Tainted Blood Anthology

by Jeff Gunzel

  “Is that bad?” Viola asked, gazing around uneasily.

  “Not at all,” Liam assured, placing his hand on her shoulder. He often forgot how little she knew of the world. “But I admit, I’m a bit surprised they even have dealings with you two,” he said, redirecting his attention back to Owen. “The tarrins are a peaceful species who mostly keep to themselves. I find it odd they would have any association with...um...”

  “Mercenaries?” Owen finished for him, one eyebrow raised. “You read too many books, old man. Yes, the tarrins are a peaceful race...during times of peace. Do not confuse that with being helpless or weak.”

  “I meant nothing of the sort,” Liam was quick to point out. “No insult was intended.”

  “Perhaps not directed towards the tarrins,” Xavier cut in. “Yet you still seem to have no problem judging my master and I.”

  “Drop it, Xavier,” Owen said, turning his back to them. “Let the old man come to whatever conclusion he wishes.”

  “No, I won’t drop it!” Xavier snapped back, causing the hunter to turn and glare at his young pupil, a warning look in his eyes. The apprentice ignored him, turning his attention back to Liam. “Constantly, we are forced to defend our reputations in the eyes of the great mystic. What exactly do you know of us?” he asked, glaring up at the much taller man.

  “Your reputations are larger than the room we stand in. Everyone has heard the stories of rage and bloodlust come to fruition, all for the sake of a few coins. Is that what you wanted to hear?” Liam asked with a sigh. “Must we really speak of this now?”

  “That’s not what I asked you,” Xavier said, the angry edge in his voice starting to fade. “I asked you what you know of us, not what you’ve heard. We are already aware of our reputations.”

  Liam rubbed his chin, beginning to understand the lad’s point.

  “It’s best if our foes believe we are merciless killers,” Owen added. “I know you believe we wander the realm friendless and alone, open to any contract that’s shoved under our noses.” He looked up, raking his fingers through his long black hair. “Many of those stories stem from a time when that was indeed true. But not anymore. Those days are long over with, yet our reputations remain intact.”

  “But here is what you don’t understand, Liam,” Xavier said. “It works to our advantage to be seen in such a dark light. Those tales aren’t true anymore, yet they give us an edge wherever we go. In fact, you and Viola are the only two living souls who know we have an affiliation with the tarrins. We brought you here to help keep Viola safe, but also because we trust you. Tell us, Liam, have we made a mistake in our judgment?”

  Liam sighed. “Forgive an old fool,” he said. “I admit, to this point I have based too much of my judgment on your reputations, and not on your actions. And as for your question, no, you have not made a mistake. Sometimes even I can be influenced by the stories spread by others.”

  With a sticky slurp, the slit in the wall opened up once more. In walked a tall female with long, curly red hair. As thick as it was, it did little to conceal the thick curled horns on the sides of her head. Her skin was green like the other tarrin’s, but with her less-than-modest clothing, there was quite a bit more of it to see. With a lean, toned physique, her long legs and chiseled arms were clearly those of a warrior’s. Her ridged stomach was knotted with muscles that seemed to twitch with each graceful step. Her fingers were disproportionately long, making her hands look spidery.

  “So there you are,” said Owen. “Thatra, I would like you to meet—”

  She blew right past him as if he were invisible, and stormed right up to Viola. Quite a bit taller, she hunched down to get a better look, her milky-white eyes only a few inches from Viola’s. “I don’t believe it,” she whispered, hands rising to boldly creep all over Viola’s face. “How could such dissimilar strands of nature find unity within a single vessel? It’s a miracle. I’ve never seen such a thing.”

  “I am not a thing!” Viola hissed, her shadowy voice ricocheting from everywhere at once. She pushed the frisky girl in the chest, but only managed to send her own body backward. The reaction was similar to pushing against a wall and expecting it to move.

  The green girl clasped a hand over her mouth, her creamy white eyes enlarging to the size of coins. “I am so sorry,” she said, looking absolutely mortified. “I don’t know what came over me. I never meant to imply— Well, you are most certainly not a thing.”

  “Ahem. Let’s try this again,” Owen said, hand smacking up against his forehead. “This here is Thatra, one of my contacts from the Eldham village. Thatra, that tall gentleman there is Liam.”

  “A pleasure,” said Liam, gently taking her hand.

  “And the girl whose face you just groped is Viola,” Owen added sheepishly.

  “Please accept my apology,” said Thatra, rushing back over to Viola. “I know I’ve made a horrible first impression, but I still hope that we can be friends.” Viola looked up at her, a mischievous look spreading over her face. With a grin, she grabbed Thatra by her horns and shook her head. “Hey! What are you—”

  “There! Now we’re even,” said Viola, laughing at her own cleverness. “Now we can start over.”

  “Very well,” laughed Thatra, turning back towards the wall. The sides split open with a wet squish. “If you’ll all just follow me, I’ll take you to a place that’s a little more comfortable so we can talk.” They followed her through the slit and out into a narrow corridor. Dimly lit, they moved carefully so as not to trip or accidently touch the sticky walls. Once already, Viola had made that mistake, and found that it was not a pleasant experience.

  Up ahead, they could hear a series of grinding sounds coming from a room on the left. Liam took particular interest as the others passed, taking a long peek inside. Orfi was inside, running what looked to be a metal file across one of Owen’s swords. He slid the tool in long, even strokes, always going the same direction. On the table in the corner lay several disassembled pieces of what looked to be one of his crossbows.

  After running the file across a few more times, he turned the blade on its side and picked up a steaming bowl with some sort of shiny, metal liquid inside. Using a coarse brush, he spread the hot liquid across the blade’s edge, which produced a crackling hiss.

  Liam jumped when a hand lightly clutched his shoulder from behind. “A combination of silver, craduit, and a rare metal ore called ravlix,” said Xavier, answering the unasked question. “At least, those are the elements I’m aware of. I’m sure there are many more.”

  “And what are the reactive properties of such elements?” Liam asked, truly fascinated by the process he was witnessing.

  “That depends on the target in question,” said Xavier. “Different creatures react differently. Laberaths are highly allergic to the combination, among many other creatures of the underworld. In many cases, a minor scratch could prove fatal. As for humans, the mixture is about as dangerous as water. The blade itself would be a far bigger concern than the coating.”

  “Viola?” Liam asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Xavier shrugged. “I just told you how it reacts with the blood of both species, and Viola happens to be both. As to how her body would respond, your guess is as good as mine.”

  “Perhaps we should avoid that particular test,” Liam replied dryly.

  “Agreed,” said Xavier. “Let’s go catch up with the others. I promise to answer any other questions you may have at a later time.” Eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness, they made their way down the corridor. Although a bit humid, the air in here smelled sweet and flowery, serving as a reminder that they were indeed inside a living plant of sorts. Long ago Xavier had grown accustomed to the idea of being inside such a vessel, but Liam simply could not wrap his head around the idea.

  “In here,” Thatra called, waving them in from a lit room just ahead. Like everything else they’d seen, the walls were a pinkish red with a slimy, wet look to them. But there were some comfortable-looki
ng chairs dressed with large, soft cushioning—truly a luxury after being on the road for so long. A large globe hung from the ceiling, giving off a soft light that was rather easy on the eyes.

  “Do you live in here?” Viola asked Thatra as she plopped down on a seat, gazing around in astonishment.

  “Certainly not,” Thatra replied, taken by what she thought was a rather odd question. “The great boxa tree would never allow that. I am but a mere passenger, same as you. As we speak, we’re heading back to Eldham right now. I had hoped we could talk longer, but I’m afraid we’re almost there.”

  “Wait, we’re moving?” Liam asked, placing his hands at the base of his chair. “I can’t feel a thing.”

  “Indeed we are,” Owen said, leaning back in his seat, one leg crossed over the other. “And mighty fast, too. You asked me a few days ago about where we were headed. This was why I couldn’t give you a straight answer. I had to wait for Thatra to find me. I can tell when she’s close, but that’s about it.”

  “The roots of the boxa tree can spread for many miles in any direction,” Thatra added. “Now that we have you with us, the root is just pulling back to the tree. We’ve been attached this whole time.”

  “Incredible,” said Liam, wishing he had some way to take notes. They felt a slight tremor that shook the chairs ever so slightly.

  “And we’ve arrived,” said Thatra, pointing to the wall on the opposite side of which they entered. With a wet crackling, it split open. Her warm smile radiated around the room. “Welcome to Eldham!”

  Chapter 9

  They followed Thatra through the quivering slit in the wall. Moving through a dark corridor, air rushed back and forth in long, pulsing drifts, lifting their hair and blowing it about. Liam considered inquiring about the strange occurrence, but ultimately determined he didn’t want to know the answer. The light at the end grew brighter as they neared the exit. Only a few feet away Thatra turned back, a look of concern on her face.

  “I must warn you,” she said, looking at Viola. “My people are virtuous and kind, but not all are as open minded as I. We have lived here in peace for centuries, with virtually no dealings with outsiders. Owen and Xavier are the only humans we have contact with, and we certainly don’t have any dealings with—” She paused.

  “Laberaths,” Viola stated plainly, refusing to look away.

  “Yes,” Thatra admitted quietly. “Although we were aware of Owen’s plan shortly after the laberaths made contact with him, not everyone here was so open to the idea. Now that they’re going to see you in the flesh, you may in fact be treated with...indifference.”

  “I’ve grown used to hiding from the public eye,” said Viola, nervously wringing the bottom of her shirt. “I don’t mean to be a burden. It is kind of you to bring me in, but I didn’t ask for any of this.”

  “No, you did not,” Thatra agreed. “But the fact that the laberaths want you so badly has forced others into action. Keeping you safe from them is too important to leave up to chance. And as for whether or not you’re a burden, that is not for me to decide.”

  “Then I must ask you,” said Liam. “Whose shoulders would bear the weight of such a decision?”

  “It is time,” said Thatra, ignoring his question and leading the way out from the dark pod.

  “You’ll see soon enough,” said Owen, thumping Liam on the chest as he passed by.

  When they stepped out into the sunlight, a whole new world opened up before their eyes. High above, flimsy-looking bridges connecting massive trees swung and swayed. Intertwined with those bridges were huts made with some kind of bamboo. Lights flickered from behind stained-glass windows. It was practically an entire village stashed high up in the trees.

  Strung in long lines from tree to tree were paper globes of all varying colors, each with a tiny candle burning within. The flickering lights made their shadows dance across the ground as the globes swayed in the light breeze. The charred remains of open fires still glowed with orange embers, their thinning black smoke coiling up into the air. However, despite the obvious signs of civilization, there didn’t look to be a soul anywhere in sight.

  With a thundering rumble, the pod behind them recoiled, writhing its way back down into the ground. Bulging dirt glided away, the wave of rising grass heading for the largest tree any of them had ever seen. It was the only tree in sight with snow-white bark. Large leaves fanned out from every branch, blue as the sky and each bigger than a man. There was little doubt that this was the boxa tree Thatra had spoken of.

  “It’s all so beautiful,” Viola gasped, unable to stop staring at the huts above. “But where are your people? I don’t see anyone around.”

  A flock of yellow birds burst from a bed of bushes, scattering high up to the treetops. In an eerie exhibit of silent movement, horned faces peered out from behind virtually every tree at once. A second ago the place was abandoned. Now, easily hundreds, possibly thousands of eyes all stared at the group. Each had either red or blond hair; no other color could be seen. Liam couldn’t decide which was more unnerving: how so many beings could remain so perfectly hidden in complete silence, or the angry glares each face seemed to cast. Even Owen seemed a little unsettled by it, and he knew these people far better than any other human.

  “This is my world,” said Viola, her gaze sweeping the trees. “No one has said a word to me yet still I am unwelcome.”

  “I warned you of our general feelings towards outsiders,” said Thatra. “Make no mistake, you are perfectly safe here. But don’t expect to make friends anytime soon. Regardless, their opinions of you matter little. There is only one here with the authority to judge your merit. Come, Assirra is waiting.”

  They followed Thatra up to the great boxa tree. Up top they could see a large structure seated on a wooden platform. Rickety steps strung together with vines wound the base of the tree, spiraling their way around the white trunk. With no railing and each step only two feet in width, the climb was horribly intimating to any other than a nimble tarrin. Showing no hesitation, Thatra began the climb, hopping her way up with confident grace. After only a few turns completed, she glanced down at the others, who still had yet to commit.

  “What are you waiting for?” she shouted down, irritation seeping into her voice. “Don’t tell me you’re all afraid of a little climb.”

  “Bah,” Liam gasped, feigning insult as his hands rose to his hips. “Why, certainly not!” He gently grasped Viola by the shoulders. “After you, my dear,” he said, giving her a slight nudge.

  “Out o me way!” Owen barked, jumping onto the first step and proceeding to ascend the steps with ease. Odd that a man so large would have such minimal difficulty navigating the narrow path. The old steps creaked in protest with each heavy stomp. Xavier followed, displaying a much lighter touch as he zipped up with minimal effort.

  “All right...all right...here we go,” Liam mumbled, bouncing on his toes while clapping his hands, yet still showing no signs of commitment.

  “I’ll go first,” said Viola, moving up to the first step.

  “Good idea!” Liam exclaimed, a bit too much relief revealed in his tone. “That way I can...you know... I can catch you if something... Yes...well, here we go.”

  After rising ten feet or so, Liam clung to the side of the tree with wide-open arms, inching along with each crab-like side step. “This is absurd!” he complained, willing himself to take the next step. “Who wouldn’t put a rail on something like this?”

  “Hey, mystic,” came a taunting call from above. Foolishly, Liam glanced up, regretting his decision almost immediately. There stood Owen on the top platform, dangling his foot over the edge. “Ooo, Ooo I’m going to fall,” he teased, cackling at Liam’s struggles.

  “That’s not funny!” Liam shouted, closing his eyes while bear-hugging the tree. He felt a cold touch, a small hand taking his. He opened his eyes to Viola urging him to keep going with her aid. Embarrassed, he accepted her help and continued the climb, trying his best to maintain
what was left of his dignity.

  When he and Viola finally reached the platform, the others were waiting patiently, tight-lipped smirks worn by all. “Well then,” said Liam, tugging at his damp shirt, rings of sweat darkening the underside of his arms. “I’ll have you know that Viola handled the climb just fine.” He patted her on the head like a dog. “Brave girl... So, let’s go inside, shall we?” Thatra rolled her white eyes, then turned and led them through an entryway covered by long, beaded strings that clacked when she swiped them aside.

  Inside, the sweet scent of burning incense lingered in the air, a pleasant fragrance hinting of mint and cinnamon. Animal-skin rugs lay scattered about, with more furs of exotic animals seemingly hung from every wall. The beaded door across the way clacked loudly when a tall figure entered, even taller than Thatra. Long blonde hair danced about her shoulders, its light color highlighting her bright-red lips. Atop her head sat a tall, elegant feathered headpiece that fanned out like the tail of a peacock, colors alternating between white and red. Her mostly white eyes had a strange blue tint them, making them stand out when compared to the other tarrins’.

  “Welcome to Eldham,” she said, removing the tall headpiece and setting it aside. Her large gold hoop earrings swung about, shimmering as they caught bits of light. “I am Assirra, High Cleric of the tarrins.”

  Owen, Xavier, and Thatra all dropped to one knee, heads dipped low. After a brief hesitation, Liam did the same. He wasn’t actually sure a mere cleric deserved such tribute, but who was he to question their ways? Viola remained standing, curious of everyone’s sudden change in behavior. Liam tapped on her leg to no avail. She didn’t understand.

  Assirra stepped forward, cupping Viola’s face in her long, spidery fingers. “So this is the specimen,” she said, grinning, her bluish eyes eagerly roaming up and down Viola’s face.

  “Your people can’t seem to make up their minds,” Viola responded softly. “I’m still not sure if I’m a thing or a specimen.”