Half-Orc Redemption

by Luke T Barnett

“Gash?”

  “My name. Gash Bloodaxe.”

  “Father named me Mori-elill, but Mother liked to call me Lum. You can call me Lum if it’s easier.”

  Gash nodded and stood to leave.

  “Can I come with you?” Lum called quickly, getting to her feet.

  Gash turned and looked down at her.

  “You’re the only one who’s left our village in a long time. If I don’t go with you, I’ll never be able to leave.”

  Unable to contain herself, Lum wrapped her arms around Gash’s thick leg.

  “Oh, please let me go with you, Gash!” she said. “I won’t be any trouble, I promise. I’ll do whatever you say. Please just don’t make me go back to that place. I hate it there so much. Please, Gash. Please take me with you!”

  “I am a half-orc,” he told her.

  “I don’t care,” Lum replied, looking up at him. “And I won’t tell anyone we meet either. Honest I won’t. They can ask me all kinds of questions and I won’t say a word. I can even hold my breath. Father taught me. Look.”

  Lum then took in a breath and held it. Gash regarded her, noting her innocence and lack of prejudice. He had no wish to send her back to a dying village, especially since she would face no care from anyone. Unlike him, she was small and frail. She would not survive. He would not damn her to such a fate.

  Reaching down, he pried her small arms from his leg and then slapped her on the back, forcing her to release the breath.

  “Hey, wadja do that for?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

  Gash did not reply, but picked up the torch and then took the sack from over her shoulder. He jerked his head indicating for her to follow and then proceeded down the corridor, Lum walking alongside him.

  “Thank you for letting me go with you,” she said after a few moments of silence.

  Gash looked at her and nodded.

  “You don’t say much, do you?” she asked him.

  Gash shook his head as he looked forward.

  “Is it okay if I talk?”

  Gash nodded.

  “Can I talk about Mother and Father?”

  Gash again looked at her.

  “Tarin never let me. He said they were gone and the past should be left in the snow. But I miss them and talking about them helps me not to be sad.”

  Gash nodded, pleased and intrigued to hear of such devotion to those that raised her.

  **********

  The two walked for what seemed like many days. The torch burned out after the first day. Lum had not thought to bring any more and to avoid the two of them getting lost or separated, Gash held her hand with one hand, and felt along the wall with the other. Many times they stopped to eat and sleep. Not knowing how much further they had to go, Gash rationed their food, giving each of them just enough to keep going. Rest came easily as both would walk until exhausted, eager to get out of the cavern and into daylight. When Lum would weary, but there was still strength left to Gash, he would carry her, until he too became too weary to continue. Lum would talk much to distract herself from the darkness, but she tired even of this and would fall into periods of silence.

  It was while they walked after their fifth sleep that light began to fill the tunnel. It was not daylight, but the red glow of fiery heat. The two continued until they came to an opening and cliff overlooking a river of red, glowing liquid far below. The strange liquid crackled and popped as it flowed, a foul stench rising from its bed. Despite its distance, the heat from the river was intense and both of them found themselves sweating.

  “Wow,” Lum said.

  Gash was silent as his eyes searched for a way to cross the river.

  “Look, Gash,” came Lum’s voice. “There’s a cave over there.”

  Gash looked to where the little girl was pointing and noted the cavern entrance sitting in the face of the opposite wall.

  “How do we get to it?” Lum asked.

  Gash observed the cavern carefully and noted a small structure like the broken remnants of a bridge extending out a few feet from its mouth. It pointed in a direction to the right of the cave in which the two now stood. Gash followed its direction and found another cavern on the same wall as theirs a good distance away.

  “Gash, I’m hot. Can we go back and find another way?”

  “No,” Gash replied. “We will be lost.”

  Gash observed carefully the rocky wall between their cave and the one he had found, noting hand holds and footholds. It was possible and it was their only choice.

  “But I’m hot,” Lum complained.

  “We must climb,” Gash replied.

  “Climb?” Lum asked as Gash picked her up and put her on his back. The little girl put her arms around his neck and locked her arms as best she could. They were already coated with sweat and she was not confident about her grip.

  “What if I fall?” she asked.

  “You will not,” Gash replied as he began to descend.

  He took slow, careful steps, not moving hand or foot until the other three were secure. It was a difficult task as his hands were sweaty and slippery. The heat too was affecting him, making him sick and slightly dizzy. Still, he kept moving at a steady pace; hand over hand, foot over foot. Eventually, he looked to how far the cavern was. He had gone a fourth of the way. He focused his mind and began to move quicker, knowing he could not stay in this heat for much longer.

  “Gash, it hurts!” Lum called from behind him. “It hurts my feet!”

  Gash looked and noted their closeness to the river. He too felt the heat, though not as intensely due to his thick hide. He looked above him for handholds and began to move up, away from the heat of the river as he continued to move towards the cave. After more progress, he looked again at the cave. They were more than halfway there. His path compromised, Gash had to move slower to find handholds. Still, he moved as quickly as he could, trying to see through the streams of sweat trickling down his face.

  “I feel sick,” Lum’s voice reflected her words.

  “We are almost there. Hold on tight to me.”

  Her grip readjusted, but felt no tighter. He felt dizzy. He shook his head, forcing himself to focus on the next handhold. Gash moved as quickly as he could, often sacrificing two or even three holds for the sake of speed. His strategy worked. They were nearly upon the cave. A small cliff jutted out from its mouth only three movements away. Gash gripped the next hold and moved. Two more.

  “Gash…”

  Her voice was weak. Gash moved as fast as he could, finding a foothold and pushing up, his hands momentarily free. Dizziness struck him as he gripped a handhold with his right hand, his feet now free. His left hand reached to the handhold just below the cliff. He knew he could not rest. He struggled to gain control. He could feel her grip slipping.

  “Lum!” he called. “Hold on!”

  “I…can’t…”

  Her hands slipped from his neck. Gash forsook his handhold nearer the cliff and twisted, his hand outstretched. He couldn’t see! His hand felt something brush his palm and he instantly clamped his hand down on whatever it was. Gash shook his head shaking away the sweat and attempting to do the same to the dizziness. He could see Lum dangling by an arm locked in his iron grip. Her head was bowed and her body was limp.

  He knew cooler air would be coming from the cave. He needed to get her there, no matter the cost. Calling out in his mind for the Godking to save her, he began swinging her back and forth. He held his grip on her until he had built up what he hoped to be enough momentum and then released his grip on the upswing. His body swung and slammed against the cliff. Somehow, his grip on the wall held, as if his hand was clamped to the rock. His mind reeled from dizziness, he felt like vomiting. His other hand groped and found a handhold. Something strengthened him and he pulled himself up. His hand reached and found another hold. He pulled and suddenly found himself rolling onto a cool, flat surface. He looked over and saw Lum lying unconscious on the ground next to him. Taking the strength he had, he gath
ered her up and stumbled into the cave, and into the relief of cooler air.

  ************

  A terrified scream started Gash awake. He sat up in the utter darkness, trying to comprehend what was happening.

  “Get away! Help!” Lum’s terrified cries rang out in the darkness.

  Gash immediately reached a hand to where he had laid her. Her small fists began pounding on his arm.

  “Let me go! Leave me alone! Help!” the girl screamed.

  “Calm!” Gash called out to her. “It is safe!”

  “Help!”

  “Lum!”

  The pounding on his arm ceased and Gash only heard her heightened breathing.

  “Gash?”

  “I am here.”

  Her hands frantically moved up his arm until she found his torso. She then held him tightly, her body quivering.

  “I dreamt there was a monster after me,” she said in a frightened voice. “It sounded like it was gurgling. I couldn’t understand what it was saying, but I knew it was after me. It was reaching for me and it sounded like it was screaming and gurgling at the same time. I was so scared, Gash.”

  “It is safe,” was all Gash could think to offer in reply.

  He did not know how to react. He had never had someone cling to him so. Nor had he ever had anyone to cling to. It was a strange notion and one that he found himself puzzled by, yet strangely comfortable with. Instinctively, his hand reached around and he cradled the frightened little girl.

  *************

  The boulder jostled and then rolled to the side and the glorious light of a late summer’s day flooded the cavern. The two travelers squinted at the bright light as the fresh scent of grass, flowers, and pine trees filled their senses. They stood there for long moments, waiting for their eyes to adjust. Finally, overtaken with joy, Lum rushed out onto the green hillside, her arms out at her sides as if she were about to take flight, her voice lifted in laughter. Gash trudged out slowly, taking in the light and freshness of the air, his spirit eased at the reality of their escape and the knowledge that food must be somewhere nearby.

  Lost in his relief, he felt a poke at his side. He looked down to see Lum standing in an odd stance, one hand behind her back, the other holding a stick. She stood with a downcast brow and smirk on her little face.

  “Hark, evil dragon, for I will slay thee,” she challenged.

  Though he’d never participated in any sort of make-believe, he’d seen others in his clan indulge in it and so knew the concept. Raising his hands in the air, he made claws with his fingers and gave a weak growl as he waddled awkwardly towards the little girl. Lum danced around him as he made slow swings at her. They danced for several minutes, Gash making many poor swings, Lum making many heroic dodges. At last, she reached her stick out and poked Gash in the ribs. Gash grabbed his side and swooned, falling to the ground on his back. Lum clambered up the large half-orc’s side and stood triumphantly on his chest, her stick high in the air and her hand on her hip.

  “Hark, for I have slain the evil dragon. The land is safe once again.”

  Gash suddenly reached up and began tickling the little girl’s sides. Lum screamed and began laughing uncontrollably. Their positions reversed and Gash continued to torture the little dragon slayer, much to her delight. A strange joy overtook him and Gash found himself uttering a stranger sound that echoed that of Lum’s, only much slower and deeper. A still stranger sound cut through the laughter as the little girl broke into a fit of coughing. Gash stopped his assault and stared wide-eyed at her, at a loss as to what had happened. At last, the girl’s coughing ceased and she looked up at Gash and smiled.

  “I’m glad you’re my friend, Gash,” she said.

  Gash just stared at her, still unsure what had just happened and if he had been the cause.

  “C’mon!” Lum said as she stood up and began running ahead. “Let’s go see what’s in the forest!”

  Standing, Gash decided to not worry about it for the time being, but kept the incident in the back of his mind as he looked towards the vast forest before them. It was then he thought to look around to see if he could tell where they were. To his right, the forest crept up and covered the hills a few miles away. To his left was the same. It appeared the two had exited the mountains into a meadow amongst an enormous forest. Knowing where they had come from, Gash turned around to see the forest encircling them and, not far beyond, sharp mountain peaks rising out of the tops of the trees like teeth. He surmised the Valley of the Maw must be just beyond them. He expected to see the Collapsed Mountain to his right, but the trees and hills obstructed his view. He looked back to the mountain-tops.

  He knew not the fate of Mara and the orcs, but he knew he needed to get back to them and expose the traitor, lest something should happen to Mara or the Dwarves’ plans were sabotaged. He knew they, at least Mara, would likely head back to the Dwarves. That, he determined, was where he would need to meet them, and quickly. But he knew he could not do so with Lum tagging along. He needed to take her some place safe. He could think only of Marian and her place in the wood. If she had made it back to her home, she would be able to care for Lum until Gash returned.

  His thoughts halted and lingered upon this. Did he intend to go back and retrieve her? He did. Yet he found the thought truly strange. Even towards Mara he had not felt such attachment. But it seemed to him, that she was his little one and she had no one else.

  So be it then.

  He determined to leave her with Marian for so much a time as it took him to defeat the Orcish army and then he would return to her. It seemed the only choice before him and so he set his heart on it.

  “Gash,” came Lum’s whining and out-of-breath voice as she trotted up to stand beside him. “Aren’t you coming?”

  Gash looked down at her.

  “We must head north,” he told her.

  Lum looked ahead of her, then shuffled her feet to look east, then west, then south, then north again. Gash reached down, grabbed her head and pointed her north, north-west.

  “That way,” he said.

  “Why that way?” Lum asked.

  “A friend lives there,” he replied.

  “Is it far?” Lum asked.

  Gash nodded. “I will carry you.”

  “But I like the grass. It feels funny between my toes,” Lum replied, wiggling her toes. “Can’t I walk for a while?”

  Again Gash nodded and the two set out for Marian’s cabin.

  “Gash?”

  Gash looked down at the little girl.

  “Do you think your friend will want to be my friend too?”

  Gash nodded and Lum smiled. The two continued on as Lum began to hum a happy tune.

  XIX. Sickness

  The two arrived at Marian’s Cabin after only a few days travel. They found her cabin as she had left it when the knights had appeared. The rains poured down outside and Gash suggested they sit and wait to see if she might return. All that day they waited and Gash kept Lum busy by encouraging her to talk about her parents and her life in the snow village. The rain continued to pour all that day and Lum’s coughing fits returned twice before the day was out. At the dawning of the next day Gash was awakened by another fit of coughing coming from the little girl. It lasted longer this time and ended with her struggling for breath and complaining that her throat hurt. It was then that Gash noticed the few drops of blood on the floor where she had been coughing. Gash looked to the rain once again pouring outside and to Lum who now looked slightly pale. His thoughts ran through his mind as to what to do and he remembered Lilliandra and the power she displayed.

  Scooping the girl into his arms, Gash took one of the animal hides from one window and wrapped her in it. He then stepped to the door just as Marian stepped up from outside. Both were surprised to see the other, though only Marian showed any sign of it.

  “Gash,” she said in surprise. “I thought you were with the others. What happened?”

  Gash did not reply, but looked
to the bundle he held in his arms. Lum was completely covered and when Marian looked, all she saw was the animal hide, concealing something beneath.

  “What do you have here?” Marian asked, cautiously pulling back the hide. As she did so, Lum turned her blonde head to look at the aged woman, her golden eyes looking upon her with slight fear.

  “Oh, my,” she said, again in surprise. “And who is this you have with you?”

  “Lum,” Gash replied. “She is sick.”

  “No I’m not,” Lum protested, looking up at him. “My throat just hurts.”

  “That’s usually the first sign of sickness, dear,” Marian said, but then quickly added, “But I’m sure it’s nothing but a cold. Set her down in front of the hearth, Gash, and leave the hide wrapped around her. Go and get some firewood and I will get to work on this door.”

  “It is wet,” Gash said as he set the little girl down.

  “Don’t fuss about that, Gash, just gather the wood and make haste,” Marian replied, shooing him out the door.

  “Wait!” Lum said, rushing after him and latching onto his leg. “Don’t leave me.”

  “I will be back,” Gash assured her.

  “He’s just going to get some firewood, dear,” Marian reassured as she guided the little girl back over to the hearth and wrapped the skin around her. “He’ll be right back. You just stay wrapped up. Don’t worry. Gash and I are close friends. You’re in safe hands here.”

  Marian gave her a reassuring smile which did little to reassure the little girl and then proceeded to repair the door.

  ************

  Gash returned a short while later with a large pile of logs, branches, and twigs all soaked through. Having just finished repairing the door, Marian instructed him to deposit them along the wall between the door and the fireplace. She then grabbed a good assortment and placed them in the fireplace. Gathering up the flint and steel she kept near the hearth, she sparked some sparks and the wood instantly caught aflame, much to Gash’s confusion. The fire grew into a blaze and the small cabin was filled with warmth to the point where Lum was able to shed the animal skin.