Dreams of a Dinosaur

During a small break, Taxchan takes a brief moment to rest his eyes. His body and mind give in, and soon he's asleep. When he awakes, he tries to catch his fleeing dreams...or are they memories?

Orks iz made fer fightin' and fer...winnin'?

Ogmundr’s gaze falls across the rubble-strewn fields filled with the beast-headed men of the army Zesiro calls “The Poisonous Ones,” as they armed themselves with the weapons of their fallen enemies. He had caught the first of these “Orks” by surprise, and the invasion was without setbacks, but even for their low intelligence, they had a form of cunning to them. One he would enjoy putting to the test in the battles to come. Seeing the last of the pyramid shaped drop-ships that he was not keeping for himself take off, he thought to himself of the Floating Nile. The country that had both nearly killed him and saved his life was now leaving the orbit of the planet, ready to start its own mission.

He was brought from this reverie by a loud sneeze. The Pure One, Ernst, had elected to stay, but apparently was allergic to nearly everything they’d encountered so far.

Shaking his head, Ogmundr returned his attention to his duties. His glowing red eye showed him the settlement that was nearly three miles from where he stood. Assessing the forces, he began shouting orders. He almost paused to contemplate how he had gotten here once again, but instead he let force a ferocious cry and led his men in a charge to meet the distant Orks.

Now was not the time for contemplation. Now was the time for war.

The Townhouse

The dog runs ahead, barking continuously, leading the way to a row of townhouses. Bee- lining to one in particular, it dives inside through a doggie door. T.L.D. and Her Highness try to keep up, all the while noticing the growing darkness and the movements within. Reaching the house, Zesiro struggles with the door. Taxchan covers her, slaying dozens of the feral creatures; first with his revolver, then with a Tommy gun. Giving up, Zesiro shifts into a jackal, and goes through the doggy door as well. Choth fires steadily for several minutes, his frame diminishing as he does, until he is small enough to squeeze through after them.

Attacked!

Huddled in the corner are perhaps a half a dozen men and women. The clothing they wear is tattered, unwashed and almost non existent on some. Their skin has paled to a sickly vein-filled white, and their movements, though slight, are feral, almost inhuman. Zesiro commands them to respond to her, but gains nothing for her efforts save a few, flurried movements. Taxchan keeps a steady bead on the creatures as Zesiro speaks with them, while the sun sinks lower on the horizon. Suddenly, the largest male of the group springs to attention! His muscles tense, he stands unmoving while staring past his gore-matted hair and beard with overly large, blood-filled eyes. Opening his fang-filled mouth, he issues a primal, furious scream! Choth implores the Queen to move away, and she turns haughtily, walking towards the exit. The others, stirred by the sound of the scream, begin to cautiously advance on the pair. As the Queen exits, the inhuman creatures hurl themselves forward, knocking over shelves and bursting through glass. The Last Dinosaur, P.I. opens fire with his revolver, dropping two of the creatures, and the Pharaoh’s sorcerous flash of light sends a third fleeing to the darkness. A fourth creature dashes forward from the pack, almost to Choth, before it realizes the sun is burning its skin, and it flings itself screaming under an abandoned car. From the many buildings and alleyways nearby erupts similar furious screaming and Zesiro and Taxchan turn to flee after the already running mutt.

The Store

Taxchan and Zesiro follow the dog through the streets of the abandoned city. No signs of life greater than rodents are apparent. The dog leads them to an abandoned storefront, but then growls at the pair as they approach the door. Taxchan steps back, and laying an egg in the street, collapses to the ground, lifeless, after his effort. Before Zesiro has time to show her concern, the egg begins to crack, and from it emerges the smell of cheap booze and cigarettes. A man then kicks his way out of the egg, smoking a cigarette as he dusts small pieces of shell from his trenchcoat. Zesiro moves to stand behind him as he draws a revolver, and they cautiously move forward. As they enter, the pair notices movement in a dark corner, behind a tall counter covered in items left behind by the looters that had obviously ransacked the store. Zesiro calls out, but it is to no avail. The duo moves cautiously to the counter, straining slightly as they lean forward just enough to see behind it.