Declaration of the Shifting Sands
The First Prophet's arrival silenced the room completely, making every qiraji in the room fall to their knees in complete respect. Sirexx felt like he could literally get strangled in the web of emotions he felt at Skeram's presence.
He's even grander than I could have ever imagined! He must be at least twice as tall as Sa'rol and four times my height! And his cape is covered in powerful artifacts without a doubt! Danoxx's heirloom is but a toy compared to any of those of Skeram's! And his face radiates total authority and command. In addition, he's one of the living legends, savior of our people… and now he stands in front of me! How am I even fit to be here?
"This is the last timeI tolerate you for not kneeling before me, insects. Bow!" Skeram's low and and resonating voice echoed through the hall, making the other qirajis shiver. The night elves first seemed intent on obeying but the leader ordered them to stand their ground.
"We don't grovel in front of anyone demanding it. You can count on us not to disrespect or harm you or your empire. But we came as ambassadors and we ask for mutual respect." offered the white-haired night elf with conciliatory yet firm voice. The other qiraji stayed silent. Skeram's antennae tugged quickly at the night elf's words. The stranger was clearly a brave one.
Sirexx could smell Ra'jol's agitation. The qiraji sense of smell could separate certain emotions from the overall sensation. Ra'jol clearly wished to crush the elves but stayed back. Ke'nir and Danoxx simply observed the tall elf's movements, searching for a threat.
"Know that you'll grovel before our might before long. But if you're so pompous, do what you want, it doesn't matter. What're the names of your delegation members?" Skeram's voice was extremely cold and self-confident. It felt like every word he said would go down in history as something of great importance. The apparent night elf leader was the first one to talk.
"I am Valstann Staghelm, son of our acting archdruid. I represent my father and all the druids of Vordanaar."
"My name is Shandris Feathermoon, the second-in-command of the Sentinels. I serve directly under my general, Tyrande Whisperwind." The female night elf stood to Valstann's left side. She called Tyrande simply a general as she feared mentioning her position as High Priestess to Skeram wouldn't be wise.
"And I am Lorekeeper Eldrath of the Shen'dralar. Our prince Tortheldrin personally asked me to join this delegation. I represent merely my own people." The elder lorekeeper seemed weary yet worried about the situation he was in.
"And I am Prophet Skeram, the spiritual leader of my people and I answer only to the Emperors and our Creator. The first thing I must ask of you is what brought you here?" The question was purely for show but he wanted to keep his subjects in the faith that the night elves were accusing Ahn'Qiraj wrongly.
Valstann knew this. However, what could he say? Nothing he could say would convince the other qiraji otherwise and he was negotiating with the Prophet, not his underlings.
"With regret, I must declare your expansion and raids unacceptable. We cannot stand by while you turn the entire south into your domain." Sirexx gasped in shock. The stranger's accusation was surely a wrong one. The qiraji were simply helping their allies and collecting artifacts wherever they could be found. Perhaps not always fairly but that didn't concern the elves. The sensation from his comrades was that of similar confusion. Everyone waited for Skeram's answer.
The Prophet's expression didn't change much. His multiple jaws closed deeper into his face and his eyes radiated with determination. The giant qiraji's answer came with firm yet unthreatening voice.
"Your accusations are incorrect, elves. Our allies help us due to their free will and the "raids", as you call them, are us taking toys from those who cannot use them properly. You surely don't claim those pathetic savages use them more wisely than us?"
Eldrath was the first one to answer. Of the three delegation members, the old night elf had the most personal experience of the qiraji. He had been assaulted by them decades ago, when they were still fairly unknown to other races when he had been returning from an unsuccessful trip to introduce arcane magic to Mulgore. He had survived the encounter but now that he was among the attackers, the memories flowed back.
"Even if they lack the grandeur of your culture, you cannot possibly say that you may take whatever you want? I've been targeted too by our underlings so does that make me a barbarian?" His agitation grew as he progressed.
Skeram tilted his left to the right and hit one of his legs audibly to the ground. The conversation went as he had planned.
"Who knows? We only target those who benefit our cause, the only cause worth working for. I cannot know why you were attacked but it probably wasn't a mistake."
Shandris couldn't believe her ears. Even if what the qiraji was saying was true, why would he say it out loud? Was he even trying to negotiate or was he just playing with them?
Sirexx could smell his comrades being on alert but otherwise they didn't show any strong feelings about Eldrath's claim. The Prophet was holding the line Ahn'Qiraj stood for, the rest was up to the night elves.
Valstann's face looked stoic but his mind too was busy trying to figure what Skeram was up to. Why would he allow them to enter the city if this was his attitude?
"Does that mean you consider us an enemy along with every other race on Kalimdor? Attacking everyone with no regard for their freedom or life isn't the way a civilized race would act! What are you after? Why do you do this?"
This was the question why the trio had come to Ahn'Qiraj in the first place. To find out the qiraji's main objective and try to negotiate a solution. Everything depended on Skeram's answer.
Ra'jol was very content with the way the meeting was going. The Prophet was defending their Creator's and their homeland's honor. He could see that his respect and belief in their leadership was correct. Danoxx and Ke'nir, too, were highly impressed by their leader's appearance but they were puzzled by his handling of the situation.
When Skeram spoke again, his voice was very inquisitive and demanding. His eyes were locked on Valstann, seeking to lower his resolve.
"Before I answer that, let me ask you a question: I have heard of a night elf called Dath'Remar Sunstrider. I understand that he chose to leave your people with his followers because of your narrowmindedness regarding his art of arcane magic. What does sending a great hero of your people and his followers to their deaths because of their preference of magic tell about the night elves?"
Eldrath gasped at the mention of the Shen'dralar's most revered legend. He was the last of the great night elf wizards and as such, the last relic of a glorious era when the night elves' arcane powers were highly respected in every corner of Kalimdor. The era of which memory the Shen'dralar tried to keep alive.
Valstann was also highly surprised. How did his host know of Dath'Remar, the last leader of the Highborne who were the servants of Queen Azshara and the great wizards of the Kaldorei? Dath'Remar deserted his insane queen and became one of most notable leaders of the resistance that saved Azeroth from the Burning Legion during the War of the Ancients nine millennia ago. Dath'Remar and his Highborne tried to integrate into the new night elf society but the divide between them and others forced the Highborne to sail to the east, never to be heard of again. What did Skeram hope to gain from bringing him up?
"Dath'Remar and his followers were a grave danger to Vordanaar. The Kaldorei still honor their part in beating the Legion greatly but their addiction to magic drove them mad and turned them against us. Exile was the only option we had." Valstann's voice was full of regret but resonated with the belief that his words were true.
Skeram however, wasn't done yet with the subject.
"That's not the entire truth, night elf. Your people's embrace of druidism was total and left no room for dissent. Dath'Remar took his time to try to bridge your differences but you never listened. Their total separation from Nordrassil and the new Well further fed their despair. Can you really say that the exile was the only way?" Skeram's antennae moved back and forth but his jaws became more relaxed.
Valstann frowned. This turn of events was unexpected.
"Yes. It was the greed of the Highborne that brought the demons to our world in the first place. How could we grant them access to the source of arcane power if they couldn't control their desires? We simply couldn't risk another demon invasion."
Skeram's eyes resonated great pleasure playing with the delegation. However, the trio couldn't tell it as qiraji eyes differed greatly from that of night elves'. Sirexx, on the other hand, noticed it but couldn't tell why Skeram acted the way he did.
"We both know they could never have done it without the original Well of Eternity. The new one is much less powerful and Nordrassil suppresses its powerful completely. You knew they were harmless, yet that didn't matter. Your druidism simply left no room for any other kind of magic, I take it. What makes your cause so noble, may I ask?"
Shandris took a look at Valstann and whispered something in his ear. No qiraji in the room heard her words and Valstann simply nodded at her statement. They were both concerned about Skeram's intentions but continued to play his game.
"Druidism is a power generated from the nature itself. Arcane magic is an opposite of life as its raw power destroys every organism who cannot control it. We decided to abandon it in order to stay closer to natural state of things. We've had our share of controlling powers we can't understand or fully control. But enough of this! This isn't why we're here." Valstann sounded agitated and decided to take the initiative of the conversion. Eldrath took a look at him, clearly displeased about the praise of druidism but didn't object due to Vordanaar's leading role in their alliance.
"It is. You came to seek our motivations for our actions. I wanted to let you come up with some of them. No intelligent race is fully divergent of another, night elf. Our motives are similar to yours even if our culture isn't. Hopefully remembering Dath'Remar's fate sheds some light into our way of understanding the world."
Valstann gasped. What was Skeram saying? That the qiraji considered the night elves a threat? That they were waging war to promote their religion? Shandris and Eldrath seemed taken aback also. On the other hand, Skeram spoke less secretively than they initially expected but his words were also much more bizarre.
"We have a great mission. What do you know about us or our origin?" The giant qiraji wished to retain the control of the conversation while at the same time making the elves understand.
"Very little. You simply appeared some decades ago from nothingness and quickly started attacking others. We suspect you have some kind of connection to the ancient Aqir but nothing more."
"Aqir were our ancient forefathers but we've changed physically and culturally since them. However, our purpose hasn't. The Aqir weren't competitors for world domination for nothing. They were created by a living and almighty Creator. He crafted the Aqir from the silithid in his image and granted them intelligence and a part of his powers."
Valstann didn't really know what so say. In a matter of minutes he had learn more from the qiraji than any other night elf, save for his companions. However, he was very concerned with the turn the conversation was going.
"After the fall of their great empire, the Creator showed himself to us once again, gave us purpose. I was created at that time, along with the Emperors, our true leaders, to lead our people to glory and absolution from our predecessors' failure."
Sirexx was dumbstruck. He knew the story in principle but hearing the Prophet admit his Creator-given role and birth was something he hadn't known. All of his companions were equally surprised but they didn't let their concentration fail.
Shandris had fallen deep into her thoughts. She wondered who this Creator was. Skeram was very confident of his cause. The only "god" capable of creating anything, at least to her knowledge, was the night elves' goddess of the moon Elune, whose high priestess Tyrande was like a big sister to Shandris. Could Elune be the qirajis' creator as well?
"Who is this Creator? What do you know about him?" she asked with some hesitation.
Skeram's eyes turned to Shandris. The red qiraji was not pleased with the question.
"He is much more than any of us can possibly imagine. He's much more ancient than Kalimdor itself and more powerful than the demon horde which invaded Kalimdor nine thousand years ago! His true appearance is hidden even from me and the form he chooses to show to me is none of your business. But unlike your Elune, our god is real and has a concrete physical form though right now he waits deep in sleep in our glorious temple."
Sirexx gasped. He hadn't even thought about Skeram and Creator's communication. Especially the Prophet's remark of "true appearance" puzzled him. He could assume many different forms and He had revealed only one of them to Skeram? Given the Creator's mysterious being however, he wasn't too surprised.
Shandris didn't answer. She wasn't satisfied with the Prophet's answer and merely quickly decided that "the Creator" was a false god, probably some demigod or even one of the lost dragon aspects. Malygos' blue dragonflight had been annihilated in the war and he had disappeared in the aftermath of the Sundering, whereas Neltharion who was better known as Deathwing had become one of the war's villains but had been beaten in the end. His recent whereabouts were unknown. Could one of them be the lord of the qiraji?
"You mentioned him waiting for something? What could he possibly be waiting for?" Valstann asked even if he had his own growing fears about the answer.
"For us to fulfill our purpose: to grow enough in strength to make way for His eventual awakening."
The room was filled with silence. Only the voice of receding sandstorm outside could be heard as the night elves finally understood the qirajis' motivation. However, hopefully everything wasn't lost yet…
"So you're planning to attack every other people in Kalimdor to awaken a god whose substance you don't even know? If he's as powerful as you say, couldn't he be an end of all we know, using you as a tool of apocalypse?"
Sirexx's recent dreams flowed into his mind as the night elf's words greeted the Unseen's ears. He was disturbed about Valstann's remarks but they were cut short by Skeram's thundering voice.
"AN OUTSIDER HAS NO RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CREATOR, LET ALONE MOCK HIM! HE IS AN INCARNATION OF EVERYTHING GOOD AND JUST IN THIS WORLD! IF YOU WISH TO SHARE A PART OF HIS GLORY, VORDANAAR MUST ACCEPT HIM AS THEIR REDEEMER AS WELL!" Skeram's antennae were straight with rage, his black eyes radiated and he bowed forward to the elves.
"And if we don't?" Valstann tried to keep his voice calm but he knew now the negotiation was practically over. The elves' choices were conversion under the qiraji's dominance or war.
"Then you will fall in time after the south. As you claim druidism's supremacy in the world, we claim the Creator's. Your future will be as bleak as the Highbornes' was in your world!"
Eldrath gritted his teeth in great annoyance. He had been the least hopeful to begin with and his loathing for the qiraji only grew. He decided to make a move he knew wasn't wise but felt it necessary. He was a highly skilled mage and despite his age still very fast. In a blink of an eye he cast a barrage of arcane magic at Skeram, hoping to wound him enough so that Valstann and Shandris could finish him of. He knew he wouldn't survive this but ridding the qiraji of their leader was worth it. He was just about to launch the blast at Skeram…
…before a chela grabbed his hand and a powerful kick forced him to his knees. Eldrath could feel his neck being pressured heavily.
"Don't even think about it, elf scum! None shall harm the Prophet!"
When Valstann finally realized what was happening, it was already over. He only saw Sirexx holding his companion captive and he knew better than to attack the Unseen. He would never win against all the surrounding qiraji. The best he could hope for was for his companions to escape with their lives.
"Release him, Sirexx! That fool will meet his end before long but not here. We need these worms to relay our message." Skeram spoke in qiraji as the elves didn't need to understand his words. Seeing Eldrath released, Valstann relaxed somewhat but the outcome of the talks was a huge disappointment.
"Prophet, is war your final answer?" He tried one last time but resignation was clear in his voice.
Skeram nodded in confirmation. "Yes. The time for the Creator's awakening has arrived and we'll cleanse Kalimdor of all non-believers. Unless you embrace Him, there's little to discuss."
Valstann looked at him with narrow eyes for a moment but then turned towards the door to take his leave. His companions followed his lead.
"You're still not going anywhere on your own. Your new guards are waiting you outside but you must cover your eyes now."
The elves hesitantly did as was ordered and exited the huge door which resembled a scarab. Sirexx was extremely relieved he had managed to stop Eldrath's attack but his fear of the coming overshadowed it. The approaching war was a fact now but would he or any of his companions see its end?
