Grodak
Grodak sat at his desk mulling over the report Fluffles had brought back. Imp, dead? Grodak couldn't comprehend it. Those two words just didn't blend will together.
And what is up with Fluffles, Grodak thought, he claims to have been gone from Whitewater for almost five years. He was just here last week reporting in to Xierma.
Grodak stood up in frustration, he didn't understand the report in the least and grew more furious with the passing seconds. "Gods damn it." Grodak shouted, slamming his fists against his desk, creating another dent in the metal.
Grodak stared down at the new dent and mused at how its still stands. Grodak had grew tired of replacing desks in his office so he took to his forge and built a desk out of the strongest metal he could find, adamantite. In Grodaks eyes, this was truly his greatest metal work.
A small cough gave Grodak a start, he quickly turned his attention to the door. In the doorway stood Grall, arms folded over his chest.
"Hello, dear brother." Grall said, obviously trying to hide his amusement with no success.
"What do you want, Grall." Grodak said, turning his gaze back to the dent in his desk. Grodak knew Grall probably just wanted some help with some trifling matter he couldn't deal with so instead of paying attention to him, Grodak let his thoughts focus on how to make the desks metal stronger.
"I came to answer your questions." Grall said, his words catching his unsuspecting brother off guard.
"Answer my questions?" Grodak glared at Grall. "What could you possibly answer? Are you going to tell me how it was that necromancers were still alive, even though Xierma exterminated them during our four year absence? Or are you going to tell me how your pet lied to you? Or maybe it was you who lied." Grodaks voice became dangerous as he approached Grall, his fists clenched. "Did you lie to me, Grall?"
Grall stood in place, he did not fear his brother and that pissed Grodak off even more. "I did not lie to you," Grall said as he stared back at Grodak with his sightless bandaged eyes, "nor did my 'pet', as you put it, lie to me."
Grodak went to grab Gralls collar but for his hand reaching into the Shadow World instead. Grodak quickly pulled his hand out and went to attack Grall but found that every time his hands came near Grall they were just transported into the Shadow World. "How are you doing this?" Grodak commanded, his frustration growing alarmingly fast as he started throwing his fists at Grall quicker and quicker.
"I learned a lot while fighting Cassandra, this being one of them." Grall said in an even tone.
"Fight me," Grodak shouted, now so furious that the metal desk wouldn't stand a chance, "as your king, I command it of you. Fight me here and now."
Grall chuckled, his smile broke for a moment revealing his troubled features. "You are not my king, brother," Grall spoke with mocked respect, "or did you forget, I am the banished one."
Grodak stared into Gralls bandages, trying to see past them into the dark orbs that laid beneath them. "Then why are you here?" Grodak demanded, his voice filled with the hatred he felt, the hatred and anguish that came from his lack of knowledge.
"Fluffles didn't lie, brother." Gralled sighed, rubbing his temples to try and relieve the headache he felt coming on. "Do you remember when we first brought the tribes here to live?"
"Of course I do." Grodak shouted, his voice etched with anger. "But I don't see how-"
"That was the same day Fluffles disappeared for three days." Grall said interrupting Grodak, his voice calm as he looked back over the years, or maybe it was just a year rather then five, after all the time they spent in hell was short for them, only a few weeks at most.
"When he returned," Grall said, "he had told me he came from a time that was seven years into the future, thats two years from now, and that it was the second time he had traveled through the timeline."
Grodak watched Grall with growing attentiveness, trying to see if what his brother said was a lie or not. He did not speak, however, only listened to the strange tale he spoke of.
"He told me that only three days prior to that, he was hurled through time while investigating some ruins nearby. I had instructed him to do so, so that if any enemies hid there we would be able to ferret them out." Grall spoke with regret, his voice seemed labored, as if something was stuck in his throat and he was forced to speak around it. "He did not, however, tell me what would happen in those years, he only ever spoke of how he had made a vow of silence he could not and dared not speak of."
"There was one thing he did mention, though." Grall continued, his voice growing lower, almost to a whisper. "He spoke of traveling four years into the future, then spending a year trapped by someone he trusted. It wasn't until yesterday when he arrived, reporting directly to me instead of Xierma, that I discovered the torment he had to endure."
Grodak sighed, he looked to about to say something but a loud crash stopped him. "What was that?" He screamed, pushing past Grall.
"It came from outside." Grall said following behind. Grall glanced outside a nearby window, as they dashed for the door that led outside, and stopped. "Grodak."
Grodak paused in his run, hearing a panic stricken tone in Gralls voice. He turned and saw Gralls bandaged eyes staring out a window. Grodak hurried to Gralls side, annoyed by the delay and turned to look out the window. Grodaks breath caught in his throat, outside the window, the rain that had just minutes ago been pouring out of the sky, was no longer falling and a shadowy version of Whitewater hung in the air slowly descending.
Grall
Grall watched as the kingdom hover in the sky, his eyes could see what it truly was and that frightened Grall more then anything. Grodak stood next to Grall, his mouth gaping open in astonishment.
"Brother," Grall said as he tore his attention away from the horrors that laid before him, "we need to evacuate the kingdom, now. There is no time to debate over the matter, not unless you want the dead to come pounding on our door."
Grodak, looking as terrified as Grall felt, turned his gaze upon Grall. Grall couldn't help but notice that Grodak usual olive green skin now looked pale, even for the casarn orc.
"What do your eyes see, brother." Grodak asked, fear marked his voice making Grodak look smaller then he was.
"That is the kingdom of Whitewater, but its the kingdom of the dead and damned." Grall said in haste, not wanting to waste time.
"Wait," Grodak said, already turning to head for the door, "does that mean you can control those in the city?"
"Maybe." Grall said, following behind Grodak, to which Grodak gave Grall a sideways glance. "This version of Whitewater comes from the void," Grall explained, "not the spirit realm. Things in the void are neither alive or dead. Time has no meaning there, so the enemies we face may be those from the past, present, or even the future."
Grodak grunted, grabbing a long halbern from an orc who was cowering in a corner. "Go into the town and begin to evacuate the citizens, now." Grodak said as he lifted the orc by his chainmail. "Take as many men as you need."
Grodak pushed the orc in the direction of the doors before stepping out of them himself, Grall following close behind. "Grall," Grodak asked as they walked, his voice seemed low as if this was the last thing he wanted to ask, "can we fight them?"
Grall, easily following behind the big orc who was a head taller then him, looked up at the kingdom as he pondered the question. "Fight? Yes I think we can just as we can fight anything on Xeno-Movia," Grall spoke slowly at first, but quickly finished, "but winning that fight," Grall shook his head, "I do not know."
Grodak let out another grunt, his eyes on the gates as he walked forward. "As long as we can keep them busy..." he said.
Grall stiffled a laugh to Grodaks annoyance. "Whats so funny, brother." Grodak asked in disbelief.
"Its just," Grall answered, "every time we get in a battle, we do not know who will come out victorious, so we always set our goals at buying time. Its almost as if we were in one of Jaradas books."
Grodak grunted in annoyance at the reminder of the weird man who had came to the castle three weeks back to sell his books who still have yet to leave. "You actually read that trash?" Grodak amused, his voice taking on a mocking tone.
"No, but," Grall spoke in a relaxed tone, "I am helping him with his latest book. Its about us. He said he would pass it off as a game of some kind for others to experience what we have experienced."
Grodak stopped at the gates, signaling for them to open it before looking to Grall. "How is he planning on doing that?" Grodak asked, he was interested in how others could experience the things he had.
"At last," Grall said sounding defeated, "he would not tell."
Grodak was about to speak, but, once again, he was interrupted by a loud crashing sound as a piece of the kingdom for above fell to the ground. Outside the gates, they could see a lage creature with tentacles sprouting out of its body, a large circular object in the center.
"Make sure," Grodak said as he hoisted the halbern up, "that he makes mention of how many times I get interrupted."
As Grodak finished his sentence he charged at the creature, swinging the halbern around and managed to cut off a tentacle. Grall quickly created a passage through the Shadow World to above the gate. He looked down on the situation measuring the movements of the creature.
He noticed the large circular object in the center of its body and realized it must be the creatures weakness.
"Grodak," Grall shouted, "the circular object in the center of its body is its weakness."
Grodak let out a grunt of acknowledgement then swung the halberns blade at the target, only to find the tentacles blocking his attack. Grall, watching what had happened, began to look around and found a bow with a quiver of arrows. Strapping the arrows to his back, he took three out and held them in his hand.
Grall peered around him, people were still fleeing the city, the soldiers guiding them out. Nodding his head, knowing that the chances of the two brothers surviving this was slim at best, he dared not ask the soldiers for help. Grall turned his attention back to the monster and began to run along the rooftops.
Grall strunged an arrow, not pausing in his run, and leapt off of the rooftops, creating a two way path that opened above the creature. Grall, drawing the string, let loose an arrow, then another, and another. As he inched to the ground, time seeming to slow down, as Grall pulled an arrow out of the quiver, strung it and fired once more.
As Grall landed on the ground, two of the arrows hit true, piercing the core of the monstrosity, the third and fourth pinned a tentacle to the ground. Grodak, dancing through the tentacles as if he danced with an old love, the halbern moved through the air and cut through the tough hide of the tentacles.
Grall stood up, looking at the creature, it was still alive, but barely. It had lost eight of its ten tentacles and one of the remaining was pinned to the ground.
Throwing the bow away, Grall leapt on top of the creature. He thrust his sword into the mosters core, silencing it.
Grodak gave Grall a disapproving glance. "That was my kill." Grodak said as he slammed the butt of the halberd into the ground.
"It was already dying from my arrows," Grall retorted, "and I didn't think you would want a spoiled kill."
Grodak grunted but lift it at that. With the monster now dead, Grodak fixed his gaze to the sky where the castle hovered.
"If I'd known it would take this long," Grodak said, his eyes fixed into the sky, "I'd have grabbed my sword."
Grall sat on the monsters corpse, cleaning oathkeepers blade, his face turned to Grodak. Grodak seemed to have noticed this for he turned his gaze from the castle to Grall.
"What?" He asked, thinking that he might have something on his face.
"You have been talking differently lately," Grall said, "more like an orc soldier rather then an orc chieftain."
Grodak let out a small sigh, he had not realized he had fallen back into that matter of speech. "That explains a lot," Grodak said, "last night I tried to seduce Xierma and she just stared at me in bewilderment."
Grall started to laughed, he laughed so hard he doubled over. "Tell me you didn't do the seduction grunt." Grall said between fits of laughter.
Grodak blushed and turned away from Grall, obviously trying to hide his bright red face. "No." He said, to which Grall laughed even harder. "Shut up. It came instinctively and afterwards she refused to sleep...." Grodak shut his mouth, realizing he gave out more details then he wanted.
"Hey," Grall said as he wiped the tears from his eyes, "at least we know now that no other orc has tried to bed her."
Grodaks face contorted with sudden anger. "If they had tried," he said, "their head would be hanging from the banister and their soul would be damned to serve me for the rest of time. Even the rebirth cycle would not free them from my clutches."
"Are you planning on becoming the source?" Grall asked, his voice taking on an alarming tone. "You know I cannot allow you to do that."
"The source is, just as the word implies, brother," Grodak said looking to Grall with a smile, pleased that he knew something Grall did not, "the source of everything. For me to become it, I would have to abandon my mortal coil and take on a form that would better suit it."
"Brother," Grall said, his voice taking on a warning tone, "the source is much more then that. If you were to become the source, you would be devoid of everything."
Grodak gave Grall a puzzled look, this was unlike him. Grall usually doesn't care what happens to the world as long as it fits his agenda, or at least, that's how Grodak perceived Grall to be.
Gralls features suddenly changed back to one of amusement. "So," Grall said, his tone showered with the outwardly amusement, "do you plan to become the source?"
It was a serious question, one that threw Grodak off. Grall acted like what he had said was just a follow up to the first question, as if he had not heard Grodaks reply and spoke himself. "No." Grodak said, his tone low and worrisome.
After a half hour, the kingdom was finally low enough for Grall and Grodak to enter, they had feared entering the kingdom using the Shadow World, for they knew not what awaited them inside. As soon as they stepped past the open gates, demonic looking orcs began to attack them. Grall and Grodak easily cut through them, making their way further in, but the further they went, the more demonic orcs they faced.
At one point, they were facing at least a hundred demonic orcs at once on all sides. Grall, thinking fast on his feet, quickly opened the Shadow World, calling forth all the orc soldiers inside to help them battle against the orcs.
It took one minute for the surrounding demonic orcs to fall on the shadow elders blades. Once their surroundings were clear, Grall commanded for the shadow elders to make their way through the kingdom, killing all of the demonic creatures that reside inside.
The shadow elders did so, howls of pain echoed out of every corner as Grall and Grodak made their way through the streets. Their goal was the castle, for whatever had brought this kingdom and those demonic creatures out of the void, most likely resided there.
As they neared the castle, the shadow elders were already filing in, killing everything they came across. "You don't think," Grodak said looking at Grall, "they will kill whatever is controlling these..." Grodak paused looking for the right word, after a few seconds of pondering he finally asked, "dark orcs?"
"Not much of a naming sense there, brother." Grall said, he didnt let any emotions enter his voice as he focused on the battle that was happening before him. "To answer your question, if it was that easy," Grall paused in his step to turn to his brother, "then they wouldn't have been able to cross the void to get here."
Grodak nodded his head, he understood what Grall meant. The void was the place where all dead returned to be reborn, for something to enter the void and manage to escape into the material plane would take enough strength that even a altain would have trouble facing them.
"Then," Grodak said, confused by how Gralls words and actions were conflicting, "why have you not withdrawn the shadow elders?"
"Simple, brother," Grall lifted oathkeeper readying himself for the battle, his eyes on the throne room doors, "they would at least be able to exhaust the creature that commands them, giving us a better chance of winning."
Grodak reached to his sword hilt, drawing his sword. While Grall and Grodak had waited for the castle to land, Grodak had took the opportunity to go and grab it.
Grall glanced to Grodak as they pressed against the door. "All of the shadow elders have been defeated." Grall said, he wasn't expecting a reply, nor did he want one. This was not a time to talk, but a time for action and they both knew it.
The brother threw the doors open to find a figure dressed in black armor, a red cape flowing behind him, and a two handed sword which he held easily in one hand. At the sight of this creature, both brothers could feel a sense of fear creep up on them, Grall more so then Grodak. Grall cursed his magical vision for he did not see the armor that stood in front of him, instead he saw Tyril, the true king of Whitewater who had left in search of his wife.
Without a thought, Grall jumped in first, ignoring his fears, and attacked Tyril. Tyril responded by catching Gralls sword and, using his shoulders, threw Grall on the ground behind him. Grall quickly stood back up as Grodak, charging head first into the battle, threw his sword, aiming for Tyrils head.
Tyril reached up, catching the blade between his pointer finger and thumb. Grodak shouted a strange word and the blade erupted in flames, burning Tyrils hand, before turning into ice and shattering it.
As Grodaks sword fell to the ground, Tyril turned his head to look at his stump. It wasn't bleeding, and Tyril didn't look like he was in any pain. Grodak slid to a halt in front of Tyril, catching his sword by the hilt seconds before it hit the ground and brought it up, once more, aiming for Tyrils head.
Grall joined his brother in the fight and attacked Tyril from behind, knowing full will that if this is Tyril, rather then something that just looked similar to him, it wouldn't make a difference how they attacked. Grall was partially right, this thing was Tyril and how they attacked didn't make a difference. Tyril lifted the two handed blade, catching Grodaks on his, and lifted the stump of a hand stopping oathkeeper by sacrificing some of his arm.
Both brothers stared in astonishment, neither could believe that this thing could block both of their attacks at once. Grall turned his sword, dislodging it from Tyrils arm, and quickly gave a thrust, aiming to strike his heart. Grall succeeded, but not in the way he had intended.
Oathkeeper pierced through the armor and into Tyrils heart, but the man didn't even bat an eye at Gralls attempt at killing him.
Grodak, seeing Gralls attack, shouted the same word as before, this time Grall could make it out. "Fireth." It took Grall a second to understand what the word was, then he realized. It was elven for storm, Grall had guessed this was the word Grodak had chosen to activate the enchantments that were placed on the sword.
He had guessed right as, once again, the sword was engulfed by fire then turned to ice. To grodaks dismay, the enchantments had no effect on his opponents sword. Not even a scorch mark marked the shine of the blade.
Grall thrust his sword out, trying now to get his sword free, and gave his sword a quick tug. To Gralls annoyance, Oathkeeper stayed lodged into this creatures chest. Letting go of oathkeeper, Grall quickly retrieved a weapon from the floor and brought it up. In one slashing movement, Grall had managed to cut both of Tyrils legs off, sending him falling to the ground.
Tyril, noticing his lack of legs, turned his body and used the momentum to attack Grall. Grall did not, could not see the attack coming. Tyrils swords tip entered through Gralls right temple and exited out his mouth.
It wasn't a killing blow, but it was close enough that the Shadow World saw fit to drag him back into its depth. The last thing Grall saw before the Shadow World took him was Grodak striking Tyril dead.