text: [Themes: fantasy]
  
  The Blackfur Clan, one of the biggest civilized Ratmen Clans, stands proudly on the crossroads between the now-extinct Blackdon Volcano, the human city of Dumadran, and the dangerous Darkmoor Swamp.
  
  The Blackfurs have fought many battles against the Swamp Trolls from Darkmoor, but the Trolls have been gaining the upper hand lately. The Ratman leader, Lord Stormclaw II, has lost many of his sons in recent battles, and has fallen into a grave depression, further bringing the Blackfur to the edge. One by one, the best warriors either perished or defected to other Clans. The Cult of Rhoden, a self-proclaimed Rat King has gained popularity, incorporating many clans already, but the Blackfurs have not joined... Instead, many of it's warriors left for the "safety in numbers" seemingly provided by Rhoden. Stormclaw was desperate.
  
  To make matters worse, a band of humans has sneaked in and stole most of the valuables hoarded over time by the Clan, leaving them unable to trade with others for things they need.
  
  Stormclaw's two youngest sons, Blackscree and Greyfur, consumed Ratweed to become Ratmen, but for some reason they did not transform yet, even if the effect is almost instant. To make matters worse, the Clan's Shaman Council all had the same vision: Stormclaw dead, with the Blackfur camp in flames , at full moon, during a rainstorm, with Swamp trolls claiming victory. Usually, Ratman Shaman predictions are quite accurate, especially if it happens in groups, which meant that Stormclaw's days were numbered, as the full moon hanged upon the evening sky and clouds of storm amassed above the Clan's Camp.
  
  At sunset, the guards alerted Stormclaw of a slowly-moving group of trolls approaching, bearing a white flag and a large chest. As the group of seven trolls shuffled to the camp, Stormclaw ordered the guards to watch the group closely and at his sign, to attack from all sides.
  
  When the Trolls reached the camp, Stormclaw didn't greet them, but asked them outright what do they want. Struggling with the use of comprehensible language, the leader Troll mumbled almost incoherently that Stormclaw needs the contents of the chest they bear. He then opened the chest, revealing stolen potions from a Wizard who's tower stood near the Trolls' Swamp. Those weren't cheap healing potions, those were special potions used to increase the amount of food, which the Blackfurs lacked lately. As the troll spoke to Stormclaw, the Ratman guards followed their orders and surrounded slowly the seven trolls, but everyone felt they were missing something.
  
  A sudden downpour of rain started to soak everyone, and all the trolls started grinning and smirking. It was known that they fail at bluffing; they cannot hide it when they have an evil plan that's about to be revealed, and large, dumb grins on their green faces were the sign they cannot be trusted anymore.
  
  The Troll leader offered to give up the chest , demanding in exchange that the Ratmen help the Trolls against a band of thieves that settled in their Swamp. Stormclaw refused outright, knowing that it was a lie, but as he was about to give the attack order, he remembered the Shaman Council's prediction... and noticed something that made him realize that it was too late.
  
  As the Ratman Guards moved from their watch posts to surround the Trolls, small pools of mud, shapeshifted Trolls, moved freely behind them, infiltrated the camp , and surrounded them. The prediction was about to come.
  
  The end was close. But he was not going to fall without a fight. Both Stormclaw and the Troll leader ordered the attack at the same time, and the massacre began. Many Ratmen fell before they knew what hit them. Seeing the mess, some decided to give up and run away, as the Trolls couldn't catch up with them even when shapeshifted.
  
  The Troll Leader engaged Stormclaw personally, and smashed his skull with a precise hit. A lightning suddenly hit the roof of Stormclaw's den, setting it on fire. The soft rain was not enough to put it out, and the fire spread to the nearby huts. The Ratmen were defeated. Stormclaw's sons, Blackscree and Greyfur, not being fully grown, were easily surrounded by the Trolls. In a dash of adrenaline, Greyfur jumped on the back of a Troll, and started biting, clawing his way to the beast's minuscule brain, to stop it. The Troll waved his club around aimlessly trying to hit the rat on his back, but instead hit a fellow Troll. Seeing the two trolls now fighting each other, the dumb trolls flocked to the two, siding with either one or the other and clubbing to death other trolls randomly. Stormclaw always knew that the stupidity of the trolls can be used against them.
  
  Soon, only half a dozen trolls remained alive. The fleeing Ratmen turned around, reorganized quickly and counter-attacked. They took the camp back faster than they lost it, but the casualties were huge. Five dozen dead Trolls piled up in the middle of the camp, rapidly decomposing in the rain, with Greyfur standing on top of them, claiming the pyrrhic victory for the Blackfur Clan. Blackscree stood nearby, showing signs of jealousy. With their father dead and Greyfur turning the tide of the battle, it was decided that he should lead the Blackfur Clan, even in his semi-evolved state. Blackscree was displeased; he was next in line at the throne. Without anyone's knowledge, the Troll Leader survived, and only faked his death, seeing the imminent failure of the attack. Seeing the young Blackscree displeased with his brother's promotion to Clan leader, a plan was hatched into the Troll leader's mind...... And neither Blackscree or the troll leader have been seen ever since. Blackscree was supposed dead , although his remains were never found.
  
  Five years later, the Blackfur Clan was prosperous again, under Greyfur's leadership. Greyfur was given the secondary name of Trollslayer, for his deeds during and after the attack, which led to the extermination of the Swamp Trolls, in a joint effort with the bandits, mentioned by the Troll leader, who turned up to be real. Trollslayer became famous in both ratkind and humankind: turning the tide of a battle single-handedly with the result being fifty dead Trolls, a force to be reckoned with even by human standards, was no easy feat, although Trollslayer himself often claims otherwise.
  
  But recently, news arrived to Trollslayer's ears; a mighty warlord of the Dragons, based in the Blackdon Volcano just a dozen miles away from the Blackfur Camp, has declared war on the Human city nearby. Drawing a straight line from Blackdon to the city, Trollslayer realized that the only possible battlefield would be his own camp, found exactly in the middle, placed on a strategic location that both sides would prefer to own. Peace was not an option; conflict was enforced on the Ratmen when a human emissary declared that either the Ratmen join them and fight in the front lines, or oppose them and will be destroyed.
  
  > Side with none! It's Ratman land and none shall pass!
  When someone forces you to fight, he shouldn't ask why you fight against him.
  
  The human emissary returned to his city , limping, and told his leaders that the Ratmen decided to stand against any who trespass their land. Pride being the defining characteristic of humans in that city, they took it as a war declaration.
  
  The dragons couldn't care less.
  
  The hour of battle approached; enraged roars from Blackdon and the distant drumming of the humans marching slowly towards the battlefield instilled every Ratman with fear. The majestic wings of the dragons could be seen on the Blackdon mountain, rising at unison, performing some kind of ritual. The humans have settled two secondary camps just downhill and started advancing towards the Blackfur Clan camp.
  
  Suddenly, a familiar roar curled the hair of every Ratman in the camp; a Swamp Troll! But how could it be, they were extinct! No matter, the battle was about to begin...... as Trollslayer turned around to the direction of the scream, he was blinded by a bright blue light. For a split second he could hear the screams of pain from other Ratmen... but he didn't feel a thing, and just fainted.
  
  Was it minutes? Hours? Days maybe? It might as well be weeks, as Trollslayer woke up with a terrible headache. The excruciating pain had him screaming loudly.... the pain calmed slowly afterwards, but he was still dizzy when he opened his eyes... to see himself in chains. Where was he? After the design, it was clearly a human prison. He looked around, and saw some of his comrades chained as well, but still not awake. The chains were pretty rusty and loose.... so Trollslayer slid from his chains easily. He released several of his Ratmen. One of them woke up, with a scream, just like Trollslayer, but much more weakened, almost dying.
  
  "Soldier, do you hear me?" asked Trollslayer.
  
  "Lord Trollslayer?....We've found you, at last.... After he took you..." said the Ratman
  
  "Who? Who took me?"
  
  "It was.... was.... black.......ugh" said the Ratman with his dying breath.
  
  "It was me, Greyfur" said am ominous echo of a whispering voice. Greyfur? Trollslayer hasn't used that name in a long while.....
  
  "Who are you?" asked Trollslayer, trying to locate the source of the whisper.
  
  "I am your nightmare.... I am your death... I am your doom!" echoed the whisper again. A shimmering light appeared in the middle of the cell, stationary at above three feet above the ground, and reeking with warmth and light. It slowly increased in size , and took the shape of a circle with a white edge and black core. It was a portal. "Come and meet me, Greyfur! Walk through the portal!"
  
  Trollslayer decided to end this, once and for all. He stepped through the portal.... and emerged on the Blackfur Clan's camp location... only the whole camp was missing, and a crater was in the middle. Several hundred yards away, the bodies of a few human regiments and a dozen dragons stood as evidence of the battle that took place there. The outcome was impossible to determine, although the sheer number of human corpses showed that , if it was a victory, it was definitely a pyrrhic one.
  
  A few meters in front of Trollslayer stood a cloaked figure; a sorcerer , carrying a blue, glowing staff.
  
  "Hello, Greyfur!" spoke the sorcerer.
  
  "What? You!..... But.... Blackscree? Is that you?"
  
  "Indeed, brother. It is me, and I have come to reclaim my throne!" said Blackscree, taking off the cowl covering his face. The long lost brother of Trollslayer, believed to have perished in the Swamp Troll attack, was standing there, in front of him.
  
  Trollslayer tried to back off, but someone behind him grabbed his arms and hauled him in the air several feet above the ground. Trollslayer looked behind to see a Swamp Troll, the same Swamp Troll that killed his father in the attack...... It's disgusting smile and the rabid look in his eyes said it all. This was the end.
  
  "I have returned, dear brother, after years of training in forbidden magic.... You wouldn't believe what I'm capable of! And now I want to recover my place as leader of the Ratmen!" said Blackscree.
  
  "You are out of your mind! The Clan is no more! You killed them all.."said Trollslayer
  
  "Did I say something about this Clan? I don't think so, Greyfur. I believe I said I will rule the whole Ratman race!" uttered Blackscree with his tone increasing tenfold after each word.
  
  The Troll's grip was not very strong. Trollslayer could free himself in that right moment, but he'd still have to face Blackscree and the Troll Leader. But the portal was still open......
  
  > surrender to Blackfur
  Trollslayer finally decided to give up. It was too much. His long-lost brother did all of this? How could he do it? It was impossible.
  
  Blackscree saw Trollslayer giving up ..... and took his time casting a killing spell which ended Trollslayer and the Blackfur Clan.... forever.
  
  Harsh, dude! Maybe next time? With a more direct approach?