Act II

Chapter Eleven

Igneous stumbles over the brown robes reaching well below his ankles and falls face first into the underbrush below him. Rolling over he groans aloud “Do I have to keep wearing this?”.

The group of travelers look back to the pouting being on the ground , sighing Nora makes her way to the back of the group and squats next Igneous. Looking Igneous in the eye, Nora sternly says, “If you walk into our village without covering up, there is more than a good chance someone will run a sword through you before any of us can save you. Okay, the robe stays on.”.

“But, we’re still days away from getting there.”, Igneous whines, “Can’t I just put it on when we get closer?”.

Nora stands up and says, “No. It stays on incase someone is out here. Now get up.”, at this she walks back to the front of the group. Igneous gets up, careful not to trip over the robe again, and follows behind the group. Marigold hangs back and gives Igneous a gentle smile and whispers softly, “Sorry about her, but while in the forest she’s a completely different person, more worried about keeping everyone alive than making them happy. When we get to my temple, we’ll see what we can do about the robes you and the others have to wear.”.

Igneous nods and says mumbles, “Okay, fine. Thank you.”.

Marigold smiles back and speeds up to check on Yasevl and Nelly in the middle of the group. The group of travelers walk till the sun is high in the sky, when Nora holds up her hand for them to stop. Taking a look around the area first, Nora turns to the group, “We’ll take a short break then continue. This is the last break till we stop for camp.”.

The travels groan and fling off their travel bags, Marigold plops down next to a tall oak tree and leans her head against it and is quickly asleep. Yasevl smiles and shakes his head as he walks over to Igneous, followed by Nelly. Pulling back the hood of his robe Yasevl places hand on Igneous shoulder, “I know this is less than ideal, but we have to do this.”.

Igneous sighs and nods, “I know, I know. I just don’t understand why anyone in their village would just attack us?”.

Nelly scrunches up her face and looks at Yasevl , “Me neither.”.

Yasevl smiles sadly and nods, “From what they have told me their people have just gotten out of a war with two other races. One of them being a group of elves, or high elves has they call them. And the other called Orcs, from what I have been told they look like giant grey goblins.”.

“But what does that have to do with us?”, Nelly asks, Igneous nodding his agreement.

“I can answer that.”, Korren says walking up to the three of them. Yasevl nods and gestures for the man to continue, “Please, I think you could explain it better than me.”.

Korren nods and looks down at Nelly and Igneous, “When my people first met both races, we tried diplomacy, but when that didn’t work, fighting broke out. Priestess and priest like Marigold got a lot of practice healing, and less time to train with diplomacy. The war lasted for years, till finally all sides came to an agreement, neither would step foot on the others land, and to do so would result in the other two working together to destroy them. We’re worried that, even though Nelly doesn’t look just like the high elves, it could re-spark the war. And Yasevl and Igneous are unrecognized races, and will be killed on sight, just to be on the safe side. The kingdom has become very weary of outsiders. We want to take you to Marigold’s temple first and see if the high-priest over it can talk to his superiors in the capital and see if we can get it established that wood elves are different from the high elves and hopefully get an exception for Igneous and Yasevl.”.

Nelly knits her brows and thinks about this. While Nelly ponders the information she just got, Igneous asks a question of his own, “Then why do none of you seem to hate us?”.

Korren smiles, then says with sad eyes, “We have seen the other side of it all, we all were… active in the war. We saw the horrors humans are capable of, as well as the other races, but also the kindness and mercy as well. We don’t think cutting ourselves off from the other races is the best course of action, but we are sadly a minority in this regard.”.

“Oh.”, is all that Nelly and Igneous can say to this information that they had just received. The rest of the time was spent in silent contemplation, until Nora forces the group on, with Marigold complaining about needing longer to nap.

A wolf watches the group of travelers walking through the forest, eyeing the odd red creature and the creature made of wood. Sniffing the air, the wolf darts off, running between trees, its padded feet making little noise as it disturbs the brush below. After running through the woods, the wolf comes to a hill with a hole in the side. Walking through the hole into its den, the wolf steps over the sleeping forms of his packmates, until stopping in front of a large black and silver wolf. Sensing the others presence, the large black wolf opens its red eyes and stares at the smaller brown wolf and lets out a short growl. The brown wolf yips a short reply, and the large wolf sits up and yips back. The two go back in forth for a time, till the large wolf stands to his full height, his back scraping the ceiling of the den. Letting out a howl that causes dirt to fall from the ceiling and fall onto the wolves below, he walks forward to the middle of the den. At the howl of their packleader, the wolves are pulled from their sleep and stand ready. The black wolf lets out a sharp bark and runs out of the den, followed by the others shortly behind. They would follow the group of travelers till dark, then they would act.

Igneous watches the sun retreat out of view, basking in what remains of its light, absorbing strands of warm golden energy coming from it. Igneous’ late afternoon sunbathing is cut short by the clearing of a throat behind him. Looking behind from where he lays, Igneous sees the others setting up tents, and behind him Nora looking down at him with a stern expression. Nora cocks an eyebrow and says, “I thought you were supposed to be getting a fire started.”.

Igneous says and stands, dusting dirt from his robe, “Fine.”.

“Thank you.”, Nora says with thick sarcasm. Igneous walks away from the huntress and begins picking up sticks from the ground. After he gathers an armful of thin pieces of wood, Igneous makes his way back into camp. Stacking the wood into a small pile, he holds out his hand and wills fire to come forth. Flames extend from his hands and wrap around the pile, the ends of the sticks catching fire. Pushing energy into the fire, Igneous has the fire spread around the pile until the flames have engulfed it in its entirety. Cutting the energy off, Igneous smiles and dusts his hands off against one another. Nora walks over and looks at the fire, smiling she says, “Nice work.”.

As Igneous is about to say thank you, Nora’s smile drops, “Now get more for when that burns out, which is soon because you lit all of it on fire.”.

Igneous groans and does as he’s told, walking further from the camp in order to find more wood. Igneous stomps through the forest, bending down to pick up sticks and fallen branches. After gathering his twentieth piece, Igneous looks up at the now purple and black sky, and says to himself, “I guess I should get back.”.

Igneous looks around and sees the slight glow coming from the campfire in the distance, sighing as he makes his way towards it, when he hears a rustling coming from the bushes around him. Looking towards the sound, Igneous scans the area, but sees nothing. Not thinking anything of it Igneous continues on his way back to the others, all the while hearing the occasional rustle. As Igneous walks into the camp, he sees the others around the fire he had made, roasting two horn rabbits Nora had shot earlier in the day. Sighing he drops the bundle of wood in his arms and plops down next to Nelly, causing her to jump in surprise. Nelly looks at Igneous with annoyance, “You scared me!”, lightly punching him in the arm continues, “Don’t do that.”.

Igneous rubs his arm where she hit it , “Geez I’m sorry, I thought you heard me.”.

“Yeah, well I was thinking.”, Nelly says worry filling her face.

“About?”, Igneous asks.

Nelly bobs her head and frowns, “About what Korren and Yasevl said, how the humans aren’t welcoming to outsiders. I’m just wondering if we should go at all. I--.”.

Nelly’s words are cut off as she winces and her hand shoots to her back, the spot where the abomination had hit her. Igneous places a hand on her knee and gives her a slight smile, “That’s why. You and Yasevl need to be healed and neither Marigold nor Corma have the power needed to do so. We’ll deal with whatever comes our way, but we are going to get you and him taken care of. Okay?”.

Nodding Nelly whispers, “Okay. Thank you. I just don’t want anyone getting hurt on my account.”.

“You’re welcome, and we won’t. I promise.”, Igneous says, giving the girl a reassuring smile.

As Nelly is about to reply, Igneous’ stomach lets out a growl that echoes through the forest. The rest of their group looks over and start laughing, even Nora gives a short laugh. Mitch leans forward and pokes the roasting rabbits with a stick, “Should be ready soon, don’t worry.”.

Igneous blushes and says, “Sorry, still getting used to having to eat actual food.”.

Yasevl walks over to Igneous and places a hand on his shoulder, “I’m just glad I don’t have to worry about you eating me anymore.”.

Yasevl grins widely and the others begin laughing again, Igneous narrows his eyes and spits a small stream of fire from his mouth, and says in a sinister voice, “That’s what you think.”.

Jumping up suddenly, Igneous begins chasing Yasevl around, blowing fire from his mouth and laughing as his brother does all he can to stay ahead of him, jumping every time Igneous breaths fire. The entire camp erupts into laughter as the two run around, Yasevl grinning the whole time.

Dorean steps into a small grove of trees just outside one of the smaller human villages. As he stands in the starlit night, Dorean hears a wind blow through the trees and watches as a woman made of interweaving vines and grass, with flowers blooming into a rainbow dress steps from out of the trees. The woman considers Dorean with emerald green eyes, then speaks with all the beauty and power of nature itself, “You wish to talk old friend.”.

Doran smiles and gives the woman a hug, “It’s good to see you, Gaia.”.

Returning the hug, Gaia replies, “It’s good to see you to Dorean.”.

Stepping back from the plant woman, Dorean nods and surveys their surroundings as if making sure no one is listening before saying softly, “I assume that you know of the imp and the incident with him.”.

Gaia nods, and waves a hand over the ground and two chairs made of woven together tree roots grow from the ground. Gesturing for Dorean sit, Gaia does the same and speaks as Dorean takes his seat, “I have. And I have sent one of my…”, tapping a long vine finger on her chin, “what do you call them, oh yes. One of my agents to deliver a message to the imp.”.

“And what about the one spirit you have been watching so closely?”, Dorean says with a smirk and knowing smile. Gaia’s green cheeks take on a scarlet hue, and she stutters, “I-I don’t kno-ow what yo-u-u are implying.”.

Dorean lets out a small chuckle, “Sure you don’t. Teasing aside. I thought I should discuss the matter with you, as you are the only other full god that has a stake in the matter.”.

Regaining her composer Gaia nods and asks, “Have you sent for any of your agents?”.

Dorean nods and sits silently smiling at Gaia. Somehow the goddess made of vine rolls her eyes, and sighs, “I am not going to play the guessing game with you.”.

Dorean pouts playfully, “Fine! I’ll tell you.”, a wide toothy grin spreads across his face, “The bard.”.

At these words Gaia throws her head back and groans, “Not him. He’s so..so…urgh!”

“Say what you want about him he’s good at gathering information.”, Dorean says, standing up from his tree root chair that retracts as he does so. Following suit, Gaia walks around the grove, breathing a gust of wind each time that sends the trees rustling. Dorean steps up to her and looks at her, “And, pray tell, have you sent?”.

Smirking Gaia says, “Lupin.”,

Dorean stands, his mouth agape and eyes wide, slowly recovering he sputtlers out, “Lupin! There’s a good chance he’ll eat them alive before they get out of the forest. Why Lupin?”.

Gaia fixes Dorean with a rueful grin, “If they survive we’ll know they are worth the effort.”.

Dorean shakes his head and drags his hands down his face, “I guess you’re right, but that is such nature logic.”.

Gaia smirks and walks back into the trees, her body disappearing as her voice is carried by the wind, “That’s the best kind.”.

Dorean shakes his head and mumbles to himself, “This is going to be interesting, and not in the fun way.”.

Igneous lays back on one arm, the other on his belly, with a belch, “That was good.”.

The others nod in agreement, Yasevl shrugs, “I wouldn’t know.”.

They others laugh and Yasevl joins in. Still laughing Mitch pulls out a waterskin form his bag. Uncorking the top, he takes a deep drink and lets out a satisfied sigh. Mitch wipes his mouth and offers the waterskin to Korren, who waves it off, as do Marigold and Nora. Nelly looks over at the human and says, “I want some. I’m real thirsty.”.

Mitch looks at the young girl with an amused grin, “It’s not exactly water.”.

Nelly shrugs, “So? I saw you and my father drinking from that same waterskin the other day and you both seemed to really enjoy it.”.

Mitch looks at both Nora and Yasevl, who shrug, looking back at Nelly, he extends the water skin to her, “Here you go. Only take a sip.”.

Nelly nods and takes the skin with both hands. Placing it to her lips she tilts it up and almost instantly begins to cough and sputter, “ Ah! That’s horrible! Why would you drink that?”.

Mitch shrugs, “It’s an acquired taste.”.

Igneous eyes the skin and then looks over at Mitch, “Could I try it?”.

Mitch shrugs again, “Go for it.”.

Igneous takes the skin from Nelly, who is more than happy to be rid of it, Igneous gives the waterskin a sniff, the fumes burning his nose. With hesitation, Igneous press the opening to his mouth and lets the fluid pour out. It burns his tongue and throat as it goes, the taste unlike anything he had ever drank before, which had only been water earlier that day. Igneous lowers the skin down and feels as the liquid hits his stomach, feeling a pressure growing Igneous opens his mouth a lets out a burp. Blue flames shoot out, lighting the whole area in a blue glow. Grinning Igneous takes another sip and says, “I like it!”.

Mitch laughs and says playfully, “Don’t we all!”.

Igneous and Mitch pass the skin back and forth, Igneous belching flame every now and then, the two laughing every time. Nelly shakes her head and looks at Nora, “What’s wrong with them?”.

Nora sighs, “They’re boys.”.

Nelly looks at Nora in confusion but gets no further information. As the two continue to drink, both Mitch’s and Igneous’ faces begin to redden and their eyes go blurry. Before long the waterskin is empty and Mitch pouts, “Aww man! That was my last one.”.

Nora walks over and says, “Good, I need you sober. Oh, and guess what?”.

Mitch looks up at Nora, fearing the answer, “What?”

Nora smiles menacingly, “You and Igneous are on first watch.”.

Both Igneous and Mitch groan and fall back onto the ground. As the two whine on the ground, Nora tilts her head slightly, then tells the two to shut up. Taking a small step Nora, listens closely, before cursing out loud. Mitch looks up from the ground, “Now what?”.

Gesturing into the dark forest, Nora grabs her bow from the ground, “That!”.

Looking up Igneous looks to see what she’s talking about, only seeing a dark forest. Then he sees it, yellow eyes dotting the darkness around the camp, and in the middle large glowing red eyes.