Maleki

Beginnings

A green glow filled Maleki's vision. "It is time Maleki... come to me," a voice said. It was deep and foreboding, but at the same time, inviting. The sky was pitch black. Maleki looked down at the strange book in his possession. "Come to me" the voice repeated.

The green got brighter and brighter. Then, Maleki awoke. He rose from his cave and ventured into the light, carrying the book from his dream with him. The cover was a deep green, almost black, but was otherwise unassuming.

The holder of the book was Maleki, a handsome ogre, well, as handsome as an ogre could be. A strong chiseled jaw, a surprisingly full head of dark brown hair, and mostly intact teeth. In fact, ogre was a bit of an overstatement, as he was only half-ogre anyways. Still, at 8 foot 7 and most humans never having seen an ogre in person, the confusion was understandable.

It was still day out, with just a few more hours before dark. Maleki made his preparations for the night. He found a few rodents in one of his traps, which he popped into his mouth.

While Maleki was tall compared to a human, amongst the ogres, however, he was at a disadvantage. He was too "dainty" the females would always say. "I can lift you" they would tease. Although Maleki didn't think that was the worst thing, after all, he wasn't really sure he would want to mate with any of the other females anyways. Although, on some occasions, his hormones would make him feel otherwise.

Maleki started reading in the cool of the afternoon. But "cool" would be a bit of an exaggeration, as the desert was always hot. Most of the other ogres were sleeping, as a nocturnal life made desert life easier in the heat.

"Reading again?" Marsha asked him as she gripped him in a headlock. Marsha was a perfectly average female ogre, with massive arms the size of tree trunks, large buck teeth, and wispy hair in a virtually nonexistent ponytail. The headlock put Maleki uncomfortably close to Marsha's substantial bosom, the rough coyote hide of her crop top brushing against Maleki's face.

"What were you reading about?'', she asked. "Nothing" he replied, the others never understood him, he thought to himself. "Of course nothing, you have no muscle on your body, and you have no brains in your head, like a human female." Maleki knew firsthand that the ogres could be quite racist and sexist. "You think too highly of yourself," Maleki said as he slipped out of Marsha's burly arms. And then he said something that surprised himself, "I think it's time for me to go". Was it really time for him to leave the tribe?

"Well, your cave is just a bit that way, so be on your way then my little sissy."

"I don't mean it like that. I'm leaving the tribe" Maleki said. "I think it's time I found my own path."

"Your own path? Is this what you have been learning in those books of yours? I haven't the slightest idea what you mean. You live, you hunt, you breed, what else could you want in life? You know, not all ogres would have accepted a half-breed like yourself. You have been lucky."

"I was never accepted here, merely tolerated at best. And that was only because I was useful. The humans don't attack me on sight. I scare them enough that they run, but not enough that they rally an army to kill me. Unlike your ugly face. I've made up my mind though. You will have to find some other way to trade with the humans."

"Where are you even going?"

"To Dreskorn." He lifted the book he was reading, "my destiny is there. I seek Draconia, I'm leaving. Goodbye Marsha."

"I knew all that reading wasn't good for your head. Now you are going off on some misguided adventure. What of the tribe? This drought is so bad; it may not be the same when you return. I don't even know what any of those things you just said are? Dasckornia? What in Zumbadûr is that?"

"Dreskorn is the island, Draconia is a person, or umm, tree. I'm not sure I understand that myself. Anyways, I don't plan on returning."

"This is insane Maleki! Don't you care about anyone here Maleki? Your mom leaves and we are all nothing to you?"

"We each have to find our own path, Marsha."

Marsha just glared.

And just like that, Maleki left. He didn't plan on telling anyone goodbye, but if he had to tell anyone, he was glad it was Marsha. She put on a tough exterior, like any ogre. But deep down, he thought she might actually care about him. That was yet to be confirmed though. And maybe he shouldn't have called her ugly. She was easy on the eyes, at least by ogre standards.

Maleki got to walking, he had a long way to go to reach the isle of Dreskorn.