The cool breeze softly caressed his face. Barthanax was back home in Mythguard, overlooking the city that lay below him. The past three weeks of his campaign into the Firelands had been successful, but at the cost of many of his peoples lives. The horrors they had seen only added to the lowering morale of his men stationed there, and there had been much blood spilled. Barthanax was contemplating another excursion into the Firelands to reclaim the Iron City, a long lost ruin of the dwarven past. But his mind was clouded by another reoccurring figure; Thalsamar. Was it true that Barthanax was immortal? Or was it trick created by the Father to fool him? Either way, he was not the only person to have seen Thalsamar, leaving the only conclusion to be that he was very much real. And even a threat to Barthanax and his reign over the Eldar Throne and all of Mythguard. Suddenly he returned from his thoughts to reality as the door behind him creaked open. Blade already leveled at the entering figure, Barthanax sighed as he realized it was only Konax.
‘’Sorry to disturb you. Word has been spreading that our campaign against the Firelands is a huge success, and many more rush to fight in your service.’’ Barthanax relaxed as Konax went on. As long as his people didn’t know what had really happened beyond the Wall, all would be good.
‘’Sir, there is also…news that was not known to us earlier. There have been several deaths while you were away. All children. All were…raped and then mutilated. Some have gone missing in the last two weeks as well. We believe…this is no longer a war. This is revenge.’’
Arrows slammed hard into flesh, felling another row of Fireland warriors. Still they came and still arrows left their mark. The Mythguardians, if lucky, would take the Iron City back in less then a day. Evening was already cresting over the distant mountains and men were growing weary of the long day of fighting. Thankfully, the Firelanders had gained enough sense to turn tail and run before more of their number fell, leaving the Mythguardians jeering and taunting them as they fled. Some archers who lacked honor loosed arrows at the fleeing army, killing more as arrows sunk deep into their backs. Angered by their dishonorable actions, Barthanax took the liberty of killing each one of them himself, calling them out as dishonorable traitors and no better then a Firelander.
‘’Sleep tonight, soldiers of Mythguard. Tomorrow, we take back the Iron City!’’
Cheers went out from the gathered army and arranged themselves their comfort of night. But no sleep came to Barthanax. He still had one thought irritably on his mind, one that would not leave.
Thalsamar.
The morning crept across the heated landscape like a snake through grass, creeping slowly across the faces of the sleeping Mythguardians. Early risers had already cooked breakfast for some of their companions before the morning light, and enjoying what little comfort they could take, they ate, knowing what laid ahead in the day. Barthanax exited his pavilion, sunlight glimmering off of his crimson steel armor, shield and blade in hand. In less then an hour his army stood ready to fight the Firelanders again, and giving a short speech, he lead them into the jaws of Hell.
It was eerily quiet inside the Iron City. Not a single soul was found, yet there were fresh bloodstains all across the walls and stone floor. It was dimly lit inside the cavernous city, so torches were used to light most of the way. Dwarven skeletons laid in corners, covered in centuries of dust. Old doors rotted on rusted hinges, and a soft breeze lifted some of the dust into the air. Not a sound could be heard except for the echo of softly plated feet against the stone.
‘’Where are they?’’ One of the men-at-arms questioned quietly, but even with a whisper it echoed throughout the empty city. Barthanax held up a plated fist as a signal for his army to halt as they approached a darkened corner. Sending one torchbearer forward, the army waited for his response. It didn’t take long before the man stood in horror and was retching out his breakfast across the dusty cobblestones. Barthanax rushed to see what had caused this man such distress, and he too stood in utter shock. Children and men lined the hall, impaled by black iron spikes and entrails splayed out like banners across the room. Eyes had been gouged out from a few of the skulls, while others had obscene things scrawled across their naked bodies, and more still had limbs missing and sewed to others. The smell of fresh blood and rotting flesh filled the hall, and even Barthanax’s iron stomach gave out as he too retched out his earlier meal. Without thought, his men rushed to see what had made even the greatest of them fall low. It was a disgusting satisfaction. Barthanax wiped away the remaining vomit and continued, cutting through the entrails that blocked his path, blood sucking up beneath his plated feet while his men continued their unfortunate reaction to what they had just saw. Barthanax swore he could hear soft moans coming from up ahead and the dying rasps of a child and a man. Quietly peering around a corner, he almost retched again in disgust. Female Firelanders were having intimate relations with the impaled, dying people, and one was mounted on a dead body that had no head or arms. Regaining his composure, he charged the women with a loud battle cry, killing three of them before the other two had time to react. Facing him now, the females long snake-like tongues flicked in and out of their barbed mouths as they both giggled and snarled at the Red Knight. Readying his black blade, red runes began glowing as they drunk in the blood of the slain females. The one to his left charged first, claws racking against his armor. Punching out with his left, his shield made contact with the female’s temple and caused her to screech. The right charged before Barthanax had time to push the other female off of him, but had luckily leveled his blade, impaling her along his blade. Looking into her dying eyes, he watched as they clouded up and she slumped to the floor. Needing to deal with the other female, he bashed into her head again and kicked out. Before she could let out another screech, Barthanax chopped off her bipedal legs and began stomping her skull inwards. She lay dead at his feet in a matter of seconds. Looking now to the impaled, all were dead save one. The child.
