Bond of Blood
My first one-shot, and my first fic. In the World of Warcraft section. Like a number of my non-Smash Bros fictions, it features original characters, though none of them are any I actually have on WoW though. With that out of the way, read and review.
Disclaimer: I do not own any content that is licensed as property of Blizzard Entertainment. I do own my original characters and the story.
…
Two figures trudged through the snow up the hill. They were dressed in the furs of wild animals, shielding them from the snow and wind whipping at them, though light metal armor could be seen on their shoulders, wrists, and chest.
The shorter, but more muscular figure was an orc. His black hair was tied in a long ponytail coming out of an opening of a helmet. His green brown skin didn't seem fazed by the cold air, for that matter the snow and wind became tranquil just by his mere presence, it was clear the elements respected this orc.
His companion was a female troll, taller than him by only a few inches. A single tooth protruded from her bottom lip, her pale blue skin matched the ice that clung to the cliffs she walked by, though it was in stark contrast with her bright red, braided hair. She gripped on to her bow as they walked forward, both of them had solemn looks on their faces.
"We're getting closer." The orc said. The troll did not respond. "Sul'fon? Are you listening?"
"I heard you." Sul'fon responded with her heavy accent. "I was… just tinking."
Three years ago Sul'fon was hiding behind one of the dried bushes or Durotar, a short ways away from a large raptor. It was the most beautiful creature Sul'fon had ever seen. The purple skin, the blue stripes, the raw power as its hind legs sprang at the hapless boar, the ferocity of its eyes as it eyed the boar's throat, and the savagery it possessed as its teeth sank in to the boar's neck before tearing away at the rest of its prey.
This primitive beauty was right in front of Sul'fon, and she lusted for it. "You be mine soon…" Sul'fon pulled an arrow from her quiver, she used a small knife and chipped away at the stone on the arrow until the tip was blunted. She then took careful aim as she notched the arrow on her bow. She pulled the string, steadied her aim, and released.
"Scraaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!" The raptor roared as it turned to the dried bush. Sul'fon had placed the shot right to the back of the raptor's skull. Though the shot was successful in making it disoriented, it didn't need its eyes to smell its aggressor.
"Shhhhhh… come to momma now…" Sul'fon whispered as she looked the beast in the eyes, focusing all of her will power on to the beast. Its pace slowed down as it drew closer and closer but finally it slowed down to a stop in front of Sul'fon.
"…" The beast stopped and sniffed Sul'fon. All of its hostility had vanished, and now it walked to Sul'fon's side.
"Dere now…" She had tamed the beast. Sul'fon took a knife, cut her palm, and gently cut the side of the raptor she had just tamed. "You are now… Atal'fon." She pressed her bleeding palm against the cut she gave the raptor. She then hugged it around the neck and smiled. "You and me, be family now…"
It was only a year later that Sul'fon would meet the only other person she would call a friend.
"Hrah!" The orc shaman swung his large axe, aiming for Atal'fon's neck.
"Groar!" Atal'fon was too quick. He stopped the swing by biting on the shaft of the axe.
"Grrrrr…" The orc struggled to get his axe free, even the earth totem enhancing his strength wasn't aiding him. He had to admire the beast's strength even as it withstood the voltage from his lightning shield.
"Now if you wish to keep your life you be leavin' your gold and your weapon behind." Sul'fon threatened from behind the orc as she notched an arrow.
"Why would you attempt to rob an ally?" The orc asked.
"I have no allies… and no family but Atal'fon, don't flatter yourself mon." Sul'fon told the orc. "Now you be leavin' your gold and weapon, now!" Sul'fon demanded once more, pulling her bow tighter.
"…" The orc was silent for a moment. He quickly let go of his weapon while his hands cackled with lightning. "Rah!" He fired a lightning bolt at Atal'fon that then jumped to Sul'fon.
"Raaaaaaaaaahhhh!" Atal'fon released his grip on the orc's axe as he reeled from the pain of the lightning spell. The orc grabbed his weapon, replaced his current earth totem with a different one, and also dropped three different totems.
"Hm!" Sul'fon aimed her arrow but her aim was thrown by a fireball thrown at her from the flaming totem the orc dropped. "Ah!" The orc then cast another spell, this one hit Sul'fon with an instant blast of cold, a cold so sharp, it was almost like a shock to her brain. She could barely move now.
"Roar!" Atal'fon could barely move as well due to the pulsing earth totem. All the loyal beast could do was watch as the orc swung his axe down towards Sul'fon's head.
"…" Sul'fon didn't close her eyes, she just looked at the axe blade approaching her.
"You may not feel like it… but you are one of my people's allies in blood and honor. I will not strike you down." The orc said, holding the axe blade a mere inch from Sul'fon's head.
"…" Sul'fon was in stunned silence when the orc said that.
"I am Dronn Spiritcaller. Remember that name…" Dronn then removed a necklace from around his own neck and dropped it to the ground at the stunned Sul'fon's feet. "For it is the name of your brother in the battlefield." Dronn said as walked past Sul'fon.
"Groar!" Atal'fon was finally free of the totem's power and charged at Dronn.
"Leave him be Atal'fon." Sul'fon told the raptor.
"…" The raptor skid to a halt and leered at Sul'fon.
"Leave him be." Sul'fon repeated, stooping down to pick up the necklace.
The months passed and Sul'fon would continue to run in to Dronn. The sight of the Troll hunter and Atal'fon was always a welcome sight for the wandering shaman.
"How it be feelin' down here Dronn?" Sul'fon asked as she and Atal'fon walked ahead of Dronn, trudging through the thick jungle.
"Hm… it is strange. There is some… imbalance with the spirits of fire here." Dronn answered.
"Look out!" Sul'fon shouted.
"Roar!" A raptor that was at least twice as large as Atal'fon leaped in from behind and bit down on Dronn.
"Rah!" Dronn shouted.
"Tch!" Sul'fon fired an arrow at the large raptor and hit it in the neck. The raptor immediately fell asleep.
"Groar!" Atal'fon lunged at another raptor that was behind Sul'fon.
"Damn." Sul'fon cursed as five raptors closed in on the three. Sul'fon immediately placed a trap on the ground right as one raptor lunged for her, encasing it in ice completely.
"Rah!" Dronn pulled out two axes, imbued one with the spirit of wind, and the other with fire and began slashing away at the two raptors that dared approach him. Atal'fon finished off the one raptor and immediately went to the defense of his master.
"Atal'fon!" Sul'fon shouted when her pet stood between her and the gaping maw of another raptor. "Gah!" Sul'fon shot a concussive shot at another one before hitting it with an arcane shot. "Hold on mon!" Sul'fon immediately turned her attention to the raptor that was clawing away at Atal'fon.
"Behind you!" Dronn used a frost shock on the raptor that Sul'fon froze earlier, stopping it from jumping her before Dronn ran up and struck it with both of his axes. "Grah!"
"Grrrrrrooooooooooaaaaarrr!" The large raptor Sul'fon put to sleep earlier awoke, in agony and angrier than before.
"Hrah! Hm?" Sul'fon had just placed an arrow right in the skull of the raptor assaulting Atal'fon when she turned around to notice the giant raptor. "It wore off already!?" Sul'fon jumped back right as the raptor stomped at her. Only for it to lunge forward with its mouth to bite her around the waist. "GAH!"
"Groooooooooooooaaaaaarrrr!" Despite its injuries Atal'fon moved ran forward and bit down on the giant raptor's neck.
"Rah!" The giant raptor recoiled and flung Atal'fon off. It turned its attention to Atal'fon and lunged to eat him.
"No! Ugh…" Sul'fon tried to move but was too badly injured.
"Let me treat your wounds." Dronn said.
"Forget me! Save Atal'fon!" Sul'fon shouted.
"…" Dronn seemed hesitant, but after all of these months he knew how much the raptor meant to her. Dronn drew both of his axes, became surrounded by orbs of lightning, and charged at the giant raptor fearlessly.
"Grrrrrrr…" Atal'fon was getting weaker and weaker as the giant raptor was sinking his teeth in further and further in to the raptor's backside. He was losing blood and fading fast.
"Stormstrike!" Dronn swung both of his axes, backed by the power of the wind, and struck the raptor a fatal blow. "Hold on Atal'fon… you will be alright."
"Grrrrr…" The creature growled back weakly.
"Shhhhhh… dere dere…" Sul'fon staggered over to Atal'fon, bleeding profusely.
"Sul'fon, your wounds!" Dronn warned.
"Momma is gonna make it all bettuh…" Sul'fon whispered to Atal'fon, collapsing to the ground next to the raptor.
It was another several months later, merely a few weeks before the present, Sul'fon and Atal'fon both made it out of the Un'goro crater alive. Though Dronn saw less and less of them as each week passed.
"Sul'fon. You can't be serious!" Dronn nearly shouted.
"I be very serioush Dronn." Sul'fon said, slurring somewhat.
"Sul'fon, you're only saying that because you're drunk. Sleep it off and speak sense tomorrow." Dronn told the depressed hunter. Atal'fon was acting as Sul'fon's support again. This has been going on a lot over the last few weeks. With each week that passed Sul'fon seemed more and more depressed or angry, or even more drunk.
"I be shpeakin' sense now mon… hic! I be tired… of comin' to Origimaar…"
"Orgrimmar…" Dronn corrected.
"…tired of comin'… hic! To dis city jus to meet de eyesh of de other trolls… knowing dat I was outcast as a child… left wit no family… knowin' I don't… truly belong here… hic!" Sul'fon rambled.
"Sul'fon. You are not an outcast any longer. You are my friend, and I won't have you go on this suicidal journey." Dronn told her, grabbing her by the shoulders.
"Grr…rah!" Atal'fon bit at Dronn, not actually biting him, but it was enough of a threat for Dronn to get the message.
"…Sul'fon… Atal'fon…"
"We be goin' to Nort'rend… and we be wishin' to be left alone…hic!" Sul'fon told him one last time.
Unfortunately they weren't alone; Sul'fon was mistaken for a Drakkari troll and nearly captured if she didn't make a deal with the black skinned human that called himself Samir. Even so, she enjoyed being able to capture these Drakkari trolls.
"Is she dead…?" Three trolls were inspecting the body of this strange female troll. "She be lookin' dead mon."
"Groar!" Atal'fon jumped one of the trolls and began clawing and biting at him.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
"Hold on mon!" But before that troll could act he was encased in ice by a trap Sul'fon slipped under his foot.
"Ha! You never played dead before mon?" Sul'fon asked as she notched an arrow with an explosive attached to it and aimed at the third troll.
"Wah!"
BOOM
"Ooooogggghhh…" He was then struck by another arrow that promptly put him to sleep. Sul'fon then fired a blackened arrow at the frozen one.
"Gah! Hm? No!" Too late for mercy, another explosive shot was shot at him, knocking him to the ground burnt.
"Ha ha ha ha… you be makin' Samir good gold mon… and be gettin' me my freedom back." Sul'fon chuckled as she placed the wooden cages Samir provided her over the two beaten trolls.
"H-how can you be doin' dis mon?"
"…" Sul'fon's nose flared angrily at that. "How can I be doin' dis?!" She asked angrily. "How can my own parents, be leavin' me to fend for myself? Left wit no one!?"
"Grrrrrrr…" Atal'fon growled.
"I be sorry Atal'fon… I lost my temper…" Sul'fon said to the raptor, hugging it around the neck. "Oh… seems dat one you got won't be movin' will he?" She asked Atal'fon.
"…" The troll Atal'fon mauled was bleeding heavily, and breathing even harder.
"Bah… he be dead soon… all yours Atal'fon." Sul'fon said coldly as Atal'fon approached the dying troll, hunger in his eyes and drool escaping his jaws.
After a week of doing this, Sul'fon finally got away from Samir's service.
"Grrrrrr…" Atal'fon growled.
"Shhhh… I know." Sul'fon told the raptor. Atal'fan was lying down, almost curled around a campfire, yet still Sul'fon still had enough room to sit on the ground and lean her back against Atal'fan's side, gazing up at the stars in the night sky. "It been too long since we finally be alone Atal'fon."
"Hmph…" Atal'fon snorted through his nostrils. He then lifted his head slightly. "Grraaaa…"
"I guess Dronn is to blame for dat." Sul'fon replied. "We be loners Atal'fon, we bot' be knowin' dat now… it be only you an' me."
"Gra."
"But… I suppose Dronn coulda been one of us… but he was too close to others." Sul'fon said. "He jus' don' realize dat dose same people can turn around and abandon 'im… he don' realize dat we can't be close to others."
"…" Atal'fon was close to falling asleep, yet still he listened to his master. Atal'fon's loyalty was too deep to simply fall asleep as Sul'fon was talking to him.
"Maybe… we didn't have to be so cold to 'im…"
"Grrrrr?"
"Yeah… I guess I do miss 'im somewhat." Sul'fon admitted. "But Dronn is too close to others, and we can't be close to others. Dey are not acceptin' like Dronn… nobody but you and Dronn can accept me." Sul'fon told the raptor.
"Grrrrraaaaa…"
"Shhhhh… don't you be worryin' about momma now… jus' go to sleep… everytin' will be alright now Atal'fon." Sul'fon whispered to her beloved pet.
"Grrrrr…" Atal'fon calmed down as Sul'fon's whispers reached his ears.
"You and me be bonded by blood… you and me be family now… momma will always protect you…" Sul'fon whispered.
Just three days before the present, Sul'fon was atop one of a necropolis belonging to the Scourge warlord Drakuru. Through events out of her control Sul'fon was forced to cooperate with the Knights of the Ebon Blade in order to bring down Drakuru and, more importantly for her, keep her free will out of his grasp.
"Fool! Ya coulda been havin' great power mon!" The towering, dark blue troll yelled at Sul'fon as he wrestled with a muscular orange troll that Sul'fon was controlling through a brightly glowing scepter. Despite his apparent rage at Sul'fon, Drakuru was beginning to get an edge over Sul'fon's Blightblood Troll.
"All I ever needed was me and Atal'fon! You mean nothin'!" Sul'fon fired an explosive shot that nailed Drakuru in the waist, allowing the Blightblood Troll to overpower Drakuru.
"Grooooooooooaaaaaaaarrrr!!!" Atal'fon leaped at Drakuru, landed on his shoulders and tore a chunk out of his shoulder before leaping off and allowing the Blightblood Troll to pin him to the ground.
"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!! ENOUGH!" Drakuru mustered all of his strength and punched straight through the Blightblood Troll's left chest, his hand protruding out of its back, drenched in orange blood and gore. "Dis foolish treachery has cost ya your destiny!" Drakuru pushed the deceased Blightblood Troll away as Atal'fon leaped at Drakuru once again, only for Drakuru to backhand the raptor away.
"Grah!"
"Atal'fon!" Sul'fon was about to run to Atal'fon, but stopped moving when Drakuru created a smoke covered doorway. The air grew cold, Sul'fon's breath grew heavier, and she could feel her heart race as a presence she had never felt before began to pervade the air around her. It was like any life that was left atop the necropolis was bleeding away. She looked at the smoky doorway to see a figure step out from it.
The figure was clad in cold gray armor, the chest armor and boots resembled bones. Long white hair flowed out from under the thorny helmet. Most terrifyingly of all, the eyes that could be seen through the helmet glowed with a deathly sinister blue light, looking in to them felt as though you were staring the cold of death in the eyes. And the figure's sword had an icy mist surrounding it, a skull decorating the hilt, and eerily glowing runes emblazoning its broadside.
Though Sul'fon could see that the armored figure was physically shorter than Drakuru, the figure's presence was undeniable. It was larger than Drakuru, Atal'fon, and herself put together. She could only feel fear as she looked at the figure. She knew exactly who she saw before her.
The Lich King.
"Master, dis mortal scum be double-crossin' us. Dey must be made to suffer!" Drakuru yelled, breaking Sul'fon out of her trance.
"…" The Lich King did not move for a moment, and though his face was hard to discern, one thing was clear; he was not pleased. "You have failed me, Drakuru!" The cold voice echoed. "It is you who should suffer. Be content that your death is a quick one…" As he said these words, power gathered in the palm of the Lich King's free hand.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh…" The echoing screams of what felt like hundreds of lost souls pierced through Sul'fon's mind as the Lich King gathered up this energy. The screams only stopped when a blast of the Lich King's foul magic blew Drakuru's head off and caused it to land some distance away.
"As for you…" The Lich King turned to Sul'fon.
"…" Sul'fon was trembling now. Was this the end of the road for her? She never truly feared death, but this, this was a different kind of fear.
"…" The Lich King's lips curled in to a twisted smile. "I spare your insignificant life as a reward for this amusing betrayal. There may yet be a shred of potential in you."
"P-potential?" Sul'fon couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did he have something planned? What was does he mean? No, none of that mattered, here was an enemy to her. Something had to be done. Atal'fon must have felt her thoughts, for the raptor stirred and eyed the Lich King hungrily.
"However…" The Lich King's lips returned to a frown as he eyed Sul'fon. Soon Sul'fon felt paralyzed, not by the cold of the air, not by any magic she knew of, all it felt like was sheer terror holding her.
"Guh… wh-what is dis?" She stammered out as she hit her knees trembling.
"Do not mistake my generosity, for you still must be taught that defying me is not without its price." The Lich King said.
"Grroooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrr!!!" Atal'fon had heard and seen enough, seeing his master held down by this monster was all the motivation he needed to charge at the Lich King in bloody vengeance.
"No! Don't!" Sul'fon managed to cry out.
It was too late. The Lich King turned and swung Frostmourne at Atal'fon, the slash across his chest was clean, and the raptor hit the ground.
"Atal'fon!!!" Sul'fon shouted through tears.
"…" Atal'fon eyed his master one last time before the light in his eyes died out, never to light up again.
"Be warned…" The Lich King grabbed the deceased beast by the head and dragged its corpse behind him. "When next we meet I shall require much more to justify your life." The Lich King said as he left Sul'fon on her knees.
"…" Sul'fon just sat where she was, motionless. For how long? Minutes? Seconds? It didn't matter, she felt as though her very life passed before her now. She finally stood up and walked to the edge of the necropolis. "Atal'fon…" She muttered as she leaned towards the edge. "Don't worry… momma be comin' for ya…" Sul'fon leaned far over the edge and began tumbling through the air downwards.
"We be togetha' foreva'… jus' you an' me… you and momma…" Sul'fon muttered as she fell.
"Sul'fon?"
"Hm?" Sul'fon turned to face Dronn.
"I only wish I could have found you sooner." Dronn told her.
"Not even you coulda saved Atal'fon…" Sul'fon replied, teary eyed.
"…" Dronn stayed silent as they approached the top of the snowy slope. "We're here." Dronn said as they stopped a stone throws away from a camp, protected by a wooden barricade. "Sul'fon…"
"…" Sul'fon didn't respond, she only stared ahead at the camp.
"You always thought of yourself as alone, alone with Atal'fon. But your trust in him and his trust in you was far greater than that of a hunter and his pet." Dronn told her. "The two of you were never truly alone."
"Why tell me dis now? After he been dead for tree days now?" Sul'fon asked.
"Because he is still with you." Dronn answered solemnly.
"…"
"He stands by your side in spirit, as loyal to you now as he was in life. He gives you the strength to go on Sul'fon." Dronn said. Sul'fon thought bitterly about how Dronn had to fly on a wyvern to stop her from committing suicide, she truly and genuinely wanted to die at that moment. Dronn must have felt this emanating from her somehow, for his next words rang with the right sensation.
"Atal'fon, remember that name, for he is your family in blood and spirit."
"…" Sul'fon could not hold back her tears any longer. "You… you be right Dronn…"
"You no longer have to shoulder this burden yourself Sul'fon… let others help you carry it." Dronn said as he placed an arm around his friend and guided her up the hill where a figure clad in golden armor stood at the top.
"…" Sul'fon eventually walked up to the figure without Dronn's guidance. She could not see the figure clearly through her tears. She kneeled before him and spoke. "Please… I wish to fight da Scourge… under da banner of da Argent Crusade."
It wasn't long before she and Dronn were put to duty. Those two along with a bunch of Night Elves, Tauren, Humans, Dwarves, races from all walks of life were standing outside of the front gates of the Argent Vanguard. They all wished each other well, they prayed together and laughed nervously together. Finally it was time.
An army of grotesque insect like creatures that reeked of death and decay approached the Argent Crusade guard that Sul'fon and Dronn stood in front of.
"For blood and honor!" Dronn shouted as he raised his axes above his head.
"…" Sul'fon merely looked ahead. She raised her bow, notched an arrow, pulled the string, and took careful aim. She could feel Atal'fon standing beside her; he was ready to pounce on his prey as she was ready to fire on the same target. Finally she smiled and shouted her own cry.
"For blood and family!"
She let the arrow fly.
…
I sincerely hope you enjoyed this little piece. With nothing else to say,
Thank you for reading.