Rampage, page 26
part #1 of Land of the Elementals Series
Five targets lined up before her exploded in a shower of splinters, the shockwave so intense that it forced her to stumble back. She looked over at Palmine who was once again taking notes, with that stupid hourglass tipped on its side.
“Twenty-one minutes and thirty-eight seconds, and five targets completely destroyed.”
She pulled a splinter of wood from her hair.
“I don’t think we’ll be making another attempt today, as I have now figured out what area to focus on.”
“You have?” Karria asked in confusion.
Wasn’t she already teaching her?
“From the three lessons I gave you, I can see that you have a massive amount of power, but very little control. So, from now on, we will be focusing on bringing that power under control.”
She made one more note on her paper and then rolled it up.
“You are dismissed. I expect you back here every day at the same time.”
With that, the older woman walked off, once again muttering to herself.
Karria walked tiredly toward the exit. Kya wouldn’t be done for another five minutes. She sat down on one of the benches in the plaza to wait for her. She was utterly drained, and this had only been the first day!
She groaned quietly to herself as she contemplated the entire week ahead.
34
Arbor came to slowly, his eyes cracking open. He blinked a few times to clear his vision. He was lying in a bed and staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. His body felt stiff, and he noticed an odd pressure around his arm and both his legs.
Moving the covers off himself, he could see that he was in his underclothes and that both his legs were heavily bandaged. His right arm was splinted and tied to his chest, presumably to stop him moving it in his sleep. He felt a moment of panic when he noticed that his pendant and Karria’s necklace were missing from around his neck but breathed a sigh of relief when he saw them both, as well as his money pouch, on a small table near his bed.
He looked around the small room. Aside from the bed and small nightstand, it was quite bare. There was a waterskin and some fruit on the stand near his bed. Sitting up, he used his left hand to slide the pendant and necklace back over his head and tucked them under his shirt. He would have to find a better spot for his money.
Picking up the waterskin, he pulled the stopper with his teeth and took a long slow sip. It felt amazing, as though he hadn’t had a drink in days! His stomach rumbled then, and he realized how hungry he was. Picking up a piece of the fruit, he popped it into his mouth. Chewing slowly, he tried to figure out where he was.
He must be in the rebel base. Where else would he be? But how had he gotten there? And more importantly, how was he still alive? The last thing he remembered was fighting the Gila lizards, and then nothing.
The door to his room opened, and Grak came in, carrying a tray with bread and meat. She looked haggard, as though she hadn’t slept in days.
“Grak?” Arbor asked, “You look terrible! What happened?”
The tray dropped to the ground with a loud clatter as Grak looked up at the sound of his voice.
“Arbor?” she asked, as if not quite believing he was awake.
Her bottom lip quivered a bit, and he wondered what could have happened to make her act this way. She took a few hesitant steps forward, then broke into a run and tackled him in an embrace. Arbor winced as Grak landed on him, feeling his tender muscles twinge.
“Ow! Not so tight!” he groaned as she squeezed him.
“I’m sorry! Did I hurt you?” she asked, quickly getting off him.
She started examining him, poking at his arm, his ribs, and his legs.
“Yes, it actually did hurt,” he said as she looked him over.
She looked up from his legs then, and he could see a tear sliding down her cheek. She shook herself and quickly wiped it away.
“I’m sorry if I hurt you,” she said as she sat back on the bed. “I was just so relieved to see you awake that I couldn’t help myself.”
He could see tears threatening to come again, so he was quick to reassure her that he was okay. This seemed to calm her a bit, and she even attempted a smile.
Grak took a deep breath and composed herself, then went to pick up the platter she’d dropped upon entering. Most of the meat had miraculously stayed on the plate, and so had the bread. She carried these over to him and sat down on the edge of the bed, an embarrassed smile coming to her lips.
“I’m sorry I acted that way,” she began, dabbing at her eyes with her sleeve.
Arbor remained quiet and let her speak.
“You’ve been unconscious for over two weeks. I was so worried that you’d never wake up again. When I heard your voice, I was so relieved. Hence, the reaction.”
Arbor was shocked, and he felt his heart skip a beat. He’d been unconscious for two weeks?! It was a wonder he hadn’t starved to death, or that he’d woken up at all!
“Would you mind telling me what happened?” he asked in a gentle voice. “The last thing I remember is a horde of Gila lizards coming at us.”
Grak nodded slowly and set the platter down in front of him.
“I want you to eat first. Then I’ll tell you what happened.”
Arbor was very curious, but he was also famished. It was a little difficult, eating with his left hand, but he managed to wolf everything down in a matter of minutes. He looked over at Grak once he was done, noting that she looked a lot calmer now. Clearing her throat a few times, she began recounting what had happened.
“The massive horde of Gila lizards were fast approaching, and we couldn’t find the entrance to the rebel base. I watched as they drew nearer, their numbers too overwhelming for any chance of victory. I was sure we would die, but then you stepped forward to fight them all alone.”
She paused here as her eyes began to water again.
“You managed to stop them all somehow. I’ve never seen anything like it! You moved so quickly that I couldn’t follow you with my eyes. All I could see is where you’d been, the area marked by dead monsters and severed limbs. I did see you when you stopped, though. You were glowing with a brilliant light. You shone so brightly that the entire area was lit up and I could barely look at you.”
She paused again, folding her hands in her lap.
“You then swung your weapon, and all the light seemed to concentrate there, before flowing out in a massive explosion. When the light faded, all of the Gila lizards were lying on the ground. Most were missing great chunks from their bodies. Some were even split right down the middle. One or two were still alive, but their legs had been blown off, and they weren’t much of a threat. The ground itself was split open as well, nearly twenty feet long and several feet across.”
She shifted a bit on the bed to find a more comfortable position and continued.
“I ran over as soon as I saw you collapse. You looked awful.”
She stopped once again, her voice sounding a bit choked.
“You were covered in burns, your arm was broken, and your legs were a mass of cuts and bruises. I was more worried and afraid than I’d ever been. You looked so horrible that I was sure you were dead!”
She took a deep breath, calming herself once again.
“I felt your neck and listened by your chest and heard a heartbeat, so I used my magic to try and cool your body. It worked to a degree, as your breathing seemed to ease a bit. Then the rock that marked the rebel’s territory slid to the side, and a small troop rode out on horseback. After I fetched the letter from Akkard, they brought us inside. They had a healer look at you immediately. Unfortunately, their only magical healer wasn’t here at the time, so he patched you up as best as he could. I made sure to keep watch over you and Hord managed to get out of bed to visit a few times.”
“Wait, what happened to Hord?” Arbor asked worriedly.
“Oh, he did something stupid. He thought it would be funny to kick one of the legless lizards, but the thing caught his leg in its mouth. By the time he’d managed to kill it, his leg was covered in acid burns from the monster’s teeth.”
She giggled at that.
“I know it’s not funny that he got hurt, but you should have heard him. He cursed and yelled and carried on like a child when he found out he’d be off his feet for a month. The healer said he’d make a full recovery, but he’s been confined to bed for most of the day.”
Grak lapsed into silence here as Arbor took everything in.
He wasn’t sure what he’d done to himself by using all that magic, but one thing was very clear. There was a very real possibility of death if he pushed himself too far without the proper training. He resolved himself right then and there to go to the Goldenleaf Forest once he’d rescued Karria, just as Silver had told him.
As he stared at the red-skinned woman, he found – oddly enough – that he no longer wished to die as he once had.
Whether it came from his near-death experience or that Grak had seemed so relieved to see him alive, he wasn’t sure. He still felt the pain of losing his parents and Florren, but it was muted somehow as if the pain was a distant one.
He looked at Grak and for what felt like the first time in months, he felt a smile attempting to creep onto his face. His lips twitched a few times, before settling back into its customary straight line.
It appeared that he still couldn’t bring himself to do it. Arbor mentally shrugged at that. All things come with time.
The slight movement wasn’t lost on Grak and her face split into a smile that seemed to light up her entire face. It wasn’t much, she thought, but it’s a start.
“So, what will we be doing now?” Arbor asked. “Have you spoken with anyone about the attack on Fivora?”
Grak nodded, her bright smile slipping here for some reason.
“I spoke with one of the Co-founders last week. She said that most of the rebels have moved into the Endless Wood a day’s ride from here. That is why their magical healer wasn’t here to patch you up.”
“Why the Endless Wood?” Arbor asked.
“The Endless Wood is the only way to reach Fivora undetected,” Grak explained.
Arbor was about to ask another question when Grak clamped a hand over his mouth.
“No more questions. I want you to rest. Once Co-founder Ramona finds out you’re awake, she’ll want to meet you right away. Until then, you will lay here and recover.”
She stood then, brushing the front of her pants and stretched mightily.
“There’s someone standing outside your door if you need anything,” she said, straightening and covering a yawn. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call for me.”
Arbor nodded. Then she did something unexpected. Leaning down, she kissed him lightly on the cheek. Her lips were soft and warm, and Arbor found that despite her being of a different race, he quite enjoyed it, though it made him feel guilty as he was reminded of his dead fiancé. Grak pulled back then, her cheeks burned a dark red, and she couldn’t seem to meet his eyes. She didn’t apologize, however.
“I’m glad to see you awake. It hasn’t been the same here without you.”
Arbor pushed down the roil of conflicting emotions threatening to break loose. He could think about them another time.
“I have to say that it’s good to be alive,” he said after a few seconds.
Grak nodded, quickly backing towards the door. Her back bumped into it, and she finally met his eyes. They were shining with unrepressed emotion, enough to make Arbor feel distinctly uncomfortable. She then broke eye contact and waved one more time before leaving, closing the door gently behind her.
As soon as she was gone, he lay back in bed and closed his eyes. Grak was beautiful, in a strange alien sort of way. He knew that she wanted their friendship to be more, and if he had to admit it to himself, he was beginning to feel much the same. However, Florren’s face would pop into his mind whenever he’d think about it. It was confusing and painful at the same time, as he was torn on what to do. Eventually, he decided that it wouldn’t do him any good to think about it now.
It was troubling that he’d been out so long and that he’d apparently been hurt so badly. He tried to move his arm again, but it was tied to firmly to his side. He knew he should examine himself with his magic to see how bad it was, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead, he just contented himself with sleep.
A knock at the door woke him, and Grak entered the room, carrying another tray.
“Rise and shine,” she said with a smile, placing the tray of eggs and sausage in front of him. There was also a large loaf of bread and a pitcher of water.
She helped him sit up and wash the sleep from his face with some of the water. Feeling refreshed, he picked up the fork and awkwardly started to eat.
Grak watched with some amusement as the right-handed Arbor attempted to eat with his left.
“Here, let me help,” she said, attempting to take the fork from him.
“I’m fine!” he said, getting annoyed. “Just let me eat.”
She was being too pushy, and he still didn’t know how to feel about the kiss she’d given him earlier.
Despite his plea, Grak wasn’t about to give up.
“Come on. I don’t mind. Just give me the fork and let me feed you.” She tried grabbing the fork again.
“I said I was fine!” he shouted, starting to become angry.
“And I said that it wasn’t a big deal! Now stop being so stubborn and let me help!” she shouted back, lunging for the fork.
Her hand caught the bottom of the food tray and sent it flying everywhere. Eggs, sausage and an entire pitcher of water soaked into his blanket and shirt.
“Now look what you’ve done!” Arbor shouted, his face going red in anger.
“Arbor, I’m sorry!” Grak said, pulling out a handkerchief and trying to clean up the mess.
“Stop! Just stop!” he yelled, and she finally did.
She looked upset and hurt, and Arbor knew that he was probably overreacting. He was lashing out, instead of dealing with his emotions, but right now, he was just too mad to care.
“Just leave me alone! I’ll clean it up myself.”
She sat back, her back stiff as a board. Her bottom lip was quivering slightly as she tried to hold back tears.
“If that’s really what you want, I’ll go.”
Arbor knew he should stop her, but he was too angry now to do so. Seeing that he wasn’t going to answer, she spun on her heel and rushed out of the room.
Arbor was sure he heard a sob before the door closed. Looking down at himself, he sighed. He knew that he’d overreacted. Grak was only trying to help.
With a grunt, he rolled out of the bed and got shakily to his feet. They were both heavily bandaged, and he only had one arm to work with. He was soaked through and so were the blankets.
This was going to be unpleasant.
35
Arbor was sitting up in bed and reading a book when there was a knock at the door, and Hord hobbled in. His right leg was bandaged, and he had a crutch under one arm. He bumped the door closed with the crutch and then sat heavily on the corner of the bed. He then gave Arbor a questioning look.
“So, can you tell me what’s got the gremlin lass so upset? She’s locked herself up in her room and seeing as you’re the last person she spoke with, I thought you might be able to enlighten me.”
Arbor snapped his book shut and scowled at the dwarf.
“It’s nice to see you too, Hord,” he said in a flat voice. “I hear that a half-dead lizard took a chunk out of your leg.”
Hord just gave him a smarmy grin.
“I know what you’re trying to do, lad, and it’s not going to work. Now tell me what happened.”
Arbor sighed resignedly and told Hord the story. Now that he said it out loud, he could see how bad it actually sounded. He’d basically gotten upset over nothing.
As expected, Hord was shaking his head by the time Arbor finished his story. He backed further onto the bed until his back was against the wall and sighed in relief as his injured leg straightened out in front of him.
“Let me ask you something, and be perfectly honest with me,” Hord said, turning his head to look at him.
“I suppose I can answer honestly,” Arbor grumbled.
“Were you dropped on your head as a baby?”
Arbor sat up a little straighter, his mouth turning down in a frown.
“What exactly do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I asked,” the dwarf exclaimed, throwing his hands up as if begging for divine intervention.
“Here you have a lovely young lady who was just trying to be nice, and what do you do? Blow your top like a spoiled child!”
“I know I overreacted, but you don’t have to insult me as well!” Arbor said, his voice now rising as well.
“It seems as though I do!” Hord yelled back. “You’re eighteen years old! A full-grown man, by anyone’s reckoning, and apparently can’t keep a cool head around one of the only people who genuinely cares about you!”
Arbor just folded his left arm under the sling and glowered. He knew he was in the wrong. He’d even admitted as much to himself. He just wasn’t about to admit it to Hord, though.
“Do you have any idea what she’s done for you, how much she cares about you?” the dwarf asked in a lower tone. “She made an oath to protect you. Did you know that?”
Arbor was surprised to hear this.
“What do you mean, protect me? And how do you suddenly know so much about her?” he asked suspiciously.
For all he knew, the dwarf was making this all up to make him feel even guiltier.
“Did you forget that you’ve been unconscious for the last two weeks?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. “In all that time, she hardly ate or slept. She was constantly by your side, tending to you. So, I asked her one day why she was so insistent on doing it herself when there was a healer that could do it for her. Do you know what she told me?”
