Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost

Chapter 6

~Erro's POV~

I had started out holding the reigns, but Khadgar had insisted we switch. I didn't mind. Everything burned still and ached. Death would have been less painful than the incessant burning feeling in my body. Khadgar and I switched, and he was in front of me. I rested my head on his shoulder, loosely wrapping my arms around his torso. "Get some rest, Erro."

"No... I must be ready."

"You, what are you, and why do you attack our lands?" Lothar questioned the red creature. "He doesn't understand what you speak. I tried to talk to one, and it almost cut off my foot."

"She is right," the smaller green one said, making eye contact with me. "You speak our language?" Khadgar questioned quickly, drawing the attention away from me. Luckily, my magic translator still worked as the red creature looked at the green one angrily, "Speak another word in their language, and I will wear your tongue."

I watched the red creature closely as they continued to talk. He yanked at his chains. "I will not warn you again!" he said clearly. "Tell him to stop," Lothar said. "You tell him to stop," the green creature responded. Before the chains could break, I cast out my hand. A blue barrier formed between the two, and the red creature was knocked back. "Erro, stop. You are exhausted," Lothar ordered. I sighed but nodded. I was. I leaned my head back against Khadgar and closed my eyes, drifting asleep.

I was awoken by Khadgar stepping off the horse. Callan and him held me on the horse while he dismounted, shaking me slightly. I climbed off and stumbled, almost falling. Khadgar grabbed me quickly, throwing one of my arms around his shoulder. Callan did the same with my other arm. "I am fine. Both of you, stop it." They helped me to the door, and then I broke away, walking quickly towards where the green creature stood in the center of the circular room.

"Have you a name? You understand our language. Again, have you a name?" he asked, holding up his hand to tell his guards to stay put as she stepped closer to Llane. She seemed to examine his clothes and move toward the gold lions on either side of his throne. "Garona," Lothar said simply, "She calls herself Garona."

"What kind of being are you?"

"She seems more like us than those beasts," one of the guards said. "Orc," she said simply. "Orc? Is that what you are or that beast in the cage was? I know every race in the seven kingdoms, and I've never heard of orc. Show me where you come from," Llane said, pointing to the ceiling. "This is not orc world. Orc world is dead. Orc take this world now."

"Not from this world?"

"How did you get here?" Medivh asked curiously. I jumped, not realizing he was here. "The Great Gate. Magic brought us here."

"But how did you learn our language?" Khadgar asked, stepping forward, in front of me slightly. "Orc take prisoner for the gate. I learn from them."

"Prisoners? Our people? Are they alive?" Llane asked. Her gaze remained on me for what seemed like an eternity before she responded, "Yes, many."

"Why?" Khadgar asked, and her gaze returned to me. "To feed the gate. To bring in the horde. To take your world." She moved towards me. "You'll take us to them."

"No."

"You'll take us to them or you'll end up like your friend in the cage." She was a few steps away from me, and I felt Khadgar step completely in front of me. She gently pushed him to the side. "You think you are fearsome? Orc children have pets more fearsome than you." She said, not directing it at me. I took deep, even breaths as her gaze bore into mine. "We are not trying to be fearsome, Garona. We're trying to protect our people, our families. If you help us, I give you my oath, you will have your freedom." Her face showed no change of expression. Her eyes trailed to where my markings were. "Gul'Dan would like you... You reek of the magic he uses. You could help open the Great Gate."

Khadgar took his place in front of me again, "She will do no such thing."

"Nor could I. I am not like what you speak."

"We shall see."

After they took Garona to her prison cell, I headed over to Medivh, holding my emotions at bay. "What happened with me... In the forest."

"You used the fel like your father."

"Because you made me, Guardian. Why?"

"If you would have looked at that tree after I had cast that spell, you would have realized that all the fel was gone from that tree. Now, do not question me, you monster! It is inevitable, you will become like your father, so why not use what you can do to our advantage for now." I turned on my heels and charged down the long hallway. "Erro!" I heard a voice call. "Let it go, Khadgar," Medivh said, no doubt holding him back. I heard a small, "No," and then there were footsteps behind me. I kept running until I was outside the keep. I fell to my knees, putting my head in my hands. Khadgar was at my side in a moment, with his arms around me, pulling me into a hug. "Khadgar... Am I going to become like my father?"

"No. No, you're not. You... You are the strongest mage I know, and I trust you with everything I have. You are no monster. You are nothing like your father."

"Besides appearance, and the fact I can... use the fel." I looked down at my hands in disgust, wanting an entire new body, knowing the fel had gone through it. "Come, follow me. I still have the book from Karazhan. We can study it back in my room at the inn. Perhaps, we can talk."

"Perhaps." He offered his hand out to me, and he mounted the horse before offering me his hand. I took it and climbed up behind him as we galloped to Goldshire where he was staying.