Kora giggled as he jumped, she did so love to tease and her low cut dress likely didn’t help Tolbyas’ surprise. Kora could change into her battle gear at will so she preferred to dress like a noble lady as well as a provacative lady. She smiled at Tolbyas, “I would prefer if none of us die hun and I will do my best to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
The sound of a flying machine could be heard in the distance as Damalys descended towards the temple landing close. He pulled up his hood and adjusted his mask before hopping out and making his way inside. He made his way towards the others including Kersia and extended his hand in greeting. “I’m certain we haven’t met but we have similar friends and the like in our circle. Steel Maverick at your service responding to your missive at the behest of Dr. Sunfall who sadly could not accompany me due to a patient in very critical condition. Can you recall when you’ve seen the item in question last?” He queried making sure to be up to speed so as to know what his task in all this would be.
“Good,” Tolbyas turned away from her to scan the group of misfits that answered Kersia’s call. “My woman is a jealous type, she would be enraged if I died and it wasn’t she who killed me.” He stepped away from Kora and smiled. “Anyway, glad to see you are well.” Tolbyas sighed. He instinctively played into Kora’s flirty advances, but it left a bad taste in his mouth. After all, he only had eyes for one female.
Kersia looked at the man who just arrived with her head cocked to the side. “I saw it when I calibrated the defenses in my lab the night it was stolen.” She shrugged. “Everything was normal at the time.” She looked around.
“Right.” Kersia whistled for her rylek to come. “I think this is more than enough folks. I’ll create a portal to the edge of Borean Tundra and Dragonblight.” Kersia’s eyes flared an arcane blue as she called on the leylines she knew so well. In only took her a moment to find her exit point along the river of mana. She blinked atop her rylek’s head and clawed open a rather large portal all the way to the ground. It shimmered to life as the image of a barren area displayed on it. Snow and stone.
Kersia sighed as the spell took its toll on her. Such a large portal was difficult to open and maintain. “Should be big enough for your mounts, though some of you may need to duck I suppose.” She smiled as the arcane faded from her eyes. “I’m only going to hold this open for an hour, or until you are all through… should you choose. Now please head in.”
On other side, the group would be on the other side of Coldwind Pass, a short distance from the bridge that would lead them back into Dragonblight. Tundra trees dotted the landscape as the path laid to the west. A few carrion condors fluttered in the air, their eyes seeking weary prey. To their north was the ruins of Naxxanar and the Temple City of En’Kilah.
Once everyone was through the portal, Kersia would come through. “Ignore the relics of the Scourage. We set west to Amber Ledge. Once there, we rest before crossing into Coldarra.” Kersia climbed onto her rylek. “Once everyone is ready, we will fly.”
Watching Kersia open the large portal made Vesthi realize that all her efforts to sober up were in vain. The flows of arcane power the pandaren tapped splashed and swirled in Vesthi’s vision causing her stomach to tumble uneasily. Vesthi leaned forward then, placed her hands on her knees and drew a few more deep breaths releasing them slowly. Her arm reached out then and found purchase on something unseen. “Ah, Daegon. I’m glad you followed me.”
At her declaration a large and imposing figure shimmered in the air. It’s form sparkled slightly as the fel spell work broke. Falling like a shroud an enormous Felbat stood at Vesthi’s side. She clasped a hand full of the creatures fur at the arm. It was all she could do to keep the world from spinning out of control. “Right,” Vesthi’s stomach tightened and she repressed an urge to retch. “Take me across that portal, Daegon.” The rather poor excuse for a Demon Hunter carefully made her way to the Felbat’s saddle and with all her effort pulled herself onto the seat. The huge demonic creature chortled and coo’ed at Vesthi then began to lumber it’s way through the portal.
Orlok nodded to the plan and went to fetch his Wyvern. Nil meanwhile watched the Demon Hunter halfway stumble and get carried by her mount into the portal.
“I really wonder if this group will be alright…”
“Work with what have Nilanth, not with what you want.”
The girl turned to see her father return atop their mount and she climbed on behind him. With Kersia waiting for everyone to cross the duo had their mount go through the portal. The cold was still the same, but they could tell there was heat in the area as they saw steam in the distance from the hot pools. Orlok surveyed the area for threats, if memory served there should Horde outposts in the part of the land, a skeleton crew, or the Horde equivalent of retirement. Nil simply gazed at the Necropolis ruins they ended up by.
“The Scourge was really entrenched this far from Northrend huh?”
“Yes. It was a bit before your time Nil, but before the Horde and Alliance came, the Scourge were unopposed in the ruling of this land. Now, it is vast, hostile, and empty. The touch of the Scourge robbed this land of much of it’s life. It’s recovering.”
Laatu had listened to all the conversations around her, and had even scoffed at the Demon Hunter’s snide remark, but otherwise remained silent, listening to everything around her.
Then, when Kersia opened a portal, Laatu examined it for a good long moment. “You may encounter… difficulties, with my mount.” She stated, before pulling a horn from her belt. Placing it firmly between clenched teeth, Laatu blew into it, producing a great, roaring bellow. And then another roar answered it.
The creature that descended to meet Laatu was clearly of the Netherdrake’s brood. And yet, its size was greater than one might expect any fully-grown dragon to achieve. Its form was one of savage might, of crushing fury. This beast was a siegebreaker, an alpha predator, nothing less, and its armor only served to pronounce this fact: the tail bore thick metal plates with vicious spikes, that each swipe would do more damage, its head was armored with a plate that bore twin spikes, ensuring a ramming headbutt would do tremendous damage, and the plates on the limbs were thick enough to stop a sledgehammer dead.
Though, perhaps, those dragons present, such as Kersia, would have been more concerned with a much simpler fact: for all the magic the beast exuded, it could not use it, for a ‘beast’ it was indeed, completely feral and bereft of the spark of intelligence.
Laatu strode up to Nyxus, her personal mount of choice for the skies, and it dipped its head in submission, allowing her to mount his saddle, secured upon the base of his neck. At the height the beast brought her up to, Kersia could shift into dragon form, and Laatu would still have to tilt her head down to meet the blue’s eyes.
The man pondered on thought of what information has been given to the group.
“Using the soul of a black dragon as a power source… typical, seems all races are hypocritical in there own right.” he thinks too himself.
but before he could think more of it, mechanized flying machine flew near too the group, scoffing at such a contraption, waste of materials in his opinion, but as the pilot of the machine approaches, his voice rang familiarity too him.
he glares at the direction, he remembers the voice as someone he seen before, but tried too ponder what.
but again, before he could ponder on it, he turned too Kersia who has opened a portal, he turns too his Blight hawk and whispered to it. “Go too blight maw, bring him a message, tell him i will call upon him too come when i arrive.”
seeing the portal open, he walks inside with ease, a few steps on the other side, he spots ruins he recognized as Naxxanar, the temple City of En’Kilah.
gazing at the city he suddenly is flashed with memories of his past.
Gazing from below of the necropolis, two death knights stare at the horde and alliance forces near the temple.
"So Darak, Eager to test out these mortal invaders that are coming?"
one deemed as Darak stared at his elven comrade.
"No, but i am curious, if i will see him among these lot? or will he be like his mother and join another?" Darak mutters to the other death knight.
"Don’t go soft on us now Darak, that’s weakness we all see." the elven death knight laughs at him.
"Mere curiosity Tyarnnir, nothing more." at the mention of this, the elf laughs, "Never the less, don’t forget, after all this, we gotta settle on our little arrangement."
Darak looks over at his rival. “You mean our duel too finally end the other?” Tyrannir nods only in response, "I want it too be here when it ends you know, perfect victory for when our mission is complete!"
With his flashback ended, he mutters the name in anger as he glared at the temple.
“Tyrannir”
hearing of Kersia about forgetting the temple, he turns too the group.
he looks into his inventory, only too pull out a horn, upon blowing it, it sounded like that of a horn of winter, but far more twisted and darker, as if it were more attuned for something else.
shortly done blowing the horn, A undead dragon is seen flying towards the group, one might mistake it for a frostwyrm if not for it’s decaying flesh still bound on it’s bones and the green aura it gave off.
upon landing, it ran towards it’s owner, only too slowly down as it got closer, raising up a hand Darak places a hand on it’s head, too give it a gentle petting.
“Blightmaw, it seems you made the trip here safely, good…” upon finishing his small care, he goes to mount on his undead dragon. (who is still around the height of a drake that is)
Aanka cautiously watched as the members of the group conversed. What caught her attention was the blue magic surrounding Kersia as she made the portal. It reminded her of demons and highborne.
Aanka continued to watch as the first brave adventurers stepped through the portal. She followed warily, setting one foot in and then exposing her entire body to the arcane body. Her vision turned blue and fuzzy and then spat her out into the cold snow. Aanka cried out in pain for a moment as the arcane energies swirled around her, and then stopped. She would seem weak to the rest of the company - unfit to fight.
While the group was talking, a lone human figure flew in from the East on a very strange-looking creature, what could only be described as a combination of a wolf and a hawk with a wingspan nearly twelve feet long. As the creature began to land with a huge gust of air, it snarled and growled at the group as if to say move out of the way. Its rider guided it to an unoccupied space and it withdrew its wings and landed on all four paws with hardly a sound. The creature snarled and bared its huge fangs and then shook its head to remove some snow that had built up during the flight. It’s rider, a human female, hopped down and landed solidly on the floor of the temple on both feet. She stood average height for a female and was shoulder to shoulder with the magnificent beast she came riding in on. An eye patch covered her right eye and a nasty-looking scar snaked its way across her face and under the patch and then across her right cheek. She turned and patted the beast and with a single leap, it dove for the edge of the temple and took to the skies again.
The rider turned towards the group and straightened her uniform. “Captain Myorga Gladstone of the Gilneas Imperial Army at your service”, she interrupted. “I’m here looking for a Kersia and I’m to assist in apprehending a criminal suspected of stealing–”, she trailed off and consulted a small scrap of paper she pulled from a pocket. “–a magical artifact of great power”, she finished and put the scrap of paper back in her pocket.
“Basically I’m here to help”, she said and smiled at the group while brushing a stray lock of her graying, black hair out of her face.
The bitter winds of Dragonblight blew harshly across her unfeeling face. Lynara saw the great temple in the distance. Her undead hippogryph walking by her side. The winds were too strong for reliable travel from this direction. She had gotten the note through some back sources and intercepted it before it got any higher in the ranks. The less Blightcaller had to worry about the better. Her hood was pulled over her head in its usual way, she was a black stain on the backdrop of white. Her crimson eyes burned bright in contrast with her deathly pale skin. Once she had been a deep violet hue, now that color was all but gone.
She approached the temple as the winds died down. She was angry about the delay they had caused but that was the last thing she needed was to crash in Northrend in a freak blizzard.
She got to the temple and approached where they were supposed to be meeting, instead it was a pandaren holding a rather large portal open and some others on a motley crew. She made some mental notes of Alliance and Horde. She would have felt uncomfortable in the presence of living Kaldorei if she still felt that old kinship. That was dead and gone.
“Kersia. That is the one I am looking for.” She said aloud passing through the portal with them before it was closed. They were on the other side of the Dragonblight on the borders of the Tundra. She was glad she hadn’t just come from this direction. “Kersia?” She asked louder looking between the group on their flying mounts. The one that had surprised and concerned her was the draenei appearing being on the large dragon. That was unexpected to say the least. She tried to ignore any comments that might come her way from the other Kaldorei in the group gathered here. She was here to help with the recovery of this artifact, not make friends with her old kin.
As Kersia started creating the portal, Kawisa looked over to where Falor was resting and whistled again, this time a low continuous tone. The mana ray didn’t waste time looking over this time, he simply unfurled his wings and flapped once to rise his form into the air before dashing over to his master.
As Kawisa waited for his mount to finish crossing the distance, he heard the various horns being used to summon the other mounts. The undead dragon and wyvern was bad enough for Raiku’s pride, but when Nyxus arrived, Kawisa grew concerned for his companion. He felt Raiku enraged before, but this was new. If Kawisa was to hazard a guess, the netherdrake was… wounded.
Talk to me, Raiku. Kawisa demanded. He could not let the drake lose himself to his emotions. Not here.
It took a moment for the drake to reply. When you told me of my flight, and how they survived against the impossible, I was hoping that the first time I encountered one of my flight they would hold to this noble image I had. Not a feral beast of burden with teeth. Kawisa could feel that same cold anger as the drake spoke.
If you approach the eredar, promise me you won’t start anything. Not until we retrieve Vinaeion’s soul at least. Kawisa knew his companion would not be able to focus until he dealt with this issue.
…I can promise for at least that long. The drake reluctantly agreed.
Kawisa let out a sigh and nodded. He held a hand up to the mana ray that had reached them in the middle of their mental conversation, commanding it to wait there. Falor gave a short shriek of confirmation before Raiku ‘stepped’ forward. To anyone watching, ‘Kawisa’s’ entire demeanor changed to be more aggressive.
Raiku boldly walked to the feet of the massive netherdrake and looked up at Laata. “Eredar. I demand to know why you sit upon one of my brethren so casually and w-“ His confidence wavered on the second question “What happened for him to reach this pitiful state?”
Kawisa was ready to take control at a moment’s notice in case the giant reacted aggressively. He had a few spells that should prevent them from crushed into paste.
Damalys looked about at the various people who had showed up for the search whilst making mental notes to himself as Kersia answered his query and began to make a portal to their upcoming destination. He sighed slightly in relief seeing it was big enough to fit everyone’s means of transportation including his gyrocopter. He walked up to it and flipped a few switches running his standard pre-diagnostics. “Let’s see engine at high efficiency,fuel line looks alright…blades spinning properly and ready for takeoff.”
He gave a grin before hitting the ignition flying towards the portal Sword…check! Explosives…check! utility of gadgets during a potentially high pucker factor…double check! Here’s hoping this place has some semblance of a lead,sooner we find this crystal and keep it out of the wrong hands,the better. Looking around so as to be a responsible pilot and not run into the rest of the group with his flyer,his eyes went wide noticing a strangely familiar…yet changed face No way,it can’t be…is that Lynara?!
Darak adjusted his position on his saddle, he noticed two more people arrived, he grunted in irritation as he saw the dark ranger, “Great… Sylvanas’s pathetic lot is among us…” he thought to himself as he glared over her.
however his irritation changed into curiosity as another elf approached the Eredar. he quietly laughs at the scene.
before she could respond too him, he says loudly too Raiku. "Does it matter? it’s common nature for mortals too enslave and dominate that what gets in they’re way, Be it elf, man, dragon or beast."
He scoffs at the situation, "But if it’s my guess, she probably beaten it too submission, like most mortals do these days."
Laatu looked down upon Raiku, her expression inscrutable. After a moment, she answered the Netherwing, despite the death knight’s interjection. “I sit upon him so casually, because he recognizes me as his alpha. As such, he sees fit to take me where I cannot go by foot. As for what broke him, the Dragonmaw of Shadowmoon did. That is, the fel orcs who served Illidan. Back when I was known as the Reaver of Souls, I conducted raids against the Illidari. On one such raid, I encountered the one you now see before you, albeit… withered. Diminished, by the cruel hand of the Dragonmaw.” She snarled. “They had not an ounce of care that the dragon’s might and its magic would have served their ends… they only saw a beast to be broken.” She paused. “So I butchered his captors, and sought to make him my own warbeast. I could not restore his mind, but I could restore his spirit.” Nyxus rises to his full height, and lets out a triumphant bellow as she speaks, not comprehending his rider’s words, but certainly the vigor behind them.
Once Nyxus calmed a bit, she continued. “I restored his pride as a hunter, and a ruler of the skies. If you wish to weep that his mind is shattered, then weep. But know that Nyxus cares nothing for your tears, and indeed, would likely think less of you for them. And I can assure you, there are far worse fates to be suffered.”
She then slowly turns to the death knight. “Like getting turned into a puppet by the bastardized facsimile of Nathrezim sorcery.” She turns back to the portal, and sighs. It would barely fit Nyxus, and the titanic netherdrake would have had to crawl to fit through. So, she slid off her saddle, hitting the snow below with a muted thud, and took hold of one of Nyxus’ plates. With a brief, silent exchange, Nyxus began crawling through the portal, ahead of the group. And indeed, the portal strained to fit the oversized drake.
Laatu paused and gave the newcomers a cursory examination, only waiting another few moments, should anyone else wish to address the towering Eredar Valarjar.
Seeing that Kersia was opening a portal, Myorga stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled for her mount. Shortly the beast arrived and she quickly mounted it and proceeded through the portal.
“Hello”, she greeted. “I’m looking for Kersia to aid in pursuit of a criminal!”
Raiku was silent a moment as he considered the Eredar’s story. He gave a somber nod to Laata. “In that case I shall not mourn what he has lost, merely I shall miss the chance to connect with one of my own.” Raiku responded. At ease with her reply.
‘Raiku’s’ demeanor changed once again. Kawisa gave a slight bow to the eredar. “Thank you for setting my companion’s mind at ease.” He thanked her before returning to his awaiting mount, who was getting anxious at seeing his master so close to such a towering monster. He slide across the mana ray’s back and awaiting the portal to be clear before moving through himself.
“Um, if I may, I really don’t see how you’re getting so upset. At least this one doesn’t seem upset by it. If he wasn’t content he would probably do something about it.”
“He was beaten, broken, and made to submit only to eventually die. No different to the vast majority of beasts we mortal races see fit to throw a saddle on. You should be grateful dragon that he has been blessed with a good master instead of a Dragonmaw Orc. Otherwise he’d be an orc’s windmill and cloak.”
At Nil’s interjection, Orlok who saw such a display petty spoke up. Brutal and cruel honesty came from him as his words were flat and metalic coming through the helm. Nil sighed at her father. He was never one to make friends easily. No, his style was more likely to produce enemies and that posed a number of issues she’d have to iron out over the years.
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Winona secured her bags as the others began to depart through the portal, taking her time as the larger party members seemed to having some issues squeezing through. Once her belongings were collected, she walked over to stand beside Raiku, offering the elf-drake a sympathetic smile and pat on the shoulder.
“Sorry, but I couldn’t help overhearing your little exchange,” she ventured. “The drake seems to be well-cared for though, and even as a beast may yet form some semblance of a bond, if approached carefully. Perhaps an offering of food, with its master’s permission.” Granted, the druidess wasn’t terribly familiar with dragons, however, in her experience most wild creatures had similar behavior patterns. Wary of threats, but if offered food, shelter, or other aid it was often possible to win their trust over time.
The arrival of a human on a wolfhawk pulled her attention from the ren’dorei. Ah…there’s always one late to the party… she thought to herself as the huntress began to ask for Kersia. Gilnean too, judging by that accent.
“Kersia has already gone through the portal,” Winona answered, pointing to the arcane rift. “You’ll find her on the other side; she’s the Pandaren.”
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“Thanks!”, Myorga called to the other woman as she headed through the portal. Once on the other side, she began searching for the Pandaren known as Kersia. She wasn’t too hard to find as there weren’t many on the other side of the portal, and only one Pandaren. She again repeated herself, “I’m looking for Kersia. I’m supposed to help search for a criminal in the whereabouts of the Wyrmrest Temple?” – only this time it was more of a question as she became increasingly aware that she was crashing headfirst into very strange territory under very strange circumstances. This time, however, she waited for the Pandaren female to respond before doing anything else.
She took one last look back at the portal and then down at her wolfhawk and then tightened her grip on the reins before focusing back on the Pandaren. Wherever they were going, she was going to need her ride.