Endings Or Beginnings by Warneshi

[Keeper Of Lore]

Guduk strolls into the Grim Halls, his new claw weapon in hand. He had begun to look for Trilok and thought that the guild hall would be the best place to start.

Luck has it, he walks in and sees Trilok and the rest of the Grim "Ahhhh, Druid. I have questions for you..." his clawed weapon being raised to show the druid before he gets a sense of the mood in the room. His plate armour goes quite as the warrior stops moving and looks to the others.

"Am i interupting something?" his eyes fall on Lupen and then the sword and he frowns "Warneshi's Sword? Is there news?"

The Tauren pauses to see what happens next.

[Keeper Of Lore]

Lupen shot a look at Guduk and then back to Trilok. "No, Tauren, I will not forfit the life of a fellow Grim, my comrade, because you cannot comprehend such an artifact." He returned his gaze to Guduk, "Brother, this is Warneshi's blade, his soul, and his mind. Warneshi is trapped within the twisted steel, I bring it to find comrades in The Grim, willing to aid such a cause. To free a brother, and I am met with hostility."

Lupen growled and looked toward Syreena, "Come, dear..." He muttered, angrily at such defiance. The Warlock sheathed the massive broadsword upon his back, and walked toward the door. Lupen paused before he reached for the handle, expecting to feel the pain of a bear's claw ripping his flesh. Be it Trilok's, Guduk's, or both.

[Keeper Of Lore]

by Trilok

"A fool you are, You saw the notice, yet you ignored it. It was posted before, but *someone* took it down, and as such it was burned into place. Had such a *one* not done that, you would see where I stand."

"If seconds counted, you would not be here to hear my words, so you have the time to listen, you have the time to think. Flee from me, Yes, I said Flee.. from me, and you will have shown me you do actions that are not your own. Where the tyrant is you may have an idea, but who he is? May only be wishful thinking... or voices in your mind."

"Now tell me what you know... and if you try to run? Know this much, from me... you cannot hide."

[Keeper Of Lore]

Warneshi cooled his rage, if only for a body he would of struck down Trilok and left him but ashes to spread to his damn winds and spirits. He reminded himself time, he had more then any of them could understand. He sat and pondured the situation that was unfolding in the guild hall, Lupen was strong and loyal. The blade was safe, but Trilok and Regnanetah would cause problems, many problems it seemed. Warneshi needed more allies, and more time for Lupen. Smiling he found another presence in the room...Guduk.

Reaching out, Warneshi tocuhed the mind of the Tauren, he had respected Guduk in life, he did his job well. Now Warneshi needed to see if how easly he could be proded into helping the Tyrant.

"Guduk, lissten well and reconize thiss voice. Warneshi callss to you, thiss prisson iss strong and alliesss iss what Warneshi needss. Lissten well Trilokss wordss for they ring true, Warneshi iss trapped with demonss, and fightss them at all timess. However hiss wordss are said without undersstanding, he knowss where Warneshi iss but not whom he fightss for. Trilok see'ss thiss situation through the eyess of nature, but now it iss the eyess of one not bound to such beliefss that Warneshi needss. You Guduk who have fought strongly and wissely for the Grim, you undersstand that we are slavess to that which we hate the mosst at timesss. Warneshi iss a slave and he musst be free, Warneshi askss you for thiss help. Lupen musst keep the blade, it iss an heirloom of Warneshi and hiss people. Warneshi askss that you protect Lupen, protect the blade. Thossse that seek to do it harm do so out of ignorance, but Warneshi holdss no animossity towardss them, they do not undersstand. Help Warneshi that iss all Warneshi askss."

Satisfied with his plea to Guduk, Warneshi sat back and watched again. He was interested to see how this would turn out. Trilok could stop them, but the tauren must be aware that touching the blade would bring him into direct contact with Warneshi, something Trilok may not want. Watching and waiting, Warneshi hoped his message was heard.

[Keeper Of Lore]

Ashagga watched the drama unfold slowly, and let herself slip into the shadows. The message in the guild hall... she still hadn't made up her mind. She liked Reg, but she liked Warneshi, too. Lupen scared her, but Syreena was her friend. Trilok... was a mystery, and she barely knew Guduk.

No, she'd sit and wait, and see what happened. She wasn't willing to take sides yet, especially if it meant lifting a hand against a fellow Grim.

[Keeper Of Lore]

The little rogue sent a pleading look to Guduk as Lupen explained Warneshi's plight. She searched the warrior's face for any sign to indicate whether he would be willing to help Warneshi.

She walked eagerly to the door with Lupen, still wondering why he brought the blade here in the first place. When he paused at the door, Syreena turned back to look at Trilok as he spoke. When he mentioned the note that was removed, she frowned, lowering her gaze to her hands as she toyed with a loose thread on her gloves. Never before had she felt intimidated by the druid, but now she stammered as she spoke quietly.

"Warneshi is trapped..in the Nether or in the sword....I'm not sure exactly where. But we have to save him. Who he is?" she said, looking back up at Trilok. "He is a Grim. And he is my friend. And Lupen and I are going to bring him back, just like he brought Lupen back before."

[Keeper Of Lore]

Lupen became furious, with both Warneshi's furor and his own disposition. He turned back toward Trilok, his cloak shifted as his hunched back moved. His eyes scanned the Tauren, the Warlock imagined each single hair of the Druid's fur aflame. Lupen's left hand became enveloped in shadows, his right sparking with flame. His mood quickly changed, his rage dissipated, his will to kill was dropping. The Dread Mage walked toward Trilok, "Brother, Regnanetah is misinformed. Shadowflame only understands the deception in Warneshi's Demon Side. Be that as it may, Warneshi comes to us not as the spawn of a Demon, but that of a Grim, sentient. A claw raised against me would be a claw raised against the entirity of The Grim. Consider this."

Lupen stood up straight, a quite rare stance for any Forsaken, especially Lupen. Upright, his eyes were just below the Tauren's jaw. "Make your choice..." The Warlock muttered.

[Keeper Of Lore]

A Goblin with glazed over eyes and movements that are jerky as if he was not the one in control of his movements enters the halls carrying a book. Ignoring all the otheres, it begins walking towards Trilok. It stops before him, offering up the book, before speaking in a hollow voice that speaks in a broken fashion.

"My master ... Patron of Shadow...flame. Bid me watch. You have paid attention to the notice. Here...a book...Warneshi's Journal. Proof in his own words....that he serves...his Mother...and seeks destruction...for all of us. Keep it safe for now, as one day....it may again be useful as more then...proof. When my master is ready, he shall come forth...untill then....I shall be used to contact you."

The goblin then sets down the book, and stands up and begins to walk out. about halfway out,l the glazed look in his eyes fades, and his movements becoem natural, he looks around wildly as if he doesn't know where he is, before seeing the well armed and armoured Grim around him, and running out as fast as he can.

((Book IS written in Warneshi's hand, and doesn't contain much per page, mailny ramblings, but here's the Journal if anyone reads it.

page 1: WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY
page 2: Born of shadows and of hate...
page 3: must feed
page 4 AGONY!
page 5: your power now I do create...
page 6: hunger hunger hunger hunger
page 7: always watching
page 8: serve me now it is your fate...
page 9: power must feed!
page 10: HATE PAIN POWER
page 11: she follows me
page 12: she devours me
page 13: darkness hunger SOULS!
page 14: eternal hunger you must satiate...
page 15: power, at last
page 16: rest
page 17: HUNGER!
page 18: her avatar...
page 19: her hate, her hand, her power...
page 20: her vassal, the world will burn for its mistakes...
))

[Keeper Of Lore]

"My claw? You are the one that have now invoked the rites of magic, where I have merely spoken words...." *as he watches the goblin speak to him*

*Trilok moves Lupen aside, an easy task for a Tauren at the pinnacle of his prowess, and picks up the journal with a firm grasp.*

[Keeper Of Lore]

"You seem so positive in your thoughts, Lupen. He is free, he is safe, he is imprisoned. Yet he can freely enter one's mind to speak to them. You know of his demon side, you know of his deceptions, yet you doubt entirely that he is not using one of them... trapped.. yet able to communicate with everyone in this room? Certainly you, or how else would you know so much? Or think you do. Knowledge is power lupen, force comes second.

You think you know something so now you are going to react, yet do you know what will come of it? The Tyrant.. some say he was taken, others such as yoruself say he is imprisoned, even though we all know nothing holds the tyrant. Say you free him, then what? If you are wrong, you free a horror onto the world, yourself being completely defenseless against it.

OR! Say you are correct, and he is imprisoned against his will and wants to be free, he wishes it. So much that he would actually beg for it....

Slys'Thok still has control. By releasing Warneshi you bring out even greater evils. Praise Lupen, he has freed Warneshi! Just as the demons from the nether begin praising you too. 'Praise Lupen, for he has given portal to Slys'Thok, now she can walk the earth!'

THINK of your actions, Young One! There is more at stake here than a moment of Warneshi's life. Have you seen him fall in battle only to rise up again and fight some more? I have... more times than stars fill the night skies. If he is safe, then the time for you to think this through is available, so do so before you make errors in ways you cannot fathom, in ways you are unable to control.

...

*Trilok inspects the book, Cautiously he opens it, and begins to look at the pages*

"Page 1: Why Why Why Why Why"
"Page 3: Must Feed"
"Page 5: Your Power Now I Do Create"
"Whose power, Lupen?"
"Page 8: serve me now it is your fate..."
"Page 9: power must feed!"
"Shall I go on? Keep Listening"
"Page 11: She Follows Me"
"Page 12: She Devours Me"
"Page 14: eternal hunger you must satiate..."
"Page 15: power, at last"
"Power Lupen? In Prison?"
"Page 19: her hate, her hand, her power..."
"Page 20: her vassal, the world will burn for its mistakes..."

"Yes Lupen, he sounds alone."

"Think again of what I have spoken, Are you sure releasing him now is the right thing to do?"

[Keeper Of Lore]

Emmons finally came to, in a familiar, dark place. He felt a sand beneath him, and heard the 'drip....drip', of some far off water source, and a periodic warm breeze flow over his body. He stirred a little, finding he was not coherent enough to fully stand up.

"Arise, my son." The voice was deep, spoken in the soothing, odd tongue that Emmons could not place, but fully understood. "Arise, and be renewed". He felt compelled to obey, despite his dizziness, he stood and felt that he was disoriented no longer.

"Wha...what'm I doin' here?"

The deep, aged voice responded, "You failed me once, son, the gate of the Qiraji were opened, the world is in danger once again, but I have given you a chance to redeem yourself." Emmons did not understand what the voice meant, but again, he felt compelled to agree. "Your friend, Warneshi, is missing, is he not?"

"Yes, I have not seen him in some time."

"You must ensure he stays missing. He is a powerful being, and your friend, and he will bring great destruction."

Emmons nodded, and in his agreement, became drowsy and his vision faded to black, and awoke some time later back on the roof of the guild hall.

[Keeper Of Lore]

Lupen narrowed his eyes at Trilok's words, they seemed genuine, they seemed true. Part of him wanted to agree with Trilok, for his argument was quite convincing. The Sword bound him, twisted his will and knowledge. "Trilok," he began, his voice noticeably softer than before, but still full of scorn. "Brother, Slys'Thok is a bane upon the Nether, she endagers myself, the Horde, the Alliance, life on Azeroth. The Third Dark grips us, clutches us as playthings. Only the closed portals keep us safe. Warneshi has attempted to commune with his mother, to defeat her, end her reign. Warneshi, seemes to have failed... We are a dark people, that journal proves nothing, but that he wishes to end her, and she wishes to end life. If I cannot rescue Warneshi, we will have failed, not as the Individuals, not as The Grim, not as The Horde, but as dezens of this plane of existance."

The Warlock breathed heavily, odd for anything with failed lungs. He finally spoke once more, "For once, in my existance, I wish well upon this land. To control fate alongside a brother... It is impossible to comprehend such power we feel... Join us, brothers, sisters, join us against the Legion."

Lupen turned away once more and remained silent, those words scarred his throat. Yes, it is true, he wished to overthrow Slys'Thok, as she had gripped him before, he knew of her sinister clutch... But to join one with the Nether again... The Dread Mage would be a god among mortals. He wispered completely under his breath, in the thickest of Demonic, "Forgive me, Dark Ones. These infidels know only deception."

[Keeper Of Lore]

Warneshi closed his eyes and breathed in the power. The room of The Grim hall was awash with it, so many tempers on edge, so many emotions flowing. It was a feast and he wished to partake in it, to remind them all what their fate was.

He heard a familiar sound, a slight breeze that carried whispers of destruction, his mother called.

They doubt you, even your serventss doubt you. They have only heard you, and so the words of your enemies carry the same weight as yours. They have seen your enemies, but they have not seen you. Make yoursself known my child. Let them quiver at your pressence. Worry not they will know you for ass I wissh you to be known.

Warneshi let his lip curl into a sneer, he knew what this meant. Closing his eyes he let her power take him.

As The Grim quarreled and Lupen made ready for the door. The Grim halls feel dark and cold, even the undead shivered in deathless bodies. Something was wrong, and aura of unease, and aura of malice and hate consumed the room. Within the darkness and space of nothing appeared, shadows so dark they could not even exist. This nothingness took a shape, a familiar form to many of The Grim. The shadows resided, the hall remained darkened and cold, and before them stood the form of Warneshi, a shade, barely existent, but very much there.

The shade spoke softly, but with a tone that sent shivers down the spines of all gathered.

"Yesss Trilok, Warneshi iss dangerouss, you are correct to conssole fear, for you only undersstand the tip of the iceberg. The nether shiverss and quakess at the little game you are playing, and she thankss you Trilok for you do her bidding more then any here. You think you are free of her eyess? That what you might say could esscape her earss? Warneshi hass been taken, and he iss a slave of her, but Warneshi'ss will iss not. She knowss Warneshi seekss freedom, she knowss who servess Warneshi and who doess not. Fool, you walk into her trap, Warneshi iss powerful far more then you will ever undersstand. She wantss that power back. What do you think hass held her back thiss entire time? She gave part of her power to Warneshi when he wass born, and when he swore hiss oath. She wantss it back, for with it no barrier will stop her and she will rain death upon Azeroth."

Warneshi narrowed his eyes and Trilok and strode forward, his malice falling off of him in waves, his power causing the world to twist and bend.

"Two evilss, which will you serve? It iss not long before what power Warneshi hass left iss gone, before he becomess nothing, not even a memory. Warneshi'ss will iss all that keepss her probing at bay. So Warneshi askss again Trilok: Two evilss, which will you serve? Warneshi will bring death with hiss coming, many many deathss, but with Slyss'Thok, with her comess extermination."

The shade smirked and watched Trilok closely.

[Keeper Of Lore]

Guduk turns his head as he watches the scene unfold, his eyes narrow on the Shadow form of Warneshi "I would choose the lesser of evils to be walking the land, Brother Warneshi, but which are you? Are you a lesser evil? or are you just one with the greater evil?"

Guduk tilts his head and reaches his other hand over to fix the new claw into a more comfortable position on his hand "How can we free you of her chains? enough to the point you are not her gateway into this world?"

He glances at Trilok, and then turns to Lupen "You must know something of how demons work to get into this world on their own?"

[Keeper Of Lore]

Seeing that no one noticed his presence Krezinak walked past the three standing by the door, the mage and the blade could wait, and approached the shade of Warneshi. "Greetingss Uncle...*clears throat*...it is good to see you again, do not mind the others i know what must be done to see that Slys'Thok is destroyed. You musst...ahekm*clears throat again*...must and will be freed from this prison. Nothing shall stop me or the dread mage from freeing you and ending her reign of terror."

Krezinak lowers to one knee as in a bow but does not lower his eyes form the shade. "You have my complete allegiance Uncle, as you have had since i wass young. You taught me everything I know and have never steered me wrong in the passt. Why would i have a reason to not believe you now?"