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| Details |
| Author: | Luridel |
| Summary: | Blue Squad comes to the aid of Winter's Blossom. Dane kicks yaungol off a wall. Lin Silentstrike takes off. Shun and Iphindra predict a problem. Ban Bearheart fails to gain entrance to the Shado-Pan monastery. Almeiria loses some respect for the Shado-Pan. Iphindra puts a new ability into practice. Estel believes in being nice to grummles. ~5.6k words. |
| Rating: | M for Mature 17+ |
Atley waits in Kota Basecamp, helmet on, armored up. He sips tentatively from a wooden cup and casts a skeptical look at Brother Oilyak, the grummle.
Estel's kite lands, and she carefully gets Menace removed from the kite harness before heading over. Menace seems displeased.
Shun stands by with his arms crossed.
Atley offers the half-empty cup back to Brother Oilyak and turns to Estel — and Menace. "Not much for flying, are they?"
Almeiria is standing near a grummle playing an odd instrument, that may also just be a stick.
"I'm lucky if she doesn't try and eat her harness in midair," Estel says dryly.
Atley grunts and looks between the three of them. "All sorted, then?"
Shun grunts.
Estel gives Dane a thumbs-up. "Yep."
Iphindra joins the group, running their way. "H- hi!"
Almeiria turns from her scrutiny of the stick instrument and joins the others.
Atley turns to peer at the gigantic mountain in the distance. "I like the air here. This is bear wrestling weather," he decides, before looking back to them all. "We've been summoned back to Winter's Blossom. The yaungol are on the move, and Lin Silentstrike needs us."
"Not to wrestle a bear, I hope?" Almeiria confirms.
"Bear… Wrestling weather?.." Iphindra repeats in a low voice.
Estel bounces on her heels. "Sure thing."
"No," Atley says dryly, with a touch of wryness. "But p'raps an oxen or two. Mount up, we ride."
Shun goes to fetch the goat.
Iphi gets on her bear. Apparently Dane wants to fight that bear.
They return to Winter's Blossom to find it under siege attack by yaungol invaders. Shado-Pan archers return fire.
"Shit!" Shun hisses as a boulder nearly strikes him and the goat.
Atley swiftly dismounts and jogs over to Lin Silentstrike with a grim, attentive expression.
"Take cover! Stay sharp!" Atley barks.
Almeiria shivers against the snowy gusts. "Well, they certainly are attacking."
Iphi controls some of the plants to grab incoming projectiles and slow them down.
"Fucking hell," Estel mutters, placing down a shimmering dome of light. She gets under her Barrier.
"Cobalt Company. Good, you're here." Lin looks toward the Ox Gate. "The yaungol are moving archers onto the wall. I need you to get up there. My wife Suna went to scout the wall with that fool Lao-Chin. Perhaps if he'd spent more time preparing defenses and less building that ridiculous ale-lift contraption…" Lin breaks off with a growl, then shakes his head. "It matters not, now. Get a kite from Len and get up there to find my wife."
Shun nods curtly.
Lin says, "She'll know what to do next."
Atley nods once and draws his shield. "Right. Let's move."
"Hang in there," Estel tells Lin Silentstrike, which is also a [Power Word: Fortitude]. "We're on it."
Estel Shields her party members as they get their kites.
Atley boards the kite and ducks mid-flight as a projectile soars perilously close.
Trebuchets on the field below take aim at the kites as they pass overhead.
Iphi lets out a very un-warrior like scream as one of projectiles flies past her kite.
A massive bolt strikes the fabric of Estel's kite, and Estel hurriedly presses a bunch of spectral feathers to it, levitating herself up just enough to not lose momentum.
Atley nods. "I'm Sir Dane Atley. This is Shun, Estel, Almeiria, and Iphindra. We're Cobalt Company's Blue Squad."
"Lin sent us to get into the fight," Atley adds.
Inside the tower on the wall, a pandaren woman in Shado-Pan armor emerges from the shadows to survey the new arrivals. "That was some nice kite-flying, there. Good job getting up here and not dying."
Almeiria scowls at her. "I would not have died" she insists.
Suna Silentstrike grins at Almeiria. "Lin sent you for me? How sweet. Well, it's good you're here because Lao-Chin's got an idea he's working on. Until he's ready, though, we have yaungol to deal with."
Shun nods once.
"We'll handle it!" Iphi nods confidently.
Suna gestures to the open arch ahead. "The yaungol here are providing covering fire for the ones below. I'm not sure what Lao-Chin's got in mind, but I want you to deal with the archers meanwhile. The good news is we've got the spirit of the Ox helping us. When they're weakened, the Ox will stun them and you can just knock ‘em off the wall." She looks them over. "Yeah, you look sturdy enough. Okay, get it done."
Atley squints at 'spirit of the Ox,' but nods slowly. "Right."
Estel does not look particularly sturdy.
Almeiria eyes Dane.
Beside Suna, an enormous male pandaren with a pair of kegs strapped to his back sits in apparent meditation. He opens his eyes though at Suna's final words. "Friends," he rumbles. "I must make a request of you also."
Shun furrows his brow.
Iphi turns to listen to the male pandaren.
Atley marches over and grunts inquiringly.
He is silent for a moment and then says heavily, "I have an idea, and… am prepared to make a terrible sacrifice. It is too painful to discuss details now, but please, while you are out there — collect the barrels of oil they are using to light their arrows. We will need them."
Atley nods once. "We'll get 'em to you."
Estel pats Lao-Chin's shoulder. "Hey, we'll handle it. You take care of yourself." She has probably misinterpreted 'a terrible sacrifice'.
"Alright then, you lot. Let's clear the wall," Atley growls before charging outside, Thunderfury in hand.
Atley charges an Osun veteran, utilizing momentum and leverage to shoulder slam the yaungol off of the wall.
Almeiria looks pleased that she is not the one throwing the yaungol off the wall.
Estel whistles, impressed.
"These'll be the barrels of pitch. Secure them," Atley says over the combat.
Iphi feels a little bad for the yaungol throwing, even if she's not the one doing it. Her ears droop.
Estel rolls a barrel of oil back in the direction they came from.
Empowered by the Spirit of the Ox, Atley winds up to kick another towering yaungol off of the wall. There's a faded thud far below.
"At least the wall is sloped downhill from here, hmm?" Almeiria comments.
"I want to know how they bloody made it up here…" Atley says, scowling as he looks over the battlements for ladders or hooks.
Iphi also feels empowered by the Spirit of the Ox. She stares at her hands, not really paying attention to the world around her anymore.
"Overtook a tower with a staircase? This wall seems pretty damn long." Estel shrugs.
"Iphindra!" Atley snaps. "Stay sharp!"
Iphi raises her head. "Oh, r- right, I'm sorry!" She catches up.
Atley overturns another barrel and kicks it back towards where they came from.
"Die before you land," Estel says kindly to an injured yaungol that is sent screaming off the side of the wall. A pulse of shadow, and the yaungol's life is cut short before the impact.
Atley nods with approval. "This'll do. Carve through the rest of 'em and we'll report in!"
Estel nods, rolling a barrel along.
Atley picks a barrel for himself and rolls it inside with repeated, guided kicks.
Iphi's plants carry the barrel for her.
Suna is waiting with a broad grin on her face. "Hah! I could see them flying. Good work."
"Got your oil," Estel says to Lao-Chin. "What's your plan?"
Lao-Chin nods glumly. "All right. I am off to prepare our next move. Good luck, friends." The pandaren heaves himself to his feet and lumbers away, kegs on his back, oil barrels under his arms. "Two parts oil to one part brew…" he mutters.
Atley knits his brow as Lao-Chin ambles away.
Shun watches him go off.
Estel mutters, "Is the 'sacrifice' just the brew?"
"Knowing pandaren," Almeiria says.
Suna watches him depart, then turns back to the squad. "All right. Thanks to you, the situation on the wall is under control. I'll stay up here for a little while and make sure the yaungol don't try again. You, though, should go back down and see what Lao-Chin has cooked up. I hate to say it, but it might be a good idea…." She shakes her head. "Your kites are ready when you are."
"I- I'd like not to drink this, please," Iphi raises her hand shyly.
"You'll not have to," Atley says with a nod.
"Oh, hey, you patched up my kite." Estel smiles at Suna. "Thanks."
Suna Silentstrike nods. "We survive by pulling together. Go, now."
Iphi looks in awe at Suna. That was beautiful.
Atley grunts and climbs onto the kite that provided his initial ascension.
Shun does the same.
Estel grins and takes off.
Atley turns to squint over the battlefield before he returns his attention to Lao-Chin upon landing.
Shun has his eyes on the battlefield as he listens for further instruction.
Estel Shields the Shado-Pan behind the closest set of barricades.
Behind the front-line barricades, Lao-Chin is standing with his arms folded in front of some enormous barrels. He nods in acknowledgement of Blue Squad's approach. "Good to see you made it down in one piece. I've managed to brew up a good surprise for our yaungol friends." He lays a hand briefly on one of the kegs and shakes his head. "When I trained as a Brewmaster, I didn't expect to use my knowledge like this…."
Atley grunts with growing impatience.
"You know that beer catches fire when lit, right? Well, with yaungol fire-oil mixed in, it's downright explosive. I've mixed the two together in these kegs. Roll them at the yaungol by the gate, and ignite them when you get close. It'll take a few seconds to blow, but when it does… let's just say I wouldn't want to be over there. Which is while I'll be over here. Mourning the loss of this brew." He gazes sorrowfully at a keg and pats it again.
"I assume we'll be attempting this together?" Almeiria asks, eyeing the enormous barrels.
Iphi looks at him for a second. She then mimics Lao-Chin, putting a hand on the barrels one by one, as in thanks for their sacrifice.
Atley turns to look at the barrel mechanism. "Aye. Give me a hand. Who's got a clean way to ignite them 'fore we send them rolling?"
Shun turns around to eye the massive barrels with a slight bit of concern.
Estel withdraws a vial of fire oil from her bandolier. "Me."
"I'll have this side. You three take the other. Estel ignites," Atley says.
Shun nods.
Almeiria takes up her position.
Atley looks to Estel and nods. "Ready —?!" A massive yaungol javelin lands nearby, spitting up soil and rocks.
Estel pops the cork off. "Ready!"
Iphi is a little worried about the explosion part, but still, she pats the barrel once again to thank the brew. She gets into position.
"On my count!" Atley yells over the battle. "Three… two… one… now!" He growls and grits his teeth, tugging the barrel over.
Estel douses the wood of the barrel with fire oil. It begins to soak in. As soon as the barrel is punctured…
Almeiria also pulls at the barrel, reinforcing her efforts with shadowy tendrils.
Atley turns to watch the barrel roll down the hill, crushing yaungol invaders before it explodes. "That's bloody right! Another!"
Estel lights up the next one.
"Three… two… one… nnnow!" Atley tugs another barrel down before starting the process for another, and another.
Shun grunts as he moves to roll the barrel down the hill.
Plants grow on Atley once again, and Iphi lets out an intimidating roar, growing to his shoulder's size with plants as she pushes the second barrel.
It doesn't take long for Almeiria to start looking worn out by this process, and more and more she begins to leave the work to her shadow tendrils.
Atley doubletakes the plants on his armor, but doesn't immediately panic, instead looking to Iphindra.
After the barrels are spent, Atley turns to survey the damage below. After a moment, he nods. "That'll give us some room to breathe."
Estel goes through two vials of fire oil by the time all the siege engines are gone.
Lao-Chin awaits them, gazing down at the battlefield with his arms folded. He nods with grim satisfaction. "That was an explosion! Several, in fact. Shame about my beer, but at least we're safe for now."
Atley turns back to Lao-Chin and grunts.
He looks up at the wall. "And we've heard from Suna on the wall. Something's going on. It looks like they're preparing for their final push. It's time to finish this, friends."
"You can always make m- more brew, since you survived!" Iphi smiles.
Even as he speaks, the remains of the Ordo troops are scattering before the Shado-Pan, throwing down their weapons and fleeing for the gate.
Almeiria glowers at Lao-Chin but says nothing.
A silhouette appears atop the wall. "The yaungol leader!" bellows Lin Silentstrike. "Attack!"
The massive yaungol leaps from the wall and lands with an earth-shaking thud.
Shun shakes his head as he can be seen drawing his blades out once more before vanishing from view.
Atley spins around as the massive yaungol arrives and nods once, gritting his teeth. "Right. Cobalts — we're up! Take him down!"
Estel looks at Dane. Cool, he agrees. She attacks.
Atley briefly takes in the size of Gong Da before he charges in.
Iphi is a little intimidated by the yaungol, but with the help of her plants, mimics Dane's size once again and roars.
Shun reappears on top of the massive yaungol's back, stabbing away.
Almeiria stays well clear of the massive yaungol, letting Dane and the pandaren keep him busy as she assaults him with her magic.
Iphi heals her friends, as well as the fighting pandaren.
Under the combined attacks, Gong Da falls — the ground briefly shakes as he does so. Atley steps past the yaungol and glares at the fleeing forces, producing the Lion Horn. He sounds a long, low call — a message to the routers.
When the great yaungol falls, the scattered, remaining members of the Shado-Pan group look shaken and exhausted. They also look fewer.
Shun jumps off Gong Da as he starts to fall.
"And… Lin?" Almeiria asks, glancing around.
"Lao-Chin," asks the shaman Ban Bearheart. "Why are you weeping?"
The Brewmaster wipes his eyes. "All those barrels… some of my finest brew. At least it went out in a blaze of glory."
"Wait," says Suna Silentstrike, looking around sharply, settling on Almeiria. "Where is Lin? Where is my husband?!"
Shun blinks, then looks around.
Atley frowns and looks around.
Estel closes her eyes, trying to jump into Lin's vision from a distance.
Iphi gasps, looking for Lin around.
"I thought he was with you," says Lao-Chin.
Atley stays silent, instead turning towards Estel.
"He's running after some yaungol." Estel frowns. "Alive."
"He must have pursued the fleeing yaungol while we engaged their leader," says Ban grimly, looking toward the gate. "Into the Townlong Steppes." He shakes his head.
[Shun]: "We best move quickly then."
"I'm going after him," Suna declares. "I'll see you on the other side. I hope."
Estel describes the scenery to Suna as best as she can.
Ban holds up a paw. "Patience, everyone," he tells her. "If we march into Townlong alone, we compound our problems. We must focus on the Monastery, and get reinforcements at last."
Atley furrows his brow, turning towards Ban.
"It seems unsafe to just r- run after the enemies like this…" Iphi says, looking at the open door.
Atley grunts.
Almeiria nods along with Ban. "I agree. Reinforcements takes priority. You have barely been holding them here."
Ban turns to gaze up at the mountains. "I will not allow Taran Zhu to ignore his charge any longer. We should have had reinforcements long before now. The Shado-Pan neglect their duty. Let us find out why."
Estel breaks the connection with Lin, shaking her head.
Shun slowly nods.
Ban turns to the Cobalt group. "You," he says. "You will come with me. We will see what is keeping Taran Zhu and the others."
Iphi whispers to Almeiria. "I- I hope it doesn't have to do with our fa- faction war…"
Atley grunts. "Can't say. Not as of now." He looks to Ban Bearheart. "We're with you, Bearheart."
"Hmm. There are Horde here. But there are also sha," Almeiria says.
Estel nods.
Ban Bearheart gestures to the anchored balloon. Atley nods and climbs inside, visibly adding his weight.
"All aboard, you lot," Atley says.
Iphi gets on excitedly.
Almeiria makes a small sound of displeasure at being stuck in a tiny crate in the air with four other people.
Atley offers her a hand — or rather, a gauntlet.
Estel climbs on in.
Shun hops in after Estel.
Almeiria stares at the gauntlet for a moment, but pulls her shadowform closer instead, shadows deepening.
Atley withdraws his hand and leans back, trying the best he can to make room for the others in the balloon.
Iphi leans forward, her hands pushing on the railing. She's getting ready to FLY.
On a balloon, I mean. Flying in that is brand new.
Estel doesn't seem particularly impressed or intimidated by the balloon. She's experienced airships before.
As Ban guides the balloon up the mountain, he says, "As strangers to these lands, you may not be familiar with the Shado-Pan. Our charge is an ancient one, dating back to the time of Shaohao, our founder and the last emperor of Pandaria. Dark energies embrace this land: anger, hatred, fear, doubt… These negative emotions can manifest, as you have seen, in the form of ‘Sha.' It is our sacred duty to monitor and imprison the Sha. To defeat it wherever it darkens the hearts of our people. In all my years, I have never seen the Sha so active as when your soldiers landed on our shores. Pandaria does not have a standing army. We, the Shado-Pan, are its first — and only — line of defense."
Shun furrows his brow as he listens.
Atley grunts and looks over the edge as they ascend, jaw set, cloak faintly flapping in the wind as it grows colder and colder.
[Ban Bearheart]: "Taran Zhu leads the Shado-Pan, as his father did before him. But he has elected to ignore our calls for reinforcements, to close our Monastery gates. Why?"
Iphi's excitement drops. Not the time to be happy to fly in a new way. She listens intently to Ban.
Atley turns his eternal glare on Ban Bearheart. "Distrust for us outsiders?" he hedges.
"Something happened to him?" Estel guesses.
"Is the position hereditary?" Almeiria asks. "Would that make Taran Zhu a descendent of Shaohao?"
"Could he himself be… Influenced by the Sha?" Iphi adds to the pile of questions, tilting her head.
"My thoughts," Shun nods to Iphi.
Ban Bearheart shakes his head and addresses Almeiria, "They are only connected by their roles in our history and the Shado-Pan Order."
As the balloon settles gently in the snow outside the Monastery walls, Ban shakes his head. "We must find out he has become quiet. Without the Shado-Pan, Pandaria will surely be engulfed in darkness."
Atley grunts and nods.
A group of dejected-looking grummle traders is seated in the snow nearby. One of them lifts his head and tells Ban reproachfully, "We travel through angry hozen, rampaging yeti, and unclean yaks to get here. Now the Shado-Pan act like we are strangers, and do not let us in. This is very bad fortune indeed."
"How can they do this?.." Iphi asks, dejected as well.
"There do seem to be a number of grummles here," Almeiria observes, looking around.
Ban shakes his head. "I am sorry, friends. We will see what is going on."
"Let's get off, then," Atley says, vaulting over the bannister. His snows crunch in the snow, and he sinks a few inches.
Atley takes in the size of the Monastery, lightly shaking his head. "Bloody fortress."
"Apparently they haven't been letting anybody in," Estel tells the grummles.
"Let's go and get an audience then, shall we," Atley growls.
Shun grunts.
As the group approaches the Monastery, it becomes apparent that a pair of guards in Shado-Pan uniform are obstructing the path, barring passage to a small group of more grummle traders.
"You!" calls one of them to Ban and Blue Squad. "Stop!"
Estel stops.
Atley knits his brow.
Almeiria reluctantly stops.
"I will not," says Ban tranquilly. "I am one of you, and I and my friends have come to meet with Taran Zhu." He strides determinedly past the guards, and they do not stop him.
Atley follows along, briefly glancing between the squad.
Iphi distractedly keeps going for a second, then stops, then begins again.
When they get close to the Monastery, they can see yet another guard stands before the door. He watches their approach in silence.
As they reach the foot of the steps, he says, "By the order of lord Taran Zhu, none shall pass."
Estel sticks behind Ban Bearheart.
"Preposterous," says Ban briskly. "I am Ban Bearheart, and I demand you let us in to see Taran Zhu."
"He ordered that himself, did he?" Almeiria mutters.
Atley squints at the Shado-Pan Sentinel, growing still.
The Shado-Pan guard's expression twists, and a shadow slides across his form. "Demand? You DEMAND?! Who are YOU to make DEMANDS of the Shado-Pan?" He attacks.
Shun folds his arms over his chest.
"We knew it!" Iphi says excitedly, looking at Shun. "We knew it!" She repeats, pointing her spear at the sentinel.
[Shun]: "Tsk."
"Don't kill him —!" Atley growls, drawing only his shield.
"Holy shit," Estel says, and summons shadowy tendrils from the ground to try and entrap the guard's legs.
Atley charges in to try and shield bash the sentinel in the head.
Shun moves to kick the guy in the head.
Iphi points her plants to grab the sentinel's arms to complete Estel's trapping.
"Unfortunate," Almeiria says, pulling back to assess the damage from a distance. Her spells are mostly lethal.
Ban Bearheart shakes his head at Atley's order. "No! He cannot be saved!" he roars, with a mourning tone.
They kill the guard.
Ban is shaken. "No," he says. "No, this is worse than I could have possibly imagined. The Monastery itself is compromised."
"Seems like it," Estel says, looking at the gates.
"How do we purge the corruption?" Shun asks.
Ban studies the gates a moment more. He takes a deep breath. "Very well. I will alert those of my group that remain below at Winter's Blossom, and we will prepare for… whatever has happened inside. If you would join us, meet us back here in a few days' time. I am certain we could use your aid in purging the Monastery."
"We'd be ho- honored to help," Iphi says.
Shun grunts.
Ban shakes his head and responds to Shun without looking away from the gate. "We will devise a way… Somehow."
"I imagine we will have to deal with the Sha itself," Almeiria says. "This is not a small-scale attack, if it's managed to corrupt an entire monastery."
"A monastery of Pandaria's dead hardest," Atley adds, before he nods at Ban. "You can count on us."
Estel folds her arms across her chest and nods.
Ban Bearheart bows lowly. "I must go," he says, mounting his tiger.
The look in Shun's eyes darkens a touch as he nods.
Atley tongues the inside of his cheek, and continues to inspect the Monastery, as if preparing for a siege. "We'll have a fight on our hands."
"I hope everyone is ready to confront your… anger? Hatred? Something unpleasant at any rate," Almeiria says.
"I already did!" Iphi beams.
Atley scoffs with amusement before he slowly turns. "We've still the two buggers barring the way of those grummles."
"I do hope it isn't too late for them," Almeiria says. "If it is, we are only prolonging their suffering."
"Too late for the Shado-Pan?" Atley asks Almeiria as he starts marching forward.
Atley rounds the hill. "We do these two in, if they're corrupted. Then warn the grummles. I'll not have their caravans stacking up outside of a Sha-infested Monastery."
"They came all this way to be safe," Estel says, frowning.
Shun's expression, what's visible of it anyway, has gone cold.
"Send them to Winter's Blossom, perhaps?" Almeiria asks. "It's safe for now, at least."
"Guards! Stand b- back from the grummles!" Iphi orders.
"Aye. We'll speak to them all in a moment," Atley says.
One of the Shado-Pan Monastery Guards slowly turns to stare at Iphindra.
Iphi turns to the others. She doesn't know how to handle the situation from there.
Atley points at the Monastery Guard. "The Shado-Pan have been overtaken by the Sha…" He squints. "And you two?"
Almeiria begins probing at the mind of one of the guards.
The one Almeiria probes at, the one not being addressed by the party, snarls and breaks out into a flying serpent kick, heading straight towards her.
The Shado-Pan Iphindra addresses swings around and tries to kick her in the head — a potentially lethal blow, if it lands.
"Put them down!" Atley barks.
Almeiria disperses into shadows as the kick is directed towards her.
Of the two of them, Estel reflexively Shields Almeiria, not Iphindra.
Iphi lets out a scream. Her skin becomes bark and soon enough.. She is a tree.
Shun shifts up and brings an arm up to deflect the kick as needed. It isn't. But he's there.
Atley lunges forward to shield slam the airborne kicker on his way to Iphindra's side.
The Shado-Pan, even in his Sha corrupted state, blinks at the sudden-tree, only to wind up and paw strike at Shun.
Atley manages to shield slam the other Shado-Pan off course, but they recover quickly, and charge him, unleashing a blindingly-fast volley of blows upon his shield.
Meanwhile, the Dejected Grummles stand in place, stunned.
Estel drops her Shadowform entirely to put up another [Power Word: Barrier] over her team.
With her trunk like hand, Iphi grabs the Shadow Pan guard by the shoulder and tries to keep him in place.
"Weak willed fools," Almeiria hisses at the Shado-Pan, unleashing her spells with lethal force.
The Shado-Pan pressing upon Atley is bombarded by Almeiria's spells. He lets out a weak groan before he collapses, rolling down the hill, dead.
"Generations of training and preparation, and when it matters, this is all you can accomplish?" Almeiria's disappointment is clear.
Estel bombards tree-Iphindra with healing Light.
Shun grunts as he ducks under the paw and retaliates with a palm strike of his own.
The returned palm strike sets the Shado-Pan Monastery Guard back, but not for long. He leaps into a flying serpent kick aimed uphill, at Shun's sternum.
Shun takes the kick, sending him sprawling back hard.
Iphi throws a heal at Shun immediately as he flies back, leafed vines grasping at him to try to make is fall as soft as possible. Her heals feel much more powerful when she's a tree.
The Barrier absorbs some of the impact, but not all. Estel calls another healing spell for Shun.
Atley steps forward to strike at the Monastery Guard, slaughtering them. A second body is sent rolling down the hill towards the grummles.
The grummles are frozen in place, confused and terrified.
Almeiria pauses. "Perhaps we should have left them," she says after a silence.
"No," Atley says. "We'd have only passed on this grim duty to someone else. We were fit to carry it."
Estel offers Shun a hand up.
With Thunderfury dripping blood, he steps forward and clears his throat. "Grummles! You'll find no friends at the Shado-Pan Monastery. The Sha have taken it and its keepers!"
Shun pushes himself up to his feet, nodding to Estel and Iphi.
"Spread the word among your kind. This place is not safe to you. Winter's Blossom is secure. Beyond that, Kota Basecamp. Go. Now! Until this place has been cleansed!"
Iphi exits her tree of life form. She seems elated, but she doesn't comment on her own shapeshifting. She waits for Dane to be done, for that.
"You don't need to scare them off," Estel says, stepping forward. "Hi. I'm Estel. It's true what he says. Do you have any injured?"
"I don't mean forever," Almeiria says. "I only mean that, thus far, they haven't killed anyone, and they were keeping travelers away."
Atley's tone turns sharp at Estel. "If they are not frightened by a Monastery full of Sha corrupted Shado-Pan, then they should be. I'm not going to soften a hard situation for them."
"B- but did you see how that other one reacted? One simple sentence could have s- set them off…" Iphi says.
One Dejected Grummle Trader turns towards Estel and hesitates. "No, no injured. Only packs too full." He gestures dejectedly to the Monastery.
Estel crouches down to eye level. "I'm sorry." She ignores Dane for the moment. "Bad luck, yeah? We'll set things right, but in the meantime, you probably don't want to camp here."
The Dejected Grummle huffs and slowly turns in place, shuffling off to explain the situation to those gathered around the balloon.
Atley produces a rag and begins to wipe off Thunderfury, watching the grummles from afar. "Aye," he says to Iphindra. "No telling when the Sha would spring from them."
Estel returns to Dane. "I didn't want them to be angry about it," she says to Dane.
Iphi nods to Estel.
"I want them to leave. To know that there's no negotiating or pleading that'll get them past those gates. They can be as upset as they like, so long as they vacate this place," he says. "I'll not grudge you for being gentler with them."
"Dealing with a Sha infestation is exactly the time to soften a hard situation." Estel holds her ground. "Them being upset is dangerous here."
Shun lets out a breath as he watches for additional trouble.
[Atley]: "Them being here at all is far more dangerous. The same goes for us. We'll bugger off to Winter's Blossom," he says.
Estel nods and trudges back to the balloon.
"I'm not riding in that while its taker isn't about," Atley says.
Estel shrugs and starts walking. There's no way Menace would have gotten into that balloon.
Iphi follows Estel. "Did you see me change? I've been working on that for months!!" Iphi says, trying to change the subject.
"I sure did!" Estel grins at her. "That's new, yeah?"
"I saw it," Atley says to Iphindra. "And the plant growth."
Iphi nods, beaming. A druid showed me shapeshifting, long ago. I never could do it. B- but now, thanks to a new teacher, I can!" Iphi tilts her head. "Well, into that form, at least."
Estel holds a hand out to Iphindra for a high-five. "Great job."
"I still ha- haven't mastered all the animal ones." Iphi smiles, high-fiving Estel.
Atley grunts. "Wot' teacher?"
"A woman from the Em- Emerald Dream. She's called Faeryn!" Iphi says.
Estel does not return to Shadowform on the walk down the mountainside.
Atley grunts again. "Well then. Well fought, you lot. We've repelled the yaungol. The Monastery's state is grim, but I'm confident in the uncorrupted Shado-Pan to put a plan together to cleanse it — with our help."
Atley looks over the wall as they descend.
Shun remains silent and sullen on the way down.
"Cobalt Company h- has faced worse corruption." Iphi nods. "I bet."
"I will admit I am slightly less confident in that now," Almeiria says.
Atley grunts and nods. "We have. And similar corruption. This'll not be our first time cleansing Sha corruption on a wide scale."
Atley looks to Almeiria, gruff and curious. "How's that?"
The mood in Winter's Blossom is grim. Some Shado-Pan are in conversation, while others remain on watch.
Estel reaches for Shun's hand.
Shun lets her take it.
"If a monastery full of their order can fall prey, it means they were not as prepared as I had hoped," Almeiria says. "And if you believe you are fully cleansing the Sha, you are mistaken. There are still traces of it, even in familiar areas."
Iphi looks at Almeiria in worry.
Atley lifts a brow. "I'll accept traces over outright corruption. I've fought for too bloody long and too bloody hard to let these things darken my heart before I get a proper chance to vanquish them — and so have you lot, too."
"They can earn my defeat with my death, and not a moment sooner," Atley says.
Now, Iphi looks at Dane in worry.
"What I mean to say is, do not let victories lower your guard," Almeiria says. "This corruption runs thousands of years deep."
"Until that time, we keep moving. Second by second, breath by breath if need be. We will find a way to win," Atley says, marching over to clasp Iphindra on the shoulder.
Iphi nods. "W- we will!" She tries to say confidently.
"It's wise to be guarded. Especially given these circumstances," Atley says, nodding to Almeiria. "Stay sharp and fresh. We're dismissed for the day."
Almeiria glances at Estel and Shun, before starting towards Westwind Rest.
Shun grunts.
Atley releases Iphindra and nods.
"I- I'll go ask for wisdom in the Emerald Dream! I'll see you all next time!" Iphi smiles at Shun, Estel, and then at Dane who's very close to her.
Estel waves. "Later, later." She looks at Shun.
Atley looks to Shun, and then Estel. "All sorted?"
"I think I'm gonna take Menace up the mountain and go help the grummles," Estel says.
Atley inclines his head. "I'm certain they'll have use for it."
"…I will assist," Shun states.
"Carry on well, then," Atley says, removing his helmet.
Estel nods to Shun. "Bring the goat." She smiles, and goes to fetch Menace.