Kopf's Story Book 15

Kopf's Story
 * - ''by Kopfjagger and Lucia



Powerful Magic
The human just didn't understand that He didn't want to hurt her. She was quick, too. Slather rubbed his temple and gave chase deeper into the spider den. He feared that he was chasing her deeper into the thick of the spiders, but if he turned back now, she was most certainly lost. If he followed her too closely, she may blindly run deeper into peril. Women, he muttered under his breath, are the same no matter what race.  He began to lose sight of her. The Shaman was only afforded a darting glimpse every other turn. Soon, she was gone. Grumbling under his breath, he continued to pick his way along the path she had taken. It was not difficult to see signs of her passing, but he grew more frustrated at her lack of prudence and his slow speed. Spiders were very high on his avoid at all costs lists. He hated spiders ever since his formative years in the hot and humid jungles of his ancestors.  This wasn't a situation one would call favorable at all. First his diplomacy mission had gone horribly, horribly wrong, He hadn't heard from Kopfjagger in some time, and now Lucia had given him the slip as well. He seemed to be screwing up left and right.  He sat down. Maybe a drink would help clear his head a little. He fished a flask of cool spring water from his pack, lounged against a rock, and began to drink. He had only downed a couple of sips when he heard a human womans scream further down the path.  He threw the skin aside and ran in the direction of the scream. He hoped for a moment that she was injured badly, so that she couldn't run further, then immediately felt guilty for it. Such thoughts were unbecoming of a Shaman his stature.  Standing over a pile of fresh earth he looked around for a moment before he noticed the roots dangling from above. A small hole in the ceiling of the den let in a single, wide shaft of light. Softly, a moan came from near the opening. Quickly, Slather shimmied and pulled his way up the root. His thick Troll muscles making short work of the climb.  His selfish thoughts turned out to be true. There she was, only a few dozen meters away. She was on the ground and clutching her ankle. With horror plain on his face, he watched her collapse and drift off into a poison induced sleep.  Slather took one step and then paused. He sensed someone else. A bony figure emerged from the shadows, rushed to her side, and examined her wound. It must be Kopfjagger, he thought. After spotting her wound, the Rogue picked the girl up and ran right past Slather, muttering all sorts of things in Gutterspeak, seemingly unaware of the Shamans presence. <BR> <BR>Slather tried to give chase and tried alert Kopfjagger of his presence. &quot;Wait! I can help!&quot; Either Kopfjagger was completely oblivious, or was blatantly ignoring him. <BR> <BR>Slathers feet were beginning to hurt from so much running and chasing. He sighed, shifted into a Ghost Wolf once more, and began pursuing the Rogue. &quot;What a frightening sight the humans must consider this.&quot; he mused. &quot;A Forsaken carrying an unconscious Human female over his shoulder, and a Troll turning into a wolf and chasing them. What a day.&quot; <BR> <BR>Kopfjagger found a spider's nest very quickly. He laid Lucia down softly and stood to gather the venom sacks from the spiders. As soon as he stood, he heard Slather from behind him. <BR> <BR>&quot;Troll, she needs healing very badly. I can cure the poison but she will die if not healed immediately. Please, please do not let her die Slather!&quot; <BR> <BR>He did not even wait for a reply before heading into the spider den. He could hear the Troll speaking as he ripped spiders open, searching for a venom sac what could be used to make the anti-venom. <BR> <BR>At last, he had one. He fumbled with his vials and herbs as he ran up the slope back to Lucia. If the Troll did not heal her in time, he would die. Vengeance needs to be channeled and, sadly, Slather was the closest. Then there was Goldshire.... and Stormwind.... and everything in between them. <BR> <BR>Slather repeated the Forsakens words silently to himself. &quot;Please, please do not let her die, Slather!&quot; Kopfjagger had pleaded to him. He had never seen an Undead so eager for another's life, let alone begging. Slather nodded. &quot;I can prolong her life, and I can even help nullify but Kopfjagger was already gone. &quot;- the poison.&quot; <BR> <BR>Slather thought that was pretty rude of the Rogue. Shaking it off to the Forsaken not handling stress well, the Shaman gathered his thoughts and became attuned to the 	Earth. He began a channeling the healing powers of the Earth, and a wave of vitality washed over the unconscious Lucia. With Lucia in a half-stable condition, he reached out with his consciousness into Lucia's body. He felt himself coursing through her veins, in search of the venom that rotted her from the inside out. <BR> <BR>He found it. It was a dark, sticky feeling, and he could see the damage it had done to her bloodstream already even with his healing. Slather returned to himself, and oriented upon the site he had just been. He centered himself, and began channeling the power of Water to cleanse the poor girl. It took a massive amount of concentration. He finished the final word, and broke the channel. He began to search Lucia's veins again. The poison was still there! Not only that, but was continuing to spread. Slather repeated his healing chant. <BR> <BR>The girl needed proper anti-venom, which he was sure Kopfjagger had gone in search of. He needed to fulfill the Undead's request, and his own inward vow to see them through. Slather downed one of his precious Mana potions, and felt a burning sensation within him. He then planted a Mana Tide Totem to assist him, and began to continuously channel the Healing of Earth. <BR> <BR>Slather was quite drained even with the aid of his totems. His hands were shaky, and he fumbled over his Herbs and Vials, muttering something. <BR> <BR>Kopfjagger returned and immediately noticed Lucia's face was pink instead of pale, but her brow was covered in sweat. Her beautiful hair was matted against her head and her body shook. She was not out of danger, but without Slather, she would have surely been dead already. <BR> <BR>The anti-venom was completed within moments as he spoke comfortingly to Lucia in what broken human-speak he knew. It would take her will to live as much as his antidote to restore her to health. He murmured a quick prayer to whatever god was listening as he completed the antidote. <BR> <BR>Gently resting her head in his lap, he began to slowly pour the antidote into her quivering lips. A few moments pause, and he poured a little more. He repeated this until the entire vial was gone. During the pauses, he would stroke her hair, dab at her cheek with a small cloth and whisper quietly of his love for her. <BR> <BR>They were no longer on the road, but if Lucia lived, he did not care if one hundred guards came down and destroyed him where he knelt. He was aware of how deep in the enemies territory he was. He knew that at any moment his spirit would be sent to the nether to wander. <BR> <BR>Lucia took in a deep, shuddering breath. Her eyes fluttered and she tried to sit upright. <BR> <BR>&quot;Shhh.... Shhh.... Rest my sweet,&quot; he soothed. &quot;Rest just a few moments longer.&quot; Gently, he pulled her back into his arms. He only wished that his body was warm so that she could feel something other than cold leather and smell something other than rotted flesh. <BR> <BR> ((This part of the story was written in partnership by Kopfjagger and Lucia. I have the honor of retelling it but at least half, if not more, of the creative power comes directly from Lucia even though her name does not appear to the left of the post. *bows deeply to Lucia* Thank you, Lucia, for letting me retell our story, I hope to do it justice.)) <BR><BR>

The Reason
It was as if Lucia was awakening from a deep sleep, one that was enjoyed in a soft bed with a warm quilt wrapped to her neck. Once the poison had worked in her system, Lucia had felt no real pain, just a numbing sleepiness, and the overwhelming will to lie down and close her eyes. Deceptive and false, the poison created a sense of simple drowsiness that would send a person to death in their sleep. <BR> <BR>Now, there was a sickly film in her mouth that tasted bitter. Her limbs began tingling, like a million tiny pokes from pins and needles as her circulation began moving again. She tried to sit up but was pulled back down in Kopfjagger's arms. Comforting and tender, she relaxed into an embrace that she felt safe in. <BR> <BR>Weak and her mind still a little numb, she snuggled into Kopfjagger. She drew up her legs and placed her head in his lap, her face resting against his bony chest and fell into a normal, healthy sleep. She was confident he would wake her when it was time to depart; when it was time for her to enter her town. Home at last. <BR> <BR>It was magical when Lucia turned into his chest and fell into a deep, healthy sleep. Closing his eyes, Kopfjagger savored this moment and wished it would last forever. Long were his thoughts and silent prayers for her, her family and he even dared to allow vain hopes for some type of future together. <BR> <BR>Slather made some remark about the wounds that littered Kopfjaggers body. The Forsaken carefully raised his head to look at the Shaman. Without moving anything but the muscles on his face, Kopfjagger made a shrugging gesture. Pain was more a calculation than a feeling to the Forsaken. The body could only hold onto the spirit for so long. As long as the spirit held, the flesh mattered little. Slather was not pleased and within moments, Kopfjagger felt a wave of warmth pass through him and saw the holes in his arm and leg disappear. Kopfjagger rested his eyes on the top of Lucias head and smoothed her hair. <BR> <BR>The sun had set and the two still lay there, wrapped in one another. Slather stirred. The recent events had drained him tremendously. First it was the pursuit from the Alliance after his diplomatic failure. Then it was the meeting of Kopfjagger and Lucia outside of the Undercity. He tried to hunt them down before they were hunted down. And just a few hours ago it was the desperate effort to save Lucia's life, which thankfully succeeded. <BR> <BR>The Troll Shaman became exhausted just thinking about it all. He got up and un-wrapped a steak. Ramming it between his tusks, he hungrily devoured the meant and pondered what may come next. Lucia was still curled up next to Kopfjagger. The Forsaken assassin himself had come close to a nervous breakdown as well, the Shaman mused. <BR> <BR>Slather remembered with a jolt that the alliance guards were searching for him. Bounty hunters were after Kopfjagger, and would-be rescuers were doubtlessly after Lucia. <BR> <BR>He walked over to the sleeping pair, and shook the Forsaken on the shoulder gently, but firmly. &quot;We should not linger. The Alliance is combing the lands. Wake up!&quot; Nothing. Slather shook his head, and set down his Earth totem, and called a minor Tremor to wake them from their sleep. <BR> <BR>Slather was trying to rouse them, but Kopfjagger ignored him. He was not asleep. The Forsaken rogue was doing everything in his power to memorize every part of this moment. If he was not allowed to die, he would at least know what it feels like to truly live. <BR> <BR>The earth began to tremble around him. Kopfjagger opened his eyes and looked around him for the source of the disturbance. He made sure that no other part of his body moved. Lucia would not be disturbed by his movements. In her sleep, a slumber filled with sweet dreams of her children, of Kopfjagger and of love, Lucia stirred, her face caressing her bony pillow. <BR> <BR>A shaman totem stood no more than three feet from him, throbbing. Slather was impatient, as all Trolls were, really. Lucia stirred, moved her head as if trying to make the bones and leather more comfortable. Another tremor and her eyes fluttered open. <BR> <BR>With a quick flick of the wrist, a dagger slammed into the totem, knocking it over and ceased the trembling earth. It was too late. Lucia was awake, but not in fear. The Troll would eat solid food for a while longer, he thought to himself. Slather flinched as the knife made a melodious thunk against the wood. <BR> <BR>Slowly, as the earth began to move below her, she came awake; she yawned into her hand and looked up at Kopfjagger with a questioning gaze. He leaned down, brushed the hair from her face and whispered in her ear, &quot;It is time for you to return to your family, my heart, I cannot take you further. This.... this you must do on your own.&quot;, and she realized he was attempting to say goodbye to her. Lucias heart nearly broke. It was so soon! <BR> <BR>Gently and with great patience, the Forsaken loosened his embrace on her so that she was free to stand on her own. She was free to leave him now, and he wished this moment had never come. <BR> <BR>For a split second she wanted something, anything, to happen just to prolong her stay with him, and then she shook her head. No, I need to see my children. I need to hold them and make sure they are safe. <BR> <BR>Kopfjagger made the first move; he released her from his embrace and allowed her to stand on her own. She took a long look at the direction she was to be heading in alone and then her eyes rested back on him. There he stood, her guardian, her guide, her forsaken love. For a moment, she did nothing. Slowly she turned and approached Slather. <BR> <BR>She trust out a hand, grabbed the Trolls large blue fingers in hers and shook it. It was not a lot, but he had saved her life and she wanted to show her gratitude to the one she had misjudged from sight. She was still a little wary of him, but the large gap between them had closed significantly. <BR> <BR>With a quiet, forlorn sigh, she went to Kopfjagger. This was the hardest thing she had to do; she had to say farewell to him, a farewell that spoke for both of them. She lifted his hand, removed his glove and placed it on her face, tears falling down her cheeks. <BR> <BR>With one of her own, she caressed his face, being careful not to disturb the flesh too much, his eyes burning into her own. Hand to cheek, tears blurring her vision she spoke farewell to him in a universal language; she leaned in and gave him a final gentle kiss, her lips meeting his for the first time. Her hand slipped from his cheek and her eyes left his. She turned, paused for a moment to gain control of herself, and then walked away toward Goldshire, the tips of the chimneys visible on the dawning horizon. <BR> <BR>She did not look back. <BR> <BR>Slather was content that it had been a fulfilling, and honorable adventure. It should atone for his failure with the diplomacy, he hoped. &quot;So what do we do now, Kopfjagger?&quot; He asked, eager to begin some new adventure. <BR> <BR>Kopfjagger still felt her warm lips on his as she turned and began walking down the road to her home. She was leaving him for her former life. She had changed his so drastically, in ways he would not have even imagined possible, that he had to wonder what her life would now look like to her. <BR> <BR>Her husband was tortured before he died. Her children will know only one parent. She appeared to love him as he loved her.... enemies that simply cannot be together. He had lost sanctuary in the only city that truly accepted him. He slew one of his masters and friends. <BR> <BR>None of that mattered really, as he watched her walk down that road. He watched until she was lost in a dip in the road, safely in the town of Goldshire. His heart ached in a way that he was not familiar and tears continued to stream down his face. <BR> <BR>Some say that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved. He had heard that saying and thought that only fools could speak of such things as ridiculous as love. Now, with heart freshly broken, he realized that pain knows no bounds. He knew that he had gained more than he had lost with her returning to her family, but the loss was so great that he could feel nothing else at the moment. <BR> <BR>The Troll was speaking. Turning to the Slather, Kopfjagger made no attempt to hide his tears. &quot;I will see her with her family. You cannot follow me there. I will not stay overly long, but I must see her son and daughter. I killed her son and begged a Night Elf to return the spirit to the child,&quot; he explained. &quot;I wish to see them all happy.&quot; <BR> <BR>&quot;Go where you will Slather. Go with my thanks and eternal gratitude, for you saved her from death. But I must see her.&quot; <BR> <BR>Stealth wrapped itself around the Forsaken and to Slather, he was gone. <BR> <BR>He did not wait to hear the reply. Not because he did not care, but because he could not say goodbye to anyone else right now. Slather was a friend, but his love was just over the next hill and he would see her happy. He would see why he had let her go. <BR> <BR>Slowly and cautiously he made his way to the window above the garden and gingerly picked his way through the flowers and herbs to the window. <BR> <BR>Tears were still streaming down his face as he looked inside. <BR> <BR> ((This part of the story was written in partnership by Kopfjagger and Lucia. I have the honor of retelling it but at least half, if not more, of the creative power comes directly from Lucia even though her name does not appear to the left of the post. *bows deeply to Lucia* Thank you, Lucia, for letting me retell our story, I hope to do it justice.)) <BR><BR>

Story Time
Goldshire seemed smaller to Lucia as she walked down the center road toward her little house. The townsfolk were just starting to come awake with tiny reminders of her once busy and happy life. Old Tharynn Bouden opening his shop from the back of his wagon; he had enough money for one of the shops in the city, but he adamantly refused to move. His familiar words echoed in her mind as she passed. I made my first coppers here from this wagon and I plan on doing more of the same! Everyone knew he was head over heels in love with Gertie, whom he could see sitting in her window most of the day from his wagon stop. <BR> <BR>A tiny tabby rubbed against her ankles and reminded her of Donni Anthania and her cats. She lived outside of town but her cats wandered all over it and the farmers always had fresh milk sent down to her doorstep every morning to help feed them. <BR> <BR>Passing the inn, memories echoed back to her. Gentle memories played themselves out for her anew; memories of the new roof, of the various travelers and visitors that came and went. She thought of Innkeeper Farley and his strict code he enforced on Dobbins, who was usually so deep in his own cups he forgot to charge the patrons for theirs. <BR> <BR>How small it all seemed now that she had been in some of the places she had been! Dusty roads, long swims, the horde outpost and the Zeppelin rides that Alexi would have just loved. The Undercity and its horrors, the jungle with the dwarven camp, the spider den where she had been touched by death and saved by kindness and love. <BR> <BR>Back in Goldshire, everything seemed miniscule until her house came into view and her heart wrenched. Her home was larger than life, every detail magnified to her eyes. The tilted door that always did hang sideways, her garden in full bloom under her kitchen window, and the firewood stacked neatly under the tin shed. She went up the walkway and spied the wooden plank she had used to threaten Kopfjagger with and smiled, shaking her head. <BR> <BR>She paused at the door and pressed her ear to the wood. A crash made her jump back quickly. Startled, she rushed inside and gaped at the situation. Everyone stopped, heads turned her way. Lucia stared. Loria was sitting on Alexis chest pinning him to the ground, a stuffed bear brandished high. Alexi, burdened by his little sister, wore a silly grin plastered on his face. He was ready to tickle her into submission. <BR> <BR>Who would have won that battle would never be known. As she stood in the doorway, her children recovered first. Joyful pandemonium erupted. They rushed her; Lucia dragged then to the kitchen, dropped to her knees and hugged them both at the same time. Tears of happiness bathed her face as she cradled her little ones. Their voices combining together with all the questions they asked. <BR> <BR>Loria pulled back first, looked around and asked her painful question in the sweet voice or innocent youth. Is daddy still outside Momma? <BR> <BR>Lucia sobered. With a gentle nudge she held her children out at arms length and looked deeply at them, Babies Momma has a long story to tell you when shes ready. <BR> <BR>Alexi touched her face, Fathers not coming home is he? <BR> <BR>Lucia shook her head. No honey, hes not. <BR> <BR>Loria tilted her head as she always did when she tried to solve puzzles. Why not? Where is he? <BR> <BR>Alexi glared at his sister. His face softened as he looked up at his mother. Momma said shed tell us when shes ready! Right Momma? <BR> <BR>Lucia, on her knees in the kitchen, her children in front of her with their innocent eyes putting trust in her, nodded. She glanced up at the priest who had just come in from the cellar, wiping her hands on a towel. Lucias eyes told the priest the most of it. The priest came to her, stood above her and put a hand on her shoulder. <BR> <BR>The four of them, an elven priest, a mother and her two innocent children painted a picture of mired emotion. Lucia sat down with her back against the wall, the kitchen window open to let in a breeze. She pulled her children onto her lap and brushed back their hair. Closing her eyes, the mother smiled when she caught the slight scent of rotted flesh masked by the overpowering smell of honeysuckle, roses and peacebloom. <BR> <BR>She glanced at the empty window, looked down at her children and began, Let me tell you about a great man that helped your Mommy learn a lot of wonderful things <BR> <BR> ((This chapter is 100% Lucia's work. She's truly talented. I just edited it very slightly. <BR>*bows low and deep to the talented Lucia*))

End of Kopf's Story  Book 15 [<---Book 14] [Book 16--->]