[Horde] Chapter Five: Session Ninety-Five

Characters

December 31st

Arthak spoke first and bells rang in the distance. Sol asked if he had to speak his whole name, and Hymdall squinted at him but said that he could use whatever name he wanted to be inscribed in the halls. There was another gong-like bell. Then Zar’Kaa spoke up, followed by Seria, and then Symma. Their companions also spoke up and were greeted with the gong.

They heard the sound of steel clashing and smithing metal as the gates were opened for the group to step through. It was like a chorus of sounds created a symphony alongside laughter and cheering and burning fires, and it was otherworldly in its beauty. There were many vrykul past the gates, but they came in seemingly two varieties. The first looked much like the vrykul they had seen before, but there was a prismatic, technicolor afterimage to them. The others, instead of flesh, their bodies were wrought of pure gold and their eyes glowed with an otherworldly light.

Sol asked if Hymdall had seen Chen Stormstout, the brewmaster. Hymdall looked at Sol and gave him a look that clearly said “I’m not here to answer your questions” as he gestured at the gate.

Sol nodded.

Arthak sighed as the group headed in. The place was a paragon example of vrykul culture. Everything the vrykul believed in were magnified tenfold in the place. However, it was a place where any worldly allegiances had been set aside in favor of a common, broad ideal.

They saw one of the golden figures pull a newly forged blade out of the water, and the blade looked as if it was wrought of pure sunlight. They handed it to a val’kyr, who flew up into the air and gave it a test swing. A beam of energy flew through the air and bisected one of the clouds. She looked down at the smith and gave him a nod.

They passed by a vrykul shepherd who was guiding a flock of sheep whose skin appeared to be wrought of marble. Their bodies were covered in a golden moss that were sprouting beautiful white flowers that were rich with a nectar that resembled liquid gold.

Symma looked out over the edge at the cloud cover that went on forever. It looked like a perpetual sunset even though the sun could not be seen. There appeared to be mountain peaks in the distance, but they did not look like the mountains of Stormheim.

They passed by warriors that were reading and orating various sagas of feats of heroism. It was like a sort of museum that had the narratives written on massive stone obelisks. And overhead, there was crackling lightning, and there were silhouettes of great storm dragons maneuvering through a roving thunderhead.

They witnessed a conflict between two vrkyul, and one drove his sword through the chest of the other. However, as they slumped down, a golden light enveloped them and lifted them back to their feet as their wounds were healed. Instructors approached to educate what had been done wrong. There was no death.

Sol asked if they also couldn’t die, and Lantresor expressed that was probably up to the lords of the realm. They heard more sounds of revelry from up ahead, and as they approached it was almost contagious. There was a massive flame upon which they could smell the scent of mouth-watering meats and intoxicating alcohols.

Their eyes fell upon a table that was not occupied by vrykul and dragon alone. They were familiar to some. They saw the imposing form of the one that called himself the god-king Skovald. An imperious belt and war kilt was juxtaposed by only weathered straps, revealing intricate tattoos mixed with fel-corrupted veins that consumed his left arm. His left hand had mutated into an emerald claw with black spikes. He had skulls on his belt: the exact number of his family he slew.

Near him was an eredar with dark armor. His crimson skin shone in the light of the hall, yet no drink nor food made its way to her as she regarded the group with burning green eyes beneath short chopped hair. It was Velhari.

There was also a violet and green arakkoa perched at the table observing them. It was Iskar, who offered a wry smile as his eyes fell on especially Symma. There was a knowing twinkle in his eye.

Jubei’thos sat with his eyes closed until he sensed the group, and then his eyes opened to look upon Arthak specifically as a satisfied smile crossed his face.

Sitting at the top of the table, her hands slick with the blood of the feast, was who was once a kaldorei, but she had been twisted into a demonic form with webbed wings folded behind her. It was Caria Felsoul, and a look of sheer excitement and sinister enjoyment crossed her face as she saw Nyxxa.

Sipping on a stein was a high elf with seemingly very little to zero corruption. A handful of blades were lain on the table in front of him. It was Varedis Spellsoul, the mercenary Nyxxa had made a bargain with.

And seated behind Skovald was the tremendous form of a massive storm dragon. It was Fathnyr, reduced to nothing more than a guard dog.

Skovald stood and addressed the group in impressive orcish.

He gestured for them to join their table.

Nyxxa held Lantresor’s hand tighter.

Arthak and Zar’Kaa moved to sit down at the table, and as Skovald tried to talk again, they heard a sudden wave of chanting that overpowered his voice. There was a series of claps, and several full steins were sent sailing through the air in a pattern. There was more clapping and chanting. They saw, standing on one of the tables, was a pandaren. There was a large keg planted nearby, and the man was surrounded by vrykul as the man juggled full steins of booze. He flipped on his back as he started to drain a stein and continued to juggle on his feet.

Nyxxa sent a glance at Arthak, asking to get an update later, but she also opted to go hang out with Chen Stormstout. As Nyxxa walked away with Lantresor and Sol, Caria’s face twisted into a spiteful scowl.

Caria shot daggers at Zar’Kaa.

Seria also opted to go hang out with Chen as she had gotten a tattoo from him before. Zuni followed after her Symma told Thisalee to go enjoy the fun, but Symma opted to sit at the table with Iskar.

Skovald looked over at Zar’Kaa and mused that he must have been Zar’Kaa, who also confirmed. He then looked at Symma and identified her as the one that defeated the High Crawliac. Skovald said that Iskar had told him of her exploits.

Skovald smiled.

Skovald chuckled.

Zar’Kaa looked to Skovald’s arm, and his eye, which was also corrupted.

Arthak asked if they knew what trials they would be facing, and Velhari said the contests would be revealed after a requisite week elapsed. Which had allowed Arthak to arrive just in time.

Jubei’thos chuffed, and Velhari shot him a look.

Arthak smirked.

They raised glasses, and Iskar and Symma also raised their mugs.

Meanwhile, the group went to talk with Chen and he greeted them warmly, but seemed confused as to why they knew him. They said they had met Li Li, and Chen asked if they had found their homeland. They clarified that she was on the island, and he demanded to know why she was there when she was so young.

He had left when she was 13, but had apparently lost track of how long he was gone, as she was now an adult woman. He was amazed and asked how Li Li had found him, and they said that she was looking all over.

Seria relayed that she had been on Kalimdor too.

The group said they had to do a bunch of trials, and Chen said he did a lot of things on his way, and he mused that might count. However, it appeared he hadn’t done any of the trials. He explained he had come to the lands because he had heard of the vrykul’s appreciation of a good drink. He had sought out a Melba but when he found her, she was already slain, and he had instead helped her apprentice avenge her. When he found out she ascended to the Halls, he simply had to find her.

He pointed at a golden vrykul women.

Sol said he had tried some of his brew, but it was difficult in Hel, and he’d like to drink the real thing. Chen offered to share some of what he had concocted, and he summoned the group to drink with him. He squinted at Seria.

She nodded. He snapped his claw.

He took a swig.

Seria said they were still doing great, and Chen pointed out he didn’t recall her having a tail, but he was glad his humble services were able to be a reminder for all that time, and he hoped her boy was doing well.

As Sol took a drink of the brew and he felt some of the horrors of Hel fade away from his memory, and he told Chen he had really needed that. Chen asked them to share with him of their travels and of Li Li, and he asked what the place was that he had come to. They said it was an afterlife, and he mused in interest as it was unexpected he could get to such a place by walking.

Sol asked him about the drink he had made that allowed a ghost to pass on in Nar’thalas, and Chen said he had wandered around looking for places for a good drink. It appeared a great tragedy had come over it, but he hoped that the ghosts there could find respite someday. However he wasn’t sure what had allowed the spirit to pass on, he didn’t think the brew was anything special, but he said that if he had his way, he’d like to go having a good brew too.

They asked Chen if he knew about the Legion, and he clarified that his people called it the Emerald Storm. He wasn’t a lorewalker, but their stories told of the first emperor of Pandaria had protected their people from the storm. But many years later, Emperor Shaohao shed his burdens and shrouded their ancient homeland in mist that protected it from the mist. However, many years later, a wanderer by the name of Liu Lang wished to see the world and what had happened to it, so set off with his companion Shen-zin Su. He would return every year, and ever year ??? was bigger and wiser, and eventually he grew large enough to bring others with him, and they eventually built villages on his shell and returned to Pandaria with tales of the outside world.

Chen mused it was probably wise for him and Li Li to actually return home, but Nyxxa said that Li Li had promised to help with the invasion on the isles.

He bust out laughed.

Chen shared some tales of his homeland as well, and Chen abruptly got a somber look and he admitted that he thought he actually missed home, but ultimately, he would return.

At that moment, the hearth erupted into an inferno that took on the form of a massive, flaming giant. His beard was made of liquid fire. His right eye glowed with a bright blue, but his left eye had a vertical slash and was nothing more than an empty socket. It had to be Odyn the All-Father.

There were slammed fists on the tables and cheering.

There were boos.

In an eruption of flame, the Aegis appeared before them, suspended in the air at Odyn’s side. It then disappeared as readily as it had arrived.

He introduced each of the group by their vocations. He announced that the two teams would compete in each other in a contest of skill, wisdom, and war. The trials would begin the moment night fell on the Fields of the Eternal hunt.

And at that moment, it seemed the entire area shifted into a beautiful field of trees and valleys. Symma was hit with a sudden feeling of extreme nostalgia as she realized it had been Freya’s. She sobbed, and Zar’Kaa asked what was wrong, but she didn’t respond immediately. Thisalee bent down next to Symma to check on her, and the harpy only expressed it was “everything She was”.

Zar’Kaa offered a hand toward Symma, but she ultimately refused it, as she didn’t really want to get up. Zar’kaa withdrew the hand, and there was a look of both disappointment and a sense of being “fed up”, but he ultimately left the harpy with Thislaee.

A val'kyr stepped forward and explained the teams would be seven each. Sol asked her if she was going to do anything about the mind-controlled dragon, but the val’kyr said they had not sensed any mind-dominating effects. They would only do anything if proof was offered.

Skovald regarded them with a simmering smirk, as it had been evident he was waiting for them to accuse him of anything. But everyone dispersed to make merry.

Zar’Kaa asked Sol to walk with him and they went off a distance to talk. Zar’Kaa asked if he knew about the deal made with Helya, and Sol confirmed he did, the rest of the group had told him.

Sol thanked him for looking out for him, and expressed he really appreciated it. Zar’Kaa asked if it was a good time to work on the surprise for Nyxxa, and Sol said he wasn’t sure that it was a good idea because he was drunk and also polymorphed into a dragon at the moment.

Caria sauntered over to Nyxxa.

Caria laughed.

Caria twisted into an expression of rage and anger, and she raised a hand, but her arm was caught by Varedis.

Caria growled and yanked her arm away.

She waved as she sauntered away. However, it was evident that her even temper was a complete farce and she wasn’t sure if Caria could actually consume her.

Nyxxa asked Lantresor if she could get something out of her system, and he welcomed her to do so, thinking it was going to be some profound statement, but Nyxxa instead promptly pulled him into the woods.

—-

Arthak approached Velhari, who was just sitting at the table. He was smoking and he noted that Gul'dan did well with Skovald.

They exchanged some words, but Velhari ultimately asked Arthak why he spurned lady Shaspira and turned his back on everything his people stood for.

As Nyxxa and Lantresor entered the woods, they saw Jubei’thos, his blade having carved directly through a tree as he trained. Lantresor froze.

Jubei’thos sheathed his blade and walked past them. He said nothing more. Lantresor untensed as the other man left. Nyxxa asked if he was okay.

Lantresor grabbed Nyxxa’s hand tighter.

Lantresor picked her up and kissed her.

As Symma laid on the ground with her eyes closed, she felt a shadow fall across her. Symma sighed.

Her eyes opened.

Iskar said that was fascinating.

Iskar pointed out their bargain made no mention of not making it difficult for each other, as Symma and her companions had made it equally difficult for them. He said that the terms of their bargain were still unchanged, and he had kept it a secret, though he imagined she hadn’t done the same. Either way, he had made sure that Symma would be spared. Skovald didn’t care if he kept a “trophy” or a “pet”.

Symma asked if he actually enjoyed what he did, or if he just did it to survive.

Symma said that she had hope enough for the both of them, and Iskar mused she had to have a large heart for that, and part of him wanted to open her up and see it for himself. Symma said that her hope was that he could see it, and Iskar joked that they said that lightning didn’t strike twice. She said that was just a lie.

Symma said that if things went well here and with Anzu, there was something else she wanted his help with, even if he just watched. But she wanted something of her’s back, and it could perhaps wrest the fel from him, as what she sought was the heart of the Mistress of Flight, which gave the druids their ability to fly.

Iskar took his leave, and Symma looked over at Thisalee, who was just waking up.

As Arthak passed by Jubei'thos he simply said “soon, blademaster, soon.”

Velhari passed by Sol, who had dropped the polymorph on him, and he felt a pressure in his vicinity.

He held out a piece of paper, and she clearly was assessing if it was magic. It wasn’t. She took it and demanded to know what it was. He said to open it.

It was a piece of paper inside that fell to the ground, revealing a well-done sketch of her during the Eclipse game. She stooped down to pick down the other paper that had fallen, and she opened it as well. It was a comical sketch of Gul’dan tumbling ass over tea kettle with a ball hitting him in the face and ass.

For the briefest moment, Sol picked up a glimmer in her eyes that she quickly stowed.

She made the sketch of Gul’dan go up in flames, but did not do the same to the sketch of her as she turned away. Sol called that he hoped they could be friends later.

As the light began to dim, there was a moment where Zar’Kaa’s path crossed with Skovald. Skovald’s arm brushed Zar’Kaa, and he felt a surge of magic go through him that seemed to be involuntary. His mind swam as he saw fragments and images of what Skovald had done. Killing his brothers and father. His head lain upon his kin and imbuing them with the fel.

The crushing of a dragon egg shell beneath his boot, and the feeling of magic destroying the sacred connection of the bones of a saint. Relics holy to your people, poisoned. There was a flash of a Stormheim that could be, one that was as black and warped and powerful as he is.

Zar’Kaa broke away from the haunting connection, realizing it was a path that he, too, could still walk. Skovald didn’t seem to notice, nor care.

Skovald stopped and turned his head back toward him.

He turned away and kept walking.

In the distance, they heard the howl of a great wolf that was joined in a chorus of countless others as the Night of the Wilds set down upon the land. Symma got the sense there was something familiar about the howl. It wasn’t the howl of Goldrinn, but there was a power to it. She knew Goldrinn never walked alone, he had a great pack and sired many children.

Perhaps it was one of them.

The great bonfire ignited, and the visage of Odyn once more appeared.

He held a hand out.

This page was last edited on August 10, 2025, at 11:44 AM

• ▲ Top ▲
• Search
• Recent Changes
• All Recent Changes

"Remnii, you are a warrior in so many more ways than that… if I will have faith in you, if Yrel will have faith in you, then have faith in yourself. And if you cannot, put faith in us… and put your faith in the Light.”

• Ancestries
• Achievements

World

• Characters
• Creatures
• Flora
• Items
• Languages
• Lore
• Factions
• Places

Story

• Timeline
• 1 Matters of Life & Death
• 2 Casting Dice
• 3 The Scales Tip
• 4 Homecoming
• 5 Civil War

Spells

• Death
• Chaos
• Life
• Light
• Order
• Shadow
• Elementalism
• Arcane Warrior
• Artificer
• Paladin
• Ranger
• Black Dragonsworn
• Blue Dragonsworn
• Bronze Dragonsworn
• Green Dragonsworn
• Red Dragonsworn

Organization

• Templates

edit SideBar