Friday, August 9, 2013
Chapter Eleven: Long Ago And Far Away
Someone was crying. Amber opened her eyes, slowly letting them adjust to the days brightness. She was sitting in a grassy break in in the surrounding forest. Across from her, in a soft white dress, was a little girl. Her back was stick strait, her arms hung at her sides, and her head was tilted all the way back with her mouth wide open wailing. There was something strange about her. Something not quiet right. Amber stood, slowly moving towards her. The girl stopped her cry's dropping her head down and staring at Amber wide eyed. "I miss him." said the girl quietly. Amber paused."Who?" The girl sniffled and touched the pendant that hung from her neck.Amber was cold. "His name is Darrow." Mumbled the little girl. Amber reached out for the pendant the girl held, she had to know for sure. But the world around her faded and she was plunged back into darkness. This time to come out along side a road. Here there where no trees to be seen, just the road winding and twisting around grassy hills. Far away a caravan appeared, Its brightly colored top marking the wagons as belonging to traders. As they drew closer one of the men on the lead wagon waved and shouted a greeting.The caravan halted some ten feet from Amber's position, the lead man gestured for her to join them. Here to something seamed off. The man look...Familiar. All of them, Men, women, children. And then she spotted him. Sitting alone under one of the wagons was Darrow. Not the Darrow who she now new,but the Darrow who she had known. The boy sat cross legged cradling something in his palm. She didn't have to look to know what it was, she was the one who had given it to him. Quickly she approached him. Sliding under the wagon and crossing her legs. The boy looked at her. Amber touched the pendant in his hand, reaching out with her mind she connected to him, to his thoughts, his dreams, his memory. It was harder this time. Harder then it had been when she had linked minds with his as an adult. And now it made sense. This was why it had been easy in the future. She had linked in the past. Not in her past but in his. The boy was looking at her now, confusion evident on his little face, but there was no time to explain, or try to, the darkness had returned.
Chapter Ten: Darrows Gifts
The large man called himself Akiki. He visited Darrow daily, never answered any of his questions, and always ask right before he left if Darrow had anything to tell him.
The humming was always there now. For the short time he had been around Amber, the name had come to him in his sleep, the humming had been gone. He wondered about her. Was she safe? why had she left him in the camp? He trusted her now. Once she had touched his mind there was no way to distrust her. The connection had opened her up to him and enabled him to see things about her that he never could have known.She trusted him. From the day she met him she had trusted him and now years later she still had not let go of that trust.
There was something else, something about the gift she had given him as a child. The scorpion encased in hardened amber. He had sensed that it was more then a gift but she had hidden that part of her mind quickly. He fingered it now, hanging from his neck. He had never taken it off. Never thought to remove it. Its smooth surface felt cool and soothing against his skin. The same way Amber's touch had cooled and soothed the burning in his brain when the Gralec had attacked him. He turned the pendant over looking at the scorpions underside.
Then door opened.In came Akiki, his clothing stained as usual, his beard carefully spin to a point. "And how are we this morning, or is it evening? I always forget." he said laughing. "Today we are going to try something new.I am going to torture you." Akiki sighed. "I regret having to do this you know. But..." His face lite up "We do what we must to accomplish our goals!"
The humming started to increase.
"I think we should start by cutting off a finger. What do you think?" Akiki paused waiting for Darrows response, only continuing once it was clear that he had no intention of answering. " Ive always wanted to have a finger in a jar. When I was little all my friends had one. My parents thought I was to young to have something so gruesome in my room." He giggled his eyes going wider "Do you want to know what I did?" Akiki walked across the room.
Something about the look in his eye warned Darrow not to let him get any closer. Sliding from the sheets Darrow backed towards the fireplace.
Akiki frowned pausing. "I killed them...in their sleep."
Darrow was looking but there wasn't anything he could use to defend himself. Akiki lunged across the room something metal was in his hand.
The humming filled Darrows mind blinding him, he closed his eyes. His head was spinning. A sharp pain shot through his hand. Silence.
The humming was always there now. For the short time he had been around Amber, the name had come to him in his sleep, the humming had been gone. He wondered about her. Was she safe? why had she left him in the camp? He trusted her now. Once she had touched his mind there was no way to distrust her. The connection had opened her up to him and enabled him to see things about her that he never could have known.She trusted him. From the day she met him she had trusted him and now years later she still had not let go of that trust.
There was something else, something about the gift she had given him as a child. The scorpion encased in hardened amber. He had sensed that it was more then a gift but she had hidden that part of her mind quickly. He fingered it now, hanging from his neck. He had never taken it off. Never thought to remove it. Its smooth surface felt cool and soothing against his skin. The same way Amber's touch had cooled and soothed the burning in his brain when the Gralec had attacked him. He turned the pendant over looking at the scorpions underside.
Then door opened.In came Akiki, his clothing stained as usual, his beard carefully spin to a point. "And how are we this morning, or is it evening? I always forget." he said laughing. "Today we are going to try something new.I am going to torture you." Akiki sighed. "I regret having to do this you know. But..." His face lite up "We do what we must to accomplish our goals!"
The humming started to increase.
"I think we should start by cutting off a finger. What do you think?" Akiki paused waiting for Darrows response, only continuing once it was clear that he had no intention of answering. " Ive always wanted to have a finger in a jar. When I was little all my friends had one. My parents thought I was to young to have something so gruesome in my room." He giggled his eyes going wider "Do you want to know what I did?" Akiki walked across the room.
Something about the look in his eye warned Darrow not to let him get any closer. Sliding from the sheets Darrow backed towards the fireplace.
Akiki frowned pausing. "I killed them...in their sleep."
Darrow was looking but there wasn't anything he could use to defend himself. Akiki lunged across the room something metal was in his hand.
The humming filled Darrows mind blinding him, he closed his eyes. His head was spinning. A sharp pain shot through his hand. Silence.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Chapter Nine: Amber,Water, And Fire
Amber slid to the ground breathing heavily. The ambush had been set perfectly. The enemy had known the path they were taking, known that they had a flat lander with them, and knowing this they had chosen carefully the spot to wait. Anyone from outside the mountains would require rest at this point in the trail, it was the last place that a flat lander could sleep without interruption. But how had they known, that was the question that kept coming back to her.
No one from home new where Amber was headed and none of the traders did either. There was only one possibility. Someone in their group had betrayed them.
Amber peeked out of the cave, back the way she had come but there was no one there.
She had other problems too. Even if she could figure out who had betrayed them how would she find the others.
Darrow would be easiest to find. Since she had made the bond with him she had been able to feel his distance from her. Something about that bothered her. Naturally she had a bond with her father and her mother but nether of those bonds touched the surface of the bond she had with Darrow. When she had touched his mind it had accepted her like she was a part of him that had gone on a walk and was now home. She wondered on that. When she was little had they bonded? Amber couldn't remember.
The cave was large. Amber gazed into the darkness trying to locate where it ended,or if the cave had an end a all. The mountains where pocketed with tunnels that created a maze from one end of them to the the other. Long ago the people of the mountains used these tunnels as there home, some say that there was a city in the mountains hidden from those on the surface. In more recent times the tunnels had been used to hide supply's in-case of marauders.
Amber crawled along the cave floor careful to feel in front of her before putting any weight down. Afraid to alert any pursuers of her presence she stayed silent resisting the urge to call forth the stones comforting light. Time passed slowly in the darkness, light from the caves mouth disappeared after a few turns in the tunnel. Amber stopped, leaning against the tunnels wall she closed her eyes. No change, eyes open or closed she saw nothing. Clutching the pendant that hung around her neck she sang. The elders warned children never to sing when you are inside a mountain; To many things could happen.
"I am the land that calls the sea," Amber felt the stones warmth against her skin but kept her eyes closed. "I am the distant night," warmth spread from the center of her palm up her arm. "I am the love that waits for thee, and I am not pain but fright. I lost my way and found a friend hidden among the trees, awaiting the day that I would come and save not him but me...”
No one from home new where Amber was headed and none of the traders did either. There was only one possibility. Someone in their group had betrayed them.
Amber peeked out of the cave, back the way she had come but there was no one there.
She had other problems too. Even if she could figure out who had betrayed them how would she find the others.
Darrow would be easiest to find. Since she had made the bond with him she had been able to feel his distance from her. Something about that bothered her. Naturally she had a bond with her father and her mother but nether of those bonds touched the surface of the bond she had with Darrow. When she had touched his mind it had accepted her like she was a part of him that had gone on a walk and was now home. She wondered on that. When she was little had they bonded? Amber couldn't remember.
The cave was large. Amber gazed into the darkness trying to locate where it ended,or if the cave had an end a all. The mountains where pocketed with tunnels that created a maze from one end of them to the the other. Long ago the people of the mountains used these tunnels as there home, some say that there was a city in the mountains hidden from those on the surface. In more recent times the tunnels had been used to hide supply's in-case of marauders.
Amber crawled along the cave floor careful to feel in front of her before putting any weight down. Afraid to alert any pursuers of her presence she stayed silent resisting the urge to call forth the stones comforting light. Time passed slowly in the darkness, light from the caves mouth disappeared after a few turns in the tunnel. Amber stopped, leaning against the tunnels wall she closed her eyes. No change, eyes open or closed she saw nothing. Clutching the pendant that hung around her neck she sang. The elders warned children never to sing when you are inside a mountain; To many things could happen.
"I am the land that calls the sea," Amber felt the stones warmth against her skin but kept her eyes closed. "I am the distant night," warmth spread from the center of her palm up her arm. "I am the love that waits for thee, and I am not pain but fright. I lost my way and found a friend hidden among the trees, awaiting the day that I would come and save not him but me...”
Chapter Eight: Questions
Staylec argued quietly with the girl as they walked. It was obvious he was not wining. Night was falling by the time he retreated into a resentful silence. Darrow yawned.
“Shouldn’t we find a place to settle in for a few hours?”
Staylec glared. “Why? So we can waist more time? We are safe, nothing would dare attack us and to add to that we are 3 thousand miles from the next nearest settlement, no one has any reason to be out here!”
The girl smiled, “If that were true then I wouldn’t have wasted my time to make the trip.” She turned to Darrow, “ You will need your rest, and tomorrow we climb. I have an old friend to see.”
Shouts echoed thru the night startling Darrow awake. Light filled their camp. Darrow tried to move but his hands and feet where bound, He was helpless.
“I think I see her!” Shouted a gruff voice. There was a pounding of feat, the snap of broken branches, and something else. Barely audible was the sound of humming. Something slammed into the back of Darrow’s head and he blacked out. The humming fallowed him into the darkness. He wasn’t sure if he was dreaming or not. He could see a floor and someone’s feet. Then he was in a bed and an old man was taking to him asking him questions he couldn’t remember the answers to. Sometimes it was just flashes of him in the room with the bed. At some point he started to regain real consciousness. The room he was in was large, ornate, and ugly if he were telling the truth.
A door on the other side of the room slide open and a large man entered and waddled across the floor.
“Good morning and how are we today, feeling better I think?”
“Where is the girl? I want to see her, where am I? Who are you?” Darrow felt a wave of dizzy ness as the man got closer he smelled like he was rotting.
The man inspected him, “Your friends abandoned you, you are safe now, I am..” His voice trailed off and he smiled showing his black rotting teeth, “your friend.” He chuckled to himself and turned to head back through the door.
“Shouldn’t we find a place to settle in for a few hours?”
Staylec glared. “Why? So we can waist more time? We are safe, nothing would dare attack us and to add to that we are 3 thousand miles from the next nearest settlement, no one has any reason to be out here!”
The girl smiled, “If that were true then I wouldn’t have wasted my time to make the trip.” She turned to Darrow, “ You will need your rest, and tomorrow we climb. I have an old friend to see.”
Shouts echoed thru the night startling Darrow awake. Light filled their camp. Darrow tried to move but his hands and feet where bound, He was helpless.
“I think I see her!” Shouted a gruff voice. There was a pounding of feat, the snap of broken branches, and something else. Barely audible was the sound of humming. Something slammed into the back of Darrow’s head and he blacked out. The humming fallowed him into the darkness. He wasn’t sure if he was dreaming or not. He could see a floor and someone’s feet. Then he was in a bed and an old man was taking to him asking him questions he couldn’t remember the answers to. Sometimes it was just flashes of him in the room with the bed. At some point he started to regain real consciousness. The room he was in was large, ornate, and ugly if he were telling the truth.
A door on the other side of the room slide open and a large man entered and waddled across the floor.
“Good morning and how are we today, feeling better I think?”
“Where is the girl? I want to see her, where am I? Who are you?” Darrow felt a wave of dizzy ness as the man got closer he smelled like he was rotting.
The man inspected him, “Your friends abandoned you, you are safe now, I am..” His voice trailed off and he smiled showing his black rotting teeth, “your friend.” He chuckled to himself and turned to head back through the door.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Chapter seven: Links and Meenings
“Darrow are you sure you want to go?” Mallik stood at the entrance to Darrow’s wagon the morning sun bright behind him. Darrow sat at the back of the wagon packing what he would need. “This is a dangerous thing you are doing, you must think this through, you don’t even know that girls name and you are fallowing her and that boy off to who knows where. Why are you trusting them?” ask Mallik sadly.
“I trust her. And I am doing it because somehow I know she is the last person on earth who would try and harm me.” Darrow stood. He had made his decision and had no intention of getting talked out of it. He didn't really trust the girl as much as he claimed but Mallik didn't know that.
The sun capped the peaks as the group struck out from the wagon camp.
“So, how far is this place we’re going to?” Darrow asked turning to the girl.
“Not very far, four-five days”. She glanced over her shoulder with a smile. Staylec frowned.
“You’re going to take us the slow way?” he asked. “Why?” Her smile spread.
“Because if we go the other way, I would have to protect him from the Gralec.” Turning to Darrow she said “Unless you dont mind me melding with you?”
Darrow studied the girl. "What do you mean?"
Silence.
"My mind would bind with yours... I would see into you and you into me...among our people it is considered a very intimate bond, once you connect with someone you always have the connection, you can never undo it. The Gralec has a similar ability to enter another persons mind, he however can invade, strike and leave without haveing any trace connection. Most creatures living in these mountains have some version or another of this ability, it is a benefit of long therm exposure to the stone when its active." Darrow frowned.
" A stone cant be active, its a stone, it isnt alive."
Staylec snorted and mumbled something under his breath.
The girl ignored him. Takeing out the pendant that hung about her neck.
"This isnt stone like what you walk on in the street. It is living. Like a plant." She hummed something softly and a silver light apeared swirling around her hand. There was a tingling around Darrows neck and he reached for his pendant. It was glowing when he pulled it out.
Staylec's eyes hardened but he said nuthing.
“How long does it take if I agree to that? How long to get there?” Darrow asked uncertainly.
“Three days” answered Staylec.
“Okay, I’ll do it” said Darrow. The girl smiled.
The path they followed was no more than a thin animal track overgrown with strange plants of every color, winding its way through the thick growth in such a way as to disorient one after only a few paces. To add to this was the ground. Rocky as it was, the path was uneven and sudden dips in it were many times covered by then mossy webs. All in all Darrow was completely exhausted by the time they made it to a clearing and immediately sat down to catch his breath.
Darrow sat on a long thick, hollowed out log, his hands on his knees, panting for breath. He had been running to keep up with Staylec and the girl for the last 20 minutes.
“How can you two keep that pace and not be tired by now?” he gasped.
The girl smiled, “We do this all the time. We’re going slowly today so you can keep up.” She stated with a shrug.
Darrow rolled his eyes in exasperation.
Staylec sneered
“We are wasting time, we should carry him. It would be faster.” As the last was said, a deep rumble filled the air. The sound resonating from the log on which Darrow sat.
“Darrow, get up and walk slowly over to me” the girl said quietly. The log shuddered. “Gralec is that you?” The sound stopped, and a small head popped out of the logs mossy end.
“Not you again!” The creature spat. The girl smiled.
“Darrow, this is Gralec.”
Gralec stood three inches tall and one inch wide, looking more like an angered chipmunk than anything else. His black-brown hair, slicked back, covered him from head to toe. His beady black eyes, placed close together, made him seem almost cross-eyed. Gralec’s fur bristled.
“Who is this! You would bring a muck piling flatlander here, defiling my home!” Gralec’s eyes blazed. A bolt of pain went through Darrow’s mind sending him to the ground gasping in pain. Amber stepped between the two.
“You should stop now.” The girl placed a hand on his forehead and a wave of comfort came over him cooling the pain in his head. The Gralec snarled.
“ what is he to you?” The girl gave Gralec a meaning full look. “He is a link.” The Gralec froze, all previous anger forgotten. A thoughtful look covered his tiny features. Then quite suddenly he was at Darrow’s side trying to help him up.
Staylec rolled his eyes and the girl stepped forward.
“Will you let us pass now?” The Gralec wiped his eyes and studied then thoughtfully.
“I must come with you.” He stated quietly. Staylec glared.
“You can’t. We need to be fast.” The girl turned calmly to him. “That is not your decision.”
“I trust her. And I am doing it because somehow I know she is the last person on earth who would try and harm me.” Darrow stood. He had made his decision and had no intention of getting talked out of it. He didn't really trust the girl as much as he claimed but Mallik didn't know that.
The sun capped the peaks as the group struck out from the wagon camp.
“So, how far is this place we’re going to?” Darrow asked turning to the girl.
“Not very far, four-five days”. She glanced over her shoulder with a smile. Staylec frowned.
“You’re going to take us the slow way?” he asked. “Why?” Her smile spread.
“Because if we go the other way, I would have to protect him from the Gralec.” Turning to Darrow she said “Unless you dont mind me melding with you?”
Darrow studied the girl. "What do you mean?"
Silence.
"My mind would bind with yours... I would see into you and you into me...among our people it is considered a very intimate bond, once you connect with someone you always have the connection, you can never undo it. The Gralec has a similar ability to enter another persons mind, he however can invade, strike and leave without haveing any trace connection. Most creatures living in these mountains have some version or another of this ability, it is a benefit of long therm exposure to the stone when its active." Darrow frowned.
" A stone cant be active, its a stone, it isnt alive."
Staylec snorted and mumbled something under his breath.
The girl ignored him. Takeing out the pendant that hung about her neck.
"This isnt stone like what you walk on in the street. It is living. Like a plant." She hummed something softly and a silver light apeared swirling around her hand. There was a tingling around Darrows neck and he reached for his pendant. It was glowing when he pulled it out.
Staylec's eyes hardened but he said nuthing.
“How long does it take if I agree to that? How long to get there?” Darrow asked uncertainly.
“Three days” answered Staylec.
“Okay, I’ll do it” said Darrow. The girl smiled.
The path they followed was no more than a thin animal track overgrown with strange plants of every color, winding its way through the thick growth in such a way as to disorient one after only a few paces. To add to this was the ground. Rocky as it was, the path was uneven and sudden dips in it were many times covered by then mossy webs. All in all Darrow was completely exhausted by the time they made it to a clearing and immediately sat down to catch his breath.
Darrow sat on a long thick, hollowed out log, his hands on his knees, panting for breath. He had been running to keep up with Staylec and the girl for the last 20 minutes.
“How can you two keep that pace and not be tired by now?” he gasped.
The girl smiled, “We do this all the time. We’re going slowly today so you can keep up.” She stated with a shrug.
Darrow rolled his eyes in exasperation.
Staylec sneered
“We are wasting time, we should carry him. It would be faster.” As the last was said, a deep rumble filled the air. The sound resonating from the log on which Darrow sat.
“Darrow, get up and walk slowly over to me” the girl said quietly. The log shuddered. “Gralec is that you?” The sound stopped, and a small head popped out of the logs mossy end.
“Not you again!” The creature spat. The girl smiled.
“Darrow, this is Gralec.”
Gralec stood three inches tall and one inch wide, looking more like an angered chipmunk than anything else. His black-brown hair, slicked back, covered him from head to toe. His beady black eyes, placed close together, made him seem almost cross-eyed. Gralec’s fur bristled.
“Who is this! You would bring a muck piling flatlander here, defiling my home!” Gralec’s eyes blazed. A bolt of pain went through Darrow’s mind sending him to the ground gasping in pain. Amber stepped between the two.
“You should stop now.” The girl placed a hand on his forehead and a wave of comfort came over him cooling the pain in his head. The Gralec snarled.
“ what is he to you?” The girl gave Gralec a meaning full look. “He is a link.” The Gralec froze, all previous anger forgotten. A thoughtful look covered his tiny features. Then quite suddenly he was at Darrow’s side trying to help him up.
Staylec rolled his eyes and the girl stepped forward.
“Will you let us pass now?” The Gralec wiped his eyes and studied then thoughtfully.
“I must come with you.” He stated quietly. Staylec glared.
“You can’t. We need to be fast.” The girl turned calmly to him. “That is not your decision.”
Sunday, June 16, 2013
New Chapters from 2012
Hi there! Don't worry I didn't stop writing. chapters 7 thru 19 will soon be up I intend to post at least 7,8,9, and 10 before the end of the week so stay tuned! Once I've caught you guys up with 2012s chapters we can start with some from this year. Thank you for reading and I always love to hear what you guys think of my writing and any interesting twists that I haven't thought up yet!
With Love,
The Dream Writer
With Love,
The Dream Writer
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