Shit, I didn't even consider Pandera. This is really really bad.
xbox432
Lover of Editing
Hmm, a few of us were discussing the possibility a few pages back. But I don't think anyone suggested the Wandering Isle as a possible incursion point... A mobile fortress. Good lord, it's going to be WORSE than Naxxramas through the sheer fact that it can go underwater. That'll make it even harder to assault or find.
I didn't play every expansion, but Mists was one of my favorites. All those beautiful virtual lands, taking on the brewery for the first time, pushing back the Sha...
All those tools and toys are now in the hands of the Scourge.
Changes for the worse indeed. Pour one out for our lost friends of fist and fur. They will be missed.
All those tools and toys are now in the hands of the Scourge.
Changes for the worse indeed. Pour one out for our lost friends of fist and fur. They will be missed.
Fellow Human
Verified Roado Rolla
Not the pandas!
Ashaeron
Lurker in the Abyss
There's a subtle hint here that makes Guldan an even worse Lich King than Nerzhul - he's raising EVERYTHING, not just macrofauna. Snakes, birds, bugs. He's kickstarting the Plaguelands without the several years of decay and infestation that Nerzhul required.
That could be a huge problem - the environmental damage any assault force will take is huge too.
Also.... The Wandering Isle can dive. Nazjatar is under the ocean, and the Legion has been Azsharas ally in the past.... There's some conflict coming there. The Bad Juju is here.
That could be a huge problem - the environmental damage any assault force will take is huge too.
Also.... The Wandering Isle can dive. Nazjatar is under the ocean, and the Legion has been Azsharas ally in the past.... There's some conflict coming there. The Bad Juju is here.
Yes, however the fact they made it to the Wandering Isle also means they have broken through Panderas Mists, meaning they can get to Pandera. Unless they're brain dead they'll conquer the whole of Pandera before trying to tackle the rest of Azeroth which is far more prepared for them.
They'll do to Pandera what they did to Northrend in canon and to the Panderians what they did to the Nerubians. Destroy and conquer them before the rest of the world even knows they exist then use it as a launching point to invade.
Fellow Human
Verified Roado Rolla
Is this the biomancer I've been looking for!?
Is this related somewhat to my suggestion on Red dragonsworn biomancers?
Chapter 68
"You know, this place isn't as bad as I expected," said Krivax as he watched a herd of kodo grazing in the savannah of the Barrens. The combat capable members of their diplomatic expedition had joined him on his journey outside of night elf territory and were now taking a short break near a small oasis to recuperate. "I was sort of expecting something similar to the Badlands near Uldaman, but this place is actually rather beautiful."
"Oh, really?" Trixie said teasingly as she did some maintenance on her mechanostrider. She was the only person in their group who had managed to bring along their own personal mount, since the non-organic creation could be placed inside a specially created spatial bag. "How beautiful is it compared to the forests of the night elves?"
Krivax glared at Trixie with exasperation. He didn't need to turn around to know that Sentinel Velinde Starsong was listening to him closely. Moments like these made Krivax wish that Cenarius hadn't somehow given the leader of his Sentinel escort the ability to understand foreign languages.
"The night elf forests are of course the most beautiful that I've seen on Kalimdor," Krivax said with only slight embellishment before glancing up to watch Swiftwing chase one the local birds. "But it's always worth appreciating nature in all of its forms."
Krivax could sense Sentinel Starsong turn away from him before sending a few of her subordinates to scout their surroundings atop their sabercats, while Trixie snickered to herself. Although his words weren't a lie, Krivax had been more than a little happy after he finally left night elf territory. Once the novelty of his visit had worn off, Krivax found that he… wasn't enjoying his time among the kaldorei all that much. They hadn't grown any more friendly during his stay, and they were rather poor hosts.
Krivax still had to be polite, since he was a diplomat and the night elves were both very strong and very deadly if provoked. Honestly, he would rather be back in Dalaran at this point. Trixie had somehow picked up on Krivax's discomfort and hadn't missed the opportunity to poke fun at him.
"Of course, you're definitely having the time of your life," said Trixie, her voice tinged with amusement. The gnome peeked out the side of her mechanostrider toward their night elf escort before continuing, "I'm still surprised that you decided to stay here after we opened that portal given how much you're enjoying yourself."
"Well, I did promise to help with the tauren situation," Krivax said after a moment. "Besides, I'm probably more needed here than on Northrend, despite the circumstances. I probably won't stay for much longer once I've done everything I need to on Kalimdor."
The night elves had set up a heavily guarded location on the very edge of their territory and allowed Azjol-Nerub to open up a portal connected to Northrend. Krivax was no expert in spatial magic, but he had learned enough to open the portal with a little help from an artifact provided by Azjol-Nerub.
The representatives from the Eastern Kingdoms who had no business with the night elves other than visiting their lands or establishing superficial relations had already returned to the Eastern Kingdoms. No sooner had the portal opened than a messenger from Azjol-Nerub came through to inform him that Malygos had suddenly teleported the draenei and their spaceship to Northrend without telling anyone.
The High King was obviously very concerned about having a civilization, with technology more advanced than any other faction on Azeroth aside from the titan-forged, dumped on their doorstep. They obviously weren't currently a serious competitor to Azjol-Nerub with their meager numbers, but Azjol-Nerub was a nation that considered things in the long term.
The High King and his council recognized that there was little they could do to prevent Malygos from doing whatever he wanted, but they wanted Krivax to try getting some concessions out of him anyway. They also needed to open up diplomatic relations with the draenei.
Krivax knew from his metaknowledge that the draenei were abnormally benevolent and friendly despite their history of hardship, so he felt comfortable leaving that to his subordinates. Anub'rekhan would also be going, because he had apparently sensed their presence in the Light when they arrived on Northrend.
As for Malygos… Krivax would have to speak to him later, although he doubted much would come of it.
"That makes sense I guess," Trixie said with a shrug. "Though I'll probably be staying here a lot longer than you. A bunch of uppity elves aren't going to stop me from exploring a whole new continent!"
"I look forward to reading about your discoveries," Krivax said genuinely happy that Trixie was enjoying this trip more than he was. "Still, exploring Kalimdor is going to be pretty dangerous. The centaurs are pretty dangerous from what I've been told."
"Bah! It'll be fine," said Trixie, waving her wrench dismissively. "We'll save the tauren no problem, and then they'll help us explore this place."
"That easy?" Krivax asked, amused at her conviction.
"Definitely! Rhonin, Vereesa, and Falstad seem pretty competent. Plus you've got me," Trixie said with easy confidence and a cheeky grin. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be really powerful after being blessed by some super dragon? This'll be easier than reversing the polarity on a trans-thaumaturgical oscillator!"
Krivax chuckled warmly. "I'm sure you're right, Trixie. We've got this."
Trixie seemed to be in a good mood, so he didn't bring up the fact that the centaur would likely continue being a problem long into the future. Krivax was not delusional enough to believe that he could somehow convince them to stop being genocidal lunatics through the power of his natural charisma.
The two of them continued chatting for the next fifteen minutes as the rest of the group ate from their supply of rations and filled up on water from the oasis. They had prepared more than enough supplies to last their entire journey, but there was no sense in being wasteful. Krivax's personal guard took turns patrolling for any danger and keeping the wildlife away from their temporary camp.
Azeroth was a world where wildlife could become extremely dangerous. No one wanted a surprise visit from a herd of territorial thunder lizards.
Just as they were finishing up their short break, Krivax sensed one of Sentinel Starsong's scouts rushing back to camp to report to their leader. Although the scout spoke too quickly in her native language for Krivax to fully understand, he was not surprised when Sentinel Starsong approached him with a grim expression.
"Something wrong?" Krivax called out to Starsong, grabbing the attention of the rest of the group.
"My scout reports seeing signs of combat to the southwest," Sentinel Starsong reported, the translation magic converting her words to strangely accented Common. "Tracks indicate that ten to twenty tauren are being pursued by a significantly larger force of centaur."
Krivax hummed thoughtfully at the news. It was surprising that they had already run into tauren refugees after less than two days of travel. If the centaur had truly pushed the tauren this far east already, then things must be worse than he had expected. Knowing that there were lives in danger, Krivax turned quickly to Falstad and asked for his assistance. "Can you and Swiftwing scout ahead to get a handle on the situation? The two of you have the best chance of finding them quickly."
"Aye, sure thing," said Falstad, already whistling to call the griffin down from the air. "We'll find those bastards real quick and show 'em what a real fight looks like!"
With that, Falstad and Swiftwing took to the skies, the griffin's powerful wings casting a brief shadow over the camp as they headed toward the reported signs of conflict. Krivax watched them go before addressing Sentinel Starsong. "We should follow them as a group as swiftly as possible. I don't want to be too far to help once Falstad finds the tauren."
Sentinel Starsong simply nodded in understanding before turning to give orders to the rest of her sentinels. Krivax didn't need to give any orders to his personal guard, as they were already packing up the camp and making preparations for a fight.
"Vizier Krivax, how sure are you that we can handle this without sustaining significant casualties?" Vereesa asked solemnly once they started moving. She and Rhonin were both mounted atop extra sabercats that had been reluctantly brought along by the night elves. "I've not fought the centaur before, but it is obvious that the flat terrain of these lands is perfect for creatures with the lower body of a horse. It sounds that we will be significantly outnumbered as well."
"Indeed, I've no doubt that we would win, but I would not see our expedition die if it could be avoided," said Rhonin, quickly agreeing with his wife.
Krivax nodded in understanding. Their worries were completely reasonable, even if he didn't really share them. The simple truth of the matter was that Krivax had become powerful enough that a few dozen centaur wouldn't really be a threat so long as there were no exceptionally powerful individuals among them.
Krivax said as much to Rhonin and Vereesa. They seemed somewhat skeptical of his claims, which made sense to him given that he probably didn't act like how most powerful individuals on Azeroth presented themselves.
"Even if someone gets hurt, I shouldn't have any problem healing anything short of death," Krivax said in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. "I really don't think we have anything to fear."
Krivax might one day be able to even resurrect the dead, but the Red Dragonflight was not very enthusiastic about teaching him that kind of magic. Plus, there were many limitations on true resurrections, including the recency of their death, the strength of their souls, and many other factors.
"I'm glad to hear that," Vereesa said, her shoulders slumping in relief. "Having a capable healer will make a significant difference. I've seen battles that would otherwise be impossible to win become trivial thanks to the presence of a powerful healer."
Rhonin said nothing, but seemed similarly relieved. For the next hour, they traveled relatively quickly while using scrying magic to keep track of Falstad and Swiftwing. It didn't take them long to see the signs of conflict that the scouts had noticed, but the centaur and the tauren had already moved on a long time ago.
Eventually, Falstad flew back to the group, his face etched with grim determination.
"Found 'em," he announced as Swiftwing landed with a thud. "The tauren are up ahead and are runnin' from the centaur, but they look like civilians. They're not gonna hold out much longer."
Krivax felt his stomach clench at the news. "Thank you, Falstad. How many centaurs are there?"
"About three dozen, I'd say," Falstad answered after a moment of thought. "Bunch of bloody cowards, attacking folks who can't defend themselves. I'd have intervened myself, but there were too many of the bastards."
Krivax could tell that everyone was itching for a fight. Nobody was interested in standing back while innocent people were being senselessly killed. "Lead the way to the centaur, Falstad. We'll follow behind in formation."
Falstad nodded and Krivax didn't hesitate to sprint ahead at top speed. With his massive size along with his physical enhancements, he was easily able to match the speed of the rest of the group's mounts, and it wasn't long before Krivax could hear sounds of violence. As they neared the scene of the conflict, the telltale signs of battle became increasingly apparent. The ground was churned up, the air stank with the scent of blood, and broken weapons and corpses littered the ground.
The tauren must have had at least a few warriors with them at first, because Krivax could see several dead centaur laying in the dirt as well. As they crested over a hill, Krivax managed to get his first sight of the tauren and felt his heart drop when he realized that he was too late. The vast majority of the tauren had already been slain, and all that were left were a handful of survivors who were being sadistically toyed with by the centaur.
Krivax had always considered himself a relatively even-tempered person, and had grown even more so during his time as a diplomat. He could deal with people speaking to him rudely, empathize with people who were truly unpleasant, and calmly handle people threatening to kill him.
However, the sight before him was one that pushed Krivax's temper beyond its limits. The remaining tauren were visibly injured and cowering against a pack of laughing centaur. The scene filled him with rage.
Krivax distantly heard someone calling his name, but his mind was already fully focused on the centaur as he charged forward with violent intent. The centaur were quick to notice the fourteen-foot-tall nerubian charging at them, and only hesitated a moment before they roared in challenge and countercharged at him in return.
The Sentinels entered the battle by planting arrows directly into the skulls of a half-dozen centaur with pinpoint accuracy, and Swiftwing landed near the few remaining tauren to offer them protection. However, Krivax was completely focused on the centaur, who continued to mindlessly stampede toward the largest threat they could see with spears raised high. A few of them attempted to shoot him with arrows, but the shield created by his enhanced bracelet was more than strong enough to deflect such weak attacks.
Continuing to ignore the arrows, Krivax waited until he was close enough to the centaur before casting the spell he had been preparing from the moment he began his charge. In a blink of an eye, Krivax vanished from sight, only to materialize a moment later amid the surprised group of centaur.
When he first learned that he would have the chance to use his abilities in a real combat environment, Krivax had intended to take it slow and gradually experiment with everything that he could do. However, he was no longer in the mood to be either merciful or experimental.
Instead, Krivax reached into his reservoir of Life magic and expended half of it in a single moment. Instantly, everything around him exploded in an roaring inferno of Life-infused fire that incinerated every centaur within twenty feet in moments. The few who remained didn't have long to recoil in terror before Krivax created a stream of fire that wrapped around their necks like a rope and pulled them into the storm of fire. One of the bravest among them managed to bury his spear into Krivax's leg before he died, but the flames healed the wound as soon as it was created.
The entire centaur raiding group died less than ten seconds after Krivax teleported among them, leaving him standing in a field filled with nothing but burnt corpses and freshly grown flowers.
"Krivax, are you alright?"
Krivax was pulled out of his thoughts by Trixie's worried voice. Turning to look at the rest of the group, he realized that most of them were looking up at him with wary expressions. The only ones who weren't were his personal guard, who were spreading out and making sure the centaur were truly dead.
"Oh, sorry. I probably should have said something before I charged ahead," Krivax said with a hint of embarrassment as he calmed down. "After I saw the tauren I just got so ang—."
Krivax suddenly broke off from what he was about to say as he remembered that there were tauren who needed to be healed. Without another word, Krivax hurried over to the tauren who looked terrified enough to be running away from him. Several of them were yelling in their native language, but Krivax felt that it was more important to take care of their wounds than retrieve his translation artifact.
Krivax approached the nearest pair of tauren, a young child with a large gash in his stomach being held by an elderly tauren with graying fur, broken horns, and a bovine head. Now that he could see them up close, Krivax realized that the tauren were significantly larger than he had expected, with the elderly male being just shy of ten-feet-tall.
The two of them cringed back in fear as Krivax channeled a stream of healing flames in their direction. The two tauren began to calm down as their wounds began to close up, and they were left staring up at Krivax in awe as he moved on to the rest of them.
Only four of them managed to survive, despite there being more than a dozen tauren corpses in their surroundings that Krivax could see.
Trixie approached him atop her mechanostrider as he continued healing the survivors. The tauren seemed flabbergasted by everything they were seeing, but Krivax had a feeling that they had reached the point where they were too exhausted to even panic properly.
"Well, that's one way to handle things," Trixie said, looking back at the burned centaur corpses. "I was sort of expecting an amazing fight that I could share with Malzie. Didn't think you'd just burn them all to a crisp like that."
Krivax hesitated before responding. "I was… very upset. Didn't feel like wasting time when these guys needed healing."
He had long since grown accustomed to the brutality of Azeroth, but that didn't make it any more pleasant to see first hand.
"You won't be hearin' any complaints from me," Falstad said supportively as he watched the scene unfold. "'The best fight is a short fight' is what I always say. Put 'em down quick before they can get in a lucky hit."
"I agree, Vizier Krivax," said Vereesa, her tone more respectful than ever as she spoke to him. "Your actions were completely justified. These centaurs obviously deserve no mercy."
The high elf glanced back at the battlefield and spat out a quel'dorei curse that roughly translated to 'as monstrous as a troll.'
The rest of the group was quick to add their agreement. Krivax was glad for the support, but he could tell that the tauren were beginning to grow uncomfortable so he turned his focus back to them. Once he was done healing them, Krivax reached into his spatial bag and withdrew an enchanted artifact shaped like a scarab.
"Greetings, I am Vizier Krivax of Azjol-Nerub," Krivax said as he activated the artifact. Their expressions of shock were enough for him to know that they were hearing something that they could understand. "My allies and I came from a land far across the sea to meet with the ancient kaldorei. We were sent by them to aid you in your struggle against the centaur."
The eldest tauren, who seemed to have taken the role of their leader, looked at him and then the night elf sentinels with open awe before bowing deeply toward him. "Greetings, strangers from lands afar. We are profoundly grateful for your assistance. Truly, you must have been sent by the Earth Mother herself."
"You're very welcome. I only wish that I could have helped quicker," said Krivax as he glanced once again at the corpses around them.
The elderly tauren seemed to slump in sorrow, and his voice was filled with deep resignation as he responded. "As do I, but we are already grateful for the assistance we've received. It is not every day that a stranger carrying the flames of An'she arrives to save us from our enemies and heal our wounds. I am Hestal Dawnstrider, and these are members of my tribe…"
Hestal went on to introduce the rest of the present tauren, who were apparently members of the Dawnstrider Tribe. Krivax couldn't remember enough about the tauren to recall if their tribe was particularly notable.
"How is it that you ended up separated from the rest of your people?" Krivax asked curiously once he finished his introductions.
Hestal's gaze fell, and he began to speak in a voice filled with weariness. "The centaurs launched an overwhelming attack against our people's main encampment. While our warriors were fighting them off, several of the centaur broke away to begin killing our civilians. We were separated from the rest in the resulting chaos."
"How long ago was this?" Krivax asked instantly, his voice growing hard. "Are the centaur still attacking your people as we speak?"
Hestal nodded solemnly. "Almost certainly. The centaur have grown even more aggressive in recent times than they once were for reasons unknown to us. The past few months have resulted in many deaths among our people."
Krivax felt his heart squeeze tightly at that. After what happened in Capital City, Krivax had been somewhat forced to come to terms with the negative effects of his changes to the timeline, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt to hear about.
At least I can help them now, Krivax comforted himself. The centaur would have always driven them to the brink of extinction, even without my influence. And at least now I can stop it a bit early.
"Can you point us in their direction?" Krivax asked after a moment of silence, knowing that the tauren wouldn't be able to keep up. "I and my allies would like to help fight off the centaur if they are attacking your people right now."
Krivax noticed the rest of his group immediately perked up at his words, only understanding one half of the conversation.
Hestal looked at Krivax with gratitude and surprise before eagerly pointing to the west. "Our encampment should not be far. It is near the boundary that separates these lands from Mulgore, north of quilboar territory."
Krivax turned to Falstad and quickly relayed that information. The dwarf nodded in understanding and flew off on the back Swiftwing without another word.
While Falstad went off to scout the area ahead, Krivax turned back to the tauren survivors. "We are going to move on ahead. I'll leave behind a few of my guards to protect you from any wildlife and escort you back to your people."
Hestal and the rest of the survivors expressed their gratitude once again, staring up at Krivax with a sense of awe that made him feel uncomfortable. Not wanting to waste any more time, Krivax quickly began moving in the direction Hestal had pointed them toward. It wasn't long before they once again heard the sounds of battle, which wasn't surprising as Hestal's group of civilians could not have traveled very far.
As he caught sight of the battlefield, Krivax began to feel regret that he had already expended so much of his Life magic in his previous fight. Although he was quite powerful, his abilities were not limitless, and there were significantly more centaur to deal with this time.
The landscape stretched out before Krivax, vast and scarred with the conflict. It was immediately obvious to him why the tauren were having so much trouble dealing with the centaur as these ones were doing a better job of leveraging their superior mobility than the ones he had faced earlier.
The tauren had formed an impressive defensive line around their encampment, utilizing shamanistic magic to create barriers of stone, but the centaur were peppering them with flaming arrows from afar. The tauren were responding with what long ranged magic they were capable of, but the centaur were easily able to dodge when needed. Krivax even saw spear-wielding centaur charge the tauren line before quickly retreating whenever a tauren moved to intercept them.
Given the sounds of laughter coming from the centaur, it looked as if they were playing some kind of game. When one of the centaurs was too slow to react and found itself knocked to the ground before their head was crushed by a massive hoof, the rest merely laughed even harder.
"Hey buddy, you aren't going to run ahead again like last time, right?" Trixie asked worriedly.
Krivax sincerely considered it, but eventually decided against doing so. "No, that would be unwise. They have many more ranged weapons, and I can sense several magic users. That would be dangerous even for me."
Powerful individuals could easily turn the tides of battle in a world like Azeroth, but only to a certain degree. There were hundreds of centaur in this raiding group, which was more than enough to wear him down if he got surrounded. Their arrows and magical attacks might also break through his defenses before he got there. Fortunately, Krivax had just the thing to help him safely approach the centaur.
"I'm going to make use of my golem as a defense shield to get me close," Krivax announced to the group. "You all can follow behind me. If you can whittle down their forces from afar, it'll prevent them from simply running away and harrying me."
His golem had powerful defensive capabilities, but it was not nearly fast enough to catch a centaur. Krivax really didn't want the centaur to just kite him, but the night elves should have no problems picking them off if they tried. Their archers could accurately hit targets from a frankly ridiculous distance.
Krivax could tell that the group was a bit skeptical, especially Vereesa.
"Silvermoon often uses golems to patrol its streets and roads, so I am very familiar with them," Vereesa said hesitantly. "None of them would last long against a concerted attack from so many enemies."
"I don't have much experience with them myself, but that is my impression as well," said Rhonin, nodding in agreement.
Krivax dearly wished that he still had the facial features necessary to smirk. "Neither of you have seen a golem animated by pure Life magic and constructed from the most powerful materials that Azjol-Nerub can produce."
Without further explanation, Krivax reached into his robe and retrieved a specially made spatial bag and released the seals that kept it closed. Immediately, a massive stream of snow-white silk threads spilled out of the bag and began gathering in front of Krivax.
The pooling silk moved as if it was alive, twisting and undulating like some manner of formless creature. Feeling a connection between him and his creation, Krivax took control of the silk golem and ordered it take on a new shape. Slowly, strands of silk began to twine around each other to form a torso with four arm-like appendages and a nerubian head. Where the legs would normally be, the silk continued to flow and twist, resembling a skirt of dancing strands that dug up the earth beneath it.
Krivax had found the legs to be the most troublesome part to design, and eventually decided to just ignore them altogether. His golem could move by altering its base, allowing it to glide smoothly over any terrain.
"What in the name of the Sunwell…" Vereesa trailed off, her eyes widening.
"By Elune…" said Sentinel Starsong, her normal composure leaving her.
The silk golem's body was absolutely massive, having been designed so that someone as large as Krivax could hide behind it. The threads that made up its bodies danced around each other, casting curious pulsating shadows under the sunlight. The silk that made up its body was the strongest that Azjol-Nerub could make, and cost more than the yearly budgets of some minor Divisions.
Its silk was strong enough that it could even withstand the blows of Anub'rekhan without use of the Light, and was resistant enough to magic that Hadix had difficulty harming it without his most powerful spells. The golem was even powered by a massive mana crystal that Azjol-Nerub had harvested from the Crystalsong Forest at great expense. If not for the unique properties of Krivax's Life magic, it would be far too powerful a creation for someone like him to animate and control.
"That's… That's certainly something," Rhonin muttered, at a loss for words.
Krivax felt a hint of smugness and wanted to enjoy their reactions a bit longer, but he knew that he couldn't wait. The centaur had obviously spotted them by now and were yelling wildly in their direction. With a mental command, Krivax sent the silk golem forward as he followed closely behind it. They moved at a speed faster than most humans could achieve, but still far slower than a centaur.
It wasn't long before the centaur reacted to the approaching threat, releasing a volley of arrows and bolts of lightning sent by their magic users. Many of the arrows were enhanced by primitive air magic, but it didn't matter. Their attacks were about as effective as pebbles being thrown at a mountain, doing nothing to slow the silk golem's advance.
A few of the centaur, braver or stupider than the rest, attempted to attack the golem at close range with their axes and spears. They quickly learned better when the golem caught them, its four arms deceptively fast and stretching beyond what should be physically possible. The centaur warriors were swiftly crushed within the golem's grasp before being discarded aside like rag dolls.
Vereesa and the Sentinels fired back a volley of arrows at the centaurs, killing many of them with unnatural precision.
"Jeesh, you really don't play around, huh?" Trixie muttered as she followed Krivax safely behind the golem. "Any plans to leave some fun for the rest of us?"
Krivax huffed in amusement. "This world is far too dangerous to play fair, Trixie. I intend to always do everything I can to stack the odds in my favor."
As if to prove his point, Krivax heard a deafening roar of challenge come from the centaur. One individual stepped forward out of the crowd, significantly larger than the others and equipped with a massive two-headed spear that glowed with powerful elemental magic.
That must be their leader…
The large centaur charged at them, seemingly unafraid despite what happened to the last few of their kind. As the golem grabbed for it, the centaur leader jumped aside and dodged it with surprising grace and swung at its arm. Krivax was mildly surprised to see the spear cut through several layers of silk, and wondered at the origins of such a powerful weapon.
The centaur struggled to pull its spear out of the sticky strands that made up the golem, but managed to do so after a brief stuggle. Unfortunately for them, it was already far too late. The centaur leader was quick enough to leap away from the spike of earth that rose beneath its hooves, but they didn't manage to dodge the golem as it lunged for them.
"That didn't take very long," Krivax commented mildly as the centaur's corpse hit the ground after being cut down into several pieces by the sharp silk threads. He heard the rest of the centaur cry out in surprise and anger at their leader's defeat. "If you have anything that you want to throw at them, now is the time. The sooner we send them running, the sooner I can get to healing the injured tauren."
Krivax emphasized his point by launching spears of ice into the centaur lines.
"Right! Can't let you have all the glory, can I?" Trixie yelled in agreement, smiling widely. The gnome pulled a small device from her back that resembled a strange gun with a large circular barrel. "Say hello to Trixie's Personalized Lightning Bomb!"
Krivax watched as the small gnome pulled the trigger and launched a small spherical object that landed amongst the centaur before exploding in a brilliant flash. Several of the centaur instantly collapsed as streaks of lightning criss-crossed through their ranks.
That seemed to serve as a signal, as everyone unleashed everything they had against the centaur. Rhonin continued to launch powerful missiles of arcane magic while the archers unfailingly hit their targets. Falstad was forced to act cautiously due to the heavy presence of ranged threats, but he and Swiftwing didn't hesitate to pick off any centaur that strayed from the group.
The centaur attempted to fight back even after the death of their leader, but their attacks continued to be ineffective against Krivax's golem and they were steadily driven away from the tauren. Eventually, they must have finally understood the futility of their current strategy because one of them blew on a large horn and signaled for them to retreat.
Once the order was given, the centaur didn't hesitate to turn around and charge away from the battlefield, leaving behind the corpses of their fallen comrades. When he was certain that they were gone, Krivax began making his way over to the tauren encampment.
He was pleased to see that his personal guard had successfully escorted Hestal and his group back to the tauren sometime during the battle. As he approached, a sizable old male tauren with an equally sizable totem harness strapped along his back stepped forward. The tauren also carried a large halberd as he spoke in a rumbling voice.
"Welcome, stranger. Hestal has informed me of what you did for him and the others, and I have seen the proof of his words with my own eyes. You must truly have been sent by the Earth Mother. I am Cairne Bloodhoof, Chieftain of the Bloodhoof tribe and High Chieftain of the Shu'halo."
Wow, that was fast, Krviax couldn't help but think.
"It's an honor to meet you, High Chieftain. I am Vizier Krivax of Azjol-Nerub," Krivax said with sincerity. Cairne was one of his favorite characters in Warcraft and meeting him in real life was a great experience. However, he unfortunately had more important things to worry about. "I don't mean to be rude, but I believe we should cut these introductions short. I'm sure that you have many among your people who are injured. I am a powerful healer, so it would be best if I'm brought to them quickly. I swear to you that I mean no harm."
Cairne immediately nodded in eager agreement. "Your intentions have been made clear by your actions, outsider. I am more than willing to bring you to those who are critically injured if you are able to save their lives. We have lost far too many shamans and spirit walkers in recent times, so they are in desperate need of assistance."
With initial greetings over faster and smoother than Krivax expected, Cairne turned around and began leading him into the tauren encampment. As he made his way through the crowd, Krivax saw that many of the tauren looked up at him with awe filled expressions. Although, there were also many who were openly grieving over those who they had lost in the attack.
It reminded Krivax too much of the Second War.
But unlike back then… I now have the power to help put a stop to this…
Tichondrius watched idly as the enormous undead creature that now served as their mobile base lashed out against the tentacled beast tainted by the Old Gods, a kraken he believed it was called.
Azshara had been quick to send her servants once the Lich King began slaughtering isolated settlements of naga, but it seemed that she had not yet fully understood the scope of their power. Otherwise, she would have sent a far more sizable force against them.
The kraken died instantly as a portion of its head was destroyed by the giant undead turtle's jaws. Before the rest of the naga could understand what was happening, the kraken had already been reanimated and was crushing them with its mighty tentacles. It wasn't long after that the attacking naga were all dead and joined the rest of the Lich King's growing army by swimming alongside their fortress.
They had already gathered a sizable force, killing any useful sea creature they came across and raising them into undeath. That kraken was far from the first, along with several whale sharks, sea giants, and an assortment of other powerful sea creatures. Azeroth's seas had a delightful assortment of underwater monstrosities for them to choose from.
Turning away from the now concluded fight, Tichondrius made his way back toward the structure he and his fellow nathrezim had claimed as their dwelling. The Temple of Five Dawns was a somewhat impressive structure given that it had been constructed by primitives. The large pagoda was now inundated with Death magic, its formerly bright colors gradually growing dark as necrotic energy twisted it into darker hues. Bones and skulls had been fused into the wood and stone creating a sinister atmosphere, while the stone floors had been replaced by dead coral alongside the ever-present blight.
Tichondrius found himself enjoying the sight of the defiled temple, and decided that the Scourge would build its future structures in a similar image.
Soon after he entered the building, Tichondrius was greeted by the voice of Mal'Ganis. "We shall not last long in the open seas if we continue to attack Azshara so brazenly. It is only a matter of time before she sends a force that we cannot withstand."
"That is already quite clear to me," Tichondrius scoffed. As if he needed someone else to explain something so plainly obvious. "This is merely to grow our initial forces. Azshara has always been an opportunist. So long as we do not threaten any of her vital interests and begin causing chaos elsewhere on Azeroth, she will be content to ignore us and take advantage of any opportunity she can find."
"Then what is our next step?" Mal'Ganis asked somewhat impatiently. "The three brothers have finished creating the concealment magic connected to this creature's bound soul, but it will not hide us forever. Our enemies are clever and powerful in equal measure, after all."
Tichondrius hummed in agreement. The vast depths of Azeroth's seas and the strength of their concealment magic would prevent that vast majority of enemy forces from finding them, but that was not a perfect solution. The Aspect of Magic would no doubt be able to find them eventually, and then he would bring the rest of those cursed dragons. Fortunately, Tichondrius had already formed several plans to secure them the time that they needed.
They had even been gifted an unexpected boon when they examined the memories of the so-called 'pandaren.'
"The mists surrounding Pandaria are powerful enough that even Lord Kil'jaeden was unable to see through them," said Tichondrius, faintly impressed that the mortals had accomplished such a feat. "It will take even Malygos a significant amount of effort to pierce through them, while we can enter and exit at our leisure. We will begin our conquest there."
Tichondrius had experienced Malygos' intelligence firsthand during the War of the Ancients. He had no doubt that the Aspect would realize where they had gone once the surviving mortals spread news of the Lich King. The troublesome dragon had always been one to take any advantage that he could sink his claws into, and would be a dangerous enemy.
However, Tichondrius had every intention of delaying such a confrontation for as long as possible.
"Call for the brothers. I have assignments for them," Tichondrius ordered. The three of them were currently creating an array of wards around Gul'dan, both to defend the Lich King and monitor any magic coming from him.
Someone as power hungry as Gul'dan would inevitably attempt to betray them once he thought he could get away with it. Tichondrius grinned at the thought of torturing the Lich King after he predictably turned on them after they passed the Mists and out of Kil'jaeden's sights…
A hint of annoyance passed through Mal'Ganis' eyes at being relegated to a messenger, but he soon left regardless. Varimathras, Balnazzar, and Detheroc arrived soon after, emerging from the shadows of the temple. The three of them should have no difficulty creating the necessary distractions that Tichondrius had in mind, although he expected it would take some time.
"I've already informed you before we arrived that you will be sent to cause chaos across Azeroth," Tichondrius began, his gaze steady on the trio. "Weakening the mortal forces of this world is essential to ensuring our success. As such, two of you will be assigned to different continents to discover the best way to do so. Azeroth has always been a world separated by political divisions, so this should not be a difficult task. Varimathras will travel to Northrend, while Balnazzar will be sent to the Eastern Kingdoms."
They hid it well, but Tichondrius could see the hint of confusion that passed through his fellow nathrezim at the obvious exclusion.
"And what of Kalimdor?" Detheroc was the first to ask.
Tichondrius smiled wickedly at the question. "Lord Kil'jaeden provided me with something that will thoroughly distract those cursed kaldorei. Something quite fascinating that he found on Draenor…"
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"Oh, really?" Trixie said teasingly as she did some maintenance on her mechanostrider. She was the only person in their group who had managed to bring along their own personal mount, since the non-organic creation could be placed inside a specially created spatial bag. "How beautiful is it compared to the forests of the night elves?"
Krivax glared at Trixie with exasperation. He didn't need to turn around to know that Sentinel Velinde Starsong was listening to him closely. Moments like these made Krivax wish that Cenarius hadn't somehow given the leader of his Sentinel escort the ability to understand foreign languages.
"The night elf forests are of course the most beautiful that I've seen on Kalimdor," Krivax said with only slight embellishment before glancing up to watch Swiftwing chase one the local birds. "But it's always worth appreciating nature in all of its forms."
Krivax could sense Sentinel Starsong turn away from him before sending a few of her subordinates to scout their surroundings atop their sabercats, while Trixie snickered to herself. Although his words weren't a lie, Krivax had been more than a little happy after he finally left night elf territory. Once the novelty of his visit had worn off, Krivax found that he… wasn't enjoying his time among the kaldorei all that much. They hadn't grown any more friendly during his stay, and they were rather poor hosts.
Krivax still had to be polite, since he was a diplomat and the night elves were both very strong and very deadly if provoked. Honestly, he would rather be back in Dalaran at this point. Trixie had somehow picked up on Krivax's discomfort and hadn't missed the opportunity to poke fun at him.
"Of course, you're definitely having the time of your life," said Trixie, her voice tinged with amusement. The gnome peeked out the side of her mechanostrider toward their night elf escort before continuing, "I'm still surprised that you decided to stay here after we opened that portal given how much you're enjoying yourself."
"Well, I did promise to help with the tauren situation," Krivax said after a moment. "Besides, I'm probably more needed here than on Northrend, despite the circumstances. I probably won't stay for much longer once I've done everything I need to on Kalimdor."
The night elves had set up a heavily guarded location on the very edge of their territory and allowed Azjol-Nerub to open up a portal connected to Northrend. Krivax was no expert in spatial magic, but he had learned enough to open the portal with a little help from an artifact provided by Azjol-Nerub.
The representatives from the Eastern Kingdoms who had no business with the night elves other than visiting their lands or establishing superficial relations had already returned to the Eastern Kingdoms. No sooner had the portal opened than a messenger from Azjol-Nerub came through to inform him that Malygos had suddenly teleported the draenei and their spaceship to Northrend without telling anyone.
The High King was obviously very concerned about having a civilization, with technology more advanced than any other faction on Azeroth aside from the titan-forged, dumped on their doorstep. They obviously weren't currently a serious competitor to Azjol-Nerub with their meager numbers, but Azjol-Nerub was a nation that considered things in the long term.
The High King and his council recognized that there was little they could do to prevent Malygos from doing whatever he wanted, but they wanted Krivax to try getting some concessions out of him anyway. They also needed to open up diplomatic relations with the draenei.
Krivax knew from his metaknowledge that the draenei were abnormally benevolent and friendly despite their history of hardship, so he felt comfortable leaving that to his subordinates. Anub'rekhan would also be going, because he had apparently sensed their presence in the Light when they arrived on Northrend.
As for Malygos… Krivax would have to speak to him later, although he doubted much would come of it.
"That makes sense I guess," Trixie said with a shrug. "Though I'll probably be staying here a lot longer than you. A bunch of uppity elves aren't going to stop me from exploring a whole new continent!"
"I look forward to reading about your discoveries," Krivax said genuinely happy that Trixie was enjoying this trip more than he was. "Still, exploring Kalimdor is going to be pretty dangerous. The centaurs are pretty dangerous from what I've been told."
"Bah! It'll be fine," said Trixie, waving her wrench dismissively. "We'll save the tauren no problem, and then they'll help us explore this place."
"That easy?" Krivax asked, amused at her conviction.
"Definitely! Rhonin, Vereesa, and Falstad seem pretty competent. Plus you've got me," Trixie said with easy confidence and a cheeky grin. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be really powerful after being blessed by some super dragon? This'll be easier than reversing the polarity on a trans-thaumaturgical oscillator!"
Krivax chuckled warmly. "I'm sure you're right, Trixie. We've got this."
Trixie seemed to be in a good mood, so he didn't bring up the fact that the centaur would likely continue being a problem long into the future. Krivax was not delusional enough to believe that he could somehow convince them to stop being genocidal lunatics through the power of his natural charisma.
The two of them continued chatting for the next fifteen minutes as the rest of the group ate from their supply of rations and filled up on water from the oasis. They had prepared more than enough supplies to last their entire journey, but there was no sense in being wasteful. Krivax's personal guard took turns patrolling for any danger and keeping the wildlife away from their temporary camp.
Azeroth was a world where wildlife could become extremely dangerous. No one wanted a surprise visit from a herd of territorial thunder lizards.
Just as they were finishing up their short break, Krivax sensed one of Sentinel Starsong's scouts rushing back to camp to report to their leader. Although the scout spoke too quickly in her native language for Krivax to fully understand, he was not surprised when Sentinel Starsong approached him with a grim expression.
"Something wrong?" Krivax called out to Starsong, grabbing the attention of the rest of the group.
"My scout reports seeing signs of combat to the southwest," Sentinel Starsong reported, the translation magic converting her words to strangely accented Common. "Tracks indicate that ten to twenty tauren are being pursued by a significantly larger force of centaur."
Krivax hummed thoughtfully at the news. It was surprising that they had already run into tauren refugees after less than two days of travel. If the centaur had truly pushed the tauren this far east already, then things must be worse than he had expected. Knowing that there were lives in danger, Krivax turned quickly to Falstad and asked for his assistance. "Can you and Swiftwing scout ahead to get a handle on the situation? The two of you have the best chance of finding them quickly."
"Aye, sure thing," said Falstad, already whistling to call the griffin down from the air. "We'll find those bastards real quick and show 'em what a real fight looks like!"
With that, Falstad and Swiftwing took to the skies, the griffin's powerful wings casting a brief shadow over the camp as they headed toward the reported signs of conflict. Krivax watched them go before addressing Sentinel Starsong. "We should follow them as a group as swiftly as possible. I don't want to be too far to help once Falstad finds the tauren."
Sentinel Starsong simply nodded in understanding before turning to give orders to the rest of her sentinels. Krivax didn't need to give any orders to his personal guard, as they were already packing up the camp and making preparations for a fight.
"Vizier Krivax, how sure are you that we can handle this without sustaining significant casualties?" Vereesa asked solemnly once they started moving. She and Rhonin were both mounted atop extra sabercats that had been reluctantly brought along by the night elves. "I've not fought the centaur before, but it is obvious that the flat terrain of these lands is perfect for creatures with the lower body of a horse. It sounds that we will be significantly outnumbered as well."
"Indeed, I've no doubt that we would win, but I would not see our expedition die if it could be avoided," said Rhonin, quickly agreeing with his wife.
Krivax nodded in understanding. Their worries were completely reasonable, even if he didn't really share them. The simple truth of the matter was that Krivax had become powerful enough that a few dozen centaur wouldn't really be a threat so long as there were no exceptionally powerful individuals among them.
Krivax said as much to Rhonin and Vereesa. They seemed somewhat skeptical of his claims, which made sense to him given that he probably didn't act like how most powerful individuals on Azeroth presented themselves.
"Even if someone gets hurt, I shouldn't have any problem healing anything short of death," Krivax said in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. "I really don't think we have anything to fear."
Krivax might one day be able to even resurrect the dead, but the Red Dragonflight was not very enthusiastic about teaching him that kind of magic. Plus, there were many limitations on true resurrections, including the recency of their death, the strength of their souls, and many other factors.
"I'm glad to hear that," Vereesa said, her shoulders slumping in relief. "Having a capable healer will make a significant difference. I've seen battles that would otherwise be impossible to win become trivial thanks to the presence of a powerful healer."
Rhonin said nothing, but seemed similarly relieved. For the next hour, they traveled relatively quickly while using scrying magic to keep track of Falstad and Swiftwing. It didn't take them long to see the signs of conflict that the scouts had noticed, but the centaur and the tauren had already moved on a long time ago.
Eventually, Falstad flew back to the group, his face etched with grim determination.
"Found 'em," he announced as Swiftwing landed with a thud. "The tauren are up ahead and are runnin' from the centaur, but they look like civilians. They're not gonna hold out much longer."
Krivax felt his stomach clench at the news. "Thank you, Falstad. How many centaurs are there?"
"About three dozen, I'd say," Falstad answered after a moment of thought. "Bunch of bloody cowards, attacking folks who can't defend themselves. I'd have intervened myself, but there were too many of the bastards."
Krivax could tell that everyone was itching for a fight. Nobody was interested in standing back while innocent people were being senselessly killed. "Lead the way to the centaur, Falstad. We'll follow behind in formation."
Falstad nodded and Krivax didn't hesitate to sprint ahead at top speed. With his massive size along with his physical enhancements, he was easily able to match the speed of the rest of the group's mounts, and it wasn't long before Krivax could hear sounds of violence. As they neared the scene of the conflict, the telltale signs of battle became increasingly apparent. The ground was churned up, the air stank with the scent of blood, and broken weapons and corpses littered the ground.
The tauren must have had at least a few warriors with them at first, because Krivax could see several dead centaur laying in the dirt as well. As they crested over a hill, Krivax managed to get his first sight of the tauren and felt his heart drop when he realized that he was too late. The vast majority of the tauren had already been slain, and all that were left were a handful of survivors who were being sadistically toyed with by the centaur.
Krivax had always considered himself a relatively even-tempered person, and had grown even more so during his time as a diplomat. He could deal with people speaking to him rudely, empathize with people who were truly unpleasant, and calmly handle people threatening to kill him.
However, the sight before him was one that pushed Krivax's temper beyond its limits. The remaining tauren were visibly injured and cowering against a pack of laughing centaur. The scene filled him with rage.
Krivax distantly heard someone calling his name, but his mind was already fully focused on the centaur as he charged forward with violent intent. The centaur were quick to notice the fourteen-foot-tall nerubian charging at them, and only hesitated a moment before they roared in challenge and countercharged at him in return.
The Sentinels entered the battle by planting arrows directly into the skulls of a half-dozen centaur with pinpoint accuracy, and Swiftwing landed near the few remaining tauren to offer them protection. However, Krivax was completely focused on the centaur, who continued to mindlessly stampede toward the largest threat they could see with spears raised high. A few of them attempted to shoot him with arrows, but the shield created by his enhanced bracelet was more than strong enough to deflect such weak attacks.
Continuing to ignore the arrows, Krivax waited until he was close enough to the centaur before casting the spell he had been preparing from the moment he began his charge. In a blink of an eye, Krivax vanished from sight, only to materialize a moment later amid the surprised group of centaur.
When he first learned that he would have the chance to use his abilities in a real combat environment, Krivax had intended to take it slow and gradually experiment with everything that he could do. However, he was no longer in the mood to be either merciful or experimental.
Instead, Krivax reached into his reservoir of Life magic and expended half of it in a single moment. Instantly, everything around him exploded in an roaring inferno of Life-infused fire that incinerated every centaur within twenty feet in moments. The few who remained didn't have long to recoil in terror before Krivax created a stream of fire that wrapped around their necks like a rope and pulled them into the storm of fire. One of the bravest among them managed to bury his spear into Krivax's leg before he died, but the flames healed the wound as soon as it was created.
The entire centaur raiding group died less than ten seconds after Krivax teleported among them, leaving him standing in a field filled with nothing but burnt corpses and freshly grown flowers.
"Krivax, are you alright?"
Krivax was pulled out of his thoughts by Trixie's worried voice. Turning to look at the rest of the group, he realized that most of them were looking up at him with wary expressions. The only ones who weren't were his personal guard, who were spreading out and making sure the centaur were truly dead.
"Oh, sorry. I probably should have said something before I charged ahead," Krivax said with a hint of embarrassment as he calmed down. "After I saw the tauren I just got so ang—."
Krivax suddenly broke off from what he was about to say as he remembered that there were tauren who needed to be healed. Without another word, Krivax hurried over to the tauren who looked terrified enough to be running away from him. Several of them were yelling in their native language, but Krivax felt that it was more important to take care of their wounds than retrieve his translation artifact.
Krivax approached the nearest pair of tauren, a young child with a large gash in his stomach being held by an elderly tauren with graying fur, broken horns, and a bovine head. Now that he could see them up close, Krivax realized that the tauren were significantly larger than he had expected, with the elderly male being just shy of ten-feet-tall.
The two of them cringed back in fear as Krivax channeled a stream of healing flames in their direction. The two tauren began to calm down as their wounds began to close up, and they were left staring up at Krivax in awe as he moved on to the rest of them.
Only four of them managed to survive, despite there being more than a dozen tauren corpses in their surroundings that Krivax could see.
Trixie approached him atop her mechanostrider as he continued healing the survivors. The tauren seemed flabbergasted by everything they were seeing, but Krivax had a feeling that they had reached the point where they were too exhausted to even panic properly.
"Well, that's one way to handle things," Trixie said, looking back at the burned centaur corpses. "I was sort of expecting an amazing fight that I could share with Malzie. Didn't think you'd just burn them all to a crisp like that."
Krivax hesitated before responding. "I was… very upset. Didn't feel like wasting time when these guys needed healing."
He had long since grown accustomed to the brutality of Azeroth, but that didn't make it any more pleasant to see first hand.
"You won't be hearin' any complaints from me," Falstad said supportively as he watched the scene unfold. "'The best fight is a short fight' is what I always say. Put 'em down quick before they can get in a lucky hit."
"I agree, Vizier Krivax," said Vereesa, her tone more respectful than ever as she spoke to him. "Your actions were completely justified. These centaurs obviously deserve no mercy."
The high elf glanced back at the battlefield and spat out a quel'dorei curse that roughly translated to 'as monstrous as a troll.'
The rest of the group was quick to add their agreement. Krivax was glad for the support, but he could tell that the tauren were beginning to grow uncomfortable so he turned his focus back to them. Once he was done healing them, Krivax reached into his spatial bag and withdrew an enchanted artifact shaped like a scarab.
"Greetings, I am Vizier Krivax of Azjol-Nerub," Krivax said as he activated the artifact. Their expressions of shock were enough for him to know that they were hearing something that they could understand. "My allies and I came from a land far across the sea to meet with the ancient kaldorei. We were sent by them to aid you in your struggle against the centaur."
The eldest tauren, who seemed to have taken the role of their leader, looked at him and then the night elf sentinels with open awe before bowing deeply toward him. "Greetings, strangers from lands afar. We are profoundly grateful for your assistance. Truly, you must have been sent by the Earth Mother herself."
"You're very welcome. I only wish that I could have helped quicker," said Krivax as he glanced once again at the corpses around them.
The elderly tauren seemed to slump in sorrow, and his voice was filled with deep resignation as he responded. "As do I, but we are already grateful for the assistance we've received. It is not every day that a stranger carrying the flames of An'she arrives to save us from our enemies and heal our wounds. I am Hestal Dawnstrider, and these are members of my tribe…"
Hestal went on to introduce the rest of the present tauren, who were apparently members of the Dawnstrider Tribe. Krivax couldn't remember enough about the tauren to recall if their tribe was particularly notable.
"How is it that you ended up separated from the rest of your people?" Krivax asked curiously once he finished his introductions.
Hestal's gaze fell, and he began to speak in a voice filled with weariness. "The centaurs launched an overwhelming attack against our people's main encampment. While our warriors were fighting them off, several of the centaur broke away to begin killing our civilians. We were separated from the rest in the resulting chaos."
"How long ago was this?" Krivax asked instantly, his voice growing hard. "Are the centaur still attacking your people as we speak?"
Hestal nodded solemnly. "Almost certainly. The centaur have grown even more aggressive in recent times than they once were for reasons unknown to us. The past few months have resulted in many deaths among our people."
Krivax felt his heart squeeze tightly at that. After what happened in Capital City, Krivax had been somewhat forced to come to terms with the negative effects of his changes to the timeline, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt to hear about.
At least I can help them now, Krivax comforted himself. The centaur would have always driven them to the brink of extinction, even without my influence. And at least now I can stop it a bit early.
"Can you point us in their direction?" Krivax asked after a moment of silence, knowing that the tauren wouldn't be able to keep up. "I and my allies would like to help fight off the centaur if they are attacking your people right now."
Krivax noticed the rest of his group immediately perked up at his words, only understanding one half of the conversation.
Hestal looked at Krivax with gratitude and surprise before eagerly pointing to the west. "Our encampment should not be far. It is near the boundary that separates these lands from Mulgore, north of quilboar territory."
Krivax turned to Falstad and quickly relayed that information. The dwarf nodded in understanding and flew off on the back Swiftwing without another word.
While Falstad went off to scout the area ahead, Krivax turned back to the tauren survivors. "We are going to move on ahead. I'll leave behind a few of my guards to protect you from any wildlife and escort you back to your people."
Hestal and the rest of the survivors expressed their gratitude once again, staring up at Krivax with a sense of awe that made him feel uncomfortable. Not wanting to waste any more time, Krivax quickly began moving in the direction Hestal had pointed them toward. It wasn't long before they once again heard the sounds of battle, which wasn't surprising as Hestal's group of civilians could not have traveled very far.
As he caught sight of the battlefield, Krivax began to feel regret that he had already expended so much of his Life magic in his previous fight. Although he was quite powerful, his abilities were not limitless, and there were significantly more centaur to deal with this time.
The landscape stretched out before Krivax, vast and scarred with the conflict. It was immediately obvious to him why the tauren were having so much trouble dealing with the centaur as these ones were doing a better job of leveraging their superior mobility than the ones he had faced earlier.
The tauren had formed an impressive defensive line around their encampment, utilizing shamanistic magic to create barriers of stone, but the centaur were peppering them with flaming arrows from afar. The tauren were responding with what long ranged magic they were capable of, but the centaur were easily able to dodge when needed. Krivax even saw spear-wielding centaur charge the tauren line before quickly retreating whenever a tauren moved to intercept them.
Given the sounds of laughter coming from the centaur, it looked as if they were playing some kind of game. When one of the centaurs was too slow to react and found itself knocked to the ground before their head was crushed by a massive hoof, the rest merely laughed even harder.
"Hey buddy, you aren't going to run ahead again like last time, right?" Trixie asked worriedly.
Krivax sincerely considered it, but eventually decided against doing so. "No, that would be unwise. They have many more ranged weapons, and I can sense several magic users. That would be dangerous even for me."
Powerful individuals could easily turn the tides of battle in a world like Azeroth, but only to a certain degree. There were hundreds of centaur in this raiding group, which was more than enough to wear him down if he got surrounded. Their arrows and magical attacks might also break through his defenses before he got there. Fortunately, Krivax had just the thing to help him safely approach the centaur.
"I'm going to make use of my golem as a defense shield to get me close," Krivax announced to the group. "You all can follow behind me. If you can whittle down their forces from afar, it'll prevent them from simply running away and harrying me."
His golem had powerful defensive capabilities, but it was not nearly fast enough to catch a centaur. Krivax really didn't want the centaur to just kite him, but the night elves should have no problems picking them off if they tried. Their archers could accurately hit targets from a frankly ridiculous distance.
Krivax could tell that the group was a bit skeptical, especially Vereesa.
"Silvermoon often uses golems to patrol its streets and roads, so I am very familiar with them," Vereesa said hesitantly. "None of them would last long against a concerted attack from so many enemies."
"I don't have much experience with them myself, but that is my impression as well," said Rhonin, nodding in agreement.
Krivax dearly wished that he still had the facial features necessary to smirk. "Neither of you have seen a golem animated by pure Life magic and constructed from the most powerful materials that Azjol-Nerub can produce."
Without further explanation, Krivax reached into his robe and retrieved a specially made spatial bag and released the seals that kept it closed. Immediately, a massive stream of snow-white silk threads spilled out of the bag and began gathering in front of Krivax.
The pooling silk moved as if it was alive, twisting and undulating like some manner of formless creature. Feeling a connection between him and his creation, Krivax took control of the silk golem and ordered it take on a new shape. Slowly, strands of silk began to twine around each other to form a torso with four arm-like appendages and a nerubian head. Where the legs would normally be, the silk continued to flow and twist, resembling a skirt of dancing strands that dug up the earth beneath it.
Krivax had found the legs to be the most troublesome part to design, and eventually decided to just ignore them altogether. His golem could move by altering its base, allowing it to glide smoothly over any terrain.
"What in the name of the Sunwell…" Vereesa trailed off, her eyes widening.
"By Elune…" said Sentinel Starsong, her normal composure leaving her.
The silk golem's body was absolutely massive, having been designed so that someone as large as Krivax could hide behind it. The threads that made up its bodies danced around each other, casting curious pulsating shadows under the sunlight. The silk that made up its body was the strongest that Azjol-Nerub could make, and cost more than the yearly budgets of some minor Divisions.
Its silk was strong enough that it could even withstand the blows of Anub'rekhan without use of the Light, and was resistant enough to magic that Hadix had difficulty harming it without his most powerful spells. The golem was even powered by a massive mana crystal that Azjol-Nerub had harvested from the Crystalsong Forest at great expense. If not for the unique properties of Krivax's Life magic, it would be far too powerful a creation for someone like him to animate and control.
"That's… That's certainly something," Rhonin muttered, at a loss for words.
Krivax felt a hint of smugness and wanted to enjoy their reactions a bit longer, but he knew that he couldn't wait. The centaur had obviously spotted them by now and were yelling wildly in their direction. With a mental command, Krivax sent the silk golem forward as he followed closely behind it. They moved at a speed faster than most humans could achieve, but still far slower than a centaur.
It wasn't long before the centaur reacted to the approaching threat, releasing a volley of arrows and bolts of lightning sent by their magic users. Many of the arrows were enhanced by primitive air magic, but it didn't matter. Their attacks were about as effective as pebbles being thrown at a mountain, doing nothing to slow the silk golem's advance.
A few of the centaur, braver or stupider than the rest, attempted to attack the golem at close range with their axes and spears. They quickly learned better when the golem caught them, its four arms deceptively fast and stretching beyond what should be physically possible. The centaur warriors were swiftly crushed within the golem's grasp before being discarded aside like rag dolls.
Vereesa and the Sentinels fired back a volley of arrows at the centaurs, killing many of them with unnatural precision.
"Jeesh, you really don't play around, huh?" Trixie muttered as she followed Krivax safely behind the golem. "Any plans to leave some fun for the rest of us?"
Krivax huffed in amusement. "This world is far too dangerous to play fair, Trixie. I intend to always do everything I can to stack the odds in my favor."
As if to prove his point, Krivax heard a deafening roar of challenge come from the centaur. One individual stepped forward out of the crowd, significantly larger than the others and equipped with a massive two-headed spear that glowed with powerful elemental magic.
That must be their leader…
The large centaur charged at them, seemingly unafraid despite what happened to the last few of their kind. As the golem grabbed for it, the centaur leader jumped aside and dodged it with surprising grace and swung at its arm. Krivax was mildly surprised to see the spear cut through several layers of silk, and wondered at the origins of such a powerful weapon.
The centaur struggled to pull its spear out of the sticky strands that made up the golem, but managed to do so after a brief stuggle. Unfortunately for them, it was already far too late. The centaur leader was quick enough to leap away from the spike of earth that rose beneath its hooves, but they didn't manage to dodge the golem as it lunged for them.
"That didn't take very long," Krivax commented mildly as the centaur's corpse hit the ground after being cut down into several pieces by the sharp silk threads. He heard the rest of the centaur cry out in surprise and anger at their leader's defeat. "If you have anything that you want to throw at them, now is the time. The sooner we send them running, the sooner I can get to healing the injured tauren."
Krivax emphasized his point by launching spears of ice into the centaur lines.
"Right! Can't let you have all the glory, can I?" Trixie yelled in agreement, smiling widely. The gnome pulled a small device from her back that resembled a strange gun with a large circular barrel. "Say hello to Trixie's Personalized Lightning Bomb!"
Krivax watched as the small gnome pulled the trigger and launched a small spherical object that landed amongst the centaur before exploding in a brilliant flash. Several of the centaur instantly collapsed as streaks of lightning criss-crossed through their ranks.
That seemed to serve as a signal, as everyone unleashed everything they had against the centaur. Rhonin continued to launch powerful missiles of arcane magic while the archers unfailingly hit their targets. Falstad was forced to act cautiously due to the heavy presence of ranged threats, but he and Swiftwing didn't hesitate to pick off any centaur that strayed from the group.
The centaur attempted to fight back even after the death of their leader, but their attacks continued to be ineffective against Krivax's golem and they were steadily driven away from the tauren. Eventually, they must have finally understood the futility of their current strategy because one of them blew on a large horn and signaled for them to retreat.
Once the order was given, the centaur didn't hesitate to turn around and charge away from the battlefield, leaving behind the corpses of their fallen comrades. When he was certain that they were gone, Krivax began making his way over to the tauren encampment.
He was pleased to see that his personal guard had successfully escorted Hestal and his group back to the tauren sometime during the battle. As he approached, a sizable old male tauren with an equally sizable totem harness strapped along his back stepped forward. The tauren also carried a large halberd as he spoke in a rumbling voice.
"Welcome, stranger. Hestal has informed me of what you did for him and the others, and I have seen the proof of his words with my own eyes. You must truly have been sent by the Earth Mother. I am Cairne Bloodhoof, Chieftain of the Bloodhoof tribe and High Chieftain of the Shu'halo."
Wow, that was fast, Krviax couldn't help but think.
"It's an honor to meet you, High Chieftain. I am Vizier Krivax of Azjol-Nerub," Krivax said with sincerity. Cairne was one of his favorite characters in Warcraft and meeting him in real life was a great experience. However, he unfortunately had more important things to worry about. "I don't mean to be rude, but I believe we should cut these introductions short. I'm sure that you have many among your people who are injured. I am a powerful healer, so it would be best if I'm brought to them quickly. I swear to you that I mean no harm."
Cairne immediately nodded in eager agreement. "Your intentions have been made clear by your actions, outsider. I am more than willing to bring you to those who are critically injured if you are able to save their lives. We have lost far too many shamans and spirit walkers in recent times, so they are in desperate need of assistance."
With initial greetings over faster and smoother than Krivax expected, Cairne turned around and began leading him into the tauren encampment. As he made his way through the crowd, Krivax saw that many of the tauren looked up at him with awe filled expressions. Although, there were also many who were openly grieving over those who they had lost in the attack.
It reminded Krivax too much of the Second War.
But unlike back then… I now have the power to help put a stop to this…
Tichondrius watched idly as the enormous undead creature that now served as their mobile base lashed out against the tentacled beast tainted by the Old Gods, a kraken he believed it was called.
Azshara had been quick to send her servants once the Lich King began slaughtering isolated settlements of naga, but it seemed that she had not yet fully understood the scope of their power. Otherwise, she would have sent a far more sizable force against them.
The kraken died instantly as a portion of its head was destroyed by the giant undead turtle's jaws. Before the rest of the naga could understand what was happening, the kraken had already been reanimated and was crushing them with its mighty tentacles. It wasn't long after that the attacking naga were all dead and joined the rest of the Lich King's growing army by swimming alongside their fortress.
They had already gathered a sizable force, killing any useful sea creature they came across and raising them into undeath. That kraken was far from the first, along with several whale sharks, sea giants, and an assortment of other powerful sea creatures. Azeroth's seas had a delightful assortment of underwater monstrosities for them to choose from.
Turning away from the now concluded fight, Tichondrius made his way back toward the structure he and his fellow nathrezim had claimed as their dwelling. The Temple of Five Dawns was a somewhat impressive structure given that it had been constructed by primitives. The large pagoda was now inundated with Death magic, its formerly bright colors gradually growing dark as necrotic energy twisted it into darker hues. Bones and skulls had been fused into the wood and stone creating a sinister atmosphere, while the stone floors had been replaced by dead coral alongside the ever-present blight.
Tichondrius found himself enjoying the sight of the defiled temple, and decided that the Scourge would build its future structures in a similar image.
Soon after he entered the building, Tichondrius was greeted by the voice of Mal'Ganis. "We shall not last long in the open seas if we continue to attack Azshara so brazenly. It is only a matter of time before she sends a force that we cannot withstand."
"That is already quite clear to me," Tichondrius scoffed. As if he needed someone else to explain something so plainly obvious. "This is merely to grow our initial forces. Azshara has always been an opportunist. So long as we do not threaten any of her vital interests and begin causing chaos elsewhere on Azeroth, she will be content to ignore us and take advantage of any opportunity she can find."
"Then what is our next step?" Mal'Ganis asked somewhat impatiently. "The three brothers have finished creating the concealment magic connected to this creature's bound soul, but it will not hide us forever. Our enemies are clever and powerful in equal measure, after all."
Tichondrius hummed in agreement. The vast depths of Azeroth's seas and the strength of their concealment magic would prevent that vast majority of enemy forces from finding them, but that was not a perfect solution. The Aspect of Magic would no doubt be able to find them eventually, and then he would bring the rest of those cursed dragons. Fortunately, Tichondrius had already formed several plans to secure them the time that they needed.
They had even been gifted an unexpected boon when they examined the memories of the so-called 'pandaren.'
"The mists surrounding Pandaria are powerful enough that even Lord Kil'jaeden was unable to see through them," said Tichondrius, faintly impressed that the mortals had accomplished such a feat. "It will take even Malygos a significant amount of effort to pierce through them, while we can enter and exit at our leisure. We will begin our conquest there."
Tichondrius had experienced Malygos' intelligence firsthand during the War of the Ancients. He had no doubt that the Aspect would realize where they had gone once the surviving mortals spread news of the Lich King. The troublesome dragon had always been one to take any advantage that he could sink his claws into, and would be a dangerous enemy.
However, Tichondrius had every intention of delaying such a confrontation for as long as possible.
"Call for the brothers. I have assignments for them," Tichondrius ordered. The three of them were currently creating an array of wards around Gul'dan, both to defend the Lich King and monitor any magic coming from him.
Someone as power hungry as Gul'dan would inevitably attempt to betray them once he thought he could get away with it. Tichondrius grinned at the thought of torturing the Lich King after he predictably turned on them after they passed the Mists and out of Kil'jaeden's sights…
A hint of annoyance passed through Mal'Ganis' eyes at being relegated to a messenger, but he soon left regardless. Varimathras, Balnazzar, and Detheroc arrived soon after, emerging from the shadows of the temple. The three of them should have no difficulty creating the necessary distractions that Tichondrius had in mind, although he expected it would take some time.
"I've already informed you before we arrived that you will be sent to cause chaos across Azeroth," Tichondrius began, his gaze steady on the trio. "Weakening the mortal forces of this world is essential to ensuring our success. As such, two of you will be assigned to different continents to discover the best way to do so. Azeroth has always been a world separated by political divisions, so this should not be a difficult task. Varimathras will travel to Northrend, while Balnazzar will be sent to the Eastern Kingdoms."
They hid it well, but Tichondrius could see the hint of confusion that passed through his fellow nathrezim at the obvious exclusion.
"And what of Kalimdor?" Detheroc was the first to ask.
Tichondrius smiled wickedly at the question. "Lord Kil'jaeden provided me with something that will thoroughly distract those cursed kaldorei. Something quite fascinating that he found on Draenor…"
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Thanks for reading!
xbox432
Lover of Editing
Well, Krivax finally found something that made him lose his temper. I'd say that's goodish... What happened to the Tauren is a tragedy, but at least now Krivax knows his battle limits better. And I'd say it's telling how it was the sight of civilians being butchered which did it. If nothing else, he managed to gain more respect from Veressa and the others. And I'm sure that the Sentinels will also be taking note of both his power, and the care he showed to the Tauren. It may not change a LOT, but soldiers talk. And I'm sure they'll be spreading word about how much he seems to care about others. Plus, his golem certainly made an impression.
Hmm, and yeah, Cairne has always been a favorite of mine as well. He's just such a genuinely GOOD person. I'm looking forward to seeing how their eventual conversation goes. How the help will be offered and received, the knowledge shared... I'm curious if Krivax will tell the Tauren of their cousins on the Broken Isle and in Northrend?
Then there's the fact that Anub'Arak is the one meeting with the Draenei... Oh THAT would be interesting. Plus, with the Draenei now sharing space with the Nerubians instead of the Kal'Dorei? Something tells me they'll be much more receptive of the Draenei offering help, the Queens especially should be ecstatic. An ancient people willing to share knowledge on how best to defeat Fel and Void infused enemies? Oh they'll love that. And with the Draenei being so good with gemcraft, and the Nerubians with silk? They have a chance to not only become the enchanting center of the world, but the mercantile center as well.
Hmm, and yeah, Cairne has always been a favorite of mine as well. He's just such a genuinely GOOD person. I'm looking forward to seeing how their eventual conversation goes. How the help will be offered and received, the knowledge shared... I'm curious if Krivax will tell the Tauren of their cousins on the Broken Isle and in Northrend?
Then there's the fact that Anub'Arak is the one meeting with the Draenei... Oh THAT would be interesting. Plus, with the Draenei now sharing space with the Nerubians instead of the Kal'Dorei? Something tells me they'll be much more receptive of the Draenei offering help, the Queens especially should be ecstatic. An ancient people willing to share knowledge on how best to defeat Fel and Void infused enemies? Oh they'll love that. And with the Draenei being so good with gemcraft, and the Nerubians with silk? They have a chance to not only become the enchanting center of the world, but the mercantile center as well.
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Rakjo
Ork Mek looking for WAAAGH!
- Location
- In the Shadow Realm
if i had to guess what Kil Jaeden will unleash that he found on Draenor it would be the Crazy Plant Monster Hivemind thing, or a ton or Gromm, maybe the Fungi Infection that ate the coast and transformed into Zangarmash on Outland, in WoD we burn it with the gobbos and gnomes if im remembering right.
Dropping the Plant Monster on Un Goro or Dropping the Gromm on Desolase would make Kalimdor significantly more dangerous
Dropping the Plant Monster on Un Goro or Dropping the Gromm on Desolase would make Kalimdor significantly more dangerous
Chapter 68.5
Author's Note: First part written mostly by Kishida from the discord with edits from me. Second part written by Imspinnennetz.
The Hall was in shambles. Magister Alerea Autumnburn sighed heavily as she surveyed the damage caused by the High Elf delegates in response to the slanderous remarks made by the other visiting academics. It was completely warranted, of course. There was no way that her ancestors could be…those barbaric savages!
Even so, the damage was extensive and the Kirin Tor was adamant that all damages must be paid for by the Thalassian embassy, to which she was attached as resident Magister-Doctor of History and Precedent.
"Magister!" Came a commanding and noticeably unfriendly, yet familiar voice from the slightly less charred entrance to the hall. "The Ambassador demands your presence, now!"
With an expression on his aristocratic face cold enough to chill an iceberg, High Magister Ren'atar Lighthaven stormed into the ruined hall, beelining straight towards her.
"I have been ordered to assure your presence, Magister, as this debacle has caused a diplomatic furor big enough that the King himself is considering issuing a state apology!"
Alerea blinked dazedly as she cast a cleansing spell to banish the stains from her clothes and the plaster from her coiffed golden hair.
"King Sunstrider? Apologize to the younger races? Whatever for? They should apologize to our ancestors and our people! These blinkered fools insult our people with their remarks! They denigrate us and isolate us politically and economically to cozy up to those cunning nerubian bugs after centuries of alliance and goodwill, no less!"
Her vehement exclamation echoed across the hall, causing the construction mages working in the ruined hall to pause in their work and regard the indignant Quel'Dorei with palpable unfriendliness. At a gesture of dismissal from Ansirem Runeweaver, they resumed their work. The Archmage motioned subtly towards the exit and with a curt nod, turned back to his work with a look of veiled irritation for Alerea.
Ren'atar was taken aback for a moment by her venomous reply. Then, with a visible effort, restrained his reply and moved to stand beside her. With a gesture, he prompted her towards the entrance. "After you, Magister Autumnburn."
Once they exited the halls, High Magister Lighthaven leaned toward her and spoke in a furious whisper, "I would thank you to keep such things to yourself while you are outside our embassy, Magister. The position of the Sun Throne is not as favorable as it once was among the humans."
Alerea looked back at the High Magister with open confusion. She had heard whispers that their people's diplomatic situation had been growing worse in recent years, but she didn't know the specifics. "How so? I admit that I've noticed some… hostility in recent times, but the younger races have always been unpredictable. It hardly seems like something to worry about."
High Magister Lighthaven sighed with exasperation as he began to explain. "After the war, there are many among the humans who say that Quel'Thalas does not fulfill her debts nor help her allies in their time of need. That doesn't even begin to touch upon the messages our commercial factors have been sending about the impending termination of favored contracts that provide the funding for your department, among others."
As they came out of the dim hall into the bright sunshine falling onto the smooth cobblestone streets of Dalaran, Alerea's eyes widened as she beheld the armed squad of Spell-Breakers waiting on either side of the entrance. Their armor shone in a dazzling glow, and their arms were held precisely at the ready forming a corridor to an austere carriage drawn by a matched pair of white hawkstriders, embossed with the seal of the Sunstriders.
Am I under arrest? For this? What in the name of the Sunwell is going on here? Alerea thought amid a wave of rising panic.
"Do you see now what you've gotten yourself into, Magister?" High Magister Lighthaven continued, glaring at her furiously. "As the most visible face of the opposition to the theory of races, the embassy has received complaints about you from the diplomatic corps of at least three other nations! With this stunt today, they've been given more leverage to extort concessions from us. By the Sunwell, Azjol-Nerub even has the audacity to ask for logging permissions in Southern Eversong for a nerubian navy, of all things! I won't even mention the offers they're making to our enchanters to emigrate."
Alerea stared at him in disbelief as they passed through the corridor of armored figures and entered the carriage for a short trip to the embassy. "You're joking. The woods are sacred to our people. The King couldn't possibly be considering such a step."
At this, the carriage started forward with a bump, and the squeak of wheels on cobble was the only counterpoint to the High Magister's silence.
"Things are bad, Alerea," said High Magister Lighthaven, his voice growing somber. "While you've been playing Magister-Doctor in halls and manors and hiding in the library reading musty old books, the power of Quel'Thalas has been reduced to near irrelevance, thanks to the arrival of Azjol'Nerub. We failed to deliver when the younger races were counting on us, and lost their trust. I wasn't supposed to say anything, but you're going to be reassigned because of this. I'm sorry."
The carriage rolled to a stop in front of the embassy as Alerea stared at the High Magister with growing horror.
"That's our cue. Let's go," said High Magister Lighthaven, his expression almost regretful.
—
Ambassador Laedra Dawnsinger stood behind her desk with her hands clasped behind her back in military fashion. As Alerea entered the room, High Magister Lighthaven dismissed the Spell-Breakers, who closed the fine mahogany doors of the office with a soft click.
"Well Magister Autumnburn, do you have anything to say for yourself?" Ambassador Dawnsinger said after a moment of tense silence.
Squaring her shoulders, Alerea looked at her and said in her most formal tone, "I stand behind my beliefs of history, ma'am. However, I apologize that my actions have led to this juncture. I was not cognizant of the damage that I was causing while discussing what I believed as a dry historical matter."
Ambassador Dawnsinger smiled wryly, "I actually believe you, Magister, but I have no choice but to send you home. Prince Kael'Thas has interceded somewhat on your behalf, so you will maintain your rank and titles, but you will be reassigned wherever the need is most pressing. Do not expect the Prince to protect you again, as even his influence is not inexhaustible. You are to report to Silvermoon immediately to receive your next assignment. I bid you good day, and wish you good luck in your future endeavors."
Without another word, the Ambassador gave a gesture of dismissal before absently sipping on a goblet of everwine and turning to look out the window.
Once Alerea and High Magister Lighthaven left the room, Ambassador Dawnsinger sank into her plush window seat with a sigh. Her roving eyes drifted to her desk, where a detailed drawing of a fierce, one-armed troll warlord lay partially buried by a sheaf of reports.
"You'll certainly need it…"
—
The Magister's Court was as stunning as usual, Alerea noted as she stepped into the foyer of the glimmering edifice that held her new superiors office. As she headed into the section of labyrinthine offices belonging to the Foreign Department, she noted that it was just the right mix of daunting and arrogantly decadent.
With the ease of long practice, she threaded her way through the halls crowded with rushing aides and scribes. Alerea dodged a book of law falling off a shelf, a pot of ink drifting over to a scribe's desk, and an improbably large hat with the name 'REEVUS' in bright embroidered letters shooting down the corridor at breakneck speed. After a few more minutes of bobbing and weaving, she arrived at a fine door bearing the placard reading 'Magister-Commander Sedania Truecloud, Bureau of Banditry' in small gold letters.
Bracing herself, Alerea opened the door and looked upon a cluttered office filled with the accumulated files and bric-a-brac of centuries of work and a fine, tough battered wooden desk at which the M.C., a harried-looking Elf with the beginnings of wrinkles upon her face and shoulder length scarlet hair, scribbled madly upon a sheet of parchment with an enchanted quill, while glancing at a thick tome filled with small, densely packed text.
"Ma'am, Alerea Autumnburn, Magister-Doctor, reporting per orders from Ambassador Dawnsinger."
The furiously writing quill clattered on the desk as Commander Truecloud froze in surprise before responding. "Damn it all, Magister, can't you remember how to knock? I'm too old for unsolicited frights."
"Won't happen again, ma'am," Alerea quickly reassured. "However, I was told to report to you for an assignment. May I ask what that will be?"
Commander Truecloud gazed at her, "I know who you are and why you're here. So don't worry about standing on military protocol. You'll strain yourself trying. You've been assigned to the bureau because you screwed up big time, but you have powerful friends that would cause problems were you dismissed. Am I right so far?"
Alerea hesitantly nodded in assent.
"Swell. Now that the dragonhawk in the room has been exposed, we can move onto the heart of the matter. Are you here to work and mend your reputation through accomplishments or are you just here to ride a desk until your friends at court can fix the mess you made and get you out of here?"
"I'm here to fix my mistakes, Commander," Alerea said in a tone that sounded more confident than she actually felt about the matter.
Bandit Bureau? This is the only place I could be sent? I'm a historian and an academic, not a soldier. I haven't even cast anything more involved than a cleaning spell in decades! What's the use of my rank and titles, if my ears are decorating some vagabond raider camp's medicine Tent?!
"May I say, Commander, that you're rather more direct than most I've met in the Service."
"It's the job, Autumnburn. Despite being a vital part of the nation's defense and having several major prominent leaders among our number, we remain perpetually short of personnel who are capable or willing to contribute. When you're a dumping ground for problem children, you have to be upfront about what you expect."
Truecloud leaned back in her heavily upholstered chair and motioned for Alerea to sit as she fished through a gnome-high stack of parchment.
"Since you're willing to help us out, I've got just the job to earn you some favor with the Service again."
She handed Alerea a sheaf of parchment, and with a few hand gestures, conjured a small illusion of a grizzled Troll of unusual size that was missing an arm.
'Zul'Jin, the main unifier of the Forest Trolls in the recent war against the Horde. Powerful, intelligent, a dangerous tactician, and skilled in raiding warfare. We thought he was out of the picture after Halduron Brightwing brought him back in chains and at our mercy. We were wrong."
Pausing for effect, she continued, "A few months ago, he somehow managed to escape from a secure containment facility run by the Farstriders, evaded all pursuit, and took both himself and his tribe south. Near the border with Stormwind, he managed to slip away from our scouts."
"Then the trail is cold? I don't see how I could be of much use to you. I'm a historian, not a detective," Alerea said quizzically.
"No, you're definitely not, but here is where your certain rather politically compromising views lend a hand. You have extensively studied damn near every piece of history written on the subject of the Quel'Dorei, going back to the First, to prove your points on our creation. You can use that knowledge, especially as it relates to the Troll Wars, to get inside the mind of Zul'jin and his tribe in order to predict their movements," A feral smile spread across Sedania's face. "Also, the savage left some of his buddies behind in that facility including high-ranked warriors, some of his riders, and even a senior witchdoctor, I hear. I get the feeling that if you press the right ancestral buttons, one of them might give us the information we seek and save you a lot of guesswork."
Not setting the bar high, are they? How exactly does one intimidate an eight foot tall Troll killing machine with a Candlefire spell? Threaten to burn his nose hair? Alerea, oh you damn fool, why did you have to go all gung-ho 'I'll do my part' when she offered you a nice, cushy desk…
"You place a lot of faith in a clerical assistant, Commander, but I will do my best if it means I can go back to academia after I locate this Zul'Jin creature for you."
"Locate? Oh no, Doctor. Your job is to bring him back dead or alive after all. Otherwise you might spend the next century or two with me filling out requisitions and filing receipts, while your career dies a slow death and your name becomes an academic footnote."
Alerea went white as a sheet and an electric tingle coursed down her spine, causing Commander Truecloud to bark a mirthless laugh at her reaction.
"I see you understand me now. Good. It'll help keep you focused on your assignment."
A knock sounded at the door and Command Truecloud was quick to tell them to enter.
A slender elf in the garb of the Farstriders entered the office and saluted the Commander smartly. "Ranger Brightwalker, reporting as ordered."
The Commander nodded towards the ranger, "This man will be your guide and tracker on this assignment. Also going with you will be a priest and a Spell-Breaker, who will join you at the facility. You will kit yourself for combat and depart this city tomorrow morning. You are dismissed, Magister Autumnburn."
With a nod towards them both, commander Truecloud returned to her work, quill scratching once more in a ferocious tumult of activity.
—
Alerea slumped in her finely upholstered chair within the Autumnburn family compound. It was a classical example of High Elven architecture, dripping with decadent silks draped over fine rosy marble colonnades on the outside, and on the inside, fine, comfortable furniture dominated alongside warm wood floors. However, the cherished tapestries and familiar paintings failed to give joy to its preoccupied occupant.
The past few days began to feel like weeks, Alerea thought as she reluctantly stood in front of her full-length mirror and began to brush her fine golden hair free of its constricting coiffure.
I never dreamed that it would come to this. An Autumnburn, disgraced before the crown, banished from court, and sent on a wild goose chase I most likely will never return from.
Her almond-shaped sapphire eyes gazed back tiredly from behind a veil of golden strands, and with efficient motions, she swept her hair back into a simple ponytail and secured it. She stood from her chair and walked across the bedroom, stepping over dusty tomes and piles of tightly rolled scrolls bound in fine indigo ribbon, to a mannequin dressed in a royal blue robe that shimmered where it caught the light. Steelsilk, fresh from the nerubian weavers, light as a feather and woven about with the finest enchantments of the quel'dorei.
She had accepted it hesitantly from the bureau armorer along with a wickedly sharp mithril knife and a reinforced ash staff mounted with a clear crystal orb. It both alarmed and comforted her that she would require such armament, but it wouldn't do to chase a monster like Zul'Jin with nothing but hard words to take him on. Turning away from the mannequin, she extinguished the candles and magelight with a snap of her fingers and crawled into her bed with a sigh. The new day would come too soon for her liking.
Vizier Hud'rek sighed as he finally finished reading through the last report from the mountain of paperwork. He did not know how Vizier Krivax could manage to read through and respond to all the diplomats so quickly. He was going to recommend that the Foreign Outreach Division employ more secretaries once the delegation from Kalimdor returned to Azjol-Nerub.
He was just writing down the notes on the proposed tram line through the Eastern Continent when Initiate Krukzax, one of the new diplomats trained by Vizier Krivax, walked into the room.
"Vizier Hud'rek, the delegation for the meeting with the draenei is ready."
Acknowledging the young initiate, Vizier Hud'rek stood up from his cushioned seat to head over to join the delegation. He looked at the initiate's clothing and appearance with some amusement. Initiate Krukzax, like many of the new hatchlings in the Foreign Outreach Division, had started to use bright red carapace wax in imitation of Vizier Krivax's bright red carapace. As a result, Initiate Krukzax's natural dark blue carapace now looked purple under bright lights.
"Summarize the information gathered by the Circle of Viziers on the draenei," Vizier Hud'rek tested Initiate Krukzax as they made their way through the corridors of Azjol-Nerub.
"Draenei are a society of Light Users who landed in Draenor approximately two hundred years ago," Initiate Krukzax replied, fidgeting with his fingers as he attempted to recall the information. "The Horde attacked them and destroyed their cities, before they invaded Azeroth. Malygos has recently teleported the survivors with their crashed trans-dimensional ship to the Borean Tundra."
"Well done," Vizier Hud'rek said as they approached the rest of the delegation in the portal room. "During the meeting, you will take notes for me and act as my secretary. The High King will make the final decision on any agreement with the draenei after meeting with Prophet Velen."
Once they arrived in the portal room, Vizier Hud'rek began to introduce the key members of the delegation to Initiate Krukzax.
"Paladin Anub'Rekhan of the Guardians of Nerub is joining the delegation to discuss any matters related to the Light," Vizier Hud'rek said, motioning to the massive glowing spiderlord.
"Indeed, I intend to learn more about the Light related abilities used by the draenei," Anub'Rekhan rumbled. "I have felt a sudden surge of the Light ever since they were teleported to Northrend."
"Do you think that the transdimensional ship used by the draenei operates using the Light?" interjected a Vizier wearing a silk bandolier full of tools and artifacts.
"Vizier Trizok from the Technology Research Division will be joining us as well," Vizier Hud'rek murmured to Initiate Krukzax, while Vizier Trizok continued to talk excitedly on the topic of 'magical rune engines' with occasional wave of an artifact for demonstration.
Conversation amongst the nerubian delegation died down at the smell of cooked lobster wafting from a spatial bag held by a nerubian weaver.
"Chef Sash'mi will be providing a buffet during the meeting with the draenei," Vizier Hud'rek said, suppressing his sudden wave of hunger. "She is a pioneer in the preparation of seafood in Azjol-Nerub."
When she realized that most of the nerubian delegation were focused on her, Chef Sash'mi quickly closed the spatial bag with embarrassment. Vizier Hud'rek laughed as Initiate Krukzax surreptitiously wiped his mandibles.
"Welcome everybody," Vizier Hud'rek announced as he moved to the front of the room. "We will proceed via portal to Outpost Dragonwatch overlooking the Borean Tundra. At the outpost, we will meet with High Priestess Ishanah and her entourage who will represent the draenei."
I hope Malygos does not show up to the meeting, Vizier Hud'rek thought to himself as he made his way through the portal.
—
Initiate Krukzax readied his quill and paper as Vizier Hud'rek, Paladin Anub'Rekhan, and Vizier Trizok settled down on one side of a wooden table at Outpost Dragonwatch. The draenei delegation led by High Priestess Ishanah had arrived a short while ago.with her entourage from the shiny mountain that had recently been teleported into the Borean Tundra. According to the reports from the scouts, the shiny mountain was the transdimensional ship Genedar.
Initiate Krukzax was excited as the High Priestess Ishanah sat down on the other side of the table and prepared to start taking the minutes of the meeting.
"Welcome to Northrend," Vizier Hud'rek started formally after activating a translation artifact. "Today, I hope to establish the fundamentals of a trade and cooperation agreement between the draenei and the Kingdom of Azjol-Nerub."
"I thank you for your greetings," High Priestess Ishanah said serenely. "May the Light shine on our discussions."
Anub'Rekhan's ever-present glow pulsed at the statement as Vizier Hud'rek replied, "I have been informed that as refugees from Draenor, your primary concerns right now are food and shelter."
High Priestess Ishanah nodded and said, "My people would be grateful for any assistance from Azjol-Nerub. What can we offer in return for aid?"
"I have felt the arrival of your people and your transdimensional ship in the Light," Anub'Rekhan answered thoughtfully. "I can sense that you yourself are a powerful Light user. The Guardians of Nerub and I would like to learn techniques and abilities used by your people."
"The Technology Research Division is also interested in touring the transdimensional ship Genedar," Vizier Trizok chimed in excitedly before reigning himself in.
Initiate Krukzax knew that the Vizier would much rather tear the ship apart piece by piece and study every part of it in depth. Thankfully, Vizier Hud'rek had made it clear to the overzealous researcher that such a thing was definitely not on the table. They were hopeful that even a quick tour would be enough to learn from such an impressive creation.
"High King Anub'arak is also interested in any knowledge of the threat of the Burning Legion," Vizier Hud'rek interrupted to take back control of the conversation. "In return for the cooperation on research into the Light and activities of the Burning Legion, Azjol-Nerub is willing to offer building materials like stone, refined metal ingots, and silk canvases for construction of new housing."
While the High Priestess considered her response and talked to her entourage, Initiate Krukzax hurriedly finished summarizing the minutes of the meeting so far. Vizier Krivax had always emphasized the importance of concise and precise reports in his diplomacy lessons.
"We are willing to cooperate with you on understanding and wielding the Light," High Priestess Ishanah replied. "I believe that some of our information on the Burning Legion is dangerous and corruptive for ordinary nerubians. We will only exchange information on the demons with your paladins."
After Anub'rekhan nodded in acquiescence, she continued, "I will discuss with Prophet Velen about supervised tours of the Genedar to Viziers of the Technology Research Division. However, you must understand that the ship is currently acting as our home and the offices of our government. The Viziers will only be allowed to enter certain portions of the ship."
Negotiations continued for some time as they managed to reach preliminary agreements. Eventually everyone began to grow a bit hungry and one of the diplomats suggested that they take a short recess for lunch.
Initiate Krukzax started to drool as Chef Sash'mi entered to announce that the lunch platters were ready.
As the plates of butter poached lobster, steamed clams, crab cakes, Jormungar steak, and shrimp pancakes were placed on the table, Vizier Hud'rek mentioned with a visible restraint, "Our people are generally insectivores. However, the Foreign Outreach Division has prepared a lunch of primarily seafood for you and your entourage. Chef Sash'mi is particularly skilled at preparing the lobster and crab meat."
Hiding her amusement at the nerubian's sudden hungry looks, High Priestess Ishanah replied, "Thank you for arranging lunch for today's meeting, and I am certain that the food will be delicious."
Conversation halted as everyone ate. Initiate Krukzax tried to politely take small bites of the crab cakes and shrimp pancakes, but ended up inhaling most of the meal. The High Priestess opened her mouth to continue the discussion before realizing the futility of engaging with the nerubian delegation while food was still on the table.
Once the platters were cleared off the table, Vizier Hud'rek said with an embarrassed tone, "Apologies for some of our manners. We nerubians are particularly fond of shellfish and clams."
"We would be interested in trading for food with Azjol-Nerub," High Priestess Ishanah said. "Since our people do not enjoy insects as food, we are primarily interested in grain, meat, and seafood."
"Azjol-Nerub has the most extensive portal network on Azeroth," Vizier Hud'rek replied thoughtfully. "While we can supply large quantities of fish from the nerubian and tuskarr fishing fleets, grain and meat would have to be imported from the Eastern Continent. The Foreign Outreach Division can offer access to the portal network for trade in return for trade goods."
High Priestess Ishanah nodded, "We have received several missives from the Church of the Holy Light in Lordaeron. If your portal network extends to the Eastern Continent, we would like to send our delegation to meet with them as well."
"If you wish to travel through Azjol-Nerub to access the portal network, you must be made aware of certain threats on Northrend," Anub'Rekhan replied in a serious tone. "Areas containing sleeping vrykul are currently off limits to any outsiders. Furthermore, as Light users you are certain to be aware of the Void corruption from a facility in the northeastern region of Northrend."
Initiate Krukzax took out a map of Northrend from his spatial bag and offered it to the draenei with Vizier Hud'rek's approval. Vizier Krivax had always insisted on being prepared with detailed maps during diplomatic missions to prevent confusion.
The meeting was suddenly interrupted when a nerubian sergeant entered the room and said, "Chef Sash'mi has noted several large lobsters on the coast of the Borean Tundra."
Initiate Krukzax mused, I wonder what they would taste like after grilling with some spicy worm powder…
The Hall was in shambles. Magister Alerea Autumnburn sighed heavily as she surveyed the damage caused by the High Elf delegates in response to the slanderous remarks made by the other visiting academics. It was completely warranted, of course. There was no way that her ancestors could be…those barbaric savages!
Even so, the damage was extensive and the Kirin Tor was adamant that all damages must be paid for by the Thalassian embassy, to which she was attached as resident Magister-Doctor of History and Precedent.
"Magister!" Came a commanding and noticeably unfriendly, yet familiar voice from the slightly less charred entrance to the hall. "The Ambassador demands your presence, now!"
With an expression on his aristocratic face cold enough to chill an iceberg, High Magister Ren'atar Lighthaven stormed into the ruined hall, beelining straight towards her.
"I have been ordered to assure your presence, Magister, as this debacle has caused a diplomatic furor big enough that the King himself is considering issuing a state apology!"
Alerea blinked dazedly as she cast a cleansing spell to banish the stains from her clothes and the plaster from her coiffed golden hair.
"King Sunstrider? Apologize to the younger races? Whatever for? They should apologize to our ancestors and our people! These blinkered fools insult our people with their remarks! They denigrate us and isolate us politically and economically to cozy up to those cunning nerubian bugs after centuries of alliance and goodwill, no less!"
Her vehement exclamation echoed across the hall, causing the construction mages working in the ruined hall to pause in their work and regard the indignant Quel'Dorei with palpable unfriendliness. At a gesture of dismissal from Ansirem Runeweaver, they resumed their work. The Archmage motioned subtly towards the exit and with a curt nod, turned back to his work with a look of veiled irritation for Alerea.
Ren'atar was taken aback for a moment by her venomous reply. Then, with a visible effort, restrained his reply and moved to stand beside her. With a gesture, he prompted her towards the entrance. "After you, Magister Autumnburn."
Once they exited the halls, High Magister Lighthaven leaned toward her and spoke in a furious whisper, "I would thank you to keep such things to yourself while you are outside our embassy, Magister. The position of the Sun Throne is not as favorable as it once was among the humans."
Alerea looked back at the High Magister with open confusion. She had heard whispers that their people's diplomatic situation had been growing worse in recent years, but she didn't know the specifics. "How so? I admit that I've noticed some… hostility in recent times, but the younger races have always been unpredictable. It hardly seems like something to worry about."
High Magister Lighthaven sighed with exasperation as he began to explain. "After the war, there are many among the humans who say that Quel'Thalas does not fulfill her debts nor help her allies in their time of need. That doesn't even begin to touch upon the messages our commercial factors have been sending about the impending termination of favored contracts that provide the funding for your department, among others."
As they came out of the dim hall into the bright sunshine falling onto the smooth cobblestone streets of Dalaran, Alerea's eyes widened as she beheld the armed squad of Spell-Breakers waiting on either side of the entrance. Their armor shone in a dazzling glow, and their arms were held precisely at the ready forming a corridor to an austere carriage drawn by a matched pair of white hawkstriders, embossed with the seal of the Sunstriders.
Am I under arrest? For this? What in the name of the Sunwell is going on here? Alerea thought amid a wave of rising panic.
"Do you see now what you've gotten yourself into, Magister?" High Magister Lighthaven continued, glaring at her furiously. "As the most visible face of the opposition to the theory of races, the embassy has received complaints about you from the diplomatic corps of at least three other nations! With this stunt today, they've been given more leverage to extort concessions from us. By the Sunwell, Azjol-Nerub even has the audacity to ask for logging permissions in Southern Eversong for a nerubian navy, of all things! I won't even mention the offers they're making to our enchanters to emigrate."
Alerea stared at him in disbelief as they passed through the corridor of armored figures and entered the carriage for a short trip to the embassy. "You're joking. The woods are sacred to our people. The King couldn't possibly be considering such a step."
At this, the carriage started forward with a bump, and the squeak of wheels on cobble was the only counterpoint to the High Magister's silence.
"Things are bad, Alerea," said High Magister Lighthaven, his voice growing somber. "While you've been playing Magister-Doctor in halls and manors and hiding in the library reading musty old books, the power of Quel'Thalas has been reduced to near irrelevance, thanks to the arrival of Azjol'Nerub. We failed to deliver when the younger races were counting on us, and lost their trust. I wasn't supposed to say anything, but you're going to be reassigned because of this. I'm sorry."
The carriage rolled to a stop in front of the embassy as Alerea stared at the High Magister with growing horror.
"That's our cue. Let's go," said High Magister Lighthaven, his expression almost regretful.
—
Ambassador Laedra Dawnsinger stood behind her desk with her hands clasped behind her back in military fashion. As Alerea entered the room, High Magister Lighthaven dismissed the Spell-Breakers, who closed the fine mahogany doors of the office with a soft click.
"Well Magister Autumnburn, do you have anything to say for yourself?" Ambassador Dawnsinger said after a moment of tense silence.
Squaring her shoulders, Alerea looked at her and said in her most formal tone, "I stand behind my beliefs of history, ma'am. However, I apologize that my actions have led to this juncture. I was not cognizant of the damage that I was causing while discussing what I believed as a dry historical matter."
Ambassador Dawnsinger smiled wryly, "I actually believe you, Magister, but I have no choice but to send you home. Prince Kael'Thas has interceded somewhat on your behalf, so you will maintain your rank and titles, but you will be reassigned wherever the need is most pressing. Do not expect the Prince to protect you again, as even his influence is not inexhaustible. You are to report to Silvermoon immediately to receive your next assignment. I bid you good day, and wish you good luck in your future endeavors."
Without another word, the Ambassador gave a gesture of dismissal before absently sipping on a goblet of everwine and turning to look out the window.
Once Alerea and High Magister Lighthaven left the room, Ambassador Dawnsinger sank into her plush window seat with a sigh. Her roving eyes drifted to her desk, where a detailed drawing of a fierce, one-armed troll warlord lay partially buried by a sheaf of reports.
"You'll certainly need it…"
—
The Magister's Court was as stunning as usual, Alerea noted as she stepped into the foyer of the glimmering edifice that held her new superiors office. As she headed into the section of labyrinthine offices belonging to the Foreign Department, she noted that it was just the right mix of daunting and arrogantly decadent.
With the ease of long practice, she threaded her way through the halls crowded with rushing aides and scribes. Alerea dodged a book of law falling off a shelf, a pot of ink drifting over to a scribe's desk, and an improbably large hat with the name 'REEVUS' in bright embroidered letters shooting down the corridor at breakneck speed. After a few more minutes of bobbing and weaving, she arrived at a fine door bearing the placard reading 'Magister-Commander Sedania Truecloud, Bureau of Banditry' in small gold letters.
Bracing herself, Alerea opened the door and looked upon a cluttered office filled with the accumulated files and bric-a-brac of centuries of work and a fine, tough battered wooden desk at which the M.C., a harried-looking Elf with the beginnings of wrinkles upon her face and shoulder length scarlet hair, scribbled madly upon a sheet of parchment with an enchanted quill, while glancing at a thick tome filled with small, densely packed text.
"Ma'am, Alerea Autumnburn, Magister-Doctor, reporting per orders from Ambassador Dawnsinger."
The furiously writing quill clattered on the desk as Commander Truecloud froze in surprise before responding. "Damn it all, Magister, can't you remember how to knock? I'm too old for unsolicited frights."
"Won't happen again, ma'am," Alerea quickly reassured. "However, I was told to report to you for an assignment. May I ask what that will be?"
Commander Truecloud gazed at her, "I know who you are and why you're here. So don't worry about standing on military protocol. You'll strain yourself trying. You've been assigned to the bureau because you screwed up big time, but you have powerful friends that would cause problems were you dismissed. Am I right so far?"
Alerea hesitantly nodded in assent.
"Swell. Now that the dragonhawk in the room has been exposed, we can move onto the heart of the matter. Are you here to work and mend your reputation through accomplishments or are you just here to ride a desk until your friends at court can fix the mess you made and get you out of here?"
"I'm here to fix my mistakes, Commander," Alerea said in a tone that sounded more confident than she actually felt about the matter.
Bandit Bureau? This is the only place I could be sent? I'm a historian and an academic, not a soldier. I haven't even cast anything more involved than a cleaning spell in decades! What's the use of my rank and titles, if my ears are decorating some vagabond raider camp's medicine Tent?!
"May I say, Commander, that you're rather more direct than most I've met in the Service."
"It's the job, Autumnburn. Despite being a vital part of the nation's defense and having several major prominent leaders among our number, we remain perpetually short of personnel who are capable or willing to contribute. When you're a dumping ground for problem children, you have to be upfront about what you expect."
Truecloud leaned back in her heavily upholstered chair and motioned for Alerea to sit as she fished through a gnome-high stack of parchment.
"Since you're willing to help us out, I've got just the job to earn you some favor with the Service again."
She handed Alerea a sheaf of parchment, and with a few hand gestures, conjured a small illusion of a grizzled Troll of unusual size that was missing an arm.
'Zul'Jin, the main unifier of the Forest Trolls in the recent war against the Horde. Powerful, intelligent, a dangerous tactician, and skilled in raiding warfare. We thought he was out of the picture after Halduron Brightwing brought him back in chains and at our mercy. We were wrong."
Pausing for effect, she continued, "A few months ago, he somehow managed to escape from a secure containment facility run by the Farstriders, evaded all pursuit, and took both himself and his tribe south. Near the border with Stormwind, he managed to slip away from our scouts."
"Then the trail is cold? I don't see how I could be of much use to you. I'm a historian, not a detective," Alerea said quizzically.
"No, you're definitely not, but here is where your certain rather politically compromising views lend a hand. You have extensively studied damn near every piece of history written on the subject of the Quel'Dorei, going back to the First, to prove your points on our creation. You can use that knowledge, especially as it relates to the Troll Wars, to get inside the mind of Zul'jin and his tribe in order to predict their movements," A feral smile spread across Sedania's face. "Also, the savage left some of his buddies behind in that facility including high-ranked warriors, some of his riders, and even a senior witchdoctor, I hear. I get the feeling that if you press the right ancestral buttons, one of them might give us the information we seek and save you a lot of guesswork."
Not setting the bar high, are they? How exactly does one intimidate an eight foot tall Troll killing machine with a Candlefire spell? Threaten to burn his nose hair? Alerea, oh you damn fool, why did you have to go all gung-ho 'I'll do my part' when she offered you a nice, cushy desk…
"You place a lot of faith in a clerical assistant, Commander, but I will do my best if it means I can go back to academia after I locate this Zul'Jin creature for you."
"Locate? Oh no, Doctor. Your job is to bring him back dead or alive after all. Otherwise you might spend the next century or two with me filling out requisitions and filing receipts, while your career dies a slow death and your name becomes an academic footnote."
Alerea went white as a sheet and an electric tingle coursed down her spine, causing Commander Truecloud to bark a mirthless laugh at her reaction.
"I see you understand me now. Good. It'll help keep you focused on your assignment."
A knock sounded at the door and Command Truecloud was quick to tell them to enter.
A slender elf in the garb of the Farstriders entered the office and saluted the Commander smartly. "Ranger Brightwalker, reporting as ordered."
The Commander nodded towards the ranger, "This man will be your guide and tracker on this assignment. Also going with you will be a priest and a Spell-Breaker, who will join you at the facility. You will kit yourself for combat and depart this city tomorrow morning. You are dismissed, Magister Autumnburn."
With a nod towards them both, commander Truecloud returned to her work, quill scratching once more in a ferocious tumult of activity.
—
Alerea slumped in her finely upholstered chair within the Autumnburn family compound. It was a classical example of High Elven architecture, dripping with decadent silks draped over fine rosy marble colonnades on the outside, and on the inside, fine, comfortable furniture dominated alongside warm wood floors. However, the cherished tapestries and familiar paintings failed to give joy to its preoccupied occupant.
The past few days began to feel like weeks, Alerea thought as she reluctantly stood in front of her full-length mirror and began to brush her fine golden hair free of its constricting coiffure.
I never dreamed that it would come to this. An Autumnburn, disgraced before the crown, banished from court, and sent on a wild goose chase I most likely will never return from.
Her almond-shaped sapphire eyes gazed back tiredly from behind a veil of golden strands, and with efficient motions, she swept her hair back into a simple ponytail and secured it. She stood from her chair and walked across the bedroom, stepping over dusty tomes and piles of tightly rolled scrolls bound in fine indigo ribbon, to a mannequin dressed in a royal blue robe that shimmered where it caught the light. Steelsilk, fresh from the nerubian weavers, light as a feather and woven about with the finest enchantments of the quel'dorei.
She had accepted it hesitantly from the bureau armorer along with a wickedly sharp mithril knife and a reinforced ash staff mounted with a clear crystal orb. It both alarmed and comforted her that she would require such armament, but it wouldn't do to chase a monster like Zul'Jin with nothing but hard words to take him on. Turning away from the mannequin, she extinguished the candles and magelight with a snap of her fingers and crawled into her bed with a sigh. The new day would come too soon for her liking.
Vizier Hud'rek sighed as he finally finished reading through the last report from the mountain of paperwork. He did not know how Vizier Krivax could manage to read through and respond to all the diplomats so quickly. He was going to recommend that the Foreign Outreach Division employ more secretaries once the delegation from Kalimdor returned to Azjol-Nerub.
He was just writing down the notes on the proposed tram line through the Eastern Continent when Initiate Krukzax, one of the new diplomats trained by Vizier Krivax, walked into the room.
"Vizier Hud'rek, the delegation for the meeting with the draenei is ready."
Acknowledging the young initiate, Vizier Hud'rek stood up from his cushioned seat to head over to join the delegation. He looked at the initiate's clothing and appearance with some amusement. Initiate Krukzax, like many of the new hatchlings in the Foreign Outreach Division, had started to use bright red carapace wax in imitation of Vizier Krivax's bright red carapace. As a result, Initiate Krukzax's natural dark blue carapace now looked purple under bright lights.
"Summarize the information gathered by the Circle of Viziers on the draenei," Vizier Hud'rek tested Initiate Krukzax as they made their way through the corridors of Azjol-Nerub.
"Draenei are a society of Light Users who landed in Draenor approximately two hundred years ago," Initiate Krukzax replied, fidgeting with his fingers as he attempted to recall the information. "The Horde attacked them and destroyed their cities, before they invaded Azeroth. Malygos has recently teleported the survivors with their crashed trans-dimensional ship to the Borean Tundra."
"Well done," Vizier Hud'rek said as they approached the rest of the delegation in the portal room. "During the meeting, you will take notes for me and act as my secretary. The High King will make the final decision on any agreement with the draenei after meeting with Prophet Velen."
Once they arrived in the portal room, Vizier Hud'rek began to introduce the key members of the delegation to Initiate Krukzax.
"Paladin Anub'Rekhan of the Guardians of Nerub is joining the delegation to discuss any matters related to the Light," Vizier Hud'rek said, motioning to the massive glowing spiderlord.
"Indeed, I intend to learn more about the Light related abilities used by the draenei," Anub'Rekhan rumbled. "I have felt a sudden surge of the Light ever since they were teleported to Northrend."
"Do you think that the transdimensional ship used by the draenei operates using the Light?" interjected a Vizier wearing a silk bandolier full of tools and artifacts.
"Vizier Trizok from the Technology Research Division will be joining us as well," Vizier Hud'rek murmured to Initiate Krukzax, while Vizier Trizok continued to talk excitedly on the topic of 'magical rune engines' with occasional wave of an artifact for demonstration.
Conversation amongst the nerubian delegation died down at the smell of cooked lobster wafting from a spatial bag held by a nerubian weaver.
"Chef Sash'mi will be providing a buffet during the meeting with the draenei," Vizier Hud'rek said, suppressing his sudden wave of hunger. "She is a pioneer in the preparation of seafood in Azjol-Nerub."
When she realized that most of the nerubian delegation were focused on her, Chef Sash'mi quickly closed the spatial bag with embarrassment. Vizier Hud'rek laughed as Initiate Krukzax surreptitiously wiped his mandibles.
"Welcome everybody," Vizier Hud'rek announced as he moved to the front of the room. "We will proceed via portal to Outpost Dragonwatch overlooking the Borean Tundra. At the outpost, we will meet with High Priestess Ishanah and her entourage who will represent the draenei."
I hope Malygos does not show up to the meeting, Vizier Hud'rek thought to himself as he made his way through the portal.
—
Initiate Krukzax readied his quill and paper as Vizier Hud'rek, Paladin Anub'Rekhan, and Vizier Trizok settled down on one side of a wooden table at Outpost Dragonwatch. The draenei delegation led by High Priestess Ishanah had arrived a short while ago.with her entourage from the shiny mountain that had recently been teleported into the Borean Tundra. According to the reports from the scouts, the shiny mountain was the transdimensional ship Genedar.
Initiate Krukzax was excited as the High Priestess Ishanah sat down on the other side of the table and prepared to start taking the minutes of the meeting.
"Welcome to Northrend," Vizier Hud'rek started formally after activating a translation artifact. "Today, I hope to establish the fundamentals of a trade and cooperation agreement between the draenei and the Kingdom of Azjol-Nerub."
"I thank you for your greetings," High Priestess Ishanah said serenely. "May the Light shine on our discussions."
Anub'Rekhan's ever-present glow pulsed at the statement as Vizier Hud'rek replied, "I have been informed that as refugees from Draenor, your primary concerns right now are food and shelter."
High Priestess Ishanah nodded and said, "My people would be grateful for any assistance from Azjol-Nerub. What can we offer in return for aid?"
"I have felt the arrival of your people and your transdimensional ship in the Light," Anub'Rekhan answered thoughtfully. "I can sense that you yourself are a powerful Light user. The Guardians of Nerub and I would like to learn techniques and abilities used by your people."
"The Technology Research Division is also interested in touring the transdimensional ship Genedar," Vizier Trizok chimed in excitedly before reigning himself in.
Initiate Krukzax knew that the Vizier would much rather tear the ship apart piece by piece and study every part of it in depth. Thankfully, Vizier Hud'rek had made it clear to the overzealous researcher that such a thing was definitely not on the table. They were hopeful that even a quick tour would be enough to learn from such an impressive creation.
"High King Anub'arak is also interested in any knowledge of the threat of the Burning Legion," Vizier Hud'rek interrupted to take back control of the conversation. "In return for the cooperation on research into the Light and activities of the Burning Legion, Azjol-Nerub is willing to offer building materials like stone, refined metal ingots, and silk canvases for construction of new housing."
While the High Priestess considered her response and talked to her entourage, Initiate Krukzax hurriedly finished summarizing the minutes of the meeting so far. Vizier Krivax had always emphasized the importance of concise and precise reports in his diplomacy lessons.
"We are willing to cooperate with you on understanding and wielding the Light," High Priestess Ishanah replied. "I believe that some of our information on the Burning Legion is dangerous and corruptive for ordinary nerubians. We will only exchange information on the demons with your paladins."
After Anub'rekhan nodded in acquiescence, she continued, "I will discuss with Prophet Velen about supervised tours of the Genedar to Viziers of the Technology Research Division. However, you must understand that the ship is currently acting as our home and the offices of our government. The Viziers will only be allowed to enter certain portions of the ship."
Negotiations continued for some time as they managed to reach preliminary agreements. Eventually everyone began to grow a bit hungry and one of the diplomats suggested that they take a short recess for lunch.
Initiate Krukzax started to drool as Chef Sash'mi entered to announce that the lunch platters were ready.
As the plates of butter poached lobster, steamed clams, crab cakes, Jormungar steak, and shrimp pancakes were placed on the table, Vizier Hud'rek mentioned with a visible restraint, "Our people are generally insectivores. However, the Foreign Outreach Division has prepared a lunch of primarily seafood for you and your entourage. Chef Sash'mi is particularly skilled at preparing the lobster and crab meat."
Hiding her amusement at the nerubian's sudden hungry looks, High Priestess Ishanah replied, "Thank you for arranging lunch for today's meeting, and I am certain that the food will be delicious."
Conversation halted as everyone ate. Initiate Krukzax tried to politely take small bites of the crab cakes and shrimp pancakes, but ended up inhaling most of the meal. The High Priestess opened her mouth to continue the discussion before realizing the futility of engaging with the nerubian delegation while food was still on the table.
Once the platters were cleared off the table, Vizier Hud'rek said with an embarrassed tone, "Apologies for some of our manners. We nerubians are particularly fond of shellfish and clams."
"We would be interested in trading for food with Azjol-Nerub," High Priestess Ishanah said. "Since our people do not enjoy insects as food, we are primarily interested in grain, meat, and seafood."
"Azjol-Nerub has the most extensive portal network on Azeroth," Vizier Hud'rek replied thoughtfully. "While we can supply large quantities of fish from the nerubian and tuskarr fishing fleets, grain and meat would have to be imported from the Eastern Continent. The Foreign Outreach Division can offer access to the portal network for trade in return for trade goods."
High Priestess Ishanah nodded, "We have received several missives from the Church of the Holy Light in Lordaeron. If your portal network extends to the Eastern Continent, we would like to send our delegation to meet with them as well."
"If you wish to travel through Azjol-Nerub to access the portal network, you must be made aware of certain threats on Northrend," Anub'Rekhan replied in a serious tone. "Areas containing sleeping vrykul are currently off limits to any outsiders. Furthermore, as Light users you are certain to be aware of the Void corruption from a facility in the northeastern region of Northrend."
Initiate Krukzax took out a map of Northrend from his spatial bag and offered it to the draenei with Vizier Hud'rek's approval. Vizier Krivax had always insisted on being prepared with detailed maps during diplomatic missions to prevent confusion.
The meeting was suddenly interrupted when a nerubian sergeant entered the room and said, "Chef Sash'mi has noted several large lobsters on the coast of the Borean Tundra."
Initiate Krukzax mused, I wonder what they would taste like after grilling with some spicy worm powder…
Chapter 69
Malygos let out a snort of amusement as he watched the two newly born whelps fight in front of him, their tiny claws harmlessly swiping at each other.
"You'll never get anywhere like that, young ones," Malygos wisely counseled. "Your teeth and claws are powerful tools, but they are far too undeveloped at your age. I recommend that you begin learning how to make use of your tails. It is an avenue of attack many never see coming."
It was his experience that enemies always underestimated that amount of damage a dragon could do with a proper swipe of the tail.
As his voice echoed through the creche, all activity ceased in an instant. Younglings haphazardly playing and ambling across the vast hall froze in place, their eyes wide and curious as they looked up at him.
The azure illumination provided by the room's protective enchantments made it easy to make out the chaotic scene. Two whelps in the midst of a tug-of-war with a fray cloth froze as they looked up at him. Another group farther off paused their roaring contest, their shrill squeals momentarily replaced by silence. A few more, attempting to fly, crashed into their water bowls and made a mess that the resident Drakonid egg-tender began to clean up.
The one whelp that was harmlessly chewing on the end of his tail paused only for a moment before immediately continuing.
Malygos ignored all of that and stared down at the whelps he had been watching with an expectant expression. He knew full well that the children of his Flight began understanding draconic earlier than any other Flight.
After a moment, one of the whelps turned to his sibling and clumsily attempted to smack their snout with his tail, only to trip over his own feet and land flat on his belly with a squeak of surprise. The other whelp didn't hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity and fiercely pounced on his fallen sibling, biting down on their snout.
This seemed to serve as a signal for the rest of the creche as they immediately started moving about again.
"Those two certainly have fire in their spirits, don't they Lord Malygos?"
Malygos turned his attention to the source of the amused voice and saw Kalecgos in his mortal form, standing at the entrance to the creche.
"I suppose they do," Malygos responded as he conjured the image of a whelp demonstrating a proper tail swipe. "But their form could certainly use some improvement. Even if our Flight fights primarily with magic, it is still very important for them to understand the physical aspects of battle, especially in times like these."
The illusion and the surge of arcane magic that accompanied the spell captured the attention of every youngling in the room. It wasn't long then before the entire creche was filled with whelps attempting to imitate the illusion's movements, their tiny tails whipping around with varying degrees of success.
"If you'll forgive me for saying so, but I think the whelps can afford to be a bit clumsy at this stage," Kalecgos interjected, a warm smile on his face. "With you here to protect them and guide our Flight more than ever, I'm sure everything will be fine."
Malygos dearly wished that was true. He and his siblings were among the most powerful entities on Azeroth, but Kalecgos was not as well informed as he was about what lay ahead. If he was, the young dragon would have felt far less confident.
Malygos couldn't help but study Kalecgos closer as he recalled what the little prophet had told him about the Blue Dragonflight's future. In another timeline, it would have been this brat who would take his place as the Aspect of Magic. Seeing how he stared at the whelps with love and affection, Malygos could see how such a thing might happen.
While Kalecgos was not the most experienced or powerful member of his Flight, he possessed a degree of loyalty to them and their duties that was impressive. Not only that, but the boy possessed an innate kindness that Malygos knew he had always lacked.
Still… Malygos hoped that Kalecgos would never be forced to shoulder the burdens of an Aspect.
After a few more peaceful moments of watching the whelps, Malygos sighed and decided that it was time to return to those burdens. "Why are you here, Kalecgos? I recall giving instructions that I am not to be bothered while I am in the creche unless it is important."
Kalecgos straightened and pulled his gaze away from the whelps to look back at Malygos. "Forgive me Lord Malygos, but Keeper Archaedas sent a message that he needs to speak with you in Uldaman about one of his ongoing projects."
Malygos hummed thoughtfully. That didn't narrow things down very much given that Archaedas was working on many projects, but there were only a few that involved Malygos directly.
Considering that the matter was likely to be important, Malygos took a moment to shake off the whelps that were scampering across his back and gently removed the one gnawing on his tail.
"Come with me, Kalecgos," said Malygos as he made his way out of the creche. He didn't particularly need the younger dragon by his side, but it was important that he take the time to mentor Kalecgos when the opportunity presented itself.
After all, not even Nozdormu could perfectly predict what the future might bring.
Kalecgos jolted with surprise before hurrying to obey. "Yes, Lord Malygos!"
The two of them passed through the wide halls of the Nexus until they reached its well guarded portal room. Malygos ignored the bows and greetings of the Drakonid portal guardians as he shifted to his mortal form and prepared to teleport himself and Kalecgos to Uldaman. One of the first things that Malygos had done after burying Sindragosa's remains was enhance the defenses of the Nexus. Now not even he could easily bypass the wards that protected his Flight's home.
It wasn't long before the two of them were hurled through space to the newly created portal hub of Uldaman. A quick glance revealed that Archaedas had begun fortifying his stronghold as well. Several stone golems with powerful fire enchantments etched into their arms were positioned all around the room, ready to unleash an inferno that would threaten most beings.
Malygos paid them no mind as he left the portal room and began striding through the corridors of Uldaman toward Archaedas' former stasis chamber, which had been repurposed into a workshop.
After a year of repairs, the differences between now and when the Titan facility was first rediscovered were quite obvious. The rubble had all been cleared by the many earthen who wandered the halls, and new structures, meticulously crafted and imbued with powerful magics, had replaced them.
Even the air felt different, buzzing with arcane magic that carried the distinct flavor of overwhelming order and inflexibility that came with all Titan magic. All arcane magic was orderly of course, but the Titans exemplified this more than any other.
As he entered the final hallway that led to Archaedas' workshop, Malygos couldn't help but note the surprising number of mortals who were walking the halls of Uldaman. Nearly all of them were either dwarves or gnomes, scholars who had been allowed into this place so that they might learn what the Keeper was willing to teach them.
It was surprising to him that Archaedas was willing to share 'the secrets of the Makers' even in this small capacity. The construct had shown a surprising amount of sentimentality when it came to his servants and their fleshy descendants.
"This place is amazing, Lord Malygos, the wards are like nothing that I have ever seen!" said Kalecgos, his eyes distant as he sensed the powerful defenses Archaedas had constructed. "It's almost like the entire structure has been enchanted! The modular nature of the spells is simply brilliant, and the energy pathways… they're so efficient. Even if the facility was cut off from the nearby leyline, these wards could last for centuries before falling!"
Malygos nodded in agreement. "The Titans and their servants have always been particularly good at enchantments and creating stationary defenses. I have only been to Ulduar a few times in my life, but the defenses there make these ones look pathetic in comparison."
While Archaedas had been the main craftsman among the Keepers alongside Keeper Mimiron, he lacked many of the irreplaceable foundries that he would need to construct more impressive works.
Kalecgos looked as if he wished to say more, but he was interrupted as they finally arrived at the entrance to Archaedas' workshop. The earthen guards were wise enough to immediately allow him passage instead of demanding that he verify his identity. The last few who wasted Malygos' time with such nonsense were teleported to the other side of the continent for their trouble.
As they walked into the enormous workshop, they found Archaedas and Ironaya working on a familiar device. It looked somewhat like a large basin carved out in the center of the room, with several carefully directed streams of magic flowing into it along pathways engraved in the wall. These streams were connected to a larger device that meticulously filtered and processed this raw energy into something more useful.
"Malygos, I will be with you in one moment," said Archaedas as he carefully studied the mixture of magic pooling within the basin in front of him. "I have made a few adjustments to the Well of Purification and would like to test this new mixture."
Malygos truly wished that the Keeper had chosen a different name for his creation. He tried to avoid referring to any pool of magic as a 'well' after what happened last time.
"Very well, Keeper. I shall wait," Malygos generously allowed. He wasn't the kind of person who enjoyed being kept waiting, but he was curious to see if the Well of Purification would work as designed. Previous tests had been less than promising after all.
"Lord Malygos, what is the Keeper's device supposed to do?" Kalecgos asked curiously.
"It was created for the purpose of cleansing anything placed inside the 'well' of even the most thorough Void corruption," Malygos explained, keeping his eyes fixed on the pool of magic. "It has been blessed by both Ysera and Alexstrasza, and uses arcane magic to intensify the purifying qualities of their magic to remove Void corruption from entities that are beyond saving by any other method. I have been occasionally assisting Archaedas in its development for the past year."
Kalecgos looked back at the object without newfound awe. Anything that had been created through the power of three Aspects and a Keeper was worthy of being looked at in such a way and studied.
Satisfied with his inspection, Malygos watched as Archaedas waved his hand and telekinetically called to him a familiar weapon from the other side of the workshop. The enchanted blade that had spent millennia embedded in the body of the C'thrax that attacked Capital City was still steeped deeply in the Void. The corruption wasn't as bad as it once was before Alexstrasza bathed it in her fire, but there was still a persistent corruption on the blade that refused to abate.
Archaedas slowly lowered the weapon into the well and stepped back as the magic began to react. Green and red streams of magic reminiscent of Ysera and Alexstrasza met the shadowy essence of the Void clinging to the blade and began to fight against it. The pool of magic turned into a twisting, bubbling mass of energy as the Life and Arcane magic tore into the Void corruption.
Gradually, the Well of Purification began to calm and Archaedas reached into it and retrieved the blade laying into the basin. Malygos immediately cast a diagnostic spell to search for any Void corruption and was pleasantly surprised with the results.
"Success," said Archaedas, his normally emotionless voice filled with satisfaction. "This configuration is far more effective than any of the previous prototypes. I will now move on to a living test subject. Would you please retrieve it, Ironaya?"
The titan-forged dipped her head before leaving the workshop. Nearly a minute later, she returned with a Void corrupted animal, a lizard of some kind, floating in a bubble of arcane magic behind her. Without any delay, Archaedas began his next experiment and dismissed the arcane barrier once it was floating above the Well of Purification.
Malygos ignored the pained cries of the abomination and eagerly awaited the results. The display was much the same as it had been for the blade, and Archaedas retrieved the lizard the moment that the magical reaction began to calm. Malygos was initially excited as he began to examine the creature with a host of diagnostic spells, but soon cursed in disappointment.
"It's only a partial success," Malygos announced with a scowl. "The creature's body has been cleansed of the Void, but its soul and mind have been damaged as well."
It was a bit of a disappointing outcome, but it was still obvious progress compared to their previous attempts. They were getting much closer.
Archaedas frowned slightly before dismissing the matter and turned to face Malygos. The construct was no stranger to failed experiments, so he likely wouldn't dwell on it for long.
"This endeavor has not been a complete success, but I have made some progress with the Discs of Norgannon," Archaedas said as he walked over to the wall and activated a mechanism that caused a portion of the wall to disappear and reveal a hidden room. "It should now be possible for you to channel your scrying spells through the Discs to access the sensor network responsible for updating its database."
Malygos eyes widened in surprise, and he grinned in excitement as he heard the Keeper's words. He hadn't expected that he would be able to make use of the Discs so soon, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
The Discs of Norgannon were a set of enchanted artifacts created by the Keepers to record the ongoings of Azeroth. They were said to transcribe the full history of everything that ever happened in this world, but that was obviously nonsense. After all, why would the Keepers ever feel the need to know what a random murloc ate a thousand years ago?
In reality, the Discs of Norgannon was a repository of information directly attached to the Keepers' immense sensor and surveillance network. These sensors were enchanted with limited intelligence so that they could record any events that might be of interest to the Keepers and store that information in the Discs.
Even if the Discs weren't actually omniscient, these sensors were powerful and pervasive enough to come close to truly seeing everything of significance on Azeroth. At least, they were that powerful in the past. Many of the sensors were damaged during the Sundering, and the Old Gods' servants were able to destroy many of the rest without opposition after the Keepers lost control of Ulduar. Loken, the fallen Keeper, had even managed to rescind security permission to access the largest sensors flying above Azeroth's skies and the sensors around the Old Gods prisons.
Despite this, the remaining sensors would still form the most widespread surveillance network on Azeroth if Malygos was able to access them. Now that Archaedas had reluctantly configured them to his magic, Malygos could look out for threats identified by the little prophet.
"If the Discs are prepared, then I intend to use them immediately," said Malygos as walked by the Keeper. "Show me how to access them."
Utterly unconcerned with Malygos' demanding attitude, Archaedas taught him the proper spells to bypass the Discs' security system. Soon, the entire room was filled with a vast array of floating images of different locations across Azeroth. The images themselves were capable of being moved to display everything within range of each sensor. Malygos couldn't help but feel impressed by the ingenuity of the Keepers as connecting so many different scrying tools was by no means an easy feat.
"Amazing…" Kalecgos trailed off as he gazed at the displays with open awe. "Did you make these, Keeper Archaedas?"
"I did not," Archaedas immediately denied. "The Discs were the work of Loken and Mimiron."
"Yes, yes, the Discs of Norgannon are indeed a fascinating artifact," Malygos said impatiently as he began to look through the many displays. "If we've all established that, then I would like your assistance in searching for anything strange. Anything that seems out of the ordinary should be brought to my attention."
The intelligences built into the sensor network would capture anything big that had happened so long as it occurred within the sensor range. However, the arrival of the Lich King was important enough to warrant a thorough inspection of the sensor displays.
Kalecgos gaped at him with alarm even as Archaedas and Ironaya began sifting through the displays. "Lord Malygos, something like that will take a long time. Has something important happened?"
Malygos suddenly remembered that Kalecgos had no idea what they were looking for and decided to give the younger dragon a quick explanation. "I and the other Aspects have reason to believe that the Burning Legion intends to use an artifact to create an absurdly powerful necromancer and send them to Azeroth to weaken this world and usher in another invasion. We are searching for any sign of this necromancer, who we refer to as the Lich King. They would most likely be sent to an isolated corner of Azeroth to avoid detection and gain power."
Kalecgos looked even more alarmed now. "What?! That sounds horrible, Lord Malygos. How do you know about this?"
"None of your business," Malygos said dismissively. Unlike his siblings, he had not told a single person about Krivax or his vision. Not because he cared about the nerubian's privacy, but because he simply wasn't the type to share secrets without great need. "Just get to work and start looking for anything strange."
Malygos was pleased to see that Kalecgos didn't feel insulted and merely nodded as he started examining the images. Malygos decided that he would focus first on the Eastern Kingdoms.
Let's see here… orcs languishing in camps, mortals rebuildings their kingdoms, a troll warlord consolidating power… nothing really important. Oh, there are several locations in Blackrock Spire that I can't see? I should look into that when I have the chance. Ragnaros is a problem… but one that can wait until later.
"Lord Malygos, why are you focusing on the Eastern Kingdoms?" Kalecgos asked after nearly
a half hour of searching. "I thought you said that they would be sent somewhere isolated from contact."
Malygos hummed thoughtfully. It was a good question, so he didn't mind providing an answer.
"That is only the most likely outcome based on what we know. To believe that the Burning Legion could not do otherwise is to lack imagination," Malygos explained even as he continued to search for anomalies. "Kil'jaeden could turn one of his nathrezim into the Lich King and send them to secretly kill and raise the mortal leadership as undead. Or the Legion could have used a ritual to hide a portion of the world from observation prior to the Lich King's arrival by using demons they snuck in through the Dark Portal during the Second war. Or the Lich King could have simply been sent into the ocean, which is vast, isolated, and teeming with life."
That last possibility worried Malygos the most. Azshara was very effective in protecting her domain against any attempts to observe it thoroughly, so there was a fear that the Lich King could rise from the depths with an army of undead. The only thing stopping that from happening was Azshara and her servants, who were more than powerful enough to crush the Lich King before they became a threat.
Still, Azshara was arrogant and vain enough to believe she could control such a being, and powerful enough to potentially succeed.
There was also a small chance that the two could cooperate. The Burning Legion and the Old Gods seemed to be opposing forces, but there were some historical examples of them simply ignoring each other to pursue mutual goals.
Such a scenario would be the worst possible outcome for Azeroth.
"A-All of those possibilities sound horrible, Lord Malygos," Kalecgos said worriedly. Malygos could tell that the younger dragon was trying to hold back his fear as he imagined the results of such outcomes.
"They do," Malygos agreed as he turned his attention to Kalimdor. "Unfortunately, we don't know the full capabilities of the artifact used to create the Lich King, nor do we know how Kil'jaeden intends to send them to Azeroth. With these factors unknown to us, it is difficult to truly predict what might happen."
When Krivax told them that Kil'jaeden simply threw the Lich King to Azeroth in a block of ice, Malygos had merely stared at the nerubian in bewilderment. If the Burning Legion could just turn people into blocks of ice and throw them at Azeroth, why would they need portals in the first place? How accurate was his aim? Were they even actually able to choose where the Lich King would land, or was it a coincidence that they arrived on Northrend in the other timeline? Also, what were the Helm of Domination and Frostmourne? Where did they come from and what abilities did they give?
All of these uncertainties made it difficult to be certain of anything, so Malygos was forced to rely on what was most likely. They had to proceed with the assumption that Kil'jaeden could direct the Lich King wherever he wanted and assume that the Lich King's abilities in this timeline would be somewhat similar to that seen by Krivax.
"Lord Malygos, I think I've noticed something," Kalecgos said eagerly. "There are a lot of images that aren't showing anything. They all seemed to be grouped in the South Sea."
Malygos sighed as his initial interest in Kalecgos' findings immediately disappeared. "Ignore those. There is a large landmass there that is hidden by powerful concealment magic. We are already aware of the situation."
Accessing Pandaria was still a problem that Malygos had yet to solve. He had been busy focusing on other matters, so he had not devoted as much effort to the task as he could have.
Malygos pushed those thoughts away and hummed in curiosity as he spotted Krivax during his examination of Kalimdor. The nerubian was currently in diplomatic talks with the leader of the tauren. He had apparently used the power gifted to him by Alexstrasza to defeat the centaur and assist the tauren, something which Malygos approved of.
It was pleasant to see his sister's power used proactively instead of being restrained by her self-imposed restrictions.
The two of them were discussing trade to equip the tauren with proper weapons, the logistics of permanent diplomatic contact, and a plan to push the centaur away from Mulgore.
His curiosity satisfied, Malygos continued his search until he was suddenly interrupted by the voice of Ironaya. "Lord Malygos, I believe that I have found something of note."
Turning to the normally quiet construct, Malygos saw that she was observing the section of displays dedicated to Zandalar. More specifically, she was observing a group of mortals along Zandalar's northern coasts that should definitely not be there.
"Are those Pandaren?" Malygos asked with obvious befuddlement. "What are they doing there? They shouldn't be anywhere but Pandaria."
The mortals had obviously only arrived on the island recently, having created a small camp surrounded by large turtles. Malygos was confused as to how this could have happened until he suddenly felt that he was forgetting an important detail. After casting the appropriate memory spell, Malygos couldn't help but let out a string of curses as the spell brought to mind the day Krivax shared the details of his vision.
He mentioned something about some Pandaren living on the back of a giant turtle. The Wandering Isle, he called it…
Malygos had once actually gone to find the Wandering Isle as a way to verify the veracity of Krivax's prediction. However, he had quickly lost interest and put the place out of mind after doing so. After all, why would Malygos care about a group of useless mortals doing something as ridiculous as floating aimlessly on the back of a turtle?
Malygos quickly pictured the creature in his mind and cast his most powerful scrying spell. When the spell failed in a somewhat familiar fashion, he realized that he might have made a mistake. With the clarity of hindsight, it may have been better if Malygos asked for more details about the Wandering Isle.
I suppose there's nothing stopping me from doing so now…
"Lord Malygos, is something wrong?"
Malygos ignored Kalecgos' worried voice and made his way back over to the display that showed Krivax and the tauren chieftain. The nerubian was unfortunately too far for Malygos to teleport him to Uldaman without a ritual, but that didn't mean they couldn't communicate.
Focusing on the image Krivax and casting a long distance telepathy spell of his own creation, Malygos opened a channel of communication between him and the nerubian. "Little prophet, I have questions that you will answer."
Malygos watched as Krivax jolted in the middle of his discussion with the tauren chieftain and began frantically looking around. "What the fuck?!"
"It is Malygos. I'm speaking to you telepathically," Malygos was kind enough to explain. He knew that mortals could be a bit dense at times. "I have important questions about your knowledge that must be answered."
"I'm literally in the middle of diplomatic negotiations!" Krivax telepathically projected to him, even as the nerubian floundered to explain his outburst to the confused tauren.
"I am already aware of that given that I am watching you," Malygos was quick to reassure. "I am willing to tolerate your attention being split."
Krivax didn't seem to grow any more relaxed, but he did offer an apology to the tauren and request a short break in their discussions. Once he was free to do so, Krivax turned his attention back to Malygos. "Very well, what do you need to ask?"
"Tell me about the Wandering Isle," Malygos responded. "Everything that you know about it. Leave out nothing."
Malygos could see the confusion in the nerubian's face before he answered. "The Wandering Isle? I don't know any more than what I told you during my first explanation. It's a giant turtle with a bunch of pandaren living on its back. They left Pandaria because they wanted to see the rest of Azeroth."
Malygos already knew all of that, and none of it was particularly helpful. "Tell me about the turtle's history, in detail."
"Well… I'm sure there's a lot about it that I don't know, but I can tell you what I remember," Krivax hesitantly responded. Malygos watched as the nerubian cast a memory spell. "It's a bit vague, but I recall something about a pandaren named Liu Lang with wanderlust who found a turtle on a beach a millennia ago and rode it out to sea to explore. The turtle started growing and his descendants started riding on the backs of the turtle too, until it grew large enough to hold a settlement."
Stories like this were one of the reasons that Malygos examined everything the nerubian said through a heavy lens of skepticism. Turtles… don't just grow to the size of an island in less than a mere millennia. If that was the case, Azeroth's seas would be filled with such creatures. It's possible that it was the descendant of the turtle Wild God, but they were all currently on Zandalar. How could their child then find themselves on Pandaria? How ridiculous.
However, there was one detail in particular that Malygos needed to examine.
"What about the Wandering Isle's ability to navigate Pandaria's mist? I recall that you claimed not to know when I first asked," Malygos questioned. It was one of the first questions that he had asked when the overgrown turtle was mentioned.
"To be more specific, I said that the details were conflicting and ambiguous," Krivax immediately corrected. "I know that Liu Lang could pass through the mists when he was alive, but I also remember that the Wandering Isle was separated from Pandaria for a long time."
Was that really what the nerubian had said? After delving into his memories, Malygos realized that it was. After realizing how unusually powerful the magic concealing Pandaria was, he had determined that it was unlikely that a random beast could do what he himself had so much trouble accomplishing. So, he had disregarded it as an unlikely location for the Lich King.
That… may have been a mistake.
"You should have been more exact in your wording," Malygos responded angrily. "I am expecting the Lich King to arrive on Azeroth at any time, and now I find pandaren washed up on the shores of Zandalar. Do you understand how troublesome it will be if we have to deal with a mobile Lich King?"
Malygos watched through the display as Krivax reeled back in shock and affront. There was a surprising amount of anger on the nerubian's face that he likely wouldn't have shown if they were speaking in person.
"Excuse me?! If I had attempted to tell you about the Wandering Isle's history, you would have impatiently dismissed me immediately. It's not fair to blame me when I'm not being included at all in any of your plans."
Malygos growled in anger at the nerubian's disrespect, but he couldn't say that he was truly wrong. Terminating his mental connection with Krivax, Malygos immediately began making his way to the portal room with Kalecgos following behind him. He needed to teleport to Zandalar and read through the minds of those pandaren.
And if things were as he feared, then accessing Pandaria had just become his first priority.
Zul'jin glared at the approaching island chain as his makeshift ship brought him ever closer.
The Gurubashi barely knew anything about making proper ships, so he had been forced to hire one from the greedy goblins down south. He didn't care about the gold, as he had gotten plenty during the Second War, but Zul'jin would not be happy if this turned out to be a waste of time.
"You're certain these 'Darkspear' got the best Witch Doctors 'round these parts?" Zul'jin grumbled to his every present Loa. "Can't see why we'd be needin' aid from cowards hidin' out on some far-off islands."
"That artifact you took from the Hakkari isn't going to purify itself," Jan'alai said lazily, her voice passing through their connection. "You don't want to know what would happen to us if I tried to subsume that power as it is."
Zul'jin grunted in annoyance and looked down into his bag at the artifact in question. He was no Witch Doctor, but even he could feel the evil radiating from the strange crystal, as dark and red as dried blood. The thing seemed alive in a twisted sense, pulsating with power in rhythm with his heart. According to Jan'alai, it was nothing more than a receptacle for Mojo. A place where the Hakkari could store the magic they accumulated with each sacrifice in preparation to summon their god, Hakkar the Soulflayer.
Zul'jin thought it was a wicked thing that he wanted nothing to do with, but Jan'alai said a good Witch Doctor could turn its Mojo into something useful.
"Tch. These cowards better be worth my time," Zul'jin said, turning his gaze back to the islands. "I spent too long dealin' with those Hakkari."
He had only managed to conquer a few more tribes, all of them around the same size as the Razzashi. He was nearly strong enough to move to the larger tribes, like the Bloodscalp and the Skullsplitters, but he still needed just a little more power.
The goblins sent Zul'jin off on one of their rowboats once they were close enough to the island. He was traveling alone, as his competent and trustworthy subordinates needed to stay behind to keep things in order.
Besides, the tribes he had conquered were still learning who was in charge. This was a good opportunity to see what they would do while he was gone.
Zul'jin waded ashore, pulling the goblin rowboat up onto the beach. The tropical heat bore down on him, an annoying contrast to the cooler air of Zul'Aman. Fortunately, he wouldn't have to travel very far. The islands were small, and it wouldn't be long before he ran into one of the Darkspear.
Sure enough, Zul'jin didn't have to wait for long after he delved into the island's small jungle before he noticed a pair of scouts following him. They thought that they were being sneaky, but Zul'jin had been hunting elves through the forests for longer than they had been alive.
"If ya be thinkin' of sneakin' up on me, ya gotta be doin' a whole lot better," Zul'jin spoke, his voice cutting through the dense foliage as he turned to the scouts.
The two Darkspear scouts, young and barely holding their spears properly, froze as he called them out before standing tall and puffing their chests. "Who're you? These islands belong to the Darkspears."
Zul'jin scoffed disdainfully at the boy before responding. "I'm not here for you, just your Chieftain. Keep your spears down, I ain't got any interest in causin' harm."
Not yet at least.
Such a thing wouldn't have worked with most trolls, but Zul'jin knew what he looked like. The changes Jan'alai made to him made it obvious to any troll with sense that Zul'jin wasn't someone to take lightly. He could see the boy's eyes trail over his taloned arm and his dragonhawk eyes. Zul'jin breathed out a wisp of fire for emphasis, causing the scouts to flinch back.
"Name's Zul'jin," he declared, knowing even so far from Zul'Aman that his name would be recognized. "Now, take me to ya Chieftain, before I go see him myself."
The scouts both jerked in surprise before wisely agreeing. Zul'jin followed as they led him through the jungle until the trees opened to reveal a bustling village of straw huts and trolls. The village was not nearly as advanced as Zul'Aman, but he hadn't expected it to be.
Still, Zul'jin found himself reluctantly impressed as he was led through the village. Even if they were primitive, it was obvious to him that the trolls living here were happy and well-taken cared of. The children played happily with one another and looked up at him with curiosity instead of the open suspicion he was expecting.
It was a far cry from the children of Zul'Aman, who lived in a constant state of fear that elven Farstriders would pass through their lands and slaughter entire villages. Zul'jin could still remember each and every time that he had found a village living near the edge of Zul'Aman destroyed by the elves.
One of the elves he had captured called it 'culling' and said that their population needed to be kept low so they didn't breed out of control and started getting ideas. It was in that exact moment that Zul'jin knew his people could only live peacefully if the elves of Quel'Thalas were driven far away from troll lands, forever.
Zul'jin stewed in these dark thoughts until he was finally brought to Chieftain's hut. It was larger than the others, adorning with the skulls of animals he didn't recognize and various tributes to whichever Loa they worshiped. The two scouts nudged open the door and gestured for him to enter.
Inside, a troll with a bone necklace and leather robes was sitting cross-legged in front of a cauldron filled with a sickly green liquid. The Witch Doctor looked up as he entered, and Zul'jin could see that one of his eyes was blind. More worryingly, he was also wearing a rush'kah, which was a ceremonial mask that could be used to channel the power of a Loa.
The Darkspear Chieftain had obviously been warned of his arrival ahead of time, most likely by a sentry ward, and didn't trust him. Now he was ready for a fight. How vexing.
"Zul'jin, leader of the Amani. Can't say I ever expected to meet you myself. The name's Sen'jin, Chieftain of the Darkspear," said the Witch Doctor as he continued to stir the cauldron. "Ya don't seem the type to appreciate people speakin' in circles, so I'll be blunt. If ya want my tribe to get involved with what you're doin' in Stranglethorn Vale, you've wasted a trip. We ain't interested."
Zul'jin found himself caught off guard. He hadn't expected the troll to deny him before he'd even said a word. Once his shock faded, it was immediately replaced by anger. "So, ya just gonna sit pretty on these islands while our kin are gettin' slaughtered by them elves and humans? While they're starvin' and strugglin' cause they been chased from lands that's rightfully theirs? You just gonna hide away here like a damn coward?"
"Better than joinin' you," said Sen'jin, his voice calm as if he hadn't just been insulted in his own home. "I've seen plenty of warlords like you over the years. You have big dreams of makin' a troll empire in these lands, but someone like you will fail like all the rest. I can already see that a whole lot of trolls are gonna be dead before somebody puts a knife in you. My tribe won't be among them."
The words were said with a finality that Zul'jin didn't expect. He was told that these Darkspear were the type to avoid a fight, yet this Witch Doctor had reacted with hostility as soon as he entered his hut.
"What does a safe and snug troll like you know 'bout me and my life?" Zul'jin snarled, his patience wearing thin with the sanctimonious old fool. "You ever had to look at young'un and tell 'em their ma and pa were killed fetchin' water? You ever been tortured before losing an arm and eye to the enemy?"
Sen'jin didn't react to his outburst, though he did turn his one eyed gaze back to Zul'jin and looked him directly in the eyes. "I don't need to fight the elves and humans to know they ain't our friends. The Darkspear have fought enough battles in our time and survived. But just surviving ain't enough for you, is it? I can see it in your eyes."
"Survival is the least of what we deserve," Zul'jin glared at the Witch Doctor, his anger only growing. "We were once kings of this land, revered by all. The elves, the humans, the dwarves, they've taken everythin' from us. I aim to take it back. If a few trolls got to die to do it, then that's just what it takes."
Sen'jin leaned back and sighed, the disdain in his eye slowly being replaced with a pity that only infuriated Zul'jin even further. "A noble idea, but your path will only lead to more pain, Zul'jin. Power ain't gonna bring back what's lost. It won't bring peace. Those lands are already lost, and they ain't coming back."
Zul'jin studied the Witch Doctor in front of him and saw that he wouldn't change his mind. He would have already killed the fool normally, but there was still something that he needed from Sen'jin. Reaching into his bag, Zul'jin retrieved the artifact that he had taken from the Hakkari.
"If ya not interested in joinin' the fight, how 'bout this then?" Zul'jin growled through gritted teeth as he brandished the blood-red artifact. "Took this from the Hakkari. It's Mojo is… dark, potent, and brimmin' with power. I've been told that a good Witch Doctor can turn this thing to somethin' useful. In return, I'll leave you and yours alone to stay on your little islands."
Sen'jin stared at the artifact, his eye narrowing with wariness as he sensed the energy emanating from it. "That's no small thing. It'll take a whole lot of work to turn that into somethin' that won't drive you mad. Might need to call in some favors. Not sure I want to do that just to give you more power."
"If you don't, then the consequences will be on your hands if I use it anyway," Zul'jin said, hoping the Witch Doctor would agree so he could finally leave his presence. "Plus I'll be sure to take a ship full of my warriors here the first chance I get. We'll see how you handle things when peace isn't an option."
Sen'jin was silent as he mulled over Zul'jin's threat. Eventually, Sen'jin sighed and nodded. "I ain't promisin' nothin', Zul'jin. But I'll look at this thing and see what I can do. Better than you turnin' into some Hakkar shaped monster and rampagin' across Stranglethorn Vale. You can stay here for a bit while I look into it. Maybe you'll learn somethin' new."
It wasn't the result Zul'jin had wanted when he first came to these islands, but it was good enough for now.
"Fair enough," Zul'jin replied, his gaze steely as he tossed the artifact to Sen'jin. "Just remember, Sen'jin. The elves, the humans, they don't care if you want a fight or not. The Darkspear won't be able to hide forever, and there'll be a day your tribe wished it had friends."
With that, Zul'jin turned around and strode out of the hut. He needed some time to calm down, or he was going to bury his ax in the Witch Doctor's skull.
==========
Author's Note: I wanted to take a moment to more explicitly explain why Malygos didn't think of the Wandering Isles. In the lore of the zone, it is described as, "Separated from Pandaria for millennia, the Wandering Isle meanders the oceans of Azeroth."
Ignoring that the Wandering Isle is only 800 years old, it is also said that, "The turtles carried Liu Lang beyond the mists to the world he knew waited beyond. The common thought of the time was that only Pandaria had not been destroyed in the Sundering, and so Liu Land was considered to be 'damaged' in the head for thinking otherwise. This was proven to be incorrect when Liu Land returned on Shen-zin Su five years later."
Therefore, Malygos got screwed over by the combination of lore inconsistencies and his own arrogance for not looking further into it. There was also the fact that he was focused on many more likely possibilities.
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"You'll never get anywhere like that, young ones," Malygos wisely counseled. "Your teeth and claws are powerful tools, but they are far too undeveloped at your age. I recommend that you begin learning how to make use of your tails. It is an avenue of attack many never see coming."
It was his experience that enemies always underestimated that amount of damage a dragon could do with a proper swipe of the tail.
As his voice echoed through the creche, all activity ceased in an instant. Younglings haphazardly playing and ambling across the vast hall froze in place, their eyes wide and curious as they looked up at him.
The azure illumination provided by the room's protective enchantments made it easy to make out the chaotic scene. Two whelps in the midst of a tug-of-war with a fray cloth froze as they looked up at him. Another group farther off paused their roaring contest, their shrill squeals momentarily replaced by silence. A few more, attempting to fly, crashed into their water bowls and made a mess that the resident Drakonid egg-tender began to clean up.
The one whelp that was harmlessly chewing on the end of his tail paused only for a moment before immediately continuing.
Malygos ignored all of that and stared down at the whelps he had been watching with an expectant expression. He knew full well that the children of his Flight began understanding draconic earlier than any other Flight.
After a moment, one of the whelps turned to his sibling and clumsily attempted to smack their snout with his tail, only to trip over his own feet and land flat on his belly with a squeak of surprise. The other whelp didn't hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity and fiercely pounced on his fallen sibling, biting down on their snout.
This seemed to serve as a signal for the rest of the creche as they immediately started moving about again.
"Those two certainly have fire in their spirits, don't they Lord Malygos?"
Malygos turned his attention to the source of the amused voice and saw Kalecgos in his mortal form, standing at the entrance to the creche.
"I suppose they do," Malygos responded as he conjured the image of a whelp demonstrating a proper tail swipe. "But their form could certainly use some improvement. Even if our Flight fights primarily with magic, it is still very important for them to understand the physical aspects of battle, especially in times like these."
The illusion and the surge of arcane magic that accompanied the spell captured the attention of every youngling in the room. It wasn't long then before the entire creche was filled with whelps attempting to imitate the illusion's movements, their tiny tails whipping around with varying degrees of success.
"If you'll forgive me for saying so, but I think the whelps can afford to be a bit clumsy at this stage," Kalecgos interjected, a warm smile on his face. "With you here to protect them and guide our Flight more than ever, I'm sure everything will be fine."
Malygos dearly wished that was true. He and his siblings were among the most powerful entities on Azeroth, but Kalecgos was not as well informed as he was about what lay ahead. If he was, the young dragon would have felt far less confident.
Malygos couldn't help but study Kalecgos closer as he recalled what the little prophet had told him about the Blue Dragonflight's future. In another timeline, it would have been this brat who would take his place as the Aspect of Magic. Seeing how he stared at the whelps with love and affection, Malygos could see how such a thing might happen.
While Kalecgos was not the most experienced or powerful member of his Flight, he possessed a degree of loyalty to them and their duties that was impressive. Not only that, but the boy possessed an innate kindness that Malygos knew he had always lacked.
Still… Malygos hoped that Kalecgos would never be forced to shoulder the burdens of an Aspect.
After a few more peaceful moments of watching the whelps, Malygos sighed and decided that it was time to return to those burdens. "Why are you here, Kalecgos? I recall giving instructions that I am not to be bothered while I am in the creche unless it is important."
Kalecgos straightened and pulled his gaze away from the whelps to look back at Malygos. "Forgive me Lord Malygos, but Keeper Archaedas sent a message that he needs to speak with you in Uldaman about one of his ongoing projects."
Malygos hummed thoughtfully. That didn't narrow things down very much given that Archaedas was working on many projects, but there were only a few that involved Malygos directly.
Considering that the matter was likely to be important, Malygos took a moment to shake off the whelps that were scampering across his back and gently removed the one gnawing on his tail.
"Come with me, Kalecgos," said Malygos as he made his way out of the creche. He didn't particularly need the younger dragon by his side, but it was important that he take the time to mentor Kalecgos when the opportunity presented itself.
After all, not even Nozdormu could perfectly predict what the future might bring.
Kalecgos jolted with surprise before hurrying to obey. "Yes, Lord Malygos!"
The two of them passed through the wide halls of the Nexus until they reached its well guarded portal room. Malygos ignored the bows and greetings of the Drakonid portal guardians as he shifted to his mortal form and prepared to teleport himself and Kalecgos to Uldaman. One of the first things that Malygos had done after burying Sindragosa's remains was enhance the defenses of the Nexus. Now not even he could easily bypass the wards that protected his Flight's home.
It wasn't long before the two of them were hurled through space to the newly created portal hub of Uldaman. A quick glance revealed that Archaedas had begun fortifying his stronghold as well. Several stone golems with powerful fire enchantments etched into their arms were positioned all around the room, ready to unleash an inferno that would threaten most beings.
Malygos paid them no mind as he left the portal room and began striding through the corridors of Uldaman toward Archaedas' former stasis chamber, which had been repurposed into a workshop.
After a year of repairs, the differences between now and when the Titan facility was first rediscovered were quite obvious. The rubble had all been cleared by the many earthen who wandered the halls, and new structures, meticulously crafted and imbued with powerful magics, had replaced them.
Even the air felt different, buzzing with arcane magic that carried the distinct flavor of overwhelming order and inflexibility that came with all Titan magic. All arcane magic was orderly of course, but the Titans exemplified this more than any other.
As he entered the final hallway that led to Archaedas' workshop, Malygos couldn't help but note the surprising number of mortals who were walking the halls of Uldaman. Nearly all of them were either dwarves or gnomes, scholars who had been allowed into this place so that they might learn what the Keeper was willing to teach them.
It was surprising to him that Archaedas was willing to share 'the secrets of the Makers' even in this small capacity. The construct had shown a surprising amount of sentimentality when it came to his servants and their fleshy descendants.
"This place is amazing, Lord Malygos, the wards are like nothing that I have ever seen!" said Kalecgos, his eyes distant as he sensed the powerful defenses Archaedas had constructed. "It's almost like the entire structure has been enchanted! The modular nature of the spells is simply brilliant, and the energy pathways… they're so efficient. Even if the facility was cut off from the nearby leyline, these wards could last for centuries before falling!"
Malygos nodded in agreement. "The Titans and their servants have always been particularly good at enchantments and creating stationary defenses. I have only been to Ulduar a few times in my life, but the defenses there make these ones look pathetic in comparison."
While Archaedas had been the main craftsman among the Keepers alongside Keeper Mimiron, he lacked many of the irreplaceable foundries that he would need to construct more impressive works.
Kalecgos looked as if he wished to say more, but he was interrupted as they finally arrived at the entrance to Archaedas' workshop. The earthen guards were wise enough to immediately allow him passage instead of demanding that he verify his identity. The last few who wasted Malygos' time with such nonsense were teleported to the other side of the continent for their trouble.
As they walked into the enormous workshop, they found Archaedas and Ironaya working on a familiar device. It looked somewhat like a large basin carved out in the center of the room, with several carefully directed streams of magic flowing into it along pathways engraved in the wall. These streams were connected to a larger device that meticulously filtered and processed this raw energy into something more useful.
"Malygos, I will be with you in one moment," said Archaedas as he carefully studied the mixture of magic pooling within the basin in front of him. "I have made a few adjustments to the Well of Purification and would like to test this new mixture."
Malygos truly wished that the Keeper had chosen a different name for his creation. He tried to avoid referring to any pool of magic as a 'well' after what happened last time.
"Very well, Keeper. I shall wait," Malygos generously allowed. He wasn't the kind of person who enjoyed being kept waiting, but he was curious to see if the Well of Purification would work as designed. Previous tests had been less than promising after all.
"Lord Malygos, what is the Keeper's device supposed to do?" Kalecgos asked curiously.
"It was created for the purpose of cleansing anything placed inside the 'well' of even the most thorough Void corruption," Malygos explained, keeping his eyes fixed on the pool of magic. "It has been blessed by both Ysera and Alexstrasza, and uses arcane magic to intensify the purifying qualities of their magic to remove Void corruption from entities that are beyond saving by any other method. I have been occasionally assisting Archaedas in its development for the past year."
Kalecgos looked back at the object without newfound awe. Anything that had been created through the power of three Aspects and a Keeper was worthy of being looked at in such a way and studied.
Satisfied with his inspection, Malygos watched as Archaedas waved his hand and telekinetically called to him a familiar weapon from the other side of the workshop. The enchanted blade that had spent millennia embedded in the body of the C'thrax that attacked Capital City was still steeped deeply in the Void. The corruption wasn't as bad as it once was before Alexstrasza bathed it in her fire, but there was still a persistent corruption on the blade that refused to abate.
Archaedas slowly lowered the weapon into the well and stepped back as the magic began to react. Green and red streams of magic reminiscent of Ysera and Alexstrasza met the shadowy essence of the Void clinging to the blade and began to fight against it. The pool of magic turned into a twisting, bubbling mass of energy as the Life and Arcane magic tore into the Void corruption.
Gradually, the Well of Purification began to calm and Archaedas reached into it and retrieved the blade laying into the basin. Malygos immediately cast a diagnostic spell to search for any Void corruption and was pleasantly surprised with the results.
"Success," said Archaedas, his normally emotionless voice filled with satisfaction. "This configuration is far more effective than any of the previous prototypes. I will now move on to a living test subject. Would you please retrieve it, Ironaya?"
The titan-forged dipped her head before leaving the workshop. Nearly a minute later, she returned with a Void corrupted animal, a lizard of some kind, floating in a bubble of arcane magic behind her. Without any delay, Archaedas began his next experiment and dismissed the arcane barrier once it was floating above the Well of Purification.
Malygos ignored the pained cries of the abomination and eagerly awaited the results. The display was much the same as it had been for the blade, and Archaedas retrieved the lizard the moment that the magical reaction began to calm. Malygos was initially excited as he began to examine the creature with a host of diagnostic spells, but soon cursed in disappointment.
"It's only a partial success," Malygos announced with a scowl. "The creature's body has been cleansed of the Void, but its soul and mind have been damaged as well."
It was a bit of a disappointing outcome, but it was still obvious progress compared to their previous attempts. They were getting much closer.
Archaedas frowned slightly before dismissing the matter and turned to face Malygos. The construct was no stranger to failed experiments, so he likely wouldn't dwell on it for long.
"This endeavor has not been a complete success, but I have made some progress with the Discs of Norgannon," Archaedas said as he walked over to the wall and activated a mechanism that caused a portion of the wall to disappear and reveal a hidden room. "It should now be possible for you to channel your scrying spells through the Discs to access the sensor network responsible for updating its database."
Malygos eyes widened in surprise, and he grinned in excitement as he heard the Keeper's words. He hadn't expected that he would be able to make use of the Discs so soon, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
The Discs of Norgannon were a set of enchanted artifacts created by the Keepers to record the ongoings of Azeroth. They were said to transcribe the full history of everything that ever happened in this world, but that was obviously nonsense. After all, why would the Keepers ever feel the need to know what a random murloc ate a thousand years ago?
In reality, the Discs of Norgannon was a repository of information directly attached to the Keepers' immense sensor and surveillance network. These sensors were enchanted with limited intelligence so that they could record any events that might be of interest to the Keepers and store that information in the Discs.
Even if the Discs weren't actually omniscient, these sensors were powerful and pervasive enough to come close to truly seeing everything of significance on Azeroth. At least, they were that powerful in the past. Many of the sensors were damaged during the Sundering, and the Old Gods' servants were able to destroy many of the rest without opposition after the Keepers lost control of Ulduar. Loken, the fallen Keeper, had even managed to rescind security permission to access the largest sensors flying above Azeroth's skies and the sensors around the Old Gods prisons.
Despite this, the remaining sensors would still form the most widespread surveillance network on Azeroth if Malygos was able to access them. Now that Archaedas had reluctantly configured them to his magic, Malygos could look out for threats identified by the little prophet.
"If the Discs are prepared, then I intend to use them immediately," said Malygos as walked by the Keeper. "Show me how to access them."
Utterly unconcerned with Malygos' demanding attitude, Archaedas taught him the proper spells to bypass the Discs' security system. Soon, the entire room was filled with a vast array of floating images of different locations across Azeroth. The images themselves were capable of being moved to display everything within range of each sensor. Malygos couldn't help but feel impressed by the ingenuity of the Keepers as connecting so many different scrying tools was by no means an easy feat.
"Amazing…" Kalecgos trailed off as he gazed at the displays with open awe. "Did you make these, Keeper Archaedas?"
"I did not," Archaedas immediately denied. "The Discs were the work of Loken and Mimiron."
"Yes, yes, the Discs of Norgannon are indeed a fascinating artifact," Malygos said impatiently as he began to look through the many displays. "If we've all established that, then I would like your assistance in searching for anything strange. Anything that seems out of the ordinary should be brought to my attention."
The intelligences built into the sensor network would capture anything big that had happened so long as it occurred within the sensor range. However, the arrival of the Lich King was important enough to warrant a thorough inspection of the sensor displays.
Kalecgos gaped at him with alarm even as Archaedas and Ironaya began sifting through the displays. "Lord Malygos, something like that will take a long time. Has something important happened?"
Malygos suddenly remembered that Kalecgos had no idea what they were looking for and decided to give the younger dragon a quick explanation. "I and the other Aspects have reason to believe that the Burning Legion intends to use an artifact to create an absurdly powerful necromancer and send them to Azeroth to weaken this world and usher in another invasion. We are searching for any sign of this necromancer, who we refer to as the Lich King. They would most likely be sent to an isolated corner of Azeroth to avoid detection and gain power."
Kalecgos looked even more alarmed now. "What?! That sounds horrible, Lord Malygos. How do you know about this?"
"None of your business," Malygos said dismissively. Unlike his siblings, he had not told a single person about Krivax or his vision. Not because he cared about the nerubian's privacy, but because he simply wasn't the type to share secrets without great need. "Just get to work and start looking for anything strange."
Malygos was pleased to see that Kalecgos didn't feel insulted and merely nodded as he started examining the images. Malygos decided that he would focus first on the Eastern Kingdoms.
Let's see here… orcs languishing in camps, mortals rebuildings their kingdoms, a troll warlord consolidating power… nothing really important. Oh, there are several locations in Blackrock Spire that I can't see? I should look into that when I have the chance. Ragnaros is a problem… but one that can wait until later.
"Lord Malygos, why are you focusing on the Eastern Kingdoms?" Kalecgos asked after nearly
a half hour of searching. "I thought you said that they would be sent somewhere isolated from contact."
Malygos hummed thoughtfully. It was a good question, so he didn't mind providing an answer.
"That is only the most likely outcome based on what we know. To believe that the Burning Legion could not do otherwise is to lack imagination," Malygos explained even as he continued to search for anomalies. "Kil'jaeden could turn one of his nathrezim into the Lich King and send them to secretly kill and raise the mortal leadership as undead. Or the Legion could have used a ritual to hide a portion of the world from observation prior to the Lich King's arrival by using demons they snuck in through the Dark Portal during the Second war. Or the Lich King could have simply been sent into the ocean, which is vast, isolated, and teeming with life."
That last possibility worried Malygos the most. Azshara was very effective in protecting her domain against any attempts to observe it thoroughly, so there was a fear that the Lich King could rise from the depths with an army of undead. The only thing stopping that from happening was Azshara and her servants, who were more than powerful enough to crush the Lich King before they became a threat.
Still, Azshara was arrogant and vain enough to believe she could control such a being, and powerful enough to potentially succeed.
There was also a small chance that the two could cooperate. The Burning Legion and the Old Gods seemed to be opposing forces, but there were some historical examples of them simply ignoring each other to pursue mutual goals.
Such a scenario would be the worst possible outcome for Azeroth.
"A-All of those possibilities sound horrible, Lord Malygos," Kalecgos said worriedly. Malygos could tell that the younger dragon was trying to hold back his fear as he imagined the results of such outcomes.
"They do," Malygos agreed as he turned his attention to Kalimdor. "Unfortunately, we don't know the full capabilities of the artifact used to create the Lich King, nor do we know how Kil'jaeden intends to send them to Azeroth. With these factors unknown to us, it is difficult to truly predict what might happen."
When Krivax told them that Kil'jaeden simply threw the Lich King to Azeroth in a block of ice, Malygos had merely stared at the nerubian in bewilderment. If the Burning Legion could just turn people into blocks of ice and throw them at Azeroth, why would they need portals in the first place? How accurate was his aim? Were they even actually able to choose where the Lich King would land, or was it a coincidence that they arrived on Northrend in the other timeline? Also, what were the Helm of Domination and Frostmourne? Where did they come from and what abilities did they give?
All of these uncertainties made it difficult to be certain of anything, so Malygos was forced to rely on what was most likely. They had to proceed with the assumption that Kil'jaeden could direct the Lich King wherever he wanted and assume that the Lich King's abilities in this timeline would be somewhat similar to that seen by Krivax.
"Lord Malygos, I think I've noticed something," Kalecgos said eagerly. "There are a lot of images that aren't showing anything. They all seemed to be grouped in the South Sea."
Malygos sighed as his initial interest in Kalecgos' findings immediately disappeared. "Ignore those. There is a large landmass there that is hidden by powerful concealment magic. We are already aware of the situation."
Accessing Pandaria was still a problem that Malygos had yet to solve. He had been busy focusing on other matters, so he had not devoted as much effort to the task as he could have.
Malygos pushed those thoughts away and hummed in curiosity as he spotted Krivax during his examination of Kalimdor. The nerubian was currently in diplomatic talks with the leader of the tauren. He had apparently used the power gifted to him by Alexstrasza to defeat the centaur and assist the tauren, something which Malygos approved of.
It was pleasant to see his sister's power used proactively instead of being restrained by her self-imposed restrictions.
The two of them were discussing trade to equip the tauren with proper weapons, the logistics of permanent diplomatic contact, and a plan to push the centaur away from Mulgore.
His curiosity satisfied, Malygos continued his search until he was suddenly interrupted by the voice of Ironaya. "Lord Malygos, I believe that I have found something of note."
Turning to the normally quiet construct, Malygos saw that she was observing the section of displays dedicated to Zandalar. More specifically, she was observing a group of mortals along Zandalar's northern coasts that should definitely not be there.
"Are those Pandaren?" Malygos asked with obvious befuddlement. "What are they doing there? They shouldn't be anywhere but Pandaria."
The mortals had obviously only arrived on the island recently, having created a small camp surrounded by large turtles. Malygos was confused as to how this could have happened until he suddenly felt that he was forgetting an important detail. After casting the appropriate memory spell, Malygos couldn't help but let out a string of curses as the spell brought to mind the day Krivax shared the details of his vision.
He mentioned something about some Pandaren living on the back of a giant turtle. The Wandering Isle, he called it…
Malygos had once actually gone to find the Wandering Isle as a way to verify the veracity of Krivax's prediction. However, he had quickly lost interest and put the place out of mind after doing so. After all, why would Malygos care about a group of useless mortals doing something as ridiculous as floating aimlessly on the back of a turtle?
Malygos quickly pictured the creature in his mind and cast his most powerful scrying spell. When the spell failed in a somewhat familiar fashion, he realized that he might have made a mistake. With the clarity of hindsight, it may have been better if Malygos asked for more details about the Wandering Isle.
I suppose there's nothing stopping me from doing so now…
"Lord Malygos, is something wrong?"
Malygos ignored Kalecgos' worried voice and made his way back over to the display that showed Krivax and the tauren chieftain. The nerubian was unfortunately too far for Malygos to teleport him to Uldaman without a ritual, but that didn't mean they couldn't communicate.
Focusing on the image Krivax and casting a long distance telepathy spell of his own creation, Malygos opened a channel of communication between him and the nerubian. "Little prophet, I have questions that you will answer."
Malygos watched as Krivax jolted in the middle of his discussion with the tauren chieftain and began frantically looking around. "What the fuck?!"
"It is Malygos. I'm speaking to you telepathically," Malygos was kind enough to explain. He knew that mortals could be a bit dense at times. "I have important questions about your knowledge that must be answered."
"I'm literally in the middle of diplomatic negotiations!" Krivax telepathically projected to him, even as the nerubian floundered to explain his outburst to the confused tauren.
"I am already aware of that given that I am watching you," Malygos was quick to reassure. "I am willing to tolerate your attention being split."
Krivax didn't seem to grow any more relaxed, but he did offer an apology to the tauren and request a short break in their discussions. Once he was free to do so, Krivax turned his attention back to Malygos. "Very well, what do you need to ask?"
"Tell me about the Wandering Isle," Malygos responded. "Everything that you know about it. Leave out nothing."
Malygos could see the confusion in the nerubian's face before he answered. "The Wandering Isle? I don't know any more than what I told you during my first explanation. It's a giant turtle with a bunch of pandaren living on its back. They left Pandaria because they wanted to see the rest of Azeroth."
Malygos already knew all of that, and none of it was particularly helpful. "Tell me about the turtle's history, in detail."
"Well… I'm sure there's a lot about it that I don't know, but I can tell you what I remember," Krivax hesitantly responded. Malygos watched as the nerubian cast a memory spell. "It's a bit vague, but I recall something about a pandaren named Liu Lang with wanderlust who found a turtle on a beach a millennia ago and rode it out to sea to explore. The turtle started growing and his descendants started riding on the backs of the turtle too, until it grew large enough to hold a settlement."
Stories like this were one of the reasons that Malygos examined everything the nerubian said through a heavy lens of skepticism. Turtles… don't just grow to the size of an island in less than a mere millennia. If that was the case, Azeroth's seas would be filled with such creatures. It's possible that it was the descendant of the turtle Wild God, but they were all currently on Zandalar. How could their child then find themselves on Pandaria? How ridiculous.
However, there was one detail in particular that Malygos needed to examine.
"What about the Wandering Isle's ability to navigate Pandaria's mist? I recall that you claimed not to know when I first asked," Malygos questioned. It was one of the first questions that he had asked when the overgrown turtle was mentioned.
"To be more specific, I said that the details were conflicting and ambiguous," Krivax immediately corrected. "I know that Liu Lang could pass through the mists when he was alive, but I also remember that the Wandering Isle was separated from Pandaria for a long time."
Was that really what the nerubian had said? After delving into his memories, Malygos realized that it was. After realizing how unusually powerful the magic concealing Pandaria was, he had determined that it was unlikely that a random beast could do what he himself had so much trouble accomplishing. So, he had disregarded it as an unlikely location for the Lich King.
That… may have been a mistake.
"You should have been more exact in your wording," Malygos responded angrily. "I am expecting the Lich King to arrive on Azeroth at any time, and now I find pandaren washed up on the shores of Zandalar. Do you understand how troublesome it will be if we have to deal with a mobile Lich King?"
Malygos watched through the display as Krivax reeled back in shock and affront. There was a surprising amount of anger on the nerubian's face that he likely wouldn't have shown if they were speaking in person.
"Excuse me?! If I had attempted to tell you about the Wandering Isle's history, you would have impatiently dismissed me immediately. It's not fair to blame me when I'm not being included at all in any of your plans."
Malygos growled in anger at the nerubian's disrespect, but he couldn't say that he was truly wrong. Terminating his mental connection with Krivax, Malygos immediately began making his way to the portal room with Kalecgos following behind him. He needed to teleport to Zandalar and read through the minds of those pandaren.
And if things were as he feared, then accessing Pandaria had just become his first priority.
Zul'jin glared at the approaching island chain as his makeshift ship brought him ever closer.
The Gurubashi barely knew anything about making proper ships, so he had been forced to hire one from the greedy goblins down south. He didn't care about the gold, as he had gotten plenty during the Second War, but Zul'jin would not be happy if this turned out to be a waste of time.
"You're certain these 'Darkspear' got the best Witch Doctors 'round these parts?" Zul'jin grumbled to his every present Loa. "Can't see why we'd be needin' aid from cowards hidin' out on some far-off islands."
"That artifact you took from the Hakkari isn't going to purify itself," Jan'alai said lazily, her voice passing through their connection. "You don't want to know what would happen to us if I tried to subsume that power as it is."
Zul'jin grunted in annoyance and looked down into his bag at the artifact in question. He was no Witch Doctor, but even he could feel the evil radiating from the strange crystal, as dark and red as dried blood. The thing seemed alive in a twisted sense, pulsating with power in rhythm with his heart. According to Jan'alai, it was nothing more than a receptacle for Mojo. A place where the Hakkari could store the magic they accumulated with each sacrifice in preparation to summon their god, Hakkar the Soulflayer.
Zul'jin thought it was a wicked thing that he wanted nothing to do with, but Jan'alai said a good Witch Doctor could turn its Mojo into something useful.
"Tch. These cowards better be worth my time," Zul'jin said, turning his gaze back to the islands. "I spent too long dealin' with those Hakkari."
He had only managed to conquer a few more tribes, all of them around the same size as the Razzashi. He was nearly strong enough to move to the larger tribes, like the Bloodscalp and the Skullsplitters, but he still needed just a little more power.
The goblins sent Zul'jin off on one of their rowboats once they were close enough to the island. He was traveling alone, as his competent and trustworthy subordinates needed to stay behind to keep things in order.
Besides, the tribes he had conquered were still learning who was in charge. This was a good opportunity to see what they would do while he was gone.
Zul'jin waded ashore, pulling the goblin rowboat up onto the beach. The tropical heat bore down on him, an annoying contrast to the cooler air of Zul'Aman. Fortunately, he wouldn't have to travel very far. The islands were small, and it wouldn't be long before he ran into one of the Darkspear.
Sure enough, Zul'jin didn't have to wait for long after he delved into the island's small jungle before he noticed a pair of scouts following him. They thought that they were being sneaky, but Zul'jin had been hunting elves through the forests for longer than they had been alive.
"If ya be thinkin' of sneakin' up on me, ya gotta be doin' a whole lot better," Zul'jin spoke, his voice cutting through the dense foliage as he turned to the scouts.
The two Darkspear scouts, young and barely holding their spears properly, froze as he called them out before standing tall and puffing their chests. "Who're you? These islands belong to the Darkspears."
Zul'jin scoffed disdainfully at the boy before responding. "I'm not here for you, just your Chieftain. Keep your spears down, I ain't got any interest in causin' harm."
Not yet at least.
Such a thing wouldn't have worked with most trolls, but Zul'jin knew what he looked like. The changes Jan'alai made to him made it obvious to any troll with sense that Zul'jin wasn't someone to take lightly. He could see the boy's eyes trail over his taloned arm and his dragonhawk eyes. Zul'jin breathed out a wisp of fire for emphasis, causing the scouts to flinch back.
"Name's Zul'jin," he declared, knowing even so far from Zul'Aman that his name would be recognized. "Now, take me to ya Chieftain, before I go see him myself."
The scouts both jerked in surprise before wisely agreeing. Zul'jin followed as they led him through the jungle until the trees opened to reveal a bustling village of straw huts and trolls. The village was not nearly as advanced as Zul'Aman, but he hadn't expected it to be.
Still, Zul'jin found himself reluctantly impressed as he was led through the village. Even if they were primitive, it was obvious to him that the trolls living here were happy and well-taken cared of. The children played happily with one another and looked up at him with curiosity instead of the open suspicion he was expecting.
It was a far cry from the children of Zul'Aman, who lived in a constant state of fear that elven Farstriders would pass through their lands and slaughter entire villages. Zul'jin could still remember each and every time that he had found a village living near the edge of Zul'Aman destroyed by the elves.
One of the elves he had captured called it 'culling' and said that their population needed to be kept low so they didn't breed out of control and started getting ideas. It was in that exact moment that Zul'jin knew his people could only live peacefully if the elves of Quel'Thalas were driven far away from troll lands, forever.
Zul'jin stewed in these dark thoughts until he was finally brought to Chieftain's hut. It was larger than the others, adorning with the skulls of animals he didn't recognize and various tributes to whichever Loa they worshiped. The two scouts nudged open the door and gestured for him to enter.
Inside, a troll with a bone necklace and leather robes was sitting cross-legged in front of a cauldron filled with a sickly green liquid. The Witch Doctor looked up as he entered, and Zul'jin could see that one of his eyes was blind. More worryingly, he was also wearing a rush'kah, which was a ceremonial mask that could be used to channel the power of a Loa.
The Darkspear Chieftain had obviously been warned of his arrival ahead of time, most likely by a sentry ward, and didn't trust him. Now he was ready for a fight. How vexing.
"Zul'jin, leader of the Amani. Can't say I ever expected to meet you myself. The name's Sen'jin, Chieftain of the Darkspear," said the Witch Doctor as he continued to stir the cauldron. "Ya don't seem the type to appreciate people speakin' in circles, so I'll be blunt. If ya want my tribe to get involved with what you're doin' in Stranglethorn Vale, you've wasted a trip. We ain't interested."
Zul'jin found himself caught off guard. He hadn't expected the troll to deny him before he'd even said a word. Once his shock faded, it was immediately replaced by anger. "So, ya just gonna sit pretty on these islands while our kin are gettin' slaughtered by them elves and humans? While they're starvin' and strugglin' cause they been chased from lands that's rightfully theirs? You just gonna hide away here like a damn coward?"
"Better than joinin' you," said Sen'jin, his voice calm as if he hadn't just been insulted in his own home. "I've seen plenty of warlords like you over the years. You have big dreams of makin' a troll empire in these lands, but someone like you will fail like all the rest. I can already see that a whole lot of trolls are gonna be dead before somebody puts a knife in you. My tribe won't be among them."
The words were said with a finality that Zul'jin didn't expect. He was told that these Darkspear were the type to avoid a fight, yet this Witch Doctor had reacted with hostility as soon as he entered his hut.
"What does a safe and snug troll like you know 'bout me and my life?" Zul'jin snarled, his patience wearing thin with the sanctimonious old fool. "You ever had to look at young'un and tell 'em their ma and pa were killed fetchin' water? You ever been tortured before losing an arm and eye to the enemy?"
Sen'jin didn't react to his outburst, though he did turn his one eyed gaze back to Zul'jin and looked him directly in the eyes. "I don't need to fight the elves and humans to know they ain't our friends. The Darkspear have fought enough battles in our time and survived. But just surviving ain't enough for you, is it? I can see it in your eyes."
"Survival is the least of what we deserve," Zul'jin glared at the Witch Doctor, his anger only growing. "We were once kings of this land, revered by all. The elves, the humans, the dwarves, they've taken everythin' from us. I aim to take it back. If a few trolls got to die to do it, then that's just what it takes."
Sen'jin leaned back and sighed, the disdain in his eye slowly being replaced with a pity that only infuriated Zul'jin even further. "A noble idea, but your path will only lead to more pain, Zul'jin. Power ain't gonna bring back what's lost. It won't bring peace. Those lands are already lost, and they ain't coming back."
Zul'jin studied the Witch Doctor in front of him and saw that he wouldn't change his mind. He would have already killed the fool normally, but there was still something that he needed from Sen'jin. Reaching into his bag, Zul'jin retrieved the artifact that he had taken from the Hakkari.
"If ya not interested in joinin' the fight, how 'bout this then?" Zul'jin growled through gritted teeth as he brandished the blood-red artifact. "Took this from the Hakkari. It's Mojo is… dark, potent, and brimmin' with power. I've been told that a good Witch Doctor can turn this thing to somethin' useful. In return, I'll leave you and yours alone to stay on your little islands."
Sen'jin stared at the artifact, his eye narrowing with wariness as he sensed the energy emanating from it. "That's no small thing. It'll take a whole lot of work to turn that into somethin' that won't drive you mad. Might need to call in some favors. Not sure I want to do that just to give you more power."
"If you don't, then the consequences will be on your hands if I use it anyway," Zul'jin said, hoping the Witch Doctor would agree so he could finally leave his presence. "Plus I'll be sure to take a ship full of my warriors here the first chance I get. We'll see how you handle things when peace isn't an option."
Sen'jin was silent as he mulled over Zul'jin's threat. Eventually, Sen'jin sighed and nodded. "I ain't promisin' nothin', Zul'jin. But I'll look at this thing and see what I can do. Better than you turnin' into some Hakkar shaped monster and rampagin' across Stranglethorn Vale. You can stay here for a bit while I look into it. Maybe you'll learn somethin' new."
It wasn't the result Zul'jin had wanted when he first came to these islands, but it was good enough for now.
"Fair enough," Zul'jin replied, his gaze steely as he tossed the artifact to Sen'jin. "Just remember, Sen'jin. The elves, the humans, they don't care if you want a fight or not. The Darkspear won't be able to hide forever, and there'll be a day your tribe wished it had friends."
With that, Zul'jin turned around and strode out of the hut. He needed some time to calm down, or he was going to bury his ax in the Witch Doctor's skull.
==========
Author's Note: I wanted to take a moment to more explicitly explain why Malygos didn't think of the Wandering Isles. In the lore of the zone, it is described as, "Separated from Pandaria for millennia, the Wandering Isle meanders the oceans of Azeroth."
Ignoring that the Wandering Isle is only 800 years old, it is also said that, "The turtles carried Liu Lang beyond the mists to the world he knew waited beyond. The common thought of the time was that only Pandaria had not been destroyed in the Sundering, and so Liu Land was considered to be 'damaged' in the head for thinking otherwise. This was proven to be incorrect when Liu Land returned on Shen-zin Su five years later."
Therefore, Malygos got screwed over by the combination of lore inconsistencies and his own arrogance for not looking further into it. There was also the fact that he was focused on many more likely possibilities.
If you want to read ahead or support me, then feel free to check out my patreon
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Thanks for reading!
Rakjo
Ork Mek looking for WAAAGH!
- Location
- In the Shadow Realm
Oh lordy lord praise the peeping titans and their need for order and information, while it doesnt help resolve the actual issue the aspects being aware of the undead turtle and and army of kung fu zombie pandas, kung fu zombie monkeys, kung fu zombie fish people, zombie void bugs and zombie Not!Mongolian Not!Yak taurens that is about to pop up its better than nothing. also the trader monkey dudes.
on the Good ish side i bet whatever the fuck the undead do on pandaria is gonna release the SHA and while that is bad its another enemy they will have to defeat same as the Mogu.
Shame Lei Shen gave the Zandalari his revival ritual and didnt trust the other Mogu cause man i bet you anything he could probably take 3 of the dreadlords at the same time plus whatever trash zombie mobs they throw at him like noones buisness. like the 3 brothers idk if he could handle them plus tichondrious and gul dan. but those 3 shmucks i bet he could whoop them.
The Celestials if i remeber right are kinda like Wild Gods or Loa so they are a huge concentration of life magic given form, they can probably help mount a defense if they are together.
They could undeadify the Nerubians so even if the Mantid are more in tune with their voidspawn ancestry idk if they will be able to resist the Lich King.
It wil be VERY VERY VERY Bad if the undead breach the thunder isle and get to Ra Den, i dont wanna know what a death corruped titan construct might be capable of. Argus was a huge problem and he is the battery that revives demons but then again he is a full titan and not a construct so i wanna say a Death Magic Ra Den will probably be a bit stronger or at the same level of the aspects. or maybe not cause Lei Shen the absolute LAD ate his heart and took his power so even undead he might be way weaker than say Odyn or the Peeps of Ulduar. Does Helya count as a death corrupted titan construct?
Good thing is the undead cant revive the thunder king as a minion cause he got vaporised when the nuke went off in Uldum. idk what the ritual he gave the troll is about but he somhow returned (he does have the engine of narak sha so maybe he got a new body, idk how he would have kept the boost from ra den´s juice but who knows)
depending where they land that area is probably a lost cause and some are worse than others, the worst outcome i think would be the Dread Wastes cause yknow millions upon millions of mantid ready for war turned to zombies aint a great look.
the Karasang Wilds would also be bad cause yknow is a giant swamp and man undead have a massive advantage on those, also undead dinos. The Crane lives there tho
the Jade Forest has all the Wind Serpent Dragons plus the Fish and Monke people and ofc the Jade Serpent
Kun Lai summit would maybe be the most Difficult to take cause of the Shado Pan and the Tiger Celestial
i dont remember was was the deal with townlong, it had both a bunch of mantid and yaungol and the teleporters to the isle of thunder.
Edit: yknow who would work REALLY WELL againt undead? the fire infused Yaungol in the timeless isle
on the Good ish side i bet whatever the fuck the undead do on pandaria is gonna release the SHA and while that is bad its another enemy they will have to defeat same as the Mogu.
Shame Lei Shen gave the Zandalari his revival ritual and didnt trust the other Mogu cause man i bet you anything he could probably take 3 of the dreadlords at the same time plus whatever trash zombie mobs they throw at him like noones buisness. like the 3 brothers idk if he could handle them plus tichondrious and gul dan. but those 3 shmucks i bet he could whoop them.
The Celestials if i remeber right are kinda like Wild Gods or Loa so they are a huge concentration of life magic given form, they can probably help mount a defense if they are together.
They could undeadify the Nerubians so even if the Mantid are more in tune with their voidspawn ancestry idk if they will be able to resist the Lich King.
It wil be VERY VERY VERY Bad if the undead breach the thunder isle and get to Ra Den, i dont wanna know what a death corruped titan construct might be capable of. Argus was a huge problem and he is the battery that revives demons but then again he is a full titan and not a construct so i wanna say a Death Magic Ra Den will probably be a bit stronger or at the same level of the aspects. or maybe not cause Lei Shen the absolute LAD ate his heart and took his power so even undead he might be way weaker than say Odyn or the Peeps of Ulduar. Does Helya count as a death corrupted titan construct?
Good thing is the undead cant revive the thunder king as a minion cause he got vaporised when the nuke went off in Uldum. idk what the ritual he gave the troll is about but he somhow returned (he does have the engine of narak sha so maybe he got a new body, idk how he would have kept the boost from ra den´s juice but who knows)
depending where they land that area is probably a lost cause and some are worse than others, the worst outcome i think would be the Dread Wastes cause yknow millions upon millions of mantid ready for war turned to zombies aint a great look.
the Karasang Wilds would also be bad cause yknow is a giant swamp and man undead have a massive advantage on those, also undead dinos. The Crane lives there tho
the Jade Forest has all the Wind Serpent Dragons plus the Fish and Monke people and ofc the Jade Serpent
Kun Lai summit would maybe be the most Difficult to take cause of the Shado Pan and the Tiger Celestial
i dont remember was was the deal with townlong, it had both a bunch of mantid and yaungol and the teleporters to the isle of thunder.
Edit: yknow who would work REALLY WELL againt undead? the fire infused Yaungol in the timeless isle
Last edited:
ThrawnCA
Carbon-based biped
- Location
- Australia
At this point I'm hoping that an army of Light-wielding spiders can make some good progress, perhaps with a flight of enraged dragons on the side.
Fellow Human
Verified Roado Rolla
I see what you did.
JmonsterNEO
Spouter of nonsense
- Location
- The quest forums
Sashimi the sushi chef, wonderful word play.
Chapter 70
Hidden behind several powerful concealment spells, Tichondrius stood high in the sky atop a platform of hardened Fel magic overlooking the battle taking place beneath him. While he was fully capable of flying, he had always found it tedious to do so while staying in a single location.
Under a dark and lightning filled sky, a constant stream of various undead creatures were assaulting a group of surprisingly skilled mortals. The warriors of the so-called 'Shado-Pan' were far more capable than the peaceful monks who once lived on the back of Shen-Zin Su. These few were exceptionally gifted, having been chosen to guard the Isle of Thunder against any intruders.
Unfortunately for them, the Lich King was far beyond what they were prepared to handle. Once this island was chosen for their staging ground against the rest of Pandaria, it had been completely surrounded by a horde of aquatic undead and isolated by preventing the creation of any portals to the mainland.
Still, the mortals fought against a foe that they couldn't defeat with surprising bravery. They had fallen back to a small fort and showed every intention of fighting to the last.
Tichondrius hummed in approval as he watched a pandaren dressed entirely in black gracefully jump from his fort's walls and launch herself toward one of the sea giants threatening to destroy the mortal fortifications. Her sword crackled with lightning as she smoothly decapitated the undead giant, ending it in a single blow.
While it was possible to reanimate a creature without its head, the magic involved was significantly more complex for a headless torso. The greater the difference between what a body's soul "remembered" as its form and what it was now, the more difficulty a necromancer would have in animating that soul's corpse. For the vast majority of these disposable undead, such a thing was almost never worth the effort.
These mortals had learned that extremely quickly when the undead they were facing, ignored any normally fatal wounds to the rest of the body.
The surrounding undead immediately attempted to swarm the Shado-Pan warrior as she landed, but the warrior was quickly protected by a barrier of Light that effectively kept the undead at bay. Tichondrius turned his attention to the mortal responsible, a robed member of the Omnia Discipline, a faction of the Shado-Pan composed of mages and priests.
Without these spellcasters, he was almost certain that the mortal warriors would have already fallen.
"Your people are quite impressive," Tichondrius complimented the only other person standing atop his platform. "The mortals of Azeroth have always been truly exceptional. I'm glad to see that hasn't changed since I was last here."
When he received no response, Tichondrius chuckled in amusement and turned to look at his unwilling companion.
Master Shang Xi looked much different in death than he did in life. His fur was a spectral white and his eyes emanated an icy-blue glow common among sapient undead. The lantern that had once hung from his curved wooden staff had been replaced by a frost-rimed orb of concentrated necromantic magic. The only thing that looked the same about him was his robes, as the Scourge did not yet have the facilities to forge an adequate replacement.
Raising the undead monk as more than just an insane ghoul had taken some effort given the damaged state of his corpse, but the mortal had impressed Tichondrius enough for him to see it done. Master Shang Xi had proven surprisingly strong willed, having retained much of his personality and skills after having been risen into undeath. He also never failed to remind Tichondrius about the involuntary nature of his servitude.
"Well? I would quite like to hear your thoughts on their performance," Tichondrius prodded, gesturing towards the ongoing conflict.
Master Shang Xi turned slowly, glaring at Tichondrius with his icy blue gaze. Despite being undead, there was still a spark of life in his eyes; a lingering defiance that Tichondrius found both amusing and intriguing. He could of course squash that rebellious attitude with the slightest effort and ensure the undead monk's undying loyalty to the Lich King, but that would be far too boring.
With his fellow nathrezim off on their own missions, and Gul'dan being as single-mindedly obsessed with power in death as he was in life, Master Shang Xi was the only interesting conversational partner Tichondrius could find.
"They fight with honor and courage," Master Shang Xi finally spoke, his voice a whisper of its former warmth, now laced with a cold understone. "They bring great honor to their people by fighting to their dying breath against your evil."
The monk's words were punctuated by the sight of one of the mortal defenders being dragged down from the wall he was defending into the surrounding undead. He fought valiantly, cutting down swaths of shambling corpses in a flurry of steel, his last breath taken in a defiant roar that echoed across the battlefield. Moments after he died, a massive ball of arcane fire landed on the spot where he fell, destroying a large number of undead and ensuring the warrior could not be raised against his allies.
"They certainly learn fast," Tichondrius observed as he studied the magic being used by the mortals. There was only one among them who wielded Arcane magic, while a few others used the Light and an unusual form of Spirit magic. "Tell me, Master Shang Xi. Do you believe that they will break once the inevitability of their deaths becomes clear? When they begin to grow slow and tired?"
Unlike last time, the response from Master Shang Xi came instantly. "They will not. They already know that this fight will be their last, but that knowledge will not break them. It will only make them stronger."
Tichondrius continued to watch the battle for several more moments. While the mortals were beginning to slow down, there was an elderly monk who was floating in the middle of their fort and exuding Spirit infused mist that constantly healed their wounds and reinvigorated them.
"I agree with your assessment, Master Shang Xi," said Tichondrius, his mind running through countless scenarios as he considered the implications the strength of these mortals had for his plans. "If our enemies continue to be capable of lasting for so long against our forces, then we will need to face them with overwhelming force."
Tichondrius considered simply calling on Gul'dan to destroy these forces. The former warlock was skilled at creating portals and could easily send a group of powerful undead behind their defensive lines, but such a tactic wouldn't always be possible. The frontlines of their conquest would often be far beyond the Lich King's reach, so Tichondrius needed to know if the Scourge could operate without direct help.
"Our forces are far too uncoordinated without an intelligent undead leading them. Perhaps they'll do better once you take control of them, Master Shang Xi," Tichondrius said, eager to see how the undead monk would fare against his former people. "While talented, I'm sure these brave warriors won't last much longer."
The undead monk was no great tactician, having lived a mostly peaceful life, but he was fairly skilled with magic and martials arts. Tichondrius watched as Shang Xi turned to glare at him with chilling hatred, which he responded to with a sympathetic smile.
"Oh, don't look at me like that. You must understand that they're only going to make things harder for themselves if they continue resisting," said Tichondrius, his tone a facsimile of sympathy. "You must know that the Lich King intends to raise such capable warriors as his servants. If their bodies are too badly damaged by the mindless undead, then they will suffer far more than is necessary. Not everyone has your strength of mind, after all. If anything, you'll be doing them a service."
Shang Xi continued to glare at him for several moments, but eventually jumped down from the platform. He knew that he had no real say in the matter, and Tichondrius' words were not entirely without merit. Undead with badly damaged bodies required more necromantic magic to raise, and mentally suffered from the missing and decomposed body parts.
Once he landed amid the undead, Shang Xi raised his staff and channeled magic into the orb that hung from it. Moments later, every undead on the battlefield shuddered and momentarily paused as Shang Xi took control of them.
Tichondrius hummed in approval, gratified that Shang Xi had learned from his few lessons on necromancy.
With a wave of his staff, Shang Xi directed the undead forces with newfound organization and precision. Several sea giants struck at weak points along the fortress, while naga spellcasters created ramps of ice that allowed undead to easily charge up the walls. Undead pandaren moved with surprising agility, leaping over the walls and distracting the enemy from being able to mount an effective defense.
What had been a slow battle of attrition became a rapid onslaught that caught the mortals off guard.
Meanwhile, Shang Xi displayed all the skill he had in life and moved through the battlefield like a whirlwind, striking down the defenders while skillfully dodging any magic or projectiles directed at him. Each of his blows was forceful but calculated, ensuring the mortals' bodies remained largely intact even as they fell.
From his vantage point, Tichondrius watched as the tide of battle began to turn. The Shado-Pan put up a valiant fight, but their numbers were dwindling and their magic was losing strength. The final blow came when Shang Xi managed to maneuver behind enemy lines and slay the elderly monk who had been rejuvenating the defenders.
The monk's mist dissipated as her body hit the ground, revealing the true weariness of the Shado-Pan. For the first time since this battle began, Tichondrius could see fear and hopelessness begin to overtake them.
It wasn't long before the last of the Shado-Pan fell, succumbing to the relentless undead. Satisfied with the results of this battle, Tichondrius flew down to congratulate his companion on their victory.
"Well done, Master Shang Xi," Tichondrius said warmly as he landed amidst the fallen mortals. The undead monk ignored him, gaze distant as he stared at his surroundings with an utterly indiscernible expression. "Your tactics were simple but effective, and you've managed to keep their corpses remarkably intact. You should be proud."
That finally seemed to be enough to bring Shang Xi back to reality as he turned to regard Tichondrius with a seething glare so unlike the once peaceful monk.
"Proud? I have brought nothing but disgrace to the memory of my people," Shang Xi replied bitterly, his soft voice clear in silence left in the wake of the battle. "These warriors deserve to feel pride in what they have done, but I take no pride in this senseless evil."
Tichondrius scoffed, faintly annoyed by the undead's short sightedness. Despite Shang Xi's talents, he was so very young and knew so very little.
"Evil? What is that?" Tichondrius drawled dismissively as he swept his eyes over the battlefield. "I have never understood why you mortals so abhor death that you label any force that brings you closer to it as evil. Is it a result of your ignorance as to what comes after? An innate fear of the unknown? Or is it simply because you're all so incredibly attached to your fleeting lives?"
Shang Xi looked as if he was about to respond, until he suddenly took a deep breath, and his expression returned to the tranquil stoicism that was more characteristic of the monk.
"That is simply not something a creature like you would understand," Shang Xi replied evenly, his eyes once again growing distant. "The sanctity of life is not something that can be explained through mere words."
Tichondrius felt a hint of frustration at the monk's response, but he quickly pushed it aside. He had been alive long before the first mortal came into being on Azeroth. There was nothing of interest that could be learned from these creatures.
"Then I see no reason for us to linger,," said Tichondrius, turning around and striding away from the battlefield. "Our scouts should by now have combed through this Isle of Thunder. It's a wellspring of untapped power and I find myself impatient to unearth its secrets."
After a moment, Tichondrius felt Shang Xi begin to follow him, and he allowed his mind to other matters.
When the Scourge had first passed through the concealment magic protecting Pandaria several months ago, they had not attacked immediately. Tichondrius had first ordered the oceans surrounding the land to be filled with undead, destroying and raising any natural sea life that once existed around the continent.
Then, he had instructed the naga to begin constructing underwater fortifications while Tichondrius began gathering more information about the land and the mortals living on it. The Burning Legion had not been aware that these lands existed before Shen-Zin Su was raised into undeath, so Tichondrius obviously knew little about it. With the ability to shapeshift and search through memories, it had fortunately not taken very long before Tichondrius knew all that he needed to know about Pandaria.
After the collapse of the Pandaren Empire, the mortals of these lands had a highly decentralized government and no standing army. Instead, they were protected by four powerful Wild Gods that they referred to as the August Celestials and a small but elite fighting force called the Shado-Pan. The only true threat to their safety was a race of Old God worshiping insectoid creatures called the Mantid.
With this in mind, Tichondrius had decided that the best course of action would be for the Scourge to focus its attention on the pandaren. While the August Celestials were worthy of caution, defeating the Mantid would likely take the Scourge years of effort. Time that they did not have.
Instead, it would be far more effective for them to simply accumulate their forces by destroying coastal settlements. There were plenty of islands surrounding Pandaria's mainland, so there were many vulnerable mortals waiting to be welcomed into the ranks of the Scourge. Mal'Ganis had volunteered to lead that effort, and was having considerable success.
Meanwhile, Tichondrius had taken the Lich King and Shen-Zin Su to find a more appropriate location where they could construct a staging point above land, eventually settling on the Isle of Thunder.
Tichondrius glanced upward to the island's namesake. As far as he could see, the sky was engulfed in a perpetual storm as magical lightning danced across the clouds. Tichondrius felt a hint of respect toward the one who created the impressive magical phenomena and once ruled this island.
"Tell me more about this Lei Shen," Tichondrius ordered his companion as they walked past a group of skeletons patrolling the island for survivors. "This level of power is not something that should be achievable by a mere mortal without falling under the service of a greater being."
Azeroth was truly a unique world, with absurdly powerful beings hiding behind every corner. Tichondrius could easily see why the Legion was so obsessed with conquering it.
"You already know as much as I do of the Thunder King," Shang Xi said reluctantly, forced to speak against his will after being given a direct order.
Tichondrius had already known that was likely to be the case, but he still found himself disappointed. Most Pandaren only knew about Lei Shen through vague legends. The only ones who might know more would be the leaders of the Shado-Pain, but Tichondrius did not currently have the means to capture and interrogate them.
"A pity," Tichondrius said as they approached their destination. An undead naga sea witch was directing a group of undead in the construction of a large pillar infused with a combination of Fel and Arcane magic. "I would very much like to know if the legends are true and that this Lei Shen left behind a body. He would definitely make for a useful soldier of the Scourge."
Tichondrius would normally worry about losing control of such a powerful undead, but the Lich King would need to be either destroyed or extremely injured for anyone to escape his control.
Shang Xi seemed to startle at the thought, but otherwise kept his thoughts to himself. As Tichondrius approached, the sea witch spotted him and ceased her commands before bowing deeply.
"Lord Tichondrius," she greeted, her four arms crossing over her chest in a gesture of respect. "Construction is progressing as scheduled. The pylon will soon be ready to tap into this island's leyline nexus."
Tichondrius nodded in approval. It was important that the Scourge establish robust magical defenses around this place before any powerful entities managed to rally against them. He did not yet know how powerful the August Celestials were, but if they were anything like the Wild Gods who took part in the War of the Ancient then some amount of caution was warranted.
"Excellent work, Tidemistress Nar'kess," Tichondrius responded as he surveyed the pylon appreciatively. "What progress have the scouts made in surveying the island's interior?"
The undead naga swayed slightly on her serpentine lower half as she rose from her bowed position. "Progress has been steady, and we have already located many points of interest. This place will serve as an excellent stage for the Scourge's future conquests. To the west is a large graveyard full of the bodies of this island's former rulers. To the north is a mine filled with lightning infused ore, along with a well-constructed forge built atop Titan machinery."
Tichondrius couldn't help but be surprised. He had already predicted that the Isle of Thunder would serve as an excellent staging ground given that it was once Lei Shen's seat of power, but this was even better than he had expected.
"Send every necromancer we have to begin raising the dead in that graveyard," Tichondrius ordered, his mind racing with the implications of their discovery. "The mortals who were buried there are guaranteed to know far more about this island than we do. Acquiring their knowledge is a priority. I will examine the forge myself. That is far too important a task to leave in the hands of someone less capable."
Tichondrius knew far less about forges than those of his kin who worked at the Cursed Forge of the Nathrezim, but what little he knew would be more than any of these undead.
"Yes, Lord Tichondrius. Your orders will be carried out immediately," Nar'kess bowed her head once more and gestured for one of her naga attendants to relay the command.
"Good. What have we learned about the Throne of Thunder?" Tichondrius asked as he glanced toward the massive palace to the north. The structure rose high into the stormy sky and was adorned with several pylons that crackled constantly with lightning. "Securing it will be essential if we wish to take full control of this island."
If Titan machinery was buried nearby, Lei Shen's palace had become the highest priority for Tichondrius. Those buried machines gave him a significant hint as to the source of the mortal's power.
"Ah… that is somewhat more difficult, Lord Tichordrius," Nar'kess responded, her voice carrying a hint of hesitation. "The palace appears to be under the protection of potent wards. It is also being guarded by a large serpentine creature that can fly through the air and call upon lightning."
Somewhat curious, Tichondrius decided to cast a scrying spell over the Throne of Thunder. While he couldn't see within its interior, it didn't take very long for him to spot the creature in question. He was greeted to the sight of a massive cloud serpent, more than a hundred feet in length and covered in blue scales that crackled with lightning.
It took Tichondrius a moment to sort through the local legends and recognize it as Nalak the Storm Lord, Lei Shen's personal mount.
"I see," said Tichondrius, surprised by the power radiating from the beast as it patrolled the palace. "I will have to handle this creature myself."
The Scourge only had a few smaller undead cloud serpents and couatl that were capable of flight, and especially didn't have ones capable of defeating such a powerful beast. It would be very useful for future battles once Tichondrius had slain it. However… it would probably be wise to enlist the assistance of Mal'Ganis first. He had long since learned that recklessness came with unpredictable consequences.
It was fortunate that Tichondrius already planned to contact Mal'Ganis and the three brothers to discuss the progress of their respective missions anyway.
"Shang Xi, you're free to do as you like," Tichondrius said, glancing toward the monk. While he was confident in the magic controlling Shang Xi, there were things not meant for outsiders to hear. "I suggest you spend that time helping the mortals you killed adjust to their new circumstances. I'm told undeath can be quite disorientating initially. Perhaps your guidance could ease their transition."
Shang Xi simply nodded serenely and began making his way back to the recently killed pandaren. As he walked away, Tichondrius couldn't help but muse over the undead's mental resilience. Not only Shang Xi, but many of the monks had displayed an abnormal ability to control themselves despite the effects that necromantic magic often had on mortals and their emotions. It was a factor that he would be keeping a very close eye on.
With a few beats of his wings, Tichondrius lifted off into the air and started flying toward the southern coast. That had been chosen as the best place for Shen-Zin Su to be stationed. From that direction, undead were constantly streaming out over the island and converting it into a Scourge Stronghold.
It wasn't long before Tichondrius caught sight of the gargantuan figure of Shen-Zin Su. The barrier surrounding its shell had been lowered, revealing the turtle's entire shell to be covered in thick layers of ice and an army of undead. There were also several runes carved into the creature that glowed brightly with a mixture of Fel and Death magic.
Ignoring the feeling of Gul'dan watching him closely, Tichondrius continued flying until he reached the Temple of Five Dawns at its center and began making his way to the top of the structure. The temple had become the center of his operations, and he only allowed only the most useful undead to enter.
After entering the largest room of the temple, once belonging to Master Shang Xi, Tichondrius closed the door behind him and began casting wards to protect against any listeners. He chuckled as he felt a wave of frustration come from the Lich King. Once that was done, Tichondrius reached into empty space and opened a small portal from which he retrieved a shimmering Fel crystal and quickly cast the spell to activate it.
Tichondrius waited as the crystal floated to the center of the room and began pulsing softly. There was no telling if his fellow nathrezim were currently in a location where they could afford to have a conversation, so it was best to be patient.
Several minutes later, the crystal suddenly flared brightly and the image of Varimathras appeared in mid-air. The two of them didn't bother to exchange any greetings as they waited for the rest of their kin. Balnazzar was the next to appear, wearing the guise of troll witch doctor, while Detherocand Mal'Ganis responded soon after.
Seeing no reason to delay, Tichondrius began the meeting the moment that the last of them responded to the scrying spell. "The Scourge has successfully taken control of the Isle of Thunder. The only resistance of note was a small garrison of Shado-Pan warriors…"
Tichondrius spent the next few minutes reporting the details of his mission. The result was as expected, so none of his fellow nathrezim showed any kind of reaction until he mentioned the Titan machinery and the beast guarding the Throne of Thunder.
"Given the circumstances, I believe it is best that you return as quickly as possible," Tichondrius said as he concluded his report, turning his attention to Mal'Ganis. "Are you in a position to do so? Have you completed your mission?"
Mal'Ganis nodded in affirmation, his expression more subdued than Tichondrius had expected. "I have. The pandaren have begun retreating away from the coasts, and the Scourge has developed a significant presence in the Krasarang Wilds. I also managed to discover an island of cloud serpents along the eastern coast of Pandaria. Unfortunately, I was confronted by one of the local Wild Gods before I could kill and raise them."
Tichondrius was not particularly surprised to hear that. They had decided to act overtly as they didn't have time to use more subtle methods with the threat of the Aspects always present. The natural consequence of that was that they would quickly attract the attention of the local powers.
"And? How powerful was it?" Tichondrius asked, eager to hear an estimate of the Wild God's power.
"Very," Mal'Ganis admitted, his eyes narrow. "The one that came for me was Yu'lon, the Jade Serpent. The Pandaren must have been worshiping these August Celestials for quite some time, because the creature was significantly more formidable than I expected. Not as much as Malorne, but certainly as powerful as many of the other Wild Gods we faced during the War of the Ancients."
Tichondrius' lips curled into a thoughtful frown at Mal'Ganis' warning. He had no doubt that the Scourge would easily be able to sweep over the pandaren on their own, but such powerful guardians would complicate things significantly. Tichondrius didn't know how long it would take the Aspects to discover their location and find a path through the concealment magic around pandaria, but he doubted that it would take years.
The Scourge had still not yet grown powerful enough to face the combined might of the Aspects head on.
"Very well," Tichondrius said as he rearranged some of his plans to take into account this new information. "Come to the Isle of Thunder as quickly as possible. Perhaps Lei Shen left behind some useful artifacts within his palace that we can use. If not, then we will simply have to find another way to deal with these troublesome Wild Gods."
Mal'Ganis nodded in agreement as Tichondrius turned his attention to Varimathras. Azjol-Nerub was one of the most powerful mortal kingdoms that they would eventually need to confront, so Varimathras' mission to sow chaos on Northrend was of great importance.
"I'm afraid that Mal'Ganis is not the only one who has run into complications," said Varimathras, his voice carrying a hint of frustration. "I have researched the nerubian defenses around the vrykul who are in stasis and found them to be robust. Even if the vrykul were to be awoken, Azjol-Nerub has many magical and biological weapons stationed nearby to kill large swaths of them as soon as they do."
Tichondrius could feel his frown deepen as he was given even more unfavorable news. The nerubians operated with a degree of competence and ruthlessness that he could admire, if it wasn't causing him so many problems.
"Fortunately, I believe that I may have found a viable alternative in the Drakkari," said Varimathras, his frustration disappearing as he smirked slyly. "There are more vrykul than the ones who exist on Northrend, and I've heard legends that many of their souls pass on to a 'Goddess of Death.' After some investigation, I believe that this entity could be the answer to many of our problems."
Tichondrius listened as Varimathras told him of Helya and her Kvaldir. Such a being would make for a powerful ally, and they both had much to gain from cooperation.
"Very well. Travel to the Broken Isles and attempt to make contact with this entity," Tichondrius commanded. It would likely take Varimathras some time to find Helya, which only made things more difficult. "Do so as quickly as possible. We cannot afford to wait long before moving on to the next stage of our plans."
Tichondrius turned his attention next to Balnazzar, who was still wearing the guise of a troll witch doctor. Balnazzar had always been a typical nathrezim, preferring to cause chaos among enemy ranks while working from the shadows.
"I have identified two paths through which I can weaken the Eastern Kingdoms," Balnazzar began, his voice even and businesslike. "I initially considered instigating a conflict between Ironforge and the Dark Iron dwarves, but found there to be too much Void influence in Black Rock Mountain for my comfort."
That was no great surprise. The Burning Legion already knew that Ragnaros the Firelord resided within Blackrock Mountain and was under the influence of the Old Gods. The degree of that influence was not known, but it must be significant if Balnazzar decided against approaching the Firelord's domain.
"I then decided to investigate the Gurubashi and discovered that I arrived at a fortunate time," Balnazzar continued, his eyes glinting in satisfaction. "A powerful troll warlord has begun consolidating power in Stranglethorn Vale. It should not be difficult for me to ensure his success and guide him in a way that furthers our own interests."
"And how long will this take you?" asked Tichondrius. A troll warlord waging war across the Eastern Kingdoms would be useful for weakening future opposition, but it did little to help them in the short term.
"Not too long," Balnazzar assured, realizing the need for swift action. "The warlord in question has become notably more powerful after returning from some journey out to sea. It won't be long now before they move against the remaining Gurubashi tribes. I will ensure he succeeds."
That was indeed good news, but Tichondrius doubted that the Aspects would allow themselves to be distracted by mere trolls. His initial plan had been for the three brothers to enact their plans somewhat simultaneously for maximum effect, but it seemed that would not be possible. Tichondrius needed to cause a significant enough threat now while Gul'dan was still developing his forces.
If the defenders of Azeroth were to confront the Scourge now, the best case scenario was that they would be able to retreat and disappear into the vast ocean to rebuild once more. The most likely scenario was that the Aspects would simply obliterate them before they were allowed to do so.
With these factors in mind, Tichondrius turned his attention to the only nathrezim who had yet to deliver his report. "Are you in position?"
Detheroc nodded in affirmation. "Indeed. There is no sign that southern Feralas is being monitored closely by anyone. The only noteworthy development on Kalimdor is the tauren successfully pushing the centaur back west over the past few months with the help of the nerubian I mentioned in my previous report."
That a nerubian had been blessed by an Aspect was definitely something Tichondrius intended to learn more about when he had the opportunity.
"Coupled with its proximity to one of the Great Trees leading to the Emerald Dream, I believe that this is the perfect place for us to carry out our plan," Detheroc continued.
"Then do so," Tichondrius said decisively. He had intended to wait longer, but it seemed that circumstances were forcing his hand.
"Then I will begin immediately," said Detheroc, his figure disappearing as he closed his connection to the Fel crystal.
With nothing further to discuss, Balnazzar, Mal'Ganis, and Detheroc broke off the connection soon after, leaving Tichondrius alone with his thoughts. The leader of the nathrezim found his mind racing as he tried to estimate how much time this scheme would afford them. Even in the worst case scenario, the Green Dragonflight would be far too busy to threaten the Scourge.
However, the best case scenario would see the kaldorei empire facing a threat beyond any they had encountered since the War of the Ancients.
Detheroc stored his Fel crystal away the moment he finished speaking to his colleagues. Toward the end of their meeting, Tichondrius had shown an urgency for action that he couldn't disagree with. Azeroth was far more prepared to deal with the Lich King than they had ever imagined, and it was severely affecting their plans.
Nathrezim were not ones to lean toward sudden and dramatic actions, but they had to change the situation if they were to succeed.
Crouching down, Detheroc began to unlock and open the Fel Iron container that had been personally enchanted by Lord Kil'jaeden. The magic surrounding it ensured that its contents could not spread beyond its borders. Reaching inside, Detheroc retrieved a large, blooming flower that radiated an enormous amount of Life and Fel magic in equal measure.
Detheroc let out a sigh of admiration as he studied the flower, even as it threatened to burn his flesh and burrow roots beneath his skin. The Evergrowth of Draenor must have once been a truly terrifying entity, a collective hive mind of that world's plantlife. The Horde had killed the last of the Genesaurs, the immense plantlike beings that once roamed Draenor, but Kil'jaeden had been able to harvest their corpses in order to create the flower that he now held in his hands.
Now that the flower was infused with Fel magic and enhanced with the most powerful rituals that the Burning Legion could muster, Detheroc was eager to see what kind of threat it would pose to Azeroth.
Seeing no reason for further delay, Detheroc slowly planted the flower into the ground beneath him and watched eagerly as it immediately began to spread.
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Under a dark and lightning filled sky, a constant stream of various undead creatures were assaulting a group of surprisingly skilled mortals. The warriors of the so-called 'Shado-Pan' were far more capable than the peaceful monks who once lived on the back of Shen-Zin Su. These few were exceptionally gifted, having been chosen to guard the Isle of Thunder against any intruders.
Unfortunately for them, the Lich King was far beyond what they were prepared to handle. Once this island was chosen for their staging ground against the rest of Pandaria, it had been completely surrounded by a horde of aquatic undead and isolated by preventing the creation of any portals to the mainland.
Still, the mortals fought against a foe that they couldn't defeat with surprising bravery. They had fallen back to a small fort and showed every intention of fighting to the last.
Tichondrius hummed in approval as he watched a pandaren dressed entirely in black gracefully jump from his fort's walls and launch herself toward one of the sea giants threatening to destroy the mortal fortifications. Her sword crackled with lightning as she smoothly decapitated the undead giant, ending it in a single blow.
While it was possible to reanimate a creature without its head, the magic involved was significantly more complex for a headless torso. The greater the difference between what a body's soul "remembered" as its form and what it was now, the more difficulty a necromancer would have in animating that soul's corpse. For the vast majority of these disposable undead, such a thing was almost never worth the effort.
These mortals had learned that extremely quickly when the undead they were facing, ignored any normally fatal wounds to the rest of the body.
The surrounding undead immediately attempted to swarm the Shado-Pan warrior as she landed, but the warrior was quickly protected by a barrier of Light that effectively kept the undead at bay. Tichondrius turned his attention to the mortal responsible, a robed member of the Omnia Discipline, a faction of the Shado-Pan composed of mages and priests.
Without these spellcasters, he was almost certain that the mortal warriors would have already fallen.
"Your people are quite impressive," Tichondrius complimented the only other person standing atop his platform. "The mortals of Azeroth have always been truly exceptional. I'm glad to see that hasn't changed since I was last here."
When he received no response, Tichondrius chuckled in amusement and turned to look at his unwilling companion.
Master Shang Xi looked much different in death than he did in life. His fur was a spectral white and his eyes emanated an icy-blue glow common among sapient undead. The lantern that had once hung from his curved wooden staff had been replaced by a frost-rimed orb of concentrated necromantic magic. The only thing that looked the same about him was his robes, as the Scourge did not yet have the facilities to forge an adequate replacement.
Raising the undead monk as more than just an insane ghoul had taken some effort given the damaged state of his corpse, but the mortal had impressed Tichondrius enough for him to see it done. Master Shang Xi had proven surprisingly strong willed, having retained much of his personality and skills after having been risen into undeath. He also never failed to remind Tichondrius about the involuntary nature of his servitude.
"Well? I would quite like to hear your thoughts on their performance," Tichondrius prodded, gesturing towards the ongoing conflict.
Master Shang Xi turned slowly, glaring at Tichondrius with his icy blue gaze. Despite being undead, there was still a spark of life in his eyes; a lingering defiance that Tichondrius found both amusing and intriguing. He could of course squash that rebellious attitude with the slightest effort and ensure the undead monk's undying loyalty to the Lich King, but that would be far too boring.
With his fellow nathrezim off on their own missions, and Gul'dan being as single-mindedly obsessed with power in death as he was in life, Master Shang Xi was the only interesting conversational partner Tichondrius could find.
"They fight with honor and courage," Master Shang Xi finally spoke, his voice a whisper of its former warmth, now laced with a cold understone. "They bring great honor to their people by fighting to their dying breath against your evil."
The monk's words were punctuated by the sight of one of the mortal defenders being dragged down from the wall he was defending into the surrounding undead. He fought valiantly, cutting down swaths of shambling corpses in a flurry of steel, his last breath taken in a defiant roar that echoed across the battlefield. Moments after he died, a massive ball of arcane fire landed on the spot where he fell, destroying a large number of undead and ensuring the warrior could not be raised against his allies.
"They certainly learn fast," Tichondrius observed as he studied the magic being used by the mortals. There was only one among them who wielded Arcane magic, while a few others used the Light and an unusual form of Spirit magic. "Tell me, Master Shang Xi. Do you believe that they will break once the inevitability of their deaths becomes clear? When they begin to grow slow and tired?"
Unlike last time, the response from Master Shang Xi came instantly. "They will not. They already know that this fight will be their last, but that knowledge will not break them. It will only make them stronger."
Tichondrius continued to watch the battle for several more moments. While the mortals were beginning to slow down, there was an elderly monk who was floating in the middle of their fort and exuding Spirit infused mist that constantly healed their wounds and reinvigorated them.
"I agree with your assessment, Master Shang Xi," said Tichondrius, his mind running through countless scenarios as he considered the implications the strength of these mortals had for his plans. "If our enemies continue to be capable of lasting for so long against our forces, then we will need to face them with overwhelming force."
Tichondrius considered simply calling on Gul'dan to destroy these forces. The former warlock was skilled at creating portals and could easily send a group of powerful undead behind their defensive lines, but such a tactic wouldn't always be possible. The frontlines of their conquest would often be far beyond the Lich King's reach, so Tichondrius needed to know if the Scourge could operate without direct help.
"Our forces are far too uncoordinated without an intelligent undead leading them. Perhaps they'll do better once you take control of them, Master Shang Xi," Tichondrius said, eager to see how the undead monk would fare against his former people. "While talented, I'm sure these brave warriors won't last much longer."
The undead monk was no great tactician, having lived a mostly peaceful life, but he was fairly skilled with magic and martials arts. Tichondrius watched as Shang Xi turned to glare at him with chilling hatred, which he responded to with a sympathetic smile.
"Oh, don't look at me like that. You must understand that they're only going to make things harder for themselves if they continue resisting," said Tichondrius, his tone a facsimile of sympathy. "You must know that the Lich King intends to raise such capable warriors as his servants. If their bodies are too badly damaged by the mindless undead, then they will suffer far more than is necessary. Not everyone has your strength of mind, after all. If anything, you'll be doing them a service."
Shang Xi continued to glare at him for several moments, but eventually jumped down from the platform. He knew that he had no real say in the matter, and Tichondrius' words were not entirely without merit. Undead with badly damaged bodies required more necromantic magic to raise, and mentally suffered from the missing and decomposed body parts.
Once he landed amid the undead, Shang Xi raised his staff and channeled magic into the orb that hung from it. Moments later, every undead on the battlefield shuddered and momentarily paused as Shang Xi took control of them.
Tichondrius hummed in approval, gratified that Shang Xi had learned from his few lessons on necromancy.
With a wave of his staff, Shang Xi directed the undead forces with newfound organization and precision. Several sea giants struck at weak points along the fortress, while naga spellcasters created ramps of ice that allowed undead to easily charge up the walls. Undead pandaren moved with surprising agility, leaping over the walls and distracting the enemy from being able to mount an effective defense.
What had been a slow battle of attrition became a rapid onslaught that caught the mortals off guard.
Meanwhile, Shang Xi displayed all the skill he had in life and moved through the battlefield like a whirlwind, striking down the defenders while skillfully dodging any magic or projectiles directed at him. Each of his blows was forceful but calculated, ensuring the mortals' bodies remained largely intact even as they fell.
From his vantage point, Tichondrius watched as the tide of battle began to turn. The Shado-Pan put up a valiant fight, but their numbers were dwindling and their magic was losing strength. The final blow came when Shang Xi managed to maneuver behind enemy lines and slay the elderly monk who had been rejuvenating the defenders.
The monk's mist dissipated as her body hit the ground, revealing the true weariness of the Shado-Pan. For the first time since this battle began, Tichondrius could see fear and hopelessness begin to overtake them.
It wasn't long before the last of the Shado-Pan fell, succumbing to the relentless undead. Satisfied with the results of this battle, Tichondrius flew down to congratulate his companion on their victory.
"Well done, Master Shang Xi," Tichondrius said warmly as he landed amidst the fallen mortals. The undead monk ignored him, gaze distant as he stared at his surroundings with an utterly indiscernible expression. "Your tactics were simple but effective, and you've managed to keep their corpses remarkably intact. You should be proud."
That finally seemed to be enough to bring Shang Xi back to reality as he turned to regard Tichondrius with a seething glare so unlike the once peaceful monk.
"Proud? I have brought nothing but disgrace to the memory of my people," Shang Xi replied bitterly, his soft voice clear in silence left in the wake of the battle. "These warriors deserve to feel pride in what they have done, but I take no pride in this senseless evil."
Tichondrius scoffed, faintly annoyed by the undead's short sightedness. Despite Shang Xi's talents, he was so very young and knew so very little.
"Evil? What is that?" Tichondrius drawled dismissively as he swept his eyes over the battlefield. "I have never understood why you mortals so abhor death that you label any force that brings you closer to it as evil. Is it a result of your ignorance as to what comes after? An innate fear of the unknown? Or is it simply because you're all so incredibly attached to your fleeting lives?"
Shang Xi looked as if he was about to respond, until he suddenly took a deep breath, and his expression returned to the tranquil stoicism that was more characteristic of the monk.
"That is simply not something a creature like you would understand," Shang Xi replied evenly, his eyes once again growing distant. "The sanctity of life is not something that can be explained through mere words."
Tichondrius felt a hint of frustration at the monk's response, but he quickly pushed it aside. He had been alive long before the first mortal came into being on Azeroth. There was nothing of interest that could be learned from these creatures.
"Then I see no reason for us to linger,," said Tichondrius, turning around and striding away from the battlefield. "Our scouts should by now have combed through this Isle of Thunder. It's a wellspring of untapped power and I find myself impatient to unearth its secrets."
After a moment, Tichondrius felt Shang Xi begin to follow him, and he allowed his mind to other matters.
When the Scourge had first passed through the concealment magic protecting Pandaria several months ago, they had not attacked immediately. Tichondrius had first ordered the oceans surrounding the land to be filled with undead, destroying and raising any natural sea life that once existed around the continent.
Then, he had instructed the naga to begin constructing underwater fortifications while Tichondrius began gathering more information about the land and the mortals living on it. The Burning Legion had not been aware that these lands existed before Shen-Zin Su was raised into undeath, so Tichondrius obviously knew little about it. With the ability to shapeshift and search through memories, it had fortunately not taken very long before Tichondrius knew all that he needed to know about Pandaria.
After the collapse of the Pandaren Empire, the mortals of these lands had a highly decentralized government and no standing army. Instead, they were protected by four powerful Wild Gods that they referred to as the August Celestials and a small but elite fighting force called the Shado-Pan. The only true threat to their safety was a race of Old God worshiping insectoid creatures called the Mantid.
With this in mind, Tichondrius had decided that the best course of action would be for the Scourge to focus its attention on the pandaren. While the August Celestials were worthy of caution, defeating the Mantid would likely take the Scourge years of effort. Time that they did not have.
Instead, it would be far more effective for them to simply accumulate their forces by destroying coastal settlements. There were plenty of islands surrounding Pandaria's mainland, so there were many vulnerable mortals waiting to be welcomed into the ranks of the Scourge. Mal'Ganis had volunteered to lead that effort, and was having considerable success.
Meanwhile, Tichondrius had taken the Lich King and Shen-Zin Su to find a more appropriate location where they could construct a staging point above land, eventually settling on the Isle of Thunder.
Tichondrius glanced upward to the island's namesake. As far as he could see, the sky was engulfed in a perpetual storm as magical lightning danced across the clouds. Tichondrius felt a hint of respect toward the one who created the impressive magical phenomena and once ruled this island.
"Tell me more about this Lei Shen," Tichondrius ordered his companion as they walked past a group of skeletons patrolling the island for survivors. "This level of power is not something that should be achievable by a mere mortal without falling under the service of a greater being."
Azeroth was truly a unique world, with absurdly powerful beings hiding behind every corner. Tichondrius could easily see why the Legion was so obsessed with conquering it.
"You already know as much as I do of the Thunder King," Shang Xi said reluctantly, forced to speak against his will after being given a direct order.
Tichondrius had already known that was likely to be the case, but he still found himself disappointed. Most Pandaren only knew about Lei Shen through vague legends. The only ones who might know more would be the leaders of the Shado-Pain, but Tichondrius did not currently have the means to capture and interrogate them.
"A pity," Tichondrius said as they approached their destination. An undead naga sea witch was directing a group of undead in the construction of a large pillar infused with a combination of Fel and Arcane magic. "I would very much like to know if the legends are true and that this Lei Shen left behind a body. He would definitely make for a useful soldier of the Scourge."
Tichondrius would normally worry about losing control of such a powerful undead, but the Lich King would need to be either destroyed or extremely injured for anyone to escape his control.
Shang Xi seemed to startle at the thought, but otherwise kept his thoughts to himself. As Tichondrius approached, the sea witch spotted him and ceased her commands before bowing deeply.
"Lord Tichondrius," she greeted, her four arms crossing over her chest in a gesture of respect. "Construction is progressing as scheduled. The pylon will soon be ready to tap into this island's leyline nexus."
Tichondrius nodded in approval. It was important that the Scourge establish robust magical defenses around this place before any powerful entities managed to rally against them. He did not yet know how powerful the August Celestials were, but if they were anything like the Wild Gods who took part in the War of the Ancient then some amount of caution was warranted.
"Excellent work, Tidemistress Nar'kess," Tichondrius responded as he surveyed the pylon appreciatively. "What progress have the scouts made in surveying the island's interior?"
The undead naga swayed slightly on her serpentine lower half as she rose from her bowed position. "Progress has been steady, and we have already located many points of interest. This place will serve as an excellent stage for the Scourge's future conquests. To the west is a large graveyard full of the bodies of this island's former rulers. To the north is a mine filled with lightning infused ore, along with a well-constructed forge built atop Titan machinery."
Tichondrius couldn't help but be surprised. He had already predicted that the Isle of Thunder would serve as an excellent staging ground given that it was once Lei Shen's seat of power, but this was even better than he had expected.
"Send every necromancer we have to begin raising the dead in that graveyard," Tichondrius ordered, his mind racing with the implications of their discovery. "The mortals who were buried there are guaranteed to know far more about this island than we do. Acquiring their knowledge is a priority. I will examine the forge myself. That is far too important a task to leave in the hands of someone less capable."
Tichondrius knew far less about forges than those of his kin who worked at the Cursed Forge of the Nathrezim, but what little he knew would be more than any of these undead.
"Yes, Lord Tichondrius. Your orders will be carried out immediately," Nar'kess bowed her head once more and gestured for one of her naga attendants to relay the command.
"Good. What have we learned about the Throne of Thunder?" Tichondrius asked as he glanced toward the massive palace to the north. The structure rose high into the stormy sky and was adorned with several pylons that crackled constantly with lightning. "Securing it will be essential if we wish to take full control of this island."
If Titan machinery was buried nearby, Lei Shen's palace had become the highest priority for Tichondrius. Those buried machines gave him a significant hint as to the source of the mortal's power.
"Ah… that is somewhat more difficult, Lord Tichordrius," Nar'kess responded, her voice carrying a hint of hesitation. "The palace appears to be under the protection of potent wards. It is also being guarded by a large serpentine creature that can fly through the air and call upon lightning."
Somewhat curious, Tichondrius decided to cast a scrying spell over the Throne of Thunder. While he couldn't see within its interior, it didn't take very long for him to spot the creature in question. He was greeted to the sight of a massive cloud serpent, more than a hundred feet in length and covered in blue scales that crackled with lightning.
It took Tichondrius a moment to sort through the local legends and recognize it as Nalak the Storm Lord, Lei Shen's personal mount.
"I see," said Tichondrius, surprised by the power radiating from the beast as it patrolled the palace. "I will have to handle this creature myself."
The Scourge only had a few smaller undead cloud serpents and couatl that were capable of flight, and especially didn't have ones capable of defeating such a powerful beast. It would be very useful for future battles once Tichondrius had slain it. However… it would probably be wise to enlist the assistance of Mal'Ganis first. He had long since learned that recklessness came with unpredictable consequences.
It was fortunate that Tichondrius already planned to contact Mal'Ganis and the three brothers to discuss the progress of their respective missions anyway.
"Shang Xi, you're free to do as you like," Tichondrius said, glancing toward the monk. While he was confident in the magic controlling Shang Xi, there were things not meant for outsiders to hear. "I suggest you spend that time helping the mortals you killed adjust to their new circumstances. I'm told undeath can be quite disorientating initially. Perhaps your guidance could ease their transition."
Shang Xi simply nodded serenely and began making his way back to the recently killed pandaren. As he walked away, Tichondrius couldn't help but muse over the undead's mental resilience. Not only Shang Xi, but many of the monks had displayed an abnormal ability to control themselves despite the effects that necromantic magic often had on mortals and their emotions. It was a factor that he would be keeping a very close eye on.
With a few beats of his wings, Tichondrius lifted off into the air and started flying toward the southern coast. That had been chosen as the best place for Shen-Zin Su to be stationed. From that direction, undead were constantly streaming out over the island and converting it into a Scourge Stronghold.
It wasn't long before Tichondrius caught sight of the gargantuan figure of Shen-Zin Su. The barrier surrounding its shell had been lowered, revealing the turtle's entire shell to be covered in thick layers of ice and an army of undead. There were also several runes carved into the creature that glowed brightly with a mixture of Fel and Death magic.
Ignoring the feeling of Gul'dan watching him closely, Tichondrius continued flying until he reached the Temple of Five Dawns at its center and began making his way to the top of the structure. The temple had become the center of his operations, and he only allowed only the most useful undead to enter.
After entering the largest room of the temple, once belonging to Master Shang Xi, Tichondrius closed the door behind him and began casting wards to protect against any listeners. He chuckled as he felt a wave of frustration come from the Lich King. Once that was done, Tichondrius reached into empty space and opened a small portal from which he retrieved a shimmering Fel crystal and quickly cast the spell to activate it.
Tichondrius waited as the crystal floated to the center of the room and began pulsing softly. There was no telling if his fellow nathrezim were currently in a location where they could afford to have a conversation, so it was best to be patient.
Several minutes later, the crystal suddenly flared brightly and the image of Varimathras appeared in mid-air. The two of them didn't bother to exchange any greetings as they waited for the rest of their kin. Balnazzar was the next to appear, wearing the guise of troll witch doctor, while Detherocand Mal'Ganis responded soon after.
Seeing no reason to delay, Tichondrius began the meeting the moment that the last of them responded to the scrying spell. "The Scourge has successfully taken control of the Isle of Thunder. The only resistance of note was a small garrison of Shado-Pan warriors…"
Tichondrius spent the next few minutes reporting the details of his mission. The result was as expected, so none of his fellow nathrezim showed any kind of reaction until he mentioned the Titan machinery and the beast guarding the Throne of Thunder.
"Given the circumstances, I believe it is best that you return as quickly as possible," Tichondrius said as he concluded his report, turning his attention to Mal'Ganis. "Are you in a position to do so? Have you completed your mission?"
Mal'Ganis nodded in affirmation, his expression more subdued than Tichondrius had expected. "I have. The pandaren have begun retreating away from the coasts, and the Scourge has developed a significant presence in the Krasarang Wilds. I also managed to discover an island of cloud serpents along the eastern coast of Pandaria. Unfortunately, I was confronted by one of the local Wild Gods before I could kill and raise them."
Tichondrius was not particularly surprised to hear that. They had decided to act overtly as they didn't have time to use more subtle methods with the threat of the Aspects always present. The natural consequence of that was that they would quickly attract the attention of the local powers.
"And? How powerful was it?" Tichondrius asked, eager to hear an estimate of the Wild God's power.
"Very," Mal'Ganis admitted, his eyes narrow. "The one that came for me was Yu'lon, the Jade Serpent. The Pandaren must have been worshiping these August Celestials for quite some time, because the creature was significantly more formidable than I expected. Not as much as Malorne, but certainly as powerful as many of the other Wild Gods we faced during the War of the Ancients."
Tichondrius' lips curled into a thoughtful frown at Mal'Ganis' warning. He had no doubt that the Scourge would easily be able to sweep over the pandaren on their own, but such powerful guardians would complicate things significantly. Tichondrius didn't know how long it would take the Aspects to discover their location and find a path through the concealment magic around pandaria, but he doubted that it would take years.
The Scourge had still not yet grown powerful enough to face the combined might of the Aspects head on.
"Very well," Tichondrius said as he rearranged some of his plans to take into account this new information. "Come to the Isle of Thunder as quickly as possible. Perhaps Lei Shen left behind some useful artifacts within his palace that we can use. If not, then we will simply have to find another way to deal with these troublesome Wild Gods."
Mal'Ganis nodded in agreement as Tichondrius turned his attention to Varimathras. Azjol-Nerub was one of the most powerful mortal kingdoms that they would eventually need to confront, so Varimathras' mission to sow chaos on Northrend was of great importance.
"I'm afraid that Mal'Ganis is not the only one who has run into complications," said Varimathras, his voice carrying a hint of frustration. "I have researched the nerubian defenses around the vrykul who are in stasis and found them to be robust. Even if the vrykul were to be awoken, Azjol-Nerub has many magical and biological weapons stationed nearby to kill large swaths of them as soon as they do."
Tichondrius could feel his frown deepen as he was given even more unfavorable news. The nerubians operated with a degree of competence and ruthlessness that he could admire, if it wasn't causing him so many problems.
"Fortunately, I believe that I may have found a viable alternative in the Drakkari," said Varimathras, his frustration disappearing as he smirked slyly. "There are more vrykul than the ones who exist on Northrend, and I've heard legends that many of their souls pass on to a 'Goddess of Death.' After some investigation, I believe that this entity could be the answer to many of our problems."
Tichondrius listened as Varimathras told him of Helya and her Kvaldir. Such a being would make for a powerful ally, and they both had much to gain from cooperation.
"Very well. Travel to the Broken Isles and attempt to make contact with this entity," Tichondrius commanded. It would likely take Varimathras some time to find Helya, which only made things more difficult. "Do so as quickly as possible. We cannot afford to wait long before moving on to the next stage of our plans."
Tichondrius turned his attention next to Balnazzar, who was still wearing the guise of a troll witch doctor. Balnazzar had always been a typical nathrezim, preferring to cause chaos among enemy ranks while working from the shadows.
"I have identified two paths through which I can weaken the Eastern Kingdoms," Balnazzar began, his voice even and businesslike. "I initially considered instigating a conflict between Ironforge and the Dark Iron dwarves, but found there to be too much Void influence in Black Rock Mountain for my comfort."
That was no great surprise. The Burning Legion already knew that Ragnaros the Firelord resided within Blackrock Mountain and was under the influence of the Old Gods. The degree of that influence was not known, but it must be significant if Balnazzar decided against approaching the Firelord's domain.
"I then decided to investigate the Gurubashi and discovered that I arrived at a fortunate time," Balnazzar continued, his eyes glinting in satisfaction. "A powerful troll warlord has begun consolidating power in Stranglethorn Vale. It should not be difficult for me to ensure his success and guide him in a way that furthers our own interests."
"And how long will this take you?" asked Tichondrius. A troll warlord waging war across the Eastern Kingdoms would be useful for weakening future opposition, but it did little to help them in the short term.
"Not too long," Balnazzar assured, realizing the need for swift action. "The warlord in question has become notably more powerful after returning from some journey out to sea. It won't be long now before they move against the remaining Gurubashi tribes. I will ensure he succeeds."
That was indeed good news, but Tichondrius doubted that the Aspects would allow themselves to be distracted by mere trolls. His initial plan had been for the three brothers to enact their plans somewhat simultaneously for maximum effect, but it seemed that would not be possible. Tichondrius needed to cause a significant enough threat now while Gul'dan was still developing his forces.
If the defenders of Azeroth were to confront the Scourge now, the best case scenario was that they would be able to retreat and disappear into the vast ocean to rebuild once more. The most likely scenario was that the Aspects would simply obliterate them before they were allowed to do so.
With these factors in mind, Tichondrius turned his attention to the only nathrezim who had yet to deliver his report. "Are you in position?"
Detheroc nodded in affirmation. "Indeed. There is no sign that southern Feralas is being monitored closely by anyone. The only noteworthy development on Kalimdor is the tauren successfully pushing the centaur back west over the past few months with the help of the nerubian I mentioned in my previous report."
That a nerubian had been blessed by an Aspect was definitely something Tichondrius intended to learn more about when he had the opportunity.
"Coupled with its proximity to one of the Great Trees leading to the Emerald Dream, I believe that this is the perfect place for us to carry out our plan," Detheroc continued.
"Then do so," Tichondrius said decisively. He had intended to wait longer, but it seemed that circumstances were forcing his hand.
"Then I will begin immediately," said Detheroc, his figure disappearing as he closed his connection to the Fel crystal.
With nothing further to discuss, Balnazzar, Mal'Ganis, and Detheroc broke off the connection soon after, leaving Tichondrius alone with his thoughts. The leader of the nathrezim found his mind racing as he tried to estimate how much time this scheme would afford them. Even in the worst case scenario, the Green Dragonflight would be far too busy to threaten the Scourge.
However, the best case scenario would see the kaldorei empire facing a threat beyond any they had encountered since the War of the Ancients.
Detheroc stored his Fel crystal away the moment he finished speaking to his colleagues. Toward the end of their meeting, Tichondrius had shown an urgency for action that he couldn't disagree with. Azeroth was far more prepared to deal with the Lich King than they had ever imagined, and it was severely affecting their plans.
Nathrezim were not ones to lean toward sudden and dramatic actions, but they had to change the situation if they were to succeed.
Crouching down, Detheroc began to unlock and open the Fel Iron container that had been personally enchanted by Lord Kil'jaeden. The magic surrounding it ensured that its contents could not spread beyond its borders. Reaching inside, Detheroc retrieved a large, blooming flower that radiated an enormous amount of Life and Fel magic in equal measure.
Detheroc let out a sigh of admiration as he studied the flower, even as it threatened to burn his flesh and burrow roots beneath his skin. The Evergrowth of Draenor must have once been a truly terrifying entity, a collective hive mind of that world's plantlife. The Horde had killed the last of the Genesaurs, the immense plantlike beings that once roamed Draenor, but Kil'jaeden had been able to harvest their corpses in order to create the flower that he now held in his hands.
Now that the flower was infused with Fel magic and enhanced with the most powerful rituals that the Burning Legion could muster, Detheroc was eager to see what kind of threat it would pose to Azeroth.
Seeing no reason for further delay, Detheroc slowly planted the flower into the ground beneath him and watched eagerly as it immediately began to spread.
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Rakjo
Ork Mek looking for WAAAGH!
- Location
- In the Shadow Realm
Damn thats bad news all around, Feralas and probably part of Un Goro (the titan facility might be safe) geting transformed into felwood, them attacking isle of thunder first is also pretty bad, totally forgot that the island was mostly empty exept from some mogu, the dragon serpent and the shado pan (the lizards were anima experiments idk if those were a thing before lei shen came back) also undead dinos.
Man Balnazzar is gonna get a surprise when he goes to fuck around with a Loa infused Zul Jin and then proceeds to find out.
Asuming Lei Shen´s body is there and not atomized on uldum thats really bad. i still belive he can beat the 3 brothers solo tho.
Them getting to Ra den is still one of the worst case scenarios.
While Helya making a deal with the scourge is very bad, she is also a very selfish and self intrested bitch so at the first sign of shit going really bad she would probably cut ties and run away to her realm to keep doing her usual kavaldir bs
Good to know that the celestials are stronger wild gods, they will probably buy time if Malygos manages to pierce the mist somehow
Now that you wrote it it makes sense why they wouldnt attack the mantid first even tho they can probably raise them, they dont have the numbers to make a first push and take one of the hive trees, if one of those falls they will have a massive undead army that they can use to take on the rest of the mantid. and then the rest of pandaria. is was said a bunch that if the mantid wanted they could probably take over (again the celestials would be the biggest problem) but they do their cyclical wars to weed out the weak and get even stronger new generetion via survial of the fittest bs
Edit:
i cannot wait for Azshara to send them a fuck you gift for taking her people, she probably doesnt care, but they are HER TOYS, HOW DARE THIS STINKING CORPSES STEAL THEM.
It would be hilarious if she helps via making a small dent in the mists (she probably knows the most about them apart from the pandaren since she kinda owns the seas and her kingdom would have some interactions with the mist and the marine inhabitants of pandaria that stray away, also it is said multiple times that she is the MOST POWERFULL arcane caster apart from dragons, idk if she was ever compared to medivh) that malygos can exploit to take it all out
Man Balnazzar is gonna get a surprise when he goes to fuck around with a Loa infused Zul Jin and then proceeds to find out.
Asuming Lei Shen´s body is there and not atomized on uldum thats really bad. i still belive he can beat the 3 brothers solo tho.
Them getting to Ra den is still one of the worst case scenarios.
While Helya making a deal with the scourge is very bad, she is also a very selfish and self intrested bitch so at the first sign of shit going really bad she would probably cut ties and run away to her realm to keep doing her usual kavaldir bs
Good to know that the celestials are stronger wild gods, they will probably buy time if Malygos manages to pierce the mist somehow
Now that you wrote it it makes sense why they wouldnt attack the mantid first even tho they can probably raise them, they dont have the numbers to make a first push and take one of the hive trees, if one of those falls they will have a massive undead army that they can use to take on the rest of the mantid. and then the rest of pandaria. is was said a bunch that if the mantid wanted they could probably take over (again the celestials would be the biggest problem) but they do their cyclical wars to weed out the weak and get even stronger new generetion via survial of the fittest bs
Edit:
i cannot wait for Azshara to send them a fuck you gift for taking her people, she probably doesnt care, but they are HER TOYS, HOW DARE THIS STINKING CORPSES STEAL THEM.
It would be hilarious if she helps via making a small dent in the mists (she probably knows the most about them apart from the pandaren since she kinda owns the seas and her kingdom would have some interactions with the mist and the marine inhabitants of pandaria that stray away, also it is said multiple times that she is the MOST POWERFULL arcane caster apart from dragons, idk if she was ever compared to medivh) that malygos can exploit to take it all out
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xbox432
Lover of Editing
Yeah... Something tells me that the Pandaren Monks being made Undead rather than Elven Rangers or Human Knights is going to make a HUGE difference. If they can throw off their yoke? There is a good chance they won't go as nutso as Sylvanas. Sort of a more logical leap to the "Light" Undead of Calia Menethil.
Also, yikes... That's, uh, that's a pretty BIG problem brewing to the South of Stormwind. A problem that will also be affecting the High Elves and the Humans of Lordaeron as well if he manages to successfully unite the Gurubashi and the Amani.
And THIS is something I'm really looking forward too as well. Never thought I'd be rooting for Zul'Jin of all people. But bloodthirsty warlord that he is, he won't be happy at a bunch of uppity demons tryin' to manipulate and destroy his people.
Also, yikes... That's, uh, that's a pretty BIG problem brewing to the South of Stormwind. A problem that will also be affecting the High Elves and the Humans of Lordaeron as well if he manages to successfully unite the Gurubashi and the Amani.
Ashaeron
Lurker in the Abyss
Zuljin in Stranglethorn, Felgrowth in Feralas, and the Isle of Thunder.
Zuljin has decent odds. The NElves are fucked, though. Their whole thing is Nature's balance, where the Evergrowth is rampant expansion that is likely to be a SERIOUS problem if it gets into the Dream. Like, will take Ysera and Malygos going full scorched earth to fix kind of problem.
Definitely most concerned about Lei Shen and Ra-den here, though. Dudes pretty fucked already, he might actually just end up like Aggramar as a Dark Keeper. Plus the Engine of Nalak Sha in the Vale of External Blossoms. You know, the power generator for the planet scouring Forge of Origination.
Zuljin has decent odds. The NElves are fucked, though. Their whole thing is Nature's balance, where the Evergrowth is rampant expansion that is likely to be a SERIOUS problem if it gets into the Dream. Like, will take Ysera and Malygos going full scorched earth to fix kind of problem.
Definitely most concerned about Lei Shen and Ra-den here, though. Dudes pretty fucked already, he might actually just end up like Aggramar as a Dark Keeper. Plus the Engine of Nalak Sha in the Vale of External Blossoms. You know, the power generator for the planet scouring Forge of Origination.
Rakjo
Ork Mek looking for WAAAGH!
- Location
- In the Shadow Realm
Oh man you are totally right, i was even talking bout the Evergrowth a few chapters ago, idk why i didnt make the connection i was just thinking "ah this is gonna become a fellwood type staging point plus maybe taint the emerald dream with Fel" but yeah it makes total sense to put a fel infused evergrowth there, then i retract my statement ALL of un Goro is probably fucked including the titan facility.
another problem with this is depending how fast that damn plant expand they may touch on C'Thun´s Prison and man having a Fel AND Void infused ever growing forest of death would really suck. if it goes to Thousand Needles and Tanaris the Time cops might catch it and warn everyone else. but yeah Feralas is doomed, the ogres dont even exist on dire maul yet they are a orc export, so is just Nelfs, Dryads & the bear people.
The evergrowth might get some token resistance in desolace cause of the centaurs but they have no chance (didnt the rock elemental lady daughter of Therazene got rekt some chapters ago or was that another wow fic i got them mixed up. if she is alvie and on marudon the centaurs have a bit of a better chance but its still doomed unless Therazenne herself shows, and if elemental lords pop in azeroth that another full problem)
Jordisk
<Unverified N00B>
- Location
- Blind Eternities
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Celsetials ARE Wild Gods. They just aren't Loa or Ancient Guardians, the other two factions of Wild God, broadly aligned to the Trolls and themselves, respectively.