Rekki an' dee Web of Fate

Not long after Rekki perform her tasks for dee old Seer, she begin to hear mutters in her travels 'bout a Khadine who told dee great warrior Reth dee War be lost, dat Goblyns not win. Reth not listen, so dis khadine take der tribe an' flee to underground, an' der dey be thriving, hidden from dee host of monster armies dat scattered all Goblyns tah de wind. Rekki be suspicious. How dis khadine know such t'ings? Der be so few of Sifu's apprentices left, maybe one of dem be wit dis tribe? So she decide to find out for herself.

On dee way, Rekki be passing through large section of deep woods. Trees be so thick, she can barely see her path. She almost run right into dee camp of a hunting party of pinkies. Naturally, she kill dem. Because of course she did, why not? After she be done, another greenskin drop out of tree in her path, two blades drawn, an' say, “So dis be dee famous Rekki, yes?” Rekki frown, an' say, “She not be famous, jus' travel lots. Be teaching stories an' majikz. Make Goblyns strong again.” Dee female smirk, an' creep closer to Rekki, swords still threatening. “Good. Nyeka hear of wat happen to Sifu an' Skribbit. She be wanting to be sure it be true. She be wanting ta hear it from Rekki own mouth.” Dee apprentice grip her staff tighter, and repeat all she be told from dee great Seer many moons before. Nyeka grimace. “Do not believe dis. Sifu be powerful. She be mighty. She not fall fer dis trick an' be cursed!” Rekki hold up her staff to quiet dee warrior. “Den come with me. Rekki be traveling to hidden tribe. Der khadine warned Reth of all dat came to be. Perhaps dey know more den dee rest of us. Perhaps dey has truth.” Dee warrior Nyeka frown, but agree.

So dey travel to dis tribe, who make home in a deep, dark system of caves, where most source of light be dee many glowin' mushrooms. Der khadine, Rashmish, know dey be coming. Rekki an' Nyeka approach mouth of caves, where two guards be standin', but dey just wave dee pair past wit no word. Rashmish meet dem at dee first firepit, an' she be really friendly. Almost too much so. Dey talk of things, Rekki's travels an' such. Rekki ask why dey decide tah come underground before dee Great War be over? We had great, an' powerful army, wit a Great Goblyn at dee heart. Rashmish give crooked smile, say it be secret. She dismiss dee rest of dee greenskins, an' pull out dis perfectly round orb, made of dense wood. Rekki never seen such a t'ing before. Rekki take it carefully, an' she be fascinated. It obviously be very majikal. Nyeka be impatient Goblyn, however, an' she demand to know dee truth of Sifu's fate. Rekki hand her dee orb, an' she feel it majikz. Heavier den anything she ever seen dis small, like weight upon her very soul. It know her wish, an' for first time, she be seeing dee Underworld, seeing dee River of Souls. She see Sifu fight dee guardian, see him fall. She see her mistress change, transform into huge, six armed creature of anger and fury. She watch dee mighty Skribbit shoot through dee sky, so great his rage at the loss of his beloved. Der be something sinister in dee background, only slightly out of Sifu reach. Nyeka cannot see what it be however. For it not be dee time for Goblyns to truly know just how deep Sifu's suffering go.

Nyeka fall to her knees, an' nearly weep wit sorrow and rage at dis loss. Rekki take dee orb from her clenched hand, saying, “Rekki understand. It be bitter curse dat fall upon dee mistress.” Dee warrior glare up at her, an' jump to feet. “No,” she spit. “It not be curse. Nothing can curse Sifu. It be blessing from Melashekhaad. He make her powerful, make her strong, make her more den any mortal could ever be. Dat be glory, dat be power!” Nyeka draw a dagger, an' make cut across her dark palm. Dee blackish blood pool into her fist slowly, and she wipe across her eyelids wit it, making a gruesome smear. Some run down her cheeks, form six thin trails, ending at her jaw. She toss dee dagger to dee ground, and pick up a great axe dat be lying in pile of stolen weapons near fire. It hefty, but if Sifu can wield it, Nyeka can as well. She be determined to follow Sifu's footsteps in strength, and glory. Nyeka howl her war cry, and march away to test out her new blade.

All dis, Rekki see. Nyeka be strong ally, but single-minded. She know she can use dis. Holding dis t'ing, Rashmish call an 'Obellys', in one hand, Rekki ask Rashmish if she can study it for a time, to learn more. Dee khadine agree, but only if Rekki tell all dat she learn to her tribe, so dey may continue to keep eyes on der enemies without fail. Rekki agree, an' she immediately begin her studying. She an' Nyeka spend weeks wit dee deep tribe; Rekki studyin' and teaching majikz, Nyeka sparring wit her new weapons an' growing in strength, beating many of der best warriors. Rekki learn many t'ings from dis orb of fate. She understand dis place Rashmish find be like an elfie afterlife, like dee River of Souls be for Goblyns. She see dis spider creature be like guardian, or puppet of fate, weaving an' pulling strands of life to control birth an' death. Most fascinating t'ing, however, be dee thread itself. Rekki hav many questions about dis, but she know it hold much power. Dee apprentice decide dey must get some.

So Rekki, Nyeka, an' a few warriors from Rashmish's tribe venture out of dee vast caves, and head south to dee nearest elfie tower. Dey climb dee tower, an' slay dee ol' elfie lord dat live der. He pissed 'bout it "not being his time", but whatever. Dey not care. Rekki already perform dee same majikz dat Rashmish needed to follow dis elfie into der afterlife, so wen dee soul float out his body, she snatch it in one hand, yell at ev'ryone tah grab on tah sumt'ing, and poof! Der dey be at dee edge of dis void-hole wit dee giant spider creature. Rekki see it using its huge legs, movin' an' shifting dee thick, white strands all around dis huge cavern in dee middle of dis void. Many wisps of elfie souls be sent out an' pulled back in. Rashmish not be lyin', she can see dee raw, empty holes wer it's eyes used ta be. She wonder if der be another of dee spider eyes laying around, but the witchdoktor see nothing. Dee creature pay dee group of goblyns no mind at all. Everybody take deep breath, an' dey all walk up ta dee edge of dee giant web, an' try to cut at it wit der weapons. First dey start quiet, but as dee warriors realize it not be workin, dey get louder and try harder. Nyeka be furious dat her great axe not be able ta even scratch sumt'ing dat look so fragile. Rekki tug on it wit no luck either. She watch dee spider for a minute, an' see dat wit no eyes, its movements be erratic, an' a few clumps of torn web be lying below dee giant creature's body. Rekki call to others, tell dem to attack dee creature, distract it. Nyeka be first to charge, wit harsh war cry in her throat, towards dee beast. Dee other males follow, an' dey begin stabbin' an' hacking at it. Rekki grin. She weave way through dee web of fate, tryin' tah make little noise as possible. She run through dee black, hairy legs dat tower above her, an' snatch dee fistful of wispy webbing in her hand. "Time to go!" She cry. Dey run to edge of dee void again, wit Nyeka be dee last to stop attackin' an' grab onto another soul-wisp as it pass into nothing.

So dee Goblyns be pulled through deh veil an' fall to the earth. But, as Rekki fall, she see dat she seem to be alone. As hard earth rushes up toward her face, she let go of wisp and manage to land outside dee large walls of elfie tower. Somehow it not really hurt, falling from dis other place. But whatever, dee apprentice not care why, just dat she be alive, an' she have her prize. Rekki not really sure where exactly she land, but it not matter. She search little time for Nyeka, but dee warrior be gone, dragged to other land by her own random wisp of fate.

"Fate," Rekki mused to herself as she walked dee forest trail, "now dat be sumthin' to learn from." She pulled the wispy threads close to her face to examine dem in dee light of day. Dey be so fine, yet almost surge wit strange majikz dat dee mistress Sifu had never shown her. Dee young witchdoktor could not help but cackle a bit, and she mutter, "Now we see how dis elfie majikz change dee fate of Goblynkind".