[rework] Minglings - chapter 45: Cleaning ship

Damn, how much did I grow? Jake wondered as he looked at Melissa.

He bobbed in the water, staring at the dark Kobold. She was standing on the wooden walkway in front of the partially completed wall. Compared to her, it was tall, but he could stand on his back legs and look across.

He must be the size of a winged truck now, although, to him, it felt like everything else had shrunk. Melissa almost looked like a toddler.

"What took you so long!" Melissa's voice sounded more like a reproach than a question.

"Ahh, yeah. About that." Jake scratched his jaw. Should he tell her that he hunted his way back to the ocean and what happened afterward? Seeing her worried gaze, he decided that it was probably a bad idea.

"It took me a long time to get back to full strength. Needed a lot of food and all that," he said, which wasn't a lie. He'd eaten things bigger than him on multiple occasions. He saw Tir's sleeping form, and he bent his head towards Melissa.

She shrunk back, and he saw her eyes widen.

Seriously?

He gaped at her, feeling offended. He knew he had grown, but she should know he wouldn't harm her!

Melissa sighed and took a quick step closer. "Sorry, you startled me. I didn't expect you to become this big!"

Jake sniffed. She had a point. His head was as big as she was by now.

A few loud shrieks from the jungle vibrated through the damp night air, and they both looked away for a moment.

"It's okay. It's the teeth, isn't it?" he asked, flashing her a grin.

Melissa snorted, but he was glad to see she didn't pull back this time.

He paddled softly in the water and pointed with his claw at Tir. "How is she? Did she say what happened and where Ter is?"

Melissa shook her head. "She woke up but barely spoke a word."

Another uncomfortable silence followed until Jake grunted and swam to the shore. It stung him, but he made sure to stay a little distance away. Climbing out, he shook himself dry, drops spraying everywhere, including across Melissa.

"Hey!"

Jake just grinned before stepping to the wall and looking across. It stretched out left and right, but it wasn't finished yet, with sections remaining that were under construction. Still, it was pretty impressive that they had already managed to create so much of it.

"How are things going here? Any trouble with the Antracii?"

Melissa stopped wiping drops from her face and smiled. "None. Bolyr says it's because we are already starting to form a single tribe. Something about our shared survival instincts."

"That's probably the first thing that's gone right since we got to this stupid place," Jake muttered as memories of Mason and Emma played through his mind.

"One of those Antracii, Gria, has taken over most of the day-to-day things. Bolyr listens to her, and everyone else listens to him. They are working together with Helen and some others to build a town."

Melissa grinned as she shook her head.

"They actually found an old construction worker that had been keeping quiet. You should see the plans they have laid out now! From a furnace to create bricks to digging for metals. The Antraci also have plans to create a temple around the manawell."

"That sounds great, and the wall is coming along nicely. At this speed, they will have it finished in a few days. No signs of the Goblins?"

Before Melissa could answer, someone scraped his throat softly. Jake swiveled around.

Bolyr stood inside the gate, staring at him. That guy always managed to sneak up on him—one of these days, he needed to figure out how.

"The Goblins are trying to rebuild Gobtown, those that remain. Many died in the lake, and even more when you collapsed the wall. I have scouts keeping an eye on them. Sadly, some of the Orcs survived, including their leader," Bolyr said. He moved closer as he spoke, staring up at Jake with glittering eyes.

Melissa was watching him from the side, and Jake noticed an odd smirk on her face. Before he could wonder about it, Bolyr stopped before him.

"You are growing closer to your first limit. I have never heard of any awoken that grew this fast," Bolyr said.

My first limit? Jake thought as he lay down, keeping his head level with the others. Bolyr had some fresh scars, but besides that seemed the same as ever. He hesitated if he should ask after the first limited, then decided to wait. He wasn't interested in one of Bolyr's long-winded explanations right now.

"How many of the Antracii followed you here?" he asked.

Bolyr sighed and sat down next to the water, dropping his feet in.

"Only half. Most of the younger generation that were born here came, and a few that saw you," he said as he looked out across the water with a sad look.

Jake knew he wasn't telling everything, but he didn't ask.

"But it's a good thing you got back! I was starting to get worried. With you here, we won't have anything to fear from the Insectoids or Goblins."

Jake sighed. He had hoped this part of the conversation wouldn't come up yet. Or that Bolyr didn't sound so sure of himself. Still, it would be better to

"I won't stay," he said. His voice came out like a forced whisper, and the two Kobolds gaped at him.

"What do you mean!" Mellisa hissed, sounding irritated and hurt.

"Something is drawing me to the sea. It has been for weeks now. It was hard to resist before the fight, but now it is nearly impossible. I need to go before my instincts take over and force me to," Jake said.

Melissa moved closer, scowling at him. "Instincts my ass. That's just a poor excuse to say you are going to look for Mason! You will leave us here to die?"

Jake shook his lowered head, unable to look her in the eye. She was partially right, and he did want to find Mason. But there was more to it that he couldn't explain.

"And what about Tir? Are you leaving her here to her faith or taking her along on a wild goose chase? You know how big this world is! Mason could be anywhere," Melissa snapped.

As her words dropped, she hissed when Jake stared at Tir with a frown.

"You didn't even think about her, did you… Sam was right. You're just like the others," she said.

Just like who? Jake wondered. But he kept his tongue. He wasn't sure what he could say that would help, and he also knew he was right. The desire to leave had grown exponentially when he reached the sea, and it had been hard enough to just return here.

A strained silence spread between them, and finally, Melissa snarled and looked at Bolyr.

"Why don't you say something? You brought half of your people here for this guy, and now he is leaving!"

Bolyr's eyes closed, and his shoulders sagged. A look of weary resolve spread across his face. "I had hoped the longing wouldn't reach you yet… but with your growth. Can you stay for two more days? Help us kill the last of the Goblins and Orcs?"

The longing? Jake wanted to ask what that was, but he didn't have to. Besides, he felt himself try to imagine staying for a few more days, and a strong resistance began building. It had been so hard to come back here, and now he had to stay? It took him almost a minute to force down the desire to flee right now. Melissa and Bolyr had been staring at him, and when he finally nodded, Bolyr seemed relieved.

"I will stay until we get rid of the Goblins, but not a minute longer. You have no idea how hard resisting this desire is," he said.

Melissa just shrugged and walked away without another word carrying Tir with her.

Seeing the two go, Jake felt saddened. Those two had been the main reason he had come back, and part of him had wondered if seeing them would help him resist the longing. But he just couldn't stay. The thing drawing him to the deep sea was like a rubber band that lost its stretch. Soon he would have to go or be dragged there.

"She won't understand until it is her time," Bolyr said, getting up and looking at Jake. "It is not your fault."

"Do you know what is going on?"

"Only a little. After an awoken turns, they will feel drawn towards the area that most matches their element. In your case, that's either the depths of the sea or... a frozen land," Bolyrs voice was hushed at the end.

As he felt the desire to rush to the sea, Jake shivered. "We need to hurry and take care of the Goblins. What do you have in mind?"

"Sleep first. I will explain in the morning," Bolyr said. "I'll also try and talk with Melissa, though I worry she won't listen. She was here, waiting for you every evening."

Jake felt worse than he had before, and he suppressed the urge to sigh. Instead, he slid back into the water. The energy it gave him helped.

"Okay - sleep well," he said.

Then he submerged and headed towards the dark and overgrown bottom. He knew sleep wouldn't come when the desire was this strong.

But perhaps he could relax.

--

When the sun ushered in the next morning, a shape flew high in the air, circling the lake. From this height, Jake could see the sea, and it beckoned him. Below, Kobolds moved across the small island. More woke up every minute now, and it looked like a bustling place.

He barely recognized it. The idyllic island covered with dense bushes and plants below was gone. Only the overhanging branches of the immense heart tree remained, but even those were cut short in many places. They didn't touch the ground anymore. The bushes had made way for trampled areas of dirt and mud, with many logs lying close to the edges. A three-meter high wall was partially completed around the island with four entrances and a rampart for guards to walk on.

Around the massive trunk was the beginning of a town. Only a dozen buildings were ready, and those were no more than log cabins. But the outlining was there, and from this height, Jake realized if they survived, the Kobolds would create a bustling city around the tree. They had done it fast to, in only a few days.

A figure on the top of the tree was waving at him, trying to draw his attention.

Let's hope Bolyr has a plan ready, he thought as he felt the desire to fly to the sea increase again.

Circling down, he saw a small group of Kobolds waiting for him in the bottom branches of the tree. It almost seemed like a small delegation. Bolyr was there, as were his daughter Lyra, and the leader of the Antracii, Gria. Melissa was off to the side, Tir draped around her shoulders. The small lizard had woken up and was staring at Jake's approaching shape.

Seeing the largest branch left clear for him, Jake sighed. It was the top one. As if he needed more height to tower over the others. Landing with a soft thud, the rustling of his folding wings seemed loud compared to the silence. Even the leaves barely moved due to the lack of wind.

Staring at the Kobolds around him, he noticed Hellen and two others. They had been hidden from view by overhanging branches. He knew both: Bert, the skinny Kobold, who had questioned him and seemed to want to be the one in charge, and Garry, who had turned into his greatest fan. The latter was staring at him with large eyes, a look of reference on his face.

"Incredible… I thought Bolyr must have been mistaken when he told me! To see a Frost Dragon... I had never expected this," Gria said as she moved forward and stared unabashedly at him. Her eyes traced every inch of his body, and he almost felt violated.

"I remember you. Gria, you are the one who saved us from Vestr. I thought you were the leader of the Antracii now? Why did you come here?"

The female Kobold shivered, her heavily lidded dark blue eyes seeming to lose focus for a moment. The moment passed quickly, and she stared back at him with a look of steeled resolve.

"As a leader, it is my duty to do what is best for the Antracii. And if that means disbanding them and merging the best with your Earthling tribe, I will. There was no choice. A tribe where almost everyone can turn into a Dragonian? And one with a manawell to boot?" She shook her head with a look of wonder.

"We need to clear this land from the Goblin and Insectoid menace. After that, we can create the greatest Kobold nation since the fall of the Dragons!"

Jake stared at her, wondering how she could be this positive. The other Antracii seemed to agree with her, large smiles brimming on all of their faces. It seemed they had forgotten all about the incredible losses they had taken only days ago.

"That sounds fantastic," Jake could hear the uncertainty in his own voice and cringed.

He quickly turned to Melissa and Tir. Seeing the small lizard stare at him with pain in her eyes, he lowered his head close.

"Tir, what happened?"

With a crooning noise, Tir jumped forward, causing Melissa to cry out as her nails scratched into the Kobold's shoulders and neck. She slithered across the branches until she reached Jake and climbed up. Without a word, she nestled behind the hardened frills, which had started resembling horns as he grew.

When she didn't talk, Jake became worried. "Tir? What is wrong?"

"She can't reply... "Gria said with a sad tone, her gaze on Tir.

Jake swirled towards her, an upset look on his face. "Why not? What happened?"

"She was away from you for too long. Dragonling kin need to stay with their awoken siblings until adulthood, or the benefits they have gained will disappear. The ability Tir had to talk and one day grow into a Dragon of their own? She lost those when she was away from you for that long."

The tree shook as Jak slammed his tail against it, and he ignored the surprised and startled gasps. Turning his head, he examined Tir, who seemed content to lie in a crack of his crest that was growing up across his long supple neck.

"Little one. If you can still understand me, you need to let me know. Where is Ter?" Jake whispered.

The lizard didn't respond but just purred a few times as if she was as content as she could be.

Jake felt a pain in his heart that blotted out the desire to rush into the deep sea, and he turned to Gria. "Is there a way to turn her back?"

The sharp shake of the Kobold's head felt like a blow to his gut.

"We don't know of one. That does not mean it is impossible," Bolyr said.

His rough voice caused Gria to frown, but the yellow-armed Kobold ignored her and stepped forward, staring at Jake.

"This world is vast, and even the Dragons of old didn't know all of it. None has ever gone beyond the Howling Sea that borders the western continent or traveled across the Chaos continents. Who knows what is and is not possible?"

Gria hissed. "Bolyr, don't give him false hope. You have already failed your ancestors by asking him to stay and help us instead of following his instincts!"

Bolyr turned to her. "I do what I must for the Antracii," he said.

"You-" Gria began, but Jake tuned the two bickering Kobolds out.

He took a deep breath as he thought about what to do. Tir could breathe underwater, but should he risk taking her with him? A soft touch to his flank made him look down, and he saw Melissa stare at him.

"Take her with you… if there is any chance to help her regain herself, it won't work if you leave her here," Melissa whispered, and Jake nodded. He expected some snarky comment, but she just smiled at him sadly.

Making up his mind, he saw Bolyr had finished arguing and was now sitting a bit away from the other Antracii. Jake almost choked when the other winked at him. Deciding to ask what that was about at a later time, he turned back to Gria.

"I promised to help with the Goblins. But we will have to hurry because I can't keep the longing back. Did you come up with a plan?"

"We have. Tergin and some of the others are out scouting where the Orcs are. If you can help us kill those, we can take care of the Goblins by whittling them down with planned strikes."

Jake was surprised by the ease with which she brought the idea. As if killing the Orcs would be as simple as slaying chickens. It did make sense, though, and it would take far less time than killing the Goblins. After thinking it over for a moment, he nodded in agreement.

"Then, we will go and begin planning!" Gria said. She climbed down, followed by the other Antraci. Bolyr was the only one who stayed behind, but none of the others seemed to care.

Hellen and the remaining Earthlings moved a bit closer, looking at each other as if urging the others to speak. Finally, Bert sighed and stepped forward.

"We heard you are leaving. Is there anything we can do to make you stay?"

Jake snorted at the other's straightforward question. He shook his head, wondering what else they would try.

"I told you that wouldn't work!"

Helen pushed Bert aside before seeming to realize that it made her the center of attention. She fidgeted with her hands.

"Those Antraci seem to think they can take control, and Gria keeps bossing us all around. If you leave, that means we have almost no more say in what will happen," she said. Falling silent, she stared at him with accusing eyes.

Jake felt a headache popping up, and he knew this would be an annoying conversation.

--

It was late in the afternoon when Tergin came back with the other scouts. Just in time for Jake, he had been getting antsier as time went by.

"And you're sure the rumors about a Diadr are false?" Gria asked for the second time as she stared at one of the scouts. The completely green Kobold nodded, and Gria sighed in relief.

She turned to Jake and a group of Antracii.

"I know how much effort it must cost you to stay here. We are ready to leave."

Relieved, Jake moved towards Bolyr, who was standing with Tergin off the side. Taking up a spot behind them, Hellen and Bert moved beside him.

A silence fell across the group, and Gria looked at them. She frowned before she looked at Jake. He saw the weariness in her eyes.

"Before we leave, there is something we need to discuss," Jake said. He stared back at her, across the heads of the others.

"You were the leader of the Antracii, but where we are from, we don't have one person in charge of everything."

Jake waited to let the words sink in. Gria kept staring at him, her face darkening.

"We have discussed this at length last night and have come up with the following. Bolyr explained that you had a council of elders, but they were slaughtered by Vestr. Correct?

Gria glared at Bolyr for a moment and then nodded.

"We don't have those, but what we do have is something similar called a government. It's a group of people elected by the tribe to lead the entire tribe to the best of their abilities."

Bolyr's daughter stepped forward with a look of scorn on her face.

"We won't let you be in control of everything. Your people have no idea how this world even works, and-"

Gria clamped her hand over Lyra's mouth. "Silence. Let them finish before you jump to conclusions."

Jake grinned at Bolyr, who just shrugged. The other had warned him how his daughter would react, and it had been almost to the letter.

"We want to create a council. Not of elders but of those currently most suited for the task. Three Antraci and three Earthlings."

Jake pointed at Melissa, Helen, and Bert.

"They will be the first earthlings. Depending on how they do, they might be replaced by people more qualified."

There was a surprised rustle Antracii began discussing amongst themselves. Gria seemed to ignore it and just stared into the distance for a while. Then she nodded.

"I agree. From our side, we will pick me and two others."

Jake let out a deep and relieved sigh. Bolyr had said Gria would probably agree, but hearing her say it made things a lot easier.

"Bolyr and Tergin will be assisting the three Earthlings. They will need someone to translate until they can all speak your language."

Seeing her nod, Jake smiled. "Okay, then let's get rid of these Orcs before I can't hold it anymore. "

He moved towards the lakeside before lying down. Tergin and three Antracii warriors climbed on his back. Feeling their weight, heavy but not enough to worry him, he was astounded at how much he had grown.

"Alright, we will join the others. If all goes well, they should be back with the good news tonight."

He looked at Melissa and saw she was frowning. They had said goodbye the night before, short and to the point. No matter what he said, she didn't seem to understand. He hoped that after she turned and went through the same process, she would realize. Until then, she had made it clear she was upset with him.

When he looked around, Helen and Bert waved at him while Bolyr raised his yellow hand. Although he was a bit sad to leave them, the fact that he could finally follow his desire and go into the sea to find what was drawing him made a grin spread across his dragon face.

With a surge of energy, he jumped into the air, flapping mightily to carry the heavy load upwards. When he was twenty meters high, he circled the lake before heading towards Gobtown.

Flying without this much Kobold is more fun, he thought.

--

Jake flew slowly continued across the jungle. When the edge of the jungle appeared, signaling the clearing in front of Gobtown, he landed on a broad white branch. The myriad of blue leaves hid him from view, and he sighed in relief when the four kobolds finally climbed off.

Nobody spoke, but they kept an eye out for small insects. Any of those might signal the Insectoids spying on them, or so Bolyr said.

As close as it had seemed, it still took twenty minutes to make their way to the jungle's edge. Jake looked through the leaves at the area beyond.

Goblins were cursing as they dragged wooden logs toward the thoroughly destroyed town. Twenty meters away from them stood a trio of orcs, spears in hand. Their eyes constantly raked across the surrounding jungle, and even from this distance, Jake could see the fear in their eyes.

"Alright, there are only ten orcs in total, but they stick in groups. If we kill these three, that might lure another group here," Tergin whispered.

They had already discussed this, but nobody complained.

"So, I am going to let them see me. Hopefully, they will come after me and run right in our ambush," Tergin continued.

The three Antracii just stared at him, but Tergin didn't even look back. He just stared expectantly at Jake until he got a slight nod, after which he moved away into the jungle. A second later, there was a strangled cry as if in pain. Then Tergin rushed out of the tree line, looking back as if something had attacked him.

This had better work, Jake thought. It seemed far to obvious to him, but according to Bolyr, it should work.

The orcs gaped at the Kobold, a stunned look on their face. Then they moved, yelling and roaring as they rushed him. Tergin faked a fearful look and hobbled back into the jungle, holding his leg.

Damn, he is good at his, though, Jake thought.

If he hadn't known he was acting, he would have believed it to be real.

Tergin ran back to them, the Orcs following him like three bulldozers mowing the bushes. A big grin spread across Jake's face, and he crouched down. His muscles grew tout, and his talons dug deep into the ground. The Antracii had climbed the trees flanking the Orc's entry path and were ready.

Tergin rushed through the bushes, grabbed a branch, and pulled himself up and out of the path of the Orcs that shot after him.

Jake didn't wait for them to ready themselves but leaped forward. The eyes of the Orcs widened in fear a second before he barreled into them. He felt a single wooden spear jam against his side, but it snapped harmlessly.

It was over within seconds.

The three linebacker-sized Orcs had no chance against an angry dragon as big as a pickup truck.

Tergin and the other Kobolds stared at the mangled green bodies. There had been no need for them to help.

"Alright, let's see if more show up to come to find these guys," Jake said as he ran back to the jungle edge. If things kept going like this, he'd be in the sea sooner than he'd expected!

The Goblins were almost back at the destroyed town, the logs left behind, forgotten.

As Jake and the Kobolds waited, shouting rang from the town's ruins behind the partially repaired wall. Surprisingly it had suffered the least damage. The monster had left through the same breach it had created when it barged inside.

"If all Orcs come, we need to flee and try again later," Tergin whispered.

Jake shook his head. The success just now had shown him that he didn't have to worry about a few Orcs. Unless there were dozens, he could easily handle them!

A small group walked from the town, a dozen Goblins and four of the larger Orcs. One of them dwarfed the others, a head taller and much wider than the others.

"Peltmans," Tergin hissed, gripping the wood of the branch next to him so hard it creaked. He turned to Jake, who was inspecting the orc leader. He had only seen him ones, back at the lake, and back then, he'd been to anger to take a good look. Peltmans was definitely big and more heavily muscled too. Could he have evolved again?

"Jake, we have to be careful. He is stronger than regular Orcs, and if he is coming here while knowing you are here... I am getting a bad feeling about this."

Jake grinned and shook his head. The moment he could finally give in to his desires was quickly approaching, and he wasn't going to let one Orc stop him. No matter how much bigger he was. Besides, compared to him, Peltmans was the size of a toddler!

Tergin must have realized his mindset and, with a worried look, began ordering the other Kobolds into ambush positions.

Peltmans and his group slowly crossed the logged area, wearily scanning the dark jungle. Twenty meters from the edge and close to the felled trees, they stopped.

"Stupid lizard, are you there?"

Jake almost choked. What kind of fool would start a conversation like this?

"Don't answer-" Tergin began.

"I am here!" Jake roared, interrupting the Kobold.

He was getting fired up, and a momentary idea to summon the cold to cool his mind was pushed aside.

"Or they know where we are," Tergin ended lamely.

Then he began signaling the Kobolds, and they spread out, disappearing into the dense vegetation.

Jake frowned. Were they going to leave him?

"What do you want? You've already destroyed my base and taken my workers!"

Peltmans rough, furious voice made Jake equally angry.

"Workers? Those used to be human beings not that long ago! How can you just enslave them like that?"

"Fuck them; they made their choice! If they had followed orders, we would all be Goblins and on the same side!" Peltmans shouted as he moved closer to the jungle edge, stomping his feet.

"Now, answer me! Why are you here? We have no more Kobolds."

For the first time in a while, Jake felt a sliver of his human nature and upbringing exert itself. He couldn't just say he was here to kill them to remove a threat, could he? The moment lasted for just a few seconds, and then his anger and desire to follow his instincts took over again.

"I want you to leave this island! You have one hour to comply, or I'll kill you all!"

To his surprise, there wasn't any immediate response. He'd expected cursing or anger. Instead, Peltmans just stood there, still as a statue. It lasted so long Jake was starting to get uncomfortable.

With a shiver, the large Orc snapped his head up, staring straight at Jake through the leaves and branches. A nasty smirk crossed his ugly, angular features.

"Found you!"