Elephantoasis II

"Just weeks ago, as you obviously know, two of our Outer-Perimeter Fortification Militia personnel left their post to travel here and tell me and the elders of this danger. The elders simply scoffed them away and would not believe such tales, and the two soldiers fled our lands soon after to avoid certain execution for leaving their posts. Now tell me, how do you really believe this? Are you and the deserters simply fools?" Tuskenhamen asked.

"Yes, your grace, we were aware of this sighting, and … uh …. I sent them to you and the elders myself. They are the top two warriors of the Amethyst-Clan and have always been honest and brave beyond words. I thought their words to be impossible too, as our legend, well … you know…the elders have always taught us … and it seems … uh…" Trumpetovian stammered.

"Indeed, I know of the legends, and don't worry about the elders right now Trumpetovian, simply tell me with the full honesty of your heart!" Tuskenhamen interrupted.

"Of course," Trumpetovian continued,

"When I heard the news, I didn't want to believe it myself but considering where the information came from. I had to believe. And now I am fully convinced that they were telling the truth since much of the outer-rim wasteland lies scorched and burned beyond recognition."

"I see …" Tuskenhamen said as he stroked his long trunk with the look of concern on upon his face.

"This information is not easy to deal with because of the elders. Although they heard the account from your soldiers, they do not believe it, and will not believe it unless the dragons themselves were breathing fire upon their very heads! For if it is indeed true, the grand-legends we have been taught for generations would be proved wrong, and everything we have learned will be for naught. We must think of a way to deal with these supposed dragons without our elders and the common folk knowing and also defeat the Ghoells and Dragonites.

We can't have this battle take place outside our walls. We must bring the fight to the enemy. The elders just commanded me to wipe out all of Dragonian after we defend our homeland. It won't be too difficult to convince them to take the fight away from here immediately to gain the advantage without mentioning anything of dragons to them."

"My lord" Stampazion now spoke up,

"I may know of a way to slow down the attacking dragons, to give us time to cut through the ground forces of Ghoells. Dragons, as you know, are insatiable carnivores. As we have surmised, the reason for the Dragonites famine these past years is due to the amount of their livestock they must feed the red dragons, which they honor like gods and willingly starve themselves to feed. Their plan to attack us has not just come due to Hazjarid. They are nearly out of animals to feed the red dragons and themselves now that the beasts are fully grown. They want to conquer us, not only to defeat us and take our lands and resources but to use us as their food..."

Tuskenhamen gasped and took a step backward with the look of pure horror upon his face. The Elephantoasis Emperor paused for a moment with an unsettling silence, then gathered his thoughts and said,

"Yes Stampazion, I believe you are right. Everything makes perfect sense and this makes the threat of the Dragonites even more severe than we had previously supposed. Now please, continue…" Tuskenhamen said calmly.

"Yes, sire … I believe we need to send a small troop to the wastelands where the red-dragons frequent and scorched the earth and set up, u-hum … mountains of dead animals." Stampazion sadly said while hanging his head in shame.

"May the Gods forgive us for speaking such blasphemy! And here, in the Garden Oasis!" Tuskonhamen angrily replied as he trumpeted with ferocity at the suggestion.

"I know it is unheard of sire, but please, may we finish?" Stampazion asked reverently.

With a look of pure anger mixed with confusion on his large grey face, Tuskenhamen said, "You may finish and pray our great elephant god, Dumbaxiathan doesn't strike us all down where we stand!"

"Thank you, and please, what I am about to say is very difficult, yet we have spoken to each other about this and can find no other way. We need to immediately send out hunters into the Illustrious Animal Sanctuary, The Woodland Dome, to capture all of the creatures they can. I know it will be hard to find those willing to do this; we must, however! Then, we bring the caucuses of the slaughtered beasts to the wastelands and set them out. The red dragons will be drawn to them immediately and sit and feast as long as the creatures remain there. By reading much of dragon-lore from our texts, it seems the red-dragons will indeed stay, feast until they are full, guard what is left, and won't move out until their banquet is finished and their stomachs become empty again."

"Yes," Hoofavion interjected, "then we travel, full force by night to the outskirts of the Dragonian and attack them at first light so we have the advantage! We can take down the Ghoells and Dragonites that engage us and then ready ourselves for the red-dragons!"

"How do we fight off two red dragons without losing most of our own forces even if we completely annihilate the opposition?" Tuskenhamen asked with his hand-applied to his forehead while clearly weakened by the subject of the speech. "The Dragonites must have a way to contact … or summon the monsters. What you propose may only buy us hours!"

"Poison my lord! And waiting for our runaways! If you would allow me, sire?" Trumpetovian asked.

"Yes, Trumpetovian, go ahead, and make yourself clear! The sooner this horrid talk of heinous ideas is done the better!" Tuskonhamen demanded.

"We kill the poor creatures with poison, enough for it to be present in their blood after their death. When the red dragons feast they will become sick and slow and weaken considerably. This will not stop them from feasting on them again though, for their hunger will outweigh their apprehension.

Unfortunately, from what I have learned from studying dragon lore, no amount of poison is possible to kill them, but they can be rendered a much less threat. I have already, secretly, made preparations with our potioners, the ancient cult of Harmoniachnuss! Then we hope our Fortification Militia-Elephants, those who originally saw the red-dragons and have left our lands, will have returned with the aid they seek."

"And what aid is this? What is this new blasphemy you speak of now? Murdering live animals! Secrete pacts with the witch-ladies of old lore! What more can there possibly be?" Tuskenhamen asked while weakening, even more, knees starting to tremble and breathe becoming labored.

Hoofavion then said, "My soldiers were commanded by me to enter Creature City if they were not taken seriously by our elders and find the aid we need. For in Creature City certain council members will know of the ancient Hornswallow Yonggari-Trebuchets used to defeat the dragons in the Dragonian Wars centuries ago, and hold them as valuable prizes. My hope is that our Elephantarian soldiers can find the current owner and convince him to help us immediately!"

At that, Tuskenhamen fell back with an uncharacteristic thud into the ivory throne at the head of the table with a look of panic and confusion upon his face. The others stood quietly by and awaited his reply. They knew he could have all three of them put to death for the treasonous actions and inglorious requests they so carefully planned prior to meeting with him.

For killing lesser creatures was heresy, much less hunting them down in droves, poisoning them, and using their carcasses for bait. Plus, for the Elephantarians to accept outside aid from unknown folk who were approached by runaways was the most incomprehensible plan ever mentioned and would normally be met with an immediate death sentencing.

This, however, was not any other case and would require only drastic measures in order to survive such a threat, which was what the generals hoped would keep them from being put down for such dishonorable wishes. Tuskenhamen knew that and now stood, although uneasily, supporting himself upon the grand table, and said,

"What you three have just spoken to me is the most sacrilegious and deplorable set of actions that could ever be taken by proud Elephantarians. And I don't even know how you have so much knowledge about all that you have proposed! Through gossip-mongering and wrongful studying no doubt! I should have all three of your trunks lying in a bloody heap on the ground where you stand!"

There was a brief pause in his speaking replaced by a blood-curdling trumpet, and the generals remained perfectly still, with their heads still hanging low.

"However, I also know if we don't take drastic measures, even as incomprehensible as these, we will never defeat these red-terrors aided by such dark-powers and abominable-creatures! And we still may fail at that! There are too many 'maybes' and 'ifs" in this plan!"

Tuskenhamen closed his eyes and thought to himself, trying to keep his anger at bay. After about five minutes he then continued,

"Keeping all of these matters secrete will be alarmingly difficult because so many of us will have to know. Therefore, win or lose, I will accept full responsibility for these actions from the elders. Each and every other Elephantarian who will need to know of this, including yourselves, was, is, and will be commanded by me! And no word of the plans we make will travel outside of who will be needed to carry it out! Is this understood?"

"Yes your grace!" The three generals all said in unison as they bowed reverently.

"And may our great elephant-lord forgive us for what we are about to do!"