Herds of anima ran in the distance from the cruck. Their long strides moving synchronized and gracefully. It was made of variable types of anima. Some big and lumbering, some small and agile. There were four legged horse like anima among those.
There strides dragging up dust as they galloped. There were also shorter, more compact ones with shell like backs that trudged along at a slower pace. Anima on 2 legs hoping powerfully with strong legs and a tail for balance skitted across the surface. The sight of the herd seemed almost majestic and made them appear far more noble then reality made them out to be.
“Why me?” Said Iota out of the corner of his mouth, to not draw attention to themselves.
“I can tell, I know people like you,people like you will do anything to survive.”
Iota pointed behind Noire.
“Who’s that you said we needed him but you didn’t say why”
“I have my reasons.”Said Noire.
“You know, people like you and him are more alike more so than you might think”
“That’s my question.” Said the curly haired person abruptly.
“What’s his name” asked Iota to Noire.
“Ask him yourself.”
“What’s your name”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
The curly haired guy turned away, showing him his back.
“As you can see he’s not very talkative.” Said Noire.
“His name’s Zeno Nermire.” Noire paused
“Ok. what about it? He has a name, most people do”
“You seriously don’t know”
“Know what”
“By the gods.”muttered Noire in disbelief. “You know how to read yet it appears it was for no reason”
Noire gestured around him
“They did this.”
“What do you mean this”
They caused the destruction that you face around you.”
“The messed up planet, the anima, the billions of deaths. They are the most hated family in the world, They have been scorned and killed for centuries.”
“Surely you know at least some history.”
With Zeno’s back turned Iota couldn’t notice it but Zeno shifted uncomfortably.
“Of course I do! Hundreds of years ago, humanity got into wars with each other, technology had progressed to the point where people's humanity had gotten incredibly powerful. For some reason or another they decided to blow each other's brains out. Their unchecked power lead to unchecked destruction. The anima are remnants from those wars fought, they could go to places,they could be disguised with the wildlife that existed in the past. They feed on biofuel consumed from plants or meat meaning they could stay on mission for many years. Despite the fact that the people that controlled them had been long gone, they still operate consuming animals and plants to sustain themselves. ”
“Well, close enough”
Said Noire. “It was the Nemrire family that violated a peace treaty that was had, they took advantage of the lowered guards of other nations to attack them during times of peace. Other nations had no choice but to retaliate and eventually there was nothing left.”
“How is one family in charge of all of that?”
“While we aren’t certain how they Well they probably had monarchs that ruled everything. ”
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“Well if they caused all this I say they got what was coming to them.”
Iota’s voice slowly increased
“If they really caused all of this then they all deserve what happened to them.”
And anima left behind
Can you believe there used to be purely animal beings
“Calm down, calm down” Said Noire gesturing at him.
“He looked out at the anima.
“It must have been some sight, seeing anima made of purely flesh and bone.although..”
He paused caught up in his thoughts
“There’s no way they would be bigger than anything around this big.”
He moved his hands around an arms length wide.
“There’s no way there could have been anything bigger than that using just bone for support. You need metal to make anything bigger than that.
I wish I could have seen what they looked like before, made of flesh and bone.”
He pointed at the herd of anima in the distance.
“There used to be anima like us, except hairier. They were called hapes. Most of them were much smaller than us and they climbed trees.”
He raised his feet
“They had hands instead of feet. ”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”Said Iota. “That's impossible.”
He pointed in the distance, It would have been a sight indeed seeing the variety of 2, 4, 6 and 8 legged anima.”
“They even had places where people could look at them.”
“You talk too much.” Complained Iota but he was secretly paying attention.
Noire droned on. “I wonder how they might ….”
For the first time in as long as he could remember Iota let down his guard.
He leaned back as well using his arms as a cushion for his head.
The conditions they had were pretty bad but at least he didn’t have to worry and remain constantly vigilant about any anima attacking him.
“In the past, before the wars, long before them. People lived in peace.” Said Iota maybe more so to himself than to anyone else.
“If there’s anything I’ve learnt about humans is that if we don’t have any problems then we’ll just create our own.”
“Heads up” shouted someone. It was a guard from a ledge atop the utmost part of the cruck.
Heavy winds suddenly swept over the cruck. Shaking it and causing it to tilt to one side before righting itself again. Several slaves hit into each other.
Lightning flashed in the distance. Thunder shook the air. Iota wrapped himself in his arms as best as he could.
Heavy rainfall pelted them. Outside the cage, muddy earth slid past them. The legs of the cruck worked furiously keeping the cruck moving.
Rain began filling the cruck before long it would reach to their knees. Buckets were tossed down. One landed at Iota’s feet. It was made from dark fraying wood that was bolted together and had a wire handle.
“Begin emptying the water.”
The slaves began filling up buckets and tossing water out. Most of them were too weak to take out full buckets.
“The eye is nearly upon us.” Shouted The same guard
“Keep on chucking.”
The wind picked up. It was too hard to chuck out water anymore and everyone including the crew held on for dear life. The wind slashed cold sleets of rain at everyone.
In the wailing storm the laughter of the bearded man was obscured. He laughed maniacally staring ahead. A lightning bolt illuminated exhilarated eyes.
Then as fast as it had begun the wind slowed down and dissipated. The clouds began to open up and clear.
Everyone cheered. In that brief moment they were all the same. It didn’t matter if you were a guard or slave they celebrated together. But that wouldn’t be for long.
The storm was over but the danger wasn’t
“Look out men,” Shouted the bearded man that had captured Iota. “6 o clock incoming anima.
A pack of anima was approaching the cruck. They were medium size and had 6 legs and an armored back. Sharp spines the length of half a meter covered their bodies. Their beaked mouths gave a low screeching sound.
They jumped on the cruck.
“They must have been attracted by all the people.” Surmised Noire
The captured people were safe - at least for now. The anima while unable to reach them were starting to make quick work of the bars.
“The bearded man spoke to the lookout guard by the cage door. Iota had taken note of the guards he saw often. It was the same one that helped him and the bearded man onto the cruck. He had ratty braids on his had and round black goggles on his forehead. He wore faded overalls and a single stained sheet of fabric fashioned around and over it to protect him from the elements.
“Start throwing out slaves if we don’t speed up.”The bearded man shouted his voice barely above the cries of the anima and the slaves.
The guard stood ready. The key was already in the lock of the rusty door.
“Wait.” Said the bearded man, raising his hand to the man. “When this man says so, people will begin to be thrown out. But I’m a kind man and am feeling generous. I’ll give you a choice, if you don’t want to die then push your neighbor out instead.”
Cries of indignation rose out but the atmosphere had changed. People’s eyes weren’t filled with fear like before, their eyes were hard and desperation shone in their eyes.
“Why…” Said Noire. “My plans are immaculate It would take Sanachi , the king’s top general to stop us.” He boasted.
There was a commotion of sorts among the guards. “Sir,” said on of them to the bearded man. “There’s someone approaching.” It was another cruck. The bearded man raised his binoculars. “It has the military flag.” Responded the man.
“Not only that it appears to be someone high ranking.”
The cruck approached them until they were side by side.
“Speak of the devil,” said Noire, his face white.
“I know that cruck.”
The cruck was new and not old and rickety like the one they were on. It was polished and instead of repeated coughs of the engine it ran smoothly.
“Remember how I said it would take Sanachi himself to stop us…”
“Yeah. i remember”
A gangplank was dropped from the cruck onto theirs. A person appeared. He wore a black coat adorned with medals. A long scar ran down his left cheek. He wore white gloves and had a sword on his back.
“Well that’s him...”