//------------------------------//
// A Mammoth of a Problem XLII 
// Story: Rainbow Dash's Unstoppable Ego 
// by MagicS 
//------------------------------//

Water coursed alongside the stone walls of the river that flowed down to the large lake that sat at the bottom of the mammoth city. Cold and placid water that flowed gently, completely at odds with the turmoil and danger that stood above it on one side of the drawbridge leading to and from the slums. The bridge was still down and clear and on the end of it that led into the old part of the city there was nothing but empty space there. But on the slums side there stood hundreds of mammoths with barely restrained fury. Some of them were clad in armor, others held weapons, or shields, or had pointed metal caps on their tusks. Some had all of that. All of them were armed to at least some degree.  

Except for the single dark mammoth at the front of their lines who held them back, and the young child standing beside him.

Karkona wore no armor and carried no weapons himself. A statement saying he was still stronger and more formidable than any of these others behind him who wore their armor or carried their spears around. Samarkon simply was too small for the weapons and armor they had been forging, as well as being untrained in how to properly use it. But he didn’t care since he still got to stand side by side with Karkona and feel even stronger and more important than any of the weapon-carrying mammoths.

It had taken some time with how many mammoths there were to gather and how many weapons needed to be grabbed out of the warehouses but now they were finally all here and ready to head to Larkon’s house on Karkona’s order. They were all so eager they could hardly wait. This would be an incredible moment, when an army armed to the teeth would march through the mammoth city for the first time. All of the citizens would look out their windows and see them—the future. They’ll be shocked, frightened, and know that Karkona is their new King when they see him at the front. Totally in charge, in defiance of their laws and taboos, and about to claim the same power that Tarmok first claimed.

Karkona couldn’t help but smile at the thought of it. Beyond this river was his dream, a few short steps and his trunk could reach out and grasp it.

“Is it time, Karkona?” Murrank asked from the front row of soldiers behind him.

Samarkon looked up at Karkona too. If it was possible he may have been even more eager and impatient than the violent thugs forming up the mob. He didn’t have a weapon to wave around after all, and he really wanted to go and show his father what was happening. Samarkon could only imagine his father’s reaction. But it would be a good thing, he was going to finally force his father to see what the future of mammoth society would be. To face reality and acknowledge the passion and drive of him and Karkona. And maybe eventually his father would come around and see that this was a good thing.

Karkona’s mouth slowly turned upwards in a grin as he looked out at the city, and to Tarmok’s Hall that rested up on its hill, though it wasn’t their destination. His head then turned slightly back to look at Murrank and he gave a small nod.

The scarred mammoth grinned and shouted out to the rest of the army. “All of you quiet down and get ready!”

The army did as commanded, standing at attention and formed up in lines with their weapons grasped tightly. Just the word from Karkona. That was all they needed.

Karkona stood up as tall as he could and sucked in a deep breath. Lifting up his trunk he trumpeted loudly into the sky and yelled-

“MAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMOOOOOOOOOTHS!!! MAAAAAAARRRRRRRRCCCCHHHH!!!”

Karkona and his army took off down the bridge, marching in lockstep and showing off their weapons the entire time. Spear carriers thrust their spears into the sky and then brought them down to bang the shaft on the bridge, the mammoths with halberds did the same, those carrying warhammers, battleaxes, clubs, and maces all waved them around in the air, some of them banging them together or against the metal shields carried by other mammoths to create a loud roar. A line of mammoths wielding flails all swung them around overhead in perfect unison so they didn’t hit each other. The huge and deadly metal balls swinging about on their chains signaled complete destruction to anything they hit. Fully armored mammoths showed off their gleaming plate armor, freshly polished, and their thick helmets that could stop the blow of a sword. It klinked and clanked with each heavy step, only adding to the thunderous noise of the hundreds of mammoths marching across the bridge. Each and every last line of thugs turned warriors was doing their part to make this a frightening display. Murrank wore but a helmet himself and carried a spear that he pounded along the bridge with each step, Alok wore extra long and serrated tusk caps while carrying a heavy oval shield with a grand spike at the center. But even the few other mammoths who only had tusk caps still trumpeted loudly and proudly as part of the army. Karkona led them from the front, smashing his feet down with every step as rigidly and powerfully as possible. Samarkon of course tried to copy him.  

Once they crossed the bridge the armed to the teeth procession shook the ground with enough force to make it feel like an earthquake was coming through the city. Avalanches would’ve been set off by the noise and power they were bringing.

Just as Karkona wanted, other mammoths heard their marching and began peeking out their windows in fright and wonder. But his army didn’t slow their pace one bit, they kept marching loudly through the old part of the city. Their route would take them to town’s square and then Larkon’s house beyond that. Who knows how many of these other pitiful mammoths would see them on their way? Perhaps hundreds. The thought of it filled Karkona with glee and he hoped as many as possible would look out and be terrified of him and the weapon-wielding forces he was leading.  

Houses, trees, walls, they all shook as his mammoths went by them. He was shaking the world itself and it felt good. Samarkon felt the same way and he couldn’t help but leech off of the awe and terror that Karkona and his army were inspiring. This portentous moment was a sign of things to come. The fear from these mammoths was the same fear their future enemies felt, the earthquake was merely a mild forecast of the destruction Karkona planned to wrought on the rest of the world, the army he led was a shell of what it would be in the future.

Karkona trumpeted loudly to the sky again and his mammoths redoubled their efforts. Weapons, shields, armor, and the fanatics that wielded them like a river of pain flowing right behind him into the city. Towards the Keeper of the Sacred Spring and the true prize he held.