Check out the prequel fic Boombottle if you haven't already! Just posted a Winterveil chapter the other day!
Mythene ran as fast as her long legs could carry her. Being fleet of foot was one of the few perks of being so unfortunately tall, she supposed. When she arrived at the Keeper's Grove, she stopped short in surprise. Keeper Remulos was laid back on the ground, unmoving. Mythene gasped and hurried over to his side.
"Please say you remain with us, Son of Cenarius," She whispered in Darnassian, setting a hand on his chest.
Her heart leapt for joy when she felt the soft rise and fall of his breathing. He still lived! But now she must heal his wounds, she thought with a nod. She quickly scanned her eyes over his body, but saw no injuries. It must've been internal then. Healing wounds she could not see was difficult, but not impossible. She glanced aside, thinking a moment, before affirming her course of action.
Then she bent over, setting her hands against the grass, and dug her fingers into the soil. Once her fingertips touched each other under the dirt, she drew them back. A small seed formed between her fingertips and the further away she moved her hand, the more the seed grew. When her hand had finally pulled back from the ground completely, a glittering pink blossom had sprouted from the soil.
From where the blossom sat, a web of small green vines extended in a circle, shimmering as the flower did. Mythene nodded, pleased the spell worked, and moved ahead to do it again. Gradually, she formed a circle of blossoms around Remulos' body. His body lay at the central point where all of the healing blossoms met, making the grass thick with vines below him. Mythene could only hope the healing magic would be enough.
But as she stood and waited, nothing happened. Could it be a magical ailment, then? One that couldn't see? She frowned, having few ways of dealing with such.
Even so, she had to try.
Standing up, she decided to take a moment to center her mind, After all, the cure of nature itself was a powerful spell. It required much focus. She just hoped her worries wouldn't hinder it too much.
When her breathing was calm and steady, she approached Remulos' side and crouched beside him. Her hand moved over to press firmly against his forehead. Then she bowed her own head, shutting her eyes.
"Ysera, please grant me your blessing now," She whispered in Darnassian, "Without the guidance of Keeper Remulos, the Cenarian Circle shall be lost."
Mythene took a deep breath, and fell silent as she drew her mind blank. Then she began to peer through the darkness with her mind's eye.
An image appeared before her. She could see Keeper Remulos, standing before her. He was bound in thick red vines from all directions. He struggled fiercely against his bindings, even as jagged red thorns pierced deep into his flesh. Mythene frowned, approaching his side. She extended a hand towards the vines, to pull them back, when suddenly Remulos stopped and turned to her.
"Don't!" He ordered, even as the vines squeezed his neck, "Don't touch them! The corruption is too strong! Even I can only just hold it back!"
Mythene hesitated a moment, her hand lingering.
"I must try," She whispered, moving her hand forward, "I must try to save you, Son of Cenarius."
Keeper Remulos could only watch in dismay as Mythene set a hand on the red vines. She tried to pull them, to snap them. But then the vines began to extend up her arm, pulling her into the knot of vines encircling Remulos. She gasped and wrenched her arm back, only just managing to slip away at the cost of deep scratches down her arm.
"Leave here, Archdruid!" Remulos called as the vines covered him entirely, "Hurry! You must warn the others!"
Mythene scrambled to her feet, moving backwards. But suddenly she tripped upon the body of a thick red vine, which pulsed with life. As she tried to crawl back, another vine wrapped about her ankle.
Mythene hastily looked up, seeing Remulos standing above her. But he was different, tinged in red and empty in his eyes. It was like he was overtaken with a madness. The vines, which now were grown seamlessly through his body, were what caught her leg.
"K-Keeper Remulos?" Mythene stammered, "What is-"
"None can escape the Nightmare!" Remulos interrupted, in a voice that was tinged with pure malice.
Then he charged forward, stamping his hooves down at her. Mythene shrieked and rolled aside, trying to flee. But her leg was still caught by the vines, and was trampled in the assault. She cried out in pain, feeling her bones break, and turned back to face her leg. Her fingers clawed desperately at the vine as Remulos moved back, dragging her along the soil as he prepared to charge again.
She cursed loudly, eyes flickering between Remulos stamping in the soil and the vine around her ankle. Her fingers couldn't pierce the vines, and she had no knife. Suddenly her eyes widened, recalling the one sharp item she did have. Hastily, her trembling fingers moved to her pocket and she pulled out the trophy necklace. She quickly moved through the various fangs and claws, finding most blunted and worn. But then she stopped on the one large fang she couldn't recognize. It wasn't very sharp, but it was long. That'd work then.
As Remulos began to stampede in her direction, Mythene forcefully wedged the end of the fang between the vine and her ankle, feeling it scrape her skin. She pushed down on the end of the fang, prying the vine back just enough for her mangled leg to slip free. Then she rolled off to the side, just in time to miss Remulos' charge.
Mythene panted heavily, sitting up and slapping her hand over her leg. She stared at the corrupted form of Remulos, who skidded to a stop and wheeled around to face her. He began to stamp again, readying for another charge. Mythene tried to catch her breath, so she could heal herself, but it was no use. She couldn't stop the hammering of her heart, which rose as panic in her lungs. She could only sit there and heave as Remulos charged at her.
She shut her eyes before the impact, crying out.
And that's when she felt something yank her shoulder aside forcefully.
Mythene gasped as the air was forced from her lungs, her back crashing into the ground. Her eyes flew open, and she saw the treetops swaying gently under Moonglade's hazy purple sky. She sat up quickly, and looked over, seeing Zami crouching down beside her with a concerned expression.
As soon as she saw him, Mythene at last felt like she could breathe again. Before he could even say anything, she dove into his chest, wrapping her arms around him tightly. He looked down at her in surprise for a moment. Then his arms wrapped around her as well, and Mythene sighed softly. At last, she felt safe.
