Orgrimmar was bustling today, the atmosphere reverberating with noise of activity. Tuesday mornings were always like this; the Auction House stuffed to the gills with bodies yelling out bids for potions and foods for the upcoming group raid tonight, several people gathered at the mailbox, receiving items or sending them to partners to prepare, cooks and alchemists running about, creating feasts and flasks. People bustling here and there, on their roaring dragons and screeching griffons. Fires were crackling, glasses clinking, and the usual ruckus of a duel had filled the air. All of this would cause any Horde members’ chest to swell with pride and excitement. But, it just drove the pain of a headache deeper into Ashnod’s skull.
The young warlock rubbed at her temple, her brows furrowing at the loudness of the area, wishing she had the mind to do her shopping last night before turning in. She continued down the dirt path towards the Auction House and lowered her hand, letting it glow a sickening color of purple, emanating an aura of void and shortly after, a medium-sized form began to materialize before her, a blob-shaped being came into focus.
“I don’t like this place.” It grumbled in an ethereal voice. Ashnod sighed and arched a brow at her void companion, Juk’Juk.
“Please, Juk’Juk. We do this every week. Just… could you do your thing and we can be done quickly?” She asked almost pleadingly, being equally annoyed with this place as he was. She gestured for him to lead the way from the bustling outside, towards the clamoring horde in the auction house. He floated in over the worn floorboards, raised his arms and clenched his fists, pushing out his aura of void powers. The heads at the back of the crowd began to turn, and upon seeing who or what was causing that uncomfortable feeling in their stomachs, gave clearance to the floating purple blob and it’s female master.
Ashnod walked quietly towards the front to Ralinza, the only female auctioneer at the stand and retrieved a parchment from the sleeve of her arm and held it out to Ralinza.
“The usual, my dear, if you will.” Ashnod said with a sigh, then bowing her head slightly to pinch the bridge of her nose, regretting coming in at this time. Her voidwalkers’ effect on the scrubs around her began to wear off as they soon began to fill the space they made for her when she strode up. They jostled around here, bumping into her, taking up their bidding practice and the place immediately got louder with all the shouting.
I ought to burn this place to the ground… all of this incessant yelling… Ashnod thought to herself, letting the darkness inside her rise with excitement for blood. She glared around her at all of these loud, obnoxious people and noticed some brute of a orc looking at her, amidst the sea of bodies preoccupied with the other auctioneers. She made a hissing noise and looked away, tugging at her hood.
“If you ever need anything…” Ralinza’s voice came through the chaos, causing Ashnod to look up to see Ralinza offering her a bag. Ashnod took the pieces of paper, and the bag offered to her. She reached a hand into Juk’Juk’s chest and withdrew a coin pouch and offered it to the goblin. Juk’Juk’s offended stare never faltered as the transaction was being completed, not appreciating that he was a walking void bank.
“See you never, Ralinza.” Ashnod smiled at the woman, getting a wink in return. “And what of it, Juk’Juk?” She turned her head at her glorified bodyguard, and turned to push her way back through the crowd. The troll she tried pushing through growled, his frown curling around his tusks. Ashnod looked him up and down; mis-matched armor, terrible hygiene, and a tall, shoddy mohawk. Ashnod raised her chin to him, and sneered at him, her hand immediately set aflame, and she incinerated his boots, enveloping them with emerald fire. A yelp erupted from the troll as he stamped his feet to put the fire out, then raised his fist at her, despite the sudden flare of emerald in her eyes.
“You stupid elf…” He snarled. Ashnod’s hands were glowing brighter, the darkness in her itching to release and conflagrate the flammable lanky body. The closer individuals could smell the fel fire and had turned heads to find out where the source was, and made some space for the two. A large hand slapped down on the trolls’ shoulder, and gripped it tightly. Ashnod welled up the fel magic inside her, expecting this to be the troll’s backup, almost shaking with the anticipation of spilt blood and loose fire.
“Throm-ka,” came a deep voice, “Why don’t we go outside and settle this?” Ashnod glanced at the face and nearly exploded into flame when she realized it was the orc. She scowled at the both of them, shuddering with the chaotic power within her, just an iota away from being released and anything within ten yards would be immediately incinerated. The words distracted the troll, and he thought about it for a split second, then spat at the ground between him and Ashnod.
“No mon, I need supplies now for my guild… If this happens again,” He paused to look down his nose at Ashnod, “I will eliminate this elf.” Ashnod burst into laughter, and slowly it became a low, maniacal laugh. Her eyes blazed when they opened, and locked onto the trolls’ eyes.
“The fel will enjoy devouring your body, soul and all.” She said, then pointed to her eyes. “Your eyes will boil in your skull, and your flesh will fall from the bone.” She almost stood on her tiptoes to get into his face to send the message across. There was a pause between them, and nothing but the sounds of the auctioneers and hollering buyers were heard as they stared each other down.
Juk’Juk easily shoved aside the troll and other smaller bodies to clear a path, and Ashnod followed him out, scowling. They got to open air and Ashnod gasped as fresh air greeted her at the entrance. Ugh! Wretched, filthy mongrels… Juk’Juk floated in front of her, scowling as he always does.
“We could just burn everything. What’s a couple of incinerates going to hurt? I’ll make sure nobody leaves… no witnesses…” He thought out loud. Ashnod chuckled, hand under her chin, her rage slowly going back to a simmer. She looked fondly at her companion, as she truly enjoyed his presence.
“That would work… However, fel fire leaves a distinctive residue behind on stone and wood. It would only be a matter of time before they came for my head for dishonor.” Ashnod explained, nodding her head, “But, I do like your enthusiasm dear blueberry.” She walked down the wooden front steps and rummaged in her bag, pulling a small vial from it’s depths. She popped the cork and downed the golden liquid, and put the vial and cork back within her bag. The wooden planks behind her creaked and she turned with a frown, spotting that same orc and her mood immediately soured again. The potion did it’s work, and she assumed the form of a Sandstone Drake, stretching her wings out wide.
“Lock,” called the orc, and her dragon-like head turned toward the orc. She frowned inwardly, flapped her large wings, buffeting the orc against the threshold of the Auction House, her chest swelled, and she loosed a roar. People within earshot had to cover their ears and scowl at the brown dragon. The duelists started to spit and complain that the distraction is dishonorable, other dragons in the vicinity roared in response, causing the valley to echo with power. She pushed off the ground with tremendous force, seeing those with unsteady feet topple on the ground… except for that blasted creature … Hovered in place, then ascended, flying over the main gates and out toward Durotar.
To be continued…