Darkness surrounded one of his eyes and a red haze was forming over his other, clouding what remained of his vision. He was on the ground, soaked in his own blood. He turned his head to one side and say his pet Echeyakee lie dead a few feet away from him, its once white fur caked in mud and blood. A tear entered his eye as he realised that he wasn't far from such a state. He heard metal meeting metal but it felt distant, as if it was happening behind a stone wall. His breaths were shallow and pain rang out from his chest every time his lungs met his broken ribs. He knew that he served his duty and finally up-held his part of the agreement but he didn't want it to happen here, of all the places. He stared up into the white sky, not too bothered about what was going on around him, knowing too well that he was beyond saving.
Graan winced as the massive rune blade connected with his hellreaver once again. He no-longer had his hat on his head but since no one was around, it didn't matter much. He was more concerned with his opponent and with his fallen comrade. Graan dodged the incoming attack and quickly slashed out at his opponent, cutting his shoulder but that didn't seem to effect his opponent. It only resembled an orc, its flesh having decayed long ago but the bone structure and overall shape of the body were unmistakable. This was a big orc, bigger than Graan, it was also long dead. The runes on its blade were getting dull but the attacks of the orc were getting more ferocious.
Graan knew too well who he was fighting but he didn't expect to it so soon.
“Your mind was always weak, Hortak,” Graan commented drily, “even before you became what you are now, your mind was very weak and easily bent as opposed to your physical strength, brother.”
Hortak didn't seem to hear it but it didn't bother Graan too much. He wanted to end this, he wanted to cut the last chains that bound him to his clan, Blackrock. He charged at the death knight, not stopping when he reached him but instead slashing at him while running. Hortak was cut on his upper arm and swung from mindless rage at Graan, cutting a shallow wound below his ribs. Graan winced from pain but pushed on nonetheless.
The brothers traded one heavy blow for another, both of them abandoning speed and focusing on raw power. Graan finally knew precisely what level of power his brother possessed. No matter how much power they put into their attacks, none could break through the guard of the other. Each strike was filled with great force but none could taste blood. Graan had enough.
Hortak swung downwards at his brother. Graan lifted his hellreaver up to block it, but just before their blade connected he let go of his weapon and moved to the right. He was considerably faster now that he no-longer had to drag his weapon with him. The hellreaver fell to the ground when the rune blade connected with it, the absence of resistance upsetting Hortak's balance. Graan quickly lunged himself at his brother. He grabbed his throat and started to punch him into the face with all his might. Hortak was forced back by the force of Graan's fists and decided to drop his weapon to engage his brother with his own bare hands, but Graan ended it before he had a chance to try. Instead of punching straight as he had up until now, Graan swung sideways, catching Hortak's face with his upper arm. Quickly, he wrapped his arms around Hortak's head and neck and spanned his neck. There was no flesh left to support the head with the spine being broke and so the head came clean off. Hortak's body fell to the ground but Graan took no chances and quickly took hold of his hellreaver, cutting his brother's body to bits.
He was breathing hard as he looked at the remains of his brother. Then he remembered Tazno. Quickly he dashed to his friend but with once glance he knew that there was nothing he could do. He fell to his knees next to Tazno's head and looked down into his one good eye.
“I'm sorry, my friend,” Graan said softly to the troll.
“At least.... ya are finally... free mon....” Tazno coughed up blood as he spoke, his voice shaking from the strain, “ya tell 'em 'ow it 'appened... it... it was a pleasuah... mon.... Graan...”
Graan sighed sadly as Tazno exhaled his final breath. There was work to be done for his friend...
Graan watched as the fire consumed his friend's corpse. He watched until the wood itself turned to ash and he kept on watching as the wind blew away the ashes of his friend and the wood. When not a since speck of ash remained, he silently turned and walked away, with his hellreaver resting on his right shoulder. So much has happened in the past few months. He walked down the road towards Conquest Hold but he stopped when it entered his sight. Not yet, he thought as he turned away from the Hold and started to walk the other way, soon I will but right now I still need a few more days.
Subject: The clash of the ShaKunn brothers and Farewell to Tazno