First off, my apologies for not releasing this sooner. I'm currently juggling 3 AP classes, college applications, 2 sat subject test, the act, and 2 other stories I haven't updated in a while, so please forgive me for my tardiness.
I do not own Warcraft or the Inheritance Cycle.
The morning came swiftly, a warm breeze preceding the rising sun. Its rays sparkled in a rainbow of colors against the dozens of minerals that layered the Stonetalon Peaks. This wave of colors reflected down upon the stone hut of one wise orc, awakening her with a snarl. Slow like a mountain, Reka sat up, took a momentary rest to stretch her ancient muscles, rose to her feet, rested again, sagged her shoulders, and sighed. Time had not been kind to this orc. But, with an easy and steady pace, the wrinkly orc went to work in preparing for the day.
A few pales of water from her stream, an armful of wood from the nearby forest, a handful of herbs from her garden, and her elixir was made. The Spirits offered her aid, but each one she denied. Water to direct the stream closer to her home, fire to boil the water in a matter of moments, earth to grow the herbs in larger patches, and wind to bring them to her. Even the Wild One stepped forward to invigorate her with greater strength than the elixir provided her with. But no, Reka would hear none of it. She'd been a shaman longer than she'd been an adult, and she knew the Spirits could not focus all their attention on one orc.
The herbs liquefied quickly, forming a jelly-red drink. She scooped it into a cup and vigorously slurped it down. The hot liquid poured into her body and its mystical properties took effect almost instantaneously.
Her muscles loosened as the pain fled them and lungs expanded as air filled them. The aches in her joints ceased, leaving in the wake of body spasms that straightened her curved spine. Her senses blossomed, her hearing no longer dulled and vision faded.
Reborn, the no longer ancient orc stretched her arms into the air and took a deep breath. Briskly, she dashed across her hut and gazed deeply into a bucket of water, smiling at her reflection. Her skin had tightened against bones, removing any wrinkles and reshaping her face into that of a young, beautiful female orc. Her hair, once grey and thinning, now flowed elegantly over her shoulders in a deep shade of raven. And while her eyes till hinted at a lifetime of wisdom, they had shifted from a fading yellow to bright gold.
This transformation did not come without drawbacks, of course, and this she knew. The elixir would wear off ad her age would return just as quickly as it had disappeared. Not only that, but her pain would intensify. This would drive her to drink more of the elixir, which would only deepen her pain, and thus the spiral of addiction would continue. This she knew, and this she did not care for.
She was old enough to remember the teachings of the shamans, to remember the trips to the ancestral grounds of Oshugan. She was old enough to remember the day her parents dragged her from their home in Nagrand and carried her beyond the Dark Portal into the lands of Azeroth. She was old enough to remember the age of the Shadow Councel, the age of Doomhammer, and the age of the first two wars. She was old enough to have seen the rebirth of the shaman and the rise of Thrall, her beloved Warchief. She was old enough to have fought alongside her brothers and sisters against the fires of the Burning Legion.
But none of these events could have prepared her for her return to her homeland of Draenor. Never once had she envisioned that she would pass through the Dark Portal again, especially with another army. For so long had she marched with soldiers that the idea of a pilgrimage was alien to her, but still she took one. It was to her hearts greatest joy that she was so blessed as to come upon a surviving orc village in Nagrand, a village free of corruption, and also to her greatest sorrow to discover the desolate land known as Shadowmoon Valley.
It was there that she recalled the corruption, the deceit that had brought her race together and ultimately torn it apart. It was there that she saw the corruption manifest once again in the shape of a night elf. The campaign against the Black Temple was a long and strenuous one, one she did not think she would survive. But she did, and with that victory she decided to end her days as a warrior.
And so, fulfilled with having seen the reincarnation of the Horde and the salvation of her homeland, she settled down within the Stonetalon Mountains. It was here that she'd discovered the elixir that filled her with youth and the addiction that came with it. But it meant nothing to her. She'd lived long and served well; why then could she not experience the joys and follies of youth once again?
Her home was small, a one-room stone hut filled with nothing more than a bed, stove, and a shelf full of a mixture of scrolls she'd accumulated over the years. Some were recipes similar to the one she derived her elixir from, while others preached how to cook a delicious meat pie. She had her garden for food and a nearby stream for water. In the springtime the mountains were filled with plenty of game, and when winter came around she was well stocked for the snowy nights.
She was situated deep within the mountains and away from any roads. However, every so often a stray traveler would come across her, to which she greeted them with the same benevolence they did to her. If they came with sword she drove them away with her axe, but if they offered a kind word she would reply with a warm meal. She'd seen her fair share of races pass through the mountains, from gnomes to high elves, and luckily she'd rarely had to chase them off.
With the grace of youth running through her veins, Reka went through her daily routine. A light breakfast of soup and nuts, a short hunt in the forests for Great Courser Stags, the salting of the meat from said hunt, a trip up the mountains for Wild Steelbloom, organizing her scrolls, and the rebuilding of her fence were just a few of her priorities. The fence, of course, was the lowest, but she still found herself digging holes and pounding posts into the ground when sunlight was curling around the eastern peaks.
For a brief moment she thought night had descended upon her, but shrugged it off when she heard the recurring flapping of leather and the saw a ring of miniscule dust clouds pass between her ankles.
"Hello, Xarunaku. Can you past me that post over there?"
The shadow disappeared, replaced by the visage of an illustrious orc. A pair of golden gloves slid a plank into the hole, and with a single strike it was implanted deep into the ground.
"This way is faster," The Dragon Prince stated with a smirk as he grabbed another plank and pounded it into the ground. When they were finished, Reka waved him inside and poured him a cup of tea.
"Well, this is an unexpected surprise. If I had known you were coming I would have cleaned up a bit more." She bemoaned herself as she passed him a cup.
"Please, your home is far more welcoming than my cave. And besides, it seems you have cleaned up quite well," He said, eyes moving over her sensual body. "It seems the boot finally fits."
She laughed. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"Now you see why I do not seek a mate."
"Bah! I doubt there is a woman, be they dragon or not, who would not be honored to marry the mighty Xarunaku, Slayer of Illidan, Shatterer of the Nexus, and Prince of the Nether Dragons!"
Ignoring such compliments, Xarunaku stepped past her and examined her shelf of scrolls. "Finally organized it, eh? Last time I was here it seemed like a hurricane had passed through here."
"Why thank you!" She shouted back. "I just did that this morning."
He grunted as he set his tea aside and withdrew a small scroll wrapped in red ribbon. Unrolling it, he closely studied the contents etched within. "Ahh, this old thing. Aegwynn and the Dragon Hunt. Must have cost you quite the bag of gold to snag a copy of this."
"Well, that and other things," Reka evaded, sitting down upon her bed and waving the dragon into a chair. "So, what brings you to my humble abode? You're not the type to fly around visiting old women."
A quarry of shadows etched itself into Xarunaku's brow. For a moment she could see the young drake she'd met so many years before, a young drake weighed down by a childhood of wretchedness. He looked her directly in the eyes, all remains of the jolly orc from moments ago long gone.
"I had a dream…"
Reka sat quietly as her friend recounted his tale. A world consumed by shadows, an army of beings who gather the hearts of their fallen brethren, a single leader devouring said hearts; it all pointed to the Burning Legion. All but the eggs. Three dragon eggs, the last dragon eggs, of a single planet. She now saw why Xarunaku was reluctant to speak of such a world.
"They said—they said that if I do not join this war, go to this world, this Alagaesia, all will be lost. Not just the dragons, but all life on that world."
Reka took a sip of her tea. "I do not mean to insensitive," Really, she did not, "but I do not see how this concerns either one of us. We both know that countless worlds have fallen to the Burning Legion. What is it to us if some people rip their world apart?"
"And if it was us? What if it was our world?" He said sharply, his face taking on his more primal features. "It is our world. It is no different then Outland. What if you hadn't followed the Horde through the Dark Portal and found me at the Black Temple? What would have happened to me? The same thing that is going to happen to those dragons."
He took a long sip of his tea and was silent. Reka knew she could not argue with him now and saw no point in it. He was right. She remembered when she had first met him, the way he—no! She wouldn't dare try and remember that.
"But what do you expect to do? I traveled with an army into Outland, and even then we faced numerous challenges, one being the natives. You are powerful Xarunaku but not even you alone can face the forces you speak of."
"True. Alone I do not have a gnome's chance in winning. That is why I am here. I want to gather my own army to go to this Alagesia, and I want you to help me."
Reka could not help but laugh at this. "An army? For every war being fought on this world you'll find ten armies ready to face it, but not one will follow a dragon into some world that could be on the other side of the Great Dark. And why come to me? Last I checked I was a shaman, not a general."
"Army may have been the wrong word to use, but the idea is still the same. I need to gather as many battle-hardened individuals as possible. They have to be professionals in their fields and be loyal enough to me that they will abandon their lives on this world. Can you think of anyone who fits that description?" He flashed that mischievous little smile of his, the one that only one who's hatched mad schemes can create.
"Quite a few, actually. Maybe a that we both know."
They smiled at each other, the dragon and orc now sharing one plan.
"Do you have a list?"
"You have already mentioned Yavinda. I hope to recruit the goblin Ulo Goldtongue, troll Kajah Gal'Do, tauren Gundag Stoneshield, and of course Melgor Deadsteal."
"Hmm, haven't heard from Deadsteal for ages. What makes you think you can convince him? Thought he hid himself inside Acheron after the war with the Lich King."
"He'll…be a tricky one, but I'll find a way. First, I must gather the others, then will see if he can withstand the will of all of us." He looked Reka dead in the eye, but said nothing.
"Well, just ask already. I know you are dying too."
The dragon chuckled, and bowing his head he asked solemnly, "Reka, will you join me on this journey?"
"Now, now. You have to beg."
"Oh gracious Reka, most beautiful of all the orcs, most wise of all who dwell the mortal plane! Oh Reka, the flower of the Light, the guardian of the Spirits, will you grace me with your presences on this journey of mine?"
"That's more like it," she said as she leaned back on her bed. "You do realize that I'm old, quite old, and probably will complain about every little detail on this journey. The ground is too hard, food to stale, such and such."
"I wouldn't have it any other way. You are the wisest being I know. Only you can aid me in reaching this Alagaseia."
"Well, then, I have to go. Can't have you getting lost, now can I?" She immediately went to her shelves and began scooping scrolls into her arms. "I'll go to Yavinda and Gundag. You'll both need a woman's voice to convince them."
"Thank you. I'll speak to Ulo on my way to Acheron; have him pass the word onto Kajah. Those two won't go without the other."
"Well, what are you waiting for?" She waved him towards the door. "Winds good now, but stay away from the coast."
With that Xarunaku nodded and exited the hut, his shadow engulfing it briefly before disappearing. With him gone, Reka let loose a deep sigh and rubbed her old back.
"Another adventure. I'm way to old for this."
WHOOO! DONE!
So, anyways as you can guess the next few chapters will introduce some new characters. For those who were asking the overall group will be Dragon prince Xarunaku, Druid Human Tarol Bloodmane, the SHaman Reka, goblin engineer Ulo, Troll rogue Kajah, Tauren warrior Gundag, blood elf warlock Yavinda, dwarf death knight Melgor, a draenei priest of paladin at one point, and possibly two more characters if i feel up to it.
I know, i know. A big cast. BUt don't worry, the next few chapters will introduce at least 2-3 each so I'll knock them off and get to Alagaseia soon. I might throw in a chapter about Eragon soon but not completely sure how. Just an idea I was throwing around.
I hope you all enjoyed this new chapter and again, please review.