Before anything, if you're under age and reading about sex between men isn't your thing please forgo this page and don't come back. And to all fans of nifty, please they need our contributions to keep this site going so that people like you and me could post and enjoy a good story.
Hey guys! This is the first installment of the Feres King, part 2 of `the last Feres'. This part of the story will happen mostly in "Targeten", the land of Changelings, Magelings and Darklings. Follow Rye and his friends as they discover the land of magic and fight by their side as they face old rivals and new enemies even stronger than the ones in part 1.
Happy reading!!
The Feres King
Chapter 1
Previously in part 1...
Helen grabbed hold of Charlie whose hands were on Chase. Nickolas and I stood to Helen's other side.
Hold on everybody,' Helen said. This will be a little bit jerky.'
As we began to phase out, Linda and Jan shouted something that sound like behind you. I turned to see a blur of black and red rushing towards us from behind. It was so fast that it dematerialized along with us.
...........................................................
As my feet touched the ground I was sent rolling downhill like a barrel of wine on its side. And when I was stopped by a tree Nick came crashing into me and I couldn't help but to yelp out of pain.
`Sorry ... are you okay?' Nick asked.
I felt a little lightheaded, my side and head hurts, my nose was bleeding and I've got itchy scratches all over. No I wasn't okay. Despite how I felt, however, I said, `yes.'
He nodded. `Come on then. Let's get the others and try to find out what happened.'
Just as swiftly he got on his feet, he dashed up the mound we rolled down from. Of course I wasn't going to stay there, I followed him.
The climb was short but hard. I can regrettably say that I should have followed Charlie whenever he went on one of his hikes because I wasn't as fit as I thought I was.
Panting from physical exertion I finally reach Nickolas. He didn't move but stood staring at something.
`What?' I said even before I saw whatever thing he was looking at. He didn't say anything so I followed his line of vision. There, next to a bleeding Charlie with a voluptuous blood dripping dagger in hand, laid a huge dead warg.
`Are you two okay?' Charlie asked when he saw us. He tried to get up but he couldn't. Some of the beast's sharp teeth were imbedded in his right leg. I rushed by his side and assessed the damage. The wound was deep and if he doesn't receive medical intervention soon he might be in for the worse. But for the time being, I need to prevent him from loosing anymore blood.
The last time with Wren I used my t shirt but I don't think it will do any good on this wound. I franticly looked around for something else to strap his leg with.
`What are you looking for?' Nick said.
`I'm looking for something that would stop the blood circulation in this leg.'
My belt,' Charlie replied. Use my belt.' He fumbled to get it off and Nick helped him. I then grabbed it from him and placed it way above the wound. I tighten it a bit before I was satisfied.
`Where're Auntie Helen and Chase?' Nick then said.
`We're here,' Helen said as they materialized in front of us. Apart for a scratch on his cheek Chase looked fine but Helen was hurt. By the look of it she may have broken her arm.
What was that thing?' She said. Nick pointed to the warg. Oh.'
Man! That thing is huge!' Chase exclaimed. What is it?'
`That's a warg,' Nick told him. Chase asked more questions and Nick was happy to answer back. I wasn't interested so I moved in closer to Charlie and Helen who were also having a conversation.
`Are you able to get us to our original destination Helen?'
`I'm afraid I won't be able to. I too was wounded. The pain will be a distraction therefore it would be difficult for me to concentrate.'
`What about Nick. Do you think he would be able to?'
`Nick can teleport yes. He'd been able to do it easily in the human realm but it won't be so in this one. You see, Targeten is littered with wards and shielding spells that it would be virtually impossible for him to get anywhere unless he can create a mental image of the place he wants to go to or actually physically been there.'
Charlie looked around until he spotted something.
Nick,' he said. Can you get on top of that tree over there?'
Nick followed the direction of his finger and said yes. The tree itself was one of the tallest around amongst many more in the forest we were in. Nick vanished and materialized at the topmost branch.
Once up there he looked around then shouted at us bellow. `What am I my looking for?'
`See if you can spot a settlement or any significant landmass around,' Charlie yelled back.
Nick scoured the area.
`There are mountains on our right and more forests on our left.'
`Is there anything else?'
`Yeah. There seemed to be a path in the trees nearby that's leading to a huge open area in front of us.'
Charlie went quiet.
`Can I get down now?' Nick yelled.
`Sure honey,' Helen replied. Charlie was too far gone to communicate.
Minutes later Charlie called for our attention. He picked a stick and drew on the ground. `I think I know where we are. If I'm not mistaken we're close to the edge of Misty Forest in Wyrmer here. Since Nick saw mountains there and an open area beyond the trees there, I'll say we're here close to Black Moon Lake. The path in the trees you saw Nickolas is a river. If we follow the river downstream we can get to the lake and one of us can go find help here, in Belen, the closest town in the area.'
Nick and I helped Charlie to his feet and we supported him while we went in search of the river. Chase was in front of us trying to smell his way towards water. He's extraordinarily good at it too because in no time he found the river and led us to it.
When we place Charlie on the ground my arms, shoulders and back were killing me. I stretched and went for a drink of water. I returned with some for Charlie in the bottle Chase brought with him in his backpack. I should have thought of bringing mine too, alas I didn't think anything would go wrong.
I don't think I'm going to make it down to the village,' Charlie said wincing in pain. It's clearly too far.' I knew exactly where this conversation was leading. He's suggesting we leave him behind. With the kind of noises I was hearing in the jungle background he would be a sitting duck. He wouldn't last more than a day or two.
No Char. Don't say what you're about to say.' I cut him off. This is no time to despair.'
Helen smiled and walked away. She stopped and stood on a flat rock nearby looking skyward.
`It would be dark soon. Three hours at the most. It could be shorter since were in the forest though.' She said.
`We make up camp here for the night then. It's good a place as any to build a good defense from the jungle life. Then, since the trek on the riverbank to the lake would be too jarring for Charlie, we'll build a raff tomorrow to carry us downstream.' Nick surprised me with that one. I didn't know he had such strong leadership skills.
`That a good idea Nick,' Helen cheerfully said.
Nick, Chase and I gathered wood for the fire while Helen made a makeshift bed out of leaves for Charlie to lie in. She'd made a sling for her broken arm out of the hem of her skirt and with her telekinesis ability; she was able to clear the river bank of any debris.
Nick and Chase dug a pit in the ground and lined a ring of rounded stone from the river around it. Then we placed the wood in. We didn't need any kindling nor tinder since Nick had fire power which he used to light up the campfire. And in no time we had a roaring fire going.
Helen was right. The night did come sooner than expected. We hurdled around the fire making ourselves comfortable for the night.
Chase complained about being hungry but he wasn't the only one with a rumbling stomach. The candy bars he brought were already gone even before we arrived at the riverbank.
During the night Charlie developed a fever like I predicted. I saw Helen applying cold compresses on his forehead in an attempt to bring down the fever but that's all she could do with such limited resources.
Quietly I slipped out of Nick's embrace and went to her.
`What can I do to help?' I asked.
`We've got two problems. The wound on his legs needs disinfecting and we have to bring down the fever.'
`Can't you use magic on his leg or something?'
`I could use heat and water to draw out the warg venom and bring down the swelling in the process alas I can't because it takes effort and strength which I don't have.'
Then I thought of something. I had magic too. And I'm the Feres so to speak. Feri are known for their healing abilities.
`Can you teach me how to do it?' I said.
She paused and looked at me. Then she smiled. `It's worth a try.'
She gave me the water bottle and told me to fill it up. I quickly did and gave it to her. She placed it on the ground between us.
`Place your hands over the bottle and open your palms.'
I obeyed.
`Now close your eyes and call for the water.' Call for the water, how? I didn't know what she was asking me to do but I try nonetheless. And it didn't work.
`Clear your mind. Feel the water. Make it part of you. Try again.'
I closed my eyes once again and did what she instructed me to do. Now came the hard part: calling for the water. I opened my mind ... and heard nothing but the night jungle noises.
`You have to concentrate. Call for the water,' she insisted.
Call for the water, easier said than done. I've never magically called for anything before. Wait! I did ... once. I called the Feri-lights that one time in the dungeon when I fought Xell. I could try calling the water the same way, can I? Like Helen said it was worth a try.
I closed my eyes once again and open my hands over the bottle. I focus and emitted a low frequency vibrating noise like the last time. AND IT WORKED! I did it! I felt the cold water touched my skin as it rose from the bottle and enveloped my hands.
Helen grinned but I cheered. For a minute I forgot where I was. She shushed me. She didn't want to wake Charlie nor the others, even more so attract the locals.
`What do I do now?'
`Just place your hand over the wound and I'll do the rest.'
Using her magic she guided my hand where she wanted it to go. The water warmed up fast and soon I saw the swelling going down a bit. We did this five more time before Helen was satisfied. We did the same to Charlie's forehead and the fever went down dramatically. In the end I was exhausted and sleepy. Helen told me to go and rest. I didn't argue.
The next day we spent the whole morning building the raff. Well, Nick and Chase did most of the work since I was null on building stuff. And by the time we tested it out some of the more inquisitive local wildlife, two small dog-like creatures resembling wolverines, came to investigate us. With the raff working fine we boarded it fast because more of those creatures were emerging from the underbrush every minute. Charlie didn't need much help because Nick also had time to make makeshift crutches for him to use. When we were ready Nick and Chase used long poles to cast us off into the flowing river. The little creatures followed us along the bank for a while before they gave up realized that we were unreachable.
When we were finally cruising downstream, I asked Helen if I could try the healing technique she taught me on her arm and she said yes. As I worked the guys watched in silence. Helen did get some relief from the pain other than that I wasn't able to set her broken bones. She needed a real healer for that.
Hey check out the bank over there,' Chase excitedly cried. He was pointing to a herd of enormous deer looking creatures with a single straight horn on each of their heads like unicorns. What are they?'
Those are staghorns,' Charlie answered. They're very shy and common in these parts. We hunt them for meat but they are very hard to throw down though. And if those horns get you, well let's just say you'll get a one way ticket to the Underdark.'
`What's the Underdark?' I thought I was curious.
`Another word for the Underworld or Hell,' I said.
`Oh!' was his only replied.
Nick thought the trip would be short but he was mistaken. According to Chase's watch we've been floating for five hours. That's too long. I was beginning to get motion sickness when Charlie remarked: `We're slowing down. Nick, veer us to the bank before we get caught in the river delta.'
Look!' Chase shouted again. There are people there on the shore.'
Sure enough a couple, a man and a woman accompanied by two tawny horses were walking down a footpath. We shouted to get their attention. And when the strangers saw us they jumped on their steeds and did something miraculous. They bent forward crouching on the horses' neck and head. And unexpectedly the horses' neck and head, and the humans' legs phased out completely leaving two creatures that have the torso and upper parts of a human and the lower body of a horse instead.
They were centaurs!
`WOW!' Chase and I said in unison.
The centaurs glanced at us before galloping away at full speed.
`Equinians! I thought they were extinct.' Helen said in astonishment.
`What's ay-key-tions?' Chase asked.
`Equinians, they are a subspecies of the Merger race, a far cousin of Shifters.'
`I still don't get it?' Chase uncertainly said. I figured I would be the only one able to answer him because the others were very much part of this realm and won't be able to explain it in a human standpoint.
Chase, remember Wren?' He nodded. Well he could change into a wolf and so would you when the time comes. The wolf you'll turn into is inside of you and it shows up only when you shift. But these creatures are different. Their animal forms can be seen when they are in human forms. They can walk and run alongside them just like the horses were following these two. And like you saw they can come together but not completely taking either form. So when they merge they stay half human and half beast.'
`Awesome!' He elatedly said.
`Ever thought of being a teacher?' Helen asked me grinning. She and I were still on the raff while the others had been teleported ashore via Nick express.
`Never cross my mind.' But I'm thinking about it now. Helen laughed before touching me with her good arm and we teleported out.
Much later, we reached a vast open field. We'd been led there by following the footpath the two Equinians took. Equinians, it's so hard not to say centaurs but I know how easily I can offend a Targ by addressing them with the wrong name. Wren thought me that lesson.
The field appeared empty in the distance by as we drew further in we began to realize that we were in an agricultural field crammed with crops very much like the ones we have back home.
Then another miraculous thing occurred.
A hundred feet from us, a circular wooden wall appeared from nowhere encompassing a small village. I say a small village because there were numerous smoke trails coming out of various conical shaped roofs which were barely visible above the wall.
`I've never heard of this settlement before,' Charlie said as equally stunned like the rest of us.
Suddenly, two huge wooden doors swayed open and a dozen Equinians poured out carrying sharp pointed spears. They were galloping full speed towards us.
`Oh-oh!' Chase said.
`Should we be worried,' Helen said at the same time.
`I guess will soon find out,' Charlie replied.
...................................................................
End of chapter 1