The Eye - a story of Huor Elesar

Exiles.

Hatred.

Love.

Betrayal.

Those four words seemed to come back again and again in Quintilius' mind.
What carries the greatest weight, love or loyality?

Quintilius stared the green tabbard clutched in his hands. The Twin headed snake of The Theatre of Cruelty stared back at him with a challenging glare. Exiles. The Alliance guild that had clawed its way to become the arch enemy of the Theatre. The Hatred for them ran strong within the Theatre, their name had become a curse which made the rookies wince and the seasoned spit in anger.

Hate, so simple a feeling, persistant, unforgiving and uncompromising. Hate didn't bother with Questions, hate didn't hesitate, you could trust hate, it was simple. Quintilius had followed unquestioningly wherever the Theatre had gone and when it had declared war on the Exiles he had instantly drawn his sword with murder in his eyes. They had spat on the twin headed snake and he hated them for it.

Love, a churning unpredictable force that could come as a tidal wave crushing all that you took for granted. You could never know where it would take you, it twists and turns, burns and cools, advances and retreats leaving you with nothing but Questions and doubts. And it could come from the last place you would ever expect.

Quintilius looked up at Teeboppity who responded with a passionate, but sad look, the amulet around her neck shone like an everlasting sign of warning. An image of a little gnome girl, giggling happily, flickered in his mind. She quietly shushed as Quintilius grunted in pain as she tightened the bandage around his waist. He was Forsaken thus pain usually was but a dull memory in the back of his head, but the fight with Húör had taken a considerable toll.

The images of the encounter flashed before his eyes. The one elf he had come to care about had stood before him, madness twinkling in his eyes. The deep crimson glare from the lava had given him a truly omnious look. Húör had shouted mad accusations of betrayal at him, though knowing his mind was twisted with insanity his words made Quintilius falter.

Betrayal? Though clearly not in the way Húör was barking about, Quintilius couldn't help but wonder if he perhaps was right. His best frind, Húör, had been attacked by Exiles and that cursed witch Vainia had ripped his eye out for some personal sinister purpose, which had made Quinitlius' hatred for the Exiles personal. But behind him Teeboppity stood, a reminder of what should not be, but was. His love for her burned within him, but how could he love one of them and still unblinkingly face his old friend who's hatred for the very same ones had plunged him into madness and despair? Did he in fact betray Húör, and not only him but the Theatre as well?

Húör lept forward, daggers reflecting the promise of swift death boiling beneath them.

Quintilius bared his teeth in frustration and lifted his sword.

Behind him Teeboppity whimpered, and a twang of guilt momentarily struck him. And was he being fair with Teeboppity? He knew how much she had sacrificed for him, what she had gone through to be with him. The little cute gnome girl that had forsaken everything to be with him, the very idea still strugling to not being thrown away as impossible. Could he still do as the Theatre demanded and be an ememy of the Exiles? She still had friends back there, could he really just shrug that off and continue to do his duty as a Theatre boy?

Love and hate was dancing a delicate dance and both were trying to lead. Soon someone was going to get his toes stepped on.

Tebboppity had screamed as Quintilius had tripped and fallen over the ledge, now barely hanging on, his grip slowly slipping from the edge. Húör giggled manicly and danced towards Quintilius, then it happened.

"Q-Quin?"

He had seen it. The glint of sanity and bewilderment in his eyes. It was not yet lost. Quintilius laughed and he kept laughing as Húör turned and ran.

@--->-----

Quintilius winced again and Teeboppity tut tut'ed. He had to find Húör again, but first, he thought, perhaps it was time to pay a little visit to Vainia again...and..

"Teeboppity! Fetch me some ink and paper.. i think I will write a little letter to the beloved Exiles, " Quintilius grinned.

((posted by Vania))

In Exile...

Not speaking much with people.
I have volunteered yet again to the Warsong campain. This time, I fight on the other side - the payment is better and it is better organized.

I still wonder what people are doing. I met Lorne and Liontooth, who promised santuary. Now I must find Emanee and Noctus. I am going to need thier help to remove this dark curse... Maybe the answer lies far away. I shall look into that,

But first,.... I need to get rid of this eye.

The witch raises her head?
A mistake on your part, this ends soon, I'm coming for you...
Greywolves, do not attempt hide this one, she belongs to ME!





"Now I know where she has been hiding, It's only a matter of time..."
"She's mine, back off..."
"We have discussed this, Húör"
"I weren't listenin'..."
"You are an oaf"
"Bugger off"

***

Teeboppity shivered, partly from the cold wind blasting her relentlessly on the long flight from Grom'gol to the Searing Gorge, and partly in fear. She cursed inwardly at herself. Why had she insisted she'd come? It all started when she met Adra in Ogrimmar after spending a delightful afternoon with Quintilius.

The Paladins innocent question when exactly Quintilius was going to face off with Húör later that night had suprised and shocked her. How could Quintilius not have told her? Teeboppity whinced as she remembered the row that had followed. She felt an even bigger stab of heartache for badgering Quintilius into taking her along.

And now what? The only thing that made her follow Quintilius now was stupid, stubborn pride. What could she do against someone like Húör? She whinced as she tought of the damage he did to her last time. He could easily have killed her... and yet...

He hadn't...

He had stood there, ready for the killing blow. Teeboppity had lain there, terrified to death, beaten and bruised, half expecting to die. And then Húör had vanished. Teeboppity smiled a wry smile as her Wind Rider reared on it's final approach to Kargath.

Maybe it was not too late...

The inside of Black Rock Depth scared and awed Teeboppity. The searing heat made her skin flake and the bruises on her face contract and ache. The swirling motes of ash stung her eyes as she slowly followed Quintilius into the eerily glowing maw of the Dwarven stronghold.

At the end of the winding corridor Quintilius half turned to her and snarled. "Stay back!" he warned her. Teeboppity shrunk in on herself and cursed her own stupid pride. Why in the name the Nether had she come? She watched Quintilius stalk into the glowing depths, then followed...

:::::::: Later that night :::::::::

Fire. Metal on Metal. Blades sparking on impact. Armor ripping. Mad laughter and desperate pleas. Screams. A lot of screams. Fear. A stumble. A fall. A last grasp. And then confusion.

Her mind was a mad tumble of impressions and conflicting thought. Had she really screamed that much? She had felt so helpless as she watched the battle between Húör and Quintilius. She had pleaded with Húör, begging him to let them help him, but he had ignored it. Her heart had frozen when Quintlius had stumbled and had hung there above the glowing mass oflava, completely at Húör's mercy. She had been ready to throw herself between the two, when Húör had wavered. The inner conflict in the poor mad Blood Elf had outed itself in a shouted discussion. And then he had ran. Vanished again. But one thing had been clear, even as she had run up to pull Quintilius back to safety.

There was still hope...

Teeboppity sighed, prepared another bandage and gently rubbed the soothing ointment on Quintilius's back. Quintilius stoic silence was something she was willing to bear for now. He had been through a lot. She just fussed and tutted as Quintilius grunted and applied the bandage with skilled hands. Carefully crossing the bandages for added support Teeboppity smiled inwardly. "Just like I've done so many times for myself..." she thought as she tightened the last bandage and admired her handywork. "Right out of the Advanced Warriors Handbook. Doctor VanHowzen would have been proud..." she added to herself. Quintilius startled her as he suddenly jumped up.

"Teeboppity! Fetch me some ink and paper.. i think I will write a little letter to the beloved Exiles, " Quintilius grinned.

A letter arrives...

Aioo reads it carefully.. It is from Vainia. It is short and in strange letters, as the language has been forgotten.

".. get rid of the eye.."

Aioo chews some more red weed. There she is. Aioo looks at the undead warlock sitting on the roof in Orgrimmar. She was talking to Quint the day before and she has the connections. "Can you give this message to this one eyed Blood Elven rogue. Vainia is on the move and he is in great danger"...

"There she is" a deep voice was saying .. loud and clear... Two big shadows stood behind Aioo.. "Can we speak in Private" the biggest Tauren asked kindly, but straight and no way you could avoid it.

"Greetingss, I am Aioo, the oracle of the SSerpentss of SSen'in, How can I help you... Yess, if you sseek out my visionss"

The smaller tauren - still big as a boulder - did not ay much, just "Follow" and they started heading towards a more quiet part of Orgrimmar.

"Yes..sit down by the fire."

Aioo roasts some weed and mixes it with a reddish oily liquid. "SSnake venom it iss, but dont worry". She puts some in her mouth and asks the two Taurens to join.

"Do you know what this is" one Tauren asks and gives Aioo an eye. Aioo frowns... Looks at it with a hidden horror and returns it fast back to the Tauren.

"I dont want it. it iss evil.. it has a bad pressence"

Aioo's eyes turns white and she falls down start talking nonsense....


"If you desssstroy the eye, you loosse both the blood elv and the night elv."
"And if you return the eye to the owner, the ssssanity of the night elv will be long lossst.. forever."

"The answers lies within SSilvermoon at night and the most hidden placesss in the outlandss. You sshould sseek out the divine sspiritss in Darnasssuss, Thosse worsshipping Elune, as they may know the key which I dont..."

White and red spit comes out of Aioo 's mouth. Her eyes opens slowly.

"What happened"..

"Did you get anything. I rarely have so clean vision, but cannot remember what I saw..."

The Taurens looks satisfied yet confused. "Yes... Thank you"

"Watsch out for that eye ..it... It iss evil... and it bringss bad luck"

Aioo walks away.

With this new knowledge Lorne and Liontooth decided to set out and find a way to "destroy" the eye without harming the two elves.

Hell.

If there was a place on Azeroth that fit that description, this was it. The crimson licking flame, heat, shadow, reptiles, roar of infernal machinery: Two-Smile smiled.

The Forsaken guards fanned out, scanning the perimeter, whilst a Zeb'nowa trollkin sniffed out the quarry, held on a leash by a cheroot-smoking goblin.

A cry.

"Boss! Boss, we got 'im!"

The trollkin yipped, straining at his chains. Madness flashed from his feral features, his demented face squashed and melted with excitement.

"Good boy... GOOD BOY" crooned the goblin, throwing a severed hand to the beast.

"Got the scent o' that biatch and her madness, boss. Got the fel scent 'n' all... nothing picks up the taint like a trained trollkin. They were here all right. Two..."

The trollkin yapped, running towards a huge iron chain.

"Sin'dorei... Forsaken... wait, two Forsaken... something else though..."

The trollkin snarled, squealed, and backed up, animal fear making its hairs stand on end.

Two-Smile stepped past, cuffing it away, lighting his cigar and ramming it between wicked, curved gold tusks.

"Time to go to work boyz...We got us demons and Old Gods ter 'unt. Bring out the medicine man... time to spear us a spirit..."

The plate-clad Human warrior crept his way down the tunnels, his back arched forward to allow him to see further into the darkness.
He had been preparing to enter the Dwarven fortress, great treasures the Dark Iron Dwarves had hidden deep within, long lost items pulled from the mountain itself, and all the treasure that their Emperor has amassed over the years. This rookie had planned to take it all for himself, and felt that on his own he could brave whatever dangers this place would throw at him. That's when he hear the shouting, and made his way down towards it.
As was the nature of these young heroes, it was kill first and not bother with the questions afterwards, and if there was someone distracted down in the tunnels, as was also the preferred time to attack their prey, he wouldn't pass up the chance to loot their corpses!

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he stopped and listened...



"I aint' forgotten, have you seen my bloody face? How could I..."
"Then what was THAT all about?"
"I told you already..."
"You were up mixing with them, have you listened to nothing I have said? They'll stab you in the back, throw you to your enemies!"
"They wouldn't, I know it, YOU don't know anythin' "
"I know everything, Húör, why don't you trust me? Who helped you when you were lost and alone as a child? ME! It was ME who told you where to go, what to do... without me you'd have died in the gutter long ago"
"I never asked you to come back"
"I come when I am needed, when you can't sort it out yourself"
"I have friends now... you're trying to turn me against them, them against me"
*insane laughter* "Friends!! Listen to you! You have been poisoned, poisoned with this notion of friendship! How have we survived before? ON OUR OWN! YOU AND ME! THE WAY IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN!! What friends helped you? Where were they when SHE did this to you, to us?"
"They didn't know... I..."
"They don't care, Húör. I care... now... let's deal with him"
"What about 'im? Leave 'im be..."
"I think not..."

Something swept past the warrior, the flash of a cloak, it took the warrior a few moments before he realised he had been stabbed. In less than a minute, he died an agonising death as the deadly poison ran through his veins.



*Many years ago, in the streets of Silvermoon City*

The young Sin'Dorei, a child, hid behind a stack of crates in the Bazaar. On the other side, an angry trader ran back and forth, swearing as he went.
"You thief! When I find you, you'll wish you were dead!"

The child wrapped his arms around his legs, which were pressed close to his chest.
He had just taken an apple, the pain in his stomach had become unbearable, and he knew if he didn't eat something soon, he was going to die. Now, he feared that might be the case, anyway.

A crate came toppling down, on the other side, the trader started down at the boy, his fists and teeth clenched in anger. Grabbing the boy by the scruff, he tossed him into an alley, and pulled a blackjack from his back pocket.

"You dirty rotten little thief! I've had enough of you and your bastard friends! I'll send a message to all of you, steal from me, and this is what you get!!"

Húör, still on the ground, pushed himself further into the alley, the trader walking menacingly after him.
"Help! Help me!"

"Ha, noone is going to help YOU! The scum of Azeroth, you are, noone cares! Watch and see you dirty little wretch, watch and see who cares what I do to you!"

The boy curled up again, his eyes wide with terror, twitching.

Raising his arm high above his head, the trader prepared to beat the thief, intending to cripple the boy.

Suddenly, Húör leapt behind a nearby barrel.
"Boy, come out from there! Come and get what's coming to you!"
A sound could be heard from behind, quiet at first, then louder and louder, the sound of a child laughing.
"WHAT'S FUNNY BOY!!? I'LL BEAT THAT LAUGHTER OUT OF YOU!!"
Charging forward, the trader toppled the barrel and swung his weapon, hitting nothing but air.
Again, from behind, the sound of laugher could be heard, and then the voice,
"You are mean... I don't like that..."
"You what? You stinking little urchin! Where are you?"
And again, more laugher, this time from above. He glanced up, to see the boy staring down at him, and then he jumped, brandishing a steel bar, and cracked the trader over the skull.
He fell to the ground, throwing his hand to his forehead,
"Argh! You SCUM!! I'll kill you!"
He heard footsteps coming towards him, and looked up just in time to see the steel bar coming towards him again, smashing between his eyes.

Looking down at the trader, with lifeless eyes, as a pool of blood flowed from the wound in his head. Húör shook his head violently, and his eyes returned back to normal, he looked upon what he had done, and backed away, whimpering.

A figure stepped from the shadows behind, dirty, dressed in torn garments, and grabbed Húör by the shoulders.
"Come with me, child." Terrified, Húör did as he was told, and followed the Elf away.

Again, the voice was heard arguing with itself deep down in the furnace of the mountain, a figure crouched over the deceased body of a Human warrior...

"Why do ya' do that? It's sick..."

"I find it very interesting. It's like an art"

"Right..."

"Why do you act so? You are no angel, Húör, you've done your fair share of twisted deeds. I had you moulded perfectly, you were doing so well, I was about to leave for good"

"Go ahead, I aint' stoppin' ya'"

"If I go now, you'll go back to what you used to be before I showed up, a whining mess, and..."

Húör's right arm suddenly drops the blade and makes a grab for his own neck, the left grabbing at the wrist of the other.

"Sneaky Húör... I'm in control here."

"I aint' a child anymore... I'm stronger than you now..."

Húör's two hands clench around one another, the knuckles turning white...

"You're still a fool, Húör. Stop fighting me, you know you can't win this. I'll take everything you hold so dear, and rip them to shreds..."

"Came to help, did ya'? You always were bad at lying..."

"Well, I've been thinking I might stay for longer than I first intended..." *cackle*

"I aint' gonna make it easy, Súrion"

((http://skepdic.com/mpd.html))

It was a hug that made the differance..

Emanee hadnt been to Astranaar for some time, but a longing inside her to visit the place that she once held so dear tugged at her heart, and with nothing better to do than fish she packed her rod into her rucksack and caught a gryphon.

Upon arrival the entire area seemed deserted and so she carefully walked to the outskirts of the town looking out for any signs of intrustion, she nodded to the Sentinels as she passed over the river, taking her favourite spot by the lake she began to fish.

Her fishing was interupted by a gasp and the swoosh of an arrow flying just over her head. Sighing at the interuption and probable danger that once more she had found herself in she turned around to see a most familiar face of a huntress and her pet... but something was very very wrong indeed.

"Vaina?! Emanee exclaimed, at first rushing towards her friend to offer a hug, then remembering Hiddenshadows words of warning stopping just short of striking distance. The huntress nodded, but when she spoke it was in a tongue that Emanee could not understand, a nightelf approached the pair and asked Emanee if she was okay with the huntress, and to be careful with her... throwing caution out for the fish to catch Emanee smiled at the familar/not familar face of Vainia and gave her a small hug, whether she understood her or not it was still Vaina afterall and Emanee was not yet dead.

Vainia motioned for Emanee to follow her towards Astranaar, but as she wandered over the river into the village the Sentinels attacked Vaina and no word of calm from Emanee could stop this from happening. At this point Vainia fled, Em tried to follow but the huntress was too quick for her, all she could hear were sobs coming from a bush.

Peering closer into the bush she realised it was Vainia sobbing, hugging Icemoon. Drawing closer Emanee felt a pang of sadness as her friend backed away from the hand Emanee offered.

"Why did you attack me?" Vainia asked. Emanee gasped as she realised her friend was talking Darnassian to her rather than the strange tongue she had earlier been using. Remembering the Darnassian that Noctus had taught her one evening in Moonglade Emanee explained to her friend that she wasn't attacking her- simply trying to stop the guards and try protect her friend.

'What's going on?' Emanee asked, shocked by the turn of events 'Why were they attacking you?'

Vainia simply sighed sadly as though the entire of Azeroth and the Outland were weighing heavily on her shoulders.

'The eye... I need to get rid of the eye'

Emanee pondered whilst gazing upon the patch covering Vainia's eye.... where could she find somewhere to help get rid of the eye? She had heard whispers of techniques that Algorath or Kafira had suggested from Gemanea and to be honest they sounded like they would also involve destroying Vainia.

'Where are all the priests, surely they could help... but I need a powerful one? Kersher? Elloa?' she pondered aloud to herself.

Emanee and Vainia sat in Shattrah, Emanee carefully watching Vainia for any signs of mad behaviour, ready to use her best druid magic to try restore her if she seemed to be faltering.

After convincing Vainia to try enter Astranaar once more (and the Sentinels this time did not attack her), the pair began travelling to Karazhan, Emanee herself having seen a great many powerful priests outside the building, and perhaps wondering if she would see Kersher outside there. She was slightly taken aback as Vainia proceeeded to announce in the centre of Astranaar in front of a sentinel that she had attacked and killed a Dranei on the way to Ashenvale, and more that she had laughed at the corpse though Vainia herself seemed confussed by her actions.. Emanee vowwed to find herself some better armour if she were to continue to try help her friend recover.

However as they approached the flightmaster in Menethil Harbour Vainia motioned for Emanee to stop. She thought that perhaps entering Karazhan she could find some item of use to help remove the eye... but of course everyone knows that the path to Karazhan is never easy.

Parting company in Shattrah, Vaina headed to Auchidon to the Shadow Labyrinth, Emanee to Allerian Stronghold to do some more fishing. Emanee really hoped that her friend could hold herself together long enough to try find a cure that didnt involve more body parts.

It was much later when Emanee finally checked her mailbox in Shattrah for the disturbing mail from Quelor.

Emanee awoke screaming, with tears pouring down her face. She noticed Validus sat in the corner of the room, as she cast a concerning glance over the druid before leaving to allow Emanee to dress in peace.

The nightmares had been frenzied, images of Quelor and small footprints of blood, of the horde and glittering cities with slimy slave infested underbellies, of blood on Emanee's hands on her gloves on her face.

What is happening to me? Emanee wondered. Dressing herself quickly she ran to the inn and purchasing some more parchment wrote a frenzied letter to Quelor, asking him if he could meet her as soon as possible.

Am I in too deep she wondered to herself willing Quelor to check his mail as soon as possible.

Húör stumbled across the burning plains, in the direction of Thorium Point. The Dwarves there were neutral, they took no sides, but perhaps they would pass along a letter.

He hoped, because recent events had caused him to spring into action.
He wasn't sure how long he could hold him down, he felt him pushing his way back up even now, but he had to get word out to the Theatre...

As he leapt across a thin part of the canyon, he begun to speak to himself again.

"Where are you going, Húör?"
"Shut up..."
"It won't work, you know. They won't do anything"
"You won't get it back, Súrion... I'll make sure of it"
"This will be a most amusing spectacle..."

Adra sat in the Silvermoon Inn, and flashed back to recent happenings.

-A few days ago.-

As he was browsing the goods at the auction house, her heard a familiar voice shouting over orgrimmar. Although his Orcish wasn't one of the very best yet, he made up something like: "I'm going to get you, Huor!" He had recognised the voice as Quintilius, and raced outside to find him.

I'm not going to let anyone die without a darn good reason. As far as I know Huor needs help rather than a beating.

Once outside he did not see Quintilius, But Teeboppity.. He was surprised at her not knowing anything about it, then he had raced further to find Quint, without succes.

-Later.-

Walking through the portal in Shattrath, he found himself back in Orgrimmar, and when he walked outside he saw two taurens and a troll. He recognised one of the taurens as Liontooth, and he went closer to greet him. When he had come closer the other tauren turned around and had quite unsophisticated asked him to leave. He had seen enough tough, an eye had been showed.

Pondering this, Adra walked out of the Inn, and made a decision.

This is getting out of hand. Someone needs to intervene here. Divine intervention? I guess not. I know one thing for sure though, No-one's going to die over this, if I can help it. But how can I help? I can keep people from dieing, such as with Teeboppity, but this will keep on going... unless the source is taken on. Surely Huor needs help. Off to blackrock mountain then, if the reports were correct. I better take some water with me.

"Thank you Luffay. You are dismissed."

Luffay away from Hiddenshadow with a big grin on his face. This was sure to get him more respect throughout the Guild. As he head Hiddenshadow finish off yet another Fel Reaver behind him, Luffay thought of how Vainia's state of mind was at the moment. He would be sure to check how much gold she had in her bank account after she was dead.

Luffay reached the Honor Hold inn, and waved to the bartender as he walked up the stairs. He walked into his room and collapsed onto his chair. He closed his eyes as his fingers rubbed them and woke up looking in the mirror. But he wasn't looking at a reflection of himself...well, something that looked alot like him. It was Luffay, but all dressed in black, with his hair dyed the same colour. His eyes were covered by his strewn down hair.

The figure inside the mirror suddenly leaped out at Luffay. Luffay fell back on his chair and landed on his head. He fell unconscious in the middle of his room.

Blackness...a tall figure standing with his back towards Luffay. Wearing red with two swords at his waist. He stood very upright and with such grace. "Wha-? Turn around!!" shouted Luffay. The figure remained still. "I said TURN AROUND!!!" The figure now jerked his head up. "oh.." Luffay's voice started to leave him. The figures long hair started moving, as his whole head started turning to look at Luffay. It was hard to see at first, the total blackness had covered the whole figures head. But, Luffay knew what was wrong with this picture...the person only had one eye.

Sitting at the highest point in Honor Hold, was a Black cat.

Shika sighed.
It was all too confusing, first the two hordes fighting eachother, not with the force and grace at which duelers fough, those two had ripped at eachother with such hatred Shika could hardly keep watching.

Second, the Nightelf coming to her, she had asked Shika if she knew any good preistess of Darnassus. Shika knew one good priest, but her powers were not holy. Shika, curious, had questioned the elf further, and managed to find out that the Elf needed a "curse" curing. It would be a simple task for Shika, she would cure her own curses cast on her by enimies with practised ease on a daily basis. But the Elf continued to talk in halting common, as if she was in pain. She had said the she needed a cure for "An insanity curse".

Shika thought back, long ago..

She had been taught by her own father, an expert alchemist, a special ( And very secret ) Cure. He had said there might come a time for her to use it. Shika had vowed to keep it secret forever. Then her twin sister had been corrupted and possessed by a fellow druid. Simply killing the other druid would result in the instant death of her sister, so Shika had used the secret cure to try and help her sister.

It failed.

Her sister was killed by the druid and her sister when she had lost her usefulnes.

Now Shika, sitting thoughfully on the edge of Honor Hold, remembered the Cure. The Elf was obviously in desperate need of it, and at least it woulds give Shika a chance to save a life where she had failed to do so in the past.

Suddenly Shika stopped in her thoughts, The Elf had not immediately told Shika her name, so Shika asked. Shika gasped when she had told her, for this was a woman she greatly respected, if not had the chance previously to speak to her. She always wore the finest shining amour.

The Elf's name, was Vainia.

Luffay awoke from his slumber. "Geez man, you drink like this all the time?" The short, stout barkeep was standing over Luffay with his closed fists set firmly on his hips. "Get up, you're stay is over. I have another guy coming in shortly, I don't expect him to sleep with a mage asleep on the floor."

Luffay was soon dressed and out walking through Stormwind. He tried to recall the events the night before. And more importantly, the dream. "I think I'm getting too deep into this. Maybe I better inform Hiddenshadow before anything else happens to me."

".....Luff.....ffay" Luffay heard a voice in the wind. His heart started beating as the voice entered his ears with a pulsating movement. "You want that power, right?" Luffay sat down on a nearby wall, away from spectators. He grasped his ears and closed his eyes, to try make the consisting voice stop

"You can have it..." Luffay felt the voice get louder and more near. "SHUT UP!!" The voice kept persisting. "I can give it to you...." Luffay tried to hold the voice back. "But you have to give ME something..."

Luffay stood up and started shaking his whole upper body. "GET AWAY!!!"

"All the power, all the glory, all the respect from Hiddenshadow, and the rest. Power Luffay. POWER!!!" Luffay collapsed to the ground and breathed hard. He decided to let the voice finish.

"You must give me it!" Luffay tightened his eyes for one last desperate attempt to hold back the urge to obey. "....THE EYE!!" Luffay opened his eyes, that were now bloodshot. He stretched his mouth into a smile and stood up. "Vainia"

Luffay accessed the mind link and asked to meet up with Vainia in Stormwind. Seems like she was already on her way. "Yeah, sure Luffay. I must speak with all of you, on account of...everything really. I'll be there in five minutes."
"Excellent Vainia!" Luffay was now acting like he was still her friend. With complete malice within Luffay's heart, he waited by the fountain.

Ten minutes later, a few people showed up. Vainia, Algorath, Hiddenshadow, Bippy and a newcomer to the guild, who Luffay had not the pleasure of getting to know. Luffay started.

"So, Vainia, how do you feel?"
"Pretty good Luffay, thanks. I'm starting to get a little better."
Hiddenshadow stepped in.
"Indeed, we must find a way to get rid of Vainia's possession, permanently." Luffay talked again.
"Yes, and the only way to do that, is to kill every Horde who was connected to that Eye." Hiddenshadow turned his head sharply to Luffay. "Kill? You drooling idiot, not everything has to involve killing."
Vainia began again
"Yes, all we have to do, is get a few Priestesses of Elune to perform a ritual.
"A RITUAL?!" shouted Luffay "Are you crazy!? This is an Eye. Just because it has some control over Vainia, does not mean we can simply just perform a dance with a few naked Night Elves..."
"Naked?" Asked Vainia.
"...and call upon a god to rid us of it. That Eye only exists by Húör. We simply have to hunt down Húör and kill him."
Hiddenshadow stroked his beard. "Hmm, I don't know." Vainia looked at Luffay with a confused look.
"You've got it all wrong Luffay. That Eye has become something else." Something hit Luffay, like a smack in the face.
"Where is it?" Inquired Luffay. "It's safe." Vainia simply said.

"WHERE IS IT?!" Luffay raised his voice at Vainia. It seemed now the voice Luffay heard earlier was becoming to grasp him tighter.
"Keep your voice down Luffay. You must never raise your voice to your superior! Especially since what Vainia has been through." Hiddenshadow glared at Luffay with pure hatred.
"You're right...I'm sorry." Luffay calmed down, and felt the grasp getting tighter and tighter every second.
"It's no problem Luffay. The Eye is safe with the Greywolf tribe."

"...What? Are you joking?" Luffay refused to believe Vainia's words.
"No joke Luffay. They have it safe in Thunder Bluff. You see- when I was cast away from the gates of Stormwind, Thunder Bluff happily let me into their home to take care of me. I can't find a better place."
"So, let me get this straight. The Eye who you're trying to keep away from the Horde...you've GIVEN to the Horde." Luffay's voice rose higher and higher.
"Luffay, it's not like that. The Greywolf are different. The Exiles are friends with them."

"You haven't changed at all Vainia!" Luffay now stood up. "You gave the Eye straight back to Húör. If you are actually friends with the Greywolf, then I expect it wouldn't be a problem for you to take back the Eye, would it? I want that Eye Vainia! You have twenty-four hours!"

Luffay stormed away, with the voice riding along side him.

((interlude from Huor))

"Vainia, you wanted to see what evil drove Húör... well you found it. And now, it seems I'm the one trying to find you... funny, that."


"I am what I am, Vainia, but you have no idea who you have unleashed here. You thought I was bad? I was only what he carved me into..."

***

Night had come to Thunder Bluff and so had Quintilius.

Beside him Ordin Shadowsong, a friend from the Theatre, whirred and clicked. His one metallic arm slowly rose and pointed across the small opening between the tauren huts.
"Over there..." His voice sounded as stones gnashing. Quintilius walked in the direction Ordin had pointed, within him rage and dissapointment fought for dominance.

Had Adra's words been true? Could it just be a misunderstanding? One thing is that Lorne and Liontooth would have dealings with that foul voodoo witch Aioo, but if it was true that Adra had seen them huddled over something that looked like an eye.. Quintilius deared not think aloud the implications.
He set up the pace.

Two great, bulky silhouettes turned as Quintilius approached them. Quintilius stopped and there was a moment of ever lasting silence, then a deep rumbling voice broke through.

"Quintilius, friend. Good to see you! What brings you to the Bluff?" Lorne said. Quintilius thought he could pick out just the tiniest waver in his voice, he frowned.
"Well, I've come to the.. Bluff because I am curious," the two taurens smiled, but Quintilius noticed the ever so small look momentarily shared between them.

"You see.. This Theatre boy comes up to me.. Adra.. and he tells me something.. He says he saw you two speaking with a troll.. Now I don't really consider that to be any intersting at all.. until Adra the good boy describes to troll of whom you spoke to... It is about now my curiousity is aroused you see, because of what I gather that troll was Aioo. Now we all know that nothing good comes from being around that snake vomiting voodoo hag and according to a certain letter I got to read I think she is very much a part of this whole Eye business. Ah! but the what really peaked my curiousity was that Adra apparently saw you holding up something that had a striking resemblance to an eye.." Quintilius smiled calmly.

"Now, as I see it no one considering themselves a friend of mine would withold such vital information as to where the Eye could be, so.." Quintilius stared at the two taurens intently.

"I am going to ask you this once, as a friend, do you have the eye, or know where it is?" The following silence could have ground stones to dust. If Mulgore had had tumbleweeds, they would have showed up in force. Lorne shifted.
"You know what, I'll let you think upon your answer. I will take a little walk and when i come back I am sure you will have something to say," Quintilius turned to leave.
"We know." Lornes voice rumbling like an avalanche. Liontooth stared at him baffled.
"Ah!" Quintilius slowly turned. "and would you be willing to share the knowledge?" Lorne frowned, his forehead turning into massive furrows.
"And what would you do with the eye?" he asked.
"Well, figure out the eyes connection with Húörs ailment then try to fix it, I guess," Quinitlius smiled.
"and what of Vainia?"
"What about her?"
"Will you try to cure her as well?" Lorne narrowed his eyes.

Quintilius considered this, then turned to Teeboppity, who had followed him here. Her beauty still made him blink in awe.

"Tee, would I try to cure Vainia as well?" Quintilius showed no emotion.
"I..I think you would," Quintilius looked at her deeply then slowly nodded, turning back to Lorne.
"Then I will try to cure Vainia as well," Lorne arched a bushy eyebrow and seemed to consider the situation.

"For the best of both parts, I will not reveal the location of the eye. As some others may, I do not wish to see harm come to the Exiles from this and we Greywolves are not involved directly, as you are, and may help in ways you cannot."

Quintilius' smile vanished.

"So I ask you Quintilius, to trust us. Because I promise you that we wish the best to both parts and will do our best to fix this problem. Let us handle this now, you have done enough." Quintilius' clenched hands shook and under the brim of his hat two eyes flared wildly. Teeboppity softly laid a hand on Quintilius' shoulder.
"I think we can trust them. They took good care of me here and did everything they promised you. You did what you could, let them handle it now." He could not believe what was happening, his mind was a blinding sun of rage, then he spoke in voice like red hot steel.

"I am not so sure about that..." then he turned and walked away.

(( interlude ))

A rickety old wagon approaches the Darkmoon Faire in Mulgore. The spices and breeze mask the ever-present stench of dung and mouldy hay lingering over the Tauren city nearby.

A single troll steps down between the mangy mules pulling the contraption. He throws back rotting canvas across peeling, once-colourful paint. Stencilled over the sides of the vehicle are the words: Sen'jin Bob, Him Sorts Tha Bad Voodoo!

*mutters* "Me gets dem fo'l dung-men, all shiny shiny no brainy. Hehe. Yuss siree, ol'Bob guts tuh make 'is fah'chune here, mon. Not like dem other place, no sir, no more crowds foh runnin' out Sen'jin Bawbb!"

He rubs at bruises and scratches which seem to be healing. Taking a swig of some nameless liquid in a dark grog bottle, he makes towards the guards at the fairground.

*mutters to self* "Now, me gets t' biz. 'ey, meesta," he cries at a goblin, "any dem fellas 'ere got deh bad voodoo, spirit possess'shun, got deh Bad Eye, Evil Eye...?"

Another night, another string of nightmares. Pulling on her robe Emanee decided that late night fishing was preferable to late night screaming and began to fly to Allerian Stronghold.

But even as she tried to fish the visions still encroached on her mind, the trees around her began to drip with blood, the river appeared barren with only the corpses of hundreds of Darter and Rockscale cod.

"WHAT'S GOING ON! STOP IT!" she screamed.

She still had no word from Quelor and had seen nothing of Vainia, only whispers that the exiles were trying to cure her.

Confussed and frightened she ran into the Stonghold, pulling the Darnassian gin from Vaina out of her backpack she took comfort in large swigs and the world began to fade away.

-Last night, Orgrimmar-

"You sure of that Adra?" Quintilius asked.

"Yea, I'm pretty much sure. I'm not saying it's the eye we're looking for, But exactly how many people show eyes to Aioo?" Adra replied.

"You made your point. I'll travel to the bluff in a while then, first I need to finish some business here."

"aight, glad I could help" said Adra, and he saluted.

-Last night, thunder Bluff-

Something had made Adra go to the Bluff.. He asked a guard if he had seen Liontooth, and was directed to a house. Typically, there was no door, so Adra just shouted Liontooth's name into the.. "house". Liontooth was quick to reply, and moments later they stood facing each other.

"How can I help?" had Liontooth asked.

"Well, let's see. Yesterday, you were in Orgrimmar, with Lorne. I was listening until Lorne "removed" me, but I saw enough. I saw an eye. Tell me.. it's Huor's eye, ain't it?"

"I, err.. I don't know what you're talking about.."

"Don't play games. When I described the troll to Quint, he told me it was one named Aioo.. funny enough, it is the same troll vainia appeared to have visited before she took huors eye.."

"What? You told quint? not good, not good!"

"does it matter?"

"Of course it does! Listen, if the eye is destroyed, both die. If huor gets the eye, Vainia will be insane forever. Quint will probably don't care a bit for Vainia, and might try to take it.. Lorne and me want to save both!"

*gasp* "err. right. Hmm.I agree on the bit that Quint won't care for Vainia, and I might add to it the rest of the theatre won't care as well, excluding me, of course."

"of course?"

"well, yea, I'm a paladin, not some blood knight.. I thought you'd know. No matter, Quint will be coming soon. Go find Lorne, I'll take my leave. It might be to our advantage that they don't know I'm on your side."

And Adra ran away.

Now, he walked the streets of Silvermoon once again, lost in thought.

Liontooth said it might take ages before they found a cure to both.. As far as I know Huor is still killing innocent people down in the mountain.. Time to dust off those old shackles and get some back up. Huor needs to be taken somewhere where he can be of no harm to others and himself.

Adra dropped his backpack from his shoulders, his arm held out to protect his face from the burning winds. He peered high at the huge iron gates, the entrance into the dwarven fortress below.
Blackrock Mountain.
This is where they said he would be, and the paladin, as was his nature, intended to lend his aid to the deranged Elf, however possible. Replacing his pack onto his shoulder, he proceeded into the mountain.

The cloaked figure watched intently as Adra edged his way down the entrance tunnel, stalking him as he moved further into the depths.

"Húör?" Adra yelled out, looking out over the burning chasm.
There was no reply, so he made his way towards the huge chain, the only way it was possible to cross the hellish gap.
He pulled himself up, and started to make his way across, when he was startled by a shout.

"Who is asking?" came the yell, from nowhere.
"It's Adra. Húör?"
"What do you want?", Húör stared down on the paladin from up on high, a wicked grin on his face.
"They told me I'd find you here. I've come to help"

Cackling, Húör leapt down into view in front of him.
"Come come! Alright.... close enough!"
Adra stopped moving forward, and looked on Húör. He looked as he had always looked, wrapped in leather, his daggers strapped to his sides, everything but the patch which now covered his scarred face.

"Little out of your element down here, no?" said Húör loudly to be heard over rumbles and explosions way down below.

Ignoring the last comment, Adra spoke up, sweating from the immense heat and the effect it had on him encased in his plate armour.
"I've been hearing stories. People being killed at random, mutilated, I've been hearing about Quintilius, too"

"Is that so?" Húör shrugged uncaringly, dusting some ash from his shoulder, "This fortress is filled with treasures, adventurers from all walks of life filter through here daily. Many, many die here all the time. I know what you're thinking. Am I to get blamed for this?", the smirk still planted firmly on his face.
"You all seem to think something is terribly wrong here. It's all a big mistake..."

"So what about the letters? The letters sent to the Theatre, from you, apparantley. Asking for help. Who is Súrion?"

"Súrion? Never heard of him."

Adra inspected Húör, and the sense that something was extremely out of balance hung in the air.

"Húör, I've come to take you with me. I've come to take you to Thunder Bluff, where we can help you."

"I don't need any help, but, if you insist... Give me a moment to collect myself?"

"Of course..." Adra turned away and waited.

[Húör and Adra talk above the furnace.] ((See that little red dot in the background? That's ROGUILD. That's what you get for being a piece of crap bunch of ganking OOC tards, you're all KoS))
https://2img.net/h/i157.photobucket.com/albums/t68/conallmcgill/HuorVsAdra.jpg


"YOU LITTLE FOOL!! AGAIN, YOU TRY TO TRICK ME INTO ONE OF YOUR TRAPS!!"

Adra quickly drew his blade and spun around, seeing nothing , "Húör?! Where are you?"

"Húör isn't here right now..."

Insane laughter echoed around the caverns, Adra spun around trying to place his position.

"So you're Súrion. I knew it... You must come with me, It's for your own good, I don't want to hurt you."

"YOU?! HURT ME?!! YOU ARE SO SORELY MISTAKEN, LITTLE PALADIN!"

With a huge crash that shook the whole chain, Súrion leapt down. Adra looked on the kneeling figure, now cloaked in dark robes, embroidered with runes and symbols, who slowly rose to meet his gaze, revealing the face undearneath the cowl.
This figure had an evil aura around him, unrecognisable to Húör's, and as Adra looked at his face, the hideous gaping wound where his right eye should have been became visible, the patch removed.

The deranged Súrion marched towards Adra, forcing him out into the middle of the pit. Adra remembered the stories he had heard, those of Quintilius.

[Súrion prepares to deal with Adra]
https://2img.net/h/i157.photobucket.com/albums/t68/conallmcgill/SurionVsAdra.jpg

Panicking as Súrion got closer and closer, Adra tried to buy himself some time, or talk Húör back around, "Wait! I know where the eye is!"

Súrion paused momentarily, the evil grin dropping from his face, "You what? SPEAK UP!"

"I said... I know where your eye is. You can't get it without me."

"Tell me, boy! Tell me NOW, and I'll make this quick!"

"No! You will come with me, where we can help"

"You know what... I don't need you, anyway!"

Súrion leapt forward and was immediately knocked flying backwards by a blast of holy light. Cursing and scrambling to his feet, he leapt forward again, and there was a clash of blades.
Adra, though learned and noble, was no match for the insane rogue in his current frenzy, for each of his blows landed he was met with three, for each one blocked he was met with more, and his holy spells were brushed off by the madman.

Adra fought bravely, and fell under the rain of blows. Refusing to give up, he summoned forth his strength and blasted Súrion with another bolt of holy magic, which laid him on the ground, stunned.

"Húör, I know you are in there, you must stop this!"

"Húör is DEAD!!!", Súrion sprang up and struck Adra with a deadly blow, which would have killed any lesser being. The paladin clutched at the wound, and dropped to his knees.

[Súrion has Adra at his mercy]
https://2img.net/h/i157.photobucket.com/albums/t68/conallmcgill/FinishingBlow.jpg

Adra looked deep into the glazed eyes of his opponent, his arms wrapped around the wound on his chest, the last of his strength gone, "You are in there somewhere... Fight him, Húör!"

Súrion looked on the paladin with pure malice, and bent down to whisper in his ear,
"He can't hear you..."
With that, he finished it, with a firm kick to the paladin's head, and stood only long enough to see him vanish from sight...

[Into the furnace]
https://2img.net/h/i157.photobucket.com/albums/t68/conallmcgill/SurionVsAdraFinish.jpg



It's time....

Rumour spread that Huor had returned and attended one of the theatres meetings. Liontooth hearing this thought to himself that Adra was sucessful in giving help to Huor.

Liontooth waited around Thunder Bluff for news from Adra but heard nothing. something was wrong.

After a confirming the rumour with certain members of the theatre he decided to set out adn discover what has happened to his "ally"

Liontooth finally arrived at the gorge outside the moutain and without wasting anytime called for his kodo to take him to the mountain. he ran through the large stone doors and began to yell

'ADRA....ADRA WHERE ARE YOU!'
'ADRA IS NOT HERE TAUREN!'

Liontooth peered around the area to find where that dark chilling voice had come from.

'Show yourself!'

with that a dark cloaked figure jumped down in front of Liontooth and began to cackle.

'wh..what the....huor?'
'Of course Tauren...who else would it be? Huor began to cackle once again'
'Huor...where is Adra?...he was supposed to have come here looking for you.'
'Who?....Adra? Huor began to smirk.'

'Your not Huor are you?' Liontooth narrowed his eyes
'Of course i am Tauren...who else would i be?'
'Then i ask again...where is Adra...no more games please.'
'Games?..ah tauren i am afraid i do not know...perhaps you should look elsewhere' *smirked again*
The gorge is dangerous you know...perhaps a dire fate has befallen the paladin.'
'Wait a minute...if you don't know Adra...how did you know he was a paladin?' Liontooth arched his eyebrow.

with this comment Huor vanished and Liontooth quickly readied his weapon in case of a surprise attack.

'TAUREN!' huors voice echoed through the mountain

Liontooth quickly turned his head towards huor now standing on one of the large chains.

'Come closer and speak to me here'

Liontooth ran towards the chain and jumped on top of it nearly losing his balance.

'be careful Tauren the drop can be quite fatal' Huor smirked at this comment and then began to play with a small piece of cloth that looked like it belonged to a tabard.
'where did you get that...that symbol...that was Adras!'
'are you sure it was his?'
'positive i recognised the pattern...where is he!'
'i told you i do not know....try retracing your steps. I found this piece of cloth between two of the links between that chain where you are standing now.'
'where i am stan.....no...please no...don't tell me he fell...or maybe...did you push him?!?'
'i had nothing to do with it.'
'Ok i am growing tired of this one more time...where is Adra!'

Huor continued to smirk and grin at Liontooth.

'alright fine lets try a different approach then.' Liontooth then began to search through his belongings
'by the way...what are you to Adra anyway...what part of this do you come in?'
'funny you should ask that...do you know what this is?' Liontooth pulled out a bundle of silk cloth

Huor peered at the bundle and shruged. Liontooth then removed the cloth to reveal the eye.
'what about now?'

Huors face turned from a smirk to an insane rage.

'THAT IS MINE RETURN IT TO ME!'
'tsh...not a chance...come and get it!'

Huor raced toward Liontooth with both blades ready to impale. Liontooth stood there and sneered at the incoming attack. Then he motioned his arm from the ground to the sky. Huor found himself floating in mid air surrounded by a small cyclone.

Huor growled and broke free of the cyclone and charged towards Liontooth again. Liontooth grabbed his staff and clashed with Huors blades. Huor rained blow after blow upon Liontooth but Liontooth sucessfuly dodged and blocked them all.

"alright no more games" Liontooth thought to himself. He then shapeshifted into dire bear form.

with a few swings of his giant paw Huor was on his knees.

'heh...what was that supposed to be?' Liontooth sneered
'Damn....you'
'ok last time i ask Huor where...is...Adra!'
Liontooth held the eye over the edge and counted down
'Three.....two....last chance huor....one!'
'WAIT...alright fine Adra was here..he came to gave me help like i needed it.
'alright....and?'
'i simply refused and he walked off upset'
'your lieing...what about the tabard?'
'ripped when he got it stuck between the links of the chains.'

Liontooth sighed...he knew he was lieing but he couldn't do anthing about it.

'besides i can tell from here that eye is a fake'
Liontooth looked shocked for a moment and then sighed again
'guess there is no fooling you...'
Liontooth tossed the eye into the lava below which caused Huor to flinch.
'guess there is nothing more here....farewell then'

Liontooth about turned and headed for the stone doors...when he looked back huor was gone.

'Adra...what happened to you...'