Kindred_Into The Darklands by K. M. Raya

Author:K. M. Raya [Raya, K. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-09-23T05:00:00+00:00

Sera

It takes almost a full day to reach the shores where Derrund’s ships are docked. The massive boats tower over us.

Their sails remain hidden beneath a canopy of clouds, but I can just make out the slow-moving shadows of its crew on the decks. A wooden ladder the size of a tree trunk tumbles down the side of one of the ships and the noise it makes is like a clap of thunder. Though I knew we were expecting giants, the sheer size of the wooden monstrosities takes me by surprise. Two large shadows drop to the water with a loud splash and they move towards us as we huddle on the sand with our horses. Shayde has shifted to his dragon form and stands off to the side patiently.

It’s colder out here on the black, rocky beach and the thick fog blankets everything within a few paces from my face. The salt and sea plants smell musty, and yet somehow invigorating. The shadows move towards us and the ground shakes with each step. Out of the haze comes two of the most terrifying—most utterly baffling creatures I’ve ever seen or dared to imagine. They stand at a height of at least two kingswood pines and about as thick too. Their skin is a deep grey color that faintly shines in the low light of the morning. They seem to be made from some sort of...stone? It isn’t scales and it’s definitely not the same skin that covers my body. I squint, trying to make sense of them. The same violet moss that clings to the trees of the Darklands coats their skin like makeshift clothing. They’re bare footed and hold no weapons that I can see—though they might not even need weapons while their fists have the power to crush mountainsides.

Thallan breaks off from our group as another giant lowers himself into the water with a thud. ‘This must be Derrund.’ I assume as the other two wait for him stoically. Derrund moves in closer, sloshing his way towards Thallan who is now up to his knees in the shallows. He looks like an insect standing before a tree. Thallan starts speaking but I can’t hear him until they begin to walk towards us. The ground shakes and so do my limbs. Derrund has a long beard and shaggy hair made entirely of violet moss. He looks like a mountainside suddenly stood up on two legs and sailed across the sea. Thallan speaks again, but I don’t understand the strange language—it’s garbled and gruff, rolling around like a mouth full of rocks. Derrund listens intently to the elf before glancing at his two companions. Thallan’s shoulders relax and he turns back to us with a determined stride. Derrund and his companions return to their ships without a look back and board without a word.

“Well? What did they say?” Thallan sloshes his way back to the sand.

He looks at me and stops. “They need to confer with their troupe before making a decision.

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