Tales of the Herd - An Under Gods Story

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

The air was stagnant in the canyon burrow. The habitat was small, rank and filthy with odors something of a decayed nature. Engilmu slouched as he moved through the tight stone corridor. His short, upward-curving horns scraped along the ceiling, leaving two trails in his wake along the red rock. The beast of a man ducked into a well-lit room, brushing bits of rubble from his red, braided locks.

"So, you made it, 'man of the wild'," an old lady cooed. She sat on a pillow, tending lazily to a bowl of incense, eyes barely glancing over to Engilmu.

"Are you the one that called for me?" Engilmu asked with a deep, near guttural voice.

"Oh no, that would be my granddaughter. I'm not too fond of those old ways," she admitted. "Now medicine, that's where I specialize."

Engilmu looked before the old woman, a form lay bundled under sheets, her silhouette generously outlined in the thick fabric. Her face, between a shade of blue and brown, was gently illuminated by a bulbous glass lamp embedded in the wall, twinkling a flame dancing in fine oil.

"This one didn't work too well with me, I'd have to say," the woman added as if answering a question not yet asked.

"Ah, my sister is far beyond your medicine," Engilmu informed.

"Well then, I guess she'll be leaving with you."

"You have my thanks for keeping her in your care." Engilmu gave a slight bow of his head.

"You don't have me to thank." The woman chuckled. "You should save it for that boy, Gremmi. He dragged her all the way here from that castle in the wall. Poor thing was all beat up and smashed in the head."

Engilmu sighed, his eyes resting heavily on his sister's sleeping form. "What mother will do when she hears this..."

Engilmu pulled the sheets from Grace, her doll-jointed body was stiff, and the translucent glass of her form was tainted with a squirming red cloud swimming in the energy that filled her. Engilmu lightly brushed over the shallow gash on the side of his sister's head.

What did they hit you with? Engilmu thought.

Engilmu rubbed his fingers together, feeling heat travel from his navel, throughout his being, and into his hand, igniting into a light blue flame. The flame gradually burned brighter, blooming into a silver wisp as he placed his palm on Grace's stomach. The light poured into her body, shimmering from her in a lustrous light along the walls, drowning out the ambiance of the lamps. The old woman shielded her eyes, grunting audibly. Engilmu himself felt a desire to recoil from the burning aura.

Engilmu snatched his hand away, his palm seemingly smoking from the fire, though no scarring or burns had appeared. He blinked harshly, rubbing his eyes clear of the irritation the brightness had brought him. Looking over Grace, Engilmu's brow furrowed as the red cloud continued to swirl in her body.

"Poor thing," the old woman muttered.

"I'll have to take her to my mother, she can fix her," Engilmu explained.

"Before you go, man of the wild, there's something I needed to ask you."

"Mm," Engilmu grunted, not turning from his sister.

"Would you please visit my granddaughter? She chattered on about you being able to save our village from those hooded freaks. Your sister gave us all hope that someone powerful could save us." The woman's voice, now full of emotion, began to quake. "Those men, they've been taking people, and I don't know what for. Gremmi says they fed someone to a monster. So please, hurry back. My granddaughter hasn't given up on gods and heroes, and I don't want this to be what does it for her."