War Stories

The Last Gnome Out
"Alright evacuees! Listen up!  We've got trogg sightings at the Train Depot so you'll need to stay close together and keep moving."

The stern gnome in charge glanced briefly at the white-haired girl wandering through the evacuation center. Her wide eyes tried to take in the chaos of the hall. Families with all their possessions strapped to their backs huddled together. Armed gnomes in heavy plate ran fighting drills. A small group of gnomes dressed in dark coveralls whispered to each other at the back of the room. She approached the Master Sergeant and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Excuse me, sir" she said. Her voice sounded small and scared. "You better hurry miss," he interrupted, "this group is leaving."

"No, sir," she answered. "I mean, that is, I can't leave yet. My Aunts, they're... very old.  They can't make it alone and I was wondering if we could get help."

"If you can get them here, we'll get them out" the Master Sergeant said, turning from the girl to sign some papers. "Better hurry though. Last transport leaves tomorrow." She nodded and hurried for home, hoping that she wasn't too late.

"Aunts Bea! I'm back!  Hello?" Her voice echoed strangely through the once busy house. "She's gone, dear" came a weak response. She set her bag down and followed the voice to the back bedroom.

"When did she leave?"

Her last remaining aunt lay in bed, looking greyer than when she had left. "This morning. Just after you went out.  I don't think we'll be seeing her again."

"Don't say that!" the girl yelled. "Aunt Bea the Summoner is the strongest gnome I know. She'll be back!"

"No, dear, she won't. I won't be with you much longer either." A fit of coughing shook the sickly gnome's small frame. "I want you to take what little gold is left and leave Gnomeregan." She held up a withered hand to stop the argument before it could start. "Now listen to your old aunt for once and don't argue with me. The city is lost and your family with it.  You need to go make a life for yourself on the surface."

The girl said nothing and set about fixing the dinner that neither of them ate. Just before midnight, her aunt's battle with the leprosy ended. Lying deathly still in her bed, willing herself to be invisible, the girl heard the growling and scratching sounds as her last aunt found her way outside and into the Gnomeregan streets.

Master Sergeant Hammerspark recognized the white-haired girl and nodded to her as she approached the last group of evacuees. "Are you ready to go miss? Where are your Aunts?"

"They... won't be joining me." she said, her gaze firmly on the floor.

He put a hand on her shoulder and said "I'm sorry about that. Don't worry though.  You'll be safe soon."

"Sir, I want to stay" she said as though she was still trying to convince herself that it was true. "I want to help take Gnomeregan back."

She turned her ice-blue gaze on him and he saw the determination behind her eyes. After a long moment and nodded towards the group of gnomes in the shadows. "You'd do better to head for Ironforge, but if you're fool enough to stay, go talk to that group over there. Tell them Hammerspark sent you."

She nodded and picked up her meager possessions. The whispering gnomes fell silent and watched her approach. She cleared her throat a couple of times and then said "Hammerspark sent me" hoping that it would be enough of an explanation.

The shadow gnomes grinned and the girl caught a couple of rolling eyes. Their doubts fueled her spirit and she straightened herself defiantly. "Well, lets see if we can't find someone to show you around," said one of the eye rollers. He caught the eye of a young gnome just entering the hall. "Hey Hu! Come here and meet your new partner."

He approached and looked the girl over. She stood at attention, unwilling to seem weak to her new companions. One corner of his mouth turned upward, forming a lopsided grin. "So you got a name?" he asked. "My family called me Lu" she answered. "Well then, Lu, I'm Hugo. Welcome to the Resistance."

The Final Exam
"But I don't see why we have to keep it secret," Albin grumbled, picking at a stone in the tread of his boot. "Most everyone has left and I would think that the few that remain would be happy to see us coming."

The group paused for a rest in the remains of an old access tunnel. It was the third day on patrol for the two newest members of the Resistance and the lack of action made them bored and chatty.

"Keep your voice down!" Hugo whispered, scowling. "You really want people to know that you killed their father, even if he had turned leaper? If anyone were to find out who we are, when this is all over, there could be some serious repercussions."

"Sssh!" hissed Lon. "Did you hear that?" The squeaking and gurgling of Troggs could plainly be heard echoing off the walls of the ruined tunnel. Talula and Albin exchanged worried glances. "Relax guys," said Hugo, "I'll go take a look and see how many and how far away they are." He flattened himself out against the wall and crept around the corner.

"Ok, recruits. Deep breaths." Lon said, coating his blade with a ugly green liquid. "You've been training for this for a month. Get behind them if you can.  Just worry about shallow slices.  Let the poison do the work.  Remember, they won't give you a fair chance, so don't give them one.  This ain't an arena match."

The sound of steel on claws and the bestial cry of the troggs echoed down the corridor. "Incoming!" Hugos voice echoed over the din of battle. Lon turned to the two green fighters. "Ambush tactics! Against the wall!" Albin and the older fighter flattened themselves out against the wall. Lu saw the long shadows of three troggs coming towards her, and froze. Her heart pounded in her ears so loudly, that she didn't hear Lon calling her name and telling her to hide. The troggs were almost in sight when Lu inhaled sharply, and vanished.

Standing still as stone, she watched as the hairy monsters came closer. Then she was in the middle of them. Then she was behind them. The largest of the troggs sniffed at the air, sensing fresh meat nearby. Lon and Albin leapt from their hiding place, swords flashing in the near dark. Lu felt someone brush by her and then Hugo was behind the big one, his blade sliding deftly between trogg ribs. She stayed frozen to the ground, watching the battle in front of her as if it was some dream. Lon's angry voice jarred her back to reality. "Spannerbang! Where the fel are you?" She hurried forward, dagger drawn, and cut shallow slices into the back of the one attacking Albin. The trogg turned to face his new attacker and caught a dagger in the eye. The falling trogg wrenched Lu's dagger from her hand as the beasts blood splattered across her face. The gnome girl blinked in shock as the other two troggs fell next to the first.

Albin's cheer of victory echoed down the hall. Lon and Hugo both shushed him through wide grins. "Hu, when did you teach her that trick?" Lon asked, catching his breath.

"What trick?" Hugo asked back.

"That one where you disappear into thin air?"

Hugo turned and looked at his partner, who was still blinking in shock at the pile of trogg bodies at her feet. "You can vanish?" he asked, pulling her dagger from the trogg's skull. "I... uh..." she stammered, unable to form proper words. Hugo slid her dagger back into its scabbard and smiled at her. "Lu, deep breathes. Who taught you to vanish?"

"No one," she sputtered at last. "My mother I maybe. I don't know.  I've never done it before.  Not like that." He ruffled her hair and said "Well, when we get back, lets see if we can't teach you how to do it on purpose."

The group pulled the bodies out of sight and the realization of her first victory set in. She grinned as they continued down the tunnel. "Hey Lu?" Hugo said quietly, watching her face, "Good job."