Date: Sat, 8 Aug 1998 15:10:20 -1000 Subject: [ffml] [MW] The Mog Cometh From: Sky H Ainsworth The man sat in the shadow of a large tree, looking about the forest and listening. He made no sound, not even his breath could be heard. It cool in the forest and the dark gloom of the forest would anyone cold even during the middle of summer. But the man was warm, even hot, under the tree. He was on edge, waiting for the inevitable. His commander had come through earlier and warned of an approaching army, and now they were in his vicinity. The faint rustle of brush carried through the still air. The man had noted that the forest had gotten incredibly more quiet that day, as if the animals sensed the coming struggle. The man made ready his bow. He stretched out his legs and prepared to move. He gave one more glance around the forest. In the shadow of a tree to his right, a figure waved a hand. The man returned the signal. The ranger stood up and crouched on his knees. More rustling was heard. A figure moved beyond the rangers field of vision. He drew an arrow and prepared to fire. A moogle scout stepped forward next to a tree and looked about about. It then took another step forward and fell over face first, a shaft protruding from his it's head. The other man who shot it stepped forward and grabbed the body, drawing it into the shadows. The ranger watched his comrade move and then saw another moogle step forward, also peering around. The ranger, David, drew, sighted, and released his arrow. It took the moogle in the neck and the creature struggled as it hit the ground. Without a sound, David crept forward, drawing his hunting knife. With a quick motion, he sliced into the neck of the moogle, ending its struggling. David then grabbed the corpse and drag it into the shadows. A moogle came into view, followed by another. David and his buddy both dropped the moogles and did not stop. They readied more arrows and fired at the next group of moogles that came through. A voice called out. Others responded. Soon, several moogles stepped out of the forest and found the bodies of their fallen comrades. A shout of alarm went up. David and his partner had already fired their arrows when the cry escaped the lead moogles' lips. They then turned and ran. They stopped a few paces and released a couple more arrows at the pursuing moogles, but did not stop to engage that whitefurballs. More moogles gave chase and David and his comrade did not risk stopping. As they ran through the forest, avoiding brush and tree boles, they heard the swish of several arrows and stopped to see the front ranks of the moogles fall back against the ground. Several rangers stood about, readying their next barrage of arrows. They loosed as the next wave of moogles came through the forest. David joined them and they felled several more moogles when a cry of alarm, this time from a human soldier went up. David looked to his right and saw a man against a tree. Pinning him there was a moogleboar, it's spikes trapped in the wood. The man squirmed and gave a soft grunt as the moogleboar tore the wood, and the man, in half to release itself. The rangers fired a volley of arrows at the moogleboar, but by the time it died, another ranger had been taken down. The corporeal signaled a retreat and another moogleboar appeared. It chased the men down, but was stopped as it's chest and gut were filled with shafts. David and his squad ran through the forest. (End of Part 1) Date: Sat, 8 Aug 1998 15:46:12 -1000 Subject: [ffml] [MW] The Mog Cometh (Part 2) From: Sky H Ainsworth Mog sat on his throne on the litter borne by several moogles as it finally left the makeshift road created by his trail breakers. Mog was upset at how Bacca had a nasty surprise in the forest. Reports kept coming to him of the rangers taking down his numbers. What really irritated him was that only one ranger was being killed for every five of his moogles that died. Mog shook his head. He would have the rangers dealt with later. They were a minor inconvience compared to what Bacca's main army could do. Mog raised his head from his introspection and studied the site before him. The fortress rose majestically in the middle of the clearing. A tower poked out of the middle of the massive wall in the middle. Cid walked alongside the litter and examined the fortifications. "It is a mighty wall, your grace, but simple and it should be simple to take down." Mog grunted. "I don't know," said Aeris. "I sense a lot of magic emanating from that fortress. In fact, I think I see some mystical stones emblaced on the wall." She squinted and chanted a spell. "Yes. They put several magical blocks on the wall. I can sense the power they put into the super-structure. This may not be that easy, my lord." "We shall see," said Mog. Turning to one of his commanders, "ready a force of five thousand. Have them prepare a battering ram and attack the front wall." "Only five, sir?" said the moogle. "But shouldn't we wait till the main force arrives and then lay in a proper siege and assualt?" "Yes, but I want to see what Bacca has in store for us." "Yes sir." The moogle hurried off. "Now, let's have lunch." As Mog and his queens sat down to a meal of salad and human hagis, they watched the assembling of the assualt force. A line of moogle formed and battering ram, a large tree trunk with wheels built into its side and its front end sharpened, was set before it. Looking to Mog for his assent, the commander stood before the moogle host. Mog nodded his head. "Ready? Attack!" The moogle commander turned and charged the gate. The moogles charged in two lines, the battering ram in the very center leading. After passing one point, several catapults, balistas, and mangonels fired. Their projectiles of stone, bolts, flaming oil barrels, and spikes landed on the advancing moogles and tore into their numbers. Screams and cries of pain erupted from the moogles as the rain of death hit them. But the moogles kept charging. After another imaginary line was crossed, the archers on the walls loosed their arrows. The sky darkened as the shafts flew throough the air and took down the moogle ranks. By this time the battering ram was already on fire, having been splashed by a barrel of flaming oil. Those moogles who manned the battering ram were shot dead and without the pushing force, the battering ram slowed down and eventually came to rest before the causeway to the gate. The few remaining moogle continued trudging forward, through the massive amount of stakes set up in the ground. In varying heights and distances, the stakes would have proved difficult to navigate for any size attacker. The moogles were shot down as they tried to make their way to the moat. Not a single moogle made it to the moat. Mog watched on with admiration. The gate opened and a few soldiers came out and started taking care of the dead moogles. "Impressive. Now someone has a challenge for me."