The Fall of Gilneas – Chapter 11: Into the Blackwald
The Fall of Gilneas
Chapter 11: Into the Blackwald
“Naomi!” I heard a familiar, friendly voice calling out through the void around me. “I can feel you; you’re so close!” The green-tinted vision of Gwen appeared in the darkness. “They’re still looking for me. You have to find me first.”
“Where are you!” I asked.
“You know where I am…I’m in the Blackwald,” she responded. “Please. You have to find me. They’re tracking me. They know they won’t be able to capture me easily, so they’ll kill me.” Her voice was beyond distressed.
“Who’s tracking you?”
“I don’t know who they are or how they regained their sanity,” Gwen responded. I took that to mean worgen were following her. They regained their sanity? “There are strangers, too. I don’t know who they are or where they come from.”
A glimmer of hope appeared in my mind. If there are worgen out there that are sane, there might be a way for me to keep control, after all! Maybe it’s Krennan’s students; maybe they figured out the potion, too. “How will I find you?” I inquired.
“This body…my body…it doesn’t like new creatures entering its territory. If you come…I’ll find you,” she promised.
“And then you’ll try to kill me,” I concluded.
The image of Gwen looked away guiltily. “I’ll try not to, but this body hasn’t responded to my commands, yet.”
“I know the feeling,” I sighed. So I have to find her and subdue her without letting her kill me. Should be simple… “I hope I can do it.”
“If I’m going to die…I want you to do it,” Gwen cried. “One way or another, I want you to end this nightmare.” My gut wrenched painfully. I knew that feeling all too well. I needed to find her.
All of a sudden, her image began to fade out. “Gwen? Gwen, where are you going!”
“There’s not much time! Help…” And then she was gone. There was nothing but darkness around me.
“Gwen!” I called out.
“Young Naomi…” a new voice chimed in. I looked around, but couldn’t see anyone. It was a deep, smooth, female voice with a very calm and strange accent?
“Who’s there?” I inquired, oddly anxious. How do people keep talking to me in my dreams?
“You and I do not know each other, but we will…soon,” the voice responded. “It is rare to find worgen such as yourself whose mind is still intact. I thought we had already located most of them.”
“What do you mean?”
“Now is not the time for an explanation. We shall speak soon and all of you will have your answers.” An old structure came into view. It looked like it might be an abandoned windmill. The desolate and contorted trees of the Blackwald could be seen behind it. “Until then, rest well. Important times lay ahead, Naomi. Farewell.”
“Wait! How do you know my name?” I insisted. But the image disappeared, and with it I was back in the silence and nothingness.
***
I awoke the next morning monumentally confused. What the hell was that all about? Who was that other voice? My mind shifted to Gwen. I knew what I had to do now…or, at least, I knew what she wanted me to do. But how am I supposed to subdue her?
And what was all of this talk about other worgen tracking her? Were there really worgen out there that had overcome the curse? How? Would they be able to help me? Or would they try to kill me on sight, thinking I was as wild as Gwen?
Shaking my head, I tried to sit up, but had some difficulty. Daniel still lay nestled against my chest. His hand rested right on my belly. I could hear quiet snoring. Gently, I jostled him awake.
“Huh? What’s going on?” he questioned groggily.
I thought about telling him about that dream. In the end, I decided against it. It was a dream; I had no idea if there was truth to any of it. I didn’t want to give him false hope. “It’s time to get up,” I informed him.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to waste any time,” I responded, slipping out from under him. I sat up and stretched out. I made a monstrous yawn, letting out a quiet, involuntary whining noise. I quickly snapped my mouth shut, a little embarrassed by the sound.
Daniel just laughed as he sat up. He stroked my back tenderly. “You know, the longer I see you, the less I see anything strange about your appearance,” he commented with a yawn of his own.
“Well I’m glad one of us is getting used to it,” I responded.
Before I could respond, there was a loud knock on the door. “Naomi! Are you awake?” I could hear Lorna call from the other side.
What’s she doing here? I looked over at Daniel. “Um…one minute!” I responded frantically. I shot out of the bed and scrambled to put my clothes back on. My claws caught the fabric as I jammed my legs into the pants and I winced a little as I heard the loud rip. Damn it. I had gone through so many sets of clothes in the last few days alone.
“Hey, calm down,” Daniel stated, keeping his voice low. “No need to rush.”
I ignored him. I started running my fingers through my hair, as if it acted like some sort of comb. Why am I doing this? I dropped my arms to the sides. Darting across the room, I threw the door open. I could see Lorna jump; she must not have expected me to move that quickly. Or maybe she hasn’t gotten used to…me.
“Are you feeling alright?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at me. She surveyed my body. I had to have looked like a mess – clothes disheveled and ripped. Plus I was breathing a little heavily from the brief rush. After a moment, she craned her neck to look around me and saw Daniel still sitting on the bed. A sly, knowing smirk spread across her face. “Fantastic.”
Again, it was fortunate my face was concealed beneath dark fur or she would very clearly see my embarrassment. “Did…did you need something?” I asked.
Lorna blinked a couple times, as if she had forgotten why she was there. Then, she shook her head quickly to collect herself. “It took a while, but I think I’ve put together what happened here,” she explained, holding up the old journal. “At least partially. I wanted to be sure to talk to you about it. They’re just starting to serve the people breakfast downstairs. Shall we discuss it while we eat?” she proposed. “You’re welcome to come, too…um…Danny, was it?” she added, extending the invitation.
“Close…Daniel,” he corrected, standing and walking up to my side. “That sounds lovely.”
The three of us made our way down the stairs to the main room of the inn. A large crowd had gathered, everyone obviously awaiting their morning meals. Some people looked over at me when we walked in, but no one seemed to shrink away. There was a nearly-deafening level of noise inside the building as everyone was talking with one another – some shouting to ensure their voice was heard over the racket. It was not terribly comfortable for my ears; I started to feel a growing confusion as the noise overwhelmed me. I could feel an old rage building up; it wasn’t what I felt while fighting – not entirely. It felt like the curse was trying to take advantage of my confusion and reclaim my body. Is the potion starting to wear off?
“Do not forget your daily dose,” Krennan said, suddenly appearing behind us as if on cue. His voice made me jump.
“Oh…right…thank you,” I responded. I realized I had left my satchel up in the room.
Daniel looked at my waist and, as if reading my mind, declared, “I’ll go get it for you.” He scurried up the stairs.
“What a helpful lad,” Krennan commented.
I cleared my throat. “Um, Krennan…what would happen if I didn’t take the whole vial?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Like, what if I only drank a little bit? Would I still lose control?” I clarified. “I just thought it would be good if…I don’t know…if I could conserve it a little bit.”
Krennan shook his head. “I would not recommend it. That dosage is meant to help you keep control for a full day. I don’t know what would happen if you didn’t take it all; it might not last as long…or it might be too weak to overpower the curse altogether.”
“You should try it out. You should see how little of it you need,” the voice advised. I didn’t need to be able to sense its malicious intent to know why it wanted me to do that.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide the disappointment in my face. “Okay…thank you,” I responded; it wasn’t his fault, after all.
“I’m sorry; if there were any way I could thin it out, I would.”
“I understand.”
Krennan nodded and shuffled away. He’s such a strange, awkward man.
“Ah, good morning, Naomi!” Mayor Armstead greeted, walking up to me from the crowd of people. “It’s a little lively down here, this morning, isn’t it?”
“You could say that,” Lorna cut in. “How are you, this morning, Lady Armstead?”
“As well as can be expected, Lorna,” the mayor responded. “It’s been busy. Your father’s been an enormous help to me manage the stress,” she stated, directing the last addition toward me with a wink. I caught her meaning and shuffled a little uncomfortably.
“Any breakthroughs?” Lorna asked.
Mayor Armstead shook her head. “No. We just sent some scouts into the mountains to the east to see into these rumors of survivors. I’m hesitant to move our people through the Blackwald unless I know there’s somewhere safe for us to go.”
“What about the Forsaken? They’ll catch up with us soon, won’t they?”
“The scouts reported in this morning and informed me that they fell back after Koroth showed up and gave the scoundrels hell,” Mayor Armstead responded with a smile. “I hear we have you to thank for that,” she said, again addressing me.
“Koroth, huh?” Lorna mused. “You’ll have to tell me how you managed that one, sometime,” Lorna told me in admiration.
Daniel showed up with my satchel and handed me a vial from it. With a deep breath, I downed its contents and kept myself from gagging. Hey, look at the bright side…once we run out, I don’t need to drink this nasty stuff anymore. It was the smallest of silver linings, but it was there.
“Anyway, Naomi,” Mayor Armstead started, clearing her throat. “I have a surprise for you. Go get yourself some food and then come find me after you’re finished eating.”
“A surprise?” I repeated uncertainly.
“Think of it as a gift. But I’d better get back to the people; they’re not going to organize themselves. See you soon.” The mayor turned and started dodging through the crowd. A moment later, I could hear her commanding voice rise above the white noise and start directing the survivors around. Everyone quieted down the moment she started talking.
It was amazing seeing how quickly they complied with her instructions. We went to get in line for food along with the others. It took a little bit, but we were eventually able to get our breakfast. The noise level started rising gradually as Mayor Armstead stopped barking instructions. They were obviously starting to ration the portions out quite a bit and, sadly, there wasn’t any bacon. I know the mayor doesn’t want to move the people, but how long can we really stay here?
We took our food outside of the inn. It was strangely quiet; probably mostly in contrast to what it was like inside. There was a low stone wall across the road from the inn where we sat to eat. “So what did you find out?” I asked curiously while taking a bite.
Lorna nodded while she finished chewing. “Yeah. So, according to the journal, there were survivors of the curse in this town. But the worgen started showing up in the Blackwald and occasionally attacked the town. From what I can gather, most of the town left to join others in the mountains, in Tempest’s Reach. And by most of the town, I mean everyone…everyone except for the man who kept the journal; old man Bradshaw.”
“So there really are other survivors out there,” I echoed. While it didn’t really help my current situation, it was good to hear that more Gilneans may still have a chance to make it out of this.
“Sounds like it,” Lorna affirmed. “But that’s not the interesting part. So this guy, Bradshaw…well he noticed the worgen attacks had stopped all of a sudden. In the last entry, he talks about preparing to go into the Blackwald to investigate.”
“They just stopped?” I asked. “Is it because everyone left?” I mean, it made sense; if there was no food, why come around?
“That’s what I thought, but there was still plenty of food left behind by the people who evacuated to Tempest’s Reach. He wrote in his journal that he would inspect the town every day and could find no trace of worgen activity. It was like they stopped coming by altogether very suddenly.”
“Huh,” I grunted. “So where does this get us?”
Lorna shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not rightly sure. But Bradshaw lived in a mill just northeast of town. I’m sure it is abandoned now, but you could go see if you can find any clues there,” she suggested.
A mill. I thought back to the strange ending to my dream last night. Was that the place I had seen? I couldn’t think of any other place that might have fit that description. If it wasn’t Bradshaw’s mill, then it had to be a similar place nearby. It was the best plan I had.
“So there’s nothing about what happened to this Bradshaw guy?” Daniel wondered aloud.
Lorna shook her head. “No. Like I said, the last entry detailed his intent to investigate the Blackwald. There’s nothing after that.”
“Where did you find that journal, anyway?” he inquired.
“It was sitting on a table at the inn,” she responded. Her face became pensive.
“Don’t you think that’s odd?” Daniel pointed out.
I was confused. “Why would that be odd?” I asked, feeling a little more than foolish for not understanding. I could tell by the look on Lorna’s face that she understood his statement.
“Well, if Bradshaw lived in a mill to the northeast, and he didn’t write any entries after going into the Blackwald, how did the journal end up at the inn?” he explained, skeptically.
“And now that I think about it, the reason I was drawn to it was it looked out of place – like there was less dust on it than the rest of the building,” Lorna added distantly.
“You think someone planted it for us to find?” I concluded, doing the wolf-equivalent of raising an eyebrow.
“It looks that way,” Daniel stated. “Do you think it might be a trap?”
“A trap laid by who? The Forsaken were behind us before we came here. They couldn’t have planted it,” I reasoned. Maybe it was whoever that voice belonged to. She seemed to know me. Did she know I was coming? Was she trying to draw me out to that mill? For what purpose?
“The feral worgen, maybe?” Daniel shrugged, continuing to munch on his food. “Trying to bait out some food?”
“Speaking from experience, let me tell you feral worgen do not have the wherewithal to set something like that up,” I pointed out. “They’re kind of…basic.”
“I’ll show you who’s basic when I am ripping your friends and family limb from limb.” The curse only proved my point; though, no one else was privy to that evidence.
“I’m going,” I declared. “I’ll check out what’s there and see where that takes me.” My voice was sure and resolute. I turned to Daniel. “I know we already do not have much time, but how do you feel about me being gone for a while?”
“To be honest, I’m getting more and more used to it,” Daniel laughed. “Besides, I planned on firing up the local forge again to see if I can make myself more useful around here. Just…promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I promise.” Well, if I run into Gwen out there, that promise will go out the window. My promises always seem to go out the window. At least I haven’t gone off and died…yet.
We continued discussing the journal’s contents and the plan while we finished our breakfasts. I, for one, was still quite hungry; but I wasn’t about to go begging for more than my share of food. Eventually, I decided it was time to find Mayor Armstead. Lorna indicated she wanted to go clean her rifle and left us as we went into the inn.
We were able to find the mayor at the back of the inn, finally able to take some time to take a seat. It was so early in the morning and she already looked completely exhausted. She looked up as we approached; I could see the stress on her face for a moment before she hid it with a smile. “Did you enjoy your food?” she asked politely.
Daniel and I exchanged quick glances. “It was lovely,” I responded while my stomach betrayed me by rumbling loudly.
Mayor Armstead let out a long sigh, running her hands through her hair. “I know, I know…we’re doing the best we can. I just hope this is all over soon.”
“I’m willing to wager you’re not alone on that one, ma’am,” Daniel threw in.
She forced a chuckle. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” She let out another long breath as she pushed herself to her feet. The tired woman turned her weary eyes on me. “You look like someone with a purpose,” she commented.
I briefly informed her of the plans to check out the mill. “For once, it sounds like a task that won’t likely get me killed,” I half-lied. If my suspicions were true, I would be having some company soon. I didn’t want to tell them about that. “But I wanted to stop by and check in with you before I left. You had mentioned something about a surprise?”
“Ah, yes. Please follow me,” she invited. Daniel and I followed her out of the inn and down the street towards the center of Stormglen. “After our little chat at the manor, I began speaking with the tradesmen who survived Duskhaven – which was most of them, by the way,” she added after seeing my expression. I had to force myself to remember what she was talking about. “The tanners and leatherworkers were able to whip something up that should be…functional for the time-being.” I vaguely remember having inquired about more substantial clothing.
She led us into a small building on the western side of the town square. A middle-aged couple sat within at a small table. My eyes were immediately drawn to a bundle on top of the table. After a moment, I forced myself to survey the rest of the room. It was dim, lit only by the sunlight coming in from the windows. A thick layer of dust and cobwebs had settled on most of the surfaces; though, the bed and table looked to have been cleaned off. I don’t know why I was surprised by the state of the structure; after all, it was abandoned along with everything else until we showed up. There was an assortment of strange-looking iron tools hanging on the wall or sitting on shelves. I was very unfamiliar with their function, but if I had to guess they were used for preparing and working with leather.
“So this is her,” the male in the couple declared as they both stood from their seats. “The only trustworthy worgen in the country.” I shuffled uncomfortably. It was reassuring to hear they trusted me, but I still picked up on his tone of disdain for my kind. “I’ll be honest, when the mayor asked us for help, I thought she was crazy!”
“Oh hush, Willard,” the woman scolded.
“I’m just saying, worgen are killing machines, Molly,” he replied to the woman. “An armored worgen? You have to admit, it sounds crazy.” A killing machine… I really didn’t like that.
“Willard!”
The man looked over at me. “Of course, you’re different,” he added hastily. “You’re alright.”
I couldn’t meet anyone’s gaze. His reassurance wasn’t entirely reassuring. No matter what I did, it didn’t seem to extinguish how people view the worgen. Sure, they might be nice to me; but deep down, they probably still see me as a monster.
“Just get her set up, will you?” Mayor Armstead sighed, sounding more than a little frustrated.
“Oh, alright!”
They skirted Daniel outside and closed the door. Willard looked away as Molly stripped my clothes from me. She helped fit me into a pair of leather pants and a leather cuirass. The top covered my breasts but left much of my midriff exposed. My arms were completely uncovered as well. The pants only went down to my knees. Then, Molly and Willard began lacing up some leather pads around my upper arms, forearms, and the lower half of my legs.
“Why is it so…exposed?” I asked cautiously, not wanting to insult them.
Mayor Armstead chose to answer the question. “They didn’t want to obstruct your range of motion. Given the time constraints, we didn’t really have much time to test out different designs, so they decided to leave your joints uncovered,” she explained, matter-of-factly. “But the rest of it should give you a bit more protection than the cotton clothing,” she pointed out.
I couldn’t argue with that. Though, if I ended up fighting against Gwen, it wouldn’t be that much protection from the claws and teeth of another worgen. I had a chilling reminder of the original outbreak in Gilneas City.
“Does everything fit alright?” Molly asked.
I moved around a bit. Nothing seemed to budge. “Feels like it,” I responded. “Thank you for this,” I made sure to add.
“Like I said, we were a little strapped for time. I’m sure we can make something a little more…complete next time,” Mayor Armstead assured me. I wondered if there actually would be an opportunity for a next time. “But this should be useful for your journey to the mill.”
I nodded and continued to thank the pair of trade-workers. I wanted to make sure they didn’t think I was dissatisfied with it. I also didn’t want to leave the impression that Willard’s comments had irked me…no matter how much they actually had. They inspected my body, as if taking note of how my limbs actually bent. I wondered if they were planning the next suit of armor.
After a few more minutes, Mayor Armstead and I left the building and found Daniel outside. “If we had had the resources and time, I would have had something fashioned for you out of steel,” she commented as we put some distance between us and the leatherworkers. “But what do you think?”
“It’s snug, but not too tight,” I responded. “I think this should work well for the time being. Thank you.”
“I wish you luck in your investigation. Hopefully, it’ll help us figure out if it’s safe to keep moving forward.”
“I’ll let you know what I find,” I promised.
Mayor Armstead nodded. “Well, I had best go find the king and come up with a contingency plan,” she announced. “As always, stay safe.”
We said our farewells and then it was just Daniel and me again. “I have some work I need to get done, as well,” Daniel informed me. He stood facing me, looking around awkwardly. “I love you, poppet; come back to me.” He threw his arms around me and pulled his face into my chest.
I returned the embrace warmly. “I love you, too.” I was quiet for a moment. “Thank you for being here for me,” I finally added. I shuddered to think how I might feel differently about myself had he not been around to bolster my spirits with his unwavering optimism.
After a few more heartfelt moments, we parted and I began to walk northeast towards the end of town. Now that I was alone, my mind began to buzz with recollections of the dream and questions about what was going to happen when I got to the mill.
I passed by the stone wall that signaled the border of Stormglen. Beyond that lay a path leading directly into the dark trees. I took a deep breath before pressing forward. The moment I left the border of the town, I began to feel as if I was being watched. Is Gwen already on the prowl?
I looked around nervously as I entered the shadows of the twisted woods. The trees were eerie, especially with no leaves at this time of year. It was like the forest was diseased. I could hear something moving amongst the foliage, but it didn’t sound big enough to be of any consequence. Still, I was more than a little on edge.
I felt like I warily walked that path forever. Finally, the mill came into view. There was no doubt in my mind now that it was the same one from my dream. The windows were dark and the blades of the windmill were falling apart. There was a doorway facing me, and I could see the door hand fallen off its hinges into the overgrown grass next to the structure. The entire building looked like it was falling apart. It creeped me out more than the trees of the Blackwald. To make matters worse, I still had the acute sense I was being watched…or hunted.
As I approached, I noticed a shadow move within the mill. I stopped and dropped low to the ground with my ears pulled back. Whatever was in there, I would be ready for it. For the next several moments, I waited; but there was no further movement. I inched forward cautiously, waiting for any additional sign of threats. Again, there was nothing.
It took pretty long to sneak up to the open entryway. I peered inside. It was dark, but I could make out a figure crouched down in the center of the bare room. This person wore a bright yellow cloak with a hood over its head. The cloak billowed out across the floor around the figure. Is it an enemy? It hasn’t noticed me yet. I shifted and stood up straight, my body casting a shadow into the room and over the figure.
In a smooth, fluid motion, the figure rose and turned while pulling the hood from its head. What in the… The figure – a woman, by the looks of it – was unlike anyone I’ve seen in Gilneas. She was tall; easily matching my height, if not passing it. The strange woman’s skin was a pale blue and completely devoid of blemish from what I could see of her face. She had long, silky purple hair that swayed unnaturally with each subtle movement. Her ears were incredibly long; much longer than mine, and hairless. Her eyes glowed with a light reminiscent of the moon. Around her eyes were red markings – tattoos, maybe.
“I’ve been expecting you, Naomi,” she greeted in the same smooth voice I remembered from my dream. “Do not be alarmed. My name is Belrysa, a Priestess of the Moon…a Kal’dorei…a night elf,” she explained calmly. I remembered reading of the night elves in the books my father brought home. They were from a land far to the west. What is she doing in Gilneas? “You might not know my people, but the destinies of our two races have been linked since the curse befell you.”
“The curse? Linked? What do you…” I started incredulously. I wasn’t completely sure I had heard what I thought I heard.
“I’m sure you have many questions. And they will be answered in time,” Belrysa interrupted. “I know why you’re here and what you’re looking for…” You do? I don’t even really know what I’m looking for. “I can’t lead you there with the enemy tracking you. One of Sylvanas’ scouts have been following your tracks,” she informed me in a grim tone.
My body tensed up and I began trying to listen for the sounds of danger; I spun around and surveyed the shadowy trees behind me. I couldn’t see anything, but there was a much more weight on that feeling I was being watched. Is it another one of those rangers? I shuddered, remembering my encounter with one the other day.
“You can’t lead the Forsaken to the place you seek,” Belrysa added.
“How am I supposed to shake them?” I inquired earnestly.
Belrysa produced an amulet made of a strange material; it was smooth and warm to the touch and appeared to glow with moonlight. “Take this talisman and walk along the road just north of here. The ranger will be waiting for you there. Let her lure you to her trap and use the power of the talisman to free yourself. The rest…well, I trust you already know what you must do.”
I nodded while I stared at the talisman, stroking it with my finger. “How do I use its power?” I wondered aloud.
Belrysa smiled and told me a short incantation. As she spoke, the talisman glowed more brightly and then emitted a pulse that felt like a warm wind across my fur. My vision momentarily was enveloped by a flash of white. “That will ensure her trap cannot hold you for long. Go now; we will go together into the forest once your pursuer has been dealt with.”
I left the mill and followed the stone road to the north. It led down a steep hill and around underneath the Bradshaw mill. I was close to another tree-line. These trees looked much more shadowy and sinister. It gave me chills.
Suddenly, as I walked cautiously along the path, I heard a loud snap and my feet became frozen solid. I looked down in horror as I watched magical ice begin to climb up my legs. My paws quickly became numb as a wave of cold washed over my body. When the ice reached my knees, a short, lithe figure wearing a black hooded cloak stepped out from behind one of the gnarled trunks. I couldn’t help but notice she somewhat resembled the night elf I had just met but was much, much smaller.
“Foolish beast,” it laughed with an eerie voice I had hoped to forget since the first time I heard the likes of it when Gilneas was invaded. “The cowards should never have let you off the leash to wander away,” she taunted. I let out a distressed whine, wanting to let the ranger think she had won. At the same time, I did take the statement at least a little to heart.
The ice had reached my waist. My whine became less and less of an act as my nerves cried out from the cold. She walked closer. “I’ll admit: your kind is a wondrous weapon. To think, a nothing like you could become such a problem for us…just because you got some claws,” she continued. “Just think what my Dark Lady will be able to achieve when we can wield that power. What was that? What exactly do these freaks have planned?
The ice reached my boobs. Well, I think that’s about enough of that. She wasn’t close enough for me to strike right away, but if I waited much longer, I wouldn’t be able to use the talisman. Clutching the talisman in my hand, I muttered the incantation under my breath. The talisman glowed and pulsed. Immediately, the ice shattered and warmth returned to my body immediately. I fell down onto all fours for a moment, balance thrown off by the sudden use of my legs.
The expression on the ranger’s face was absolutely priceless: an amusing combination of surprise and fear. “How did you…?” she trailed off, hopping back away from me before I could lash out at her. She continued to back up near the edge of the trees. I could hear a low snarl rumbling from the shadows of the woods. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t need a trap to defeat you,” the dark ranger claimed, pulling out her bow and readying an arrow with terrifying swiftness.
I found my footing and readied myself to dodge her arrow. My eyes were focused on the enemy in front of me, but I became increasingly aware of the noises coming from the trees. Something else is coming.
“Filthy mongrel; I’ll put you down like the beast you are,” the undead scout spat.
A dark blur launched out of the tree line and crashed into the ranger, who crumpled to the ground under the force. A sickening crunch echoed across the sky. I let my muscles relax for a moment before I realized what had happened. There was a very-naked worgen hunched over the now-motionless body of the dark ranger. Its – or, more accurately, her – terrible jaws were around the Forsaken’s skull. The worgen jerked her head to the side and the ranger’s leg twitched automatically.
After a moment, the worgen turned to me, crouched low to the ground on all-fours. She bared her teeth and resumed the vicious snarl I heard a moment earlier. Even from this distance, I recognized a wild edge to her eyes that was in addition to the pure rage that normally filled the eyes of a feral worgen. That’s her…I know it.
“Gwen!” I entreated, hoping that my friend was somewhere in there; that she could hear me.
For a moment, I saw her ears twitch and her snarl lessen somewhat, but she quickly regained her threatening composure. I moved slowly and brought my hands up, displaying my palms towards the enraged worgen before me. “Gwen, it’s me. It’s Naomi,” I called desperately. I really don’t want to fight you. Again, her face changed for a moment before the curse took full control again.
Without warning, Gwen sprinted towards me. I barely had time to react before she leapt on top of me. I fell to the ground as her body collided with me. I managed to get my arm up and wedged my forearm just beneath her neck. She snarled and snapped her jaws at me over and over, trying to get those massive teeth around my throat.
“G-Gwen!” I gasped, struggling to push her back. “Don’t you recognize me?” Her teeth were mere inches from my flesh. “Don’t you recognize me?” Well, probably not. I wouldn’t recognize me. “Gwen, please!” She was relentless though.
Once she realized she wasn’t going to be able to sink her teeth into my neck so easily, Gwen lashed out with her claws. I raised my other arm to try to protect my face just as a set of claws tore into my arm at my elbow. I winced and my arms faltered ever so slightly. But it was enough for Gwen to win the struggle. I desperately rolled to the side to avoid having my throat ripped out.
She’s going to kill me, I realized as those razor-sharp teeth sank into my shoulder. I let out a piercing yelp in agony. Then something unexpected happened; as if in response to my cry, Gwen’s jaws released their mighty hold. Without questioning it, I put all of my force into shoving her off of me.
Scrambling up onto two paws, I stood there, eyes fixated on Gwen. She hopped up onto all fours and stared back at me. There’s something strange in her eyes…pain? Regret? Had I actually reached her? I could feel something warm and wet starting to run down my left arm. I moved my arm around and winced again; I could move it, but it hurt like hell.
I could hear a low laughter in the back of my brain. The curse was happy about something. “Bitten once again,” I almost sang. ”It’s all a matter of time, now.” My chest tightened when I realized what it must have meant. Had I just received a second dose of the curse? Did it work like that? Would Krennan’s serum be able to hold it off? How long would I have?
Then, my questioning turned to anger. I will not let you take control. I took several deep breaths, still staring down my friend. How dare you think you can control me? I will never let you imprison me in my own body again! As the anger grew, a growl rumbled out of my throat. The rage began to consume me, but not in the same way when the curse had taken over; it was more like when I had been fighting the Forsaken.
A strange sizzling noise met my ears, distracting me for a moment from the worgen in front of me. My arm felt weird; not painful, but sort of numb. I inspected my shoulder and could actually see the puncture wounds starting to close; the flow of blood quickly stopped. I don’t know how my body was regenerating so quickly, but I didn’t really have the focus to figure it out at the moment. My eyes snapped back to Gwen. Reasoning with her won’t work. I have to try something else. The growl turned into a full on snarl. Here goes nothing.
I dashed towards her. She readied herself and met my charge. What happened after, I wasn’t entirely sure. There was a flurry of fur, claws, and teeth. My rage reached what felt like it had to be critical mass. I was moving faster than normal, dodging her swipes and doing what I could to deliver blows of my own without resorting to the use of my claws. The last thing I wanted to do was kill her.
Her claws connected with me again, this time across my belly. With a yelp, I jumped back for a breather. Gwen fell onto all fours and her muscles visibly tensed up. She was panting heavily.
My mind was still racing, trying to figure out what to do. All the while, I could hear the voice of the curse taunting me, not the least bit worried about my resolve. Its voice slowly started to get louder. It made it more difficult to think.
I clutched my stomach for a moment. It didn’t feel like the wound was that deep; it bled a little, but not as bad as my shoulder had a moment before. I should be fine. And at least she didn’t hit one of my extra nips; that probably would have hurt. I let my arm fall to my side. At that point, my wrist brushed up against my satchel, which was attached to my belt at my side. The remaining potion vials… They had used a large dose of the serum to bring me back; I wondered if it could do the same for Gwen.
Gwen charged at me again, tearing me away from my thoughts. I stepped to the side and swung at her; but I forgot to close my fist and my claws caught her on the back. She emitted a distressed yelp when she hit the ground. Turning towards me while releasing quiet whimpers, she stared defiantly up at me before roaring and sprinting off into the trees.
I can’t lose her! I gave chase, quickly falling to sprint on all fours after her. It was the only way I could possibly keep up. My belly ached as I propelled myself further; the wound may have been opening with the strain. I prayed I wouldn’t bleed out before I had a chance to get to her.
I was gaining on her, somehow, as we darted between the twisted tree-trunks. She didn’t go particularly deep into the Blackwald; instead, she kept changing directions, skirting along the outer rim. Finally, I was close enough to attack. Leaping forward, I dug my claws into the back of her shoulders and slammed her into the ground. She howled in pain and struggled to escape my grasp. In one quick motion, I spun her onto her back and straddled her belly to keep her from standing up or slipping away.
She twisted and roared in distress, trying to wrench herself free, but I held down her arms, my claws tearing into her biceps to anchor my grasp. I could feel blood oozing out of the wound onto my hands.
“I’m sorry, Gwen. I don’t want to hurt you,” I told her as calmly as I could, despite the adrenaline raging through my veins. Again, I could hear the strange sizzling noise and the wound on my stomach stop hurting almost altogether. “This is for your own good.”
Suddenly, my vision started to go red and I started snarling. I couldn’t stop myself. I could feel a malicious intent building up. It wanted to rip out my captive prey’s throat and assert my dominance as the alpha. No! I am in control, not you! My will overpowered it – this time – and my sight returned to normal. It was clear the curse was gaining in strength.
I tried to take full measure of my breathing while I waited for Gwen to stop struggling. I need to find a way to get her to take the potion. I blinked. But…if I give it all to her, there won’t be any left for me. And then we’ll both be wild in a day’s time anyway. I didn’t know what to do. No matter what I did, everything just seemed so futile. Either I end her nightmare and I go back to mine in a week’s time, or I deliver her to sanity and we both keep it for a day…if that long. I made my decision: I’d rather spend one final day with my best friend as herself than to suffer through this without her.
Cautiously, I let go of her arm so that I could get to my satchel. She immediately took the opportunity to swipe at me. I bent back to avoid her swing and then grabbed hold of her wrist and dragged it back to the ground. I shifted my weight so that I could bring a paw up to pin her arm down. It was definitely a very awkward kneeling position. I kept talking to her – trying to soothe her fury – but it didn’t seem to help; she kept thrashing and trying to get free.
I fumbled with my satchel, trying to get the vials out. I felt a burning in the back of my brain; the curse was gaining steam and trying to reclaim my body for its own nefarious purposes. I wouldn’t let it do that. Not yet.
I managed to get one out and carefully removed the cork with my teeth. This was hard to do with one hand. “This is going to taste disgusting,” I warned as I tried to hold the vial over her mouth. Gwen continued to thrash about, this time more vehemently. Her head jerked around, making it damn near impossible to get a good angle.
I thought about the day they gave me my first dose. It was easier with me in the stocks, but I was still pretty resistant. The king had to grab my jaw. With a sigh, I shuffled around again to free my other hand. I was now standing on both of Gwen’s upper arms, near her shoulders. I could feel her flailing her body back and forth to try to free herself. It was hard to keep my balance, but I had to do it.
Squatting down, I grabbed hold of the base of Gwen’s jaw and forced her to face up. By applying a little pressure, I was able to force her mouth open and keep it that way. “I’m really sorry about this. You’ll thank me soon…I hope.”
Carefully, I poured the contents of the vial into her open mouth. Gwen made this awful gargling sound as she tried desperately not to swallow the foul liquid. “Drink it down,” I pleaded, massaging her throat with the back of my other hand. Finally, I felt her swallow.
One by one, I poured the vials from my satchel into her mouth and massaged it down her throat. I hoped I had enough to give her body back to the real Gwen…and not too much to kill her. I had no idea what the right dosage was for this. Before too long, my satchel was empty. My only chance at remaining remotely human was spent. One way or another, it was over.
I stepped off of Gwen, who immediately rolled over onto her front and began sputtering and gagging. She tried to stand, but fell back to the ground. She seemed to become weaker by the second. I couldn’t help but notice a small pool of blood on the ground where she had been laying. I could see blood staining the fur on her back where I had swiped her earlier.
Moments later, Gwen collapsed and lay still. If it weren’t for the subtle rising and falling of her back, I would have been convinced I had killed her. Breathing hard, I plopped down beside her. I rolled her over and placed her head on my lap. Her face was peaceful.
A deep sadness bubbled up from my heart. She got herself infected because she was looking for me after Gilneas City. I was the reason she was so lost and alone for so long. I arched my back a little and threw my head upwards, letting out a long, somber howl that echoed through the trees. A shiver rand down my back while I did it; it was always a little strange to hear myself make such wild noises.
After I was finished, I turned my attention back to my unconscious friend. Gently, I ran my hands through her fur and disheveled hair. I continued to gaze into her quiet face. I hope you’re this calm when you wake up.
“She’ll be weak. I’ll be able to tear her apart easier than a baby.”
I tried to ignore the voice, but I couldn’t deny it was stronger than ever. I could still feel its influence growing. I continued to pet – for lack of a better word – my best friend. Tears gathered in my eyes as I thought about everything that I had lost and was about to lose.
I heard footsteps nearby and turned towards them. Belrysa glided across the ground with an eerie grace. “I began to worry when I heard the fight,” she commented in her calm, soothing voice. She knelt down beside us. “It is such a tragedy what happens when the curse takes hold.” She spoke with such certainty and compassion; as if she had seen it firsthand. “It is also tragic when they wake up, as if from a terrible nightmare, and are faced with the horrors of what they had done.”
“How do you know so much about me? About my kind?” I asked, voice wavering.
“I told you already: the destinies of our two races intertwined the moment the curse swept through your homeland. Now, there are others like you. And they, too, were lost and confused. I was among those who saw to their convalescence personally,” she explained. Convalescence? “I can only imagine how you must have felt with the rest of your people – alone, different…like there was nowhere you belonged.” I stared down at Gwen, the night elf’s words hitting too close to home for my comfort. “But there is a place where you belong.” My ears perked up and I stared back up at Belrysa. “Tal’doren, the wild home. It was once home to an order of druids who took the shape of wolves…a long, long time ago in a different age. It is there that you will find the answers you seek. It is also there that you will find someone who can offer guidance,” she stated.
“Who?” I asked, terribly confused.
She gave me a warm smile. “An old friend,” she responded cryptically. “Come, let me take you there.”
“I can’t leave without her,” I declared. I didn’t care about getting my answers if I couldn’t bring Gwen with.
“I understand. This one has been a blight upon these woods for some time. She was so good at hiding when we looked for her. I know they will be happy for the opportunity to help her. We were afraid that…another course of action would have to be taken,” she stated solemnly. “We will ensure her safe delivery to Tal’doren.”
Something heavy hit the ground behind us and I jumped. I twisted around as best I could and saw a large male worgen walk up to us. Unlike the typical feral worgen, this one still wore clothes; and it walked much more calmly than I would have expected. He circled around to my front and bent down, reaching for Gwen. I threw my arms over her to shield her from him.
“It is alright,” Belrysa assured me. “I told you you are not alone.”
Hesitantly, I leaned back and allowed the other worgen to hoist her motionless body up in his arms. I stood up and stared at the worgen man who had Gwen. “Hurt her, and I’ll tear you apart,” I threatened. I don’t know why I was feeling so hostile. He just grunted a chuckle and turned away from me.
“Let us go,” Belrysa invited.
We walked together through the trees. The worgen who held Gwen stayed in my sight at all times. I needed to ensure my friend’s safety. She still seemed to be breathing and occasionally would move on her own, but she did not regain consciousness. Belrysa walked beside me. I noticed now that she made no sound while she moved. She must have intentionally made sound earlier to keep from setting me off.
As we made our way deeper into the Blackwald, the trees changed. There were actually signs of life, but the leaves that covered the branches were dark purple – or maybe black; I couldn’t be sure. That in combination with their twisted, gnarled shapes made them much stranger and, frankly, creepier than the leafless trees along the edges. Gigantic vines began to weave around the trees, their massive tendrils strangling much of the nearby foliage. More resilient bushes sprung up between them.
“I can feel it. It is only a matter of time before I have you again. This time, I will take it all.”
Belrysa placed a slender hand on my shoulder. “I sense a great deal of conflict in your mind,” she observed in a quiet voice. “You must find balance. Breathe, long and slow. Something so simple can be so powerful in stemming the progression of the curse. At least for a time.” It was strange advice, but I tried it. Oddly enough, when I focused on breathing, the burning in the back of my mind became less of a problem.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
“It will only work for a short time. We must get you to Tal’doren immediately,” she warned.
“How much longer?” I asked. We had been walking for what had to have been hours. I began to worry that Gwen hadn’t awoken yet. But we were following an obviously tame worgen. There must be someone who can help us!
“We are close now. Tal’doren is just beyond these trees.” That had to be the most unhelpful description I have ever heard. There are trees everywhere!
A few minutes later, we came to a large opening in the trees. “By the Light,” I gasped out of sheer wonder. In the center of the clearing was a truly gargantuan tree. But it was more than that. Dazzling water that glowed like the moon cascaded down its side as if there were a river at the top of the tree. The water ran off the edge and into a shimmering mote that surrounded the base of the massive trunk. There were stone columns and arches of an ancient and ornate design embedded along the height of the tree. I could feel calming energy radiating from this place.
Belrysa led the way as we approached the tree. I could see multiple worgen standing guard at the base of the tree where there seemed to be some sort of large opening underneath the trunk. What this place used to be, I was not completely sure I understood, but now it appeared to be some sort of sanctuary for my kind.
As we approached this opening, a large worgen stepped out. His muscles were something to behold and he walked with a commanding presence. It was reminiscent of the alpha that we had fought on the roof of the prison in the city. An eye-patch covered one of his eyes.
“Light be praised,” the impressive specimen of a worgen stated in a rough and forceful voice. “You’re all right, Naomi Malmin! I have been waiting for this day for a long time. It is truly great to see you, my old friend.”
“Wha…?” My mind was starting to try to put things together.
“It’s been a long time since Light’s Dawn.”
My eyes widened in realization and recognition. This massive worgen with his stone-carved muscles and aura of strength and leadership was, indeed, what Belrysa had called him: and old friend. For so long, I had suspected he was dead and hoped I was wrong. But here he was.
The worgen standing before me was none other than Lord Darius Crowley.
Mind of Malm 