Shadows leapt and clawed at the base of the wall, but none could get a grip on the smooth stone. Natori thanked the gods. We’re safe for now.
Brother Ingram boomed over the battlefield, “See how they break upon our walls! Now wash this filth away with a razor rain!” The men cheered, firing at will into the mindless horde of writhing metal. Natori watched in awe and relief that their preparations all those years ago paid off, that neglected decade old weapons and fortifications may be enough to keep this nightmare at bay.
But new fears arose as he watched. Dozens of bots fell with every volley, but thousands still poured out of the mist. All silent, all sprinting, inching their way closer and closer to the tops of the wall as they climbed upon their dead. Could they…? No, impossible… The walls stood forty feet at least, there’s no way they could pile that high.
Something drew his attention back to the large bot, the leader they shouldn’t have. Natori’s eyes widened as the giant grabbed a passing shadow, plucking it up with one hand like picking up a toy. The leader cocked its head and held the bot a moment before turning it in its hand like it had the ballista bolt. “Gathii…” Natori felt his stomach turn over as he realized what he was seeing, “Gathii!” The giant wound up and launched the small bot hurtling through the air, its body flailing like a doll as it flew and crashed into the screaming crowd atop the wall.
The bot emerged from the panicking pile of bodies, grabbed the face of the nearest man with a four fingered hand and crushed his head against the stones, splattering them purple in the blue moonlight. The crowd of defenders screamed and scrambled away, tripping over themselves. The bot dove straight into the pile of people shoving and throwing anyone in its reach over the edge of the forty foot walls. Those who fell were immediately swarmed by metal hands and dragged screaming down the hill, vanishing into the mist.
“They’re not killing them…” Natori said, petrified.
“They’re taking them,” Gathii said
——————————————————————————————————————————————————
A Fine Art Giclee Print on Hahnemühle Photorag paper
Dimensions: Sized to fit within a 13in X 19in frame
W - 17.9 in
H - 13 in
——————————————————————————————————————————————————
Digitally Painted by Nolan Lu
Shadows leapt and clawed at the base of the wall, but none could get a grip on the smooth stone. Natori thanked the gods. We’re safe for now.
Brother Ingram boomed over the battlefield, “See how they break upon our walls! Now wash this filth away with a razor rain!” The men cheered, firing at will into the mindless horde of writhing metal. Natori watched in awe and relief that their preparations all those years ago paid off, that neglected decade old weapons and fortifications may be enough to keep this nightmare at bay.
But new fears arose as he watched. Dozens of bots fell with every volley, but thousands still poured out of the mist. All silent, all sprinting, inching their way closer and closer to the tops of the wall as they climbed upon their dead. Could they…? No, impossible… The walls stood forty feet at least, there’s no way they could pile that high.
Something drew his attention back to the large bot, the leader they shouldn’t have. Natori’s eyes widened as the giant grabbed a passing shadow, plucking it up with one hand like picking up a toy. The leader cocked its head and held the bot a moment before turning it in its hand like it had the ballista bolt. “Gathii…” Natori felt his stomach turn over as he realized what he was seeing, “Gathii!” The giant wound up and launched the small bot hurtling through the air, its body flailing like a doll as it flew and crashed into the screaming crowd atop the wall.
The bot emerged from the panicking pile of bodies, grabbed the face of the nearest man with a four fingered hand and crushed his head against the stones, splattering them purple in the blue moonlight. The crowd of defenders screamed and scrambled away, tripping over themselves. The bot dove straight into the pile of people shoving and throwing anyone in its reach over the edge of the forty foot walls. Those who fell were immediately swarmed by metal hands and dragged screaming down the hill, vanishing into the mist.
“They’re not killing them…” Natori said, petrified.
“They’re taking them,” Gathii said
——————————————————————————————————————————————————
A Fine Art Giclee Print on Hahnemühle Photorag paper
Dimensions: Sized to fit within a 13in X 19in frame
W - 17.9 in
H - 13 in
——————————————————————————————————————————————————
Digitally Painted by Nolan Lu
