Hello again! This is sadly just part one of Chapter 2, as it's already some 6000 words and I thought I might as well just get this half out at least.

I'm actually shocked. I came up with the idea for this story YEARS ago and now Blizzard done gone and stole half my plot lol. Impressive. Though I don't own anything. Except the plot. And about half the characters. Yeah, sorry for the rambling nature of this little...thing? My mind's gone weird tonight.

Chapter 2: Travelling a Rocky Road

Part 1 of 2

Dawn broke over Durotar the next day in an explosion of colour. The sky was a cool pale blue and the early morning light made the small amount of cloud cover ignite in a brilliant display of fluorescent pinks and oranges. The beauty of this morning phenomenon was lost however on the warrior that lay peacefully still in his hired cot.

As the large green orc rolled over in bed, consciousness slowly moved to grace his sleeping form. It slithered into his mind and chased away kaleidoscope dreams of blood and screams until nothing but weak, disorienting tendrils of them remained.

A groan slipped past sleep swollen lips and unfocused brown eyes blinked open. His mind still foggy from sleep and his vision bleary, it took the orc captain a minute of staring at the empty sleeping mat across from him before it actually registered that the crimson eyed elf he had shared the room with was no longer there. To be sure he glanced around the small space as best he could from his reclining position.

Sure enough, there was neither hair nor hide of the Patrol member or his belongings; the removal of his presence so complete that Drakken wondered briefly if he had dreamed the happenings of the previous evening. With a frown beginning to bite at his brow he swung his legs out and sat up, rubbing tiredly at his face with a calloused palm. A heavy sigh forced itself from his cotton filled mouth and he fought the temptation to return to the world of slumber.

With a great amount of effort the warrior got up and ambled over to the tiny recess which was supposed to be the washroom, though the pail of cold water and dirty cloth could hardly be called such. Forgoing the rag in favour of his hands, Drakken curled his thick olive toned fingers into a crude imitation of a bowl and splashed the water onto his face and neck. The water was cool and helped to wash away any lingering drowsiness. Drakken went in for more, briskly rubbing his arms and chest with dripping hands and wishing that the Broken Tusk Inn offered proper bathing facilities as it may have been his last chance to bathe for at least a few days. The raven haired orc pushed the thought from his mind and, not even bothering to dry off, threw on his armour. Without looking down he scooped up his bags and headed downstairs, hoping to have time for a quick meal before they had to meet with the rest of the soldiers.

...

...

As it turned out, Drakken had slept in much later than he thought and had barely enough time to gather his possessions and saddle Kiyeiya, his armoured grey wolf, before he and his companions had to meet the rest of the troops at the city gate.

The orc Captain stood before the warriors gathered there, trying to look professional and ignore the hunger that had begun to nibble on his insides. He dreaded the day ahead, knowing full well that the twinge he felt now would be unbearable by the time they stopped for the eve.

With a weary sigh he turned to survey the many warriors who gathered in front of the city of Orgrimmar. The mostly orcish warriors stood in varying degrees of attention, some whispering to their neighbours and others doing their best not to fall asleep . However once he started to speak, his voice carrying over the large assembly the way only those with years of practice could achieve, all turned their attention to their superior.

"All of you gathered here have been hand-picked by the Warchief to participate in a mission of utmost importance to bring aid to the neutral city of Gadgetzan in Tanaris. For those of you who are unaware I am your commanding officer, Captain Drakken Bludwringer." Drakken held them in his hard, stern gaze for a moment before continuing, gesturing behind him at his friends.

"These people standing behind me are my lieutenants: Gavin, Bjarnn Featherhoof, Melaine Goldrunner, and Kar'zhel. We will be leading you on this mission from the city of Orgrimmar, through Durotar, down through The Barrens and Dustwallow Marsh, across the shimmering flats of A Thousand Needles, and finally into Tanaris. There we will build up the city's defences and engage the raiding Southsea pirates in battle. The aim here is to drive these pirates away and protect Gadgetzan, hopefully earning the Horde their allegiance. We have two weeks to get there, and in a group this large and on foot it will likely take every last second of that time to reach our destination, so expect a hard journey."

A symphony of groans rang out from the men and Drakken chuckled briefly at their reaction. A flash of gold caught his eye and he glanced over to see Blood-Eye Blade finally deign to join them. The red eyed elf stood silently off to the side, a large timber wolf, which the orc assumed was the elf's mount, close by. Several of the men standing nearest also noticed the Patrol member's appearance amongst them and none-too-subtly shifted closer to their comrades, attempting to put as much distance as they could between themselves and the small, aloof man who seemed oblivious to the discomfort of those around him.

Drakken groaned inwardly. That's going to be a problem this whole journey, he thought, concealing a wince. Returning his attention to the small army as a whole he wrapped up his speech.

"Finally, as some of you may have noticed we bear the honour of having a member of our Warchief's own Patrol join us on our mission. Blood-Eye Blade will be aiding us in our quest and keeping his eye out for exemplary soldiers and troublemakers both. So it would be in your own interests to be on your best behaviour for the next few weeks." Chocolate brown eyes watched as a number his troops shifted uncomfortably and murmurs of discontent flitted through the ranks. The orc Captain sighed. Well, I'll just have to deal with the issues as they arise. There's little I can do about this tense atmosphere now since nothing I say is going to help them get past their distrust.

Drakken turned his attention forward and mounted Kiyeiya who, sensing her master's mood, gently nosed his arm as he climbed up. He rewarded the grey furred war wolf with a soft pat and a small smile before encouraging her onwards. Drakken ignored his unhappily gurgling stomach as he led the company of some 200 warriors away from the comfort of the city and out into the red horizon. He wasn't so sure it was simple hunger anymore.

...

...

A loud belch forced itself from Drakken's throat as he finished gulping down his lukewarm drink, earning him a few laughs from some of his men who were also finishing up their meals and a disgusted look from a particular female blood elf. The raven haired orc placed his utensils down on the ground next to him and leant back with a contented sigh, gently patting his full stomach with one calloused green hand.

"I really needed that." He said aloud to no one in particular. Melaine, seated across from him and Bjarnn, snorted in a most unladylike manner. Drakken glanced over at her and raised an inquisitive brow at the petite elf. Melaine responded by wrinkling her nose and narrowing her glowing green eyes.

"What you really need is obviously to have Bjarnn check you over. The way you tore into that hog, several times might I add, was unhealthy I'm sure!" The blood elf mage said with a sharp nod at his greasy plate. The movement sent her strawberry blonde hair cascading over her chest, the soft waves set ablaze in the firelight. A chuckle reverberated in Bjarnn's large chest but the tauren wisely chose to stay removed from his comrade's "conversation".

"I missed breakfast. I was starving!" He exclaimed, grimacing at the mere memory of his previous discomfort. "Besides," He said, turning his chocolate brown eyes to the fire mage, her beautiful porcelain face showing no signs of sympathy. "I think that's a bit harsh, coming from a girl who makes it her business to collect shrunken heads."

Melaine flushed and sat straighter, her expression one of perfect indignation.

"I'll have you know that collecting shrunken heads is a perfectly acceptable hobby–"

"For a troll." Drakken pointed out. His female companion let out a growl of frustration. She glared at him before letting out a frustrated huff.

"Hmph. I don't need to take such insults from you." The elf said with a sniff, looking down her nose at the orc. She rose from her place on the ground and stalked off, perking up when her eyes spotted Gavin standing watch at the edge of the large dusty campsite. Hurrying over to his side, she left her previous companions shaking their heads in fond exasperation.

"Poor Gavin. He's so completely doomed and he hasn't the slightest clue yet." Bjarnn chuckled as he watched the elven woman talking out her ire at the undead rogue, his eyes knowing. Drakken would have agreed that their friend's peace was lost to him for the remainder of the night had he not had the feeling that that was not what Bjarnn was referring to. He shot a questioning look at the druid who simply shook his head once more.

"It's nothing you need to worry about. Do not let it occupy your mind, you have more important things to concentrate on right now." Annoyance started to rise in Drakken before the orc allowed himself to give in to the logic in that statement. If Bjarnn isn't concerned then it's obviously something that I can put aside for now. I'll look into it at another time, he rationalised. The two sat in silence for a short time just watching the fiery mage ranting at their surly companion, made more so by the elven woman's presence, until she finally calmed several minutes later.

...

"Melaine is rather strange for a Sin'dorei. She's got the vanity down pat but unlike most others I've met she has some rather morbid hobbies and fascinations…" Drakken commented, trading the comfortable silence for conversation once more. Bjarnn huffed in quiet laughter.

"Yes, there is no arguing that… Though she is not the only eccentric blood elf in our company at the moment." The tauren pointed out, nodding his dark furred head at the small yet sinewy crimson eyed elf that was finishing off his solitary meal at the edge of the encampment. Drakken followed his friend's indication and felt a frown furrow his brow as he watched Blood-Eye Blade wash down a mouthful of pork with a swig of something he suspected was alcoholic. How lonely that must be, though he did not give voice to the thought. Instead he gave a hum of agreement.

"Mmm. That's not all though, there's something very…off about him." He said, trying and failing to find the words to describe the feeling he got around the elf. The frown deepened and his eyes narrowed the way they did when the orc captain was struggling to find the answer to a particularly stubborn puzzle. While his olive skinned companion studied the Patrol member, Bjarnn in turn studied Drakken. His dark forest green eyes took in the orc's intense focus and frustrated countenance, leaving the druid with the impression that this was more than just curiosity.

"You seem unusually interested in this Blood-Eye Blade. More so than I would expect from you." He said, his deep voice cutting into Drakken's concentration. The warrior sighed and pulled his eyes back towards his friend, still unable to put into words exactly the situation he had found himself in.

"I don't usually listen to gossip and idle prattle, you know that. Initially I had no idea who he was or what he'd supposedly done. All I knew was that he was a Patrol member and he was going to be joining us for this mission." He paused and heaved another sigh, chagrin entering his expression. Understanding dawned on the tauren.

"But now you know more… Things that you perhaps wish you had remained ignorant of?" He hedged. Drakken nodded, a few locks of his raven hair falling across his forehead and tickling his skin.

"Yeah… I overheard a few of the men talking last night and I was confused as to what they were complaining about. I asked them, just for clarification, and they told me about a mission one of them had been on where Blood-Eye Blade has been present… It…it wasn't pleasant." He explained, grimacing. "But even after hearing all that I did I still can't consider him a monster as so many of the men obviously do."

He couldn't bring himself to look at his friend. He probably thinks I'm being crazy. Who in their right minds wouldn't think of Blood-Eye Blade as such, particularly if all those things are true?

"And why is that?" The druid asked, his voice curious but clear of the incredulity that Drakken had been expecting. He mulled over his answer for a minute before responding.

"Because talking with him the few times I have, I swear I sometimes catch…such grief in his eyes. It's never there long but…after seeing it I just can't bring myself to think of him as evil…" He said quietly. Bjarnn rubbed a leathery hand over his face and down his small beard.

"Hmm. I can see your dilemma. I wish I could ease your concerns but I too have heard many disturbing stories regarding this particular Patrol member; several of them firsthand accounts. Far too many to accept as simple rumour." He shot an apologetic look at his friend as he spoke though the orc didn't notice.

"They said that even after reporting the incident nothing happened. There was no punishment, he wasn't removed from service, or jailed. Nothing." Drakken said. Bjarnn's eyes narrowed and he nodded once, as if it confirmed a thought in his mind.

"That aligns perfectly with what I have been told. A few who dare have suggested that his actions and the non-existent repercussions point to this going much higher than just the Patrol, possibly up to Hellscream himself." The dark furred tauren said, keeping his voice low.

Despite himself Drakken felt a shiver run down his spine. Garrosh Hellscream was a beast of an orc and had a tendency towards violence that was extreme even for one of their kind. He had already shown the lengths he was willing to go to in order to achieve the ends he desired. To think that he could be involved in the actions of the blood elf who had brutally slaughtered… Hundreds? Thousands? …of Horde and Alliance alike wasn't that much of stretch.

"If that was the case-"

"You would do well not to make such accusations so casually, and within hearing distance of so many." A soft but steely voice flowed between them, interrupted their conversation.

Bjarnn tensed. Drakken was on his feet in an instant, his large, double edged battle axe held tight in his hands. Narrowed brown eyes, burning amber slits in the firelight, met with unconcerned crimson. The warrior heaved a sigh, allowing the action to take the tension from his body. He shook his head, half at his own reaction and half at the intruder, spinning to sit his axe back down. Finally he turned his full attention to the blood elf standing just inside the shadows at the edge of the firelight. His eyes searched the blood red pools for any sign, any indication, of what the Patrol member was thinking but they allowed him no such knowledge. He frowned.

"For you to say that… It makes me wonder if you have plans to report us to the Warchief for our words." His tone was polite, casual, but concern flickered at its heart. The current Warchief was not merciful and if he deemed their conversation treasonous then demotion or relocation would be the best case scenario. Blood-Eye Blade moved into the warm light and stepped up close to the fire. The elf stared hard into the flames and was silent. Hints of emotion flashed through his eyes but were gone almost as soon as they dared show.

When he finally spoke the words were laced with resignation.

"While I may not have the intention of reporting you… What the Warchief hears, what he knows… I have no control over." As he spoke the Patrol member's gaze did not shift from the dancing flames. Drakken shared a look of surprise with the tauren just behind him. The smaller man seemed sincere and almost regretful. If the orc captain had been a betting man he would have bet that Blood-Eye Blade, the Blood-Eye Blade, was unsatisfied with his employer.

It's seems almost mundane…And if that's the case then why doesn't he just leave the Patrol? Why join in the first place? Curiosity drove him to give voice to his thoughts.

"If you're unhappy with Hellscream then why haven't you just quit the Patrol? Why even join?" He asked, radiating confusion. The elf being questioned spun to face him so fast that Drakken was surprised he didn't have whiplash. Shock painted his refined features before he reigned it in and his beautiful face fell into solemnity once more.

"I could ask you the same question. If you are so dissatisfied with the current Warchief's ruling then why do you still fight in his militia? For me…" The elf shrugged carelessly. "He made me an offer."

An offer, eh?

"Was it an offer you were given the option of refusing?" Drakken asked, studying the other male with a hard eye. He did not expect the response he received.

"Uh…ha..haha hahaha…" It was cracked, quiet, and completely devoid of the humour it portrayed but it was laughter. Drakken's eyes would have widened comically, and he wouldn't have been alone in this, had the sound not been so completely dark and pained. The sound faded out after several seconds and when the moment was over all that was left was a disturbingly void smile that stretched full lips into a crude imitation of joy without touching blood coloured eyes. The scar that crossed his left eye twisted slightly.

"You shouldn't ask questions where you don't really want to hear the answer." He said, holding the orc in his empty gaze. The expression faded and he spun suddenly on his heel, turning away from the two companions. The elf began to walk away but hesitated. He kept his back to them and when he spoke his voice was the same quiet tone as usual.

"You should be more careful about what you say and in whose presence… If not you will only get yourselves in trouble." Having spoken his piece the Patrol member sauntered off, seemingly unshaken. Drakken wanted to call out and stop the elf, bring him back and get some real answers instead of all that ambiguity, but like fog in the presence of the rising sun he faded away.

...

...

A few hours later when Drakken was falling into his sleeping roll he found himself with a head full of questions and far too few answers. The orcish warrior shifted, attempting to get comfortable enough to sleep, but no matter how many minutes passed or how many positions he took he was unsuccessful. Finally, with a frustrated huff he rolled onto his back, one thick muscled arm falling across his eyes. He knew that his inability to find rest wasn't really due to any physical discomfort. He also knew that he should put aside his considerations for the morrow, but no matter how he tried to ignore them disturbing thoughts continued to whirlwind around his head.

Just who is Blood-Eye Blade?

The easy answer would have been that he was a blood elf and a member of Garrosh Hellscream's Patrol, meaning that he was also an incredible fighter.

A more complete response would have added that he was also a man who was suspected of having slaughtered innumerable men from both the Alliance and the Horde.

But delving further; was he simply a murderer? Or was he in actuality a victim? A pawn? Was he truly an emotionless killing machine with steel in his eyes and his spine? Or was the raw grief and agony that Drakken heard in his voice, caught hints of in his blood coloured gaze, the reality?

These were answers that Drakken needed to know. Yes he was curious but it was more than that. The lives of more than two hundred brave men and woman were held in his hand and, from what he had heard, Blood-Eye Blade posed a true threat to them. Would the Patrol member's presence among them result in their mission's success or the deaths of his own men?

Am I unintentionally dooming all those under my protection by seeing something in him that just isn't there? And if I'm not simply imagining it, then am I dooming him by not doing anything about it…

As he lay there staring sightlessly into the darkness, thinking of all he had heard and all he had seen, no answers came to him. Sometime later as he finally drifted off into a restless sleep he was still no closer to knowing.

...

...

Dawn the next morning came far too early. Men and women of the Horde stumbled out of their sleeping rolls and tents with bleary eyes and curses on their tongues. Drakken, having spent half the night staring at the canvas walls of his tent while trying very hard not to think about the puzzle that was Blood-Eye Blade, was awoken by the sounds of the campsite coming to life. His brown eyes blinked open, every movement of the lids against them felt like sand scraping against the sensitive membrane. The last remnants of his dreams bled away until all that was left were flashes of silver, crimson, and guilt, leaving him unsettled. Tired and disgruntled, he forced himself up and out of his sleeping roll, yawning and stretching as he rose. He grimaced as his muscles pulled, his spine cracked, and the sand in his eyes scratched painfully. I am going to be dead tonight, he thought, not looking forward to the day ahead at all. Using a small amount of water from his canteen he scrubbed his face and tried to wash the sleep, or there lack of, from his eyes, though it did nothing to ease the discomfort. With a heavy sigh the orc resigned himself to his fate. Leaving his hefty plate armour, he donned his lighter chain mail over his underclothes in anticipation for the hot and dusty Durotar day ahead.

...

Not even five minutes after he had awoken Drakken pushed aside the tent flap and stepped out to face the day. Although still early the sun was already high over the horizon, shining intense and warm on the world beneath it. The warrior squinted and held an up one olive arm as the light momentarily blinded him. He blinked several times, allowing his vision to clear and his bloodshot eyes to grow accustomed to the brightness. His arm dropped back down to his side only a few moments after it had risen, revealing a familiar presence.

"Fuck!" The curse slipped through his lips with his breath as he startled.

To Drakken's surprise where before had been naught but air now stood his elven comrade dressed in her usual green velvet mage robes, thin arms crossed in front of her ample chest. That he hadn't heard her approach nor noticed her upon exiting his tent said a lot about his current state.

"That's hardly the proper way to greet a friend." Melaine stated, a disapproving frown biting at the skin between her brows. Drakken found his expression morphing to mirror hers.

"Well, said friend probably shouldn't sneak up on people who've only just woken up then." He grumbled, an unusual amount of snark in his tone.

Insulted by the attitude that the orc was giving her Melaine prepared to give him a good telling off, but as she opened her mouth to do so she noticed his haggard countenance. She stopped. Her fel green gaze took in the bags under his eyes, his overall dishevelled appearance, and in response the furrowing of her brows changed from lines of irritation to lines of concern.

"You look terrible!" Was her first response, to which Drakken's reply was an unimpressed look, the sarcastic "thanks" felt rather than heard. The mage bit at her painted terracotta lips as the last of her irritation faded.

"Are you alright?" She asked, her melodious voice softening.

Drakken shook his head wearily, the messier than usual braids that hung down over his shoulder catching on his armour. He felt no desire to talk about the cause of his ire, would have preferred to ignore it at least for the moment. Apparently however he was to have no choice in the matter.

"Don't you dare ignore me, Drakken Bludwringer!" Melaine scolded, as if she had read his thoughts.

Drakken pushed down the swell of frustration. It wasn't her fault. He was tired, and confused, and already struggling just one day into their month long mission, and it wasn't her fault. He tried to keep that in the forefront of his mind as he focused his attention on the small female before him. Said female sighed, close enough that the breath whispered over his skin. Stepping in closer she reached up to place one perfectly manicured hand against his jaw. Her glowing eyes searched his brown ones, eyes that betrayed him by slipping off to the side, unable to meet her gaze for any real length of time.

"What's wrong?" She asked, ignoring the curious glances of those passing.

It was rare one of them worried her enough to break through her usual charming demeanour. Sometimes it was easy to forget she was older even than Bjarnn, as unlike the down-to-earth tauren the Sin'dorei had a habit of rubbing others the wrong way with her demanding and somewhat vain, immature manner. Of course the elf could be kind and funny as well, able to fill many dreary nights with light teasing and tinkling laughter. She just hid it well most days.

Seeing her genuine concern, Drakken felt guilt settle in beside the irritation. What could he possibly say to make her understand? How could he explain that he worried for the infamous Blood-Eye Blade at the same time that he feared what the Patrol member's presence amongst them meant? He still wasn't fully aware of exactly what was going on and he had no desire to burden her, or anyone else, with his potentially unfounded concerns.

Well, not exactly unfounded but…

Outwardly he schooled his expression, forcing an easy looking smile on his face as he gently removed her hand and stepped outside her reach.

"I'm fine, Mel. You needn't worry." He said, trying to move them towards the breakfast line near the middle of the encampment. Anything to get me out of having this conversation. It helped that he was actually beginning to feel the first signs of hunger gnawing in his gut. He held no desire to repeat the experience of the day before.

"I simply didn't sleep well last night. Probably the heat, after all it's such a drastic change from central Eastern Kingdoms right now." He added, careful to keep his tone light to avoid arousing her suspicions. His efforts appeared in vain as Melaine's powdered turquoise eyelids lowered and her mouth pursed, expression falling into a mix of doubt and simply 'unimpressed'. The hardened warrior winced internally before trying again.

"I thought I'd have an easier time getting started after some breakfast. Why don't you join me?" Once again he attempted to steer them in the direction of food, twisting away and jabbing a thumb over his armoured shoulder. The more he thought about it, the better an idea it seemed.

I'm sure I'll feel better after getting some food in my stomach –

"It's Blood-Eye Blade, isn't it?"

...

Drakken froze, one hand still gesturing towards the refectory, his face the perfect picture of just shock. His brows disappearing into his hairline, his jaw on the ground, and his warm brown eyes wide…

Stuck in his unresponsive body his mind raced. How could she have possibly known that?

The stunned warrior was speechless, her abrupt words spoken so plainly brought him up short. A handful of the men nearby had stopped to listen when they heard the ill-famed Patrol member's name. Many had scampered in the opposite direction, either feeling fear hurrying their pace or simply knowing better than to get involved. Either way, Drakken was suddenly all too conscious that there were a few too many eyes turned upon them.

Throughout his silence Melaine stood there waiting, uncaring of their audience. The fire mage's eyes held kindness in them as she regarded her friend, however it was paired with a certain severity. There was no way the orc captain would be wriggling out of this any time soon. She watched intently as Drakken finally moved, closing his mouth and swallowing audibly.

"What makes you think that?" Drakken asked her, going for nonchalant and aware he was likely failing. He never had been a very good actor. Though he was curious to know the answer, he hoped his comrade would respect his wishes. Or at least have better sense than to attempt to continue that particular discussion in such a public setting.

He was mistaken on both accounts.

"While talking to Gavin last night, we both noticed him approach you and Bjarnn. It didn't look to be a very friendly conversation… We had planned to ask you about it then, but the two of you retired not long after." The elven woman replied with a slight shrug. Drakken would have preferred to have this little 'chat' later, within the privacy of their group, or even never. It was obvious however that Melaine held no such concerns.

She's not going to let me go with this, he thought unhappily, so let's at least clear the room a little…

The muscular, axe-wielding warrior set his jaw, lowering his brow into a glare which he directed at their unwanted audience. His lip twisted, pulling at the small scar over the left side, and a threatening snarl ripped from his throat. Those who had hoped to stick around for the show quickly found themselves remembering pressing tasks that required their attention, right that second, and hurried off.

Pride welled up in Drakken's breast as he watched them scatter. He wasn't Captain for nothing.

As the onlookers fled the scene at a rapid pace, the orc turned to his friend with a hefty sigh.

"You honestly couldn't have waited to bring this up?" He asked, exasperation weighing down his words. Melaine shook her head, long coppery hair falling over narrow shoulders, her expression disapproving.

"I know you, Drake. Very well. I know you worry far too much, and I know that you take it upon yourself to fix everyone's problems for them." Drakken turned his glare on her. She makes that sound like bad thing.

He stayed silent, deciding to ignore the direction the conversation was taking. For a second he'd honestly believed that the magic-user had been trying to bring up the elekk in the campsite; why Blood-Eye Blade specifically had been assigned to their mission. Apparently she had decided to go another route.
A soft huff fell from the blood elf's lips as Drakken remained quiet, bordering on frustration.

"You can't just ignore me and hope I'll go away, Drakken." She pointed out. A definite frown pulled at her long, pale brows. Her words, true as they might be, didn't stop him from trying. The silence stretched out between them until Melaine gave way a minute later. With a frustrated sigh the tension in her small body left her.

"Look, Drakken. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing." She said, her voice kind despite how hard she had appeared mere moments ago. "Honey, you care about people, you want to help them. That's one of your better qualities. But flipping the coin over, sometimes you take it too far and you worry yourself into a state." The 'like now' was implied.

"Right now, I'm guessing you're concerned about the rumours surrounding Blood-Eye Blade. Am I correct?"

Drakken's brow furrowed. How on Azeroth… Each of his friends was aware that he had no time for rumours and tall tales. So how did she know?
Once again the orc found himself wondering if the Sin'dorei didn't have the ability to look into others' minds for, as if reading his, a small grin worked its way onto her porcelain features.

"I saw you talking with Kilreign and his band of not-so-merry men the other night in Orgrimmar. I'd overheard them 'conversing' about Blood-Eye Blade's presence earlier that same eve. It wasn't really that much of a jump to guess you'd been pulled into their little…'discussion'." Melaine explained, a hint of mirth dancing in her glowing green eyes as she surmised with one word how he had felt about being dragged into that situation.

"Ah," was all that Drakken could think to say in response. His companion let out a few giggles at his expense.

"Look, I know what you're thinking." She started to say, her voice steady but an indulgent smile hovering on her coloured lips, unable to hear Drakken internally respond with a doubtful, 'I'm not sure you do'.

"The truth is that nobody can possibly know the outcome of Blood-Eye Blade's presence here. It's possible that some of the speculation I've been hearing is true and he's going to slaughter all of us in our bedrolls. Or perhaps he's here, as the Warchief said, to simply keep an eye on things and make sure everything goes according to plan. But the way I see it, unless you've suddenly got it into your head to kill Blood-Eye, which I can see from your expression that you haven't, then there's nothing that you can do except to prepare yourself for the worst and hope for the best." Melaine pinned him with a meaningful look.

"No good will come from worrying about it now."

Drakken sighed, his shoulders slumping.

"You're right, of course." He agreed, only a little grudgingly. There'll be no living with her after this.

"I guess all I can do is…wait and see." A grimace pulled at his lips. He knew she spoke the truth, knew she meant well. Still he couldn't put the thoughts out of his mind, not entirely. How can I when the lives of everyone here is depending on the answer? He wondered. He did however do his best to bury them a little, so that he would not cause his friends to worry.

The mage eyed him, a knowing expression in her fel green pools. Before she could look into his mind and call him on it, a loud gurgle from the orc's stomach broke through any remaining tension. Melaine froze, staring at him in wide eyed shock as though she couldn't believe his body had dared to make such vulgar sounds at her. Drakken felt his face heating under her judging gaze, though at the same time he was glad of the distraction. Suddenly his friend's expression cracked, leaving the woman in a fit of giggles.

Huffing, Drakken turned on his heel and stalked off to finally get some breakfast. He didn't get far before his lightly pointed ears caught the quiet pounding of slippered footsteps and he felt a weight pulling at his arm. Melaine said nothing as she entwined her arm with his much thicker one and they made their way to the large area where breakfast was still being doled out, but one quick glance and the orc could see a pleased smile still curling her terracotta lips.

...

...

Behind those eyes lies the truth and grief
Behind those beautiful smiles I've seen tragedy
The flawless skin hides the secrets within
Silent forces that secretly ignite your sins…

Fly away, fly away
From the torch of blame
They hunt you, Lucifer's Angel.
Never lived, you never died
Your life has been denied
They call you, Lucifer's Angel!

Beyond these clouds you can hide all your tears
Beyond this world you'll be safe from their wicked fears
And in their hearts they fear your demands
You know their minds won't accept you, they'll never understand…

Fly away, fly away
From the torch of blame
They hunt you, Lucifer's Angel.
Never lived, you never died
Your life has been denied
They call you, Lucifer's Angel!

On your own, I know you can make it
Truth or bone, I know you can shake it
Survive alone, I know you can take it…

Fly away, fly away
From the torch of blame
They hunt you, Lucifer's Angel.
Never lived, you never died
Your life has been denied
They call you, Lucifer's Angel!
Fly away, fly away…
Run away, run away…
Hide away, hide away…
Lucifer's Angel.

...

Lucifer's Angel by The Rasmus

Part one of two. Let me know what you think, I'm interested in hearing what people have to say about my characters, etcetera.

For those interested "paintings" of Drakken, Blood-Eye Blade, Kar'Zhel, Melaine, and Gavin can be found on my DeviantArt page (Sugi91) or on the Blood-Eye Blade blogsite ( . /).

Until next time, farewell.

Also go here to download the visual novel. The Prologue and chapter one demo. s/1rhm00rdq5z3q00/The%20Legend%20of%20Blood-Eye%20Blade%20%5BDemo% ?dl=0