by Corin, G.
Stripe smiled at him. “Thanks, now let’s get dry before I freeze to death.” He stood up and started back towards camp, pulling off his shirt. Ramaeka stared at his back.
“Stripe, what’s that on your back?”
On the centre of his friend’s back was an intricate image. It was shaped like a wedge from a circle; the broadest part at the top covered his shoulder blades while the point finished halfway down his back. The wedge filled with both runes and images, shimmered as if it glowed from beneath his skin. Stripe turned back in surprise and started to reply when suddenly there was a cry from behind them.
They both jumped and turned as one. Two mountain trolls had emerged from the trees, attracted by the meat. Shady was attempting to distract them from their supplies by throwing rocks. Stripe rushed forward with Ramaeka close behind.
What do we do? Ramaeka thought desperately. Trolls had little magic but physically they were nearly impossible to kill though they were sensitive to heat. You could throw them off a cliff and they would just bounce. One of the squat, brown monsters had turned its great hairy snout towards Shady, growling viciously as it moved towards him.
Ramaeka watched in horror as Stripe grabbed his sword and in four strides, leapt onto the creatures back. Rock brain thought Ramaeka exasperated, how are you supposed to stab it when you’re bouncing around on its back. Now you can barely hold on because you’ve got a great whacking knife taking up one of your hands.
He was right of course. Stripe clung helplessly to its back as it bucked up and down trying to dislodge him. He whacked at it futilely with the sword at his hand, but was unable to get a decent angle on the aggravated beast. Shady threw rocks at its head to distract it, narrowly dodging the giant swiping claws several times.
Which left the second beast.
Ramaeka swallowed as he looked it over, if he were in his greater form the thing would be running from him. Though it would be about the same size as him in that form he supposed. The thing wasn’t that intelligent he thought as it put its great paw into the fire to grab the rabbit cooking on a spit. It grunted with pain, ignoring its companion’s wild dancing about, then reached in for another try.
Ramaeka grabbed the end of a stick from the fire and waved it in the trolls face. Maybe if he could get it away from the camp, he could lose it somewhere. He dodged as it rushed at him with teeth bared, and swung away from the camp towards the mountains. It growled and chased him for several paces before being distracted by several fish strung up on a nearby tree. Running back Ramaeka swung the still burning stick down on to its tail area. No beast can ignore that he thought smugly. He was right. With a roar of rage the troll turned and raced at his attacker with surprising speed. Ramaeka turned and fled up towards the mountainside.
Panting he dodged his way up the rocky hillside, ignoring the brambles and shrubs that caught at his skin. The troll crashed its way up behind him. It had the advantage over him, this was its territory and it was large and strong enough to force its way through the clinging bushes much faster than he was.
A quick glance back showed him that it was right on his heels. He forced himself to speed up though it didn’t seem to make any difference. Ramaeka spotted a huge tree up ahead. Up the tree he thought frantically, it’s heavier than I am and the branches won’t support it up top.
He shimmied up the tree, clinging to it like a serpent, the beast’s hot breath on his feet. Climbing as fast as he could, he made it three quarters of the way up before he heard a cracking sound below him. The beast was climbing the tree. Heart in mouth Ramaeka watched as it hauled itself up. Then, with a resounding crack, the branches beneath its feet gave way and the troll tumbled to the ground.
Ramaeka crouched on a large branch, getting his breath back as he grinned down at the beast below him. It howled its rage up at him, gnashing its teeth together as it raged around the clearing. He stuck his tongue out at it. Now all he had to do was wait for it to lose interest which surely wouldn’t take long he thought reasonably. As stupid as it was he doubted that its attention span would last that long.
Suddenly the entire tree shuddered beneath him. He clutched desperately at his branch as the troll slammed into the tree again, causing it to shudder and rock wildly.
Oh rocks Ramaeka thought, it was obviously not going to be losing interest in him. The troll hit the tree again, this time Ramaeka heard faint cracking sounds, two more hits like that and the tree would topple. Sorry, he thought guiltily patting its bark, I didn’t mean for this to happen. He looked around, hoping to see a way out or at least signs of his friends. No such luck, the trees around the one he was on were just out of reach and the other side opened up into a deep ravine. I could change he thought, nobody would know. But if his friends did catch up and saw him... There must be another way he thought desperately.
Crash! A rumbling crackle went up the inside of the tree. One more hit would do it thought Ramaeka anxiously. The troll was obviously thinking the same thing. It looked up at him one paw on the tree, sneering cruelly as drool oozed down its jaw. What do I do? he wailed silently looking around desperately.
The other side of the ravine caught his eye. It was fairly narrow he thought. If I can get the tree to fall that way then it should stretch right across.
He patted the tree and whispered an apology, just in case. Looking down he saw the troll lining up with the tree. Drawing on his own core of magic he pushed the dirt under the roots of the tree opposite from the ravine up hard so that it rocked back towards the edge. Please let this work he thought as the beast ran at the tree.
There was a roaring cracking sound that seemed to shake the ravine walls as the great tree tumbled over, splitting slightly as it fell. Birds went flying into the air from the surrounding trees, cawing and chirping harshly. By pure luck, Ramaeka thought later, the tree slowly toppled over the ravine. Its crown hit the ground on the other side with a thud.
Ramaeka clung on desperately, his feet dangling over the deep drop of the ravine, his arms numb from the shock of the impact of the tree. Slowly he hauled himself up and onto the trunk of the now horizontal tree. He groaned as he lay on top of it, the feeling returning to his arms, and it wasn’t a good feeling.
A snarl broke him out of his self pity in a hurry. The troll was carefully making its way across the fallen tree towards him. He made it to his knees and began to crawl as fast as he could across to the other side of the ravine. Rustling told him that the beast was following him closely. This was so unfair he thought helplessly, stupid troll not leaving me alone. Get to the other side and run he told himself firmly, ignoring his aching arms and crawling faster.
A shudder ran through the trunk. Looking back Ramaeka saw that the troll, confident that it wouldn’t fall, was now bounding across the trunk. Transform his instincts told him, transform and fly away or even kill this thing for thinking it had a chance against you. No, he thought firmly and abandoning all sense of caution he got up and ran. He reached the end of the trunk just as the troll reached him. He dropped to the ground as it bound at him across the trunk, flying over his head. It hit the ground then turned quickly and leapt at him again. Ramaeka had an impression of huge yellowed fangs and nasty claws before a bolt of what seemed like pure light blinded him.
He rubbed his eyes frantically, trying to clear the spots. As his vision cleared Ramaeka realised a boy was crouching in front of him.
“Are you all right?” the boy asked politely. “I did not mean to blind you.” He pressed a soothing hand to Ramaeka’s head and his vision instantly cleared as did his mind.
“Where is it?” he asked jumping to his feet. The boy rocked back in surprise. Getting to his feet he pointed over the side of the ravine. Ramaeka peered over cautiously; the troll was lying on its side, hundreds of lengths down. Even as he watched it moved slightly, and then crawled to its feet shakily.
“Tough creatures,” the boy commented.
Ramaeka nodded wearily. “Tell me about it. But how did you stop it?�
�
He looked the boy over intently. He was only about Stripe’s age, two years older than Ramaeka, and was very ordinary looking, except for his eyes. Their colour was indescribable, more like a mixture of every colour possible whirling around together, but separate.
The boy smiled slightly. “It is a technique of fighting with magic that I am particularly good at,” he told Ramaeka calmly.
He had a strange accent and a polite stilted way of talking but there was something about him that made Ramaeka like him, despite the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.
“I’m Ramaeka,” he introduced himself.
“My name is Amar,” the boy returned bowing slightly. “What are you doing all the way out here by yourself Ramaeka?”
“I’m not by myself,” he explained. “My friends and I are camping….”
He stopped.
“My friends! I need to go find them.”
Ramaeka turned and ran back to the tree trunk and clambered on to it again. He paused before venturing out over the ravine and looked back.
“Er did you want to come along?” he asked unsurely. Amar looked him over for a moment then nodded and walked over to a pack Ramaeka hadn’t noticed, settling it over his shoulders.
Ramaeka forced his aching legs into a run as he sped back down the mountain. Why is it always me that everything happens too? He thought tiredly as he crashed down through the shrubs. Amar easily kept pace beside him despite the fact that he was carrying a large pack. Ramaeka noticed that he moved almost silently, especially compared to his own crashing and stumbling. As they got closer to the lake where they had been camping he heard voices calling his name.
“I’m here” he yelled, stopping for a moment to catch his breath. A moment later there was a flash and he was wrapped up in a painful embrace that was half hug and half headlock.
“Are you ok? I was so worried,” Stripe’s voice came from above him somewhere. He managed a choking sound. Stripe immediately let go of him.
“Sorry” he said sheepishly looking Ramaeka over for injuries.
“I’m ok,” Ramaeka promised getting his breath back as Shady joined them. “Just cuts and bruises. Lots and lots of bruises.”
Shady nodded at him. He had a bandage wrapped around one of his arms and several scratches on his face. Stripe was wearing what looked like two black eyes but other than that the two of them didn’t look overly injured.
“What happened with your troll?” he asked.
Stripe’s expression of worry immediately changed to one of self satisfaction. However before he could say anything Shady interrupted.
“We’ll tell you everything later. We need to find somewhere else to sleep. First of all perhaps you should introduce your friend?”
He looked meaningfully behind Ramaeka. Ramaeka turned around to find Amar leaning against a tree and watching them with interest.
“This is Amar,” he explained. “He saved my life by throwing light at the troll.”
“Magic actually,” Amar murmured nodding at Stripe and Shady.
“You can do magic?” asked Stripe his eyes narrowing.
“Yes,” replied Amar calmly, he turned to Shady. “There is a place further in that I had chosen to camp at already. It’s sheltered from the wind so no beasts will be able to pick up our scent. If you wish to join me that is.”
Ramaeka watched as Shady and Stripe exchanged one of their strange non verbal conversations. Finally Shady nodded.
“Alright then, let’s get going.”
He chucked Ramaeka his pack and followed Amar up into the trees.
Amar was right; the spot he had chosen was well sheltered. Ramaeka fell asleep the instant he lay down on the mossy ground. Stripe woke him several hours later.
“Poor little thing,” he said with a grin as Ramaeka rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Ramaeka shoved him over then stood up to stretch his aching legs. Delicious smells were emanating from a pot bubbling over a small fire.
“Isn’t it dangerous to have a fire going if those things are still around?” he asked.
“Apparently Amar can do magic or something and hide us,” Shady growled in his usual sardonic tone.
“Really?” Ramaeka asked in surprise looking Amar over more closely, cloaking and protection magic was taught to the older dragons and something Ramaeka had desperately wished he knew especially since coming to the human world.
“Yes,” Amar replied placidly. “I am rather skilled in the art of magic.”
“That’s great,” Ramaeka looked at him hopefully. “Maybe you could teach me some magic too? And how to throw light at things?”
Magic he thought, one of the things he missed most about his own world.
“Do you know hand to hand combat?” Amar asked him. “It will be easier for you to learn to channel your energy and magic if you do have some knowledge.”
“Not really,” Ramaeka replied unsurely, he definitely knew how to fight in his dragon form but not in his lesser form.
“I’ll teach you,” Stripe interrupted putting an arm protectively around Ramaeka’s shoulders and glaring at the newcomer.
Amar merely nodded politely. “I will be happy to teach you along with Stripe.”
“That is if we are headed in the same direction,” he added.
“Where are you heading?” Shady asked.
“Porkae, and then possibly north from there.”
“That’s the same as us!” Ramaeka beamed.
“Whoa wait just a second,” frowned Stripe.
Shady interrupted him before he could continue.
“Would you excuse the two of us please?” he asked Ramaeka and Amar politely. He took Stripe by the arm and dragged him away out of ear shot. At least it would have been out of ear shot if he was human thought Ramaeka humorously. He absently stirred the contents of the pot as he secretly listened to what they were saying.
“We don’t need anyone else travelling with us,” Stripe hissed. Strange really since Stripe was the one who had welcomed Ramaeka into the group to begin with, Ramaeka wondered why he was refusing Amar.
“Look I don’t want any other idiots tagging along either but this guy has skills we could use and learn,” Shady replied in a whisper. He waved away Stripe’s protest.
“These mountains are dangerous, and you always wanted to learn magic.” Shady paused and looked at Stripes face; Ramaeka quickly ducked his head down and industriously poked at the fire.
“You were happy to bring the brat along which I still don’t get; you hate other people tagging along as much as I do.”
“There’s a difference between a badly hurt little kid and some random guy travelling in the wild. Who goes over the mountains by themselves?”
“Well I still don’t trust that kid, there’s something strange about him. Nobody heals that fast.”
“I trust him, he’s a little strange but I can tell he’s okay.”
Shady sighed.
“Look it’s only to Porkae, I promise.”
“Fine,” Stripe grumbled.
They both walked back to the fire. Shady nodded at Amar. “You can travel with us to Porkae if you want to”
Amar nodded assent then pulled the pot off the fire and began to serve the contents.
“So what happened when you ran out of camp?” Stripe asked Ramaeka.
Ramaeka described everything which had occurred after he had run out of the camp with the troll on his heels. Even Shady was impressed, and Stripe laughed and whacked Ramaeka lightly over the head when he told them that he had poked his tongue out at the troll.
“You would have deserved to be eaten, being cheeky like that.”
“It wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but I didn’t think the crazy thing would even understand,” he protested. Stripe just laughed.
“So what happened to your troll?” Ramaeka asked wiping his plate with a chunk of traveller’s bread.
“Oh don’t get him started,” Shady groaned, rolling his eyes.
Stripe grinned smugly.
“I killed it with my sword. It was flinging me around trying to get me off its back but I kept hitting it and Shady was throwing rocks at it. Then it just took off straight at him and I thought that’s it, I’ve gotta stop mucking around and save my friend! So I swung my sword around as hard as I could right through its head.”
“Wow,” Ramaeka looked at him wide eyed. “Those things are almost impossible to kill!”
“I’m pretty good,” Stripe smirked running a hand through his hair.
Shady sniggered. “Tell them what really happened.”
“That is what happened!” Stripe protested. Ramaeka looked between the two of them.
“So what did happen then?” he asked Shady who grinned wickedly.
“The troll was swinging him around like crazy like he said, but he could barely hold on let alone hit it. Then it came at me but when it stopped to pounce Stripe went over its head still holding on to that over sized knife of his. The beast tripped over a rock and fell on top of Stripe.”
He paused and grinned at Stripe. “Stripe was sort of holding his sword up and it went straight up through the troll’s mouth and into its head.”
“I like my story better,” Stripe grumbled as Ramaeka laughed. “And I still smell like troll, even after I jumped into the water afterwards.”
Amar’s presence was a strange addition to their group in Ramaeka’s opinion. The boy rarely smiled and always treated them with a polite indifference, though he was a willing and hard worker. He was an enigma to Ramaeka who despite his upbringing and love of secrets was open and cheerful.
Amar kept his promise and immediately began to teach Ramaeka basic combat along with Stripe. The main problem he thought as he watched the two of them debate a point about stance, was that they both knew different methods, both of fighting and of teaching.
Stripe was more impatient and wanted to move him on to the next lesson as soon as he had tried the last. He also knew less about the theoretical side of fighting having learnt from experience himself. However he had a passion about fighting that made it easy to understand what he was talking about.
