Mica's Plight

CHAPTER 2

Mica inside the walls of the duchy, approaching the five-towered building.  Sweat dripped and spilled off of Mica as if she was a river.
Her legs screamed with every step she took. she groaned with the pain as it shot through her. She could barely move. Her form had seen the sun too long. Her garments were covered in dried blood. Tumbled onto the sidewalk, felt herself unable to move before a man who stood before her. she asked,”Where would I find Caleas?”
Mudsos knelt down to help her to her feet as he pointed to the palace said,"Caleas would be holding court there."
Mica began to hurry as she saw the building where the beef eater stood, she smiled at him, saying,"Thank you. Kind sir!"
Mudsos tried to help her drag the shield and weapons to the palace. Found it was very hard to move as it dug into the street, there were tears and rents in the surcoat.was hunched over dragging a scarlet cape on it lay a sword, a mace, and the surcoat of her attackers. It weighed a great deal more than she due to the weapons and the shield of her adversary. The shield was taller than her by two heads.
From what Mica knew Duke Caleas was a god fearing man, he dabbled in magic. That was how his kingdom was so strong.
Mica grit her teeth as she pulled the surcoat holding the weapons and shield. She wanted to go into the room to see Duke Caleas and warn him of what she had seen there. Her legs stung from the trek to here.
Duke Caleas a portly man, wore a cape of mink black, his red jacket was satin, his blouse white silk. He had hands as fast as light his mind quicker still. Caleas would be he need his help. Caleas looked at his guards as if to say: no one may approach me. Without my allowing them to do, so. The building was a monstrosity; it towered over Mica.
In this room in all its splendor and glory. pendents hung form the rafters on spears driven into it The stairway was white quartz, with masonry of black polished stone work, the place was made in the shape of a pentacle. There were five towers that rose up and made this chamber what it was. There were priest holes in the walls from which archers could shoot. The place was huge, there was a multitude of benches with which to sit on. There were people here, with pressing business she was sure. None of them had what she had and had scrapped the stone work getting here. Now it was tearing up the red carpet, that served as the aisles.
There were guards at the doors, she must pass. The guards attempted to close ranks on her. Put their weapons together to create a wall she would be unable to enter. She smelled rank, they almost purged their stomachs just smelling her.
Mica strode through them as if they were not there. The guards glared at her, with disdain in their eyes. Her appearance beyond question. Should not be here, in no way could she? She was here in this room; she smiled to herself; I made it here. Numbering in the hundreds.
Caleas would not be pleased, but if he was to see her here. They might be hanging by the giblets, He still seated on his throne, looked over this woman with contempt, hatred burned a fire there in his eyes. She sickened him, just from her looks alone, the stench came off of her. The weapons had been theirs as well. How could this waif have gotten them? The girl had a chiseled jaw, high cheekbones, deep eyes, whose color was a blue as the bluest night sky. Her nails were chipped and broken. He did not see her enter.
She arrived outside of the aisle to crouch in front of Caleas and his duchess Maruieast. toppled to the floor in sheer exhaustion, she had been on the move for days. Trying to get here. Her heart was racing, her breath was haggard, and ragged.
He called off his beef eaters, by raising his arm. The bowmen drew their quivers and retrieved an arrow. The archers could almost out match his guards attack, he was reassured by this having happened. They aimed. The archers could almost out match his guards attack, he was reassured by this having happened. They aimed at Mica's frail form as it lay there not moving a muscle.
She lay there, in a heap. A puddle appeared around her form as she lay there. The stench was heightened her voiding her balder and stole.
Maruieast climbed out of her chair to join her on the floor, Duchess looked shocked by Caleas's behavior. She knelt beside Mica who was asleep from exhaustion. Mica was in so much pain she could barely move an inch, her lungs were heaving, quaking as she drew a breath. Maruieast countered Caleas's order, by holding her right hand up and open. The bowmen lowered their bows, withdrew their arrows. What this child was doing here? Why had she brought these things here?
?
Mica's eyes fluttered, they stopped buffeting froze as they laid on Duchess Maruieast. She was unable to speak. Her mouth was dry as sand. Her breathing was rasping. Duchess knelt beside her as she lay there. The Duchess touched her brow wet with sweat. She stated in a voice, that said it was demand,"Get me water, a cloth, and a blanket."
Mira looked up at her, a small smile appeared and disappeared like a ghost. Maruieast dabbed at her cheeks to clean off some of the grime that was there. Mira said,"Enough."
Caleas said,"Who are you, child?"
"Mica is my name. The community has been overrun by these butchers," she said as she looked at him. Her eyes returned to the woman dabbing at her face to draw the blood and grime from them, she smiled easily.
The beef eater knelt beside her, handed her the objects she asked for, he looked worried too.
"Take it easy."
“Where did you get these things from?"
"Cal. The riders attacking us, carried them on their person." " " “ “Cal,that's a six day rider from here. How did you get here," Maruieast asked there was more than hint of disbelief in her voice.

"Walked," she said, Her feet looked cracked and broken from the traveling she did. Whimpered as she moved her legs. Her right hand and forearm had small circles upon it apparently as if it was covered in leeches and small insect bites.
"I saw a knight with a mouth, nose and eyes filled with fire his sword was also a light." she said in hushed whisper.
Maruieast was horrified upon her saying this, she remembered tales involving that knight, he had made a pact with the devil from what she could recall.
"The armor is of Sarata, that kingdom has ended. Long ago. They are gone?" "
“They came back, three weeks ago. To destroy my village, they killed everyone who was there, but me," she whimpered, trembling as she closed her eyes she saw the knight who had harmed her. She screamed, an inhuman scream.
"Why did they allow you to live?" Maruieast asked.
"I do not know?"
"What can you tell me of this?" 7
"There were fifteen knights, he was the largest."


 The Duke sent twenty soldiers to find out what happened there? he could not confirm what Mica said. She has to have made a mistake. She could not have seen this. Caleas was afraid. It could not possibly be that.
The riders rode out to the village took them a great deal of time. Silence hung about their necks like a noose to chill their very bones and marrow. They saw a black disc which appeared to be churning.
Clearly, they could make out what they were. Birds was what they saw. They knew this as they heard them caw, saw their wings bend and break the air. Talons hung from their bodies as they flew. Crows and ravens circled high above them area. They could hear their caw, Numbering in the hundreds maybe even thousands.
It was so quiet; they felt the dead should speak to them, of these things, that had happened to them. Nothing as much as moved other than the bird, which rose off its meal? The stench was bad enough, insects made meals of all who were present there. The dead did not complain.They had no reason to. Their bodies are slain by sword mace, and spear, the dead would not speak, as there was no necromancer with the riders.
Jolly slowed his steed as he approached; he looked at the doors to find them with a skull painted in blood upon them. It was a sign of the plague. Black Death, which had killed many long ago. Jolly looked at a body with its blotted belly, swollen gums. He blanched. He was the strongest of the riders.
Vende was concerned. Frightened beyond belief. His mouth grew dry, his fingers grew wet with sweat. He stared at the birds his eyes did not waver from what they saw. Said hesitantly,"I think, we should return to Caleas."
Tab said,"We shall ride to the community. WE can not ride back to Caleast can we?
Vende laughling said,"There are birds, just birds."
Vende said,"What...."
Jolly spied the birds, smiled easily, said,"Scared of a few birds?"
Vende turned to see Jolly, said,"Why would you say that?"
Tad laughed as he said,"Why did you say that?"
Vende spat, and said,"We should turn back."
Jolly said,"We should go back, you say?" \
Vende said,"Yes, that is what I have said,"
Tad said,"We haven't got to the village. Have we?"
Jolly asked,"No. Would you like to see the village."
Vende said,"Mind if I wait here?"
Jolly said,"Not at all."
There were bodies laying there, their hands were clasping their weapons, or were stretching out to gain their weapons. Several heads had been removed from their bodies. It appeared they had fought to stay alive as the best of their ability. Women and girls looked to have been raped.
A shield was on one of them a huge raven stood there with its beak digging into the eye cavity of the body as it stood on its shoulder to do this. The beak had tore a rent into the eye cavity. Drew up the orb, that was its eye. It swallowed the eye. Blood did not fall or run from the eye. The raven peered at him, he felt it had even smiled at him.
Jolly witnessed this, so he ran towards where the others had gone. Trying to calm his steed, but his steed would have none of it. It struggled.
Vende pointing at the bird and said, "Does that look like just a bird."
"Its still a bird," Tab said grimacing as he saw this..
Jolly raced towards them.
They were vanquished without a doubt.
The raven had taken to the air to join the others. As soon as it arrived, they flew to the west behind them they saw huge volatile storm clouds coming towards them.

 In their place was a mass of black clouds, that were deadly, violent and vicious. The clouds spoke of a monstrous storm that would fall upon them as a hammer would upon blade being made by an armor. The thunder roared, screamed death. The rain fell in a deluge, blinding it fell. They could not see what was before their noses. The rain flattened most of what stood there. The sound of the rain was deafening, it pounded as if it was a heavy weight champion on the bodies of the riders.
A few fell from their horses to arrive on the muddy ground, that threatened to swallow them whole in water. It was as if death walked among them, they felt the chill of its bone hand upon their shoulders. They looked about to try and find something to refresh themselves form this thought.
They ran towards the houses that were still intact, these houses had door with a brownish red skulls on them.
There stood several houses, these houses had door with a brownish red skull painted on it. Every house was with the door painted brown to red skulls. The three of them charged head long into the house nearest to them, there was a meal that had been set up to have been eaten. It was calm as grave is quiet.
There was a loaf of bread on the table, beside which was meat, that insects were enjoying. Also potatoes, the bread loaf shifted and a head of an animal with huge pink ears, whiskers, and a fur less nose. It had two front paws like a raccoon. Vende leap backwards startled by this animal. It showed him her fangs.
Vende collided with the wall that was behind him.
They had sent out the other seventeen to watch over the party, they were they suspected the best in the company. It had been very silent, we suspected that no one had made a sound or a move. The sun slowly climbed over the trees that were bare of their very leaves to show what remained of them.
There had come a heavy pounding on the door to the house the three were in. There was a voice accompanying it, saying<"Let me in? Damn you! Let me in!"
When the door opened, a woman stood there, her body was covered in insect bites, it seemed as though she was attacked by insects. She looked mortified, her skin was as white as bone is. Her eyes were huge. She held the most prowess in combat. Her position was supposed to be that last watch.
"Where were the others?" Jab asked.
"I don't know,"she said. "I was attacked."
"Who attacked you?" Vende asked.
"I have no idea," she said,"But I do not think, that he was alive."
"What do you mean?" Jolly asked he was unmeasured of that.
"well, I hit him, and his skin burst what came out of him was insects and larvae of them. There also was a stench that filled the air when I broke his skin."
"What do you mean?" Jolly asked confused by what he had heard.
"Well, take a look at what I found, when I killed him," she said
She led us back to the area where she found the man, who attacked her. There was nothing that remained of him, the body was not there, just the armor that he was wearing was there. The breast plate, the mail skirting, his helm. and his weapons. That made no sense, unless one was to have experienced what Mica had attacked as well. The stench was disgusting, it was as if the being was become decayed.
"I don't know?"
"Check that section of the woods, where he should be?" Tad suggested as he looked at the area where he had been. There should have been a volley of arrows coming their way as he looked in that diction. But there were no arrows in flight.
Jolly began to advance
He found Calca standing there with an crossbow bolt in his chest, one hold holding the bowstring taunt and the bow to held in the position to shot an arrow. He did not know or understand what had happened here. Yet he was looking at his best archer, who had been slain, by an archer or archers. It was not possible, that this had happened.
The fetching of the arrows were unlike any he had ever seen before. He looked to see where the bowman was, seeing nothing there. He looked at where the archer had to have stood. There was nothing there to betray what he knew was impossible. There had to be an explanation for this but what.
He knew his eyes did not betray him, yet they told him nothing.
The others in the camp died, the only thing he was to find was perhaps weapons that their enemy had carried with them, It defied common sense. He found a surcoat of the enemy as none of his people wore a surcoat of this fashion.
Where Sim had been was a body that crumbled into nothingness as he looked at it. The armor was still there, where she had slain him.