Episode 7: Family Ties (Part 2 of 8)

On that note, our Heroes rush across town to where the mountains overlook Illias until they come to the large building that is Akorrin's Hall. Standing in front of the two large doors, the duo hear the grunts and groans of the students inside training, much like Locke and Lilanei used to when they were younger. Pushing the left door open, Locke allows Lilanei to walk in first, before entering behind her and shutting the door which closes and sends an echo throughout the dojo. The students in training turn immediately and stop what they're doing, looking to the doors to see that it is Lil and Locke before them.

From the back of the hall, the Lizardfolk they know affectionately as Forge steps from behind the small crowd of younger children as he exclaims, "Why, it'ss my little Elven cupcake!" He then walks quickly over to Lil and Locke, before he lifts Lilanei up in the air much like an infant as a broad smile adorns his snout. "I take it thiss mission wass a successs," Forge says as he looks to Locke. "Well done, boy."

"It wasn't the greatest success story, Forge," Locke announces, disappointment in his eyes as he looks about the hall. "Especially judging by all present here."

"What do you mean by that, m'boy?" Forge asks. "You brought Lilanei back, didn't you? Now, where'ss Akorrin? I've been having to pay good money for an asssisstant at my shop! And I don't really take kindly to having to fork out for an unnecesssary expenssess."

Giggling uncontrollably as she is hoisted into the air, Lilanei's feet finally touch the ground and her wide smile is replaced by a look of worry as she says, "Forge. . . Do you mean to say Akorrin has not returned to the Hall?"

"Why of coursse not, m'dear," Forge answers. "Why would he? He'ss with you iss he not? Iss he off ssomewhere?"

Sadly, Lilanei's eyes shift to the floor as she utters, "I'm afraid not anymore. . . He's been missing ever since he stayed behind to allow Locke and I to escape from the evil man who kidnapped me."

"Oh," Forge mutters before he turns to the pupils in the hall. "Sstudentss, thiss iss a very ssad day. Our mentor hass not returned to uss. Take a knee asss we now sshare a moment of ssilence in memory our of masster."

With that, all in the Hall except for Forge drop to a knee and bow their heads as they think fondly of their master who is currently missing in action. After a minute, Forge claps his hands once, and immediately the students rise to their feet and return to their training as grunts and yells begin to echo through the Hall while the students train. As they once again begin to practice, Forge turns to our Heroes and speaks.

"I sshall misss Akorrin," Forge announces. "It'ss a good thing you two have returned here. I will need a hand running my sshop asss well asss training the sstudentss here."

"Forge," Lilanei begins softly as she steps forward and looks up into the Lizard's eyes. "We don't think Akorrin is dead. . . We think he might still be out there, and we'd like to keep searching for him. We understand it may be difficult, but if you could hang in there just a it longer—"

"What she means is," Locke begins, "we owe our master too much to simply give up on him when we don't know for sure he's dead. Akorrin wouldn't have put you in charge of the school if he didn't think you couldn't run both this place and your business. Like Lil said, give us some time and we'll find him. If not, he'll probably return sooner or later, anyway. But we can't stop trying to find him."

Forge blinks and looks at them both for a moment, his tongue flicking out from between his teeth as he thinks.

"Oh, very well!" He announces. "I will continue to run thingss here, for now. But if my bussinesss goess under, then on your head be it, Locke."

"Mine?" Locke asks. "What about Lil?"

"Why, I ssimply couldn't assk my little Elven cupcake to bear ssuch a burden," Forge announces as he pats Lil's head, who smiles with a proud expression. "I will ssimply rebuild it. Which will mean many early morningss and many late nightss, and you will be my asssissstant, Locke. I'm ssure your price won't be nearly asss high asss the young lady I have working there right now."

"Thanks," Locke grumbles.

"Go now," Forge announces, placing a hand on Locke and Lil's respective heads. "If Akorrin iss indeed alive, you musst find him sso that the sspirit of thiss sschool doess not die. The sstudentss need their true masster."

"We'll do our best to find him," Lilanei announces as Locke nods in agreement.

Before our duo turn to leave, Forge walks over to a table by the door which has a register on it, and pulls on a drawer that lies under the table. He pulls a pair of bottled potions and hands them to our Heroes.

"Take thesse," Forge says as Locke and Lil place the potion in their bags. "I ssensse your road to finding Akorrin might be a long and difficult one, sso I wissh to give you all the help I can."

With a gracious smile, Lil closes her bag and says, "Thank you, Forge! We won't let you down."

"I know," Forge replies. "Now go, before I change my mind!"

"Look after the place," Locke announces as he waves and opens one of the large doors.

Our Heroes bid a final farewell to Forge and the students of Akorrin's Hall before they stand outside in the town of Illias once more. By this time, the sun had long since peaked to its highest point in the sky and was already beginning fade as it dropped towards the horizon.

"It's getting late," Locke announces. "We've spent most of the day home, and we're losing precious daylight. Perhaps we've spent enough time with our loved ones. We should get moving again."

Lil frowns as she peers at the sky and states, "At this time of day? You know I didn't sleep a wink on that boat, either. I'm exhausted!"

"I understand that, Lil," Locke states, “but we should get going. Every minute we decide to stay here is another minute longer Akorrin's whereabouts are a mystery to us. I want to find him so much."

Lilanei sighs, "Alright. . . But promise me that we'll rest soon."

"I'll tell you what," Locke begins. "We'll get some distance from home and when the moon is bright, we'll make a place to sleep then. Okay?"

Nodding, Lil responds, "Okay."

Setting off, heads and hopes held high that they will soon find their master, our Heroes head north for the town's main gates which lead outside of Illias and beyond. Fortunately for the pair, as they reminisce on the time Akorrin first saw them off from Illias, a traveling merchant riding on a horse drawn cart passes them at the town's limits and offers them a lift. Locke and Lil graciously accept the merchant's offer and soon our Heroes find themselves a long away from Illias, past Thorny Grove where they had first encountered the Orcs, through the Merchants' Grotto where they battled Maroco and Madoco, until they exit the Grotto – where our Heroes decide to make camp for the night in a pleasant grassy location near a small forest. The merchant drops them beneath a tall tree and bids them farewell as he continues on his way to Blackcrest. Swiftly, they construct the large tent that Lilanei had bought while they were in Blackcrest and the two settle into the tent for the night.

Lying somewhat awkwardly next to Lilanei in the tent, Locke looks to her and asks, "So. . . What's this about me not being a real man? Does your mother have a problem with me?"

Lilanei, who now lays on her stomach as she flicks through a book in front of her, looks to him with a curious expression before answering, "Oh. . . Don't mind mother. She likes to drone on sometimes and doesn't realize what she's saying."

A serious expression washes over Locke's face as he says, "I hope you don't share her sentiment."

Closing the book and crossing her arms on the floor before her, she grins as she exclaims, "Are you kidding me? With the way you flirt and flaunt around your masculinity to anybody that'll listen, on a daily basis, sometimes I wonder if you're too manly."

"I'm just very expressive," Locke sighs. "But like I told your mother, there's nobody masculine enough, as I am, to do anything to make sure you're okay."

Kicking her feet to and fro in the air behind her, Lil looks ahead at the tent wall and says softly, "Well, I don't think so, either."

"I'm glad you agree," Locke states as he stares over at her. "Because there really isn't. Maybe that makes me a fool, I dunno. I just don't want to lose you again."

Lilanei looks to Locke as she sticks her tongue out at him and says, "Well, I don't plan on going anywhere like that again! After spending so much time with that vagrant Maroco, I came to realize how much less annoying it was spending time with you."

"Ah-ha, so I was right!" Locke exclaims.

"Right about what?" Lil quips.

"Right about the fact that your heart wasn't with him, but. . . with somebody else."

"Maybe," she sighs before continuing with a grin, "but I'd take almost anybody over that guy!"

"Ah. . ." Locke says with a sigh.

Leaning in closer to him, she softly utters, "Is that a hint of disappointment I sense?"

Locke looks at Lilanei and blinks slightly at her. He then reaches out and places his hand on her hair, softly brushing it as he opens his mouth to utter something – when suddenly our Heroes hear the fabric of their tent tear open. Locke sits up startled in time to see the blade of an axe slash through the front drape of the tent. Immediately, the pegs that old the tent down in the ground are pulled out simultaneously from the ground before the tent itself is snatched from above their heads as they realize they are surrounding; surrounding them and their small camp are five Orcs, two Goblins, and – holding the tent – a very large and very angry Bugbear!

Lil quickly rolls onto her back before sitting up and crying, "What is the meaning of this?"

"You sorry suckers have very poor timing!" Locke spits as he reaches across for his crossbow.

However, as he tries to reach for his crossbow, the large Bugbear throws the tent over Lilanei's seated figure and snatches it up, wrapping Lil in the tent before then holding it up in the air, as if he had just placed her in a sack.

From inside the fabric, Lil screams, "Not again!"

"Lil!" Locke cries as he growls at the largest Orc of the group and points his crossbow at him. "Let her go, now!"

"I wouldn't do that," the Orc begins as he motions with his hand-axe towards the Bugbear. "Not unless you want to see your little friend's throat crushed like a rabbit's."

Locke looks towards the large Bugbear once more who now clutches Lil's head from outside of the tent she is in. He growls once more and looks around as he sees the other Orcs and Goblins with their weapons brandished as they surround him. Seeing that the odds at this point are a trifle against him, Locke throws down his crossbow and folds his arms defiantly.

"Fine!" Locke snaps. "Just let her go."

"Oh, I don't think we'll be doing that," the Orc announces. "In fact, our boss will be quite interested in seeing you two. Take them!"

The Bugbear throws Lilanei rather unceremoniously out of the tent and within seconds of her landing, the two Goblins rush to both Locke and Lil and restrain their hands in rope. Quickly, the Orcs gather up our Heroes' ruck sacks and the tent before the group forces them to their feet. Prodding them with their weapons, they force the pair to enter the dark forest that is Vadhat Forest. Vadhat Forest is a dense mass of trees, bushes, and overgrowth, littered with many bogs and small streams that grows uncontrollably around the Merchant's Grotto. Teaming with wildlife, many humans from both Blackcrest and Illias have tried to cut it down and build a settlement upon it; however the wild animals that breed inside it make it too vicious to be taken by humans – something Locke and Lilanei were blissfully unaware of when they picked a spot so close to the forest to make camp. While it has always been littered with wildlife, it has never been known to be inhabited by Orcs, and their smaller servant race, the Goblins – until now.

Eventually, after what seems like an eternity to our captured Heroes, Locke and Lilanei are finally taken to a camp that is nestled in the center of the forest – tree stumps adorning the clearing which has clearly been hacked away by the Orcs for their habitation. Scattered around the clearing are many huts, where Goblins and Orcs sit around either outside the huts or inside them, with camp fires outside illuminating the otherwise dark and spooky forest. The group of villains lead them to the largest hut which is located at the most northern point of the clearing, just in front of where the forest once again grows. Within seconds of forcing the pair to stop, a large figure emerges from behind the curtain built out of leaves, a great-axe hanging from his side as he drinks from a cup before belching.

"Is that Glorak?" Locke announces in shock.

With a frustrated sigh, Lil cries, "Please don't say it's true!"

"It's not," the Orc begins as he throws the cup away and belches one more time. "Unfortunately for you, I am not Glorak The Big. . . I am his brother, Orochi The Brute, and I am very 'pleased' to see that the two humans I have in front of me are the very two who killed my brother. Did you recognize the five Orcs who captured you? They told me you, my pretty little lady, that you have quite a penchant for fire."

With a gulp, Lilanei says nothing as she stares to the side nervously.

"You killed my brother!" Orochi cries in anger as he waves his fist towards our Heroes. "True, he was a moron and a bully who didn't understand his true place in the world – to serve under me – but still. . . He was a good hand with a sword."

"Ha!" Locke laughs. "A good hand? We ran over him so hard, I've seen five year olds fight better!"

"Shut your mouth!" Orochi cries as the Bugbear opens his palm and slaps Locke hard across the cheek, allowing his claws to dig across Locke's cheek as he pulls his hand from the slap.

"We have ways in our clan from Wormsmoor," Orochi continues. "When you kill one of our own, we make it our sworn duty to pay back the cretins who slayed our brothers or sisters."

"No!" Lilanei screams as she struggles to move forward upon seeing the Bugbear deliver a blow to Locke's face; attempting to bluff, she cries, "Locke did not kill your brother. I delivered the final blow which killed Glorak! Take me, and let him go!"

"Take you?" Orochi asks as the Orcs, Goblins and the Bugbear along with Orochi let out a loud mocking laugh. "My dear girl, it doesn't matter which one of you two snots killed my brother. You were both there. One hand washes the other or, in this case, one child dies with the other."

Crying once again, Lil pleads, "I'll do anything! Just don't hurt him!"

". . . Anything?" Orochi asks with a grin. "Well, well, boys, we certainly have a sporting wench here, do we not?"

The Orcs once again snicker as Locke lifts his head in anger from Orochi's comment and begins to struggle against the Bugbear.

"Shut you mouth, you disgusting Orc!" Locke cries. "Once I get out of these bonds, I will make you eat those—"

Once again, Locke's speech is cut off by the Bugbear who this time slams his fist into the back of Locke's head, causing his head to fall down as he is stunned. Orochi looks towards Lilanei and slowly steps down from the decking of his hut, each footstep echoing forebodingly at Lil. He strides slowly across the grass, his red cape dragging across the blades of grass, as his smirk is shadowed by the goat's skull that rests on his head like a crown. He now stands in front of Lilanei and grasps her chin in his hand – his long, dirty, black claws pressing against Lil's soft cheeks.

"Tell me then, Half-Elf," Orochi begins. "What are you willing to do for me?"

"Not for you!" Lilanei utters as she attempts to turn her face away. "But for him. . . Let him go and you can do what you wish with me. I don't care, as long as he lives!"

Orochi looks towards Locke who is semi-conscious as he grins; he then looks back towards Lil and licks the fangs which protrude from his lips, "So, there's feelings between you two, eh? Is that it?"

Lilanei remains silent, shaking slightly as her gaze rests on the semi-conscious Locke. Orochi growls slightly before he takes his hand away from Lilanei's face, raises it up in the air, and violently allows his palm to collide with her cheek in a vicious slap.

"Disgusting girl!" Orochi roars. "I care not for what you may wish to offer me, you dirty little Half-Breed! I have finer wenches than you to amuse myself with! No, you're not getting off that easy. You killed my brother, Glorak, and so you and your little boyfriend will pay the price."

Lilanei cries out in pain after Orochi delivers his hard slap before looking to the Orc with tears in her eyes and rage in her voice as she screams, "Kill me then! Throw me to the wild animals or bake me into a pie for your men – I don't care! Just don't hurt him!"

"This one's a bit stupid!" The Orc restraining Lilanei shouts to Orochi.

"She is that," Orochi replies as he looks down to Lilanei once more. "Girl, I don't think you hear me so well, despite having such big ears. We-are-out-for-both-of-your hides. Yours and the boy's. And now that we have you, it's going to happen."

Lilanei shakes her head, unwilling to accept defeat as she yells, "Anything! What can I do to change your mind? Or at least to enable my friend's freedom?"

At this point bored with Lilanei's pleas, Orochi looks to the pair of Goblins who drag Locke and Lil's ruck sacks to him, complete with Locke's crossbow and Lilanei's staff. He immediately opens Lilanei's bag and rustles through it, his eyes widening slightly and a grin growing on his face as he pulls out the slave dress she had stored in there earlier.

"Well, well, well!" Orochi cries as he holds the servant's outfit high in the air while all the other Orcs and Goblins look on, letting out cries of amusement. "Quite the woman of the night we have here. If you didn't kill my brother, perhaps I'd let you entertain me. But still, my brother was my brother, and Orc law states I kill you. . . or rather, something else does. I have a much better idea for you, my dear."

Orochi continues to ruffle around Locke and Lilanei's belongings until he pulls Lilanei's dagger. He unsheathes it and inspects the blade before he begins to walk over to the still half-conscious Locke. He pulls Locke by the hair at the top of his head and places the dagger against his throat as he looks back to Lilanei.

"Tell me. . . Is he really worth dying for?"

Immediately, she responds, "Yes!"

"Ha ha ha," Orochi snickers as he simply cuts the braid off Locke's head, the braid dropping into his green hand. "You are going to die tonight, my dear. But because I'm such a. . . generous leader," Orochi continues, arms extended as he motions to his small village, "I'm not going to let you meet your fate alone, oh no. Bring them both to the pit!"

With that, Orochi walks through the dense forest, passing various Goblin and Orc guards along the way as Lilanei attempts to struggle free while Locke still remains stunned and motionless. Eventually, the group stop in another clearing – this one with a stone, rocky floor as a pit stands before them. Orochi, keeping Lilanei's dagger in his hand, now draws Locke's sickle from his bag. He turns to Lilanei and once again walks over to her.

He looks down to her with a grin and then snarls, "Are you sorry for my brother's death?"

Lilanei glares up angrily at the Orc as she utters, "Perhaps if your brother hadn't spent all his spare time attacking my people – maybe then I would be sorry!"

"Ah yes," Orochi mutters. "The town of Illias Upon The Sea. . . Glorak sent me a letter about that place. With Wormsmoor now an Orc Kingdom, we were getting rather bored with just hunting down the local peasants for sport. This place provides an interesting challenge. My brother did enjoy killing each pathetic miner that came across him, and eventually he was going to make himself known to your town. . . but you went and killed him. I suppose I'll have to introduce myself in his place. Your family, your friends, they'll get to know me rather well. It'll become a paradise! That is, a paradise if you're one of us."

Throwing her head down in defeat, Lil snivels in anguish and fury.

"I'll tell you what, girl," Orochi begins. "There's something in that cave there that's very mean. If you apologize to me, I'll spare you both, and I'll let you become my pet."

Lil's head snaps up to the Orc as she glares at him and screams, "Alright then! I'm sorry – sorry that you're such an ugly, smelly, disgusting and horrid excuse for a living creature! For your sake, I hope whatever is in that cave kills us both so that you do not face the fury of my fire!"

The group, Orochi included, let out loud roars of laughter, their bellies thrusting in and out in a large belly laugh; eventually, Orochi stops laughing and with a smile on his face looks to Lilanei and says, "Girl, you really do flatter me. Very well, I'll spare you," he continues with a nod as he turns to the Bugbear. "She's sorry. . . Let him go – into the pit!"

With that, the Bugbear now lifts Locke's draped feet from the ground and walks the five feet to the ominous black hole in the ground. Keeping his hands tied, the Bugbear simply dumps the still out-of-it Locke into the cave underground.

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Lilanei screams, "You wicked monster! If you hurt another hair on his head, so help me—"

"Hurt him?" Orochi echoes in surprise. "I can't hurt him. He's no longer here. He's in the cave. You now are property of DAKOR Menace and you're mine to do with as I please." Orochi then begins to run the tips of his black nails along Lilanei's cheek before his hand slides up her face and he strokes her hair. "Property of myself, and my clan. Because I am such a good leader to my men. Isn't that right, lads?"

"YEAH!" All the Orcs and Goblins shout out in unison.

"You see, m'dear, unlike me – Glorak was too bolshy to be a real leader. He never rewarded his troops for their good work. He just bullied them. What you're about to see is what happens when my men do a good job," Orochi finishes as he licks his fangs once more.

As the Orc strokes her hair, Lil viciously bites into one of his large fingers, tearing her head backwards violently in an attempt to sink her teeth further into his flesh; however, the Orc that restrains her smacks her in the back of the head, forcing her to open her mouth and free the finger, which Orochi simply laughs at.

"Ha ha ha, such a feisty one!" Orochi muses. "Well, pet, it's time to do with you what I've had in mind."

With that, Orochi steps back and the Orc holding her undoes the rope around her wrists before pushing her forwards towards the arms of an awaiting Orc. She is shoved into the Orc's arms, who now wraps his arms around her and violently presses his lips against hers in a kiss. He pulls his head back immediately and unravels his arms from around her before shoving her back – straight into the pit which the Bugbear threw Locke in before, as the Orcs and Goblins above ground laugh spitefully.

"You've served me well, my pet!" Orochi's voice echoes as Lil roughly lands on the ground of the cave. "Now, you'll serve as my entertainment! I'll give you a fighting chance to make this somewhat amusing!"

With that, Lil hears the clanging of metal hit the cave floor. She looks to see under the light of the moon that Orochi has thrown down her dagger and Locke's sickle.

"If you see the other hapless peasant down there, tell him he's lucky to have lasted that long! If he's still alive, maybe your boyfriend and you will be. It's been nice knowing you, m'dear. Farewell!"