Living weapon whumpee
“How much more do we have to go?”
Character A asks grunting slightly as they scaled up another jagged boulder. This better be worth it. They've been scaling these icy rocks and avoiding freezing their toes off for the better part of two months now.
Leader, Character A and Character B had been hiking through this God-forsaken frozen hell scape for so long that Character A forgot what colours other than blue, black and white looked like.
Character A swore if they died of hyperthermia they were going to haunt Leader so hard. Character B was trembling but following along behind them.
“We’re close. We’ll get there soon.”
Leader had always wanted to find the Weapon.
The Weapon was supposedly this powerful object made - crafted from the blood of the innocent, forged in the hottest pits of hell - by the warriors of old who once protected the Kingdom. A weapon that wrought destruction and despair to the enemies and struck fear in to their very bones. A weapon that burned down the rivaling Kingdoms in the matter of minutes and left nothing but ashes and smoke behind.
Then the peace came, so they did not need Weapon anymore. The warriors embarked on their last sacrifice for the Kingdom by setting out to a desolate and deserted place far, far away from civilization so Weapon did not fall in to the wrong hands.
… Apparently.
At least that’s how the story goes. For Character A it was just another wives tale people told to make the First Warriors sound more heroic than they were. To make the little ones gasp in awe at how great the Kingdom was and how powerful.
But for some reason, Leader believed it. And they wanted to *find* Weapon. Deep down Character A knew it was because they were getting desperate. The kingdom was only peaceful for so long. Whispers of an uprising were brewing, a big one. And Neighboring Kingdom was said to be the ones funding the rebels. As the best warriors in the Kingdom, it was up to them to protect their land and Leader was determined to nip this rebellion in the bud.
Character A, Character B and Leader had been through everything together, since they were children. So even in this frozen abyss that made Character A’s fingers feel like they were being cut off, they refused to let Leader face the frostbite alone. This was no different to them than that one time - when they were just old enough to learn that not all fairytales were real - Character B fell in to that pit and Leader and Character A spent the entire day getting them out. To all of them, they were just sticking together. Just like they always did and always will do.
Character B slipped on some black ice and stumbled, snapping Character A back to reality. They caught Character B before they could fall. “Leader, maybe we should take a break. We’ve been walking for a good chunk of time and the wind is picking up.” Character A called out to Leader over the wooshing of the wind.
The leader looked back at the duo and considered, they did not debate for a long time. “Alright. We need to rest and be at our best shape for when we find Weapon. Who knows what kind of traps that place has.”
They found a cave - well more like a small shelter that was made by the rock over time. But it was enough to shield them from the worst of the wind and enough to let them rest for a while.
“What do you think the weapon is? Like…. Do you think we can even carry it? What if it’s huge?” Character B thought out loud as they kindled a small fire. “Beats me, but if it's too big to carry there has to be a way the warriors brought it here right?” Character A said as they pulled out their rations, it was slowly dwindling. They have to get somewhere where they could at least drill a hole to catch some fish to stock up soon.
“What about you Leader? What do you think?” Character B asked curiously.
“It’s a fire weapon. That’s what all the scrolls say, but I don’t know what it is *exactly*…. It could be anything.” Leader says.
The wind picked up. It seemed they’re going to have to wait a bit more than Leader intended or at least until it quiets down.
“Hey…. What’s that?” Character B pointed at the edge of a rock, whatever it was it had a dull sheen that stood out from the white snow. Leader squinted. “It’s too smooth to be a rock” They say as they walk over to the object.
“Well whatever it is it doesn’t help us find the Weapon. Hey Leader where exactly is the weapon by the way? Like how do we even know we’re in the right place… I doubt there’s gonna be an arrow sign saying ‘destructive killing machine, this way’ right?” Character A muttered.
Leader didn’t seem to hear them and Character A looked at Character B with a raised eyebrow and they shrugged. “Leader…?” Character A’s voice tight.
Leader didn’t answer and turned around their expression serious.
Character A and Character B instantly knew that face. “You can’t seriously say the weapon’s here…” Character B whispered. “It’s close…” Leader holds up – or at least what used to be - a sword. “It has the Kingdom’s old emblem.” Leader looks around the space. It looks cramped, the rocks forming cluttered, jagged walls.
“B, give me some light.”
Character B lights up a torch and goes to Leader handing it to them. As leader crouches down to inspect where the sword was A joins them. “This is a terrible place to keep a weapon of mass destruction” A deadpans. They cross their arms over their chest and looks down at Leader as they brush the frost off the rock wall, tapping it.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Character B exchanged a look with Character A silently asking what the hell Leader was doing, Character A shrugs and looks around.
Tap. Tap.
*Tick*
All three of them snap their heads and turn their attention towards where Leader had just tapped on the rock wall. It was hollow.
“Get the sledgehammer.”
–
The rock gave out with a few good whacks from the sledgehammer, the moment it gave out the first thing that hit all of them wasn’t the imposing cavern.
It wasn’t the huge sigil of their kingdom carved on to the floor.
It wasn’t the utter stillness of the air inside.
It was the *Heat*.
It was *Warm*. In the middle of this desert of ice with the harshest storms they found *warmth*. And it did not dwindle. The heat seeped through to the smaller cave beyond.
“Looks like we found where the weapon is….” Character B says quietly their voice echoing softly in the vastness of the cavern.
“Stick close. We don’t know what kind of traps are here. Keep your eyes and ears peeled” Leader stepped forward warily in the dark sweeping the cavern with the torch. The deeper they went in to the cavern the more the warmth turned in to a pleasant heat. Akin to a warm bowl of soup on a winter night.
Character A stumbled slightly as Character B stopped dead in their tracks - Their eyes widened and eyebrows furrowed in to confusion. Leader turned and looked at them.
“B What-”
“Shh.”
Leader and B exchanges looks, Character B was the best at tracking from the three of them and it seems something has got their attention. They don’t dare move a muscle lest they break Character B’s focus.
“Stop breathing the two of you.”
Leader and Character A don’t need to be told twice, they stop breathing and watch character A like a hawk.
Eyes wandering and looking around the cavern, Character A listened barely moving after what seemed like hours they whispered, their words sending a shiver down the other two’s spines.
“Something is breathing”
“Character B, Lead us there” Leader said. “What are you crazy?!” Character A hissed in their whisper voice. “What if the weapon is like a dragon or something? Oh shit what if the weapon is a dragon?!”
“It’s not a dragon” Character B piped up. “I-it’s too quiet for that. The breathing is too shallow” They said as they slowly led the other two further in to the cave. “Whatever it is… it’s in pain”
The dagger on character A’s holster was now in Character A’s hand, their grip so tight the skin on their knuckles paled. “… great. Whatever it is, it’s gonna be defensive….” They grumbled to themselves.
They stopped near a corner. Character B signaled that it was beyond the corner. The leader took a breath and peaked around the corner. A watched as their face intently watching the emotion playing across their face.
Confusion. Their eyes narrow and A can see their throat moving as they swallow the lump forming there.
Horror.
Disgust?
As they go to call leader, Leader moves to turn in from the corner.
“Who are you?” They say their voice level and firm. “You wear our Kingdoms emblem. Are you the keeper of the Weapon?”
“Our emblem?” A mutters as they push off and turn the corner to see who Leader is talking to.
A stops the moment they see them. A gaunt figure kneels in the middle of the space, their eyes blank and empty staring straight ahead. The heat is coming from them. Character A feels like they’ve been punched in the gut.
Character A pushes past leader closer to the person their legs moving mechanically and stiff.
The person is pale, clothes singed at the edges. Closer Character A sees the chains. Heavy and scarring the persons wrists and neck.
“Leader… I think… I think they *are* the weapon”
Character A moved closer still, now they saw the person clearly.
“Can you hear me? What's your name?” A tries to keep their voice gentle but it comes out uncertain and forceful. They cringe slightly at their own voice.
They look at Leader uncertainly before reaching out. Trying to keep their voice from cracking they address the person. “Hey… Talk.”
The person’s head snaps up so fast Character A pulls back their hand as if it burned, and to a certain extent it did… the person's skin was hot. Not to a scalding extent but it was way above a feverish temperature.
To all their astonishment the person spoken, voice rough and monotone.
“Weapon of the Kingdom ready to serve.” They said. The utter emptiness in their voice sent a shiver up Leader’s spine. Character A’s feet shifted uncomfortably and Character B just stared on at the scene in growing unease and fear.
“You…. You're the weapon?” Leader asked but the person did not answer instead training their glassy eyes at Character A in a way that made their stomach churn.
The person… they stared at Character A, waiting almost… expectant.
“A-are you … the weapon?” This time Character A asked.
“Yes. You are my handler?” The person asked.
Character A's eyes widen. Handler? What is that supposed to mean? They whip their head around to leader their eyes wide and silently asking them what to do. Leader met their stare their tightened lip betraying their otherwise stoic expression. Character A could tell Leader didn't like this at all they could see it In The way their nose scrunched the way it does when Leader had to eat that horrid dried fish Character B bought along.
But Leader nods. So Character A turns back to look at those haunted eyes.
“Yes. I'm your handler.” They say voice nearly audible over how loud the ringing in their ears are.
The person kept their eyes on Character A barely blinking. Character A shifted from foot to foot and cleared their throat trying to cough up whatever was clogging their throat. “What's your name?” They said finally.
The person stared. “I don't have one, handler. But you may call me whatever you wish. My last handler called me Whumpee.”
They all shuddered at the words. How was this person so… broken that they didn't even see their name as theirs.
This was so messed up.
Character A took a deep breath.
“A-alright Whumpee… let's get you out of the chains so we can get you back to the Kingdom.”
