((Takes place directly after ZG last night, I apologise if it seemed like a loot-n-scoot to some, but I was dead tired, and needed to head off to bed. Sorry if it came off a bit negatively. Anyway, onto the story.))
The ashen beam was crudely cut, splinters ran amok up and down the mishapen sides. While the Badlands were quite dry and arid by nature, the Ashenvale lumber lacked its former temperate climate, and shriveled each coming day. While it was obvious that the Kargath Encampment was, at best, an afterthought. A desperate attempt to bring spillover from the Ashenvale campaigns to reinforce Horde Outposts in the Eastern Kingdoms. Lupen paid no mind to his surroundings, but only toward his prize. His left hand fumbled a bit with the Heart of Hakkar, turning it every which way, leaving no space unseen. It was far less an organ than a gemstone. The heart glittered magnificant reflections from the oil lamp burning overhead.
Lupen dipped his head, nearly falling back into the Nether. While becoming less mortal by the day, even the undying must rest. This was true tenfold for The Dread Magus, constantly tired, and plagued by insomnia. Attempting to remain awake long enough to appriciate the Heart's value before it was returned to the Abyss, Lupen continued to stare intensely into it. The gem only exposed the Forsaken's facial features, clear of necrosis (save for the lips), and complete with an omnipresent scowl, devious... Youthful, even. He gripped the stone tightly, attempting to drain any remaining power from The Blood God. Nothing. As the Warlock began to dip back into slumber, the stone fell lightly from his hand, into his napsack... A perfect claw imprint pulsed where Lupen's hand had been.
For, Hakkar, Ancient God of the Hakkari, was no more than a ruse, a pawn. In truth, everything returns from whenst it came, one way or another. The heart shall be banished, Hakkar's minions shall bring forth another willing construct, and the cycle shall begin again. Pawns are disposible, Kil'jaeden knew this well enough.