|
Emperor
Local Time: 18:19
Local Date: November 1, 2010
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: As cuddly as a cactus, as charming as an eel.
Posts: 8,196
|
The Trappings of War: Volume VI
The Trappings of War: Volume VI
An UnOthOdOx View of the Glory of War
I was awakened suddenly by the shock of cold water being thrown on me. "Get up you lazy old bastard!" A gruff voice called out from somewhere beyond my view. My entire body felt as thought it would never move properly again. Through the pain and stiffness, though, I managed to get myself back to an upright position.
"That's right, you ungratefull swine, get up." The voice called out again. "I don't know why I keep saving your ass to begin with."
"Aro, that you?" I managed to get out as my head spun from the shock of pulling myself up.
"It's amazing your memory has not failed you yet, you stubborn old fool." He replied.
"What in all the hells are you doing here?" I asked, trying to make sense of what was going on.
"You sent for me, you dolt. Perhaps I praised your memory too soon, eh? I arrived not a moment too soon, either, by the looks of things. These Lego folk are pretty decent fellows, but they know little of the type of wound you suffered there, my friend. You had us worried a few days, you did." He replied, an air of annoyance in his voice, likely for my holding up his mapping expedition. "What kind of fool hardy stunt was that, anyway? Picking a fight while in chains and completely surrounded. You're lucky I didn't kill you myself just to rid us all of your stupidity."
"Days? How long I been here?" His plain speach was a blessing. Having served together long before in many a battle, we had a mutual respect and knowledge of each other that relieved ourselves of the need for any form of pleasantries. Sometimes, one just needs it to be broken to them as bluntly as possible, and it is a true friend that can do that. Hearing things put in this way, too, made me realize how completely idiotic my actions had been.
"Week or so, I suppose. Far too long to be wasting my time with." To this we both had a little chuckle. "Now, if you can behave yourself, we can see about getting your sorry ass out of this prison and back to whatever business you had here to begin with." And with that he was off after leaving some food and drink for me to regain my strength on.
It is an odd trick that a man's body will reject food after having been deprived of it for several days. As such, it took a few attempts for me to actually get anything substantial to stay down where it belonged. However, after that first bit was down, I immediately began feeling better, and was able to both think and move with a clear mind, and it was not long before my guards came to bring me once again before the council. ZargonX himself, once again aproached to escort me back to where this mess had all began.
"I trust we can expect no more outbursts from you, then?" He questioned gazing at me in what very well could be interpreted as disgust. A long, jaged section on the right side of his head appeared discolored somewhat, and I gathered that this must have been the section I had struck in our earlier engagement, apparantly this was the Lego's form of scarring.
"Do not worry, Zargon" I stated coldly "Should we meet again, I will be sure that you do not have such an advantage. I'ld like to see how you fair in an even competition. Besides, by the looks of things, we have spilled each others blood, or as close as you people can come to blood, I gather, and both have survived. To my people, that makes us brothers according to ancient tradition. Perhaps I can have the honor of fighting at your side next time?"
"Perhaps, that would definately be something to look forward to." He replied in an equally cool tone as we exchanged a long glare. Whatever happened out in the council, Zargon and I were soldiers, we understood each other perfectly and had little use, either of us, for the finery and pleasantries that went along in politics. We preferred action.
Aro had been hard at work explaining what had happened, and from what I could gather, the Lego people had recieved word that the MegaBlock's (apparantly the race of barbarians) had been hard at work on a secret weapon to destroy Legoland, or at least turn the tide in their favor. When I aproached, then, alongside this ballista and taking on a Lego horse, it was only a logical conclusion that I was the one carrying the weapon to the hands of the MegaBlock army. To make things worse, apparantly my envoy had been attacked and lost after reaching Aro, so Legoland had no forewarning of my arrival.
"Why then have you come to our lands, UnOrthOdOx." Vondrack, the Lego King, President, I believe they called him, questioned.
"I came seeking to obtain some of you building materials that I may use them to build myself a boat, one mighty enough to hunt down and kill a Dragon that has been plaguing my shores and frightening my sailors from their fishing duties." I replied, and was surprised to hear a rush of comments surrounding the council.
"Order!!!" Cried out a voice. This was Nimitz, I immediately recognized him as the man to whom Zargon was awaiting approval from at my last visit here. I was informed only later that he was also serving as their Foreign Affairs Minister, and that many claimed it was he and Zargon who truly ran this land, not the so-called 'President'.
It was Zargon, though, who finally inspired order by swinging my flail and crashing it through a small platform with a resounding thud. I chuckled to myself, perhaps he and I were not so different after all..."Quiet down, let us hear more on this Dragon. UnOrthOdOx, we too, are plagued by a Dragon. The MegaBlock army has several Dragons that are with them, no weapons known to us are able to harm them, making this a defensive front, which, I am sure you can apreciate, is not the way to go about defending ourselves. How are you going to attack this Dragon, perhaps we can be of help to each other?"
I could see, now, I had his full attention, along with that of everyone else as well. I went on to explain how Hot Enamel had come up with the contraption of the ballista, and my intentions of building a ship usuing the Lego building technique to strengthen the ship lest the boat be torn apart by the might of the dragon. The ballista had confused the Lego people upon their discovery of it, and they had since discarded it when the commotion I caused first errupted. Their scientist, however, had taken it aside to research, and he was soon summoned to bring it before the council for discussion.
"Now, with your permission" I began "I will show you how this work.."
"It is perfectly obvious how it operates, thank you" Tiberious interrupted "See, it has been cranked back here, and loaded here, then you simply pull on.."
"Wait!!!, no, you're going to" I cried, but far too late. The ballista fired a bolt as I made a move to stop, speeding past the members gathered around the council, with a few of them barely diving for cover as it finall struck solidly into the base of the structure the council was sitting atop, only a foot of the bolt remained protruding, still quivering when Tiberious let out an excited screem "Haha!!!! see? I told you it was obvious how it operates!" He was completely oblivious any danger he could have brought about. He was obviously mad...
It was finally decided upon that in return for the designs for the ballista, the Lego people would offer enough building material to suit my needs for a boat. They had what they needed to turn the tide on the MegaBlock Dragons, and I had what I needed to hunt my own Dragons. It was a fair trade as far as I could see. That night, I spent a much more pleasant evening in Legoland than the previous week. Zargon and I even set about at a sparring match with wooden swords, occasionally gaining the better of each other, and having a good laugh over it now. It is strange how present difficulties can become light hearted events when remembered in a happier time. I even parted with my flail, passing it to Zargon as a token of a new friendship, but making it my top priority to gain a new one upon my arrival home.
Home, that pleasant thought filled my dreams that evening, sleeping below such different stars there in Legoland.
|
