When the barbarians departed, mounted on their war tigers, Sturiol looked at his magic medallion to locate plants for healing. Gulinnar always told that a barbarian should rely on his ax, but not forgetting to heal his companions. Rengnar, finding that the road was divided into two paths, withdrew from his pocket a copper coin and threw up. The coin fell on top of his left hand. It was showing the crown, then he said, somewhat annoyed:
“Let’s stop. I’m hungry.”
A cold wind crossed the immense corridor of the land that gave access to the Underground Realm. Thelron, sitting in one of the treasure chests he received from Gorth, the king of reptants, struck the earth with the tip of his war mace, drawing a kind of map harm done, and said:
“If what you’re saying is true, then you should think of another way to fabricate it.”
Gorth filled his lungs with air, revealing even more his green scales beneath his steel armor, and replied:
“No, they work well, but I need more of them. The shields and spears are ready. The magic armors are more difficult to do.”
Around him, a group of seven skeleton fairy flew close to two wooden chests, with restless and curious eyes.
“Okay, it will be one thousand pieces of silver for each one hundred fairies. If you accept, I will pick them up right now.”, Thelron said.
The king of reptants raised his spear, very furious, and shouted: “You are betraying us! That’s what I just heard? One thousand coins? With this money I could hire thousands of them.”
Thelron finished making the drawing in the land, his face reddened with irritation, then he said:
“Seven hundred silver coins. It’s the maximum I can diminish. Do you want it or not?”
Two skeleton fairies got on top of one of the chests, and started to laugh, releasing small shrieks.
“One thousand coins, for two hundreds of them. It seems fair. You do not want to offend your best friend, is not it?”
Thelron retired from his leather bag, his white cover grimoire, then he searched for the magic of creating dimensional portals. Eight thousand skeleton fairies… forty thousand silver pieces. He would earn good money, so Thelron decided to try to meet the fairies as soon as possible. He looked up to the huge expanse of land covering the Underground Realm, then heard a small noise, that could be a tremor, which indicated the presence of an army walking over in the Kingdom of the Lights. He flipped through some pages of his grimoire, and after reading some magic words, he looked happy for the big red energy portal that he was just created.
Gorth seemed increasingly anxious to complete the manufacture of the weapons. The king of reptants then remembered that Kordius promised him power and riches that were far beyond what his army had. A group of seventy fairies gathered near the entrance of a cave, they seemed to be waiting for the Gorth’s orders. The king approached them with a large net of hunting on his hands, then said:
“Come here now. We need to wait for the others.”
Gorth felt that if Thelron really fulfilled with his word, his army would be strengthened, and then he would show Kordius that he was the most powerful king of Fynge. The skeleton fairies entered the cave, flying in a disorderly way and shouting strangely. The king of reptants smiled broadly, and having watched a large group of fairies on the outside, some of them carrying shields, shouted:
“You’re doing a good job! Continue… faster!”
Gorth knew that it would be dangerous to continue enslaving the fairies without the knowledge of Kordius, but at the same time he felt that the sorcerer of the elementals was not fulfilling his word. His army of reptants should have been strengthened, from the time he had helped Kordius to oust the legions of goblins who always tried to invade the north lands, in the Kingdom of the Elementals. Suddenly, the ground began to shake with an increasingly power, and small pieces of stone fell from above the firmament.
The king of reptants looked amazed and surprised for a huge group of nearly two thousand skeleton fairies, who seemed agitated, many carrying weapons, including spears, shields, medallions and various types of artifacts. He tried to understand why they were flying out of one of the fabrication mines, Gorth felt that something was wrong at that time. The tiny creatures had never acted this way, so he thought it was best to inquire with his army what was happening. Hundreds of reptants threw their spears toward the fairies, but almost none of them could hit.
“Idiots, use the nets! They are running away with the weapons!”, Gorth shouted desperately, while seeing hundreds of them flying in the tunnel, into the exit of the Underground Realm’s land.
The king of reptants could not believe that for many days he could have been cheated by them. Gorth always relied on the skills of the skeleton fairies, and he also felt that they would never have the capacity to deceive the races of the other kingdoms. A huge explosion of rocks came from a mine of fabrication, scattering huge chunks of stone, flying toward the reptant warriors.
Gorth ran toward a group of twenty fairies fleeing, carrying swords and medallions of steel, then the king quickly threw his net of hunting on the creatures, but they seemed more agile, and almost none of them got stuck on the reptant’s net. The king then remembered when many of them had drink magic potions of agility that he had created, along with three reptant sorcerers of his army. He felt that it was the right decision, so that way, they could produce the weapons in less time, and his warriors would be better prepared.
While an increasing number of fairies was leaving the Underground Realm with ease, running away with the weapons of reptants, eight sorcerers gathered in a circle of stone pillars. Gorth approached them and yelled, very angry:
“Prepare something to destroy these pests! They are escaping!”
Every minute that passed, the king of reptants felt more humiliated and powerless because he could not do anything to save his army of the theft of weapons and artifacts. It was difficult to accept the defeat against creatures so small, insignificants and subservients.
After a few minutes, the sorcerers managed to create a huge wall of magical energy, blocking the tunnel’s exit of the Underground Realm. Gorth looked proud to the reptants, then walked toward some fairies, but to his surprise, he realized that the creatures were going through the magical wall with ease. Their bodies were transparent and luminous, emitting a strong golden light that almost blinded the reptants. The artifacts also became transparent, Gorth layed on the ground covered with pieces of fairy wings, he was desperate and without any action. He stood at his army, looking for those damn fairies abandoning the mines, and stealing their shields, spears and other valuable itens.
18
The New Diary
When approaching in front of Ellen’s house, feeling
like she never would accept him as before, the world seemed to crumble in his soul… the world had no longer made any sense to Sgnilliv. He no longer had the same energy and vitality as before, he had no hope of looking into her eyes and find the love, or anything else that has remained hidden in his heart.
Sgnilliv still wished he could find her happy, wished he could touch her, kissing her lips, her smooth face and serene expression, a special face that not any woman could possess. But now she would no longer accept him, now maybe it was time to leave that city, or to set aside the old dreams of plans that was falling apart as quick as a flash of light in the sky. The plans changed in just a single blow of an ax, for a father who had no right to be a father, a goblin who was one of the world of Fynge would remember for many years.
A goblin who was called Shiiv, which was named in honor of the God of War, was just an urge to humiliate even his own friends, just to say that he was the best of the tribe. To Sgnilliv, maybe one day Ellen would understand that it was not his fault, she could even accept him in that situation, but she still would go through that terrible day that Sgnilliv not wanted to pass.
Sgnilliv gave two soft touches on the door, his hands were trembling with anxiety, a pain emerged as a strong lightning at the he
ight of his left shoulder. Despite feeling a great passion for Ellen, she was a human, and her parents had warned her that they would never approve of a loving union so strange. After a few minutes the door opened slowly, Ellen putted her head out, and when he saw the state of Sgnilliv, she weakened her legs and collapsed unconscious on the floor.
Sgnilliv wanted to carry her in his arms, he thought maybe it was not a good idea to have appeared so suddenly. He sat next to Ellen, with her head resting on his legs, stroking his soft face. He remembered when they had fled from a group of necromancers, Ellen told him that no matter what would happen, they would be together forever. Even in difficult times, she would be by his side to comfort him.
The goblin shut the house’s door carefully, he realized that Ellen seemed to be knitting and sewing some shirts because over the large wooden table that stood in her room, she had some pieces of cloth, pipe lines and two needles in a small woven basket. Ellen liked to please him, Sgnilliv also sought to bring Ellen some gifts, but now he felt that this time things would no longer be like before. Ellen’s parents could come at any moment, and the goblin did not want to discuss with them again in a situation so humiliating.
“Ellen! I have two men wounded, I need your help!
Sgnilliv, hearing the familiar and strong voice, almost a scream, he realized it was Shiiv, his father. He quickly pulled Ellen away and drew his silver dagger.
“I’m coming!”, Shiiv shouted again.
Sgnilliv walked carefully, leaving the main room, he noticed that the front door was opening. When he prepared to take another step, he bumped his arm on a pan that was on the wooden table, letting it to fall on the floor, making a big fuss.
“Ellen, are you there?”, Shiiv asked, this time so suspicious.
Sgnilliv then slipped behind the cabinet to stay inside the room of Ellen, his face heated up of beads of sweat. He should wait for the right moment, he could not stand next to Ellen, knowing his father would kill him.
The goblin then heard quick steps that were growing stronger. He peeked through a small slit in the bottom of the cabinet of four wooden legs, he realized that his father was kneeling next to Ellen, thrusting his hands into the pockets of her red dress. Sgnilliv felt a growing anger, he could not allow his father to stealing money from his beloved.
After searching in the two pockets of the dress and not finding anything, Shiiv arose, then Sgnilliv heard his voice:
“Come in, she is unconscious, take everything you find of value.”
The goblin heard this time many steps and some laughs. They appeared to be several men. Sgnilliv felt he should do something, then he scraped with the tip of the blade of his knife on the wood in the back of the cabinet, producing a ripping sound and at the same time irritating.
“What was that noise?”, Shiiv said.
Sgnilliv looked at the crack of the closet again, he realized that his father came over, so when Shiiv stopped walking and bent down to observe some traces on the wooden floor, Sgnilliv pushed the cabinet with his left arm and shoulder, while ending to topple him with a strong kick. Pots, boxes and many other objects have fallen along with the cabinet over Shiiv, who started screaming for help. Sgnilliv ran over him while holding his silver dagger, and when Shiiv realized what was before his son, cried out:
“Get me outta here now!”
“You went here to steal Ellen? You bastard!”, Sgnilliv touched the blade of his dagger against the neck of his father, who replied:
“It’s really a coward. Why not just kill me at once?”
Suddenly, five men entered through the front door, armed with large swords of steel. Two of them did not seem to be human, because their skin was gray, and they walked with difficulty, while releasing strange moans. Sgnilliv realized they were undead, then remembered that the pirates of Shannen’s city used to control the zombies, to help them in combat.
One of the men, who had a black beard, dirty and unkempt, approached Sgnilliv, while sharpening the blade of his sword with a stone and said:
“Put off this dagger, son. My sword does not want to cut your other arm.”
Sgnilliv remained motionless with his dagger and said:
“Why don’t you just go away from here? If you think he will give you some money, you are mistaken. This goblin… what was once called father, is not worth any copper coin in the world.”
Then the other two men also approached Sgnilliv, and the zombies followed him, dragging his legs rotted.
“Let’s settle this once and now! Kill the two goblins!”, Shouted the man with the black beard.
When they prepared their weapons and took a few steps, the wooden floor shuddered, and then lots of plant roots emerged, holding the legs of the five attackers. Sgnilliv looked around surprised, Ellen approached, walking with Rasputin, the wizard. The goblin then dropped his dagger, stuck firmly in the throat of Shiiv, and approached Ellen with a hand stained with blood.
“We can not to stay here.”, Ellen said, her face was covered with tears, “Your father, he hired mercenaries to end your life.” Sgnilliv seemed not to mind the words of the healer, but at the same time he remembered that she was his sole reason for existing.
“Where are we going now?”
“I do not know, but we can not stay here in this city. The king’s soldiers can come at any time.”, Ellen said.
The goblin looked once more to his dying father, he wanted to make sure that he would not survive.
In the main square of Hanneris, Urentir leaned into a large tree, surrounded by children who screamed and ran next to a stone fountain. Ornell and the bards were always taking some wine near there, so it would be a good idea to wait for them. It was the right time to teach them the magic of nature. The square was not very full, Urentir did not have to endure the humiliation suffered again for failing to destroy the mutant elves with his army in the Forest of the Spirits. He did not know if they will ever forgive him, but he wished it was all over, that the peasants could understand that this was not his fault.
Big laughs came from behind a cart that seemed to be abandoned, Urentir walked bumping into children, until to find Ornell, who was telling a story about how he had earned a reputation of the better bowman of Hanneris. Heng Lawf and Kimiru seemed very suspicious of the bard druid. Urentir strongly shook the cart with the hands, scaring the bards, who drew their weapons in attack position.
“I see you are very well prepared.”, Urentir said, smiling, while he looked at the sides.
“Urentir, you bastard! Do you want to kill us with fright? We are looking for you everywhere.”, Kimiru responded very angry.
The druid and former commander sat down by the bards and putted his helmet on the side of the rear wheel of the cart. Ornell remained silent as he stared into his magic quiver.
“I think you already know about the trainings.”
Heng Lawf rose from the dusty road, while he leaned on the cart and said:
“Sure, we know that you are deceiving us all this time. You made us to wait for days.”
“The fault was not mine. I’ve been traveling for a few important places that it would be better to investigate. I found the fortress of Kordius within the Kingdom of the Elementals. Edryon also had found it, but I think he is not prepared for all those fire elementals.”, Urentir replied the bards and waited for some response.
“And do you think that if we do the training, learning all those spells of druids, would we be able to invade the fortress?”, Kimiru asked as he honed his hatchet.
“This is our goal. We can not wait one more day, as many kingdoms are being destroyed by Kordius. If we invade the fortress with a big magical power of attack, we can defeat them.”, Urentir replied and looked surprised for a group of three elves who quickly passed the road in a cart drawn by two brown horses.
“If we had done the training before all these tragedies, it would have been better.”, Lawf Heng said, looking quite angry for the druid.
Urentir then remembered when the ba
rds had been hired by the King William II, at the time of the great plague in the mountains, which affected most of the humans of the world of Fynge. Those days were terrible for many inhabitants of the Kingdom of the Lights, who lost their lives early, but Ornell and the bards were commissioned to spread the news and messages to other distant realms, in search of help and reinforcements.
The cold winds had already finished with the arrival of the strong sun in the afternoon, warming the leather armor of the druid, while also bringing an unbearable heat to Ornell and the bards. After having followed the trip outside Hanneris for two hours, riding their war horses, Urentir reined his animal securely, and the horse stopped beside a large tree in a forest. Agmar, his father, always told him that the druid was not a good animal trainer, and much less could train a person.
After many problems with his father, Urentir decided that he would not talk with him because every time he tried to please him, he was not getting the recognition he deserved, and instead, Urentir was just insulted by offensive words. Two wild boars ran scared in the bushes, realizing the presence of the unexpected visitors. The druid tied his horse around the tree with a thick rope and then said:
“Are you ready?”
This time Urentir hoped the training sessions were successful, for he felt that he could not stand another defeat in his mind, among so many tragedies that happened in his life. Three weeks of intense learning, with new rituals and new combat techniques, would be sufficient to complete the first cycle of magical training, that Urentir wanted to teach the bards. Angry cries of monkeys and birds singing stopped the whistling of winds that scattered dry leaves in the middle of the extensive woodland trail. Urentir sat next to roots that were compounded with a fallen tree trunk on the ground, and said:
“I’m very proud that you have managed to become leaders of the Council of the Leaves. But you still need to learn a lot. The path of a true druid is long and tortuous. Whren you learn to control your impulses, you will understand what I’m saying. Kimiru, I see that you still need to focus your strength, along with your restless mind. The first step is this: concentrate your minds on a single subject, thus increasing the strength of will and determination in your hearts.”
Edryon (Book 1 of Edryon Trilogy) Page 15