Dak And Stell/The Travelers Trilogies

1.15 Ominous Smell

After we all finished breakfast, we said goodbye and headed back off west towards the mountains. The sky was crystal blue, and the sun that shone down on us felt good. I couldn't shake what Feldrid had said to me earlier.

"How long have the Dark-Eyed-Ones been raiding and killing your people?" I asked Xalmia.

"Since before I can remember, and before that, I think. Our people have lost many records over the years due to the loss of most of our smaller cities. Only the largest cities like Medora have held them back because of their large crystal walls." She said

"Do your people not fight back?" Stell asked as we continued, the dew from the grass coating our boots, but rolling off like it did the blades of grass.

"We try, but they outnumber us greatly. I'm not sure how much longer the great cities can even withstand them. Our gods have seemed to abandon us." She said.

"We will find out what they are doing, Xalmia, and we will stop them," I said with full resolve.

After hearing the few awe-full stories I had, I knew that this was our purpose here. If we didn't change whatever was going to happen, whatever the event was would mean the end for Xalmia, her people, and her world. Stell, and I would not let that happen.

"Well, Stell, it seems we have found our direction in this adventure," I said.

"Yes." He said with that distant look in his eyes like at the river.

"I know, Stell, you don't want to kill anyone, and the gods know that I will make sure of that, but I can't promise the same from me. The things these monsters are doing to these people isn't right. I will stop them, Stell, with any tool at my disposal. I hope that when this is all over, you will be able to look at me with those same big caring eyes the way I see you now, brother." I said to him. There was a long pause as we all stood in a dip of on that grassy plain.

"I could not ask you to bear this burden alone, brother. I wouldn't say I like that we must take lives to end this, but if it is means of stopping this perversion, then we have to stop them. I will learn to push through my weaknesses and become stronger like you seam to becoming." Stell said.

"Strong? Me?" I asked.

"Think about how fast you stopped those arrows when Xalmia and her people mistook us for their enemy or making the Marble Cyclone spell? Your growing, Dak, and I need to catch up." Stell said with a warm smile.

"Aren't you two just adorable," Xalmia said as she clawed her way up Stell's back and flung her self in the air. She somersaulted forwards and landed on Stell's shoulders with a light thump. Stell barely noticed her as she did this all and sighed when she finally got her self comfortable.

"Onwards to Diamond Shell Crossing!" She shouted and gave a whoop.

"Diamond Shell Crossing?" I sent questioningly. "Do not be so loud. We should talk like this for now."

"Sorry." She sent. "Diamond Shell Crossing is a small strip that allows us to cross over Shellmakadoor River safely..."

Was it just me, or did it sound like she was holding something back?

"What aren't you telling us, Xalmia?" I sent.

Xalmia got a worried look on her face and turned away from me and gave a small shudder.

"To get to the Crossing, we have to walk along the edge of Diamond Divide Chasm for almost a day. You cannot see the bottom of the chasm, and there are no safe places to stop. Horrible monsters live in the chasm, and no one ever returns if they go down." Xalmia sent with another shudder.

"Why would anyone want to go down there?" Stell sent.

"Curiosity, some people aren't content with not knowing something." She sent.

We made our way west across the plains. We stayed in the lowest parts of the hills as much as we could, but we didn't see anyone. The only sounds were the breeze.

Then after almost the entire day of traveling, I started to hear a different sound. It was a hateful sound. It grew louder as we pressed one.

"That smell...." Stell sent, his broad face scrunching up as he screwed up his nose with disgust. "It smells like...anger and pain. It isn't the worst smell I've smelt. I can remember Zambar's cleaning pit being a lot worse."

"It sounds wrong." I sent.

"What are you to going on about?" Xalmia sent with an indignant tone.

That's right! What careless friends we were. Honestly, how could we have forgotten to mention it? That's right. When we fought the Magmus, it didn't have any magic, neither did the dark ones.

"We are sorry, Xalmia, a lot has been going on." I sent in a tone that I hoped sounded apologetic. " Stell and I can sense magic in different ways, Stell by smell, and I can tell by the sounds it gives off."

Xalmia slid down Stell's shoulders and motioned to follow her. We crept up the side of a large hill and peered over the top to look down below. By this time, it was getting dark, and the hateful sounds seemed to be at their crescendo.

As we peered down the hill, we could see a large camp of people, and I could hear Xalmia hiss "Dark-Eyed-Ones" in the back of my mind. We could listen to women's and children's crying. And their screams.

The men below in the camp were yelling, drinking, and pushing women back and forth. At the same time, groping them and doing unspeakable things. One woman tried to fight back, but the men just beat her and then dragged her into a tent. The chaos below made my blood boil. Then Xalmia pushed me.

"What?" I sent, but I saw why she had pushed me. Stell was gone.