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Armis

As Reya toppled, Armis rushed forward, but Jiant was faster, gently catching her with one massive hand, cradling her limp form in crook of his bulging, disfigured arm. Armis swallowed hard, gripping his spear. The huge man was clad in a stitching of bearskins, matted with blood and filth, leaving his arms and legs free, with a V at the neck. Flies buzzed around him in a cloud, drawn perhaps to the meat and gore that dribbled down his beard and chest. Armis eyed the neck, judging the distance, wondering if he had enough strength to strike the throat.

Jiant barked out in his grinding voice, and suddenly the spear was yanked from Armis’s hand. Turning, Armis leapt in the air after, but Black-Hair bared his teeth and shoved Armis away with a foot, sending him sprawling to the ground.

In a matter of moments, the two henchmen had ripped away all of Red Cave’s spears, snapping them as they went, leaving bits of splintered wood across the ground. “Are you all right?” Tohm asked, extending a hand. Armis nodded, heart trembling as he stared at their captors.

Another growl from Jiant, and the unnamed woman stepped past them, clutching her baby tightly. “He says to keep moving.” She said, dully, staring at the ground. Black Hair stepped in front of her, growling at them, pointing at his chest and then stepping back into the clearing, past the headless remains of the woman’s mate. She stumbled, and looked away as they passed, shaking violently.

Armis fell in step beside her, touching her shoulder gently. “What happened? ” He whispered. “How did this…”

She glanced at him, and then imperceptibly back at Jiant. “A moon ago, Jiant and his friends came to Silver River village in the night.” She blinked back tears. “We were not prepared. Our men fought bravely, but who can fight against that?” She asked, staring at Black Hair’s back.

So this is Silver River village.

The baby suckled quietly at her breast as they walked. She examined him for a moment. “Your clothes- Are you from Red Cave?”

He glanced down, and then nodded.

She seized his arm. “You need to get back there. Maybe they can help us…” She paused, when she saw the look in his eyes.

“They… are all dead.” He said, swallowing again. “A star from the heavens smashed into the cave during the night of Starfall.” He looked at her, to see if she understood, and she nodded. “We are all that is left. We… were coming to find you, to see if you could help us.”

She didn’t respond, and they kept walking. Somewhere up ahead, someone was roasting meat. The warm, friendly smell made his stomach growl. I doubt we’ll get food today. He looked at his walking companion again.

“What’s your name?”

“Kara.”

He waited for a moment, for her to ask in kind, but she was just staring off into the distance, hugging her baby tightly in her arms.

There was a clearing ahead. And the smell of meat was growing stronger. “Is that it?”

She nodded slowly.

“The cave is just past the fire.”

As they stepped past the last few trees, he could see the stream again, flowing past a sandy plain next to a steep, rock-and-grass hill. Six of Jiant’s huge men sat in a circle, growling at each other. A few were slicing the fur away from a pair of black bear carcasses. while the others were busily adding fuel to a large bonfire in the middle of camp. Chunks of raw flesh were already starting to sizzle on their poles as the fire grew beneath them. Black Hair shouted, and they all scrambled quickly to their feet, staring at the prisoners, licking their yellow teeth.

Black Hair glared at them and barked again, pointing to a large oval hole in the edge of the hill. “He wants you to go in there.” Kara said, unnecessarily. Armis paused. “What about you?” He asked, letting his friends file past.

Kara didn’t meet his eyes, staring at the ground. She spoke, in a flat, dead voice, like one nearly asleep. “There were many of us, more than three pairs of hands, before Jiant came. Now there is only me…” She paused for a moment. “And my baby.”

Snarling, Brown Hair shoved him in the back with a toe, sending him stumbling towards the opening. It was tiny compared to Red Cave, just barely taller than he was, and not quite as wide. On either side of the entrance sat large columns of rock, while the top of the entrance was dominated by the whorled and twisted roots of an ancient oak tree. The interior was shrouded in darkness, but It looked small, too small to hold them all.

There was an enormous stone sitting next to the cave opening, almost round, taller than a man, and probably an arm’s length thick. Armis wondered about that, for just a moment. It’s the door.

Lam paused for a moment at the entrance to the cave, and looked back at him. I’m his leader, his chief. The one who is supposed to keep him safe.

“Armis?”

Fear erupted in his heart, and he forced himself to hold still. Run! Run now!

His mouth was suddenly very, very dry. “G- Go ahe-”

Growling, Brown Hair shoved the boy with a toe, sending him flying forward with a yelp into the darkness.

Black Hair stared at Shara, who visibly shrank from his gaze. “Go.”

She nodded and stumbled forward, pausing at the entrance. “Lam!?” She called timidly, before venturing into the blackness. The others followed meekly after. Black Hair pulled Barak off of his shoulder, and flung him through the entryway. Shrieks of dismay echoed from inside.

RUN! RUN NOW!

Armis blinked, and stepped forwards, his stomach churning violently as the voices shrieked in his head.

Take a step.

No! Run!

Take a step. They’ll break you in two.

*Thump* … *Thump*

The sun had barely moved against the sky since he had first seen the hideous monstrosity, and already he knew Jiant’s gait.

You’ve waited too long. MOVE!

He stumbled forwards, hoping to avoid the beating that was surely coming.

A gargantuan hand reached out, grabbed him by the shoulder and squeezed painfully. Too late! He tried to twist away, but the grip was firm, far stronger than he could ever hope to break. He looked back, hoping to dodge or at least cushion the blow.

“Take.” Jiant growled.

Reya slid forward off of Jiant’s arm, and towards his chest, still unconscious. Reflexively, he raised his hands, catching her pregnant form with a grunt.

Raising his misshapen hand, Jiant extended a finger towards the cave. “Go.”

Kara started to step forward, but then Jiant grabbed her arm. “Stay.”

What does this mean? He looked at Kara, questioningly.

She stared back, impassively. “Go in. Or don’t. It will all end the same.”

Fighting back tears, Armis took a step, and then another. Cool air, smelling strongly of damp earth and mildew blew in his face. The walls closed in around him as he staggered forwards.

“Goodbye, Armis of Red Cave.” Kara called from behind him.

He tried to look at her one last time, but with Reya in his arms he couldn’t make the turn. Another step forwards, instead.

The walls crowed in on both sides, and roots reached down from the ceiling to grab at his hair and face. Too small! And then the walls fell away, and the floor began to slope downwards away from the roof. Something, water, glistened in the middle of the floor. Unknown hands took Reya from him, lowering her to the floor as his eyes strained in the enveloping darkness. Stone grated heavily behind him, and he spun around quickly, as someone shoved the door stone forward, eclipsing the sunlight until only a small sliver of light remained.

A fierce pain rippled through his stomach as he sank to the ground. How did it come to this?

“What are we going to do now?” He whispered. His thoughts seemed so hollow, so weak.

“What would I have done in this situation, this place?” His father’s voice drifted through his mind. Armis whipped his head sideways, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes to stop the tears.

“Well?”

“You wouldn’t have gotten us into this. You would have fought to stay free.” Armis answered, in his mind.

“That is past. Here we are. What would I do.”

“You would make sure everyone was safe. You would tell us not to panic. You would try to find a way out.” Armis whispered.

“It sounds like you know what to do.”

Armis took a deep breath, and blew it out slowly. “Is everyone okay? How are Reya and Barak?”

“Reya is sleeping.. she seems to be alright.” Mika.

“Barak has a nasty cut, and probably a pretty bad bruise, but I don’t think anything’s broken.” Kito.

“Okay.” He swallowed heavily. I am no leader. “Tohm – you and Kito look for a way out of the cave. Shara, you and Oola search for food. Lam, keep close to Barak. Mika with Reya.” He closed his eyes, smiling bitterly as they obeyed without question, without dissent. Now they listen.

“H-Hello?”

A strange voice… A strange accent. A murmur of surprise swept through the Clan. “Who’s there?”

“I am Jora Lina. I am captive, like you.”

A face appeared from the darkness, eyes like black pits beneath fair skin, pale in the thin crescent of light.

Armis stood up – too quickly, and he fought off a wave of dizziness. “Kara said all her people were…” He paused. “Gone.”

“We came with Jiant.” Jora Lina answered.

A low hiss echoed through the damp prison.

“With Jiant?” Lam said, warily.

“Bound”, Jora said, edging closer, speaking slowly. “With strips of leather. Slaves.”

“Okay.” This didn’t seem quite right, but he couldn’t place why.

“What your name?”

Armis couldn’t see the harm in answering. “Armis. Of Red Cave.”

The strange young man smiled. “Armis.” He bowed slightly. “We will help you.”

Armis winced. “How many of you are there?”

“Three. Jora Lina. And Mola Ram, and Kana Bati.” Two other faces crept into view, similar to Jora’s, with pale skin, dark eyes and closely cut hair. They nodded, politely.

“I greet you, Jora Lina, on behalf-”

“Armis.” Tohm’s voice echoed loudly in the small space.

“Tohm, what?”, Armis said, startled as Tohm appeared at the back of the cavern.

“Kito’s found something.” Tohm said, beckoning, and Armis followed, navigating carefully through the gloom, with Jora Lina and the other two strangers close behind. Tohm stepped into a small opening, and Armis had to crouch down to enter, heart trembling with hope and fear. Damp rock face brushed against his shoulders, and he could feel bits of moss and algae tumbling down his arms. “It better not get any tighter.” he grunted, angling sideways to squeeze through the narrow rocks.

“It will get wider here in just a moment – here.” Tohm’s shadowy form lightened in front of him. There’s light ahead. A good sign. He pushed forward.. just a little… farther. ** Ooof **. The walls fell away and he lost his balance, falling forward, raising his hands just in time to break the fall.

He looked up, and saw a skinny leg dangling through a shaft of pale light that stretched down from the ceiling, dust motes dancing merrily in its midst. Armis walked forward, and saw that the boy had wedged himself into the chute, busily working with his hands near the top. “Kito… What are you doing?” He asked, warily.

“There’s a hole.” Kito’s voice was muffled by stone and his own body.

“Of course there’s a hole. But we can’t fit through that!”

“It’s bigger than it looks.” said Jora Linda, quietly. “But Jiant caught someone trying to sneak out, and after he ripped out the man’s heart, he tossed a great boulder on top of the hole.”

Armis’s heart sank. “Kito…” He said, quietly.

A shower of small rocks and pebbles fell past the boy’s leg, forcing Armis to back away a bit.

“Kito.” He repeated again, more urgently.

“What?”

“There’s a boulder on top of the hole. We can’t get out.”

Another shower of rocks tumbled down out of the opening. “Yes we can. I have the digging stone, remember? The rock is soft, it crumbles away quickly.”

Hope flared in his chest. “How long?” Armis asked.

The boy paused for a moment. “Before dark.” The scraping resumed.

Armis paused to consider this. “Be careful. They’ll kill you if they catch you.”

The boy paused again. “Actually, they’ve already caught me.”

He has a point.

Armis turned to look at Jora Lina, but the pale man had already disappeared. “Where did he go?” He muttered, a fist of dread clamped around his heart. “Jora? Jora Lina?”

A strange, high pitched wail echoed through the cave, from the front. What is going on? He rushed forward, shredding his arms as he shoved through the thin crevice and back into the main room. His eyes now well used to the dark, he glanced around – Barak was there, and Reya. Pak and Din were sitting on the ground, staring at the entranceway. He followed their gaze.

There.

Jora Lina was lying on the ground, face pressed against the tiny hole at the base of the stone door, wailing and shouting in a strange language.

Outside, a deep, gravelly voice answered, followed by a series of rapid footsteps that sent dirt and water raining down from the cave top. And it all came together.

Oh no.

He spun around. “Kito.” He started running towards the back.

Strange hands grabbed at his arms, trying to wrestle him down. Furious, he lashed out with fist and elbow, catching his assailant in the face, sending him stumbling backwards. “Kito.” he roared, shredding his skin even more as he hurtled through the crack. “Get out of there.”

He burst through. Kito’s leg was still dangling from the hole. “Get down, Kito. Now!”

The boy kicked at his hands. “Hey, leave me alone. What is going on down the-”

A bright shaft of sunlight burst through the opening, followed by a deep, bone shattering roar of anger.

“Armis.” The boy wailed. “Help.”

He reached up to grab Kito’s leg, too late. Shrieking, the poor young man flew upwards out of the hole, blinding sunlight filling the space.

“Kito.” He roared, helplessly. With a thud, the sunlight vanished. Distantly through the stone, he could hear terrified screams.

He stood alone in the darkness.

What have I done?

I didn’t do this. Jora Lina did this.

“Jora.” he roared, rage searing his blood as he squeezed back through the entrance. “Jora?”

There he was, backed up against the door, shrieking as he held up his hands defensively. “I’m sorry. Don’t hurt me.”

The other two rose up to stand between Jora and Armis, but backed away instantly when they saw his face. Abandoned, Jora wailed even louder.“Please don’t hurt me.”

Armis lunged forward, wrapping his hands around the wretches’ neck, squeezing. “How could you do this to us? You miserable, disgusting-”

The stone door growled as it was forced open.

No. They will not stop me. He could feel his hands sinking into the pale flesh, crushing his windpipe. Jora thrashed violently, but his strength was no match for Armis’s. He pounded at Armis’s head as he slid down the wall, but the blows were nothing, beneath contempt.

You will not betray us a second time. Gritting his teeth, Armis flexed his arms, pushing his thumbs into the boy’s throat. Almost there.

A huge fist swept into view, smashing into his face, sending him flying backwards, head smacking wetly against the-.

=-=

Armis jolted awake, lifting his head. Pain exploded through his skull, and everything started to go black.

Closing his eyes, he rode it out, sucking in a deep breath.

“Don’t move.” Someone was gently stroking his arm.

Oola.

He grimaced, and opened one eye. They were outside. Next to the fire. The sun was shining through the trees.

How did I get outside?

“What happened?” He mumbled, his mouth arching.

“Don’t talk.” she whispered. “Jiant told us all to come out and sit next to the fire.” she paused. “He has Kito. I think he’s going to kill him.”

“Where? I can’t see.” He whispered.

Deep growling noises boomed from his left.

Carefully, slowly, ignoring the stabbing pain, he slid his head across Oola’s lap to get a better angle.

Jiant stood near the fire, growling in his unfamiliar tongue. Two of his men stood on either side, one was Black Hair, the other was new, it was…. A woman?

She looked sad.

Jora Lina was off to the side, staring up at Jiant. Just looking at him made Armis’s head throb, and he glanced away. There’s something under Jiant’s foot. A small form, gasping for air, arm twitching helplessly.

Kito.

At least he’s still alive.

For now.

Jiant finished his rumblings.

“Disobey Jiant, or try to escape, and you will be punished.” It was Jora Lina’s high, watery voice. It also sounded, Armis noted with a little satisfaction, quite raspy.

Jiant leaned over, and seized Kito from under his foot. Something rolled out of Kito’s pants and bounced towards the fire pit as the boy was lifted into the air, shrieking in fear. “Kito, No!” Shara wailed, out of his field of view. “No, Shara.” Tohm grunted.

“Let me go.” She growled.

“No, you’ll just get yourself killed.” Tohm answered.

Armis tried to lift his head, but it wouldn’t move. “-Have to stop this.” He groaned.

“Be still!” Oola hissed, pressing firmly on his skull. “There’s nothing you can do.”

Casually, Jiant raised Kito up to his mouth, and caught his right hand between his teeth. Like he was ripping a bit of flesh from a bone, Jiant bit down on the right wrist, severing it. With a yelp, Kito yanked his arm away as blood spurted from the wound, leaving a smear across Jiant’s face. Jiant dropped the boy to the earth, where he curled up into a ball, shrieking as the ichor pooled around him on the sandy ground.

Baring his yellow-brown teeth, Jiant licked the blood from his fingers, and growled again.

“Take him.”

Shara and Tohm rushed forward, grabbed Kito by the shoulders and drug him back to the group.

Make a tourniquet.

Tohm ripped off his shirt, wrapping it tightly around the arm stump. Good man.

Jiant spoke again. Armis stared, morbidly fascinated by his bloodstained teeth.

Jora Lina translated, almost mechanically. He’s said this before. “Many years ago, Jiant discovered the secrets of growth. Now he is strong. Now he is powerful.” Jora pointed at the two standing nearby. “He used the same magic to make these people large, and strong. Jiant’s people are the strongest and greatest of all people.”

“If you obey, and serve Jiant, he will make you large and strong.” Jora paused for a moment, and stared directly at Armis. “If you defy him, you will be killed and eaten.”

Jiant growled again, and another one of his men, the cook, rushed forward, carrying a bulging water skin. Jora turned, and stared at him.

“Jiant says… Jiant says he will show you his magic.” Jora swallowed, hard. What does that mean?

Raising the water skin to his lips, Jiant took a drink, reddish-gold liquid staining his lips and pouring down his beard. He handed the skin back to the cook, and folded his arms.

Heartbeat.

Heartbeat.

Heartbeat.

The skin on Jiant’s upper arm began to twitch… muscle spasm? No, wait, it’s spreading. His whole arm… Not just his arms. His legs, his chest, his neck..

What is happening?

Jiant fell to his knees, and tipped forward, catching himself with his hands, even as he fought to keep them still. The air was still cool, but he was covered in sweat, rivulets running down his arms, dancing off of his skin with each throbbing pulse of flesh. He raised his head, baring his teeth as first his forehead bulged out, and then his nose, and then his whole mouth, twitching and contorting in impossible ways.

A low rumbled echoed through the air.. Thunder? But as it continued, Armis realized, horrified, that it was coming from Jiant’s body, his flesh and muscle, even his very bones moaning at the monstrous transformation that it was enduring.

Is it possible to feel sorry for him? He wondered. But there was really only one answer.

Not if you want to live.

After a while, the rumblings subsided. Panting, Jiant rose to his feet, slapping away the offered hand of one of his companions, a curly brown haired man, almost as tall as Jiant himself.

Was he taller? Perhaps a little – maybe a finger or two. That’s it? After all that?

Jiant stared at them for a moment, and then his eyes narrowed. Barking an order, he flung the wineskin at the curly-haired one, and turned away, stomping off towards the river.

The other Jiant-men gathered around the one eagerly, and one raised the wineskin to his lips. Jora Lina waved his hand. “Back in the cave.”

Carefully, slowly, Lam and Oola lifted him up, and he remembered how much his head hurt. Step by agonizing step they helped him walk towards the cool, mossy darkness of their prison. As the stone gate ground back into place Armis shivered in the dampness.

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Sunday, May 21st, 2006 at 7:12 pm.
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