#illness as not merely a gateway to death but as the distillation of what it means to be alive! I holler again through my cardboard tube

[sekhisadventures]

Villainess

A very remote part of the In-Between

There was a crack, the soul shard breaking, then shattering as the soul trapped within rose out of it like a cloud of smoke, trying to flee the area before a pair of chains snaked out and snapped shut around it’s wrists. The soul coalesced into the form of a draenei woman, tugging at her restraints with eyes widened by terror as she looked out from her new prison.

Standing nearby was Dissonantia, a trio of Mo’arg huddled behind her. Contract workers, in a sense. She put out the call she needed something specific built, and these three demons responded. “Roight then, the chains certainly hold.” she chuckled. This workshop had been connected to her main sanctum in the Twisting Nether, the blood on the portal still wet. The draenei’s former lover, whose soul went to fuel the doorway. This was the only drawback to this new technique. She had to actually be IN the Shadowlands to make anima, but for a warlock making an anchored gateway was a mere matter of finding the right materials. Some good solid stone, a carving tool, a victim, easy enough if you knew what you were doing.

“Now… lets see…” she grinned as she advanced towards the captive spirit, raising her claws as glowing red lines of anima surged between them, a lash anchoring itself in the draenei’s chest. She cried out, an echoing scream as her eyes went huge, and fresh hot anima energies burst out of her eyes and mouth, heading up into the large bat-like stone mouth above her. Inside a special device distilled and condensed the energies into a near-liquid form, thank you Theotar for your insane obsession with teatime, and dribbled out a red blood-like liquid into a waiting bottle. She continued until the bottle was full, the soul screaming all the while, then finally snapped her fingers as the spell stopped. The draenei slumped in the chains, whimpering softly as she walked to the bottle and picked it up.

She sniffed it as one would a fine wine, then put it to her lips and took a pull… licking her muzzle as she finished. “Mmm, that’s the stuff…” she chuckled. “Good job boys! Yer payment is right over there…” she nodded to the corner. Curled up there was a third terrified draenei, the sister of the soul Dissonantia had just harvested, her wrists and ankles bound, and a rough cloth gag shoved in her mouth.

The mo’arg grinned to each other, then two of them grabbed a leg as the third opened a portal, dragging the girl along as she clawed at the floor. Dissonantia didn’t even watch her go. As far as she was concerned, it was just payment. After all, she couldn’t build the bloody thing.

She took another taste, then put the bottle back down and smirked, “Aye, that’ll do fer now…” she grinned, walking back through the portal to her sanctum.

It was a massive, cavernous area in a chunk of stone floating in the Nether, the walls lined with various trophies, shelves of useful things she’d gathered, and a massive cauldron in the center. Around it stood her three partners in wickedness. Az’arad, the Wrathguard, nodding respectfully to his longtime summoner. Quzgup, the imp, cackling and sniffing at the air, able to tell what Dissonantia had just done and rather enjoying it. Lastly, their newest addition, Cenoon. The incubus smiled at her as she approached. “Well SOMEone looks pleased with themselves. It worked then did it?” he asked.

“Like a bleedin’ charm Cenoon.” grinned the worgen. “Immortality AND eternal youth at last!” she cackled, “All we gotta do now is sort out th’ last few… details.” she grinned, walking to the cauldron and waving her hand over it.

The liquid shimmered and showed them several views at once in the bubbles… A troll death knight honing his spear, a goblin laughing and downing a big mug of ale, a taureness and pandaren in conversation with a void elf and vulpera nearby, a dwarf and night elf sitting together as they gazed out across Zereth Mortis, a mage inspecting something with a broker next to him, a blood elf Illidari all alone, and a mag’har laying out a huge brute of a tauren as a bunch of onlookers cheered.

“Savage Untied ‘n Avalon… those lot are th’ only ones who know my methods…” she frowned, “They was useful when I was tryin’ ta work out how ta stay alive… but now they’re a bloody liability.” she nodded, then pointed to the vulpera. “This one, however, be th’ most bleedin’ dangerous of the lot.”

Cenoon scoffed at that, “Her? That tiny fox-thing?” he laughed, “What’s she going to do, swish her tail at you? Give you the big eyes until you surrender out of pity?” he smirked.

Dissonantia raised her eyebrow at him, then gestured over the pool of liquid. The scene shifted to Ardenweald on that day that Zovaal’s forces came for the heart, from Dissonantia’s viewpoint. The fox was a small figure on a hillside, then suddenly she was the center of a massive sandstorm, and then just as suddenly the storm was full of furious vulpera spirits.

Cenoon’s eyebrows went up, “… oh I see…” he said quietly.

She nodded, “Aye, that’s why I contracted with yez pretty boy.” she replied. “She’s small ‘n fast, hard ta feckin’ hit… ‘n she’s powerful, even if she don’t bleedin’ KNOW she is… Yer job is ta use yer powers ta keep ‘er from usin ‘er’s until we can sort ‘em out… th’ rest? Eh, th’ orc ‘n troll be a problem… the druid ‘n paladin be a REAL bloody problem… but that’s ‘bout it… we take ‘em by surprise, we can take the whole feckin’ lot out in one go.” she nodded, snapping her fingers and opening a portal back to Zereth Mortis. “Right lets get this bloody over with…” she grinned, stepping through as the other three followed her. Quzgup and Cenoon turned invisible, but Az’arad stayed as he was. The others knew about him after all, and he couldn’t turn invisible.

As they left however there was a shuffling sound and an imp poked its head in… it scurried across the floor to the cauldron, then peered inside. This wasn’t a regular imp however, its huge horns marked it as a Fel Imp. “Hmm…” it muttered, looking over the images of Savage United and Avalon still reflected in the water, then looking at Nelen’s image. “Hmm?!” it blinked, then hissed. “Captain likes that one! Gotta tell him!” he chattered, jumping down and running back the way he came into the nether.

Haven, Zereth Mortis, approximately one week after Zovaal’s defeat

The group all sat together, save for Dissonantia of course who wasn’t present. It was a huge fry up, a massive bonfire cooking two whole stags, or rather the staglike creatures of Zereth Mortis, that Galdia had brought down. Nightpelt, her worg who was revived by the stitchmasters of Maldraxxus, gnawed on a leftover leg from one of them. The rest had been chopped up and put on makeshift spits by Jaie and Nitika to cook.

“I wonder where Dissonantia is…” muttered Nelen, “I mean, I know she normally does her own thing, but this is kind of huge. We just had a hand in saving all realities from Zovaal’s domination magic. You think she could at least show up for a toast or something.” he sighed.

Dareley harrumphed at this, but didn’t say anything otherwise, though Shalandrae grumbled something under her breath. Sekhi nodded a bit, her sensitive ears picking up the night elf’s sentiment. They were quite fine with their twelfth member having gone missing for the celebration.

Jaie sat back, taking a swig from a bottle she’d bought off the grummle salesman she and Dareley had visited before they defeated the Jailer. She’d gotten quite a taste for the stuff and hoped she could find them again once they all went home to Azeroth.

As they waited for the meat to grill however Nelen blinked, his gemstone going off. He picked it up, looking around at everyone… then drew his sigil on it. “Dissonantia?” he asked, sounding… well… rather shocked. He didn’t think she’d ever actually bothered to use the gemstone she’d been given.

“Ah! There we bleedin’ go!” cackled the warlock, “Couldn’t remember the sigil… roight! You lot get out ta th’ dunes up in the north, alla yez!” she grinned. “I found somefin’ Zovaal’s boys uncovered. Even Azzy can’t carry this bloody fing and I sure as feck ain’t leavin’ it behind!”

Grimo sat up, the goblin’s lips twisting into a grin as little cash registers went off in his head. “Oh yeah? Valuable?” he asked.

Dissonantia’s illusion smirked at the goblin, “More gold ‘n you’ve ever seen greenie.” she smirked, “Get a bleedin’ move on!” she barked, then the connection closed.

Nelen frowned, then drew a different sigil on the gemstone, which made it display a sort of crude map of the area, with several small white dots clustered together and one dot in the distance. “Okaaaaaaaaaay... I suppose we should see what this is all about..." he grumbled.

Jaie frowned, she didn’t want to waste food… but she knew that Dissonantia wouldn’t actually share info unless it was really important. “Well, I suppose if we hurry the meat should be fine…”

The group stood up and walked towards the edge of the settlement to summon their mounts (or in the case of Grimo and Sekhi, just get on their’s) when the diminutive shamaness paused, her ears flicking. “Huh?” she yipped. The song of Zereth Mortis seemed to be trying to warn her of-

She blinked, then shivered all over as her eyes went half lidded, a look of dreamy unconcern upon her face. The song was still going, but it was so far away that it was hard to focus on…

Nearby, in the bushes, an unseen watcher grinned.

As the group prepared to leave the grummles were making a killing at their makeshift bar. Word had gotten around about the ale, Dareley tended to get loud when he found a brew he REALLY liked, and business was booming. As the pandaren proprietor tapped a keg and drew a small sample into a shotglass he paused, the cup halfway to his mouth… he sniffed at it, then gazed into the liquid with a somewhat faraway look in his eyes.

“… protect… who?” he whispered, then glanced up in time to see the eleven adventurers heading out.

He looked back at the liquid, then downed it in one gulp and turned around. “Slowhands. Broadbit.” he said as the two grummle looked back at him, “Keep an eye on the bar boys. I gotta be headin’ out. My bosses just put in a special order…” he nodded grimly, adjusting his belt and checking that his two maces were ready…

The northern end of Zereth Mortis, about an hour later…

Nelen led the group along, monitoring the situation on his gemstone. “Okay, so it should be over here…” he muttered, walking along to the very edge of the desert where it overlooked the vast void under Zereth Mortis, then paused. “That’s odd… we should be right ontop of her…” he muttered, then blinked and looked down. Half buried in the sand was a gemstone, the same as his own. The mage bent down and dusted it off, frowning. “This is Dissonantia’s… but… where is she?” he said, looking around.

Dareley and Shalandrae shared a look, as did several others of their group… then everyone but Sekhi slowly reached for their weapons…

“GOT YEZ!” cackled a voice as suddenly eleven voices cried out in pain, the group collapsing in a heap inside of a massive glowing fel rune that had been hidden under the sands a moment before. Galdia, Nitika, Mola’raum, and Merihim were the fastest to react, immediately trying to stand. Its hard to hurt a Demon Hunter or a Death Knight, and the other two were strong and stubborn by default… but as they tried to get up the sands suddenly slithered and chains of felfire snapped free of the dunes, snaking their way around the members of Savage United and Avalon!

Sekhi’s eyes went huge, feeling like she’d just snapped out of a dream. “WHAT?! WHO?! HUH?!” she yipped, “Guys! Th' song is all panicked! Something is really wrong! I…” she stammered as she looked around.

“Coulda fuckin’ said sooner Sekhi!” snarled Galdia, tugging at her bindings.

The others struggled, trying their various methods to free themselves, but Nelen found that his blink spell didn’t want to work properly and no matter what form Shalandrae took the chains shifted to match!

As they did there was a laugh from behind them and Dissonantia padded into view. “Oh this was almost too feckin’ easy…” she sneered. “You lot are too bloody trustin’…”

Nelen glared at her, “The fel is going on?! Who are you? What did you do with Dissonantia?!” he snarled, his body already swelling as he shifted from human to worgen, “Is this another trick Mal’ganis?! I thought we killed you back in the Sepulcher!” he barked in fury.

Dissonantia blinked at him, then smirked, then cackled, throwing her head back, “OH FECK, REALLY?! You really ARE too bloody trustin’!” she smirked, grinning at him, “I ain’t a feckin’ dreadlord in disguise ya bloody git, I’m me.” she sneered.

Nelen tugged on the chains, ready to retort, as he heard more footsteps and saw Az’arad walk into view. Without that he would have believed that this was another one of the Nathrazeim tricks, but both of them? “What…” he gasped, his eyes going huge. “… Dissonantia? What are you doing?!” he demanded.

She chuckled, “Well, s’quite simple boyo…” she smirked, sliding a dagger out of her belt. “… I quit.” she shrugged.

Nelen blinked at her, “What?” he asked in a stunned voice.

Dissonantia frowned at him, “… I. Quit. I resign me post. I shaln’t be comin’ in fer work tomorrow. I hereby leave Avalon permanently. WOT PART OF THAT CONFUSED YEZ?!” she sighed, “Really Nelen wot the feck… mages is supposed ta be smart…” she growled.

Nelen glared at her, “Then why the chains?! Why all this?! If you want to leave then fine, go!” he barked back.

She smirked, “Weeeeeeeeell… it’s not that simple… See, yez lot know me… yez all know me… well, sorta, yez know bits ‘n pieces…” she chuckled, “That’s a… liability… so I gotta sort yez out before I can start me new career.” she nodded to Az’arad who grinned and unsheathed his axe. Eleven sets of eyes watched the glint of the metal edge.

“Ya BLOODY BACKSTABBIN’ WARLOCK!” spat Dareley, straining against his chains as he tried to stand, his armor clattering around him. “Dammit I knew it! I bloody well knew it! I knew she was gonna do this! I told ya time ‘n time again Shalandrae! Partnerin’ with a warlock is askin’ for a curse in th' back!” he snarled.

Shalandrae however just snarled loudly, her bear-form straining against its chains. Jaie looked shocked, like she couldn’t believe what was going on, and Samantha… wasn’t struggling, she wasn’t moving at all… infact, she seemed to be whispering, the tentacles in her hair twitching.

Dissonantia glanced at her, then snarled and darted forward, grabbing the void elf’s face roughly and smirking at her. “NO YEZ BLOODY DON’T!” she barked, “Tryin’ ta escape inta th’ Void eh?” she sneered, “Nice try Montebank, but yez ain’t gettin’ outta this that easy…”

Sam however smirked right back, “Not… me…” she grinned around Dissonantia’s claws, then her eyes suddenly turned into black inky voids of stars and her tentacles shot straight out behind her head. There was a loud snapping sound behind her, and the chains holding Galdia and Merihim suddenly had great big holes along them, the two fighters easily able to break them the rest of the way!

“… ah bugger.” growled Dissonantia as a very angry orc and Illidari stood and drew their weapons, “AZZY! KILL ‘EM!” she barked, backpedaling quickly.

Galdia grinned, gripping her sword, “I owe you a fuckin’ beer elf!” she laughed, “BEEN WANTING TO STICK A SWORD IN THIS ASSHOLE FOR MONTHS! LOK’TAR OGAR!” she roared, charging towards the Wrathguard, the sound of her sword meeting his axe making the group’s ears ring as Merihim leapt into the air and soared over their heads, his swords erupting in felfire as he glared at Dissonantia.

“At last…” he sneered, he’d been wanting to take her down himself. The warlock’s presence had infuriated him since they first met.

Dissonantia however grinned. “Didn’t expect ta play this card so soon… buuuuut…” she flexed her hand and Merihim’s glide suddenly turned into a midair spiral as his swords fell from his hands, clattering to the dunes as he clutched at his chest. “BELGRITH! WAKE UP!” she snarled.

When he landed however it was on his feet, the blood elf staggering upright, then turning to the group with crimson red eyes instead of their usual fel green. “Remember our deal boyo… any yez kill, their souls are your’s ta do with as ya want.” she sneered.

The Illidari nodded, picking up his swords. “I’ll take the night elf first… Her kind scream the best.” he laughed, his voice sounding deeper and more threatening, as Sekhi gasped.

“Y-you’re that thing that possessed him in Oribos!” she yipped, struggling against the chains as she tried to scoot away, Shalandrae roaring defiantly at him, still in the form of a massive stone grizzly bear as she strained against the chains.

As she did Sam paused, unable to focus enough of Annulus’s power to free them, then looked to Nitika. The tauren looked scared, then nodded firmly… and as Belgrith raised Merihim’s sword… “NOW DARKHOOF!” she shouted.

There was a blast of light and shadow and a shield of sunlight covered the group. Standing infront of them was Nitika, but a Nitika made of pure light with a pair of massive angelic wings sprouting from her back.

The dreadlord-possessed Illidari looked at her in surprise, then was suddenly blown backwards as a burst of shadow shot out over her head and hit him full in the face. Behind the group where she had been bound was another Nitika, this one obscured in a mass of writhing shadow, tentacles growing from her back.

“What th’…” gasped Dareley, “Nitika… and… Nitika?!” he stammered, his eyes bulging.

“We’ll explain later!” shouted both of her, then the shadowy one said, “Sunny! You know what to do!” as the glowing one slammed her hands downwards. There was a burst of holy energies as she invoked the rite of Mass Dispel and the demonic sigil was blow into nonexistence… along with their chains!

Immediately the team was on their feet and Dissonantia looked worried. Nearby Az'arad and Galdia were dueling, the two ignoring everything else. Both were grinning at each other, everything forgotten but their own battle. The possessed Merihim prepared to attack again, but his blade met a spear coming the other way, the runes on it glowing with unholy energy. “Not today mon! I know ya not be Merihim, but I know he be in dere! I just gotta keep ya busy till he come back!” smirked Mola’raum.

Weapons were drawn as they stared down the renegade warlock. “Dissonantia… this can go two ways lass…” rumbled Dareley, “Easy, or hard… whats it gonna be?” he warned.

Dissonantia, however, grinned. “… yez think ya got me outnumbered don’t yez? Ye bloody fools! I’M NEVER OUTNUMBERED!” she roared back, then raised her dagger and slashed the air behind her. The air seemed to rip open where she swung, tearing open a portal into the twisting nether, and through it came the roar of many voices, few of them from remotely human mouths. “KILL ‘EM ALL! SOULS ‘N POWER TO TH' DEMON THAT BRINGS ME THEIR HEADS!” she snarled, and suddenly the area was full of fel.

Demons poured out of the portal! Snarling uz’rul, a trio of satyr with daggers in hand, a pair of tall sultry shivaara, a robed inquisitor cackling at the secrets hidden around it, towering felguards with weapons to rival Az’arad’s, and too many imps to count!

Sekhi whimpered, starting to panic again. She could hear the song pounding in her ears. She felt a sudden urge, she couldn’t quite describe it, but she found her hands reaching for her flute and the sand pouch she kept as a memento of her homeland… and then the fight all just went away as her arms went limp. She found herself walking slowly towards the cliff edge with a faraway look in her eyes.

The others were fighting frantically, but there were simply too many demons! “Gordrinn’s fangs! She’s been holding back all this time?!” barked Nelen, blasting a felguard with arcane energies, blowing it clear off the cliff as Dareley’s sword sliced through a forgefiend’s arm.

“Wonder what else she was hidin’ from us…” growled the paladin, feeling vindicated that he was proven right about her, but dammit it could have come in a better way than this!

Shalandrae didn’t care, the druid charging down the satyr and slamming into them in her bear form, trampling one as her claws tore apart another.

Grimo was in back, his rifle cracking off every few seconds as he tried to use scattershot to take out the imps before they could get close. He’d seen Dissonantia fight, he knew the imps were basically little cackling hand grenades!

Both Nitikas floated above the group, the light Nitika doing what she could to shield her allies while the shadow Nitika attacked any demons she could with her Sha-corrupted powers. Whatever ones she hit soon found Sam’s daggers in their sides, back, faces, or some other part, the combined Void energies tearing them apart from within or banishing the demon to the Void as the power overloaded and tore a hole in reality just long enough to cast them from Zereth Mortis straight into the dark realm.

Galdia and Az’arad were both sporting wounds now, breathing heavily, but Az’arad was overjoyed to finally have a proper opponent and Galdia’s orc blood was boiling in her veins. They only had eyes for each other.

Nearby Merihim and Mola’raum clashed as well, the possessed Illidari using both the fighting techniques of the Demon Hunters as well as Belgrith’s own Nathrazeim abilities. Mola’raum’s body glowed green with an anti-magic aura, blocking the worst of the dreadlord’s spells.

And then suddenly several of them looked around as a voice called out, “Yoo-hoo! Heroes! Look over here please!”

At the edge of the cliff stood a demon none of them had seen before. A red skinned incubus, holding an unresisting and enthralled Sekhi by her throat over the edge of the cliff. “Do lay down your weapons… slowly, if you please… or I might just lose my grip.” he smiled.

The group froze, Sekhi was clearly under the sayaad’s spell, unable to even consider self-defense… and then a sudden roar came from within the group as a beast burst out of them!

A tiger made of swirling blue anima erupted out of the melee, diving right for Cenoon’s head! It transformed in midair into the form of Jaie Swiftpaw, her hand glowing with chi as she balled it up in a fist. Cenoon’s expression turned to shock, he didn’t even consider that they might not obey! Heroes always balked at the ‘I have your buddy, surrender or they die’ gambit, right?!

Then her fist landed with a sickening crunch on his face as he fell backwards, his arms falling towards the arena as he did...

...but not fast enough.

His grip loosened as Jaie’s expression of anger turned to terror.

“SEKHI!” she cried out, scrambling to the edge and diving flat onto it, reaching out for the stunned shamaness, and missing her leg by mere inches…

From behind the mob of demons came Dissonantia’s annoyed voice, “… well, that’s feckin’ one down…”

Jaie stared as the small vulpera’s form disappeared below the swirling clouds… then she rounded on Dissonantia as Cenoon stood up shakily.

“MY NOSE! I think you broke my no-..." was as far as he got before a punch that must’ve felt like it came from a cannon spun him around in midair, the incubus landing in a heap on the ground.

Jaie stormed through the ranks of demons. Anything that got in her way earned itself broken bones, internal bleeding, or something else as she fought on pure instinct. The pandaren made a beeline for the warlock. Her eyes were narrowed and her teeth were bared, a hot numb feeling filling her mind. “WHY?!” she demanded, “We were your allies! Your friends! WHY DID YOU KILL HER?!”

Dissonantia laughed softly, “Friends? Allies? Yer a bloody fool girl. Yez was never anythin’ more than tools ta me… ‘n now yez outlived yer usefulness…”

Jaie roared in anguish, lashing out with her fist, only for a massive eredar to appear in a woosh of felfire and grab it in mid punch! The demonic alien squeezed her fist hard enough to crack bone, causing the pandaren to gasp and fall to one knee. “Don’t fret tho Jaie…” sneered Dissonantia, “You’ll see her again soon enough…”

“HEY YA'LL! LOSE SOMETHIN'?” laughed an unfamiliar voice as everyone paused, Dissonantia’s ears perking up as her jaw spread in a grimace.

There was a swirl of wind and then suddenly a pandaren kite shot up from the clouds below! Standing on it was a pandaren man in a long kilt with a red bandanna wrapped around his head, a pair of keg-like maces hanging from his belt. Cradled in one arm was Sekhi, the shamaness very much alive though clearly having snapped out of the incubi’s mind control mid-fall, her eyes huge and her tail floofed as she clung to the very VERY solid pandaren.

“Sorry lady, but th' elements say this one ain’t dyin’ today!” he said in a thickly accented voice reminiscent of Halfhill, hopping off the kite onto the ground. He put Sekhi down, then drew his maces as one of them began to glow with an aura like the air above hot cobblestones, winds swirling around the other. “Th' elements also say I’m servin’ up whuppin’ to any demons dumb enough to go near her! Who wants a round?!” he grinned, smacking the maces together with a clang of metal and a clatter of wood, the wind swirling around his body.

Dissonantia growled, “Bloody fel Cenoon yez had ONE feckin’ job…” she spat, the semi-conscious incubus raising one hand weakly and giving her a very rude gesture.

Jaie however had finished processing that her friend was not only not dead, but that they’d received unexpected reinforcements! She grinned, looking up at the eredar pinning her down, then balled up her other hand into a fist. Eredar may be demons now, but they used to be a mortal race and, well, anatomy didn’t change that much... and this was clearly a male eredar.

Her hand snapped out and there was a sound like a bull in distress before the giant demon went over like a cut tree, and then Jaie was alone infront of Dissonantia.

She shook the hand that the demon had been crushing, then looked at Dissonantia and slipped into a fighting stance, the warlock’s eye twitching. Jaie was one of their strongest melee fighters, and Dissonantia was a summoner. She could take the pandaren IF she could keep her from getting close, but in a close-range battle…

“Roight, bugger this. AZZY! CENOON! WE’RE FECKIN’ LEAVING! BELGRITH, YEZ CAN HAVE THE ROTTERS!” she barked, flexing her claws and suddenly she, the incubi, and the Wrathguard all vanished in a burst of felfire.

Nelen growled, then blinked past the demons who were blocking his path. “She must’ve used a demon circle! She couldn’t go far without making a portal. Jaie! Hold them off, I’ll deal with her!” he roared, falling to all fours, then rushing off into the dunes. There was one thing he could do that the other’s couldn’t, follow his nose!

As he rushed off in pursuit the possessed Illidari snarled, then kicked Mola’raum harshly in the middle, knocking the troll away as he crouched, spreading his wings. He was no fool, he knew he was outnumbered… and that bit about reforming in the nether he’d told Dissonantia was a bluff. He’d been trapped in Merihim for too long! If he died, he died PERMANENTLY!

The others turned to him, the dreadlord sneering as he prepared to take flight…

“NO YA DON’T MATEY!” snapped a raspy voice as fel-chains suddenly erupted around the possessed Illidari, trapping him in place!

Standing behind him, hand thrust out and glowing with felfire, was the forsaken warlock Edwood, grimacing as he held the demon at bay. Seated on his shoulder was a fel imp, smirking at the possessed Illidari. “FINISH OFF TH' OTHERS ‘N DEAL WITH HIM! I CAN’T KEEP THIS UP FOR LONG!” he shouted.

The rest of Savage United and Avalon needed no more compulsion than that. Swords sang through the air, spells sizzled across the sky, and roars echoed, but when Dissonantia had fled the portal had closed anyways. It was more mopping up the rest of the demons who weren’t dead yet.

Soon enough the sands were stained with felblood and the members of both the Horde and Alliance stood shaken but alive. Nitika’s two halves landed and snapped back into one body as she strode towards the Illidari, ready to try… well… anything!

“Don’t bother tauren…” sneered Belgrith, “Only a warlock or Illidari could hope to bind me again and this one doesn’t have the skill.” he glared back at Edwood. The Forsaken’s tongue licked along his rotten upper lip and exposed lower jaw. If he still could sweat, he would be.

He didn’t say anything, but it was clear it took all he had to keep Belgrith in place. A single lapse in concentration would be enough for the demon to escape.

Suddenly the demon hunter’s expression changed. His struggles ceased with the chains as his head thrashed around, and when he looked up again his eyes were fel-green once more.

“… what are you all standing around for?!” he snarled, “Belgrith has slipped his leash! I can no longer contain him! If I die, so does he! KILL ME BEFORE HE ESCAPES!”

The others paused, looking amongst themselves. It was one thing to take down a traitor like Dissonantia, but this was different. Merihim was possessed! He hadn’t chosen to betray them, he was forced to!

“You’ve all killed demons before, I am just one more now! If you hesitate the dreadlord will use my body to wreak havoc! I can see his thoughts, I know what he has planned! HE. MUST. DIE!” he roared, the last words forced out as his eyes flickered red again. “DO IT! I can feel him pushing in my mind! STOP HIM! KILL ME! … please…” he gasped, the last word laced with desperation and fear...

Perhaps that was what did it.

Two figures broke off from the crowd and walked towards the bound Demon Hunter. Mola’raum strode forward, his face grim as only a death knight’s could be, his spear already in his hands.

The one next to him surprised even Mola’raum however. Shalandrae stood there in her elven form, a spear crafted of the hardened tree sap and wood of Ardenweald in her hands. Together they looked at the demon hunter, his eyes flashing back and forth as two souls raged in his body.

Together they glanced at each other, then nodded.

Mola’raum drew a finger across his throat and pointed to her.

Shalandrae tapped her chest, then pointed to him.

Two spears were raised.

The runespear thrust forward with a sound like a butcher’s knife chopping into meat.

The ardenspear slashed with a silken tearing sound.

The weapons were lowered.

Merihim gasped for breath on his knees, felblood oozing from a chest wound where his heart was punctured, his throat cut across so deeply that it was just the skin on the far side of his neck holding his head in place.

“… I wonder… will I see them… again…” he whispered hoarsely with what remained of his vocal cords. Then slowly he fell. As he landed the flames he had in place of eyes flickered, then died, leaving only empty sockets.

The two glanced at each other, then turned to look behind them… then turned to leave.

Dareley watched Shalandrae go, Jaie’s eyes wide and her hands over her mouth as the druid walked past her. “Shal… I…” started Dareley but the elf held up a hand.

“Don’t… I need to be alone for a while.” she muttered. She had wanted to see the Illidari dead so badly after the War of Thorns, but now, seeing him like that, begging for death… she shifted into the form of a giant crow and soared off into the skies above Zereth Mortis.

The newcomer pandaren ambled up to the others, muttering, “Damn… now there is a girl who needs a drink…” under his breath, his thumbs tucked into his belt.

Grimo, Nitika, and Galdia watched Mola’raum amble towards the cliffside. Galdia nodded, folding her arms over her chest. She understood, she grew up in a life of war and conflict. There were a lot worse ways to go than the mercy stroke.

Nitika reached out for him, “Mola, you just… I mean…” she muttered, glancing back at the demon hunter’s body. Already it was starting to crumble, the fel energies of disorder and chaos breaking it down, eating it from within as they consumed even themselves. Within the hour there’d be nothing left but bones.

Mola’raum gave her a half shrug and a sad smile, “We be mercenaries sistah, sometimes we die. But ya bettah be findin’ Nelen, or somebuddy else might be dyin’ too.” he warned.

At this everyone else froze.

“SHITE!” yelled Dareley, “After all of that I bloody forgot! He went tearin’ off after that traitor!”

Jaie shook herself, then pulled out her flying disc. “What are you waiting for?! Mount up! Spread out! They could be anywhere in Zereth Mortis by now!” she yelled!

Somewhere else…

Nelen snarled as he tore across the pathway like a wild animal, rage boiling in his veins.

He’d vouched for her! He’d insisted that Dareley and Shalandrae allow her to join with him! He stood up for her when people accused her of heinous crimes, and what did she do?!

She tried to kill me! snarled a voice in the back of his mind.

He snarled. She tried to kill him! SHE TRIED TO KILL HIM! After all they’d been through she was ready to throw him to the demons and leave him to die!

She would have left me to die! the voice barked in anger, not real words but the sound of a roaring beast.

He growled, his fury building, everything around his vision taking on a red haze. She had tried to kill them! She’d almost killed Sekhi!

If not for that pandaren Sekhi would be gone, Merihim’s inner demon had been let loose to rampage, without their skills and a lot of sheer blind luck they’d all be dead… Dareley, Jaie, Shalandrae, Samantha, Grimo, Mola’raum, Merihim, Nitika, Sekhi, Galdia… SHE WOULD HAVE KILLED THEM ALL!

SHE IS A THREAT! AN ENEMY! KILL HER! KILL THE TRAITOR! TEAR HER THROAT OUT AND SPILL HER ENTRAILS!

Nelen roared like a feral beast, all humanity forgotten… this was the worgen’s territory and it was out for BLOOD!

Further ahead…

Dissonantia growled, channeling her life force into Cenoon’s body. “OH QUIT YER BITCHIN’! So yez got a smack from the teddy bear, we’re all in shite now boy! We didn’t get a single one of ‘em ‘n that mage finally figured out I ain’t on ‘is side.” she spat.

The escape portal she’d made was set up on the far end of Zereth Mortis, with a demon circle planted near the center. She could travel fast if she needed to, but she couldn’t risk setting it up too close without Merihim seeing it and warning the others, now she was pouring fel energies into it to open the way back to her sanctum.

As the portal flared she stood, then her ears perked up as the fel trio’s heads turned at the sound of a monstrous roar. “Ah feck, ‘n here we bloody go…” she sighed, then dove out of the way as the transformed mage tried to take off her head, his claws missing Dissonantia but sending Cenoon flying!

Nelen landed on all fours and growled low and full of rage, padding around them in a slow circle with his fangs bared, clawing at the ground as his eyes flicked from one target to another.

“Hmph, back ta this feckin’ mess?” growled Dissonantia. “Yez never really learned how ta manage yer beast. Yez kept tryin’ ta push it down, then that pandaren balance crap…” she chuckled, “Worgens is monsters boyo, yez should learn ta enjoy it!”

He snarled in response and charged, and as he did Az’arad was suddenly infront of his Mistress. The demon lashed out with one leg, sending Nelen flying with a pained yelping sound!

Az’arad raised his axe as he charged forward, then roared in pain as a disc of light suddenly shot out and smashed into his face, sending the demon stumbling backwards as the holy energies seared at his fel flesh!

Standing back down the path were Dareley and Jaie, the monk already holding her gemstone. “We found them! Southeastern area, near the pools!” she quickly called into it, quickly putting it away.

“For FECK’S sake didn’t Belgrith manage ta kill ANY of yez?!” snarled Dissonantia, glaring at them all as Nelen stood, drawing his staff. Az’arad’s kick had brought him to his senses. The worgen glared at her, lucid once more.

“You… what the fel are you Dissonantia?! You never had the power to summon THAT many demons before!” he demanded. At least, she’d never shown that kind of power before…

Dissonantia smirked, glancing at the sky and seeing several shapes flying towards them. Seems the rest of her former allies got the message and were converging on her location. “Heh… I suppose I may as well tell yez that much… remember back when we first met that druid bitch, when we were goin’ after th’ Scythe ‘n yez asked me about the witch that supposedly lived in Blackwald Forest? An immortal sorceress who stayed alive by killin’ lost travelers ‘n eaten’ their souls?” she asked.

Nelen glared, then suddenly his eyes went wide as something in his head clicked.

Dissonantia grinned, her eyes glowing a deep bloody red as she tapped her chest, “Yez lookin’ at her.” she cackled then lept backwards into the portal as Az’arad and Cenoon ran in after her, the gateway snapping shut as the demonic arch crumbled and fell apart as soon as they were all through.

Dareley cursed as the portal shut, then glanced at Nelen, “Lad? What was she babblin’ about? A witch?” he asked.

Jaie looked at the worgen mage as well with a worried expression. “Nelen?” she asked, gently putting a paw on his arm.

Nelen was staring at the now ruined gateway, a chill running down his spine. “That was HER?! I heard the legends growing up, every Gilnean had… but… all this time Dissonantia was the Witch of Blackwald Forest?!”

Jaie blinked slowly, “Wait, what does that mean?” she asked.

Nelen shook a bit, the idea of who he’d been travelling with slowly sinking in, “… w-when we get back to Haven I have some stories you guys need to hear…” he replied, his voice shaking. It was a terrible thing to learn you’d been breaking bread with a true monster for so long. All this time he’d been travelling with someone who, if the stories were true, had been every Gilnean child’s boogeyman for generations… and if the worse legends were true…

Blackwald Forest, some days later.

Nelen led a group through the woods to the ruined cabin where the Scythe of Elune had been held by the Forsaken all those years ago. The worgen in his human form still as Dareley, Shalandrae, Mola’raum, and Nitika followed him. “It was… right through here, yeah.” he nodded.

He entered the clearing, the mage nodding to the building standing there. Though, standing was the wrong word.

The cabin was in even worse shape now than it had been during the Cataclysm. The roof had caved in, the windows were all empty of glass, and the garden had been totally reclaimed by the forest.

Mola’raum nodded, walking forwards, then shuddered. “WOAH! Holy crap mon…” he looked down.

“Mola?” asked Nitika.

“Sh sh shhh!” hissed the troll, waving her into silence as he knelt down, putting one hand to the grass. “Nelen mon, ya sure dis be where Dissonantia said she used ta live dat time?” he asked.

“Yeah… why? Is it that bad?” asked the mage.

Mola’raum frowned, then focused his energies into the ground.

Slowly, a hand emerged, skeletal with no skin whatsoever… then two more… then four… then a dozen… then another dozen... and on and on...

Shalandrae growled angrily, “I should have torn her throat out the minute I met her!”

Dareley’s eyes were scanning the field, “Bloody fel…” he whispered in horror at the sight.

Nitika’s hands were gripping her staff as her eyes looked around. “So many…”

A bone orchard was a name for a graveyard… well this was a bone jungle. All around them skeletal hands reached up to the sky from the ground, like flowers made of bone, flexing slowly as if trying to grasp the stars above them.

Nelen looked grim, “This is all of them?” he asked Mola’raum.

The troll shook his head, “No mon, dis just be de ones buried in de yard…”

“How…” gasped Nitika, “An’she have mercy, HOW did she kill this many without someone finding out?!”

Nelen shook his head, “Blackwald Forest is huge, it covers this part of Gilneas, and nobody really believed the legends… besides, these woods were always dangerous. Wild animals, easy to get lost, or you could just trip over a tree root in the mists, break your leg, and not be found until you died of thirst. People would go in to prove their courage, they didn’t always come back out.” he shuddered. All those hands reaching up, grasping at the sky. The true body count might never be known, but if Dissonantia needed souls to stay alive then eventually it could even rival Sylvannas and Arthas.

Shalandrae growled low, “We’re going to kill her.” she demanded. “We’re going to bring her back here and bury her alive, bind her soul into a tree, and leave her."

“Lass, I understand what ya feelin’, but lookit this! She’s ah stone-cold murderer! We cannae take her out without some sort o’ plan.” insisted Dareley.

“Don’t bother with planning. She’ll come to us.” nodded Nitika, relaxing her grip on her staff.

Dareley glanced up at her eyes, he noticed they were purple now. He got the story after what had happened, but still. “Er… sorry, yer th’… other one, aye?” he asked.

“Yeah, Sunny is taking a break, all the bones shook her up.” she nodded, glancing at Dareley, “… and she’s going to come to us, because we’re a complication. She’s immortal and she uses souls to stay immortal… and all of us KNOW that. She needs us dead so we can’t warn people about her. Because we’ll recognize the signs of her being in an area and try to stop her from killing people and taking their souls.” she nodded.

Nelen growled, “Then we’ll be ready when she does.” he nodded, “Whatever comes next, whatever gets thrown at Azeroth next, we’ll be ready for it AND her.” he set his jaw, glaring around at the bony hands, some of which he noticed were disturbingly small. They didn’t get many gnomes in Gilneas so there was only one reason for smaller bones, and it made his teeth grind.

Nelen took a slow, angry breath as he remembered how many times she’d saved him from the Forsaken during the invasion of Gilneas, how close he came to death but was saved by the warlock… but it was all a lie. He was just more useful to her alive then dead at that point.

‘Don’t you worry boyo, ol Auntie Dissonantia will be just happy to help ya out…’

Inside Nelen, the worgen snarled. It had all been a lie, one of his packmates turned around and betrayed him… to a worgen, there was no forgiveness for such an act. But when it came time to do it, if the legends of the Witch of Blackwald Forest were true, could he really kill her before she killed them?

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