Gold Road
Dusk tempered the sun's reigning presence, and for the first time since waking they weren't broiling under its flares. The peaceful crooning of flies had become a comforting sound, mollifying them and lulling the goblin into a doze. His pointy head laid on the orc's thick shoulder, while his short legs dangled below the brawny arm supporting his body.
"Walking's gonna be a favorite pastime by no other choice." The Forsaken broke the silence.
"For you guys," Raf commented.
Lee snorted. "That's noob talk. We're getting mounts."
"Yeah, but not for a while. We're poor nobodies," Eli's low voice could be heard easily from several dozen feet.
"Shush, raptors will find us."
"You just want quiet so you can sleep."
"Por que no los dos?" Lee answered for Raf, quoting an old Spanish commercial. The goblin settled more comfortably in Eli's silence. "Rafy, if you rub your Squidward-nose on me one more time..."
"Squidward's nose isn't so erect," Eli supplied, stirring up trouble between her brothers in revenge.
"It was an accident." Raf huffed.
"Again?" Eli fanned the flames.
"Yes. I don't usually have six inches -nope." The unintended suggestion wrangled a chuckle out of both siblings. "On my face." Raf tried saving it, against his better judgment. Eli guffawed behind them, automatically raising a hand to cover the horror of her open mouth.
"Dickface," Lee chortled.
"Whatever. Cocksucker."
"Why you letting him tuck it into your neck?" Eli accused gleefuly.
"Man," Lee grieved, unable to bear the innuendo, "shut up! And get off!"
Raf grumbled as he was dropped on the spot, and coughed at the kicked up dust from the orc's heedless stomping. "What happened to rule number one, Eli?"
The Forsaken shrugged as she walked, only half sorry. The impending stench of gangrene was almost a physical force and compelled him forward, away from her. A few minutes later the goblin was drenched in sweat and puffing loudly.
Lee had already slowed so Raf could keep up, if he slowed anymore he'd trip over his own feet. "Ah whatever, come on you poor bastard," he said, reaching down for the goblin trotting at his heels. "And you, filth," he glared over his shoulder at Eli, "not a word."
"Actually, I think we have to stop. Look," she said, studying her feet as she walked. "See?"
The orc turned unwillingly, switching the goblin to the other arm like a toddler. "I see you walking," he said gruffly, disgusted all over again at the sight of her.
"No but, this is all I can do. I can't walk any faster. I almost can't move -look," she explained, slowly lifting one of the arms hanging at her sides.
"For real?"
"You need fuel. Don't you feel tired?" Raf asked, pinching his wet robe off his chest.
"No. Well it's not tired like I want to stop, it's like mechanical? Like being restrained."
"Maybe because you don't feel the tiredness you just see the results. Like the not breathing thing with Unending Breath," Lee guessed, "but you're fucked 'cause I'm not carrying you."
"You just need fuel, it's a Forsaken racial; cannibalism," Raf explained.
"I don't want to eat dead things," Eli said, crossing her arms defensively in slow-motion. The drowsy flies sheathing her limbs whirled closely at the action, jostling for the premium spots of exposed rotting flesh.
"'Don't shy from dark paths if they lead to victory.' It's a Forsaken proverb," he said at the disgust twisting Eli's face and the fresh revulsion on Lee's.
"You hardcored that undead shit, huh?" Lee commented, disturbed.
"Still. I don't want to eat nasty shit."
"I'm going to make this very simple; eat what we bring you or stay here by yourself. Or you could try eating actual shit, I'm sure I could squeeze some out," the orc said harshly, annoyed at the logistics of it all.
"Dude..." Raf shook his head.
"Okay genius, bring me 'fuel' then." Eli slowly dropped to the ground, her head level with the high, dry grass. The black fly-layer crawled and hopped accordingly.
"How-"
"Shut up," Lee said.
"So let me get this straight, after a day of walking I'm the only one tired?"
"I'm tired too. Hungry, mostly thirsty. Hot too," Raf said.
"I could eat but, yeah I'm more thirsty. Not tired at all."
Both goblin and Forsaken stared at him in disbelief. "How though, I'm magical," Eli groused, stretching out on the ground and disappearing completely.
"Well, but it's the lowest form of magic. Necromancy is weak, preschool shit," Lee claimed.
"It makes sense; whatever energy expended walking all day in the extreme heat has to be replaced somehow," Raf thought aloud.
"Great," she said drily.
"You should stay with her," the orc said but didn't immediately put the goblin down, giving him a choice.
"I'll stay, but it'll be pitch black soon. How are you going to find us, or navigate to find anything?"
"I'll figure it out."
"No, the smell should protect her and if she is found the armor will come in handy. I can use my nose away from...here and maybe find something laying around. The remains of a kill or something."
"Oh, great," Eli said sarcastically. "And how will you find me on the way back, stench alone?"
"Yeah."
It was late in the night before the Forsaken heard them returning. Raf sat backwards on one broad orc shoulder, ears attune for any threat sneaking up from behind. Lee carried a maggot riddled, meaty bone they'd finally found. He'd torn the bottom of his robe to use as a sling.
"Hurry up," he said shortly when she didn't sit up. Being so close to the sickly rot smell they'd followed for miles burned his nose and upset his stomach.
"Toss it down, I don't want to see what you brought." Lee carefully slung the contents toward the voice and released the sling once it was airborne. He didn't wait to hear it land before scampering away. "It's not shit right?" Eli asked in a small voice.
"Bitch, really?" Lee rebuked, offended. "If-"
"No. We dug it up from something's old kill. It's probably an antelope," Raf spoke over Lee's vulgarity.
"Shut up, dumbfuck. Raf, what?"
"It's meat."
"You shouldn't be able to taste anything either," Lee reflected, finally picking a spot to sit down.
"Hm, no I don't taste anything at all. Can't feel texture either, thank God," she said through a mouthful. "If I didn't have this trippy night vision I could be eating my own hand and not know. Creepy."
"It's way past that. Now hurry up. We saw hyenas before it got dark and heard lions roaring. It'd be cool if we weren't so fucked." The sound of the Forsaken eating was revolting, and Lee plugged his ears with a finger and hummed a song to avoid hearing the unholy noise.
"Okay, not sure if I'm done or not, but I can move easier."
"Alright, let's go," Lee got up, then paused. "Huh, I'm starting to get tired, like just my feet a bit."
"Wow, twelve hours of walking later you start to feel 'a bit' tired. Must be nice."
"Right?" Raf said, exhuasted.
They trekked through scrubland gone silver in starlight. "Wonder if I'll need a bathroom break at some point? Yuck, can you imagine? Undead shit?" Eli grimaced in disgust. "Can't imagine a more cursed substance. Made out of rotten meat by-"
"Shut the fuck up." Lee turned to face the Forsaken, holding a sleeping goblin sprawled across his chest with one hand, and emphasizing with the other. "Just for the fact that your voice is as cursed as undead shit. Just for that, but if you think about it; we're in the middle of wilderness with predators all around."
"There's the road, right fucking there. Ass." She pointed to the far distance where she could see the moon-bleached road stretching from horizon to horizon.
"And? That doesn't matter to raptors."
"And I'm a tank."
"No, you have armor and a stick. You've never kil- not a hyena, lion, or raptor," he elaborated quickly, assuming she would correct him when her expression changed suddenly. "So, no. You'd be just as-"
Eli shouted and rushed forward, club held over her head. Lee yelped and jumped to the side before she got within reach of him. Raf jarred awake. "What's happening?!"
"Shit, shit, shit, shit," Lee chanted, turning to keep her in sight. The Forsaken met a springing lioness as it landed and fought it back, bashing away striking claws. The deep growls were met with terrified expletives. Taking in the scene only took a few seconds and the orc felt propelled forward to help but stood bristling as he desperately studied the scene.
"Behind!" Raf shouted, slapping Lee's shoulder frantically. Then the goblin was suddenly airborne, a fiery tail followed his rocket's projection. Ice encased him and shattered at the impact with a crouching lioness. He rolled away, stunned but spamming the rocket launcher on his belt.
"You got it!" Lee was trying to catch the goblin who was holding down the rocket launcher still. Raf couldn't coordinate enough to get off the dirt but the rocket dragged him across the unforgiving ground. He was dazed and still panicking. "Stop." Lee laughed humorlessly, unable to snatch the goblin as he tumbled around. The experience reminded Lee of a receipt scuttering away through a parking lot, ever just out of reach.
"What the fuck!" Raf gasped when Lee finally captured him.
"I know!"
A raucous howl shrilled behind them, and Lee swirled, automatically hoisting the goblin out of range of any claws. "Eli?!"
"Biiiiiiitch, did you see me!?" Eli shouted, then sucked in a huge breath to let lose another war cry.
"Idiot! Shut the fuck up!" Lee started for her, not entirely sure he could touch her even to shut her mouth. Done with the roar, Eli saw Lee rushing forward and immediately pivoted to find the next threat, away from him and Raf. Lee stopped short and stared at her hunched back with a mixture of pity and loyalty. "Shut. Up."
"What is it?"
"Now everything in the area knows we're here," he said.
"Oh." Eli glared, but realized the truth of his statement. "Damn." A screech sounded in the distance, unmistakably raptor-like. "Now all of China knows we're here," she tried quoting the line from Mulan.
"Yeah."
The Forsaken shrugged. "More practice."
"No, more danger and we can't heal yet."
"Pull your weight then. Oh shit, is that another one?! We killed two?"
"Rafy got that one with ice. Dude," Lee held the goblin out with both arms, "you used magic!"
"What?" Eli echoed Raf.
"You used magic! It was ice! I saw it!" The orc shook the goblin in excitement. "But what was it?" He suddenly stopped to consider.
"Ouch, my head. Don't shake me."
"Ice Shield?"
"That's awesome!" Eli exulted, then realized how close they were all standing and grew quiet to not alert them to the fact. They must have gotten use to the reek.
"Holy shit man, this is fucking happening!"
"The pain is real though." Raf scrunched the dirty sleeves of his blue robe to show the scrapes and ingrained dirt and rocks on his arms. "I panicked hard."
"You panicked so hard," Lee agreed, laughing, "but damn that was sick! Now I just have to figure out the healing thing. We could do this!" They looked at each other in silent appreciation and agreement, Lee grinning broadly, Eli nervously, and Raf with a crooked but genuine smile.
The one lioness had foot-long shards of ice embedded all over her, the other had been clubbed in the head but was still breathing shallowly. "Leave it for the raptors that are coming. We need to move. We should take the dead one though, or pieces. Going to need fuel."
"No man, can't leave it here to suffer. Get what you want from the dead one. I'll finish this one off and eat as much as I can."
They were still riled up and paranoid, jumping at any noise. They constantly jerked their heads to look over their shoulders as they worked on tearing apart the bodies. "You're taking to undead life so naturally." Lee curled his nose as he watched trickles of blood stream down the Forsaken's face, arms, and torso. He'd mangled one lioness open with brute strength, but now he stood beside Raf, at a loss.
"Don't look at me," she suggested with a mouthful of gore. "We are all adapting remarkably well. Next time I want help harvesting a crop of rabbits I don't want to hear any excuses."
"Yeah...I can't believe we're touching a lion right now. It's huge and...unreal. How did you just charge a fucking lion, by the way?"
"I know right?" Eli grinned. "I ain't no bitch is how." The magical energy used to reanimate the corpse shone dimly through the sockets, like faint light through dirty glass. "I didn't really think, honestly. The longer I go with sensory deprivation the faker everything seems. It's like I'm just playing WoW on a panoramic screen."
"Wow, it's opposite for me."
"Total opposite," Raf agreed, looking dismally away from the riven lioness. "Guess that's why you choked?"
"I didn't choke. Besides I'm a healer, we all have our roles." Lee watched the Forsaken a second more and tossed down the fist-fulls of meat he'd ripped out with bare hands. "I'm not taking any of this. Let's get to Ratchet so we can clean up and get something edible to eat."
The goblin made agreeable noises, eyeballing the other mutilated carcass and the Forsaken crouching over it. The squishy tearing sounds made him squeamish, and the ripe smell of blood saturated the area and everything in it. He didn't think he'd ever be able to smell anything else. "Let's hope we can make money somehow to afford it."
"Worse case we come back out and kill another one of these. We could sell the fur or whatever. Let's go, I'm not sure if I'm full but I think I've drank enough blood to fill any empty spaces in my magical belly."
Lee cringed mid-walk. "No. We're not normalizing this."
"Too late. I am Forsaken," Eli rasped the words a bit, delighting at the effect it added to the phrase. A macabre grin stretched across her carious face, and both brothers winced.
"Tone it down, that was too creepy by half," Raf admitted, turning away from the gruesome sight.
"Muahaha."
They started walking again, Eli was allowed to take point since she stank more of fresh blood than anything else. Raf sat backwards on Lee's shoulder, pointy ears swiveling for danger. They walked along the Gold Road, headed south. The rare tauren roadmarker gave them hope every time they came across one.
Eli and Lee were startled to witness dawn breaking over the plains. Raf had passed out earlier, not having boundless stamina like the orc or easily replenished energy like the Forsaken. He laid draped behind Lee's stout neck like a shawl. "We made it. I can't believe it."
"It's morning? Holy fuck, I'm dying of thirst but I'm legit fine otherwise. Are orcs machines, or what? I could get use to this."
"Not hungry?"
"Not anymore. Not after those lions."
Eli grunted. "Yeah it was a lot of blood. Wonder if I'm part lion now since whatever I didn't drink, I bathed in."
"That's enough of you for the day," Lee said mildly.
They walked in silence after that, observing how the white-gold sunlight humbled the grays and blues of night. Very quickly the land regained its shape, and the dominion of heat returned over the plains, leaching colors to dusty, faded shades. Morning's yawn activated the flies, and soon a loud, dense mass surrounded the travelers.
"I blame you." Lee growled after his fifth snort in a row to dislodge the persistent bugs. The dried blood covering them acted as a beacon for the flies and scores of them honed in for miles.
"It's too bad you have to breathe. They don't really bother me. They're kinda blocking the sun, like sunblock and sunglasses all in one." Lee choked on one as he attempted to speak. "Or yeah, you could just eat them."
"Hate you."
"Just be happy we're not attracting predators. So weird that we're not."
"I can't keep doing this," Raf said, suddenly coming to life with a crazy look in his eye.
"You? Bitch, please! What 'cause you got a new car? I just got my dream fucking place and a horse and chickens. I just started my garden and -pfft, I just started my life! And now this happens? If anyone is calling bullshit, it's me!"
"A fly bit me. I'm going to roll in the dirt, that's what I was talking about."
The Forsaken blinked, ribbons of flies lifted off dutifully. "Huh."
Raf couldn't find a spot he wanted to roll in because of rocks, and instead knelled to scoop handful after handful of sandy dirt to pour over his head. Lee adopted the idea and kicked some large rocks out of the way to clear a spot large enough to lay in. After stretching he rolled and showered large handfuls over himself and Raf.
Eli stood around mildly annoyed.
The dirt treatment worked to an extent, but by noon the buzzing flies took secondary to the extreme heat. The wind itself blew hot, unbelievably to the goblin and orc who hadn't experienced a desert in summer. The commentary had died down hours ago as Raf nodded off into uncomfortable sleep with his robe pulled over his head. Lee held himself in passive silence, keeping an absentminded eye out for danger, but mostly fantasizing about the coming future to keep his thoughts off of water and the drinking of it.
The Forsaken trudged behind listlessly, no longer welcomed around sentient beings, if ever she had been, thanks to the monstrous sight and smell of the blood drenching. She was bored of walking, and to amuse herself, quietly bit at flies.
The impossibilities of no predators hunting them and the endlessness and emptiness of the Barrens was numbing. They sweltered, and by the time they noticed a change in the wind Raf lay melted over Lee's head. It was a deal they'd struck; Raf didn't have to walk if he acted as a hat. Eli was a literal zombie, mindlessly following as she daydreamed of real life.
"Okay, I'm tired," the orc mumbled, shoving the goblin back into place on his head. It was late afternoon and the sun blazed at their backs, searing any exposed flesh.
"Thirty-six hours of constant walking later. I'm impressed. I wonder if that's average, and would an elf compare?"
Lee sighed heavily, too depleted to fight for silence.
Eli sensed this and without fear of interruption, picked a treasured quote from her mental list. "Three days and nights pursuit. No food, no rest, no sign of our quarry but bare rock can tell!
Lee stared at her, half appreciating the quote, half hating it. Finally, as to not encourage her, he said, "If I wasn't so tired, I'd kill you."
"Is meat back on the menu, boys?"
"Shut up, please, just shut up."
"I'm fun."
"How are you still up? Aren't you running low on energy yet? Because I'm leaving you behind this time," Lee said.
"I thought you might say that, so I've been eating flies all day. And I think it's working - wait, 'I think it's affecting me!' That one is from the extended addition."
Lee blinked slowly, patiently. "I'm afraid to talk without you somehow linking it to some quote."
"Fear me."
"Flies?"
"I assume they're delicious. If they aren't don't tell me!"
The orc shrugged, then had to secure the goblin lounging on his head and shoulders. Raf slept like the dead, in true oblivion, it was a talent he'd always possessed. "Whatever so we don't need to get you something. Let's go."
"Wait, thought you were tired?"
"I am. Now I'll walk tiredly. This orc thing isn't so bad." Eli sighed enviously and snapped at the flies stirred from her breath.
The Gold Road seemed endless, as did the rolling plains. Every now and again they'd hear an animal call but they encountered no traveler on the road, friend of foe. It was evening when the perceivable change in the air strengthened. The breeze was no longer dry and hot, the wind that touched them now was influenced by the vast ocean. There was no greater encouragement, and soon after night fell and spindly trees passed, they crested a slope.
Tiny lamplight, buildings, greenery, and ocean greeted them. "We're here!" Raf perked up at the sight.
"We fucking made it." Lee was so happy he could cry. Not just because he was parched to the bone, tired, and hungry, but this was a piece of fantasy from his childhood come to life.
"Henceforth I will call nothing fair..." the Forsaken began, but forgot the rest of the quote.
"Water, food, bath, in that order," Raf announced.
Eli laughed. "You mean money, water, food. Bath optional."
