Straydog Saga
Flea 13: Secrets in the Twig-Light
There was an eerie hush over The Twilight Highlands. Though the creatures that once plagued its tainted lands were all but a bad memory, life still had not fully sprung from the ruined earth. The occasional shadow came and went over the broken landscape as crimson sentinels still patrolled the skies. But even the keenest of vision could barely spot the tiny speck, creeping in the shadows. From each hidden nook it fled, seemingly desperate to stay out of the blood-scaled leviathan's sight. Its secretive run did not end until it reached a small, abandoned hovel. The stone walls were shattered, the roof was completely stripped away, and the floorboards, which were seemingly untouched in the mayhem that destroyed the home, were not as solid as they appeared. The cloaked figure knocked twice, then once more on the dusty floor. The floorboards pealed open to reveal a hidden staircase leading to what was once a simple beer cellar.
"What kept you, Bodyl?" A deep voice quietly asked, ushering the dwarf deeper into the dark cellar. The hulking draenei kept his old twilight garments hidden beneath a common cloak. His bald-horned head seemed drained of all light and the Naru rune that would have once adorned his deep blue forehead was absent. Another figure, a young looking draenei woman sat at a small table, idly waving her bear sky-colored palm over a small candle's flame. Her bright eyes sparkled but bore no warmth within. Her long pale hair was bound in playful pigtails but her plump lips could not find the will to smile.
"The filth circles above us. It took all my cunning not to be spotted." Bodyl grunted, heaving a heavy bag onto the musky table. The woman leaned forward without reservation and pulled the tie at the bag's opening, sending its contents rolling and tumbling onto the table. Bodyl moved to scold the youngster, but one look from her glowing eyes caused him to stop the motion.
"We came all this way for trinkets? How boring." She sighed as she watched the two men take their places at the table. Bodyl sneered at the alleged trinkets and with a wave of his hand, the little gems and stones began to pulsate with green energy.
"These are no mere trinkets, my dear."
"Are these what I think they are?" The draenei cultist, known to his fellows as Balumbra, marveled. As he picked up one of the tiny stones up and rolled it in his hand, the energy cooled his skin and seemed to sap his strength to the point where his rough cot seemed to call his name. Balumbra quickly placed the tiny stone down, causing a sinister smile to come to the older dwarf's black-bearded face.
"They are the results of my experiments. Very interesting results to say the least." Bodyl cackled as he began to place the glowing trinkets back into their place within his knapsack. "We will need to make a move soon if the activities at Mydrassil were as our spies claim. We cannot let them succeed in their goal or it will mean the end of us…the end of the master's goal." Bodyl darkly pondered. Balumbra crossed his arms with a snort.
"Those fools will be no challenge. Why do we not strike now?" Balumbra suggested, his large tail excitedly swishing, causing Bodyl to shake his head.
"No, we can't just rush in and smash things up. There needs to be a plan…especially with Nightgaze involved. He may be a fool aiding those tree-hugging idiots, but he is a powerful fool. Not to mention the tree's mistress. Besides I DO have a plan and with a bit of luck we'll take whatever it is they are so guardedly keeping." Bodyl cackled, slapping his palm on the dusty table. Balumbra and Pashima's lips didn't so much as twitch.
"What exactly are they keeping that is of any interest to us?" Pashima asked with a drawl, swirling the tip of one of her pigtails with her index finger. Bodyl leaned closer, as if the very walls themselves were listening. He quickly looked between the two for a moment before whispering his reply.
"A massive gem. None of our people have gotten anywhere near it, but they have keen ears. The information they've managed to get suggests that it is a gem of great power, an alchemical wonder! They keep it in the pinnacle bow, the very top of the tree where the arcane energy is most potent. It would only make sense that whatever they're conjuring, it would be at the very place where the well of eternity once was." He hissed. Though Balumbra's stony expression persevered, his madly twitching tail betrayed him.
"So you call us here with whispers? Surely you have something else." Balumbra growled, crossing his arms and mind frantically trying to calm his twitching tail.
"Indeed I do, lad. Those stones I brought were made from samples collected from the tree fused with the bones of a green dragon. All you need to do is hold one for a moment and it saps your strength. Hold it longer and well, I've lost more than a few assistants that way. I nearly passed out putting them into the bag, and I'm wearing thick gloves. If there is a gem like the one our spies describe, it would contain power far beyond our imagination. Surely it would be of great interest to the master." Bodyl assured. Thoughts of his dark lord made a small shiver quake though him but he managed to maintain his composure.
"Well I hope for your sake that there IS something stuck up in that tree, Bodyl. The master will not tolerate any more foolishness from you. How do you propose we obtain this super gem? You do realize if any of us gets near that tree, that bitch and her pet will know." Pashima snarled with a sour expression. Her icy words did not cool the excitement from Bodyl's being. With a dark smile, Bodyl replied: "For the right price, the right thieves can be bought."
Keesha dodged her assailant, nearly receiving a horrible slash to the cheek. The dark creature met its fate at her shadow-imbued hands as a bolt of pure darkness knocked it back, breaking it in two. But another creature took its place with an infinite number at the ready. Though the terrible creatures appeared only moments before, sweat was already raining down her neck. A cool voice ever commented on her skillful but seemingly futile attempts to quell the vicious crowd.
"You've dispatched the one, yet it has not stopped them. Try again." Lord Nightgaze calmly spoke with a smile resembling sadistic joy as the strange creatures made another attempt on the warlock's life. The very same thorny appendages that sent Trenton to the infirmary only an hour before Keesha's own lesson began were relentless beasts that bore into the deep, sandy earth. This time, the sopping-wood appendage lunged for her stomach, forcing Keesha to leap to her side, knocking her off balance. The creature turned, and took out her legs, sending her to the floor. But even as she watched Mydrassil's scathing root about to turn for its final blow, her will did not falter. As it bore down she rolled out of the way, casting an immolate spell on its wooden flesh. It screeched and writhed for a moment before digging into the cool, sandy floor leaving a sweat-drenched and panting Keesha in its wake. It was then her teacher intervened, commanding the roots of Mydrassil to halt their fury and recede into the earth. Before she could process what had occurred, a dark, clawed hand reached to help her to her feet.
"You survived but have much to learn." He nodded, effortlessly pulling her to her feet.
"They wouldn't have stopped coming…"
"No they would continue until every ounce of strength you had was spent."
"So what was the point?" Keesha panted while pulling off a dark glove to rub off the sweat on the back of her neck. She had entered the strange space with her new teacher only 10 minutes before to begin her lessons. But just as her teacher spoke, the roots that formed the room seemed to come alive and at his nodding, began their assault.
"There is a lesson in the struggle but it is not mine to teach." Seth gave a small smile before continuing. "I will give you a small puzzle that these little sessions will help solve. Solve the puzzle and you will learn all you will learn from me." Seth spoke as he conjured a glass of water. He handed it to his pupil who took it with a grateful nod. The cool liquid opened her throat and out poured a few words of thanks.
"Alright let's hear it."
"What tears apart a bright new start and pulls us to the lifeless dark? That haunts our steps with stark regrets, never missing the mark? And from it flee, never do we, escape its senseless spark. But in the face of dim disgrace, one must find the start." Seth spoke with a sense of linguistic pride in his smirking face.
"The last bit didn't rhyme."
"Pay attention to the meaning and not the words and you will succeed if not in you goal but in continuing to stay on my good side."
"OK…" Keesha spoke, avoiding the golden orbs that were surely glaring at her. But after her strange ordeal a few more practical lessons followed. Seth instructed her in the ways of arcane channeling and, at her urging, techniques in the ways of magical control and will- bending. After another exhausting hour Keesha was off for the rest of the day. Mentally drained and covered in sweat, she didn't notice the looks or the subtle whispers as she made her way to her lavish room. The window was not to a gray sky but to a miasmic sea full of all manner of colorful wildlife. She changed from her usual dark and revealing garb into a deep violet shirt and black pant set, a uniform set aside for use of Lord Nightgaze's students. The shirt was a little too large and the pants were a little too snug. She sighed and exited into a small hallway which, according to a small map that was provided to Keesha upon her agreement to study, was supposed to lead to portals to the upper trunk of the tree. Sure enough in moments she had traveled the great distance to the upper trunk where gaggles of people went about their business. Priests conversed about their findings and need for larger chapels in the strange tree. Druids, sensitive to the pain and irritation the carved out living spaces caused the great tree, cast soothing spells on the internal walls. The wiggling branches within slowed and relaxed in the cool green energy. Though their great Shando, Malfurion Stormrage, often frowned at the sight of the arcane-drenched tree in the middle of a place that often haunted his memories, he always sent a great number of his brightest students to aid the Whitebranch Initiative in Mydrassil's continued maintenance. Common folk hired to perform the daily drudgeries that kept the noble ones going relished their momentary reprieves. She walked along, spying the small shops and eateries with mild interest.
As she passed one of the many flight decks, a group of shaman entered the main hall. The not so subtle stench of orc and troll flesh assaulted her as the small smile she wore was quickly replaced with a sour sneer. While the company of blood elf mages during a few of her lessons made her stomach turn, nothing caused a greater measure of revulsion in Keesha than the presence of orcs. She noticed one of the orc shamans, a tall male with braided grey hair, seemed to shine with nature's blessing despite his best efforts to bury himself in the crowd. She could see chipped, yellow tusks from beneath his pale-hide cloak but his pale blue eyes remained safely tucked away. Every inch of the light-bathed shaman made her skin prick and crawl. Lost in her own hateful thoughts, Keesha did not notice the presence behind her.
"They're from The Earthen Ring." A soft voice yawned. Keesha calmly turned to see Hanariel Dawnblade standing there with a small smile on his face and a few things that had not been there when the pair first arrived. He seemed to stand a little straighter since his lessons began. The cloak that was always pulled tightly around his thin frame had not made and appearance since their arrival, replaced by fine robes made from fabrics purchased after his arrival."I haven't seen you in a while, Keesha. Are you well?"
"Hey, look who's sporting the fuzz!" She joked, banishing her disgust to welcome a joyful chuckle. Hanariel returned the gesture while rubbing his own chin which in recent days had began sprouting small but thick blond hair.
"I know. I've never been able to grow a proper beard. Must be the energy here."
"Yeah I know this place is really weird. But what are those…things doing here?" Keesha turned to cast a brief glare over her shoulder before returning a smile to the priest.
"I overheard Lady Whitedeer speaking to one of her associates about it but other than their arriving, I know little else." He said, eyeing her oddly clothed form. "A-Are those new?" He asked, pointing to her attire.
"Oh these? It's my uniform. Archmage Nightgaze asked me to be his student along with Trenton when we first got here. I figured I'd see what all the fuss is about."
"Well congratulations! D-Does that mean you've given up demon binding?" Hanariel asked, air catching in his throat for a moment as the momentary pride in Keesha's aura suddenly sank.
"No, why would I? Because I found the light or some shit?" Keesha asked crossing her arms. A slight reddish tone came to Hanariel's cheeks as he bowed his head in apology.
"I did not mean to imply that! Mages aren't considered the holiest of people—not that there's anything wrong with mages! Some of my best friends are mages…" Hanariel sighed, blue eyes begging Keesha to understand his sentiment. But she did not intervene, warm brown eyes and smirking red lips eager to watch him dig his own grave deeper. "I just meant that juggling two magical disciplines can be too difficult for most, t-that's all."
"So, you're saying I'm not TALENTED enough to learn two schools of magic?" Keesha could barely keep a straight face as Hanariel's skin grew redder by the moment. At the moments passed, the bubble pressure with became too much as a laugh erupted from Keesha's lips, so booming that it caused a few nearby denizens to turn around and search for the cause of the noise. A strong, warm hand came down to pat his shoulder as he felt the heat in his face slowly begin to recede. "I'm only messing with you, Han! You should see the look on your face." She smiled, causing him to nervously chuckle.
"That's good. I didn't mean to offend you." Hanariel admitted, careful not to speak too much. Keesha shook her head with a smile.
"Nah, I know you're not like that. Tell you what, let's go grab some food. I don't know about your lessons but mine give me the munchies."
"You're not using herbs in your incantations are you?" Hanariel smiled with a raised brow. Keesha shook her head.
"If I were you'd know it. So what are you in the mood for?" Keesha asked as they began walking back in the direction of the restaurants. Hanariel pondered for a moment but decided it would be best to let Keesha choose. He quickly found himself surrounded by animal pelts, animal heads, and all manner of once living beasts. Despite the fact that he only ate meat sparingly, he reviewed the menu with some attention. When orders were placed and filled, a steaming bowl of beef and barely soup met his eye and a massive plate of beer battered boar ribs, beef chili, and corn bread graced the space in front of Keesha. The smell nearly caused the willowy elf to wilt.
"Are you going to eat all that?" He asked in wonder as the woman across from him took her napkin and daintily placed it in her lap.
"Why, want some? The food here is really good here according to Trenton; smells good that's for sure." Hanariel's gut reaction was to shake his head and yet his hand found its way to a small appetizer plate. Keesha severed two of the ribs from the rack and placed it on the plate, and spooned a small amount of chili next to it. It took all his self control not to suspiciously sniff the contents. But in his hesitation, he could hear his table-mate beginning her feast, sounds of pleasure and satisfaction enticing him to grab a fork. As he attempted to sink its metal teeth into the sauce-drenched pig meat, Keesha put down the uncovered bone in her hand and waved for him to stop. She waited until most of the food was swallowed before speaking. "No, you don't eat that with a fork—pick it up."
"I most certainly will not; it's covered in sauce."
"So? Don't be so stuffy."
"I'm an elf, it is my birthright." He jokingly sniped causing Keesha to smile and continue feeding. But in his stubborn efforts, he managed to drop the boar rib right into his lap. To his dismay, the napkin he was given still rested, unfolded, on the table. Defeated and robes ruined, he picked up the offending food and took a big bite out of it in seeming retribution for falling from his fork. The annoyed look on his face slowly turned to one of surprised and then culinary joy. The tender meat seemed to melt from the bone as its savory flavor, blended with the carefully crafted sauce was neither too spicy nor overwhelming. Unlike the rough cuisine he endured in his travels, from start to finish the food was given the finest care in both butchery and baking and the taste reflected its preparers' efforts.
"This is… is really good." He admitted, choosing to take another bite rather than clean the large stain settling into his fine robe. When the bone was all that remained, he took the napkin beside him, dipped it in the complimentary water and began cleaning the settled spot on his legs.
"See, that's what happens when you try something new." Keesha said, holding back a series of small burps. "Is your dress going to be ok?" She asked, as Hanariel continued to scrub.
"These are heavenly robes, thank you very much. And we'll see. If they're too far gone I can just make another one. Lady Whitedeer introduced me to a wonderful fabric seller and clothier on one of the upper rings." He said, dipping the soiled napkin back into the water and continued to salvage the robe.
"Speaking of that how is your training or vacation or whatever it is you do up there going?" She asked, taking a gulp of her free water.
"It's interesting to say the least. The air seems crisper up there, it must be the atmosphere. It's not as busy as well so it makes getting to my meditation space a lot easier. But I prefer it in the middle tree. It's easier to blend in and a lot less gawkers, if you understand what I mean." Hanariel spoke was a flash of a smile. Keesha tilted her head for a moment before replying.
"You're a war hero, why would anyone gawk at you? So you lost an arm, doesn't make you any less of a person." She asserted. Her words caused a laugh, far louder than Keesha thought possible from the priest whose aura seemed to brighten once more.
"No, no—it's not that! The vast majority of people in the upper levels of the tree are night elves—"
"Racists..."
"No, not all of them. Many have never seen someone like me. Many of their experiences with elves from Quel'Thalas have either been after the sunwell was destroyed or they are elders from when my ancestors were exiled from Kalimdor. They always either check my eyes or my priestly garb before approaching me. It honestly doesn't bother me but it's nice to blend in a bit." Hanariel smiled for a moment as he paused to look at the dark lady who, if Lady Whitedeer had her way, would banish from his company. His thoughts were interrupted for a moment when a confused "what?" caught his ears. He jolted for a moment before giving a nervous laugh.
"Oh nothing…it's sort of funny that's all."
"What's sorta funny?"
"Well as you pointed out not all "lighty-whities" are very accepting people. When I mentioned you to Lady Whitedeer she all but cringed. But for what it's worth, I do enjoy spending time with you. We should do this more often, when you're not in class of course." He spoke with sincerity in his pale blue gaze. Keesha did not seem indignant as a waitress came by and refreshed their drinks, offering to bring a hot towel to assist in the abandoned clean up effort.
"Sure. Nightgaze wouldn't be too happy to see me hanging out with you either. But why were you talking about me to Whitedeer?" Keesha asked, handing her polished plate to the waitress. Hanariel thought for a moment but his gut told him that the incident in the safe room was not meant to be secret, at least not to his current audience. He told Keesha about the amazing safe room, filled with a malleable environment bent to its guest's will. The detail about his desire to show her the space was dwarfed by his strange experiences there. He told her about the branches' assault that resolved in strange and realistic visions but no visible signs of injury. Hanariel described his visions but spared her the small details of names and possible places that the events occurred. His words made her shutter.
"This place is all kinds of weird. The roots of the tree are alive too but Nightgaze controls them. He's making me fight them in some kind of lesson or something. Says if I solve this dumb puzzle he made up then it'll all make sense. All I have to say is: it better!" Keesha shook her head as she idly flipped through the desert menu.
"It will. I'm actually looking forward to my next vision. Maybe the fuzz will grow a little thicker." He smiled as their attention turned to the waitress, who after disposing of their finished lunches returned to inquire about desert. Keesha and Hanariel's eyes met for a moment and despite their bulging guts still managed to find a little more room for something sweet.
"You called for me, SIR?" an irritated voice growled. Lord Nightgaze's attention didn't shift from his scrying bowl.
"Watch your tone with me boy." He calmly spoke with a soothing tone as his brow furrowed in strained concentration. When the faces in the bowl began digging into what appeared to be two small sundaes, he banished the image and slowly turned to see a bumped and bruised Trenton standing and scowling in his direction.
"I apologize, my lord; I'm just getting a little tired of playing the court jester." He hissed while walking sideways as not to cast a defiant gaze to his master. But no retort or punishment came.
"We have to keep up appearances. You have gone far beyond my expectations in helping me monitor them and we will only need to endure this a little longer. This pair is far more…forward thinking than I anticipated. We will give them a little more time for Mydrassil to make its communications. If they succeed in learning their lessons, we will administer the final test." Seth spoke with a nod, referring to Trenton's restaurant tip leading the two to one of the few that were actually monitored for other reasons. Luckily it was early enough in the day for the pair to avoid those drunken, rowdy reasons.
"I hope they are fast learners." Trenton mumbled, rubbing his whiplash-injured neck.
"Patience. You will have your reward if they prove themselves worthy. But until then, watch over our students." Seth soothed. His deep voice seemed to lessen the irritation in Trenton's mood, but not in the stinging wounds that plagued him. Trenton bowed as deep as his injuries would allow, Seth raising a hand and shaking his head for his subordinate to stop.
"I will see mother about these injuries. Damn healers can't mend a paper cut!" Trenton grumbled. Seth conjured the young mage's favorite beverage, cold human-made ale, and handed to him. Trenton gratefully took an undignified swig.
"Your mother will be busy today. Her friends in The Earthen Ring have finally arrived. She will be reacquainting herself with them I'd imagine." Seth nodded. Trenton's pout rivaled that of his adoptive sister's.
"Is mother building an army or something? Why would she need to bring MORE people here? Its claustrophobic enough as it is." He hissed, realizing his informal tone he quickly apologized. Seth's gaze remained calm.
"I do not disagree with your assessment. If I had my way only those worthy of this tree's power would be here." Seth sneered. His expression lightened slightly as thoughts of all the druids, priests, and rabble were sent packing to wherever they came from. Before he could finish his thought, Trenton interjected.
"Mother loves you; couldn't you persuade her, make her see reason?" Trenton's words held no true malice but the look in his eyes earned him a stern look. He felt his shoulder's shiver just a little.
"I would never take someone so weak minded to be swayed in such a way as a mate. Imply that again and I'll make sure your words get back to her."
"I-I'm sorry I spoke stupidly."
"Anyway, as I was saying. If I'd have my way none of these "people" would be here but in her wisdom, your mother knows we have many enemies and if I had my way, we would be wholly unprepared if attacked."
"Attacked by whom? The Alliance? The Horde?"
"That is none of your concern." Seth hissed, tone quashing any further retort. Trenton felt a pang within and nodded in submission. Seth waved his subordinate off as his favorite scrying bowl seemed to beacon, longing for his golden gaze to grace its trembling waters once more.