€ for Xaeviar!
€ A bad memory that still haunts them.
"Xae, go to the entrance and stay in the tunnel."Xaeviar stared up at his mother with his brow knit low in confusion. The dock-city was in a dizzying commotion, the words were near lost on him completely. "What, why should--"Long, strong arms hoisted him up as she urged, "Just do as I say love, stay hidden in the tunnel until your father or I come for you." Her voice was low and calm, it reminded Xaeviar of the sound of the ocean at night. But now it reminded him of the silence before a storm. And that was enough to frighten him. The boy's mouth clamped shut as his mother bolted up the stairs, still huddling him against her chest like the most important treasure in the world.Inside the tunnel was damp and soundless save for his mother's footfalls. The woman leapt from the boardwalk and splashed into the shallow waters, kneeling down to lower her son by a post. "Stay here, love, don't let anyone see you, understand?" But Xaeviar clearly didn't, or didn't want to, as he clung to her tightly and made sounds of protest. "Xae, listen to me, I need you to be good for me, please? Hide here until I call for you."He started to cry out in objection, when the ground shuddered faintly. Was that a cannon being fired...? Finally he let go of his mother and huddled against the post, gazing up at her with a single wide eye as she kissed his forehead then slowly rose to her feet. She was big, not just tall but also thick from both muscle and fat. Strong. Ripples of wild curls spilled around and over her shoulders, tied back from her dark round face by a deep crimson bandana. Gorgeous. Warm green eyes locked with his own white one, filled with love and more fear than he ever wanted to see grace her smile. So much love. His chest twisted and tears stung his eye as a lump formed in his throat. "Mum..?""Yer a brave one, Xaeviar," she whispered, just as a second cannon rang out. "Be brave for me an' your pa." She turned and pulled herself back onto the boardwalk, the weight of everything she dreaded to happen weighing on her like chains."Mum!" he wailed, but she was already running back for the city, sword drawn. Xaeviar could hear gunfire and blades clashing now and that was where she was headed, and that was where his father was. Choking a sob, he curled low into the cool water and out of site, cheek pressed to the soggy wood of the post. In silence surrounded by chaos, he waited. Seconds became minutes, and then, hours. Hours of nothing but anguish. But he remained quiet, daring not to do so more than breathe. The tunnel was filled with the dull echo of battle and it drove him mad. When would his parents come for him? Did his mentor take shelter or was he fighting too? Were any of them still alive...?A beastlike howl startled the boy and the sound of padded footsteps made him freeze. They sounded barefoot, but the steps were too heavy, lumberous, to be anyone in Booty Bay he could think of. And then the smell of wet dog washed over him and his heart plummeted. Worgen.It sounded to be a pair of them, speaking in low, guttural voices. Xaeviar could tell they were speaking in Common, but not a familiar dialect. He didn't need to understand what they were saying to know they could smell him, though. A low snarl was followed by heavy footfalls approaching far too swiftly, so he ducked below the water's surface and swam under the boardwalk.Xaeviar could hold his breath for a long time. But whether it was for long enough, he could only hope as he resurfaced to breathe. Quiet, he tried so hard to be quiet, but one of the worgen snarled and he could tell now they were practically right above him. They'd stayed, and they had heard him. One began to speak up, but was cut short for some reason Xaeviar could not see. All went deathly quiet. Then without warning, a blade was plunged through the crack between boards, and into Xaeviar's arm.If the sound of metal tearing and slicing flesh open didn't give his hiding spot away, his choked yelp of pain did. As the blade was ruthlessly tugged loose the worgen both laughed, a horrid sound to Xaeviar's ears that made the splash of them entering the water just that much worse. One went to either side of the boardwalk, flanking the half-goblin. Panic rose and bubbled in his chest as the two crouched low to his level. They could both just reach out and graze his arms with nasty claws. Lunge forward, and they could do far worse.
Without even a first thought he screamed and balled his hands into fists just where water met air. Steam rose from his fists, and from the water lapping at the Brashtide pirates' forms. The surrounding water began to boil and the two barked and yelped in alarm, clambering back onto the walkway to avoid terrible burns. Once more without thinking Xaeviar tumbled out from underneath and fled for his life. Fate decided, however, that he would not be so lucky. His stride faltered clumsily and the only thing that saved him from toppling over onto his face was a large hand snatching him by his hair and dragging him back."Wouldyer looka' this waif!" his captor roared merrily. "It can't even make to run fer it right!"The second worgen prodded the inside of his elbow with the tip of its bloodied rapier. "'S wrong wif its hands, it got a gimp pair a' fingers?""Oi if ya think that's a sight take a peek at its legs!" Xaeviar's struggles and kicking ceased and he consciously tucked his legs to himself like a kitten carried by the scruff. His terror transformed into shame as the two crowed with hateful mirth. "Could do it a favour an' lop 'em off," the one holding him added singsongedly.Even through the tangle of fearful thoughts and cursing himself he caught what was said and what those words meant. They were going to mutilate him. That panic spilled over the brim and flooded Xae's mind and sense of reason. With one last gasp of air he closed his eye tightly.Goosebumps crept along his arms and neck as a low rumble drew the worgen's attention. The torches lining the tunnel nearest to them died with loud hisses as something rose from the water on both sides of the walkway. Or, more specifically, the water itself was rising. Water droplets plipped softly on the three and their captive, heads and eyes turned up to behold a pair of hands towering over them.With a thunderous groan they reached down and engulfed the two, dragging them beneath the boardwalk. The splashes of their desperate struggling still reached Xaeviar, but in time all fell still. All was silent in the tunnel. All was dead.Xaeviar did not move for what felt like ages. He couldn't register whether or not he was even breathing - perhaps he was dead, too. A string of explosions, however, shook him out of him stupor and he stumbled back into the water to hide. Landing on one of the corpses, he yelped as a head full of teeth bumped his back and he fell face-down into the water. Please don't move, please don't reach down and grab him again. Gradually, it occurred to him that the two worgen were dead, he'd killed them.The first lives he'd ever taken.That realisation struck him hard and he keeled over and vomited in the water. Several minutes passed before he stopped dry heaving, and it left his throat burning. Head spinning, he backed away from the bodies. And hid. Hid from what he'd just done, hid from the violence still going on outside.Time slowed to a dying crawl and his thoughts turned back to dread. How long had he been down there? Had anyone heard? Was anyone coming for him? Where were his parents? Would he ever see them again, hear them call his name and cry in rejoice that they all survived? Would his mother ever tell him how brave he was? What if he never felt the warmth of her arms when she picked him up, or hear the love in his father's voice when he laughed and said what a miracle he was, that put all the Light's own to shame?Slowly, the town beyond the tunnel went quiet. The fight, whoever had won it, was over. And still Xaeviar remained, cowering under a bridge with two corpses floating right behind him. As time dragged on, it seemed his fears were true. No one was coming for him. Even if he crawled out and ventured back into Booty Bay, there would be no one left alive that would have worried about him. Some would be disappointed he'd made it. Xaeviar had never been alone in his life. He wasn't ready to be now. And so, he stayed still, shoulders sagging and head bowed. His mind continued to race through thoughts he was never able to keep up with even though they were his own, the noise in his head becoming white noise. He didn't welcome the nothingness but rather submitted to it."Xaeviar!?"His head shot upright; a warmth swelled and filled his chest and his eye stung as he cried, "Mum!"