Chapter 10: ALMH Chapter 9: Darkness Unleashed!
James, Sasha and Yori sat in silence, their arms around each other, surveying the devastating scene before them. The village square was a mess of rubble from demolished houses, other structures with severe damage, and even the center of the tree in which they had settled was shattered from the behemoth's wrath. It was as if a monster had marched through, tearing apart everything. Everyone around them sat in a silent daze of disbelief at the chaos created by the beast, staring at it all, not knowing what to do.
It was too much for their minds to grasp. Sasha had to look away from the destruction, unable to take in all the damage at once. Yori covered her eyes with her paws, sobbing. Even James seemed shaken, his face pale with shock and his eyes searching the rubble for some sign of hope. All around them, the villagers were devastated, crying or staring in shock at all that had happened. The sky was darkening, as if the world itself had felt the damage the behemoth had caused. They had been blindsided.
The Bakarti gathered together, hugging and comforting each other as they tried to make sense of all that had happened. They looked at each other, unable to believe what they had just survived. Some held each other tightly, others cried loudly and openly, letting their grief flow freely. There was a somber silence that blanketed the tribe as they took in the destruction and the pain. As the dark of night descended on the village, the Bakarti found themselves alone with their pain and fear. Some sat in quiet contemplation, contemplating their future and their options.
James finally broke the silence, looking around at the devastation surrounding him. He took in all the damage, his senses numbing as the weight of all that had happened settled on him. He felt numb, unable to understand how the Bakarti could pick up and continue after everything that had happened. All around him people were still looking for their loved ones and trying to recover their possessions while dealing with the devastation left by the beast. James looked over at Sasha, taking in her tears and her sadness. He hated seeing her like this, he couldn't do anything to take her pain away.
"Hey, hey... hey Sasha!" James nudged Sasha gently, trying to get her to snap out of her reverie and focus on him. She slowly turned to him, red eyes still wet with tears. She wiped away the tears and stared at him, listening.
"We did what we could for them. Now they will pick up the pieces and move on from here." He consoled her, gently rubbing her back.
"We need to convince Emilia to bring her people to Karneth. That way they will be safe behind the walls." James confided in her, showing her a confident smile.
Sasha stared at him, trying to process what he'd just said. She looked down at the ruined village, the lives lost and the homes destroyed... and then back at him. She didn't know how Emilia would take it, much less her people.
"They've lost everything James... their homes, their friends, everything!" She looked at the devastation and the broken bodies scattered about, guilt and sadness in her eyes. "Besides, the Bakarti don't know if they could trust us with their tribe. How could we convince them to leave their ancestral home?"
"They will follow Emilia and Emilia will follow James." Yori chimed in, her eyes sparkling with possibilities.
Sasha looked straight ahead, deep in thought. She took several deep breaths, feeling the weight of the choice fall on her shoulders. Her gaze turned back to James and Yori, her eyes determined and her expression resolute.
"It's our only choice." Sasha said resolute, "the Bakarti deserve a place to call home. And we deserve to protect them."
James nodded in agreement while Yori smiled, her eyes still wet with tears but her expression lighter. Sasha smiled back and the three of them looked off into the distance at their new hope.
Emilia Everwood rode her mount through the forest, stopping at the edge of the village limits. She looked at the devastation before her, and her heart sank as she beheld the destruction caused by the behemoth. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, the Bakarti village torn apart and left in ruins. Her eyes filled with tears as she took it all in, her sorrow growing as her gaze wandered over the ravaged landscape.
She nudged her mount forward, making her way cautiously through the wreckage. As she approached the village center, her eyes widened.
There was silence everywhere, only the soft sounds of sorrowful weeping. Emilia grew more and more concerned as she neared the town center. Nothing could be heard except a light breeze, until a soft moan came from behind a nearby building and Emilia's head snapped towards it, her eyes darting around for the source of the sound. Her mount started getting jumpy, sensing her anxiety. Her grip tightened on the reins.
"Easy buddy," Emilia reassured her mount. Her eyes darted around for any hint of life.
There, behind that building, was the source of the sound. Emilia dismounted and crept closer, her mount following nervously at a low trot. As she walked closer, she heard the sound again. Soft, feminine moaning and sobbing.
"Oh my..." Emilia muttered and hurried to the source. There she saw two young Bakarti women slumped against the wall, one with her head resting in the other's lap. Emilia froze, her heart in her throat, as she took in the scene of two Bakarti sisters comforting each other in their moment of despair.
Emilia swallowed hard. They looked heartbroken by the devastation and scared about what lay ahead of them. Her hand went softly to her chest, her heart racing. Then she walked to them, her mount reluctantly following. The girls looked up at her, their tear-streaked faces pale with shock.
Emilia tried to hold back the tears but couldn't, and she kneeled in front of the Bakarti girls and opened her arms to them. As they rushed into them and hugged her tightly, their sobbing subsided and they began to relax in her embrace. Emilia's mount neighed sympathetically.
Emilia led the girls, whose names were Kula and Sifa, back down to her tent. She comforted them, calming them down with her voice and her presence. Emilia had experienced a lot of darkness in recent days, but now she saw something in the girls that reminded her of her own innocence and optimism. Emilia didn't want to see that destroyed, like her own light.
Kula and Sifa eventually settled down, their fears and sadness replaced by exhaustion. Emilia tucked them into her makeshift bed, relieved to hear them finally sleep quietly.
Emilia Everwood dismounted her horse by the edge of the village, trying to take in the devastation as she stepped onto destroyed streets and buildings. As her horse made its way through the wreckage, she followed after, her expression solemn.
She joined James, Yori, and Sasha waiting for her. The four stood in quiet contemplation, looking over the rubble scattered everywhere. Emilia's eyes drifted downcast to the rubble, and her head hung low. Sasha and Yori both put their hands over their mouths and their jaws dropped open in sheer disbelief. James put his hand on Emilia's shoulder.
"Emilia... are you okay?" James said softly, his tone gentle and reassuring as he looked her up and down. She looked as bad as the village looked, he thought softly. Even her usually flawless, pristine dress was matted and dirty from the wreckage, the exhaustion and tension of the day weighing heavy on her.
Emilia looked up at him with bloodshot eyes, her expression a mix of hope and sadness. "Yeah, I'm fine." She said, her voice raspy and ragged. "We have to get out of here, we can't stay here."
Sasha and Yori both looked up at Emilia, hope and determination in their eyes. They nodded in agreement, ready to follow her lead.
"This is Emilia Everwood, she is the new Chieftain of the Bakarti." James introduced her to Sasha and Yori.
"It's nice to finally meet you, I'm General Sasha Heldeer and this is Yori Weshad, our priestess." Sasha explained, her smile hid the sadness welling up in her eyes.
"The pleasure is all mine, and I'm sorry I uh…borrowed James for a while." Emilia spoke with a hint of regret to her voice.
"He seems to be in tact, so no harm done. Besides, it looks like you needed our help." Yori said, turning her gaze to the wreckage around them.
James watched as the women talked to each other and laughed as they made each other feel better. This is what he wanted, people working together like a family. He smiled and continued to rub Sasha's back in small gentle circles. Sasha leaned into his touch as she recounted the ball.
"I want to know what happened after you took our James." Sasha asked, her eyes filled with mischief.
Emilia blushed and turned away for a moment, trying her best not to reveal her true intentions. She cleared her throat and looked over at James.
"Well, I might have drugged him to get him in the carriage." Emilia answered.
"Aaaand?" Sasha urged her to continue.
"Well…uh…we…uh…might have done it in the carriage." Emilia confessed, her face now beat red with embarrassment.
Yori and Sasha exchanged knowing nods and turned to stare at James.
"What? Why are you looking at me?" James asked, feeling a bit nervous.
"Why do you think?" Sasha pressed, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.
James and Emilia exchanged frantic expressions and seemed to agree on not pressing the matter anymore.
"It was what the old Chieftain wanted, she uh…wanted to test to see if the rumors were true. Shouldn't we be discussing how we are going to convince the Bakarti to join us behind the walls?" James sheepishly changed the subject.
Sasha shook her head and then sighed , convinced she will get the truth out of him once they were alone later.
"James is right, we have to convince the other Bakarti to leave as well." Yori said softly, her eyes darting around and studying the faces of passing Bakarti who seemed to be in a daze and unsure of what to do.
"Right…" Emilia agreed, looking off into the distance at the devastated village and the Bakarti people trying to make sense of it all. "We can't leave anyone behind."
"Hey." Sasha said softly from behind Emilia. She placed her hand on Emilia's back, her tone gentle and her eyes concerned. "You okay?" She looked at Emilia with a worried expression, seeing the fatigue on her face. Emilia shrugged, nodding softly.
"It's just everything that's happened..." She whispered, "it doesn't feel real." Sasha frowned, her ears twitching anxiously. She looked down at her friend's hands with worry, the mud and rubble caked into her rough skin. "Don't worry about me, Sasha." Emilia said with a forced smile.
Sasha looked up at Emilia again, her face still filled with worry. "There you go again, brushing everything off like it's nothing." Sasha said softly, her tone a hint of frustration. Emilia flinched at the comment, her expression falling back into the tired, sad look we're used to seeing. She looked down at her hands again, now realizing how much the mud and rubble blended in with her once porcelain skin.
Sasha sighed, her eyes meeting Emilia's. "I can't keep letting you brush everything off", she said softly. "You're an amazing woman, and I'm never going to stand by and watch you suffer."
"Hey, hey Sasha." Emilia cut her off, turning to face her best friend. The irritation and anger was clear on her face, but she tried to keep her tone gentle and steady.
"I appreciate that." She sighed, "but I am fine, thank you. I promise that."
"But Emilia," Sasha insisted, "you're so tired, and you look stressed and sad."
Emilia paused, taking in Sasha's words. Sasha was right- she was tired and sad, and a bit stressed. But she couldn't say it outright.
Sasha and Emilia stared at each other, Sasha's concerns and worries for her making her upset, which only made Emilia's expression darken. Sasha's face fell, she knew a tantrum was coming.
Emilia huffed and crossed her arms, pouting and annoyed. "I said I'm fiiiiine. I don't need you being so worried, acting like a parent. I can take care of myself." Sasha opened her mouth to argue... but Emilia quickly cut her off again, her tone sharper and with a bit of venom. "Just... I'm an adult, okay? I need space."
James stepped forward and got between them. He could no doubt feel the cat fight coming on hard.
"Hey, we're all on the same team here. We all want everyone to be safe and happy. So, let's work together and achieve that." He argued, trying to relieve the tension.
Two guards silently approached the group, their eyes trained on Emilia.
"Emilia," Sasha and Yori both said at the same time, their tone full of concern as they spoke. Emilia rolled her eyes at their concern, rolling her neck and trying to act tough. She had to hide how overwhelmed and tired she was.
"Yeah, I know." She said, her tone a hint of annoyance. She straightened up, giving the guards a small bow.
"I'll be ready in no time." She said, trying to hold back her fatigue and irritation.
Emilia sighed, her expression still sad and tired but she put on a tough face as she walked off with the guards. Sasha and Yori looked at each other, their concerns for Emilia growing. She didn't look okay, but she was so set on hiding that. They couldn't convince her to rest or to take care of herself. And they didn't want to force her- she had been dealing with so much already.
The three Bakarti guards crept cautiously through the dense forest, their eyes and ears scanning for anything out of the ordinary. They could hear the sounds of the forest all around them, with the occasional rustle of something in the distance catching their attention. Their footsteps were quick but quiet, their feet silent as they snuck through the forest.
As they crept to an open area, they could suddenly hear a strange sound... like the mixture of intense steam and a pulse. The three Bakarti guards stopped in their tracks, their ears perked up and their eyes wide.
They could hear it coming from further in the forest, and the guards exchanged hesitant looks. They knew whatever was making that sound wasn't going to be pleasant.
"Shhh!" one of the Bakarti guards hissed, her eyes darted around rapidly as she crept forward to peer around a large tree. Another of the Bakarti guards put a hand up to shush the first, her pointed ears perking up with renewed urgency. Another strange noise, more rapid than the last and sounding almost like a growl.
The third Bakarti guard watched from behind, her gaze darting back and forth in search of whatever was making the noise. She could feel the tension in the air and wondered what they would find.
The three Bakarti guards crept cautiously forward, their ears twitching and their senses on full alert. After a few tense moments they stepped into an open space, and that's when they saw it.
In front of them, there was a giant hole in the forest floor, nearly half a mile long and so deep they couldn't see the bottom. The sound of intense steam and a pulsing rhythm were coming from the hole.
The three guards' ears shot up with sudden alarm, their eyes whipping back and forth in concern. Their gaze darted around in fear as they took in the sight before them. The chasm below them pulsated with a strange dark magic that none of them could understand. It was an alien feeling that moved through their bodies and penetrated into their very souls.
A loud sound like a growl alerted them to danger. Three huge creatures with long necks and six legs crept out of the chasm. Their mouths dripping with steaming black ooze. Everything the ooze touched died and wilted in mere seconds. The three guards took off back into the forest and were pursued by the creatures.
One of the guards let out a short yelp as he was grabbed by the strange creature's long arm and yanked down into the hole, disappearing from sight in a matter of seconds. The other two guards exchanged a horrified expression as their friend was taken away, their eyes wide with fear and panic.
The other guard, despite the gash in her shoulder, let out a short whimper of pain but continued on in her sprint towards the clearing ahead. She could feel the creature's grasp on the horse's tail, but she wasn't budging. They weren't giving up until they made it out safely.
"We must warn the Chieftain!" The front scout shouted, slapping her reigns even harder.
Emilia Everwood stood in front of a grand podium, her face serene and her eyes straight. She scanned the crowd, looking out at the gathered warriors of the kingdom and her fellow Bakarti. As her eyes searched the crowd, her gaze drifted to the edge of the gathering.
Sasha was there, her eyes meeting Emilia's for a moment before she looked down... ashamed not to be able to look at her. Yori was there, proud of Emilia but worried about her nonetheless. The two guards were also there, their gaze fixed on Emilia, making sure she was kept safe during this important ceremony.
James gave Emilia a warm smile and nodded in acknowledgement to her special moment.
Emilia Everwood took a deep breath as she stepped forward, her gaze fixed ahead of her. She felt her nerves fluttering, her heart beating fast in her chest as the weight of her people's responsibility settled on her narrow shoulders. Emilia took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. This was not the time for her to be shy and nervous, this was a time to be a strong and capable ruler. She had to stand tall and act the part.
She kneeled before the two guards, she looked up at the two brave warriors with admiration and gratitude in her heart.
Emilia placed her hand on top of the crown, her gaze fixed on the ancient object as she listened to the guards speak.
"As in the days of old we carry on this sacred rite. We honor our fallen kin this day and call upon them to bare witness to the crowning of our new Chieftain."
Emilia lowered her head slightly and felt the weight of the crown as it lowered onto her head. Once it was secure she could feel the Chieftains of the past speak to her and fill her with courage.
She stood up with a confidence unlike her own and proudly proclaimed:
"It is with great honor that I now become your Cheiftain. I swear to lead our people out of this darkness and bring us into a new age. An age of growth and prosperity where will all band together and build a new community. One founded on love, strength, and courage."
As she spoke there were soft sounds coming from down below. Two scouts dismounted from their horses and began to call up to the village.
Her attention shifted to the sound of the distant shouts as she heard people yelling out in warning. Her mind was racing as she processed what was happening.
The message finally reached Emilia in wave of intense desperation.
A rift had opened in the deepest portion of the forest!
Emilia didn't even wait to run down the steps, instead she grabbed a triangular object with soft leather flaps. She ran off the side of the platform and James screamed for her to stop. His breath caught in his throat as the flaps unfurled to reveal the object as a large glider. Emilia soared through the air, catching a current and riding it all the way down to the ground level.
The guard ran over to her and still breathless recounted the events in the forest.
"A rift? Here?" She questioned, her mind racing with terrible thoughts.
"The great beast opened a large rift at the center of Ninir Forest. We must evacuate NOW!" The scout warned, shouting the last word as she felt the fear rising inside her.
Emilia felt as if the whole world slowed down for a few moments and she thought back to her childhood. A young Emilia bathing in the communal bath, skipping over stones, and sleeping in the warm lap of her mother.
Suddenly time sped up and she felt the rush of adrenaline flow through her body at break neck speed.
"Dariel, pack up as much food as you can! Hona, gather our supplies and place them on the horses! Everyone! Grab what you can and prepare to leave!" She barked, turning to each person and giving them their orders.
The entire village was filled with cries and screams as they panicked. James, Sasha, and Yori aided as many as they could, packing sacks with food or clothes. The remaining soldiers from Karneth rode up to the town center and spoke to Sasha. They agreed and corroborated the disturbing news. They added that the hole was filled with once sleeping beasts that numbered in the thousands. This threat was so large that it could even endanger Karneth.
Three of the fastest riders were dispatched to warn the king of the coming doom. Meanwhile, the soldiers from Karneth were ordered by Sasha to aid the Barkati in their evacuation.
An hour later the horses were filled to the brim with food and supplies. All of the remaining horses held two people per horse as they gathered together. Now ready to ride out, they turned their horses toward the west where Karneth was.
James rode with Sasha and Emilia with Yori. They did have a brief argument over who rode with who but James put a stop to it when he reminded them that a force so big it could wipe them all out was coming.
Emilia and Yori rode to the front of the group and turned to face them.
Emilia Everwood cleared her throat as she gathered her strength and prepared to make her speech. The crowd of her people and the soldiers from Karneth waited silently, their attention focused on her. Emilia took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she faced her people. She knew she had to be strong, but there was so much to say.
Emilia cleared her throat and began. "My people, it is with a heavy heart we must leave our village." She paused, looking out over the silent faces of the group.
"I know this is unexpected and sudden, but we must leave our home behind and find refuge in the Kingdom of Karneth." Emilia paused, looking out over the worried faces of her people. She knew there'd be questions and concerns, but she had to put on a brave face. "This is not the first time we have faced adversity, and it will not be the last. But if we stay here in our village, we will risk losing everything. We must go at once for the sake of our survival."
"But remember, this is not the end. We may be leaving our village, but we are not leaving each other." Emilia spoke firmly, trying to inspire her people with hope and determination. "We are a strong and courageous people, and we will survive this. And once we've made it through this storm, we will rebuild. We will rebuild a village more beautiful than before, we will be stronger than before. Together, we will get through this." Emilia's voice was filled with passion and strength, her words of determination and encouragement ringing through the air.
The crowd cheered and raised their weapons in celebration.
Emilia turned her horse to face the west and then raised her new staff which represented her office as Chieftain.
"Forward! Ride to Victory!" She shouted, her voice filled with confidence and strength.
Hundreds of horses moved together as a mass, making their way through the forest.
They no sooner left the village, leaving it silent and empty when thousands of creatures descended upon the village and destroyed what little was left.
Creatures of every kind and size stampeded through the wreckage in search of their next meal, their sunken or red eyes focused on their targets ahead.
The mass of horses approached the edge of the forest and began to see the clearing ahead of them. The moon had risen in the night sky and illuminated the path ahead.
Suddenly they all began to hear a loud rumble behind them. Tree branches snapped and some entire trees fell over from the sheer force.
"Shit! They're right behind us!" James shouted ahead to Emilia.
"Dammit! We need to move faster! Move the supplies to the center!" Emilia commanded.
Those with supplies and food moved into the center of the group and the strongest soldiers and archers moved to the outside ring.
From the depth of the forest an army of thousands of monsters ran and flew out in a burst of limbs, tentacles, and wings. The fastest creatures quickly caught up to the rear horses, ready to pick off the weak.
Emilia raised her staff and directed it behind her.
"Archers! FIRE!"
Archers trained their arrows and let them fly. Several flying monsters fell as their wings were punctured. They crashed into the ground in a loud explosion of flesh and bone. A few of the running monsters tripped over the corpses while others changed their course and consumed their fallen comrade.
"Oh my god!" James cried out, watching in horror as limbs and flesh were torn from the fallen beasts.
Soon all that remained were bones and a few scraps of necrotic flesh. James turned to face forward and he felt Sasha wrap her arms around his waist. The roles now reversed he leaned into her and rubbed her hand with his own.
"It's okay Sasha, we'll make it out of thus alive." He reassured her, forcing his voice to be as calm as he could.
Inside though he was a mess, a tangle of nerves that were all but shot. He didn't know how much more he could take of this, but he knew he was near the edge.
A large rolling monster resembling an armadillo with three huge horns rolled to the side of the group and kept pace. The archers began firing but the rotation simply made them bounce off and fall to the ground.
The monster turned on a dime and like a bowling ball was headed for the center of the group.
"Shields!" Someone cried out at the last second.
James heard what sounded like a semi truck hitting a group of cars filled with raw chicken at 80mph. The shockwave made him almost fall over the side. If it weren't for Sasha steadying him, he surely would have been a goner. Shields splintered and burst into tiny shards. Bodies broke and severed from the incredible impact. Multiple horses with riders flew up into the sky and landed haphazardly across the field.
James knew in that moment that if they didn't regroup and figure out a way to stop that thing. It would mean the end of them all.
The rolling beast continued on its war path, crushing horses with ease. It was bound and determined to reach the center. Then it dawned on James, why it was headed there.
"It wants to wipe out our supplies." He thought to himself, the terrible realization haunting his mind.
This thing was intelligent and knew exactly where to strike to cause the most damage.
What could they do against such a terrifying enemy?
Find out in the next exciting chapter of AlMH!
***HaremKing777 here! ^_^ Thank you all so much for the power stones! I really appreciate the help, and it let's me know I'm doing a good job.
I will continue to get better and improve as we go on this adventure together as a community.
To all the new readers, welcome! I hope you enjoy this amazing story and buckle in because it's about to get even better. ;)
See you all tomorrow!***
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received Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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