TRA: Brothers Of The Scar

Chapter 5: Xierma

Grodak looked around franticly, trying to find the source of the familiar voice. "Brother," Grall said covering his mouth to try and hide his laughter, "the stone in your pocket."

Grodak looked to Grall in confusion, then realization as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small stone the size of a marble.

"Grodak," the voice continued, "can you hear me?"

"I can hear you," Grodak said as he examined the small rock in his hand, "but how can I hear you, Imp?"

"I enchanted some stones and sent them to those who survived Whitewater, as a way for us to communicate." Imp sounded strained, almost like he just suffered some great pain. "Grall should have one as will."

"Oh," Grall said with a smile, "I threw it away the moment you sent it to me."

"You, what!" Imp shouted; the anger evident in his voice. "Do you know how long it took me to make a single one of those stones and you threw it away."

"It clashed with my bandages." Both Grall and Grodak burst into laughter as imp scowled on the other side of the rock. "I- I'm kidding Imp," Grall said as he wiped a bloody tear from his cheek, "I have it right here." Grall pay his pocket as if Imp would be able to see him do so.

"Ok," Grodak said as he stood up tight and wiped the tears from his eyes, "enough joking. How are you supposed to be able to help us transport twenty thousand orcs?"

"Not transport," Imp said, playing at his words as if he is about to make a big reveal, "but, teleport."

"Ok." Grodak said with a lack of amusement.

"Sounds good to me." Grall replied.

".... Are you two nuts?" Imp screamed from the other side of the rock. "This is teleportation. Do you know how many scientific minds have risked it all to find or create such technology?"

"We already knew you could teleport people, Imp." Grall said as he watched the tribal orcs bustle to pack their things.

"Yep," Grodak agreed, "you even teleported Grall onto the battlefield back in Whitewater."

".... Do you want me to teleport your orcs or not."? Imp didn't ask, his voice sounded exhausted.

"Yea-" Grodak began to say.

"Give us a week." Grall interrupted. "Orcs don't like not do they trust magic. We need to explain the situation to them before we can give the ok."

Grodak looked at Grall quizzically but said nothing. "Ok," Imp said, "just call out my name while holding the rock and I should be able to hear you."

As Imps finished talking, the magic in the stone faded. Grodak watched Grall for a moment in silence.

"Why did you tell him to wait a week?" Grodak asked.

"Because, brother," Grall said, "it will take five days for us to make the trip to the elven kingdom and back, two extra days in case anything goes wrong and we are delayed."

Grodak continued to stare at Grall in silence as he pondered what he said. "You don't want Imp to know about Talengars God item."

"That is correct." Grall said in an exasperated tone.

"Why?"

"Imp would want to test it," Grall said, "he would want to see if he can figure out how the God stone works and if he can replicate the source of its power."

"Hmm." Grodak said as he stood thinking about what Grall just mentioned. "You may be right, but how do we know he won't try the same thing later on down the road?"