feet, trying to squash the feeling.
“Just walk normally,” Jaleal advised. “That will help the fastest.”
Erik startled and turned around to see the gnome leaning against the base of a tall pine tree. “You scared me,” Erik admitted.
Jaleal grinned. “I am very, very sneaky,” he said with a wink. “It’s one of my better traits.” He whirled his shiny spear around before him and then stuck the butt-end onto the ground next to his boot. “Come, let’s walk together for a while.”
“I thought you were supposed to scout ahead?” Erik asked, pointing to the trees.
“Already did,” Jaleal said with a shrug. “I went about six miles out, didn’t see anyone, so I came back.” The gnome pointed off to the west. “A herd of deer is out that way.” Then he pointed due south, the direction they were traveling. “Only thing I saw this way was a band of three merchants. They each had a wagon filled with pans and pots. Looks like they make the wares themselves.”
Erik nodded, feigning interest. “So, where do you come from?” Erik asked.
Jaleal offered a halfhearted smile. “An island to the west,” he replied. “I told you already about how we were driven out of our homeland.”
“No,” Erik said quickly. “I mean, where do gnomes come from?” The boy stopped and looked down at his friend. “Did the gods create the gnomes in the beginning?”
“Ah,” Jaleal said as he stroked his long, wispy white beard. “ That’s what you want to know, eh?”
Erik nodded.
“You could just have asked Tatev,” Jaleal pointed out.
“I am afraid if I asked him, I would never again get him to close his mouth,” Erik said sheepishly.
Jaleal laughed. “Yes, he does seem to lack somewhat in communication skills, but his knowledge is impressive.”
“I guess,” Erik said. “I would rather ask you, though, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” Jaleal said. “Gnomes were not created in the beginning. We were created much later.”
“But you aren’t a Cursed Race, are you?” Erik asked quickly.
“No,” Jaleal said. “We were not created by the fallen god either,” the gnome clarified. “We were created after the gods withdrew from Terramyr. At the time when Atek Tangui rose to power and the bridge to Volganor was hidden from the mortal realm.”
“The gods created you then?” Erik asked.
“No,” Jaleal said with an impatient hand waving in the air. “We gnomes are one of the Natural Races, we were created by Terramyr itself.”
“Natural Races?” Erik echoed. “You mean like minotaurs, centaurs, and merfolk?”
“Precisely,” Jaleal said. “There are many more races besides those as well. There are satyrs, gryphons, and even vinnies, among many others.”
“What are vinnies?” Erik asked.
“Humanoid plants,” Jaleal said. “They are somewhat like spriggans, but they resemble vines in shape and flexibility.”
“Spriggans?” Erik screwed up his face. “I thought the Natural Races were just a myth.”
“The world beyond the Middle Kingdom is quite large, Erik, you would be surprised by what lies beyond your borders.”
Erik nodded. “How did the world create the Natural Races? I mean, the way you talk makes it sound as if the world is alive.”
“Ah, but it is,” Jaleal said with a big smile. He stopped and swept his arms out to the side, indicating the forest around him. “You may not see it, but Mother Terramyr is alive, and gives us all the sustenance we need. She waters us with the rivers and the rain, she clothes us with the cotton from her fields, and she gives us breath from her forests and houses from her stone. Terramyr has its own heart, and its own consciousness. That’s why she created gnomes, and the other Natural Races. When Atek Tangui forced the old gods away, Terramyr knew that she had to protect herself from the evil Cursed Races, or else she might be slain by their bloodlust.”
Erik tilted his head to the side. “You can’t kill a
“Just walk normally,” Jaleal advised. “That will help the fastest.”
Erik startled and turned around to see the gnome leaning against the base of a tall pine tree. “You scared me,” Erik admitted.
Jaleal grinned. “I am very, very sneaky,” he said with a wink. “It’s one of my better traits.” He whirled his shiny spear around before him and then stuck the butt-end onto the ground next to his boot. “Come, let’s walk together for a while.”
“I thought you were supposed to scout ahead?” Erik asked, pointing to the trees.
“Already did,” Jaleal said with a shrug. “I went about six miles out, didn’t see anyone, so I came back.” The gnome pointed off to the west. “A herd of deer is out that way.” Then he pointed due south, the direction they were traveling. “Only thing I saw this way was a band of three merchants. They each had a wagon filled with pans and pots. Looks like they make the wares themselves.”
Erik nodded, feigning interest. “So, where do you come from?” Erik asked.
Jaleal offered a halfhearted smile. “An island to the west,” he replied. “I told you already about how we were driven out of our homeland.”
“No,” Erik said quickly. “I mean, where do gnomes come from?” The boy stopped and looked down at his friend. “Did the gods create the gnomes in the beginning?”
“Ah,” Jaleal said as he stroked his long, wispy white beard. “ That’s what you want to know, eh?”
Erik nodded.
“You could just have asked Tatev,” Jaleal pointed out.
“I am afraid if I asked him, I would never again get him to close his mouth,” Erik said sheepishly.
Jaleal laughed. “Yes, he does seem to lack somewhat in communication skills, but his knowledge is impressive.”
“I guess,” Erik said. “I would rather ask you, though, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” Jaleal said. “Gnomes were not created in the beginning. We were created much later.”
“But you aren’t a Cursed Race, are you?” Erik asked quickly.
“No,” Jaleal said. “We were not created by the fallen god either,” the gnome clarified. “We were created after the gods withdrew from Terramyr. At the time when Atek Tangui rose to power and the bridge to Volganor was hidden from the mortal realm.”
“The gods created you then?” Erik asked.
“No,” Jaleal said with an impatient hand waving in the air. “We gnomes are one of the Natural Races, we were created by Terramyr itself.”
“Natural Races?” Erik echoed. “You mean like minotaurs, centaurs, and merfolk?”
“Precisely,” Jaleal said. “There are many more races besides those as well. There are satyrs, gryphons, and even vinnies, among many others.”
“What are vinnies?” Erik asked.
“Humanoid plants,” Jaleal said. “They are somewhat like spriggans, but they resemble vines in shape and flexibility.”
“Spriggans?” Erik screwed up his face. “I thought the Natural Races were just a myth.”
“The world beyond the Middle Kingdom is quite large, Erik, you would be surprised by what lies beyond your borders.”
Erik nodded. “How did the world create the Natural Races? I mean, the way you talk makes it sound as if the world is alive.”
“Ah, but it is,” Jaleal said with a big smile. He stopped and swept his arms out to the side, indicating the forest around him. “You may not see it, but Mother Terramyr is alive, and gives us all the sustenance we need. She waters us with the rivers and the rain, she clothes us with the cotton from her fields, and she gives us breath from her forests and houses from her stone. Terramyr has its own heart, and its own consciousness. That’s why she created gnomes, and the other Natural Races. When Atek Tangui forced the old gods away, Terramyr knew that she had to protect herself from the evil Cursed Races, or else she might be slain by their bloodlust.”
Erik tilted his head to the side. “You can’t kill a
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