mindcracklove | Warlords Chapter 5: Fires

Chapter 5 is in! Thanks to r7 for being a beta! You were really helpful, now hopefully, you all enjoy.

The army marched once more, in search of the promised land. Beef and Pyro were having a pleasant conversation about ramen, Pause was criticising BTC about his mobile garden, and Etho and Guude were talking about the dangers ahead.

"Fort Fan Di has several holes in it's walls Guude. Taking refuge in it is just asking to be attacked and flanked. It's pretty much like sleeping in the fields." Etho told Guude, a bit aggravated.

"I know, but the walls. I think it'd make the men feel better. Safer you know?" Guude shot back a bit defensively.

Shift back to Beef and Pyro.

"Mm, my mum used to add these little chopped up bits of the chickens da would raise. It tasted like Heaven on Earth." Pyro said while rubbing his stomach.

"You don't look like you've eaten much of anything, ever. I mean, I know you're sixteen and small in general, but you should spend some time at the chef's tent later. I'll make you some with the spice I mix up. Maybe we can find a chicken to cut up and add." He smiled over at the young squire.

Pyro grinned, "You really mean it?!"
Beef laughed a bit, "Yeah bud, you just gotta ask."

Pyro smiled and turned his gaze back to the march.

Over to Pause and BTC.

"How do you even make a garden mobile? Like, plants have to be in the ground." Pause looked at BTC with a confused look.

"You just make a few small planters, fill them with dirt, and add the plants." BTC said with a smile.

"But that's so stupid. Plants shouldn't move." Pause shot back, intentionally trying to make BTC mad.

"Well I need them. Deal with it." BTC plainly told him.

The whole army came to a stop. There was smoke coming over the horizon rising high in the air. Pyro, Beef, and BTC rode up to the front, looking for answers.

"Is someone burning something?" Beef kind of let off a bit quietly.

"No. That's to far for it to be us." Guude looked a bit confused.

Pyro started riding and pushing his horse towards the pillar of smoke. He had to know what was happening. He heard other Horses galloping and started to search around him. On his left, Beef was riding, eyes steady to the smoke ahead. To the right, BTC was donning his mask. He gave them each a nod and they pushed on.They finally found the source, a city, up in flames. BTC looked on in horror. Pyro spotted something escaping a building.

"There's people inside!" He shouted and went in on a mission.

Beef chased and BTC soon after. They each split, attempting to save everyone they could. Pyro ran for the market, looking to guide the shoppers and merchants to the exit. Beef headed for the housing district, trying to save the families. BTC sprinted for the temple, to save any inside.
Pyro found few citizens left in the market, their escapes blocked by debris. He had to think fast. The fire was surrounding them quickly. He spun his head desperately looking for something to go through the blockage. Wait! The cart! He ran over and lined it up with the fallen arches. He ran, pushing the cart along, ready to plow through. With a Smash, he went through, clearing just enough of a path for a single person at a time. He urged them out. As the last trader exited, he decided thanks were in order,

"Thank you for your bravery young man. None of this would of happened if we wouldn't of proclaimed ourselves free of the Kunán." He left without another word.

Pyro went back to the hill, watching over the fires made by the wretched kingdom's army.

Meanwhile, Beef was rushing from house to house, checking to make sure each family was gone. He heard a shriek from the house farthest down the street. He bolted for it. He saw that it was collapsing in, with a mother and her son trapped behind several support beams. He dodged past the falling boards and grabbed at each support. He started to lift on the beams, but they proved too heavy with their combined weight. He threw all he had into it, knowing that a mother and child were relying on him to keep them alive. He struggled, jerking the supports upwards till they were just above the mother's head. She rushed the son out from the corner and started for the door. They just got out when the roof dropped In front of the doorway. Beef was now the trapped one. He looked around, needing an escape. And he found it. Well, more made it. The wall looked weak so he took his rush for it. Down it went. He went to check on the two.

The mother was sobbing with a smile, "Thank you so much kind sir! How can we ever repay you?!" Beef just guided them out.

He sighed and muttered to himself, "I'm glad that was the last house." He went to join Pyro on the hill.

BTC had a much simpler task. Take the priest out of the temple. The only problem was that the priest didn't want to go.

"I won't go! The gods will honour my loyalty! I refuse to go!" He yelled as BTC was trying to lift him.

"Father, please, you can start a new temple, they're sure to see that you're devout." BTC was on the edge of begging.

"They will save me. Just you wait. They'll save me and let you burn!" BTC felt that wasn't the fire he was talking about.

"Maybe they are saving you. By sending me. Please Father. We must get you out of here." BTC was getting fed up with the priest.

The priest had started to stand. He moved quickly, grabbing his sacred writings, a change of clothes and a pendant. He started for the door and BTC quickly followed. They made their way to the exit. BTC was glad when they reached a nice clearing out of the city. The priest stopped dead and looked at BTC.

"Bless you my child." With that, he walked off.

BTC found the other two atop the hill, and joined them. They each took one last look to the Kunán's handy work and turned. The fiery city sparked new fire in their hearts. They turned and started back to the army.

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So what'd y'all think? Let me now.

Current Mood: cheerful

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

thezombineer

How are you coming up with these faction/city names? Where are you drawing inspiration from for them? They sound very Chinese.

From:

gottaloverattatta

Simplified Chinese in a translator. Most of them are incorrect by a letter or two though. .-.

From:

gottaloverattatta

Oh, and I draw inspiration through what I imagine it would be like. Kunàn for instance means misery (albeit, incorrectly spelled) because its supposed to be miserable to live under that kingdom's rule.

From: (Anonymous)

If you need help with Chinese feel free to ask me, Chinese is actually my first language. (And the names of these places suddenly made a lot more sense to me, I can't believe I never noticed)

-Syn is still too lazy to log in