This place is a truly ruined.
It is, or rather was, a small village north of the popular town of Rudan. Quiet and peaceful, home to hunters and messengers a like, the huts and homes now become kindle to the flame of Wrah's wars. Bodies of harmless loving families scatter across the soft grass that's surrounded by flames, burned wood and ashes. This is Wrah at its core.
The Fang stands among the collapsed buildings and bodies, letting the misery and heat sink into him as he seeks survivors amongst all of this.
He looks toward the source of this inferno, where the hall of the village has been used to start the destruction. The large, tall village hall is black, burned and barren of life, tied on to the building like medals are the now charred bodies of what was the warriors, pieces of armour, bone or raw flesh are the only way the Fang can tell them apart from the building's charred ruins.
In seconds the fire reveals life within the eye of this storm, the Fang can hear the cackling and cheering as their shadowy figures step forth from the smoke.
He turns toward them and sees 5 flickering figures stalking towards him, in time his eyes adjust, seeing netting, bones, and sea shells decorating their armour.
The Shark clan. They come from the coast at the west and the only viable port in Wrah. They invaded during the night and slaughtered the innocent, unsuspecting citizens.
Being so far inside wolf territory tells Fang they cut through the north, the neutral territory in Wrah's north, at the coast across from the prison 'Patak Tur'ma'. A clever but dirty tactic, the shark clan use it to move smaller forces across Wrah and hit enemy clans from different angles.
The reason for their invasions? None. All the Fang understands about them is their need to sacrifice people to their invisible deity.
The Fang drops his sword to his side, the wind whistles in pain as it cuts the air, then he stares them down, as he sees clear as day they want to keep on killing. They approach him in a suspicious semi-circle, pushing onward into the flames, into him. But the Fang does not get pushed back.
The Fang pounces left. He swings the back of his sword into a house next to his enemies, before a few can move in for the kill, he easily snaps the wounded support beam and the burning house collapses onto 2 of the sharks. One crushed and trapped into a painful, torturous end as the other is on fire and rolls around the ground in panic.
In that chaotic moment, the Fang is nearly decapitated. He just deflects the strike to his head and regains balance, then he steps forward and swings horizontally to keep the enemy back. Now 3 stand defiant against him.
The centre one throws her trident, Fang crouches right and swings upward at the closet shark, they block and kick the Fang back. The one who threw her trident runs for her weapon as the rest try to force the Fang back.
An axe slowly crashes forward toward the Fang, dodges back and it slams at his feet as he quickly leans in with an uppercut to his defenceless enemy, then follows with a swing of the sword upward as well, cutting him from belly to chin.
The force alone throws them into the flames beyond them, but no scream is heard as they engulfed.
The trident returns at close range wanting his head. The Fang deflects with the back of his armoured gauntlet, then stabs back, but she has an advantage with range that she is aware of.
The other from behind Shark grabs the Fangs shoulder, pulls him close and stabs at his ribs.
His knife shatters against his armour, the attacker looks at him with despair. Shitty craftsmanship.
Fang whips his head back, breaking their nose. He feels to impact soak his hair like paint, but now he is free. He brings his sword up for a cut to the neck, finishing him off. She watches her ally try hold in the blood before falling onto his bloodied face.
The last survivor roars and charges, seeking revenge for her fallen comrades, but she gives away her advantage, wanting to stick him like a pig in close range. The Fang pushes her trident aside with his blade, it pierces past him the smoky air as he continues to pull his sword over his shoulder as she passes, then the Fang slices downward for her leg.
She collapses, and even tries to reach for her severed leg. Fang never forgets the feeling of flesh being separated by a fine blade, then there was the way the bone fractured and split under his sword. The blood gushes out in sprays as she vainly reaches to repair herself. You are already dead.
A distant scream indicates another charge, another 4 sharks approach but unlike those he had defeated, they waste no time and strike.
The Fang dodges every sword swing and spear stab, slowly being forced towards the inferno behind this time. He grabs a wooden plank sticking out a burning house, the burning sensation against his fingers hastens him to swing it fast, and the embers fly up and blind one of them as the plank is swung firmly into another's jaw, burning her and setting her arm ablaze, the spearman stabs again, but the Fang catches the shaft and uses the spear and the plank to push him into that building, his screams are soon drowned out by the hungry fire.
The blinded one swings in a panic, cutting the one in front of him, opening up their back like wet paper, the Fang grabs him by the throat and pushes him towards the blind fool, soon they emerge away from the edge of the flames.
Fang pushes the victim aside then chops the blind sharks arm off and pulls him back into the flames. The cut open victim refuses to continue, he crawls away from the Fang with deep cuts all over his exposed back. The burning woman strips her gauntlet off and finally charges at The Fang, the sword grazes his hair, and she is met with a sword up her neck, piercing beyond her skull, he pulls out, letting her corpse fall past him to be consumed by the ever-growing flames. Another scream is heard from afar.
The Fang turns toward a tower like building in the distance beyond the smoke, and waits.
But no one show themselves. Then the same scream occurs once more. But it is not the sound of a challenger right in front of him, but a more vulnerable, pleading cry from a far.
Yet he still has unfinished business to deal with.
The Fang turns to the lady with the trident, who stands up using the trident as a new leg, and wields an axe in her free hand, she has burned her leg with some piece burning structure, cauterising the wound to keep fighting. But behind her, even more emerge from the smoke, a school of 11 shark warriors ready to join in now. The lady trident grins at the Fang, clearly liking her odds now.
The Fang takes stance anyway. Without sign of retreat or even fear in his posture, or eyes. She does not like that. She cannot wait to get both his legs.
A small axe lands right in front of lady trident.
"Let's make this even."
The Fang turns to see commander Khan and his squad, behind him are wolves that are ready to rumble as well, looking at their now less than enthusiastic prey. Khan stands among the flames as if he is in control, the fire seems to move away from the path he walks on, scared to be eaten alive by his very presence.
Khan's clad black armour contrasts to the violent flames, his eyes cannot be seen but a cruel smile is clearly painted on his face. He carries a belt of simplistic axes over his shoulder, small and designed for throwing or as a make-shift parry dagger, his right-hand hatchet however is very large, its blade is black like his armour and the wooden handle is worn and smooth from years of use. His cloak floats over the ground and he adjusts his helm that holds horns from the side plates on the head pointing upward, sharpened and made for stabbing like an enraged bull.
The two clans stare each other down, years of blood and lost ones fresh in mind and not forgotten. Both merciless and refusing to back down to each other.
The town slowly burns away, the fire calms as the minutes pass, everyone especially Khan is surprised the Fang has not made the first move, but Jaco's attention is on those screams that no one seems to hear.
Khan glances over at the Fang who stands with toward his opponent, but he notes the subtle angle that his neck has chosen, as if he is paying attention to something toward the tower.
Before Jaco makes his move, Khan steps forth, scraping the back of his hatchet against his gauntlet, the black steel now burns. The flames dance with the environment, enjoying the tension and freedom. Khan grabs a throwing axe and beckons his enemy to come at him, using his middle finger as an incentive.
The shouts signal the sharks attack, both sides charge and clash.
Khan plants his blazing hatchet into the first one, both the bone & metal armour crack and the cloth below erupts into flames. Khan Pulls the hatchet out and the victim flees in terror and agony, Khan even has time to smile at his own work before igniting his hatchet again.
Khan ducks under a bident aimed for his neck, he counters with a throwing axe, but its deflected with a quick bident swipe, plunging it into the flames.
Khan sidesteps around the first stab for his guts, and then he uses the momentum to spin and swing around to bury his hatchet into their back, now locked inside his ribs and spine, he uses the lodged weapon to whip him around and releases his hand to throw them into the fire.
The opponent recovers before he meets the flames and stands back up despite the hatchet lodged into his back, but Khan grabs an additional axe with his free hand as he approaches his enemy and punches his opponent. The impact across his face is excruciating, he reaches up and feels the blood drip over his mouth and chin.
Khan proceeds to beat the life out of his enemy, a dozen punches to the ribs and face leave the poor victim bleeding all over, almost drowning his own flesh. Khan does not stop even as the enemy falls in defeat.
The Fang pounces on top of his cocky enemy, his sword pierces their guts and spine, impaling them to the ground. A sword swings toward him and he rolls back before he can pull his sword out. Now disarmed, the shark starts playing with him; stabbing at him and taking his time, making him back up toward the inferno. It catches his side, enough to make him bleed. They continue the momentum with a head strike then at the leg.
Fang ducks under the head strike, but is too slow to avoid the spear slicing open his shorts, only just missing his thigh. Fuck this.
He takes the damage, he drags their blade against his gauntlet as it makes for another hit and he grabs the blade before it can slither away again, it slices open his fingers slightly but now his enemy is face to face with him.
Pulling him close, Fang kicks his crotch, and pushes his head into the burning flames behind him, his nails bite into his skull as they struggle.
The Fang has the shark on his knees, it is enough to make his enemy panic and let go of their weapon, the Fang tosses it away and uses his now extra free hand to push him further into the inferno, but the shark twists his neck and bites the Fangs thumb.
The Fang rips his appendage out of the barbaric attack, and he gets pay back by smashing his knee into his teeth. Then finally he plunges his head into the inferno for good. Fang lets go and pulls away, fingers are burned and bleeding, but he is better off than his enemy. He grabs his sword from the previous victim and looks for the next opponent.
Then the screams occur again. Jaco looks over toward its source, the same tower.
Could be a wolf, could be a civilian, could be a shark too…
The Fang walks toward the intensifying flames where the tower lays, without hesitation.
Khan rips out the hatchet from his latest victim, somewhat proud of the mess he has made, sparking the hatchet once again, he scans the fight around him, 2 of ours ganging up on 1? He must be tough, maybe leave that to Fang if they can't take 'em down. He looks left, 3 dead sharks by one of ours, good. But where are the rest?
His right side burns. A white-hot pain strikes his side, and he rolls forward away from the source. Looking round, Khan sees a grinning freak show, covered in animal bones and even cuts to his chest that must be self-inflicted, his teeth and lips glow crimson in the fire's light.
Khan looks down to see a sacrificial blade lodged into his back, although it is painful, it did not hit his internal organs thanks to his armour, but the knife has sliced open the skin. I can fight this prick, just need to be careful of this side now.
"Hehehehe please make me fight for it, I loooooove sacrifices who squirm before they die." he licks his fingers, this freak stares at Khan as he rises to fight him. Khan relights his weapon and picks out an axe from his belt, he circles around the freak, keeping track of his surroundings, We are close to the fire, one push could be fatal.
Khan throws his axe at their face, the freak dodges but Khan uses the same arm to pull out the knife and return it to the freak.
They shriek as the knife is thrown into their thigh, Khan charges and punches his jaw. The impact throws the freak back, almost getting consumed by the flames but he grabs the burned poll to swing back round. Khan swings for his jaw again, the freak ducks and grabs Khan's weapon then shoves his claw like fingers inside Khan's wound, his long nails now scratching his insides, opening his wound even more.
Khan is consumed by the pain and cannot counter, his lower back in agony. With a single kick, the freak launches Khan into the flames before he has the chance to recover.
The freak licks his crimson fingers, enjoying the taste and mumbling a prayer into his now dislodged precious knife.
"Oh dear mother, your will has been followed, I this day cook this sacrifice to the god of all power, Nukcu-"
He looks back at his burning victim, who is not burning.
Khan stands in the flames. Seemingly unaffected, he seals his wound quickly with a burning piece of a metal door frame.
But he does not scream or show any sign of pain, all you can hear are the feeble roars of the flames trying to eat away at this man. He walks out the flames with his armour being feebly burned by pockets of flames across the waxy metal, he slowly rips it off like it is only slightly bothering him, and reveals his severely scared, leathery and cracked skin, already burned before the fire had consumed him.
He looks right at the freak,
"A bit warm for my liking, hope you don't mind me showing some skin." he stands in his shorts and boots, laughing and taunting his enemy.
"I'm… no. What ARE you? There is no other deity than Nukcur!"
Khan smirks and begins to walk towards the freak,
"I am no god. But I can send you to yours if you want."
Khan grabs his lost hatchet as he gets closer to him and effortlessly dodges each of the freak's desperate stabs and slashes, then Khan drives his hatchet into the freaks shoulder after an overswung attack left him wide open.
The bone crunches and another shriek bellows out even louder with true agony behind it, the freak starts to jog away, and Khan follows.
The other wolves and sharks stop fighting at the sound of his pleas for help, they watch Khan drop him into the ground with a kick, Khan's shin crashes against the side of the freaks knee, making a horrible snap burst over the sounds of burning around them all. No way to escape now.
He kneels beside the whimpering freak who cries and calls for his god,
"Look, I am no religious man, but I have an idea of how a sacrificial kill works. I've seen enough of your handy work on my people to want to give it a try. Maybe you can review my work?"
He grabs the freaks knife with a malicious, vengeful grin now accompanied by his disturbingly enthusiastic gaze. Before the sharks can interfere, the wolves capitalize on their leaders' mind games and slaughter the remaining enemies before they can retaliate.
Khan grabs his foot and drags the freak back toward him, and proceeds to cut him from the bottom of his stomach, and with precise but gentle movements, he performs the barbarous disembowelment ritual, Khan's eyes give away the pleasure his revenge is giving him in this moment.
"HOW DO YOU LIKE GETTING FIDDLED ON THE INSIDE? HUH?" Khan screams into the freaks face. The freak wails and screams, the pain unbearable. He looks to his allies to find them all cut down and executed. As the freak lets out a final cry to his god, Khan stands up and spits on him.
Ah. Therapeutic.
Khan composes himself; his men stand behind him observing the mess around him, he turns around, as if the freaks insides were not laid out like a buffet. Khan cracks a smile and says,
"Good job men, we've done the world some good." he turns to the flames, "Now to regroup. Find the Fang! and find my fucking armour, I am chilly over here."
As the fight ends, Jaco continues chasing the screams in the blazing maze, each step taking him closer to the cry for help, but also where the inferno grows wilder, almost engulfing Jaco. Finally. The screams are coming from a blown open tower, its broken pieces have buried an underground hatch with rubble.
The rubble comes from the half-destroyed tower that now burns and a flag of the wolves slowly burns in the soft wind. The shouts come from below, towards the rubble.
The screaming fell quieter as he moved toward the sound, which didn't help that the flames intensified and ate at anything that caught fire around Jaco, they would consume him too if he was not careful.
Jaco sprints down the path to the entrance that lays buried from rubble and rocks, he wastes no time moving the rocks, stabbing his sword into the ground and prying away each burned piece of tower at a time,
"Hey, is anyone there?! Can you hear me?" Jaco shouts, but there is no answer. He continues to move the rubble, moving quicker with each layer removed as the rocks shrink in size.
"HEY, I'm moving the shit at the door, get ready to jump out!"
"FANG." Jaco turns his head, the same women he dismembered earlier is still alive. He cannot believe it.
She followed him, tailing him and finally catches him.
"Wha… wh-" she winces in pain, what remains of her leg is beginning to bleed again. She places her hand on her stolen axe,
"What the fuck ARE you doing?! Fight. We are to kill each other. So FINISH IT!" It takes Jaco back a bit, he was asking himself the same thing while running here, but he still has no answer to it.
"Leave." She stares at him, thinking she misheard that,
"Leave. Get out of here." Jaco looks at her with mercy in his eyes,
"You're injured, your team is probably slain, and you will NOT beat me.", He raises his hand toward where his scarf would be, "You should go home too, while you still can. Someone must be waiting for you."
Her fury is unmistakable, her breaths frantic and noises akin to a wounded animal pushed into a corner. However, she calms. As if the storm inside has passed and is reminded of something important.
"There is." She hops away to the distant opening behind her, soon the warrior fades to black, back into the safe cold of the night beyond this ruined place.
The first time I have willingly let someone go in battle.
He picks up his sword again continues his desperate excavation. Only wooden structures remain now, he hacks and chops at what's left, soon enough he's kicking away the loose rubble.
"I better not have been just hearing nothing after all this!" he shouts, frustrated that he may have been wrong. Finally, a reply comes,
"Please hurry th- the flames are almost here!" the stranger coughs out. Jaco rips up the door, in an instant a man climbs up the steps out of the smoke, Jaco throws the door back down, finally able take a break from the hard labour. His arms burn from the constant lifting and chopping. The man cries and coughs, holding a child tightly.
"Thank you, thank you so much I thought we-" he turns, and sees the Fang is his saviour.
Jaco just stares down at the burned ground, knowing what is on his mind. Then something grabs his foot.
He jumps and brings up his blade to strike, looking down, a frail hand digs its black fingers around his ankle. He can barely hear it murmur below the oblivion that the smoke dwells in.
He steadily lifts his leg up then pulls it up to the surface. It is a survivor; his skin all black and crackled, blood rising from his skin and his limbs broken, fragile, how the hell is this bastard alive?
"…l me…"
"What did you say? Speak up."
"Ki… kill m- me."
Jaco is taken back to that night with Nia, that fateful night where he first showed any person mercy. This was similar, but he knows he has to follow through this time. The wounds alone tell Jaco there is no going back for this man, no way to recover.
The Fang drags him away from the flames gently, then in an open spot with no flames or smoke nearby, he looks in their eyes as he lines up his sword with his head, a quick stab and he will have a swift death, much swifter than if he tried to save him.
He watches this poor man look toward the survivors, he smiles as best as he can and exhales peacefully seeing them alive. He looks back to the Fang without fear or regret.
The Fang hates how he can see how grateful he was in those cloudy eyes. The crescent moon reflects on his glassy eyes.
He pushes his sword down.
The other survivor just watches, witnessing this mercy killing himself. Jaco stands almost as if this was a point of no return, conflict thrives all over his minds.
"There was over a dozen of us in this tower hiding," the survivor says, "but then an explosion hit us from above and set the tower on fire. We got stuck as the fire descended, we were forced into the cellar. He showed up as we all panicked and led us to this exit, but then the tower collapsed on him. I don't know how he made it out…"
Jaco looks upon the two survivors. The man himself is bald and lean, but otherwise healthy beside the soot covering his clothes, the girl in his arms actually seems at peace, her eyes staring at the flames around her like it is just another day in Wrah.
"They all died in the flames and smoke, they screamed for so long. He showed up though and tried to keep up alive as long as he could, he was a good guy, a hero." Jaco looks over to where that women hopped off too, now the path is cut off by flame and smoke, damn.
The only path back now was back where he came, toward the centre where the chaos originally started.
Jaco looks back at the hero, his slight smile on his peaceful face reassured him he must have done the right thing.
"Follow me, we will regroup with my clan." The Fang and the only survivors sprint back toward the flames, hoping to leave this moment behind him.
However, the flames grew again, the Fang cannot believe how much they spread out and reached out to them like the hungry hands of beggars. The Fang storms ahead however, as he has no choice.
If you were not looking at fire, you were looking at something beginning to burn, The Fang can feel the fire inch to towards his sides as he passes each building in careful haste. The smoke was beginning to coat his lungs, but then there is hope.
It is a wolf, alone, but safe behind the flames. Jaco cannot see them, their face is just smoke and blurry shapes right now, but it is a sign of life none the less!
"HEY, over here!" Jaco shouts over, the flames nearly drown him out, but the wolf can hear him, they walk toward where they are. Jaco runs toward him,
"I found survivors!" they stop moving.
That wolf cuts down a burned pillar. The following collapses the half burned building and it falls onto the Fangs path as a burning obstacle, the fiery landslide cuts the Fang off from his escape. He can just make out what they says afterwards.
"Khan! No survivors or a sign of the Fang over here, what now? Can we finally get the fuck out of here?!" Jaco has the urge to leap through the fire just to get his hands on them.
This was not right. He understands why people would leave him for dead, but these innocent people?!
"ARGH! DAMN YOU!" If not for the unbearable heat, he would jump through. But instead, he lets his thoughts takeover. The idea of dying, burning to death, sends his mind into an unfamiliar panic.
He looks upon the defeated face of the survivor. He tears up as the flames close in. Then Jaco looks at the child, and it isn't the eyes of boredom. It is the eyes of a helpless victim accepting whatever terrible fate came next.
Guilt wraps around him like the impending flames, he cannot help but blame himself.
I hate myself. I hate what I've become. For what I've done, and everything I could have done... It is because of me she will never grow up, I killed that girl…
His tears well up, but do not fall.
No. That bastard is the one who killed her… and they think I am the monster?!
He turns to the inferno, a furious, hurt and scarred presence grows from him, even the flames seem to gradually give him space before he explodes.
I REFUSE…
His fury and desperation spawn something dangerous, an aura surrounding his very being,
TO BE HELPLESS AGAIN…
The energy slowly flows into his sword, a feint purple colour emanating from his hand and into the cold blade, as though the wind itself coils around his sword.
AND LET THIS INNOCENT CHILD BE VIOLATED BY THIS WORLD AND ITS MONSTERS!
Teeth clenched, eyes burning with hope and anger, his escape is in his hands. Using both his hands upon the handle, he slowly lifts the sword over his head and makes the fire back away as if in fear. He concentrates this emotion onto that person at the other side of the flames, spreading his toes and planting his feet into the dirt, he swings toward the fire.
In a flash, the radiant wind flings off the blade and his wrath engulfs the flames in his own fury, slaying everything in its path, the wind expands and whips out in every direction. Then it reaches the ruins of the fallen building and blasts it to splinters and to bits even smaller than that like ripping apart a tree with thousands of uncontrollable axes.
But in the end, it creates a means of escape.
Jaco stands in awe, he made an escape, he beat nature itself, he smiles, this power could stop whole armies! He purposely bites his knuckle. Remember, this power is a tool, not a technique. It isn't reliable.
He grounds himself back into reality and turns around to the survivors,
"Holy shit! Fang, you have the power of nature itself! Are you a deity?"
"Let's go." he says, ignoring the question, not wanting to be compared to a 'perfect' being, ego only gets you killed.
They walk onward to the cleared area. The fires are now dead. Barely any embers can be found buried inside the debris surrounding them. This only makes Jaco frightened of this radiant power. But the girl can be heard crying behind him. He turns to her and sees that there is a smile under the tears, she must have been scared and hopeless for a long time.
He marches on and sees the distant wolves far from the flames at the end of town. The 7 wolves are gathered in awe of the Fang as he returns from the ruined town that still burns behind him at places where his reach decided to spare.
"What did you eat boy?" Khan stands and laughs around the calm centre, where all the corpses had been scattered across the less immolated town.
The sudden cold air caught had the wolves attention as they gathered at the exit with the bodies of their allies. Once the gust had passed Khan ordered to wait, thinking the Sharks had one last card up their sleeve.
Khan is pleasantly surprised seeing Fang walk out the centre of the killed flames as he can see in his walk that he was the one who displayed that power. He smiles wide as the Fang approaches, but it fades as he sees the survivors,
"Are those Sharks?" all Khan could think is, there's no way they are citizens? That would mean he saved them! Maybe they followed him, and he didn't notice or something like that?
"They are survivors I found, the only survivors left, I think." Khan's jaw drops, as did the rest of the squad behind him. Khan composes himself,
"Wolves! Get ready to leave and get these folks some water, maybe food for the kid." The Wolves spread out, however Jaco can feel something looming over his shoulder…
The child grabs his hair, pulling and laughing, he twists round, staring the child down with his killer's gaze. The child just laughs and pats his face, even squeezing his cheeks. The faces the child moulds continue to entertain her further, even Khan finds himself in disbelief of the bravery this child has to play with the Fang like a blood soaked but soft dog. This kid has more guts than all my guys combined.
"Thank you." The survivor whispers, he places his hand on his arm,
"I am Gemamin, and YOU saved us, not these guys. I will not forget that." Jaco chokes up a bit, feeling EXTREMELY awkward at hearing those words,
"You saved me, and most importantly this child." He hugs the child tighter, as if he would never let go again, appreciating the life he can live out,
"We would have died horrible deaths, those rumours of you just being a killer are all wrong, thank you." The survivor is grabbed by a wolf and begins to be escorted away to safety, but not before The Fang gives him a dirty look.
"If they are not back at the city with us when we return, I'll hunt you down."
They freeze for a moment before they carry on with a constant eye on the survivors. The child pokes Jaco's nose one last time, but Jaco just stares on as the child waves goodbye, he cannot help but laugh and wave back.
Khan walks up behind Jaco, clearly proud of this change in the wild fighter,
"Looks like you made a new pal! Never knew you were good with kids."
He returns to being the Fang,
"They all dead?" he questions, snapping back to the work at hand. Khan sighs and begins to walk away from his work, Fang follows behind, his fingers starting to go numb for some reason.
"I may have indulged in my own revenge; certain people just bring the worst out of ya…" The Shark clan are known for ritual killings, brutally sacrificing people to their deity, Nukcur. They claim it's the one who gave the mortals this Radiant power, blessing those who sacrifice in their name. The Fang understands Khan's borderline hatred against the clan, but it wasn't what he wanted to focus on.
"And the one who tried to kill the survivors?" Khan does not follow the Fang,
"Someone stopped me from escaping, one of our people and I know that for a fact. They recognised me, then cut off our escape route when they saw me." Khan growls, hoping he miss heard him.
"You aren't exactly everyone's favourite warrior." He walks up to him, face to face, "And I don't like the tone…"
The tension rises between them. One more word could start up a whole new fire between them.
"I'll keep a close eye on the 3 new guys." Khan finally says, "Dunno if you noticed, but some of 'em haven't been with us long. Maybe they aren't your biggest fan.", his words ring in the air, a clear disdain for some of his comrades.
Khan sighs and walks away,
"Cause we lost those guys in the vanguard, you're dad has had to restructure a lot of squads and teams. He even has to call on his brother to help, he's not had to do that since he first became chieftain."
His frown melts to a sadness, but once he puts his helm on, it masks his emotion, darkness shrouds his face, back to being commander Khan. The Fang stares down the other wolves who noticeably stand away from him, each one fearful that he suspects one of them.
The same as always, it never changes.
"Forget it Khan. I don't care who it was anymore, it doesn't matter anymore."
They march forth, ready to go home. Jaco takes a moment to look at the damage to the village. Even after a whole raid and the fire that burned this ruined town, a lonely tulip flower stands, defiant against the perishing grass.
He takes in the oddly serene sight of the beauty among the brutality.
The sound off the cart creaking beckons him to move on, but the image is burned into his mind, it is with him as he seats himself at the front with Khan.
He's taken away from the picture-perfect image as Khan passes him a jug,
"You're covered in soot and blood, clean it off." Fang takes it willingly as the smoke was now up his nose and was not pleasant. As he improvises his bathing time, he cannot get Nia out his head. All he wants to do is hug her and carry on with the moment that was spoiled earlier. He doesn't understand it, but he knew he was excited to see Nia, he got to get his scarf back.
"So, how long have you had that trick up your sleeve Fang?" Khan navigates the cart into the virgin trees that the darkness owned,
"Sir." Fang turns around to be passed a torch by a tired looking man, he takes it quickly and plants it at the front of the cart between himself and the commander,
"When I made a clear path for myself."
"Well, it means that 2 of the Dunes have fantastic abilities. I mean, we have one who controls lightning, and the other that controls wind! Oh the enemy clans are fucked now!"
"Why are you excited for it? It just gives the people more reason to be scared of me." He says with disinterest, he was right after all.
"I was thinking about applying that power on a battle field Fang, I know for a fact that if you learn to control it, we can combine my fire strategies to do some devastating attacks." Khan neatly spits aside the cart,
"Hold on, when did you ever care what the people thought of you?" Fang jolts up a bit and places his sword across his lap, like a feline companion lulling itself to sleep, for now.
"You are right. I don't care." Then he started to day dream about her eyes, how the light reflected on her orange glow and made her look so pure and happy when she smiles, he loves the way her cheeks go boom before she laughs, and the way her frustration would arise when her teeth catch on her clothes and leave holes in her shirts, seeing that anger flare up inside her orc fascinated him. The duality in the way she moves to music and how she fights and trains, a born natural almost.
Only one person's opinion I care for, I guess.
He snaps out of his thoughts at the sound of wood crunching and metal scrapping. They are standing before the clan's great gate, opening to their home. Khan whips the torch to the ground and dismounts with his boots on the flames like the throat of a Shark zealot.
Soon Fang once again disappears into the crowds, the sun begins to rise, peaking its orange head to the world, people are already up and ready to begin work as usual, so too is Thee.
Jaco's knocked out his peaceful trance as a drunk Thee snares him with her arm round his shoulders,
"SO." she puts a sick grin on and looks Jaco in the eye,
"What's tonight's kill count? Oh, and PLEASE don't spare details on how gruuuuesome you were tonight." Jaco elbows her right in the chest. Thee just cackles at his attempts to get away, she is not going to stop there.
"AHHH come on, why do you always have to be cold to me?! Ever think that I just want to be your buddy? All you care about is yourself!"
Soon her words are drowned out by those voices, they slowly rise again, begging to shut her up, why now?!
He fights for breath but gasps as Thee slithers in front of him,
"Come on, how about a drink on me, no weapons or fuss."
He barges past her before she can see the panic inside him,
"Hey, what the fuck? I try to be nice and you just walk away?! WHAT? Suddenly you don't want to talk about fighting and killing? Are you scared that everybody will think you're a monster?! Well bad news kid, YOU ALREADY ARE."
Fang freezes right there. He only stands a few feet from Thee, the word kid seems to irritate him more than anything. Then the blade begins to awaken, he can feel it purr gently in his palm. He looks over his shoulder before he makes his move.
He turns around and witnesses a punch that Haygan would be proud of, an unsettling smack silences the world. Thee's head and a bit of blood are thrown backwards and she lands on her rear with a nose now bloody and bent.
Thee looks up with Furious eyes, and the only one who is front of her now, is Nia.
The nearby soldiers pull her away but are clearly amused at seeing their boss get put in her place. They push her back quite a few meters of distance before letting her go. Thee's soldiers want to see where this was going.
No.
Jaco sprints over to Nia. Her fist shivers, adrenaline and maybe fear seemingly focussed into her limb. Thee, somewhat excitedly, storms toward Nia.
"Why did you do that Nia?! That is a commander."
"That was harassing you, I wasn't staying back this time."
"STOP." Kaycon now interferes. He steps in front of Thee's war path, but he's easily dispatched with her backhand against his stubbly chin.
Jaco turns to give Thee his full attention, ready to finish this off once and for all. Then the survivor Gemamin slides in front of Jaco, his frail frame spreads its arms and leans forward.
However, Thee stops in her tracks.
"And who the FUCK do you think you are maggot?.."
"I… I am the one who owes this good man my life…"
"Fucking excuse you?!" Thee says with complete disbelief. Before she can toss him aside as well, Thee notices the way Jaco stands in front of Nia, not possessively like a hound and its recent kill, but a guard dog separating a stranger from their companion.
Jaco then pulls Gemamin back gently and puts himself right in front of Thee.
"I am who you want Thee. Leave them out of this." He says with as if it were a threat.
Thee says nothing, instead she pats Jaco's shoulder affectionately and actually smiles. Jaco flinches a bit but doesn't retreat. Thee looks past him to Nia and says,
"If that's the best you got, you better train a lot more to take me down girl." Nia rolls her shoulder and confidently announces,
"Who says that's my best?"
Thee grins widely and shakes her head, oh, you're gonna be one mean soldier. She returns her attention to Jaco and whispers,
"Do not fuck it up with that girl, she is a keeper…" Thee spins around and walks away, but not before spitting her blood on the still downed Kaycon.
"Don't you dare get in my way next time geezer, or next time I rip off ya arms and beat you with them."
Then the people return to normal. Thee's guards walk on with her, one of them actually gives Nia an approving thumbs up, but Jaco's attention is brought to his kneeling uncle. Person after person after soldier pass by the clearing hurting man. Jaco approaches Kaycon.
"Need a hand up… uncle?" he says. Kaycon watches Jaco's clean hand extend to him, but his eyes show a difference, he is in control right now.
"FUCK OFF!" he shouts, he clumsily stands, his knee giving way and falling in front of Jaco again.
"Come on, just take my hand! I'm trying to help!" He shouts. Kaycon, yelps like a disobedient dog as the surprisingly piercing voice stops everyone for a moment.
However he slaps Jaco's hand away anyway, but still uses Jaco's leg to give himself a lift, once he finally stands up right, he finally sees the judging eyes of the people around him.
He storms off, fuming over this embarrassment. Jaco then feels a tug on his hand. He turns around to the young girl who survived the burning village.
She smiles wide and presents him with a gift. Jaco smiles and kneels, now level with the young girl,
"Not going to pull my hair this time, are you?" She smiles shyly and shakes her head, then she extends her arms to him and presents a messily wrapped gift. She unwraps it in front of him. A crushed but beautiful purple flower reveals itself.
"Aww, it's beautiful. Thank you." he gently accepts the pure hearted gift. Then she finely speaks.
"I saw it and it reminded me of your wind thingy, thank you for protecting me!" She plays with Jaco's hair, his face goes red, but he pats her head.
"You can call me Jaco. And I will cherish this gift, thank you."
"I'm Vaygra. Bye Jaco!" She returns to her new guardian who has been left with a 'verbal' warning by the wolf who witnessed it all, they seem to be in a good mood after watching Thee hit the dust like that.
Jaco now notices the eyes around him, looking at him as usual, but with a lot less hostility.
"Hey, m… morning Fang." Says a nervous baker from behind him. Jaco just smiles,
"Good morning."
"Great work Fang, keep it up!" and from there Jaco walks away, back home to rest, but with a smile on his face now that Nia is by his side again.
As he moves on, the fighters from the barracks approach him, praising him and raising a toast in his name. He awkwardly walks through, but he is grateful for their words because for a change it is not just venom and hate being rumoured around.
Dozens of them also applauded Nia, one of them even tried to convince her to join the army, but she dismisses them all swiftly and moves on with Jaco.
"You." the voice of Khan freezes Nia before they reach the stairs, Jaco subconsciously steps in front of Nia, but corrects himself and steps aside knowing the commander is not seeking him.
"You work on the deliveries and transport, correct?" he says, Nia actually meets with Khan at the same height, something he was not used to in his large boots.
"Uh yeah, for Thee's supply - oh fuck." she says, realising she just hit her boss.
"Ha, yeah. I would happily welcome you into my supply team instead, we could use a heavy lifter like yourself, and I would let you adjust your times to let you train with the Fang here." Khan nods toward Jaco, who stands in surprise of the commander's generosity.
"Oh, that'd be amazing sir!"
"Hm, good. I will deal with the details with the chieftain tonight for you, report to the war hall tomorrow. Nia, Fang." Khan bows his head and turns back to the barracks, freeing them from responsibility for a while.
They storm up the steps as the wind dies down and clouds part, letting rays of light rest on his home, inviting them back to the warm bed he had now taken for granted.
Walking through the fabric door, he drops his sword against the wall, and finally rips off his armour, the heat from the battle made him sweat like a burst pipe, his back stuck to his shirt and he didn't exactly smell great either. But nothing some powdered scented herbs could not help with that. Nia helps him remove the armour and the clothes that are still stuck.
"I'll grab you some clothes, hold on." Nia disappears into the door to his room, but comes back with food as well.
"I wanted to surprise you before you returned!" she then grins and slowly reveals the bowl of char-grilled fish with some peppers, it makes Jaco smile like a child and he cannot resist taking in the intoxicating smell.
Nia loves the way he gets lost in good food, the way his eyes light up from his usual pre-set sad or angry look. She also loves his smile, she rarely sees it, but it shows some gentle being behind the beast everyone sees. She is the only one who sees beyond it. Jaco just looks at Nia, walks up and grabs the clothes and a bowl.
"You are welcome, Jaco. I'm happy you came back to me." she unwraps Jaco's scarf from her waist. She holds it out to him.
"Thanks for the reinforcements. I had to come back remember? I made you a promise." She blushes but smiles through it all.
He puts down the bowl and gently picks up the scarf, not before wrapping his hand around Nia's. He looks up and sees she's still really red, even her hand burns up is as if it is on fire, or was that because she decked Thee?
He looks into her eyes, and she looks into his.
"Thank you. For sticking around. For saving me Nia.", he hugs her tight,
"You helped me too Jaco, thank you." His pulse bursts into a beat of joy, Nia can feel it in his chest.
Nia can feel a cry coming. But composes herself and begins to walk into his bedroom.
"Well then Jaco," she leans against the door way, "let's eat in bed." Jaco now goes red.
Nia laughs and pulls Jaco's hand into the room, alone together with a meal and a lot of things to say.