by Karleigh Bon
“Help me,” Naalin heard the cries from behind.
Some ogre-men thought they had captured the girl again, but she was swinging Roevash’s unsheathed sword wildly at them.
Angry with herself for the oversight, Naalin quickly moved back towards them in the darkness and launched herself into the first one cutting its head right off. The girl swung the sword again, maiming the second one. Naalin came down with great force severing the brute down through its shoulder into its heart.
“You are deadly,” the girl said, sheathing Roevash’s sword and slinging it over her shoulder.
“No time, more will come!” Naalin anxiously shuddered as she picked up the taller girl onto her back, and ran down the long dark tunnel.
Dragon Speak
Chapter Thirty Six
Naalin was not interested in talking to the sword-bearing human. After a while, she felt they were a safe enough distance away to let her down off her back, to walk by herself. The girl didn’t complain, and seemed to keep up on her own as they made their way farther out of the long oppressive darkness. Naalin would have carried Roe’s sword herself but just touching it flooded her with thoughts too painful to bear.
Roe told her to be strong for the sake of them both, and leave him behind.
Roe told her she was small enough to disappear, and escape, and she was trying.
Roe told her to get help...
Naalin’s mind reeled.
If she wanted to have a chance to save him, she had to keep herself focused and survive.
This was Naalin’s only plan ... to survive ... to escape.
“I am trying…” she mumbled to herself.
The darkness suddenly bore down on her, and she felt claustrophobic.
She fidgeted with her neck, feeling the chill of alert. Something or someone was watching. She shook off the feeling, attributing it to the shock of all that she had been through.
Trudging onward, the human girl shuffled along behind in silence, and Naalin didn’t care.
The black guardian dragon was awake, waiting at the entrance of the cave.
“You will not escape your lord and master Naalin,” The creature hissed in dragon tongue.
“How do you know my name, beast?” Naalin was buying time for the girl to escape to the front of the cave, thinking she would catch up with her after she disabled this monster.
“She does not matter.” The dragon shifted its large body and looked carelessly at the girl running past, and out into the valley.
“The arrogance of dragons,” Naalin snarled to herself.
“What is your part in all this,” she demanded, thinking she still had to distract it from chasing the girl if the dragon had betrayal in its words.
“I am the darkness incarnate, do you not recognize me?” was all it said to her.
“So, you serve your master.” She was thinking about the black swarm she witnessed by the well, and she knew it was somehow connected to the evil fallen one, Lord Surmanos of old.
“No, Naalin. The revenant and I are as one...”
She let out a gasp realizing the implications. She thought of the manner in which Roe was possessed. The dragon laughed, which sounded like a roar. A creeping dread filled her heart, knowing Roevash had become part of this monster's evil body.
“The humans worship me and give me strength through the outpouring of their blood.” The dragon's eyes blazed a fiery blue and red.
“They do not understand dragon speech like you do she-elf,” it spat out the words with great malice.
“How did it feel as I took you for myself at the hands of your lover,” the dragon hissed at her, turning its cold gaze sideways in some kind of false empathy.
It was clear in Naalin’s mind that Lord Surmanos and this dragon had been the force behind the attack that twisted her beloved into such an unspeakable assault! Blinded by rage, Naalin flew into an attack at the beast, but it had oily black scales that no ordinary sword could pierce. Naalin had forgotten she possessed only inferior weaponry from the fallen creatures she had killed.
She realized too late, “Roe’s sword could have killed this beast.”
“No, my dear,” it said, mocking her pain. “I have rethought my purpose for you.”
The dragon’s tail whipped out, bludgeoning her into the stone wall, knocking her senseless. Before she could stand up again, it grabbed her firmly in its jaws and carried her writhing and screaming back to the horde.
“All too easy,” it hissed as it moved swiftly back down the passageway to deliver her into his hands.
+++
The human girl ran as fast as she could out of the dragon’s cave. When she saw Naalin did not follow, she crept back to the edge of the opening to see if there was any hope that Naalin would escape or that, maybe, she could help in some way.
The scene unfolded, as she witnessed the dragon snarling and growling. The girl, Naalin spoke to it in an Elvish tongue. It was as if they were speaking to one another. Naalin became angry and tried to attack, but the dragon easily knocked her down with its tail. She landed hard against the wall. The dragon then picked her up in its mouth and carried her back into the cavern.
“Poor girl, she is lost,” she cringed in horror, backing away, stumbling out into the night shadows.
The nauseating stench of the cavern clung to her. She stood mired in filth.
The oversized chain-mail vest hung to her knees, her legs and feet naked. Her raven brown hair was drenched in dried blackened blood and debris from the cavern breeding stables. The elven girl named Naalin had given her freedom and this sword. Wild with shock, she stumbled away clutching it to herself as if her life depended on it.
+++
“The men found her wandering the valley near their camp. She carried Commander Roevash’s sword, so we brought her straight here,” the soldier reported.
Fionna and Eijlam carefully tried to interrogate the girl. She lay helpless in the bedclothes. She was delirious from the stress of her capture and escape, and from accidentally tasting the tainted blood that splattered on her face. Thankfully Fionna had a tincture that would ease pain and eventually wash out the poisons.
“My name is Elanoreth,” the girl babbled faintly.
Fionna gave her a cup of clean water to drink. She could smell the sour aroma of the caves still surrounding the poor girl.
“There was an elderhis... Naalin,” she recalled her name.
“She gave me the sword to carry. She saved me but then was taken captive by the dragon and carried away.” Fionna and Eijlam listened in dire grief as the girl burst into tears.
“There are ogre and hiisi mutants as goblins breeding women captives. There is another... taller than any I have ever seen. The dark who commands them, with eyes that glow blue and red like fire. They are the same eyes as the dragon that guards the gate.”
Unable to speak any further, the girl passed out into a fitful sleep. Fionna covered her shoulders with the blankets. Glancing fearfully at each other, Fionna and Eijlam left the room.
+++
Naalin flailed out of the mouth of the dragon and fell hard onto the solid dirt floor below. This time they were waiting.
“No, my dear, you will be my queen,” the dragon roared his delight at her horror-stricken face, as she lay gasping for air.
Lord Surmanos stood coldly appraising Naalin with Roevash’s face. He was dressed in finely embroidered robes and golden chain mail. She could see he had assumed the role of the dominant leader.
“How ridiculous,” she screamed at him, “a true warrior would not be caught regaled in such useless metal covering.” She laughed hysterically, knowing her Roevash would have appreciated the insult.
“Take her to the pool and wash her,” he placidly ignored her ranting. “I want this one clean, and remember she is your queen under my title. No one is to spoil her... but me.”
He leaned in to look closer at her as if he’d never seen her before.
“You are somewhat a
ttractive, aren’t you.”
She spat dirt at him.
“Hmmm...”
His eyes narrowed as the spittle dripped off his unmoving face.
“Take her away, gently...”
With his eyes riveted into hers, he wickedly grinned as he wiped her spit thoroughly into his face with one large hand. Then he turned his back and quickly walked away.
“Naalin shrieked insults as she struggled against her captors. She managed to send one goblin rolling across the floor, but where there was one, two more came to drag her away.
Blood Wedding
Chapter Thirty Seven
Naalin found herself back in the pool where she had been captured earlier. This time her handlers almost drowned her as she struggled against them. She wanted to die right there at the rough hands of the monsters. Hatred for Surmanos was soon washed away by her love for Roevash.
“I would be the one to kill him. To save my beloved from the fallen one’s grasp. I will kill him... and then myself to release us both from this torment.” Angry tears welled in her eyes.
Goblins crowded around Naalin’s prone body, busily slathering her with thick red dye. She lay exhausted, staring at nothing as her mind spun in her insanity. Naalin felt excitement at the thoughts of a plan she would carry out. For now, she need only renew her energy for the grizzly task ahead.
The priests came, scattering the complaining goblins into the darkness. They picked their queen off the ground, and forced a vile liquid into her mouth. She felt delirious as they carried her to their altar. They secured her hands and feet with leather bindings and began the task of cutting the cults sacred patterns around her arms and thighs, and down her raw injured back. The profane markings would symbolize her eternal marriage to their master. Her gagged screams only gratified and inspired all who could hear. When they were done a salty, bitter liquid was forced down her throat to paralyze her into sleep while her body healed.
Naalin lay prone at the bottom of a cage next to the altar for all to see.
Torch light burned bright into her eyes. Naalin woke moving swiftly down a long corridor. She felt like she was floating but her feet were somewhere beneath her body carrying her. Her servants had shoved something in her mouth to eat, and she was made to swallow it with sweet wine. They took her to a private chamber where they fed her, and seemed to dote on her every need. She was so made docile enough to handle as they fixed her with jewels and a flowing gown that showed off her body markings. Her hair was braided and gilded with a gaudy gold flake. A lavish gold band encircled her delicate throat. It was jewelry fit for a queen until a chain leash was hooked into a ring at the back of her neck. Draped with a shimmering golden cape across her shoulders, she was now fully prepared for her lord’s countenance.
A tongueless man held up the thin chain like a bridal veil and drove her forward to the auditorium. She was ceremoniously paraded in front of their god as he sat scowling on his throne. Wearing a stony expression she was blessed and anointed by the high priests at the altar. This was the same altar she witnessed followers cutting their own tongues out for him. She wanted to run away screaming, but her body would only glide smoothly along wherever the mute men directed her.
Her lord’s eyes coldly watched. Cheers went up praising her beauty. The Dragon Lord took the golden chain in his hand, and like a pet, led her away in a promenade of priests and men. They moved slowly through the gate. The priests then handed him the key to her collar and bowed down low as they withdrew. The dragon lord led his new queen at a fast pace to his private quarters to reinforce their union. Naalin ran stumbling like a painted toy doll trying to keep up.
The opportunity to finally be alone with the monster who took her Roevash was all Naalin desired.
With the right tools, she could easily assassinate this pretender, this stealer of her one true love. Her eyes darted around, searching for something, but her mind was still muddled by the mild drugs her handlers had given her. She could hear an oddly echoing voice that sounded like her Roevash, but she knew it was not really him.
“I have waited so long to see you again. Will you desire to be with me... my dear,” he spoke in friendly tones.
She struggled for lucid thought in the face of his lies.
“You are my queen. I will not see you saddened by your new purpose. You came here with me freely because... you love me.”
He smiled like her beloved Roevash.
“Roe!” She desperately clamored into his arms to see his face and look into his eyes.
“No! You are not him,” she spat in anger as she flung herself back. The touch of his skin burned in her memories, and she cried out in grief for the man she once knew.
“Please do not leave me,” he pleaded dispassionately. He stared at Naalin, thoroughly entertained in watching her struggle.
“He has become a puppet to the fallen one,” she turned away to hide her tears. Her eyes searched the room while she had her back to him. She saw no visible means of escape. The place was windowless and dark.
“Maybe there is part of him fighting inside to come back to me,” she rationalized. She decided to play along for the moment, to buy some time, while she thought about her plan to kill them both.
“Roevash, we are bound by our love. This is all so strange to me. I do not know what to think,” she said as she turned back around to look at him. He was sitting, leaning forward on his elbows. He looked so sad and vulnerable, all alone in the dark. Naalin’s heart broke for him.
“Do not think so harshly of me, my love.” His pale blue eyes regarding her sensuously as he looked up mournfully at her. “We will always be together. That is all that matters. Stay here with me and be my queen,” he said so gently.
Some strange foggy trance pushed its way into Naalin’s head, and she couldn’t stop it. Her mind grew heavy, and her senses dulled.
“All I ever want is to love you, Roevash.” She lifted her arm, letting him take her hand. The dragon lord stood up and led her to his large, lavishly quilted bed.
“Roevash, please... help me...” her voice sounded flat and distant.
His manipulation complete, the dragon lord pushed her down and clumsily set upon her body for his own pleasure.
“You know this is not him,” her thoughts echoed to herself as she turned her face into the pillow and endured the monster’s hands upon her.
She could not separate this creature with his face, and his body, from the memory of her love. She yearned to have her beloved back in her arms.
“Just this one time… let it be my Roevash,” she cried out in her mind, but she could not remember what her clouded words meant anymore. She fell helplessly and entirely into the dragon’s thrall.
He left her lying there on the bed as he pulled on his robes to go. Having taken from her what he wanted, her whimpering tears did not bother him.
“My little queen,” he said smoothly. “You will give me more than you will ever know.”
+++
Deep in the dark lair under the mountain the goblin horde grew strong. They stole away villagers who were caught walking unguarded and broke into homes silently snatching women and girls right out of their sleeping beds. As their captive numbers multiplied, the monsters grew bolder at night burning and tearing down whole villages taking everyone they could find. Those who were not breed-able were kept as cattle to be eaten.
The giant ogre-men of the north were called out of hibernation from their frozen mountain caves. They stood as taller than a large horse and were just as strong. They had fought for their Lord Surmanos in his last campaign against humanity and the elves. Now they rose up again to join their reincarnated master as overseers of the horde. The multiplying had begun in earnest, festering in the deep caverns below the mountains.
+++
“Something has happened to Naalin and my brother,” Eijlam said anxiously, “too much time is passing!”
He was standing in front of the hearth, where his brother had spent hundreds of
years staring into the flames to console himself. It was no comfort today. It seems like they had all just found each other, life was happy for them. EJ wanted to hit something in his frustration, instead he just mournfully looked at Fi working across the room at Roevash’s desk.
“Human cult or sorcery, how can we know, without the wizards and Eldars to guide us?” he paced around in frustration.
“We are wizards and the only Eldars... elves,” Fionna said, preoccupied with what she was working on.
“I know my words do not help,” Fionna said, glancing at him sadly.
“We have to seek help with the humans. Dakein has asked me to send a rider to the capital. Their High King needs to know what is going on here.”
They were interrupted by the alarm bell going off as a rider clattered through the gates. His horse was lathered, and he was moving fast.
“Report!” Fionna shouted out the office door in a sharp voice the way she had seen Roe do a hundred times. The man jumped from his mount before it came to a complete halt and moved swiftly to the office. By the expression on his face, the news must be bad. EJ and Fionna looked at each other, confirming their fears as the man began to speak.
“The lands have been long vexed by what they believe are true hiisi attacks and there are strange lights in the mountain near Etten Fields. Many men and women have gone missing. Especially... girls...” the young man trailed off.
“Is it true... what they say? Is it like in the old days... goblins are back, and breeding hiisi?” The young man asked with a worried look on his face.
Ej sat down in the chair by the desk with his hands together thinking.
“It may be true. We have a refugee who escaped their caverns,” Fionna informed the man. There was no point in trying to keep this information secret.
“Did you find any signs or rumors of any elves?” Fi looked at him expectantly.