Act I, Chapter 2: Plight of the Darkspear
"We be here, mon'." The troll ferryman stated as the small boat landed on the shores of the Echo Isles. Kikuchiyo put a silver in the ferryman's hand and thanked him as he stepped off into the soft sand of the beaches. The air was thick with anxiety, and Kikuchiyo saw almost no armed guards on the beaches of the islands. They must be preparing for the inevitable naga invasion. Kikuchiyo decided. As he walked from the beach toward the thick Echo Isle jungle, he spotted a young troll arguing with what might have been the only lookout guard on the whole island. "Come on mon'! Let me through! I be a shaman, I got ta' help Vol'jin against Zar'Jira's naga!" the young troll said, but the guard shook his tusked head. "I be sorry, Zuni, Vol'jin don't want any inexperienced trolls out there fightin'. He don't want ta' lose da promisin' youth."
"Dat's not fair! I been trainin' for a long time, mon'!" The young troll, whom Kikuchiyo identified as Zuni, exclaimed in disappointment. He approached the pair and looked at the guard. "His heart is full of passion for the Darkspear Tribe, guardsman, why not let him through?" The guard looked at him quizzically and retorted. "I be under strict orders from da' Chieftain. No one gets through here alone if dey be a trainee. And what business does an orc have on da' Echo Isles?"
"I heard the pleas of your runner. I am a warrior, freshly dismissed from the Valley of Trials. I come representing Garrosh Hellscream and his glorious Horde!"
"If ya really be representin' Hellscream," the guard spat out the name of the warchief with no regard for his title, slightly angering Kikuchiyo, "den ya wouldn't be here. Everyone be knowin' dat Garrosh got no love for da' Darkspear. But I suppose the Chieftain be wantin' any help he can get. Ya can proceed, warrior." Kikuchiyo nodded at the guard and began to walk past him, then stopped in his tracks and turned around. "You said that this young troll recruit cannot proceed alone, yes?"
"Dat' be right."
"What about under the protection of an adventuring orc warrior?" Kikuchiyo saw the guard's face turn to surprise, then curve in a grin. "I be supposin' dat' dere' be no rule against dat'! Alright, Zuni, go ahead wit' ya' orc escort!" The troll shaman trainee nearly began to dance in joy, but he settled for an excited bow, then ran over to Kikuchiyo as swift as the wind and began to thank him. "Oh thank ya', thank ya', thank ya' mon'! How be I repayin' ya for ya kindess?" Kikuchiyo smiled, the troll couldn't be any older than 15, and yet his desire to serve the Darkspear Tribe was already deep and genuine. He will make an excellent shaman of Garrosh's Horde someday, Kikuchiyo thought with pride, and I will show him the way! At last, Kikuchiyo replied to Zuni. "You owe me nothing." he stated as they walked down the clear path in the dense jungle, "I only ask that you be loyal to your Chieftain Vol'jin, to Warchief Garrosh Hellscream, and to the Horde." Zuni looked a bit distressed at the idea of being loyal to Garrosh. "I... I don't know mon'. I be loyal to Vol'jin and to da' Horde, sure. But my people be sayin' dat' Garrosh be no Warchief. Dat' he be a troll hatin' jerk!" Kikuchiyo nearly whirled and slapped the boy for his disloyal regard to Warchief Hellscream, but the young troll's face suggested innocence and naivety. He had probably been told these lies about Warchief Hellscream due to the bitterness that the trolls felt about being forced out of Orgrimmar.
Kikuchiyo did not truly support his Warchief's decision to only allow orcs to have free reign of the city, but he figured that if Garrosh had willed it, then there must be a good reason behind it. Kikuchiyo swallowed his seething anger at Zuni and instead wished to show him that Garrosh Hellscream was a true hero. "Warchief Hellscream," Kikuchiyo began, emphasizing the title, "has deep love for the Horde. The whole Horde. I know that his actions against the trolls seem to be oppression and tyranny, but it is my belief that the Warchief has the best for the Horde in mind. In Northrend, Warchief Hellscream led all the races of the Horde against the Lich King. He rewarded and regarded each race as equals; troll, tauren, undead, blood elf, and orc alike. Do not doubt our him, for he always has a plan."
The pair soon came to their destination; the Darkspear Training Grounds. Kikuchiyo looked around and imagined seeing dozens of trainees from all walks of life, warrior, shaman, druid, warlock, or anything else, training together under their masters. But today, there were no trainees working diligently to become fighters, for all trainees and citizens were evacuated to Sen'jin Village. Today, only the trainers themselves remained, organizing a last ditch defense should Vol'jin fail against Zar'jira, the Sea Witch. Kikuchiyo could hear the trainers talking amongst each other. "Dis slimy vermin be proof that Zar'jira gonna attack!" the warrior trainer said as he prodded a captured naga with a spear. The naga hissed at him and was promptly hit in the face by the warrior's gauntleted hand. "I agree, Nortet. It be a good ting dat' Chieftain Vol'jin evacuated da villagers and trainees." The warlock trainer chimed in. The druid trainer spoke next in a calm voice. "If it come down it, I be tinkin' dat we at least can hold off da' naga long enough for Sen'jin Village to organize a defense." The shaman trainer was about to speak, but as she opened her mouth, she saw Kikuchiyo and Zuni, and her face soured. "Zuni!" she yelled angrily, "What ya be doin' here!? I told ya ta' evacuate wit da' others!"
"I know ya did, Masta' Nekali! But I had ta' come back! I dunno about dem' other trolls, but I don't plan ta' sit back while dese fish-heads destroy our hard-fought home! Besides, I brought company mon'! Dis be Kikuchiyo, he be fresh from da' Valley of Trials." Zuni seemed to have tempered Nekali a bit, but she still scowled at Kikuchiyo, "Don't ya have any respect for da young, orc? You be lookin' pretty young yaself. If ya want to go and throw away your life, fine. But why do ya have ta' put da' lives of da' children in danger too?"
Kikuchiyo was taken aback by the comment for a moment, but then he found the words to respond with. "I agree, Shaman Trainer Nekali, it would be a crime to put the lives of unwilling youth in danger..." Kikuchiyo pointed a green finger at Zuni. "However, Zuni is not an unwilling child. He is a passionate young troll, with the heart of a true member of the Horde. He begged to be allowed to come along and help his tribe fight off the naga. As an honorbound orc, I could not ignore his pleas to assist in the battles to come. You may find that he is worth all the risks he takes here." Zuni gleamed as Kikuchiyo regarded him so highly in front of all the Darkspear trainers. Nekali went to open her mouth again, thought better of it, and turned her back on the pair, mumbling something as she walked away. The warrior trainer nodded at Kikuchiyo and Zuni, "Your help be appreciated, boys. But we can't let Zuni go out and face da' naga if we don't tink' dat' he be prepared. You too, orc. Ya may have fought boars, scorpions, and imps, mon', but naga be a whole different breed of trouble. Ya see dis nasty ting?" Nortet pointed his hand at the caged naga, "He be a little dazed from being beaten, but he still gonna prove to be a worthy opponent. Since you two gonna be fightin' together, I tink' dat you two will be ready to join Vol'jin if ya can kill dis beast as a team. We already got da' information we need outta him, which was next to nothin'. Into da pit with ya!" Kikuchiyo and Zuni were ushered into a pit filled with bones and stained with blood. It must be a proving ring. Kikuchiyo concluded as he stepped down into it. "Alright, naga," Nortet began as he readied himself to open the cage door, "If ya can kill dese here inexperienced boys, I gonna let ya go back to ya Sea Witch. And ya can tell her all da' information ya been storin between those scaly ears. Ya understand?" The naga looked dismissively at Kikuchiyo and Zuni, no doubt the beast had thought that this would be easy.
Zuni looked very nervous as he and Kikuchiyo descended into the pit. Kikuchiyo put a green hand on his shoulder, "Do not worry, Zuni. I know the naga seems fearsome, but I know you'll do well and then we will fight the Sea Witch and her little fishies together!"
"Thank ya mon... It's just..."
"Is this your first naga?"
"No... Well, dis be my first living enemy!"
"What!?" Kikuchiyo stared wide-eyed at Zuni, but before another word could be said, the cage opened and the naga slithered out in a flash, grabbing its trident from Nortet as it charged at Zuni. Kikuchiyo had to think quickly. That boy will die! He thought in horror. I suppose I'll have to draw its attention. Kikuchiyo charged at blinding speed toward the naga, disorienting it long enough for him to swing his axe. The beast parried and hissed in some unknown language at Kikuchiyo. "Zuni!" Kikuchiyo yelled. "Quickly! While I have its attention! Attack!" Zuni reacted very quickly, murmuring requests for help from the elements as he placed down a Totem of Earth and cast a bolt of lightning at the naga. The serpent cried out in agony, and Kikuchiyo used the moment of pain that the naga had to swing his axe down upon it. The beast reacted by raising its trident, and as the blade of Kikuchiyo's axe hit the polearm, one of the heads of the axe flew off and it broke apart before his eyes. Kikuchiyo stood, dumbfounded at the breaking of his weapon and felt warm blood gush from his body as the naga's trident pierced through his armor. Zuni cast another lightning bolt spell and stopped the naga in its tracks as it writhed in agony. Realizing that the young shaman was a greater threat than the defeated orc, the naga turned from Kikuchiyo and began to charge toward Zuni, who pulled out his staff in anticipation for the attack. Zuni put down a totem as he murmured to the elements, and the totem caused the very earth beneath the naga to reach up and hold it in place, giving Zuni enough time to step a few more spaces back.
In his moment of respite, Zuni used the time to call on the element of water to heal Kikuchiyo's wounds. The orc felt his wounds close and strength return to his muscles as he opened his half-closed eyes. The naga was getting closer and closer to Zuni, who wouldn't be able to stand against it in close combat. The lightning had certainly wounded and weakened the serpent, but Kikuchiyo knew that it would take more bolts than Zuni had the strength to conjure to fully destroy it. In a desperate move, Kikuchiyo ran over to his broken axe, which still had a part of the shaft and one of its two heads left on it, and picked it up, turning toward the naga and screaming. "For Hellscream!" The beast turned in curiosity but was too late. Kikuchiyo buried the remains of his axe into the naga's skull. The naga screamed and hissed and dropped its trident as it flailed around in pain. Panting hard, Kikuchiyo looked at Zuni, "What in the name of Thrall's balls are you waiting for!? Finish him!" He screamed it harsher than he wanted to, but Zuni wasted no time in his reaction to the orders. The young troll called upon the elements one last time as a shock of flame shot out from Zuni's hands and toasted the naga in a burst of flame.
Kikuchiyo turned to Nortet and the other trainers and bowed, sweat dripping from his dampened purple hair as it hung. Zuni, who was also exhausted from the need to draw so much energy, also bowed to the trainers as he tried to mimic Kikuchiyo. Nortet nodded at the pair. "Stand up. You have proved yaselves today. I can't be tinkin' of any other troll or orc who be so worthy to fight at Chieftain Vol'jin's side. Ya both may go." Kikuchiyo and Zuni looked at each other and smiled, then Kikuchiyo looked back at Nortet. "Master Nortet, tell me, why hasn't Warchief Garrosh sent an army to destroy the naga yet?" The troll began to wildly laugh, making the orc darken with both embarrassment and anger. "Garrosh be waitin' ta' see who gonna come out of dis' war. It be da' same ting' he did to Baine Bloodhoof. He gonna watch, and wait, and da winna' here gonna be in da' Horde, or so we tink'. Whether da' Darkspear keep their place or Zar'Jira is offered one in our stead, well, dat' remains ta' be seen." Nortet spoke grimly.
On one hand, Kikuchiyo was outraged that Garrosh would sit back and let an ally of the Horde fend for themselves against a hated enemy. However, in another point of view, why should the Darkspear remain a part of Garrosh Hellscream's mighty Horde if they could not defend a few small islands? The same islands which, Kikuchiyo remembered, they had already lost once to the insane Zalazane. Perhaps if Vol'jin and the trolls were not fit enough to fight in the Horde, then the naga should be offered a position in the Horde instead of them. "Only the strongest may dwell in Orgrimmar!" Those were Garrosh's famous words. Perhaps he had removed the trolls from Orgrimmar because they were not strong enough to dwell in his mighty city.
Kikuchiyo shook his head at the notion. Not only was the Darkspear Tribe a longtime and valued faction of the Horde, but Garrosh would never do business with the vile naga. Kikuchiyo was confident that his Warchief valued the true Horde over pure strength and convenience of power. Yes, concluded Kikuchiyo, He is letting the Darkspear trolls fend for themselves because he knows they're strong enough to win against Zar'Jira, the Sea Witch! The revelation caused Kikuchiyo to grin widely. He admired Garrosh even more for allowing the trolls to have their moment of glory in destroying Zar'Jira, killer of Vol'jin's revered father, Sen'jin, once and for all.
"One more ting' mon'," Nortet said abruptly, cutting off Kikuchiyo's deep thought. "Ya axe. It broke, no? Well, ya gonna need a weapon to fight. So take dis'. It be of Darkspear craft, I hope it will serve ya well." Kikuchiyo took the unexpected gift from Nortet and unwrapped the head of the axe. It was made of a fine iron, better than his last axe. He could tell that it was a standard issue weapon, yet he couldn't help but admire the level of craftsmanship that went into it. "I... This is most unexpected. Thank you, Master Nortet. Ancestors watch over you." Kikuchiyo bowed to the warrior trainer. "And spirits be with ya, Kikuchiyo." Nortet replied. Kikuchiyo turned to Zuni, "Are you ready, brother?" The troll shaman's face lit up at the use of the final word, and he nodded his blue, tusked head in glee. "Ya mon'! Let's crack some stinkin' naga skulls!"