Sorry for the delay. Had a long day, got lazy, etc. etc. You know how it is, right?
10th Moonstone, 16
It's been two days. I finally have the time to gather my thoughts. Two days ago, the miners have found a hollow portion in the adamantine vein. I was there when it happened. It was dark. Then an eerie crimson glow. Then screaming. An unholy wail from the depths, and suddenly, the worst things I have ever seen in my life. Beings... creatures from the depths wrought of evil and death. Demons. We had opened the gates of Hell.
The entire military was brought down immediately. All squads positioned themselves at the corridor waiting to intercept the horde, 60 dwarves in all. There was a rumbling in the very earth, then a loud screech, and then... hell itself opened its maw.
They came from everywhere. From the hole the miners dug out. From the magma forges. The smelters. The men were surrounded. None of the miners got out alive. I couldn't get out. I didn't want to. It was mesmerizing, somehow. The battle was fierce, but ultimately one-sided. I could count over a hundred demons, composed of strange compounds and each more terrifying than the last. The dwarves engaged the oncoming onslaught, tried to hold the line, but the numbers got to them. They were utterly decimated. When one of those fiends was struck down, two more would arise in its place. In the end, the entire military was utterly decimated, and the order was called to retreat. I had to go too, if only to preserve myself. Out of the sixty dwarves that engaged the enemy, only 22 remained. They all stationed themselves in the cavern outpost, barricading themselves in, should a last stand be necessary. Around twenty demons were slain. I had to go back to the surface.
Along the way I noticed somebody going down. I asked him if he was insane, but he told me that he was simply getting the adamantine statue the count asked of him. What an idiot, both he and the count. I didn't stop him.
When I got back up, everybody kept asking me about what happened, and I was obliged to tell this tale. I wish I hadn't, though. Yesterday, a group of dwarves went down. I saw Zasit with them, and I asked them where they were going. He told me that it was his duty to defend the fortress. They scrounged extra weapons and armor from around the fort, and they were going down to fight. I told them that it was useless; if a hardened military can't defeat them, what hope do they have? Neophytes who don't even know how to hold a sword properly. zasit wouldn't listen. They still haven't returned. I only pray they went to the barricade. Lor could train them.
If only I could go down with them. If only I had the courage. Damn this. Damn it all.
The work on the second floor isn't finished yet. Our great mayor, Thikut, along with that damn count, told everybody to calm down and act as if nobody is dying and hell isn't wide open and we're not going to die before the new year. I don't know what they were thinking, but at least they're trying to keep a sense of normalcy around here. Good for them.
22nd Moonstone, 16
No news on the front. I asked Lor, what of Zasit, but he says he never saw them come down. I can only fear the worst. Those idiots. When I told him about Zasit, he immediately went down to look for them. I urged him not to, it was dangerous, but he insisted. He went back up the next day, Zasit's corpse in tow, but visibly beaten. I asked him what happened. He told me, he met a demon seventy levels down and fought it. He won, thankfully. He had to sneak the rest of the way down to the 150th level, where the demons were. They were there, but they seemed to be biding their time for some reason. Zasit's men didn't seem to reduce the enemy's numbers in any meaningful way. Fools. Died in vain.
I asked Lor, what about above-ground defense, and the goblins, and he assured me that they won't be attacking any time soon. After they killed their General, he told me, he seriously doubts that they'd try to attack again. Goblins are simple creatures. A few feats and fear cripples them, he told me. I carried Zasit's corpse back and buried him. Along the way, I noticed the count had a new statue in his room. I guess that idiot managed to sneak in and grab the statue. That idiot was a dwarf named As, who had the shortest beard I ever saw in a dwarf. He was probably an elf-lover too, like that damn Avuz.
Speaking of Avuz, I haven't seen him quite lately. I wonder where he went.
13th Opal, 16
The last few days have been purely evil. The demons have reached the barricade and slaughtered the dwarves there on the 10th of Opal. Only four managed the survive, Lor, Stukos, and two others. They hurriedly ran back to the surface levels. There was this look of absolute fear in Lor's face that day. His left arm was also mangled, but said he'll manage. This was the first time I ever saw him afraid of anything. To see the dwarf that I have looked up to for so long, ever since I came here two years ago, so vulnerable and defeated... it was too much.
The mayor made a speech earlier today. He ordered the walls in the second level to be deconstructed. I didn't know why the walls were there, or what the purpose of deconstructing those walls was, but he only gave the order and muttered, "May Armok save us all." So I decided to do it. I wish I hadn't, though.
After tearing the wall down, a huge torrent of water came. That insane cur! He's trying to flood the fortress! I realize that this was his way of trying to preserve the fort, but was there no other way? Damn him. The water was slow, as it came straight from the river, and the corridors were wide, but soon enough the entire fort will be submerged in a pool of death. A census was done. There were less than fifty dwarves left.
There is no peace in this hell. Charcoalstandards will forever be known as the doorway to hell. The days wind down and there is no stopping the demons, and Lor is injured, and all I can do is engrave.
1st Obsidian, 16
It is the last month of winter. Soon, we will reach the new year, but I fear that we will not make it that far. The flooding of the fort is taking longer than expected, and everybody is on edge. The demons can come any day from now.
Thirty seven. That's how many of us are left. There used to be forty six, but ten more dwarves decided that it was a good idea to check where the demons are. Two of them I knew, Erush and Ovuz. Brothers. Only one came out alive. She said they met the demons seventeen levels down. They were getting close. They'll be here before the 1st of Granite.
I found Avuz. He locked himself inside a warehouse. He's gone insane, that fuck. I tried to reason with him, but he wouldn't budge. The warehouse, a room filled with finished goods on the second floor was right next to the corridor, and where the wall-dam used to be. Soon, I had to go, and accepted Avuz' fate. By this time, even if Avuz wanted to go, he wouldn't be able to get out, on account of the watery grave that awaits him.
I overheard the mayor say something about a final assault, though. That can't be good.
3rd Obsidian, 16
This page is torn cross-wise. The entire half-page was the phrase "We have to get out" written over and over again.
5th Obsidian, 16
Another meeting. Thikut told us that we have to defeat the demons here, else the entire world will fall to chaos. Nobody disagreed. Everybody has that look in their eyes. That fire of determination. All these dwarves... they're willing to die here. I wish I was that brave. The mayor asked for a vote. All those who were willing, ready, prepared to fight, are to fight. Anybody else is free to go.
I wanted to leave there and then, but I can't. I couldn't. I was frozen in place, out of fear and out of embarassment. I knew that message was for me. It was no secret that I wanted to leave, by that point, but I decided to stay. I cleared my throat, and the mayor looked at me.
"What if... we caved them in?" I told them. "We, we bury them under the rock, so they can never... never do anything. Ever."
Silence. The entire room was silent. No more words were spoken. We will stop them at the fifth level, no matter the cost.
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Two entries left! So thrilling.
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Topic: The End of Charcoalstandards [SPOILERS] (Read 4229 times)