World of Warcraft®

The burning pain in her leg began to spread as she led them up and out of that large chamber.

She took a torch off the wall while they passed into the dark twisting corridors. The weak man and weary woman followed close behind. The small dragonkin's claws made tiny clicking scraping noises as it followed not far behind. Its wings held high, the thin frail creature ran as fast as its little chicken legs could carry it.

Noise up ahead warned of a small group of orc coming at them. Likely moving toward the commotion in the large chamber moments ago.

The group turned into one of the small store rooms she had passed and hid. She did her best to mask the light of the torch without dowsing it. They stood tense and listened as the small group of orc passed without incident. They didn't appear alarmed. Good. She thought. They wouldn't be searching for the attacker and escapees. For now.

They finally reached the site of her first encounter. The bodies of the three had been moved and unceremoniously placed to the side. It felt like she had been in these caves for hours, but really it had only been minutes. There was a chance that the group of orc who had passed them in the store halls were still trying to piece things together.

Something was bound to give and sooner or later things would begin to stir, right around the time they discovered their dead leader and escaped prisoners. She couldn't worry about that now. She had to get out of the cave, get them all out of the cave. Then she would worry about what came next.

The pain started shooting up her leg into her hip, causing a noticeable limp.

Daylight!

The three of them rushed to the mouth of the cave. Sunlight, glorious sunlight bathed their flesh as they stepped from the mouth of the cave. It blinded Veronika at first but her vision soon focused.

Standing not far off was a tall wide figure. It startled her at first, thinking it another orc, but as her vision cleared she noted a thinner frame and better posture. Then she saw his face. The proud stoic expression, purple hued complexion, and long pointy ears.

It was a Night Elf.

Donned in dark armor the make of which she had never seen he struck a fearsome and imposing figure. His arms casually draped over the pommel of a long wide sword whose tip looked firmly planted in the red clay soil.

Spread throughout the small valley behind him looked to be the remnants of a long wagon train. Several orc bodies lay heaped upon the ground. The wagons were tipped, their contents spread to the winds.

Veronika clutched the torch tighter and tried to stand as straight and strong as possible. One arm hung limp close to her, the other balled around the torch shaft. The iron knuckles still ringed her one good hand. One leg bent, toes touching the ground for balance, she effectively stood on one good leg.

Mud caked her face and body. Much of her was damp with the blood of her enemies. Crimson hair a muddied mess of so many thick snake-like locks falling all around her. She glared up at the elf.

“Who are you?” She demanded in a flat tone that betrayed her weariness.

The Night Elf grinned. He replied in a deep silky-smooth voice. “Some call me elf. Others call me friend. Few call me Erfax. You will call me Master.” His face returned stoic and serious. He considered her with his hawk-like gaze.

She grinned in relief. Tense hard edges of her melted. She wouldn't have to fight this one. Fatigue began to grip her. She began to shiver and shake beyond her control.

“The ta... My task, is complete.”

“Then you've brought me proof?”

Veronika glanced behind and gestured with a tilt of her head. The two prisoners stepped into the light.

“These two were being held by him. They are now free.” She nodded to them. They in turn looked up at the tall fearsome Night Elf expectantly.

Erfax nodded. “Go. Return home.”

As the woman helped the man along Veronika told them where to find her pack.

“Inside will be some water, food, and a few other things to help you get home.” They nodded their tear filled gratitude. From the cave mouth the little dragonkin clamored to Veronika's side. It stepped in front of her protectively and hissed up at the tall Night Elf. He merely considered it.

“A Proto-Drake Whelpling?”

She nodded. “Whatever it may be, it was chained next to them in its own cage. I assume for experiments.”

“Odd." Erfax intoned. "To find one so far south. Why not leave the creature? Why not leave those other two? Your only task was to kill the Orc Warlock and escape alive. Saving these only put your life and your task at greater peril.”

Veronika was beginning to feel light headed. Her arm throbbed. Her head ached and swam with pain. The burning in her leg was now crawling up her abdomen. Knowing that she might soon pass out, she fixed the tall Night Elf in her most serious and defiant glare, in spite of her condition.

“I don't know why you choose me. I don't know why I accepted. That monster is now dead. His lording over the innocent has ended. None should be made to suffer as these. As long as I draw breath I won't let it. Not...” The world spun and she stumbled, but recovered quickly.

The Night Elf remained stoic. “I asked for proof. Something of the Orc. If you could not bring me this, then you have failed.”

Her fingers worked the small purple crystal from her pouch and she threw it at him. Erfax caught it in a hand and held it to the sun light.

“The Warlock's Soul Stone.” He looked past the item and grinned at her. She sneered back.

“Happy? Good. Now if... if you don't mind... I... I'm going to... over to...” Veronika moved for the shade of the nearby tree, but the world spun again.

Darkness took her.

Time stood still.

Veronika passed in and out, between the world of dream and reality. A warm fire crackled in the distance of her memory. Gradually she drifted toward it. Her eyes slowly opened. Stars filled the black heavens. Her mouth worked. Her voice took a while to catch up.

“Where...What happened?” She tilted her head and peered across the brilliant fire. Stoic features of the tall elf illuminated by campfire peered back at her. His silky smooth deep voice answered.

“You passed out. You withstood a great deal of punishment." Erfax stoked the fire. "For a woman of your stature. Yet darkness took you due to the warlock's curse. A curse of enfeeblement. One with a particularly nasty twist meant to also decay. He touched you, didn't he.”

She attempted to move, but lighting pain surged throughout.

“Lay still.” He instructed.

“I packed your leg with herbs and a small rune stones. The runes will work to negate the curse while the herbs draw out the decay. It was spreading rapidly through your body, however I'm confident damage was minimal. There is also a salve that will help heal that damage, but you may need to learn to live with some residual pain."

"Your shoulder." He continued after a moment. "I wrapped it immobile. That will take time to heal.”

She felt the bandages on her head.

“Oh yes,” He leaned back, cup of hot liquid in one hand. “You also suffered a concussion." She looked back at him confused. He waved dismissively. "I'll teach you about medicine later. Know only that the back of your scalp was split open. I cleaned out the mud as well as I could and packed it with more salve. The bandage holds that in place.”

She rolled her head back and peered up at the stars. He chuckled lightly. “I am amazed you ever made it out of the cave.”

“I'm glad my pain amuses you.” Veronika moaned, closing her eyes.

Erfax turned serious. “It does. It amuses me to watch you struggle and suffer. Your short lived kind are so soft and weak, yet you fight as if you were not. I enjoy it because with each passing strife your kind grows. Conflict changes you. Defeat defines you. You become stronger. Greater than you were. That change excites me, and for that reason alone I revel in your suffering.”

“You're sick, elf.”

Erfax chuckled again. “Perhaps. Perhaps not.”

She rolled her head to the side again catching his serious gaze. He continued.

“You are chosen. From this moment forward I will train you. I know you Veronika. You are born of pain and strife. It fuels you, feeds you. You will be shaped and molded by pain and strife unlike anything you have yet experienced. For that you will now be called Gorgon. Your existence will become dreadful, until it is not. Then you will know that your training is complete.”

She rolled her head back to gaze up at the stars. “And what then? What happens when my training is complete.”

“Then you will become something new. Something greater than Veronika. Greater than Gorgon. You will be given a new name. One fitting your rebirth. You will then be released from me. Cast forth into the world's battlefield to help shape its future.”

“I don't understand.” She closed her eyes.

“You will be Gorgon. In time. For now, rest. We leave at first light. Your new life awaits.”

Veronika Brink Talent laid on her back. Her eyes opened again and she gazed up at the endless heavens. The elf was right. All her life she had known pain and fear.

Each moment existing on the streets of the city was a battle, never knowing where your next meal will come from or when. Desperation warped good people into criminals. Criminals became monsters. The weaker are beaten, shoved aside, discarded. Others are stabbed and bled over table scraps. Even in her sleep strife stalked her nightmares. Lascivious shadows always attempted to press down upon her to steal away what little innocence she had left.

All the ugliness had become apart of her. Defined her. In time she learned to beat, to shove aside, to discard the weak and wretched so that she could survive. In time she became strong enough to fight back. To make others bleed, but only those who were deserving.

The elf had given her something much greater this day. Power. Power over her life, over herself. She felt the memory of a freedom that accompanied such power. A freedom she had lost along with her father.

She no longer felt afraid.

The End.

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