Things start picking up here. References are made to Weiila's history of the Mazoku, which I'm using by her permission. I don't own Chrono Trigger. Enjoy the fic!
South of Algetty, Esaku watched the eastern sky. It wasn't yet lightening, but the fat Hench were getting restless. He might have to start this attack sooner than he'd like. No, that was a mis-statement. He'd like nothing better to start this attack. After spending an entire day with Blanim, attacking was looking pretty Lardon-damned good. Anything but keeping the Hench quiet and content would look like a blessing from the Liberators themselves by now. But it wasn't time yet. The stars alone didn't give quite enough light.
Blanim looked over his boys and grinned. They were all ready, ready to attack the pathetic Humans. They'd run in, fight, capture, and maybe kill, then leave a smoking town to greet the day. It wouldn't be long now, for sure. The Hench punched his palm, grinning wider. He couldn't wait.
West of Algetty, Ethrurrion watched the eastern sky, blue-white eyes reflecting the scarce light. The sky was just starting to brighten, and the Mazoku was expecting to hear Blanim's battle cry very soon now. The Diablos licked a marmalade paw absently, flexing to release his claws. He couldn't wait for the attack to start.
They'd reached the forest late afternoon, only to find it already overrun by Blue Eaglets and Rolys. Normally, it wouldn't have been a problem, but neither beast were conducive to stealth. They'd had to clear out the forest, and the appearance of the Humans hadn't helped the matter. But it didn't matter, Ethrurrion reminded himself. He and his band had slipped in, and the Humans were none the wiser. And the attack would be starting... soon.
An orange-and-white tufted ear twitched, and Ethrurrion looked at the town, focusing somewhere beyond the houses closest to the forest. Angling his ears forward, the Diablos listened, rewarded a moment later by the sound of a war cry coming faintly through the pre-dawn air. "Be ready!" he called back, not bothering to see if his warriors were obeying. He'd wait for the sun to top the horizon.
For a long moment, Lyn didn't know why she was awake. Laying in the stillness of her room, she listened, sure she had heard a noise which had caused her wakefulness. Now conscious and aware, the Human girl could hear the cries that came from the south end of town. Lyn jumped out of bed and called for Shanda, pulling her dress on over her head.
The girl met her mother at the bottom of the stairs, Shanda looking as frightened as Lyn felt. "Hurry, Lyn! I think we're being attacked, run!" the middle-aged woman ordered, the first light of dawn highlighting her terrified face.
The sound of a door slamming open near-by caught Ethrurrion's attention, and the Mazoku grinned to himself. Time to start. "NOW," he called, running from the trees. He heard the sound of his band running behind him, and before him he saw an old Human woman. As the distance between them closed, Ethrurrion found himself wondering what to do with the woman. She was too old to make a good slave, but should he kill her, or just leave her alone?
No, he decided, not five paces from her. He was a Mazoku, not a monster. It would be cruel to leave her alone in a destroyed village. It would be a mercy to kill her. Three paces, two, and now he was close enough. The feline ears twitched, and Ethrurrion could hear the Human's gasps as she struggled to move her old body faster than it could go.
It was so easy. A hard blow to the base of the skull, and the brittle bones shattered, the neck broke, and the old Human fell to the ground. Ethrurrion spared her a glance, to see if she was truly dead, or only dying. Her eyes were already going blank, her breathing stopped. It was a good kill, clean and swift. He gave a nod, then looked as a scream reached his ears. For a moment, his amber eyes met the brown eyes of a terrified young woman, ten paces away and still screaming, before she turned and ran.
Marie... They'd killed Widow Marie. It didn't seem real to Lyn, it was too fast, too sudden. She'd run outside, seen Marie running toward her, and the mamono, the horrible, murderous mamono, chasing her. She didn't even have time to warn the widow, they'd killed her and they weren't supposed to be here. This wasn't happening. Her scream continued as she ran toward town. This wasn't happening!
The scene that met Lyn in town was not the one of comfort she wanted. Villagers were screaming and running, just like she was, chased by large, armored mamono. Darting to the side, Lyn made a break for the desert, hardly noticing as she ran past Doan.
The carpenter carried a heavy adz and moved through the streets quietly. He'd fought shitake in the forest, nothing as dangerous as the attackers, but it was still combat. He'd already been awake when the attack came, dressing for a day of wood chopping. When the yells started, Doan had grabbed the first thing that came to hand, told Sera to stay in the house with Luke, and gone out to meet the monsters.
Standing silently in an empty doorway, Doan watched a Hench run right past. These Hench, he'd noticed, were red-skinned, not yellow, and wore purple armor, but he gave it little thought as he swung his adz. There was a wet thunk as the improvised weapon broke through the helmet and crushed the skull beneath. With a soft grunt, Doan pulled the adz free, hardly noticing the blood and other detritus that stained the blade.
Lyn screamed again at the edge of town. Two man-like birds had intercepted her as she ran, laughing in a high squawk. She knew she should run, but her feet wouldn't move. "Lady, oh Lady, help me, oh Lady help me," the prayer fell from her lips as a mindless chant.
Ichigin laughed again, turning to his brother. In the Human tongue, he asked, "So, brother, what do you think? A little Human, too scared to run." The younger Freelancer didn't answer, not yet conversant in that language. It didn't matter; Ichigin didn't really care what he thought. The speech was simply to unnerve girl.
The Human's eyes widened when the Mazoku spoke her language. Her useless prayer ended, turned to something less comprehensible, and Ichigin opened his beak in a grin. "Little frightened Human..." he said, reaching for her. His movement was enough to spark her to life. With a strangled cry, she turned and ran, back toward the dying village. A squawk of mocking laughter followed her.
Doan saw Lyn coming, running to the town she'd so recently deserted. In his current state, he only cared that her retreat meant that side of Algetty was blocked too. One thing at a time. She was running straight towards a Hench, so frightened she didn't seem to notice. Hefting the adz, Doan followed Lyn, then passed her as she tripped and fell. With a primal yell, Doan swung the improvised weapon, hitting the slow creature full in the face.
A wet thunk, and another mamono was down. Doan didn't try to keep the grin off his face. They might take the town, but by the Lady, he'd make them pay! He pulled on the adz, and his grin faded. He'd swung too hard, cut to deep. The tool was stuck, and another Hench was coming. Releasing the handle, Doan turned to face the monster, idly wishing that Lyn would stand up, would scream, would do anything other than lay on the ground, watching silently. Or did she even truly see what was happening?
The red Hench was close enough to attack, and with the first swing of a clawed hand Doan realized he was outclassed. This mamono wasn't from the mountain, wasn't local, and wasn't easy. This mamono was fast and strong and knew how to fight. The carpenter looked at the bloodied claw puzzled. Where had the blood come from? He felt a pain in his belly and looked down. Now, when had that happened?
Another sweeping rake of already bloodied claws, and the brave man found himself missing half his face. Thought slowed. He knew he was falling, but he couldn't feel anything. The world was falling silent. Lady help them, he thought, or tried to think. It was too late for him.
Lyn stared at the mutilated form, which lay not three feet away. She couldn't get her mind to work, she couldn't think. Doan couldn't be dead. He had a wife, and a son, a child who was barely three! They needed him. Doan couldn't be dead; he had to take care of his family. She barely noticed as the Hench who'd killed him saw her, hauled her up by the arm, leaving Doan's blood on her sleeve. The strong mamono drug her through the streets, to a group of frightened townsmen. No one was crying, not even the babies. The fear, shock, and horror were too strong.
Please review if you liked, or hated. I don't care, I just want to know! As per usual, the next chapter should be out in about a week.