At the behest of Esus, I present to you:
DANTE'S ODDYSEE
brought to you by
Witty Commentary Co.
Anywho, yeah, yeah, I'm running late. Sue me. At least I'm still writing, right?
Chapter 27
Time to lead the assault. I hopped off the platform unceremoniously, and started marching towards the cave entrance. Behind me, I heard the whirring and churning of dozens of sets of slig pants set into motion. Sweet.
This was the signal for the renegades to start picking off the army. The less sligs we’d have to kill off when they reached the cave, the easier things would be.
On cue …
Gunshots ripped overhead! Good. At least they weren’t mistaking me for one of them. I didn’t look back; I shouted encouragement to the army behind me.
“Don’t let a few fallen friends slow you down! Keep moving! We must outnumber them ten to one!”
Thank Odd. That bull kept them on track. I was answered by a chorus of enthusiastic slig yells. Nice.
We marched on, under gunfire from the renegades. They didn’t seem to have as much firepower as I thought—the attacks were minimal. Still, if they were persistent enough….
We had reached the cave entrance. I turned back and observed the survivors. They looked pretty shaken, expecting death to rain from above or something. Heh, heh. They were nervous. Even better, they looked scared.
There still had to be around seventy sligs sitting around, though. Time to think ….
“Okay, troops!” I cried. They snapped back to attention. “I will take ten of you with me to the top of the hill to cover you from any show of force. If the enemy sligs start to overwhelm you—unlikely, but not entirely impossible—and force you back, retreat into the open, so we will have a clear shot.”
Ten sligs stepped forward. Well, that was simple.
“Next, three sligs will be in charge of lifting the removed pants into the cave entrance after those who climbed in have entered the cave.”
Three more sligs stepped forward. Talk about well-trained!
“As for the rest of you, begin removing legs and climbing into the cave! Move!”
I motioned for my ten-slig entourage to come with me, and moved for the slope. The ascent wasn’t too difficult … but it was still a bit trying.
We reached the top, and I took in the sky and the clouds and the boulder-strewn field and everything, all over again. I almost forgot I was in a slig body.
what now, boss?
I guess I’ll never get over seeing the outdoors like this. It’s so beautiful. I guess I understand why guys like Abe fight the Powers That Be.
uhh, boss?
It’s to save things like this, that I’m seeing right now. Totally worth it.
“BOSS!”
I yelped out loud. My mudokon instincts had kicked in for a moment, scaring the wits out of me. Loud slig voices aren’t things you want to hear.
But I caught back on.
“Right! Gentlesligs, lets go.”
That was, you guessed it, another cue. The renegades stepped out from behind various boulders and raised their guns, aiming at our troop.
The sligs standing around me naturally heard the noise, and looked very panicked. Not an emotion you want to show with guns pointed at you. Especially when those with the guns were waiting for my command.
“Shoot ‘em.”
The sligs I had taken up the slope with me were shot down quite unceremoniously.
“Benedict! Get over here!”
After a moment, Benedict hurried over to me. “What’s up, Dante?”
I told him the situation. It had just occurred to me that the sligs below would be wondering about those gunshots. So, it was now or never.
Benedict pulled a slig grin. “Not to worry. We’re already on it.” He motioned behind him, and I looked over to see two large boulders rolling slowly but steadily towards us.
I was so proud.
Time to roll. I dropped my guns and rushed to their aid. This had to go faster, the sligs would have come to investigate by now.
Sure enough …
“FREEZE!”
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