My current fort is my strongest ever. I have been to the depths. I have fought things that would cause lesser dwarves to instantly combust in fear. I have killed anything that has stood against me in open combat. I have... experienced tragedy.
Eshtan itonlaltur Aned Zizcun and Shem Uzolfikod Estilatesh Dobar. My two greatest soldiers. Over 70+ kills a piece, all earned in honorable combat, and among the list are megabeasts, forgotten beasts, and semimegabeasts. Eshtan was always first on the scene, with Shem not far behind.
That turned out to be their undoing. Two [clowns] had come, which wasn't uncommon. I had an unfinished outpost in [the circus], and I would sometimes get little visits. With my military completely adorned in [cottom candy] stuff, they were rarely a problem. Which is what I thought when a Monitor [Clown] showed up, especially when it said 'She is weak.'
Eshtan was first on the scene, as usual. She is my greatest soldier, and easily went toe to toe with the [clown], parrying and striking, but taking the hits as well. Slowly the wounds piled up, and then to my greatest dismay, it was over. The [clown] hadn't got any super serious hits in, but the ones it did land added up quickly, and then before I knew it..
Eshtan itonlaltur Aned Zizcun, Axe Lord has bled to death.
Bastard! I would murder this [clown] for taking my champion from me! Shem showed up as Eshtan fell, and the Axelord descended upon the [clown], hacking and slashing. Again, the creature fell into a series of parries and blocks, biding it's time. Shem wasn't as good as Eshtan, though, and even in his anger as losing Eshtan, his Commander, he was unable to avenge his fallen comrade. The [clown] grabbed, locked, and broke Shem's arm. Shem returned the favor with a vicious strike to the [clown]'s upper left leg, shattering the bone. The [clown] then grabbed Shem, roared powerfully, and threw the smaller dwarf down the hallway, towards the drop to the next level.
Shem Uzolfikod Estilatesh Dobar, Axe Lord has died after colliding with an object.
NO! My two best, fallen to this [clown]?! I raged. I felt my heart breaking. These two soldiers, who've been my two best for nearly ten years, who've brutalized entire seiges just by showing up, were just taken out by the same fool. The rest of my troops showed up and dispatched the [clown] after a breif scuffle, and a second showed up but was quickly put down by the 8 dwarves, because they had been trained by Eshtan and weren't pushovers.
The threat ended, I couldn't do anything but shake my head and order the alteration of their tombs. Before, they had the same tombs as the rest of my decorated combat veterans.. a 3x3 room with gold statues depicting them, or things they had bested in combat, with a golden sarcophagus.. but for these two, it wasn't enough. I order the floors and walls to be torn up, and replaced with solid gold. They deserved nothing but the best I could provide.
Eshtan and Shem, Heroes of Bannerfaint. Never Forget.
Author
Topic: My Heart Just Broke (Read 1128 times)