Lost Time
The hall is dark and decrepit. It reeks of mold and humidity. A damp fog blankets the few furnishings and carpets. Two of those creatures creep through almost hidden by the darkness. They seem humanoid but only vaguely. Their bodies are 5 feet high at most, and with limbs that are too slender to be capable of the blinding speed I have seen from them. Their fingers replaced by claws just as slender and wrong as their bodies. Any other man wouldn’t see their shadow, but practice had taught me well.
I step forward silently, my sword ready and without a sound decapitate the closest. It’s ally only notices the body thud to the ground. He immediately leaps at it, shredding it to pieces. I simply swing again, this time taking off it’s shoulder with the head.
After another scan of the room, I let myself have a sigh of relief. I’m getting too old for this. The thought brings a small chuckle. How long had I been here? Years? Decades? Centuries? It’s so horrifying that my brain just laughs at it.
This house, ever expanding, but ever collapsing. A strange realm that always kept me pushing forward. I need no food here, nor rest, but Gods once above, do i miss it. Theses creatures are the only inhabitants of a once great mansion. Maybe designed by a wealthy plantation owner? Or maybe a Victorian aristocrat. How’s an old orc like me suppose to know.
In the middle of my ponderings, a small light glints at me through the darkness. A chalice, silver plated but illuminated. I pick it up off its shelf to see that the liquid it holds is the source of light. I’m about to drink it when I have a realization. Let’s see how old I really am. I look into the liquid and see it, for the first time in memory, my reflection. My hair is old and greyed, well no, it’s almost white now, with a beard reaching to my stomach. My green skin is lighter, and my face and body are covered in scars. Too many errors learning to fight the monsters i guess. My tusks are still prominent but dark brown from the malnourishment. My eyes… they're old, old and blue. The eyes of a warrior in his final days. With tears starting to form I drink from the chalice. The liquid is bitter and harsh. If I remembered what liquor tasted like, maybe it would have been that.
I let out the voice I haven't heard since before I forgot my own face. “Oh, how I wish I could have an ale again, sit down with you, Robbs. Laugh and shout about all our adventures and battles, dragging Scott into it even though he promised Elish he’d stay sober. Ah yes, it’s always was a good laugh when the three of us were together. Then Angela scolding us when we got too rowdy… Angela, I wish I had told you how I felt. I shouldn’t of let my fear control me, orcs aren’t supposed to have fear.” A tear rolls down the cheek in the reflection, “ Oh sod it, if I ever see you again I’ll confess it. I give you my word!” My fingers clinch the chalice as I feel the vigour of my youth again.
“CURSE THAT STUPID LICH!” I shout, throwing the chalice through a door, the creatures have noticed but I’m too angry to care. “I HAVE BEEN HERE TO LONG!” The first creature to appear doesn’t even get to raise its claws as I strike with precision. “YOU MAY HAVE KILLED MY FRIENDS BUT YOU LEFT THE WRONG ONE ALIVE!” My next swing slices two in half. “SOD THESE INFINITE ROOMS AND SOD THESE STUPID SODDING THINGS!” I’m losing count of how many are appearing but I don’t care, my sword has never felt so light, even when it was pristine. I grab one by the throat and slam it against the wall so hard my fist goes through. As it’s head pops off, another’s claws shred through my back. I counter with a vertical slash halving it. I disarm another, letting it’s black cursed blood cover me as I finish it off by slamming it’s head in the same hole I just made. “CONGRATULATIONS YOU’VE JUST VOLUNTEERED TO BE MY CHISEL!” I slam repeatedly, staving off the others as I keep trying to crash through, until finally a crack appears. Blinding light pierces through as all the creatures scream in pain. I slam my bare fist through it as the light starts to envelope the entire room.
“Lash! LASH EDGEFALL WAKE UP THIS INSTANT!” The light calls out.
The monsters all cower as I begin to demolish the wall, letting in more light.
“WE NEED YOU! I NEED YOU! WAKE UP! PLEASE!” I break through the wall falling into the light…
I wake up in a jolt. Angela is over me, her soft brown hands clenching mine. Those amber eyes have never looked so beautiful…
“LASH!” She slaps me. “Are you ok? Can you still fight?”
Behind her I can see the sodding lich and my friends fighting with sword and spell. The rage fills me again as I stand clenching my sword. The blade feels brand new no, I feel new again. And it’s time to show the anger and precision the years of fighting through that prison had taught me.I step forward but then hesitate for a moment.
Turning to Angela who is already up spear in hand, “I PROMISED I’D TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE VERY BEAUTIFUL, AND I FIND YOU EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE SO, YOU ARE VERY BEAUTIFUL, AND I FIND YOU EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE!” I charge the lich before she can respond.
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