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| Details |
| Author: | inkie |
| Summary: | White Squad heads to the next rendezvous with Lorewalker Cho, in pursuit of the Thunder King's remains. They may be too late. Arric charms evil crows. Colson knows about trolls and flowers. Anareline enforces traditional gender roles. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
Shine rises to his feet from adjusting the scarf-knot on Bun's back. Bun seems acclimated to his scarf-sweater at this point and preens proudly. He is Fashion! Tanuki!
Arric has his goggles pushed up on his forehead for the moment, revealing the pale circles around his eyes from lack of sun exposure.
Gwen conjures up some mana pudding… and a couple of mana biscuits, in view of Bun.
"Right," says Shine. "We good? Lorewalker's waiting, he said." He looks over his shoulder.
Colson inclines his head.
"Ready!" says Arric, lowering his goggles. No more reverse-tanuki look for him.
"I am ready," Anareline says, with a nod.
"Super duper ready!" Gwen exclaims.
Shine nods, turns, and fades from sight. Bun trundles bravely ahead of the group into the tunnel.
They are moving through a huge stone corridor cut directly through the mountains. The cavernous, cobwebbed ceiling above is painted in stark tones of black and white by deep shadows and a single pale shaft of sunlight from outside. The walls are covered in ancient carved reliefs. Deep alcoves stand empty. Perhaps most ominously, braziers along the wall burn with the same blue-violet flame as the ones in the tombs.
There is a broad pool of shallow water in this first chamber. Whatever purpose it may once have served — ceremonial, decorative, practical — is no longer clear. Worn carvings shimmer at the bottom of the pool where the dusty sunlight catches.
From farther ahead comes a faint, steady roaring sound.
"What is that noise?" Arric asks. "Water?"
Shine skirts the mystery pool. "Maybe," he agrees with Arric.
"I think it is something else…" Anareline says, looking ahead and further inward.
Colson manuevers gracefully around the edges of the pool, listening carefully.
The source of the roar becomes obvious: The next chamber is walled on either side by waterfalls, filling the air with noise and cool vapor. There are ghosts here, drifting aimlessly again among statues of mogu warriors.
"Ah…" Anareline smiles, seeing the waterfalls.
Arric eyes the ghosts but doesn't hesitate to walk among them.
"Spooky," Gwen shudders.
"At least these are not hostile," Anareline says.
Arric gently pats Gwen.
Gwen gives Arric a warm smile.
The carved corridor and stairs open abruptly into raw stone walls framing snow-dazzled sunlight. Ahead is a stone building, and beyond it a platform to which a brilliant orange hot-air balloon is tethered.
Arric gasps in delight at the sight of the balloon.
"Oooh! Balloon!" Gwen points excitedly.
"That must be our transport," Anareline says, eyeing the balloon warily.
Shine swears softly. He is not looking at the balloon but off to one side.
Anareline turns and her eyes widen. "What is that?"
Shine is craning his neck to stare in silence up at the ornate structure built into the mountainside beyond them.
"Ah," Colson says. He seems unimpressed, but that might just be his face.
Gwen is distracted by a large scroll. "Ooooh… I love how they leave these scrolls around all over! Pandaria is like one giant library."
"Oh, yes, scroll," Ana says, still staring at the structure. "What does it say?"
Gwen quickly casts a smarty-pants spell and carefully unfurls the scroll.
Shine continues to stare at the red-and-gold carved columns and winged golden rooftops across the way. Snow-shouldered mogu statues stand silent guard.
Gwen clears her throat and begins to translate: "Having failed to create an obedient army with the saurok, the mogu devised other ways to create the 'perfect' fighting force. Using dark magics of unknown origin, they captured living souls and imprisoned them within constructs of stone.
"Over the course of several dynasties, a vast army of these living statues was constructed and housed within an enormous vault carved into the mountains of Kun-Lai."
Shine turns his head to stare sharply at Gwen, and then looks back at the strange mountainside structure.
"Is that what that is?" Anareline murmurs, staring at the entrance as Gwen speaks. "I hope the pandaren protect it still."
"Knowing that this secret weapon would be their downfall, pandaren monks attempted to seize control of the vaults immediately after the revolutoin began. They struck quickly, ambushing the mogu by rappelling down the mountain from the Peak of Serenity. The battle for the vaults lasted four days before a snowstorm forced the mogu from the mountain."
Arric gazes off into the middle distance as though trying to picture all this.
Colson listens quietly, with a faintly visible frown.
"By depriving the mogu of their secret weapon, the rebellious slaves forced the mogu to fight on more balanced terms." Gwen carefully rolls the scroll up again to preserve it for posterity.
"I think they mean to get back in," Shine says slowly. "They've been looking for it. The Zandalari and the mogu. That's what Lena found. Mentions of a chamber like that."
"Cheese and crackers. You think that secret army is still here somewhere?" Gwen asks.
"I think they might think so," Shine says.
Anareline looks over to Shine. "You think they mean to make use of this army now?"
Shine shrugs grimly.
"That does not bode well," Colson says. "It would be unfortunate if they succeeded." Gotta get those Understatements of the Year in.
"Unfortunate," Shine agrees with Colson.
"Very unfortunate," Anareline agrees.
"Well," says Arric crisply. "I suppose I should recalibrate my rifle for optimal stone-shattering capabilities."
"If they recover their Thunder King and this army," Anareline says, her gaze drawn again over towards the structure. "We are back to thousands of years ago."
"Not quite back. They did not have the allies they do now," Colson says gently to Anareline.
"The allies?" Anareline says to Colson. "They had the Zandalari, at least."
"Us," Colson clarifies to Ana.
"Ah, yes," Ana nods.
Bun! Wants! Balloon! He turns and wobbles in that direction. Follow me, Bigs.
A pandaren man is waiting on the terrace beside the balloon. He lifts an arm and waves. “Travelers! You are the ones the Lorewalker sent for?”
"We are," Anareline confirms.
"Cobalt Company," Arric clarifies.
The pandaren nods. “I am Shin Whispercloud. Lorewalker Cho told me to send you down to Zouchin Province as fast as possible.”
Gwen casually drops a biscuit in Bun's path.
Bun stops. Biscuit break!
Colson doesn't question this logic of speed and balloon. He doesn't even look like he's questioning it.
"Thank you," Anareline says. "It is most important we get there as soon as possible."
A friendly-looking young pandaren woman boards the balloon with the group, eyeing them with bright curiosity. As they lift into the air, she says, “I hope you don’t mind sharing the balloon with me. My father told me not to talk to strangers, but you seem friendly and you’re friends of the Lorewalker. My name is Shomi.”
"A pleasure, Shomi. I'm Arric."
"Yes, we are friends," Anareline says. "I'm Ana."
"Nice to meet you, Shomi! I'm Gwen." Gwen bows appropriately.
To Shomi, Colson says, "I am Colson, of House Aspenwood. It is an honor to meet you."
"Shine," says Shine.
Bun needs no introduction.
Shomi beams at them all, then leans over the edge of the balloon’s basket. “Isn’t Zouchin Province beautiful? I’ve lived here my whole life. My father thinks it’s too dangerous beyond Zouchin’s walls for a lady. He only lets me leave when we need supplies from Onekeg. The way I see it is, I’m not very good at being a lady, so maybe I’d make a better adventurer like you.”
Shomi does not wait for second opinions. “Those ruins creep me out. They’ve always… wait. What’s that? Where did all of those huts come from?!”
“Look at those boats!” Shomi cries. “Where are they coming from? Are they — why are they attacking the village?! Please, help me! My family!”
Shine turns sharply at mention of boats and stares out at the water. He swears under his breath again.
Anareline looks out at the boats with alarm. "Are we too late?"
Shine is climbing from the balloon basket almost before it has landed, as Shomi clambers out and goes running down the road.
Colson's gaze sharpens as he looks out at the boats, already readying the Light for the wounded, moving quickly.
Arric checks his rifle. It is loaded.
The road is lined with a few exhausted-looking pandaren villagers armed with bamboo staves. Farther down, figures locked in combat are visible. In the distance, a voice yells, “Make their deaths quick! We have much to do!”
“You!” calls the frantic kite-master. “Quickly! The Lorewalker is in the tavern!”
Anareline nods but doesn't slow, moving towards the inn-style building.
When they enter, Lorewalker Cho is in conversation with two other pandaren. “I assure you,” he is telling them patiently, “these foreigners are the best fighters I have ever seen. They will be able to help your village.”
“Promises, promises!” scoffs the grizzled pandaren he’s addressing. “There is nothing you can do now. The Zandalari are ruthless!”
Anareline steps to the side of the room, waiting politely while the pandaren speak.
“So negative all the time, Hou,” chides the woman seated nearby. She turns to Cho. “What is it you plan to do to help us, Lorewalker?”
“For a start,” says Cho, “your people need rest. We can offer protection long enough to give them a break. My friends can also teach them to defend themselves.”
“Even if we could defend ourselves, they outnumber us!” says Elder Hou.
“The Lorewalker seems confident, Hou,” Elder Chi tells him patiently. To Cho she says, “And what will your protection cost us?”
Lorewalker Cho bows. “All we ask is your help in finding Prophet Khar’zul. You know the surrounding islands better than we do. Your knowledge would be invaluable.”
“Very well,” says Elder Chi. “If you help us fend off the Zandalari, we will help you find this Prophet.”
“Thank you, Elders,” says the Lorewalker. “We will not disappoint you.”
“Rip the flesh from their bones!” a distant voice screams exultantly.
At the call of the threatening words, Colson's hands tighten into fists.
"Lorewalker, are you all right?" Arric asks.
The Lorewalker turns to White Squad and nods. “As you no doubt heard — the elders have agreed to help us discover where the Zandalari have hidden the Thunder King’s remains. But first, they require our help.”
"Of course," says Arric.
"We are here," Anareline nods.
Colson nods, military sharp
Lorewalker Cho smiles somberly. “The villagers have been guarding Zouchin since the first Zandalari landing. They are exhausted, and many are injured. If the Zandalari attack again, they will not have the strength to fight back. We are here now to help them defend, so please, go and tell any who can be spared to take a rest. They can relieve their neighbors in turn later.”
"Understood," Colson says.
"We will do so," Anareline nods.
Arric salutes crisply. Then bows Pandaren style. He keeps forgetting.
Shine checks the edge of a knife and then steps back out onto the porch.
"We are on defense, then," Anareline says as she moves out of the inn.
Colson is on defense then.
"There." Shine nods toward an embattled pandaren on the nearby rocks.
Colson sets a Hand of Protection on the battling, exhausted pandaren.
Anareline charges in to attack the troll in assistance.
"Their cruelty seems to know no end," the exhausted pandaren gasps as he bends to rest his hands on his knees and catch his breath.
Arric gently pats him.
"Take a moment. You're safe now," Gwen tries to reassure him.
"You're exhausted," Anareline says gently. "Go rest, and prepare for the battle to come."
He surveys the group a little dubiously, but nods and backs away, retreating into the village.
"Water," Colson instructs the next weary defender, as he sets a heal over the pandaren.
Anareline continues around the perimeter, attacking the next troll in sight.
Arric takes aim at a distant troll, then is startled as the troll rushes at him and knocks him flat on his back.
Shine steps in to startle the troll in turn with a knife to the kidney.
"Arric!" Anareline shouts, turning to him. "Are you well?"
Arric leaps back to his feet once the troll has been knifed. "Fine, I'm fine," he says shakily.
Colson reaches out a hand, ready, and retracts it when Arric is up.
"Quick bastards," Arric mutters to himself.
"Yeesh. He hit you like a wild elekk!" Gwen grimaces at Arric.
Colson looks at the fallen troll with a faint frown, and then another. "These do not appear as I would expect from a Zandalari, as they were calling them. Their tribal wear is not as theirs are."
Shine studies the troll too as he steps away. He knits his brow and shakes his head. "No. They're not Zandalari."
"They don't look like Gurubashi trolls either," Arric observes.
"Oh?" Anareline says. "I suppose… there was that news that they were recruiting the other tribes."
"Amani, if I had to guess, though I am less familiar with them," Colson says, stepping back as he sets a Holy Radiance over them.
Shine looks to Colson. He nods.
"Amani," Arric repeats, making a mental note.
Bun growls at a dead troll.
“Here! You! Travelers!” calls a voice from a nearby doorway.
"Ah, the ones up by the sin'dorei lands," Anareline says quietly. Then she looks over sharply at the call.
Anareline obligingly runs over to the pandaren who called. "What is it?"
The elderly pandaren man bows to them. “I have seen the numbers these invaders have brought with them. This… will not be an easy victory. But I know of one advantage the trolls do not.
“There is a plant that grows around the ruins east of the village where the trolls are camped that can be used to make a rather effective explosive liquid. If you are willing to brave the barbarians’ camps to collect it, I can begin brewing the mixture. The plant you are looking for has many tiny orange blossoms, and is appropriately named ‘volatile bloom.’” He pauses. “Please handle it carefully.”
"Explosives," says Arric. "Excellent."
"Ah," Colson says, perking up at the mention of botany. "I am something of an amateur botanist. I will be cautious."
The pandaren nods at Colson. "Thank you, friends."
"Exploding flowers," Anareline says, raising her eyebrows. "Better we use them than they. We can hope they will try, and be less careful."
"Between your knowledge of botany and mine of explosives," Arric says warmly to Colson, "I'm sure we'll be just fine."
Colson smiles faintly back at Arric.
"That's one bouquet I would not want to receive," Gwen says.
Arric nods solemnly at Gwen.
Anareline nods to Gwen.
As they pass by the forge-yard, a gruff looking pandaren in a blacksmith’s leather apron and gloves is pacing back and forth. He glances up and eyes the group narrowly, then folds his burly arms. “So. We are to mount a defense? We aren’t monks here — we need weapons if we hope to fight! If you are going out there, bring me back any you can scavenge from those barbarians. I’ll take care of the rest.”
"Yes, we will take their weapons as we can," Ana agrees.
The smith nods gruffly. “I had almost fooled myself into believing Zouchin was protected from the darkness in the world.”
As they step away from the smithy, a familiar figure waves frantically at them from beneath the nearby steps. It is Shomi. “Psst! Over here! No, don’t look at me! Just come here!” She ducks behind a wooden post.
Arric smiles a little.
Colson doesn't look at Shomi, just goes there. Well, he tries. He's a paladin. He's not exactly subtle.
Shine picks Bun up by his scarf-knot and ambles casually toward the post. Just gonna… lean here for a minute. With his tanuki.
Bun dogpaddles in the air. Fashion Tanuki were not meant to be toted!
Gwen approaches Shomi, but respectfully does not look at her.
Ana raises an eyebrow, but sidles over to Shomi, looking away.
Arric doesn't bother trying not to look at the young woman he is directly approaching.
“Shhh, keep your voices down!” Shomi hisses. (No one has said anything yet.) “My father might hear you!” She gestures toward the pacing blacksmith and then ducks back into the post’s shadow. “My father is delusional. He thinks I should be studying my tea-pouring while our village is under attack. It’s ridiculous! I have just as much courage as any man. I just haven’t had any real practice fighting… yet.
“That’s where you come in. Let me go with you! I’m a fast learner and I promise I won’t get in the way! I promise! Pleeeeease!” The stubborn set of her chin suggests that if she is denied, she is going to head into the fray on her own anyway.
"You remind me of my sister," Arric says warmly to her.
Shomi brightens. "… that's good, right?"
"It is," Arric says, a bit wistfully.
Colson looks to Ana.
Shine also looks to Ana.
Shomi looks to Ana too, since that seems to be the thing.
"Come along with us then," Arric says, as though he's in charge.
He is not.
"Women are fighters traditionally," Anareline says, a little puzzled at the 'as any man' part. "But you are quite young…" She looks sharply at Arric.
"It is Ana's decision," Colson's corrects gently.
"We will need to watch after her, to ensure her safety," Anareline says. "Will you take responsibility for her, Arric?"
"Of course," Arric says immediately.
"Then she is your charge," Anareline says.
Gwen smiles proudly at Arric.
"Come along, Shomi," Arric says with a smile.
"All right!" cheers Shomi. "Let's get down to business!"
Shine clears his throat and nods at Ana. He sets the tanuki down.
"I will be certain to keep a shield of the Light ready as well," Colson says.
Anareline nods. Good of the men to handle the healing and the childcare.
Arric seems less eager to randomly start a fight by shooting at trolls now.
Colson murmurs a prayer to the Light, blessing Shomi with them.
Arric keeps his eye on Shomi, occasionally guiding her with a hand on the shoulder when she looks to be wandering into too much danger.
Shine narrows his eye at the troll camp ahead.
The trolls seem to have made themselves right at home among the ruins, by which I mean the skulls motif is well-established.
Anareline charges into the troll camp.
“I see,” murmurs Shomi. “Her eyes never leave the target…. Total focus!”
A troll priestess casts hexes furiously.
Arric gets attacked from behind by a raptor. You have never seen him with such a wounded expression. Luckily his expression is all that's severely wounded.
Gwen frowns sadly when they must face a raptor, and immediately looks to Arric.
"I'm glad Rica isn't here to see this," Arric says mournfully.
Gwen approaches Arric and just HUGS him.
"Is it likely Rica might know these raptors?" Anareline asks.
"I don't think these raptors would be familiar to Rica," Arric says. "The Amani are from a different part of the world. But it is always difficult to see one's people enslaved by evil folk."
Colson examines the troll camp. "It is not only Amani. These are practices done by the Gurubashi, and if I am not mistaken, the Farraki. It would seem the Zandalari achieved their goals of a united nation after all." He nods to the heaped bones as he speaks.
"But not the Darkspear," Anareline says. "At least, not as of last year. If you see any signs of Darkspear, that we must tell the Alliance immediately."
"Yes," Colson agrees.
“I can do this, I know I can do this,” says Shomi. “… now, charge!”
Colson examines an orange-flowered shrub. "I see. This is a procedure with the stems as stable, and blooms interacting within. A steady hand is what is most needed."
Arric waits to watch how Colson picks the volatile flowers. "How should they be stored for transport?"
"I have a glass container for gems that should suit," Colson answers Arric, taking it out.
Bun snuffles at a volatile blooms plant. He sneezes.
Colson hovers a hand near Bun, ready to protect the tanuki if the plant explodes.
“These ruins are supposedly haunted,” whispers Shomi. “I don’t believe in ghosts, though. But then again, I didn’t believe in Zandalari, either.”
"You thought they were only a legend?" Arric asks Shomi.
Shomi nods unhappily.
"If only," Arric says with a sigh.
Arric backs up the others as they attack a troll behemoth. His goggles hide whatever expression he might be having.
“Revenge is a dish best served by ME!” shouts Shomi.
Anareline eyes the canoes and the nearby islands, but then turns to continue fighting in the ruins.
“I told you I was a fast learner!” says Shomi proudly. “Thank you for the training! I’ll meet you back at the village — I’m going to show some of the others what I’ve learned!”
"Be careful on your way back," Anareline warns. "Caution is important for young warriors."
Arric follows her for a short distance and keeps an eye on her to make sure she gets back in one piece.
"It is hard to judge age of other species," Anareline says. "But I do think she would be old enough to learn, in my lands."
"My sister wanted to go with my adventuring club when I was a boy," Arric says wistfully.
Ana looks at Arric curiously. "She did not?"
"My parents wouldn't allow it," he says. "She was supposed to stay home and learn to cook, and sew, and such things."
"That must have been difficult for her," Colson says to Arric.
"Indeed, I hope your sister found her adventures…" says Anareline.
"Zandalar gonna bring back de old ways!" a Gurubashi hexxer cackles.
Arric scowls and shoots at her.
Shine silences a frostweaving troll efficiently with a garrotte wire.
"Ah, even Drakkari," Colson remarks. "I had hoped perhaps… with Northrend. It would seem they have mended the ties."
"Drakkari?" Anareline says in surprise. "Their civilization had collapsed. Perhaps the survivors found nowhere else to go."
"Yes. In Northrend, the Zandalari worked against them, actively, willing to watch as they fell, but it would seem that they have made other promises now," Colson says.
"What a hold the mogu must have over the Zandalari…" Arric murmurs thoughtfully.
"Maybe. It seems like their goals might be aligned, though," Gwen says to Arric.
"Bizarre," Shine says under his breath from next to Arric. "The empire doesn't bow to anyone."
"This Thunder King… it seems that all fear him." Arric might fear him.
"Do we know that they are under?" Anareline asks. "Or are they merely allies?"
"The Thunder King defeated a Celestial," Arric reminds Anareline.
"The Zandalari Empire is near as old as the Mogu," Ana comments.
"I am afraid I cannot tell, not from what I have heard or seen," Colson says. "Though trolls are a proud race, they are not monolithic. Some will bow. Drakuru of the Drakkari bowed to the Lich King willingly for the promise of greatness."
"Do not falter!" calls a harsh troll voice. "We will soon unite with our ancient allies!"
"Ah, well," Colson says at the timing. "That might offer some insight."
"I suppose they think if the Thunder King returns, all can be as it was, and they can have a great empire again…?" Arric speculates.
"That would be like my people longing for the return of Queen Azshara," Anareline says, with a hint of disgust at the name. "Regaining an ancient empire is not something to aspire to."
"How was the Thunder King originally defeated?" Arric asks.
Shine frowns. "There was more than one mogu emperor, aye? So his death didn't end the empire. Did it?"
"I don't know," Arric says. "I know very little about the mogu's history."
"I am not certain of the history here," Anareline admits. "We do know the story of the pandaren revolution. Whether that was against him, or he had already passed of natural causes…"
"I know it says he was 'the first' emperor. Which I assumed implied… other ones." Shine shrugs. "But I don't know."
"Hm," Colson says. "It is a good question."
"I am at times a listless student of history," Arric admits, "but in this case I might be inspired to look into the details."
"Careful," Shine warns as he spots another behemoth ahead.
"Depending on their lifespan, the Thunder King could have reigned for millenia," Anareline muses.
Colson is briefly a frog. Ribbit. And then he is not. Paladins laugh in the face of hexes. Ha.
"If they lived for millennia I doubt they would have their strange rituals for transferring souls." Arric speculates.
Shine nods thoughtfully at Arric.
"True," Anareline says. "Even at our most decadent times, I don't recall that being a focus of the kaldorei empire."
They return to the village.
Anareline heads for the blacksmith first, offering her collected weapons.
“I retired from battle to live in peace with my family,” the blacksmith says. “It seems battle will not let me retire so easily.”
His eyes gleam at the sight of the broad-bladed weapons. “Well! These are better than anticipated. I can make four blades for our people from every one of theirs. I will see the villagers are properly armed.” He nods with resolve.
Colson, who knows nothing about blacksmithing, nods.
Arric similarly nods.
"Light be with you," Colson blesses the blacksmith, as he tosses in a Blessing of Might to go with it.
"Arms are one thing," Anareline cautions. "Training is another. I know there is scant time for it now, but…" she sighs.
But speaking of training… true to her word, between the tavern and the apothecary’s building, Shomi has lined up several rows of her fellow villagers, and is instructing them in fighting techniques.
(Perhaps her father hasn't noticed. Or he has given up.)
Arric waves to Shomi.
Anareline nods faintly. Shomi is a good little apprentice Sentinel.
Shomi waves back and then turns to her pupils again.
"The volatile blooms, next," Anareline says. "I would not carry them longer in combat than we need." She heads into Elder Shu's building, gesturing Colson forward.
"Understood." Colson removes the jewelry container, opening it up, and carefully extracting the volatile blooms to present them to Elder Shu.
“Ah, these are perfect,” says Elder Shu. He holds out a clay bowl for Colson to tip the blossoms into. “Now, I would go and wash your hands a few times. And also avoid open flames for a few days.”
Arric blinks.
Shine eyes Colson.
Colson tips the blooms in, handling them with care, and inclines his head. He goes to wash his hands a few times.
Humming, Elder Shu turns away.
"A few days?" Gwen boggles and looks down at her hands. "No fire magic for a while, then."
"I think that would be wise." Anareline nods. "Now, we report back to the Lorewalker," she says.
"Yes," Colson says, no m– included. Progress!
Lorewalker Cho awaits them serenely, and smiles at their return. “Very good, my friends. With the villagers rested and reassured by our aid, we may yet stand a chance against the Zandalari.”
A voice — much closer than before — bellows, “Show them the might of the trolls!”
Lorewalker Cho lifts his head, his eyes widening in alarm.
Colson's head turns at the shout.
“The Zandalari have begun their attack!” Cho whispers. “You must help defend the village! Quickly, my friends! If we can’t push them back, we will never find the Thunder King’s remains, and Pandaria is lost!”
"Everyone, this village will not fall," Anareline says firmly.
Arric sets his jaw and cocks his rifle.
Shine checks his blades again and takes a swift step back toward the door. Bun growls and scrambles after him.
"Understood," Colson says, military sharp.
Gwen nods firmly and thunks her staff on the floor.
Anareline adjusts her armor and draws sword and shield, heading out into the village once more.
The village is swarming with trolls locked in combat with the pandaren villagers.
Anareline charges into the fray.
Shine surprises an Amani berserker. Surprise! The surprise is: knives.
Anareline sees behemoths at the edge of town. "The barricades!"
A pandaren is waiting by the barricades with several barrels. "Quick," he shouts. "Heave these at them!" Apparently the volatile flower oil happened fast.
Arric charges forward to heave an explosive barrel.
Anareline moves in quickly to heave a barrel.
Colson keeps a Hand of Protection ready.
Behemoths explode satisfactorily.
"This side seems secure," Anareline says. "We should check the other entrance to the village."
Shine nods and fades from sight.
Colson is a bastion of calm as they move through the battlefield, familiar with the chaos, as he heals the exhausted villagers as well as the squad.
"Riders approach!" shouts a guard at the barricades.
A group of Gurubashi raptor riders charges up the road.
Arric blanches at the sight of the aqua-striped red raptor mounts. "Now those raptors would look familiar…" he says quietly.
Anareline stands in the gap with determination, refusing to let them pass.
"Now!" cries Shomi, and some of her trainees leap into the fray beside White Squad. They are as swift as the coursing river, and possess all the force of a great typhoon.
Once the pandaren defenders have engaged the riders, Gwen summons a rain of heavy hailstones to batter the group of troll riders.
Arric raises his slightly trembling rifle and lends support. By shooting at raptors.
Golden wings sprout behind the paladin's back as he holds up a steady line of holy radiance on the pandaren against the riders.
Shine blinks here and there among the trolls, cutting and vanishing and cutting again.
Anareline defends Shomi's trainees, even as she strikes at the raptor riders. She gives Shomi a look of approval, woman to woman.
All over the village, silence is falling like troll corpses. Which are falling a lot.
Arric lifts his goggles briefly to wipe underneath them. Sweat, probably. Yeah.
Colson sets a hand gently on Arric's shoulder.
Arric pats the hand on his shoulder and smiles a little.
The Lorewalker is disheveled but his expression is placid. “My friends. The Zandalari have started to retreat. This victory will mean a great deal to the villagers.” He lowers his voice. “In the chaos, I did manage to capture one of the fighters. Perhaps we can get more information out of him.”
“The prisoner is being kept upstairs,” says Cho. “It will be difficult to get anything from him, but even the slightest detail will help. The elders have already begun to question him. Go and see what you can learn.”
"It will be difficult, if he will not volunteer answers," Anareline says. "But we can try."
Colson's lips tighten at the potential implications of how they might be doing that. He turns to Ana. "My vows prevent me from engaging in torture. I will ask, but only that."
Anareline looks over at Colson. "I will not permit torturing someone for information, have no worry."
Colson has no worry. "Thank you," he says.
Upstairs, a bound troll cowers before the furious Elder Hou and Elder Chi. “You barbarians will think twice before attacking our village again!” shouts Hou.
“You will tell us where the remains have been hidden,” Chi tells the troll sternly.
The troll looks up at that and breaks into a broad, tusked smile. “You are too late. De Thunder King will rise and take dis land from ya.”
"No he will not!" Gwen retorts to the troll. Yeah. Told him.
"He will do no such thing," Arric says haughtily.
The troll laughs harshly. “You are too late! De remains of de Thunder King were taken to the Isle of Reckoning. Prophet Khar’zul performed de ancient rites….” He laughs again. “Even now, de true emperor of Pandaria lives and breathes once more. Woe to de Pandaren usurpers! De mogu will rule dis land again! And we Zandalari will have a new homeland….”
"He has… already?" Anareline's eyes widen.
Arric sits down.
Shine looks even Shinier than usual. Which is to say, Very Neutral.
Colson's own expression is Extremely Neutral. It's the Aspenwood Look in a Crisis.
Gwen blinks and shakes her head. "No… no, we worked so hard…."
"Why are the Zandalari doing this?" Anareline frowns. "The glory of the mogu is not the glory of the trolls."
"A new homeland?" Shine asks mildly. He steps forward in a way that is not entirely mild, though.
Arric remains seated. He's comfortable right here, thank you.
Anareline starts to raise a hand to caution Shine, but then subsides. Shine is subtle, he probably caught it.
The troll scowls. "De cataclysm came to Zandalar! Dazar'alor fell into de sea. De spine of de land split in two, Nazmir sank into swamp. But de mogu promise us — we have come home here, to our new empire!"
Shine raises his eyebrow and tilts his head thoughtfully. He steps back.
Colson closes his eyes briefly and exhales slowly.
"The mogu will only make you their slaves," Arric scoffs.
The troll snarls at Arric and falls silent, glaring.
"There are already others living here," Anareline says. "This is not an empty land. And yes, the mogu seek only to dominate. They are not good allies."
"This is not the path towards home," Colson says softly. "This is evil."
"And we're here now. We'll help the pandarens stop you!" Gwen glares and wrinkles up her nose. She so mad.
The troll will only glare contemptuously now in response.
Anareline sighs. "If what he says is true… we should speak to the Lorewalker. Maybe something may be salvaged of this situation."
"I thought the Zandalari were great scholars, but you are acting like fools." Arric rises carefully to his feet, powered by indignation.
Shine nods slightly at Arric with approval.
"My own path is clear. My vows are not ambiguous. 'Vanquish evil. Protect the innocent. Walk in the grace of the Light.' This must be stopped," Colson says.
Arric nods at Colson and gives him a shoulder-clasp.
"We're with you, Colson." Gwen nods firmly.
"Lorewalker Cho," Anareline says. "The prisoner claims the Thunder King has already been resurrected, over on the Isle of Reckoning."
Lorewalker Cho shakes his head grimly. “There is no time for us to dwell on this setback. We must do what we can to deal with it. Let us find this Prophet Khar’zul. Every member of the Thunder King’s forces we destroy brings us a step closer to victory.
“Mishi will take you to the Isle of Reckoning. Find this Zandalari prophet. Kill him and as many of his followers as you can. We must send a message to the Thunder King that Pandaria will stand in force against him.”
"Right," says Arric crisply.
"We're with you, and all of us are with Pandaria," Anareline says firmly.
Colson nods sharply.
Shine heads out onto the porch, where Mishi waits patiently.
Arric smiles affectionately at Mishi.
"Thank you for your assistance," Colson says politely to Mishi, as he climbs aboard.
Mishi delivers them to the rocky gray sand slope of a narrow island edged with hills like stony teeth. Zandalari war canoes are pulled up on the beach, and ahead a pair of Zandalari warriors guard a crude arched entrance to the island’s interior.
Shine sets Bun carefully in the sand and reapplies poison to two of his knives.
Arric gracefully dismounts and loads his rifle with something very special and explodey.
"Let's fight our way in," Anareline says. "If the Thunder King is still here, perhaps he will be yet weak."
Colson murmurs another prayer to the Light as he blesses them.
Gwen mutters, "They're lucky I can't use fire magic right now…."
Gurubashi Witch Doctors weave shadowy curses, as Amani outriders patrol the rough paths.
Anareline presses her lips together with disapproval as she sees the shadowy magic and glowing cauldrons.
"They are very well settled here," Anareline says grimly.
"Yes," Colson agrees.
There is a strange number of carrion crows flocking overhead.
Arric analyzes them. "Those aren't ordinary carrion birds," he warns. "They're dangerous.
"I think they're either stirred up by the magic, or may have been tamed by the trolls," he guesses.
Colson blinks and looks up. "Ah, I see."
"Let's not linger near them, then," Anareline says with a nod.
Shine gazes upward neutrally and then vanishes again. Bun hastens after him. Large hostile birds are problematic.
At the top of a flight of stone stairs, a gigantic troll priest in a heavily ornamented gold mask, armbands, and loincloth, stands over a crude stone altar. The altar is surrounded by ceremonial drums and heaps of skulls. More carrion crows hover watchfully.
"There!" Arric hisses.
"Is that the Thunder King?" Anareline asks, raising her sword.
Colson frowns, as the Light crackles and glows over his armor.
"That's the prophet, I expect. Thunder King's a mogu, isn't he?" asks Shine.
"Ah, yes…" Anareline peers at him. "He is an enormous troll."
"Zandalari," Shine says simply.
Arric nods.
"I'll see if I can turn some of the birds against him," Arric murmurs. He sorts through his bag for one of his little vials. Birb-inciting vials.
"Prophet," Anareline calls. "Where is this Thunder King of yours?"
The troll laughs harshly. "Too late! He is gone to claim de empire!"
Anareline snarls and charges in. "All, attack!"
Colson attacks.
"You won't ever take this land, you son of a biscuit!" Gwen raises her hands menacingly; they glow with arcane power.
As they charge him, the Prophet raises his arms, grinning. “Da Thunder King lives! Our empires be united once more!” Darkness eddy around their ankles and a shadowy fog begins to rise from the earth.
Bright gold wings blaze out from the paladin's back, as another being of Light forms beside him, working to heal alongside Colson.
“Feed you to de crows!” the Prophet laughs, and the carrion crows around him rise up and dive at the Cobalt team in a black hail of beaks and talons.
Arric tosses the vial at the prophet, and it shatters.
Several of the carrion crows go berserk and start pecking at the prophet.
The Prophet staggers to his knees. He bares his teeth in a malicious, bloody grin. “Dis… only jes… begun. We ain’t gonna… jes roll over… and die.”
He dies.
Arric looks pleased with himself.
"Are you not, now," Anareline says grimly to the troll who rolled over and died.
Arric gives a slightly manic laugh at Ana's comment.
Shine steps back from the troll's corpse and looks around at once for Bun, who is hiding behind some skulls and trembling. Shine picks the tanuki up and sets it on his shoulders.
The troll dispatched, Anareline heads down the hill, deep in thought. "He was already gone. We must see what the Lorewalker will advise next. Or we must make our own plan. His are a step too late, so far."
Mishi is waiting for them tranquilly at the bottom of the hill
"Hello Mishi," Arric says warmly.
Mishi does a cheerful spiral in the air, and then is full-sized.
"I wish Rica could do that," Arric says.
Colson inclines his head politely to Mishi.
The Lorewalker awaits them in the inn in grim anticipation.
"The prisoner spoke true," Anareline says grimly. "The Thunder King lives. We slew the Prophet, but… the King was already gone."
Arric plucks a single black feather from his shoulder.
Lorewalker Cho nods heavily. “These events should be learned from. Had we paid attention to the histories, we may have been able to head this off before it got this far. Everything that has happened was already foretold. We just didn’t know how to read it.”
"What's done is done," Anareline says with a sigh. "We need to focus now on what happens next."
Shine's expression is neutral enough to pass through neutral and convey what he thinks of strategy-via-ancient-history.
"We are none of us perfect. It is not in us to not ever make mistakes, but what we do afterwards," Colson says. "We will continue forward."
Anareline inclines her head to Colson.
Gwen smiles at Colson. "Wise words."
"Be ready," Anareline says. "Whatever happens next, we will be needed."
Colson inclines his head. "Light be with us all."