[Alliance] Chapter Five: Session Thirty
Appearing Characters: Elissa Cross, Fahrad, Furia, Gilveradin Windrunner, Insidia, Lee Hale, Maraad, Medivh, Motah Tallhorn, Remnii, Riff, Samia Inkling, Seria, Thal'ena Dawnseeker, Uther, Uther Menethil, Uther the Lightbringer, Vaelastrasz, Velameestra Windrunner, Victor Prestor, Wrathion, Zagarra
October 4th
As the ambush engaged, Victor drove his blade into Furia’s shoulder. The dragon roared and released a gout of fire from her jaws.
Vel raised a hand and wove her magic into the spectral chains of a [Slow] spell, which wove around her arm, and then matching ones wrapped around Insidia, two of the drakes, the priestess, and the warrior. Insidia broke the chains, but they wrapped around all the others.
As Gil then amassed energy into his bow. He shot it straight into the cliffside, and it exploded, releasing a barrage of shrapnel and fire as he used [Meteor Swarm]. The priest and her mount plummeted from the sky, killing the priestess, and the apocalypse knight was also knocked off his mount and slammed into the ground. The twilight assassin and his mount also slammed into the cliffside. Victor, however, was left completely unphased as Gil warded him against the destructive magic.
Vel shot a glare at the Twilight Assassin, who met her gaze evenly with eyes enshrouded in shadowy magic. He seemed to be immune to the fear her magic was capable of imbuing.
Victor cast [Fly], and leathery, flaming wings burst from his back. He drove his sword into Furia’s shoulder again. He racked the blade through her scales as molten magma arched through the wound, and the [Stoneskin] was ripped from her. He then flew over to Insidia and drove his sword into her as well. She faltered as he struck a tendon in her wing, but she roared as she stabilized herself, just in time for Victor to slash into her with another flurry of strikes. He carved his blade into her flesh, but she had spent most of her energy keeping herself airborne.
As the priestess’s black drake plummeted toward the group, Motah leaped from a hiding place and slammed into the dragon. He grabbed the dragon’s tail and slammed it into the side of the cliff. He then pulled the dragon into a full grapple as the tauren secured a headlock.
Zagarra pointed out the Apocalypse Knight and Maraad slammed into a pile of rocks that had been prepared. The rocks tumbled over the edge straight toward the night, and in slow motion, the knight tried to protect himself, but he was promptly buried beneath the rockslide.
Maraad dusted off his hands and looked down at Zagarra, who nodded in acknowledgement.
Uther called out the command word for his armor and launched into the air. Vel called out a weak point, giving Uther an opening to wind back with his weapon. He channeled holy magic into the blade and cleaved into her with a devastating blow and the sound of an explosion as he connected. He knocked the dragon’s head back, and then used the jets of his armor to propel himself upward and slam his axe into the back of her skull.
Furia looked at Uther with pure rage and fury.
Seria roared and took off into the air as she transformed into a dragonhawk. In her dragonhawk form, she was the same size as Furia, and a spirit of a bat manifested over her. It screeched and started to harry the dragon, giving Seria the opening she needed to rip and tear into the dragon. She locked her jaws, successfully grappling Furia.
Furia started to beat her wings to escape from Seria’s grapple.
Furia looked shocked as Uther called her maneuver, which caused enough hesitation that she lost her opening.
Remnii manifested the [Crown of Stars] she had cast before the ambush started, and then used [Mind Whip] on the Twilight Assassin and the drake he was riding. A trail of shadowy mage lashed out at them and Remnii backed up and hurled one of the motes of light at Insidia. However, in Insidia’s flailing, the blast narrowly missed.
Furia whipped her tail around at Seria, but the druid was able to evade the attack. At that moment, Radiant flew into the battlefield to back Uther up.
Gil cast [Swift Quiver] and then started to fire shots at Furia. The first shot barely missed the dragon’s skull, but the second arrow passed right through Furia’s skull just as she started to rear back with flames licking through her fangs.
She released a screaming, anguished, mad wail. Seria released her grip, and Furia’s wings failed her. She plummeted to the ground, dead. Insidia released a roar of rage and anger.
Her eyes and mouth started to burn with shadowflame, and Gil released two more arrows in rapid succession at the other dragon. One of them nicked her eye, temporarily blinding her with a flow of blood.
One of the remaining black drakes started to begin a strafing maneuver, but at that moment there was a shadow above it. Vaelastrasz slammed into the drake from overhead and began to rip and tear into him, effectively removing the drake from the combat.
Noting most of the targets she had slowed were now gone, Vel used [Metamorphosis]. The spectral chains wrapped around her wrists and started to flow around her as a pair of ghostly, skeletal wings appeared on her back.
She ran at the Twilight Assassin and raked her claws across him as she grabbed the front of his jerkin. She snarled, baring her fangs as she used [Heart Strike] and dug her fangs into the assassin’s throat. She felt him gasp with a sharp intake of air, but there was no scream, and the swarm of creatures of the night battered him with a series of bites and claws.
Radiant charged over to Uther, and Uther leaped on his back. They charged at Insidia and connected with another blast of holy energy. Through sheer rage, Insidia was able to hold on to her defensive spell. She started to beat her wings, but at that moment, the spiritual bat flying around Seria flew at Insidia and transformed into the appearance of Kala. She held out a hand, and spectral vines wrapped around the dragon, interrupting her wing attack.
Seria dove at Insidia and started to rip and tear into her, once again sinking her beak into the dragon and holding her stationary. Victor took the opportunity to slam into Insidia’s back with more cleaves of his blade.
Vel tore herself from the Twilight Assassin’s neck. His blood was thick and viscous, and she felt the last of his life fade him. His hood fell back, revealing that his lips were sewn shut. Vel felt a telepathic presence touch against her mind, and she allowed it passage.
He fell limp on the ground.
The black drake Motah was grappling struggled to escape.
Motah tightened his grip around the drake’s neck, cutting off the roar and preventing the drake from wiggling free.
Insidia’s eyes burned, and she whipped her head around at Uther. She opened her jaws and released a gout of shadowflame at him point blank. Uther raised his shield to help cover himself as the shadowflame washed over him and Radiant.
She roared and then unleashed a barrage of attacks at Seria. Seria was able to stay flying as she continued to hold onto Insidia.
Meanwhile, the black drake by Vel released a gout of magma over the vampyr. She hissed, though she was able to dodge out of the way of the worst of it. The drake then struggled and flailed as he tried to claw and rip at her, but he was unable to land. It was sad and pitiful, in a way.
Insidia buffeted her wings, and the force of them blasted Uther, Seria, and Radiant to the ground. She retreated slightly, giving Victor the opportunity to slash into her as she retreated. She reached the mountainside and began to try and burrow into the side of it.
Remnii hurled a mote of light at Insidia, and it exploded into her back as the dragon scrambled into the cliffside. She was spouting magma, trying to give herself better clearance.
Remnii hopped off the edge of the cliffside and floated down to a better vantage point. She used [Mind Spike].
A dart of shadowy energy blasted from her hand and lanced Insidia right in the back of the skull. Remnii winced.
Insidia clutched the side of her head with her claws and reeled back. Lava spilled from her mouth, and she lost grip on the side of the mountain. She fell into the canyon below. She weakly reached a claw out to Furia’s body.
Insidia fell limp.
The last free drake was dispatched by Vel, but the critically injured drake managed to slip from Motah’s grasp and took off into the air. Radiant, in a fit of madness, tried to knock Uther over. Uther blocked Radiant with his shield, and Uther’s attempts to reach out to Radiant were unsuccessful, as his eyes were filled with rage.
Uther managed to grapple Radiant and used Lay on Hands to calm him.
Meanwhile, the fleeing drake was skewered by a bolt to the throat. A cloaked figure appeared on its back as it slammed into the cliffside.
Vel managed to track the bolt, and she caught a familiar figure. It was Lee Hale. She disappeared behind the rocky outcropping.
The rest of the dragonspawn and drakonids had also been dispatched. Victor looked down at the murdered dragons and then put a claw over his face and started to wildly laugh.
Uther launched himself into the air and attempted to tackle-hug his cousin. However, in the moment, he got the sense there was an unsettling nature to the cackle. Uther wrapped his arms around Victor, and Victor’s laughter abruptly cut off as he channeled love and concern into him and landed on the ground below. Uther heard Victor’s claws scrape into his armor, but then they got loose again before he hugged Uther in a normal, tight hug.
Victor nodded, then looked over at Insidia and Furia. His face soured. The others started to join up with Victor, but Vel’s eyes tracked back to where Lee was.
A moment later, Lee came running out.
At that exact moment, a hand had raised to cover Remnii’s throat and a sharp blade went to her throat. Remnii squeaked, but was able to resist the fumes.
The figure behind Remnii hesitated, and confusedly touched Remnii as he realized she was, in fact, not a drakonid. He released her, then chuffed as he sheathed his knife.
The human man was someone Remnii didn’t recognize, and Remnii gave a sigh of relief as she put a hand on her heart.
At that moment, a medium sized whelp flew out next to Lee, who slid down the slope.
Wrathion landed and took his humanoid form. He was wearing winter travel clothes, and Lee landed next to him.
He looked at Vel and Gil, but then at Victor.
Victor looked at Wrathion cautiously.
Victor furrowed his brow.
The tall man put a hand on Victor’s shoulder.
Victor jumped. Vel and Gil recognized the man as Fahrad. He took his place near Wrathion.
Gil and Seria noticed Fahrad looked different. His shadow was long, and between his dark hair, the Alteraci man had a long, spiraling set of horns. He was an adult black dragon.
Wrathion folded his arms.
Wrathion furrowed his brow at Gil.
Wrathion looked down with a laugh.
Vel raised her eyebrow at her brother, as this was very much out of character for him.
Wrathion nodded.
Wrathion pointed at Victor, and Vel confirmed.
Victor furrowed his brow and balled his fist up.
Wrathion smiled.
Wrathion looked over Vaelastrasz, who had also landed and taken his own visage form.
Gil used [Message], directed at Vel.
Vel tilted her head, and directed her own [Message] to Wrathion.
Wrathion’s eyes flickered over to Vel, and there was a hint of a grin on his lips as he replied.
Wrathion cleared his throat and glanced at Fahrad, gesturing for him to take care of the dragons. Fahrad went about the business with no hesitation.
Vel informed Wrathion that she would stay in contact, and she asked if he had a sending stone. With a flick of his wrist, Wrathion produced one, and Vel set about attuning it to her own so that they would have a link between them.
In the meanwhile, she also sent Medivh to get permission for Wrathion’s presence at Karazhan. Medivh was receptive, even if there was an amount of clear exasperation at how much had started to happen all at once. Vel relayed that Wrathion had been welcomed, and she said that Galadin could show him around, which earned a smile from the young dragon.
Gil was scrutinizing Wrathion suspiciously, and Wrathion promptly picked up on it.
Once the evidence of their presence had been largely dealt with, Vel opened her spellbook to cast [Teleportation Circle] to whisk Wrathion, Lee, and Fahrad to Karazhan. Wrathion told Fahrad to pay her, and Fahrad threw a small pouch of coins in the direction of the vampyr that was actually more than she needed. She thanked them, and she and Lee exchanged some friendly words, including Vel’s appreciation for Lee stepping out when she did, though Lee jokingly countered that if Vel saw her in the first place, she really needed to work on her skills.
Wrathion approached Remnii and bowed, then took her hand.
He kissed the back of Remnii’s hand.
Wrathion went about introducing himself before Vel sent them to Karazhan via teleportation circle.
With the Black Talon trio gone, Vel examined some of the items she had managed to pull off the cultists that had accompanied the dragons. One of the objects was some sort of unfamiliar holy symbol, but the other was a prayer book.
As Vel took a closer look at the prayer book, she started to get a headache, and she could tell that it was written in a language she didn’t formally know, but it was clearly an extraplanar language. It may have been written in the tongue of the Void itself. It was less a language, and more a series of rorschach tests that could instill meaning when read. It also seemed that they did not want to be comprehended by her, but she was able to read a few quick passages.
It was a prayer book that seemed to be worshiping the apocalypse and of breaking down society as it stands in order to build something more. But it almost didn’t make sense. It referenced mounds of flesh, mountains rising and falling, and it was nonsense, but the Hour of Twilight was referenced.
The assassin seemed to have had a network of brands on him that allowed him to cast without a focus, similar to her own tattoos. However the Apocalypse Knight appeared to have been more a dragonsworn than a member of the cult.
Samia looked at Victor.
Victor glanced over at Vel.
Samia glanced over at what remained of Furia and Insidia.
Victor looked at the rest of the group, and Vel confirmed they had had time to get a read on her. Victor expressed that he was impressed Samia had been able to convince Vel to trust her. Vel clarified that, ultimately, she had no reason to mistrust Samia, but she did not trust her Authority, and Samia also admitted that, even though she wanted to trust Sabellian, she was unsure if she could presently.
Samia shrank back, all her extroversion points spent, and Victor looked to the rest of the group.
He looked over at Remnii.
Victor grinned and reached out to her with his claw, but then he hesitated, and transformed himself to hide the scales and his draconic features. Remnii offered Victor an assuring smile, and Victor’s lips quivered, but then they hugged.
Maraad loudly cleared his throat.
Victor looked at Maraad, and then over at Remnii. He raised an eyebrow.
Victor offered Maraad a handshake, Maraad took it and shook it firmly.
Maraad nodded, not realizing how strong the handshake was.
Victor was introduced to others, but Victor did not make eye contact with Vaelastrasz.
Victor chuffed.
Vel approached Victor and held out a hand to him as well as her brother as she channeled her magic and used and enhanced version of [Mind Blank]. The magic pulsed as it took hold on the two of them, but she momentarily faltered as she was overtaken by a sudden wave of lethargy from the exertion.
Seria nodded, and opened up a portal to a tree not far away from Andorhal in Lordaeron. It was a chilly October night, and they had arrived on the border of Lordaeron and Alterac. No one was around. They could see lights flickering in Andorhal a distance away. Victor stared off at the Alterac mountains for a moment, but then took a deep breath.
Vel reasserted herself after the wave of lethargy and wove the magic that would open the [Magnificent Mansion].
Samia looked about.
She looked to those that were going to be accompanying her. Zagarra nodded wordlessly.
Riff looked a bit sad as he looked at Seria, but Elissa put a hand on his shoulder.
Seria nodded.
Meanwhile, Thal’ena looked at Vaelastrasz.
Riff went over to Seria and hugged her as they said their goodbyes, and Elissa also went around to the group and exchanged hugs and a promise that she and Daisy would be back in a jiffy whenever they needed her–though she was sure Samia could get them back faster.
Zagarra gave a nod to Remnii and Zagarra, but didn’t say anything.
Vel opened the door to her manor so that those that were staying could step in. Those that had been in her manor before dispersed to get food or settle into their own rooms for the night, but Vel personally led Victor up to the room she had created for him amidst the others. Victor had been looking around the conjuration in awe, but was flabbergasted when Vel said that she had specifically made him a room as well.
Vel smirked quietly as she confirmed. He asked when she had figured out how to do such a thing, and she said it had been sometime while they were on Kalimdor. Victor stared at her in a degree of awe before he requested to see what the room was all about.
As Vel opened the door, she revealed a room that was simple, and reminiscent of the one that Victor had stayed in during the brief period he had spent in her own manor.
Victor looked around, smiled, and wrapped Vel tightly into a hug. As they broke apart again, Vel said that, if he wanted someone to stay with him for the night, she could. She ultimately couldn’t sleep there, but at the very least she could keep him company until he fell asleep. Victor admitted he wouldn’t be opposed to such a thing, if she was willing.
They exited the room and Victor expressed he wanted to explore everything she had in store in the manor, and Vel said that if he needed anything he simply needed to ask one of the mana wyrms, and she gestured at the spectral creatures that drifted idly around the central tree. Victor looked intrigued, and he requested for one of them to get him a glass of water. Without hesitation, one of them zipped away, and returned with a glass of water that was floated over to him. He was quite amused by the entire exchange as he took a sip.
Vel said there was one more thing, and then she asked if it was okay if she touched him. Victor blinked at her, but said it was fine, and Vel placed a clawed hand on Victor’s chest for a moment. Her eyes, and then her hand, glowed as she uttered a very powerful incantation, and there was a strong pulse of magic. As she pulled her hand back, held delicately between her fingers was a faintly glowing, amber crystal.
Victor exhaled in shock and amazement.
Words died in his mouth before they were said, but Vel immediately picked up that they wouldn’t have been kind to himself if he had said them. Vel moved closer, ensuring that he was looking at her face.
She took his free hand and gently closed the soulstone into his palm.
Victor chuckled and expressed that it was a legitimate surprise, and Vel admitted it was one of her frustrations, though her tone indicated she was playing into the jest. Victor said to be careful at the tomb they were going to, and Vel replied that if they were caught up by the town guard after what they just did, it would have been quite unfortunate, but it was clear that she wasn’t particularly worried. Ultimately, she had ways for them to escape.
However, it was simply clear that Victor didn’t want to lose them again.
Vel put a hand on Victor’s cheek and told him that they would be back soon.
Vel and Uther, as well as some of their companions, headed out of the mansion and turned their attention toward the nearby tomb on Sorrow Hill. They heard nothing but the fluttering of bats and other creatures that Vel could understand. They could see a fair bit in the darkness, as the moons reflected off the nearby Darrowmere Lake. Vel could see Caer Darrow in the distance.
They began their trek towards the graveyards that surrounded Sorrow Hill. At the far end was the unmistakable sight of Uther’s tomb.
Vel asked if Uther was ready for what they were going to be doing, and Uther replied that he was as ready as he was going to be.
As they approached, they saw a beautiful small building with candles up and down the sides of the stairs. There were a few people that were heading back toward Andorhal, but it was largely empty. And Uther’s tomb was completely empty.
They made their way up the stairs and entered the tomb. It was beautifully lit. There were flowers and candles, letters, and other offerings placed upon the stairs over the last week during the Harvest Festival.
Uther looked up at a perfect statue of Uther the Lightbringer that rendered him as a giant. In a lot of ways, he looked as giant as Uther remembered him when he was very, very little. In his hands, he held a massive, stone version of the Libram of Justice, and the great hammer that was named after himself.
The place was a sanctuary. Vel felt a sensation of discomfort, but she was not prevented from entering.
They saw a middle-aged man that was in his late 30s or early 40s. He had a shaved head with brown robes, and a symbol of the holy light. He had strong, calloused hands, and his face was a network of old scars. He smiled.
They were all disguised, either with mundane disguises or magic in Remnii’s case.
Uther produced his Uther the Lightbringer Hearthstone card. The man smiled.
He looked at the card for a long time.
Uther handed the card over to the friar, who continued to look at it in his hands. He got a sad smile, then looked up at the statue.
He handed the card back.
Uther smiled at the benediction, as he really liked how it sounded. The caretaker took up a broom to sweep away some of the leaves that had blown inside. However, the caretaker looked at Remnii, who had disguised herself as another draenei. He mentioned he had heard of another draenei that had been learning of our religion, and he asked if she was doing the same.
Remnii confirmed she was thinking of it.
They began to talk about each other’s interpretations of the Light, which gave Vel the opportunity to move forward and begin her ritual without the caretaker’s notice as Uther kneeled before the statue.
Uther focused on passages he had read in the Libram of Justice and what scarce memories he had of Uther the Lightbringer in the flesh.
Vel reached out across the veil, feeling the thinness of it. She pulled on the string, and focused her magic on the tether between Uther and his namesake who was buried in that very place. She muttered the normal incantation, but at the very end, she said.
The candles blew out, and a crisp wind filled the tomb with the scent of fresh air. It whipped into a singular place in front of the great statue. Tendrils of ethereal wind spun together like a loom of anima.
In the middle of conversation, the caretaker’s eyes had moved in awe to the statue.
The strands of magic pulled forth a figure. He was not as tall as the statue, but he was close, and he was clad in silver armor. He had wide, white wings that flickered into tips of blue, and he was wielding a great hammer.
He wore a helm that obscured his eyes, but they could recognize the image of a beard flickering beneath it.
He was hovering, his wings beating, but no wind came from them. He didn’t seem to be fully incorporeal, and Vel’s eyes widened as she realized that this manifestation was far more than the spell was supposed to accomplish.
Gil stared at Vel.
The figure looked at Uther.
The figure’s feat gently touched the ground.
He reached up and removed the helmet. It was a face that was almost impossible to perceive. He was almost featureless with no pure defining features. But then his face took a shape, revealing the chiseled features of Uther the Lightbringer covered with a well-trimmed beard of gray and white hair.
His hair and his feathers started to darken, starting from the tips and working their way forward.
The figure’s wings darkened completely. He cast the hammer aside, smiled, and then stepped forward to embrace Uther.
The friar had collapsed to his knees in awe, tears streaming from his eyes.
Uther the Lightbringer closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they glowed. Uthe the Lightbringer saw Uther in his truest self. He had the long blonde hair, and his carefully manicured beard. When Uther blinked again, Uther the Lightbringer was exactly as he recalled.
Uther the Lightbringer chuckled.
Uther the Lightbringer’s brow furrowed.
Uther the Lightbringer smiled and nodded.
Uther the Lightbringer chuckled.
Uther the Lightbringer put a hand on Uther’s shoulder.
Uther nodded and smiled up at his namesake.
Uther the Lightbringer smiled back.
Vel glanced over at Uther, who smiled as he made eye contact.
Uther the Lightbringer looked over to Vel and asked if she was the one who called him there, and she confirmed.
Uther the Lightbringer took a step back, and his and Uther’s forms started to shift to what they were supposed to look like.
The friar had fully dropped to his hands and knees, his eyes firmly on the ground before him.
Uther the Lightbringer looked over to the friar, his wings folded behind him. Then he approached and furrowed his brow.
The friar looked up. Grief and self-loathing was evident on the man’s face.
Uther the Lightbringer looked over at Uther.
Uther the Lightbringer kneeled down and placed a hand on the friar's shoulder.
The friar fully collapsed and started to sob. Uther the Lightbringer stood again, and then turned back to the Uther.
The magic that tethered Uther the Lightbringer started to fade. He closed his eyes, and dispersed with the magic They were left in the hallowed halls, and Uther’s eyes turned to the caretaker. He knew without a doubt he was the man that killed Uther the Lightbringer. But he was a man who gave up everything, and even forsook his own name.
Uther approached and kneeled down in front of the friar.
Uther reached out and offered warmth, forgiveness, recognition, and comradery. The friar accepted the hug, but he was speechless. In the moment, Uther, a man bequeathed the name and legacy of Uther the Lightbringer, and he, the man who stole that legacy and then took it upon himself voluntarily, shared a moment of kinship. It was one that defied true explanation, but their souls resonated on a deep level.
The man’s crying stopped, Uther’s words steadying his breathing and his heart. In the first time in the man’s life since that fateful day, a weight had started to lift from the man’s soul. Perhaps his own misery and self-loathing had been lessened.
