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It was two days later. Theluin and Eleazar had been summoned earlier that morning by Danath to prepare for a rendezvous with the Draenei Ambassador and his accompanying Exarchs, who had spent the better part of the past week at the Temple of Telhamat in deep meditation and prayer. The journey itself would be little more than a formality – the Night Elf and human, along with any companions they would choose, were to fly across the ravaged peninsula with a small but well-armed escort of gryphon-mounted veterans from the Sons of Lothar, make contact with the dignitaries and accompany them on the remainder of their pilgrimage to Shattrath while the mounted escort would return to the Hold. Their land mounts would arrive a little while later with the Hold’s armoured carriers. Although the recent covert assault on the Citadel had given the Alliance settlement a much appreciated respite in their constant vigilance against Fel Orc ambushes, the Commander wasn’t about to start jeopardizing the safety of his fortifications by devoting too much troops to the Ambassador’s cause.
“Surely thar’s more than one route into th’ interior, Danath sir,” Eleazar had interjected carefully. He had spent most of his time talking with Anchorite Barada and learning the general lay of the land – as accurate as it could be since Draenor had shattered.
“Yes, but the road southwest into Terokkar is too compromized as it is,” Danath had replied with a troubled furrow in his forehead. “The path begins at a former Horde outpost just off the southernmost end of the Citadel’s old ramparts. We’ve been trying to re-secure it for the sake of communication lanes – without much luck. Colonel Jules led the most recent skirmish against the Fel Orcs still occupying the area … and Barada and I have come to the conclusion that it must’ve been during that engagement that Jules attracted the demon that you helped exorcise.” The aging commander had turned his face away slightly, narrowing his eyes and gripping his sword hilt tightly as his voice had turned dark. “Or was deliberately implanted.”
Danath had recomposed himself with a visible effort, turning back to the Priest and Paladin before him. “I hope you understand that I’d really not want to risk a repeat of the Path of Glory. Barada himself has recommended that his kinsmen proceed directly west from Telhamat. From there, there shouldn’t be anything worse than you and your spirited young ladyfriend can handle.” Danath had cracked a slight smile at the last sentence, and Theluin and Eleazar had smiled in kind, before being dismissed. They had both taken to side-stepping most mentions of the three-man raid’s last member – who had managed to stay ostensibly out of sight since the debriefing with Trollbane following their tumultuous recon into the Citadel.
