Reconnaissance In a New Realm
Children ran around the court square outside of the orphanage in Stormwind. From time to time, the matron of the orphanage would look out the door to make sure that everyone was safe. Some children played near the fountain while others ran along the street. Most tried not to get too close to the Cathedral to risk disturbing the priests and paladin there. For that reason, none of the young people noticed the lone figure who stood in the shadow of their home.
Erik watched the front steps of the Cathedral. He stood quietly in the shadows and took care to not be noticed. His leather armor blended in with the darkness beside the building so that most passersby never saw him. His gaze never wavered from the entrance. He seemed intent on the comings and goings there, but never made any other move.
Another group of priests came out of the Cathedral and made their way down the steps. Half way down, one priest separated from the rest and started walking in Erik’s direction. The rogue stepped away from the shadows and began walking towards the Cathedral in a path that would cross the lone priest. As they got closer, the priest pulled on a bag that had been slung over his shoulder and held it in his hand. At the same moment, the rogue reached into his pocket and withdrew a small leather pouch. As the path of the two men crossed, they paused.
“Here, this will disguise you,” the priest said offering the bag to Erik. “The next group will be leaving in about thirty minutes. Just long enough for us to get more supplies for the journey. Paperwork inside should get you where you need to go.”
“Where will the portal be?”
“Off the great hall. Can’t miss it. Guards are stationed to make sure only authorized people go through.”
“Thank you,” Erik said quietly as he reached over to take the pack. With the other hand, he gave the priest the small leather bag. “This should cover your inconveniences.”
“Just don’t get caught,” the priest said as he took the money bag and tucked it into a pocket. “Getting back may be harder. The papers clear you for it, but they change their minds quickly over there.”
“Anything else I need to know?”
The priest shook his head. Erik nodded and then started walking towards the steps again, leaving the priest behind. The priest, surprised by the abrupt departure almost turned to look at the rogue before his common sense caught up with him and prevented the glance. The priest continued walking past the orphanage and disappeared around the corner.
Erik slung the sack over his shoulder and started walking towards the entrance to the Cathedral. With luck, a group of travelers were heading up the stairs as well, and Erik moved in behind them. As the guards checked their papers, they let the group in and Erik passed without question or incident. Once inside, he took a quick survey of the main hall. It was crowded and loud with people moving constantly.
Breaking away from the group he’d followed in, Erik moved to the sides of the great hall and then turned down one of the hallways. Slowly, he followed the hallway until it finally emptied and he was alone. Testing one of the doors, he found it locked. He put an ear to the door and heard nothing from inside. Then he heard someone coming from further down the hallway. Erik turned and started walking back to the great hall so that his back was turned to the new arrivals. A pair of priests walked briskly past him and never paid the rogue a glance. Once they were past the entrance to the hall, Erik turned again and moved back to the locked door. Pulling out his lock picks, he made quick work of the lock and slipped into the empty office. There, he opened the sack and pulled out some priestly robes and the travel papers he had been promised. Erik pulled the robes over his leathers, adjusting them as best he could to hide the nature of his armor beneath. Then he looked over the papers. They were simple, straightforward, and bore the signature and stamp of the bishop. These should do, Erik thought to himself.
The rogue put his ear to the door for a moment before opening it. Seeing no one in the hallway, he slipped out and shut the door behind him. Quickly, he made his way back to the great hall. It was still very active with an obvious flow towards one doorway at the far end. Erik took a moment to consider the scene when he saw a priest walking in his direction with a stack of large boxes in his hand. Erik walked to the priest’s side and subtly bumped into him, causing the priest to lose balance and the boxes started to tumble.
“It’s okay,” Erik said as he caught the top box and helped to hold the others steady until the priest regained his balance.
“Thanks,” the priest said. “They’re not heavy, but they sure are awkward.”
“I understand,” Erik said as he held onto the box and tucked it under his arm. “Never enough hands.”
“I’ll say,” the priest answered with a knowing nod. “So much to do and never enough people to do it. So who’s left holding the bag?”
“Or the box?”
“Or the box. That’s right. Us!” The priest suddenly shrunk a little, realizing that his voice had gotten louder than he intended. He gave Erik a chagrined look, but the rogue simply shrugged.
“I didn’t hear anything,” Erik said quietly as he started walking alongside the priest. They continued on to the doorway with the flow of people. The priest continued the small talk, but Erik only partially paid attention.
As soon as the passed the doorway, he saw the large portal the dominated the room. Two mages stood on either side and held it open as the flow of people continued through. Taking a deep breath and clinching his jaw slightly, the rogue continued forward.
“It’s not that bad,” the priest said to Erik in a whisper. “I’ve been there once already. It’s kind of pretty.”
Erik simply nodded and then stepped into the glowing portal. He let his breath out quickly as he appeared on a platform, the breath quickly turning into a slight whistle as he looked at the floating city for the first time.
“Like I said, kind of pretty.”
“Keep it moving! We need to get these supplies sorted and shipped to Bastion!”
The rogue looked around and saw the mists around the city. Nearby was a portal floating in the air. At the edge of the platform another priest started barking commands, telling them where to take the supplies that they had just brought over. Erik stay with his group and carried the box into the city. The group was led towards a room to the side of the main entrance and there they started to deposit the bags and boxes that they had brought with them.
“I’ll be right back,” Erik said to his new friend.
“The bathroom is to the right. I don’t think they had any before we arrive,” he added in a quieter tone.
Erik nodded and then stepped out into the walkway. First he looked back to the landing platform to his left, then he looked to his right and followed the crowd. The circular room was as huge as any Erik had ever seen, and the pillar of light in the middle definitely drew attention. The rogue fought the urge to gaze around and instead tried to identify where people were going.
“Get up to the flight station right away. They need those supplies.”
“I hate using those worm things. Why can’t they open a portal to Bastion?”
Erik nonchalantly looked over to see the two priests having the conversation. One was carrying a large backpack.
“Don’t know. Don’t care. Just get those medical supplies there immediately.”
“Is it that bad?”
“Don’t know. But they’ve been calling for them all morning. Get going.”
The priest with the backpack nodded and stepped over to a square platform near the column of light. Erik watched with interest as the priest then disappeared. The rogue quickly stepped over to the platform and looked it over. He saw no obvious mechanism so, tentatively, he stepped up. There was a flash and then he found himself on a new level. The rogue glanced around and saw the priest he had followed walking towards one of the floating figures that were everywhere in this place. Erik stepped off the platform and followed, getting close enough to hear the priest tell the floating figure that he was heading to someplace called Bastion. The floating figured nodded and gestured to one of the floating beasts beside him. They looked like magical worms. Erik watched as the priest climbed onto its back and flew off.
“Where would you go?” the floating figure asked Erik as he walked closer.
“I must check on the wounded in Bastion.”
“Of course,” the floating figure responded, pointing to one of the flying creatures. Erik hesitated for a moment and then climbed onto its back. The beast smoothly lifted from the ground and flew to a large, glowing window. As he passed through, everything changed to blurring colors and light. He held onto the reigns tightly as the beast seemed to know where to go on its own. Finally, they passed through another portal and there was ground beneath them again.
Erik scanned the land below. It looked vaguely familiar, even if it was not his own home. He hoped that the beast would know where to take him and, after a short flight, his hope was rewarded. He could see a collection of buildings and various people moving about at them. Along with a large collection of priests and priestesses, there appeared to be other humanoids. Most were blue and some had wings. The beast began descending towards the buildings and within moments was on the ground. As soon as he slid out of the saddle and stood up, he ducked his head and moved into a nearby group before anyone could call to him. Scanning the area, he could see several who had the bearing or markings of someone in charge.
As he moved within the crowd, Erik saw several priests off to the side of the buildings. On the ground lay more individuals, giving the appearance of a triage area. He was about to move on from the area when a movement caught his attention. A priestess was kneeling next to one of the injured soldiers and had reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair back behind her ear. She was here.
Erik moved closer to the triage area and positioned himself across from Niviene. After a few moments, she stopped tending to the soldier on the ground and leaned back on her heels. As she blankly scanned the area around her, her gaze continued past the rogue. Then she stopped and turned her head back towards him. Erik saw recognition in her eyes and saw her draw breath with the intention of speaking. The rogue shook his head slightly and then his eyes glanced to the side. Niviene followed his gaze and saw one of the Cathedral priests watching the healers. Niviene dropped her gaze to the soldier beside her and nodded. After a moment, she looked up again. Erik slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a stone which she immediately recognized. Niv nodded again.
“Get back to it priests!” someone nearby yelled. Niviene forced herself to look away and turn her attentions back to the soldier beside her. Erik risked a glance at the voice, getting a good look at the person’s face, before turning and heading back to the landing area.
“Greetings, priest. How may I assist you, today?” one of the blue skinned people asked.
“I must return to the city.”
“Oribos? Or course.” She gestured to what looked liked a winged lion. Erik nodded and walked to the lion, climbing onto its saddle. The lion leapt into the air and soon they were on their way through the portal and back to Oribos. As they passed through the first portal, he looked beneath him and started a little to see he was riding one of the magical worms again. Erik glanced from side to side. He looked for anything definitive, but all he could see were streams of light and a pale blue that filtered around everything. And then they flew through another portal and appeared back in Oribos.
The rogue slipped down from the saddle without and response to the greeting of the floating figure who was waiting there. Erik quickly walked over to the platform and with a flash found himself on the lower level of the city once more. It took him a few minutes of wandering before he finally found the walkway that led to the platform where the portal originally brought him to this strange world. He started making his way down the hall when he heard someone call out.
“Where are you going?”
Erik ignored the voice and kept walking. Suddenly, Erik felt a hand grab his shoulder and jerk him to a stop. He was pulled around to face a priest with his hand gripping the shoulder of Erik’s robes and two paladins standing beside him.
“I asked where you were going priest.”
“I was returning to Azeroth.”
“On whose authority?”
Erik reached into the pocket of his robes and brought out the papers he had been carrying. He then offered the papers to the priest. The priest looked over the papers and scowled.
“You’re coming with me until we get this sorted out.”
“I’m sorry,” Erik said, looking the priest in the eyes.
“Don’t be sorry, just do what you’re told.”
“No, I’m sorry that this has to hurt.”
The rogue thrust his hand forward and punched the priest in the throat. The priest let go of Erik and stumbled back as he held his throat and gasped for air. The paladin to the left reached up and tried to grab Erik, but ducked beneath the paladin’s grasp. Erik stepped back and then pushed off of the paladin’s back, causing him to lose his balance and tumble into the other paladin. Erik reached into his pocket again and pulled out a small orb. He threw it at the ground where it shattered and suddenly there was a plume of smoke. The rogue turned and sprinted down the walkway. He was already outside by the time he heard the calls from behind him. As the paladins came running through the smoke, Erik leapt forward and dove into the portal that shimmered on the landing pad.
Erik ducked his head and rolled across the ground. Looking up, he recognized the portal room in the Mage Tower. He jumped to his feet and ran towards the entrance ramp, tearing off the robes he’d been wearing as he went. He burst out into the sunlight and ran down the ramp. As soon as he was on the ground level, he ran to the corner of one of the businesses and moved to the other side. Controlling his breathing, he waited and watched the entrance to the tower. Soon, a group of men in armor came jogging down the ramp. Erik turned and pulled his hood up over his head as he walked away. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his stone.
“Commander. I found her.”
