"There must be something we can do." Rylan stood up from the Trolls side. Even with the light now having returned to Zih'rak, he still didn't have the will or hope to live. But Rylan could not let him give up, he couldn't let the Troll die, not after he saved his life so many times. Darrius couldn't understand the dedication and the emotion behind his friends' words, his words in effort to save the life of their enemy.

"What does this Troll owe you Rylan?" Darrius voice was quiet, not wanting to alert anyone passing by the unusual conversation.

"After the battle we were trapped, we fought." Rylan recalled the events all too well. "Then even after trying to kill each other he saved my life, and he knew the danger when he took that bite for me." Rylan look down at the shivering pale form of the Troll, sweat covered his fragile body. "And even with death coming to claim him, he still gave his word to get me home." Rylan now stared Darrius in the eyes, trying to show somehow that this Troll was not his enemy. Darrius took a deep breath, not breaking eye contact with his friend.

"The healers have tried everything." Darrius was struggling to feel bad for the Troll, not having the experiences Rylan have had. The life and death situation he had faced with the Troll, the feeling of having to rely on an enemy for survival. "There's nothing we can do for him." Darrius revealed the last thing Rylan wanted to hear, the words he never wanted to hear at that moment in time. Silence fell between them; the only sound was coming from Zih'rak as he struggled to breath. Darrius turned away, ready to walk out and leave his friend with the dying Troll. He suddenly stopped a thought coming to mind.

"There's a group of Zandalari Troll's, not too far from here." Hope sparked in Rylan's eyes.

"We can take him to them, they can help him." Rylan kneeled back next to Zih'rak, finally having a plan to repay the Troll for saving his life.

"Rylan even if I could help you, it would be suicide." Darrius argued, annoyed with himself for even suggesting it. "They would kill you on sight."

"You won't help us that's fine, I will do this without you, but you best stay out of our way." Rylan threatened as he took the Troll's good arm in hand. Pulling Zih'rak up into a sitting position. Darrius wanted to stop his friend, to tell him he had lost his mind, that what he wanted to do was delusional. However, he couldn't. He could not think of a single reason that Rylan would put his life on the line to save an enemy, unless he had one god damn good reason.

"I can get you out of here, once in the jungle you're on your own." Darrius entered the cell and helped Rylan lift Zih'rak to his feet.


Back in the jungle rain now pelted down from the sky, causing the once hard and dehydrated ground to soak up water until it couldn't no more. Causing the ground to become soft, dirt turning to mud, puddles now all around them. Rylan practically dragged Zih'rak through the mud, but he kept him on his feet, he kept moving forward.

"Rylan." Zih'rak croaked, the sweat on his face now undisguisable from the rain.

"Keep going." Rylan replied, pushing the Troll as hard as he could, pushing his own still healing leg and body to the limit. His feet sinking into the mud, making each step harder than the last. He recalled the directions Darrius had given, the final hug his friend gave him, hoping it wouldn't be the last. He wasn't sure how far they had travelled, everything in the jungle looking the same.

"Rylan please." Zih'rak legs gave up, his knees hitting the mud, but Rylan pulled him back up.

"It can't be far." Rylan pleaded to the Troll to keep going, to himself to not give up. They reached a clearing, no longer having to weave through trees and step over large plants and roots. The mud however was thicker, less leaves above to halt the rains fall.

"Rylan." Zih'rak said again, this time pulling away from him. Letting himself full to his side in the mud.

"It can't be far, we must be close!" Rylan shouted, not caring who heard. He tried to take the Troll's arm but was pulled to his knees by the Troll's side instead.

"Mon listen to me." Zih'rak wheezed, his fingers still around Rylan's arm. "Da is nothin' they can do, even ma own people will not be able to save me from death." Zih'rak told him, badly out of breath.

"There must be something?" Rylan pulled the Troll's head into his lap, rain continued to slam down onto both of them. Zih'rak weakly shook his head in reply.

"Mon, now ya must do as ya promised." Zih'rak rasped, pain riddled his body. Rylan shook his head like a child, tears starting to form in his eyes.

"You can't ask that from me, not now." Rylan looked down at the dying Troll, at his friend.

"Ya must." Zih'rak tried to close his eyes but Rylan shook him awake.

"I can't, I can't let you die." Tears rolled down Rylan's cheeks, his face growing warm and red.

"Don't tell me Human's go back on da word?" Zih'rak managed to joke, a smirk visible on his pale face.

"Zih'rak I can't kill you, please don't ask me to do this." He begged, he pleaded to his friend. Rylan suddenly took the Troll's snake bitten arm, placing his palm over the wound. Light seeped from his shaking hand, putting everything he could into healing his friend. Rylan slouched weakly, having only just wasted energy.

"Mon go home, live ya life with ya woman and child." Zih'rak took Rylan's hand in his own, a smile still on his face. "Live da life I wanted."

"But I would never have been able to live this life, not if you hadn't have saved me." Rylan cried, clasping the Troll's hand.

"There's nothin' left for me here, ma woman and boy wait for me on da other side." Now tears rolled from the Troll's eyes, streaming down his face before merging with the rain.

"That's not true, you need to go back to your fellow Paladins, show them the light has not yet left them." Rylan couldn't comprehend it, that he was going to fail, that his friend was going to die.

"If da was more time mon, I would." Suddenly the Troll's breathing hitched, each shallow breath he took looked as if it was going to be his last.

"Zih'rak." Rylan mumbled, his face scrunched in sadness.

"We may… have… once fought." Zih'rak struggled to speak. "Had once been… enemies." He could no longer even gasp. "But I am proud… honoured… ta call ya friend." The Troll's eyes began to close. "Even brother." Rylan did not force Zih'rak to keep his eyes open. Instead nodded in reply, still looking down at his friend as he closed his eyes.

"As am I Zih'rak, you will for every be my friend. Forever my Brother." Rylan had to watch as the Troll's smile faded, his breathing stop, he had to feel his body go limp in his arms. Rylan hung his head, just letting his emotions take him, his own tears hitting his brother's face.


Rylan cried, he just sat in the mud and cried. Only when someone had given their life for yours, and died in your arms, a death you could not prevent. Only then would you understand the pain, the torment his mind was being forced to endure. A Troll, a Human, he no longer saw a difference. He was his brother of war and would forever remain that way. The rain never stopped, keeping Rylan company as he mourned.

"You brought me home." Rylan lifted his head. "I will get you home." With all his strength he heaved his dead brother onto his back, the mud making it hard to keep his grip. "This I can promise you, this promise I will keep!" He shouted out, the jungle his witness to his words and the promise he made. He didn't count the steps he took, the time or distance he was away from the ruins. He just walked till he found them.

"I'm sorry." He called out, no one having appeared when he approached. He could see a fire under some cover, but no one was in sight. "I couldn't save him." He sobbed. "But I bring him back to you, to his people. Zih'rak was my brother in the end, he was family." Rylan wasn't sure if anyone was there to listen, but he trusted that there was.

"I trust you to give him the proper burial he deserves." Rylan only now lowered his brother to the ground, with gentle hands he laid his head back.

"May the light forever be by your side." Rylan finally said his goodbye. He stood and turned, he begged himself not to look back as he walked away, screamed at himself internally to not do that to himself. He had almost made it when he couldn't help himself, his head turning to look over his shoulder. Zih'rak was gone, his body having been taken. He stood stunned for a moment, but the fact that they had not attacked or threatened him showed in some way that whoever had taken the body was grateful. Rylan for the first time in days walked through the jungle alone.


Darkness was all Zih'rak could see, but he could hear much more. His name was being called, many voices beckoned him. The woman he had long since loved and never stopped loving, he could even hear the cries of his son. Vison was suddenly given to Zih'rak and the Loa of death stood right in front of him. Bwonsamdi. The large Troll looked down on him, taking a step to the side to let him pass. To let him pass to the other side.

"Ya made some strange friends in life mon." The Loa told him.

"I did." Zih'rak simply replied, the memory of the last words Rylan spoke to him still fresh in his mind.


Days after Zih'rak passed, and Rylan had returned his body to his people, Rylan himself returned home. Darrius arranging an honourable discharge from the army, arguing the fact that his wife and child needed him and that he had already given so much to the Alliance. Before he knew it he was on a boat, heading back to Stormwind, back home. At the docks his wife stood waiting with their daughter in her arms, having heard of his return. She shed tears before his arms were even around her, he wanted to say so much, to hold his daughter all in the same moment. Weeks then passed, and it was strange to be back home, to sit holding his young daughter in his arms, only just starting to say her first words. He was used to holding a sword in place of his child, but as time passed his love for his daughter took over his love of battle. After what Zih'rak had taught him about life, how precious it was and how it could be snatched away just like that. He missed the Troll and he wasn't afraid to admit it. In his day dream he didn't hear his wife approach.

"This just came for you." There was worry in her tone as she handed over a heavy sealed envelope. The blue wax Alliance symbol clear as day, the letter having travelled from the warfront. She feared the worst, that they were calling for his return. Once the envelope was opened and a letter revealed he recognised Darrius's writing immediately. Rylan clutched his daughter as tears formed in his eyes.

"What is it?" She asked scared. Rylan read the words of the letter again and again and again. Not believing what he was reading.

'Rylan,

I write to you informally to bring you news and words from an old friend. Not too long ago once you receive this letter I found myself patrolling around our camp one night alone. Out from the Jungle something approached, I had to pinch myself having of course remembered the story you had told me. But their he was Rylan, Zih'rak stood right in front of me. I thought he was a ghost before he approached, his smile was genuine even after what I did. However, it wasn't me he was after, it was you. I informed him of course that you had returned home, he chuckled at that, he seemed pleased. He asked me to pass a message on and that's why I write to you now, these next words I write for him.

Rylan, you never gave up hope, you never believed that I would die. But die I did, not by your doing not by anyone's. You brought me home, and my people preyed to our Loa of death to return me to the land of the living, promising him that my time was not yet done. He replied and that allows me to speak to you this day. To thank you for giving me back a purpose, to find another family, to teach my fellow Paladin's that the light has not yet left us. I wish I could teach them the kindness of the Alliance, but we both know I cannot. However, I will tell them of a Human, a Human I am able to call brother. A Human who will forever be a part of my family. If we do not find each other again in this life, I am glad to have met you Rylan. Maybe one day this world will find peace, however I don't believe it will be in our lifetime. Light be with you brother.'

Rylan wiped the tears from his face, he turned to his wife smiling, handing her the letter.

"He's alive." Was all he said as her eyes scanned the page, a hand met her face in shock. Still holding the envelope, Rylan felt something still within, with his daughter still on his lap he tipped the remaining contents into his other hand. Out fell a small hand carved wooden figure of a coiled snake, its fangs visible and large, one wooden while the other seemed to be real. Rylan could only guess it was pulled from Zih'rak himself, the fang from the deadly snake that had taken his life. Rylan put it on the table next to him, he hugged his daughter as she stared at it with big beautiful eyes. Rylan's wife's hand now on his shoulder in support as her own tears fell from her eyes.


Authors Notes

I had a lot of fun finishing this story, thank you to the one who convinced me to finish it. Hope you enjoyed the story and this final chapter. Hope to see you soon in whatever story i write next.