Took me forever, sorry.
Korrgosh felt the wind on his face as his wolf’s paws thudded rapidly on the grass below them. He had to move quickly. He knew Kelarion wouldn’t be far behind him. Korrgosh detested lying to his friend, but he couldn’t risk the sin’dorei coming with him. This task was his. And his alone. He veered right, along some trees and beside a pond, and made it to the clearing. Roggar was waiting. Korr slid off his wolf’s back, and gave its hind a light smack, telling it to run. Korr approached the other orc, fists clenched, teeth gritted. Roggar spoke first.
“Exile suits you well, runt,” the large orc spat at him. Korr didn’t stop walking until he was nearly a foot away. He glared up at his old enemy.
“It has given me perspective, if nothing else,” Korr responded, trying to sound calm, hiding the fury in his heart. This was the man who cost him everything. Who cost him his home. His family. The person he had cared for most. His honor. No. Korr had lost his honor without any help. Deep down he knew that. And that was why he stood before Roggar now.
“I don’t care what it’s given you, runt,” Roggar said, grinning arrogantly down at Korr, “and I want you to know, there is nothing you can do that will ever make you welcome in our home again.” Korr closed his eyes, sighing.
“I’m not here to regain my position in the clan. That is gone forever. I will take back my self-worth though. My honor. That… I can still reclaim.”
“You cannot kill me. You couldn’t that day. You can’t now.”
Korr looked up at him again.
“You accept my challenge then? If you’re not afraid?” He grinned. Roggar scowled.
“I’d hardly call it a challenge… but yes. I do accept.” He retrieved a small, ceremonial axe from his back, and threw it into the ground. “I declare mok’gora.”
The two orcs walked to opposite sides of the clearing. Roggar drew his massive axe, pacing back and forth. Korrgosh pulled his shield off of his back, strapping it to his arm, and grabbing his hammer with his right hand. He took a deep breath. Whatever happened, he would come out the other side a better man. The man that he should have been years ago. With that final thought, he charged at Roggar. The two orcs clashed in the center of the clearing, Roggar‘s axe scrapping and smashing against Korr’s shield. Korr swiped one blow aside, bringing his hammer down on the side of Roggar’s knee. The massive orc roared in pain and fury, bringing his axe back around at Korr’s head. He ducked the swing, rolling to one side and standing up again quickly. Roggar’s strikes were powerful. Korr knew he could not block them forever.
At that moment, he saw them. Kelarion, Penny, Runa, Ellyria… all of them. Roggar looked at them, and bellowed in fury.
“Are you so honorless that you would call for help in mok’gora!?” Korr shook his head, panting.
“Kel! Get out of here!” Kelarion looked at his friend in bewilderment, looking ready to assist. Korr pointed to the axe in the ground nearby. Kelarion knew what it meant. The elf held up an arm.
“We… cannot interfere,” he said, sadly. Korr heard angry protests from Penny, and saw Runa conversing pleadingly with Kelarion. But the wise magister shook his head at their arguments. He didn’t look any more pleased than they did.
Korr brought his shield up, punching at Roggar as he ran towards him, landing a blow on the warrior’s shoulder armor. It did nothing but loosen one of his grandiose spikes. His opponent immediately recovered, and circled back around. Roggar brought his axe up in an uppercut, catching Korr’s shield and lifting him off the ground. He flew through the air as if weightless, landing hard on his back. Roggar was on top of him in seconds, smashing at his shield over and over. Each blow weakened Korr’s arm more. He could feel his strength fading fast.
“You. Were never. One. Of. US!” Roggar howled in anger between strikes. Korr’s arm was about to give. He looked at his friends. They were looking on in shock and horror as Korr struggled just to hold his shield in place. He waited until the axe lifted once more, and rolled to the side. Roggar’s axe stuck into the ground with a thud. Korrgosh leapt to his feet, moving as fast as he could towards Roggar as he tried to pull the axe from the ground. One good blow with his hammer. It’s all he needed. He was so close. He was so very close.
It happened so fast. Roggar ripped the axe up, and in what seemed like the blink of an eye, it was in Korr’s chest. He heard screams of shock and anger from his friends, but could barely register what the sounds were. His world spun. He had failed. Again, and for the last time. Roggar pulled the axe back, grabbing Korr by the ring on the center of his harness and lifting him with one hand.
“You will die an outcast. A failure. Clanless, and honorless.” Korr’s breathing grew heavy. He could taste his blood. He looked once more at his friends. The people he cared for most. The people who trusted him to lead. The people who deserved better than to watch him die like a stuck pig. He felt the rage in his heart burn brighter.
“You’re right… I was… never one of you…” he said weakly. “But you’re wrong about one thing, Roggar…” Roggar tilted his head. “I found my true clan.” Korrgosh reached for his killer’s shoulder armor, ripping from it the spike he had loosened moments before, and drove the metal into Roggar’s neck. The massive orc dropped him, stumbling backwards. He collapsed, gurgled a moment, and then… nothing.
Korr lay on the ground, his breath slowing. He heard his Steelrune Company rushing towards him. Kelarion’s voice was the first he heard. “You damned fool…” Korr smiled.
“Is he dead?” Kelarion looked to Roggar’s body.
“Yes.”
Korr laughed. “I’m not. I won.”
Kelarion shook his head. “At what cost?”
“There are more important things than my life, Kel,” he said. “Help me up.” Kel looked back at the others, who watched in despair and silence. The elf helped him sit up. Korr looked out at the sun rising in Nagrand’s twisted skies. “They always told me that this world was broken.” He put a hand on Kelarion’s shoulder. “Have you ever seen anything… so beautiful?”
Kelarion closed his eyes, holding in tears. “Aka’magosh, brother.” Kel said, his voice trembling.
Korr smiled, the sun on his face. “Shorel’aran… brother.”
![:scream:](https://d38bqls1q93fod.cloudfront.net/en/wow/images/emoji/twitter/scream.png?v=6" ":scream:")