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Message: <blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 4498006" data-attributes="member: 3285">Soul of the Serpent: Part 2 – Guard Room“Incendiares globus!” shouted Sebastian.A ball of flames blossomed in the center of a band of ssanu.  Beyond the guard post, Ffasheth preached his own particular brand of racial hatred to a crowded arena packed with ssanu. “The manifessst dessstiny of our people isss to rule the world, asss we did in the daysss of the Valossan Empire!”“That should take care of the guards,” said Kham.  He began to holster his pistols. “It isss our divine right to enssslave all racesss in the name of Yig!” preached Ffasheth.Two muscular, hulking ssanu came pounding out of the smoke and flames. They were easily twice the mass of the usual ssanu they had encountered.  “What the—“ was all Vlad got out before one of the large ssanu nearly spun him completely around with a blow from its warhammer.“The catclysssm that brought about the collapssse of the Valossan Empire wasss due to Yig’sss dissspleasssure at the fact that we had become sssoft and complacent; we were content with our mighty empire, and no longer ssstrove to bring the whole world under Yig’sss rule. Now we hide from the world, hunted by sssurface dwellersss as punisssshment for our failure to complete our missssion of world conquessst.  In order to regain our former greatnesss, we mussst resssume the ancient practice of sssacrifice. “Beldin blocked one of the blows from the larger ssanu with his shield.  The blow reverberated through his entire body, rattling his teeth.  Some of the stone tiles beneath his feet cracked from the impact.In the arena, the crowd began howling for blood. More ssanu came pouring through the entryway to the arena.  Kham fired both pistols, holstered them, and drew two more.  “They’re going to sacrifice the prisoners!”“Thessse sssurface dwellersss will be sssacrificed to Yig the Dessstroyer,” shouted Ffasheth. “Their blood will be the firssst to be ssspilled in the great war of liberation that we will wage until Freeport—and the whole of the Ssserpent’sss Teeth—isss once again in the hands of the ssanu.”Vlad drove his sword right through the ribcage of one of the crazed ssanu.  It would have normally been a fatal blow. The snake-thing hissed and smacked Vlad across the skull with the back of its hammer.  Only his helmet saved him from a concussion.“Once the remnantsss of ancient Valossa are recovered, a crusssade will spread to all cornersss of the world,” shouted Ffasheth, “until the new Valossan Empire rulesss all and the warm-bloodsss are put in their proper place—as ssslaves to the ssanu and sssacrificesss to great Yig!”“We have got to end this, fast!” Kham drew Talon and Coomb’s stiletto. Sebastian took a step back.  “I already unleashed a fireball on them. I…”“Don’t you have anything else?” asked Kham. He blocked a warhammer blow by crossing Talon and the stiletto together.  It nearly knocked him off his feet.Sebastian swallowed.  “I don’t…I can’t…”“Come on!” Kham stabbed the stiletto sideways into the hulking ssanu’s torso.  Ice appeared on its ribcage, but it didn’t react. “You’re part devil, right?  Get angry!”Beldin tumbled across the floor like a discarded toy, clanking as he went.  His axe skittered one way, his shield another.  The roaring ssanu pounded towards Sebastian.“I…”“You sssix are now anointed as acolytesss in the cult of Yig the Dessstroyer!” shouted Ffashethh.It raised its warhammer. Behind the crazed ssanu, a chant had begun.  Sebastian looked down at Beldin’s unconscious body.  He was bleeding from the ears and nose.  Vlad and Kham were slowly giving ground.  The ssanu were most assuredly going to kill them.Something snapped.The dark-kin screamed.  It was a scream of anguish and pain, suppressed rage and forgotten nightmares.  He arced painfully and bat wings snapped open from the folds of his cloak.The ssanu paused, dumbstruck.  “FOOLS,” roared Sebastian.  His voice was guttural and inhuman. “I WILL SHOW YOU TRUE FEAR!”The folds of his cloak billowed.  Two demonic maws, all teeth and bone, shot out from the dark recesses of Sebastian’s cloak.  The two warhammer-wielding ssanu had a moment to look up at their impending doom. Then the floating jaws snapped shut, decapitating the snake men with one gulp. Sebastian fell to the ground, gasping.  The jaws disappeared. The fire in his eyes went out.  “Althares,” whispered Kham.  “And I thought I had issues.”  Sebastian buried his face in his hands.</blockquote>

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