"Welcome to Damdam island!" Philip proclaimed. I had no doubt that this man had an endless supply of energy.
The boat landed in the sand. Philip stretched and sniffed, taking in the island air. Even the shore seemed to emit magic, the water glowed and the sand glittered like glassy white powder. The entrance to the island's interior was a tangle of vibrant trees that bent every which way and flowers that seemed to only exist in dreams. I simply couldn't begin to fathom what sort of creatures resided within its core.
"You've been here before?" I asked.
"Yeah, once, training," Philip replied, waving me off, his attention lost to the silent myriad of the island scenery.
A unusual melody rang out, distorting the silence. Of instruments, indistinguishable and unidentifiable. It shook the trees and sent a tremor through the earth.
"What's happening?" I bristled and inched towards Philip.
"Shh, they're coming." Philip had a mad man's gaze, burning with thrill and anticipation.
Out of the forest arrived a group of half-naked men. They wore leaves and shell necklaces and had on strange glowing body paint. I was perplexed, but also scared out of my mind. One of them crept towards us, turning his head from side to side as he sized us up and down. His gaze lingered on Philip and recognition flashed across his face.
"Philip?!" The stranger beamed ear to ear. "Is that you?"
Philip and his friend embraced briefly. "Bernard, how's it going man?"
Bernard laughed and cupped Philip's cheeks. "I'm good. I'm well. What brings you back?"
Philip eyed me and sighed. "This woman right here."
Bernard's scrutinizing regard returned to me. "And she is?"
"No one that should bother you." Philip shrugged. "She's caught a bad case of ogre lips, thus the scarf but enough of her, show me around, please. I'm sure much has changed since we were boys."
"Let's go, then." Bernard and his group of half-naked men led the way into the weird and dense forest. Faint sounds of bizarre instruments could be heard. The atmosphere felt of a foreign world. But Philip looked right at home.
Could I trust him? I wanted to but I had had my trust exploited before. It wasn't something I could hand out so easily.
We ended the walk at the entrance of probably the most adorable village I had ever seen. The houses were about as tall as Bernard, brightly colored and surrounded by a garden of odd flora. At the center of the village stood a building sort of like a manor.
"Man, this place has not changed at all," Sighed Philip. Bernard nodded, clapped his back and led us through the village. "Lau, still the chief?"
Bernard smiled. "You know that man won't ever die."
"Really?" I blurted.
"Yeah, he's an immortal." Philip smirked.
I narrowed my eyes, scowling.
"She doesn't bite, does she?" Bernard perked a brow.
"All bark." Philip snickered.
The men shared a laugh. Bernard wiped the corner of his eye and looked over at Philip. "She doesn't go out often?"
"One of the simple folk." Philip mocked a pout.
I ignored the two and allowed my gaze to wander around the village. Unlike Bernard the rest of the village people were tiny, not tiny enough to be dwarves but short enough that you'd take notice of it. They also wore the same sort of body covering of leaves and string and shells. They went about their day oblivious to our arrival.
YOU ARE READING
Scales and Swords ✓
Fantasy*completed* Born with scales and the ability to breathe fire, Mo spent all her life being bullied and ridiculed. For in the Kingdom of Kreatier her kind are not welcome: Half-breeds or as they are better known, Vuruks. But when she loses her family...
