Chapter 10: First contact

  Liam came to with a massive headache. It was worse than his hangover after his eighteenth birthday party - a night he often tried hard to remember.

  “Erssh la binga dum!”

  He opened his eyes to see a delicate looking creature looking at him. The creature that was crouched over him was painfully thin, had bubble gum pink skin, pointed ears and little horns growing in a circle on the crown of its head. Its hair was long, blonde and luscious.

  “Hello!” Liam said with great eloquence.

  “Erssh la!” the creature exclaimed.

  Liam decided that it was some variety of elf. It looked more intelligent than the goblins.

  “Karshh me erssh la! La karumba dum.”

  The other voice was much harsher and more commanding.

  Liam looked around to see a taller more statuesque creature carrying a spear of some type. Its skin was a darker shade of pink and it had short black hair. He saw that its horns were longer and curled more. It also had a noticeably larger chest. Probably a female then, Liam thought, using his excellent intelligence. He knew that for some species the male was smaller. Of course, the other could be a child for all he knew.

  “Can I help you?” Liam said

  His leg started itching terribly and he reached down to scratch it only to find his hands was bound together by a sticky leather looking band.

  “I speak your language,” the large elf said. “You is native barbarian, yes?”

  Liam thought about saying nothing. He was their prisoner and that means they wanted information from him. But information could go both ways. He needed to find out more about what was happening. He thought about the hundreds of children inside the school. Information was the only way they would survive.

  “I am a native, yes. My name is Harry.” He tried to smile.

  “You are Liam Dermott, a level 4 diamond dog. A native barbarian from planet QX503L.”

  Liam’s smile faded. The elf must have some sort of analyse skill.

  “What do you want of me?” he asked. He thought about asking for her name but didn’t want to reveal to her that he lacked what was probably a basic skill.

  “You were poisoned. Maseng here healed you. Maseng has a soft heart for mindless creatures.”

  Liam assumed that Maseng was the name of the smaller elf. “Thank you, Maseng.”

  Maseng opened its mouth and hissed. It reached out with a finger and stroked his cheek.

  “Maseng does not speak you language. I think Maseng wants to keep you.”

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  “Why did you tie my hands?”

  This time it was the taller elf’s turn to hiss. It put the spear point against his chest. “Wild barbarians are dangerous. But you look tame enough.” It withdrew the spear point and then hissed again.

  It reached out and pulled the band away from his hands. It peeled off so easily.

  Liam immediately scratched his legs.

  “The mashruk are weak creatures at this stage. Their bite can be annoying though, especially as they mature. Usually, they feed of small animals and insects.”

  Liam nodded. He sat up and the two elves pulled away from him. “They took me by surprise. There are a lot of feral monsters around.”

  “New initiation. They flood the world with weak par’tekna. Survival of the strongest. Also gives you barbarians a chance to get stronger quickly. Soon more advanced beings will come - once the mana level is higher.”

  “You are not more advanced?” It was a bit of a cringe question, but Liam could not stop himself from asking it.

  The larger elf said something to the smaller one and then they both hissed.

  “We are young and ambitious. This is a chance for us to get stronger too.”

  “Then why not kill me?”

  The elf leaned closer. “You are too weak. And I think I like you too. There are plenty of mindless par’tekna to kill, no?”

  Liam let out a sigh of relief. “Too many to kill - for us weak humans.”

  “That is why I am here. Soon, Marukha will be mighty. Strongest of the Karellia!”

  “Thank you for your help, Marukha. I am weak now but if you need my help just ask.”

  He stood up and brushed himself down. He found his sword was on the ground next to where had lain. He did not pick it up yet as he didn’t want to appear hostile.

  “I do have one question. What about food? My friends have many mouths to feed.”

  He assumed that the school had a canteen but often that food was made off site and only enough for the day was brought in. A few hundred hungry teenagers would be difficult to deal with.

  “There is food. Hunting creatures. Much meat. North of here about one hour easy run.”

  Given that elf was likely to be a much higher level than him that had to be at least 8 miles away. It would be difficult to get people to hunt there and bring back sufficient food.

  “And don’t forget the store,” the elf added as more of an afterthought. “If you have an outpost established you can trade for food.”

  Liam nodded. Any more questions would just reveal his ignorance.

  “Go Liam. It will soon be dark. Terrible things come in the dark.”

  “I have seen stone apes.”

  “Ah, the berumbunda. They are animals - strong but stupid. I am not talking about par’tekna like them. I am talking about creatures that twisted by powers beyond your comprehension. Go, Liam. Maybe if fortune permits, we will find each other again.”

  Liam bowed a little. Both of Karellia, as he assumed was their race, hissed and then sped off. Liam’s eyes could barely keep track of their movement in the dim light.

  He picked up his sword and then started to run. He didn’t know how long he had been unconscious, but he was now worried the stone apes would have returned to the school. He was relieved to find that there were no monsters outside the gates. As he approached a couple of figures stepped out.

  One was a tall, thin man carrying a sword that could only have been a hengdang. He could only have been Sanjeev. The other was a balding, thick-set man wearing a tracksuit and carrying a baseball bat; a PE teacher then.

  “Stop, who goes there!” the PE teacher said. “I’ve always wanted to say that. Quick come inside before those things return.”

  Liam quickly entered. As he passed through the gates the other two quickly locked them behind him.

  “I am Sanjeev,” the tall man said. “Thank you for helping my wife and Buffy.”

  Liam reached out and shook his hand. “Is Buffy alright,”

  “Yes, she is fine. That dog will out live us all.”

  “Which won’t be long,” said the PE teacher. He held out his hand. “Steve! PE teacher and Head of Year Eleven.”

  “Liam!”

  They stood there in silence for a moment.

  “Look,” said Liam. “I don’t suppose this place is registered as an outpost or something?”

  The two teachers looked at each other.

  “Come,” said Steve. “We are just about to have a meeting. I suppose you should join us. Now, straighten up your tie.”

  Liam’s hand reached for the knot before he could stop himself.

  The PE teacher laughed and then put a burly arm around his shoulder. “Come on, you’ll be fine.”