Fleas - Songs of the Gnolls I

WHAT MANY HANDS PAINT 9.8

The human army had arrived. For the moment, the barricades held, but Scourge had to make a decision: defend themselves, or break through the gate and destroy them all. Either way, sooner or later they would be cornered. The best thing to do was to destroy the emperor and the humans living in the city first, because if they turned back, they would leave their rear exposed. Yes, that was what they had to do.

"Are you sure you can't destroy the wall?"

The trolls shook their heads slowly.

"We'll have to do it ourselves."

"It's not the time," he replied cryptically. "Not yet."

Scourge raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

He heard sounds coming from the inner wall before the troll aswered. A trumpet. Were they coming out to fight them? Scourge let out a yell, alerting the rest of the rebels, who quickly gathered around him.

"Prepare for battle!"

Scourge took the lead. Next to him were Zanarah and Zeppel. Behind them, the Iron Claws, then the Distant Teeth, led by Liblin the Crazy, and finally the amalgam of gnomes, trolls, men, and hyaenid elders.

The grid rose at a strange pasing until it reached half its height. On the other side, there was no human army ready for battle, nothing but the Wind Paws running towads them, making loud signals to advance. Before Scourge gave the order, Kkelea's father tugged at her hand as if he could see what would happen.

"Not without my daughter."

The mystery of Kkelea's disappearance made him nervous, no doubt, but he knew his priorities well.

"They didn't find the body, which means she's alive. We will find her when we go in. You have my word. Now get back to your post," he drew his flaming sword and shouted, "Go!"

He took a step forward, but the earth trembled beneath his feet and he sank as if stepping on quicksands. The same happened to Zanarah, Zeppel, and the first row of soldiers. Was it the trolls? Zanarah let out her scream, which allowed her to move freely, and she broke free; so did Zeppel. Together they helped Scourge. He noticed the trolls in the rear. They were making movements and singing, typical of when they use their magic. He looked at Zanarah.

"Don't kill them."

She kicked the ground and each step was ten, accompanied by a rumble and a shockwave. In an instant, she found herself in front of the trolls and struck three of them with the edge of her sword. The rest stopped. Meanwhile, Scourge and Zeppel released the others. Zeppel asked the logical question:

"Why did they betray us?"

"It doesn't matter now. We will leave that for later. Let's go."

Halfway they met Fátrwa and the other four Wind Paws. They looked beaten. One of them was badly wounded and had to be healed by the Voices of Rock while the others moved on.

"Quick, before they close the grid," Fátrwa shouted.

Scourge nodded and charged. Before him was everything he hated so much. Finally it would be over. Finally, he could rest in peace, on the fertile plains where grass grew in abundance and words were unnecessary.