Elipia, a work in progress (Beware of extreme gore/violence, high fantasy)

[Lagertha]

I'm deciding to post my story in here I'm working on. I'll do my best to make posts by chapter to lessen the spam. I'm always open to any questions, ideas, or suggestions anyone might have. Please be constructive and kind. Or just drop me a message letting me know you enjoy the story! It helps me keep going, seriously I appreciate it. Please PM or message me on discord for any discussions.

As I'm a gore/fighting scene lover... This will have gore, horror, and fighting scenes in it. Everything else, I am unsure of.

I hope you enjoy! Thanks!

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Prologue

The land of Elipia was a peaceful place. A place of trade and prosperity. Mainly, the land was composed of farmers, and those that used the resources around them. Now and then traders and travelers would venture through, but the place was known for its bounty in food, wildlife, diversity and bright beautiful colors. Here it was said that the sun never set, for even in the dark the sky and land of Elipia was alit with beautiful creatures and bioluminescent plants.

No one remembered when the dark Gods had cast their shadow over Elipia. All that is known is the world was shattered by a pulsating magick. Chunks of Elipia splintered, people were turned into monsters, and the once peaceful lands had become dangerous. The original rulers of the world, the ones once worshiped as Gods, had become the leaders of the armies. Mindless things bent on controlling their lands and destroying anyone willing to get in their way.

Over the centuries, only legends remained about the leaders in their respective lands. Or how the world had changed. Ports had opened over the world, small things built to keep the terrors outside of their halls. The remaining beings had collected inside for protection, while others had equipped themselves with sword, shield, armor, magick, and sought to lighten up the lands of Elipia once more. Some thought the quest foolish. Others thought the cause noble. Those that died were marked as saviors. While others still danced on the fools graves.

As most things changed over the years, so did the leaders of Elipia. Some had become sentient. Some had been conquered and overthrown only to be ruled by worse beings. A rumor had spread for one of the newest Lords, the Lord of Zu'Dedd, had once been a known adventurer seeking to purge the world of darkness, only to then themselves become corrupted in a seat of power.

All anyone knew anymore (for those not controlled by one of the current Lords) was that, no where was safe and everyone could be a foe.

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Chapter 1

Waking up was the worst part. Not remembering where you had been. Where you had come from. Who you had loved or lost. Or who had loved or lost you. There was always the headache. Lights flashing in front of the eyes. Blue. Black. White. Green. Yellow. When the warm orange glow of the hearth returned it was a breath of fresh air. Not stuck in enemy territory. Not surrounded by the madness of what might have been. Yet, there was always the questions that poured out of the mouth into the air.

"Where am I?...Who...am I?" It was the burden of Elipia since the great maddening of the world. Another adventurer joins the ranks.

"Welcome to the Hearth of Toq!" A being stepped forward planting a hand on a new comer that had appeared. Much like the rest, the newcomer was confused, locked into their armor that covered them from head to toe. The being, draped in various patterns of gold cloth that hung loosely over its large frame, ran their long gray fingers over the shackles that bound the new one. "I will be your guide! You may call me Uy the Almighty!" Uy the Almighty waved their gray hand begging the newcomer to follow. While the warm orange glow of the hearth coated the eyes, there was nothing that could be seen in the room besides Uy the Almighty.

"U-Uy?" The newcomer stuttered looking at their hands before running them over their own body. Metal gloves had been locked in place, the locks hung from each wrist. A helmet was on their head, holes to breath out of their nose, a small slit for the mouth for speaking, some holes in the side for hearing, and only one eyes slot had been carved over in a circle. The helmet, much like the newcomer's gloves, were locked shut. Their feet were bare, but looking down was impossible with the helmet they wore. All parts of their identity were stolen, robbed, masked by the clothing they were locked into. There was no way to tell exactly what clothing they wore when they ran their hands over their own body. Only Uy the Almighty could see the tattered remains of a gray shirt and black torn pants that clung to the stranger's frame.

"No no! Uy the Almighty!" Uy the Almighty knocked their long fingernail over the newcomer's helmet forcing a ringing in their ear. He watched, amused as they stepped backwards, knocking their gloves into the helmet and only making the noise worse. Uy the Almighty tightened their grip on a long staff they leaned onto. As the newcomer stilled they could make out more of the creature in front of them, for that is what it was, a creature.

"M-Monster!" The newcomer rushed forward with only their bare hands (save for the gloves they wore). As if unamused, Uy the Almighty lifted a hand before stepping to the side to avoid their attack. Helplessly the newcomer toppled to the ground, water splashing from their fall.

"I am your guide! You will do best to remember my presence!" Uy the Almighty raised their staff, a long golden thing that twisted and stood at 7' where Uy the Almighty only stood a meek 5'8, and knocked it into the side of the newcomer. The newcomer grunted in pain. The staff glowed illuminating Uy the Almighty's face, there it showed the gray face, a bottom lip that pulled away from the bottom row of teeth, holes where a nose should be, and bandages that covered the creatures eyes. Uy the Almighty had a hump on their back, the hump made them several inches taller than they actually were. Even with the glow of the staff, it was hard to make out anything but the water under them, dark walls, and the fading of a fire. "Come now or die once more."

Die once more...The thought made the newcomer's head scream, pain and whispers floating through their brain. Uy the Almighty grunted, impatient, with one hand he pulled the back of the clothing of the newcomer and placed them on their feet. The madness had gotten them...and it was a wonder they had survived at all.

"A joke my friend!" Uy the Almighty placed their hand on the small shoulder of the newcomer. Slowly their breathing calmed, but their gloved hands shook frantically and they gasped for air. Right then. It was best not to tempt the waters with this one.

 

[Lagertha]

Chapter 2

"What will you call this one?" The voice a soft delicate whisper. Blue skinned, the woman held out the bowl of glowing water to the newcomer. They were on their knees in front of the woman, trying to scoop the water into their dry mouth. The woman sat in a chair against one of the walls, next to the fire brewing in a pit to the left of the newcomer. Her eyes were sewn shut with white thread, a smile forever pasted on her blue lips. Long blue hair dangled out from a large white brimmed hat, the dome sitting snugly on her small head. To the newcomer she was much larger, and if she stood she would be 9'. Only a white piece of cloth covered her naked frame, covering her breasts and pooling in her lap before falling off the chair onto the dusty ground. Her head was turned up in the direction of Uy the Almighty, waiting for his response.

"I will decide in due time! Do not rush greatness!" Uy the Almighty placed a finger against his weathered chin. He had led the newcomer into the center of the room while the other adventurers had left. Here, the ones that had never left the halls (or only traveled between the hearths) could decide where to put this one: with the last survivors under no lords rule, or with the throng of the rest of the adventurers.

"Then they don't remember?" The woman asked again, sighing as she looked down at the newcomer. The newcomer looked up at the two figures who talked about them, too concerned with trying to get their fill of the cold water to care. "How sad…" The room was small, but the ceilings rose fifteen feet tall. It curved in the center, a chain hanging down and resting on the ground in the middle of the floor. There were no other beings save for the three of them. No chairs. No tables. Just the woman with the bowl, the newcomer, and Uy the Almighty.

A tunnel was opened to darkness, from where the newcomer and Uy the Almighty had come from. There was an etching into the wall across from them, that looked as though there had once been a sculpture of doors.

"Ah! I will call this one Mik'tu!" Uy the Almighty explained as he pointed a finger to the newcomer. The woman tilted her head up towards Uy the Almighty once more, but the creature knew her question before she spoke. "In my people's tongue, it means 'one with madness'."

"I see…How fitting." The woman nodded in agreement before patting the newly named Mik'tu's helmet. Mik'tu looked up, pulling away from the bowl. "Mik'tu, welcome to the Hearth of Toq. I am Merilesqe. Please come to me when you lose your way again. I will help guide you."

"Merilesqe…." Mik'tu slowly rose to their feet, dust rolling off their body as if they had been asleep for years. "Mik'tu….is my name?" The name felt wrong…but a sharp pain entered their head when they tried to remember who they were.

"Ahhh another one dumb in the head! Yes yes! Mik'tu is now your name! Be proud of it as Uy the Almighty has named you thus!" Uy the Almighty raised their hands above their head. They waited, as if expecting applause. Merilesqe giggled, her head leaning down as she moved the bowl around in her lap until it was just right.

"That's better…" Merilesqe sighed. She tilted her head up to Mik'tu. "The madness won't harm you as long as you are within the hearth. It's best not to prod too much at the darkness. Please, accept your new name." Mik'tu nodded. What choice did they have? "Good. It will be easier that way." Merilesqe lifted the bowl of water, before banging it against her lap. The blue water never left the brown bowl, and the water never ran out. With another bang, a hum sounded in the air and the water lit up, glowing. Water particles in the air began to glow, whispers forming in between them as the glowing particles formed a line from the bowl through the fire pit nearby. "I see…" Merilesqe sighed, holding onto the bowl as Uy the Almighty cleared their throat. "Then their path has been chosen."

"This way! Let Uy the Almighty guide you!" Merilesqe giggled as Uy the Almighty passed in between them. He seemed in his own world as he moved in front of the fireplace, which was more a door of flames, nearby. He raised his arms, chanting something, but Merilesqe reached forward to grab Mik'tu's wrist drawing their attention.

"A word of advice adventurer…." Merilesqe's voice was but a whisper, and Mik'tu had to lean in to hear her over the roaring of the flames and Uy the Almighty shouting his chant loudly. "Every friend you meet, might also be your foe." Mik'tu sighed as Merilesqe smiled. "I see you know what I mean…somewhere…in there…" Mik'tu straightened themselves up, their head throbbing at the end of Merilesqe's words.

"Come now! This is your path ahead!" Uy the Almighty grabbed Mik'tu's arm.

"Until the next time then…I hope it's not too long a wait…I do hate…to wait…" Merilesqe's words fell off as Uy the Almighty pulled Mik'tu away, where the fire had been in the pit, now was a void of darkness surrounded by flames. Without a second to waste, Uy the Almighty pulled Mik'tu through into the darkness.

---

Mik'tu sat up slowly, a hand instinctively moving to their aching head only to find the helmet there once more. Blood flowed through their ears, swishing around, until it slowly cleared. Whispers poured in around them as they moved to stand up, shaking off the dust. Darkness…. Once more….

"Oh right. Here! You'll need this!" Uy the Almighty's voice rang in their ears above the whispers. Mik'tu saw the fingers on one hand outstretched before Uy the Almighty blew. Gold dust floated into the air before shoving into Mik'tu's eyes magically.

"Ah!" Mik'tu stumbled back, closing their eyes. They shook, fear creeping in like a giggle of joy. Panting, angry.

"Calm now! Open your eyes! Uy the Almighty commanded as he patted Mik'tu's back. With a deep breath, Mik'tu opened their eyes. They had hunched over to see the ground, but their feet were still out of sight of them. As their eyes had opened, the madness had crept back into whatever dark corner it held in their mind. "That's better." Mik'tu slowly looked up and a gasp left them. Where darkness had once been, the room now lit up. Before them, a circle was in the center with three steps in. Adventurers in armor lounged around, mainly keeping to themselves. Stones jutted up beyond the circle in an oval shape at the top. Runes were etched in the weathered stone, moss growing around the base. Golden feathers laid on top of one of the smaller stones to the left and covered up more of the weathered down runes. Everywhere in front of them Mik'tu looked, they saw golden feathers (small tiny ones) painting the floor. Where adventurers walked, stone revealed itself with moss over taking it. Adventurers went on their way, passing by one another as though no one else existed.

For a moment, it was easy to forget this was a room that led outside, until one saw the stone pillars in the corners and arched doorways. Hallways led to various paths, but Uy the Almighty pointed to the path beyond the stone. Mik'tu followed their pointing finger and when they looked close enough they could see the glowing water particles forming another line. It seemed, Mik'tu's path was leading them in that direction. Uy the Almighty straightened themselves, patting Mik'tu on the shoulder as they moved towards a boulder protruding from the ground a bit ahead to the right and rested on it. The adventurers seemed to not care about Mik'tu, but as soon as Uy the Almighty had sat some adventurers came up to him bombarding him with questions. Unsure of themselves, Mik'tu waited until the adventurers had mostly left. Uy the Almighty laughed. "Still here then? I do know my presence is quite impressive!" Mik'tu was quiet, unsure of all the others around. "The dust I gave you won't last forever, but it will keep the darkness at bay when you are out. Follow the path, don't stray and you will be on your way."

"Way to what?..." Mik'tu crossed their arms over their chest. A finger lingered against the slot where their mouth was.

"Does it matter?" Uy the Almighty laughed. "It's just the way you must go. Come back to the hearth when the madness sinks in again. My brothers and I can give you more of the dust to keep the shadows away. To help you remember."

"Remember?...Brothers?" Mik'tu seemed curious. For the first time since waking the thrumming in their head was dull, but Uy the Almighty seemed annoyed.

"Have I not done enough for you that you must pester me with questions?" With a shake of the head and a growl, he released a sigh. "You'll find my brothers at other hearths throughout Elipia. Tell them I sent you, they'll grant you the dust." Uy the Almighty banged his staff against the ground, feathers picked up dancing around. "It won't help you remember anything before now. It will help you remember what you do from now on. If the madness creeps in again…well then, you won't be you again..will you?" With a wave of his hand, he dismissed Mik'tu, as another adventurer approached. "Be on your way! I'm done with you!"

 

[Lagertha]

Chapter 3

There had been no point in bothering Uy the Almighty anymore. Anytime Mik'tu had tried to stir up a new conversation, Uy the Almighty dismissed them once more. Exploring the various halls had been all for naught, leading to dead ends. Other adventurers, they had noted, could pass through doors and barriers they themselves were unable to. There was no way back to the room with Merilesqe they could find, just a wall of stone now stood from where they had once come from. Anytime Mik'tu had tried to talk to another adventurer, they were ignored as though they didn't exist. Perhaps it was the lack of armor and weapons they wore compared to the others. Or perhaps the others were so transfixed on their quest, that they couldn't take the energy to notice someone new. Whatever the case, Mik'tu only had one option left - to follow the trail of glowing light forward.

Weaponless. Bound into their armor. Unsure of who they were or where they had come from. Named by a creature of the hearth, Mik'tu moved past the stones in the center of the room. There, beyond the stones, another wall stood with a new tunnel they had not seen yet. Unlike the others, this tunnel seemed more inviting. Small mushrooms hung from walls lighting a path and the golden feathers on the floor glowed dully.

As Mik'tu passed further into the tunnel, the feathers changed from gold to yellows and reds before becoming sparse and disappearing. The mushrooms grew in size, larger and larger, until the walls became nothing but them, and the ceiling became the caps of the shrooms. When Mik'tu looked up they could see the underside of the shroom caps. Little bugs glowed around above the tops in various shades of blue.

Wind blew in the distance, the smell of fresh air mixed with the dankness of the mushrooms. The light from the exit was dim in comparison to the brilliant colors of the bugs and shrooms. Their breath formed in front of the helmet as they moved, a drop in temperature. Mik'tu paused under the final archway that broke away from the tunnel. There in front of them was a forest of the shrooms, larger than those behind them. Each shroom varied in height, from fifty to over a hundred feet. Some tilted, some stood straight up, and some were broken at the base. Each of the bases was a soft creamy yellow, the tops, from what Mik'tu could see, were blues with white dots. More bugs formed around them, but there were rays from the moonlight filtering in between the caps. Particules danced around the base of each shroom forming a yellow mist. The ground was mainly brown, save for some stalks of yellow-greenish grass that grew around the base of the shrooms, and there were pools of boiling dark water everywhere Mik'tu looked.

"...." Mik'tu's breathing intensified as they walked forward, but a cough to their right made them jump. They jerked around to find a person leaning against the cold stonewall of the Hearth. From head to toe, they were coated in armor, a square top helmet with small slits for eyes, and holes formed over where their nose and mouth would have been. They wore a tunic loosely over their form which was split in half, the right side being red and the left being blue. It hung between their legs with the chain mail, and their hands covered their mouth. A battered shield and sword laid against the wall close to them.

"Oh…sorry…didn't mean to startle you." The voice was soft, hoarse, deep, and masculine? The person looked slightly up at Mik'tu before running their eyes over them. The clad knight could see the tethered shirt they wore, it split between the middle and the pants that clung to their pale legs. From what was seen of Mik'tu's skin, scars lined their arms and stomach, toned muscles formed their body, and breasts hid behind the cloth shirt. "Hmm.." The knight looked on before looking back at Mik'tu. "You won't make it very far…not like that."

"You don't know that." Mik'tu retorted.

"Vik' knows everything, ma'am! He's called 'very newcomer's death!" Mik'tu turned around to see a young boy running up. He wore leather armor from his shoulders down, but he had to be at least fifteen. He ran past her, his hair a mess, mixed with sweat and mud. His skin was a darker tone, with hues of yellow pushing through.

"Vik'?" Mik'tu questioned the boy as he passed. So they were a she then? Mik'tu ran their hands over their own body finding their breasts, and the boy looked away blushing. Vik', the knight, chuckled.

"Madness got you then?" Vik' grasped her attention, he inclined his head to her feeling herself up. "Made you forget everything. Must have had some sanity left, if you are here."

"Vik'! Vik'! Look 'ere at what I found!" Vik' looked down at the boy, he held some small shrooms in his arms of various greens up to Vik'. However, Vik' continued to lean against the wall as if not amused. "Do you think this is what she wanted?" Vik let a sigh out before shaking his head. The boy stomped his foot and dropped the shrooms on the ground. "Rats!"

"Better luck next time kid." Vik' laughed. He looked up, Mik'tu still staring at the strangers. Mik'tu pointed forward, where the light was guiding her through the forest. Vik' followed her finger and sighed. "So you've met Merilesqe then. Best not to keep her waiting…if she likes you…that is."

"Your armor….isn't like the others inside there." Mik'tu commented as the boy ran past her again, back into the forest. Vik' watched the boy, until he disappeared into the shrooms out of earshot.

"No. It's not. The names Viktor van Leiopod. Everyone calls me Vik'." He stretched his legs out and sighed. "The boy is Tass. His friends are…somewhere out there…" Vik' stared at the mushrooms before turning his head back to her. "And what did Uy the Almighty name you?"

"Mik'tu…" She straightened herself uncomfortably. As if the name sparked his interest, he pushed off the wall and moved closer to her. She tilted her head back to the best of her ability to look up at him. He leaned over her, a gloved hand grasped the lock at the base of her neck on the helmet she wore. Mik'tu tensed, but she didn't move as his breath hit her face. With Vik' so close, she could see the weary brown eyes through the slits of his helm, dark circles under them.

"Mik'tu…must have made someone pretty mad to lock you in that helmet and those rusted gloves." Whispers formed in her ears at his word, incoherent, pain surging and her eye winced. Vik' stared at the one hole in the helmet that exposed her right eye. There, he could see the yellow hue that stared back. "Madness changed you as well…Hmm…" Vik' pulled away from her, straightening himself. In the distance, behind him, she heard chattering. When she looked around him, she could see other adventurers talking amongst themselves. Without turning his attention away from her, he addressed her curiosity, "...They haven't taken this place well. The ones inside and out here. You might meet some that are better adapted to this place, for the most part, everyone will ignore you."

"Everyone but you and Tass it seems." Vik' looked down at her, he only stood at five foot eleven. He nodded.

"Most people don't acknowledge my coughing." Mik'tu shrugged, her eyes looking in the direction Tass had vanished to. "Don't worry, Tass will be fine. His parents aren't too far off from here." Mik'tu looked up at Vik and he sighed, but he didn't say more. "Well…best of luck to you." Vik' moved back to lean against the wall, she watched him for a moment as his head lolled forward. A few moments passed before his soft snoring hit her ears.

Mik'tu sighed. Another unhelpful interaction. She turned towards the forest. The whispers in her ears danced as she moved forward on the muddy path. Mud boiled on either side of her, breaking as she passed. The Hearth of Toq disappeared behind her.

---

The path closest to the Hearth was relatively safe. Safe for the boiling water and mist around the shrooms. Mik'tu knew when she had stepped into territory unprotected by the Hearth, as the whispers grew loud enough for her to make out pieces of what they said.

You should have stayed in the hearth…

Why would they send you out here? You have no weapons…

You are going to die! Die! Die! Die!...hehehe…

Shaking her head seemed to temporarily stop the identifiable whispers. Not in time. The whispers suddenly stopped, causing her to still. There were no sounds around her. No bugs buzzing. No water boiling. She looked around, the water still boiled behind her in the distance. Her heart thundered in her chest as if the quiet was worse than the noise. Wind cut through the area, and as she turned back around she saw the ax coming down on her.

"Ah!" Mik'tu jumped out of the way, face-first into a pile of mud that got between her gloves and locked the fingers in place. THUNK! The slick sound of the ax hit the muddy terrain, a grunt coming from her almost executioner. She scrambled to her feet, looking to see the thing that had almost killed her. The thing was small, wrapped in black armor. Their shoulders poked out from the armor, sharp. Their forearms were exposed, skin torn, and muscles showing through. They heaved, pulling the ax back up and letting it rest against its left shoulder before turning to look at her. It was…an adventurer….or was it? Or had it been once? The helmet they wore was broken, only the top staying on top of their head, but the metal had infused with their flesh. There was no flesh below the monster's eyes, only exposed muscle and bone. Bone pushed through the muscle for the nose, their jaw and teeth completely devoid of muscle or skin. Mik'tu stumbled backward as its cloudy gray eyes stared at her. She held her hands up, which were locked in place as mittens at this point, crouching forward as she continued to scoot away from the creature back into the base of a shroom. Its teeth parted, a hollow cry leaving it. Another cry sounded in her left ear, forcing her to turn her head in time. The shine of another blade came down towards her arm.

"Fuck!" She shrieked as she moved, the second ax sliced into the muscle of her outer bicep on her left arm and tore some of the skin away.

See…

Vik was right…hehehe…

Someone's gonna die! Someone's gonna die!

The whispers picked up as pain surged throughout her body. Her feet sunk into the muddy terrain, slowing her down. Fear boiling under the surface. Why had the path led her this way? Why was this the way forward?

She shifted, her right hand covering the bloody mess of her upper left arm as she looked at the two creatures, but she could see more beyond them in the dark forest. Shimmering metal and weapons glistened in the dark in the distance past the two creatures in front of her. Mik'tu clenched her teeth, the two things followed her into the deep mud. Lifeless mindless things that sought to end her.

Mik'tu ducked, bending her knees further just in time as the first creature swung its ax towards her neck. Missing its target, the ax lodged itself into the base of a shroom behind her. The hallowed knight shrieked as it tried to wiggle the ax free. The second skeleton moved, following her as she crawled between the legs of the first one through the mud. Mud slipped down her shirt coating the flesh below the shredded fabric. More mud forced its way through the small slit of her helmet, choking her. Head down, Mik'tu pushed her body forward. The second skeleton struck its ax down, chopping into the leg of the first monster. A groan left the second skeleton, their ax being stuck halfway in the first's upper thigh near the knee cap. Flesh separated from the bone, but no blood escaped the wound of the creature. The monster moved back away from its ax in the tree, its left foot kicking into her side unintentionally. A grunt escaped her, her head falling forward into the mud.

Unable to see. Incapable of breathing. Hands unusable. Mik'tu forced her body through the mud between the first creature's legs, sinking deeper. Encapsulated in mud, the cries of the creatures dulled.

The creatures wiggled trying to break their axes free. Eventually, the first one pushed the second away. It crouched watching her legs kicking in the mud, and grasped her ankles pulling her back and out. It pulled her up, the second forcing her on her back. Blinded, she swung her hands around wildly. Metal gloves connected with the second skeleton's skull, shattering the mandible. The second one stumbled back, gurgling as its tongue hung freely. The first creature moved its hands, another cry leaving from between its teeth as it found the small space of her neck.

Luckily for her, the metal helmet that was locked in place and limited the use of her neck, prevented the creature from wringing the life out of her. Mik'tu spat the mud that coated her lungs forcing its way out and onto the gray eyes of the first creature. It cried. Its hands moved, clawing in her general direction. Sharp nails dug into her flesh and tore at the remnants of her blouse. She forced her eye open, mud slipped over her eyelashes, and coated her cornea, drying it out. Irritated, grunting in pain, blood spilling from her left arm and stomach, she pressed her hands together and swung with the entire weight of her body.

CRACK! Mik'tu winced, tears rolling down her face as her hands collided with the creature's neck, breaking it. Its head snapped, cheek pressing into its right shoulder, mouth opened wide with its hollowed cry. It continued to move its hands around frantically as she rolled, pushing it on its back with the weight of her stomach. Its nails dug into her arms as she twisted fighting to get on top of it. Her knees pressed into its abdomen, sinking into the rotting flesh until making purchase on its organs and ribcage. "Uh!" Mik'tu brought her hands down, over and over on its skull, cracking it, barely able to see what she was doing. Over and over. Again and again. The creature continued to claw at her, tearing at her sides, her love handles, blood pouring from her wounds and mixing with the mud. CRUNCH! With one final blow, she rested for a moment, her hands breaking through its skull and mushing its brain. The creature's hands continued to move a few seconds after, before stilling midair in their frantic attempt to end her life.

Panting. Gasping for air. Wounded. Mik'tu turned her upper body around. Every movement brought her pain and agony. Every breath mixed air with mud. There, the second skeleton got to its feet, charging at her. The mud slowed it down, enough she rolled out of the way. It fell, on top of the other. She sunk into the deeper mud and squirmed to get on her knees. THUNK! Mik'tus feet hit the bottom, but the mud stopped at her mid-thigh. Head lolling a bit forward, muscles throbbing around her brain and eyes, Mik'tu tried to stand straight up. The skeleton got to its feet shrieking, it wasted no time, pulling the loose ax from its slain brethren's thigh. It raised it, a smaller one compared to the first, in both hands as it charged once more.

Mik'tu took her right hand, still locked in a cupping motion and pushed the mud next to her forward, splashing it in the creature's face. She moved, slowly, as the ax came down in the thick mud, barely missing her left arm. The skeleton picked its ax up, swinging it through the air. She leaned back, ducking, dodging the weapon, more blood escaping her wounds. Tired, sluggish, the ax inevitably collided with her helmet, denting it and forcing her head sharply to the right by impact. She swirled, dizzied by the blow. Metal echoed in her ears. Blood pumping in her veins was almost the only sound she could hear, besides her own haggard breathing and the whispers that tormented her.

Doesn't this seem familiar….

The whisper didn't help, it made the headache worse. Mik'tu slouched forward, hands on either side of her head as squinted her eyes closed harshly. Daggers. It felt like daggers shoving in every inch of her brain when the whispers made sense. Remembering, it wasn't an option. Not now.

"SHUT UP!" She shrieked.

"UHHHH!" Mik'tu leapt forward as the sound of the disjointed groan hit her ears. Her chin connected with the mud dragging her down as the ax swung. She crawled, finding the edge of solid ground, and pulled herself out. Turning over, she propped herself up only to see the skeleton trudging through the mud. To the right of it were two more, on the solid ground, coming through the walkway towards her in a line. One held another ax, chainmail covering its features save for the organs that fell from its body when it moved. The one behind it held a sword in either hand, it was nothing more than bones. They weren't far off, a few feet perhaps, the one in the mud too slow to reach her, but the two on land were speeding up as she moved, struggling to get to her feet.