The teleportation to Stormwind was successful. Unlike the mage portals, Bolingar fully trusted the hearthstones that never let him down. Coming out of the tavern, he saw a mess familiar to the shopping quarter. Clutter was happening in the auction house. Apparently, they brought a very rare trinket, since so many people escaped. And, of course, every potential buyer of gold has a whole mansion. Bolingar with its ten gold there the entrance was closed. Walking to the stables located in the military quarter, Bolingar found his faithful horse, who was looking forward to his return. Hah They said that night elf riders with saber-toothed cats had strong bonds. Bolingar through fire and water passed with this horse. And he never let him down. Perhaps now his horse is the only one whom he can fully trust.
Jumping into the good old saddle, Bolingar left Stormwind. The Riverey was supposed to come straight from Silver bor to Darkshire. And why she did not want to take the hearthstones to Stormwind, he did not understand. Not about to wait for her, Bolingar wanted to immediately begin searching for his girlfriend. The paladin preferred not to think about the fact that he could not cope with the death knight, leaving everything to the will of fate.
Along the way, he drove past Goldshire. It was a popular brothel, so, like any decent paladin, Bolingar shunned it. Although not all warriors of the light shared his position. What personalities were not there. In principle, you can have a good time in the Goldshore Tavern if you get drunk before it until you lose consciousness. Because you don't want to remember how your party ended.
Having passed Goldshire, he turned onto an inconspicuous road that led into the depths of the forest. According to the map, there was no normal road to Darkshire from the Elvins forest, and Bolingar had to go through the forest, which was fraught with many dangers for the novice hero. But here is the keyword «beginner». Bolingar could, without much effort, tear down the head of any arrogant gnoll or bandit that he dared to stand in his way.
He went to the river, fortunately, shallow, which means it would not be difficult to go through it. However, the shore of Darkshire was strikingly different from the shore of Elvins forest. Here you already have to be on your guard. The local fauna is quite aggressive. However, it was not difficult for the paladin to go out on the road and already calmly get to the first and essentially the only settlement of Darkshire. Local security greeted him like a native. Still would. At one time he served here. Of course, it was nothing, for example: burn a nest of spiders; to calm the raging undead, etc. For the young paladin, this was a good preparation, albeit a little harsh. Indeed, safety at such training is guaranteed only by yourself. Upon arrival at the place, Bolingar turned to the chief of the guard, asking if anyone was really strange. However, the сhief only shrugged.
— There are a lot of strange people. Although I know someone. Priestess. She came here recently. She is suspicious. Usually she sits in a bar, all alone. I would have kicked her out of here, but, I'm afraid, the hunters whom she cured of any wounds and diseases with one click of fingers will not understand me. Honestly, I do not like her, and I am sure that she is hiding something. But you know, here I have enough problems. So I don't even want to know what she does in her free time.
Thanking the guard for the clue, the paladin headed to the tavern. He personally wanted to see the servant of the light. Seated at one of the tables and ordering himself at last a decent meal of pork ribs and dark beer, Bolingar began to wait. For a long time he watched the entrance, not taking his eyes off him. But tired of waiting, he turned his attention to the rest of the tavern. A girl sat in the farthest corner and waved her hand without stopping. The paladin suspected that this was that priestess. Approaching her, he heard incoherent muttering.
— Ka … Krioch. Ka … Krioch, Ara … Avi, Vekt … Sectiss … Ka … Azu. Se … rectis.
— My lady, are you all right? — going up to her, the paladin asked.
— Yes, all is well. What did you want? — the girl's voice changed, now he was sonorous, like the singing of birds.
— It seemed to me … However, it does not matter. Someone looking very strange was supposed to come here recently. Have you noticed anyone?
— Yes. There is such a person. She's standing right in front of me. — The girl burst into a nervous laugh. — Okay, with a sense of humor I have so-so. Yes, I saw someone. She has what belongs to me. And something tells me that you are looking for her, — she said with a smile, continuing to randomly wave her hand toward the paladin.
Bolingar sharply grabbed her hand and squeezed it with force.
— Mind control is a very dangerous magic. — All the priests who embark on this dark road go crazy. Stop before it's too late, — said the paladin.
— Ha ha ha ha ha … Don't be afraid, I won't lose my mind like the rest of the priests, they don't understand how to control this energy, and they choke in their own madness, — said the priestess.
— Okay, let's get back to the topic. You are looking, ahem … your girlfriend, let's call it that. Your girlfriend has what belongs to me.
The paladin realized that the priestess had already received most of the information from him, having invaded his mind. For this relied burning at the stake. But now he was not up to it.
— Your friend, Kate, — the priestess glanced around the tavern and went into a whisper. — I know who she is. You not need tell. I will join in your pursuit of her. And at the moment she was seen on the way to Raven Hill.
— What do you want from her? — The paladin asked suspiciously.
— Pendant. This pendant belongs to my genus! Ahem … That is, I wanted to say it belongs to me.
— What kind of pendant? — Asked the Paladin.
— It doesn't concern you. — He is mine and this is not discussed.
— Good. Let it be your way. I don't need her pendant. Are you ready? — The paladin asked
— Always ready! By the way, I do not have my own horse. Do you mind if we go together? — the priestess looked at him expectantly.
— No, don't mind. Let's go. By the way, I almost forgot. What's your name?
— Drimurr. You do not have to say. I already know your name, — the Priestess got ahead of him.
The path to Raven Hill was fraught with many dangers. But to the surprise of the paladin, all creatures fled in fear from them as far as possible. The closer they came to Raven Hill, the more the priestess changed. Purple light began to emanate from her. The paladin slowly began to regret having taken her with him. It is not known what she is capable of. She rejected the light and served the darkness now.
— Let's split up? — The paladin asked.
— Not worth it. There is nothing here, I have already looked through everything.
— What?! How?!
— You don't know about mindvision? What unreasonable creatures you are.
Paladin is very alarmed by this phrase. But he did not show it.
— It seems we disturbed the locals, — said Drimurr.
They were taken in a ring. A crowd of undead dug directly from the ground. The paladin and the priestess took up a circular defense. Bolingar drew his hammer, preparing for battle. Already against the undead, his hammer will not fail. He glanced at the priestess, who also took up a fighting stance. Bolingar expected to see anything as a weapon: a staff, a cane, a scepter. But when she grabbed two torches, which immediately lit up with a bright fire, the paladin stood in a stupor.
He will ask questions later. Now the main thing is to fight off the attack of the dead. To his surprise, the priestess deftly waved torches, and they, touching skeletons and ghouls, instantly burned them in black fire. The fight dragged on. The damn undead did not end. A new skeleton instantly rose to the place of the murdered one, and the ghoul rose after it. It seemed that the undead erupted from under the ground directly beneath them. Alone, they cannot defeat this entire army. And where only Hassara found so many skeletons? However, a stupid question, right behind them was a huge cemetery. The ring closed, there was no more room for maneuver. The paladin has already begun to think of ways to escape. But the hearthstones was still not ready. Yes, and he could not throw the priestess at the mercy of the undead.
— Enough! — cried Drimurr, gaining its true appearance.
The paladin had never seen such power. It was not just a worgen. She was completely shrouded in darkness. And only now Bolingar realized how powerful a priestess he was traveling. Darkness. Her dark spells mowed whole rows of undead. Each wave of her hand was a herald of doom. In a few seconds, she destroyed the entire army of undead that attacked them. After the battle, her dark halo began to subside. She no longer levitated in the air, bringing death to all living things. But she was not in a hurry to go back to human form.
— Listen, you already know my brotherhood. — You do not have to talk about who the worgen? — Drimurr turned to him.
— Don't, — Bolingar nodded. — But the way you dealt with the undead … You have tremendous power. If I had such power, I would not sit in Darkshire, drinking local wine.
Now the paladin did not want to continue his journey with her at all. Still, denying the benefits of dark magic is foolish. In the battle with the death knight, her help might come in handy. Hit the enemy with his own weapon.
— I'm here recently. — Tracking down the death knight, just like you. I'm here for the pendant.
— How did you know that she would come here?
— I know that's it. I am not obliged to disclose all my secrets, — snap Drimurr, but after a moment she added:
— And now the local pack of wolves saw her on the way to a Twilight grove.
— What?! Who saw? — Asked the dumbfounded paladin.
— Mindvision affects almost any living creature if its willpower is several times weaker than the caster's willpower.
— Then let's go? — The paladin asked.
— Yes, hurry up, — with these words, Drimurr easily jumped on her horse.
But when she was in the shape of a human, a paladin helped her climb a horse.
They got to the Twilight grove quickly and slowed down, deciding what to do now that they were approached by a large figure astride a huge armored tiger
— Riverey! Finally! — exclaimed the paladin.
— Who is it? — asked the Riverey, dismounting from the tiger.
— Her name is Drimurr. She is a priestess, a dark priestess, — the paladin added a little thoughtfully.— She's also chasing Hassara for the pendant.
— Good. Let she take the pendant. Did you find her?
— Yes, she's right in the grove now. But there is not one living soul except her. I can't see what happens there, — said Drimurr.
— Let's go! — Riverey cried out, again saddling her tiger
And rushed off right into the grove.
— Where to?! Wait! — The paladin shouted after her. He did not expect the Riverey to rush forward like this. Saddling his horse, the paladin followed.
Twilight grove
As soon as the paladin crossed the passage leading to the grove, he saw her. Hassara. Death knight. To meet her, the Riverey slowly and carefully went with a bow at the ready.
Wait, Hassara! Wait. We need to talk to you. Stop.
The death knight stopped casting a spell, channeling dark energy at the mysterious gate
River?! Can not be! Are you alive! What are you doing here?
The Riverey stopped a few meters from her.
I came for you. I could not believe that you were alive! As soon as I found out that you survived, I tried to find you. But you ... You ... What have you done? Look at you! You turned into undead! But it's not too late to fix it. Think it over! You can...
Be silent! How dare you reproach me! You betrayed me! You ran away! That day when I needed you! When your father needed you! Only I rushed to save him. Where were you?!
A tear emerged from the dead blue eyes, but the grin was more embittered than ever.
I know where you were. You got scared! You ran away, pursed tail! And you dare appear before me and blame me?! I am ashamed of you, sister.
Riverey stepped back. She did not expect such an answer at all
Yes, it's my fault. Forgive me. I was scared. I got scared and ran away. But Samiris cannot be returned. But you. What for? You knelt before the undead. Do you even understand what you did? You have been turned into a monster. Death Knight. Did you really want that? If your father saw it.
Don't you dare mention father! Whatever you say, but I understand perfectly what it means to you. He is nobody for you. I would gladly sacrifice myself for him. But I did not have enough strength. You don't know anything, about him. You don't know who he was. He taught me a lot. And I will complete his work to the end.
I don't want to kill you, River. And you, Bolingar, too. But I will not let you interfere with me. And here is your friend, paladin, Lassara. A less joyful end awaits her. I know that she returned to Exodar. Now I know a lot about her. I will get this locket, whatever it costs me. Consider this the last warning.
I will not let you kill the innocent! Hassara, please. Think it over! What do you want to achieve? Why do you need this locket? What is this damned pendant for which you gave your life?!
Hassara did not answer. She silently disappeared into the portal, which instantly slammed shut behind her.
Riverey run to Drimurr and began to shake her with all her might. Tears flowed plentifully down her cheeks.
— What a pendant! Answer me! — The Riverey screamed.
Drimurr sighed heavily.
— I would like to keep this a secret. But apparently it will not work. This pendant is a powerful artifact. Almost one of a kind. As soon as she picks up the key to him, which will remove the magic lock, she will turn … into a monster. Unfortunately, she already knows what the key to the pendant looks like. Yes, this is a wolf medallion.
— Whoever she is, this Lassara. We urgently need to find her and pick up the locket, — said Drimurr.
— I have a medallion, — Riverey said with tears in her eyes. — She will never get it while I'm alive.
The Riverey hobbled to her tiger, rested on his fur and howled softly.