Victor could feel the heat rising throughout his body. The world around him seemingly blurred and disappeared as the contents of the letter raced through his mind. His legs began moving on their own as he and Marcus got off the tram. The Captain wanted a challenge, and he would get it. He thought he heard Marcus start to ask him to stop, but he marched closer and closer to the door of O'Neal's office.
The door went flying open as it creaked. Inside the office, O'Neal was found behind his desk running through a bunch of papers stacked in front of him. There was a massive onset of paperwork due to the preparations for Silithus, and the bags under his eyes were proof of that. He looked up slowly before grimacing at seeing who had entered.
"Y'know, I was expecting a knock on the door at least." O'Neal said, his voice tired. "But it does grab one's attention I suppose…"
"I understand my transfer request, but this is a volunteer job!" Victor's anger started to boil over. "Before anything I just want to know why!"
The Captain sighed as he rose out of his chair. He stretched and cracked his neck before speaking.
"You're strong, that is definitely for sure. You have the strength of ten men and a rare determination when it comes to hard work and training." The Captain commended before reversing. "But you are untempered, and your emotions cloud your judgment at the worst of times."
"How could I not be frustrated when you are actively preventing me from a goal?!" Victor shouted. "Regardless, it seems the only lesson you ever taught me was how to wash mud off my face after you disarm me!"
"Then it seems I must teach you again…" he headed towards the door. "You and me, sparring grounds. Ah, and Marcus?"
Marcus snapped out of the stupor he was in watching the two argue.
"Y- yes Captain?" Marcus inquired.
O'Neal merely paused and glared towards him, not saying another word. His eyes felt like they pierced Marcus's very soul as he stared. Marcus felt himself shrink, not knowing how to react or what to do. Expecting a berating or anything else, but only receiving silence as The Captain left.
Victor came from up behind Marcus, a snarling anger bursting forth.
"Come on Marcus! It's time to settle this!" the half orc said through gritted teeth.
"Victor, I think… I know this has gone too far!" Marcus tried replying, steadying his voice throughout. "I know you want this, I want you to go to Silithus as well, but I don't know if this is the way!"
"And what way is that?!" Victor shouted. "You were the one saying I should help friends no matter what! You were the one saying I could find a way! YOU were the one who said you would help me get to Silithus!"
"I know what I said!" Marcus began to yell back. "I just wanted to give you hope, an example to follow through in dire circumstances. The world is not so black and white Victor, you have to know when to back down!"
"THEN JUST TEACH ME THAT!" The half orc screamed at the top of his lungs. He could feel his head pounding, the world was beginning to swirl around him. It felt like his gut was attempting to burst forward with power, and his skin would burn and melt. He tried holding it all in, but it was becoming too much. He dropped to the ground clenching his eyes, and clutching his head.
Marcus watched as Victor dropped, and he paused. He felt the ground beneath him shake, and he noticed small vines creep slightly through the floorboards. Arcane energy began to swirl around him in vast amounts.
Despite that, all the unnatural phenomena didn't bother Marcus. He went silent, and approached the half orc, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry Victor, I only said what I thought would cheer you up." Marcus said. "You got the wrong idea, and I should have been more clear."
The half orc lay defeated, kneeling on the ground.
"I- I just want to help her…" Victor murmured before weakly chuckling to himself. "It's funny, I wanted to help her, but at the last second got worried and stopped her. I really am a hypocrite."
"That's just how complex life is, Victor." Marcus consoled. "Nothing is black and white, and sometimes you have to do what you feel is truly right. I had been sent on a raid once, into a small Defias camp to capture a major arms dealer for them. When we arrived there, a child had been taken hostage. We were given a choice: The heads of the dealer for the child's life, or we let them escape."
"And your decision?" Victor looked up.
"It wasn't mine to make." Marcus replied. "O'Neal would rather keep the child safe, and the dealer escaped." His eyes narrowed in contemplation. "I didn't understand it at first. I thought the world would be much safer without another attacker against it. I was not wrong but… the look on that child's face as they finally saw their parents again."
"O'Neal did all that?" Victor said in surprise before rising again. "I… I need to see him."
"Well yeah you do!" Marcus finally chuckled to himself. "You gotta get your ass kicked again, and then I think you can make amends."
All the rumbling, the shaking had finally stopped as Victor stood up. Suddenly, he pulled Marcus into a fierce hug.
"Thank you friend, I'll be sure to make it up to you!" The half orc then pulled away from Marcus, and ran outside the office.
Marcus smiled as the half orc left, and then turned to inspect the room. Thankfully nothing was majorly destroyed. A few shelves were jostled, and some floorboards had been pulled out of place, but nothing too major. He knelt down where Victor had sat upon and touched the burnt ash that was left behind. Around the space, small plants peeked through the floorboards, and grains of sand were left in a pile.
"Suppose I'll have to start digging on my own for this one…" he muttered.
He rose to leave, and headed to the sparring ground. Both Victor and Captain O'Neal had already gotten to their separate positions on each side of the grounds, readying their swords for the duel. A light rain had begun as clouds gathered.
"Well that's a new look!" O'Neal exclaimed. "Words are finally getting through to you now?"
Victor pointed his sword towards the Captain. "Perhaps a little bit," he admitted. "I was mostly just wondering how your face would look covered in mud."
The Captain chuckled confidently, and began his charge. Sparks flew as the blades connected as they clashed. Keeping up his offensive, O'Neal tried to wring Victor's blades out of his hands, twisting his blade within the half-orcs. Victor however, kept his blade moving in the same motion, as both blades touched into the mud below, and he responded with a kick to O'Neal's chest, sending him backward a few feet.
"Well you certainly understand the basics." O'Neal taunted. "But I'm wondering if you can keep a clear head."
Victor responded with a swing of his own sword, trying to go for the Captain's left side, but narrowly being blocked. The half orc tried piercing the Captain's defense several times, but was met with a dodge and a snide comment.
"Sluggish, I thought you were better than this!" he exclaimed. "Where was all that fire from before?"
Victor's strikes became more and more vicious as he began to lay into O'Neal, yet none of them landed, bouncing off of his blade. Raising his sword high above his head, the half-orc prepared another slash, while Marcus noticed the sly grin on The Captain's face. O'Neal had gripped his sword, ready for an easy parry.
Suddenly, Victor ducked from the position, shifting his arms to make an upward slash. O'Neal gave a slight look of surprise as he narrowly tilted his blade to receive the blow. Victor's blade crashed into the Captain's, but the weak position of O'Neal's blade caused it to buckle, and Victor sent the Captain crashing backwards, skidding across the mud. Victor's expression now calmed, as he took a deep breath.
The Captain arose from the ground, and smiled. "Better!" he shouted, as he charged in once more.
Sending an unyielding flurry towards Victor, O'Neal laughed in excitement as he swung his sword. The battle raged on as the half-orc was now barely keeping pace, and struggling to keep up with the onslaught. Small cuts now soon lining Victor's body as the Captain got little nicks in. Victor then roared to the challenge, striking more fiercely as their blades rang throughout the grounds.
The two duelists cried out one last time, as they prepared for one final clash. Victor could now be seen wreathed in a light flame, the rain now pouring as it sizzled off his body. Lighting crashed in the distance as thunder rang out. O'Neal solemnly prepped his blade for the final strike.
BOOM! The two's swords exploded as they made contact, shards flying everywhere. One slashed along Victor's cheek as it flew past, both duelists being knocked back from the clash. O'Neal staggered for a moment before being knocked out of his stupor by Victor's fist meeting his face.
"AHG!" O'Neal cried as he stumbled back. "Alright! I do think that's enough for today!" He spat out some blood as the place where he was struck sizzled.
Victor paused for a moment, before breathing a sigh of relief as he fell to the ground. Marcus ran over to help support him. Grabbing the half-orc by the shoulder, he helped to raise him off the ground, and back to his feet.
"I suppose you have learned something Duskscale." O'Neal rubbed his aching jaw before sighing. "You still have a lot of work to do, and I do mean a LOT, but… a promise is a promise."
Victor's eyes brightened. "Y- you mean that I passed?!" he said, surprised.
The Captain nodded. "A messy victory is still a victory, and I saw something different behind those eyes this time," he explained. Whatever is changing, keep it up, and you will become a worthy warrior! Even if a bratty one…" he then remarked.
"Thank you Captain!" Victor exclaimed. "I won't waste this opportunity, I promise you!"
"Well you better not!" O'Neal chuckled. "And watch your back, cause now I'm going to work you to the bone, ya hear?! Now go clean up and get some bandages, you look like shit."
The half-orc nodded, before rushing off to the barracks, limping slightly as he went. This just left Marcus, and O'Neal in the rain.
"You're going to have to go with him to Silithus, you know that right?" O'Neal said as he motioned for Marcus to follow him back to his office.
"I could guess as much." Marcus admitted. "But Captain, I do have some questions about Victor…"
O'Neal raised his hand to stop him, as they walked into the messy office. The Captain inspected all the damage done to his room.
"I don't exactly know who or what Victor Duskscale could exactly be Marcus," O'Neal said as he turned to him. "But what I do know is that strength like that needs a guiding hand to make it better."
"Yes, but why is it me then?" he inquired. "Nothing against Victor, but that is a lot seemingly on my shoulders and I don't understand why."
O'Neal pondered the question for a moment before responding. "He doesn't need that watchful guardian who keeps him in a checked cage. What he needs is a friend, a confidant." He turned to Marcus. "Whatever powerful magic he has doesn't change that he is still just like a kid. Though it doesn't help that SI:7 is on my case about it."
Marcus should have been unsurprised to hear this, but was still shocked. SI:7 was the most elite intelligence force Stormwind had, dedicated to espionage, and gathering as much knowledge about potential threats or benefits to The Alliance and Azeroth. Not much was known about them, at least to those not within their inner circle, but many rumors surrounded them.
"They are also involved in this?!" Marcus said. "I hope that doesn't spell too much danger for Victor."
"A man with that potential, will always have danger," O'Neal said exasperatingly. "But they will also always find a way out. Just help him out, and solve personal mysteries when you can." He slapped Marcus on the back. "Now get out of here! I have quite the mess to clean up, and probably a little explaining to do!"
Marcus left, as he heard O'Neal laughing behind him. Heading over to the barracks, he could see Victor on the top bunk, sleeping soundly and with a smile on his face. He grimaced as he continued to stare, but shook off the thought. Getting into his own bed, he merely stared at the bottom of the bunk, waiting for sleep to take him.
"Help huh?" he muttered to himself, before closing his eyes, and falling asleep.