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Destiny Calling Part I
Topic Started: 30th August 2006 - 11:29 AM (385 Views)
SneakyRodent
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Claws of the Horned One founder member

It's been a LONG time since I've been able to start writing my Clan's disappearance from the Civil War, even though my exit strategy has been in place for literally months!

However, at last, with home and work life easing slightly, I've been able to start putting it down to paper. Well, okay, Microsoft Word :P

For those who are unfamiliar with my Clan's history and characters, I refer you to these links...

http://underempire.net/index.php?showtopic=3551&hl=

http://underempire.net/index.php?showtopic=3760&hl=

http://underempire.net/index.php?showtopic=5868 (specifically the 'Dark Beneath the Worlds' and 'War in the Ulricsberg' novels.

But for now, here we go (quite literally....)


One month ago

Tiktak the Warlock Engineer looked around his beloved laboratory in horror. ‘Mind-mind out for that……’ he squealed in warning. But too late. The Clanrat who was trying to pack the warp condenser into a crate clumsily let it slip between his paws. The delicate machine hit the stone floor with the sound of several intricate parts smashing.

‘Fool-fool’ screamed Tiktak in frustration, ready to blow a hole in the unfortunate Virulus rat. His artificial arm, complete with revolving warplock pistol, raised threateningly. Squeaking in fright, the Clanrat backed off, promptly tripping over another crate and crushing the contents within.

Tiktak lowered his arm is resignation. Oh, what was the point? It was absolute chaos within the Ulricsberg. Grey Seer Skritchit had ordered the mobilisation of the entire Clan. Not just the warriors, but everyone – slaves, all the Moulder beasts, every single Gutter Runner had been recalled…..even the Brood Wenches were rumoured to have been moved out of their Pits under heavy guard. Whatever the Seer had planned was truly massive.

It was not just the Ulricsberg which was seeing such frenetic activity. The Skaven City of Black Chasm, owned by Clan Virulus, had been experiencing exactly the same scenes of organised mayhem. Chieftain Gnawpelt, the winged leader second in command to Skritchit himself was overseeing what could only be termed as the wholesale evacuation. Every single Virulus rat had been ordered to the Ulricsberg, where Grey Seer Skritchit had been seemingly encamped in the lowest explored level of the mountain. Security was absolute - not only the Clan's Warriors guarded the single tunnel leading to the depths, but the Shadow Creatures subservient to the Seer too. In fact, the presence of the Shadows in the upper levels of the Ulricsberg had decreased significantly of late, most of them summoned to some dark and unexplainable purpose.

Tiktak anxiously looked around. Purple robed Stormvermin were watching proceedings and in the pandemonium it was now or never for what Tiktak had got planned. The Clanrats packing the laboratory equipment would be busy for a little while yet. Edging toward a tunnel, the Warlock Engineer shouted above the noise to the nearest hulking Stormvermin.

‘I must-must clear my own private burrow. I will not be long.’

The elite warrior merely nodded. Tiktak was a well known rat and Grey Seer Skritchit had allowed him far more leeway than almost any other Virulus Skaven. As a survivor of the first Ulricsberg expedition all that time ago, Tiktak had seemingly been living a charmed life.

Tiktak breathed deeply to try and calm his rapidly beating heart. In the relative quiet of the tunnel he tried to regain his composure, sure that his sweat and shaking paws would betray him. Trotting quickly down the maze of passages, he clasped his pocket to ensure the bulging purse of warp tokens was still within his leather vest. A pang of regret passed through him. His retirement fund. For months he had squirreled away what he could, planning on finally being able to escape this wretched mountain, the mad Grey Seer, and start afresh in peace and sanity. But fate had conspired against him. Whatever had prompted this recent activity (probably the war with the cursed Children of the Warp) his chances of a quiet exit were gone. All important rats were being watched closely now that Clan Virulus was on the move. But there was one rat that Tiktak cared very much about, one not of Clan Virulus; and out of maybe spite, or perhaps something more, he had decided on one last, madcap scheme.

Swiftly moving on to one of the quietest parts of the tunnel, Tiktak’s eyes darted and his whiskers twitched as he tried to detect the one he had arranged to meet here. His heart sank. There was nobody else nearby. Fear turned his blood to ice…..if the one he sought had betrayed him to Skritchit, then he was a dead rat walking. In a surge of rising panic, he whirled around, intent on returning to his laboratory before the Stormvermin there grew suspicious. He practically ran into the black figure that had appeared as if by magic behind him.

Tiktak squeaked in terror as he stumbled back. But the mysterious, black robed figure did not move. Instead, a cold whisper was directed at the cowering engineer.

‘I am here to confirm the contract that-that you requested. Payment will-will be in advance.’

Tiktak’s sweat felt cold on his body. Very slowly, so as to not unsettle the Eshin Assassin before him, he withdrew the pouch containing the warp tokens and with a trembling paw offered it to the black clad Skaven. The Eshin deftly took the pouch, emptying the contents into an upturned paw. The face, hidden behind a cowl, raised slightly toward Tiktak. ‘The price-price is met. The path that you seek will be clear-clear in the time it takes you to walk it; you will not-not have much time before my work is-is discovered, so I suggest you use-use it wisely.’

Tiktak opened his mouth to speak, but the Eshin simply took a step back and disappeared into the shadows. Realising that he was now past the point of no return, the Warlock Engineer scuttled off deeper into the Ulricsberg, and the location of an almost forgotten prisoner……
Grey Seer Skritchit
Lord of the Ulricsberg
Clan Virulus
Holder of 'Best Post' Award 2007 here
Took part in the glorious Lords of Decay Revolution of April 1st 2012

The complete works of SneakyRodent can be found here

.:WarWolt The Mad Engineer:.
 
Sneaky is Sneaky, why is the sky blue?
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We've got a psychic creeper, a tactical master, and a liar who talked himself out of an execution.

(Scrivener on the Scum And Villainy2 characters of me, DamnedPrince and himself)
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FatherSquee
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Holder of Clan Pestilens "Most Sexiest" Award

omg I gotta read this, but movies call right now...!
I'll be back

Yay Sneaky! :D
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Morkskittar
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The Tunnel's Resident Rodent Ecologist

Too bad you left.... :(

But it's nice to read something from you again!

Bravo! Keep writing!

Pillz
The Eldritch Wastes: A Post-Lovecraftian Online Serial Novel (Author Website)
Pub Fight Deaths: 334. Pillz and Pyllz are © by Morkskittar.
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Complete Works of Morkskittar / You Have Just Lost the Game 'zodi
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