As much as I loved Taff, he was my favorite character, I couldn't think of anyway to incorporate him into this current arc. I'm writing a second arc, and that will feature Eck from the prior work if anyone is interested. Other than that, I am working on a one shot that will focus on Taff, but i don't know when that will be done and posted. Thank you for the review, and i hope you like this.

Chapter 4

Tomorrow, Wonki and her new partner would catch a boat to Theramore, but tonight, she would sleep in Stormwind.

The room was meant for a human, which meant the furniture was vastly oversized. Wonki didn't mind much, she wasn't interested in the table or chairs, only the bed, which was so large, it was more of a trampoline than a mattress. Indeed, Wonki indulged a playful urge by bouncing on the bed before settling down to sleep. She undressed, taking her robe and boots off and dropping them onto the ground. Then she took the wand and dagger out of their sheath and placed them on the side table. Last, she took a few small explosives out of her satchel and placed them under her pillow. They were for emergency only, should she ever find herself at a time where magic wouldn't help her.

The three humans dressed inconspicuously. Long overcoats were kept closed to conceal the dagger that hung from their belts. The apparent leader was taller than the other two, with dark, chocolate skin and a long, jagged scar stretching from the middle of his forehead, down his left eye, and finally climaxing at the bottom of his cheek. His identification papers said he was Ted Steelsmith, but it was just one of many aliases he used when traveling. His two partners, he didn't know their names, but he had picked them up at the local tavern. They were a pair of local thugs, not professionals like he, but they would serve their purpose nicely.

They moved in unison, not one ever straying too far from the company. The trio slipped into the inn, up a flight of stairs, stopping outside the specified room.

"You ready?" Ted asked. The other two nodded.

The lock pick clicked and clacked as it played with the doorknob's tumblers, at last unlocked the door, allowing Steelsmith to slip inside. He took point, the others followed behind.

He found the target: Becca "Wonki" Blackboom in the bedroom, nestled beneath a pile of covers. Ted cupped his hand over the gnome's petite mouth, engulfing the lower half of her skull. He pushed a dagger at her throat, and she stopped her struggles.

"Don't scream," he whispered. "Don't whisper any of your incantation. Don't summon any of your demons."

"Place is clear, Ted," said one of the humans.

"Ted?" Wonki asked. "You should really use codenames when you're on a mission."

Ted lifted his dagger above his head and dropped it down, intent on driving it through Wonki's chest. Wonki was faster however, and rolled backward to her feet. She lifted both hands, gathered flame to her hands before releasing them forward into Ted's chest. The force knocked him back.

The second human charged forward. Wonki focused, breathing a hex into the air. It took effect, and the human clutched his chest in pain, but continued forward. Wonki ducked as he swiped at her. She reached to the nightstand, and found her dagger, and jammed it into the human's throat.

The third human came into the bedroom, just as Wonki summoned her void walker; Thulzazt. The hulking demon roared suddenly as it smashed into the human, its thick heavy hands warpping around the human's head and squeezed until his skull caved.

Wonki's attention turned Ted, who writhed on the ground in pain, the meat on his chest melted and singed. She found his dagger, taking notice of the emblem at the base of the blade, before saying, "You're going to die. I don't know how to heal, but I do know it will be a long, slow death. I can make it quick though. Just tell me who sent you."

"Fuck you," he said, and as he swallowed, Wonki noticed a lump pass down his throat. In another moment, his mouth began to foam.

---

"Poison," Wonki said, standing before Twoblades the following day. "I cut open his stomach and found a few capsules of plaguebloom, they must have been beneath his tongue. It's a potent poison, when not mixed with neutralizing agents. The amount he swallowed could have put down a tauren after a minute or two.

"He killed himself?" Two blades confirmed.

"Its not that surprising. A lot of mercenaries would rather die than face failure."

"Did they say anything that may have hinted at their allegiance?"

"No sr. One had a tattoo on his left bicep that is common to the Alliance armies. Another had a tattoo of the Bloodsail Buccaneers. If I had to guess: I'd say they were mercenaries."

Twoblades nodded. "You will be put into a protection program until this can be sort out."

"Thank you sir, but if it's alright, I would like to perform my duties to the Alliance."

"Sub-commander, you were attacked in one of our capital cities."

"I was not harmed sir. I can still fight, and operate the mission you specified."

"If you insist, sub-commander."

---

For how large the draenei was compared to Wonki, the elekk she rode was even larger. Wonki had to strain her neck to see Gredel, riding happily on the great creature's back. Wonki mounted her mechanostrider, but still felt utterly pathetic compared to Gredel.

"You haven't any clue who sent those mercenaries?" the draenei asked.

"No, I have a list of people who could've sent them. That's the problem, I've pissed off so many people over the years. I could be anyone. Maybe Twoblades. Maybe you."

Gredel grunted, pale eyes focusing on the gnome. "Excuse me, ma'am?""No offense private. It just that, I don't know how much of that riveting speech was the truth. Your kind aren't exactly known for accepting those different than you, and the whole Alliance hates me because I play with demons. Your hidden discontent may manifest into opening a contract."

Gredel laughed, long and loud. "I can give you one good reason why this wasn't me. If I wanted to kill you, I'd do it myself, not rely on a few thugs."

Wonki chuckled. "Fair enough. If we're going to be partners, we should probably know a little more about each other. You can go first."

"I have been a soldier in the Alliance armed forces for close to a year now. Previously, I was partnered with my brother, but," she paused. "But he was murdered."

"I'm sorry," Wonki said.

"He wasn't even on a mission. He had taken a leave of absence and someone killed him." She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Your turn."

""My father dabs in the dark arts from time to time, summoning rituals, that sort of thing. My mother was an inventor. She was a genius always making something new. She died a few years ago, in an accident; one of her experiments blew up in her face."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, I'm over it."

"Do you believe in the Light, ma'am?"

"I believe it exists."

"But do you believe in it?"

"We are not good enough friends to discuss something like that."

Wonki and Gredel were lucky that day. The first shot missed, the bullet skimmed harmlessly just past the gnome's face.

"Sniper," she screamed, stumbling off her mount and pushing herself low to the ground. She concentrated: a ball of light swelled beside her, only to retract into nothing, her voidwalker replacing it. With an order from its mistress, the husky demon charged forward.

Gredel took the hammer from her belt and charged forward. The sniper, a dwarf, aimed his rifle and fired, but the bullet bounced against Gredel's thick armor. She swung her hammer into the dwarf's head, caving his skull under the force.

There were two more behind her: two green skinned trolls. One thrust a polearm forward, but Gredel lifted her shield in defense. Wonki breathed a curse. It wouldn't kill the troll quickly, but it would cause enough steady agony that Gredel could gain the upperhand in the duel.

Thulzazt the voidwalker crashed into the second troll, driving him to the ground. Heavy arms swung against the troll, smashing and breaking his body until it popped with a wet squish.

Gredel swung her hammer into the trolls chest. He reeled forward, and took hold of him, and drove her knee into his snout.

"Don't let him swallow," Wonki screamed. Gredel looked down just in time to see sickly foam bubble out from between the troll's lips.

"Damn it," the gnome screamed. Petite fingers searched in vain for a pulse. In fury, she kicked the dead troll's jaw. "Are you alright, private?"

"Yes," Gredel said. "You?"

"Yes." She tore open the troll's shirt and pointed to a tattoo on his left breast. "This one used to work under the banner of the Horde."

"Then it is the Horde that wans't you dead?"

Wonki searched the pockets of the deceased dwarf, unearthing his identification. "This one is a peacekeeper in Ironforge. These are hired thugs, nothing more." She sighed, leaving the bodies where they lay, and returned to her mechanostrider. "Come on. We have a boast to catch."