Black Dawn - Chapter 11: Darf Bloodshedder

Fleeing Cithilnor with the half-ogre, the crew of the Cloudracer meet sudden resistance in the skies.

Armageddon TM and its characters and story are copyright Terry Tibke. All rights reserved.

Music & SFX

 [Starry Dream] by David Fesliyan, [In the Clouds] by David Fesliyan, [Not Much to Say] by David Fesliyan, [Cavern of Time] by Butterfly Tea, [Orchestral Conflict] by David Fesliyan, [Dark Illusions Intro] by X, [Uplifting Japanese Electro House] by Royalty Free Electro House Music, [Agression] by David Fesliyan, [Dark Shadows] by David Fesliyan, [Final Boss] by Myuu

short metal scrape (like car-body scratch).flac by Timbre, G12-35a-Eagle Cries.wav by craigsmith, Bite (Apple) by wadaltmon, Sparrows fluttering wings in bush.wav, RAM_Mouth Hawk_rev_v1.wav by reidedo, Soft Wind by florianreichelt, Ambient(light wind).WAV by o_ciz, R15-70-Males hamp rope creaks by 6polnic, BODY FALL - V HVY - DIRT by leonelmail, G48-18-Steam Train Vents Steam.wav by craigsmith 

Jake Utter [Voice Actor] - Voices Turim Gliderlance

Andrew Embers [Voice Actor] - Voices Sand Rocketblade

Demetrius Hazel [Voice Actor] - Voices Lasertooth and Darf Bloodshedder

Kobe Markworth [Voice Actor] - Voices Thunderclap and Gulanis

Sean Valley [Voice Actor] - Voices Strevan Pickaxe and Dithkanir

Hayley Craig [Voice Actress] - Voices Jaffrine Maplebow

Morgana LeFaye [Voice Actress]- Voices Tartara Silverwing

Tallent [Voice Actor] - Voices General Panthis Obsidianfist 

JJtheJetvox [Voice Actor] - Voices Meineken Shadowstar and Aurthil

Brittanie Arwen [Voice Actor] - Voices Sinfa Songbird

The Worlds Okayest DM [Voice Actor] - Voices Pond Grimslug

Ben Habel [Voice Actor] – Voices Lakalith Paledust

Maia Harlap [Voice Actor] – Voices Kithria Wraithchasm and Dark Elves

Aaron Anderson [Voice Actor] – Voices Dark Elves

Transcript

Chapter 11 — Darf Bloodshedder

As the sun brightened with the glory of its rays, the passengers were forced to find shade beneath the wooden eaves on The Cloudracer’s deck. However, It wasn’t long before they passed through the clouded spaces between the Ro’Druin peaks and moist chills crept back over them.

The ship seemed to have once been a small merchant vessel of some sort, outfitted with two masts. Those had since become supports for the ship’s propellers.

Near the stern was a door that opened into a short hall. That’s where they’d slept, in cabins on either side of the corridor. Then, at the back of that was another door, leading out to a small, rear deck.

One of the oddest things about the airship was its pair of wings. They stood out on either side of the hull and were probably close to fifty feet of span. Made of a sturdy wooden framework, they were covered by a heavy hide, tied tightly about the inside of the frame. Controls that Sinfa used at the helm tilted the wings up and down, and back and forth.

The companions sat on deck, eating a portion of the food that Meineken had been able to bring back, while Turim still paced.

“So you’re telling me you didn’t pay for any of this?” asked Turim with a scolding tone.

“As I said, I’m not fond of paying more for less,” Meineken defended himself.

Turim shook his head, looking down at the appaza he’d taken a bite of. He must’ve looked like he’d just eaten a worm.

“Turim, those prices, they were outrageous,” said Meineken looking down at his own striped fruit before looking back up at him. “And honestly, the treatment we received there? Do we really want to fund such behavior?”

Turim looked him deep in the eyes, shaking his head again. “Forget it,” he said with resign. “It’s too late now, and you’re right, in the end, I suppose. The big fellow didn’t deserve that. Here or anywhere else.”

“Exactly,” agreed Meineken as he glanced over at the half-ogre, sitting by himself. “I certainly have no better argument for it.”

“But no more theft, Master Shadowstar,” added Turim, shaking his appaza. “Law is law. And if my purpose is to uphold that law, then you put me in a poor position. If we were in our country, I would’ve been forced to arrest you.”

“Well then I am glad,” said Meineken, “that we are not.” With relish, he took a bite of his own appaza.

The half-ogre hadn’t said a word. He sat propped up against the wall of the cabin, looking completely disinterested in any of them. It wasn’t until everyone finished eating that he spoke for the first time since the immediate nap he’d taken.

“I was more than capable of crushing some halfwit elves,” he grunted at no one in particular. “I didn’t need, or want, your help.”

Turim looked around. The rangers looked slightly shocked by the half-ogre’s ungrateful words, but he shrugged them off. “What is your name, friend ogre?” he said as pleasantly as he could.

The mighty creature rolled his weight onto one side, looking over the others. “I’m not a full ogre,” he grumbled. “I’m half. My dear mum’ was human. I’m called Darf Bloodshedder, son of Gondarf Bloodshedder, feller of Giants.” This last part, he grunted proudly.

Turim accepted the half-ogre’s title, tilting his head in a dignified way. “Then we’re in the company of a hero.” He watched Darf’s reaction.

“Listen here, knight!” said Darf. “I don’t have a lot of patience for folk who want to patronize me. I have to get myself back to the pits as soon as you can get me aground. In fact: Red!” he shouted to Sinfa.

Sinfa had made sure no one disturbed the half-ogre during his nap, calling back to them from the helm. Turim spotted her checking Darf from over her shoulder a few times since then. She seemed to have a will to try to nurture the enormous creature. Thus far, all of her attempts had been met with silence.

“Yes?” she replied, her tone curt. Apparently, it was getting to her though.

“Drop me off as soon as we reach the next country!” Darf barked.

Sinfa curled her nose up in frustration. “Whatever pleases you!”

Turim frowned. “We’re near Pebak ‘Din now. If you want to descend, we’ll be glad to leave you where you fancy.” His own tone had turned a bit sour now too. “I do hope, however, that you’ll treat these people with greater respect until we land.”

“I think we’re far enough off. I just wanted to put a little distance between us and that terrible city,” Sinfa said over her shoulder to him.

The half-ogre folded his arms and sat them atop his knees. Then he leaned his head down into the comfortable hole one makes with folded arms on knees, and snorted.

For the next several minutes, nobody spoke at all. Most of the companions kept their distance and didn’t make eye contact with Darf. But Meineken rose from his cross-legged position and moved closer.

He stood not ten feet from him, staring.

“Your legs are like fat tree trunks,” said Meieneken. “Two or three times my size.”

Turim, who’d returned forward to stand next to Sinfa, called out. “Master Shadowstar!”

“Did you ever fight with the Dragon Army?” Meineken went on.

Turim exchanged looks with Jaffrine while Strevan and Tartara looked at each other.

Darf looked up slowly. “Kithkin.” He chuckled. “I’ve met your kind before. No,” he answered finally. “Neither with them nor against them.”

Meineken nodded, seeming to be satisfied with the answer. He folded his arms across his chest.

“How about you, little runt?” asked Darf.

Meineken narrowed his eyes. “What? I’ve never been taken in by the lies of the Dragon Army,” he huffed incredulously. “But fought against them? In a fashion, maybe. Why do you ask?”

“Why do you?” retorted Darf.

“Curiosity.”

“I see. Well, let’s just keep that curiosity to yourself for now. I’m in no mood for an interrogation.”

Meineken sat down cross-legged right where he was. Darf could have rolled over and crushed him. Turim knew Meineken was far too quick for that, but he was very near.

As Meineken continued to look at Darf, the half-ogre squirmed, then repositioned his seat. After a few minutes, he turned and leaned against the cabin wall once again, resting his head on the wood.

Sinfa looked over at Turim. She looked relieved and let out a held breath. Turim cracked a slight smile.

Turim felt the wind, and watched thin grey clouds and birds pass. There wasn’t much else to look at unless he went to the railing. He tried to keep his thoughts clear and stay at ease, but there was still a lot on his mind. What to do with the ogre. What the dark elves, and by extension, the Black Division wanted with Master Shadowstar. How long did they have before the Dragon Army made their move?

Sinfa grunted, tapping at some tiny device near her levers. “Yeah, we’re going to have to start looking for a place to set down again so I can fix this.”

Then there was that, too.

Tartara’s small voice piped up. She flew to the front, reacting to something off in the distance, bringing everyone else to attention. “Turim,” she called. “What’s that up ahead? Birds? I trust your eyes better.” She floated out ahead of Sinfa to the fore.

Turim quickly went to her side, as everyone approached from behind, except Darf. “I believe they’re griffons,” he said slowly. “Flying in our direction...”

Meineken rushed to the edge of the deck. Right behind him came the rangers. “Those are stone griffons,” he stated. “Mounts of the dark elves. Are those riders? This is probably not good.”

Streven looked sidelong at Meineken and back at Jaffrine. He frowned. “Why? They caught up to us already?”

The griffons had terrible beaks, and their wild, feathered wings beat swiftly. Their bodies were of great cats—jaguars with long, curved tails. Haunches rippled with fur-covered muscle. But their hawk like heads held dark eyes, raging with fury.

“Bowguns!” shouted Sinfa.

“Move quick!” shouted Turim, his heart already pounding.

He watched as the rangers ran after Meineken, who pointed them in the right direction. They didn’t appear certain of what a bowgun was, or what to do in order to operate one, but they hurried to the stern and aft.

Even the ogre stood up. Turim wondered if that would be all he did.

Tartara floated beside Jaffrine, too small to be of any use yet. “No! No! No! You have it all wrong!” she squealed, helping Jaffrine load the weapon. “Slide that lever back. There you go. Good! No. Not like that!” And then followed with several other orders of her own.

Turim looked back over Sinfa, standing at the helm. The griffons were approaching fast now, coming from the west. He frowned, wondering how the dark elves already knew they were coming, by air, no less.

Sinfa looked up at the rotors above them, cursing under her breath, then pulled another lever beside the wheel as a small squeal of steam could be heard. “There are only five!” she shouted over her shoulder. “Stick them, and keep them out of my propellers!”

“And what would happen if they were damaged?” growled Darf, still quite stationary, though even he sounded somewhat alarmed. “This thing falls out of the sky?”

“You’re more observant than you look!” returned Sinfa, her tongue even sharper now.

Then a whistling bolt pierced the air. Turim looked back to see Strevan had figured out how to work the bowgun.

The first griffon fell screaming, the bolt piercing its wing. The rider leapt for another griffon as his dropped, but he was just short of his target. He plummeted the distance to the forest floor, leaving several of the griffon’s feathers to dance gracefully through the air behind them.

Two more bolts ripped through the clouds, veering off course. Turim drew his blade before he could tell who’d shot them.

Meineken was at Turim’s side instantly. He stood still, his hand on his hilt. The remaining griffons screeched like vultures, narrowly missing the rotors as they came in.

“Incoming!” shouted Jaffrine while Tartara reloaded her bowgun. “They are upon us!”

The sound of claws raked the deck as the stone griffons struggled to catch purchase, but in a few seconds they landed, weapons in hand.

Sinfa yelled from the front, turning the airship. Everyone remained upright enough, grabbing onto whatever they could hold. Only one of the griffons and its rider were pulled free from their careful landing and flailed out behind as The Cloudracer kept moving.

“Os Alueí eth?” came the voice of one dark elf. Turim assumed it was their leader. “Aremim, lim feúth ul os lahk relek osnagoth, kithelik dikü! Pakúth ul lim yël do hulth wentheí! You should not have come back, for now we shall flay your flesh from your bones, kithkin fool! You two have slain many of our kin and you’ll pay for it with your trifling lives!”

Somehow they’d already received report from Ys, and now they’d come for Master Shadowstar.

Turim stood ready. To his right, Meineken remained still, meeting the dark elves’ gaze.

The lead dark elf wore steely black armor and carried a long, black blade. Yet he was the lesser peril.

His stone griffon lunged forward, raking the air mere feet from Meineken. The ninja rolled and rose to his feet, blade drawn. His hand rested on his hip where he kept a sash of ninja stars.

To Turim’s surprise, Meineken shouted, “I have questions I wish to ask you,” glowering at his enemy.

Turim took several steps to his left to try and draw the griffons away from Meineken. What was he doing? Did he really think they’d negotiate?

Seeming to understand Meineken’s common speech, the dark elf leader screamed back, “Questions?!”

“I simply wish to know what importance Tusokan has for the Dragon Army,” spoke Meineken quite serenely. “We’ve already guessed at your cooperation. It’s no secret.”

The dark elf spat toward Meineken with a sneer. A sudden kick to his griffon’s sides spurred him forward.

“It never hurts to try,” said Meineken, reaching to his sash.

A flash of metal cut the air. The stone griffon reared back on its haunches, flailing its front talons wildly, screeching out a roar of pain. Nevertheless, the small stars Meineken had thrown were not nearly enough to slay the beast. It dove forward again, accelerating the dive with its wings. It came down hard on the deck as Meineken rolled again. His sword flashed out, cutting into the rear of the creature’s foreleg.

Turim parried aside the claws and beak of another of the griffons, and the blade of its rider. He did his best to keep the creatures away from Sinfa, and suffered several screeching slashes across his arms and chest as a result.

His eyes averted for only a half second. Though she was visibly struggling, Jaffrine couldn’t get the bowgun to swivel at an angle that could fire at the griffon on the deck. Tartara flitted about her head, clearly causing more confusion.

“Stop that!” shouted Jaffrine.

Tartara drew her weapons. “Forgive me then,” she said. “I’m going to help Turim and the ninja!”

“Tartara!” yelled Jaffrine. “Stop making rash assaults without your fairie kin!”

But Tartara was already buzzing toward the griffons.

Turim heard the zip of an arrow fly past him, striking the dark elf rider on the back of the griffon closest to him. Green fletched arrows. He saw Strevan, bow in hand near the bowgun. He’d let it to rest in its swiveling mount. Another arrow whizzed past and when Turim turned his head, the thalui slumped in his saddle.

Now Turim only had the griffon to contend with. He slashed out again and blade met flesh and feather. A claw tore back, ripping through part of his cloak.

He parried claws and suddenly felt another body behind him. He and Meineken stood back to back, breathing.

The beasts and their dark elves were visibly winded, and moreover wounded with several of Strevan’s arrows protruding from their sides. But the dark elves weren’t giving up.

“Kar, titkuku-a! Away, small insect!” one of the thalui screamed, disturbed by Tartara’s presence around him. He swatted and slashed. “Or you shall remain as a stain upon my palm!”

Charging back into the fray, Turim and Meineken moved together now, striking at the beast with their blades. Arrows zipped past them. Tartara darted in and out. Soon the stone griffon’s blood was a crimson wave spilling forth across the airship’s deck and two slumped to the boards.

Meineken didn’t hesitate and leapt to the creature’s back with great speed, hewing the dark elven leader from his mount. He crashed to the deck lifeless.

Turim felt his feet fall away from him for a second. He lurched sideways and crashed into the wooden deck. He heard shouting from Jaffrine and Tartara. Then a loud scream. His head swum, but he leaned up to see a stone griffon mere feet away from the helm where Sinfa still piloted The Cloudracer. Meineken still rolled to his feet. Jaffrine was on the ground. Strevan was behind Turim, but trying to get to his feet as well.

Sinfa leaned, pulling on the wheel to stand. Her eyes were wide.

The griffon leapt forward, its gaping beak matching the smirking bloodlust of its rider. The beast’s claws and beak tore through the air. But mere inches before it could snatch the ship’s chief into its mouth, there was a sickening crunch.

The griffon spun sideways, slamming into the railing. The puzzled engineer stood uncertain, still trembling.

As the stone griffon rolled over, preparing to rise again. Darf stepped from behind the creature. Its rear legs were badly crushed, but it struggled to its feet before another swing of Darf’s steel club knocked its head against the deck. After that, the creature lay still.

The rider leapt from his dying mount to strike at Darf. But the ogre was prepared for the attack. His club swung. There was a final scream as he smote down the dark elf with shattering ease.

Darf turned to Sinfa, a dull stare carved into his visage. “There!” he said grimly. “Now if these sops would hurry up with the other flying beasts, we can put this contraption aground.”

Sinfa tilted her head, looking confused. “You…” but she said no other words. She righted the wheel and the airship slowly straightened its course.

Darf’s new expression was plain, and it seemed to show one thing: irritation.

Turim swallowed as he got to his feet. Meineken was already slashing into the struggling stone griffon as it launched itself from the deck to avoid the blade. With a horrible thumping and a spray of feathers, its wing caught the edge of one of the rotors.

The ship jostled for a moment and there was a chugging sound from below deck again. The griffon went overboard.

“Are you kidding me!” roared Sinfa.

Turim looked over to Jaffrine, who took aim with the bowgun. “Don’t let it go!” he yelled.

There was a moment of hesitation in her eyes, then the bolt flew. The griffon and its rider were struck, and fell like a stone.

All was still once again.

A chorus of deep breaths came, but it only took a few seconds for Turim to notice that one of them came from The Cloudracer. Now visible hisses of white steam leaked up from just below the propellers.

Turim called forward to Sinfa. “Are we okay?” Things did not feel okay.

For a few long moments she just shook her head. “We’ve veered a long ways north,” she shouted back eventually. “I’m putting her down. Now.”

Everyone was quiet again. Turim gathered himself, sheathing his sword.

The airship shook even harder than Turim had grown used to as it descended. He steadied himself as he moved around deck, taking count of those who remained unharmed. There were cuts and bruises, but nothing more permanent than that.

 “Master Bloodshedder,” he said as he came to the helm of the airship where Darf still stood. “You wanted to return aground. You shall be accommodated.”

Darf said no words and his face remained stone. He simply nodded, returning his great club to the harness on his back.

“Your actions today have saved our pilot. That’s deserving of our gratitude.”

Darf nodded again and folded his arms. He looked over towards Sinfa.

“Where are we now? My bearing’s all screwed up,” said Sinfa. She sounded a little angry, but still a bit shaky.

Turim took a few steps to peer over the edge again, just to confirm. He already knew the answer. “I’d meant to point you more north by northwest so we’d just cut across the southwestern corner of Pebak ‘Din to avoid the Calamon Wall, but we’re deep in the Modukaz Forest now.”

Sinfa shook her head again, huffing out exasperated air. “We’re coming down pretty hard. I hope I can find an open enough glade to set her, or that bumpy ride I always joke about?”

Turim looked back at her.

“This time I really mean it.”