[Horde] Session Sixteen
Azgadaan: “Are you mad Sorak? Throwing your damned seeds at me and the damned beast? How petty are you? I’ll admit I was wrong about taking your seed without asking, but how low will you sink? I never thought you would attack an ally! I thought you were better than that!”
Sorak: “Those that steal during a hunt will be punished accordingly.”
Azgadaan: “And those that attack a comrade will be killed, but that won’t happen today.”
Samaara: “Are you two finished?”
Sorak turns and walks away.
Azgadaan: “Damned fool would rather sacrifice his allies instead of a trinket, and then go and sacrifice the trinkets to attack an ally.”
Samaara: “And you would rather disobey orders?”
Azgadaan continues to express that he will not follow someone that doesn’t consider their allies.
Samaara: “Regardless of personal feelings, Azgadaan, we are in this together. Mistakes were made, and there are clearly problems that need to be worked out, but right now you need to rest - we all need to rest. Continuing to get yourself worked up because of what you think is right will not solve anything.”
Azgadaan (panting): “You’re… right…. I need to rest. Is Yrel alright?”
Remnii has been helping Yrel up and seeing to those who are injured. She has a raised eyebrow as she listens carefully.
Yrel: “Did we win then?”
Remnii: “In a certain sense, we did, but I believe we won some ire in other ways. Are you okay?”
Yrel rubs the back of her head. “I’ll be fine.”
Remnii: “We have a long journey ahead of us.”
Yrel: “I thought I was the reckless one.”
Azgadaan: “I’m sorry… Yrel. I never wanted you to stick your neck out for me.”
Yrel: “It’s fine. It’s… If you don’t mind, I hope we can rest for a moment before we keep going.”
Samaara: “I think it would be wise if we did so, just for an hour or so. I believe Sorak is already of the same mind.”
She glances in the direction Sorak disappears into.
Samaara: “And how about you?”
She looks over at Spinyl.
Spinyl: “Same as always, I suppose.”
Remnii raises her eyebrows into space as she looks at the succubus. Samaara looks at Spinyl for a moment, then exhales.
Samaara: “I’m glad to hear it. Those creatures were… strong. You did well, all of you did in your own ways, though I believe we should speak again on this after we allow our heads to cool off.”
Spinyl: “Yes that seems like a pretty reasonable idea.”
They split up to rest so there is no risk of Azgadaan and Sorak going at each other. Azgadaan cleans himself off with prestidigitation before he lays down to rest.
Remnii speaks with Yrel in the distance as she looks her over, and Remnii looks a bit frustrated, but they come to a quiet conclusion.
As they are resting, Yrel approaches Azgadaan during a waking moment. She plops down against a nearby wall and gets his attention.
Yrel: “Azgadaan, do you have a moment?”
Azgadaan: “Well, nothing’s trying to kill me right now, so sure.”
Yrel: “Do you still have that armor?”
Azgadaan: “I do. I’m assuming you would want it back after this.”
Yrel shakes her head. “I imagine it will only fit someone like you, but if you don’t mind… can I see the bag for a moment?”
Azgadaan hands it over, and she digs around in it.
Yrel: “You said earlier that you had no intention for me to put myself in harm’s way to protect you.”
Azgadaan: “When I make a promise I don’t want to break it. And you being in harm’s way could break that promise, and I don’t want to. The last promise I broke was when my mother was executed. I promised I would protect her but I couldn’t. For the life of me I couldn’t.”
Yrel: “You can’t protect everyone, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Look. Azgadaan. You… I’m… I’m not a real Vindicator. I didn’t even touch a real weapon, not in an actual fight, until after the Horde attacked us. Until after my life fell apart. But that does not mean that I cannot try to do what the Vindicators do - protect those who are in danger on the battlefield or not. Seek out evil and destroy it. Carry out the ideals of the Naaru. It’s a promise I’ve tried to make all my life alongside Nii-nii and the rests, and now I can do it for real. But at the end of the day, I am what I am. I can only be what I am capable of being. And the same goes for you. You are striving to become something, and that is admirable, but if you are going to follow this path - this strife-filled, difficult one that will face you against who you called friends and family - you need to be more careful. I understand this is ridiculous coming from me of all people, but if you put yourself in danger, you may be shielding others from that danger, but not all of it. There is only so much one person can do, no matter how many promises them make. It’s something I’ve been struggling with for a long time. I cannot be everywhere, I cannot save my sister or Remnii from everything, so I have to do what I can.
She withdraws a gauntlet from the bag, and hands it over. Azgadaan takes
Yrel: “Here, try this on. I want to make sure it fits.”
He tries it on. It’s surprisingly heavy.
Yrel: “You’ll have to get used to the weight, but how does it feel?”
Azgadaan: “Snug. But it has a decent weight.”
Yrel: “What else does it have?”
Azgadaan: “I don’t want to presume things, but, hope?”
Yrel: “In a way, yes, but it also has responsibility. Hundreds of men and women donned this armor and charged into battle against unspeakable odds just to buy others a fraction of a second. Some of them didn’t want to, but they did so anyways. Look at Kaylaan. He bit off far more than he could chew with whatever happened to him. The weight of the armor crushed him - crushed his spirit - and I don’t know if he will ever recover. At least, not in that way. If you’re going to take up this mantle, if you’re going to be what you want to be, that means bearing the burdens - all of them, physical and otherwise - bearing the responsibilities, swallowing your pride, for the sake of others. And to think carefully about your actions, or you threaten the balance. You threaten the burdens you promised to bear. You will become used to the weight in time, in both ways. I’m still working on it. But, if you don’t try, if you don’t truly etch that weight onto your heart, then it will crush you, and no amount of strength will ever bring you to where you want to be, only drag you down to where you would never want to go. It’s all a bit nonsensical to me as well, I don’t know where I’m coming up with this, but I hope it makes sense - truly makes sense. This is not just… this is not just something small. This is not… this is much bigger than any of us could have dreamed, and it’s only going to get bigger. And if I’m going to help you - if we’re going to help you - we will need you at our side to listen, to make sure you don’t put yourself in danger, and we don’t put ourselves in danger. Watch each other’s backs. Whether we like it or not, we are in this, and I don’t think we’re going to be getting out. I didn’t hesitate to take those hits for you, and I would do it again, you’ve proven your intentions are pure enough, so lets avoid situations where either of us have to take blows for anyone, no?”
Azgadaan: “I think that would be for the best, but if I need to for any of you, I won’t hesitate to do the same, even if it means my entire life. When I make a promise I’m not going to break it. Not until my blood runs cold on the ground.”
Yrel: “Then perhaps it’s presumptuous of me, but, perhaps you should make a promise to Sorak? I know he doesn’t trust you, and I shouldn’t trust him - not because of what he is - but I shouldn’t trust any of you. I do because I have to.”
Azgadaan: “I would like to trust him, but with his disposition, during the fight I had no idea whether he wanted to do what he wanted because it was right, or if it’s because of what I am.”
Yrel: “That’s a mystery only you can answer and fight against. But when we fight, he’ll be there. If the two of you spend too much time not facing forward and instead focus on the challenges behind you, then we will all be in danger, and that is something I cannot allow.”
Azgadaan: “Let me ask you this - just temporarily until we get out of here. I think someone else should take the lead, like Samaara. Someone we all can trust. Sorak won’t put his faith or Spinyl, but I think he’ll put his faith in Samaara, because currently I can’t put my faith in him.”
Yrel: “I’ll speak to her about it. Whatever makes us get out of here alive. I don’t think anyone wants to explain to Arthak what happened if we don’t all survive, so we need to get out together. We will be moving soon. Remember that weight, and keep it close to you. If you don’t, no one else will, until it’s too late.”
Azgadaan: “Alright. I’ll start adjusting to the weight. It’ll take time, but I’ll try- no. I will do it.”
Yrel gets back to her feet. “I truly never thought that I would be fighting side-by-side with an eredar, and if you were were to ask me two months ago if this would happen, I would have never guessed it. You’ve come a long way, Azgadaan, and the path to climb further will not be easy. However, don’t stray from this path. It’s a long way down.”
Azgadaan: “If I do-”
Yrel: “If you do, you won’t need to worry about what happens next. You won’t if you keep your promises half as valiantly as you say you do.”
Meanwhile, Samaara approaches Sorak, who is sitting down and breathing deeply.
Samaara: “You already know what I’m going to say, don’t you?”
Sorak: “That it was a damn shame to waste them like that?”
Samaara: “Partially, yes. It was a waste of resources, it was reckless, it endangered Azgadaan and my sister. You know what you did wrong. You let your anger cloud your judgement. You can’t allow that to happen, not as a leader or anything else. The moment you allow that, that is the moment things become out of your control and start to collapse. The moment you start to lose the people that you care about.”
Sorak is taking deep, slow breaths while he acknowledges her.
Samaara: “That very rage that burns beneath the surface is the reason the Legion was able to twist you. If you are going to fight them - truly fight them - you must master that. You must detach yourself from emotion until it is safe to do otherwise. They will exploit that. They will dig their black claws deep into what you care about until there is nothing left but ash. Consider this a lesson, and a warning.”
Sorak turns around and punches a nearby wall. His fist is bleeding.
Samaara: “And let that be a reminder, if that is what it takes.”
Sorak: “I’m still learning in every way. I should have never been left in charge. I know I should never have thrown those seeds.”
Samaara: “Recognizing the problem is the first step. Ensuring miscalculations don’t happen again, that is the next one. You are the only one that can do that. You know that. If it will ease our time here, I can temporarily command our direction for the rest of what remains of this place. If that will be one less burden for you to bear, I can do so without a problem. It wouldn’t be my first time.”
Sorak turns around and slowly looks at Samaara - eying her up and down.
Sorak: “Given the remainder of our situation…” he flexes his bleeding fist. “Command is yours until we return to the surface.”
Samaara nods. “I think you should also have words with Azgadaan before we continue. I’m not asking you to trust him, I’m just asking you not to kill him.”
As she says that, Sorak’s face contorts in an “ugly orc fashion” and then it goes back to normal.
Samaara: “And if you need some pointers on how such a thing is possible, you need only ask my sister. She is working with you.”
Sorak: “I will never trust him… however…” he takes a few deep breaths. “Working with him I can do, as we were doing previously. I can control my distaste for them in order to cooperate.”
Samaara: “That is all I can ask. Soon enough, Arthak will return, provided everything is going alright up there wherever he is. Take care, and get some rest before we go.”
Sorak: “Thank you.”
Sorak drops into a cross-legged position, and Samaara leaves.
Remnii had go to talk to Azgadaan, but Yrel had already gone, and when she looked at Sorak, Samaara was already heading in that direction, so she just puts her hands up and begins to look for Spinyl.
Spinyl, meanwhile, had slipped away from the group invisible. She heads back to the level below. As she approaches a door, it opens with surprising ease. As it slides open, and there is one of the consoles like before, and on either side are two cells. In each of the cells - which are protected by some sort of fields of strange force - there are two creatures.
On her right is a strange behooved creature, but not a draenei. It has long twisted claws, and a long tail with a tuft of green fur. He is sitting, leaning against the back of the cell. His legs are crossed, and he is whistling.
In the other cell is a rather despondant-looking figure. She is sitting with her knees pulled up against her chest. She is rolling her bright red eyes at the whistling, and she was ashen grey skin. Another succubus.
As the door opens, both of their heads turn toward the door, and then turn toward each other.
Succubus: “What, was that?”
Satyr: “Ha, you’re asking me?”
Spinyl: “Hmm, what indeed.”
They both jump to their feet.
Satyr: “Who’s there? You’re not here to kill us are you? Well, it would be better than being crammed up with her, not gonna lie.”
The succubus’s eyes light up for a second.
Succubus: “Wait a moment, wait a moment. You’re invisible, aren’t you?”
Spinyl: “Congratulations, you win the prize. What else would I be? Well I suppose I could be a ghost-”
Satyr: “Or really, really small!”
The succubus rolsl her eys. “There are only a few reasons I can think of why someone would be here. Either you’ve come to collect on some outstanding debt of my wonderful cell mate, or you’re here to get me out.”
Satyr: “Or kill us!”
Succubus: “Don’t you think I’m aware of that, you idiot?”
Spinyl: “I’m sure there are more reasons than just that.”
Succubus: “Certainly, I’m sure there are, but… listen, you have to let me out of here. I’ve been gone for… I lost track how long! It’s been far too long. I need to report back.”
Spinyl: “To whom?”
The succubus’s eyes narrow. “Maybe I’ll tell you if you decide if you want to show who I have the privledge of speaking to. I would introduce myself, but I’m sure you can learn all you needed from that.”
She nods at the console.
Spinyl: “Well I suppose we could talk succubus to succubus.”
She drops the invisibility, and the succubus gets a big grin. “I knew it! Listen, sister, if you get me out of here I can make it worth your while. The Queen of Bones is a generous person. I’ll make sure she knows who you are.”
Satyr: “Yes, you can of course trust her. She’s never lied.”
Spinyl: “We’re succubi, lying is our thing.”
Succubus: “Yes! You understand, please, sister, let me out of here, please.”
The satyr shakes his head and he coats his hands in a shadowy energy and grabs one of the energy bars. “Listen here, sugar. I think you know a thing or two about succubi seeing you are one. You really think you can trust her? I don’t know this Queen of Bones person, but what kind of person gets a name like that? Probably not from making friends.”
Spinyl: “Hmm, he does have a point.”
The succubus starts to beg her and expresses that there was no reason for her to lie to someone that may save her life. She had information for her! It may be a bit outdated given she was here.
Spinyl: “Hm. Perhaps I could cross-reference-”
Succubus: “Oh, I don’t know if that’s a good idea! I-I mean.. There is the matter of translation. Can you read the draenic form of eredun? Plus.. some of these are trapped.”
Satyr: “ha! And she tried to get you to use it the first time!”
Succubus: “That was before I know what you were! Look, they are set up to sense when one of us approaches. I wouldn’t want to put you in danger. Come now, sister, trust me.”
The satyr tries to convince Spinyl to let him out instead, but Spinyl asks the satyr what he is.
Satyr: “Why don’t you cehck the console and find out? Haha, just kidding. The name’s Thorngrin. I’m a satyr.”
Spinyl: “And where are you from?
Satyr: “We get around. I’m from a little backwater world called Azeroth. Probably never heard of it.”
Spinyl: “I’ve been there!”
Thorngrin: “Maybe we can go back sometime, sugar.”
Spinyl: “I don’t want to.”
Thorngrin: “Don’t blame you.”
There are footsteps from behind.
Spinyl: “Give me a moment. I’ll be right back.”
As she turns, she sees Remnii heading down the hall. Spinyl quickly shut the door behind her and greets her.
Remnii raises an eyebrow. She has a small smile.
Remnii: “I had a feeling I would find you here.”
Spinyl: “Where else would I be?”
Remnii: “Wherever you wanted to be given that invisibility of yours.”
Spinyl sighs. “Look, I know you’re smart enough to guess where I was going, and if you knew I was here, what I was doing.”
Remnii: “Good. I wasn’t born yesterday. Unlike some.”
Remnii gestures up the stairs.
Spinyl: “Come now, lifespan differences.”
Remnii: “And we can’t tote them above anyone given.. Well, sneaking into the dark away from everyone else. Cackling?”
Spinyl: “Oh, you heard that.”
Remnii: “Given your tone, I know what’s going on.”
Spinyl: “Oh?”
Remnii: “Nevermind. At the same time, this currently is the business at hand.”
Remnii glances back at the door.
Remnii: “So, did you make friends?”
Spinyl: “They call me their friend, but you know demons.”
Remnii: “I have come to know many, but there are many unlike those I have met.”
Spinyl: “In the end it’s not all that surprising.”
Remnii: “How so?”
Spinyl: “Well, you’ve encountered many variations in races, have you not?”
Remnii: “The concentration is what I am surprised on.”
Spinyl: “Well, there are many that fall away from the fold. Is it surprising that those ones tend to be the deviants? But I’m sure you’re curious about what I was doing.”
Remnii taps her hoof and looks thoughtful. “Well, you could have been doing any number of things. You were not exactly pleased with the passing of these two the first time around, and out of all the times you could have escaped the… warband… you could have escaped at any point. You’ve been quiet for sometime right along the time that you and Arthak slipped away, and, well, perhaps you were freeing them, perhaps not… there’s a lot to be seen in them that could be seen in you. So I don’t want to accuse you of anything. It is… a sating of curiosity as much as anything else.”
Remnii keeps a neutral expression, but she’s watching Spinyl.
Spinyl: “Well, now that you found me, what are you going to do about it?”
Remnii: “Spinyl. If I wanted to do anything dramatic, there are ways to do so, but there are also ways I could be… hmm… anyone of you could take me out with a flick to my forehead. Look, a bug sneezed on me and I nearly died. That being said, the question is what would you have me do? I believe they should know, though you have been forthcoming about the fact you are under the employ of the Queen of Whispers - but, so no one else is possible killed or punished, or whatever, perhaps we can be reasonable and compromise. So what would you have me do? This bothered you from the start. Answer me this. What were you planning on doing with them?”
Spinyl sighs. “Well. Demon or no… to me it seemed they were desperate enough that they would be willing to help anyone. Though, I suppose that’s generous.”
Remnii: “Generous also given the fact you travel in such mixed company.”
Spinyl: “Hence why I did it myself.”
Remnii: “Fair enough… though no one is truly alone in these circumstances.”
Spinyl: “Well, if anyone were to find me out, you’re the least likely to kill me.”
Remnii: “So, again, what would you have me do?”
Spinyl: “Would you like to assist me?”
Remnii holds up a finger. “Assist you in what? I am taking this step by step. My people locked them away.”
Spinyl: “Exactly. Seeing I can’t read draenic, I can’t tell if they are lying. They told me one story. As soon as I showed interest in looking it up for myself, one of them got a bit agitated. I have no intention on helping someone who would lie to me.”
Remnii: “I can at least take that first step and read the console if nothing else.”
Spinyl: “Well, do you want them to see you as a draenei, or as something that didn’t imprison them?”
Remnii: “Well, do you want them to find me out as a draenei now or later? Spinyl, the others will realize we are gone soon. I am not the stealthiest person.”
Spinyl: “Yes. I suppose Samaara would notice you were gone at the very least.”
Remnii: “Plus they knew I was coming here. If you want them to be put off for a moment, I don’t care, or if you want to see a shocked face, walk in with me.”
Spinyl: “Oh, that does sound enticing. Lets do that!”
Remnii can’t help but laugh a little bit.
They decide to call each other by nicknames.
Spinyl opens the door.
Spinyl: “I’m baaaack~ And I brought a friend.”
Succubus: “Oh, thank the Nether, sister! I- what?”
The satyr gets a grin on his face as he looks Remnii up and down. “Helloooo nurse. I thought all of you had died.”
Remnii: “Turns out we are hard to kill.”
Spinyl: “We are in a business relationship.”
If the succubus’s jaw could hit the ground, it would. “Oh dear…”
Remnii: “Oh my, you have been in here for a while.”
Succubus: “Yes. How long ago did this place crash?”
Remnii: “15 years or so.”
Thorngrin: “Well, we’ve been in here longer than that, and I’ve been in here longer than her.”
Spinyl: “Well, Blue, could you read the console?”
Remnii: “And what did you need help with, Pink?”
Spinyl: “Well, I just need to check their stories. Trust but confirm, yes?”
Thorngrin: “Smart laaaady~”
Remnii goes to the console and brings up the information on the pair of them.
Thorngrin the Tender Area ZS-22 Espionage, assassination, and smuggling. Interment is indefinite. There are two options: open cell and terminate
Nesslyn of the Bone Satellite 34-D Espionage, assassination, and adultery. Interment is indefinite. There are two option: open cell and terminate
Remnii looks at the succubus.
Remnii: “...I’m going to assume you impersonated someone and then slept with someone.”
Succubus: “When I’m not in a cell, I can be very persuasive. What? I’m a succubus!”
Remnii: “Yes. I know. I have a succubus right here.”
Spinyl: “Hiiii!”
Remnii relays the information she found on the console back to Spinyl.
Remnii: “We’ll be back.”
Thorngrin: “I hate to see you go, but, well, you know the rest of that one.”
Remnii: “If you finish it, I’ll terminate you.”
Thorngrin: “At least I’ll die doing what I love.”
Remnii talks to Spinyl outside the door, and explains it would take two mana cells to release them and Azgadaan has all of them.
Spinyl: “Well. Not quite.”
Remnii: “....what did you do?”
Spinyl: “I may have borrowed them.”
Remnii: “All of them?”
Spinyl: “Well, the precedent was set.”
Remnii: “But it isn’t something to be perpetuated.”
Spinyl sighs. “I know. I took one.”
Remnii massages her temples and smooths her hair. She sighs. “Spinyl. There are many games to play, but these… I don’t want to lecture you. There are people that need it more, and people getting it as we speak. If we are in these for survival, let me survive to the best of our abilities. We have two options. We keep them both in there and return with everything. However, judging by your tone, Azgadaan doesn’t know you took that. Given the escalated situation and the… aforementioned draenei squad dishing out lectures, we need to focus on survival. We don’t know how many more of those we have. I know this has been bothering you from the start. But. If we go back up. They are missing a power cell. Demons are free. How well will that go for you? I can do what I can, but I am not particularly strong myself.”
Spinyl: “Well. At this point, I don’t know what I have to gain here… or any of us do.”
Remnii: “So would you leave them there. A part of me needs to know if you want to open those doors.”
Spinyl: “Well. We could say we don’t have the means to free them… typically.”
She takes out the mana cell and hands it to Remnii.
Spinyl: “Make sure I don’t change my mind.”
Spinyl walks back in with a grim look on her face.
Thorngrin: “Ha. Third time’s the charm. You gonna let me out or not?”
Spinyl: “Unfortunately, seems I don’t have the means to in the traditional sense. I was able to determine… well, I can let you out, but not in the pleasant sense.”
Thorngrin gets a big smile, but Nesslyn looks concerned.
Nesslyn: “I don’t… nonono. I don’t want any part of that. Failure is not something I want to deal with. I’d rather rot for the rest of my existance than that.”
Thorngrin throws his hands up. “What the hell! Maybe next time I’ll get fur as pink as yours if I’m lucky!”
Spinyl presses the button. However, nothing happens.
Thorngrin explains there may be something wrong with the connector and he tries to walk her through it. However, when she pulls open the panel, there are two unused mana cells that seemed to have been disconnected during the crash.
Spinyl: “....hm.”
Spinyl presses the button on the satyr. The force field intensifies and pulls back. Thorngrin holds his arms out. “Lets give this another tryyy!” and then he’s gone. Evaporated.
The succubus swallows hard as she stares at the scene.
Spinyl: “Alright Nesslyn, I need you to listen, and I need you to listen carefully.”
Nesslyn: “Anything you say, sister.”
Spinyl: “I let you out, you won’t go up the stairs. If you do, you’ll encounter a bunch of angry draenei and orcs, and I don’t think you want that. But you will go out the opposite way. I more than anyone understand how working for a Queen works. Do you understand that?”
Nesslyn: “Crystal. Your friends won’t see me, I’ll be gone.”
Spinyl: “Excellent. That’ll be more your funeral than mine. If you intend to use me as a hostage or anything, that won’t work. Now give me a moment while I set this up.”
Nesslyn: “Wait. They don’t need to know I’m still alive. You aren’t the only one with a few tricks. They won’t know the difference between that cell and this cell. As far as they’re concerned, I’ll be long gone.”
Spinyl: “Excellent. This works well for both of us.”
Spinyl plugs in one of the mana cells, and the forcefield wall flickers and drops. Nesslyn smiles.
Nesslyn: “I may not know your real name, but I could kiss you right now. In fact!”
She kisses her on the top of the head.
Spinyl: “It’s thanks to the Coven of Whispers that you are free. Whether you tell your Queen that or not-”
Nesslyn: “It’ll be our secret, sister.”
Spinyl: “Now run along.”
Nesslyn: “And if you ever have need of anything, I owe you a thing or two.”
Spinyl: “Sisters gotta help one another.”
Nesslyn: “That we do.”
She winks and disappears.
Spinyl returns to Remnii with an unused mana cell and hands it over to Remnii. Both the cells look the same.
Spinyl: “Well Remnii, look what I found.” Remnii watches for a moment. “Curious. Well, we can always use another one. That being said. Are you okay?”
Spinyl: “As okay as I’ve been.”
Remnii: “Which hasn’t been very okay at all.”
Spinyl: “That’s a talk for when we are not in the depths of prison. There will be time to talk later, but we’ve kept our friends waiting for long enough. And I know I have some things to answer to.”
Remnii nods. “Well lets be off then.”
They head back up, and everyone is gathering their things together to get ready to leave.
Azgadaan: “Oh great! You two found two more mana cells!”
Spinyl: “Well.... one we technically already had. I had to borrow one.”
Azgadaan: “Without… asking… while I was asleep.”
Spinyl: “Well. I wanted to help. I’ll didn’t want to drag you into it, but I went to go see the demons. Turns out I know a thing or two about being trapped in a place for years on end and not having an end in sight. It stirred something in me I couldn’t let go. I went by myself, because, well had there been a trap in motion set by the draenei, it would have been me that would have suffered. So I snuck off and talked to demons. And, I released them from their misery.”
Yrel raises her eyebrows in surprise.
Azgadaan: “You released them from their misery?”
Spinyl: “I did. One was a satyr, one was a succubus. And I suppose the point is, back when we were passing it over, it was said we didn’t have time to talk to them, so I took advantage of the time we had resting.”
Azgadaan: “Well, now that they are...free. Did you let them out or kill them?”
Spinyl: “I killed them.”
Azgadaan: “Okay. Hopefully they don’t remember you later.”
Spinyl: “Well, basically, they needed a mana cell, and I neglected to tell them that I had one, so as far as they are concerned that was the only option they had.”
Azgadaan: “Ah. Hopefully they don’t come back to bite us.”
Spinyl: “Well, if they do, they’ll just remember me as someone that released them from their misery.”
Yrel: “Well. That was reckless, but I suppose we can get moving.”
Sorak stretches and glances around at everyone, and then looks at Azgadaan.
Sorak: “Any lingering injuries?”
Azgdaan: “No. Not really. Unless you consider the back of my head and my hair burnt and singed. But, I would like to suggest Samaara take the lead until we are out of here.”
Samaara: “We have actually already sorted that out, but thank you. Now moving forward, we are going to be paying attention to the enemy and not each other because we are afraid of what happens, yes? We need everyone giving 110% if we are going to survive this.”
Sorak: “We’re as ready as we’re going to be.”
Samaara: “Lets get through this then.”
They start to head toward the Eye.
After following the crashed tunnels for a bit longer, they find another decrepit tunnel that leads into the Eye. As they follow it for a while, it takes them to a large atrium that expands out before them. As they look in, they see the mucus from before all piled throughout. However, it’s thick, and black, unlike previously.
As they look up, there seems to be an abundance of side rooms as if it is some sort of barracks. All of the rooms seemed to have once been used by the Sha’tari soldiers. Then, all over the place, are corpses of draenei. They looked as if they were in despair or crying when they died. All of them.
There are more larvae just minding their own business in the black goo.
Spinyl asks what happened here.
Azgadaan asks if anyone can sense undead.
Yrel looks around. “No. They are certainly not going to be rising.”
As they step further in - avoiding the goo and the bodies - Samaara pipes up.
Samaara: “From my time, I can assume this was the barracks where the soldiers stayed. I cannot say for certain what happened here, but my guess is whatever plagued this place and elsewhere is stronger here. Or it’s been here longer. I don’t think we should tary here for any longer than we need to.”
As they look across, there are two hallways that exit out. Samaara was able to find some signs that direct them to which way is which.
Samaara: “The right, if the hallways are not impassable, is the Solarium, whereas the left is the Crucible. The solarium is where we may find things for navigation. Possible that some of the personal vessels could be there too-”
Azgadaaan: “Vessels?”
Samaara: “Equipment to navigate the Great Dark Beyond. The Crucible is more factories and workshops. We may find more of those flash-forgers. Both of them may connect to the bridge and lead to the deepest point.”
Azgadaan: “So. Either the star maps or the Crucible…”
Remnii had previously expressed that she wanted to try and get a call out to the Exodar that the Legion was marching.
Azgdaan: “The bridge should have the communications equipment, right?”
Samaara shrugs. “That one recording did mention the bridge received the transmission. Perhaps we can do something. If we wish to check any side rooms, we should do so quickly.”
Azgdaan expressed he was still worried about what Lucaam and the other plant things were saying, and they may find worse things ahead. He warned them he could only really cast someone one more time.
Sorak: “Whatever is responsible for this… I feel like it’s close.”
They decide to head toward the Crucible. However, there is an impass. They can head straight to the bridge if they go north, or can head toward the Crucible if they go west.
Azgadaan: “I don’t think we are ready for whatever is ahead…”
Yrel: “If there is something we could use, it may be worth checking. Even to make sure we can’t be ambushed from behind.”
As they poke their head into the Crucible, it is reminiscent of the Mechanar, but it’s more factory-like. There is equipment for operating on a large scale - including a massive flash-forger.
Sorak stops Samaara just short of the room.
Sorak: “Whatever is responsible for everything, it’s on the bridge, and it knows we’re coming.”
He holds out the seed pod he took previously, and it’s quivering. The closer he holds it to the bridge, the more it moves.
Samaara: “I… believe you’re right. We’ll have to be careful then, and be ready for anything.”
Yrel, meanwhile, was looking at the flash-forger console. It can make a LOT of things, though it is low on power. If they overcharge it, they could make something incredibly useful.
However, they still needed something to power the message to the Exodar, if it is possible.
They decide to plug in one mana cell at a time after Remnii warns them that it’s all jumbled. She clicks something.
One by one, the machines whir to the life, aside from the smallest one. It opens, and there is an outpouring of steam. Azgadaan walks forward and waves the mist aside. There is a small case, and inside is a small perfectly round crystal that shimmers like mother-of-pearl.
Remnii recognizes the crystal, as she had previously seen it used in both the priesthood and more arcane things. It’s a Pearl of Power.
Remnii puts a hand over her heart. “I haven’t seen one of these in some time.”
She explains what it does.
They do it another time, and this time the same exact hatch goes off. When it reveals itself, there is a bright red gemstone inlaid on a small brooch. A brooch/necklace of wound closure.
Remnii: “THESE ARE SO USEFUL!”
Remnii throws her hands up in the air while holding both items. She explains what the brooch does.
They waffle about some plans, but then approach the bridge. They see something playing in the shadows, and there is high-pitched squealing followed by muttering and mumbling.
Voice: “Traitors. Traitors. Traitors! They’re all traitors!”
As they peek around the corner, they see what was probably once a draenei, but it’s now a Lost One. There are the tatters of a security uniform draped over her body. She is consuming one of the larvae.
Samaara tries to take a shot at the woman. As the arrow sails down the hall, it strikes into her side and she drops the larva. It’s glowing eyes dart back to the group.
Lost One: “Traitors! Must report to command!”
She takes off down the bridge.
Samaara: “We should follow that thing. The last thing we need is for it to alert whatever is there to our presence.”
As they rush after the lost one, Azgadaan enlarges Yrel. The lost one runs up to the console of the bridge. Blackened vines are wrapped around it, and the lost one disappears into them to work on the console. There is a large, inky-black crystal with the vines jabbing into it.
A large tentacle flips down, grabs the lost one by the throat, and drags it into the air as there are thousands of draenei voices screaming. The lost one disappears into the ceiling, and there are the sounds of chewing and crunching.
The creature shrieks, and there are once again the screams of its victims. Black goo drips from its mouth and coats the room in a slick ichor.
One of the protean horrors that rose from the vines rushes at Azgadaan. Remnii and Spinyl get coated in the spittle, but Remnii is able to shake it off. Spinyl, however, is not so lucky, as one of the larvae appears from the spittle and latches onto her.
Sorak scrambles in his bag, and grabs the burning sap to apply it to his weapon. He carves his flaming sword into the tendrils of the creature and it screams in scream or… elation? It’s hard to tell.
Azgadaan swings his blade in and slices deep into the creature as Samaara fires another arrow. However, the creature slaps it aside, but her second shot connects. It squeals again, and it reminds Remnii of running… and how everyone didn’t quite make it. Spinyl attempts to encase it in faerie fire, but it somehow avoids it (HOW?).
Meanwhile, the succubus looks up to the (giant) Yrel and calls “Kick it’s ass, Yrel!”
The creature strikes at Sorak, and misses, and it chucks up more of that goo.
Remnii, however, is frozen in place as she starts to breathe incredibly heavily as she starts to have a PTSD flashback. Several of the tendrils lash out again, and Yrel is able to bat one away. However, one wraps around Remnii’s, Samaara’s, and Sorak’s torsos.
Yrel jumps up and makes a swing at the nightmare and shouts. As she does, wings of light almost seems to appear at her back for a moment as she strikes the creature and the light shoots into the creature. She brings the hammer all the way back to the ground, and the creature is pulled to the ground. It immediately turns over, and its mouth is now gaping up at the ceiling.
Yrel brings her hammer back and brings it back into its mouth with another warcry. Several teeth shatter off, but they immediately grow back.
Samaara looks around to find a target, and she draws a dagger. However, the creature’s influence has momentarily made her insane, and she runs for Yrel. As she attempts to get at Yrel, she gets tangled in the tendrils, and she is unable to do so.
As Sorak is drawn toward the creature’s mouth, his vision spins and he sees a bunch of creatures at once. He is unable to pick out a target.
The walls themselves start to run with the ichorous black fluid, and the creature shrieks again. Spinyl is able to duck out of the way. Yrel and Azgadaan, however, are ensnared by the the horrors grasping tentacles.
Azgadaan strikes with his blade, and he sloughs with a claw. However, the claw is absorbed into its body and a new one regrows.
As Spinyl goes to use her magic, she hears familiar laughter, and she is momentarily distracted.
Remnii uses sacred flame on the nightmare, and then shields herself with blessing of salvation to hopefully buy some time.
The horror against sprays spittle again, and another larvae starts to gnaw on Sorak’s face.
The nightmare lashes out with its free tendrils. As Spinyl attempts to make herself look small and unintimidating, a tendril smacks into her. Azgadaan is able to bat a tendril out of the way, but it manages to connect with Yrel.
It wraps its tendrils around them, and then bites at Yrel.
More ooze drips from the ceiling, and it covers Yrel. It then coelesces into another protean horror, and it strikes and connects with her. More ooze appears, and a spawn jumps on her while Azgadaan is also bitten.
Yrel swings at the nightmare, and manages to connect once, however its tentacle is still wrapped around her.
Sorak is able to squeeze himself free of the tentacle.
The babbling gets louder, almost oppressively so, and Yrel throws her hands up - unable to attack. The nightmare bites at her again, and she drops, and then returns to her normal sizes and the tendrils wash around her.
Another protean spawn shows up in the goo that remains after the attack, and it attacks Yrel’s lifeless body.
Remnii calls out for help, and then channels divinity into Yrel while she dishes as much healing as she could into Yrel.
Yrel’s eyes spring open just in time for Yrel to roll out of the way of more tentacles.
However, Azgadaan is also grabbed by the nightmare while one of the spawns continues to nom on Yrel.
Spinyl, meanwhile, pushes dissonant whispers on the nightmare. As she continues to hear more familiar laughter, she lashes out. Her whisper is basically a scream that no one but her target hears.
The nightmare starts to flee, and it crawls up onto the wall. Unfortunately no one is able to nail it with a hit as most are still regrained. She shouts at Yrel to kill it.
The horrors shamble forward, but they miss both Azgadaan and Yrel. However, one of the spawn latches onto Spinyl and nibbles on her.
Samaara is still indisposed, her eyes wide with PTSD flashbacks.
Remnii heals Azgadaan for a small amount, and she attempts to squirm free, but is unable.
Likewise, Azgadaan attempts to wiggle free, but also doesn’t. He refuses to listen to the temptation of his blood to enhance a cantrip, and instead shoves a squealing, attacking larvae away with his shield. Sorak reaches out with his hand and grabs the nightmare, and his hand is coated with dark energy as it melts into ooze. The black ichor also bubbles outward and splashes as it melts, and it splashes on Sorak’s skin and almost seems to steam.
However, everyone is released as the nightmare releases a dying screech.
The horrors screech and back up in pain.
Yrel stands up, and strikes at one of the horrors. Spinyl also strikes out with her fan.
Sorak swings at another horror, but it catches his blade in its claws. Fortunately, Samaara is finally able to get a hold on herself, and she fires an arrow into the horror in front of Sorak.
Spinyl, however, is immobile.
Azgadaan strikes, and manages to land a solid hit, and Yrel finishes it up just in time to heal herself for a small amount.
Remnii runs over to Yrel and heals her for more as Sorak slices through one of the remaining protean horrors, and slices deep into the remaining one. His blade ignites, and the horror catches on fire as he uses flame shock.
Spinyl fires off an eldritch blast, and she sighs before focusing on a second one. It fires off into the remaining horror, and it crumples.
The goo starts to drip off of the walls and slow it’s descent a bit.
Azgadaan: “Yrel, are you fine?”
Yrel: “Yes, though if I never, ever find one of those again it’ll be too soon.”
Azgadaan: “I’m really glad you were able to get that thing off the roof, or we would have had a tough time.”
Yrel: “I can imagine. It would be… a problem falling down if it was dragging us upward.”
The seed Sorak has is still reacting, however.
Remnii looks at the central crystal, and something seems vaguely familiar. The source of the vines up top, Sorak is able to provide, is clearly this as well. Remnii touches the console, and the vines begin to shift and swirl on the console as there is a cool burning sensation.
Console: “Tempest Bridge ONLINE. STRUCTURAL damage is nominal. STRUCTURAL DAMAGE substantial. Memroy CRYSTALS nominal. Memory crystals FAILING.”
There are three voices. The voice of the technician before, the voice of the plants… and the voice of A’dal.
They debate about what to do regarding the crystal, as Mu’ru had suggested they destroy the source.
Remnii: “I know what this is. This is A’dal.”
Yrel: “What? How is that possible?”
Remnii: “This is what is left of him after the battle of Tempest Keep. It blended with both the land and the console. They are one in their own way now. And slowly, over a long period of time, naaru will reform. It will take thousands upon thousands of years for A’dal to become… whatever A’dal will become if he’s left here, but at the same time, the console has something to say. Given the way it is responding, I would venture to say on the rather safe assumption that the console can be powered.”
Yrel: “We could destroy it, but if we do who knows what will happen.”
Remnii: “It is connected to the land.”
Azgadaan points out that, if they mess something up, there may be a self-destruct response.
Voice: “POWER CELLS failing. Power storage critical.”
Remnii is adamant to use both power cells. Azgadaan tries to counter that he isn’t sure she can send a message here, but she argues that he is not to tell her what she can and cannot do here. At the very least, she wants a roster of the names here, and maybe they can send a message regardless.
They hook up the mana crystals.
Voice: “RESERVE POWER activated. Tertiary power, restored. Secondary power, restored. Engines, error, not found. Warp drives, deactivated.”
Everyone there can understand the voice as it goes through the system boot-up in their native tongues.
It seems to be somewhat telepathic.
There are four different options: Accessing transmission archives, sending a transmission, sending an item,and processing an item.
Remnii asks what processing is.
Voice: “Processing an item allows for the CONSOLE to MELD WITH IT. We will BECOME ONE and it will be added to the collective. The Collective will attempt to COMBINE, CONSUME it and assimilate it into its processes.”
Remnii suggests they may be able to send the… crystal elsewhere, but she is unsure how it may affect the land itself.
Sorak, however, points out that the island is already rather doomed.
Yrel: “Wait… what would happen if we have the console process the crystal?”
Voice: “We would become ONE truly. The nightmares would end. We would LIVE once again.”
Remnii: “Who is we? All of you?”
Voice: “YES and no.”
Remnii: “A new being?”
Azgadaan: “If you process the crystal, would you still have the desire to consume and spread?”
Voice: “The nightmares would END. The SICKNESS would end.”
Remnii: “Then that is an option…”
Yrel: “But then that would not be A’dal, if he still is now he would not be afterwards. He can possibly be fixed, even if it takes thousands of years.”
Samaara: “It sounds to me that this crystal’s presence here is causing the island to die. Either we have to take it out, or put it in.”
Sorak is concerned that moving it may cause issues otherwise.
Yrel suggests sending it to Velen like Remnii had mentioned, and there is a naaru with Velen. However, anything connected to the crystal may go with it.
At the very least, it’s an option. However, they need to make the decision quickly.
Sorak: “What is your relation with this seed?”
Voice: “IT IS our child. The spawn of BOTAAN.”
Azgadaan: “What is Botaan?”
Voice: “WE ARE and we are not.”
Remnii: “If you became one, would you become Botaan alone?”
Voice: “Yes and NO.”
Remnii: “Alright, that’s all I needed.”
It’s decided they either need to send it away or assimilate it.
Remnii: “Are the Exodar systems online? Could you program something to reach that point on Azeroth?”
Voice: “Warning, activating the scanners would require a greater amount of power.”
They decide to check the archives before doing anything further. There are priority messages from Tempest Keep to each of the four satellites, one from the satellites back to here, one from Tempest Keep to Velen on Draenor, and an incoming message from unknown.
They decide to check the unknown message.
The transmission starts to play, and the voice is distorted and muffled. If they jump another power, it will probably clear it up.
“This is a priority message to Tempest Keep. I repeat this is a priority message to Tempest Keep. Do you read me? The Legion knows what you’re planning. I can attempt to hold them off for as long as possible. Can’t tell you anything else beyond that without risking my own situation here. I know you have no reason to trust this transmission, especially when you inevitably trace it, but hthis is your only opportunity. A chance like this will not come again. Do not let your people and all of our families stay on that star any longer than they already have. Go quickly before it’s too late. Expect resistance and a lot of it, but not as much as there would be otherwise. And if you hear this, If you ever happen to hear this, I certainly hope you don’t think I never did anything for you. Even if you have always been a stubborn one. Go.”
It was Azgadaan’s mother.
Azgadaan starts to cry as he collapses to the ground. “Mother. You did… do it.”
Yrel: “But who was she talking to? Who was that person she addressed at the end?”
Remnii: “As you said. Questions for papa when we find him.”
Samaara: “Or perhaps they won’t have to be for Master Velen. She said family - all of our family. Azgadaan, do you know if you have any family that stayed with the draenei?”
Azgadaan: “I have no idea. At the time I only had two people in my life - my father and my mother. She died that day, and my father might as well have.”
Samaara: “Well, perhaps there is someone else. I suppose that may be a question for Master Velen, and I suppose that means you have another reason to find him.”
Azgadaan says it would be nice to know he had other family.
Samaara: “Well, Remnii, I think it’s only right that you craft the message.”
Remnii: “Very well.”
Remnii steps up to the console and takes a few minutes to waffle about what she is going to say.
Remnii: “A’dall fused within. Computer and Draenor Lifeform within. Use Caution. The Legion Marches Upon Azeroth. Be ready, gather strength. Soon. Be safe, Papa.”
Voice: “Exodar located. Sending. Sending. TRANSMISSION received.”
Remnii: “It made it!”
Remnii is crying as she asks for a final say on what they should do. They decide to send the crystal, and Remnii removes her headband and ties it to one of the spikes on the crystal rather tightly.
Remnii: “I think it’s ready now. If nothing else, that should do it.”
Remnii presses the button. The crystal thrums for a second, and the vines retract as the crystal breaks away and hovers. There is a light that scans it from the console, and the light turns into a prism as it spins rapidly and becomes thinner and thinner.
Then it cracks, and vanishes.
Arthak would have seen a shooting star that night.
There is the sound of the console shutting down, and the vines shift and twitch, and then shrivel. After a few minutes, there is gentle shifting beneath their feet.
It’s their cue to get out.
On the way out, however, Remnii shuts off the music box.
