by C. J. Strong
“I can’t see!” She yelled. Still, Ashurd applied pressure to his sword until Ondull held out two fingers as if to surrender.
Ashurd, having bested his opponent, turned to walk away and sheathed his blade. It was at this moment that Ondull sat up and with her eyes turning a crystal blue she summoned her conjuring book. Holding only one eye open and the other full of dirt, she wrote with her fingers before Ashurd could notice. She slammed her book shut and stood up as the etchings in her sword began to glow.
“Coward!” Ashurd said as he turned and faced his opponent once more.
“Come, we must leave before it is too late,” Yuralia said to Andrum and Uriella, pulling them from the crowd.
“I’m not leaving without my friend!” Andrum called out, catching the attention of Ondull and the guards.
“Let them go,” Ondull said with a smile as she wiped the dirt from her eyes and her sword continued to glow.
“What’s so funny Ondull?” Ashurd asked. “Even with your swords conjured enhancement, it is still no match for my great grandfather’s legendary sword.”
“Come on, we have got to go,” Yuralia told Andrum again.
“But that is the Sword of Demorum, Ashurd’s great grandfather forged it himself in the Pits of…” Andrum began to explain before being hit behind the head and knocked out by Yuralia.
“We don’t have time for this, we must leave. I know my mother and she will not keep her word, as soon as she wins she will arrest and execute the both of you,” She said.
“What makes you so sure she is going to win?” Uriella asked.
“Trust me. Once she’s enhanced her blade like she has, she can cut through any metal in existence.”
“Then we must warn Ashurd!” Uriella responded.
“It is already too late, come on help me grab Andrum we need to go,” Yuralia said as she lifted his legs. Uriella reluctantly agreed as she lifted him up and they both carried him through the village watching on as the battle began again.
Ondull let out a battle moan as she charged Ashurd once more. Being on the defensive for the first time since the fight started, Ashurd was caught off guard and nearly tripped over a nearby rock. Slashing and stabbing about, Ondull relentlessly attacked as Ashurd showed off his nimble skills. Finally she cornered the strong-man as their blades met once more. Turning his head back, he noticed how close he was to the audience and attempted to stutter step away. The instant he looked away, she punched him in the face with her free hand and he staggered into the guards that were holding the crowd back. One of them pushed Ashurd from behind and he fell to the ground. He held his blade horizontally in defense similarly to how Ondull guarded in the early goings of the battle as she smote down an enormous blow. Ashurd clinched his sword tighter, but Ondull pushed down with even more force, and Ashurd’s sword began to crack.
“I-impossible!” He shouted as the final blow was struck.
Chapter 8
Gallagher returned to his tent not long after meeting Valden the Small, and to his surprise, Omna was waiting for him.
“I’m sorry… I thought this was my tent,” he said while looking around a bit.
“No, you are correct, it is. Master just asked me to watch over you for the first few nights that is all,” Omna said as she laid a few blankets on the floor beside the bed.
“Afraid I’ll run away on him is he?” Gallagher asked as he flopped on the bed, worn out from his first hard day’s work.
“No I don’t think that is the reason, I actually kind of requested permission.”
Gallagher looked to her and blushed, “Why would you want to stay in a small little room like this with me?”
“You sure do ask a lot of questions, don’t you Gally?”
“I sure do. What can I say? I’m a curious kid and this is a whole new world to me.”
“A whole new world?”
“Yeah. All these weird names and stuff, I can’t possibly be on Earth anymore. I’ve figured that much out on my own. It’s the rest that confuses me.”
“Earth? I’ve never heard of such a place. I’m afraid I won’t be much help, I’ve lived here in this village nearly my entire life.”
“Okay well then answer me this. Why do people keep calling me a Marn or whatever?”
“Márn is short for Márnamian. We are a peaceful race which is partially why the others pick on us so much.”
“You’re a Márn? But you look just like a normal human to me…”
“All three races look the same you silly. The only way you can tell is by how they use their special powers or by their name,” She said before taking her dirty clothes off and relaxing under the covers.
“Oh, that makes sense I guess,” Gallagher said after trying not to watch her undress. “Wait! Special powers?!” He yelled, nearly waking up the residents of the surrounding tents.
“Of course. You haven’t seen Master or anyone else transform yet?” She said before closing her eyes.
“Hey! Don’t fall asleep yet, what do you mean by transform? And what are the other races besides ‘us’?”
“Why else do you suppose the Master wears that lion’s pelt?” She asked, answering his question with another question and infuriating him.
“Whatever, just go to sleep if you won’t answer my questions,” Gallagher pouted as Omna smiled and rolled over.
Gallagher’s head raced for most of the night, thinking of question after question he could ask the next day. He had learned so much already in just a few short days. “How am I going to get back home?” He asked himself. Do I even want to go back home? He considered. No. There isn’t a single thing left for me in that shit city. Here on the other hand, this place is full of adventure, he thought as he rolled over and got comfortable in the sheets. Eventually though his tiredness got the better of his minds’ curiosity and he fell asleep.
Omna woke him up bright and early the next day. “Time to make breakfast,” she said while nudging him. Gallagher, not used to having any responsibilities at all, ignored her completely and tried to go back to sleep. “Excuse me… We have to get up,” she said once more but still Gallagher just laid there. “Hey! Wake up!” She shouted, pulling the covers off of the bed.
“Five more minutes,” Gallagher said opening one eye and pulling the blankets back over him. A tug of war ensued as the both of them yanked back and forth until Gallagher finally let go and Omna nearly tumbled to the floor. “Alright!” he said as he sat up from the bed in his underwear, revealing a small hint of morning wood.
“Put some clothes on and get ready, we have to make breakfast for everyone else before they wake up,” Omna said as she left the room.
“We have to make breakfast for the whole camp?” Gallagher asked as he put on his only pair of clothes before joining her outside. “Do we have to do this every single day?” he asked as he caught up to Omna who was headed towards a nearby building.
“Yes. Every single day,” she said before entering a large tin structure that reeked of rotten food.
I guess this is what it’s like to be a slave, Gallagher thought before more questions came to mind. “Where are we going? And what time is it anyway?” Gallagher asked as he followed behind her, rubbing his eyes still tired from staying up so late the night before. He looked at his watch, but all three hands spun randomly. “That figures,” he said before taking it off and throwing it on the ground.
“This is where we pick up the food the butcher has left for us the night before,” Omna explained. She then walked over to a counter top located near the corner of the room and picked up a package. “Grab the eggs would you please.”
“Sure do this, do that, ignore my questions,” Gally said, reluctantly picking up several heavy bags full of chicken eggs. He could hear animal noises coming from behind one of the doors and a part of him wanted to investigate but followed Omna back outside instead.
The two headed towards the barracks while Gallagher tried to think of more questions to ask. “Is that b
acon?” He said while examining Omna’s back side.
“Sure is,” She said as she opened the barracks door for Gallagher, noticing his wandering eyes.
“Didn’t we just have that for dinner last night?”
“This is all we cook for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”
“How exciting!” Gallagher said sarcastically. The two headed into the kitchen and set the groceries down. Omna then turned on the stove and began to cook.
“Hey if this is a different world, how come there are chickens and pigs and stoves and all that?” Gallagher asked as he prepared the food.
“Master bought this magik stove from a traveling merchant not long ago. I was the first and only person to ever use it until now,” she answered as she cracked an egg.
“Oh, right. Magic, of course. That explains it. Back where I come from we call that sort of magic electricity.”
Not long after they began cooking, a large group of Tilturians wearing wolf pelts came in the barracks demanding food.
“It’ll be just another couple minutes gentleman,” Omna yelled from the kitchen.
“They don’t look very familiar. They’re not from the village are they?” Gallagher asked as he nearly dropped a piece of bacon.
“This village serves as an outpost for several warriors. That is why the butcher gave us more food to cook than usual,” Omna explained.
“Damn! I was hoping we were going to get larger portions,” Gallagher said as his tummy growled, admiring the food that they had just finished cooking.
“Everyone gets two strips of bacon and a boiled egg. That is how it has always been,” Omna said as she began placing food on each plate.
A line of hungry men and women lined up outside the kitchen doors as Omna passed plate after plate to Gallagher. Handing them out one by one, the line dwindled down until an enormous man with a scar across his eye wearing a wolf pelt was next.
“I want three pieces of bacon!” He shouted in Gallagher’s face.
“I’m sorry Mister Wolf sir but everybody gets the same,” Gally explained.
“I am Wulder the Alpha, leader of the Wolf Pack and I demand three pieces of bacon!” The man screamed, throwing Gallagher up against the kitchen doorway causing him to drop the plate of food.
“Now you get nothing,” A deep voice growled from the back.
“Says who?!” Wulder yelled as he turned and released Gallagher, who kneeled down and tried to salvage the food.
The line of people quickly dispersed as a giant figure approached the wolf-man. It was Valdar, and the closer he got the less intimidating Wulder appeared to Gallagher.
“Valdar the Strong! I- I meant no disrespect,” Wulder said as he put his head down.
“You and your pack must not be doing your jobs out on the frontlines if you have enough energy to fight over food,” Valdar said.
“We’ve lost plenty of good warriors to the Zormites!” Wulder answered. “I was just hungry that’s all.”
“Well now you go hungry. You and your men get out of here! You’ve lost your opportunity to eat here for the day,” Valdar commanded.
Wulder looked both at his men and then to Valdar as he attempted to save face. “You can’t do this to us. We are out there defending our people while you just sit here on your…”
“On my what?” Valdar said as he stepped towards him.
“Ass!” Wulder howled before slashing Valdar across the face. He then took a step back and transformed into a wolf. Gallagher could hardly believe his eyes, from man to beast. Maybe there was something to this magic after all.
Unfazed by the attack, Valdar turned back and grabbed Wulder by the throat. “Leave now!” He roared as he nearly crushed his opponent’s windpipe. Wulder’s men scarfed down the remainder of their food as fast as they could and high tailed it out of the barracks, abandoning their leader. “You’re lucky I respect you as a commander, because you sure are a piece of shit as a person,” Valdar said before releasing him.
“Thank you for sparing my life. My people will be on our way now,” Wulder said as he whimpered off, still in his wolf form.
By this time, Gallagher had already finished cleaning up and the remainder of the food was starting to get cold.
“I’ll have three pieces of bacon instead of two this time,” Valdar commanded as the rest of the hungry people reformed a line behind him.
First turning to Omna and looking for approval, Gallagher handed Valdar a plate with three pieces on it, two of which that had previously landed on the floor. “Certainly sir.”
It didn’t take long for the rest of the people to be served, and as soon as they were done Omna began to clean up the kitchen.
“You’re not going to have breakfast?” Gallagher asked.
“Not until we clean all the plates from in there,” She said as she walked out into the barracks dining hall.
“I’ll help,” He said as his stomach rumbled.
“That won’t be necessary. Go eat, I can take it from here. Besides, Valdar said that you begin training today,” She said while bussing a few tables.
Training? Gallagher thought before remembering his deal with Valdar and his son. Looking at what was left in the kitchen he noticed a set of three pieces of bacon and a single egg.
“Take it,” Omna said as she juggled a stack of dirty plate’s in. “You’ll need your strength if you’re going to spar with Valden.”
“You know about that?” Gallagher said before he inhaled his food.
“Of course. It is the talk of the village right now. I think it is because Master is tired of watching Valden get beat up by Moldur all the time,” Omna explained as she washed the dishes.
“Who’s Moldur?”
“Go see for yourself. I’m sure all three of them are in the courtyard by now,” Omna said smiling.
“Are you sure you don’t need my help—“
“Go!” She yelled as she finished scraping the grease off of a plate and setting it with the rest.
Gallagher nodded and raced out of the barracks, heading towards the courtyard.
Chapter 9
Andrum woke up frantically, shortly after leaving the village.
“We have to go back!” he opened his eyes and said, startling both Uriella and Yuralia.
They first looked at each other and then gently sat him down on the ground. “It is already too late I am afraid,” Yuralia said.
“Is… is he gone?” Andrum asked as he began to tear up.
“He would’ve wanted us to continue our journey,” Uriella said as she slumped her shoulders.
“I can’t accept that he is gone! I won’t…” Andrum said standing up and looking around. “…which way is the village again?”
“As Uriella insisted, we must continue on, at least until we are at a safe distance,” Yuralia paused. ”Don’t make me have to knock you out again.”
Andrum flinched, “Alright. Alright! So what’s the plan then?” he asked as they continued to walk in a particular direction.
“Uriella filled me in on your guy’s mission, or at least the details that I didn’t already know about,” Yuralia said.
“What do you mean? You already knew we were traveling to the Eternal Lands?” Andrum asked.
“Of course. My mother has always kept spies at the capital, and when we learned that the council was setting off on a quest, she sent me and a group of hunters to track you.”
“So that’s why you were nearby when the Tilturian wolves attacked,” Uriella said.
“Precisely. But I couldn’t just let those animals tare you to shreds, and I knew that if I saved all of you then you’d be likely to try and follow us back to the village.” Yuralia said.
Andrum could no longer contain himself. “Then it was your fault that we got captured, and it is your fault that we lost Ashurd!”
“Yes, it is, and I am truly sorry,” Yuralia said as she slowly tilted her head down, no longer keeping eye contact with Andrum or Uriella. “In my defense, I ha
d no idea what my mother had planned, I was only following orders. By the time I realized the dangers that you were all in, the battle had already begun.”
“…and that’s another thing! Why am I only just now learning about our involvement between the Tilturians and the Márns. I always thought that we just stayed out of it and minded our own business,” Andrum said.
“hahahahaha, Ulteria never minds its own business,” Yuralia said as she finally stopped walking and the others did the same.
“I’m sorry we never told you Andrum, but before the Infection took Ashurd’s brother, Endurd was sent on a mission by your father. Although I voted against it, your father the Head, felt it necessary for us to send a council member to help the Tilturians in their war against the northern Márnamians. The idea was that if we helped the Tilturians conquer the north, they would have enough land and no longer want to invade us,” Uriella explained.
“But I always thought Ashurd’s brother was a war hero for protecting us against the Tilturian armies,” Andrum asked.
“That much is true. But he protected us by helping them to drive the Márnamians west. We kept it secret, and only a select few of us knew the truth. Which is why it was so surprising that Ondull knew about it,” Uriella said.
“When the Tilturians wiped out Márnamian village after village, they didn’t just stop there. Then they turned their sights on us, and we were faced with fighting back. Had it not been for a peace treaty that I brokered with one of the rising chieftains, we too would have been decimated by the Tilturians,” Yuralia told the group.
“Is that why your mother hates us so much?” Andrum asked.
“Yes. We lost my father to the war, but it wasn’t Tilturians who killed him. It was Endurd. But the coward left before my mother could exact her revenge. It wasn’t long after that we learned he had contracted the Infection and died, robbing us of any sort of justice,” Yuralia said. Andrum could tell this conversation was upsetting her, and he felt bad that the Council of Magniffs had been okay with all of this. He always thought that they had been the good guys.
