World of Warcraft®

Allaynna Kidrain

Allaynna shook her head, the man earned a withering glance, "John," she said, "Caves aren't evil, it's what lives -in- the caves that can be evil."

Shivering, the woman, took a number of steps into the cave, the setting sun behind the mountain range already meaning that the cave was in darkness save for the glow of her runeblade and the eery shimmer of her eyes. Touching a finger on the rock, she frowned at it, as it came away damp.

"Water," she shrugged, "Fire would be nice, not necessary, but nice."

Clearly unafraid to take the lead, the death knight paced further into the cave until her form was silhouetted by the glow of her weapon and eyes, and the dark holes that were the others' shapes against the darkening sky behind them, "I don't know about you three, but I don't like the caves, and I don't like the beach. I do like fire."

Pacing back to the front of the cave, she stood beside the others once again, staring into the cave, silent for another moment. When she spoke again, it sounded as if she had made up her mind, "Fire. Rest while you can, we can figure out where the hell we are in the morning."

Kel'tira Sunblaze

The paladin had beckoned to Lyrilia to follow her towards the cave mouth as she followed Cy, watching the rogue stalk off to dig through the debris scattered on the beach, she sighed and held up a brightly glowing hand, taking a number of steps into the cave, watching the floor carefully, as if looking for something.

The Light in her hand cast sharp shadows over the deep footprints in the sandy floor, and as Kel bent to inspect them, she cried out and cursed, jumping back suddenly towards the beach.

Where she had knelt a moment before, there was nothing. The footprints had been wiped from the sand cleanly, as if nothing were there, and as if nothing ever had been.

Turning, shaken and pale, to Lyrilia, she spoke, "I do not like this. Tell me how you got here."

Reyara looked around at the others as they headed off towards a cave. “Might as well follow them.” Ceyara thought. Reyara agreed and kept pace in the back of the group. She looked over each one of the group, a death knight, a marksman, and a mage, all human. Then she decided to speak up. “Does anyone have something to eat that I could possibly have? I was on my way to get food when this happened.” While she was hungry, she was testing the group, seeing who would be the most useful in this situation.

Ceyara observed the cave as one of them commented on them being evil. While in her exile from her home land she lived in a cave once, the local centaur thought it to be cursed as any who entered seemingly lost their minds. She smiled to herself.

Reyara noticed it was slowly becoming night her dark clothing would allow her to more easily blend into the cave, given a moment’s notice she could vanish from sight completely.

“So, how do you all think we can get out of here? Because as nice as this cave looks I would rather not be in a strange cave in an unknown part of the world.” Ceyara said. Reyara gave a subtle nod of agreement. She did not want these people to learn she had two minds about everything, literally. Other people were alone in their bodies, she was not. She was afraid that they would not understand and try and harm her. Although she knew that Ceyara would do anything, including remorselessly kill, in order to survive.

John followed the group into the cave, smirking at the woman's comment. "That's not quite true. I once wandered into a cave that literally tried to attack me. The walls caving in and all that. Although, I figured out that it wasn't a cave rather the mouth of some creature. And that it was probably a dream… at least, I hope it was a dream!" He smirked as the area around him began to darken. It wasn't complete darkness, as there was a small amount of light emitting from her weapon.

"Allow me." John held out his hand and clenched his fist tightly and opening it quickly. In an instant, a large ball of fire lit up the cavern and seemed to almost consume his hand with flames. The light was bright and intense and was a perfect light source for cavern treks. John had made his way up to the near front of the group so that the light could shine forward for Allaynna. "If you want fire like a camp fire, I don't think I'd be able to manage. Arcane fire isn't as useful for camp fire fires." He'd nod, keeping up with the group.

The cavern was certainly creepy, like there was a presence following behind them as soon as they stepped foot into the cave. He couldn't quite put a finger on it, but there was definitely something ominous about the place. He simply just couldn't get off his mind. If something were to happen suddenly, he'd probably get taken off guard… being all zoned out and whatnot.

Adrian looked up, the group began moving around some.

"If we're going to move into the cave, I'll take lead. Mister Mage here can light up behind me and my goggles work pretty well in low light." he said standing up. He looped the grenade he had been tossing back and forth onto his belt and lifted his rifle. He pulled the goggles over his eyes. They whirred to life, adjusting to the lighting conditions. The cave ahead of him started to illuminate as if he were looking through a green filter. His eyes adjusted to the new vision and he walked ahead, taking a knee and keeping his rifle up some.

"If we want a fire, I can make one easy enough with some wood, if we can get some." he said back to the group. He lowered his rifle to rest the barrel on his knee and leaned back against the cave wall.

Tislina Dawnrunner

Tislina sat at a desk in the library. Two larger tomes sat out in front of her. One that was written in an incomprihensilbe language, the other looked to be a translation guide. The library was completely empty aside from the one libarian quietly shuffuling through papers at the front desk. A small blue candle made shadows dance across the nooks pages as Tislina read a few lines and jotted notes down every so often on another piece of parchemnt.

Her ear flicked. Tislina glanced up, her eyes narrowing. She caught the unmistakable feel of magic in the air. She glanced aroound the dark book shelves, searching for signs of movement. When her eyes registered nothing, she went back to her work, decideing an apprentice must have cast a loose spell outside.

The air hummed. Tislina looked up again. Nothing. She shook her head and closed the two books, coming to the conclusion she was tired and her mind was playing tricks on her. She slipped the incomprehensible tome into her bag and gathered the other book in her arms. She stood up and walked to the front desk and set the book down with a smile. She turned and layed her hand on the door knob. the humming got louder. Tislina shook her head and opened the door, stepping out of the building onto....sand?

She looked down and then did a complete circle. Where had the library gone? And where had she gone? Tislina instantly knew what had happened. Some sort of magic had brought her here. A little ways off, she could just make out the dark opening of a cave in the growing twilight. Sighing she started toward it. Upon getting closer to the mouth of the cave, she conjured fire in her hand to spread some light around. her eyes caught a familiar shape. "Kel?" she called out in a mixture of curiosity and nerveousness.

Alanna Starsinger

The huntress sat perched quietly in a tree. She was watching the wind blow the trees around and she smiled lightly. Running a hadn through her long purple hair, she slid down the trunk until her feet touched the soft forest floor. Oh how she loved Elewyn. She walked over to a small stream and knelt by it, cupping her hands so the water would pool in her palms. She raised her hands to her mouth and drank the cool, clear water.

She looked across the river and noticed a spiny green plant sprouting from the ground. Alanna grinned. Onions. Good for cooking. She stood and lept gracefully over the stream. With a trained hand, she removed the plant from the ground and went to wash the succulent bulbs in the stream. She slipped them into one of her bags when she was done.

She turned and noticed another clump growing up on a hill. What good luck! She jogged toward the hill, easily going up it. Upon reaching the top she looked around in confusion. She wasn't in the woods anymore, but rather on a sandy stretch of beach. Alann only vaguely wondered what had happened when she turned toward the caves, noticing the people. She swallowed. Of course. Alanna debated what to do for a long time, before finally slowly going after the people. She need to find shelter, food, and water. That was no problem. but information, she wanted that too. And maybe these people had it. She slipped up queitly behind the group and cleared her throat awkwardly. "Um, hello?"

Allaynna Kidrain

Allaynna nodded, clearly content to take up the rear, and then held up a finger, tracing out her plan, "Tonight, I vote we make a fire just inside the cave, then sleep, or, those of us who can should sleep. Tomorrow, we can decide what to do."

Backtracking to the entrance of the cave, the death knight stepped onto the beach, the skin on the back of her neck prickling as if she were being watched. Dropping into a crouch and drawing her sword again, she moved as silently as one can in plate, gathering relatively dry wood from the wreckage around the group.

The moon was, at this point, high in the sky opposite the mountain range, and the death knight paused to stare at it distastefully. It was not quite full, but in the next days, it would be.

As the Night Elf approached, Allaynna turned slowly, an armful of wood of all sizes in her hands, "Hey there," she said calmly, her voice echoing slightly as it was prone to do, "I assume you're one of us?"

Whatever that means... she thought.

Beckoning the huntress over, the death knight turned unconcernedly, her sword still on her back, her arms still full of wood, and walked the 10 or so yards back to the cave mouth, dropping the wood my Adrian and turning back to face the hunter, a small smile under her helm.

"What can I do for you?" she laughed, "Probably absolutely nothing! But, tell us your story, hmm?"

Alanna Starsinger

Alanna flinched and followed. Her story? Like her whole story? she wondered. She shook her head. Probably just how she had got there. She rolled her shoulders and touched her bow for comfort. She ran a hand through her purple hair as she pondered what to say.

"Well, I am not against you, so I suppose that makes me one of you. I am called Alanna. You see, one moment I was gathering onions in Elewyn forest and the next I was standing on this beach. Do you know how I came to be here?"

I returned with an armful of various pieces of wood, and I noticed that Kel'tira was visibly upset, and talking with Lyri. I hastened to the cave mouth, and dumped the wood just inside the entrance. And turned to Kel, "Sis, what happened? You look like you seen a ghost or something."

My eyes went from each woman's face trying to read them in the fading light.

Reyara watched as another of her kind had shown up. She had a bow with her. "Great she could be a sentinel for all we know. If I am lucky she doesn't know me. Our banishment was not exactly private." Ceyara muttered. "I agree" Reyara muttered. Then she heard the woman speak about gathering onions in Elwyn forest. "Good".

"The disturbing thing about all this is that none of us know how we got here or even where here is." Ceyara said aloud walking towards the other elf. She pulled her hood over her head to mask her face from view. If they figured out why she had been banished or even what she was there would be trouble. Ceyara could tell Reyara liked the people in the group, and it would be unfortunate for her to have to kill them.

Allaynna Kidrain

The death knight nodded, "We just... were pulled. It felt like a portal, displacement wise, and now... No one knows how, where, or why."

Kneeling in front of the firewood she had gathered, the woman set about stacking it neatly, piling the wood up, and setting it into a neat pyramid, the tinder on bottom, and stacking the larder logs nearby.

Glancing up at Adrian, she said, "Light it, please?"

Turning back to the others, she frowned at the group, "Magic. One way or another. Who did it, or what, is more to the point, I suppose."

Rising to face the hunter, she smiled slightly, almost maniacally, "I'm Allaynna. Kidrain, if it helps, if not, fair enough. Now, I can keep watch, as I have no need nor desire for sleep."

Kel'tira Sunblaze

Kel took a deep breath, glancing at the wood, then shaking her head, clearly making a mental effort to control herself once more, she rose, walked over to the pile of wood, and then crouched by it, setting it up precisely, and then producing flint from her pack.

Only speaking once she had the fire leaping comfortingly, she sat back on her heels and sighed, "Footprints do not just disappear, Cy. So maybe I have seen a ghost. Light knows they -are- around."

Falling silent for a moment, she closed her eyes and offered a soft prayer before speaking, "I would rather think it was a ghost than something else. These caves... they... are not right."

Rising as she heard her name called, the paladin peered searchingly out of the cave mouth, the fire in the Mage's hand catching her eye. Stepping out into the dark, Kel jogged over to Tis, catching her hand and speaking softly as the hair on the back of her neck prickled, "Tis, put it out, stay quiet, and come with me."

Not giving the other woman a chance to reply, Kel would pull her along, reaching the safety, or relative security, of the cave mouth and the fire.

Settling to her heels in the sand, the paladin drew her hand over her face, "Let me be completely honest with all of you. I sent a number of scouts out to look for these caves. None of them have reported back since... a week ago."

"I came looking for them. The caves contain an anomalous ore that holds mana like a... storage device. The goal was to find it, and mine it. So far... that has failed. It appears that something has changed, because you all are here, and should not be. Consequentially, this means that you all are my first priority, and we need to get you all out of here."

Kel glanced at the others, her eyes serious, her face set, "I will make up my mind whether or not to follow you as we search for a way out. I have a responsibility for my people, House and Fellowship, that I intend to uphold."

Staring at the flames, the paladin shook her head, digging in her pack momentarily instead. Producing a neat package of bread, only slightly crusty, and cheese, not moldy at all, she used her boot knife to cut it, passing the food around the group, "Eat, and then we can decide who will take the first watch."

Tislina Dawnrunner

Tislina nodded gratefully and took the food. She watched the fire leap about for a moment, grateful of the flames. She paused as she pondered the situation. "I don't like these caves. We magically show up near them for no apparent reason? I don't find that coincidental. But for now, we'll just have to stay close to each other." She slowly began to chew on a piece of bread.

Alanna Starsinger

Alanna nodded. "Very nice to meet you, I guess." She glanced around her surroundings. The cave was not to bad. Alanna had stayed in caves before and this was not much different. She whistled softly into the darkness and listened. She cocked her head as there was no answer from any type of bats. "That isn't natural," she mumbled, suddenly feeling uneasy.

She sat down calmly and reached into her bag, drawing out a dried strip of venison. She was about to take a bite when she remembered the others in the group. "Would, um, would any of you care for some food? I, ah, I have plenty..."

The warrior pulled her weapons up out of the sand, dragging them along behind her as she followed Kel to the mouth of the cave. Jumping slightly at Kel’s sudden outburst, she opened her mouth to reply but quickly clamped it shut, thinking and half listening to the others, offering Tislina a curt nod. It is odd how many fellowship members are here….and no other horde….Cyaer, Kel, Tislina now too. Sitting down around the fire across from Kel, she watched the flames dance, a seemingly permanent scowl on her face.

“Wait…what?!” She reached for her weapons in the sand, turning to look into the dark of the cave, and then back to glare at Kel. “You couldn’t have left anything like that in your notes then? I was almost positive it was that robot thing of yours, but something about how I was ported..? Here felt odd…and now you’re telling me…” The warrior rose, weapons in hand. “…that we’re sitting in the mouth of some strange cave system, which you have sent scouts to, and apparently have no idea where we are or where they went and you’re thinking of staying behind? No. Because something would happen to you, you’d find some sort of trouble to get in like you always seem to do I have noticed, Kel, and then we’d have to come all the way back to wherever the hell we are to save you.”

“And quite frankly, I’m not too keen on coming back here, ever.” With that, Lyrilia turned on her heels and stalked out of the cave, turning her nose up at the food, and shouting something over her shoulder.

“I’ll take the first watch.”

I took the offered bit of food, and chewed on it thoughtfully, as I watched each of the women in turn. Then I stepped forward to volunteer for the first watch.

"I too have a responsibility to our people, Kel'Tira, both for the House and the Fellowship, so I stay if you stay, and I leave, after you leave. To uphold that responsibility." I grinned, but my face was just as serious as Kel's.

I sat down on my heels on the far side of the fire, deeper into the cave, watching my footsteps and the sand on the floor of the cave. And looked at the sand beneath the fire, to see if it "moved" or appeared different than the other sand. Was I becoming paranoid? Or being cautious knowing others had been in these caverns, and there was no sign of them.

I looked over to my cousin, my guild leader, Kel'tira, and gave her a thumbs up and a happy grin. Then went back to looking at the sand and listening...for anything.

Adrian was watching down the maw of the cave. He had an uneasy feeling. Something didn't sit right with him in this place. Constantly scanning the cave, his hands never left his weapon. He was deep in contemplation of the area when a clatter of wood dropped next to him. He snapped his head to the side, slightly raising his weapon from shock before seeing it was Allayna. He lowered his weapon and pivoted on his knee to face her.

Light this, please?

"I suppose I can," he said jokingly. He leaned his rifle against the wall and took his backpack off and set it in front of him. Methodically searching through his bag, he produced two rough metal sticks. Crouching near the wood, Allayna had made it into a proper shape for fire. He removed one of the logs that was facing the direction of a breeze to keep a steady flame burning.

Striking the two sticks, a flurry of sparks flew forward onto the tinder, lighting it immediately and moving on to the larger logs. He dropped the sticks back in his bags and grabbed his weapon, walking back to the group.

"Fire's up. It'll build up in a few minutes." he said. He looked back down the cave, feeling like someone was watching the group. He adjusted his goggles to take in the darkness and walked forward slowly, his weapon raised and held tight to his shoulder. He walked slowly, smoothly, surgical. Eyes darting left, right, up and down. His weapon following, always watching for avenues of approach. Suddenly, the muzzle of his weapon bumped into the wall in front of him.

The cave ended slightly down where they were sitting. Suspicious, he let his weapon hand from his chest. He pressed his hands against the wall, thinking maybe that it was a fake.

Nothing.

"Dammit." he said quietly to himself.

Kel'tira Sunblaze

Kel looked slightly amused as Lyrilia stalked out, "Fine, Lyrilia has first watch. I will take second."

Raising her voice, she called out, "Lyrillia, wake me up in three or so hours."

Smiling at Cy distractedly, she settled down on the sand, pulling her armor off, setting her weapons in easy reach.

Laying down on her back, the tall elfin woman shifted uncomfortably, "Cy, you can have third watch, unless Tis wants it. I will wake you up when it is your turn."

Closing her eyes slightly, the paladin breathed deeply once, and then rose, murmuring a prayer and calling the Light into her hand, leaving a small dot of glowing golden magic on the sand beside her as she curled over on her side, the loose clothes she wore under her armor creased and wrinkled.

Her loose hair hung in her face, and that face was strangely peaceful as she drifted off to sleep. Who would have thought that Kel'tira Sunblaze smiled in her sleep?

The sun was starting to set as Arthien maneuvered her way through Silvermoon City's Bazaar, her bag now filled with a collection of ingredients, cloth, and other essential items. “Where are we going now Ari?” a voice called, Arthien turn her head to see a small High Elf walking several paces behind her, the girl was young, and small compared the Arthien, her short bright red hair falling to her shoulders with several stray pieces covering her mischievous blue eyes. Arthien did not look amused “I have finished my shopping here and am returning to Shattrath, you Cana are going back into my mind where you belong.” the High Elf, Cana stuck out her tongue “You're no fun Ari, you really need to lighten up.” Arthien rubbed her forehead before turning to respond, but the girl had vanished, sighing Arthien returned her attention to getting back to Shattrath.

It was getting late as Arthien walked into the mages Sanctum, tossing a small coin pouch to one of the mages and bluntly saying “Stattrath.” the mage nodded and gathered the reagents, the portal quickly formed nodding her thanks she stepped though, bracing herself for the usual gut wrenching that occurred during portal travel, what she got was far worse.

Her body felt as though it was being turned inside out, she grit her teeth against the pain, hoping it would stop soon, and just as suddenly as it started the pain stopped. Arthien felt her feet touch solid ground moments before they gave out, she fell forward, the sand softening the impact as she landed on her hands and knees. Wait. Sand? There is no sand in Shattrath. She looked up. In the rapidly fading light, she appeared to be in some desert, she could wreckage strewn across the ground. Arthien slowly rose her strength seeming to return after the portal “Blasted damnation!” she spat at the barren waste before her “I wanted to return to Shattrath and instead the damned portal takes me to this forsaken desert, that shall be the last time I request help from them, I shall do it myself from now on. And sand why must it be sand, no matter what one does it gets everywhere, and it never comes out of ones clothes” She ranted on about how lax the mages of Silvermoon had gotten with their most basic transportation spells and the problems she had with sand, not caring if anyone heard or if anyone was actually here.

Cyaer leaned back against the rock wall behind him, and looked around at the two women left in the cave. His eyes slowly closed, and he was asleep before he knew it.

His thoughts and dreams involved a certain pretty Sin'dorei lass he had left in Pandaria. He enjoyed most dreams he had about his young wife. And this was no exception.

Allaynna Kidrain

The death knight had been hunkered by the fire, but rose to follow Adrian. Peering over his shoulder at the back of the cave, she too dropped a soft curse.

Nothing.

"I don't like this. Less and less am I finding it a good place to be." Sighing, she shrugged, "Not that there's anything for it. Not like there's anywhere we can go."

Walking back to the fire, she looked around again, "Get some sleep, all of you. I'll watch."

Turning away from the flames, the death knight leaned against the wall of the cave, watching the beach in the moonlight.

Kel'tira Sunblaze

Darkness.

Cold, dark.

Snow?

Northrend. She was in Northrend.

Where else could she be?

With a suddenness, she realized she was at the spot she had only heard about, and the night... the night was dark... snowy... and the snow was stained red.

Kel shifted on the sandy cave floor, her face contorted into a grimace of fear.

Red.

Hot, thick.

Blood?

Of course it was.

Suddenly, she was drowning in the thick stuff. For a terrible instant, she couldn't breathe, and then... Ice.

Kel twisted violently, crying out incomprehensibly in her sleep.

The shadowy figures that loomed up all had names.

They dead of her past stalked her through her nightmares, but the worst... the worst was the shade of her husband, his head in his hands, the bloodied stump where his body would have joined his head seemed to follow her...

"Nicias!"

"Nicias!"

The paladin came awake with a scream, her husband's name on her lips, her eyes wide and terrified. If anyone had been trying to wake her, they would have been unable to for the past 20 mintues or so.

Panting, she lay back, eyes closed tightly, struggling to hold back tears.

Adrian clenched his fists in fury. Allayna cursed behind him and turned to walk back towards the fire. Adrian stood by the wall still, and drove his fist into it violently. A soft crack was heard from his knuckles. He cursed again and turned, massaging his hand gently. He lowered the goggles from is eyes around his neck and dropped down next to the fire again, taking off his backpack.

He unclasped his rifle and laid it up against the wall of the cave and flexed his hand. A soft crack could be heard every time he made a fist. He took his swords off his back, and set them next to his rifle as well.

"If you want me to watch at all, I can. I doubt I'll be sleeping tonight anyways. Too much going on in my noggin." he said. He leaned forward and unclipped the buckles of his plate vest. Lifting it over his head with a grunt, he dropped it next to his weapons. His belt was last, setting it around his vest, he took his revolver out of the holster and slipped it into the back of his pants. He rolled his sleeves up and laid down, his head on his backpack. He turned towards the fire and stared into it.

"I feel like something is watching us. But this cave ends just about 15 meters down and nothing is outside that I could see. Troubling, I'd say." he twisted and turned for several minutes before getting up, frustrated and digging out some tools from his bag.

He walked down the cave about six meters, and drove a stake into a crack in the cave, a wire tied around it, and took another stake to the opposite wall. A trip wire in case anything had decided to bamboozle them and sneak up. It was a thin wire, and would probably cut bare flesh.

"One less thing on my mind," he said quietly.

Cyaer's head came up quickly as he heard Kel's scream of Nicias. His head bumped the hard rock wall behind him, and he knew he would have a nice tender bruise there in the morning.

He searched the cave quickly with his eyes, using the shadows and light of the fire to see if there was something in the cave. He saw nothing, and gazed out the entrance of the cave to see if whoever was on watch was going to rush in to note the disturbance heard. He tilted his head down, and appeared for intent to be asleep. But he was not.

His eye lids slits, he gazed over at Kel, then Tis to see if her sleep had been interupted. Again his eyes went back to Kel, and he shook his head as he watched over the little group in the cave.