Duality Risen
folder
+S through Z › World of Warcraft
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
25
Views:
5,226
Reviews:
6
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
+S through Z › World of Warcraft
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
25
Views:
5,226
Reviews:
6
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own World of Warcraft. I do not make any money from this story.
Thirteen
Thirteen
Mardruk could feel Cassie’s gaze burning holes into his back. He supposed he should be grateful that her eyes weren’t on his backside, but he didn’t like having her behind him. It wasn’t that she was human, (okay, so maybe it was) it was that she was a mage. A powerful one. Mardruk had yet to realize the flame-haired woman had used up her mana to the point of exhaustion and was helpless against him should he decide to turn on her.
Cassie wasn’t about to tell Mardruk that.
He didn’t trust her, like she didn’t trust him. They were fine when they were in the big group – each had their own side to rely on after all. But alone, together, in the forests of Feralas… that was a different story. Were they being looked for? Or were they expected to meet the others at the bridge to Desolace? Mardruk simply kept walking, looking for a trail or the road. He wasn’t sure how far off track they’d come since running from the ogres and losing them in the forest.
“Do you even know where the trail is?” Cassie asked finally, hot and irritated.
Mardruk turned to look at her. “We’ve come east. If we hit the coast, we’ll be able to make it to the trail that’ll take us up to the bridge.”
Cassie set her hands on her hips. “What if the others are looking for us?”
“They’ll head to Desolace. We have to trust that they’ll wait for us.” Mardruk resumed walking, and after a moment heard Cassie following.
She was muttering. Mardruk ground his teeth. Damn, the woman was annoying! But Mardruk would, of course, be fascinated with her nonetheless. Cassie was unpredictable, sometimes frightening, and Mardruk hadn’t the slightest clue about how to deal with her. She was the type to get her own way, the warrior figured. It was something that grated on his nerves.
“Would you just please shut up?” Mardruk snapped, finally turning to face the human woman.
A sneer crept over Cassie’s face. “What? Afraid I’ll attract monsters? You’re no warrior, just a scared little green-skin!”
Mardruk ground his teeth. Counted to ten. Twice. “While using you as monster bait is all well and fun, I’m trying to listen.”
“To what?”
“The forest. The wind. Anything. But you’re yapping away like a newborn wolf pup. So, shut up.”
Cassie glowered at Mardruk. “Admit it. You’re lost.”
“We’re not lost.”
“Of course we are! If you weren’t so stubbornly prideful, like all of you damn orcs are, we would’ve gotten back to the trail sooner! I can’t wait until you’re all eradicated! But that’d be too good for you Fel-possessed sons of whores!”
Mardruk was staring at her. Just staring. Then he suddenly lunged forward, violet eyes sparking with rage. Cassie recoiled; she couldn’t scream even if she wanted to. She had no mana, only her staff to defend herself with. She could run, but he’d catch her, and throttling her might be the worst thing he’d do to her.
But just as suddenly as Mardruk had lunged, he stopped. He simply stared, panting, then turned on his heel and strode away.
Cassie stood dumbfounded. Had he just… pulled himself back? Had Mardruk controlled his rage? Or was it a ruse, to lull her into a state of complacency, and he’d get his revenge later? The witch shifted, then hesitantly started after him. What should she say? What could she say? She watched his back, watched those powerful muscles move under that chainmail and plate armour. Her eyes drifted to his hands, clenched in fists, each capable of crushing her skull in their grip. She couldn’t see his face, but she figured he was pretty pissed.
Cassie couldn’t blame him. Temper was riding her mouth, and she’d just blurted out insult after insult, right into the face of someone who didn’t need a weapon to murder her. He’d charged her, almost, then caught himself. He’d forced himself to walk away.
“Mardruk,” Cassie started. She flinched as violet fires focused on her. “I…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Mardruk said. “I’ve gotten worse.”
Cassie blinked. Was he lying to make her feel better? Mardruk ran a hand through his thick black hair. “You don’t know the kinds of insults orc children can come up with. Most of it hinged on my mother. She brought me here from Draenor when I was too small to remember. After that, she disappeared. Fel-possessed. Or obsessed.”
Cassie swallowed. “What about your father?”
“Never knew him. He’s probably just as dead as my mother is.” Mardruk started to walk again, gesturing for Cassie to follow. This time, she hurried to catch up, staring up at the orc as she walked.
Mardruk could feel Cassie’s gaze burning holes into his back. He supposed he should be grateful that her eyes weren’t on his backside, but he didn’t like having her behind him. It wasn’t that she was human, (okay, so maybe it was) it was that she was a mage. A powerful one. Mardruk had yet to realize the flame-haired woman had used up her mana to the point of exhaustion and was helpless against him should he decide to turn on her.
Cassie wasn’t about to tell Mardruk that.
He didn’t trust her, like she didn’t trust him. They were fine when they were in the big group – each had their own side to rely on after all. But alone, together, in the forests of Feralas… that was a different story. Were they being looked for? Or were they expected to meet the others at the bridge to Desolace? Mardruk simply kept walking, looking for a trail or the road. He wasn’t sure how far off track they’d come since running from the ogres and losing them in the forest.
“Do you even know where the trail is?” Cassie asked finally, hot and irritated.
Mardruk turned to look at her. “We’ve come east. If we hit the coast, we’ll be able to make it to the trail that’ll take us up to the bridge.”
Cassie set her hands on her hips. “What if the others are looking for us?”
“They’ll head to Desolace. We have to trust that they’ll wait for us.” Mardruk resumed walking, and after a moment heard Cassie following.
She was muttering. Mardruk ground his teeth. Damn, the woman was annoying! But Mardruk would, of course, be fascinated with her nonetheless. Cassie was unpredictable, sometimes frightening, and Mardruk hadn’t the slightest clue about how to deal with her. She was the type to get her own way, the warrior figured. It was something that grated on his nerves.
“Would you just please shut up?” Mardruk snapped, finally turning to face the human woman.
A sneer crept over Cassie’s face. “What? Afraid I’ll attract monsters? You’re no warrior, just a scared little green-skin!”
Mardruk ground his teeth. Counted to ten. Twice. “While using you as monster bait is all well and fun, I’m trying to listen.”
“To what?”
“The forest. The wind. Anything. But you’re yapping away like a newborn wolf pup. So, shut up.”
Cassie glowered at Mardruk. “Admit it. You’re lost.”
“We’re not lost.”
“Of course we are! If you weren’t so stubbornly prideful, like all of you damn orcs are, we would’ve gotten back to the trail sooner! I can’t wait until you’re all eradicated! But that’d be too good for you Fel-possessed sons of whores!”
Mardruk was staring at her. Just staring. Then he suddenly lunged forward, violet eyes sparking with rage. Cassie recoiled; she couldn’t scream even if she wanted to. She had no mana, only her staff to defend herself with. She could run, but he’d catch her, and throttling her might be the worst thing he’d do to her.
But just as suddenly as Mardruk had lunged, he stopped. He simply stared, panting, then turned on his heel and strode away.
Cassie stood dumbfounded. Had he just… pulled himself back? Had Mardruk controlled his rage? Or was it a ruse, to lull her into a state of complacency, and he’d get his revenge later? The witch shifted, then hesitantly started after him. What should she say? What could she say? She watched his back, watched those powerful muscles move under that chainmail and plate armour. Her eyes drifted to his hands, clenched in fists, each capable of crushing her skull in their grip. She couldn’t see his face, but she figured he was pretty pissed.
Cassie couldn’t blame him. Temper was riding her mouth, and she’d just blurted out insult after insult, right into the face of someone who didn’t need a weapon to murder her. He’d charged her, almost, then caught himself. He’d forced himself to walk away.
“Mardruk,” Cassie started. She flinched as violet fires focused on her. “I…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Mardruk said. “I’ve gotten worse.”
Cassie blinked. Was he lying to make her feel better? Mardruk ran a hand through his thick black hair. “You don’t know the kinds of insults orc children can come up with. Most of it hinged on my mother. She brought me here from Draenor when I was too small to remember. After that, she disappeared. Fel-possessed. Or obsessed.”
Cassie swallowed. “What about your father?”
“Never knew him. He’s probably just as dead as my mother is.” Mardruk started to walk again, gesturing for Cassie to follow. This time, she hurried to catch up, staring up at the orc as she walked.