A mother's son.
#1
((Well, I have been leveling my Shaman quite a bit and I hope to be 80th level in the near future. I just wanted to post a little background story for him. Any critique of the story would be welcome. Hope you enjoy!))


Zerthis stood defiantly before the dark portal. His coal black eyes gazed into the portals
swirling dark depths.

The portal was flanked by two towering statues and had a massive stone stair leading up to it.
It was a intimidating sight, but Zerthis stood his ground.

Zerthis was powerfully built, even by orcish standards. His physique was developed through
relentless training. Zerthis’ olive colored skin, like most orcs, was marred by many scars from
battle. His head was bald save for the long topknot that hung down to his shoulders.

He thought to himself, “Are you ready for this?” Zerthis smiled grimly, showing his fangs, he
found humor in his own question. He answered himself aloud “I have trained day and night and
proved myself in countless battles. I am more than ready!”

Zerthis took a heavy step forward toward the portal. He then stopped moving as quickly as he
started, “This portal will take me back to the world of my birthplace,” he said.

Zerthis searched his mind to remember his birth world. No matter how he tried he had no
memories of the place. His earliest memories were of the internment camp and his mother.

He frowned as a titlewave of emotions overcame him. It was always the same when he thought
of her. Grief, guilt, anger, longing, regret. Her death both defined him and tormented him like
no other event in his life.

Zerthis’ thoughts drifted back to the camp. “It was a vile place where hopelessness was a way
of life,” he rasped. The words seemed to stick in his throat as he was embarrassed to admit it.

Zerthis thought to himself “Why did we stay there? The orcs could have easily overcame the
weakling Humans that guarded us.”

He shook his head slowly. He knew the answer. “We had no hope. We knew no other way to
live after our betrayal and defeat. We simply gave up.”

He recalled bits and pieces of his time in the camps. He remembered his Mother arguing with
his Father constantly. She would say “Why do you sit there? You teach our son nothing. He
will waste away like you.” Her face twisting with anger. “You are not the mate I chose. You
were once a commander of Orcs and demons. Men and orcs alike trembled at your name!
Now look at you!” Her voice trailing off as she turned her back on my Father.

Zerthis smiled to himself as he remembered his Mother saying to him, “I will teach you if you
Father will not.” She would then teach him basic battle stances and how if you used them you
were able to strike more powerfully since you were more stable. She would say “Earth gives
you strength and stability. Never forget this my son.” He did not forget her lessons.

He remembered fragments of other things about the camps, none of them pleasant. Then his
mind came to the day that changed everything. The Shaman remembered that day as if he were
living it in the present.

Zerthis had woken in the morning of that fateful day and was as sick as he could remember in
his six years of life. His Mother had said that the guards had stopped letting them have food
and water because someone was setting the orcs free from the camps.

The guards wanted to make sure that the orcs in this camp would be of no help if anyone came
here.

Zerthis’ Mother, Zerran shot a angry glare toward his Father, Grugach and said “Are you going
to sit there and let your son starve?”

Grugach replied as if he didn’t care “What would you have me do?”

Zerran’s eyes narrowed down to slits and she spat back “Do!?....you would let our son die
when there is hope that someone is going to free us?”

Grugach waved a dismissive hand and said “Rumors, we don’t know for sure if they are true or
not.”

Zerran leapt to her feat punched Grugach as hard as she could in the face. The blow was solid
but didn’t seem to faze Grugach. She bellowed at him “Fool! You are not the orc I chose as a
mate!”

Zerran openly wept. Heavy tears ran down her face. This even surprised Grugach, that she
would display weakness in front of others.

Zerthis was frightened. He had never seen his Mother cry before. She was always so strong
and sure of everything. What was happening?

Zerran picked up and carried her son because he was too weak to walk.

She turned toward Grugach cradling Zerthis in her arms and said, “I will go beg for food and
water since you will do nothing. This is what you have reduced me to. I do this not for you but
for our Son. If I am successful I do not think we will return to you.”

Grugach stood up and said, “Wait Zerran I....”

Zerran cut his words off “Sit back down or I will kill you myself!” her words dripping with
venom. “You have had your chance. I will take care of our son.”

The words hit Grugach harder than the blow to his face had. He slumped down and was
stunned as he watched his wife approached the guards at the well.

A group of orcs started to gather and watch to see if Zerran would have any luck with the
guards.

As Zerran approached the well, the three guards all leveled dark glares at her. Their gaze
projected anger and hostility toward the orc.

She did not waver as she strode across the filthy compound toward the well.

One of the guards angrily shouted. “Halt! Approach no further beast. Go back to the hole you
crawled out of.”

Zerran felt hot blood rush up into her face and wanted to tear the guard limb from limb. She
took a deep breath and calmed herself. She spoke as meekly as she could manage. “Please,
my son will die if he doesn’t have water soon. I beg you, please!”

The guards laughs were thunderous in Zerran’s ears.

After the laughs died down the guard that wore the insignia of a corporal said, “Fine we will give
your brat some water. Bring him here and we will give him a drink.” When the other two
guards began to protest the corporal cut them off by barking at them through clenched teeth,
“Draw up a bucket of water and that’s a order.” He then gave them a look that meant they had
better follow his command.

The guards drew a bucket of brackish water from the well. The corporal snatched the bucket
and turned to Zerran “Come forward and give your son a drink.”

Zerran looked apprehensive at the guard. Every alarm was going off in her head telling her not
to go to the guard.

She sighed and thought to herself “What else can I do? I must have that water!”

She then walked the rest of the way to the well. Zerran could hear the crowd that had gathered
murmuring behind her. She approached the corporal cautiously as he held out the bucket for
her to take. Zerran held Zerthis with her left arm and used her right arm to reach out and take
the bucket from the corporal.

Just as her fingers almost touched the handle of the bucket, the corporal let the bucket drop
from his grasp. The bucket hit the ground with a thud and began to spill it’s contents on the
ground.

Horrified, Zerran tried to scoop the bucket up quickly before all the water drained out of it. As
she quickly bent over and snatched up the bucket the corporal used this distraction to grab
Zerthis from his mother’s grasp. The corporal then sent a bone shattering kick to Zerran’s hip
which sent her flying because she was off balance.

Zerran rolled and came to her feet quickly ready to strike. She knew she could do nothing
because they had Zethis.

The guards were all laughing hysterically now. “You actually thought we would give YOU
water for your little monster?! Now he can have all the water he ever wanted.” The corporal
carelessly tossed Zerthis over his shoulder and into the well.

Zerran heard the splash as Zerthis hit the bottom of the well.

Zerran was enraged. Anger rose up in her like never before. She knew what she must do,
even if it meant her own death!

With her catlike reflexes she leapt at one of the guards. In one fluid motion she struck a
powerful blow to the guards head with the bucket. The wooden bucket shattered and the guard
crumpled to the ground unconscious.

The corporal drew his blade to defend himself but Zerran closed the distance too quickly. She
was inside his guard and the blade was too long to be much use in these close quarters. Zerran
grabbed the corporal by the throat and squeezed with her considerable strength. Then she felt
the hot pain in her back as the other guard hacked at her with his blade. She felt her blood
flowing down her back. She knew she would not live through the next blow. She must crush
the life out of the corporal before that happened. Zerran ignored the pain and let out a blood
curdling warshout. “Lok’Tar Ogar!” She summoned every ounce of her remaining strength and
squeezed. As her vice like grip tightened she herd the corporal’s neck snap and his body went
limp.

She spun as quickly as she could to try to deflect the next blow she knew was coming. It was
too late. The guard’s blow was powerful and true. Zerran was struck down.

Grugach was paralyzed as he watched the events unfold.

He felt something rise up in him that he had not felt in a long time. Anger. It was as if a
floodgate had opened up after a long rain. It surged and could not be stopped and would
destroy anything in it’s path.

Grugach shouted orders to the group of orcs. They obeyed him instinctively.

The remaining guard tried to run when he saw the mob led by Grugach rushing toward him.
They easily caught him and tore him to pieces with their bare hands.

Grugach stood over his dead wife and studied her face. She had a expression of peace on her
features. He would never forget that expression.

From behind him at the well he heard gasps. “Waterwalker! The elements favor him. Come,
Grugach, your son lives!”

He turned in disbelief and peered down the well. He saw Zerthis unconscious and floating on
the water.

Then, Elder Kronar stepped forward. The elder looked down the well. He then turned to the
crowd and said “Quickly, bring the boy out of the well! This is a sign. This boy must be kept
safe!”

The Elder pointed one of his skeletal fingers at Grugach. “This boy has been favored the spirit
of water. Zerthis Waterwalker shall be his name. He has been chosen to walk the path of the
shaman....just as you were. You turned your back on the elements for the power of fel magic.
Your son must not make the same choice. If orcs are to ever find peace in this world, we will
need shamans to guide us. This boy is our future.”

The Elder turned and faced Grugach. “You must make a pledge to me and your fellow orcs
that you will guide Zerthis Waterwalker to take the path of the shaman.” The Elder’s eyes
burned into Grugach. “Choose quickly and answer truthfully, I will know if you try to deceive
us.” He then added grimly “Your life depends on it.”

Grugach looked at his son as they pulled him from the well. He seemed to be moving but was
incoherent. He then looked to the body on Zerran. He felt deep sorrow and pain. He had
made grave mistakes. He sighed and looked back at the Elder with all the intensity he could “I
will raise this boy to be a warrior and shaman. He will not stray from this path as I did. Gol’Kosh!”

The Elder gave no reply and just nodded. He turned to the crowd. “You have heard his pledge
and we must now do our part. They must escape at all costs. Quickly, before the guards
become more organized, we must rush the walls and help them over it.”

The crowd of orcs gave a bundle of food and water to Grugach. They made a defensive
formation with Grugach and Zerthis in the middle. The mob of determined orcs rushed the wall.
Arrow fire hailed down on them, but it did not stop them. The crowd shielded father and son.
Grugach saw many die from arrows.

He knew he must not fail them if he escaped.

The wooden wall was not high and Grugach could have easily scampered over it, even with
Zerthis. But, in his weakened state it would be more difficult. He would need help.

The Elder shouted “Quickly! Help them over the wall!” The orcs went down on their hands
and knees so Grugach could climb up on their backs. Even in his weekend state Grugach knew
he could make it over the wall with this boost.

The Elder grabbed Grugach by the arm and said “Remember you pledge, now go!”

With that Grugach was over the wall and running into the woods with Zerthis under his arm.

Zerthis slipped out of his past and looked again at the dark swirling portal.

He shook his head and took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He then smiled broadly as he
realized now why his Father always said “You are your mothers son.”

With that thought he boldly strode through the portal.
Stalkinghoof, 85th level Tauren Hunter
Krinar Cloudcleaver, 85th level Tauren Warrior
Zerthis Waterwalker, 85th level Orc Shaman
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#2
well written ^_^ *thumbs up*
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