World of Warcraft: The Ties that Bind

by Blackdrag-rose

Val'sharah: Xavius' Tricks

"Archdruid Elothir," Esalia said, stepping forward to study the corrupted form of the powerful druid, though at the same time she knew who was to blame for the pain that they were all feeling, "Tell us what we need to do to aid you."

"I will muster all the strength that remains in me to locate Malfurion." Elothir stated, to which the four druids and Tyrande nodded their heads in understanding, though Trixie and Azuregos mimicked them as Lyra rolled her eyes, "I only wish I could aid you in his rescue. Might I call upon you for one last favor?"

"Of course you can Archdruid," Bloodclaw answered, knowing that they were pressed for time and that this was better than arguing or having a long winded conversation, "just tell us what task you want us to complete and we shall see it done before you fade away."

"An age-old friend, Varethos, has fallen to the Nightmare’s torment." Elothir said, though there was a hint of sadness in his voice, indicating that the two of them must have been close, "We once worked in unison to protect this land. His close ties to the land brought him low in this dark hour. As with all who suffer this fate, there is no restoring him. Please, friends, bring him peace."

"It will be done," the four druids replied at the same time, though Trixie was pleased to find that they were able to put their differences aside and work together, especially with the type of threat that they were facing.

Before anyone could ask where Varethos was located, however, Elothir used some of his power to call up a small plant creature that pointed to the path that was on the right side of the upcoming split in the path, before the creature's short life was extinguished and it was reduced to a pile of plant matter.

"Go, heroes, and bring an end to Varethos' life." Tyrande said, causing the group to look at her, to which she beckoned to the fallen Archdruid with her head, "I will stay here and petition Elune for whatever help she can provide. The Nightmare taint cannot be removed… but perhaps we can hold it back."

"Long enough… to seek him out…“ Elothir commented, though that was followed by him groaning, indicating that he was in pain and that he was going to perish within the next thirty minutes, maybe even sooner than that, "The forest speaks… I can almost understand…"

"Hold yourself on the edge of madness, Elothir!" Tyrande commanded, turning towards the fallen Archdruid and giving him her full attention, which meant that she was ignoring the rest of the group and silently telling them that they were dismissed, "Mother moon will carry you as long as she can."

The group looked at each other for a moment, determining that they were no longer needed, before they headed up the path that Elothir had pointed out for them, where they headed up to another area that was corrupted by the Nightmare. When they walked over the bridge and entered the new area, however, they found that there was a fair number of satyrs, corrupted dryads, and corrupted plant life patrolling the area that rested between them and Varethos, meaning that they were going to have to kill a lot of enemies before they reached their target. Lyra, seeing how many enemies were in front of them, drew her warglaives and threw one into the air, which struck one of the dryads in the back and cut a gash into her back.

As Lyra caught the warglaive Trixie and Azuregos started firing spells at the enemies that were coming their way, while the melee druids bit and tore into them while they were distracted. Lyra noticed that this was going to be a slow battle for them, because there truly was a large number of enemies converging on where they were standing, though at the same time it gave her the chance to test some of her stronger abilities. There was one she had picked up when she had first acquired the Twinblades, one that she hadn't used yet because she was always around one of her friends, so she moved herself to the back of their enemies and braced herself... to which she spun around and threw the Twinblades, where they spun around her immediate area and cut up everyone that was around her.

Lyra grinned as she noticed the severed pieces that rested around her, as she knew that several satyrs and dryads had fallen due to her new technique, before she caught the Twinblades again and charged back into battle once more. A few minutes later she and the others managed to get rid of the majority of the enemies that were in the area, as the other dryads and satyrs hadn't noticed that they were being invaded. As they walked down into the area that their enemies were guarding, and found no other defenders, the group discovered that Varethos was actually one of the centaurs that they had seen back in Lorathil... and he was, as Elothir told them, corrupted by the Nightmare.

Lyra and Monoskah charged at the corrupted centaur, where Varethos locked his attention on Monoskah and attacked him with everything that he had, allowing Lyra and the others to attack him without suffering any consequences for their actions. Not a minute or two later the group of seven had brought down the corrupted centaur, allowing them to take a moment to rest before they headed out of the cave they were in and retraced their steps until they were back where Elothir and Tyrande were standing.

"Varethos is dead." Bloodclaw said, causing Tyrande to turn towards them, though at the same time the group noticed that she had been tending to what appeared to be some sort of corrupted bat creature, but it seemed to have been broken by Tyrande.

"My sight is fading, but I am glad that he rests." Elothir replied, once more revealing that he was running out of strength, though he said nothing more and caused the group to look at Tyrande.

"The Archdruid's end draws near. His memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew him." Tyrande commented, letting out a sigh at the same time, indicating that she was saddened by what was happening in front of them, "Elothir's desperate efforts revealed that Malfurion is being held in Shala'nir, amidst the roots of Shaladrassil. My love. So near, yet so far...."

"So what are we going to do to rescue him?" Lyra asked, as she was sure that the High Priestess had something insane in mind, though it wouldn't have been the first time she had been asked to do something insane and went along with it because there wasn't another option available, "Are we going to rush into Xavius' domain and fight our way to Malfurion?"

"No, Shala'nir is infested with Nightmare creatures... to rush in would be suicide." Tyrande stated, though the sudden tone of her voice indicated that she was annoyed with Lyra, but at the same time Lyra was used to the leader of the night elves being upset with her in some manner, "I subdued one of Xavius' creatures... and one of you is going to use it against him to clear us a path to my beloved."

"I'll do it." Trixie replied, to which she climbed onto the bat's back and headed off into the air, where the group could see her fly above the corrupted village, Shala'nir as Tyrande called it, and begin her mission.

Apparently all Trixie had to do was throw bombs down at the army of corrupted creatures that served Xavius, where the bombs would detonate when they hit the ground and take out anything that was around them, while at the same time leaving the structures standing so she and the others could begin their search. As she flew over the village, and took in all of the corruption that was happening before her, Trixie noticed nothing that indicated where Xavius had taken Malfurion, to which she hoped that Tyrande had some ideas. Once she had determined that flying in the sky wouldn't get them anywhere, in terms of finding Malfurion, Trixie continued dropping bombs on the corrupted creatures... though once she was out of bombs she forced the bat back to where Tyrande and the others were standing.

She found them standing near the entrance of Shala'nir, which meant that Tyrande had moved them in anticipation for when she had finished her bombing run, though the High Priestess stabbed the bat between the eyes with one of her arrows, making sure that the Nightmare couldn't escape to another part of the world and spread the corruption.

"Now, let us search Shala'nir for Malfurion," Tyrande said, though at the same time she retrieved her arrow and returned it to her quiver, before walking towards the entrance of the village, "if we do not find him soon he will be lost to me... forever."

Trixie and the others nodded their heads and walked into the corrupted village, though Tyrande held a hand out and stopped Lyra from following after them... to which Lyra glared at the High Priestess.

"Trixie may trust you, but we do not need your assistance," Tyrande stated, taking a step forward and leaving the demon hunter behind, while at the same time being fully aware of the fact that Lyra had a pissed off look on her face, "go do something else and stop burdening us with your presence."

Lyra watched as Tyrande walked up to where her friends were standing and ushered them into Shala'nir, apparently deciding that she wasn't going to be of any assistance and that she was fine with six heroes. Lyra already knew that she could have been some help at tracking Ysera down, though now that Tyrande had pretty much dismissed her she could track the corrupted dragon down herself... and maybe kill her before Xavius could use her in whatever plan he had constructed before attacking Val'sharah.

Trixie glanced back and watched as Tyrande approached the group, though at the same time a pissed off Lyra walked away and started searching for something else, but she already knew who was to blame. She couldn't believe that the High Priestess was judging Lyra based on what had happened to Illidan, based on what she had heard over the years anyway, and had dismissed her without a second thought. Trixie let out a sigh and lead the group forward, though as they approached the entrance of the village they were stopped by a mirage of Xavius, to which she held a hand up to stop anyone from doing something stupid.

"Welcome to my 'dream' home! Your beloved Malfurion awaits within." Xavius told them, though at the same time Trixie, Azuregos, and the druids knew that he was talking to Tyrande, who growled at the image of the Nightmare Lord, "But what's this? Which Malfurion is real, and which is part of the Nightmare...?"

The group heard Xavius' laugh as his image faded away, to which they walked into Shala'nir and began the search for Malfurion, which involved them fighting the corrupted treants and dryads that wanted them dead. As they fought against the minions of the Nightmare, however, Tyrande called out to Malfurion, causing more enemies to come at them and made Trixie wish that Lyra had come along. Not even a minute later Tyrande suggested that they investigate the inn while she went somewhere else in the village, to which Trixie let out another sigh and walked into the inn, where they found Malfurion kneeling to the right in a daze.

When they approached him, however, he faded away and they heard Xavius taunting them by saying 'Guess again, mortals,", before Bloodclaw suggested that they try the other side of the lake that Tyrande was investigating. They followed the path that Bloodclaw suggested that they take, where they continued fighting the corrupted creatures and the satyrs that called Shala'nir home. It didn't take them long to find another 'Malfurion' standing in a daze near one of Xavius' totems, though when they approached him he shifted into another satyr, to which they got rid of their opponent and searched for the next location as Xavius continued to taunt them. They then fought their way around the edge of the lake, laying low everyone that was in their path, before they reached what Trixie guessed was another magical portal that lead to another dungeon.

Resting nearby was what appeared to be the corpse of Malfurion, though when they investigated it they found that it was merely the body of a druid that had died a few days ago, when Xavius first launched his attack... though not a few seconds later, when Trixie was about to suggest the next area they should search, they heard Tyrande calling for them to find her and that their search was over.

A few minutes later they found Tyrande, though in front of her stood Xavius himself, while to his right was the corrupted form of Ysera and Malfurion, who was still trapped by Xavius' vile vines.

"Tyrande Whisperwind! I have longed for this encounter for many years." Xavius said, his tone indicating that he was pleased about how his plans were unfolding, which made Trixie and her friends sick to their stomachs, "Your adoring husband will be joining me in the Nightmare. His was a special invitation. And our dear Ysera, could you believe that she has had a change of heart? She will aid me in my conquest of Val'sharah... and she'll be starting with your precious Temple of Elune!"

The moment the words were uttered Ysera let out a roar and flew off in the direction of the temple, indicating that Xavius was beginning his assault, though at the same time the group waited for the Nightmare Lord to finish explaining his entire plan to them.

"Such a dilemma, High Priestess." Xavius continued, walking over to where Malfurion was imprisoned, though once he was close enough his thorny tail wrapped around Malfurion's body, but it didn't touch him at all, "Would you rather kneel beside your beloved as he draws his final breath, or would you rather watch the temple of your goddess burn? There is also a third option, you and your all druid friends can join me in the Nightmare..."

Xavius purposely let the sentence as he and Malfurion disappeared into a red colored mist, which headed back towards the portal that Trixie and the others had been near a few minutes ago. Trixie knew what this was, Xavius was pretty much saying that Tyrande and the others could willingly join Xavius, even if Tyrande wasn't a druid, or they could stand by and watch as he burned Val'sharah to the ground... be on the losing side. This was his way of saying 'join me or die like the others', and despite their powers Trixie knew that fighting Ysera would still be tough for all of them. She may not be the Aspect of the Green Dragonflight anymore, but she was still and incredibly powerful dragon and had likely been empowered by the Nightmare... to fight her, and succeed in killing her, they need to bring their full power to bare, otherwise they would all die.

As Trixie turned towards Tyrande, however, she noticed Lyra standing on one of the vile vines that was resting above them, though she was focused on Ysera's shrinking form, though at the same time she already knew what Lyra was thinking. They were going to fight Ysera and kill her before she destroyed the Temple of Elune... and then they would turn their attention to rescuing Malfurion from Xavius' clutches.

Comments

[Ze1a7in]

Is Tyrande that much of an asshole in the game to the demon hunter player?

[Blackdrag-rose]

8503398 No, npcs generally don't care which class the character is, but there are some that I feel would be this way if the game had some real reactions to a character's class... she and Maiev are ones that would definitely hate demons, and demon hunters, for their own reasons.

[Ze1a7in]

8503411
Ok.

[Blackdrag-rose]

8503416 Besides... I personally don't like Tyrande and her attitude towards, well, everyone that isn't Malfurion in this expansion, so she's still fitting canon... with some changes anyway.