Her Final Song
The Azure Span, Midday
Jaie rode along on her mount, a runestag that she’d obtained in her travels through the Shadowlands, as beside her rode a young woman. She had long red hair and wore plain brown robes, hard wearing and designed not to show dirt, but then her tabard suggested as to why. It was one worn by the Dragonscale Expedition, so she probably expected to be in the wilds a lot.
“Oi really do appreciate ye helpin’ me out ‘ere. We heard ‘bout that tome one of our’s found in th’ southern reaches o’ th’ span, but even still there’s gotta be somefin out there worth gettin’.” she nodded to her, speaking with a noticeably Gilnean accent.
Jaie shrugged, “Oh its not a big deal. I was in the area anyways.” she replied, “Besides, I’m curious about that area too. I heard from the Tuskaar what had happened there and I want to make sure there’s nothing else that could cause problems.” she replied, then muttered, “Got enough of those as it is…”
The woman cocked her head at her, “Hows that?” she asked.
“Oh… nothing you need to worry about Cammy.” she chuckled.
The woman shrugged, riding along on a horse that seemed oddly skittish… but then, a lot of mounts had trouble with Gilneans.
Jaie had encountered the expedition member on her way back to Valdrakken after a fishing trip in the span, testing out her newly minted ice-fishing axe that the Tuskaar had helped her make. She had been eager to try out some of her catch, but the woman had pleaded for an escort through the territory incase the gnolls or some other dangerous force came after her.
Jaie had been a little hesitant at first, but then most Gilnean commonfolk talked like that, and it wasn’t like they were all worgen or even fond of being worgen. Some of them, like Nelen, stayed in their human form more often than not, and the main reason he didn’t have the accent was that most of his childhood was spent as a student in Old Dalaran. Though he still had a noticeably different accent from someone native to Stormwind.
She had introduced herself as Cammy Theos, and off they’d gone.
“So, what do you think you’ll find there Cammy?” she asked, glancing back at her.
“Oh, we don’t really know yet… could be lotsa neat things. Ol’ dragon artifacts if wez lucky, maybe even a few intact scrolls ‘n suchlike.” she shrugged.
They travelled south, nearing a cave that had been infested with frost-spiders thanks to the Primalists and their mad experiments with them, as Jaie got down and tapped her hearthstone to her stag’s nose, sending it back to the stable in Valdrakken in a swirl of light. “We should go on foot from here, these caves can be dangerous…” she nodded, heading in with Cammy following close behind…
At first, the cave seemed oddly empty… normally there’d be at least a few larger arachnids to have to chase off or, failing that, squash… but it seemed like there was nothing here at all…
“That’s odd…” muttered Jaie, flexing her arms as she glanced around in the gloom, the faint light from the entrance reflecting off the ice-coated walls of the cavern… and then she stumbled to a halt as she saw a footprint in the dusting of snow inside.
A massive four-toed footprint… one she recognized…
“Wait… that’s…” she leaned in for a closer look, then grimaced. That was a wrathguard’s footprint!
Jaie leapt to her feet, looking around as she slipped into a fighting stance. “Cammy! Get back to the entrance, if you don’t see me in a few minutes get on your horse and run!” she said in a warning tone… then she heard a chuckling sound.
Not Az’arad or his mistress, but a disturbingly human-like sound… and then Cenoon stepped out of the gloom and smiled at her.
“Oh so feisty! Come now, do you really want to hurt me again darling?” he simpered, swishing his way towards her.
Jaie growled, then readied herself to attack as he extended one hand, flexing his fingers as deep crimson strands of energy swirled around them, his eyes flashing. “Shhhh… now now… no reason we have to come to blows… just relax and think of Pandaria…” he whispered, flapping his wings gently as they carried the scent of perfume and musk to Jaie’s nostrils.
The pandaren sniffed, then sneezed and rubbed her nose. “YOU AGAIN!” she snarled, and Cenoon’s expression faltered, “Where is she! WHERE IS DISSONANTIA?!” she demanded.
Cenoon looked thunderstruck, stepping back in shock! “It… it didn’t…” he stammered, then he squinted at her, “Wait… wait a minute… oh for… ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” he shouted, glancing past Jaie, “Of all the women in those groups you had me try to seduce HER?! It doesn’t work if they’re NOT INTERESTED IN MEN!” he snapped.
Jaie started, then spun around and glared behind her just in time to see Cammy sigh dramatically, “Way ta give th’ bleedin’ game away ya git!” she snarled, then thrust her hand out at Jaie as a burst of shadows erupted from it!
Jaie screamed, her eyes going huge as a tether of darkness smashed into her chest, her body rigid as indescribable pain shot through her! She fell to her knees as Cammy growled in annoyance, then changed!
Her face became a lupine muzzle as her hands extended into huge, wicked claws, horns sprouting from her forehead as wings burst free from the back of her robes!
Cammy Theo, a play on her true name of Camillei Theodore, that she hadn’t gone by since she’d met Quzgup all those years ago in Gilneas.
Dissonantia sneered, “Shoulda demanded I change forms when I found yez there! Didn’t think it’d work, but you lot are too bleedin’ gullible! Too late now Jaie… YER SOUL IS MINE!” she roared, wrenching her hand back as a soul shard formed in it.
Jaie screamed in agony as she felt her soul begin to pull free from her body, “N-no… help… someone…” she gasped out.
… and then, suddenly she felt as if a pair of hands grabbed her from behind, and a voice whispered, “Even here, we are still bound… you are not alone Jaie Swiftpaw.”
The pandaren collapsed in a heap on the ground as Dissonantia grinned in triumph. “FINALLY! FINALLY FECKIN GOT ONE! I… eh…” she glanced at the soul shard, a look of confusion spreading across her features, “Wot in th’… ITS EMPTY!?” she barked, looking back at Jaie.
The pandaren was alive! Whats more, Dissonantia could tell her body was still ensouled! Her spell had, for the first time in almost two centuries, FAILED!
“Wot th’ actual bleedin’ feck?! IT DIDN’T WORK!” she roared in anger as she stormed over to Jaie’s prone form and kicked her hard in the face, sending her rolling across the floor.
Jaie barely felt it, her body paralyzed. SOMEthing had saved her from Dissonantia’s spell, but having her soul attacked directly hurt worse than anything she’d ever felt before. She gasped for breath, every nerve in her body feeling like it was on fire!
Dissonantia glared down at her, then reached into Jaie's pouch and pulled out a gemstone. It was the communication one Jaie, Nelen, and Nitika had worked together to craft for her and all their allies. The warlock scowled and threw it hard against the wall of the cavern, where it shattered on impact!
“Azzy.” she grunted, and behind her the Wrathguard appeared in a swirl of felfire. “Tie th’ bitch up ‘n drag her outta here to th’ ruins on th’ other side of the caves. I need ta work out why th’ feck that happened…” she growled.
Az’arad nodded, then walked to Jaie and slammed his fist hard into her face, and the pandaren fell unconscious.
A moment later the members of Unlimited Sin walked out of the cave, Jaie’s arms wrapped in sturdy chains as she was dragged along the ground.
Behind them however, the shards of her communication gemstone shimmered with a magical light.
Valdrakken, the Roasted Ram
Nelen blinked, hearing a sharp whistling from his pouch, then took out his gemstone and drew a rune on it. A map of the isles appeared in the crystal’s face, zooming in on the southernmost reach of the Azure span to show a blinking red symbol, the rune for ‘destruction’ in the caves there, flashing between it and Jaie’s rune.
Nelen frowned, “That can’t be bloody good…” he muttered, drawing a rune for ‘All’ and speaking into the stone. “Everyone, Jaie’s stone got destroyed. I’m heading to the Azure Span to see whats going on. It could have just been an accident, but I don’t want to take any chances right now.” he nodded.
Nelen had told the others about the stone’s features, but after Dissonantia’s defection they had altered them. In the event that a stone get destroyed it would send out a signal to one of the other, still active stones to alert them.
Nelen summoned his mount as he exited the Roasted Ram, then took to the skies and flew towards the southern reaches of the Azure Span… unable to banish his worries. Jaie had helped him make these, she knew how hard it could be to replace them. She wouldn’t just let her’s get destroyed.
The Azure Span, the ruined outpost of Vakthros
Jaie awoke with a start, then winced and hissed as the light hurt her eyes. She lay on the floor in the upper level of what was once the inn, looking around slowly. She felt like she was having the worst hangover of her life. Every inch of her body throbbed with pain. “… where…” she whispered, then froze as she heard voices carrying up through the passage to the first floor.
“Roight, I can’t feckin’ figure it out, but somehow that bleedin’ bear was protected from me takin’ ‘er soul… we’ll worry bout it once I can do some bloody research. CENOON! Wanna explain why yer trick didn’t make ‘er go all ga-ga for yez?!” came Dissonantia’s voice.
Cenoon sighed in an annoyed way, “She’s a lesbian.” he grunted, “I didn’t get a good enough look at her before, but its obvious to any sayaad once we can see them close up. My power works on their desires. I find the desire for them to bed a handsome and striking man like myself, then hook into that and force it to override all other thoughts and feelings they have… but it won’t work if that desire isn’t there to begin with!” he explained, sounding as if he was describing it to a five year old.
“DON’T YEZ TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME FANCYARSE!” she snapped, “So, yer crap only works if they like men eh?” she asked.
“Mmmhm. Now if a succubi tried it? No contest, Jaie would have been on her knees begging. But for me…” he let out an annoyed snort, “I guess I’m just not her type…” he hissed, as if the idea of not being anyone’s type truly vexed him.
Dissonantia growled, “Wotever… least we smashed th’ stone… lil’ miss pandabear can’t call fer help.” she grumbled, “I say we try th’ spell again and… eh?” she looked up at the door as Quzgup scampered through it.
“WICKED WITCH! We have trouble! Worgen wizard is here!” squealed the imp!
Dissonantia snarled, then let out a string of cursing in demonic that made Jaie’s ears ache, the pandaren curling up into a tighter ball. “… BUGGER ‘N BLAST ‘N DAMN IT ALL TA FECK!” she finished in common, “Azzy! Cenoon! Battle stations! Get ready fer a fight! Quzgup! Keep an eye on th’ prisoner! Xel’kek! Watch fer th’ other ones!"
In the caverns nearby Nelen growled, already in his worgen form, with Edwood standing nearby. He'd encountered Nelen as the worgen headed into the Span and the two had teamed up to watch each other's backs.
Nelen had shapeshifted as soon as he found the stone and the signs of a struggle, trying to pick up Jaie’s scent, and in his worgen form had recognized Dissonantia’s instantly! His own gemstone was out and he was speaking into it rapidly. “Everyone! Get to my location as fast as you can! Dissonantia is here and she has Jaie! I’ll try to keep her busy as long as I can!” he barked into it, placing the gem near the front of the cave to act as a beacon as he stepped out into the snows, growling furiously as he saw Az’arad and Cennon emerge from the inn across the bridge.
The mage flexed his claws and in a flash of arcane light there were suddenly four of him as he summoned a trio of mirror images, the worgen channeling arcane power into his claws. “DISSONANTIA!” he roared as the worgen emerged, glaring at him.
Edwood stood near him, readying his own fel magic as Guzzle hopped onto the snow, generating a burst of felfire. Ed glanced down at the imp and tapped him with his boot, “If Dissonantia is comin’ outta there that’s gotta be where Jaie is! Guzzle! Go find her!” he hissed.
The imp looked up at him and nodded, “Aye Captain!” he saluted, then suddenly vanished as he went invisible, a set of footprints marking a path through the snowfield.
Dissonantia didn’t even notice. She only had eyes for the two adventurers before her. “If I can’t take her soul I bleedin’ doubt it’ll work on them…” she growled, “But wotever that was, it can’t stop a feckin’ axe! AZZY! CENOON! KILL ‘EM!” she snarled, raising her claws and summoning several fel meteorites as wild imps scampered from the craters where they landed!
Inside the Inn
Jaie’s body still throbbed with pain as she tried to scoot closer to the window, but her arms were still chained up and her body ached so much she could only crawl. As she did however an imp kicked at her face.
“No no no! Stay put annoying bear!” barked Quzgup, “Mistress Dissonantia wants bear dead one way or another and if Quzgup has to then Quzgup will do it himself!” he snorted, generating a ball of felfire. “Wicked Witch would want to kill bear herself… but…” he grinned, looking down at her.
In her prone and injured state, the normally strong pandaren couldn’t even try to defend herself, the girl bracing for impact… then suddenly there was a loud CRACK!
She opened her eyes as Quzgup stood there, his face slack and his expression cross-eyed, the fireball dissipating in his hands… then slowly he fell to the side as another imp stood behind him holding an ancient metal tool. “Captain taught Guzzle how to fight dirty, like a proper Kul’Tirian!” smirked the fel imp proudly.
“W-what?” whispered the pandaren, “… you’re… you’re Ed’s imp right?” she tried.
Guzzle nodded, bowing dramatically as an explosion echoed across the snows outside, the windows lighting up with arcane light. “Aye! First Mate Guzzle here on Captain Edwood’s orders to spring Jaie from Dissonantia’s brig!” he grinned.
Jaie chuckled weakly, “You’re definitely Ed’s imp… Guzzle, she tried to tear out my soul. It didn’t work… but it hurt so much I can barely move…” she whispered, “… I’m chained up… can you get the chains off?” she asked.
Guzzle padded around behind her, then shook his head, “No. Chains padlocked. Guzzle can melt metal with felfire… but…”
Jaie winced, “Yeah, d-don’t do that…” she whispered, “Do you see a key anywhere?” she tried.
The imp looked around, then shook his head, “No, Dissonantia must have it.” he said.
Jaie frowned, the imp was right. Dissonantia would want to keep that close at hand. Her mind raced, she could barely move, her body hurt all over… her mouth felt like sandpaper after how hard she’d screamed from Dissonantia’s attack earlier…
She paused, feeling over her mouth with her tongue, and remembering something else she had in her pack. “Guzzle… in my pack, there should be a wooden flask. Its something Zhan-min made. He said it could help in a fight… I need you to get it out and pour it into my mouth…” she said, then remembering Zhan-min’s warning she added, “Just a little bit. It might be something dangerous…”
She felt guzzle open the pack on her belt, then after a moment the imp stumbled infront of her struggling to hold a flask almost as big as he was. “T-this one?” he asked her.
“That’s it!” she nodded opening her mouth as Guzzle set it down and worked the cap off. The air suddenly smelled of wet soil and ozone, as if a storm was approaching.
The imp carefully tipped it so that the neck of the flask was in her mouth, then held the bottom upwards so that the liquid would flow out… and then he became aware of a presence in the room.
Guzzle looked over as the brew poured into the pandaren’s waiting maw to see an observer demon floating up the stairs, the creature pausing as it saw Quzgup’s unconscious form and the newcomer.
“You are not warlock’s imp! WHO ARE YOU?!” demanded Xel’kek as his tentacles thrashed in fury!
Guzzle eeped, holding the flask with one hand as he channeled felfire into his other, preparing to lob it at the observer… then he heard a frantic kicking sound next to him!
Jaie’s eyes were huge, the pandaren having swallowed a sip, then another, then more and more as the distracted imp had held the bottle in place! She had to, it was that or drown in it! “MMPGH!” she shouted.
Guzzle yelped and jumped back, “Sorrysorrysorry!” he whined as the flask fell to the ground with a clatter… a very empty clatter.
Jaie coughed, “I… oh gods… w-what was in that?” she whined, “I… I feel weird… I…” she shuddered, the pandaren’s body starting to shake… and then she froze as her eyes went wide, sparks of electricity arcing along her fur.
Xel’kek frowned, staring at her. “Strange magic in pandaren…” he hissed, then yelped as a bolt of lighting shot out of Jaie’s upper arm and grounded itself in the wall near him! “D-DANGEROUS MAGIC!” he squealed, “MUST WARN WARLOCK!” cried the observer as he glided back down the stairs!
Guzzle whimpered as he took a step back from Jaie’, the pandaren having rolled onto her belly as she tried to get on her knees. “Er… um… sorry?” he tried.
Outside the Inn
Xel’kek raced out of the inn as fast as he could fly, looking around frantically. Dareley and Shalandrae had arrived as well, and the ruined outpost had become a battlefield as Dissonantia summoned any wild demons she could call to fight the forces against her! “WARLOCK! WARLOCK! POWERFUL MAGIC! DANGEROUS MAGIC!" he shouted.
Dissonantia growled, “NOT NOW YE BLOODY SQUID!” she barked in fury as she opened another portal, a pair of felstalkers bursting free from it as they raced towards Shalandrae, barking in fury as she smashed them off the bridge with one massive stone paw, the druid in her bear form once more!
“BUT WARLOCK! DANGEROUS MAGIC INSIDE PANDAREN!” he shouted.
At this Dissonantia paused, then looked back, “Wot?” she asked.
Then the top floor of the inn exploded.
Stone rained down around the area as the members of Avalon and Savage United ran for cover, a burst of lightning shooting up into the sky from the even more ruined building and hanging there like a ball of plasma…
“JAIE! BLOODY FEL NO!” shouted Dareley as he raised his shield against a rain of stone shards.
“KEELHAUL IT ALL, GUZZLE WAS IN THERE TOO!” came Edwood’s voice, “WHAT TH’ FECK WAS THAT?!”
Then lightning arced down to the middle of the bridge between them, and there was Jaie, standing stock still with her arms at her sides. Her head was hanging downwards, as her body seemed to shoot off sparks in every direction.
Everyone shielded their eyes at the moment of her impact, then finally Nelen looked up, “Jaie? A-are you alright?” he asked as he stared at the pandaren monk.
“Oh bugger…” whispered Dissonantia, “This can’t be feckin’ good… AZZY! KILL TH’ BEAR! NOW!” she roared.
Az’arad needed no more compulsion than that, the Wrathguard raising his axe and roaring, charging down Jaie from behind before her allies could even react.
Nelen prepared a spell as quickly as he could, as did Edwood… but then Az’arad’s axe came down, and in a spray of sparks Jaie wasn’t there anymore.
The Wrathguard stumbled to a halt, looking around in confusion. Then he bellowed in pain as there was a crack of lighting and Jaie appeared behind him, slamming her foot into her back as the impact erupted in electricity!
Her head was raised now, and her eyes glowed with lightning! She snarled wordlessly, then suddenly she was infront of Az’arad and her fists shot out one after the other, landing against the stunned demon’s midsection, each one letting off a thunderclap!
Az’arad’s eyes bulged as his axe clattered to the bridge, the demon’s body crackling with lightning at each impact as the blows sent electricity through his massive frame! Jaie roared and threw an uppercut, hitting him right up into the air, then she leapt and with a crash of thunder she shot around his form in a circle.
Suddenly, there were no less than six of her, one real one and five made of crackling electricity! Each of the copies slammed into him with a tremendous blast of thunder, then the real one smashed her foot into his torso with an even louder eruption of sound and sent the demon rocketing over Dissonantia’s head to crash into the wall of the ruined inn, bringing it down ontop of him!
Dissonantia stared at the rubble, then back at Jaie, her fangs bared… and for the first time, Nelen saw that she looked truly afraid. “Wot th’ actual fel…” she managed before Jaie was suddenly infront of her.
The pandaren glared at the worgen, “Y-y-y-y-you triiiiiied to t-t-t-t-take my sooooooul…” she growled, her voice stuttering like a piece of electronics shorting out. “I-i-i-i-it… HURT!” she bellowed, and electricity ERUPTED out of her, sending the warlock and her demonic allies flying in all directions!
Dissonantia crashed into some nearby bushes and scrambled to free herself, her eyes huge. “Bugger bugger… CENOON! XEL’KEK! DO SOMETHIN' DAMMIT!” she screamed.
Cenoon pulled himself free from the wreckage of some old crates, then lashed out at her with his whip! Jaie caught it without looking, her hand moving too fast to be seen. Her head snapped towards the incubus, then she let out a roar of fury and a blast of lighting shot back along the whip’s length like an electrical cable! Cenoon screamed in pain as the blast hit home, the incubus going rigid as he fell to the ground, smoke pouring off his prone form!
Xel’kek looked back and forth, the observer demon panicking, and suddenly Jaie was behind him. She brought her hands down hard as if spiking a volleyball right onto the top of Xel'kek's bulbous head and the demon crashed into the ground with enough force to crater it, squealing like a terrified pig as he landed.
Jaie landed then, her body jerking here and there as the violent energy inside her rocketed back and forth through her… and suddenly came Dissonantia’s trump card.
The felsworn Gremori rushed out of what remained of the Inn, the warlock having told her to hang back incase the fight began going badly, and she leapt towards Jaie!
Jaie caught her fist weapon in her left hand, then blocked her other one with the padded bracer on her right arm, glaring at her as sparks shot out of the corners of her eyes.
The renegade demon hunter just grinned back. “Ooooooo! Neat! I’ve never fought someone who can do THIS!” she cackled, “But ever hear the saying 'looks can kill?!'” she sneered as her tattoos glowed with a baleful light and she entered her demonic form! Her body swelled in size as her teeth became massive three inch long needle like fangs, her tiny horns growing and spreading into a pair of curling ram's horns as she sprouted a gigantic pair of bat-like wings, her feet transforming into wicked talons! The fires in her eye sockets flared, and then an eruption of felfire shot forth from them right into Jaie's face, engulfing her entire head!
From across the bridge Nelen roared, lashing out with a blast of arcane energy, but the demon hunter’s wing batted it away! The felsworn laughed with excitement at such an interesting foe, and then her laughter died away as the flames wore down to reveal a totally unhurt Jaie.
Her body arced with electricity, and this close Gremori realized what it was. The air around her was supercharged, acting as a shield! Her fel blast had been blocked from ever reaching her!
“Oh fu-…” was as far as she got before Jaie headbutted her in the face, slammed her elbow into her stomach, then landed three fast punches to her throat, then one hard elbow to her chest that made Shalandrae wince in sympathy even in her bear form.
The fel-corrupted elf fell to her knees as the injuries broke her concentration enough to knock her out of her transformed state, gasping as she clutched at her torso with one hand as blood trickled out of her mouth from the blows to her neck. She was far more resilient than normal elves, she even had scales on parts of her body! Normally she wouldn’t have even felt that… but Jaie was anything but normal right now!
Jaie growled at her, lashing out with her leg and sending her flying across the battlefield! Then she slid into another stance, her hands behind her, as she focused her chi between them… and Nelen stared at her as he felt the resonance coming off her.
“This feels just like that woman from the Vault… the one that Raszageth…" he muttered, then he recognized Jaie's posture, "EVERYONE TAKE COVER!” he shouted as he, Ed, Shalandrae, and Dareley dove behind whatever they could find.
As Gremori struggled to her feet Jaie lashed out with both arms, and rather than her normal chi burst a crackling dragon’s head made of electricity appeared over her hands, and an eruption of lightning akin to a laser blast shot forth from them!
Gremori didn’t even have time to scream. The blast hit her full on and sent her flying across another bridge, into the mountainside, and INTO the mountain itself as it bored a hole straight through the rock!
Nelen watched in horror, he knew that attack. He’d seen it just a few weeks prior… “Gordrinn’s fangs…” he whispered.
Jaie turned towards Dissonantia, electricity arcing all over her body, just in time to see the warlock finish her spell.
“FECK THIS!” barked the demon sorceress as she flexed her claws, and Jaie surged forward, her fist raised as it shone with lightning, sparks trailing off it, and Dissonantia’s eyes widened.
Mere milliseconds before it connected, Dissonantia’s spell triggered, and she and her demonic allies vanished in a woosh of felfire… but the warlock would never forget just how close that fist had come to hitting home.
Jaie stumbled to a halt, her arms hanging slack as she gasped for breath, her body still shining with electrical energy.
“J-jaie… lass?” tried Dareley, slowly walking towards her.
“DARELEY! STAY BACK!” warned Nelen, but before the dwarf could heed his warning Jaie screamed and fell to her knees, another surge of energy rippling out of her as the dwarf was sent onto his rear, his armor arcing with electricity as his beard hair stood on end!
“BLOODY FEL! WHAT IS GOING ON?!” exclaimed the dwarf, picking himself up as quickly as he could as Jaie fell forward onto all fours, her body shaking violently.
Then there was a sudden howl of wind and a pandaren kite swooped down with Zhan-min on it, Sekhi riding on his shoulder as he leapt off, his eyes wide.
“Ah no no no no… dammit girl I warned ya!” shouted Zhan-min in panic, “Just a sip! Just a damn sip! How much did ya’ll drink?!”
Nelen looked at him, his eyes huge. “Drink? Drink WHAT?!” he asked, “Zhan, whats going on?!”
Zhan-min was staring at Jaie in horror, “When we went to th’ vault I got somethin’ really powerful! Somethin’ that could make th’ strongest brew I ever made! But it was TOO poweful even fer me ta drink! So I gave it to Jaie! I thought she'd be able ta handle it!” he explained, “I warned her though! I told her not to drink more than just a lil’ bit at a time! She must’ve had too much!”
Nelen started forward, “Zhan, what did you use? What the fel did you make that beer out of?” he asked.
Zhan-min looked at Jaie as the pandaren monk cried out in pain, another flash of lightning illuminating the area. “… one o’ Raszageth’s scales.” he said in a resigned voice.
The others looked slowly towards Jaie. They wanted to help, but none of them could even get close to her in this state! “One of… that brew gave her the power of an Incarnate!” gasped Nelen, “But Jaie isn’t a dragon! She can’t handle that much elemental energy! No mortal can!” he shouted over the thunder as Jaie screamed in pain, her body shooting electricity in all directions, the bolts arcing off the nearby ground, the ruined buildings, the tree, whatever was close to her.
“I know…” whispered Zhan-min, “Dammit Jaie… I warned ya…” he whimpered, grief lacing his words.
Dareley shuddered as Jaie cried out again, her body shaking violently as the Storm Eater’s fury raged inside her. “W-we gotta do somethin’!” he shouted.
Shalandrae stared at her, resuming her elven form. “… we can’t… there’s too much lightning in her now. None of us can get close without getting killed…” she whispered in despair.
Then slowly, Sekhi padded forward, “… we can.” she said, her ears flicking back and forth, “Zhan-min ‘n I can…” she murmured in a faraway voice, her eyes wide as she fixated on Jaie.
The others looked at her, then Zhan-min set his jaw. “… ya’ll are right lil’ missy. I got Jaie inta this mess… I gotta get her back out.” he nodded firmly.
Sekhi walked forward, whistling softly under her breath, “Don’t try to resist it, just walk forward… This is Raszageth’s final song." she nodded, taking the pandaren man’s hand and guiding him towards their friend.
Lightning arced out of Jaie again and Zhan-min winced, but Sekhi stood firm as the wave of energy seemed to simply pass through them. “We are shaman, the elements are a part of who we are…” she said, her voice sounding rather unlike how she normally spoke. “We are all voices in Azeroth’s chorus, all part of her song… Raszageth's voice has become trapped inside Jaie's body, she wants to be free. We can help her.” she intoned as they drew close to the struggling monk.
She looked up at him, and Zhan-min’s eyes went wide. It wasn’t Sekhi who had been talking. He saw, reflected in her eyes, the power of the elements. “Send her song home, back where she belongs.” said the Shamaness, or at least, Sekhi’s mouth did as she placed one hand on Jaie’s shoulders.
Zhan-min swallowed, then nodded, putting his right hand on her other shoulder.
The two stood there, then raised their other hands towards the sky, and Zhan-min’s face slowly went slack as the lightning coursing through Jaie connected him to Sekhi, and suddenly, he heard the song as she did.
“… Niuzao’s balls Sekhi… this is what ya’ll’re hearin’?” he whispered.
“Hear it… hear the song, and send it home…” she replied. “Send Raszageth HOME!” she called out, then there was an unbearably loud crash of thunder and the whole area lit up like a thousand spotlights at once, illuminating the entire mountain range and the valley beyond, causing even the Tuskaar of Iskara to look up in shock at the display as the clouds glowed with the light from the valley below them.
There was a massive eruption of electricity as the energy in Jaie’s body shot through Sekhi and Zhan-min, but they didn’t resist it at all. It left no mark on them, it merely blasted upwards out of them and into the skies above… and for a moment a dragon made of pure elemental lightning soared up into the skies, flapping it’s wings as it gained altitude.
As the draconic manifestation reached the clouds, they all heard a voice cry out in joy before it exploded outwards, spreading out in a shower of sparks as rain began to fall.
Zhan-min shook himself, his head snapped around back and forth as he took in what had just happened, the rain beginning to soak his fur as Jaie collapsed under him. She was exhausted beyond all words, when she got back to Valdrakken she’d sleep for a week at least… but she was alive.
Sekhi slowly fell onto her rear, shaking her head. “Wooooooow… that felt yippin’ weeeeeeeeeeeird…” she chittered as the sounds of pounding feet came from the bridge.
“Are you lot okay?!” shouted Dareley as he stumbled to a halt, his armor clattering around him as he knelt down next to the pandaren, ready to beg, plead, and outright demand the Light heal her!
“Jaie…” gasped Shalandrae, then she let out a cry of relief as she saw her friend was alive, just too tired to move at all after her ordeal.
“Sekhi, what... what was that?! What did you just do?” asked Nelen as he looked down at her, then at Jaie, then he held a hand out to help the diminutive shamaness to her feet. He was a mage, he could feel how much power Jaie had inside her. In his experience what remained of Sekhi after channeling that much pure elemental lightning should have fit neatly inside a snuffbox... but she was, at worst, a little dizzy.
Sekhi squirmed up from the ground with his help, then said, “Raszageth’s song was angry… but scared too. She wanted to be free, where the titans or the aspects couldn’t hurt her again.” she nodded, looking up at the sky. “Now… she is. She’s th' storm now, she’s part of Azeroth’s song.” she smiled softly.
Nelen looked up, adjusting her glasses. “She… wait… she's an elemental now?” he asked, looking at where the draconic manifestation had merged with the storm clouds above them.
Sekhi shook her head, “She’s part of th' song… I ‘unno how else ta explain it.” she shrugged.
However, Jaie coughed. “G-guys?” she said, looking up at them all. “Um… I… don’t really remember most of what… just happened…” she said in a tired voice, “But…” she grinned, then held up her right hand and opened it to reveal a sharp looking fang. “… I got a souvenir…” she giggled weakly.
They all stared at the pandaren's outstretched hand, then finally Nelen grinned in disbelief and said, "Is that what I think it is?!"
The pandaren nodded, “… w-when I fought Az'arad... knocked one loose…” she chuckled hoarsely, “Tell Grimo… he owes me a drink… I… really need a drink… of normal beer… right about now…” she muttered as she trailed off, then collapsed. A moment later she started snoring.
Nelen smirked down at her, then laughed in relief, “All the beers Jaie, we’ll buy you the whole godsdamn bar…” he replied as he grinned at the others. “C’mon, lets get back to Valdrakken and get this monk a proper bed.” he nodded, walking a bit away and focusing, then opening a portal back to the dragon city.
Later they would celebrate like they hadn’t in ages, Grimo practically screaming with delight at the news that Jaie had gotten him the final piece he needed to complete his invention, but for now the heroes needed to rest.
In the skies of the Dragon Isles, a storm slowly blew out over the ocean, and thunder rolled. If you listened close you could almost hear a voice in it saying the word ‘free.’
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