This story is rated M for some language, some adult themes and violence.))
Through the Hour Glass
A World of Warcraft fanfic
By Heidi Cautrell
Part 6
The sun had moved, signaling an hour had passed. And while they were close to the rock formation where the creatures had come from, no shade would be coming for some time.
"Xyra-" Gelles started to say, but cut off when she realized she didn't see the rogue anywhere. Scowling, Gelles leaned forward and helped Allorna gain her feet. "We need to get over by those rocks, out of the sun if possible, but out of the exposed desert for sure." Nodding weakly, Allorna walked with Gelles to rocks, settling in the narrow strip of shade that was available just past noon.
Following closely, the remaining two mounts hunkered down, still alert. Once assured Allorna would be fine, leaving her with more bread, water and protein, Gelles went to track down Xyra. As she rounded to the other side of the rock, she stopped dead. There, in the side of the rock, was the portal the dragonkin had used. Xyra forgotten for the moment, Gelles approached the portal cautiously, her sword in her hand before she reached it.
The portal was black with veins of gold running wildly through it. The human-turned-elf could feel the power emanating from the rift. Briefly she wondered just what it would take to create such a large one. It was well over twelve feet in diameter, and perfectly circular. Reaching out a gauntleted hand, Gelles continued to approach to the portal, she felt drawn to it as if touching it were the most important thing she would ever do in her life.
A shout startled Gelles. She jerked her head toward the direction she had come, worried it had been Allorna calling for help. When she glanced back at the throbbing portal, she noticed a ripple. Turning to fully face the rip in time, Gelles planted her feet and held her sword at the ready, poised above her and ready to sever the next dragon head she saw.
Another ripple and then a shadow crossed the surface of the portal. Muscles tensed, Gelles continued to watch, hardly daring to blink for fear she'd miss something. Three ripples ran across the portal and then out came a large, clawed foot and a sinewy neck. Down came Gelles' sword, slicing the head from the beast's shoulders. The head bounced, then came to rest in the sand. Gelles finally allowed herself to blink.
Laying in a ever growing pool of blood was Xyra's body. Jerking her gaze frantically toward the severed head, Gelles saw with building horror the head was Xyra's. "NO!" she screamed and dived for the body. Everything froze, then moved in reverse slowly. With agony Gelles watched herself move backward through the stroke that severed Xyra's head. Only this time Xyra's body was her own from the moment she stepped from the portal.
Having the knowledge of what was about to occur, Gelles lowered her sword to a defensive position in front of her body. The portal rippled and Xyra stepped through. The rogue blinked, then turned her silver gaze on Gelles. She frowned as she said, "What's wrong, Gell? You look like you've seen a ghost."
The sword in Gelles' hand trembled. She straightened, sheathing the weapon unsteadily. "Nothing's wrong." She glanced over Xyra's shoulder toward the portal. "What were you doing in there?"
A shrug was Xyra's response. "Looking for more." She grinned then, though it had more of an edge than her usual one.
Gelles' brow creased. "You don't remember coming out of the portal more than once?"
Xyra paused mid step to regard Gelles, her expression thoughtful. "No... Why did it look like I came out twice?" She wasn't against the possibility, after all they were dealing with time.
Opening her mouth to tell Xyra what she saw, Gelles hesitated a moment. "I'm not sure what happened to be honest."
Silver eyes bore into Gelles' brain as she regarded her friend at eye level. After a moment, Xyra turned away, "Let's get back."
A swirling of black sand blew across their path, halting the pair. Zephyr appeared a moment later. She smiled and empty smile at them. "You're time here is done."
Xyra frowned, "Fine, just let me see my mother before I go, she was hurt."
"I'm afraid that's not possible, Xyra. Already another set of scouts have found signs of your battle and are assisting your mother. You're time here is done," said Zephyr, her voice soft, yet emotionless.
"Fuck that!" snarled Xyra and attempted to shove past the slight Sin'dorei woman. Instantly the black sands swirled around them, blinding and choking the two friends.
Gelles called out for Xyra, seeing her shape through the blackness. She heard Xyra's response from far away, felt the brush of her leather gloves on her cheek and then she was gone.
Still blind and spitting out sand, Gelles felt herself being set back on her feet. She was in the desert, but this one was made entirely of bronze colored sand. Blinking away the grit in her eyes, Gelles glanced down at herself. She still wore the same armor, but she was now her normal size. Hesitantly she placed her hands on her ears. They were their normal human size.
"So tell me, Gelles Magain. Do you know why you were sent back?" A deep voice rumbled from behind her. Whirling around she saw that while the dragon before her was not Nozdormu, he was impressive all the same.
"Xyra's mother is important, she had to survive that war," said Gelles, lifting her chin and trying to adjust glasses that were no longer there. She frowned a bit when her hands touched nothing.
"But do you know -why- she is important?" Asked the drake. Extending his neck to its limit, his large face came within a few feet of Gelles. His head was as big as she was, which meant he could kill her with a single snap of his jaws.
"She was a powerful leader, it's possible without her the war would have gone for the worst," said Gelles slowly, still thinking over her real answer within her mind.
A grin split the drakes lips, showing off his razor sharp teeth. "Come now, Gelles. We all know that not to be the case. Tell me the real reason."
Sighing softly, Gelles shrugged a bit, "She had to have Xyra, who would eventually meet me and be one of the many pushes that would send me down the path to eventually becoming a Guardian of Time."
Pulling his head back, the drake nodded his satisfaction, "Just so."
Unable to hold it in, Gelles finally blurted out, "I'm still not one of yours."
"Not yet," said the drake, his grin returned. "But soon."
The black sand swirled and Gelles found herself in the same chair in the World's End Tavern that she'd occupied several weeks ago. Xyra was there across from her. Jerking her gaze to the side, Gelles saw Zephyr turn away from them and back to her drinking.
Trickling a bit of black sand onto the table, Xyra reached out and picked up her still cold mug of ale. She raised it in a toast to Gelles. "To dragons. May their ambitions not kill us all."
Lifting her mug to her lips, Gelles watched Xyra over her mug as she took a drink of the cold, bitter liquid. Xyra put down her mug, then grinned, that edge still there in her smile and her eyes.
"You can't blame this one on me. At all," said Xyra casually.
Gelles blinked and then began to laugh. After a moment the edge faded from Xyra's features and she laughed too.