Exiled - 01

by M. R. Merrick

  Galthor pulled a thick rope that hung against the wall. A series of pulleys and cogs turned, and after a few moments all the stall gates and cage doors opened at once.

  “So how does this work? Do we just pick one?” I asked.

  Galthor gave a snort. “No. You don’t just pick one,” he mimicked.

  “So how do we…”

  “Da creature will pick you. For now, we wait,” Galthor said, taking up a seat on a bale of something resembling hay.

  We waited while animals moved towards us. Several came up to catch our scent, sniffing both Tiki and me before turning and walking away. Bird-like creatures hovered around us, and before long each animal had moved back to their respective area.

  I sighed in frustration and turned to Galthor “Look, we don’t have time…” I was interrupted by a high pitched chirp.

  A small budgie-sized creature that I hadn’t noticed sat on my shoulder. White feathers covered its body while gold feathers trailed down its spine and made up its tail. Small blue eyes peered at me while the bird stretched out two incredible pairs of long wings.

  “Well look at dat. Dats’s a rare commodity right dere,” Galthor said, waddling in front of us.

  “Wow, it’s a…tiny bird,” I said.

  “Ah, don’t let her appearance fool ya. Dat dere’s a golden torrent, a close relative to da thunderbird and a rarity in any world. I’ve had dat dere gal for over a century and if I’da known dat would be yer animal, I wouldn’t a made dis deal, hardly fair. But a deal’s a deal, I s’pose.”

  I shook my head and looked down at Galthor. “I think you’ve misunderstood what we’re looking for. We need something that can take us to Alkalina Lake, and fast.”

  Galthor grunted and waved a hand to shoo me away “Bah! I understand ya just fine, ya see. We made a deal and dis is it.”

  “No, you don’t. I need to get to Alkalina Lake and I can’t do that with a little thing like this. I don’t care how rare it is!” I raised my voice in frustration.

  “Chase…” Tiki started.

  “Ya saying I’m not ’oldin’ up my end of da deal? Ya callin’ me a liar?” The goblin’s voice was deeper now, his accent thickening with each word.

  The animals began to stir. Birds chirped while other creatures growled, turning in their stalls.

  “No, I’m just saying I need to get to Alkalina Lake and I can’t do that with this tiny creature,” I said, trying to be polite.

  Tiki grabbed my shoulders and shook his head. I tried to backpedal, but it was too late.

  The small goblin’s eyes went redder and small purple veins pushed at his skin. I sighed, fearing I’d done the one thing I wasn’t supposed to.

  The skin on Galthor’s face moved like something was alive beneath it. It rippled and the sound of bones breaking sent a chill down my spine. “How dare ya insult me! Yer ignorance angers me.” His voice had become a deep growl that belonged to something much larger than the tiny goblin before us.

  “Please, I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m just running out of time and…” I was interrupted by the crunching of bones as his whole body started to reconstruct itself.

  I stepped back and the golden torrent gripped my shoulder. Its small claws dug into my skin as it chirped frantically. Tiki grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back. “We should leave,” he said, his voice trembling. The animals in their pens and cages squawked and howled.

  “What’s going on? What’s happening to him?” I said, looking at Tiki.

  “That.”

  The small green man was no longer small. His bones had shifted and his entire body grew. His skin stretched to the point I thought it would rip and muscles bulged from everywhere on his body. Even his warts grew with him. His flat dirty teeth shifted into sharp fangs longer than my fingers.

  He grew until my head was somewhere near the middle of his thigh. Saliva poured from his mouth and his tusks had extended. He growled as his body made the final shift and huge red eyes glared down at us.

  Tiki pulled at my shirt and this time I didn’t hesitate. We walked backwards to the door and both turned and ran. An earth-shattering roar came from behind us and the ground shook as Galthor started after us. He broke through the stable and splinters of wood flew past. We ran along the fence, racing for the gate.

  “Now what?” I yelled at Tiki.

  He turned to look back at the pursuing goblin. Galthor jumped high in the air and came crashing to the ground. The force made the earth shake and I lost my balance, catching myself in time to watch Tiki tumble to the ground behind me.

  I stopped to pull him to his feet. His triangular pupils had expanded in fear and his eyes were almost entirely white. Those few seconds were enough for the goblin to gain on us.

  A massive green arm came down and sent us flying. Cold air flowed around me, then I crashed through the fence and tumbled into the field. I didn’t have time to think about the pain; I jumped to my feet and searched for Tiki.

  He hadn’t gone through the fence, but over it, and was rolling further into the field. I ran full tilt towards him and helped him up. We should have run back towards Sorent and the other trolls, but adrenaline was pumping and we weren’t thinking. We ran the opposite way, into an open space.

  “Is it too late for apologies?” I shouted at Tiki as he tried to keep up. He glared and we both kept moving.

  The small bird chirped in my ear, gripping so tightly to my shoulder I felt its claws pierce my skin. “Sorry, I’m a little busy running for my life here. You’re supposed to be some impressive little creature; why don’t you do something?”

  The goblin started to close in on us, and something needed to happen or we were going to be in his reach. “You’ve got to be good for something!” I yelled at the bird.

  It screeched in my ear, loudly enough that it hurt, and pushed off my shoulder.

  “Great, now that we’re being chased by an angry goblin, it’s leaving.”

  “They told you to be polite!” Tiki yelled.

  “Now isn’t the best time to say you told me so!”

  A booming caw echoed through the sky above us. The bird’s silhouette dove and spun towards the ground and I watched in amazement as it changed form into something else…something bigger.

  In seconds, it had shifted into a giant version of itself. Four massive wings stretched across the sky as it coasted to the ground. The earth shook as the bird let out a thunderous cry that made my ears ring.

  Hearing a different roar, I turned to find the goblin had stopped. Galthor was hunched over, giant green hands covering his ears. The bird let out another bellowing squawk from its enormous beak and I was forced to cover my ears too. Galthor roared in pain and fell to his knees.

  We put some more distance between us and the goblin before the bird wheeled down to the ground. Huge talons tore at the earth as it slowed itself.

  “I retract my previous statement. That is impressive,” I said.

  The golden torrent raised its head and puffed out its chest.

  Galthor yelled and the ground rattled as he jumped to his feet and moved towards us again. The bird lowered its tail and looked back at me, letting out a soft caw. I turned to Tiki, who gave me his characteristic shrug, and we grabbed at the golden feathers and climbed up.

  I settled myself so my legs fell to either side of the creature’s neck. Tiki took a spot between the two pairs of wings, and we both gripped handfuls of feathers, holding on for our lives.

  The bird took a few strides forward before its wings flapped and we were airborne. The goblin had closed the distance between us and he grabbed the torrent’s tail as it lifted us from the ground. The torrent cried out and needles of pain shot through my head at the high pitched sound.

  I heard a soft clicking that sounded like nails on a chalk board before there was a flash of light beneath us and the goblin was struck by a bolt of lightning.

  Bright white spots clouded my vision, and when they had cleared, Galthor’s green skin had tur
ned black. He roared in pain as he lost his grip and fell to the ground. A loud thud followed his impact and a cloud of dirt and dust exploded around him.

  The torrent’s wings pumped until the ground beneath us looked like a patchwork of terrain: green, red and blue fields of grass, gray mountains, and the odd splash of purple lakes and streams. The air was cold and I had to press my face against its feathers to protect my skin from the sharp wind.

  The bird stopped flapping its wings and coasted along in the cloudy green sky. I kept my face buried in its neck and held on tight as we descended towards a large mountain.

  A massive gray structure jutted from the ground, surrounded by a dark purple lake that stretched out for miles in every direction. A single strip of land provided access from the lake to the mountain. If that water was Alkalina Lake, then that mountain was where we needed to be. Only one way in and one way out didn’t bode well for somebody wanting to attempt a rescue.

  The bird dove towards the earth and the mountain grew with each second, but as we neared I could see smoke billowing out the top of it.

  “What is that?” I yelled.

  “It’s a volcano,” Tiki replied, and even from right behind me his voice sounded distant in the rush of wind.

  We circled the volcano before gliding across the lake. Above the water, you could see no reflections, but it sprayed around us as the torrent’s talons grazed the surface. The bird slowed as we neared the far edge of the lake and its giant claws grasped at the earth. When we’d stopped moving, the creature lowered itself to the ground, allowing us to slide down its back.

  The golden torrent stared at me, its large blue eyes flashing from the lighting within.

  “Thank you. I’m sorry I doubted your talents,” I said.

  It lowered its head and pushed the top of its beak against my cheek. I reached up and ran my fingers through its incredibly soft feathers, and the huge creature made a very gentle chirping sound.

  It pulled its head away and leapt upwards. Its body exploded in feathers, morphing until nothing remained but the small, white and gold bird we’d met. It chirped a few times before finding its place on my shoulder once again. “Well, that was different,” I said, as large feathers littered the ground and danced in the cool breeze.

  Tiki nodded. “They are rare creatures. I had never seen one myself until now. They’ve been rumored to be extinct for centuries.”

  “What did it do to the goblin?”

  “Golden torrents are gifted with the ability to create lighting by scraping their talons together. It’s a most rare and powerful gift.”

  “You can say that again.”

  Tiki arched a brow. “It’s a most rare and powerful gift.”

  I shook my head and smiled. “Thank you,” I said. I realized how lucky I was to have, quite literally, run into Tiki. I wouldn’t have survived in this world alone.

  “For what?”

  “For helping me. I won’t know whether we’re on time or not until I go in there, but if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here now.”

  “You’re welcome, Chase Williams, but I know you meant to say we won’t know until we go in there.”

  “No, Tiki, I didn’t. You’ve come this far with me; I can’t let you come in there. It’s too dangerous and I’ve put enough people in danger lately.”

  “I must aid you in your quest, Chase Williams. I…”

  “And you have helped me, Tiki, but I don’t want to be the reason you die. It’s best we go our separate ways now. You’d never seen a hunter before me; trust me when I say you don’t want to meet the one inside.”

  Tiki laughed and it caught me off guard. “I think you forget your place. I am Tikimicharnikato of the Suriattas clan. I am a half demon and I have fought demons of the purest blood and still, I live to tell of it. I will not part ways with you now for fear of people who may harm me. I have come this far with you, and I will stay. It is part of my destiny to be here. It has been seen.” He spoke with such confidence that I could no longer argue.

  I hadn’t thought of Tiki as a warrior. He was smaller than me, although he appeared to be in good shape. He didn’t carry a weapon, and his feminine features and soft caramel skin looked like they’d be out of place in a battle. Still, his bright orange eyes regarded me with great certainty, in himself and his decision.

  “Besides, I am a dimension jumper. Just because the portals to Earth are unlocked doesn’t mean they are always open,” he said. “Do you know how to open a portal?”

  He was right; I hadn’t thought about that. Nothing had mattered except saving Rayna.

  “Alright, Tiki, you win.” I said, and seeing the satisfaction on his face was worth taking the risk.

  I pulled my sword from its sheath and handed it to him, but he shook his head. “No, I cannot take your weapon.”

  “But I have more.”

  “When the time comes, I will not need it.” The look in his eyes was chilling. His sweetness was replaced with the fighting spirit of a warrior, and I could see the scars of battle in his eyes. It was impressive and unnerving all at once.

  “If you say so.”

  We didn’t pause to come up with a plan. Neither of us knew what to expect once we entered the cave. As far as we could tell, there was only one way in and one way out, so our course of action was simple: go in, save Rayna, and kill anybody who got in our way.

  ~~~~~~

  Chapter 30

  We walked down the bridge of land towards the cave in silence, except for the sounds of wind and water. My stomach churned, my pulse sped, and sweat gathered on my palms as we neared the entrance. The golden torrent chirped in panic and flew from my shoulder as we crossed the threshold of the cave, winging back out over the lake and disappearing into the sky.

  The winding cave was dimly lit with torches lining the walls, and I drew my sword in silence, taking care with each step. We followed the torches to a fork in the path and listened hard, but heard nothing. We came to a silent agreement to split up.

  Fear for Tiki washed over me again. All I had was his word he could handle himself. I believed what I could see and trusted what I knew, but Tiki’s battle skills didn’t fit into either of those categories yet. After all the help he’d given me, I knew I could trust him as a person, but trusting him to handle what we were walking into was a different story. I wished I had Rayna at my back then.

  The corridor was dark and the further I went, the tighter the knot in my stomach got. I was going to have to face my father to get Rayna back, and I wasn’t prepared for that, physically, magically, or emotionally.

  I’d learned my father wasn’t everything I had thought he was, that the Circle was involved with creatures they were supposed to be fighting, and that not all demons were my enemies. It had been a hell of a month so far, everything happening so fast it seemed like one long day – or one really bad nightmare.

  I froze in an instant when I heard screams, and a loud crash echoed around me. I knew then that even though the cave split into two paths, they met in one area. The route Tiki had taken must have been shorter and he was now in the middle of what should be my fight.

  I ran forward, hoping it would be faster than turning around. We were outnumbered and our one advantage, surprise, was gone. I moved with all the grace and speed I could, waves of warm air moving over me as I went further into the volcano. I came around one last corner and slowed. The fighting had stopped. That couldn’t be a good thing.

  Tiki wouldn’t have been able to handle my father and the Dark Brothers, so something was wrong. I tried to catch my breath and crept toward the opening. The corridor I’d followed opened into a huge space and the ceiling was higher than the light of the torches could reach. I peeked around to see Tiki; his face was bloody and the Dark Brothers were chaining his wrists to one of the stone walls.

  Rayna’s body was laid on a long stone altar in the middle of the cave. If it wasn’t for the slight movement of her chest, I’d have thought she was dead. The wound
s on her wrists and ankles had healed, but smears of dried blood clung to her pale skin. I was relieved the cuts hadn’t been made with silver.

  The Brothers moved away from Tiki and stood in front of my father, forming a triangle around the stone altar. On the floor, they’d painted a symbol centered around the altar, and it was identical to the one in Rayna’s old house’s basement.

  Viscous puddles of dark bluish liquid decorated the cave floor and half a dozen large bodies lay motionless around them. I was in awe that Tiki had managed to do that kind of damage in such a short time. If I had gotten here sooner to help, we might have had a chance to win this. I watched the bodies begin to dwindle, glowing a soft orange before turning to ash.

  My pulse spiked as I was grabbed from behind and pushed against the cave wall. They twisted my wrist until I was forced to drop my sword. The huge hands lifted me off my feet with ease and carried me into full view of anyone in the cavern.

  I looked down at the slate gray flesh holding my arms. The color alone could have identified the enemy as a demon, but the two fingers and one thumb confirmed this assessment.

  It carried me across the cave and I saw that the floor dropped off halfway across the room. The demon held me over the edge of the drop. The red and orange lava below me glowed and roiled. Black smoke rose and wrapped around me, making it hard to breathe.

  “No.” Riley’s voice came from behind us.

  The demon grunted and turned, carrying me towards the altar.

  “I’m so happy you thought to join us, son. I was disappointed to think we’d left you behind. It will be much more pleasant to share this experience with you,” Riley said.

  “I’m here for Rayna, not to help you with your twisted plans.”

  Riley laughed, and the deep bellow echoed throughout the cave. He gestured and the demon released me.