Ch. 2:
Mr. Dickenson, or Dickhead as Tala liked to call him, was sitting on his throne in the great hall. He was an old, bald human with no sense for adventure. But currently, he was the ruler of the hidden village of the last demons, since the real king had gone missing, and most probably died. Before him stood four young teens, three of them demons, and one human.
"So you understand your mission?" Mr. Dickenson, Mr. D. for short, asked the teens.
"To get the gold from the gobbling-men," Tyson, a young boy with indigo hair and brown eyes said. Mr. D. nodded.
"And you understand why," he asked, just to be sure.
"So that we can pay the wraiths for keeping the hunters away from out village, so that they won't leave us," the oldest teen, Rei, answered. He was tall, with long black hair and golden eyes. Mr. D. nodded again.
"Good. Your leader and his brother should be here soon," he said. Almost immediately after this was said, the great doors to the hall swung open and two demons stepped trough.
The one walking first was dressed in a long dark blue cape, with the hood pulled to hide his face. The other one had an a little shorter, silver white cape, with a long scarf attached. The scarf was tied so that it covered the demons mouth and nose, but at least one could see that this one had red hair and ice blue eyes.
"Kai and Tala," Mr. D. greeted them. "Punctual as always…" Kai and Tala greeted him with a nod before turning to look at the four teens.
Something about that hooded demon sent shivers down Rei's sensitive spine.
"These will be your companions," Mr. D. said, gesturing towards the group. "Rei, Tyson, Max and Kenny."
"A human?" the hooded one, Kai, noted. Mr. D. nodded.
"He is a priest in training, but has the knowledge of almost every race on this earth," the old man explained. Kai nodded.
"Hope you brought everything necessary," he said. "We'll be leaving immediately." But Tyson protested.
"'Immediately'…? But can't we eat first?" he whined.
"No," Kai said in a cold voice.
"But…" Tyson started to protest.
"Kai is the leader, not you, dragon-boy," Tala snapped. "If he says we'll leave now, then that is what we will do."
Rei's eyes widened. They had been in the same room for only a few moments, and already the redhead, Tala, had known Tyson's race. These two should not be underestimated…
So, with bags filled with everything necessary for the quest, the six travelers left their safe little village of beasts. As it was, only Tala, Kai and Rei had ever been outside the village, and the tree of them where the only ones who didn't gawk at everything they saw. Even Kenny, who was a human, had never been outside the Deamon's gates. He was born inside the village. It was just too risky for an inexperienced to be outside.
Tyson grinned and placed a hand on his broad sword. His grandfather had taught him to fight, and now at last he'd be able to show his skills. The boy cast a glance at their hooded leader; he wasn't carrying any type of weapon from what Tyson could see. Neither was his "brother".
'Mr. D. said they're brothers… but their energy signals are different,' the dragon-demon though as he followed the others through the rocky landscape. 'I just don't get it…'
Suddenly Kai stopped and motioned for the others to get low.
"Kai..?" Tala asked in a whisper next to his brother. Kai motioned for Tala to take a look and as the redhead noticed the problem his expression darkened. Being the cat-demon he was, Rei had no difficulties sneaking soundlessly next to the two leaders.
"What is it?" he asked quietly.
"A troll," Kai answered. "A small one… of the slightly more intelligent sort…"
"It's still stupider than a walnut," Tala said with a snigger.
"Why don't you go tell it that," Kai said with a sigh. "I'm sure it'll be thrilled.
"Don't mind if I do," Tala whispered and was about to stand up and walk over to the troll when Kai grabbed his cape.
"Where do you think your going," he growled. "Small trolls may not be able to multiply by ripped of body parts, but they regenerate instead." Kai pulled Tala with him back to the others and turned to look at Kenny.
"You're a priest, aren't you," he stated more than asked. "What spells do you know?"
"I-I'm still in practice," Kenny answered. "Mr. Dickenson sent me as a guide, since we're not allowed to bring maps… but I know an effective sleeping spell."
Kai and Tala looked at each other and shook their heads.
"Stay here," Kai ordered his companions. Then he looked straightly t Rei. "Make sure none of them gets in my way." The eyes under the hood glinted in a deep red color and Rei could but nod. Satisfied, Kai and Tala moved away from their hiding place and walked towards the troll, who still had to notice them.
As earlier noted, it was of the smaller race of trolls. About six foot tall, with grayish brown, rough hair all over its body, small black pig eyes, long ears and the nose just as long as its ears. In other words, it was ugly. In its long fingered hand it held a thick branch, covered with dried blood and pieces of old skin and hair.
"What's going on?" Tyson asked and crawled towards where Rei was seated, watching the two brothers from behind a pair of boulders.
"A troll," he answered silently. "A small one, but still…"
Tyson, Max and Kenny looked at the creature Kai and Tala were heading towards.
"That… is a small one?" Tyson asked while taking in the six foot tall being.
"Normal trolls can be up to nine or ten foot tall," Kenny said.
"Wait, are those two going to fight against it alone!" Max asked with wide eyes. "They're both going to get killed!"
"I don't know… "Rei murmured. "Kai told s to wait here so I guess they've got a plan."
They watched as Kai raised his right hand so that his palm was pointing towards the troll, while Tala moved to stand in front of him.
"Hey!" The redhead shouted, attracting the troll's attention. "You're no smarter that a walnut!" The troll let out a grunt and started running towards Tala who moved out of the way so that the troll was charging Kai in stead. But before the troll even got to the point of lifting its branch and pummel Kai into a bloody pulp, flames shot out from the teen's palm and hit the troll on its chest, spreading quickly. Kai lowered his hand and they all watched as the troll burned to ashes that spread with wind.
Max and Tyson ran out from behind the rocks.
"Wow! How'd you do that?" Tyson exclaimed while running forward.
"Mr. D. didn't tell us you could do magic!" Max said, equally exited. Kai just turned and started walking next to Tala.
"Let's move on," he said, not looking back. Behind him, Max and Tyson looked at each other and then at Rei who just shrugged and followed their leader.
The small group of adventurers traveled through secret paths among the mountains. They hadn't even come halfway down when Tyson started whining about being hungry and tired and whatnot. But Kai didn't seem to listen. Nor Tala for that matter... The two of them walked a few steps in front of the others, discussing what route to take. Finally after what seemed like an eternity the group came to the base of the mountains. This time it was Tala who signaled everyone to take cover.
"There appears to be some sort of village over there," the redhead said. The other five followed his gaze and their eyes settled on a group of wooden houses surrounded by a wooden wall, meant to keep intruders away.
"Humans..?" Max asked.
"Hunters, maybe..?" Kenny suggested.
"I don't think so…" Tala answered, sniffing the air like a dog. Rei did the same.
"It smells…" the black-haired started, wrinkling his nose.
"…Rotten," Tala finished for him.
"Orcs…" Kai said. He was staring intently at the small village. "I can see one of them now…" Tyson took a look as well.
"Yup, he's right. They're orcs alright," the dragon stated.
"Let's go," Kai said and moved away from their hiding place. "We must continue our journey." The others agreed, and all six of them entered the thick forest that surrounded the mountains.
TBC…
Taiy-Chan: Feels weird to update this for only one reviewer… and a bit sad… But oh well, I'm grateful for what I've got…