The Wurm King (PT 3)
#3 of The Wurm King
An adventurer named Auren is taken captive by a band of kobolds bandits and must learn to live like a kobold.
as all ways feedback is appreciated. i will try to post a new part of this story every week on Wednesday or Friday.
When Auren awoke he was in his room back in Geralt's wagon. Geralt was bandaging his arms and head by candle light. "I swear I let ya away from the caravan for a few hours and ya come back looking like a focking amesian house wife who ruined er husband's dinner. Who did this to ya boy?" Auren hugged Geralt crying "the kids in the village beat me with sticks" Auren said his speach slurred and his eyes streaming with tears. "Don't worry they can hurt ya here lad" Geralt said patting Auren on the back. "listen boy I know me and the rest of the caravan treat ya like yer just a normal human but your not, other kids are gonna pick on ya cuz yer a little different. I let ya go exploring cuz I though you were tough enough to handle yer self, I guess I was wrong. tomorrow im gonna start training you to protect yer self. Geralt said as Auren start to calm down. "now get some sleep were gonna start early tomorrow." He said as he stood up. "hey Geralt?" Auren said laying back on the bed "yeah lad?" Geralt said about to close the door. "how did you find me?" "a little girl came by the caravan and told me there was a weird boy passed out by the well, figure she had to be talkin bout you. Good night boy." "good night Geralt" Auren said as Geralt shut the door.
"eight days" Auren thought to himself. "it's been eight days since I've seen the sun." he had never missed being outside so badly in his life. He had become more accustom to life underground than he had ever wanted. In his cell he could here a pin drop, the echo of indistinct sounds in the distance had become a constant companion. He had grown to enjoy the taste of rat meat and mushrooms at the end of a long day's work. Work that izza made as had as she could since she couldn't beat him anymore after receiving a talking to from Ahnya she would leave him alone in the dark tunnels with no torch only to come back thirty minutes later or put centipedes down his shirt when he wasn't looking, all because he needed a break from time to time. Her pranks had only escalated causing him to become even more anxious about his escape. But how? He would need a light source and a weapon, not only that, but he would also need a way past the lift then he would have to fight past any guards and avoid the traps that had landed him in this mess in the first place. For now, he would have to concentrate on survival and await an opportunity. He laid in his cell for what seemed like an hour until he saw the make shift door begin to move. Probably Ahnya here to lead him to the dig cite he thought. The door was moved to the side as Izza burst in shouting "wake up ren time to dig" either not noticing or not caring that Auren was already awake. "im awake already just let me out of this cell so I can get this over with." Auren said with a sigh of annoyance. "eh... good to see ren in hurry to dig." She said with sarcastic praise. With that she led him out of the cell and down to the dig cite.
After digging for days, they had traveled what Auren could only estimate to be about a half mile, they could have dug further however dirt removal and a shortage of the wall petrifying sludge had slowed down progress considerably. probably contributing to Izza's foul mood, Auren was not the only one Izza had been torturing however, her fellow kobolds also felt her wrath. she had found their hooch stash, forced them to work without breaks just as Auren did, and was generally a pain in everyone's ass. Work pushed on as usual that day for hours Auren and the crew of kobolds mined until an odd sound started coming from the wall, almost like it was hallow on the other side, sure enough after five minutes more of digging the wall collapsed revealing a cave on the other side a rush of cool air burst through this new orifice almost extinguishing the torches that lit the tunnel. Izza shoved Auren out of the way and spoke in the language of the kobolds half the miners rushed up the hall and the other half continued mining. "ren do good Izza get big reward if shrine is nearby." She said poking her head through the hole scanning what lay beyond. Auren looked back at the hall way for a second to see how far the group that had left made it and by the time he looked back Izza was gone, only screams could be heard coming from the hole. Auren froze for a second as many thoughts rushed through his mind. Where did Izza go? What's in there? Should I go after her? Should I run? While he was thinking the remaining kobolds ran, presumably for help? Or maybe to save their own skins? Maybe this was his chance to escape? He decided that if something was living in their then it must have gotten down there from the surface. He grabbed one of the kobolds picks. Small enough to fit into one hand. Then he grabbed a torch and made his break. After passing through the hole two things became apparent, the first was that Izza was still alive and the other was that the eight tentacled abomination that was attempting to pull her from a stalagmite was the most horrifying thing he'd ever seen. The beast had three eyes doted horizontally along in cylindrical body one massive maw with four lines of needle like teeth attached to a body that stood over 6ft tall. His first though was to run izza was a bitch anyway why should he care if she dies, but a thought crossed his mind. His captors could have killed him at any time, but they didn't, he didn't want to save her, but he felt that he owed Ahnya this one favor. That was when the creature noticed him. suddenly four of its tentacles reach for him, he ran as the tentacles missed him ducking and weaving away out speeding the creature at range. It then attempted to grab Auren with all its tentacles at once. "now's my chance" Auren though to him self he charged its unguarded body through the center, the tentacles just barely missing him and hitting the wall behind him. The creature released its grip on izza with two of its tentacles and swung them horizontally at Auren striking him in his left arm causing him to drop the torch and knocking him to the ground. its six tentacles grabbed him three on each leg and drug him closer to its gaping maw. Auren dug his pick into the ground to anchor himself "what now, come on, Think, think, damnit!" His eyes frantically searched the room there had to be something he could do? As he looked at the creature he had an idea." He pulled the pick from the ground and allowed it to drag him closer. "closer... closer... just a little more you ugly mug!" when he was 10ft from the beast he through the pick with all his might it struck the beast in the eye, not with the sharp part but the handle, the beast roared in pain releasing him and ripping izza from the stalagmite and flailing her about in the air. "now's my chance he ran out of the room back to where he and the kobolds were mining "ren... you coward" he could her Izza scream. But he wasn't running away, he grabbed a barrel of the grey sludge used for hardening the walls "I hope this works" he screamed as he ran at the beast full speed. Two tentacles converged on him from each side, but the creatures sight had been hampered. Auren doge rolled forward and swung the barrel around his body once flinging it with all his strength at the creature. The barrel shattered upon impact and coated the upper part of the beast's body making it difficult to move and blinding it. Auren then grabbed the pick off the ground near the beast and swung. "Ayyyyyaayh" the beasts muffled cry echoed throughout the cave as Auren relentless struck its body over and over again even after its movement had stopped and the creature was long dead. Auren felt a had on his shoulder he violently turned pick held at the ready to strike. Izza held her arms up in fear of a coming blow. Auren stopped himself picked up his torch and thought for a second "should I run? How many of those things are there? It took all I had just to kill one." He heard a quit voice attempting to speak "thank you... if ren not help Izza would have died" Izza said in a meek and grateful tone.
Auren didn't have long to think, as it was about that time the guards came running in and secured the area. The guards surrounded Auren and spoke to him in the kobold language he looked around frantically for a way out. Izza spoke up "they want ren to drop pick and come with them." He thought for a second and realize that even if he could escape the guards he wouldn't make it far in the cave by himself. So he dropped the pick and surrendered. The guards escorted Auren back to his cell, where he waited for an hour or so before he heard someone moving the door. It was Ahnya with Izza in tow carrying a large plate of food. "ren alright? Izza say ren take big hit from hurrok." In the moment he hadn't noticed it, but his left side and arm were terribly sore. "other than my side and arm I'd say I'm fine." "let Ahnya look" Ahnya said as she came into the cell and lifted Auren shirt to reveal a large bruise. "Ahnya can fix, Izza go get medicine." Izza set the plate of food down and left the room in search of what ever passed as kobold medicine. "ren big hero now, kill hurrok" Ahnya said in a joyful tone "knew ren special." "even if I'm not some giant kobold?" Auren said while laughing. "even if ren not old one." She said as she pushed in on his bruise and laughing. "ouch! It was just a joke Ahnya" ren said while laughing and scooting away a bit as to avoid any further rib poking. Izza returned with a jar of what appeared to be mud and a roll of cloth Ahnya smeared the stuff on Auren's ribs and the part of his arm that had been injured then she rapped it in cloth and secured it with a bone pin. "thank you" Auren said as she finished wrapping his arm. Ahnya sat there in thought for a second. "what are you thinking about?" Auren said as she continued inspecting his arm. She looked at Izza and they spoke in their language for a minute before Izza left the room. Ahnya turned to Auren "how ren feel about kobolds?" she asked with an inquisitive look on her face. "eh..?" Auren replied stunned at the question and puzzled as to how he should answer. She leaned in closer and repeated the question. This time Auren had an answer "I don't know its kind of hard to like being a slave" Auren said with a hint of light hearted sarcasm and a chuckle in an attempt to deflect the question. Ahnya thought for a second and petitioned a new question "what about if ren not slave what then?" Auren fell back a bit "what?" Auren said in shock. For a second time Ahnya had to repeat a question. "I don't know give me a second" he said flustered. He though to him self about his life with the kobolds and his life outside, Geralt and the rest of the caravan were the only one who would treat him like a human being and not some wired monster and even they had left him behind, but here with the kobolds there were people who didn't look at him like some monster. maybe he was better off away from human society, if not with kobolds maybe there was some where else he could go. Either way he had friends amongst the kobolds. He had come to an answer, he turned to Ahnya "I like living with you guys, when I'm not being worked to death at least" Auren said with a grin and smile as he nudged Ahnya. She nudged back forgetting about Auren's ribs "ow, geez what did I say about the ribs?" Auren said laughing. "ren wanna be member of clan?" a clan member? He thought to himself why not? It must be better than being a slave. "sure" Auren said enthusiastically "really?" Ahnya said as she jumped to her feet. "Ahnya tell everyone, when shaman get here we have ceremony" with that she ran out of the room leaving Auren's cell unlocked. he tried to get up to follow her, but when he did he became dizzy and a few moments later he passed out.
When Auren awoke he felt the pressure of a body against him as well as something he had missed during his time in the mines, a blanket. "soooo warm" Auren thought to himself enjoying the moment. "wait a second, who's next to me?" "also, why in the hell am I naked?" the need to answer these questions was over powered by the warmth he felt, he had been so cold in the mines until now. So, he just lay there for what felt like an hour until he felt his partner stir in the thick blanket he opened his eyes to see the slender red scaled form of Ahnya getting out of the sheets and putting her cloths back on. "Ahnya! Uh, did we? What happened?" Auren said grabbing the sheets to cover his upper chest and placing his back against the wall. "ren sleep for three days. Ahnya have to take care of him or else he freezes" she said while dressing herself. "and this means taking off my clothes?" Auren said in confusion. "clothes bad, covered in hurrok blood, that why ren sleep for three days" she said in a matter of fact way. "hurrok blood poison ren eat it when he kill hurrok." Ahnya continued. Auren did remember getting it in his mouth will mindlessly hacking away at the creature. "alright but that doesn't explain why you were naked." Auren replied. "Ahnya like to sleep naked, also ren very warm" she replied with a giggle. "if I'm so warm I think I'd have more kobolds sleeping on me" he thought to him self before asking "do you have any extra clothes I can wear? I can't just walk around naked." Auren said with a shaky grin. Ahnya grabbed a parcel by the cell door and threw it to Auren "Rahka make ren sized clothes out of rat." "ill make sure to give him my regards then" Auren said as he began to stand up "could I get a bit of privacy please?" Auren said a bit flustered as Ahnya was watching him intently. "pri...vacy?" she said in a broken manner. "it means I want to be alone for a minute" Auren said in a kind manner. "... ah ok" Ahnya said embarrassed as she left the room. Auren hadn't thought about it but her grasp of ohmmen was quite good. Where had she learned a human language anyway? He thought to himself while putting on his new clothes, they smelled smoky? As if they had been cooked or heated. They were also a little tight, but they were warmer and heavier than his earlier clothes. As he finished dressing himself he noticed that Ahnya had been watching him from the door way. "how long have you been watching me Ahnya?" Auren said in disappointed. "Ahnya not here long Rahka forget to send hat so Ahnya bring." She said holding a bandana. She handed it to him as he walked past the door. He tied the bandana to his head allowing his black hair to dangle out the back and sides. The leather was black, but the bandana was made of red cloth. It wasn't the most fashionable clothing, but it would have to do.
"so what now" Auren said as he and Ahnya walked down the hall. "Ahnya give ren tour of base" Auren would spend the next hour learning how the base functioned. Within the mines the kobolds had constructed the farms which he had already seen, a small underground spring where most of their water came from, a large pit that they threw any refuse into, a barracks and a common room, a dinning hall and kitchen contacted to the barracks and dining hall several tunnels that lead nowhere and the tunnel the Auren and co had dug, and this was just the area below the lift. As they approached the tunnel that Auren and izza's team had dug previously he noticed a group of guards there waiting for them. "what are they here for?" Auren asked as he and Ahnya approached the group. "ren help us scout cave so we can find ancient one before shaman get here." She said in a cavalier manner. Near the mouth of the cave Auren saw a bunch of gear lying against the wall Ahnya pointed to it and said "we find good weapons for ren" he looked over the offerings before him; a short spear meant for a kobold and a jagged short sword and small leather buckler. All the kobolds in the group were armed similarly except Ahnya who had a long sword that looked more like a great sword in her hands. The more Auren look at it, the more familiar it seemed, until it dawned on him. "hey Ahnya, where'd you get that sword?" Auren asked. "oh... this was ren sword." She said embarrassed. "ren want back?" she said holding it out. Auren thought for a second. Her arms are no where near as long as his, so she might benefit more from the reach advantage. Plus, he was in a cave, so it might not be a bad idea to use a smaller weapon. "no, you keep it consider it a gift." Auren said with a smile. Ahnya rushed over and hugged Auren, after which she stepped back and blushed, she hadn't thought about the fact that others were watching. "we clear mines now" she said flustered as she repeated it in kobold and scurried off into the cavern. With that the group marched out after her. After entering the cave Auren felt like he had been brought along as bait as he walked alone through the cavern with a torch in his shield hand. The shield was little more than a frying pan with leather stretched across it and bound to his arm with thin straps, a small innovation in the design was that the frying pan handle had a sheath attached to it. This freed up his sword arm to hold the short spear. The kobolds had blended into the darkness by this point, Auren could hear what he hoped was just them scurrying in the darkness. "It sucks not being able to see in the dark. if only typhus were here he could brew up some potions of night sight for me" Auren thought to himself. His thoughts were short lived as he heard something screech in the darkness. He came closer to investigate and saw a creature he recognized from one of Geralts journals called a girsk it looked like a winged lizard with ten legs and the tail and claws of a scorpion, it had a triple hinged jaw with one black insectoid eye in the middle of its head. this one was about the size of a house cat with muddy colored scales, but a fully-grown adult could grow as big as a dear. Auren was immediately unsettled by this, from what he had read from Geralts journal, where there was one there were bound to be more. He then attuned his eyes and ears to the darkness and waited for one of them to make a move. He didn't have to wait long another small one attempted to swoop down onto him from above. As it came down he dodged to the side and impaled the creature through its head. As he pulled the spear from its corpse he called out to his kobold companions. "you guys still kicking?" a few moments later he heard another body drop in the distance. "ill take that as a yes then" he said with sarcastic grin. Auren continued through the cavern paying close attention to what was above him as he attuned his ears to the darkness he heard something that sent shivers down his spine, whatever it was big, it had a lot of legs and was right above him. "maybe if I ignore it it'll go way." He said as he looked above him and saw a giant Girsk the size of a bear. The creature dropped from the roof as soon as Auren saw it, he just barely managed to get out of the way in time ending up behind the beast. It immediately swung its giant tail hitting Auren on his right arm causing him to drop his spear and dragging him along the floor as he fell back he found himself holding onto the tail he pulled his sword from its sheath and began hacking at the tail with the blade to underwhelming effect. The poorly sharpened blade no bigger than a machete left only minor gashes. The girsk began violently attempting to swing Auren off its tail flinging him a few feet to its left, as Auren was getting up the girsk pined him to the ground with one of its pincers and readied its tail for a final blow. Just then Ahnya burst from the darkness and cleave the claw pining Auren from its base the blade landing just a few inches from the side of Auren's foot. As the creature reeled in pain from Ahnya's blow Auren shoved the claw off of his chest and made a break towards the giant girsk grabbing his sword from the ground and jumping upon its back and stabbing wildly with the short sword. While the blade itself was not sharp the point was more than sufficient for piercing the beasts hide. As he did the girsk attempted to fling him off and readied its tail to attack. Auren jumped off rolling across the floor as the beast turned towards him and charged Ahnya yelled "ren, throw!" as she tossed Auren the spear he had dropped earlier in the fight. He hurled the spear with all his might striking it in its head causing it to crash off to the side several feet from Auren. Ahnya then used her sword to chop the Girsk's head off. Auren picked up his torch walked over and asked, "don't you think that's overkill?" he ask laughing and trying to catch his breath. "mazsak never dead enough" Ahnya replied with a serious tone, "kill many kobolds never see one like this, big, very big." She said looking off into the darkness. "others find where they get in from. we go back to base and get petrum to fill hole" with that the pair walked back to the entrance where izza was waiting with three barrels of petrum, "Ahnya find hole?" izza said staring at the pair, soaked in blood. Ahnya replied in the kobold language and then said "we escort izza to hole" in an agitated tone. She seemed angry about something so as they walked through the darkness Auren asked "did anybody die in that fight?" Auren asked in a somber tone expecting the worst. "no but Gura and Lomu hurt bad" Ahnya replied with a sigh. Auren thought about the fight with the girsk for a minute and realized the he wasn't the only one using a dull sword. The group would need better weapons, especially if creatures like that were common. About that time the group retch the hole where the Girsk's had been getting in. izza and two of the guards proceeded to slowly add layers of petrum to the sides of the hole as Auren and Ahnya made more trips back and forth guarding miners as they delivered stone, petrum and wood to the site. After about four hours the hole was sealed, and the group heaved a collective sigh. As the group headed back to the entrance to the entrance Auren turned to Ahnya "what are you guys planning on doing with this cavern anyway?" Auren asked wondering what kobolds would do with such a large room all the other rooms in the base were comparably small to the massive cavern they had unearthed. "not know yet may move base deeper, as close as possible to old one. Ahnya replied her mood seeming to have improved over the past four hours, a fact untrue of Auren and the rest of the team. The group looked haggard and hungry. After the last kobold passed through the entrance to the cavern a large piece of wood was placed over the entrance and braced with wooden poles. Auren sat down his back against a wall tired from a hard day's work. Ahnya walk over and said "not done yet dinner almost finished." While trying to keep a stoic attitude the day having obviously worn on her. "I don't think I'll make it carry me Ahnya" Auren said with a smile slumping onto the floor. "come on if ren not hurry neither of us will eat." She replied pretending to pull on Auren's shoulders. As she grabbed his shoulder Auren shot up knock Ahnya onto her rear. Auren grabbed his arm still sore from the Girsk's attack. "ren hurt? Why ren not tell me?" Ahnya said angry again and scrambling to look at his arm. "I'm fine, really it's just tender" Auren said holding her back from his arm as he stood up. "I'm fine just look out for Gura and Lomu" he said as he began to walk off. "No, ren go to his room and rest Ahnya send food" Ahnya said chasing after him and then blocking his path. "I'm fine trust me, ill take it easy on the arm now come on lets get some dinner." He said walking past her and beckoning her to follow. With a huff and a shake of her head she followed him.
It was the first time Auren had ate with the kobolds. It was the free for all he had imagined if you wanted to eat you had to get in their and take it Auren's size and long arms helped him nab some of the tastier morsels. During dinner Ahnya got all the kobolds attention and said something in their language then she said " to the news member of the clan ren" at which point the whole group toasted some of the guards who had clear the mines with him grabbed on him nudging and tussling his hair after getting several friendly nudges to the arm Auren suddenly wished he had taken Ahnya's advice, luckily dinner only last an hour after which Ahnya showed Auren down the hall to his cell which now had a bedroll a small oil lamp as well as some of the things he entered the mine with such as his instant torches and his back pack. "hope ren sleep he take tomorrow off." Ahnya said as she was leaving. "um... Ahnya?" Auren said as she was walking out the door. "ren want Ahnya to keep him warm again?" she giggled as she turned to face him again. "ah, no I uh just wanted to thank you, for... you know treating me so well." Auren said scrating his head. "ren red claw now Ahnya take care of all clan. Ahnya tired good night ren." She said with a yawn waging her tail as she left. "what a day" Auren thought to himself. It had been a rough day but even with all the trouble he had been through and the pain in his right arm Auren fell asleep peacefully with a smile on his face for the first time in weeks.