelter, until they return.”

Sensing the wisdom in his words, Grey watched for a moment as the pair of scouts began the arduous climb up the piles of rock and stone, before turning aside to enter the nearby home, when a slew of fireballs rained down from above killing the two scouts instantly.

Hands clenched to a knuckle white grip around the greatsword, Grey felt more than saw a flow of dark energy being released from the rooftops. The shower of liquid black flames incinerating the killing several more goblins up front, before being turned down upon them as well. Grey’s eyes picking out large hulking forms standing atop the rooftops. (- 5 Goblins lost in initial attack. - 200 Health Points for those without allies.)

Heart thundering at the power they wielded, he surged away from the middle of the street where he was an easy target, and took cover in a nearby alleyway, to stare out from around the corner. Kradok quick to do the same, and rally his warriors towards him. The swarms of kindred that followed after, clambering over the mounds of rubble and downed building, before blanketing the streets.

(Click here to charge out! And take the fight to them.)

Spoiler: Spoiler

Hungry for battle, he leapt back out of cover, noticing that the black flames had stopped coming down, and raced forward to meet the vampiric warriors. His flaming greatsword cleaving through flesh, and bone to light up the darkness. Their ranks torn to shreds, as they tried to surround him. Grey, a whirl storm of movement, blade flickering in and out to lop off heads, arms, and legs in wide arcs of death. Before eventually being forced to retreat backwards to the alleyway, where Kradok having armed himself with an axe, had kept the path clear for him. The huge goblin, grinning at Grey as he split the head of a dwarf that charged in blindly.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

[https://em.wattpad.com/64d0f3340d299253180549e49b96e035a5f6061b/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f52623575416631794756773463513d3d2d3731343034373536372e313563366237353438366230306234663334313839323432353932312e706e67] x 25

(Click here to cover the goblins retreat.)

Spoiler: Spoiler

Feet set apart, Grey allowed the goblins to flee past him, before taking up a defensive stance in front of the alleyway. His great, bulky form, at least able to block up half of it, and watched the lines of vampiric warriors charge to face him.

Greatsword bursting alive with an even hotter flames, he hacked them apart, lopping off arms, legs, and heads in an effort to keep them at bay. The stack of bodies he made, covering the ground in a sticky black substance as their unseeing eyes looked up at him. Before eventually he was forced to retreat further back down the alleyway, where Kradok having armed himself with an axe, had kept a path clear for him. The huge goblin, grinning up at Grey as he split the heads of those that tried to leap at him from behind.

Feet thundering as they raced away into the gloomy side streets, Grey spun around the next few corners, chasing after the big lumbering goblin, when cries echoed out from the road ahead of them. Kradok’s bloodied, and wounded face reeling backwards as jet black flames surged down the narrow street. The pair of them falling over each other to get back the way they had come, when more kindred poured in from behind.

Greatsword sweeping downward, he cut down another minotaur that darted towards him, and fought back to back with Kradok, his heart all but ready to burst, when he caught sight of a locked doorway, not too far from him.

Grabbing the big goblin by the shoulder, he charged towards the doorway, and smashed his way inside, Kradok’s axe embedding itself in the chest of another leering vampire with bloodshot red eyes, before the two of them scrambled away, bursting through the small dwelling, catching sight of a back door, and crashing their way back outside. Grey’s slick fur, wet with sweat as they continued to run, the kindred giving chase from behind, when all of a sudden they came to a halt, and lifted up their heads to stare into the night sky.

No time to wonder why they had stopped, Grey raced on, the wind whipping against his skin, and freezing the sweat on his back, when haunting cries filled the air. The surviving goblins that had somehow managed to rejoin them, staring up in open mouthed terror, while Grey’s senses went berserk his mind roaring at him to keep running. The street they were on, covered in pitch black darkness and sticky with blood.

Mouth dry with trepidation, it was Grey again that saw the first skinless creep through the shadows on all fours. It’s pale pink flesh, glistening in the flamelight as it stalked it’s way around the corner, more of the creatures appearing from out of the buildings and homes that sat on either side of them. Their jaws dripping red with blood as they snarled and howled to the sky, causing a few of the goblins to run, only to be cut down by shadowy blurs.

Caught in a trap, with no way out, Grey found himself thinking about his friends again, before shaking his head. It was time to fight. (Against the corrupted flesh of an Ash Spawn, Soul Blades are able to do double damage.)

[https://em.wattpad.com/23f626b77e63a5741c58a5713c89b08492a134e3/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f3754487368684b695436566c61513d3d2d3731343034373536372e313563366237353432613732616136313332393236333635373738322e706e67]x 12

Howling like wolves to the night sky, the beasts surged forward at blistering speed, their animalistic roars of rages, and powerful swipes from their claws, gutting dozens of goblins instantly, while Grey used the fire from his blade to drive them back, and spear them in the chest. Kradok, who had been knocked off his feet, grappling with a bear sized skinless that tried to take out his throat with it’s bared teeth.

Grey, switching from balanced to heavy stance to hack the front half of it’s skull apart, before swirling back to meet a pack of the ungodly creatures that circled all around him, searching for an opening, before pouncing forward with claws extended.

Tamrel, severing their bodies into gobbets of flesh, causing the other skinless pause and feast upon their dead, before barrelling towards him with renewed strength, their glowing eyes livid with a white hot rage. The more he slew, the more they appeared all around him. Their numbers, seemingless endless.

Slowed down by his many wounds, he began to feel the cost of battle wearing down upon him, his old injuries plaguing him with a burning ache in his sides that caused him to react just that little bit slower. Caused him to falter when he should have countered. But Grey knew he could not stop.

Skin ripped raw and bloody, he exchanged knowing looks with the goblin warchief, who smiled back at him. The both of them instinctively knowing that death was near.

Greatsword raised in a salute, he straightened his back as the skinless came again, when out from the darkness balls of fire erupted down all around him, consuming the beasts in iridescent white flames that blurred his vision.

Mind numb with shock, he thought he heard clang of a boots against the stone, before looking up to see a troop of Honor Blades in bronze, and silver plate charge out from the nearby street, their greatswords leaping forward to carve wide swathes of death, when Grey’s jaws dropped at the easily recognisable figure of Falkneer. The old grizzled veteran bellowing, “Kill them! You slack arsed bastards! Kill them!” The giant, gruff faced minotaur, unleashing a burst of fireballs from his greatsword that blackened the bodies of the nearest skinless, and drove back the rest. The corrupted minotaurs, turning on all fours, and scampering off back into the pitch black darkness.

Grey, who had been so certain that everyone was dead, staring all around him at the ranks of Honor Blades who mopped clean the area, stabbing their blades down into any survivors. One of them approaching Kradok with an upraised blade, when Grey shouted, “Stop! He is a friend!”

Head turned to Grey in consternation, the warrior looked first to him, then to Falkneer who stood there with a smile on his lips, before the old minotaur shook his head. The Honor Blade, turning away to continue his bloody work elsewhere, while Falkneer stomped over towards him. When out from the corner of his eye, Grey saw something race towards him.

Battle instincts, too ingrained to ignore, Grey moved to lift his greatsword, then froze in place as Sky smacked right into him. The young mino, laughing with joy as he punched Grey lightly in the shoulder. “I knew you were alive! Course, Old Falk here, kept saying you were dead, but I never doubted for a second that you were alive.”

Body literally trembling with raw emotion, Grey stood there unable to move or speak, his mind awash in a sense of euphoria. His whole life, he had only ever had bad luck, and yet the Light Bearer had finally smiled down upon him. The white haired minotaur pulling at his goatee, and looking Grey up and down. “Well blast me dead, boy, what are you doing here with all these gobs?”

Finally able to speak again, Grey replied back, “I thought they might help me get closer to Colmar.”

Sky laughed again at that, and turned to face Falkneer. “Didn’t I tell you he wasn’t dead?”

“Oh, you did, lad, but that didn’t stop you from moping about, did it?” snorted Falkneer with a broad smile, “It’s good to see you’re alive and well, boy.”

Tears slipping out from his eyes, Grey wiped them aside and smiled back at them.

“Well enough, dawdling about. Those things won’t be gone for long, and I bet there are few other faces, you’d be wantin to see.”

Chest constricting inside of him, Grey watched in a daze as Falkneer’s loud boomed out fresh commands. The pot bellied warrior, soon having everyone formed up, and ready to move out, before leading them back the way they had come. The ragtag mix of goblins, and Honor Blades, sticking close to each other with wary gazes, when they turned several corners, and came to a stop at a hatch, that looked like it went down into a cellar.

Falkneer motioning for his men to go on ahead of him, Grey took the stairs down into the dimly lit basement, and had to let out a gasp of surprise at the immensity of the underground chamber that had been dug below the surface. The candle lights that adorned the room, casting light upon dozens more Honor Blades that worked on cleaning their armour, sharpening their blades, or sat about the room speaking softly. The goblin warchief, swiftly led away down a side tunnel, whereas Grey, and Sky were lead further ahead with Falkneer yet again taking the lead.

To be Continued...

A Citadel on Fire Part 2 - 2 (Big News - Read Note to Readers.)

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