Chapter 451: Scarecrows (2)
3rd Person POV
The knight's voice pierced the unnerving silence, his demand echoing through the night. His words lingered, swallowed by the thick atmosphere that hung between the invaders and the motionless scarecrows. Yet, no response came.
Seriously, who sticks around demanding explanations from unknown, possibly supernatural creatures? That's how characters end up as scarecrow snacks or worse in horror clichés. You see weird, creepy monsters? You run. You don't engage in a chat, expecting a polite response from creatures like that.
|Stick to the script.|
But hey, we all have that one hero type, don't we? The one who thinks bravery alone can triumph over the forces of the unknown. Admittedly, it's a good trait in most situations, but when you're facing off against animated scarecrows, it might just be time to rethink the strategy.
Alright, let's take a moment to appreciate the brilliant mind behind this grand spectacle of scarecrow warfare. I mean, who dreams up scenarios where knights and mages get into a tussle with sentient scarecrows in a fireproof crop field? Bravo, dear author, bravo.
|Thank you, but please stick to the script, I'm warning you.|
I can almost picture the author at their desk, (I live in his basement, so I can't see what he's doing exactly) cackling maniacally as they jot down, 'And then, the scarecrows come to life!' Genius, really, you stupid son of a-
*****
Since I want to have dinner, I will continue.
The invaders stood frozen in terror, their breaths shallow and rapid, eyes wide with mounting horror. The scarecrows inched closer by the second, but they didn't know how or why, one knight cut off the head and stabbed one of the scarecrows, its head fell off, but the stab of the sword left no blood...this was not a living being disguised as a scarecrow.
Another scarecrow twitched, then another, setting off a chain reaction. Slow, deliberate movements echoed through the field as more of the straw-filled figures shifted their stance, their stitched gazes were now fixated on the intruders.
"We have to move. Now!" the knight shouted
Every attempt to escape only seemed to draw the scarecrows nearer, their haunting whispers growing louder, penetrating the invaders' minds with an incomprehensible dread.
Some of the scarecrows leaned closer, their motionless faces mere inches away from the invaders', exuding a chilling stillness that suffocated the night air. The intruders could feel a cold, otherworldly presence emanating from these grotesque figures, a sensation that clawed at their sanity.
"Welcome to our harvest," it whispered, the words sending a shiver down the spines of the invaders.
With a sudden burst of horrifying speed, the straw-filled figures lunged forward, their movements a grotesque blend of unnatural grace. The invaders barely had a moment to react before the scarecrows closed in, their straw limbs extending like tendrils of darkness. The glint of moonlight off the jagged scythes showed the reflection of their horrified faces.
The rusted blades whirled through the air with a sickening precision, severing armor and flesh alike. The invaders' screams mingled with the haunting whispers of the scarecrows, a chorus of terror echoing across the fields.
The invaders fought desperately, wielding swords and magic against the relentless onslaught, but the scarecrows were unyielding. With every swing of their scythes, they claimed another victim, their movements fueled by an unknown ancient, unfathomable hunger.
Soon enough...the crops were painted red with blood.
*****
Perseus came onto the scene and helped clean it up with other watchers, he then proceeded to approach a corpse who bore a badge symbolizing his role as a leader. And that badge was also a recording and communication device.
"Yo. who dis? New number." Perseus greeted, "If you're not going to reply...trust me, these guys are very obedient to me after I fed them some expensive angels earlier, they particularly liked the wings...which also scares me a bit since I also got wings."
"No need to worry..." a raspy voice replied, "We don't attack one of our own."
"Perseus...who are they?" a female voice spoke up nervously from the crystal
"Ah, I recognize you...was it Sarah or something? With or without the h...? Not that it matters, well, it's great that the heroes were watching this themselves, strikes more fear that way."
"What are they?...There's no record of such creatures."
"Sure, let's go back to the beginning, well, I got this from what Ruka remembered anyway." Perseus then cleared his throat, "Once, they were shapeshifting spirits, elusive and dangerous creatures that roamed the shadows of the forest, predators lurking in the depths, feared by all who crossed their path. Their ability to assume different forms made them elusive and nearly impossible to track.
"The villagers, living in constant fear of these monsters, sought to protect themselves and their homes. They waged a relentless hunt, seeking to eradicate these shapeshifting spirits. The conflict between the villagers and the spirits escalated until the shapeshifters were on the brink of extinction. Cuz, after all, we're the strongest.
"In a desperate bid for survival, the few remaining spirits approached the villagers with an offer, a pact born of necessity. They proposed to protect the crops, a vital source of sustenance for the village, in exchange for their survival.
"Over time, this alliance evolved into a symbiotic relationship. The villagers upheld their end of the bargain by providing meat as an offering to the spirits-turned-scarecrows. In return, the scarecrows stood as silent guardians, watching over the fields and ensuring the harvest flourished.
"As centuries flew by, their shapeshifting abilities were permanently bound into the various forms of scarecrows. The only way to stop them...well, I'm not going to tell you that. One more thing before I let you go, even if you sent Lloyd here, these guys will not consider him as one of our own...so be careful from now on, I'll reveal this one secret to help you prevent more deaths."
The knights and mages who stumbled upon the scarecrows that dreadful night were unaware of the ancient covenant, their knowledge limited to the terror these beings evoked. As they faced the scarecrows' wrath, they realized the sheer impossibility of stopping these entities.
The knights' swords clashed against the scarecrows, but their strikes were futile against these beings. Their one weakness...7-star level magic and above, but that's only for the weakest one. The village was strong, however, they needed a lot of other deadly allies for their title as the strongest to work.