//------------------------------// // Game Changing Conversations // Story: The Greatest Treasure // by Evowizard25 //------------------------------// I don’t know why I let the wizard talk me into this. I don’t know why I was going to speak with some winged unicorn. I don’t know why I let my daughters talk me into letting them come. I’ve honestly lost track of all the things I didn’t know at this point. It was frustrating. Not long ago, my life was simple. Depressing and harsh, but simple. I just had to deal with the Mayor and his servants. While corrupt and villainous, they were rather stupid. It was easy to fool them if one knew how. Now however…. Being clever might not be enough. This wasn’t a simple ‘chat’. Not anymore. Perhaps it never was. I was a tool. A pawn between the creatures and wizards of this world. I hated it. Too long had I slaved under someone else. Watched people suffer and now what? I was playing the role of messenger? Whether he was better than the Mayor didn’t matter. Well, perhaps it did. Nothing was simple. Neither is life fair. I had to be prepared for anything. It wasn’t just my life on the line. My children were the most important things in my life. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to them. I promised their mother on her deathbed I would take care of them and I was going to keep that promise. My bow may lay firmly on my back, but I could reach for it within a single breath and kill any beast in these woods with the next. I just hoped that applied to magical creatures, or not really. I never did like to kill. “Father,” my eldest daughter, Sigrid, spoke up. “How much farther do we have to walk?” I smiled, turning my head to look at her. She had grown so much over the years and was almost a spitting image of her mother. My daughter certainly had her calm wisdom and I was grateful I had someone like her to help with the other two. “Not much farther, Sigrid.” “Father,” my only son, Bain, gulped in fear. His arrow was already nocked and at the ready. I could see the way his fingers twitched on the bow. He was nervous and I couldn’t blame him. I was nervous too. This ‘Celestia’ was something far above any of us. We would just have to place trust in her kindness. “Are you sure we should be out here at all? I’ve heard rumors….” “They are just rumors,” I said firmly. “There is nothing in these woods worse than perhaps a bear or wolves. I’m sure we can handle those just fine.” My son was an average bowman in skill. Not exceptional, but I something told me he would make a better swordsman. Perhaps it was his quickness and reflexes. He wasn’t one of the best messenger boys in the town for nothing. Between myself and him, there wasn’t much here that could really threaten us. Well, except for magic users. “Father,” the sweet voice of Tilda, my youngest daughter, piped up. She was the only one smiling. Actually, she was the only who seemed like she wanted to be there. She had always been a sweet girl. Perhaps a bit absent minded at times. “How much longer? I can’t wait to see the winged unicorn.” “You will shortly,” I chuckled, shaking my head slightly. The rest of the trip was in relative silence. Well, as silent as it can be with children. Hopefully, I would catch Celestia here once more. Yes, I wasn’t absolutely sure if I could find her again. I told my children that and they still wanted to come. Children are far too inquisitive and damnably persistent. “We’re here.” Tilda ran past me with such speed that I was nearly blown off my feet. Speed was something that ran deep in our family. It often worked in our favor. My daughter raced into the field, right up to the lake. She looked around, her eyes eagerly trying to find the magical creature. I really wanted Celestia to be here. I didn’t want to see my daughter disappointed. “Where is she, father?” “She will be here soon,” I reassuring her. A part of me was trying to reassure myself. I walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Trust me on that.” “I will,” she nodded and smiled up at me. “Well, aren’t you early.” A familiar voice called out. I looked over to see Celestia calmly walking out of the forest. Her posture was regal. Her steps graceful. Again, I had to stop myself from bowing before her. “And I see you brought your family.” Tilda let out a high pitched squeal that even took Celestia herself by surprise. She ran up to the winged unicorn, stopping just a few feet before her. Looking up to her, she smiled. “Wow. You’re prettier than I thought you’d be.” Celestia smiled. “Thank you, young one. You’re probably the prettiest human I’ve ever seen.” She turned her head to look at me. “I’m glad you found me when you did. Tis my fault for not setting a date for our next meeting. My apologies.” “There are none to be given, Celestia.” I grinned. “I forgot to ask for a date. For that, you have my apologies.” “I do believe we can arrive at an compromise,” Celestia said. “We can both find ourselves at fault on this matter. Though, perhaps we should take a seat.” She sat herself down in the grass. “I’m sure you’ve travelled a long ways from your town.” I nodded and myself and my children sat in the grass near her. Tilda was sitting closer to her than to us. “No doubt you have many questions,” Celestia said. “Oh yes,” Tilda said, quickly cutting off both Celestia and I. “Where do you come from? Are there more like you? Can you show us some magic? Can I ride you?” “Tilda,” Sigrid chided, pulling her close to herself. “Mind your manners. One should never interrupt another.” “I apologize for her actions,” I quickly said. Offending Celestia was the last thing I wanted to do. Gandalf was counting on me. That and, more importantly, my family was here. “She’s just never met a creature like you before.” Celestia held up a hoof to silence us. “Think nothing of it. I’m actually glad to see such an inquisitive mind.” She smiled down at Tilda. “Thank you, Tilda. I think it only fair to answer your questions as well as I can. Though, I’d appreciate it if you answered some of my own.” I nodded, frowning slightly. I didn’t know what she wanted. I would have to be careful with whatever she asked. “Shall I start?” “No,” Celestia answered. “Tilda was brave enough to ask first and such shall receive her answers now. I come from the land of Equestria, a far off place no man has ever seen. There are many different races that inhabit my land, but there are only three others like me. I’m a tad bit tired right now, so we’ll save the magic show for later. You may ride me later as well, little one. I see no problem in it.” “Yes,” Tilda triumphantly smiled, causing Sigrid and Bain to roll their eyes. “Now it’s my turn,” Celestia said, looking me in the eyes. I felt myself freeze in place. Her eyes felt like they were boring into my soul. I didn’t know if I could lie to her and even if I could, could she read me like a book? I felt like she could. “Why did you come here?” ________________________________________________________________ Why was I here? My master knew I had more important places to be. My place wasn’t in these ruins. My place was on the battlefield. That was the proper place of all orcs. Blades of mine were meant to taste blood. I was the white orc, the one armed terror. The damned dwarf who cut off my arm was making his move. He was in the open. I could kill him now. Why wasn’t I killing him now! The other orcs could feel my anger. They kept out of my way. They fidgeted in fear and kept their eyes on me when they could. Good. They needed to remember to fear me. I was the mightiest of our kind. Bred for one purpose: To destroy I reveled in all the destruction. I crushed the dwarves before. I cut off the king’s head. I was the bane of their kind. That was my purpose. I would not rest until I had slain every single dwarf. Starting with their ‘beloved’ king. I should just disobey these stupid orders. I should just tear these ruins down and build some proper orc ones in their place. I should do all that and more. I didn’t. Fear seeped into my heart as I drew closer to my destination. My master was the only being who could control me. Who could destroy me without so much as a second thought. All without lifting a finger. He was the only being on the planet who could inspire such fear in an orc’s black heart. Something was different about him though. I never felt such anger before. It was overwhelming. It choked out every other emotion. It filled every crevice. I...for the first time in my life. I was shaking. How could I be shaking? I was Azog! I did not sha- “AZOG!” The voice roared. The black sound shook the ground, tumbling ruins centuries old. “YOU’RE LATE!” “Master,” I looked around. There was just a black mist. He had no form. He was everywhere around me. I was in his domain and he knew it. “I came as soon as I could.” “You came as soon as it was convenient,” my master growled. “I have every right to just kill you and leave command of my army in your son. He has shown much greater promise than you ever could.” “What I tell you is the truth,” I quickly said. “The elves have stepped up their patrols. They are ambushing my orcs left and right like the cowards they are. We should strike them down now.” “They are not my concern,” my master answered. “Not yet. The elves are blind. They keep to themselves. If we keep from bothering them for now, they should leave your orcs alone.” “They are our enemies,” I growled, shaking my weapon arm. “If we crush them now. Show them our might-” “And thus reveal ourselves to the rest of the world,” my master chided. “No. My plan is not yet ready. Everything must be in place.” Something like a sigh could be heard. “Orcs. You are always so rowdy. So hard to reason with. Perhaps your minds still rebel against the atrocities heaped upon your ancestors. Perhaps you’re just broken toys. Either way, you will listen to me, Azog.” “I always do, my master.” I bowed, going to one knee. “Then perhaps it is the dwarf king that you wish dead.” “I do,” my master said, causing me to smile. “He must die. He could very well become a great obstacle in the future.” “Then allow me to rid you of this obstacle,” my grin widened. My dreams had always been filled with that wretched dwarf since the day he took my arm. It was time I had my just revenge. “No,” my master answered. “That is not your path….Not anymore.” I frowned. “What, but-” “Your son, Bolg,” my master explained. “Will keep the wizard and his allies busy, perhaps even dead if he’s lucky enough. No, I have a different target for you.” I scowled. “But master-” “Yes,” my master’s presence seemed to grow stronger. “Master.” I fell to my knees as a strong surge of black magic surged through me. Pain like nothing else flew through my body. It felt like someone was tearing me apart. Coughing up blood, my master probably was. Visions of my failures….Of that damnable dwarf king, filled my mind. “I am your master,” his voice rang in my head. “I am the master of the orcs. The master of the dark and the true master of this realm. You will not question my orders. Do you understand?” Suddenly, as quickly as the pain came, so did it leave me. Coughing up more blood, I nodded. “Yes, master. I am at your command.” “Good toy,” my master sounded like he was smirking. “Your mission is simple. Take the mountain.” My eyes widened and I tried to look at my master. “But, Smaug still lives. No army can best him.” “I know,” my master’s voice chuckled. “I don’t think you can. At least, not yet. No, I want you to kill something else. Something far more dangerous.” More dangerous than a dragon? There was nothing that entered my mind that could be that deadly, save for my master. “I want you to draw it out,” my master told me. “I want you to draw it out and kill it. Bring me its corpse.” “But the human town nearby will know of us,” I spoke up. “An army big enough to keep a dragon’s attention would not go unnoticed.” “Then destroy this town first,” my master said. “Perhaps that might even bring this being out of hiding.” I stood back up to my feet. “Yes, master. I will do as you ask.” I was still angry. The king’s head was mine. “If you complete your mission fast enough,” my master said. “Perhaps you may have the chance to kill Oakenshield. Only if you’re fast enough. My patience grows thin.” I grinned. “The humans won’t be a problem, master. Laketown will soon be floating on blood.”