Scene 10: It was Fluffy

[Matheus the Wight] [to Fluffy] Didn’t you get a little bit carried away with your dog act?

[Fluffy] [happily] * bark *

[Matheus the Wight] [shaking his head and yawning] Okay, suit yourself, but hurry up. [glancing up at the sky] I don’t really like the sun that much, you know.

[Suddenly, two Imperial soldiers in gray scouts’ coats appear behind one of the rocky bends. They are very cautious and quiet.]

[Rupert] [whispering to his companion] Look over there, who is that?

[Helmut] [also whispering] No clue? Some dark knight?

[Rupert] With a dog on a leash? What’s that about?

[Helmut] Maybe it’s Drachenfels’ dog, and this guy is taking him for a walk?

[Rupert] I don’t know about that, but if we’re going to find the back entrance to the castle, we’ll have to sneak past them.

[At this point, Fluffy notices the humans and immediately starts walking towards them, dragging Matheus behind him.]

[Matheus the Wight] [to Fluffy] Hey! Where are you going? I said I don’t like the sun! Come back now, I’d like to go back to my crypt. This warmth makes my back hurt!

[Matheus the Wight and Fluffy head towards Rupert and Helmut.]

[Rupert] [still whispering] Damn! They’re coming this way. Let’s beat it.

[Helmut] No time. Take cover.

[Matheus and Fluffy reach the rock behind which Rupert and Helmut are hiding.]

[Matheus the Wight] [to Fluffy, slightly stooped] Are you done? Can we go back?

[Rupert and Helmut look at each other knowingly. They silently draw their swords and carefully position themselves behind the wight. They each take a deep breath and simultaneously attack Matheus with two strong blows to the back of the head. To their surprise, the wight takes the blows unscathed, then turns towards them, a black, dark fury visible in his eyes.]

[Matheus the Wight] [in a terrifyingly cold voice] That was a mistake. [drawing a giant black sword] Prepare to die.

[At this point, Fluffy mumbles something that resembles a magic incantation. An invisible force hits Matheus on the back of the head. The blow is accompanied by a loud clang from the wight’s helmet. This time, the blow immediately knocks Matheus down. The soldiers look surprised.]

[Rupert] Hey, what happened to him?

[Helmut] Maybe our blows took time to settle in?

[Rupert] [carefully looking at the unconscious opponent] Could be. [proudly] Then we are heroes of the Empire.

[Helmut] Let’s find this entrance to the castle and then we will indeed be heroes.

[Fluffy] * bark *

[Rupert] [to Fluffy, in a friendly voice] Oh, hey there buddy. What does a cute little dog like you do with a monster like him?

[In response, Fluffy takes the leash in his mouth and raises it towards Rupert.]

[Helmut] [with sudden interest] Hey, maybe you can show us the way you came here, huh?

[Fluffy] [wagging his tail happily] * bark *

[At the same moment, Fluffy strongly pulls the leash and almost drags Rupert who is now holding it off of his feet. They both run towards the Castle. Helmut follows them, leaving Matheus the Wight with his face in the grass. After a few moments, the three of them reach the castle walls. However, there is no entrance there.]

[Rupert] [breathing heavily, looking nervously around] Okay. Good boy. Found the castle, good job.

[Helmut] [breathing heavily as well] Now lead us to the entrance.

[At this point, however, one of the boulders standing close to where Fluffy and the soldiers are standing “comes to life”. It turns out to be a large stone troll sitting in an embryonic position facing the castle walls. The troll, a good four meters high, straightens. Its stone-like body is covered with various distortions and furrows. He then directs his frightening gaze to the now terrified Rupert and Helmut. He opens its menacing jaws revealing large stone fangs, then takes a step towards the humans, causing the earth to tremble.]

[Rupert] [paralyzed and pale with fear] Wha-what-is that?! [to Fluffy] Doggie, where have you brought us?

[Helmut] [barely audible] By Sigmar.

[The troll lets out a terrible roar that causes the humans to fall to the grass. They embrace themselves in horror, saying silent prayers to Shallya.]

[Helmut] [sobbing] Rupert, this looks like the end of us.

[Rupert] [terrified] Yes, it does. [getting a grip of himself for a moment] It was an honor to serve with you to the glory of the Emperor.

[Helmut] By Sigmar, likewise.

[Fluffy yawns as if nothing was happening and runs out in front of the humans, standing now between them and the troll. The huge beast spots Fluffy and stops.]

[Fluffy] [to the troll] * bark *

[Mike the Troll] [raising an eyebrow, confused, to Fluffy] Hyg?

[Fluffy] * bark *

[The troll shrugs and starts walking towards the humans again. Fluffy makes a threatening face and takes a fighting stance … as much as a dog of his size can take a stance like that.]

[Fluffy] [showing his little fangs] * bark ** bark *

[The giant troll pauses again and scratches its head.]

[Mike the Troll] Hyyyyyg?

[In response, Fluffy starts barking more ferociously and runs towards the troll. The troll, to the great surprise of Helmut and Rupert, looks frightened, then lets out a fearful groan and starts to run away. Satisfied with himself, Fluffy wags his tail and barks at the escaping monster for a moment longer. The relieved soldiers run up to Fluffy.]

[Rupert] Doggie! How did you do that?!

[Helmut] You are the true hero here!

[Rupert] [petting Fluffy] You acted like Ulric’s greatest battle hound!

[Fluffy] [wagging his tail] * bark *

[Rupert] [looking around] Okay, when we get back to the camp, you’ll get a delicious snack as a reward, but now we really need to find that entrance to the castle.

[Hearing this, Fluffy runs to the walls and barks out a magic incantation. After a while, part of the wall begins to shimmer strangely, revealing a warpway. Then Fluffy picks up the leash with his mouth again and gives it to Rupert.]

[Rupert] [hesitantly taking the leash] By Sigmar, what is that?

[Fluffy however, does not give Rupert too much time to think. He jumps in the warpway, dragging the helpless man behind him.]

[Helmut] [surprised] Hey! Wait!

[The second soldier walks hesitantly to the portal, examines it for a moment, then swallows heavily and follows his companions. The curtain falls and after a few moments it rises again showing the castle courtyard at the main gate. Wilhelm runs back and forth nervously on the walls, yelling orders to his meager group of skeletal defenders. At the gate there is a heavy lever connected by a chain with some bizarre gear mechanism. Suddenly, a warpway opens on the wall right next to the gate, through which Fluffy falls out and neatly lands in the courtyard. Then, right behind him Rupert and Helmut appear, hitting the cobblestones hard. Wilhelm does not notice them and continues his drill.]

[Rupert] [grimacing in pain] Ouch … Whe-where are we?

[Helmut] [looking around, whispering to Rupert] Hey, I think we’re inside the castle.

[Rupert] By Sigmar, how is that possible?

[Fluffy] [wagging his tail] * bark *

[Fluffy does not give the soldiers too much time to recover and immediately pulls the leash again, leading Rupert to the lever by the gate. Helmut follows them cautiously. Fluffy starts barking happily at the lever.]

[Rupert] [to Fluffy] What is it, buddy?

[Helmut] Should we pull the lever?

[Fluffy] [wagging his tail] * bark *

[The soldiers look at each other, shrug, then grab the lever. They struggle with it for a moment. Then, the mechanism finally moves with difficulty and the lever shifts to a different position. The castle gate makes a loud screech and then slowly opens.]

[Rupert] [with joy] By Sigmar, the gate is opening!

[Wilhelm stops his tirade and leans out hurriedly looking towards the gate.]

[Wilhelm] [in horror] What’s going on over there?! [noticing the humans and Fluffy] Hey! You there! What are you doing?! Saboteurs! [to Fluffy] Fluffy! Switch that lever back and close that gate before the imperial troops get in here!

[Fluffy joyfully runs to the lever, grabs it in his mouth, and then without much difficulty tears it out of the mechanism. The demon then spits out the broken lever still wagging its tail.]

[Wilhelm] [with eyes bulging] What the hell are you doing ?!

[Fluffy] [to Wilhelm] * bark *

[Wilhelm] [hysterically] “Fun”?! What fun?! We’ll all die because of you.

[Fluffy] * bark *

[Wilhelm] You wicked bastard! When I get my hands on you…

[Then the demon looks beyond the castle walls towards the imperial troops.]

[Wilhelm] [in horror] Oh no! They’re coming already! [to his skeletons on the walls, pointing towards  the humans and Fluffy] Go get these traitors! I am going to regroup in the castle.

[The skeletons move awkwardly down the wooden stairs towards Fluffy and his companions, who start to escape towards the main building of the Castle. Wilhelm disappears in a warpway in the wall.]