🦖Facing the Beast

As the Fellowship of the Octopies traveled onwards to the Three Vapors, their ranks swelled with Octopies from every Slice. They’d all heard the rumors of a mysterious beast guarding the way into the Pieous homeland - A monstrosity so terrifying that few exist with the courage to even speak its true name, lest it should fall upon them in their nightmares. Brave amateurs and experienced warriors alike decided they could no longer stand idly by while there were others willing to put a stop to it.

The journey was long, but the Fellowship and their makeshift army of brave volunteers made it to the northeastern tip of the Salt Pans. There was a narrow strait where the ocean water was calmer than the rest of the Vapors. This was the only safe way to access these islands. The strait was so small that it only allowed space for a few Octopies to comfortably traverse at a time, with sheer drop-offs flanking their sides. Whispers began to swirl amongst the Fellowship & their accompanying militia that these passageways were the hunting grounds of the legendary Kraken

Eventually, they made it into the lands of the Three Vapors.

This place was truly alien in comparison to the rest of Pieland. The terrain was rugged and dry as if nothing had ever grown from it. Jagged, claw-like rocks jutted out of the earth, and small craters emitting a strange yellow-green gas littered the ground. The gas produced a putrid smell that left a burning taste in the Piehole of anyone who smelt it for too long. This was not a place that any sane being would choose to stay for long. The Octopies moved away from these uninviting shores and headed inland, making for the bridge to the second island. They made their way on-tentacle, stepping cautiously, weapons at the ready.

As the rag-tag army headed deeper into the island, their vision became clouded by the heavy smog created by the strange gas filling the air. The march was suddenly halted when the Vampier froze in place and let out a sharp hissing noise, “Something draws near,” he whispered menacingly. The Fellowship fell into a guarded formation, each of them scanning around. The small militia behind them remained motionless as well, breathing frantic warnings to each other while grasping their weapons tight in anticipation. The less-experienced among them began to shiver nervously in their armor, creating a subtle clanking that pierced through the near-total silence. There they stood, for what seemed to be an eternity but was merely a moment. The deep breath before the plunge.

Suddenly, the calm was shattered by a loud, bellowing roar. A roar that could mean only one thing. They had found what they came for - the gateway to the second island. And the guardian of the gateway was not about to let them pass.

The smog around them began to clear, revealing a monstrosity beyond their darkest imaginings. Three heads stitched to a single, powerful body. With bladed armor platings grafted to its hide, multiple glowing red eyes, and sickle-sharp claws. From its back, three pipes emitted the same yellow-green gas seen in the craters. The beast stood in a clearing encircled by massive piles of Octopie skulls and bones; victims of ages past. The monster that had cleaned the filling and crust from their bones was now staring down at the Fellowship. This was no natural being. This was the legend they had come to face. This was Scraps.

Sensing their fear, the Piesces of the Fellowship took charge, “OCTOPIES, FALL INTO FORMATION. GROUP UP. THIS IS WHAT WE CAME FOR!” shouted the Piesces. With that, the Octopies began to get into groups that played to their strengths. The best groups had a representative of each Slice, or multiples of one Slice. This allowed them to work together as a well oiled machine. Some Octopies stood alone. But all the Octopies stood ready to fight.

The Octopies that carried swords and harpoons led the first charge at Scraps. They ran at the beast with their weapons drawn. The Pieborgs and Doughbots followed suit. Those with their tools attacked the beast with the flames of their Torches. A few of the most well-known Octopies in Pieland, like the Blacksmith and Capietain Cook, had come along and could be seen at the frontline. Their leadership inspired the others to attack with more passion and bravery.

Some of the Vampiers and Zompies were accompanied by deadly pets - vultures and wolves trained to attack. They released their beasts to follow in the second wave for a barrage of attacks against the monster.

But this was no quick battle. The Octopies traded blows with the beast. Its 3 heads made a surprise attack or a flank difficult to execute. Scraps had a large tail that would swipe away the Octopies and fling them 50 tentacles away. The large talons would slash at the crust of any Octopie that got in the way.

Those that took a beating on the frontline had to pull back. Some militia had been carrying buckets with supplies to replenish the injured. This allowed them to regain their strength and not succumb to their wounds.

The fighting carried on, with seemingly no end in sight… Until a well-targeted trident to the fleshy, unshielded eye on one of the monster’s heads shifted the tide of battle. Scraps was now visually impaired on its right side, and the Octopies used this to their advantage. With their weapons drawn, they swarmed the beast from the blind spot they created, toppling the beast. They pounced on its neck as it fell to the ground, slashing and pulling at the metal stitches. Working together and with all their strength, they finally crushed their foe. As they did, an enormous toxic gas cloud exuded from its corpse.

Battered, bruised, and injured, the Octopies collapsed on the ground. This should have been a time for celebration, but no Octopie had the strength. The toxic gas from Scraps made many Octopies woozy and light-headed. They had conquered the beast, stoic with pride, but too weak to face the Pieous now. This was the closest thing that the Slices of Pieland had to an army, and now they lay weak and vulnerable in Pieous territory. The ground was littered with crusts and fillings from the wounded. Morale was on the edge. The Fellowship knew they needed to roll their dough back together, but with the Ovens cold and inoperable, how would they rebuild their strength? Would the effects of the toxic gas ever go away?

The volcanic battleground had fallen silent… Until a slow cheer erupted from the ranks of the Octopies, filling The Vapors with a steam of pride. Despite the injuries, the side effects of the toxic gas, and the weakened militia, the Fellowship had won this battle. The only thing left to do was pick themselves back up and plan their next move.