Exiled - 01

by M. R. Merrick

  Ishmar coughed heavily, expelling a flood of water from his body. His gray skin had turned white, and when he had coughed the last of the water from his lungs, he collapsed. Garsmith rushed to his son’s aid and began rubbing his back and soothing him.

  Tiki moved slowly and jerkily, black and purple with bruises from the waist up. His nose was pouring bright red blood and his lips had multiple splits. Dried blood and dirt added their colors to his flesh. I collapsed beside him in exhaustion.

  “Well, that went well,” I said between pants. The magic had taken most of my energy and I was extremely tired and hungry.

  “If that is your idea of going well, I do not want to know what you classify as going badly. Ishmar has a strange magic. I could not bring my demon out,” Tiki said.

  Loud footsteps neared us, but I couldn’t be bothered to move. Ishmar cast a large shadow over us, the gray coloring coming back into his skin. Panic ran through me, but his thick arms extended and he offered each of us a hand.

  “You are a most worthy opponent,” Ishmar said, and bowed his head to me.

  “As are you,” I said.

  “Thank you for sparing me. You are most honorable.”

  “I wouldn’t say that, but thank you.”

  Ishmar shook his head. “I threatened to end your life, and still you spared me. If that’s not honorable, then I do not know the meaning of the word.” His voice was gentle, and deeper than any I’d ever heard.

  “Thank you, Ishmar.”

  “You are hurt and tired. Please, come eat and rest with us.” I looked at Tiki, who looked to be in too much pain to argue. “I promise you will be safe here,” Ishmar added.

  “Okay,” I said.

  Ishmar led us into another open space. Thick logs surrounded a large fire pit. Three trolls worked around a big pot hanging above the fire, stirring whatever was inside. If it hadn’t been for their breasts, I wouldn’t have known they were female.

  “Please sit,” Ishmar said.

  Tiki and I groaned as we lowered ourselves onto a log.

  “You okay?” I asked.

  “I will be fine.”

  “I can help heal you.”

  “No, no. I have seen what your magic can do.”

  I laughed and it made me wince again. “Really, I can.” I reached out towards him and he tried to pull away from me, but it hurt him too much to move. I placed both my hands on his back and called on my magic. The water flowed up through my soul in a smooth calm wave and out my hands.

  Tiki gasped, but quieted as his muscles relaxed. I sent my magic out over his body and imagined that smooth water was rolling over his wounds, washing away the blood and bruises as undamaged caramel skin revealed itself. It took everything I had left.

  When I opened my eyes, his bruises were gone, replaced by flawless flesh. His lips had healed and all that remained of his wounds were the stains of dried blood.

  “Amazing,” he said as I pulled my magic back into me.

  All the trolls had stopped and were staring at us, some with awe, others with surprise, and some with anger, which I didn’t understand. I didn’t know how to react, and I didn’t have the energy to move. I hadn’t realized how much the magic would take out of me.

  I tried to pull up my magic again and heal my own wounds, but I couldn’t focus; I needed food and rest. I tried to stand, but black dots swam around me and I had to force my eyelids to stay open.

  “Chase?” Tiki said, his voice was distant.

  “I’m fine. I just need....” I started, but the light around me dimmed and I fell to the ground. I remembered seeing the dirt approaching, but the darkness swallowed me before I hit it.

  ~~~~~~

  Chapter 28

  I awoke in somebody’s tent and could see the flickering light of a fire through the opening. I tried to move and realized I was in a cot of some kind.

  “Chase!” Tiki said. He moved to the side of the bed. “Are you alright?”

  I tried to sit up. I was still in pain, but it had receded. “I’m fine. I think. I don’t know what happened.”

  “You blacked out. Your magic, it drains you.”

  I knew that using your magic took energy, but I’d never seen anybody react like this.

  “What time is it?”

  “It will be morning soon.”

  Panic coursed through me and I swung my legs over the edge. “We need to go! We have to get to Rayna.”

  “I know, but first you must eat.”

  “We don’t have time, Tiki! I’ve slept for too long.”

  “You will be of no use to Rayna if you are weak. You must eat. The trolls’ chief has offered to take us to Galthor, a man who can help us with travel arrangements. The trolls are a powerful people of many abilities, and you have earned their respect.”

  “Fine, first we eat, but then we leave.”

  Only a few trolls remained around the fire and Ishmar was one of them. His attention turned to me as I sat on one of the logs, and he came over immediately with a steaming wooden bowl and matching spoon.

  “Here, eat,” he said.

  “Thanks.”

  I looked down at the steaming bowl filled with a thin black liquid with strange green lumps. I lifted my gaze to Ishmar and raised a brow.

  “It is very good. Eat,” he said.

  “What is it?” I asked, poking at the lumps with my spoon.

  “It is vesorla soup. I caught it myself in the river this morning,” he said with a proud smile.

  I took a spoonful and examined it. It smelled kind of like old socks, but I needed to eat something. My stomach growled and I slid the spoon into my mouth. After you got past the dirty foot flavor, it wasn’t disgusting, and I was grateful. Tiki was right; I wasn’t going to save Rayna on an empty stomach.

  “Ishmar, why are you so much bigger than the rest of the trolls?” Tiki asked.

  Ishmar lowered himself and sat crossed legged in front of us. “I get my size from my mother. She’s a giant.”

  I coughed and choked down the mouthful of food I had. “I’m sorry, did you say a giant?”

  Ishmar nodded.

  “How do a giant and a troll…” I started. “Never mind. I don’t want to know.”

  “That’s why my demon was contained,” Tiki said.

  “Yes, the giants have strange abilities,” Ishmar said. “My mother and father had me at a young age and were not ready for marriage. I split my time between their tribes. Although I may seem oversized here, I am small when I am among my mother’s family.”

  Ishmar didn’t speak with grunting and snorting between his words like the other trolls, but his voice was so deep I found it hard to understand at times.

  “The friend I’m looking for comes from a similar situation,” I said.

  “Her mother is a giant and her father is a troll?” Ishmar asked with excitement.

  “Not exactly,” I said.

  Ishmar didn’t have time to ask any more questions, as footsteps came up beside us and he jumped to his feet. He lowered himself onto one knee and bowed to the men that arrived.

  A short, thick man with a black beard that hung from his strange chin to the ground stood beside me. His small beady eyes watched me with a strange expression as he pulled his ankle length hair into a ponytail. Two more trolls behind him stood motionless, dressed in armor and holding their helmets under their arms. Both had matted black hair twisted into dreadlocks and black scars on their faces.

  “Chief Sorent,” Tiki said.

  “Are you ready?” Sorent asked.

  “I think so,” he said, looking at me.

  I nodded and Sorent stared down at me, an odd look on his face. “So you are the one who almost killed our Ishmar,” he stated.

  I looked up at him but didn’t respond.

  “A noble thing you did, boy,” he said, followed by a snort. “The trolls owe you great thanks for having spared his life. He is a great warrior among our people, but I suppose not as great as you.”

&nbs
p; I was left wordless again. I didn’t want to say anything to offend him. I was relying on him to get us to Alkalina Lake.

  “Regardless,” he continued, “he is of great value to my army and I owe you thanks. Your friend Tikimicharnikato of the Suriattas clan has told us you need to get to Alkalina Lake.”

  “Yes, as soon as possible.”

  “We cannot take you there ourselves. It is in a land where we are forbidden to travel, but we can take you to Galthor. He can help.”

  “Galthor is a troll?”

  Sorent snorted and grimaced. “Oh for gods’ sake, no. He is a filthy goblin, but the best in Drakar to meet your needs. If we leave now, we should get to him by high sun.”

  “Thank you, Sorent.”

  Sorent led us back to the bridge. One of his guards went first, the chief second, then the other guard. We followed and Ishmar trailed behind, making the bridge swing with each of his steps. I gripped the rope tightly and was relived to reach solid ground on the other side.

  Two of the three suns had started to rise and the sky with decorated with hues of blue and yellow. Chief Sorent led us through the Christmas-colored grass to a path he said would take us straight to Galthor.

  “I’m sure we can manage on our own, Chief,” I said.

  “Nonsense. We will guide you and ensure your safety. It’s the least we can do,” he replied with a snort.

  I didn’t think it was an argument I could win so I didn’t bother to object. Having a few extra people on our side couldn’t hurt.

  ~~~~~~

  Chapter 29

  The Chief hadn’t been kidding when he said the path would take us to Galthor’s. We followed it all morning until all three suns were at their peak in the dark green sky. The trail ended at a large field of green, red, and now also blue grass.

  A small structure in the middle of the field was surrounded by a large fence. Strange yellow vines with white and red flowers wove themselves through each slat. Inside the enclosure, various creatures were grazing and resting in the shade of strange trees.

  Sorent stopped at the edge of the path. “There it is: Galthor’s!” he said.

  I looked at the old wooden building I assumed was a house, although it was much smaller than any I’d ever seen.

  “You’re not coming?” I asked.

  Sorent grunted and shook his head. “I’m afraid not. The trolls and goblins have a history of war, and although Galthor himself would welcome us, I cannot step onto his land without breaking the treaty.”

  “Well, thank you. For everything,” I said.

  He snorted. “This is the least we can do for you, hunter.”

  I must have looked surprised and Sorent laughed. “Your friend told us about your heritage, but do not worry. You have already proven you are not like the hunters of our legends. We are people of Drakar, and this is not one of Ithreal’s worlds. Not all creatures of the Underworlds despise your kind.”

  I looked at Tiki, who shrugged. “I appreciate your help,” I said.

  “It was our pleasure, but our debt to you is hardly erased. You spared the life of one of my people, and that is not easily repaid,” he said with a snort and a grunt. “Good luck.” His guards fell in line around him.

  Ishmar smiled and bowed to me before he turned, and the quartet set off back down the path.

  Tiki and I started walking toward the old structure, but Sorent called back to us. “Oh, I nearly forgot…” he shouted. “Goblins are strange creatures. You don’t want to upset them. Trust me, be polite. You don’t want him to get him angry.”

  “Good to know,” I said, and they disappeared behind a hill.

  As we neared the house I could see a small figure at the far end of the property, watering some plants along the side of his house and watching us as we approached. Once we neared the gate, he moved straight towards us.

  “Remember, be polite,” Tiki said, but I didn’t have time to ask what happened when a goblin got mad.

  Galthor was short, with thick green skin coated in warts and pimples. Two tusks jutted from his lower jaw and square teeth showed brown between plump, dark purple lips. His red eyes looked small and angry.

  “Whadya want?” His speech was clipped and his accent sounded vaguely Irish.

  “We’d like to speak with Galthor. Please,” I said.

  “Yeah I’m Galthor. Like I said, whadya want?”

  “We need a means of travel to Alkalina Lake. We need to be there as soon as possible and Chief Sorent told us you were the best person to help us with that.”

  The goblin stared at me for a moment and then looked proud. He put his thumbs through the black suspenders holding up his brown pants and grunted. “I am Galthor, da finest beast trainer in all da dimensions. But I don’t do charity work, not even for Sorent, and you don’t look like ya ’ave a quartz to ya name.” He turned to walk away.

  “Perhaps a trade?” Tiki suggested.

  “We don’t have anything to trade,” I whispered.

  “We both have something the goblins value more than money.”

  Galthor moved back towards us. “What could you ’ave dat I would want, ’alf breed?” He scowled.

  “Blood,” Tiki said.

  “Bah, I would die before I drank da blood of a half breed! I wouldn’t want dat filth inside of me.”

  “What about mine?” I said.

  The goblin laughed. “If I won’t take his dirty blood, why would I take yers? One half breed is no better den anudder. Yer all disgusting creatures and our world’s should be rid ’o ya.”

  “But I’m not a half breed. I’m not even a demon.”

  Galthor took a step closer and stared up at me. His massive nose moved as he leaned towards me and sniffed. “Ya do smell different. Whadya supposed to be?”

  “I’m not from this world. I’m from a world called Earth and I was born a hunter of the Circle of Light. My blood is hunter’s blood.”

  The goblin snorted and laughed, looking at Tiki, who nodded in confirmation. Galthor eyed me up and down again, hunger filling his eyes. “Blood offers are rarely made nowadays. Dere must be sumptin important at Alkalina Lake for ya ta make such an offer.”

  “Very important.”

  “Why would I wanna ’elp you anyways? If ya are what ya say ya are, aren’t ya supposed to kill my kind?”

  “I don’t. Not anymore.”

  The goblin’s red eyes watched me and he sniffed me again. “Dere ’asn’t been a ’unter ’ere for millennia, ’ow do I know yer da real deal and not anudder mutt?”

  “Why does he keep calling you mixed breed and mutt?” I asked Tiki.

  Galthor grunted and Tiki answered. “After the great war millennia ago, many females of our kind came back with child. Their descendants are those who look like me.”

  I arched a brow. “How old are you?”

  Tiki ignored me and looked to the goblin. “I may be a mixed breed, Galthor, which I say without shame, but he is not of my kind, I assure you.”

  “Yer word means nothing to me, dirty creature,” he snarled.

  “How about a sample?” I offered. “Someone of your intelligence can surely tell if the blood is pure or not.”

  “Of course I can,” he replied, stretching his suspenders with thick green thumbs.

  “Then I offer you a sample. Should you feel it’s not blood worthy of your services, then we’ll leave.”

  Galthor stared at me intently, as if I was trying to trick him. “You’ll leave, just like dat?”

  “Yes.”

  He seemed to consider it before answering. “Deal,” he said. He stuck out a huge green hand that didn’t suit his tiny body, and I extended my own to shake on it.

  I pulled out a dagger and reopened the cut on my palm. When the blood started to pool, I hesitated to give it to him. The thought of another creature drinking my blood gave me the creeps, but the thought of anything happening to Rayna made me push my disgust aside.

  Galthor eyed the blood, and a thick green tong
ue slid over his purple lips as he took in the scent. He grabbed my hand and brought it to his nostrils. He sniffed deeply and his red eyes rolled back in his head. His tongue felt rough like a cat’s as it slid across my palm, and he took a few short licks to moisten the skin before taking a short suck from the wound. His tongue pulled away and his small body shuddered.

  “I ain’t ’ad da pleasure of such blood in tousands of years. I can taste da power, da magic!”

  “So we have a deal?”

  “Yah, yah, of course.” He undid a latch and opened the gate. “Come in, come in.”

  The goblin led us into his house and Tiki didn’t have as much trouble as I did getting through the door. I had to crouch to avoid putting my head through the roof.

  To one side of the entrance was a small eating area, and Galthor ordered us to wait there while he retrieved a jar. He’d specified that he wanted a whole jar, which worried me at first, but when he returned with the vessel I was confident I could fill it. It was goblin sized.

  I used the blade he gave me to open my cut further and held the jar beneath it. My blood filled it quickly, and Galthor snatched it from my hand as soon as it was full. He gave me a hungry look that made my stomach turn. He put the lid on the jar then took his blade back and licked it. His eyes lit up as the blood touched his tongue.

  “So mortal, yet full of magic,” he said with a smile.

  “Now we’ve kept up our end of the bargain, it’s your turn.”

  “Oh yes,” he said. “Follow me, follow me.”

  Galthor led us to the back of his home where we found a stable much larger than the house.

  “Now, pickin’ a creature ain’t like going to da market and pickin’ fruit. When yer paired with a creature ’o mine, it’s a lifetime connection, not a one-time fling. Ya understand?”

  I hid my confusion and nodded. I knew blood was a valuable commodity among goblins, but for what little I gave him I thought we’d be renting something, not purchasing a pet for life.

  The huge stable was easier for me to move through. It was full of different creatures, some in stalls, others in cages, while some roamed free. The cages held small cats, large cats, and wolf-like creatures. Birds were held in other areas and animals I didn’t know the name of were housed in some of the stalls. I started to wonder if we had come to the right place. We needed something big and fast, and there wasn’t a creature here I thought would fit the bill.