A/N: Healy and Slash are based off my friends, Healyboo on Undermine and Slashftw on Haomarush.
Chapter 4
Ragura and Slash, Nymph of the Tundra and Mage of the Forsaken
Healy and I mounted our way to Borean Tundra, the undergrowth of Coldarra, and decided to stop at a Cenarion Druid encampment, home to D.E.H.T.A., to re-supply and hopefully make a friend or two. I chatted quickly with the quartermaster and learned that the Dryad Nymph had a sister who had a knack for getting in trouble, and by some miracle getting out of it; just what we were looking for. "Her name is Ragura, and she's probably doing something for Lathorius, the Arch Druid of the organization. Go over and ask him what she's up to, if he even knows." The dryad chuckled at her sister's misfortune, but I knew she'd be a valuable ally. "Thank you." When I started to walk over, a nymph ran into the clearing from the west, appearing near the Arch Druid. "Hello, are you Ragura?" The creature quickly turned her head towards me, wary that someone called her name. "Yes, who are you?" "My name is Bakthar, and your sister has informed me about your exploits. I am currently recruiting for a small group to go in and disrupt Malygos' crusade, and I would like to ask you to join us." "Remulos did mention something to The Dryad about Malygos, and he was mercilessly ending the use of magic. I will commune with Elune, and she what she wills." "Very well then. Do what you wish Ragura." She stood still and meditated, humming slightly. "Elune wishes me to and I shall join you Bakthar Rommath." "Elune is wise to add you to my small army." "I agree." We then geared up and got ready to move out; inching closer and closer to Coldarra.
Healy voiced heavy concern for Ragura when we reached the outskirts of Valiance Keep, "Bakthar, please let Ragura rest, her feet must be killing her." "Healy, she's been running around like this for a few thousand years, I think she's less worse for wear then our mounts." "I'm really alright Healy, as Bakthar mentioned I've lived like this for 3,000 years." A ragged voice joined the conversation, "You know they're right human. But what do I know? I'm dead!" We turned to see a figure in a bright blue robe and a brown hood; signatures of a Forsaken Archmage. "UNDEAD! Explain yourself, scum!" "Hush Ragura, we don't need to wake the king all the way in Stormwind. He's of the Forsaken; an organization of undead under the banner of the Horde." The mage laughed, and replied, "Correct, Bakthar you said? Wait… are you?" "No I'm not the grand magister; I am his older brother, and a Death Knight of Acherus." "Interesting… My nickname back in the Mage Quarter is Slash, for my sharp tongue and my even sharper skill as a mage. My my, what a rag-tag group you have going." Healy snickered, replying, "You can say that again." I could sense his power and decided to try to get him to join. "Slash, would you like to come with us?" He seemed wary, "Where exactly are we going?" "Coldarra; Malygos' front door." "You intend to face Malygos head on? Don't think I want to die, again." Healy, very aware of what I was up to, joined in, "You know, Malygos has more than a few artifacts that have more magical power than you do, and if we can defeat him, they'll be split amongst us, but I guess you don't want to come with us. Oh well, more for me and Bakthar." "Wait wait wait. I'll come with you, on one condition; I get to go home after this is done." "Deal, now lets move, Keristrasza is expecting us."
Chapter 5
The Snake's Box, Shaking It Up
We arrived at a landmark in Borean Tundra called Amber Ledge, home to some recent construction of a magus tower. The dragon there granted us passage to Coldarra, and a protected area known as the Transitus Shield; Ragura stayed behind to mingle with the magus' and learn what she could, while she waited for a teleportation. Slash went on some recon of the area by flying over with his wyvern, while Healy and I talked to the battlemages stationed there. There, we also met the red dragonflight commander, Keristrasza. "Welcome Bakthar, Alexstrasza had informed me you were coming." "She had informed me that you are planning the assassination of his consort. Is this still the plan?" "Yes, we were waiting on your arrival before we struck. The time is now, Death Knight! Meet me outside the shield, and I will teleport you to the place of her demise. We will lure her with magic crystals, as she is a glutton of magic." "I will call Slash down, and we will begin the assassination." "Ready yourselves; for this is something that we might regret."
We were teleported to the surge needle where we planned to lure the mate of Malygos, placed the crystal, and backed into the shadows, where the dragon could not see us. Saragosa, the dragon that was the target, screeched in delight at her large discovery. She landed, transformed into her mortal guise to absorb the crystals. Out of the shadows, we came, and attacked the dragon. "NO!! I have been tricked! DIE!!" "IT IS YOU WHO WILL DIE SARAGOSA!" I pulled her towards me with my death grip, and swung my runeblade, but only glanced her shoulder, ripping her robe. Slash launched a frostfire bolt at the magna, knocking her down. Healy finished the poor dragon with a holy smite to her upper left chest, killing her instantly. We had succeeded. Keristrasza descended to retrieve the body, and said to us, "Our job is not yet finished Bakthar, have your group meet me at the northern entrance to the Nexus. We weaken Malygos now!"
Chapter 6
The Abduction
Keristrasza yelled as she burned the lifeless remains of the consort, taunting Malygos. We then mounted Keristrasza and raced towards the battle, on the southern side of the Nexus. Out of nowhere, Slash let go, and we saw him land on Rondostrasz, and motioned for the dragons around him to charge into the fray, leading a second wave of attacks. I nodded to Healy, who then let go, landing on Rougestrasz, and rallied the dragons around her to defend the second wave against Malygos' brood, trying to rescue their master. Keristrasza and I went up to face the Spell-Weaver. Keristrasza said on the way up it took her days to write the speech she was going to give the aspect, "MALYGOS!! By order of Alexstrasza, your sister, give up your crusade or face the wrath of 10,000 angry dragons!" Malygos gave a defiant and arrogant smirk, "Who are you to challenge me, child?" "I am a messenger, not a fighter, Spell-Weaver." "Well, you know the saying, don't you? Hang the bearer of bad news? Come with me, child, we have a lot to…discuss. HYAAA!" Malygos sent a large frostbolt to freeze Keristrasza, but she knew it was coming, so as he breathed in, the dragon tossed me, and I landed on Raelorasz. Though we did our job, we still failed.
"What are we going to do now, Bakthar? We lost one of our commanders!" Slash and I argued as Healy cried, consoled by Raelorasz. "We have to go in and get her." "Bakthar, are you crazy? Charging in there is SUICIDE!! He'll kill us in one swipe!" "He's keeping her in stasis in the ice caverns of the Nexus, not with him, slowly bending her to his will. We have to break her out!" "Ok, just make sure at least the 4 of us come back alive, or at least in our current state." "It's settled then. Healy!" Healy looked up at me expectantly. "Yea, Bakthar?" "Gear up; we're going into the Nexus. Get Ragura a teleport over here, and we'll free her; I have a feeling that we'll need her."
Chapter 7
Noble Beasts, Noble Friends
We entered the Ice Caverns below the Nexus and killed all the defenders of the stasis chamber that held Keristrasza. As we slew them, Ragura held a ritual to return all of the dragonspawn defenders to the earth, hoping for them to help this desecrated land heal itself. Once the area was clear, Ragura set up a place to commune with Keristrasza through Elune, hoping to find a way to free her. The three remaining squad members took up defensive positions around Ragura to protect her just in case we missed something. She stopped, and looked at me with a grim look on her face, very uncommon for the always cheery Ragura. "What does she know?" "We can free her by breaking the three crystals around the room, but there's one problem. She wants us to end her suffering." "Wait, what?" "She wants us to kill her, to end her torment. She is in pain. Malygos has defiled her, and she wants this ordeal to be over." "Break the orbs, if this is what she wills, then we must grant it to her." As the rest of the team broke the orbs, I looked on as Healy, with a very obvious frown at what she was about to do, covered her head with her cowl, and got ready. The ice instantly melted when the last orb was shattered, releasing a VERY angry dragon. A deafening screech rocked the caverns, as the dragon was finally free of her bonds.
The majestic red dragon, now with blue patches in her scales, roared as she sized up her prey. It was at this point, we realized Keristrasza was no longer in control. The mindset later dubbed Kerigosa was now the dominant side. We sprang into action, trying to keep ourselves alive, but quickly slay the dragon. Healy gained the favor of The Light that day, and it kept us alive, as I gracefully dodged and parried the dragon's swinging claws. The dragon roared again once we had inflicted many serious burns and wounds, stunning all of us with the sheer sound and concussion. "FINISH IT NOW!! I…..can't. …hold control!" The dragon writhed, as the two psyches of the beautiful beast fought for control. "DIE! MAY MY CRYSTALFIRE BREATH END YOUR DAYS!" The noble beast breathed in, and just as she released a large puff of Frostfire power, I conjured an Anti-Magic Zone, and, just as with my encounter days earlier with Eregos, the breath went around me. I then immediately charged Keristrasza yelling "FOR ALEXSTRASZA!!!!!!!!" I cut her neck open with my large runeblade, and the dragon fell over dead with this last, relieved "Thank you……death..knight…and damn you…Malygos…."
We returned to the Transitus Shield, all of us with an heir of death upon us, Slash and I carrying the head of Keristrasza. We then, with the Kirin Tor magi around us, burned the head of the dragon, to which later Healy dedicated a monument, based mainly on the dragon's skull, to Keristrasza's resolve and sacrifice. During the pyre, Healy covered her head with her cowl again and began crying outside of the ring, and I let her cry on my shoulder, one of the most human thing's I've done in the many months since my arrival in Northrend.