My Lands: Black Gem Hunting

sliph wrote:Quick Note: My entry is a hybrid of both Story and Verse

Entry: Monster Bells and the Legend of Santus Claws by sliph

A loud roaring of laughter and merriment filled the ruins and light spirits flickered all about here and there, ones of all colors – fire, forest, frost, and even others not normally seen, making the ruin shimmer as a holiday tree.
The monsters were not paying much attention to anything else and were certainly not ready for battle, but seemed to be stumbling over themselves and celebrating with mead and monster delicacies.
Some even huddled and began a chant, to which a group of golems began to dance a jig to.
The needlesaurs and beasts clicked their vocals to the beat and witches brew’s filled the air with a delicious (though foreign to your troops) smell.
A snakeleg could be seen wrapped atop a lot ceremonial tree to which he places a large star-shaped artifact.
It glows a bright gold and then turns a brilliant purple which fades into a darker, pulsating purple, which creates an aura over the whole horizon.
As your troops listened (some couldn't help but tap along) they heard this sung and repeated variously throughout the night, different groups of monsters taking turns leading the tune:

Monster Bells by sliph ( lyrics to the tune of Jingle Bells )

Dashing through MyLands
In a one-wolf open sleigh,
Over lands we go
Pillaging all the way~

Bells on gargoyles ring
Making fire-spirits bright,
Oh! what fun it is to sing
Our slaying-song* tonight!

---[chorus by Orcs]
Orcish bells, Orcish bells,
Elves’ blood all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to raid
In a one-wolf open sleigh
Orcish bells, Orcish bells,
Drow blood makes my day
Oh! what fun it is to raid
In a one-wolf open sleigh, hey!
---[/chorus]

A raid or two ago
I went to hunt for gold
And so soon, Lord Santus Claws**
Will raid with us I’m told!

Gold for all monsters,
Misfortune for our foes!
Plunder everything they’ve got,
Right from under their nose!

---[chorus by Orcs]
Orcish bells, Orcish bells,
Demon’s blood all the way!
Oh! what fun it is to raid
In a one-wolf open sleigh!
Orcish bells, Orcish bells,
Men’s blood makes my day!
Oh! what fun it is to raid
In a one-wolf open sleigh, hey!
---[/chorus]

We’ll take their food and wine,
They’ll be crushed just like ants!
When will we be back again?
To do this raiding dance!

"Thanks for the invitation
We will come for our presents!"
Write us and this we'll say.
Or maybe just "RRRRAHHHHGGG!!!"

Next year is far away,
And all have Black Gem thirst!
But we’ve got 1 in all our homes,
So that makes us rich first! OHHH!

---[chorus by all monsters]
Monster bells, Monster bells,
We’ll sing this all the way!
Oh! what fun it is to raid
In a one-wolf open sleigh!
Monster bells, Monster bells,
Gold loot makes my day!
Oh! what fun it is to raid
And pillage from those we slay!!!
---[/chorus]

... ...Feeling more comfortable after learning the state of cheer the monsters were currently in, your commanders decide to return as well to a relaxed state and allow the citizens to continue celebration.
For a long while a low roar of cheering and festivities can be heard from both your city and the monster ruins.
...
...
Very late at night as the hums are toning down, you leave your advisors briefly to hike a bit and to relieve yourself. The sudden alarm of monsters on such a holiday occasion got you riled up -- a walk would help take the edge off.
You hike some ways before tripping and hurting your ankle. You fear you won't make it back to tell your guards and will be stranded in the cold.
Suddenly --
►►►AN ICY CLAW GRABS YOU ! ! !

You try to retract in response, but are then paralyzed by fear (90% ) and you cannot move -- only breathe and watch as you gasp the frozen air.

It is Lord Santus Claws!!! He grins at you showing a fan of razor teeth and with massive strength swings you up onto his sleigh colored blood-red and pulled by 12 dire wolves.
You thought he was only a legend, but here he is now before you -- and you his captive...
He roars into the air, "On Slasher, on Puncher, on Cancer and Vexing! On Malice, on Hades, on Killer and Blitzkreig!" and the dire wolves at once leap to full speed. You catch a red glow coming from a smaller, but more vicious and snarling dire wolf at the front of the line.
Santus doesn't say anything else, but lets out a massive laugh/roar that bellows through the night, "Ho ho ho hohhhrrrghh!"
Then the sleigh drives forward and by some lunar magic begins to rise into the air at incredible speed.
You sail through the night sky and behind his sleigh trickles gold coins and black gems. You feel the urge to reach for some of the falling gems, but have no strength. Some unseen force holds you.
You can tell from the side of your vision that you've passed over several monster ruins and mortal towns alike. The speed is incredible and you feel you could be traveling to each new destination in under 15 minutes!***
As the sleigh turns sharply and alters course, a gem glints off the moon and the force of the sleigh speeds past when the gem bounces off of your chest -- about to be lost into the night sky, but your hand finally swings up and grabs the gem and you firmly grasp it with all your might.
It is all you can concentrate on anymore.
It is all a blur.
Your vision fades... ...
... ...
[You dream of the celebration, but in this celebration you see men, demons, elves, drow, and monster celebrating together!
In one celebration! Not fighting! All are sharing drink, feast, and good company.
A spark of excitement flickers in you at the thought of the possible future. You want to explore the party and you hear the tune of Monster Bells being sung, but it seems the lyrics are different and all are singing, not just monsters, but you can't make out the words and quickly the dream becomes unstable and you begin to stir, feeling a deep transformation:
from very cold to very warm and fuzzy.]
... ...
You awake still during twilight, just before dawn, in your bed chambers under warm sheets -- the window from your tower window slightly ajar and the frosty night air calmly rustling the elegant drapes.
There is a single lone black gem sitting on the sill - a slight frost forming on it's cold, metallic, silvery surface.

black gem.png

"He is real!"

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►►►This has been sliph's entry for the Holiday Story/Poem/Prose Contest 2016 "Monster's New Year's Day"
►►►Thank you and hope you enjoyed it! Gimme a vote!

Notes/Fun Flavor:
* "Slaying" instead of "Sleighing", get it?
** Santus Claws is a Legendary Monster Hero who lives on Frosty Peaks
*** 15 minutes the game law's fastest mission speed, Lord Santus can transcend this law , also 90% fear is the Monster hero parameter