Yalda welcomed the freed spirits with open arms, and the adventurers were duly thanked for their kindness. Keeping her end of the bargain, Yalda basically confirmed what the wind lords had confessed, and that the image of Archdruid Pterneldan had left Yalda a rather cryptic message behind before vanishing:
One would have to dive deep in order to hear. One would have to drown before they can see.
“Do you understand what this message means, young Master Crossdeep?” Yalda asked.
Saphrit sighed at first, and then he smiled slightly. “An’da loved to speak in riddles when it came to time-sensitive information, Auntie Yalda,” the young dragon paladin replied. “I’m sure that is him talking in that message, and that I will understand what he is trying to tell me about in due time.”
There were nods of understanding all around, and a long moment of pensive silence fell upon the group.
After a while sitting in the contemplative atmosphere, Hollee broke the quiet at last. “What’re we gonna do now?” she asked.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Of Light and Void, chapter 17
---
It hadn’t been more than few days before a small racket was heard treading loudly on the path between Honor Hold’s central keep and the local inn. An ornery tornado of a woman stormed into the inn with much uncouth ceremony, and made a beeline for one of the rooms upstairs.
The door flung open, rudely slamming into the adjacent wall after swinging on its hinges in a graceful arc. It was more than enough of a jarring interruption to make the two men studying their various tomes and scrolls look up with a start at the woman standing in mock triumph in the open doorway, her hands on her hips in an akimbo pose. The woman remained as such for a moment, a wide smirk on her face, only barely acknowledging the mixed expressions on her audience’s faces.
“Good news, guys,” Tuan announced perkily to the Paladin and Priest. “Danath wants me to go inside the Citadel proper, and he’s given me permission to choose whatever aide I want. I hereby rope you two into covering my back while I snoop.”
Theluin and Eleazar only traded considering expressions before the Elf turned back to address the she-rogue. “Well, the Ambassador is currently presenting a sermon at the Temple of Telhamat, and he could stay there for another day or so—”
“Sounds to me like you’re in, Thel,” Tuan interrupted, almost too gleefully. Theluin could only reply with a slight, defeated smile. Satisfied, Tuan then turned her smug face toward the Paladin. “What about you, Lightbulb?”
Eli only looked Tuan in the eye, leaned back in his seat with folded arms, and returned the ornery rogue’s smirk.
“Fel. It’s about time.”
It hadn’t been more than few days before a small racket was heard treading loudly on the path between Honor Hold’s central keep and the local inn. An ornery tornado of a woman stormed into the inn with much uncouth ceremony, and made a beeline for one of the rooms upstairs.
The door flung open, rudely slamming into the adjacent wall after swinging on its hinges in a graceful arc. It was more than enough of a jarring interruption to make the two men studying their various tomes and scrolls look up with a start at the woman standing in mock triumph in the open doorway, her hands on her hips in an akimbo pose. The woman remained as such for a moment, a wide smirk on her face, only barely acknowledging the mixed expressions on her audience’s faces.
“Good news, guys,” Tuan announced perkily to the Paladin and Priest. “Danath wants me to go inside the Citadel proper, and he’s given me permission to choose whatever aide I want. I hereby rope you two into covering my back while I snoop.”
Theluin and Eleazar only traded considering expressions before the Elf turned back to address the she-rogue. “Well, the Ambassador is currently presenting a sermon at the Temple of Telhamat, and he could stay there for another day or so—”
“Sounds to me like you’re in, Thel,” Tuan interrupted, almost too gleefully. Theluin could only reply with a slight, defeated smile. Satisfied, Tuan then turned her smug face toward the Paladin. “What about you, Lightbulb?”
Eli only looked Tuan in the eye, leaned back in his seat with folded arms, and returned the ornery rogue’s smirk.
“Fel. It’s about time.”
Monday, June 20, 2011
Mercurial Twilight: Dragonbound - Chapter 4
The ornate bindings of a freshly summoned wind elemental dropped with a clatter at Saphrit’s feet. It was the remains of just one in an army of agitated wind elementals that had swarmed the Ruins of Auberdine. Grimly, Saphrit collected the elementals bindings scattered around him, pulled his scarf a little further up his face to stall the blinding bite of sudden gusts of wind, and made his way to Auberdine’s moonwell; the only surviving landmark in a town that had been reduced to rubble and splintered wood. At the moonwell, Tuathann and Aaron were waiting, the restless wind bristling the fur on their collective hides.
Aaron had shifted into his Worgen state in an effort to stay warm in the growing chill brought along by the incessant buffets of wind. He had chosen to stand watch for any other elementals that may wander too close to the moonwell while his companions tended to the elemental bindings they collected. It was a simple request on the part of the Sentinel leader back at the refugee camp: thin the ranks of the invading elementals, and dunk their bracers in the soothing waters of the moonwell to undo the shackling magic cast upon them and keep them from returning to the material plane. So far, the elementals weren’t putting up too much of a fight … then again, these were lesser elementals, intended to be summoned in large numbers. Of course, summoning was the only logical way for so many wind elementals to appear all at once and so suddenly. Aaron sensed that Saphrit and Tuathann were coming to that same conclusion – it would only be prudent to find whoever was responsible for this invasion, and soon.
Taking a moment to survey the landscape one last time before turning back to his traveling companions to discuss what their next course of action should be, Aaron sensed a strange wind blowing through the already agitated air. To the unfamiliar, wind was just wind, but to Aaron, this wind moved differently than the angry atmosphere the wind invaders brought with them. Following this strange wind, Aaron turned away from the moonwell again and noticed a lone house still standing amidst the devastation. Standing on the small stone porch of the house were two apparitions, a man and a woman that were both Kaldorei, and they seemed to be engaged in deep conversation. The man turned his hooded head toward Aaron and looked the Worgen in the eye with a wise smile, and after a moment, Aaron recognized the spirit right before it vanished with the wind. The woman’s spirit then turned herself to face Aaron, a patient expression on her face.
“Master Saphrit, Lady Heartglen,” Aaron called out over his shoulder. “I think you should see this.”
Aaron had shifted into his Worgen state in an effort to stay warm in the growing chill brought along by the incessant buffets of wind. He had chosen to stand watch for any other elementals that may wander too close to the moonwell while his companions tended to the elemental bindings they collected. It was a simple request on the part of the Sentinel leader back at the refugee camp: thin the ranks of the invading elementals, and dunk their bracers in the soothing waters of the moonwell to undo the shackling magic cast upon them and keep them from returning to the material plane. So far, the elementals weren’t putting up too much of a fight … then again, these were lesser elementals, intended to be summoned in large numbers. Of course, summoning was the only logical way for so many wind elementals to appear all at once and so suddenly. Aaron sensed that Saphrit and Tuathann were coming to that same conclusion – it would only be prudent to find whoever was responsible for this invasion, and soon.
Taking a moment to survey the landscape one last time before turning back to his traveling companions to discuss what their next course of action should be, Aaron sensed a strange wind blowing through the already agitated air. To the unfamiliar, wind was just wind, but to Aaron, this wind moved differently than the angry atmosphere the wind invaders brought with them. Following this strange wind, Aaron turned away from the moonwell again and noticed a lone house still standing amidst the devastation. Standing on the small stone porch of the house were two apparitions, a man and a woman that were both Kaldorei, and they seemed to be engaged in deep conversation. The man turned his hooded head toward Aaron and looked the Worgen in the eye with a wise smile, and after a moment, Aaron recognized the spirit right before it vanished with the wind. The woman’s spirit then turned herself to face Aaron, a patient expression on her face.
“Master Saphrit, Lady Heartglen,” Aaron called out over his shoulder. “I think you should see this.”
Friday, June 17, 2011
Of Light and Void, chapter 16
---
Danath looked up sharply as the door was flung open with a bang, but recomposed himself easily when the she-rogue came striding through, kicking the door shut behind her.
“Commander Danath, sir,” she greeted only minutely mockingly, throwing a sloppy salute. “I heard you needed to scout out that quaint little Citadel way over there.”
He arched an eyebrow at her. “And I should assign this mission to you because …?”
She stared at him for a moment, and then threw her hands in the air with a tragic face. “Riiight. I forget. You folks been blindsided here for a decade and half. I suppose I shouldn’t expect my reputation to carry through the Dark Portal itself.” She dropped her arms and crossed them, staring matter-of-factly at the Commander.
At this, he actually cracked a faint smile. “I’ve already heard plenty of your little heroics out on the Path earlier.” He indicated with a nod the still-visible ichor stains present on her armour. “That was cold-blooded, merciless, and highly efficient.”
“Why thank you.” She shot him a sly grin.
“And I suppose I could put that to further use, if you absolutely insist.” Even his voice carried an unmistakable smirk.
She regarded him with a different kind of attention now; one that was absolutely professional and brooked no indecision.
He turned to the situation table and rummaged through a few sketchy maps stacked on top. “We need intelligence first and foremost about the Citadel’s outer lines of defence – scouting patrols, surveillance equipment, the guard shifts along the ramparts.” He turned back to her, his gaze unflinching. “Can you do that?”
“All in a day’s work. How fast do you want the intel?”
“As fast as you can manage. We’re on a tight schedule.”
“I’ll be back in two hours. Three if I find anything particularly interesting.”
He nodded. “I’ll hold you to that.”
She smirked back. “Consider it done, Trollbane.”
Danath looked up sharply as the door was flung open with a bang, but recomposed himself easily when the she-rogue came striding through, kicking the door shut behind her.
“Commander Danath, sir,” she greeted only minutely mockingly, throwing a sloppy salute. “I heard you needed to scout out that quaint little Citadel way over there.”
He arched an eyebrow at her. “And I should assign this mission to you because …?”
She stared at him for a moment, and then threw her hands in the air with a tragic face. “Riiight. I forget. You folks been blindsided here for a decade and half. I suppose I shouldn’t expect my reputation to carry through the Dark Portal itself.” She dropped her arms and crossed them, staring matter-of-factly at the Commander.
At this, he actually cracked a faint smile. “I’ve already heard plenty of your little heroics out on the Path earlier.” He indicated with a nod the still-visible ichor stains present on her armour. “That was cold-blooded, merciless, and highly efficient.”
“Why thank you.” She shot him a sly grin.
“And I suppose I could put that to further use, if you absolutely insist.” Even his voice carried an unmistakable smirk.
She regarded him with a different kind of attention now; one that was absolutely professional and brooked no indecision.
He turned to the situation table and rummaged through a few sketchy maps stacked on top. “We need intelligence first and foremost about the Citadel’s outer lines of defence – scouting patrols, surveillance equipment, the guard shifts along the ramparts.” He turned back to her, his gaze unflinching. “Can you do that?”
“All in a day’s work. How fast do you want the intel?”
“As fast as you can manage. We’re on a tight schedule.”
“I’ll be back in two hours. Three if I find anything particularly interesting.”
He nodded. “I’ll hold you to that.”
She smirked back. “Consider it done, Trollbane.”
Monday, June 13, 2011
Mercurial Twilight: Dragonbound - Chapter 3
The padded footfalls of two nightsabers approached the lone camp that had been hastily pitched just a hop, skip, and a jump east from the former town limits of Auberdine. Sounds of shivering, frightened, and injured survivors could be heard from the vicinity of the camp, accompanied by the calm prayers and ministry of the local priests and druids. Thin canvas and linen stretched on splintered wood stood as makeshift tents, sheltering at least four or five survivors that were too injured to run the gauntlet up to Lor’danel, and it was clear that the few healers present had their hands full.
“Heavens …” Aaron whispered under his breath at the sight. “What a sorry mess this is.”
Saphrit, however, was respectfully silent as their borrowed mounts casually walked through the rows of makeshift tents up to the leader of the few sentinels that had chosen to stay behind and care for any and all who managed to escape the ruins of their home.
The sabers stopped and growled to announce their arrival, signalling their passengers to dismount. Saphrit and Aaron did not need to be reminded twice, and passed the reins of the nightsabers to the local handlers stationed near the outskirts of the camp. As they did so, they were met by the sentinel leader, who in turn directed them at the Druid of the Talon and the Priestess of the Moon waiting by the fireside. The two were conversing as Aaron and Saphrit approached, and they could hear snippets of their conversation regarding a suspicious glut of wind elementals infesting the Ruins of Auberdine and the sudden appearance of Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage in Darkshore.
“Heavens …” Aaron whispered under his breath at the sight. “What a sorry mess this is.”
Saphrit, however, was respectfully silent as their borrowed mounts casually walked through the rows of makeshift tents up to the leader of the few sentinels that had chosen to stay behind and care for any and all who managed to escape the ruins of their home.
The sabers stopped and growled to announce their arrival, signalling their passengers to dismount. Saphrit and Aaron did not need to be reminded twice, and passed the reins of the nightsabers to the local handlers stationed near the outskirts of the camp. As they did so, they were met by the sentinel leader, who in turn directed them at the Druid of the Talon and the Priestess of the Moon waiting by the fireside. The two were conversing as Aaron and Saphrit approached, and they could hear snippets of their conversation regarding a suspicious glut of wind elementals infesting the Ruins of Auberdine and the sudden appearance of Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage in Darkshore.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Of Light and Void, chapter 15
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The escorted delegation moved slowly along the Path of Glory, stopping every so often to offer up prayers and words of cleansing to unseen entities and wayward spirits. The armed escorts kept to either side, watching for ambushes and other dangers. The Ambassador and Exarchs rode upon the road itself, the wide, soft-soled feet of their elekks cracking and splintering the brittle remains beneath them. Theluin’s Stormsaber padded along with great care, though it couldn’t keep its powerful claws from scratching against bone every so often, and Eleazar’s and Tuan’s steel-shod chargers broke bones and skulls with every step. It was deeply unnerving to constantly have to listen to the dry crack-and-snap and the following jangle of bone shards cascading down through the gruesome pavement, and the sound spoke volumes of how deeply stacked the skeletal remnants were.
Eli kept a modicum of his attention on Tuan, who had also been allotted a string of prayer beads. She kept absent-mindedly counting them with her thumbnail, staring down at them with unseeing eyes, but at least she was being quiet. Something about her countenance nevertheless drove the Paladin to edge up to her as the Draenei dignitaries gradually progressed along the Path.
She didn’t look up as he pulled alongside, nor did she speak at first. Wise to her currently rather unpredictable temper, Eli chose to remain silent and let her take the initiative, if she would so choose.
She did.
The escorted delegation moved slowly along the Path of Glory, stopping every so often to offer up prayers and words of cleansing to unseen entities and wayward spirits. The armed escorts kept to either side, watching for ambushes and other dangers. The Ambassador and Exarchs rode upon the road itself, the wide, soft-soled feet of their elekks cracking and splintering the brittle remains beneath them. Theluin’s Stormsaber padded along with great care, though it couldn’t keep its powerful claws from scratching against bone every so often, and Eleazar’s and Tuan’s steel-shod chargers broke bones and skulls with every step. It was deeply unnerving to constantly have to listen to the dry crack-and-snap and the following jangle of bone shards cascading down through the gruesome pavement, and the sound spoke volumes of how deeply stacked the skeletal remnants were.
Eli kept a modicum of his attention on Tuan, who had also been allotted a string of prayer beads. She kept absent-mindedly counting them with her thumbnail, staring down at them with unseeing eyes, but at least she was being quiet. Something about her countenance nevertheless drove the Paladin to edge up to her as the Draenei dignitaries gradually progressed along the Path.
She didn’t look up as he pulled alongside, nor did she speak at first. Wise to her currently rather unpredictable temper, Eli chose to remain silent and let her take the initiative, if she would so choose.
She did.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Mercurial Twilight: Dragonbound - Chapter 2
Tuan sat comfortably leaned-back – most others would probably call it ‘precariously’ – on the simple wooden stool, tearing into her spider kabob with idle gusto. Spending a sufficient amount of time acquainted with Kaldorei did have its side effects; while it had been a long and sometimes arduous process, she had eventually learned to appreciate the more … exotic sides of the Night Elven cuisine. No-one could ever claim that the imposing World Tree wasn’t literally crawling with raw material. Using a few of her personal seasoning mixtures did help to take the less wanted edges off the peculiar tang that cooked spider meat inevitably possessed.
She glanced across the table at her luncheon companion – a young human male seemingly in his early twenties, dressed in casual cindercloth trappings, black, lustreless hair tied back in a simple ponytail. He kept picking glumly at his own food, a small bowl of Dragonbreath Chili. The fact that the bowl had almost stopped steaming spoke volumes of his reluctance, and even though he kept his face down, there was no mistaking the intermittent amber flicker in his cinnamon eyes.
Tuan dipped another length of kebab meat into the spiced sauce (her own concoction, naturally) and chowed down on it, shooting the young man another look.
“Come now, Terro,” she chided with her mouth full. “That’s your favourite dish. I can’t have screwed up the seasoning that bad.”
Terrothanes merely mumbled something intelligibly and kept picking at his meal, but his eyes flared briefly with that same, fiery glow. It did not escape the she-rogue’s attention span, and she continued to regard him out of the corner of her eye.
After another few tense minutes, Terrothanes finally let out a heavy sigh, plonking his spoon back into the chili bowl and putting his face in his hands. “I …” he began falteringly. “… I don’t have much appetite right now.”
Under most every other circumstance, the ornery woman never would have let such a statement go without a biting repartee in return, but recent events had rendered that practice a pointless display of small-mindedness. Instead, she simply remained quiet; keeping a discreet but attentive eye on what had effectively become her unofficial protégée over the past number of weeks.
“It’s Deathwing, isn’t it,” she finally ventured in a low voice.
She glanced across the table at her luncheon companion – a young human male seemingly in his early twenties, dressed in casual cindercloth trappings, black, lustreless hair tied back in a simple ponytail. He kept picking glumly at his own food, a small bowl of Dragonbreath Chili. The fact that the bowl had almost stopped steaming spoke volumes of his reluctance, and even though he kept his face down, there was no mistaking the intermittent amber flicker in his cinnamon eyes.
Tuan dipped another length of kebab meat into the spiced sauce (her own concoction, naturally) and chowed down on it, shooting the young man another look.
“Come now, Terro,” she chided with her mouth full. “That’s your favourite dish. I can’t have screwed up the seasoning that bad.”
Terrothanes merely mumbled something intelligibly and kept picking at his meal, but his eyes flared briefly with that same, fiery glow. It did not escape the she-rogue’s attention span, and she continued to regard him out of the corner of her eye.
After another few tense minutes, Terrothanes finally let out a heavy sigh, plonking his spoon back into the chili bowl and putting his face in his hands. “I …” he began falteringly. “… I don’t have much appetite right now.”
Under most every other circumstance, the ornery woman never would have let such a statement go without a biting repartee in return, but recent events had rendered that practice a pointless display of small-mindedness. Instead, she simply remained quiet; keeping a discreet but attentive eye on what had effectively become her unofficial protégée over the past number of weeks.
“It’s Deathwing, isn’t it,” she finally ventured in a low voice.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Of Light and Void, chapter 14
---
--a few hours later--
An inhuman shriek was heard by almost every ear within the battered walls of Honor Hold. Several of the fresher soldiers that the Alliance had installed at the Hold bolted to a rapt and minutely terrified attention in response to the unholy sounds coming from the forward base’s only Inn, trading equally stunned and uneasy expressions amongst each other while voicing mutual shock and morbid curiosity. In contrast, the Hold’s veteran soldiers only gave the inn a cursory glance, muttering about this and that before turning their attentions back to whatever mundane tasks they were attending to prior.
Meanwhile, within a guarded and quarantined room in the inn’s hastily emptied cellar, a Draenei Anchorite sized up the hissing and spitting, demon-possessed mess of a man being barely pinned down by several able soldiers and a considerable amount of rope. All available Paladins and Priests in the Hold had been called to the Anchorite’s aid in preparation for an emergency exorcism, and that included Theluin and Eleazar.
The man being pinned to the floor was Colonel Jules, one of the commanding field officers of the Sons of Lothar. It had been discovered that he had come under the thrall of the Legion when he had attacked the Draenei Ambassador Eleazar and Theluin had been accompanying. Thankfully, the attack had happened in the situation room with Force Commander Trollbane and other ranking officers present. It was Trollbane’s direct command that this possession be dealt with immediately, lest Jules would be lost to the Legion.
--a few hours later--
An inhuman shriek was heard by almost every ear within the battered walls of Honor Hold. Several of the fresher soldiers that the Alliance had installed at the Hold bolted to a rapt and minutely terrified attention in response to the unholy sounds coming from the forward base’s only Inn, trading equally stunned and uneasy expressions amongst each other while voicing mutual shock and morbid curiosity. In contrast, the Hold’s veteran soldiers only gave the inn a cursory glance, muttering about this and that before turning their attentions back to whatever mundane tasks they were attending to prior.
Meanwhile, within a guarded and quarantined room in the inn’s hastily emptied cellar, a Draenei Anchorite sized up the hissing and spitting, demon-possessed mess of a man being barely pinned down by several able soldiers and a considerable amount of rope. All available Paladins and Priests in the Hold had been called to the Anchorite’s aid in preparation for an emergency exorcism, and that included Theluin and Eleazar.
The man being pinned to the floor was Colonel Jules, one of the commanding field officers of the Sons of Lothar. It had been discovered that he had come under the thrall of the Legion when he had attacked the Draenei Ambassador Eleazar and Theluin had been accompanying. Thankfully, the attack had happened in the situation room with Force Commander Trollbane and other ranking officers present. It was Trollbane’s direct command that this possession be dealt with immediately, lest Jules would be lost to the Legion.
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