[rework] Minglings - chapter 46: Trouble in paradise

Jake felt his good mood vanish into thin air as Peltmans glared directly at him before stomping his way.

How did he find me?

No, that wasn't the most important thing! They were willing to attack him in the forest even though he had the advantage?

Something's not right here.

A high-pitched scream tore through the silence.

Jake swirled in the direction the sound came from, tense and suddenly afraid of what he would find. He saw nothing, but his previous hubris had melted away. He'd underestimated the Goblins, and they had anticipated him! Anxiety grew, and almost mechanically, he summoned the power of ice.

Pain washed over him, and he buckled, his body cramping in an arch. The mana muscle in his body, something he hadn't paid much attention to in a long time, was sending out waves of pain. It felt like he was drawing in liquid fire, and he instantly released his hold. The pain caused everything to look blurry, and his thoughts were slow.

Through the haze, he caught shouting and the sound of battle. He thought he heard someone call his name, followed by a startled yell. With barely a rustling from the leaves, something breached through the plants and slammed into him. He took a step back to stop from tipping over, his cramped muscles finally responding. The collision had shaken something loose, and the pain receded, leaving a nasty headache behind.

"..J..ake... fle..ee..."

Next to him lay Tergin, mangled and with blood streaming out of his ears, nose, and mouth. Three long lashes went from the side of his face across his chest, bleeding profusely. His dark eyes were unfocused, looking at nothing.

With a shuddered breath, Jake reached for the Kobold. He needed to get him away!

A shiver ran through the green body, followed by a long hiss. Tergin stopped moving, his form unnaturally still.

"No... Tergin?" Jake stared at him in disbelief.

He expected a sign. A movement. Anything that showed the other was still alive, faking it and just laying a trap. Nothing happened.

A soft, deep chuckle came from the forest, and a green figure walked out of the jungle. Bald, wrinkly, and with rolls of fat rippling around its bullish neck, massive arms and waist, it still had an incredibly intimidating presence. Two deep, emerald eyes seemed to glow from the inside as they stared at Jake.

"What the matter, little snake? Did friend die? Awww, me so sad..."

The figure moved closer, and as its head passed level with a branch far above Jake's reach, he gasped. The thing was huge! It was taller than any Orc, and under the fat were muscles that seemed more in place on a bodybuilder. Although it spoke slowly, its movements were fluid and almost graceful and spoke of danger.

That thing killed Tergin!

Hatred and anger surged through Jake, pushing him to attack. The image of Tergin was the only thing that held him back, and even then, barely. Still, it was enough for his mind to start working again.

Troll.

The word surfaced, unbidden, and he knew it was from some hereditary memory. With it came a sense of caution, danger, and loathing. And the faint knowledge that Trolls were a sign of something worse. With a groan, he stepped back.

The Troll grinned at him, a wicked sneer on his face.

Another voice, familiar and hateful, came from behind. "Nowhere to run this time? Stupid lizard!"

Peltmans stood behind him, arms hanging losely along his body. All around, Jake saw dozens of slight movements and flashes of green skin between the blue and purple leaves. Spear points were poking out, aimed at him.

How did they get this close without me noticing?

Behind him, the Troll laughed and pounded forward, shouting at him.

"Backstab!"

Jake jumped aside, suppressing another urge to clash with the monstrous thing. He'd thought he would be at the advantage in the jungle, but he was wrong! What he needed was space to spread his wings! Next to him, the open logging area beckoned. Only a few trees and bushes separated him from it. That and high-pitched Goblin squealing.

He ran for it, barrelling through the bushes and getting ready to fly up as soon as possible.

"Attack!"

Rustling and swishing followed Peltmans roar as dozens of sharpened sticks flew toward him from all sides. Jake tried to change course, sliding through the mud. It helped a bit, and most spears harmlessly flung passed him, but not all. A spear hit his flank like a body blow. Not enough to wound, but it might leave a bruise under his scales.

More and more blows followed it, striking him all over, but he wasn't worried about those. He zigzagged forward, keeping his wings folded and as much out of the barrage as he could. If he wanted to get out, he needed them whole.

A deep and rumbling chuckle and the loud pounding of feet came from behind, spurring him on.

His snout exited the shadows cast by the giant tree's when a spear pierced his left wing. Fear and anger made him jump forward, and he forced his wings open, trying to remove the pin. He felt it yield, and his wings sprang open.

"Now!" a loud sonorous female voice commanded.

Jake dropped to the ground. He couldn't say why, but he did, and as he did, he felt something slice across his back into his raised wings. A shock ran through him, and his head flung around like a snake hit by electricity. In a glimpse, he saw a grey, vaguely familiar figure standing at the edge of the jungle. Next to it stood something else, something small yet fearsome. It was the last he saw.

Cracking and tearing erupted from his wings. Blind pain as if someone ripped his ears from his head and his arms from his body caused him to scream. He scrambled forward, and something limply fell on his back. The pain made it hard to think, and all he wanted was to get away, hide, and nurse his wounds. Running forward, away from the thing that hurt him, Jake's mind hid from the pain, letting his dragonic instincts take over.

As if waiting for just that, Jake's consciousness was shoved back as powerful instincts and a desire for self-preservation took control.

Suddenly, there was just the Dragon.

There was a familiar glitter in the corner of its eye, and it turned its head as it loped across the muddy area.

The sea, blue and beautiful, sprawled in the distance, and it called, no, sang! The Dragon charged toward it, the flopping things on his back, slowing it down. Yelling and screaming came from those in pursuit, but on the open ground, it was faster.

The closer it came to the sea, the weaker the shouting became, and when talons touched the sand, the roaring of the sea drowned out all other sounds. Splashing into the water, the rush of energy only increased its desire to flee, and it dove down.

Fish and purple crustaceans scattered, while the large tortoises further away fled as it propelled through the sea towards its depths. Blanketed by the increasing influx of energy and the sensation of safety, the last vestiges of Jake's conscious mind drifted away as his Dragon self shot further and further into the depths of the boundless ocean.

-

Halfway to the sea, a group of Goblins stood chattering to each other until Peltmans roar silenced them. The large Orc seemed small beside the Troll. They waited for the two figures that were walking towards them, one green, the other grey.

"Damn you, Whipper. You promised me this would kill him!" Peltmans glared at the smaller figure but avoided looking into the pitch-black eyes.

"It would have if you had followed the directions I gave you," a smooth voice responded with barely any emotion.

Peltmans growled but just stared at the other, inspecting the dark green skin strung taut across a well-defined face and muscles. The curved ears reminded him of elves, if not for the tufts of dark hair sticking out from them. As he compared the agile muscles to his own, his glare increased, and he inched forward, his posture lowering.

The Fiend next to Whipper snorted and shook her head. "Stop it, you two. You've already angered the Insectoids enough to make them leave! If you fight against each other, we will be too weak when more of those dragons show up."

For a moment, it seemed Peltmans would ignore her words, but then he sniffed and straightened up again.

"Don't speak to me like that, Tess. You are lucky I let you remain here! Besides, that was Anthony's fault," Peltmans growled.

When there was no response, he turned back to the sea. "We need to destroy those Kobolds before the Dragon returns. Gather every Orc and Goblin. We are going to exterminate those reptilian scum."

With a grunt, Peltmans jogged towards the town, the Troll following him, making surprisingly little noise as it moved.

When they were out of earshot, Whipper turned towards Tess, his motions sharp and quick.

"You are sure about what you told me? If we do this and you're mistaken, we will have no safe place here."

Tess glared back with eyes almost as black as his and nodded. "If I gather a bit more energy, I can create the portal to the populated regions of this world. Between what I've absorbed from the deaths of those Goblins and Kobolds and the slaughter of the Insectoids, one more battle should be enough."

Whipper nodded, desire gleaming in his eyes as he stared across the water. "Good. These ridiculous backwater islands are no place for the likes of me!" With another grin, he turned towards the remains of the town.

Tess didn't move right away, staring after the other, her lips curving into a slight smile. Then she followed him.

From the top of one of the trees far behind them, a pair of reptilian eyes watched everything.

--

Melissa stood next to Bolyr, barely believing what she had just heard. The others were just as stunned as they stared at the sole Antracii that had returned.

She heard Bolyr swallow next to her before the other carefully asked the question she wanted answering just as much.

"You are sure Jake got away?"

The green and blue Antracii nodded, ignoring Bert, who was bandaging one of his arms. "I saw him jump in the water and disappear. But something was weird. He moved and acted oddly."

Mellisa had a bad feeling when she saw Bolyr and Gria share a knowing look. They knew something she didn't... again. But it would have to wait. Instead, she took a step closer to the Antracii warrior.

"How far are the Goblins, and how many are there?"

"A few hundred Goblins, a dozen Orcs, a Fiend, and a..." He shivered while a fearful look crossed his face. "Diadr."

Gasps and shouted questions came from the gathered Antracii, and Bolyr cursed before shouting for silence.

Next to Mellisa, she heard a soft shuffling, and she found Helen and Bert looking around, uncomfortable. They still didn't know the dragonic language, and Mellisa quickly translated.

"You should have started with that!" Bolyr roared, glaring at the warrior.

The Antracii warrior lowered its head, a look of fear and guilt on it.

"What are Diadr?" Mellisa asked in resignation.

"Mutated Orcs," Gria answered, silencing Bolyr with a sharp look. "Before the Dragons came to this world, other species called it home. We don't know a lot about them, but we do know they were incredibly magical—one of those species warred with Goblin tribes, who desired them for their good looks. They had offspring, horrid creatures with gruesome magic that let them drain the life force from anything they touched. Over the years, the other races killed them, but by some magical means, their heritage remains in all Goblins. Once in a while, one appears."

Mellisa quickly translated what she heard and then shook her head in wonder. "That doesn't seem too bad? We can just shoot the thing with arrows or throw rocks or magic at it?"

Bolyr laughed flatly. "No. Magic doesn't work around them, and they inherited their mysterious ancestor's quick movement. Hitting one with an arrow is supposedly near impossible."

Silence reigned for a moment before Bolyr walked away, a severe expression on his face as he began shouting orders. He appointed scouts around the edge of the jungle, one in the top of the tree and some in the water. As he moved towards the side of the island, Mellisa stepped beside Gria.

"How do we kill that Diadr?"

"The only known way is to corner and overwhelm it with sheer numbers. It will probably be what we have to do, but it will cost dozens of lives."

Mellisa absently translated it and was about to ask another question when Helen's soft and scared voice came from behind her.

"Can't we trap it?"

Mellisa turned towards Helen, who had been standing with Bert, observing the happenings quietly. Blinking in surprise, she shrugged and translated the question.

Gria shook her head, a thoughtful look across her face. "They are careful, and from the stories, they stay far from the battlefield. I can't remember a single story where one was killed easily."

After Melissa translated, everyone fell silent, the only sound remaining the distanced shouting of Bolyr.

Helen was the first to break the silence. "But... he was human until only recently, right? He won't have much combat experience and only has his new instincts, which must be as confusing for him as they are to us."

Gria stared at Helen in confusion after Melissa translated. "What do you mean? Are you telling me he can't fight?"

"I don't know, but in our world, most people can't."

Gria just stared at her in stunned silence. "How do you survive?" she finally asked in disbelief.

Melissa shook her head. "That's not important right now. Helen is right. That Driadr probably can't fight, and even if he could, he won't have any experience in this jungle. Not like your warriors."

Bert stepped forward with a questioning look on his face. "Can't we just send in assassins?"

A nasty grin spread across Gria's face, and she nodded at Melissa. "I need to talk to Bolyr; get your people ready for a fight. Find me after." She turned and trotted away.

Melissa shook her head. "Get them ready to fight she says! And how am I supposed to do that?"

--

When Jake finally snapped out of his delirium, he found himself curled up inside a section of reef. Faint light filtered through the dozens of tiny holes in the bright blue ceiling, and small plants waved and bobbed around in the stream. From below the overhang, he saw more coral in a multitude of colors. Small fish swam everywhere, nibbling on the plants.

Besides a low rumbling in the distance, it was quiet, and a warm feeling from his stomach told him he must have eaten something recently. Instinctively he stretched his wings. One of them sent out a short wave of pain before it complied like the other, and like a wave, the memories flooded back. He shot up in a panic.

Tergin!

The last thing he had seen of the other was his unmoving shape, and after that, everything was hazy! Something about his back? Bending his long neck, he saw the thick, scabbed wounds around the edges of his wing base.

Jake swallowed. That had been way too close! He might have lost his wing if he hadn't dropped when he did!

Folding them back, he decided he would need to let them heal more before trying any flying. With a quick swish of his tail, he swam from below the overhang and into the bright reef.

The surface wasn't that far up, and parts of the reef stuck up into the air, waves crashing into them. Every time they did, clouds of sparkling bubbles gushed down, accompanied by a deep rumbling. Tiny fish darted between them.

All around him, he saw a labyrinth of smaller and larger passageways through the colorful reef. Although he felt more peaceful than he had for weeks, there still was a desire to swim further down. It wasn't as strong as before, and he pushed it away, swimming up toward the surface.

His head burst out to the roaring of the waves, and he was almost deafened by a strong wind that howled around. Watery foam flung into his face, striking the protective lids.

Where the hell am I?

There wasn't any indication of land, no matter where he looked. But he reasoned that if he was in the reef, he had to be near the island. He needed to find his way back to warn the others!

After trying, in vain, to determine the correct direction, he dove back down.

A few feet under the surface, he looked around, hoping for an indication of where to go. The dark sea loomed to the left, beckoning him, but he knew that wasn't where he had to go. Still, he needed all of his willpower to turn his back to it and swim the other way. The best idea he could think of was to swim in the opposite direction. If he had instinctively gone this way, going the other way should bring him back to the island. Or so he hoped.

I will avenge you!

Dark anger filled his mind as he remembered Tergin's unmoving shape and the laughing Troll. He swam forward as fast as he could, the prospect of killing the Troll and saving the others pushing him on.

-

High-pitched screams and the sounds of drowning Goblins echoed across the lake.

Melissa looked at the gathered group of Kobolds standing behind the partially finished wooden wall. They were wounded and downtrodden. Since coming to this world, all they had done was survive, fight, and see the few friends and loved ones they had managed to cling to die.

The Antracii stood between them, quiet and calm and seemingly ready for anything. Even the sounds outside didn't seem to faze them.

Bolyr stood beside her in front of the open gate, staring at the lake's massacre.

Hundreds of Goblins were swimming towards them, while Kobolds capable of underwater breathing constantly dragged their struggling forms down. Dozens of bodies floated unmoving, leaving a trail back to the opposite shore. It was a massacre... but it wasn't nearly enough.

No matter how fast the Kobolds drowned the Goblins, there were too many swarming from the jungle into the water.

Soon the first Goblins crawled up the side of the island a hundred feet away from Bolyr and Melissa. As soon as they scrambled to their feet, soaking wet, they roared and waved across the lake. A group of Orcs stood there side, but they didn't move yet. A gigantic, green form hovered behind them, gnawing on something.

"They are waiting for the Goblins to attack us. We will need everyone here when they do, and they know it. That is when the Orcs will swim across... them and that Troll monstrosity," Bolyr hissed before turning to the gathered Kobolds. There were hundreds, but many were injured, and only the Antracii had anything better than pointy sticks. Makeshift spears they called them.

Stepping forward, Bolyr scanned the warriors before starting to speak. His voice grew stronger and louder with every word.

"They will be here soon! Stand fast, and don't fear, for dragon blood flows in our veins! This is the last time they come here because we will kill them all! Let us show them why it took two races working in unison to defeat us last time!"

A halfhearted roar came from the group, mostly from the Antracii. Bolyr frowned, seeming uncertain, and Mellisa jumped forward. She had to do something, or this would be a slaughter.

She spoke softly, her eyes on those who used to be human as she tried to convey as much intensity as she could.

"Earth is gone. Nothing remains of our home to go back to, no place to hide. In this world, we need to make our new home..." she said. She sensed something clench inside her gut and barely noticed that the Earthlings were staring at her with a sudden intensity.

"Look around you!" She waved at the surrounding trees and the sparkling water beyond the other three gates. Deep inside her abdomen, the soft clenching changed, and she sensed energy rush from it through her body. If she hadn't been the center of attention, she would have been afraid. Now, she barely noticed as she continued.

"This place could be a paradise with sparkling beaches and towering buildings! A haven for us to rebuild and show this world what we are made of! But not if we let these Goblins take it from us! Don't think of them as humans! They are not. Not anymore. They will kill us or push us away if they can't hunt us into oblivion! You have to fight. Fight with everything you have!"

Mellisa raised her voice, shouting now long since having lost control. She didn't notice the indistinct dark purple haze that flowed from her to cover the entire area and all of the Kobolds. Nor the fact that all of them had stopped looking afraid, just staring at her.

"Are we afraid of some setback?"

A mighty roar responded, shocking her awake, and she reared back.

Kobolds, Earthlings, and Antracii alike stared at her. Their eyes shined and glittered while they visibly shook with energy as they continued to roar. She actually saw a few stomp their feet and slam spears into the ground.

What is going on?

She stepped back, dismayed at having lost control of herself, and shocked at the reaction it had gotten. A hand gripped her shoulder, and she almost started. Bolyr stared at her, the same look of zeal in his eyes as in the roaring Kobolds.

"By the hound, you have the blood of a Warlord-dragon flowing in you!"

Staring at the yellow-armed Kobold, Mellisa wanted to ask what he was talking about when running footsteps came from behind her.

"Here they come, get ready!" a Kobold came running through the gate, shouting. He barely had time to look in surprise at the amassed horde of Kobolds roaring in a fury.

A moment later, a thick mass of Goblins followed him, screaming, raging, and waving their spears and clubs around.

Melissa stepped back, uncertain, but Bolyr held her shoulder. "No! You can do this. Believe in yourself! Now tell them to fight!"

Melissa tried to find the energy, the power she had sensed before, but it seemed gone. Feeling helpless, she stepped forward and roared.

"Charge!"

She felt silly, thinking that nobody would listen.

She was wrong.

A many-voiced roar drowned out the Goblin voices as the Kobolds stormed forward. She gaped as the mass of Kobolds swarmed around her. Whatever she had before might be gone now, but the effect must have remained.

Bolyr sped at the front, the first to clash with the startled Goblins. She had no idea what the Goblins had expected to find here, but it wasn't the furious mass of scale and teeth that surged toward them.

The Kobolds collided with the Goblins like a hammer hitting a puddle of mud, smashing through and flinging some at the sides away. Melissa wanted to help, but as she watched a kobold use her teeth and claws to decapitate a Goblin, blood spurting everywhere, she felt her stomach heave.

"Stay here. We can't let you risk yourself," Gria suddenly said as she moved next to her, Lyra to her side. Melissa had no idea where she came from, but she was happy they were here.

Lyra, the young, powerfully built Kobold stared after her father, a look of obvious desire in her eyes.

"Lyra, stay put. You are to guard Melissa. If we survive this, we will need her power in the future," Gria ordered.

Melissa wanted to ask what she meant, but the heaving in her stomach was getting worse, and she felt a weakness spread through her. Gria noticed and quickly supported her. A look of surprise and curiosity in her eyes, she smiled at Melissa.

"Don't worry, young warrior. What you just did cost a lot of energy and weakened you. You Earth people are a mystery! No Kobold of your kind was born amongst our race for hundreds of years. Our survival is now all but guaranteed!" She had to raise her voice; the battle sounds made normal conversation hard.

"What happened?" Mellisa finally managed to croak out, almost gagging.

Gria held her eyes on the battle that raged mere meters away from them and grinned. "You awakened! And to one of the most coveted powers known to Kobold kind. The first time you use it can leave you weak, which is what you feel now. Don't worry, it will become better as you learn how to control it."

Melissa just nodded, unsure what to say. A bout of shouting and screaming followed, and she turned her attention to the battle. Even with her lack of knowledge in warfare, she could see the Kobolds were overwhelming the Goblins.

"We are winning?" she asked, confused, wondering why things looked so simple.

"You would think that, wouldn't you? Stupid lizard." A grumbling voice came from behind them.

Gria turned so fast that Melissa, who had been supporting her, staggered and dropped to her knees. Behind them stood a group of large Orcs and a fat green monstrosity. One of the Orcs only had eyes for the battle, but he seemed to see something different. Mellisa followed his gaze to see another group of Orcs appear through the wooden gate.

"You lot, go help them, and don't die! Danny, back them up!"

Five of the Orcs ran forward, the Troll easily keeping up.

"Bolyr, incoming!" Gria roared.

Disbelief filled Melissa. It had looked to be going so well! Couldn't anything go their way?

Gria and Lyra jumped forward, intercepting the three Orcs that had wanted to jump her. The Kobolds moved in coordinated unison, stabbing with their spears at knees and throats. Within moments the Orcs were bleeding from a dozen wounds and backed off. From a safe distance, they glared at the Kobolds.

Huddling on the ground behind the other two, Melissa cursed her current weakness. She wasn't one for fighting, but lying here, unable to help, caused her blood to boil.

Screams rang from the battlefield, and she saw the Orcs rage. The Kobolds' forward motion had stalled, and the Goblins were pushing forward again.

Are we going to lose? Melissa scrambled up, a sudden wave of anger enough to give her the energy. Standing between Gria and Lyra, she growled at the three Orcs.

"We can take them!" Lyra growled, and before the others could stop her, she rushed towards one of the Orcs. Gria cursed and followed her.

Barely on her feet, Melissa struggled after them, determined to hold one down even if she had to sit on it.