TRA: A God's Sorrow

Chapter 8: Darkwater

Grodak

Grodak sat at his desk mulling over the report Fluffles had brought back. Imp, dead? Grodak couldn't comprehend it. Those two words just didn't blend will together.

And what is up with Fluffles, Grodak thought, he claims to have been gone from Whitewater for almost five years. He was just here last week reporting in to Xierma.

Grodak stood up in frustration, he didn't understand the report in the least and grew more furious with the passing seconds. "Gods damn it." Grodak shouted, slamming his fists against his desk, creating another dent in the metal.

Grodak stared down at the new dent and mused at how its still stands. Grodak had grew tired of replacing desks in his office so he took to his forge and built a desk out of the strongest metal he could find, adamantite. In Grodaks eyes, this was truly his greatest metal work.

A small cough gave Grodak a start, he quickly turned his attention to the door. In the doorway stood Grall, arms folded over his chest.

"Hello, dear brother." Grall said, obviously trying to hide his amusement with no success.

"What do you want, Grall." Grodak said, turning his gaze back to the dent in his desk. Grodak knew Grall probably just wanted some help with some trifling matter he couldn't deal with so instead of paying attention to him, Grodak let his thoughts focus on how to make the desks metal stronger.

"I came to answer your questions." Grall said, his words catching his unsuspecting brother off guard.

"Answer my questions?" Grodak glared at Grall. "What could you possibly answer? Are you going to tell me how it was that necromancers were still alive, even though Xierma exterminated them during our four year absence? Or are you going to tell me how your pet lied to you? Or maybe it was you who lied." Grodaks voice became dangerous as he approached Grall, his fists clenched. "Did you lie to me, Grall?"

Grall stood in place, he did not fear his brother and that pissed Grodak off even more. "I did not lie to you," Grall said as he stared back at Grodak with his sightless bandaged eyes, "nor did my 'pet', as you put it, lie to me."

Grodak went to grab Gralls collar but for his hand reaching into the Shadow World instead. Grodak quickly pulled his hand out and went to attack Grall but found that every time his hands came near Grall they were just transported into the Shadow World. "How are you doing this?" Grodak commanded, his frustration growing alarmingly fast as he started throwing his fists at Grall quicker and quicker.

"I learned a lot while fighting Cassandra, this being one of them." Grall said in an even tone.

"Fight me," Grodak shouted, now so furious that the metal desk wouldn't stand a chance, "as your king, I command it of you. Fight me here and now."

Grall chuckled, his smile broke for a moment revealing his troubled features. "You are not my king, brother," Grall spoke with mocked respect, "or did you forget, I am the banished one."

Grodak stared into Gralls bandages, trying to see past them into the dark orbs that laid beneath them. "Then why are you here?" Grodak demanded, his voice filled with the hatred he felt, the hatred and anguish that came from his lack of knowledge.

"Fluffles didn't lie, brother." Gralled sighed, rubbing his temples to try and relieve the headache he felt coming on. "Do you remember when we first brought the tribes here to live?"

"Of course I do." Grodak shouted, his voice etched with anger. "But I don't see how-"

"That was the same day Fluffles disappeared for three days." Grall said interrupting Grodak, his voice calm as he looked back over the years, or maybe it was just a year rather then five, after all the time they spent in hell was short for them, only a few weeks at most.