Necropolis (Book One of Book One), Penn Fawn [e book reader android .TXT] 📗

else? Out and roaming about in numbers you will find difficult to comprehend.”

“Do continue,” Abysinnia said.

“I commenced to cull them, but they devoured upwards of six thousand of my finest men and beasts of burden in one swoop!”

“No!” Abysinnia exclaimed. “And those numbers! You engaged them to war?”

“Not to war,” Nyeusi said. “I intended to surprise and obliterate them.”

Abysinnia said nothing.

“But they found out, and I have no way of knowing how.”

“I wonder myself,” Abysinnia said. “How in the world could they know of developments taking place so far away from them?”

“I cannot say,” Nyeusi said. “But they had some way of knowing.”

“Go on.”

“They marched out to meet our troops head-on. I am hurt and ashamed to say, they defeated me.”

“Incredible,” the younger brother replied. “What beasts did you bring to battle?”

“Elephants,” he replied. “Regrettably. ’Twas a terrible mistake. Aside from transporting supplies, they were of little purpose other than serving as target practice for the enemy.”

His brother said nothing.

“I all but cried blood. Not in the presence of our brethren, but on my way here, while I lay my beast down so that we might get some rest.”

“I cannot imagine you crying.”

“I did,” Nyeusi admitted. “Like if I had a mind to fill a river.”

“I see,” Abysinnia said.

“The slaughter was a terrible, terrible sight to behold. It produced a wall of carcasses. Beasts and our brethren were slain all along the front lines. To the benefit of those who survived or what was left of our troops, ’twas to the point where the dead formed an enormous blockage, a fortification.”

Abysinnia’s face grew long.

“You at least could have let us know what was going on, brother. I mean prior to your attempt to take them on.”

“I felt compelled to act and act immediately,” Nyeusi replied, “so surprised was I when I learned of their numbers.”

“And, what do you estimate that might be? I’m afraid to ask.”

“Somewhere in the tens of thousands,” Nyeusi replied.

“No!” Abysinnia exclaimed.

“I’m afraid they managed to establish a thriving community during years of our paying where they now reside little mind.”

“I see,” Abysinnia said.

“The world beyond, as you know, is vast. I cannot split myself into two or more. I can monitor but so much. I can only spend but so much time with our kin in the mountains and so much with Amri’s men, and of course, I am seldom ever here.

“Our kin to the north steer those who enter the portal toward the Forest of Souls, where we assumed, they were no match for the ghouls.”

“How they grew to so large a force must be looked into,” Abysinnia remarked. “So near to Ghouland yet they managed to escape the clutches of those bloodthirsty devils? Something’s amiss.”

“Indeed. There are many questions, but escaped they did and given that they managed to thrive and in such numbers is the more pressing matter. How, whys, and so forth, can be addressed later.”

“Okay,” Abysinnia replied.

“They have long begun, as is their wont, to obliterate all that is green around them. This evil, my brother, appears beyond my ability to contain or subdue.

“Left unchecked, in time only the damned may survive something like this, and they too can be confined to the ether provided our enemy learns the way.”

“There are but a few damned, and few if any immortals know about what you mention. Still, they are the scourge of the world beyond the lair and now much more a threat to even us here. Not so much us on the isle, but you know what I mean.”

“Correct,” Nyeusi replied. “You need no reminding when I say if the truth be told, they value no life other than their own.”

“I hear you,” Abysinnia replied. “But what would you have us do?”

“I’d have you listen. You, the council, and from there, word will spread,” he replied.

“Yes, but you want some type of action,” Abysinnia said.

“It is why I am here,” Nyeusi replied. “But before this, all of our kin, down to the last skeptic, must know about what has transpired. Perhaps now they may be convinced any talk that suggests the immortals can cohabit or exist harmoniously with nature will be abandoned.

“After what happened out on the plains, we now have enough witnesses to testify about how murderous a lot they are. The authenticity of this will not be questioned.”

“Very well,” Abysinnia said.

“After the council meeting, our brothers here will come to know, and I will personally meet with our kin in the mountains to inform them about the savagery of these creatures.”

“As you wish,” Abysinnia replied.

“You are to be mindful of your telling this,” Nyeusi said. “Do you hear me?”

“I will be,” Abysinnia replied.

“In any event, you will be here as I relate and give a thorough account of it to the council. They were the aggressors, you see,” he added, looking Abysinnia in the eye.

“Recall my telling you luckily, after a routine flight to monitor the lands between us, we observed them advance toward our homes, clearly with the intent of destroying us.”

Abysinnia stared at him, and Nyeusi felt he appeared at a loss for comprehension.

“Right,” the younger brother said, then he shook his head to confirm he understood.

The council members began arriving, and shortly after they all did, Nyeusi explained once more what transpired.

“I’m surprised but perhaps should not be by several things you mentioned,” one stated. This was Firstson.

“At what in particular?” Nyeusi asked.

“On the whole, it’s an incredible story,” he replied, “but to learn they’ve grown to such numbers and are out there in the open is quite troubling. To know they’ve become as audacious as to launch an attack against us, that’s all the more disturbing. No one pretending to have any kind of sense would argue this can be allowed to continue.”

“Not just any attack,” Nyeusi said. “They meant to obliterate us, but ours fought bravely, and although our body count was high, we did manage to repel them.”

“Hm,” Firstson uttered.

“Now that you’ve shed light on what transpired, you understand our indignation,” another councilman