Page 13 of Alien Barbarian's Little Human

“Until we reach Redcliffe Village.” He points his thick arm over the hills. “Look, you can see the top of the LIfe Tree already.”

“Life tree?”

I strain my eyes. I think Drokan have better vision than humans, because at first I don’t see anything. Slowly, the tufty branches of a truly massive tree come into focus. I estimate that it’s easily as high as a Sequoia from Earth. Probably taller than that, even.

They call it the LIfe Tree, so it must have some great cultural significance. I could hear the reverend in Gog’s voice when he spoke its name. Maybe that’s why they’ve strung some kind of lights over its reddish gray bark.

A wall comes into view above the hills, built of the same materials and method as the tower. I get the feeling this is much older, however. Sentries walk the top of the wall, which must be more than thirty feet high.

I soon see that the wall only has to encircle the front curving edge of the village. That’s because a sheer red cliff rears up and frames the village as a backdrop. An expert mountain climber might be able to attain that steep and jagged peak, but no one’s getting an armed and equipped military force over it.

At least I know how Redcliffe got its name. As impressive as both the cliff and the wall are, however, the tree is what trulytakes my breath away. I now understand that it does not have lighting strung over it like a tree at a Mexican restaurant. Rather, it’s glowing from inside with a myriad of soft hues of green, blue, and violet.

The tree’s incredible aspects go beyond its appearance. There’s almost a presence emanating from it. I swear it’s looking at me as a person would. When the wind blows through its crystalline leaves, it makes an eerie tinkling sound, almost like the tree’s talking.

We pass through the wall through an arched gate. It turns out to be thicker than I thought. No one builds something like this without a damn good reason. It sends shivers up my spine to think of what would scare Drokan bad enough to build something like this.

On the other side of the wall, there are stone dwellings of various sizes. It looks like most of them are family dwellings. I don’t see structures dedicated to military pursuits. I think it’s more like a militia situation. Everyone is a warrior once they’re old enough to hold a weapon.

It looks like my appearance is garnering notice. Throngs of Drokan give up their tasks to come and gather around our party instead.

“Please make way,” Talfa says in a loud bellow. “We must take the stranger to meet Chief Ral.”

The Drokan part, but fall in behind us. Gog whispers out of the corner of his mouth.

“I would not walk so close to me, Micah.”

“Why not?”

“It is important that no one knows we are friends. It is for your own good.”

“What the hell did you do?” I whisper back.

He grows tight lipped. I sigh and continue to walk right beside him. I can’t believe he ever did anything bad enough todeserve this treatment. Gog has a good soul, damn it. I don’t know why I know that, but I do.

Just like i know that damn tree is watching me.

We come upon a hut larger than the others. At first I think it’s the Chief’s house, but on the inside it turns out to be a large audience chamber. Lit by glowing crystals, it’s surprisingly bright and cheery. Paintings on the wall depict Drokan dancing around the life Tree.

The Chief enters from a beaded doorway on the rear wall of the chamber. His skin has a grayish cast. Even though he’s built like a pro wrestler, I get the impression he’s downright venerable in age.

His eyes fall on me and widen.

“Summon the Elders,” he says, his eyes never wavering from my face.

Talfa slaps a hand to his chest and then rushes out the door. The Chief approaches me, his fear giving way to fascination.

“Not Skuyr, nor Drokan. Yet not dissimilar from either,” he muses. His eyes fell on my flight suit. “Clad in fabrics that are neither leather nor flax. Either you have come from a very distant land, or you are the creation of evil spirits.”

My eyes widen.

“Evil spirits? I assure you, Mr. Ral, I’m not an evil spirit.”

Ral is taken aback.

“You use a Loq crystal? Where did you acquire one?”

“I gave it to her, my Chief.”

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