[Complete] the Mana-Wilds (the Cold Iron Chronicles) #3: Mechanical Martyr

Chapter 9

(CW: Sexual Assault and Horror)

The tireless vanguard of Doctor-Commander Cold Iron marched through the dread-mudded lands of fallen Lastwall. The Myrmidon's cyclopean eyes of frozen crimson steadfast amidst the ruin, decay, and effigy signages of fates of those who were found wanting of the Dread Land's challenge. To lesser men, some would have chilled upon their hooves, others loosen bowels, the rest likely to flee in terror. But not Cold Iron. Not the Myrmidons, not Golgar and most especially not Arazni.

The journey was unerringly quiet for them for all things considered.

"We brave souls must be filled with Holy Song! Shall you come and sing with me?" the Crimson Crusader attempted to bolster the spirit of Cold Iron. "The Hymns allow us to meditate on our divine purpose. Our Crusade!"

"I am pretty sure I can 'meditate' much better if you just shut up for once." Izo rolled his eyes, keeping his shotgun at the ready for the draw.

"Be wary Outlander, the Sorrowscythe's blade has felled many of those as brave as you." Arazni warned the fire-headed Cold Iron. "By this trial you and I are tested. The fate of thousands is at stake if the Sorrowscythe continues to indulge upon her hedonistic whims. We must all not be found wanting upon our Holy Crusade."

"Oh... be-yeth warned... little angel thing inside my head! I am VERY a-anger-ree right now." Izo teased, yet his seethed with anticipation just the same as the Crimson Crusader. "But if I find her... I am going to pluck every feather off her wings before she tries to buzz off. One-by-one."

"When you... and that is a 'When' you and not an 'If' you find yourselves meeting eye to eye against her ebony wings. When she swings her Scythe high, dash forward duck left and quickly attack her eyes. If she is still the same foe I had faced, her Profane Wards should be at its weakest there."

"Uh-Yeah... noted." Izo grumbled.

"Master... we are here." H.E.N.R.I. who was at the vanguard of the Mechanical March halted.

An acrid stench filled the Doctor-Commander's lungs as his army set foot upon grassless clearing. Observing closely, he and Arazni had noticed discover that the ground radiated with a faint yet sinister magic, made by the hands of unnerring bones and rattle aberrations of all things against nature. A glyph burnt in unnatural ashes blotched the soil. The two swallowed their throats for courage as the same glyph began to repeat the further their eyes oversaw across the horizon. A chill air tested the faith and bravery to the edge of his limits.

The Approach to Vellumis had changed dramatically from the melancholic fields to a jagged gauntlet of barricades and other obstacles the Whispering Way Cult sook shelter upon. To both his unnerve and alarm, the barricades emitted a fetid odor. Looking closely, to his horror, the barricades carcasses at stacked at least five feet high or more some. Their sordid smell intensified the closer he approached them, becoming almost unbearable from scent alone. Yet bear witness he also saw the 'building blocks' for lack of a better word of bounded and weary souls as a reinforcement. Men, women, children and sizes too bloated to even recognize as human or beast made this monument of unfettered Tyrants sat upon his lackeyed sycophants who worship his horned visage as a God. If not there one true...

Some of the barricades even irked signs of life, their eyes fearfully gazing upon the faceless legions set to charge through their helpless selves staked unwillingly through bindings of rope and nails.

"The coward excuse of an 'Angel' is using Hostages! Some... 'Madame' she is!" Arazni disdainfully sneered. "But I expected no less from a daughter of the Pallid Princess."

"Talk about making 'existence more dignified and peaceful'." Cold Iron's fist curled knuckles until they let out a soft crack.

"This is the Black-Truth of the Tyrant's so-called promulgation. A world without warmth, apathetic and selfish. Filled with only those of cruel hearts to stamp upon the strong. Sickening!" Arazni scoffed.