Ellas - A dozen years ago
Kane
We continued on to meet our escort, and from there made our way through magically made tunnels to the Giant’s underground home in the mountains.
Carthia, Tomas and the others were in awe of the giants when they first saw them, as most believed that giants didn’t really exist - they were creatures out of stories from long ago. Then, in the tunnels amazement was plain on all their faces as the rocks melted away in front of them, only to reappear again behind them.
But when we got to the Roken home with its towering cathedral like halls and huge ornate fountains dotted everywhere, all interconnected by brightly lit tunnels big enough for fifty men abreast to pass, and all hundreds of feet underground, they all looked around completely spellbound.
Carthia even had tears in her eyes as she stared in wonder at the giants’ children surrounding our group who themselves stared and gaped at the small people that had come to their home.
We were welcomed as long lost brothers and sisters - smiles, hugs, kisses and introductions were given in abundance - and, as our horses were led away to be cared for, we were all shown where we might wash off the dust of travel, before the feast that was to be held in honour of the return of Garath, his brother, Gremok - for all now accepted Gremok as such despite the disparity in their sizes - and his daughter, Anna, who they all saw as one of their own.
Garath fell to his knees and crushed Anna in an embrace as Gremok, still as agile as ever, leapt over him to fall upon me with handshakes, hugs and even a few kisses.
‘It has been long, Kane. Too long, but you are here now, despite your foolhardy travels. Do not look at me so, Garath told me how you left Lady Anna to fret and worry while you left with not a word as to where you were going.’
I laughed. ‘It is so very good to see you again, Gremok. Berate me all you wish, I will not take offence… just do not screech at me; please do not do that.’
We both laughed for a moment, and then Gremok fell silent, his eyes scrutinising the faces of each and everyone of our followers.
‘What is it?’ I asked.
‘Who plays the music?’ he asked.
‘Music? You hear music?’ I asked, just as I realised that the melody that had played so long in my mind was still there, and that only the joy of the reunion had masked it from me.
‘So he follows me here even,’ I muttered to myself, but obviously not quiet enough, because Gremok asked, a smile that seem so incongruous on his so changed face, ‘ Who is this he that you talk of, and what is this music that makes me happy, no that is not the word… content?’
As the single word, Grall, filled my mind, Gremok first looked to Anna who was talking animatedly with her father, and then back to me.
‘You heard it too?’ I asked, but already knowing his answer.
‘Who or what is Grall? Is it he who makes the music, and why can I not see him?’
‘The same questions I myself have pondered these last few days. He follows and names himself Friend, I know no more other than the feeling of contentment that he or his music brings. I do not believe he means us harm… but I can give no evidence to support my belief. I suppose that some things must just be taken on trust. But if you and I know of him, what of others. Anna does not, nor any of our followers, I think.’
‘Garath hears him. Look,’ Gremok said, as he looked toward Garath, who stared pointedly at us despite Anna still animatedly talking to him.
Garath, still looking in our direction, took Anna’s hand, said something to her, and then they both walked over to us.
‘So, one has come,’ Garath said. ‘Where are you, Grall, can you not show yourself?’
Anna’s face looked as bemused as I felt, whereas Gremok smiled his hideous smile and looked around expectantly.
Not here. Came the reply, again, a short simple thought, that from the look on all but Anna’s face we had all heard.
Garath smiled. ‘Very well. Follow and we will go to a place of seclusion where none but we four will meet with you.’
And with that Garath turned and walked back the way he had come, beckoning to us over his shoulder for us to follow as the milling masses of giants and people parted to let him pass.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
We seemed to walk for an age, making turn after turn into ever smaller corridors, until at last, Garath stopped and laid his palms flat on the tunnel wall, and then as the stone dissolved into nothingness, walked through into a large dome shaped room about hundred paces across and equally as high.
As we passed through, the opening closed behind us, and the entire surface of the room, walls and ceiling, came alive with images of hundreds of magnificent buildings, their spires and columns reaching high into the clouds, and all built around a mountain, climbing from its base rising ever higher until at last only one, a truly grand building that could only be termed a palace, sat at the very peak.
As we watched the image slowly changed, both revolving around the room and showing other perspectives of what could only be the ancient mountain home of the Roken.
In the centre of the room was placed a single stone chair, but as we walked forward three more appeared from nothingness, each of a size to suit Anna, Gremok and myself.
‘I come here to meditate. Seeing again what we have lost, helps to remind me what we must strive to regain. Seating for our friend, Grall, will be created when I see what form he will adopt when he feels safe to do so.’
As we all sat, each chair now arranged in a semicircle to face an area where even now a grey mist appeared and slowly coalesced into the shape of a wolf, a huge wolf standing over four feet at the shoulder. It’s fur was long and grey, as grey as the mist it formed from.
But it was the eyes that held my gaze; they were golden yellow as were most wolves, but somehow they radiated sadness, pain, but most of all a need for vengeance. I knew that I did not really see his feelings in those eyes, it was what Grall radiated in his emotions, but it was till disconcerting. I much preferred the feeling of contentment his need for vengeance had replaced.
Slowly Grall lowered himself to the floor, head forward facing us, and his paws crossed in front of him.
Anna, who was normally cool and calm under the most stressful of occasions, had her hands clenched into fists so tightly that they shook, and Gremok was on the balls of his feet as though ready to attack at any instant.
Garath reached over and enveloped Anna’s hand in his. ‘ You frighten my daughter with your emotions, Grall. Be as you were earlier… as you were before his coming.’
The wolf, I could not think of the creature any other way, seemed to nod his head in a very human like manner, and the music returned to my mind - I had not know it gone - and with it came the so very welcome feeling of safety and contentment.
Anna sighed, as did Gremok surprisingly.
I will try to speak, to vocalise, came thoughts from the wolf as his muzzle moved to-and-fro, his mouth opened wide as if in a yawn only to snap shut again, and for a moment the noise from the grinding of his teeth was almost unbearable.
Then, finally, he spoke, ‘Please forgive how I sound, I have not spoken in such a very long time. I also apologise for not holding my emotions under control. Sometimes my grief overwhelms me.’ His gravely voice was at first barely a whisper, but slowly it grew stronger and louder.
‘I have not spoken in a very long time, and this form does not lend itself easily to speech.’
‘Please excuse me for interrupting,’ Anna said. ‘But who are you? What are you?’
‘He is Grall, Daughter,’ Garath said, almost reverently.
Anna looked at her father, her eyes full of questions. ‘You know him? Why have you never spoken of him before?’
‘I have, Daughter. Many tales have I told of the Soothers, and how they charmed the animals and all who ventured near. Do you not remember?’
‘So that is what you meant when we were at the mound, when you said that you had heard of such things,’ I said.
Anna ignored my remark. ‘So you are a Soother?’ she said, as she turned to the wolf.
‘A name from stories you tell your children. A name not of our choosing. I am Grall, the last of the Grall… and yet also the whole. Our race he destroyed with his weapons of destruction long before you came to our world, Al’Kar.’
‘You know me?’ I spluttered. ‘How?’
‘Wait,’ Anna said. ‘He destroyed your race, you said. But I have never heard of the a race called the Grall.’
Garath looked to Grall, and, again with a very human like motion, the wolf nodded as if giving consent.
‘You knew of his race as the Smalites, Daughter—‘
‘But that can’t be, I met some Smalites as a child. They were like us… normal people!’ Anna said, in a rush.
‘The Grall are changelings, Daughter. They change their appearance to both suit their needs and to help foster relations with other races. To you and yours they appear as the people, to us their look was more that of the Roken.’
Anna looked astonished. ‘So some survived when he destroyed their city… and you knew. Why have you never spoke of it.’
‘It was not my story to tell and—‘
‘We were few and were hunted,’ Grall said. ‘I am now the last… though I have the memories of all who went before me. I was not with the ones you helped to hide, Garath, but I remember well how you aided my brothers and sisters, and for that I thank you. And it is that memory that urged me to follow you, Al’Kar, to find this place that their memories name Sanctuary.’
Garath smiled as he said,’ You are ever welcome here, Grall. Our hospitality and protection are yours, as it was with your brethren. Though I am deeply saddened to hear that you are the last and that they are no more.’
‘I thank you,’ Grall said, as the outline of his wolf body shimmered, whilst the body itself grew translucent, and began to grow and change shape.
It only took seconds, and then before us stood a Roken. Grall, as Roken, had a huge grin on his face and arms open wide as he walked toward Garath.
Garath stood, and they embraced as if they were two long lost brothers.
‘I did not think I could change,’ Grall said, as he stepped back. Long have I held the wolf, as you named me, Al’Kar, too long. For I feared that should I change he would somehow find me… and then the Grall would truly be no more.’
‘You are safe now,’ Garath said, ‘and your Roken form will ensure that none suspect you anything else… though you must not broadcast your emotions. News of how good it feels around you would soon spread, better to go unnoticed.’
‘I thank you, Garath, and I shall do as you say and guard my thoughts.’
‘Perhaps now it is time for formal introductions, Father,’ Anna said, as she bowed low to Grall.
‘Yes,’ Grall said, as he returned Anna’s bow. ‘I would very much like that. Even though I have memories of you Garath, and, you, Kane I have followed for some days… though my ancestors’ memories name you Al’Kar, my people set great store in formality.
'But before we proceed, I would request that one other also attend, as my ancestors deem her of great importance in the future of our world. She too was with your party, you name her Carthia.’