Post by warraven on Feb 18, 2008 22:39:24 GMT -5
I wrote this after getting murderized by him while in Shadowmoon and forgot to post it here. Anyway, he's got so little lore, which is a shame, because he's awesome! So I wrote some. Expect a sequel because someone on the WoW forums suggested one and I liked the idea. When I get to it.
The dragon’s armored bulk beneath Ruul was as comfortable and familiar as the weight of his swords over his back. It had taken some effort to break the beast to his will but he would have had it no other way. Let the other corrupted orcs of Illidan’s forces tame the lesser beings. No, he had known this one would be his when they drug it in, screaming and clawing at the earth. He wasn’t sure how many died trying to contain its struggles. They didn’t matter. But he had watched them bind the creature to the earth with iron chains, watched the links stretch and start to break, and knew that this beast was to be his.
And tame it he had. The others would have given up… killed the beast as too dangerous. But no. He had patience. Infinite patience and now – a thin smile played across his lips and he glanced around as the beast crossed the valley. It didn’t so much as walk as it prowled. Broken to his will through time, pain, and a determination that could not be matched by the netherdrake’s ferocity. Now the two were a bonded pair and Ruul knew that the dragon would fight and die at his command. Let the lesser servants of Illidan cower as the shadow of his mount’s wings covered them. As well they should.
The hum of the crystals was familiar and somewhat reassuring. He remembered, long ago, leaving what had been his home for most of his life, and wondering just how they would restore their people to their former glory. Well, he’d found the way, certainly enough. The thin smile hardened and the beast quickened its pace, sensing his master’s displeasure. A broken land, savaged by a bloody history, made only bloodier as the conflict between Illidan, the Burning Legion, and now the influx of newcomers from Azeroth fought over this heap of rocks. But so much potential… he breathed deeply and gave the reins some slack. Let everyone fight it out and whichever faction would be the victor would be the one to claim dominance over this shattered land and all the riches it held. Perhaps it would be the Sin’dorei that won out. If so, he would be there with the rest, the blood of the traitorous Scryer’s on his swords, the blood of those that allied with them around his feet, and the bodies of the Aldor and their dogs would be food for his drake.
If someone else prevailed… well, then let his body lie among the broken banners of the army that finally managed to fell him. For it would take an army.
The gates of the fortress were in sight. Ruul shifted in his saddle, almost reluctant to be at his destination. It felt far too confined. He preferred it out here, under the ravaged sky, with his armor encasing the wild blood that ran in his veins and his swords just waiting like the winter wolves for the prey to stumble. But his netherdrake hesitated as they neared the gates and Ruul narrowed his eyes, looking. The creature huffed deeply, a growl escaping its throat, and the blood elf leaned forwards to see what it was that was causing it such disquiet.
There was the tang of blood on the air and he could see the corpses of the outside patrol littering the ground. Someone was picking off the orcs that guarded the stronghold. Ambushing the patrols, one by one. He chuckled. Good. Keep them on their toes and remind those savages just who truly were in Illidan’s graces now. Where their place was, if they couldn’t hold off a small assault by either the Alliance or Horde dogs. He hissed, urging his mount forwards, scanning the palisade for the attacker. There. Off to the left, where the wall slanted into the rock of the mountain and formed a natural barrier. Just one. He wanted to laugh but stifled it, instead reaching abck and drawing one of his swords, the blade a comforting weight in his hands. An eager weight.
Tauren. One of those gentle, stupid, cows that worshiped the earth and the spirits. That asked for power, instead of demanding what could be theirs. She was fighting with her back turned to him, a whirlwind of maces, keeping the orc guard pinned up against the stone of the mountain so that he could not escape the force of her blows. Even enhanced the orc was dwarfed by the bulk of the tauren female. Well, size did not matter. Ruul’s netherdrake had learned that, the first time it had stared up into the elf’s eyes and known them to be eyes of its master.
“Hyah!”
And Ruul kicked at his mount, leaning forwards in the saddle. The tauren half-turned at the sound and the orc she was fighting slumped aside, badly wounded, and content to know that his fight was over now. Ruul the Darkener was here.
He caught her eyes for a moment. They went wide with surprise, and then she turned and cried, a warcry to the spirits of the Earthmother, to guide her weapons. He leapt from his mount, rushing to meet her, granting her this glory at least. For she was meeting him head-on, charging into her death willingly and without fear. The bloodlust was upon them both.
They clashed and Ruul felt the wild blood in his veins pumping with adrenaline, feeding the glory of the battle. Part of him wanted to hold back, to let this dance continue, to give the tauren some slack and revel in nothing but the fight. But the other part of him wanted to see her die, this impudent shaman who thought she could defy Illidan’s dominance over the valley.
He caught her blows from the maces she carried on his armor, ducking one that was aimed for his head so that it slammed against his shoulderplate instead. The impact was jarring and he felt the nerves of his arm shiver in response, going numb for a second. Then he snapped his hand up, gripped her wrist, and the two slid for purchase on the barren ground. Her weight and strength was massive. Ruul laughed, felt her hot breath as she snorted, trying to hold back his sword with her free hand, and then he released both holds, leaping to the side and drawing his other sword, driving it for her stomach with a downward sweep.
It brought her off her feet. She skidded back in a swath of blood, hooved feet scrambling to reclaim her ground again despite the wound, and he rushed forwards to end the fight. His second sword drove down through the breastbone and the tauren convulsed, cried out, and went still, those wide eyes staring into the sky where the netherdrakes circled overhead and a thin trickle of blood escaped from her muzzle. Ruul wrenched the sword free.
The orc she had been fighting was propped up against the palisade, breathing hard and clutching a ruined shoulder. Ruul approached and he ducked his head in either reverence or fear. The elf didn’t care which.
“Is this how our stronghold is defended?” Ruul asked casually, his tone quiet. He had not sheathed his swords yet. “That a lone woman could cause so much damage? Wipe out our outside patrols? Would you have welcomed her into the front gates as well and let her walk out with her weapons bathed in blood? Pathetic.”
And with a jerk of the arm, a snap of the wrist, the sword came up like an extension of the elf’s arm and the orc’s head bounced away to roll along the ground. The body slumped down to follow it after. Ruul inhaled deeply, the reek of blood now thick in his senses. It clouded his mind for a moment and he fought it down. There. A little bit of sport for the evening. He smiled.
The defenses of the keep would have to be looked at, if it took him to unsheathe his swords to keep it secure. That would be a different sort of entertainment… and if he were lucky his swords would see yet more blood this evening. He spun on his heel and gestured to the netherdrake, a sharp command.
“Come!” he ordered, stalking towards the gates of Dragonmaw.
There was still much to do tonight and finally, Ruul chuckled and those that heard it cowered.
The dragon’s armored bulk beneath Ruul was as comfortable and familiar as the weight of his swords over his back. It had taken some effort to break the beast to his will but he would have had it no other way. Let the other corrupted orcs of Illidan’s forces tame the lesser beings. No, he had known this one would be his when they drug it in, screaming and clawing at the earth. He wasn’t sure how many died trying to contain its struggles. They didn’t matter. But he had watched them bind the creature to the earth with iron chains, watched the links stretch and start to break, and knew that this beast was to be his.
And tame it he had. The others would have given up… killed the beast as too dangerous. But no. He had patience. Infinite patience and now – a thin smile played across his lips and he glanced around as the beast crossed the valley. It didn’t so much as walk as it prowled. Broken to his will through time, pain, and a determination that could not be matched by the netherdrake’s ferocity. Now the two were a bonded pair and Ruul knew that the dragon would fight and die at his command. Let the lesser servants of Illidan cower as the shadow of his mount’s wings covered them. As well they should.
The hum of the crystals was familiar and somewhat reassuring. He remembered, long ago, leaving what had been his home for most of his life, and wondering just how they would restore their people to their former glory. Well, he’d found the way, certainly enough. The thin smile hardened and the beast quickened its pace, sensing his master’s displeasure. A broken land, savaged by a bloody history, made only bloodier as the conflict between Illidan, the Burning Legion, and now the influx of newcomers from Azeroth fought over this heap of rocks. But so much potential… he breathed deeply and gave the reins some slack. Let everyone fight it out and whichever faction would be the victor would be the one to claim dominance over this shattered land and all the riches it held. Perhaps it would be the Sin’dorei that won out. If so, he would be there with the rest, the blood of the traitorous Scryer’s on his swords, the blood of those that allied with them around his feet, and the bodies of the Aldor and their dogs would be food for his drake.
If someone else prevailed… well, then let his body lie among the broken banners of the army that finally managed to fell him. For it would take an army.
The gates of the fortress were in sight. Ruul shifted in his saddle, almost reluctant to be at his destination. It felt far too confined. He preferred it out here, under the ravaged sky, with his armor encasing the wild blood that ran in his veins and his swords just waiting like the winter wolves for the prey to stumble. But his netherdrake hesitated as they neared the gates and Ruul narrowed his eyes, looking. The creature huffed deeply, a growl escaping its throat, and the blood elf leaned forwards to see what it was that was causing it such disquiet.
There was the tang of blood on the air and he could see the corpses of the outside patrol littering the ground. Someone was picking off the orcs that guarded the stronghold. Ambushing the patrols, one by one. He chuckled. Good. Keep them on their toes and remind those savages just who truly were in Illidan’s graces now. Where their place was, if they couldn’t hold off a small assault by either the Alliance or Horde dogs. He hissed, urging his mount forwards, scanning the palisade for the attacker. There. Off to the left, where the wall slanted into the rock of the mountain and formed a natural barrier. Just one. He wanted to laugh but stifled it, instead reaching abck and drawing one of his swords, the blade a comforting weight in his hands. An eager weight.
Tauren. One of those gentle, stupid, cows that worshiped the earth and the spirits. That asked for power, instead of demanding what could be theirs. She was fighting with her back turned to him, a whirlwind of maces, keeping the orc guard pinned up against the stone of the mountain so that he could not escape the force of her blows. Even enhanced the orc was dwarfed by the bulk of the tauren female. Well, size did not matter. Ruul’s netherdrake had learned that, the first time it had stared up into the elf’s eyes and known them to be eyes of its master.
“Hyah!”
And Ruul kicked at his mount, leaning forwards in the saddle. The tauren half-turned at the sound and the orc she was fighting slumped aside, badly wounded, and content to know that his fight was over now. Ruul the Darkener was here.
He caught her eyes for a moment. They went wide with surprise, and then she turned and cried, a warcry to the spirits of the Earthmother, to guide her weapons. He leapt from his mount, rushing to meet her, granting her this glory at least. For she was meeting him head-on, charging into her death willingly and without fear. The bloodlust was upon them both.
They clashed and Ruul felt the wild blood in his veins pumping with adrenaline, feeding the glory of the battle. Part of him wanted to hold back, to let this dance continue, to give the tauren some slack and revel in nothing but the fight. But the other part of him wanted to see her die, this impudent shaman who thought she could defy Illidan’s dominance over the valley.
He caught her blows from the maces she carried on his armor, ducking one that was aimed for his head so that it slammed against his shoulderplate instead. The impact was jarring and he felt the nerves of his arm shiver in response, going numb for a second. Then he snapped his hand up, gripped her wrist, and the two slid for purchase on the barren ground. Her weight and strength was massive. Ruul laughed, felt her hot breath as she snorted, trying to hold back his sword with her free hand, and then he released both holds, leaping to the side and drawing his other sword, driving it for her stomach with a downward sweep.
It brought her off her feet. She skidded back in a swath of blood, hooved feet scrambling to reclaim her ground again despite the wound, and he rushed forwards to end the fight. His second sword drove down through the breastbone and the tauren convulsed, cried out, and went still, those wide eyes staring into the sky where the netherdrakes circled overhead and a thin trickle of blood escaped from her muzzle. Ruul wrenched the sword free.
The orc she had been fighting was propped up against the palisade, breathing hard and clutching a ruined shoulder. Ruul approached and he ducked his head in either reverence or fear. The elf didn’t care which.
“Is this how our stronghold is defended?” Ruul asked casually, his tone quiet. He had not sheathed his swords yet. “That a lone woman could cause so much damage? Wipe out our outside patrols? Would you have welcomed her into the front gates as well and let her walk out with her weapons bathed in blood? Pathetic.”
And with a jerk of the arm, a snap of the wrist, the sword came up like an extension of the elf’s arm and the orc’s head bounced away to roll along the ground. The body slumped down to follow it after. Ruul inhaled deeply, the reek of blood now thick in his senses. It clouded his mind for a moment and he fought it down. There. A little bit of sport for the evening. He smiled.
The defenses of the keep would have to be looked at, if it took him to unsheathe his swords to keep it secure. That would be a different sort of entertainment… and if he were lucky his swords would see yet more blood this evening. He spun on his heel and gestured to the netherdrake, a sharp command.
“Come!” he ordered, stalking towards the gates of Dragonmaw.
There was still much to do tonight and finally, Ruul chuckled and those that heard it cowered.