The Rogue Gang. Episode 1: Night at the Drunken Toolbox
Everyone tells me that rogues were nothing. That they were just immoral creatures with no other aspiration than to commit crime. Preachers and anchorites of the Light will tell people to watch out for rogues and report them. When I was a kid, my momma used to tell me that it was a bunch of rogues who spread the Plague of Undeath in Lordaeron and caused the Scourge. That they have only filth and disease to share. That an evil force owns them. Growing up, I used to fear rogues. When I was eight years old I saw a human priest from the Alliance killed by a rogue.
It happened in the blink of an eye. The priest was talking to a group when out of nowhere the sleek dark shape literally jumped out of thin air, and slashed his neck, cutting his head clean off. There was a flash, and the rogue was gone again. It was if it teleported and teleported away again.
Later that night, a group of Blood Elves came to Ratchet. They were from Quel'Thalas. They wanted all other blood elves to go with them back there. A Blood Elf Death Knight and his army were also in town, hunting down other blood elves. My dad told me to hide in the attic so they wouldn't find me. I thought it was a practice thing because I'm no blood elf. I'm no pointy-eared arcane-smelling freak.
That night when I hid in the attic, I still heard screams and agony, along with slashing and smashing. I heard the whoosh and bang of their frost touch, but then all of a sudden I heard a million screams and all at once everything was quiet. I crept downstairs and found my friends' bodies gutted out and blood pouring all over the bed they were in. I felt a presence in the room but there was no one else here.
The Blood Elves were all slain. Their bodies strewn on the street and in the inn. The Death Knights were dead too.
"Rogues! GET THEM!" screamed the Bruisers. I went to the window and looked outside and saw one of the rogues on the rooftop across the street. The Bruisers all aimed their guns at him and fired at him. He instantly faded into nothingness.
I went back to my room and found a box on my bed. In it was a necklace and a piece of paper. I knew a Rogue left it, and I didn't want it. My friends were dead, how could I accept their friendliness? My friends saved me from the Blood Elves (they were after me, I never knew why) many times. Why did the Earth Mother have to let them die? Grandmother Plainswalker had told me before that not all forces are the Earthmother's to control.
People try to tell me that rogues are nice, and up until now, I laughed my ass off. Now, I don't think its so funny...
Ratchet
The small port city of Ratchet was the only major port in Kalimdor. Even though the Barrens was clearly Horde territory, the Alliance was permitted to operate business here as long as they got along with the Steamwheedle Cartel and didn't cause any problems.
There was a popular bar in town that served all kinds of weird drinks from Azeroth and beyond. "The Drunken Toolbox" was the title of the place.
"Sparky" or Spark, as she preferred to be called, frequented this place often after work, not for the booze but to play pool, cards, throw darts or watch the game.
The game on TV or radio being a BG fight between Alliance and Horde competitors. Rogues were forbidden to participate.
Spark was a young girl, and and an apprentice warlock. Today she took and passed a major test, and now she learned how to summon a voidwalker (big blue demon that looks like giant raindrop with a pointy face). So now she would bring her voidy to the pub to keep all the creepy guys away.
She was not a Tauren, nor was she undead, nor was she an orc, nor a troll, but a human...sort of. She says she's human, and denies that she's not sure of that. Her hair was brown and her eyes were human blue, not arcane blue like a Blood Elf's. But she did remember a time when she was a child and a bunch of kids attacked her, pinned her down and hacked off her ears at Christmas time in Stormwind... they told her they were diseased, and she only hated them for taking pleasure in it, but overall, Spark didn't care.
"I don't like this place..." the Voidy hissed as they walked down the street towards the pub.
"Your point?" Spark retorted.
The voidy sulked as they got to the door. Before Spark pushed it open and walked in, she said, "Cmon, relax, Zag'garth. I'm sure you will meet a nice lady voidwalker who you can chill with whenever you are in the Nether, or wherever it is you are when I summon you. I'm bored, I'll even point one out for you."
The voidy grunted, and pointed to the fruit stand next to the bar.
"Strawberries..." he hissed.
"Fine," Sparky said as she walked over to the fruit stand, Out of all the voidwalkers, Grol'dar gave her the one that gobbled up food more than a fat greedy glutton did.
"Hey! You know the rules, kid!" the Bruiser at the pub door barked.
"Place all weapons in the rack here!"
Spark took out her staff and wand and placed them on the staff rack. It was bound to her soul and would give a 500 volt electric shock to anyone who tried to steal it. The Bruisers watching the gear were keeping a lookout for any sneaky dis-enchanters.
Chirpy piano music was playing in the background as she entered the crowded bar. Everyone was watching the huge flat-screen TV behind the bar, Another foreign image projecting device that baffled even the country's smartest engineers).
The Alliance is winning, and we've just eight minutes to go this game, folks. Can the Horde tie it up? Can they break through their defenses and take Wintergrasp Fortress?"
Spark and the voidy took a seat at the bar and watch the TV.
"What'll it be kid? Thunder Ale? Shot of Pinot? What about some Brightsong Wine?"
"You have Braxley's?" Spark asked.
"Comin' right up, kid," the goblin bar tender said before barking orders to his workers. "And what'll it be for your voidwalker?"
"He want's vodka. The 90% shit." Spark said, slapping 50 silver on the counter. The goblin laughed, "He'll be wasted, you'll have to drag him home."
"Nah, he converts it all to mana," Spark.
"Okay, one bottle coming up."
"And this is it folks! The Horde has broken through the first wall and they are storming the place! Hunter down! OH SNAP! Some warrior has just had his ass handed to him by a priest! Bunch of Allies have just been trampled by the siege engines, they'll be back, folks!"
Everyone in the bar cheered. This was a Horde bar and even Alliance people here cheered for the Horde team...because they always found the Alliance PVPers to be real rude arrogant assholes and loved to see them stripped of their egoes by the mighty (and humble) Horde. In Alliance bars, Horde spectators would just laugh at how hard their team got owned. In neutral bars, like in a Steamwheedle town (except Ratchet), people placed bets.
"30 seconds to go and now the Horde has just broken the inner wall...oh this is gonna be tight folks. Alliance seige engines are approaching the outer gate. The Allies are scrambling to keep their hold on WG, folks..."
"Oooooh!" some Humans cringed as they watched a draeni paladin get his head smashed open by a warrior's axe. "That guy had it coming, he had it coming!"
"Damn blueberries."
"That pally be a gank squad captain," a Troll said.
"Yeah our boys arent the best of sports."
Spark had to explain to her voidy about the show and he nodded, while pounding back the 90% vodka.
"OMG! We are less than 15 seconds! OH ### THe Horde has just smashed the main gate and they are plouging through! The time limit has been upped to five minutes as the Horde and Alliance are battling it out for ownership of Wintergrasp! And This time, folks, no one in the Alliance has yet left their raid groups, they are getting down and dirty this time, folks!"
"FOR THE HORDE!" An orc shouted, and everyone started cheering.
"Do it!"
"Kill them all!"
"Cmon Cmon Cmon! Take it Take iT Take it!"
"Wow! That night elf just got gang raped!"
"Done like dinner!"
"Hahaha!
"She always was a raging whore," a gnome piped about the night elf.
"How would you know, little mon?"
"I saw her in the smut magazines in Kazun last week."
The troll laughed out loud.
"Oh, this is it folks 10 seconds and the Alliance still has ownership of WG...The Horde has won the fight! Wintergrasp is now in ownership of the Horde!"
Everyone jumped up and started screaming and cheering. The few humans, and Dwarves laughed at how their own got owned. and they left first.
"For the Horde! For the Horde! For the Horde!"
It was party central and then things died down and people started to clear out.
Spark got up to leave, but someone stopped her at the door. She looked up and saw it was a drunk Blood Elf paladin. Judging by his gear he looked like he had Level 80 Skill Certification. She was nervous now as this drunk Blood Elf man was trying to corner her.
"Hey sweet thing, how are you this fine evening?" he said.
"..."
"Why don't you go away..." The voidy hissed as he rushed to defend his master.
"Hey! I'm not talking to you, demon wretch! Beat it!"
"I am not interested, and I am leaving now." Spark said, moving for the door, but the pally cornered her again. He had bright blonde hair, sharp pointy ears, blue eyes, plastic smile and a giant ass chin. He was huge and muscular. If he tried anything, Spark was no match for him.
"So, I got nothing else to do tonight, what say you and me head up to my place and get close, eh?"
"Seriously man, fuck off, I am not interested." Spark snapped. She looked at the short green skinned goblinBruisers desperately but they just stared back. They always watched things like this for their entertainment. She looked outside and saw a group of blood elf emissaries walk by followed by some magi and warriors. Looking for blood elves to round up.
"Come on, doll, you look very beautiful and I think I'm in love with you."
"No you're not you're just piss drunk...and your arcane stench is gonna make me puke. Want me to vomit all over your epic gear?"
Then the pally got pissed and nearly shouted, "If you do that, I'll beat you harder than I beat my unruly wife!"
The voidy jumped in his face, pointed a finger and said, "You are prohibited here. Leave now!"
Sparky took her chance, threw her hood over her head (Blood Elves outside) and bolted around the paladin while he was distracted and dashed out the door. She heard a loud snap of magic as trhe paladin destroyed the voidwalker.
Spark ran like hell-
The paladin was already outside and grabbed her by the hood and pulled her back violently. He pressed her up against the wall with an evil rapist smile, and leaned in close.
Why the hell aren't the Bruisers doing anything? she thought.
Sparky banged her forehead against his face, startling him, but he grabbed her by the throat and slammed her back against the wall.
She wanted to yell and scream but didn't want to attract the attention of the other Blood Elves around here.
Why won't they come stop this meathead?
With his other hand, the pally touched her face, and forced her to look up.
"You got a beautiful face, doll, and you must have a gorgeous body under those clothes, am I Right.
"It's not for you!" she snarled then he squeezed her neck.
"Oh yes it is! I'm a paladin! A man of the Sun! I weild the Light! I am NOT someone who you can just say no to! Got that, my little doll?"
"You're very poorly trained and disobedient. I'd have to have to teach you some lessons the hard way, why not relax and submit to me? so come quietly, and we'll have ourselves a wild night!"
Feeling really powerless and intimidated, Spark felt tears streaming out of her eyes. "Fuck you, man," she cried. "Fuck all you mangy blood elves!"
The paladin then reached back and chopped her in the face. Stunned by the blow, Spark fell back and slammed into a barrel. Spark touched her mouth where he had hit her and saw blood on her finger. As she got up, the paladin grabbed her by the throat and pressed her up against the wall, and placed his hand on her chest, and said sweetly, "You're gonna be the one who's getting fucked tonight, doll, and after I'm done I'll have railed that behavioral problem right out of you and you will be trained and obedient like you should be. Oh, and I noticed that your voice is much like a Sin'dorei's. You're not even human, are you?"
"Yes...I...am..."
"Where are your ears?"
Spark wanted so badly to kick this guy in the nuts, then whip out her dagger and gouge his eyes out, but he was wearing plate, and he had her arms pinned up against her chest, his force pinning her to the wall. The pally ran his hand through her hair.
"Smells nice, doll," he said before his fingers hit her ears- where they had been cut down to.
He smiled. "You're secret's out, girlie. I know you're a sin'dorei. I can turn you in. You'll be incinerated or made into a slave by the Sin'Death Army. Their death knights are in town. Or come with me and maybe I won't blow your secret, how does it sound, doll?" he whispered in her ear.
"Guards! Help me! He's going to~"
The paladin clamped her mouth tightly, and threatened to crush her jaw with his hand.
Up above, a Goblin Bruiser woman heard her scream and blew her horn, sounding the alarm. Then she jumped down, gun up, running towards the scream came from.
"Not happening tonight!" she said before rounding the corner and pointing her gun at the paladin who had a smaller woman up against the wall.
"Allright, pal, get your hands off the girl and back away, now!"
The blood elf paladin turned to look at the Bruiser. "Move along, lady, nothing for you to see here. Just my baby feeling a little restless."
"I don't give two nuts and a bolt if she's restless, you get away from her now!"
More bruisers showed up.
The group of Blood Elf officials looked at them.
"By the Sunwell!" one of them swore, seeing her boyfriend there.
"I'll take you all!" he shouted, freezing Spark with devine intervention as he pulled out his giant mace and swung it at the Goblins. They opened fire but their bullets bounced off his armor. He hit one, smashing his head in with a swift violent swing. Others threw nets but he cast bubble and chased after them, throwing spells and arcane at them. They all dropped dead.
Picking Spark up like a statue, the paladin started walking, and didn't see-
He and Spark were hit by a high voltage arcane torrent. He stumbled and dropped Spark. She hit the ground at his feet, started choking and puked, and was so weak she couldn't get up.
The paladin swing around and saw-
"Kelsan, you disgusting fiend!" shouted Braeila, his girlfriend, level 80 mage and member of the Blood Elf guard.
Kelsan, the drunken paladin had felt like he had just been tasered, and could hardly keep his balance. The arcane torrent caused the alcohol in his system to electrocute him more.
Braeila started shouting at him in Thalassian as the other Blood Elves looked on.
"Shut up you harpy-voiced bitch! Sun you are so annoying!"
Infuriated and enraged, she threw a frostbolt at him, and then arcane missiles while screaming at him the whole time. Her fellow guards kept zapping him with arcane torrents and sapped the mana in his body, making unable to fight back. He coughed and gagged.
"Get him out of there," the captain barked.
After blasting him some more, and rendering him unable to even stand, Braeila pulled a hearthstone out of her backpack pulled off the magic wrapper, pressed the symbols on it and placed it on him.
The hearthstone glowed and started humming.
"I'll deal with you when I get home, she snarled.
Before the paladin could grunt, there was a bright flash and he disappeared.
Spark struggled to her feet, using her staff for support. She gagged and puked again. Arcane sickness was a bitch, even to a warlock. She was so dizzy and it was almost impossible to keep her balance.
"Well, now," she heard the blood elf woman say, "Who do we have here?"
"I'm not a blood elf!" Spark cried, "Leave me alone!"
They looked at eachother, and they knew just by the sound of her voice. They assumed she chopped off her own ears.
"I don't think so," Braeila snapped, grabbed Spark, turning her around. "I KNOW you are one of us, and even if you try to hide, we will always find you traitors!" she said. "Surrender now, and we won't kill you. You outborns have obviously never been Quel'thalas, so you still have a chance to rejoin your brethren."
"Or," Braela continued, "Snowie, here, our champion of the Sin'Death Army here would be more than happy to reduce you to an undead elf, and add you to our slave collection. Or she may just sell you as a house pet."
The Death Knight stared at Spark.
"No...please..." she cried.
"I'm glad you see my way," Braeila said taking out a new hearth stone and pressed against Spark, and activated it. It glowed and started to hum.
"Oh, and about Kelsan, our relationship is quite strained on his fault, and he finds it easier to go after weak women, Don't take hard feelings, he will be disciplined."
The hearthstone started beeping and just as it was about to flash-
The hearthstone exploded and shattered.
"What the fel?" Braeila snapped, looking up but saw nothing.
Suddenly her neck exploded and blood spewed out of her neck, splashing all over Spark. The blood turned to a nasty smelling black slick as it was exposed to the air. The smell of the arcane flesh sickening Spark even more.
Braeila's head was cut clean off and the body hit the ground, and lo and behold Spark stood there shaking with fear into the eyes of the menacing Rogue that just slashed her head off.
"D-D-Don't kill me please..."
The other Blood Elves were slashed in the same way and dropped dead before they could react. The rogues vanished and disappeared into the night. This rogue, however didn't stealth. He looked at Spark, grabbed her by the arm, and ran off, pulling her with him. When they reached the docks, the rogue jumped into the water, pulling Spark with him.
Scared of drowning, Spark cast unending breath on herself to she could breathe underwater.
The rogue's stealth that hid them faded and he swam quickly, pulling her with him.
The thick trees lined the harbor and coast. The bright moon lit up the night. The rogue pulled Spark onto dry land. She was tired from trying to swim, now terrified of the rogue killing her. She was out of mana after being tasered with that arcane torrent by that Blood Elf bitch.
The rogue was clad in black, and hard to see. A hood or helmet covered his face. He was sleek and tall about 5 inches taller than Spark.
The rogue looked closely at Spark, said in a female voice,
"Relax, you are safe now. You should know that her blood would have made you really sick. That's what the bath was for."
"Thanks but, why not just kill me?"
The rogue looked stunned by the question and removed her mask. She was a Blood Elf, had a sleek beautiful face and long purple hair. Her eyes did not glow like that paladin's.
Spark had trouble recognizing her.
"I don't think I know you..."
"Of course. I left when you were a just a child. I know you, Spark. I'm your sister. I kept a watch over you all these years when I had nothing else to do. And your anti-rogue sentiment made it impossible for us to meet much earlier. Not all rogues are bad, those who do seem bad are just getting their revenge and settling old scores. As you can see, a rogue saved your life. I wanted to kill that paladin myself, but they are higher up on the food chain. His ex did my job for me. IF you had been teleported to the Blood Elf kingdom, you would have been killed for having your ears cut off, and like that bitch said, you would have been made into a mindless undead slave. So, you should not fear and despise us. I see to it that no other rogue harms you, but we keep a sharp watch out for those who we care about."
"Thanks..."
"You're welcome." the rogue said as she started walking off.
"Hey, wait, if you're my sister, then what's your name?"
"That's on a need-to-know basis, Spark. We're your friends and we will always watch out for you. So don't hate us, and keep the hell away from those hate groups. I'd hate to have to see you as an enemy. Understand?"
Spark nodded.
"Good. Oh, by the way, congratulations on getting a Voidwalker. I've seen too many warlocks killed in that test. Good night, Spark."
"Wait,"
"What now?" the rogue sighed in frustration.
"One night, I saw rogues kill a bunch of people. They killed my parents too- and-"
"Yes, I know. They had joined a rogue hunting organisation, and my death was on their to-do list. They had used my trust and lead hunters to thousands of their victims. They deserved what you got, and I'm sorry you had to see the gore."
"...oh."
"At least you made it back to ThunderBluff then. Grandmother Plainswalker's an awesome Tauren elder. Too bad she allowed those humans to adopt us. I made sure no blood elf stopped you from getting back home."
"Okay..." Spark said, trying not to cry. She had too many questions, but said, "One thing before you go...did you leave that lockbox on my bed that night?"
"Yes-"
"I didn't open it because-"
"Relax, I didn't expect you to open it that night. So go ahead open it if you still have it. I made that present for you. When you can you will figure it out, Spark, and I trust you will use it with good intent. Now if you will excuse me, I'm leaving. The Bruisers will be here any minute. Go ahead tell them I was going to kill them. They won't find me even if you point them my direction. And don't follow me, got that? Rogues hate being followed and we tend to lash out.
Spark, teary eyed, nodded.
"Good night," the rogue called before vanishing into the night. In minutes the goblin Bruisers showed up.
"Hey!" one of them snapped.
"Where'd it go?"
"Th-th-that way, sir."
Later that night, Spark made it back to her apartment. She found the box, now covered in dust, and opened it. There was a medallion encrusted with the Horde symbol on the front but on the back it was cut, and fused with gems, symbols, and lines. She thought it was some kind of map. With it was a note and she read it.
Spark:
By the time you open this, know that we rogues have spared you from harm, and use by your enemies. Gustav and Axley have become members of Lion's Redemption, the Alliance's new agency dedicated to exterminating all that the Alliance Humans despise. They won't dare start another war with the Horde, but they will covertly operate with the destruction of anything that rich executive humans in Stormwind don't like, and we Rogues and everything we are a part of is number one on their hit list. I will not explain the necklace you hold in your hands except that I crafted it just for you and I want you to keep it with you always. In time you will figure out what it really is meant for and that you will do so with the good in you. In the future when the necklace brings us together again, I will be more than happy to spend time with you. That hint is all you will get from me. You now know better than to close your mind and follow the wave of hatred that others have cast upon us. They maintain it, and we would not be hunted without them.
Until then I wish you the best of luck in your life and we will always watch over you.
Peace.
PS Destroy this letter when you are done reading it.
Spark threw the paper in the fireplace and watched it burn. She sat on her bed examining the necklace, with a storm of mixed feelings. One thing she never liked about rogues was how they planned out moments like this, using people's emotions and potential actions and inaction. But, she assured herself, at least they won't try to rob or kill her now...Spark hoped.
Hope you liked it.
