Musings of an Azeroth Mage Book 4

Musings of an Azeroth Mage
 * - ''by Archin



-12-
To say that it has been a busy couple of days would be a horrendous understatement!  So much has happened that I can barely think about where to begin. So, I believe Ill start with the most important piece of information:  I am a father!  The story of that incident will come later in this entry. I feel it is my duty, as a logical and disciplined man, to take the events that have occurred in sequential order.  I dont have much doubt in my mind that I am on the To Hate list of this blasted group of holy zealots who call themselves the Ordo Hereticus. I can now point out three individual incidents in which I have stood eye to eye with these brigands and I am sure Ive become a viable thorn in their side.  But oh where to begin! I have been aiding Yumeko in her quest to master the domination of the Infernal, one of the most erratic and dangerous warriors of the Burning Legion.  Our quest took us deep into the Blasted Lands, beyond Nethergarde Keep, into the heart of the Dark Portal itself. Gazing upon that wretched Portal, I shiver with fear. Aye, I shiver with fear. To think that from that single object came the hell that we live in today brings such rage and anguish in my soul, it makes it hard even to write about it, let alone gaze upon it.  The demons that walked around the Portal filled me with disgust, yet in the back of my mind I was quite interested in them as well. I could see in Yumekos eyes how hungry she was for battling them, defeating them, and gaining the power to control an Infernal. We eventually were able to extract a very specific form of Fel Essence from a Felguard, and after a brief trip to Felwood and a battle against an Infernal itself, Yumeko had learned how to master the creature. <BR> <BR>An interesting side note our trek also led us to a battle with an enormous chicken though Yumeko didnt seem to be too interested in controlling giant fowl odd. <BR> <BR>My word was Yumeko excited, she was literally jumping with joy at the prospect of controlling an Infernal. Dashing to Darnassus, we gathered the reagents she required, and then beat a hasty drip over to Goldshire to unleash Hell. Yumeko particularly wanted to terrorize the more mediocre adventurers that frequented the area, and I found it quite engaging to say the least. <BR> <BR>With my wife standing poised in the center of Goldshire, she called down a flaming boulder of Fel energy which bore into the ground and grew to be the hulking behemoth that the Infernal truly is. Nearby chickens burst into flames and died instantly from the heat radiated by the creature, the grass burst into flames and disappeared, and many soldiers stared dumbfounded as the creature obediently stood by Yumeko. <BR> <BR>I couldnt help but be impressed. <BR> <BR>I couldnt help but be terrified. <BR> <BR>Perhaps there is something to be said about demonology. <BR> <BR>The Infernal raged against the bonds that Yumeko held him in, and eventually he was able to wrest himself from her considerable control. Roaring angrily and charging at her, myself, my wife, and some nearby adventurers quickly smashed the beast to pieces. It was an interesting event, to be sure. <BR> <BR>I was quite weary that day, however, after all the traveling and fighting in the Blasted Lands and Felwood, and I took my leave and rested quietly in Stormwind. I let Yumeko travel about with her Infernal, as she wanted to summon more beasts to her side. <BR> <BR>I would not have expected the night to go by so eventually in my absence, but it certainly did. More on that in a moment. <BR> <BR>Awakening the next day I was invigorated and ready to spend time with my wife once again. She was, as always, beautiful and energetic, and after sewing some new clothing for her and spending some time together, she said that she wanted to talk to me about some serious issues. <BR> <BR>Stealing away to a tiny tavern outside of the Jester, I sat with my wife as she spoke, albeit nervously, about what was on her mind. <BR> <BR>Yumeko has no love for the Alliance. This I know. While little of her past is known to me, I do know that she has neither stood by nor been helped by the Alliance throughout her life, and the more conservative elements of the Alliance have disdained her and hunted her, angrily, in an attempt to destroy her for her demonic practices. <BR> <BR>Nevertheless, she asked me if I would consider leaving the Alliance and realigning ourselves with the Horde. <BR> <BR>With the Horde. <BR> <BR>Such a prospect causes the bile to grow in my stomach and leaves a sick and sour taste in my mouth. <BR> <BR>I have, since a very young age, been an ardent defender of the Alliance and a destroyer of the Horde. My family was slaughtered by the Horde and my peace was annihilated. I had to flee my home twice because of those bastards. My closest thing to a father figure, Admiral Proudmoore, always told me how horrible the Horde was, and how damaging they were. <BR> <BR>Ive devoted my life to this war, to end it, to eradicate and destroy those creatures. So many just men and women have fallen to the grunts axe Lord Lothar was betrayed by the cowardly Horde when he sought peace. Admiral Proudmoore was butchered. Khadgar had to sacrifice himself. The Lich King sits upon his Throne today because of the original Orc Nerzhul. <BR> <BR>Why, we cannot even speak with the animals! How do you align yourself with a group that does not speak with you? And even if we wished to join them, would they take us? <BR> <BR>I was thrown into a fit, I admit I couldnt believe the thought. She claims it is for the best, for our child, because the Alliance hunts her and will hunt us but the Horde hunts us as well! <BR> <BR>I have seen so many just people killed by those unjust creatures <BR> <BR>She cannot seem to grasp what such a move would mean. <BR> <BR>It would render all that I have fought for as totally useless. The death of my parents would be worthless my friendships with Proudmoore would be moot all of my work in Dalaran to strengthen the Alliance, better myself, and bring peace to the world would be shattered. <BR> <BR>Forty-one years of my long life will have been blasted to pieces. <BR> <BR>Would it be a better switch for my child? For his closest friends to be Orcs? Trolls? Dare I say even, undead? <BR> <BR>The Alliance has its cracks. It has its fissures. The Ordo, it serves as a gaping chasm within the ranks of the Alliance which consumes and expels innocent people. <BR> <BR>But the Horde the entire Horde serves as such a device, does it not? <BR> <BR>She was upset.. she didnt seem to understand the weight of such a move. What is easy for her, it is hard for me. I find myself walking on a tightrope in which on one side is my old life, on the other is a new one I cannot walk on this rope forever, it will break or I will fall and whatever side I fall on is the side I will remain. <BR> <BR>I told her that I would try I would try to consider the Horde question and realign myself. But it is hard! So very hard! I gaze upon the statues of our past heroes and the sacrifices that they gave so that I, and Yumeko, can live and am I willing to spit on them? <BR> <BR>Admiral Proudmoore is a Friend of Stormwind. If I turn my back on Stormwind fully does that not make me an enemy? His enemy? <BR> <BR>I went from a fit to very somber and melancholy I honestly saying that I would try it nearly broke me down into tears to think of the waste of my life do I give up my old life to start a new one? <BR> <BR>As we sat quietly in the room, Yumeko had more to talk about. Particularly about an incident that had occurred the night before while I slept <BR> <BR>It appears that while Yumeko was traveling through Stormwind, she came upon a man that was bullying someone and they were affiliates of the Ordo Hereticus. Yumeko, in her attempt to help the man that was being oppressed, summoned an Infernal in the Canal District of Stormwind. <BR> <BR>Ill repeat this, so that in my old age I dont think I was crazy. <BR> <BR>Summoned an Infernal in the Canal District of Stormwind. <BR> <BR>The events that transpired afterwards boil my blood. The two Ordo members, clearly seeing a bigger fish to fry, chased my pregnant wife and tried to kill her. The gentleman was named Calithos, the female, I do not know her wretched name. Calithos brandished a firearm of some sort and chased my wife out of Stormwind and he claimed he would only spare her life because she was pregnant and that she cannot use fel magicks while being with child. <BR> <BR>First of all, I dont need the Ordo to be my parents. <BR> <BR>Secondly I dont need Yumeko summoning giant Hellions from the Nether into a populated area of Stormwind, the capital of the Alliance. <BR> <BR>I was thrown not into a fit, but into a rage and I reprimanded Yumeko soundly. If she wants the best for our family, she needs to be more responsible. How fair would it be had I awoken this morning and found my wife and our unborn son riddled with holes and floating down the Stormwind Canal? <BR> <BR>Furthermore, would it be for something worth dying for? No. <BR> <BR>She did not know the man that was being bothered, nor did she understand the situation at all. She impulsively threw herself into a confrontation with an established Order, which has no hesitation to kill! <BR> <BR>I am a skilled orator, and I can talk my way out of just about anything. But I cannot somehow justify the summoning of an Infernal into the Stormwind Canal. There is no way to do such a thing and be believable, or realistic. <BR> <BR>I have sacrificed a lot for Yumeko, and I love her. I gave up Dalaran. I may be giving up the Alliance. I gave up a large chunk of my previous existence for this girl but I simply ask that she mask her practice, speak in common, and not summon giant balls of fel matter into populated areas, and it seems so impossible for her! <BR> <BR>It frustrates me it does. <BR> <BR>And as I stood there, ranting and raving, waving my arms about and lecturing her on the simple concept of a low profile she sat quietly and took it. She did not look at me, but rather gripped the chair and sat silently before me. I paced back and forth and told her my mind, I told her what was in my heart. <BR> <BR>I love this woman I will do anything to protect her. How can I protect her if she doesnt protect herself? <BR> <BR>Yumeko was upset, I could tell, but so was I. She doubled over in her chair slightly and gripped the table, her nails dug into the wood and she let out a soft groan. <BR> <BR>I thought it was out of sadness <BR> <BR>I continued my tirade, telling her about the history of the Alliance, about how we need to actually live, etc etc. <BR> <BR>She doubled over more and gripped her stomach. <BR> <BR>I told her not to cry, that I wasnt truly angry with her, just frustrated. <BR> <BR>She nodded and groaned again. <BR> <BR>I asked her if she was all right. She shook her head and said her stomach hurt. I figured she was just hungry, perhaps she said no. <BR> <BR>My God she was going into labor! <BR>