Too much went on in Mara’s mind as she sat on Grunt-Heart’s back. They rushed through the pines while the rain poured down harder and harder. The shaman in her tried to see it as an omen, a sign that the sky was watching, but the girl, the aunt, the sister only feared the battle ahead. No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t see a good way for this to end. She couldn’t see her brother die, no matter how loyal he was to the Khan she despised so much. She couldn’t see Kazok and Rika die, for even though it was only a week, she knew they were good people and their best hope of preventing a war that could end all clans. And more than anything she couldn’t bear anything that would happen to Kara, yet no matter what would happen that night, she knew the little darkling would carry it with her. Maybe this would be the night that would end her short life as a goblin, and make her a bitter adult, maybe she would see either her aunt or her father die, or maybe she~ Mara couldn’t bare to end that thought and she told herself that it was the least possible, for no matter how different Bruna’s and her opinion were about the Khan and his war, they both feared for Kara, and they both wanted to be there for her. Maybe it actually was arrogance that she had taken her along, maybe she could have trusted Seer Cra’Gal to watch over her, to protect her from Aru’gal, but maybes wouldn’t decide the end of this night. Action, would.
Here in the land of the enemy, where there was no victory.
Kazok grunted angrily and with a wild amber glow in his eyes. Both his voice and his grunt sounded far more like an actual boar than an orc now “I’ll bring you close..” Another snort cut him off and it seemed like he really struggled to speak “Rika..and me…the..hunters..”. That was all he could say before he screeched and ran faster. He seemed in pain, as if his entire body struggled to maintain a hint of the orc that even after just a week, Mara knew. The Grunt-Heart.
Rika and Kara were riding only a few steps before them now while Blood-Beak and his hunters couldn’t be far either. A cold side inside Mara thought what it would even matter if the hunters fought her brother. He would kill them, she knew that. Every Frostsong knew that. Their father might have been called the mountain, but Bruna was the beast. A name he had carried longer than his own and a name Mara hated. For she knew he was more, could be more, but instead decided to lean into the beast. To be nothing more than a big barking hound for Aru’Gal. Ready to kill on his master's command.
A thought that was cut short by fire not far from them, right before the Oak. The hunters' voices arose in the pines but were drowned by the echoing roar of a young wyvern and her rider. Her eyes widened not merely at the prospect of a battle starting without them, of them failing to avoid it, but because she knew it wasn’t him. Even though she only saw silhouettes before the fire, she could see that the rider there was far more careful than her brother would ever be. Even with the prospect of his daughter around.
Kazok stopped and threw her off, far more harshly than he had meant to as she landed in the mud. Slowly and with pain he stood up to be on two legs again. Far taller than usual and with bestial anger in his eyes. “Axe!” he grunted at Rika, who had stopped Branak just after the flames before them appeared. She threw it back over to him and he caught it with but one hand, despite its size.
He turned to see Mara and was about to aid her up when Rika looked back at the two “Wyvern!!” she yelled just before an old big wyvern with dark red scales landed right behind them. Everyone of their group turned to face it, ready for the old winged beast, yet Mara looked up further and saw eyes she feared far more than the Wyverns. Full of anger and fury, full of desperation yet ready to kill. It had been so long since she and her brother had seen each other, and neither of them wanted to meet in battle. They stared into each others eyes in an eternity that was a second before Kara’s voice echoed through the rain “Don’t hurt her!” She screamed and rushed from Branaks back and towards the Wyvern. Mara turned and tried to stop her. She caught her hand and held her close. “We will talk to him…” Mara whispered but couldn’t do anything more before Bruna’s Wyvern rushed through the pines and just next to them. Kazok was screaming with bestial vigor and about to swing his axe at the wyvern, yet had to jump to the side as she breathed fire in his direction. Now surrounded by fire, the mountain’s family was together again. Both of his girls were staring up to him in fear before the old wyvern let out another roaring battle cry.
“We are going home, little one!” Bruna screamed and leaned down to take her other hand. Yet Mara held her close, while scarred little Kara was unable to move. Her body was in shock of the flames around them, her mind in shambles for she didn’t know who to follow. Both were like parents to her and both were the only orcs she truly loved. The last family they all had.
As Bruna saw his daughter unsure his anger at Mara grew. She had cursed her mind to be like this, she was the one who brought her down here into danger and she was the reason their family had been exiled. “YOU won’t bring her any more scars!!” he screamed before his Wyvern used one of its feet to kick her away from Kara and close to the flames. She landed with her face in the mud of the forest while her back felt the heat of the flames, as rain still poured down on her. But neither fire nor rain were of the young shamans' concern as she heard her niece cry. First in fear and shock, but after Mara moved her head up, only in sadness. Mud was carried by the metal chains that adorned Mara’s face and some even ran down one of her tusks. Slowly her gaze went up further and to Bruna “Do you really think he will just let her live in peace?..” she muttered while Kazok and Rika could be heard on the other side of the flames. “He is a monster…you just don’t know how much his plan will cost us..”
“He is my brother!” His words hurted her more than his axe ever could. “You brought her down here to the monsters and after she is saved you will pay!” “no..” Kara pleaded her arms around her father looking up. For a second his eyes softened as he saw his daughter's tears. He didn’t say anything more and just set his Wyvern off to the sky again. “No..” mara now pleaded, to no one but the rain and the fire. She still looked after the Shadow that was the Wyvern as it was shot with an Arrow from the fight below the oak. Finally she stood up, her knees and pelt full of mud and her eyes full of shock. A spear now hit the Wyvern just below her Wing and she had to stop and claw at the side of the oak.
Before Mara could even attempt another thought Rika’s voice echoed behind her “It will fall!”. She had ridden Branak around the fire to now get her on his back. “Kara is there!” Mara replied as she hopped on the wolves back behind Rika. The huntress grunted and looked around the silhouetted battlefield before them.
Hunters were jumping around, trying their best to avoid Ur’Gak and his young wyvern. One of them breathing fire, the other swinging his mighty warhammer down at them. It was hard to find a safe way through it, but there was no time and so she roared, making Branak run and jump through the flames and the battle until they were just before the Oak. On their way she readied a tomahawk with a rope on it. Once they reached the oak the threw it up, where it connected with a big branch. She stood up and started to climb. Behind her Mara looked up again where yet another spear reached the Wyvern, it was close to falling and she could hear Kara cry in the distance.
While the huntress and the shaman started to climb the Oak Kazok was occupied in aiding the hunters in their battle. They may had tried to end the night without bloodshed, but now that it has started, it was his duty as both druid and keeper of the oak, to see that none of their tribesmen would die here, in their land, where no darkling should ever find victory.
The rope was drenching from the rain, yet behind the two orcs climbing the tree the fire of battle heated their back. Their muscles burned as much as the fire while they tried to reach the Wyvern and save Kara.
Up at the tree the old Wyvern seemed to struggle more and more. “I’m sorry..” Bruna said to her and jumped off with his daughter in his arms. They landed at the oaks crown. It was a big and round place from where the last four big branches reached upwards. Yet it was almost even and big enough that someone could build their home on it. Down in front of them the fire of battle light up the rainy night and Bruna kneeled down to gaze at the Wyverns eyes again. “Take your vengeance…” he said making Kara glance up in fear. She didn’t speak a word before he pressed his fist against his chest “Kag’Magosh” he said before the Wyvern roared and turned to glide down into battle.
“No!” Kara screamed after “Don’t kill them!” Bruna’s heart stung at his daughter's plea. He could do nothing more than take her into his arms “I am sorry little one…” he started and despite everything, despite the fear and worry she had for her aunt and their greenskinned allies, she answered his embrace with her own. Only until he spoke further and much darker “But your aunt has chosen her fate…” she stepped out of their embrace and stared into his eyes. It was a mixture of pleading and anger.
“I won’t let you…” she stated. There was a fury in her voice that would have made every orcish father proud.
Bruna had to gather his words until he spoke with a calm voice. His hands on her shoulders his eyes locked with hers “One day…” he started before both Wyverns down at the tree roared in unison. Kara was about to look down but he carefully brought her face and eyes back to his. “One day, you will fight me over it. You will take your anger, your fury, your hatred and turn it into vengeance. And trust me when I say..” he teared up a little himself “Once that day comes, I will be the proudest orc to ever lose a fight..”.
“But I don’t want to fight you..” her words were accompanied by Wyvern fire that crawled up to the sky once more. She wanted to say more but choked on her own words. Slowly she closed her eyes and shook her head before not a crying girl but a woman in tears looked back at him. “But I will beat you…” She pushed him away. Something her strength couldn’t do but her words already did.
A mixture of deep sadness and pride was conquering Bruna’s heart yet before he could do anything more his name was shouted from across the tree. “Bruna!”
Both the beast and his scarred daughter turned to see both Mara and Rika stand at the edge of the tree's crown. Both ready for a fight, both here to take Kara back.
Bruna slowly stood up facing his sister with anger. Kara looked up to him, was about to plea further, but said nothing. She knew it wouldn’t be of help, instead of words, she needed an axe.
While the two heirs of the mountain gaze at each other in fury, Rika looked down on him to see two bonestone tomahawks she knew very well. Her breathing became heavier for she knew what it meant. What a fun game it was, destiny played sometimes.
“I will distract him, you take your niece.” She almost whispered cold and calmly.
Mara still gazed into the fiery eyes of her brother. Years of love and fury lay on both their eyes. It was a gaze only siblings could share, yet one that could only end in bloodshed. Once Rika’s words reached her mind she took herself from his brothers eyes and looked over to the wolf huntress. “He will kill you.” she said as not a warning but a fact.
“Let him try.” Her answer sounded almost more like it was to herself than to her shaman ally.
Mara came over to her and held her arm, their eyes now locked. “I mean it, wolf. You are strong, but he is feared even among the riders.”
For a moment Rika gazed to Bruna looking him up and down. He only waited, maybe because of his daughter, maybe because he readied for the fight like she did. But none of it mattered as she saw the cowards tomahawks hanging from the darklings belt again. She looked back at Mara. “This is my home, Shaman. And I will protect it.” she locked her arm with Mara’s “You protect what is left of yours.”
Mara felt her heart pound a different rhythm as the woman who was a stranger just a week ago offered what might as well be a sacrifice. “Thank you.” was the only answer she could offer.
Rika simply nodded but couldn’t help but form the slightest hint of a smile before she freed herself from Mara’s hand and drew her sword from her back.
On the other side of the crown Bruna stood ready, his gaze on the two orcs sharing a last moment. Once Rika drew her sword he readied his obsidian axe. “After tonight we will go home.” He told his daughter behind him while the greenskin and his sister started to slowly approach. “And all will be right again.”
It would not.
For Kara there was nothing to say anymore.
“This is my home, Darkling!” Rika roared over rain and night. “Leav~”
“And this is my daughter!” He roared back before she could continue. His eyes went over to Mara “Is there anything you have to say?! Anything that could excuse what you have done?!” “What excuse would even sate you?!” she yelled back, her emotions guiding her voice while fire sprawled back up from the battle below.
“Oh you are right about that, sister!” His anger guided his own voice while scarred Kara remained silent in her fury. Her father roared on “You brought dishonour over our family, you disobeyed your Khan!”
“You have become nothing but a slave to him!!”
“You have taken my daughter!”
There was nothing she could reply. Too many doubts had plagued her over that since they left the clan. Maybe it would have been better to leave her at the mountain, but then again, who would have protected her?
Rika shook her head “You tried to talk.” She moved her head making her neck crack while taking both her hands on her sword “Now make her safe.”
After that she roared at him like the wolf she was and rushed towards him. Wanting the battle further away from Kara he rushed for her as soon as he realised. Her sword of hard bone, made from Wyverns above the pines, met his gigantic Obsidian axe. Once wielded by Ara’Gash the mountain, made from stone that was melted by the Dragon itself. The daughter of Rakkan the Crown and the son of great Khan Ara’Gash the mountain began their fight. And so north and south, greenskin and darkling clashed in the crown of the oldest oak.
As he clenched his teeth his gaze moved over to the crown's edge where his two girls were running, fleeing. From him, from their home, from their Khan. But before he could react Rika brought in more swings of her sword. One after the other until he had to make sure that she didn’t push him back further and to the crown's edge. She was fast. “You stand between me, and my family, greenskin!”
She looked down at the tomahawks on his belt, he once gathered from a coward. “Where did you get those?!”
For a moment after their first clash they simply circled each other. He was about to rush after his girls, but after her first flurry of swings he knew he had to treat this fight with respect, or he wouldn’t come home at all.
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He took one of the tomahawks out and threw it at her. She blocked it with a swing of her sword and was about to rush him but had to look at it a moment longer. There was no doubt, it was her brothers. She sighed and gazed back at Bruna with eyes full of fury “I’ll finish his battle..” “He was a coward.” Bruna replied and readied his axe as he saw the fury in her eyes become more and more visible “Until the very end when he finally faced me.” He took the other tomahawk out and looked over it for a second before he gazed back at her “Once he did, he died.” He then threw the tomahawk with all his might at her and followed after it “So at least your death will be swifter than his!” He swung his axe just after she blocked the Tomahawk. Now that she was in the defence she could feel the force that came with every single of his swings. She was far from weak yet it almost felt like her arms would break whenever she swung to block another of his swings.
While north and south clashed at the crown, Mara and Kara found their way down the Oak. They heard Rika scream above them and Kara stopped. Mara sighed and tried to grab her arm to bring her further down the sprawling roots. “I won’t let her die for me.” She said with something in her burning eyes that Mara hadn’t seen there before. “I won’t let him win.”
Mara was about to kneel down and give her speech as her aunt, yet she saw on her scarred face that was not what she was looking for.
“This is not just about you.” the shaman inside her answered, “It is about a warrior attacking another's home.”
“Because of me!” Kara replied with anger. She needed to gather her words but realised they wouldn’t be better “We can’t let her die for us.”
Mara sighed. She knew her niece was right yet before she could answer Wyvern fire and a hunters scream cut them short. “Find a place to hide and~”
“I won’t.”
A moment with her father and she was already just as stubborn as him. Mara thought but tried to remain calm. No matter what she did, she knew Kara wouldn’t just hide in safety. “Then run back through the pines and to the tribe. Tell them there are two Wyverns and not just one. Tell them their hunt needs more arrows.” She was afraid of her own words. Either they would bring them further together with the tribe or she just brought her niece into the biggest danger yet. “Can you do that?”
Kara seemed to think for quite a few seconds until another scream echoed from the fire at the bottom of the oak. She nodded. “Stay alive…” even though there was a hint of tears in her voice, she spoke truly. “and please make sure that he does too..”
“I will do my best..” Mara said with more honesty than she wanted.
After that she embraced her niece in a hug for one last time and watched her storm of the roots while she took her way back up again.
Up at the crown Rika was forced backwards more and more. Her eyes, even though not glowing, were burning with fury. “You took my brother!” she screamed “Yet here I am caring for your sister!”
Words that made Bruna stop his swings for but a second, enough for Rika to start another flurry of her own swings, but by now Bruna knew her tactic and even though he was forced backwards, he soon found an opening. His answer was the same big flurry of big swings that would weaken her arms if she blocked or would give her a position closer to the crowns edge.
As her arms started to hurt like fire she had to dodge instead of block and forced close to the edge. Right next to a big branch. Her breathing was heavy and her heart pounding as he slowly approached her. She shook her head and screamed her fury away. Followed by an attempt of a final swing.
He blocked it by kicking her sword with his obsidian boot. After that it was stuck into the big branch. While she tried to get it out he brought his axe down at her arms. She was able to get one away in time yet the other fell down to the ground together with her sword. A silent gasp escaped her and she stumbled backwards while holding the stump where her right arm had been just a moment ago. A few warm drops of her blood sprinkled Bruna’s face, a nice change to the cold rain. Yet the rain quickly washed it away. Her eyes became softer, disappointed more than anything, yet they filled up with fury as she looked back at him. Ready for her warrior's death.
“Kag’Magosh.” He said with respect and raised his axe.
As he swung it down the wind suddenly became a storm and just in time he had to turn and block one of his sister's rune axes. She rushed after it like he would have to deliver another swing and finally their weapons clashed. Their fathers Axe, a rider's axe, and a shamans iron tomahawks. Inscribed with runes of both the north and the south wind. Fury and protection but now clashed in nothing but hatred. Deep in the same south where their father had lost, the children of Ara’Gash the mountain stood atop the ancient oak clashing with wind and storm. Her small axe was clashing with his yet the wind was at the shamans aid and pushed him back further.
“Where is she?!” He screamed and delivered a blow of his own. But she knew he would not try to hurt her until he knew Kara’s whereabouts.
“Save!” she screamed back through the rain as their fiery eyes were locked through night and storm. “From you! From Aru’Gal! From his war! From everything your Khan wants to throw at the world!”
“I want to protect her!” The fury in his voice grew with every drop of rain and every word from her mouth.
“You never did!!” she screamed back and rushed in to attack with all the frustration and anger that had been growing for years. On her way to him she got her other axe back, almost like the wind had thrown it back to her hand and with the sound of distant thunder their weapons clashed once more.
Her words cut deeper than her axes ever could. Making him feel all the guilt of years come by that he wasn’t there with the two. All the years he sought glory instead of prospering with his family. He was in the defence as she swung both her axes with tears while sparks of fire came from every clash of their axe’s.
Every swing she delivered carried the fury of the storm and the deep anger of fire and earth while her eyes gave birth to rivers of tears, of all that was unleashed between them. All the years she had lost while protecting his daughter, all the time she tried to be there for both of them and more than anything the brother she would lose if she would win. The brother she still loved and wished would just go back to the mountain. The brother she had looked up to, the brother that was meant to be their fathers heir, yet here he was a slave to his Khan. And she wouldn’t allow him to take victory for that coward. Here in the land of the enemy where no darkling should ever find it.
“What was I meant to do sister?!” He asked as they stopped again for a small moment. Circling each other, gazing for an opportunity to attack while hoping they wouldn’t have to.
“To stay with us!” she yelled back while thunder was heard above the pines yet again “To stay with your daughter, to stay with your family!”
“Our family always did it like this!” he roared, while Wyvern fire lit up the night once more “Do not dare to forget who had to raise you! It was not our father, nor your mother! It was me!” And back then he loved her with all his heart. “You say I didn’t protect her, sister?! What do you think I did when I was down here?! Slaughtering the same Greenskins you now brought her to?!” He pointed at Rika while he said it, making Mara realise her missing arm and the amount of blood that was leaving her stump.
There were a lot of words she wanted to throw back at him, but again the shaman inside her took hold over the young woman “She needs healing..”
“Healing?!” his anger somehow grew “She is a greenskin, Mara! A greenskin!” With that he finally realised that she really was the traitor Aru’gal made her out to be. There was no going back for her, not to the Frostsong, nor to any other clan of the north. While he remembered the little girl she once had been, Mara gathered her words. Yet before any more could be spoken he roared all his gone love and born hatred into the sky to rush her yet again.
She wasn’t nearly as strong as Rika yet the elements were at her side. To fight a shaman was always dangerous, even a young one like her.
As she realised her brother's intent to kill her, her emotions took over the shaman inside her as well. The fire inside her eyes turned to lightning and the runes on her axes started to glow like embers. She answered his roar with one of her own. Sparks of fire were escaping her mouth as she did and once again their weapons clashed. Only that now fire answered her left axe. Sparks of fire that tried to find a way over their clashing axes and to his hands and eyes. He was pushed back as she screamed once more. Thunder answered her cry and she threw her right axe with the speed and might of lightning. It was only barely he could dodge. Where her axe landed lightning ignited the branch, bringing the fire of true battle up to the crown.
“Soon, she will beat him.” Rika told herself as her eyes became heavy. The fact that Mara was up here must have meant that the little one was safe. “Good.” She thought. A brave little girl was a good reason to die.
Her body became cold and the rain did its best to worsen it, despite the crawling fire next to her. Maybe she could rest her eyes. And be it only for a second…
Down at the roots, scarred Kara arrived close to the battle. Just as she did, a hunter had his tomahawks inside a Wyverns neck, yet was slammed against the oak. Even though a Wyvern would be on a Darklings side, Kara hid herself until the Wyvern flew off to the rest again. Slowly she looked over and saw the green skinned hunter laying there in pain. He was adorned in the remains of a bear and had a big bone axe laying next to him, yet it looked like he could move no more. She gathered her bravery and rushed to him. He looked up at her with disgust while blood left his mouth. “Where is Kazok?” she asked and only got a groan and more blood as an answer. She was too young to ever actually be part of a battle other than the Shore Wyvern, yet she had seen enough wounds of those that did. Something inside him was broken, and he wouldn’t return to battle or hunt anymore. With a look of pity she left him again and rushed further into the flames.
“Kazok!” she screamed. It was the first time she called him by his name. Inside the flames she saw the silhouette of one Wyvern and its rider breathing fire. They were getting circled by hunters before the other and older Wyvern crashed down to aid her allies.
One of the silhouettes was the big bestial form of Kazok whos swung his axe at the old Wyvern just as he heard his name over the flames. He dodged her tail and ran off to where he thought he heard it. She went further into the fire and closer to the battle until he could see her. Realising she was here made his eyes return to being more of an orc than a boar again. On his way to her at the edge of the Oak he turned back his form entirely. It was painful, but the rush of battle made it easier.
His breathing was heavy and he snorted a few times as he arrived at her. She didn’t wait until his mind would turn back to an orc before she spoke “I am getting more hunters at your tribe. But I don’t know the way alone!” The fire and battle behind them drew close enough that they could feel the heat and he shoved her further away at the Oak before he answered. “If we leave the Wyverns now they will follow us to the tribe, take Branak he~” his words were cut short as lightning struck the Oaks crown with the voice of thunder. Both of them looked up in fear of their families up there. “Is Rika still there?” He asked and stared back at her.
She nodded “I think so..” another lightning struck followed by the next and the next, all answered by loud echoing thunder. Even the Wyverns and the hunters glanced up for a short moment before they continued their fight while the thunder became their battle drum.
He snorted and without another word rushed off and up the oak. He had a feeling that something was wrong, but whatever happened he would not lose Rika. It was a promise he had to keep, and a friend he needed to stay.
Kara was left down and instead tried to look for great wolf Branak. She tried to see the silhouettes of wolves among the fight in the fire. But there were many, and the heat made it hard to look at, even for a darkling. While lightning continued to strike up at the oak, she only imagined what was going on. How both could still live, or if either her aunt or her father would die up there. One killed by the other. Tears tried to force themselves out again, but she shook her head. She had a quest and she would do it. So she went into the flames to look for the great wolf, somewhere on the battlefield.
Up at the Oak Mara’s mind was conquered by fury. Her burning eyes had turned to lightning and every other hit of her axes was followed by a strike from the skies. If only one of them would hit, her brother would be dead. If it would strike even close, the rain would have done the rest and kill all of them up there. But she couldn’t help herself. All the emotions that had flooded her over the night came to be in the form of the skies fury that struck around them and a few times her axe when she raised them for hit.
Her brother was on the defence, but he couldn’t allow himself to lose here either. His daughter was here somewhere. And he wouldn’t allow anyone to take her from him. Not any greenskin, not the pines and certainly not his sister. The obsidian of his axe was able to stand against her lightning, yet it still meant that he had to block more than he could attack.
She screamed and raised both of her axes, after both were struck by lightning she brought them down at him and their fathers axe. Both clenched their teeth and stared over their axes and lightning at each other's eyes. Where there had been a hint of love before, hidden behind the fury, now it was all conquered. Washed away in the rain like all the blood and tears they had spilled this night. Burned by all the fire that was spitted below and destroyed like every memory they were still holding dear when the night had started. The only thing that remained as they both fought for the rest of their fathers family, for his living legacy and for the last heir to all he left, was ever burning hatred.
“The mountain will sing to your grave, brother!” she screamed as the force of her fury was cursing with the lightning through her axes.
“It shall forever curse yours, sister!” he roared back as his obsidian axe held strong against the elemental fury unleashed at him.
Neither of them saw how Kazok had reached the crown and rushed to Rika. He was filled with worry instead of fury and without hesitation or care for the fight happening behind him, he took a piece of cloth to tighten the stump where her arm had been. It stopped the bleeding but the dark puddle below her showed how much she had already lost. He held two small fingers at her throat and tried to feel her pulse despite the battle behind him. It was hard to tell, for there wasn’t much to feel.
Lightning struck around them once more, setting the crown on fire. A hint of fury for the shaman glowed inside the druid's amber eyes, but Rika was more important than an old tree. He shouldered her and started to rush back down while the heirs of Ara’Gash continued their fight.
Bruna was close to the edge and quite far up one of the branches that already burned behind them. He roared and attempted to kick at least one of her axes away while he swung his axe at the other. It created an opening that he tried to follow up by a swing when the branch started to crack and fall. Both of them tried to jump back at the crown yet both of them tried to stop the other from doing so. They both fell down. With only a second to think he rammed his axe in the oaks side as they fell, holding him in place just a moment longer. It was quite far down, yet a fall would still at the very least break some bones, if not cost an orcs life.
His arms hurt from the fight, and now from his own weight. Hanging on his axe he looked over to his sister who instead had landed on a branch a little further up. She climbed on it and stared at him. While a hint of regret laid bare in her furious eyes, a hint of pride was hidden behind his own. She raised one of her iron axes one last time. It was struck by lightning while she screamed, guided by hatred and threw it at him.
“She has beaten me.” he thought. Yet still tried his best and took his axe out of the oak just in time, to fall and swing at the approaching lightning infused axe. It crashed down long before he did. A familiar voice gasped out in her last ever pain, before the fall made him unconscious for but a moment.
Fire and tears awoke him just a moment later. Slowly he stood up. For a moment he was ready to face his warriors death, but then he was reminded why he was here.
His daughter laid before his sister. She wasn’t moving. “Get away from h~” he started to scream until he saw the axe inside Kara’s shoulder. Half of her body was burned crisp. From the axes wound down to her feed. Her eyes were open, yet unmoving. Her scarred face frozen in a final empty shock. The fire in her eyes was extinguished. Her life had ended.
He couldn’t move, for his mind became numb. His eyes saw the body before him, yet he couldn’t allow himself to trust them. Too many emotions arose in him, none of them he understood and none of them mattered. His daughter was dead.
Mara kneeled beside her in rivers of cries and tears. The fire around them still roared as hunters and wyverns still fought. Neither was enough to take Bruna’s attention away from the lifeless body that had always looked so similar to her mother. Far more than to him.
Slowly he stumbled forward to the two. Something in his legs was broken, but he couldn’t feel any pain. A hunter approached him with a raised axe. Bruna would have greeted death at this moment, yet his body moved in nothing but a numb reflex and simply snapped the hunters neck. No attempt on his life, no fire, no battle, no Khan and no war, could force his eyes away from his daughter. He fell down next to her. He wanted to hold her hand, to bring her home, to hear her speak, to hear her cry, to see her laugh. But he could not. None of that she would ever do again. There would never be a fight between them, she would never become a warrior of the mountain and never would she beat him. He was too numb to feel his tears. Too distant to hear Ur’Gak call his name, and to hear the greenskins call for his sister.
There was nothing.
He was empty.
And she was dead.