A/N: Whoops, time just sped past and before I knew it, months had gone by without an update from me! I'm terribly sorry! I so hadn't planned for that! But never fear, for as I've said, I will not abandon this story! I just became...incredibly distracted! On a side note, I'm going to BlizzCon yay! My sister and I are travelling there for the first time. I'm so excited! But anyway, here's the next chapter, enjoy! Again, I apologize for any grammatical errors, or improper sentences! I don't have anyone to proof read or beta my work, just little old me! And most of it is written at like 3 in the morning when I'm so tired I don't catch all the errors. But here it is! Hopefully I can get the next chapter out much quicker than this one!
Chapter 21: And Than Things Became Complicated
Before the ship had even stopped moving, Ver had sprung off the deck, landing cat-like on the docking ramp. Instantly she walked quickly down the planks and onto the dock, which bobbed slightly in the ship's wake.
"Excuse me! Hey? Who's in charge here?" Her voice carried quite clearly above the usual bustle surrounding the shipyard. Waving her hand briefly in front of her face in a vain effort to keep the scent of fish and seaweed from her nose, Verfanas glanced around the dock. The sun shone high on her back, a steady reminder that time was passing at an alarming rate, despite her wishes. She knew that every second they were not out looking for Anaiya was a second that they could not afford to waste. Too much was at stake, and she wouldn't –no, couldn't- rest until her niece had been safely ensconced at her side.
"Miss? Lady Night Elf miss?" At the tentative voice, Verfanas glanced to the side and noted a goblin standing by a post not far from her location. She cocked a long eyebrow but walked over. Behind her, the others followed her down the ramp in various states of disarray. The voyage over hadn't been very kind to the Forsaken, who had gotten violently seasick and had spent the trip bemoaning her fate.
Laris had kept to himself, spending the time going over his spell book and filling the ship's atmosphere with longing sighs for his ladylove, while Umber had spent his time trying to console a distraught Ver. Bessany had tried making the trip more bearable for Shana with her Druidic magic while the Dwarf, what was his name again? The dwarf had stomped around the ship alternately complaining about the time he was wasting on this mad chase and babbling excitedly about what he'd fine in Stranglethorn, one of the oldest of the Troll settlements and therefore chalk full of interesting historical objects. Ver almost felt like rolling her eyes again remembering the voyage.
"You in charge here?" Ver asked imperiously when she'd gotten closer to the diminutive creature. The goblin swallowed and nodded, beady eyes darting between her and the ship. He went a shade paler when he saw the rest of the party assemble around and behind her. She turned briefly and noticed that the forsaken's coloring was returning to her usual, pasty gray shade and that the lot of them looked infinitely relieved to be back on dry land.
"Good, we're going to need at least two days docking time, so whatever the fee is for that, my friend the Dwarf will gladly pay it. And we'll also need fresh supplies, a set of mounts and a bundle of fresh bandages if you have them." Ver nodded imperiously and folded her arms, accustomed to swift obedience from the citizens of the towns she passed through. As a hero of some renown about the world, she had no problem gaining the supplies she needed for each of her adventures. The goblin sputtered; sweat forming on his thick green skin.
"Miss, that's what I was gonna tell you. You can't just set yer ship here! We have the Maiden's Fancy coming into port here in a couple of hours at the earliest! You can't be here, miss, this is for trade ships only." His words petered out as Ver continued to silently stare him down and his eyes darted nervously from right to left as if looking for some escape route. "Please, I'm going to have t-to ask you to an-anchor your ship off shore. Please?" The goblin tentatively held out his hands in a half shrug and quirked a slight, hopeful smile.
No reaction from the tall Night Elf.
The goblin's face slowly paled and he shifted, clutching at his shirt collar. It was one thing to know he was in the right and that this ship couldn't sit in dock without proper sanction, but it was quite another to enforce his will, especially to a whole group of what looked like seasoned war veterans. The goblin made another half-hearted attempt at persuading the intimidating elf that her ship couldn't block the bay.
Ver's answering smile showed sharp eyeteeth. A hand on her arm drew Ver away from her staring contest and she reluctantly turned a questioning look upon Umber, who looked apologetic himself.
"Look Ver, the poor dockmaster here, he's just doin' his job. It's not his fault we just arrived here unannounced and you have to admit that the Maiden's Fancy would have more rights to this dock than our dwarven archeological ship here." He gestured vaguely behind him at the ship, whose shadow they were standing in. Ver glanced down at the goblin again, feeling frustrated by the delay.
"Fine, the dwarf and his crew can secure the ship somewhere offshore, but not too far away, just in case." Krom opened his mouth to protest and promptly closed it again upon seeing the flat glare being leveled at him. He decided it was wisest to just do as the lady elf said.
Although he would much rather be traipsing through the jungle with this lot. He had a feeling that excitement and adventure followed this party like goblins followed money.
"Better not meddle with our ship, goblin." Ver warned the quivering green-skinned creature, who was thanking his lucky stars that the angry Elf woman was complying. He wasn't sure there was anything he'd be able to do to stop her if she'd refused to listen, or had just overrode him.
Feeling caged and agitated, Ver stomped off down the dock. Umber shrugged helplessly at the goblin and strode after his lover, making a motion to the rest of the party to follow. After a few hesitant moments, Laris waved his hands and instantly transported himself twenty yards down the dock, where he was swift to keep up with the Night Elf and the human.
Shana gave a half strangled groan and slouched off after them, keeping her staff firmly on the ground to aid her still churning stomache. She resolved to never board another ship for the rest of her unnatural life. Bessany's quick strides easily helped her keep pace with the undead priestess as she talked in a low, soothing voice. Left behind in the relative silence, Krom let loose a dwarven swear word and leveled an irate look at the goblin dockmaster, who gave a squeak and heartily prayed to whatever being he believed in that this was the last time he had to deal with such a temperamental group of people.
Muttering to himself, Krom stumped back up the docking plank and began yelling instructions to the ship's crew, preparing to sail further out of the bay. He hoped they could find a nice alcove to stow the ship in, as he had a firm desire to see Stranglethorn for himself. Not to mention, there was that nudge again, that small niggling feeling, urging him to quickly meet back up with the rest of that crazy group of mixed races.
"Yes, these will do nicely." Ver nodded, satisfied, and quickly counted out the coin needed for the purchase of the coil of thick rope. Behind her, Umber was warily eyeing the shadows, hands near his daggers. He'd already tried persuading her to stay at the Inn rooms they'd rented while he went out in search of supplies, but she'd laughed at his suggestion, confident in her ability to protect herself from any cutthroats that roamed the disreputable port town.
Yes, Booty Bay had a reputation as a town full of lawlessness, pirates, and other unsavory activity, but to an experienced Druid such as herself, there was little to fear. She flicked a strand of hair behind an ear and placed her new purchase in her pack. Turning around, she wiggled her fingers at Umber.
"Relax, will you? You're making me feel like there is a bad guy in every shadow." Her exasperation at him caused Umber to straighten up and sigh.
"I don't like the feel here. Something seems…off." At her sardonic look, he grunted. "You know what I mean! More off than the usual. You remember the last time we were here?" He winked with his one good eye as he said it and Ver scoffed.
"How could I forget. You caused me no end of trouble, you rogue!" Umber grinned, than became serious again. "We'll find her, Ver, don't worry. We just need to be careful. I don't like how this is all turning out. I feel like there's something else at work here. Something behind the curtain that we can't see. For such a simple mission, there seems to be an inordinate amount of interest in us and that bloody gem."
He shook his head, looking frustrated and Ver nodded reluctantly as they exited the leather shop.
"I know what you mean, but what choice do we have? We need to see this through, for Ana's sake if nothing else. She's bonded with the soul in that gem in a way that I don't understand, and we need to figure out a way to break that bond. I don't trust the dragon trapped in the gem. There's plenty here that we're missing, but hopefully when we reach that Emerald Gate, we'll get some answers."
After buying a few more supplies, including magic resistance enchantment for Ana's staff, which she hoped might at least hinder any future magical accidents (such as sudden trips across the world), Ver headed back to the town's only Inn, the Salty Sailor's Tavern. What a redundant name, she thought with amusement as she entered the establishment. Inside, the noise level suddenly escalated, as well as the smell of fish, sweat and beer.
Wrinkling her nose, Ver nevertheless headed for a table near the wall, where she could see the rest of their eclectic group gathered around various mugs of alcohol. She hitched a stool under her with an expert twist of her ankle and plopped down at the table beside Laris. Umber motioned for a barmaid and settled himself to her right.
"Well, what's the plan?" Laris asked after another sip from his mug, which looked too big in his small, child-like hands. Ver glanced around the table at the rest of them, gauging their interest.
Bessany had leaned forward once Ver was seated, looking somewhat anxious. Her furred fingers were curled around a large cup of some type of exotic juice. Over the duration of the journey, she'd grown close to the younger druid and was just as eager to see her found as Ver was.
Shana sat back in her chair, nearly in shadow, looking a bit unsure. For the first time, Ver wondered just how experienced Shana was. Despite her acerbic attitude toward the Alliance members of the group, she appeared hesitant and a bit lost. Ver wondered if perhaps she should suggest the forsaken take a wyvern flight to Undercity from here. She couldn't fathom why the priestess would continue to follow them despite her ties to the Blood Elf paladin. Again Ver had the sense of something else at work here, but she pushed that thought aside. She'd consider the entire situation further after they'd found Anaiya. Leaning her staff against the table's edge, Ver nodded.
"From what we know, Ana is out in the Vale somewhere. I'd say she's probably somewhere close to the mountain edge since I don't remember hearing the sounds of the ocean in our shared dream. Where exactly, I've no idea. But we don't have time to go wandering around the jungle looking for her. From the brief-and highly suspect- dreams we've all been getting, she is indeed in trouble. From who, I don't know, but I've a suspicion it's because of that accursed soul gem she carries. If only she hadn't picked it up…" Ver trailed off and cleared her throat, reminding herself to stay focused.
"What we need is a tracker. Someone who can find Ana for us, or at least give us a general direction to search in. That leaves two plausible choices based on the circumstances. Either we hire a Warlock for the services of their felhound, or a hunter who is experienced in tracking and has a keen pet." She quirked a grin. "Any preferences?"
"No warlocks." Laris glared sourly into his mug. "I hate warlocks. Their foul, perverted magic always gives me a headache. Not to mention, you can never trust a warlock. They always have some kind of hidden agenda. You think everything's all cut and dry, just an easy request, and then bam! Out of nowhere they betray you to the enemy for a bit of power and—what?"
Everyone was staring at him. Ver lifted an eyebrow.
"Personal problem?" she asked mildly. Laris scrunched up his nose and muttered something unintelligible into his mug. Glancing around at the rest, Ver made a nimble hand motion.
"So we ask around Booty Bay for any hunters willing to join our search. Sounds like a plan. Let's go."
She stood as she finished speaking, already thinking ahead. The sense of urgency she felt was becoming stronger. The rest of the group reluctantly stood as well, still exhausted from the trip across the sea. Still, no one protested. They all felt the pull of urgency, however muted, and were quite anxious to be reunited with their lost comrades.
Yes indeed, Ver mused. Something else is most definitely going on here.
Ana and Key lunged through the jungle blindly, not caring where they were going as long as it was away from the trolls eagerly chasing them. Behind, Ana's sharp hearing discerned that the savage trolls were gaining on them quite quickly, having apparently realized that the pair was indeed not a threat. Whoops and yells in a guttural language sounded from the tangled growth, spurring Ana's panicked flight onward.
Beside and slightly behind her, Key's ragged breathing was her only indication that he still followed. Furiously her mind tried to think of a way out of being slaughtered. Having no experience whatsoever in this kind of situation, her mind only provided her with terrifying images of what would happen when they trolls finally caught them. It was inevitable really. She knew they were both tiring. They had no weapons, no defense, and no way to escape. Not to mention that Key's affliction seemed to have gotten worse suddenly.
Praying to Elune for guidance, Ana nearly felt like sobbing, if she'd had breath to do so. Stories of heroes and fantastical events didn't mention horrifying near-death chases. At her side, the soul gem seemed to grow warm. Without slowing, she placed her fingers over the pouch, considering. Did Erranikus, the dragon trapped in the Nightmare, seek to offer aid perhaps? The elder druids had warned of trusting the dragon, or of becoming too familiar with the tainted magic contained in the gem, but she remembered the power of the gem.
It seemed limitless, like the darkness that kept the dragon from escaping his prison. Maybe there was a way to tap into the magic and use it to her advantage here?
Before she could even consider the thought further, both her and Key stumbled out of the thick tangle of vines and vegetation into a relatively clear area. Old tumbled stone lay around the clearing. It appeared that this was the sight of an ancient city, long in ruin. The crude design suggested it was troll-made.
Ana was completely out of breath from her mad dash through the jungle and each breath seared her lungs as she stumbled backward, facing back the way they'd come. Key coughed raggedly, face pale as he turned with her. Both of them silently watched the thick jungle foliage. For several seconds the only sound was their uneven breathing.
"Here, let me look at—" before she could finish the sentence, half turned to Key with concern, the trolls burst out of the undergrowth, howling.
She couldn't help the scream that bubbled out of her throat at her first good sight of the monsters. They were incredibly tall, with burning red eyes and long thin noses. Their skin was a strange greenish color and they were simply dressed in animal skins and leather. Most carried spears and other simple weapons. The trolls, around a dozen in total, all gathered behind one large, dark skinned individual who was obviously the leader.
He sneered at the pair of elves, a decidedly bloodthirsty look that promised much pain and anguish. Instinctively, Key thrust Ana behind him and concentrated on the holy light of his order, prepared to defend the slight night elf as best he could.
Suddenly, another group of trolls burst out of the underbrush to the right. They were lighter colored, almost blue-skinned, and wore vibrant colored armor. The lead troll wore a dark robe and carried a long crooked staff. His tusks were chipped and broken. Dismayed, Key turned and looked into Ana's eyes. There was no way they would escape this.
"I'm sorry, love." He said softly to Ana, who gazed back at him with an unreadable expression. Her heart was beating so fast and she felt dizzy and sick. With shaking fingers, she clasped Key's hand and pulled him back toward her as she moved away from both groups.
The newly arrived group of trolls eagerly eyed Key and Ana and the leader spoke softly in an unknown language, pointing at them. He gave a sharp nod at a shorter troll behind him, although his eyes showed regret. Ana wondered at that. At that moment, the group of jungle trolls seemed to suddenly realize they weren't the only ones in the clearing. The savage leader spat something, face contorted in animal rage.
The others behind him fanned out to the side, now focused entirely on the new arrivals, who had turned to face the threat. The air took on an ominous, charged feel. The eyes of the leaders locked. Without warning, the two groups charged each other, hacking savagely in an apparent effort to rip each other to shreds.
Ana and Key stood, stunned. It took several seconds for them to realize that the distraction of the new group of trolls could give them the time they needed to escape. Key quickly darted to the side, pulling Ana along by the hand. Moving as swiftly as he could with the flaring pain eating at his side, Key dodged between the fighting trolls, not wanting to question why they had suddenly attacked each other, or even where the new group had come from.
Unfortunately, he knew that the distraction wouldn't last long. The newly arrived trolls were vastly outnumbered and would no doubt provide just enough of a challenge to whet the appetite of the jungle tribe. Sure enough, the sounds of savage battle was slowly fading behind them, with the occasional grunt of scream interrupting the clash of weapons.
Don't turn around, don't turn around, Key chanted to himself, feeling his neck hairs prickle.
They plunged into the trees and he desperately tried to think of a means of shaking their pursuers. Trolls loved a good chase and a decent challenge. They wouldn't let their prey escape. Maybe he could find a way to hid Anaiya and distract them somehow…? No, they weren't stupid; they'd know Anaiya was out there somewhere.
A troll stepped into their path and Key stopped so abruptly that he fell. Without thought, he quickly reversed direction and ran back the way they'd come, dragging Ana along with him.
"Where be you goin' lil' elfies?" The troll enquired behind them in a low, guttural voice. Again they broke into the clearing, Key wildly glancing around for a way out, anything. Bodies of trolls, and parts of bodies, littered the clearing and the air smelled heavily of copper.
The jungle trolls had overpowered and beaten the odd-colored newcomers, but not without a price. They had lost nearly half their numbers. Despite that, the remaining trolls looked to be in high spirits, muttering to each other and shaking their weapons triumphantly at their fallen enemy.
"You be quick lil elfies, that be fo' sure." The same troll had stepped up behind them, blocking their way back into the jungle. Several other trolls stepped up, leering eagerly.
"Too bad you trespassin on da Skullsplitter sacred land. Now ya be punished."
"We didn't know it was sacred, we're sorry!" Ana blurted, panting and white faced. "Maybe you could just…let us go and we promise we won't come here again?" She knew it was futile, but she said it anyway. The troll gave her a considering look, lingering at her side, where she realized the Soulgem dangled in its pouch. Instinctively she covered the pouch with her hand and the troll narrowed his eyes with speculation.
"What be you dooin' out in troll land with no weapon anyway?" The troll asked, as if mildly curious. His look suggested that they must be either crazy or more than they seemed. Again his eyes roamed over her form and Ana was acutely aware that she wore only her thin white shift. She was wary of the look the troll was giving her, as if she was something valuable that he hadn't expected.
Key didn't like the attention she was receiving either, and stepped boldly in front of her, causing the troll to focus his attention on him instead. The troll grunted and shrugged. He gestured to one of his fellows, who laughed.
"Mebbe we let you fight fer yer freedom, eh elfies? Let da lil' maiden prove herself." He chuckled darkly. Key suddenly felt cold. He knew about the trolls and their fetish with duels and arenas. They loved to see a good fight, especially if it was bloody. He had an image of Anaiya, with no weapon, facing off against one of those brutes in one of their fighting pits and shook his head grimly.
"No, I'll fight! Leave her be." He said hotly. The troll scowled at him.
"This one be boring." He said, in an offhand voice. Except for some reason, it seemed like the words slurred together to Key. He was sure he should understand the words, even with the trolls thick, jungle accent, and yet the words seemed muddled, as if heard through a thick wall. And his eyesight wavered. He hadn't even realized something was very wrong until he began shivering. He turned to look at Ana, forgetting about the trolls.
She glanced into his eyes and hers widened in alarm.
"Key? What's the matter?" She whispered anxiously, and reached out her free hand, possibly to touch his forehead. Feeling intensely sick, Key staggered back and then was falling. The last thing he saw was Ana's stricken expression as she stared at him, wide-eyed.
Ana gave a soft sound of protest, not even aware she'd done so, as Key fell. She watched as his eyes rolled back and he landed without a sound on the soft loam of the jungle floor. Instantly she realized it must have been that curse on his flesh. She should have tried to cleanse it earlier. If only she had more training with her magic. If only she'd learned more about the poison cleansing spell her aunt had. If only…she couldn't take her eyes off Key's still form.
Couldn't move, even to see if he was still alive.
Absurd. Of course he is silly. He'll be fine, I just need to cast that spell. Nevermind that it's beyond my skill level. I know I can do it with the help of the gem. But for some reason, she couldn't move.
Couldn't blink.
She felt alternately hot and cold. Ahead of her, the troll leader said something, but her ears seemed to have sealed up and she couldn't hear a word. Rough hands grabbed her and than reality rushed back in. She screamed, so suddenly that the troll that had grabbed her released her arm with a savage curse.
Her legs folded and she reached for Key. She could see his chest rising and knew he was still alive at least, but this close, she could smell the telltale cloying scent of poisoned flesh. There was no time to lose, she had to cast the cleansing spell now! Clamping down on her panic, she focused on what her aunt had taught her, and reached deep within herself.
She was yanked out of her trance by another troll, who jerked her up and away from Key's motionless body. She shrieked and kicked, to no avail as she was pulled away. Wildly, she raked her nails across the troll's arm, drawing blood, which earned her a cuff on the head.
The troll said something harsh to the leader, who responded with a few clipped words and a laugh. Ana didn't care. She didn't care if they were taking her to be eaten, or as a sacrifice to their savage god. Her eyes never strayed from Key's form as she was dragged into the surrounding forest.
Her wails echoed in the clearing as he was finally lost to view and she fell limp in the troll's grasp.
Stillness settled over the clearing, interrupted briefly as one of the fallen trolls made a slight movement and cursed.