Post by Monday
((
Storybook))
Black Walker streamed through the gently rising gas, gleaming in the sunlight. “All vents should now be opening throughout Ironforge. Even if they don’t, the gas will naturally move toward the vents,” Korsin informed the others. Elsoris merely looked bored, but Gorgron nodded in interest. Avery maintained his steady gaze.
The Walker passed through one of the huge thoroughfares that served as the arteries of Ironforge, carrying its people and materials throughout the great city. The ground was uneven and rocky, and the Walker cracked the ground as it walked. Around them loomed houses carved into the walls, many of them untouched by the events.
Korsin looked on in barely disguised sadness, but kept a steady hand on the controls, steering the walker through the road, until they entered the unmistakable azureistoned Mystic Ward.
“Right,” Korsin grunted, stopping the walker. “I’ll be covering this entrance, the largest. Gorgron, you take the southern entrance. Elsoris, the north. I don’t want anything coming through while Avery shuts down the portal.”
“Where is it?” asked Elsoris, peering past Korin out the window. “Inside the main hall,” replied Korsin, “On the top floor. Nothing else is in here, I’ve been assured by Avery, and nothing will be coming out of the portal for the next few minutes.”
Elsoris raised one thin eyebrow. “’He assured you’? How does he know this? I think we should send one guard in with him and keep the walker right by the doors.”
Korsin nodded. “That is what I would do, except that Avery specifically requested that he remain alone for this.” Elsoris shook his head angrily. “What if he’s a traitor? What if he is trying to destroy us?” Korsin cocked his head to the side, and replied, “Why would you say that? He’s been nothing but loyal.”
Elsoris held up a hand. “Fine. Never mind. I’ll go stand guard.” With that, he hopped off the top of the walker and out onto the ground. Lifting his bow, for the gas had dissipated enough for him to use it again,” he stalked over to the entranceway he was assigned and stood there, seething.
Gorgron nodded to Korsin and quietly assumed his position at the door. He bent his head and closed his eyes for a moment, murmuring, and then the stone rose from the ground, forming a shape, and then detached. A new earth elemental stood, as much as a constantly moving composite of stone could stand, next to Gorgron.
Korsin got back into the walker and watched the door as Avery proceeded inside the building. Soon Light started to shine from the doorway, followed by brief flares, then steady Light again.
Cries echoed from the Southern Mystic Gate, followed by flashes of yellow light and screams. “Mutants!” called Gorgron. “They’re trying to force their way through!” The sound of rock crushing flesh sounded, and a crushed body flew through the doorway.
The sound of arrows hissing into flesh confirmed the dwarves were coming through the Northern Mystic Gate as well. Soon, a tide of flesh was sweeping toward Black Walker. Korsin pressed a button, and several grenades were fired at the dwarves, blowing them away. The remainder, confused at the sudden explosions, milled confusedly, and fell back.
The sound of arrows had stopped. Only the flashes of fire and thuds of earth were still audible. “That’s it…?” muttered Korsin. “That can’t be it.” He frowned, and slid on a pair of goggles that showed heat waves, which saved his life.
Turning slightly, he saw the outline of somebody in the walker behind him, right next to the door to the pilot’s house. Pulling off the goggles in alarm, Korsin plunged a hand toward his jacket, when the door banged open. Hurriedly stopping, he glanced up. There, in the doorway, stood Elsoris.
The elf held a sword in his hand, which he pointed at Korsin. “Off the chair,” he commanded. Korsin slid quietly off the chair, and moved to the side. Elsoris strode into the room, keeping his sword pointed at the dwarf the whole time. “Why?” asked Korsin, simply. “I had you all paid and everything.”
Elsoris chuckled. “This wasn’t about money. It should be obvious by now. I am a member of the Twilight’s Hammer. Once I heard about this, I knew I needed to stop it. Grand Pyromancer Chlorim gave me the task, and I eagerly accepted it.”
He continued to poke around the control panel, finally finding the one to shut off the walker completely. He turned to the dwarf, “Don’t move, and this won’t hurt a bit.” Korsin nodded shakily. “But this will,” the dwarf replied, sliding a pistol from his jacket. Twin blinding flashes of light and deafening bursts of sound echoes throughout the chamber, and Elsoris staggered backward, falling back in a pool of crimson blood.
“Damn elf. I’m an engineer, you think I didn’t have any other tricks up my sleeve?” asked Korsin cheerfully, although inside his gut was roiling at what he had done, and now what he needed to do.
Elsoris glared up at him. “Finish it,” he spat.
“Gladly,” the dwarf replied, and shot the elf once in the head. Elsoris gasped in surprise, and slid backwards down the wall as the light left his eyes. Gorgron burst through the door, and saw them that way. “What’s going on?” he growled, holding up a hand crackling with lightning.
“Elsoris. He was a member of the Twilight’s bloody Hammer,” replied Korsin, running over to the controls. “We need to pull back now. I don’t care if it offsets the spell, we can’t risk any dwarves overrunning the door. Stay inside and launch out the window.”
Gorgron, still looking slightly surprised and a little confused, nevertheless complied, running to the window as the walker started backwards.
The next fifteen minutes was a combination of blood, smoke and fire, but eventually the mutants retreated. There was another flash of Light from the Mystic Hall behind them, and then it ended. Avery came stumbling out. “There, it’s shut. Another portal has been opened, one that will take us to Cathedral Square in Stormwind.”
Korsin nodded. “They need our help?” he asked. Avery nodded. “I didn’t want to distract us from what was going on, but yes the Cathedral needs help, badly.” The air shimmered in front of them, and opened to a view of Stormwind.
Black Walker started toward the portal. As soon as they neared however, a plague of bats materialized behind it, forming Vas’karaz. “I said you hadn’t seen the last of me,” he said, waving a hand. The portal flashed once, and the view changed, to a plain of grass and mountains.
Korsin slammed on the brakes, but the walker skidded through, and the portal slammed shut behind them.