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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Krug" data-source="post: 1244154" data-attributes="member: 2141">The Dead ‘uns. Dooga the Gob had warned Shein about them. (Of course the Nekros had a name for them other than the Dead’Uns, but it had something like five syllables and fewer vowels.)  They weren’t your common garden variety undead with body parts oozing pus and maggots, looking like creatures that were still trying to grasp the idea of being dead. Not so the Dead’Uns. They Dead’uns LIKED being dead, and enjoyed serving the Nekromancers who had given them another shot at life after death. Their insides had been replaced with a substance resembling embalming fluid, and their nails replaced with steel shards shoved into their fingers. (It was said so the Dead’Uns could pick their teeth for food scraps rather than the Nekros having to do it for them). These Dead’Uns served as guardians and bodyguards, and generally behaved properly, if fed properly. If not, they’d go wild and start attacking whatever was nearest them for food. Occasionally, after some Nekro was slain or immersed in some foul ritual, the unfed Dead’uns they left behind would turn rogue and go on a rampage…… which was probably why the two Dead’Uns in front of Shein were feasting on the corpse of a merchant.  Shein gulped. His feet were still going forward, and he suppressed a whimper coming up. Look nonchalant. Don’t look surprised. Look as if it’s normal for two of the walking dead to be tugging intestines out of a corpse like it’s a tasty pie filling… “Oh I think this isn’t the way to the.. bakery is it? I was trying to grab a baguette. Well I better head back now. No baguettes here! I’ll leave you to your.. meal,” said Shein, turning around and starting to walk quickly back to the main street. Do not show any fear Shein. Do not show any fear even though sweat is trickling down your face and the hair on your feet is straightening and your teeth are chattering like a drunken gnome on a xylophone and you want to cry MOMMY at the top of your voice.One of the Dead’uns growled and started to lope over. Shein walked faster, then decided that sprinting was a better idea. The two Dead’uns abandoned their victim and gave chase. Shein ran, and the thought that came to his mind right then was PROTECT THE SAUSAGE!He turned left, then right. “HELP!” Shein screamed. The inhabitants of the Hive, in their usual civic consciousness, made sure their doors were latched tighter, or turned the gnomish Songweins faster  to drown out the screaming. I’ll get the watchmen! They can bloody stop the two of them! It’s their damned duty! If they save me one day in the future I can pay taxes and their wages!The Dead’Uns gave chase, the blood from their nails dripping onto the puddles. The rain poured down, and Shein slipped on the wet cobblestones. The Dead’un was getting close, and the hobbit couldn’t see clearly, but he thought he saw it licking it’s lips. Shein wasn’t really interested to confirm whether it was; he got up and continued to run, still clinging onto the delivery basket and his wet cloak. The hobbit turned right, expecting to find the watchmen, but there was no one there. Well, almost no one. The beggar was still lying on the street trying to hide underneath a filthy, holed blanket from the rain. Shein ran towards the beggar like a thirsty man to an oasis as the pair of undead followed behind.“EAT HIM! EAT HIM!” shouted the hobbit to the Dead’Uns. It wasn’t much of a plan, but it was the only one that occurred to him at the time.“What yei chattering about?” said the beggar. “It’s.. it’s.. the dead’uns! They’re chasing me!” Shein said.“Dead’Uns? What you blabbing about boy?” The beggar asked.The two robed figures came into view, their nails glinting in the light, their robes heavy with rain. “THEM! THEY’RE HERE!” Shein screamed, pointing.“Did you know the hair on your feet curl when you scr—“, said the beggar.“YES! EAT HIM!” shouted Shein, pointing at the vagrant. “He’s… he’s.. crunchier!”“Well that might not be entirely true…” said the beggar, standing up and drawing his sword. Shein saw his body was actually fairly muscular, underneath the dirt and grime. “I didna live this long to die at the mouths of the undead without putting up a fight! So you going to fight with me or attempt to pass me off as an apertif?” Shein felt guilty. He drew out Nail, his dagger, while still clutching onto his basket. “I’ll fight,” he said meekly. The beggar looked at the hobbit’s blade despondently. “We’re supposed to kill them laddie, not give them acupuncture. By the way name’s Kiljor.” “My name’s… Shein!” shouted the hobbit, watching the pursuers close in. The two braced themselves as the Dead’uns charged forward. Kiljor swung at one of them but it ducked the blow at the last moment. Shein stabbed and managed to poke through the creature’s wet and heavy robe, but didn’t seem to penetrate the creature’s skin. The other Dead’Un leapt up in the air and tried to grab Kiljor’s head, but the warrior-beggar leaned to the right. His blade swung and smashed into the other clumsily, and shoved it to the ground. The two tumbled on the wet cobblestones. “One each,” said Kiljor. “Make sure you take care of yours hobbe!”Shein turned to face his assigned foe. It loomed over him, fangs dripping with blood and remains. It tried to claw the hobbit but he dodged the blow. Shein stabbed forward and managed to send Nail piercing through the creature’s thigh. “I GOT HIM! I GOT HIM!” shouted Shein. The Dead’un then swung out it’s fist, catching Shein in the face and sending him to the ground where he skidded about five feet. His dagger remained lodged in the creature’s leg, and a black liquid seeped slowly out of the wound.Kiljor was grappling with his Dead’un, and the beggar was thumping his sword on the undead’s head to little effect. Shein’s foe howled and charged, and the hobbit turned away at the last moment before extending his right foot, tripping it. It sprawled to the ground. Shein climbed onto it’s back and tugged the hood of the robe over the face of the creature. It stood up and threw itself against a wall. Shein felt the impact in every bone in his body, but wouldn’t let go.“THAT’S THE WAY! MY LITTLE HOBBE!” shouted Kiljor, who was punching his own opponent in the face again and again.The Dead’un Shein was clutching to started to charge against a wall on the other side of the street. At the last moment, Shein let go and dropped to the floor, releasing the hood. The creature barged right into the wall with a painful cracking sound, and fell to the ground, still.“I’ve killed it! I DID IT! I DID IT!” shouted Shein, elated, turning back to Kiljor, who was still preoccupied with keeping the Dead’un from ripping out his tongue.However, the Dead’un, dazed, now stood up despite it’s headache and large lump on it’s head, and slouched towards the unsuspecting hobbit…</blockquote>

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