Events of the 17th of Opal.The gentle thudding was the first they knew of its approach. The snow blanketed the sky, blotting out anything more distant than a few feet away.
But it knew where it was going. It was as though a guiding voice whispered into its mind of a place far to the south. A place where it could rule.
And so, the Bronze Colossus Ikash Melteddroplet had come!
The great shape of its figure loomed through the snow as it entered the fortress' exterior walls, ignoring the pitiful traps that had caused such difficulty for other beings.
Bomrek, dutifully guarding the surface, was the first to see it.
"Colossus! she shouted. "Sound the alarm!"
A great clanging went up as dwarves passed along the message throughout the fortress, alerting all others.
All through the fort, military dwarves grabbed at their weapons and raced for the surface.
"LITTLE DWARF!" boomed Ikash as it saw Bomrek, "YOUR DOOM IS HERE!"
It moved towards Bomrek with surprising speed and was vaguely surprised by the dwarf's tenacious charge back.
Bomrek moved to stop the Colossus before it entered the fortress.
At her back she heard the shouts of Darktongue and Viktoria as they emerged from the Hammertower.
Darktongue had practiced a great deal since his last encounter, and was a considerably better warrior now. He was eager to test himself once more.
He was nonetheless unnerved when the Colossus gave Bomrek a slap that sent her sprawling. She rolled aside and got to her feet, only to be knocked down once more.
The happened twice more as the valiant warriors raced to her aid. Bomrek seemed to be spending more time on the ground than in fighting back.
Darktongue immediately found himself in the same situation as Ikash traded blows with them.
But Kast and Viktoria joined the fray now, as Captain Ironblood emerged, armored only by a shield and the clothes he had been working in, but wielding a sturdy steel battle axe.
"JUST WHAT I NEEDED!" he roared, charging towards it, "A NEW ORNAMENT FOR MY OFFICE!"
"Going to complete the set, sir?" asked Kast, moving along side him.
"Yes, lad, we are!" replied the Captain.
The sheer number of dwarves attacking the Colossus seemed to overwhelm its senses, and a misplaced step soon found it on its back.
The dwarves swarmed it, those with spears deflecting its flailing blows as those with more brutal weapons applied them with great effect.
Finally, it was one of Kast's particularly well aimed blows that sundered the Colossus enough to make certain the monster would never move again.
They looked around at themselves. None of them had been wounded. It seemed the training had paid off.
Unseen atop the Hammer Tower a cloaked figure watched the battle with interest, and cursed as the Colossus finally fell. The tools used by her God thus far were clearly not up to the task of weakening the fortress' defenses.
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Topic: Nist Akath - The Complete Story (Read 603410 times)