Banished Pt. 02

"I don't think the risk outweighs the benefits," she replied, and I nodded.

She was right, but I needed to make sure she understood that there was indeed, an element of risk.

So, I indicated to Gunter, and we continued forward.

It was another hour almost before we stopped again, but this time, I could see a veritable look of excitement on Gunter's face.

We were close.

We walked, a little more cautiously now, until suddenly, Gunter held up a hand, and we came to a halt.

"Oyeoyeahhhhh!" a call came from somewhere, in the trees ahead.

Gunter returned the call, then we waited.

"What's going on?" Cameron asked.

I tried asking, but whatever Gunter was trying to say was beyond my comprehension.

We waited for what felt like a long time, when a small group of green skinned folk came approaching us from beyond a thick cluster of trees up ahead.

As the group approached, I suddenly noted that Gunter seemed really nervous all of a sudden, and I shot Cameron a quick look that said, 'keep your eyes open', and she nodded in response as the group neared.

A man at the head of the group, wearing what appeared to be something like a toga, shouted something, as he came to a stop before us, and Gunter quickly stepped forward, and pressed his head to the floor.

The man was speaking to him, quite agitatedly, and as Gunter replied, the conversation became more and more heated.

"What's going on?" Cameron asked, but I held up a hand, trying to silence her.

As they continued to speak, I noticed that a few more faces, all green like Gunter's, had begun to peek out around us.

It'd be bad if we were surrounded, I thought.

The conversation before us also appeared to be going badly, and I found myself reaching for my knife, in case of an emergency, as the man appeared to raise a hand, ready to strike at Gunter.

But before the blow could be delivered, a thunderous shout came echoing from the distance, and everyone seemed to go still, even the angry man.

I studied the scene, and slowly, in the distance, I saw the emerging figure of a man.

Despite the difference in his features, I could tell that he was old with age, as his skin was wrinkled, and more of a pale grey, than the greens I saw all around me.

He walked with the aid of a stick, and as he came forth, everyone seemed to regard him with reverence, and even, perhaps, a bit of fear, but to my surprise, he walked right past the man and Gunter, and instead, approached Cameron and me directly.

"Auslanders! Herzlich willkommen bei uns," the man called, and I nodded, courteously, indicating to Cameron to do the same.

As he spoke to me, I was relieved to find that he spoke what appeared to be closer to German than whatever the boy was speaking, and I quickly relayed his words to Cameron.

"He welcomes us to their lands," I relayed, and she let out a relieved sigh.

"Jesus. Was starting to think they were gonna eat us," she replied.

"Don't relax just yet. There's still time," I teased.

The older man spoke to the boy, and as the boy explained something in that strange mixed German tongue, I lost track of what was going on, but the older man seemed pleased, to my relief.

"Un Garbung," the boy said, and I snickered, as I finally understood.

"Garbung," I said, bowing my head slightly. "Nathan," I replied, introducing myself, before turning to Cameron.

"Cameron," she offered, glancing me for confirmation that an introduction was in order, and I gave a quick nod.

The man led us, and as we walked along the pathway to the thicket from which the earlier group had also emerged, I noticed that all eyes were on us, looking on with wonder.

As we stepped into the thicket, the path turned left, and as we emerged from the bush, we were greeted with a most unexpected sight.

"Palancar," the man announced, raising his hands in a gesture of introduction.

"Whoa," Cameron mouthed, almost too dumbstruck to get the words out, and I could see why.

Before us was a sprawling city built into a clustered network of massive trees.

The trees themselves were not only tall, but with massive diameters, easily exceeding hundreds of feet, and a multitude of huts lined its outer rims, supported by wooden brackets.

The city seemed also quite well connected, with rope bridges connecting some of the smaller branches, but for the larger branches, and between the tree trunks themselves, an impressive network of surprisingly sturdy looking wooden bridges created connections between everything.

"Are those people, inside the trunks?" Cameron asked, I noted, with interest, that the trunks appeared to have windows and exits carved into them, creating story upon story of rooms within their very frames.

Everyone seemed to be going about their way with such briskness and purpose, that the place felt more like a metropolis than the tribal village I'd expected.

If we could stay here, this could be more than we could have ever hoped for.

I glanced at Cameron, and I could see, from her expression, that she was thinking the same thing.

"Auslander," the man began, and I turned towards him as he began to speak in German.

"What'd he say?" Cameron asked, as soon as he was done.

"He wants to take us to his place, to discuss their... plan? I think. But before he can, we have to be presented before an important person."

"Can they understand English at all?" she asked, keeping her voice low.

"Not sure. Haven't seen any indication that they do, but you never know, so for now, let's just keep the conversation kosher."

She nodded in agreement.

As we followed Garbung, I noticed that more eyes seemed to be turning our way, and the city's inhabitants seemed to be abandoning their own goings, to look on.

The numbers quickly increased until a veritable crowd was gathered, though keeping some distance, to look on as we passed through their town.

"These 'people'... do we even call them people?" Cameron asked, and I shrugged.

"By the usual accepted definitions, most biological, sentient bi-peds fit the term, 'people'."

Cameron rolled her eyes before continuing.

"What do they call themselves? Do you know?"

I relayed the message, and the initial answer came from Gunter, who, I realized, was following along closely with a quite smug expression on his face.

"Gobbo gobbo!" he replied, somewhat enthusiastically, which prompted Garbung to shoot him an annoyed look.

He offered an expanded explanation.

"Kobalt?" I repeated, making sure that I had gotten the word right, and man nodded in response, before continuing further, and I in turn, began to relay the explanation to Cameron.

"Kobalt is what they have called themselves since, uh, some event thing that I didn't quite catch. Humans call them goblins, but they find the word offensive."

"Hmm," Cameron responded, thoughtfully.

As we walked, I took note of the structures of the trees around us.

Their roots, as one would expect, were massive, standing some ten to fifteen feet high, and walkways appeared to have been carved into them, forming some aesthetically pleasing arches and passes.

We walked past the first few trees that we'd noted when we first entered Palancar, and now, with walkways and balconies lined along the trees around us, we could see that the initial stir that our intrusion had caused had now evolved into a spectacle.

"Where exactly are we going?" Cameron asked.

I relayed the message, and Garbung pointed at a tree, which I now noticed, seemed to stand out amongst the others; not for its impressive size, but rather for its diminutive nature, off in the distance.

As we approached the tree, I noticed that it's trunk did not extend towards the canopy that formed a sort of natural dome over the entire city, but rather, seemed to have been lopped off at the top, and stood as if it had been decapitated and left standing, in death.

As we neared the tree, I also noticed that the tree's bark seemed healthy.

It was unusual to say the least.

"What could even do that to a tree that big?" Cameron asked.

I decided to pass the question on to Garbung, and he considered the question with a look of scrutiny.

He spoke for a while, and I gulped.

"It seems the treetop was severed by an otherworlder," I said. "The first of the gods that they'd encountered. I don't think he was impressed by the fact that we didn't know that."

"Shit," she cursed. "Do you think an otherworlder really did that?"

"I dunno. I have no idea how it'd be possible. Could be a myth passed down to them?"

"Fucking hell, Nate. How long have they been sending people here?"

It was a hell of a question.

This technology couldn't possibly be that old, could it?

He led us on, nonetheless, to the tree, and as we entered through a grand main hall, I was fascinated to discover that on the inside, it seemed very much like a building.

There were walls, and corridors, and as we walked, I could see many Kobalt going about their various tasks, stopping only to marvel as we continued on past them.

"Those are desks. And chairs," Cameron noted, with some amazement, and I nodded.

They were eerily reminiscent of what a modern-day office looked like, weren't they?

This couldn't be an accident.

Maybe this otherworlder had a bigger part to play in the building of this city than we imagined.

We followed Garbung until we came to a huge pair of doors, where another Kobalt, this one younger, and her features distinctly feminine, approached us.

She and Garbung conversed a bit, though in the same peculiar language that Gunter spoke in, and as they did, I noted that she wore the same toga-like outfit as the man who'd first approached us outside of Palancar.

As I listened in on the conversation, my eyes wandered over to the Kobalt girl.

She was a bit shorter than Garbung, and her frame was quite slender, but as she spoke, she raised her hand and for a moment, I caught sight of the swell of a breast, momentarily visible out of the side of her loose, toga sleeve.

Her skin was that same pale green as Gunter's.

Would it be soft, and smooth, as I imagined a girl's might be? I wondered, but as I did, I found Cameron shooting me a disapproving stare.

"Would Francesca approve of you ogling a goblin girl?" she chided, her voice barely a whisper.

"My curiosity is purely professional, I assure you," I responded, and she shook a head disapprovingly.

"Sure... you were just checking out her boobs for science, right?"

As Cameron finished speaking, however, the doors before us burst open, and Garbung and the Kobalt girl quickly stopped speaking as they bowed deeply, and kept their gazes downcast as an elderly Kobalt woman walked towards us.

"Lucilla Màter," Garbung began, but she quickly lifted a hand, silencing him.

She walked, with some difficulty past him, turning to Cameron, who I now noted, had bowed just as Garbung and the other girl had.

She spoke in German, and I quickly translated her message for Cameron.

"She says that Auslanders are never to bow to a Kobalt."

Cameron stood up, and as she did the woman spoke again, and I gulped, as I understood her words.

"She also kindly requests that you refrain from using the word 'Goblin', at least, while you are here."

The woman turned, then walked back, and after speaking to Garbung, he lifted his head, and the two began to speak.

"Shit, she heard that?" Cameron whispered, moving closer to my side, and I shot her a worried look.

"Apparently. Let's try to keep the conversation to a minimum," I replied, and she nodded.

After all, these people might speak perfect English for all we knew.

I tried to follow the conversation as Garbung and this 'Lucilla Màter' spoke, but it seemed they spoke in that same peculiar tongue.

Several times, during their conversation, Garbung indicated towards us, and the old woman seemed unhappy, wrinkling her brow, and speaking in what sounded like disapproving tones.

Eventually, however, their conversation came to an end, and she raised a hand, seemingly dismissing Garbung, who bowed deeply again, as she turned to leave.

Garbung turned now to address me, and I quickly relayed the message to Cameron.

"He explained that Lucilla is the matron mother of the Kobalt, and that she has given him leave to hold a discussion in private with us before the council officially convenes."

"Jeez. Do you have any idea yet what he wants from us?" Cameron asked, and I shook my head in response.

Garbung motioned us forward, and we followed him again past the large chamber to a stairway, which took us several stories up to a new floor.

Here, we were met with a corridor, with doors lined along its length, as it twisted and turned about, no doubt snaking its way around the rooms that lay around us.

Eventually we came to a quaint looking door, vines strewn about it, and with bits of rot eating away at the corners, and the old man withdrew a key, opening the door up, and ushering us inside.

Once inside, I noted with interest that the room was quite large, and seemed to have all of the necessary elements of a cozy, little living space.

There was a kitchenette on eastern wall, furniture for relaxation as well as a little table suited for meals, and across the room was an exit to one of those suspended balconies, which offered an impressive view of the town beyond.

"Whoa. Can we get an apartment like this, or what?" Cameron asked, and I nodded in agreement.

Whoever built all this did one hell of a job of replicating a modern urban living space.

Garbung led us a seat on what appeared to be a wooden loveseat, padded with a kind of fiber mat, before ringing a little bell, which prompted Gunter to come bursting through the door.

Garbung quickly gave him instructions, and he immediately nodded before heading off.

"He says that Gunter will return shortly with food and drink," I relayed to Cameron, and she let out a relieved sigh.

I know what you mean, I thought, as it had now been about six hours since we'd eaten before setting out.

We settled in, and after making sure we were comfortable, Garbung took a seat across from us, and began to talk.

"He says he's very grateful that we accepted his invitation, and he hopes we can get along. It seems, he's aware of the fact that we are otherworlders who've just arrived here."

Cameron regarded the revelation with concern.

"That doesn't sound good," she replied, and I shrugged.

"I had suspicions that he'd known as much. I mean, they did leave the note on the front door of a starting hall, didn't they?"

I gestured to Garbung, and he gave a nod as he continued.

"It seems he has a proposition for us."

The man spoke some more, and I tilted my head as he spoke.

We spoke back and forth for a bit, as I tried to get clearer explanations for the things I didn't understand, and eventually, Cameron cut in.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Uh, it seems they know that many of the otherworlders perish quickly after arriving here. He thinks that we, meaning you and I, aren't like them, that we're strong, but if we wish to keep the others safe, younglings, he calls them, we could bring them here, I think?"

Cameron regarded the offer with skepticism.

"That sounds like exactly what we wanted. Isn't this just too good to be true? I mean, what do they want in return?"

I posed the question to Garbung, and as he responded, I noted that his expression seemed to shift a bit.

"He says that as we grow strong, he hopes our strength can-" I paused, turning to Garbung for clarification.

"-uh, transfer our strength to their people. His exact words, I think. I'm not sure what he's saying. He's using a word, uh, zeugen... not sure what it means, if I'm honest."

Cameron pondered the explanation.

"What do you think?"

"Unless this word, zeugen, means murdering and eating us or something, it's a perfect deal. I say we accept it and figure out the rest from there. At least, it seems, that they know that there's more of us, and they're welcome as well."

Cameron nodded, and as I relayed our acceptance to Garbung, he seemed relieved, though, a little perplexed.

I shot Cameron a look, to see if she'd picked up the reaction as well, but she seemed to be looking around at the room instead.

Stop counting your eggs before they hatch, I thought, but she only caught my gaze as I shook my head disapprovingly.

"What?" she mouthed, as Gunter entered the room, a tray in his hand which held two earthen cups, and an earthen tray laden with little slices of some kind of smoked meat.

We accepted the offering, and as I ate, I noted that the meat, while fairly juicy and smoky, seemed to lack any basic seasoning.

The drink appeared to be a kind of wine, which Cameron downed, quite eagerly.

I ate modestly, only taking a few sips of the drink, and as Cameron eyed my nearly full cup several times, I finally offered it to her, shaking my head as she accepted it readily.

"Got something against alcohol?" she asked, and I shrugged, taking a sip from my waterskin instead.

"Hate to drink on an empty stomach," I replied, as the meat, while tasty, was barely filling.

As Cameron finished her second cup, Gunter returned with two more cups, and Garbung thanked him, before sending him off, if I'd heard correctly, with a message for the matron.

Cameron drank the first cup, nearly all at once, but before she could reach for the second, we were summoned, as the matron evidently sent the Kobalt girl from earlier, along with Gunter to fetch us.

We headed for the large council chamber from earlier, and as I peered inside, I now saw that a few new faces had appeared in there, one of which was the angry looking Kobalt man who we'd encountered when we first arrived.

He glared at Gunter, who cowered beside us, as he regarded the man fearfully.

I wonder what the story was there, I thought.

As the Kobalt girl led us to the center of the room, I noted that there were chairs, arranged in a circular pattern about the room's perimeter, and as we took up our spots at the center, Lucilla Màter took her seat on a chair, which was somewhat elevated above the others.

Everyone began taking their seats, one by one around us, and Gunter bowed deeply, first to the matron, then to us, and finally his master, before scampering away.

The doors were closed, and as Garbung took his own seat, I noted there were no empty chairs in the room.

That meant... fifteen council members, with every seat being at all times filled.

I made a mental note of this, when Garbung stood up, and the Kobalt girl he had spoken to when we first came before this chamber, stepped forward, and Cameron shot me a warning look.

Jeez, I won't ogle her, I thought, conveying the message through an annoyed look, which put a little smirk on Cameron's face.

"Die Grusse, auslander. Mine name, Gisela. If you permit, I may speak for our words onto you."

A translator?

Finally! I thought, my relief as palpable as Cameron's.

"Yes, please," I responded, and Cameron quickly nodded in agreement.

She turned to the matron, and nodded, and the older woman stood up, and began to speak.

"Our people have pride, and honorably we stand steady as the kismet grove. Suns rise, and sink, and many Kobalt grow time-weary and pass, and starry-eyed sprouts come forth to replace them."

Wait... come forth.

Garbung used that word when he spoke, didn't he? But wasn't the context completely different?

I brushed the thought aside as the matron's speech continued.

"The sun-cycles give strength to saplings, but takes that strength as branches, once strong, wither away and fall, returning to the earth from which it sprung."