Thunder cracked overhead. Vicky instinctively ducked, tucking herself against the rocky wall. "Holyshit, I think I crapped myself."
Kalec chuckled. "I must say, I would have never imagined a Night Elf speaking that way."
She scowled at the blue-haired mage. "Very funny." They moved along, slipping in between a tight crack on the cliff side.
"When was the last time that you heard from him." Vicky gripped the back of Kalec's shirt, grasping around the backside of a chest strap. Even with her elvish form, she couldn't see anything except black.
"We lost contact two days ago. The handful of Sunweaver guards escorting him had been shredded beyond recognition."
Vicky's hand tightened on the strap. Kalec felt it pull against him. "Do not worry, my friend. I may not be the Life-binder, but I can still sense his presence in the magical network of this world."
He frowned. Colton's life-force was slowly draining. His magic was nearly gone. They were bleeding him, but his curse was prolonging his death. He reached behind, grasping Vicky's elbow and giving it a friendly squeeze. "We're going to find him."
The diversion presented with Tina's presence had caused the enemy to attack the Kirin Tor outpost. This had left the Sunweavers free to assist with infiltrating the not-so-abandoned citadel. It appears that the only remaining hostiles left were re-birthed sauroks, injected with anima. When Colton had taken a small squadron inside, the only communication they had received was a finger of a guard, carried back to the Sunweavers outpost by their pet bird.
The dank smell of decomposing bodies hit their senses. Vicky felt her boot slide through something wet; the sound of sickly squishing bounced off the walls in the tiny corridor. The powerful odor made her stomach lurch. She gripped Kalec with both hands, trying to will herself to keep following.
Eventually, the small crack widened, and stale air replaced the smell of dead corpses. Kalec held his hand out, releasing a small ball of light. It began to orbit the duo.
Vicky blinked a few times, as her eyes adjusted to the sudden light source. She gasped; it was a grandiose hall, reaching dizzying heights to the ceiling. The damp walls glistened, and ornate carvings were littered over the stonework.
"Remnants of the Titans, my creators, and perhaps yours as well." Kalec's whispered voice echoed in the large chamber.
"Gods?" Vicky cringed, still surprised by the sound of her elvish voice.
"In a way. It is a debate held from those who were cursed with flesh, and now even by the original inhabitants. This planet…it is alive."
Vicky's long eyebrows furrowed. "Planets are nothing but various compositions of elements. Whether it can support life or not is dependent on its placement near its orbiting star, as well as other outside forces…like a larger planet's gravity."
Kalec stopped, turning to look at her with an inquisitive expression. "This planet is a Titan."
Vicky shrugged. "If your religious beliefs say so, then it is whatever you want it to be."
"That is not religion, Vicky. This planet is the living flesh of a greater being."
She frowned, shaking her head. "That's impossible." She walked past him, glancing at the decorative, golden torch stands mounted on the walls. "Or are you speaking in terms of 'seeding' a planet, by using existing biochemical compounds from an already living host?" The movie Prometheus immediately popped in her mind. She grimaced, shaking her head, trying to rid herself of the thought.
The last thing I need to deal with is a face hugger.
Kalec stared at her for a few moments, easily reading her thoughts. His eyebrows furrowed, and he reached forward, touching Vicky's arm. She jumped, looking at him with widened eyes.
"No, Mrs. Atherton, nothing like that." He motioned her to follow him. "And I hope to never bear witness to what I had just observed in your mind."
They continued further into the large chamber, taking a few side paths, which led up countless stairs. In her human form, her heart would have exploded half-way through the climb. However, she barely found herself having to take any additional breaths. They, eventually, stepped into a corridor with a large channel running through the middle, trickling water mixed with decayed rot of plants, animals, and who knows. Through a rusted grating, so saw a large, open expanse, with light streaming in from above. She squinted her eyes; feathers.
"This was once the feeding grounds of a monstrous bird. A team of heroes laid siege to this citadel, many years ago. The beast fell to their might."
Vicky watched as a red sludge floated past. "Was Colton part of that group?"
Kalec shook his head, scanning the area ahead of them for any hostiles. "No. He was sent as part of a smaller group, aimed at gaining intel." He turned to her, his blue eyes portraying a saddened expression. "He was captured."
She looked at Kalec, her mouth falling open. A wetness began to form around her white eyes. "He never told me…why?"
Kalec reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Some memories are best left in the past, my friend." He turned from her, walking along the channel. "The curse kept him alive, while he suffered through their 'experiments'. For months, he endured unspeakable torture, the whips of his new masters always causing more of his blood to pour out. Along his back, the mogu etched painful runes, embedded with the anima."
He jumped across the channel, and reached towards Vicky, holding his hands out to help her. She grabbed his hands, and he easily pulled her over the stagnant pool of excrement. "Zulrajas found him." They continued on wards, up more flights of stairs. "He tried to move on, but the demons of his past lingered. His resignation was not a surprise."
A sniffle caused Kalec to glance over his shoulder, catching Vicky wiping tears out of her eyes. She unceremoniously dragged the back of her hand across her nose. He chuckled. "Then you fell into our world, my friend. I had not seen Colton this happy since he first stumbled into the top of Wyrmrest Temple."
"Worm rest?"
"An ancient city. The ruins serve as a meeting place for the leaders of the various dragon flights. Or, it did."
"Why were you there?"
Kalec picked up on the faint sound of something. Stopping, he stuck his arm out, signaling Vicky to stop. They stood still for a few minutes, before he motioned for them to continue. "At the time, I was the representative for the blue dragon flight."
Vicky scratched her head. "Because you're a mage?"
He chuckled, again. "You could say that."
They finally arrived at the top platform of a long set of spiraling stairs. Before them laid a great, golden door. Kalec walked before it, squinting to pick up for signs of any entry. In the middle was a small, circular recess…large enough for a human hand. Small tributaries branched outwards, enlarging towards the borders of the door. He strained his ears.
Faint breathing.
"Vicky." He turned to her, reaching out to gently place his hands on both her shoulders. She focused on him, her eyes widened with confusion and fear. "Inside you, you carry a small portion of something. It is the only thing that will allow us through this door. Colton is on the other side." He squeezed her shoulders. "Listen to me. When we go through this, your primary objective is to get Colton out of here. There is something else here. Something ancient…it is far too powerful for us."
Vicky's eyebrows furrowed, as her eyes widened. "Then how do we escape?"
"I will lure it away. Simply backtrack our steps, and you will leave this place safely." He let go of her shoulders, and gently grabbed her hand. She watched as he produced a small dagger with his other, aiming it near her palm. He glanced up at her.
"Tell me when you're ready. Once this door opens, there will be no time to pause." He handed her the dagger, and stepped back. Vicky stared at the dagger and her palm, slowly walking forwards. She stopped, glancing up.
The large, golden door stood before her.
Moments passed, and she closed her eyes, calming her nerves and bolstering her resolve. The dagger was quickly dragged across her palm. With blood trickling down her finger tips, she placed her hand inside the circular recess. Suddenly, a bright, red glow began to spread through the cracks, generating a low hum of electrical energy. The door slowly creaked open.
They quickly stepped in; Kalic readying another light spell. It faded, as the sickening red glow illuminated the grandiose chamber. Around them were large, glass cylinders full of a reddish liquid, violently swirling. The middle of the floor had a large, metal inlay. Vicky's eyes followed a small stream of red back, until it hit the wall. She gasped, sprinting forward. It was Colton, chained to the wall in human form and stripped of all clothing. Deep symbols had been cut into his skin. Blood was streaming down his legs.
Kalec ran after her, launching a spell that shattered Colton's restraints. Vicky caught him, cradling his torso as she let her knees crash on the floor. Her hands shook as they ran over his hands. Gashes and cuts littered his face. He weakly reached up, grasping her wrist.
"Kill…me…"
Something growled from the depths below. Kalec touched Vicky's arm. "Move! Get out!" Vicky pulled Colton's arm over her shoulder and began to drag him across the floor towards the exit. A small trail of blood followed behind.
"I have waited in darkness…in silence…"
They passed through the golden doors, and Vicky spared one glance over her shoulders. Kalec's form was shrouded in a misty gray fog. The metallic floor was slowly opening; a sickly bright light shining from underneath. Out of the fog, she saw a giant blue dragon step forth. It roared, as the golden doors slammed shut. The ground shook, and she tripped, skidding down the stairs with Colton in tow. Her knees were bloodied, but she continued to pull him along, sloshing through the dirty, stale water of the channel.
The stairs were occasionally missed, as Vicky stumbled in a mad panic. Colton's breathing was weak and raspy. Tears were freely pouring down her face. Through the cracks in the crumbling walls to her right, she saw brief images of a great blue dragon soaring in the giant chamber that house the dead bird. A frustrated yell erupted from above them, followed by the sound of something heavy slamming into the stone.
The ceiling began to collapse, and Vicky cried out, intermixing her sobs with desperate gasps for breath. They reached the first chamber her and Kalec walked into. The light from outside poured in through the crack, and she saw the mangled, dead bodies of Blood Elves scattered on the floor. Chunks of stone fell, smashing onto the ornate floor tiles, sending small slivers of particles flying. She felt stone embed itself in her cheek.
The cold, gray light of the outside surrounded them, and she pulled Colton with her along the edge of the ridge, before stopping at a flattened area of rock, at the edge of the shoreline. Carefully, she laid Colton out, looking over his mutilated body. She held her hands over a large wound over his chest; it wouldn't stop bleeding.
Colton's head fell to the side, his eyes partially opened. He looked at her with dilated pupils and a blank stare. His breathing was erratic, and she felt his body tremble.
"Please…tell my wife…that I love her."
He released a heavy breath, and her hands no longer felt the rise of his chest. Vicky panicked, pressing down on his chest in a series of downward thrusts. She felt his ribs crack. Her mind started to play the song "Stayin Alive", as she timed each of her pushes. After a few minutes, she collapsed to the side, exhausted. Putting her fingers on his neck, she felt nothing.
Vicky began to shake; her eyes wide in absolute shock. He was dead. She couldn't heal him. He was dead.
She began to sob, laying across his chest. A loud boom of thunder roared over her cries, as large rain drops fell over her. She shifted, immediately feeling something hard and round underneath.
The orb.
"This orb is meant to grant magic to its wielder when desperation arises…and hope begin to die…"
Vicky slowly pulled the orb out of her satchel. The strange orb glowed with a deep purple mist, swirling in a slow and steady spiral along the surface. Without a second though, she smashed the orb on the ground. The purple mist leaked out, surrounding her and Colton. Gradually, it began to seep into his skin. She grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers and placing it on top of his chest.
"Heal..." Tears ran down her cheeks. She leaned over, lightly kissing his cold lips.
A soft light began to emanate from their intertwined hands, and she felt the mist began to seep through her own skin. Pain immediately followed, and her body went rigid. It was draining her.
She trembled, her eyes wide as she looked down at her husband.
He breathed.
"I'm floating down a river…"
Tina leaned forward, then back, pushing against the water with the oars. They were in the southern rise of the Vale of Eternal Spring.
Or fall. Summer?
Across from her was Vicky, still sporting her elvish disguise.
"Oars freed from their holes, long ago…" She glanced at Vicky. "I'm kidding."
It was a neutral zone, that had been stabilized from a previous onslaught of mogu.
"Further down the river…further down the river-ahhh-yahhh…"
Vicky pinched her nose bridge. "For the love of God, Tina…"
Tina burst out laughing, leaning forward to push them along the peaceful stream.
"How am I supposed to woo a beautiful elf, then?"
Vicky narrowed her eyes on Tina. "With a big dick."
They both roared with laughter, catching the attention of some nearby Pandarens, tending to the fruit trees.
"So how's it going with Captain Xenophobe?"
Tina shrugged, leaning back, causing the boat to pick up some lost momentum. "Oh, you know...we're coming along just swimmingly." She frowned. "The first day you abandoned me with him…" Tina shot Vicky a dirty look. "I watched him disembowel some walking lizard, then stroll along like it was another day in the park."
Vicky glanced to the left, seeing Ely leaning up against a tree. He was messing with the tension on his bow.
"I don't get it; why is he still here?"
Tina shrugged. "No clue. The sooner he accepts that Dushan is my cat, the sooner he can go back to living by himself, jerking off on some bushes."
Dushan lifted his lazy head off Vicky's lap, twitching an ear at Tina. She ran her long fingers through his thick fur.
"Agreed. I adore this furry shithead, and I don't even like cats."
He glanced up at Vicky, then pushed his head on her palm, tilting it so she scratched at the desired spot.
"Any idea when Colton's going to wake up?"
Vicky shrugged. "Kalec says it'll be a few more days." She pulled at her white hair, holding it out to look at it in detail. "I wonder how much longer this is going to last?" Her eyebrows furrowed. "Shit, I wonder if his mom's still looking for me?" Vicky felt sand brush against the bottom of the boat. Tina's focus was fixed on something behind her.
"Not any longer, my dear."
Vicky's eyes went wide. She froze, sitting rigid in the boat. Tina stood, carefully stepping out; she motioned for Dushan to follow. The cat yawned, lazily pulling its large body to its feet. He hopped out after his mistress.
"I admit, not many people can outwit a master warlock."
Vicky's eyebrows furrowed. Yes, that makes sense; you would need to be pretty smart if you were a locksmith during a war.
"I'm sorry?" She immediately grimaced afterwards; she sounded like an idiot.
Gillian glanced around the beautiful landscape. The vale was a mystical land, rich with magical energies from a bygone era. She looked back down at her daughter-in-law, still frozen in her seat.
"Come, child." She turned, slowly walking up the small hill, onto the rocky path. She heard the cautious footsteps of an elf behind her. "I am surprised the illusion spell is still active."
Vicky nervously started chewing on her fingers. "Yeah, me too. It's been over a week. Martyn said it would only last a few hours, tops."
"It is being boosted by another." Gillian spotted the familiar blue-hair of Kalec, entering a building in the distance.
"How can you tell?"
Gillian chuckled. "Oh, just merely, intuition."
They stepped into a small house. None of the Pandaren residencies had doors, which made Vicky question the extent of their private lives. A fire was lit in the left corner, with some water boiling on top. Gillian took a rag, grasping the handle of the pot and lifting it off. Vicky took a seat next to the bed on the right side. She reached out, touching Colton's shoulder.
He was still in human form. His body covered in bandages. The healers of the village were not able to remove all the scars from the runes etched into his skin. His long hair was brushed back, displaying the stitches on the side of his temple.
"My son owes you his life."
Vicky shrugged. She placed her hands in her lap and leaned back. "Eh, no big deal." She glanced up at his mother. "I think I should probably work on getting back home, though."
"Home? You mean Stormwind?"
Vicky's eyebrows furrowed. "No…"
Gillian glanced at Colton's figure. "Did you two buy a new house?"
Vicky slowly began to shake her head. She stood up, walking towards the entrance.
"Mrs. Atherton…I don't belong here." She made a circular motion with her hand. "He married me because of his job. It was never meant to be permanent…"
Gillian sat next to Colton. She reached out, running a warm, wet rag across his forehead.
"That is unfortunate, child." She lifted his chest bandage, noting the small burns of a soul draining spell. She watched Vicky reach up and place a hand over the same spot on her chest, wincing. "Part of you sustains him. Should you travel a great distance apart…I cannot say that he would live. At least, not until his soul has had a chance to repair itself, if it can."
She secured the bandage, and stood back up, pushing the wrinkles out of her black dress. "He lives now, thanks to you, but do not feel as though you are obligated to stay. Souls are nothing more than business transactions to this family, my dear, and death is an unavoidable fate we all must face. However, I do implore of you Victoria…do not make a hasty decision. Sometimes, things happen for a reason."
She reached out, grabbing Vicky's hand, giving it a squeeze, as she walked out the room.
"Wow, so…wow."
Vicky was sitting at the table with her head in her hands. Tina was on the opposite side, taking sips out of a local bottle of wine.
"So, like, are you going to replenish part of your own 'life essence' or whatever? Or are you screwed?"
Vicky didn't make any movement or sound. She was struggling to come to terms with what she had just been told.
Colton's mother was, actually, a powerful mage…of sorts. Her specialty was controlling demons. However, part of her skill sets also included stealing souls, and as such, she could recognize the side effects of spells associated with the practice. Namely, the burns on her and Colton's chests.
The globe Vicky shattered had a unique spell in it, not common among the warlock community. It transfered the soul of one, to another, stopping only when both individuals were sustained. It would keep them linked for an unspecified amount of time; sometimes indefinitely.
"I have always had my suspicions with the Kal'dorei. For them to gift you with such a dark spell…tsk, tsk."
Dushan nudged Vicky's leg.
"Yes, I already have 'replenished' whatever was given. However, I bound him to me. My soul keeps him alive, constantly filling in the voids."
She looked up at Tina, her glowing ethereal eyes misting over. "If I got back home…there's a good chance he'll die."
"Jesus…I'm…I'm so sorry."
Tina reached across the table, grabbing the outside of Vicky's hand and giving it a squeeze. She noticed movement in the distance, and looked up; Colton was in the doorway, leaning on a cane. He saw her and waved.
"Ms. Harris! It is good to see you." He slowly made his way over, noticing the morbid expression on Tina's face. "Ms. Harris, I apologize for what had happened. We were concerned for your safety."
Tina glanced up, offering a weak smile. "Oh, right, yeah…that's fine." She squeezed Vicky's hand again and leaned back in her seat. Colton turned to Vicky.
"I believe we haven't met. My name is Colton Atherton." He bowed his head towards her. "And you are?" He raised an eyebrow, a partial smile on his face.
Vicky let her head drop on the table. Colton looked at Tina, panicking. He put an arm around the Night Elf, shaking her gently. She sighed.
"What happened? Is she alright?"
Tina took a swig of her drink. "She's having a mental breakdown. Waiter! More booze."
A few awkward minutes passed, while the waiter seemed content to ignore her empty drink crisis. Colton asked Tina a slew of questions, ranging from her current state, to that of cat and its mysterious owner. He balanced a cup on between his hands, tilting his head to the side. His eyes had a far away look on them.
"Have you heard from Vicky?"
Colton had sat himself in the chair next to Tina. She gave him a peculiar look, while glancing at the bottom of her glass. Do they not get paid based on tips here?
"Yeah."
"How is she?"
Tina shrugged. "She's not doing so swell."
He became rigid, grabbing the edge of the table. "And my mother left her?!"
Tina glanced at Vicky. "Not exactly."
"Colton and Ms. Harris! What a pleasure." Kalec walked up to the table; a radiant smile plastered on his face. He turned to the white-haired elf, who was still face down on the table.
"Oh, I guess we don't need that anymore." He reached over Vicky's head; a warm glow emanating from his hand. A hazy mist formed around the table, and Colton glanced over; hazel orbs stared back.
"I snuck out."
"What the fuck were you thinking?!"
Guess I'm rubbing off on him.
Some Pandarens walked by, cautiously glancing inside the open-door room. Vicky shook her head, making a motion with her hands that everything was fine. She nervously grabbed at her arms.
"I don't know."
He tossed his cane to the side, and limped over to the edge of the bed. He was exhausted; even the small trip to the inn and back took a lot of energy.
"Obviously. Honestly, Vicky, you are too thick-headed for your own good."
Her eyes widened, and she snapped her head towards him. "I fucking dragged your dead ass out of that place. At least you could be somewhat grateful."
His eyes met hers. "What?"
She stuck her fingers in her mouth, chewing on the skin. She nervously turned her back from him. He stood up, reaching over to gently grab her shoulders.
"Vicky…tell me. What happened?"
Pain flared and she waved her hand in the air. "Nothing."
"Vicky…" He slowly turned her to face him. Her eyes were panicked; she eyed the door, readying herself to bolt at any second.
"Kalec and I…we went to get you." She held up her palm. "I have it, in me, too. It's the only way to get inside…"
Colton saw the faint scar of a cut.
"You were there, chained. We cut you down." Vicky began to tremble. "I dragged you out all the way down, through those huge corridors. Something…something awful is still there. Down there…"
A tear fell down her cheek. He reached up, using his thumb to wipe the tear away.
"You died." Her lips quivered, and she shut her mouth, dropping her head.
He dipped his head a little lower, a small smile on his lips. "And?" His voice was gentle, like speaking to a child.
Her head snapped up. She began to wipe her tears away with her hands. "Now you're not." She jerked to leave, and he tightened his grip on her shoulder, keeping her in place.
"What happened."
She stared at him, panic coming off her in waves. "I…I filled in the gaps."
He blinked, his expression going black. Vicky nervously twitched, she eyed the door again.
"I'm going to go-"
"Stay with me."
Her eyebrows furrowed. "I'm not leaving the area…I can't." She frowned, biting on the side of her bottom lip. "Actually, I need to tell you something. It's serious." He nodded for her to continue.
"I can't be far from you. I don't know what 'far' translates to, but I'm pretty sure world jumping is out of the question. If that happens, you die."
"Who told you that?"
She blinked. "Your mother. My soul sustains yours. You were fubar."
"Fubar?"
"Fucked up beyond all repair." A frown crossed her face again. "I'm sorry, Colton. You're sort of stuck with me. I wish there was another way, I do. I know it's not-"
He crashed his lips on hers. His arms latched around her back, pulling her closer.
A whistle sounded from behind her. She broke their kiss off, releasing an irritated sigh, as she turned to find Tina leaning against the door frame, her arms crossed in front of her.
"Well, well…looks like someone's feeling better." Tina wiggled her eyebrows, suggestively. "Too bad there are no doors in this commune. I guess this could be considered a cheap form of birth control."
Colton rolled his eyes, turning around to find a seat on the bed. "Privacy is something a person finds a limited supply of when you are around, Ms. Harris."
Tina laughed, clasping her hands together. "As much as I enjoy breaking up your liaisons, the blue-haired magician has asked that we prepare ourselves to exit the the Island of Doctor Moreau."
Vicky's eyebrows furrowed. "Is that the only book you've ever read? You reference it a lot."
Tina held up her hand, raising two fingers. "I've referenced it twice, and with both times it was entirely applicable."
"When?"
Kalec walked up behind her. "Now, would be ideal. It is important that you two are nowhere near the citadel when we launch our final assault."
"What about the anima in our blood?" Colton glanced up, a look of concern on his face.
Kalec shook his head. "No need. Ra-den broke the seal during his rage while attempting to chase me. We are able to access the entirety of the complex, now."
He motioned towards all three. "Come. As a bronze dragon would say, 'time is of the essence'."