The miners looked troubled when Mogrul had came into the mine, but the Orc yelled them to leave if they wanted to live.
Mogrul hurried towards the ladder. He was quite certain that the kid would follow him. Sending his still loyal reavers into town had bought him time to prepare for his escape. There were reavers at the other end of the mine. Maybe I should lure him to his death, too? Mogrul nodded to himself. That’s a good idea.
You might die too. The taunting voice laughed at him in his mind. Look all these shadowy corners - good places to die.
“Shut up!” Mogrul growled and rubbed his eyes. The voice had been quiet after his breakdown, but now it seemed to be returning to watch his demise? No! Mogrul shook his head. He’ll not die today. Nobody bests an Orc!
You still believe in that? The voice was almost mournful. A sad, sad little Orc…
The ladders were ahead of him and Mogrul stared at them. More likely he stared into the dark chasm. It almost looked to be inviting him to sweet slumber. A slumber that promised something that was beyond his comprehension. The Orc shook his head. No, he wasn’t ready to die yet. His eyes shifted back to the ladders - they looked fragile and he doubted if they’d carry his weight. The sound of a wooden door closing woke him up from his thoughts. The kid…
The moment when Ciel’nn had stepped inside the mine, a dark smirk spread across his face. His eyes narrowed as he listened in. The hogger is somewhere here. His entire being was wired for the kill and the escaping hogger made the hunt more fun. Ciel’nn was going to enjoy it a lot, but a part of him was also scared. It was the darkness that partly shielded him.
Ciel’nn sneaked without a sound with a bow in his hand until he saw Mogrul at the start of the ladder. “Hogger…” he said a tone higher than a whisper and he observed the Orc gasping as if he was haunted. Ciel’nn notched a poisoned arrow and aimed at the Orc’s shoulder. “Over here.” The young mer said in a dark tone before releasing the arrow.
“Gah!” Mogrul felt the arrow coming from the shadows and after scratched his arm, the arrow struck the wall on the other side of the chasm. It put the Orc on the move. He descended down the ladders and stumbled down as he misstepped. “Hogger…” The way Ciel’nn called him was unsettling and dark for Mogrul. He felt the creeps down his spine. Slowly he managed to get back on feet and glanced up only to see Ciel’nn emerging from the shadows with a dagger in his hand and looking down at him with a dark stare and a sinister smirk. “No, no…” The Orc stammered and fled deeper into the mines.
The red eyes followed the Orc into the shadows of the mine. He’s trying to escape…the poison will slow him down soon enough. Ciel’nn let out a soft chuckle as he descended the ladders. He left the arrow behind and began to follow the Orc. The young mer wasn’t worried about the Orc getting away. He’d let Mogrul think he’d a chance to escape before this charade was over. So he walked on while listening to the Orc’s gasp as the slow poison took effect.
Mogrul blinked his eyes, then narrowed them as he’d been seeing a shadow. He was leaning against a wall. His arm ached, but it was a mild pain. What worried him was the shadows that crept closer to him with each blink of an eye. He blinked again, but it didn’t help. Mogrul took a deep breath and peeked behind the corner. His eyes widened in horror as he saw the cloaked figure from his nightmare beckoning him. He shut his eyes tight. Go away! The figure was gone when Mogrul opened his eyes. It worked! Being relieved for the time being, Mogrul continued his escape.
“Hogger…” the kid’s voice echoed. He must be nearby and the Orc’s relief was short lived.
Ciel’nn saw the hogger disappearing behind a corner and flashed a dark smirk at the prospect of Mogrul being terrified of him. He could taste it in the air while he followed the Orc like a shadow. Ciel’nn acknowledged this was his the most interesting hunt he could remember. He’d never had a chance to hunt his target, into a mine no less. The young mer could guess how the Orc felt as he heard him grunt and mumble as if he was talking to someone when he was close by.
Sweat formed on Mogrul’s forehead. He wasn’t aware of being poisoned and pressed on while the slow poison crept into his system. Just a bit longer… In between his blinks, he saw the cloaked figure again, but this time closer to him. Mogrul let out a yell and struggled to move on. He heard it whispering to him and he whimpered.
It wasn’t long before Mogrul found himself in a dead end corridor after he opened a wooden door. “No, no no…” he mumbled to himself. There was no way he could turn back and find another way out. I should fight him… No one bests an Orc! The Orc turned slowly around and grabbed his axe, but his sight was shadowed and nearly blurry when Ciel’nn appeared at the other end of the corridor. He could see the kid vaguely along with the cloaked figure at the same time. No!
This is it, Mogrul. The time has come. The voice in the Orc’s head said. I wonder if Malacath is in a good mood and will give us a place in the Pit.
Ciel’nn observed the hogger shaking his head and muttering words that didn’t make sense to him. He tilted his head as in a snarl as he took the first step closer. “Hogger.” His voice was roughly dark. Curious. It seemed as if the hogger is afraid of something else, too. The young mer slowed his walking just to see how the Orc would behave.
Each time the kid took a step closer to him and in between his eye blinks, Mogrul saw the cloaked figure coming closer to him. It was terrifying as if the kid didn’t even see the figure, Mogrul came to realize from his hazy mind. He trembled in fear and at being delusional. “Can’t… can’t you see it?” To this the kid tilted his head as if he was curious, but gave no answer. Mogrul pointed next to the kid, who followed the gesture, seeing nothing. He looked back at the Orc with a scowl.
Everything was consuming Mogrul, the shadows, the kid, the cloaked figure, and the damned voice in his head. It was too much for him and his fragile mind couldn’t take it anymore. Mogrul let out a desperate scream of terror with his hands on the sides of his head as he fell on his knees. The cloaked figure standing next to him; he could feel its hand on his shoulder. Everything else escaped Mogrul.
Curious. Ciel’nn resisted the urge to cover his sensitive ears from the screaming while he watched the hogger screaming. He’d had no idea of Mogrul being so… crackpot. He shifted in his place and stared at the Orc. Perhaps it’s the poison. Ciel’nn shrugged mentally and took a final step close to the hogger. His gaze was still dark. You must be the most pathetic Orc I’ve ever seen.
The dagger flashed in the torch light as Ciel’nn stabbed Mogrul in the chest, then finalizing the act with a slash to the throat. His moves were precise and aimed with care. The young mer stepped backwards as Mogrul fell on the ground while the mine had gone silent.
Ciel’nn blinked as if he was waking up from dream. He felt tired and scared as the darkness faded. He turned away from the dead Orc and sat down on the stone stair, hugging himself. He was vaguely aware of his darkness as he remembered what he had done. It scared him and he felt alone as put his hands on his head and leaned against his knees. Teldryn…
“Ciel’nn?” Teldryn’s voice echoed through the mine. He was close now, the older mer was certain of it as he had heard the scream. Teldryn hoped it wasn’t his partner’s scream, although it had been too low scream to be Ciel’nn’s. So he pushed on through the Canal. “By Azura! How deep had the chase went on?” he grumbled under his breath.
He kept looking for his partner until he found the wooden door open from where he saw Ciel’nn sitting on the stairs and Mogrul dead nearby him. “Ciel’nn?” Teldryn said in a quiet tone as he approached the young mer, who now looked to him with fearful eyes. Damn, he looks like he’s lost. What in Oblivion happened here? He knelt next to his partner, being not sure what he should say. “Listen, Ciel’nn,” Teldryn began, “let’s get you out of here.” The older mer put his hand on Ciel’nn’s shoulder and squeezed it gently. “Get up.” Teldryn tried to recall if he’d ever had to tread with caution with such a person as Ciel’nn. To his relief, the younger mer stood up and took his hand, looking lost.
Ciel’nn held Teldryn’s hand during the return to the mine gate. He was afraid that if Teldryn let go of him, he’d be lost in the darkness. He wanted to be close to the older mer while he listened to Teldryn’s softer voice that they’d be out of the mine soon. It was his only comfort at the moment. The younger mer wasn’t sure how he was going sleep the next night and hoped Teldryn would stay close to him.
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