[Mkguild] MK: Homecoming (3/3)

[C. Matthias]

> > Treetops started vanishing on a
> > straight-line approach from the northeast,
> > clouds of leaves and limbs erupting into the
> > air as their trunks were shattered or smashed
> > down. Misha tightened his grip on Whisper and
> > bit back the 'me, too' in his mind from
> > becoming anything more than a heartfelt
> > prayer. "Here we go, people. Stay focused and
> > work together.” Everyone’s turned, save the
> > rat, toward the path of destruction rapidly
> > approaching. Misha saw even Charles glance
> > back over his shoulder briefly. The fox took a
> > breath and tightened his hands upon the haft of his axe. “Saroth? Now."
>
>Yeah, the treetops vanishing is a great visual too.
>
>I had planned on him just appearing from the 
>shadows, but the 'oncoming cataclysm' damage 
>trail really made the set-up so much better.

And it's just too much fun not to do!

> > The effect was instant. Ears flashing
> > straight backwards, the Beast flinched as if
> > from a blow, then froze as every muscle in his
> > body went iron-taut. For a moment, nothing
> > moved in the clearing except the faint wafts of
> > frost that passed for the Beast's breath. Then
> > slowly, as slowly as an iron statue being
> > dragged over barren rock, the wolf's head
> > turned from Wolfram. Tychicus and Saroth
> > passed under its scrutiny with barely a
> > flicker. Merai warranted a tightening of the
> > eyes, a strangled, agonized whimper. Charles
> > evoked a snarl and a shiver of pelt as muscle fought muscle. And then

> >
> > Kill him.
>
>And the Beast has found its target.
>
>Yup.  If it had not been for Revonos' compelling 
>geas, their plan would have worked.

"If not for you durn kids my plan would have worked!"

> > The Beast snarled. Was this tiny creature
> > a fool? He faced Carcarak! The Beast of
> > Revonos! The foremost servant and chosen
> > champion of the Lord of the Sundered
> > Shield! Not even the lowest, most witless of
> > imps would dare to bring a shield into his presence, and this... this...
> >
> > Rat...
>
>Recognition! It was only a week ago after all!
>
>For Charles... but how long has it been for Drift?

Who can say....

> > With a deafening roar, the Beast erupted
> > into sudden, brutal violence. Thrashing about
> > like a hooked fish, he slammed his head against
> > nearby boulders hard enough to crack stone, bit
> > his own limbs until bone gleamed, and churned a
> > bloody circle into the earth around
> > him. Tattered flesh and shattered bone healed
> > as quickly as Charles remembered, only to be
> > torn and broken anew in a mad paroxysm of
> > self-destructive fury, and Charles backed away
> > in shock in spite of himself. His shielding spin faltered.
>
>Not quite the reaction Charles hoped for, but a
>few moments fighting himself is good for Misha.
>
>It's the best reaction you could have hoped 
>for.  When Drift and Carcarak fight in 
>cooperation, they're a living catastrophe.  When 
>one fights and the other doesn't care, they're 
>highly dangerous.  But when they fight each other?  Completely ineffectual.

A good way of putting it.

> > Saroth, returning to the fray, swerved out
> > of a swooping side attack to pluck Charles from
> > midair, unconscious and bleeding. He winged
> > away, getting the rat to safety, but the
> > Beast's open maw tracked on them, preparing to
> > blast the bronze weather dragon from the sky.
>
>That's twice now I've let you beat my character up. You owe me big time. ;-)
>
>Yes, I beat your character up twice.  I also saved him from damnation.

You got an assist on that one.  It's still 
beating Matt up twice with only a slice of help.  You totally owe me still. ;-)

> > it to best use. "Payback for when you kicked
> > me there, Drift," Wolfram growled, his face
> > dripping with blood from the Beast's gory
> > fur. "Back in training when we first met. Remember?"
>
>And this is why we love Wolfram. :-)
>
> >>>That is a great scene! :D
>
>Wolfram headbutting Drift/Carcarak had been 
>planned since the very first days of this 
>plotline's creation, but the groin kick was a 
>blinding burst of inspiration that had me 
>laughing so hard I had to pull the car over.  I 
>swiped the move from a story about taurs that I 
>happened across a long time ago...

Taurs provide such wonderful weaknesses sometimes.

>This is why you need to carefully read the safety
>precautions for a Runic Weapon before touching it.
>
>    >>>>  Misha knows what the axe can do! It's 
> Carcarak who failed to read the safety 
> manual.  But to be fair it is written Hieroglyphics and a bit hard to read.
>     >>>>Had anything less powerful then 
> Carcarak had done it they wouldn't have 
> survived. It's drained the life from some pretty powerful people in the past!
>
>You're both incorrect.  Drift knew _exactly_ 
>what he was doing.  He was trying to kill 
>himself, because he couldn't stop 
>himself.  That's what 'death in his eyes' means- he expects to die doing this.

Eh, that kind of kills the suspense of the 
scene.  It works better if Carcarak made a 
mistake.  If he never makes mistakes then he's boring.

Besides, has he ever actually seen Whisper in 
action that way?  I do not believe he has.

>Thank you for reading and commenting!  I am very glad you liked it!

I did.  Always glad to give fellow MK writers the feedback they deserve.

May He bless you and keep you in His grace and love,

Charles Matthias