Maal The First Skull- Shadows of the Mind

by Theodore Packwood

  Jil tried to waken aXarelle but could not. She looked terrified—and Fear blasted me in accompaniment—as she glanced over her shoulder toward the stairs.

  “Is she dead?”

  Jil’s Fear surged and nearly brought me to panic. But, after a moment of listening to aXarelle breathe, she declared the uXulu was still alive.

  “Leave her,” I ordered. Jil picked up her chain and hustled down the stairs. I was so shocked by her immediate obedience I could think of nothing to say.

  The Stonewalkers did their best to shake off their slumber and serve with haste, but the Goor were not appeased. They pounded on tables impatiently and screeched as the uXulu hurried about, devoured their deliveries immediately and demanded more. eXia warned Jil to avoid them, astute enough to know their mood would drive them to rape.

  A pair of Goor came down the ladders, escorting a Goor who had pale white fur and milky eyes. A pair of straps criss-crossed his chest, with at least two dozen skulls dangling from them. He hung onto the shoulder of one of his escorts as he was led around.

  “Vol make good task,” one of them whispered.

  The rest of the Goor stood up and clustered against the walls, out of the way. None of them would take food or drink, and the bar grew eerily silent. In confusion, the uXulu ceased their chores and retreated, once again, to the bar.

  Vol went from table to table, listening to the descriptions of the injured from his assistants. He would declare: “Task: wrap with hot rag,” or “Task: press hand here,” or “Task: dead by bluerise.” Despite his age, his voice was strong and loud, carrying to all corners of the room.

  Those who were declared hopeless by Vol were swiftly stabbed through the eye by long knives, carried over and dumped by the wooden door beneath the vertical tree trunks. Two of the dying were awake enough to plea for mercy. Yet once Vol gave up on them, they were immediately executed. There were no tears nor words for those put to death, only brutal efficiency. The dying were like festering wounds, and Vol cut out the gangrenous elements of the tribe, eliminating its weakness.

  You could learn much from this Vol, said Indigo.

  While this went on, a dozen or so more Goor came down. Most were old like Vol, though these were infirm. Only two of them were young: the ones Tchurn had ruined last night: Jez and Mek. They limped and cradled arms in slings. No females or children descended to the bar, despite what appeared to be a full-tribe summoning.

  When Vol was done, the old Goor sat down at an empty table close to the center of the room, opposite the walkway from Tchurn. Five others sat across from him. I did not know these Goor, but they had seemed more vocal during confrontations with the Stonewalkers than others, and each bore nine or more skulls. I was stuck near Tchurn, as Jil stood by the bar with the rest of the uXulu, watching and listening. Vol’s voice carried easily in the silent room.

  “Task: speak of trip,” Vol said.

  “Gath task: bring Goor to Kemiss,” the first one said. “Gath task good. Maybe human tribe had task…”

  “Gath task: no guess!” Vol said, slamming his fist onto the table.

  Gath cringed. “Goor task: got to Kemiss safe.”

  “Task good, Gath,” Vol said. “Rin task?”

  A couple of other Goor described their attempts to trade with the Kemiss. It seemed the Kemiss rejected their offers, claiming impure metal, which the Goor did not seem able to prove. Vol seemed disinclined to hear speculation, yet they suggested the Kemiss disliked the Goor, or perhaps had another supplier for metal.

  “Wer task,” Vol said. The third Goor smiled.

  “Wer task: bargain for weapons,” Wer said. “Wer task: very good. Three loud-killers each uXulu.”

  There was an immediate reaction from the rest of the Goor. Obviously this news had not been shared prior to their return. Many hooted and cheered. Vol did not smile. After a moment he raised his hand. The rest immediately went quiet.

  “Wer task: why trade so good?”

  “Wer need task: guess,” Wer said.

  “Wer task: guess then.”

  “Kemiss took task: very excited about uXulu!” Wer’s words flew out of his mouth, he was so excited. “Bargain-man took task: got boss quick. Boss took task: asked much about uXulu. Boss took task: wanted proof. Wer took task: talk about skin-change. Boss took task: wanted uXulu bad. Wer took task: start five loud-killers trade.” There were “wow”s and “ooo”s from the crowd.

  “Kemiss took task: one loud-killer each. Wer took task: stay at five. Boss took task: went to get higher boss. Higher boss: lots more asks. Higher boss task...”

  “Enough,” Vol said. “Wer task: crazy good!” There was some quick cheering.

  “Wer task: one more task thing?” Wer asked

  “Wer task: speak.”

  “Kemiss offer task: four loud-killers each if uXulu not hurt.”

  Vol’s eyebrows rose, though he stared with milky-white eyes. “Wer task: skull good.” He reached down to his chest and carefully unhooked one of the skulls hanging from his strips, and handed it to Wer.

  Wer’s eyes widened and his hands shook as he accepted it, then he grinned widely and raised the skull for all to see. More hooting and cheering ensued.

  Hak was standing a short distance from me. I could not avoid seeing him scowl, mutter to himself, and shake his head.

  Vol raised his hand again. “Last task: Sib task.”

  “Sib task: bring Goor back.” Sib took a deep breath. “Sib task: crazy bad.”

  “Sib task: why?” Vol said.

  “Human tribe took task: attack Goor on way back. Weather task: snow lots, not see. Tribe task: ambush from ridge. Tribe task: shot Goor with arrows.”

  “Sib task: which tribe?”

  “Sib task: think Human tribe from here. They took task: wait in ambush.”

  “Vol think: bad guess,” Vol said. “Vol think: that tribe hurt bad, flee.”

  Sib shrugged, looked down at the table.

  “All Goor!” Vol said loudly, “big task: eat, rest! All Goor big task: snow stop, take uXulu to Kemiss! All Goor big task: Trade uXulu for loud-killers!” He raised his arms. “Then big task: kill humans!”

  “All Goor: no big task,” someone shouted, interrupting the beginning of a celebration. Hak leapt down from the loft, carrying aXarelle. She was still unconscious, and he dumped her on the ground before holding her head up by her hair. His eyes were wide and bloodshot; his arms shook from rage. Along her neck he held a knife.

  An assistant whispered to Vol what was happening.

  “Hak!” Vol yelled. “No task!”

  “Yes task!” Hak yelled back. “Make own task! Goor big task: no trade uXulu!”

  “Only Vol make big task!” two or three Goor yelled.

  “No!” Hak yelled. “Big task for Hak. Hak task: save tribe!”

  There was shouting from the Goor. They beat on tables, smashed their cups against their heads, and ripped out their own hair. “No make big task!” some shouted over a cacophony of screeches.

  “Stop!” Vol yelled, but sheer madness had overtaken them. He yelled again: “Vol make big task for all: STOP!” The Goor quieted, but a few could not seem to stop themselves.

  I found this fascinating. They could not digest the idea of two competing leaders; it drove them mad.

  Let them go mad, said Viridian, in an eager whisper. Then all will go bad!

  “Hak NOT make big task!” Vol shouted. “Hak task: work uXulu!”

  “Hak task: bad!” Hak shouted. “Hak task: always bad! uXulu task: no work, always argue. uXulu task: wait for weak Goor. uXulu task: then attack! All task: look at Mek, Lez, Boz!” He pointed to the Goor Tchurn had defeated. “uXulu task: hurt last night. uXulu new task: kill all Goor!”

  “Vol task: said uXulu no danger!” Gath shouted. “Goor took task: put metal collars on uXulu, metal chains. Gath had task: watch travel to Kemiss. Gath task: report all snow on path. Saw no stone! No stone, no uXulu danger!”

  “Hak task: saw ston
e all over!” Hak shouted back. “Hak task: saw stone under ice, under snow! Stone everywhere!” He waved his knife in a big circle.

  “It seems there is a contest for leadership,” I said. “Perhaps we can take advantage of the impending chaos.”

  Jil did not respond from her hiding place among the naked uXulu, though Fear buzzed out of her. They trying to remain unnoticed near the bar, clustered in a group as they whispered fervently amongst each other about how to rescue aXarelle. After a moment, eXia approached Tchurn and whispered something into his ear. He shook his head, and kept his gaze focused on his mug.

  “Hak task: drop knife!” Vol yelled.

  “Hak task: save tribe,” he replied. He raised his knife.

  There was a long scraping sound, building in volume, as eXia launched down the walkway. Her eyes were locked onto Hak with potent ferocity, ignoring the chain that dragged at her neck. Long legs took her to Hak in four great leaps, denying him time to react.

  eXia slammed into him with her full force, ramming his back with her shoulder. Hak flew through the air, across half the length of the room, and smashed into the log pile. eXia stumbled a few steps but managed to stop, her huge breasts heaving.

  The Goor were stunned. eXia tossed her hair out of her eyes and glared at them.

  “We are not slaves!” she screamed. I cheered loudly. What a goddess!

  The Goor were terrified, and backed away. eXia reached down and lifted aXarelle by her armpits and dragged her backward to the double-table which covered the large rock. The area around her crotch had black tendrils pointing out of it. The other Stonewalkers were waiting for her.

  She turned away and leaned on Tchurn’s table, boring into him with her gaze. “I beg you one last time,” she said, a request without desperation. “Soon they sell us to the Kemiss. We must fight now. Will you help us?”

  His mug had become an object requiring intense scrutiny. He shook his head.

  “Then we will die.”

  eXia and the others flung the tables off toward the wall and yanked rags off the stone.

  “Stone!” Gath screamed.

  Vol yelled: “Task for all: attack uXulu! No kill!”

  “Now,” said eXia. The Stonewalkers each put one foot on the rock.

  A rapid transformation began with the feet in contact with the stone, changing their skin from a smooth, light grey to a rough, dull grey, matching the coloration of the rock. As the change climbed up their legs, strange demarcations appeared in odd ways, like striations of the stone they touched. Tufts of pubic hair fell as it climbed past their crotches, and nipples became camouflaged as it rose over their breasts. When it slid over their scalps, all of their long dark hair fell, sheared off by this new skin. Their eyes transformed as well, becoming like crystals gleaming in the firelight, each of a different color. eXia’s was a bright sapphire; oXellona’s was a dark red. I could not see aXarelle’s: she had not stood up yet.

  The pile of black hair created the illusion of fierce giants standing upon a dark, roiling storm cloud, standing battle-ready. The Goor charged despite their Fear, leaping over one another to reach the uXulu. It was so similar to the assault used by The Nail’s creatures that I retreated in Fear, until the first Goor passed through me. I will not say I covered my head and turned away. The women protected their heads and crouched down as the furry brutes piled upon them.

  A barrage of thumps filled the air as Goor fists landed. The short creatures’ long arms smashed into them with powerful punches and immense overhead slams. Dozens of blows crashed down, filling the air with loud, rapid thumps.

  “eXia!”

  Look at him worry over his curvaceous female, said Indigo.

  Like a sniveling child in need of his mother’s teat, said Carmine.

  Perhaps he will have a chance to suckle hers after this! Magenta said.

  Amid the barrage of fists, the uXulu surged up, flinging Goor off and away. I felt a thrill of… of Joy? Another shout of excitement escaped me as they stood proud and defiant.

  More Goor attacked. The women took blows in their ribs, breasts, legs and necks without flinching. Blows like this had brought them to their knees before, yet they seemed unimpressed.

  They struck back.

  The beasts howled as the uXulu’s fists shattered ribs, broke arms, and crushed legs. They brought elbows down upon the backs of those beneath them, breaking spines and shoulders. A Goor’s face collapsed from a vicious punch from eXia, and his neighbor took a blow to the ribs that landed with a satisfying crunch. Another Goor double-fisted her in the stomach, and she laughed, high-pitched and terrible. She hit him hard in the mouth, then grabbed the hair on his head and slammed his face into her hip. He collapsed without a sound, though screams of pain filled the air from many others who were injured.

  oXellona swung two-fisted against her attackers, yells of exultation accompanying each blow, snapping necks and knocking others through the air. aXarelle was trying to rise when she was dragged away from the rock. eXia locked onto her arm and heaved, pulling her back to the rock and leaning over her to offer some protection as she tried to gain her feet. Soon both of them were retaliating against the onslaught of Goor: aXarelle struck with large backhand swings that were more like slaps of condescension, knocking the furry creatures away, while eXia’s fists went for direct impact.

  Goor swung up to the timbers and leapt down from above, trying to disconnect the uXulu from the rock with no success. Others tried to encumber them by attaching to the giant women’s backs, but these were removed by neighbors or pulled over shoulders and flung to the ground before being stomped to death.

  With the battle appearing futile, some of the Goor began to scramble away, climbing over each other in terror. Some were grabbed as they tried to escape and tossed through the air to smash against tables or stone walls. A pair of the Stonewalkers began ripping up other parts of the floor, tearing through the thick planks with ease to reveal the stone beneath. Within moments there was a small circle of exposed stone around the large rock.

  Violence violence violence! cried Viridian, cackling maniacally.

  Dozens of unharmed Goor remained. Vol was giving orders to some of the Goor with many skulls, and they organized new tactics. An uXulu was yanked off the rock by five Goor heaving on her chain, and quickly dragged away from reaching uXulu arms. A group of eight leapt down upon oXellona together, knocking her down and off the rock. eXia cried out her name and hopped outward with one leg in order to extend her reach, putting herself in danger of getting disconnected from the stone as a pair of Goor yanked on her back leg. oXellona reached for her, but her arm was knocked away, and she disappeared beneath stomping Goor.

  eXia shouted for someone to help oXellona as she dislodged the Goor on her leg and climbed to stand on top of the rock. She watched for more leaping Goor and began intercepting them, grabbing them in mid-air and hurling them against the stone cliff walls. oXellona was rescued by two other uXulu and dragged back to the circle. Her skin did not change to match the stone, and she did not rise. The uXulu who had been first pulled off the rock disappeared beneath striking arms, beaten until blood flew off the fists of the Goor who pummeled her.

  No mercy after all, said Indigo. Their orders cannot overcome their battle fever.

  Despite the loss of two uXulu, the rest stood resolute. Every Goor attacking them was flung away or broken. eXia shouted warnings when the Goor went after another chain, and the chunks of wooden floor were thrown like spears to impale those who dared try.

  As the battle boiled, Erigg and Reze’ came out from behind the bar. Erigg should have looked terrible: a swollen eye, or a broken jaw. Instead, his face bore only minor bruises, and he moved lightly with his antlers, uninjured but for his limp. His rate of healing was also at odds with the human knowledge I had access to.

  From my vantage near the rock, Reze’s eagerness was obvious: she stroked her daggers, and anxiously shifted weight from foot to foot. Erigg turned to talk to her, putting
his arm across her chest as a barricade from the mayhem.

  Tchurn watched impassively. His expression was unreadable, but he did not drink or eat.

  I could not share his stoicism; I was in ecstasy. The chaos and violence filled me with a sick pleasure. I spread my arms and tried to breathe it all in.

  Yessssss, Viridian said, breathing with me.

  “All task: STOP!” someone yelled.

  Hak limped slowly into view from between two columns. Somehow he had managed to sneak from the log pile to the bar. He had Jil by the hair, and as with aXarelle, he held his long, sharp knife against her throat.

  Her Fear had been a constant stream of emotion during the fight; I had not attended to her whereabouts. Even now her Fear seemed less than sheer terror; there was Anguish building instead.

  “uXulu task: give up,” Hak said through clenched teeth. “Or Hak task: kill girl.” He shook Jil’s head back and forth roughly.

  There was silence. The Stonewalkers stopped fighting. Dead and broken Goor laid around them, their sightless eyes staring in all directions. The piles of the white dead was reminiscent of The Nail. Was I still at The Nail, its environment and creatures, cloaked by a complex hallucination?

  Half the Goor were still unharmed, but they stopped their attacks as well. They watched the uXulu with their teeth bared, chests heaving.

  “Let him kill me,” Jil rasped, her neck strained back against Hak’s grip.

  “Girl task: no talk!” Hak yelled, yanking her hair again.

  “Let me die...” she said. Hak hit her in the face with the knife's grip. “...so I won’t hurt any of yew!” she yelled. Hak punched her again. Her head rocked to the side, and blood drooled out of her mouth.

  “Jil!” I yelled, unable to stop myself. Her Fear receded, but my Fear crawled through my gut; a horrible sensation I was too familiar with. It grew to match Jil’s incoming Fear, and the two became inseparable. Yet she also exported Anguish, and I could not understand why.

  Let her perish, said Indigo. She is worthy only if she saves herself.