That's right, folks. The final chapter. Read it slowly to enjoy it as long as you can.
Louis stared at the body on the floor, feeling so sick he literally did vomit at the sight. He felt so embarrassed and vulnerable, gasping for air when he was done, whimpering and sniffling as the tears started, mindlessly crawling through his own waste as he made his way for his wife. "Seda…" He whimpered, looking to her beautiful face, seeing the smile she had. Even with hearing what she was whispering to their lost daughter, he had no idea why she would be smiling at that moment, but feeling a bit comfortable that she had gone happy; at least, he'd hoped she went happy.
Sniffling and doing all he could to ignore his surroundings, he sat on his knees and gently placed the upper half of her body in his lap, cradling her as he only cried and stared at her, doing his best to ignore her bloody chest. "Seda…" He whimpered again, holding the cold body close, softly crying into her neck. "Don't go…please…" He pleaded to the body, continuing to cry as he looked back to her face, feeling sick again as he stared at the pretty smile she had on once more, still unable to make out why in the worlds she would be smiling at that time. "Oh, Seda…" He sniffled, slowly looking up to Xanna, his heart so broken that he'd lost everything. First he had lost his best friend to a black abyss that he was unable to save him from, the daughter he thought he'd lost so long ago was alive and resented him and wasn't shy about showing it, the daughter he'd kept on his mind for the past fourteen years had gone mad with loneliness, now he'd lost his wife, the only companion he had to help him get through it all.
Xanna looked down at the sight, that dull and bored expression on her face again, completely unmoved.
Elros slowly made his way over, kneeling down next to his old friends, killing any old emotions that attempted to make themselves known from seeing them this way. He simply pursed his lips, looking to his sobbing friend, remembering all the times he'd helped him get through his own tears the best he could. Then he looked to the only woman he ever truly loved, saving the memory of her smile since he had long forgotten what it had looked like. "What a waste…" He said, patting Louis as he continued to whimper and cry into the dead woman's neck. "Pity." He added before standing up straight, looking to all of the teens just a little ways away, all sad and scared and confused and crying. He smirked deviously at them. "So…who's next?"
Makaza whimpered, holding his imp; which had somehow managed to avoid all of the battle aside from the fireball and make his way back for the young lad; and inching closer to his brother, vigorously shaking with fear and needing some form of comfort. "Ak, what're we gonna do?" He whispered to him, keeping his eyes on the two elves making their way for the group.
As if the other orc would know what to do. He wanted to, but he didn't, just simply had no clue. He was scared like the others; well, maybe aside from Dethiam. He tried to think of something, but none of them were even a spec of nothing compared to this psychopath or the new Xanna. "M-Mister Darkmoon!" He attempted getting Louis' attention, any hope he had left fading quickly when the broken man stayed with his dead wife. They were the only ones that had a real chance at getting through a fight with these two and Xanna had taken down two birds with one stone with what she did; more rather, two people with one dagger. All in all, they were doomed.
"What shall we do with them, my king?" Xanna purred to Elros, circling the teens like a hungry vulture over its prey, awaiting to be told of what to do. "Hm…" He replied, smirking as he looked down to them and the shiny liquid slowly pouring from all of their eyes. He placed a hand on his chin and gave thought, then pursed his lips. "Well, they have been fun, but I do grow bored. But…" His smirk quickly came back. "Perhaps we can put them away for later? You can never have too many toys."
"Oh, I certainly hope not." The young girl purred again, making her way back to be next to the man, her eyes going to Akazil, feeling a knot in her stomach as he made that pitiful face up at her. She'd made that face herself too many times to count and nobody helped her. Her heart began to beat so fast, trying to tell her to do what was right and help.
Elros scowled when he saw that she was eyeing that thing again, then kicked him onto his back, keeping him pinned down with his foot on his throat. "Akazil!" He heard the other yelp. "We won't keep this one. It's broken." His scowl grew deeper as he slowly put more pressure on the boy's throat, only listening as the other teens whimpered and cried.
"We…" Ixxy finally managed to speak again, using the wall to help her get her achy body onto its feet. She groaned, panting from exhaustion, an eye closed from sweat getting into it, stinging it and making it irritated. She forced the eye open anyway, then narrowed both of them onto the horrible man. "We are not toys that you can do with as you please…"
"Hm…I believe you're right." He said, his face plain and dull. "Toys don't talk back." He growled, narrowing his eyes right back.
"Yeah! And could a toy do this!" Dethiam said, charging and jumping toward the elf man. He quickly ducked and so the undead girl was caught by Xanna, her head being removed. Before the girl had a chance of telling her body where to go, she tossed the head to the ground. Dethiam growled and made her head hop to be on its side, before she could make it hop again to find her body or a foot to bite on, she felt pressure to the side of her face. "Hm?" She said in surprise, her eyes a bit wide under her belts. The next thing she knew, she was following Seda into the darkness, Xanna squishing her head to mush beneath her boot.
The other teens gasped and whimpered more, huddling up even more so with each other, doing all they could to fight back their tears.
"I'm gonna need new boots…" Xanna said solemnly, shaking the goo of the undead girl's brains as much as she could off her boot, almost wanting to laugh as she heard the body finally go limp and fall onto the ground with a thud. Elros did laugh, so sick and twisted, still somehow managing to keep his foot on the orc's throat even though distracted.
Ixxy leaned against the wall still, idly watching, finally catching her breath and yet still unable to breath with what she'd been seeing, her heart beating so fast it began to hurt almost as much as the actual wounds she'd been rubbing and holding on on her body. "You're a monster…" She muttered just loud enough for the girl to hear. "Huh?" Xanna replied, almost forgetting that the purple girl was even there. She looked to her, making eye contact. "Everyone…always called you a monster…because of what you are…" She groaned and gasped from the stinging pain of her wounds. "And you began to wonder if it was true… It was far from true, Xanna. You were never a monster… But you are now."
"If I am, then so are you!" She growled, suddenly in front of her, pinning her hard against the wall, holding a dagger to her throat. "I'm a bitch…but I'm far from a monster."
"Then how am I one! We're both halflings!"
"When will you learn that that doesn't make you a monster, you idiot…"
"If that doesn't make me a monster, then…" Xanna growled and forced back a whimper, looking to Ixxy with such distress as she always had done. "Then what does?"
"Killing innocents…killing those you love… You killed your mother, Xanna."
"She had it coming!" She screamed, hot angry tears falling down her face. "And let me ask you something…" Ixxy said quietly, her eyes becoming so dull now. "If Elros claims that he loves you so much…followed you your whole life…has all this power… Then why didn't he ever come to take you away from the orphanage?"
That was what did it, what finally hit Xanna, and it hit her hard. Her eyes opened wide in shock as she thought about it; he had everything, had all this power, and the only thing left that he wanted before continuing on with his plans was her. Against the man's teachings and judgment he'd taught her, she slowly lowered her weapon and stopped pinning the purple girl, turning around to face him, her lips pursed and her eyes showing her confusion fully. "She…has a point… Why…why didn't you come save me?"
"I was doing my best to avoid being caught, my queen. People would have noticed an orphan gone missing." He answered simply, looking the girl right in the eye to convince her. "He's lying, Xanna!" Came from the other one. "You be quiet!"
"Xanna, think about it! Yes, people would have noticed, but the one orphan no one gave a damn about? Really? He could've taken you at any time!"
"That's…true too…" The confused girl whimpered, taking one hand and placing it on her other arm. "Why didn't you come save me?"
Elros sighed and rolled his eyes, then looked back to her and gave off a small shrug. "I had to be sure you could fend for yourself before I came to take you."
Xanna felt the words go right through her, piercing her heart. "Fend…fend for myself? You had to make sure I could fend for myself before finally taking me? But…but I thought you actually cared about me…because of what pain we shared!"
"I do love you, my queen, but as much as I would like to be, I cannot always be there for you."
"You see, Xanna? He doesn't love you! He never did! You're just a replacement for what he couldn't have!"
"You shut your filthy halfling mouth!" Elros barked, finally releasing the orc beneath his foot, addressing all his attention, all his anger on the girl against the wall.
"Oh, you're one to talk!" Xanna yelled to the man, earning questionable looks from everyone; including Louis. "Be silent, my queen…" Elros growled, now narrowing his eyes at her. "You used the sad story card on me! Because you knew how I felt! You were shunned by you own damn parents because of what you are! How you came into this world, even!"
"I said BE SILENT!" Elros yelled at the top of his lungs to the girl, fireballs now in his hands. "You took a poor innocent, hurt and vulnerable girl and toyed with her mind! Tricked her!" She yelled right back, also conjuring fireballs. "You made me a monster!"
"You dare raise your tone with me! Threaten me! I am the one who cares about you! I took you in and gave you a home!""You never cared about me at all! Ixxy's right! All I am was just a replacement! You don't care! These people here, they're the ones that care about me! Oh god, why didn't I see it sooner…" She whimpered, the flames in her hands dying down for a slight moment, then getting big once more.
"I grow tired of this nonsense. I will be sure if I cannot get what I want, then no one may have it! ! Troll!"
"Gizzy!" Xanna turned to the blue troll that had made sure to keep out of the way until called upon. "Fight with me!"
"Do as your master tells you!""I'm not going to tell you to do something you don't want to, but please, fight along with me, Gizzy! Help me to stop him!"
The troll was confused, having to decide of who to listen to, so unsure of which way to go. "Troll, do as I command!" Came the fearful yell of his master. "Gizzy, aren't you tired?" Came the sweet voice of the angel that managed to keep him sane when he'd lost his family. "Aren't you tired of the scars? The hurt? The yelling? Aren't you tired of being alone? Don't you wanna be with your family again?"
Gishezpak's lip quivered at the thought of hearing his mother scream for him when he told them the news of their release. He missed her so much, and his dad, his brother and sister. For the past nine years, all her wanted to do was be with his family, away from this horrible place forever. 'Mama…' He thought.
"What family?" Elros spat. "He has no family to go to!" He yelled, earning a head perk from the young blue teen. "What?…" He whispered. "They're dead." He said slowly, a smirk on his face. "Now do as I tell you before you join them."
Gishezpak's heart began racing again, his stomach twisting, the emotions he was forbidden to feel making him sick. "But…you promised…"
"I promised that if you got me what I wanted, I would free them. I never promised to release you or that I would not harm them."
Finally, he was completely broken. Xanna and the thought of his family being safe were the only things keeping him going. Now he had neither of the two. So slowly, he made his way to be by his master's side.
"No! No, Gizzy! They're not dead! I promise they're not! I found them when I ran away! I was able to find a healer in a nearby city! Gizzy, they're safe!"
"It doesn't matter anymore, Miss Xanna… I'll never be with them again… My master is all I have now."
"No he's not, Gizzy. You have us. You have me." She began to smile to him. "I told you…I won't leave you alone."
Gishezpak did all he could to bottle up his emotions, losing the battle, so broken that he it seemed he was unable to do anything at all.
"Are you…crying?" Elros hissed, looking down to the teen, roughly grabbing him by the chin, scoffing when seeing the liquid pouring from his eyes. "Pathetic!" He spat, shoving him to the ground. All the troll did was continue to quietly sob as he curled up into a ball on the cold floor. "I don't need your help anyway! I can handle this on my own!" His master yelled down at him.
"Gizzy!" Xanna exclaimed, rushing to the boy's side. "Leave him be and fight me, if that's what we are doing!"
"No!" Xanna looked back to scorn him. "Not until everyone's out of the way…" She said, turning back to troll, ignoring the feeling of Elros rolling his eyes at her. "Gizzy…Gizzy, get up." She said to him softly. "You need to be out of the way to not get hurt…" She continued, frowning when the troll was unmoving. She pursed her lips and thought for a moment, feeling the rare dull bulb above her head when she had gotten an idea.
Sticking out her tongue to make her concentration face, Xanna carefully began to slide her arms beneath the troll, scooping him up to carry him bridle style. He sniffled and whimpered when he looked to her, throwing his face in his hands to continue crying as she carried him to be with the rest of the group.
As she did so, Elros only stared in a bit of shock, amazed at how strong the small girl was. 'I believe I have greatly underestimated her… I won't make that mistake again.'
Though it was only a short distance, Xanna felt like it was the longest walk ever to the rest of the group. Swallowing whatever was in her throat hard, she slowly made her way to be in front of the tauren, accepting the glare he had in full. Carefully, she placed the troll in his lap, then took a step or two away so he could comfort him. She decided to take a short moment to watch Mokoki hold his friend close as he cried into his chest, trying her hardest not to breakdown as well.
When finally managing to look away, Xanna looked to a little ways across the room, catching her father looking to her over his shoulder. Spotted, he quickly went back to hiding his face in his dead wife.
Xanna bit on her lips, mustering up the courage to make his way for him and tell him to be with the group to be safe.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on shoulder. "I'll get him." Ixxy told her, patting her before she slowly limped to the man. Everyone only watched her in silence; Elros looking extremely bored. While waiting for Ixxy to make the man safe, she fidgeted with her fingers, thinking of how stupid and awful of a person she'd become, carefully taking a step or two away from the group to be safe that they didn't maul her; and just as Akazil was reaching out a comforting hand.
"C'mon." Xanna heard Ixxy say softly as she lightly tugged on the man's ponytail. She then began to curl up her toes in her boots as she watched Louis carefully pick up Seda's body to carry her over as well. When they were out of the way, Xanna carefully went over to Dethiam's body and brought it over. After that, she went over where she started off in the battle to gather up her shattered earring, putting it in her pocket.
Watching as she ever so carefully picked up the pieces of what use to be one of his wife's earrings, Louis began to see some of the old Xanna, some of the old girl that he always imagined being a family with. With haste, he reached into Seda's pocket and pulled out the other half of the set. "Xanna!" He called out, tossing it over to her.
Xanna perked up her head, seeing the shiny thing in the air coming toward her, quickly catching her before it broke on the ground. She looked to it and grew a small smile, then placed it on her left ear where it belonged. After that, she reached into her other pocket, pulled out her hairband and placed her hair back up in a hightail.
"Are you done yet?" Elros asked solemnly, staring dully at the girl as she put her beautiful hair back up into a damned ponytail. She stared right back with the same look, then watched as her eyes slowly became narrowed and stern. "They are not to be harmed." She said, pointing to the group. "I mean it. They have nothing to do with this anymore. It's just you and me now." She continued, slowly making her way a little bit farther to make sure none of her loved ones would be hurt again.
Elros smirked, enjoying that she still believed she could tell him what to do. Being the cocky bastard he was, he quickly conjured a fireball and threw it in the group's direction, the smirk fading when Xanna had suddenly appeared in front of them to take the damage herself. "Hmph. You're no fun." He said, walking to be the distance that she had been before poofing over to save the group.
"I mean it!" She yelled to him, carefully making her way back to where she had been, keeping her eyes on the elf man. "Leave them out of this!"
With a roll of the eyes, Elros agreed. "Fine." He said. "I'll just deal with them when I'm done with you." He went on, his smirk coming back. "Just to make sure there is no funny business from them…" He slowly lifted his hand, snapping his fingers, laughing as Gishezpak flinched.
Suddenly, Niamh burst through the door, barking and growling, showing off her teeth threateningly to the group, eyeing them closely as she circled them. After making a full circle, she stopped, seeing Xanna. She then grin and barked like a happy dog, sticking out her tongue as she made her way to greet the girl with slobbery kisses. Xanna giggled as she held the wolf close, nuzzling at the kisses. "Niamh!" She giggled. "You're squishing me!"
Everyone else in the room only raised an eyebrow, aside from Cosmo and Mittens; they were growling and whimpering in jealously, as Jerry only laughed at them.
"Niamh! What is the meaning of this! Do as your master tells you!" Elros yelled and snapped his fingers for his pet to come to him. The she wolf whimpered, giving him big puppy dog eyes, staying in Xanna's lap. "Niamh! !" He yelled louder.
"Maybe you shouldn't have left her for dead back in Elwynn Forest…" Xanna said, ruffling the dog's fur playfully, looking to Elros through the side of her eye.
"Really?" A familiar buzzed cut biker guy that seemed to have appeared from nowhere said; while holding a familiar looking gun. "We've also been-" He was saying as some familiar dramatic music played for a random camera to zoom in on his face. "-left for dead."
"Hey! We've been-" And yet another camera zoom up. "-left for dead too!"
"Wow, really! 'Cause we've been-" Once more with the music and close ups. "-Left 4 Dead 3: Rise of the Infected!"
"Uh-uh, no! Not these guys again!" Ixxy grumbled as she shoved the people off screen of the random camera. "You're in the wrong damn place, you idiots!" She yelled to them, narrowing her eyes at the camera man. "And get that freakin' camera outa my face!" She grabbed at him, causing static.
After the strangers had been dealt with; meaning Elros had burned them all to death; Xanna and the insane man were back in their places, prepared to fight. The young girl looked to her loved ones, holding back a growl as she watched all the other animals Elros had summoned circle them; Niamh was apparently no good as a pet anymore.
"Honestly, love… Why not just say you're sorry so we may end this nonsense. I will even let you make it up to me in bed…"
"Your mind tricks won't work on me anymore." She said sternly, her hands close to her daggers, but still prepared to conjure fireballs if needed.
"Fine, be that way." Elros scowled, quickly making the first move, tossing fireball after fireball at the girl. She made her way for him then, evading each ball of flame, quickly pulling out her daggers to try to mutilate the man. He only smirked and parried each and every single attempt to harm him, almost dancing as he made his way around her, lightly burning her and placing some curses on her here and there, spinning her around and literally giving her the boot.
"Aaahn…" Xanna groaned, falling to her knees, trying to muffle her pained noises, feeling the curse placed upon her. "Damn…" She squeaked, on her hands and knees, breathing hard as she tried to muster up the strength to get back up. She looked to her friends and family, trying to hide her distress, her anger for Elros growing as she saw how scared they were. "I won't…back down…" She said quietly to no one in particular, ever so slowly making an attempt to get back on her feet.
"Curse of the Elements." Elros said with a smirk, placing a foot on the girl's back to keep her down. "All your resistances have been reduced to almost nothing and the damage you take from magic has increased…to the point of…me being able to kill you with just one more spell, if I please." He let out a chuckle. "But since you seem to really want to put on such a show for our lovely audience, I suppose I will toy with you a bit longer, for their sake."
Xanna placed a hand over her stomach, pretending that she could self rid of the curse that way, imagining it slowly leaving her body with the touch, giving her mind a bit of ease. Oddly enough, she actually did feel some of the pain leave. Too busy to care, she knocked the man's boot off with flipping herself over and tripping him, throwing a fireball at him while he was off guard.
"Ah!" Elros cried out, reflecting off the attack by pulling his cloak in front of his face. "Filthy wench!" He called her, leaping back up to his feet. Even quicker than her last attack, Xanna kicked him; and in a very bad spot.
Being kicked in the most sensitive of areas, the man fell to his knees, his hands cradling the poor place as he let out an ever so squeaky noise of pain and anger. Xanna then slapped him and made him fall onto his side, quickly got on her feet and kicked him while he was down; rogues were well known for fighting dirty. She glared down to him and pulled out her daggers, prepared to strike him down.
Sadly, she fell back to the ground herself, being hit with another curse. "Aaaahn! ! She cried out, writhing in pain. "To hell with this!" Elros said as he got back to his feet once more, pulling out something from somewhere on his person. "I'm finishing it now!"
"What the hell is that thing?" Mokoki whispered as everyone only watched what was going on. The two orcs and the night elf man all had their jaws dropped in shock. "No way…" Makaza muttered. "The Seed of Corruption… But that's only for warlocks at level…" His brother added, trailing off. 'Level seventy-two…' Louis finished for the boys in his mind, staring to his old friend in shock and horror. 'He's level eighty!'
"What?" Cosmo questioned, looking back and forth between them and the fight. "Level what? What is it?"
"Man, she needs a healer!" Mokoki continued to talk; mainly to himself it seemed. "She's only a level twenty-three. He's a level seventy. Hell, she shoulda been dead with his first hit! How is she staying alive?"
Cosmo whimpered, agreeing with the tauren. "She does need a healer… She won't be able to live without one. Can't you bring back her mom or heal her yourself or something?"
"I don't remember the resurrection spell, and I'm low on mana."
"What about Gizzy?"
"Unless you would like to die, I cannot heal Miss Xanna either."
"Gizzy, look at her! She needs help! Do you want her to die?"
Letting out a sigh because he was unable to shed anymore tears, Gishezpak shook his head, forcing himself to sit up straight. "I also do not remember the reviving spell… Master… I mean, Elros stripped it from my memory."
"How did he do that?"
"He's a powerful alchemist on top of everything he already is. He's made his own form of it and he is able to make pills to toy with a person's mind. He can make them forget something, think something that never happened, or remember things and twist it all around to make it appear like something it wasn't."
"Well, if you can't bring her mom back either, can't you at least heal her?"
Gishezpak nodded, letting out another sigh. He then looked to the girl writhing in pain just a little ways away, holding up his hand to not only send her healing spells, but also wanting to touch her, hold her; he needed her so badly, at that moment and forever more. 'I love you, Xanna…'
Xanna continued to scream and writhe in pain, holding herself tightly, trying to pretend she was making the pain go away as Elros only laughed at her, shooting one curse after the other, shadow bolts, fireballs, frostbolts, and everything else he had, just toying with her before he used whatever he had in his hand. She would try her hardest to not scream, not wanting to satisfy him with it, but he would insist with more of his spells, forcing her screams out. "Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhnnnnn! ! ! !" She screamed louder, her throat now beginning to hurt.
Elros smirked at her. "I'm quite amazed you're not dead already." He said, thinking on it, his smirk leaving his face. 'It's almost like she's being healed…' He thought, his eyes quickly shooting over to the group, spotting the troll. "Worthless heathen!" He yelled, tossing off his cloak, pulling out his bow and quickly firing an arrow at him.
"NO!" Xanna exclaimed, forcing herself to get on her feet, sprinting to catch up with the arrow, trying to get to the target before it did.
Everyone in the group gasped, quickly looking to the troll, surprised when there was no arrow there. It took a moment, but all could see; quite literally; that Xanna had taken the shot for him.
"Xanna!" Akazil screamed for the girl, his mouth dropped from shock and his eyes widen in horror, staring at the arrow through her stomach.
"Gizzy…" The girl said quietly, hiding all pain she was in. "Don't heal me…" She requested, then fell to the ground, quickly throwing up a hand as a sign to not touch her; mainly toward a certain orc that was just about to throw himself over her and hold her protectively. "I'm fine…" She forced out a lie, breathing in and out slowly as she kept trying to imagine all of the pain was slowly leaving her body before she pulled the arrow out. "Mmhn, aaaah…" She quietly gasped and groaned, then broke the arrow and made her way back for the cocky bastard awaiting to continue on with his plans.
"I'll give you one more chance, Xanna… Crawl back to me on your hands and knees, say you're sorry, and I will forgive you." He said with a cocky smile, placing his free hand over his heart.
The girl held herself tighter, glaring more at him, wanting to just scream at him. Then her eyes wandered to the object he still had in his hand. "What's that?" She asked.
"Hm?" He said, his eyes now turning to the object. "This? Oh, well, this is nothing…" He said nonchalantly, that damned smirk getting bigger again. "This is just a Seed of Corruption…" He almost found it cute when Xanna tilted her head in question. "It's a demon seed that I imbed into you and it kills you ever so slowly…it's the worse corruption spell I have up my sleeve…for now, that is. And after you are dead, it will slowly kill all of your allies that are near you."
Xanna glared even more. "No. We keep them out of this."
"I never made any sort of agreement to not harm them after you were dead. In fact, I even said that I intended to do just that once I had rid of you."
With a low growl and after having a moment to catch her breath, Xanna began casting spells again, quickly throwing a flash powder bomb on the ground, stealthing. The man only laughed at her. "As if that would hide you from me." He said to her, dodging the sneak attack from behind. "Xanna, honestly… Why would you want to hurt me? I am the only one that will ever love you and stay by you."
Xanna was now so angry at the man, angry at all he had done to her, angry at all he had done to her loved ones, angry at all he made her do to them, letting her anger get the better of her. "Elros, honestly…" She mocked his smirk, shooting the attitude right back. "Is this really what you want?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Just think about it… Is this really what you want? I mean, after all, all you ever really wanted was your parents' approval, right?"
"Watch your mouth, girl…" He growled lowly, balling his hands into fists, breaking the seed he had.
"Your mother…reminded of the worst day of her life everytime she looked to you, no? Finally just gave in and got rid of you when you were only eight years old. And you loved her with all your heart, so it can only be assumed that you want to make her love you in anyway you possibly can, make her think that that day brought the best thing ever into her life. Especially after since the person she gave you up to was your father…"
"I said watch your mouth…" Elros growled even lower, speaking slowly through gritted teeth, both hands set aflame.
"Ah, yes, your father. Now we're getting somewhere! Having fun, aren't we?" She laughed, exaggerating the head throw back. "Hmm…your father. Now, aside from what he did to your mother, what are the issues there?… Well, he obviously didn't love you, but what else? Did he make you feel uncomfortable? Touch you in bad places? Did he beat you?" She went on, playing his game against him, smirking when she saw his yellow eyes beginning to glow behind his contacts with being forced to remember the things his father did to him. "Ah… So did he beat you to the point where you began to forget things? Lose track of time? Possible brain damage? Did he make you feel worthless because all you were to him was the bastard child he never wanted from a few minute session of forcing himself upon your bitch mother?"
"SHUT UP! !" Elros screamed, throwing his spells at the girl, fighting back his tears as he thought of his parents, as he thought of always feeling like a worthless and unwanted bastard child, as he thought of being a stupid halfling.
Xanna flew across the room, landing with a hard thud, finally realizing it was a very bad idea to let her anger get the better of her. It only led to more anger and pain. 'Shit…' She thought, trying to get up before Elros had a chance to do anything else. Sadly, she was too slow, and the next thing she knew was that she was screaming at the top of her lungs as he burned her alive, the pain so horrible for a moment, then going away completely as she went back into a familiar darkness.
'Dammit, not again…' Xanna thought, looking at her surroundings; all blue and transparent and ghostly. 'Damn, damn, damn…' She threw her face in her hands and let out an aggravated sigh. 'I hope I can get to the Spirit Healer in time… I hope she'll even bring me back a second time…'
She began to wander around, keeping her eyes an ears peeled for the Spirit Healer. 'Wait, can my hearing actually work like they do in life?' She began to ponder to herself, making her ears twitch to listen to her surroundings, realizing that all the noises around her were whispers flying through the wind. Oddly though, she couldn't quite make them out.
'Hmm…' She thought, tapping her chin as she stopped in her walking. 'If only I could remember exactly how I got to the Spirit Healer the first time I was here… I think I went…this way! No, wait, maybe it was that way…' She growled to herself in frustration. 'Stupid! So stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!' She told herself. 'Why did you do that! You stupid, stupid girl!' She began to pull at her hair in her moment of great aggravation. 'You're so stupid! Because of that, all of Azeroth and Outlands will forever be in ruins!'
"You're too hard on yourself, Xanna." Came the lovely voice of the Spirit Healer. The young girl perked her head up, her hands fall down to be back at her sides. "Spirit Healer?…" She asked in a whisper, looking around. "Over here." She replied from a short distance away, her soft and caring smile on her face. Before taking a moment to gaze in awe at the beautiful spirit, Xanna began to wonder how she had managed to find her; she didn't remember even walking.
"As you were growling at yourself, I helped you to find me."
"How?"
"I helped you to reach inside yourself and touched at what you wanted; to find me."
Xanna nodded, then frowned up to the woman. "I messed up." She said, almost able to feel tears at her eyes even though she was a ghost. "I messed up real bad…" She whimpered.
"Everyone makes mistakes, Xanna. Even I can make mistakes."
"Really?" The girl blinked up to her in shock. "How?"
"Believe it or not, but I was once a living being too. I made lots of mistakes, but still made my loved ones happy. And for that, I was allowed to be a Spirit Healer; a kind spirit that guides all others to where they need to go. And even when I started out as one, I still made mistakes."
"Wow…" Xanna said softly, then tilted her head up to the angel. "What was your name when you were alive?"
"It has…been so long since I even thought about that." The Spirit Healer said, now pondering back on all of her memories of when she was alive. "I think it was…Amy."
"That's such a pretty name." The young elf girl smiled. "Amy" smiled back, almost looking as if she would blush. "Thank you… But enough of idle conversation." She said, quickly changing the subject to more important matters. "Xanna, you must go back. Your friends need you. All of Azeroth and Outlands need you."
"You mean…you'll let me go back a second time?"
"Yes. It is still not your time."
"When is my time?"
"Do you honestly wish to know that?"
"No, I guess not… Don't wanna live everyday in fear knowing when I'm gonna day now that I think about it."
"That makes you die sooner, even. I know for that was one of the first mistakes I made as a Spirit Healer."
"Yipes…" Xanna said, her eyes wide. "Yes, but in all seriousness; you must go back. Elros is after you and you are the only one brave enough to stop him." She turned, taking herself and Xanna to the real world, and yet, another reality. "This is what will happen if you do not stop him." She said, addressing it all with a wave of her arm. The little halfling's eyes were widened in horror. All of Stormwind, Orgrimmar, everything was in ruins. "When does this happen?" She asked, staring at all of the fighting and dying people, all of the thieves, all of the corrupted guards, it was all horrible.
"This is what will happen within only five years time, if you do not stop him."
"This is just within five years? Jesus! What will happen within a ten year span? !"
"I don't think you will be able to handle that…"
"My friends… My family… What happens to them if I don't find them! Show me! Where are they!" She had turned, grabbing Amy's robes, looking up to her with pleading eyes. "Please, let me see them!"
"Xanna-"
"Please!"
With a sigh, Amy nodded and changed their surroundings, showing what has happened to her friends in this reality. Akazil and his family were slaves to Elros, more soulless each day. Mokoki was the only uncorrupted guard, at the bottom of the food chain of the wicked system. Cosmo had one leg and one eye and was the leader of some rebel gang, losing almost every battle they were in, his allies close to turning against and leaving him. Poor Gishezpak finally gave in and took his own life. Louis was dead as well. The worst of all was Ixxy, also known as the queen in this reality.
"Oh god! !"
"It's not any better for your Alliance friends either."
"How in the hell am I suppose to prevent this? ! I'm just one kid!"
Amy placed a hand on Xanna's shoulder, taking them away from the evil reality. "Xanna, you are far more powerful than you even know."
"How? ! How am I more powerful than I even know? ! I can't stop Elros! He's the one with the power here!"
"You let your anger get the better of you." Amy said calmly, brushing some of the girl's hair out of her face. "You can activate such powerful abilities deep inside you if you just calm yourself and drown your mind with happy memories, with love from your friends and family." She placed a hand on her chest. "Use this Xanna, use this to beat all of your foes. Those that fight with anger will always lose. Those that fight with a calm mind and loving heart will always win." She then reached down to breathe into the girl as she had done during her last visit.
"Wait!" Xanna said, pulling away. "Can I…get a better look at your face?"
Amy quirked an eyebrow. "No one has…ever asked that of me before…" She thought on it, giving it a shrug. "I suppose so." She said, pulling back her hood, revealing the beautiful face of a night elf woman. Xanna looked closely, examining each single feature, not just for saving it in her memory, but she felt as if she knew the person. Suddenly, it hit her.
"You're Elros' mom…" She gasped quietly. Amy looked as if she wanted to cry from being figured out. "Yes…" She whispered, looking to the ground. "Even in death, I still regret for what I did to him, every single day…"
"What happened to his dad?"
Amy folded her arms over her chest, feeling uncomfortable, feeling the pain of her memories. "Philippe…"
"You knew his name?"
"He use to be my best friend until he fell into a bad crowd, giving into peer pressure… He died of natural causes one day. When he found out I was the Spirit Healer…that I…had taken my life the night I gave him our son…he said he was sorry. That he wish he could have made things right… After that, he walked away, refusing to go where he needed to, thinking it was the best punishment for him. I have no idea where he is now…"
"I'm sorry…"
"It's fine." She whispered, pulling her hood back up. "You should go now."
"One more thing."
"Yes?"
"What about my mom?"
"There is nothing I can do to help her." Amy frowned.
"So…she's…"
"Not unless she can find me."
"Well, can't you do to her what you did to me?"
"I can't do that to everyone, Xanna. The only reason I am helping you so much now is because the worlds need you."
"But…"
"I will tell you this though… If you are quick enough, you can save her yourself."
"How?"
"Just look inside yourself, Xanna. You'll find all you need there." Amy said, leaning down and breathing into the girl once more. "Good luck." Xanna heard in a calm whisper.
'Look inside myself?' Xanna thought to herself as her spirit made its way back to her body. 'Inside myself…' She repeated, closing her eyes, thinking of all of the happy memories she had at the orphanage with Cosmo, others when she met Akazil, her parents, everything, a tear managing to form and slide down her cheek as she grew closer to the real world. 'I won't let Elros destroy the worlds… I won't let him take everyone away from me… I won't let it happen!'
"Xanna!" Akazil called at for the girl, watching the flames envelope her body. "Xannaaa! !" He called out again, trying to make his way for her. "Watch it, boy!" Louis said, grabbing him by the collar. "Do you want to die too?"
"Yes!" Akazil cried out, still trying to be over with his loved one's body. "Yes, I want to die! I can't live without her! I've seen her dead once, I can't stand seeing her be dead again! Oh god, take me too! Let me be with her!"
"Me too!" Cosmo cried, throwing his face in his hands. "Xan Xan…"
Elros smirked and chuckled, conjuring a fireball in his hand, tossing it up and down. "I have no problem with that at all…" As hard as he could, he threw it at the orc, frowning when his old friend had protected him from it with his own body. "Why bother fighting anymore, Lou? You will all die anyway."
"What did you do with them…" The night elf asked lowly. "Hm?" Replied the psychopath. "The crystals. The reason we had to give up Xanna in the first place! What did you do with them!" He turned to growl and glare at the man, his eyes revealing how angry and tired he was with everything. Elros smirked more than ever at the question. "Yes, those… Now this I have been wanting you to see for a very long time." He turned around, walking past Xanna's body, making his way for his "throne", fiddling with one of the arms, revealing hidden buttons. He pushed one of them and suddenly the far wall began to part. There were three stands there, two with each of the crystals, and a bigger one in the center, pointing up toward the sky.
"You see, sending out my pets, demons, and ghouls…it's only the start." He began, making portals to all of the main cities and some other parts of Azeroth. There was fire and death and destruction in each and every portal.
"Ak, look!" Makaza pointed to the portal to Orgrimmar, seeing their parents fighting for their lives. "Mom! Dad! !" He cried out, trying to run for the portal, also being held back by Louis; whom was trying to not look at the Stormwind portal, not wanting to see his brother and his family fighting for their lives as well. "Nooo!"
"Yes, take it all in. I haven't even started to purge Outlands yet. But I will…with a little help as well."
"Help?" Louis perked a brow.
Elros turned around, heading for the gaping hole in the wall. "There is a place that I have discovered. A place called Northrend… It is where Arthas…or as he now likes to call himself…the Lich King lies." He said, gazing at everything outside. "Even though he was once human, I have allied with him. Even with the crystals, I still can't quite take over the worlds alone. With his help, I can do it with ease."
"And that's how you learned to be a level eighty!" Makaza accused, pointing a finger.
"Level what? !" Mokoki and Cosmo exclaimed, seeming to be the only ones that had been left out of the loop.
"I guess you aren't as dumb as you look." Elros chuckled to himself. "Yes, it is where I learned to everything above level seventy. To be honest, I had hoped it would have been more challenging. But oh well."
"And what are you going to do with the crystals?" Louis asked. His old friend turned to face him, smirking at him. "I thought you'd never ask." He said, turning back around, taking both crystals, holding them above his head and putting them together, making one big crystal. He then placed that one into the third stand.
Once the crystal had been set into place, it began to glow and shoot out a giant beam into the sky. Shortly after, everything began to shake.
"What the hell is happening!" The tauren exclaimed, holding his troll friend close as Cosmo clung to his forearm.
"Take a look for yourself." Elros answered, pointing to the portals.
The crystal had began to summon dragons made of bones, all tens times bigger than Terokkarantula.
"Holy shit!" Everyone exclaimed, all looking at the portals in shock and horror, watching the dragons destroy and kill anything in sight, hearing a wicked laugh coming from the portal to Stormwind. Following the laugh was a huge man in strange armor, the only sign of him having a face being his blue eyes. "Is that…the Lich King?" Louis asked, his eyes widening more and more.
"Look very close. For this is the beginning of the end." Elros said, tossing his head back in an evil cackle.
As he laughed, there was a gust of wind in the air; and it wasn't coming from Elros' secret window.
Everyone looked around, suddenly hearing whispers in the wind, not being able to make them out. Ixxy had been through this before, so she quickly looked to Xanna's body, seeing that it had already begun to turn to ash.
"What's happening?" Cosmo yelled with fright, holding Mokoki's forearm even tighter.
Ixxy smirked. "It's like he said… It's the beginning of the end."
Cosmo and Makaza whimpered in fear, holding the nearest person very close, even more scared than they already had been. "Quit whining, you big babies!" Ixxy yelled to them. "Look!" She said, pointing out to Xanna's body as it completely turned into ash.
"Xanna!" Akazil exclaimed.
"Just watch." Ixxy said, helping her father to hold him back.
And right before everyone's eyes, the cute adorable halfling girl they all knew and loved was standing before them, not a single scratch or burn on her.
"How in the hell? !" Elros exclaimed with wide eyes, unable to believe that the girl he had just killed was now back, standing before him.
Xanna looked up, smiling at Elros. "Miss me?" She asked. He scowled at her in return. "Not in the least!" He yelled, throwing fireballs at her. She easily dodged them, even caught one or two and threw them right back. "What the-? !" He exclaimed again, baffled at the situation. 'How the hell did she get so skilled being dead! !'
"Xanna!" Akazil exclaimed with joy, wanting to run out and hold the girl. She looked to him over her shoulder, smiling at him. "Hi, Akky." She said, happy he was no longer bothered by the stupid nickname. "When this is over, how 'bout I take you on a date?" She asked, giggling at his blush.
"H-Hey now!" Louis said, pointing a finger, staring back and forth at the two. "I don't want any whatnots going on!"
"I-I-I would never do that to your daughter, sir! I respect her! She is-"
"Shut up!" The rest of the group said to the two, making them lower their heads into their shoulders.
Xanna only laughed as she looked back to Elros, smiling as she watched him huff and puff with anger and frustration. "I don't care how you came back, but I will make sure it does not happen again!" He yelled to her, snapping his fingers for some of his pets and minions to assist him.
'Calm mind…loving heart…' Xanna reminded herself, dodging and parrying all of her attacks. Making some fly against the wall without having to use any energy at all. She then pulled out some of her daggers, set them on fire, then spun around and threw them at all of her targets without even having to aim for them.
"This is ridiculous!" Elros growled, getting his bow, shooting arrows wildly at the girl; and she dodged every single one, even taunting him by breaking a few. No matter what he threw at hew, no matter how many of his pets and minions he sent on her, she was able to handle it all with such ease. It taunted him, made him so angry, all he could do was growl and throw spells wildly in her direction. He even tried having one of his minions imbed a Seed of Corruption in her and she was able to toss it on the ground and break it. "I will end you!" He yelled to her, using his pyroblast spell over and over.
"Calm mind…loving heart… Anger will only make you fail." Xanna said quietly, suddenly beginning to levitate a bit above the floor, stopping Elros right then with shock. She ignored it, closing her eyes facing up as she placed her arms out above her head, using a spell she was able to make all on her own, by looking inside herself.
A beam of fire shot out from her hands, changing colors as animal faces appeared and began to leap out from it; the normal orange red and yellow, but also blue, green and even purple.
"What spell is that?" Cosmo asked to no one in particular, staring with a dropped jaw and wide eyes like everyone else. Everyone else shrugged as an answer, all but Ixxy. She looked to her sister closely, quirking a brow with seeing her smile and cry at the same time. She then closed her eyes and looked into her mind, wondering what she was thinking. With the brick wall gone, she was able to see it all; all of the happy memories with Cosmo, all the laughs she shared with Akazil and the other boys, hanging out with Fëanáro and his family, and even all the dreams she had as a child of being with their parents. Seeing it all made Ixxy smile and shed a tear or two as well. 'Beam of Love…'
"What in the hell kind of power is this? !" Elros exclaimed, absentmindedly taking steps backwards as he just stared at all of the animals made of fire running around his throne room, taking down his assistance with as much ease as the girl they had come from. When his pets and minions had been downed, all of the fire creatures looked to him, making their way for him. He growled and began to use another pryoblast spell, aiming for her to take her down while she was off guard. Just when he was about to throw it at her, a fire dragonhawk made of pure red fire came out of the beam, and just behind, he could have sworn he saw a blue spirit like woman with white robes and huge white wings. His eyes widened as he took a closer look, completely forgetting all of the fire animals that were coming for him. "Mom?…" He said almost inaudibly, then was knocked down by the huge dragonhawk.
After the man was down, Xanna broke the spell and fell back to the ground, panting, trying to catch her breath, smiling and letting out little chuckles. 'Wow…' Was the only thing she could think to summarize the situation. She then regained her composure and got back to her feet, holding out her hands as the red fire dragonhawk brought her the big crystal Elros had made. She nodded to it and it flew back to guard the elf on the floor. With a big smile, she then threw the crystal on the ground, making it into the two smaller ones once more. She knelt down, picked them up and placed them in separate pockets on her person. After all that was handled, she ran over for her mother, looking and feeling her cold dead body.
"Can the Spirit Healer bring her back too?" Louis asked, his eyes looking teary again. Xanna shook her head at him. "She has to find her to be brought back." She told him, frowning as he began to whimper and cry again. She let out a small noise of irritation. 'How am I suppose to bring her back! I don't think a damn beam of fire will do it!'
'Look deeper, Xanna… You'll find it.'
'Grr! Do you always have to speak in riddles!' Xanna growled again, tossing her face on her mother's dead body.
Everyone only watched as she hid her face in irritation, their eyes slowly widening once more at what was going on. "Xanna, your hands!" Akazil said. Quickly, the girl perked up her head and looked to her hands; they were covered in a golden glow.
"That's the paladin resurrection spell!" Louis exclaimed with a huge grin. "You're part paladin!"
"I knew it!" Makaza said, pointing a finger. "I knew you were a paladin!"
Ixxy then smacked him.
"Ow!"
Xanna only laughed and smiled, quickly placing her hands back on her mother, closing her eyes and breathing slowly to concentrate. 'Mom…' She said quietly, looking for the woman. 'Mom…' She said again, looking more hastily. 'Mom!' She called out for her when she found her, pulling her spirit back to her body.
Seda gasped for air as she felt herself live again. "Seda! !" Louis exclaimed with joy, holding his wife tightly. "You're alive!" He cried, holding her tighter and tighter. "Mom, I'm so sorry!" Xanna said, her eyes now teary as she joined the hug.
Ixxy smiled at the group, slowly making her way closer to it. "It's a happy ending after all." She said, being pulled into the family embrace by Louis.
"Um, not completely…" Mokoki perked up, holding up Dethiam's body.
"Oh, shit…" Xanna said, looking back to where she had squished the girl's head. "Um…boy, I hope this works." She said as she walked over to Mokoki, taking the undead girl's body and placing it under the goo spot on the floor. Within a short moment, the undead girl was back; and madder than a woman scorned.
"AH! I'm sorry! !" Xanna screamed, pinned by the angry and vengeful undead rogue girl. "You freaking killed me! Do you have nay idea how annoying it is to be an undead that gets killed? !" She yelled to the girl, keeping a tight grip on her to keep her pinned. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" The elf girl screamed, attempting to squirm her way to freedom. Dethiam growled and gave her a good frogging on the shoulder. "OWWW! !"
"Next time, I won't be so nice about it…" The undead girl growled, getting off of her.
"Now it's a happy ending." Mokoki chuckled.
"We are gathered here today to give thanks to these heros!" Thrall said as he put a medal around Xanna's neck. "Granted, some of us would have preferred it in Orgrimmar…"
"Don't start." Ixxy told him, staring blankly at him. "We got family here is why we wanted to do it in Stormwind. So just shut it and complain to your wife when you get home."
"Why you little…" Thrall muttered.
"Hey, we're all kids at least once." Louis said, a nervous sweat drop on the side of his friend as he tried to make sure the leader of Orgrimmar didn't kill his smart mouthed daughter. "On with the show!" He said, forcing a grin.
"Yes, well… All of Azeroth and Outlands would like to thank you brave heroes for your deeds. Had you not done so, we would all be slaves to Elros." He went on, addressing the aggravated elf with chains on his ankles, wrists and neck. "Is the one on my neck really necessary? I mean, honestly!" He growled, the advisor of Stormwind happily jerking on his chains.
"And, Xanna…" Thrall continued, looking to the girl seriously. "We would all like to apologize to you, and your parents, for the way we treated you. None of you deserved it."
"Yeah, a crystal goes missing, so everyone IMMEDIATELY assumes it's the night elf ROGUE and BLOOD ELF paladin… Yeah, sure, whatever, that's so not profiling. Yeah, totally fine. Just made us lose fourteen years of spending time with our daughter. So, yeah, totally fine…" Louis muttered, earning pats of comfort on the back from his wife. "There, there, Lou."
Xanna only smiled. "It's okay. Honestly, I'm glad for it."
"You are? ?" Thrall questioned. "Yeah. If I had been treated as an equal instead of something more worthless than a stray hungry mutt, I never would have turned out the person I am today." She answered, smiling to all the leaders of the cities and everyone in Stormwind.
Cosmo sniffled and began to cry on Ivette's shoulder. "That's my girl!" He cried, earning pats on the back like Louis. "There, there, Cossypoo."
Ignoring Cosmo, Thrall nodded to the girl. "You are a very strong young woman, Xanna. Never forget that." He told her.
"This is fine and all, but what will happen to the crystals?" Mokoki threw in, holding onto Gishezpak's wheelchair tight. He was not in a wheelchair due to all the suffering he endured from Elros. His story just earned him a lot of fan girls that he ran out of mana to fast to heal himself. "Yeah, mon? Dey what sta'ted da whole ding. What be happonin' ta dem?" The troll asked, now going back to his normal accent now that he was no longer a slave to Elros.
"We shall put them back in the museum where they belong." The advisor said snootily.
"No way!" Ixxy said. "Yea." Xanna agreed. "That's still risking of this happening all over again. Hiding them would be better than displaying them, but still also risky."
"Then what do you suggest we do with them?" Thrall asked. "You were the one to obtain them back from this thief. You should be the one to decide what happens." He addressed for an assistant of his to bring her the crystals. She slowly picked them up, looking to them closely, thinking of what to do. "I've got it!" She said, the dull light bulb above her head. She then threw the crystals hard down at her feet, destroying them. "There. Now they can never be used for evil again." After having said that, Xanna could have sworn she heard a third shatter come from inside the advisor's chest. She simply shrugged it off and turned to all the citizens. "Well…now I think is when we party in celebration."
It was silent for a moment.
"…PARTAAAYYY! !" Mokoki, Makaza, and Gishezpak; somehow out of his body cast and wheelchair; all cheered, starting up the music and dancing.
"We're so proud of you two." Louis and Seda said to their daughters, hugging them close. Xanna grinned wildly and hugged them both as Ixxy half smiled and half hugged them.
"Hey, Xanna, wanna dance with me?" Akazil finally found the courage to ask the girl, hoping he could get her alone so they could cuddle the day away. She nodded, taking his offered hand. "Oh, Ixxy! I have an idea!" She said to her twin.
"It obviously can't be any good if it came from you…"
Xanna rolled her eyes at the purple girl, laughing. "Next time, I think we should go to Ironforge! !" After that being said, Ixxy immediately faceplanted the ground from her stupidity. "After ALL THAT…you're still a freaking idiot! !"
"Music to my ears." Xanna grinned at Ixxy's annoyance.
And that is the end of Xanna. I don't know if I'll go through with Xanna II. But I will be making short stories, like continuing Little Xan Xan and all that. But, for now, this is the actual end for Xanna. Almost exactly three years of writing, forty-four chapters, and it's finally done. Thank you all for sticking with me. I will, of course, now work on editing and all that. Hopefully I can even get this self published. But, yes, thanking you all for sticking with me. I hope you all enjoyed.