The Cost of War

The smell of fire stung my nostrils as I slowly made my way through the lines of shattered bodies, gleaming armor dented and stained with blood, the eyes of the dead lifted skywards, imploring silently for redemption. Each footfall soaking my toes in blood each turn revealing another tragedy that weighed upon my heart like a lead chain, loss as far as the eye could see. It is said that war has many faces and each as ashen and painful as the next, but in all my long years very little has matched the horror of civil war. For when brother turns on brother there is no clear victor..and when the roar of battle has died down...the banners have all fallen still the silence of the night washes in like a bitter tide bringing only stinging regret. My thoughts consumed me as I wandered the rows of the dead and dying until a soft grip on my ankle halted my progress and drew me from my reverie. Looking down I saw a young Orc soldier laying on his back, his abdomen cleaved open, his grip weak and his eyes pleading with me.

Slowly lowering down to my knees I slipped my fingers into the rebel's and squeezed as I peered into his eyes, so full of pain and terror as he lay stricken, hovering just a moments away from the Baron's grasp. Despite himself he forced a small smile onto his blood stained lips as he recognized me as a Troll and I could feel his pride that he had died fighting for something be believed in. I opened my lips to speak when I was interrupted by a cough behind me and in turning I made out the form of an Older Orc clad in dented plate with a notched old axe over one shoulder. His eyes bright and intense narrowed slightly at the site of me kneeling near the rebel and by his armor I knew him at once to be Kor'kron. Lowering his axe he strode over to us and in a gruff voice demanded "Why are you Here Troll...Can't you see you lost this battle?" and he pointed his axe towards the Orc laying near me. Taking a step forward his heavy booted feet came to a crashing halt as I drew my robed hands away from the orc laying before me, the cloth falling away and revealing the face of the dying Orc.

The Kor'kron's eyes widened and shot from the Rebel to myself and back as I felt his entire body droop, leaning forward...the axe once held so powerfully falling from his mailed fist to lay at his feet. On shaky legs he approached and I rose to my feet taking a step back, this was not my moment this was his and as he fell to his knees before the dead rebel he peered back at me and his eyes once so full of intensity seemed to me..lost, so full of pain. It is a look I have seen a thousand times before and each time I see it the effect robs me of my breath, it is something I shall never overcome...and perhaps that is proper, one should never grow accustomed to such things. I watched silently as the Kor'kron turned his face from me, to try and hide the tears that even now began to well up...I watched silently as he removed his mailed gloves to rest a hand on the Rebels forehead. His voice cracked with emotion as he spoke "Will you perform our rite Troll?" to which I responded "Ah will, and bury 'im", to which the  large Orc simply nodded.

I stood in silent observation as long moments passed, calloused and scarred hands stroking the hair from the dead Rebel's forehead gently, when he again spoke "He was my brot-" and I cut him off with a simple "Ah know", to which he again nodded silently and fell forward, his forehead resting against his brothers and began to weep. I had to look away as the wretched, pitiful sound of a being dealing with such loss was uncomfortable enough, I did not wish to watch his body lurching as sobs broke his powerful form. Extending a hand I rested it firmly on the Orc's shoulder and patted before I wandered off.

Very few ever felt the weight of their actions and decisions...but in this battlefield of strangers two brothers separated by ideals had once again come together, but at a cost that would haunt me for the rest of my days.

 "When darkness falls, our sins return to sing us to our rest"
Keeper Bha'zim'Guul