Destiny's Call

by E. Markus Sharp

  “Little nomer a woe me no care.” Cul said and both relaxed.

  “Let me do the talking.” Marshal stopped them all. It was as if they didn't see how simple these giants were.

  “How about you take us to someone who can talk to us?” Marshal started and the women were crossed arms and tapping feet.

  “That genst rules.” Ran said.

  “If you take us they will think you're heroes.” Marshal suggested.

  “We be heroes?” Cul asked.

  “Big heroes.” Marshal tempted their small brains.

  “Follow and no funny stuff.” Ran said turning to lead them to the others.

  “This way.” Cul said turning to follow Ran.

  “I hope they're not all like this.” Lila said as they followed.

  “Quiet no woes need to talk right now.” Marshal told them and the woman looked ready to kill him. The men laughed at his use of woe. Which got the giants laughing but they didn't know what the laughter was about. The hill giants were leading them to a large castle surrounded by the lip of the volcano they seemed to wander into they were standing on the cooled magma that capped the lava. That's why it was so warm and inviting. Life was coming back to the once active volcano now the home of the giants.

  ***

  Chapter 12

  Stiletto stood before the Assembly of Gond. The king sat in the center of the large table and ten counselors sat to the left and the right of him. They each looked down on him like he was on trial. He remembered a few trials he had stood for none were pleasant.

  “My son tells me you rescued a Black Dragon named Teamon and now you come to ask for Gond's help in saving the occupied city of Lightbringer.” The king started.

  “Yes sir I'm here to ask for Gond to send an army.” Stiletto said softly but his words were amplified in this place.

  “The Dragon left as soon as she was healed which is good because she is known to us.” The king continued.

  “Do you believe in guilty by association?” The king asked.

  “No sir I believe that's a lazy lawman's excuse to cut corners and not do a thorough investigation.” Stiletto remarked and a few on the counsel looked hard at him.

  “Yes I agree.” the king said smiling.

  “The City of Lightbringer is a part of the Protectorate a competing state. Why should we send troops to assist a competitor?” the king asked.

  “Because my lord the witch-king is the enemy of all and he's only a few days from your door. Also the sub-humans are torturing and raping the populous and you have a moral obligation to stop them.” Stiletto answered wondering where all this came from usually he couldn't even speak with this many people around.

  “You make some wise and valid points. The council doesn't need to retire for debate. I King Brutus Strove approve moving to assist Lightbringer. Assemble the army we march in the morning.” The king decreed. Stiletto did it!

  “Counsel is dismissed.” The king announced and everyone began leaving out the doors.

  “Good job Joseph! Now come with me we must prepare for war.” Prince Valtaene said taking him by the arm and leading him towards his apartments. Stiletto hoped there would be time for fun too and the prince laughed as if he read his mind.

  ***

  “He has to be one of them he almost convinced me and I'm your loyal servant.” Calto told his master through the silver ball the witch-king had given him when Calto swore the oath.

  “Do not kill him. Take him alive at the battle for Lightbringer. If he is our prisoner he cannot affect the outcome and we will win. Do not fail me Calto.” The voice of the master ordered.

  “He will be ours my master.” Calto told the witch-king then the ball went dead.

  Calto had some planning to do.

  ***

  “What do we have here?” Zaster Fen asked his hunting party as they arrived back at the settlement.

  “Looks like some humans to me Zast.” Bethon replied with a wicked grin.

  “They go to see our brothers the airheads.” Zast said not really asking.

  “Do you think they will earn the Cloud Giant's favor?” Bethon asked.

  “Anything is possible with those cloud-headed fools. We will go to insure no one cooperates too quickly.” Zast told the other.

  “Good idea this way we can stop this non-sense at the source.” Bethon agreed with his friend.

  ***

  Regina thought the wild flowers were Ok but the city they were being led to now that was something. It was huge built by the gnomes for the giants before the war. Regina could tell by the architecture and the machinery hidden in the architecture to keep the place warm and with water.

  “Teralanithan...” Regina said in awe.

  “The gnomish made home of the giants.” Regina told the others. The two giants looked back when she said the name. Regina took it all in this was one of the five ancient Gnomish wonders built in a time long gone. When they reached the gates Regina was lost in her surroundings. The city wore a tarnish from age but the Gnomish brass was still holding it's shape and still doing its job at least ten centuries later. The giants spoke to some gate guards and the party was let inside the massive city. It took the gnomes ten years to build the city and another two to find a power source to make it all work. Regina touched the brass wall next to her as the continued to walk. It was warm. The gnomes had lost so much since this was made even the exact formula for the brass itself. Regina wondered at all she could learn here. The giants took them inside the main palace and left them in a room. Even here Regina found things to study and marvel at. Regina turned on the water receptacle in the room and tasted the water. It was still good but she did notice a taste that indicated the filters needed changing. All the water in the city was recycled all of it. If the filters needed changing then the giants had forgotten how.

  “Regina come and sit down.” Lila asked and Regina went over and sat.

  “What's up?” Regina asked.

  “You're making our hosts nervous. You're the first gnome to enter the city since the Great War they say.” Marshal explained further.

  “And it doesn't help that you are eyein' the place like you intend to steal it.” Gabe cut in.

  “I'm not going to do anything of the sort but I can help them fix it, well the little problems...given time.” Regina told them.

  “I wonder if it still flies...” Regina said under her breath.

  “FLIES!? Get me out of this gnomish monstrosity now.” Gabe yelled losing his composure.

  “Calm down Gabe you should be worried about this city being inside the crater of a volcano sitting on the cooled cap. That's what you should be worried about.” Marshal told the dwarf and he lost it.

  “You people draggin' me across the world to the most dangerous places has to stop. I'm finished with the lot of ya.” Gabe told them as he seethed and growled.

  “But look around Gabe you're with us and we're going to meet Giants! You can't say this isn't exciting.” Corin invited.

  “I surely can and do. This whole enterprise is a waste of our time. We should be drinkin' in some inn somewhere looking for wenches to comfort us at night and here we are adventurin' like fools.” Gabe told the rest.

  “Someone's coming.” Banz told the rest. Regina looked up when her lover spoke. He did it so rarely with the others. She and he had quite a talk the other night. He told her his dreams and she told him hers.

  The door opened and two different giants stood in the hall.

  “This way.” The male cloud giants ordered and they turned and strolled down the hall. The group got up and followed them into a large chamber where a meeting was already in session.

  “We risk all letting our ancient enemy into the great hall.” a fire giant raged as the group walked in. Regina knew they were talking about her.

  “I'm no one's enemy.” She told the giants and there was uproar in the chamber with many voices echoing off the walls.

  “She talks out of turn! Vermonter how can you
allow this? Can you not see the danger these little creatures represent? The eyes of the world are now fixed here at Teralanithan! We are exposed.” The fire giant continued and the room was filled with shouting. Vermonter raised a great hammer and struck it on the podium in front of him and lightning filled the chamber and the thunder clap silenced the others.

  “I told you all that we would hear these little ones out. They have come a long way and braved much. Their courage honors us.” Vermonter told the others in a booming voice. Then he turned his attention to the group and Tessa stepped forward.

  “Little people you may speak your peace. You have come far to find us and this intrigues us greatly.” Vermonter told them and Tessa spoke.

  “Great Giants of Teralanithan we have come to ask for your help. The Witch-king is on the move again and his goals have not changed. He wants us all dead or enslaved. He has built up his armies over a thousand years and his time has come again. He has claimed two of our cities and he looks to claim them all. You are safe at the moment but he will find you and then he will visit on to you the same evil he visited on all of our ancestors. Even now he schemes with the wicked of each race in a effort to ease his victories. We have been betrayed by those we thought we could trust. This is how he wins he destroys from within. Without a shred of honor or courage he takes what should never been his. Without your strength we cannot win. Without your help our world is dead and the Witch-king truly wins. None of us can afford to wait this out. A thousand years is waiting enough and if we do not act together the witch-king will tear us apart.” Tessa told the council. Tessa was truly brave as she stood there under the eyes of the giants saying what must be said. Regina had a new respect for her today. The giant counsel looked down on her a giant crone represented the hill giants one of her eyes were missing and a dark void stared at the small little half elf as she stood her ground and spoke. The roaring fire giant looked down at Tessa with hatred in his eyes as she spoke. A huge stone faced man with rock like skin represented the stone giants his massive eyes burned with her every word. A thin bent man who looked to be half melted but very cold sat high above her as she spoke his frozen bread dripped onto the desk in front of him as he listened. The man representing the mountain giants was so big his head was close to the ceiling of this place. He truly was a mountain of a man and he frowned down on her as she spoke. The representative for the water giants was empty and that vacancy worried Regina for some reason. He representative for the Cyclops seemed to look into Tessa soul as she spoke. Lastly sitting higher than the rest except the mountain giant the cloud giant Vermonter looked on as the tiny little elf made her case. Regina wondered how all of this would go and she hoped it wouldn't mean their deaths after the climb they just made.

  “I know I ask much of you and that it will mean setting aside old rivalries and slights to accomplish all that must be done. I know what I'm asking will be hard and the war to come will be a hard long struggle that many of us will not see the end of. But the alternative is to let the Witch-King win. To let the sub-humans take your cities and enslave your children. To let the survivors live in fear and servitude and to give in to the one who destroyed our ancestor's greatest leaders and to never give them vengeance. To hand it all over to he who haunts us all. I say I'll fight to the very end. I say our time has come and together we can win.” Tessa went on. The fire giant stood up.

  “You come here and you talk. You think your words are enough to sway us into doing your work for you. You think we will just bow to your will and serve you? Do you believe we are your slaves? Do you think yourself above us? You are a weak little girl who thinks a few beautiful words will get us into your fight. You are wrong. You need to die for your arrogance.” He told her jumping from his pedestal. Tessa said something in arcane speak and pointed and the fire giant stopped falling toward her and floated spinning just slightly at first then Tessa raised her other hand and spun it and the fire giant spun faster and faster! He was crying out for help and the other giants stood up. Vermonter put up a hand and the others sat back down. Tessa then pulled out a glass tube and cast again. Ice and snow hit the fire giant and covered him as he spun. Then Tessa put her arms down and the fire giant fell to the ground with a thud. He was alive but didn't move for some time and the giants banged the tops of their podiums in approval.

  “If you could please accompany these two giants back to the room we prepared for you. We have much to discuss before we make an official decision. Thank you.” Vermonter asked the group and Regina and the others left the chambers. The guards took them back to the room and the giants had laid out a feast on the table made for their size. The whole room was filled with furniture their sizes. Tessa threw herself into a chair and giggled and made noises.

  “I just addressed a counsel of giants! I just incapacitated one to...OH do you think I messed up?” Tessa asked and the others looked to one another.

  “I think you did what you had to.” Marshal told her and she smiled wide.

  “I would've never let him get to you though. You know that right?” Marshal told her and she got up and hugged him.

  “We did it. We brought the giants into the war. We so needed them too.” Tessa said as she sat back down.

  “I don't know about you all but all this has made me hungry.” Tessa said digging into the food.

  “I don't know I think I lost my appetite. You know it could've went another way right?” Gabe tried to bring Tessa down which Regina believed was impossible.

  “Oh Gabe you are such a Negative Nancy. How is it you get women again?” Tessa asked and the dwarf growled at her and she laughed at him.

  “This has been quite a day and I do have to admit Tessa you did a fine job of it. Good work.” Corin told her as they ate.

  “Yes very fine work Tessa.” Lila added and Tessa turned a little red in the face.

  “It was nothing guys.” Tessa told the others.

  “No it was just what the giants needed.” Roderick added and Tessa smiled wide again. A giant opened the door and everyone looked up.

  “The counsel has adjourned for the day. They haven't come to a decision yet and invite you to stay in the small wing. Please follow me.” The cloud giant guard asked and they got up and followed him to the small wing. The wing was made for their size and they entered and felt a bit more at ease in an environment made for them. The all had their own rooms and each room was a huge palace like apartment. Regina invited Banz to her rooms and that was as much as she cared to do this evening. Banz was an amazing lover who filled her with warmth and passion. He never seemed to do the wrong things they were all the right moves. Regina felt free in his arms. A freedom she had never felt before.

  ***

  Tessa lay on the bed still high from the moment. She did it. The giants would join and they would be able to save they two cities and drive back the hordes of sub-humans now entrenched there hurting the populous.

  There was a knock on her door and she got up and answered it. Lila was standing there with a bottle of elven wine in her hand.

  “I found this and could only think of one person to drink it with. Can I come in?” She asked and Tessa smiled and let her in. Tessa and Lila sat down in a small couch and opened the bottle. Tessa poured the wine into crystal glasses and they touched them together in a silent toast. Lila looked deep into Tessa eyes and Tessa felt a tingle from the intensity of it.

  “Being a priestess has made me almost unattainable over the years. I liked this earlier on. It kept me from being some rich man's prize or a farmhand's wife. But lately I've felt differently about the closeness I've had to sacrifice. I'd like to explore some of the things I missed then now.” Lila told her sitting forward.

  “Now?” Tessa asked and Lila pushed in and kissed her hard like it was something she wanted to take. Tessa pulled her to her and they let go of their boundaries and succumbed to their passions. Tessa pushed down Lila's dress and it fell free as Lila undid the buttons on Tessa's robe and threw it opened. Tessa lead Lila t
o the bed and pushed her onto it and crawled in following her as the remains of their clothing was removed and they started kissing again. Tessa was surprised at Lila's forwardness and her passion was red hot as she did her best to keep up. Tessa cast telepathy and the two were connected body and mind and soul. Both could hear each other deep inside and they lost themselves in the act. It was the best experience of Tessa's life and she still had one more spell to use to enhance their lovemaking. When she did Lila surrendered to her forever as her's and her's alone. Tessa entered her changed just enough to fill Lila up and make her need for a man obsolete. Tessa's magic was all she would need. Tessa played male and female casting the spell on Lila when it wore out on her. Both were satisfied beyond what any other lover could do for them. As they laid thereafter in each other’s arms Tessa felt love for the first time and wondered if Lila felt the same.

  ***

  Lorena thumbed through the Books left in the room by the previous tenant. Luckily he was a mage and not very protective of his Books. Lorena found no traps or wards of any kind. The Books were a series of prophecies concerning the Avatars. Lorena thought that this was a very huge coincidence but she had seen things that made her aware of her charmed Destiny. It spoke of a group of heroes that would be chosen by Destiny and have the power to change others fates. They would be Destiny's representatives against the Witch-King. But no one is more important than true Destiny so if the Avatar is permanently removed from the chess board of the world Destiny will call for another. No one can avoid their fate.

  After that line Lorena found the rest to be encoded. There were number and letters throughout the entire Book and she got to work trying to decipher the code. It was going to be a lot of work.

  ***

  Trevor, Rein, Marshal, Corin, Roderick and Gabe found a training area and decided it was time to see who was better. Oh yeah no ladies to break it up or say it was stupid and they had all been wondering about who was best. It was time to find out. The guys took off their armor and picked up practice weapons. Then they discussed how this was going to go and what was up for a prize besides bragging rights.