Chapter 6 - The Elfin Village

Chapter 6

The next morning I woke with a start. Don't ask me how or why but I sensed that something was wrong. Zeek was not in the cave. I ran out of the cave into the bright daylight to find Arvin standing looking worried.

"He insisted on going home to do his chores," said Arvin, "I'm worried, Gladimhere, something is not right!"

I sprang upon his back. "Run! Run as fast as you can to his village! I think he's in danger!"

After a mile or so the dragon began to slow. The path through was not meant for dragon but for slim elves. "Stop!" I commanded. Arvin stopped and I dismounted.

"Follow me as fast as you can. I shall race ahead," I said to Arvin. He nodded and I took off down the path towards Zeek's village.

When I arrived at the village outskirts the path changed to a road. It was unnaturally quite. Small houses with attractive gardens lined the road. I slowed my pace to a fast jog. I began to hear voices as I came to a crossroad. The crossroad led to the village center where I saw a large number of elves crowed together in the town center. I ran towards the town center again as fast as I could. I pushed my way through the crowd. I knew the elves I'd pushed aside were shocked to see me -- a human.

I saw Zeek lying face to the ground and his wrists and ankles were bound by ropes to stakes in the ground. A large orc with a whip had just stuck him. I saw the three orc I had injured yesterday jeering plus five more laughing at what was happening to Zeek.

As the large orc started to swing the whip back I darted forward leapt into the air grabbed the tail of the whip as the end wrapped around my hand with a sting. My feet hit the chest of the orc whose hand I had pinned to the ground with the dirk.

As I fell to the ground the whip was yanked out of the large orc's hand and the dirk once again was in my hand. It seemed to favor me. The orc whose mouth I'd bashed with the axe looked in horror at me then turned and ran as I got to my feet. The orc whose Achilles heel I'd cut turn and hobbled away. The one who I just knocked over scrambled backwards as fast as he could, got up and ran away. I could smell his fear and he really stank.

I sprang to my feet the dirk in one hand the handle of the whip in the other. I was seriously outnumbered until I heard a bloody curdling roar. Elves were screaming and scattering out of the way of a fierce looking dragon. The five orcs started to charge at the dragon. I threw my dirk which sliced through the throats of two orcs while my other hand commanded the whip into action and it sliced across the large orcs eyes. He let out a scream of pain and a jelly like substance oozed down is face. He was now blind.
Meanwhile, the dragon's tail whipped around breaking the backs of the three remaining orcs.

My dirk was back in my hand as I walked over to Zeek and cut the ropes binding him. Through his shirt seeped blood from being hit by the whip.

With a dirty face he looked up at me.

"Sorry, I was a bit late," I whispered.

"You're here that's all that matters. I'll live," he said softly with a pained smile.

It occurred to me that he and Arvin were right. Magic surrounded me and flowed through me. With my dirk I cut open the back off his shirt and revealed the long bloody gash across his back. Tears rolled down my cheeks to see him hurt like this. I knew the dragon would protect us. I dropped the whip and dirk to the ground placing my hands ever so gently at each end of the wound. I closed my eyes for a moment summoning something from deep inside me. I imagined a golden energy flowing from one hand, traveling along the wounded area to my other hand. It felt tinglely as it flowed. I knew something happened as Zeek gasped when it started. After several minutes the tingling faded and I opened my eyes. All that was left of the wound was a slight redness which seemed to be fading.

Zeek sat up and softly said, "I love you."

I stood. I was happy.

Arvin was looking at me and then winked. I smiled.

Five dead orcs, three on the run and one blinded and whining loudly. My attitude was back in spades.

"SHUT UP YOU BLUBBERING BAG OF ORCSHIT!" I yelled, "You!" pointing to a grown elf. He looked half scared of me. Fuck'em! "Go get Hoppy the Orc and tell him to come back and get this whining bag of orcshit." The elf stood there shaking, "NOW" I commanded and he ran off.

"Go get all your things and some food you are going to live with Arvin and I," said to Zeek quietly.

When Hoppy the Orc and the blind bag of orcshit were on their way out of the village and Dragon's Tail I told the elves I wanted every single elf in the village including all the elfin children gather here in five minutes. Then I walked over to Arvin, "Dude, you nearly scared the shit out of me with that roar but I was glad to hear it cuz I was like seriously out numbered. Awesome dude! And that fucking tail of yours -- whoa! That was tight!"
"Huh?"

I laughed. "You were magical!"

He smiled. When a dragon smiles he looks really mean cuz you see all his sharp teeth. I think most of the elves there watching me were sure Arvin was about to eat me so I move forward and hugged him.

Ten minutes had passed. Zeek was sitting on Arvin's back holding two large bags one with his things and the other with food. As they turned to return to the cave I turned to face the elves gathered in the town center.

The whole village was present as I had requested. I got my attitude back. I stood there before them trying to look as manly as I could -- I call it my `Indiana Jones' look with the dirk tucked in between my belt and jeans on my left side and the whip rolled up and loosely tied to a jean loop on my right. I wished I hat the hat but it was in my closet back home. Really, I had a hat like Indy. I began to speak.

"YOU ARE PATHETIC! Is your zeitgeist to standby and let those foul cowards harm the one only in this village worth anything? He is the bravest, caring and magical elf I have ever known. He is smaller than most his age and not one of you stood in his corner when he needed your help. Well, I am taking him from you and he will be living with me and the dragon that is also magical. You should be ashamed of yourselves. You chastised him for having a friend who is a dragon. A dragon who if you bothered to befriend would help turn your land into a paradise. A dragon who would sacrifice his own life for you as he would have done for that boy. You disgust me!"

"You made fun of Zeek for saying that he had a human friend. You didn't believe I existed. Well, I do exist. I am Gladimhere, the human."

"The orcs will return in greater number to slaughter you. You can either succumb or stand and be brave like Zeek and fight. I know he will fight and he will become the greatest elfin fighter of all time. He has the magic."

"You know where I live. I can train those who have the honor to stand and fight for their land and for their people as I will train Zeek."

"You have a choice. Now is the time to become the elves that I believe in or an extinct species."

I turned and jogged after Zeek and Arvin.