Broken

[Therak]

This one can also be found on the wiki, but thought more people read this forum then obscure wiki pages! So here it is!




The smithy was torn up, the anvil broken and the forge in pieces. Nothing moved in the darkness, spread across the floor were dozens of weapons and tools, broken and bent. The air was still, unaturally so. Making the smell of dust and neglect seem even heavier. Deeper inside, an open hatch in the floor revealed a ladder down.

The sound of a faint sob cut through the silence. As the oversized orc, in a fetal position stared into the darkness. Eyes snapping here and there, chasing after the shadows moving at the edge of his vision. The orc himself bruised and battered, bleeding from countless small cuts and scratches.In his hand, cluthed to his chest was an axe, worn, and the edge so nicked it looked more serrated then the usual smooth and deadly edge. A larger shadow slid down the hatch, slowly and deliberately moving toward the orc. Gruthikk gripped his axe even tighter, watching the slithering shadow warily, the panic plain in his eyes.
"Lum - Gruth... can ye hear me? Why is yer furnace a bloody mess? Ye're generally keepin' it neat here..." The shadow spoke with the voice of his sister. But Gruthikk knew better. They were back to attack him, he lashed out with the axe against the shadow screaming at it. "Leave me alone! Get out of here!"

The shadow jumped back, once again speaking in his sisters voice, did it really think he'd fall for that? "Stop whinin' ye Lumberin' Idiot! Can't be that gromdamned bad! Wake up an' start cleanin' before I treat ye like I always do when ye mope'round!" Slowly getting to his feet, Gruthikk lashed out with the axe again. "Think you can trick me demon!? Leave before I cut you down like the dog you are!"

Once again, the shadow moved out of the way, screaming back. "This be no trick ye Lumberin' Fool! An' put that down before you hurt yourself or I throw a rock in yer head! Calm down an' pull yerself together!" Gruthikk snarled, chasing the shadow, this time almost hitting it with his axe. He'd kill this intruder, or die trying. "Gruthikk... Put that down an' come ter yer sense. Ye be... Very deeply... Asleep? An' need ter wake up." Once again, Gruthikk charged, his throat filling with the warcry "Lok'tar Ogar!" The shadow however, once again managed to slither out of the way, but this time Gruthikk felt himself the axe catching something ever so faintly, perhaps some kind of cloth? Only to then find the shadow inside his reach, wrapping itself around him in an attempt to crush the life out of him. Gruthikks instincts took over, and he rushed forward, smashing the shadow into the wall.

"Gruth... open...yer...eyes..." In a state of frenzied panic, Gruthikk threw himself, and his assailant into the wall once more, finally making it lose its grip. Taking the chance, he quickly retreated backwards to the other side of the cellar. Once again, with his guard up, watching the shadow as it slowly slid down on the ground. Once more his sisters voice cut through the darkness. "Gruth... Open... Yer... Bloody... Eyes... It's...Me..." The large orc rushed forward, swinging his axe downwards, but the shadow slithered again, the axe biting deep into the floor. The shadow whirled out with a tendril "Come with me... Out o'...This place Gruthikk" Once again the smith swung his axe, this time aimed towards the tendril, severing it from the rest of the shadow. Which shrieked and promtly began to fade away. Gruthikk watched in wonder as the tendril kept twitching on the ground, only to join in with its body and fade away. The large orc, exhausted after the battle, once again curled up into the corner.

Time passed, perhaps hours, perhaps days. Without being able to see the sky it was hard to be certain. No more shadows approached Gruthikk, but they were always there, slithering just at the edge of his vision. Leaving him wonder if he had seen something, or if it was just another trick of the mind. All along, he wished for something to protect him from the shadows.

It began faintly, so faint he didn't notice it beginning. One second it was not there, and then it was. Without him being able to put his finger on just when it had begun, but somehow he knew it had always been there in the background. It was like a heartbeat. Slow and steady. Not within himself, but from the floor, radiating warmth and strength. It grew in strength until eventually, it filled the room, and Gruthikk found himself noticing the ground trembling slightly in tune with the beat. The tremors slowly began spreading into Gruthikk, who find himself relaxing slowly. Time passed like this, until Gruthikks own heart was beating to the same tune, and he found his strength returning to him. His breathing returned to his normal, slow pace. And he sat up.
As he looked around, he found that the shadows no longer were as frightening, one should be wary of them. Yes, but they were no cause for the panic he had felt not long ago. He closed his eyes, taking slow deep breaths. In through the nose, and out through the mouth. Letting his newfound strength course through him.


Gruthikk slowly opened his eyes, peering around in the darkness. His breathing steady and his mind calmer then it had been in ages. Now he knew what he had to do. It wasn't a matter of hiding anymore, there was no use hiding from the work there was in the smithy. The orc reached out for his axe, no longer the worn down thing that he had clutched to his chest earlier, but as sharp and deadly as ever. After examining the edge, Gruthikk dragged his left hand quickly over the edge, holding out the hand over the floor. Offering a silent thanks for the strength that had been lent to him. Clenching his fist, the smith began whispering. "Spirit of the earth, I give you my thanks for the strength you've lent me. I will strive to prove worthy of your trust..."

Feeling more alive then ever, Gruthikk climbed the ladder up into his smithy, peering around the destruction, face twisted into a frown of disgust. But he didn't hesitate more then that moment before setting to work. As he went he made two piles on the floor by the forge, those tools and weapons that could be repaired. And those that would have to be reforged anew. By the time he was finished dividing up things between the pile, his lips had curved into what was almost a smile. Sure, there was alot of work, but then again. It wasn't as bad at it had looked at first sight. The pile of things to be reforged was significantly smaller then that which could be salvaged and repaired. The forge he could repair, atleast to the point where it could be used for a while. It could be replaced properly when there was time. And the anvil would work as it was, if he was careful.
Hours later, Gruthikk looked over his work on the forge, it wasn't pretty. But it would do the job. Smiling to himself, he began whistling a tune as he set to work lighting a fire in it.

Once Gruthikk set to work repairing the items, he lost himself in the song as the spirits guided him in how to best work the metal. He completely lost track of time, and as he reached to take another item from the pile, he found that they were all finished. Being stacked neatly along the walls. Some leaning, some hanging but not one item out of place. The large orc looked around in the smithy, it was no longer as dark and gloomy as it had been before. He even found the anvil and the forge looking as they always had. In short, it once again looked like his own smithy. No longer were there a stench of dust and neglect, but it smelled of sweat and of the burning coal. A familiar scent, and a comforting one at that. Gruthikk stretched his arms to the side and arched his back in an attempt to work some of the soreness out of his muscles. Before he walked outside, feeling the wind on his face, a refreshening sensation after all the work. After spending a few moments enjoying the fresh air, he walked over to a small stream near his smithy, splashing water on his face.

As he turned to walk back, he found his path blocked by an orc almost as wide as him, although a head shorter. A horrible scar was prominent on his face, cutting across it and leaving one eyesocket empty. His white hair had hints of a reddish brown color in it and his face held a stern expression, however without any hint of anger. Looking over the younger orc, the newcomer snorted.

Gruthikk blinked, but after a moment passed, he recognized the older orc, and bowed his head in greeting.
"Throm'ka... Stonefist was it?" The older orc nodded slightly.
"Throm'ka pup, guess ye'd remember me name." He looked around, studying the area around them before focusing his eyes back at Gruthikk "So, happy 'bout the cleaning ye did?" Gruthikk looked back towards the smithy thinking a moment before replying.
"No, not happy. I enjoyed the work, but it shouldn't have been needed in the first place..." The old orc nodded, scratching his beard
"I'll give ye this pup, atleast ye're nae as stupid as ye look." Shaking his head before continueing. "So, what be yer plannin' now after ye cleaned?" Gruthikks hand went up to his neck, scratching at that itchy spot.
"I don't know. I'm figuring there's something left, as you're here. But I don't know what..." The old orcs face kept the stern expression as he continued.
"Well, why did ye get inter this mess in the first place?" The large orc looked down to the ground as he answered.
"I was knocked off balance, and then let myself fall to the next thing that came over me..."The old orc did not look satisfied with the answer, still there was no anger in his voice.
"Fweh, now pup. Why did ye let yerself do that? An' know why ye came here?" Gruthikk looked up to the orc, meeting his eyes.
"I let myself, simply because I was off balance. And I guess I came here because to me, this is home..." The old orc grunted.
"Now... getting o' balance wasn't smart. Shouldn't let that happen, even if something unexpected hits ye hard. What were yer thoughts when ye woke up in this place?" Gruthikk scratched his neck again, obviously uncomfortable with the questions.
"We all lose balance at times... I woke up feeling scared, something was wrong. I didn't know quite what. I hoped someone would help me, to watch my back." The old orc shook his head,
"Aye, we all lose balance, it's just that if ye lose balance ye'll most likely fall. Which an' orc should only do once. Some say that it is fer ye te fall an' learn. I say that it be fine once. But falling again will jus' make ye an object o' unneeded coddling. Taking up other's time." Marogg looked around again,  "Aye, we all lose balance, it's just that if ye lose balance ye'll most likely fall. Which an' orc should only do once. Some say that it is fer ye te fall an' learn. I say that it be fine once. But falling again will jus' make ye an object o' unneeded coddling. Taking up other's time." Marrog looked around himself again. "As fer having someone watch yer back. Ye had all the time... they're jus'... 'bit strange" Gruthikk smiled faintly.
"Aye, strange is one way to describe them. And I didn't know they were watching my back." Gruthikk listend intently as the old orc continued.
"More than those present looked over ye... If ... strangely, yet ye were blinded at that point. By... yer own doubt be the only I think it can be called." Nodding slowly, Gruthikk thought through his next words carefully before he spoke.
"Aye, it was damn dumb of me. But done is done, all I can do is try to make it right, and to make sure it does not happen again..." The old orc grumbled...
"So... now I be guessin' we're both... 'bout as lost. This what I get fer doing a favor... Fweh." Shaking his head he continued. "So, have this all taught ye anything?" The smith nodded slowly.
"Aye, no sense in hiding from work, it'll still be there when you stop. You'll only have wasted time, your own and that of others..." The old orc nodded.
"An' that ... aslong as ye're nae young or stupid an' meddle with the netherdamned Fel... Ye're never alone aslong as ye be an' orc." Marogg looked the younger orc in the eyes "But pup... fer me, my only lesson is do nae let yerself fall again. Even if someone steals yer balance. But try nae ter let that happen either".

Gruthikk nodded slowly, and as the old orc raised his fist, as if to hit him. Marogg faded away. And as Gruthikk opened his eyes, something hazy, that might just be a wooden cieling came into view.