Chapter 6: War Horizon

Grall

Grall sat at his new desk, in his new spy tower, as he went over the paperwork and arranged the soldiers and spy's in formations to benefit the kingdom, when he came across a curious report.

"Fluffles," Grall called out, he waited a moment before continuing, "who wrote this report?"

"That would me, my lord." Fluffles responded, his usual purr didn't seem to be there today.

"And, you're sure it's correct?" Grall asked as he went over it a second time.

"Yes, my lord." Fluffles said, his voice felt small compared to usual.

"... Good job my friend, your next mission is for you to decide, as long as it benefits you." Grall said, he knew exactly where Fluffles would head off to, he would catch up with his vampiric wife and friends, help them save a village from bandits or travel to the future again. Grall didn't care what Fluffles did if he always returned safely and Fluffles knew that.

Grall waited a few moments for Fluffles to leave. "I know you can hear me Tyril." Grall said when he was sure he was alone. "I need your help."

Tyril appeared before Grall in a flash, yawning as if he just woke up from a nap. "Grall," he said as he looked around the tower, "I see you and Grodak made use of every square inch of Whitewater."

"Cut the crap, Tyril." Grall said as he stood. "How are you alive? I saw you dead on the battlefield."

Tyril nodded his head in understanding. "I've died several times throughout my life," Tyril spoke slowly, "but death is only a temporary setback for me."

"Are you a necromancer?" Grall asked, his hand slowly moved to oathkeepers handle.

"No." Tyril said watching Grall with amusement. "I am a wraith, a being that has had their soul ripped out of their body and put back in."

".... Ok." Grall said in satisfaction. "I trust you, so I know you wouldn't lie about that."

Tyril smiled and was about to say something but was interrupted by an orc rushing in. "My lord," the orc shouted, "there is a dragon on the outskirts of the kingdom. It's burning the Forrest down and going wild."

"What?" Grall shouted as he looked over his notes. "Evacuate everyone in the nearby region assemble ten thousand soldiers and have them ready to march in the next ten minutes, summon Adrian here as will."

"My lord," the orc said nervously, "he isn't within the castle."

"Where is he then?" Grall asked, the look on the orcs face told him everything he needed to know without a word. "No."

"Grall," Tyril said as he moved his sword in a more comfortable position, "we don't have time to waste, Adrian needs our help. Let's get moving."

Grall looked to Tyril in astonishment, a king willing to help his subjects in such a way was unheard of. "Right." Grall said, he grabbed oathkeeper and tied it to his belt. "Let's go."

Tyril placed his hand on Gralls shoulder and teleported the both to the dragon's location. Fire and brimstone littered the ash covered ground as the blue dragon clawed desperately at a log that laid on the ground. Grall immediately jumped into action, summoning ten shadow soldiers to attack the dragon as Grall and Tyril mounted the dragons back.

The dragon shook fiercely as the shadow soldiers attacked its legs. Grall ran as fast as he could and jumped off the crown of the dragon's head slamming oathkeeper into the dragon's eye, his shadow mimicked his attack.

The dragon reared its head and let loose a roar that shook the ground and began to shake its head. Hot blood spilled out of the dragon's eye burning Gralls hands as he held on for dear life. Grall, who's aim was only to subdue the dragon, used his shadow to stab the second eye.

Now blind, the dragon slammed its head into the ground to dislodge Grall. Grall pressed further into the dragon's eye to avoid being flattened, then, as the dragon raised its head, he pulled oathkeeper out and leapt onto the dragons back where Tyril had cut off several chunks of scales and was proceeding to hack through the dragons hide.

Grall made a running leap and slammed oathkeeper down onto the exposed hide. The sword barely cut into the dragon on the first cut. Grall jumped back and fought to keep his balance as the dragon reared its head, a plume of flames spewing out of its mouth. As the dragons lowed its head, Grall looked to Tyril.

"If we attack the same spot in rapid succession, we are bound to kill it." Grall said, giving up on deterring the beast.

Tyril nodded and began attacking the spot in front of him with such lightning quick speed that Grall had trouble following it. Grall attempted to make a second running leap and slammed oathkeeper down onto the dragons hide and forced his shadow to attack with great strength and speed. Grall felt the dragons hide begin to give, then, like a knife passing through hot butter, oathkeeper passed through the dragons hide, severing part of its neck.

The blood from the dragon poured on to Gralls body, like a shower in lava, Gralls skin began to melt off his bones. As quickly as the blood melted the skin off Gralls bones the Shadow World replaced it with new skin. The pain was so intense that Grall thought he was going to pass out.

As the corners of Gralls vision blurred, oathkeeper sliced through the remainder of the dragons hide. Grall hit the ground hard, knocking the breath out of him as oathkeeper sliced into his shoulder. Grall managed to roll over onto his back in time to see Tyril following him, he had made a second cut in the dragon's neck, almost cutting the dragons neck clean off. The dragons head held by only the clump of hide that covered its thick spine.

The dragon let loose an ear shattering death roar. Its body began to fall, Grall knew he had no time to move and resigned himself to the pain he was about to experience.

"Grall." Tyril shouted grabbing him and suddenly they were no longer under the dragon and Grall laid next to the dyeing body of an orc.

Tyril reached up and grabbed oathkeepers handle, pulling it out of Gralls shoulder. Grall let loose an agonizing scream as all the pain from this battle caught up to him. The world dimmed then faded away and Grall opened his eyes to find himself in the Shadow World once more.

A tall muscle orc greeted Grall with disdain. This orc seemed different from the other elders. He had a glint of petty in his eyes but looked at Grall like he was a bug.

"I've been watching you, Grall chieftain, and I do not like what I see." The orc spoke to Grall as if he was below him. "You are strong, but weak, courageous, but cowards. You say you fight for others, but you only fight for yourself. You are not worthy of stepping foot in here, yet you do."

Grall staggered to his feet, most of his wounds had completely healed. "If I could give up this 'gift' you lot had so graciously bestowed upon me," Grall spoke with venom in his voice, he had grown wary of the elders treatment and it was time he put them in their place, "I would've long ago."

"Ah yes," the orc spoke, his voice forced Grall to tremble in fear, "the king who wishes to abdicate his throne." The orc grabbed Grall by the scruff of his shirt and threw across the dark expanse. "Do you think it would be that simple? Do you really wish for death to the point you would doom the world?"

Grall hit the dark ground hard, the wind knocked out of him. The powerful orc didn't make any sense, Grodak was their chosen chief not Grall. Grall had no desire to fight his brother for the rights to be chief, he had enough of this leadership business to begin with and here's this muscle headed brute commanding him to overthrow his brother.

Grall stood up and charged the orc, lifting him up and slamming him onto the ground. "I will not do as you want, anymore." Grall shouted as he began to wail on the orc who took his hits.

"I am better than that." Grall shouted as he stumbled back off the orc. "I am better than all of you. It was you who advised me to attack the Mursan tribe, you who pushed for no mercy, you who forced me to stain my hands with the blood of the innocent."

The orc stood up and eyed Grall, he had a strange newfound respect in his eyes. "You are right." He said as he took a step towards Grall. "We are the ones who told you to attack, kill, and show no mercy to them." The orc grabbed Grall and slammed him into the ground. "We never once told you to poison, shoot, or release beasts upon them. That is not how we of the orc tribes fight."

Grall grabbed the thick arm that held him in place against the ground and, using every fiber of muscle he could muster, flipped the orc onto his back. "I did that as a means to prevent more unnecessary death." Grall stood up, every fiber of his being screamed out in pain. "I did what I had to do. You are the ones who ordered for their execution, I was just the one who did so in a way that would not endanger my tribe."

The big orc stood up and punched Grall in the gut, causing Grall to double over. "You still don't get it." The orc said, his words cut through Grall like a knife. "If you use such cowardly methods on an enemy," as the orc spoke, he enunciated each word with a punch, "then what is there to stop them from doing it to you." As the orc finished his sentence, he punched Grall in the face so hard it knocked out several of Gralls teeth.

Grall fell to the ground, exhausted and beaten. He now fully understood why the elders had banished him, something that had never been done before. Grall pushed himself to a standing position, his wounds healing, and turned to face the orc. He did not try to fight him, Grall knew he would be no match for this warrior and resigned himself to the pain that was to come.

"I see now," Grall said as the orc watched his every movement, "by trying to protect my tribe, I had placed them in greater danger."

The big orc grunted in acknowledgement. "You understand now," the orc stepped forward, his fists at his side, "we are a proud race but when one of us steps out of line, it isn't just one of us that suffers, but all of us."

"Who are you?" Grall asked, his words slurred from his swollen lips. "Why did you wait so long to tell me this?"

"I am Wreag," as he spoke Grall could feel power in his words, "I was once Talengars chosen, the one who had inherited his godhood, just as your brother, Grodak, is his chosen warrior who will inherit his God orb."

"Wreag, son of none, savior of all, vanquisher of Malick." Grall said in awe as the weight of the moment fell on his shoulders, he now realized what he had done. To challenge Wreag is to challenge the God of war himself.

Wreag scoffed in disgust. "Savior of none." Wreag said in anger. "I killed Malick because he annoyed me, nothing else. As for why we waited so long to tell you was because it would've been useless to tell you. If we told you before you and Grodak came to an understanding, then you might've tried to take back your place as chief."

Grall shook his head, he had so many questions for Wreag, the hero of old, but bit his tongue knowing none of them would be answered. "Why didn't you take this from me then?" Grall asked, it was a question he had asked countless times, one that he had never gotten the answer to.

"We never took it away because..." Wreag paused for a moment in thought, then with a sigh he continued. "Because Grodak isn't worthy of these abilities."

"Isn't worthy?" Grall asked in disbelief.

"Actually," Wreag said, correcting himself, "it's more like he is overqualified. He will receive Talengars blessing which will allow him to travel to and from the Shadow World as is. To give him the ability to manipulate the Shadow World on top of that...." Wreag shook his head. "He would destroy the world."

"What do you mean?" Grall asked, the thought of his brother doing anything to harm those he cared about, sickened Grall to his very core.

"He wouldn't be able to contain his powers and it would leak out, spreading the Shadow World on the material world, it would further damage the veil that divides the material plane and the void."

"The dead would walk the world again feasting upon the living, hell fire would rain down from the sky and the cycle will begin anew." Grall quoted a passage of the God's tale, a book that Silvas, the god of knowledge and records, had wrote about the end of days.

Wreag smiled a bitter smile as Grall felt the familiar pull that would send him back to the material world. "You now have my blessings to come and go as you please, Grall, chieftain of none."

Grall found himself standing next to the dragon, a foot away from where he was. Tyril, who was still knelt on the ground where Grall had been, looked up at Grall in surprise and relief.

"I thought you might be a goner there for a moment." Tyril said with a chuckle, his laughter ceased as he saw Gralls expression. "What's wrong?" Tyril asked as he looked around to see if more enemies were approaching.

"Nothing," Grall said, his thoughts lingered on his conversation with Wreag, "how's Adrian?"

"Don't know." Tyril said as he turned his attention to the half-charred log where several orcs huddled around a bundle.

Grall rushed over to the log, shoving the orc warriors out of his way, and came to a stop in front of a badly burnt Adrian, who held a single blue egg. Grall bit back a curse as he realized what had happened, Adrian had stolen the dragon's egg and that's why she attacked. Regardless of what happened, even if Grall had known the reason for the dragon's actions, he still would've saved Adrian, he was their human representative on the counsel after all.

"Get him to a healer, immediately." Grall commanded the orcs to which none acknowledged. Grall grabbed a nearby orc soldier and lifted him into the sky with a single hand. "What," he shouted in anger, "you think that just because I'm not Grodak you don't have to listen to me?" Grall then threw the orc into the rest in disgust. "Fine." Grall said eyeing every one of them. "I'll do it myself and when I next see you, you better have changed your tone, or you might end up like that dragon."

Grall carefully picked Adrian up from the ground and carried him back to Whitewater, Tyril in tow. "Why did you treat your men like that, Grall?" Tyril asked as they got out of ear shot of the orcs.

"They won't listen if I keep being nice," Grall said with a sigh, "they would just walk all over me, so I had to show them that I am to be respected."

"There's a difference between respect and fear, Grall." Tyril said watching Gralls movement for any sign of anger.

"I know," Grall said with a calm voice, "but if I had acted nice to them after we killed that dragon, they would see it to take advantage. Right now, they are probably singing our praises and talking about the battle. They will fear me for a while, but they will also respect me, even long after the fear goes away."

Tyril nodded his head in understanding, he could already hear the orcs shouting Gralls praise as they walked off.

Two days later, Grall was inspecting the newest wall that was built when Adrian, who had recovered fully, came up to him with whistling a strange tune, his now white hair and red eyes glistened in the sun light. Gralls thoughts went back to two days prior when he had rushed Adrian into a healer, the elven woman, who had just recently moved into town. After she had worked her magic and healed Adrian Tyril had asked him if he would like to become a wraith, to which Adrian had agreed.

"Adrian," Grall said, greeting him in a brotherly manner, "how are you, my friend."

"Hey, bro." Adrian said in his usual, charming manner. "Thanks to king bro, I'm better than ever."

Grall chuckled, Adrian's nickname for Tyril had elicit such reactions out of Grall since the first time he heard it. "That's good," Grall said as he continued his inspection of the wall, "I'm almost done..."

Gralls words trailed off as a lone rider approached the wall wearing full armor. Grall walked out to greet the rider, Adrian in tow.

"Are you the leader of this filthy kingdom?" The rider asked, his voice was gruff, and he came unarmed.

A messenger, Grall realized. "I am," Grall replied, "and who might you be?"

The messenger wordlessly handed Grall a piece of parchment. 'We ask that your filthy orcs leave the kingdom of Whitewater so that the true owners of the land may take control over it. Failure to comply will mean your destruction.'

Grall looked up at the rider who was riding away and made a small signal for three of his spies to follow. "Looks like we are about to go to war." Grall said to Adrian as he handed the parchment to him. "The question is with whom?"

Grodak found himself standing in fog, just in front of the archway. Grall looked down at the orb he held. A horn, Grodak thought, of all things. I could have turned this into many things, and he wants me to turn this into a horn, Grodak grunted.

A soft voice came out of the fog. "Who goes there?" It said, the sweet voice causing Grodak to start. Grodak turned his head to find the source of the voice. "Don't move or I'll shoot."

"I mean you no harm," Grodak said lifting his hands up to show that he was unarmed, "my name is Grodak and-"

"Grodak?" The soft voice interrupted. "Prove it. Turn around."

Grodak did as she said, the first thing about her that caught his eyes was her fiery red hair, her fair skin, and pointy ears. Grodak was so stunned to see her, he forgot himself. "Xierma." He cried out in joy.

Xierma lowered her bow as she recognized Grodak. "Grodak." She exclaimed in excitement as she threw herself into his arms.

"I don't understand." Grodak said as he caught her.

"What is there to understand, silly?" Xierma said as she hugged Grodak tightly. "I grew up, just as all children must."

"No," Grodak said as he pushed her away, "unless I'm not back in my time, you should be dead."

"What are you talking about?" Xierma asked in confusion.

"The first time I met you, you were nothing but a ghost that lingered in the ruins of the elven kingdom." Grodak explained, he racked his brain to try and figure out the reason for this sudden change in events but could not come to one.

"No," Xierma said, furrowing her brow, "the first time we met I was just a little girl, and my mother is the one that is trapped in our old kingdom." She turned her head to avert her gaze, she didn't want Grodak to see the tears in her eyes.

Grodak, realizing that the timeline had somehow been changed, fumbled in his pocket for the stone Imp gave him. He successfully pulled the stone from his pocket and shouted, "Imp." Into it.

A few moments go by without answer, then Grodak heard Imps voice. "What is it?"

"I need your help," Grodak proclaimed, "I think I altered the timeline."

A moment went by in silence then with a heavy sigh Imp replied. "It's possible you did," he explained, "I found a stone archway in my tower and upon further study I found that it connected this time with another. If you found one and went through, then it could have dramatic effect on this time."

"What kind of effects?" Grodak asked worried.

"World ending kind." Imp continued to explain, his voice weak. "One misstep and you might cost the life of someone important to the timeline, or cause someone to not be born."

Grodaks eyes widened in worry as his thoughts went to his tribe. "Imp send me Whitewater, now."

Xierma, who had watched in silence, now protested Grodak leaving. "Why are you leaving?" She asked, clenching onto Grodaks armor. "This is the first I got to see you in the past twelve hundred years and your leaving just like that?"

"I have to make sure my people are safe, Xierma." Grodak explained, his mind torn between staying with Xierma or leaving. "You must understand, they placed their trust in me and if any of them are killed...." Grodak looked down, ashamed of himself for not being able to choose between the woman he loved and his people.

"Just go." Xierma said, pulling away from Grodak and walking away. Grodak watched her leave and felt a pang of guilt.

"The teleportation is ready, Grodak." Imp said in an embarrassed tone, letting Grodak know that he heard everything.

"Do it." Grodak said, his voice almost as small as he felt. "Send me to Whitewater."

Grall slammed the door behind him on frustration. Grall had just spent the past three hours arguing with the council about needing to prepare the army, but the cowards would rather give up and surrender before the battle even began.

Grall leaned up against the wall next to the door as Adrian came out cussing the rest of the council out. "You fucking cowards," he shouted into the room, Adrian had been the only council member that took Gralls side, "if you want to run and hide then do so but do not think that I won't hunt you down." Adrian slammed the door, still cussing profusely.

"Adrian," Grall said, his soft and soothing, "there is nothing more the two of us can do. They see you as an outsider and me as an embarrassment. The only one who can change their minds is Grodak."

"Change who's mind?"

Grall turned around to find Grodak standing behind him. "The council." Grall said, he then briefly explained their situation as Grodak stood there listening.

"That explained the looks on our people's faces." Grodak said as he stared out an open window. "So," Grodak continued, confirming the details, "we receive a declaration of war, from whom, we don't know, and the council doesn't want to ready the troops and instead they are insisting we flew."

"Pretty much, orc bro." Adrian said, he seemed calmer now compared to earlier but Grall could see the wheels in his head turning, and knew Adrian was planning to do something to piss off the council.

Grodak smiled a cheerful smile, a wickedly cheerful smile. "Let me talk have a word with them in private," Grodak popped his neck as he spoke, "I need to blow off some steam after the day I've had."

Grall and Adrian looked at each other then backed away from the door. Grodak opened the door to the council room and found them arguing over where they should hide. "Hello boys," Grodak said as he shut the door, "what are you hiding from."

Adrian looked to Grall, worry in his eye. "Should we help?"

Grall turned towards Adrian and shook his head. "Nah," Grall said, understanding where Adrian was coming from, twenty orcs verses one is something they should normally worry about, "Grodak can handle himself."

"I didn't mean him." Adrian said, as a resounding crash could be heard from the other side of the door. "Shouldn't we help the council? I hate them as much as you, but I don't think even they deserve to deal with an angry Grodak."

Grall pondered the thought of helping them and how they would owe him big time but quickly brushed the thought away. "Would you rather face an angry Grodak?" Grall asked and to his amusement Adrian shivered at the thought. "That's what I thought," Grall said with a chuckle, "now come on, I could use some help sorting the reports."

Grodak entered Gralls spy tower, only to find it devoid of all furnishing. "What happened here?" Grodak asked, Grall turned from the open window still reading the report he had received and holding a black orb. "Were you robbed while I was away?"

"No," Grall said as he placed the orb and parchment down on the windowsill, "you just have a history of destroying my furnishing every time you visit me, and after a while it begins to get expensive."

Grodak lifted an eyebrow at Grall then shook his head. "I managed to..." Grodak paused for a moment, looking for the right word, "persuade the council to see things clearly."

"So," Grall said taking in a deep breath, "you beat them until they agreed to do what you wanted."

"Isn't that what I just said?" Grodak chuckled as he thoughts of the council cowering in front of him, begging him not to hurt them anymore.

"We found out where the threat of war came from." Grall said as he handed Grodak the parchment. "They came from the neighboring kingdom, Ronstadt."

Grodak peered at the parchment for a bit. "How many do you think it'll take to bring the kingdom down?"

"Depends on how we attack." Grall spoke in hushed tones. "If we catch them by surprise then maybe half of our army would be enough."

Grodak nodded his head, but he knew Grall wasn't telling him everything. "And?"

"If we don't catch them by surprise then it would take out entire army, just to put a dent in their forces."

"So, we catch them by surprise, we move our troops out tomorrow and hit them hard." Grodak tossed the parchment onto the floor as he spoke.

"There lays the problem, brother." Grodak rubbed his temples in annoyance. "They are allied with a kingdom that's on the way. They would see us coming before we even got halfway there."

Grodaks expression turned from joyous to serious. "Is there any way around that?"

"Only one, but..." Grall paused, then sighed. "It's through the Willow woods. The woods we travelled through to get Talengars God orb, which, I'll remind you, has no more magic, and without it we can't get through, not to mention bringing an army with us."

"What if I told you," Grodak said as he watched Grall pace, "I have retrieved Talengars God orb, before it was used."

"I would ask how," Grall said rubbing his temple again, "but it would be useless to ask." Grall placed his hands on the windowsill and stared out into the landscape. "I'm guessing you got his blessing." Grodak nodded his head. "Good." Grall said turning from the window and heading for the door. "We are going to need all the help we can get."

Grodak watched as Grall lift, then turned back to the windowsill. The dark orb Grall had placed there was now gone and Grodak couldn't help but wonder what it was.