Update Archive/56

OOC: Part of what is owed. I had an unexpected conference about sharks and Malta's role in researching them.
I will update the rest tomorrow.
Also, now is a time of great sacrifice, as you may notice.
Featherbeard turned to his comrades; the Urkath's special unit, the Wildhammer scouts and lieutenant Yarin of the Dark Irons.
"Lads, I have Thane Thaurissian's intentions - he suggests we take Relgast to Caer Darrow; per'aps the druids can save 'em."
Yarin scowled, tugging at his beard in frustration.
"How can we take da' heir so far? How? Tis' too great a distance! We must get the troll's help!"
This clearly angered Featherbeard, who folded his arms.
"Your Thane has given an order and it has my approval. We move the heir to Caer Darrow. I am a Druid; an' I have an idea. I'll send out a call for the gryphons in these hills. They c'un fly us to Darrow."
The troll priest watched the exchange intently, and turned to see the groaning Relgast Anvilmar lolling in pain.
"Well mon', don' say I didn' warn ye. We be meetin again, methinks."
Then the troll lumbered into the darkness of the caves.
All around the party there were raptors nesting still, and at seeing their revered Relgast growing ill they were starting to grow anxious.
Featherbeard cast his spell, and within the hour a screech was heard from outside. The dwarves rushed out to see three gryphons circling overhead. The raptors eagerly sprinted around the fields, hoping to claw the birds to pieces.
"Yarin! Voral, Morian! Hoist Relgast an' we will take 'im into the hills and mount the gryphons. The rest of ye', go back to Ironforge."
The raptors of Cary'leh let the dwarves pass thanks to Featherbeard's magic, but they did not hide their distaste at seeing Relgast leave.
Featherbeard let Relgast share a gryphon with him, while the two other dwarves mounted the other gryphons.
This left Yarin and Urkath's troops to head back to Ironforge. The gryphons took off, preparing to soar into the skies.
Whoever had poisoned Relgast might still be among them.
---
On Fenris Isle, Skirvar found both Urel and Jaril safely. He hastily informed them that their allegiances had changed; Javali was now their top priority target.
Heading to the ships, the three dwarves prepared to do their part for the cause.
Just as they ran onto the docks, however, they were met by a detachment of elite guards bearing the colours of Kul Tiras.
Skirvar, having spent some time among these men on the voyage to Fenris, recognized them. They were the soldiers under Captain Redpath, Thaumas Proudmoore's second in command.
"What the hell is going on in there? I saw Thaumas fly out on his couatl!" Redpath cried, waving his sword. "Tell us now, dwarf! Who is attacking the keep?"
Skirvar decided to be frank.
"Lay down yer arms, Redpath. Move aside."
"Lay down my arms?" Redpath asked, wrinkling his eyebrows, clearly confused. He had not caught wind of Skirvar's change of heart.
Urel brandished an axe, his Wildhammer training driving him into a desire for honourable combat and ecstasy. Jaril was readying his power over the Light, steadying it so that it could be used at a whim. Skirvar himself prepared to launch himself into combat.
"Aye, Redpath. Lay 'em down."
"Where is the Grand Admiral?" Redpath demanded.
Skirvar winked.
"He's soon to be a dead man, I think."
"How dare you!" Redpath roared, ordering his men to charge.
Urel held the line in close combat, warding off the Tirasians with his axe, while Jaril kept him protected with his magics. Skirvar threw bolts of fire, and several of the enemy errupted in flames, screaming.
Yet Redpath would not be so easily subdued. He drew his sword and maneuvered around the party, and before Skirvar had time to act, he was upon Jaril. The Bronzebeard priest warded him off with his staff, but with little success.
Even Urel was giving way before the onslaught of Tirasian bodyguards.
Soon, the party was split in half. Skirvar realised that he was facing one of the hardest choices of his life. At any moment, either Urel or Jaril would fall in combat. His loyal friends, who had served him since before their expedition to Zul'Aman; old friends since Ironforge. These dwarves were his right hand and his left hand; or two rights, at that.
But they were both at risk.
Could he save both of them? Skirvar Thaurissian knew that he had to come to the aid of either one or the other; Urel... or Jaril?
-----
Javali's retreat seemed to be going considerably well, all things considered. Grigori Dosantos was out of action, for the time being. Yet the Witch Hunters were streaming in after them, and it was all that Ulyssan could do to hold the line against crossbows, curved swords and accursed enchantments of the Holy Light. Close by Javali, a Hareveim went down in a silken heap, a bolt affixed to her chest. A Tirasian bodyguard tumbled over his cloak and fell upon his sword. By the door, a magus Javali had known for years met his end as a Witch Hunter cut his legs out from under him.
"To the ships!" Ulyssan urged once more.
It was fortunate that Javali had ordered three flagships to Fenris; and surely enough, they might prove to be the redeeming exit for the pagan retinue.
Outside, Javali set foot on the cobblestones of the docks, only to look upon a rather worrying sight. Out of his three ships, one had been blown into pieces; wood and debris lay scattered everywhere. Another ship was under attack by the pesky Skirvar and his compatriots, though it looked like Tirasian Captain Redpath had the situation under control.
For a hasty escape, there was the final ship, which also happened to be the closest one.
There was only one problem.
The representatives of the Perinany Legion had brought their own fighting force, and they were struggling with the guards Javali had left to watch the boats.
Ulyssan rushed to Javali's side, his young face poached red with effort and sweat.
"Master, we're spent!" he cried, as the Witch Hunters followed them onto the docks. "The Perinany Legion will board our vessel if we all move onto the ship!"
Javali shook his head angrily.
"What choice do we have, boy?"
Ulyssan trembled, determination in his eyes. Resolve was clear on his face; the tightness of his jaw. His juvenile beard lessened the impression of a terrible hero, but the young magus nonetheless maintained the stance of one.
"I'll hold the line! Go back to Dalaran, my lord! I'll hold them!" then, Ulyssan hastily added. "And teleport back into the city when there is time for such a spell! But you must go! Please; for what we did share, master, you must do this. It is my choice."
As they wasted time on idle chatter, they were forced to contend with the enemy quickly setting a noose around them. Whatever issues Captain Redpath was having with the dwarves, the fool did not have the wisdom to set sail as quickly as he should have.
There was one hope left; the king of Gilneas had hired his own ships to reach the island. They could possibly be reached by heading west along the shore, but that might not be so much a solution as a disappointment if he was already fled; and it was a suicidal gamble even then, with the Dalarani ship so close.
Time was running out.
-----
As hastily as was humanly possible - in elite Ravenholdt assassin standards - Warester Van Dam steered the couatl back towards Fenris Keep. As he approached once more, he saw that the fighting had spilled onto the docks, though what was this?
It seemed that a rowing party had made for the eastern beach, all with pirates that resembled the lot from Faldren's ship. What was the fool getting himself into this time, Van Dam wondered.
Indeed, he would have to find Relfthra and Alford before all was lost. Deciding to land his couatl not a distance from the pirates, Van Dam leapt off and rushed to demand a hasty explanation from the party. At their head was Caxagord, tears streaming from his face, his shirt ripped open to brandish his glaring scar.
"What the hell are you doing here, man?" Van Dam asked, shaking Caxagord. "Speak to me!"
Caxagord snapped out of it, swallowing his grief.
"I tried to stop Bergan! I had the chance... but it slipped from my grasp! I could have ended it here and now..."
This was nonsense.
Though Van Dam then saw that the ships of Lordaeron were already setting sail. The Garamonde was on the move; Alford must have made it safely onboard.
Ordering Caxagord to meet him back on Faldren's flagship, Van Dam set off to where the action was, using the Keep's halls to do so. Passing scenes of carnage, the Grand Master finally chanced upon who he had been hoping to find. An elongated balcony branched out over the lake, overlooking all the waters and coasts around the keep. Standing at the pinnacle of this balcony was Phorcys, his hands raised in a defensive gesture against Relfthra, who stood facing him.
The monstrous figure saw Van Dam, and regarded him with misty, forlorn eyes.
"I had foreseen this." he called out. "I had foreseen... everything. But my son did not listen! Alas. Fate does not change, not even when a half-god demands it."
Relfthra scoffed at the monster.
"I will dig you a grave, beast."
Then to all Van Dam's surprise, Phorcys lashed out in sudden fury. Relfthra was sent sliding back into the wall at the far end of the balcony, leaving Van Dam face to face with the half-god.
"The game's up, Phorcys. Turn yourself in."
In truth, Van Dam did not feel all that eager to test himself against this creature in single combat, after seeing what he had just done to Relfthra. Nonetheless, every show called for a main character with a laughable amount of heroism, and Van Dam likened himself to be pretty damn well near the top of the caste.
The half-god bared his twisted teeth, green and blue with coral.
"You took my son from me! The prophecies, they come true!"
"Right, right." Van Dam said, tossing a dagger. He calculated that he could make a fast lunge at this thing's neck if he acted quickly enough.
"Pain... too much pain! It is over. I hope your victory is bittersweet, human. You have robbed me of the only thing left in this world that I loved, my little boy... Nothing binds me to this world anymore." The half-god groaned, his misty eyes broiling with emotion. "Drown in blood, then. I was never an agent of darkness or war, nor was my son! You will learn, very soon, that you are in fact the agents of destruction."
Then Phorcys turned, throwing both arms into the air in a salute to the setting sun.
Then the half-god dived into the lake, and was lost from sight.
Relfthra had gotten to his feet by now, massaging his head.
"I assume the job was finished, Grand Master?"
It was a rhetorical question.
"And yet Phorcys lives." Van Dam intoned.
Distant cries of battle continued to resound, but Relfthra ignored them.
"The Great War has begun. My Council will not be pleased; this attack had not been foreseen." Then Relfthra looked Van Dam over once more. "You did your work well. You may have saved many lives. So tell me, Grand Master, will you work with us again? This is only the beginning. Become an honorary member of my Council, a weapon, a knife, for a just cause. Only as a member may you know more. From this day forth, the future lies uncertain. Join us, and know the truth. Know everything needed to change everything."
-----
Bergan gathered the bodyguards to arrange an escape, while Xie rushed out to see where the traitors had gone. Many of the traitors had fallen in battle in the confusion, but Caxagord was still alive. Caxagord raised his hands, seeing that Bergan was not near.
"My King! Please! Look!" he said, pointing at the scars on his chest. "You left me for dead, betrayed me! Do you not understand? The Purge; everything I did it was for you, my lord! For you! Why have you forsaken me?"
Xie laughed angrily and furiously like a lobstrokk on crack.
"You are weak, Caxagord! Alterakc is a new power, with Yeven and Gabranth and Bergan who will lead us to victory over pagans!"
Caxagord's tears continued to flow.
"But my lord... you were my precious king! Please!"
"No! I am not a complete monster but I'm still treacherous, you should have known better Caxagord!"
"Noooo!" Caxagord cried, as madness set in due to his proximity to Xie.
Category:Updates
Category:By Timolas