World of Warcraft: Vol'jin: Shadows of the Horde Read Free

That decision be still hanging in the balance, Vol’jin.
    The troll dragged his consciousness around to look toward that voice. A fearsome figure, troll in general aspect, with a face that looked to Vol’jin like a rush’kah mask, studied him with pitilesseyes. Bwonsamdi, the loa who served the trolls as the guardian of the dead, slowly shook his head.
    What be I making of you, Vol’jin? You Darkspears be not offering me the sacrifices you should, yet I help you free your home from Zalazane. And now, you be clinging to life when you should be giving yourself to my care. Have I treated you badly? Be I unworthy of your worship?
    Vol’jin desperately wished his hands would curl into fists, but they remained weak and limp at the ends of dead arms. There be things I must do.
    The loa laughed, the sound scourging Vol’jin’s soul. Listen to your son, Sen’jin. Were I telling him it be his time, he would be telling me his needs are paramount. How be it you raised such a rebellious son?
    Sen’jin’s laughter fell as a soothing, cool mist to bathe Vol’jin’s tortured flesh. I taught him that the loa respect strength. You be complaining he did not offer sufficient sacrifices. Now you be complaining that he wishes more time to offer greater sacrifices. Be I boring you so that you need my son to entertain you?
    Think you, Sen’jin, that his clinging to life is so he can be serving me?
    Vol’jin could feel his father smile. My son may have many reasons, Bwonsamdi; but that one be serving your purposes should suffice for you.
    You would be telling me my business, Sen’jin?
    I be reminding you, great spirit, only of what you have long taught us to do in your service.
    Other laughter, distant laughter, rippled gently through Vol’jin. Other loa. The high keening tones of one laugh and the low rumble of another suggested Hir’eek and Shirvallah were enjoying the exchange. Vol’jin took some pleasure in this yet knew he would pay for that liberty.
    A growl rolled from Bwonsamdi’s throat. Were you so easily convinced to surrender, Vol’jin, I should be rejecting you. You be no true child of mine. But, Shadow Hunter, know this: the battle you face be more terrible than any you have known before. You gonna be wishing you had surrendered, for the burden your victory earns gonna be one that will grind you into dust.
    In a heartbeat Bwonsamdi’s presence evaporated. Vol’jin soughthis father’s spirit. He found it close by, yet fading. Be I losing you again, Father?
    You cannot lose me, Vol’jin, for I be part of you. As long as you be true to yourself, I gonna be with you always . Vol’jin sensed his father’s smile again. And a father being as proud of his son as I be of you gonna never let that son get away .
    His father’s words, though demanding contemplation, provided enough comfort that Vol’jin did not fear for his life. He would live. He would continue to make his father proud.
    He would march straight into the terrible fate Bwonsamdi foresaw and deal with it in defiance of all predictions. With that conviction held firmly in mind, his breathing eased, his pain dulled, and he dropped into a black well of peace.
    •  •  •
     
    When awareness came to him again, Vol’jin found himself whole and hale, strong of limb and standing tall. A fierce sun beat down on him as he stood in a courtyard with thousands of other trolls. They had nearly a head’s height on him, yet none of them made an issue of it. In fact, none of them seemed to notice him at all.
    Another dream. A vision.
    He did not immediately recognize the place, though he had a sense that he’d been there before. Or, rather, later , for this city had not surrendered to the surrounding jungle’s invasion. The stone carvings on walls remained crisp and clear. Arches had not been shattered. Cobbles had not been broken or scavenged. And the stepped pyramid, before which they all stood, had not been humbled by time’s ravages.
    He stood amid a crowd