Thruck, the Powerful, wroten and drawed by THRUCK
The Land of Argillos, once, a bastion of beauty in the lonely ocean, is now a dark shell of what it once was. Daygen, the Guardian son of the recently slain Esmond, the Arcane King, has been fated to awaken from his slumber in the Kinghold Caverns on the day when Argillos needs him most. On that day, the evil Balthazaar of the Depths will be slain… and we will be saved. Your job is to camp out at the mouth of Kinghold and keep the initial way clear and to offer aid to Daygen upon his wake, however powerful he is or how humble he may be to deny help, in his conquest against evil. I have full confidence in you, Lieutenant Ceshoh, in leading these young soldiers to victory and salvation. Argillos will be ours again!
-Captain Jaoga
Thruck can’t read stupid human words on stupid human paper. Day that humans stopped scratching on cave walls was day humans became stupidest creatures.
“Thruck!” yell Throg. “Stop standing around like stupid baby and help Throg drag dead human soldiers into bushes!” Thruck ball up human words. Throw them on ground. Thruck and other Goblins drag sacks of weak meat into bushes.
Thruck is most powerful Goblin minion of Dark Lord Balthazaar. Thruck more powerful than Throg, Thrack, Thrug, Throck, and Thrag combined. We all claw and smash for Dark Lord Balthazar, but Thruck is best at it. Maybe Thruck take other goblins with him when he become most powerful and get big promotion next to Dark Lord.
Today is day where Thruck do just that! Today, Dark Lord predict him nemesis, Daygen, wakes from coma, because today is last step for Dark Lord to fulfill master plan of covering Sun with moon forever, allowing return of Ancient Infection and dooming stupid Argillos to cold darkness forever.
Balthazaar always expects worst to happen with him plans. Maybe Thruck teach him not to worry so much when he ask Thruck how him become so powerful.
Dark Lord has ordered Thruck’s goblin troupe to wait for big hero man to wake, bust out of sealed cave, and then smash his head with our heads and claws! We first in line of defense, because, as Dark Lord say, pawns is most strongest part of any army. Maybe Balthazaar teach Thruck chess when we most powerful together, too. All to do now until that is wait for stupid hero man to show him stupid face. Just wait...
… and wait…
…and wait…
Balthazar said big stupid man would be awake! How will Thruck prove power now?
“Thruck!”, yell Throg. Throg eldest Goblin, but not more powerful than Thruck, but Balthazaar make him leader of Goblin troupe, still. A mistake, Thruck think. Will be changed when Thruck the one to slay Daygen.
“Uhh… what!” Thruck yell back.
“Why Thruck stare at sun like stupid little baby?”
“Uh… Thruck just thinking,” I tell Throg.
“Thruck always think! Thruck think like stupid little baby! Ha! Will stupid little baby go another outing and not kill single thing?”
Rest of goblins laugh at Thruck. Nobody get to laugh at Thruck. No kills, eh? Thruck show them. Thruck kill all of them!
Thruck rush at stupid Throg. Lunge for his stupid throat so that he make no stupid words any more.
OW!
Thruck on ground. How Thruck get on ground? Rest of Goblins stand. They stand and laugh at Thruck.
“Why don’t Thruck just get out of here?” Throg say.
Thruck get up. Thruck release fists. Thruck… walk away. Disappear into edge of woods. Thruck will never be powerful. Thruck cry like stupid little baby.
Thruck hear a giant SMASH. Run back to Daygen’s cave.
Rubble cover ground. Daygen exit the cave.
“Good to be back, ay, my friends?” say Daygen. He brandish stupid little glowing sword. Thruck’s Goblins charge him. He holds the sword above him head. Lighting strikes down from clear sky, hit tip of sword, and course through him body. It all very stupid, trust Thruck. Daygen call to spirit of him dead father to guide fighting soul. He slashes sword at Throg. Lighting shoot out of tip of sword. Throg run out of way. Who crying baby now? Lightning explode ground. Dirt fly everywhere. Thruck’s Goblins look scared now. Hope Thruck don’t look scared either, because he definitely not scared like stupid little baby. Tough to see if Throg still alive from behind this boulder on hillside, though.
“Ha! You stupid grunts thought you could take me down?! Your leader’s reign of darkness ends now,” stupid man yell. He slashes at Throg. Throg head fly off. Land on ground like stone. Maybe Thruck... little scared now.
“Ha! You should all be grateful to die by a hero’s blade!” he say. He slash Thrack next in belly. Guts fall out. He cut Thrug in brain. He stab Throck in second and third hearts. Thrag sneak up on him, but Daygen very quick whip around and cast lightning bolt at him. Thrag explode into ash. Reflexes of his very quick, if Thruck must be honest with himself. Too quick.
Thruck very last Goblin alive, now.
“Too easy!” say Daygen. Only easy ‘caus Thruck was not there ‘caus of… him own personal reasons. Daygen sheath sword. He saunter off downhill and towards castle of Dark Lord Balthazaar. If Daygen get to castle, than Thruck doesn’t get promotion! Can’t show off to… well, nobody, now.
Wait!
Thruck have master plan. Thruck push boulder down hill and crush Daygen. Thruck grasp boulder. Push and push with all strength. Boulder not move. Not because is too heavy for Thruck, but because… shut up. Wait! Thruck have another master plan! Thruck put into action quick. Thruck grab tiny little rock. Throw it at stupid hero man’s head. Him reflexes quick. Daygen whips around quick. He casts a lightning bolt at Thruck. Thruck duck back behind boulder. Ground explode in front of boulder. Boulder creak and roll downhill towards Daygen. Daygen run and run downhill like stupid little baby. Boulder faster than stupid baby. Thruck hear giant SQUISH. Boulder CRASH against pile of other boulders at bottom of hill. Thruck not see Daygen’s blood and guts anywhere. He escape?
Thruck tread carefully downhill. Inspect boulder closely. Hold breath. No sign of Daygen or loose blood and guts. Sneak away very quiet. Not because Thruck scared, but because Thruck-
SQUISH!
Eugh! Gross stuff squish between Thruck’s toes. Thruck hate when him step on grubs. Grubs not as red and bloody as this, though…
Oh! Squashed grub just stupid baby man. Fated Meat Mush of Argillos, more like. HA! Thruck laugh with…
Thruck laugh with no one at all. Thruck can only howl with empty mouth of cave.
No time to stand around like stupid little baby. Thruck take magical sword as proof of slaying - as proof of Thruck as most powerful Goblin in Dark Argillos. Thruck make long trip down to Dark Castle.
Two black knights open giant red double doors to Balthazaar’s room. Dark Lord sit on throne, waiting to praise Thruck.
“I understand you have something for me,” he say in wicked whisper that pour from every crack in walls.
Thruck kneel. Hold out Daygen’s sword to him. Balthazaar stand up. His bones creak and moan in dark armor made of Magma Dragon scales. Last Magma Dragon ever died for his suit. Thruck do miss the Magma Dragons. Balthazaar take sword from Thruck. He look at it in wonder.
“How does a lowly ignoramus such as you take down the only creature daring enough to challenge my reign over this land?” Balthazaar ask. I not look in his face.
“Uhh… Thruck kill him through own strength and power.”
“Power?” Balthazaar repeat. He breaks Daygen’s sword over knee. He throw the two pieces across each side of room. “What do you know of power?”
Thruck hear own heart beat. “Can Thruck… get promotion? Be more… powerful?”
Balthazaar laughs. Nearly pierce Thruck’s ears. Thruck hear too much laughter. So sick of laughter. Ball up fists.
“Well, creature, I suppose you may really know a thing about power to seal my reign over this Kingdom. Tell me now: what is your name, creature?”
Unclench fists. “Thruck, sir. Thruck the Powerful.” Balthazaar laugh again.
“Powerful, indeed, Thrack.” He motion me to stand. Name not Thrack. Thrack dead. Thruck was not ordered, so Thruck not stand.
“Why are you not standing, Thrug?!” Balthazaar bellow so loud and sudden the guards don’t help but look. Balthazaar glare at them. They snap heads back around. He turn bright, bright eyes back on Thruck.
“Thruck, sir,” Thruck say.
“I heard you! Now, get up, Throg!”
Throg was good goblin. Harsh, but fair. Had good brain for names. Thruck not stand. Balthazaar step towards Thruck. Thruck stand. He stop. He laugh. Ears hurt.
He lead Thruck over to balcony. See over all vast Kingdom of Argillos. Dark film spread over sun. Green grasses turn to charcoal gray. People of Argillos - all creatures - look… bad. Eyes turned orange. Hands and feets end in tentacles. They all claw and smash each other. Thruck is… happy? Why Thruck’s hearts so loud?
“Fate was wrong, my new best friend. The world belongs to evil. And, now, it always will. Our power is now endless.” Thruck like promotion.
Thruck lead troupe of guards through destructed village. Wear armor made from Magma Dragon scales, like Balthazaar. Powerful. Heavy. Magma Dragons made it seem so weightless in their soars above old goblin village. Miss old village.
No time to think. Think is for stupid little babies. Work needs done. Thruck order guards to smash town hall. They do. Order them to infect last of scattered villagers hiding in the Inn. They do. This the kind of respect Thruck deserve. One stupid man runs from wreckage of village. He fast. Thruck faster. Slash him back. He fall down.
“Where you going, stupid?” Thruck ask stupid, bloody man.
“He’s coming back, you know. Daygen! He’s coming back and he’s going to save us all!”
Guards rush him. Thruck order them to stand down. They do.
“How?” Thruck ask. Not that Thruck really believe him.
“The necromancers heard about what happened. They rose out of the underground to bring him back to life! And he’s going to slay all of you! Especially you, Thrag!”
“Name is THRUCK!” Thruck order guards infect stupid idiot man. They enter their blood into him. Flesh turns gray. Eyes turn orange. Limbs turn to tentacles. Now him only another nameless creature. So nameless. Thruck stare into eyes of new guard. Eyes so empty.
“You order to Thruck, now! Now, what is… what is your name, stupid man?”
He look confused. He not answer. Can’t answer. All infected just grunt and growl. Infection take their names. Thruck see self in stupid man’s eyes. Look stupid in Magma Dragon armor. Magma Dragon scales are for Magma Dragons.
No use in doing dilly dallies like some stupid little baby. Thruck must find necromancers, if really real. Order new guard to lead Thruck to location. He run towards planes. We follow.
Walking for so long. Thruck order guards to stop. Necromancers probably not real, anyways.
Hear chanting. No one around on all horizons. Chanting sound muffled… like by dirt. Order men to claw mud below. Ground RUMBLE. All fall into giant sinkhole. Land on floor of dirty cinder room like potatoes from ripped sack.
Around stand shadows in dark robes. Look very stupid. Thruck miss faces. Faces with names. Thruck hear a squish below butt. Hands covered in red. Below self is blood and guts. And face! Daygen! Him face not attached to a skull, but it definitely him.
“What are stupid robe people doing with blood and guts of Daygen?” Thruck ask group.
People remove hoods. Each face uninfected. Survivors to maim! Thruck’s guards wait for order to strike, but Thruck want to make suspense.
“You’re the one that killed our hero,” say one of stupid robe humans. “What, you’ve come here to ruin our ritual and finish the job? Haven’t you done enough to doom this place? I mean, Argillos was your home, too!”
“Nice try, but Goblin village was destroyed long ago.” Thruck laugh in their faces.
“We can bring them back for you! Just let us live and work on Daygen now!” plead stupid lady.
Can they, really? Thruck consider offer. Lady look tense. Guards drool from mouths. Lady pulls out dagger from robe. She raise above head. Guards pounce and maim them. Thruck not even get another second to think.
Think is for stupid little babies, anyways.
They shove their weird little tentacles through their stomachs. Their eyes go orange. Their hands and feet turn to tentacles themselves. Gross, but whatever gets job done.
The stupid lady fight transformation. “You won’t win, Thruck!” She know Thruck’s name. Thruck order guards to step away from her. Too late. Eyes turn orange. Orange and empty.
Necromancer Lady look just like every other infected now. Can’t do spells anymore. Leave blood and guts behind and head back to Dark Castle with more guards. Glory day for Thruck! Right?! Right?
“Fantastic news, Throck. I knew I was right to put you at the front lines,” Balthazaar say to me. Name not Throck. Sure that Balthazaar will get name right eventually. Has to. Just has to. “That’s why you and me are going to make such great friends!” Uhh. Not sure if ‘friends’ is right word.
“What to do, now, sir?” Thruck ask.
“Now, my loyal Legate, we revel in our discord.” Balthazaar lay back on throne. Let out big sigh. “Please, have a seat. I had this one made for you.” Next to Dark Lord is small version of his own throne. Thruck sit. Balthazaar pull out bottle of red liquid.
“Some wine? Made from the dried and fermented Eclipse flowers that have sprung up all over Argillos since our reign truly began.” He pour wine into dainty little baby glass. He offer to Thruck.
“Uhh… no. Thruck must keep wits about self.”
“Come on, Thruck! Relax a little!” Thruck look into Balthazaar’s eyes for first time. So orange. Color of sickness. Moonlight reflect off Magma Dragon scale helmet of his. Thruck remember last Magma Dragon. Was named Zennu, the Mysterious. Saved Thruck’s home when Thruck was dumb little baby. Mountain exploded. Magma rolled to Goblins. Zennu kept it away until old Throg could run off with arms full of little baby Thruck, Thrack, Thrug, Throck, and Thrag. Then, Balthazaar rose from top of mountain. He attacked Zennu, but Zennu held for long time.
“HUH?!” Balthazaar yell at Thruck. “Are you going to drink with your master, or are you going to just stare blankly at me like a loon?” he slur at Thruck. Thruck take drink. Taste gross. Taste bitter. Balthazaar stare into soul of Thruck. “You know, after I slayed all of my partners so that I wouldn’t have to answer to anyone else, I got really lonely.” He hiccup. “It’s nice to have a friend again.” Balthazaar… not what Thruck thought him would be.
Thruck take sip of wine. Bad.
“Is there any way to reverse infection?” Thruck ask.
“Reverse?! Why would we want to do that?!” Balthazaar talk so loud.
“Uhh… Thruck just want to make sure so that… Thruck can make sure no one else tries it.”
“Oh, sure! Ha!” He hiccup again. “Well, they’re not going to be at full physical capability, but if the infected are burned, than it will stave off most of the infection. That’s why I had to slay all of those Magma Dragons. Ha!” He clink his glass against mine. He stare at Thruck. Thruck drink. Balthazaar drink with.
Thruck drink more. Thruck…
Thruck wake up. Where is Thruck. Balthazaar hold Thruck like little baby. He smell of wine and more wine. Thruck wiggle out of arms, sure not to wake him. Eugh… Thruck head hurt. Everything dark. Fumble around for anything. Hand feel something round. Turn round thing. Door open to Throne Room. Everyone gone. No guards needed here since everyone infected by Balthazaar’s curse. No one to fight. Balthazaar lay in middle of broom closet.
Thruck head never hurt so bad. Balthazar scramble at ground in front of him. “Thruck?! Where are you?” He not even open eyes. Thruck grab bag of trash. Slide it towards Balthazaar. He grab it. He clutch it like stupid little baby. He snores.
Both pieces of Daygen’s sword lay across either side of room like pieces of garbage. Thruck pick them up. Fit them back together. They not go back together again like Thruck hoped they would. Thruck leave throne room. Leave Dark Lord to nap in wine and trash.
Wander halls of giant castle. All hallways are so long. So dark. Like maze. Daygen would have had hard time with these. Especially with infected guards all around. Grab unlit lantern. Break off two scales from armor. Flick them together. Light lantern. Can see where Thruck is going, now.
Finally find lobby. Nothing here now but teeming infected like bugs. Necromancer Lady eats at corpse on the floor. Walk down to her. Empty eyes glare at Thruck. Blood drips down chin. Thruck toss lantern at her. Glass shatter. She run around like headless bird. Tentacles and skin burn off of her. She stops, drops, and rolls. Fire dies down. Thruck kick her body over to see face. See regular human pupils. Good sign.
“What happened?! Where am I?!” she yell. Other guards look interested. Thruck order them to step down. They do.
“What stupid lady’s name?” Thruck ask.
“You! Thruck! You’re the one that killed me!”
“Know better than to pull out knife on Thruck now. Tell Thruck your name now.”
Lady pick herself up. She stumbles. She falls.
“Ivrelekai, the Fleshrender. Ugh, why do I feel so weak?” She tries her legs again. Thruck help. She stand against Thruck.
“Thruck burned most of infection out of you. Now, you resurrect Goblins for Thruck so they can see how powerful Thruck is now.”
“I couldn’t even do that if I wanted to, anymore. Necromancers don’t resurrect everyone because it takes a piece of your soul. A resurrected soul isn’t even strong enough for a single severance.”
Wait! Thruck have another master plan.
“Thruck will offer piece of soul to resurrect Goblins.”
Ivrelekei say nothing for a moment.
“I’ll make you a deal, Thruck. If you let me use your soul to resurrect Daygen, than I’ll get your friends back for you.” Daygen will kill Balthazaar if him back alive. Thruck don’t know…
“Ivrelekei resurrect Magma Dragons too,” Thruck say.
“Are you sure your soul is powerful enough to be severenced that much?”
“Thruck is most powerful! Thruck can handle it! Shut up and resurrect stupid hero man!”
Thruck and Ivrelekei climb down into sinkhole. Blood and guts of Daygen lie on stone table in middle of circle of dead and infected.
Thruck help Ivrelekei to Daygen’s blood and guts. She speak into sky:
“Gormianthe okierth mielrug xuvryt!”
Wind blow hard. Light rain falls.
Balthazaar will never know Thruck’s name. Thruck know. What is power in nameless world.
“Nindreis seddran chalbom!”
Ground shakes. Lightning fly through dark clouds. Thunder crash. Rain pour down. Daygen’s flesh connects back to muscle, muscle back to bone, bone to guts. Then, a white form leaves from Thruck’s chest. Thruck not feel anything, but still very weird to see all suddenly. White form fly into center of fleshy, boney mass. All things tether to white form. All collapse in on self. Daygen take form somewhat like before Thruck crush him with his powerfulness.
Daygen take deep, deep first breath with reformed lungs. Sound gross. Him skin is all scarred. Thruck feel little dizzy. Knees get numb for a second.
“What just happened? Last thing I knew, I just slew a whole band of Goblins, when one of them…”
Daygen look at Thruck. He scream. He crawl back. He fall off of table like stupid little baby getting first head wound.
“All Goblins had names,” I say to stupid little baby man. Baby man look around the ruins of Balthazaar’s Argillos. Look horrified.
“What do you care about a bunch of Goblins when you just destroyed everyone in the whole land?!”
“Maybe if Daygen spent more time getting to know Goblins, then we help you instead of kill you,” Thruck tell him.
“Can we just get to the point here? This is Thruck and you need him if you want to slay Balthazaar,” say Ivrelekei.
“This little creature wants to slay Balthazaar, now? What, your Dark Lord turned out to not care about some nameless grunt? Ha!” stupid baby man say.
“What is mine name?” Thruck ask stupid baby man.
“What?” he ask.
“Can you just tell him so we can get going?” Ivrelekei ask us.
“I don’t need to do that,” he say. He stumble to get up. He fall over like Ivrelekei.
“Ugh, fine. His name is… umm…” stupid baby man mutter.
“Oh, come on, man, he, like, JUST said it,” say Ivrelekei. Stupid baby man say nothing. Ivrelekei mouth Thruck’s name to him.
“Throck! Throck! Of course, your name is Throck!” him burst out. Thruck smack him across head. He fall down to ground. Thruck toss top half of broken sword at him.
“You broke it? My father’s soul was in there! I can’t fight alone!” Him eyes tear up. Thruck not like tears. Throw other half of sword at him.
“We not need special sword to kill Balthazaar! Thruck is powerful enough to kill Dark Lord with bare claws! And if you have part of Thruck’s soul, than you are, too!”
Thunder crash. Nobody say anything for a second.
“Your name is Thruck, right?” He wipe stupid tears from stupid face.
“Thruck not Daygen’s friend. Daygen and Ivrelekei are minions of Thruck and will help rule Argillos with Thruck,” Thruck tell them, “And, now, we resurrect Goblins and Magma Dragons.”
“About that… I… kind of… lied.” Ivrelekei muster out.
“What?! Thruck was promised army of Goblins and Dragons! Cannot defeat Balthazaar with little baby man and puny lady who can only handle little tiny baby knife!”
“Well, Thruck, I thought you were the most powerful all on your own!” Ivrelekei say. “You don’t need all of them to defeat someone so pathetic as the Dark Lord. And, besides, you’ve got one minion with part of your own soul in him and you’ve got armor made from the last Magma Dragon. AND Balthazaar is still asleep, so we could just sneak into his castle and past all of his guards. It’s a recipe for success!”
She right. After Thruck become most powerful, Thruck and Daygen bury armor and sword together. Give good gravestone. Least Thruck can do for dead at this point. Nothing better than be honored by most powerful: Thruck.
Thruck approach castle of Lord Balthazaar. Pull switch to bring drawbridge down. It doesn’t budge. Balthazaar poke head out of window to him room.
“Thrack!” He hiccup. “I knew I couldn’t trust anybody! When I woke up with that bag of trash instead of my best friend in the world, I armed all of my infected to attack you!” He cry like stupid little baby and duck head back out of window.
“I see you two got very familiar,” Daygen say.
“Shut mouth,” Thruck tell him.
“Is there another way into the building?” Ivrelekei ask.
“If I had my sword, I could’ve shot the chain and-” Daygen say before Thruck throws off Magma Dragon armor and slam onto ground.
“Resurrect, minion,” Thruck tell Ivrelekei.
“I can’t do that. To resurrect a whole dragon from just its scales, I have no idea what it’ll do to you,” Ivrelekei say.
“Thruck is most powerful. Now, will Thruck’s minion do what Thruck says?!”
Ivrelekai say weird words again because Thruck is boss. Rain grows more dense. Wind knocks down trees in distance. Lighting strikes down into ground next to Thruck and minions. Dirt blow everywhere. White soul pour from Thruck’s chest. Fall into armor. Nothing happen to armor. Thruck struggle against weight of own body. Because body is so strong…
“More!” Thruck yell.
“I can’t!” Ivrelekai yell back.
“Yeah, maybe we should slow down and try something else!” Daygen scream.
“MORE!”
Ivrelekai say more weird words. Thruck fall to knees. Thruck not need feet, anyways. Armor raise from ground. Head and arms slide out of holes. Black claws scrape against ground. Wings pull out from back with big crack sound. Body form into familiar shape. Eyes form into… not Zennu... but Jerru, the Magnificent! Jerru roar into storm above. Balthazaar peak head out of window.
“Where did you get that?!” He pull head back into room.
Jerru and Thruck share look. Know each other.
Thruck pull self onto Jerru’s back. Minions help push him rest of way. Minions follow onto back. Jerru blast down front door with magma breath. Infected pour out of door towards us. Another bellow of magma. Infection burn off. They all crawl along ground out of way.
Jerru enter castle. Next stop: more power. Thruck’s soul pour out of chest.
“Your soul is leaking, Thruck. I don’t… I don’t know if I can do anything,” say Ivrelekai.
“Not needed. Thruck can handle stupid little soul leakage, minion.”
Vision fade from Thruck’s eyes for just one second.
“You sure, Thruck?” Daygen ask. Thruck wave him off. Of course. Thruck feel great. Daygen blast other infected with Magma. Thruck’s soul leaks onto floor and into dead. Dead and de-fected scramble out of sight.
Jerru bust down door to throne room. Balthazaar nowhere to be seen. Thruck get down off of back. Fall to floor. Thruck and Ivrelekai help Thruck up.
“Not needed! Thruck feel more powerful than ever!” Thruck’s soul leaks out of throne room. Ivrelekai and Daygen look worried like stupid little babies. Thruck crawl towards throne on knees.
Balthazaar all of the sudden bust out of broom closet. He wield two battle axes in both hands. Jerru pelt him with blast of magma. Balthazaar shield walk through magma like nothing. He slash Jerru’s leg. Jerru roar. Fall to floor. Daygen rush him, piece of sword in each hand. Balthazaar kick him in chest. He slam against wall. Ivrelekai sneak behind him with knife. She approach him, silent. She raise knife to back of neck. Balthazaar whip around. Hit her head with blunt end of axe. She stumble back onto floor. Thruck claw at ground ahead of him. Need to help. Balthazaar raise axes above Ivrelekai’s body. She raise hands in front of face.
“STOP!” Thruck yell. All stop. “Thruck is most powerful, so Balthazaar will fight Thruck!”
“You can’t do it right now, Thruck, your soul has left your body incredibly weak,” Ivrelekei say.
“Good! So, me and Balthazaar are even now!” Thruck tell her.
“I thought me and you were going to rule the world, Thrack…” say stupid armor man. He approach Thruck. Thruck ball up fists.
“Pathetic,” Balthazaar say. “You Goblins really are just all the same. You got lucky with one kill and let it go to your head.”
Thruck attack him. Arms feel… weak. Soul still pour from chest. Balthazaar still stand above Thruck. He raise axes above him head. Thruck was… never most powerful?
Balthazaar’s body cracks.
“What… what’s happening?” Balthazaar ask. Thruck’s soul leak into him armor. He not move. Can’t move? Wings sprout from him back. Head spring from Balthazaar’s head. Balthazaar scream in pain. He rip apart into… Zennu?! Zennu so big. Twice as big as Jerru. So powerful.
Balthazaar’s screams fade away into Zennu’s roars. Zennu and Thruck share look. Zennu tear roof off of throne room. Zennu Thruck’s eyes… Thruck can’t see very well, anymore. Whole body… numb… thoughts… slow…
Daygen and Ivrelekei pull Thruck out of Throne room.
“Come on, buddy, let’s get you out of here! We’re going to make it through this, alright?!” say Daygen. Thruck’s soul make Daygen less annoying, maybe. Thruck…
Thruck black out? Outside already? Sky is… clear… Lot of de-fected and resurrected of recently dead crowd around. Dragons destroy castle behind. Thruck’s soul just trickle out of chest, now. Crowd hold up Thruck. Cheer Thruck’s name.
Thruck hear... Goblins? Thrack, Thrug, Throck, Thrag, and even Throg all carry Thruck through crowd. Hopefully carry Thruck to somewhere… quieter… for… rest… so tired… so tired…
“Had a lot of soul, Thruck. Powerful soul. Sleep, good one,” say Throg. He pull eyelids closed. Stay closed.
All light fade from eyes… and soul no longer flow… but Thruck knew… Thruck really was… most powerful.
Against all odds, eyes snap back open. All of Argillos stand before Thruck, in praise of him glory and power. Thruck heart feel warm. Thruck… Thruck wonder why everyone stand around like stupid babies!
“GET BACK TO WORK!” Thruck yell at stupid subjects. “Thruck don’t have all day! Thruck need you all to rebuild him castle if him to have place to order every one from!”
Every one look confused. Was Thruck not clear enough for stupid babies?!
“GO!” Thruck yell.
Giant Magma Dragons and humans and Necromancers and Daygen and even Goblins pounce on Thruck, but stop mid-moves. Look even more confused.
“We’re all soul-bonded to him. He… he’s too powerful,” Ivrelekei make clear to every one. Daygen look devastated. Thruck laugh and laugh, and all subjects laugh with Thruck. Because them have to. Because them Thruck’s friends. Thruck order Daygen to carry Thruck back to him rightful throne as King of the LAND OF THRUCKILLOS.