[Alliance] Chapter Two: Session Five
July 6th
Vel and Rhonin make it back to Dalaran. They bid farewell, and Rhonin and Vel makes some food plans before Rhonin goes to check on his kids.
Vel heads back to her estate. Everything seems to be well taken care of. It actually even looks like someone swept recently. It was likely Giramar.
She did find a few things that belonged to Giramar, like a few pieces of paper he was using to practice some incantations, and a few doodles as well as a rogue Hearthstone card.
However, it seems like Giramar didn’t mess with anything.
During the week, she was able to reinforce her spellbook and transitioned it into an Enduring Spellbook.
As Vel checks her mail, she did find a bunch of junk mail. Most of it is scams.
However, she also finds an approval request for the Council of the Six for July 11th.
In the meanwhile, she set about removing the undead of the basement. As soon as she heads down, she hears the rattling of chains and the low, ambient sounds of the dead sensing something close.
Kel’Thuzad materializes as she reaches the bottom of the stairs. Kel’Thuzad asks what her plans are, and she expresses she is looking for alternate weaknesses.
Down below is a skeleton, a wight, and a ghoul.
The ghoul seems to be watching Vel with a smarter sort of malice that the skeleton does not have. The ghoul also seems to be saying what could have maybe been words -- simple broken hisses and gurgles. It is straining, hissing “MUST FEED” at her.
And finally, the wight is restrained by heavier chains, its flesh bursting to reveal bulging muscles. It also seems to want to speak with a deep, bassy moan as it struggles. The wight seems to be the biggest of the three, and also the smartest.
Vel also notices the wight, at the base of its neckline, has strange steel bolts jabbed into the side of it. It almost appears to have stitchings around it, namely in its weak points like the back of the knees.
She also examines the ghoul, and all three creatures seem to struggle tirelessly. However, the ghoul seems to have a rust-like malaze over its deformed claws. It’s likely the malaze upon its claws could render its target paralyzed.
Kel’Thuzad also mentions the wight is more susceptible to sunlight. He directs her to the window, and the wight recoils as the sunlight falls on it. Its powerful blows are often-times imbued with shadow magic. It will also try to drain life essence if its blows connect.
Vel comments that the wight is made up multiple bodies. Kel’Thuzad said not precisely. He explains he was the last creature he attempted to animate, and has a bit more sapience than most. He combined a few alchemical processes in the process, but he is composed of one body. He simply reinforced it, as the alchemical processes had some unforeseen side effects.
Namely, its burgeoning muscles.
However, its sapience is not to the same extent as Zalazane.
He then reassures her that the chains should hold.
Vel tries mana burn on the wight, and the spell seems to have a notable effect on the creature. She then follows up with an acid element chromatic orb. And then lightning. And then fire.
The wight then falls, crumbling down to the ground in its final death as the magic animating wanes. She hears its moans almost turn into a whimper, and it seems to say “not again” before crumpling down to the ground.
Vel asks if it knows it was raised.
Kel’Thuzad does know, but he assumes that the magic may have taken memories from the creature’s flesh. He reveals it was a body found in a mass grave. However, it seems they are cable of speech.
As is the ghoul.
However, the ghoul is now focused on the body of the fallen wight. Vel throws a hunk of the wight at the ghoul, and it immediately goes for it.
She observes it seems to go for dead bodies over living, and Kel’Thuzad counters that it may just go after easy meals.
Vel continues to eliminate the rest of the undead, and she then proceeds to get rid of the bodies as she goes over her findings.
Kel’Thuzad directs her to the lichyard later that night, where she meets with an ancient, hunchbacked gravekeeper. For a single gold piece, Kel’Thuzad explains that the man wouldn’t ask many questions.
However, the man does ask Vel if she was the one to inherit KT’s manor, which she confirms. He also mentions he hopes that KT didn’t suffer. Vel confirms he didn’t.
As they leave, Kel’Thuzad is rather amused that the man seemed to have cared for him to some degree, and Vel asks a bit more about their previously relationship. Effectively, the man had been an “old friend” of sorts, and KT continues to explain that the services the man had provided in exchange for pieces of gold would keep his great grandchildren fed for quite some time. To some people, that was what mattered far more than asking questions of people. Especially when those people may have been dangerous to pry too far into.
0:47 Later that week, with a gold piece and some things whispered to the right people, Vel is given access to the far reaches of the lich yard.
She finds an unmarked grave in a section reserved for criminals of Dalaran. Kel’Thuzad points her to a grave, and Vel asks if she needs to dig it up first. He mentions she doesn’t.
Vel looks around one last time, and then proceeds to try and utilize animate dead.
For a moment, she fears she is doing something wrong, but after a moment, there is noise, and a rotted fist with hardly any flesh breaks out of the ground.
A skeleton digs its way out of the ground. There is tattered execution garb clinging to it, and it stares at her, waiting.
Vel has it walk to the left, and then has it remove its own hand.
She notes that it seems to willingly inflict damage on itself, and KT confirms. The nature of the magic ensures that the risen dead would obey the commands of its master regardless of any harm it would inflict upon itself. He then goes on to explain further that the control only lasts for 24 hours and would have to be renewed, though renewing control on an active undead was easier than creating new ones. In addition, because of their nature, if control cannot be kept, during the 23rd hour Vel could simply command those under her control to destroy themselves to keep them from going rogue, as once control waned they would simply mindlessly pursue the living.
Vel then orders the skeleton she raised to destroy itself, at which point it starts to rip bones from its body until it collapses into a pile on the ground. Vel then buries the remains, and returns to her manor, the experiment deemed a success.
0:59
July 11th
Vel makes her way to the meeting with the Council of Six in her best robes. As she goes through the halls of the Violet Citadel, and no one seems to recognize her beyond some of the teachers.
She is called in a short time after she arrives.
She ascends up into the highest chambers of the Citadel, and the stairway ends in a simple chamber about 20 feet in diameter. In the center is a glyph of the Kirin Tor, which seems to be a form of teleportation circle.
The glyph lights up, and the guardian presses his hand on the wall. A matching glyph lights up, and violet light pours forth.
When Velameestra opens her eyes, she is on the exact same platform, but high in the air -- even above the clouds. In the distance are mountains, and as she looks around there is an upper ring of stone. The Council of Six is standing in regular intervals around the central platform.
She recognizes most of the faces, such as Aethas Sunreaver, Ansirem Runeweaver, a broad-shouldered elf with white hair and amber eyes -- Krasus, Modera, and Khadgar. And finally, there was the newest member who replaced Kel’Thuzad, one of the best alchemists in the Kirin Tor. His name was Karlain, who was known to never raise his voice. However, he knows no mercy, and he will ensure that his students get things right.
He seems to be about the same age as Rhonin. He regards her with a stern, but unassuming face.
Khadgar greets her, and there is some commentary as Khadgar asks her about her new manor.
Modera then mentions they should get started.
Vel spills almost everything, including the dragons, Zalazane, the warlocks, and the like. She witholds Tess being a worgen.
The Council listens intently, and then Vel presents the gravestriding and the fact that she reverse-engineered the spell. She hands her notes over, and Khadgar thanks her for the information she provided.
Vel also then asks if she could perhaps have leave to study necromancy in the interest of trying to uncover more information on Zalazane’s hex and how he potentially was brought back--the theory alone, not the practice.
There is a pause. Some of the Council is hesitant, seeking her motives. There is then a brief discussion in the privacy of a sort of magical, expedited magic zone, after which Khadgar announces that, after it was put to a vote, they agreed to give Vel leave to do so, provided she turns in her research every two weeks for review.
Vel agrees.
They thank her again, and Vel thanks them in turn. Kel’thuzad mentally congratulates her on handling the situation, and she is informed that she can report to the clerk for some vouchers for payment as a reward for her information, and the start of a grant for her studies.
Vel goes to the clerk, and a young mostly-elf woman hands Velameestra several vouchers to hand over to the Bank of Dalaran for payment. She had inherited an account from Kel’Thuzad, but that was the extent she knew about the goings on of the bank.
Vel meets with a white-haired goblin woman. Vel hands over the vouchers, and the goblin slams them over an arcane glyph one by one and they disappear.
A construct comes over, dropping a pouch of gold, followed by several others. It’s a total of 292 gold pieces, which Vel signs off on.
She also signs her name onto Kel’Thuzad’s account, effectively acquiring it as well. In addition, she would be getting a stipend for her continued research into Zalazane and his magics.
1:42
Meanwhile, back with Uther and Tess in Lordaeron. Krennan is still bedridden.
Tess is learning the poisoner’s kit from “Erin”. He seems really good for what he says he is. Tess is starting to get an inkling there may be more to him.
Meanwhile, Uther continues training, splitting his time between physical training and magic training alongside Arator, Elissa, and some of the others.
Near the end of the second week, Uther is summoned to the Cathedral of the Holy Light. When Uther arrives, High Inquisitor Sally Mograine greets him, and then leads him into the catacombs of heroes of the Holy Light.
Archbishop Benedictus is communing with the crystal that has been secluded in the Cathedral when they see him. He greets them.
Benedictus then mentions there is something Uther may like to see. It seems the shard is of light and shadow. He also mentions that the shard had sent a younger acolyte that was studying it into a coma for a week.
However, he mentions if they bring that information to other members of the Gauntlet Arthas and the others may see it as too far gone. Benedictus doesn’t want it destroyed, and he mentions that the “wisdom of youth” may be worthwhile.
Uther said that he is at his command.
Benedictus would like Uther to commune with the crystal. Uther agrees, and starts to do so.
After a while, he hears a beautiful sound. Like wind chimes, as if they were played by a chorus of angels. A word comes unbidden to his mind. A name. He doesn’t know why it’s a name, but he does.
It’s A’dal.
The chorus fills him with a light unbidden, as if his body is being lifted up and out. His spirit is brought forth on a cloud of pure light. He feels the love of his loved ones, and the smiles and cheers of his people.
Yet simultaneously, he feels the respect of the light and the respect of a foe. The understanding that those he must raise his hand against has chosen their path. While they may believe themselves right, it is his responsibility to show them the Light.
The tenacity of the light. His father never gave up, though his father was assassinated by the trolls. His mother never gave up, though she was pulled in many directions. His ancestors never gave up as they built every part of Lordaeron.
But there was so much suffering, and so many lives lost.
Suddenly the wind chime sound starts to shift ever so slightly. It drops a half-step, and the chorus cracks. It sounds like cracks appear through glass, falling into itself. Some people died without ever knowing what they did. The tenacity of Zalazane, an undead abomination. He was abhorrent to the Light, yet he still persevered. Respect against those he had slain, and he sees a flash of trolls he butchered out of hatred, and the one he tortured for information.
Uther comes to, his eyes open, and his body is covered in sweat. He had fallen, and is now sitting.
Benedictus is calling to him. Uther comes to, and the archbishop asks if he is alright.
Uther mentions he believes the crystal is a link, somehow. He mentions the name “A’dal,” and that it may be a creature of the Light. Possibly.
Sally looks to Uther and asks him to tell everything that happened. Uther complies.
Benedictus thanks him, and mentions he will redouble their cautionary measures in further research. Uther mentions that if he can help at all, he will do so.
However, that night, he is plagued by nightmares. However, after he wakes up in a cold sweat, he is comforted by nice dreams.
2:30
July 9th
Meanwhile, around the same time that everyone else was talking to naaru and killing zombies, Gil is up in Silvermoon and is able to start his investigations.
He starts to make arrangements to have meetings with both Borel and Kilnar.
Borel, amazingly, is available immediately. He sighs as Gil meets him and asks what he can help with him with.
Gil asks for more information regarding Lana’thel Dawnspeaker’s squad, who were the escorts for Dar’khan Drathir. Borel provides it. Lana’thel seems to have a spotless record, except her daughter was once fined for breaking a few laws in Quel’Thalas that were in place for the protection for the entertainment sector. Lana’thel had used her position to get her a fine instead of time in prison.
The next one is Taldaram Evenstar. He seems to brood a fair bit, and is known for getting into fights with other members of the order. They seem to be a bit unprovoked in regards to the ones reported. He is also rather large for an elf: he’s tall and muscular.
Valanar and Keleseth Graybrook are brothers. Valanar is the younger one, and has a pristine record. He is known for being very patriotic, and Borel mentions he was shocked to find Valanar on the suspect list. Keleseth, on the other hand, had been court martialed three times before this. He was involved in a number of other scandals that all involved the murder or death of criminals he had brought to justice in two cases. In the one instance, he had attacked Amani trolls after he had supposedly given orders not to pursue, though he claimed that those orders never got to him. He was never connected to the death of the Farstrider that was supposedly supposed to get word to him.
However, they all have wonderful military track records.
Koltira Swiftheart, however, does not have a file.
Borel mentions he isn’t too surprised Taldaram and Keleseth were on the suspect list, though Valanar surprised him the most.
Gil asks if they all work together normally, and Borel confirms. They have a track record of working well together.
Gil asks if he had assigned additional guards to other magisters, and Borel said he didn’t. Gil asked what prompted Borel to assign additional guards to Drathir.
Borel mentions that Drathir was drawing attention to himself speaking to a number of magisters to try and get a group to move on the cabal of warlocks. However, he notes the additional guards proved insufficient, though Drathir shouldn’t have dismissed them early.
Gil follows up. Borel goes on to explain that after Drathir reached his neighborhood, he informed the group he didn’t need to be escorted to his door. He reserved that right for only those of the fairer sex, he said. They relented.
Borel does not believe his men responsible. He also looked rather tired as he leaned back.
Gil asks for more information on Koltira, but Borel doesn’t have any. Koltira is a member of the Spellbreaker Legion, so his file is held by Lor’themar.
Gil mentions several other suspects, and Borel mentions that Anice and and Landra were in support of Drathir’s plan. Fyalenn was opposed, and Laryanna wasn’t sure.
They talk a bit more, and Gil, Caleron, and Zaeneas leave.
Kilnar then sends a Sending to Gil informing him that she would love to see him later that evening, but he is to come alone. At this point it’s around seven.
3:07 Gil approaches Kilnar’s estate, and is permitted inside. Kilnar stands, and greets Gil, then asks if his sister had returned with her. Gil says no, but he believes she had made it back to Dalaran. Kilnar is pleased, and mentions she hopes Vel would have contacted her had she arrived back.
Gil sits down, and servants bustle around to get refreshments.
Kilnar mentions that she knows Gil has been assigned to the investigation. She then asks for Gil’s thoughts.
Gil mentions some people are more suspicious than others.
Kilnar correctly assumes that she is on the suspect list. After all, she has eyes and ears all over the place. However, she mentions she is not responsible for Drathir’s death, though she wishes she was. She despised Drathir.
Gil comments on the suspiciousness of her wording, and Kilnar said that she was an honest woman. She wasn’t going to hide her thoughts.
Gil explains that he was talking to other magisters about fighting against the warlocks.
Kilnar mentions there are many reasons for that, esteem, perhaps something more nefarious, if he wasn’t dead. She believed Drathir had been responsible for the warlock infestation, and he suspected her.
However, she was off-base, it seems.
She asks who Gil thought was responsible, and Gil said that he wasn’t sure yet. She mentions that was the safe answer, and that he doesn’t take much after his aunts.
However, she has been playing this game for a while, and as far as she’s concerned, there’s more going on. Kilnar believes Drathir was in league with his killers and they wanted to silence him.
She then mentions the one place she doesn’t have eyes and ears in the palace.
Gil comments that if only he had someone with access to the palace, and Kilnar said she did, but she couldn’t find anything out. Gil said it wasn’t her. Besides. She’s a suspect.
Kilnar then warns Gil that the corruption may go far deeper than it is believed. There are some that believe that Kael’thas has been a poor king.
Gil asks if she has any names, and Kilnar mentions that it would be damning if she did. Gil counters that it seems he may need to write a report about how she may have names that she didn’t give up.
Kilnar said that she has only said the honest truth.
However, she said she would try her best to watch Gil’s back without painting a larger target on hers. She also said he was welcome to stay in her estate, even though he may not believe he is safe there.
She seems a bit drunk.
Gil mentions that he is going to have to speak with her students, namely Esara, and Kilnar mentions that, of course, of all times she was setting one of her students who specializes in pyromancy on a clandestine mission she can’t speak of it would be the night Drathir was killed with pyromancy.
Gil asks about Rorha Sundown as well, who was stripped of his rank due to the negligence that allowed Telina to infiltrate, and she mentions that Drathir was the one that stripped that rank after finding it out. In addition, she had taught him originally.
Gil asks after any other people of interest, and Kilnar mentions Zendarin as he was quite close to Drathir, though if he is involved and Gil goes he may find himself completely removed if he pushes too far. She also comments that his wife is a sweetheart, however.
They talk for a bit more, and Kilnar tells Gil to be careful again, and Gil leaves.
Gil heads back to the Farstrider square.
3:31
As he wanders out and around, the streets are really quiet. However, they just grow quieter.
Then he hears a distant sound that sounds like feet running. Quickly. From the sounds of it it seems like the gait of a wild dog, but there are multiple instances.
Gil tries to get into cover, and as he looks through the darkness, he sees a figure running. The figure runs around the corner and starts sprinting down the alley in his direction.
And there are three other figures chasing after him. There seems to three hounds with tentacles jutting out from behind them. They are the demon hounds that were summoned by Telina Mirthbrook previously. It appears the man is fleeing from them.
One of the hounds leaps at the man. However, an arcane shield flares to life around him as the fel hound slams into the shield. His cowl flies off, and a long mane of wispy white hair flares back from beneath it.
Gil shoots the attacking demon hound, and the man looks back at Gil. Gil sees a glint of bright white eyes before the man whips around again.
Gil fires again, and the second shot heavily wounds it. Another beast lopes past the man and charges for Gil, but then with a flare of an arcane sigil, the demon hound disappears.
The injured beast bites into the man’s arm, but for a moment the man seems unphased. The hound continues to attack, and then suddenly, with a crack, the hound that disappeared reappears in front of Gil.
The man calls to Gil, and a frosty rime covers the ground around him as he fires a spell off. The body of the creature that attacked Gil flash-freezes and shatters.
Gil uses Zephyr Strike and charges ahead, almost pinning the tentacles of the beast attacking the man. He fires again, and it slices right through the beast and its body dissipates.
The man congratulates Gil, and looks over at him. There’s one more.
The last dog leaps for Gil, but he ducks out of the way and creature bites onto a door knob and rips it free.
The man fires a blast of icy fire at the last beast, and Gil finishes it off.
3:52
The man approaches Gil, who introduces himself as Gilveradin Windrunner, and it then dawns on Gil that there is something strange about the man’s voice. It seems to have an otherworldly flange to it. He does not seem to be hostile in the slightest, however.
The man introduces himself as Meryl, and he expresses that he shouldn’t be surprised his bow work came from a Windrunner.
Meryl explains that the fel hunters smelled his magic. He then correctly identifies Gil as a Farstrider, and mentions that Gil may be the person he needs to find what he is here for.
As Gil looks closer at the his guy, he seems to be move like a normal person, but his skin seems… it reminds Gil of the creatures that Zalazane had with him. Necrotized. Tight on his frame.
Gil tries to sense humanoids, but there is not one directly in front of him.
Meryl comments he is eager to learn, and he tells him to tune that into the creatures that he just fought. Find the ripple. The sense of chaos when they dissipated.
Gil follows his instructions and reaches out. He still does not sense this man. However, he feels a distant tug. Roiling about three quarters of a mile to the south east in some of the most dangerous places of this neighborhood.
Meryl asks if he senses anything.
Gil says he senses two things. He mentions the roiling, and comments Meryl is not what he appears to be. Meryl counters he is exactly what he appears to be.
He asks Gil to lead them to the portal.
He then explains that the technique Gil just used was one used ages ago. Gil asks if that was back when he was alive, and Meryl smiles and says that is the case, but pushes him to seek out the portal.
Meryl gives three potions to Gil, and he comments that they aren’t poisoned. If he wanted to kill Gil he would have done so a while ago. It’s a potion of greater healing, fire resistance, and heroism.
He then gives Gil a small, ruby stone which seems to be malleable. It’s a transmutation stone.
They reach a small, boarded up tavern. There is a portal inside. Meryl instructs Gil to drink the potion of Heroism, and Gil does. Meryl comments he follows instructions well.
There were six people there when Gil checked before.
Meryl also casts greater invisibility on him.
Gil asks him if he has any ideas for getting in, and Meryl asks what experience he has with teleportation magic. Gil says none beyond being teleported. Meryl hands him a stone, and tells him to ignore the voices as he crushes the stone.
He does. There are vaguely familiar voices as he recalls some things, almost if they were magically recalled.
He recalls the barrier that he had seen Elissa enact around allies, and his sister teleporting around the battlefield, and he’s certain he can do that now too.
They hear a scream from down below as he blinks in.
They go.
Obscured by invisibility, Gil immediately kills one of the cultists surrounding a circle. Then another.
There is a woman in the center, unconscious by an open portal. It looks like she may be an entertainer.
The cultist makes several incantations upon realizing there is an invisibility charm in place. The tongue spoken is a demonic tongue that Gil, for some reason, can understand.
The cultists start attacking the invisible Gil, while others continue to focus on the ritual. The portal in the center begins to flicker. It ripples forth, and another fel hunter leaps through it.
Meryl comes up behind Gil and starts channeling a spell. It appears to be one that would catch all of the creatures beyond, but it may catch the unconscious woman as well.
Gil stops him, and Meryl realizes his near mistake, and curses. Instead, he looks at Gil, draws a line in the air, and the invisibility vanishes as he instead casts haste on Gil.
The woman with the blonde hair, who seems to be in charge, looks at Gil and comments he must be one of the Farstriders that were giving them trouble. She fires a sickly, shadowy ball at Gil. However, it misses, but it explodes outwards. Fortunately, Meryl and Gil dodge.
A cultist tries to freeze Gil in place, but he shrugs off the effects of the spell. Several others continue to concentrate on the ritual.
A nearby fel hunter runs at Meryl, but misses.
Meryl calls on Gil to concentrate, and his arrow bursts into pure arcane energy. He fires it at the woman, and her demon armor drops as it connects.
He fires again, and the woman drops. Her dagger, which is one of the troll daggers, drops at her side.
Meryl then drops a frost nova in the back, successfully freezing the people in the rear. The two remaining cultists flash freeze and fall dead, but the portal seems to be unaffected.
The second fel hunter attacks Gil, but misses.
The ritual starts to wane, and the cultists shouts that they need to stop them. One of the fanatics charges in, but also misses Gil. Another one charges, and misses as well.
The portal then collapses upon itself, but not before another fel creatures appears in its place. It is large and muscular, with reddish skin. Meryl identifies it as a FelGuard.
Gil once again bushes off the hold person another cultist tries to inflict him with.
The first felhunter crits Meryl, and then hits again with a tentacle. Meryl counters with a frostbite on the cultist.
The battle rages on. Gil lands several hits on the FelGuard.
The FelGuard, however, dips down and picks up the unconscious woman. He says that, if Gil doesn’t want the woman to die, Gil should lay down his weapon.
The rest of the cultists then wait.
Gil, however, smirks and fires off a shot. The magic starts to swirl around it and pierces the FelGuard right between the eyes. The demon drops the woman and curses him, shouting that Gil could have hit the woman.
Gil countered he wouldn’t have.
The FelGuard then disappears.
He fires another arrow into one of the cultist fanatics.
The enemies continue to try and dogpile Meryl. He counters with a blizzard.
One of the cultists runs to the unconscious woman and tries the same tactic as the FelGuard. There’s a stalemate.
But then Gil fires an arrow and kills that man as well. Gil goes over to the unconscious woman, and fires off several other arrows.
The unconscious woman seems to stabilize.
Meryl continues to get dogpiled. However, they finish off the remaining enemies.
Gil then heals the woman, and she jerks awake. She’s amazed she’s alive.
5:05
Meryl congratulates Gil, and the woman asks who they are. Gil introduces himself while Meryl goes about examining the ritual area.
They identify the young woman as Lana’thel’s daughter, Thal’ena. She looks a lot like her mother. Gil offers to escort the young woman home, and Meryl agrees that it may be wise to do so. He would also accompany them once he finishes dispelling the circle.
His eyes then widen as he sees the runes.
He shouts at Gil and the girl to run.
The circle had started to absorb some of the blood. There is a loud laugh, and a portal rips open again.
A protective ward erupts around Gil as Meryl shouts at him to get back.
Meryl is drawn into the portal, as well as all the bodies and the dropped sacrificial dagger.
A voice shouts at Gil to get in there as Meryl needs his help. Out of the corner of his eye he sees a spectral man with robes. He can’t tell much beyond the fact it’s a silhouette, however, the figure seems to be a half-elf.
It shouts at him again to save Meryl, and it disappears.
Gil shoves the girl as far away from him as possible and jumps into the portal, which collapses behind him.
Meryl shouts at Gil as he sees him, and before the undead man is a large create with bright red skin and a long tail.
They proceed to try and fight this thing. The eredar and Meryl fight each other, and the demon abruptly encases Gil in a wall of ice while brandishing a large staff.
/revision/latest?cb=20150807174628He is identified as Baladuur, hunter of mages.
Then two felhunters materialize within the wall, and attack Gil. Meanwhile, a green orbs of energy starts to melt through the ice.
Back with Meryl, the “tumors” start to surround him. Meryl starts to retreat, and the eredar strikes at him, but misses. Meryl then dispels the ice wall. However, having taken some damage from the repulsion tumors, his concentration drops of the protection of good and evil that had surrounded Gil.
The demon approaches Meryl and takes damage from the repulsion tumors. He twirls his staff in his hand and fires off an icy blast.
Gil tries to hack through the felhunters on him. He shoves it backwards through the acid spheres, and the creature promptly dies. Permanently.
Suddenly, a geyser of fel fire erupts from the ground, blasting Meryl and the felhunter.
The demon starts to go for Meryl and Gil, but the ghostly figure interrupts, grabbing the staff and flinging it away. A voice shouts that Baladuur will never use Ebonchill to hunt mages again.
Meryl then manages to hold monster on Baladuur.
Meryl drinks his potion of supreme healing, and then hurls a 9th level disintegrate at Baladuur.
Gil runs across the battlefield, scoops up Ebonchill, and then fires an arrow at Baladuur. The demon drops to his knees. He croaks that Meryl has not won. The Legion would still win. And he crumbles.
Gil grabs the sacrificial dagger as well, and Meryl shouts at him that they have to go. He reaches out to Gil, Gil grabs his hand, and they jump through a destabilizing portal and slams onto the basement floor.
Thela’na runs over and throws her hands around Gil, relieved they were somehow alive.
Meryl explains that the realm was a pocket dimension in the Twisting Nether. Which, demons can return and regenerate in that realm. However, if they are killed in it, they cannot. Baladuur would never be back now. Many souls were put to rest. Namely, a dear friend of Meryl’s.
Gil asks if he was a half-elf, and Meryl said he was, and, in a way, still is. For Gil’s help, he deserved a few answers. Meryl introduces himself as Meryl Winterstorm, and at this point, he was over 3000 years old. He was originally from the kingdom of Arathor, and was one of the first 100 humans chosen to learn magic from the elves. Once he fought alongside his old friend, Alodi, against the Legion. He still does, though things are different. He explains that the techniques that Gil used were developed by one of the Windrunner house, and spread amongst some of the Tiris Falad. However, Meryl was the only one that remained.
He explains the voice Gil heard was Talanis Windrunner, and the stone allowed Gil to tap into his ancestral memories.
Meryl explained that his work was now done there, and their activity would be noticed. It would be best if he was gone. However, he had faith that Gil was prepared to start standing against that what would come.
Gil asked if there were more, and Meryl confirms, explaining they were eredar, part of of the Burning Legion.
They then hear heavy footfalls overhead. Meryl departs using a Hearthstone with the words “Tirisfal,” along with the staff and his transmutation stone.
Guardians of the Eternal Spring come down from overhead, lead by a beautiful man with long silver hair.
It’s Thela’na’s father. She said she can explain.
Gil mentions his daughter was almost ritually sacrificed. The man is stunned, but stops Gil from explaining further. They need to go make a report.
After he is escorted back to make a report, Gil is escorted back to the Farstrider barracks. He then sends out a report to everyone that needs to know.
Gil is forced to take a day off while he is under watch.
The same day as the meeting with the Kirin Tor, Vel receives a sending from Jaina. Jaina informs her that her brother was attacked by warlocks. He was fine, but more help may be needed in Silvermoon and Kael’thas had requested Jaina’s help personally.
Vel was being brought along.
Within the hour.
Meanwhile, Talath arrived on her doorstep, and Vel gives him a brief greeting before informing him she will be leaving in an hour.
