Argonas the Ironclad

His eyes turned to her, still unconvinced she was really there. It seemed… impossible. But he knew it was her. He could feel it, even without being able to touch her. She looked magnificent, even as a weary, time-tortured soul. Her defiance burned, an undiminishing aura that was so uniquely hers. He'd missed it so much.

Avehi was less sentimental in the moment. Of course, she didn't know this Sinafay too well. The similarities with her counterpart were strong, though; she blamed herself less for mixing them up the first time she encountered her, looking for the one she knew from Draenor. On second look… it seemed the two were inescapably linked, even across their different timelines. Curious. She shook her head, and turned to Sylaess; the provider and defender of their makeshift hideout.

"Any sign of Raetos?" Avehi asked her hooded elven friend, slinging her hammer over her shoulder once the cave opened up wide enough to allow it. "I don't know how much time we can spend looking for him."

A small shake of her head was all that was offered. The shaded hood didn’t offer much for expression, but it wasn’t really necessary in the Maw. She shifted, rummaging about the small quarry of supplies she’d netted. Two small packages bound in ebon cloth, to be fair. Food. Waterskins. Bandages. Inane things, but not to be expected of the Acherians.

She knew Argo would need these things. Hoped Raetos was good enough to find himself some forage--though it had a cost. Syl tugged the hemp straps tighter, securing them. A nasty Maw-sworn spear rested on the wall beside the entrance. Another thing she’d stolen. 

She didn’t dare steal more than a few glances at Sinafay. She was glad they’d found her, but the sight of her left Syl more confused than she wanted to wade through at the moment. She knew her, but did she really? She couldn’t exactly recall anything determinate about her, other than that she was Argonas’ mate and that she had caused the unlikely friendship between her and Argo. But there was more! 

She smoothed her hands on her greaves a moment and stood up, shaking her head again. “I can guarantee this place for but a few hours. They move fast on very little intel. Resources are not a concern of theirs.” Picked up the spear and stood quietly at the edge of the cave, watching outward. “I see groups moving up the pathways, but none returning yet. That may be our best bet. Won’t be easy.”

“Nothing worth doing is easy.”

Argonas moved just a bit further inside as Sylaess joined him at the cave’s entrance. He pressed his back to the wall, and exhaled a weary sigh. The Maw was taxing; he expected as much. But he had thought it would be taxing on his soul alone, not his body. And yet moving in this place felt like a chore. His body was an encumbrance, unfit for such a place. The Death Knights and Sinafay had no such burdens upon them; the former eternally strong and used to the feeling of willing their corporeal forms around. And Sinafay clearly didn’t have one to slow her down. Despite his physique, he felt fatigue deeply in this wretched place.

His soul was lifted, at least, as he looked to Sinafay. Getting this far was such a boon! Inspiring! He knew he would find a way to save her from this place. With her free from the Tremaculum, their journey was halfway done! He smiled at her, finding the fortitude to see this through.

Sinafay, for her part, seemed oblivious to everything around her. Everything but Argonas, anyway. Her tail swayed, eyes never leaving him. She didn’t know how many years she’d been in the Maw for, or even what it corresponded to on Azeroth. Argonas certainly looked older… or perhaps it was the beard? She noted some new scars on his features, and the longer hair! Her hand reached forward, but the ghostly limb simply moved through him.

She sighed. What she wouldn’t give to have her body back right now. Despite her disappointment in now being able to touch him, she returned his smile. That sight alone was enough to wash away the weariness of her soul. 

“We shouldn’t stay long, regardless. We need to find Sinafay a vessel of some kind, otherwise we won’t be able to pull her from this place.” Avehi replied to Sylaess, tail swaying in unease. “First, however, we’ll follow the group up the pathways you mentioned. Hopefully, it’ll lead to a way out of this place. In searching for both… maybe we’ll get lucky and find Raetos, too.”

This place was grating. It was the longest Avehi had spent beyond the veil, and it wore on her. The whispers were far too reminiscent of the Lich King’s reign. Worse, somehow. She hated it. 

“What do you think, Sylaess?”

“Yeah.” She side-eyed Argonas a moment. Offered him one of the neatly wrapped packages. She could be empathetic to his situation. It mustn't be fun. Wrapping her gauntlet around the spear, she slipped out into the bleak air. Quiet, despite wearing so much armor, and rather light on her feet. Seems she had recovered enough dignity to look professional. A single glance back was all she gave before she struck out. Scouting ahead.

It wasn’t until the hooded figure came near and handed Argonas a package. Sina tilted her head, taking a closer look at the figure.

“Syl?”

She glanced back, but hurried herself out. Nope. At risk of looking like she had just legitimately run away from a ghost, she tugged her hood and stepped it out. Aimed to melt into the motley grey and bleak of the landscape.

Not much use--anyone living stood out here. At least, in her own perspective. The dead carried a very certain...

What was it, exactly? Aura? No. It was something else. She just bloody knew. 

The eyes on her back raising the fine hairs at her nape was really making her begin to grind her teeth.

“The Jailer will have--!” 

She didn’t hear the rest of it. Took a mace to the head. Her stolen spear went skittering across the stones as if borne by a flood of spiders. Watched it skitter from her descending view.

Well, fuck.

The runes along her armor exploded into that terrible light. Pale blue, like her eyes had once been. Blaringly bright in this place. A massive spike of ice shot up under the scout--was it a scout? Who cares.--and through it’s oddly fleshy body. Syl stood up, roughly brushing herself off with a grunt. Scooped her spear. “I think we need to go now.” The mild displeasure in her voice was clear as the sun. Vicious self mocking at its best. These ... people? Whatever. Assholes, more like, came from thin air it seemed. Sometimes.

Sinafay couldn’t help but smile to herself. Yes, this was most definitely Sylaess. She’d fought along side the Kal’dorei long enough to recognize her movements in a fight. 

It was a bad sign that they’d been found already, though Sinafay wasn’t all that surprised. She stood up and walked over to the mouth of the cave to stand next to Argonas. Instinctively, her hand reached out for his… and of course passed right through.

It didn’t take very long for the door to open, revealing a very angry looking Draenei, brows knit into a scowl. She’d done a great job at losing the baby weight, already a good way back to her Vindicator fitness level. She wore a lovely, yet simple robe, ideal for a busy mother, yet accentuated her natural curves and showed off her Light bound tattoos. 

“Argonas,” she scolded, “Do you mind maybe NOT waking the baby I just put to sleep?!”

She pushed forward to try and shove the Vindicator back, but Argonas was unmovable as always, and in his full armor of course! With a frustrated huff, she moved around him, shutting the door behind her as she began to walk down the hill, tail twitching. Best to do the yelling away from Neelah. She couldn’t imagine what her former mentor was doing here at this time of night.

“What the FUCK are you doing here?!” She growled.

Perhaps it was motherhood, the hormones raging through her. Or perhaps coupling with a filthy Orc for too long had boosted her aggression. Maybe, partly, she was upset to see him again after how he left things with her. There were many likely factors, but no matter what or why, Sinafay was being terribly bitchy. It wasn't the attractive sour attitude he cherished in his departed mate, either; she was just being erratic and grumpy. Terribly unappealing!

He followed her a ways down the hill, stern expression his only real response to her demeanor. He looked her over, a mixture of sorrow and regret overcoming him. Oh how far she'd fallen… even glistening with the Light from her Lightforging did little to make her seem redeemable after such a terrible track her life had followed. It pained him to see his former pupil like this. Such shame he felt, clearly having failed to teach her not to parlay with savage orcs, or aide depraved Death Knights. She was his greatest failure.

"... I am told you sheltered and aided Avehi. Is this true?" Argonas asked, bluntly.

Sinafay raised a brow, turning to look at him as the question was asked. She relaxed a bit, having shaken off the anger now that they were a fair distance away from the house.

“She was here a few months ago; came across the farm by happenstance. Hadn’t seen each other for a while, so we caught up. Went on her way after that.”

Sinafay crosses her arms over her chest. Why was Argonas looking for Avehi? She thought back on her conversation with the Death Knight, frowning. She finally took a moment to look the Vindicator over; those dark circles under his eyes… and something looked off in that luminous gaze of his. Something she’d missed in her earlier frustration.

“If that’s what you mean by ‘sheltered and aided’, then yeah, I guess I did. Why?”

“She has dragged you into her terrible misdeeds.” Argonas elaborated, albeit vaguely. “Avehi has been raising the dead for nefarious purposes. If you are a friend to her, she will likely come here to seek shelter again. To hide from the Light’s justice.”

His eyes narrowed, as he reached back to draw his crystalline blade.

“This, I cannot allow.”

Sinafay didn’t wait a moment longer to see where the conversation was leading. She’d seen this exact situation play out too many times, on Draenor, to those suspected of aiding the Mag’har under Yrel’s reign.

She wasn’t about to allow him to use that blade. While she’d taken on a more domestic role over the past months, she’d kept her senses sharp. Having an Orc mate who enjoyed a good spar helped quite a bit.

Her eyes flared, hands slamming into the large Vindicator’s chest with a powerful blast of Holy Light to push him back before taking on a defensive position.

“I suppose I was right to not have trusted you after all.”

It hurt to have her suspicions realized. To know that her mentor was as blinded as the people she’d left behind on her world. She felt justified, in a way, the guilt of hiding her relationship with Grakkar from him washing away.

“Leave us be, Argonas,” she warned, baring her teeth, “This is your only warning.”

The Vindicator’s hooves scraped along the ground, slowing him from skidding too far back. He grunted, frowning deeper at Sinafay. He expected resistance, of course. He’d trained her well enough not to take a death threat lying down!

“Do you think I want to do this? I thought I had taught you better! But you have fallen so far from the path I laid out for you!” he growled, plated fist tightening around the hilt of his blade. “You failed! You abandoned your post! You betrayed our kin on Draenor, breaking your vow to protect them! And for an Orc!?”

“Hmph. Consider it my highest honor.” Sinafay shot back, defiantly.

Argonas grunted. He rushed in, hoofsteps hastened by the Light itself in a furious charge. He swung his sword in a wide arc towards Sinafay. Sinafay shot forward as he charged. She didn’t have a weapon or armor, but knew agility wasn’t Argonas’ strong suit, and planned to use that to her advantage. She rolled as he swung, just passed his right leg to end up behind him, her tail wrapped around his ankle, tugging it back with her momentum as she got to her hooves. 

She didn’t turn back to look if he’d fallen forward or not as she kept running; hoping she’d bought herself a bit of time as she headed towards Grakkar’s workshop. She knew there would be a weapon or something there she could use to defend herself with. The Lightbound could hear nothing but her rapid heartbeat as adrenaline rushed through her system, making it impossible to know if he was right behind her or not.

Suddenly, a bolt of Light struck her shoulder, knocking her off balance just as she reached the workshop. She stumbled and fell into the door, crashing through it! The heavy hoofbeats of Argonas closed in, making up what distance the tripping attack bought had cost him.

“And now, you abide by such abhorrence as Avehi raising the dead! Our own people, enthralled by her necrotic powers!” he continued to charge Sinafay, shouting aggressively. “I know not what set you on such a depraved path after we parted, Sina. But it has led to this final judgment! The Light will not tolerate your abusing its blessing to supplement death and pain to its chosen people!”

He brought his blade up for an overhead swing, cutting straight down vertically!

Sinafay barely had time to cocoon herself within a barrier of Light. Argonas’ sword crashed into it, causing sparks to fly and crackle in a near blinding light show as the holy forces fought against each other. The Lightbound woman grit her teeth as the barrier cracked under the pressure of the Vindicator’s strength. She was out of practice, and her former mentor’s conviction was too strong. She knew she was only delaying the inevitable, but she would fight to the bitter end.

And that end grew closer as the barrier shattered. She tried to roll to the side but the blade found purchase in her side, forcing a cry out of her as blue blood oozed out of the wound. She reached out, hands grabbing the Vindicator’s wrists as her hooves kicked out at his face in a final act of defiance.

Argonas stumbled back, but not far. Swift and firm as the kick was, there was an insurmountable difference in stature between the two Vindicators. His face immediately began to swell up at the impact point of Sinafay’s hoof, but that only seemed to infuriate him more. The grinding of his plate gauntlet along the hilt of his crystalline blade rang out sharply as he shifted his grip. He took the sword in his hands, and lined up the piercing point with his former pupil’s chest.

“Through me, the Light’s justice will be served! The mistakes I made in judging the true measures of your character will at long last be corrected!”

He raised his blade, eyes narrowing as he started to bring it down to finish his grim task-- when suddenly a pair of arms wrapped tensely around his waist! From behind him, Grakkar took hold of the Vindicator and heaved him upward and over himself with a mighty roar! The Draenei was caught off-guard, and thrown over onto his back as Grakkar arched and kicked back and away from Sinafay. Argonas came crashing down on his shoulders and the back of his head, driving his chin into his chest plate as the rest of his heavy plated body rolled over the top of him! He was stunned! The wind knocked from him entirely as Grakkar threw him back!

“Get away from my mate, you honorless piece of clefthoof shit!” the Warsong shouted, snarling at Argonas.

He gave little time for the abettor to recover, rushing in to keep up the pressure. As Argonas rolled over and brought himself up to his hands and knees, Grakkar ran up and took hold of his head. Lining it up, he carried his momentum and slammed his knee into the Draenei’s crest! 

*CRACK* 

Argonas rolled over from both the pain, and the force of the impact to his face! But the assault didn’t end there. Grakkar trudged up alongside the writhing and bewildered Draenei. He knelt down scooping up a small handful of dirt to toss into the Vindicator’s face! Then, he just started punching! Once, again, three times! He bloodied his fist against the Draenei’s plated crest, pounding his face over and over with unyielding fury! 

Argonas did what he could to protect himself, but he couldn’t see his assaulter, much less block the barrage of punches! He’d dropped his sword, and couldn’t afford to reach out and feel for it nearby. That would only give the Orc more openings! Instead, he curled in, doing his best to cover his face with one arm as he swatted at Grakkar blindly with the other in hopes of deflecting or softening the next blow coming his way. One wild swipe caught hold of something - the Orc’s forearm. Success! With all his might, he ripped the Orc’s arm towards him, counter attacking with a punch of his own. He felt his plated fist connect, knocking the Orc back and away from him. Only for a moment… but the moment was all he needed.

Bringing his hooves back beneath him, Argonas stood up and quickly brushed the dirt and blood from his face. His luminous eyes set onto Grakkar, who also recuperated from their exchange of blows. For a moment, the two stared one another down.

“The Light… judges you too, Orc filth!” Argonas grunted.

“Fuck your Light!” Grakkar shot back, snarling.

With a furious shout, the Orc rushed at Argonas yet again. The Draenei took up a defensive stance, readying himself as Grakkar drew near. He knew he couldn’t match the Orc’s agility; their fight in Kun-Lai had taught him that, well enough. Instead he dug in his hooves, tail swaying limber behind him to keep his balance. As the Orc took his swing, Argonas brought his forearms up to block the incoming blow. Then the next. Teeth grit as he held firm his position, Argonas bided the Orc’s assault like a statue! He was ready for him, this time. Ready and waiting for his opening. His hands and arms felt raw, jarred and pulsing from the plate gauntlets reverberating each repeated strike. But he held his ground.

Grakkar raged on, throwing punch after punch in the hopes of landing one or two good blows, enough to throw his opponent off of the defensive. But the Vindicator was stoic! Unyielding! The old Orc already felt fatigue setting in. How long had it been since he had a good fight like this? Since settling down with Sinafay, and their young daughter Neelah, he hadn’t been in too many scrapes. His rustiness was taxing him now, exacting the toll of his inactivity. His blows began to slow, punches falling slower and softer against the same blood-smeared plate gloves the Draenei used to defend himself. His knuckles were pulp, each screaming a searing pain from crashing into the inexorable metal again and again. He rotated in a kick to mix it up, hoping to knock the Draenei over, but he might as well have kicked a boulder. One more punch. Another. Until finally the futility of it drained Grakkar entirely. He staggered back, growling.

And that was Argonas’ opening.

The blast of Light illuminated the farmstead, bright as high noon for only a split second. Argonas’ retributive burst was more than enough to knock the weary Orc over. The Vindicator charged, hoofbeats hastened by the Light’s gift to surge the mass of muscle and steel towards Grakkar. He’d barely managed to keep his balance, only for Argonas to slam into him like a rampaging elekk. The Orc felt his body tossed back, and yet he didn’t go far. Argonas gripped him tightly to keep him from sailing too far away from the impact, instead simply slamming him into the ground before him. The Orc’s pained howl was a symphony to the Vindicator. Retribution for so much pain that not only this Orc caused him personally, but all Orcs caused his people! Quickly, he followed up by stomping his hoof into the vile creature’s chest! Still surging with the Light, his plated hoof shoe seared into Grakkar’s flesh, causing him to writhe and moan in pain!

“You have caused enough trouble!” Argonas declared, pressing his hoof down harder. “And now, you will cause no more!”

Grakkar struggled, gripping the Draenei’s leg as he gave all his might to try and push back, but not only did the Draenei significantly outmatch his strength, his plated form weighed a ton! It took all the Orc’s might just to keep the hoof at bay! Even then, he felt his ribs bending and cracking, the hoof melting his skin. It became hard to breath, his cries of agony turning to harsh and hoarse gasps as Argonas pressed harder. He’d been in enough fights to know when he’d lost. And this… this was it. This was the end. 

His eyes widened at the realization, his expression of anger and rage replaced by one of fear. Despair. He had failed. He couldn’t protect his mate. His daughter. After everything he’d done, all the effort and sacrifice he’d made to protect Sinafay, to free her from bondage on Draenor… only for her to die here at the hands of another Light-crazed zealot. He strained a little harder, but nothing he could do would be enough to overpower Argonas. But he couldn’t give up. He wouldn’t! He turned his head, looking over towards the workshop where Sinafay was. He couldn’t see her… and that hurt all the more, unable to lay eyes on his mate one final time. His strength began to wane.

“I’m… sorry…” Grakkar grunted, as his grip finally slipped.

*CRUNCH*

~*~

Raetos had arrived at the Exodar rather late. Chasing Avehi across the continents was a bigger undertaking than he’d expected. Even more so that everytime he managed to catch up with her, she’d ride him until he had nothing left to give, leaving him exhausted. He yawned as he made his way through the crystal halls, not really paying much attention to where he was going.

"--Raetos?"

It was a surprise to Argonas, seeing him here. More so, having just passed through idle thoughts about the Lightforged. Coincidence, surely. But a fortunate one at that. He sat up and waved Raetos over to the edge of the relaxing pool.

"Come, friend! Let us speak!" the Vindicator beckoned him, wearing the gentle outline of a smile on his lips… for the first time in ages.

Raetos froze. He had assumed arriving at the Exodar so late would mean avoiding Argonas altogether. But apparently, the Vindicator didn’t sleep!

“A-Argonas!” He exclaimed, finally turning to face the larger Draenei, “Hey! Yeah, so… did not expect to bump into you at this time!”

He walked over to the pool, but didn’t really make any moves to undress and get in himself.

“I’m actually super tired right now. Was a long trip home from Kalimdor. That Death Knight you have me tracking sure loves to travel!”

“--Ah, fortunate of you to find your way here, then.” Argonas stood, continuing to beckon Raetos further into the pool. “These pools will alleviate your fatigue. Come, join me. Tell me what that vile creature has been doing in Kalimdor!”

The scout tried desperately to think of an excuse to NOT stay and talk, but his tired brain came up empty. Besides, Argonas seemed rather insistent.

“I… guess I can stay and chat a bit,” he finally gave in, before going about undressing, “She actually hasn’t been doing much other than her usual stuff. Unfortunately no illegal activity to report other than the obvious raising fallen soldiers of various races. She got in a scuffle in the Barrens with some Orcs. She and a Tauren dude fought them off. Weird that he helped her. I’m thinking he’s some kind of outcast."

He finished undressing and slipped into the pool with a sigh. Argonas was right! The soothing waters felt great!

“There was a strange encounter in Arathi. She met up with some Lightforged Draenei chick on a farm. Looked like she was living there with an Orc. Oh man! I think they were a couple because they had the ugliest baby I’ve ever seen! Like... holy shit!”

The Vindicator relaxed back down into the pools. The more he listened, the more he frowned; his brief smile had vanished entirely. It didn't bode well-- Avehi was gathering allies for her despicable cause. He knew of no Tauren contact she might have, but presumed him to be another Ebon Knight. At least they battled a few orcs. Argonas couldn't be too mad about that. But the second part… he bristled immediately at the mention.

"Sinafay… and her Orc mate, Grakkar." he grunted, more spitting the words out in disgust than speaking them. "So they have hidden out in Arathi. Bold of them."

It was that moment that an idea struck the Vindicator. A plan to work around Khanaros' directive and still stop - or at least slow - Avehi's progress towards her abhorrent objectives. She couldn't do this alone, as the business with Mierne and her chokehold on the High Vindicator had proven. If he wasn't able to confront her directly..  he could at least eliminate those who harbored and aided her. And Sinafay and Grakkar were first on that list.

"Where in Arathi, Raetos?"

“They live on a farm way out in the north, near the mountains. It’s way out in the middle of nowhere. Wouldn’t have ever suspected it was there if I hadn’t followed Avehi there.”

He rambled on a moment, before turning his head to look at Argonas.

“Why? What did they do? Are they criminals? If so, I know this super cool Dark Iron Lady that’s all about Bounty Hunting!”

"--Bounty hunter? No, we have no need of their sort. We will handle this ourselves, yes?"

Argonas grunted, almost offended by the notion! He was far superior than any sellsword. And with the Light flowing through him, he had what no bounty hunter or mercenary ever could; divine purpose. He shook his head.

"Sinafay is a traitor to the Draenei. One who chose loyalty to the Orcs over loyalty to her own kin. They are not wanted; rather unwanted. Exiles." he explained, idly running his hands through the waters. "But if Avehi is meeting with them, they must know of her foul machinations. It can be presumed they are helping her, just as Mierne helped her by manipulating the High Vindicator. If we cannot strike out at Avehi directly… we can at least cripple her support network."

He nodded slowly, considering how best to go about it. Fighting and killing his former apprentice resonated as a sound enough idea to him, considering her treachery. But more than that, he wondered if it would perhaps bring him peace. It felt cruel, that his beloved wife was lost, and yet the tainted reflection of her endured. His mind turned to Kairei, his first real love; slaying the Sargerei variant of her after she passed helped him find closure back then. It stood to reason it would now, too. Such was a Vindicator's charge; to dispense justice.

"... I will handle them." he nodded. "You must continue your task, and follow Avehi. When next she meets another supporter of hers - that Tauren, or anyone else - dispatch them once they part from her. Burn the bridges in her wake, yes?"

Raetos couldn’t help but frown, a hand moving out of the water to rub at the scar Avehi had left on him in their first encounter together. 

“I mean… the war is over. We can’t exactly go around executing people at random like that. Not without proof of wrongdoings to back it up. What if they’re just friends of hers? Innocent in this whole raising the dead thing? And I thought we were going to wait until the High Vindicator looked into things first.” He shook his head, “No offence, Argonas. But you’re starting to talk about some extreme stuff here.”

“--You speak of extremities? Avehi is out there raising the dead! What is more extreme than that?!” Argonas snapped, scowling. “None who consider that villain a friend are innocent! If they aid her in any way, they are just as guilty of her defilements as she is! And it is our job to see justice met for such crimes!”

The Vindicator snarled at Raetos. He couldn’t believe he had to explain the Light’s justice to a Lightforged! This was not extreme, it was necessary! Why was Raetos speaking out against the plan in such a manner? Perhaps he was not as committed to seeing evil purged from Azeroth as Argonas thought...

“Remember your duty, Raetos.” he cautioned him, sternly. “We face a terrible foe. And while she may not be as destructive as the Legion… Avehi is every bit as dangerous. She has become a demon in her own right-- and the Light cannot abide such a reprehensible and shameful creature!”

“Whoa whoa whoa,” Raetos waved his hand, “Do you hear yourself, buddy? You’re talking Xe’ra-type shit, there! Trust me when I say I wasn’t super upset over her demise, alright? I’m Light-forged, yeah, but not Light-blinded.”

He reached over and placed a hand on Argonas’ shoulder.

“Listen to me,” he said, his golden gaze meeting the Vindicator’s, “There’s a huge difference between the Light’s justice and a personal vendetta. And honestly? Avehi’s a pretty cool person once you get to know her a little. Other than raising the dead, she hasn’t done anything illegal.”

The Vindicator's eyes narrowed dangerously. He didn't care for Raetos' tone, words, familiarity… he didn't care for Raetos altogether! He swatted the Lightforged's hand from his shoulder as he peered at him. 

"'Once you get to know her?'" Argonas repeated, as he rose up out of the soothing water once more. "Have you been watching her, or speaking to her?"

Brusquely, he gripped Raetos' head in one hand, turning it as his eyes honed in on that bite mark he had so readily dismissed before. He presumed some animal had done it-- a foolish assumption, now that he'd gotten a proper look. With a grunt, he stepped back from the Scout, scowling!

"Or more than even speaking, it appears!" he accused, pointing so at Raetos. "She has seduced you, you damned fool! You bear her carnal mark, defiled and beguiled by the witch, herself!"

“Psh! She didn’t seduce me…”

Restos moved out of the pool, not bothering to dry off before beginning to throw his armor back on. He could read Argonas easily enough at this point. 

“Okay, so the first time… maybe a bit of seduction was involved. But you know what? Doesn’t matter. She’s fucking hot and not at all gross like you’d said she’d be. And look at me! Still Lightforged! Still connected to the Light! At least she’s not out there killing innocent families over a HUGE assumption of a crime. What she’s doing is unconventional, and trust me, I was skeptical too! But she really believes she’s saving these people from a worse fate. I may not fully grasp what she’s talking about, but I do believe there’s something going on. At least look into the matter yourself if you’re too stubborn to hear it from anyone else!”

Raetos huffed as he finished attaching his armor. The way Argonas has been talking about killing Avehi’s allies, he didn’t exactly feel safe around the Vindicator himself. 

“I’m going to bed. Try not to do anything stupid.”

"There is nothing I could do more stupid than you trusting her, Raetos! Your naivety in this matter put you in jeopardy!" Argonas gave a final warning, fists clenched. "I am resolute in this cause. My calling! I will see justice dealt to Avehi; with or without you!

Argonas stepped out of the pool, but paced no closer to Raetos as he turned to leave. He knew well the cowardly traitor was retreating out of fear. Out of guilt. And rightly so; Avehi had implicated another into her ring of misdeeds, and Argonas couldn't abide it! He had lost enough friends as it was to the Death Knight's manipulations… this last one cut him deeper than any blade ever could. He was truly alone in this cause. Only the Light was with him, now. And he knew the Light's justice needed to be fulfilled!

Was this why he was brought back? Spared from death on Argus? Perhaps no one but he could resist Avehi's manipulative ways. Perhaps he, alone, was to save Azeroth from this next great threat!

"Reevaluate your allegiances, Raetos. I caution you…" he all but growled. "... I will not permit you to aid her. I will not permit anyone to aid her!"

“Yeah, you’ve made that pretty clear,” Raetos shot back, “Enjoy your crusade! The more people you can blame the better, right?”

He sneered, shaking his head. As disturbing it was listening to Argonas, it was more disturbing knowing he himself hadn’t been much different all that long ago… before Avehi had literally knocked some sense into him...

“I don’t know what your obsession with her is, but everything you’ve said about her is wrong. I hope the Light grants you clarity on that before it’s too late. Goodnight, Argonas.”

With that, he turned and walked off towards the apartments...