DORULL STORIES - LEGEND OF ROSHNAK
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The long and dismal column of women and children
from Vur-Suun, led by Shelur Gonk, moved without any rest towards the north.
There, alongside the left bank of river Gaaran, was Netyum, the village of the
orcish fox tribe. Often very shifty and quite selfish, they flourished in
tricking others. Because of their treacherous reputation, many have avoided
them. But Shelur was desperate. If there was any, even the smallest chance of
receiving the help from them, she was prepared to beg. Olog was certainly
thinking the same, otherwise, he surely wouldn’t have sent them here. He was
maybe just trying to move them from Vur-Suun, as fast as possible. Perhaps
their chieftain immediately realized the hopelessness of the situation. Shelur
couldn’t shake off this awful feeling. As if her brother’s plan was to give
them just enough time to escape.
Shelur shook her head, she couldn’t allow it,
nor did she have the time for such ugly thoughts. Just behind the next bend,
she saw the walls of Netyum. About fifty feet tall, made out of sturdy logs
from Chaygor pine, which completely surrounded the village. Massive, double
gates, reinforced with iron, were closed shut . On the guard post above, stood
two orc soldiers, armed with heavy crossbows.
“Not a step further!” one of them suddenly
yelled “Where are you coming from? Why are you here?”
“My name is Shelur Gonk, from Vur-Suun!'' she
approached a couple of steps closer “I need to speak with your chieftain!
It is urgent!”
“Why are you here?” guard asked again, as he
waved towards one of the soldiers standing on the ground below.
Soldier immediately rushed across the yard, in
the direction of the chieftain’s hut.
“Please open the gates. We are walking for
days, without any rest.” Sherul almost cried “Our children are cold and
hungry.”
“What is going on?” burly, somewhat fat orc,
climbed on the watchtower “Who do we have here?”
“I am Sherul Gonk of Vur-Suun. Please, I beg
of you, it is important to speak with your chieftain.”
“My regards.” orc bowed “My name is Ergoth
Vitgur, chieftain of Netyum. Why are you here?”
“Help us please, open the gates.” Shelur bowed
back “We were forced to flee from our homes.”
“Where are your men?” Ergoth asked, as soon as
he realized, there were only women and children, in front of the walls of his
village.
“They stayed back, to fight.” Shelur moved
forward for a couple of more steps, and closer to the gates “Giving us a chance
to escape.”
“Who attacked you?” The chieftain was still
suspicious.
“Some strange, enormous creature.” Sherul
shivered in fear “Some monstrosity.”
“Monstrosity you say?” Ergoth stood up “Made
out of stones and fire?”
“Yes.” Sherul said “Wait, but how do you know
that?”
“Because.” Ergoth frowned, “I am looking at
it.”
Those women and children who could hear the
chieftains' response, started turning around, horrified at the sight behind
their backs. There, on the edge of the forest, stood Badzanogh, the fire
elemental, curiously staring straight at them.
“I am sorry.” the chieftain said.
Sherul immediately understood what he meant by
that, although she still refused to bear a thought that all of their men are
dead. Perhaps her brother succeeded in chasing this creature away from the
village. Perhaps he was right behind him. Any minute now, he’ll charge with his
soldiers out of the grove, and together, with orcs from Netyum, they will
defeat this monstrosity.
“Run!” Ergoth yelled, at the same time, as the elemental made his first step.
Thousands of terrified screams echoed across
the field, as women and children dispersed in panic, away from the monster.
“Open the gates! All to arms!” chieftain
bellowed.
Almost at the same time, a huge stone boulder
flew in his direction. Ergoth had no time to blink, let alone move. In a
violent crash, rock destroyed the entire lookout. Rain of wooden shards and
sharp chips scattered all over the square. Boulder continued its path of
destruction, demolishing a couple of huts, before it stopped some fifty yards
away. On the exact center of the plaza, laid lifeless, almost flattened
Ergoth’s body. Mere sight of their horribly deformed chieftain, momentarily
discouraging the orcs. But not for long. His death spurred them to action. With
angered and at the same time painful battle cries, they charged through the
gates, craving for revenge.
Badzanogh was just about hundred yards away
from the fox tribe village, when he suddenly stopped. He proceeded to bend a
bit forward, thrusting his fists deep into the soft soil. Elemental roared out
of the fury and pain. He felt disgusted at himself, for being forced to resort
to doing so. But, in his battle against those southern orcs, he learned a lot.
Unlike the cave rats, the goblins, orcs did not run. They fought. And their
sharp spears, swords and axes, inflicted a lot of pain. It took the entire day,
before Badzanogh managed to defeat them. Here, against these ones, he wasn’t
going to make the same mistake.
Entire valley shook violently, when the ground
began to rise. Just a couple of seconds later, earth gave in under the
pressure, letting the jets of scalding hot steam, out of numerous pockets,
formed underneath the surface. Hundreds of fissures and cracks suddenly spread
everywhere, destroying everything in their path. The palisade, huts, roads,
nothing was spared from the devastation. Shaking stopped, as abruptly as it
began. For a moment, there was deadly silence. But in the next, out of the
darkened depths, came dull, ever growing rumbling.
Before any of the orcs could even think to
move, the ground underneath their feet suddenly collapsed. Enormous, several
hundred yards deep hole, swallowed almost half of the field. In the horrific,
screaming choir of agony and fear, Netyum disappeared in the deep abyss,
together with all of the orcs, that was unfortunate enough to be here, and now.
Minute or so later, valley was dead silent.
Badzanogh did not waste a moment, proceeding
with his path of destruction. Further up the north, towards Tyrsh, the lands of
everlasting ice. Now, when he was back again on the surface, he restored the
connection with the entire planet. He knew exactly where everything was and is.
And now, knowing about the existence of this enormous, vast space, covered in
ice and snow, an idea grew in his mind. With his fires, Badzanogh will melt the
entire Tyrsh, in an attempt to drown all of these beings that were destroying
his work. To wash away their stench and filth, from this beautiful place.
A couple of minutes later, after the element
finally went away, hastily heading towards the north, a small mound of earth,
just near the edge of the pit, suddenly moved. At first carefully protruding,
Shelur Gonk decided to get up. But to comprehend the magnitude of the tragedy
that surrounded her, took a lot longer than a couple of minutes. Her legs could
not hold her, let alone move. She was frozen out of fear and sorrow. In her
mind, there wasn’t any more doubt, her village must’ve shared a similar fate.
And what was worse, all of these children, all of the women she was trusted to
lead to safety, ended up dead. She betrayed their trust, her brother’s trust.
Shelur was all alone, and that cognizance was simply unbearable. Momentarily,
she reached a decision. She will find a way of revenge, or she’ll die trying,
just like those she cared for and loved. Seconds later, Shelur Gonk was running
after the monster’s huge, unmistakable tracks.
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