{{Внутреннее тестирование Вики|

{{Внутреннее тестирование Вики|

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|DE=<!--Kapitel VII - Töten und Polieren-->

|DE=<!--Kapitel VII - Töten und Polieren-->

<center><span style="color:purple;font-weight:bold"><big><big>'''Jena Year 2481'''</big></big></span></center>

<center><span style="color:purple;font-weight:bold"><big><big>'''Jena Year 2481'''</big></big></span></center>

Pü had just finished filing the bevel of the setting, everything was ready. Putting down his tool, he delicately seized the magnificent amber cabochon with the help of tweezers and put it within reach of mask to contemplate it one last time. It was made of a subtle mixture of three different kinds of supreme quality amber: Zun's amber, Soo's one, and Beng's one, all from the depths of the Bark. Satisfied with his work, he was about to seat it in a receptacle he had crafted the day before. This one was made of animal material. Unfit for consumption, these epidermal productions were generally thrown away after the butchering of the game. However, the skilled crafters knew of their incredible sap-conducting properties. For his creation, the Zorai had used a fragment of a [[gubani]] nail and a piece of [[arma]] thorn. The gubanis were large, gregarious, fearful herbivores with yellow fur, powerful rear end, adherent feet and two "fins" on their upper backs, improving their aerodynamics and speed. As for the armas, these heavy pachyderms with short legs, they were characterized by their greenish carapace covered with moss and equipped with spiny excrescences, their thick skin and the impressive row of horns of defense which decorated their head. But the two herbivores from which the materials in question came were not ordinary specimens. Before they perished under the blows of the hunters, they lived in dark and deep caves located under the jungle, in the Prime Roots, and dominated in strength and speed the other representatives of their species. Their appearance also stood out: gigantic, brightly colored, with lavish growths and a princely gait. When you came across one of these legendary creatures in the company of its fellow creatures, you had the impression of watching a king and his court. The components recovered from their bodies were in fact of an uncommon quality. The rarest ingredient was from the hoof of an equally amazing ancient [[rendor]], which lived in the boreal desert regions, and which explorers from the tribe had brought back from their travels. Rendors were stocky quadrupeds with a massive forehand, a small thick neck, and a large head covered by a leathery carapace that served as a helmet.

Pü had just finished filing the bevel of the setting, everything was ready. Putting down his tool, he delicately seized the magnificent amber cabochon with the help of tweezers and put it within reach of mask to contemplate it one last time. It was made of a subtle mixture of three different kinds of supreme quality amber: Zun's amber, Soo's one, and Beng's one, all from the depths of the Bark. Satisfied with his work, he was about to seat it in a receptacle he had crafted the day before. This one was made of animal material. Unfit for consumption, these epidermal productions were generally thrown away after the butchering of the game. However, the skilled crafters knew of their incredible sap-conducting properties. For his creation, the Zorai had used a fragment of a [[gubani]] nail and a piece of [[arma]] thorn. The gubanis were large, gregarious, fearful herbivores with yellow fur, powerful rear end, adherent feet and two "fins" on their upper backs, improving their aerodynamics and speed. As for the armas, these heavy pachyderms with short legs, they were characterized by their greenish carapace covered with moss and equipped with spiny excrescences, their thick skin and the impressive row of horns of defense which decorated their head. But the two herbivores from which the materials in question came were not ordinary specimens. Before they perished under the blows of the hunters, they lived in dark and deep caves located under the jungle, in the Prime Roots, and dominated in strength and speed the other representatives of their species. Their appearance also stood out: gigantic, brightly colored, with lavish growths and a princely gait. When you came across one of these legendary creatures in the company of its fellow creatures, you had the impression of watching a king and his court. The components recovered from their bodies were in fact of an uncommon quality. The rarest ingredient was from the hoof of an equally amazing ancient [[rendor]], which lived in the boreal desert regions, and which explorers from the tribe had brought back from their travels. Rendors were stocky quadrupeds with a massive forehand, a small thick neck, and a large head covered by a leathery carapace that served as a helmet.

Pü placed the bead back between his fingers, determined to properly work the rim of the receptacle. Once finished, he would go and finish ornamenting the tiara he had been working on in secret for several weeks, and which he intended for his mother. This jewel was the missing piece. And as he was about to make his move, it was not his hand that trembled, but his arm: the jolt did not come from him. The Zoraï put down the unfinished piece with his tools and hurried out of his workshop. He took a few steps and raised his head, staring at the bark ceiling of the sky-tree from which the astral rays filtered. The ground shook slightly again. Until then, the huge felled stump had always been able to protect the village, both from natural threats and from homins. It was the refuge of many animal species, especially birds that nested in the highest strata, but also their. The tribe had settled at ground level, but had also built a number of dwellings on bark-sides and high roots, preferring however the ancestral building techniques' archaism to the pagan innovation of karavaneer magnetism. Be that as it may, for Pü, it was impossible to imagine that the rain tree would fail in its ancestral mission of protection. As if to prove him wrong, the ground shook more strongly, and the first cries were heard. Worried, he started to run towards the family home located at about ten meters, hoping to find his mother there. He tried to analyze the situation. The first hypothesis that came to mind was that of a homin attack. After all, their enemies were numerous. But the new, more violent tremors overcame this idea. As far as he knew, no homin had the power to shake the bark in this way. The threat seemed to come from below. The Prime Roots, under the Jungle, were made up of huge bioluminescent caves, real ecosystems inhabited by gigantic herbivores. Perhaps a herd of pachyderms was passing under the village? His mind wandered from hypothesis to hypothesis, trying as best it could to rationally deal with the facts. Arriving in front of his home, he hurriedly drew the drapes, calling out to his mother and brother. Not any answer. His mother was probably at Grandmother Bä-Bä's. And as he drew breath to start back up to the top of the village, his lungs burned. An aggressive toxic veil had just poisoned the atmosphere. Never had the young Zoraï smelled so acerbic an odor. This terrible scent announced the worst, he was certain of that. Squinting, he grabbed a sword from his father's rack and slipped out of the hut as quickly as he had entered it.

Pü placed the bead back between his fingers, determined to properly work the rim of the receptacle. Once finished, he would go and finish ornamenting the tiara he had been working on in secret for several weeks, and which he intended for his mother. This jewel was the missing piece. And as he was about to make his move, it was not his hand that trembled, but his arm: the jolt did not come from him. The Zoraï put down the unfinished piece with his tools and hurried out of his workshop. He took a few steps and raised his head, staring at the bark ceiling of the sky-tree from which the astral rays filtered. The ground shook slightly again. Until then, the huge felled stump had always been able to protect the village, both from natural threats and from homins. It was the refuge of many animal species, especially birds that nested in the highest strata, but also their. The tribe had settled at ground level, but had also built a number of dwellings on bark-sides and high roots, preferring however the ancestral building techniques' archaism to the pagan innovation of karavaneer magnetism. Be that as it may, for Pü, it was impossible to imagine that the rain tree would fail in its ancestral mission of protection. As if to prove him wrong, the ground shook more strongly, and the first cries were heard. Worried, he started to run towards the family home located at about ten meters, hoping to find his mother there. He tried to analyze the situation. The first hypothesis that came to mind was that of a homin attack. After all, their enemies were numerous. But the new, more violent tremors overcame this idea. As far as he knew, no homin had the power to shake the bark in this way. The threat seemed to come from below. The Prime Roots, under the Jungle, were made up of huge bioluminescent caves, real ecosystems inhabited by gigantic herbivores. Perhaps a herd of pachyderms was passing under the village? His mind wandered from hypothesis to hypothesis, trying as best it could to rationally deal with the facts. Arriving in front of his home, he hurriedly drew the drapes, calling out to his mother and brother. Not any answer. His mother was probably at Grandmother Bä-Bä's. And as he drew breath to start back up to the top of the village, his lungs burned. An aggressive toxic veil had just poisoned the atmosphere. Never had the young Zoraï smelled so acerbic an odor. This terrible scent announced the worst, he was certain of that. Squinting, he grabbed a sword from his father's rack and slipped out of the hut as quickly as he had entered it.

Pü's heart rose and his neck sank between his shoulders. He felt every muscle in his body contract, his jaw tighten and a cold sweat run down his spine. It had been many years since he had felt fear. Every inch of his body was screming to him to be careful. To face this threat, three different reactions were programmed deep in his cells, selected by life long before he and his ancestors were born. Atavistic, prehistoric reflexes, anchored in his flesh until death: immobility, flight and attack. Pü was a born warrior, conditioned since his earliest childhood. So it was by pure automatism that his arm drew his father's sword and struck the horrible apparition. The amber blade struck the scaly armor of the kipesta without succeeding in piercing it, but ricocheted towards one of its stringy wings, which it sliced through. The creature gave a repulsive squeak and fled into the sawdust mist from which it had emerged. At that moment at least, fear had changed sides.  

Pü's heart rose and his neck sank between his shoulders. He felt every muscle in his body contract, his jaw tighten and a cold sweat run down his spine. It had been many years since he had felt fear. Every inch of his body was screming to him to be careful. To face this threat, three different reactions were programmed deep in his cells, selected by life long before he and his ancestors were born. Atavistic, prehistoric reflexes, anchored in his flesh until death: immobility, flight and attack. Pü was a born warrior, conditioned since his earliest childhood. So it was by pure automatism that his arm drew his father's sword and struck the horrible apparition. The amber blade struck the scaly armor of the kipesta without succeeding in piercing it, but ricocheted towards one of its stringy wings, which it sliced through. The creature gave a repulsive squeak and fled into the sawdust mist from which it had emerged. At that moment at least, fear had changed sides.  

:''"Pü, is that you? Your father and brother are looking for you everywhere! We need everyone, something even more terrible is happening. The start of the breach is by the Ceremonial Square, hurry!"

:''"Pü, is that you? Your father and brother are looking for you everywhere! We need everyone, something even more terrible is happening. The start of the breach is by the Ceremonial Square, hurry!"

:''"And don't worry about your mother, she's much more dangerous than those creatures!"

:''"And don't worry about your mother, she's much more dangerous than those creatures!"

:''"Are we sure there are others on the way?"'' said Pü mechanically, still disturbed by what he had just seen.

:''"Are we sure there are others on the way?"'' said Pü mechanically, still disturbed by what he had just seen.

The elder hung a long, reinforced wooden shield on the younger's back and tapped him on the shoulder.

The elder hung a long, reinforced wooden shield on the younger's back and tapped him on the shoulder.

Kneeling in the dust, Pü took a long look at the tear through the sight of his rifle. Near it, Pia, the tribe's best sentry, was half lying on the ground, her ear pressed to the bark. Her heightened senses made her an outstanding tracker, able to spot a herd of mektoubs from several miles away. Suddenly, she raised her hand. A chill spread through the line of warriors, which tightened a little more. Pü felt the muscles of his comrades tense and the supports correct. They were ready, no matter what. And things, indeed, were not going to go as planned.

Kneeling in the dust, Pü took a long look at the tear through the sight of his rifle. Near it, Pia, the tribe's best sentry, was half lying on the ground, her ear pressed to the bark. Her heightened senses made her an outstanding tracker, able to spot a herd of mektoubs from several miles away. Suddenly, she raised her hand. A chill spread through the line of warriors, which tightened a little more. Pü felt the muscles of his comrades tense and the supports correct. They were ready, no matter what. And things, indeed, were not going to go as planned.

Pü swallowed and saw his comrades do the same. So the flying abominations that had wreaked such havoc were not the only monsters haunting the depths? Sang Fu-Tao, the Black Mask, reacted without delay.

Pü swallowed and saw his comrades do the same. So the flying abominations that had wreaked such havoc were not the only monsters haunting the depths? Sang Fu-Tao, the Black Mask, reacted without delay.

:''"We are the Black Warriors of Ma-Duk! We are his armed and purifying arm! We are the guardians of the True Faith! We are the scourge that falls upon the heretics!"'' the warriors chanted in chorus, as Pü murmured it with his lips.

:''"We are the Black Warriors of Ma-Duk! We are his armed and purifying arm! We are the guardians of the True Faith! We are the scourge that falls upon the heretics!"'' the warriors chanted in chorus, as Pü murmured it with his lips.

The force of the shaking intensified and the unhealthy smell reached the limit of what was bearable. But at that moment, nothing could have made the homins and hominas of the tribe give in.

The force of the shaking intensified and the unhealthy smell reached the limit of what was bearable. But at that moment, nothing could have made the homins and hominas of the tribe give in.

Pü barely had time to see the vile shadow crawling out of the tear when shots rang out above him and a shower of grenades fell on the enemy. The shock was terrible. Fueled by the oils, a gigantic spray of flames shot towards the top of the stump, shaking the ground and throwing a cloud of pieces of bark and charred carapaces with it. Protected by his shield and anchored to the walls of soldiers, Pü easily withstood the blow of the blast, of which only a few sparks came to lick his armor. Despite the power of the blast, he was able to make out the horrible, shrill sounds of the creatures caught in the bombardment. Many seconds passed and the cataclysm was unending. Ceremonial Square would be disfigured forever, a small price to pay for their victory. Moments later, as several gunners reloaded their weapons, one of the monsters managed to extract itself from the chaos. At five feet tall, it looked like a monstrous version of a spider. A bronze-colored body, cramped, arched. Chitinous segment, curved, connecting a stinger and a faceless skull, like a curved blade, sharpened, designed to slice flesh. Hanging in its center, not eight legs, but six, articulated, and sharper than swords. On the upper part, a pair of serrated hooks, which probably served as weapons as well as manipulative appendages. This thing was no match for the flying monsters that Pü had confronted shortly before in terms of horror. It was a fantasized predator, carved out of Sap by a maniacal sculptor who would have gone to great lengths to remove any frills. With extreme agility, the creature shot at the line of warriors, snapping its hooks. But the soldiers were prepared, and from their cover, they strafed the hexapod. As expected, only the shots hitting the soft parts had any real effect. Dripping with milky blood, the monster shed pieces as it ran, eventually collapsing in a smoking heap before it had even traveled half the distance to its preys. The event happened several times and Pü was horribly surprised to discover that there were versions of the monster approaching three metres. But strangely enough, at a distance, they posed less of a threat. Their size made them slower and provided a better window of opportunity to shoot at their weak points. On a few occasions, monsters managed to reach the soldiers and were summarily executed. The strategy was always the same: absorb the impact of the attack with the shield wall, follow the creature's movement, use the energy of the rebound to push it back, take advantage of the imbalance created to open a gap and cut it to pieces. The apparent simplicity of this defensive technique was in fact the result of years of intensive training, and showed incredible cooperative work.

Pü barely had time to see the vile shadow crawling out of the tear when shots rang out above him and a shower of grenades fell on the enemy. The shock was terrible. Fueled by the oils, a gigantic spray of flames shot towards the top of the stump, shaking the ground and throwing a cloud of pieces of bark and charred carapaces with it. Protected by his shield and anchored to the walls of soldiers, Pü easily withstood the blow of the blast, of which only a few sparks came to lick his armor. Despite the power of the blast, he was able to make out the horrible, shrill sounds of the creatures caught in the bombardment. Many seconds passed and the cataclysm was unending. Ceremonial Square would be disfigured forever, a small price to pay for their victory. Moments later, as several gunners reloaded their weapons, one of the monsters managed to extract itself from the chaos. At five feet tall, it looked like a monstrous version of a spider. A bronze-colored body, cramped, arched. Chitinous segment, curved, connecting a stinger and a faceless skull, like a curved blade, sharpened, designed to slice flesh. Hanging in its center, not eight legs, but six, articulated, and sharper than swords. On the upper part, a pair of serrated hooks, which probably served as weapons as well as manipulative appendages. This thing was no match for the flying monsters that Pü had confronted shortly before in terms of horror. It was a fantasized predator, carved out of Sap by a maniacal sculptor who would have gone to great lengths to remove any frills. With extreme agility, the creature shot at the line of warriors, snapping its hooks. But the soldiers were prepared, and from their cover, they strafed the hexapod. As expected, only the shots hitting the soft parts had any real effect. Dripping with milky blood, the monster shed pieces as it ran, eventually collapsing in a smoking heap before it had even traveled half the distance to its preys. The event happened several times and Pü was horribly surprised to discover that there were versions of the monster approaching three metres. But strangely enough, at a distance, they posed less of a threat. Their size made them slower and provided a better window of opportunity to shoot at their weak points. On a few occasions, monsters managed to reach the soldiers and were summarily executed. The strategy was always the same: absorb the impact of the attack with the shield wall, follow the creature's movement, use the energy of the rebound to push it back, take advantage of the imbalance created to open a gap and cut it to pieces. The apparent simplicity of this defensive technique was in fact the result of years of intensive training, and showed incredible cooperative work.

:''"Gunners, we're coming to the end of the last grenades, so get ready to put on your magic amplifiers! I want you to tap into the deepest of your being! This fury that lives in you, it is nothing but pure energy! Visualize it, tame it! Seize it, in the hollow of your hands, and forge it into a weapon! The most deadly weapon there is! The sharpened reflection of the soul of the Black Warriors of Ma-Duk! Show these horrors that even unarmed, we can crush them with our mere will! Tonight we will feast on the ashes of our enemies! So smile, shout your joy! For the Great Genitor is proud! Soldiers, be worthy of the look he has for you! To death!"

:''"Gunners, we're coming to the end of the last grenades, so get ready to put on your magic amplifiers! I want you to tap into the deepest of your being! This fury that lives in you, it is nothing but pure energy! Visualize it, tame it! Seize it, in the hollow of your hands, and forge it into a weapon! The most deadly weapon there is! The sharpened reflection of the soul of the Black Warriors of Ma-Duk! Show these horrors that even unarmed, we can crush them with our mere will! Tonight we will feast on the ashes of our enemies! So smile, shout your joy! For the Great Genitor is proud! Soldiers, be worthy of the look he has for you! To death!"

The bombardment gradually ceased, and soon the creatures flooded the pit. The tidal wave of stings and fangs crashed through the shields with staggering violence. The atmosphere, stained and darkened by the battle, shifted again as the first spells flew over the warriors: jets of flame, shockwaves, beams of electricity, tongues of acid, spurts of poison, and icy breaths. The air became charged with inflows of energy, and compressed behind his shield, muscles sheathed and feet sunken in sawdust, Pü felt the spiritual particles that made up his being resonate with those of his comrades. The sensation was increased tenfold as the line of warriors received healing salvos from the healers. The healing process of the soldiers, accelerated thousands of times, had erased the last traces of fear remaining in them. Every open wound closed immediately, every broken bone was instantly resoldered. As a result, even if every opening in the black wall allowed the monsters to reach the homins in their flesh, they never hesitated to fight back, carried as they were by a feeling of invincibility. Their souls remained out of reach. It took only a few minutes for Ceremonial Square to overflow with insects. Those who did make it to the floor above were instantly wiped out by the war mages. The carcasses gradually accumulated to the point where a mass grave several meters high covered the entire ground. Minutes passed and the monstrous wave seemed to subside. Yes, the creatures were fewer and fewer in number. Yet their behavior did not change. They charged at the homins, inexorably, as if there was still a chance, or as if that was all they knew how to do. Paws torn off, carapaces broken and flesh burned. Nothing could stop their crazy race, except the extinction of their motor functions. It was there, their weak point. As numerous and armed as they were, they were missing something. A spirit, a soul. Pü had observed the subtlety of animal behavior many times. And these monsters were not, they were less than that. They were like tools. Objects without consciousness. Therein lay the cause of their defeat.

The bombardment gradually ceased, and soon the creatures flooded the pit. The tidal wave of stings and fangs crashed through the shields with staggering violence. The atmosphere, stained and darkened by the battle, shifted again as the first spells flew over the warriors: jets of flame, shockwaves, beams of electricity, tongues of acid, spurts of poison, and icy breaths. The air became charged with inflows of energy, and compressed behind his shield, muscles sheathed and feet sunken in sawdust, Pü felt the spiritual particles that made up his being resonate with those of his comrades. The sensation was increased tenfold as the line of warriors received healing salvos from the healers. The healing process of the soldiers, accelerated thousands of times, had erased the last traces of fear remaining in them. Every open wound closed immediately, every broken bone was instantly resoldered. As a result, even if every opening in the black wall allowed the monsters to reach the homins in their flesh, they never hesitated to fight back, carried as they were by a feeling of invincibility. Their souls remained out of reach. It took only a few minutes for Ceremonial Square to overflow with insects. Those who did make it to the floor above were instantly wiped out by the war mages. The carcasses gradually accumulated to the point where a mass grave several meters high covered the entire ground. Minutes passed and the monstrous wave seemed to subside. Yes, the creatures were fewer and fewer in number. Yet their behavior did not change. They charged at the homins, inexorably, as if there was still a chance, or as if that was all they knew how to do. Paws torn off, carapaces broken and flesh burned. Nothing could stop their crazy race, except the extinction of their motor functions. It was there, their weak point. As numerous and armed as they were, they were missing something. A spirit, a soul. Pü had observed the subtlety of animal behavior many times. And these monsters were not, they were less than that. They were like tools. Objects without consciousness. Therein lay the cause of their defeat.

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