Chapter 42 - Dreams of ferocity
He was dreaming again.
He dreamt that he was sad… He had just lost something. Something important. He couldn't remember what. He remembered the smell. The smell of death, of rot. The smell of bad food. He hated that smell.
He also hated the smell of fire. Fire, ash, and something worse… It made him angry. It made him furious. He wanted to destroy the source of that smell. Rend it with his claws, tear its throat with his fangs.
And so he did. He remembered screams… He remembered death and pain. The smell… The bad smell… It was too much for him. So he ran. He ran, and ran, into the forests, his home. He ran, and he hunted. There was plenty of prey for him.
How many days did that last? So many days of hunting, chasing his prey, and enjoying the delicious taste of their blood upon his tongue. But then there was pain… Prey he couldn't chase. Prey he couldn't hunt. No… That night, he was the prey.
But he wasn't slain and eaten, like his prey… He was captured. Caged like a beast, trapped, unable to hunt anymore…
That made him angry. He wanted to hunt. He wanted to kill.
But then… He smelled something. Something familiar. He knew that smell. It reminded him of something… Something of his past. Something important. He wanted to follow that smell… He needed to see it again… He needed… To hunt…
He roared and threw himself at his cage, furious that he couldn't hunt anymore, furious that he couldn't chase that smell. Furious that he was denied the blood he so desperately needed…
Dalrus' jaw was hanging agape, his eyes wide with shock as he stared at the massive albino wolfish creature that threw itself against the bars of his cage. The monster had the head of a wolf, its fur white as the moons above them. It's hulking body was wearing a very familiar looking armor, one that Dalrus had grown very accustomed to seeing every day and night with his brother.
"What the bloody hell did you do to him!?" He asked, his voice shrilled as he turned to face Malfurion Stormrage.
The old elf's gaze was fixated on the worgen in the cage. "Nothing, I assure you. We found him in this taste, and upon him, I felt a strange… Resonance. I sensed some kind of druidic power within him. At first, I suspected him to be one of my druid brothers, lost in a feral rage… By my orders, he was captured, and kept alive here."
Dalrus had been brought to the main Night Elf base, right at the gates leading to the world tree atop Mount Hyjal. There, he had been promised he'd see his brother again… But all the elves had to show him was the white worgen wearing his brother's armor inside of that cage.
It couldn't be true. That could not possibly be Felrus. That savage beast, snarling and snapping its fangs, sending drool everywhere as it stared at Dalrus with hungry eyes… It just couldn't be.
"Can't you do something? Bring him back! Make him change! You were able to do so, weren't you? Can't you use your magic on him, or something?"
Furion sighed. "I'm afraid it's not that simple… Our spells and artifacts were meant to aid our own people who were lost within the emerald dream. I'm afraid there's no telling what effect they'd have on your brother… He could be lost forever, as a monster."
Dalrus suddenly reached up and grabbed Furion by his robes. "I DON'T BLOODY CARE, YOU GOTTA DO SOMETHING! HE'S MY BROTHER, MY ONLY BROTHER, AND I'LL BE DAMNED IF I JUST GIVE UP ON HIM LIKE THIS!"
Dalrus heard a dozen arrows being pulled against their strings, and had no doubt they were all being aimed at him. He didn't care. He was staring directly at Furion's deep blue eyes, unblinking.
He saw conflict within the old druid's gaze. He saw pain, and understanding. The elf sighed once more, and gently placed his hands upon Dalrus', who let go of him. "I understand… I'll do what I can, then. Tyrande, my love… Please, bring me the Horn."
Dalrus looked at the night elf high priestess, Tyrande Whisperwind, who was walking up to them with a huge, ornate horn in her hands. "Are you sure about this, Malfurion? Archimonde will know exactly where we are if we are to sound the horn again…"
"I have no doubt he already knows where we are, and is making his preparations as we speak, as are our allies. We have made our choice, my love. Now all that is left is to prepare our defenses as much as we can." He took the horn in his hands, and turned to face Dalrus' transformed brother within his cage. "And I believe every single life that decides to stand by our side could make a vital difference."
Tyrande nodded at that, then stepped back. "Very well." Was all she said, as she watched what would happen next.
Malfurion turned to face Dalrus once more. "If there is any hope of saving your brother from this feral, mindless state of his, I believe your aid will be necessary. You must reach out for him, try to make him remember who he is, reawaken the soul that was overtaken by the beast within… Perhaps then, there will be hope."
Dalrus nodded at that. "I understand. I'll do what I can." Was all he said before walking towards the cage.
His brother's arm tore through the bars and tried to take a swipe at him. Dalrus noticed his claws had broken through the tips of his gauntlets, so sharp they were. But still, the young rogue did not hesitate. Deftly, he dodged the attack, and opened the cage with the key he had stolen from one of the guards earlier as they were approaching this place.
The instant he realized he was free, Felrus leapt out of the cage, his clawed hands reaching out for his brother's throat. His speed was something else, and Dalrus was barely able to evade the pounce. "FEL, IT'S ME! OPEN YOUR EYES!"
Felrus simply roared at Dalrus, and pounced at him again. The boy ducked under the worgen's massive armored frame, and rolled out of the way once more. "WAKE UP, YOU BLOODY BASTARD! I'M YOUR BROTHER!"
"Malfurion?" Tyrande said, looking worried at the other elf.
"Not yet." Said the druid. "His soul is too weak… If I sound the horn now, it could only empower the beast and push the man away."
Felrus was baring his fangs and snarling savagely at Dalrus, his eyes very wide and full of bloodlust. This time, however, instead of pouncing him, it began to slowly walk towards Dalrus, his arms spread wide to prevent the boy from escaping.
"Gods be damned, Felrus! I'm trying to save you! Stop this insanity, and come back!" Dalrus called out, trying to retreat away from the worgen. But the moment he took a step back, Felrus suddenly ran forward, his arms swinging in an arc before him. Dalrus almost failed to dodge that deadly embrace, but he was able to leap over the worgen's head, just in time to avoid a bite to his shins as well. But suddenly he felt a huge clawed hand grab him by the ankle, and Dalrus was brought heavily down at the floor.
Instinctively, the boy managed to pull out one of his swords as he crashed to the ground, and was able to use that to stop his brother from tearing his jugular with his fangs. With the flat of the blade pushing back against those incredibly resilient fangs, Dalrus grunted and pushed back at his brother with all his might, as the monster snarled and drooled on top of him.
"WOULD YOU STOP TRYING TO KILL ME WHILE I'M TRYING TO SAVE YOU, YOU BLOODY PSYCHO!?" Dalrus screamed as he brought his knee up to his brother's groin. The worgen, however, was protected by the thick plate armor that he still wore. "FOR THE LOVE OF THE LIGHT, FELRUS, WON'T YOU EVER TAKE THIS DAMNED THING OFF!?"
"I'M BLOODY USED TO WEARING IT!" The worgen screamed back at him through the sword in his mouth.
That made Dalrus freeze. "Wait, what?"
"Now, Malfurion!" Tyrande said, squeezing the druid's arm just as he brought the horn up to his lips and blew on it with all his might.
The sound of the horn was deafening. A deep, grave sound that resonated throughout the entire forest surrounding them. Felrus screamed and stepped back, moving away from Dalrus as he clawed at his head. "NO… NO! DALRUS, GET BACK! I… I CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF!"
Dalrus, however, was getting up as well, and quickly he walked forward, his hands reaching out to hold his brother by the shoulders. "THE HELL YOU CAN'T! YOU'RE IN THERE, YOU BUGGERING BASTARD! PUSH THIS DAMN MUTT OUT OF YOUR HEAD! SHOW HIM WHO'S IN CHARGE!"
Felrus screamed once more, clasping at his head as his eyes snapped shut. "It's… Too… Strong! I… I can't…!"
Dalrus' hand came up to grab his brother by the fur on his face, and forced it to the side, exposing the left cheek for the boy.
Even through the fur, he could still see it. He could still feel it. The hide there was thinner and scarred, thanks to the burning wound he had suffered back in Gilneas, all those days ago…
"Felrus, remember? This is the proof! This scar on your face is proof! Proof that you're still you! Proof that you're not a beast! Proof that you're my brother!"
"Dal… I… I…! ARRGH!" Felrus fell to the ground, screaming as he clawed at his scalp and contorted on the ground.
Desperate, Dalrus turned to face the druid. "Can't you do something!? Sound the horn again! Use your magic! Anything!"
Malfurion raised his hand. From the ground, several thick roots emerged, wrapping around Felrus' limbs and body until he was immobilized. Malfurion then raised his other hand, and a flower bloomed from the roots. It spewed a purple mist against Felrus' face, and Dalrus saw the worgen's eyes roll up on his head before his body went completely limp, unconscious. "I'm afraid this is all we can do." Malfurion said. "Any other source of magic could help feed the beast within further… You must understand, he lacks the attunement to the emerald dream that we, druids, possess. This transformation was never meant for one such as him. I fear he might never return to his original form… It could be that all we can do is restore his mind."
Dalrus let out a long, heavy sigh at that, and fell on his arse against the floor. "That's enough for me." He said, rubbing his temples. "I don't care what state he's in, all I care is that my brother's still himself."
This elicited a very curious look from Malfurion towards him. "Even if he were to lose his soul? Even if he became a monster forever?"
"What do I bloody care about that?" Dalrus snapped. "He is still my brother! He is my family, my friend! We fought together, we bled together, we owe our lives to each other. It doesn't matter what he looks like, the things we've done, all we've been through, that doesn't change."
Malfurion went very quiet at those words, his gaze shifting to his feet. It was Tyrande who walked up and placed a hand upon her lover's shoulder, breaking him out of his inner thoughts. "We have done all we can… It might be best to leave him here with us, for the time being. He will need rest, and time to deal with his… Changes. I'd very much like to hear how he became like this, but it will have to wait. We all have many preparations to do before the sun rises tomorrow."
Dalrus stared at his brother's sleeping form, trapped within the roots as he was. The boy sighed. "Is there really nothing more I can do for my brother?"
That seemed to break Malfurion out of his stupor. "You have already done all that you could. Now, the rest is up to him. Rest assured, I shall send word to you immediately the moment his condition changes." He declared. "Now, it is as Tyrande said… There is much, much more to be done if we are to face the Legion tomorrow."
Dalrus launched one final look at his brother's unconscious body… Then sighed, slumped his shoulders, and turned around to leave. "I… Understand. Please… Let me know if he wakes up…" And with that, Dalrus left the night elf camp, and began to journey back to the human base.
He was dreaming again.
He dreamt of that wonderful, familiar smell.
It was a wonderful smell. A smell that reminded him of who he was.
He wasn't a beast.
He wasn't a monster.
He was Felrus Plaguefang, The Blood Knight.
He was the Fang. And he and the Plague would be reunited again.