Undeath and Taxes Prologue Chapter 8

Author:

Ian McDaniels

The guy who bolds the title text:

Yukkuri Oniisan

Undeath and Taxes

Prologue Chapter 8: Familial Vengeance

That day had been uneventful, aside from the hordes of abominations that surrounded the Noble Tier. Nothing struck the guards as odd about that day aside from the fact that usually relentless assaults had not been coming for the past few days. In fact, the guards had retreated to their master’s households and had taken the day off while the squires were left to guard the walls. Of course, the guards were still wearing their gold-trimmed armor and bearing their etched and bejeweled weapons as you would never catch the great House-Knights without their trappings and finery. It had been many centuries since the last time they had fought outside of jousts and sparing matches and thus their overall combat effectiveness had gone down by quite a bit, not that they would ever think so.

Over time, their arms and armor had become more and more of a fashion statement and less and less functional. Armor that had once been functional and fit for combat had been smelted down and re-forged as armor that was so flamboyant that it weighed far more than necessary and would routinely get stuck on branches and clothes. Their swords were no longer made of steel, but rather silver, covered in platinum and etched and inlaid with gold and jewels. This was all because of the various Noble Houses had tried to outdo each other in a race to make their Knights look better and wealthier than anyone else. After all, if the guards were wealthy enough to have gold-trimmed armor and gem-encrusted swords, how wealthy must their masters be?

All in all, it was any other day in the Noble Tier and Sir Jacob was standing in front of a mirror and marveling at his newest set of armor. Jacob was in awe, his armor was modeled after his House Crest, The Great Father Wolf. As he posed dramatically in front of the mirror he began to chuckle to himself.

“My Lord-Knight, might this wretched and pitiful servant ask what it is you find so humorous?”

Sir Jacob turned and addressed the Slave-Servant, a hideous mockery of the divine Human form, a foul and sub-human creature, a Beastman.

“Listen well, you miserable and idiotic waste of space! I am laughing because with my armor I could likely walk among your misbegotten kind as one of you! Don’t I look every bit the savage, mindless Lycanthrope? I could go among your sub-human kin and kill anyone and they would believe it was an attack by one of their own!” (Sir Jacob)

“Yes, of course! This is indeed true, my most gracious, kind and noble master!”

Sir Jacob faced the mirror again.

“Still, looking like one of you mangy mongrels is quite off-putting… Perhaps I should have this suit thrown out so I do not earn the odd looks of my comrades. Yes, this suit cannot be smelted down, it must be shredded and dumped in a landfill, never to be seen again!” (Sir Jacob)

“Oh, come now you naked monkey! It doesn’t look That bad!”

“YOU LITTLE WHORE! YOU DARE TALK TO ME LIKE THAT?!” (Sir Jacob)

Sir Jacob wheeled around in a rage. How dare that mangy bitch talk to her master like that?! However, as his gaze settled on the Slave-Servant woman, he realized something was off. The voice that had said such words to him had been much deeper and more gravely than a woman could ever replicate…

“Who DARES to talk to me that way?! Answer me!” (Sir Jacob)

The window which had once been letting the sun shine in was blocked by something. Something big. Something hairy. Something angry.

“You… Who, what are you…?” (Sir Jacob)

“Terrax Baneclaw… I would say it is a pleasure to meet you, but actually it is a pleasure to meat you. I am, however incredibly grateful that you installed that noise-cancelling magic around each room and window. Made the whole thing so much easier!” (Terrax Baneclaw)

“WHO THE FUCK DO Y--!” (Sir Jacob)

Terrax’s massive claws covered the knight’s face, leaving only his eyes visible, as flushed with fear as they had become. Terrax lifted the knight in the air as a toothy grin swept across his lupine face. His one good eye on his right began to burn with a green flame as the scar that had taken his left eye glowed and smoldered with a ghostly energy. Terrax began to slowly squeeze his claws shut until a single word broke through his immeasurable bloodlust.

“Father…?”

Terrax stopped. He released the knight from his right claw while still gripping him tightly in his left. He dragged the still conscious and flailing knight with him as he moved over to the disheveled Beastman Woman. He got a good look at her and his anger toward the Lugusians reached even new heights. This poor girl was indeed one of his many children, the last one alive. All his children had been thought lost, even Morterran could not bring them back as anything but ghosts due to their remains having been crushed and burnt. This poor child was his last living legacy. Her tail had been docked, her ears cut short and he could smell the stink of many, many Humans on her. His daughter had been….

“Dear Lupa, forgive me for not saving you earlier... But know this, your Father is here. Your Clan is here. Your People are here! These Lugusians are about to experience Judgement Day! Let us regain your honor and bring justice and vengeance together! Answer quickly, for I can only hold back my rage for so long!” (Terrax Baneclaw)

Lupa stood up and left the corner she had been in. Without a word, she went to Sir Jacob’s mantle place and looked at the knight in her father’s claw. Sir Jacob looked at her and looked at the sword on the mantle. Terrax’s claw loosened and Sir Jacob got out a muffled, “Help me, Slave!”

Lupa took the sword from the mantle and held it in the fireplace, letting it grow hot enough to be glowing a bright reddish-orange. She then grabbed her father and pried Sir Jacob from him before using the glowing hot sword to sear off both of his ears. As Sir Jacob screamed in agony, Lupa spread his legs and with strength only a Beastman would have, ripped his lower armor off. She stood over him and sneered down at him and drove the still hot sword into his [Censored] before taking his now severed and scorched [Censored] and shoving them down his throat. Grabbing the poor excuse for a human by the hair, she dragged his to the window he father had come in from before suspending Sir Jacob by his hair as he dangled helplessly out the window. She half expected to see the same sights as always, but today was different. Today, the House of The Great Father Wolf was overrun with her people and they all were watching her hold the sobbing wreck of Sir Jacob out the window.

“Either this is a dream, or I am in heaven. Either way, I will not turn back.” (Lupa Baneclaw)

As Sir Jacob fell, he heard screams of joy and happiness. Time seemed to slow to a crawl and as he tumbled he saw the heads of his comrades and masters either on pikes or in piles. He saw the ladies of the House being [Censored] and Servant-Slaves beating and kicking the now headless corpses of his fellows. Then, there was nothing.

ↈↈↈↈↈↈↈↈ

Jacob awoke from his slumber. He got up from his bed and looked out the window. Today was another day in paradise! He assisted his fellows as they did their daily routine and while the routine was dull and nothing big happened as of late, he was proud of his work and the fact that it helped his Master made him happy. As Jacob went to his assigned station, he marveled at his beloved masters. Their tall, powerful and majestic forms were a sight to behold. They usually stood several heads above people like him and their sleek fur made them appear both intimidating and adorable. Jacob knew that this was the reason for his existence, to serve his masters forever!

☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽☾☽

                                                                                                                                             

Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter