Unending Battle: Denial

Rine glanced over her shoulder, expecting to see Demigod guarding the rear. He wasn’t. He hadn’t been for some time now. Rine tried not to think about how he never would again.

In the short time that she had come to know him, Rine had come to love Demigod in a way. When they had stopped at a tavern outside of Sanim Htirit, she had over heard some men talking about how a Defter had almost killed a Blacksword. Rine was haunted by that. Could Demigod be alive? Scorched and mangled nonetheless, but alive? She allowed the faint hope to live and grow in her.

Rine let a slight spring creep into her step as she trotted beside Kayla.

Demigod lept out the window. It was midnight. He was leaving Aurel. He tucked into a roll, came out of it and crouched. He checked his pack. Spare cloak, several days rations of food and water, a knife, and the jar Bryen’s burn salve.

Demigod crept down the empty street. Trash fluttered past him. Demigod ignored his burns rubbing against his tunic.

Demigod saw the log gate. He crept up to it and cracked it open a little. He saw a single guard wearing a chainmail coat. Demigod burst through the door and sprinted down the road. The guard shouted something, but Demigod didn’t hear it.

As soon as Demigod was sure that he was safe, he slowed to a walked. Demigod enjoyed the cool night air. The full moon illuminated the path.

Demigod made good time that night. He slept during that day, and walked at night when his back didn’t aggravate him as much. He walked for six nights. Then he saw a camp.

Demigod approached the camp cautiously. An old man sat whistling beside a small fire.
“Hello.” said Demigod. The man cocked his head. Demigod noticed that the man was quite short.
“Kutentauve?” said Demigod. Ghuzdul for “Hello.” Demigod did not know much dwarvish but the basics.
“Hello twice to you too!” cackled the voice. The short man pulled a filthy pipe out from his pocket, stuffed with a potent smelling weed, lit it, and began profusely inhaling through it. He made eye-contact with Demigod.

Something in his eyes, something in his laugh, something in his voice, made Demigod’s skin crawl. A shiver ran down Demigod’s back.

“Take a seat, lad.” said the man. Demigod remained standing. The man gestured to a pan of strange looking sausages.

“Take as many as you like laddy.” the man puffed his pipe. A cloud of smoke hovered over the man.

“I’m Denial, by the way.” the man held out a grimy hand, ensuing that he wanted Demigod to shake it. Demigod didn’t shake it.

The man chuckled.

“I haven’t seen a tub of hot water in a couple lifetimes.” the filthy Denial grinned. Looked like he hadn’t seen a toothbrush in while either.

“I know your name.” said the man. He waggled a dirty sausage-like finger at Demigod. Demigod tensed. He had never seen this man before.

“You are Tenuviel. In the common tongue, that Child of the Dark, or Demigod.” the man smiled.

“Who are you?” asked Demigod, bewildered.

“I am one of the Children of Arnore. We were the first created by Illuvattar, the Master of the Universe. The first of our race, Denendil, was awaken from his chrysalis in the first rhelm by the god Olwe. Because we were the first the walk the earth, we can pass into light and shadow rhelms. We also live very long.” said Denial. Demigod gaped at him.

“You weapon also bears a past, lad. I have seen it before. Bring it into the light.” Demigod did as Denial asked.

“Ygortfin, Sword of the Eronra.” explained the Child.

“I call it Fandril.” said Demigod.

“Fitting for the sword that brought doom to the Cimmerian Elves.” said Denial. He told Demigod to put the blade away.

“You must do as you desire and go to the sea. I believe that a dark evil resides in the sea.” Denial stood. He stood only a up to Demigod’s ribs. The Child produced a walking stick and put the fire out.

He began down the road. Demigod stood in the dark and stared at him.

“Well, are you coming?” asked Denial. Demigod nodded and followed.

Demigod and Denial traveled together for ten days. Denial asked about Demigod.

“I walk alone. I have come by many companions and friends, but they have come and gone. I am trying not to take to much liking to you so that when you leave I will not feel so lonely.”

“How do you know I will leave?” said Denial.

“I am haunted by bad fortune. Something will happen and we will be separated.” said Demigod.

The man and Child crossed over a ridge. Demigod could see the bright blue sea. Waves crashed on the long beach. He could also see the speck that he was set for. The tower in the sea. The one with the warlock on it.

The Child stopped and smelled the air.

“I haven’t tasted the sea wind in a century. It is refreshing.” said Denial. Demigod nodded in agreement.

They picked their way down the seaside cliff. A small harbor lay at the bottom. Demigod would get a boat there and he and Denial would journey across the sea.

a sparse line of tall grass grew at the bottom of the cliff. Demigod waded through the tall plants. He suddenly felt a slight prick at the nape of his neck.

“It is rare that one as alert and cautious as you to be off guard. And loud.” said a familiar voice. Demigod drew Fandril and whirled around in the same moment.

An arrow stared him between the eyes. If the weilder chose to release their bow, Demigod would be dead before his body fell. Fandril’s tip was perched in the person’s adam’s apple.

The person wielding the bow and arrow was Arryd.

“It has been long, friend.” said the elf.

“Indeed.” said Demigod. He and Arryd withdrew their weapons. Demigod recounted his tale as he and Arryd went to the town. When he got to the part about Denial, Demigod looked around, trying to find the Child.

“I’m over here, laddy!” Demigod heard a shout and saw a stick waving in the air.

“Oh, yeah. He’s really short too.” said Demigod to Arryd.

“Most of the Children or Arnore are.” said Arryd knowingly.

Elf and Man entered the small fishing community. Katara, Rine, and the other were staying at the an inn called the Red Squid.

When Demigod and Arryd entered the inn, Rine immediately saw him and ran as fast she could over to him.

“What happened to you face?” was her first of many questions.

“Lets save the questions for later.” said Demigod.

Rine was elated to see him. He was not only alive, but healthy!

Demigod greeted Kayla, Kouken, Katara, and Malyn. They sat down to a large dinner, where Demigod told his tale to those who hadn’t heard it. He also introduced Denial, who came  in a few minutes after Demigod and Arryd had.

After dinner and Demigod’s tale was finished, he asked to hear how things had gone with the rest of the group.

They had traveled by the main road the small fishing village they now dwelled in. No mishaps had occurred.

“Tomorrow we will borrow a sloop and sail out to the tower.” said Demigod.

“What tower?” asked Katara. Demigod had forgotten that only Rine knew of his dream. He recounted the events of his dream and told them how he believed that he was being called to find out what was in the tower and why the tower was in the sea.

Silence fell after Demigod finished. Demigod could tell that many of them were afraid of what was across the ocean.

“You do not have to come with me. Fear has no place on this journey.” he said. He could tell that everybody was mulling over the idea. Kayla stood.

“I’ll follow you through thick and thin. I am honored to be included in you plans.” Kayla left the room.

“As will I,” Arryd said, rising from his seat, “Men and elves have not worked together to save the world in a long age.” Arryd also left.

“Well, you seem like a good group of youngsters. Count me in.” said Denial.

“You know I’m coming to right? You aren’t going to say I can’t?” asked Rine.

“Me too!” said Malyn.

“Of course!” said Demigod. Only Kouken and Katara remained. Kouken gave him a gruff nod and left.

“Don’t even think of saying I can’t come because I’m barely beyond childhood!” said Katara. She gave him a glare that could have made stones oblige.

“Seeing as you won’t take “no” for an answer...” said Demigod.

“Yes!”  exclaimed Katara, pumping her fist. She skipped out of the room. Demigod propped his feet up on the table. He had found the greatest group of friends ever.