Part 29: Jazzimus Prime: Update 2
Syrupleaf - Chapter V Part 2 - Luigi's Tragedy
11th Granite 142
Only a couple of days later, the elven caravan arrives, carrying with it some much-needed supplies of wood.
From my vantage point on the mountain peaks, I see that they are immediately set upon by a band of sand raiders, who had been waiting in ambush for them. I suppose this is part of the reason why Skullbuggy had said that dwarves should always stay inside.
I tell Drakenel, standing beside me, to prepare the military to defend the fortress. He nods and rushes off to the barracks.
Two of the elf merchants and a pack mule are quickly slaughtered by the sand raiders while their elven comrades flee. The raiders turn their sights to the the elven merchants' intended destination... the front gates of Syrupleaf.
As the sand raiders close in on the fortress, a fully armed and armored Luigi's Discount emerges from the gates, her newborn daughter Flat Banana in tow. The remaining dwarven warriors are nowhere to be seen. Charging through the snow are a large sand raider wielding an axe, two raider wrestlers, and two raider bowmen. Luigi's Discount faces them alone, holding her sword at the ready.
Luigi's Discount turns to face the leader. She chops off his right arm and leg, then smashes him with the flat of her sword, knocking him unconscious against a wall. Then, while turning to face the other raiders, she is struck in the abdomen by an arrow, piercing her organs. She grits her teeth and fights through the terrible pain, engaging two nearby wrestlers.
Where are our other warriors? Why have they not arrived yet?
Fighting like a dwarf possessed, Luigi's Discount severs both the arms of one of the wrestlers, who collapses in pain. She grimaces as another shot from a raider bow hits her squarely in the shoulder, while she turns to face the last wrestler.
From the shadows, another raider leaps at Luigi's Discount. She leaps forward in an attempt to dodge, but she can feel that her backpack has been knocked off of her by the attacker. The raider from the shadows grabs something off of the ground and sprints away, while Luigi's Discount slices the remaining wrestler in half with her sword.
She then charges the two sand raider bowmen, ignoring the pain as yet another arrow strikes her in the leg. She swiftly chops off the legs of one of the bowmen while the other one flees.
With the sand raiders defeated, Luigi's Discount gathers her wits and takes stock of the situation.
Something of hers has been stolen during the fight. The sand raider from the shadows knocked something off of her back and ran away with it during the chaos of battle.
Flat Banana!
NO!!!!!
Luigi's Discount looks all around, but the raider thief, Flat Banana's kidnapper, has vanished into the trackless blizzard.
Furiously, Luigi's Discount charges off into the blizzard, hoping against hope for any sign of the snatcher. She sees a dark shape in the distance, and immediately rushes towards it. Alas, it is not the sand raider kidnapper. It is only the batman Zatamgatiz, a creature that has irritated the residents of Syrupleaf since its founding five years ago, but who presents no real threat. In her frustration, she smashes the creature with the flat of her sword. Zatamgatiz's body is sent flying through the frozen air and explodes into gore against the side of a glacier.
Solemnly, she returns to her guard post as the other warriors finally emerge from the fortress gates. Although she herself wears a stoic expression utterly devoid of emotion, I cannot help but allow a tear escape my own eyes. Flat Banana, infant daughter of Luigi's Discount, has been kidnapped by the sand raiders.
Skullbuggy wrote :-
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Entry - 1 Gran., Fifth Year
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Some migrant dwarf just staggered in here, damn near frozen to death. Of course, Bobthethurd dragged me along to greet him, which, at first, I declined, but somebody's gotta get in the welcome wagon.
Jazzimus, his name is. Nice enough guy, so far... he's not used to the weather yet, it seems, but in due time he'll be quite comfortable among the cold stone walls of proud Udibgovos! (I can't remember a time where I thought it sane to wear but one layer of clothing...!)
Oh, and I caught one of the miners scribbling in a hastily-made notebook. Looks like they haven't been working them hard enough down there.
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Entry - 11 Gran., Fifth Year
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I didn't think sand raiders would come this far north, but maybe I'm not as learned as I assumed I was.
Luigi's Discount walked by, and I noticed that her child wasn't in her arms, as was the usual case. It turns out, unfortunately, that the sand raiders (may Armok damn them forever) had kidnapped the child. Needless to say, I tripped over my words and all I could say was that I was 'so sorry'. I don't think I made her feel better, though.
I'm never good with words.
tehsid wrote :-
1st Granite 142
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Why on earth did I come here. The road here was long, hard and so very, very cold. Armok be damned, this is a true hell.
We arrive to Syrupleave under the guide of a dwarf by the name of Jazzimus. His confidence wavered during the trip here, and I don't by any means blame him. To be told you'll be overseer of a fortress is an honor, but I'll be damned if I wanted to take on this mess. Nothing is done, it is cold and apparently we are always being watched. I'm told never to go outside. Why would I want too?
11th Granite 142
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Today I awoke to news of a caravan arriving. The smiles on all of my fellow dwarfs was enough to take my mind off this bitter place for just a moment.
The caravan never came.
After waiting for a few hours I spoke to a dwarf named Vox Nihili. He was feverishly working on some brilliant looking armor. He told me of sand raiders, who of which had attacked us not hours earlier. They took a young one, an only child. This truly is a hell. I now hope one of those armor sets is for me. I prey that this is last we see of the sand raiders, but I doubt it.
Vox Nigili tells me that this is not the first attack on Syrupleave. I fear for my life.
I want to go home.
Maybe I'll make a shirt to occupy my mind...