Week 3 Betrayal/Forgiveness
Warnings: Character death, Depictions of death and dead bodies, Descriptions of body mutilation, Multiple POV, Out of character-ness,
He doesn’t think anything of it.
The Commander not meeting them at the camps’ first line of defence.
It’s not the first time the Commander has been caught up with something.
He frowns as they pass by the second line of defence and he firms his grip around Sohothins hilt as they draw closer to the camp.
Because he sees the white-blue auras of allies tinted with reds, greens, purples, yellows and greys -of anger, satisfaction, pain, happiness and mourning- move around them.
Because he feels Rox’s blue aura of trusted friend twitch with unease as she, the Sylvari and the two Humans pick up on something he can’t sense but isn’t eye catching enough for the Norn to pick up on.
Because he hears weapons being sharpened and cleaned and armour being hammered out and the hitches of breath of soldiers shifting slightly, leaving a mix of purple and red riding up over their white-blue aura that’s slowly turning a yellowy orange of an unknown.
Because no one told them that this camp was attacked.
They press into the camp and he flinches.
Because the blue auras of trusted allies’ recoil in horror and disbelief as the group swears.
Because Glint’s overbearing presence of protection and safety retreats and starts twisting into anger.
Because there’s a heavy mass of green-black festering at two points in the camp, the bigger one off to the side is tainted with satisfaction and joy, the smaller one in the centre and not on the ground is overrun with confusion, pain and betrayal.
He doesn’t hesitate in ripping his blindfold off.
And he wishes that he didn’t.
Because once humour and intelligent filled eyes are now empty and clouded over.
Because once a healthy shade of sinkfurbark is now an unnatural shade of death.
Because wounds that shouldn’t’ve been inflicted are now left open and festering with small insects.
Because there are signs of magic exhaustion running up fingers on someone who seemingly held endless amounts of it.
Because there’s an arrow piercing though a heart.
Because there’s a body propped on a spike and left on display for everyone in the ruined and shattered camp to see.
He doesn’t think anything of it.
Turning Sohothin on those red auras that mark an enemy.
Not when they turned on the Commander first.
He doesn’t think anything of it.
He’s not the only one to blame the Commander and it’s the easiest thing to do.
It’s easier then admitting his own faults.
Because if the Commander can’t protect what matters and won’t take the steps to avenge the fallen, then what good is the Commander?
So he sets out to kill Jormag on his own.
Hunting down the Jotun scroll that Legend said to have been used by Asgeir Dragonrender during the battle against Jormag that removed the fang of the Elder Dragon.
And it nearly gets Rox killed.
Because the Commander is telling him to give up, that he should leave killing Jormag to them, that they are the only ones who can kill the Elder Dragons.
It’s with gritted teeth that he leaves Rox and the Commander in the cave.
It’s with gritted teeth that he shoots the arrow at Jormags tooth.
It’s with gritted teeth that he tracks down Jormag.
It’s with gritted teeth that he watches Jormag retreat back into the ice with a roar of anguish.
It’s with gritted teeth that he blames the Commander for this.
He doesn’t think anything of it.
Tracking the Commander to the Crystal Desert and letting an arrow fly.
Not when the Commander let him down first.
She doesn’t think anything of it.
Not telling the Commander about her worsening condition.
She’s kept it to herself for a long time now.
It’s second nature to not tell the Commander everything.
She holds her tongue as Gorrik continues to talk, tears building in his eyes as the Commander kneels in front of them, eyes gentle but broken.
The Commander stays silent as the people in Sun’s Refuge move away from them in some semblance of privacy.
Stays silent until Gorrik chokes on his words and sniffs.
Because the Commander promised to look after Blish.
And Blish didn’t come home.
The Commander starts talking then.
Telling them that the power source for the tracker had, at one point, died.
Telling them that the only way to fix it in that moment was with Blish’s body.
Telling them that Blish sends his apologies to them both.
Telling them that Blish says to stop keeping secrets.
Gorrik leaves then and she rings her hands together, her mind racing as she thinks and when she takes a breath, mind made up and looks up to the Commander her mind stops.
Because she sees the shattered look in the Commanders eyes.
And when the Commander notices her attention, she gets a soft, broken smile in return.
Slowly the Commander moves to place a hand on the top of her head, and she lets it rest there as the Commander touches their foreheads together.
With the words echoing in her ears, she watches as the Commander stands up, eyes shifting from broken mess to Commander of the Pact, Dragon’s Watch Leader, Dragon Killer, Champion, HeroLegionnaireSlayerSavantValiant.
She doesn’t think anything of it.
Letting the Commander walk away as Blish’s words echo in her head.
Not when it looks like the Commander will break apart with a single brush of the wind.
The whispers and looks and cut off conversations and parents herding children away and-
Hard not to when you’re the cause of it all.
And you don’t know what you’ve done to cause this reaction.
You only did what everyone asked you to do.
What everyone demanded you do.
Ignoring everyone as they stop what they are doing to watch you.
-No one bothers in hiding their distaste, their glares, their hate-
Ignoring words that ring in your ears as your back presents itself to people.
-You always did have better hearing than anyone else-
Ignoring laughter be cut sort as children notice where their ball landed.
-You’ve long since learnt not to bother trying to give toys back to children-
Ignoring until you leave the City and you can’t ignore the mob that’s following your footsteps anymore.
So you stop and the people behind you stop as you turn to face them and you note the weapons they have picked up in an attempt to intimidate you.
And you wonder as the main ringleader of this mob talks and says everything you’ve heard from the pass groups that have tried pulling this before, what will be worse.
Letting them kill you and seeing if the Judge will keep you this time around.
Killing them all and give into the person everyone says you are.
Watching as the mob grows tense as you reach for your weapon and you let your magic drift off of you.
After all, you’ve only ever given them what they wanted of you.
Betrayal comes in many forms and it hits more than just the person it was aimed at.
