08-10-2015, 07:54 AM
The Tangled Green was behind them, and after a few more days of marching through jungle and forest, the twosome returned to the Pale Moors. After days of high, fluctuating temperatures and humidity, the pair was happy to find themselves staring out across the cloud-covered moors, where the temperatures barely reached anything one may consider ‘hot.’
Out ahead of them, the drab landscape stretched on for a few miles until it was broken up by the walls of Darkshire and the few lofty buildings that made up the townscape. In silence, the two men started back toward the place where they’d spent so much of their time in the Omniverse.
***
“Who goes there?” The voice from the guardhouse seemed halfhearted, prompting a scowl from Shang.
“Shang Tsung and Atelos.”
“…Who?” The man inquired.
The question made the pair of primes scowl. Neither man was in the mood to be asked stupid questions by recruits manning the gates. Before Shang could ask in a more politely worded manner, Atelos stepped forward and bashed his shield against the gate. “Open the gate before I rip it down! We have defended this town since our arrival in this verse. Our names should be known to your militia.”
Surprisingly coherent and sensible. Shang thought as the portcullis slowly started to rise in front of them. When it was high enough for both men to dip under it, they did so without a moment’s delay. As it dropped back down behind them, they found themselves ringed by a group of soldiers wearing battered armor and appearing as if they hadn’t slept in several hours. Although all of their weapons were sheathed, none of the men confronting the pair seemed relaxed.
“We don’t take too kindly to people threatening to assault the town,” a sergeant spoke as he stepped forward.
“We are Shang Tsung and Atelos,” Shang repeated. “We left with the paladin Argento on a journey to Silent Hill a few months ago. Certainly you know that much?”
The sergeant nodded, and after a moment, his eyes went wide. “You have been into the fog and returned?” Shang and Atelos nodded their heads in unison. “Where is Sir Camarinos?”
At that, the sorcerer frowned. He reached back behind his head and tugged the hammer free from the sheath. “Argento fell in combat before we could make our escape from Silent Hill.” Shang held out the paladin’s hammer and let the sergeant look it over to try and confirm its authenticity. After a few moments, the soldier’s shoulders sagged and he took a step back to address another solider.
“Go to town hall and relay this information to Brevet Commander Skendor immediately.”
“But, Sir, wh—”
“Now!” The noncom shouted as he spun the recruit around and shoved him in the direction of the town’s central offices. As the pubescent soldier scampered away to locate Dobson, the sergeant turned back to Shang and Atelos. “If what you say is true, I’ll get you both an audience with the acting commander of the guard.”
Something seemed off about the behavior of all the soldiers, but Shang wasn’t about to start asking those questions out in the open. He simply watched and took note as the group led Atelos and him through the surprisingly empty streets of the town. When they reached the town hall, a man in nice clothes walked outside and had a hushed conversation with the sergeant. When the councilman returned into the building, the noncom turned around and struggled to maintain his composure.
“Brevet Commander Skendor is… indisposed and will be so until the conclusion of business hours. You are asked to return then for an audience with him.”
“Fine,” Shang replied as the sergeant walked off to bark orders at his men. Turning to the Spartan, the sorcerer scowled. “You’ve noticed it right?”
“What?”
“The atmosphere here… it’s different. Things are tenser than they’ve ever been, and I’ve yet to see a rank-and-file soldier who looks like he’s served more than three weeks on the job.”
“I noticed that there are more skeletons serving up there as well,” Atelos added, something that Shang had failed to pick up on during their standoff with the gate crew. “You think they’re on some sort of campaign? Perhaps they fielded an army?”
The sorcerer shook his head. Darkshire was many things, but he doubted they had the manpower or resources to fielded any sort of army, especially with the threats the town suffered on an almost daily basis. “Let’s head home.”
“Home?” Atelos asked as Shang started to walk down a side street.
Reaching behind his back, the sorcerer patted the handle of the hammer. “It’s our house now,” he said, suppressing a sneer. “I’m sure it’s what our friend would have wanted.”
Out ahead of them, the drab landscape stretched on for a few miles until it was broken up by the walls of Darkshire and the few lofty buildings that made up the townscape. In silence, the two men started back toward the place where they’d spent so much of their time in the Omniverse.
***
“Who goes there?” The voice from the guardhouse seemed halfhearted, prompting a scowl from Shang.
“Shang Tsung and Atelos.”
“…Who?” The man inquired.
The question made the pair of primes scowl. Neither man was in the mood to be asked stupid questions by recruits manning the gates. Before Shang could ask in a more politely worded manner, Atelos stepped forward and bashed his shield against the gate. “Open the gate before I rip it down! We have defended this town since our arrival in this verse. Our names should be known to your militia.”
Surprisingly coherent and sensible. Shang thought as the portcullis slowly started to rise in front of them. When it was high enough for both men to dip under it, they did so without a moment’s delay. As it dropped back down behind them, they found themselves ringed by a group of soldiers wearing battered armor and appearing as if they hadn’t slept in several hours. Although all of their weapons were sheathed, none of the men confronting the pair seemed relaxed.
“We don’t take too kindly to people threatening to assault the town,” a sergeant spoke as he stepped forward.
“We are Shang Tsung and Atelos,” Shang repeated. “We left with the paladin Argento on a journey to Silent Hill a few months ago. Certainly you know that much?”
The sergeant nodded, and after a moment, his eyes went wide. “You have been into the fog and returned?” Shang and Atelos nodded their heads in unison. “Where is Sir Camarinos?”
At that, the sorcerer frowned. He reached back behind his head and tugged the hammer free from the sheath. “Argento fell in combat before we could make our escape from Silent Hill.” Shang held out the paladin’s hammer and let the sergeant look it over to try and confirm its authenticity. After a few moments, the soldier’s shoulders sagged and he took a step back to address another solider.
“Go to town hall and relay this information to Brevet Commander Skendor immediately.”
“But, Sir, wh—”
“Now!” The noncom shouted as he spun the recruit around and shoved him in the direction of the town’s central offices. As the pubescent soldier scampered away to locate Dobson, the sergeant turned back to Shang and Atelos. “If what you say is true, I’ll get you both an audience with the acting commander of the guard.”
Something seemed off about the behavior of all the soldiers, but Shang wasn’t about to start asking those questions out in the open. He simply watched and took note as the group led Atelos and him through the surprisingly empty streets of the town. When they reached the town hall, a man in nice clothes walked outside and had a hushed conversation with the sergeant. When the councilman returned into the building, the noncom turned around and struggled to maintain his composure.
“Brevet Commander Skendor is… indisposed and will be so until the conclusion of business hours. You are asked to return then for an audience with him.”
“Fine,” Shang replied as the sergeant walked off to bark orders at his men. Turning to the Spartan, the sorcerer scowled. “You’ve noticed it right?”
“What?”
“The atmosphere here… it’s different. Things are tenser than they’ve ever been, and I’ve yet to see a rank-and-file soldier who looks like he’s served more than three weeks on the job.”
“I noticed that there are more skeletons serving up there as well,” Atelos added, something that Shang had failed to pick up on during their standoff with the gate crew. “You think they’re on some sort of campaign? Perhaps they fielded an army?”
The sorcerer shook his head. Darkshire was many things, but he doubted they had the manpower or resources to fielded any sort of army, especially with the threats the town suffered on an almost daily basis. “Let’s head home.”
“Home?” Atelos asked as Shang started to walk down a side street.
Reaching behind his back, the sorcerer patted the handle of the hammer. “It’s our house now,” he said, suppressing a sneer. “I’m sure it’s what our friend would have wanted.”
![[Image: Shang.jpg]](http://www.omniverse-rpg.com/images/Shang.jpg)