The Trial of Garrosh Hellscream

-“Leaders of Azeroth! Before you stands the Defiler of the Vale, the Devastator of Theramore, the Sha-bringer, before you stands Garrosh Hellscream.”, Taran Zhu announced.

I knew why he read the titles. Every title, was a reminder. A reminder of Garrosh’s crimes, a reminder of the atrocities he had committed, of the chaos and hatred he inspired and every single person in the room, cringed at the memory of the destruction brought upon Pandaria and Azeroth by this orc. Vol’jin of the Darkspears, Jaina Proudmore of Theramore, Varian Wrynn of Stormwind, Baine Bloodhoof of Thunder Bluff, Lor’thermar Theron of Silvermoon City, the Dwarven Council, Lady Sylvanas Windrunner of Undercity, Tyrande Whisperwind of Darnassus, all of the leaders of Azeroth were present, and all of them stood silent while Garrosh was brought in the arena, chain bound, beaten, defeated.

I watched with them, observed the orc I had helped bring down, the orc that had costed me, my family and my friends so much. The orc that I had vowed to follow as a warchief. The orc that had killed, in what was called an “accident” my leader and mentor, Cairne. The orc that had taken every vow and sacred oath the Horde and twisted to serve his own purpose. The orc that had no compassion for the weaker, that refused to protect the unprotected. The orc that had brought us so close to the end, closer than Deathwing, Arthas  or the Burning Legion ever did. I know, I was there. I stood and I watched and my blood boiled. Ancestors raged within me, screaming, shouting, and demanding revenge. I watched and my blood boiled.

His steps were heavy, slow, defeated. He was guarded by the Shado-pan, all the way to the middle of the arena. Every pair of eyes was fixed upon him. He dared not look up. Or so I thought...

-“Garrosh Hellscream. You stand accused of the murders of thousands, of bringing war into a peaceful land, of awakening the Sha, of bringing destruction to old and new. You stand accused of betrayal to the Horde and the Alliance…”

At this point Garrosh muttered something that no one in the arena could make out. I realised I had this unsettling feeling, this feeling that something was out of place, much like when you’re walking into an ambush, but I let it slide, I convinced myself it was nothing other than the sight of Garrosh causing it.

-“…finally you stand accused of war crimes. What say you?”

There was no reply, only a subtle, almost unnoticeable shift in Garrosh’s pose. His shoulders were shaking, his head was low staring at the floor in front of him.

-“What say you?”

Laughter. He was laughing. He raised is head and looked straight into Taran Zhu’s eyes.

-“I say no crimes were comitted. Betrayal of the HORDE?! The weaklings that DARE call themselves Horde have no honour to be betrayed, they have nothing, the scums that dared not kill me but captured me instead! And the alliance?! DOGS! As for you pandaren, I was wrong about you. I thought you might be worthy of joining the glorious TRUE Horde, but I was wrong, you are nothing more than old fools, too set in their ways to see where the world is headed and change it. A man, should not be standing accused of any crimes, when the victim is worthy of the punishment…much less an orc. And don’t you doubt pandaren, all of those that died before me, were worthy of their fate.”

I realized I was gripping my staff, I was holding my breath in, and I was on the edge of my seat. I looked around, and the picture was much the same. Everyone was barely containing themselves not to thrust a spear at Garrosh, or cast a spell at him. And then I saw Thrall. The one that had chosen Garrosh as his successor, as the Warchief of the Horde. I saw Thrall, looking at Garrosh, a disturbing look in his face that I first thought was hatred, for the man that had betrayed his trust and faith, but then he spoke and I realized what it truly was.

-“HOW DARE YOU!? How dare you suggest that the thousands of people you MURDERED were deserving of their fate?! Children died in Theramore, and you killed your own blood in Sen’jin village. How dare you even think that you were justified? You did not dream of a better or a true Horde Garrosh. All you dreamt of was, nothing more than the failings of a mind eaten by hatred, blinded by alleged purity and purpose.” Thrall said.

He was now looking at Garrosh with that look on his face. Then I realized, the look, it was not hatred, it was disappointment.

-“You…Garr…You failed me. I though you better than me, than this. I was wrong. You failed me. You failed the Horde. You failed your ancestors. You failed yourself.”

At this point Taran Zhu rose from his seat and addressed the other judges.

-“Those of you who vote guilty, raise your hand”

As expected all of them raised their hands.

-“What punishment are you capable of giving me? Will you torture me? Will you act on me with the same actions you accuse me of? The irony suits you pandaren.” Garrosh said.

-“No orc. From now on, and for 300 years, your name will be erased, your name will be forgotten and sealed away, until a generation much later than this one, can read what you did and how you were judged. Until then, this is the last time your name will be spoke or written or referred to. You will not have your glory in anyway orc. You will die imprisoned, and buried in the land you destroyed. The Vale shall have your body, for your spirit is unwelcome here. Nameless, honourless, forgotten you will perish, and none shall remember you, until what you have broken is repaired, until what you have destroyed has been rebuild. That is your punishment, Garrosh Hellscream.”, Taran Zhu replied.

As the orc heard the words come out of Taran Zhu’s moth he realized his punishment, he realized he was being stripped out of what he held more dearly, than even his dream of a true Horde. He was being stripped of his pride, his name, his legacy, he was being stripped of who he thought he was. But I saw his eyes. He would not give up that easily.

With a quick shove, he through his left guard of balance and swept his foot under the guard on his right. Without stopping, he charged towards Taran Zhu, his hands reaching for the Shado-pan Lord’s neck. Thrall was faster. A lightning came down crushing on Garrosh, lifting him from the ground and then smashing him down on the floor. The earth cracked and moved, shifting to form an elemental of the earth, bound to Thrall’s will, that held the orc down.

Taran Zhu then looked at Thrall, nodded and turned to the orc held by the elemental.

-“You will not have your warrior’s death, orc. Take him away, lock him up and forget about him.”