by Rhys Thomas
Shre pouted obviously not liking my answer but it was Ilya who had my attention. “We received a message last night, Penelope’s hand. She stated that the force marching towards Glen’dal has breached the pass and destroy it in their wake. She said that they are of an animal and human mix, and some more than others.”
“How far out are they?” I asked her as icy cold fingers gripped around my heart. I just hoped Arianna and Marisa weren’t anywhere near all this, I made a mental note to check in with Marisa after this.
“Two, maybe three days. They’re taking their time apparently,” Ilya said with a grimace.
“What does that mean?” I asked, wishing that sometimes people would just say what they fucking meant.
“The Shi’en have been rounding up villages and towns in the surrounding area of the Glen’s entrance. Penelope said that she had sent a scout and had scry’d the area the Shi’en were travelling. It seems that the Shi’en are forcing those left alive from their attack’s into their army by changing them, morphing their bodies into that of a Shi’en.” Ilya finished and I nodded glancing up at the ceiling, it was maybe a foot from my head, which I was thankful for.
“Has she evacuated the city?” I asked her and she shrugged.
“She did not say, and we’ve not the means to send her back a reply.”
“Well, maybe the captain does,” I mused grimly. “We’ve what, two days left of water between us and the Ogress shores?” I asked the women.
“That’s what the Shawn said,” Shre supplied, using the captains actual name like a title.
“We’ll be cutting it close,” Emilia scrunched up her face as she came over to us from the floor. I put my arm around the thin blonde witch’s shoulder and brought her into a hug. I could see the worry behind her bright purple eyes for Kasbian and Penelope.
The last two members of Emilia’s family left; were now under the threat of death by a force not seen for hundreds of years. No one other than the Shi’en themselves, knew what they were truly capable of.
I felt the glare of Shre’s insistent gaze and breathed a sigh. “It was more than just a nightmare...” I offered quietly as I held Emilia in my arms. Shre nodded slightly, as if the simple act would encourage me to offer more but I couldn’t. To reopen the wounds of my childhood would crumble the protective scar’s I hid them behind.
Eventually after a moment of silence, Shre expression saddened, and I just knew she would blame herself for not getting me to open up. I wanted these women in my life badly, it was an unexplainable and inexplicable reason and sensation to have. I could tell them I loved them like I did Marisa, but did I really mean it, and now that I thought about it.
Did I really love Marisa or was it Rokkaia whom loved Maylith.
“It was also... memories,” I said in hoarse voice. I affixed my sight on the wall as the women when still and quiet. “I… I didn’t have a good- or even ordinary childhood,” I chuckled bitterly, hating that I did so. “My… Foster parent’s they...”
“Ssshhh,” Shre hushed me. Her fingers lightly brushing and flitting along my jaw and cheek as she turned my head to face her. Her soft and big green orb’s looked both understanding and saddened by what I might’ve said. “It’s okay,” she cooed. I felt Emilia squeeze me tightly around my chest as another pair of arms, Ilya’s, squeezed my left side wrapping both Emilia and I in an embrace.
I relished their comforting touch and presence, I blinked at Shre, a silent communication passing between us. A promise of more and a vow to always listen. I leaned forward to press a gentle kiss on dryad’s brow. “Thank you,” I said quietly for her alone.
~*~*~*~
The rest of our trip was spent in practice. Shre and Ilya faced off against one another with staves, and surprisingly it was Shre who claimed overwhelming victory three times. We played target practice with Ilya’s knives. The dark elf was obviously the winner with Shre a surprising—again—close second. I sucked; having only hit the board twice and Emilia did even worse by almost impaling her foot.
We immediately halted that activity and went on to battling it out with quarterstaff’s again which I got my ass handed to me by Ilya. I grinned at the ladies as Shre helped Ilya up, “damn, that was exhilarating,” Ilya breathed.
“I’ve more trick’s and techniques, I could always teach you... privately,” Shre purred playfully and bumped her hip against the dark elf. Ilya chuckled and winked at the dryad, they both made their way over to Emilia and I.
The blonde witch had spent the last few days sketching her flower bud familiar and making notations. The bud’s glow had been diminishing over the last few days according to Ilya who had kept check of Emilia’s condition. “Is it like an egg?” I thought aloud.
“Is what like an egg, Master?” Shre asked as she draped her body against my side. Ilya leaned on her staff and looked at me curiously.
“Emilia’s familiar,” I said, gesturing to her sketch. The actual flower bud sat nestled between her crossed legs. “Yes, and no,” Shre supplied helpfully. I looked at the dryad and scowled playfully.
“Wow, you’re soo helpful,” I told her. Her stem-brow uncurled in a raise and she poked me on the nose, the action making me bink.
“It’s a cocoon, Master,” she replied, rolling her big green orbs at me.
“So, it’s either a butterfly of some sort or The Day of The Triffids,” I mused, glancing suspiciously at the flower bud. My look must’ve alarmed Emilia because she covered it with her sketch pad protectively.
“Day of triffids, what’s that?” Ilya asked me questioningly.
“It’s just an old 60s movie,” I waved my hands dismissively.
When we were hours out from our stop, I contacted Marisa after I was done mediating and exploring my delve for the last few hours. *Marisa, you got a second?* I sent to her.
A second past before she replied, *of course my love, What’s on your mind?*
*The Shi’en,* I said plainly.
*Ah, yes. I imagine you would eventually ask about them.*
*Is the force nearing Glen’dal, them. And tell me you aren’t going anywhere near them.*
A sigh breathed through the link of our bond, *Yes, unfortunately they are the hybrids of the Deep-one’s forces.*
*Does that mean... What was he called...? Darkiun? is back.*
*Dyarkum,* Marisa corrected me. *And no, he isn’t. We would feel it, trust me...* There was a pause after that; and I waited feeling her mull over her words. *I-I know you might find that hard to believe, but I am being honest with you.*
I nodded, *I do trust you Marisa. I’m as much at fault as you are for this. Wait a minute, that’s got me considering something.*
*What?* She asked me curiously. *How much does Ra’al actually know?*
I heard Marisa snort at the back of my mind, *barely anything,* she replied.
*He doesn’t know what you or I are, but that we’re different. But if Ra’al knew what we were he would try everything he could to keep us here,* Marisa said firmly.
I sighed heavily, *yeah. Sal said the same thing, he would keep us here with hundreds’ of small menial tasks till the White’s shatter’s and the Deep-one’s invasion begins in earnest. We would be force to defend solely from here, in doing so we would keep Ra’als’ and only his domains safe,* I thought with a nod.
*Ra’al is powerful for a domain leader, but he prioritises strength over wisdom and cunning. Something your brother and his minion’s don’t lack in I’m afraid.*
*My brother? Not yours as well?* I asked doubly. Sudden realisation hitting me like a sledgehammer, Marisa laughed at where my thoughts were going.
*No. You and I aren’t sibling’s, we may have been formed, all three of us together at the same time. But yours and mines aether are completely different, where yourself and the Deep-one share similarities in your aetheric essence.*
*Huh, weren’t we going to talk about all this stuff in person?* I asked her dubiously.
*Y-yes. We were, wer
en’t we. Sorry once we got started, it’s just -*
*Good to clear all the cobwebs?* I hedged, interrupting her apology. *Get some rest Marisa, sent the others my love as well.*
*I will, Aria and Sishshik are sparring, again, at the moment. It’s seems our little trog thrives in cold climates,* She muttered.
*I’ll see you soon. I’ll have to introduce everyone when we meet, but I suspect’s you’ll like them. See you soon May.*
*I’m sure I will,* she purred, then yawned. *You as well, Rokki. Love you.* I inhaled deeply at the sudden onrush of feelings swelling inside me. It felt as if I have just swallowed my tongue, and my chest filled with an incredibly dull ache. You as well, Rokki, my hand’s clenched into fist’s. Who the fuck was I really at this point.
~*~*~*~
We made shore at a small unused dock. Captain Grimsley and Thiomin walked over to us, “you’ve about half-a-days trek south from here to the steep forest hills, from there you head north back our way and towards the mountain’s. Look for the side of the mountain that looks like a face racked in torment; you’ll know it easily once you’re on the opposite side. Head there and look for a stone bridge, it’ll look natural and may blend in so keep a careful eye out. Across that bridge is the entrance to Banes Horren, the keep of the Ogre clan’s.” Thiomin rattled off all these directions and I nodded along half-listening.
“We’ll see you all later,” I told them both as the women gave them a parting hug.
“We’ll be here. Be swift,” Shawn told me; and I nodded at the Naiad’s captain. Climbing down, we landed on the dock and walked steadily inland. I saw the women cast furtive glances backwards every now and then.
“It’s still there,” I assured them. I cast a look at Ilya and saw she had been doing the same. I had thought the dark elf to be something cold and stern when we first met. Now she seemed almost like clay, malleable to a slightest tweak in her personality. I frowned at the thought, unsure of what it meant, but it twisted my gut’s all the same.
We walked for a while in a contemplative silence. Ilya lead as I brought up the rear. Emilia and an energetic Shre moved ahead of me. “What’re your friends like?” Emilia asked me after a while.
“Hmm, I guess... Marisa is kind of like a wife to me. Yet, she also doesn’t have enough power yet to return to her human form,” though I didn’t say that I suspected that to not be entirely true. “We’re bound to one another in a way I imagine, you are to your familiar. Ariana is- uh, hard to describe. She’s a Valakharian scout and wields an axe named Thion,” I said, struggling to sum up Ariana as a whole.
“Is she also one of your lovers?” Emilia asked me. I frowned at the question, slightly caught off guard and Shrugged.
Emilia glanced at me with a raised eyebrow. “Do you think they’ll like us?”
I nodded. “I suspect Ariana and Ilya will hit it off immediately. Though I don’t know if there are any prejudices between their peoples. I suspect you and Shre will be bombarded by Marisa, and I even suspect you’ll take a shine to Sishshik as we all have.”
“Sishshik?” she repeated questioningly.
“Hah, guess I didn’t mention him. Sishshik is a troglodyte child, found him just after discovering his mother’s dead body. Whom I suspect and Sishshik has pointed out, Vivik Grayson killed her. I just don’t know why...” I trailed, wondering if it somehow had anything to do with the why of him trying to obtain Shres heart seed. Maybe another item Sishshiks mother possessed that Tyrannos wanted, I didn’t know.
We carried on a two more hour’s traipsing through the crunching underbrush, frozen and layered in snow. I was glad my new clothing was insulated, just as we finished the thought, a pool of shadow swelled up from the ground and a moment later Shade walked through. “Ah, good of you to join us,” I said with false cheer at the wolf.
Irritation, “enjoy your nap?” I asked sarcastically. Agreement washed through the bond and I sighed and picked up the pace. I saw Ilya reach a steep incline that curve backwards towards us but growing higher as it did so.
Soon enough we began to spot signs of more hilly and rocky areas ahead. The snow layering thinned the further we travelled, but the wind became a biting breeze that chilled even me. I had to summon a flame every now and then just place it near Emilia. What did surprise me, was that Shre didn’t feel the cold as much - apparently her wooden armour helped to insulate the heat of her body. Ilya didn’t feel it also, and that wasn’t new for her.
Then I saw the tormented face in the mountain ahead. “Well, doesn’t this look peachy?” I asked myself. The place didn’t exactly scream hostile-as-shit-get-the-fuck-out-of-there, but it was damn near close enough. I found that as I moved further left and right the face split apart and I realised that the tormented face in the mountain side was actually multiple gapping layers of rock. *Marisa how far out are you from Ogress bane?* I sent to my bonded, using the mountains actual name.
*We should arrive by the tomorrow morning my love. Ariana has spent the day scouting ahead as I’ve been teaching Sishshik how to speak common.* I blinked caught by surprise at the mention of Sishshik learning the common tongue.
*I- I didn’t realise troglodyte’s could speak Haroxian. He just seems to whistle, click and chirrup a lot, so I never thought about him learning to actually speak with us.* I thought to her a little guiltily.
*It’s matters not now my love. I am teaching along the way; it’ll be a while till he can form anything coherent enough for speech. I imagine him taking on a role similarly to Ariana, a bodyguard of sort’s for you.*
*I really don’t believe that’s necessary,* I thought back to her with a frown. *I can mostly take care of myself, what with Shade by my side now and the ladies with me. I just can’t imagine the need for a bodyguard.*
*Yes, they all seem rather capable,* I heard Marisa muse in the back of my mind. *Will shall see, Sishshik is family now. We all protect each other.* I stopped in my tracks at Marisa parting words. Shre bumped her shoulder and hip against mine as she passed me, and I smiled at her as she playfully wink over her shoulder at me.
I was building a family of allies, companions, friends and loved ones. A clan of my own. A thought struck me then, maybe it wasn’t Ra’al pulling strings and bringing these women to me. Maybe this was to do with me being a Planar Lord. Pulling those I needed to me.
We climbed the steep incline till we arrived at a base of rocky outcropping. There was plain evidence of tracks and traffic having moved through here. “So, they just climb their way to the entrance?” I asked Ilya as I came to stand beside her. The dark elf shrugged her shoulders staring at the formation that formed the tormented face overhead.
I noticed Shre nearby, the dryad was bent over and I heard muttered whispers as she talked to a few plants. Emilia was shuffling around the area, inspecting certain treads and then frowning at the steep rocky climb before us. “I honestly have no idea, I can’t imagine so, but I rarely see an ogre outside the occasional visit they send to Ny’thier city,” Ilya answered me, and I couldn’t help but groaned at the thought of tediously dangling around climbing all day.
We needed the ogre’s help, and we needed it soon. Preferably days ago. I walked forward muttering insults at the mountain as I step a foot against the stone. “Wait, Master,” Shre called to me. I glanced at the dryad to see her dusting her hands against her expose thighs. “I just had a discussion with the plant life here,” she said indicating the light pinkish flower. It was singular and the only one of its kind in the area, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the rest had been unnecessarily trampled on. It was rather beautiful; the actual flower bend hung 90-degrees from the stem. Light and darker shades of pink and lavender blossomed in waves around the flower. It’s petal fanned out overhead like a peacock’s tail and seemed to glitter in the light.
“They told me that many of the grey-one-eyes have been through here, that they passed through the mountain.”
“Anything else?” I asked the Dryad, she shook her hea
d and frowned down her feet. “They were placing great emphasis on passing through. I – I think she meant they went through the mountain.”
I nodded, “we know they did,” I said with a shrugged and was then yanked out of the way by Ilya, as Emilia hurled a massive rock the size of my head with her magic straight for the centre of my body. “What the hell Emi!” I exclaimed at the witch.
“S-sorry,” she offered meekly. I stood there a second, then it dawned on me, I hadn’t heard the rock Emilia threw; impact anything. I turned around and saw Ilya staring at the area where I had been standing previously.
“I didn’t hear It,” I muttered loudly enough to be heard by the others.
“Neither did I,” Shre supplied and Ilya nodded.
“It’s an illusion,” Emilia gestured at an area of stone. “I’m unsure of its real size, but I imagine a concealed entrance to Banes Horren would have to be large enough to fit an ogre,” Emilia ended dryly.
I chuckled and nodded, “let’s throw some smaller stones and figure this out. No magic,” I looked at Emilia who acquiesced reluctantly. We spend the next couple of minutes throwing rock’s about, drawing enough information to carve out a passage for ourselves.
The only thing that worried me was walking through and immediately falling off a cliff or being peppered with gunfire and arrows. If ogre’s used such things. “We need to be careful, Illusion’s block sound just as easily as they hide thing’s,” Emilia stated as if hearing my thoughts. Shade who had been lounging nearby growled at the illusion distrustfully and then walked through his shadowy portal that then sped over to join my own shadow.
I nodded, “I’ll guess go first,” I offered and received no objections. I stepped up and outstretched my hand before me and watched as it contacted the wall of jagged stone, and my hand passed right through. There was no sensation to it all, except maybe that it was cooler on the other side and I fully passed through the illusion without trouble.