[Fan Fiction] Unbaring The Gate (C&C)
Darkness crept stealthily over the horizon as the Soldiers of Hozweit Castle prepared for the night watch on the fifth day of the war against Warboss Grugs’ Orcish hordes, five times had the endless march of the long greenskins tried to plough it’s way through the small border fortress and five times had the valiant men of the Wissenland Swartz Hound artillery regiment repelled it. However the victories had not come without a price for each assault dragged more stalwart soldiers into the oblivion of eternity, the land of Mor. Wissen Marshal Keller was an arrogant and pompous man, hated by his allies as much if not more then his enemies. He was one of the Old timers who spent far too much of his time worrying about his duties to the court rather then his duty to his state and soldiers, it had earned him a reputation as a particularly loathsome man, especially when he addressed the troops on the importance of “Doing ones duty to the Emperor and standing firm in the face of insurmountable odds” when he himself was a coward, well known attaining this rank merely by wedding into the counts family and displaying an interest in his ‘Toy Soldiers’. Hence it was no surprise that the soldiers expressed disdain when the ignorant lout had arrived at the Castle gates backed by a battalion of Halberdiers and a sizeable portion of the counts very own Greatswords. “So the Old timers finally showing his face” Hans sniggered gleefully as he nudged Edward Von Ferhling in the ribs “Well I’d give us an hour before that last wave of Orcs finishes us” Hans’ voice still filled with his usual childish joy. “Oh, come now Hans show a little respect for your elders, I’m sure the Wissen marshal will keep us alive long enough to recite the 400 litanies of Sigmar followed by the War hymm of the Wissen River” Edwards voice was a low hush as ever his deep throaty tone had often ended with him being mistaken for a Dwarf. “Possible, Possible” Hans replied stroking the stubble on his chin as he observed the last flag of Halberdiers enter before rising to pull the rusted gate wheel, a thick mesh of rust coming off on his hands as he turned to be seated once more “Still I wish they wouldn’t send us these morons from the capital, I mean any one of us out here has more then enough experience to win this war against Grugs’ horde. So why can’t the count show at least some confidence in our ability and let us handle our own problems” the young mans voice became wobbly and upset as if the words tore wholes in his heart, he looked to his boots that were shined to perfection especially the Swartz Hound insignia on the steel toe cap, he looked at the insignia once more then sighed. Bells tolled like the gates of heaven had opened on earth, as the Castle shrines of Shallya blared it’s devotion to the arrival of the Wissen Marshal and his reinforcements, the ill and the injured struggled to the nearest window or door to watch the display as 500 men dressed in the livery of the Count himself marched behind a grand positional flanked on all sides by warriors in glowing silver armor hefting mighty Zwei-Handlers. It was a heroes welcome and as Hans watched he began to grow sick to his stomach he had lost friends and brothers, old acquaintances and fresh faced recruits alike had died defending this Sigmar forsaken lump of rock…. And for what? So this fool could march in as if nothing had ever happened and then take all the glory?! Hans looked from the joy filled town and out into the landscape the bleak clouds hung over those haggard mountains struck a cord with the young gate keeper “You know Edward don’t you ever feel like maybe you made the wrong choice in life? Like perhaps there’s another way? That if this supposedly great and generous empire will place politicians in charge of armies purely due to blood ties then maybe serving it is wrong?” Hans’ usual child like tone had vanished becoming that of a hardened warrior “…Edward?” Edward turned rage on his face as he hit the younger gate keeper square in the face , Hans spat a glob of blood from his mouth and turned his rugged features towards his partner “Edward, I understand you’re a Patriot and I understand that what I just to0ld you is the highest of Blasphemies in your books but you have to let your ancestral ties go” Hans spat more blood and coughed heavily. “Don’t you understand Hans?” Edwards voice was unusually loud and confident “Although I am a distant relative of the Emperor, my ancestry has nothing to do with why I hit you” Hans coughed once more then looked back up “What? Then why did you brake my nose?!” Edward tilted his head back and looked up at the ceiling of the gate house a look of wonderment and enchantment filled his cold dead eyes “ Because, the path you stand before is the path to destruction and self ruin, such thoughts leave you pray to the gods of the northern tribes and then your eternal damnation in Mor’s kingdom for your sin” Hans looked down once more away from the Older man who’s long maple brown hair flowed down his shoulders. Hans ran his un-gauntlet cover hand through his short cropped greasy black hair “Edward I am a man of Sigmar and as such am un-taint able by such foul daemons….” “EXACTY! Those whom think them selves above such creatures grasp are the ones whom suffer most” a sense of urgency and horror filled the older gate keepers voice as if recalling some great personal tragedy his polished breast plate the only thing making his Black and brown uniform stand out n the dark little hut “Oh come now, surely those of a great conviction in their faith are the safest? I mean surely Sigmar will protect the competent even if his Empire won’t” the young mans face creased with a deep thought and pent up anger “No, Sigmar helps those who prove their faith not lord it around like they are so pure that the grea-*test*-('") temptations to mankind can not entice them” the Older man turned away and strode from the gate house his long leather cloak floating after him in an unearthly breeze. Hans slouched back in his chair sighed heavily then left too, his boots ‘click-clack’ing along the floor as he left while a new guard moved into the Gate house. Hans…Hans Grettafjord “Who’s there?” Hans called out in his small cell sized room at the barracks , his sleep had been restless and filled with visions of mountains of corpses all burning in a blue fire as their lifeless faces shifted and groaned before bursting into laughter as they writhed in unnatural fire, the smoke from the corpses forming a giant burning eye in the centre of the eight corpse piles Hans, I am here to aid you “aid..me?” once more the ominous voice rang out Yyyeeessss…My name is Crataro and I have followed your plight, your soul rang out a desperate plea for salvation and that I bring you. With that a fierce wind ripped through the room yet all the furniture and Hans’ clothes seemed to be completely untouched, in the Centre of the room the wind turned into a Purple-Cyan mist then it began to pulse, the room was getting drawn into the magical vortex as massive bestial fangs punctured the floor and ceiling around the vortex which now had started to become a deep black still outlined by the purple wind. Hans crept back against the wall in fear the hairs on his neck standing on end as goose pimples started to dot his body. “What…What…What are you?!” Hans screamed his voice seeming to trail of into tiny whispers that littered the air before forming into dagger headed bats that assaulted Hans viciously slicing into his skin as the blood was sucked into the Vortex. Edward passed by Hans’ room at the barracks and saw a dark red light shining under the door and terrified howls coming from within, Edward smashed into the door to try force it open, but the heavy set frame wouldn’t allow the hard oak slab to shift., he forced his body on the door pressing down all his weight as the mans massive callused hands smashed on the door urgently yet everyone seemed to pass him by as if nothing was happening. Edward felt the front of his breast plate heating up unbearably as a smell that was somewhat a mixture of burning flesh and rotting meat filled his senses. Suddenly with an exhausted creak the door slid open inside the smell of brim stone and puss was everywhere, searching through the vast darkness that could never have been a soldiers quarters Edward searched, his eyes felt as if they were being burnt from his head “Hello?…..Hans?” Edward’s voice seemed to fade into a multitude of whispers and accents each in a Rieklanders dialogue then without warning Edward was sucked into the centre of the room where Hans’ corpse lay gut bared to the world, his innards draped around an invisible frame, behind him was a swirling portal in the centre of which was a gaping hole in the World that led to a nightmarish realm, Hideous beasts crept around the edges of the portal unable to breach it, filed with the most paralyzing fear a man could experience Edward breathed “The gate of Chaos….Has Opened” the ground shuck as a massive form dropped down behind Edward making him fall onto his rear end, looking up dumb founded he saw the Most horrifying thing a Man could see…..
Darkness crept stealthily over the horizon as the Soldiers of Hozweit Castle prepared for the night watch on the fifth day of the war against Warboss Grugs’ Orcish hordes, five times had the endless march of the long greenskins tried to plough it’s way through the small border fortress and five times had the valiant men of the Wissenland Swartz Hound artillery regiment repelled it. However the victories had not come without a price for each assault dragged more stalwart soldiers into the oblivion of eternity, the land of Mor. Wissen Marshal Keller was an arrogant and pompous man, hated by his allies as much if not more then his enemies. He was one of the Old timers who spent far too much of his time worrying about his duties to the court rather then his duty to his state and soldiers, it had earned him a reputation as a particularly loathsome man, especially when he addressed the troops on the importance of “Doing ones duty to the Emperor and standing firm in the face of insurmountable odds” when he himself was a coward, well known attaining this rank merely by wedding into the counts family and displaying an interest in his ‘Toy Soldiers’. Hence it was no surprise that the soldiers expressed disdain when the ignorant lout had arrived at the Castle gates backed by a battalion of Halberdiers and a sizeable portion of the counts very own Greatswords. “So the Old timers finally showing his face” Hans sniggered gleefully as he nudged Edward Von Ferhling in the ribs “Well I’d give us an hour before that last wave of Orcs finishes us” Hans’ voice still filled with his usual childish joy. “Oh, come now Hans show a little respect for your elders, I’m sure the Wissen marshal will keep us alive long enough to recite the 400 litanies of Sigmar followed by the War hymm of the Wissen River” Edwards voice was a low hush as ever his deep throaty tone had often ended with him being mistaken for a Dwarf. “Possible, Possible” Hans replied stroking the stubble on his chin as he observed the last flag of Halberdiers enter before rising to pull the rusted gate wheel, a thick mesh of rust coming off on his hands as he turned to be seated once more “Still I wish they wouldn’t send us these morons from the capital, I mean any one of us out here has more then enough experience to win this war against Grugs’ horde. So why can’t the count show at least some confidence in our ability and let us handle our own problems” the young mans voice became wobbly and upset as if the words tore wholes in his heart, he looked to his boots that were shined to perfection especially the Swartz Hound insignia on the steel toe cap, he looked at the insignia once more then sighed. Bells tolled like the gates of heaven had opened on earth, as the Castle shrines of Shallya blared it’s devotion to the arrival of the Wissen Marshal and his reinforcements, the ill and the injured struggled to the nearest window or door to watch the display as 500 men dressed in the livery of the Count himself marched behind a grand positional flanked on all sides by warriors in glowing silver armor hefting mighty Zwei-Handlers. It was a heroes welcome and as Hans watched he began to grow sick to his stomach he had lost friends and brothers, old acquaintances and fresh faced recruits alike had died defending this Sigmar forsaken lump of rock…. And for what? So this fool could march in as if nothing had ever happened and then take all the glory?! Hans looked from the joy filled town and out into the landscape the bleak clouds hung over those haggard mountains struck a cord with the young gate keeper “You know Edward don’t you ever feel like maybe you made the wrong choice in life? Like perhaps there’s another way? That if this supposedly great and generous empire will place politicians in charge of armies purely due to blood ties then maybe serving it is wrong?” Hans’ usual child like tone had vanished becoming that of a hardened warrior “…Edward?” Edward turned rage on his face as he hit the younger gate keeper square in the face , Hans spat a glob of blood from his mouth and turned his rugged features towards his partner “Edward, I understand you’re a Patriot and I understand that what I just to0ld you is the highest of Blasphemies in your books but you have to let your ancestral ties go” Hans spat more blood and coughed heavily. “Don’t you understand Hans?” Edwards voice was unusually loud and confident “Although I am a distant relative of the Emperor, my ancestry has nothing to do with why I hit you” Hans coughed once more then looked back up “What? Then why did you brake my nose?!” Edward tilted his head back and looked up at the ceiling of the gate house a look of wonderment and enchantment filled his cold dead eyes “ Because, the path you stand before is the path to destruction and self ruin, such thoughts leave you pray to the gods of the northern tribes and then your eternal damnation in Mor’s kingdom for your sin” Hans looked down once more away from the Older man who’s long maple brown hair flowed down his shoulders. Hans ran his un-gauntlet cover hand through his short cropped greasy black hair “Edward I am a man of Sigmar and as such am un-taint able by such foul daemons….” “EXACTY! Those whom think them selves above such creatures grasp are the ones whom suffer most” a sense of urgency and horror filled the older gate keepers voice as if recalling some great personal tragedy his polished breast plate the only thing making his Black and brown uniform stand out n the dark little hut “Oh come now, surely those of a great conviction in their faith are the safest? I mean surely Sigmar will protect the competent even if his Empire won’t” the young mans face creased with a deep thought and pent up anger “No, Sigmar helps those who prove their faith not lord it around like they are so pure that the grea-*test*-('") temptations to mankind can not entice them” the Older man turned away and strode from the gate house his long leather cloak floating after him in an unearthly breeze. Hans slouched back in his chair sighed heavily then left too, his boots ‘click-clack’ing along the floor as he left while a new guard moved into the Gate house. Hans…Hans Grettafjord “Who’s there?” Hans called out in his small cell sized room at the barracks , his sleep had been restless and filled with visions of mountains of corpses all burning in a blue fire as their lifeless faces shifted and groaned before bursting into laughter as they writhed in unnatural fire, the smoke from the corpses forming a giant burning eye in the centre of the eight corpse piles Hans, I am here to aid you “aid..me?” once more the ominous voice rang out Yyyeeessss…My name is Crataro and I have followed your plight, your soul rang out a desperate plea for salvation and that I bring you. With that a fierce wind ripped through the room yet all the furniture and Hans’ clothes seemed to be completely untouched, in the Centre of the room the wind turned into a Purple-Cyan mist then it began to pulse, the room was getting drawn into the magical vortex as massive bestial fangs punctured the floor and ceiling around the vortex which now had started to become a deep black still outlined by the purple wind. Hans crept back against the wall in fear the hairs on his neck standing on end as goose pimples started to dot his body. “What…What…What are you?!” Hans screamed his voice seeming to trail of into tiny whispers that littered the air before forming into dagger headed bats that assaulted Hans viciously slicing into his skin as the blood was sucked into the Vortex. Edward passed by Hans’ room at the barracks and saw a dark red light shining under the door and terrified howls coming from within, Edward smashed into the door to try force it open, but the heavy set frame wouldn’t allow the hard oak slab to shift., he forced his body on the door pressing down all his weight as the mans massive callused hands smashed on the door urgently yet everyone seemed to pass him by as if nothing was happening. Edward felt the front of his breast plate heating up unbearably as a smell that was somewhat a mixture of burning flesh and rotting meat filled his senses. Suddenly with an exhausted creak the door slid open inside the smell of brim stone and puss was everywhere, searching through the vast darkness that could never have been a soldiers quarters Edward searched, his eyes felt as if they were being burnt from his head “Hello?…..Hans?” Edward’s voice seemed to fade into a multitude of whispers and accents each in a Rieklanders dialogue then without warning Edward was sucked into the centre of the room where Hans’ corpse lay gut bared to the world, his innards draped around an invisible frame, behind him was a swirling portal in the centre of which was a gaping hole in the World that led to a nightmarish realm, Hideous beasts crept around the edges of the portal unable to breach it, filed with the most paralyzing fear a man could experience Edward breathed “The gate of Chaos….Has Opened” the ground shuck as a massive form dropped down behind Edward making him fall onto his rear end, looking up dumb founded he saw the Most horrifying thing a Man could see…..