Lahde Tomemob listened to the villagers cheering outside. They were celebrating the end of their curse. It had been whispered far and wide that glory would come to whoever could spend a day and night in Doorowls castle. Well he had spent a day and night in doorowls, and all he'd had to do was fight some puny Keepers. They weren't so tough. Not when you had an axe. All you needed was an axe. he had more than that! He had a loincloth! And a cape! The villagers had insisted. Something about "decency". If it helped him win glory from this cursed hole, he would wear them. But it was beginning to creep into Tomemob's mind that nothing could ever be won, here. No glory was to be had.
That first night had turned into two. The second day he had arisen refreshed in the keep, only to find his enemies reanimated for another day! No. That couldn't be right. It must be new Keepers, sent to avenge the old. These ones still had their ears! He added their ears to his bag. And then, after fetching food and drink from the townspeople, Lahde bedded down in the keep once more, to dream of battle, and foul monsters, and half-dead beetle-things dripping pus around the castle.
Then the two nights turned into three, for once again as Lahde rose with the sun, so did a host of keepers. Once again they were asleep in the castle with him! He made short work of them. and added their ears to his growing collection.
And then a week. Seven days he had been at his grim work, cutting the ears from the Keepers, sleeping in this keep to claim it as his own. Foul dreams plagued his nights, and he was beginning to see figures from them during the day, parading through the stairwells of Doorowls, clawing at him, barring his way. Skeletal carapaces of long-dead ant nests. Empty beetle-husks crawling behind him. Zombie corpses of fearsome Deep Ones stalking him as he mowed through Keeper after Keeper after Keeper.
There was no end to the host of Keepers, the battle could never be won, and he could swear he had beetle ichor dripping from his axe.
On the 10th day, The townspeople looked on in dismay as Lahde Tomemob exited the keep, three brace of ears between his teeth. He was muttering over the furry ears, though no one could tell what it was he said. None got close enough. He did not stop at the shops, nor pause longer than it took to spit out the keeper ears and take a long drink from the brook. The water of the brook was smeared over with beetle ichor after he touched it.
Then he marched off into the woods. At dusk. No one thought it wise to try and tell him of the bogeymen that came out at night. Let him find out for himself.
He killed that one hag. Then came to the castle and was attacked by teh damned wrestlers!
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Topic: Loincloth challenge, 2010 edition (Read 17492 times)