by Eden Redd
The front doors to the church opened. Figures shuffled and stepped out to the new morning.
Kavan held his spear as he stepped out. The dragonkin looked around, seeing dead xykks and xykk body parts strewn about. Flies fluttered over dead carcasses. The stench was nearly overpowering, but the dragonkin didn’t even wince. Tired eyes scanned the area, waiting to see any living xykks moving about or retreating from the morning light.
Nothing stirred but the flies over the many dead.
Townsfolk slowly marched out and gathered on both sides of the dragonkin. Tired, sleepless eyes looked around at the dead xykks and black soot-like spots from fire potion explosions.
Glem helped Misty walk out of the church, the ogre looking down on her with concerned eyes.
Raine walked next to his sister and the ogre in silent contemplation.
Soki and Shegga helped Ammi as she walked with small steps, her body still recovering from the damage she took during the night.
Hynrik stepped out with a tired weakness painted across his features. The arachnix looked up at the morning sun and a small smile bloomed.
Kazko leaned on his brother’s arm and shoulder. Rujin helped his younger brother along, making sure he was well enough to walk.
Bolids and harpies clustered around Lorta as she joined the emerging crowd. The livestock looked around with wide eyes, taking in the dead xykks that lay strewn about.
Drayke stepped out, inhaled and let out a long, cleansing breath. The dragonkin looked over to Kavan and smiled.
Durzol, Dura, and Kogan stepped out. All three orcs looked around, their minds already preparing for the cleanup ahead of them. Dura curled her arm around her father’s arm and the older orc placed his hand on her arm in a loving touch.
Nava, Tezzi, Esmeralda, and Oaks walked out with tired eyes.
Zellee stepped out of the church on graceful spider legs. The arachnix looked around with a somber expression until she caught sight of Kavan. Her heart lifted in her chest yet again, seeing him standing in a commanding pose.
Onka stepped through the crowd and made her way to Kavan’s side. Her fingers slid between Kavan’s fingers and gave his hand a squeeze. The dragonkin looked down at the beautiful goblin and squeezed her hand back. The two were caught in the gravity of each other’s eyes for a brief moment, the world around them stopping for a heartbeat.
Kogan tapped Dura’s hand and she pulled it away. The older orc made his way through the crowd, stood by Kavan’s side and turned to the gathered townsfolk.
“I know it’s been a long night, but we came through it alive. There is a lot of work to be done before everything returns to normal. Inspect the damage to your homes and shops. If you have wheelbarrows and wagons, bring them out so we may cart out the dead xykks. Once the streets are cleared, we may have a small celebration, our town overcoming great odds once again,” Kogan said with tired excitement.
The mayor’s eyes darkened as he continued, “I know it’s been difficult the last few years. After something like this, I don’t blame anyone for wanting to leave. If my children were younger, I would have entertained the notion of leaving for safer havens.
“But do not forget, Moonvale is our home and we will do anything and everything to protect it. I won’t fault anyone for leaving, but I do ask you to take a long time to think it over. We are the very soul of this town and I know, personally, I would not want to lose a piece of it to fear and doubt.”
Shegga spoke up, “Mayor, I think I’m speaking for everyone here, we’re not leaving our home. We put a lot of work into the town and we’re not going to abandon it because a few fucking xykks showed up. Stop being an old orc and simply accept that we are here to stay.”
Heads nodded in unison.
Mayor Sunaxe lifted his head, the morning light showing his happy smile. “Alright! Since it is unanimous, let’s get started! We have a town to repair!”
Kavan sheathed his spear behind him. The dragonkin, goblin, and orc led the way down the stairs and onto the street. The rest of the town followed the trio as sunlight glowed from the horizon.
***
Onka stood in the middle of her destroyed shop. Shelves lay in ruins. Shattered glass lay about the floor. Several display eggs were cracked, a goo leaking from them. Several xykk corpses were laid about.
Kavan stood not too far away, shifting glass away with his boot. “It’s not that bad.”
Onka’s head lowered, her back to the dragonkin. “The shop can be repaired, but my heart cannot.”
Kavan lifted his head and looked at the goblin.
Onka turned around with wet eyes. Her lip quivered a little as she looked up at Kavan.
“I… thought you died last night. The way you fell after killing the queen, it tore my heart in half.”
Kavan stepped closer with calm eyes. “But I didn’t die. Soki and the others distributed the healing potions. We survived.”
Onka shook her head before looking up at Kavan, a single tear running down her green cheek.
“You don’t get it, do you? The whole town could have burned to the ground and I wouldn’t have given it a second thought. It was you I was worried about. How did this happen? How did you get under my skin? I promised myself to never love…” Onka trailed off.
Kavan watched as the goblin looked away and he understood. He reached over and touched her shoulders. His hand touched her chin and brought her gaze back to his.
“Onka, I feel the same about you. All I can think about is protecting you. All I can think about is caring for you,” Kavan said with genuine eyes.
Onka wiped away a tear. “You don’t mean that. No one loves goblins. Before the dragon’s stormed the higher planes, goblins were treated like vermin, a small step above kobolds.”
Kavan smiled. “That’s not true and you’re a very hot goblin.”
Onka let out a sad laugh. She wiped away another tear before looking up to Kavan’s dragon features.
“Where do we go from here?”
Kavan nodded. “We keep dating and see where it all takes us?”
Onka nodded. “It sounds like a good plan. Lorta and Zellee will have to know that the four of us are dating now.”
“From what I’ve seen, I think we are all okay with that.”
The goblin nodded and sniffed. “Kavan, if the world ends, promise you’ll be there, with me?”
Kavan gave a firm nod. “Without question, I’ll be there. And if I can, I will stop the end of the world so we can keep having our future together.”
Onka let out a half-cry, half laugh. She threw herself at the dragonkin, wrapping her arms around his waist. Kavan hugged her close and cradled her head to his chest with intimate comfort.
A shadow touched the light streaming through the broken window.
Kavan and Onka broke their embrace and turned to see Durzol standing outside. The orc had a serious look in his eyes as he gave them a small nod.
“Kavan, the mayor wishes to see you in his office,” Durzol said gruffly.
Onka nodded. “Go see the mayor. When you’re finished, come back here. I’ll need your muscles to move some of these corpses outside.”
Kavan nodded and was about to pull away when Onka grabbed his shirt and pulled. Kavan bent down to the goblin’s strength. Onka pressed her lips to Kavan’s lips along the front of his small snout. The couple kissed for a long moment, tongues sliding into each other’s mouths until they pulled back. Mischievous eyes looked into each other before Kavan stood up, turned and walked toward the door.
Onka watched the dragonkin leave, her heart pounding in her chest and a shadow touching her soul.
Kavan stepped outside to Durzol. The two turned and began walking toward the town center.
Kavan glanced at Durzol at his side. The blacksmith was acting odd. His expression was unusually grim and serious. He even walked differently, like he was either getting ready for a fight or didn’t know how to swing his arms.
Durzol looked over to Kavan
and an evil leer spread from ear to ear. “You are observant.”
Kavan watched in disbelief as Durzol’s entire form melted and reformed in a blink of an eye. Tattered robes hung down a thin body. Brom looked ahead as he walked with a slow, steady pace.
“Brom, you’re okay,” Kavan said as he kept his guard up.
The lich nodded. “It will take more than a xykk queen throwing me out of town to stop me. I showed my part in defending the town. It will buy me some more goodwill with the residents here.”
Brom turned his wicked gaze to Kavan, “How did you like my gifts?”
Kavan stared, unsure what the old lich meant.
Brom looked ahead and continued, “The night the young xykk queen happened onto our little town, I saw an opportunity. It didn’t take much to break into Ammi’s nursery and steal away one of her saplings. I knew I had limited time so I worked fast so I could bestow some gifts to you.
“I magically altered the Honey Leaf tree to have a certain meaty scent that would be irresistible to the queen. The first part of my plan was to ensure she had a safe place to raise her brood. I planted the sapling outside my dungeon, knowing full well it would lure her there. My dungeon was kept dry and hot so my undead would mummify instead of rot.”
Brom looked down with shadows covering his eyes. “The dungeon held many sad and painful memories. Even after all these centuries, I could never bring myself to clear it out and start again. I knew the queen would do it for me. When she began nesting, it was only a matter of time before she slew every undead within the dungeon to raise her brood.”
The lich raised his head and looked to the statue of Samuel Truewind. “In your drunken haze, I projected myself to your thoughts, letting you know that my dungeon was now free of the undead. It was my way of warning you and pushing you in the right direction.
“When I knew the xykks had multiplied in greater numbers, I moved the altered sapling to your property. It was another one of my gifts, allowing you to meet your enemy, learn from them, gain some experience and grow your power. I know you need to push yourself to earn degrees and become more powerful. This was just another gift to my apprentice.”
Kavan’s heart thudded in his chest as he looked at the lich.
Brom nodded. “To be a hero, you needed an enemy. To endear yourself to the town, the town needed a common enemy. I engineered some of the events so you could become stronger. I have a good feeling about you, but I needed to be sure. You had to be tested and you passed with flying colors.”
“Brom…” Kavan said, unsure what else to say.
The old man sighed. “You can thank me later. For now, the town needs you. A certain little goblin needs you as well. Do not speak of this to anyone, especially your lovers. It will make things difficult and the town doesn’t need that at this time. Enjoy your victories. I’m sure there will be many more on the horizon.”
The pair stopped by the fountain. Brom looked up to the statue and smiled.
“Kavan, you have helped me to collect my mind to a degree. My sanity is slowly returning. When I am at my full strength and you have gained more power, we will continue our work.”
“What work is that?” Kavan asked as he didn’t blink.
Brom turned to Kavan with a knowing smirk. “To slay the dragon god pantheon, of course.”
The words hung in the air before a breeze washed them away.
Brom bowed to the dragonkin, “The mayor truly needs you in his office. I must go back to my plans and designs. The next few hundred years should be very interesting. I bid you a good day, Magistrate.”
Kavan watched as a dark aura enveloped the old lich and consumed him. The darkness fell into itself until it was gone.
Kavan stared at the spot Brom was just standing, his thoughts blasted to glass.
“Kavan?” Viz asked.
The dragonkin’s gaze lowered.
Why does he think we’re going to slay dragon gods? Where did he even get such a notion? I don’t understand what he is trying to do.”
“It could be a non-lucid moment? He may very well continue to suffer from mental disorders and is not sure what he is saying.”
Kavan shook his head.
No, he was lucid. He has a plan and I’m part of it in some way. He’s powerful too. If I try to deny him at this stage, he may turn on me and, I hate to say this, take it out on the town.
“We have to play along?”
We do, until I can figure out how to convince him otherwise or be strong enough to fight him if I have to.
“I will help keep us focused on this plan,” Viz said with a reassuring tone.
Kavan nodded, turned on his heels and walked toward the Mayor’s Office.
The glass front to the office was smashed, shards lying about on the street. Xykk corpses laid about as Kavan approached the cracked door. He opened it and stepped inside.
The inside of the office was a disaster. Tables were turned over and books were scattered. Shelves had collapsed or were torn off the walls. The only thing that seemed to have survived the destruction was the mayor’s desk. It stood without a single scratch on it, every paper and item on it unmoved.
Behind the desk, Kogan was lifting his battle axe and placing it back on the mantle. The older orc turned and smiled at Kavan as he approached.
“Kavan, my boy! Thank you for coming so quickly. Before we get wrapped up in cleaning the town, I have a promise to keep. Please, pick up a chair and bring it over.”
Kavan reached down and picked up a chair on its side. He brought it over and placed it down before the opposite side of the desk.
Kogan sat down in his chair. He reached down to a desk drawer, opened it and stuck his hand in. Fingers clasped two glasses and a clear glass bottle. He lifted them up and placed them on the desk. He opened the top of the bottle and poured an amber liquid into each small glass.
“Amazing, isn’t it? My office is almost completely destroyed, but my desk is intact. I think the xykk knew my political power and didn’t want to test it,” Kogan chuckled.
The mayor slid a full glass to Kavan and lifted his own. Kavan lifted his glass. The two of them clinked their glasses and took a deep drink. The mayor held his glass to his chest while Kavan put his glass on the desk. Kavan noticed the fiery taste, but couldn’t dwell on it, questions and thoughts filling his mind.
Kogan leaned back in his chair and eyed the dragonkin across from him. He glanced at the broken window and door, making sure no one was around before returning his gaze to Kavan with a fatherly look.
“You asked me about wanting to know about the Heart of Moonvale. I promised I would tell you and now is as good a time as any. First, I must give you a little background to help you understand what it all means.
“About two years ago, a large nasty beast reached our town and tried to bash its way in. It took the whole town to fight it off, forcing it to leave. We lost a few of our residents in the attack and it seemed like the final nail in the coffin of our illustrious town. Moonvale was hanging on by a thread and that attack proved that if we stayed, we would all perish at some point.
“Moonvale was founded so that anyone could live here freely and worship any gods they wished, be it the new dragon gods, the old gods or the primal gods. It was the spark to moving into this deserted town and trying to make it a beacon for others not satisfied with the dogma of many kingdoms, towns, and cities. There was a rot, eating away at Voldor’s faith. Fear kept many from speaking out, considering what happened to the old gods, hudenns, elves, and the enslavement of the dwarves. There was no direction except to follow the dragon gods.
“A malaise has taken root in many places and I can tell you, I was not going to bow to others telling me who I could worship and show my faith.”
Kogan looked at his drink as he continued, “Where was I? Oh yes, the end of Moonvale. I set up a meeting with the town council. It is still the same council we have today, myself, Priest Raine, Priestess Misty, Shegga and Nava. We didn’t invite
Hynrik because, well, as you know, he can be an asshole and no one wanted to hear him rant and rave at us like we were children. Misty took his place in our little gathering.
“We sat in church, discussing dissolving Moonvale and evacuating to other kingdoms and towns. It seemed the simplest solution. We tried our best for years to make Moonvale a community so we may worship in peace, but without adequate protection, it was becoming more and more clear that we would slowly die to either the harsh winters or the monsters that happen upon our little town.”
The mayor looked up and made eye contact with Kavan, “It was shortly before this time, Onka came to stay here. She told us she had been travelling and looking for a place to call home and set up her shop. We welcomed her with open arms and she quickly became part of the community.
“On the night of our meeting, it was unanimous that we were going to take steps to move everyone safely from Moonvale to other locations. We began talking about how to break it to the town and putting together a plan for a painless exit from our home of many years. It was painful to reach this conclusion, but we couldn’t keep putting everyone’s lives in danger because of an idea, no matter how much we wanted it.”
Kogan’s eyes blinked to a memory.
“We were just about finished up when the church doors slammed open. I remember all of us standing up and looking at the entrance, Onka stepping in, but it wasn’t the same Onka we knew and loved. She was different. Her eyes glowed a crimson red. Horns had stabbed out of her forehead that were never there before. She was slightly taller and surrounded in a blazing red aura.
“We thought something had happened, possession by a demon or a monster was controlling her. We kept our distance, not sure what else to expect. Onka stepped through the church and when she reached us, she fell to her knees and sobbed.”
Kavan and Kogan stared at each other before the older orc continued.
“She cried like a babe. We don’t know how she knew our intentions, but she pleaded and begged us not to leave the town. Her sobs haunted all of us gathered as she continued on. When I couldn’t take it anymore, her sobbing piercing my soul, I said we would not leave the town. The rest of the council agreed. It was at that moment she passed out.