Backflash: Yesterday
Ntaj Zoov Yaaj
Location: Gorlf Northern Territory
Actions: Adventuring
Actions: Adventuring
Ntaj was back on the cart and heading towards the border of the Gorlf territories. As the caravan master told him a few days ago, they didnât actually intend to go through the territories but take a shortcut near them. Thatâs where Ntaj and the caravan would part. The ride was thus far largely uneventful, without even a pickpocket or being spotted by wild animals. Sure Ntaj had a few close calls and nightmares, but nothing that would warrant danger to the caravan itself. Even for Ntaj he got over them an hour or so after they had passed. Right now he was reading that book Claire had loaned to him, though at this point he was just casually reading rather than studying.
âGol-ems. Mag-i-cal con-stre-ucts made of mag-ic.â He read out slowly. At this point he was largely skipping pages and just looking for interesting images of monsters he may one day wish to fight. Dragons were, of course, in the book. They had an entire chapter dedicated to dragons and their subtypes, such as drakes, wyverns, serpents, and the like. Golems were another creature that piqued Ntajâs interests. Artificial monsters created from just about anything, from dirt, steel, or even corpses. Some were even made of things like slimes or oil. Very strange creatures that made Ntaj shiver a little, since they seemed very similar to elements. At the very least, both proved to be very resistant if not immune to physical attacks. Ntaj purposely avoided the page on elements, and the entire E section of the book all together. He figured he knew enough about elementals to just leave them alone.
As he flipped through the pages he spotted a page that reminded him of home: A page on witches. âWitches. Magically inclined people who practice dark and profane magics. Witches often refer to female magic users, however they can also be used to refer to males. Males are often called Warlock. Dangerous and wild, witches combined the cunning of humans with the cruelty of demons they often make pacts with. Witches often employ familiars where they gain their magic powers from.â Ntaj smirked at this. How⌠Inaccurate. Or rather, it was probably too much of a generation. Because he remembered meeting a witch before.
Backflash: Twenty Years Ago
âGREMLIN! GET YE GONE!â Lashing out at the young orcs was a wild-haired, ragged looking wood elf with a whip. Of the orcs, Ntaj was one of them. It was something of a game, a lesson, and a fight for survival. As a totem warrior, Ntaj was sent to the tribeâs shaman to learn the ways of mysticism. And their shaman was this very same wood elf trying to whip them. The reason she was attacking them was a test to see who was worthy of being a Totem Warrior. Also because the young orcs just unknowingly broke into her home, which just looked like a cave.
Ntaj jumped out of the way of a lash, but didnât quite run away. The others orcs were also standing somewhat close, keeping their distance, but the more cowardly orcs have already fled the cave. This was part of the test, or so Ntaj though. After all if the witch really wanted to get rid of them she would use her magic, not a whip. Not that the whip wasnât enough; one of the kids were crying on the ground as a whip had lashed him right across the chest, causing a bloody wound to form. Ntaj was fortunate enough to have avoided such a fate, but time would tell how many scars heâd have by the end of this day.
By the time the shaman had grown tired of whipping at the orcs, there was only seven children left. Ntaj sat against a wall, his arms covered in red lashes. A bloody cut was on his back, so bad that blood was pooling around where he sat. Cracking her back, the shaman had tossed her whip at one of the limmp orcish children and started treating the wounded, Ntaj being the third she attended. âHmph. Just seven? Last time twenty of you stood your ground. Whelps! Iâll have to train each of you harder than the last!â
Back to Backflash: Yesterday
Ntaj poked the scar on his back. His first lash and one of many. The caravan slowed down a little, allowing Ntaj to get out and take the book with him. He went up to the wagon where Claire was staying, who was surprised to see Ntaj over. He handed the book over to the cleric who smiled and thanked him.
âItâs almost time.â
âOui.â
âI guess this is goodbye.â
âOui.â
Ntaj and Claire looked at each other awkwardly. They knew very little of each other over the little time they shared together. It was nice, but at the same time forgetful. So Ntaj asked the important question: âWe friends?â Claire sighed and shrugged his shoulders. âHmm⌠No. I canât say weâve known each other long enough that we could call each other friends. Acquaintances perhaps. Weâll both head our separate directions and may never see each other again. We may not even remember one another if we do meet.â Ntaj had a hard time understanding a lot of Claireâs bigger words, but he got the jist of it. It was a bit awkward for Ntaj to expect Claire to to think much of Ntaj in such a short time, more so since he hasnât really done anything to give him a notable impression. But Claire continued to speak.
âBut that doesnât mean I donât regret meeting you. You are a strange, but nice person. We may never see each other again, but I did enjoy our short time together. Additionally, I know that you will do great things. Your place isnât here, and I likely wonât be part of it. But youâll do great things, and if I ever hear about it, I may remember these moments we shared.â More big words to Ntaj, but from Claireâs smile, Ntaj also smiled. Whatever he said he must be happy about it.
âOui.â
A few hours passed and it was time for Ntaj to leave. There was very little fanfare; the caravan master called out to ntaj to let him know that this was his stop. Gathering all his belongings together, including Honey, Ntaj hopped out of the wagon and waved goodbye to the caravan. A few minutes later and Ntaj was left all alone on the side of the dirt road. He looked into the forest and could practically see the borders into the Gorlf territories. Taking a deep breath Ntaj looked at Honey. âLetâs go!â