#duke entry

It was a warm, quiet evening for Duke Aldavir as the crickets chirped outside the tent. Tensions were high at Varok’s Watch and morale was becoming strained as the days dragged on. It just seemed like the bad news only got worse and worse… Zori, the love of his life, was out on a mission which left Duke alone to prepare supper for her return.

It was a nice little distraction from the things that weighed on his mind. But he couldn’t keep putting it off forever… He sighed, letting his shoulders relax as he left dinner to keep warm, turning his attention to a small table by their bed.

The blue-eyed elf ran a hand through his hair and pulled out a parchment in the candlelight of their comfortably-made home away from home. He was worn and he was tired but always, somehow, he persevered. He always had a gut feeling that warned him about things to come, but this time, he could prepare if instinct wouldn’t be enough.

His brow furrowed as ink was placed on parchment.

Last Will & Testament

Of

Marmiduke Aldavir

I, Marmiduke Aldavir, a resident of the Valley of the Four Winds of Pandaria, being of full age and of sound mind and memory, do hereby make, publish and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking any and all wills and codicils by me heretofore made.

I appoint and nominate Remington Thornbolt of the Fence Macabre as Executor of this my Last Will and Testament.

FIRST: I declare that I am engaged to Zori, to which I have referred to herein as my “fiancée” and that I have one adopted child now living whose name is Casiblanca Esclarmonde.

All references to “my child” in this will include the above-named child and also any child hereafter born or adopted by me.

SECOND: I declare that I do not wish to be risen into undeath and that I direct that the expenses of my funeral and cremation be paid out of my estate and be handled by my Head of House, Corneilian Aldavir, as he sees fit.

THIRD: I give, devise, and bequeath to my fiancée our home and fortune if she survives me--

It’s here that Duke pauses in his writing. He stares at that sentence for the longest time. A deep frown settles into his worn features. His heart hurt and he felt it well in his eyes. 

The farmer slowly set down his pen and rested his face in his hands in silence as he took a long slow breath. 

The stress all at once surging from his aching muscles, bubbling in his chest, and threatening to come up from his throat 

as he quietly 

"Thanks for helping me out, man... I know its not exactly the best idea to bring you here." Hayden kept glancing about as the two Aldavirs walked around to the back of the house.

Duke could only chuckle, "It's alright, I done told ya. I'm a neutral merchant, I've been in Orgrimmar plenty a times with the Fence. I got my papers." The older brother pat Hayden on the shoulder.

They came up to the shed as Hayden pulled open the large doors. A mostly intact but deactivated Lightforged Warframe stood in the back of the clearing. It looked pretty banged up but otherwise still mostly in one piece. Duke gave a low whistle, "... Where in the world did you get one a these, boy." He walked up to the machine, running a thumb over the dusty glass. "How long you had this thing??"

Hayden sighed, resting his hands on his hips as he looked up at it. "Early last year when I was in Nazmir for work. Remember? When I met Roy."

"You met Roy in Nazmir?"

"Dude, I told you this story before. You aint that old."

Duke put his hands up defensively, "Hey now, you gotta cut me some slack. These past two years ain't exactly been the most uneventful so fergive me fer slippin on some details."

Hayden snorted and smirked at him, "... You know what, fine. Fine... Point made."

He reached up and patted the metallic body, "But yeah.. Just north of us the Alliance was attempting an assault to push into Zuldazar from the north. Long story short, Horde forces managed to shoot down this bad boy and they were just gunna haul it off to the city. Melt down the gold.. Use it for something else. So I managed to buy it off them before they could take it with them.

Brought it back here and had plans to spruce it up and tinker with it to get it working but... I got too busy. Eventually I forgot about it."

Duke quietly spoke up, "But now... You got the time to work on it."

Hayden gave a weak smile, looking into the empty cockpit, "Yep.. That's the plan.. Figure it'll give me something to do. Take my mind off things."

Duke was looking at his younger brother now, a soft look of sympathy. His voice was quiet and gentle before speaking up, "You.. heard anythin' 'bout Cowabunga..?"

The paladin had a pained look on his face, quietly closing his eyes as his ears lowered. His shoulders sank with them. "... No. ... I'm stuck on what to do. And every day it eats at me. I don't know if they're alive.. I may have sent them to their certain death. I just keep replaying it in my head if theres anything I could've done different.. Was my decision too hasty? Should I have made a point of contact?? Should I go and find them? What if Nynx's family has me tracked? What if I lead them right to him again??" The hot tears were welling up in his eyes again as the panic started to constrict at his chest.

"Whoa whoa whoa, hey now. Hey now..." Duke approached and settled his hands firmly onto the others shoulders. "Hey now, look at me. Just breathe. Deep breaths... Get a hold of yerself.. It'll be alright. You forget who we're talkin' about. That horse a yers is... somethin' else. Cowabunga is a hell of a horse. Right?"

Hayden sniffled but he slowly nodded.

"Same horse who managed to finagle a carrot out of 7 different people at one family gatherin' and the same horse who kept you alive on the Broken Shore and trampled fel beasts to damn death on Argus. ... Hayden you got a hell of a horse. She's smart. Damn smart. She'll bring herself and yer friend back safely. I know it. I feel it in my jibblies."

Hayden weakly laughed through his tears as his older brother pulled him into a comforting hug. The paladin accepted that embrace and held it for what seemed like eternity. ... Hearing Duke's words.. It made him believe it. Whenever Duke said everything was going to be okay.. Somehow, you always believed it.

The brown haired Quel'dorei reached up and pat his brother on the cheek. "C'mon now. We'll go inside and make lunch first. Then we'll get a portal goin so we can move this thing over ta Suramar fer ya before nightfall. Alright?"

The paladin nodded, "Okay.. Can we make grilled cheese?"

"Sure. And I can make us some ice cream fer dessert."

i'm tired and i don't know what i'm doing. it seems like all my life is some form of struggle. everything in me is telling me to let go.

[ There are visible wet marks on the paper.]

its a holiday of being with loved ones and i'm out here in the middle of nowhere, leaving Zori and Cas by themselves while i'm being a moron and running in circles.

my father was right, i am an idiot. a stupid redNeck with a wasted education. i shouldnt have Thrown myself out here. the nausea is diZzying. im sO in over my head. what if i geT myself killed out here? im leaving them with notHing.

this stupid Buzzing in my ears is driving mE Crazy.

i just wanna be bacK hOme with my family. I doNt wanna fight anymore. im not Strong enough.

i'm so tired...

I thanked her so much. The gratitude was immeasurable. So much toil and hard work.. It finally paid off. It was finally over. It was FINALLY over! This was gunna be enough to help Zori and my little girl.

She told me if I needed help again, I would know how to get in touch.

It was time to make my way back to Outland.

Time to make things right. It's time to bring my family home.

If I never have to see one of them fleshbeasts ever again, I'll be thanking my lucky stars.

These Black Talon folks are really on top of this stuff. Most of them never even spoke to each other, much less I barely ever saw them coming and going.

Never the less, it seems we've made plenty for making more tonic. I managed to help get some of the local farmers to pitch in and help with the last remaining reagents we needed. Can't beat good ol Pandaria soil.

Two days, she says, and it should be ready to bottle.

In the meantime, I asked her if they had ever tried any of that tonic on more corrupted beings of N'zoth's. From what we heard, it purged Ebonhorn of his whispers and any effects N'zoth was trying to implement. What of the Naga? Beings entirely created from N'zoth's doing. Would it return them to a highborne or even kaldorei state?

She seemed to pause at that question. I guess I really stumped her. That Talon Agent lady did briefly consider us using this in warfare against Naga. Cant use all your aquatic artillery if you can't breathe water nomore.

I feel like my chasing is getting me nowhere real fast.

I'm running outta time.

Remy lemme have some a that Pacific Oil to take home to baby Cas and my lil guppy. It ain't much, Zori... I know for you it runs much deeper than simply whispers like Cassie, but I hope ya know I'm trying for ya. I know you don't like being so cooped up out there in Outland. But its the only thing I can do for us to keep you outta N'Zoth's reach until I figure this out. I just want ya to be safe, I dunno what'd I do without you two.

For now these bandaids will have to suffice.

Market business brought in a good haul of gold to hold us off for the time being, but now to buckle back down.

Lucky enough, I remembered the hearthstone to Dad's old hidden library, tucked away in a pocket dimension. Surprisingly, found some information on Naga I can read up on. No need to be wasting time in here but nonetheless, I got some reading material to catch up on.

When I got back to the Shrine, most of the Black Talon agents moved onto Uldum, apparently N'Zoth shifted focus. But I was lucky enough to speak with a remaining agent in Pandaria. Maybe she'll be the key.

N'Zoth's influence is more terrifying than I realized.

I dont remember when I blacked out, but apparently I had been mindcontrolled in the middle of the night.

They said I was speaking in tongues no-one could decipher.

I was lucky to be restrained by the Shado-pan guarding the temple until the Balck Talon agent arrived. I have zero memory of it and that scares me.

But I was given some of the tonic to cleanse my mind of whispers. In order to show gratitude, I offered to help gather the ingredients needed to create more tonic for their forces. She agreed.

We start first thing in the morning.

This morning the Shado-Pan folks announced it safe for us the leave the Vale. I was on the lookout for that injured purple armor guy but they said he left in the middle of the night.

Unfortunately, reading from the Mogu'shan Library didn't give me much advice. I did learn that the Void can be harnessed and it can be used against the Old Gods as noted in the historical scripture regarding Y'shaarj. It then went into more detail regarding how the Sha manages to manifest and corrupt in similar fashion. Useful information, but not useful in what I am looking for...

Before I left Pandaria, I saw the Shado-pan and the Black Talon agents pouring some sort of tonic on soil riddled with leftover Void corruption. That has to be that purification they were talking about. I wasn't allowed near the quarantined areas, but its left me hopeful and determined that it can be purged from life sources. If I can't speak with a Black Talon agent, maybe an adventurer working with them can help me get the information I need on this tonic? Regardless, I have high hopes.

For now, my focus is moving my moonshine inventory safely to the Fence Macabre.