Breath of the Titans: The False Titanbringer: Complete Trilogy

by Riley Westbrook

  A younger looking orc was smoking a pipe, when an older, larger male approached him. The elder stretched out his hand. The smaller one protested, a loud guttural cry. The larger one picked up the smaller male, holding him by the fur on the scruff of his neck. The younger male screamed and kicked at the larger one, but eventually was cowed, handing over the pipe. The elder male set the smaller male down carefully, but the smaller male jostled another near by. The third immediately began to beat the smaller male, casually walking away when he finished, as if it were a daily occurrence.

  Lov shook his head, thinking that things couldn't possibly get any more barbaric. A woman, Lov assumed it was since she had no fur and wore clothing, strode to the orc gnawing on the leg bone. She had light green skin and she looked a physical specimen. She was tall, only a little shorter than the male. Her rags barely hung on her, the shoulder slipping precariously far down before she pulled it back up. She shook her breasts at the male, before reaching her hands between his thighs, saying something to him. The male shook his head negatively then pushed the female away.

  Lov watched the female's face contort in rage. Her soft green skin darkened to a forest green before she strode up to the male. She kicked him between the thighs, causing Lov to wince in sympathy. She took the leg he had dropped and began to munch on it furiously.

  The male peeled himself from the ground and crawled away.

  Lov crawled down from the top of the ridge, resigned to a long cold night without a fire. He thought for a moment, remembering a lesson his grandfather had taught him. Lov concentrated heating the rocks below him. At least now he wouldn't freeze. He laid upon the stones staring at the stars, and trying to think of a way into the camp. Tomorrow he would hunt, see if a deer would earn him a place in the tribe.

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Lov awoke the next morning, the stone under him hot in the baking sun. His mouth was dry, and he reached for his skin. He swallowed the last of his water. It was warm and stale, but satisfied his thirst. Lov searched the rocky terrain for a game trail, but couldn't find anything. He was heading back to the ridge when a piercing shriek filled the air from above him. Lov looked up in time to see an enormous bird swoop down and nab him with its Talons. Lov reached for the sword at his back, the one he had never used, about to pull it from its sheath. Alarm bells went off in his head, so Lov lowered his hands from it. Instead, he grabbed his belt knife, jamming it into one of the creature's thighs.

  The avian let out a shriek, attempting to drop Lov, but the young half-dragon reached up grabbing a handful of feathers. He used them to pull himself up the bird, and worked his way around until he sat between the bird's wings. It turned its head attempting to snap him off of its back.

  Lov reached back with his left fist, his right clinging tightly to the feathers for support, and punched the bird square in the beak. The creature's head whipped around, limp in the wind. The wings went slack, and the bird began to plummet to the ground.

  Lov panicked, shaking the bird, attempting to bring it back from unconsciousness. But the bird was out cold, limp and lifeless. Lov panicked a little as the ground rushed up towards them, so he reached down, attempting to flap the bird’s wings. Finally, the beast roused, shaking its head and taking in its surroundings. The bird panicked, flapping for everything it was worth, attempting to avoid hitting the ground. Lov pictured a current of wind pushing both of them from below, and the bird felt the wind catch under its wings.

  The young half-elf moved forward on the giant beast's back, climbing in front of the wings. He grabbed handfuls of feathers, using them to turn the bird's head and steer its flight. When Lov turned the bird's head to the right, the bird banked to the right. If he pulled back on it, the giant bird would flap its wings, climbing for altitude.

  Lov searched around, spotting the camp. He thought how impressive it might seem to ride this horse sized wild avian into their encampment. As he banked for it, he spotted large buildings in the distance. They were a few miles from the camp, and looked as permanent as the mud huts looked temporary. The ground approached quickly though, and Lov had to fight the bird to force it towards the ground. It landed grudgingly, attempting to throw Lov over its head. But he hung on for dear life, maintaining his seat. He punched it in the back of the head, jumping from its back. Lov watched as the bird took off, leaving him standing in the middle of the camp. He watched as the creatures surrounded him, anger clear on their faces. They screamed and roared at him, so Lov pulled his ax from his back, slamming the butt of the handle into the ground. The eye glared from the back of the ax head.

  A large male approached him, covered in thick dark fur. A star, like the one that covered the guy staked next to the sea, stood out from the hair on the male's chest. If he didn't look so cut and hard, Lov would have said the green tinge to his skin was sickness. It calmly stepped up to him, pointing to the ax and speaking in a language Lov didn't understand. Lov shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, trying to show he didn't understand.

  The large brute repeated himself, a little louder this time. He gestured emphatically at Lov's ax, mimicking surrender. Lov pulled the sword from his back, leaving only his bow, strapped tightly to his quiver unstrung. The sword floated at Lov's shoulder, slowly passing back and forth behind him.

  The large male pulled two hammers from his belt, pointing to Lov and shouting incoherently. An old stooped male, patches clear in his fur, stepped forward. His skin was dirt brown where the patches were. He called out in heavily accented, if clear, common. "Tormac here wants your ax. He is convincing people to take it from you for him. He is promising great wealth."

  Lov laughed, deep and hearty. "You ask Tormac why he's so afraid to come get it himself."

  The old man shook his head. "Another wasted youth." He said mournfully before turning to Tormac and translating. Tormac turned a deep dark green, his face contorted in rage. He pointed to Lov screaming and gesturing aggressively. Three other males charged Lov, weapons drawn. The first swung a sharp cross body swing at Lov, but the nimble half-dragon listened to his hunger. Lov let it guide him, and he jumped, stepping on the cross cutting sword before stomping down viciously on the poor soul who wielded it. He felt the orc's neck snap under his foot as Lov launched himself over the second fighter. He crashed into the third, slamming the hammer side of his ax into the unfortunate face of the attacker. Lov turned to find the last fighting furiously with the disembodied sword.

  The sword attacked quickly, catching the survivor in the neck and severing an artery. Lov was reaching out to take the sword from the air, when it swung at him. He barely reacted fast enough to pull back his hand from being cut, then snatched the hilt and slammed the sword into its scabbard.

  Lov turned to face the big male. He didn't say a word to him, just stared. Tormac roared and charged the young half-dragon, anger in every step he took. Lov waited patiently for Tormac. Tormac screamed "Fru Gruumnsh" as he rushed towards Lov, swinging one hammer, and rearing back with the other.

  Lov swung his ax up, catching the first hammer and ripping it from Tormac's grip. He ducked as the second swung through the empty air his head had just occupied.

  "Fru Gruumnsh!" Tormac screamed again, swinging his hammer down with two hands. Lov spun out from under the blow, swinging his ax around and catching the large male in the side of his neck. Lov kicked Tormac in the stomach, ripping his ax free of the big brute. As Lov slammed the butt of the ax into the ground, Tormac's blood dripped down over his fingers. A part of him weeped for the lost life of one even so simple as his victim.

  He turned to the old man, tears slowly tracing their way down his face. "Anyone else?" He asked the old man, pain clear on his expression.

  The old man shook his head, and looked to the heavens saying, "Well... shit."

  Chapter Thirty

  Nord walked into the room, spotting more than the usual one fairy on the table. Seated with Missy were two other fairies. Tinkle, glowing blue, her blonde hair shinning in the blu
e light. And for the first time ever, Nord saw a male fairy.

  He was shorter than the two women, round and dumpy looking. A long curly mustache stuck out from his upper lip, and his side burns stretched clear to his neck. The hair was thick and red, with freckles covering every inch of clear skin. Parts of him seemed to glow faintly red in the light, a reflection off the skin.

  Their eyes were reddened from crying, the man had long bags under his eyes that sank into his cheeks. He looked like he had been weeping for days.

  "We lost him!" Missy wailed. Nord had heard the crying downstairs, it had drawn him to inspect.

  The male jumped to his feet, his voice deep and booming for one so small. "Yes, Tryton's left us for that bitch! Stupid Wyrms. They ruin everything! We need to find Lovonian, now."

  Nord hurried to the table, "Say that again? You mean you don't know where he's at?" He asked, glaring down at the little man.

  "See here, you brute! I'm starting to see why Tryton always called you an idiot. Lovonian is special. He did something…unexpected, and we've lost track of him." The little man strode forward, his gut jiggling under the leaf vest and shirt he wore. His pants were sewn of leaf and threaded with stems, tailor fit. He stretched his hand up, pointing to Nord. "It's your fault, he gets his recklessness from your elf blood! But no matter, I'm sending Missy and Tinkle here to search for him first thing in the morning." He pulled his arm down and strode to the two other fairies. He put his arms around their shoulders, pulling Missy and Tinkle close. "They'll find him! Or my name isn't Sherman Thurmond Maxwell Thomas Chancellor the Second!"

  Tinkle, the blue fairy, pushed Sherman's hand from around her shoulder. "And who do you think you are?"

  Missy stomped her foot down, catching Sherman in the top of one of his feet. "Don't tell me what to do! You're not my boss!"

  "Ladies, I mean no harm, I just want some rest." Sherman spread his arms wide, as if to show he had nothing to hide. "Just a few days, I'll take over after that."

  "You would cause Nord to get all fat and lazy again. I know how much you enjoy drinking!" Missy said shaking her finger under Sherman's nose.

  "Yeah!" piped in Tinkle, "You may think you're the boss of us, but remember what happened the last time you tried to push an issue." She smiled sweetly at him, "You looked so cute with the violet pollen on your eyelids, it really brought out the color of your eyes!" She started giggling uncontrollably, causing Missy to join in.

  Nord shook his head, and covered his eyes with his palm. "I hate fairies and dragons. They're both insane." He turned to leave the room, shouting over his shoulder, "Let me know what you decide to do to find Lov. I'll help in anyway I can."

  Sherman piped up, "Don't worry, I'll put you to work soon."

  Nord groaned, heading to the common room, looking for Jaxon and Sanche to share a pint.

  The giant elf and Sanche sat playing Gin in the common room of the inn. They heard a racket upstairs, as if someone were throwing onions around. A door slammed from upstairs and they heard Sherman calling out, "I think I've found him!" zipping down the stairs, leaving a red after image behind him. Sherman and Tinkle had left a few weeks ago, searching for Lov. Nord jumped to his feet, throwing his cards face up on the table.

  "Where is he?" He demanded, resisting the urge to snatch the fairy from above the table. "Is he okay?"

  "Lov's fine! He's actually set himself up pretty well." Sherman smiled deeply, "He somehow manage to take over a small tribe of orcs. Whoever gave him that hammer…that was a smart move."

  Nord shook his head, "No one gave it to him. He picked it out himself."

  "Oh... well, good eye. But no time to waste! Make haste! Get the army together," Sherman frowned, thinking hard. “Yes, Jaxon should be enough to keep you out of trouble. So make sure you don't forget your smart friend, and make haste for the Orc Lands!" With that he stepped sideways through a slit in the air, gone in an instant.

  "I hate fairies!" Nord called over his shoulder to Sanche as he rushed up the stairs, kicking in his room door.

  Jaxon lay on the bed, reading Rorchester Wallace's Journey Along the Way. Nord frowned as the halfling dog eared one of the book's pages. "Yeah, I heard patches but not enough. Nord, I'm beginning to see why you hate fairies."

  Missy stomped her foot on the table. "You two, shut up and get in line!" She commanded pointing to the floor in front of the table. "I don't know if you two are prepared for the shit storm that's coming, but I'll do my best to make sure you both come out of this alive." The little fairy began to pace across the table, Tinkle behind her, fighting back laughter. The blue fairy knew Missy meant every word of it, but the sight of a foot tall woman telling off a giant filled her with mirth. Missy kept talking. "You two just shut up, follow my lead, and all should be fine." She glared at Nord, "Just don't let yourself go soft again! Tinkle and I will be heading this army with Sanche as adviser. You are just way too rogue to be put in charge, Nord. Especially with your nephew involved."

  Nord turned red with anger, then took a couple deep calming breaths. "I might disagree with you if my own conscience didn't agree. I just hate being told that I need to follow orders. Authority and I tend to not get along, exception Sanche."

  "Why do you think we tracked him down? Don't worry, Nord, we'll get to Lov with an army. We'll see that the Titanbringer pays." Missy floated off the table, Tinkle a half beat behind her. "We need to go get the Anuunaki ready to march. Get your gear in order." She pulled her pouch from her belt and tossed it to Jaxon. "Don't lose it, and don't get lost in it. I know you'll need it for something. Just be sure to give it back tonight."

  Jaxon bowed low, pulling his hat from his head and placing it over his heart. His bald head glowed brightly in the blue bulbs. "Thank you, Missy, I take back what I said about fairies. Nord is just a jerk!" Jaxon shot from the room, laughing as he ducked under Nord's reaching arms.

  "Fairies, dragons, and halflings, I hate them all."

  Chapter Thirty One

  Missy watched as a long line of Anuunaki stretched before and behind them, only two to three thick. They moved rapidly, swarming through the salt flat. She observed as Nord said something to the Anuunaki he rode, then watched as he jumped to his feet, riding while standing upon the Anuunaki's back. Jaxon whistled and hollered from his seat upon another.

  Jaxon and Nord had abandoned their horses as they crossed Tempe Bay. The poor beasts weren't able to keep up with the quick insect-like beings. The Anuunaki seemed to glide over the surface of the terrain. No matter how uneven it looked, even Nord had to admit that they gave a much better ride than horses. Sanche had given Nord an “I told you so” look as he said it. Missy grinned, happy to see everyone smiling. Even the Anuunaki seemed cheerful and full of pep. She knew from experience how quickly that morale could turn around.

  She floated down to sit on Jaxon's shoulder. "Glad to see you in such good spirits! I would think you'd be homesick right now, having to travel halfway across the world." She winked knowingly at him. "It's okay, I know how much halflings are homebodies."

  Jaxon shook his head, his ears close to slapping Missy. "If that's what you think of me, my dear, you're sorely mistaken." Jaxon puffed out his chest, pointing to himself with his thumb. "I'm of the rare breed of halfling afflicted with wanderlust. You see," he said, beginning to use expansive gestures, "my tastes run to the fancy, so I tend to have to pay more for what I want. That, or gain the connections that give me a better deal." He gestured to her pouch. "Why I'm so happy you're here is that I can use that magnificent pouch of yours to peddle items. It's a merchant's dream!"

  "Wait a second, I thought you were a man who fixed things, a tinkerer if you will." She pointed to the tall elf who finally sat down upon the Anuunaki he rode, laughing in joy. "So why did Nord there never mention your being a merchant, or rich?"

  "Because he was rich too, he just didn't listen to me and invest in the trade routes. I made fortunes from the elves and men, selling trinkets from Heart." He put his hands
behind his head to cradle it, "And I made as much again, selling elven and halfling relics to the merchant class of Heart." He snorted and gestured dismissively "They were suckers though. The items I sold them were just feathers and beads tied to the chicken bones of my meals."

  Missy shook her head, looking to the front of the line. She couldn't see it at the moment, but she knew Sanche was at the head of the column, leading the army to the Great Wyrm Desert. She hoped they would all survive the march. "I'll be back in a bit." She stated, stepping sideways through a hole in reality.

  She loved traveling through the fabric of reality to Hae Terrae, the ancestral home of fairies and pixies. Time moved differently here. She watched a beautiful daisy pixie, its petals flowing in the wind as it floated by where Missy had come out. Its body seemed made of daisy petals, shifting and twisting in the wind. The pixie looked to be fragile, as if a strong wind might rip it apart. She nodded to it when it waved to her, flying towards the central abode.

  Water appeared beneath her and she could see many points of light ahead. They shone and reflected off of the water, weaving through the branches of what appeared to be a giant tree. All fairies and pixies knew better. They knew that the tree was an ancient Entwife, one of the last companions to the shepherds of the forest. The Ents had been wiped out when the Wyrms had restructured the world. Hae Terrae was the last of all Ent kind. She has housed the fairies and pixies for thousands of years, and looking upon her now, Missy felt herself filled with gratitude and love. Everyone who lived in Hae Terrae felt that way.

  Hae Terrae is a giant weeping willow, stretching a hundred feet into the air. Missy could see the fairies flying through the strands of leaves, bright points of light that lit up their lovely home. Pixies came, carrying wildflower vines, which they weaved through the long hair-like leaves, adding multiple colors to the green. Missy knew they did this every day for the love of Hae Terrae, who had saved the little people from an evil too large to imagine.