literature

NaNoWriMo 2015 - Yokov and Snorer Part 9

Deviation Actions

dragondoodle's avatar
By
Published:
893 Views

Literature Text

Lord Artith got up slowly. It hadn’t gone exactly as he had planned but at least someone had touched the orb. That was all he needed. He’d watched Shok’Artel experiment with the orb enough to know the pattern and all he needed was one more person to touch it before he would be able to use it himself. Although, what had happened to the tall, white haired man had been a shock. He’d never seen the orb do that in all the time he’d been watching. He wondered if it was because it had been a complete accident. Everyone else had been either eager or at least coerced into touching the orb of their own free will, no one simply touched it without intending. Oh well, what mattered was that it had been done and now he could use the orb to make sure that this new High King would not take control of Gods’ Glass.

He looked at the orb and took a step back. It was glowing a color he had never seen, a bright and dangerous looking dark red. He paused. Perhaps he would wait after all. He turned and headed out to tell his guards to hunt down and destroy their visitors. No point in letting them get back to their Kingdom alive, it would just bring the wrath of whatever the new High King’s name was all the sooner. Not that he believed that the new ruler was anything close to as powerful as High King Gaetan or even Shok’Artel, but it never hurt to be cautious.

As the last of Lord Artith’s long velvet gown slid out of the small room, the orb began pulsating wildly. If the man had seen what was happening he would have run rather than walked.

********

Looking back on their escape, Yokov was amazed that the guards weren’t smart enough to just get out of their way. The damage would have far less. It started at a break neck speed with Yokov in the lead, his shield out to block any attacks. The first gate was slammed closed in his face and he had to pull his horse back and around in a maneuver that might have broken the neck of a lesser trained animal. Reidalv came up to the gate with a terrifying roar, his mace swinging. Yokov saw first-hand that the gate had no chance against the raging centaur’s mace and huge hooves. Reidalv was a living battering ram, even the arrows shot at him seemed to just bounce right off his chest. In what seemed like seconds, Reidalv had reduced the gate to splinters and the three of them, with Siglyn leading Snorer’s horse behind her, raced out. The second and third gates suffered the same fate. The fourth and final gate was metal, but there was no chance for the guard to get it closed for Siglyn proved to be an absolute deadly aim with her bow. All told, the damage left was bad, but it wasn’t nearly enough to pay back Gods’ Glass for what they’d lost.

They continued down the road at a full gallop for a good long time until Yokov could tell that his horse was getting near the last of its energy. He looked at Reidalv pounding away in front of him and Siglyn close next to him. Both of them were gasping from the effort of the run and their horse legs were foaming. Yokov looked around and realized they were nearly at the spot where there was water and a good place to rest for a bit. {I think we can stop soon! REIDALV! SLOW DOWN!} He slowed down his own horse so that it could cool down properly before getting water.

Reidalv slowed down, gasping but looking rather pleased, {Well. I think they will think twice about trying to keep a centaur captive.)

Yokov shook his head, thinking how impressive a full army of centaurs could be when they were at full fury. Nothing could stand in the way of that, not even a palace gate. They’d be better than a full sized battering ram. {It was amazing. Both of you were astounding.}

Siglyn panted, {I still do not understand why we left Snorer! They will kill him!} She looked incredibly upset and exhausted, and there was a gash on her flank that was bleeding.

{Let us get some water and let the rest of you catch your breaths while I attempt to get your wounds dealt with.} Yokov noticed that Reidalv was bleeding as well and he had an arrow stuck in his rump that Yokov hadn’t seen before because the centaur’s tail had been in the way. {There is water and a place to rest just ahead if memory serves.}

Siglyn still didn’t look happy, {You are bleeding too.}

{Am I?} Yokov hadn’t noticed any wounds on himself but, then again, he tended it ignore wounds until after the fight was over. Pain distracted from the business of staying alive. If you could ignore the wounds you were better off until you were able to get to a healer. {How badly?}

{Your face and arm. It does not look that serious though.} Siglyn looked as though she would very much like to simply collapse in the middle of the road.

Reidalv came up quickly to her and helped her to walk slowly, {You need to keep walking. You will get sick if you do not keep walking after a run like that.}

The three of them and the two horses made it to the small spring they had rested at on the way to Gods’ Glass and eventually they were able to rest and drink. Yokov unpacked the medical kit and tended to all the wounds he could see, thankful that Reidalv was a centaur and not a horse because if he’d pulled an arrow out of a horse in that location he would have been kicked in the face for his trouble.

As Siglyn helped to deal with Yokov’s wounds he told her what had happened to Snorer. He tried not to let it get to him but it took him a great deal of effort to get the final bit of the tale past the giant lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. What surprised him was after he got the part out of how he’d battled himself to not kill Lord Artith outright before he ran, he found himself face to face with the female centaur’s impressive chest and hugged against it tightly.

{Yokov . . . we will figure out how to get him back.} Yokov could tell that Siglyn was crying, though he couldn’t sort out how her tears could have possibly made it down his own cheeks.  He heard Reidalv moving about with the horses and he was tempted to pull away but Siglyn had very comfortable chest.

He felt the female centaur stroking his hair and he let out a sigh, {We should get going. I really want to get you two back to the herd as fast as possible so I can plan the best way back to Doumerlas.}

{You mean so we can get back to Doumerlas? I do not see any reason to detour off the road to get back to the herd.} Siglyn frowned and finally released Yokov.

{I agree with Siglyn. Besides, it would be dangerous for you to go past Sun Eye on your own, according to what we have learned about that place.} Reidalv nodded firmly. {We will come with you to Doumerlas as representatives of our people.}

Yokov couldn’t help chuckling at the thought of the reactions of the people of Doumerlas to the sight of Reidalv trotting down the street toward the palace. {All right, if you think Herd Leader Agny would be okay with it.}

{She will be all right with it. She even gave us papers if we came across your rulers to start the treaty process.} Siglyn sighed and shifted so she could get her feet under her and stood up. {Shall we be off then? I do not wish to leave Snorer in the hands of that dreadful magic for long.}

{Agreed.} Yokov turned to get his horse and noticed that most of his packs were gone. He looked over at Reidalv and realized what he’d been doing. Snorer’s horse was carrying most of the packs now.

Reidalv nodded, {I thought it would be easier on your horse to lighten the load a bit at the speed we were going. Snorer’s horse wasn’t carrying as much weight without . . .} He stopped when Siglyn gave him a pained look.

{Yes.} Yokov nodded. {Good thinking, Reidalv. If the two of you are rested we should be off.}

The two centaurs nodded and waited patiently for Yokov to mount up. Siglyn tied Snorer’s horse to her packs and lead him as they made their way back to the road and toward Sun Eye and eventually back to Doumerlas.

**********

Snorer/Nyle Brand got up from the floor. It was softer than he expected. He felt oddly comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time. A swirling, multicolored mist was surrounding him, curling around his arms and legs like it was embracing him. He wasn’t cold or hot, in fact he didn’t feel much of anything. He looked around in alarm, trying to find out if Yokov was safe.

HE IS SAFE. DO NOT WORRY.

The former Transformed blinked in surprise. The voice seemed to have come from all around him and it sounded like five different voices speaking at the same time. “What about me? Am I safe?”

That depends on your definition of safe, I suppose.

Brother. That is very unhelpful. You are safe from any danger at the moment, young man.

Young man or horse, he keeps shifting. It’s hard to look at him.


The white haired man/horse turned slowly around. Now the voices were separate but they still were all around him. “Who are you? Where am I?”

WE ARE THE GODS. The multi voice boomed around him.

You are in our domain now. Said a single deep feminine voice.

We are just trying to decide how to deal with your being here. A deep male voice responded just after.

Do you think you could settle your aura into something stable, mortal? A younger, friendlier masculine voice asked, It would make it a bit easier to communicate with you.

Snorer/Nyle tried to determine what the voices were talking about. He looked down at his hands/hooves and realized what the problem was, “Am I dead?” He tried to focus and finally the hooves became hands permanently.

NO. The multi voice asserted.

Unless you wish to be. That is always an option. The deep female voice added.

Stop frightening the mortal. The younger male admonished. He did not ask to be here and he is confused.

You came here because you touched the orb without any direct prayer. You were thinking of nothing but keeping the mortal called Yokov away from it, therefore there was no direction and you were brought here.
A higher pitched, gentle female voice responded. Have no fear, mortal, we have no animosity toward you.

“Glad to hear. What about Lord Artith, the one who tried to shove Yokov into the orb initially?” Snorer looked around curiously but still could not see anything but the multicolored mist surrounding him. “What would have happened to Yokov if I hadn’t pushed him out of the way?”

That depends on what he was thinking of when he touched the orb. Though, I suspect he would have ended up with a mug of ale in one hand and a lovely lady in the other, since most of his thoughts run that way. The individual male voice that had spoken first sounded amused now. He would have been fine and Lord Artith would have been just as confused as he is now.

Which would have been preferable to the situation now. Grumbled the deeper male voice. But we will have to deal with the situation now and get things into the proper direction again.

“Why am I here then?”

Ah, my dear mortal, you are going to do a favor for us. In return you and your descendants will be among some of the most blessed. The genial male voice replied.

“My descendants.” Nyle’s voice was bitter. “All my descendants are dead. You’re The Gods, you should know that.”

Descendants to be then. The amused male voice amended. You mortals can reproduce quite well.

“What if I refuse?”

Well, then you’re stuck here with us. The male voice sounded less amused now. I doubt you want that, especially since that would leave your friends missing you dreadfully.

Yokov is afraid you are dead. Siglyn is very upset about leaving without you. Reidalv is not happy either, he does not like the idea of abandoning someone to mysterious circumstances.
The younger male added.

Snorer frowned and looked down at the misty surface he was standing on. He didn’t like the idea of Yokov thinking he was dead but the idea that Siglyn was upset about it too hit him harder than he expected. Why would he be concerned about upsetting a female centaur?

Ah, there it is. That is the part of the assassin that went against common sense because he fell in love. The young male chuckled.

Nyle growled, “Yes, and look where it got me. I lost my entire family because of that mistake. I will not do that again. It is not worth the pain.”

You do not sound fully convinced. The higher pitched female voice observed.

You mortals always seem to find it inside you to fight for love. It is a very interesting juxtaposition. The deeper female voice added.

Snorer looked down, “This is all ridiculous. I have no interest in getting involved with anyone.”

Ah well, perhaps you will change your mind when the right being comes along. Laughed the amused male voice. You can even decide what you will look like.

“What do you mean?” Snorer looked up at the mist, wishing he could look whoever he was talking to in the eyes.

Right now you are simply the essence of your person, mortal. That is why you have been shifting appearance. You have no form at the moment, it was converted into energy right after you touched the orb. The deeper male voice spoke again.

Though I would suggest you keep the form you had when you entered, less confusing for someone who has already had three different forms. The younger male voice said gently. Mortals are not designed to deal with that kind of elasticity of existence.

But a new form would allow him to help us far better. He could accomplish what we want him to and he will be able to do things he couldn’t even imagine in his old form.
This was the amused male voice again, though he sounded more serious.

I agree. The deeper male voice said.

There was a sudden silence surrounding the mortal in the fog after that comment. It was long enough that Snorer started getting nervous. Then the two female voices and the younger male voice all piped in at once.

Well, that is surprising.

Shocking.

I suppose it was bound to happen after 300 years of being together like this.

Well then,
the amused male voice sounded almost shaky as it spoke, It is up to the mortal now. Sister, if you could explain to him what we need from him so he can make up his mind?

Of course.
The higher female voice seemed to get closer to the mortal. Nyle Brand Snorer, listen to what I have to tell you and listen well, for your task will help many of your friends and hurt many of your enemies but it will also put a great deal of responsibility in your hands and may change your very nature again.

Snorer braced himself, “All right. I’m ready to hear what you have to say.”

********

Lord Artith paced around his reception room furiously. His men were doing their best to repair the gates but wood was very difficult to come by and it would be moons before replacements could be received from Sun Eye. He knew he could get them from there, Lord Jeesel owed him.

Jeesel had come to him asking for some sort of help to deal with a situation where he didn’t want his people to leave his town or believe the nasty rumors that were circulating lately. Lord Artith had given him an amulet that Shok’Artel had given him to reduce any rebellion that might come up. He didn’t like the look of the thing himself and was more than happy to let Jeesel take it in its heavy metal box back to Sun Eye. Artith began to wonder if the rumors that Jeesel had talked about were what that visitor, Yokov had been reporting. He looked at the papers Yokov had given him and frowned. A new High King. Who knew how the king would deal with him now that he’d managed to make one of his men disappear. There was also the complication of being the guardian of both the Orb and a great deal of Shok’Artel’s magical artifacts. It was likely that the new High King did not feel very kindly toward the Wizard. He might not think very kindly toward anyone keeping the wizard’s magic safe either.

Lord Artith narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth. It was time. Terrifying or not he was going to have to use that orb and make sure he had the power to protect Gods’ Glass from attack and keep his power intact. It had been a day since Agent Yokov Dell had run off, the orb should have calmed down by now. He knew exactly what he wanted to ask the orb, he needed the ability to get at all those artifacts of Shok’Artel’s. He needed the power of a wizard.

He strode with his smoothly even walk into the Orb room. The black velvet curtains were waving out the entrance like there was a wind blowing within the room, which should have been impossible since there was no way for air to reach into the room. Lord Artith burst into the enclosed room just in time to see a blinding flash of white and to feel a rush of wind past him, nearly knocking him down. When he managed to clear his eyes he gasped in shock and fear. He fell to his knees and stared.

The orb was gone.

All that remained was the pedestal with its now empty black and gold setting.

Lord Artith cried out for the guards. He screamed for whoever would come and assist him. It was gone! GONE! The whole reason for his city’s existence had disappeared! He clutched at his chest, gasping for air as his heart threatened to pound out of his chest. He collapsed into the now empty Orb room, pulling down one of the black velvet drapes to reveal a stone female figure with short curly hair.  One of her hands was pointing to the center of the room with a sword and the other pointing to the sky with a spear. His men found him there, cushioned on the black velvet with the statue seeming to look at their dead Lord with disgust.

************

Yokov gave a resigned sigh as he waited. It had just been one of those days. Sleep had been hard to come by since they hadn’t been able to make it to an obvious camping site before night fall. They’d slept in a place that turned out to be near a seeping spring. Reidalv had kept watch but both Yokov and Siglyn had awoken cold and damp before Reidalv’s watch had ended. The packs they had left on the ground were soaked, the only things not wet were the packs left on the horses. They had struggled to find a place in the dark that wasn’t wet, only to have to help pull Snorer’s horse out of the mud he’d gotten into while they were searching for someplace dry. After more struggling in muck, mud, and squishy grass they found their way back to the road and decided to just continue until they found a better place, whether or not the sun was up. All of them were covered in mud and grime; wet, cold and tired, by the time the sun rose. They made it until sun zenith when everyone agreed that they couldn’t go another step. The area they chose was far too open and visible for Yokov’s comfort but there wasn’t much of a choice. Yokov stood guard since he had managed to catch a little nap on horseback while the others were walking. He didn’t tell the centaurs that he’d been napping but he knew even if he hadn’t he still was more rested than they were since he could ride and they had to use their own hooves. They didn’t even get out their sleep rolls, simply too exhausted to bother. The two centaurs fell asleep using each other as pillows.

Yokov had seen the men coming and woke up the centaurs but they were woefully outnumbered and surrounded. Reidalv made a move to attack but Yokov stopped him. Whatever happened he wasn’t going to try to fight exhausted, that never worked well.

The surprising part was that the men weren’t Lord Artith’s, they were Lord Idris’ men. The travelers were ushered farther into the forest against one of those suddenly just there large rocks and told to wait. The weapons that they were holding were taken but Yokov noticed that all the hidden knives that they’d taken from Roald from before were not even hunted for. Well, Yokov wasn’t going to say anything if they were going to be that stupid. They tied all of their hands but didn’t hobble the centaurs’ legs. Another mistake that Yokov wasn’t going to correct. They might get out of this alive after all, especially since only half of the men guarding them had bows. He had told the centaurs to cooperate for now so they could see what Lord Idris wanted.

After what seemed an interminable wait in which Yokov was starting to lose his patience due to lack of sleep and food, Lord Idris appeared. He glared at Yokov and the centaurs then growled out, “Where is it?”

“Where is what, Your Lordship?” Yokov cocked his head, confused.

“The Orb you foreign idiot! I’m not falling for that simpleton accent of yours again. What did you do with the Orb from Gods’ Glass?!” Lord Idris pointed his sword directly at Yokov with a snarl.

“I did nothing with it. I do not have it. Last I saw it was still in Gods’ Glass.” Yokov’s heart dropped at the thought of the orb being missing. What did that mean for Snorer?

“My spies say you were the last stranger to have seen it, you and that tall white haired guard of yours. Now Lord Artith is dead and the orb is missing! TELL ME WHAT YOU DID WITH IT!” The tip of Lord Idris’ sword found a soft spot on Yokov’s neck.

Yokov saw Reidalv move, {Stay put! I want to find out what he thinks he knows!} He then addressed Lord Idris, “I do not suppose that your spy also told you that, though two of us went in there with Lord Artith, I was the only one who came out?”

Lord Idris stopped, pulling back his sword. “Lord Artith wouldn’t let anyone stay in the orb room.”

“He did not leave anyone there. The orb took my companion. I know not where he or your orb could be.” Yokov glared at Idris as if daring him to come at him again with the sword.

“I suppose you’re looking for this.” The voice came from a section of bushes not far from where they were standing and strangely inside the perimeter of Idris’ men. It was a voice so painfully familiar to Yokov that his stomach lurched. He turned and wasn’t disappointed at what he saw.

Snorer stood in front of the bush, holding the orb that had just yesterday morning had made him vanish. He looked healthy, if a little thinner and a bit taller, but Yokov couldn’t be sure it wasn’t the light playing tricks on him. The orb was still glowing and changing color and Yokov was trying to figure out how Snorer could be holding the thing and not be destroyed by it like Lord Artith said could happen. “By the GODS, Snorer! Where have you been?!”

Snorer’s mouth twitched like he was trying not to grin, “By the Gods, Yokov, that’s where I’ve been. I’m gone for a little over a day and a half and this is the kind of trouble you get into?” He shook his head in mock dismay.

“All right, you, hand over the orb and I’ll let all of you go.” Lord Idris’ eyes were locked on the orb.

Snorer shrugged and came closer, “By all means, take it.” He held it out to Lord Idris. “Though, I will warn you, the nature of it has changed significantly. I don’t think it will do what you expect it to, nor do I think you will like the result of touching it.”

Lord Idris reached for it then stopped and looked at Snorer, “How are you holding it without protection?”

“It likes me. We’ve had quite the conversation, this orb and I, and we have an understanding. I’m to take it to Doumerlas to the High King and it has agreed to do some things for me as well.” Snorer came closer to Idris, still holding the orb out toward the Lord. “But I have no problem with letting you have it briefly if you wish to take that chance.”

Lord Idris looked torn with indecision, reaching out briefly like he wanted to take it from Snorer but scared to touch it, “It belongs in Gods’ Glass. It was created to stay there.”

“It belongs where The Gods wish it and they wish it to be elsewhere now. Gods’ Glass does not deserve it anymore.” Snorer’s face was stern and frowning and Yokov backed up a bit from the two men, not liking the whole God discussion. “It has been tainted beyond what the orb can fix. You put Shok’Artel’s magic before that of the orb, all of the experimentation and meddling has done nothing but damage your own city.”

Lord Idris looked outraged, “Blasphemy! Who are you to say such things? No one knows what The Gods want!” As if Snorer’s words were enough to give him courage, he snatched the orb away from the tall, white haired man. “I will return this to its home.”

Snorer took a slight step back, “Actually, I do know what the Gods want, Lord Idris. Just like I know that the only reason that you and Lord Artith had your falling out was that you wanted to use the items that Shok’Artel left behind to control Gods’ Glass and Artith didn’t agree. You both ruled together for a long time and neither of you stopped Shok’Artel’s experiments on the orb with your own people.” Snorer stood very still in front of the Lord. “You are just as bad as Artith. Neither of you were proper keepers of the orb. Therefore, neither of you will rule Gods’ Glass.”

As Snorer spoke the orb started glowing a deep red. Idris looked as though he were trying to drop the thing but he couldn’t seem to get his hands to release it. There was a flash of deep orange and Lord Idris screamed so loud that his men clapped their hands over their ears. Yokov wished he could do the same but his hands were still tied. He winced at the sound and hoped their horses were tied or they would run from the sound. He could hear Siglyn and Reidalv crying out in pain from the sound as the scream reached a pitch higher than any man could hit. Snorer was the only one who didn’t seem to be affected by the noise as he watched Lord Idris writhe and finally burst into flame. The fire was fast and soon all that was left of Lord Idris was a pile of ash with the orb sitting in the middle.

Snorer bent down and picked up the orb again, brushing off the ash carefully, then placing it into a bag that was slung over his shoulder that looked like it was made specifically for the large round object. “Well, I did warn you, Lord Idris.” He sighed and turned to address the former Lord’s men. “I suggest you all go back to Gods’ Glass. You will all be needed in order to decide who the new Lord of your city will be and what you will do without the orb. We will speak to Her Majesty about sending a magic user to help get rid of the traces of Shok’Artel’s magic when we return to the Capital.”

The men all stared at Snorer in complete shock, not one of them willing to move. Finally Roald came forward, “How do you know all this?”

“The Gods told me. Now, leave the weapons that you took from my friends and go back to Gods’ Glass. Now!” Snorer had a hand inside the carrying pouch for the orb as he spoke. Whatever the men saw in the tall man’s face was enough to make them leave without so much as a word of farewell, dropping the confiscated weapons on the ground.

As the group of men disappeared into the forest, Yokov breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, I have to say, you were the last person I expected to show up, Snorer.”

Snorer turned back toward them and smiled happily, pulling out a knife that Yokov didn’t recognize. He started to cut Yokov’s arms loose, “I have to admit, I didn’t think I’d manage it.”

{You are alive!} Siglyn was so delighted that she forgot to speak King’s Common as she and Reidalv came closer.

Snorer looked up at the two centaurs, {Yes. But that was also very tricky.}

They all looked at him in astonishment. Yokov pursed his lips together in thought and then spoke, {You were not lying about the whole Gods’ thing, were you?}

Snorer got him loose {No. I was not lying.)

“You . . . you damn fool idiot Transformed former horse! You scared me to death after you disappeared!” Yokov lunged at Snorer and hugged him violently, thumping the tall man’s back with his fist. “Do not do it again!”

Snorer blinked and then smiled as he hugged Yokov back. “Well, I can’t promise I won’t disappear again. I might do that a lot. But I do promise that if you ever are in danger I will be there to help. I made Them promise I could.”

Yokov released Snorer as quickly as he had hugged him, acting as if nothing odd had happened as he turned and started collecting the weapons and seeing what was going on with the horses. Snorer started working on cutting Siglyn’s bonds as Reidalv worked on his own with his teeth. Siglyn looked at Snorer closely, {Are you all right? What happened? Yokov said you disappeared.}

{I did. Right into the orb that I am carrying.} He cut through her bonds and her hand went up quickly to his temple in concern. He grabbed her hand and pulled it gently away from his head, “You don’t want to do that. There’s already quite a few things going on in there and I don’t think you want to muck about.” He smiled apologetically. “I’m fine. Better than I’ve been in a very long time, Siglyn. Don’t worry about me.”

{So, were you the one who killed Lord Artith?} Reidalv came up rubbing his arms where he had been tied, having gnawed off his bonds in the same time that it took Snorer to free Siglyn.

“Well . . . indirectly. He died of a heart attack from the shock of the orb disappearing.” Snorer rubbed his head and looked embarrassed. “If I had killed him he would have been stabbed through the heart, I was so furious at him. But I was in a hurry to get to you so I couldn’t take the time to kill him myself.”

“How did you know we were in danger? They did not even come after us until after they found out the orb was missing from Gods’ Glass.” Siglyn was looking at him closely and studying his behavior. He wasn’t dressed exactly the way he had been when she last saw him. His clothes looked finer, all the leather he had was a deep blue with black metal buckles and connectors. His shirt was a deep green and his tunic was leather carved with five different symbols; a squirrel, a scroll, a shield, a sword, and a horseshoe. His hair was pulled back from his face in a tail and it looked longer. He also looked thinner and taller, his cheekbones were more noticeable and she found it easier to look at him without bending slightly. His eyes were the most noticeably different, the blue was much brighter and there was a strange glow to them. She found herself stepping back slightly from Snorer, feeling suddenly uncomfortable about what he had said to Lord Idris and his men. That and the fact that he was carrying something that was powerful enough to make a man burst into flame.

Snorer looked down, “They told me what was probably going to happen. They knew that there was a spy with a very fast horse who would probably inform Idris of the orb disappearing. You would be the likely culprits since everyone in Gods’ Glass either doesn’t know it exists or is terrified of what it can do.” He looked up sheepishly, “The trick was getting here quickly enough.”

Yokov returned with the horses, both of them looking agitated at all the commotion that had happened, “Well, you made it apparently.”

{But how?} Reidalv’s eyebrows wrinkled together, forming more wrinkles up to his forehead in the effort to determine how Snorer had managed to get to them without a horse or any other means from Gods’ Glass in the time described.

Snorer opened his mouth, looking like he was about to explain fully how he’d done it when Yokov interrupted him suddenly, “No. Do not explain. I have had enough experience with magic to know that anything you are going to say is going to give me a headache.”

Snorer’s mouth snapped shut and he shook his head in amusement. “All right then. I will be accompanying you to Doumerlas by way of Sun Eye and Fellfar, if that is all right?”

“Fine. That works.” Yokov yawned suddenly. “But right now myself, Reidalv and Siglyn are all suffering from a dismaying lack of sleep. Can whatever task you have been set wait at least one more day?”

“Yes.” Snorer chuckled, “I’ll even keep watch.”

“Damn right you will. You are half the reason we have not slept.” Yokov gave him a scolding glare but there was no anger behind it and then he laughed. “Try not to get those fancy new togs of yours dirty while you watch, would not do to seem ungrateful to the Gods.”

“They know I’m not.” Snorer smiled. “But I’ll be careful.”

Yokov turned toward Reidalv, “Your mace is over there by the rock, it took three men to lift it when they took it from you, I am not going to attempt to pick it up and break my back. If you want it back you best go get it yourself.” He handed Siglyn her knife and bow then looked at Snorer again, “You have new weapons too, I see.”

“Yes. I needed some since I had to leave mine in Gods’ Glass.” Snorer looked down at the knife he was holding then patted the sword at his hip. “They match too. It’s bit much, but beggars can’t be choosers.”

Yokov sighed. “I just wanted a nice, easy, mission.” He shrugged his shoulders in a gesture of helplessness. “Gods.” He shook his head and started unpacking their muddy and wet sleep rolls to see if they would dry out while they napped. Snorer helped by getting a fire started and spreading out everything that was wet. Yokov drifted off to sleep watching the flames of the fire and hearing Snorer moving about trying to get the mud off the horses.
2am and I'm posting. I'm so silly. But here you are! Next much awaited part. I might have strung this out a bit more if it weren't NaNoWriMo, but I want to get to the end of this :XD:

XD Excuse all bad grammar and weird wording . . . just writing on the fly Sweating a little...If you spot anything really horrid, let me know and I'll make note of it and change it when it's all over Nod

Previous - NaNoWriMo 2015 - Yokov and Snorer Part 8The morning dawned and Yokov thanked the Gods that it wasn’t cold enough yet for there to be fog. The weather had been very nice for the whole trip and Yokov was grateful for it. Perhaps there was something to this Gods’ thing. He shrugged and thanked Them again for the nice weather as he stretched and took a quick look at the fire. It had burnt down slightly but it was still salvageable. Reidalv was still awake and looking very stone faced, as usual, like the grumpiest statue ever. Yokov walked up to him and cocked his head. {All was well last night?}
{Aye. Not a peep out of the forest. I believe Snorer’s . . . ahem . . . snoring, scared off everything.} Reidalv nodded toward the still sleeping man who was making noises that sounded suspiciously like an entire grove of trees being knocked down by a large round rock.
{He is quite astounding. I thought it would get better when he was human but it just changed pitch. Smaller nose I suppose.} Yokov shrugged good-naturedl

Next - NaNoWriMo 2015 - Yokov and Snorer Part 10Yokov woke up with the sun in his eyes. He could tell he’d been sleeping on a sharp stone and it had probably left a dent in his back as a result. He sat up and squinted at the sun. His eyes opened wide in surprise when he realized he’d slept until sunrise. He had been expecting the sun to be setting but there was no doubt he was looking at the sun coming up over the trees rather than it setting over the desert.
“Well, look who’s decided to wake up finally.” Snorer’s voice was strangely cheerful. In fact, Yokov didn’t think he’d ever heard Snorer sound so chipper.
“Why did you let me sleep so long?” Yokov glanced around through half opened eyes.  Reidalv looked like he was sharpening something and Siglyn was mending one of the saddles.
“You seemed to need it.” Snorer shrugged and continued doing what he was doing, which looked to Yokov like cooking eggs and thick bacon.
Yokov stretched and groaned, “Woul


Yokov and Snorer and all the rest of them belong to me! :icondragondoodle: aka :icongirl-n-herhorse:
© 2015 - 2024 dragondoodle
Comments22
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Captain-Savvy's avatar
I really loved this one. Snorer's scene inside the orb was awesome, and the whole thing was paced nicely. I'm relieved he's not dead! XD