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Well. That docking could have gone better.
Khadgar climbs to his feet, joined by what's left of the Alliance forces and the rescued draenei slaves.
"Sorry!" Thaelin calls out from behind them. "These blasted orc controls make no sense!"
The factions, Alliance and Horde, had each stolen a ship to flee from the Iron Horde after the destruction of the Dark Portal. No doubt even now the orcs of this world were trying to hunt them down. Thankfully the rescued slaves had offered them sanctuary: the draenei to the Alliance and the orcs of the Frostwolf Clan to the Horde. The factions had accepted, knowing better than to risk continue working together. Khadgar would check on the Horde later but for now he had gone with the Alliance to Shadowmoon Valley.
"Find a plank," Maraad calls over their makeshift army. "We need to get these people to shore."
"Archmage, you're injured," says a female voice and Khadgar looks up into the concerned glowing eyes of a draenei priest. He glances at his shoulder where an orc had been strong enough to pierce the enchantments of his robes.
"Ah, it's nothing, Asurra. See to the others first."
She smiles at him, amused. "I have. It has been a long boat ride." She raises a hand to his shoulder, warm yellow light glowing around it.
Khadgar sighs in relief as the pain starts to fade. "Thank you. I am glad you chose to join me."
A flicker of sorrow passes over the draenei's face. "How could I not? A chance to save my people from the atrocities I had to live through? Even if they are not, technically, my people." A ghost of a smile plays around her lips as she finishes her healing. "There. I regret there will be some tenderness but you will have use of it." She pats his shoulder then turns to look out over the beach as he mends his robes. "It is just as beautiful as I remember."
Khadgar steps up to join her, surveying their surroundings and watching as Maraad shepherds their forces to land. They've crashed in a small cove, boat run aground on a small sandy white beach. Several yards inward vegetation starts, more of a teal color than the green of Azeroth. The trees here have thick trunks and willowy, almost blue leaves. Further inland they become more broadleaf with purple foliage. A herd of talbuk watches them warily in the distance before its matriarch gives a snort and leads them away. There is life everywhere, a far cry from the fel-corrupted Shadowmoon Valley he knows.
"Where you born here?" he asks her, curious.
She laughs. "Oh no, I was born on the Genedar. But Draenor is the first world I stepped hoof on." She smiles fondly at land around them. "Do you know what it's like to grow up on a vessel, never knowing the earth? It was like a miracle when we landed here." A wry smile twists her lips. "Well. Crashed."
"It does seem to be a theme with you draenei," he observes mildly. She laughs and he joins her, happy they have survived to laugh. It feels good.
"Commander, Archmage," Maraad greets them, striding up with the other champions following behind. "Everyone is ashore and we have salvaged what we could."
"Maraad, please, you're practically my uncle. Call me Asurra." The Vindicator nods, his lips twitching into a brief smile before his stern countenance returns. Asurra sighs unhappily.
"Exarch Maladaar said we would be met by his people here," Khadgar reminds them all. "We are fortunate to have found him."
"There's a party coming now," Ben says, his sharp eyes catching the movement first. "Let's go meet them."
"Allow me," Khadgar says and before they can move he's teleported them all to shore.
"My thanks, Archmage," Maraad says and moves ahead.
Jinks is glaring up at the human. "I could've done that. You must be exhausted after what you pulled in Tanaan, you should be resting."
Khadgar smiles easily at the small gnome. "There is little time for that, friend. We have much to do." Jinks grumbles under his breath and hurries to move after the rest of the party. Only Asurra remains.
"I am worried about him," she says softly, looking after Maraad. "He has been so…angry since he heard the Portal had opened to this place. I fear he blames this world for the crimes of another."
Khadgar looks after the draenei as he greets this world's Prophet Velen and sighs. "I am not certain he is far off, Asurra. They were using a Soul Engine to power the Portal," he says grimly and she gasps in horror.
Then her features harden. "Garrosh has much to answer for."
"Agreed. Until then, let us get your camp set up. I have enough energy to pull through a little help from Stormwind."
------------------------------------------
Khadgar lands near Gorla and resumes his human form with a look of dismay. "You ran aground?"
The orc warrior glances back at the Iron Horde vessel and shrugs. "We ran into some of their fleet. Go'el and Kanu had to bargain with the elements just to keep the water out and get us here."
Khadgar shivers against the cold of Frostfire Ridge as he looks towards the orc shaman. He's greeting his father, Durotan, an orc he had never known. "I suppose it can't be helped," Khadgar sighs, taking a moment to enchant his robes against the wind. Gorla watches him, amused.
"If you think this is cold you're going to hate when we actually get out into the open."
"Now, now, Gorla, you can hardly blame the man," Zi says, approaching them with a laugh. "He cannot help not having fur."
"Shall I ask a fire elemental to come keep you warm?" Kanu is laughing at him, too, and even Norman has managed to have a smile on his undead face.
"Don't know 'bout Khadgar but I would like tah get out of dis cold," Kaz grumbles, the only one of them from a tropical clime. "It looks like dey ready tah go anyway." He waves a hand at the small orc conference calling their wolves to them and mounting up.
"Lead the way, then. I won't stress your troops by staying long," he knows as a human he isn't exactly welcome here, "but I will help get you settled."
They follow Durotan up a winding path, their mounts' feet crunching through the heavy snowfall. Harsh stone spikes through the snow everywhere and the ground rumbles underneath them more than once. They pass a lava flow and emerge onto a rocky outcropping over a relatively flat plain, revealing an expanse of snow and ice before them. From here they can see a glowing volcano to the far northeast and a ridge of mountains beyond that. To the northwest is a rocky ravine, snow crusted, with a herd of clefthoof plodding its way through. The sun seems small and distant but still strong enough to make the jagged obsidian spikes that stab through the snowfall glitter. Despite the harshness of the land Khadgar finds himself awed; Frostfire Ridge did not survive Draenor becoming Outland and he has seen nothing like this before.
"This terrain is ideal for a stronghold," Go'el announces, looking around them. Khadgar agrees. They have elevation to see enemies coming. The chasm to the west prevents approach and the pass behind them leads to the sea and will be easily guarded. He is nearing his limit, but he approaches the orc shaman already pulling his magic to him.
"I can open up a portal to Orgrimmar only briefly. Reinforcements are standing by, I hope?"
Go'el grins at him. "The very best."
Khadgar focuses, once again opening a path across time and space back to Azeroth. The blue edges of a portal open, the red earth of Durotar visible through the window and a warmth breath of air blows over them all.
"Somebody call for a fixer?" The small green-skinned being grins up at Khadgar, flashing a gold tooth, then quickly moves aside to let the rest of his workers through.
Khadgar sighs heavily and fixes Go'el with a skeptical look. "You're trusting a goblin to be your foreman?"
The shaman doesn't lose his smile. "Gazlowe here oversaw the construction of Orgrimmar."
"Orgrimmar!" Gazlowe beams with pride. "The impenetrable fortress!"
Khadgar raises an eyebrow at him and happily lets the portal close as the last of the team comes through. "Wasn't it recently sacked?"
The goblin immediately looks exasperated. "Yeah, yeah, okay, one little sacking," he grumbles, waving the Horde champions over to discuss how best to build their camp. Khadgar shakes his head and moves to stand next to Go'el.
"It is not his fault Orgrimmar was sieged," he says, resigned. "Garrosh brought that upon himself."
"Jaina has told me some of what happened." Go'el eyes him warily but Khadgar merely shrugs. "All I can say is thank you for answering my call."
Go'el nods. "I have seen what happens when the Horde invades Azeroth. I could not stand by and let it happen again. Too many lives were lost the first time."
Khadgar follows his hungry gaze to Durotan and hides a smile. "Agreed. I will leave you to your allies, Go'el. I have much to do."
The orc turns to him, concern across his features. "You will not stay to rest? You must be tired with all you've done."
Khadgar smiles blandly. In truth he is near exhaustion. "You know that is not wise, my friend. You and your champions may be willing to work with a human but you know many of your troops are not."
Go'el frowns unhappily. "I wish it were otherwise."
Khadgar quashes an uncharitable thought. "Perhaps someday. I will check on you later but should you need me sooner you know how to contact me. Farewell." He returns to his raven form and takes to the air.
He has one more thing to do before he can rest. The factions' bases have been decided but he will need one of his own, a neutral place where he can meet both sides on equal footing, but also one that will aid him in his work. He extends his senses, searching for a ley line to follow. He has an idea of where it will lead but he doesn't know how much the lines shifted when Draenor collapsed into Outland.
He flies south and east for what seems like hours, thankful that the raven form relies on his staff's, Atiesh, power. The terrain is strange to him, both new and familiar at once. Memories of Outland's nooks and crannies are overlaid by what they once were on Draenor. Again he is amazed by how much life is everywhere and feels a moment of sorrow for how much was lost in Draenor's destruction. The confluence he's looking for is not far from Shattrath City on Outland but here the line is leading him further east. He is almost to the sea when he finds it.
Oh. Dammit.
Of all the luck, of course the confluence is in a swamp. He sighs internally, landing on the edge of the cliff overlooking the muck. There are fungal giants below, trudging through the murky water, and fen striders carefully picking their way through on their towering skinny legs. Sporebats flit through the air from one building-sized mushroom to the next. He returns to his human form and conjures a mana bun and a glass of water, eating to regain strength as he continues to survey the area. There's a small hill rising out of the swamp that should make a decent basecamp once he clears the mushrooms from it.
But first he wants to return to Dalaran and brief the rest of the Council on what's happened. Jaina still won't be happy he's working with the Horde but he should be able to convince the rest of them to lend the Kirin Tor's aid. He takes a deep breath of the musty air and borrows from the ley lines' power to fuel his spell. He just has to teleport himself this time, granted across time and space, but he should be able to manage this.
He vanishes.
Khadgar climbs to his feet, joined by what's left of the Alliance forces and the rescued draenei slaves.
"Sorry!" Thaelin calls out from behind them. "These blasted orc controls make no sense!"
The factions, Alliance and Horde, had each stolen a ship to flee from the Iron Horde after the destruction of the Dark Portal. No doubt even now the orcs of this world were trying to hunt them down. Thankfully the rescued slaves had offered them sanctuary: the draenei to the Alliance and the orcs of the Frostwolf Clan to the Horde. The factions had accepted, knowing better than to risk continue working together. Khadgar would check on the Horde later but for now he had gone with the Alliance to Shadowmoon Valley.
"Find a plank," Maraad calls over their makeshift army. "We need to get these people to shore."
"Archmage, you're injured," says a female voice and Khadgar looks up into the concerned glowing eyes of a draenei priest. He glances at his shoulder where an orc had been strong enough to pierce the enchantments of his robes.
"Ah, it's nothing, Asurra. See to the others first."
She smiles at him, amused. "I have. It has been a long boat ride." She raises a hand to his shoulder, warm yellow light glowing around it.
Khadgar sighs in relief as the pain starts to fade. "Thank you. I am glad you chose to join me."
A flicker of sorrow passes over the draenei's face. "How could I not? A chance to save my people from the atrocities I had to live through? Even if they are not, technically, my people." A ghost of a smile plays around her lips as she finishes her healing. "There. I regret there will be some tenderness but you will have use of it." She pats his shoulder then turns to look out over the beach as he mends his robes. "It is just as beautiful as I remember."
Khadgar steps up to join her, surveying their surroundings and watching as Maraad shepherds their forces to land. They've crashed in a small cove, boat run aground on a small sandy white beach. Several yards inward vegetation starts, more of a teal color than the green of Azeroth. The trees here have thick trunks and willowy, almost blue leaves. Further inland they become more broadleaf with purple foliage. A herd of talbuk watches them warily in the distance before its matriarch gives a snort and leads them away. There is life everywhere, a far cry from the fel-corrupted Shadowmoon Valley he knows.
"Where you born here?" he asks her, curious.
She laughs. "Oh no, I was born on the Genedar. But Draenor is the first world I stepped hoof on." She smiles fondly at land around them. "Do you know what it's like to grow up on a vessel, never knowing the earth? It was like a miracle when we landed here." A wry smile twists her lips. "Well. Crashed."
"It does seem to be a theme with you draenei," he observes mildly. She laughs and he joins her, happy they have survived to laugh. It feels good.
"Commander, Archmage," Maraad greets them, striding up with the other champions following behind. "Everyone is ashore and we have salvaged what we could."
"Maraad, please, you're practically my uncle. Call me Asurra." The Vindicator nods, his lips twitching into a brief smile before his stern countenance returns. Asurra sighs unhappily.
"Exarch Maladaar said we would be met by his people here," Khadgar reminds them all. "We are fortunate to have found him."
"There's a party coming now," Ben says, his sharp eyes catching the movement first. "Let's go meet them."
"Allow me," Khadgar says and before they can move he's teleported them all to shore.
"My thanks, Archmage," Maraad says and moves ahead.
Jinks is glaring up at the human. "I could've done that. You must be exhausted after what you pulled in Tanaan, you should be resting."
Khadgar smiles easily at the small gnome. "There is little time for that, friend. We have much to do." Jinks grumbles under his breath and hurries to move after the rest of the party. Only Asurra remains.
"I am worried about him," she says softly, looking after Maraad. "He has been so…angry since he heard the Portal had opened to this place. I fear he blames this world for the crimes of another."
Khadgar looks after the draenei as he greets this world's Prophet Velen and sighs. "I am not certain he is far off, Asurra. They were using a Soul Engine to power the Portal," he says grimly and she gasps in horror.
Then her features harden. "Garrosh has much to answer for."
"Agreed. Until then, let us get your camp set up. I have enough energy to pull through a little help from Stormwind."
------------------------------------------
Khadgar lands near Gorla and resumes his human form with a look of dismay. "You ran aground?"
The orc warrior glances back at the Iron Horde vessel and shrugs. "We ran into some of their fleet. Go'el and Kanu had to bargain with the elements just to keep the water out and get us here."
Khadgar shivers against the cold of Frostfire Ridge as he looks towards the orc shaman. He's greeting his father, Durotan, an orc he had never known. "I suppose it can't be helped," Khadgar sighs, taking a moment to enchant his robes against the wind. Gorla watches him, amused.
"If you think this is cold you're going to hate when we actually get out into the open."
"Now, now, Gorla, you can hardly blame the man," Zi says, approaching them with a laugh. "He cannot help not having fur."
"Shall I ask a fire elemental to come keep you warm?" Kanu is laughing at him, too, and even Norman has managed to have a smile on his undead face.
"Don't know 'bout Khadgar but I would like tah get out of dis cold," Kaz grumbles, the only one of them from a tropical clime. "It looks like dey ready tah go anyway." He waves a hand at the small orc conference calling their wolves to them and mounting up.
"Lead the way, then. I won't stress your troops by staying long," he knows as a human he isn't exactly welcome here, "but I will help get you settled."
They follow Durotan up a winding path, their mounts' feet crunching through the heavy snowfall. Harsh stone spikes through the snow everywhere and the ground rumbles underneath them more than once. They pass a lava flow and emerge onto a rocky outcropping over a relatively flat plain, revealing an expanse of snow and ice before them. From here they can see a glowing volcano to the far northeast and a ridge of mountains beyond that. To the northwest is a rocky ravine, snow crusted, with a herd of clefthoof plodding its way through. The sun seems small and distant but still strong enough to make the jagged obsidian spikes that stab through the snowfall glitter. Despite the harshness of the land Khadgar finds himself awed; Frostfire Ridge did not survive Draenor becoming Outland and he has seen nothing like this before.
"This terrain is ideal for a stronghold," Go'el announces, looking around them. Khadgar agrees. They have elevation to see enemies coming. The chasm to the west prevents approach and the pass behind them leads to the sea and will be easily guarded. He is nearing his limit, but he approaches the orc shaman already pulling his magic to him.
"I can open up a portal to Orgrimmar only briefly. Reinforcements are standing by, I hope?"
Go'el grins at him. "The very best."
Khadgar focuses, once again opening a path across time and space back to Azeroth. The blue edges of a portal open, the red earth of Durotar visible through the window and a warmth breath of air blows over them all.
"Somebody call for a fixer?" The small green-skinned being grins up at Khadgar, flashing a gold tooth, then quickly moves aside to let the rest of his workers through.
Khadgar sighs heavily and fixes Go'el with a skeptical look. "You're trusting a goblin to be your foreman?"
The shaman doesn't lose his smile. "Gazlowe here oversaw the construction of Orgrimmar."
"Orgrimmar!" Gazlowe beams with pride. "The impenetrable fortress!"
Khadgar raises an eyebrow at him and happily lets the portal close as the last of the team comes through. "Wasn't it recently sacked?"
The goblin immediately looks exasperated. "Yeah, yeah, okay, one little sacking," he grumbles, waving the Horde champions over to discuss how best to build their camp. Khadgar shakes his head and moves to stand next to Go'el.
"It is not his fault Orgrimmar was sieged," he says, resigned. "Garrosh brought that upon himself."
"Jaina has told me some of what happened." Go'el eyes him warily but Khadgar merely shrugs. "All I can say is thank you for answering my call."
Go'el nods. "I have seen what happens when the Horde invades Azeroth. I could not stand by and let it happen again. Too many lives were lost the first time."
Khadgar follows his hungry gaze to Durotan and hides a smile. "Agreed. I will leave you to your allies, Go'el. I have much to do."
The orc turns to him, concern across his features. "You will not stay to rest? You must be tired with all you've done."
Khadgar smiles blandly. In truth he is near exhaustion. "You know that is not wise, my friend. You and your champions may be willing to work with a human but you know many of your troops are not."
Go'el frowns unhappily. "I wish it were otherwise."
Khadgar quashes an uncharitable thought. "Perhaps someday. I will check on you later but should you need me sooner you know how to contact me. Farewell." He returns to his raven form and takes to the air.
He has one more thing to do before he can rest. The factions' bases have been decided but he will need one of his own, a neutral place where he can meet both sides on equal footing, but also one that will aid him in his work. He extends his senses, searching for a ley line to follow. He has an idea of where it will lead but he doesn't know how much the lines shifted when Draenor collapsed into Outland.
He flies south and east for what seems like hours, thankful that the raven form relies on his staff's, Atiesh, power. The terrain is strange to him, both new and familiar at once. Memories of Outland's nooks and crannies are overlaid by what they once were on Draenor. Again he is amazed by how much life is everywhere and feels a moment of sorrow for how much was lost in Draenor's destruction. The confluence he's looking for is not far from Shattrath City on Outland but here the line is leading him further east. He is almost to the sea when he finds it.
Oh. Dammit.
Of all the luck, of course the confluence is in a swamp. He sighs internally, landing on the edge of the cliff overlooking the muck. There are fungal giants below, trudging through the murky water, and fen striders carefully picking their way through on their towering skinny legs. Sporebats flit through the air from one building-sized mushroom to the next. He returns to his human form and conjures a mana bun and a glass of water, eating to regain strength as he continues to survey the area. There's a small hill rising out of the swamp that should make a decent basecamp once he clears the mushrooms from it.
But first he wants to return to Dalaran and brief the rest of the Council on what's happened. Jaina still won't be happy he's working with the Horde but he should be able to convince the rest of them to lend the Kirin Tor's aid. He takes a deep breath of the musty air and borrows from the ley lines' power to fuel his spell. He just has to teleport himself this time, granted across time and space, but he should be able to manage this.
He vanishes.
