The Vanguard gathered in the lounge of the lodge, fully rested from the night. Oliktalv took a seat on a purple-clothed couch, with Colben to his right and Dal'bin to his left. On a smaller couch across from him, a small wooden table in the way, Balthar read his tome while Salin whispered some guidance, trying to help the young man learn more about the Light. Two chairs pulled from another room were brought into the room for Finnal and Kelvin to sit on, positioning them at the front of the room. The gnome sat closer to the orc commander while Finnal sat near the two holy men of their band.
It was clear to see the divide in the Vanguard, shown by where they sat. Towards one side of the room was the group that wanted to continue on their way to face Illidan down. On the other side were those who thought it would be best to waste more time in Zangarmarsh and deal with the naga threat. Oliktalv decided that in the end, it was best to eliminate the greater of two evils, that being the Betrayer. Based on how the group of warriors sat, it was easy to tell how the vote would do. By the end of the day, they would be back on their original quest.
Finally, after several minutes of waiting, Belara returned, carrying a wooden box with slips of papers, quills, and bottles of ink on top of it. Oliktalv thought of the dark ranger as the only "neutral" one in the conflict. She may have voted for helping, but that was to show how unorganized the Vanguard's system was. Today, she elected to run the vote since she would not be voting. While she insisted on keeping it a close ballot vote, everyone was in agreement and sent her off to get the supplies. She noticed the flaws with their organization and it was time to see if she could fix them.
"Today, we will finally decide on the matter of whether the Vanguard will fight the naga or continue on their way," Belara announced, setting the supplies on the table. "This time, there will be no ties. I have invited for Finnal and Kelvin to speak regarding the sides they represented in an attempt to sway the others."
"I still regret moving forward with the vote on everything," Colben groaned. "After this, I move that we vote on if we should continue voting."
"That would mean one of us is in charge, which is unlikely to happen if we want everyone to follow their lead," Oliktalv sighed. "It isn't perfect, but it will do."
"On the chance we do decide to follow the command of one individual, I would be the perfect candidate," Salin declared with a grin. "As a Blood Knight, I am a sworn defender of Quel'thalas and-"
"That's enough, Salin," Belara interrupted. "Kelvin, you'll speak first."
"Wake me up when he's done," Colben whispered to Oliktalv while Kelvin climbed down from his chair.
"Aren't you physically incapable of sleeping?" Oliktlv questioned.
"Kelvin's speeches are that dull," Colben grinned and closed his eyes.
"The objective of the Vanguard is to put an end to Illidan and ensure that any of his lieutenants do not rise to claim his rank," Kelvin explained. "And while Vashj is a lieutenant of Illidan and is thus, one of our targets, I would like to remind everyone that Zangarmarsh is perfect for her people. If we fight here, it will be at a disadvantage, and some of us may even lose our lives. Why take such an unnecessary risk? I'm not saying we should leave the naga to their own nefarious plans, but to fight one battle at a time. Once Illidan has been dealt with, we can return to deal with Vashj, and perhaps with the backing of an army capable of fighting the naga on their home territory. It is the most logical decision to make."
"Boring," Salin yawned. "You didn't even get to mention any of the heroics that comes with your offer."
"My speech was offered to those of intellectual minds," Kelvin shot back, returning to his chair.
"Finnal," Belara nodded.
"Just wake me up when it's all over," Colben had his eyes still closed while Finnal stood up.
"Let me express my gratitude for being able to fight with such honorable and great heroes," Finnal started. "To know that we've taken this quest not for glory or personal gain, but the safety of the world, is music to my ears. However, there is more good work that we must do. As we speak, the naga drain the Zangarmarsh of its precious water. We all been in Hellfire Peninsula and saw how bare of life it was while here, it thrives beautifully. And if we don't do anything, that beauty and life will perish. Kelvin believes that we can return later. It may be too late then. I say we take action now!"
With a bow, she made her way back to her seat. Unlike Kelvin, she was met with applause, mainly from her own supporters. Salin clapped his metal gauntlets against each other loudly while Balthar gave a polite, quiet clap. Oliktalv thought her speech was inspiring, but it did not move his stance. Unlike her, he did not share the same conviction to protect the land. Even if his people were once from this world, Outland held no meaning to him other than a relic of the past. Azeroth was his home, and in order to protect it, he will strike down any threat, and the naga's lake draining poses no threat.
"With that out of the way, we'll vote," Belara continued on. "Take a slip of parchment, write down if you want to stay and fight, or continue with our original objective."
"We're up," Oliktalv nudged Colben with his elbow.
Colben opened his while Kelvin moved to write his vote. One by one, each of the Vanguard moved up to vote, going into a circle. Oliktalv was the third to vote, after Colben, and was followed by Dal'bin. After him was Balthar, Salin, and Finnal closed the vote. With Belara no longer voting, their side held the advantage. The dark ranger should have saved their time with this pointless ritual so they could continue their journey, but if it pleased the other side, then so be it. Belara opened the box, pulled out the parchment slips, and counted them one by one. The commander was quick to take notice of a brief look of surprise on her face, followed by a grin. Something was wrong.
"With four votes supporting the motion, we shall stay and fight in Zangarmarsh," Belara announced, returning the slips back into the box. "Talk about a plot twist."
"Aha!" Salin stood up with a raised fist. "Of course good triumphs over inaction!"
"Uh, what now?"
"I suppose one of us will now have to talk with Ysiel to get a better idea of the situation," Kelvin sighed in defeat. "Does anyone object."
"No," Oliktalv shook his head. "While you're gone, I'll lead the training session. Let's get going outside."
"Colben, I challenge you this time around!" Salin declared. "With my ran- I mean, my trident, I will be a much better fighter."
"Whatever," Colben shrugged, grabbing Oliktalv's arm tightly to hold him in place until it was just the two of them and Dal'bin left. "Leave us, troll."
"Ya got somethin' in mind, and I don't like it," Dal'bin stood up, glaring at Colben.
"Leave us, Dal'bin," Oliktalv grunted. "This matter is between the two of us."
Obediently, Dal'bin nodded, and left the two alone in the lodge. Oliktalv could always trust on his scout to follow orders, even if he may be against it. Salin always insisted on being the hero while Belara did her own thing. He trusted the troll, unlike a certain rotting warrior. One of their votes had to have gone the other way. The commander voted for leaving, his trusted scout voted the way he did, and he doubt that Kelvin would write a speech supporting a cause he did not believe in. That left one man suspect left.
"So, you actually swapped your vote, huh?" Colben questioned.
"I didn't," Oliktalv grunted. "You did."
"Alright, let's do some math," Colben started. "You see how Kelvin and I work together, yes? Of course I would vote the same way he does. I trust his input."
"This doesn't make any sense," Oliktalv muttered while Colben released his arm.
"I believe you when you say you voted for leaving," Colben told him. "You're a smart orc. You should know who that leaves."
Oliktalv opened his mouth to continue his argument with Colben, but the truth of his words finally registered. While the veteran left him alone in the lounge, he tried to wrap his mind around the suspected betrayal of trust. Dal'bin had been fighting by his side longer than anyone remaining in the Vanguard. All evidence seemed to point towards him being the one who switched. Yet, the commander could not believe that such a loyal scout would turn against him. He grunted, knowing that thinking is not his strong suit. It was time to train, and he had some frustrations he needed to vent out.
A/N: I mean, I made it clear since the chapter's summary that the Vanguard would be sticking in Zangarmarsh. This was no surprise.
Until next time.