Ogre Tyrant

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 75 – The approaching storm – Part Two

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 75 – The approaching storm – Part TwoI'll be taking a one-week break to prepare for the holidays but will be back and posting on the 16th-17th.

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 75 - The approaching storm - Part Two

***** Kema ~ Asrusian Former Capital *****

Antennae waving lazily in the breeze and wings silently thrumming at her back, Kema surveyed the city below her with disgust and a deep profound sense of vindication.

The human vermin carried the same mark as the two Devil’s she and Amun had dispatched only hours earlier. However, while rifling through the minds of the city’s inhabitants, Kema had stumbled upon a far greater prize than she ever would have anticipated.

The city was home to a potential candidate.

Kema’s outer mandibles clacked with intense anticipation, exciting the brutish form of her companion, guardian, and Mate, Amun.

As large as a Giant, Amun, as with all males of his line, had been bred for the rigours of physical combat and absolute obedience. Armoured in thick obsidian carapace and driven by muscles and tendons that could shatter mountains, Amun was a living weapon.

The powerful beating of Amun’s wings released a keening drone that would gradually drive lesser minds to madness. Or it would have done if Kema was not actively masking their presence by altering the minds of those below them.

Amun asked, agitated by her excited state and scanning the warren of stone below them with his entirely mundane senses.

Kema replied, withholding only a fraction of her disdain. She impressed the enormity of her discovery onto his mind but did not elaborate further. All males were linked to the Norn Queens, and there was no telling who may be watching from within.

Amun replied, demonstrating a disconcertingly rare sign of personal initiative.

Kema carefully combed through Amun’s thoughts for signs of outside influence but found no one’s touch besides her own.

Amun’s mind returned to its default state, scanning for potential threats and endlessly repeating the litany of loyalty.

Kema removed herself from Amun’s thoughts, maintaining only the minimum connection required to facilitate direct communication should it prove necessary.

While carefully scanning the minds of the human vermin, Kema was only marginally surprised to find that those dwelling within the most fortified structure of the hive had extensive dealings with the potential candidate she was

“Whatever you are doing, keep doing it!” Wraithe snapped without turning her head, but sparing a momentary glare from the corner of her eye to indicate she had been speaking to Lurr. “The Tyrant is not stable enough for invasive surgery! And there is no way I will risk complications from the Devil’s Spell when the Tyrant is barely hanging on by a thread as it is!”

“Perhaps a feeding tube?” One of the younger Healers, a short scrawny Human suggested meekly.

The room went silent and the small Human cowered as all eyes turned to stare at him.

“What did you say?” Wraithe asked, her voice dangerously sweet and full of the promise of violence.

The small Human gulped nervously and backed away, his body already drowning in sweat. “I-It-t’s j-jus-s-st,” the Human stammered.

Wraithe was no longer paying attention to the Human and her face shifted expressions so quickly Lurr couldn’t keep track. “No...No James is right! YOU!” She pointed a dangerously sharp claw at many-legged Daemon, “Go to the Dwergi and demand one of their larger leather hoses!”

The many-legged Daemon nodded and disappeared.

“Feeding tube...that’s a good catch, James,” Wraithe commented approvingly, “We can get far more nutrients into the Tyrant’s belly with the hose rather than relying on massaging his throat...letting his Racial Ability do most of the work and restore his vitality that much faster. I’ll remember this.” She gave the small Human a firm nod of approval before returning her focus to the Tyrant.

The small Human would have collapsed but was supported by a small crowd of other lesser Healers.

Unsure what the Healers intended, it wasn’t until Lurr witnessed them poking a hollow leather rope down the Tyrant’s throat that he began to understand.

The Tyrantess arrived shortly afterward, and despite putting on a brave face, Lurr could tell she still feared for the worst.

As time dragged by and the Tyrant’s vitality returned, it became increasingly difficult for Lurr not to share the same feelings himself when the Tyrant failed to awaken.

“The Tyrant just needs time to recover...” Wraithe explained gently, patting the Tyrantess’ arm reassuringly. “To have survived at all, it is already something of a miracle...” Her long whip-like tail twitched and she eyed the Angels and other Spirits standing quietly in the corner.

The Spirits had arrived as a group and spoken with no one, seemingly content with waiting in the corner. However, despite taking their vigil in the corner of the room, they didn’t appear to be looking at the Tyrant.

Following their collective gaze to the far side of the room, Lurr was surprised to find another Spirit was staring back at them.

Lurr was even more surprised to find the Spirit had the Tyrant’s face. However, the dark empty depths of the Spirit’s eyes felt so wrong that he couldn’t accept that they were in any way alike at all.

As if sending his gaze, the Spirit turned to face Lurr instead, and he felt his blood run cold.

“Soon...” The Spirit whispered, causing the Spirits opposite to flinch and close ranks around the youngest amongst them. “Mine...In time...” The Spirit promised nonchalantly and then evaporated like a small pool of water in the midday sun.