The Ruins

Lanai

“If you loved her so much then why weren’t you there with her? Why didn’t you protect her?” Ramal snapped at him. She threw herself on the ground in a sort of fit. She crossed her arms and legs and cried in a ball, with her head on her knees. She looked like a two year old throwing a tantrum.

“Your mother sent me away! I was to wait for you. Her death is not my fault.” He retorted, snorting again. “Now you will tell me what happened, so that I may piece it together.” He huffed. “And you will lose the disrespect,” he added, “or I will leave.” He stomped a giant foot down. His talons went deep into the earth. It shook the ground.

It was enough to startle her. Ramal popped her head up and sat up straight. She breathed deeply, for a minute or two, until she was calm. “They killed her.” She sobbed. “It was horrible. I saw it all from under the horse, where I was hiding.” She rocked. “I couldn’t come out or I would be dead too. She told me to hide.....They killed everyone…. Except me.” Another tear fell down her cheek.

She looked up at his eyes. “Don’t you know what has been going on around here? Where have you been? The Orcs and the Zombies and their mutants, all killing the humans and everything they have raised for food. There is nothing left. There are no more humans! I watched them beat and torture my family. They are huge and disgusting! They eat everything in sight. They hunt from the smell of blood and eat and drink it from anywhere! I hate them! All of them! I won’t rest until every last one of them is gone!” Ramal rambled to him.

Ishloche nodded again and sighed. “I have been in a very deep sleep. I have been waiting for you to come to the mountain. Your song to awaken the threshold. You would only know the tunes of Ravania if she had taught them to you, as the fairies had taught them to her. For this purpose. “ He sighed again. He dug his talons into the sand, curled them and then released, only to repeat it again, several times. His eyes opened and narrowed as he thought. He took in everything that she had said. He shook his head. His eyes were now the color of amber. “I am truly sorry. I did love her.”

They sat in silence contemplating each other and their common purpose.

GNORK

Gnork was very angry when Twoloado arrived with the news. “What do you mean there are humans hunting us?” He spat on the floor of the cave. One large hand went up toward his face. He scathed the top of his head with his long fingernails. He breathed out of his mouth as slobber dripped down his chin. “Get the army together.”

“The humans are all supposed to be dead.” The Orcs opposed. “We have all of the territory. We can do as we please. What are a few more that are coming here to feed us?” They all agreed roaring in laughter.

“Do not mouth me!” Gnork yelled. “I am in charge!” He snarled and grunted. They fell silent. “Do as you’re told. Go and kill them.” He spat.

LANAI

Lanai and Jakombie were gathering their strength. They were heading into the mountain. “We need food and water.” She told him. She hurled her sack cloth over her shoulder. Canteen in hand, in case they came to a water source. The bags under her eyes suggested that she needed more sleep. Jakombie had the same features as before. He would’ve been a very handsome catch, if he were not bitten. Tall, slender, good build. She smiled at him. He raked a hand through his jet black hair.

Together they began their hike. They heard a lot of noise from the hillside. Something was going on, beneath them. She rushed back to the cliff’s edge. Jakombie was at her heels. When she looked down; she saw the Orc army headed out. “This is bad.” She panicked. They are sending the whole army after us.”

“Bad direction.” He said. “ We go other way.” He gave her a crooked half smile.

There were noises in front of them too. Crying and growls. They looked at each other deciding which would be worse, being eaten by the Orcs and Zombies or the mountain creatures. They had already made the climb. “We go to the mountain.” She told him. “There’s water there and fresh food.”

They both shrugged it off and restarted their journey toward the trees.

KRAG

Krag was tying the last knots into place. He saw something moving in the grass across the river. He squinted to see what it was. He saw massive hands pulling at the grass. “We have been spotted boys.” He said to them. He pulled out his map, and strung the hide out on a large rock. “We are close to the Orcs location. They must have had spotters.” He pointed out the spot with the tip of his dagger. He moved his hair behind his ear and tried to think of a game plan.

“We need to strike quick when our rafts dock.” Tordin added.

“Unless we bring the fight to us.” Krag told him. he scratched at his new facial hair growth. “We know this side of the river. We have the tactical advantage. And if they try to swim, we have Namani.”

The men agreed. They started putting up poles and tents to make their location known. They would set a trap. They build half-c****d shelters with b***ie-traps. Poles and grass roofs. Then they build a fire. Some of the men went hunting for field mice, and anything else that they could eat, to keep up their strength.

Others were sharpening spears, swords and knives. They also rolled large rocks together that they could use to hurl or bludgeon. The trees they had passed would work well to provide ropes. Rope could be used to trip them, knock them back, or take down a hut onto their heads.

“This ends now.” Krag voiced to them. “We kill them all! Then we kill their king. “ He was confident in their plan. He stood tall as he spoke to them. “We can do this, and we will!”

They cheered him on and they all worked together. Rocks were being piled and trees being cut down and stripped of its bark. Metal clanged and the shwoop of the sharpeners on blades could be heard clearly.