Mara’s legs were giving in. Like a boulder weighing her down she struggled to keep standing and walking. No matter how much they burned, no matter how much pain was flooding through them. It was her who had claimed chains were a better choice, if only to fight tomorrow. How could she allow aid for something she brought on them all. Before her Thick-Skin was chained, behind her Kazzok and Rika. And behind them the Ogre’s warlord was chained. Third-Fist was his name. He had made sure that he was chained close to them. Something none of them were happy about, he had been an enemy mere moments ago.

  Aru’gal seemed happy to have the leaders, the traitor and her friends, his greatest trophies, bundled together.

  Thick-Skin did the same and had made sure he was chained close to Mara. He allowed his people to be chained, but would be close to her. If she truly had a plan he would know it and decide if it was good or not and he would make the greenskins call to fight, not a darkling.

  Even Branak was with chains and the fact that Aru’Gal had allowed the beasts and mounts to be chained instead of being killed told Mara all she needed to know. He knew it would have been a fight if he had tried to kill them and he knew the riders would have won. Yet he needed them and he needed them alive. The scroll would demand sacrifices and despite the chains she had put on them she would not see anyone be sacrificed for a Khan’s lack of strength.

  “I hope your plan goes further than these chains, shaman.” Thick-Skin whispered over his shoulder.

  Dusk was settling over the Savannah and they had walked all day before he had finally spoken.

  She huffed. “I won’t see us be used by that coward, if that is your fear.” Her words rang back, yet were gently carried by an evening breeze.

  He looked around and to the riders nearby. Always watching, always ready to strike at them should they try anything. Yet there was more. Those that didn’t carry a helmet had it written all over their faces. They were angry. They had been when their Khan flew off and they were now when they had to watch broken warriors in chains.

  “Your Khan isn’t the most liked is he?” he whispered over his shoulder again.

  She couldn’t help but grin and glanced around herself. “There are those that are loyal…” she started. “Too many that the rest dared anything yet..”

  Suddenly Kazzok grunted from behind Mara. “We are many too..”

  Thick-Skin chuckled when the druid's words reached him.

  A nearby rider landed next to them. “What might be so funny, greenskin?!”

  Thick-Skin looked up to him. A rather pale Darkling with an edged face and a cloak on the back of his obsidian armour. Before the chieftain could spit back anything, Mara took word. “Ur’Back?” She asked. The rider looked down at her. For a second a hint of shame was in his eyes. Then he composed himself again and spouted. “I’m not talking to you, traitor!”

  He was settling his gaze back to Thick-Skin when she spoke once more. “Look at me.” She demanded. He followed. “You know why he wants us alive, don’t you?”

  The watcher shook his head and answered with a coldness that was hard to read. “I know what you and his father tried to tell about him..”

  Her eyes widened. “Master Cra’Gal..what happened to him?”

  His eyes became somber and he knew he could not hide his feelings any longer. Yet his words still tried. “A traitor’s destiny.” He answered and made her raise a brow before he continued. “Killed by his own family…”

  “Oh..” She simply answered and looked down to the savannah ground again. She felt its warmth below her feet as memories of his teachings came to her mind. When she looked back at Ur’Back her eyes were fueled by a newfound anger. “He was a good teacher.”

  “He hated your brother..” Ur’Back told her again. “He wanted me to fight him. To kill him ev~”

  “You wouldn't have.” She stated with cold eyes. After gazing up north and across the prisoners line she continued. “I think he just feared someone man enough to face his son.”

  Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

  Ur’Back blew his horn and made the march stop. He jumped down from his Wyvern and grabbed Mara’s arm. Kazzok and Rika grunted, ready to launch themself at him despite their chains.

  “Don’t forget where you are!” He shouted loud enough that even the riders could hear it. Then his voice became lower. “And don’t forget where I stand either..” His grip on her arm softened, yet he remained there, making sure it still looked like a threat. “I am man of the mountain, watcher of our clan. I only want the best for it and I have seen how Khan and Dragon see their duty..”

  The coldness in Mara’s eyes softened as his grip did.

  It took a long moment and both of them could feel the many eyes. She was about to ask him many more questions, but knew they were not meant for every riders’ ears.

  Just before he could say more a hand was around his arm and forced it away from Mara.

  Bruna was breathing slowly and angry as he watched the watcher. His eyes slowly turned to Mara and her arm. No wound, nothing. Either Ur’Back was weak or smarter than he acted.

  As he looked back to Ur’Back he commanded. “Let them rest.” the watcher raised a brow before the beast continued. “The mountains might be a day’s march, maybe two until they reach the valley.” He shook his head. “And none of them is strong enough for the hike right now.”

  Ur’Back watched the beast for quite some time. His answer was no words but two quick blows of his horn that made the riders settle down. Two of them came by before Ur’back ordered them. “I want them in groups of ten around a spike. No need to complicate things with this long chain.” Glances were changed between both riders and the prisoners. “Watch them over the night, let your Wyvern sleep on their chains if you have to.”

  Then he looked back to Bruna. The beast’s eyes became a silent gratitude and the watcher nodded before he went back to his Wyvern.

  Slowly Bruna turned to his sister. There were still so many things to say and yet no place to do such. His helmet hung on his belt and he felt her eyes on his own.

  Finally she asked him. “What will you do?”

  “I follow Aru’gal.” He simply stated with a deep and low voice. He wanted to shout at her. To unleash all the anger he had felt since Kara’s death. Instead he felt numb.

  A rider wanted to guide Mara and her pack to a nearby spike they had placed into the ground. They started to bind their ropes and chains around it.

  Bruna raised his hand “Just a moment.”

  “She is a traitor, beast!” The rider shouted at him and got an even louder echo from Bruna. “Touch her now and I’ll be the next!”

  The rider and the beast stared at each other before Ur’Back came by and whispered to the rider. Their eyes broke off and Bruna got the moment.

  His sister’s eyes were soft when she tried and take his hand. He huffed and lashed his hand back from hers. Escaping her grasp.

  His eyes carried his unspoken fury and she just nodded. “What will you do when you find him?” her words were but a breath in the rising breeze.

  He shook his head. “I don’t know…” He answered and looked around the riders. He knew most of them and they knew him. Some of them had shed blood together, others with each other when they trained.

  Finally his eyes returned to her. “I will talk to him..he only wants the best for~”

  “Himself.” Mara stated.

  He grunted with anger as she interrupted him yet continued with cold fury. “If he will not listen to stop this foolery of sorcery I will make him.” He took a long breath. “I brought him the scroll. I can take it once more.”

  Her heart filled with hope for a short second before she saw Darkscale behind him. “Your Wyvern..do you truly think she can fight?”

  “No. It will be her last.” After a moment longer he continued. “And it might be mine.”

  She shook her head. “You know you are stronger than him.” There was nothing he could say to deny her.

  She tried to take his hand again and took a deep breath. “I know you are still in pain..and I’m the last who should tell you how to~”

  “Then don’t.” He commanded and escaped her hand once more. She sighed. The breeze touched them as the sun settled down in the west. Despite the burning savannah at the horizon, it felt cold.

  Finally she added. “Just..don’t fight to die.” She leaned down to catch his eyes as he tried to avoid her gaze. “But to live.” Their eyes locked and yet their hearts remained distant. He wanted to shout instead he said what he always would.

  “I will not see you sacrificed.”

  “I know.” She answered.

  Their eyes remained locked with each other. Heirs of the Khan and his war, the last of the mountain’s blood. Both tried to find a blame for Kara’s death, yet neither could fully hate the other. They were all that was left. The Khan’s children, the heirs of his hatred.

  Finally he huffed and nodded to the rider. When she was brought to the spike and her pack, their eyes didn’t leave each other. It made him sick to see her like this. Both the change around her and the coldness in her eyes. He looked away and quickly got his helmet back on.

  After he saddled Darkscale he saw Ur’back again. Pressing his fist on his chest he said his silent farewell. The last moment before he took flight he looked back to his sister, one last time.

  Her eyes followed him through the night sky and soon he and Darkscale vanished into the north. Towards the distant fires of Karn’Arak.