pandilemma

[pandilemma]

An Old Feud pt9

Saibon stepped into her house to see that Ik'ka wasn't there. Everything was just how it was left. She breathed a sigh of relief before the thought hit her. A thought that hit her every time she entered a building, drilled into her from experience.

Look up.

She was too late, Ik'ka sprung from the top of the doorway without a sound and clung to Saibon, placing a hand on her throat.

Startled beyond comprehension, Saibon nearly jumped out of her fur. She grabbed his arms and pried him off of her with strength he didn't expect, and threw him onto the floor. Her blood began to boil as he started cackling.

"I could have killed you." He said. The devious look on his face made Saibon even more irritated.

"I could have killed YOU." She snipped.

Ik'ka got to his feet and looked at her. As soon as he set eyes on her, she brought the hilt of her spear down on his head.

"OW." He squeaked, rubbing his head.

"Don't startle me again, or I'll crack your skull." Saibon threatened, then narrowed her eyes. "Why didn't you kill me?"

Ik'ka tugged at the manacle around his neck. There were worn spikes on the inside. " This needs to come off first." He said.

Truthfully though, he was afraid. He didn't want to die.

"Uh huh. I'm not removing it any time soon." Saibon replied.

Ik'ka huffed. "I'll figure it out myself."

"Sure you will. Now, I want you to come back to the Wastes with me, after I make something." Saibon said, picking a book off a shelf and flipping through pages.

"What are you making?" He asked.

"A mental stimulant. Something to get the brain juices flowing. I need it to help recover someone's memory."

"Oh."

"We found a paragon and he remembers absolutely nothing. I wanna try and help him."

Ik'ka blinked both eyes separately and slowly as he registered what she said. "Why is someone who hunts mantid for fun helping a paragon?" He had a lot of questions, but they had yet to manifest in his mind coherently.

"Curiosity. I want to see just how much of an individual you mantid really are."

"We are perfectly capable of acting on our own!"

"Yet some of you can't bear to live without the voice of the empress. You do everything she says without question. That sounds like you lack freedom."

"We follow her because we believe in her. She leads us."

Saibon set the book on the table and started looking for a few ingredients. "You follow her blindly, like puppies. You crave her acknowledgment and approval. You will mourn her, but she will not mourn you."

Ik'ka blinked. "You pandaren follow gods the same way."

"We are capable of disobeying and choosing our own path. They do not compel us to follow them. We are free."

Ik'ka stared for a moment. He didn't understand, fully. He thought about her words as she worked on her concoction.

"You might understand one day, if you keep that manacle on." Saibon said.

Ik'ka tilted his head. "But…. I am free. Why wouldn't I follow the empress?  It's the same as your factions…. Why do you follow the Alliance?"

Saibon snrked. "Because the horde hurt my people. I will never forgive them."

"And your titans killed our god. We have not forgiven them."

" Yes. Yet there are some among the Alliance who sympathize with the horde. Some members of the horde defect to the Alliance. We are free to do these things. There are some from both factions who even serve your gods instead."

Ik'ka stared at her for a little bit longer, as if he was having trouble understanding. 

"We are two sides of the same coin, Ik'ka." She said, watching him stare and began to wonder if she was pushing his brain too far. When he didn't respond, she continued her work.

"Don't hurt yourself." She said.

Ik'ka squinted. "I'm perfectly fine!"

Saibon snickered. "I want to believe one day, you will understand."

Ik'ka clacked his mandibles in frustration and crossed his arms, not saying another word.

[pandilemma]

i was watching jojo recently and my love for the mantid has not dwindled so i,,,

I drew Kil’ruk,,,

[pandilemma]

An Old Feud pt8

They managed to slide down the damaged cliff side with ease, disturbing the rubble and sending it tumbling down alongside them. Azerite chunks and shards littered the area, just as the corpses of mantid did.

Saibon took her spear in hand. She stepped over one body to look down on another. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. This mantid had lost its eyes in the blast, and several wounds from burns and stone shrapnel.

Yet, they still breathed.

Saibon drove her spear into it's head without a second thought, finishing the job. She looked over to Rin, who looked as if this was the first time he had seen such a nasty scene.

She didn't feel bad for him. He was Shado-Pan, he would have to get used to it.

Rin used his bow to put any living mantid out of their misery. He was indeed deeply disturbed, but mantid were monsters and deserved no mercy. He stayed close to the others. There was no way that blast went unnoticed, and he wanted to be ready.

Lei simply puffed on her pipe as she followed Yazak. She observed him closely, and noticed the hesitation in his movements. He was uneasy. Anxious.

"So, how close were you and this paragon?" Lei asked.

Yazak looked back at her briefly before looking forward. "We were close. I kept watch as he did his work. If anything presented itself as dangerous to him, I would cut it down. Most of the time he would use the bodies to fertilize his trees." He explained.

"So he's just a hardcore gardener."

"He took caring for our trees very seriously, yes. He may not have had the physical strength to fight as I did, but he could turn your insides to jelly if you threatened him enough."

"Gross."

"It is." Yazak agreed.

He looked ahead as the dust settled more. His antennae twitched as he heard the sounds of coughing. Lei hesitantly put her hands on her daggers.

Rin and Saibon heard as well, and joined Yazak and Lei. Saibon stepped ahead with her spear ready. She was prepared to strike at a moment's notice. All she needed was a target. Yazak gripped her shoulder, holding her back.

"Let me go first." He asked.

Saibon blinked and looked back at him. "Sure."

Rin curled his lip. "If you betray us for this paragon, I will kill you." He threatened.

Yazak sent a glare at Rin before he stepped ahead of Saibon. The coughing grew louder as they drew closer. The dust had finally settled enough to see, and before them, covered in dust, stone, and chunks of amber, laid a honey golden mantid. Amber crystals dotted his figure, and his forelegs were encrusted in it. His eyes were a rich shade of orange, and were struggling to stay open.

Yazak approached him cautiously. "Nix'ik...?"

Nix'ik struggled to lift himself from the ground. He was too weak. His body gave out and he collapsed with a thud. "Wh..Who... are you?" He asked weakly.

"Yazak, your personal guard." Yazak replied. A feeling of dread overcame him. Did he not remember?

"You.... I.... I remember..." Nix'ik managed. "Your name...."

Yazak felt his heart sink.

"I... I remember....Ambersinger." Nix'ik continued.

"Yes, that is your title." Yazak responded quietly.

"Who am I?"

Yazak closed his eyes. Beside him, Lei breathed a puff of smoke as she sighed. Saibon frowned and lowered her spear. She couldn't kill someone who couldn't even remember their own name.

Rin continued to watch with a cold expression as Yazak opened his eyes to look at Nix'ik.

"You are Nix'ik the Ambersinger. Paragon of the mantid empire." Yazak answered finally.

Nix'ik tried to get up again. "I... I hear a voice."

"That is the Empress. You need not listen to her." Yazak said.

Nix'ik couldn't pick himself up no matter how hard he tried. He let himself rest on the ground as Yazak knelt to help him up. Yazak lifted him carefully, but Nix’ik was mostly limp. Yazak’s antennae sprung up at the sound of a bowstring being drawn.

Rin took aim at Nix’ik, seconds away from letting go when Saibon grabbed his arrow, glaring at him. He bore her teeth at her. “What do you think you’re doing? You came here to kill him, right?”

“I came here expecting someone who could at least remember who they are and would fight back. There is no joy in killing someone who can barely even remember their own name, mantid or not.” She growled.

“You walk on thin ice.”

“Not as thin as the ice you’re walking on, Rin.” Saibon hissed. “I won’t kill him because I have morals and the ability to show empathy.”

“And what if he turns around and tries to kill you when he remembers?” Rin snapped.

“Then I’ll have a fight to remember.” Saibon replied.

Lei watched the two glare into each other’s eyes. She was supposed to be the angry one. Personally, she didn’t find Nix’ik worth killing. It just wouldn’t be the same as killing a mantid as the spat profanities and hatred at her. She looked to Yazak and Nix’ik. Yazak was practically holding the other mantid up. She couldn’t kill someone like that, if anything, she felt an immense sense of pity.

Her pity turned to shock as she heard the unsheathing of a blade and the sound of metal slicing flesh behind her. She quickly turned to look at Saibon and Rin. She had figured Saibon had snapped, but it looked to be the opposite.

Rin had drawn his dagger and sliced Saibon across the face. Due to the disappointed look he wore, he was likely aiming for the throat when Saibon moved.

“You’re a traitorous bitch.” He snarled at Saibon as she held the wound on her face.

Lei bore her teeth and stepped forward, but then stopped. Saibon was already on it. She bore her teeth and glared at Rin with absolute blood lust. Saibon rushed forward, thrusting a fist into Rin’s stomach, causing him to lurch forward. She took advantage of this, and grabbed his throat. She dug her claws into his neck, each one drawing blood. Rin tried to kick, but instantly felt his body lock up. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't move. He couldn’t talk. He could barely even breathe.

Saibon shoved him into the wall and glared into his eyes, her face inches apart from his.

“I have always ever fought FOR PANDARIA. I never betrayed ANYONE.” She growled angrily. Knowing that Rin couldn’t speak, she continued.

“I have fought the mantid for years. I have tortured and killed yaungol. I’ve turned the mogu’s foul magic against them. And you have the gall to call me a traitorous bitch? Let me make something very clear to you, Rin. Even for all my brutality, I do not kill the weak and harmless. I do not kill those who I think have the power to change. This mantid isn’t even a threat. He can’t remember who he is. Doesn’t even know who the Empress is. Can barely stand on his own. There is no glory or satisfaction in killing him.”

She loosened her grip on his throat ever so slightly. “ Just like there is no satisfaction in killing you. You are a narrow minded, hateful cub. Perhaps when you remember how to feel again instead of being coldhearted with a stick up your ass, I’ll consider you a worthy opponent.” She hissed, letting him go.

“For now, either shut up, or leave.”

Saibon released Rin from her blood magic, and he immediately gasped for air and coughed. Saibon turned to face Lei and Yazak. Lei gave her a nod and puffed on her pipe. Yazak studied her for a moment before flittering his wings.

“Thank you, Saibon.” He said. “I will leave, for now. You know where you can find me.”

“See you later.” Saibon replied, thinking of the burrow she found him in before.

Yazak lifted off with Nix’ik in his arms, light as a feather, just as always.

“I guess we should get out of here before more mantid show up.” Lei said.

“Absolutely. Let’s go.” Saibon agreed, looking back at Rin as he stood rubbing his throat. He glared back, and Saibon showed her teeth again before following Lei up the rubble.

[pandilemma]

Saibon genuinely hates the mantid. Her biggest goal is to kill the Empress one day.

She has seen time and time again how vicious and cruel they are, and in turn has adopted some of their own methods to use against them.

However, she understands that they are an ancient civilization of sentient beings with their own minds and individuality. Each one she has killed was a person.

She admires their combat prowess and has learned much from them in battle. She does not fear the mantid, but she respects them.

Saibon is prone to giving second chances and believing even the worst people can change. She genuinely believes that there is good in everyone, even the mantid. She will gladly give second chances and the opportunity to grow and learn, but won't hesitate to strike back if they become a threat.

Her time assisting the Klaxxi amplified this, even if she spent a good amount of time flexing at the paragons.

She soon wants to test and see how a mantid behaves if raised differently than how their society does things. She has looted plenty of tools and weapons from her battles. She thinks it's time to use them.

[pandilemma]

An Old Feud pt7

It didn't take long for them to reach their destination. They hid behind a large, winding root. They could hear the chitters and buzzing of wings the drones were making as they worked. Yazak twitched his antennae as he tried to listen.

Saibon carefully peered over the root. It was a struggle to climb, but she did it. Rin joined her. They both could clearly see the amount of drones flying to and from the azerite rupture. They saw guards patrolling the air, and standing at the edge of the cliff.

There.... Were a lot of them.

They climbed back down to the others. Lei looked at them expectantly.

"There's a lot of them. The drones shouldn't be a problem, but the guards look to be on high alert." Saibon reported.

"Its only a matter of time before we are discovered." Rin added.

Lei sighed. "You think we should get more people?"

Saibon snrked. "I can handle them. This is what I do for a living."

Rin looked to Yazak. "Do you have any clue as to who this paragon might be?" He asked plainly.

"They do have a.... Familiar presence..." Yazak responded, humming slightly. He sifted through his memories to find the answer. He tapped his finger against the bark idly.

"Don't hurt yourself." Rin commented.

Yazak gave him a look. "It warms my heart to see that you care about my well being." He responded coolly.

Lei cleared her throat, disrupting their tension. "Not right now." She warned.

Rin huffed, and Yazak looked away. Yazak took a few more moments to think before he remembered.

"Ah, yes. I recognize him now. This is Nix'ik the Ambersinger." He said. "I knew him. He's an... Odd one."

Rin blinked. "What does he do, sing to the amber?"

Yazak stared at him. He knew he was trying to be disrespectful. "In a sense. He mentioned being an assistant to Korven the Prime, the first paragon. He admired Korven's work, and when Korven was preserved, he set out to protect and care for our Kypari trees. Most mantid use sonic manipulation maliciously, but he used it to encourage the trees to grow." He explained.

Rin blinked. "So.... He's going to be incredibly angry at the state of the Dread Wastes."

"Oh, absolutely. I don't know how he'll react, but someone is going to get hurt, be it us or the mantid."

Saibon hummed. She had been partially paying attention. She was thinking of a plan.....When she suddenly had an idea.

"Rin."

"What."

"Azerite is explosive. We can just.... Fire a burning arrow at it."

Lei looked at Saibon in shock. "Are you stupid? That would cause so much destruction." She whispered loudly.

Rin blinked and curled his lip at Saibon. "You wanna get us killed too?"

"It would certainly get the job done..." Yazak said with hesitance.

Saibon looked at the three. "Come on. We destroy the azerite, the mantid, and the paragon in one go!"

"Did you survive by being so reckless?" Rin asked, irritated.

"Yes, actually."

He sighed.

"If you're too scared to fire the shot, then I will." Saibon said.

Rin glared at her. "I am not as reckless as you. I will not."

"Wuss." Saibon said, grabbing her bow and reaching for an arrow. She undid a vial from her belt and dipped the arrowhead into it, and handed the vial to Lei. Lei took the vial and corked it, reaching for her lighter and pipe. She was going to need it.

As Saibon's enabler though, she lit the arrow aflame.

"Sweet. Okay, you guys stay down." Saibon said.

"I'm going to exile you twice if you fuck up." Rin threatened.

"Twice?" Lei questioned.

"Yeah. Once to the Dread Wastes again, and then second, from the Dread Wastes."

"Oh."

Yazak took a calm breathe and prepared to grab the three pandaren if they needed to flee.

Saibon jumped into the air and landed on the root. To her surprise and delight, Iz'zik was hovering at the cliff, talking to the guards stationed there. He noticed her in an instant, clacking his mandibles angrily. The guards whirled to see her.

"DON'T LET HER FIRE THAT ARROW!" Iz'zik shouted at the three smaller mantid.

They didn't need to be told to stop her. They spread their wings and rushed to stop her, but fast as they were, they weren't fast enough. Saibon let the bowstring go and the arrow soared through the air, past the guards, past Iz'zik, and into the azerite spike.

A deep crack and a hum was heard, and Saibon quickly took cover with the others, covering her ears.

The mantid all paused and looked back at their worksite as the azerite shattered and exploded violently. Iz'zik quickly fluttered off to escape from the explosion, but shrieked as his legs were burned.

Yazak drew his sword and leaped to the top of the root. He could hear Saibon yell for him, but he didn't listen. Poised to land a brutal strike, he lashed his sword out. A wall of wind followed, colliding with the explosion and stopping it from advancing further, in his direction at least.

The azerite had crumbled and a dreadful silence hung over the area.

Cautiously, Rin, Saibon, and Lei peered from over the root past Yazak, eyes wide with shock.

"How...?" Lei mustered.

Yazak turned to look at them. "I have trained hard to master the winds of Pandaria. You would be amazed at the things I can do."

The three guards that had sped to attack them were on the ground, twitching with ragged, weak breaths. Yazak looked at them with no emotion. He hopped down, and the three pandaren followed.

Rin blinked as he watched Yazak pierce each of their heads with his blade and keep walking. He was nearly intimidated by the cold merciless demeanor Yazak showed to his own kind.

"See? Everything worked out! I even got to see Iz'zik run and scream." Saibon said with a smile. "A shame he got away, though."

"Indeed. He will be quite angry next we meet." Yazak replied.

" Let's check out the debris, shall we?" Saibon suggested casually, walking swiftly to catch up with Yazak.

Rin looked at Lei. Lei looked back, puffing on her pipe with a tired look.

"And you lived with her out here?" Rin asked in disbelief.

"I don't just smoke to control my temper." Lei said simply.

[pandilemma]

An Old Feud pt6

Yazak landed much more gracefully this time than the last time. Even with the extra weight, he landed soft as a feather, letting Lei go. To her surprise, she wasn't bleeding from the strong, sharp grip of Yazak's forelegs. She brushed herself off and turned to glower at Yazak.

Saibon hopped off of his back, and he stood up straight. He looked at the two of them. He never once considered in his entire life that he would be allies with pandaren. Life was unpredictable, though.

Lei looked sharply to Saibon. "You do know that if we get caught like this, we're dead or worse, right?"

"Then we won't get caught." Saibon shrugged.

Lei sighed irritably. "Where are we headed?"

Yazak pointed out into the distance. They had landed near the scar that the previous swarm had left, under the cover of a large hill.

"You can see the azerite from here." Yazak said.

Saibon and Lei looked in that direction. Sure enough, they could see the tip of the azerite spike over the cliff. It was in the divide between the Wastes and Townlong.

"And Iz'zik is there?" Saibon asked.

"Yes. He is overseeing the operation."

"Who's Iz'zik?" Lei asked.

"The asshole who gave me the scars on my face."Saibon replied.

"A very unpleasant individual." Yazak added.

"Uh huh." Lei replied. She looked towards the wall. "We should go. Before we get-"

"Caught conspiring with the mantid?"

The new voice was unfamiliar and brought a sense of dread on all three of them. They looked up at the hill behind them, where it came from.

Atop it stood a wu kao. He was dark furred and scruffy looking, from what could be seen under his hat and scarf. Piercing green eyes bore coldly into them. He was lithe in figure, and his bow was drawn and ready.

"I'm a merciful man. Explain yourselves, and you may yet live." He spoke.

Lei glared at Saibon and folded her arms. Saibon sighed and stepped forward.

"We are here to deal with the azerite in the Ambermarsh." Saibon began. "The mantid cannot be allowed to harvest it."

"Then why is he here? I saw him carry you over." The Shado-Pan pointed his arrow at Yazak.

Yazak stared back, unfazed. "I am here to help. I am..... No longer welcome among my people. They see me as a traitor." He spoke. "You have every right to distrust me, Shado-Pan. My people are irredeemable to yours. All I ask is for you to set that hatred aside for a moment to look out across the wastes." He continued, pointing back to the azerite.

The wu kao narrowed his eyes and peered out to the jagged spike.

"You know as well as I do that a source of azerite so close to home is exactly what the mantid want." Yazak said.

"And what do you plan to do about it, filth?"

Still, Yazak remained unfazed. "There is not much we can do about it. However, I'm sure your soldiers could use the azerite to fight on the wall. It would certainly even the playing field." He said. "There is also... Something else."

The pandaren seethed as Yazak spoke. They had everything secured, they didn't need help from a mantid. "What."

"The azerite has unearthed a paragon. We seek to kill him before he wakens."

The Shado-Pan blinked, surprised by the news. "And how do you know?"

"I can sense him. He is weak."

The Shado-Pan lowered his bow and slid down the hill. He walked up to Yazak, staring him straight into the eyes. "You had better not be lying. I will kill you all in a heartbeat if you're deceiving me." He threatened. "My name is Rin."

"Howdy, Rin. Im-" Saibon didn't even get to introduce herself. A dagger was pointed at her in an instant.

"Saibon Blossomfall, formerly Blossomwind. I know you, Mantid Bane. You killed my sister. " Rin snarled.

Saibon gave a stunned look, before composing herself. "Perhaps I did." She said. An apology wasn't going to cut it with this guy.

"And then you allied yourself with the mantid? Disgusting. You may as well not even speak to me, filth." Rin snapped.

Lei looked between the two. This seemed personal. She edged around them to stand by Yazak, who glanced down at her momentarily before focusing on the argument.

Saibon's lip twitched into a near snarl. She glared into his cold gaze, and then shrugged without a word, turning and walking in the direction of the azerite.

"Where are you going?" Rin snapped.

Saibon looked behind her at him and pointed to the azerite. She then looked at Yazak and Lei. "Come on, guys. We got some jackasses to kill."

Yazak sighed and rubbed his forehead. "You may join us, Rin. Though I understand now why you may not." Family was a foreign concept to him, but he knew it was something the other races cared about deeply.

Rin glared at Yazak. "Of course I'm coming. Somebody has to execute you all for treason."

Yazak nodded. "So be it." He said, and walked off to follow Saibon.

Lei hurried after them, and Rin took up the rear.

The four of them set off to their destination, quiet, drenched in tension, and thirsty for blood.

[pandilemma]

Here’s Yazak

He’s tired please let him sleep

[pandilemma]

My mans Iz’zik

His arm blades were lost in battle but they’ll grow back eventually

This won’t stop him from being the worst person ever

[pandilemma]

An Old Feud pt5

The morning was chilly as gentle mists rested on the floor of the bamboo forest. Saibon had woken already, waiting for Yazak to do the same. She worried about his injury. He had slept an entire day since they landed. He didn't look like he was going to wake up soon, either.

She sighed quietly and leaned back against a stalk of bamboo, enjoying the quiet morning. Time passed slowly as she meditated, not that she minded. It was a pleasant morning.

She almost didn't hear the footsteps approaching from behind.

Anxiety clawed at her mind. She would be killed if the Shado-Pan found her with a mantid. There was no explaining the situation to them.

She stood and looked behind her. She saw a figure in the mists. A familiar silhouette of a pandaren. As the figure approached and became visible, she heard it call out.

"Saibon?"

Saibon sighed with relief. "Lei."

Of course, Lei wasn't as interested in the mantid as she was. Lei approached and her fur stood on end as she saw Yazak. Saibon held a hand out as she slowly drew her blades.

"He's fine. He is not like the others." Saibon said.

Lei narrowed her eyes. "Mantid are mantid, Saibon. They are our enemies."

"Yazak is an exile. He no longer serves their empire." Saibon said, looking Lei in the eyes firmly.

"You can't just...... Make friends with mantid! They will stab you in the back as soon as you aren't useful!" Lei shouted.

The slow clicking of mandibles signified that Yazak had awoken. "You are right to distrust me. If you didn't, I'd be surprised." He said, sitting up.

Lei drew her blades in an instant and pointed a dagger at him. Saibon stood up and prepared to push her back.

Lei glared at Saibon. "Why are you defending a mantid? You are literally called Mantid Bane!"

"I still slay mantid. But Yazak is an old ally from when I helped the Klaxxi." Saibon replied calmly.

"And the Klaxxi turned on us to side with the heart of their dead god." Lei snapped.

Yazak made a chattering noise to interrupt the argument. He stood up and looked at Lei.

"I understand your fears and hatred. They are valid. There is nothing I can say or do that will make you believe that I am an ally." He said, stepping forward. "I recognize you. I have seen you fight the mantid, as well as the Shado-Pan, with Saibon. I would like to offer you a chance to see that I am not lying."

Lei glared up at the taller mantid. "What could you possibly do to make me believe you?" She growled.

"There is an azerite fracture in the Dread Wastes, and it is being harvested by a mantid known as Iz'zik as we speak. The azerite has resurfaced a paragon in its initial eruption. We need to deal with all of them."

Lei frowned. She didn't like the sound of any of this. "How do I know you won't betray us to side with your kin?"

Yazak snickered. "Iz'zik is my enemy. I want him dead just as much as everyone else. I have a score to settle with him, anyways."

Lei eyed Yazak. She couldn't read his expression very well, but he seemed to be genuine. She still didn't trust him, however. She flattened her ears.

"I still don't believe you." She said.

"That's fine."

Saibon sighed and looked at Lei. "You can come kill mantid with us if you still need convincing. Besides, if Yazak wanted us dead, I'm sure he would let us know by now."

"I can't believe this." Lei sighed as she shook her head. "Okay, fine. I'll join you. See where this goes." She said, marching up to Yazak. Her voice dropped to a low and menacing tone. "But if you're lying and you betray us, I'll make you wish Saibon was the one to kill you." She hissed, glaring murderously into his eyes.

Yazak stared back, unfazed. "Frightening.”

“It will be.”

Saibon stepped between them and pushed them apart. “ I think it’s time we got going. “Are you alright, Yazak?”

“Yes. I can get us over the wall. Is Lei afraid of heights?”

Lei looked at both of them for a moment before it clicked. “I am not about to ride a mantid.”

Yazak snickered. “You won’t be riding me.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that you better not squirm, or I might drop you.” Yazak said simply. He quietly delighted in the uneasy expression Lei made in response. She almost looked scared.

“Saibon, however, is allowed to ride on my back.” He added. He wasn’t sure how to manage carrying two pandaren. This seemed like the best way to do it.

“Truly, I’ve never been so privileged in my life.” Saibon  said. Yazak was a friend, but she hated being in the arms of a mantid.

Yazak looked at Lei and opened his forelegs. “Lets go.”

Lei’s eyes opened in alarm. “I am not letting you hold me in THOSE!”

“Are you scared?”

“NO, IM SMART!”

“You’re scared.”

Lei bore her teeth. “I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU.”

“Well, show me.”

Lei marched into his forelegs and let them close tightly around her. In return, she dug her claws deep into Yazak’s carapace. She looked up at him angrily. “Drop me, and I take these with me.”

Saibon jumped up onto Yazak’s upper back without warning and clung to his shoulders. “No fighting, cubs.”

Yazak hissed and Lei growled, both in irritation. Lei tightened her grip as Yazak leaped into the air, light as a feather despite the extra weight. Lei felt her fingers become damp with blood as she continued to dig her claws deeper, fearing for her life as they rose into the sky.

[pandilemma]

I've looked for and read all I could on mantid so now it's time for some HEADCANNONS.

Mantid are born a dull greenish brown shade. After their first swarm and they begin to become sentient individuals, they will change colors. Their color determines which caste they belong to.

Mantid who become part of the Klaxxi change color again, to golden brown.

Genemancers are in charge of deciding who breeds and who doesn't. If you have unfavorable genes or have disgraced the swarm in some way, you aren't allowed a mate. Romance isnt typically a part of the process. Survival of the swarm is more important.

Mantid are completely capable of having feelings for each other.

Female mantid do not usually kill their mates. They only kill or eat them if they are undesirable or wrong them.

Female mantid have longer antennae. It's not the most obvious to the other races, but to mantid, it is.

Genemancers always ask for consent before doing their experiments.

Mantid don't usually know their parents. Their eggs are laid by the kypari trees, and warmed by the sun. Then they hatch, and off to the wall they go.

Swarmlings are cared for by the community. They may have survived their first swarm, but they still have a lot to learn.

Mantid go into hiding to molt. It's less stressful that way.

Mantid regrow lost limbs. This is an exhausting process and the limb isnt ready until their next molt.

Mantid do not discriminate against those who may hatch disabled. They accommodate them accordingly if they survive their first swarm.

Mantid who don't blindly follow the empress and question her motives tend to be ridiculed or executed.

Mantid live a very long time, and can grow quite big.

Mantid adore sugar and sweet flavors because kypari sap is sweet.

Touching their antennae is seen often as flirtatious and sexual. Pulling them is the equivalent of kicking someone in the dick. Their antennae are the most sensitive part of their body, used to sense vibrations, heat, and pheromones.

Mantid often rest under kypari trees together.

Mantid can and will take hostages to use as spies.

Warcallers are an important part of an attack force. The sounds they sing inspire courage and ferocity in their troops.

Genemancers experiment on adult mantid and eggs alike.

Mantid who stray out of range of the Empress' song often find the quietness unnerving. Swarmlings are almost mindless without her, so if one strays too far, it is possible to replace her voice with yours. They are young and need guidance.

The Empress chooses only the strongest mates.

Have trouble communicating with the other races. The way they express themselves is much different than theirs.

[pandilemma]

An Old Feud pt4

Yazak hadn't been flying long when his thorax began to ache. He winced and faltered in the air. Saibon, who had her arms crossed as she reluctantly let him carry her, quickly grabbed his shoulders out of instinct.

"Yazak?" She spoke firmly, but with concern.

Yazak didn't answer as they continued to gradually descend. Saibon could feel him tremble and tense.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

Yazak bit back his pain and responded weakly. "I need to land. I told you, my body isn't what it used to be."

Saibon frowned and looked down. They were close to the wall, now. It would be difficult to find somewhere safe for Yazak. Yazak knew this, but his body demanded a reprieve. Now. Saibon clung to him as he practically dived into the bamboo forest below. His landing was far from graceful. He landed hard on his feet, nearly dropping Saibon as she moved to stand on the ground, and collapsed onto the ground.

Saibon felt a level of guilt. He was like this because of her, in a sense. She sat by him as her quivered in pain, gripping his thorax and making quiet, strained chitters.

"This will pass, I assure you." He said. "I... Just need to rest a moment."

Saibon nodded. "I know. If I had done a better job of healing you back then, you wouldn't be like this." She said with a hint of sadness.

"I would have preferred it if you had let me die." Yazak responded casually.

Saibon flattened her ears. "I don't let my allies stay impaled on spears. I also didn't want you to die to him."

Yazak sighed. His pain was slowly subsiding, which he was thankful for. "It is my duty to die in combat for the Klaxxi. Was, rather."

Saibon twitched her lip and clenched her fists. "That's what I don't understand about you mantid. You follow the Empress without question, or in your case, the Klaxxi. You follow them, would die for them, would do absolutely anything for them.... But what do they do for you? You mourn their passing, but would they mourn for you?" She spoke, looking at Yazak. "Wouldn't you rather live for someone who gives you the same love and appreciation in return?"

Yazak blinked, then closed his eyes. "That is what soldiers do. We fight, and die for our charge. We do not expect to be mourned."

Saibon sighed. " Surely you value yourself more than that."

"I do not. It is interesting to know that you do, however." Yazak responded.

"Because I never saw you as someone expendable." She said.

"I see. You value my companionship."

"Yes. I like to think we've become friends."

Yazak clicked his mandibles thoughtfully. "I never thought I would befriend the one who prides herself on slaying my people."

"And I never thought I would grow attached to a mantid. Two mantid. Yet here we are. You and Ik'ka should consider yourselves lucky."

Yazak chuckled. "You are lucky that I'm not the way I used to be. I'd have vomited and killed you out of disgust by now."

"You're lucky I haven't vomited already." Saibon replied.

An hour of silence passed as the sun finally disappeared from the sky, leaving them in darkness. They could barely see each other, but they both knew that this meant others could barely see them too. That was the last thing they wanted.

They would have to stay quiet until they could move again. Saibon was pretty sure befriending a mantid would be a death sentence. In the meantime, she considered requesting the aid of a few friends to help investigate the azerite in the Dread Wastes.

[pandilemma]

Iz’zik the Impaler

Character Bio

Age: Unknown. Hatched shortly after the completion of the Serpent’s Spine.

Gender: Male

Race: Mantid

Sexuality: Who knows. Does he know? Probably not.

Physical Description: Iz’zik is a large mantid, standing at nearly twelve feet. He is a dull shade of green with darker green streaks. His eyes are bright yellow and his antennae are pointed upwards, constantly searching for vibrations and his next victims. He is muscular in figure with a lean body shape. He often wears imposing armor, even though he doesn’t need it. His carapace alone can halt blades, get them stuck, even. He does most of his combat on the ground, so his wings aren’t as strong as they could be.

Personality: Brutal. Vindictive. Merciless. Iz’zik is as ravenous for blood as he was when he first hatched. He fought his way to his current position. As one of the Zan’thik, he is extremely skilled with spears and pole arms. His skill has been the downfall of many, Shado-Pan, Mogu, Yaungol, he does not discriminate. He will slay all who oppose the Empress without question.

Iz’zik is coldhearted and ruthless, but he is not stupid. He plans every attack, observes his enemies and learns their habits to find out the best way to strike. When he isn’t leaving a trail of gore in his wake, he is training younger mantid.

Surprisingly, he is not a cruel teacher. He tries to keep everyone on the same page, but gods help you if you challenge him or cause trouble.

He is not afraid to cut down his own.

You might know Iz’zik if:

-You are Shado-Pan. He fought and killed a lot of them.

-You fought with mantid before the mists parted.

- You assaulted the Heart of Fear. He was forced to retreat. He loathes this, so bringing it up will get you stabbed, probably.

-You did anything in the Dread Wastes, really. Before and after the mists parted.

[pandilemma]

Yazak the Swift

Character Bio 

 Age: Unknown. Hatched near the completion of the Serpent’s Spine.

Gender: Male

Race: Mantid

Sexuality: Asexual

Physical Description: Yazak is a golden brown color with darker brown incomplete stripes on his body. He is lithe in figure, and quick on his feet. He has powerful legs to help him leap and run, and his wing covers usually have small nicks in them. His eyes are a pale yellow and hold a tired look, void of the malicious glare that mantid usually have. His antennae are long and striped, usually pointed behind him. An old injury done to his thorax prevents him from the strength and speed he used to have.

Personality: When he was younger, Yazak was much more lively. He was just as cruel and maniacal as his brethren. He was quick on his feet and light in the air, killing many slaves and tripping up many mogu for those who were strong enough to deal with them. He was full of pride and confidence, back then.

Now, he is tired, dull, and despondent. He is quiet, understanding, and no longer views the other races as lesser. Instead, he sees their potential and wants to see them grow. Yazak does not regret the things he did in the past. He looks back on them fondly, wishing he could be as proud and energetic as he used to be.

Yazak has a dry sense of humor. It may take some getting used to for others. He spends most of his time hidden away. Having been a guard of the Klaxxi for so long, seeing them and their paragons perish has drained him of purpose and the will to fight. However, he remains irritated with his kind, and wont hesitate to assist others in killing them.

You might recognize Yazak if:

-You helped the Klaxxi.

-You fought mantid in the Dread Wastes before the mists parted. He often observed from afar.

-You assaulted the Heart of Fear. He was brutally impaled in the initial assault, rescued by Saibon Blossomfall. This was the nail in the coffin for his pride that kept him from joining the Paragons in Orgrimmar.

[pandilemma]

An Old Feud pt3

Iz'zik sat perched on a large root overlooking the Ambermarsh. Below him, azerite flowed from the earth like blood and a large spike jutted from the ground. He observed his workers closely as they harvested it, tirelessly chipping away at the spike and bottling the fluid into canisters.

He looked up to his guards, who were on high alert, the same as he. They patrolled the area on foot and wing, scouring for any hint of danger.

The empress would be pleased.

Iz'zik beamed with pride at the thought. He lived to serve her. To hear her beautiful voice. Anyone with enough audacity to disobey her would meet his blade.

The ground shook.

The spike was pushed further out of the ground, and the drones working near it hopped back. One drone fell into the liquid azerite with a splash. He quickly crawled out and wiped the azerite off as the other drones snickered.

They waited for the ground to stop shaking before getting back to work.

Iz'zik watched them for a moment longer before looking behind him, towards the wall. They wouldn't have much time before they were discovered. He already knew Saibon and Yazak were going to find out. He could handle them, but the force of the Shado-Pan? Not even he could face them alone.

They would have to move quickly.

What's worse, was the amber encased paragon that lay in the liquid azerite. The crystal was covered in it, making it look like just another chunk of azerite. Iz'zik knew better. He could sense a powerful, yet weak presence from that chunk.

He wasn't sure how to proceed. The azerite was hardening on it, and he didn't have the proper tools to wake the sleeping mantid inside.

Perhaps.... Saibon could wake them. She likely had the tools... When she inevitably arrives, he can kill her, take them, and do it himself.

That could take too long....

He fluttered his wings and flew down to the ground. The drones looked up at him, expecting orders.

"Continue. I simply wish to investigate." He spoke, and the drones obeyed.

He pitied them, somewhat. Born into the greatest race in the world, yet all they could be were servants. It didn't matter to him. As long as they obeyed.

He leaned over the pool of azerite and drew a finger down the side of the azerite covered chunk of amber. Collecting a sample of azerite on his fingertip, he rubbed it with his thumb. It was so.... Squishy. Warm.

But he could tell it was thickening. How was he supposed to get it off? He wasn't prepared for THIS.

[pandilemma]

An Old Feud pt2

Saibon awoke in her bed wearing a light shirt, the one she wore under her armor. In fact, her leather chest piece had been removed. The quiet clacking of mandibles quickly brought her to her senses as she looked over from her bed to see the familiar golden brown mantid  leaning over the table.

“I see you are awake, Exile.”

“I’m not an exile anymore, but yeah.”

Saibon put herself at ease. Yazak was perhaps the only mantid she trusted, the only one she considered a friend. She shut her eyes again.

"I guess I got the poison out." She said.

"You also lost a lot of blood. You should work on not doing that." Yazak responded.

Saibon snickered quietly. She slowly sat up and looked over at him. She saw he had Ik'ka on the table with bandaged wounds.

"I have two questions for you." She began. "Is Ik'ka okay, and why are you here at all?"

Yazak looked over at her. " He will survive. It appears he has a bit of resistance to poisons." He said.

"Iz'zik said he had that too."

"Iz'zik was bred to be a fierce, unstoppable warrior, it is no surprise. He is not to be taken lightly. As for Ik'ka, he seems to have been the result of a failed experiment. He certainly isn't up to.... Par, with the rest of our people. It's impressive that he still lives." Yazak explained, looking back to Ik'ka.

Ik'ka was still out cold on the table, and Saibon frowned. "Do the mantid really care so little for their own weaker people?"

"Yes. There is no room for weakness in our society."

Saibon sighed. " Your race is exhausting."

"That we are. Now, as for why I am here.... I saw Iz'zik flying towards the wall. He used the cover of the clouds to get by. I followed." Yazak said.

"Well, I'm glad you did."

"There's also something else....." Yazak said, sitting down.

"What is it?"

"A large deposit of azerite has unearthed near the Ambermarsh. It has brought something long, long forgotten with it."

"That sounds like it won't be bad at all." Saibon said, laying back down.

"It unearthed a paragon."

Saibon sprung back up immediately. "It unearthed a WHAT?"

"A paragon. Whether it is alive or not, I don't know. I want you to investigate with me." Yazak said.

"I'll think about it." Saibon replied, slumping back down.

"I only tell you because you showed interest in them so long ago. It's also a big deal in general since they haven't been discovered yet."

"Are you serious? How?"

"They're hidden in a tangle of roots. Their amber crystal rolled into it as it emerged with the azerite."

"Let's go check it out then, I guess." Saibon said. Would she get to kill a paragon today?

"Are you sure you don't need to rest more?"

"This is nothing." She replied, getting out of the bed and putting her leather chest piece on. "You can put Ik'ka in the bed."

Yazak nodded and lifted the smaller mantid off the table, placing him carefully in the still warm bed. "With luck, we'll return before he wakes up."

Saibon nodded. The two left the house, and Yazak lifted Saibon into his arms. He took off with a slight grunt.

"Don't drop me this time." Saibon said.

"Don't encourage me." Yazak responded.

[pandilemma]

An Old Feud

Saibon decided to stay home for a day. She wanted to reflect on recent emotions and how she should handle them. Ik'ka was still on the floor, miserable from a hangover.

It had been a quiet day.

The sun was setting when Ik'ka finally sat up, feeling better. Saibon gave him a slight smile of acknowledgment, and he twitched his antennae curiously. Affection was still a foreign concept to him.

He looked out the door with eyes half closed. "Today passed quickly." He said.

"It did. It was a peaceful day." Saibon responded.

Ik'ka hung his head idly, antennae drooped. A few more minutes of quiet passed before his antennae twitched. His eyes opened fully and he lifted his head.

"I hear wings." He said, getting up.

"Mantid wings, I assume?" Saibon asked, grabbing her spear.

"Yes- large ones, too. A big mantid is coming this way." Ik'ka said.

"Huh. Well, let's see if it's coming for us, or just passing." Saibon replied, motioning to her mouth with a finger to stay quiet.

Ik'ka kept his eyes trained on the door. The buzzing of wings was audible now, and rapidly approaching. He quietly got up and backed away from the door.

Saibon held her spear ready to stab at a moment's notice. She wondered if Yazak could be looking for her. She didn't think he would, he seemed content on his own. There was a thump on the roof that shook the ceiling.

Their guest had arrived, it seemed. Saibon heard cautious footsteps on the roof as the mantid neared the front of the house. Saibon predicted the next movements it would make, aiming towards the upper part of the doorway.

The mantid jumped down, and as he passed into view, Saibon thrusted her spear forward. To her dismay, the mantid dodged, but just barely. His vile yellow gaze focused on the two in the house.

And Saibon was struck with a moment of realization.

She bore her teeth. "It's you." She hissed.

Iz'zik chuckled as he curled his antennae in delight. "My Intel was right, you do live here." He said, gaze passing to Ik'ka.

"And what are you doing here with this filth, swarmborn?" He hissed.

Ik'ka froze. He had to come up with a reasonable excuse fast. "Waiting for the right moment to strike?" He answered.

Iz'zik cackled. "It looks to me like you've been made her pet. Pathetic, Ik'ka."

"Enough." Saibon growled, jabbing her spear at him. "Get out of my doorway before I run you through." She threatened.

Iz'zik looked Saibon in the eyes. "Oh? You mean like I did to that traitor, Yazak?" He said.

"Worse." Saibon snarled as she rushed him, jabbing at him as he fluttered his wings, hovering out of range and then landing on the ground.

"It's been quite some time since we last fought, Saibon. I wasn't at my best, back then." Iz'zik said. "But considering how easy it was to wrap my hand around your throat, this should be easy."

Saibon leaped through the doorway to lunge at him. He stepped out of the way and grabbed his own pole arm to hack at her. Saibon was quick enough to bring her spear up to block, but she didn't need to.

Ik'ka came flying out of the doorway with two amber daggers, striking hard at the spear Iz'zik held and deflecting it.

Iz'zik narrowed his eyes scornfully. "Are you protecting her, swarmborn?"

"She's my kill. Go away." Ik'ka hissed.

Iz'zik chuckled. "Alright then.... Kill her. For the Empress." He said, gesturing a hand at Saibon.

Saibon watched both mantid. She readied her spear. She didn't know which one would attack first, or if Ik'ka would at all.

She flattened her ears and snarled hatefully at Iz'zik.

Ik'ka hesitated, looking behind him at Saibon. She was the only one in the four years that he had lived, to ever show him what companionship was, even if it was rocky. Very rocky.

"Hurry up, swarmborn."

Ik'ka caught Saibon's gaze. They looked at each other, distrustful. Each wondered if the other would attack. The time they spent together was short, but it wasn't meaningless. Having the Empress' voice muted, Ik'ka had to think fully on his own. Did he want to kill Saibon?

He didn't feel the urge. If anything, he felt defiant at the thought.

Saibon watched Ik'ka consider his actions. She had grown fond of the misfit assassin, despite her rudeness towards him. Initially she saw him as a prisoner. Recently, as she learned more about him, she began to view him as an incredibly sheltered child, who also knew how to kill.

She didn't want to kill him, but if she had to....

"No."

Ik'ka turned back to face Iz'zik.

"No?" Iz'zik repeated.

"I'll do it on my time, not yours." Ik'ka snapped.

"Are you defying the Empress, Ik'ka?" Iz'zik questioned.

Ik'ka hesitated, remaining quiet.

"Then that makes you a traitor." Iz'zik said. "Die."

Iz'zik thrusted his spear at Ik'ka, but the smaller mantid was faster. He leaped into the air to dodge, rearing his daggers as he came down on Iz'zik. Iz'zik stepped aside and rammed the pointed end of his spear into Ik'ka's back, eliciting a shout of pain from the smaller mantid.

"Useless. To think you survived this long..." Iz'zik said as Ik'ka landed, stumbling.

Iz'zik gave him no quarter as he thrust the spear forward at him again, but something stopped him. His spear seemed to be caught on something.

"Don't you dare forget I'm here."

Saibon had grabbed the other end of the spear with her hand. It pulsed lightly with a red aura as she held the blade in place.

"Ah, yes. If you would like to die first, I can manage that." Iz'zik hissed, ripping his spear away from her grip and bringing it up to send it straight down onto Saibon.

Saibon stepped aside and lunged for Iz'zik, thrusting her blade at his chest. She growled as he gripped the blade, halting it from penetrating his carapace.

"I can do that too." He hissed, raising his fore legs and clawing at her.

Saibon rippled with chi lightning, electrifying her spear and shocking Iz'zik. Iz'zik shuttered for just a moment, and Saibon took her chance. She tugged her spear from his hand and thrust it into his middle. She gave a sick grin at the sound.

Iz'zik clattered his mandibles as he lurched forward, but then started laughing. While her spear was stuck in him, he grabbed it and leaped into the air, ripping it from her grasp. He closed his wings and let himself fall, thrusting both spears down at Saibon as he landed. She was quick enough to dash away, but now she was weaponless.

And he had two spears.

Saibon wasn't out of reach as he swiped both spears around at her, catching her side.

"Enjoy the poison." Iz'zik hissed.

Saibon stumbled to the ground on her knees. Her hands took up the red glow again. Placing a hand on her wound, she pulled it away and a stream of blood followed.

"Why don't you instead?" She growled, twisting around to send a hardened bolt of her poisoned blood into Iz'zik's wound.

Iz'zik screamed in shock and pain as he stumbled back. To Saibon's dismay, it turned into laughter.

"That won't hurt me, fool! I have a resistance, unlike you! Are you sure you got it all out?" Iz'zik shouted.

Saibon opened her mouth to reply, but tasted blood as it dribbled from her lips. Her vision began to blur. She could see Iz'zik lurching from his wound, and Ik'ka had collapsed at some point.

"Both of you are going to be dead in a matter of minutes..." Iz'zik hissed, taking to the air. "If not, then next time we meet, I'll make sure of it." He threatened, taking off.

Saibon spat at him and collapsed. A faint haze of chi shrouded her hands and seeped into her wound. She focused, and could feel the poison pass through her system, back out the wound it came from. That alone took a lot of energy. She managed to close the wound with her blood magic before passing out.

Ik'ka was too weak to move, but he could hear the buzzing of wings once more. It was a different mantid. He heard the wings stop, but didn't hear them land. He felt himself being picked up, and through blurred vision, see the golden brown mantid pick up Saibon as well. That was all he saw before his vision faded entirely.

[pandilemma]

Saibon returned home with a small keg of amber ale. She enjoyed it, but she wondered if the mantid would like it too. Ik'ka sat on the table with a mortar and pestle, working a few red petals into a liquid. He looked up to see Saibon setting the keg down.

"What is that?" He asked.

"Amber ale! It's made from the sap from kypari trees."Saibon responded, moving to grab a mug from the shelf.

Ik'ka tilted his head. I didn't know such a thing existed."

"Its good. You should have some." Saibon said as she tapped the keg and filled the mug.

Ik'ka chittered and slid off the table to take a look. Saibon put the mug in his hands and he looked at it, then up at her, then back at the mug in confusion.

"Don't look so confused, take a sip!" She encouraged him. She wondered if she should tell him about hangovers yet.

Ik'ka blinked, and put the mug up to his mouth. He had never smelled such a thing before. He took a light sip, and his antennae sprung up, his eyes widened, and a shiver ran through his body. Saibon tried not to laugh.

"Well, what do you think?" She asked.

"It's...." Ik'ka started, trying to find the words. "It burns. But in a good way. I can taste the sap...."

"You like it?"

".....Yes."

Saibon grinned. She knew it. She kept quiet as he kept drinking. She'll let him learn on his own. She got another mug and filled it, taking a sip.

Ik'ka shivered again. He sat on the floor, setting the mug down. He wasn't sure what he was feeling. His antennae drooped and he felt wobbly. Was it getting warmer in here?

"Don't drink too much. You'll give yourself alcohol poisoning." Saibon said.

Ik'ka looked at her. " Have you ever tried....Kypari sap?" His words slurred lightly.

"No, I could never get close enough to try it." Saibon admitted.

"You should. Its sweet. And it's good for you." Ik'ka said.

"I'll try and get some, but I doubt it will be easy."

Ik'ka chittered in response, and took another small sip before laying on the floor. He closed his eyes, forcing them open as he remembered his earlier concoction. He pointed to the table.

"Dont eat.... The petals. Or the liquid. You'll die." He said.

"I know, don't worry." Saibon replied.

She watched as Ik'ka passed out. He had only taken a few sips. She took one of her pillows and placed it under his head.

She had a feeling he was going to need it when he woke up.