The Ruins

Zomborcs

ORCS

Jaqavious watched as the rest of the Orc army joined them. Twoloado came straight to him. “We are all here.” He said. “What’s been happening.”

“Those fools!” Jaqavious sarted, “They have been making homes. They do not even know we are here. “ They both laughed and grunted.

“Good. The surprise will be great, then so will be their deaths.” Twoloado interjected.

“If we swim then we have them. If we float across then they can spot us.” Jaqavious told him. “Let us all rest a bit. Tell them the feast will soon start.”

Twoloado went to the others and told them to “Lay down for a while. And soon our bellies will be full.” They all cheered throwing their large arms into the air with fisted hands.

Gnork was bored with just himself to argue with. He went into the back of the cave to torment the Zomborcs. He pulled and pushed their chains and banged on bars of their cages. They screamed at the noises and jerking.

Gnork threw sploosh on them and watched as they fought for the remains. They licked it off of each other and bit one another. Gnork laughed as their anger stirred. “What are you going to do?” He yelled to them. “I have you. You are nothing!” He banged the bars some more.

The Zomborcs were hungry and outraged. The bars at the edge of the confinement broke loose. One of them noticed a hole. He rammed the bars with his head. Screaming, he bashed into it, over and over again, until it broke loose from the dirt mound and rocks. His face bloody, he screamed again and swung at Gnork.

Gnork dodged him and swung his arms around, killing him with one powerful hit, from his huge hands. The zombies smelled the blood. They moaned and made incomprehensible noises. They too started fighting their cages. One by one the Zomborcs came out of imprisonment.

Gnork was preoccupied with the zombies trying to get loose to notice. He was reinforcing the walls with large rocks. As he bent down, he was swarmed with Zomborcs. Three of them went for his head and five more to his body. They covered him and took him down.

Gnork growled “Get off of me! You mutant nobodies!” I am your master!” He was turning around to fight them off. Face up he thew his arms out just to have them pinned down. Two more Zomborcs dived forward and bit at him. Blood splashed the walls as they tore out his throat. Gnork was dead.

The Zomborcs attacked their parenting zombies next. Throwing rocks back into the walls, the got inside of the zombies’ confinement. Hungrily the Zomborcs devoured them all. They were free.

RAMAL

Ramal was teaching Lanai how to feel her surroundings. Jakombie already knew most of it. He was quite pleasant, as just a human, no longer wounded or stupid. He worked with Ishloche learning weapons and fighting skills. The fairies flew back and forth putting their two-sense in.

Jakombie swung Ramal’s sword back and forth from the wrist. “No stand with your feet apart. Keep your balance.” Ishloche told him. “Always notice your feet, and what is around you.” His scales changed colors as he lectured. He circled Jakombie throwing rocks. “Dodge them and hit them back.” He instructed.

“Hahahaha Jak, Jak, don’t hold back.” The fairies sang. “Keep your footing to lose nothing.”

Lanai had heard of Earth magic. She knew of roots for medicine, but nothing to this level of personification. Her aura grew as she felt the dirt and the air. The heat of the rocks and the sun’s power washed through her. She lifted the minerals from the dirt with her mind and a sweep of her hand. She was a natural.

“Well that didn’t take long.” Ramal smiled mockingly at her. “Now do something you can use.”

Lanai thought for a moment tilting her head. Her long brown hair fell from her shoulder. Her green eyes shone brightly. She gathered different types of rocks, choosing carefully, feeling their pull. She sat them in a pile and willed the Earth to heat them. She surrounded the pile with water from the air and they watched as the rocks caught fire. She threw herbs into it from the trees. An arrow of fire shot to her mark on the nearest bolder, shattering it. “I think I have it!” She exclaimed.

“Very good.” Ishloche complimented her. His wreath of scales alternating blue and purple.

“Lanai, Lanai, spirit so high, like a moth to a flame, her worth is our gain.” The fairies chimed.

Ramal was tinged with jealousy. This was her experience. She guffawed. “Yes, all well and good. “

“Climb on.” Ishloche commanded her. “It’s time for your riding lesson.”

Ramal stepped back and looked at the large dragon. “Flying?” I never thought…” She walked to him and grabbed onto his shoulder. He hoisted her up with his other paw. Ramal straddled his neck and held onto his mane full of scales.

“Slide back,” he told her. “You want to be low and hug my neck, where your legs are.” Ishloche instructed her, looking back over his shoulder. “Are you ready?” He lurched forward. She clutched to his neck. “This is running.” He moved swiftly toward the edge of the mountain. “Flight is faster and more dangerous.”

Ramal could hear her heart beating in her chest. She closed her eyes and summoned her courage. “Let’s do this.” Ishloche jumped forward toward the cliff face and dove off of it. They went down for a ways and shot back up into the sky. The wind pushed her hair back. It felt amazing on her hot skin. The air was thin. The blues of the skies, the brown and green from beneath them, she could see everything.

Her eyes zoned in beneath them. There was movement below. This wasn’t normal. The orcs were nowhere to be seen and the Zomborcs were piling out from the mouth of the cave. “This isn’t good.” She told Ishloche. “Something has happened. “

Lanai and Jakombie were still training with the fairies when they returned to the mountain top. Pure energy came in short bursts from her fingers toward the rocks and trees that she had targeted. She was getting stronger in her magic.

Jakombie moved with skill, he was on his feet like an artist. He had made his own blade from the minerals that Lanai had provided him. A twist and a twirl, then a swish from his sword. A jab here and then there. The blade shimmered and danced through the air as the light reflected up and backward.

Ishloche landed with a thud in the midst of them. His huge claws dug into the mud. A dirt cloud surrounded them. The fairies swarmed them. Their wings beating swiftly. “The Zomborcs are on the move,” his voice carried through the tree tops.

Jakombie instantly ran toward the cliff side to see what was happening. Lanai was at his heels. The Zomborcs were heading down the mountain side toward the villages. The Orcs were nowhere to be seen. “Where are their jailors? Their parents should be with them!” Jakombie exclaimed.

Zomborcs were running over each other, toppling down the hillside, one over the other. They were biting at each other and fighting all the way. Dirt and rocks flew around them as they foraged through the grass, penetrating the land for any scent of blood.

“It’s a wonder that they don’t kill each other off.” Lanai told him.

“If they won’t then we will.” Ramal said as she came to their side. “Ishloche, let s go!” The dragon bowed his head toward her. She climbed back on him using his legs as a hoist. His scales were flashing brightly.

Jakombie and Lanai traveled down the mountain side, quickly. Ishloche swooped them up with his legs and carried them all to fight off the mutants. He carefully dropped Lanai and Jakombie close to the ground. They had to tuck and roll to find their footing. They began running toward the rear end of the Zomborcs flanks.

Jakombie jumped into the air, and with a twisting motion he brought his sword down, heavily, onto his enemy. The blood splashed into the air as the first head went rolling.