Wrath's Virtue

Behind the dying body of the Gulper, three lizardmen fought against goblins. From behind, the hulking goblin chieftain and his venomous spiders watched, content to let their enemies wear each other down.

But on the far side of the pond, hidden from the main battle, the focus was not on the chaos.

Rez worked with a grim focus, his hands surprisingly steady as he tended to Zura's wounds. He'd already removed the arrowheads and was now applying a thick, herbal salve from a small pouch at his belt. He watched the distant battle, his jaw tight with a suppressed rage.

Zura's voice was barely a whisper. "Rez...?"

"I'm here, Zura," he said Rez suddenly, his voice soft as he secured a bandage around her back. "I'm here."

"The goblins..." she murmured, her eyes still closed. "Are you all alright? What's happening?"

Rez paused his work for a second. "Of course we're alright, Zura. The others are handling the goblins. Did you really think we'd lose to this filths?"

Zura's eyes opens slowly, her gaze locking onto his. "I know you, Rez. It's written all over your face." She took a shallow, pained breath. "How are the others... really?"

He froze for a moment, the lie died on his lips. "...They're fighting," he admitted.

"I see..." Zura said. "The Elf child was right. We didn't take him seriously."

"This isn't the time for that. Don't strain yourself, Zura."

"It doesn't matter..." she whispered, her eyes beginning to close again. "Go... help the others... please."

Rez hesitated. He knew they needed him. He could hear the sounds of the desperate struggle across the water. "They're fine for now," he insisted, more to convince himself than her. "You're in worse shape."

"There's nothing more you can do for me here, Rez. I can heal myself... Go." A faint, weak smile touched her lips. "Besides, we all know how bad you are with healing." She met his gaze again. "Go. Don't worry about me."

Rez slowly rose to his feet. He looked down at her one last time. "I'll be right back, Zura, Just... Just... wait a little longer."

"Don't worry..." she breathed out. "...Go."

He turned, and with a jaw clenched so tight it ached, he dove into the water.

The battle had devolved into a defense. With their backs to the Gulper's massive corpse, the three lizardmen fought against the goblins closing in around them. Corliss used his long, powerful tail to sweep goblins off their feet before lancing out with his spear, but the venom made his vision hazy, his strikes missing their mark more often than not. The same was true for the others.

Krum was simply a whirlwind of brute force, swinging his spear wildly to keep the goblins at bay. Two of the creatures had managed to climb onto his back; he grabbed one and slammed it to the ground before turning to his leader.

"Rokar, our situation is not good!"

Rokar was in the center, and in the worst condition of them all. The venom had affected him most deeply, his scales already looking dull and brittle.

"Rokar, get a hold of yourself!" Corliss shouted.

The sharp voice seemed to jolt Rokar from his dizziness. He shook his head, his vision clearing slightly as he looked from Krum to Corliss.

"Into the water," he commanded. "We're leaving."

The others didn't hesitate, turning and beginning their retreat into the pond.

But just as Corliss took his first few steps into the water, a green shape shot out from the depths. He leaped backward with a surprised hiss, but he was too late.

Green spider clamped its fangs onto his leg. Corliss roared and attacked with his spear, but the spider had already disengaged, disappearing back into the murky water.

Then, more spiders emerged, encircling them.

"They've surrounded us!" Krum roared.

"Krum!" Rokar commanded, his mind already adapting to the new threat. "We'll break through from your position! Get ready!"

Krum grunted, lowered his shoulder, and charged. Two spiders rose to meet him. He impaled one with a powerful thrust. As the creature shrieked, the other lunged at him.

Krum braced himself for the attack, but just as it leaped, another spear shot out from the water, impaling the second spider through its head.

Rez broke the surface.

"Hurry!" he yelled. "Zura is in a bad state too!"

As he spoke, a massive shadow descended upon him. Grommash himself landed on the water's surface behind Rez, his heavy mace swinging down in a crushing arc.

Rez spun at the last possible moment, blocking the blow with the shaft of his spear. The weapon groaned under the immense force, and though it held, the impact sent Rez flying backward, crashing into Krum's chest.

Krum caught his kin with one arm as Rez struggled to his feet, his face contorted in pain.

Grommash stood before them, his expression one of pure rage as he stared at his two dead spiders.

"It's hard to raise these spiders you damn lizards."

Grommash turned his gaze upon Rez and Krum. He lifted his mace, and a dark green energy began to swirl around its head.

"Bone Breaker!" he roared, swinging the weapon down into the water.

An explosion of the water and force erupted where the mace struck.

Rez, with his nimble reflexes, leaped backward, escaping the main blast. Krum, however, wasn't fast enough. While the mace didn't hit him directly, the shockwave caught him full on, sending him flying backward through the water to land with a heavy splash.

"Veridia!" Grommash commanded.

The giant spider leaped from the Gulper's corpse, its multiple eyes locking onto the nearest target, Corliss.

It jumped on top of him, its weight pinning him beneath the surface. Corliss struggled, using the shaft of his spear to hold back the creature's fangs.

A roar of pure rage tore from Rokar's throat. "Wrath of the Dragon Ancestor!"

His damaged scales flared with a intense light, and smoke began to billow from his nostrils.

He charged at Veridia, his spear aimed true.

The spider, with incredible speed, sidestepped and knocked his spear away with one of its legs.

Without breaking his charge, Rokar abandoned his weapon and tackled Veridia, wrapping his arms around the creature's body and trying to wrestle it to the ground.

Seeing his chance, Corliss pushed himself up, recovering from the initial assault. He raised his spear, aiming for Veridia's underbelly as it struggled against Rokar.

But just as he was about to thrust, Grommash moved. Chief grabbed the dazed Krum by the scruff of his neck. With a heave of his powerful arms, he throw the massive lizardman through the air.

Krum crashed directly into Corliss, and the two lizardmen tumbled into the water.

Freed from the combined threat, Veridia violently threw Rokar off its back. Rokar landed hard, the light in his scales fading, the smoke from his nostrils dissipating. He was exhusted now.

Grommash walked slowly, towards the fallen lizardman leader.

Rokar looked up, his eyes scanning the battlefield. He saw the other spiders chasing Rez in the distance, and Corliss trying to push the groaning Krum off of him.

They were broken. Beaten.

Grommash stood over him, his back to a clump of reeds floating on the water's surface.

He raised his mace with both hands.

"You've struggled enough," Grommash rasped, "Now, close your eyes, lizard."

He brought the mace high, ready to deliver the final, crushing blow.

As the mace began descent, Rokar closed his eyes. "Ancestors... please forgive my failure."  he thought, bracing for the end.

But the crushing blow never came.

Instead, there was a sound like tearing flesh and crackling.

Rokar's eyes snapped open. "What—" he gasped.

A spearhead, coated in green goblin blood and wreathed in wild bolts of lightning, had burst through the front of Grommash's throat. The chief's eyes were wide with shock and disbelief.

Then spear was ripped back with a wet sound, tearing a larger hole in his neck.

Grommash's hands flew to his throat as he stumbled, a gurgling sound escaping his lips before he collapsed to his knees.

And there, standing behind the fallen chieftain with pieces of reeds still clinging to him, was Aurelion. His face was a blank mask, his one golden eye fixed forward, utterly devoid of emotion.

An shriek of pure rage tore through the air. Veridia, seeing its master fall, left the two downed lizardmen without a second thought.

It scrambled over the Gulper's corpse, its multiple eyes burning with hatred as it charged towards Aurelion.

Aurelion didn't look at the charging arachnid. Instead, his gaze flickered to Rokar.

"This is going to hurt" he said.

Before Rokar could even process the words, Aurelion slammed the butt of his spear into the water.

A dome of raw lightning erupted from the spear, spreading outwards in a indiscriminate wave.

Veridia screamed as the electricity coursed through its body, its charge faltering. Rokar and the other lizardmen were jolted by the surge, their muscles seizing up. The nearby goblins and smaller spiders shrieked as they were jolted by the blast.

The battlefield fell silent for a single moment.

Aurelion slowly raised his hand to the bandages covering his left eye. He watched Veridia as it writhed in pain, and a low, cold whisper escaped his lips.

"An eye for my enemies," he said, as his voice growing louder, "in exchange FOR MY EYE!."

He extended his left hand towards the struggling Veridia.

This time a different kind of energy gathered in his palm. It was lightning, but its edges were a corrupting, pitch black that seemed to devour the light around it.

The bolts of black lightning didn't strike the creature's body. They shot out like targeted needles, striking one of Veridia's eyes.

It popped with a sickening, wet sound. Another bolt lanced out, and a second eye exploded. Then a third, and a fourth.

The creature thrashed wildly in agony, spraying jets of venom in every direction. With its last three remaining eyes, it managed to aim a final, desperate stream of poison at Aurelion.

Aurelion leaped backward, landing nimbly on the back as the venom splattered where he had stood. His attack ceased.

A sharp throb of pain lanced through Aurelion's blind left eye, sending a spike of agony through his skull. He let out a low grunt, but quickly mastered the sensation, his expression returning to a cold mask.

Not yet, he thought to himself as his resolve hardening. "A strong intent, a sufficient amount of energy… and knowledge." He took a step forward.

"There are still three more eyes that need to be boiled and exploded," he said aloud this time as he took another step towards the writhing creature.

He looked at the panicked spider, a hint of a smile touching his lips.

"Unfortunately, you won't be able to see my face before you die."