The Ruins

Krag

Krag’s army marched forward for months. They stopped and trained when they came to villages. Tordin was going to make a fine captain. He was from a few villages back. He had the strength and determination to be a leader. His charisma made it easy. His black beard grew uneven, and he wore a goofy hat most of the time. He was easy to pinpoint, and laidback. He didn’t care if the other guys were crass with him. Krag admired his patience.

Tordin needed more practice with the sword. He was good with a scythe, though. That could do just as much damage. Cutting wheat for a living had its advantages. He could kill rodents with a pitchfork too. He knew the herbs in the area. They could find food and medicine, with his help.

MIcca had wandered through the fields on his own. When they found him, he was half crazy. He was very good with daggers. Short, chubby, and balding, he was not easy to spot, dressed in his sackcloth. He had been alone for a very long time. The voices in his head had kept him company.

All of Krag’s men were good fishermen. They knew the land, and the waters. The journey to Mount Kai was long, but not too difficult. Vast amounts of lakes, rivers, ponds and streams flowed through the land. Krag had stopped a few times along the way to fish for the villagers. The Orcs would take the fish, but the Zombies preferred warm blood.

They came to a river that was a mile wide. A raft or boat would have to be used to cross it. Krag decided to set up camp. He had to locate the timber to build some, or borrow floating crafts from nearby villages. Their teepees had long poles and animal fur coverings. Some of the men slept on the ground. A few of them had built shade huts from wheat tares and grass.

On the edge of the riverbank, the men took advantage of the time to bathe and shave. A younger boy went out further. He wanted to swim. Suddenly there was a splash! He screamed and sank into the river depths. The men scrambled to get out. They didn’t know what was going on. Another boy tried to find him in the water. A curled fin surfaced and they heard a growl. This boy was also gone. No one else dared to go after them.

From the bank, Krag readied his spear. They saw nothing. The men waited, holding their breath. No one made a sound. They backed away slowly. Two young men down. “What was that?” They asked each other.

“Doesn’t matter,” Krag said forcefully. “We have to cross it anyway. Sharpen your weapons boys.“ He strode back to his tent. He couldn’t let the men see him worry. The legend was real. He thought that it was only a rumor. Once inside of his tent he sat on the ground and rubbed his temples. “Namani, the river monster. “

GNORK

Gnork’s lair was full of sleeping Orcs and their offspring. The stench was nauseating. The floors were covered in the dried blood and mucous from Lanai’s disgusting captors, and their food. She struggled with her restraints. Cautiously, she tugged at the end of the chain. She didn’t want to wake anyone. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness as she peered further into the cave dwelling.

Orcs lay sprawled out on the rocks and the cave floor. Lanai filled her arms with the chain as she followed it into the dark. A movement to the right caught her eye. She froze. A giant foot, that looked more like a yellowish sledge hammer, scratched its ugly, long toe nails into the rock that its owner was laying on. She could hear the nail printing into the rock. Her heartbeat was loud in her ears. The orc rolled over roughly, throwing dirt and dust particles into the air as he landed. Lanai tried to hold her breath so she didn’t cough. She winced as a dirt clod hit her. The orc reached behind him and with his long filthy fingers, she watched him scratch his butt and fall back to sleep moving his arm to where it was before.

She almost sighed in relief, as she breathed out. She waited a few more seconds. She quietly watched him, gathered some more of her chain, and took a few more steps into the darkness. Her breathing quickened. All around her was screeching and scratching, followed by noises that she had never heard before. She knew that she didn’t have all of the answers for what lurked further into the walls. This was very dangerous.

The Zomborcs holding cell wasn’t too far ahead. She didn’t know for sure which corridor. She definitely wanted to avoid that one, but if the other direction led to Gnork’s chambers, then she wanted to avoid that one too. The slightest noise made her jump. If she dropped her chains, she would be caught. If she backed in to a wall and cut herself, the blood would call to the zombies. She moved slowly. She darted her eyes around, her attention in all directions. She wanted to follow her chain and unhook it. Lanai was terrified.

A hot breath came out of nowhere against the skin on her neck. She almost screamed. Petrified, she closed her eyes. “What do you want?” She breathed as the pins and needles feeling went throughout her body. A tear streaked through the dirt on her face as she turned.

Heavy breathing came from the wobbly form in front of her. His hair was erratic, but so was the clothing. He swayed from side to side trying to stay upright. She couldn’t see his face very well. “Not … going….. to…. hurt.... you….” He stammered choppily. He reached out for her hand. She jerked back into the wall.

Lanai breathed out. She couldn’t trust that. She almost laughed. She shook her head no. He came closer. He was taller than he appeared, and slender. He seemed to be partially human. “Not going to hurt you,” he said again. He reached a hand toward her again.

“No, get away from me.” Lanai whispered harshly. She backed against the rocks as far as she could. Her breathing was uneven. She felt as if her heart would explode out of her chest.

“Please…. Jakombie help.” He offered. “Must leave.” He shook his head in the appositive. “Wait here.” He walked away in the direction of her chain post.

Lanai was baffled. She almost didn’t dare to move. It seemed like forever before he came back. She wasn’t even sure why she waited except that he moved in the direction she was headed. He was carrying the remaining sections of her chain. “Come on.” He said. Jakombie walked past her with it.

He was going toward the entrance! She didn’t have a lot of other options than to hope. He did have the other half of her chain. She moved or they would be discovered. She did know some self-defense, and it would be easier to use against one, than a hundred. She followed Jakombie through the cave. He seemed like he knew where he was going. She didn’t even think to leave some sort of marker for her way back out. She was too concerned with her way to her kidnaper's mark. Maybe this guy knew a different route that wouldn’t get them spotted and killed.

They took a couple of lefts and a then a few rights and hiked upward a little too. Lanai was beyond lost. “Do you know where you are going?” She whispered to him.

He remained quiet and kept moving forward. The winding trails were getting darker by the minute. When she slowed to find her footing or try and see ahead, she was yanked forward. “Keep moving.” Jakombie told her. “Not more further.”

Lanai was very confused. Was he trying to be nice? Was he her new captor? Should she try and go another way? Or should she figure out what he was up to, or trust him?

There was a small opening behind a rock. Jakombie dropped the chains that he was carrying. He pushed the rock out of the way and ushered her inside. “Fast.” He said. “Before he hear us.” He picked up the chains that he dropped and went into the hole behind the rock. She cautiously followed him. Once she was inside, he slid the rock back into place.

He lit a candle. She looked around. “This my home.” Jakombie told her. There were rocks to sit on and one that could pass for a table. He had candles made from animal fat and hair. His flint rock was from one of the villages.

“Were you a prisoner?” Lanai asked him. “You have human traits and things that those monsters don’t care about.” She continued to think aloud.

“Yes. No.” He answered. His eyes rolled back into his head as he tried to think of the words. He creased his brow and pursed his lips. Jakombie shook his head. “Me small. Me caretakers die. Remember how to stay warm and how to see. “ He thought for a moment. “Dark better to hide. “ He paused. “They follow me.“ He bared his arm to show a long scar. “They hurt me. And give me Zombie blood.” He stepped back and covered his arm as though he were ashamed.

He walked into a corner where he had some animal fat mixed with herbs. He brought it toward her. “Rub in arms and pull chain off. “ He told her. “Then eat.” He sat down in the corner and waited impatiently.