With a heavy sigh… you lift the sword up, gripping it with both hands.  Grolik doesn't even blink as you bring it down.  But you step slightly to the side, slicing clean through the arm of the orc to your left who handed you the sword.  He screams in pain as he falls over, and you run the second through the chest.


As you pull it out, you turn around just in time to deflect an attack from Galik.  As you circle him and parry his blows, Grolik tackles the third orc, turning his own dagger towards him.


"You've made the wrong choice, old friend," Galik says.  "I'm sorry."


You don't respond but, instead, block his swift attack.  Galik fights with ferocity, but you match this with skill.


As you hook your blade onto his hilt, you turn and twist, Galik flies forward.  He drops his sword for a moment but rolls and picks it back up.  Behind him, Grolik and the other orc still struggle, the dagger on the ground and both of them in a deadly grapple.


Galik twirls his sword as you circle each other.


"Drop the sword, Galik," you say.  "It doesn't have to be like this."


"Oh but it does.  Remember, you chose this!"


The last couple of words are emphasized by Galik swinging his sword down at you.  You easily dodge this and take a wide swipe, nicking his arm.  Galik hisses and swings at your head, which you duck as you plunge the tip of the sword into his calf.


Galik cries out in pain and staggers back.  You raise the sword before pausing, instead, taking a step back.


"You truly have gotten soft, Nolazir," he says.  "What happened to the ruthless orc I used to hear stories about?"


"Do you really think I want to kill you?" you say.  "You're the child of my dear friend Greusim.  He was like a father to me, why would I want to kill any of his children?"


"You're just a weakling and a pathetic leader, Nolazir," Galik says.  "My father would be disappointed in you."


With these words still in the air, Galik charges you, first swinging high but then veering low.  With a cry you barely manage to escape, the tip of the blade slicing into your thigh.  Gritting your teeth you slash his chest.


Not once, but twice and then three times; you swing the sword in a perfect arc of fury.  Galik's face twists as he staggers back, clutching his chest.  He raises his sword and stumbles forward, you easily deflect the strike and slam your foot into his knee.


Galik cries out and falls back, rolling to get away from what he thought would be a killing blow.  As he looks up, you see the seething hatred in his eyes.  His sword lays behind you, which he had dropped when you knocked him over.


"Well, what are you waiting for, Nolazir?"


You take a step forward, raising the sword.  As you do so, you remember the first day that Greusim showed Galik to you; when he was but an infant wrapped inside a blanket.  You remember the days of taking him out as a young lad, teaching him how to fish and about the plants and animals.  You remember the closeness you used to share, before Greusim fell, and this wrath took him over.

You spare Galik

He may have lost his way, overtaken with wrath, but surely there must be another way to handle this.  You stop, and glancing around you see many orcs have gathered.  They seem to be expecting you to finish Galik off. 


Despite your brutal nature, you cannot bring yourself to do it.  There is another way to handle this… he is just lost-


Something slams into you, forcing the wind from your chest, and as you fall your arms twist and you roll.


Stopping, you see Galik stepping towards you… twirling the sword, a smirk on his face.


You crawl back, lifting your arms up defensively as Galik raises the sword.


You cringe a bit as his arm twitches… but not for the reason you would expect.  Another arm shoots under it and grabs his wrist, twisting it back and to his side.  You pull yourself up, hands out just in case. 


Galik snarls as he begins to struggle, but this is replaced by a gasp; his brow twitches and he drops the sword.  He staggers forward and reaches his arms out, and as he falls you catch him.  His face buries into your chest as he falls at an awkward angle.


Bewildered you look up to see Grolik, standing, a dagger slicked in blood in his hand.  His brow furrowed, he looks up from Galik and nods at you.


Upon Galik's back you see a stretch of blood dripping down his back.  The dagger wound placed expertly in his spinal column.  Rolling Galik over and kneeling, you hold him off the ground somewhat.  His eyes are blank and his mouth slightly agape, he did not suffer for very long. 


"Damn it Galik," you say.  "It didn't have to be like this."


A few orcs walk forward, nodding at you.


"Chief," one says, "we will take care of him for you."


"No," you say.  "I'll handle it, let's untie the other orcs first though."


You walk with Grolik over to the orcs tied to the posts, the whippers having long since left.  Grunting, you begin the work of cutting their bonds, several orcs coming over to help. 


"Can't say we'll miss him too much," one says.  "I know you were close to him, but he was a damn tyrant."


You sigh and continue your work.  After finishing up, you hoist your former friend over your shoulders and go to find somewhere to bury him…