Disclaimer: Please, please, PLEASE don't sue. I own none of this.
Name: Potter, Harry
Division: Special Weapons
Location: The Blue Recluse (Warcraft Canon)
Night befell Stormwind as Harry stood in his room at the Recluse, pacing back and forth. There were too many issues concerning the last day and a half for him to sleep. Makale is busy investigating Cogrunner's escape, I left a massive trail leading right back to me. The Imperius spell should have broken by now, and pretty soon those people I hexed would start running to the nearest authority. One they do, I'm caught. I need to work more carefully in the future. Harry halted in his thoughts as he heard a person walking the hall towards his door. When the person stopped, he heard an abrupt knock at the door. "Come in," said the wizard. The door opened, revealing Makale as he stepped into the room.
"It's rather late for you to still be up, no? Especially after that debacle in the Stockade." the paladin said.
Harry responded, "I'm still a bit wound up after that little adventure, thanks for asking."
Makale nodded, looking at Harry with a curious eye. "You are one odd mage. Most keep their spell nonverbal. You shout in a language I've never heard. Why?"
Harry shrugged. "The words help me focus. I haven't been sure that my spell wouldn't fizzle when I cast them." New body, new rules, I guess. "It's a language that is rather personal to me." Haven't heard anyone else speak in truncated Latin. "Was that all you wanted to speak to me about? I have some work ahead of me tonight, and I need to get ready." Harry grabbed his rucksack and made for the door.
Makale put his armored hand on the wizard's chest. "I was just curious, both as to your actions and how you were doing after the raid. There was no reason to get short with me." Makale then noticed Harry's iconic lightning-bolt scar. "Huh...interesting scar. From Hogger?"
Harry shook his head. "Had it since I was a kid. And I apologize for the snark. Rough day, as you know." Harry walked out the door. "Perhaps we'll work together soon?"
Makale nodded. "Seems likely. Well, I should probably head out myself." With a salute, the paladin said, "Life-binder protect you."
The wizard returned the salute. "And you as well." And now for practice...
A few hours later Makale stood at the gallows, a rope line strung around the site. The only other person near him was a detective from Westfall, the province west of Stormwind. Clad in a formal suit, tie and sunglasses, Lieutenant Horatio Laine was brought in to assist the paladin. Though Makale was grateful for any help available, it seemed that all the detective wanted to do was spout not-so-witty one-liners in hopes that someone appreciate them.
Makale looked to the back of the gallows stage, a glint of metal reflecting in the moonlight. The paladin picked up what appeared to be a small polished metal ring, with two circles of a dull material on either end embedded within. The ring was slightly deformed from where it had struck the concrete behind the stage. "Laine, come take a look at this. Looks like we have the item that cut the noose."
The detective walked over to Makale. Laine replied, "It's just a piece of jewelery in my opinion. Looks lik-"
Lieutenant Laine was stopped by Makale's hand clenching around the detective's throat. Fully anticipating another pun, the paladin said, "The only thing I want to hear from you tonight is short, concise sentences. No quips, no one-liners and no wisecracks. We are here to work, not play around. There's an escaped warlock out there, and I want any information that could lead me to him. Understood?" When Laine nodded, Makale let go of the detective, letting him gasp for breath. "Excellent. Now, see what else you can dig up. Something just came about that I need to attend to." Horatio bowed and turned away. This is Judas'. I'm certain of it. This is a piece of ammunition for his arm-weapon. Makale started down the path to the Mage Quarter. Now to find him.
Harry had spent the last few hours tracking and modifying the memories of those he Imperiused earlier that day, as well as the people they may have talked to. The last one he dealt with was at his feet, Stunned. The boy in question was left in a heap, looking for all the world like one of the many drunkards that roamed the Stormwind streets at night. Potter had found out that the curse did break, although it happened around the time he had passed out in the Stockade. The wizard now went searching for Makale, the last person who would be able to turn him in. Best head to the Stockade. He might still be looking around the gallows. Before I go, though...
Harry raised his wand at a nearby lamppost. He then thought the words Navitas convérte. At once, the nonverbal spell took its course and light began to flicker and die. Feeling the small rush of energy from the lamppost Harry let a small grin graces his features. Well, that's good news for me. Looks like this new body doesn't alter my abilities at spellcraft. Now to bet back to the paladin. Harry then left for the Stockade.
"Busy night, Judas?"
Harry had turned a corner to find Makale standing before him, tossing the airfoil in the air as if it were a toy. Hell, time to go for broke again, thought Harry. "You could say that," replied the wizard. "Just some running around to do."
"Sure, we'll go with that," said the paladin rather sarcastically. Nodding to the airfoil, he continued. "Recognise this?"
"A silver ring from the jeweler's shop in the Trade District?" asked Harry. When the paladin shook his head, Harry said, "No? Well, the answer's obvious, and I'm running late on my rest." Harry raised his wand. "Who knows, perhaps we could still be allies after all this."
Makale drew his sword, infusing it with holy power. "Perhaps not." The paladin charged and swung viciously downward at Harry, who in turn blocked the swing with his metal arm. Harry then sent a Stunning Spell directly to Makale's chest. Though the armor's natural spell resistance blocked the stunning aspect of the spell, the physical aspect sent him skidding backwards a few feet. When Makale stopped he immediately ran back to the wizard, this time attempting to stab Harry directly. Potter then cast a Disarming Spell, watching the paladin's sword leave his hand and land harmlessly a few feet away. Not missing a beat, Makale reared his arm back and swung at Harry, his armored fist connecting solidly with the side of the wizard's face. The blow sent Harry sprawling to the ground, his wand falling out of his grip as he flew.
Bending over to pick up his sword, Makale said, "You broke the gnome out of the noose. Then you twisted the minds of those who could have implicated you. And then came the lying to my face, hoping I wouldn't notice after the Stockade incident. Judas, Judas, Judas...you struck me as a cleverer sort than that." Walking up to the wizard, Makale continued with, "All it took was one little ring of metal. I saw you fire several at the creature in the cell. Kind of hard to ignore, a weapon like that." As Harry crawled away, still reeling from the blow, the paladin shrugged. "Just as well. And no, we cannot remain allies after this." Makale then raised his sword. "Goodbye, Master Judas."
Time seemed to freeze for Harry as Makale began his final swing. Reaching out with his false hand, only one thought entered his head:
Enough!
With that thought, something incredible had happened. The striking paladin was blasted off his feet, slammed against a nearby wall. Immediately Makale began clutching his throat, as if he were being strangled ny the very air around him. Harry rushed to grab his wand and let the new spell fall. When Makale fell to the ground, gasping for breath. Harry summoned ropes to bind the paladin. As the ropes gathered around Makale, Harry said, "You know, I had no idea I could do that. Pretty useful though." Harry looked in one of the pouches on the paladin's belt, fishing out the airfoil round. Healing himself and Makale, the wizard said, "The round is mine, and after this you won't even remember you found it. Perhaps it is better this way. No physical evidence, and soon no recollection of any. And now to business."
As Harry said this, he began casting the spells to alter Makale's memory. The paladin had resisted the mental probing initially, so Harry began to cast a series of spells, such as the Imperius, in an attempt to distract Makale's focus. Soon enough, Makale's eyes began to glaze, the Memory Charm taking hold. Harry set the charm up to make it appear that he was by the paladin's side the entire time Cogrunner was being hung, and that Makale couldn't find anything but the welt in the stonework where the airfoil had struck the wall behind the gnome. That should keep him off of my trail for a good while now. After this, handling this Laine fellow should be child's play.
Harry then cast a Chameleon Spell on Makale and himself and dragged him to the gallows site.
Harry had walked back into his inn room and set his wand on the nightstand. Makale was put back in place, and Horatio Laine was taken care of as well. To be fair to the paladin, Harry could more than sympathize with wanting to strangle the hapless detective. Never in the wizard's life had he met someone with as much taste in poor punmanship. Harry also put a thought in Laine's head to return to Westfall as soon as possible, regardless of it being a good idea or not.
Harry set his glasses, which needed another repairing, on the nightstand next to his wand and fell on the bed, sleep coming to him almost immediately.
A being came into focus. Half wolf, half human.
Clad in blued plate armor, a crimson halberd in hand.
"Where is the mage?" a figure asked out of sight.
The beast-man snarled, and pointed to his helm.
"Can't you tell? He right here..."
"Impossible!" The figure claimed.
...
"By the way, did you ever know his true name?"
Author's Note: Well it took me long enough, didn't it?
Chapter seven is done and over with. Shorter chapter, yes I know. Sorry if I sound rushed in these chapters, but the future events running about in my brainpan are just itching to be posted.
I want to thank the four people who reviewed this fic, and especially Ragnar92 for the verbal Gibbs' Slap over some of the canon-snarls I've put out. I hope to see more posts from all of you who read these pages.
As always, don't be afraid to read, rate and review this story.
Until next time,
MasterMerrick
P.S. Yes, Laine is supposed to come up with bad one-liners. Too bad I couldn't. I'm not real good with the gallows humor.
*Rereads the last sentence and facepalms*