Shaping Magic (19 page)

Lindon could feel the magical barrier that he had created to counter the creature's mental attack start to wane. Fearing that it would end soon, leaving him vulnerable to the Merrow, Lindon did the only thing he could: he attacked.

For the first time in its very long life, the Merrow had a taste of fear. This Human had not only stood up to him but was now on the offensive. Only the speed it possessed allowed it to block the attacks that were coming faster and faster.

Just as Lindon was about to lose his magical protection, he scored a hit on the creature. It wasn't life threatening but it was enough to distract the Merrow long enough for Lindon to break contact, turn and run into the barrier, reforming his bubble of protection.

With a roar of pure rage, the Merrow ran to the barrier where the Human had just escaped.  Stopping just before it, he put its hand to the exact spot Lindon had entered. It still resisted his intrusion. If he tried to force his way in, it would eat the flesh from his bones the same as any other living creature—that is, except for the Human who had dared to draw his blood.

Looking down at the small cut left by the Human’s sword, then back to the barrier where he had gone through, the Merrow started to have doubts that it would be as easy as they thought to conquer this world. The Merrow started to walk the barrier for the hundredth time. Maybe now that the tower was destroyed, he would find a way. Looking back at the spot where the Human had entered, he said to himself, “I have to find a way through.” His people needed to know about this dangerous Human.

Chapter 18

When Lindon first exited the barrier, he turned, expecting the creature to follow. When he saw the outline of the creature turn away and start walking, he breathed a sigh of relief. The Merrow couldn't enter the barrier.

Once again, Lindon's body was tingling from the magical energy that his protective bubble couldn't keep out. Nearing the edge of the barrier, he slowed to a walk. Stepping out, he scanned the area. At first he didn't see anything out of the ordinary, but when he looked to the left of where he was, he noticed a wagon placed up against the barrier.

Lindon approached the wagon, keeping an eye out for danger. Looking into the wagon, Lindon gasped, “My God, who could do such a thing to another living being?” The sight before him was almost impossible to believe. There, laying in the wagon, was a live Ork—a female by the look of it, but was hard to be sure. From the waist down, all that was left of her were bones—no skin or muscle, just raw bone. Above the waist, melted skin reached up to the breasts.

Lindon wanted to turn away from the sight of the tortured Ork, but when he looked into her eyes, he couldn't. Lindon thought about ending her existence as mercy but the look she gave him was one of such helplessness that he just couldn't do it.

With a last look around, Lindon climbed into the wagon, not sure if he would be able to heal all of her injuries. Lindon's body was still full to bursting with the magic he had absorbed from the barrier, but he didn't think even that would be enough.

Sitting beside the poor Ork, Lindon placed his hands on her chest. She watched his movements through pain-filled eyes. Lindon closed his eyes and brought the magic to his hands. Slowly he started to release the power. As it flowed into his hands, it transformed from raw magic into healing energy.

The wound on the chest and arms were not too hard to heal, most of the damage was only on the surface. Moving down to the legs was another story; there was nothing to work with. Only the bones were left. Lindon once again closed his eyes; imagining how the legs should be, he sent healing energy into them.

Lindon didn't know how much time had passed since he had first started healing, but upon opening his eyes, tissue was forming on the legs. The magical energy he had been holding was almost exhausted, and he had a long way to go before they would be healed.  As Lindon sat back, panting from the exertion of healing, an idea popped into his head. Looking at the barrier that was right next to him, he extended one of his legs into the field of magical energy.

The injured Ork had been watching Lindon as he had been healing her, marveling at the miracle of his healing her body. When Lindon extended his leg into the barrier, she had tried to sit up to stop him. She watched in wonder; the leg was not melting as hers did when she was rolled into it. The pain of that was something that she would always remember for the rest of her life.

Lindon didn't look up from what he was doing. The magic from the barrier instantly rejuvenated him and now he had a ready source of magic to draw from. Not wasting any time, he started healing the legs and pelvic area.

Still controlling the flow of energy and not wanting to over do it, he went slowly. The power of the barrier was too much to leave his leg in, so every time he would become too full of the energy, he would remove his leg. When he would get low, he would put it back in.

Lindon sat back, breathing hard from the healing. Exhausted even with the ready source of magical energy, Lindon didn't see or hear the approach of an Ork male. The only warning he got was when the newly healed Ork female inhaled sharply. Lindon started to turn when the Ork knocked him over the head; the last thing he saw was the stricken face of the Ork he had just healed.

With her hands over her mouth, she watched her savior knocked unconscious by her tormentor. “This place for sacrifice to masters, not for Human,” the brute said.

Looking back and forth between the two, something snapped in her mind and for the first time in the history of the Orken race, a female attacked a male. Screaming in anger, she propelled herself up and over the side of the wagon, straddling the brute's chest; the surprise to the male Ork, as his latest sacrifice landed on his chest momentarily stunned him into immobility. She pulled back on his hair, exposing his neck. With another roar of rage, she sank her teeth in, and using all of her strength, she ripped out his throat.

Standing over the dead Ork, she looked down in horror at what she had done. Looking up, she scanned the area to see if anyone had witnessed her crime. Seeing no one, she quickly rolled the dead Ork into the barrier. Looking around again, she bent over the edge of the wagon, pulling the Human out and over her shoulder, and started away from the barrier and her place of torment.

Chapter 19

The Ork female carried Lindon over her shoulder for the rest of the day and into the night, wanting to put as much distance between them and her people. She didn't know why she did what she did. None of her people had ever gone against the wishes of the masters before. If they said you were to be sacrificed, you accepted their judgment and went to your death willingly.

What had changed? She didn't know, but one thing she did know: Her life was now with this Human. She had forsaken her people and traditions all for him; yes, he had healed her but that wasn't the only reason for her change in loyalties. There was something in his eyes when he had looked at her during his healing of her battered body. Still not believing that he was capable of healing her, she once again looked down at herself, marveling at the sight of her legs. There was no pain, nothing to indicate that they were once raw bone.

The look in his eyes was one of compassion, but that was not it either. There was something else in the look: anger, not at her but what was being done to her, and the realization that he could do something for someone not of his own, but an enemy.

She knew when he had first looked over the wagon with his weapons that he was the one that the masters were looking for. She had seen many Humans; not one of them carried two swords like this strange human. Her masters would reward greatly if she had brought him to them. Yet here she was fleeing her people with him draped over her shoulder.

When morning approached and the sun was just starting to rise, the Human moaned. Looking for a clear area to lay him down, she gently placed him on his back. Stepping back, she went to her knees to wait upon his waking.

Lindon woke with a start. Sitting up quickly, he almost blacked out again from the movement. He brought his hand up to his head. Feeling around, he didn't find any blood, only a bump where he was hit.

Looking around, he spotted the Ork female kneeling before him with her head bowed. He wasn’t sure what to say, so just said, “Hello.”

At first there was no response from the Ork. “Hello,” he repeated, louder. “Can you understand me?”

Still no response. He looked around again to see if he could recognize where he was but didn’t see anything familiar. He carefully stood up, not wanting to pass out again from his head wound.

Lindon checked his swords. They were still on his back. He looked down again at the one that had brought him there. “Hello, my name is Lindon. What’s yours?”

This time the Ork spoke. “I Nara,” she answered.

“Nice to meet you, Nara. I don't suppose you know where we are?”

“I carried you for day and night to here,” she answered still looking at the ground.

“Is there a reason that you are kneeling on the ground and not looking at me?” Lindon asked.

“You male and me, female,” she answered as if that would explain.

Seeing no threat from the Ork, he knelt down in front of her, reaching out his hand and placing it under her chin. Lindon brought her face up even with his. “You are not just a female; you are someone that saved me and carried me away. I would like to call you friend,” he told her.

As Lindon looked in to her eyes he was struck again by the color of them; they were the deepest blue he had ever seen and they seemed to look into his soul. As they did, Lindon could also see into hers.

They sat there on the ground just looking into each other’s eyes for a full minute before anything was said.

“Who are you?” she asked with a tremble in her voice.

“I told you, I am Lindon.”

“When I see you I know you, but have not met you,” she said. Now her whole body was trembling.

“I do not know either, there is something between us but I have no idea what. When I saw you in the wagon, I knew I had to help you. We are connected somehow. I feel like we were meant to be with each other,” Lindon said. “I have only felt this way with two other people,” Lindon whispered to himself.

He was about to say more to Nara but a noise came from the trees around him. Standing up, he pulled his swords, trying to see what it was.

Lindon was standing over the still kneeling Ork when suddenly, out of the surrounding trees fifty Orks emerged.

The leader stepped forward. “Why you here with Human?” he asked Nara.

She didn't answer. All she could do was huddle on the ground in fear.

Seeing the fear that this Ork was causing Nara brought a rage to Linon that almost scared him. He assumed that this Ork was the reason for her injuries beside the barrier. In a low and deadly voice, he murmured, “You are not wanted here; leave while you can.”

The leader of the Orks let out a bellow. “Haha, you funny little Human; it will be fun playing with you. You will scream long time.”

Seeing no way out but to fight, Lindon readied himself. The anger he felt didn't allow him to fear being so badly outnumbered. When the leader ordered two of the Orks to capture Lindon, he waited calmly for them to approach. They were within striking distance when Lindon exploded into action. Faster than they could react, Lindon swung one sword at the weapon of one of his attacker, knocking it away, and followed with his other, slicing through the creature's throat. He then spun around, blocking the strike of the other and bringing his other sword across the second Ork’s stomach just under its leather armor.

The leader of the Ork screamed in rage at the deaths of its men. The Ork was just about to order the rest of its soldiers to attack when an arrow struck him in the chest followed by two more. From behind, Dwarven warriors attacked.

The battle was short and ugly. The Orks were caught completely by surprise, and before they could turn and engage the Dwarfs, fully two thirds of their number were dead or dying. Lindon wanted to join with the Dwarfs, but he stood over top of Nara to not only protect her from the Orks, but also in case the Dwarfs did not understand she was with him.

When the last Ork fell, Lindon watch Kailid approach, giving the Ork female huddled at Lindon's feet a curious look. “Are you okay?” he asked.

Seeing the look on Kailid's face when he approached, he didn't put his weapons away quite yet; the last thing he wanted was to fight his friend but he couldn't let any harm come to Nara. “I would have to say a lot better now that you're here. Where are Donovan and Aina?” Lindon asked.

They are still back at the tunnel, waiting for word about you. They were worried when you didn't come back, so they sent us out to see if you needed help, and judging by your guests I would say they were right.”

Nora started to sit up. One of the Dwarfs with a crossbow thought she was going to attack Lindon and shot his bolt at her. Lindon caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and, faster than the eye could follow, struck down the arrow with his sword. Turning to the surrounding Dwarfs, he said, “She is with me and I consider her a friend. Any attack against her is an attack against me.”

The Dwarfs had all seen Lindon fight and most of them owed him their life. The Dwarf that had shot the arrow stepped forward. “I am sorry my lord, I thought she was with the enemy.”

Lindon faced the Dwarf; his swords still drawn. “No need to apologize; you didn't know,” he said calmly.

Putting his weapons away, Lindon held out his hand to Nara. Looking up at Lindon, she was once again struck by his sincerity. When he had struck down the arrow that was aimed for her, she was sure the would have fought these Dwarfs to protect her if they had tried to attack. She didn’t understand why he would and was hesitant to take his hand, but looking around at the little people, she knew that it was only Lindon's words that were keeping her alive. Reaching up to take his hand, she was drawn up to stand beside him.

“I think it's time to go. Lead on, Kailid,” Lindon said to the Dwarf.

Kailid gave one last look at the Ork female standing beside Lindon before he ordered his men to start back toward the tunnel.

Lindon thought it would be best if he gave Donovan and Aina warning that he was bringing Nara with him and that everything was okay. “
Donovan, Aina...Kailid and the Dwarfs have found me and we are on our way back.
”

Aina was the first to respond. “
Thank the stars; we were worried when you didn't come back.
”

Nara turned to Lindon and surprisingly spoke in Lindon's mind. “
Who you talking to?
” she asked.

Donovan's voice spoke to Lindon, stunned that there was someone else. “
Who is that with you? And how can she speak with us?
”

“
As to who, her name is Nara. As to the how, I have no clue,
” Lindon said to Donovan and Aina. To Nara, he said. “These are my friends Donovan and Aina, you will meet them soon, but how is it that you can hear what we are saying and can talk with us this way?”

“I don't know, I heard you talking and just talked back same way,” she said.

“
Okay, for now we won't worry about it
,” he said to the three of them in his mind. “
You should know that Nara is an Ork, and has saved my life. We are coming back, but I don't want any accidents when we get there, so warn everyone not to harm her.
”

Donovan's voice came back with amusement. “
An Ork, eh? Nothing you do surprises me anymore, Lindon
,” he chuckled. “
Worry not, I will tell them; she will be safe as long as she comes in peace.
”

Lindon breathed a sigh of relief; he had been worried since the attack on the Dwarven homeland. He might have had a problem keeping her safe, but Donovan surprised him once again.

The trip back to the tunnel was not as far as Lindon had feared; by noontime they were in sight of the entrance. Donovan and Aina were both waiting for them as they approached. Seeing Lindon walking toward them in the company of an Ork female should have been out of the ordinary, but for him it didn't look odd. The Human just attracted all sorts of unusual things, from an Elf to a Dwarf being friends despite the cultural dislike for each other’s race, now to an Ork. There wasn't any reason as to why, but he could make the strangest things seem normal.

When Lindon approached them he introduced Nara. “This is Donovan,” he said.

“Nice to meet you,” he replied with a smile, holding out his hand.

Unsure at first, she tentatively grasped his hand, overwhelmed that one of the little people was being nice to her, especially since her people had just recently attacked their home.

“And this is Aina,” Lindon introduced next.

The Elf didn't offer her hand to shake; all she said was “Thank you for saving Lindon.” But she said it warmly.

“It was he that saved me first, but I do not understand why he did it,” Nara stated.

Aina looked at Lindon. “You will get used to it, I don't even think he knows why he does half the things he does, but that is one of the reasons we love him,” she said with a smile.

Nara looked between the friends in wonder. How could they accept someone like her into their group so easily? It was beyond her understanding. Among her people, if you were different or an outsider, you were either killed or ignored as much as possible, as in the case of the Humans that were Ork allies. If it weren’t for the masters ordering them to work with them, Nara was sure that they would kill the Humans the first chance they got.

“Did you make it through the barrier?” she asked Lindon.

Nara, hearing that, turned to face Lindon. “You go in to barrier, that not possible,” she stated, but the image of Lindon putting his leg into it when he was healing her made her wonder.

Ignoring Nara's comment, Lindon looked into Aina's eyes. “Yes, Aina, I did.”

Aina could see the sadness in his eyes when he answered her, but knowing that she wasn't going to like the next answer, she asked anyway. “What of my people?”

“Aina…I am sorry more than I can say, but there was no one left alive. Everyone that I found in the city was dead.” He moved next to her.

“What happened to them?” she asked, trying to hold back her tears.