Box. He was in the box again. He heard Elaida commanding.
"Time for it. Hit him!"
Another face. A pale woman, with hair color of the sun. Her eyes dead. Lews Therin cried, and Rand could how he pulled every bit of saidin he could, even the most bitter one.
Fool! He hissed. Or did he? He said nothing. Stop it! I am Rand al'Thor!
"I killed her." His body manifested as a separate figure, independent from Rand. "I killed her!"
I need Nynaeve! I need to... He realized he was not saying anything. He was not there at all. He faintly saw Lews Therin. Rand was the voice inside Lews Therin's head.
"I killed them all!" Bodies were scattered around the hall, bodies of friends, cousins and faithful companions in life. And there, in the rubble of stones, bodies of his children and of Ilyena. "My boys! My girls! Our children!" He cried and screamed, grabbing a boy who was broken like a dull, hugging him. "Ilyena."
Lews. Lews, you must listen to me! They switched places. How? This was a dream, a farce, he knew it! And yet... Lews, this happened long ago.
"I killed him!" One look at the boy's face made him fall to the floor, wishing to die there with him. "I killed them all!"
Lews. Light, you must listen to me!
"Get out of my head! LET ME DIE WITH THEM!"
No! They are dead and you are alive! WE are alive! Rand glimpsed, as much as he could, through the eyes of Lews Therin. The boy...his face was familiar. So familiar. Rand wept too. Lews... He took patience again. Lews, this wasn't your fault. You must... Did he dare believe that? This wasn't your fault! Shai'tan did it!
"GET AWAY FROM ME!"
Lews, no. DON'T!
Everything happened so quickly. Lews Therin opened a gateway, passed through it, coming to the highest mountain in the world. Rand felt him channeling saidin. It was not clean. How? This is a dream, he repeated to himself. Yet saidin felt and smelled horribly. A nightmare, but still a dream!
Lews Therin looked up, tears in his eyes. "Light, forgive me!"
Who are you talking to? Who? What is the Light? Who is the Light?
This is a dream! He shut his thoughts. Lews Therin cannot do this. He wanted to, but he cannot. It is impossible. This is a dream!
"Light, FORGIVE ME!"
A lightning came down from heavens, striking Lews Therin, and Rand felt the fire burn him too.
THIS IS JUST A DREAM!
And yet he died.
I have won again, Lews Therin.
He shrieked like an animal, passing through light and darkness both. The very fabric of existence spread before him like a piece of rug. He saw all his lives, the one he knew as Lews Therin and those that were called the Dragon before and after him, aside from Rand. Thousands and thousands of different names and faces blew before his eyes. Some were his, that of the Dragon - others belonged to other people, other souls. And those souls all cried the same thing: "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO SAVE US!"
He could not answer. One single word would take the strength of a thousand suns to come out and he could not utter a single sound. Not a single one.
It continued on and on. Voices crying at him, begging him, cursing him, asking him why, asking him questions he did not understand, asking him in all languages. People of all ages, all races, all cultures and backgrounds, they all asked him: "Why?"
"WHY WHAT?!" He finally yelled a response. The souls gathered around him, showing him their lives. Pain. It was all pain.
And, in a passing moment, shorter than the tiniest part of a second, there was a garden, and Rand saw a figure standing in it. The face changed a few times, and at one point he saw his own face, the same red hair and cold blue eyes. Then, a shadow rose behind him.
ADVERSARY.
That voice pulled him out into the yet another darkness. Rand thought he was in another dream, until his head hit a rocky wall. He touched his hair feeling slight wetness of blood on it. This place, whatever or wherever it was, reeked of mould and damp. The moves of insects and rats could be heard and a few of them ran over him.
He had heard that voice before...but when? Did you hear it before?
Lews Therin screamed so loudly that Rand reached for his ears, but it had no effect. He cried, demanding Rand to leave him alone. Fine! Just shut up!
He raised his hand to create light, so that he could...
He could not feel saidin.
He stumbled over the stones, but the pain that burned on his legs and even the darkness were now off his mind. Even the rat who seemed to have bitten him barely crossed his mind.
He could not feel saidin.
"No!" he said in the darkness, feeling like he lost a part of his own body. "No!"
The Source did not appear at all. Not even in the far distance that could be glimpsed, not even as a distand sound that could be heard. It was not there.
He slammed the stone, barely feeling the pain in his knuckles. Men and women who lost the Source, who were left without the sweetness of that would lose all hope in life, leading them into such misery they would attempt to kill themselves. Rand, though...If he had said the sweetness and beauty were not dear to him, he would lie. But there was something much more horrible than the loss of that. If he cannot channel, he cannot fight in the Last Battle. And that would mean all of this was in vain.
"NO!" he screamed almost as loudly as Lews Therin in his head. He reached with his hand and his mind, to feel the Source again. He will seize it if he has to, force it to come to him!
First moment. Second moment. Third moment.
It was then there. Maybe it was just temporary, too much panic and paranoia...No, it was not. The Source, like a person, felt him too and tried to disappear. "You are not going anywhere!" His own mind ran after it, through the great darkness about him. "Come to me, now!"
It slipped through his finger.
"I said come!"
It ran again, flying with the winged speed of bats. The Source was as confused as Rand was, not recognizing him. But he seized it finally, holding it still in his hand.
"Give it to me!" he demanded of it, and the Source shinned in response, as if trying to send him away. He hissed at it and put his hand inside it, pulling what was the flow of saidin. "Now go wherever you want!" He said while pushing it away like a sheep he took the milk from. He allowed himself a smile and raised his hand again, weaving Fire and Air to create light. The way through the tunnel was now clear as day and he could...
The light disappeared.
He could feel saidin. He knew it! He could have it. He made another light that lasted as long as the previous one and then another one, repeating the weave several times. All those lights disappeared despite his will.
While creating those lights, Rand made a step that threw him several feet lower. His knees and ribs knew the pain immediately. The cuts on the palms were passable, but still burning. Again, he made a weave to create light. It passed along with others, but it gave Rand a moment to glipmse the night that surrounded him. He was there on the outside. He did not realize it as he could see no stars and there was not a single thing growing from the ground except rocks.
He coughed, struggling to get up. His right hand sleeve was cut. It was...odd how that bothered him more than the blood on his hands.
Where am I?
He tried just once more, but the light now disappeared even quicker. "Bah!" he uttered and continued his way. Reaching for what his hands felt as a stony wall, Rand grabbed it and started climbing. Still dressed in his red shirt, he was sweating and already tiring. He heard something tear behind him. "Ah...Light burn it!" Even while climbing, Rand realized that he was not near Shayol Ghul. His memory was like a mist, but he remembered the gateway that opened right before he was stuck in...Whatever that was.
Who opened that gateway? Is everyone safe? Where is Min? The Bond eased those doubts, as he could feel her breathing. But somewhere very, very far away.
Where am I?
He reached the top, yet he did not feel relief because of that. The land before him was completely dark. He saw nothing. He turned around and then sighed - a single fireplace in the distance. He put the hand in his pocket and took out some gold. He blessed Cadsuane for once at least - with that money he could pay for a warm night, if they were travellers. If they were bandits, with the sword at his side he could...
He sniffed, smelling something - the foul, yet familiar stench that made him twist his face in disgust. He covered his face and crouched away from their sight. That stench he smelled only in one place, only one place in the world - the Blight.
Rand looked at the campfire in the distance. How was he brought here? Who opened that gateway? Who?
Did you do it?
Lews Therin remained silent.
He cussed and tried to channel the light again, only for it to disappear. That campfire must have been lit either by the Trollocs or Darkfriends. If they find him, what will happen?
I cannot open the gateway, he whispered. He could not even create the light, much less open a gateway. He reached down and touched the hilt. At least I have this. He sighed. I will have to do it the old way.
Rand climbed down the small hill and each minute created a light to let him at least see his surroundings. The few glimpses he caught of it was not unexpected but it was new - everything around him was barren, and yet he noticed few carriages and wells, though abandoned. Must have been left by the people who lived here before.
"I told you it won't work!"
His heart started beating faster. Rand reached the first larger rock and hid behind it. Footsteps and the clanking of armor were now growing louder. Light, let me stay here. Now!
"You piece of shrakh! It could have worked if you listened."
"Listened? Who are you for me to listen? Just a crawling worm!"
Rand sighed. They must be Darkfriends. But...in the Blight? And something was wrong about their voices. They were loud and raspy.
The armor clunk again, hitting the ground. "Say that again, you dunghil rat and I'll make your head fall next time."
"I'd like to see it!" The other one took the blade out. Rand waited for the sound he hated, sound of guts being torn and ripped, the sound and smell of blood. It did not. "Hold on...do you smell that?"
The first one groaned, but then sniffed. "Manflesh?"
It happened in moments - their hands almost reached Rand, but he avoided it, standing up, sword in his hand. Instinctively, he reached for saidin and channeled little light he could. The large men in armors hesitated, making a step back, almost falling to the ground out of the weight they were wearing. Rand held the sword up. The light he threw was enough to be reflected in the sword. That cold steel could be glimpsed clearly even in this night. The two soldiers worse sharp helms, completely covering their faces, but from their movement Rand knew that they feared.
"Keep away." he uttered. "I do not want to kill you."
"Dushash!" One of them uttered, staring at Rand's hands. "He's a dushash!"
"Shut your hole!" the shorter one, with long, white lines adorning his pauldrons. He chuckled at Rand. Even though Rand could not see his eyes, those small lines on the helm made him already uneasy.
I can barely channel. Barely. He was again the boy that got caught in Winternight by the Trollocs. Sword and a few tricks were all he had.
"Manfilth." The soldier continued chuckling. "You can barely do it can you? Your tricks aren't worth a shrakh, eh?"
"You do not want to tempt me." Rand channeled again, allowing the light to glitter in his hand again. The other soldier groaned again, but the one that mocked Rand was unimpressed. "I will kill the Shadowspawn I find, but you? I do not kill men when I do not want to." He gestured to the darkness. "Get away."
The soldier chuckled again. His companion glanced at him, gaining a slight courage. They both placed hands on their hilts. "Let's see what you can do, Tark."
The jagged blade swung faster than Rand could could expect. He tried to throw the light up, but the two soldiers struck at him faster and faster. He kept on throwing the light, but instead had to relay on the swordfight. As he started sweating and as his heart beat faster, it seemed it did not matter. He tried every form: Apple Blossoms in the Wind, Black Pebbels on Snow, Feathers in the Wind, Lion on the Hill and Arc of the Moon. But the sword forms these soldiers used were different. They moved around and struck if not without thought, then with instinct guiding them.
Three times their tips touched his skin, leaving long, burning cuts on it. All he could do was defend himself. Again and again, Rand channeled and weaved Fire and Air in every way he could, but it all passed over the heads of the two. Light burn you, work! Lews Therin now started whimpering, conscious of the soldiers around Rand, but did nothing to change it. He did not even try to reach for saidin.
The larger soldier scowled, his helm and Rand's face facing above the blades. "I'll be off with you, manfilth, one way or another! I'll cut off your head and throw the body to the Wargs - at least for that it will be useful. As for the head..." he laughed hysterically. That sent chills down Rand's spine. "I'll take it as a trophy. We've not had Men entering these lands for a long time!"
"Don't talk, maggot!" The other one swung the blade, barely cutting Rand's shoulder, but enough to make him hiss.
Rand made few steps away, not taking his eyes off of the two. Something was wrong about these soldiers. Their voices...they were too rough and loud. His thoughts were shut when they struck him again. In a quick of moment, Rand channeled the light and threw it at the larger soldier. This one yelled. "What..."
Rand reached for the short point between the armor and the helmet, making a single cut. Blood fell and the man gurgled, collapsing to the ground. His companion yelled, so loud it hurt Rand's ears. He fought the need to cover his ears, saving himself from the strike that followed moments later. Now, the other soldier struck harder and harder, not allowing Rand a second to breather or make space. Rand hissed, praying for control. He had the desire to kill him, to torture him. He cursed the Creator and the True Source and whatever was holding back the Power from him. Reach it, reach it, reach it!
The blade hit and hit. Rand seized the opportunity and once again threw specks of light. The man kept his position, but raised a hand and groaned. Now! Rand bellowed at himself in his mind. He delivered a single strike. He cursed himself yet again that it was not strong enough to kill his opponent, but the helmet was knocked away. The man fell to the ground to, grunting little different than a pig in pain. The man reached for his blade and raised it, facing Rand's, but it was futile. One single kick or hit and Rand will kill him, he will kill this man...
His eyes widened. The face was misshapen, nose and ears too sharp and long. The skin was mottled, with a greyish hint, and he had long canine teeth, almost like that of an animal, yellow yet sharp. The creature was twisted beyond any man ever born. Rings embedded into its cheek made it only even more hideous. But what made Rand wince were those piercing, yellow eyes, almost golden, staring at him.
The creature wheezed, saliva drooling from its mouth. It attacked Rand, but he made one more swing, enough to make black blood fall from its face.
He stepped away from the corpse, still staring at it. That thing...it spoke. Differenr than a man, but it spoke. Lews Therin was as perplexed as he.
"Intruder! Come now!"
Three figures ran out of the darkness, dressed in that same armor. Holding twisted blades and axes they ran at Rand, laughing. "Was about time to have one come here! We..." The creature with a greenish tinge, taller than the other two, looked down at the corpses before Rand. The grin disappeared and it gnashed its teeth, all three charging at Rand.
He sent the light at them again, then slouched away, running towards the fire. Around the fireplace were multiple poles plunged into the ground and two tents, built crudely and without much care for aesthetic. The pieces of meat and feces lay on the ground, and Rand felt he had stepped into one or the other. He glanced around, looking for more of them, only to find the three returning. He stepped back again - all three of these creatures were taller than he and stronger. He knew they were stronger.
The tallest one roared. "I missed the smell of human corpses, you piece of shrakh. Now, you've given me another reason to look forward to it!" He screamed and the other two ran at Rand from the opposite sides. He channeled as he could and threw water at one, then turned to face the other, leaving a cut on his forearm. Feeling the fear run over him, Rand grabbed that one and plunged the blade into his chest. The thing now drooled blood, leaving a few marks even on Rand. And so, for he first time after a long period, Rand felt his stomach turn. He threw that creature onto the other one. As it tried to remove him, he plunged the blade into its face and looked away as soon as he could. The leader now stood alone, his piercing green eyes widened. But still he grabbed his axe and charged. Rand ran from him around the campfire. His sword could not stand against the axe. But as he ran, his eyes glimpsed the flame. He could not weave enough Fire and Spirit to bring flames out of the thin air.
But maybe...
He reached for saidin, weaving the very fire in front of him. It rose higher, almost piercing his eyes. The leader stepped back and only met Rand's eyes once before yelling. "No!" He turned, but in vain, for the flames engulfed him quickly. It started screaming, sending out a roar that pierced the ears. Rand gritted his teeth - whatever dwells in the Blight will hear that scream and see that flame from a far distance! Stillig his stomach, he weaved the flame to send it away from himself and swung the sword. The screaming stopped when the head fell from the shoulders and rolled on the ground, eventually turning into ash. The smell of burnt flesh filled everything, so much that Rand almost threw up, even falling on his knees. He kept it in, taking a deep breath before moving.
His eyes fell on the few corpses left intact. He approached them, turning them over and inspecting. These creatures...he was not mad. They were not human.
"Dushash!"
Rand flinched and raised his sword. The greenish creature recoiled, kicking the ground as it could not do anything else. Its hands were tied tightly to the pole. "Now, now, let's not be too hasty..."
Rand forced himself up, pointing his sword right at the thing. The face that resembled a rat and had piercings like the others Rand had killed, one on the nose and two on the lips. The creature's face twisted, setting its eyes on the blade. Rand wanted to kill it, to slit its throat - that is what his instinct told him. But then he looked at those eyes. The thing did not speak, only groaning and swallowing in fear, but its eyes said something to Rand.
What are you waiting for? Lews Therin spoke, the way he rarely did. Kill it!
"Uh...maybe we could make a deal, y'a know! I know where you can find very good grog, it will be...
Light burn you, madman! Its a Shadowspawn. A monster!
Shut up! "What are you?"
"Huh?"
"You." He gestured towards the corpses. "Those there. What are you?"
The creature did not immediately respond. First, it looked at his finely made red clothes. Now, much of it was torn and covered in blood and mud, but it was still enough to make every beggar envy him - much less creatures such as these. The thing chuckled. "Ha! You're not a Northerner, are you? You are one of those cripples from the South! Oh, I pity Garza and his boys here, good that they didn't know who killed them."
Rand raised the blade closer to its throat. "Answer the question."
The thing spat. "Go ahead, ya bastard! I'll die and you'll know nothing!"
Rand kept his gaze on it and raised the blade higher. "Keep being so spiteful an maybe I will grant your request." He is the Dragon Reborn, after all, meant to serve all creatures. Am I not?
The thing groaned. "No, no." He chuckled, shaking. "Come on, I was just jesting. Come on, you Humans are just like the Myddraal, you have no sense of humor..." He continued chuckling. "Look, those maggots you killed are no match for the real Orc army. Trust Ratbag, I know. Garza and his squad are merely dogs sent to chase after the leftovers. But the Orc armies to the north...ooh, that's the real bussines." He swallowed and straightened up as much as he could. "Listen - Ratbag can make your plan work, really! I know these as much as I know my dagger."
"What makes you think that I need a guide?"
He chuckled. "Oh, no offense, sorcerer. But it's obvious you aren't from around here. You'll need someone to show you the ground, no? And who better to teach you about Orc lands than an Orc."
Rand glanced at the corpses and started weighing down his options. He was in the Blight, the domain of the Dark One, where he holds his armies and creatures in check. That meant he is close to him, close to his touch. What if the taint catches him here again? Lews Therin just kept hissing at that idea, cursing Rand over and over again.
But he cannot open the gateway. Not yet. And neither can he wait here until his strength returns. I need to move. I need to move immediately. Looking at this creature, or Ratbag as he called himself, Rand frowned, realizing he did need a guide. Maybe he could reach the Borderlands and then continue the way.
There were so many problems there, so many things that would need to happen on the way back, so much back-and-forth, but one thing was true: he needed a guide.
He slowly nodded and cut the rope. Ratbag fell, his face hittimg the ground. He coughed the mud away and then stood on his knees, struggling to untie it. "Just give me a moment." He kept trying but it seemed too tight. Rand sighed, pulling Ratbag by the arm and cut the rope on his hands as well. Grabbing it, he threw it into the campfire that was still crackling beside them.
"Thanks!" Ratbag muttered, his voice still hushed. He then chuckled in a low guttural voice, and crawled towards one of the corpses picking something. He looked at the legs and feet - bruised and bloody. It was difficult to say if that was actually Ratbag's or just mud, but nonetheless Rand allowed an emotion he thought he would not have for a Shadoswpawn.
Pity? You're taking pity on him? Lews Therin cussed. You've killed the others!
I told you to shut up!
Ratbag crouched then stood up, one of the daggers in his hand. Rand touched the hilt just in case, but Ratbag tied the weapon to his side almost immediately. Then, he crouched again, picking some of the rotten, cast food. "If you wanna keep your head, dushash - which I assume you do - you'll have to keep both of your eyes open. Captains and Warchiefs don't like when you mess with their stuff. Other Orcs will maybe run, but they? Nah."
"Orcs..." he repeated that word, then looked back at the corpses. He had never seen these creatures, nor were they spoken of in stories. But it sounded a lot like something else. "Are you Trollocs?"
Ratbag twisted his face. "Trollocs?!" He spat again. "Those dumb bastards! They're idiot animals you send to pick and shrakh whatever they can." Then he smiled. "Oh, you don't want to tell that to an Orc, dushash, you don't. That gets them really angry."
Then what are you? "Then are there Trollocs here?"
"Huh, of course there are. Warchiefs pick the ones that aren't too dumb as bodyguards. If only Gorfel..." he paused. "Wait, wait, I've got something'!" He looked at Rand, sharp teeth smiling. "Dushash, what do you think we make a deal to..."
Rand held the sword up again. "Our deal is that if you take me out of the Blight safe I will let you live." He made a step closer. "No conditions, no excuses or backstabbing. I will know if you are planning something I don't like. And let me make something clear..." He raised the blade. "I have no pity for the Shadowspawn. Thank whatever you pray to that I was alone here, because otherwise..." He frowned. That was enough to make Ratbag swallow. "So do not make me regret this deal."
He chuckled with his jaw tight. "Marvelous!" Looking up at Rand, almost a foot shorter than him, he desperately reached the tip of the blade to move it away, but seeing that he could not, Rand put it down. Ratbag touched his throat, scratching it. He glanced at Rand again, with eyes frightened. "We could stay here for the night, at least. Maybe..."
Rand let the fire burn on his hands, which made Ratbag flinch and groan. "Shrakh! Fine! Come with me." Ratbag walked into the darkness, muttering something about "dushash tricks" again and again. Keeping the eye on him and pulling him by the arm from time to time, Rand also stared at him, trying to understand. He repeated the name in his mind again.
Orcs. He wondered. Have you heard that term before? Lews Therin continued whimpering. Rand cussed, but could not take the word out of his mind.
Orcs.
For the sake of the story, I've decided to rely on the 'Shadow of War' games when it comes to Orcs.
Now, BEFORE any purist comes over here, yes, I know those games break lore a lot. I don't like much of the changes.
But Orc characters? The way they are characterized and unique ones such as Ratbag? That was the SELLING point of the games for me, especially since Tolkien didn't write a lot about them. He did mention one thing those games rely on as well: that the Orcs are not irredeemable monsters. And that will be important here.
The updates for this story will be two to three chapters per month (because of other projects and, life of course).
Please review and see you soon!:)