Thark and the others waited. They should have been moving right now but there were too many factors, and the thought of leaving the others behind was one of them, but most importantly, it's about Alura's pregnancy. She could walk, no doubt but in the last few minutes had been harsh not only for her but to others, especially Fylrae who still laid her back, teary eyed but no longer whimpering, but is unresponsive, looking up to nothing while the bloodied blanket covered body of her brother laid before her. And the dwarf stopped consoling her because of that, thinking that she might need some time to recuperate and have her senses back, as it was flooded with emotions.
Finan joined with them, along with Quon to their surprise and to their fortune. The fact that they have come out injured, yet alive was good enough for celebration.
At the moment the group were continuing down a long dark tunnel. It felt like they've been walking for hours to no end. As if the entire reconstruction of the mine was designed to be as if a labyrinth of some sort. Even with the sight of their night elf companion as well as the magic of the Gnome to see in the dark. They appeared to be getting nowhere.
"Stop. I need to-I need to stop." they heard the young draenei mother groan as she fell to her knees and began puking on the floor corner closeby. All the stress was really getting to her and the group could tell by the way how increasingly tired and sick she was becoming from all of this.
The Panda frowned, looking at the young draenei mother as she clutched her stomach. It stresses him to see such a vulnerable and fragile state of a soon to be mother be stuck in this situation. Especially since not only is it detrimental to her health, the baby also yearns for safety and tenderness and this place is the opposite of it. He approaches her and pats at her shoulder before taking out his pouch and offers up the last remaining bit of water. "Come on young mother drink this up and I'll carry you in my arms, the baby won't be happy to see you this stressed." He said as he scooped her up into his furry arms, his large size easily lifted her weight and along the baby's weight inside of her and continued on.
"Aye Finan do ye even know where we be goin?"
"No Thark, from what I can tell from how long we've been walking for the past twenty or thirty minutes, when that Goblin Tinker had his machines reconstruct these mines where the Defias Brotherhood had been in. He had this entire mine set up to where those new and unwanted wouldn't know where to go."
"Ye suppose to be a smart ass haven't you figured it out yet?!"
"If I had I would've told you by now!" Shouted the mage. His face contorted to frustration as he covered up his face in disappointment. He then stopped and put a fire in his hand and observed for the moment. This is a tactic that has been done for millenia's past where people get lost in the cave, where in a closed vent, a flickering fire's direction would be their way out because the breeze would be leading to the open area where the air came from or would escape to.
But that idea seemed to burn away immediately when suddenly a barking noise came about,bringing their attention to it as the noise hastily approached. There Kalib suddenly emerged from the tunnels, his fur thick with dust, flying off from him as he sped his way towards the group. The group was filled with delight and relief as they came rushing also towards the canine, to which Kalib replied with a happy expression by wagging his tail, a sign that nothing of significant loss had happened, to which his master must have survived all of this, if he is such in an expressive state.
Thark came in to the dog and patted him. "Aye! The dog, it ain't sad! They must've been around close fer us!" Expressed the dwarf as he shook the dog's fur in affection. He then looked at the dog in the eyes. "Aye lad, ye know were they are boy?" He asked, he had no idea if the dog knows what he is talking about, or trained enough to understand him.
Kalib barked twice, sticking out his tongue happily to his reply as if saying yes to him. If the dwarf knew about dogs is that dogs respond like this when they know what Thark just asked. Then all of a sudden, Kalib turned his attention to Alura who were resting in Quon's arms and immediately approached her, and surprised her by suddenly sticking out his nose to her neck, inhaling her scent and then began to lick her all over her neck, cheeks, and shoulders, causing the stressed draenei to let out a laugh.
"Eeshhhh, stop, aha,ahahha." Alura half-heartedly shielded herself away from the canine's friendly assault, but the dog stopped and now turned his attention to her baby bump, and began smelling that part also, causing the silent gnome in the distance figure out something.
Finan approached Thark and lightly elbowed him to get his attention. "Oi, do you think that canine is very responsive to Alura because he might have come in contact with our human friend inside here? I mean I'm not even sure he's here but judging from the dog, he might have smelled something familiar in Alura." Finan asked as he puts his finger and thumb on his chin, trying to analyze the situation.
"Aye the wolf be belongin to our friends from de Horde, perhaps they found him while we were busy trying to find da lass." the Dwarf agreed. Thark then looked at Fylrae, her face still ingrained in deep sadness to her loss, her once strong and determined spirit so dimned because of everything that transpired, but mostly the loss of her brother that she had a hard time contemplating that it happened, knowing that he was the only blood relation she had left after her life basically began being orphaned at such a young age with only him as the guardian to look after. And now that he is lost, she seemed lost, lost in the struggle to accept what had happened.
He approached her and lightly patted her shoulder. "Oi lass, we be needin you now alright? I know it's a bit much to ask but we be needin ya now lass, yer skills will be of great help on us." Thark told her as he closed in, snaking his arm around her back as he tried to let up on her. He then patted her back once more as she made him look at the sight before them, though they were still in a dire situation, their smiles somewhat shined with their small laughs. "I mean look at them lass, ye know after this you won't be alone right? Yer family now lass. To us after everything ya've helped us." He lightly punched her shoulder, igniting a little bit of fire inside her heart.
Though the night elf huntress said no words, she approached the wolf, kneeling down coming face to face with Kalib. She spoke something Darnassian before the frost wolf started leading the way. "We follow." she motioned to the others to follow her to where Kalib intended them to arrive to.
The Orc warrior stood guard closeby as his tauren step daughter did what she could to help the heavily injured human. Urak had no doubt his brother in arms was in good hands as he knew Serga was well gifted and connected to the Elements themselves. Watching closeby as she used the healing powers of the water to gently but carefully heal the intense bloody bite mark on Larkon's shoulder. In a way he could not help but smile as this moment reminded him on how he first met Larkon months long ago in a slave cage with him attending to his injury.
Larkon looked up at the Tauren, her soft yet fierce face somewhat had him reminding of that bull that had been tending to Alura's pregnancy. "You look familiar, as if there is a male version of you." He outright said, before putting his head back to the attention of nothingness.
Serga lightly chuckled. "You must've met my brother in this cave mine I'm sure. He's like me, though he had the warrior's strength, he had the elements on his side. He's a good bull. And if you ask where he is, you won't be seeing him now. He's going home." Serga replied to his comment, and it caused Larkon to chuckle, thinking how small the world actually is where everything is somehow connected or related to either him or his friends the entire time.
Larkon then looked around as he finally have cohesion in his mind. He looked around and realize that it's Urak, and now he had a thousand questions in his head. "What are you guys doing here?" He asked, his brows narrowed at them both as he felt his arm finally healed, though the best thing he could do is to swing a sword at this moment and do nothing else but somewhat limp if there is a fight waiting to happen. "You guys coming here isn't a coincidence."
"It's not." Urak replied, facing him as he stood up then taking a peek into the hallways to see if there are other people that might pose a threat. "The draenei girl's kidnapping incident caused quite a stir in the community, boy. The whole draenei community demands that the girl would be back because my boy, along with other scoundrels who are rouge members of the horde caused the incident, and caused so much rift between the factions." Answered Urak.
Larkon was silent for a moment listening to the words of his fellow brother in arms. He tried to sit up but felt his other injuries caused him pain that forced him to lay back down. Looking back at the female Tauren Shaman, he began to put two and two together. "So this is your step daughter you told me about?"
"Correct, I am Serga of the Earthen Ring, and the adopted daughter of Urak." She replied softly to the human.
"I take it your step dad told you a lot about me?"
"He has, and as strange as this will sound. Back when I was still searching for him, a beautiful Draenei came with friends looking for someone she truly held special in her heart. That person being you."
"Wait...you know Alura?"
"Of course, I met her and her friends who searched through Draenor for you. A small world after all as my teacher Thrall would say." she chuckled softly to her small joke. "That was…..close to or actually more than a year ago. And now I'll look forward to seeing her stomach which bears her foal, It has been awhile since I last saw her." Serga mentioned. Her brows dancing along as she stared at Larkon, trying to entice the young warrior to laugh to which she did.
"I'm somewhat being cornered every time somebody mentions the baby because of the way she was conceived…...accidentally." He scratched the back of his head, trying to move out from this awkward moment.
"Well since you've met both my children who I told you who I fought for to break away from our chains. I expect to see the Draenei you fought for, and later if possible, the child born from her as I predicted." The Orc had to smirk at his joke seeing from what he predicted he was right from the start.
Larkon nodded, his smile emerging from his lips as he looked at Urak, then to Serga, then back to the old orc. Despite being from opposite factions, Urak now is a trusted member of his. "I would gladly let you meet Alura, though I do not know about Theia, Urak, since you might be long gone from here after, but we can arrange something." Larkon affirmed as he stood up with help from the orc. Larkon smiled at this fine turn of events, yet it fades a moment later knowing, not everything yet is solved and they still have a lot of work to do. Finding Alura especially and the others, knowing he is no longer alone as Urak, and along with his friends are here, yet separated from them only.
"We'll celebrate our plans when we get out of here." Urak said as he gestured to move. "Right now we'll arrange our escape from here first, and maybe, maybe, before we escape, get rid of the threat once and for all that you'll be assured that the draenei of yours won't be kidnapped from her sleep." Urak's voice was deep and determined as he set out, his weapon now in his hand. "And if I may ask human, you already know the gender of your child before it was born?"
"I don't, Alura kept on saying it's a girl. I believe her."
Urak smiled and let his arm land on Larkon's shoulder. "Ah, nothing suites best than a mate believing their mates." He told him as he led the way to the hallway. Urak was about to become quiet once more into their journey till he something came up in his mind. He remembered an ornament, it was an orcish ornament that he held, it was a small headdress, for babies, he once crowned it to Serga when he once found her. "Oh wait, I forgot something Larkon." He told him as he takes something out from his pocket, he always held it close to him for good luck, and protection of the spirits like most superstitious orcs would do. It was a headdress with an eagle ornament, mostly feathers adorned its sides while a beak placed perfectly in the middle while the beak itself was surrounded by small bits of feathers.
"Here, congratulations on the child." He said, presenting it to him. "Give it to her for me when she's born. Crown her when she will first lay her eyes on you and her mother. I once crowned it to the tauren that is with us as we speak." He smiled towards Serga.
"Father I was four when you adopted me and Serid, and you never crowned him."
"I did, but the stubborn boy tore it off." he laughed.
Larkon stared at the ornament, rubbing his fingers on the soft white feathers it held attached to it. For once since he had been captured here and learning of the situation he and Alura were in. He actually felt hope that there was a chance for him and Alura to get out of this place safe and sound with Theia. He chuckled, as he thought curiously on what Theia's eyes would look like the moment she opened them for the first time to see her parents.
"Thanks Urak, I'll make sure she will. I'll keep it with me till she finally is due." He nodded in respect towards the old orc. It is small things like this that keeps friends close, and he is thankful to have such friends and family to be with now. And with that, he let the headdress tie on his wrist with the help of Serga, it'll be safe with him till he gives it to her, but for now he'll make sure he'll be ABLE to give it to her.
"I had Kalib running free around the tunnels, he's to lead us to them if he ever detects them." Urak said as he looked around the hallway to see if there are more cultists, and now it seems there are no more cultists around. "There used to be a lot of cultists from what I initially saw but now a lot of them have died, probably a lot of them ran away." He hypothesized, his eyes looking around still but is now assured and quietly led them.
A bark caught their attention and rapidly brought their attention to where it was. Urak immediately turned and recognized the sound of his wolf and hurriedly went to where it led. Larkon on the other hand had to balance himself, his injured leg was still something to consider and it was very much a broken one. He can swing a sword with a broken leg, but he can't run nor can he fight very well, he'll be as good as a peasant with a pickaxe. But nonetheless he persevered and limped his way to where the orc was going, while Serga was behind him, assisting him by giving him a hand, and despite her healing on his injuries, it only heals open wounds and fractured or broken bones will have to heal within itself. Oh how many times Larkon experienced this throughout his life, he would have been dead through infection multiple times over in the course of his life but he always gets lucky with good priests and doctors being with him to be healed.
Urak kneeled down as Kalib went up to him, he looked back to see Larkon and Serga catching up to him as the wolf was panting and barking to him, signaling the orc to look beyond. In the thick of things Kalib managed to find them and reunited them as Urak saw his trusted companion bolting down the hallway with the group behind them. The gnome, panda, the dwarf, the night elf, and to his surprise and to his assumption, the draenei girl, held comfortably in the arms of the black and white companion.
Thark could only put a smile as he looked at the three in the distance. He wanted to say something, something that he usually says in the form of a one liner, but his words ran dry. It had been months since he had seen him, so suddenly leaving without even uttering a word, only to be left with news that Alura is kidnapped once more and pregnant. He should remember to remind himself to hurt the young human because of that, but it seemed to leave from his mind when he looked at Alura, resting comfortably in Quon's arms, eyes closed and rested for sleep.
Rushing over to them he went past the Orc and immediately went after Larkon and gave him a deep embrace. It was very uncharacteristic of him to do this. Usually his form of affection to other guys are smirks and punches to the shoulder but he granted this exception, not when this made his heart be happy ten times more, even for a moment especially knowing Alura won't be left behind to tend to her child alone.
"Damn it lad….." The old dwarf croaked, his arms still wrapped around him. Even tears were shed for him, then pulling away, putting a hand on his shoulder, smiling. "Ya never know when to give up do ya lad?" He told , as he gestured at Serga for her to help Larkon also, to which she did as she held him up by draping his arm over her shoulder.
Larkon smiled. "I would only give up Thark if I knew I had lost her." He looked at Alura, his eyes now in tears once more. It had been a long time since he showed the tears of joy. Gritting his teeth, it seemed his emotions took hold of him as he put a hand over his eyes and began to weep when he saw them, Alura, Finan, Fylrae, Thark, Quon, Thark, Urak and Serga.
Everyone that he was close with had either died or left him, everyone except for them and they were all present to go on this incredibly dangerous quest to save him and Alura. He had to take in for a moment to sniffle and wipe away the tears that drenched his face. "Had I ever thanked you guys for providing everything to me?"
Thark pats his hand away from his eyes and forcefully puts it on his side. "Don't get anymore emotional lad after I already gave ya a hug." He said before stopping for a moment, thinking, then smiling before curling his fist and giving a light punch to his side, earning him a painful wince from him. "And that's fer giving the lass a baby accidentally, ya bloke."
Larkon had to give a small painful laugh from that. A part of him was glad that Thark hadn't figured out that the deed was done in one of the rooms of his own Inn. Nevertheless, his attention soon focused back onto his Orc companion who had now walked up beside him to take a better look at the Draenei.
"So this is the woman you promised to get back to?" Urak asked him with a smirk. Scanning over to her features, so young and beautiful. He had been in that position once, admiring and loving someone so beautiful that it hypnotizes him. "I see why the lady is your world Larkon." He pats his shoulder then adding. "Don't ever lose her. That's an advice that you should forever keep heart." He said, and indeed it is knowing he had experienced such loss when he lost his wife and son. The last thing he wanted for Larkon was to experience that loss.
Even with the orc's encouraging words, Larkon winced. No amount of words or motivation would help him now to be ready in battle. "You won't'-" He winced again, it seemed that even he could see how bad his injury was. Alura is capable of healing him of his open wounds, but since her pregnancy, it stopped her from doing anything to not cause anything to the baby, and his last major injury was months ago at the hands of the warlock to which the Death Knight had her heal him. Yet now he's useless with the broken bones
"Gah-" He looked at Alura, seeing how helpless she is, and now that helplessness is crawling on to him. "I can't fight in this condition. You can heal me all you want, I can feel I got some broken."
"Hold still human, you are in need of more treatment." he heard the tauren speak once more softly. Summoning the ancestral spirits and the cleansing power of water to mend the human warrior's wounds. How many times he had been in this situation before, sitting out beside a healer. Somehow it reminded him of his own mortality. He had been throwing away his life so much in so many situations that it reminded him he still has a lover to love and a future child to nurture. This is where he should be thinking not only just for Alura, but also for himself, that his life is important, not just for Alura but to actually love for them.
"Just relax won't you. Look when we get to Stormwind, I'll take you to my place and get you patched up and even prescribe some herbs for you and for Alura to help with her pregnancy." Finan suggested as he walked up to the injured soldier and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. Accidently patting him close to the shoulder that the Warlock actually bit him and making Larkon cringe in pain.
"Oops…" the Archmage responded.
Larkon wanted to thank the gnome for that, but he knew that there are still some people out their that remained. It seems that they had fought their battles and won them all, and he noticed Fylrae's eyes, it was covered in dry tears. That image answered her closure then with Daken, he's dead. He still felt for her, that she had to go through such heights and kill her own flesh and blood. But, he also rejoiced that he had been put down, one more enemy that had been put down in order for them to get out of this place.
But even with all that, a surge of concern immediately covered him. The death knight, he's out there, somewhere. There is no possible way that he could be dead. Probably the answer is that he's way too overconfident on the skills of his servants and that he sent them all out to get rid of them not knowing they were also veterans of the magic and swords, and seeing how all of them failed, probably had put him to a fit of rage.
He looked at them, his eyes narrowed down. He prays that they had enough energy to fight him.
"Bingo!" the group heard the mage confirm. "Found a door."
"Aye ye found a door, big fricken deal." Thark crossed his arms.
"Oh go shove it up your ass, it's better than walking aimlessly around in a cave." Finan countered. Somewhat his instincts say that he should leave this place immediately, yet his rational mind says otherwise, arguing that it hadn't yet to be explored and the possibility of it being the exit could be high. His mind was in a mess of things, arguing with his own thoughts and rationality to justify whether or not he should proceed.
Finan turned towards the group. "Umm, let's enter alright guys? I mean, this could be the door to the exit." He turned to Larkon who was still groaning. His limping body stood up as he looked at the door. His mind was hazy, trying to remember a single detail, about his encounter in this place.
Rapidly blinking, his memory slowly dripped the info into his mind. The door…no they need to get out, he remembered, when the Death Knight invited them for dinner, he remembered this leads to the area close to the death knight's chambers. "No, we got out of here. The Death Knight's still around, I remembered this door leads to a table, near his chamber. He'll chase after Alura, knowing that his lieutenants were beaten." He tried speaking with exhausted breath.
His fears soon came true, but his voice was too weak to warn any of them and before they knew it. They now all stood in the personal freezing cold chambers of the one who set this entire thing into motion.
At first it was not noticeable to the others save for the air in the room being so deeply freezing cold that when they breathed their breath would be visible. Alura who was as exhausted at her lover and barely could notice her surroundings. Shivered from both the air and absolute horror in her eyes as she knew they had just stepped into a trap.
"Some place ya found Finan, their own freezer!" Thark snapped at the Gnome.
"How the hell is this their freezer? they don't even have any food stashed around anywhere."
"Well I don't know except the fact it's fucking cold in this room!"
Larkon tried to say more words, he tried to warn them of the immediate danger this ment. Yet any chances to turn back before the trap was sprung came too late when the group heard a chilling calm breathing at the far part of the room.
There sitting there in his own personal throne, Lazarus sat somewhat calmly as if he had been expecting if not waiting for them all to appear in his personal chambers itself. His presence was unknown to most of the group save for the two lovers who had the misfortune to be his prisoners for so long.
"At last...I must say if I had eyebrows right now I would rip them off right about now…" they heard the dark chilling echo of his voice speak to them.
"Who the hell are you?!" demanded the Dwarf, it didn't take much for him and some of the other members of the group to see he was but another obstacle in their way. However, only Larkon and Alura knew that he was the most dangerous one.
"You could say I'm the one who set this entire chain of events into place. But I must confess I expected more from my followers. The troll, Goblin, and even that Tauren I did not think would prove too challenging. But since you were able to not only kill my Demon Hunter friend but you were also able to defeat my loyal follower Kreus…"
Those words apparently struck a nerve to the family of the Tauren. Urak draws his sword and is already in a battle position. "So...you're the one who turned my son against his family…"
"Urak wait-" his human companion and brother in arms tried to warn him but again he felt too weak to move.
The Death Knight seemed to have ignored the Orc's threatening words towards him and turned his gaze back to the still barely awake yet terrified Draenei. Clenching his metallic clawed fist, Lazarus' eyes glowed as he spoke. "This time do not expect me to show mercy on him like I have been…"
"Aye...drop dead ya bastard." Thark only commented before drawing one of his many pistols and taking fire at the Death Knight at the distance.
The bullet while making a perfect strike between the eyes of Lazarus. Merely bounced off and flew somewhere else in the room thanks to the Death Knight's armor. Not even making a dent, let alone a scratch, it did nothing.
"And that's the issue dwarf." Lazarus spoke, standing up from his throne and drawing his rune sword from his back. "I'm already dead."
Serga fearing for the draenei immediately came to her and lifted her up from the ground as Kwon had to let go in order to be in his own fighting stance. She wasn't much of a fighter, she's a shaman that is to use the elements to help and restore the lives of the injured, and her presence isn't much in this fight and she would just be a pedestrian that could be hit in collateral damage.
She could not stay here any longer, because she suspects the Death Knight is far stronger than their previous opponents.
Up they ran away or were forced to, as everyone in the group demanded that Alura be taken care off as the giant panda just took off to escape.
The Death Knight was enraged as his specimen was taken away, with a loud crack from his brittle jaw he swung his sword around the group only to be met with another metal from the old orc. Weakened from previous fights but yet the old orc still has enough in the tank as he pushed the undead knight back.
Being the fresher fighter the undead dodged a couple more swings from the tired orc before landing a blow on to the side of the orc, but fortunately for Urak, he was only hit with the blunt side of the sword, pounding him on as he thudded against a wall. His blows were harsh and strong as more and more series of attacks came. But relief came when finally the sound of guns and magic blazing off in the air to strike the death knight came. Narrowly dodging the many blows that have started to surround him.
"You ain't gettin away this time ye son of a bitch. Yer dead here!" Thark yelled. As he clocked his guns on to him, his face menacingly stared towards the Death Knight before opening fire again, hitting him in his shoulder pads, though the bullet just bounced off the death knight, he clearly knew it bothered him. If Thark is accurate enough, he is sure that he could shoot in between the gaps of his armour.
"No one is going to die if you just hand her to me. Look at you, though you are strong and have defeated my subordinates, you can't beat me at the states you are in, weak and tired." The death knight offered, only to be scoffed at by the angered dwarf.
"And have ye way to whatever ye want with her? We didn't come all the way to just give it to ya, ya freakin psycho." Thark says as he loaded up his gun and proceeded to open fire to the death knight who quickly tried to close in the distance.
He shot his fire and smiled when he saw the wince and the gritted teeth of the death knight. His more than thirty years of firing from a pistol paid off quite well as he indeed shot the death knight in between his armor as black blood and paste poured from his body. Only to have a look with a wide eyed surprise as he seemingly forgotten that he's an undead, and doesn't feel pain as Lazarus jumped in to tear him in half.
Had he reacted any slower, he would have been done for as he narrowly dodged the slash from his rather large rune blade.
Finan jumped into the fray as he fired bolts of frost and fireballs unto the death knight, while narrowly teleporting to keep his distance from the swing of his blade, never relenting the amount of magic that he is firing off to keep the death knight away from the dwarf and orc, before inhaling large amounts of air and concentrated on continuously fire off a raging inferno from the tips of his fingers. "Come on you ugly son of a bitch it's just you and us now!" Finan roared, finding out that the Death Knight erected a shield of ice that blocked his flames.
A few arrows from Fylrae caught Finan's attention and then immediately ordered. "No, Fylrae, get yourself and Serga out of here along with Larkon, follow where Quon went, this Death Knight is not getting out of here alive." He says before seeing the hesitation from Fylrae's eyes. "I said go! Get out of here and help them!"
His demand was all the mistake the Death Knight needed to dash right in front of the elderly gnome archmage. Even with his best efforts to put up a shield of magic mixed with Arcane, Frost, and Fire, Lazarus was more than easily able to slash through the archmage's defenses. The rune blade followed by the Death Knight's powers were more than enough to tear through and send the gnome flying across the room. Sending the gnomeflying deeper into the room, and landed through a door deeper in the room.
The Night elf looked back over to the pandaren with the others. It would seem that the door they had entered had been sealed shut and not even his well defined experience in the ancient martial arts of a monk could pry it open.
Looking back to their companions who were now being easily defeated one by one by their opponent, the retired Shado-Pan Monk turned to the Tauren Shaman and gently as he could handed her the soon to be Draenei mother. "Care for her…" he simply spoke.
Before Serga could interject she saw Pandaren draw his sword for the first time she had met him. Turning around and motioned the night elf huntress and her faithful companion to join him as they made their way over to the Death Knight who was overpowering the Orc warrior with his expert swordsmanship.
Thark tried to use the same tactic to aim at the death knight as he was fighting but Lazarus already anticipated as he rushed over and swung his runeblade to land a fatal blow. For a fraction of a second the world was slow for Thark as he narrowly dodged the rune sword hat would have landed on the top of his head and cut him half, but still he, not everything of him was able to dodge it as his ear was hit by the tips of the sword and got cut the tip off.
The sudden surge of pain made him clutch his ear and winced. Even then, the death knight didn't give him an opportunity to tend to his wound as Lazarus immediately landed a power blow of his fist to him, his enhanced strength as a death knight sent the dwarf flying deeper into the room, and landed into the same area the gnome was sent flying into.
Meanwhile Larkon desperately tries to keep up with the much healthier Tauren, as his injuries were taking its toll on him, but he notices also that the sounds of the skirmish was closer than just a few seconds ago and the door in front of them isn't gonna open anytime soon. And Serga wasn't ignorant about it as she announced. "Larkon, they are closing in on us, we're just gonna run into them regardless."
Larkon wasn't able to respond. It was obvious to him and to her that they can't navigate around the tunnels unless it's clear of danger. "Larkon, we have to get there and help them." Serga says before she added. "You have to fight Larkon, I can't fight with Alura in my arms. I'll give you everything I could." She says as she puts her hand onto his shoulder before briefly glowing and healing him furthermore, though it only patches up the last bits of wounds in him, it doesn't address the broken bones that needed time through natural healing.
Kalib pounced on to the death knight and bite unto his hand and began to rapidly shake his head intending to rip it out from the rotting limb of the Death Knight, Lazarus tried to retaliate as he lifts his runeblade to kill the frostwolf but a frostsaber cat jumped from behind and dig its teeth on the back of his head, it would have been over for him at this point but his armour saved the Death Knight's life as he rapidly and desperately tries to shake them off with great difficulty. His armor, finally slipping from the grip of their teeth as he had to drop his rune sword and smack the frostwolf with the back of his hand, the small spikes leaving small but bloody stabs on the wolf's face. Causing him to lose its grip and run away into the tunnels.
He then grabbed the feline that clung unto his back and pushed himself against a wall, causing the feline to take the brunt of the damage and let go before slipping away from the battle.
Before Lazarus could have a chance to retaliate he felt a series of arrows hit him at well placed accurate shots between the very small gaps his armor could not protect him at. Looking towards the source he saw the female Night Elf taking aim with her bow and firing a few more arrows. While he easily blocked the few by telekinetically retrieving his sword. He soon found himself exchanging blows from the Pandare Monk who had finally decided to use his shaktani sword for once.
To the eyes that watched them it was a clash of two masters of the sword, that despite the difference in styles being almost on equal par. Quon's swordsmanship being graceful and skilled, Lazarus' swordsmanship being experienced and expert. Lazarus swung his sword hard in eventual frustration as the panda seemingly dodged every thrust and slash that he attempted to do. The much bigger, yet faster panda was free to do whatever he pleases as he kept on stabbing and slashing the death knight through the gaps of his armour.
"You're not as strong as I thought Undead, perhaps you overestimated yourself." Quon taunted as he danced with his sword through the battle, having small bits of success. Fylrae was surprised at Quon's success as though still dazed. It was if all this time everyone had known the Monk, he had been holding back his true mastery up until now.
Every arrow, every bite, and every wound were starting to take toll on him, this is the first time that Lazarus felt vulnerable since he came back as a Death Knight. Never had he faced enemies as strong as this before, only the common brigands and cultists that would come his way, and somewhat he overestimated his strength. And as the panda kept having his way on him with small slashes, through his vulnerable gaps, in a desperate bid of attempting to turn the fight around. Lazarus surprised both as he immediately jumped for the Night Elf with his sword high up in an arc to kill her instantly, Fylrae's wide eyes said it all as her blood drained from her skin as the fear of death suddenly engulfed her.
Quon, with his speed and mastery put himself between her and the death knight and held out his sword in an attempt to parry the effect having a result that shocked both the Pandaren and Night Elf as Quon's own sword was shattered into pieces upon contact with the rune sword. Leaving both him and his female companion vulnerable enough for the Undead to take advantage of the opening presented to him. With what looked like a fit of rage as his eyes glowed a deathly purple aura color, Lazarus let out a roar and used his powers of death to throw the Flyrae to the other side. All the while he grabbed the still surprised Quon by the throat with his free clawed hand, holding him up with no effort.
Slowly the veteran monk struggled in the Death Knight's inhuman strength as he tried choking him. Thinking quickly, Quon was able to reach for a piece of the shattered blade of his sword to stab the Death Knight in the undarged gap of his neck.
As expected, Lazarus let out another roar of rage and threw the now exhausted and still wounded Pandaren over to the still injured Orc, ripping the piece of shattered blade from his neck as it had little to no effect on him other than enraging him further.
Serga and Larkon arrived all too late as their eyes widened in fear, Larkon putting himself between them and the death knight. Urak sees the condition that they are in and knows that they need more time to have their senses back in order before they can get up. He looked at his old orcish sword, its beads and feathers were the blessings from the elements and ancestors, its craftsmanship unique like those of his late father's Burning Blade Clan. As such it was stronger than your average sword. Larkon wasn't in the condition to fully fight but he had no choice, tossing over his own sword to the human. Larkon catched it and immediately armed himself, despite his obvious limping and injuries.
