User blog:SaruFushimi/Your Place in the World

Your Place in the World
If she closed her eyes, she could see it. Darkness, the mother of all things. Her mother used to say nothing existed before it. The absolute blackness of the Void had been there before her, her ancestors and the land they had walked on. And to it you would return in death. To be able to see it with your closed eyes was a constant reminder of this. Some would be afraid of this, but her mother told her she'd find comfort in its presence. To have the progenitor of all creation there, watching over you and waiting to welcome you back to its embrace in your weakest moment.

Back then, she had been a child, and was not sure what all that meant. But now... she could kind of understand.

The dark was a welcome relief, after such a long time spent under the scorching sun of the Valley of Trials. It cooled her spirit, and granted her some peace, like resting under the shadow of a tall rock at the peak hours of the desert heat.

She sighed softly, and raised her head again, returning to the present. A dozen of young orcs and trolls sat or stood in a disordinate gathering beside her. All of them survivors after being cast out of the Den, challenged to survive on their own for thirteen moons. There used to be more in the beginning. This was what was left of them.

"The Valley of Trials will temper even the weakest into a warrior worthy to join the Horde. Those who cannot rise to its tests will be left to bake in the scorching desert sun."

That was what every Orcish child was told on the day of their eleventh birthday, where Ragarka came from. And she had carried on the tradition with honor, leaving with little more than basic knowledge and a couple rags to wear, to survive in the wilderness on her own for the remaining year of her infancy.

But she had also done so with a sensation of relief... Maybe even happiness. In the wild, on their own, she had been alone. No one had been there to judge her... to remind her of what she had done.

She wondered if the people of Orgrimmar would still remember. The thought was mildly frightening. It made her want to disappear in a hole, back into the comforting darkness...

Ragarka had just let her head sink between her tired arms, wrapped around her knees where she sat on the ground, when a slight commotion caught her attention. Around her, many had moved to get up on their feet. It was Kaltunk, the overseer of their training. He had finally appeared out of a tent to come and greet them, at the center of the camp. The young woman followed suit, pushing herself up. Behind her messy dark, long locks, her eyes stared at the older Orc with respect and a hint of anxiety.

He had stopped before them, large teal-skinned hands on his sides. His strong, thunderous voice grabbing hold of everyone's attention like a snare trap. "Finally, you lot are of age... of age to battle in the name of the Horde. To conquer for the glory of the Warchief."

Kaltunk slowly paced amongst them, turning his sharp eyes to one Orc to the next, from Troll to Troll, eyeing their developed muscles, the vivid gleams in their eyes, as well as scars, and bruises left from their harsh experience in the desert.

"Yes..." He mumbled to himself as he turned to her, looking Ragarka over. "You will do nicely."

Only when he moved past her, Ragarka realized she had been holding her breath with nervousness. She exhaled between her lips, her shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. This was her first step towards a path of redemption, or so she hoped. The first obstacle had been passed.

"No doubt you wish to find a great dragon or demon and strangle it with your bare hands, but perhaps it would be wise to start on something less... dangerous." With a sneering chuckle, Kaltunk stopped once more on the front, arms crossed against his large chest. He assessed them with his stern glare one last time from where he stood, before finally lifting one hand. With his finger, he pointed at a handful of them, one by one, with Ragarka as the last.

"You. You, and you. Yes, you as well. And you. Report to Gornek, he should be able to assign a task better suited to a young lot. You will find Gornek in the Den, to the west." With that, he left his spot, waving one arm in a beckoning manner. "The rest of you, with me! I've got pickaxes and hatches waiting for you. We're always in need of good peons."

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"Another few of Kaltunk's recruits, hm?"

Ragarka was somewhat familiar with Gornek. Not friends, but she had met him in the past. Not quite a seasoned warrior persay... for Orcish standards, that is. Maybe his constitution had never been in his favor when it came to battle, but he had a keen sense with people. Not at all surprising he had been assigned to the training of greenhorns like her.

"A sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in if this is the best the Horde can produce."

His tongue has always been as sharp as an axe, however. One of the bigger Orcs that had introduced themselves alongside her snorted in obvious irritation. This would be a test for their pride as well, no doubt.

Gornek shook head to his own statement. "No matter. By the time we think you're all ready to leave the Valley, you'll be proud warriors of the Horde."

Or food for the boars, no doubt. Steeling herself, Ragarka rolled a shoulder and rose her chin, ready to show what she was made of to her mentors. And someday, she hoped, to the Warchief himself.