#ran'drak

Tagged by @serbaki

Rheisa

Ranaman

Tazdinwent

Zal'ju

Jakay

Ran'drak

He... he doesn't dance at all. Maybe a little nodding at the corner, but that's all.

           Just only we stayed at the room. Me and that… elf. How could Ran’drak fell in love with an elf? But the biggest problem is, that he never shared it to me. I’m his best friend, damn it! I’ve never been more angry like now.

           No, no, no, I can’t believe it! I’d better sit and calm down. I analyzed the druid for seconds. She was a week one, with small and fragile body. She wasn’t Ran’s type at all. At least, I thought so. With soft and careful motions, she was looking out from the door and was staring at the eagle, until it vanished, than she sat down, not next to me, but I still felt her too close. It was better when she had been standing at the door. The best option would be that she would just get lost, not just form the room, but from Ran’s life. She made some annoying noise by her small legs, because of the adrenalin, I guess. I was close to hit her on the face. Instead, I got a better idea. From one of the wooden shelves I took a glass down and poured water into it. Before I gave it to her, I had put some flavor to her drink. I reached a small flask under my cape which held as clear liquid as the water. One drop of this poison could kill a whole army. That elf, got three, just for the sure effect. I carefully replaced the bottle to my belt and stood next to the elf.

“My dear!” I tried to speak as kind as I could. I was able to make a nice smile too. ‘’You must be exhausted. The road is long form Stranglethorn.” I sat down, next to her and offered the drink.’’ There aren’t much drink in this shop to calm your thirst, but the water can do the trick. ‘’This time I touched her left shoulder. She reached the glass and placed it to her lap.

“I couldn’t sit here idly. I have to go after Ran.” Rheisa raised up her head than she stood up.” I have to be beside him.” She was ready to leave the place. The druid gave me back the glass and almost gone from the room, but she stopped.

“Sir! Do you know where Ran’drak went?”

So polite how she speaks to me, like I was an old troll. How old does she think I am?

“I believe he went to Zul’kunda. But you don’t need to worry about him, darling. Take a seat! “Well, I also speak politely, but that is just my style.  

“I cannot rest when my love is about to save his friend from a dangerous place. Sir! You must understand! Please, take me to Zul’kunda!

“No.” I answered calmly and raised up the glass to sip one, just for the dramatic impact. I almost forget about the poison. When I realized that I almost killed myself I poured out the drink to the floor. The liquid left a bubbling black mark and then it vanished. The elf looked at the etched point with a horrified face, then her eyes found me, but this time, they were full with fury. I smiled on her awkwardly and before she could say anything, I ran out from the room to my golden cloud serpent and jumped to it’s back. I pet the saddle behind me, singing to the elf. Rheisa sat up, without any hesitating and when the serpent flown up, she clung to my waist. I couldn’t stand, if someone touches me, and it is more horrible if the one is a woman. It is going to be a long trip. I could start some small talks, but the thoughts at my mind were more interesting. Instead of me, the elf started a conversation.

“What is your name, sir?”

“I have many names, but I’m not a sir.” I tried to be as rude as it was possible to make the elf stop her speech. I failed.

“So, how can I call you?”

“The best would be that you don’t even talk to me, but if you are so attached to it… The Ranaman is perfect enough.

“Ranaman? So you are the brother of Taz?”

I clenched my teeth and tried not to shout or make any angry gesture.

“You really look older than 34.”

“I’m not 34! Who told this nonsense to you?”

“Well, Taz did…”

“Come on! That idiot doesn’t even know how old we are!?” I took a big breath and slapped my forehead. ‘’I’m 31 damn it! No more, no less!”

That was the last sentence between us, until we arrived to Stranglethorn, nearby Zul’kunda. We landed far from the village. As we get of the Serpent, I asked the elf to stay and wait for me.

I used one of my mage abilities and made myself invisible to sneak into Zul’kunda. At the center I found a huge sacrificial altar made by stone. Taz was next to it, tied to a pole. He looked unconscious, like they knocked him down. My eyes also found Ran’drak, who had been sitting at a tree’s branch, waiting for the perfect moment to save Taz. I recognized him of his green and blue feathers and not every eagle has tusk. I hurried next to Taz and waited.

From one of the leather tents, an old troll stepped out and approached the altar. One of his tusk was replaced by a golden ring, his head was bald and his skin was full with huge wrinkles. As he stopped at the stone, he raised up his hands and took a big breath before he started his speech.

“Brothahs! Sistahs! Da night has come, when we can revenge our fallen spirits. Dat hunte’… “ He pointed to Taz and when he replaced his hand next to himself, he confined it to a fist. “… he hunted down our goddess’s children.“ From shouting he switched to insane whispering. “But now, he’ll pay fo’ his crime.”

Two muscular troll grabbed Taz by his arms and placed him to the altar. The hunter didn’t tried to resist, seemed to be, he had no power. What could they done to him?

“Hear ya salves prey, Shirvallah!”  As that sentence left the witch doctor's mouth, I knew who I was facing.

“Zanky?” I whispered to myself with widely opened eyes. It was more than hard to say the one’s name, who ruined my life. But wait! When I last time when I seen Taz, he told me that Zanky was dead. If that troll is really Zanky, that means that Taz lied to me. But why? Why would he? Now I had one more reason to save his life and ask the truth.

I stepped up to the altar, made a barrier around me and Taz and removed the invisibility from myself. As I became visible, the witch doctor looked into my eyes with such a soul killer sight. Same as I remembered from my childhood. I filled with hatred and my whole body was trembled because of the fury.

“You there!” I pointed to the old troll. “Your name is Zanky, isn’t it?”

The witch doctor’s smile became wider than he stepped as close to me as my barrier let him.

“And ya be Ranaman.” He sniffed a huge than shuddered. “I still remember ya taste… ya was me favorite ta play wit’. “Zanky laughed up as insane as he could.

“Release my brother and I might let you live.”

Zanky didn’t care about my words. He analyzed me from the bottom to the top. His eyes stuck to one point of my chest and he stared at it, instead of looking into my eyes.

“Ya could be powehful witch doctah, Ranaman. Bigge’ dan me… and ya chose dat…” He pointed to my lorewalker badge.

“That’s right. I choose the lorewalkers, because I’m not a crazy, insane idiot like you. You, you ruined my life!”

“Yesss!” His voice was full with pride. “And I enjoyed brakin’ ya young soul.” His tone softened to imitate my words that I used to yell at him.

“Please no! No! Leave me alone!” He clasped his hands and lifted to his chest. The cold shook him.  ‘’That was heaven.”

It was the perfect time to revenge my past. My life was a disaster after that what he had done to me. I lost my family and my best friend, because of him. I cannot trust people, because of him. I cannot have a normal life, because of him. Every single word from Zanky made me angrier and angrier. I felt a little tear drop, slipping down at my nose. I waited no more. I made a huge ice spike with a spell. It hovered above my head.

“Go to hell!” The spike was shoot to his chest. Zanky fallen to his knees and touched the ice for some seconds before he closed his eyes. I stared at him for a short time than I grabbed Taz and teleported us out from Zul’kunda. When I made sure that none of the guards followed us I made a small fireball and kept it at my hand. It was a dark night and that light allowed me to look into my brother’s eyes.

“Thanks fo’ savin’ me, bro.” He tried to hug me, but I stepped once back and lifted up my palm to him. When he stopped trying to hug me, I stood closer to him again. 

“Taz! You told me that Zanky had died. Am I right?

“Kinda…” He scratched his little beard under his red bandana. “How can someone be ‘kinda’ dead?” I raised my voice and was close to slap him.

“Ok, I lied...”

“Why? Why have you lie to me, to your brother?”

Taz shoot his eyes down and started scratching the ground.

“Taz! Look at me! Look into my eyes!” He raise his head up slowly and I saw the regret at his face. “Why?”

‘’I jus’ wanted to ‘ave a reason to make ya come back ta me.” His eyes filled with tears. ‘’I’ve nevah had bette’ friend dan ya. I missed ya, I wanted ya to come back.”

“I can’t believe it! Taz, you really missed me, and you made a lie to get me back. Here comes the same question: WHY?” ‘’I had no idea what to tell ya. Maybe ya don’ see, bu ya changed a lot. Aftah dat many years, I wasn’t even able to recognize ya.”

“Then you made a lie.” I tried to be calm, but inside I was yelling. “We could have been best friends, if you hadn’t lied.” I reached Taz’s head softly and looked into his eyes again. “Taz, you never think. Now I see. You’re not a bad guy, just an idiot… like I thought.”

“Das dat mean dat ya forgive me? We can be friends again?” “No. I can never forgive you.” I turned and walked away before Taz could start his baby crying. As far as I know him, he’s going to weep his eyes out.

I was far and I hoped that he won’t follow me. I couldn’t handle him. Deeply I love him so much, but my stubbornness never let to forgive. When I thought that I got rid of Taz, his yelling broke the silence.

“Don’ tink’ dat only jus’ ya suffered! Ya have no Idea what I have come through, but I always hoped that once I could see my little bro again.”

I hate when he calls me little bro, but, unfortunately, he is right. Taz is elder, with five seconds. As I feared, he ran after me and kept speaking with red cheeks and eyes.

“I always believed that one they, we will play at the beach again, catching fishes, climb up to a tree to hide, because we ate all the honey. I hoped that ya will hug me again and tell me that you love me…” His whole body was trembling as he caught his breath. Taz nervously started searching at his bag, than he raised his fist. He was holding something at it. Suddenly he opened it and at his palm was a little green lizard.

“Look! I kept Tiki for ya.” Sniffed” Don’ be dat callous!” He was almost begging on his knees. I got angry on him again. The hatred took control of me. I raised my voice and knocked Tiki out from his hand.

“Not you, Taz, not even your fucking lizard cares me!” As the reptile landed on the ground, I don’t know why, but I stepped on it. Taz suddenly collapsed and hitched Tiki to his chest.

“I’m not willing to listen to your yammering and your martyr reasoning. I’ve had enough of you! YOU have no idea what have I went through.” I ripped of his red bandana and throw it to the ground. He tries to hide his face after he failed the judgment, after his dream to be a shadow hunter had broken.

“You, such an idiot moron, will never know how much I have suffered, because Taz…” I calmed down and continued it with a low voice, while I was holding his head to made him look at me, instead of Tiki. “…you will never be mature enough to understand.”

      It’s been a while since Ranaman left me here. He can come back any minute now. I can’t see a damn thing, the night is so dark. To see more clear I transformed into panther. I can see better with cat eyes. I feel more safe and braver.      I led down to the ground and kept waiting the mage. I had no idea, how long was I laying when I had heard a strange noise from behind me. It sounded like footsteps. When I raised up my head, a tall troll was grinning at me. He had a dark blue hair and only wore harness. He reached to my back and touched it. For that I jumped up and grinned on him. He hadn’t recognized that I’m not a real panther. The troll had been muttering something nonstop. He held no weapon, but I still felt myself in danger. He didn’t stop talking and second by second he was getting closer to me. I started walking backwards, but he kept on approaching me, even faster. I turned and ran away, but something stopped me. I felt a heavy rope net, falling to my body and heard steppes again. The troll knelt down to me than he took his head close to mine. Hardly, but I managed to cut the net, than I was on my way to freedom, again. I tried not to look back, I was afraid, I trembled. I wasn’t sure about that he’ll be that ‘nice’ again, if he catches me once more. However I didn’t hear anything, I know that he was after me. I didn’t get use to running. I stopped. I was standing at my shocking legs and was breathing hard, when I saw another figure close to me, but he held a bow at his hands. He pulled the string and was ready to shot. I had no choice. I attacked the one. I felt a heavy mail armoire on him, so I ripped of his body’s defense. I made a deep wound at his chest than I jumped down from him. The troll’s body collapsed on the muddy ground. He was still alive, I saw how he was catching his breath. Firstly I didn’t know who I was facing, who was kneeling before me, but he seemed more than familiar. Then, I realized. 

‘’Taz!’’ I was agonized. I tried to hurry to him and heal his wound when the dark haired troll found me again. The smile had gone from his face and by his fist, he attacked me. With a quick dash I ran to him and gave him no time I sprang to him. As I jumped on him, I leveled his body to the ground and without any hesitating I bit out his throat. He was jolting for some seconds, than… the struggling, the resisting, the moving break off. He was laying on the ground lifeless and I was just staring at him. I watched how his red blood came out from his mouth and from his throat. His eyes were looking to the distance, though I knew they did not see anything anymore. A life was gone… because of me. I was panicked. Not because I murdered, but because I enjoyed it. Was this missing from my life? The fight? The murdering? I was confused and was lost my mind. I collapsed on the ground, right next to Taz. However I was unconscious, I was still able to comprehend the things happened with me. Shades were standing around me. I didn’t see them face, I wasn’t even sure that they had face. One of them stepped to me and knelt down.

 ‘’You are pretty brave, little elf.” His voice was deep and full with sarcasm. ‘’You are far away from your home. ’’He laughed and stood up. ‘’I know what you want, elf. I know what you want to be. So why have you killed that troll.” He pointed to the dark haired one. His dead body vanished from the ground and emptiness stayed where he was. 

‘’You not respect trolls.” I wanted to shout that it is not true, that I do respect them. I felt that every bit of mine was aching of trying to move again, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t. The shade asked again, but this time his voice was full with fury and hatred. 

‘’Don’t you respect the trolls? Answer, noh!” I didn’t speak zandali well, but I knew that noh means elf. I had enough. I gathered all my strength left and shouted up. 

‘’I’M NOT A NOH!” As the sentence left my moth, I hit the ground again. 

‘’So be it.” The voice was calm this time. ‘’Do not disappoint your gods, troll.” All the shades, all the figures left, leaving silence. I only felt pity for myself and sorry for Taz. I was able to keep my eyes openen, but I didn’t have any strength to keep myself shapeshifted, so I transformed back. I heard low flutter of wings than a faint whang next to me.

 ‘’Rheisa?”