Duney
04-09-2006, 03:39 AM
Forgive the uncreative title. I really don't have anything else for it. This is a short story. I havn't proofread it much, so there's bound to be ripe errors for the picking.
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The trees swayed and the breathing grew heavier. Each minute that passed the more I needed to gasp for air. My armor was beginning to weigh down, though I could say it was worse for my one companion who was in full plate, instead of a combination of mail as well. I looked above at the darkened red sky out of the window. The clouds blocking out the pure essence of sunlight. Moments like this made me wish for home, the simple birds chirping and the cool breeze of Elwynn was my desire. Bandits were a cake-walk compared to the hell of the Eastern Plaguelands I was going through now…
…but then, we had answered the call. Years of adventuring had yielded all of us to become quite renowned. We had done much; we had fought alongside many others. And now the most difficult tasks lay before us. All of the other battles were simply training to this defining point. The scourge was gaining back its strength. Many members of both sides of the war had finally gotten over the idiotic practice of pounding on each other to face this stronger threat.
“No matter how many, they simply keep coming. It’s endless. We’ve got to fall back to Light’s Hold.” I said with an exasperated breath, leaning heavily on my polearm. My abilities had helped a great deal, but even though the Light itself was an endless source of power… as a mortal, I had my limits. Everyone could feel it.
The warrior, Hath, sighed. His weapon and armor, once polished, was stained with the rotting blood of ghouls. “Aye, got to agree with Lucas. I could use a good pint right about now!” Despite everything, the dwarf always seemed to remain cheery. I didn’t know if it was simply his personality or if it was a racial trait. I’d seen a lot of dwarves… they were a hard to depress people.
The door banged. The makeshift barricades on the small house at the Crossing weren’t going to hold out for much longer. And the ghouls didn’t tire unlike they did. Thanks to Leth’ara, we were safe from ghosts. For a night elf, she certainly knew quite well how to use her clergy’s powers. The wards were holding up. The main problem they had presented in front of them were the abominations littered along the Crossing as well. Even my own strikes of wrath didn’t do much against the creatures.
“I have a plan! As per natural of my superior genius! Teehee!” The high pitched little lady perked up. Thera was a gnome, and like most, an engineer. There was something a bit interesting to note though; her brethren were sane in comparison to her. Thera’s inventions were shaky even by gnomish standards. When they worked they were great… it was the failure part of the equation that didn’t end well. I sighed miserably. The last time she had said that sentence I ended up the size of a beetle and running for my life from a damn bird. It was not an experience I was in any rush to ‘enjoy’ again.
Leth’ara spoke up, “Well, tell what it is.” She said in an encouraging voice. The night elf was always happy to see new inventions. She always said that I and Hath should encourage Thera more. What she failed to realize was that she was never the one to be elected guinea pig. She didn’t have anything to lose. Once more I looked out the window, ghouls circling around.
Thera began her explanation, “First, both Lucas and Hath will head out the front and draw the undead inside. We’ll need to trap them inside here. Meanwhile, I’ll have created an opening at the back with the help of Yula.” The human rogue looked up. She had remained silent for the most part… just staring at her feet, occasional pushing her auburn hair out of her eyes. She tended to drift off whenever they were just talking. Yuna was what you could consider shy in social terms. In reality, she simply preferred taking action instead of planning. Going on instinct. All well and good I think, if you’re in a city or trying to evade simple guards. These were undead. Thera continued, “At which point you three will have to move quickly through the opening we’ve made. The Undead will have been drawn inside or around the building. That’s where this new invention I made comes in.”
She was, of course, referring to a machine she had made back in Ironforge. As I recall, it was supposed to bend the fabric of reality in order to cause some sort of crushing rip… or something like that. Magic infused machinery. Hell, I’d even had made some of the parts for the thing back at the anvils. Of course I didn’t find out what they were for until after Thera got them. Otherwise I would never have helped.
“Once that happens, we’ll immediately moved north towards the nearest tower where we can regroup and then head to the Argent Dawn stronghold for some rest.” Thera finished.
I spoke up, “We’ll still have to fight through several ghost and abominations. Even IF this device you tinkered around with works.” I was being pessimistic. I knew it was our only chance… but still, who wouldn’t be?
“I say we should try lad. It’s our best chance. Iffin it’s our best chance, you know it s’well as I.” He gave a reaffirming nod before lifting up his axe and shield. I picked myself up, bring my spear to bare. It was going to be tough, but he’d survived as equally desperate situations with his friends. The circumstances were different this time though. He didn’t want to be raised into undeath… enslaved forever. Hath took down the door and charged out. Immediately ghouls began rushing. Hath took a heavy blow to his shoulder, but defended a second with the shield. He rammed his blade through the neck of one of the beasts, ripping it out quickly. His back was open, one of the maddened creatures bolted for it. My spear moved forward, its tip dug in through the spine and what would have been the stomach. I threw the undead into two of its companions. A prayer fell over my body and light shot out, striking the nearby attackers. Leth’ara was close behind, weaving healing magic behind her own barricade to defend herself from direct attack. Ghosts began to screech forward… “For the Light!” I let fly another bolt of energy.
Out back, Yula moved. Having removed a good portion of the wall with some dynamite given to her by Thera earlier, she was clearing what few of the dead had remained out back; her body nimbly dodging their attacks, her daggers ripping through the rotting flesh, taking apart the limbs. Thera was inside working. The device activated, the countdown began.
“Now!” She yelled.
The signal was given. I began to back up Hath, who was doing his best to retreat back without letting himself get eaten alive. It was close, but thanks to me and Leth’ara he made it in. We fell back. The undead swarmed into the house and began surrounding us. We moved out the entrance. Hath sent forth a might bash with his shield, toppling the walking corpses onto each other to make it difficult for the ones behind to follow. We moved, I sent forth what remained of my energy into the few that clamored over the pile. The device activated, and time seemed to slow. I backed off and ran with my allies. As I took a last glimpse, the machines volatile energy destabilized, crushing the house into ruins and decimating the undead inside and around completely.
“Promise me you’ll never make that machine again.” I said, gulping hard with wide eyes. “I really don’t want to be a test subject for that one.”
Thera giggled slightly. They began to approach the tower. Rest was within our reaches before we would return to their mounts back at the Citadel.
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The trees swayed and the breathing grew heavier. Each minute that passed the more I needed to gasp for air. My armor was beginning to weigh down, though I could say it was worse for my one companion who was in full plate, instead of a combination of mail as well. I looked above at the darkened red sky out of the window. The clouds blocking out the pure essence of sunlight. Moments like this made me wish for home, the simple birds chirping and the cool breeze of Elwynn was my desire. Bandits were a cake-walk compared to the hell of the Eastern Plaguelands I was going through now…
…but then, we had answered the call. Years of adventuring had yielded all of us to become quite renowned. We had done much; we had fought alongside many others. And now the most difficult tasks lay before us. All of the other battles were simply training to this defining point. The scourge was gaining back its strength. Many members of both sides of the war had finally gotten over the idiotic practice of pounding on each other to face this stronger threat.
“No matter how many, they simply keep coming. It’s endless. We’ve got to fall back to Light’s Hold.” I said with an exasperated breath, leaning heavily on my polearm. My abilities had helped a great deal, but even though the Light itself was an endless source of power… as a mortal, I had my limits. Everyone could feel it.
The warrior, Hath, sighed. His weapon and armor, once polished, was stained with the rotting blood of ghouls. “Aye, got to agree with Lucas. I could use a good pint right about now!” Despite everything, the dwarf always seemed to remain cheery. I didn’t know if it was simply his personality or if it was a racial trait. I’d seen a lot of dwarves… they were a hard to depress people.
The door banged. The makeshift barricades on the small house at the Crossing weren’t going to hold out for much longer. And the ghouls didn’t tire unlike they did. Thanks to Leth’ara, we were safe from ghosts. For a night elf, she certainly knew quite well how to use her clergy’s powers. The wards were holding up. The main problem they had presented in front of them were the abominations littered along the Crossing as well. Even my own strikes of wrath didn’t do much against the creatures.
“I have a plan! As per natural of my superior genius! Teehee!” The high pitched little lady perked up. Thera was a gnome, and like most, an engineer. There was something a bit interesting to note though; her brethren were sane in comparison to her. Thera’s inventions were shaky even by gnomish standards. When they worked they were great… it was the failure part of the equation that didn’t end well. I sighed miserably. The last time she had said that sentence I ended up the size of a beetle and running for my life from a damn bird. It was not an experience I was in any rush to ‘enjoy’ again.
Leth’ara spoke up, “Well, tell what it is.” She said in an encouraging voice. The night elf was always happy to see new inventions. She always said that I and Hath should encourage Thera more. What she failed to realize was that she was never the one to be elected guinea pig. She didn’t have anything to lose. Once more I looked out the window, ghouls circling around.
Thera began her explanation, “First, both Lucas and Hath will head out the front and draw the undead inside. We’ll need to trap them inside here. Meanwhile, I’ll have created an opening at the back with the help of Yula.” The human rogue looked up. She had remained silent for the most part… just staring at her feet, occasional pushing her auburn hair out of her eyes. She tended to drift off whenever they were just talking. Yuna was what you could consider shy in social terms. In reality, she simply preferred taking action instead of planning. Going on instinct. All well and good I think, if you’re in a city or trying to evade simple guards. These were undead. Thera continued, “At which point you three will have to move quickly through the opening we’ve made. The Undead will have been drawn inside or around the building. That’s where this new invention I made comes in.”
She was, of course, referring to a machine she had made back in Ironforge. As I recall, it was supposed to bend the fabric of reality in order to cause some sort of crushing rip… or something like that. Magic infused machinery. Hell, I’d even had made some of the parts for the thing back at the anvils. Of course I didn’t find out what they were for until after Thera got them. Otherwise I would never have helped.
“Once that happens, we’ll immediately moved north towards the nearest tower where we can regroup and then head to the Argent Dawn stronghold for some rest.” Thera finished.
I spoke up, “We’ll still have to fight through several ghost and abominations. Even IF this device you tinkered around with works.” I was being pessimistic. I knew it was our only chance… but still, who wouldn’t be?
“I say we should try lad. It’s our best chance. Iffin it’s our best chance, you know it s’well as I.” He gave a reaffirming nod before lifting up his axe and shield. I picked myself up, bring my spear to bare. It was going to be tough, but he’d survived as equally desperate situations with his friends. The circumstances were different this time though. He didn’t want to be raised into undeath… enslaved forever. Hath took down the door and charged out. Immediately ghouls began rushing. Hath took a heavy blow to his shoulder, but defended a second with the shield. He rammed his blade through the neck of one of the beasts, ripping it out quickly. His back was open, one of the maddened creatures bolted for it. My spear moved forward, its tip dug in through the spine and what would have been the stomach. I threw the undead into two of its companions. A prayer fell over my body and light shot out, striking the nearby attackers. Leth’ara was close behind, weaving healing magic behind her own barricade to defend herself from direct attack. Ghosts began to screech forward… “For the Light!” I let fly another bolt of energy.
Out back, Yula moved. Having removed a good portion of the wall with some dynamite given to her by Thera earlier, she was clearing what few of the dead had remained out back; her body nimbly dodging their attacks, her daggers ripping through the rotting flesh, taking apart the limbs. Thera was inside working. The device activated, the countdown began.
“Now!” She yelled.
The signal was given. I began to back up Hath, who was doing his best to retreat back without letting himself get eaten alive. It was close, but thanks to me and Leth’ara he made it in. We fell back. The undead swarmed into the house and began surrounding us. We moved out the entrance. Hath sent forth a might bash with his shield, toppling the walking corpses onto each other to make it difficult for the ones behind to follow. We moved, I sent forth what remained of my energy into the few that clamored over the pile. The device activated, and time seemed to slow. I backed off and ran with my allies. As I took a last glimpse, the machines volatile energy destabilized, crushing the house into ruins and decimating the undead inside and around completely.
“Promise me you’ll never make that machine again.” I said, gulping hard with wide eyes. “I really don’t want to be a test subject for that one.”
Thera giggled slightly. They began to approach the tower. Rest was within our reaches before we would return to their mounts back at the Citadel.