Wergal stood at the edge of the cave, arms crossed while looking completely serious. His eyes were on me, a silent knowing emanating from them. I could feel that our last day was drawing near; our freedom was close, and right now, there was something that needed to be done to push the bar ever higher.
“You ready, Silas? This will be the song that will stir their hearts. It better be a good one.”
I nodded. It was all I could do to get rid of the shaky nerves that vibrated throughout my being. My breaths helped ease myself, and in a few seconds, I stood up from my position against the back wall.
Walking out to the middle of the room, I brushed my ass clear of dirt and looked around my recently-changed ‘cell’. Small holes suitable for rats tunneled through the slate walls, no doubt leading into the many slave tunnels that Wergal described.
My eyes rested upon Wergal’s frame once more “You sure this will reach every tunnel in this shithole? I really don’t want to do this more than twice.” At the end of my question, the diamond dog scratched at his neck a bit, then nodded.
“If you project yourself accordingly, there’s no doubt in my mind that your song will reach the ears of everyone in the tunnels right now. As for those in the holding cells near the bottom of Rex’s Level...” He sighed heavily, slowly shaking his head.
“They better get with the program when it all starts. Once this boulder gets rolling, there’s nothing that’s gonna stop it.” Finished with saying his piece, Wergal stood by the cave’s entrance with crossed arms as he looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “It all begins - and so shall end - with you, Silas Epista. Don’t fuck it up.”
I frowned at him while taking a shaky exhale. “Thanks for the boost in confidence, asshole.”
He shrugged nonchalantly, as if saying “No skin off my bones.”
Sighing deeply, I turned my back to him and gave one last thoughtful look on my surroundings. I could hear wind coming out of the holes, whispering the anticipation each slave was no doubt feeling. This was a rumor that had been fermenting in their hearts since I arrived, and they so desperately wanted to hear the song of their freedom.
Taking a couple more breaths, I snapped open my wings and peered over my shoulder at Wergal. “... It happens tonight, Wergal.”
Wergal, for the most part, took what that meant in the chest with a loud grunt and widened eyes. “... No... you don’t mean...” He trailed off, shaking his head a bit. “They won’t be ready, Silas. You’ll be putting some slaves down!” His face contorted into anger, but the most that got out of me was a raised eyebrow.
“If they won’t be ready, then the guards around them won’t be either. Even if you’ve been keeping the origins of these rumors of freedom under wraps, that doesn’t mean the other guards have not heard them. There’s no doubt in my mind that they’ve told Dreggen and the other Brothers by now, Wergal.” My response got a grunt out of the diamond dog, who I heard and saw back out of the cave a bit.
After frowning, Wergal decided to respond. “Fine. Sing your song, make your speech, and get this party started. I’ll be making my Persona Non Grata-ass to Otto’s Level for our mates. If she remembers our part of the plan, we’ll be in touch soon.”
He snarled for a second. “As a man, let me be the first to say that I don’t like the way you do things, cause I damn sure won’t be the last. You have a presence that intimidates others just by being in the same room, Silas.” Taking a deep breath, Wergal gave me his harshest glare, which made me shiver a bit at the pure distaste in his eyes. “You may act like a hero, but it won’t take a genius to see you for who you truly are under that facade.”
I stared at him for a good while, before letting a low growl escape my throat and rattle the cave. “... You don’t know anything.” Turning my head back around, I looked up at the numerous holes in the ceiling. My ears twitched at the sucking of Wergal’s teeth, and then the soft but gruff steps of the man as he left the cave. “... I must save what I cherish... it’s all that matters.”
“Wergal is definitely heading off to Otto’s Level... it’s time to get this ball rolling again.” Taking a deep breath to steady my still-shaking nerves, I moved my jaw around a bit before sighing.
“To everyone that can hear this voice...” I yelled, my voice booming like a megaphone. “I am the one known as Silas Epista; the one who has - indeed - been the talk of the warren! This is the sound of your impending freedom, and your leader!” I slammed a fist overtop of my chest, placing the face of it against my ‘heart’. “I know you were expecting this in two days, but this farce, I shall not allow to continue!”
Taking a half-second brake, I exhaled sharply. “Now, don’t you go expecting some extravagant speech. You all know what you must do! But, you will take this song into your hearts, and strike down those that have shamed you! Mobilize and arm thyselves, and prepare to break the back of the mutts holding you like this!”
My eyes widened from the shock wave that shook my cave. Everything rumbled, and the pebbles on the ground entered the air for a brief second, before falling down and trembling. These vibrations thundered in my innards for a long while, stirring what I could only described as an inner warmth in my belly. This warmth incinerated the butterflies that had taken a steady roost, and filled my body with electricity on the highest levels.
I could feel my senses sharpening, the nails in my claws extending out further. I could taste the war in the air, dripping onto my taste buds like sweet honey as I licked my lips. My vision was not my own as it sharpened and returned to normalcy at its leisure. Every muscle in my body I could feel, each finger that twitched reminded me of the power this body carried.
And then, I tasted it; the sweet aroma and nectar of their blood; the blood of the slaver dogs who have interrupted my life with Sunset Shimmer, and the sweat from the brows of all the slaves that would soon be releasing that blood. This revelation came crashing down on me like a rockslide, suffocating me underneath the call to arms.
Claws tightening into fists, I sucked in air mightily, and roared out...
“KILL THEM ALL!”
All was quiet for but a few scarce seconds... but then I felt and heard the thunder to my lightning cry. Cries of war, of revenge, pain, hurt, loss... all of it smelted into the tumultuous chorus of battle. From these small holes, I could hear the beginning of the end; the genesis of the apocalypse...
Taking one more deep breath, I began the song of war as I ran from the cave, drawing Blowback and speaking its name to activate it. Hearing the lovely whir of my activated shotgun-pistol, I turned the corner to the entrance of the cave...
...Just to be stabbed with about three spears in the stomach.