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Suffers from Selective Memory
Working on this, need some criticism before I proceed.
The cold bite of the air welcomed many of those who awoke that morning in the small border camp. Outside the fog hung heavily over the dark green luminescent crystals spiking through the ground, throwing an eerie light throughout the heavy fog. Dark clouds hung over the area like a blanket, always thundering and threatening to dump a downpour but never doing so. Rain never fell in the crystallized borders. The evil at its core had many strange effects, one being the halting of the rain. No matter how large he clouds became, or how much the sky wanted to open up, it never would.
Dark powers were at work here, it's source deep in the crystal fields at their center, a dark entity, the Lich King. It's been a few months now since his arrival in the far north and drastic changes had been witnessed. His malicious power effected the land greatly, spreading beneath the rock and dirt in the form of crystals, fountains from which his power could spread and create monstrosities, his minions of expansion and destruction. The crystals were constantly growing, and it was only because of our camps sanctifiers that this territory was not yet consumed by the blight.
A distant horn sounded and I froze, listening for a second or third hoot, as were most of those on the wall with me. No other hoot was made and all of us audibly relaxed. One blow of the horn meant friendlies, two blows meant incoming attack, and three was the call for a full on advance or worse. All of us dreaded hearing three blows, but thankfully it had not happened before and hopefully would not happen soon.
"Scouts returning.." Someone along the wall spoke up.mi twisted my head to the side, looking for the source of the voice. Jack, a fresh recruit, no wonder he was stating the obvious.
"What made that obvious? Perhaps the blow of the horn or the timing of their return that just so happens to be after they left and were out for the usual a time?" Another asked, his voice tinged with sarcasm. Chuckles broke out along the men on the wall and Jack hung his head, a bit embarrassed.
"Eyes front." I cut in, the authority in my voice causing the silence that spread along the wall as they all redirected their gaze forward. Out in no mans land, the area between wall and crystal field, the scout part was crossing. They looked worn and ragged, tired from another night out in the crystals.
"Mornin' gentlemen." A voice behind me called. I turned, seeking the source. Behind me a group of men looking well rested and led by Evans arrived. Duty rotation at last. "Well, I'm sure you gents could use some rest, you may take your leave on Larks command." He said, motioning to me.
"Detail. Attention!" I called, the men along the wall snapping into position. "Detail. Dismissed!" I finished. With groans of relief each man relaxed, some sagging, others stretching, but soon all of them melted away down the ramps. "The post is yours Evans." I said, turning to face him.
"Thank you." He said with a nod, calling out a string of orders to his waiting men. I stepped to the side and began my descent down the ramp, rubbing my own cramped and sore neck from a nights watch.
The cold bite of the air welcomed many of those who awoke that morning in the small border camp. Outside the fog hung heavily over the dark green luminescent crystals spiking through the ground, throwing an eerie light throughout the heavy fog. Dark clouds hung over the area like a blanket, always thundering and threatening to dump a downpour but never doing so. Rain never fell in the crystallized borders. The evil at its core had many strange effects, one being the halting of the rain. No matter how large he clouds became, or how much the sky wanted to open up, it never would.
Dark powers were at work here, it's source deep in the crystal fields at their center, a dark entity, the Lich King. It's been a few months now since his arrival in the far north and drastic changes had been witnessed. His malicious power effected the land greatly, spreading beneath the rock and dirt in the form of crystals, fountains from which his power could spread and create monstrosities, his minions of expansion and destruction. The crystals were constantly growing, and it was only because of our camps sanctifiers that this territory was not yet consumed by the blight.
A distant horn sounded and I froze, listening for a second or third hoot, as were most of those on the wall with me. No other hoot was made and all of us audibly relaxed. One blow of the horn meant friendlies, two blows meant incoming attack, and three was the call for a full on advance or worse. All of us dreaded hearing three blows, but thankfully it had not happened before and hopefully would not happen soon.
"Scouts returning.." Someone along the wall spoke up.mi twisted my head to the side, looking for the source of the voice. Jack, a fresh recruit, no wonder he was stating the obvious.
"What made that obvious? Perhaps the blow of the horn or the timing of their return that just so happens to be after they left and were out for the usual a time?" Another asked, his voice tinged with sarcasm. Chuckles broke out along the men on the wall and Jack hung his head, a bit embarrassed.
"Eyes front." I cut in, the authority in my voice causing the silence that spread along the wall as they all redirected their gaze forward. Out in no mans land, the area between wall and crystal field, the scout part was crossing. They looked worn and ragged, tired from another night out in the crystals.
"Mornin' gentlemen." A voice behind me called. I turned, seeking the source. Behind me a group of men looking well rested and led by Evans arrived. Duty rotation at last. "Well, I'm sure you gents could use some rest, you may take your leave on Larks command." He said, motioning to me.
"Detail. Attention!" I called, the men along the wall snapping into position. "Detail. Dismissed!" I finished. With groans of relief each man relaxed, some sagging, others stretching, but soon all of them melted away down the ramps. "The post is yours Evans." I said, turning to face him.
"Thank you." He said with a nod, calling out a string of orders to his waiting men. I stepped to the side and began my descent down the ramp, rubbing my own cramped and sore neck from a nights watch.
