Private message from Medical Frigate Archangel for only the eyes of Commander Victor Fowl and Grand Admiral Sammy Durahn. Sent 30 minutes after Valkyrie left for Magic Crafters: Analysis of captured Mortis combat forms confirms that the Mortis can indoctrinate our living soldiers using their parasitic, crawling, spider-like creatures we have called "Mortlings."
These creature are too small and agile. Shooting at them with rifles and pistols is a fools errand. Explosives, shotguns and flamethrowers are ideal.
It is unknown whether the victim is still conscious afterwards. However, their suffering in the process is obvious and heartbreaking.
The indoctrinated victim's weak spot is confirmed to be their glowing core.
The mortlings enter the body through the victims mouths or large wounds on the torso and-from post-mortem analysis- possibly also the anus or vagina...whether the victim is alive or not. So it is suggested to burn corpses as every one is a potential vessel.
They mutate the body to have extra armor and long sharp claws made from karetin. These combat forms seemingly have little to no sense of fear or self preservation. Most do not even have a heat signiture, making our stealth technology even less useful.
A weakness to fire is highly probable, explaining why dragons have an easier time fighting them than us trolls.
On an unrelated note, it is highly unlikely we will find a cure for the plagues without the biological aid of the dragons, as they are the only confirmed species with absolute immunity.
Average daily death toll is 35. The only safe way we can dispose of the deceased is to wrap them in cloth, douse them in oil, ignite them, and drop them overboard, as they are extremely biohazardous. As mentioned, burning them ensures the Mortis cannot indoctrinate them.
Our predicted birthrate-with limited maternal facilities aboard even the Archangel-is about 37 a week. Obviously all soon-to-tbe mothers were already pregnant when rescued from Valdin during the collapse. At this rate our population will regrow slowly if at all.
As the plague is sexually transmitted, we must test all our citizens before we declare them safe to reproduce. Those who are safe will be given a green bracelet with a seriel number. 4 out of 5 of those who are infected will die within 3 days.
We wish Commander Fowl luck in securing an alliance with Warfang. I must end this message, as my tears may short out my keyboard. Goddess willing, they will accept our truce. END MESSAGE
Private message from Grand Admiral Sammy Durahn for only the eyes of Commander Victor Fowl. Sent 5 minutes after they departed Magic Crafters
Congratulations on sealing an alliance with the dragons, Commander. It is shocking that the Mortis have already reached their territory. I'm sure they cant afford to not accept our help. After all, if the Mortis destroyed our civilisation, there's would be easy pickings.
Research Devision reports whe can build destroyer-class airships within the womb of the Perrywinkle. We have commenced construction on the first prototype. But it could take up to 20 years to complete. It only takes 2 months to build frigates and sometimes only weeks to build a corvette...save for the high speed combat classes like yours.
Nevertheless, we must build airships. The ones we have now, including Perrywinkle, are packed to 5 times capacity. Most sleep on rags on the cold iron floors. Those fortunate enough to have beds must time share them with up to 3 people. But for every frigate we build, that's 500 less people taking up space.
Though we need dragons blood in order to find a vaccine for the plague, we must not tell the dragons of any of this until we have established trust.
Hope you are well and good luck. END MESSAGE
CHAPTER 5.1 New Eggs and New Truths.
After Cynder had recovered from her painful delivery of their new eggs, Spyro and Cynder gazed in awe upon their two soon-to-be hatchlings. They had pondered names for them and panicked on how they would accommodate them when they hatch, as they only had 2 bedrooms.
But they were startled by a knock on the door. Spyro answered it to joyfully see The O'Van Sea's, only without the children, or Shigi, at the door. "Oh, you guys! Good to see you. COME IN. COME IN."
They all gathered around Cynder, warming her new eggs.
"Have you thought of names yet, Cynder?" asked Helix.
She nodded. "Dara for a girl and Aventus for a boy."
"How are your kids going, Jeenie?" asked Spyro
"Great," she nodded enthusiastically. "Shigi is a great babysitter. The Kids love his war stories."
"Only natural," said Helix "He's a vateran spec' ops commando afterall."
"And a colonel," said Venus "Which explained why his chicken tastes so nice."
"That's why he isn't here?" Spyro asked
"Yep." replied Jeenie
Venus started giggling "Sometimes I think I've gotten pregnant...the way I feel in the mornings."
"HAHAHA," cackled Helix. "Don't' be silly. Your husband is a troll. Unless...you've been cheating," he evilly grinned at her.
"I would NEVER, Hmmph!" she scoffed.
"It's natural we'd be thinking that, Venus," said Jeenie. "Remember how much of a skank you were back in the day?"
"Tehehe," she giggled with her face red in shame. "Alright. Fair enough. BUT I would NEVER CHEAT on Shigi."
"Guys," Spyro said with a concerned look in his eyes. "Cynder has to recover from her labor. It was nice of you to come by, but I think you guys should go and...perhaps organize a baby shower."
Helix winked at him out of sight of all the others, save for Cynder. "Yeah. I can take a hint. Come on, sisters, let's go shopping!"
As the O'Van Sea's departed the heroes home, Jeenie was barely keeping pace, as she seemed very sad and was practically staring at her front paws the whole journey.
After 10 minutes, finally fed up, Helix asked in a sarcastic tone "Alright, so who died? REALLY! You'd think we were going to a funeral tomorrow and not a fucking baby shower."
"Helix...I never told you how Denji treated me, did I?"
"I saw the way he treated you every time we visited eachother...like his personal slave."
Venus giggled "Yeah. What did you see in him? Do you not love yourself?"
"Well behind closed doors. Things were much worse." After a few seconds, an apiphany practically slapped Helix in the face and he-followed by his two sisters halted their prideful stride and both faced her, standing before her
"Denji hit you. DIDN'T HE?!" Helix practically shouted.
Jeenie burst into tears and embraced her little brother without hesitation "YES!...Why do you think I forgave Shigi so easily? In the back of my mind...I was glad Denji got shot."
Helix pecked her cheek and rubbed the back her neck "I promise you, sis, you did the right thing. Shigi will be a much greater uncle than Denji could ever be a father."
"And," nodded Venus "I wouldn't have a husband if you hadn't forgiven Shigi."
Jeenie smiled and thanked the both of them and they went shopping for gifts.
Chapter 5.2 Shigi's War Story part 1
Weeks went by, and Cynder dared never to leave her eggs. Not eve to use the toilet. Not that she had to sicne the first day as she fasted. Her only company was Spyro. Her only entertainment was magazines. Spyro was not much better. All he could think about was the possibility of stillbirth.
Meanwhile, while the O'Van Sea sibling were out hunting, like normal, Shigi the Dantean troll that had recently become Venus's husband, and thus Dasha and Pyro's uncle, was caring for them. He was preparing, above their rooms firepit, a Valdish soldiers delicacy: pulled pork and cheese toasties.
He still had his portable iron sandwich press from his war days. As his dragon niece and nephew watched very closely, he carefully added the pulled pork atop bread and then cheese, more pork and pepper. Closed it with more bread and he secured to press with the wingnut. He set his egg timer and held it over the fire. "It takes three minutes, sweetheart," he told Dasha.
"I can't to try this, Uncle Shigi," she giggled, practically dancing in joy.
"Can you sing as a song, Uncle?" pleaded, Pyro with his paws meeting in prayer. "How about Erika?"
He might as well. They loved his songs and stories. It was better than staring at a fire.
In the swamp, there grows a little flower
And she's called...Erika
Hot from a hundred thousand little bees
Swarming 'round...Erika
And it's like she spoke to me aloud
'Are you thinking of your fiance?'
In my home, there sleeps a little flower
And she's called...Erika
As fine by morning as she is by night
She's my joy...Erika
And her heart is full of great sweetness
A tender scent escapes her blossum gown
They both clapped their little paws "BRAVO!" said Dasha.
"OH!" Shigi quickly retrieved the sandwich press from its burning hell, by the handle. "Any longer, they'd be overdone, hehe."
He dropped the sandwiches upon clay plates and both of them gasped in astonishment. "THEY'RE PERFECT!" they harmonized
"Uniform," Pyro said to Dasha
"And buttery and golden," he nodded right back.
"Dig in, children."
They both oblidged and started noshing on the buttery delicacy that is Valdish Pork Press.
When they were almost done, Dasha demanded a bedtime war story. Shigi always obliged because he loved telling those AND it puts them to sleep better warm milk and cookies.
"Well how about the one where we find a strange Portal non Dreadwing Isle?"
2 years before he surrendered to Warfang, Shigi and his good friend-then-commander and now-dead Allan Jackbar had been assigned to investigate strange phenomena. It was coming from within a clearly-made cave in the volcano of Dreadwing Isle.
That's when they discovered there could be a portal to another world within the cave, but sealed behind many literal and figurative barriers.
Two weeks in, they had a camp, and archiologists were flown in form Valdin to dig deeper.
Shigi was assisting some fo them in errecting some supports for their new tunnel. But then Allan came running around the bend "Shigi! Shigi! Come 'ere m'boy! Jack says were about to break through the relic!"
"ARG!" Shigi strained as he lifted the 4x4 wood "Not now, Allan. We've got some structural cocnerns."
"That's the archos job. Live a little, would ya?"
So Shigi chased after his pudgy-but still fit-friend. They deeper they went, the less lights were installed...and even less were working due to blown bulbs.
"YES! YES!" Allan shouted triumphantly "I must go deeper!" he panted. And soon again shouted, "I'M COMING!"
Shigi, still barely tailing him asked with a giggle, "You're still exploring THIS cave. Right?"
He meet a now-awaiting allan at a small recently-carved small tunnel and beckoned him to follow. But it was fortunate Shigi was slow this time, because the cave shook violent and then the small tunnel began falling apart and closing.
"FUCK! RUN!" screamed Allan.
Shigi leaped back the way he came and barely avoide several rocks. HE arised and shouted for his friend.
"I'm alright, m'boy! I ran just in time. Looks like you're taking the long way."
So Shigi went the convential way, which would take an extra 5 minutes.
It was Fortunate he had his Grublin Mincer rifle with the attached flashlight...because soon...all the lights failed
But before Shigi could finish his story, his niece and nephew were already fast asleep. He smiled and went to bed, knowing his work was done. He'd to finish he story another day.
But just all in Warfang were about to sleep, Cynder felt movement within her eggs and she nudged Spyro awake. They both were completely awoken by joy as they gazed upon their cracking and shaking eggs
CHAPTER 5.3 New Winged Friends
Commander Fowl, Volteer and the entire flight crew gathered in the cockpit of the crippled and grounded Valkyrie. He was pacing and panted in panic with every stomp. "HOW WILL WE FIND WHATEVER SHOT US DOWN WITHIN THE NEXT 175 MINUTES!"
"I have an idea, brilliant, brave, distraut commander. I could take flight at a low altitude and scour the swamp for the enemy."
"It'll get you too," said Fowl with a head shake.
Skipper snapped his fingers and said "We send out scouts in every direction."
Fowl shook his head again "The Mortis are almost definately here, Skip'. The scouts will die before they give a clue and-" His eyes went wide and he was mesmerized by a large glowing light with wings hovering right near the portside window. He slowly approached "What..is...that? It's beautiful. He pulled the handle and cocked open the window just enough for the creature to enter and present itself to them: a Large blue dragonfly.
"Are you all alright," he asked.
All gasped and Fowl fell on his back in shock "YOU CAN TALK?!"
He crossed his little arms and asked "Don't act like you guys have never seen a dragonfly before."
All but Volteer-who was grinning at the troll's cluelessness- slowly shook their heads.
"YOU HAVEN'T?!"
Finally Volteer explained "These creatures are from the other side of the world, in a putrid, foul-colored, polluted, and constantly dark mire called Valdin."
He gasped and hovered backwards in astonishment. "I think you must be those Valdinians I've sometimes read about. I never thought I'd see one of you."
Skipper slowly nodded "Trust me...the feelings matual.
Fowl realized that this creature could be their salvation from their crisis.
"You are a native to this swamp. Correct?"
"Correct!" he smiled with a little finger in the air
"Then you know what shot us down? Because we need to find it and destroy it within the next...um...two and half hours before more airships arrive and suffer the same fate."
"Yes I did. Its a large canon, taller than a large mushroom. It is guarded by these strange undead creatures and these little spiders."
All looked at eachother and harmonized, "The Mortis!"
"Oh of course," groaned Fowl as he slapped himself in the face "Who else would have the means and motive to shot us down."
"I can show you were it is," said the dragonfly.
"BRILLIANT!" shouted Fowl. "Could you take me and one my my spec' ops troops with you? A pair of fighters and a dragonfly can move unseen. A large force cannot."
"YES!"
Volteer stood up and declared, "I shall return to Warfang and be back with some friends to assist in our great plight, Commander."
It was a good hour hike away, but with the guidence of the blue dragonfly, they soon gazed upon the weapon that shot them down, from the relative safety of slimy green ferns.
Fowl procured his binoculars from his pouch "Let's take a look see...By the goddess! IT IS THE MORTIS! And they stole one our deployable TX3 anti air canons!" It was the size of a five story building when aiming upwards. Had two barrels close together, and many Mortis Combat forms were swarming around it.
The accompanying spec' ops troops said,"Surprised? They can steal our airships. They can steal our guns too."
Luckily, though their morse code was kaput, their short range radios weren't. Fowl slowly raised his radio, with a shaky hand, to his lips and said, "Skipper...we found it. Tell all the soldiers to prepare for battle and head North, Northwest. WE'LL SHOVE THIS CANON UP THEIR ROTTEN ARSES!"
PLEASE REVIEW. I am in a much better place in life now. Reviews motivate me to keep writing. -deviantMIND1