The Hammer's Fall

by Summers, Derick

  “Feeling better?” Lan asked quietly.

  Logan nodded stiffly then looked pointedly toward El. A wide grin played across Lan’s face.

  “She’s been there all morning,” he replied to the unspoken question. “She seems a touch protective of you,” Lan paused for effect. “Hmmmm … I wonder …”

  “If you keep wondering I may have to show you the new spell I’m working on,” came the harsh voice of a very tired El.

  Lan’thor laughed loudly. Logan was just confused by the whole exchange.

  “So,” Lan’thor continued. “How are you feeling, Logan, up for some traveling?”

  Logan nodded and slowly pulled himself to his feet.

  “Good,” he replied. “Cause, Raeth pointed out that that camp of goblins was too small to be the entire tribe. Most likely, it was only a small hunting party and that means we should put as much distance between us and them as possible.”

  “The main tribe is probably fairly close,” Raeth added. “They’ll want to find out what happened to their kin.”

  Great, thought Logan. Just what we need.

  The salve had eased the pain in his hands and his wounds were already starting to heal over, but he really wasn’t ready for another fight.

  “Then we’d best get moving,” he agreed. “How much time do you think we have, Raeth?”

  The human thought for a moment before answering.

  “It’s hard to tell. It really depends when the hunting party was supposed to return. But keep in mind that goblins are usually only active at night. In the very least, we have the day,” she paused to consider. “We may have as much as a couple of days, but I can’t see much more than that.”

  “Well,” announced El. “We’d better get a move on.”

  El had gathered most of Logan’s things together while they’d been talking. It was as she handed him his pack that he realized.

  “Damn! I forgot my ham …”

  El pulled his hammer out from her bedroll, before he could finish. Logan took it with a smile.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  El blushed slightly before turning towards Raeth.

  “And,” she said. “While I’m returning long lost weapons ...” She pulled out the fine bladed throwing knife. “Yours, I believe?”

  She offered the hilt to Raeth.

  “Yes,” the assassin acknowledged. “Thank you.”

  Raeth accepted the knife, which quickly disappeared into one of the many folds of her robes.

  Chapter Thirty-One: Little Ogre

  The four made good time that day, all things considered. They had started late in the morning and hadn’t gotten off to a fast start due to the extent of Logan’s wounds. But, they had pushed hard through the afternoon and were quite pleased to learn that Raeth seemed to have an affinity for the swampy terrain. She was able to tell soft mud from firm ground just by looking at it, and had been able to lead them at a fairly quick pace through the inhospitable territory.

  As they walked, Logan’s wounds were already healing over. A new layer of soft pink skin could be seen under the charred remains of his hands, while the bite and claw marks were closing. Soon, they would just be another set of scars that decorated his body. He sighed heavily.

  Great, he thought. I’m getting uglier by the day, and I wasn’t exactly pretty to begin with.

  They moved at the fastest pace Logan could maintain and he was deeply concerned that he was holding them all back. Not for the first time he cursed his shorter frame. He knew very well that Lan’thor and El could easily move much faster than he was capable of and his many injuries were slowing him down even further.

  By nightfall they were several miles north of their previous camp. They had heard nothing of the goblins but, as Raeth had said, the goblins were night creatures. The companions posted a watch that evening, splitting the night into four two-hour shifts. Logan took the first shift arguing that he had slept the longest the previous night and morning. El reluctantly agreed and as night fell Logan settled into a seated position by the fire, while the others nestled into their bedrolls. As his friends began snoring softly, Logan allowed his mind to wander into the night.

  The entire world seemed to expand around him. His eyes stared unfocused into the fire as he searched the surrounding swamp with his ears. All around him, he could hear the life of the swamp. Small animals scurried around the under-brush while reptiles hunted the small lagoons and rivers. Somewhere, far to the north, a large creature moved ponderously through the muddy terrain. Its passage was proceeded by much scurrying as smaller creatures darted through the undergrowth fleeing the path of the behemoth. Logan estimated the distance and figured that whatever it was would probably have moved on before they reached it.

  Focusing his senses to the far southeast, he heard the sound of distant drumming. Focusing on the drumming, he allowed his ears to track the sound to its source. He heard the goblins moving in their camp, heard they’re trackers push through the swamp on a path that mirrored the one they had travelled earlier that day. The little monsters were definitely on the move and they were much closer than he had hoped.

  A hand on his shoulder brought Logan’s drifting mind back to camp. El stoked the fire and sat down beside him.

  “So?” she asked.

  “They’re out there,” he responded, motioning in the general direction of the distant drumming.

  “They’re not moving fast,” he continued. “But, they’re closer than I’d like. Given that, I’d say they’ll catch us in a couple of days.”

  They sat in silence for several moments.

  “You three should move on ahead of me,” Logan suggested. “I’ll follow as quickly as I can.”

  El was shaking her head before he even finished.

  “No!” she stated. “We’re in this together and we’re not leaving you behind.”

  “El, be realistic,” he pleaded. “I’m holding you back. You three could easily outdistance those little monsters.”

  “Logan!” she snapped. “I’m not leaving without you and that is final, so forget it!”

  “El,” he said in frustration. “I’m going to get us all killed.”

  “Lan’thor and I knew what we were getting into when we decided to come with you. If Raeth wants to go on ahead that’s her prerogative, but I am not leaving you behind. Now, go get some sleep,” she looked to the south. “We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

  Logan reached forward and took her hand in his for a moment before moving to his bedroll. He fell asleep with the sound of drums pounding in his head.

  The next two days were much the same. The companions had decided to stick together, despite Logan’s objections. Lan’thor felt pretty much the same as El did and Raeth was not anxious to be on her own in the swamp again after her last encounter with the goblins. They covered as much ground as they could during the day and posted a guard during the night. Every night, the sound of the drumming seemed louder and closer.

  On third night, Logan had the last watch before dawn. The drumming had gotten so close it felt oppressive, like it was pounding down on top of them. He had just begun his watch, when suddenly all was quiet. Logan was instantly alert. Searching the swamp with his ears, he listened for any sound. The others were awakened by the sudden quiet.

  “What?” asked El.

  “Quiet,” warned Lan’thor.

  They all listened to the night. Finally, Logan turned to his friends.

  “Pack up,” he announced. “We’re moving.”

  The friends had slept knowing that they might have to move at any moment and their packs were already prepared. They were ready to move in seconds. Logan kept listening to the night. The sound of a breaking branch drew his attention just south of the camp.

  “They’re close.”

  Logan grabbed up his gear and started north through the swamp at a trot, the others close on his heels.

  They managed to keep ahead of the goblins for a short while, though they
could hear the monsters closing. Excited jabbering reached them as the goblins came across their vacated camp, the companions moved faster. The goblins, knowing their quarry was close, also picked up the pace and quickly began to close the distance. Raeth took over the lead, scouting the terrain as best she could in the moonlight. Lan’thor and El followed close on her heals. Logan came up the rear, losing ground with each step.

  Logan was so lost in running that he didn’t see his friends suddenly stop until he had ploughed into them. Coming to a halt as he slid into the trunk of a tree, he landed roughly on his backside in the mud.

  Noticing the greyish tones to the ‘tree’ in front of him, he realized that that he had been mistaken. He had run straight into a massive leg.

  Looking slowly up, his gaze following the massive leg to an equally massive body and finally into a pair of dark, beady eyes. Dark, beady eyes set into a thick, heavy skull that was currently turned in his direction. Logan watched in awe and more than a little fear as the monster crouched and regarded him quizzically. As frightened as he was, Logan realized that he had just met his first ogre.

  And, if I’m not careful, he thought wistfully. My last.

  The eyes were close set in the creature’s skull, sunk deep into its heavy brow. A flat up-turned nose was currently sniffing deeply at the air around Logan. The ogre’s mouth was wide, even for its massive head, and two long incisors protruded up from its lips. Thick saliva drooled from the side of the creature’s mouth, swinging precariously close to coating him as the ogre studied him. A tangle of long dirty hair crowned the beast and as Logan inhaled he was nearly overwhelmed by the sharp, musky scent of the creature.

  The great head shifted as the creature moved to briefly sniff at Logan’s companions. Logan held very still as the ogre’s attention quickly returned to him.

  A crashing through the trees behind him, reminded Logan that the goblins were almost on top of them.

  Talk about a rock and a hard place, he thought.

  Suddenly, the ogre snorted violently, showering Logan in snot, before it thundered past him. He marvelled at the ogre’s speed, amazing for a creature of its size.

  The four friends watched in awe as the ogre charged forward into the goblins, its massive clawed hand clearing a swath before him. A howl of anger roared from the beast’s throat.

  The goblins scattered in all directions. Those that weren’t fast enough found themselves propelled on their way by the ogre’s massive claws. Those that could tore off in a panicked rush into the swamp. The ogre only pursued a few feet, before stopping and bellowed after the fleeing goblins. Tilting its massive head back, the ogre roared again, its massive fists pounding against its chest.

  Everyone had turned to follow the ogre and from his position behind them, Logan saw Lan’thor ready his staff and El begin an incantation. He even saw a flash of steel as Raeth drew one of her throwing knives from deep within her cloak.

  “Everyone, put them away,” he said, his voice calm and level.

  Pushing past his companions, Logan moved towards the ogre which still stood facing the fleeing goblins. He heard the ogre growling to itself and the talisman around his neck performed its magic.

  “Hate Goblins … dirty little … goblins.”

  Logan couldn’t suppress the smile that spread across his lips, nor the small laugh that escaped them. The ogre ceased its growling and slowly turned towards him. Logan couldn’t get over the size of if. More than nine feet at the shoulder, it towered over any other creature in Tir’an. But, it wasn’t just the height, the creature was incredibly, impossibly wide. The span of its shoulders alone was enormous. Even on a creature so tall, that width seemed far out of proportion.

  It’s like looking at a larger version of me, he noted with a start.

  The ogre lumbered towards Logan, no sign of its earlier burst of speed. Crouching, it sniffed at him again. A soft growl came from the ogre’s throat.

  “Little ogre?” the talisman translated.

  The ogre moved to the others and sniffed at them again.

  “Elves …” it growled as it paused and sniffed deeper. “Changer.”

  Finished with the others, the ogre focussed again on Logan. Leaning back, it beat its chest again.

  “Swamp … mine …” it howled at Logan.

  “Everyone, move back slowly,” Logan whispered to the others.

  A quick glance over his shoulder told him they were listening and he began inching away himself. Again, the ogre pounded on its chest. This time it took one menacing step towards Logan.

  Logan froze in place and the ogre bellowed. No translation came from the talisman this time.

  Well, that had been pretty self-explanatory, thought Logan with a sigh.

  Squaring his own shoulders, Logan stared hard into the ogres eyes.

  It’ll be an interesting way to commit suicide anyway, he thought as he pounded his own chest. Tilting his head, but keeping his gaze focussed on the behemoth before him, Logan howled back. He took his own menacing step forward as he finished his roar. The ogre jerked back in surprise and tilted its head quizzically.

  “Little … ogre …?” came the questioning growl from low in its throat.

  Again, Logan stomped forward, howling and pounding his chest, charging the larger creature and finally coming to rest on his closed fists.

  “Little ogre,” came the ogre’s growl.

  The ogre’s massive clawed hand came slowly toward Logan’s head. Logan held still, his gaze never leaving the ogre own as the massive hand touched his hair then stroked gently down his face. The creature’s mouth formed something that Logan guessed could best be called a smile.

  Though, he thought. A smile like that would leave a child with nightmares for a week.

  “Little ogre,” came a softer rumble from the ogre as it turned and lumbered, slowly back into the swamp.

  Stopping a few feet away, it pounded its fists against its chest one more time.

  “Swamp mine!” it bellowed at the rising sun.

  Then it disappeared into the swamp, trees bending as it passed. Logan watched its parting until the ogre was out of sight before turning towards his friends. They stared at him in wide-eyed wonder. He smiled.

  “Let’s get out of here, shall we?” he suggested.

  Chapter Thirty-Two: Origins

  They put the swamp behind them and the terrain became drier and drier. Ahead, to the north, they could see the mountains of the Dragon’s Spine rising up into the sky, a seemingly impenetrable barrier before them. When they stopped to make camp Lan’thor pulled out the elfin map and studied it.

  “According to the map,” he announced. “The only way over the spine is through a trail far to the west.”

  Logan came over to join his friend. The encounter with the ogre and the goblins was two weeks behind them and his wounds had healed over, leaving a mass of scar tissue across his hands and back as the only reminder of the encounter. He looked at the map his friend had laid out. Lan’thor was right. The overland trade route was clearly marked on it and the passage through the spine was at least a couple of hundred miles to the west. Logan sighed deeply, his eyes closing in frustration.

  “I’ll never reach my sister at this rate,” he muttered to himself in defeat.

  “Hey, don’t complain too much,” commented El sympathetically. “If it were easier, there’d be nothing to stop the humans from invading down from the north.”

  She looked at Raeth, a flush of embarrassment coming to her cheeks. The two had managed to put aside their differences and were actually starting to enjoy each other’s company. As El put it, it was good to have another woman around to keeping the boys in line.

  “Uh, sorry Raeth, I didn’t mean …” she stammered.

  Raeth smiled back at her.

  “No problem, El,” the assassin said before she could finish. “What you say is true. Their inability to easily cross the spine is one of the main obstacles that has kept the humans out of the south.”


  “Except, for some notable sea raids that is,” she added sadly looking towards Logan.

  Logan gave her a grim smile in response.

  “Besides,” Lan added, pointing to a section of the map south of the spine. “The desert wasn’t always there either. I mean, if the dwarves and elves hadn’t destroyed the land to the south of the Spine in their war, the route would have been considerably easier.”

  Logan rose to his feet and stretched his long arms.

  “Well, complaining about it isn’t going to make the trip any easier or quicker,” he announced with resigned determination. “I’d best collect wood for tonight’s fire.”

  As evening settled about them they relaxed around the campfire. Lan’thor and Raeth were quietly talking on the other side of the fire when El sat down beside Logan.

  “Logan?” she asked.

  “Yes El?”

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure,” he smiled. “Anything.”

  El dropped her eyes from Logan’s gaze and seemed to have trouble gathering her courage. Logan frowned slightly at her hesitation. His curiousity was more than a little peaked.

  “You’re not completely human are you?” she finally blurted.

  She wore a look of horror at the tactlessness of her own words. She rushed to continue, hoping to sooth before Logan could take offence.

  “I mean, I’d never seen a human before I met you so I didn’t notice at first, but since Raeth joined us I’ve noticed that you two are very different. I mean your shapes and proportions seem so contradictory.”

  Logan flashed a glance at Raeth who had tuned in at the sound of her name. She seemed more than a little uncomfortable at this line of conversation and the ogre’s pronouncement of ‘Changer’ played through Logan’s head. Logan smiled to himself as understanding dawned, before looking back at El.

  “No,” he replied. “You’re right El. I’m not completely human. I may not even be remotely human. I honestly don’t know.”

  The others had become silent, and now they waited for him to continue. With a resigned sigh, Logan relayed the story of his life, at least as best he knew it. He told of Hagar finding him on the plains of battle amongst the dead. How Hagar had brought him home to Tess and how they had adopted him as their own. Finally, he told them of the strange dream he’d had while lying wounded in the yard of his parents home.