“I’m tellin’ ya, there’s gotta be someone better for this job! I can barely stand goblin folk as it is. Seen a fella come right into town stabbin’ someone over three blastin’ gold!”
The older goblin looks up, arms crossed, at a much taller elven figure as they stand in one of the many corridors of the Timeways. The elven figure is clad in bronze and golden robes, with long golden hair trailing behind his back. A faint breeze is felt as the essence of time flows ever onwards.
“Guuah. You know that you can blend in with them, and ensure–”
“Yeah, ‘cause I’m a goblin, got ya. Y’know that ain’t gonna matter much! Everyone and their blastin’ mother are gonna be divin’ down. Several cartels an’ businesses are already makin’ plans to head down there. Alliance an’ Horde are all worked up with this Xal’atath business, and ya’ll are sendin’ me down there, blind?”
Guuah huffs, his face twisting into a grimace as he speaks. “C’mon. There’s gotta be some adventurer or somethin’ that can take care of all this. Make ‘em an honorary Timewalker, why not. Ya’ll said I ain’t gettin’ directly involved in this sorta business anymore. We had a deal.”
The elven man maintained a calm demeanor throughout the goblin’s outburst. Only when Guuah was done did he speak.
“Why does the concept of going to the Undermine upset you so much?”
“Did ya miss the ‘stabbin’ someone over three gold’ bit?! Bunch of greedy grells that’d sell their soul for a blastin’ coin. An’ this is just talkin’ about Orgrimmar. If it ain’t listenin’ to folks braggin’ about how they wanna kill somethin’ or did kill somethin’, it’s some con artist tryin’ to make a quick buck.”
The elven man smiles. “Reminds me of a certain goblin, once upon a time.”
Guuah’s face contorts in anger. He tilts his head down and away. “…Don’t even bring that up. I ain’t that sorta person anymore. Ya know this.”
“And others can’t change as well? Not everyone had the same…circumstances that you found yourself in.”
Guuah thought for a moment, before looking back up. His shades slid down his nose a bit, his light brown eyes peering up at the elven figure.
“Hell. Ain’t my job, and it don’t matter none. We ain’t ‘good guys’ if that’s what ya gettin’ at. We’re makin’ sure everything keeps on goin’ as it should, like clockwork. Ain’t no good or evil involved. I just don’t wanna go down there to see–”
“You don’t want to see what you were.”
Guuah found himself interrupted by the elven man. He immediately started to retort, but soon realized he had nothing to say in response.
“You’re not as stoic as you think you are. You try to keep a cool face and pretend that it is just like performing maintenance to a clock, but you know your feelings are always at play. You are mortal, after all.”
Guuah looked back down, a sigh leaving his lips. The elven man continued,
“You don’t want to go there, because it is a reminder of the past. Something many don’t wish to be reminded of. As painful as it is, it is good to be reminded of it, lest history repeats itself.”
The taller figure looks down at Guuah, his expression as neutral as ever. “Although you seem to now think you are above this, scraping by just to survive. Perhaps you have forgotten?”
Guuah still struggled to come up with a response. After he did his ‘time’ life has been pretty easy. He had a steady flow of income. He had the time to develop his engineering skills and craft various devices and machines. The only ‘struggles’ he had was partaking in the occasional skirmish to keep his skills sharp, where there were no actual stakes. Even finally perfected his RX-5000 “Moneyblaster” shotgun, which was a heavily modified shotgun that he had way back when he was scampering around in Tanaris, merely trying to find the next meal.
Perhaps he did forget. Or at least shoved it out of his mind. He hurt a lot of people to survive in Tanaris. He hurt a lot of people while ‘forced into employment’, and now that he’s all set there’s no need to think on all that nasty violence and struggle, he’s above that now. He’s a proper Timewalker! He’s not like these lowlifes clawing their way through trials the only way they know how.
Thinking on it, three gold coins are worth a lot, when you have none.
Guuah slowly looked back up, starting to understand why, exactly, he was chosen for this task. He doesn’t like it, but it’s not like history is always kind. Solving issues of the temporal sort has taught him that much.
Finally, the goblin found his words once more.
“…What do I need to do.”
“Ensure Gallywix dies, even if you have to fire the shot. That is all we are able to see. If others are in a better position to assault him, assist them. Anything else, is at your discretion.” He adds, shortly after, “No prisoners, if you can help it. We do not wish to repeat what happened with Garrosh.”
Guuah scoffs. “Sure.”
“And, on a personal note.” The elven man smiles. “Try to mingle a bit, if you don’t mind. Feel you have become aloof in your observing duties. Perhaps it will do you some good to see first hand the struggles others go through. Perhaps you can lend some valuable assistance to not just the goblins there, but the Horde that you chosen to align yourself with.”
“Any Infinite activity?”
The elven figure shakes his head. “They’ve been quiet as of late. If there’s movement, we’re unaware of it. We’ll adjust objectives as needed.”
Guuah shrugs. “Reckon there ain’t gonna be much of a point of disguisin’ myself anymore. I’ll get it done.” He nods. “Gonna get all grimy down there, but I’ll be seein’ the struggle first hand. Think I am needin’ a reminder.”
The goblin turns to a nearby swirling portal, leading back to Dornogal. The elven figure waves, calling out, “Do try to enjoy the cars down there! Don’t crash into anything.”
A mad scramble to survive overwhelming odds. It’s a mortal reaction, just like clockwork, and it’s time to experience it once more.
Stabbing someone over three gold is going to seem like a charitable act compared to what lies in wait.
(Wanted to do some creative writing, and figured with Undermine around the corner it’d be fun to scribble that up. Any opinions are welcome, and thank you for taking the time to read. Enjoy the rest of your day!)
