Akuma thoroughly inspected the flurry of reports piling upon his desk. Looks like the plump helmets did the trick. We have enough food and water to last through the next winter. We've also finished up the drawbridge and all of the inner walls and doors. We still need to get our metalworking rolling along smoothly, and we'll be-
Akuma's thoughts were interrupted as Scorched, the head of the military, moon-walked frantically into the room. He fell over his own words in panic, and Akuma stopped him, "What is it, Scorched?" He asked.
"The undead have been sighted over the hill! And necromancers among them as well!" Scorched finally uttered in a coherent fashion.
Akuma paused to think about this. "How many undead?"
"Our scouts report over 40 undead, not including the necromancers." Scorched reported.
"Over 40?!" Akuma said, almost spitting out his freshly brewed dwarven ale. "Get the military on full alert. I want all citizens in their burrows, I want all doors besides the front ones locked tight. Did the necromancers bring building destroyers?"
"The scouts reported only a mixture of goblin, dwarven, and human zombies, Mr.Vampire." Scorched informed Akuma.
Akuma's face revealed a mixture of annoyance, and relief. "Well at the very least they can't get in. Keep the front doors open as long as possible. I want to get every single dwarf we can get inside. If the undead show up at the doorstep however, you know what to do."
Scorched moonwalked back outside, and Akuma sighed, unable to comprehend why he put Scorched, of all dwarves, in charge of the military. E Chip was superior to Scorched in every military way, and yet he continued to leave Scorched in charge. Maybe it was the moonwalking that confused him so. Akuma called in a messenger. "Bring Volcano, Wayne, and Glock to me, now, I have orders for them." The messenger rushed off to do as Akuma bid.
Meanwhile, outside, Danokozmo was caught between a rock and a hard place. They're everywhere. The others will never make it back into the fortress at this rate! I've got to do something, but all I've got is this crossbow. I've heard tales of thousands of arrows piercing undead flesh, to no effect...no...I have to save them.
Dano leveled his crossbow at three undead recklessly chasing after a civilian desperately racing for the safety of the fortress. One...The arrow struck true, and downed the undead with a single shot. Two...The sceond arrow seemed almost divinely enhanced, knocking down the undead minion instantly. Three...His third attack sent one of the zombies spinning around on its heels before it fell.
During the commotion, he'd failed to notice that an undead horde had presented itself before him. I am to die here...again? Only this time outside of the fortress, murdered by the undead, instead of within, having attempted to slay my comrades? So be it, if this is my penance. The most I can do is spend the rest of my bolts before I go, so that my corpse cannot be used to fire bolts at my friends.
Danokozmo fired, again and again, his bolts piercing straight through the undead horde before him. Four fell beneath the onslaught of his iron bolts, before the horde overtook him, and tore him limb from limb, atop the fortress.
Scorched waited, half asleep at the entrance, semi-desperately waiting for Dano to re-enter the fortress. However, it was not to be. A horde of zombies arrived at the front door, and Scorched swore he could see the necromancers outside. Scorched thought for a moment, before promptly locking the door and moonwalking back to Akuma.
"Ah good, you've arrived. Volcano, I want you building doors, lots of doors, and as many mechanisms as you can possibly make. Wayne, you're to prepare as much armor and weaponry as you can. We're going to need it. Glock, you're to keep digging underground, report to me only once you've found lava." Akuma told them. As they left, Scorched moonwalked into the room.
"So, did everyone make it inside?" Asked Akuma.
"I'm afraid not. Dano never returned, some of the people inside claimed they could hear him firing iron bolts from atop the fortress.
"He's still alive? Hm...Maybe we could organize a rescue party...." Mused Akuma.
"Absolutely not." Uttered the ghost of a merchant.
"You? So I take it you died out there? Why are you haunting us anyway, we can't actually do anything about your corpse at the moment." Stated Akuma.
"Can't let you forget of course. And even if Dano was still alive, your forces are woefully under equipped to deal with the siege. Your forces are effectively outnumbered over six to one at the moment." Scolded the ghost.
"That is a problem. Scorched, go tell the bow maker to craft us some wooden crossbow bolts, and Joseph to start crafting some wooden bolts. We've got a siege to destroy." Akuma ordered confidently.