Ellas Past

Kane

We sat at the jailer's table at the far end of the dungeon corridor. The two Ella’ren were safely locked away in what Anna knew to be Gremok’s cell. The two guards dismissed with a, ‘None of yer business, yer bone 'eds. It's what the Boss wants, so none of yer concern,’ when the one had asked why they were to put be put together in one cell.

Neither of the Ella’ren was Gremok – physically unchanged though they were, I would have known his features. That meant that the one Dar’cen now trained had to be Gremok.

‘How long—’

‘Enough, Kane, that's got to be the tenth time you’ve asked. I have no idea,’ Anna said, as she turned to look me in the eye.

‘Surely you, as one of his, have a clue as to how long. You told some of what he did to you… it must be the same process, or at least similar. You tell me how long it was, how long it took.’

Her voice held a level of pity that somehow angered me. I did not want pity for what had happened to me.

I wanted revenge. I wanted to see Dar’cen destroyed. I wanted it all to be put right again. I shook my head from side to side, playing for time to allow my anger to subside.

‘Well?’

‘I do not know, Anna. What was done to me left me unhinged… insane, if you like. Time did not really exist… it could have been weeks, months… years even. It was not days… that is all I can say with any certainty, that, and that there were many sessions. But how long each lasted, I do not know.’

‘I am sorry, Kane. I did not mean to bring such things back to your mind… I, too, am on edge with this waiting; so very much can happen while we wait here. I do not think that I have ever felt so vulnerable.’

The gong outside the dungeon door, only feet from where we sat, rang three times in quick succession. I had heard their approach as Anna spoke, but my anger at her pity had stopped me from telling her. Childish! I chided myself. One day, she will give her life for you.

If Anna was surprised, she didn't show it in the least. ‘Come on, up, yer dope. We’ve work to do,’ she said, back in Grok's character, as she slammed back the iron bar that held the dungeon door locked.

‘Oh, lookie, we got the big chimp back,’ Anna as Grok said, sarcastically. ‘Bin a good boy fer the boss, 'ave yer? Chuck 'im in his cell. E’s got company today, 'e 'as, Boss’s orders.’

Gremok, the four foot Ella’ren that I had long ago met, hung limply from the arms of the two Nargu that held him. Two more flanked him on either side, and although he was obviously dead to the world, he was bound arms and legs in heavy chains.

‘Company?’ The one guard growled. ‘Ain’t bin told of no company.’

Quick as a whip, Anna battered the guard across the side of his head with her cosh. ‘An’ what’s that got to do the likes of you? Boss got to keep you informed now, 'as 'e? Said, ‘Oh, please, Fedor, would yer be so kind as to take the chimp to 'is cell… Oh, and, as long as it’s okay with you, 'e’s got some friends come a visiting,’ did 'e?’ She struck the guard one more time, as she said, ‘Chuck him in 'is cell… now!’ and then she strolled back to our table. ‘And shut 'is door behind him… 'e's a nasty one, that one.’

I could barely suppress the grin that was trying to force its way across my face.

‘What're you smirkin' at,’ Anna said, as her cosh struck me full across the face.

‘E's gonna get it one day, 'e is,’ one of the guards said, as they dragged Gremok past us and down the corridor to his cell. ‘'E's so full o' 'iself with 'is ‘The boss said this, the boss said that.’ Swear 'e was one of the chosen—’

‘What was that?’ Anna growled at the backs of the retreating Nargu.

‘Nothin, Grok. Honest. Was just sayin' how well yer run the dungeons and all. You're doing a fine job,’ the guard answered, as he began to walk faster.

Ten minutes later, the guards all gone, Anna unlocked Gremok's cell. The two battered Ella’ren sat against the wall next to the door, both weeping and cowering away from Gremok, who now hung from manacles set into the wall. Both his arms and legs were pinned to the wall, and a thick iron band was belted around his chest and then bolted to the stone wall behind him.

Conscious now, his teeth were bared in a snarl that was focused on us as the door opened.

‘Shit!’ I said, as I saw the creature before me, the Ella’ren I had known as Gremok, the creature who now held nothing but hate in his eyes.

‘He is close to being as the other one,’ Anna said. ‘We were only just in time.’

‘You can save him?’ I asked, my tone betraying my fear that all was lost.

‘I can… but we have a dilemma, Kane. I cannot heal him here… he is connected to Dar’cen, and he will know the instant that I begin—’

‘So, we leave here,’ I said, exasperated. ‘We leave now. We take all of them.’

‘Patience is not something that he gifted you, is it?’ Anna remarked, sarcastically. ‘Dar’cen is connected to this Ella’ren, to Gremok. A part of this creature is Dar’cen, I can feel it. It throbs like the beating of a foul heart. If we leave he will know where it is we go to. He will be able to follow… that is the dilemma.’

‘So what can we do? We must free him, and these others.’ I knew that Gremok would somehow be set free of Dar’cen, and that he would live to a very ripe old age – a gift from Dar’cen, I now knew.

But how, what was it we had done to free him? What was it that we must do to free him? Then, a thought came. Was it even us two that freed him? It had to be me – Gremok had known me, it was he that told me of the test and the aid that would be given. It was because of him that we were now here to try and free him.

‘There must be something that we can do, Anna. There must be.’

A growl from the far wall where Gremok was chained startled us both. Then Gremok let out a torrent of words, words in his own language, words I did not understand.

I look to Anna questioningly.

‘He asks… no, he begs that we kill him. He does not wish to go on as he is.’

I looked to Gremok, his fiery red eyes were almost closed, his battered and torn body hung limply from the manacles that held him.

He spoke again, his voice filled with anguish.

‘Please,’ he begs, ‘end it, please.’ Anna translated.

‘No!’ I said harshly. ‘He must live, Anna. He must, or all will fail. In this, you must trust me.’

‘And so what are we to do, Kane? Tell me, for we have three here that we must not leave behind if what you say is true.’

‘We go back to my plan, Anna, the one where I find Gremok, free him and fight my way out. There is nothing else left to us. Mask Gremok, use your magic. Make him… make him look like something that a Nargu would be tasked to carry. I do not know what, but anything that masks who… what he is. And then give me time, as much as you dare, before you take these others to safety.’

‘But how will you free him, how will you escape? I cannot leave you.’

‘You must, Anna. This is the only way. Gremok must be set free…’ He will be set free. ‘And this is the only way. I will free him. We will escape… but do not ask how, for truly, I do not know. I only know that it will be so.’

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

‘Oh, Kane—’

‘Please do not argue, Anna. You must take these two to safety. We will be fine, Gremok and I. Just give us time… you will know when you must go, alarms will sound… or you will feel him near.’ I hugged her. ‘Do as I ask please, Anna. I will see you soon, I promise.’

Then, with a slight nod from Anna, it was decided.

I cut through the manacles that held Gremok – my knives passed through the chains as if they were butter – and he slumped to the floor.

He repeated the same words over and over in a harsh yet pleading voice, and Anna again translated, ‘He again begs for us to kill him.’

‘No, Gremok. You will not die for a very long time yet,’ I said, as I pulled him to his feet.

‘Is there anything you can do for him, Anna? Something to heal the wounds he has taken and make him alert?’

‘This is madness, Kane. You cannot free him on your own.’

‘Let’s not argue again, Anna. It is decided. Please do something for Gremok, and then take these others to safety… but wait a little while, you will know when it is time,’ I said, and then I laughed. ‘With any luck all hell should break loose.’

Anna took hold of my free hand. ‘I will do as you ask, but take care… please. Once they are safe, I will come for you… wherever you are, I will find you. Here, let me touch his head. I will do what I can to heal him, and plant the seed that will break him free from the link he has to Dar’cen.

'It must be slow… or he will sense it immediately. It might be weeks, longer perhaps, before the link is gone completely. He is deep in Dar’cen’s grasp than more so than Gadrid was… and Dar’cen will use that to hunt you, he will send all after you. Be careful… and look for my coming.’

Seconds later, Anna stepped back from Gremok. ‘There, I have done what I can for him. He is healed for the most part… his body that is. His mind will be in turmoil… he may even be insane. But I can do nothing about that, not here, not now.’

And then, with a blush on her cheeks and her blue eyes filled with tears, Anna stood on tiptoe and kissed my cheek.’Be safe, my friend,’ she said, solemnly.

‘I will be fine, Anna. Both of us will be fine, I promise you,’ I said, embarrassed and yet also heartened by her show of affection. ‘But now you must ready yourself. You must be able to leave in an instant.’

Gremok was now able to stand unaided, and though he was huge for an Ella’ren, I still towered over him as if he were a child. And yet he looked a formidable adversary – he bulged with muscles; his naturally leathery skin now looked to be somehow reinforced, almost shell like, his teeth were fangs that dominated his mouth, and his eyes blazed a fiery red.

Again he spoke the same Ella'ren words as before, ‘Kill me.’

‘No, Gremok. You are free now. Do you understand me? Translate for me, Anna, please.’

Anna did something with her hands, a small motion, nothing more. ‘You will understand each other now. Go ahead, tell him again.

‘You are free now, Gremok. We will escape this place together.’

Slowly Gremok raised his eyes to meet mine. ‘Free?’ he hissed. ‘If I am free then why can I not kill myself?’ His words were slow and halting, almost that of one just awakening.

‘You are free to leave here. Free to come with me… free to escape from him.’

‘No!’ Gremok said, snarling. ‘You can kill me… you must kill me. I can take no more; I cannot go back to him.’

Anna stepped forward and knelt in front of Gremok. Hesitantly, she took the creature in her arms. ‘All will be well, friend Gremok. You must go with Kane. You must do as he says… he will keep you safe.’

As she spoke, her one hand glowed with a pale blue light that slowly engulfed Gremok as she held him. I did not know what it was that she had done, but Gremok smiled, if anything that his repulsive, fang filled mouth did, could be called a smile, that is.

But the smile reached his eyes and tears rolled down his cheeks. ‘Thank you, Wise Mother,’ he said. ‘You give me the gift of hope. Something I had thought taken from me forever.’ His words were still slow, but there was something else in his voice now. She truly had given him hope.

‘Free my friends. Take them home. Tell my people what it is that he wants of us. Tell them that he wishes us to be as the Nargu… more terrible than they, even.’

‘I will, Gremok. But you must go now with Kane,’ Anna said, as she leaned forward and kissed Gremok on his forehead. ‘Take my blessing with you, innocent one… go now, both of you, before I change my mind and forbid it.’

At her last words, Gremok's appearance became that of one of the Elite Nargu. An instant later, to my eyes, he was that of himself again.

‘You are both Elite now,’ Anna said.

Gremok looked at me and then back to Anna. ‘What is it that you mean, Wise Mother?’

‘You explain, Kane. Go now, before it is too late.’

‘Come, Gremok. We must now be as his Elite… arrogant and proud. With luck, we will get away from this place unnoticed, but if we have to… can you fight?’

Gremok's eyes blazed. ‘I can kill,’ he said, his voice filled with anguish and self-loathing. ‘That, I have been taught.’

‘That is a good thing, my friend. For now, if the need arises, you will kill the servants of the evil one, the one who did this to you… and took away your brothers. Come.’

With one last look to Anna, I pulled open the cell door and we stepped out into the corridor. ‘This way,’ I said, as I indicated the way we had been dragged such a short while ago.

Moments later we emerged into the huge room that contained the travelling circle.

We had passed very few others, Nargu and slaves only, all stepping to one side to allow his Elite warriors to pass.

Now, the sight before us was even more appalling than it had first appeared. Gremok let out a low moan at what he saw. Each creature, if they could be called that, was chained alongside their respective stone, with their feeding tubes trailing back to the walls. None looked up, none even stirred at our entry.

‘What are these… things?’ Gremok asked, his voice filled with disgust and loathing.

‘They are those that have displeased him, Gremok. They are to be pitied, not despised. We need to use their services if we are to escape this place… if not for that, I would kill them all, and free them from the hell that he has given them.’

‘Who is this thing, this creature, Dar’cen, that he can do such a thing?’

‘He is all that is dark and evil in this world. To understand such a one would be to become him. All that you must know is that we must oppose him… and we must destroy him utterly.’

Two Nargu strolled into the chamber behind us and upon seeing us, stopped and stood rigid, their heads lowered.

‘Go through,’ I commanded, ‘we talk here of important matters.’ I filled my voice with scorn and loathing as would any Elite speaking to one of lesser standing. Quietly, I said, ‘Watch and listen, Gremok. They will show the way.’

Moments later, we both materialised in the centre of the standing stones of Alfent. Outside of his lair, but not free yet, not by far.

Gremok stared in wonder. ‘What is this place? What just happened, and how did we get here?’

The Ella’ren were an isolated people and had avoided other civilisations and, it seemed, had no knowledge of the so called gifts that Dar’cen had bestowed upon the world.

‘They didn’t use the circle to take you to him? How then? Never mind, do not answer now, such things can wait. First we must somehow work our way through them,’ I said, indicating the row of Elite Nargu surrounding the circle of stones, all with their backs to us.

‘We kill them,’ Gremok said quietly. ‘We kill them all.’ There was not a hint of humour in his voice.

‘You are serious, aren't you? There are at least forty encircling the stones, and more in the camp. Yes, between us, if you are truly as I am, we might do as you say. But to do so would bring him down on us. And you must know that we could do nothing against him. He would have us both. No, stealth is the only way out of here, my friend. We fight, we kill only as a last resort.

'Come, let us be bold, and simply push through the ranks. To them it will be as if we go to the camp, and they will not challenge us… I pray.’

‘Your gods cannot help you here… he has driven them all away.’ Gremok said, with a dark humour to his voice.

‘You have recovered far quicker than I did, friend.’

At my words Gremok looked up to my face. ‘You were as I? He did this to you?’ He asked incredulously. ‘And you escaped?’

‘Anna… the Wise Mother, as you name her, freed me, too. All will be well, Gremok. Trust me… I have seen it.’ I sounded a little like Anna, but what the hell – I had earned the right to.

We marched forward, two abreast, towards the line of Nargu. Then, just as we were almost upon them, an order was barked out from somewhere in the line. I almost froze at its tone, almost called my knives, but immediately the line before us opened as four Elite stepped aside, to create an opening for us to pass through. I did not thank the gods then, I thanked Anna, and her magic.

Gremok somehow seemed less surprised than I, as he whispered, ‘Do not stop… march through.’

And then we were on the other side of the encircling Elite, marching toward their camp. I let out a sigh of relief and only just stop myself from laughing.

Gremok merely grunted and said, ‘I wish to kill someone… it is who I am now, what I am. This stealth thing that you say we must do, angers me.’

‘Patience, Gremok. I am sure the time will come when we must do things your way. But for now, heed my words… we must do nothing that will bring him down upon us. We must be far from here before he becomes aware of your escape.’

We walked into the sprawling camp of Nargu. The Elite bordered its edge, nearest the stones, but most were regular Nargu, and they are lazy and dirty.

Once past the Elite’s encampment, the area was in disarray with filth everywhere.

There were no tents, no bedding pallets even, only campfires dotted across the land with heaven knows what roasting over them. Many Nargu were drinking, shouting, and bickering with each other, whilst many lay sprawled out asleep on the ground wherever they has had fallen after the drink overcame them. The smell of rot, decay and faeces was everywhere.

Gremok sniffed the air in disgust. ‘Can I kill now?’ He said, as a small laugh escaped his lips.

‘His hold cannot have been strong on you, Gremok. For I could not have made such jests when I was his.’

‘I do not jest… I wish to kill. I need to kill those that did this to me… and to mine.’

‘Revenge must wait for now if we are to escape him. We need to put as much distance as possible between us and his armies. Distance and time… if you are to break the link he has to you.’

Gremok slowed his walk – we were almost on the edge of the Nargu encampment, before us lay the desolation of Alfent – and lifted his fiery eyes to mine.

‘I will do as you ask… for now. But there must be a reckoning, and it must be soon if I am to stay sane.’

The look in his eyes, the fire and the burning hatred behind the flames, would have anyone else believing that it was already too late. If I myself had not met Gremok before, in a time yet to come, I too would believe him already quite mad.

‘Come, let us make our way through what’s left of the city… time and distance, that’s what we need now.’

Gremok harrumphed, but followed in my wake as we left the Nargu behind and entered the melted and ruined streets of Alfent.