In the Shadows of Light
Chapter 4: The enemies back yard
Gakin and his group of Warlocks sailed into Rachet shortly before sunrise. Thaedian was still hurt, having little medical attention while on ship. Rachet wasn't likely to have good medical facilities being a goblin port and not a human one, but at this point, anything would do. Thaedian was carried to the local inn while the injured Gakin and Zardeth went to find Strahad. Ursula decided to go to the Tavern portion of the Inn to see if any guests had anything useful to assist with the healing process. "Well.." the little green innkeeper said, "We have a Druid form the circle staying here tonight. She is said to be on her way to visit family. But I don't think you would find her useful."
"Useful? How could a druid not be useful in healing? Even the most feral of them can still heal!" Ursula exclaimed.
The druid however made her presence known, allowing Ursula to see why she wasn't a likely candidate to help them. She was Tauren. "I am Maku of the Druid Circle. You are in need of assistance?"
"Uhh, hmm…well, yes. However, I would not presume to think you interested in healing a human."
"No? hmm… well my dear, I am an old woman. I have grown to learn a good deal about balance. One thing I have come to learn in my years is that war is never balanced. I will do what I can to help your friend. I care not for his race or allegiance. My loyalty remains with the Circle, not the Horde or Alliance."
Maku stepped into the room of Warlocks. Surena watching over Thaedian while the others tried to rest. The Druid looked around and the suspective eyes of these wayward travelers with no unrest. "You have been more then just hurt, you have been in a battle! All of you could use some help!"
Thaedian sat up, looking at Maku with a mixture of fear and confusion. "Why would a member of the Horde help us? Your kind just took Stormwind by force!"
Maku replied gently, "You fought very hard for one so young. But you are in fact very hurt and you might not survive the night without my aid. You may be fiery, but your body is still mortal. Do not let help slip foolishly from you only to face death unnecessarily."
Ursula hushed Thaedian and gave a glance to the rest in the room. She felt safe with this druid and knew also, that if horde forces came looking for refugee's, having one of their own might make for a clever ruse to keep them all from being killed. If after-all this old druid had them as "Prisoners" to present as a gift to Thrall.
Maku began her practice, starting with Thaedian as he was the most heavily injured in the room. At some point, Gakin and Zardeth returned and after letting their initial shock settle, were also put under the healing touch of the druid. By the time she finished her work, Thaedian was waking. The rest of the room held tight under the druid's healing sleep. "Your body has reacted quickly to my magic young warlock. You must have some magic too you that was not learned. Any healers in your family?"
Suddenly, Thaedian woke. 'That terrible screeching noise again' he thought to himself. Nearly seven years had passed since the Orc's invaded Stormwind City, killing his mother and exposing his father for a coward. Stormwind City had since been recaptured. Gakin's Warlocks were not permitted to assist in the siege as the Paladins soundly blamed the warlocks for the death of their compatriots while defending. "Of course they would.." Gakin would always say, "For be it from those holy bastards to admit they were unprepared and caught totally off guard. Blame the Warlocks who did the most damage to the enemy because Warlocks don't follow the light!" To Thaedian, Gakin was obsessed with what happened and how he and his Warlocks were cast away in spite of everything they had done to repel Thralls Army. It had only gotten worse when Surena left Valiance Keep to return to Stormwind in the Arms of a bandit lover. Thaedian however had an altogether different obsession.
In the years since coming to Northrend, Thaedian began to feel as if he had only one option to survive the war and help defeat the Lich King. He would have to become immortal himself. He had a small laboratory setup just outside of town. Various Scourge Minions would wonder in too close to Valiance Keep for comfort and would be slaughtered. Though these weaker minions were not difficult to take down, they were still immortal in that they could not die accept by force. So it was to them that Thaedian studied. Years and years of study both in his own lab and as a Warlock. By this point, he had even surpassed most of the surviving circle of warlocks that he had fled with. He had even learned to summon the mighty Fel Guard! To keep himself trained with his Fel Guard, Thoothun Thaedian would often venture out towards DragonBlight to 'collect samples' of the plagued bears and Elk in the snowy forest. In spite of his research, which was widely known and little liked, Gakin had done well in securing a good reputation for himself and the Warlocks among the leaders in Valiance. The Borean Tundra was a beautiful place, when you took away all the hostilities. But the Hostilities made it hard for the high command to refuse help from anyone capable of giving it and warlocks were just as fine a friend as any.
"Thaed my friend, why do you persist in this cause of your's? It scares the local citizenry you know, all this corpse defilement and experimentation. Some think you are working for the Undead of Lordaeron trying to create a new curse."
"Oh come now Gakin, most of these people are superstitious country yokels without a clue. They crush any little beetle they see simply out of fear that it contains the poison of the Scourge because they see the huge ones which occasionally creep into the Tundra. Besides, what do you think would scare the Scourge King more, a thousand easily killed Paladins or a small army of immortal warlocks?" Thaedian speaking with a tinge of irritation.
"Ahh, as always your logic is sound my friend, though your mind perhaps, is a little….unsettled? Yes, unsettled. We shall call it that for now." Gakin Responded.
Zardeth and Thaedian had been summoned to meet Gakin at the Keep. The General had asked for Thaedian and Zardeth personally, which made Thaedian wonder if he was to be ordered not to continue his experiments. Gakin greeted both his friends at the entryway, "Ahh, good you two could make it so quickly. The General has asked something of us."
Zardeth and Thaedian walked up the stairs into the Generals office in the keep. The stone walls had become a familiar sight over the last few years, but they still reminded Thaedian of Stormwind City. When they got to the top of the stairs, Thaedian was surprised to see a small entourage in the Generals Office. Draenei! Thaedian had heard of these exotic Allies, but had never seen one face to face. And by the Shadows they were huge! Big enough surely to give even a Tauren Warrior Pause.
"Ahh, Master Warlock's, it is good that you have come. Please, take a seat. We have a few things to discuss." The General said pleasantly.
The Draenei Entourage, totaling four sat at one end of the Generals large table, The General and his high command of three sat at the opposing end, while the warlocks took seats to the left end of the table nearest the west entry. The largest of the Draenei spoke first, evidently feeling a little odd about not having been properly introduced. "I am Balaur, a General of the Draenei. These three men are my aide's. It is a pleasure to meet the three of you."
Gakin half rose to speak, "A pleasure to meet you as well General."
Zardeth looked over at Gakin, waiting for him to fully seat himself again. "Balaur you say? That does not sound as if it is a Draenei name." Zardeth pointed out.
"It is not. It is the name given to me by some of the common people here. I am unsure as to its meaning, but I have taken it as my own as my birth name can not be properly pronounced in your language. Perhaps you would be kind enough to explain its meaning?" Balaur asked a little confusedly.
"I am unsure as to its meaning General, perhaps my companion Thaedian can shed some light. He has an… Unusual understanding of such things." Zardeth said slightly ribbing Thaedian.
Thaedian smiled ruefully for a moment, "Yes, I do indeed old friend. General, the Name Balaur is actually the name given to a Three headed Dragon. A very powerful, large and usually ferocious creature that will sometimes kill people, and other times, help them. Depending on his mood at the moment. I would venture to say that they would give you such a name because of the extensions on your face. To us, they would seem somewhat serpentine like a dragon."
"Interesting. It sounds monstrous, yet you seem to have some reverence for the creature as well. Please, explain this?" Balaur asked.
"The common human is not always the most intelligent creature General Balaur. They might give you such a name because you seem ferocious to them, and therefore frightening. But to those of us who are capable of reading a book, the Balaur is an intelligent being with immense abilities. So I simply find it fitting that the commoners are correct about you, while the name likely also fits the more educated version as well. I dare say you are likely a ferocious General, with great intelligence and ability."
The General and his command were relieved at how the Warlock ended his explanation. It would not due to have the Draenei feel offended right off the bat. Balaur and his aide's smiled ruefully at the explanation as well. "General, your warlock friends are indeed as you said they were. I am impressed by the council you keep." Balaur said to the human General as he nodded politely to Thaedian. Gakin sighed in relief.
The youngest of Balaur's aides stood up at that point to present his Generals orders to their human allies.
"Our primary purpose is to present ourselves to you in order to form a strategy that can allow our collective troops access to the Lands of Icecrown. To do this, we have surmised that we must forge access both through DragonBlight and Shalozar Basin. The Lich King has, on many occasions proven he is capable of cutting off reinforcements when we give ourselves only one way in or out of an area. Also, we have begun incorporating Shamans into our educational practices as a means to build up our understanding both of the environment in which we have found ourselves, and as a means to help counter the shamanistic prowess of the Horde. Our Shamans have requested access to samples of Plagued Flesh so as to possibly find a natural means of curing the Scourge, or in the very least, cure those who have been infected before it has a chance to take permanent hold. I trust we will have your local healers assistance in the ladder of these endeavors?" The aide asked, looking at the human General.
"No need, the reason I asked these particular Warlocks to council is for this very reason. Master Gakin leads our warlocks, Master Zardeth has proven himself a capable Magic user in war and is also an exceptional Skinner. Thaedian however will be of greatest use to you in this Endeavour I believe, as he has not only proven himself very capable as a warlock, but is an adamant researcher of the Scourge. He has a Laboratory just outside the walls in our farming community. He has spent the last several years researching the taint itself."
Balaur seemed very pleased with the Generals response. It was apparent that he had taken an immediate liking to Thaedian. Gakin as well picked up on this, and after the meet was complete, invited Balaur to join Thaedian in his Laboratory while Zardeth and himself took the Draenei General's Aides for a tour of Valiance Keep and onto their own council domain for more detailed briefings. Thaedian escorted Balaur to his Lab/Home directly after the meeting ended. Balaur did not feel it necessary to compliment Thaedian on his attitude of getting right down to business. Upon entering Thaedians home, it was apparent to the Draenei General that Thaedian was not a man to prone to rest and relaxation. The cottage was certainly a bit larger then the rest in the village, but there one a simple bed, a dresser for clothing, a small table with two chairs, seemingly for eating and even a very small hearth for cooking, the rest of the place was the laboratory. Books were everywhere, though they were in a sort of order which likely made sense to Thaedian. Cuts of oozing flesh lay about several tables. "How is it, Master Warlock that you have been able to keep the smell of the flesh from becoming overwhelming?" Balaur asked.
"Its easier then you might think. The flesh is more or less dead, but being tainted does not give off the kind of stench one might think. If the dead smell to badly, then they would be noticed well before the Scourge King could get close enough for a battle. He has kept the flesh relatively clean smelling by simply keeping the flesh itself alive while the insides of the body have rotted. Even still, the organs of these damned things rot perpetually, but seem to regenerate as if still alive while the flesh, even in this cut and skewed states, remain living."
"Living you say!" That is absolutely amazing. How has he accomplished this?"
"I wish I knew General. That is why I have this lab, to figure that very question out."
At that point, something terrible dawned on the Draenei General. "Master Thaedian, your not working towards a cure for the taint, your trying to find out how to the Lich King keeps the flesh alive under even these circumstances!"
"Yes General I am. I can think of no better way to scare that bastard, Arthas. If We had such an army as that could not die, we would have no need to rely upon simple prayers to keep our soldiers alive, much less victorious against the Scourge." Thaedian said with resolve.
"Master Thaedian, I can not say I agree with your goals, but I do think your likely to have the most knowledge of this taint. I would like to have an agreement with you before we continue any further in our endeavors. I will not impede into your research here, if you would agree to allow my Shamans access to it so they may seek out a cure."
"Oh, absolutely General. I think it would be a perfectly effective measure if I can find a way to make our soldiers immortal while curing the Scourge of all their power. That would more then tip the balance into Alliance favor. Then perhaps we could also cure the Undead Horde and retake Lordaeron as well. The Horde would have no choice but to yield control of the Eastern Kingdoms back to the Alliance."
Thaedian and Balaur stayed up through the night; Thaedian explaining the various notions he had uncovered about the taint thus far while Balaur used some sort of recording device to record everything for an initial report to his Shamans. Thaedian put several samples of tainted flesh into an enchanted container for Balaur to give to his people to begin their work. Balaur explained how the Draenei managed into Azeroth and what they expected their lives to be if victorious against the Lich King.
(The next chapter will begin several months after Balaur and Thaedians first meeting. The bonds forged between the Draenei warriors, shamans and mages and Gakins warlocks run deeper and deeper as they forge their initial pathway into Icecrown through DragonBlight. Battles won and blood lost forge a deep alliance for the entire group, Balaur and Thaedian especially. One last battle remains for this core group however, and this battle shall set the stage for a new life for them all.)
