text: [Themes: fantasy, RPG]
  
  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......
  
  > break free and fight
  Breaking free from the Troll's grip was not the hard part. With a quick kick, Trollslayer was back on solid ground and the Troll backed off to gain momentum for a charge.
  
  Blackscree panicked and tried to cast a spell, but Trollslayer grabbed his staff and punched him. In that moment, Trollslayer realized what happened. The staff was no ordinary stick; it was magically imbued to gather the memories of it's previous owners, including Blackscree. In a split second, Trollslayer saw what he missed all these years: before the Troll attack which killed his father, the Troll leader stole the staff from a wizard. After the attack, the Troll kidnapped Blackscree and forced his mind into submission with a spell. He then trained the Ratman into forbidden magic, all while continuously telling the Ratman a distorted version of the story, which implied Trollslayer planning the downfall of his father and the takeover of the throne. For years, the Troll filled Blackscree's head with lies, and it was too late for the Ratman to comprehend the truth and change everything back to normal. Still, the effect of the spell would go away if the staff was broken.....
  
  All this information, and many more, were too much for Trollslayer, and he backed off a little, only to be captured by the Troll again, this time with a stronger grip. Still, he had the staff and the memories of so many powerful wizards about spells..... and one lightning later, Trollslayer refreshed his name-title with one more, and this time final, troll kill.
  
  Seeing Blackscree completely terrified, Trollslayer snapped the staff into two, releasing tremendous amounts of energy , and bringing Blackscree back on the right track, breaking the Troll's spell.
  
  "I'm sorry, brother.... But you do not deserve to be leader...." said Trollslayer before turning away and marching towards the Greenmist Plains, home of another Ratman Tribe... Maybe they could offer him the shelter he couldn't have in the Blackfur Clan?
  
  Trollslayer was tired of lies and deceit. He was going to live a new life, a simpler one..... and the last one he wanted to see was his own brother. Blackscree took him time to remember all that happened while under the spell. Once again, he disappeared, without a trace... and without an evil mentor this time.
  
  Congratulations! You got the good ending! There's another good ending out there. It's easy to find!