World of Warcraft®

Alex looked over the two scrolls sitting on the small table beside her, in the guilds barracks in one of the lounge rooms, she sipped at the glass of rum in her hand as she thought over each order. She heard the clank of plate from over her shoulder, Vainaa soon stood in front of her. Alex took one more sip of her rum before looking up at the woman, her face dark under her hood as usual

"You have an order from the boss, You are to choose one person to accompany you from the ranks be it a scout or one of our paid affiliates. Please do not get caught. The boss would like for you to, cause a little havoc, for the Pia Presidium and Hearthglen. Do not try to locate their tower, only deal with Hearthglen. Poison food, turn decor upside down, steal silverware, start some hay stores of fire. Just make sure nothing you do kills anyone." she holds out one of the scrolls sipping her rum.

"I will not be around for the next few days so yo will take lead on this and report back to Lord Aschaere, please -do not- try and talk to the boss in the cellars, you know he doesn't like being disturbed."

A strong breeze from the east brought the briny smell of salt and fish to those just outside the barracks. Sand stirred up and a small whirlwind formed. Nearby, an umbrella vendor was hawking his wares as the perfect way to keep the sun out of your eyes and the sand out of your ears. To the ardent salesman’s dismay, the whirlwind picked up most of his product and tossed the parasols about like leaves.

Vainaa noticed none of this as she exited the building. Her focus was on the map in her hands. The diagram of the Hearthglen area was old and most likely out of date. This was somewhat frustrating to the draenei as it meant she would be going in almost blind. But, that was not her biggest peeve with this assignment. Alex had told her to take someone with her. If Vainaa had been the type to vent her irritations she would be shaking a fist at the wind. As it turns out, she was not the type to let anyone see her emotions - if she had any that was.

“Who to take?” She muttered. Pale colored eyes looked sharp as her gaze traveled back to the barracks behind her. “And why did Alexithima have to state there should be no deaths involved in this little venture? That takes all the fun out of it.”

Stealth was not something Draenei were adept at. Vainaa glanced down disgustedly at her hooves. She hated them. Of course, she hated most things. She especially hated working with other people and was pleased Alexithima had agreed to let her come alone on this mission. Alexithima was sure to be ticked that it had taken her so long to get this done. Unfortunately, the death knight had recently had a host of other issues come up regarding her boss. Surely, the boss’ mate and her friends would figure out what was wrong. Vainaa frowned and shook her head, trying to clear her mind of those distractions.

As she flew across the western section of the Plaguelands, her thoughts went back to the conversation she had overheard in the Recluse several months ago. Two worgen had spoken freely of the way to Hearthglen. It was rather silly of them – particularly of the one called Barklin. He was a member of Pia, after all. He had given quite a bit of information to his friend, Discauince. Neither of the men had bothered to speak quietly or hide their conversation in the slightest.

Vainaa gave a rare smile as she approached the southern entrance. In fact, it was the only entrance by foot. Vainaa knew, however, that her winged steed should be able to bring her in from the back. They would most likely have sentries, though.

A distraction. Perhaps there was one thing the death knight enjoyed – explosions – loud, distracting explosions to be exact.

Her smile gave way to a smirk. She patted her saddle bags as she flew in low, careful to avoid detection as she landed in the valley, far away from the eyes at the entrance. Her sharp gaze searched her surroundings. Spying an abandoned cart, her eyes shimmered with what might be excitement.

Quickly, yet methodically, she set up her diversion. Some very old explosive material set under some straw. It would appear the cart’s owner had abandoned his cargo as well as his cart. She lit a cigarette and sat there, smoking for a few minutes, as if she hadn’t a care in the world. As the cigarette burned down, she flicked the ashes onto the straw. The breeze today, was slight, not enough to put out the ash, but just enough to add fuel to the embers. Vainaa watched as the straw began to burn. She made sure it was going well before taking to the skies. Flying a short distance to the east, she waited.

Boom.

The near excitement was back in her gaze when she heard Pia’s sentries clamor and shout as they ran down the road to figure out what had caused the commotion. Vainaa was long gone. In fact, she was just flying in near the mine at the back of Hearthglen when they had reached the cart. Of course, nearly everyone else was just as curious and they had all rushed to the front gate. No one was anywhere near Vainaa.

Alexithima had wanted Pia to hurt, without hurting them. Vainaa sighed. Hurting them would have been so much more fun. Nevertheless, she moved forward, bypassing the mine for now and made her way to the lumber mill. Destroying their supplies should be a good start. Working quickly, she set several explosive packs under the mill and set the timers. Her eyes constantly darting about for possible knights.
Seeing no one, she made her way back to the mine. She didn’t go in far, just enough to set the bombs near where they would collapse the entrance. After setting the timer, she turned to go, but stopped short upon exiting the mine.

An unfortunate straggler was just now making his way to the gate. He spotted Vainaa and frowned, knowing she did not belong there
.
“Alex, I know you wanted no one killed, but…” she murmured as her hooves churned the dirt on her way to the man. She was on him before he knew what hit him.

The sickening snap of his neck broke the silence just before a scream escaped his lips.

Her steed was waiting. She mounted, pulling the triggering device out of her bag. As they flew north, she pressed the button, a true smile crossing her face at the sound of buildings and earth ripping apart – and the screams that followed.

Someone must have poured the crazy out lately. Odd attacks on Hearthglen. Jataa being blinded. They were still recovering from the damage done by the plague. Their little orphan was dead and Mercy had never fully recovered. Her granddaughter was still tending to her, but Gentyl expected any day to bury the old woman. Of course, many others had also died, so Pia weren't the only ones hit.

But this new attack...what in the world what happening?

The cart fire had caught part of the stables on fire and they lost the cart pony, Albius' pony. Well, if there was a heaven for ponies, maybe Albius had his pony again.

Gentyl looked down at the body. "Bury him in the warhorse graveyard. Then I want whoever is doing this caught."

"Sepha?"

Gentyl turned around. "Aye"

"They killed a guard this time, too."

She pulled her gauntlet off. "Bring the body in. Notify the family. When we catch the person, the proceedings will be held here. No Stormwind Union nonsense."

"Sometimes things do not look better in the morning.", Zephilyn muttered to herself. She sat on the husk of a cask outside the hillside that had been the entrance to Hearthglen's mines. The cask had, earlier the previous evening been filled with wine in the storehouse.

As the sun crept over the horizon, she could see more clearly the damage that had been done. The storehouse shattered, mine collapsed, a cart on fire and a dead guard. If she weren't tired from putting out the fire and moving debris looking for survivors, Zephilyn probably would have flown into a fury. As it stood, she was simmering with anger. Not worth being angry, it's time to do something about it. But what?

She slipped off the cask where she had been resting. A fist sized chunk of steel that had been an armor pauldron lay on the ground in front of her. Her anger seized her for a moment and she lined up a good swift kick at the offending chunk. As it sailed towards the mine entrance, pain shot into her hoof. She frowned with disgust at herself.

Okay, so that's not the right thing to do., she pursed her lips in thought, So. One dead, supplies and mine damaged but not irrecoverably so.. She ticked the items off on her hand. No invading army had shown itself, about to take Hearthglen in an assault, would tip off the garrison ahead of time like this. No. This is a message or a distraction. Perhaps it is time for the Presidium to show we can send messages as well.

Her mind ran through the list of possible culprits. The cult of the damned and the twilight cult were both spent forces. Their members were either in running or truly dead. Neither would have time for an act of sabotage like this. Then it singled down to the most likely culprit. The Ocheliad. They'd squared off against the Order in the past, she knew that much. You have no evidence to reach that conclusion, Zephilyn told herself, but she only partially believed it.

Now, I just need an excuse to get in on the action before Sepha assigns me something boring. A grim smile played across her lips for a moment as the idea came to her. A supply caravan would have to be organized to replace what had been lost. And that caravan would have to come from Stormwind most likely. Why not volunteer? Who could blame her for wanting a drink in the Recluse while she waited for it to form. And if she happened to find some information while she did that, so much the better. And what way to avoid boring duty but to volunteer for something seemingly boring! She shook her head, this kind of thinking was quite fun, even if it didn't come naturally to her.

She set off to find the Sepha.

((My apologies for slacking off on this story. I've had a lot going on with one of my other characters and had to put this on the back burner.))

Vainaa stood on the deck of the docked ship, hooves slightly more than shoulder width apart. Smoke from her barely more than a stub of a cigarette curled around the fingers of her left hand. She took one last drag before dropping it and crushing the butt beneath one worn hoof.

A disgusted scowl crossed her face as she quickly lit another one. She was sickened with herself – hiding out on this vessel as if she had done something immoral. Perhaps those in Pia thought it was wrong, but what did she care about that?

She knew Alexithima had wanted no one dead, but Vainaa had had no choice. The man had seen her and she could not let him tell anyone. A frustrated sigh escaped her lips along with a large plume of smoke that curled and twisted its way out to sea. She supposed Alexithima would have to be told.

"Go on goat-girl! Get out!" the annoying gnome waved dismissively at her as she left the Recluse. She was getting nowhere fast. Barklin and Melfae were focused on another task. She didn't recognize any agents hostile to the Presidium in the Recluse anyway. Or much of anyone for that matter. Her hand gripped her hammer and more than anything in the world she wanted to belt the annoying little being straight in the mouth.

However good that would feel, it would not move me forward in my goal and in fact might take me out of play entirely if the Watch were to be involved. She simply shook her head in disgust and left the tavern, the gnome catcalling after her. She clenched her fists in frustration as she stalked out of the mage district.

I need to find somewhere private to think for a bit. And something to keep my hands busy. Perhaps some fishing? It made some sense and she needed to go down by the docks anyway. Some of the supplies for Hearthglen were due in on a ship from Darnassus. She could check on that and clear her mind at the same time. And avoid assaulting a gnome and the inevitable jail term. She smiled ruefully.

The dockmaster, a ruddy faced man who clearly hadn't missed a meal in many a year, told her that the ship wasn't due in for at least a day, perhaps more. With that, she plunked herself down on the dock and began fishing off the end of the pier.

Cast. Wait. Reel. Cast. Wait. Reel. The repetition brought her calm, but no closer to any revelation and did little to brighten her spirit. It is fortunate I am a knight and not working for the Watch. If I were paid by the criminal captured, I would surely starve.

Alexithima sat quietly in her room of the deep barracks under the sand dunes of Tenaris. She tapped her finger against the roughly carved chair, on of her daggers sticking into the arm of the chair. Slowly she looked up as the door on the far end of the long room opened with a shudder and creak. The figure stood in the doorway, the blue firelight of the hallways torches casting an eerie shadow.

"Any word from Vainaa on how her mission went? An communication at all?" Alex asked calmly.

"No m'lady." the figure stepped forward "What would you have me do."

Alex tapped her fingers again. "Prepare my bags, I have some people to visit, and a few questions to ask."

The figure nodded quietly and stepped back, closing the door leaving the night elf, once again to her own thoughts within the dark reaches of the hall.

Her upper lip set in a tight sneer, Vainaa entered Stormwind after her conversation with Alexithima. The druid had had tried to bait her. And she had done it. Threatening to send Vainaa’s cut of the purse to the family of the dead man had angered the death knight and Alexithima had sensed it. What did Alex care for that idiot’s family anyway? The dumbass shouldn’t have gotten in the way. It was his own fault he was dead.

Crushing her cigarette under her hoof, she immediately lit another and took a deep draw. Pulling in smoke as if her lungs couldn’t survive without it. It was a habit she didn’t even bother trying to break. After all, she had already died once and come back.

Despite Alexithima’s harsh words, she had eventually congratulated Vainaa on a job well done. And although no specifics were mentioned, she had even given Vainaa a new assignment.

Vapor trails with the appearance of a hawk’s tail feathers streamed out behind her as she made her way to the docks. She smirked to herself as she neared the docks. Someone was actually fishing. Obviously, the woman sitting there, pole in hand, had no clue what sort of junk the dockworkers dumped into the harbor. If she did, she would surely find another location to drop her lure.

Zephilyn felt the tug on the end of her line and began to reel in her catch. After a barely a pair of heartbeats, the top of a well-worn and half disintegrated leather boot showed itself. She gritted her teeth in irritation and snatched the offending footwear off her line. As she did so, the smell of tobacco smoke grated even further on her last nerve.

She stood, smoothed her tabard, and flung the boot far out to sea. There. Hopefully a murloc tries to eat it and dies, she thought to herself. She turned on her hoof and stalked off, desperate to seek some solitude before she truly lost the last trace of restraint.

As she strode off the dock, she came face to face with the source of the tobacco smoke. A very pale looking draenei woman smirked at her, the stub of a cigarette hanging from her lips. Zephilyn couldn't prevent the her nose from wrinkling in annoyance and simultaneously her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Nevertheless, she ground her teeth and strode past wordlessly. Perhaps the park around the Cathedral is a better place anyway.

What had seemed like a great adventure and opportunity to prove herself as a new Knight had turned to ash. She nearly bowled over a portly merchant as she was swallowed by a throng exiting a passenger ship and made for the Cathedral grounds.