Episode 7: Family Ties (Part 7 of 8)

Once on the other side of the fence, Blurlo closes the gate shut. Tanz keeps Dorhi right in front of him as he looks to Lilanei and Locke in the light of the strongly lit camp.

"You two need to place the girl's belongings in that hut over there," Tanz announces. "Everyone's belongings are put in there for the scrutiny of the Master. . . Anything he wants, he gets, understand?"

"We understand," Locke says with a nod.

"Right," Tanz announces. "You two – Orochi's hut is on the right over there. I'm taking this Dwarf," Tanz says with a slight snarl, "so you two be on your way!"

Dorhi looks pleadingly to Lilanei as Tanz shoves him forth through the camp. Left alone, Locke and Lilanei look around the camp. To their left, two Goblins sit back to back on the dirt ground, fast asleep as their weapons sit by their sides. Scattered among the huts that make up the camp are some Orcs – either too stupid to recognize Locke and Lil or simply because they weren't among the party who banished them to the pit. Either way, as they are in the camp, the dim Orcs pay them no mind. With Tanz and Dorhi gone, Locke looks to Lil with a concerned glance.

"Are we just going to let that Goblin take Dorhi?" Locke asks.

"Of course not," Lil responds with an equally concerned look. "I've merely. . . not thought of that part of the plan yet."

"Hm," Locke grunts. "Well, we seem to be able to walk around here freely enough. Nobody seems to care. If Orochi's hut is that one there, maybe it's time we paid him a visit."

Shaking her head, Lil motions towards the smallest hut in the camp, which Tanz indicated was the storage area; she then whispers, "Our things may be in there. . . I have a plan, but first, let us go into the hut for some privacy."

Nodding, Locke leads the way towards the hut, taking Lil by the hand as he does so. As they reach the front door of the hut, another Orc approaches them, his axe dragging along the ground.

"Oy!" He calls, his voice not as low and gravelly as the other Orcs. "What you up to?"

Letting go of Locke's hand, Lilanei holds it in front of her mouth in a shy gesture as she once again flutters her eyelashes and says sheepishly, "Why, I'm merely doing as Tanz has told me. . . I'm here to entertain Master Orochi, but first I must discard of my items and. . . get dressed."

"Oh!" The Orc's eyes light up, before asking as he motions to Locke, "What about 'im?”

"I'm her. . . attendant," Locke announces. "She couldn't get here on her own in the dark now, could she?"

"Yeah, guess not," the Orc sniffs before looking back to Lil and saying, "Here. Can I. . . accompany you, wench?"

"Oh my!" Lilanei giggles, attempting to hide her anxiety as she continues. "I do not think Master Orochi would be pleased to hear that I allowed one of his men to witness my. . . show, before he could! Nobody likes dirty seconds."

"Darlin', we Orcs take seconds, thirds, and sloppy sixteenths. . . That's between twenty and ninety nine, ain't it?" The Orc says, before then continuing, "But, I 'spose I don't wanna anger Orochi. He's not a pain in the rear like Glorak was, but he can still be pretty mean if you cross him. Go on then. Get dressed. But maybe afterward. . . Well, I don't mind scraps."

Lil giggles and exclaims, "Alright! I'll perform for our master, shoot over to Blurlo, and be back to you in a flash! Does that sound appealing to you, Mr. Orc?"

"Right on, darlin'!" The Orc cries excitedly. "Come and find me when you're done. I'll be in that hut over there. My room mate will be there, but don't worry – we share everything."

With that, the Orc turns and walks towards his hut, leaving Locke and Lil alone.

". . . I really have the urge to get you away from here," Locke finally announces. "These guys sound vile!"

Simply hushing him, Lilanei takes Locke's hand as before and rushes to the door of the hut, which she opens. Rushing into the hut quickly, she shuts the door behind them quietly before emitting an exasperated sigh and leaning her back against the door as she slides down to the floor. Locke pets her hair slightly in a comforting manner as he looks through the room, which is lit by a light hanging from the ceiling. In the room are many sacks and bags, as well as weapons, small coin pouches, and jewels – some of which belong to the DAKOR Menace, and others they have taken from unlucky victims.

"Which bags are ours?" Locke asks.

Sighing, Lilanei simply stares ahead and says, "Disgusting. . . I feel like I have sold myself like a mere lady of the night! Just as Orochi said I was—"

"He wishes!" Locke exclaims in disgust. "I can't wait to meet this filth. . ."

"I can," Lilanei frowns as she looks up at Locke. "I have a plan. . . Maroco. But it's going to involve a bit of effort on both of our parts."

"What's that?" Locke asks.

"I think," she pauses as she mulls over the details in her head, before continuing, "I think you should go and save Dorhi, while I keep Orochi distracted."

Locke stares at Lil for a moment before frowning and replying, "I don't know. I'm not comfortable with that. I don't want to leave you alone with that creature."

"Well, we simply can't leave Dorhi all alone with that disgusting Goblin! Who knows what he could be doing to him, as we speak. No, someone has to save him, and since I've already established a. . . unique cover, I should be the one to distract Orochi while you rescue him."

“Okay, Lilanei," Locke sighs as he agrees before he kneels down in front of her and takes her hands in his. "From what you've told me, we've been together for a long time. . . I just don't want to lose you. . ."

He then pauses for a moment and his gaze seems to travel far away.

Squeezing his hands in hers, she looks up into Locke's eyes and says, "Is something wrong?"

"Erm, no," Locke replies with a smile. "I just had such an overwhelming sense. . . that I've been here and said that before."

Lilanei smiles and says, "That's because you have said it before."

"Well, then at least I still feel the same way as before," Locke states. "Be careful, Lil. I love you, and I don't want to lose you again. . . Again?" He finishes his sentence with a question. "That felt. . . strange. Like it's happened before."

Her smile growing slightly wider, she pushes herself to her feet so she is kneeling with Locke as she swiftly places her arms around him in a quick hug and says, "We shouldn't dally any longer, Maroco. We may soon be caught. . . But first, let's find your things. I could not bare sending you out there unarmed."

"Good idea," Locke replies before he stands, turns, and looks around the cluttered piles of bags and other items.

Standing beside Locke, Lil glances around the room before she notices the familiar outline of their bags laying in a nearby corner; cautiously, she whispers as she points to them, "I think those may be our bags."

Without hesitation, Locke makes his way over the clutter and withdraws the bags. He brings them back to Lilanei and opens them, finding numerous items; however, their other weapons are missing.

"Hm," Lil mumbles as she looks through their possessions. "Well, your crossbow and my staff are nowhere to be seen. However, these potions certainly will come in handy."

"True," Locke announces. "And with the two in Dorhi's bag, we'll have some extra, in case anything goes wrong." Locke looks into the bag and frowns as he spies a particular item before he then closes the ruck sack and places it on his back. "I shall go now and find Dorhi. I'll slay that Goblin, Tanz, and then I'll back to find you. Please, be very careful."

Nodding, Lil grins and says, "Usually, I'm the one who tells you to be careful!"

"Well, I'm not the one about to go into an Orc's chambers and act like I'm there for his needs," Locke replies. "Please, don't put yourself in any bad situations, and just wait for me to get there, okay?"

Now with a stern look on her face, she responds, "I'll be careful. . . Take care, Maroco."

"You too," Locke replies with a smile before he opens the door and dashes away from the hut, a couple of Orcs looking at him funny before shrugging and stumbling off, ale jugs in hand.

Now alone in the hut, Lilanei frowns slightly as she peers into her ruck sack, thinking over her options. With a sigh, she puts the bag down and retrieves her servant's outfit, which she had required in Lucio's mansion. She puts her dagger down and retreats to a dark corner of the hut, cautiously in the event of an Orc walking in unexpectedly. Quickly, she changes into the servant's clothes, folding her own clothes neatly, including her cape, and placing them into her ruck sack. As she does so, she notices her dagger's sheathe resting in the bag, which she immediately retrieves and clips to the back of her leg – concealing it behind the thin veil of the dress which drapes down the side of her legs. Fussing with her hair for a moment as she ponders of a way to further disguise herself, she hesitantly reaches for her dagger again before grabbing her hair in a large clump. Scrunching her eyes closed tightly, she rips the dagger through her hair, cutting it down to shoulder length before she drops the hair to the floor and then reaches into the bag for her torn black top. Cutting a small strip from it, she uses it to tie her hair up into a ponytail. Finally, she removes her boots with a slight hesitance before placing them in her bag and drawing the string closed on top of it. Lil places the closed bag over her shoulder before taking a deep breath at the hut door; swiftly, she then reaches for the handle and opens the door, stepping outside.

As she steps outside, she sheepishly eyes the many Orcs and Goblins which lurk among the campsite. Her gaze finally rests on the largest hut in the settlement – no doubt Orochi's. With slight trepidation in her step, she begins to slowly walk forward straight for the front door. As she walks, she hears many jeers, growls, and whistles from the Orcs, who seem to be slobbering as she walks past them. The Goblins, on the other hand, simply turn their noses at the half naked girl who walks past as one Orc tries to call her over to him. Lilanei simply ignores him before she reaches the front curtain of Orochi's hut. Placing her bag just outside the entrance, Lilanei carefully peaks through the drape and into the Orc's quarters. She looks into the hut to see that the floor is carpeted in a red rug, a table and a chair sitting on the left side of the room, by the exit, while a rack holds Orochi's armour, underclothing, his helmet, and axe. Lil then fixes her gaze on a large bed and sees Orochi lying under silk sheets, snoring loudly as his arms dangle out from under the covers as his body is obviously sprawled across the entire width of the king size bed.

Lilanei's body tenses in anxiety as she spots the large Orc who now rests in the chamber; however, she decides it would be best to get a closer look within, and so she steps through the front drapes and onto the red carpet – the soft fibers soothing the bottom of her bare feet. Stepping further into the hut, Lilanei attempts to gaze around the room which is softly lit by a single candle which is held from the ceiling and is slowly burning out. Her eyes scour every corner of the hut, attempting to locate her and Locke's weapons which weren't in the storage hut. Suddenly, a snort catches her attention. She looks over to see Orochi, now stirring from his slumber.

Deciding it would be unwise to let Orochi believe she had snuck in, Lilanei clears her throat as she says softly aloud, "Orochi. . ."

"Hm. . . Wh—" The Orc grunts as he continues to stir, before his eyes begin to open and he sees Lilanei standing in front of him. "Wh—Who are you?"

Disguising her voice with a subtle overtone of seductiveness, she whispers softly, "Why. . . I'm merely a humble slave girl, here to entertain Master Orochi – as he wishes."

"I didn't call for no slave girl. . . Not today anyway. Who sent ya?" Orochi asks as he sits up in bed.

Lilanei giggles as she brushes a strand of her hair from the front of her face, innocently responding, "Why, Blurlo sent me! As you are a such a grand and generous leader, he and some of your other men banded together and summoned me forth as a surprise!"

"Blurlo?" Orochi asks in surprise. "He hasn't got the brain power to order his own dinner, let alone such a. . . beautiful young lady like yourself. Come, sit," Orochi announces, tapping the side of the bed. "Come closer, dear. You've come all this way; you may as well make yourself comfortable."

Lilanei moves closer, but only a little bit as she giggles and feigns shyness, uttering, "Oh dear! You do make me blush! In any case. . . to answer your query, it was obviously not Blurlo alone who arranged this. He had a little help. . . Well, a lot of help," she finishes with another giggle.

"Where are you from, girl? And what's your name?" Orochi asks, his voice becoming slightly deeper.

"My name," she echoes with a girlish titter. "Why, I'm called Raina, and I hail from the nearby forests of Willow's Keep."

"Willow's Keep, eh?" Orochi asks, before shrugging. "Never heard of it. Well, if you're here for me and my pleasures, fetch me my goblet of wine."

Lilanei smiles and bows her head slightly before trotting to the large table and taking the goblet in both of her hands. She carries it carefully to the Orc before curtsying slightly as she holds the goblet up to Orochi. Orochi takes a long sniff through his nostrils and after a moment takes the goblet in one hand, and with his free hand, allows his long black nails to caress her hair softly.

"Hm, very nice," he announces before he takes a drink, burping afterwards as some of the wine dribbles from his lower lip; now putting the goblet on the bedside table, Orochi looks to Lilanei and speaks, "I don't know if you've noticed, but this camp is all mine. I'm a mighty general from the lands of Wormsmoor, my dear. An Orc controlled country, you know. We've all but wiped out the humans, and the Goblins in the nation serve we Orcs. I'm here with my men because Murrad seems like such a a bountiful place to conquer next. Wouldn't you agree?"

Lilanei gasps slightly as she says, "Oh yes, Master Orochi! Murrad is a bountiful country. . . Surely, it would make a great kingdom to a general as mighty as you are!"

"Well, thank you," Orochi says with a smile. "You know, a mighty general certainly does need a companion. I have quite the taste for. . . lovely Elves such are yourself, my dear. Are there many more as lovely as you, Raina?"

"Oh, I wouldn't consider myself lovely," Lilanei sighs dreamily as she places her hands to her cheeks. "But yes. . . Many of us Elves could be considered quite lovely."

"Well, when I lead my men into conquering this little country, I think I'll take some of the Elf wenches and make a little harem for myself. But because you're quite the lovely young lady, and treat me in such high regard, my lovely – I think you shall be my 'queen.” We Orcs don't marry, like you Elves and them humans do, but we always have a mate – and you shall be mine! That is, if you don't mind sharing me with other Elves."

Lilanei's eyebrow twitches slightly as he speaks before she softly responds, "Oh, Master Orochi. . . That would be silly of me! I could never expect a General so great and mighty to settle but for one woman! A man such as yourself deserves only the best."

"Why I do, my dear," Orochi replies as he now strokes her cheek. "And the best is all I shall have. But my Queen deserves the best, too."

With that, Orochi slips out from his bed, a loincloth covering his modesty as he walks over to the rack holding his clothes and equipment. He grabs a robe from the rack and slips it on before then walking over to his bed and crouching under it. He then stands up and Lilanei sees that in his hands he holds a familiar looking staff.

"If you're to be my Queen," Orochi, "then you should have a lovely staff to show your authority. You shall rule over my men as I do! Would you like that, Raina?"

Further hiding her face in her palms in a shy gesture, she cries, "Oh, Orochi! I could never accept such a grand gift!"

"Nonsense!" Orochi exclaims. "You're mine now, and so you shall be queen! Come. . . Your Highness. Take it."

With a shy smile, she whispers, "Yes, Master Orochi. . . if that is your wish."

"Good. . . Come here."

As before, she begins to step forwards but stops suddenly as she giggles girlishly and sheepishly; she then trots to the table nearby, motioning to the food which rests on a plate as she exclaims, "But first, Master Orochi must be famished after his long days and nights of ruling with his mighty hand! Wouldn't he like a morsel of food to quench his mighty hunger?"

"Hm, a good idea," Orochi replies as he walks towards Lilanei and the table; he stops beside the table and once again allows himself a long sniff before sighing. "Ah. . . Raina, you smell sweet. . . So sweet in fact," he continues as he then quickly raises his hand towards her cheek; however, instead of brushing her cheek, he violently slaps Lilanei to the floor. "You smell familiar! WENCH! It is you! The dirty Half-Breed! GUARDS!" Orochi cries before stepping back as immediately two guards, both carrying their axes, rush in through the front entrance; they immediately surround Lil and point the razor sharp edges of the axes to her.

"Did you really think I would fall for such a meager attempt?" Orochi asks. "This snout is very perceptive, and despite being a dirty wench you do have such an. . . alluring scent to yourself."

Lilanei, who now sits sprawled on the floor as she rubs her slapped cheek, growls slightly as she hisses to Orochi, "Actually, I did! But after all, you Orcs are so incredibly stupid – it didn't once cross my mind that I couldn't fool you!"

"Ah, is that so?" Orochi replies. "Well, you underestimated me. My men may be quite stupid, but there's a reason I'm a general of Wormsmoor. This game was rather amusing, but I tire of you, wench. Men, do what you will with her. Slaughter her, throw her back into the pit, or whatever else – I don't care! But I shall enjoy—"

Suddenly, a Goblin rushes in through the drapes and up to Orochi.

"Master, Master!" The Goblin cries.

"What is it?" Orochi snaps. "Can't you see I'm being entertained?"

"But Master, you must come!" The Goblin cries. "It's Tanz! He's been slaughtered!"

"WHAT?" Orochi cries loudly, realizing his Goblin Commander has met his end. "But how?"

"Somebody got to him! He had the Dwarf that escaped from the pit, also!"

"Hm," Orochi ponders as he looks to Lil who is still on the floor and snaps, "You! You had a male with you! Where is he?"

Pursing her lips as she gazes away, she cries stubbornly, "Male? Oh, him! Well, I'm afraid you're too late, as he's dead!"

Orochi glares at Lilanei before suddenly a horn echoes throughout the camp, forcing Orochi to lift his head and listen to the sound.

"Somebody's infiltrated the camp!" The Goblin cries in anxiousness.

"I don't know what's going," Orochi begins, "but I'm going to find out! Guards, kill her! You, Goblin, come with me! We must find out what's happening!"

Orochi gives his orders before rushing to his rack and adorning himself with in his clothing and armour before throwing Lilanei's staff onto the bed. He grabs his axe and rushes for the door with the Goblin as the horn continues to sound throughout the camp, and the sounds of Orc and Goblins readying themselves for action is heard.

"Wench, if you somehow miraculously get past my men, you're welcome to have your little staff back. The little bauble is nothing but a decorative piece anyway! But I doubt you'll leave this hut alive. And when I find the other person who was stupid enough to get into my camp, they'll meet their fate too!" Orochi cries as he and the Goblin disappear out of the hut – the guards looking down at Lil with their axes ready to strike. Clambering up to her feet, Lilanei points her finger to the nearest guard – the large Orc – and attempts to fire a magical bolt of force; however the magic fizzles at her fingertip and fails to launch.

"Bwa-ha-ha-ha!" The large Orc cries as he laughs. "Pathetic. I don't know whether to kill you, or make you mine, girl! Either way, you're outta luck!"

Before Lilanei can react, the large Orc takes his great axe which he clutches tightly in his hands and thrusts it in a slashing motion to her chest. The axe's blade immediately grazes her half-bare chest, the Orc laughing and slobbering as she wails in pain. Quickly following his larger counterpart, the shorter Orc grips his axe and takes a swipe at Lilanei afterwards, the blade of his axe connecting with Lil's upper right arm and grazing the skin in that area as the Orcs seemingly begin to tortuously pick her apart.

Clenching the grazes across her upper body, Lilanei hisses, "So, you like to tear apart those smaller than you, eh?"

"Not just tear them apart," the shorter Orc replies, as he licks his lips in a suggestive manner.

"Well then," Lilanei cries, full of seething anger. "Let's see how you like being shredded into pieces yourself!"

As she speaks, she begins to rub her palms together as a bright white orb begins to form between them, slowly pushing her palms apart. Grasping the orb in her right hand, she pitches it forcefully in front of the large Orc in front of her, after which it collides with his abdominal area. Upon making contact with his body, the orb instantly shatters and shoots in several directions of the room – including towards the smaller Orc which stands nearby. As the orb hits the large Orc, it explodes, causing the Orc's belly to erupt and his innards to fly out as he drops to the floor dead. At the same time, the shards that tear at the other deal him too much pain to endure as he stumbles out of the hut, drops down the steps leading from the hut, and snaps his neck on the forest outside as he dies.

Panting heavily, Lilanei instantly regains her composure as she runs to the large bed on which Orochi used to rest. Before reaching for her own staff, she ducks her head under the bed, searching it for anything else of use. To her surprise she finds Locke's repeating crossbow, complete with his set of bolts. Dragging the weapon out from under the bed, Lilanei suddenly hears movement from outside the hut, as two Goblins rush into Orochi's quarters.

"Oy!" The one Goblin cries. "She's killed them!"

"Well, she won't kill us!" The chubbier Goblin replies. "We'll kill her and then pick our teeth with her bones, ya-ha-ha!"

Immediately turning around to face the two Goblins at the front entrance, Lil cries in frustration, "I'm getting sick of you disgustingly pitiful creatures!"

Angrily, Lilanei points her finger to the small and chubby Goblin as sparks of magic begin to form around it. In mere seconds, this magic peaks and launches towards the Goblin in a mighty silver bolt. The bolt collides with the chubby Goblin's head and engulfs its head in the magic. As the magic fades, Lilanei notices that the Goblin's head has vaporized and its body now drops backward onto the floor. Shocked but also enraged, the thinner Goblin runs towards Lilanei who stands in front of the bed. He leaps up into the air and holding his short sword as he drops down in front of Lil, the Goblin swipes the sword down, slicing at Lilanei's face and grazing the skin in the bridge of her nose and down to her lips as he lands in front of her.

Lilanei cries in pain as the slash cuts her face, as she falls down to her knees on the floor. However, she quickly reaches behind her leg and unsheathes the dagger which, until now, lay concealed – before thrusting it forwards angrily into the Goblin's belly. With the dagger digging deep into the Goblin's stomach, Lilanei growls and violently withdraws the dagger from the Goblin's abdominal area, dragging out his innards violently as the Goblin then drops to the floor. With another growl, Lilanei sheathes her dagger before quickly turning and snatching the holstered crossbow and magazines from the floor, which she quickly hoists onto her back. She then reaches above the large bed for her staff which she grabs before running out of the hut. She leaps down the steps and lands beside her bag, which she grabs as she watches Orcs and Goblins rush around the camp in confusion.

One of the Orcs cries, "This way! I think we've found them this way!"

Listening to the Orc's words, she whispers quietly to herself, "Locke, Dorhi. . . It must be them!"

"It very well might be, darlin'!" A familiar voice cries. “And if it is, they're gonna get theirs – like you're about to get yours!"

Lilanei turns and sees the Orc, who she and Locke encountered in front of the storage hut earlier, an evil grin on his face as he holds his axe towards her in a threatening manner.

"You've got nowhere to go, darlin'. . . But if you surrender to me, I'll be nice to you."

"As Locke would say," Lilanei begins a she stands alert after having withdrawn her dagger once more, which she now points threateningly at the Orc. "Tripe! I've got one way out – and it's through you!"