Reflections of the past and glimpses of the future

She was floating just above a barren landscape covered in white snow, trying desperately to keep up with the silver wolf racing in front of her. Her eyes burned from the cold, the edges of her vision blurry, but still she follows him, knowing if she lost him, she would lose herself…

Suddenly they reach an iced over pond and sniff the ground. The scent he had followed has disappeared. The wolf looks up and turns to face the shaman that had been following him. Once they turn around, they are gone and in its place is a forsaken warrior, one she knows in her heart is Xem. He was one of the handful of undead she could trust, and he entrusted her with helping him destroy the Lich King…a promise she never bothered to try to fulfill. So much had happened since then, she had all but forgotten about the promise. Xem’s eyes stare penetrates her defenses and she falls to her knees. The shaman blinks once and he is gone.

In his place is a warlock in blood red robes, two massive tauren standing behind him, one male, one female. They grin wickedly at her as she tries to get to her feet, but her legs are paralyzed, she cannot move. She wipes tears from her eyes and looks to them again, but they are replaced with a troll woman with a sympathetic smile.

“Come na’ girleh, it’s na’ so bad. Ya belong wit’ us…wit’ yah people. Na’ more runnin’. “ The troll holds out a hand to the fallen shaman as everything goes black.



The air in the drag was always so stale, she reflected. She peered carefully in the shadows, looking for a glimpse of the spirits that have been haunting her for the past year. “Maybe going into solitude for so long has gotten to me. Maybe I’ve just been gone too long,” Ujin reflected. Had it really been a year since she left Wrath and all of her followers behind? Sometimes it didn’t feel so long, sometimes it felt like a lifetime. But she needed to clear her mind of distractions and find out what the dreams meant. Something shifted in the shadows to her left, but as she turned to look, it disappeared. Just like the dreams, the closer she looked to the dark, the less she could see.

Something horrible was going to happen. She could hear the spirits whispering ominously, but when Ujin would listen closer, they would go silent. Something was happening that they wanted to keep from her-she just wished she knew what it was.

Hitching her backpack on her shoulder, she heads out of the drag, thinking of an offer that was presented to her not so long ago. She had been doing a bit of work with a group of people, many of which seemed to think like her, who dedicated themselves to ridding our people of so many of the evils that are plaguing us, and now she’s been offered a permanent spot within their ranks. Should she take it? Her heart told her that maybe it was time for a change…time to come out of hiding.



Months later, things have been getting worse. The shadows are darker, the movement in them almost feverish. The dreams of forgotten promises and assurances of the coming struggles have stopped almost completely.

“Is the danger gone now?” she thought. “Most likely not. Maybe the ancestors have forgotten me, maybe my past deeds have clouded my mind so much that they will no longer speak to me.” Ujin shakes her head sadly as she straps her shield to her back and begins walking out over the plains of Mulgore. She missed everyone so desperately, so many friends and advisors, one of them would know what to think of the mess.

She shivers as she recalls the look on Lapsor’s face as she was paralyzed, completely at his mercy. Was that what the spirits sensed? Was he going to return for her? Maybe she knew too much of what he was. Maybe he would want her dead. Or maybe bound to him eternally, another minion for the warlock. Ujin clenches her fists tightly and vows that would never happen. She would die before she allowed herself to be manipulated by him again. Before she was governed by anger and revenge, now she was more collected. Not at peace by any means-that was something that only others would experience. But she was certainly calmer. Perhaps all of the work she had been doing had helped. She was finally doing something with herself after so long.

The trek to Orgrimmar was a long one. She didn’t need to walk, but these days she preferred walking to flying or manipulating the nether to get where she wanted to be. That way she could think. That way, maybe she could get a glimpse of the spirits in the shadows. Who was the troll? What did she want with Ujin? The shaman had no idea, but she was sure she would find out one day. The woman looked familiar, but she had no idea where she had seen her before. “All in due time,” she spoke aloud. She would know when it was time. For now, there was work to do, as there always seemed to be these days. Places to explore, demons to slay, and allies to keep alive. Things were confusing right now, but they weren’t by any means boring.



She sat on a large rock just outside of Orgrimmar watching the passersby. New recruits from the Valley of Trials as well as seasoned veterans testing their skills against one another came and went, and still she stayed perfectly still. After some time she closed her eyes and released the tension in her body, using her mind to block all her other senses. Something told her to wait here, to be patient, something would come. Perhaps some answers to her questions would come. Perhaps not. But her senses told her to wait, and her senses were usually right. So for now, she waits patiently.




((I'm posting this for many reasons. First to let you guys get to know Uj a little without revealing too much about her. I'm terrible at background info stuff, so a story to help give some perspective on who she is right now I think will work just as well. Anyone can join in on this story if they are interested. I also have a friend who may want to join in on this, but who's WoW account is inactive right now, and I was wondering if he would be able to post on this. If not, that's cool. I'm gearing up for something pretty big with Uj, but I want to RP all of it happening instead of just making it all in my head so if anyone wants in, feel free!))

Warlocks. Why did it have to be a warlock? I despise them and their disgusting manipulative selves. Whores, all of them.

The holy priest, with halo over her head and wings on her shoulders, stood over the town of Ogrimmar. Her eyes squint under the hood. She can see others run to the bank and auction house frivolously, trying to scrap up what coin they could for ... the journey to Northrend? The coming of the end? Who knew.

But you were shadow once. For a long time. And even now, just as manipulative. What makes you different from him? From them?

She folded her hands behind her back, not moving. Her gaze was directed downward, but her mind was soaring. Behind her, two guards walk by, chatting in low tones. She does not even turn around.

((Sorry for the long delay, but I'd definitely like to be a part of this. Wrath is bringing too many new opprotunities not to.))

((ok I continued some of this on another thread with the friend I spoke of. I had permission to post what he has said so far. His posts will be in white, mine will be tan.))


Bright red dust devils twisted lazily across the road as the raptor trotted through the high canyons. It was a relief to be back home with the dust and the cacti and food that didn't taste like sulfur. Her scarred and battered scales matched the rusty color of the rock walls towering above her and she stood still, peering around for something to eat. She spied a rabbit and hunkered down low to the ground to stalk her prey. She slinked forward quietly, hoping to take it unawares and make an easy meal out of it. Leaning forward, tail in the air, she prepared to spring when something shifted in the saddlebags hanging from her flanks. The rabbit looked up for a fraction of a second and then bolted. Hissing, the raptor charged after it, running it down and snatching it up in eager jaws, feeling tiny bones crunch, tasting it, savoring again the taste of normal prey. Then came a high whistle from the rocks above and a dark shape slid down the sheer canyon face, spraying more red dust into the air.

"It be time to go, girl. We got ta make it ta da city before de dark." The voice was muffled by a leather mask but it would be clear to any listener that the speaker was a troll. From feet to face she was wrapped in black leather and armed with a stunning array of weapons, ranging from a belt of knives strapped across her chest and over her shoulder to the two magnificent Draenic swords at her waist and several others concealed in loose folds of her clothing or covered by her coat. Her red eyes peered into the distance through a narrow slit in her mask, gauging the height of the sun and the distance to the city walls peeking over the horizon. She hopped gracefully up on the raptor's back, kicked her heels, and settled in for the long and bumpy ride ahead. The raptor hissed angrily at the troll for interrupting it's meal, but proceeded to trot along the winding road as the sun beat down overhead.

You should kill it. It's insolence does you disservice.

"You been sayin' dat about everyting we come across. You said it about de kodo herd, you said it about de goblins dat sold us our water, you'd say it about de trees and de grass if any of it was wort' killin'. You be doin' me a disservice by jawin' all de time. I let ya out so ya can keep an extra set o' eyes about me, not so ya can bodda me about killin'. Dere be plenty o' time for dat in de comin' days." The troll peeled off her glove, revealing a sickly green-white hand with black veins outlined in stark contrast running throughout. She placed her hand in a pouch well concealed within her leather jerkin and rubbed the warm, faceted surface contained therein. It was sometimes troublesome carrying a demon, but she had no worries that it would overtake her. It could promise her nothing she wanted but could not get herself. For now, though, she decided to put him back where he would not annoy her. With an agonized shriek audible only to the troll, the demon was sucked back into its prison. Pain flared within her hand, reawakening the agony she had felt when they were first scarred. She ignored it, focusing her mind on expelling the corrupting presence and reawakening the parts of her that she kept hidden from him. Then she pulled her glove back on and gazed back out over the landscape.

The city was much closer now; her raptor was making a good pace. She spied the rock that marked the edge of the canyon and the last leg of the road to Orgrimmar. And there, perched silently and motionlessly on the rock, sat -

"Ujin?"

Ujin's white eyes snap open as she looks up. "Sharathka?" She blinks a couple more times, trying to ignore the spirits lurking in the shadows. Getting to her feet, she speaks again slowly as she smiles. "Ah, I see you weren't lost. I wonder how many of our ranks are still left..." Her dead eyes shift to the troll's ungloved hand. "You made it back, but not unhurt. I can try to heal you, if you want. But I doubt you would accept help from me." The corners of her mouth twitch as she salutes.

"It's good to be home. It's good to be with..." she eyes Sharathka carefully before continuing "...allies. What brings you back to Orgrimmar? Is the war in outlands already won?" Ujin laughs bitterly as a shadow crosses her face. "No, it won't ever be won. We are fighting a losing battle there. One day all the demons will burst forth and override us. There's nothing that can save us from our doom. I tried so foolishly to train everyone, so that we might succeed. But how many lives have been lost with my stupid cause? And what good has come of it?" Shaking her head, she leans over to pick up her backpack and hitches it on her shoulders.

"Do you have time to talk? I'd like to hear what has happened since I left the halls."

Sharathka dismounts her raptor and puts her glove back on, wincing slightly as it slides over the sickly skin of her hand. Peeling her mask off, she addresses Ujin. "Don' worry about me, girl, I be alright. I spent some time in de Nether showin' de Etereals a ting or two about fightin'. Lost my swords an' had to finish de last one off bare-handed. It stings, but it be a'right." She examines Ujin up and down and then pulls her hood all the way off, shaking her elaborately braided hair out so that it cascades down her back.

"De last I heard from de school was dat some o' de younger ones had taken ovah. Reth'jin, de wh- de elf girl and her little toy, an' Lokaya's boy. It be sometin' of an orphanage now. Most o' de older members went to Outland to fight. I be just comin' back from dere myself. I heard new trouble be brewin' in de Nortlands an' you know me. If dere be one ting I like killin more dan anyting it be what's already dead." Sharathka shrugs casually at Ujin. "What about you? You be comin' to Orgrimmar to do ya duty to de Horde or whatever you be doin'? Or did you come for some oddah ting?"

Her shoulders slump and she sits back down. "So after all the work we did...it's an orphanage. I gave my heart and soul to build it. I gave up watching my children grow older. I maybe could have saved them." She closes her eyes and sits in silence for several minutes before continuing. "No, I'm not here for Thrall, or the Horde. I don't know exactly why I'm here. For all I know, it could have been to meet you." Ujin eyes Sharathka's hand again. "Are you sure you don't want me to heal that? I probably could."

Sighing, she takes a water pouch hanging from her belt and takes a sip of water from it. "The spirits. I can still feel them but they are fleeting. Something is shifting. Not just the things in Northrend, there's something else. They know something but shy from me when I ask questions. No, whatever it is, I'm just supposed to find out when it happens."

Sharathka looks almost sadly at Ujin. "Dis don' normally be my concern, but dose children don' deserve what dey got. At least de little ones got everybody in mind an' not just de big enemy. An' if ya tell anybody I said dat I'll kill ya myself." She flexes her fingers and winces again. "As for de hand, I tink I'll keep it de way it is. Never had a scar before. It be good to remember de pain in case I see another o' dere type. Besides," she grins slightly at this, "it helps me scare de humans. You know how I love doin' dat."

She puts her hand back on the flank of her raptor. "I be goin' in to de city. Ya want to join me? Or is dat rock more cozy dan it looks?"

Ujin slowly gets to her feet and dusts off her skirt, looking to the city. "Sorry, we can go now." As she walks towards Orgrimmar, she notices an Argent Dawn healer that wasn't there earlier. How long had she been waiting on the rock?

The wind changes and suddenly the stench of rotting flesh invades Ujin's nostrils. Wrinkling her nose, she looks towards the zeppelin tower to see if a bunch of forsaken have just flown in from Tirisfal. However, the tower was empty. The shaman stops short and closes her eyes for a moment, remembering the words of the demon hunter in Azshara...although she can see, Ujin is still blind...What was going on here? She holds a hand out, signaling for Sharathka to wait.

"Something has happened...we should move quickly." With those words, she takes off, running full speed into the city.

"Unclean heathens!"

The priest spits with vitriol as two of the plagued zombies approach her. Her actions are quick and practiced as she shields herself. The zombies were weak in strength but one touch was all they needed.

With a small smirk, the priest stepped off the ledge of the road that circles Ogrimmar. She lands on top of one of the roofs and fires a barrage of holy and shadow spells at the both, tearing at the beasts' flesh. One gave her a savage smile as they lept down to attack her. The priest waved her hand and a burst of holy energy surrounded her - hitting the two zombies before they could land on the roof. One bounced off the roof and fell to its death. The other clung on to the roof's edge and looked up at the priest, a horrible smile still on its face as it swiped her leg and let go...

***
"How did you know I was here?" The Forsaken layed next to the lava, much of its reanimated skin and flesh and bone burned away. She didn't know how he could speak, without a jaw.

"I ... I don't know."

The undead, with some grunting, rose to its feet. It was no mere strength of the Forsaken will that made him rise. It was nothing physical, for the muscles and bones had all been burnt and whittled away to nearly nothing. Ellyndia knew the moment the creature began to move on its own, for it was the same shadow power that had kept her alive for so many years. This Forsaken was much stronger, much more...pure.

"I thank you, priest, for saving me. Rarely is such noble and selfless behavior found nowadays." He bows, in that old graceful way. Several bones crack.

The blood elf priest throws him her cloak. The warlock catches it with a bony hand and smoothly wraps it around himself, like a magician setting up an elaborate trick.

"Ah, sweetling, thank you for the cloak. Now, will you help an old warlock out of this place?"

She does, of course - it is better to help one Forsaken soul than harm a thousand. Even if that soul seeps of shadow.

***

She seethes as the zombie goes *splat* on the ground. The priest has to hitch up her robe to see the wound. Putrid. Infested. And she could see the green seep up her leg. Within a minute or two it would have her completely.

As the priest sat down and chanted her spell to cure disease over and over, she could hear the screams of the damned turn to moans of zombies. After a few moments of panic, she wiped her brow. She had purged the disease from herself, but what of others? She looked over the chaos in the city, to the gates. She could see two trolls enter.

"Run away, little trolls," Ellyndia muttered as she stood up. "Run away."

As she rode through the city gates, it was immdeiately apparent to Sharathka that something was horribly wrong. The stench of decay filled the air, and choking smoke rose from charred heaps on the ground - of what, she could only guess. Fearful faces peeked out of barred windows and not even the children that usually roamed the streets were absent. A member of the Argent Dawn knelt by the side of a groaning, sickly-looking orc, light flowing from his hands into the prostrate form. With feelings of mounting uneasiness, Sharathka urged her mount deeper into the city, leaving Ujin behind. Without a word or touch from her rider, the raptor ran to the inn Sharathka most frequently stayed at during her visits to Orgrimmar, hoping for a dry stall and a fresh meal. The door to the inn was barred, but in the alley she could hear the shuffling and clop of hooves.
"Gamon? Dat be you? What happened in 'ere?"
The shape turns and shuffles toward the dirty light at the mouth of the alley. It does not speak, merely shuffles toward the troll with a shuffle-clop of barely-lifted hooves. As he moves closer, the pallor of his skin becomes apparent and the corpse-stench grows stronger. Sharathka draws her swords.
"Don't come any closer. I never liked you, Gamon, an' I don' think de guards be around ta save ya now."
Heedless of the threat, the Tauren lurches forward, arms outstretched. As he lunges sluggishly forward, hes outstretched arms reveal tautly stretched skin and open gashes devoid of blood. It is all the provocation she needs and her blades flash out, lightning-quick, severing the Tauren's arms. Undiscouraged, they begin creeping toward her, dragged by thick fingers, as Gamon lunges for her again, armless stumps flailing. Sharathka stabs her blades through the disembodied arms and into the dirt road below, but before she can draw another weapon, Gamon's teeth sink into her arm. With her free hand, she pulls out another sword and saws awkwardly at the undead tauren's neck, finally freeing head from body and dislodging the mouth from her arm. The marks from his teeth were an ugly shade of gray, contrasting with her blue skin. Nausea overtook her, and the last things she saw as she collapsed into unconsciousness were Gamon's lifeless eyes staring into her own.

Ujin stops short just inside the gates and looks at the destruction going on everywhere around her. She barely notices the Sin'dorei priest fighting for her life up on the rooftops. A streak of color passes her as Sharathka takes off towards the inn. She wrinkles her nose to try to block out some of the stench of death that is all around the city.

Reaching into her backpack, she pulls out a large stone, its surface shimmering and clear, the core burning like fire. She clutches it to her chest briefly, closing her eyes and bowing her head before replacing it back into her pack gently. Opening her eyes, she stares resolutely at the direction Sharathka ran off to and takes off after her. Muttering under her breath, the shaman says, "stupid troll, what's she going to do if she gets caught? Never had much sense..." Shaking her head as she runs, she ignores the destruction going on all around her. If any of them lived, it would be a miracle. She thanked the spirits for allowing her to stay untouched so far.

Turning into the alley, Ujin sees the mutilated form of the tauren standing over the unconcious troll. She felt her breath catch in her throat as she feels anger start to burn inside her. Cursing under her breath, she runs to Sharathka, feeling her form change as she does moves. Dropping to all fours, she grabs Sharathka's tunic in her mouth and pulls her away from Gamon before he can do any more harm. Backing out of the alley, she looks for a safe place to tend to Sharathka's wounds, and again notices the blood elf girl on the rooftops.

She heads towards the priest, dodging danger as she does. Finally reaching the blood elf, she drops Sharathka and shifts back in to her normal form, thanking the spirits for helping her and drops to her knees. Panting, she looks at Sharathka and frowns, wondering what she can do to help her.

Her mouth was firm, her expression neutral. It was her eyes that did the wandering, from the troll before her, to the troll on the ground, to a pair of passing zombies (those quickly annihilated by guards). Her stance was strong and unmoving; the casual observer would not notice her standing on one foot - her previously wounded leg still sore, recovering.

"So. Do you want me to put him out of his misery, or try to save him?"

She knew the answer to this even before she spoke - you don't go through all this trouble to kill a zombie. Regardless the priest dropped to one knee, and passed her faintly glowing hand over the unconscious troll. She kept her head bent low so no one could see her smirk. She liked shocking people.

Ujin glares at the elf and crosses her arms, but stands back. "If there is hope for her, I will save her. I don't remember asking you to do anything. I came here because it was safe enough to see if there is anything I can do-not to beg for help from some elf." Kneeling down next to the rogue, she peers at her carefully, searching for signs of life. After a few moments, she raises her eyebrow and gets to her feet.

"What do you think, elf girl? Think she should be saved, or just put her out of her misery? She's been not much more than trouble for me since I recruited her, but she can still be at least slightly useful..." she trails off as she scratches the back of her neck absentmindedly. After a time, Ujin shrugs and looks at the priest.

"Well girl, what do you think?"

(([SPOILER ALERT]: I view the RP process of zombification as a very ugly one. Prepare for some icky bodily functions. Hope it's not too graphic...))


The prostrate troll stirs, groans, and opens her eyes. She looks blankly at Ujin. Her arms shoot straight into the air, the bite mark now oozing an ugly yellow-green pus and her skin slowly fading from lustrous blue to a waxy blue-gray. Her hands grasp at the air and her breathing begins coming in shallow gasps. "Help meh..." she rasps weakly, head lolling to one side as froth begins to fill her mouth. "I can see him..." Her eyes suddenly return to focus and she grabs for Ujin. "Don't let him see me!" screams Sharathka, her voice wavering in fear. "Don't let him take me!"

Sharathka rolls over and pushes herself up on her arms. She tries to stand up, but falls over again and begins to vomit blood. Retching and heaving, she looks up at Ujin with tear-filled eyes and mouths the word "Help" before collapsing, her eyes glazing over and her body twitching.