TRA: A Scarlett Tale

Chapter 6: A past left unanswered

... His kingdom. Grodak's lips twitched up into a snare. After all this time, I still do not see this as my kingdom. He looked up to a painting of Tyril and frowned. Just where are you, my old friend?

Drillohiem

Drillohiem slowly pushed his body up off the floor, pain shooting through his side. Instinctively, Drillohiem lifted a hand to his side and, while wincing at the pain, felt around. At least two rib bones had been cracked and the rest were badly bruised.

"Why are you on the ground again?" Wreag demanded, he hovered a few feet over Drillohiem, looking down on him in anger. "How do you expect to master Talengar's most elementary abilities if you choose to lay on the ground?" Wreag mocked, he had a knack for pushing Drillohiem to near braking points and forcing him to stand up and take it. "Get up and prepare yourself or I will kill you right here and right now."

Drillohiem stifled a laughter he felt coming up and instead focused on forcing his mind to do as he was instructed. He stood and took his stance, holding the rusted Oathbreaker in his right hand as he cleared his mind. It was an elementary tactic, one he had subconsciously used in battle before, yet he found it difficult to force his mind to use them now.

Wreag waved his hand and six shadow orcs appeared, all of them with blunt weapons. They charged at Drillohiem and began attacking, Drillohiem managed to dodge two of the attacks as he brought the flat of his sword down on an orc's head.

The purpose of this training wasn't to teach Drillohiem how to fight, that he knew already, instead, I was meant to teach him how to find an opponent's weakness and exploit it, something all of Talengar's reincarnation could do. It had taken Drillohiem months of this to be able to spot them, and several more months to be able to exploit them.

Drillohiem had to bite back several curses during that time and now, this is supposed to be his final test before moving on to find out the rest for himself. However, Wreag loves to make sure he is handicapped as much as possible.

Drillohiem allowed his mind to follow this line of thought for a few seconds as he waited for the next orc to get in range, his sword poised and ready. As the Shadow orc got within range, Drillohiem swung Oathbreaker low, catching the orcs peg leg and bringing him to the ground. Normally, he would feel bad about doing this, yet he knew that any warrior who fought with a handicap such as that was more formidable than those who fought whole. Making a quick sweep to finish off the four that remained standing, Drillohiem passed his final test.

Wreag watched with a glint of amusement in his eyes, he had told Drillohiem most of what he needed to hear and guided him along the path, but, just like his father had, Drillohiem surprised Wreag with the remarkable speed of growth he showed. He thought back to the six years he spent training that ability and how he had a rough time forcing his body to cooperate with what he wished to do.

The pain Wreag felt in those days as he was beaten black and blue. The humiliation he received when he couldn't defeat four humans. Wreag closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, that was neither here nor there, this is now.

He opened his eyes and smiled at his student. "You did good, now get ready to leave."

Drillohiem bowed to Wreag in an old elven tradition of respect. "As you wish, Elder Wreag."

Wreag chuckled and had to bite his lip to keep it to that. "Only the elven elders can make me an elder, Drillohiem, so there is no need for such titles."

Drillohiem nodded his head, feeling a blush come on as he turned around. He had this feeling that if Wreag saw the blush, he would just tease him more and possibly never allow him to live it down.

With a long, exasperated sigh, Drillohiem lifted a stone above his head. The stone glowed for a moment, filling the dark green hues of the Shadow World with light and as the light died down, a pathway from the Shadow World opened in front of him.

Grodak

Grodak laid in his bed, his thoughts turning to a past he had thought was buried. A time when he was nothing more than a simple leader of a small group of orcs. A time when he loved his brother Grall.

Grodak and his men had been attacked by another tribe as they escorted Grall through the scar. In the ensuing battle, Grodak had all of his men, all save one.

Grodak stood at the top of a hill that overlooked the encampment. His troops, his orc brethren that had followed him here now lay on the ground as Talengar's priestess whispered prayers for their souls to find peace in Talengar's embrace. It had been a long winter, one that had brought war and betrayal to his kinsman, and it'll be a long one still.

Grodak clenched his fist as he turned his back upon the dead, there was no helping them now. The dead belonged to his God and he plans to send more to him before the end of winter.

Grodak marched down the hill to the small makeshift prison that held a single orc, a traitor that had sold them out to a rival clan, and ripped the door off. The sounds of wood splintering was oddly satisfying to Grodak. Smiling, Grodak reached in and grabbed the orc by the scruff of his neck and pulled him out into the light so that he could look him in the eyes.

"What was it?" Grodak asked, lifting the orc into the air. "What could have been worth selling out your own kin?"

The orc struggled against Grodak's grip, trying to free himself long enough to breath. His struggles only made Grodak's grip tighten as he never truly wanted an answer, he only wanted an excuse to send him to Talengar.

"If you do not plan to answer me," Grodak said as his smile faded, "then I will have no choice but to kill you."

The orc tried to speak but the words wouldn't come out. Air. He needs air. Once he can fill his lungs he can explain to Grodak that he had no choice. They wanted their chief dead and were trying to lure Grodak out to use him as bait.

Grodak didn't loosen his grip and, with a quick jerking motion, snapped the orc's neck. The orcs body fell lifeless in Grodaks hand, he didn't want to kill him, but it was either him or possibly others in the tribe. He could not allow any more death at his hands to be allowed, and if he had.... No, Grodak refused to allow himself to think about it. He was dead and his task was almost complete.

"May you find peace in the bosom of our God." Grodak gently lay his friend's body on the ground. He glanced up to find a young orc child watching him with fascination, his eyes lingered on Grodak for some time before he approached.

"Brother," Grall said in a small intelligent voice, "why did you kill him?"

Grodak chuckled for a moment, his orders to protect his younger brother had yet to be finished and they were short on time, buf he couldn't help but feel amused. "He would have sold us out, if not to them than to another tribe. I couldn't allow him to put my little brother's life in danger anymore."

As the memory of a young Grall faded from the forefront of his mind, Grodak slowly fell into a deep sleep.