Warhammer: Story of Ashenhand

Chapter 4

(Story line time-skip, by six months)

Vendell pulled his lo g sword from the orruk's chest, knowing full well this was the meat that was going to feed them both for a while.

"Ashenhand, you got a moment?"

I rolled under an orruk's rusted war-axe, thrusting his sword into the orruk's throat, then pulling it out, thrusted it through under its jaw. Blood oozed down the blade.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, I'm going to start lugging these brutes back to home. While you go look for that potential pocket of realmstone."

I, did as Vendell had asked, and walked onwards. A lot has happened since the first day that Vendell found me. He taught me the way of the blade, and how to fight against larger opponents.

We also have found that the food in this land, is the victims of the sword. It's a Dog eat Dog world, where prey is predator and predator is prey. Everything that lives can kill, even the very ground.

Orruk's and ogours have called Vendell and  I, the Invaders of Ghur. Just as well I suppose, for we have crossed many orruk's and ogours. We also suffered many wounds.

We also have found that armour slows down attacks, so it's best to fight without it. Though some orruk's we have crossed, the ones belonging to the yellow fang clan respect Vendell and I. Others seeking to destroy us.

The surrounding lands are like home to me, the savage mountains and the smell of the wild. We have lived here for near half a year, and have found many things, we have made a barricade around the cave we have claimed as ours.

At night we hear howls, grunts and heavy fighting in the distance. Though rarely do we get attacked during the night, as we have found that fire attracts, visitors of the night.

I reached the potential realmstone pocket, grabbing the pickaxe I made, I begin to strike the walls of the pocket. Until I hear footsteps behind. I wait and act as if I haven't heard them, until their close.

Swinging the pickaxe around, it goes through the target, like a knife through smoke. It is a aelf figure, surrounded in darkness.

"You can't hurt me, for I'm one of Sigmar's shadowblades, and you have angered Sigmar, for abandoning your village, allowing Chaos to consume it. That village supplied Sigmar with weapons and armour to Sigmar's forces."

Ashenhand stopped dead cold. Knowing full well of the rumours of the feared Shadowblades. No one survived when they had the mark of death on them.

"What business do you have with me?" Ashenhand defiantly countered.

The shadowblade smiled creully, "well Sigmar sent me personally to put the mark of death on you, and that is my intention. Also, he has informed me that I am to inform the Megaboss Gordrakk of your location, having him kill you and that bandit you are with.

The shadowblade then placed his hand on Ashenhand's neck, whispering something under his breath. Pain flared where the shadowblades hand is, and Ashenhand used his right hand to take it off, though it didn't until the Shadowblades whispering was complete.

"There, now you have the mark of death, you won't be free until either you or myself die." He then stepped back and shadows surrounded him.

"You don't have long before Gordrakk arrives, I'll say a week to a month at best, depends how many IronJawz he brings." The shadow blade laughed, and disappeared. Leaving me on my own.

I then continued to mine for the realmstone, and found a copper piece sized stones of the substance.

"Finally, I have found some of Ghur's realmstone." Hurrying up, Ashenhand packed up with the stone in his pocket, and returned to the cave with the news of realmstone, and death.

Upon my arrival and calling, Vendell opened the barricade. "Ah, Ashenhand, I thought an orruk had his way with you, on his sword and his belly!"

"I might soon yet, Vendell, with the news I have been confronted with." Vendell watched Ashenhand's progress into the cave, noticing something different about him.

Vendell followed Ashenhand into the cave, and sat opposite him. "Well what news have you heard? For there isn't anyone around here that is sensible enough to talk plainly?"

"Well you see Vendell, one of Sigmar's shadowblades approached me while I was mining. I heard footsteps and waited until they were close enough to strike. Although when I did my pickaxe went right through him."

"Wait, wait, wait. One of Sigmar's shadowblades, they are just rumours. Calm down it was probably a hallucination."

Ashenhand smiled grimly, "I'm afraid not Vendell, for he marked me with the mark of death."

Ashenhand turned exposing the fresh burn mark to the light for Vendell to see. As soon as he saw it, his face twisted into one of fear.

"By Sigmar's name, you have been marked, what did the shadowblade say?"

"Well he said that we had roughly a week to a month, until... Until... The Megaboss Gordrakk comes to kill both you and I."

Vendell sat back, a look of defeat crossed his face. "What have I done to deserve this?"

Ashenhand looked at Vendell, and remembered the realmstone, "but I do have a way out of this, or a potential way out of this, with this."

Ashenhand held up a orange crystal with the insides looking alive and pulsating, giving off an illuminating essence. Vendell's eyes widened in astonishment.

"No, no way, where did you find that?"

"Well do you know that potential Ghur realmstone pocket we found, I mined a little and found this. Let's just hope that one of us can become attuned to it in time..."