Eternal
Year 34
Through the extreme cold, the wailing the winds and the relentless snow, you look up and finally see your destination in sight; A lonely outpost which consist of a small watch hut on a hill near the Rask Mountains.
How the hell such a structure continues to exist is amazing. The rough weather around here is bad enough, but the fact that it exists on the very edge of ogre and giant territory and who knows what else living in those mountains is almost impossible to believe.
Yet the very fact it continues to exist is a testament to the man who lives inside it. A man who has been doing his best to serve loyally despite his condition.
A condition that has at last become too unbearable for him. You received the letter a week ago. As far as you know, you’re the only one who knows this. He apparently hasn’t even told this to Jacob.
This has been a long time coming. You knew it was only a matter of time, you just hope it isn’t too late.
You wake your way up the long winding path up to the hut. There are signs that a battle occurred here weeks ago. Fresh ogre skulls have been put on several sharpened wooden poles like a grisly totem pole. A frozen giant head lies nearby the poles, some of it looks like its been eaten. This is a good sign at least. Kane has probably still managed to contain his hunger to his enemies and hasn’t been thinking about other potential victims.
The closer you get to the hut, the more cautious you become. You have no idea what Kane’s state of mind is right now. Has he completely lost it? Is he still relatively in control? Will he attack you as soon as you enter the hut?
You’re about to find out when you open the door up with sword in hand.
Kane sits by a kettle making some sort of stew; you can guess what it might be. He looks up and you can see in his face that he is much different than when you last saw him. The beast within is taking over. His mouth is wider and exposing his teeth which are now fangs. His hands have become more like claws. Just like you saw him temporarily during your visit at Gnome’s Home.
Despite his appearance, he doesn’t seem hostile or out of control.
“Got my letter I see. Glad you could make it. Wasn’t sure if you were busy, I don’t get much news this way.” He says testing his soup.
“Actually I don’t have much to do nowadays. The Empire has stopped its period of expansion for now and all of its enemies are inconsequential.”
“Huh, tell that to the giants that lumber down from the mountains around here. You know how hard it is to instill a fearsome reputation among creatures that are twice or three times your size? It isn’t easy.”
“I would imagine it isn’t, but given that Rask doesn’t suffer as many giant or ogre raids anymore I’d say you’ve done a good job.”
Kane gives you an unsettling toothy smile.
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted to hear, you know? However, I’m not entirely successful since there are still attacks I have to stop. I don’t think there’s much for it though, some are just too plain stupid to know the meaning of fear. When I’m gone make sure Fort Defiance gets extra troops. I know we’ve since invented all these great killing machines and new weapons that can kill a lot faster, but extra manpower can’t hurt.”
“Is it really that bad now?” you ask.
“What do you think?” Kane answers as if his appearance is enough to prove his condition is indeed getting to the point of no return.
“I can’t take the hunger pains any longer. Each day I grow closer to giving in completely. The funny thing is, this… creature inside me is probably the closest thing I’ve ever had to a friend. It sometimes even speaks to me as if it is a comrade in arms. In some ways it is. I don’t believe I could keep up some of the things I do without its great strength helping me. It has allowed me to serve the Empire longer than I probably would have otherwise.”
You almost want to say that the abomination that has possessed Kane’s body is not his friend and has only been using him to help feed its unending hunger, but Kane is probably struggling to find some measure of peace in his situation, so you do not lecture.
“Perhaps it was meant to be.” You say.
“I like to think so…but I also know it is time. As much as I would like to continue serving my duty forever, I know I cannot. So I called upon you. The only one I know that could take me down if need be. The only one worthy to. I know even though we never spoke much, those moments we did talk in Gnome’s Home I knew you to be a man of honor. You found out the truth about my situation, yet you saw that I was still an Eternal at heart. You will always have my thanks for that brother.”
Kane continues to sit focusing on his stew. At this point you feel as if it would be best to get this over with quickly. You walk over to him with your weapon still drawn. He makes no effort to defend himself and even puts his head down so as to expose the back of his neck to you for a better cut.
“I was sorry to hear about your wife. Major Krozer was an excellent warrior. It was also a loss to the Empire. So was the death of Roldan, as will the death me, but I know the Empire will survive. And because it will survive, I will survive along with all others who died within its duty. Just promise me two things brother.”
“Yes?” you ask preparing to strike.
“Tell them I died in battle with ogres and giants.”
“And the second?”
“Steel your mind. The demon will attempt to possess you, but I imagine you’ll be stronger to resist it than I. You always were the best of us. Perhaps the only true Eternal.”
“You’re an Eternal Kane, you always will be.” You remark and bring your blade down on his neck. It isn’t a quick death mainly because Kane isn’t himself. The wendigo inside is finally unleashed and Kane begins howling and snarling as he writhes on the floor with his neck half severed.
“You will torment this honorable man no longer, demon.” You say and finish the decapitation. Kane’s body still twitches on the floor even with his head now detached. It even manages to weakly kick at you. The deed is done, but now you do indeed feel the invading presence of the wendigo.
“I remember you from that wonderful place where all those delicious gnomes and that obnoxious svelk woman were. You are strong and powerful, but just think how much more powerful you could be if you just let me in…” the wendigo remarks.
“If you do remember me, then you also know that I’ve been psychically assaulted by hundreds of angry gnome souls at the same time. Do you really think you stand a chance?”
“Ssssss! I am no weak gnome soul! I am wendigo! I am hunger everlasting and forever yearning! And soon YOU will share that desire!” the wendigo hisses.
The wendigo’s threats are in vain however. You are more than equipped to take care of one now. You’ve long since strengthened your mind from psychic attacks and you also took the time to study wendigo lore before even coming here. You begin chanting.
“What…what are you doing?” the wendigo asks, but you ignore it and concentrate on banishing it. In the middle of this process you sense that the wendigo halts its pathetic attempts to possess you and instead attempts to escape back to the land that it was originally bound to, but you aren’t letting it get away.
“No! Not oblivion! Stop or I’ll make you suffer mortal!”
More empty threats. Funny how even a demonic spirit like this one when faced with the possibility of ultimate death it still pleads for its “life” just like…well a mortal would.
Eventually its voice disappears along with its very essence. The wendigo is gone and you’re left with another dead “sibling.”
After a bit of clean up you report the incident to Jacob, who while not as upset when Roldan died, is still visibly saddened.
“I didn’t know it had gotten that bad. He never said…” Jacob remarks.
“I don’t think he wanted you to know. Probably thought you’d keep trying to protect him, especially since Roldan died two years ago. And he knew I’d take care of it. Not just killing him, but killing the demon within him too.”
Jacob begins looking through his paperwork for a blank piece of paper and starts writing. It’s probably some decree to give Kane a proper military funeral along with the usual accolades about how he died gloriously in battle with several giants.
“His duty to the Empire won’t be forgotten. I’m going to make sure of that.” Jacob says.
“That’s all he ever wanted.” You reply and take your leave.
Through the extreme cold, the wailing the winds and the relentless snow, you look up and finally see your destination in sight; A lonely outpost which consist of a small watch hut on a hill near the Rask Mountains.
How the hell such a structure continues to exist is amazing. The rough weather around here is bad enough, but the fact that it exists on the very edge of ogre and giant territory and who knows what else living in those mountains is almost impossible to believe.
Yet the very fact it continues to exist is a testament to the man who lives inside it. A man who has been doing his best to serve loyally despite his condition.
A condition that has at last become too unbearable for him. You received the letter a week ago. As far as you know, you’re the only one who knows this. He apparently hasn’t even told this to Jacob.
This has been a long time coming. You knew it was only a matter of time, you just hope it isn’t too late.
You wake your way up the long winding path up to the hut. There are signs that a battle occurred here weeks ago. Fresh ogre skulls have been put on several sharpened wooden poles like a grisly totem pole. A frozen giant head lies nearby the poles, some of it looks like its been eaten. This is a good sign at least. Kane has probably still managed to contain his hunger to his enemies and hasn’t been thinking about other potential victims.
The closer you get to the hut, the more cautious you become. You have no idea what Kane’s state of mind is right now. Has he completely lost it? Is he still relatively in control? Will he attack you as soon as you enter the hut?
You’re about to find out when you open the door up with sword in hand.
Kane sits by a kettle making some sort of stew; you can guess what it might be. He looks up and you can see in his face that he is much different than when you last saw him. The beast within is taking over. His mouth is wider and exposing his teeth which are now fangs. His hands have become more like claws. Just like you saw him temporarily during your visit at Gnome’s Home.
Despite his appearance, he doesn’t seem hostile or out of control.
“Got my letter I see. Glad you could make it. Wasn’t sure if you were busy, I don’t get much news this way.” He says testing his soup.
“Actually I don’t have much to do nowadays. The Empire has stopped its period of expansion for now and all of its enemies are inconsequential.”
“Huh, tell that to the giants that lumber down from the mountains around here. You know how hard it is to instill a fearsome reputation among creatures that are twice or three times your size? It isn’t easy.”
“I would imagine it isn’t, but given that Rask doesn’t suffer as many giant or ogre raids anymore I’d say you’ve done a good job.”
Kane gives you an unsettling toothy smile.
“That’s all I’ve ever wanted to hear, you know? However, I’m not entirely successful since there are still attacks I have to stop. I don’t think there’s much for it though, some are just too plain stupid to know the meaning of fear. When I’m gone make sure Fort Defiance gets extra troops. I know we’ve since invented all these great killing machines and new weapons that can kill a lot faster, but extra manpower can’t hurt.”
“Is it really that bad now?” you ask.
“What do you think?” Kane answers as if his appearance is enough to prove his condition is indeed getting to the point of no return.
“I can’t take the hunger pains any longer. Each day I grow closer to giving in completely. The funny thing is, this… creature inside me is probably the closest thing I’ve ever had to a friend. It sometimes even speaks to me as if it is a comrade in arms. In some ways it is. I don’t believe I could keep up some of the things I do without its great strength helping me. It has allowed me to serve the Empire longer than I probably would have otherwise.”
You almost want to say that the abomination that has possessed Kane’s body is not his friend and has only been using him to help feed its unending hunger, but Kane is probably struggling to find some measure of peace in his situation, so you do not lecture.
“Perhaps it was meant to be.” You say.
“I like to think so…but I also know it is time. As much as I would like to continue serving my duty forever, I know I cannot. So I called upon you. The only one I know that could take me down if need be. The only one worthy to. I know even though we never spoke much, those moments we did talk in Gnome’s Home I knew you to be a man of honor. You found out the truth about my situation, yet you saw that I was still an Eternal at heart. You will always have my thanks for that brother.”
Kane continues to sit focusing on his stew. At this point you feel as if it would be best to get this over with quickly. You walk over to him with your weapon still drawn. He makes no effort to defend himself and even puts his head down so as to expose the back of his neck to you for a better cut.
“I was sorry to hear about your wife. Major Krozer was an excellent warrior. It was also a loss to the Empire. So was the death of Roldan, as will the death me, but I know the Empire will survive. And because it will survive, I will survive along with all others who died within its duty. Just promise me two things brother.”
“Yes?” you ask preparing to strike.
“Tell them I died in battle with ogres and giants.”
“And the second?”
“Steel your mind. The demon will attempt to possess you, but I imagine you’ll be stronger to resist it than I. You always were the best of us. Perhaps the only true Eternal.”
“You’re an Eternal Kane, you always will be.” You remark and bring your blade down on his neck. It isn’t a quick death mainly because Kane isn’t himself. The wendigo inside is finally unleashed and Kane begins howling and snarling as he writhes on the floor with his neck half severed.
“You will torment this honorable man no longer, demon.” You say and finish the decapitation. Kane’s body still twitches on the floor even with his head now detached. It even manages to weakly kick at you. The deed is done, but now you do indeed feel the invading presence of the wendigo.
“I remember you from that wonderful place where all those delicious gnomes and that obnoxious svelk woman were. You are strong and powerful, but just think how much more powerful you could be if you just let me in…” the wendigo remarks.
“If you do remember me, then you also know that I’ve been psychically assaulted by hundreds of angry gnome souls at the same time. Do you really think you stand a chance?”
“Ssssss! I am no weak gnome soul! I am wendigo! I am hunger everlasting and forever yearning! And soon YOU will share that desire!” the wendigo hisses.
The wendigo’s threats are in vain however. You are more than equipped to take care of one now. You’ve long since strengthened your mind from psychic attacks and you also took the time to study wendigo lore before even coming here. You begin chanting.
“What…what are you doing?” the wendigo asks, but you ignore it and concentrate on banishing it. In the middle of this process you sense that the wendigo halts its pathetic attempts to possess you and instead attempts to escape back to the land that it was originally bound to, but you aren’t letting it get away.
“No! Not oblivion! Stop or I’ll make you suffer mortal!”
More empty threats. Funny how even a demonic spirit like this one when faced with the possibility of ultimate death it still pleads for its “life” just like…well a mortal would.
Eventually its voice disappears along with its very essence. The wendigo is gone and you’re left with another dead “sibling.”
After a bit of clean up you report the incident to Jacob, who while not as upset when Roldan died, is still visibly saddened.
“I didn’t know it had gotten that bad. He never said…” Jacob remarks.
“I don’t think he wanted you to know. Probably thought you’d keep trying to protect him, especially since Roldan died two years ago. And he knew I’d take care of it. Not just killing him, but killing the demon within him too.”
Jacob begins looking through his paperwork for a blank piece of paper and starts writing. It’s probably some decree to give Kane a proper military funeral along with the usual accolades about how he died gloriously in battle with several giants.
“His duty to the Empire won’t be forgotten. I’m going to make sure of that.” Jacob says.
“That’s all he ever wanted.” You reply and take your leave.