Sorry for the long wait...college didn't give me a chance at anything other than working at my desk. Enjoy! And please, read and review.
The Next Day - Early Morning, Tanaris Desert
The warrior woke from his sleep much earlier than he anticipated - it was still dark outside. It wasn't unusual for him to wake up early - he had been habituated to it since his days in the Lordaeron Army. Wha was unusual was that he was woken up because of the staff being poked into his chest. "Get up already!" came an annoyed voice.
"Rrrrh...dammit Gladia. Fine, give me a minute." He snarled as he woke. Fortunately, he was still wearing his armor - he never removed his armor save to keep himself clean or if he was in one of the capitals (which was rare). He was still a bit groggy, but it cleared swiftly.
"Don't you start. We have to get going, or the Sun will be unbearable. Don't tell me you don't know that! And what about..."
"Yes, yes, I know. Mum. Now will you get out for a minute - I need to be reasonably presentable before I leave."
At that, she finally left. What a handful, he muttered to himself. He wondered if he might just be making a mistake...but then again, she'd always been like that. He shrugged it off and went about his work.
Twenty minutes later, they set off from Gadgetzan, but not before they retrieved their Hearthstones and some gold from the Bank - as the Goblins put it, "Our state-of-the-art bank for the Horde and the Alliance! The best deals anywhere!" The sun still hadn't risen - the Warrior checked his hourglass - another two hours to sunrise. He hoped they could reach the border to Un'Goro before that, for the day would become very hot just an hour after the sunrise. And while it was risky, the only way would be to go dangerously close to the Thistleshrub Valley. His last experience with the elementals there had been...most unpleasant. It had taken a lot of work to clear away the damned slime they spewed as they died, not to mention the repairs he'd needed afterwards. Perhaps they'd be less aggressive early morning, he hoped.
Gladia spoke up, "So, remind me - what are we going to Ahn'Qiraj for exactly?"
"Well, the Silithid are the bugs we see all over the place. Turns out a bunch of shifty freaks- apparently evolved forms of the Silithid, the Qiraji as they're called, have been rising up from the Ruins. They've developed some form of control over the Silithid, and the Cenarion Circle is worried that they might overrun Silithus and become a threat to much of this continent, so they put out recruitment posters all over the place, asking anybody who can fight to come and help them stop the bugs. They also compiled a list of their leaders and it's our job to take them down. In exchange, they're offering some gold and a choice of their finest weaponry. That's the gist of it, I guess."
"So if we just knock out the heads, the whole thing will fall. That's it?"
"That's what they say. There's also a bonus if we find out what theses damn things want anyway. Who do they actually answer to, political motivations, intelligence, anything curious, stuff like that. I'm merely going there for the bloodsport of it. There's rumoured to be a lot of treasure in there, so much so that even the bugs have it on themselves, so we could make a great deal of hard cash from this job."
She giggled, "Heh, that actually sounds kind of funny, I guess...try imagining a bug wearing jewellery."
The warrior chuckled. "Kind of. But it's a pain in the ass to wipe the damned blood from it."
"Money's worth, though. I know a lot of people who'd pay a great deal for odds and ends from the place, as little curios and stuff." She became serious, "But I'm guessing that's not the only reason you're going there, is it?"
The warrior slowed down his horse a little, "Why do you ask?"
She hesitated before replying, "Well, you've been...a bit intense, lately. Last night, when you were dead drunk, you were murmuring about how you were going to, well, do the worst you could to anything even remotely like the Nerubians...it was so unlike you. Vengeful, and a bit scary."
He slowed down a bit more, and eventually stopped. She also stopped, fearful that he might explode in rage. Instead, he merely looked up at the sky, which was slowly turning crimson-gold. Then he looked back at her through the slits in his helmet, before taking it off. She noted his eyes were...darkened? She couldn't tell.
He hesitated a bit before speaking in a low tone, "Remember what happened to Lordaeron? I still see the ruins in my nightmares even to this day. My home is gone, most of my friends are either dead or lost to the Scourge, or that damned Banshee bitch, who prides on defiling my homeland with her infernal minions. All because of that bastard - and his spider pals. A year ago, I went to Northrend...maybe just to seek oblivion, I must have been messed up in the head when I took the boat from Stormwind. I remember those damned bugs he sent out to get us at Valiance Keep in the Borean Tundra. I saw the dread citadel of Icecrown's gates from afar, all swarming with the damned things. Naxxramas, Dragonblight, Zul'Drak...they're all over the place. It was terrible."
"And I found out that...Ahn'Qiraj was where they'd all come from. That it was because of one of their...leaders, some fellow called Anub'Arak, that that bastard became the Lich King. I was amazed...stunned...and enraged." He shuddered slightly.
"I don't give a shit, really, what the Druids want, or what they're going to pay me. I just want to know, who were the sons of whores who created these things, so I can get at them, and tear them to shreds for their evil. And to one day, if I live that long, to drive my swords through that bastard Arthas's body. And to know if there is, some way, any way, to find peace...for once in my fel-damned life." His voice shook a bit at the end, but he kept control of himself.
She stayed silent, her expression was one of sadness. He shook himself mentally, Get a hold of yourself - you're making her upset.
She spoke up, slowly. "I know what you mean. Had I been you, I might have done the same. As I am."
"What do you mean?"
"Silvermoon. I too lost everything. After that, I was practically insane. Then came that bastard Lord Garithos - sniveling supremacist that he was. I thought, why not join Prince Kael'Thas? I almost did, the magical addiction was too great. I worked with him. Right until he met that blasted half-elf and the wretched Naga. I could tell he was going insane from his rage and anger and despair. He was a pitiable sight, a mirror to what I was becoming - I couldn't bear that.
I decided I would flee. And I did. I went to Stormwind, where I managed to survive for some time as a shopkeeper. I swore, by the Light - and I never once thought of breaking it - that someday, I would hunt down the one responsible for the filthy desecration of all I held holy. And that I would stay by my last true friend left - you - for as long as he lived. And I promise you, I will."
Her voice had a firmness to it and her eyes burned with a resolve that women seldom, and men never, could hope to attain.
He looked straight at her. "You're the only close friend I have left from those dark days. I trust you. And I hope you'll forgive me for sounding stupid."
"There is nothing to forgive, old friend. There is nothing to regret. Between friends, there are no regrets." She smiled.
He found himself also unwillingly smiling. "I agree. You still want to to do this?"
"You bet your hide I do! And I still want my share of the gold."
He felt his spirits rise. "Then let us be on our way! The wind is fair, and Ahn'Qiraj is ripe to fall!"
He once again felt the joy of working with old comrades-in-arms, a feeling he'd thought long-forgotten. Perhaps there was some peace to be found in an increasingly hostile world.
They reached Thistleshrub Valley just as the sun rose. The warrior was inwardly annoyed. He didn't want to fight any more of those damned plant elementals, and he hoped they could sneak by without any incident.
Gladia instinctively held her wand in her right hand - charging herself up for a battle. "Think we can get by without a fight?"
"Let's hope so. I don't want to be here when...oh, shit! Down!"
She ducked just in time, her head onto her horse's mane. A blob of poison had nearly hit her. Almost immediately three of the elementals strode into view, one blocking the path behind them and two in front, blocking the way into the Crater.
"Feth! Gladia! You alright?"
She nodded, clearly angry. "Let's get these damned things!"
He nodded as well, pulling out his swords.
Gladia took the first shot, sending a bolt of fire towards the first of the elementals. It must have hit somewhere weak, for the thing roared in pain and fury, and made to charge at her, only to find that halfway there it was missing it's arms. A moment later, it's legs went out from underneath it. As it struggled to get up, the sound of two sharp blades penetrating its back was the last thing it heard before slipping into oblivion.
"One down!" He yelled.
The second elemental lasted no further than the previous one. Both the Warrior and the Mage had been at this partnership for so long that their movements and actions were almost reflexes rather than concious action. They'd fought countless battles before - this was just another of them.
The third elemental was the difficult one. It was the one that had spit the poison and was a bit faster than the ones they'd just killed. Try as they might, it kept dodging their attacks.
Unfortunately, Gladia suddenly tripped over a root. Her spell was interrupted and it had an instant backlash on her, stunning her momentarily. It was all the time the monster needed to spit a blob of mucus at her, trapping her to the ground. She moaned in pain. The warior was incensed at this.
"Oii, over here, you little shit!" He yelled, throwing a dagger at the back of it. It struck it's head, and it must have hit a critical spot for the monster wheeled around in fury, charging at him. As it came it spit a blob of poison at him again, which he dodged, but he was unprepared for the sudden movement of the monster as it cast something at his feet, it's hands glowing.
He suddenly felt roots growing up his boots, trapping him to the ground. The sudden growth put him oof-balance and he stumbled and fell. With a roar the monster charged at him. He stared at it in fury, and the moster was about to take a swipe at him when...
A sudden movement caught the warriors eye. Exactly a moment later, a enormous flash of light, resembling a hammer crashed on the monster's head, knocking it away from him. A few moments later a guttural scream of rage came from the nearby cactus thicket and another flash of light shaped like a hammer flew straight at the monster's face.
When it connected it gave a dull sound like a gong being struck hard. The creature reeeled, swaying from side to side at the force of the blow, so powerful it must have been. A Draenei strode out from the thicket, wielding a hammer and shield and dressed in heavy plate that glowed like gold in the sunlight - a Paladin! The Draenei charged at the creature and knocked it down with his shield, smashing his hammer into it's head and turning it into a pulpy mass as it fell. Dead.
That done, the Draenei gave a once over to the dead monster, then ran to the Warrior. "By the Light, I think I was just in time. Are you hurt?"
The warrior shook his head, "Just shaken is all. See to the girl first."
The Draenei looked in the direction of his outstretched finger. "Very well. Hold right here."
The Paladin strode over to Gladia and cast some spell that cleared away the mucus. He then picked her up gently and brought her over to the Warrior, who had by then staggered to a dead tree and was resting under it, it's branches offering some shade, as the sun had risen and the day was slowly growing warm.
"Hmm...she's hurt a bit. Unconscious. And there's poison in her. Wait, I have just the thing." So saying the Paladin reached into his bag hanging at his side - the Warrior noted it was the huge bag he'd seen being sold in Shattrath by that blood elf chick with the crazy dog - and pulled out a Libram, which he opened to a particular page and began to read out something in a incantation-like form. A pillar of light eveloped Gladia, washing away the poison and healing her wounds, which she'd taken when the monster had spit the mucous on her. The Paladin waved his hand over her and the spell cleared. He did the same for the warrior as well.
Gladia woke up. "Rrrh...what the hell...what happened?" She mumbled groggily.
"You tripped, fell, got plant ooze on you and fainted. This Paladin just healed you and the monsters are dead." The Warrior said, glad that she was alright.
She rubbed her eyes a bit. That was when the Paladin was a bit staggered. "A...Blood Elf?"
That woke her up completely. "NO! Dammit, how many times do I have to say it? You little..." And she set off with a stream of invective in Thalassian.
The Warrior grinned. "Yep, she's just fine. She's a High Elf officially. And oh, thanks for the assist. We were in really deep shit."
The Paladin nodded. "You're welcome." To Gladia, he bowed low, his head coming right upto her midsection, "I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to affront your sensiblities."
She was soothed by that. To anyone, it would have been a comical sight - a Draenei who towered over them by almost a foot bowing so low. She nodded, a bit embarassed, "It's alright. I get that a lot. I'm sorry for ranting at you, I'm just a little shaken..."
He nodded understandingly, standing up straight again. "I perfectly understand. But by Velen's beard, what are you people doing in this area? It's extremely dangerous here..."
Velen's beard...wait, the Warrior knew he'd heard that somewhere.
"There's only one guy who uses that expression, as far as I know." Said the Warrior slowly, a smile creeping across his face. He couldn't see the Paladin's head under the helmet, but he could guess who he was. "Kyras?"
The Paladin's head snapped back to see him. He removed his helmet to peer closely at the Warrior. The Warrior did the same. Kyras grinned in surprise. "You! Damnation! Where have you been! Now this is a surprise!"
Kyras was a Paladin of the Hand of Argus. He'd been serving along with Justinius the Harbinger on the Stair of Destiny in Hellfire Peninsula when the Warrior, then new to Outland, had come thorough the Portal. He'd been his guide throughout his stay in Outland and they had become fast friends. He'd returned to Azeroth some time ago to wrok for the Azerothian branch of the Hand of Argus. In appearance, he looked remarkably tough, with a hulking physique and five tendrils snaking out from his jaw and a hairless, but scarred, face with glowing blue eyes. However, the Warrior knew, there were few others on Azeroth who could match him in his compassion for all living beings - no matter their affiliation - as well as his ability to drink more than anyone could bear without getting stoned even in the slightest.
"Oh, you know...questing for money for my bread and cheese and running off with the daughters of the Blood Elves." He replied, slapping the Paladin on his shoulder.
"Liar," said the Paladin affably. "This your friend you were speaking of?" indicating Gladia with his hand.
Gladia was surprised. "He talked about me?"
Kyras grinned, "All the time. Some of the things he said were most complimentary. I see he wasn't exaggerating. Especially about..."
The Warrior waved his hands frantically. "No no no, don't tell her any of that. I beg you!"
"Heh, alright old friend."
Gladia was annoyed. "What? What did he say?"
"Not my secret to tell. Ask him!"
She turned on the warrior, hitting him with her fists on his chest like a little girl, "Tell me! I want to know what!"
"Not now, maybe later..."
"I want to know now! Tell me, damn you!"
A small growl from the thickets stopped them all.
Kyras frowned. "Damn. Looks like some of them want to get busy. Hate to break up your moment but we'd better get going."
The warrior nodded, "Yeah, no shit."
All of them mounted up - Kyras had hidden his Elekk nearby - and they rode off into the path to Un'Goro. they were in the crater half-an-hour later.