Act III : A New Resurrection

Reborn from the Mark of Shadows, resurrected from hope and despair
How come we are the ones who have to see our loved ones die?

Thunder rumbled overhead and a flash of lightning lit up the dark night sky. Hours of traveling had taken its toll on his stamina. Exhausted and feeble, he dropped to his knees. He landed on the soft wet earth beneath and gripped his staff strongly. A tear swept down his face of fur as he lay shaking in the bitter cold. His brother's last words scarred his memories, and echoed continually in his mind. They haunted his dreams, and gripped his mind in the day. He clutched the staff that once belonged to his brother and tried his hardest to suppress painful sobs. The bulky beast wept at its current predicament. The burden of murder rested on his shoulders. Not a day had passed since the savagery, nay, his savagery. Not a soul had survived the brutal carnage, not even he...

Blood seeped out of gaping wounds, and stained his fur in a crimson red. The atrocious beast collapsed to the floor, barely conscious. Its fur slowly became drenched with the blood of those he had spilled around him. A dead silence had taken over the peaceful camp. He breathed heavy gulps of air, struggling to avoid breaching the barriers of the spiritual world.

Salvation...Salvation...have I finally achieved it?

"Far from it Brother, far from it." spoke a cheerful familiar voice.

Mangix tried to form a smile, but rather he began to violently cough when he attempted to do so. Blood spattered on the floor, but he managed to chuckle weakly. Every bone in his body ached, every muscle brought him agony, and even the slightest movement brought intense pain with it.

With great difficulty the Pandaren spoke, "There's no need to mock me now. Let me be at peace, Brother. Let me die a peaceful death... must you torment me so?"

Mangix turned his head upwards, expecting to see his brotherly figurine standing headstrong ahead, but strangely there was no one there. All the bodies and all of the spilt blood had just vanished. The hill was secluded now, with only a lone Pandaren lying cold on the floor. The pain had ceased, and the aches were no more. The sky had begun to darken overhead. Just as he began to lift himself up, the skies rumbled. Dark clouds had settled, oddly.

"Why spill the blood of the innocent, Brother. Why all this senseless violence?" said a voice which could be seemingly heard overhead.

Anger began to quell up in the Pandaren once more, however, fatigue overpowered his emotions. There was no pain, but exhaustion was still there. He fell to his knees, in a sense submitting to the voice he heard. His bulky frame slid across the grassy earth beneath. The Pandaren corpse ahead, stood forth and slowly walked towards him. Mangix's mouth gaped open in sheer amazement, as it dawned on him what had happened. Mangix rose to confirm his doubt.

It can't be... but... you... can't... be... how can you be me? Surely I've gone insane!

What appeared to be an apparition of himself, began to chant in a melancholy tone,

"Torment around me.
Torment in me.
Torment be with me.
And let us conquer our foes.
They do not understand our pain.
Do you?
No.
And for that,
We shall make them feel the torment...
The torment that inhabits my soul..."

Mangix responded fiercely, "What is it you want me from me! Why... ... why won't you let me be! Why must you torment me so! Why can't you just let me go...?"

There was sheer raw emotion in his voice, intensified and empowered by the sorrow of his expression.

"Close your eyes..." it spoke in a harsh tone.

Reluctant but afraid, Mangix did as he was told. His pulse quickened, and his heartbeat increased dramatically. Beads of sweat began to form, and his head felt suddenly lighter. For a moment, he felt as if he was being torn from within. His memory began to fade, and his thoughts began to vanish. The Pandaren's mind was under excruciating pain. His legs began to give way. Just as he was about to land on the ground, a cool crisp breeze swayed over him. He landed on soft, damp earth.

A comforting voice could now be heard, "If you truly wish to be set free, seek the one who bears the knowledge of Dara'ghuman. Few such reside in this world of ours now, but nonetheless, they do exist. Do not let the Curse of Shadows cloud your judgment. Abstain from hate and anger. You only feed its presence, and allow it to have a greater hold over you. If you truly wish to be set free... seek Dara'ghuman..."

Thunder rumbled in the sky above. Mangix hesitated, but finally opened his eyes. Confused and dazed, he appeared to be in a different place altogether. Trees replaced the rugged shrubs that once covered the hill he stood on. Darkness enveloped the sky above, and encroaching vines creeping along the massive canopies impaired his vision of the surroundings. The ground beneath was covered in luscious green blades of grass, trailing side by side the bushy overgrowths around. The earth beneath felt damp, and the air felt heavy with moisture. He heaved himself up onto his hind legs, and scanned his surroundings quickly. Somewhere not too afar, a high pitched shrill could be heard. Too faint to be audible, Mangix slouched with his back up against a tree trunk.

The Pandaren pondered over his predicament. His Keg of Ale was strangely fastened to his back as if it had always been. He was now in a foreign land, where he could lose himself quite easily. He combed the Isle of Pandaria as a child many times, but this region he had never seen. Weary and weak, Mangix began to venture into these mysterious forest. Another scream shot through the air, this time much closer. It appeared to be coming from his right, but the Pandaren appeared to ignore it. As he made his way through the thickly clustered groups of trees, the sky bellowed overhead. The first few drops of rain finally fell onto the canopies of the tree tops high above. Slowly they seeped past the leaves, and trailed down the massive trunks. After several hours of trekking through the forest, Mangix eventually came upon a clearing. A cry for help was heard once more, yet it was still very distant.

Immediately silence followed, and only the sound of a light drizzle tapping against the ground was audible. Lay ahead was a crystal clear lake, reflecting the feeble rays of sunlight left. A vast lake separated him from where the scream was last heard. In the center of the glowing waters, lay afloat a long rod-like object. Curious, Mangix scurried to the water's edge. He dove in without hesitation, and quickly paddled to it. As he grew closer, it began to dawn on him what the object was. It was a staff of oak, but no ordinary staff. It surely belonged to Remmy for this was emphasized by the half-crescent moon carvings in the center. Worse still, was that it was stained with dried blood.

This time, more than one scream echoed through the twilight skies, less distant than before. Clutching steadfast the last memoir he possessed of his brother, Mangix swam desperately towards the dying voices. Screams became cries of torment, and utterly agonizing pleas for aid. After such a long lapse of time, Mangix felt a soothing feeling of calmness within himself. Perhaps it was his brother's presence emitting from the enchanted staff, or perhaps it was a momentary return of sanity that brought this feeling. His brother's courage and determination seemed to meld into him. Mangix felt strangely different, but more so relieved than worried.

Your legacy shalt not die... brother...

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Somewhere not too afar, two figures, drenched in blood and rainwater, treaded past a pile of corpses. One of them knelt down to mourn the losses. She appeared to be slender, yet sleek in figure. Her face seemed to show signs of trouble and despair. The other was busily munching down his "meal". He was rather bulky in frame and had an eerie presence about him. Sure, he was smiling with glee while he was eating a pile of "meat" but something about him seemed oddly unsettling. The female silhouette beckoned the larger figure with a motion of her hand, and the large one listened obediently. He followed her into an enormous barn house, where she promptly gave one last look at the massacre outside, and then bolted the massive doors shut.

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The Pandaren had been traveling hopelessly for a while now. The sun had all but disappeared, and the gentle drizzle had become a vicious downpour. Mangix had lost all but his desire to fight against himself, and his faith was slowly turning away from hope and reaching out to despair. He was in a strange land, unknown and foreign to his eyes.

Keep a strong grip on yourself... the voices are not far... perhaps they can help me... once I help them... Perhaps they know of Dara'ghuman...

The Pandaren tried to recall the stories the Elders once told him. The memories felt hazy, but they were still present in his mind nonetheless. It was near a fire, perhaps in times of winter that he was told. They were alone, just he and Elder Hamaan.

The tiny Pandaren scuttled around the fire trying to keep warm. Elder Hamaan on the other hand, had a twinkle in eyes, seemingly hiding something. He beckoned Mangix to sit close to him, for he had something important to tell him.
"Firaya, Gaya, and Inuya. You've been told more than once about the 'Trio Elementa'. My dear child, what I tell you now does not go through these walls. It has been forbidden to tell a Pandaren so young of such knowledge, but I feel you are ready. Different, yet unique... you have some kind of hidden talent just waiting to surface. I'm sure Remmy has been generous in his teachings, no doubt?"

"Yes, Elder Hamaan. He has always been kind----"

"Good. No need to delve too deep into it. No, of course there isn't. Now then, tell me, has Remmy told you of the "Elementa Daralaya?"

"I don't think he---"

"Fine. Then I think it is time. You've been told that there exist only three elements. My dear child, you've been mislead from the cradle until this very day. The 'Trio Elementa' are only a broken memory from our ties with the shamanistic ways. Yes, we once lived like kindred spirits with other races and creeds. Not anymore, no, not anymore. The 'humans' as they call themselves, changed in ways... un-natural. They became bloodthirsty and lusted for magic. The wretched people sought to devour even the slightest source of spiritual essence, which they termed 'Mana'. New ways of manipulation of magic developed forth. 'Arcana' is what they called it. Manipulation of light energy is what they practiced, however, inside it was destroying them. At first 'Arcana', was beneficial, but later it became but a tool for their use in wreaking destruction.

Our kin were slaughtered, and butchered. But that was not the end of it, no, it was not. New evils were rising, yes, new forms of evil. Hatred and savagery were all but common now. But nay, there were greater evils than mere bad morals. Daralar, demons, were coming. They descended upon the lands, and sought only to please their convictions. Soon, they preached their knowledge to a few humans who willing obeyed them like masters. These were taught the dark arts, magic that we must abstain from. Daralaya, is the element of demons. They sacrifice their own life essence to provide ever-needed sustenance for their techniques. They feed on the blood of the living to stay alive."

"But master I don't understand w---"

"Quiet, I shall tell you when to speak. You listen now, talk later. These dark arts practicers developed cults of their own among whom their own people were worshipped like gods. 'Elementa Dara'ghuman' was the newest of the creation. 'Destruction' is what it was called in its innate form. A fitting name we conjured for their use. Its true meaning was unknown to even then, but it was us who named it. The root 'Dara' is to do with unholy. The 'guh' sound in the middle, is to do with 'Earth', derived from 'Gaya'. Strange though, they never noticed the 'Human' at the very end of it. 'Human' is what we call 'Destruction'. Together, its name was the 'Unholy Destruction of the Earth'.

Pity, they held on to the one word that appeased them. It was with this 'Dara'ghuman's new-found existence did our blinded ancestors find a reason to leave the 'Cursed Lands'. They migrated across distant lands, until they found a place to call their home. They thrived for long generations to come, and lay hidden without a trace to the outside world. Not a Pandaren dared to venture out of the cove, it was too dangerous. There, you know enough. Leave now, Mangix. Remember, not a word leaves these walls."

A very puzzled Mangix acknowledged with a bow of his head, and proceeded to leave the hut.

It was strange to him how Remmy would mention Dara'ghuman. Perhaps Remmy was aware of the Elder's private lessons.

Even though the Pandaren was engrossed in his own thoughts, subtle whispers could be heard nearby. He was approaching his destination soon enough, and what he would find there would change his destiny forever.

Signs of civilization finally began to appear. The Pandaren quickly shifted past the harvest fields. They had been recently plowed no doubt, but the crops were left attended. Something was definitely amiss. A ruffle of leaves in a cluster of bushes nearby was caught by the Pandaren's sharp hearing. Gripping Remmy's staff tightly, he crept silently towards the bush. A sudden high-pitched scream completely threw Mangix off balance. His heartbeat raced rapidly as he steadied himself next to the overgrowth.

"We know you're there. You ain't fooling anyone mister." came a timid little voice.

Startled, Mangix dropped his staff to the ground. Half-embarrassed yet somewhat ashamed, he desperately tried to maintain a stern expression on his face

The Pandaren responded in a hoarse voice, "Show yourself. I mean no harm, unless threatened."

Obediently, the one bearing the voice revealed himself. He was a small lad, dark-haired and shabbily dressed in a brown tunic. Dark rings surrounded his eyes, and freckled covered his face. He was shivering in the cold, but the young boy tried to depict a brave appearance with his headstrong posture, almost as if he was trying to scare the Pandaren.

Mangix heartily laughed after realizing how irrational his fears were. He noticed a subtle movement of the leaves once more, and inquired of the boy, "Who is with you?"

Stuttering the boy responded fiercely, "I'm alone! There's no one else!"

Mangix chuckled at the boy's bravado and firmly commanded, "Tell me, now. I already heard both of you earlier, no use hiding it from me."

Shifting uneasily, the boy quickly bowed and spoke in a voice that was nearly whisper quiet, "I'm Harry. Mister, my sister Isabelle had a great big scare from what happened earlier and... Please don't protest, but she's very frightened."

The Pandaren calmly told him, "I mean no harm. I come to help, for I heard cries of help not too long ago. Tell me, Harry, why are you so far from home? Was there trouble?"

Harry nodded his head solemnly, and grimly spoke, "Two strangers came to our village. One was a lady, the other was... well nothin' like we see around these parts. She was sure dressed strangely. She wore a pretty red robe, and her dark-brown hair swayed in the wind. Excuse me, uhh... sir... you can't blame a lad for liking someone that pretty... even if her friend did all that to us..."

Mangix demanded firmly, "Did what to you?"

Reluctantly he spoke, "Not to us exactly... but to all the village folk... that ... creature...did horrible things..."

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In a place not too far, two weary travelers lay sound asleep on the floor of a barn house. One of them appeared to be having a nightmare, as she tossed and turned wailing in pain. Tears streamed down her face as her dreams continued to haunt her mind. Her eyes then suddenly opened, and she cried no more. Confused, she got up to her feet and walked to the massive door. She unbolted the lock, and stared in awe at the rain descending from the skies. The other one began to stir in his sleep, and soon rose to meet her. She looked at him with a dubious frown, and quickly shifted her attention back to the rain. He whispered into her ear, and she smiled. They then stood shoulder to shoulder, and gazed at nature's blessings showering the earth.

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The Pandaren stepped onto the blood-smeared pathway, holding his staff menacingly. The moonlight shone into the crescent carving, luminating his path. Like a shining beacon into the night, it guided him along the path. Dismembered bodies lay around, with detached limbs and torn away flesh. The scenery was a dead silent, and only the soft downpour could be heard. Across the stony path, stood two silhouettes, gazing intently. Both glared at each other with anger and animosity. After what seemed like an eternity, Mangix finally spoke, "So much innocent bloodshed you have caused. I won't let such savagery go unpunished. Prepare yourself, you wretched beasts. You will not walk away alive from this massacre."

The female took a step forward, but the larger creature motioned for her to stay back. It spoke in a slurry and barely audible voice, "No, you get hurt. Me fight, you get hurt. Me... no...want you to get hurt."
She lowered her head in acknowledgement and let the beast take a step forward. The mere sight of it made Mangix sick to his stomach. Its appearance was that of multiple rotting corpses sewn together, as if a group of human beings were "melded" into one. He marveled at how intricately woven it was, regardless of how grotesque. The bulky creature had a glint about in its eyes. From underneath its limbs, a delicately shaped ornament was barely visible. The metallic surface of it gleamed in the moon's rays. With one of its four enormous arms, it reached into a large poorly stitched gaping hole in its abdomen, and drew out a large butcher's cleaver, still freshly stained in crimson blood. The creature drew the arm grasping the metallic ornament backwards in a circular arc, and flung it straight at the Pandaren.

Mangix instantly spotted the razor sharp hook even at its unbelievable speed. The Pandaren somersaulted to the right, barely dodging the deadly point. While the metallic chain scraped rapidly across the stone pavement, Mangix seized this opportunity by charging at the beast. With great elegance in his stride and staff held in a lance-like position, Mangix leapt onto a nearby fence, and patiently awaited his foe's next move. Using both his muscular arms, Pudge withdrew his arms backward pulling the hook back at a massive rate. Using his one free limb, he gripped the chain tightly and wound it around his arm. Like clockwork, the chain twirled around his bulky arm until the hook lay suspended a few feet off the ground in his hand. Whipping the chain around like a lasso, he flung it at Mangix with all his might. Mangix quickly dove to the right, and watched in horror as the hook broke through the entire fence and demolished it completely. He shuddered at the thought of the hook actually striking him. Even though the abomination's aim was deadly accurate, the hook itself took a relatively long time to reach. The Pandaren quickly pondered over his options as Pudge wound the chain around his arm once more.

A smile appeared on the Pandaren's face, leaving the abomination confused and in wonder. It lunged the hook once more, destroying all in its path. Mangix quickly darted to the right, and awaited in a crouched position for Pudge's next move. The hook shattered through glass windows and broke through the house's solid walls. Anything in the hook's path was left as a mere pile of rubble, and it was made clear what would happen to anyone caught in its reach. The abomination scowled in anger and pulled its weapon back angrily. The Pandaren immediately lifted the massive keg off its back, and threw it in the direction of the hook. The hook tore through the feeble wood, and latched onto the metal room. Unknown to Mangix, the contents suddenly began gushing out in a line as the oblivious Pudge reeled his chain in.

With sharp reflexes and sheer speed, Mangix rushed towards the abomination. Right before the hook was completely reeled in; Mangix dove at Pudge with both feet forward. He put all his force into his legs, and his aim was true. His paws struck the barrel and forced it towards the abomination's stomach. Pudge wasn't prepared for such an expected feat. He lost complete control over the chain; the hook flew wildly out of control. Mangix propelled himself off the barrel and into the air. He twirled backwards high into the air. The Pandaren gripped his staff strongly, as he plummeted below. He forced the staff vertically downwards and onto the abomination's hook. The massive striking force propelled the hook into Pudge's own abdomen. He cried out in agony as the hook pierced into his own flesh. The keg burst, and let its contents gush out in torrents. Pudge angrily tried to hack at the Pandaren with his cleaver. Mangix gracefully dodged each of the abomination's futile attempts, and neatly jabbed his staff into Pudge's eye sockets as hard as he could.
The abomination howled in sheer pain as the wood struck into his eyes. It began to swing its cleaver blindly, hoping to strike the Pandaren.

Mangix seized this moment by cocking his head backwards. He let the sudden rush of energy flow through his veins. It coursed madly within him, ready to burst through. The massive energy empowered his very being, and began to sizzle him from within. He opened his mouth, and jerked his head directly towards Pudge's stomach. A bright wave of red and yellow embers flew through the air and towards the abomination's gaping hole. They came into contact with the liquid ale, and instantly ignited it in a dazzling array of blue and red. Pudge screamed as the flame sizzled and boiled its flesh. It dropped its cleaver and ran about wildly trying to douse its flames. Succumbing to the blinding pain, Pudge dropped to the ground cold, slowly letting the fire spread to the surrounding waters. The ale gushed earlier had mixed with the water below, and suddenly caught fire as well. The flames dashed between the cracks of stone at an unbelievable rate, and blocked Mangix's only route of escape.

The Pandaren began to panic, he desperately needed to escape. The flames had spread like wildfire, and lit ablaze the entire surrounding village. He gripped his staff tightly, in hopes of it try to free him. He tried closing his eyes, in desperation of being taken back to Pandaria. No, this was a reality. The fire was real, and the pain that began to grip him was real. The flames licked at his delicate flesh, and it would be a matter of time before he too died. His head was becoming lighter... he was becoming weaker... The fumes of smoke were starting to cloud his vision, and dull his judgment. He looked around in hopes of finding an escape, perhaps an opening in the raging inferno.

His mind was left in utter confusion as he realized that both his assailants were missing. The large creature was nowhere to be seen, and neither was his faithful ally. So lost in his thoughts was Mangix, that he did not notice the large block of ice bash into the side of his head. With his vision steadily blurring, Mangix fell onto the ground. The Pandaren lay unconscious in the cold waters, helpless to stop the raging flames from getting closer...