Chapter 21
Kalecgos rose into the sky, heading for the inner complex of the Sunwell to find Anveena. Quin'Thalan and the rest of their little army pushed on towards the Dead Scar. He wasn't tired in the least, and was actually getting a wee bit bored. Bloody, Rakegan and the other tanks and pets kept the enemies so busy he'd sustained maybe three good hits the entire time. It was nice to be able to simply let loose on an opponent while they beat their fists on someone else skull but he was losing on the adrenaline rush that really kept him going in a fight.
Ah well, sacrifices. They entered the tattered remains of the Den of Iniquity, a gaping hole in its walls giving them a clear view of the Dead Scar, and the Pit Lord Brutallus. The Legion commander stood facing out to the Dead Scar screaming at his lackeys to defend the complex as they steadily lost ground the Shattered Sun. The healers and casters quickly added yet more protective spells to their comrades. Quin'Thalan readied his blade, Rakegan next to him roared and scraped his claws against the broken marble floor.
Yet just as he and tanks leapt forward off the hanging floor a giant wall of freezing vapor covered them, throwing them back onto the floor. The vapor solidified into thick glacial ice and they could just see the distorted figure of Brutallus through it. He'd noticed the ice appear and was now screaming at something above his head. Quin'Thalan jumped up and tried to break the ice but a great booming voice sounded from above.
"Hold, friends! There is information to be had from this devil before he meets his fate!"
Madrigosa, the great blue dragon who'd been taunting the Pit Lord for weeks descended just enough to get him within her range. Her glimmering, sleek, huge body barely moved as her massive wings created a near gale of winds as she hovered. She unleashed a torrent of ice breath cold enough to freeze the very heart of Sargeras on the Pit Lord, coating him a shell of biting ice.
"Where is Anveena, demon? What has happened to Kalec?"
Brutallus didn't seem capable of coherent speech but his growl and the flare in the green flames on his back told them that he was no where near providing an answer for the she-dragon.
"Well? Time is not your luxury, maggot!"
Brutallus roared again and broke his shell of ice enough to speak and flail at Madrigosa but not enough to take a step closer to her.
"Puny lizard, death is your only answer!"
Madrigosa snorted and froze him a solid ice block, but they could still hear the Pit Lord growling within the ice. His back fire grew in intensity and he blasted the ice off him, and stomped towards the hovering dragon though she easily maneuvered away.
"Your magic is weak! You think you can make an icicle of me? Come down and I will add real fire to your life!"
True to his word Brutallus threw sulfurous fel fire at her, she simply moved out of its way and cast a giant arcane barrier around him. The Pit Lord stomped his four feet and banged on the barrier, screaming with impudent rage. This whole time the party sat helpless behind the dragon's frozen wall. Quin'Thalan, the tanks, and even Slow were banging on the ice wall trying desperately to get through.
"Dragon or no dragon she needs our help!" yelled Quin'Thalan.
"We know, what do you think we're trying to do?" yelled Domo, he'd been unleashing bullets as fast as he could, mages and warlocks were using the most powerful fire spells they had still the ice refused to lose so much as a drop of water. And all the while Brutallus and Madrigosa did battle in the Dead Scar, and the fight was shifting dangerous in favor of the Pit Lord.
"Speak, I grow weary of asking!"
"Scream all you want, you'll only get my axe in your face for my answer!"
Madrigosa imprisoned him on an arcane sphere yet again, but this time Brutallus shattered it much quicker. Even a Blue Dragon runs out of mana eventually and the effort of keeping her massive body aloft at such a low altitude was taking a heavy toll on her. It was getting harder and harder for her to dodge attacks and she was relying on a mix of quick moves and magic shields.
A Pit Lord is a warrior through and through and he could recognize her growing weakness without even having to think. And likewise, he saw her leaving a gap too large to be wasted. He threw his massive axe at her, it buried in her flesh just behind her left forleg and just below her wing. Madrigosa roared, tried to wrench the axe out and stay aloft but she was too low, and crashed into the ground. Her fall drove the axe deeper into her body, and a groan sounded from the wounded wyrm.
Brutallus kicked her over and pulled out his axe, a huge fountain of blood fell from the gaping wound. Madrigosa's life was seeping away with it; there was nothing anyone in the group could do anymore. They stopped beating on the ice and could only watch as she slipped away. She lifted her head just a bit and looked towards the sky.
"Malygos, my lord. I…did my best."
With one last exhale of icy wind she died, and Brutallus turned towards the party.
"That was fun, but I still await my true challenge."
He threw a ball of fel fire at the ice barrier and melted a great hole in it.
"Come, try your luck!"
Quin'Thalan snarled and leapt down to the Scar, followed closely by Bloody and Rakegan.
"I appreciate your enthusiasm Quin, but next time wait for some of us, ok?" Bloody yelled as they charged.
Within seconds Brutallus was under the full power of the party, most of whom had also jumped down and were now crowded around his hulking body. He may have persevered against a Blue Dragon but 25 of some of the most experienced fighters Azeroth ever produced proved to be far too much, and now he was the one who was failing quickly.
Even so he was screaming with joy rather than rage. The flames on his back roared with him even as he was losing every drop of blood left in his body. When he finally fell he croaked out a few odd words.
"Well done… now this…gets…interesting."
"What did he mean?" Rakegan transformed back into a Tauren and jabbed a finger at the stinking corpse. "I do not like what he said, what did he mean?"
Tamuura looked around, and noticed where all that terrible fel blood was running to.
"Look!" she screamed, and everyone turned in time to see the blood reach Madrigosa's body. As if it had a mind of its own the blood leapt into the open wound and seeped into her flesh. Before their eyes her body rode to its clawed feet, her flesh vaporized and her bones became stained with demonic energy. The skeletal creature turned its burning fel fire eyes on them and screamed.
"Glory to Kil'Jaeden! Death to all who oppose!"
Rakegan turned himself back into a bear and with the other tanks charged her. She however did not stay grounded for them to fight, rather she took to the skies and breathed noxious gases onto them.
"Rake, go Tree of Life! Everyone who can heal, do it! Anyone with ranged attacks take her down, NOW!" Bloody screamed.
The group obeyed him near frightening speed, those who couldn't attack at long range or heal ran though the raid group keeping track of the dragon and herding people out of her worse attacks. Quin'Thalan stayed near Tamuura, bolstering her with every spell he knew while she directed every piece of magic she'd learned at the fel-dragon above.
Even so the healers were struggling to keep everyone alive, Quin'Thalan feverishly hoped that they'd manage to ground the risen dragon before they lost out. Tamuura was fighting with all she had but her mana reserve was getting depleted fast and so was his. He couldn't keep healing her much longer.
"Quin!" Carismo threw something right at his head and he only just caught it. It was a mana potion, he downed it quickly and cast another healing spell on Tamuura. He could see blood flowing down her arms even though the wounds had closed.
"Please let her make it." His whispered, though it perhaps wasn't needed. A few moments later the remnants of Madrigosa faltered and fell back to the earth. She gasped, growled and her bones turned to ash and coated the burned ground. The voice of Kalecgos could be heard as she fell.
"You did what had to be done, but she deserved a far better fate. Steel yourselves, this battle is still far from over."
Quin'Thalan put his hands on Tamuura's shoulders and channeled one last healing spell into her. Her body was well but her clothes were still stained with small splashes of blood. He took hold one of her wrists, trying to wipe the blood away but only managed to get on the rest of her arm and his hand.
"Here." Rusafa handed them a stray piece of netherweave. Tamuura took it and used it to wipe their hands clean again.
"I will clean it for you, when we leave."
Rusafa shook his head and reached for it.
"I can clean it myself. Blood is easy to wash out of this cloth." As he put it away Tamuura saw a great deal more cloth in his bag, along with lots of thread, dye, needles and a spindle.
"Unusual trade for a hunter." She said.
Rusafa only glanced at her as he closed his bag, and for moment she thought he wouldn't say anything, but he did.
"I like things that take finesse. Its…soothing to be able to sit down and just work with something soft and pliable. Something that can't possibly hurt you, only help."
Again that faint wisp of a smile appeared on his face, then faded away.
"I understand." She nodded to him.
Rusafa stepped away to bandage some wounds on himself and his wolf. The party took a good moment to rest and recuperate but they didn't get much chance. An elf, or something like an elf charged them. She was twice the height of Tamuura and her skin was charred, blackened, and cracks ran over it showing the horrible fel taint within. Her eyes were nothing more than solid red orbs and there was a pair of small black wings sprouting from her back.
This fel elf was killed quickly but more of them came running from beyond the fires and dead earth.
"They won't stop till we kill them all, I'm sorry but we have to get on the move again."
Quin'Thalan pecked Tamuura's neck then ran forward with Bloody. Her fingers brushed the spot where his lips had touched her as she ran with the rest. She was still scared for her husband but forced it from her mind once again. He needed her to be focused, not worrying.
Around the base of the building was a ramp leading to the next part of the complex. More and fel elves were waiting for them, all of them huge, horned, corrupted versions of high elves and blood elves. Tamuura wondered why every race that seemed to have any kind intimate contact with Draenor ended up with a horribly twisted reflection of themselves to deal with.
Very soon the reached the Second Gate, Agamath. As they approach a disgusting, sulfurous smell came to them. Tamuura snarled, and Slow noticed.
"What?" he whispered.
"Man-ari…" she hissed.
There a long pause.
"What?" he asked again.
"Eredar," she looked towards him, a little annoyed. "A powerful one, very powerful."
"Oh, that sounds bad. Be right back."
Slow tapped Bloody on the shoulder and asked to sneak in first to see what was there, and Bloody nodded him ahead. Slow cloaked himself and slowly made his way into the chamber, his footfalls no louder than a cat's on grass. He had to try very hard to keep from gagging on the smell, it was like being in a tiny cave coated in brimstone. He peeked over the edge of the ramp and saw two huge Eredar women, mirror images of each other, standing guard over the gate. They were extremely voluptuous and wore little more than thin strands of metal and very light, almost see through cloth. They turned to each other occasionally, speaking in the ancient Eredun tongue, their voices filled with sadistic malice.
Slow made his way back to the group and uncloaked himself, seeming to step out of a small shadow.
"It is Eredar, but there's two, I think they're sisters, twins."
Tamuura's chin hit her chest.
"I'd heard they might be here but I prayed it not be true."
"Who?" Quin'Thalan stepped up to her.
"Lady Sarcolash, and her sister the Grand Warlock Alythess. Entire worlds have fallen before them for millennia as for knowledge of dark magic, there are few but the Kil'Jaeden and Sargeras who might exceed them."
"Not good, not good at all."
Bloody shook his head, the whole raid had gone quiet. Then Carismo piped up.
"Wait, why to demons…have warlocks? That doesn't make sense. Warlocks summon and harness demons, and they are demons! Why…"
"A question for another time, Cari."
Noggin put a hand on her shoulder, then turned to Tamuura.
"Is there anything else you know of them? Anything that could give us an edge?"
She shook her head.
"I'm sorry."
"I noticed something odd about them." Said Slow, "They're twins, but their color is different. Ones a very dark blue and the other is red."
"A manifestation of their powers. One relies on fire magic, the other shadow." Said Tamuura.
"Who do you think would be easier to kill, knowing that?" asked Noggin.
Tamuura put her hands on her hips and thought for a long while. Finally she spoke again.
"The red one, the one who commands fire. But only marginally so."
"Alright then," said Bloody, "We'll spilt the tank group up, keep the dark one busy while everyone else takes down the red. We need a few healers to keep the second group going. Damage don't hold back, burn the red one down quick so we can give group 2 support as fast as possible. Ok, going willing to keep Miss Shadow occupied?"
The was a small pause then Quin'Thalan spoke up.
"I will."
"No!" Tamuura grabbed his arm.
"There is no surer way for you to die!"
"Tamuura, I will be fine, I've made it this far."
"Because you had other to draw attention away from you."
"Tamuura, calm down." Bloody spoke up. "If Quin'Thalan wants to its his choice. Besides…" he motioned for the Tauren druid in Tree form to come forward. "This guy is the best healer I know, if anyone can keep your husband safe and alive, its him. And he won't be the only tank, Rake will go with him."
Rakegan growled at Bloody.
"Dude, enough. You can't be in the spotlight all the frickin time."
The horned bear growled again and shook his head. Tamuura took a deep breath and calmed her nerves.
"I'm sorry."
"Its ok." Quin'Thalan pulled her head down to his. "We're almost through this." They stood there a moment then Carismo cleared her throat.
"This is sweet and all but time isn't something we have a whole lot of, we're not bronzes."
Quin'Thalan turned around the raid inched into the room, quietly breaking off and heading down the two ramps in the room. The sisters looked at each other, and smirked.
"Misery."
"Depravity."
"Confusion."
"Hatred."
"Mistrust."
"Chaos."
"These are the hallmarks…"
"These are the pillars."
"Crap." Quin'Thalan turned around to look at the Tree druid.
"You didn't really think we'd surprise them?"
"No, but I wish they didn't have to rub it in our faces."
"They're Eredar, its what they do." He smiled and peered across the room to Bloody, waiting for his signal. Bloody trust his hand towards the twins and everyone charged, their war cries downed out easily by the voices of the sisters, summoning wretched magic's in their native tongue.
Tamuura was right to say the Grand Warlock Alythess was a little easier to fight than her sister. Alythess was rather hot headed even for a demon and it was possible to distract her and make her keep changing her target. It took several excruciating minutes but Alythess soon fell, whispering to her twin in Eredun. The group that had been attacking her moved on to Sarcolash and it seemed this fight would be over very soon but a great cyclone of fire appeared around Sarcolash, and she ballooned in size and power.
"Alythess! Your fire burns within me!"
She unleashed an inferno on them and fought with twice the ferocity she processed before.
"What the hell happened?" Bloody screamed.
"Twins! She absorbed her twin's power!" someone screamed back.
Sarcolash was not so easily distracted as her sister, she locked on to a target and didn't stop pounding her attacks till it fell. And she was smart enough to target damage dealers. Rusafa was the first one she chose, and he quickly fell in a crumpled heap. Tamuura could hardly believe it happened to quick but just as Sarcolash chose her next victim Rusafa popped right back up. Tamuura did a double take and he flashed her a small smile and returned to attacking her. Sarcolash chose a young troll mage next, he was lucky enough to have a preist nearby, so no matter how much she tried to kill him he always remained just healthy enough to keep going.
She abandoned that target for a one that was a real threat. Tamuura saw Sarcolash's burning eyes turn to her, the tiny little draenei traitor that she would just love to smash beneath her hoof. Sarcolash slowly made her approach, casting shadow bolts at Tamuura which she returned with frost bolts. When they hit the Eredar and she laughed.
"You think your pathetic arcane babbling ca…" Sarcolash's face and body went limp and she tumbled to the floor.
"Whew, we got lucky. She forgot to defend herself and we got to take her down in time." Bloody shouldered his massive axe. Quin'Thalan carefully side stepped Alythess's corpse.
"Almost a waste…" he said, approaching Tamuura.
"What do you mean?"
He didn't answer, only cocked his head and looked back and forth between the dead twins and her legs.
"Do draenei women all have this liking for fishnet stockings?" he asked. "Honestly now that I'm used to your kind I can rightly say these two are…were quite entic…" Tamuura wacked him on the head. "ing."
He rubbed the top of head and put an arm around her. Rusafa kneeled down by Sarcolash's corpse.
"Is that?" he whispered, then began tugging something out if the waistband of her belt.
"Eww, what are you doing?" Carismo cringed.
"It is." He held up a very beautiful bow that seemed to made of gold and was enameled in deep green and rich reds, the very center of which was adorned by a Quel'Thalas crest.
"I thought it was lost after the war."
"We all did." Said a another blood elf.
"What is it?" ask Noggin.
"The Golden Bow of Quel'Thalas. It has served the greatest Farstriders in our history."
Rusafa plucked the string, it was still taut, the bow itself was unharmed and ready for action.
"Keep it Rusafa, it suits you." Said Bloody. The shy hunter looked at him and smiled wider than he had yet, but it still quickly faded.
"Ok, I know we're all a little drained but we're only about halfway right now, we still have a long way to go before we reach the Sunwell, and oh joy, look what's waiting for us outside."
Everyone turned around and saw a plethora of demons, from Pit Fiends to Wrath Guards to Fel Hounds to Eredar patrolling the grounds outside. Quin'Thalan pulled Tamuura a little closer and kissed her softly again.
"Once we finish here, I swear I'll never let us be dragged into anything like this again."
Tamuura would have liked to hold him, to just turn around and leave Quel'Danas behind and go straight back to Out Land with him in tow but all the others were already casting spells and revving up to push onwards. She let go and tried to squelch her worries again but it was getting harder and harder to do, and she had yet what less the Legion would put in their way.