The Doom of Gotrek Gurnisson

by
Nico. from the Black Librarium forum


His large muscles were soaked with sweat. His ordinary orange hair was now black with ashes. And
the golden chain going from his nose to his ear could blind from the glare of the drops of sweat. The
heat he was fighting through was overwhelming, while the fumes of boiling vapor could prove
themselves as dangerous as the frequent spurts of lava. Though, all of these were nothing next to the
enormous effort he had to muster to fight his thrice-as-big opponent. The axes were clashing,
creating sparks from the especially heavy atmosphere of the forge.
The opponent stared at each other. Despite the fatigue, he could still see his enemy with the one
eye he had left, a huge beast with four hooves but his bust was looking weirdly like a dwarf bearing
large horns. The creature was bleeding from several cuts, its body looked weakened but not its rage.
It charged violently, staring at its opponent, but this one was abnormally quick for his stature and
took advantage of this time to dodge and cut through the monsters abdomen while he was going
forward. The bowels hanged on the floor for a few steps before the beast ended its course in the
ashes of the furnace. Dead and beat, the Bull Centaur collapsed.
Out of breath, the winner looked at his real enemy and warned his fellow warrior Manling, stay
out of this, its not a fight for your kind.
Felix Jaeger, his loyal traveling companion, was tired as well, surrounded by hodgoblins bodies.
His sword, Karaghul, was still soaked with blood. His proud clothes from the Altdorf line were nothing
more than strips of dirty crumpled tissue. His magnificent cape, he once bought an astonishing
amount of money from a Tilean merchant, was now a pile of burnt scraps. One could still catch a
glimpse of white locks from what used to be dazzling blond hair, but it was now reduced to a mess of
dirty hair which filth matched perfectly the rest of his body. It was the result of decades next to the
dwarf, the slayer swearing to meet Death against the most powerful enemy there is. Those were
supposed to be the subject of stories written by Felix, since an ill-timed word given during a far-away
night of debauchery.
Gotrek, you are going to need help if other dwarves come '
They arent dwarves, theyre traitors of the worst kind, Gotrek Gurnisson answered, his hatred
crystal clear through his tone.
Hes not wrong, we are not like him, but Dawi-Zharr, a sinister voice added, coming from beyond
the darkness of the still-running forge.
We are not weak and miserable, it said. Ashut, the Father of Darkness, wont allow rejects like
you on his lands.
Through the shadows, Felix tried to see who could be talking to them. He didnt have to look for
long. A pair of blazing eyes was gazing at them.
Hes over there, Gotrek,' he warned.
I know, Im not blind like you, manling.
Umgi so nave and stupid. Never a human has been allowed to walk freely this land,' the voice
told them from the dark. I will enjoy my time with him after killing y-
Not another word! Gotrek uttered promptly. Say another word in Khazalid and your death will
be slow.
The blazing eyes came closer. The noise of heavy steps could be heard, slow but decided. Felix
didnt know how to react and the fact he couldnt see who was facing them make him doubted even
more.
When a shadow finally surfaced, he could better make out the shape of it, then finally the
integrality of his opponent, thanks to the flames of the forge. He was certain Gotrek recognized him
for a while now. He looked a lot like a dwarf, a thick black beard expended from his torso to his feet.
But where ordinary dwarves gave off some kind of noblesse somehow less at nights of abundant
alcohol this one had the skin as dark as his deep-black armor. An aura of malevolence came out of
him that put Felix in a deep discomfort at the exact time he laid eyes on him. A golden mask hid his
whole face, only letting sight of the sinister light in his eyes.
Who dares disturb my slaves and kill the troops inside my Fortress of Zharr-Naggrund? I shall not
allow your presence here any longer, Slayer. As the Supreme Lord of the Conclave, the Temple of
Hashut and Master of Zharr, Ghorth was the most powerful of the living sons of Hashut and never
gave an empty threat. His word was as hard and unbending as the black mountains of the Dark
Lands.
I said: Not another word! Gotrek shouted, running towards his enemy. The runes of his large axe
gleamed. His attack was quick and violent. Unfortunately, at Felix surprise, the hit was easily
countered by a blinding flash of light. Gotrek didnt hesitate and went on, giving what used to be
devastating hits but all of them ended easily deflected by an opponent disturbingly unfazed. Then,
Gotrek got violently thrown out by another spell.
He fell back on the ground, his hand still firmly holding his axe. Before getting back up, he uttered
a 'Sorcery!' filled with disgust.
We are not as scared of magic power as your species is. The tone of the dark dwarf transpired
with mockery. Weve learned to master them and use them.
He turned his head toward Felix, remaining still, almost petrified by the unsettling ease with
which Gotrek had been thrown away.
And Im not called Ghorth the Cruel for any reason, he added before throwing a lightning of
embers towards Felix whose scraps of clothes started to lit on fire. The noble of Altdorf fell from pain
and writhe frenetically on the ground in a desperate attempt to put down the flames.
By Grimnir! As soon as his cry was out, Gotrek was thrown in the air by a brutal plunging attack.
Ghorth only had to raise his hand, cast a new spell and let the slayers axe bounce once again on
his protective sphere. He casted a second time the spell that had thrown Gotrek away but with more
power. The dwarf flew through the air before violently land into the ground even further away. Blood
was shedding from several injuries, his skin partially burnt and his nose ring ripped off, hanging from
his ear. He crawled on a few feet to grab his axe, fallen away. But his runes werent gleaming
anymore, as emptied of all their power.
Its not because we are wizards that weve forgotten the works of the Runemasters, Ghorth had
come closer and looked at him in disdain. Your axe seems to contain an exceptional power but its
runes are useless against the descendants of Grungni. Ill study it after your death or before since
yours wont be a fast one. Were not in lack of slaves but its not that usual to have slayers, it could
be entertaining.
Gotrek was unable to move, his limbs not responding anymore, the pain barely tolerable even for
a dwarf. He looked at Felix who wasnt in his best shape. His body seemed to be no more than stains
of smoke and burn. He looked unconscious. A sad end to a combatant who wasnt that bad after all,
for a manling.
The dwarf lord of chaos, conscious of the look full of sorrows of the slayer towards his human ally,
came closer to Felix.
I dont know your name, Slayer, and I dont care. No important or brave warrior takes arm along
a reject like that one, he hurled, pointing at the smoking body of Jaeger. Watch me burn him alive.
Gotrek grunted from rage, gathered the last strengths he had left and started crawling towards
his friend. Slowly, too slowly. Ghorth the Cruel began to cast a spell of fire.
Suddenly a magic wind could be felt in the room. Disturbed by this type of magic flow, the
sorcerer got stunned for a second. Enough time for a strange bubble to appear around Gotrek and
Felix. It darkened, hiding the two fallen intruders from the Ghorths sight.

********************

Is everything ready, servant?
We we have pinpointed-found the terrible dwarf-thing, o almighty master, but but
Stop talking, I have no taste for your stupid thoughts.
The one who interrupted the servant didnt notice at first his state of great fear. He thought it was
natural in his presence. Him, the great and powerful Grey Seer Thanquol. The most illustrious of all
existing skavens, the most renowned and skilled strategist of all Skarogne and the Under Empire.
Nothing, no, nothing could stop him this time. He was finally going to have his long-due revenge,
after all those decades. His enemies were in sight. Thanks to his great control of magic and the large
amounts of Warpstone he swallowed, he could communicate with the assassin master sent to trace
the malefic duo through the lands of the strange-dwarves-thing. He just learned his two nemesis
were about to die. They were vanquished but he could not pass the chance to achieve them himself.
The powerful spell of teleportation he was working on should take him right to the last moment, to
deal the fatal hit. Quick, sneaky, cruel and brilliant, typically skaven. He wasnt the Chosen One of the
Horned Rat for nothing. His plan was perfect, yes perfect. He was exulting from pleasure to the idea
of what he was going to do. But the time for celebration had not come yet. The stench of his servant
still trembling by his side was ruining everything. He was too scared. It made Thanquol curious all of a
sudden.
What is it? Speak, quick ! Quick!
Master o great master, almighty Grey See-
I said quick! the wizard coldly interrupted by scratching the muzzle of his useless companion.
The the spell has functioned-worked, he begin before releasing a scent of fear from his
remaining glands. But we some of the slaves certainly, yes yes certainly slaves, have betrayed
you, master.
Thanquol stare at him intensely, the anger filling his eyes.
How so? Tell me tell me or Ill have you skinned on the spot!
His body quivering head to toe under the threat, the servant couldnt restrain himself any longer.
The teleportation is a success but it hasnt come to the desired-wanted effect. Instead of sending
our troops right before you to clear the way, they came to us, instead, master.
They ? Who came ? Thanquols heart suddenly begin to beat faster. They theyre here?
Dont worry o venerable despot, they appeared right in the middle of our scouts Theyre
trapped.
Stupid! The axe, the malefic axe, does he have it?
Yes master, but one of us pick it up to
Fools! Traitors! Its a plot! the Grey Seer grunted while cutting open the throat of the skaven in
front of him. He was panicked but his great control over his body and years of training allowed him to
avoid any release of fear stench. However, he wasnt controlling anything when he fled screaming as
fast as he could, to get away from the sound of fights just beginning

********************

The bodies of the two intruders of Zharr-Naggrund werent there anymore. After a very brief instant
of surprise, the master of Zharr let those words escape his golden mask: By the Father of Darkness, I
shall find you Slayer and this time you will meet your real doom.



THE END