The smell of Scorched flesh, burned wood, and smoldering ruins filled the nostrils of Sen-a-mahn, a blessing in disguise, the stench roused her from her catatonic state, she opened her eyes greeted to a fierce burning sensation within them, she went to rub them with her hands but found them trapped, she looked to see what was keeping her down.
A beam had fallen from the roof of the cabin during the earthquake. It had been enough to send the roof crashing all around her, she tried to pry her self free, she was to weak, to sick from the smoke and ashen dust, with heavy weight upon her chest she tried to muster enough air within her burning lungs to cry for help, but instead splattered coughs and haggard whispers.
Sen-a-mahn, and her husband owned a trade post in a large travelers outpost that lay between the Ebon-city and the Ninth gate, never has there been earth-quakes on Edonia, not for as long as she and her husband have lived there, oddly enough this day was the undoing of her entire life.
Out side the rubble she lay incased within other survivors emerged and began to gather at what use to be the outposts square, The Out post had a small militia peace keepers, Craotaxes a stocky and proud Korani was the deputy of the towns militia.
“Come over here you two!, you hurt?” Craotaxes sniffs the air in there direction with his powerful Korani snout.
“your wounds don’t smell fatal, help your friends over here, we need to look for survivors amongst the rubble…. First things first though, we need to separate the wounded from the able bodied!”
A large and heavily limping Al-Dru-Katr approached carrying four children cradled in his large muscular stone arms “What the fuck was that thing Crao-“
“Shut your stinking Lava hole Bratus!!” Interrupted another Korani walking briskly past the Al-Dru-Katr, managing a quick jab of the elbow into his solid side, this little one was Prex, He was the deputy Craotaxes’ brother, also in the militia.
Prex approached closely to Craotaxes and in hushed voices began to discuss the events of the day,
“That was no earth quake brother, whatever that thing was, it was not of Edonia,”
“Ninth gate” added Craotaxes
“What you mean Ninth gate? That thing was from the ninth gate?! You know how ridicules that sounds right? Oath breakers where the last to ever come thru that gate, they made short work of it sister on the other side…. on there worlds side… didn’t they?…”
Prex looked worried, confused, tired and surprisingly scared.
“you smell of fear brother, don’t stress to much about it, the oath breakers are here now, and the stench of its disgusting hide has long since vanished along with it, I am sure they have gotten to it, or they will sooner or –“
Prex Interrupts, his long ears now lay flat against his head, bearing his teeth,
“Don’t Stress!! You have gone mad Craotaxes, we are in a dire situation, the town is gone and people are asking questions and those that saw it are talking. There are people missing, a dozen dead, that we know of so far. We cant remain here anymore! We are to close to that Gate, and if one beast got thru there is no telling how many more will soon join there friend…. One of those things obliterated our outpost! One of them!!”
Craotaxes turned away from his brother to address the survivors that had been gathering around since his first announcement.
“People of Shinsly Out post, We need to clear the rubble, find survivors and gather what little resources we can, this earth quake was no such thing, and Im sure many of you have heard this by now or are some of the lucky few to have seen and survived it, A giant beast has come through the Oath-breakers ninth gate..”
Voices of shock and anxious gasps emanated from the throng of survivors, people crying and children wailing…
“Please everyone keep calm, it will not be passing back this way. But. Something else may come thru the ninth gate and we cannot afford to remain here any longer, times are changing things are not as they should be… a smell of eminent change is in the air, we must leave as soon as possible, pass thru the other settlements on our way and see if we can help and gather more recourses as we go. Those that wish to head to Ebon-City may… the rest of you with me… lets start getting this rubble clear! Move!”
With that every able bodied man, woman, and child began searching for survivors, the Trade post was one of the closest building to the town square and was one of the first to be searched, Korani have a physically powerful nose, and potent hearing, and they immediately began to sniff out survivors…
Sen-a-mahn could only taste ash, soot and blood, she could not see very clearly, hazed and dirty faced she clung to the hope that at least her husband survived… her husband… where was he… she cant remember clearly what he was doing when the earth quake hit…
“There! start clearing there Bratus!… of course I know what I’m talking about you lumbering buffoon! Move it!! Careful…. Careful!! You don’t want to crush them.. *sniff* *sniff* her! It’s a female Al-demi!! It must be Sen-a-mahn! Quick, quick!”
She could hear the voice growing louder and louder as with the cacophony of stone, metal, and wood scraping and crumbling above her also did.
Light finally breached above her… tearing at her weak eyes adding to the already agonizing burn…
“There she is Bratus!! Get the beam off of her, reach in there you lumbering oaf”
Strong Al-dru-katr arms reached in and easily lifted the beam off of her body, the pain now inflamed with the pressure removed. Gasping for breath she could now breath deeply and her arms could reach her face,
The large Al-dru-katr Bratus scooped her into his arms carefull not to harm her more. And began to carry her into the town centre,
“Almund…. Where is my Almund” She coughed, “Almund…”
Bratus was a close friend to her husband…
“Almund… left this morning for the ebon city with four others, Don’t worry… you have just survived an amazing event, your just traumatized, tired and sick… ill look after you..”
Bratus lay her down on some materials and blankets, next to other wounded, under a shelter that was hastily put together to shade them all from the suns harsh rays. she lay there a weight lifted off her shoulders… exhausted, she slowly unwillingly dozed away into sleep.. as she did… A crumpled picture she had in her grasp forgotten, was released… a picture of a two Toddlers slowly drifted down…
in the wind
turning dreamily
to the yellow grass
and mustard dirt below
A picture of a very young Azreil smiling in a green and lush grotto playing in the cool waters of waterfall with his Sister… as the picture twisted thru the air and hit the dusty floor, a message was revealed on the back:
‘Never stop searching for the hidden doors to your dreams my lovely children, you already hold the keys and one day you will open the right door and all you ever wanted will be revealed, a paradise, a home…
Stay together, stay safe, I will return and come get you soon… I am so sorry for what you must endure…. I am truly sorry.. But please know… It was the only way I could protect you… love you forever my beautiful babies.’
- your Mother
The end.
- The Wolf (j.m.wolf)
