Novel: The Brutal General by Shigu_Warrior

The Brutal General
Chapter Two

After a long trek through the forest, the man walked into a dark cavern and met with a female friend.

“Is the sergal on her way to the capital?” The friend asked.

“No.” The man replied.

“Did you tell her what was at stake?”

“Yes.”

“Well I guess it’s time to work some of you magic.”

“Are you coming with me pup?” The man asked.

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“I would be best because the sergal may recognize me.”

“True. When do we leave?”

“Three days.”


It has been many days since the small battle in the village. Rain has nearly forgot the whole thing. Rain remembered the fight and the excitement it brought. She was getting bored with her life in the village because she repeated the same routine everyday. Then after another successful day of accomplishing nothing important, Rain crawled into her bed to sleep for the night.


Late in the night, two figures carrying weapons and a small sack entered the village. They climbed into Rain’s house through the bedroom window. The female figure quietly removed Rain’s knife from the nightstand and placed it on the floor while the man carefully emptied the contents of the bag.

In the bag were two thick nylon ratchet straps, a vile of chemicals that the man will never name, a rag, a litter of fuel and a lighter. The female helped the man set up the supplies. They took the straps and attached them to the sides of Rain’s bed without them touching her. The female figure used a spear to suspend both of the straps over Rain’s body so they would not accidentally wake her up from the contact. The man dumped the chemicals onto the rag and grabbed the end of a strap.

“Ready?” The female figure asked as she grabbed the end of the other strap.

The man nodded and whispered, “We have to make this quick.”

The female then pulled the spear from the straps as the two figures pulled on the ends hard. They quickly fell into place over Rain’s torso and legs. Rain snapped awake and tried to reach for her nightstand. Her arms were nearly tethered to her body and could not move. The straps had not locked into place and were a bit loose. Rain tried to get up, but the straps then locked in their braking systems. With the straps taunt, the two figures cranked the ratchets until Rain was unable to move. She growled as she struggled to escape her restraints. The man unfrightened by her growl then pressed the chemical soaked rag over Rain’s nose.

Rain turned her head from side to side to avoid the man’s influence. The man grabbed the top of her head to steady it. Rain then started to breathe in the noxious fumes and began to feel light headed. She opened her mouth to fill her lungs with precious oxygen that would keep her from passing out. Reacting quickly the female figure removed her leather belt and wrapped it around the sergal’s jaw to clamp it shut. Rain once again was breathing the fumes that came from the rag.

Rain’s thoughts started to become hazy and dulled. Noises became muffled and she felt as if her tongue was made from cotton. Her sense of smell sharpened while everything became numb. She lost the energy to fight and she slowly slipped out of consciousness.


The man pulled the rag away from Rain’s face and open one of her eyes with his fingers. He looked into Rain’s diamond shaped pupils surrounded by a golden iris and saw nothing that suggested that she was still conscious. The man pulled a small flashlight from his belt and directed it’s beam into the sergals eyes. The pupil was supposed to dilate, but it had not changed.

“Such a beautiful creature… Two bad we had to really put her out.” The man said to his partner.

“I thought you said I was beautiful.” The female said as she started to get jealous.

“You are, my love. You are the only one for me, but even you cannot deny this beautiful product of evolution.” The man explained.

“I love you too.” The female said before she licked the man’s cheek. “You are right though. I can agree. The sergals are pretty.”

“Until they tear your face off that is.” The man said jokingly.

“True.” The female said as she pushed on Rain’s left shoulder. “Damn. You may have placed her in a coma. I told you not to make the mixture that strong.”

“The mixture had to be stronger than normal because of her size, but you may be right. I may have gone over board… Now let us get to work.”

The two figures released the straps that used to be the only thing keeping them safe from the massive sergal. The man set up a few objects and the female took back her belt. She ran it through the loops of her pants and prepared her self for when Rain woke up. If she ever woke up.


Rain slowly opened her eyes. Some of her senses were impaired and she had a blistering headache. The edges of her vision was burred like she was looking through a tunnel. Everything felt numb to her and she was unnaturally calm and tired. Rain looked around and everything appeared to be normal except for the lack of senses. She sat up in her bed and then froze.

“Greeting sergal.” A female said.

Rain looked toward the source of the voice and asked, “Who are you?”

“My name has no significance to you.”

The figure stood in darkness just like the man did. She hid her appearance, but had no problem with speaking loud enough to be heard.

“What are you doing here? Were you sent here by the man?”

The figure was silent.

“What is going on here?” Rain asked as she turned and placed her feet onto the wooden floor.

“You can answer that yourself sergal.” The figure replied.

“Is this some kind of dream?”

“You wish it was. This is a premonition. An insight into the future. These events will come to pass unless you act now.”

The figure stepped out of the darkness and into the moon light that flooded into the room through the window. Rain was now able to get a better look at who she was talking to. The figure appeared to be a female human with some sort of mask.

The figure approached Rain and said, “Your journey will be long and arduous, but if you refuse, the rivers will run red with blood.” As if on cue, a ring of fire ignited bathing the room with wicked light.

Rain looked at the figure in the new light. Standing in front of he appeared to be a female human, but her hands and head were not. The woman’s head was in the shape of a wolf’s and covered in jet black fur. Her hands were strange in appearance. From a distance they would look like ordinary human hands covered in black fur, but under inspection they resembled a wolf’s paw. The creature wore an open black trench coat that was almost as dark as her fur. Underneath the coat Rain could see a black shirt that hung loosely over a pair of black pants. In the light of the fire the figure was immensely intimidating and had a deadly aurora. Rain’s sense of smell was beginning to return and detected a familiar scent of blood and death. She had recognized the smell, but could not remember where it came from.

The figure knelt down to bring her face closer to Rain’s. Rain looked into the figure’s dark eyes and saw nothing, but death and destruction.

The figure locked Rain into an icy stare and said, “The land will be bathed in eternal fire. The dead will litter the streets. A great poison will spread throughout the world and in the end everything will die… I have seen this before and will see it again if you do not take action… Outside the walls of your mind wages a war that only you can stop… There is a weapon you will seek and only you can wield its awesome power. They will see you as the great destroyer, but they will realize how you saved them… Go off now and begin your journey.”

Once the female finished her speech, the man attacked Rain from the edges of her vision. He punched her in the side of her face with a pair of brass knuckles. Rain’s head was wrenched to the right from the impact. The man pulled a black hood over her head and the female grabbed Rain’s throat. She applied a bit of pressure and Rain passed out again.


Rain woke up the next day and looked around her room. Nothing was changed or out of place. The knife was exactly where she left it the day before. There was no evidence of the fire that was burning last night.

“It was just a bad dream.” Rain thought, but it was more than that. Her mind was haunted by the sight of the female figure. Rain remembered the piercing stare and how the fire danced in her eyes. It felt more than a dream to the sergal. It was as if it compelled her to accept the man’s mission. Rain tried to remember what the man had said. After many moments she failed and took a look at the knife. Rain drew the knife and then remembered the entire night that occurred a few days ago.

“I must go to the capital… That is what the man had said.” Rain thought, “But how do I get there?”

Rain grabbed her knife and exited her home. She walked around the village searching for someone that could help her. Rain walked around for an hour before a trader stopped her.

“Do you need help with something?” The trader asked.

“Yes I do.” Rain said hating her lack of knowledge and that she had to be helped.

“What do you need?”

“I need to go to the capital of this land.”

“Oh. You going to there to seek your fortune?”

“No. I have no time for that. I need to warn them of a great and powerful force.”

The trader laughed at Rain and said, “What is this force you speak of?”

“None of your concern. Just tell me where to go.” Rain demanded.

The trader pulled a rolled map out of his sack by his feet. He led Rain to an empty table in the village square and unrolled the map.

“The city you are looking for is there.” The trader said as he pointed to the city in the center of the map. “This is where our so called ‘government’ and military reside. It’s called Citadel. It’s straight north from here.”

“Thank you.” Rain said as she turned and walked away.


The large sergal exited the village carrying only a knife. Two figures dressed in black watched hidden from view on a hill as Rain headed north.

“Is there really a weapon that only she can wield?” The man asked his partner.
“No. Just made it up thinking it would motivate her.” The female replied.

“Nice.” The man said as he gave his friend a high five.

They both turned and walked away from their hiding spot. They walked hand in hand into the forest and disappeared just as Rain stepped onto the long road that will take her to Citadel.

The Brutal General
Chapter Three


Rain walked through the thick dark forest in search of the city that held the key to the fate of the world. What lie in wait upon her arrival was a mystery to Rain. She was promised the fame and glory of being the savior of the world. Her task was to end the war that was fast approaching by using the awesome power of an unknown weapon that may never exist. It was a daunting task that was riddled with holes. How true was Rain’s vision. Did the images Rain saw actually occur or were they figments of her imagination. There was no way to know, but there was a way to find out. The answer laid miles away in a city that was unknown to the sergal.

Rain walked endlessly for two days straight before stopping for rest. On the third day of her long trek, Rain had a faint feeling that see was being watched. She felt their piercing eyes bore into the back of her skull. They knew what she heard, saw and even thought. Just as the feeling became unbearable, Rain called out to address her watchers, but there was no response. Perhaps Rain did not want a response, but wanted to scare them off. Either way, Rain felt that she was being watched constantly.


Two figures dressed in black watched Rain while hidden from afar. They watched over her to ensure her safety. They needed her to reach her goal. They knew what was at stake and did everything within their power to guarantee Rain’s arrival in Citadel. They indirectly guided her to water when she was thirsty. They chased animals to her for her to eat. When she strayed from the general path, they showed her the way, but they were always hidden. They never revealed their positions during the trip. It was as if they did not exist.

These two figures were part of a group skilled in arts that were not familiar. They knew everything that was going on around them. They knew how to fight. They were able to instill fear and begin conflicts with easy. They were capable of building devices from nothing. Then finally they could vanish into thin air. They were experts and professionals. They were powerful as individuals, but their down ultimate downfall was they are not able to work together. As a team they were indestructible, but individually they could be easily destroyed if one knew their abilities.

These two figures were different. They always stuck together. They became friends the moment they met and eventually lovers. They were strangers amongst others of their kind, but they always had each other. They were the only ones of their species and two of the last of their clan.


Many days passed and Rain has not found Citadel. She was walking in the right direction. Her ‘watchers’ ensured that. Rain thought the journey would be easy, but the distance seemed much shorter on the map. She walked endlessly stopping only for brief naps because dreams of the two figures plagued her throughout the night. After too many days without sleep on the seemingly endless walk to Citadel through the roughest terrain, Rain spotted the walled city.

Citadel was a large city that sat high upon a rock outcropping five hundred meters high overlooking the land to the south. The city was built in perfection to maximize efficiency and defense. The city was built in a square three kilometers from side to side. Surrounding the Citadel was a wall built in the shape of an eight pointed star. The wall was thirty meters high and five meters thick with a triangular shaped turret on each point of the star. There was only one gate that served for both the entrance and exit for the fortress like city. Leading to the gate was a long wide gravel road that winded up the mountain to the city.

The forest abruptly ended. In front of Rain a plain stretched for kilometers before it ended at the base of the mountain range that held the location of Citadel. Rain took a cautious step from the forest that protected her and then thought, “This would be an excellent place to set traps during times of war. Better sleep and go at this with a rested mind.”


Rain made a makeshift camp and settled down to sleep. The two figures emerged from their hiding place silently.

“We should go to Citadel and make sure she gets into the city. Maybe inform the king of the attacks and of the sergal’s bravery.” The man said.

“Agreed.” The female replied.


The two figures left for the city as Rain slept through the rest of the day and into the night. It was the best rest she had all month. When she woke up, Rain did not want to leave. She hunted for some food nearby and then went to rest for the night of the second day. Rain woke from her peaceful sleep and readied herself for the day ahead of her.

Rain gingerly stepped out of the forest and into the open. She smelled the air and then searched the ground. She did this every few steps. Each time she searched for danger there was none. Rain gave up half way through the plain and just walked as if nothing was wrong. She remained alert, but was completely focused on her goal.

After an hour Rain began walking up the long gravel road leading to Citadel. The road was worn and dusty. It was easy to transverse, but its length made it taxing. By the noon Rain arrived at the front gate.

The gate was wide and tall. It was guarded by six sergal guards. They wore thick armor made from metal and carried spears. They saw Rain with her knife and ordered her to stop.

“Place your weapon on the ground!” One of the guards barked as they all pointed their spears at Rain.

Rain followed the command and said, “I have urgent information to report.”

“And what may that be?” A guard questioned.

Before Rain could answer a sergal wearing slightly different armor approached and said, “Let her through. She has an audience with the king.”

The guards lifted their spears and stood to the sides of the gate. Rain retrieved her knife and approached the seventh sergal.

“You have been summoned sergal. Follow me.” The guard said.

Rain nodded and replied, “Show me where to go.”

The guard walked Rain though the city to the castle in the middle. The city was perfectly divided. Military facilities were on one side while government and other buildings were on the other. Rain looked at the military half and noticed much of it was empty. They had many abandoned buildings that were capable of housing personnel or equipment, but they appeared empty. The other side was very crowded. It was if the others were not a fan of the military and refused to be among them. After a few minutes of walking, the guard opened the gate to the castle.

The castle consisted of one main tower surrounded by many smaller buildings. It had a tall wall, but it was not as tall as the outer one. The castle appeared to be almost a scale replica of the city. It had main center, smaller buildings surrounding it and a wall in the shape of an eight pointed star. The city was appropriately named Citadel because its defenders were trained to operate one line of defense and if the first line fell, they could fall back and defend the next line easily because it was generally the same. The city also sat with a mountain on one side and cliff. It was made difficult to reach the fortress. It was a completely different challenge to assault its walls. To even think about taking the city required a death wish. Especially since sergals were known for their skills in combat.

Rain was led through the castle and the guard stopped at a large pair of doors guarded by two guards. They were similar to the guards at the outer wall except for their armor was highly decorated with ornate engravings. The guard leading Rain knocked on the door.

“Enter.” A voice commanded from inside.

The doors opened and a very decorated room was revealed. There was carpet leading up to a platform where a throne made out of gold sat. The floor and walls were made from marble with decorative trim carved from the rock. Paintings of the lands the kingdom covered the walls giving the room a feel of home. Quilts that were artfully crafted hung from the walls to cover bare spots along with other art. Large windows were spread evenly to minimize shadows and given the room a feeling of importance. On the throne sat a sergal that was well groomed and had a royal appearance.

The guard bowed as he presented Rain to the king. Rain looked at this practice with disgust and thought, “Why does this guard bow when he receives nothing for his service. And this king. Who does he think he is? Some kind of god because he was born into a rich family. I will not bow to this snob.”

Rain approached the sergal on the throne and said, “I am here to report a matter of great importance”

The king appeared to be annoyed because Rain did not follow the proper tradition of showing respect. He thought about disciplining her, but he knew that she was needed in the near future.

“I know why you have come.” The sergal said with authority.

Rain gave the king a confused look and asked, “How?”

“A creature from an era long ago told me everything about what happened in your village. He told me about your abilities and other qualities you possess.”
“Who is this you speak of?”

The king slowly became angered by Rain’s attitude. She did not show him any respect and treated him as scum.

The king turned his head towards the one shadow in the room and said, “Reveal yourself.”

The figure from many nights ago stepped from the shadow into the light from the windows. The figure was dressed in black clothing that appeared to be a uniform. Rain remembered seeing a picture of a creature similar to the figure in front of her in a book. It was a creature from long ago that destroyed the Earth once before.

The figure in front of her was a human, but this one was different. This human instead of having ears on the side of his head, had wolf like ears on the top of his head. The figure had short black hair that was as dark as his clothes. His skin was pale and his eyes were a dark gray. He had a sword strapped to his left hip and some kind of frame on his right.

“Are you a human?” Rain asked.

“Not quite.” The figure replied.

“Then what are you?”

“I am a werewolf.”

“I never heard of one.”

“We are part human and part wolf. You can call us hybrids.”

“Explain yourself, so this sergal can stop asking questions.” The king ordered as he became annoyed.

“Yes your highness…” The werewolf said with an unnoticeable hint of disgust in his voice. “My name is Wolf, but I am called many other names. Though most know me as the Sandmann. I was given the name from my reputation for killing targets as they sleep. I am from an elite group of individuals that will succeed at any task placed before us. I am one of the last of my kind.”
“Why have you come here Wolf?” Rain asked.

“You were taking too long. I had to take matters into my own hands.” The figure dressed in black replied.

The king looked at Wolf and then at Rain. He knew who Wolf was because he introduced himself the day earlier, but he had no idea who the sergal in front of him was.

“Now who are you sergal?” The king asked Rain.

“Her name is Rain Silves Sir.” Wolf said before Rain could answer. “She lives in a small village in the southern valley and is skilled in combat.”

“I did not ask you maggot.” The king replied to Wolf. “I asked the one with golden eyes.”

“What he said is true.” Rain declared. “There is not much more to know.”
The king sat in silent thought. Rain gazed into the werewolf’s eyes and caught a glimpse of hatred. A dark intent was brewing, but it faded quickly as he turned to face her.

“In light of the events that had occurred. This may be an act of war… Wolf, Rain… You are both to assist in readying my soldiers. I will lead them into battle, but you will get them off their lazy behinds and back into shape.”
“Yes your Majesty.” Wolf replied.

“You both are dismissed. Now leave my sight.” The king ordered.
Both Rain and Wolf left the castle and walked together towards the gate.
“It looks like we will have to work together. Now failure means death.” Wolf replied.

Rain nodded and said, “I do not think this will work out.”

“Why do you think that?”

“I know nothing about war. I can fight, but prepare an army? That’s another subject that I have no experience in.”

“Looks like we are in the same boat. I am just a mercenary. I come from a time long ago where people rushed to defend their borders with armies ready to fight at a moments notice. Not here where we have to ready these warriors. I can train them to fight as individuals, but not as a team. If they cannot work together than they will fail in this fight. I fought in a war with enemies like the one we face and I know we can stop them, but not like this.”

“You know what we are up against? When was the last war you fought? The land has been peaceful for years now.”

Wolf stopped and then said, “I have said to much. Please do not ask any more questions.”

Wolf turned to walk a different route, but was stopped by the one of the king’s personal guards.

“The king has requested that you stay here in one of our barracks. You will have your own building.”

“Well… Lead the way.” Wolf replied.

The guard turned around and led the two warriors to one of the officer barracks and bid them a good night. Within the barracks, Rain and Wolf picked beds on the opposite sides of the room.

Rain held still carried the knife Wolf gave her and then said, “You forgot to take your knife back.”

“No you keep it. You’re going to need…” Wolf removed his jacket and removed a rig that was slung over his shoulders. “Take this. It’s a sheath for the knife… The sheath itself can be remove from the harness and attached to almost anything, but you may want to keep it on.”

Wolf showed Rain how to use her new shoulder harness and ways to hide it underneath clothing. After Rain was satisfied with her new equipment, they both went to their beds as the sun began to set.




(Not my best work, but the message will hopefully get across.)
The attached document needs corrections. The corrected version can be found on my Furaffinity Account: Wolf127.