Old enemies

[Aitana]

There was a warm fire in the fireplace and plenty of food on the table, but there were no smiles on the faces around the table. Aitana picked at the meal in front of her while Jemmali looked over with concern. As usual, Selucia had made herself scarce like she did so often when her benefactor was out of sorts. As usual Marcisa was the only one there that seemed unperturbed by the atmosphere.

“Joo jes need ta get some rest, Aitana. It not be so bad in de mohnin’”

Aitana flashed a feint smile at the troll.

“You are probably right, friend. And perhaps you are right. But I don’t know ...”

Aitana looked up from her dish looking off into the space ahead of her. “If only I were a better healer, perhaps we would have succeeded in Zul’Aman.” Turning to Jemmali, she continued, “I let them down, Jemmali. You are a healer too. You know our job. Maybe it would be better if you went next time.”

“We already talked about dis. Dey need joo. Dey need wat only joo can do as a tree. Git some sleep chile. Tings be bettah in de mohnin. Joo trust Jemmali. Go ta sleep now. Don’ clean up, jes go ta sleep.”

Aitana heaved a sigh as she got up to do her nightly rituals. She knew better than to protest when Jemmali called her ‘chile’. While she had been the one to take Jemmali in, Jemmali was the one that ran the household. It wasn’t long before she was in her hammock.

Jemmali smiled at the sleeping form. It was always like this after a defeat. Aitana took deaths personally and doubly so if the entire group died. The latest battle in Zul’Aman had been particularly difficult. The hammock creaked as Aitana stirred. It seemed it was going to be a rough night. The dreams had started.

Terpsicore was the first to go down. No time to think. Linkan had to stay alive if the group was to survive. Her healing was too slow! His life was seeping from him even with all her healing spells on him. Before she could cast rejuvenation again he was dead. The bear riders slaughtered them all. Death had come again.

Aitana only glance briefly at the spirit healer and dashed down the hill to the river. River? She didn’t remember a river this close to Zul’Aman. No time to think. Time to get back in there and try again. Nalorakk needed to die as the first step toward defeating Zul’jin. She was drawn toward her corpse as usual. She left the river to cut through the forest to retrieve her body.

The stairs did not look familiar. It did not take her long to find her body, but it was not where she remembered. Where were the others? She looked around frantically in confusion. No time to think. She had to find the others. Panic had taken over and she was lost. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks. She had failed.

Aitana shifted into the form of a large cat and faded from view. She didn’t know what to do so she froze and hid. At least she could not cry in this form. Tears would have given her away.

Suddenly Aitana felt a familiar presence. Could it be? Here? But … It had been a long time since she had last encountered Miss Nyx, but she was unmistakable. She turned to face the new presence in her Tauren form and kneeled.

“Aitana, Nyx has failed in Zul’Aman because it was not time to go. You will go again soon, but before then, you must come to Zul’Gurub. Do not forget your commission from Lady Sylvanas. You still have much work to do to protect Azeroth from the Old Gods. You must investigate the activities of the Atal’ai trolls and ensure that they do not mingle their power from the god Hakkar with that of the Old Gods.”

With that Aitana woke with a start. She was breathing hard. Slowly she calmed down. She was still in bed, in her own home. She closed her eyes and went back to sleep. When she woke in the morning, she could still hear Miss Nyx’s words in her head. Nyx must go to Zul’Gurub.

((We will meet in Grom'Gol at 8pm. The first pull will be at 9pm))

[Aitana]

“We defeated Hakkar, and just in time too!”

Aitana was glowing from the trill of battle and victory. Her armor was spattered with ichor and blood and other fluids; Jemmali didn’t want to think what it would take to get that clean.

“How be de battle?” She asked more out of politeness; the answer was written all over Aitana’s face.

“Excellent! Nyx entered into Zul’Gurub along with some of our old friends and some new ones. We put the old troll priests to rest. Based on their dying comments, I think we released them from a fate worse than death. I could not have been prouder of our forces.”

Jemmali stopped what she was doing to pour some pinot noir and pass a glass to Aitana. Jemmali took a seat to make herself comfortable. “Why joo say dat it be ‘jes in time’?”

The Tauren paced as she talked. “There was not much to go on, but we found small clues that told us that emissaries from the Twilight’s Hammer cult had approached the trolls. I am not clear on their motivations for this and it is completely unexpected. I would have thought that the trolls under Hakkar’s sway would have simply eaten them before they could have said anything.”

Aitana paused a moment. “I really do not understand it. It had something to do with the summoning that each group seeks to do. The Twilight’s Hammer is awaiting the day when the Old God’s return. The trolls were trying to bring Hakkar to Azeroth. Each group in its own way is dabbling with forces they do not understand and are trying to bring them to Azeroth.”

She took a sip of her wine and started pacing again. “For a long time now it has been rumored that the trolls were successful in bringing their god Hakkar to the physical realm of Azeroth. This night we found out the truth of those rumors.

“Have you read the writings of Brann Bronzebeard?”

Jemmali shook her head with a laugh. “Joo know I’s not one fer reading.”

“Well that dwarf started a rumor that Hakkar is the son of the Old Gods. Not surprising that such rumors would attract the attention of the Twilight’s Hammer. We found stones similar to the Windstones in Silithus. There was a relic was similar to the base used for the Windstones in the shelter near Hakkar. I still do not fully understand what they were planning, but it could not have been good. It seems we interrupted their plans before they could complete them. Our mission was a success. Or at least I thought it was. I hope Lady Nyx is satisfied.”

“Did Baelspah make some a dem fancy pikchurs? I’s wantin ta see iffins dat place be de same as wen I last be dere.”

“Oh! I forgot all about asking him to make any. Hopefully he did.”

Much later that evening Aitana got the confirmation she had been hoping for from Lady Nyx. In her dream, she was standing on the top platform near the corpse of Hakkar. Lady Nyx smiled at her briefly.

“You have met this challenge. Now you are ready to face the trolls in Zul’Aman.”