Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2003 12:01:50 -0600
From: Tommy KnightHawk <alpha_wanderer@hotmail.com>
Subject: Alpha Wanderer: Chapter 5 Friends and Enemies

Chapter 5 Friends and Enemies

Disclaimer is the same as before.  If this looks like it was yours it
probably wasn't because I've made it up all on the spot.  Except for some
stuff I borrowed from other Internet writers with their permission.  If
something looks like yours or if you want to give feed back or if you don't
understand something just contact me at alpha_wanderer@hotmail.com

Thanks to those who have been giving feedback.  You know who you are.  Also
thanks to hextaur and the_atlantian for beta testing the story.

*************************************************************
Review of Chapter 4 Life Goes On
*************************************************************

Borak was holding both falcons now and was looking intently at the female.
"I shall call you Erinlumbule (woods shadow in Elvish) for you were pulled
from the shadow of death caused by these woods."

I was in awe.  I didn't even think of naming the falcon when I had gotten
it but now I knew what it's name would be.  Taking the male I said, "And I
shall call you Dunaewcoi (lover of bird life in Elvish) for you saved the
life of our friend here."

Both birds looked pleased, as they took off together and danced in the air.
Borak and I headed back to camp while talking about plans for travel.

"Well Borak, it looks like something wants us to head for Korison.  We have
work to do, and as they say, life goes on.

*************************************************************
End of Review
*************************************************************

Getting the falcons ready for their trip was hard work.  We agreed that we
should just have the birds deliver the messages, mainly because we didn't
have the time to teach the birds how to act human.  After duplicating the
message and tying it onto the birds, I mentally told the birds where to go
and where to meet us when they finished.  After we sent the birds off,
Borak and I got ready to break camp.

Borak and I took weapons according to how well we knew how to use them.
The rest of the stuff we split down the middle.  My favorite weapon was a
walking staff I had made the first day after Talcorath.  Perfect in weight
and height, it made the perfect bow staff.  It was rough enough to look
like a walking stick, but was a deadly weapon.

Borak's weapon of choice was his sword.  He had purchased it in Talcorath,
but had altered it and made it stronger with magic.  It was a sword like
the paladin use, wide and straight.  Unlike my sword, it was simple, with a
small leather strip wrapped around the hilt.  The sheath was also made out
of leather, while mine was metal, gilded with gold.

We set out toward Korison.  We didn't travel as fast as we had on the way
to Talcorath, but we made good time on the highway.  It was Borak's idea to
use the highways on the way back.  He figured that if Orcs were still
looking for us, they would be looking through the forest.

As we walked, we passed a few caravans.  At about mid-day, a caravan that
had been gaining on us since about mid-morning caught up with us.  They
looked rather worn compared to the other caravans we had seen and had a
tired out feeling about them.  Their leader slowed the caravan down to our
speed and rode over to us.

"Ho, travelers."  His voice sounded as tired out as the caravan looked.

"Ho." I returned in the standard fashion.

"It's been awhile since I have seen a body traveling in this same
direction.  Have you a notion why?" While he tried to put it off as a
question he might ask of anyone, his voice had an eager edge to it.

"The town of Korison is under siege." I said.  For some reason this man
made me nervous and I didn't want to give away more information then I had
to.

"Really?  I have heard rumors, but you speak as if you have seen the siege
yourself."  My look must have given me away because he eyed me carefully.
"Your companion and yourself have the blood of the green ones in your
veins."  I was shocked at how blunt he was.

"Indeed." I said.

"Yes, indeed.  I have heard that the siege is made up of magic orckind.
You wouldn't be of them would you?" He sounded suspicious now.

"I could be of the same blood as those who siege Korison, but I never knew
my father so I don't know.  However, my friend here is a deserter of their
clan and has become mine."  I felt Borak twitch on the other end of our
link at my claiming him.

"This orc is a Kulak orc?" I saw his hand drift to the hilt of his sword.

"Hold your hand."  Borak burst out.  I could feel anger both across the
link and from his voice.  "I will not stand here and be addressed in the
third person.  If you have a problem with me, take it up with me not with
my...master."

It was my turn to twitch but I felt Borak's acceptance of this through the
link.

"It so happens that I have a problem with you." Even through his tightly
controlled voice I could feel a rage burning in him.  "My name is Thurn,
and yester night my young brother was taken in a raid pushed upon us by a
group of Kulak mages.  What is your answer to that?"

Borak gathered himself and said, "It is regrettable that your brother was
taken.  While it hurts me that my brethren would be so rash, I cannot be
held responsible for their actions.  I seceded from their ranks and now
follow the lead of another."

I could see the rage within the man dissipate with each of Borak's words.
"I'm sorry that I allowed my words to escape me in this time of sorrow.  I
wish though that something could be done."

I watched as Borak's mind worked and then felt a burst of information
through the link.  Acting on his counsel I turned to Thurn.  "We, my orc
and I, were on our way to Korison as we speak.  It just so happens that the
Orcs who took your kin were after us.  It is partly our fault that he was
taken and it shall become our quest to save him."

While saying this I drew my sword and gave a salute to Thurn.  Borak in
turn saluted him and we watched as he saluted back.

"It is acceptable what you have said." Thurn replied.  "May whatever gods
you serve speed you in your quest.  We are citizens of Raven Valley and
will look forward to your coming with my brother.  I would go with you but
the care of his majesties goods are of more import to the kingdom.  Thank
you."

When he finished his speech, Borak and I veered off the main road and into
the woods.  If indeed the Orckind that had attacked us had taken the boy,
we would need a plan to get Thurn's brother back.

When we were far enough away from the caravan to not be observed, we
dropped our packages and sat down.

"Sorry for getting you into this."  Borak looked sad.

"It is alright Borak." I laid my hand on his arm to show the truth of my
words.  "I firmly believe that nothing happens by chance.  There is a
reason that we need to save that boy."

"How will we find him?"

"I have an idea.  I don't know if it will work, but..." With my hand still
on his arm, I pulled him into my mind.

Once there I shared with him my idea of setting a tracer on the magical
signature of the Orc that had attacked us before.  If we were careful, we
could figure out where he was without his knowing he was being looked for.
Combining my mental control with Borak's magical knowledge, we would be
able to pull it off.

"Ok Tucan let's give it a try."

We sat facing each other, crossed legs and clasped hands.  We both entered
the Astral Plane and joined our mental selves.  As Borak aligned his mental
self inside mine, I drew in his collected magical experience.  I was in awe
by how much I didn't know about magical abilities.  There was so much
information it was almost overwhelming.  I realized that I couldn't allow
the information to stay after we were done because it almost warped my
sense of self.  When Borak finished hiding inside my mental self, we joined
our mental abilities and scanned the surrounding area in widening circles.

After about ten minutes of searching we found a small magical trail.
Careful not to allow it to sense us, we followed its magical signature back
to the caster.  Zooming in on the group of magic users I was astonished at
the power they had among them.  While they were the weaker of the siege
members, they were still more advanced then I.  Borak dwarfed them with his
magical ability for they were still students.

We pulled back to our bodies and separated both mentally and physically.
Borak looked thoughtful.

"I believe we could take them if we had some supplies.  They seem to be
holding the boy captive, almost as if they expect someone to rescue him."

"So they aren't going to kill him.  We have time to prepare."

"Yes."

Both of us jumped up and started gathering small items.  While Borak
gathered stones and bones, at his suggestion I gathered small plants,
vines, and nuts.  When we both had an armful we returned to the same place
and sorted them out.

"Ok Tucan, you're better at talismans and magical healing items, but I am
more talented and schooled in creating tools of mass destruction."  During
the last line he grinned.  "But you are also good at creating magical traps
and support magic items, like ensnaring vines.  This is part of the reason
we gathered different things."

"So what do I do?"

"Feel into the item you want to change, then tell it what you want it to
do.  This is one of the more natural magic spells you will perform.  It is
second nature to you, like feeling the trees or whatever it is you do."

"So I'll just know what to do with it?"

"Yes, now get to work.  If you can't figure something out just ask my
subconscious."

With that Borak picked up the first rock and closed his hands around it.
Even through his hands I could see a glow and knew that he was doing
something.  I picked up the vine and examined it with both my eyes and my
senses.  I closed my eyes and envisioned the vine before me.  I asked the
vine what it could do.  The image began changing before me.  First it
showed me a vine reaching up and strangling an orc.  I couldn't stand the
thought of Borak getting killed by something I created so I went on to the
next phase.

The vine again warped in my mind to show a natural armor that attacked
anything that attacked it.  I liked that idea and had it form that one.
When I opened my eyes I was wearing a greenish armor with spikes around the
wrists and ankles.  A thick bark plating covered vital areas and I could
tell that it could take quite a punch, magic or otherwise.

I glanced up to see Borak covered in stone armor.  While mine was more for
offence, his was clearly better for defense.  He was covered from neck to
foot with thin plates of stone, but I could tell that it was even stronger
than mine.  He was holding a bone helmet and looking at me with a feral
grin.

I grinned back and picked up a nut.  As I examined it, I could feel it
telling me that it was best at healing.  I examined the different healing
abilities and made it as strong as I could.  I made about ten of those then
picked up a small thorn.

With a flash, I knew what it could do and picked up a vine as well.  Borak
smiled as I really got into commanding the natural objects.  The thorn grew
and extended to become a long javelin.  The vine wrapped around the head,
with the spell stored and ready to activate.

I stood and hung my travel pack on a tree then pulled out my sword.  I
pushed it against my back and felt the vine suit grow around it.  At my
belt level a small sack grew and I dropped the nuts into it.  Borak also
stood and I saw that he had grown a bone shield as well as a bone dagger.
His sword was in its sheath at his side and his helmet on his head made him
appear deadly.

"We are quite the pair."  Borak said as he thumped around, hanging his pack
on another tree.

"Yes we are."  I was examining a small branch and feather I had found.  I
reached into my pack and pulled out the arrowheads I had made earlier and
put one on the end of the branch.  A small vine from my supply turned these
items into an arrow that looked (and was) quite deadly.  With poison from
the vine, a small cut from this arrow would slow anybody it hit.  I
duplicated them until I ran out of arrowheads.  I then fashioned a bow and
quiver and attached them to my armor.

"You are quite resourceful." Borak said, as he looked me up and down.

"You are too you know." I said, before my armor grew up over my head,
completely covering my face.

We set off in the direction of the orc camp, Borak thumping loudly while I
treaded as softly as my Elven ancestors would have.

When we came into hearing distance of the Orcs, Borak continued on his
straight path while I circled around to surprise them.  I moved like the
wind, with scarcely a sound being heard.  My armor was a natural camouflage
and I flew around the camp without them noticing.  When I was in position,
I pulled my javelin from behind the quiver and prepared to attack.

The Orcs were in disarray from Borak's loud stomping.  Although it alerted
them to our coming it also made my javelin a more potent weapon.  They were
gathered together in the center of their camp, with their captive off to
one side.  They were preparing some magic and were starting to glow.

While waiting for Borak's signal, I scanned the boy and found that he was
all right.  I turned my attention back to the Orcs and prepared to throw my
javelin.

The signal came as a burst of magic in the brush to the right and as the
Orcs turned and fired I threw my javelin.  It flew true and landed right in
the middle of them.  With a burst the handle sucked into the head and the
vines shot out, ensnaring four of the five Orcs.  The fifth turned to help
his friends but suddenly had to defend himself from a barrage of magic from
Borak.

I threw my second item into the air.  It was a rock that had been modified
by Borak, so I wasn't sure what it was supposed to do but he told me to hit
right on top of the javelin head for it to work.

Once again my throw was true and the rock broke over the roots of the
vines.  The Orcs were struggling trying to break free from them as the rock
turned the vines to stone.  One orc had escaped moments before the vine
turned the others into stone as well.  I abandoned my hiding place and
rushed him before he had a chance to right himself.

He turned and conjured a magical sword right before I reached him.  Jumping
over him, I pulled out my sword and landed in a crouch.  He jumped forward
with a downward slash but I raised my sword in time and parried the blow.
We traded blows for a while, neither really gaining ground.  Unfortunately
he decided to mix magic in the fight and blasted a fireball in between
blows.

My armor held true against the barrage and I allowed it to adapt to the
attack.  The bark that had been the thicker armor appeared to be burning
off and I paused, allowing the Orc to think I was on fire.  His guard
lowered just the slightest bit and I slashed at him.  He reacted faster
than I expected and managed to block most of the blow.  I got his shoulder
a little but it was nothing serious.  I happened upon an idea then and fell
to the ground screaming.  I sent a message to Borak, telling him I was
acting and then channeled magic into the fire around me.

The Orc backed away from the heat and I rose up in the flames, pulling out
my bow.  I notched an arrow and shot in the direction I knew he was in.  A
scream sounded and I let the flames die as he clutched the arrow in his
heart.  My armor had been mostly burned away and I had a charred smell but
wasn't badly hurt.  I looked over to see how Borak was doing and watched
him trade magic blows with the other Orc.  I put my sword back in its
scabbard and notched another arrow.  Sweeping this way and that I made sure
Borak and I wouldn't be ambushed.

I came back to the fight and, with permission from Borak, let the arrow
fly.  The Orc fell with a scream.  I walked over to the boy and saw he had
fainted.  I returned to my first victim and began striping him.  After I
had removed all his clothing and belongings and the arrow, I dragged him
over to the stone Orcs and threw him in the midst of them.

Borak did the same and placed his spoils with mine.  Together we walked
over to the boy.  I woke him up with a mental nudge and smiled at him.

"Who're you?  Don't hurt me!" The boy pleaded.

"Calm down young one." Borak said.

"It's ok. Look." I said as a gestured toward the fallen Orcs.  "We came
here to rescue you."

The boy looked around and saw that we were saying the truth.

"Oh thank you, thank you." He said over and over again.  Then he really
looked at Borak.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"  He screamed as he backed away.

"Well hello to you too."  Borak grunted.

"Yo...you...you're one of them!"  He said.

"No he's not." I said, "He helped me save you.  He is my servant according
to his own law and will help me in all that I do."  I used this to make
Borak's story to Thurn be confirmed.

The boy seemed to calm at that.  I figured that he had seen this situation
before.

"Look, we met Thurn and he asked us to rescue you.  We will be returning
you to Raven Valley as soon as our business in Korison is finished."  I
said.

"Korison! But that's the city that's under attack!" He looked at Borak. "By
your kind!"

"Yes it is." Borak confirmed. "And that is our business there."  The boy
paled. "To stop them."

"Oh."

"Yes." I said. "Now unless you want us to say 'Hey You!' all the time
you'll have to tell us your name."

"Oh, right.  My name is Shawn.  Shawn Curse of the house of Thavendor."

"Well, Shawn," Borak said, "I hope you are used to travel, for we will be
going quickly and lightly across this land."

"I may be a son of young summers, but I am as stout as the rest of my
family.  I will keep up."

"Then let us pick up our spoils and be gone."  I said.

We gathered together all the supplies of the Orcs that was worth saving,
including some more magic books and a few magical items.  We also took one
of their tents and headed off toward our other packs.  Shawn asked many
questions about our past and soon we knew each other quite well.

After dividing up the supplies we headed off on the road again.  We walked
until dusk then set up camp.  Shawn hadn't complained about the fast pace,
but it was clear that he was tired.

After raising the tent and getting out the food, Borak entered the tent to
make the bed.  Shawn proved that he was no stranger to travel by gathering
wood for our fire.  With the Orc band that had been sent to capture us
taken care of, Borak and I were no longer worried about being discovered.

I stacked the wood up in the circle of stones I had gathered and threw some
fire at it to get it started.  Shawn just gaped, stuttering around until he
regained control of this tongue.

"You're a shaman!" He blurted.

"No, I'm a student of the Orc mage Borak."  I corrected.

"But your control!  I've never seen Orcish magic with that kind of
contr..." He trailed off, looking like he had said something wrong.

"The band your brother is in isn't a caravan, is it?" I asked.

He shook his head slowly.  "No, we were sent to Korison to help them.
Despite your attempts, the city would fall without our help, and then
Torksi would be taken.  The destruction wouldn't have stopped there and
they wouldn't be stopped until they destroyed most of our kingdom."

My head jerked up.  "A seer saw this?"

"Yes.  He came to my father with his vision and my father decided to send
my family to stop them."

"Your family?" Borak asked from the tent flap.

"Yes.  My family has been known for their strength in Sorcery and we were
sent to stop the Orcs."  He looked sad for a moment.  "Now I know my
destiny is not with them."

"Oh but it is my dear fellow."  I said.  "We are on our way there with
messages to both Torksi and Leavostra for help."

"Help won't come." He snapped.  "That's what our seer saw.  No help except
from us!  And we are from a city that is a moon's travel away.  The leaders
of Torksi and Leavostra are too short sighted to realize they are next."

"What about you?"  I asked.

"My destiny is not with them.  The seer said that carriers of the green
blood would save me from themselves.  We didn't understand what he meant
then, he tends to be a little cryptic, but now we know."  He looked
dejected.  "He said that I had a much higher purpose and that my destiny
was with you.  That really perplexed my father.  He thought that we would
find a band of Orcs that would help us fight the siege or something."

"Regardless, we will still help your family fight the Kulak siege." Borak
said.

"He said that you would say that.  His message to you was, 'As the demon
river Korsanog runs red, so will the blood of human's across the land if
you help.' I'm not sure what he means, but by the look on your face, you
do."

I looked at Borak and saw he was shocked to the point of speechlessness.
"What does he mean Borak?"

Borak took a deep breath, "The River Korsanog is a red river in the land of
the demons.  For one who summons, like me, it is the ultimate challenge for
demon summoning.  The message carries two messages.  It's first is the
apparent message. Humans will fail if I attempt to help them.  It also says
that if I were to help, mankind would be put through its ultimate
challenge."

"And that is?" Shawn asked.

"I'm not sure, but it would be bad."  Borak answered.

"The main question is what are we going to do now.  Without being able to
help Korison there is no other thing that I need to do." I said.

"We shall tackle that in the morning.  For now we all need our rest."  With
that Borak turned toward the tent.

All other matters were pushed to the back of my head as I wondered what we
would do about sleeping arrangements.  Borak, I knew, would sleep naked.  I
didn't know how Shawn would react to that.

Deciding to take things as they came, I followed Borak to the tent.  I
could hear Shawn following me as well.  Pushing aside the flap, I saw Borak
already undressing and laying his things on top of the skin.

"It gets cold at night." Borak said, as if he was reading my mind.  "We put
our clothing on top of the skin to keep us warm."

With that, Borak removed his pants, making himself completely naked.  I
felt a lurch in me at seeing his naked body, and I tried my best to make it
look like a natural thing.  I started removing my clothing as well and
looked over at Shawn as if to say, "You coming?"

Shawn looked shocked, but I couldn't tell what at.  Naked Orcs are an
impressive thing, even if some people think they're ugly.  Shawn began
undoing the buttons of his shirt.  He looked apprehensive but steadily
removed his clothes, laying them on top of ours.

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End Of Chapter 5 Friends and Enemies
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Sorry people.  Couldn't resist.  I have to make you want the next chapter
if I expect you to come back.  I changed from uploading them as txt to
uploading them as .htm files.  Tell me if you like the other way better or
if this is better.  Feedback is demanded for future posts.  For feedback I
may give cookies!  Hahaha.  Anyway feedback can be given at
alpha_wanderer@hotmail.com

Look for the next chapter in about a week.  If I get good feedback, that is.