by S. E. Smith
“You won’t succeed,” she called out.
The alien in a dark liquid form roiled along the wall before it pooled near the entrance of the goblin stronghold. Nali dispassionately watched the creature contort into a humanoid shape. She flexed her fingers and whispered a spell given to her by Gem, Princess of the Elementals. In her palm, a sword appeared, enchanted with the power given to the Elementals by the Goddess herself.
“There is a power in you that is familiar,” the alien hissed.
Nali tilted her head inquisitively. She sensed... desperation. A ripple ran through the alien’s body, causing the fluid form to move in a mesmerizing wave. She smiled and raised her sword. It seemed the entity recognized the Elemental magic that had killed one of its own.
“I know why you are here. You will fail. I won’t let you take over my world,” she replied.
The alien’s form rippled again. “Your world,” it laughed, “—is not what you think. Regardless, this and all the others are pawns, put here to feed our whims,” the creature replied.
Nali shook her head. “I will not allow you to harm any more of my people,” she declared.
She slowly walked over the uneven stones as she spoke, tightening her grip on the hilt of her sword. She was ready when the alien shot out a long tentacle toward her.
She evaded and brought the sword up under the long spiral of thick liquid. The tip of the sword sliced through the tentacle, and the magic embedded in the steel turned the blade a blinding white. Unfortunately, she wasn’t close enough to destroy the entire alien, only the tentacle.
She instinctively lifted her arm, protecting her vision. The alien roared a second before another tentacle struck her. The power behind the blow lifted her off her feet. She twisted as she landed, rolling several feet before her shoulder hit the edge of the short wall that bordered the bridge. The sword skidded several feet past her.
Nali glanced at the alien before she looked at the sword. She rolled toward it. Before she could rise to her feet, something cold and wet wrapped around her ankles, drawing her attention to her feet. She hissed in alarm when the alien tightened its tentacle, and pulled her across the worn stone bridge.
She twisted, reaching desperately for the sword. It was then that she saw the thin river of black liquid in the wheel ruts, and realized the alien had distracted her with multiple attacks, sacrificing parts of itself while using the ruts in the bridge to sneak up on her. Nali frantically clawed at the uneven stones, trying to prevent the alien from dragging her.
“Those weak, green creatures that dwelled here were useless, but you—I sense the power of the ancients in you. A power you do not even realize you possess,” the alien mocked.
Fury burned through Nali like a wildfire out of control. The urge to transform into a larger, more powerful monster almost overwhelmed her, but she resisted the temptation. In any other form, she would be defenseless against the alien’s possession. Even now, she could feel the fluid material of the creature searching for a way to penetrate her skin as it slowly snaked its way up her body.
The sound of metal against stone brought her attention to another long tentacle pulling the sword toward the mass. The creature’s mocking laughter sent a chill through her.
For a moment, Nali couldn’t help picturing what would happen if she failed. She saw herself possessed, using her powers and the Elemental sword against her own people and the Seven Kingdoms. She banished the thought and tried to roll to her right so that she could grab the sword as the long blade slid past.
She dug her fingers into a crevice between two stones and held on with all her might while she stretched her other arm out, frantically reaching for the sword. A hoarse cry of frustration slipped from Nali when her fingers lost their purchase on the crevice.
A sense of impending doom built inside her. The form that kept her safe would also seal her demise. While the alien could not penetrate her flesh, the gargoyle form limited her ability to fight. Only in her softer form could she use the full power of her magic.
“If you want power, try this,” Asahi shouted.
Nali turned and saw Asahi standing in the entrance with his feet spread apart, holding a small weapon aimed at the alien. It was just like the one Mike Hallbrook had used on the first alien back on the Isle of Magic. She flinched at the loud reports when he fired the weapon.
She glanced down at her feet when the creature recoiled with a hiss, loosening its grip on her legs and the sword. She rolled, grabbed the hilt of the sword, and sat up. Turning her head to protect her eyes, she brought the sword up and sliced through the tentacle holding her. With a burst of light, it turned to ash.
Nali stood, holding the sword out in front of her. Asahi continued to fire the weapon at the alien as he strode forward. At his bark of warning, she backpedaled and turned, the sword poised to defend, but this time she couldn’t avoid the tentacle that struck her in the side. She stumbled, the back of her legs catching on the bridge’s low wall, and cursed when she tilted backward into open space.
Her boot heel was caught in a gap in the bridge and she teetered as she fought to keep her balance. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another dark tentacle shooting out of the creature toward Asahi. She thrust the sword upward.
The tentacle hit the sword with such force that it knocked the weapon from her hand. Unbalanced by the blow’s intensity, she twisted to grab the enchanted weapon just as the bridge shifted. The small movement was enough to knock her over the side.
She spun as she fell and reached for the bridge. Her fingers found purchase in the bridge’s rough stone, and she hung precariously by one arm. Looking down, she watched in horror as the magical sword tumbled through the air toward the river of lava far below. Up on the bridge, she could hear the report of Asahi’s weapon grow louder as he came closer to her.
With a silent curse, she released her grip on the bridge and focused on the sword. She twisted and flattened her hands against her side to increase the speed of her descent. The heat from the molten river intensified the lower she got.
The sword tumbled a few yards ahead of her. She reached for the hilt when it rotated around in her direction. The tips of her fingers only grazed it, sending it into an uneven wobble. Nali knew she would have to pull up in a few seconds.
“Come on,” she hissed as the hilt swung toward her again.
Her fingers slid over the heated metal, and the moment she had a grip on the sword, she called forth her wings, opening them as wide as she could to slow her free fall.
She soared mere feet from the molten river, swerving as a super-heated bubble of lava exploded in front of her. She glided for several yards before she was able to rise on a wave of heated air. It gave her the lift needed without fear of her touching the lava. With powerful sweeps of her wings, she ascended from the deep ravine and turned back toward the bridge. A brilliant, almost blinding light guided her back to Asahi. It took a moment for her to realize that he was holding the winged-lion dagger.
She scanned the area where the alien had been only minutes before. From her vantage point, she could see that the creature had fled but not before leaving a trail of horror behind. Her throat tightened when she counted at least a dozen goblins lying lifeless along the wall and inside the goblin stronghold.
Sword in hand, she twisted in midair, and dropped onto the bridge near Asahi. He slowly lowered his arm as her feet touched the stone. The glow of his dagger faded when he reached out and steadied her.
“Where did it go?” she asked in a voice filled with emotion.
“It disappeared through the larger drainage vent just over the edge of the bridge,” he quietly replied.
She walked to the edge and looked down. There was a large pipe with water flowing out of it like a waterfall along the ravine wall. Only the goblins would know where the pipe led.
Nali glanced at Asahi when he came and stood next to her in silence. She took a deep breath to calm the grief rising inside her and turned toward the gates
of the stronghold.
“I have to see to the dead—and find out if any of the goblins survived,” she said.
“I’ll help you,” he murmured.
An hour later, Asahi gently lay the last of the dead goblins down on the cobblestones. After Nali had left to search for survivors, he gathered all the dead he could find. By the time he finished, twenty dead goblins lay in a row on the path. Now, he stood over the small, armor-clad, green and tan bodies.
He turned away from them, walked over to an overturned cart, and picked up the magical dagger propped there. Mr. Gryphon was keeping a keen eye out in case any part of the alien returned. The animated creature had also filled him in on some of the quirkier details of goblin etiquette while Asahi had completed his gruesome task.
The echo of footsteps, the loud creaking of leather, and the telltale clang of metal on metal attracted his attention. Nali must have been successful in her search. Asahi turned on his heel and faced the approaching group, stunned when he saw that there were already hundreds of goblins gathered at the gates, and more were joining the group every moment.
“Ah, here comes the leader of the goblins,” the winged lion murmured, sitting up on the dagger’s hilt. “Make sure you show respect or she’ll take you down to her level with one swing of her ax—literally,” the lion added with a suggestive swipe of a claw across his front leg.
Asahi distractedly nodded. His attention was focused on Nali. She had returned to her natural form—or at least what he suspected was her normal self. Her creamy skin was the warm color of mocha, and her hair hung about her shoulders in thick, curly waves. She was, in a single word, breathtaking.
He forced his gaze away from Nali and looked at the creature walking beside her. He was surprised when he realized that the leader of the goblins was a woman. The royal goblin stared back at him with vivid green eyes that glowed like the vein of luminescent bacteria in the rocks. She held a short sword in her hand and wore a large, double-headed battle axe slung across her back, much like a Minoan labrys.
Asahi wasn’t sure what the proper protocol was for a Goblin Queen since the winged lion hadn’t included that part in his ongoing description of the creatures. He tried to remember if his grandfather had ever shared any information that might be helpful, but when he came up blank, he did the only thing he could think of and gave the Goblin Queen a deep bow.
“Your Majesty, my humblest regrets for the horrific loss your people have suffered today,” he formally greeted her.
“You are a stranger to our world,” the Goblin Queen stated in a raspy voice.
When Asahi heard the rumble of concern that ran through the crowd of goblins, he slowly straightened and looked around at hundreds of eyes staring back at him in curiosity, suspicion, and fear. He returned his attention to the Goblin Queen.
“He is a human from another world,” Nali responded, stepping up beside him.
“Another alien!” hissed an old goblin as he pulled his short sword and pointed it at Asahi.
Asahi watched as a wave of alarm swept over the crowd. Suddenly more swords, spears, and even rocks appeared in the hands of the goblins. He warily watched the increasingly upset mob. He understood their anxiety, especially considering the dead lying on the ground behind him.
“Silence!” Nali commanded, lifting her arms.
Asahi looked at Nali in surprise. In the short time that he had known her, she had always been quiet and reserved with a touch of amusement in her tone. She was different now. Her eyes flashed with a silent warning not to disobey her.
There was an immediate compliance to her command. Silence fell over the group, and the old goblin standing next to the Queen lowered his sword. The Queen walked forward and bowed her head.
“My apologies, Empress,” the Goblin Queen stated.
Nali looked down at the little Queen and slowly lowered her arms. Her mouth was still pursed into a straight line, but her displeasure dissipated at the apology. She stepped aside and motioned to the row of dead goblins.
“Asahi saved my life—twice. He is not a threat to our people. In fact, the humans who came before him are the reason the Sea Witch is herself again and the alien who controlled her no longer exists. The alien who attacked you is alone now. I must find it before it causes any more deaths,” she gently explained.
The Goblin Queen nodded. “You said it went through the drainage pipe beneath the bridge?” she inquired.
“Yes,” Asahi answered.
The Goblin Queen chuckled gleefully, surprising him.
“Why is that amusing?” he inquired.
The Queen’s thin lips curved upward at the corners, showing off a row of her small, very sharp teeth. Her eyes glittered with devilish humor. The old goblin next to her chuckled sardonically.
“The drainage tunnels are a labyrinth of dead ends and circles. Each passage is enchanted with wards and traps to discourage visitors. The creature will wish it had never encountered a goblin before long,” the Queen replied.
“Regardless, we must follow it,” Nali said.
The Goblin Queen shook her head. “It would be too dangerous, Empress, even for one as powerful as you. I will show you where the tunnel opens above ground. We will seal the pipe here at this end. Water will soon flood the tunnels. If the alien survives the wards and doesn’t drown, it will only be a matter of time before it emerges at the other end,” she replied.
“Thank you,” Nali murmured. She looked at the row of dead goblin soldiers.
“We will take care of our dead, Empress,” said the Goblin Queen.
Nali shook her head. “This is something I must do to ensure that no part of the alien remains,” she murmured.
Asahi turned as Nali walked past him. A low hum rose from the crowd of goblins, and he realized that they were singing. The melody was soothing, and the words sounded strange and ancient.
The song’s power surged as Nali stepped up to the first goblin and murmured. Startled, Asahi parted his lips and gasped when the goblin’s body dissolved. Tiny specks of glowing, colorful lights rose and swirled in the air before they came together, forming into a bright red crystal. She moved down the line, spending time over each goblin. The Queen and several other goblins silently followed Nali, collecting the crystal remains of their brethren.
When she finally completed her sad task, she turned and faced the crowd. A strange tightness formed again in Asahi’s chest as he studied Nali. Her face was composed, but he could see the intense sadness in her eyes. One by one, the goblins holding the crystals walked through the entrance and onto the bridge.
Asahi looked down when he felt a slight tap on his finger. The winged lion nodded in Nali’s direction. He frowned at the small, gold creature.
“Go stand beside the Empress. She could use a little support,” the winged lion compassionately suggested.
Asahi looked up and stared into Nali’s eyes. She looked back at him over the goblins’ heads. He walked over to her, and she gave him a wan smile of gratitude.
“To the heart of the goblins,” the Goblin Queen called out.
“To the heart of the goblins!” the crowd of goblins intoned.
The singing began again. They watched as the goblins dropped the shimmering stones containing the remains of their fallen comrades, one by one, over the side of the bridge. The melody faded as the last of the crystals tumbled into the river of lava below.
“Seal the drainage,” the Goblin Queen ordered her goblins as she faced Asahi and Nali. “Now, I will show you how to get to the surface,” she added with a hard glitter of bloodlust not quite concealed in her eyes.
Chapter 6
“I can almost hear your thoughts,” Nali mused, looking at Asahi under her eyelashes.
“My thoughts are that loud?” he teased.
She softly chuckled. “Just a little,” she playfully retorted.
They had been walking through miles of endless tunnels for hours. The amount of skill it must have taken to make this maze was
astounding. He could spend weeks just studying the artistic designs carved into some of the passages alone. But it was the engineering and the ingenious intricacies of the tunnels that boggled his mind.
They stepped through another narrow, arched opening into a large, circular domed cavern. It was like the others—filled with many tunnel entrances. Only one correct passage would lead them out of the tunnels—eventually. All the others would lead to a dead end or circle back into a tunnel they had already traveled through. Without the map the Goblin Queen had given them, they would have been down here for weeks, months, or even years if they had the resources.
“Which way?” Asahi asked.
Nali lifted her hand and murmured the Goblin Queen’s spell. A shimmering map outlined with glowing green threads appeared in the air. He stood behind her and studied the map. He noted a darker green line that was pulsing. The line flowed into the tunnel right next to the one they had just exited.
He steadied her when she quickly turned around to follow the line, unaware that he was standing so close to her. His gaze dropped to her parted lips before slowly lifting back up to her beautiful, Goldstone-flecked eyes. He was two inches taller than she was, and with his head bowed, their lips were almost touching.
She held his forearms, raised her head, and unexpectedly pressed her lips against his. An intense emotion flooded his consciousness, and he tightened his hold on her waist. Their bodies fit together as if made for each other. A tingling awareness of pleasure flowed through him when she slid her hands up his arms and across his shoulders.
He relished the feeling of her lips parting under his. A surge of desire pierced the wall of control he normally kept on his emotions as he deepened the kiss, touching the tip of his tongue along the edge of her teeth. He was acutely aware of her hands sliding along his shoulders until they reached his nape.
A wave of emotions and thoughts crashed over him him—pleasure, desire to take what was between them to a deeper level, a subconscious detailed list of what her lips felt like underneath his, the touch of her skin, the taste of her, the scent of her, and the feel of her body pressed intimately against his.
