by Aya Knight
A loud thud, which sent tremors through the rocky ground, interrupted their conversation. They turned just in time to see a creature of considerable size leap down from atop a gigantic boulder. Its flesh was deep green with hints of grey. He stood much taller than Illadar and was incredibly muscular. The creature’s jawbone was high-set and well defined; his piercing orange eyes appeared dauntingly vicious. Two ivory-colored teeth protruded from fat lips and looked as though they were short tusks. Straight black hair trailed down his back in a long, messy ponytail. To the creature’s side was a huge morning star containing remnants of blood and meat on its massive spikes. He was no stranger to the weapon.
No sooner had Kale gripped his sword in preparation to fight the creature, than a chip of stone hit him on the top of his head. He glanced up to see dozens of snarling teeth angrily facing their direction. The red beasts had perched atop the bordering rocks—they were prepared to attack upon their master’s command.
“Their master—is the orc!” Illadar whispered. “The old loon from Mirion was telling the truth.” He swallowed hard, knowing that orcs were not known to show mercy.
“Run.” Thomas softly spoke.
“What?” Kale could not make out what he said.
“Run!” Thomas shouted, then pushed both Kale and Illadar in the opposite direction of the orc.
The large humanoid roared in fury as he slammed his weapon in the direction of Thomas.
“Alaria!” Thomas shouted while extending his arm toward the attack.
The spiked morning star slammed down upon an invisible force that protected Thomas from the blow. Thomas could see the intensity and speed of the orc’s attack send a shock up the humanoid’s arms—causing him to pause in confusion. Thomas took advantage of the moment. He ran to catch up with Kale and Illadar who had stopped to wait for him.
“Keep moving!” Thomas shouted as he approached where they stood.
The orc released a series of rhythmic grunts and Thomas could hear the pattering of paws behind him. The red beasts leapt down upon command and clustered around their master. Thomas glanced over his shoulder to ensure he had ample space between them. The ground surrounding the orc was now blanketed with red—there appeared to be over a hundred of them, trailing back as far as his eyes could see on the path. He knew it would only be a matter of seconds before they were at his heels. As Thomas continued to sprint away from the threat, the toe of his shoe caught beneath the edge of a stone. He collapsed onto his knees.
“Get him!” the orc bellowed.
Thomas felt a pair of hands grip him tightly in the pit of his arms, lifting him to his feet.
“Let’s go!” Kale yelled as the red beasts advanced impetuously in their direction. The creatures dripped globs of mucus from their bodies as they ran, leaving a trail of secretion in their wake.
Thomas knew there was no way possible to outrun over a hundred red beasts; he needed to come up with a plan—quickly. Thomas suddenly stopped and turned to face the beasts.
Kale’s eyes grew wide with horror as his friend halted. “Thomas!” He called out as he spun around.
“Kruedia esonek!” A ball of swirling flames shot from Thomas’ palm, exploding upon impact against the wall of rock.
Chunks of stone immediately tumbled downward, piling upon one another and creating a barrier between them and the beasts.
“It won’t keep them or the orc back for long. We must keep moving,” Illadar spoke as he motioned for them to quickly follow.
They could hear the savage orc grunting as he and the red beasts began to climb over the rubble. As they fled, the whimpering squeals of red beasts could be heard from behind. It sounded as though something was attacking the canine monstrosities.
“Do you think we should see what’s happening? Maybe someone has come to aid us,” Kale panted.
“Keep runnin’! It could be a trap—don’t be so naive, kid.” Illadar shoved Kale forward, causing him to quicken his pace to avoid stumbling.
The colorful vegetation began to thicken as they made their way back into the jungle of trees. They could still hear the daunting howls from the beasts and knew it was imperative to keep pressing forward. The three aimlessly ran through the forest, losing all sense of direction. They had no hope at this point of remembering where they first entered the Forest of Forgotten Whispers.
Sweat poured down their faces as they continued to push their weary bodies.
“I hear water!” Kale stated hopefully. “It sounds louder than the stream barrier; I don’t believe it is somewhere we have been before.”
They hurried in the direction of the sound until coming upon a wide, shallow river.
“We can use the river to conceal our scent and hopefully lose those ugly red fiends,” Illadar suggested.
Kale and Thomas thought the idea was brilliant and began to follow Illadar as they waded along with the river current. It felt cool and refreshing against their sore feet, despite the weighted sensation of water-filled shoes.
“Take a look at those.” Kale pointed to a beautiful row of blue and pink flowers that stood out in contrast against the dark green surroundings. “I think we should continue through the forest here,” Kale suggested.
Something about the delicate flower buds enticed him—almost as though the forest gave him a sign. “We’ve walked far enough and we are on the opposite side of the river. I doubt they will easily find us.” He could see the glares of uncertainty from Thomas and Illadar as they silently followed. Kale swallowed hard, mumbling softly to Pan for strength to make it through the situation. Daylight was nearing its end and they would be at the mercy of the forest once dusk was upon them.
“Orcs are said to have exceptional vision in the dark,” Thomas spoke as though he had read Kale’s thoughts. “I do hope you are leading us in the correct direction. If not, I believe it’s safe to say we are in for a rather rough night.”
As they walked past rows of flowers, Kale’s eyes lit up as he quickened his pace. “I see something!” He approached a thick mass of vines and immediately began to tug at a tangled clump to get a better view of what was beyond. A wide smile crossed his face, “I think this is it! I see a golden glow ahead!”
Relief swept over the three as they each peered through the thicket of vines. A massive tree—much taller than any they had ever seen—towered high above all else. Kale wondered how they had not noticed its leafy top when first heading toward the forest from Braxle. The bark wrapped around in an intertwined manner unlike any tree he had ever seen.
The trunk was so large that Kale, Thomas, and Illadar could hold hands in an outstretched link and not even wrap around a third of its circumference. Kale could tell why it was given the name the tree which rains gold; tiny golden spheres which almost appeared dust-like gently floated around the tree. Each piece shone with a yellow aura, creating an illusion that the branches were raining down specks of gold. It was truly a mesmerizing sight.
“We have to get closer,” Kale stated as he pulled firmly on the vines. They were tougher than he had assumed and did not budge. “Stand back, I’m going to cut through.” He withdrew his sword from its sheath.
As the blade’s edge tore through the tender, intertwining, green web, an ear piercing squeal rang out. It sounded as though it came directly from the vines. The green cluster began to twist and maneuver itself around until a thick vine shot out toward Kale. It smacked him hard against his cheek, causing him to stumble over his own feet and fall backward onto the ground as he gripped the side of his face angrily.
“What in Pan’s name was that?!”
Before Kale had time to stand, the thick, and unusually strong, vines twisted and slid with amazing speed around the three men—trapping their limbs in an immobile position.
“Thomas, get us out of these!” Kale gritted his teeth as the
vines constricted around his chest.
“I’m afraid my magic is no good here. I cannot decipher whether it is these vines blocking my magic, or the land itself. It appears as though we are at the mercy of the forest.”
“Over my dead body!” Kale bit down, hard, into the vine, but to no avail. The vine retaliated by tightening firmly around his face so he could no longer move his jaw.
“There is no way I’m gonna’ let a plant kill me!” Illadar thrashed in a useless attempt to break free.
Kale forced air into his lungs through his nose as he struggled to breathe. Suddenly, he saw the silhouette of many individuals who emerged from behind the incredibly large tree. As the figures moved closer he could see a group of women—very beautiful women. They each had long, silky hair which flowed to their waistline, gently swaying with each graceful step they took. Their skin appeared smooth and flawless—complimenting their alluring features. Their thick lashes, big round eyes, and pastel lips nearly distracted his attention from their short pointed ears which peeked out from between thick locks of hair—they were not human.
Each woman wore an outfit appearing as though it was growing on them. Their tops consisted of thin vines which traced their feminine curves, and greenery with flowers to cover their breasts. Their bottom skirts were in the same fashion and they wore no footwear. It was very apparent they lived within the forest. The females continued to approach the men in silence, a suppressed look of animosity within their eyes.
Kale wanted to speak, to find out who they were, but the thick vine continued to tighten between his lips. Unsightly driblets of drool spilled down his chin.
“Ye dare to harm thy home?”
The group of women froze as they turned to the side, creating a clearing that revealed another, much taller woman. Kale was mesmerized by her lengthy, flowing white hair and skin so pale it almost appeared to glow. His focus had been so drawn by her unique features he almost didn’t notice the hideous old lady who stood hunched over by her side. The aged woman had grotesquely large moles on her leathery, wrinkled skin. Her blue eyes glared into Kale’s, and he could feel the hatred burning inside of her. A hissing sound escaped her toothless mouth through thin, cracked lips. If Kale had been able to move his facial muscles, he surely would have cringed at the sight. She had to be the ugliest woman he had ever seen.
“So, ye savages assume ye can come to thy land and take life without consequence?” The tall, silvery woman elegantly strode toward them. She wore lush, green shoulder garments which signified to them that she was held in higher ranking than the other women.
Neither man spoke as they struggled with the pain of the tightening vines.
“Release thy flesh, cocoons of evil souls,” the tall woman spoke to the vines.
In an instant, the vines weaved and slithered their way loose, releasing the three men.
Kale immediately wiped the saliva from his chin, flexing his muscles to return the circulation to his tingling limbs. “I don’t know who you all are, but you don’t understand…”
Before Kale could continue, the old woman reached into a green pouch, pulling out a handful of brown powder.
“Sleep now.” The tall, white-haired woman softly spoke.
As if on cue, the shabby old woman blew the powder from her palm into the unsuspecting faces of Kale, Thomas, and Illadar.
As the brown substance hit Kale’s face, he heard the swooshing sound of something flying through the air. He was certain it was an arrow—someone had shot toward the group of women. Their amazing senses allowed them to move out of harm’s way as the arrow struck the ground.
Who is attacking? Are they trying to save us? Why—can’t I see properly? Kale’s vision shifted in and out of focus and his mind spun. Through the mass of colors, he could vaguely see the cloaked figure that leapt down from a nearby branch. Though everything was foggy, he was certain it was the same individual who had been following him. As the figure gracefully landed upon the ground with bow drawn, the stalker’s hood fell back upon their shoulders. Kale squinted, fighting against his impairment in an attempt to see what the person looked like.
The stalker turned to aim the bow directly toward the tall white-haired woman, and Kale—though his vision was blurred—knew exactly who had been following him. He instantly recognized the petite build, stringy brunette hair, and pointed ears.
Kale reached out longingly, trying to speak, yet his vocals would not work. He could no longer fight the overwhelming feeling of fatigue as his body crumpled to the forest floor. Kale’s eyelids fluttered until the effects of the powder consumed all his functions and everything went black. The one who had been travelling alongside him, within the shadows—was Neelan.
Chapter 16: She Lives
“Kale, wake up!” A female voice rang out.
Kale felt an uncomfortable finger repetitively pressing into the tender skin above his armpit. He groaned, running his hand along his forehead, which throbbed profusely. Kale parted his eyelids to see a bright-eyed Neelan staring down at him with a joyful look upon her face.
She smiled, placing a hand behind his back to help him into an upright position. “It took you long enough!” Neelan softly laughed.
Kale could already see she hadn’t changed a bit and was still her usual spunky self—yet he was glad to see her.
Neelan bit her lower lip, shifting her eyes nervously, before finally lunging herself toward Kale, pulling him into a tight embrace. Kale kept his arms loosely hung at his sides, dumbstruck by her sudden behavior. It wasn’t long before she picked up on his lack of response, pulling back to allow space between them.
“You,” she fought for the right words to say, “looked like you needed a hug.” Beneath her shaggy bangs, her violet eyes dodged his as she turned to hide her ruby cheeks.
Kale could hear Thomas and Illadar laughing, and relief swept over him as the memory of what had happened returned. “You’re both all right?”
“Indeed we are.” Thomas smiled. “And I must say, you should try some of this honeydew berry mixture—it’s refreshingly tasty.” He took a long sip out of a wooden mug.
Now that Kale was sure his friends were safe, his focus returned to Neelan, who remained silent by his side. He inspected her garments, confirming his earlier assumptions it was she who had been following him.
“Why?” Kale questioned.
She glanced up in confusion. “Why what?” Her dark eyebrows tilted upward.
“Why have you been following me for so long? And why have you been doing so in secrecy? Do you desire something I have?” Kale placed his hand securely over his pocket where the bracelet snugly rest. “If so, I am afraid it will only lead you to an inevitable demise.”
“I hope you are aware that you’re a real idiot, Kale.” Neelan looked down, hurt by his accusation.
“Kale,” Thomas cut in, “you should mind your manners. You’ve yet to allow the young lady to explain herself.”
Kale could also hear Illadar mumbling something about being an insensitive jerk. Him, of all people, Kale thought to himself.
“I just,” Neelan sighed, “wanted to make sure you were all right, that’s all. You didn’t need to be so cruel; I was only trying to care about your well-being. At this point, I honestly cannot understand why I was such a fool as to return to a person like you.” She stood, storming out of the circular room where they sat.
Thomas shook his head. “If you only knew what that young elf has gone through to ensure your safety—you’d think twice before opening that mouth of yours.”
“How would you know what she’s been through? She’s stalked me since Braxle without a word—I’m sure there is an ulterior motive behind her actions.” Kale crossed his arms in frustration.
“Is it so difficult for you to believe someone truly values you, Kale? While you were stil
l recovering from the poisons, Illadar and I had the opportunity to speak with her. We’ve also been introduced to some very interesting individuals whom I think you are going to want to meet.” He smiled. “But first, I believe it would be most wise to apologize to Neelan. She cares a great deal about you—you are the first friend she’s had since she was a child.”
“You would also be long dead had it not been for her. Be grateful.” A young woman appeared within an arched opening across from where Kale sat.
Kale’s mouth hung open. He wasn’t sure if he had gone insane, or if it was possible he had adapted to being a human–sharing their emotions. His body felt warm upon glancing at the unknown woman. Her beauty was unparalleled; there was a sense of overwhelming feminine allure as she entered the circular room. Her wavy golden locks rested upon white shoulder pads that swooped upward. Kale gazed along her body, taking note of her white top and matching leggings. Upon her feet were superior quality black leather boots laced up to her knees. I wonder if she is a warrior of some sort. Kale knew no peasant could afford such lavish garments.
“My word—it cannot be!” Thomas broke the momentary silence, walking briskly across the room with Illadar at his heels to where the woman stood. They both appeared astonished by her entrance.
“Is that you, Thomas?” She stared as her fingers rested upon her mouth, which gaped open in surprise.
“Indeed. I cannot believe it’s really you, Judith. We all thought you to be dead.”
“Princess.” Illadar knelt before her. “General Jedah has told your fath—”
“Jedah…” She clenched a tight fist.
“Can someone please tell me what is going on here?” Kale couldn’t contain his curiosity any longer.