Undeath Beckons

Chapter 10 – Undercity

LOADING…

FETCHING CHARACTER DATA…

CHARACTER SELECTED: BLIGHTFIRE

ENTERING WORLD…

Our progress was swift. It took the better part of a day to reach Undercity from Brill, but we encountered no opposition and only a few scattered Forsaken travelers. The road wound though mile upon mile of misty trees. I didn't talk much; nothing to say, really, since I had no memories I could summon up and recount. Mitexi was a bit of a chatterbox though. She seemed much less nervous now than when we'd first left Deathknell. We had the good sense to keep our imps out, but with them phase shifted to the Nether, they were unable to speak with us. Not that they'd want to anyway. We didn't have much in common, demons and undead.

Mitexi's stories of life on a farm in the secluded southern regions of Lordaeron did little to improve my increasingly grim mood, however. What awaited us in Undercity anyway? Would we even get a chance to take on David Trias? And where the heck was I going to find Dytressi, if she'd managed to evade even the guards at Deathknell? I knew not. Mitexi sensed my glowering demeanor and slowly talked less and less, eventually withering into silence. The final leg of our journey was tensely quiet. But the sight of the grand city perked me up again, and I shared my excitement with my companion.

"It's really quite magnificent," I commented. We strode casually up a road flanked by Forsaken banners. The first courtyard had a dried-up fountain in it, surrounded by dead grass and rubble. High walls shielded us from the gray sunlight as we walked across the area. Up ahead, I saw a wooden bridge traversing a river of green slime. How delightfully icky.

"Gross," Mitexi said, as if translating my thoughts. She gestured downward. "That's nasty." I nodded in agreement. We made our way through some archways, past a large bell that had fallen down some time ago, and down a narrow hallway into the former throne room. I looked about in awe.

"Hold up," I whispered, causing Mitexi to pause. We stood still a moment. "Can you hear it?"

She looked at me curiously. "Hear what?"

I tilted my head, gazing around the room at the tiered balconies overlooking the throne. There was a tiny splatter of blood on the icy marble beneath the steps of the king's seat; I knelt and studied it. "It's almost like I can hear the murmurs of the court," I told Mitexi. "The whispers of the dead lords who used to sit in this room, making law." My voice was low and eerie.

She shivered. "Okay, you're creeping me out. Let's just keep going."

I sighed and smiled. "As you wish." We journeyed down several more hallways, past a raised tomb, and by the Gods what was that thing?

It stood ten feet tall and equally wide, with two massive arms and a third tiny one sticking from its shoulder. The head was a bulbous lump, the face distorted and clearly sub-human. In one arm the thing wielded a massive cleaver, and in the other, a spiked chain. The body of the beast was little more than a hodgepodge of random parts—intestines, skin, assorted muscles and other tissues—and the angles of the bones were highly irregular. The thing grunted happily at us as we tentatively approached.

"Glurgg… little undeads welcome in Undercity! Take elevator to main chambers below!" it bellowed in a freaky, childlike voice.

"Uh… thanks," I mumbled. The creature—it could really only be adequately described as an abomination—gestured toward a large panel, which at that moment slid up, revealing a platform within. Mitexi and I quickly shuffled onto the circular area, and waited. I glanced upward. Spikes… interesting.

We descended quickly after a minute or so, and I felt the air grow even colder. Not that it much mattered, since cold was normal: it was akin to the difference between light and dark gray. We quickly left the elevator, hurried past two more abominations, and rounded a corner to find ourselves standing before a truly awe-inspiring sight. We'd arrived in Undercity.

The room extended outward in a wide ring, with multitudinous alcoves along the walls of our current floor. Large carved stone skulls hung like watchful gargoyles over a central chamber, in which stood three Forsaken and a blue specter of some kind. The middle was accessible via a set of stairs, and the stairs continued downward from there, first reaching two more platforms, then the lower ring. I could see more rivers of green slime traversed by bridges, and tunnels leading to other parts of the city, each demarcated with a colorful banner. The room buzzed with unlife, as dozens of Forsaken scurried around, going about their daily business. Some were adventurers like ourselves, but many more were humble workers and merchants, just making ends meet any way they could.

"C'mon," I said quietly to a dumbstruck Mitexi. "Let's go. We need to find-"

"The bank?" Mitexi interrupted, pointing. I followed her gaze: sure enough, the center chamber had a large sign that I'd failed to notice. Curious, we approached one of the Forsaken standing there. His orbs followed us from beneath two huge tufts of mottled purple hair.

"Mortimer Montague, Undercity banking services," he spouted. "What can I assist you with?"

Mitexi nudged me forward. Clearly her shyness was getting the best of her. "Yes," I began, "well, um. What kind of things do you offer?"

He sighed rather mournfully and rattled off an almost certainly memorized speech: "All Horde members receive free access to the bank from any Horde city. The Royal Undercity bank is magically linked to all banking services within the Horde, and a number of Goblin cities as well, so anything you deposit here—be it money or goods—can be magically transported to other banks in a matter of seconds. Your account is tracked through a two-step system: you will select an account password, which you must memorize, and a minor enchantment is placed on your body, which serves as a supplemental identification." He exhaled. "I assume you are new Forsaken from Deathknell?"

We both nodded. "Yes," I told him.

"Then," he continued wearily, "would you like to open accounts?"

I turned to Mitexi. "You wanna?" I was excited about this. A safe place to store things sounded pretty neat, and the fact that I could get to it from anywhere was mind-boggling. Mitexi seemed interested as well.

"Sure," she replied.

"We want to open accounts," I informed Mortimer.

He nodded. "A moment, please. There is some… paperwork." He uttered this last word as if it were tortuous to even consider saying, and disappeared into the chamber. After a few minutes he emerged again and beckoned Mitexi forward. She followed as he led her into the offices, and the two of them vanished again into the back of the bank. I waited, looking around as I did so. Where was the Rogues' Quarter? That should be our next destination.

"Your turn," Mitexi told me cheerily when she emerged a few minutes later. I instructed Quznam to wait and followed Mortimer. We weaved through a couple of hallways, allowing me glimpses of other offices occupied by Forsaken, ghosts, and little green creatures that I assumed were the Goblins he'd mentioned. We soon reached a tiny closet of an office, and Mortimer led me inside.

"Sex?" he asked flatly, gesturing for me to take a seat.

My eyes widened. "E-exuse me?"

He tapped his pencil against the desk. "Your sex? I need it for the forms."

"Oh. Female," I responded, a bit embarrassed at my initial reaction.

"Name?" he inquired.

"Blightfire."

"Any surname or previous names?"

I paused a moment. "No surname… but I was known as Silina in life." Saying the title made me shudder involuntarily; would I slip into another walking nightmare? Thankfully, my eyes stayed open, and the floor did not spiral away.

Mortimer either ignored or failed to notice my tension and continued: "Profession?"

"Adventurer," I answered, unsure of what else I could say.

"Class?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your training… what sort of fighter are you?"

"Oh! Warlock."

He mulled over the form in his hands, perhaps looking for anything else he needed to ask. "That's all I need from you for now. Please stand, and I'll perform the enchantment to bind your account to you." I rose to my feet nervously. Mortimer wiggled his fingers at me, producing no effect whatsoever.

"Anytime you're ready," I said. He cocked his head, and wiggled his fingers again, with the same result.

"Interesting. A moment, please." In a flash he was gone, out of the room. I remained standing, wondering uneasily what'd happened. Was I a wanted criminal, and he'd gone for the guards? Perhaps I should flee. No. Get a grip, Blightfire. If you run, you look guilty. Innocent people don't run.

Mortimer came back quickly with a ghost on his heels. The bluish creature glowed with an unearthly light; it looked like a finely dressed human man, but was see-through and hovered a few inches off the ground. "This is her?" the ghost asked.

"Yes sir."

The ghost studied me a moment. "Louis Winthorpe Montague the Third," he said, extending a spectral hand. I shook it. My fingertips tingled like they'd fallen asleep. "I'm the president of the Royal Undercity Bank." He gestured toward the seat again, and took one himself in Mortimer's chair. Mortimer, meanwhile, shuffled nervously from one foot to the other as he stood near the door. He appeared uncertain whether he should stay or go. "Blightfire is your name, correct?"

"Yes sir," I said politely.

"What we have here is a very unique case, Miss Blightfire." He gestured at the files on the desk. "As Mortimer informed me, you were—sit down, Mortimer!—known by another name in life, is that correct?"

Mortimer took a seat beside me, clearly relieved at having finally been given instructions. "Yeah," I told Louis.

He nodded. "Many of us changed our names after our demise, though those among us with, ahem, family ties often retained our living titles. Still, it is infrequent that we have a situation such as yours." The ghost's tone was rather hard to read: was he amused? Filled with pity? Bored?

"Sir, with all due respect, what is my 'situation'?" I asked plainly.

He smiled. "Apologies for my lack of clarity." Louis shuffled the pages on the desk a few times. Finally, he looked me in the eye. "Miss Blightfire, to put it simply, you already have an account with us."

I stared back. "Pardon?"

"You have an enchantment on you that is linked to a bank account here."

What the heck did that mean? Had I been here before and forgotten about it? Then suddenly I recalled my dream, and the affiliation I'd had when I was alive. "Are you certain the account is not from a bank with the Alliance?" I asked.

Louis shrugged. "We cannot say for sure. You don't remember?"

If I'd still be able to do so, I would've blushed. "No, not really."

"I see. Well, be that as it may, two options now lie before you. You can either present the code for your current account and gain access to it, or you can close the old account and open a new one with a fresh password." I began to respond, but Louis continued, "Be warned: Any items in your existing account will become bank property if you open a new one." He smiled at me. "It is your decision, Miss Blightfire."

I gazed at him warily. Was he hiding something? That smug grin… did he know what was in my bank? But it mattered little: I didn't know the code. Without it, I couldn't get at whatever items my past self had left behind.

"I will think about it," I informed Louis, "and come back at a later time with my decision."

He rose and bowed. "As you wish. Thank you for banking with Royal Undercity, and apologies for the inconvenience." He handed me a small scrap of paper. "My card, should you require me in the future. Present this, and I will attend to your needs." I thanked the ghost, and Mortimer escorted me out.

"What took you so long?" Mitexi asked worriedly.

"It was nothing," I answered, quickly scribbling Password! on the back of the card with a pen to remind myself why I was carrying it. "Minor banking glitch. I'll deal with it later. Let's find the Rogues' Quarter."

We left the central tier and headed for a lower wing. On a whim, we chose the purple banners. They were the prettiest. Mitexi and I rounded a bend and found ourselves facing a river of green sludge. She made a gesture of sticking her finger in her throat, which caused me to chuckle. As we scanned the area, I spotted something promising: a wide space over a bridge, in which stood a number of Forsaken wielding daggers. Rogues? We made our way over and inquired as to the whereabouts of Carolyn Ward.

"Who wants to know?" the first Forsaken we approached snapped.

"Um… no one," I replied, moving to a nearby female Forsaken. She had a crop of brilliant purple hair in spiked dreadlocks and a few pustules of plague on her forehead, just above each eye. Although her skin was scarred from many battles, she had a deceptively kind smile.

"I am Carolyn Ward," she informed us cheerfully. "What can I do for you?" She inspected our gear. "You're dressed rather oddly for Rogues."

"We aren't Rogues," I quickly corrected. "We come bearing news from Tirisfal Glades."

She nodded. "What's the word?"

I extracted the missive from my pack and handed it to her. "Papers from Magistrate Sevren in Brill."

Carolyn snatched them from my hand and studied them carefully. "Hm," she murmured after a minute or so. "I see." She sighed. "David Trias was one of our best. Real pity to see him defect like this. Can't say I know what drove him to it." She stowed the documents in her vest and turned to watch a nearby Rogue practicing his finishers.

Mitexi and I shot each other a look of impatience. "So?" I asked. "What do we do now?" I tapped my foot.

Carolyn looked me up and down. "What do you do? I haven't the slightest idea. The Shadowstalkers will see to this matter as soon as we have the personnel available. In the meantime, we'll allow David Trias to think he's gotten away with joining the ranks of the Crusade."

I was stunned. Her elitist tone was beginning to make my blood run a bit hotter. "Wait… so our part is over? We don't get to take on the traitor?"

Carolyn smirked at me. "What, you think you two can handle this mission? The assassination of a powerful Rogue deep within enemy territory?" I wanted to rip that condescending grin right off her self-satisfied face.

"Yes!" I shouted. "Mitexi and I are more than capable of managing this with a little backup to assist us!" I was indignant: this Rogue seemed to think I was nothing more than a child. I'd show her. Little girl, indeed. We'd see.

Carolyn remained stonefaced. "Do you realize, Warlock," the word practically gained spikes as it flew from her mouth, "how dangerous a mission this is? We need a team of extremely geared and experienced fighters if we hope to stand a chance against him. We need people who are operating on a whole other plane."

"I-"

Carolyn shook her head. "I'm afraid you and your friend simply aren't quite at a high enough level for this quest," she informed us stoically. "You'll need to train more before you'll be strong enough to take on Trias and whatever Scarlet minions he's amassed for himself."

I scoffed. "Fine. Any idea where we can do that?"

Carolyn pointed down the outer ring of the city. "Two quarters that way. You'll want to see Kaal Soulreaper, an orc who lurks around the Temple of the Damned." She smiled apologetically at me. "Best of luck. Come back when you're a bit stronger, and maybe we'll see about letting you spill the blood you seem to crave."

Before turning to go, I remembered something important. "Carolyn?"

"Yes?"

"Ever heard of a Rogue named Dystressi?"

Carolyn eyed me, slightly confused. "No, I haven't. Why?"

"No reason. Just wondering." I snagged a rather bewildered Mitexi by the arm and led her in the direction Carolyn had pointed. Not high enough level for that quest, were we? We'd see about that. She'd be eating those words when we brought back David Trias's head!

"Blight, you've really got to stop talking back to superior officers," Mitexi scolded me uneasily. I glanced at her; poor girl was even paler than usual.

"Sorry Texi. I just really gets me worked up when they treat us like we're kids."

Mitexi sighed. "I can see that."

We made our way around the outer ring, walking uncomfortably past more abominations and carefully avoiding the rivers of slime that seemed to be so popular in this gods-forsaken—haha, good one Blight—place. Soon we reached the Temple of the Damned, and located our green-skinned benefactor. He was clad in red and gold robes, and wielded a skull-topped staff in one hand. We approached him as he stood surveying the surrounding area.

"Lok'tar!" he greeted us. "More fresh demon-heads?"

"Uh… what?" Mitexi stammered.

The orc chuckled. "A nickname I have for our kind. The way of the warlock is serious business, but we can have fun now and again too, am I right?"

I cut in: "Yeah, yeah, great. Listen, Kaal is it?" He nodded with a toothy smile. "Right, well, anyway. Listen, I'm Blightfire and this is Mitexi. We're in need of some training."

"You've come to right place, demon-heads. I know much about the art of manipulating the energies of the Twisting Nether." His eyes seemed to glow with bright green light. "I can teach you… for a price."

Now the orc was talking my language. "What can we learn from you?"

He explained, "I will teach you how to summon two new demons from the Nether: the Voidwalker and the Succubus. In addition, I will show you how to perform more powerful versions of your existing spells. And, with my help, you may yet be able to learn how to create augmentative stones that can enhance your abilities even further."

"Intriguing," I replied coyly. "But what's the catch?"

"In the southern region of Silverpine forest, to the north of the cursed Pyrewood Village, you will find Shadowfang Keep. An aged human sorcerer by the name of Ashcrombe is interred in a prison cell there. I want you to kill him." Kaal studied my reaction grimly.

"That's it?"

He seemed surprised. "Yes. Bring me back his signet ring as proof, and I'll teach you the other spells I promised. For now, I can demonstrate for you the means to perform stronger spells, and one other important warlock skill: Life Tap." The orc led us to a small circular platform surrounded by emerald ooze.

"What's Life Tap?" Mitexi asked. I too wished to know, but somewhere inside I could already hear the echoes of the Demonic words. It was like I'd learned them in a dream.

"Life Tap," Kaal explained, "is an ability well-suited to the nature of the demon-head." He stood in the circle. With a quick grunt and the flick of his wrist, a puff of jade smoke swirled round his body. He winced. "L-life Tap," he repeated, "transforms a portion of your health into mana."

Mitexi gasped. "Wait, that… that's crazy!"

"That's awesome!" I interjected. Unlimited casting power, so long as my life force could be sustained. Mana when I needed it most. What was not to like?

"Come, I will teach you the words." We both joined him in the circle and repeated the phrase a few times. "Now, concentrate on the power of the Twisting Nether, and allow it to flow through you."

I cast the spell. My fingers twitched as the energy was sucked out of them, and for a brief second I felt a stinging explosion of blinding pain surge through every muscle and molecule of my body. I felt my eye orbs flicker, like a candle caught by a breeze. But then the ache subsided, and I could sense a greater focus in my mind. My vision grew temporarily sharper, like I was peering through crystal-clear waters. Yes… oh, what a rush. Mitexi cast the spell beside me. She squeaked when the pain hit, and looked a little queasy afterward. But I could see the twinge in her eyes; she'd enjoyed it too.

"Excellent. With this tool at your disposal, you should be well equipped to face the terrors of the Keep," Kaal announced. "Now, let's get your other spells upgraded." We dismissed our imps and spent a few hours learning the new versions of our existing repertoire: Shadow Bolt, Immolate, Curse of Agony, and Corruption. Kaal also taught Mitexi how to instill Fear, as I had done to Captain Melrache. He promised us further training when we returned from our mission, and bid us farewell as we made our way to the center ring of Undercity.

"Well, what next?" I asked Mitexi as we passed the bank. "Should we call it a night?"

She agreed wearily. "Yeah I'm beat. All that training was a lot of work." We located the Inn along the upper ring of the central quarter, and paid a few silver for a cramped room. The accommodations weren't exactly as high-brow as we'd come to expect.

"Coffins?" Mitexi grumbled indignantly, studying our beds with a disdainful eye. "As if we needed another reminder that we're dead."

"I dunno," I replied jokingly, "they're kind of cozy." I laid down in one. "Not too bad, really." She sighed and took the one beside me.

"Goodnight," Mitexi murmured, already drifting off.

"Night," I answered, shutting my eyes. But sleep did not come so easily for me. I tossed and turned, wondering many things. No news of Dystressi: did that mean she hadn't come through here? Where would she have gone? And David Trias: what was Carolyn's deal? We could handle the bastard. Furthermore, what exactly was I going to do next? The immediate future seemed, for the moment, decided; but after these matters were settled, then what? I'd have to start anew. An entirely different life than what I'd known before, although not knowing how things used to be made it difficult to compare. And a final worry: the bank. The most reasonable explanation was that my account from life as Silina had somehow persisted. But what was the password? I finally feel into fitful rest.

During the night, I had a brief and strange dream (or memory; I couldn't be sure which). It began with me walking and gazing up at the star-studded sky above, painted deep purple and blue. On all sides of me towered huge, magnificent mushrooms, speckled with glowing violet spots and dripping with moisture. The marshy ground beneath my boots was sloppy and warm, with puddles of cool, standing water. The air smelled of plants and humidity. What was this place? I recognized the brilliant bands of color streaking across the evening sky: Outland.

At my sides marched the members of my squad: Pegy and the blonde were familiar, but I did not recognize the other two. One was a dark-haired human woman dressed in priestly robes. The other was a purple-skinned night elf, wearing decorated leather armor. As I watched, she transformed before my eyes, changing suddenly into a silver panther.

We hiked for just a moment or two before a titanic creature emerged from behind a nearby mushroom. It was easily twenty feet tall, with radiant turquoise flesh. The beast had three legs and a multitude of extraneous fins. It let out a piercing screech as we drew near.

"Orders, Corporal?" Pegy asked in her high-pitched voice. I looked around. When no one else answered, Pegy repeated the question, and I realized she was talking to me.

"Um…" I stumbled. Quick, how to respond? They were looking to me for leadership, but I had no idea what the hell was going on! "What do you recommend, uh…" I gestured at the blonde, "what was your name again?" Smooth one Blight. You'll get her name and some advice.

The warrior laughed. "Oh Lina, quit goofing around. Lethyn Moonfire said we'd know Boglash by its blue coloring and extreme size. This beast seems to have both."

I nodded, a bit disappointed that she hadn't said her name. "Right, right. Okay, attack!" Pegy let out a whoop of excitement and scurried into the marsh, disappearing behind some low brush. The human woman cast a protective shield around the warrior, who was already charging up to Boglash, and the night elf-cat-lady—Druid, my senses told me—lunged forward, raking the towering beast across its spindly legs.

Just as I was about to cast a spell and enter the fray, I woke up. I was still lying in my coffin, thank the Gods. No sleepwalking tonight. I shut my orbs again and had no further dreams.

The next day Mitexi and I purchased a modest breakfast from the innkeeper—fungus and milk, the best way to start your day—before taking one final look at the city. We'd only been here less than twenty-four hours, and already we were venturing off again. I felt somewhat disappointed; there was much yet to see.

"Any last minute errands?" I asked.

"Nope. Let's go." We took the elevator back up and started hiking across the courtyard. Suddenly we heard voices speaking an unfamiliar tongue. "Intruders. Alliance maybe?" I whispered.

Mitexi nodded. "Could be." I readied my spells, as did Mitexi. No time to summon imps; we were on our own. Who was approaching? It sounded like it was coming from a corridor just over the top of a nearby terrace. My companion and I took up a position near the staircase, and waited. Three gorgeous, light-skinned humanoids came sauntering down the steps, chatting away in their peculiar language.

I popped from the shadows. "Halt!" I ordered. "What business do you have in Undercity?" I did my best to appear imposing.

The girls looked at me in utter confusion. One of them said something to the others, and took a step forward. "Greetings," she said cordially, in perfect Gutterspeak. "We mean you no harm. Do not be afraid."

"Who are you? And what are you?" I demanded. I wasn't about to trust these strangers just on their word. Then again, this one before me—silky crimson hair and fluorescent green eyes over pouty red lips—did speak the Forsaken language. That was a good sign.

"I understand your confusion. We are Blood Elves. We are a young race that has only recently joined the Horde, so it's no surprise you're unfamiliar with our kind." She shushed the whispers of her companions. "My name is Iyania. These are my friends, Savenia," she pointed to the blonde, blue-robed elf at her left, "and Telisreyn," a gesture toward the brown-haired elf on her right. I spotted an imp at Telisreyn's feet. Iyania gave me a discreet bow and added, "We are pleased to meet you."

I lowered my guard a bit. Allies of the Horde? Well, if that were the case, then we had nothing to fear. Still, I was wary. I'd seen so-called "friends" of the Forsaken defect before, and I was in no mood to relive—re-unlive, as it were—that experience. "Greetings," I responded, performing a Forsaken salute. "I'm Blightfire."

"Mitexi," my friend added, saluting. Iyania translated what we'd said, and the three elves repeated the salute back to us.

"Sinu a'manore," Telisreyn added. I had no idea what that meant.

"Shush," Iyania scolded, silencing the girl. "You know they don't speak Thalassian." Telisreyn looked hurt.

"It's okay," Mitexi said with a kind smile.

Iyania inquired, "Where are you headed, adventurers?" We migrated down the steps and stood by the empty fountain in the square.

"We're going to Silverpine Forest!" Mitexi exclaimed before I could stop her.

"Sil'vap Ine?" Savenia cried happily, butchering the pronunciation. She rambled off something very long in Thalassian.

"It seems we were destined to meet, friends," Iyania informed us cheerfully. "Savenia and I are also going to Silverpine. Telisreyn is here to take a zeppelin down to Stranglethorn Vale."

I smiled as pleasantly as I could. Great. Now we had company. Well, a few extra blades couldn't hurt our chances… but all these complications were getting in the way of my real missions: finding Dystressi and getting revenge on David Trias. Who knew what these blood elves wanted? Their errands might take many extra days! But hold on, I said to myself, they may prove useful. It was true. Having more companions would give me an opportunity to learn from them. The extra time they'd take up was a price worth paying if it meant I could expand my powers.

"Perhaps we should all journey together?" I suggested, trying not to sound too icy.

Mitexi clapped her hands and let out an exuberant cry: "Oh, how exciting!" Savenia was jumping up and down enthusiastically, and the two girls grinned widely at each other as though they were old friends. Good. Finally, someone as chipper as Mitexi to keep her company. I really liked having the woman around, but she did have a habit of being disturbingly… upbeat.

Iyania discussed the matter with her companions for a moment before turning to face us once more. "It's settled, then," she informed me with a flicker of a smile. "We depart at once."