Aeropagos
From EFWiki
To truly understand the background of somebody, you would have to experience their biggest moments in life. To really get under their skin and see all their weaknesses and strengths. See the moments when they truly lived, and truly died. Some things makes you stronger, some things make you weaker. The essence of all this is that to really know someone you would have to meet them in presence. That is where I will take you. This tale created Aeropagos.
| Aeropagos | |
| |
| Title | The Reborn |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | Unknown |
| Race | Draenei |
| Class | Shaman |
| Specialization | Big ego |
| Affiliation | Ebon Flame |
| Occupation | Miner and Gemcrafter |
| Relatives | Sironas, others unknown |
Chapter I: The Reborn
The light seems all gone when you are close to the death. Is it just an illusion? And why is it we keep trying to figure out what is happening when we die? I cannot explain how death is or what is going to happen when you die. Because you simply should not know. But I can tell you this… There is a way back.
Burning revulsion is pulsing through the core of the soul. Recreating what once was. Pain is urgently filling the body. Feelings that he once knew come to him as a gift from the sky or a curse from bellow. Anger, happiness and frustration. What a curse what a blessing. Satisfaction, disappointment and temptation. The feelings have no end. I hate when the sun goes down and I love when it rises. My time has not come!
Blinding lights appear around the body. Powerful energies consume the whole dungeon and leave it filled with light. Screams from the passed is louder than ever. Shrilling in agony the voices of the haunted spirits disappear. Rest in peace. However one soul is not getting free. Not yet.
“Wh-Where am I?” Fog fills the dungeon that once was a graveyard, long time ago. A shape appears in front of the reborn. “You are here” The shape moves closer, appears ethereal and mysterious in the fog. “Which is not a good place to be, young shaman.” The reborn shivers in the cold. “Sh-Shaman? I’m no shaman… Whatever that is.” The ethereal chuckles as it moves closer. Exposing its true appearance. “Wh-What are you?” The reborn curiously stares into what should have been the creature’s eyes. “I am an Aspect of Water.” The reborn confusedly looks at the aspect. “There is no time to explain.” Out of nowhere a portal appears right in front of the reborn. “If you go through this portal you will be guided further.” The resurrected moves closer to the portal. He reaches for it with his hand. It is cold and warm at once. “Where will it take me?” The aspect murmurs as they walk through the portal. “To very dark places.”
Chapter II: The Path of the Shaman
Sometimes you need to know who you can trust and who you should keep close. Those you need to keep close are not necessarily your comrades. Keep your enemies closer than your friends. That is easily done when your greatest enemy is yourself. What about faith and being truth? That is what lies in being honest to yourself. Do you know if you can trust yourself? Do you know who you really are when it comes to the end of the day?
The shaman opens his eyes. He must have passed out. So much he does not remember. He looks up into an unknown face. The reborn tries to sit up. The unknown person speaks to the shaman in a language he does not understand. Instead of trying to answer the person the reborn takes a good look at the unknown. The face is young, brutal, savage, and masculine, however the feminine shapes make her sex unquestionable. It is like nothing the reborn has ever seen before. The skin is brown and her body seems to be a bit smaller than his own. Suddenly the unknown person speaks to the reborn in a language he certainly understands. “I’m sorry, I thought you knew our tongue… most of your kind that travels here do.” The reborn sits up, all surprised. “What? my kind? What is my kind?” The brown creature looks worried and makes a gently gesture to make the shaman calm down. “You must really have hurt your head out there in the water. Try to relax.” The brown skinned walks out of the room before the reborn gets a chance to ask any more.
The brown creature does not visit the shaman the next couple of weeks. The only visitor the reborn has is another female of the brown skinned. She brings him food everyday, but denies speaking one word with him. After a couple of weeks the shaman is beginning to get restless as he regains more of his lost health. The reborn tries to be patient and uses the time to listen to the voices that appears all the time in his head. They are hard to separate but with focus, concentration and good time the shaman is getting better at it. After three weeks the brown creature is visiting the reborn again. The brown skinned murmurs soundless words, before she speaks to the reborn. “I owe you an apology for my behaviour. I will of course tell you everything I know about your kind.” The brown skinned tells him what she knows about the race known as the draenei. She also explains the reborn about her own race and of their spiritual path, shamanism. “I’ve heard about that path,” exclaims the reborn. “I remember the water speaking to me about it.” The orc gasps at the draenei, she looks even frightened. “What did you say?” The reborn wonders if it would be safe to tell the orc about the episode with the Aspect of Water, but since the orc has told him so much about himself he feels that he owes it to her. He tells the orc everything he remembers. For a while the orc just stares at the draenei in silence, making the reborn uncomfortable. “You’re a very odd draenei, my friend.” The reborn curiously asks. “That’s not a normal gift, eh? The orc smiles at him. “I’m a shaman as many other of my kind are… but it’s not normal for your kind, no. We don't share much culture with your people, but I'm sure of this. Your kind do not practise the path of the shaman.” The draenei looks questioningly. "I'm sorry I can't tell you more. We only see the draeneis when they come to trade.. which is a shame." The orc wonders silently for a moment, then a smile appears in her face. "This is the chance to change that!" She nods to herself and turns her attention at the reborn again. “I have an offer for you, my friend.” The orc looks all exited. “Would you like to become my apprentice?” The draenei wonders if this orc should be the further guidance the aspect talked about, and decides to accept the offer. “It would be an honour.” The orc nods approvingly. “What should I call you? Master…?” The orc walks to the door before she speaks. “You can call me Mother Kashur, and now get up. The training begins right away.
Chapter III: The Final Trial
Your honour lies behind the silent hill in the sky. Where it is, is where you think it is. The name is what you know it is. But what if it is not known? Then you are not you. Who are you? I am nothing more but a silent voice in the hills of ice. Or is it earth? It can be if it is a hill. But what is my name then? Now you are getting closer. The honour is at the earth flying at the silent hill of ice? That is correct. Your honour and name is Aeropagos.
The draenei breaks out of his trance and slowly walks back to the village. He reaches a hut where a female orc is waiting for him. The draenei tells his master everything he experienced in his meditation. The orc nods approvingly “So have the spirits named you. Aeropagos” The reborn sits down beside his master, waiting patiently for his next quest. They sit in silence for hours. Then Mother Kashur speaks. ”let us continue your training.”
With time Aeropagos learns more about the spirits of the elements. He begins to understand the patience of the earth, the fury of the wind, the passion of fire and the wisdom of the flowing tides, however he has not yet met his ancestors. A late evening Mother Kashur speaks with him about the future. “You have come far, my apprentice.” Again they sit in silence before Mother Kashur continues. ”From now on our paths lead in different direction.” Aeropagos is about to swallow his tongue when he answers. “What do you mean, Mother Kashur, are you abandoning me?” The orc chuckles heartedly. “No I am not abandoning you, my friend. It is time for your final trial, The Trial of Champions.” Aeropagos gasps. "But I haven't spoken with the ancestors yet." Mother Kashur ignores the reborn's last remark. A portal appears in front of the draenei. “I think you are ready.”
Aeropagos walks through the portal his master had made. He travels through the nether faster than you can blink with the eye, but the journey feels like days. Aero’s whole body shivers as if ice needles had been paining him for hours and he is getting dizzy from the insubstantial colours through the astral matrix. Without a warning Aero is punched in the face by an enormous rock. “Indeed your kind isn’t very flexible. May I ask how you will compensate for your handicap?” Aeropagos turns around to see what hit him. He sees an orc surrounded by four elementals. To his right stands a giant behemoth with a simultaneous looking rock as the one that hit Aero. The draenei mumbles a spell that heals the wounds in seconds, and he gets back on his feet. “I was not prepared.”
The fight begins and the reborn’s opponent laughs arrogantly at him. “You think a poor draenei like yourself are able to beat me? Do you know who I am?” The orc cackles as he fires a burning object at Aeorpagos. “I am Ner'zhul, and you’re not going to complete this task.” One of the orc’s elementals storms forth and attacks Aero. The reborn avoids the attack and sends the spirit of fire back to the spiritual world it came from. Ner'zhul looks angry, since he had not ordered that action. The orc enrages and sends a lightning in Aeropagos’ direction. The reborn counters it with a shield of earth. Ner'zhul screams furiously. “I will not allow scum like you in our ranks!” A circle of fire is created around the duel. Big objects of ice appear above the scenario and lightning strikes down everywhere. Aeropagos sticks to what he has learned. Be patient like the earth. The powerful orc burns off most of his power while Aero passively keeps countering the attacks. They are both weakened and as the fight emerges further, Aeropagos realises something. The orc is pathetically dependent of the elements’ mercy of boring him their powers… and so is Aero. A echoing voice thunders through the battle “STOP!”
The whole scenario suddenly disappears and Aero is dragged into another world. The reborn is frightened. He thought he began to know how to defend himself, but he had no more capability to resist this than a defenseless child. “How could I lose, and what have the orc done to me?” The draenei shivers as a devious thought crosses his mind. “Am I dead?” A twisted laugh purls through the air. “No shaman, you are not dead.” Aeropagos gets the same feeling as the night he was reborn. “A-are you an aspect?” The air around him emerges into a substantial shape. “I am an Aspect of Air.” Aeropagos tries to show his submissiveness and kneels for the aspect. “You have come far, shaman. Your understanding is beyond standards.” Aero shines in the compliments of the aspect, however he does not understand much of what is happening. “You have passed your last trial…” Aeropagos forgets about his submission and interrupts the aspect. “But I didn’t win the fight.” The world disappears around Aero as he is forced through the nether again and a whisper echoes in his ear. “It’s wrong to believe that logic is valid on all levels of the reality when the reality has no logic.”
“Congratulations champion.”
Chapter IV: The War Approaches
Time is essential. It is important for what you do, what you have done and what you will do. Why is that? Because your acts makes you who you are. Your past becomes your future, your future becomes your past. What if you have changed, what if you regret? The future is never safe, past is never past before you stop going back, the present is usually now. I don't understand. Once you will become the stone face you try to become.
Heavy storms purl through most of Draenor. The animals following their instinct looking for shelter against the winds. Hurricanes blast through the deserts being a threatening danger to everyone stupid enough to challenge the weather. In the blurring storm a shape appears, seeming untouched by the deadly tempest. Majestically riding towards his destination, the wind gently strokes him, showing how the elements take care of their favourites.
The arrogant creature is riding on a giant elephant that dangerously storms forth in high speed. Its tusks are as big as enormous trees and it carries the strength of ten men. The person on its back radiates strong charisma of the light. His skin is white as the snow, in contrast the characteristic face is hiding old marks of great evil. The elekk rider arrives to a great gate surrounding one of the Draenei settlements. The gate slowly opens and allows the guest inside.
The guards bid him welcome as if he was one of their own. “Greetings traveler, what is your doing in our humble city of light?” The person on the elekk jumps down and throws his reins to one of the guards. “I’m here to learn and teach.” The guards gaspingly stare at their guest; something disturbs them and it has nothing to do with his behavior. “Who are you? You’re not one of them, are you? The guest angrily roars. “If that’s how you refer to a friend of the shamanic orcs, then yes!” The guest groans and continues. “My name is Aeropagos the reborn. I’m here to talk with your leader. We have things to discuss.” The guards look at each other before one of them answers. “It was not to offend you, and it has nothing to do with the…” Another of the citizens breaks in. “You have nothing to do here Man'ari! I know what you are and what you’ve practised!” The citizen stares angrily at Aeropagos. “By Argus be gone! The horrors! The horrors!” More guards turn up to see what is happening. Aeropagos frowns at the people around him. “What is this!? Here I come as one of your own and you treat me like the lowest scum. If you fear the orcs and the path of the shaman so badly I will not waste any more of your time.” The citizen that shouted at Aero draws his weapon. “You are not one of us! I know who and what you are and time will not change that! Arrest that monster!” The guards draw their weapons as well, trusting the citizen knows what he is talking about. “I had expected higher standards of my own kind. If this is how you treat shamans, so be it.” The reborn's whole body turns ethereal and in seconds disappears, as he becomes one with the spiritual world and the twisted nether.
A small bonfire is burning brightly in the evening. The rage in the fire glows stronger and greedily eats the wood faster and faster till it inevitably will burn out. Around the fire sits a small group of shamans from the Frostwolf clan, listening to Aeropagos. One of them, Mother Kashur. "It must have been a misunderstanding." She says, after the reborn had told his tale. "Why should the draeneis hate us?" Another of the orcs interferes. "Isn't it obvious? They don't respect us!" Mother Kashur sighs. "Be careful Drek'thar. Prejudices are a dangerous tool, especially if you have never met those you judge." Aero stares at Drek'thar. The orc was Mother Kashur's new apprentice, in fact he had been that for a long time now. Drek'thar stares at Aero even though he is blind, Aero senses the power that hides behind the band that cover Drek'thar's eyes, he quickly turns away from the 'eye-contact'. "You will excuse me and Aeropagos. I need to speak with him alone." The other orcs leave the fire. The reborn stares into the face of Mother Kashur. Her appearance has changed a lot since Aeropagos first met her. She has grown old, but Aeropagos has not changed one bit. "I'm sorry for my apprentice's behaviour." She says. "He doesn't know better." Aeropagos groans. "But he is right! the draeneis were ready to attack me just because I live here." The old woman looks down and sighs. "In time everything will be revealed. Sadly this time I sense it will be revealed too late and for too few." The reborn is confused by those words and answers: "What do you mean?" Mother Kashur takes Aeropagos' hand. "I fear that a war is approaching." She whispers. "Go to Oshu'gun Aeropagos. I sense that the ancestors will finally speak to you." Mother Kashur leaves Aero at the fire. The reborn stares after her as she walks away. "This might be the last time I see her" he thinks as he stares into the fire. The last slight of glow is gone and the flame burns out. Left is only the dark.
Next morning the draenei travels to Oshu’gun, a giant diamond hidden in the Land of Winds. The diamond should possess great spiritual powers that the orcs have been using for decades. It is said that all the ancestors of the orcs can be find here. Aeropagos stares at the magnificent giant stone and prays to the winds that the ancestors will finally answer him, even though they are not his. He knows they have always guided the orcs and right now he could use guidance more than ever. He looks up at the giant stone and tries to get in contact with the spirits. A keen murmur reaches his ears. “Be gone!” Aeropagos is shocked by the answer. He tries to contact the source that answered him and humbly apologize for his presence. The same voice appears in Aeropagos' head again. "You should not be here.” Aeropagos knows he should leave, but something seems wrong. "Who are you?" he asks. For a while Aeropagos stands in silence then a keen voice appears in his head. "I am K'ure a servant of the light. I am a naaru. I am many things" Aeropagos tries to hide his disappointment. He had thought it had been one of the ancestors. The naaru reads his mind. "If I were an ancestor what would you ask of me?" Aeropagos gasps. "How could he know?" he pulls himself together and thinks of the one question he had hoped the ancestors could answer. "Who am I?" The naaru answers instantly: "You are Aeropagos now." Aero frowns impatiently. "What were I before?" A few minutes pass before the naaru answers. "I cannot tell you." Aeropagos impatiently shakes his head and is about to leave, but then the naaru speaks again. "But I can show you."
Images appear in Aeropagos head. Things he does not know if have happened or if it is just pure fantasy. He sees himself in a mighty city, a place he suddenly remembers. It was the most sacred of cities on Argus, called Mac'Aree. He sees himself executing prisoners brought to the capital of terror. The draenei who Aero thinks is himself he seems to be a mighty arcane wielder and is aiming a deadly spell against all the prisoners. He is torturing some of them, as the simple executioner he is. Firing vast cruelty in every direction against them all. A puppet who unquestioningly follows orders. With blood in his face he bursts into an evil cackle. The monster is an Eredar Man'ari. He is laughing of their pain and cursing them in the name of Sargeras The Destroyer. Aeropagos cannot take anymore and uses his last will power to regain control of his own body. He runs. “Must get away. This can’t be! Must get away.” The draenei feels unworthy to be alive. Every breath he takes feels to him as an insult to the spirits and the ancestors. “I am a monster, the draenei was right. I’m twisted and defiled!”
“Why did the spirits give me a second chance? Why?!”
Chapter V: A Meaningless Life is an Early Death
This is not about you. See that the flower cannot exist by itself. It needs nourishment which it gains from the world around it. So do you. I thought you said this is not about me? The creatures you see only exist because they got flowers. They eat grass as well, don’t they? Pain comes pain goes, so does happiness if you are not careful. If you hang in the past you will never gain nourishment or the flowers you need to get by.
The cave is so very dark. Deep inside the narrow cavern there is nothing but misery. A nasty stench of sweat fills the place. Two white eyes are all that can be seen in the darkness. They just stare out in the air. Nothing catches their interest; they are consumed by their own pain. Suddenly it all turns dark. The owner of the eyes has closed them, maybe for the last time.
A light appears in the cave and behind it a person with a torch. The light comes nearer to where the eyes were and a pathetic creature appears in front of the person with the light. The creature opens his white eyes again, they are outlined with a thin shadow as dark as it will be when the sun disappears for good. His skin is as white as snow. The white one takes a good look at his opponent. The person with the light appears tall and his skin is blue as the water. He is a draenei. Small tentacles are attached to his face, showing he is not yet a grown man.
The white creature keeps staring, not seeming surprised or curious or showing any other weaknesses as feelings. The blue draenei speaks. “I’ve been told you should be here.” A hoarse voice answers him “By whom?” The blue draenei is shocked by the pain in the voice; he has not met many persons in this kind of condition. “By Nobundo. He requires your help.” The white creature sighs and silently gazes at the now visible walls in the cave. The blue draenei patiently waits for the white one to answer. “I do not know of him and I owe your kind nothing.” The white creature shoos. “Be gone.” The blue draenei silently frowns. “It’s your kind as well.” The white one interrupts him. “You’re wrong. I’m not one of you, and now leave me alone!” The blue draenei shakes his head and turns around as if he is about to leave, but changes his mind. “Do you actually know what has happened to our people while you’ve been hiding, and what have happened to your so precious orcs?” The white creature’s curiosity has been wakened. “Haven’t you wondered why your so called friends have not contacted you for those many years you’ve been hiding?” The white creature stares angrily, but questioningly. “Go on.”
The blue draenei explains how the orcs started the war and how they destroyed all the draenei cities they met. He describes the orcs’ abuse of the felmagic and how hundreds of draeneis were torn apart by the felgases the orcs had created and how they were cut off their connection to the light. Their bodies were mutilated into something weaker, a whole other race that was too poor to be called draeneis. The white one interrupts. “How can this be? The orcs are not evil; they would never do something like that!” The blue draenei looks into the white one’s eyes. “I don’t know how they used to be, but the so called 'Beautiful One' who they follow has totally changed them. All their shamans have abandoned shamanism and uses arcane magic instead… they’re warlocks just like the Eredars." The white creature shouts in protest. “Not Mother Kashur! She’s not like that.” The blue draenei looks down before he answers. “She is dead." Silence appears after that information. The blue one continues. "If it is any consolation.. she died before the orcs were corrupted.. On a hunt." A tear runs down the white creature's face. "How do you know this?" he asks "Prophet Velen told me. He said she meant a lot to you." The blue one takes a deep breath before he continues. "However Drek'thar took her place and he and the others of the Frostwolf clan did follow Ner’zhul and are now following his apprentice Gul’dan who barbarically betrayed his master. The blue one groans before he continues. “However Gul’dan has not changed anything. He’s just as evil as Ner’zhul was, if not even worse.” The white creature shakes his head and turns his back to the blue draenei. He murmurs; “I don’t want to hear anymore. The orcs are the only good memories I have left, and I don’t need no rooky to come and destroy them for me.” The blue one snarls angrily. He shouts as his rage is boiling in him. “This is not about you! The whole world is about to change and all you can think about is yourself! What are going to happen with the children if no one are there to protect them? What will happen to our land if everyone just passively leans back in self-pity? You’re going to rot away in this hole if you don’t do anything!” The blue draenei breathes heavily, tries to calm himself down. The white one just sits in silence, looking into the water of a spring that passes by in the deep cave. He sighs hard as he is looking at his own reflection in the water. The blue one waits patiently, giving the white creature time to eat the facts.
The white one stares into the water as thousands of questions come to his mind, one more than others. Suddenly his reflection in the water detaches itself from his movements and stares into his face. The white creature gasps as the reflection abruptly speaks to him. “What do you see in the water Aeropagos?" The reborn doesn’t know what to say. “Exactly! Passivity.” The image in the water changes appearance to a red skinned creature, still reminding Aeropagos of himself. “Is this who you see? No that cannot be, he died thousands of years ago.” The red skinned person chuckles as the skin turns white again, to a person who looks a lot healthier than the one who gazes down on it. “It is not hard to die in the middle of your life, but it is hard to die without having lived!” The white one grieves over his past, tries to let go of it. “I don’t understand.” Aeropagos desperately stares at the healthier image in the water. The reflection smiles back at him. “I actually think you do.” Aeropagos closes his eyes, tentatively heals wounds he had not noticed before. “Life has no logic but it does have some answers.” Aeropagos opens his eyes, looking down at his own reflection. “Velen got the answers you seek. This young draenei, Jahala, will bring you to him.” Aeropagos smiles to himself in the water. “Don’t ever forget this, my friend. A meaningless life is an early death.”
Chapter VI: Wrath of Ner'zhul
Other worlds are interfering without a thoughtful mind. The leaders are blinded of corruption and selfishness of the wrong kind. What will happen? In the hands of a madman your very world will fall. A chance for salvation is tiny and small. Are we doomed?
Aeropagos waits in patience for the spirits to continue, but they got no answer. No one does. He breaks out of his meditation. He is puzzled. The spirits have never spoken in rhymes before! He looks at his young friend by his side. Jahala is already on his feet. “Shall we continue?” Aeropagos tries to hide his worries. “Yes let us get on going.” No need to trouble that young mind, he thinks.
The two shamans reach the border of the draenei hideout deep inside the swarms. The place is a lot smaller than Aeropagos had expected. Is this really the only draeneis left? “Hold it right there!” A guard points his weapon at Aero. Another guard tosses some dusty powder at Aeropagos and Jahala. “I’m sorry, but I had to check. We’ve had many impostors lately.” Jahala nods to the guard. “We understand” he says, and drags Aero with him before he starts a fight. “What was that all about?” Aeropagos asks as he brushes the dust off. “It’s one of the new precautions. Some of the demons can transform into almost anything, so we’ve had to expand the surveillance around here.” Aeropagos nods. “It’s a shame that to protect our own freedom we have to reduce our own liberty.” Jahala chuckles as they move on. “You’re right my friend. You could seek out Velen and discuss it with him, if you have any good ideas how to avoid it.” Jahala blinks. “Maybe I will,” Aeropagos says, looking very thoughtful. Jahala responds, “But I suggest you seek out Nobundo first though. He’s expecting you.”
Later that evening Jahala leads Aeropagos to Nobundo’s home. At the house the reborn is met with the most horrible sight. A crippled man stares at him from the door. His face is tormented, painful and he looks exhausted. Aero wished he could be anywhere than near a monster like that. “What if the disease is contagious?” he thinks for a second. Afterwards he curses his own mind for thinking that way. The creature in front of the reborn looks very pathetic, and not at all as a draenei. But behind all the layers of misery Aeropagos senses something powerful in Nobundo’s eyes. Hope. Nobundo nods at Aeropagos, greeting him with a deep and powerful voice. “Well met shamans.” A peculiar twitch is happening in Nobundo’s face. Is he smiling? “I’ve been waiting to meet you, Aeropagos. "The orcs destroyed all our cities, even our beloved capital, Shattrath. Any survivor we find is a blessing!" Nobundo mourns. "So many have lost their life just to protect what's left of us." Aeropagos tries to show his empathy even though he has hated every draenei to the moment he met Jahala. “We will survive though. the orcs and the Burning Legion thought they killed the last of us when they attacked Shattrath. Their corrupted leader has taken them to another world to expand their lands, so here in this hideout we should be safe. ” Aeropagos interrupts. “The Burning Legion? I’ve heard that name before!” Nobundo nods. “Yes, it was the name of the army Sargeras created.” Nobundo sits in silence for a moment. “Where were we… ah yes. A race known as humans are fighting back the orcs and something unbelievable happened. Our spies tell us that Gul’dan is finally dead.” Both Aeropagos and Jahala look very surprised. “What?!” Nobundo chuckles. “We don’t know how, but we’re told he certainly is dead, and that is good enough for me. However, his old master Ner’zhul has collected his skull and brought it back to Draenor. Something is very wrong!” Jahala looks puzzled. “Why is that so wrong? I would have done the same to show an old friend the last honour.” Nobundo looks very serious. “I don’t think Ner’zhul brought it back with him just to make a funeral for his old apprentice. We have no idea what he’s up to, but we have spies on the mission.” Jahala and Aeropagos wait for Nobundo to continue, but it seems like the Broken fell asleep. The two draeneis look at each other. “Should we wake him?” Aeropagos shrugs. Jahala gently pushes to the broken. “zZghrth.. Oh sorry. It’s been a very long day. Where were we? “Nobundo scratches his head. “Ah yes.” Nobundo turns inside his house and shouts from the door before he closes it. “Meet me tomorrow."
The next morning a gathering takes place. Everyone around Aeropagos and Jahala are equipped for travelling. “Erm… do you think Nobundo forgot to tell us something?” Aeropagos grins. Few moments later Velen arrives. Strong charisma of power and a posture of authority shines from him. Aeropagos almost feels how the moral from everyone around him is strengthened. “My brothers and sisters!” Velen roars. "Our last group of spies have returned. The humans are fighting back the Burning Legion and the Legion is vitally wounded!” Everyone shouts with joy as Velen continues. "However we still don't know what Ner'zhul is up to. That is why you are gathered." Aeropagos looks around at the other few draeneis around him. A person beside Aeropagos roars in joy to act as Velen’s voice fills the area. "This is your moment of honour. Embrace your future and do our people proud!"
In the evening after the first day’s travel towards the Dark Portal, the draeneis are camping in the outskirts of the swamps. Aeropagos walks out of the camp when suddenly someone shouts at him. “What are you doing?” Surprised Aero looks back. “Erm, I’m just going for a walk.” He answers, while he tries to get a better look of his opponent in the dark. A young woman stares angry at Aeropagos. “You shouldn’t be messing around like that.” She says. The female appears small compared to Aeropagos. Her skin is dark blue and she got small horns pointing upwards. She looks a bit worried and reaches for something in her pocket. “Stand still” she says, as she throws some powder at Aero. Nothing happened and the female suddenly looks a lot more relaxed. “What’s your name?” she asks. “Aeropagos. And you?” “I’m Sessiah… So why were you going for a walk? it's not safe, you know.” Aeropagos scratches his head. "I got some things to think of." Sessiah still stares at Aero. "Such as?" Aeropagos wonders for a moment, but decides then to tell Sessiah about the bad omen the spirits have given him. Sessiah looks chocked, at least from what Aeropagos can see in the dark. “Can’t the predictions from the spirits be a bit unstable?” Aeropagos looks puzzled. “What do you mean?” Sessiah sighs. “I mean the whole world? That’s pretty big you know. What could cause that kind of destruction?” Aeropagos shrugs. “Maybe the Burning Legion.” Sessiah yawns. “Well since we have no clue and we’re on our way to the Burning Legion anyway, I guess we can’t do anymore than wait and hope for the best. So goodnight Aeropagos.” The reborn agrees and goes to bed.
At the afternoon the next day a burning light appears out in the horizon. The small group of draeneis has stopped, and looks at that remarkable view they can see. Suddenly a rumbling noise hits them and the light expands. Something is very wrong. Aeropagos reaches out to the spirits, trying to understand what is happening. In the eye of the light he sees an unsubstantial hole becoming two. They’re multiplying again and again as they grow bigger and bigger. Everything around the eye of the storm is creating one big inferno, impossible to reach through. In the middle of the firestorm a small horde of orcs is standing. Their leader is roaring in victory. “This portal is even greater than Gul’dan’s and Medivh’s!” He cackles like a madman and cries to the skies. “I will save my people from Kil’jaeden and his lies!” "I will save my beloved Rulkan from the death!" In wrath he curses the demon again. When he gets the control of himself he commands his followers into the black hole. Ner’zhul enters the new portal. Aeropagos tries to look into the hole as well. He sees nothing. There is only darkness. Suddenly a voice roars in pain. “What is this!?” Aero recognizes the voice as Ner’zhul’s. The orc cries out in agony. Suddenly another voice appears. “You have betrayed me for the last time.” The screaming is unbearable. Aeropagos wants to return to his body, but there is no turning back. He cannot connect to his body. At the other draeneis the panic slowly catches up with them. The light has almost consumed the whole sky and terrible hurricanes and volcanoes appear out of no where. Jahala tries to get Aeropagos out of his meditation, but with no luck. Black holes appear out in the horizon where the scenario started. The light intensifies as the dark consumes it. The other draeneis gather around the Vindicator Sessiah. They are praying to the naaru. Suddenly the dark and the light pull back to where it came from. The storms disappear and everything is silence. The draeneis look at one another, everyone looking puzzled. Inside the portal Aeropagos is fighting to find a way back. Ner’zhul howls in terror as his body is torn apart. The orc is exposed to the most horrible torture, and the screaming is sickening. If Aeropagos had had a body he would have vomited. He prays to the spirit that the unknown voice will not notice his presence. Aeropagos has hated Ner’zhul from the first time he met him. He knows the orc has done terrible and reckless things, but he has never wished this punishment for him. He pities Ner’zhul and grieves his pain in silence. Outside the portal everything is quiet. Some of the draeneis shout in joy, but Sessiah calms them down, as she looks out in the distance. “This is not over.” All of a sudden the portals implode. Is this apocalypse? Like a wipe with the hand all the draeneis are knocked to the ground. The earth is shaking and pieces of the sky are falling to the ground as meteors. Is this the end? Aeropagos opens his eyes. The explosion must have liberated him some how. But to let him die again? The last thing Aeropagos hears is Sessiah murmuring beside him, “Hell is to have lost the hope. We have not lost it yet!” Then the reborn faints as a rock from the sky hits his head.
Chapter VII: The Beast From the Past
It is time to look forward. Your world has fallen apart and you are nothing. You have lost everything you know and have to fight your way up from the edge. You might wonder if you are dead or alive? I don’t know. You’re a maggot. A meaningless pawn in a big game. Remember who you are. The beast is still out there, don’t you think? Ner’zhul? He cannot be alive, can he? Open your eyes! He is not the beast, stupid little Man’ari. You are!
Aeropagos opens his eyes. He shakes his head in frustration. ”What has happened?!” He tries to stand up, but instantly falls to the ground. “Relax you sexy thing.” Aero looks into the face of a beautiful and gorgeous female. ”You hit your head pretty hard.” The body of the woman is well-formed, slim and sexy. The female snuggles Aeropagos, but quickly turns her attention to someone who lies beside Aero. “Who are you?” he asks. The woman turns to Aero again and whispers in his ear. “I’m Arize the lapdancer.” She giggles and munches on his ear. “What are you doing?” He shouts as he tries to hold Arize back. ”I’m nursing the injured. What does it look like?” She giggles and turns her back to Aero. Her hips are dancing as she walks. ”But you are not wounded enough to lie here if you can hold me back.” Arize blinks at Aeropagos and attends to some of the other injured by his side. Aero breaks out of his erotic thoughts and tries to concentrate. “Where am I?”
He looks around in the camp. He is still somewhere in the swamps just as when the big explosion took place. “Aeropagos!” Someone shouts after him. “It’s good to see you’re ok.” Sessiah pads Aero on the shoulder, telling him to follow her. “You missed Velen’s big speech.” she says. Sessiah seems very tense. ”Oh really? What did he say?” Sessiah silently cries. Aeropagos, not knowing what to do, he holds her and tries to comfort her. ”They’re all dead!” she mourns. Aero is puzzled. ”Who and how? He wonders. “Is it the explosion?” Sessiah nods. The pain he sees in her eyes is unbearable. My friends, gone.. This is the end Aero. This is the end.” She sobs. Another draenei tries to comfort Sessiah as well, and Aeropagos takes the opportunity to escape. anywhere Aeropagos looks everyone is mourning. “This is horrible,” he murmurs. Aero realises how many must have died after Ner’zhul opened the portal. Not just of the draeneis, but of all life on Draenor. “You there!” Another woman approaches him. “Are you Aeropagos?” He nods. The woman looks relieved. “I’m Haelanwye. Our leader wants to meet you.” Aero looks very surprised. “You mean Velen?” Haelanwye nods eccentrically. “Yes of course. Who else?”
Haelanwye leads Aeropagos into the heart of the hideout. The reborn had been waiting for that meeting since the very spirits told him that Prophet Velen had the answers about his past. So many questions he wants to ask. “This is the very moment I’ve been waiting for,” Aeropagos thinks as he eagerly follows Haelanwye. “There he is!” Aeropagos remembers Velen’s appearance. “It must be him!” Appearing strong, powerful and glowing with authority. Everyone who sees him can do nothing but salute him with awe. Prophet Velen, the leader of the Draenei. Aeropagos kneels and shows his submission to the powerful creature in front of him. Velen nods at Aero. “I’ve heard remarkable things about you Aeropagos.” The reborn looks surprised. “I’ve heard that you managed to see through Ner’zhul’s portal before the implosion. Is that true?” Aero scratches his head. “Yes and no… I did look into the portal, but I couldn’t see anything.” Aeropagos explains what he experienced in the black hole. “That voice.” Velen says. “That must have been Kil’jaeden.” Velen sighs. “I thank you for telling us this Aeropagos.” The leader smiles at the reborn. “That’s all,” Velen says with a tone telling Aero that he is free to go… but Aeropagos carrying his heart on a sleeve, hungering for answers, requests to speak more with Velen. “So you want to know more about your past? What makes you think I got the answers?” Velen says. Aeropagos explains what his mirror image told him in the cave. Velen sighs and turns his back to Aero. Stubbornly the reborn waits. A glow appears around Velen. What is he doing? The shadows are tearing in the whole room. Or is it light? Aeropagos is not sure. Something mysterious is happening. Velen suddenly speaks. “K'ure!” He groans. Aero gasps and terrifyingly moves back. “That was the naaru you met, Aeropagos.” The reborn is confused. “Wh-what?” he says. “K'ure and D'ore were the naarus that brought our people to Draenor… Outland.” Velen explains. “D'ore used all his powers and killed himself in the doing. His soul is now resting in the area of Auchindoun. K'ure survived the crash, but his soul is now ruined. For each day K'ure's condition deteriorates.” Aero shakes his head. “So what does that mean?” Velen shrugs. “It means His body is not stable. He unwillingly recalled your worse memories when you visited him.” Velen stares at Aeropagos. “The guards you met at the draenei settlement noticed a dark side of you. The citizen who challenged you was once your friend, before you were corrupted.” Aeropagos is puzzled. “How can that be? And how is he still alive?” Velen smiles. “I’m not the only one that has a strong connection to the light.” Aero does not get it. “The citizen Jessera lost his best friend to a monster. His name was Phronesis.” Velen sighs. “That beast was the one K'ure showed you. But he didn’t show the whole truth of your past.” Surprised of the information, Aeropagos listens intensely, waiting for Velen to continue. “Phronesis was one of Sargeras’ followers.” Aero interrupts. “Was that my old name?” Velen nods and continues. “However in the end he remorse and begged for forgiveness.. Even though his body had been transformed into a monstrous being, he sacrificed himself and saved his own soul. That is why the spirits gave you a second chance. That is why the light shines upon you.” Velen puts a hand on Aero’s shoulder. “You have paid for your past Aeropagos.” A powerful and releasing force fills Aeropagos’ body with happiness. “Now you know what lies behind you. It is time to look forward!”
Chapter VIII: The Other World
The fate is like a coin. Two sides of the same story. One choice excludes another. There is no turning back. There is only the path that leads to more choices. What do I have to do? If you know exactly what you have to do, why should you do it then? To avoid mistakes. The biggest mistake in life is constantly being afraid of making one.
A band of draeneis rides through the land. The person to the right of Aero seems very frightened. What awaits them out there? In front of the draeneis lies the Fields of Farahlon, even though it no longer looks like fields. The very sky is gone and no plants are able to grow under those conditions of the wounded grounds. Aero stares out in the open nether. A giant rock floats above their heads where pure energy thunders around making a special light out in the distance, creating an aurora borealis. Many years have passed since Aeropagos dared to travel to this place. To him it feels like a whole other life. A life where he was not a refugee that had to fear for his safety every second of the day.
Aero nods to Karragul and Andura to his left. They know what they have to do. However that does not make it less dangerous. Aero thinks back to Velen’s speech before they drove out. “He is right,” Aero thinks. “We couldn’t stay in the swarms of Zangarmarsh any longer. The nagas outnumbered us.” Aeropagos rides on as he thinks it through. “As if the Burning Legion wasn’t enough.” Aero shakes his head. “Now these blood elves also want a piece of this land.” Aero chuckles. “It’s disturbing that it’s first now they come when the land is completely ruined.” Karragul by his side stares surprisingly at Aero. “Pagos, How can you be so cheerful? …in the middle of all this.” The reborn smiles at Karragul, as they ride on. “If this is my last hour, then I’d wish more than anything to be remembered as cheerful.” Karragul laughs. “Good point my friend.” As they ride on Aeropagos thinks of their new mission. The Prophet Velen had revealed his great plan. He had organized everyone into small groups. They all had to make sure that all their team mates made it through. No one is left behind. Aero looks again at those to the right of him. Karragul is a powerful man who was taught by Nobundo himself. He is a shaman loyal to his believes and a warrior Aero would trust no matter what happens tonight. Beside him is Andura. A person who always gets the best out of every situation. Always a smile on his face. “He might be a bit too fight-lusty,” Aero thinks. However there is something honest about him. To the right of Aeropagos rides Fatum. His hands are shaking so badly that it looks like he could fall off his mount any second. Aeropagos is worried. “Better keep a good eye on him.” he thinks.
The band of draeneis is getting closer to their destination. Out in the aurora borealis the giant castle is floating around. It should have been their saving! Aeropagos groans. “Those bloody blood elves. Nothing but thieves!” The Tempest Keep was the transport of the naaru, which brought them to Outland in their physical forms. The naaru are holy beings made of pure energy and known as very sapient. However they loathed from the Tempest Keep to aid the draeneis, which left the Tempest Keep empty and unprotected. Kael’thas took advantage of that and raided the Tempest Keep with his followers. “It’s time to regain what belongs to our people. We will make our own saving!” Aero snarls in the direction of the Tempest Keep where he knows Kael’thas and the rest of his scum is waiting for them. “It feels like one big joke with all these big bullies.” Aero thinks. “Kil’Jaeden, Ner’zhul, Lady Vashj, Kael’thas and Illidan Stormrage who just can’t keep their long fingers from themselves. The big cruel gang… yeah right! Not to forget Magtheridon. The demon who destroyed the temple of Karabor!” Aero glares. “It will not go unnoticed.” Andura nods at Aeropagos. “We all feel the same way, my friend. We will get our revenge with time.” He says, as if he could read Aero’s mind. Or could it just be basic understanding? Aero looks up. They have finally reached the border of their goal.
It is time to fly! Every little group of draeneis implements an elevation to one of the satellites that circulates around the Tempest Keep. Let the ambush begin! Aeropagos mumbles, borrowing powers of the elements, and fires a lightning in the direction of one of the blood elf guards. Few seconds later the band of draeneis has brought down the first group of blood elves. That went almost too easy. Velen takes the lead and appoints the different groups into different corridors of the satellite Exodar. He wants it infiltrated as fast as possible.
Karragul, Andura, Fatum and Aeropagos investigate their corridor and wipe out the last few blood elves that had not noticed the attack. Now the rest is up to the engineers and others with knowledge of how to control the Exodar. The engine is starting. The worst must be over. Aeropagos heart beats faster. The Exodar slowly breaks out of its circulation of the Tempest Keep. The reborn gazes out on the great spaceship which is getting harder and harder to see out in the distance. Aeropagos takes a good grip on one of the safety lines. He has no clue of how the travel through the twisting nether is going to be.
Suddenly Aeropagos hears vast noises down the corner of one of the passages. Noises of vital devices getting destroyed, he thinks. The reborn rushes down the corridor and leaves his team mates behind. In the other passage he is met with the most horrible sight. In front of Aeropagos lies the body of three disfigured draeneis. Their bodies are brutally smashed to unrecognizable masses. Bowels are spread across the room. Aeropagos is disgusted by what he sees. Behind their tortured bodies stands a female figure with blood all over her face. She is taller than Aeropagos and her skin is almost as red as the blood. The creature is of a race Aeropagos knows very well. The evil creature is an Eredar Man’ari. Luckily she has not noticed the reborn yet. Too busy destroying the devices in the room. Anger fills Aero’s body and it is taking the good of him. He prepares a deadly spell. In the second he is about to throw it, he gets stunt. By no magical or physical blocking, but simply by the look of the Eredar’s face. He has seen her before! The eredar seems surprised as well. “Brother?!” She whispers.
For a few seconds they both just stand and stare at each other. Aeropagos feels more paralyzed than any spell could have made him. What should he do? The eredar speaks to him again. “I thought you were dead!” A tear runs down her cheek. At that moment the cruel monster seems ridiculous carrying her heart on a sleeve and tears running down her cheeks, while her appearance in complete contrast to that seems brutal and evil. Aeropagos tries to regain the control of himself. “Sironas?” he murmurs. Aeropagos cannot remember much of his early life on Argus. The only thing he remembers is what K’ure showed him and what he had been told by Velen. But by one look at this woman’s face he was instantly hit by memories of who she was. He remembered her laughter, her smile and how he always had felt that he had to protect her from even the smallest threat in the world. He mourns her destiny. “It is my fault,” he thinks. “My doing!” “Come with me sister. I can save you.” Aeropagos desperately begs. For a second Sironas seems relieved. Welcoming the security from her lost brother. However only for a second. After that an evil smile appears in her face and she bursts into an evil cackle. “Save me? Phronesis. Save me from what?” She holds up her weapon and strikes it into another of the machineries in the room and sends Aeropagos a rebellious look. “You have been gone for 25,000 years!” She roars and strikes once again at one of the vital machines. “Now you turn up weaker than ever.” She mocks him and cackles again. “Brother you have been deceived.” Aeropagos feels pitifully weak. She roars superiorly. “I can save you… Don't you miss… the power?” An old feeling fills Aeropagos: The intoxicating feeling of almost unlimited magic and immortality. “I can offer you the powers you once had, brother. With time you will become who you really are again!” Her words are seducing, almost magical. “Take my hand and we will conquer the world!” Aeropagos reaches out for his future, but something stops him. He thinks of the draeneis and of the elements. Taking her hand is against everything he believes. He glares at the dead bodies slain by the hand of his sister. Aero looks into Sironas' eyes. Cold dark sparks are all he sees. A hunger to kill, dominate and exterminate all good. He sees nothing but evil madness and a twisted soul beyond saving. Aeropagos takes a deep breath. He knows what he has to do. “You’re right, sister.” Sironas smiles victoriously at Aeropagos. “With time I will become who I really am.” He instantly bursts a powerful spell at Sironas who falls to the ground. As Aeropagos is about to finish her off he is suddenly wiped down as well.
The Exodar travels through the twisting nether. The machine is shaking and everything turns black. In contrast to that, a moment later they are all blinded with light and warmth. Sunshine so keen penetrates every window every crack in the Exodar. The sun of Azeroth. The sky is blue and birds are peacefully flying about. An amazing view of beautiful nature catches Aeropagos eyes. They are in the new world. The Exodar flies with extremely high speed above Kalimdor.
The engine is deadly silent.
Something is very wrong. The whole spaceship is no longer flying. It is falling! Aeropagos gets on his feet. Where is Sironas? He hears a cackle down the corridor where she must have fled. He wants to run after her. “Aero!” Karragul shouts. The reborn turns around and glares at his team mate. The shaman’s body is terribly wounded. Behind him follows Andura in just as bad condition as Karragul. They have been fighting as well. But someone is missing. “Where is Fatum?” Aero says. Karragul shakes his head. “He’s gone.” He whispers, trying to catch his breath. “The blood… elves.” Karragul groans. Andura interrupts the story. “We are gonna crash.” His voice is trembling. “We better prepare ourselves.” The three draeneis pray to the naaru. In Aeropagos’ heart he whispers a silent prayer for Sironas as well. You never know what will happen, but one thing is certain. Eventually we will all hit the ground!
Chapter IX: The Ebon Flame
The day will come when something bigger will take the good of you. The intoxicating dark fire in your chest when you fall in love will take you by surprise. The elevating to the top of the cave where the sun is shining is indescribable. The sunshine will be blinding and you must look into the shadows until you get used to the warm caress of the flame.
It is very dark. The forest is not the same any more. New alliances are needed. Shadows consume everything, and no one goes free. A dark figure appears out of no where, attaching itself from the dark. The figure whispers words into the wind which pierces through the woods. The face is indistinct in the dark, but the figure of the person reveals that it is a woman. From the appearance of the long ears as well Aeropagos expects her to be a night elf. However she does not look like the other night elves the draenei has met. Her skin is ethereal and mysterious, not that different from the shadows she just attached from. She silently waits for something to happen.
“You can come out now, demon.” the night elf approaches Aeropagos. The reborn is paralysed. “How did she see me?” He thinks. He prepares himself for battle. Never trust someone who obviously worships demons. The night elf smiles at him. “What makes you think I have any connection to demons?” Aeropagos tries to hide his fears. “She can read my mind?” The night elf lets out an evil cackle. “You’re not as stupid as you look demon.” Aeropagos groans. “If you can read my mind then you know what I am and what I am not!” The reborn responds. The night elf smiles arrogantly and indulgently at the draenei. “I do know of your sister though.” Aeropagos sighs and hides his head in shame. “Don’t worry shaman, your secret is safe with me.” The draenei sighs in relief. “Who are you, night elf? He asks. The shadie figure walks closer to Aero. “I’m Mistress Sentia Witheroak.” The night elf awaits the effect her name used to have on people.. But since no reaction she groans. “Apparently you new people have no plane insight at all for who to fear and respect any more!” Aeropagos stands in silence, not knowing if he should bow or run away in confusion. Sentia snarls. “Anyway.. I’m an ambassador from the Ebon Flame.” “The - what?” ask Aeropagos. Now Sentia seems at the limit to scream. “Don’t tell me you haven’t heard about the Ebon Flame?” Aeropagos looks embarrassed. “This is going to take some time” Sentia sighs and she explains everything to the draenei.
She explains how the guild formed from the bare ashes and how Thalos was chosen as the new leader. How amazing every member is. Sentia also mentions those who meant a lot to her: “Telenna, Atroz, Valiana, Auri, Meicha, Anteal, Enerdhil, Haelanwye, Andura.” Sentia takes a deep breath as she continues a stream of names leaving Aeropagos not rembering one of them: “Thalos, Calia, Kinta, Maelor, Sofiana, Mayend, Jhessail, Verannion, Zert, Maledorn, Sinnocence, Chess, Damma, Atroz, Cinabar, Thorulftuff, Rosebud, Redrum, Xanduill, Harrod, Laureline..” Sentia continues in the endless. She also tells Aeropagos how these great warriors were created out of what seemed as nothing but hopeless beings. How friendship come to be and how even love became a reality for many. A place where everyone feels welcome and are allowed to not just to be good, but even to be evil.. if they are into that kind of things.. A place where everyone are respected for who they are and every opinion is accepted, however in critical moments the leader takes charge and decides what is needed. The Ebon Flame is a special place that always goes in the right direction. The guild has always been going the place it is meant to go. To serve the Flame is an honour and a privilege only few are given. And it is always in the name of the Flame the battles are fought and in the spirit it is won. A place that welcomes any race.
Aeropagos is astonished by Sentia’s tale. “If just the half of what that night elf tells is true, then that guild might be able to complete my goals, and maybe even more!” Aeropagos thinks. “How do I join this group?” He asks. Sentia smiles. “You don’t choose the Flame. The Flame chooses you.
Time goes and Aeropagos becomes a part of this fellowship of different races and “beings”. One night at the bonfire Aeropagos opens his heart and shares his tale with his fellow members. He looks at the faces around the bonfire and smiles at them. Thank you for all the good times and thank you for making this place like a second home to me.
