Broken Earth: Unveiling the Secrets of the Worlds

Flat to the ground

“Woah! What kind of creature is this?! That looks dope! What does it do?” Britt ask after taking the notes away from the girls. “What does it do?” Rupert turns to Xerxes who did not think much about what to say and gave Britt a vague but obvious answer. “Stomp people to death? They are creatures that can suck water through that pipe thing as their nose and spray the water where they want though but they can probably use them for weigh lifting. Not the conventional kind of weigh lifting.” Xerxes said as the others gasp in awe at what the creature can do.

              “But because of them, we might not be able to go in some places. It can be managed but we are not going to risk our lives for nothing.” Added as he writes off a new memo to be put up outside the store. “With these we can also inform the commissioners about the new developments. That way, they will not be confused of the high price or unavailability of some things.” Xerxes handed the new information of a new creature that appeared in the site to Ramirez who then nails it in a designated spot for new information.

              A commissioner immediately stop in front of the shop and reads the announcement and is shocked when he reads it. “Is it true that there is a new monster that appeared in that site?” the commissioner ask right after entering the door. Xerxes nods his head as confirmation. Before saying anything, the commissioner walks back and forth trying to think of something that might solve his problem. “Is there something going on sir?” Samantha asks and the commissioner shakes his head. “It’s not much but my brother as well as the other veteran hunters want to venture in the safe route that you lot have been using and if there is a new creature there then they might be in trouble.” The commissioner says and Xerxes confirms it again.

              “That you must do Mr. we nearly got stomped to death by those things. You wouldn’t want to get those things angry if you want to leave.” Xerxes said and the commissioner then turns pale. “Just how many have you guys seen?” Rupert thought for a moment before answering and Xerxes gives him an idea. “We can’t really tell how many there were but if I can give you a perspective then they should be at least 15-20 in a group, they move in large groups that you can feel the world tremble and rumble just by their footsteps alone.” By this point, the commissioner is now bathing in sweat after hearing Xerxes words and calls on to his assistant. “Send someone to call my brother and everyone that is willing to turn back. We can’t have needless deaths over nothing. Especially my brother, that is the last thing that I want right now.” The assistant then leaves in a hurry.

              Xerxes and the others looks at the anxious commissioner while he awaits for his assistant to return. Seeing that there is not much they can do, they offered the commissioner a drink while he wait. “Don’t worry Mr. if they did not cross the point, the men that your assistant will send might be able to catch up to them.” Xerxes reassures him but then the situation made a drastic turn when his assistant returns with a pale white face in the shop. “What? What happened?!” the commissioner asked but the assistant could not mutter a word. Xerxes, Rupert and Ramirez can feel that something is really wrong after seeing the assistant freeze in fear.

              The three move in unison as Ramirez handed them their flintlocks. “Let’s go. Britt, Berto, make sure the girls are okay and look after them. Something is definitely wrong.” Xerxes orders as the commissioner ask if he can tag along with the three, Xerxes sees that the commissioner wants to tag along and might come inside the portal unguided so he decided to bring him. “Let’s go, bring only a knife with you. That would be useful than most tools that normal hunters will bring.” The commissioner then grabs his knife sitting on his waists.

              Using the commissioner’s carriage, they reached the portal in no time but what they sees are people covered in blood moving back from the other side of the portal. “What the hell happened here?” the commissioner could not believe his eyes as the men that crossed over cry and tremble in fear. “I think they engaged with those said creatures. What a disaster.” Xerxes mutters to himself and tells the commissioner that they should leave the carriage behind. “We are just going to stay there for 1 hour, not longer than that. If the place is a mess we might as well lose our lives.” Rupert and Ramirez nods their head with the commissioner wanting to step inside the portal in a hurry.

              The four of them then entered the portal and see the corpses of people slightly buried on the ground. Xerxes and the others can imagine what killed them as the commissioner drops on the ground after seeing the horse of his brother stomped by the same creature that killed the humans. There are also other hunters who survived and are hiding, waiting for the time to pass to be able to go back home staring at them with eyes devoid of hope. “Commissioner, do you recognize your brother?” Xerxes ask and surprisingly, the commissioner has a solid resolve that made him stay calm even during a sickening view.

              “I’m sure he’s now here. His horse is here but his body is not here. Maybe he is still alive. Can you help me find him? I will pay for the fee once we get back.” The commissioner ask the three but they have no other option as well. “We can help you find your brother but please follow what we tell you to do. We know this place better so listen to our words. Its not like we can leave this place immediately so we’ll go help look for your brother.” Xerxes decided and they start looking for the commissioner’s brother in that instant.

              The three slowly checks every bush they can find in hopes that the brother is staying inside but to no avail, they could not see any sight of other humans. “Where the hell did they hide? Its understandable that they are going to run away as fast as possible but by doing so, they will attract some of the monsters that they do not want to encounter, especially when they are running for their life.” Xerxes then wonders the possible places that the humans could run to but he can’t think of a place. Xerxes turns to the hourglass that they made in order to see the time for them to return to, seeing that almost half of the sand fell they realize that they are losing time.

“I think it would be best if you three go back first when the time is up, I will just visit those places just to be sure.” Xerxes said and the two immediately voice their disapproval of his plan. “That is a no master. If those things are indeed the ones responsible for this then your very life is at stake. We can’t have you biting the dust for no reason.” Rupert said and Ramirez nods his head. “What are you two talking about? I know those things, besides, their very move will be able to alert me. Just do what I say and go back when the time comes. I can’t have you both die on me ,you idiots.” Xerxes insists.

Not being able to disobey their master, the two grit their teeth in fear that something might happen to him. “You better return master. Otherwise I will join with you.” Rupert says as Xerxes les out a chuckle. “You think I’m that easy to kill huh? Well, we’ll just see about that.” Xerxes says his last words before disappearing into the safe route that they always use.

              LIMP! LIMP! LIMP! LIMP! LIMP! LIMP! LIMP!

              “I know right? There have been lots of activity from the monster lately. Thank goodness we have this place. Otherwise we would be running away all the time.” Faras says and Carleon agrees with him indefinitely. “We really are fortunate to have build this place. I’m sure Xerxes and the others will be surprised when they see that we made some rooms and renovation of the place.” Carleon looks at the rooms with admiration but Yusaf alerts them that he hears something walking outside the shelter. “Arm yourselves.” Yusaf whispers to the others who immediately grabs their spears and knives.

              CREAK!

              Yusaf is about to stab whatever that entered their shelter and to his surprise, it was a human with clothes covered in blood and a disfigured leg. “Help me-“ the human says before he lost consciousness. Yusaf and the others look at each of them, trying to do something about the human that somehow ended up in their shelter.

              Half an hour later and Xerxes arrived in the shelter and is shocked to see the person that the commissioner had described. “What luck, to think that he stumbled in our shelter.” Xerxes said after catching his breathe. The elves are surprised to see him and so he tells them about what happened.