Taekharr Sombria was walking down the vast and long hallway. She was turning around from time to time and tried to move quietly, not to disturb the silence of the purple-lit corridor. Her keen hearing could catch faint sounds of the Bastion living it's own life. Lava was bubbling somewhere, and cracking of the Twilight flames could be heard. The halforc, now dragon, suddenly realized that the flames never went out. It was something that she didn't notice before. She was half-sneaking past some passage branching from the main hallway when an unexpected surprise in the form of something really heavy and joyful crashed into her with a triumphant roar:
- Hor-r-rns, you'r-re ba-a-ack! Grrm! - Shikari's metallic voice sounded too close to Taekharr's ear, making it die a little.
The Worgen Ascendantess let go of Ortheka and levitated in mid-air, drilling the Halforc with fiery-purple eyes.
- You've changed, you know? You smell...different. Come on, tell me, what happened to you? I thought you were dead...I mean, fully dead...
Ortheka shook her head, trying to recover from Shikari's truly elementium hugs.
- Oh well...Long story. In two words, I'm not the Horns you knew. I'm not a sod troubled by voices in her head anymore.

The dragon in halforcen's guise straightened her back, a move that former Ortheka was afraid to make out of fear that her undead body would fall apart. Standing that way, she was a head taller than her previous incarnation, almost reaching Shikari's chest. Said worgen grumbled something and tilted her head to the side. Her eyes were convinced that it was Taekharr before her, however, sense of smell thought otherwise. The smell and the feel were almost the same, but they missed the oppressive feeling of death...

- Lets go put our asses somewhere then? - Shikari broke the silence, - I just feel that you certainly have something to tell. And, probably, show, - She let out a hyena-like chuckle, - I'm sorry to inform you, though, that I didn't break the gates to Master's throne room. I've no blasted idea how did they seal themselves inside. I sense that there is something in there, but can't get through. Well, at least I learned to navigate 'round the place...
That last statement was followed by another burst of hyenic laughter.

- Some things never change... - Ortheka shrugged and smiled lightly. She was glad to see Shikari. The worgen was her loyal and close friend.

Chatting idly, they reached some empty hall. Probably in the past, when Bastion was not abandoned, this hall was used for sacrifices or Cult meetings. Now only silence inhabited it and wayward breeze touched torn banners that adorned the walls with the Twilight's Hammer mark.
Looking around, Ortheka climbed onto the bench and sat cross-legged there while Shikari claimed the table, settled down there and let out a storm of questions and joking accusations.
- Just...What the...Where in Azeroth the Faceless ones took you?! What the f-
the worgen Ascendant was cut off when Ortheka raised her hands in a silencing motion, asking Shikari to listen. Then, she began her tale, right up from the moment she left the Bastion, following her trek through the autumn nastiness of Loch Modan up to the meeting with the wounded dragon. After that the tale led it's single listener into the desert and ash-ridden plains of Burning Steppes. And from there - into the dwarven fortress and the warlock's soulstone, ending up in a dragon's body.
- ... And now I'm not quite sure... Maybe I was a dragon for all my life and Ortheka was just a dream...A long and sad dream...Anyway, I have Taekharr Ortheka's memories. And I came back to fulfill my promises.

Shikari didn't answer: she was too busy collecting her lower jaw from the floor. After several seconds she finally managed:
- Y-ya don't say! Show me, or it's a lie! I won't believe ya until you turn into a dragon! - Shekari shook her head, ears and dreads jumping all around.

Ortheka glanced around, compering the size of the hall with her own size in dragon form. The result was good - this hall had enough space for her.
- You asked for it. Stand aside now!
Taekharr stepped back herself, changing rapidly: the horns became longer and shinier, the hair merged into plates on her head, she herself fell to all fours, growing and black wings sprouted from her back while the clothing became scales. Soon a small black-purple dragoness was standing before Shikari drilling the latter with her stare.

- What about believing me now? - The voice was lower, but still same.

- Ok-ok, - Shikari stepped back, just in case, - Don't eat me. Elementium is not something you dragons would like to try.
- Calm down, i'm not going to. Had enough of that stuff already. - The dragoness waited a bit and slowly transformed back into mortal form.

- Thanks, - Shikari grumbled, - you're not the only one with surprises and transformations though, - saying that, the Ascendant stepped back and after a blindingly swift change the worgen was no more. Instead, an unnaturally pale woman stood in the werewolf's place. She had a wild hairstyle, sharing dreads with her worgen form. Also her burning purple eyes and tattoos were transferred to near-human form.
- Got it, horns? - and she sneered.