First of all, let me open up by saying this – if you’re yet to join the r/GrimdarkEpicFantasy sub, then you’re missing out BIG TIME! I’m not only saying this cuz I’m privileged and honored for being one of the MODs (the Grimdark Wiki Archivist, that is!), but also cuz it’s genuinely the place to be! Book clubs, reviews, author AMAs, contests, events, and so much more that’s happening and to look forward to!
So here’s a timely reminder for you to join in on the action… and UNLEASH HELL!
Now, the reason I joined this epic sub was due to this very contest.
Here’s all you need to know about it – contest details.
And finally… here are THE RESULTS!
Honestly, never in my wildest dreams would I’ve ever imagined that something amazing like this would happen! And I’m so proud and delighted for the same!
Without any further dilly-dallying, here’s what I had blurted out!
Hope you have a fun (and equally grimdark!) time… ENJOY!
[Word count = 700 (+3 with the title)]
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“The Dirty Bunch”
A cool breeze drifted in, accompanied by the pitter-patter of rain. The candle flames inside the room flickered momentarily, eerie shadows dancing along the flaky walls and the rotten wooden floor.
The door thudded shut, plunging the room in semi-darkness. A pair of heavy boots descended the creaking steps, leaving a trail of wet mud in their wake.
“Well?” A gruff female voice questioned.
The man draped in olive squatted and set aside his crossbow, fanning his hands over a thin, sputtering flame. He simply shook his head.
The message was delivered twelve moons ago.
Arth. Investigate.
A piss-take for the five figures spread around the room. They’d been through worse shit, after all. Much worse. Yet this mission was turning into a bloody fucking mess. And skulking within a dank, dusty little basement of a dilapidated tavern for the past nine moons didn’t help.
“Those fuckers are everywhere.” Nock hissed towards the voice, hands still hovering above the flame. “Waiting and watching outside the city walls for some bloody reason. Come daylight, gone. By dusk, dotting the hills like damn wraiths. And they’re growing in numbers every fucking moon.”
Chief glanced at the man, then turned her gaze towards the far end.
“Spotted a few shambling along the streets too. Stalking, I’d say, with those pale mugs and red eyes of theirs.” The heavyset man called Fist grunted, cracking his knuckles. “Bumped into one the other night. Bastard turned out to be fast and strong. Unnaturally so. Swatted away the mace like it was nothing.” He grunted again. “Not humans, whatever they are. I’m certain.”
Chief shifted, her double-edged axe resting against the broken cot.
“Not ‘umans? What then, bloody vampires?!” A reedy voice blurted out. Its owner a skinny fella spread-eagled on the floor with a bidi dangling from his crusty lips. A nasty looking dagger lay close by, glinting.
“The fuck you know about them, old man?” Nock scoffed.
“That they luv suckin’ n’ fuckin’. Hah!”
When nobody batted an eye, he shrugged and lit another bidi, the scent of spices oozing across the musty air.
“For once, Dags don’t sound batshit crazy to me, Chief.” Nock grinned.
A ghost of a smile creeped up her face. It was gone in a blink. “Anything else?”
“A quarter of the city’s dead. Limbless bodies lying in the gutters, blood drained out. The rest are either missing or holed up with nowhere to go.” Nock grimaced. “Nobody’s fucking getting in, and the ones who tried fucking off didn’t make it past the hills beyond the city walls, daylight or not.” He paused for a breath. “No wonder everyone’s scared shitless.”
“For a small city on the north-western edge of the continent, that’s saying something.” Fist cleared his throat.
“The fuckin’ timin’ pisses me off! We was finally startin’ to get some good ol’ coin! Ain’t that a bitch!” Dags half-choked, almost spitting out his bidi. Almost.
Silence.
“Vazghuls.” A sharp-edged, childlike voice muttered matter-of-factly.
There was a loud gasp, and someone whispered the word Kaal under gritted teeth. Chief spat at the floor, cursing. She turned sharply to where a lithe woman sat in the corner, cross-legged atop a barrel. Her face was covered by a hood; torso engulfed in shadows. A set of varying weapons lay to the side, meticulously displayed.
Deathly silence followed. Even the flames stopped their crackling.
“Can’t be. They were wiped off after the bloody war in the north all those cycles back!” Nock exclaimed.
“Ye sure, luv?”
“Careful Dags. She’ll rip off your balls and stuff them up your ass before you can utter ‘fuck’ again.” Chief faced the woman. “That word from The Cabal, Kati?”
The hood gave a slight nod.
“Well, shit.”
“Care to fuckin’ explain wh–” Dags was cut off.
“We’re fucked.” Chief’s hardened face couldn’t get any grimmer.
“Kaal have mercy.” It was Nock through gritted teeth, aloud.
Chief couldn’t spit this time, for they all unmistakably heard it.
The furious tolling of the temple bells cut across the city.
Unbeknownst to any living soul in Arth, a Blood Moon had risen from behind the dark clouds.
What followed was pure carnage.
And this was just the beginning…
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GLOSSARY: –
Bidi (chiefly from India/South Asia) – a type of cigarette that’s small, cheap, and hand-rolled. Filled with tobacco and wrapped in a leaf.
Cot (derived from Hindi/Sanskrit) – a couch.
Cycle (a part of my WIP) – similar to a year.
Kaal (a part of my WIP) – Lord of Death.
The Cabal (a part of my WIP) – A shady, highly secretive, and utmost powerful organization that controls pretty much everything under the sun across the lands.
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This was my first-ever attempt at writing anything in any capacity. I’ve been an avid reader and reviewer pretty much since day one. And I was like “Why not give writing a try, eh!?”
And I must say… it ended up being pretty dang awesome!
The story acts as a small and trial-based part of my WIP which has been swirling in my head since the last year or so. Thought this was a great time to finally put pen to paper and set about building the grimdark world that I imagined.
Hope I did justice to writing a short story (and to the grimdark genre too) lol.
I had an amazingly fun time with it, and the experience was truly one-of-a-kind and unforgettable. Here’s hoping I can continue with it for a long time!
But until next time…
Cheers!