(2023-06-25) Bet On The Wrong Troll (S10 E9 - Blue Squad Log)

Details

Author:	Athena
Summary:	Blue Squad enters the Drak'tharon Keep in the hopes of securing the Alliance's path forward, only to discover that their path is instead filled with unexpected obstacles of a day of Spiders. Become Skeleton. CURSE YOUR SUDDEN BUT INEVITABLE BETRAYAL. And a surprise guest star with a special tool to make everything so much worse. 6k words.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: Season 10

[Cressidha]: Good afternoon, everyone.

[Dane]: Aye, afternoon.

[Azizia]: Good, good. Ah, hello Miss Cress!

Cressidha smiles, tracing water-conjuring symbols in the air.

Cressidha hands out water to Caspis and Azizia.

[Caspis]: Shaha lor'ma dula Luvas'alith.

Azizia thanks Cressidha.

[Cressidha]: You're welcome.

Caspis also greets Colson, who is totally here.

Colson is totally there.

Mordecai mumbles, "Hello."

[Dane]: Hullo hullo, Aspenwoods.

Cressidha passes out water to everyone who did not yet get water.

[Azizia]: Hello, Mr. Sir? Colson, Mr. Mordecai.

[Colson]: Good afternoon.

Cressidha covers her mouth to hide a smile.

[Dane]: Right then. Let's step outside and go over the plan.

Azizia nods at Atley.

Colson steps outside.

[Dane]: Now then. We're going to be putting Drak'Tharon keep to the sword. We've one last 'ritual' to perform with that troll.

[Azizia]: Again?

Caspis listens as attentively as his disposition allows.

[Azizia]: … No mojo, yes?

[Cressidha]: I believe there will once again be mojo.

Azizia lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.

Dane sighs. "Aye. One more."

[Dane]: You'll be spared from it this time, Azizia.

[Azizia]: I am not from world of here. I think mojo does not do well to Draenei body.

Colson's face is that stoic neutrality as he waits for Dane's decision on who gets to mojo this time.

[Azizia]: Thank you.

[Caspis]: Also, you did consume a large amount. We have been taking turns, now.

[Cressidha]: So it will be myself or Colson next, yes?

[Dane]: … Do any of you fancy a taste?

Dane asks, looking to the Aspenwoods.

[Cressidha]: What did it taste like last time?

Colson does not look like he fancies tasting mojo. But that might just be his face.

Dane wrinkles up his nose. "Troll filth."

[Colson]: Ah.

[Cressidha]: Ah.

[Cressidha]: Well.

Mordecai squeezes Colson's hand once.

[Azizia]: Very strong, very bad.

[Dane]: T'll put hair on your chest, for certain.

Colson looks over at Cressidha.

Cressidha turns to her brother. "We could flip a coin for it?"

Dane looks between the Aspenwoods.

Colson inclines his head. "As you would like."

Cressidha pulls out a gold piece. "Call it, heads or tails."

[Colson]: Heads.

Mordecai stares at Cressidha's choice of coin to flip.

[Cressidha]: Heads you drink it, tails I drink it.

Cressidha flips the coin.

Cressidha reveals that it has come up heads.

Colson smiles faintly and nods to Dane. "It will be I."

Atley eyes Aspenwood up and down.

Cressidha nods. The coin has decided.

Azizia nods. The coin chose right.

[Dane]: Let's mount up. We're taking that Keep.

[Mordecai]: Oh! Yes, one second…

Colson holds Mordecai's hand up to his heart for a moment. "I love you. I will see you soon."

Mordecai rummages frantically through his bag with his free hand. "I love you too. Candle…" Where is the candle? Mordecai finally finds a candle.

You get a priest blessing. And you get a priest blessing. Everyone gets priest blessings.

Colson mounts up.

Dane spurs Hutch onward. "Let's ride!"

[Mordecai]: Be safe!

Azizia nods at Mordecaì.

Colson rides.

Dane lifts a brow. "Aye. 'Tis a proper keep."

A bunch of trolls are fleeing the temple.

[Dane]: These jabberers are running from something. On your guard.

Colson is on his guard.

Cressidha watches them pass, brows raised.

[Colson]: Hm.

[Colson]: They are fleeing.

[Colson]: But from what?

[Dane]: Anything that'd make a troll turn tail and flee'll be properly foul.

[Caspis]: Not what I would call encouraging.

[Azizia]: Given what they drink, yes, must be terrible inside here.

[Colson]: There are undead here.

[Dane]: Fortunately we're fouler.

[Colson]: I can feel them.

Cressidha nods politely to the trolls as they pass. Totally unnecessarily.

Horrified Drakkari Shaman says: Every troll for himself, mon!

Horrified Drakkari Warrior says: Outta my way, mon!

[Dane]: Bloody hell, there's scores…

Azizia raises her eyebrows at Dane. "You do not speak in my name."

Horrified Drakkari Warrior says: Da Scourge be everywhere, mon!

Dane turns his head to the side. "Wot'."

[Dane]: Mm. Aye.

[Azizia]: I am not foul!

Dane waves a hand.

[Cressidha]: You are not.

[Dane]: No, you're cheeky, aren't you.

Dane's eyes raise to take in the architecture.

Caspis can no longer even become fowl. :(

Colson murmurs prayers as they go.

[Azizia]: I would say delightful.

[Dane]: That must be a view into Zul'drak.

[Dane]: Let's have a look, shall we.

Azizia nods at Atley.

[Colson]: Very well.

[Dane]: No view. It's a passage.

[Cressidha]: Oh!

Atley points at Drakuru Raptor.

[Dane]: … That rotter's got itself a raptor.

[Azizia]: There, I found undead like Colson said.

Colson frowns harder as they walk. "There is more undead, somewhere…roaming."

[Dane]: We'll venture in there first. We secure this keep, and cut off all passage from Zul'drak.

Azizia nods at Atley.

[Dane]: Secure our own passage, for invasion.

[Colson]: Understood.

[Cressidha]: Understood.

Scourge Reanimator yells: Don't be so quick to escape! I have a parting gift….

Scourge Reanimator yells: Rise my warriors and fight for your new liege!

[Cressidha]: Incoming…

[Dane]: Oi… hold fast. Prepare yourselves.

Scourge Reanimator yells: Please enjoy their company, the Lich King sends his regards!

Colson holds fast and prepares himself.

[Dane]: Mind you, nothing in here survives.

[Cressidha]: Unless we find prisoners.

Cressidha shoots a quick look at Dane.

Colson nods in agreement.

Dane grumbles. "Prisoners… aye. Depending on the circumstances."

Cressidha nods.

[Colson]: On your mark, Dane.

[Azizia]: If they are like band of mercenary from other time, we have seen no prisoner.

Dane grunts.

Azizia's head and horns are covered by rocks as she headbutts a Risen Drakkari Warrior.

Cressidha tosses out a pair of elemental bracers.

[Colson]: Necromancers.

[Dane]: Kill that traitor, first.

Marina burbles excitedly.

Azizia bows to Marina.

[Dane]: Colson, see if any of these fresh corpses have a mind to return.

[Colson]: Ware.

Dane walks over to examine the slain Drakkari trolls.

[Colson]: There are shadow circles on the ground.

[Colson]: They will cause great harm.

Cressidha nods. "Understood."

Dane frowns and looks over. "Mm. That the necromancer summoned?"

[Cressidha]: Yes.

Dane grunts.

Risen Drakkari Warrior yells: Backup! We need backup!

Risen Drakkari Warrior yells: Help mon! There's too many of dem!

[Dane]: Incoming — !

Dane charges a pack of undead trolls. They fight.

Dane looks left and right. He gestures to the right with a filth covered sword.

[Dane]: This way.

Colson goes this way.

Cressidha nods.

[Azizia]: Sir Dane why do you shout "incoming" before running at enemy? I thought we were waiting for them to income, when you said so.

[Azizia]: The only thing that incame here was us.

Dane stomps through a ghoul's skeleton. "Because I've always had a mind to answer charges with charges."

[Dane]: Hit those fackers' back.

Colson has to stop fighting to Cleanse the diseases on them.

Marina burbles and holds her hands out to Caspis. Does she want healing too?

Caspis obligingly heals her.

Marina bends at the… waist? Is that a bow?

[Azizia]: But— if you warn you income, they know. We should income without a word!

[Cressidha]: I believe they saw us.

[Dane]: If they can see us they have some idea that we're about.

Dane stares at the contraption from across the room. "Meat wagon. Haven't seen one of those since the Plaguelands…"

[Azizia]: Hmm.

[Azizia]: Meat… wagon?

Dane sets his jaw. "Warrant it's best left unsaid why we called them that."

[Azizia]: …

[Caspis]: They were used to transport corpses.

[Azizia]: Uh. *She looks at the machine.*

Azizia looks at the machine harder. "In a bad way, yes?"

[Dane]: Transport them to catapult them. In sieges.

[Azizia]: …

[Azizia]: Very bad way.

[Dane]: Aye.

[Caspis]: And as material to create more ghouls as needed.

[Dane]: We may've missed an antechamber at the fork back there. Let's return and clear it out.

[Cressidha]: Understood.

[Colson]: Yessir.

[Dane]: Hold fast…

[Dane]: Bit too quiet.

Colson holds fast.

[Colson]: There are undead on the other side of this wall.

Dane peers up after the massive drop. "…Mm."

[Dane]: Back the way we came, then.

[Azizia]: … good.

Cressidha sweeps a wave of heat over the people who went in the water.

[Dane]: Mm. Cheers.

[Cressidha]: Oh! Large one.

Caspis boggles.

They fight a huge undead troll.

Trollgore yells: Corpse go boom!

Trollgore yells: So hungry! Must feed!

[Dane]: Properly sized, innit'.

[Caspis]: I have never seen the like.

[Cressidha]: Hm.

Dane squints in thought before he shakes his head. "Nor I."

[Dane]: Looks to be a strange land. Enchanted.

[Cressidha]: Hm.

[Dane]: Reminds me of the Eversong in a way.

Colson makes the same Aspenwood 'hm.'

[Dane]: Spiders.

Dane says a little louder.

[Caspis]: We stayed well clear of this area before.

Colson doesn't make a face. He's not making any face.

[Dane]: Because of the trolls, aye?

Azizia tries to remember where the Eversong is.

[Colson]: Ah.

[Caspis]: Yes.

Dane looks to Caspis. He doesn't look at Colson.

[Caspis]: The trolls and the kaldorei have never been on particularly good terms.

//The room is full of cocooned people.

[Dane]: Look to be some victims…

Marina burbles in… pain?

[Dane]: Tread lightly in freeing them.

[Azizia]: Should we free?

Colson treads lightly in freeing them.

Marina nods to Caspis and burbles in… gratitude?

Their first freed prisoner is an orc woman who does not seem hostile. Their second freed prisoner is a troll who is very hostile.

Dane frowns at the orc.

Caspis smiles faintly at the elemental.

Cressidha asks the one orc who didn't attack them, "Are you well?"

Kurzel tears webbing off of her arms with impressive musculature. She looks to the rescuers and juts out her jaw in confusion.

Caspis eyes the orc up and down.

Atley stares Kurzel down.

Colson looks as neutral as ever at the reveal of the orc woman, as he looks over her for obvious injuries.

Kurzel says: Yes… Thank you for freeing me.

Caspis blinks in surprise.

Kurzel says: I'm still a bit woozy from the venom. I think I'll stay here until my strength returns.

Marina seems to be sticking closer to Caspis today, maybe because he can make the bad pain go away.

Dane knits his brow at the usage of common.

Colson inclines his head politely, and waits a beat.

Dane just turns to the next 'captive.'

[Cressidha]: Of course. The path behind us is clear, at least for the moment.

[Caspis]: Do not linger long.

Kurzel inclines her head. "Dabu."

[Azizia]: There is one here.

Colson passes a [Cleanse] for poison on the orc woman.

The one here turns out to be an angry troll.

[Azizia]: Well. I should not have helped.

The trolls freed from spider webbing seem less grateful.

[Dane]: No, you were right to. Some of these may be our people.

[Dane]: Bloody madmen.

None of them are our people. The rest are all angry trolls.

[Azizia]: Well. not many of our people in there.

[Dane]: Oi — Lich.

[Caspis]: Yes.

[Dane]: Colson, come have a look.

Colson comes to have a look.

[Dane]: Large.

[Dane]: Right then. We do this thing in just like everything else. Colson, keep an eye out for its phylactery.

[Colson]: Yes. And full manifested. Even if we were to subdued the lich fully, without the phylactery, it will manifest again.

[Caspis]: All of the trolls used to live in structures this grand…

[Colson]: I will do so.

[Dane]: Right then. Kill it!

Novos the Summoner yells: The chill you feel is the herald of your doom!

[Dane]: It's a trap.

Colson frowns hard.

Novos the Summoner yells: Bolster my defenses! Hurry, curse you!

Novos calls in friends.

Novos the Summoner yells: Surely you can see the futility of it all!

Azizia extends her hands and pulls on invisible leashes. Two wolf spirits appear in front of her.

[Cressidha]: Watch his blizzard!

[Cressidha]: That's not mine!

Novos the Summoner yells: Your efforts… are in vain.

The fight is a little spicy, with Novos’s friends coming in from unexpected places, but Blue Squad wins in the end.

Dane rolls his shoulder and looks between them. "Everyone well?"

Colson inclines his head.

Caspis is a bit breathless.

[Dane]: Well done, Caspis.

Cressidha drinks water. She seems fully healed now, but she definitely took significant hits during the fight.

[Azizia]: I am. You all did most of fight.

[Cressidha]: That was a bit chaotic.

Dane looks to the rising stair. "That bastard awoke the dead."

Azizia nods at Cressidha.

Colson sips at some water.

[Caspis]: I am so sorry, Cressidha… For much of the fight I could not see where you were…

[Dane]: Aye. Those necromancers kept flanking Cressidha.

[Caspis]: That was absolute chaos.

Colson murmurs prayers.

[Caspis]: I am very sorry.

[Cressidha]: I truly thought we had cleared out everything behind us.

[Dane]: I warrant they knew which crevices to crawl in to escape our knowledge.

[Azizia]: Maybe they have hiding spaces and secret passageways.

Dane spits off to the side and nods to Azizia.

[Azizia]: We should be careful of our backs going next.

Dane grunts. "Let's have a look up here 'fore carrying on."

Cressidha shakes her head. "My fault - I thought to keep at range from those who could, well, hit me in melee. I should have moved around the pillar earlier."

Colson scans the room again.

Dane shakes his head. "We were routed and we all held."

[Colson]: I feel nothing of what I would call a phylactery, Dane.

Dane grunts. "Damn."

[Colson]: If it is here, it is well hidden.

Caspis clasps his shaking hands together.

[Dane]: And past here.

[Dane]: Anything that needs killing?

Cressidha holds up a hand bright with flame. "Give me a moment, please. Stand back."

Colson stands back.

Cressidha incinerates the webbing, flames spreading along the strands. But… it turns out the passageway is a short dead end, without any phylacteries.

Colson smiles gently at Cressidha. "Thank you."

[Azizia]: … So they just keep all undead in little room, waiting for when people arrive, uh.

Cressidha nods to her brother. "Of course. Nothing here."

Dane grunts. "I've to admit this place must have been impressive in its time. Trolls or not."

Cressidha pats Caspis on the arm as she moves by.

[Caspis]: We traveled past a troll city once, on our travels, when I was a child. It was… magnificent.

[Dane]: And now they're all tombs…

Dane grumbles.

Cressidha casually forms an ice lance along her arm and spears a beetle.

[Dane]: Bats. Man-sized.

Colson smiles faintly at Cress before he grows serious once more.

[Dane]: I'll lure them into this tunnel. Then we slay them.

Caspis sighs at Drakkari Bat.

[Colson]: Understood.

[Cressidha]: Very well.

[Cressidha]: Stay back, Marina…

Azizia's head and horns are covered by rocks as she headbutts Risen Drakkari Bat Rider.

Dane eyes Azizia with amusement.

Cressidha rapidly dispels curses from the others who were up close.

[Dane]: That never hurts you, mm?

[Azizia]: No, because I have rock protecting head of mine.

[Dane]: If I'd horns I'd be bashing near everything.

[Colson]: Ah.

[Azizia]: Plus that is what horns are for.

[Dane]: Mind the fliers…

Cressidha looks up. I dare you, bats. But they do not dare.

[Dane]: Bit of fresh air shall serve us well.

[Dane]: … Any of you travel through Un'goro?

[Cressidha]: That raptor is huge.

[Caspis]: Yes.

[Colson]: Yes.

[Dane]: S'no raptor. S'some other variant.

[Azizia]: Yes, but not me, apparently.

[Dane]: Big facker'. Looks alive, too. And hungry.

[Cressidha]: Ah.

Cressidha says dryly, "Doesn't seem to be missing any meals."

[Dane]: Caspis … why is that here?

Colson laughs quietly.

[Caspis]: An object of worship perhaps.

Cressidha smiles at her brother.

Dane grunts.

Dane looks to Cressidha and nods. "Aye, properly."

[Dane]: We ought to slay it to secure the Keep for our interests.

[Colson]: Yessir.

[Cressidha]: Understood.

[Azizia]: … or we can maybe leave here?

[Azizia]: It does not seem to get out of where it lives, there.

[Colson]: It would be a danger to any troops we send through, Azizia.

Dane nods to Colson and grunts.

[Cressidha]: The trolls ride these raptors. I don't want it to become a mount for, I don't know, a giant undead troll.

Cressidha sighs.

Colson nods.

[Dane]: Clear out the roost.

[Azizia]: Or it could become mount for one of us! Or army of us!

[Dane]: These things are too wild. I'll stick with my horse.

Azizia lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.

[Cressidha]: I wouldn't know how to tame such a creature.

[Dane]: I warrant they enslave them, with voodoo.

[Azizia]: I am sure DEHTA would know.

Azizia lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.

[Dane]: Here it comes…

[Caspis]: Bloody hell.

[Cressidha]: Ah!

Azizia's head and horns are covered by rocks as she headbutts King Dred.

Cressidha stays where Caspis can see her.

King Dred, a giant raptor-like creature who might not actually be a raptor, shrinks them somehow while they fight.

Colson continues to hit the giant lizard even when he gets toenail size.

Azizia gives the smallest, tiniest little punches to the raptor's talons, even when she's in her regular size.

[Dane]: Bloody hell.

[Caspis]: Is everyone all right?

Dane walks over to the mouth and starts to push his way inside.

[Azizia]: Not raptor.

[Colson]: Yes, thank you.

[Dane]: Could swallow a mounted knight whole.

Marina follows AFTER DANE.

[Azizia]: …

Caspis takes a sample of its hide.

[Azizia]: Get out of animal mouth, please.

Dane eyes Marina. "Aye, lookit'." He pushes against the lower jaw.

Marina puts her big watery arms around Dane's waist and tries to pull him out.

Marina is probably not strong enough to do so.

[Azizia]: We are in undead place, you never know.

[Dane]: Mm? Mm.

Colson seems completely fine, despite having been tiny repeatedly. "I sense no disease."

[Azizia]: Please Marina do not follow sir Dane.

Dane marches out, humoring Marina.

[Dane]: One of the most monstrous things we've killed.

[Dane]: Let's clear out the rest of this roost.

Marina burbles. Maybe she thought she was helping.

Azizia lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.

Caspis gives a slow, savage, satisfied smile as they leave the giant corpse behind.

Azizia throws one of her weapons in the air and puts a flaming hand on Drakkari Gutripper's face before catching her weapon again.

Dane squints up at the sky before he wipes some sweat from his brow. "Let's advance."

Colson advances.

Cressidha rests her hands on her knees, catching her breath.

Dane narrows his eyes. "There are some hold outs."

Colson has sweat on his own brow, as he pushes his hair back from his face, but he seems otherwise as stoic as ever.

[Dane]: And another necropolis, according to Jocoza's report.

Marina seems fine. Just another day of floating above the ground.

[Azizia]: Snowy parts of Northrend. With all time spent in Grizzly Hills, I almost forget everywhere else here is snow.

[Dane]: Right then. Knowing trolls, the living won't suffer us, either.

[Dane]: Slay them all.

Cressidha points at the necropolis right ahead of them.

Dane turns to Azizia and nods before he squints and leans forward to peer through the parapet.

[Dane]: Right then. Charge!

Colson charges.

[Dane]: Bloody well done, Cressidha.

[Cressidha]: Thank you.

[Dane]: I'd have had a mind to see this keep 'fore the Scourge.

[Dane]: S'well fortified.

Cressidha looks off the side.

[Dane]: But there's never a chance at resistance with that.

[Dane]: Any of you know wot' that one's name is?

Dane asks, pointing at the necropolis.

Colson shakes his head. "No, I do not."

[Cressidha]: I don't have the slightest idea.

Dane grunts. "Nor I. Not Naxxramas. That's harrying the 7th."

[Caspis]: The Argent Dawn may.

Marina burbles. She probably doesn't know the name of the necropolis either, she just wants to be included.

Dane grunts.

[Colson]: It is not Naxxramas, or Acherus is all I can say definitively.

[Dane]: Right. Let's move on.

[Azizia]: If I was to name necropolis I would say… smelly temple, but in troll.

[Dane]: We've to find a way to sink those bastards if we want any chance at winning this war.

Colson inclines his head.

[Dane]: Asides from the rot and disease this place may make a fine garrison for our own uses.

Cressidha walks up the stairs rather than run.

Dane jogs.

Azizia throws one of her weapons in the air and puts a flaming hand on Risen Drakkari Death Knight's face before catching her weapon again.

Atley glares angrily at The Prophet Tharon'ja.

Colson doesn't stand next to the spider on the ground.

Cressidha ice lances another spider as it skitters closer.

[Dane]: Looks to be an undead … troll god?

[Caspis]: Mm.

[Colson]: Undead for certain.

[Dane]: Wretched.

[Dane]: Put it down, wot'ever it is.

[Azizia]: Of course trolls have undead gods.

Colson sips at some water.

[Colson]: Understood.

The Prophet Tharon'ja yells: Tharon'ja sees all! The work of mortals shall not end the eternal dynasty!

Azizia extends her hands pulls on invisible leashes. Two wolf spirits appear in front of her.

The Prophet Tharon'ja yells: Your flesh serves Tharon'ja now!

The entire party, except for Marina, turns into skeletons. Marina has no bones.

The Prophet Tharon'ja yells: As Tharon'ja predicted!

Colson fights as the undead, apparently.

The party reverts abruptly to their own forms.

The Prophet Tharon'ja yells: No! A taste… all too brief!

The Prophet Tharon'ja yells: Im… impossible! Tharon'ja is eternal! Tharon'ja… is….

Dane … grunts.

[Caspis]: …er.

[Azizia]: Did… What happened?

Colson clears his throat as he looks down at himself, touching his breastplate over his heart.

Cressidha looks at her hands and pats at her face like checking that it's still there.

[Dane]: That thing turned us into shamblers.

Dane , too, pokes his own cheek.

Caspis looks… disoriented.

[Colson]: A curse?

Colson looks over at Cressidha.

Marina burbles. She was fine.

[Caspis]: Everyone is well?

[Azizia]: Yes, what happened to you all when you turned? Are you okay?

Caspis decurses everyone one more time just in case.

[Cressidha]: If it was, it was beyond my power to remove. Voodoo, perhaps.

Colson looks at Caspis. "Caspis? Was it familiar to you?"

[Dane]: I ran about. Still had my sword and shield, kept fighting it.

[Cressidha]: Is everyone all right?

Dane shakes his head, dazed.

[Caspis]: I … no, I have never experienced anything of the like.

Colson nods at Dane somewhat absently. "Hm."

[Caspis]: It was not like any demon curse I have dispelled.

[Colson]: I was still aware of myself.

[Dane]: Aye. As was I. Was merely undead…

[Colson]: That was…unsettling.

[Dane]: Mordecai's got his bloody work cut out for him.

Colson doesn't seem unsettled but.

[Cressidha]: Yes.

Colson smiles faintly at the mention of Mordecai, his hand still over his heart.

Dane looks between each of them, plainly but gruffly assessing sanity levels.

[Caspis]: Now we must… do the ritual, yes?

Azizia nods. "I am glad I was unaffected again from powerful magic like this."

[Colson]: At the brazier, yes.

[Azizia]: I do not wish to know what it feels to be undead.

Azizia definitely turned undead with the others, regardless of what she says.

Cressidha does not correct her.

[Dane]: If I'd not known better…

[Dane]: I'd say that's it, there.

[Caspis]: Ah, is that the place for the ritual?

Colson stays near Cressidha.

Dane keeps a steady eye on the massive floating fortress.

[Dane]: If only we could find a way inside and cut them to pieces.

[Caspis]: Time to cleanse this place once and for all.

[Dane]: Right then. On you, Colson.

Colson does what he's supposed to, mixing up the mojo and the elixir, and then drinks it after Dane's command. "Yessir."

Rather than a spiritual form, this time, Drakuru himself emerges from the flames.

Drakuru says: Ahh, Back in Drak'Tharon at last!

[Cressidha]: Oh, that's him in person.

Atley eyes Drakuru up and down.

Drakuru casts his gaze down on Drak'Tharon Keep.

Colson blinks in surprise.

Drakuru says: Ya done well, mon….

Drakuru says: Ya surpassed my greatest hopes.

[Dane]: Watch it, mate…

Azizia holds her weapons in her hands.

Drakuru says: For your efforts, you be gettin' da greatest of rewards….

Drakuru says: Revelation!

Caspis tenses.

Colson draws his sword as he frowns.

Cressidha activates her ice barrier.

[Dane]: On your guard…

Dane growls off to the side.

Drakuru says: Be still, friend, and behold da truth of things!
Colson is 100% on his guard.

[Azizia]: Revelation of what?

At the entrance to the steps where they first came up, a portal manifests.

[Dane]: Hold fast — !

The actual Lich King steps through. In person.

[Azizia]: … oh.

Drakuru says: Master, my mission be complete.

Caspis bares his teeth and snarls at the Lich King.

Cressidha backs up.

Atley glares angrily at the Lich King.

Colson steps in front of Cressidha.

Drakuru says: With da help of these mortals, dis region been cleansed of all who oppose us.

Caspis roars with bestial vigor at Drakuru. So fierce!

The Lich King says: You have done well, Drakuru.

The Lich King says: Your betrayal of the Drakkari Empire has borne me a new army.

The Lich King says: Your army….

Cressidha raises a hand to Marina, keeping her from attacking.

Colson braces, and there is a righteous rage in his face as the Lich King speaks.

Dane gnashes his teeth in rage.

The Lich King says: Arise, and accept my gift.

The Lich King says: I charge you now with the cleansing of Zul'Drak, Drakuru.

Drakuru says: As you wish, master.

The Lich King says: Fail me and it shall be your undoing…

The Lich King says: Succeed, and even greater power shall be yours!

Cressidha watches from behind her brother, frozen in fear.

Atley eyes Drakuru up and down.

Drakuru says: Forgive my deception, mon. It all been for your own good.

[Dane]: Bastard. We'll gut you for this.

Caspis bares his teeth and snarls at Drakuru.

Colson watches the Lich King leave with his hand tight on his sword.

Azizia shouts angrily. "You made me drink mojo for this?!"

Drakuru says: Ya needed ta prove yer worthiness….

Drakuru says: I be needin' worthy underlings in Zul'Drak, mon. Ones ready to wield real power.

[Cressidha]: You swore a blood oath…!

[Caspis]: Never.

Drakuru says: You see for yourself now. Da Lich King be generous to dem who obey.

Drakuru says: Follow dis path, mon, and soon you be tastin' immortality!

[Caspis]: NEVER.

[Colson]: The Light's judgement will fall upon you. We will never follow you.

[Dane]: We'll die 'fore we serve willingly, wretch.

[Azizia]: We will not work for you any more.

Drakuru says: We done a great thing, mon! And dis just be da beginning…

Drakuru says: Seek me out in Zul'Drak when da time be right. Dere be a war to be won, mon!

Colson holds by Cressidha, his face transformed by righteous paladin fury.

[Cressidha]: I do not believe we are on the same side of that war.

Drakuru says: Ponder on da thing you have witnessed, Cobalts…!

Drakuru says: Da future already be written. Only thing to decide be your part in it…

Drakuru disappears in a sudden, voluminous smoke.

Dane charges the troll, only to find empty space.

Cressidha fires an ice lance through where Drakuru had stood just a moment before.

Azizia throws a flask of mojo at the troll's face, but he disappears before she has the time to hit him.

Colson shoots out an [Exorcism] at the same time.

Caspis lets out a savage snarl that escalates into a ROAR.

[Dane]: Light damn it…!

Dane slowly turns to where the Lich King's portal opened.

[Dane]: He bloody played us.

[Azizia]: Great things, he said? We killed warriors and raptors who were against our enemy.

[Cressidha]: That was him. In person. Wasn't it.

[Dane]: Jabbering, savage, backwards, treacherous mongrel.

[Dane]: Aye. That was him… That was Arthas.

Caspis looks too enraged for complete sentences.

[Colson]: Yes.

[Colson]: That was him.

[Dane]: In person. Not like last time. We're getting closer…

Colson steps back to set a hand on Cressidha's shoulder.

Cressidha sets her hand on top of Colson's gauntleted hand.

Dane audibly gnashes his teeth and exhales heavily, shake his head.

Marina shakes a watery fist in the air and burbles. How very dare you, ice man.

[Dane]: Let's get clear of this place. I'll inform the captain.

Caspis turns into a bear and savages the bones of the fallen undead god.

[Colson]: Understood, sir.

Azizia nods at Atley.

Dane doesn't bother interrupting Caspis, but he does step aside and watch.

[Azizia]: I cannot believe we trusted troll like thi— *Turns to look at Caspis.*

Colson's rage has been punted under a mask of neutrality.

Caspis shakes his head violently, bony wing gripped in his jaws.

Colson exhales slowly.

Caspis scatters and shatters the creature's bones in his frenzy of rage.

Cressidha is still shaking a little.

Caspis finally falls back, panting.

Colson hasn't let go of Cressidha, just remains steady.

Caspis rakes both hands back through his hair. They are shaking.

Colson murmurs prayers over them all.

Azizia finally notices Cress, her face softening a little.

[Azizia]: Perhaps we should leave now. No use in staying any longer here.

Caspis slowly clambers to his feet.

Dane steps forward and leans down to clasp Caspis on the shoulder, trying to raise him up.

[Dane]: There we are.

[Dane]: You lot, on me. Let's be free of this place and its treachery.

[Cressidha]: Understood.

Caspis salutes, eyes on the ground.

[Colson]: Yessir.

Cressidha definitely slow-falls them down.

Dane sets his jaw before he just jumps down the shaft.

Dane pauses to do a head count.

Cressidha spears another spider with an ice lance on their way down.

[Azizia]: All these people… They were enemies of our enemies. Maybe they could have helped.

[Azizia]: If not us, they could have maybe helped Horde.

Dane exhales smoothly.

Colson nods slowly.

Cressidha nods to Azizia.

[Dane]: I bet on the wrong troll.

[Azizia]: I am never trusting someone making me drink mojo again.

[Colson]: He swore a blood oath.

Caspis is silent and brooding.

[Dane]: It means little to that backwards savage. Let's ride back to Amberpine directly.

[Cressidha]: Hm.

Azizia shakes her head. "… What about orc?"

Dane returns to Hutch, and once more looks over his counterparts.

Colson mounts up.

[Cressidha]: She may have left by now.

[Dane]: She buggered off if she had any sense.

Dane abruptly grits his teeth and shakes his head.

[Dane]: On me.

Colson is on Dane. Respectfully.

Cressidha gathers up Marina's bracers before mounting up.

Caspis seems miles away.

Dane gives Drak'tharon one last look through the trees before they ride.

Cressidha's hands are tight on Cinnamon's reins, her face completely blank.

Azizia seems even more tense than she usually does.

Dane slows to a walk, before he stops altogether.

[Caspis]: What do we…

Caspis wilts.

[Dane]: I'm responsible for this failure. The rest of you are dismissed. I'm going to report to the Lieutenant here, and then Jocoza.

Colson halts when Dane does.

Dane sets his jaw.

[Azizia]: You are not.

Mordecai leaps to his feet as he sees the others riding up and rushes over.

[Azizia]: We have right to complain about people we work with, Jo and you said so.

[Caspis]: Sir, my role is to offer counsel, experience…

[Azizia]: I do not remember any of us doing so, even though we had reasons to.

[Caspis]: If there is any failure, it is mine.

[Colson]: Dane. He swore a blood oath, and you had every reason to attempt to try. We will make that clear.

[Caspis]: What good is ten thousand years of life if I cannot even see— *he shakes his head*

Colson dismounts as he sees Mordecai, reaching out a hand for him.

[Dane]: The first time I take any jabbering troll on its honor and they stab us in the back.

Dane shoots Mordecai a grim look.

Mordecai takes in how grim everyone looks and steps closer.

Colson takes off his gauntlet.

Mordecai takes Colson's hand, looking around at the others.

Cressidha dismounts as well, patting Cinnamon.

[Dane]: Bastard!

Dane abruptly growls, shaking his head. Hutch shifts underneath him, sensitive of his rider's mood.

Mordecai flinches.

Colson holds onto Mordecai's hand and squeezes twice.

Cressidha takes a deep breath and exhales slowly.

[Cressidha]: I suspected something was wrong, but I did not realize how wrong.

Mordecai keeps quiet, looking at everyone.

[Azizia]: No one could have known, out of all trolls available, mercenaries would capture one working directly with Lich King.

[Colson]: Yes. It would have been reasonable to suspect greed, but this was beyond our scope.

Caspis dismounts, or rather, sort of slides out of the saddle limply to the ground.

[Dane]: As leader, the fault is mine. I made the call, you lot followed through. 'Tis the way of things.

[Azizia]: Sir Dane. Off of horse of yours. Now.

Dane abruptly shakes his head again. "I want this bloody war over before my son arrives," he suddenly confesses with a growl.

Colson inclines his head in acknowledgment. "We will support you, Dane. The Captain will understand."

Caspis offers a hand to help Atley out of the saddle.

[Cressidha]: We shall.

Dane reluctantly slides off of Hutch, but keeps a hand on the saddle.

Azizia grabs Dane by pressing her hands on the sides of his face, keeping him in place. "This is not army. It is not fault of yours. We all listened to troll!"

[Colson]: We are not the army, *Colson agrees mildly.*

[Azizia]: And we will fix mistake. Kill troll who tricked us.

Dane blinks at the sudden hand hold, and glowers. "Aye, aye…"

[Azizia]: Okay? *She nods her head. Waiting for him to also nod.*

[Dane]: Too right. Learned how to kill trolls long and slow in the wars. That one's next.

Dane nods, but also lightly tries to pull Azizia's hands off his head.

Mordecai says softly to Colson, "Difficult day?"

[Colson]: Yes, *Colson says back quietly.*

Azizia lets go. "Good." She pats him on the shoulder. "Do not take responsibility off our shoulders and take all for you. We all @%& up."

Azizia steps to the side.

Dane peers at Azizia. "Right then. Thank you, lass…" He grunts and clears his throat.

[Dane]: We may've just added six bloody months to this war, but there's still hope.

Colson moves forward to clasp Dane's shoulder in the Dane Style, trailing Mordecai behind him because he hasn't let go of Mordecai's hand. "We will inform the Alliance of what we know."

Mordecai doesn't seem to mind being pulled along.

[Cressidha]: Would you like us to accompany you while you make your report to the Lieutenant here?

[Colson]: We know that he has received power from the Lich King himself, and we know his intentions. That is valuable information, even if we know it for unfortunate reasons.

[Dane]: No. I'd rather you lot get rest. That rattled us all.

[Cressidha]: Understood.

[Colson]: Understood.

[Cressidha]: Would anyone care for a portal?

Colson pats Dane's shoulder once more time, much too gently to mimic Dane's style, but that's Colson.

Dane sighs heavily. "I'll report in here, and send a message to the captain. You lot performed fine today."

[Caspis]: The last thing I wish to see just now is a city… but thank you.

Dane looks to Colson and gives a nod of knowing camaraderie.

Caspis wanders off..

[Colson]: I would like to return to Stormwind, please.

[Cressidha]: Of course.

[Azizia]: And first thing I wish to see now is city. I need face treatment after this.

Cressidha takes out a portal stone and tosses it up into the air. It cracks open to reveal Stormwind's mage tower.

[Colson]: Light be with you all.

Dane grunts and marches off to the lodge.

Colson closes his eyes and steps forward into Stormwind.

Cressidha turns and creates another portal, this one for Azizia.

Mordecai follows along with Colson.

Azizia walks into the portal. "… I will probably buy nice dress I saw too. That'll make me feel better."

Cressidha follows after Azizia through the portal to Dalaran.