《Relik》


 Appearance - Prologue, part 1

    One day, I woke up. I was in the middle of dry grass. Everything I laid my eyes upon unrecognizable. Just a yellow field wherever I looked.


    My mind clouded and unable to reach my memories.


    My name unknown, age unknown, place unknown.


    Boom.


    Immediately weird explosion echoes through the fields. Followed by another, and getting closer.


    I panic, and uneasiness fills my head. I try to find a place to hide myself.


    After countless other explosions, louder as they closed in, I see the face of a being that¡¯s similar to my own, but fused with some other creature.


    Quickly I run, to find a tree or a rock big enough to cover. After failing, stress and fear combine and swallow my mind.


    A big monster-like creature, with two big tusks rising from its mouth. Two and a half meter of green skin, full of leather armor as well as chipped but long and sharp blades covering its body.


    Tears and sweat form as one while sliding down my face.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Rapidly, I start rip grass from the dirt and spread it all over my body in order to try to camouflage myself in the plain.


    Unable to see the situation, my heart beats faster and stronger making a abnormal sound. I start to tremble as I try to stop my breathing from making any noise.


    The explosions now almost deafening, start to decrease. After almost all quiet down, one extremely loud bang continues and draws closer.


    At this moment I realize that said explosions were actually footsteps, and at the same time this realization came to mind, a large shadow wraps me.


    The sun, that once hit my face with heat wave, was now gone replaced by a massive humanoid.


    Shock floods my expression.


    A head of the size of my forearm looks down on me with its garnet colored eyes as if I was some kind of meal. Its nose almost as big as my fist, inhaled and exhaled rapidly. Drool came down from his mouth as tried to clean the corners of his mouth with tongue, as well as his tusks.


    Its lips suddenly distanced from each other, as well as its teeth. Then sound came out.


    ¡°XXXXXX XXX XX, X XXX XXXX XXX X XXXXX XXXXXXXXXX!¡±


    My expectations to understand it end up in the wrong, and after trying to recover from the scare, I try to run.


    Legs barely working from the trembling, tears fogs my vision and my head starts to hope that I don¡¯t find any obstacles while escaping.


    But after some minutes that seem like hours of running, a big bang spread through the land and after about five seconds a green hand catches me and breaks my rips from the force exerted.


    Intense pain overflows my body and the taste of blood expands in my mouth. I start to feel my mind breaking apart.

 Ritual - Prologue, part 2

    A cold emerges from my back, a liquid flows from my arms and legs, a bright light falls from the moon unto me.


    My eyes adapt to the surroundings and fear starts to crawl within me.


    Hundreds if not thousands, of strange-looking creatures surround me in what seems like an arena. Red paint covers their bodies with drawings.


    One of the creatures was next to me, screams in some kind of weird language that immediately silences all of the others.


    While the creature talked or speech, I looked at my body. Even though I try, my body doesn¡¯t move. My arms are cut and my blood used to draw in my body, painted like the monsters.


    My hands and feet are pierced by a weird-looking daggers, that have skulls carved in the handle, while the blade is similar to a spiral.


    I feel weak, my strength is being drained from my body.


    The stone table I¡¯m chained to, has carving that make my blood flow to holes.


    I see, my vitality being dried, my blood dripping.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    This is my end, it seems. The blinding light of the moon will be my last memory.


    The creature ceased its speech and took a massive book and what seem to be a heart still pounding.


    It put the book on my chest and opened it, then it put the heart in the book.


    The weight was almost unbearable, it felt like my bones would break and my heart would be crushed into nothing.


    As I was going to cough, the creature took a blade from its robes.


    Just then the creature closed its eyes, as well as all the other beings surrounding us.


    Then it talked, or better it praid.


    ¡°Great gods of the world, we thank you in the ancient language for sending us a sacrifice in our time of need. We will repay this offer with everything we ogres can give. For sending one of your world, one of your children. XXXXXX XXXXXXX X XXXXX! ¡±


    I understand it!?


    Just as I was trying to understand the current events the creature grabbed the blade with both hands and brought it down on me.


    First the heart was pierced and blood spilled by the blade splashed onto the book that almost in the same moment was also pierced by by the blade.


    Finally the blade reaches my own heart. I didn¡¯t feel pain, maybe because of the blood loss.


    I felt life escaping my grasp, and the bright moon was now darkened.


    The heart, the book and the body instantly entered in a combustion, of black flames. No smoke came from it and in the end, no ashes.

 Newborn - Prologue, part 3

    My body is stiff, heaviness keeps me from opening my eyes. I feel everything, warmth and cold.


    I try surpass the weight in my eyes, and succeed.


    A icy mountain, a floor of snow, and a group of greenish people.


    I¡¯m unable to move my head. I see the face of one of the creatures. It¡¯s eyes moist and it¡¯s face covered with warm smile.


    Tears start falling down my eyes. My emotions seem sensible as well as my body.


    I have grown weaker and smaller, and greenish.


    I am one of those creatures that made me go through such a fate, an ¡®ogre¡¯, and though I¡¯m supposed to feel fear, anger or any of those emotions, I can¡¯t help but feel warmth and safe.


    My body seems to have a terrible amount of energy, because my mind feels tired and my eyes want to close as quickly as possible.


    Though I became an infant, I remain with my memories and it seems like my progenitor, found out of my identity. As a result, my supposed mother gave me to a ogre of long and white beards, who in turn accepted me gracefully.


    He knows that I understand him, and talks about the life that I will be having from now on, as if preparing me. He goes by the name of ¡°Geist, the Druid¡± and he was one of the primary reasons for my sacrifice, being the one who gave the idea and prepared a big part of the ritual.


    He apologized for the event, but then explained why it happened in the first place.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    The world was once ruled by all sort of beast and creatures, from dragons to krakens. But some millennia ago, a new creature appeared, a primate who was similar to the called apes. It had no fur to protect from the temperature, it had a fragile body, but in exchange it had a genius mind. The ability to build complex tools from a few simple materials. But it was still weak.


    Then, it found the existence of mana, and studied the substance. It created magic similar to the ones of dragons but weaker.


    This new specimen, was able to reproduce with a speed unequal any other. In merely two thousand years since its appearance, its population was already at three milions, they multiplied like rabbits.


    And as a new exceptional individual came to be born, the more their strength increased.


    Currently the world is being conquered by such species, ¡®Humans¡¯. They expanded their influence and power all over the continent and are now one of the great lords of the world.


    And due to the action of such beings, happening close to the woods where the ogres live, and also due to losing many of their own to humans and many other beings, they asked for their god¡¯s help.


    They send one of their lambs to be sacrificed by the tribe¡¯s chief. From then on, a woman who had been impregnated, by the chief, would bear the god¡¯s gift.


    The chief, thought that there was a chance to multiply the god¡¯s gift or just divide it between many infants, if he had relations with many of the tribe¡¯s chosen female. Thus none of them had any idea if they were pregnant with the gift or not.


    To avoid discrimination, only Geist, would be able to appear during the labor of each one of selected, and none of the mothers would be able to raise their children, at least until they reached the age of ten.


    The chief, a few months after the ritual, was victim of the same black fire that burned me. The explanation that the druid thought of was, that even though the lamb was sacrificed, it would come back to live, so the real sacrifice was the chief.


    ¡°But, that is it. In a few years you will be able to talk, with some flaws, but at least I will understand you better. And when that happens, hide the fact that you know how to talk, just a little.¡±(Geist)


    He then took me to a room in the cave, where the rest of the children of the selected women were. And from then on, I started my life as a newborn ogre.

 Circumstances

    We have been isolated from our progenitors, six months now. And from what I¡¯ve learned from grandpa Geist, foreign enemies are closing in our territory each passing day.


    The men have difficulty hunting, because they try to avoid them. And unlike the image I previously had, they¡¯re only ogres in name, at least most of them.


    This community is composed of three races, such as goblins, hobgoblins and ogres.


    Ogres are big, and are naturally muscular. They have tusks, and normally two and some meters tall. The Chief was one of the biggest ogres around, it seemed.


    Unlike them, goblins are small. Being about a meter, they are way weaker than ogres. Their strength equals that of ten year old, naturally. They have less intelligence than most creatures, but they¡¯re known for their sneak attacks and for using multiple people against one. They are one of the few ¡°intelligent¡± races to be able to reproduce more than humans.


    At last, the hobgoblins are in between ogres and goblins. They are the born from a goblin and another humanoids relationship, because of this they are a variety of hobgoblins. They normally have the strength of a human, but depending on the parents and way they were raised, it could be higher or lower.


    Our small tribe is located in a cave of the tallest mountain around, but its exit leads to the middle of the forest. We are about fifty or plus, being 10 ogres, 5 hobgoblins and about 30 or so goblins.


    The death of the chief was an unexpected shock to the tribe, that asked the gods help but got the death of their leader in return.


    Because of this, their faith seems to be declining. And my and the other ¡°newborns¡± isolation is making it worse.


    While all of this was happening, the oldman was trying to teach everything he could. He knew it was hard, because the only thing I could do was hear him and there was no means for me to communicate with him. Species like these were normally illiterate, so there was no way for me to write my answers to him.


    The languages he knew how to speak were, the ancient language, which he knew only the basics for a ritual. And the normal goblin/ogre language.


    He tried to teach me the normal language. But of course, these were hard times for me, as there many things I wanted to ask and communication wasn¡¯t the only problem. I couldn¡¯t pratically do anything, and maybe it¡¯s a side effect of my reincarnation but I feel like biting and playing a bit too much.


    ***


    As the months passed, we reached winter and Geist, decided to take us out of isolation. He warned me about my behavior, then he took us to the tribe.


    I met my mother again and tried to acted like the oldman said, but once again, how could I resist not getting emotional toward the woman who gave birth to me. I guess it¡¯s instinct.


    I just loved the warmth of her arms, the touch of her lips, the roughness of her hand. She was indeed, the only one that ever made me feel so comfortable. Maybe she didn¡¯t found out my identity.


    Only when I was absorbed in the motherly heat, that I noticed. That compared to other ogres my mother was smaller, actually only a few had a height similar to hers and she doesn¡¯t have big tusks, if you can call it tusks. It seems she¡¯s an hobgoblin.


    Then does that mean, I¡¯m or an ogre or an hobgoblin?


    While I was contemplating my existence, the druid shouted and caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°As you all know, forest invaders are approaching us in rapid speed. I thought that we could ignored them and hope they¡¯d just pass by, but the worst is possibility is happening, they are coming straight toward us!¡±(Geist)Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Why!? You told us that they wouldn¡¯t worry about a low ogre tribe, it¡¯s not like we are High Ogres!¡±


    ¡°The fuck are we going to do?! What the hell do we do?! We have the babies, who can¡¯t even walk, and our leader is fucking dead!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, all of you!¡±(Geist)


    ¡°Shut up, druid! Because of your decision we are basically screwed!¡±


    ¡°I said, CALM DOWN!¡±(Geist)


    Suddenly cave that was in chaos, grew quiet.


    ¡°I know my decision was wrong, but now we must think about how we are going to survive this crisis¡±(Geist)


    ¡°But what are going to do? Because of the human scouts, we weren¡¯t able to hunt with efficiency, so even if we leave, we¡¯ll run out of food while find somewhere to settle.¡±


    ¡°Then, we will have to choose who will go, right?¡±


    ¡°We mustn¡¯t leave no one behind.¡±(Geist)


    ¡°How the hell do you even choose something like that?¡±


    ¡°Then what do you propose to do? Our food will only last about three to four days and that¡¯s if we refrain from eating for a while.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s.¡±


    One of the hobgoblins then raised it¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I could stay behind. Hobgoblins kind of look like humans, so I could maybe just become a prisoner or maybe nothing will even happen to me.¡±


    ¡°Are you insane!? You may look a bit human, but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re going to treat you like one!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, Moot. I rather not risk your life in it.¡±(Geist)


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I will stay here.¡±(Moot)


    ¡°Please don¡¯t! Come with your father and me.¡±


    ¡°Do not worry mother, nothing will happen to me.¡±(Moot)


    While the whole situation unfolded, my body started to shake. Then I understood that it wasn¡¯t me shaking, but my mother.


    ¡°I will also stay!¡±


    ¡°Mor? No, you will not be allowed to stay here!¡±(Geist)


    ¡°Why?!¡±(Mor)


    ¡°You were one of the few that was given the gene of the chief, which carried the god¡¯s gift! Have you any idea how much we could lose if you, the mother of the gift, just disappeared?¡±(Geist)


    ¡°The mother of the gift?¡±


    ¡°?!¡±


    ¡°P-possible mother! But that doesn¡¯t matter, you will not be left here!¡±(Geist)


    ¡°As long as my son lives, then it is not a problem.¡±(Mor)


    ¡°This is too reckless!¡±(Geist)


    ¡°Who is willing to stay here with me?¡±(Mor)


    ¡°Stupid child! Someone stop her, we can¡¯t lose one of the mothers!¡±(Geist)


    My mother started running, being a hobgoblin she was faster than the goblins, but compared to ogres she was no match. Having reached the entrance of the cave, with me on her arms, a ogre appeared on her side.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we can¡¯t allow you to stay here!¡±


    ¡°Then who will stay? Just Moot? Even if the other Hobs(Hobgoblins) don¡¯t stay behind. There¡¯s a chance that we can delay the scouts and maybe even the army! You can take care of my child, and protect the rest of the tribe.¡±(Mor)


    ¡°What are you saying? You want to sacrifice yourself?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, if my son lives, then why not?¡±(Mor)


    ¡°Are you really sure about this? You probably won¡¯t be able to see your child again?¡±


    Her eyes look into mine. Her teary eyes. She touched my forehead with her lips while closing her eyes. She lean towards my ear and whispered:


    ¡°You will always be my little relic.¡±


    She then gave me to the ogre.


    ¡°Take care of him like he¡¯s your own, please?¡±(Mor)


    While seeing his comrade crying her eyes out, he took me with his enormous arms and looked into my eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name for him?¡±


    ¡°Is that a bit too soon? Only at two years old, that he is supposed to get his name.¡±(Mor)


    ¡°This may be your last time seeing your child. Make it your last present to him.¡±


    After a while of thinking, she came up with an name.


    ¡°His name from now on his ¡®Relik¡¯, being my most precious treasure. Take good care of him please.¡±(Mor)


    ¡°I will. You as well, live to see your son someday.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    With that, my mother disappeared from my life.

 Scouts - Alternative Perspective

    In the wilderness, a group of people is surrounding a fire.


    They wear hooded capes. And while they clean their weapons, they converse.


    ¡°They said there was an ogre settlement around here, but it¡¯s been two days since we began searching.¡±


    ¡°Then, where are the ogres? I¡¯m sick of searching and finding nothing!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, they normally settle in caves. Of course we still didn¡¯t find them. And we can¡¯t really know where we are, if we don¡¯t have a geographical advantage.¡±


    ¡°True, the plantation is extremely dense. It¡¯ll take us a while.¡±


    After talking for awhile, they decide to catch some sleep, with one of them as a lookout.


    The night sky is hidden by the massive trees. The only sounds are those of, wind against the leaves, the owls ¡®hoo¡¯s¡¯ and the breathing of the asleep.


    The one guarding the camp, a young archer. With its bow in hand. She was seated in a tree, looking at the dark but starry sky.


    But this moment of comfort ended, when numerous bushes started moving, making noise that startled the watcher.


    Shit, why now?, it¡¯s what she thought.


    Her hand moved toward her face, while her eyes followed the sound.


    ¡°Nocti Indicet¡±


    Having activated a visual magic, the woman could now see everything as if day.


    She looked around and finally noticed something.


    A woman, was running through the forest.


    The archer aimed at her newly found target, and let go of her bow¡¯s string. The arrow flew right through the woman¡¯s right leg, causing her to fall.


    The girl immediately started chasing the unknown person. After reaching the location, she took the arrow from her leg.


    ¡°What are you doing her? Civilians aren¡¯t supposed to be in this area. There are monsters here, you know?¡±


    The stranger didn¡¯t said anything.


    ¡°Are you deaf? Retarded maybe?¡±


    Once again she didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Look at me when I¡¯m talking to you!¡±


    Suddenly she grabs the person''s hair and turns it, in order to show the face of the woman.


    But, the unexpected happened. This woman, had teeths bigger than normal humans, her eyes were sharp and her ears were similar to one of an elf.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    The shock overcame the archer.


    Then in a low tone, a voice is heard.


    ¡°P-Plize, du not hert mi.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°P-Pleaze, dun te quil mi.¡±


    The woman was clearly trying to communicate with the archer, but she didn¡¯t know how to speak the humans language, only a bit that she had heard. Even so she tried to speak, searching in her memories what words the humans she had met said, and their meaning.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    The sentences that she spoke were something she knew that humans said when cornered by their tribes hunters, and from the way they acted she also knew, it could only mean a few things.


    ¡°You can understand me, demon?¡±


    ¡°Pleaze, du te kir mi.¡±


    ¡°Stop saying that, you¡¯re starting to annoy me! Come on.¡±


    Shit¡­ is what she thought. A non-human came near to her encampment, and surrendered at contact. Such occasions were extremely rare, normally they would fight until death, and when they were captured they would almost always kill themselves.


    In this case, she didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°Hey, wake up.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Let sleep¡­¡±


    Her hand comes down upon his face. Smack*


    ¡°Fuck! What the hell is wrong with you!¡±


    ¡°I told you to wake up.¡±


    ¡°Ya! And I¡¯m awake now. Goddamnit.¡±


    She also woke up the other, though not as violently.


    ¡°What is it, I know your turn hasn¡¯t ended yet, so don¡¯t screw with me.¡±


    ¡°Vena, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you see for yourself.¡±(Vena)


    After she said that, the woman whistles. And with that a shadow comes out to the light of the camp.


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    The two men start questioning themselves.


    A woman? What is she doing here? Wait, those teeth, and her skin is just a tad different from normal.


    ¡°An ogr- no. A hobgoblin?¡±


    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Exactly, a hobgoblin.¡±(Vena)


    ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Stul. An hobgoblin is the combination between a goblin and an ogre, because their species are derivative from the same old species, though were developed in different circumstances. The hobgoblins are quite similar to humans, this is because of the polo opposites that the ogre and goblins are. As you already know, goblins have the tendency to reproduce fast, being about only one year for one to fully mature. But this is because they are a weak race, short as well. That¡¯s why they only attack in groups.


    And ogres are the exact contrary. They take almost three decades to fully mature, and everyone fears them because they are able to take several people with only one.


    Meaning, when these two species come together, they become the middle point. They have about the same rate of growth as us and their strength is just a bit higher. You can say that the only things that are different from us other than those, are their teeth, their ears and their skin color. But they''re extremely rare¡±


    ¡°Wait, but this one¡¯s skin isn¡¯t that different from us. If you took its teeth and a bit of her ears, she would be considered a human.¡±(Vena)


    ¡°That¡¯s because she¡¯s probably a variant. She¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°Either way, what is she doing here? You should already have killed her.¡±(Stul)


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that? But she begged for me not to, and I thought we could have some use for her.¡±(Vena)


    ¡°She begged? But they can¡¯t speak our language.¡±


    ¡°Well, she can. Kind of.¡±(Vena)


    Stul looks at the leader of the group, and this turns his eyes to Stull.


    ¡°¡±What?¡±¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like she can speak that well, but she definitely spoke Regnaniam.¡±(Vena)


    ¡°What do you mean, does that mean you talked to her?¡±


    ¡°Klok, it isn¡¯t like she said anything meaningful. It was just ¡®Please don¡¯t hurt or kill me¡¯.¡±(Vena)


    ¡°Holy shit! Don¡¯t you see how important this is?Do you know why we can¡¯t communicate with non-humans?¡±(Klok)


    ¡°It¡¯s because they don¡¯t learn our language.¡±(Stul)


    ¡°It¡¯s not because they don¡¯t want, its because they can¡¯t. They may have body structure similar to ours, for example, being bipedal and having their organs closely resembling ours, but they¡¯re still a different species. If we were to try and teach them our language, it would like doing the same with a dog, in the end it would still bark.


    But she¡¯s different. She can learn. You do understand how important this is, right? If we bring her to the base and teach her our language, she could give us quite the information. And if her tribe is composed of beings with the same capability as her, we could study them and maybe, we could use that knowledge for the benefit of the Recon Department ¡±(Klok)


    ¡°Is she really that important, aren¡¯t you exaggerating a bit, no?¡±(Vena)


    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±(Klok)


    The knowledgeable man walks towards the hobgoblin.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±(Klok)


    ¡°Watz ise ior neime?¡±


    ¡°Name.¡± That man, points to himself. ¡°Klok. My name is Klok.¡±(Klok)


    ¡°Name? Klok?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The man then points to the woman. ¡°Your name?¡±(Klok)


    After a bit, the woman was thinking. And then she answered.


    ¡°Mor, name ise Mor¡±