Vision
Book Twenty Three
Red opened his eyes with a start. He could feel his eyes shift left, then right, but there was nothing to be seen. His eyes were open, he could feel them open, but there was only darkness. His mind raced, was it just so bright out that all he could see was darkness? Certainly there was always the edge of a shadow that he could pick up on, but nothing, just the empty blackness. It was at this point he noticed that he could not hear the draft of a breeze, or feel the hair on his skin as he rolled over. Had he just rolled over? He couldn't have, he wasn't laying down, but nor was he standing up. He looked down to his feet, which he could not see. Now the mind works backwards, 'what is the last thing I remember? When is the last time I felt like this?' He felt his eyes go wider as he glanced around, curious if the spirit of Yogg Saran had somehow wheedled it's way back into his mind, but the old god remained silent, and continued to be dead.
This feeling was similar to when he had been captured by Ner'zul in the draenic crystal, but he had not been able to think then, merely able to exist as shadow. After that he had been saved by the Arrakoa, and eventually brought back to his companions. He'd even had a few of the bird men stay with him as they worked on overthrowing the Iron Horde. His mind raced, making connections, remembering events in short bursts. The foundry, people had been storming it, and dismantling it while he recovered and worked with the Arakkoa. The bird-men trusted him, treated him like one of their own, and he alone would be the only one they listened to.
He blinked a few times in the darkness, as if clearing confusion from his vision. Ishaal, Reshad, Kurekk, Ruharyx, they had all been with him, them and many of his companions from the Garrison. They had slipped into the corrupted Citadel in Tanaan, they were going after Iskar, they said he had taken something from the Talonpriests before he abandoned them. Red wished he could sit, he always thought better when he could sit, and smoke. He patted down himself, adding to the strange feelings he was already trying to mentally cope with. He could feel himself moving his arms, looking for the pouch where he kept his pipe, but his hands felt nothing as they tried to find his body. Again, his mind raced, desperately trying to cope with the environment and situation he found himself in. He could feel his teeth grit as he shifted his mindset back to recalling the events leading up to this. Iskar. Iskar had stolen something from the Talonpriests, his mind followed that thread, ignoring the fact he just realized that his fingers couldn't feel themselves. He could feel his muscles moving, as if to press his large index finger to his thumb, but neither finger met any resistance.
The Eye of Anzu, he'd taken it... and once they had gotten into his chambers and demanded it's return, he attacked. Iskar had been corrupted and warped by Gul'dan's Fel energy, he had become of the Legion, had regained his flight, and his powers of shadow and illusions had been magnified. Red blinked again as he thought, one event now streaming into another in his mind. Iskar had corrupted the eye, twisting it's powers, making his new mask useless. What Ishaal had given him to wear to see the world as it was, the powers of the corrupted Eye made him blind to what was going on around him. He had been thrown off the Citadel, he felt his eyes widen as he realized this. He had been thrown off, he could remember the fall, the wind whipping around him, the ledge racing away from him, the slurry of Fel below him, the shadows encroaching around him as the speed and the adrenaline pumping through him. But he did not remember landing, his tactile memory did not recall the Fel ooze slap against his body and absorb him into it. What had happened? Red began to look around his environment again, thinking, he blinked again. When his eyes opened, the figure before him startled him enough that he tried to stagger back, but found himself remain where he was.
"Well, well, well, Zul Reh'zo now is it?" Bwon'samdi said, unfolding his arms and placing his hand on his hips, looking Red up and down slowly, slowly, Red's head tilted in shocked disbelief
"Bwon'samdi?.. ah beh dead?.. den ah died in battle.. shouldn't ah beh in deh Garden of Hir'eek?.." Re'zo asked. Bwon'samdi shook his white painted head, his lips painted with small white dashes, making his entire face look like a skull, his tusks curling up on either side of his glowing eyes.
"Nah mon, cha ain't dead, cha jus nearly dead... dat beh why ah only near cha" Bwon'samdi said with a grin, doubling the teeth he previously had.
"So.. ah dinnah die from deh fall?" Red asked, obviously confused, Bwon'samdi shook his head again "Cha Skyscream'ah finally found cha, but ah took deh moment as ah chance tah speak wit chas" Bwon'samdi glanced to his right and left. A fire of black flame erupted in between them, while a pair of large stones appeared behind each of them, and an impossibly dense jungle grew in from the darkness around them. Re'zo looked down, and could once again see his body, he sighed with relied as gravity reclaimed him, letting him feel his own weight again.
"Sit mon, cha time beh mine now, an ah kin take all ah want.." the death aspect grinned to Red "an ah make sure tah give it back, tacked on at deh end" he said reassuringly. Red sat as instructed, Bwon'samdi doing the same, laying his staff behind him, next to a pile of skulls that seemed to erupt from the ground.
"Now den" he said, leaning forward as if to warm his hands on the black flames
"Cha beh long an far from home, an cha Horde and dat Alliance have done seen fit tah cast out dat Gul'dan an dispatch dem Legion demons dat he brought wit him...now normally ah ain't about tah step out an warn of death, but ah owe ah favor tah someone, an hims done chosen tah cash dat favor in for dis conversation." Bwon'samdi said, gesturing beside him, where another large stone appeared, and from the tangled undergrowth of the jungle, another troll wandered out and sat on the rock, leaning on his staff as it jangled with small iron pots and feathers. His face was covered with a deep purple mask, leaving only his pale glowing eyes visible, the rest of his body covered in tribal totems, masks and scraps of deep purple cloth.
"Zul Reh'zo, meet Sen'jin" Bwon'samdi said, giving another of his double grins, the teeth painted on his lips looking as if they themselves had teeth in an odd and unsettling way, before the death aspect leaned back, and Sen'jin shifted to take up the free space
"Well now ain't dis some'ting?" Sen'jin said, the cloth over his mouth barely moving as he spoke, the glow of his eyes not allowing any emotion to be read from them.
"Been years since ah spoke to ah Zandalari..." he trailed off, looking Re'zo over as he sat across from him
"Gurubashi?...been even longah since ah talked tah one ah dem..." Red sat a little straighter, and swallowed hard.
"Ah ain't nevah told no one bout meh beh'n Gurubashi...deh Zandalari ah'dopted me..ah always considered mah self one ah dem.. till recently..." he said, not intending to correct the old troll, but to compliment his astute observation and clarify his position. Sen'jin waved his hand dismissively
"We we all one ah dem in deh beh'gining.. Zandalari, Gurubashi, Amani, Farraki, Drakari.. we ain't all dat different, Him's should know" Sen'jin said, pointing a thumb back to Bwon'sami who just chuckled.
"Ah dun care bout cha past, ah care bout cha future... an not jus yours, all deh tribes, which is why ah beh here." he said shifting on his rock, leaning more heavily on his staff.
"Deh Legion beh come'n... dey beh come'n tah Azeroth in ah big way... Bwon'samdi took many of our people over dem years deh last time dey came, an dey gonnah come ah'gain an wit ah greater force den beh'fore..." he said, sitting back on his rock, letting his staff hold less of his weight now. Red just blinked, trying to take this all in.
"So, why cah tell'n meh?..." he asked, looking from Sen'jin to Bwon'samdi, who just folded his arms. "Cha have'n ah Vision mon" Sen'jin laughed
"All Witch-Doctah's get dem from time tah time" he said shaking his head. But Re'zo just knitted his brow.
"Cha mistaken Sen'jin.. ah beh ah priest of Hir'eek.." Red began, but Sen'jin cut him off
"Nah nah mon, cha weave deh shadows, cha dabble in deh voodoo, cha have cha chants an cha fetishes, cha already had cha spiritual guidance ah beh told, Hir'eek been look'n ah long time for dere new priest...cha do it all but deh alchemy and deh brews." Sen'jin said itching at the tip of his nose while he thought, looking more into Re'zo then at him.
"But cha do got ah craft of sorts, cha build an tinker... ain't no good Witch Doctah dat can't make ah blind mon see.. but chu done did it, while cha were blind none deh less.. cha jus did it wit gears an metal ratha den potions and bones... ah Witch Doctah for des modern era" he said with a grin and a nod. Bwon'samdi seemed to consider this for a moment as Sen'jin glanced back to him, as if looking for confirmation.
"Ah gonnah accept dat." Bwon'samdi said with a nod
"Been ah long time since ah had ah good Witch Doctah tah look in on... chu were deh last Sen'jin.." the death aspect said, giving the old troll a nudge, Sen'jin chuckled. Red swallowed again, looking from one to the other.
"Why... do ah need cha approval Bwon'samdi?... " Re'zo trailed off, he asked the question before he had really thought about it, but Bwon'samdi leaned forward, giving him one of his unsettling double grins.
"Ol' Sen'jin jus wants tah make sure ah beh will'n tah give cha other visions.. an since it's been ah good many years since ah had ah steady contact wit deh world of deh living.. ah accept." he said with a nod. Red nodded as well, taking a deep breath as he leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees before letting out the air he had drawn in, his hand insinctivly reaching for his pipe. Now that his body was once again physical, he found it easily and pulled it out. Bwon'samdi and Sen'jin watched silently as Red reached forward with it, letting the black flames lick at the bowl as he tilted it beside the base of the fire, lighting it. Slowly, he took a drag off it, letting the smoke stream out around his tusks. Bwon'samdi's brows rose as he looked back to Sen'jin
"Call ah mon ah Witch Doctah an den he goes an lights ah smoke off deh fire of Death." he said with a mixture of anger and respect. Red froze at hearing his words, wondering now if he had done the Loa a great disrespect.
"Nah mon, jus mean's hims confidant, no disrespect, he beh sure of himself" Sen'jin said with a nod, before standing up. Red watched him, so many questions rushing into his head, but none of them seemed to want to find their way from his mouth. He stammered out a babble before he stopped himself, his eyes shifting from Sen'jin to Bwon'samdi, then back again.
"Why me?" he asked, it was the simplest question he could think to have answered. Sen'jin took a moment to think about it, even taking the time to pace around the rock he had just been sitting on, before standing in front of it again.
"Cha proved cha self time an again, cha been help'n mah son out plenty, even beh'fore he took over deh Horde, cha had his back... an cha still tied to deh old ways, while still dabble'n in deh new ways.. cha'd beh surprised how little worship deh Loas get... it's no wonder dat we get fanatics now an again.. dem Loa can beh greedy.. if dey don't get enough, dey go out an find dem selves ah priest.." Sen'jin said as he stood, then slowly stepped forward, leaning on his staff again.
"Leaders dun need visions" he said shaking his head
"Dat was mah mistake, an Thrall's for his part... Leaders dun need visions, dey need people tah have visions, tah have dem trusted few tah narrate it back tah dem, so dat dey kin take action, and deh seer remains safe." Sen'jin itched at his nose again, in what appears to be a nervous habit. Reaching to his staff, he began to unhook the small iron pots, and one at a time, dump it's contents into the black fire, followed by the pots being tossed in as an after thought. This continued, silently, until his staff was bare save for a blackened feather. Sen'jin looked to Re'zo as he pulled it from it's binding and handed it to him. Re'zo took it silently, and then found Sen'jin's palm against his forehead. He had not noticed that he wasn't wearing the skull mask the Arakkoa had given him, and the cold skin of the troll before him pressed firmly against his skin. Keeping his hand there, he reached out, and dropped the staff into the fire, which consumed it quickly, leaving no trace of it behind.
"Now dat I've passed deh torch on tah chu, cha kin expect tah see Bwon'samdi more often" Sen'jin said, Bwon'samdi just nodded, grinning wide.
"Find dat staff, it beh yours now, rightfully. Dat feathah gonnah set cha on deh path cha need, it's been on dat staff since deh staff was first hewn. I know trolls like dere bats, but cha bird-friends know more den most, dere beh ah power in ravens." Sen'jin said with a nod, standing now with out the aide of his staff.
"Tank cha Bwon'samdi, ah said mah piece and did wut needed tah beh done, I'll beh see'n cha." he said to the death aspect, who just nodded pleasantly, never taking his eyes off Re'zo
"Zul Re'zo, cha gonnah do meh proud, an don't cha dare beh'come ah 'Jin" he said with a commanding thrust of his finger as he pointed it to him, as if to drive home the point. With that, he turned and walked into the imposing wall of Jungle, that quickly vanished along with him. Leaving Re'zo and Bwon'samdi sitting around the black fire. Red looked down the the feather, and then to the death aspect, who still hasn't looked away or even done so much as blinked. Slowly, Red slipped the feather into his dreadlocks, looping the leather string around it's quill to a lock of his hair. Once he finished, Bwon'samdi slapped his hands against his knees, then moved to stand up.
"Well den, ah tink weh beh done here." he said, giving Re'zo a nod
"Dem bird-friends had ah good idea wit dat mask, but ain't no witch doctah of mine gonnah wear ah animal skull on dem face, chu go make cha self ah old fashion voodoo mask mon, an dun jus get one of dem decorations, cha gottah make cha own. Ah command it." Bwon'samdi said, tumping his fingers against his chest, as the large rocks they sat on disappeared, and the death aspect reached forward and began to draw the black fire back into himself.
"Wait.." Re'zo heard himself say, Bwon'samdi stopped the extraction, looking questioningly at him before pulling his hand back, only to fold his arms.
"Ain't many dat kin tell Bwon'samdi tah wait... But, ah witch doctah is in fact, one of deh few who can." he smirked
"Wut is it cha want?" he asked, Red cleared his throat. It's been in the back of his mind for as long as he could remember, but he never had anyone to ask who might know the answer
"Bwon'samdi, as death, cha kin see every'ting of those dat have passed, yes?" he asked, Bwon'samdi nodded
"If dey beh troll, and dey beh dead, ah seen dem, and know dem, ain't no secrets held from Bwon'samdi, ah get dem all beh'fore any walk down dat black road." he said proudly, Red nodded
"It been told tah meh when ah was young, when deh Zandalari took meh in, dat mah father was Bloodlord Mandokir, but ain't none of dem had any proof..." Red said, trailing off. Bwon'samdi slowly lifted his head, then tilting it as if to listen to an unheard voice, and stood silently for a few moments, still unblinking.
"Would it change any'ting if he had been?" he asked finally. It certainly wasn't the response Red had been expecting, but it only took a moment's hesitation before he responded
"No.. it jus always been ah curiosity ah mine.." he said. Bwon'samdi nodded, pursing his lips as he thought.
"Good. Den it don matter none. Mandokir beh dead, an he got no legacy left beh'hind. Ain't no one pick'n up deh mantle of 'Bloodlord'. Chu got cha self on deh ear of ah great 'Jin, an even if ah am Bwon'samdi, ah care for deh living. Jin'do, deh Prophet Zul, deeze ain't ever gain'n favor from meh bah send'n meh deh spirits of trolls who died beh'fore dere time. Chu do your self right, an cha do right by meh." he said with a nod
"Dere beh any'ting else?" he asked, reaching behind him as his staff lifted up from where it laid and into his hand.
"How does one incur favors from Bwon'samdi?.." he asked. The death aspect grinned as he reached out his hand and becan to draw in the black fire back into himself.
"Sacrifice." he said simply
"Chu come willingly beh'fore cha time, an ah take cha needs an wishes tah heart. But it ain't gonnah beh sacrifice from cha own hand. Sen'jin knew dis, ah mon like him ain't gonnah jus beh killed by some murlocy frog-folk an ah Sea Witch... but deh fact he did die.. well dat set his son on a unique course." he said as the last of the black fire vanished into his palm.
"Sacrifice."
Mieth Tiktalon's jaw dropped as Red went over the edge, he glanced to Prelude, then to Vor Herbalhorn, as panic set in. He'd only been back for a few months, just as the Foundry fell to the invasion, and he'd taken a liking to the priest. Ishaal and Reshad stepped forward, lending aid to Kurekk as he helped to battle their corrupted leader. Iskar beat his wings in triumph, that Terokk Makto was gone, cast out just like the King he tried so desperately to commune with. Iskar let out a ear splitting caw as he landed, that was countered by a guttural roar behind him. The Shadow Lord glanced over his shoulder, watching Ro'dan rise up from beneath his field of view, the Skyscreamer carrying his master grasped in his enormous talons. Iskar narrowed his eyes as he gathered his powers for another strike. Kurekk took the chance to thrust his blade into the newly grown feathers of his former leader, sheering them from his outstretched arm. Iskar snarled at the loss, but ignored him, knowing that the Legion could just restore his wings again, and began to gather his power.
"Shit." Mieth mumbled as he sheathed his sword, only to cup his hands to his mouth
"Nomei!" he shouted, his death-blue eyes glowing as he looked to the lithe elf rogue, who shot him a silent glance in return, then nodded before vanishing in a plume of smoke. Iskar grinned, his dull red eyes focused on the Skyscreamer who hovered before him, roaring at him, threatening the creature who attacked his master. The Shadow Lord staggered, as if a weight had been thrown against his shoulder, shifting his aim downward, only to launch the blast of fel fire down to the corrupted land below, he glanced behind him enraged, to find nothing, and Nomei Gnog'othel appeared above Ro'dan, only to land in the saddle. The Skyscreamer roared in a new found rage, no one but his master was suppose to sit there and immediately tucked his wings in and dove away from his original target in an effort to get the little elf off him. Iskar watched in a mild annoyance as three threats escaped his wrath, Ishaal crept forward, once again pulling his knife from his robes.
Red's eyes opened, and he saw the ceiling, thick wooden beams, and a solid floor for the room above him. He sighed out slowly, now feeling the cool air drift in around him, competing with the warm fire in the hearth not far off. It was dark, none of the torches were lit making it easier for him to see in the darkness.
"Urrrk? You have awaken.." Reshad said as his face loomed over his, his talon-like hands now reaching up to inspect his wounds.
"Ugh. How.. long have ah been out?" Red mumbled lifting a hand to his head, feeling the cold sweat still on his skin.
"Few Days..." Reshad said, offering him a towel that had been at his bed side, where his caretakers had been mopping that same sweat off him. Red took the cloth, wiping himself down.
"Kaaaaahow are you feeling?" the scribe said, helping Red to sit up.
"Ah had ah vision." Red mumbled, setting the cloth back down, now running his hands over his now mostly dry face.
"Few days?" he asked to clarify, Reshad nodded, now stepping back
"Viiiiision? What of?" he said, taking out a fresh scroll, and pulling an ink quill from a small pot.
"Of home, of mah people, of our future...of mah future" he said still in a sleepy haze
"Deh Legion is come'n... dey come'n tah my home, ah'gain.." he said, Reshad stood silently, just holding his pen, looking blankly to Red.
"Ehhh so thaaats where he went.." he mumbled, scribbling down in his scroll. Red sat up straighter, his memories washing back into his mind as if through a tidal force.
"Reh'shad.. we gottah start pack'n up.. Draenor is safe now.. right?" Red asked, the old scribe nodded
"Urrk Tanaan will never be the same, but yes, we are safe." he said, tucking the scroll away
"Many already have begun." he said handing Red the skull-mask he had been gifted to help him see without his goggles. Red slipped the mask over his face, as Reshad moved to open the few windows in the hut.
"The Vizier made it clear that he wanted to go home since he got back from the Citadel, something about research." he said opening another window, letting the evening light drift in. Red sat up, his mind going through a mental check list. The Horde Garrison had accrued many locals, the orcs could of course return to their tribe, those that could not, certainly could join the Frostwolves, the few Saberon had actually started the infancy of a relationship with the new order of Arakkoa. The Order of the Awakened as they now called themselves, had put aside past differences once the leaders of each faction fell to their own form of corruption, and it was a small step from there, to open communication with the Saberon. The Draenei... Tuulani and Seina...
"Seina... she can't go home... if deh Legion is come'n... she needs tah stay here, beh safe.." Red muttered as he stood up. Reshad looked to him, then out the door, then back to Red
"Then what would you suggest? Certainly the Draenei could just go home to Kaaawrabor urk" Reshad suggested, Red nodded uncertainly
"Seina ain't from dis place, not.. orginally.." he ran his fingers through his hair
"I'll talk to her..." he said with a sigh, Reshad nodded, and took that as an opportunity to leave, and to send the Draenei in.
Nomei, To'talani and Allien were some of the last of the occupants in one of the female bunks. With the small size of the Garrison, many people found themselves having a few roommates.
"I'm not looking forward to just -leaving- the navy we've built here" muttered To'talani, packing one of her captain's hats.
"I don't want to say it's been fun, but if I want to sail again I'll have to go work for the goblins" she said wrinkling her nose. Allien shrugged at her, as she folded a shirt, the large green wolf at her feet gnawing on an old boot.
"Not if you went back to Silvermoon, they have an active navy, I suppose the Undercity does too.. and you could always fly the airships, Vol'jin seized lots of them after the Siege." she said, trying to be helpful. To'talani thought about this, as she turned to sit on her suitcase, using her weight to buckle the latches between her thighs.
"I could do that, airships might be handy if this whole Legion thing turns out to be a real threat" she said as she slid off her luggage and picked it up off her bed.
"If? Why wouldn't they? They know how to get there and we've just pissed them off again!" Allien said glancing to Nomei. The small rogue just looked to them, and shrugged, before emptying a box of knives into her own suitcase, Allein laughed, looking back to To'talani
"I rest my case."
Red wandered out of his hut, Seina behind him, just as the clouds drifted away from one of the many moons of Draeneor, bathing the Garrison in light. The Arakkoa had made a small camp in the center of the Garrison, near the bonfire, and beneath ha scraggling tree. Kurekk was standing, the swordsman never seemed to allow himself to be comfortable, but Ishaal, Reshad, Rukaryx and the new face of Vayx sat around the fire. Kurekk glanced to him, and gave him little more then a nod as he walked past him. The other Arakkoa all looked up to him, Ishaal sitting beside Rukaryx, her hand on his knobbly knee.
"Ahh good, you're up and around, did you get things settled?" Reshad asked as he stood up, Percy hopping down from the tree to perch on his shoulder.
"Cha, an ah got ah request for cha all..." Red said taking in a breath
"Beh'fore cha go home, can cha take dis letter" he said holding up a small envelope
"An take Tuulani an Seina to Karabor." he finished, handing the envelope to Reshad, who nodded
"What.. does it say?" he said holding it up to the moon as if trying to see through it.
"Deh same ting ah gonnah tell Zog and Goh't, dat when we leave dis place, deh Garrisons should be reclaimed by deh locals... and tah beh used as ah palace tah keep deh orphans of dis war safe." he said, Vayx quirked a brow, still sitting by the fire, but Rukaryx spoke first
"An Orphanage?.. while being quite noble, isn't it an imposition?" she aked, Red shook his head
"We kin get volunteers, Seina already said she gonnah look after it, she dun wanna go home.. an it gonnah beh safer for her here" Red said glancing back to her, who was obviously wrestling with more emotions then her face could properly display.
"Whaaat of this place? Who would be the caretaker here?" Ishaal asked, Red swallowed and sighed
"Ah was tink'n of asking Garona... she.. may enjoy take'n it easy for ah while, help'n tah raise an defend kids an deh like.." he said.
"Urrk ah suitable role for her, all things considered." Reshad nodded
"It will be done, tomorrow evening, we will strike out for Karabor, these ladies will be our guests.. It has been a pleasure working with you Terokk Makto" the scribe said with a nod, the other Arakkoa joining in, nodding approval. Ishaal stood as Reshad moved to sit, then maneuvered himself towards Red. Standing before the huge troll, he looked up at him for a moment, then reached into his robes to pull out a small package, wrapped in cloth.
"What will you do now? Fortify your home?" he asked, his beady eyes looking up to him through the talonpriest mask.
"In time, but ah have ah mission of mah own now, deh Echo Isles call meh, an ah must answer dem" Red said with a nod. Ishaal bowed slightly before offering up the small bag of fabric. Taking it from him, he opened it. Inside was a wand, a perfectly round green crystal, and to Red's surprised, an ugly blackened feather. Immediately his hand reached for where he had placed Sen'jin's gift in his vision, only to not find it.
"A gift from us, Rukaryx and I give you Iskar's wand, Reshad, the Corrupted Eye of Anzu Iskar had created, that we all agreed should now be called the Eye of Sethe, and Kurekk gives you the last feather plucked from Iskar's wing before the Fel Corruption took his body." Ishaal said, with a small satisfied smile. Red took the feather, knowing full well where it's home should have been in his hair, and tucked the other two gifts into his bag.
"Ah tank cha from deh bottom of meh heart, cha all will see meh again" he glanced back to Seina who smiled at him.
"Cha know.. tah visit."
