Hearts and Bones

The earth here, is dead. The water is polluted, the air reeks of contamination. The stench from the burning city to the north, a fire that never seems to end, burns my eyes. The priest by my side is also affected it seems, though I suppose for a different reason. Horrible things happened here, and his holy sensibilities must feel it. When I look over to him, his eyes are closed and his face is pained. I reach over and touch his shoulder, which seems to snap him out of his reverie. He smiles at me with reassurance and then returns his attention to the road.



Kelmar, that's his name, consults the map we were given and sighs. We're lost. Neither of us have said it, but we are definitely lost. The Western Plaguelands were easy enough to negotiate, once we had found a way around Anderhol, but here, the road keeps taking us North, which we're sure is not the direction we wish to go in. Light's Hope is supposed to be in the east, whereas this road will take us to Stratholme, a place we most definitely should not go near. The undead Scourge own it, and will slaughter any and all who try to get in.



However, we can't seem to find a way to get beyond the gaping chasms that lie to the east of the road. We've gotten turned around many times and have only just managed to get back to where we started. I am beginning to wonder what the herald in the Exodor was thinking when he asked us to come here to aid the Argent Dawn with so little information.



Kelmar's tentacles twitch slightly in frustration as he studies the map, hoping that it will reveal its secrets to him. The eastern part of the this former human realm is extremely vague on the map. I suppose that the land has changed to drastically since the invasion that they simply did not know what to make put there. I close my eyes and try to keep my annoyance, and my worry down, when I feel Kelmar shift suddenly next to me.



He's turned his Elekk around and is sitting high in the seat, with his hand in the air. I look over my shoulder and see another rider is coming. He's riding on an armored horse and is heavily armored himself. A paladin I realize, a bloodknight judging by the way a red aura comes off the steed. He's coming from the north and slows down when he sees us.



I try to not look surprised when he takes off his helmet.





I've been in the Plaguelands for a little under two weeks. Its not easy, being so close to home, and right in the middle of the Scourge forces in the Eastern Kingdoms. For the first couple of nights, I couldn't sleep, as I kept dreaming about the loss of my city. I wouldn't say that I have become used to being here, as there is no getting used to this place, but rather that I have learned to live with it.



The Argent Dawn has helped with this, for they are truly a brave group of men and women. To be part of that, even if it means staying in this hell, seems to be all worthwhile. It reminds me of why I have done all that I have done since that day, and my resolve, which had faltered somewhat during my time in Kalimdor, has strengthened.



And so, I have been doing as much work as I can for them, mostly helping to wipe out the undead strongholds around Stratholme, before an attempt is made to take out the Scourge Ziggurets that are the power base there.



I am coming back from such an errand in the north when I see the two riders on the road to Stratholme. Draenai, a male and a female it seems. I haven't seen them at the chapel before, and wonder if they have gotten turned around and lost amid the many pits and deep scars in the land that separate Light's Hope from the rest of the Plaguelands. Indeed the male is looking at a map when he hears me approach and turn around.



I remove my helmet and approach them, trying my best to look friendly. While the Argent Dawn accepts volunteers from both the Horde and Alliance, there has been some fighting over the watch towers and other areas here. The humans no doubt want the land back, where as the Horde will not be too keen in losing the land between Undercity and Silvermoon to them. I would rather not fight them, since my own personal reason for being here goes beyond these kinds of disputes.



“Hail,” the male says as I get closer, “are you coming from Light's Hope?”



“Going to,” I say looking at the female, who is still wearing her helmet. She is in chainmail, while her companion where the vestments of the priests of the Exodor. “If you're looking for it, you need to go south east, this road will take you to Stratholme and the Ghostlands.”



There's a brief moment of awkward silence. He wants to ask me to show him the way, but isn't sure how. After all, we're not allies here and I could be lead them into a trap, or they could do the same to me. The female I can tell doesn't want my help. Her eyes, which are the only features I can see through her helmet are regarding me with suspicion. There's something else there too, that I can't quite pinpoint.



“You may as well follow me,” I say. Its true really, we're all going to the same place. I start my horse off the road, silently inviting them to follow.







If he recognizes me, he doesn't show it, and I feel comfortable with that. Kelmar looks distinctly uncomfortable at my silence and that of the Blood Knight, but then he hasn't been out all that much. Since the crash, he had been staying with the wounded with our people, studying about this new world we found ourselves in and helping to get the Draenai settled. On my last visit to the Exodor he saw me and asked if I would take him with me out to the Plaguelands, where he heard there was a call for help.



He has assumed that since the Argent Dawn is a neutral group, that because there is a common enemy here, that the Horde and the Alliance will put aside their differences and work together. Unfortunately, that is not the case. We must be cautious.



Of course, we need help to find the chapel in the first place, so I urge my elekk to follow the paladin and Kelmar, relieved to see me do so, does the same. We follow along one of the deep ravines that have been cut into the land. I look down and see that the pits are crawling with spiders twice the size of gnomes. Bones in various states of decay are scattered about everywhere along with cast off armor.



Kelmar looks slightly ill at the sight and I sigh inwardly. He shouldn't have come here. Not to this place of death.







The priest isn't used to this kind of death and decay. He is constantly turning around in his saddle at every sound, every movement, and looking down into the scar with horror. It is horrible. I've just become so used to it. I slow my pace to make sure we don't lose him, but allow him to see for himself what the Scourge have done to this land. This isn't even the worst area in the plaguelands.



The female seems to be handling it much better. If this place horrifies her, she doesn't let it show, which means that she's been out in the world longer than he has. Strange how jaded some of us become with life. The day Silvermoon fell I was a scared youth, barely able to think clearly to act. Now I wonder how I would react in the same situation. On the one hand it is good to keep one's head, on the other, it means that I've lost a sense of innocence. Looking at the priest now, it almost makes me miss it.



Almost.



My charger picks up its nose and slows its pace more, moving its head from side to side. I stop and signal the Draenai to do the same, before closing my eyes and concentrating. Its sensed something, and reaching out I can sense it too. Undead energy is moving all around us all the time here, but now I can sense several points of focus are closing in.



We're being surrounded.







The Paladin's horse disappears beneath him. He unslings his shield and takes out a long sword, and waits, listening for something. Kelmar begins to look nervous, but I silence him with a gesture before he can ask what's going on. The Blood Knight is sensing undead. I dismiss my elekk and signal Kelmar to do the same.



“They're surrounding us,” the elf says finally, “we won't be able to out run them, they have us pinned against the farm to the east. We need to avoid being driven in there.”



I nod in understanding and raise four totems from the ground. Two hammers appear in my hands, one infused with the winds, the other with fire and I stand ready, my back to the paladin and Kelmar in between us. Already I can hear the howls of other worldly creatures coming over the rolling hills toward us.



In a moment I see them coming. Three hounds, fire sparking from their maws charge over the hill in front of me. I channel energy through the air and lightening flies from my finger tips, hitting the closest one and arcing to the other two. Then a burst of flame engulfs the first one as it reaches me. I swing at it and hit it in the head, while the other two try to get my flank. Behind me I can hear the clang of shield on metal and the ground beneath me glows with an eerie light.



The first wolf falls under my hammer and the second gets sizzled by the fire of the second. I shift my feet to keep them both in front of me, but keep the paladin and Kelmar behind me. I can hear the priest chanting and feel a sudden buzz fly past my ear as the third hound yelps in pain. Suddenly I hear him cry in dismay and I see that several ghouls are now running towards us.



I dispatch the second and third hound with another lightening bolt and then stand ready to take on this new onslaught.





Three skeletal warriors lie broken at my feet when I hear the priest. A quick look around confirms that there are more coming from the back. I hope he and the shaman can handle them, because three ghosts are closing in on me. I call upon the holy power and blast the nearest one away, while the other two screech. For a moment I'm deafened and they seize the moment to attack, slashing against my arms. Luckily I snap out of it before they can do any serious damage and pour more holy power into the ground. My shield glows as it makes contact with the second ghost and she disappears with a high wail. The third and final one hits me in the head and its only my reflex action that takes her down before she can take advantage.



Since there are no more undead before me, I turn just as I hear a crash behind me. The shaman has been knocked down with the last ghoul ready to strike. Without thinking I unleash my exorcism spell and it explodes in dust and holy light.



“Dotai!” The priest exclaims, as he bends to help her up, “Are you all right?”



She looks up and pulls her helmet off. Ah, her again.





The first night at the Argent Camp is awful. The chapel itself is a run down old building, in which the Argent Dawn sits in meeting with members of the Scarlett Crusade, who have a base nearby. I have heard some things about them and none of it is good.



The guards, support staff and volunteers all have to make camp outside. The Alliance stays to one side of the chapel, while the Horde stays to the other. During the night, the sounds of the undead echo across the land along with the sounds of battle. We're told that this is the memory of the battles that were fought here. I lie awake trying to shut the sounds



Things are civil, but there is little if any mixing, which is fine, since there is so much to do anyways. Kelmar and I get to know the lay o f the land better, and soon are able to go out on excursions by ourselves. Mostly this is information gathering or, more often, culling the numbers of the Scourge forces nearby. Its a job that seems never to be finished. More and more of them seem to arrive every day. I don't know where they are all coming from, but it seems there is an endless supply. I am told that the plague cauldrons are to blame, as well as the strongholds in Stratholme and Scholomance. The plan is to hopefully clear those areas out of the stronger Scourge who are directing the weaker forces, but so far no attempt has been successful.



One evening, as we are coming back, I stop by the blacksmith to repair some of my gear. When I give him my chain shirt to examine, he whistles at the damage. I'm not surprised, one of the Abominations up north had managed to knock me down just as a hound had gotten his teeth in me, ripping at the shirt. It had probably saved me, but was now too damaged to wear.



“Its not too bad is it?” I ask, not really wanting to have to buy one of the generic shirts he could sell.



“Its pretty bad lassie,” he says, “but not unfixable. Its a delicate job though, may take an hour or so.”



I nod and sit down on the hill. Its not like I have anywhere else to go and at least the heat from the forge is enough to beat back the deathly chill of the air. The dwarf pulls out some small tools and replacement links for my shirt and begins the delicate process of removing the damaged ones and replacing them. As I am waiting, people come and go to make use of the forge and the anvil and as dusk settles in, I see Bronal come up.



He carefully removes bits of metal from a bag he has and works on the forge, melting them down into bars. Its something I have had practice in myself, when I am working on jewelry. After he has his bars he moves to the anvil and its at this point that I notice he isn't wearing a shirt. As I had suspected, he is well muscled if slender, but solidly built. His red hair is mostly tied on top of his head, while the rest spills down his shoulders. As my eyes follow it down, I realize that his chest is scarred in many places. At this distance and in this light I can't tell by what, but it seems to travel down to his waist...



I realize that I am staring and shake myself to stop. The paladin doesn't seem to notice, but begins hammering away at the metal he forged. I can't help but watch him, as there's something hypnotic about the way he moves, the repeated motions of rising and falling, the way his eyes are completely focused on the work he's doing. I can't help but be pulled in by the rhythmic pounding of the hammer.







She's staring at me. I try to not let it distract me, but I can feel her eyes focused on me. She must be tired, I tell myself, and is zoning out thanks to the heat of the forge and steady beat of the hammer. I'm not even sure why I care that she's watching me, it wouldn't be the first time. Certainly while learning new techniques I am watched, when I am working on someone's gear, they tend to watch me, mostly in fascination.



Absurdly, I feel very self conscious about my scars. Others have commented on them, while others have tried not to see them, but all I have shrugged off. This time I feel I should cover them up, that I don't want her to see them. Why? I have no idea. I don't particularly care what she thinks of my body or my appearance. Do I?



I finish up my work, and begin to put my stuff away, when the priest comes over. He puts his hand on her shoulder and says something to her, causing her to stir and snap out of her trance. She gets up to go with him, but first turns to give me a long glance. I stare right back at her, why I don't know, but our eyes lock for one brief moment and then she moves on. I shudder involuntarily. What was that all about?





The noises of the night have fallen into the background, as I lay in my tent. My eyes are heavy and I feel sleep closing in on me when I hear something outside. I sit up as the tent flap is pushed back and Bronal crawls through, his burning green eyes fixed on me. I start to protest against this intrusion when he quickly springs forward and kisses me, cutting me off before I can begin.



His lips are soft and warm against my mouth and he gently slides his tongue out to taste mine. I put my hands on his chest to push him back, but he holds me firmly by my upper arms, caressing them with his thumbs. I try again, but I realize my heart isn't in it, and before I know it my mouth has opened and I let him in. Smoothly his tongue begins probing my mouth, sliding along my own. I feel myself being laid down on my back and I give no resistance. My arms wrap around his shoulders and I move my head to the side, exposing my ears and my neck.



I gasp as he attacks my neck, licking and sucking at the skin just below my ear. He gently bites down on the ear lobe and then sucks it into his mouth. I whimper in need, as this is a particularly sensitive spot for me. My hips begin rolling up into his as instinct and desire take over my other senses. He hoists himself up to his hands and knees, above where I can feel him and I whine in protest.



“I know what you need Dotai,” he whispers into my ear and begins pushing up my night shirt, exposing my moistening cunt all the way up to my breasts. He hungrily dives down to take one of my breasts into his mouth. I put my hand over my mouth to keep from crying out as he sucks in the nipple and rolls it around with his tongue. His hands are seemingly everywhere, I feel one on my other breast, while the other is tickling its way down to my pelvis. I roll my hips up again, desperate to feel his touch.



His fingers craze over my sensitive clit and massage the lips around it. I feel one finger slide across the wet skin of my slit before it enters into me. Another finger follows it and they begin thrusting slowly in and out of me. I rock my hips with them and when I feel his thumb on my clit my breath catches and I start shaking. He kisses me again, sucking on my slips and rolling his tongue over mine.



“Give yourself to me,” he whispers, “and I will give you what you hunger for.”



I sob as his thumb begins rubbing my clit with renewed vigor and adding a third finger inside of me. My hips start bucking wildly, begging for release which comes hard and sudden in another moment. It just keeps coming and coming until finally I fall back to earth, a useless mass of flesh, beaming with satisfaction.



In another moment, I open my eyes. He's not here and the flap is closed firmly shut. My hand is between my legs, wet with my come.



I have been dreaming, I realize, still shaking with the after effects of the orgasm. I very intense dream, but a dream all the same. I find myself bothered by the implications of this. The Blood Elves are the enemy, and while Bronal has done no wrong by me, he is still one of them. Worse, a Blood Knight. To be dreaming about him with such desire bothers me deeply.



I just hope I didn't make any noise.