"Half-blood? What do you mean by that?" Ragon's head twitched slightly, confusion sharp in his eyes.
Grel'thak let out a low chuckle. "Oh, I see... I smell both races in you."
Ragon froze, still trying to grasp what Grel'thak had revealed.
"That's enough about that," Grel'thak growled. "What I don't understand is how you managed to defeat my brother. A little wretch like you doesn't look capable of such a feat." He rose to his full height, his massive frame casting a shadow over Ragon. The difference was impossible to ignore—Ragon might share some orcish features, but he was dwarfed in size.
"Whoa... I never thought you were this big," Ragon muttered, his eyes widening as he looked the orc up and down. He felt like an ant standing before an elephant.
"Let's finish this," Grel'thak growled, his tusks gleaming. "I'll feed you to my men. Human flesh, half-elf blood—you'll make a fine feast." His tongue slid across his lips in a slow, mocking gesture.
Then—he vanished. The air cracked as his massive frame blurred forward with impossible speed. One moment he was standing in front of Ragon, the next his hand was clamped around Ragon's throat. The world spun as Grel'thak hurled him with bone-shattering force, tearing through the tent wall and creating wooden splinters.
Ragon hit the ground outside, sliding across the dirt, his boots carving deep grooves. He staggered, forcing himself upright, his chest burning from the impact. Blood traced the corner of his mouth, but his silver eyes narrowed, steady.
He wiped his lip with the back of his hand and smirked faintly.
"Not bad… old man."
The camp around them had frozen, orcs staring in stunned silence.
Grel'thak stepped forward, his hulking frame rippling with energy. The ground seemed to quake under his steps, yet his speed had been like lightning—unnatural, unstoppable.
Grel'thak's yellow eyes burned with fury. With a guttural roar, he blurred forward. The ground cracked beneath his charge as dust exploded as he swung his massive fist upward in a crushing uppercut.
The impact was like a quake. The shockwave split the dirt, sending stones flying.
Ragon's body shot into the air, helpless against the force. His men gasped as their king crashed back down, bouncing across the earth like a broken doll. Blood sprayed from his mouth, his arms trembling as he struggled to rise.
"Your Majesty!" several of his men cried, breaking formation. They rushed toward him, blades drawn, desperation in their eyes.
Yet, through the pain, Ragon's lips curved into a stubborn smile. He spat red into the dirt and muttered, "Tch… still standing, old beast."
Grel'thak sneered, stepping closer, his heavy frame towering like a mountain. "Weakling! You couldn't even endure a single blow. A king? No… just a pathetic child playing with power."
He clenched his fist, and the air around them shuddered. A green aura burst forth, swirling violently as his massive club materialized, dripping with energy. The ground quaked under its presence..and one strike from that weapon meant that Ragon would be reduced to dust.
Ragon's men stared in horror, their weapons frozen in their hands. Fear gripped them, yet their hearts ached at the sight. This was the man who had given them hope, who had treated every life as worth something. And now, he lay broken and bleeding before the monster.
Ragon's men were only steps away now, their faces filled with terror and rage.
"Stay back," Ragon croaked, shaking his head at them. Even with blood pouring from his wounds, he still gave out command.
"Do not interfere."
Tears welled in their eyes. Some bit their lips until they bled, but none dared to move. Their king had chosen to stand alone.
Grel'thak advanced slowly, savoring every step of victory. His grin widened. "I'll crush you so thoroughly they won't even remember your name."
Ragon's chest heaved. His body was failing, but his spirit was unbroken. With trembling arms, he raised his hands to the heavens, blood streaming down his fingers. His voice thundered across the battlefield,
"Who is a mortal… in the face of God?" Ragon didn't know when he said that. It seemed to be a reflex action.
The air split with a deafening crack. A silver spark ignited from his palms, flashing like a newborn star. It rippled outward in waves, expanding across the camp like light spreading over a dark sea.
The night itself seemed to bend under the pressure. Grel'thak staggered, his sneer faltering as the energy pressed down on him like a mountain. Orcs still alive nearby froze in shock.
Ragon's eyes blazed silver, the glow so bright it cut through the smoke and shadows. Without moving a muscle, his body rose into the air, lifted by an unseen force. His wounds sealed shut before their eyes, blood fading into smooth, unbroken skin.
Gasps erupted from his men. Even Grel'thak faltered, his jaw tightening.
"That… that's impossible," the orc leader growled, his voice shaking with disbelief. "He's no mage—or… is he?"
Ragon looked down on him, calm and unshaken. "I am no ordinary being," he said, his voice carrying like a command from the heavens. "So why would I fight like an ordinary man?"
A surge of silver lightning crackled across his body, snaking over his arms, his chest, his face. His hair lifted from the static, and the air around him screamed with pressure.
Grel'thak's eyes widened. He clenched his jaw hard enough to draw blood. If I don't crush him now, he thought, fear gnawing at his pride, this boy will bring the end of us all.
With a furious roar, he stomped the ground. The earth caved under his weight, forming a crater as energy bled into his club. The weapon vibrated violently, glowing with a green aura that threatened to tear the air apart.
But Ragon only descended slowly, lightning still flickering across his skin. His feet touched the earth as lightly as a falling feather. His silver gaze locked on Grel'thak, unblinking.
"I'll show you the difference between a mage… and a warrior."
A faint smile crossed his lips as the lightning around him condensed, focused, no longer wild but controlled like a storm obeying its master.