Blizzard owns World of Warcraft.
Sweat was joining forces along his body causing a small rivers to run down Turlock's tattooed skin. The heat was not from a sun, the sky was a constant shift of colors and floating ribbons of energy. Which lightened and darkened in the general pass of the day and night but no sun brought this change. The intense heat rose from the reddish hard packed soil.
Turlock's group inched around a large outcropping of stone that jetted out in the near uninhabitable landscape beyond was a cluster of demons that milled around a circular device. The very portal that pulsed with fel energy that hissed against Turlock's Light infused flesh, the object they were commissioned to destroy.
Turlock put his hand on the rock and eased his body close and crouched, as quietly as possible pulled off the waterskin tied to his belt. He yanked off his helm forcing more of his red hair from the messy bun and took a long swig from his water skin and wrinkled his nose at the warmth. The liquid seemed to a thin layer of dust that covered everything in this forsaken region. It had taken to cover him from head to toe and gathered in the most unhappiest of places.
Cadtal, his brother stopped in front of him closer to the edge of rock and peered around it. A forsaken priest hovered behind Cadtal, while a female orc, Milsem, came to rest behind Turlock. She gently tweaked his left ear that jetted straight and tall, he turned meeting the warrior's brown eyes. His words were silenced when he noticed the deep wounds littered between plates of her armor from their last contention with the red skinned orcs, that littered these lands.
Turlock whispered a healing enchant wrapping his hand around her thick wrist, power shimmered from him and rolled up her arm knitting the wounds. The warmth he felt at the contact had little to do with the energy he offered her. Milsem gave him a small smile and a nod of thanks turning her attention to objective before them.
She moved toward Cadtal to bring forth a plan of attack. "I think if we split up," Milsem began pointing to the two guards near the perimeter of the demon infested area. Then her thick green tinted hand moved to the left.
"Right," Cadtal said glancing at the priest who gave him a nod, the two eagerly raced out.
"Wait," Milsem hissed seeing two other demons walking toward the guards. She cursed under her breath searching for a way out of it. The battle drew more demons into the fray overwhelming Cadtal. Turlock pushed his helm on and freed his sword and shield, the two stopped the demons from coming up behind Cadtal and taking out the priest. When the demons were dealt with, Cadtal continued without gathering their first objective. "Wait."
"We need the stones," Turlock called, picking through the pouches of the armed demons and felguards to find the keys. He glanced up to see Cadtal heading toward the portal guard, one of the stronger creatures around the humming device. "For the love of the Light. He is going to get us all killed." He raced forward and snagged his brother and pulled him away before he could alert the demon.
Cadtal turned and pulled free his facial features twisted with anger. "We can take it," he hissed.
"We need to gather the stones or the attack is pointless," Turlock said, than frowned knowing that look on his brother's face all too well. Watching Cadtal closely since their arrival in Hellfire Peninsula had Turlock questioning everything including his faith in the Light. Cadtal had a drive Turlock lacked, while his brother was going out in more and more dangerous situations with reckless abandon that had caused many deaths of comrades. Turlock was attempted to be more cautious so the mission was a success without backtracking.
Cadtal's eyes narrowed and grabbed Turlock's chest plate pulling them nose to nose, tearing him from his thoughts. "Which side are you on, brother?"
"The Hordes, of course, if we charge in the demons will overwhelm us."
Cadtal shoved Turlock back against Milsem who steadied Turlock. "Pathetic, my own blood," Cadtal's face twisted with disgust. "Go back if you can't take the heat of battle."
"That isn't fair, Cadtal. I fought with you for years we make a good team. I don't speak falsehood and you know it." Turlock pressed, wondering where the common sense of his brother hand gone.
"You are holding me back from the greatness that is inside me," Cadtal leaned closer to him. "Leave my sight."
"Cadtal, you can't be serious."
"Get out of here, coward, don't force my hand."
"You are mad," Turlock stated, his gaze shifting about them. This was not a place to be having a squabble in the thick of enemy territory. "I have done nothing wrong, your actions are not justified." Cadtal pulled a knife on him determined to kill anyone he deemed the enemy no matter what cost, Turlock fell back a step flabbergasted. "What has gotten into you?"
"We can do this, Turlock," Cadtal said with a murderous glee in his illuminated green eyes.
"You lead us to slaughter if you…." Turlock's truth was answered with a punch to the jaw, his helm went flying and bounced toward the outcropping. Blood dribbled from his broken lip, Milsem stepped between the sin'dorei holding her axe, a low dangerous growl vibrating out of her. Turlock regaining his balance and wiped the blood from his lip. He stepped beside the orc with a frown deep upon his elfish face. "Listen to me, brother. We will destroy the portal, we just need to gather enough stones before the last assault."
Cadtal grabbed the top of Turlock's breastplate bringing his younger brother closer pressing the blade above the metal collar that protected Turlock's throat. "I will not let you stand in my way," Cadtal hissed the edge of the blade sliced flesh, warm blood oozed from the wound over the hammered metal of Turlock's armor. "You are sounding more like that warrior you are always hanging around."
Two felguards strolled into their little area and sent their felhounds after them. Milsem raced into battle the orc held the two felguards for several long moments. Turlock wrestled to free himself from Cadtal's grip. Milsem dropped two of four demon creatures before she was overwhelmed and fell.
Turlock's world shimmered to a blackness seeing the orc laying still in the dust, he ran toward her dodging swords and bites from the remaining felhound. He paused to gather the Light inside him in a desperate prayer, a flood of the blessed energy burn inside him like a comforting fire. He gathered a bolt of the energy and flung it toward the felhound, the creature roared in pain. Another bolt brought the half dead hound down. He turned to the last demon and began to content with it inching closer to Milsem, he saw movement of her arm and he clung to hope she still lived.
Cadtal ignored his brother's warning and need of help and went straight for the portal guard. Cadtal fell to his knee screaming in pain as the portal guard freed the long sword from Cadtal's chest. The hoofed foot kicked the half dead paladin away and moved straight for Turlock. The priest cast a powerful healing spell upon the older brother, Cadtal grabbed the priest by the arm and the two ran bubbled in the Light's protective energies.
"Cadtal!" Turlock screamed as the heavy blows of the portal guard slammed against his raised shield. "Don't leave me." The dark creature's lips twist in a cruel smile. Turlock broke the fight, the tip of the evil sword clipped the back of his pauldron as he hurried to gain some space. He paused long enough to heal himself, he turned flexing the Light that swirled inside him and let it out in a blast around his feet which caused the ground to shimmer with golden light in a five foot radius from his position.
The hoofed feet pounded against the bone encrusted land with little care, the energy rippled around the demons legs causing pain like no other to the creature. Turlock formed a force shield and whipped it at the portal guard the pure energy object ignored most of the armor hitting full bore in the chest.
The sword play continued, casting spells when he had the energy to do so. Exhausted and drained he started loosing ground to the dark creature, his arms were heavy from the long battle.
Milsem body slammed the demon freeing Turlock from melee, the paladin let out a cry of relief to see she still lived. He gathered his will and was able to send healing spells her way as she pounded ruthlessly with her two axes against the enemy.
After he caught his breath he joined in the fray, flanking the monster. Once the creature fell, the orc glanced around for the other two in the party. In a moment of weakness, Turlock wrapped his arms around the warrior tears of relief slipping down his cheeks, thankfully hidden by his helm. He yanked away and sent a thousand apologies her way and took up finding the needed stones to disable the portal. Milsem followed behind the paladin and they engaged the stones the green energy flowing in the middle of the circular device was cut off ending the free entrance of the demons to this plane.
They hurried away from the objective searching for the second portal, the two huddled nearby and learned the enemies movements before engaging in battle. They gathered the stones and destroy the second portal.