Kheliosram, An Orcs tale

[Theotaz]

The Beginning: 30 years ago

"Gobby strong, Gobby protect!" The little girl muttered in her play. She sat on the ground, a pile of dirt shaped by childrens hands in front of her.
The were figures of stick and twine lashed togeather with seed pods for heads.. Many of them appeared to have two heads. "Bad ogres hunt the herd, and take the babies. "Gobby will save them and drive the Ogres off!" she spoke quietly as the moved a grubby stuffed Elekk about knocking over the stick figures one by one. She made trumpeting sounds as the stuffed toy raised up and dropped down on each one. The toy showed many repairs. Bright spider yarn against the soiled print fabric of its covering.

Her older brother came up behind her and grabbed her. Khelio squealed with delight. Her brother had spend the last few weeks in the tribes warrior camp learning the ways of war. He had fleshed out quite a bit and was obviously going to be a fine specimin of Orc manhood. Khelios mother called out for assistance with several baskets of fresh grain she had just threshed out. Khelio and her brother ran to help. Her brother Tellus did most of the carrying while Khelio walked with him.

Once they had delivered the grain to the storage hut they went to sit with thier mother for a short time. Tellus shared storys from his training, while his mother caught him up on matter of import to the Silver Basilisks. Noting that it would soon be time to prepare the evening meal, the mother sent the two of them to the village well to get water. The sibling played tag all the way to the well. Tellus lowered the bucket down. Khelio peered down the well watching the bucket. Bringing the bucket up they filled the first of the two clay water jars.

An alarm horn sounded. They both looked up. Flights of arrows flew up over
the huts, A group of Deathnight wearing the colors of the Burning Blade charged around the sides of the huts on thier wolf mounts. They swung slings with clay pots. As each pot was flung and shatteds it released a cloud of green vapor. Villigars cought in the vapor clutched at thier thoats and fell to the ground in obvious agony. Tellus grabbed Khelio and put her in the well bucket. "Hold on to the rope little sister. You'll be safer down there then up here." He quickly lowered her down. As soon as she was at the lip near the bottom of the well he jumped up on the low wall around the well his war club out. Looking up Khelio hear the tinkle of more of the clay pots breaking. She could see her brother clutch his throat. In a moment he had pitched down into the well.

Khelio grabbed him where he'd fallen in the watter at the bottom of the well.
His eyes had turned white. His skin looked burned and blistered. He pushed her back into the shadows of the cutback at the bottom of the well. "stay quiet sister" he whispered hoarsly. Forms blocked the sun overhead as he pulled himself up on the lip across from her. The twang of a bow came from over head. An arrow thudded into his back forcing him down. He pulled himself back up. Khelio bit her lip in an effort not to scream in terror. Twice more a bow twanged and two more arrows pierced his back. His breath rattled and he was still.

Voices came from above. Khelio held herself still, her stuffed toy cluched close. She stayed back in the shadows. She heard laughter from above. The voices withdrew and all was quiet. Khelio sidled around the edge of the well to her brother. She touched him. He felt cold. Khelio had seen dead things before and she new her brother was gone. It was growing dark in the well.
Sunset was coming. "mommy?" she called. She called agin "Mommy!" There was no answer. All was quiet. She laid down next to her brothers body her hand apon him. It was cold and damp down in the well. After a time she fell asleep.

She was awakened by the sound of splashing water. "Wake up missy, we gonsa get ya outa here." It was a troll. She'd never seen one before but had heard many tales. They looked nothing like the people of Dranor. He lifted her up and settled her onto his back. "Hang on child, we go'n up." he said gently. She held on about the trolls neck as he scaled the walls of the well, his feet against one side and arms agaist the other. At the top he reach around one long arm and lifted her off his back an onto the edge of the well. As he clambered out she saw both more orcs in the colors of the Doomhammer. And bodies. Many bodies. Cousins, friends, playmates. The bodies were being wrapped and set on a cart.

"Dey all dead girl. You de only one left." he squatted down in front of her. "And what be your name child?" he asked in a quiet deep voice. she didn't answer. He pointed at the stuffed Elekk. "Wont tell me ya name eh? Well den, what be her name?" She looked at him indegnatly. "Gobby's an Elekk and a he not a she!" He fell back on his rump, his legs spalyed out
a look of surprise on his face. "OH, well I be from Azeroth, and I don't know noth'n about no Elekks." he pointed at the Elekk with a long blue finger "So Gobby the Elekk, what be ya misteress name?". Khelio leaned forward. "Gobby is a stuffed toy and he doesn't say anything!" she said indignantly. "And its considerd proper to give your name first!"

a creature like none she had ever seen before padded up beside the troll.
Its fur the color of ripe wheat, with a great ruff of fur around its neck that went to dark brown and black at the tips. Two great fangs protruded from its mouth poining downward. Khelio bravely held her ground as it extended its head toward her and snuffed at her. The troll reached out a hand and ruffled the great mane. The freature made a sound that sounded like "purr" as it lay down beside the troll. The troll arched an eye at her.
"You are very brave to hold your ground. He flurred at you.. it means he likes you. His name is Romilar and he is a Lion from my home world. My name is Theotaz, and I am a hunter in service to the Doomhammer." He looked about and then stood up. Way up. Then he slouched down lazily. "And now I tink I need to find someone to look out after you. Der be no one here any more. Is der anywhere you be want'n to go?" SHe looked up at him and spoke. "My name is Kheliosrham, and I would like to go to the Frost Wolves. They are kin."

The Troll looked at her with consternation. "De frostwolves have left dey normal places and no one know where dey be. It is said dey have fled to my world because of the murder of dey chief." She looked at the Troll. "You must take me to them. No other will take me other then Kin." An orc in Doomhammer colors came up behind the troll "She is correct. No one not kin or part of her Tribe will take her. It is our way." The Orc pulled out his Axe. "You need not concern yourself." He looked at the child "Prepare your self child, you will be with the ancestors shortly." The troll screamed in fury and slapped the axe out of the orcs hand. drawing twin hand axes he placed himself between the rest of the orcs and the child. "No one shall harm this child unless dey be end'n my life, and I aint so ready to die yet."
The fallen orc grabbed his axe and was about to get up when the lion Romilar placed both paws on the orcs chest shoving him back to the ground with a frightening roar that shook the air.

"HOLD!" came a command. A figure in black armor approched. "What is this about. He looked the the pinned orc "Report!". The orc gave a quick and factuall report. The orc in black looked at the troll "Theotaz, this is our way. Call off your Lion. There is no other way." The troll shook his head "I have allready made myself clear. Dis child be under my protection now, none will harm her less dey be ready to face me Orgrim Doomhammer. She has asked me to take her to de frostwolves and I shall." The orc, and warchief of the hord leaned on his great hammer. "You would disobey me troll?" he growled dangerously.". The troll shook he head I swore duty to you Warchief, and I have not disobeyed you, for you have given me no order, and I have allready givin ma word to dis child. WOuld you have me dishonor meself and ma people?"

The war chief nodded his head, respect in his eyes. "If I ordered you would have to disobey would you not?" Theotaz nodded "I would, and I would have to battle you then. I might very well loose for you are a great warrior. But I promise you would know you have been in a fight for your very life." The Troll shook his head. "My people would know and would never trust you again. Where the Zandelar tribe go all trolls follow." Doom hammer then sat apon the ground cross legged, resting his axe across his lap. He looked to the pinned warrior. "Release him." Theotaz nodded. "Romilar let him go." The lion backed off of the fallen orc with a growl, tail twitching angrily. Doomhammer gestured to the orc, "return to your men" he ordered.

Doomhammer looked to Theotaz "You cannot serve two masters and I need the alliance with the trolls to much to risk loosing them over a child." He stared at the troll for a moment considering. "I release you from my service Theotaz the hunter. You will leave Dranor as fast as you are able. The Fostwolves have fled to Azeroth. Find them there. Her life is now your responsibility Troll." The Warchief heaved himself to his feet. His gaze shifted from Theotaz to the child. "take what you need. Be gone in one hour, no more, or your lives are forfit."

Theotaz put his axes away. Turning to Kheliosrham he spoke "Get anything you need child and do it quickly, we have little time, and many league to be travell'n." Khelio nodded and quickly ran to her families hut, getting what little she had, and a few small items of her family. she was about to leave when she stopped suddenly. Turning back into the hut she reached under her mother sleeping pallet and pulled out two long knives and thew them into a bag with the small bit of cloathing she caller her own, and grabbed some travel rations her mother always kept in the hut. She stopped at the door and took one last look around at what had been her only home. She turned and walked toward the waiting troll.

"Wait child." a voice called. It was the war chielf. In his hand he held a banner. "You are the last of the Silver Basilisks. You should take this with you. It is yours by right." Khelio took the banner for a moment. She looked at it, feeling the fabric. She shook her head and handed it back. "My tribe is no more. I go with him to his world. Let this remain here in this one. It is where it belongs. I am of the house of Theotaz the Hunter now." Doomhammer shook his head sadly "As you wish child. This will be left at the place of the ancestors." He turned away from her for a moment then stoped, and turned back "I don't know if this will ease your grief child, but this was done by Gul'dan and his shadow council. They committed treason against all the orcs with this act and others. I will see them killed to the last for what they have done. Your people will be avenged."

Khelioshram Lifted her blue eyes to the warchiefs. "There was a tribe here called the Silver Basilisks. They are dead now. There are none left here or anywhere. Do what you will. You do not act to avenge me for I no longer have a people." Her eyes blinked and a single tear rolled down her cheek. She turned away from Doomghammer and walked to Theotaz's side She looked up at him "I am ready, lets go, I don't want to be here any longer." She held up a hand which the troll hunter took in his own. Without another word, the Troll Hunter, the Lion and the no longer young orc child walked from the village. None of them looked back.