Chapter 13
Return to Morgorath
Laughter and excitement was the constant for the rest of the trip to Morgorath. The paring of Red and Oggy, and their antics, kept everyone's spirits high. Locmire was thankful for them both. In a short time, King Urganox would relive the destruction of his kingdom, and Locmire suspected fate brought Red and Oggy together to help lighten the mood. It surprised Locmire to find that King Urganox Skullsplitter responded well to the both of them, considering Brazurkins were not known for their sense of humor.
Also, to Locmire's surprise, Lot revealed himself to be quite the historian. The Thief told of the stories and legends concerning the various areas and landmarks they passed. Lot retold the story of the fabled Ryker Graystone when they spotted his monument on the outskirts of Mt. Pizenchaffe. Lot told tales of battle and bravery as they crossed the battlefields of old. It was as if Lot had been present on the battlefield when he spoke of the war between the Brazurkins and Cold Hearts as they neared Morgorath. Lot reminded Locmire of a geyser, but instead of overflowing with water, his mind overflowed with knowledge and lore about the days of old.
"How did you learn of these things?" Locmire inquired.
Lot slowed his pace and looked at the sky. Squinting against the sun, he smiled. He pushed his brown hair back behind his ears.
"When I was a child, my family was not wealthy. My father, however, was wealthy in other ways. He had a great many books, mostly on history and traditions. He read to me every night," Lot stopped. Why do I do this every time I speak of my father? He wiped the corner of his eye and sucked back the tears. "When he passed away, he left me his books. I made it a point to read each one of them. I developed a great hunger for knowledge. So, while I was out performing my duties as a thief, I kept an eye out for any literature that one might have lying around. In my few short years as a thief, I came into possession of many, many, books. Some gave me the understanding of complex numbers and languages, while others told of the various gods throughout Calencia, the stars, and many other intriguing subjects. I have never come across a book I would not read."
"Books are one of the great blessings that many dismiss. Imagine the wealth of knowledge the inhabitants of Calencia would have if more beings picked up a book from time to time," Locmire said.
"It would be scary to even think about it. Imagine what a few good books in the hands of Calencia's more. . ." Lot paused trying to find the right words, "in the hands of the races we would like to see erased would do."
Lot noticed that Locmire seemed to have become a slight bit perturbed at something he said. The Wizard's face became hard and expressionless. He didn't reply to the Thief's statement.
Lot asked, "Did I say something to offend?"
Locmire stopped in his tracks.
He asked Lot, "Who were you referring to when you said the races you would like to see erased?"
Lot seemed taken aback. He had not even considered that this statement would offend anyone, let alone Locmire. I will need to choose my words carefully.
"You know," the Thief said. "The Cold Hearts, the Hoggins, the Goops, and even the Pranthers from old."
"You know nothing, Thief!" Locmire said. "And what of the Humans? They committed genocide once the durability of the Jalut's stone was discovered." Lot began to speak, but Locmire interjected. "And what of the Engeniums? They were engaged in one of the longest, bloodiest wars in all of Calencia and for what? Gold?"
"The-" Locmire interrupted him again.
"What of the Kwaynots? They drove their own race, not to mention the Pranthers, into extinction over a tract of land."
Lot wanted to speak again, but held his tongue.
"What of the Groots? Was the Forest of Lasticall not large enough for them to share with the Hoggins? What of the Brazurkins? Did they not take Morgorath by force and slay many of the Cold Hearts? Even the hands of the Dainties are not unsoiled. You experienced first hand what they did to their fallen warriors. No wonder the Lamiens were uncontrollable. The Raptilians even had their fair share of underhanded acts," Locmire paused for a long moment. "Now, you tell me who needs erased?"
Lot was speechless; the muscles of his face frozen. He could not have spoken even if he wanted. The Wizard had just laid the facts on him that most fail to mention. Sure, Lot knew of these events, but never thought ill of them.
And why is that? Lot wondered.
He supposed he felt this way because of his teachings; the teachings of the dominant races. He had never once stopped to consider the wrongs all the races had committed.
Before he responded, Locmire spoke again.
"I am sorry," the Wizard said, with the most genuine look of remorse that Lot had ever seen. "I should not have acted in such a fashion."
"No need to apologize. I have never looked at it that way before," Lot admitted, pausing for a moment to prepare his next statement. "From what I know, the Cold Hearts, the Hoggins, and the others I mentioned are all violent and troublesome."
"They are," Locmire replied.
"Then why did you become so upset?" Lot asked.
"It saddens me to see the paths those races took. No one ever stops to wonder what made them that way. What if the Brazurkins had never taken Morgorath from the Cold Hearts? Although they were always unpredictable, the Cold Hearts mainly stayed to themselves. Even the Hoggins were somewhat peaceful until they clashed with the Groots," Locmire said with a sigh.
And we could have potentially stopped each and every war in Calencia, but chose otherwise.
"But our history does not tell it so. It has always been told that they were evil, heartless, creatures from the beginning," Lot replied.
"Sometimes," Locmire paused. "history is more fiction, than fact."
Locmire placed his hand on Lot's shoulder, gave it a squeeze, and walked away.
For the rest of the trip to Morgorath, Lot remained mostly silent, even amidst Red and Oggy's follies. Locmire's words weighed heavy on his heart. He could not stop thinking about how things might have been different if the inhabitants of Calencia showed a little more compassion and understanding. All he knew, all he read, changed in a matter of minutes. He would need to question the Wizard further when he had the chance.
A little after mid-day, they arrived at Morgorath, or what remained of it.
"There it is," King Urganox Skullsplitter said, taking large, slow, steps toward his ruined kingdom.
Morgorath sat between the Arplasia and Pizenchaffe Mountains. The top half of the Arplasia Mountain range had broken off and fallen into the valley. Rubble stretched all the way to the Pizenchaffe Mountains. The great gate and stone walls that marked the entrance to Morgorath lay in ruins, lost in the debris. An aroma of death hung in the air, accompanied by a multitude of flies and circling buzzards. The sky was dark; it looked more like dusk than mid-day.
King Skullsplitter approached the rubble and climbed atop it. He walked from stone to stone, hoping for the slightest sign of life. A hope was all it turned out to be. Urganox and his companions scoured the entire valley, shouting as they went. The rubble did not swallow all the Brazurkins. Some of them lay smashed between the rocks while others had received a hard knock to the head or body.
I cannot stand seeing my people like this. I cannot even give them a proper burial. "Come," the King said. "Let us take leave from here. I cannot bear it any longer."
Oggy went to Urganox's side and said, "I promise you that I will stop at nothing to avenge the loss of your kingdom."
"Thank you," Urganox said, struggling to speak.
"Aye," Red said. "Me will do alls dat me can ta help ye right dis wrong."
Once again, he said, "Thank you."
They made their way back to where the entrance to Morgorath once stood.
"Where do we go from here?" Urganox asked.
"We wait," Locmire said.
"For Thaddeus to lay down his stone?" Oggy asked.
"Yes," replied the Wizard.
We have been waiting too long. He should have already made it to Dead Marsh. "Are you certain he has not already placed the stone down?" Lot asked.
"I am sure. He has not removed it from his person," Locmire answered.
"What be deez?" Red asked, holding up two large, curved objects in his hand.
"Let me see those!" Urganox demanded. He rushed over to Red and took the objects from his hands, and said, "Would you look at that!"
"What?" Red asked.
"Ha!" Urganox laughed. "These are my horns!"
"Ye horns?" the Pirate asked.
"Yes, you fool. My horns! Did you think that these two bony stumps on my head were my natural apperance?" Urganox asked.
"Me don't know. Ain't never saw no Brazurker bafore," Red replied.
Urganox gazed upon his broken horns. For an instance, he considered keeping them, but then decided that they would only serve to remind him of his failure. As he was about to cast them into the sea of rubble, Locmire took him by the wrist.
"I can fix them," the Wizard said.
"You can what?" Urganox asked, eyes wide.
"I said, I can fix them," he repeated.
Urganox looked at his horns once more, and said, "No. It will only remind me of my short comings. Once a Brazurkin is bested in battle, his horns are to be removed, as a sign of his failure."
Oggy said, "You were not bested in battle. I do not know of anyone alive who would consider having a mountain fall upon them, bested in battle."
"Exactly," Lot said. "Who bested you? An entire mountain? I think not. If anything, you came out victorious. You survived."
"Do you really think so?" Urganox asked, his voice becoming louder, stronger.
"Without a doubt," Oggy replied.
"Can you fix them?" Urganox asked.
"Yes," Locmire said as he took the horns in his hands. "They will be just like they were before."
"Do it," Urganox said, falling to his knees.
Locmire took the horns and lined them up the best he could on Urganox's stumps. A blue light grew from the palms of his hands, turning Urganox's horns the same color of blue. The King grimaced. After a moment, Locmire removed his hands.
"There," the Wizard said.
Urganox traced his ram-like horns with his thick, green, hands. The King felt the base of his skull for any signs of structural weakness. He grabbed them and gave them a hard tug. They did not move. King Skullsplitter stood tall and proud with his mighty, ram-like, horns back on his head. Somehow, besides the obvious addition to his head, he looked different, as if a torch had been lit inside him.
"How do they look?" Urganox asked, turning his head from side to side, proudly showing them to the group.
"Majestic," Oggy replied.
When no one else answered, Urganox took it upon himself to illicit an answer from the others.
"Uh-hum," Urganox grunted, as he looked toward Lot.
"Oh," Lot said, as if he had been taken by surprise. "They look great."
He looked to Locmire.
"Magnificent," the Wizard replied.
Red's answer was a little different.
Laughing between every word, Red said, "Ye,look, like, an, ole, billy, goat!"
With a grin, Urganox said, "I will show you a goat, Pirate!"
He lowered his head and charged Red. The Pirate, being light on his feet, evaded the first charge. Urganox caught Red off guard with his second attack. This time the Pirate did not evade the stampeding King. He could only run. Red was fast for a lush. He almost pulled away from Urganox until he tripped on a rock and went flying through the air. He landed on his back in the rubble pile. Urganox laughed as he pulled the Pirate to his feet.
"Ye fool! Ye could've kilt me!" Red yelled.
Urganox, however, did not answer. He stood motionless. His green skin lost a shade.
"Kraydar," Urganox said. His knees grew weak and buckled.
Red had fallen on top of the lifeless body of Urganox's old friend and second in command.
Kraydar did not look like Urganox remembered him. His body, mangled and bloody, along with his broken horns, almost made him unrecognizable.
"My old friend," Urganox said, frowning. How is it that I survived and you did not? You were feet away from me. If only I had arrived sooner. He looked back at the others. "I must bury him," the King said.
"We will help," Oggy replied.
As Urganox lifted the last boulder that had Kraydar's body pinned to the ground, something unexpected happened . . . he opened his eyes.
"What-" Urganox got out before Kraydar extended his leg, kicking Urganox in the chest and sending him flying through the air.
From within the rubble the moans and grunts of the recently deceased Brazurkins and Bear Men filled the valley.