World of Warcraft®

The roar of the engine could be heard all over the valley. Unfortunately, the engine’s operator was rather new to the fine art of handling such a beast of a machine. The Mekgineer’s Chopper was cruising down the road toward Halfhill at a hazardous velocity.

The bike fishtailed as it crossed the bridge over the Gilding Stream. The driver had intended to turn right toward the boss’ farm, but there was a goat herder shuffling his pack on that side. The driver veered left, the back tire spewing dust all over the shaghorns.

As he rounded the hill, Knabo nearly lost control of the bike. He crashed into the corner of Lolo’s cart, knocking the man off. Lolo yelled something about recompense, but the dwarf couldn’t hear him. He kept right on going and barely missed mowing down a kid standing in the middle of the road.

At the last moment, Knabo realized he had failed to ask the previous owner how to stop.

“Dis could be a problem,” he muttered while swerving around the dog. The cat, who had been sunning herself and resting peacefully atop a large bale of hay, hissed and yowled at Knabo when he chose to use the pile as a brake.

“Well, dat wasn’t so bad.” Knabo stood there for a moment admiring his latest purchase. “Tis a darn good ting dat dumb human believe me when I say a higher price tan ta dumb goat lady offered. Now, I ‘ave dis fine vehicle and I don’ ‘ave ta see dat silly gnome anymore.”

Knabo plucked straw out of his beard as he made his way up the steps of the hut. He was just about to sit down when he noticed a piece of parchment on the small table.

Knabo,
I tried reaching you at your place in Ironforge, but your neighbor said you had gone to Pandaria. I assumed you came here because you are aware you have been neglecting your duties on the farm lately.
There is something I need to discuss with you. DO NOT LEAVE THE FARM UNTIL I ARRIVE.

It was signed with the boss-lady’s usual scrawl.

“Uh-oh. I ‘ope she wants ta talk abou’ ta state o’ ta crops an’ not Nabbi.”

Quiet. Do not move. Breathe without making a sound.

It was difficult for one so young to not squirm or fidget. Ash did it, however. She lay silently, trying not cough as she inhaled the dry soil she had stirred when she had scrambled under the brush. She remained still and mute. She knew her life depended on it. The monster was close.

There, to her right, a shuffling sound. The brute had no subtlety. His huge feet crushing every twig and stem to dust. The urge to run was almost overwhelming. Ash fought to control it – and won.

The inhuman creature had almost passed the bush when a mouse skittered around the child and darted out from under the shrub. The barbarian turned. Roughly, he shoved at the foliage. A sharp tug on her hair and suddenly, Ash was dangling. Her terrified scream mingled with her captor’s shout of victory, causing the nearby woodland creatures to flee in panic.

Ash woke with start and immediately reached for her ever-present axe. Her piercing eyes quickly scanned the room. Detecting no intruders, she set the weapon down, but did not release her grip.

She hadn’t had the nightmare in years. She wanted desperately to dismiss it, but she knew why it had returned.

Lrigknab. The silly gnome had gotten herself abducted.

Ash let go of the axe as she swung her legs out of bed. She rose and padded softly toward a basin in the corner. Without caring about the mess she was making on the floor, Azzy splashed the frigid water all over her naked body, banishing all thoughts of the memory the nightmare had evoked. She didn’t have time for unpleasant reminiscing.

Lrigknab had been missing for over a week. Ash had wanted to ask Knabo if he knew anything, but the asinine dwarf hadn’t heeded her order to stay on the farm. No wonder. He knew he was in trouble. He hadn’t been tending the crops as he should and apparently he had caused some damage to a fluffy Panda-man’s cart. Ash wasn’t too pleased she had had to pay for a new one.

The paladin shook her head in anger and frustration as she searched the floor for her scattered clothes. The events of the previous night still playing out in her mind as she dressed for the trip to Ironforge to find Knabo.

Ash had spent a very unsatisfying three days questioning every female draenei she saw. None were Lrigknab’s assailant. Last night, however, the odds had shifted briefly in Ash’s favor. She finally found the goat-lady she sought.

Noikona.

It had taken substantial restraint not to kill the woman. Noikona had not given Ash much information. She had refused to state Lrigknab’s location. Instead, she had offered the name of an associate of hers – Adrazel.

The name meant nothing to Ash. She had questioned a few people at the Blue Recluse, but only one man had seemed to know anything about Adrazel. Unfortunately, his price was too high.

Ash frowned as she reached around her waist and lightly touched the unmarred skin on her lower back with her left hand. The insane man had wanted a piece of her flesh. That was asking too much. She wouldn’t do that for anyone.

In fact, Ash was beginning to wonder why she was bothering with this gnome at all. Lrigknab was just an employee. Ash paid her a good wage and that should be the end of it. Instead, the gnome was sassy, obstinate and even went so far as to call Ash, ‘Mistress’ - a serious insubordination.

Ash furiously slid her chestplate over her head and attached her pauldrons. Her nimble fingers fastened them too quickly and she pinched her right forefinger. “Damn it!”

“This is ridiculous! Why am I involved in a situation I cannot control?”

Ash closed her eyes as she instantly realized that was the wrong question. The better question was why she was allowing her emotions to get out of control.

Breathe.

Years of practice gave Ash the ability to calm herself within a few minutes. Allowing her emotions to govern her speech and actions was a sign of instability, and Ash was determined to not let that happen. Another minute of meditative breathing and she had disassociated herself entirely from Lrigknab’s predicament.

She would still save the gnome, of course, because good personnel was hard to find.

Pulling on her greaves, she wondered how long it would take Adrazel to respond to the missive she had sent last night. Ash would really have preferred to know more about this woman before meeting her, but that didn’t seem likely at this point.

Breathe.

Her emotions were now completely disconnected from her thoughts and actions. Ash shrugged to herself as she casually picked up her axe and observed its blade. She hadn’t killed anyone in while. Perhaps this circumstance would allow her to kill a few of Lrigknab’s captors. The thought brought a small smile to her lips, but the mirth didn’t reach her eyes.

Before opening the front door, Ash took a few more controlled, deep breaths to cement the distance. She stepped outside and squinted at the overly bright sunlight. Hopefully, the trams were running on time today.

It was time to go see Knabo.

“Ten thousand gold! Are your crazy!” Trental exclaimed staring at the woman. He threw out his chest replying “Eight thousand take it or leave it”

Jaebela’s stood and merely spoke “Sold”.

Trental was a little taken back he loved to haggle and was a bit disappointed when the negotiations ended so abruptly. The burly dwarf sighed looking at the woman, “I was expecting more of a fight, but this be quite a bargain.” He turned back to the gnome that had been brought up from the cellar. He poked her in the arms and sides.

Sighing, he commented “A bit scrawny, but will do.” He turned back to Jaebela asking “And when will the second be delivered?”

Jaebela’s attention was lost as she watched the sun begin to set from the open door. She shook her head, regaining her composure answering “In a day or two.”

Trental smiled and grumpily replied “Fine that will be perfect.” His eyes looked back at the gnome and his large hand took her chin moving her head back and forth so he could get a better look at her. He removed a bag from his belt and tossed it on the table.

Jaebela’s hand quickly seized the bag hefting the weight.

Trental began to leave the cabin turning is head before he exiting “That is three thousand in gems. I will bring the rest when you have the second. Rough her up some, where she is going she will need to learn respect. I will be back in two days.”

Jaebela nodded with a slow smile cresting her lips. She turned to the two guards on either side of the gnome speaking “You heard our paying customer. Ten lashes sounds good to me.”

The guards nodded and began to roughly move the chained gnome away when Jaebela raised her hand halting them for a moment. She looked down at the gnome speaking quietly “You know this is just business.” She once again hefted the bag and spoke “Take her away”.

The gnome’s eyes were bloodshot and currently dry. Crusty, dirty smudges running down her cheeks made it evident tears had recently streamed out of her once bright eyes. Now, she stared vacantly, listlessly into the gloom. Any movement she made was so slight, it was almost imperceptible. Shallow, ragged sniffles had replaced breathing.

How long? How long had she been here? The dank cellar gave no clues. At first, Nabbi had marked the passing of days by noting the sun’s placement when she was taken outside to eat.

It had been a while since that had happened. Nabbi hadn’t moved since the last time. She couldn’t.

The dwarf’s instruction that she be roughed up was carried out with a fierce brutality the innocent gnome could never have imagined existed. Two of them held her while another had stripped her bare. Nabbi had tried to imagine what the Mistress would do in her place. So she stoically held her head high and attempted to maintain unflinching eye contact.

Their laughter had been her undoing. Her lower lip had begun to quiver and moisture had formed in her eyes. Like a twig snapping under an ogre’s foot - Nabbi broke.

She had pleaded, begged, cried for mercy. But no quarter was given. She had heard the woman order ten lashes. Nabbi had stopped counting after a dozen. They had taken great amusement in her ordeal. Gleeful, mocking faces staring and taunting her. After a while her screams had slowly diminished into barely audible whimpers. As the sun was slowly sinking behind the mountains, turning the world into darkness, so to, did Nabbi fade into the black.

When she finally regained consciousness, Nabbi had found herself chained to the chair in the basement once again. She drifted in and out of awareness like a toy boat being tossed upon the waves of the Forbidding Sea. Her normal optimism was almost gone.

Nabbi had actually believed Noikona’s word. Trusted her. But now…

Nabbi was too weak to shake her head in discouragement. The Dwarf would return. The woman would hand her over and Nabbi’s fate would be sealed.

((Events after the raid, Noikona’s part was small. Get to Lrigknab. Get her out.))

People were speaking to her but she could barely hear them. Their words sounded like echoes in a large empty hall. Her eyes stayed fixed on the tiny unmoving figure of Lrigknab. Noikona could see her chest rising and falling but it didn’t excuse the brutality that had been bestowed upon her. The feeling of helplessness and guilt threatened to suffocate her. Everything had happened so a quickly the events seemed to blur together. The weight shame for her part in it crushed her deeply.

The small room of the infirmary seemed to get smaller with every passing moment. Azheira had asked for an apology. She had tried to give her more than that. Her nose burned and her throat ached. She no longer saw Lrigknab lying on the bed, she saw herself, the vision slowly changing to that of Adrazel’s daughter, then to others she had hurt in the past. The visions would not stop but repeated in an endless cycle threatening her sanity.

The change started slowly as her eyes focused melting the visions away. Noikona wanted to give something to the innocent gnome, but she had nothing. Frustration filled her causing her fists to clench in anger. Her iridescent eyes shifted slowly from bright lilac to a fiery emerald. Her skin darkened from graphite to a dark maroon. Intricate black tattoos revealed themselves spreading from her neck, down her arms and breasts. Her body convulsed as she fought in vain to cease the transformation. Her mind screamed “No! Not here, not now”. She focused on the tiny form of Lrigknab, gasping for breath as her true form threatened to reveal itself. Thoughts of the naaru filled her head and the things they had done to her. Searing heat exploded from deep within her. Her blackened soul recoiled as she crumpled to her knees. The heat filled every part of her body as it tried to find a way to escape. The white hot light ravaged her physique causing beads of perspiration to bathe her body. Her silk headband began to smolder and burn causing small tendril s of smoke to rise from her forehead. She cried out as the white light escaped forming an unmistakable pattern above her head. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched the light flow from her to Lrigknab. The room became dark as the pain became too much to endure.

A nurse from the corner of the room stood motionless with her mouth wide open whispering “Is that normal?”

Ash stood at the far end of the room, away from the bed where the gnome lay sleeping. Neither had moved throughout the night. Lrigknab had slept peacefully despite her ordeal. Ash had simply focused on breathing – the events of the previous evening playing out in her mind.

As planned, Ash had met with Adrazel and the others from Crimson Blades. Everything went according to plan. Jaebela was dead and Lrigknab was rescued. The first by Ash’s own blade and the latter by Noikona.

To say that Ash was astonished by Noikona’s actions would be an extreme understatement. Fel, the draenei’s own people had been surprised. Noikona had whisked the gnome out of the melee through a portal, and later had healed Lrigknab with a spell that causes self-injury. Something ‘of the Naaru’, Adrazel had called it. The draenei had even offered an apology of sorts. Begrudgingly given, but given nonetheless.

What Noikona was thinking now, Ash wondered. Did she feel guilt? Is that what caused her to heal Lrigknab? Did the draenei regret her apology or actions? The paladin shook her head. She would probably never know the answer. And yet, it plagued her. Noikona’s choices showed consideration for others apart from herself. It showed emotion, a conscience.

Ash’s own recent determination to detach herself from others, Lrigknab especially, weighed on her mind. Ash had learned a long time ago that emotions can cause remorse, shame and regret. She had made a vow to herself then to live with no regrets. Taking in Lrigknab had been a mistake. The gnome had no guile. She was sweet and innocent and she had wormed her way into Ash’s heart.

Breathe.

A glimmer struck the window pane and caught the corner of Ash’s eye. She turned her head to look out. Dawn. A new day with not a cloud in the sky. Ash shifted as the sun’s rays began streaming through the window. Slowly, the shadows on the bed disappeared as if the light were consuming them. Ash watched as the brightness illuminated the slumbering gnome.

Breathe.

Ash closed her eyes and slammed the door on where her thoughts were taking her. No regrets. She would keep that vow.

As the early morning sun warmed the blanket on the bed, Lrigknab began to stir. Ash slowly opened her eyes at the sound of rustling sheets. She watched objectively as Lrigknab sat up slowly, yawning and rubbing her eyes.

“How do you feel?” Ash asked in low voice.

Lrigknab dropped her hands to her lap and blinked several times. “You came for me. I knew you would.”

Ash shrugged. “Of course. An employer must do all she can to retain good staff.”

Lrigknab’s lips turned down as if she were about to frown, but suddenly she remembered. “You called me Nabbi when you found me! You’ve always been so formal, but you called me Nabbi! I heard it!”

Now it was Ash’s turn to frown. “I…yes, I suppose I did refer to you by that nickname.”

“I knew it! I knew you liked me.” Lrigknab smiled radiantly, rivaling the bright rays of the sun enveloping the room.

“Of course I do. You do your job and you do it well. What’s not to like?”

“My job? That’s not what I meant.”

“It’s what I meant.” Ash moved toward the chair where her weapon and cloak lay. “You will rest here for a few days. Gertha will attend you. I will check in on you periodically. After I think you have sufficiently recovered, you will be moving to the Shrine in Pandaria. They have all the services you need to take care of my business there.”

“Moving?! But…but…I like Stormwind.”

Ash paused briefly as she reached for her axe. “I suppose you could always stay here.”

Lrigknab sighed with relief.

“If you wish to leave my employ, that is.”

Lrigknab gasped. “NO!”

“Then it is settled. I will instruct Knabo to ship your things.”

“Kn-Knabo? But, he…” Lrigknab’s lower lip began to tremble.

“He?”

“He…he…he helped the goat lady.”

“The fel he did.” Ash realized she had never gone to see Knabo. She had found Noikona on her way to Ironforge and then the plan was in motion. She hadn’t had time.

“It’s true.” Lrigknab bit her lip to stop the trembling. “He tricked me. I think he drugged me. You could ask the goat lady too. They were working together.”

Ash stilled and silence descended over the room. She recalled Noikona emphatically stating she had not taken Lrigknab to Refuge Pointe. At the time, Ash had no reason to believe her. Now, it was possible the draenei had been telling the truth. Ash shifted back onto her heels. In what seemed to be a casual manner, she lightly grasped the hilt of her weapon and moved toward the doorway. As she placed her other hand on the brass knob, she looked back at Lrigknab.

“There may be some mistake, but I will get to the bottom of this. Gertha will be here soon with your breakfast,” Ash spoke with a voice as cold and dead as the terrain of Icecrown. Her eyes were dark and fathomless. She shut the door with deceptive softness.

Lrigknab shivered.

Ash sat on the middle step of the stone staircase, leaning back on her elbows, a pleasant look on her face. To observers, she would have appeared relaxed. Most would have thought her to be on a lunch break from work. Others might have noticed the slight gleam in her eyes and would have considered her to be waiting for a lover. They would all have been wrong. None of the people walking by would ever have guessed the black thoughts coursing through the young woman's mind.

Her casual pose belied the images in her head. Dark, twisted pictures moved at a snail’s pace in front of her mind’s eye. Some were of recent events – Lrigknab, broken, bruised and bleeding when Ash and Noikona had found her; Jaebela, after Ash’s blade had separated her head from her shoulders. Some thoughts had taken her to the distant past, but Ash cut off those images as soon as they appeared. Some were of future possibilities – Knabo, disemboweled and begging for mercy. In one of Ash’s more fanciful thoughts she considered forcing him to commit seppuku. She knew, however, that he was too cowardly to do this himself. Besides, eviscerating him might be cathartic for her.

As she sat thinking gruesome and macabre thoughts, Ash observed the apartments across the street. In front of one particular building, she saw a chopper parked askew out front. That must be Knabo’s new ride. The one he had purchased with the blood money he got from selling Lrigknab. Ash wanted to go over there right now and carve out his eyes with the chopper keys and then shove them all down his throat. Instead she chose to calm herself with her aberrantly morbid contemplations.

Besides, she first had to be sure that what she believed Knabo to have done was actually true. Lrigknab was not prone to lying, but the follow up medical tests Ash had made her take indicated the gnome had been drugged. Her recollection of events was tainted. The only way to know for certain of Knabo’s involvement would be to question Noikona.

Ash had sent Adrazel a request for an audience. Unfortunately, Noikona, like Lrigknab was still recovering from the events of a few days ago. Ash must be patient.

Breathe.

Noikona lay in her bed still shocked at what had happened. The mere touch from Adrazel had transferred her memories through the link. Embarrassment and foreboding entered her mind. She had created the link over a winter ago; not knowing the full ramifications of such a thing caused much confusion on what could happen in the future.

The gnome’s mistress had come wanting answers. Answers she would never give. She had upheld her word. There was nothing more to give. Azheira had wanted to know who she had worked with. That was none of her business. The gnome was safe and she doubted the dwarf would ever be seen again. If he were smart he would have fled by now. She only hoped he had gotten her warning to flee in time. Good hired help was getting hard to find. Having tools like him around was something she valued greatly.

His name had been extracted from the link, but her honor was sound as she had never spoken his name. Fear gripped her though. If word were to get out that he was caught because of her, she would never be trusted again. She had to somehow make sure that he was safe. She had to make sure that it was understood that she was not the one to expose him. She knew it was rare that honor be kept between those of dark and questionable backgrounds but she was old and respected in the shady corners of the land. This is something she did not want tarnished.

Knabo was hung over. He had already vomited three times since he woke up and that was only ten minutes ago. It felt like Tauren bull was jumping up and down on his head. His body ached as if he had been fighting in the Brawler’s Guild all night.

Perhaps he had been. Come to think of it, he couldn’t actually remember where he had been last night. Or the night before. Or the night before that. The past week or so had been a bit of a blur. The last thing he remembered was getting the message from the boss-lady to stay at the farm. He hadn’t wanted to answer any questions about Nabbi so he had fled and gone on a bender. He couldn’t even remember where he had last parked his new chopper. He hoped it was not too bent up, considering his recent state of perpetual intoxication. He did enjoy that ride.

Knabo opened one eye, trying to make out his surroundings. He saw a wooden wall straight ahead and four posts surrounding him.

“Damn.” He he must have done something offensive and the Watch had been called to lock him up. The realization caused him to become a bit more cognizant of his immediate state. He smacked his dry, cracked lips and crinkled his nose in disgust. Something smelled awful.

Knabo sat up slowly and attempted to open both eyes, squinting through the dim light emanating from beyond the wooden wall. As he did so, he became aware that the wall was not a wall. It was, in fact, the underside of a table. He had been laying on the floor. The question was – whose floor?

As he sluggishly scooted out from under the table he put his hand down in something sticky. Knabo pawed at his chest to rub it off only to realize the mess on his hand was what had been causing the stench. He had stuck his hand in his own bile. The offensive odor made him retch again. Fortunately, he was able to lean over far enough to not get any more on himself.

Moving out from under the table and looking around still gave him no clue as to his location. It appeared to be a bar of some sort. Although, it didn’t seem to have the same atmosphere as Ironforge. In his drunken stupor had he gone to Stormwind?

Knabo sighed heavily as he gingerly got to his feet. Every movement, no matter how minute caused his head to scream in anguish. No one else was about the place. He wondered what time it was. Fel, he wondered what day it was.

Slowly moving through the tables toward the door, grasping on to the backs of chairs for support, a brief image of Nabbi’s face flashed through his pounding cranium.

“Psh, dat silly gnome be all gone now.” Knabo dismissed the thought and turned his musings to wonder about his chopper. “I sure ‘ope it’s ou’ dere. I don’ like ta idea o’ walkin’ ‘ome,” he mumbled.

Ash stood in front of The Golden Keg and watched as Noikona vanished through the portal. “More like a chicken than a goat,” she muttered. The frustrated paladin turned around to stare at the wretched dwarf lying in his own vomit. Ash cursed and kicked Knabo’s left boot. Hard.

“You pathetic son of a fel user.” Ash kicked his right boot. Harder. A night elf warrior walked by, frowning at the violence. She paused as if she were considering offering her assistance to the dwarf passed out on the ground. Ash glared so ferociously the warrior quickly averted her gaze and moved off toward the tram entrance.

Ash watched the night elf leave and then scanned the street, aware that this was not a confrontation to be having in public. Her moving gaze fell upon the chopper parked on the other side of the bar’s entrance. She smirked and was careful to hold her breath as she bent down to retrieve the key from Knabo’s pocket.

“You smell like something fished up from the Dalaran sewer,” she told the unconscious dwarf. When the key was in her hand, Ash smiled wickedly. She picked Knabo up by the back of his collar – the only part of him that did not appear to be covered in bile. The dwarf was then tossed unceremoniously into the chopper’s side car and Ash fired up the engine.

“First things first – I cannot abide that smell.” Ash took off toward the south eastern end of the dwarven district. There was a part of the canal that was blocked from the view of most passersby.

Ash grinned as she skidded the chopper sideways, nearing the canal. Ash extended a booted foot to kick open the door to the side car and Knabo tumbled out and into the frigid water. Several nearby fishermen looked annoyed by the disturbance to their peaceful pastime. One glance from Ash had them packing up their poles and moving off posthaste.

Knabo began to flail in the water. Ash cocked her head to one side and considered letting him drown.

“Nah. That would be too easy.” She parked the bike and eased it onto its kickstand. Once again she grasped the back of Knabo’s collar. Soaking wet, the dwarf was now a bit heavier, yet Ash had no trouble dragging him out of the canal and heaving him onto the ground. He sputtered and gasped as the impact knocked the air out of his lungs.

Ash observed him as he rolled about, trying to catch his breath. The sight was almost comical. That is, it would have been if Ash was of a mind to be amused.

Breathe.

She leaned back against the chopper, legs crossed at the ankle, arms folded across her chest and waited. Not impatiently, for him to settle and come to an awareness of his predicament. She wanted Knabo to be fully cognizant of his fate.

Noikona fumed, that accused human had once again butted her nose in her business. Why should she care what happened to the dwarf. Rather than create more of a scene she opened a portal only to reappear in the mage tower. She hastily exited the tower, calling her grpyhon. It did not take long to find Azheira and the dwarf. She followed from above keeping well out of site. All she needed was something to distract Azheria so she could whisk the dwarf away to his enteral fall into the nether.

Ash sighed as Knabo continued to roll around on the cobblestone. She had been trying to get him to fully wake up for an hour. He would rouse momentarily only to pass out again. Sometimes he would vomit before losing consciousness.

“This is ridiculous,” she muttered. “I don’t have time for this.”

Once again, Ash picked the dwarf up by the scruff and threw him in the sidecar. She took off for the nearest inn. She was going to have to put him up for the night. Hogtie him up for the night was more like it.

The tires on her new chopper squealed as she sped off. She needed to get going. It was fight night. Ash grinned.

((My apologies for the tardiness of this portion of the story. Real life and all that. The event depicted here would have taken place within a few days of the previous post.))

Knabo was jolted awake by rough hands shoving a thick burlap sack over his head. His portly body began heaving back and forth in an endeavor to escape, but was immediately rewarded with a hard elbow to his left temple for his efforts. Pain shot through his cranium like a bolt of lightning and his struggle to maintain consciousness was brief.

****

His nose twitched as the smell of fish wafted through the weave of the burlap. Knabo woke slowly, his movements minimal as he assessed his predicament. Besides the painful lump on the side of his head, he was also feeling nauseated and rather dizzy. He was extremely uncomfortable, lying on his side in an awkward position. Thick rope bound his wrists behind his back and his legs were trussed at the ankles. The knots had obviously been done by an expert. His attempts to wriggle free were met with strong resistance and resulted in burning the skin beneath the cords.

“Do not even consider calling out for help.” The voice sounded muffled. His head was throbbing so painfully he couldn’t even tell if the speaker was male or female.

“What are ya goin’ ta do wit meh?” He asked.

“Be silent or I shall give a blow to the other side of your head.”

Knabo chose to do as the speaker commanded. Mostly, he did this because his stomach was reeling violently. He made a frantic attempt to hold it, as he did not want to vomit inside the sack. Unfortunately for the dwarf, he failed.

The stench under the hood of the bag was revolting. Desperately, Knabo tried to focus on the smell of fish he had sensed earlier. This helped some and soon he was able to detect something else – water. He was in a boat. Every few seconds he could hear the oars slicing softly through the water. Knabo hated boats and he hated water even more. He shivered in fright.

The boat sluiced silently through the water for what seemed like an eternity. Knabo wasn’t sure if he wanted the boat to stop or keep going. He wasn’t given the choice, of course, and soon enough, the forward momentum stopped.

The boat’s operator moved quickly, wordlessly and without hesitation. Knabo was pushed onto his back and could once again feel the rough hands at his feet. He heard a splash and felt a sharp tug on the rope around his ankles. The hands pushed at his shoulders to set him up right before grabbing him by the forearms. He was efficiently propelled forward as if the person doing so had experience in such things.

His first thought was that the water was cold. The liquid immediately soaked the burlap and the now wet bag clung to his face like a dwarf to his beer mug.

His second thought was to realize he was sinking fast. The pull on his legs told him a weight had been tied there. Terror threatened to consume him. The dwarf’s body thrashed and twisted in anguish for 30 seconds. He urgently wanted out of the water. He no longer cared if the ropes burned his skin. He pulled and tugged with every ounce of strength in his stout body. It was no use. The knots had been tied too well – they didn’t budge.

The instinct to breathe was overwhelming. He fought it ferociously for a minute or perhaps a little longer. Then – he opened his mouth. His throat and chest burned as the salt water poured in where it was not supposed to go. Knabo swallowed some of the water in an effort to not allow it into his lungs. This only resulted in the involuntary reaction of inhaling more water. He coughed and spluttered but couldn’t control his body’s response. His larynx closed. No more water could enter his lungs, but neither could oxygen flow.

His movements slowed. He stopped struggling and his body became calm. His head tilted back slightly and his mouth opened. He remained in this seemingly tranquil pose as he continued sinking deep into the water. Another minute and he lost consciousness for the second and last time that day.

Several minutes later the weight hit bottom. At the same time, Knabo’s heart stopped beating.

****

The boat remained above for some time. The assassin dispassionately watched the surface of the water looking for signs of survival. When it was obvious the dwarf was gone, the oars once again dipped in the water, taking the boat’s sole passenger swiftly to shore.

A smug look crossed Noikona’s lips as the mail courier once again passed by without a package. It had been several days now, and not a peep from Azheira’s little stool pigeon. She was sure the last parcel she had sent, had a rather large blast to it. A pity she thought to herself as she wasn’t there to witness the carnage. Alas the lack of a response told her that it had been delivered with a bang.

Her heart stopped as she turned, walking between the shops was the unmistakable figure of Azheira. Her eyes flared emerald which she closed tightly. The sudden urge to launch a torrent of arcane energy was almost overpowering. Breathing slowly she opened her eyes to see that she had vanished. She was trapped, being controlled by another. She only knew this person as a single name, Rachel.

Her word to her doyen was stronger than the life coursing through her veins. She could not harm or cause harm to another within her league through any actions she might do. The threat from this Rachel was clear. If she were to lay a hand on Azheria, this Rachel had made it clear she would retaliate by attacking the few she did care for.

Noikona shook as she stowed her anger deep inside of herself. Her eyes narrowed as she walked away. She wouldn’t touch her, but she could still make her existence unbearable.

Gertha walked briskly to the mailbox carrying yet another silkworm. As she made her way through the crowd she concocted another scintillating insult to send along with the creature. She and Noikona had been trading ‘gifts’ and insults for the past week. Gertha was rather enjoying the exchange.

It had started out as a directive from the Boss-lady. Gertha was told to send a worm as a sort of joke. She had taken it upon herself to send the invectives.

As she reached the mailbox, Gertha stopped to insert the diatribe she had just come up with and made sure the silkworm had a few air holes. Not that it would matter. Noikona was sure to destroy this one as well. According to the Boss-lady the draenei seemed to take great delight in fire-bombing the poor little creatures.

She opened the mailbox, pulled out the latest from Noikona and put her package in to be sent. As she walked away, she heard an odd sound coming from the box. Gertha shook it just a little after taking a seat on a nearby bench.

“What did that silly woman send now?”

The wrapping gave way and Gertha frowned. The draenei had sent a cuddly little sheep. Also inside was a note. It read:

You know what? I don’t care anymore. I will find you. You must realize this.
Enjoy the pet. If I see you again.

“Ridiculous. She can’t find me. Now, what to do with this sheep?”

Gertha set it down on the ground and watched it run around for a bit. Suddenly it stopped. It looked at Gertha and charged toward her. As the crazy mammal leaped Gertha quickly looked away and covered her face with her arms.

BOOM! The sheep exploded sending various parts made of bronze and cloth flying in all directions.

After a few moments Gertha blinked, lowered her arms and tried to assess the damage. It was difficult as she was having trouble focusing her vision on any one thing in particular. She was also beginning to sweat rather profusely. She closed her eyes briefly while calming her breathing. When she opened them, she realized her arms were covered in shrapnel. Most of the wounds were small, yet there was so much blood. Where was it coming from?

“Ach!” Gertha suddenly screamed. Part of the sheep had sliced through her left wrist as if it were butter. The hand itself was laying palm up on the ground next to what appeared to be one of the sheep’s hooves. Her forearm was lying on her leg, parallel to her thigh, the wrist resting on her kneecap. Gertha remembered the Boss-lady telling her of the beautiful waterfall in Zouchin Province. She imagined the blood flowing down her leg and pooling at her feet to look similar.

She still had enough sense to realize that her thoughts were disjointed and an ever increasing fog was permeating her consciousness. It occurred to her she might need help. She tried to pull out the hearthstone the Boss-lady had given her, but she felt sluggish and she fumbled. The stone fell and plopped into the palm of the severed hand.

The haze in her mind was increasing and a rather delirious Gertha found this to be exceptionally humorous. Her laughter, however, came out strangled and almost maniacal. Glassy, unfocused eyes looked wildly about.

Across the street a human female looked at her in horror. Gertha reached up to wave only to realize to late she had lifted her left arm. Blood spurted out of what remained of her wrist in cadence with her heartbeat. This was a bad situation to be in, but she couldn’t quite figure out what to do. The dwarf let the stump fall to her lap once again, torpidly staring at it. A need to lie down suddenly became an imperative.

As she crumpled over Gertha mumbled incoherently, “That draenei lady better watch out now. The boss-lady is gonna to be mad.”

“Quit yer staring, Nabbi.”

“I can’t help it. I’ve never seen anyone without a hand before. It looks weird.”

“…Thanks?”

“Oy! I’m sorry, Gerthy. That probably wasn’t a very nice thing to say.”

Gertha sighed. “No, it wasn’t, my lil’ gnomish friend, but ya are right. It does look weird. I’m certainly not used to it. I keep doing things like trying to scratch an itch with a hand that isn’t there.”

“It’s a good thing that woman saw you and called for help.”

“Aye, it is.”

The dwarf and the gnome stared at Gertha’s bandaged stump for several minutes. Both considering the events that had led them to this place.

Gertha was just mad. She didn’t regret sending Noikona the insults, but she did regret her stupidity in not recognizing the sheep bomb for what it was.

Nabbi, however, was feeling rather guilty. Her thoughts traveled back to the day at the canal all those months ago. If she hadn’t bothered to respond to Noikona’s actions, none of this would ever have happened. She herself would never have been kidnapped, Gertha would still have both hands and Knabo – well, Nabbi didn’t know what to think about him.

“Gerthy, this is all my fault. Your hand, Knabo missing…”

“Ach! I only need one hand anyway. As for that dwarf – he deserved whatever he got.”

“What do you think happened to him?”

Sternly, Gertha looked at the gnome. “Let it be, Nabbi. The Boss-lady took care of it.”

“Sure she did, but how-,” Nabbi cut her question off as Gertha’s look became more austere.
Realizing she would get no answers, Nabbi diverted the conversation.

“So, things are heating up between the Miss…uh…the Boss-lady and Noikona. I heard they have had a couple of fights in the Blue Recluse lately.”

“Psh! Dat goat had better watch herself. The Boss-lady ain’t happy.”

“I just wish I could help her take Noikona down.”

Once again Gertha looked sharply at Nabbi. “The goat already got ya kidnapped and flogged, what do ya tink she would do to ya next time?”

“Oh, I wasn’t thinking of confronting her. I just thought maybe I could spy on her. See what she is up to and then report back to the Boss-lady.”

Gertha was shaking her head before Nabbi had even finished speaking. “No. Bad idea.”

“What? I can be stealthy!”

The head shaking intensified. “Don’t even tink about it, or I will tell the Boss-lady.”

“No need for that.”

Two heads swung in unison towards the door. They hadn’t even heard Azheira enter the room. She was leaning casually against the door jamb, arms folded across her chest. The look on her face was deceptively nonchalant. The gnome and dwarf both knew better, however. They glanced at each other briefly before nodding at Azheira.

“Alloo, Boss!”

“Morning, Miss-…Boss.” Nabbi looked flustered, but Azheira chose to ignore the title flub. Silence ensued for a few minutes.

“Obviously, I am reasonably adept at being ‘stealthy’ without your help, Lrigknab.” Azheira punctuated the statement with a hard glare at the gnome.

Nabbi looked down at the floor. “I just want to help. I’m tired of being cooped up at the Shrine.”

Azheira nodded out the window at the Stormwind street teeming with people just outside. “I have already rescinded that order, Lrigknab, and you know it. Now that I am minus one employee I have need of you here.”

The dark wood floor seemed to hold a deep fascination for Nabbi. She continued to stare at it intently.

“Both of you will stay out of my feud with Noikona. Unless I specifically request you to send her another package, you will stay here and run my business affairs.” Azheira’s voice was icy stone, brokering no argument. Gertha and Nabbi nodded fervently.

“Good. Do not concern yourself with the goat. I have a plan.” Azheira gave each of them a look that would ensure their cooperation before using her shoulder to push herself away from the doorway. As she turned to leave a sly smile crept into her countenance. Nabbi and Gertha were left wondering what the Boss-lady was up to.

A rapid knock on Noikona’s door broke her concentration from her notes. She placed a depleted data crystal on top to keep things in place as the breeze from the open window had become unpredictable. Her eyes narrowed as she opened the door to see yet another familiar looking package. It was brown, neatly wrapped with breathing holes poked in its sides. She scowled as she read the accompanying note.

Without even opening the package she drew down a pillar fire scorching the ceiling and instantly vaporizing the box with its contents. Several doors opened with heads poking out to see what the commotion was. Noikona’s head swung back and forth down the hall, meeting there gazes. As quick as they had opened they all slammed. The sounds of locks clicking and doors being barricaded echoed through the inn.

She turned back into her room and hastily packed her meager belongings. She left the door open as she left, she was sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Upon reaching the ground floor she spotted the mail courier. Flagging him down she handed him a package with instructions to deliver it to the person she had just received the now vaporized package from. She tipped him handsomely so no questions would be asked.

She stepped out into the streets and whistled a high pitched melody. Within seconds her snowy gryphon was at her side. She mounted pulling the reigns gently and took to the sky. She circled once over the city before heading north.