Commander Braghaman Larethian

You Were Warned

“We’re going to get a drink, boss.”

The priest scowled at the burly man, looking at him so sourly that the man immediately thought better than to leave.

“You are not being paid to drink,” the priest hissed. “You’re here to protect me at all costs.”

“We’re inside the keep,” the other man, who was almost as large as the first, replied. “There are plenty of guards out there.”

“And you two are supposed to guard me in here. What if he were to get inside? That’s why I have you two here!” the priest added, pounding his fist into the table he was sitting at. The priest continued to scowl at the two henchmen as they looked at the ground.

The sound of the lock in the door clicking caused all their heads to turn. Slowly, the door creaked open to reveal someone dressed in black leathers and wearing a mask. 

“It won’t help,” the leather-clad figure said as he stepped into the room. He reached behind himself and closed the door. The sound of the lock clicking again seemed to echo in the room. “They can’t save you.”

“It’s him!” the priest yelled. “Stop him!”

The two goons rushed forward with their arms stretched out in front of them. The rogue reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a small orb. He threw it at the ground, causing a quiet snapping sound and filling the room with smoke. The rogue dodged the grasp of the goons as they grabbed for him, moving to the side of one of them and kicked hard against his knee. The goon howled and dropped to the ground. Erik pulled one of his knives and struck the goon in the back of the head with the pommel. The goon’s eyes rolled up into his head and he dropped to the ground.

The second goon, hearing his comrade drop, turned and locked eyes with Erik. He lunged forward, but the rogue ducked under his reach. The goon recovered quickly and back-handed Erik before he could dodge again. The rogue stumbled a few steps and, before he could regain his balance, the goon quickly barreled into him. Erik was knocked onto his back with the goon on top of him. The goon brought his hands up to Erik’s neck and started squeezing. Then his eyes opened wide in shock before closing. The goon let out a groan and dropped onto of the rogue. Erik pushed and rolled the goon off to the side and slowly pulled his knife from the goon’s side.

“You killed him!” the priest screamed.

“No, but he will not wake up before we are done here,” Erik said as he calmly picked himself up off the ground and turned to face the priest. “You lied to me. I warned you what would happen if you did that.”

“I didn’t lie!” the priest said as he stood up from the table and backed against the wall.

“You told me you sent her to the Maw.”

“I did!”

“She was never sent to the Maw.”

“They were supposed to be!”

“She never was and you knew that.”

“They all disappeared! I didn’t know where they went!”

Erik had been slowly moving closer to the panicked priest, but he paused at that comment. “Tell me more.”

“There were several working there.”

“Who?” Erik asked, his voice growing quieter but more menacing.

“Women.”

“Who?” 

“Some humans, elves, Draenei.”

“Priests?”

“How should I know? I was told to put them there so I did!”

“But you knew they weren’t there when I spoke to you last. You lied to me.” Erik resumed walking towards the priest.

“If you touch me, they’ll hunt you down and kill you!”

“Perhaps. But they are not here now. You and I are. And. I. Warned. You.” Erik added, punctuating each word. Finally he was standing face to face with the priest.

The priest swung wildly at the rogue and hit him in the shoulder, barely even moving him. Erik reached around and grasped the priest’s wrist, twisting it and causing the priest to turn and face the wall with his arm pinned to his back.

“Now,” Erik said, taking hold of the priest’s index finger. He jerked hard. There was a cracking sound and the priest let out a scream. Erik spun him back around, pinned his back to the wall, and drew his knife again. Placing the blade to the priest’s neck, Erik leaned in close to the priest’s face. “I’ve no doubt you could heal that quickly. But the moment I see you trying before I say you can, I shall cut your tongue out. Are we clear?”

The priest whimpered, holding his injured hand to his chest, and nodded.

“Do you know where she is?”

The priest continued to whimper and shook his head emphatically.

“Do you understand the penalty for lying?” Erik asked, pressing the flat of his blade into the side of the priest’s neck. The priest gave a short nod, but said nothing. Erik stared into the priest’s eyes for a moment and then took a step back, letting go of the priest.

“I told you before that if you lied to me, I would haunt you to the end of your days. Nothing you can do will prevent that. But if I find that you’ve lied to me again, that end will come sooner than you’d hope.”

Erik turned and started walking towards the door. Just as he turned the lock and started to open it, the priest slid down the wall and began sputtering again.

“They’ll kill you for this!”

Erik paused halfway out the door.

“When you tell them what happened here today,” Erik said softly, glancing over his shoulder back at the priest. “Let them know that something dark is coming for them. Darker than me. And if they had any sense, they would find the deepest, darkest hole to hide in for the rest of time.” Erik looked away and moved through the doorway. Pulling the door closed behind him, he looked back one more time.

“I’ll see you soon.”