Sunset in Azeroth

by RIPoste

16.A Bitter Taste

“Why? Why won’t it work?”

Sunset bit back a small curse as her master’s lament broke through her concentration. It had been a week since she had been inducted into her master’s secret research, and truth be told, it was nothing like she had envisioned.

When her master Kel’Thuzad had asked for her to join him in learning forbidden magic, she had thought that they will be working on something a lot more concrete than what they already have. She envisioned dark rituals, constant deciphering of forbidden tomes, even something as terrifying as invading graveyards to see if they could communicate with the dead.

Certainly not something as pathetic as raising rats and trying to ensure that they stay active in undeath as long as possible.

Truth be told, this was all rather underwhelming.

Their current specimen was capable of staying alive for barely more than 3 hours. A huge improvement compared to the last one, which fell apart in ten minutes. Still, regardless of the amounts of amendments that they had made to the runes and casting procedures, they had been unable to extend that time period by any proper amount of time.

And the fact that her master had been doing nothing productive except constantly spouting expletives for the past hour certainly wasn’t helping.

“My apologies, master, but at least we got it to survive as long as it used to,” Sunset said in an attempt to placate the irate mage. “So we know that the current set of runes work as well as our recorded ones.”

To her relief, that did the trick as Kel’Thuzad’s anger subsided far more quickly than it had arrived and he stroke his beard calm contemplation. “Yes,” He replied, “You’re right. Put the current set of runes down in the notes. I will want to give it a look before deciding on a new combination to use.”

“Understood, Master.” Sunset dutifully procured a scroll from a nearby table and scribbled their new findings upon it. Sadly, for all her assurance, Sunset did not fancy their chances on unlocking the secrets of life and death any time soon. If Unicorns in Equestria was already struggling in creating new magic, what chance does she have in Azeroth, a place whose magic was far more rigid and less malleable?

Especially since they do not get to work on anything new.

It was at that moment when the door flew open, and a white-bearded mage strode right in, draped in robes that were little more than rags cobbled together.

“Ras,” Kel’Thuzad growled at the men, Sunset’s senior apprentice, who Kel’Thuzad had made very clearly was among his bigger disappointments and who Kel’Thuzad would not have kept around if not for the fact that he was capable of slinking his ways into the lower slums of Lordaeron that even Helcular could not reach without drawing suspicion. “I trust you have brought my goods?”

“Indeed,” Ras smiled as he unslung the haversack across his back, retrieving scrolls, a book and a black box from it. “All paid for in the undergrounds rings, Master Kel’Thuzad.”

Sunset strode forward to relieve the older man of his load, who merely flashed her what seemed to be a charming smile, which honestly looked more like a troll forgot how to grimace and tried to do so, and even that was being generous on her part.

Now if only she could do something about the smell he reeks of. Because while she knows that he was a Hedge Wizard, that doesn’t mean he lives in a literal hedge or bog swamp…

“Thank you, Sunset.” her Master remarked, “check if there is anything of value in there, if you would.”

Sunset nodded her affirmation as she set the products down on the table. Picking up the scroll, Sunset muttered a series of spells as she drew her finger across the parchment. Good, it’s authentic. Pulling it open, she gave it a once over, before sighing.

Seriously? How repetitive can all of these get? She had sworn that this must be the fourteenth scroll detailing the exact same spellcasting runes. Seriously, one might think that these scrolls were being mass-produced or something. Except that they were clearly not, seeing as the mana signature was completely different and that the runes, while similar, were rather misaligned and differently arranged.

Still…. It would be nice if they could make some headway…

She continued the process for the next scroll, and the next, until she had went through them all. She would have counted herself unfortunate, if not for the fact that she found a couple of runes that she had never seen before. Those she took down in her notes, so that she could see if they would aid in the ritual later. On the other hand, it was time to open the box, which had been emitting an extremely unhealthy aura that Sunset would normally avoid. Still, necromancy magics were known to have a ‘nauseous effect’ on magi, so perhaps that would be a good sign.

Sunset reached out a palm at the box as she let her magical senses sweep across it. She grimaced as she pored over the spell matrices surrounding the box. The defenses were intricate and complex, those were normally indications that the object in question was not something to be trifled with, but under Kel’Thuzad’s tutelage, Sunset had become quite proficient in identifying the weakness within such spellwork.

So it was with ease that she found the weakness in the matrix, and Sunset sent a single spear of arcane spell at it, and watched as the dozens of little blue circles and runes withered and fade away to a green fire.

Intricate and complex, yes. But extremely fragile when one knows how to break it, Sunset grinned.

Once she was sure that the defensive spells were complete done for, only then did Sunset reach out to open the box. Only to see a single gem within with what seemed to be a swirling green and purple vortex inside of it.

She didn’t need to touch it to know that it was powerful. In fact, everything about it just feels terrifying. The magic within was sickening to her senses, sending a creeping sensation down her spine. And that was not to mention the voice that was speaking to her within the gem.

Hold it, voice?

Sunset strained her senses as she sought to make sense of what she had heard. It was less than a whisper, more like a mere breeze with words of one’s imagination upon it. Still, as she reinforced her will, sharpening her senses as she attempted to make sense of what that apparently could not be heard.

As she did so, the words became clearer as the whispers rose in volume, soon speaking to her. There was a myriad of voices, all jumbled up in a cacophony of chaos. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, they seemed to take notice of her, and began to join their words into one united sentence.

“FrEe uS…”

Well, that’s to be expected. Sunset thought. ~The gem was probably a magical orb of some kind, and it appears to be entrapping a number of souls. That was, if the books on necromancy that she had consulted were to be trusted.

She would like to release those within. Except that that was against her master’s wishes, and that would be counterproductive to their research. Not to ment-

“SuNSeT?”

“Celestia?” Sunset wondered aloud softly as she looked about. The voice was distorted, sure, but she would recognize it anywhere, having grown up with it most of her life.
“SuNSet?…”

Sunset looked about, before settling her eyes on the orb before her. How could it be? The orb was a prison for souls, if she was correct, so there was no way that her mo- no, the princess would be here.

“wE cOnNEcteD wItH hER bEyonD tHe vEIL.” THe voices interjected.

“SuNseT! iS tHat YoU, TrULy?” Her voice was fading, but Sunset knew better than to take the voices at face value. Such sentient artifacts of malevolent power often have ways of digging up valuable information from their victim’s mind. It was one of the first things that Kel’Thuzad had instilled in her.

Well, that and constant vigilance. Looking back at her master, Sunset made sure that he was still deep in conversation with Ras before whispering, “Yes. I am here.”

“I mIsSeD yOu.” Sunser’s heart almost skipped when she heard that, though she kept her feelings hidden. It could still be a trick, after all. “wOuLD yOu plEAsE foRgIVe mE?”

If this was a trick, it was a terrifying one, being capable of digging up memories over three years old. “What do you have to forgive me for?”

“EvErytHing. FoR maKiNG yOu leavE, fOr putTinG yOu beHinD CaDenCE.” How did they know that? “fOr nOt maKinG tIme fOR You.”

“I see.” Those apologies would be great to hear, if she could somehow prove that they were real.

“WE hElpeD yOU reUnitE witH yOuR meNtOR. FrEe US nOW.”

Awfully demanding, weren’t they. Especially since she did not ask for this and had no way to prove that it was actually Celestia that she was talking to.

“pLEaSE, SUnSeT, wOuLDn’T yOU FreE tHem?”

“Why?

“I wIlL mAke yOu a PrINceSS.”

And there it was, the slip up. Sunset sighed mentally. Of course it was too good to be true. While becoming a princess of Equestria was still one of her goals, she was certain that it was not something that Celestia would easily promise her.

It was really a pity. Sunset raised a hand and began her spell. She could hear the voice within the gem raise in alarm, at first questioning and demanding before resorting to pleas that grew more and more desperate.

She ignored them, at least until she felt something smash into her mind.

Crying out in pain, she could see the magical gem pulse faintly as another blow hammered into her astral self, almost causing her to lose control of her spell. Still she endured, and doubled her efforts even as she reinforced her mind and will. Making the next blow that comes rushing at her feel as though it were but a mere breeze.

Unfortunately, it appears as though the spirits within have other ideas as their voices rose up, chanting an otherworldly language that seems eerily familiar yet definitely of alien origin. Sunset sped up her own casting even as she felt something tug at her mind, and sped it up even more even as she felt herself grow weaker from what was definitely another mental assault that sought to drain her.

She completed her own spell in record time, watching as magic seals fell in place about the gem, silencing the voices within. Breathing a sigh of relief, she fell to her knees, feeling a lot more exhausted than she normally would.

Probably the after effects of that draining spell that the ghosts inside were attempting.

“Apprentice, what is going on?”

Sunset looked up to see her master’s irritated face staring down at her. “Spth.” Sunset tried to form the words, but realised that her mouth was dry from the entire ordeal. “Spt…. Spiriths, mather.”

“Spirits?” Kel’Thuzad sniffed before turning his gaze to the gem. His eyes narrowing, her master muttered a series of spellwords before snorting. “You clearly need more practice if that were to overwhelm you.”

The shame that Sunset felt was only eclipsed by the growing dread at her master’s words. While she may not have died from the ordeal, it had certainly drained her, and were she to ‘practice’ now, well, while she was confident that she would not embarrass herself, she was quite certain that the last thing she needed right now was a grueling training regime.

“Uh, sorry to interrupt, Master Kel’Thuzad, but we were discussing…”

“Yes, yes.” Her master sniffed dismissively, showing his disdain for the hedgewizard clearly. Sunset, however, was thankful for the interruption. The irony that the wizard that she disliked had just saved her was not lost upon her, however. Perhaps, she ought to start respecting him a little.

“Get back to analyzing the rest of the artifacts, apprentice.” Kel’Thuzad ordered, “then you may leave for the day.”

Not trusting herself to speak properly, Sunset merely stood and bowed as her master turned to Ras. Sure that the Archmage’s attention was now occupied. Sunset reached out with her magic and summoned a decanter of clear fresh water, which she promptly drained. Letting out a sigh of relief, she turned her weary eyes back to the pile of magical items.

Immortality was losing its appeal with every passing moment. Hopefully, one of these would yield a much needed reward...

Author's Note:

Alright, this chapter is actually less of a chapter and more an interlude, but is shorter than usual, which I apologize for. Currently, its finals period for me, and my hands a little more full than usual, but things should be back to normal by the next chapter!

Do leave a like if you enjoyed the chapter!

Regards,
RIPoste

Comments

[Venerable Ro]

Well that was a nasty bit of grimcrackery, who knew forbidden magic could be so hazardous?

[Georelic35]

Hey writer!
I just wanna point out i found just now on the featured front page. Just in case you wanted to know.

[Booster Spice]

I take it destroying the gem with extreme prejudice would lead to the contents required result also?

[Midknight Defender]

Certainly not something as pathetic as raising rats and trying to ensure that they stay active in undeath as long as possible.

Sounds like a rather rational, methodical, scientific approach to the problem, to me. Maybe Twilight should have been the one sent to Azeroth. She'd appreciate that excellent methodology properly, no doubt!

And the fact that her master had been doing nothing productive except constantly spouting expletives for the past hour certainly wasn’t helping.

Now he really sounds like a crotchety old senior researcher.

[Laurent Bertucchi]

I notice we have not seen Mr.Bigglesworth yet.

[Sejoran]

Kel'Thuzad has done at least one good deed in instilling a healthy skepticism to the arcane in Sunset.

[Spellflame]

Mistakes
1 you were near it
2 you broke the wards on it
3 you opened it
4 you looked at it
5 you listened to it
And many more