Chapter 7: To Avenge a Broken Soul

"So dis be it." Xainia commented to herself as she looked upon the ancient gates of the city of Zul'Gurub.

Once the home of countless more trolls than Jintha'alor, the city was now host to legions of corrupted trolls, evil beasts, and even the god Hakkar himself. The jungle had overgrown the gates partly and masked the once sacred stone etchings of the true inhabitants.

"This is what you've worked for, dreamed of, and finally reached my pet." The words of Xainia's master came to her.

"Ya, but it not be ova till Hakkar be dead." Xainia thought back.

"Then kill him. You know what you must do."

"Ah dun hafta be reminded." Xainia thought, a bit more sharply.

"Haha, good. Then I shall leave you to it, my pet." The master laughed as his voice faded.

"Move forward into the city!" A deep tauren voice, that of the warrior Brood, announced.

The group he spoke to consisted of a score of souls, wearing various forms and following various callings. One of them, Marylyn, was an Obsidian Guard as Xainia was.

"So you finally made it here. It took me into a second life to partake of adventures like this; you're starting early." Marylyn struck up a conversation with Xainia as they moved in.

"Ah guess." Xainia sighed as they moved in. "Ah coulda an shoulda done dis a long time ago."

As they conversed, Xainia slowly dropped further and further away from the conversation. Fading from existence too, her skin burned with the now very familiar shadowy fire she had come to need. It was so easy for her to transform now, almost like she was releasing herself completely and just going along with the shadows for a ride. Her years of sorrow and pain flowed forth from her palms and destroyed her enemies utterly. No one liked to speak to her while she was in shadow form, but she could not care less.

One by one, the avatars of the primal gods fell before the group. Xainia almost pitied them as they gave thanks for freedom, but in the shadow she scorned them. They had been weak enough to fall prey to Hakkar, to the enemy of the world. Kicking at their robbed corpses, she tagged along with the group loosely, saying words of protection sometimes but mainly wreaking vengeful destruction upon the hakkari trolls.

"This isn't the way to one of the primal gods, there's an altar over that way." Someone in the group spoke up as the group moved around several sets of tents and slew raptors.

"I know. I have heard that a general of sorts resides around here." Brood spoke up to the group.

Entering a dead ended area, they all saw a raised Dais with a mounted troll atop it.

"There he is! The bloodlord, Mandokir."

The rest of the group looked up and him and moved to a safe place, but Xainia was nearly caught in a trance as she looked towards the bottom of the Dais. The dancing visions she had defeated with the shadows nearly returned as her memories flooded around her.

"A dun care, out tha way."... "Not even Vilebranch, we let ya stay here an ya did dis! Ya killed our the bearah of our savior an ya killed tha only trolls who can summon it again." … "Eat em, alive!"

The vile troll who had led the procession into the city so many years ago, who had called for the death of her parents, and who's visage had haunted her all this time, knelt at the base of the dais in reality. The Vilebranch speaker, emissary from his tribe to the Hakkari. Xainia hissed loudly as the shadows swirled larger around her and her eyes filled with rage.

Noticing her companion, Marylyn stepped over. "Recognize someone?" the undead questioned.

Xainia began to step forward, but Marylyn caught her arm loosely.

"We're about to attack, don't lose us the element of surprise!" she said sternly and quietly.

"Dun be stoppin me! Dis one be mine!"

Fortunately for the mage, she was able to let go; the warriors called for the charge just then. Xainia charged in quickly behind them.

"What in the name of the Earthmother is she doing?" One of the druids, Telina, asked Marylyn.

"I've learned not to question that one, there are many things about her which would astound the living and the dead. Just keep her alive." The forsaken threw some ice at the Vilebranch speaker.

"Seeing the priest charge in, but not recognizing her, the speaker laughed. "Killin you be easy!"

Before the speaker could draw arms, the warriors were about him, restraining him and beating him like a festive piñata.

"Hey! Hold im for ah secon!" Xainia called out as she reached the warriors.

"Are you serious?" One of the orc warriors questioned. "We have to kill him! Mandokir will come any moment; he is searching for his weapons atop the dais!"

"Den go, ah got dis!" Xainia grabbed the Vilebranch troll by the neck and charged out of the group of warriors with him, pinioning the speaker to the ground.

"Well she is a shadow priest." One of them dismissed it as they turned to engage the approaching bloodlord.

The speaker, now very bloodied and beaten, stared up at his captor from his pinned position. "Wha?"

"So ya gonna try an eat me, ya dam cannibal?" Xainia sneered at the speaker.

"Who you be? You… ah seen you." The troll coughed up some blood.

"Ah let ya know… jus so ya be aware who finally put an end to ya." Xainia slowly moved both of her hands to his face, positioning her fingers at various places on his skull. The troll was too frightened of what shadowy ritual she was performing to resist.

Xainia forced her bad memories forward, letting the speaker see them. "Parents" They muttered quietly in unison as the battle raged in the background. … "Jintha'alor" … "Ah want mah dessert!"

The speaker's eyes snapped open as he realized her identity. "You! Nah way! You can't be ahlive!"

Xainia laughed a bone chilling shadow chuckle, full of rage and glee, at the astounded troll. "Ah be alive. Now ya can go fin out how death is fa me!"

Tensing up suddenly, Xainia poured forth shadowy energy from her hands directly into the troll. His face did not begin to warp and melt, she was far too close for that to happen. With a sudden effort, Xainia lifted the troll up, his body held to her hands by the force of the shadow. Her rage and pain seethed into the target through her hands. With barely time to scream, the Vilebranch speaker's facial skin vaporized and his hair ignited into a gigantic crest of blue flame in the air behind him. Xainia roared as she channeled more and more into the close to lifeless troll. She would not let him die; she had the shadows keep him alive to feel every moment of the mind-shattering pain that ate away his body. Watching his hair crumble and fizzle out as the rest of his skin melted off his body, Xainia almost cracked a satisfied maniacal smile. Finally, his head exploded, allowing the shadows to trap him in the shattered cask no longer. Xainia dropped the body and stood over it, breathing heavily.

"Hey, do you want this kilt?" Telina walked over and saw the mess. "By the Earthmother, what did you do to him?"

Snapping out of her near trance at killing her hated enemy, Xainia looked at the red-tinged kilt. "Sure ah take it." She grabbed it from the tauren.

"But wha…" Telina looked at the corpse again.

Xainia looked back at it for a moment, and shrugged before moving behind some cover and putting on the kilt. The others had noticed this act and simply not approached the shadow priest about it. Xainia had accomplished a great vengeance, but she still had more to do, Hakkar had to die. Soon, the score of adventurers moved to the base of his altar, they could see him looking out and sneering at the city from this perch.

"ah dun believe all dese wind serpents be like Hakkar. We gonna hafta kill dem all someday." Xainia spoke generally among the group after they had killed some of the lesser serpents on the altar.

Telina stared at the slightly shorter Troll, pondering over her obsession with Hakkar, the images of the utterly destroyed Troll flashing through her mind, stirring something deep inside her. The group soon engaged and killed the last of the guardians on the altar. The long fight towards the god was finished and hells gate stood open for them to enter in the form of the altar they must ascend.

Telina walked slightly faster now, catching up to Xainia, and tried to start up a conversation with her. "Are you...ready for this?" the tauren asked

Sounding almost venomous at the doubt, Xainia almost dismissed the tauren immediately. "Who ya be ta be askin me dat? Ah ain seen ya before we came ta dis city."

Taken aback by the violent response, Telina stared blankly at the Troll for a few moments, blinking, before replying. "I...don't want you hurt...I can tell you came here for something important to you, it would be a shame to see your quest end unfinished."

"Mah quest ain gonna be unfinished. Ah am Darkspear! We not let Hakkar stay in dis world." Xainia asserted.

The Tauren nodded to her in Silence then thought of more to ask. "What of that Troll back there? May I inquire as to what role he played in your Quest?"

"Ya may not." Xainia turned to go, trying to keep to herself.

Telina didn't want to stay unknowing, so she grabbed the young troll's arm as she tried to leave. This act could have meant nothing more than an inconvenience, but for a druid attuned to nature and the world, it linked them. Both of them were unaware that the shadows carried Xainia's thoughts and emotions so prevalently. Telina's contact showed her, in an instant, exactly what had happened and what was going on. Realizing this was going on, Xainia jumped back away from her, freeing her arm.

Stopping dead in her tracks from the horrible images, Telina could do no more than stare at the Troll, a strange look in her eye "...Xainia..I..."

Looking embarassed at her soul being bore to this stranger, Xainia glared. "Wha did ya see.. ya not supposed ta see dat."

Not breaking her eyes away from the Troll, Telina quickly pondered an answer. "I...saw your torment...I saw why you are here, I know what you seek..." Looking over at the group, now quite far away from the pair, Telina dropped to one knee in front of the Troll. "I want to help you."

Xainia was looking a much darker shade of blue in embarrassment. "Na one wants ta help me." Xainia went to walk up to the group.

Telina also knew this wasn't true. She had seen Xainia's master in a glimpse only, a complication she could not explain for she recognized the undead. Telina stayed down on her knees for a moment, thinking over the quick turn of events before rising up again and catch up to Xainia. Catching up easily, the Tauren fell into step behind Xainia, remaining silent for the time being.

After continuing slightly behind the group for a bit, Xainia half looked over her shoulder, her eyes burning with shadow. "Why ya still followin me."

"I am a part of this group as well, and I still desire to help you, honestly...I have seen the torment you have endured... You did nothing to deserve it"

"Oh, ah guess ya feel observan now, doncha? Ya feel so selfless?"

"Of course not"

Xainia paused and turned to look at Telina. "den... wha ya say ya want ta help?" the shadows lifted slightly.

"Because you deserve it, you deserve release. You have suffered for far too long."

Xainia turned away again. "Nah bodah deserves anahting. We take wha we want, we make ah own fate." Xainia continued to walk away

"Do you really believe in fate?"

"Do you believe this is what was chosen for you? Or what you chose?"

"Dis is what ah chose. Ah make mah futyah"

"But you did not choose to suffer." The Tauren sighed in frustration. "I say I want to help because I truly do want to help you, not myself...again, this is about you, your mission. I am here because I choose to take this chance to help you."

Xainia stopped and turned once more. "Ya woulda just wanted ya help yaself if ya hadn't seen dat... nobodah knew dat. So why ya suddenly change ya mind when ya see dat?"

"I did not know the importance of your Mission, but you are not like the others here, you have a true goal."

"Ah may. Ah dun see how ya could help."

The Tauren fell to one knee once more. "I can help, by serving...protecting...you tell me what you wish."

Finally moved by the commitment of this druid, Xainia came back into existence with a sigh. "Ah dun think it be our call what ta do. lez go catch up." Xainia took telina's hand and ran for the group

The Tauren nodded an obeyed her Master's command, running alongside her, watching her out of the corner of her eye with a curiosity in her eye. Though she had faded in to speak calmly for a moment, the ever closer sight of Hakkar caused her to quickly return into the shadows. Soon she and the group stood staring coldly at the enormous god.

"Dis ting be what da darkspears hafta stop. Ah dun believe dey really brought him back."

Telina nodded silently, breathing in the chilling air that surrounded Xainia, feeling the Dark Energy pulsing through her, again stirring something with-in, and bringing a sharp pain to her side.

"Looks like you've made a new friend" Marylyn commented wryly.

Niether of them paid much heed to the comment, Xainia was too distracted by Hakkar and Telina was distracted by the strange feelings of power and pain that the shadow was giving her.

"You toy with what you don't understand, druid" a dark voice now entered Telina's head

Telina held a hand to her forehead. "What makes you think that you can know her pain? That anyone can know her as I do."

Leaning forward slightly, she whispered softly while thinking. "She is under my protection...I am her Guardian, she is my Master.."

"You assume a place that is not yours, but it will not matter soon enough. Don't step where you are unknowing of the ground." The voice faded

"How are we supposed to expand if we never explore the unknown?" She whispered to herself.

Shaking her head once more, as if it was a mere headache, she looked up again.

While they were daydreaming, the battle was preparing, they were suddenly both brought back from thier thoughs by a scream that couls shatter ten thousand nerves of steel

"Pride heralds the end of your World! Come Mortals, face the Wrath of the Soul flayer!"

The Druid looked back at Xainia as she prepared to enter combat, seeing the Determination in her eye, and sighed to herself in preparation. They both turned to face Hakkar, and moved forward to attack. Still providing some protection for the warriors, Xainia placed her hands forwards slowly and began to pour out shadowy energy at he dark god. The Druid remained as close to Xainia as possible, watching over her, and marking her allies with the mark of Nature as the battle wore on. Suddenly there was one of the wind serpents among them, called by the attacks on its master.

"Kill it! Quick!" someone in the group called out.

Pausing a moment, Telina turned towards the Serpent, and smacked it across the head with her Staff, before taking on a Feral aspect and tearing it apart. It quickly keeled over, but horrible noxious gasses poured from its body.

"Ah dun feel so well" Xainia staggered a bit as did the rest of the group.

Telina too slumped slightly, feeling weaker, like her very life was being sucked out of her, as if she was poisoned. She tried to cure it with the rites of Nature she knew, but nothing worked, slumping more, slowly falling to the ground, she looked around and saw the others turning green, their veins throbbing against their skin.

"Those Serpents...something in them must be poisonous..." She said among the group.

Almost instantly another drain was felt. But for some reason it did not feel bad. It was like the poison was being drained. Xainia looked up and saw it was Hakkar doing this... he looked weaker from it. The druids rose tall again, along with the other fighterm all feeling somewhat renewed and relieved by the escaping poison. Looking towards Hakkar once more, everyone continued to attack… their victory was assured.

Soon Hakkar was well worn down, but something appeared strange, he looked to be reddening all over. He appeared to be close to using his anger for more power.

"Now where have I seen this before.." Telina muttered.

Xainia noticed this too, not knowing how to handle it, she called for her master in her mind. "masta, we not gonna kill im fast enough. He gonna get strongah. Wha can ah do?"

"You have known what destroys strength and well being, my pet, you will realize it in the time you have."

With the few words of her master, Xainia thought of what to do. It would be painful for her, but more so for her target. Brnging forth her years of sorrow and regret, the spirits that had plagued her and kept her from functioning before she found her master, Xainia channeled them all into her attack. The mindflay beam she was issuing turned a deeper shade of blue as all of this began to hit Hakkar.

Telina's eyes widened, sensing the danger coming, she shouted at Brood. "NOW! You must back away, for your own good, recall your soldiers!"

Just as Telina said that, Hakkar began to enrage, but was held back by this sorrow.

The god yelled."What is this? What is in my mind! Get out of my mind you mortals. You are not worthy to effect such things!"

Hakkar began to flail about wildly, he would have easily cleaved everyone around him in this torment. At once, before Hakkar's eyes, all of the trolls sacrificed to him that had wished it were not so rose up in spirit.

"Impossible!" the god yelled as his scaly flesh began to ignite in blue flames.

Quickly his feathers seared off leaving only the serpent he was still writhing about. Telina moved forward, guarding Xainia from the God's wild thrashing. The god's visions were so strong that the others around saw them too. The dancing skeletons and blood drained trolls, along with the walking spirits of the primal gods all came for the evil beast atop the altar. With various implements, they began to hack at the god, opening blue flaying wounds as they did. Falling to his side from damage, the spirits began to hack at Hakkar's upper body. Some of them jumped into his head to cause more chaos there.

Telina stood firm, swatting away the batting limbs, and considering attacking Hakkar herself, unsure of what the Shadow energy might do. However, it was all over soon enough. The charred husk of the god ceased to writhe, and let loose the most terrifying noise.

"Nooooooooooooo" The god yelled in madness and suddenly cut off with a stutter.

The altar was silent and the spirits gone. Xainia walked up, breathing heavily, and kicked the husk. Slowly brood approached too, weapons drawn. In one swift motion, he sliced at the only un-charred part of the god and cut out his evil heart. It rolled before another one of the priests in the group who took custody of it.

Stabbing the husk a few more times, brood proclaimed. "He is dead."

The Druid remained silently in the back, holding her side and breathing deeply, feeling drained, she kept her eyes on Xainia. The others went up to rob Hakkar's corpse while Xainia just stood still almost in a trance once again.

Telina silently moved behind her and whispered simply. "It's over, Xainia."

"Ya. it be ova." she sighed as the shadows dropped from her.

Telina put a hand on Xainia's shoulder lightly as they both watched the group pack up. The group left the city, not wanting to share the strange sights they had seen within. The destruction of Hakkar's heart at Yojamba island only further cemented his inability to return. Zul'gurub would now rest, becoming once again the ruins of an ancient empire that nearly consumed itself before the few tribes saw the way and fought as Xainia of Darkspear and her companions did this day.