The Descent into Madness
Ulduar
The Templar Knights were well rested and back in top form. Freya's assistance had been a tremendous help in renewing their vitality. Her skills were incredible and the power of her craft truly shined. The gifts granted to her by the Titans were a sight to behold indeed.
The Keepers wasted no time in cleaning up the mess left by the minions of the Old God. Thorim and Mimiron disposed of the C'Thraxxi's rotting corpse. The mechagnome made it his mission to eradicate every last trace of the creature in order to ensure its total destruction. Hodir assisted with the capturing of the renegade cultists that managed to survive the previous battle. He encased the Twilight's Hammer clansmen in one large icy prison and promised to return them to the surface once the real threat has been taken care of.
Rayne was filled with a new level of confidence. With the Keepers at their side, Yogg-Saron's defeat was well within their grasp. He had suffered through countless injuries, both mentally and physically, but the paladin was still standing. His will could not be broken. There wasn't anything lurking beyond that path that could dissuade him from completing their mission. Well, anything except the voice that had called out to them.
There was no doubt in Rayne's mind. Lorelei had been crying for help. Why she was down here in the first place was still a mystery. All of the questions funneling through his thoughts would soon be answered upon confirmation of her presence. Whether she was still alive to tell her side of the story was still yet to be revealed. In times of great uncertainty, the paladin deferred to the wisdom passed on by his teachers. Pray for the best but prepare for the worst.
"Is everyone ready to go?"
His companions all gave a collective gesture of agreement in their own unique way. Rayne paid special attention to Narula's. Her uplifting smile and subsequent cute nod was too beautiful to miss. The goal upon completion of their mission had not changed. He was prepared to tell her everything as soon as they were done here. She deserved to know. The night elf did help him find the courage to finally do so after all.
"Be careful when crossing through the path," warned Cayden. "I was there just a moment ago. The Old God's presence is so balefully abundant it made my hairs stand on end."
"Try getting dragged through it," the gnome sighed. "Damn mutt doesn't know the meaning of the word sensitive."
"It's a cat, not a dog," Marcus corrected. "Stupid cog-head."
"Like I'm really going to stick my hand down there and verify that!"
The warrior's temple slap could almost be heard from the streets of Dalaran.
Weasel did bring up a great point. Emerald's assistance was crucial in their victory over the General. While his cautious side would warn him to leave the tiger be, Rayne knew they would need all the help they could get.
"Emerald," called Rayne.
The tiger quickly ran to his side. He sat down and peered up at the paladin with excited curiosity. Rayne knelt down and address the beast directly.
"It might get a little rough in there. I may be unable to keep my eye on you at all times. Would it be alright if I put you in Saelena's care?"
Emerald turned his head towards the silent draenei. She offered a chipper smile and a wave in return. The tiger slowly returned his gaze and laid his eyes upon Rayne once more. He rubbed his cheeks against the paladin's gauntlet in acknowledgement.
"Good boy," smiled Rayne as he gave Emerald a good scratch between his ears. "She'll take good care of you. I promise."
The paladin stood up and drew his blade. He passed a quick look to the Keepers nearby huddled around the entrance to the prison.
"Are you ready to do this?"
"Our strength is yours Rayne," Freya politely smiled in return.
"We will do what we must," Thorim stated. "This madness ends tonight."
"Very well," Rayne nodded. "Let's go."
The Templar Knights proceeded first down the corridor. They walked through the glimmering green rocks protruding from the walls. The stench of saronite was profuse and nauseating. Chunks of broken tiles exposed teal covered masonry. This area truly reeked of the Old God's influence.
The path winded to a giant archway. Remnants of the Titan's architecture still survived the maddening spread of saronite throughout this fortress. It opened to reveal an enormous circular room. The ground ranged from smooth the shattered. Thick cracks starting near the entrance and grew wider until they all met in the center of the room. A massive pool of the Old God's blood festered and oozed clouds of misty green steam.
Along the outer edges of the chamber stood four bronze platforms lit up by gracious golden lights. Between each hung gigantic celestial blue chains. The bindings appeared to have been snapped off the center, most likely due to Yogg-Saron's release. However, there appeared to be no trace of the Old God, its broken cage, nor any of its minions. It was enough to draw the paladin's morbid curiosity and examine the area further but his eyes stopped dead in their tracks upon finding an unexpected guest.
The fallen body of the previous Titanic Watcher laid flat upon her face no more than twenty yards away. Her fingers still lingered upon the substantial mace she carried. Rayne could still feel the tickle in his arm from when she struck him with it just a few short hours ago. Explaining the story of this accident to the Keepers was going to be challenge in and of itself. The paladin almost hoped that she ultimately met her demise down here for incurring her wrath would be an additional challenge they did not wish to tackle.
"Auriaya?!"
Freya quickly ran through the Templar Knights and came to the aid of the fallen giant. She hunched over and clutched her companion
"So that bronze bimbo does have a name," teased Marcus.
"Hey!" Snapped the mechagnome. "I'll have you know that she's a valued member of our group within this fortress. Auriaya was tasked with to archiving all of the events and wonders of this world. Do you know how much stuff happens within these walls let alone outside of them?!"
Mimiron sulked a little bit thinking about all of the stuff they went through before being heroically rescued by their new friends.
"It's a thankless job but without it, there would be no record of this world's history. To see her suffer this fate is a tragedy."
The Keeper sought to educate but appeared to only make Rayne feel worse about the situation. It wasn't his intention to kill her. He was just trying to protect his friends. The paladin hoped the rest of the Titanic Watcher's patience was equal to or greater than their impressive strength.
"I take it you have a soft spot for that big rocky monster we defaced back there as well," quipped the warrior.
"Who? Kologarn?" Scoffed Mimiron. "No way. I'd a grounded him into sand myself if you hadn't have shown up. I've never met anyone who's spoken and acted so illogically in all my life."
Marcus smirked.
"Finally, something we can agree on."
The fallen Titantic Watcher let out a series of exasperated coughs. She slowly opened her eyes and acknowledged the Keeper kneeling before her.
"Freya?" She softly gasped. "Where am I? What hap-"
Auriaya's voice was silenced by the agonizing pain throbbing in her head.
"You are alright now," smiled the Keeper. "The nightmare is over."
The rest of the Templar Knights slowly entered the room. The bronze Watcher slowly rose to her feet with the assistance of Freya. She finally regained her bearings and addressed the group as her usual self.
"How did I get down here?" Winced Auriaya. "My memory is fleeting. The last few years have been marred in darkness. There was so much chaos. So much hatred."
"Relax Auriaya," said Thorim calmly. "You are amongst friends here."
"Friends?"
Auriaya scanned the room. Other than her fellow Titanic Watchers, there were a group of young mortals standing inside the prison room. Her eyes focused on the blonde haired man in the front brandishing a shield with a distinctive red cross. A uniquely glimmering red shine on his hip drew her gaze and seemingly called out to her.
"Is that," she began. "Taeshalach?"
"What did she say?" Rayne quietly posed to the smallest of the Keepers.
"Beats me," the mechagnome shrugged. "I build stuff. History's not really a part of my preferred parameters."
The bronze Watcher stepped forward and stood before the Templar Knights.
"My apologies," she humbly said. "Forgive me for my transgressions. I truly did not wish any harm upon you."
"It's okay," Rayne frantically replied. "Really, none of us suffered any permanent injuries. I'm just glad to see you haven't either."
Auriaya's lips widened forming a small smile. It was almost out of character to see her with such a pleasant expression given the bellowing anger she unleashed during their previous battle.
"What is your name young one?"
The paladin stood before the Titantic Watcher. Her presence was so imposing it was almost hard to get the words out. They were enemies only a short while ago. Speaking to her in her natural state would take some getting used to since he still lamented the face that she almost died thanks to him.
"Rayne," he smiled. "Rayne Templar."
Auriaya's brow furrowed. She stared deeply at the paladin. The look on her face almost appeared to be one of utter disbelief.
"Are you sure?"
"Huh?"
Rayne was taken aback. He wondered if the Titanic Watcher had already seen through him. She was the historian of Ulduar after all. The paladin didn't feel like going through the same song and dance about his given versus preferred name but would gladly oblige if that would sooth her curiosity.
"What do you mean?" He kindly asked. "Actually, my real name is Raymond but –"
The Titanic Watcher shook her head.
"I sense the presence of ancient nobility within you," she replied. "There are no records of any regal bloodline with the name Templar in our archive."
"What?"
A look of befuddled inquisitiveness fell on the paladin's expression. Before he could raise any additional questions, the mechagnome quickly interjected.
"I wouldn't trust anything she says right now," Mimiron stated. "All of the records appeared to have been tampered with by Loken to hide his betrayal."
"How did you find that out?" Posed Rayne.
"Who do you think built the machine to archive our world's history?" Smiled the Keeper.
"You should take it easy," requested Hodir. "This stress will do you no good."
"Actually," Thorim cut in. "What was the last thing you remember?"
"Thorim," Freya called placing her hand upon his shoulder. "I do not believe this is the time."
"This could be important Freya," he calmly answered back. "As the Old God's jailers, it is natural to want us to fall under its corruption."
The Keeper paid a gentle look towards his bronze companion.
"But Auriaya's different. She is merely an archivist. What purpose would it serve Yogg-Saron to drive her to madness instead of just killing her outright?"
"Hey!" Mimiron yelled. "I know."
"What is it?" Freya questioned.
The mechagnome let out a short cough to clear his electronic throat. He took a bold stance with his hands on his hips and looked up at the female Keeper with a bold smile.
"Credibility."
There was a brief pause. This did not appear to be the incredibly epic moment that had played out in Mimiron's mind.
"Credibility?"
The Titanic Watcher enquiringly stared back at her small companion.
"That is correct," Thorim nodded. "Loken tampering with the archives was just the start of Yogg-Saron's plan. The Old God knew that as long as we had the archivist, we would eventually be able to repair and restore the records back to their original state."
"But that still doesn't explain why Auriaya was allowed to live instead of killing her outright," Hodir added.
"Actually," the mage bravely interjected. "It makes perfect sense."
The Keepers all turned their attention to the human garbed in flaming red robes. Seeing them all stare down upon him all at once was a bit imposing. He steeled his resolve in order to further explain his rationale.
"If Auriaya is the key to restoring the archives, then it is only natural that you would want to keep her alive with a tarnished mind than to kill her and leave room for doubt."
All of the Titanic Watchers appeared to be even more curious with Cayden's explanation than ever before. They allowed the mage to continue without raising any additional questions.
"Something similar happened to the Kirin Tor a few years ago. One of our elder instructors had fallen gravely ill. This was a very serious time as we all thought he may not live to continue teaching our class. He asked us to continue studying from the tome assigned to us and prepare for an examination upon his return. When the day of the test came, we quickly found that none of the questions given had anything to do with the book we'd been studying for weeks on end."
Cayden took a deep breath and continued.
"Naturally, we raised a fuss citing that this was unfair and that we were given false information. Our instructor lashed back at us stating that he wrote the book we were studying from himself and that he knew every single word from one cover to the next. That's when we realized his folly."
Everyone gazed upon the mage with deep interest as he finished.
"The book we were assigned to read was not written by him but rather, his brother. Our instructor had been so sick he could not remember what tome we were actually assigned so instead of reading the book himself, he wrote our examination based off his own memory. The book in question was a retired script on arcane conjuring and had been archived years ago as newer methods of summoning replaced those teachings. We were never supposed to read from it to begin with."
The memories of this haunting experience wore on Cayden's mind but he pressed on.
"The illness he succumbed to had ruined his perception upon reality. He firmly believed that we were assigned to study his book and his alone. He refused to acknowledge his fault and ended up being dismissed from the class by his superiors. The man lost all of his credibility on that day and all of his tomes, archives, and papers were to be permanently locked up in our vault out of reach for current and future students despite any potential usefulness they may have. They said that they just couldn't trust him anymore and insisted on keeping any records of his work here from tarnishing the young minds studying here."
It was a sad day for students at the Kirin Tor. Most of them remembered the professor fondly. All it took was one mistake to ruin not only his career, but his entire legacy.
"Our professor passed away not too long after. His brother came out of retirement briefly to finish teaching our class. Needless to say, we were much more prepared for his examination than the one prior."
The Templar Knights graciously listened to the rest of their companion's story. Their collective sympathies helped Cayden complete this old tale.
"After the class was over, I spoke with his brother. I asked him a few questions about the health of our former instructor and if this was some lingering condition or just a onetime occurrence. I was fairly adamant at the time, so much so that I started getting angry with him for not trying to defend his brother and allowing all of his historical texts to be discarded. Thankfully, he was a very patient man and never once lost his temper at me. After all of my infuriated huffing, I will never forget what he said to me."
The mage took a step back and cleared his thoughts. He wanted to say the quote properly as to not cause any unwanted confusion.
"When you break a pot, we can use magic to mend it back to its original form without so much as a scratch. However, we're not fixing the problem, only putting out the fire that it caused. The memory of the incident lives on forever and becomes a part of you for the rest of your life. Even if we could go back in time to correct that moment, the one who caused it would still never be able to forget what they had done. In order to ensure that no more pots are broken, you need to either teach the person to walk more carefully or, put them in a place where they can no longer break another pot again."
This cold-hearted bout of wisdom had stuck with Cayden for years. Mages have been taught to be sensible and logical in all situations. It was a rather brash way to deal with the problem but at the very least, he understood why they took such a measure.
"Auriaya's situation is very similar," the mage stated reverting back to his more composed form. "Yogg-Saron knew by corrupting the archivist, her credibility would be called into question. Questioning someone you have trusted for so long is an arduous task. Instead of attempting to verify the details and restoring the records back to their original form, the archives themselves would be called into question inevitably leading to the proposal of their complete destruction."
"Destroy the historical archives?" Auriaya gasped. "Why would the Old God want to do such a thing? What would it gain?"
"The Old Gods thrive off chaos," Samuel added. "Destroying our history would be just one method of doing so."
"Indeed," nodded the mage. "However, the purpose may be more sinister than we can imagine. From what we know about the Old Gods, they are quite crafty and capable beings. I don't believe they would merely want to destroy historical documents for the purpose of bringing chaos. There has to be an underlying reason that we're not seeing."
"Which makes it imperative that we find out what Auriaya was documenting before succumbing to corruption," declared Thorim. "Perhaps she was studying something Yogg-Saron has a vested interest in."
All eyes fell upon the bronze Watcher. She delved deep into her mind and recalled the final few moments of clarity before the darkness had taken over.
"I was reviewing a scripture written down by an ancient astronomer," she stated. "They used the positioning of our stars to outline and document historical moments. Their reasoning lie in the fact that our history is recorded in the shimmering lights above and the language to translate these moments has yet to be discovered. It seemed very profound at the time but now it has been reduced to nothing more than a lost art."
"Did this astronomer say anything specifically?" Posed Thorim. "Have we recorded any of his findings?"
Auriaya casually nodded.
"Just one," she replied. "The archive wasn't particularly interested in the findings as much as they were the method."
"What did it say?"
The bronze Watcher thought carefully. It was a rough translation at best since developing the language to read such a unique way of recording history was still in its infancy.
"The two stars shall light the path."
Thorim looked more annoyed than anything else at her response.
"What does that even mean?"
Everyone simultaneously pondered the cryptic message left behind by this ancient astronomer. It was too vague to narrow down to just one area. This one line could mean nothing or be the root of everything. It could be speaking about an event that had already transpired or one that has yet to come into fruition. The statement was too colloquial to decipher here. More research would be required and that's if they determined this information was somewhat valuable to begin with.
The night elf's ears twitched. A piece of rock shifted in the distance. She snapped her gaze towards the outer most bronze pillar. A lone woman was spotted crouching in the corner attempting to remain hiding from view. She quickly dove back into cover and away from Narula's further examination.
"Raymond," the night elf whispered gently tugging at his arm.
"What is it Narula?"
Her hand extended with a bold finger pointed at the direction of the disturbance.
"I saw someone standing over there watching us just now."
"What?!"
The paladin broke off from the collective gathering. He jogged ahead with Narula following closely beside him. They stopped just a few feet short of the massive pool of saronite bubbling in the center of the room.
"Is anyone there?" Called Rayne. "Show yourself!"
Tensions mounted within his conscious. Emerald's master could be lurking behind that pillar. She must be so terribly scared and frightened that she had no idea what to think of this entire mess. The paladin steeled his resolve and carefully scanned the area with his engineering goggles while prying the night elf for more information.
"Did you happen to catch any specific details Narula?"
She grimly shook her head.
"Only a few scraps of leather armor and a long black dress," the night elf replied. "I only got a brief glimpse of her."
"Her?!"
That cemented it for the paladin. Lorelei was definitely here. Thoughts raced throughout his mind. He had absolutely no idea what he was going to say to her. They last parted on such dreadful terms. Rayne had so much he wanted to say but couldn't find the words to speak.
"You want me to go sneak around and check it out boss?" The gnome casually asked.
The paladin denied his request with a simple wave.
"I don't want to agitate her," he replied. "We should –"
"Raymond," interrupted Narula. "This woman… I do not believe she is who you think she is."
His eyes widened. The night elf must have been reading his expressions carefully. It was written on his face as clear as day. She heard the whole story the night after the battle of Wintergrasp had ended. The paladin even made the mistake to whisper her name after hearing the woman's cries. Narula's hearing was impeccable. There was no way that could have slipped by her. She knew it and now, so did he.
"Then, who is it?"
The night elf calmly shook her head.
"I do not know," she replied. "But we should not linger for much longer. Perhaps –"
"Forgive me."
The room froze. Everyone drew their attention to the voice calling from beyond the bronze pillar. A vrykul woman slowly stepped forward. She was adorned with several masterfully crafted pieces of leather armor and gauntlets. Her waist was affixed with a plate belt with a long black dress hanging underneath. The woman's physique was imposing, even for a member of their proud race. Straight locks of auburn hair hung down her back and along the sides of her face over a shining silver circlet.
A pair of bloodshot red eyes stared back at them. The woman sounded a bit rattled but her expression was stern.
"Who are you?" Rayne calmly asked.
The vrykul woman carefully approached the group. Every step she took was calculated and methodical. Her feet stood at the edge of the broken tile where the pool of saronite liquid gathered.
"I am Sara."
That name sent an odd shiver down his backside. Her voice was strong and direct. There wasn't a hint of fear or anxiety. This woman commanded every word she spoke,
"How did you get down here?" The paladin questioned. "This area is not safe."
"I don't remember," she stated. "My memory is hazy. I had fallen asleep. When I awoke, I found myself here."
The story was shaky but he couldn't quite deny it outright just yet. She was specifically vague with the details but if this vrykul was truly trapped down here, it was Rayne's duty to ensure she is freed from this ongoing nightmare.
"We heard someone screaming for help earlier. They sounded desperate and afraid," stated the paladin. "Was that you?"
The vrkul woman nodded once.
At least one bit of evidence had been confirmed. Lorelei's whereabouts were still a mystery that would have to wait a little longer for the solution to be found.
"What happened?"
"Monsters came out of nowhere," she replied. "They tried to attack me so I ran. That is when she fell and scared them off."
Her story made a little sense but something was off. Rayne attempted to delve in further but was silenced as they vrykul shot out a finger and pointed it in their direction.
"The fiends have returned," she declared. "Hurry! You must stop them at once."
The Templar Knight turned and found a swarm of faceless creatures pouring into the room. Half a dozen tentacle wielding monsters stomped towards them.
"Stay your blade Templar," ordered Thorim. "We shall handle these beasts."
The Keeper barreled forward. Lightning surrounded his mace and cracked with a thunderous fury. He swung the mace mightily and crushed the first faceless one straight through its thick purple mass. The creature instantly exploded in a mist of vile saronite colored vapors. Thorim had reduced the first threat to veritable ashes in a single blow. The strength of the Keepers was not to be trifled with.
"The time to strike at the head of the beast will soon be upon us!" Cried the vrykul. "Focus your anger and hatred on his minions!"
"Head of the beast?!" Marcus spat. "What is she talking about?"
"I don't know!" Rayne shouted back. "But we better be on guard. Everyone, spread out!"
The paladin drew his sword and shield. His companions responded in kind. They spread out across the room giving them plenty of freedom and mobility to act and react should the need arise.
Thorim and Hodir worked masterfully together. Their attacks disintegrated the minions of the Old Gods. However, with every two they seemed to get rid of, another pair of monsters funneled through the doorway.
"There's no end to these guys!" Weasel shouted.
"They are strong indeed," the draenei commented. "But even a giant's strength has their limitations."
"Then we will do what we can to help them," ordered Rayne. "Marcus, Weasel, Ademski, stay back. Everyone else, let them have it!"
Bullets ripped into the air. Saelena didn't need to hear a second words before taking some well-placed shots against their advancing adversaries. Engaging the faceless monsters in melee combat was pointless. They would only get in the Keepers' way. Fortunately, they had a masterful team of casters ready to provide additional support and help drive these creatures back to the depths they originated from.
Columns of light crashed down upon the hideous fiends. The Legend twins continued their onslaught of holy infused spells. Cayden provided additional support by hurling bolt after furious bolt of frozen energy. It may not have been enough to stop the faceless ones entirely but it did slow the creatures down a tad and that was greatly appreciated.
Bundles of roots and vines rose up from the cracked tiles. They seized the stocky legs of the monsters and entangled their extraneous appendages. Narula kept them bound for as long as she could. Nature's grasp in this vile area paled in comparison to the sheer brute force strength of the faceless ones. They weren't tied up for long but it was plenty time for the Keepers to make short work of them.
"Yes! YES! Show them no mercy!" Sara cheered. "Give no pause to your attacks!"
"That broad is really into this, isn't she?" Marcus joked.
"She is vrykul after all," shrugged the gnome. "I heard their ladies are even more deadly and fierce than the men. Some even refer to them as black widows!"
"Her enthusiasm is odd," Rayne added. "However, we are keeping them at bay for the moment. A little encouragement would be good for morale."
Freya stepped in and assisted the night elf. Thickened branches sprang out and wrapped around the entire bodies of the faceless ones. Her overwhelming power dwarfed the creatures that dared to attack them entirely. The vines squeezed the monsters. They crushed their hulking frames within the living appendages of nature's unadulterated wrath.
"Let hatred and rage guide your blows!"
Sara's vicious battle cries drew the attention of Rayne and the few others surrounding him. Something about that last comment was different than the others. Vrykul's weren't particularly known for their eloquent speech during combat. However, this one's words were much more refined and demanding than anything the paladin has ever come from one of their own.
"Templar," Ademski called. "Something is not right."
"You feel it too?" He replied. "What do you think is happening?"
"That is what we're going to find out," replied the draenei. "Saelena!"
The silent draenei paused her shots. She looked over at her husband who stood stoically in front of the vrykul. Ademski raised his arm into the air. He threw it outward, pointing his thick fingers straight at Sara's skull. Saelena nodded and peered down at the woman through the scope of her rifle.
"What are you doing Ademski?!" Pleaded Rayne. "STOP!"
An explosive round erupted from the silent draenei's rifle. The bullet whizzed through the air at blinding speed. Rayne winced expecting to see a surge of blood pouring from the poor vrykul's skull. His eyes immediately widened when Saelena's shot passed harmlessly through Sara as if she weren't even there.
The paladin funneled through the settings of his goggles. There was no way she could have missed that shot. Saelena was the best marksmen he knew. The only other explanation was that she missed her on purpose which made absolutely no sense given the circumstances.
Rayne stopped the goggles on the thermal detection setting. The air in his throat went dry. Sara's body gave of no detection of heat whatsoever. It was exactly as the draenei had thought. This vrkul woman was keeping a very deadly secret.
"Something about this one's story did not sit well with me," Ademski stated. "Her timing of events was incorrect."
The draenei was right. Rayne cursed himself for missing such a glaring detail. Sara's cries heard from the platform above came well after Auriaya had fallen. It was a careless mistake easily made in the heat of the moment but the paladin was not quick to forgive himself.
The waves of faceless creatures had finally ceased. Everyone turned their attention towards the center of the room. Sara boldly took a step into the searing pool of liquid saronite. A smirk formed upon her thick brown lips.
"I am the lucid dream."
The vrykul took another step forward. Her feet sunk all the way to her ankles within the teal pool.
"The monster in your nightmares."
Sara proceeded into the pool with the same calm and calculated steps when she previously approached the group themselves. The liquid rose to her knees sticking to the fine fabrics of her cloth dress.
"The fiend of a thousand faces."
With every bold declaration her tone grew more cold and menacing. Sara moved towards the center of the pool. Her bloodshot eyes never once left the gaze of the paladin.
"Cower before my true form."
The vrykul leapt into the air. Her body instantly exploded in a blinding flash of painful light. The Templar Knights braced for impact as a sea of white washed over them. Rayne's goggles were going haywire. He tried shifting them to every setting but they all seemed to be malfunctioning. He quickly turned them off and raised the lenses to rest on his forehead as the light faded.
Sara had vanished completely. A mighty val'kry now floated high above in her place. Her angelic form and black armored visage struck fear into the hearts that would dare stand in their way. Rayne and the others had experienced battling one of these before back in Utgarde Pinnacle. Though Svala was a tough opponent at the time, it paled in comparison to the ominous presence given off by Sara's new form. White astral wings flapped forebodingly as it hovered over the now festering pool of saronite.
Liquid erupted from the center of the room. It rained down upon the Knights and Keepers. The steaming fluid stained their skin and clothing. From out of the depths of the ominous crater rose a being made up of pure nightmares. The creature was massive. Tentacles shot out from the cracks and crevices of its surroundings. Dozens of tiny maws surrounding its fleshy blue dome carrying an array of vicious fangs of all shapes and sizes. Even the monster's nostrils house a pair of jagged fangs. Its slowly reach the top where its most dreadful feature presented itself. The Old God's enormous mouth housed teeth that were larger than any of the Templar Knights standing before it. The opening itself could have swallowed them all whole with room in its horrendous bite to chew up the Keepers that dared to bind it. Its hideous breath reeked of the foul blood that it currently swam in. Yogg-Saron let out a violent hiss before speaking its unholy declaration.
"BOW DOWN BEFORE THE GOD OF DEATH!"
Terror struck the paladin. His body froze where it stood. The Old God emitted a baleful aura that attacked their minds directly. Not a single command reached his arms or legs. Rayne was paralyzed with fear. This was the true form of the dreaded Yogg-Saron and he was virtually powerless to do anything about it.
"The Old God has risen!" Declared Freya.
"Auriaya!" Called Thorim. "Leave this place to us. Go! Hurry!"
The bronze Watcher sped towards the only exit in the room. Once her safety was confirmed, he began relaying additional orders.
"Keepers, to your posts!"
The Titanic Watchers fled to bronze pillars. Each of them stepped up and stood proudly in the gleaming columns of golden light. Their stoic visages implored a commanding presence inside the prison. Thorim looked down upon their new allies and gave some much appreciated information and further instructions.
"These platforms will protect us from the Old God's influence. We will be safe as long as we are within these chambers," Thorim stated.
"We will do what we can to help you from here young ones," Freya added.
"The veil of winter will protect you, champions!" Hodir called.
"It will take some time to repair these bindings," lamented Mimiron. "I will work as quickly as I can but in the meantime, make sure those appendages don't come near me… Or you for that matter."
The Keepers were hard at work attempting to return this repulsive creature back into its cell. However, Rayne and the others were still trapped in place unable to move or attack. Yogg-Saron's very presence shattered their will in an instant. The Old God's tentacles tore through the tile floor and were quickly moving in on their position.
"Eonar, your servant calls for your blessing!"
A waft of green light washed over the Templar Knights. The paladin's body grew lighter. His mental bindings melted away. Rayne was free to move and act on his own again. Confidence filled his heart. He tightened his grip on his blade and shot it out with a commanding shout.
"Everyone! Spread out and protect the Keepers!"
Rayne and Ademski moved towards the flailing tentacles. Light funneled through the weapons. Their blades cut deeply through its thickened blue flesh. Tears of streaking teal juices flowed from the wounds. They continually slashed the monster's appendage until it tore completely off its root. The massive stumped pumped more of the Old God's disgusting blood as it was severed from the rest of its hideous tentacle.
The rest of the Knights fanned out around the chamber. They took up positions near each of the keepers and began unleashing their various assortment of spells, skills, and attacks amongst Yogg-Saron's rampant limbs.
Rage bellowed into the air. The warrior let out a fearsome battle cry as he charged towards the Old God's main body in the center of the room. His mace would have done little to break the tentacles but it was more than enough weapon to crack a few of the creature's menacing fangs and Yogg-Saron certainly had plenty to spare.
Marcus lunged into the air. The titansteel-forged mace trailed overhead in the grip of both of his hands. He drove the mallet downward. A sickening crash of light exploded on impact against the Old God's frightening skull. The very room quaked against his awesome strength.
Whips of energy cracked out from the blow. They snapped wildly and slapped the warrior out of the bubbling saronite pool and clear across the room. Marcus skidded against the cracked tile floor before coming to a painful halt over thirty yards away. His muscles cringed when he pushed himself back up to a knee. If he was reeling after delivering the titanic blow, Yogg-Saron must have been flailing in agony.
The warrior's jaw dropped upon further inspection. He delivered what was perhaps the most devastating blow in his entire life and the Old God didn't have so much as a scratch on him. Marcus barely had time to process it all before his instincts screamed at him to move. A crash of vehement black energy erupted where the warrior once knelt. His eyes darted upwards. Sara in her val'kyr form was hurling bolts of shadows towards him and the rest of his companions.
"Yogg-Saron is protrected by a magical barrier!" Yelled Cayden. "It's futile to attack it directly."
"That's not all kid!" Marcus shouted back. "That creepy white bitch is trying to peg us with some nasty shit of her own!"
"Keep your guards up everyone!" Rayne cried as he delivered another scathing blow to an adjacent tentacle. "Mind your positions over your attacks. We cannot –"
"MADNESS WILL CONSUME YOU!"
The paladin's words were cut off by the horrifying taunt of Yogg-Saron. His gaze locked onto the Old God. Its maw was opening wider. A vortex of black energy swelled within. Air violent sucked through the fanged chamber. Its grip seized around Rayne's body and began pulling him closer to its mouth.
"What's happening?!" Pleaded the paladin.
Rayne knelt forward dug his sword into the ground. His back now faced the sickening visage of Yogg-Saron. It briefly slowed his journey but not entirely. The masonry beneath his blade cracked as the weapon was dragged along with him. Nothing was stopping the Old God from satiating its appetite and right now, it hungered for the flesh of a paladin.
"Raymond!"
The night elf ceased her stormy array of silver explosions and blitzed towards the paladin. She fell forward on her hands as her body quickly took the shape of a violet puma. Narula raced across the battlefield. She leapt into the air and returned back to her night elf form while catching Rayne's free arm in her mighty grip.
Dirt and stony debris continued to slide off the paladin's armor and weapon. Despite Narula's added strength, he continued to be pulled in by the unrelenting Old God. Her hands wrapped around Rayne's gauntlet and locked on to them as if she were part of it. They were being dragged together as they moved closer and closer towards the deadly maw of Yogg-Saron.
"It's too strong!" Rayne agonizingly screamed. "It's going to take us both!"
"He wouldn't dare!" The night elf shouted back. "I promised to always pro-"
A gust of wind swept over them. Narula lost the grip from one of her hands but still retained the other as they were pulled faster into the unknown desperately calling out to them.
"Narula!" Rayne pleaded. "I'm not going to lose you! Save your-"
"Never!" She snapped back. "I won't let you go!"
The paladin's cloak tugged at his neck. It rushed forward and pulled him away from the force of the violent suction. His golden cloth was kept locked tightly within Emerald's fangs. The trio ceased moving altogether. They finally had enough strength to stop the Old God's tug on his body once and for all.
"Narula!" Smiled Rayne. "I'm –"
Pain ripped through his arm. A wily tentacle slapped the paladin's wrist. Their grip was immediately broken. The tiger was still clutching his cloak but their combined strength was not nearly enough. He could see the night elf fading from view. Rayne's emotions ran into a frenzied assault. He flew backwards into the air drifting further and further apart from the one he loved most in this world. The one moment he waited to tell her everything was lost in an instance. He stared back at her with a terrifying expression sweeping through his face.
"NARULA!"
Her name carried as he and the tiger were dragged into the maw of Yogg-Saron. The last image he caught before the darkness swelled around him was the night elf on her knees reaching out to him. Her eyes were filled with sheer terror as she screamed the paladin's name as hard as her lungs would allow.