True Epilogue: Carnival of Rust

"It's all a game
Avoiding failure
When true colors will bleed
All in the name...of misbehavior
And the things we don't need.
I lust for after, No disaster, Can touch
Touch us anymore
And more than ever, I hope to never fall
Where enough was not the same it was before."

Zackel only became aware of the knocking after whoever had started it had been hammering at his door for nearly twenty seconds. How long he'd been sitting there and pondering his thoughts, he couldn't say, but deep aggravation settled on him regardless. The gnome must have taken offense and come back with a friend or something. Clenching his teeth, the stood up from the desk and stalked over to the door, calling his staff to his hand as he did so. He took a moment to transfer it to his good hand and get it ready, and then yanked the door open.

"I TOLD you that…!"

The words died in Zackel's throat. It wasn't the gnome again.

"Please…" The figure said. The armor had changed, having gone from black to a elaborate mix of blue, silver, and gold, the black helmet and attached face-plate having changed to a crown-like one with a shimmering white energy obscuring the facial slot, and the orange axe had been replaced by one that was somehow even bigger, this one colored silver and blue like the armor. But the body structure was Draenei, and the voice…

"Like I ever listened to anything you tried to tell me." Rielle said.

"…..Rielle?" Zackel whispered.

"No, a murloc in an elaborate suit who learned to speak Common. Yes, it's me, Zackel." Rielle said. "I thought I'd…"

Rielle's voice stopped as Zackel reached out, feeling at the warrior's helmet.

"…Please tell me I'm not dreaming." Zackel said. "Please tell me…"

Rielle let her hand do the talking as she violently poked Zackel in the forehead. Zackel stumbled back from the touch.

"You know, if I'd known you were going to act so wonky when you saw me, well, just makes me glad I decided to follow you up to your quarters here instead of chasing you down on the street." Rielle said, walking into the room. "I mean, it's good to…ugh, I'm bad at saying hello after long absences, okay? I just…Zackel?"

A thousand different things crashed through the mage's head as he realized that he wasn't dreaming. He was awake, and Rielle was here.

He wanted to break down crying. He wanted to scream at her for making him think he'd lost her, whether it was her fault or not. He wanted to grab hold of her and never let go. He wanted to teleport back to the Argent grounds and strangle the gnome who had clearly given him wrong information and then find whoever had falsely put Rielle's name on the list of the fallen and do worse to them. He wanted to do it all at once, and hence in the end all he could really do was stagger back and fall down on the bed, his muscles nearly tearing themselves apart from the sensations running through it.

"Zackel? What's wrong?" Rielle said, approaching.

"Need a minute! Just…minute…!" Zackel said, forcing himself to look away from Rielle. When he looked back, she was still there. Still real. Zackel violently pinched himself and then recalled several memories of his past before he looked at her again. Still there. Still real.

Zackel closed his eyes, trying to get his feelings under control. Slowly, the sheer shock of Rielle's sudden re-appearance and the violent eruption of the several emotions that had followed began to subside. Beneath it all, the joy had begun to wake up and stretch its wings. She wasn't dead. He hadn't been a fool. He hadn't failed her…

Until he turned to look at her again, and found her looking away. Instead of watching him and his reactions, she'd walked to the nearby wall and was staring at it, in a manner that Zackel purposely recognized. She was avoiding looking at him. Down in his heart, the joy faltered.

"Rielle…?"

"Zackel I…I never liked to beat around the bush." Rielle said. "I'm glad to see you again, but…"

The word hung in the air like the most virulent curse, even as Zackel felt the coil of emotions begin to snake through his gut again. She was alive, but…the thrice-damned BUT, but WHAT…? What the fel was going ON…?

"…We knew that when we parted ways, that we were taking a risk." Rielle said. "It's not like I forgot you, or…it's just that…"

Rielle lowered her head, even as Zackel felt the air being sucked out of the room.

"…Things aren't the same." Rielle said. "I've…it's just…"

Rielle looked at Zackel, her face hidden behind her elaborate armor. She raised a hand briefly before lowering it. Zackel stared at the blank vision-shield, at the Draenei woman's stance, even as the pain fully returned, its grip seizing onto his heart.

It couldn't. Life couldn't be THAT cruel. To offer and then snatch back…

"I don't know what to say." Rielle said.

But…it was life. It played by its own rules.

Zackel closed his eyes, furiously trying to get a sense of control back. The seconds dragged out as all the possibilities slashed through his mind.

Until one voice finally pulled itself back up and spoke.

Rielle was alive. Maybe things had changed, maybe what they'd had was lost…but she was alive. That was a blessing, and while it might not salve the pain Zackel knew was to come, his damn lateral thinking couldn't dismiss it. That, and he cared too much for her to allow himself to.

Another cold comfort.

"…Rielle…" Zackel said, opening his eyes. "If you can't say anything, then I will. I made a promise not to disappoint you…and I won't. Whatever else happens…I'll keep that promise. Anything else…well…" Zackel said, and somehow managed to shrug. "I didn't go through what I did with you to end up wasting it all again."

Rielle said nothing, but Zackel could feel her eyes, the glowing lights behind her helmet. Feel them watching him, looking into him.

Her stance changed so abruptly that Zackel almost did a double-take, going from cold and distant to expressing inner agony, the Draenei reaching up and placing a hand against her helmet.

"Oh Light…" Rielle said. "Light forgive me, I'm such a BITCH…"

"…what?" Zackel said, the seething pain inside him abruptly overridden by confusion, the situation jerked in another direction with such swiftness Zackel almost got a physical sense of vertigo.

"How could I do this…how could I…" Rielle said, before she removed her hand from her helmet and fully turned to face Zackel. "Oh Zackel…I'm so sorry…"

"…what? WHAT?" Zackel said, completely at a loss to how the situation kept changing at such a breakneck pace.

"I didn't just see you and follow you up here. I saw you this morning, on the streets." Rielle said. "When I did…"

Rielle lowered her hand, and Zackel didn't need her skill in reading body language to recognize the regret in the move.

"I was terrified." Rielle said. "I saw you, and the feelings it brought back…I had done a lot of thinking about you, a lot of pondering, rationalizing…and then I saw you and it all got swept away by what I felt. And it scared me…scared me that I felt so helpless beneath what you brought out of me. I just…with you and I…it…"

The Draenei trailed off as she turned her back, letting go of her axe as she brought her arms up around herself.

"So I followed you. Trying to decide what to do. Part of me wanted to break it off, because of…but then you meet that kid, and you start talking, and I listen to you telling your story, our story…and it just made it WORSE. I…I've never felt this way before Zackel. I didn't think it was possible. And I didn't know what it meant for me. Then you walked off, and I followed…and when you came to the inn I found I had to sit down and think." Rielle said. "So I sat there, and I thought, and I thought…and I finally decided…if I'm going to feel this way, I have to know something. So I come up here, I surprise you, I act as I normally do, and then I spring the implication that I don't want to pick up where we left off…and I watched your face. I wanted to see the truth in your face."

Rielle went quiet, her back still to Zackel. Zackel stood where he was, not knowing what to do. Eventually, Rielle turned around.

"You would have let me go. I could see the pain the possibility caused you…but I also saw…you would have done it. You wouldn't have tried to judge me for my decision, you wouldn't have turned on me, you would have…you would have been the man I knew. You haven't changed…and I came up here, I did THAT to you, I hurt you to try and salve my own stupid, stupid fears and ego…"

Zackel held up a hand, causing Rielle to go quiet again. The mage started speaking before he forced his mouth shut again, the roiling emotions in him having become hot and jagged as Rielle had poured out her reasons for what had just happened. Between that, and the rumors of her death being greatly exaggerated, Zackel felt like he was dangling on the edge of an abyss.

But, as he stood there, the cold came. It reached out and dug its hands into the heat within him, fighting to draw it back. And as it did, it brought with it clarity.

Yes, Zackel, what she just did was wrong. You are well within your rights to walk away. But remember why she did it. And remember that what she just did now…she might have never done to anyone before. You said you wouldn't disappoint her. Is that finally about to change?

Zackel drew in a long, slow breath, allowing it to leave his lungs even slower.

"…yes. You did." Zackel said. "But…it's like you said. I haven't changed."

The mage stopped, considering his next words carefully.

"…you and I have always sought to be the best we could be, Rielle. It's why we parted ways…and it's why we've met again." Zackel said. "When it comes down to the true heart of it…I think we're better together. So, despite all these things, all these troubles…I want us to be together. And while I'll never presume to speak for you…you just spoke for yourself pretty clearly."

Rielle stared at Zackel for another few seconds, before she finally reached up and put her hands on her helmet. A slight hiss of air sounding as the magical protections undid themselves and allowed her to slip it off.

Her face hadn't changed, save for one small detail: the twin streaks the tears had made down her cheeks.

"…I don't deserve you." Rielle whispered.

"…Some might say that." Zackel said, finally approaching the Draenei and taking her helmet from her. Even as he put it aside, he made a slight gesture. Rielle stared at the rose of ice he had produced and offered her.

"I'm not one of them." Zackel said. "And that…should be all that's needed to be said."

Reaching up, Rielle took the rose, the perfect ice reflecting the light of her eyes.

"…oh…you sentimental spineless stupid mage BASTARD…!"

The embrace did not include a kiss, but Zackel didn't need it. With the Draenei in his arms, Zackel finally felt the joy pull itself free from the morass of all the other emotions and soar back up. The cold within him left, satisfied with its work and allowing itself to be replaced by warmth, both his own and Rielle's.

"…but if it's all the same…" Rielle said into Zackel's ear. "Next time I'm acting like this, you better damn well not roll over and take it."

"I promise I will never do that except when I have to." Zackel said. "Though I suppose I'm being more of a, well, what some would call a pussy, than usual mainly because I thought you were dead."

"WHAT?" Rielle said, drawing back away from Zackel. "Dead?"

"…yeah…maybe I should have mentioned that…but my mind wasn't at it's clearest state." Zackel said. "I got information you went to the Argent Tournament, followed you there, heard about the mess and the chaos, found a grave…"

"…Oh LIGHT…" Rielle said, reaching up and clutching her mouth. "I thought you were just being a flaky mage when I came in, when you…and then I pulled that BULLSHIT, how could…"

"Wait, wait. No. We already went through this. Once was enough. You are still forgiven." Zackel said, taking Rielle into his arms again. "You're alive, and you're with me. That's worth more then any petty anger I could muster, whether I deserve it or not."

"Zackel…"

"Shhhhhh…" Zackel said, holding Rielle's head to his chest. "I've been given a small miracle, and I want to savor it…just a little longer. Just a little…longer."

And so the pair stood there, before reality rudely placed itself back onto Zackel's perception. Rielle's new armor included very elaborate shoulder pads, and one was digging into his ribs.

"…Okay long enough." Zackel wheezed, pulling away.

"…Heh. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Still just a mage." Rielle said, smiling softly.

"If I didn't suddenly feel so drained, I'd be offering a counter, but…" Zackel said, as he stumbled back over to the bed and sat down, the mess of emotions of the last several minutes finally driving all strength from his legs. "Oh Light. I thank you for this day, but I must ask you to try and avoid them in the future. I don't think my heart could take it."

"Wimp." Rielle said, stepping over to the window and drawing the curtain closed.

"Hey, I just went through thinking my girl was dead because of a clerical error spat up from the Nether itself, remembering her, trying to make peace with her memory, finding out she's NOT dead, being given the impression that despite that she doesn't want me any more, and then having a moment when the truth of that has been revealed. I think that falls under 'understandable weariness'."

"That, or you've been slacking off since we last met."

"Slacking? I'm here, aren't I? I'm wearing the Argent Crusade's fine-crafted clothing, aren't…oh bugger this itches!" Zackel said, standing up and pulling at his robe, getting it off his body before tossing it on a chair and sitting back down on the bed in his other clothing beneath.

"You get used to it." Rielle said, turning back around. "So, I guess that means our moment is over and we can get down to brass tacks."

"…I'm too tired to decide whether I'm supposed to say yes or no." Zackel said, leaning back on the bed as he covered his face with his hands.

"Works for me." Rielle said. A sudden series of clattering noises caused Zackel to sit up again, only to find that Rielle's armor was now scattered on the ground around her. As Zackel would later find out, said armor sets had an enchantment that allowed for near-instant removal should it be needed, due to injury or whatnot.

"So then, here's what we're going to do." Rielle said, stepping out of her armored boots. "First we're going to go to the nicest restaurant in Dalaran. Then you're going to pay for every single dish while I indulge in the fine venison I know said restaurant recently got."

"Is it too late to go back to the crucial period where we could have broken up so I can run away?" Zackel murmured.

"Yes, pretty much. You're stuck with me mage, and once you're done buying me dinner, you can move on to buying me some gems. My new axe needs a little extra magical oomph and my own pocketbook is near empty." Rielle said, reaching behind her head and removing the magical pin that kept her hair bound up, letting it fall over her shoulders.

"So's mine."

"Liar. I saw how you moved around the room, or rather how you moved to keep your heavy money-pouch from falling off your belt. I don't know how you made so much coin, but I'll darn sure be making sure you spend it properly. On me."

"Dalaran's full of drug addicts. I got in when there didn't seem to be any alchemists in town and a whole bunch of people wanted potions and oils for their equipment and I likely won't ever have that chance again and you're spending all my money and oh Light suddenly all the downsides I was ignoring are crystallizing in my head again."

"Oh no, that will happen once we're done that and I work on properly whipping you back into shape. Then we can storm Icecrown Citadel, beat the crap out of Arthas, and when we've done that we can take over the world."

"Of course." Zackel murmured into his hand.

"Are you listening to a word I'm saying Zack?"

"Yeah yeah, buy Arthas venison, beat the crap out of gems, etc etc." Zackel said. He was about to switch from sarcasm to genuine questions when Rielle sat in his lap.

"But…before all that…" Rielle said, tracing a hand over Zackel's blue hair. The sarcastic humor had left her face, replaced with soft gratitude and joy. Looking at the Draenei, Zackel felt all the poisonous aftermath of his emotional wringer fully drain away. The dice had had one last bounce in them after all, and on the most crucial toss he'd ever made, it had come up with seven.

If that was the good number. Zackel's game-experiences didn't really include dice.

"All my experiences have been in tents and in the field. I've…never had someone to make love with in a bed before." Rielle said. "That…I want first. And more than anything else."

"…What if I have a headache?"

Rielle laughed softly before flicking the mage's forehead.

"Ah, you stupid mage…" Rielle said. "But you're MY stupid mage."

"…And you, Rielle, are the best idea I've ever had." Zackel said.

Rielle leaned down, and as their lips met, Zackel gestured behind him, closing the door to his room with a bang.

"Come feed the rain

'Cause I'm thirsty for your love

Dancing underneath the skies of lust.

Yeah, feed the rain

'Cause without your love my life

Ain't nothing but this carnival of rust."

88888

"The cruel, hot summer

Led into the long, hard fall,

Becoming the dark, killing winter,

Until spring replenished us all."

THE (REAL) END

(Music starts up as the credits roll…)

And so this story ends. For now, you can read my side-story 'Feat of Clay', but in addition to that I would like to thank…

Rielle: WHAT IS THIS SHIT?

Excuse me?

Rielle: The story already ended! What's this second ending undoing the first one! Some people LIKED the first one! What gives?

Uh…well I wanted to defy expectations…

Rielle: You mean you wanted to have your cake and eat it too.

No! Well…yes, but I'd also like to note I hate the Woman In Refrigerators Syndrome…

Rielle: Yeah yeah yeah. Whatever, you wimp!

You'd think you'd be more appreciative…

Rielle: I might if you weren't being so sneaky about it…and wait ANOTHER minute! What credits? What music?

Wait what?

Rielle: I SAID, what credits? What music?

Oh for the love of…use your imagination!

Zackel: Imagination? You mean like the readers should have to figure out the bait and switch ending?

Oh not you too. I was just trying to SURPRISE them…

Rielle: Oh look the author pulled a bullshit fakeout into the obligatory happy ending. How edgy and new!

Why are you doing this, you got what you wanted, why are you…

Rielle: Why? Because this 'credits music' that only I can hear is stupid generic tribal-esque nonsense! I'm sorry, am I really a Tauren?

You're being difficult…

Rielle: No, THIS is being difficult! Hey guys, the author decided to give us 'credits music' without lyrics! Let's provide some! Zackel, go!

You are not actually…

Zackel: (singing along to the 'music' ) Pow-Wow The Indian Boy, loved all the animals and the woods!

Rielle/Zackel: WE WILL, WE WILL ROCK YOU!

Knock it off you-

Zackel: TOSS!

Rielle: Well they ran through the briars and they ran through the brambles, and they ran through the places where a rabbit wouldn't go!

Jasciona: Gypsies, tramps and thieves! We heard it from the people of the town! TOSS!

Daldion: High on a hill lived a lonely goatherd, Ladee-yodel-ladee-yodel-la-hee-hoo!

Silonna: Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus Lane! TOSS!

Zuijizra: Give it away, give it away, give it away now! Give it away, give it away, give it away now!

Prigak: I've got a brand new pair of rollerskates, you've got a brand new key! TOSS!

Sparse: Admiral Halsey notified me, he had to have a bath or he couldn't get to sleep!

Adaric: And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon, Little Boy Blue and the man in the moon!

Ninos: In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it!

Mug'thol: One night in Bangkok makes a strong man crumble!

Grel'borg: Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry, when I take you out in a surrey!

STOP IT….

Star of Xil'yeh: We were merely freshmen!

THAT'S IT, OUT! GET OUT!

All Characters: OH SUSANNA! OH DON'T YOU CRY FOR ME!

OUT! OUT!

All Characters: (while leaving) 'CAUSE I COME FROM ALABAMMY WITH A BANJO ON MY KNEE! TOSS!

Most of the readers won't even get this pa-

Rielle: (runs back in and changes the music) YOINK! (runs off as new music starts)

That's it I'm out of here.

Sankyuu made to iimitera koto chigau Ja nai?
Chotto dake sugao misete keredo…
Dareka no sei ni shite wa nigekae,
Kure shiteru hibi ate ni naranai wa
I'm sorry toriaezu sayonara

Anata ga inai toriai atteieru wagamama!
(Zutto klenal you ni, kessanal you ni!)
Aijou yuujoi shiritai koto wa nandemo!
(Aimal sugite wa karakai yo!)
Itsuka kokoro no kagi wo kowasu yo na!

Anata ga inai toriai atteieru wagamama!
(Zutto klenal you ni, kessanal you ni!)
Aijou yuujoi shiritai koto wa nandemo!
(Aimal sugite wa karakai yo!)
Itsuka kokoro no oku no doa wo kataku,
Anata wo matteiru!
Hokani wa nani mo iranaiaiaiya!
Ashita mo shinjiteitaiaiaiaiya!

The Exodar.

Irenus woke with unusual calmness, which was even more alarming considering why he had woken up. He took a moment to put on a robe before he set off through the Draenei's ship-turned-city, passing through the Seat of the Naaru and through the Vault of Lights at a steady, fast clip.

The Shields of Velen knew the Draenei, but Irenus submitted himself to an inspection anyway. Coming up clean, Irenus made his way up the stairway and to the small perch where the leader of all Draenei spent most of his time.

"Prophet." Irenus said, bowing slightly.

"I know that this day, I am not the only one." Velen said, looking out over the Exodar another moment before turning to his fellow. "I sense you have seen something."

"I have Velen. But I am not sure what to make of it."

"You think I will. Perhaps. Speak, please." Velen said.

"Well…I saw the sky. And I saw…a hole in it."

"A hole?"

"Well, a crack. Like the sky had…shattered, split open. I could sense that something was coming through it. And I heard a voice."

Velen nodded.

"It spoke three things. The first was somewhat obscured, but I believe it said 'We are such little men'. The second was clearer. It said 'Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies.'"

"And the third?"

"Well, I'm not sure what it said. I couldn't place it as any of the languages on Azeroth or beyond that I knew. As best I can recall, it said 'Vae Victus'."

Velen, having been stroking his beard, stopped at the last two words.

"…Prophet?"

"…I have heard these words too, recently, in my own visions. I only noted them for their strangeness, but believed it to be merely a part of the dream I was having, rather than my premonition aspect of them. With what you have told me, though…perhaps this is not the case."

"What do you think it means, Prophet?"

"I do not yet know enough to say…but I would venture that the sky breaking means nothing good." Velen said. "Perhaps the Legion is setting a new plot in motion with the siege we are laying to Northrend. Perhaps something else. I shall seek more information. Inform me if you have any more such visions, Irenus. Even if I have had them myself, I will listen."

"I will, Velen." Irenus said. "…though, now that I think of it, there might be something else. There was some chaotic imagery in my own vision, which may have simply been flotsam from my normal dreams, as you thought yours was…but there is one nonsense word that has also re-occurred to me."

"What is it?"

"Xilyeh."

Somewhere…Else.

So far away. So very very far away.

Save for the faint light of the glowing orbs, all was in darkness. In the black oblivion of it, something stirred.

One of the orbs abruptly dimmed, the mild illumination disappearing from within it.

"Xil'yeh unit communication terminated. Xil'yeh unit, destroyed."

No eye could have seen the motion within the dark as it gestured. The darkened orb floated up and into the black.

"Show me."

The voice would not have been heard by ears as much as felt by minds, by hearts, by souls. It was a violating reverb, the sound of burning flesh and the skittering echo of psychopathic dreams. Despite all the black around the chamber, the voice was blacker still.

Eyes of omen peered into the orb, and all that it showed. A will commanded, and what had been seen was expanded on, a linking series of interactions that eventually formed the picture of a world.

The smile that emerged on the nightmare's face would have driven the most contented beings to despair. It was a smile of change, change that few could handle and fewer could resist.

"…How…interesting." The voice said. "I believe…we have a winner."

The orb floated back to its spot, even as the nightmare within the dark raised an arm. Power flowed out, uniting with the even greater power all around him. And as he acted, the nightmare pondered what he had seen. What had destroyed Xil'yeh, despite all the gem had offered.

"…The consequences of our actions take us by the scruff of our neck, altogether indifferent to the fact that we have 'improved' in the mean." The voice said. "Perhaps you will find, he that is called a mage…that one is punished most for one's virtues."

The power expanded, reaching every part of what lay around the nightmare. He was in no hurry. It would take time to gather everything. To cross over. To put it all in motion.

But the trumpet would sound, and doom would descend on this world that had drawn his attention. This world that believed that it understood reality. That believed it had seen so much death and horror and destruction. That thought that it had seen their worst visions of oblivion made flesh, in fallen Titans and eldritch abominations, in legions of fire and a king of ice.

Such little men, with little conceptions. They always were.

"Azeroth." The nightmare said, tasting the name. Around him, the remains of a thousand worlds resonated.

Soon.

Soon.

THE BEGINNING