Twilight Goes to Dalaran

by Leila Drake

Level 4 - Orgrimmar

After some more days of wandering, the tauren and the alicorn entered the gates of Orgrimmar. Twilight was definitely scared now and she stayed as close to Tak as possible. The city stretched along narrow valleys, stuck between orange and red walls that had been shaped by wind, water and time. Twilight realized that the stripes on the walls were layers of rock that varied in composition and size. Rarity would have been amazed by the subtle glimmering...

What bewildered Twilight most was that everything – the buildings as well as the inhabitants – looked ready for war. Metal spikes adorned red roofs and walls made of wood and stone. The orcs had put up big sheets of cloth and skin to protect the citizens from the sun which made the valley look gloomy and uninviting. There was a foul smell in the air, coming from a higher valley at the left.

Shops and vendors seamed the streets and Twilight heard the deep and rough shouts of an auction coming from a building on the right. Various species walked around, all of them on two legs and heavily armed: green, muscular orcs with sharp teeth and glowing eyes, tauren as big as Tak, smaller green goblins with large ears, lean and beautiful elves and occasionally a blue wiry troll or a stout pandaren.

Huge torches illuminated the scene and the beating of a drum was heard over the grunts of practicing orc warriors, both male and female. They were covered in heavy armor. Sweat glistened on their green and brown skins. An even bigger warrior, almost as tall as Tak, stood nearby and shouted at them, giving them instructions. Twilight cringed, unable to imagine even her brother or Princess Luna shouting this aggressively with the Canterlot Royal Voice. In the middle of the valley a giant, stout fortress dominated the cityscape, as menacing as all the other houses combined. Twilight suppressed a shudder.

Luckily, everyone seemed to think of her as Tak's pet and left her alone even though she attracted some curious looks.

The passed through another metal gate and went up some stairs carved into the rock. After the staircase followed a narrow passage that lead along the wall. When Twilight looked down, a goblin with a pointy nose walked along the path at the bottom of the valley, pushing a cart filled with toys and miscellanious small gifts. The toys looked harmless, one of them seemed to be a foam sword, but the mischievous grin on the vendor's face would have kept Twilight from buying anything. She did not have any gold bits anyway.

"Come on, the shop is this way", said Tak.

Twilight followed him into a tall house that had entrances both on their own level and ground level.

She gasped with surprise. The room was the opposite of everything outside. Two orcen women took care of many kinds of beautiful flowers and herbs. Their fragrance filled the room and made Twilight forget for a moment what the rest of the city looked and smelled like. The plants were in pots and boxes of different shapes and sizes, some of them looked very old and worn. The walls were decorated with small carpets that bore tribal patterns.

One of the orcs turned around and asked with a hoarse but friendly voice, "What do you want?" Then her eyes widened. "Tak Rivermane! What the hell are you doing here, I thought you wanted to go back to Mulgore!"

"I was there, Brunda, but not for that long. I am bringing you some more herbs, including silver leaf."

"Ah, that's a relief. You have no idea how short we've been on supplies recently. Everyone's supposed to prepare for open war. But I guess you already know that..."

Tak sighed. "Well, those war machines and fences in front of the gates are hard to miss. What's with the training warriors in the Valley of Strength? I thought the Pandaren were a peaceful people."

Brunda snorted and the other woman rolled her eyes. "Who is talking about them? Our warchief", she said the word with a snarl, "is very eager on claiming the new continent as his own. I can't say I have anything against new resources... but this is kinda eccessive if you ask me. I mean, the Pandaren already own the place and there's still a lot to get out of our own ground. And don't get me started on the trouble with the Darkspear trolls..."

"Shh, keepit down, will ya?" the other one said. "They might be listenin'!"

"Oh come on, Muraga, you know when a tauren blocks the door, there's hardly someone else before. It."

Tak rolled his eyes. In fact, he had ducked a little when he and Twilight had entered the room.

Brunda grinned and shrugged, revealing two long tusks protruding from her lower jaw. "Just kidding, you old rag."

"Your rhymes are as terrible as I remember them", said Tak dryly as he opened his bag and took out the herbs.

Brunda frowned at the leaves and examined them carefully. "Not bad. They look pretty fresh. I'll give you two gold for these."

"Come on", grumbled Tak, "just two?! They're at least three gold's worth! Look at that one, it's still completely intact, roots and all! Straight from the marshes of Durotar."

"Hm. Considering those two are already kinda dry, I'd say two gold and twenty."

"Two eighty!" insisted Tak.

"Two fifty and I won't go higher, you greedy goblin!"

"Done." Coins changed their owner and Brunda gave the herbs to her assistant who stored them in a small shelf at the back wall.

"When did you decide to become a hunter?" asked Brunda. "I thought you were a shaman."

"Huh?" wondered Tak. "I still am."

"Then what's with the pet?" Brunda asked, pointing at the alicorn.

"She's... uh... not that kind of, uhm...", mumbled Tak, suddenly embarrassed.

"I'm nopony's pet", hissed Twilight.

"Shh!" Tak hissed back.

"She's not... from around here. Pretty, huh? As purple as the tabard of the Kirin Tor... um. The trade was a pleasure as always. See ya!"

Tak grabbed Twilight around the barrel and shoved her outside.

"Now wait just a minute, what was that?" demanded Twilight as they made their way to the neighboring house.

"Sorry, I wasn't able to come up with anything. What did you expect me to say?" Tak mumbled.

Twilight stopped. "This is stupid, Tak. I can't walk around all the time pretending to be some kind of pet of yours. It just feels wrong. No offense."

"Right", sighed Tak. "But it's at your own risk if you talk and all. You know what? I have an idea!"

Twilight's eyes filled with hope. "What kind of idea?"

"You like books, right? And you do arcane magic?"

"Yes...?"

"Are you a mage?"

Twilight lowered her gaze. "Well, magic is my special talent so I guess you could call me that."

A rustling noise made her stop talking. When she turned her head, Twilight saw a female elf with long red hair and a black robe walk past them and enter the herbalism shop.

"As I said", Twilight continued with a quiet voice, "I am a mage. But I am not powerful enough to create and stabilize the kind of portal I need for returning home on my own. So I am not really that great of a mage after all..." She hung her head.

"That's not my point. Look, now that I have sold my herbs, I have to go and pick some new ones. How about we do that in Northrend?" Tak grinned happily.

"You lost me there. What's so special about Northrend?"

"O dear Earthmother...", sighed Tak. "Of course you would not know."

Twilight blushed and looked away, ears flattened and wings folded.

"Sorry, I did not mean it like that!" Tak stammered. "I just meant... well... there is this big floating magical city in Northrend."

Twilight's ears went up again.

"It is a city under supervision of a magical order, the Kirin Tor", continued Tak. "I would bet my herbalism bag they have got loads of books on portals!"

"You really think so?"

"Of course! They might even help you with setting one up."

"Oh, Tak, that would be amazing!" whispered Twilight happily. "But", she hesitated, "would you really do this? Take me to that city? Aren't you at home here?"

Tak huffed and folded his arms. "I wasn't lying when I said there's good herbs there. And honestly?" He lowered his voice and bent down, looking into Twilight's eyes. "Orgrimmar sucks. I hate this place. It's just rocks and orcs." He straightened up again, adjusting his belt. "So, yes, I will take you there. Wouldn't you need a guide anyway?"

Twilight smiled sheepishly. "Oh. Yes."

Tak nodded, pleased with himself. "Then that's settled. Come, let's get you some scrolls and ink. You are going to love Northrend. Even though it's as cold as Sylvanas's cursed behind, it's gotten much better since the undead Scourge left the Borean Tundra."

"Wait, what?!"

Comments

[Alex Wadegrove]

Interesting. Let's have a look.

[Mocha Star]

I'm lost on location references but digging the story!