A beautiful day illuminates the shadows haunting Kura mountain, the midday sky pierces through Jaco's eyes and he wakes up extremely groggy and disorientated. He lifts his arm off Nia, slowly and gradually he rises against the wall behind him for support. Nia lays still as if dead, but her thunderous snore assures him she is still with him. He smiles and successful gets up without disturbing the paradise in her dreams.
Even though for months now they have slept in the same bed together, all they have done is sleep, cuddle and eat. Jaco would look forward to coming back home with some food he bought for her, then they would walk into the bedroom and have a peaceful nap in each other's arms. Rumours had occurred since she moved in, but they didn't give a care to them, it did not matter.
In just 3 months since the battle against the shark clan, the city is filled to the brim. In the last few years where newer districts and houses were mostly ignored by its people, it is now in high demand.
Jaco watched Haygon & Kaycon create plans for more streets and districts to be built in the west side of the city, and it has made incredible progress as more and more people migrate to the city. But it still isn't enough to accommodate them.
The drastic increase of soldiers and citizens looking for work has notably caused tensions in the clan, but nothing major has come of it. It meant Jaco was not out on duty as much. But it also meant he would serve with honourable, familiar faces as well as the newer, untrustworthy ones.
And it wasn't helped that the army's numbers were lead with one less commander still, Jaco to this day is surprised Quillen stepped down as a commander, and yet Kaycon has not been able to replace him with anyone suitable yet. He tries to piece together why as he steps out into the main room.
The sun peaks over the windows, but the shadows could not be darker within the Fang's lair. The corners threaten him, the smallest shade like daggers pointing at him in his own house. Jaco successfully sneaks into the main room, his sword still perched beside the door beckons him, but its calls are drowned out by Kaycon's dry coughs.
"Morning boy! Have a good sleep?" Kaycon bows at him but Jaco walks past him and attends to the left-over food from the night before, trying to stay calm and not amuse his uncle.
"What do you want?" Kaycon grins and walks toward Jaco's sword, just imagining the blood it has spilled fascinated him. Then his friend enters the building, they walk around the room, observing the limited furniture, the dusty armour and the stack of bowls & plates left in a corner, Messy, I see.
"The Raid will be soon," Jaco presumes Kaycon means the slavers.
"They're coming back soon?" Kaycon carefully rests the sword back on the bare wall, treating it with some form of respect.
"Soon. We know from their history at the dock and from pier workers that they come back 3 times a year."
"How did it get to this without us knowing this whole time?" Kaycon smirks and looks over too his new companion, the mysterious being steps forward toward Jaco. Face to face. Or in this case, face to scarf.
His face is clad in black cloth, completely concealing his identity, only his dull brown eyes are visible under it all. His is big and tall, clearly strong and gives off a menacing aura that even puts Jaco on edge. His black, scaly, greasy coat clings to him like skin, he carries no weapon but thsat did not ease him. He towers over Jaco, as if he is some giant from beyond this world. Fuck. This asshole looks like a cliché theatre baddie.
"They have a large and loyal force of warriors. When we observed the site, Khan scouted around the north and found similar sites where buildings once were, but there, the site is completely secured by a few orcs, but they are waiting, presumably for the next shipment of slaves from the sea and beyond." He backs away from Jaco slowly, his point made.
"Oh, my name is Thrak by the way, my apologies. And I'm your 'orc expert' so to say. Here, well met Fang." He extends his hand to Jaco. They shake hands, but the tension is bothering Jaco so much he pulls away quickly.
Thrak leaves as quick as he entered the house, Jaco's breathing soon returns to peace as Kaycon follows Thrak, but Kaycon stops and places a hand on Jaco's neck,
"It's better to take them all out in one go, then you can kill 'em all in one go Fang. We are counting on you." Kaycon leaves his hand on Jaco's neck for an uncomfortably long time, he shrugs it off respectfully and nods to the door. Kaycon again bows his head hastily and moves on, but not far enough for his disappointed tut to be heard.
Jaco's eyes meet his sword again. This time it isn't a beckoning, it is a demand.
His heart jumps around in his chest, feeling somewhat anxious of the battle to come and the way this sword is crawling around in his thoughts, the first time he has felt this way in a long time. He fears how he may react to a killing spree after not spilling any blood in weeks, like a recovered addict relapsing into a destructive imploding collapse.
Jaco falls into a chair and sits with his sword in his lap for what feels like years. He doesn't remember how the sword got into his hands, but it has always seemingly returned to his side, to him it is an eventuality. Like death.
The shadows seem to grow now, their presence pressuring him to make a swing at them like hostiles, to tempt him to give the blade what it wants again.
Blood starts to ooze off the blade, falling back to the ground, soon building up a healthy puddle where a fractured femur emerges from the pool. Jaco does not react however.
Although he is slightly disturbed as the shadows gather and form that dark being, he is not surprised about it all coming back to him again. He may not know why these nightmarish in moments have stayed with him from childhood, but he no longer feels the urge to know why anymore.
He can remember every detail this time, its leathery skin the perfect pitch black, its walk is slow but strong, as if each step is crushing an insect, or a throat. It bends over, face to face with its victim.
"Jaco?" a hand lands on his shoulder.
His eyes function as they should, he draws them back from the shadows and follows the arm up to an innocent, beautiful smile and vibrant friendly eyes of his beloved Nia. Jaco lets out a relieved sigh and drops his sword.
"Morning my love.", She presses a kiss on his forehead and moves his sword back to the door, Nia clumsily wobbles to the table with last night's left overs, but freezes on the spot.
"Did… you did not eat all the left overs already!?" Jaco smiles and lets out a hearty laugh, now snapped out of his hallucination,
"Should have woke up earlier, you know I like my eating!" Nia chucks a bowl at him playfully, it lands on Jaco's lap and she jumps onto his comfy couch across from the chair he sits on, getting ready to nap once more.
The time spent training, eating and bonding together has done nothing but strengthen their relationship. And it is not the only thing that has gotten stronger.
Nia has become a much healthier person. Jaco is always amazed by the dramatic change in her frame, her thighs, arms and shoulders have swelled as she makes up on all the missed meals with generous portions she has not taken for granted. Even her hair has grown to longer than Jaco's now, almost to her shoulders.
But Jaco was starting to sense the ugly hatred she held for her orcish side. He notices that she has been filing her own fangs, more like a Wrahians. He knew it must hurt to do that almost every week.
The worst part to him was that they never protruded past her lips like the stereotypical Orc drawings did, her teeth are like a canine's with longer fang teeth, but it isn't noticeable until she gets angry, so what exactly is she hiding?
Not that he believed the drawings were accurate, he knew of all people that stories and rumours did not accurately portray a person.
"Well, I hope you have some food for me later, I'm kind of hungry." she closes her eyes. Jaco throws the bowl in the usual corner, over his head and through the air, whistling as it travels. Crack.
Jaco jumps up and sees the pile now scattered, and even breaking a few of them, Jaco slowly turns toward Nia, who is looking guilty…
"I may have forgot to return them last night" Nia looks over to Jaco, embarrassed.
"Hmm, doesn't that sound familiar." This was the 3rd day in a row she forgot it was her turn.
They burst into laughter and Jaco wipes a tear from his eye,
"It's alright, I know your work tires you out ever since you've been given the heaviest supplies in Khan's crew now a days, so I don't mind handing them back while I go get some food." Nia's face flips to a blank stare.
"Oh Fuck" Nia whispers, Jaco stares back with an elevated eyebrow,
"Nia?" Nia sits up right, staring at Jaco,
"Ooooooh FUCK…" Nia springs to life and rushes to get clothes, stripping and running around frantically in front of the clueless Jaco. All the while Jaco cannot move, embarrassed and unable to look at her.
"Ugh…" His face is on fire, but his body is frozen. He panics, lifting his hand, his warrior instincts thrust his forearm up and raising his hand to his face.
"Oh come on Jaco, we sleep in the same bed."
"Yes. But it would be rude of me to assume I can look."
Nia just laughs it off and finds his gentleman-like answer cute. Or is he nervous about nudity? The man can take in entire armies without a drop of doubt but can't allow him self to see a buttcheek?
Now back in control, Jaco wanders into the kitchen, Nia just giggles to herself seeing him easily flustered by her lack of clothing, it relaxes her a bit after seeing him turn to mush just by being naked. The Fang. The strongest warrior of the clan, who kills countless foes and puts fear into the weak; can't handle a bare boob.
Nia enjoys discovering more and more of Jaco's innocent side as each day passed. She couldn't believe how nervous he got when she asked to be wrapped around his arms on a chilly night. He shook for ages before he relaxed and only after he asked over and over again if she was okay with it or if she felt comfortable.
It was better than having to watch him walk out for days and come back covered in blood, like the first week after he fought the sharks. Even then, the peace around them seemed to make him unstable. He would accidently, or she hoped was accidently, cut himself on something as he cooked or trained, and it would almost put him into a trance. A smile would fade into a scowl as he investigated those around them, but she could calm him in time.
What also worried her was his lack of training. Yes, they trained together, but it was mainly for her benefit rather than his. Nia noted that until today, he replaced the blood on his sword with dust. She also could not deny the unnerving feeling she had some nights where she woke up from a bad dream, and the sword leaned on the wall just enough to watch her and Jaco sleep. Like an envious creature that had been replaced.
She locates her final piece of work clothes stuffed behind the coach, must have slipped back here after I threw them over here yesterday. Now so she retreats inside right before another wolf invites themself in.
"Heyo!" Jarjo wanders in and joins Jaco next to his large jug of water. He leans back into his counter as Jaco dips a cup inside the jug and splashes his face.
"Hello Jarjo. Everything okay?" he starts to gargle the next cup.
"Yeah all good, but I am a bit worried about Hik." Jaco spits the water out the window.
"How so?" he grabs another cup.
"Well, we found out her boy's father has been hanging around a new crowd." Jaco offers a cup to Jarjo.
"One of these new gangs or something?"
"Pff." Jarjo smiles and gratefully takes the cup, "Gang is the right word. Bunch of leeches who clearly don't seem to like to live under the rule of a clan."
"That has always been something I have wondered; why the sudden interest in the city?"
"I heard it has something to do with the border being a lot more dangerous," Jarjo sips some water as Jaco downs his, "It is sometimes not even our guys who are fighting in our towns, we watched the Lions push back the Bear clan in one of our towns. Fuck, the borders are actually getting more blurry by the day."
"I hope the rest of the clan doesn't think to retreat all the way here."
"Ha, oh yeah then we will have a whole new issue to deal with as well as this war." Jarjo finishes the drink with satisfaction, "Thank you buddy."
"No need to thank me."
"Anyway, Hik went out last night after we caught wind of what he has been up too, and she has been missing ever since she started hunting for him, I lost her in the crowds. With her being huge, she can navigate through people better than I can. I just checked her home before I came here. Her boy is in but he hasn't seen his parents since yesterday. I'm guessing you have not seen her?" Jarjo says with little hope.
"No. I haven't. but I'll keep an eye out." Jaco says.
"Thank you. I'll jump to Thee's place and ask her, maybe she has a clue. Take care Jaco!" and with that Jarjo hastily makes his way out. Jaco is confident Hik will be fine. She is not someone to mess with when she is in a good mood, so pity the fool who gets in her way right now.
"Was that Jarjo? Why'd he go so soon?" Nia says as she returns fully clothed and ready for work.
"Yeah. He is looking for Hik. I am coming with you now." Jaco says as he grabs fresh shirt on the couch.
"Why?"
"I want to ask Khan if he has seen her at all."
"I haven't." Khan stands at the door with crossed arms.
"Ah shit, sir I am so so sorry, I didn't mean to sleep in so late I had -"
"It is a good thing you are late actually Nia, do not fret about it. Fang, I need your help with a problem. You'll be coming with us too Nia." Jaco shifts into the soldier and grabs his armour,
"Supplies we are moving are being targeted, by our own people." Jaco stops and looks at Khan, this was not what he was expecting to hear at all,
"Since the death of most of the vanguard, Haygon has tried to make another vanguard with the nest of the newer soldiers. But right now, they are blocking the gate and preventing us from moving the supplies for the coming battle. And it gets better. Somehow someone has incited them to join in on their little rebellion, and now it's a mess with both the new soldiers and our citizens." Jaco walks to the door and grabs his sword,
"So I will be there to scare them off huh? Put 'em back in line?" The Fang questions. Khan nods,
"If the warriors become a threat, I'll give permission to kill, but if it is a citizen, let me handle it. Some of them aren't our newer citizens, which makes this so much worse." The Fang wipes his blade with his scarf.
It lets out a pleasurable gasp as he wipes the dust off of it with the intent to fight once again. He flings the scarf around his shoulders once again and steps outside, Khan takes a moment to breathe, the deep wrinkles on his fore head displaying the stress the situation is putting on the clan.
"This is going to be a long fucking day."
They all leave together. Khan only begins to speak again as they approach the barracks and as they brush past dozens of fearful people retreating home.
"And just so you know Fang, I am not picking you because of your past with our people, it is because of that radiant power you have. It could be good for crowd control."
Ah shit. Khan's reasoning wouldn't work, as Jaco has not been able to access his radiant energy ever since that fateful day. No matter how he focussed his mind on the sword, the wind, his breath or the grip of his sword he could not muster up that energy.
"We didn't tell anyone outside of the commanders that we were moving supplies today, which makes these numbers that much more confusing." They turn the corner past the last set of houses toward the barracks where the crowd explodes in numbers, everyone, from the unwilling to the excited, are caught in the riot somehow.
"So that meant the army is to move out today right?"
"Yeah, we'd hit 'em hard as the sun rose before they awoke and as the night watch would be tired and bored. We'd be back home by sun fall tomorrow. But this fucks that plan completely, everything is out of place now. Only our new vanguard is actually causing the trouble, the other teams and squads are their best to push through them all. But they just won't let up."
They walk into the barracks together; Nia sticks close to Jaco's back as he follows Khan into a kiln with embers that are ready to ignite at the first chance.
The sun beats down on them from behind the mountain, the sweat dripping off everyone's forehead and blinding any who dare to challenge it by looking in its direction. Down below within the chaos, the cart of supplies is picked and plucked at by the sly vultures, a small circle of warriors push back the thieves, desperate to survive against overwhelming numbers, and finally the outer circle that guards the gate looks on with pride at the riot they have concocted.
Nia stays close to Jaco, not for safety, but to hopefully keep him calm in this fragile situation. With the way the people of this city treated him, she understands he might find it easy to let go and hurt them. But Jaco is silent throughout the walk, the memories of being pushed around and outcast for years rupture any thought he tries to have.
Right now is his chance to have vengeance if he wished, after all, it is his duty to protect that cart, not those opposing the will of the wolf clan.
His bloodlust rises but he holds back, biting his tongue, using pain to concentrate on the moment and not let his mind drift to his murderous fantasies. I cannot use this as an excuse. I can't.
The crowd can sense the killer intent. Khan lets The Fang take the lead, a path gradually opens up a way through the desperate rebels, his sword is leaning on his shoulder primed to swing.
Khan and Nia follow close, there objective is to get the cart out of the city to the battlefield as soon as possible. The Fang stands face to face with his ring of 'allies'. They depart cautiously, shifting aside as a unit to allow them through before anyone else tries their luck.
"Where's their leader?" the Khan demands, few can barely spare a breath to answer him as the crowd acts up slightly, C'ray steps forward from the cart.
"By the gate, the fucker who started this is the one with red dyed hair, carries a longsword. Can't miss him, his fighting style is like his dick, big, but disappointing." The men around her ease up a bit and laugh but are put to shock when they hear the Fang laugh too. C'ray stares down the fang,
"Hmm. Didn't know you could laugh, thought pissed off was your only setting?", the Fang ignores the comment. Khan steps past C'ray and looks to the Fang.
"You know what to do. The people will move for you, I just need you to figure out why they are doing this, then we might be able to move on."
"Don't worry, I will deal with the ones at the gate.", Jaco looks to C'ray "Just hold out a bit longer until I deal with them."
C'ray continues to stare as the Fang moves in, what has that girl done to him? He sounds like he is in charge!
She slips a look to the rear of the ring, seeing Quillen not even attempting to calm his people and just bashes his shield on the faces of those who get anywhere near him. Mind you, Quillen acts more like the Fang now a days. What has gotten into them?
The Fang nears the gate, his very presence hit the flight response inside those in his way, they crawl back slowly as they watch his every move. He is close enough to make out the pommel of a longsword poking above the rebelling heads. Suddenly, the crowd splits open for him completely, there the red headed rioter himself stands smug. Jaco slowly walks up as he reads his surroundings.
All of the so-called leaders of this rebellion are open and confident, as if they have won. Jaco swings his sword down to the ground, making the rebels flinch and step back, they still fear the fang yet. Not so confident as you look then.
"So, Red head, what the fuck are you playing at?" the leader steps forth, anger clear in his wild light grey eyes, accusing the Fang with his stare alone.
"We've. Had. Enough!" The Fang tilts his head, confused. Red head starts to walk a circle around him,
"We are going to use up our own people and warriors to fight a merciless army of orcs?" He leans forward into him, now nose to nose with the Fang,
"and all this risk, no, the possible extinction of our clan, for some fucking slaves? and for that half breed leech!"
Jaco cranes his head back and propels a head butt forward. The red head lands on his back with a broken nose and hurt pride, but he doesn't even scream. He gets up, arrogance staining his grin.
"Now here is where is I warn you. These people need only a spark and BOOM! The clan will be in a civil war that no one will win, and it will start over there." He points his bloody sausage finger to the cart. "We all know your daddy has medical stuff, food, fresh water, and also some damn BOOSTIUM in there!"
Boosthium, a natural rare drug found in the swamps of Wrah, it can be used for an adrenaline boost or muscle recovery, but if abused it can create an increase of strength and muscle mass, but the veins cannot take much of it before they burst. Sadly in Wrah however, it is used only to abuse its power.
The Fang is on edge, only the commanders know what is in the cart, And if it is true, why boosthium? We have never used that in our battles before?
Red head continues,
"and to top it all off, I KNOW there is some chains and shackles hidden at the bottom of it all. Looks like we are starting a new business, huh Fang?" The Fang keeps biting his tongue, nearly bleeding now, the pain is pulsing right at its tip, but it doesn't stop his mind racing with questions, what in the fuck is going in?!
"So", he continues, "if you kill me, or ANY of us, SHE will get caught in this shit show." NIA?!
Red head places his hand on the Fang's hair, petting him like some pet.
"Now." He punches the Fang's side, directly into his kidney. He collapses on his knees but his pain is numbed out by his overwhelming emotions, and the past hitting him with an even greater pain. Looking up at the faces of these rebels, he can tell each and everyone of the 7 around him are not new soldiers.
"Time to make you pay for killing my brother, her father, and their sons! NO MORE ESCAPES FROM YOUR DAD!"
Jaco looks over at Nia, sad to see he won't see her again after this. Red head raises his sword up high, ready to execute. The rest lean in with anticipation.
Jaco's sword bursts through Red heads chest.
Without knowing it himself, Jaco had launched up and somehow impaled the Red head. He cannot describe how he flashed forward in a blink of the eye.
One moment he was happy to let things go as they would have, the next his instincts took over, his survival instinct refusing this to let this happen.
Blood splatters across the Fang's lips and neck as he pulls his sword out awkwardly and the blood spurts out. Red head slowly sways left, then right, then left again with a hole in his chest, he falls forward with a loud thud.
Boom.
The crowd erupts, their martyr the spark they needed to let loose. Soon blood and bodies fly, the chaos and what little order remains in the middle of it all are engulfed in this battlefield at home, the wolves in the centre batter and beat their shields against the revitalised horde of hate surrounding them as all of a sudden even more of these rioters spawn from the shadows and join in, with Nia right in the centre of it all.
The Fang rises, sword in hand and mission in mind. I need to get her out of this shit!
He sprints straight into the mess of bodies ripping each other apart as the other leaders ignore him and run to the cart too.
Everybody is climbing over broken bodies of the dead and the unlucky ones who got trampled to death, he witnesses vicious and merciless injuries at every step. Gouged eyes, ripped up necks, bite marks on their faces. The Fang bumps into what feels like countless bodies. This isn't like any other battle we have out there, what the fuck is this?!
He's tackled. He falls with his attacker, but they fall onto his blade and the Fang rips the sword back out in a second and stands back up, another body crashes into him, however he smoothly pushes them aside and tries to run again. His hair is grabbed and is pulled to a large pit of doom.
Faces spin around him. shouts and screams deafen him. Then limbs, fists and curses stab into him, he is flung around this hive-mind beast. Each movement he makes is either met with a strike or a body falling over him, it only continues to push him further inside like the waves of a rapid river forcing him further down into this mess.
Any second he will be torn apart. Blades are introduced to the mix and blood sprays everywhere. Then Jaco falls to his knees, in the short break he has, he licks the blood of his lips. The Red head's blood. The one who tackled him too. Maybe even the injured insane rioters around him too. They plaster his body in crimson. The blood like a reminder of his previous sins against the people.
A voice inside shouts over all of this, "GET OUT!"
The Fang licks again.
And this time, he finds he enjoys the taste.
moments earlier
Nia stands on the top of the cart, looking over the chaos infecting her home, the rebels just keep pushing against their protectors. Stones, fists and even whole bodies are being flung at the shields over and over and over again. Khan's orders are silenced by the barks of rebellion, and Jaco is nowhere to be seen. I could just wait for them to calm down, or hope someone will get me out of here agai-
Nia bites down on her knuckle. She twists her hand to further increase the pain. Her four protruding, jagged teeth containing her anger. She hastily removes her jumper, revealing her dark blue military vest then she concentrates and breathes deeply. In time strength within her blood rises. She takes a final deep breath and stands tall looking below. SHUT UP, ME!
Jaco will be fine. He's a warrior, and so am I, I didn't train like hell for nothing. I REFUSE TO BE SAVED LIKE THE HELPLESS GIRL I WAS.
She jumps down to where the shield barricade has just been breached. 3 rioters vault over, ready to kill. Nia stomps her foot into the side of first one's knee, breaking it. She silences his screams by swinging her other leg to land her own knee into his teeth. Throwing him away, she dodges the first punch from the next rioter, then the next and finally, she catches the last he'll ever throw for a while. A jab to the ribs and tug of that hand lands him on Nia's knee, their nose going splat all over her shorts.
The last rioter then strikes. She dodges left, then with her strength uses that last defeated rioter to sweep her enemy. With a final stomp to the temple, the breach is solved. Nia looks at her bloody hands and knees, shaking as she realises what she has done. Ok. My first kill, it gets easier after the first, he said.
The adrenaline is in full effect. Breathing deeply, she approaches Khan, all the while the surrounding warriors are in awe at the flawless combo she just performed.
Khan chops the fallen rioters leg off, his hatchet chopping flawlessly as usual. He turns to Nia as he tosses the dismembered enemy back but he is not fazed by her transformation, he can see that orcish temper burning in her eyes. Khan smiles, That's the spirit kid!
He then points to the shield wall and starts to speak,
"Well, this is a complete mess, this shouldn't have happened!" Nia picks up a shield and helps with the improvised shield wall, still listening,
"You know what's inside the cart?! I can hear these bastards, Boosthium? Chains? And they are right! I checked before they went nuts, I didn't even know, and I was the one observing the fucking cart most of the time." Khan throws another hatchet over the shields, now blind anger consuming him as he is unable to think straight and regroup.
Nia's shield becomes another ramp for the riot, 2 bodies climb over and start punching wildly. Nia pushes back with a scream and amazingly holds against the rioters who can see the weak point, smelling blood.
Khan screams and sparks his hatchet as he takes on the two unlucky rioters. He spins and extends his arms, making them back up but Khan grazes one of their arms with the flaming weapon.
He panics under the flames as Khan turns to the other one, anger now guides his attacks. He chops into him, partly chopping his arm off, only hanging by the flesh. Khan gets pushed down though, the flaming rioter pounces on him, digging his nails under his helmet. Khan's jaw starts to get clawed up, his flaked skin only makes him angrier.
He bites, tasting blood as he chomps through to the bone beyond the flesh. Then using his opening, he pushes him off and then pounces on him. He takes pleasure in pressing the back of his flaming weapon onto their forehead.
"FUCKING CUNTS!" Quillen shouts. Khan and Nia turn and seem him actually stabbing for the people who have their hands digging into a poor wolf soldiers' skin, ripping into his flesh and eventually pulling him into the flood of furious faces beyond the shield, Quillen's hate filled attacks does not faze them either. Khan finishes his opponent with a neck stomp with his knee, then he stands up with blood all over his mouth.
Khan looks down at the victims within the ring, and watches as one of Nia's beaten opponents scream as his back rumbles, a boiling effect occurs around his shoulders, like his blood is fighting out of its hosts body. Ah shit. Boosthium overdose. Fuck this. No more wolves die today.
Nia looks over the shield once the riot moves to another part of the make shift barricade, the sea of insanity never ends, but something lurks under it all, even worse than them…
"WOLVES! Take them out! It is not worth keeping this scum alive!"
"Sir", a fearful soldier screams, "we have to retreat, they're not even caring about the people trying to get out of thi-"
"ARRRRRRRRRRGH!"
Everyone looks over toward the gate. A chilling wind wraps everyone in its whirlwind, at the centre of this tempest, stands an angry monster with radiant energy flowing all over it.
The Fang wants blood.
One swing and the rioters are blown away from the gate, he sprints toward the cart over the unconscious rioters. The remaining conscious one's charge at him without any weapons or a leader, adrenaline clouding their own judgement now.
The first is cut right down the middle, splitting everything in the swords path. He barges past the opening of the cleaved open body and grabs the next victim. Throwing himself into the next group, he impales 3 rioters then flings them off to the left and spins with the swing. The maneuverer cuts the next approaching rioter's head off like butter and rolls away.
The Fang then runs and slides under the next one, slicing his foot off and then drives his sword down their back. He doesn't care that the rest whimper and cower now, he cannot stop himself now.
He chops his sword into the closest rioter's chest, down to the guts and he slams down on the back of the sword with his fist to push it fully through their body. His blade sticks into the ground but he vaults over his sword and yanks it out as he swings it over his head and it lands into someone's leg, he rips it out upward and it erupts into the sky like crimson clouds. The rioter falls over with his leg dangling like the bait of a fishing rod as the Fang moves on.
The few rioters left standing in his wake, praying for sanctuary behind the shields, now sober up from the mob mind. The Fang licks his fingers clean as his sword is driven into the last victims' chest.
He drops his hand back to the handle, now he won't lose his grip. He sees the terrified warriors hide behind their shields. With wide eyes and a wide smile, he has his next prey in mind.
He lifts his sword and walks forward, then he explodes into a sprint.
He jumps right over the barricade, inside with the once safe surrendering rioters and terrified wolves. By now the rest of the riot has scattered to the mountain, in fear they would pique the interest of the Fang's bloodlust.
He does not say a word as he licks his lips and teeth that are glossed over with blood. His eyes analyse each and every person in his reach, who would be first to strike at him?
"Jaco." He whips his neck around, following the broad shoulders and jagged teeth, he finds the familiar haven of orange and yellow, her eyes conflict his desires. Jaco, the Fang or whoever is in there now battle for control. Nia shuffles over with a hand out, hoping to ease him.
"Now's our chance to leave!" Quillen shouts as the rest of the smaller carts approach the opening gate, the streets are finally clear. They survived this battle.
Khan finally clears his head as the barricade melts into the carts, now making a moving barricade as they hang off the sides of the cart ready for another run of rioters or whatever comes their way. The disorientated Jaco is guided up the steps into the cramped cart by Nia.
Khan runs up to the front, readying to mount his horse named Blaze, kitted in a red trimmed saddle and furious eyes, only the strategist can calm the beast, replacing its sinister stare with a loving gaze only for its master.
They move out, but not before Quillen looks at his brother, not with sympathy or fear in his eyes.
Nia places her hand on his sword, the Fang jumps and yells as if in pain. Jaco looks at Nia, and like a child lost to the cruel world, tears up and he hugs her, not wanting to let go.
"I'm so sorry. I disappointed you. Again." she pulls him closer, trying to hold back her tears too. I'm just happy you're safe.
She grabs her jumper and cleans whatever blood she can off of him. Jaco just silently stares helplessly at his lap.
The cart wobbles and weaves through the gate and the forest beyond, their battle has only just begun. The carts hold 2 uncomfortable benches for the exhausted warriors, some licking wounds and trying to stay calm. One of them breaks down into his ally's arms, mourning over his brutally murdered friend he could not save.
Kaycon and Thrak watch on from atop the city's walls, having seen all of the mess the Fang made.
"So, I say it is time to go help 'em out?" Kaycon asks with a raspy, satisfied voice.
Thrak pushes himself off the walls aged railings, watching the cart run away from the problem.
Kaycon turns to the city, watching the pockets of rebellions start all over again in the streets and alleys now.
"How long did it take to get around to every one of Thee's soldiers? And how the fuck did you convince them all to follow through?!" Thrak reveals a toothy grin fighting through cloth, impressed by this almost impossible plan.
"Oh, a bottle of rum here, some favours there. It is all in how you word things my partner."
"Haha, well I will be off then, I need to meet with my date soon…" and in seconds he disappears down to the stables, leaving Kaycon, but not alone.
"Finally. It has been a long wait indeed. Soldiers!" Kaycon clicks his fingers and his wolves around him gather around their commander "Let us settle this rebellion right now. Our people need us."and follow him into the chaotic streets below…
The ride to the agreed camping spot is silent, only the consistent bump of the wagon indicates time is actually passing in the dead air. The warriors recover but tension is high, they question about the state of their home, if their friends and families are safe, and what is currently going on under mount Kura's mountain.
Jaco and Nia sit at the back still, alone as the rain batters down on the carts sturdy roof. Jaco leans his head onto Nia's shoulder, taking in comfort he believes he does not deserve. His eyes try stabbing through the dense grey clouds for some light. The sky reminds him of his scarf, still the only little hint to his past that never gives him the answer he needs. What am I?
Conflicted with his inner demon, he swings his head out of the protection of the cart and lets the rain wash over him, even getting a bit in his mouth to try and wash away the taste blood.
"Is there no other way?" Jaco pulls his head back in as Nia speaks,
"Why can't we just run away, move from Wrah, start our own life away from this terrible place?" Jaco sits up with an answer, he once asked this question himself,
"Don't you think I want that too? I've thought about when we started to live together, but I can't. Not because I can't commit myself to you, I love you dearly but I am only made to fight and kill, it's all I am good for. My basic instinct is to outlive anyone around me, and I can't help it. I wouldn't fit anywhere outside of Wrah."
"You can Jaco, just look at me, I changed for the better thanks to you."
"Fighting and death. They are the only things I know that are real sometimes. I never feel so alive or see life so clearly in battle, but when I lose control…" he drops his head shamefully.
Nia slowly leans over to him and wraps her hand over Jaco's. He looks back at her, closes his eyes and then their foreheads meet affectionately over the grim weight around them,
"Jaco. I only knew of pain and misery till I met you, you brought me back from the mindset that I was finished with my life. I won't let you go down that path and lose you forever. If you lose your way, I promise I will bring you back home. You are more than the Fang." She kisses him and slowly pulls away and smiles gently,
"and, I love you too, Jaco." Jaco smiles, but his heart sinks. What if I cannot come back from this…
He unwraps his scarf, and places it between their hands. "Even if I am lost, I know you will bring me back to myself, to you." He lets go of her hand. But leaves the scarf with her as he moves to the back and takes his seat under the rain,
"Keep it. So you know no matter who or what I have to beat to find you, nothing will stop me." Nia holds the scarf to her chest as he grows quiet. She ties it on her waist, and joins him.
The carts arrive at the forest, the camp is built with haste to make up for lost time, tents are erected and soon fires are prepared for the approaching battle.
Jaco sits near the edge of the forest across from the slavers, watching the wind attack the leaves and the rain bombing the bark of the trees around him. Khan feels the gloomy mood amongst his men, clearly sullen by the events in their home.
"New plan" announces Khan, "We'll hit 'em as night falls. They'll most likely be drinking and playing whatever games they play, and hopefully to make our job easier. We can do this, we have a job to do and Haygon will have order when we return, the other commanders will put those disloyal dogs in line!" Khan's warriors cheer, confident in their chieftain and the wolves who defend their home.
Nia pushes herself and her work mates to keep moving and help Khan with the supplies, separating the rations and sheltering from the drugs and shackles. She learned that originally the carts were meant to be here last night, but delays and double checks from Thee's soldiers by order of one of the commanders were carried out delaying until this afternoon, and then it got caught up in that.
Nia feels a looming dread as she throws the chains aside, a reminder of her past that is still a fresh scar for her, just taunting her with her origins, the scars still not healed from the past. She rubs her wrists as she stands behind Khan,
"What the fuck are these for?" Khan investigates the chains further, hoping what he is thinking is wrong,
"Haygon would NEVER try to exploit his people, I understand the drugs could help even the odds against the Orcs, but none of us are insane to even try it! And these chains…"
"These are the same chains I had you know. The same thick black locks I had almost all my life." She stares at the chains, eyes dead as she digs her nails into her wrist again,
"These were the same ones I had when I escaped." Khan instructs the group of labourers behind them to rid of the chains and shackles into the woods, in respect for Nia.
"Hey kid, check on the Fang for me, would you? He doesn't seem to be doing too well since that riot…" As he instructs the rest of the labourers to discard the un-needed drugs, Nia walks off toward Jaco.
Even though he displayed a fearsome side he resents, the wolves around him still try to communicate with him when they arrived, saying hello and checking he was alright, but everyone is on edge, it was as if the monster that slaughtered there people long ago suddenly made a surprise return after being hidden for so long, reminding them all what is within Jaco.
She approaches him from behind, in his own world he the sun beats on his bare back. She watches how Jaco weakly scrubs the red tinged shirt, his mind more focussed on something else in the water.
Nia watches the sun hit Jaco's back. And it highlights scars on the top of his back across his shoulders.
It is something she has seen too many times in her life, several faded lashes and gouges trying to hide on the skin of his back. As Jaco scrubs away his breaths make the scars rise and sink back into his skin likes the waves in that river before him, only the feint shadows any proof the scars were there at all. I've only seen his bare back in the dark and inside buildings. They can't be war wounds. They are all in one place, like its calculated, precise. Like it was made to hurt rather than kill.
"Are you ok?" he asks.
"What do you mean Jaco?" Nia asks as her thoughts are interrupted.
"Those chains…" he slips his damp shirt on, "they are the same ones you had. A painful sight for you." He stands and walks up to Nia, the light from the sun makes Jaco's brown eyes glow, instead of the look of a dead man or a bloodthirsty beast, it is the long-buried eyes of a damaged child.
"Yeah it, well it was awkward I'll admit. But Khan got rid of them, and thanks to you, I'll never feel them on my wrists ever again." They hug each other, both of them taking any comfort they can find.
"Nia, it's going to be ok. You'll never be anyone's slave ever again."
"Come on Jaco, lets rest before tonight's attack. You need to eat." They make their way back to the camp.
Quillen stands at the centre of the tents, he's surrounded by soldiers and tables stocked with weapons for sharpening. He can feel Jaco's presence as he walks past him.
"Fang, come here."
Jaco complies, however Quillen doesn't turn. Jaco gladly goes to his brother, hoping to finally catch up after he stood down from command.
Quillen punches Jaco.
And the hit is calculated and precise, intended to really make it hurt as much as he can. Jaco staggers back in shock, but Quillen does not stop. He punches his gut, his nose and then he starts to pummel him further when he falls.
Soon chaos erupts again within the ranks and it's a scramble to separate the once friendly brothers. Quillen screams as he continues his assault, Jaco does not try to defend himself though. He leaves his hands on the grass.
Quillen stands and backs off,
"Why won't you block?" Jaco rises to his knees, but doesn't stand, instead he kneels and bows his head in shame, refusing to fight.
Quillen's anger hits breaking point.
"What? Now you're a pacifist?! What's the matter, you were fighting just FINE hours ago, happily killing our people like cattle, SLAUGHTERING them like they were the scum we fight out here in Wrah! I'm SICK OF YOU! Just killing, eating, then killing, and eating then BACK to killing!", he grabs Jaco's shoulders and screams in his face,
"Why can't you be normal!? Why do you have to kill EVERYTHING you see, ruin everything you touch. Chaos just follows you like a shadow, ever since you came to the clan over a decade ago all you've done is bring us misery!" he throws him back and pounces on him, but this time Jaco is defended by his fellow wolves. And a very pissed off Nia.
Jaco looks into Quillen's now faded bluey grey, hateful eyes as he tries to attack him. He is pulled away and thrown back by Nia as Jaco is helped back up by his comrades.
"YOU'RE ON THAT MONSTERS SIDE!" he screams, then looks straight at Jaco once more. Nia does not advance, although she is ready to put Quillen down if he takes another step.
"C'mon sir," a wolf pleads, "He's one of us!"
"Yeah!" intercepts his friend, "He's changed, and he helped us get here!" Quillen storms toward his allies, sword in hand. Nia lunges forward.
But Jaco squeezes between his allies and pulls Nia back. Quillen raises his sword, but then sheathes it, his eyes show doubt, or possibly conflict in this moment.
"Jaco… Do you remember that night the Crow massacred our people? It was only interested in YOU, it killed our people to pass the time, even tortured those 2 innocent people the that room where you fought. They died because you live, you survive! It is all YOUR Fault!"
"Quillen, please…"
"No. Your first massacre at home was when we were 14. We were kids! I've had to watch friends DIE in my arms because of you and your fucking bloodlust! But as usual, you were protected by our fath- no, MY father. You aren't even my brother, you're a monster that I got stuck with." He turns away from everyone, walking to the river,
"After tomorrow, you are dead to me. And I'll show everyone what you really are, FANG!" He storms off by himself, leaving his friends, and family, behind.
The wolves morale hits rock bottom. Both their strongest fighters' warriors fighting and in a terrible emotional state, not wanting to watch what is to come after the battle.
Nia rushes to Jaco's side, but has to make do with following him, he completely shuts down and does not respond to anyone.
She follows him under a tree, standing motionless. He stares into his blade and it stares back at him with bloody red eyes. Nia walks over like a ghost, hovering over him.
He does nothing for a while. And Nia just stands by him. With closed eyes, Jaco turns around and flicks his blade through the air,
"Let's grab some food Nia, I need a full stomach for this battle." His eyes open, dutiful and driven. The Fang walks and Nia follows him, returning to the camp.
Quillen eventually returns as the rest of the wolves eat. Khan looks over at him with livid eyes, but he does not chase the problem, not right now anyway, as Khan, the Fang and Quillen know they have a job to do soon
Now fed and ready for the coming battle. Fang thanks the hard-working labourers for his meal and starts his stretches as the clouds gather and bring with it the rumbling fury of the sky. He stabs his blade into the ground then jumps up and down, on one leg then the other, he swings his arms up and down, then crosses his arm over, then the other.
In a flash he grabs his sword and begins fighting the rain. The water slides off the blade, flicking it back into the air as he strikes, then with a final cleaving strike, he slices downward and cuts into the soaked earth.
Breathe. Focus. I have to have control.
He looks around and his warm up may have infected his allies, they spar, wrestle and swing at the rain, some even splashing at each other like children.
Fang smiles to himself, and marches over to his allies. The Army is ready, armour fitted, weapons sharpened, and everyone fired up, the army marches out of the forest as the rain halts for now and the sun dips behind the cliff.
Jaco stands at the lead of the charging forces, he walks up with resolve in his heart. I will not lose myself this time. I can't.
The wolves follow the Fang as they approach the gate under the cover of the night, the sun still present past the cliff in the distance. They are covered from behind with Quillen and his next wave of wolves waiting.
Nia sits at the carts, ready to help the freed prisoners and injured warriors. I wonder if any of my people will remember me.
And with the sound of a thunderous war cry from the wolves, the true battle begins.