Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Pt 43 Where the beast dwells

The fetid stink of the electrified mob was nearly unbearable. Within the dark confines of the massive arena lurked a press of Orcs, Trolls, Blood elves, and at least a few humans along with a stunted dwarf. All of them carousing, laughing, shouting and cheering at the bloody spectacle in the ring below.

I glance down in the ring and see what appears to be three skinny gnomes swirling and fighting. They look like comical children dressed as gladiators. One even fights with makeshift claws and is dressed as a lion. What a pathetic sight.

My task this night, as I fight to make my way through this bloodthirsty crowd, is to find the Deathknight known as Goregreedy. Squish said he was the one looking after little Meekha, which of course disturbs me greatly, even though he is her father, he has the cold heart of the Deathknight. He would never know how to take care of her or even how to love her. With any luck I can find her and take her to Thunder Bluff. I believe I can get Hamuul to teach her to be a druid. My dream is that she will be the first Orc to join the Order, and that she can fill the place that I cannot.

Through the roaring crowd I finally see him. Goregreedy has turned into a bloated, and disgusting shadow of his former self. He sits at the edge of the area on a throne of sorts. Around him are various servants and slave girls offering him food, drink, and false adoration. It seems that he has somehow gotten quite rich, perhaps betting on this circus they call a gladiatorial arena.

I anxiously press on with a renewed strength of purpose. I am so close to finding my adopted daughter, to see the look on her face when she realizes I am alive. I realize now that all things, even my burning hatred of Garrosh, are unimportant next to the need to find her.

"Aye!! Watch weer yer goin Mon!!" I knock aside a troll who then turns around and douses me with a sour smelling beer. I stare him in the face for a moment before the crowd suddenly explodes in a roaring cheer. We both look down into the arena and watch as the gnome dressed as a lion jumps on top of one of the other gladiators and begins disemboweling him with those nasty makeshift claws. Turning away, I take the opportunity to press forward to the edge of the arena where I can get to Goregreedy.

As I approach, my anger begins to stir, it quickly washes away any fear or apprehension. Without even thinking, I knock aside one of the serving wenches and grab the bloated and disgusting Orc by his stained tunic. His head snaps to look at me, and I see a mixture of fear and anger in his milky, pus filled eyes.

"Where is Meekha!?!" I say through gritted teeth.

He glares at me for a moment. I can smell his rotten breath as he gasps for air.

"Who dah hell do yah tink you are Toureen?!? Git yer filty hands off me!!" he says as I watch his hand reach frantically for his corroded maul sitting nearby.

I strain to lift his festering, bloated body up from his chair and away from his cursed weapon.

"I am Calmfury you puke! I have come back from the dead to get my daughter, and I am told you have her!!"

He stares at me in disbelief before stammering a in response.

"She's mah dawter." he says meekly "Ey am er Fodder."

"We had a deal Goregreedy! I watched over her and you stayed away. You lost the right to call her your child when you killed her mother in cold blood." I hiss

I see in his eyes the full realization that I am indeed Calmfury. We stare at one another for a moment. He will tell me where Meekha is or he will die.

Suddenly, the crowd explodes once again in a cheering roar. Goregeedy turns towards the arena floor and gasps as his mouth falls open in disbelief.

"Meekha!" he says in his phlegm filled voice "I am ruined!!"

I turn to the fight below to see the gnome dressed as a lion impaled on a spear. Over him stands the victor with his hands in the air. He reaches up and yanks off his helmet. Instead of a skinny, wirey gnome I see the face of a starving and scarred Orc child. He roars back at the crowd in triumph.

A voice suddenly booms over the crowd. "Korlong is victorius!! Dah long, bloody reign of dah Lioness of Duratar is over!!" The crowd roars even louder as I see people dancing in the stands. They begin to press towards us with greed in their eyes. "Meekha the Savage is slain!!" the announcer finally says.

My heart begins to pound furiously in my chest as I drop Goregreedy back into his chair and look at the arena below us. Tears well in my eyes, and flow like rivers down my cheeks. The skinny gnome dressed as a lion lays still on the sandy floor with a spear jutting from her chest.

I leap down into the arena, and knock aside the little orc boy still parading around the floor. The crowd suddenly turns and I feel all eyes upon me as I approach her bloody form. Her arms and legs are covered with scars and open wounds. Her delicate green flesh is bruised and battered.

With shaking limbs I kneel next to her and gently remove her helmet. Hoping beyond all hope it is not her. But, with an anguish I have never felt before I look at her face and into her innocent eyes and I see that it is indeed my little Meekha.

"Meekha... I am so sorry I could not get here sooner." I say with a pathetic sob.

She looks up at me weakly as blood runs out of her mouth. I can see the wretched pain in her eyes. She takes a moment to focus.

"Who are you?" she manages to say

She is still alive! I can still save her!!

"Charibdys!!!" I roar at the top of my lungs hoping that she can hear me above the crowd. If there is anyone here that can heal Meekha is it her. "Come quickly!!!"

"Master?!?" Meekha says weakly. "Is that you?"

"Yes my child it is me. I have come back from the dead to find you. I have come to save you and take you far away from this place." I say with hopeless determination

"Charibdys!!!" I shout even louder.

Through the roar of the bloodthirsty crowd I hear her. "Calmfury!! I am coming" she yells as she fights to make her way through the mass of spectators.

I look up to find her just in time to have a half filled tankard of ale hit me in the face. Above me the crowd has turned angry, shouting obscenities and curses at me. Their leering and twisted faces staring at me as they begin to throw food, cups and anything else they can find.

My anger begins to boil and seethe within me. It is matched only by my anguish.

"Master" Meekha says in her pathetic voice as I turn and try to shield her with my body. "I am sorry I could not.." she gasps a bit for air as she coughs up a wad of foamy blood. "I wanted to learn to fight to avenge your death. I am sorry I disappointed you."

As I look into her darkening eyes I feel a bottomless swell of anguish and helplessness.

"Meekha, I swear to you. That I will not rest until the blood of Garrosh and the blood of Goregreedy is spilled. Their bodies will be broken and their hearts ripped from their chest. They will know no rest or peace while I still live. Even if it takes me a thousand lifetimes."

Her eyes go dark as I watch the last bit of life drain away. Charibdys lands hard on the sandy floor and runs to my side. She grabs the body of Meekha and begins to focus her healing magic. But, I know it is too late.

As I slowly stand I feel my muscles tense up and grim determination comes over me. They will all pay for what they did. Not a single one of them who felt joy at her death will leave this place.

Then, it comes. I suddenly feel a burning presence glaring at me from behind, a presence I have not felt for a long time. I slowly turn around, as debris is still being thrown at me, and there before me on the arena floor stands a ghostly black wolf. His oily fur bristling, and his slobbering maw hanging open like the gates of hell.

"Diogenes, my foolish love. Did you really think you could hide from me forever? You eluded me well this time, but your anger always brings me back, and this time, I will not let you leave me." the vicious ghostwolf says in a booming whisper to my mind.

As I stare at the apparition for a moment everything seems to go quiet. Time slows down as I come to the full realization of this horrid fate. They all said I was out of balance, and they were all right. I am not really a druid, but an avatar of sorts. An engine of immortal destruction. The incarnation of fury.

"Charibdys" I say slowly. "take Meekhas body to Mulgore and prepare a funeral pyre. I will meet you there in two days time."

She looks up at me in astonishment. "Calmfury, what are you going to do?"

Ignoring her I turn once again to the wolf. "Come to me worgen, come and let us cleanse the filth of this place."

With fluid grace I shift into a lion and leap up to the edge of the arena. The crowd parts from my hulking form as I glare at them with burning hatred. Then, I feel a hotness pour through my body and my bones begin to crack. I feel myself swell and grow larger as my muscles expand and my claws grow into vicious sabers. Instead of just a lion, I am become something else. I stand in full glory before their terror filled faces.

"It is through you Diogenes that I shall wield a greater power. Together we will crush our enemies!" the ghostly voice says in my mind.

"I will kill every last one of you!!" I manage to roar as the crowd begins to panic, and frantically tries scampers away.

"RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!"

My horrific roar echoes through the canyons of Orgrimmar, shaking the sandstone walls of the valleys beyond.