#spiru

(( DWC may 2026, Day 1, Gloom/Allure, @daily-writing-challenge CW: none ))

Dolraan smiled as he closed the infirmary door behind him, leaving a recovering Alynore in the care of her husband. Wes had been beside himself with worry, but with the destruction of the dark naaru and purification of the sunwell, she and the others who had suffered in the wake of Xal'atath's assault were healing well. As he exited, he spotted Janosis, Spiru, and Lorellai, his team, waiting for him.

"Janosis has a question!" Lorellai blurted out as he greeted them, causing the human to groan.

"I thought we agreed -we- had a question, Lorellai," Janosis sighed.

(( DWC june 2026, Day 7, Horrify/Render, @daily-writing-challenge CW: none ))

"I want to have words with whoever taught the Dominaar the world "render" in our language," Lorellai all but cussed, eyeing the dissipating shadows of the dominaar they'd defeated to make sure it wasn't about to reform on them. "If I hear the phrase 'Render your soul unto me' one more time I'm gonna push the big red button!"

Spiru quirked an eyebrow at her friend. "So that's the part you find frustrating, not the part where they attempt to either kill or enslave you."

"Nah, that's just badguy stuff, that's whatever, but do they not have -any- new lines? It's getting old!" Lorellai threw her hands up in frustration. "How many more of these would-be tyrants do we have left anyway?"

Spiru's pulled the target list from her belt. "Two remaining from the locations given to us by Decimus. Thus far they have indeed been the same ones who threatened Eversong. If these last two are also appropriate targets, I will regrettably owe Janosis ten gold. I was certain Decimus would use us to eliminate unrelated rivals to his own machinations."

"I mean, he still probably is. It's kind of their way to have beef with each other at all times. Still, Decimus is better than most; he hasn't screwed us over yet, gave us shelter, -and- he actually has read a thesaurus!"

Spiru smirked. "You're -actually- irritated by their lack of creativity in their phrasing, aren't you?"

"And you aren't? Fighting against deadly foes is less fun if they make it boring, Spiru, that's auntie Hlin's rule number 3!"

"Having met miss Stoutarm, that does not surprise me." Spiru said flatly. "Well, we won't know if these other dominaar have wider vocabularies unless we find them. Or perhaps learn to speak their language so they can threaten us in their mother tongue."

(( DWC February 2026, Day 3, Pompous/Blur, @daily-writing-challenge CW: none ))

Janosis realized three things, in a specific order. First, that he was cold. Second, that his vision was blurry. Third, he was lying on his back. Then he realized a fourth thing as a teal blur appeared in his vision, and Spiru's voice echoed asking if he was alright, and that was that he'd been struck squarely in the head.

(( DWC August 2025, Day 1, Ethereal/Calculate, @daily-writing-challenge CW: none ))

The bright flash of the dimensional gate faded from Lorellai's eyes as she and her team entered the city of Taza'vesh, close on Alleria and Locus Walker's trail. She stopped to gape at the wondrous city she'd heard of in Dolraan's stories about their adventures in the Shadowlands. The brokers and ethereals and their incredible technology surrounded her, drawing her attention every which way.

The same was true for her companions. Spiru eyed the nearby brokers with interest, Ghorren was taking a moment to orient himself, and Janosis was so distracted by everything that he stumbled into a large, four-legged Broker, having to awkwardly apologize to the expressionless mask of the enigmatic being.

"Oh I hope we get time to properly explore this place, it's incredible!" Lorellai said with stars in her eyes.

"Easy enough, just destroy the void god threatening the cosmos with destruction quickly enough and I'm sure they'll give you a whole week pass," Ghorren quipped. "On more serious matters, has anyone else noticed that Alleria has reached an entirely new level of On Edge?"

Spiru nodded, doing her best to keep up with Ghorren's stride. "She is indeed on high alert. She has likely calculated, as we have, that the Harbinger will be involved with this situation somehow."

"And she almost certainly will be, we're not lucky enough to only have to worry about Dimensius and the Shadowguard." Janosis sighed, rubbing his face where he'd smacked into the Broker's leg as the quartet caught up with Alleria and Locus Walker at the check-in station.

It was not long before they were drawn into conflict as the Shadowguard raided the city, each of them feeling eyes on them the entire time.

(( DWC November 2025, Day 2, Lucky/Heartache, @daily-writing-challenge CW: none ))

The sound of boots crunching across the sandy wastes outside the Eco-Dome caught Spiru's attention as she stood gazing out into the great dark beyond. Rhythm of a human just over six feet in height, not particularly heavy, gently favoring the left leg. Janosis. Her mental calculations were confirmed as Janosis walked up beside her, before gently lowering himself to sit on the ground, and join her vigil. "Copper for your thoughts?" he asked, removing his glasses to clean them.

"I am pondering my existence. I felt the vista would welcome such contemplation."

"Well, it certainly does that. There's just a whole lot of nothing out there, with the occasional point of light signifying something. Makes me feel very small," he replied, putting his glasses back on.

Spiru smirked. "Imagine its effect on me."

"I- I didn't mean- I'm sorr-" he stammered as Spiru let out a chuckle.

"Apologies, but the opportunity was quite tempting," she smiled as he stopped abruptly, turning his gaze back to the grand night before them. "It is a strange feeling, still. To know I am the sole survivor of an entire timeline. It makes it hard to feel connected to things here."

Janosis exhaled slowly. "Yeah, that's an impressive weight to carry. I'm honestly surprised you aren't holding a grudge against the bronzes over it."

"I considered it. Then Chromie showed me the overview of my timeline. One of many where Azeroth lost. My people, my world, were all doomed regardless. Pruning the timeline meant keeping this one safe, according to their explanation of how the timelines rub up against one another, and affect each other. Between that, and just how much was expended to pull me out from it, I am willing to accept the sad truth. Still though. I feel disconnected. I realized the other day I know next to nothing about gnomish culture."

"Oh? Was is that different where you come from?"

"It's just that, I do not know. Rokishan 'booped' my nose in jest and camaraderie the other day, not realizing that among my culture such an act is a declaration of romantic intent. When I explained this to him, he was surprised, and now I realize I do not know what is different about the gnomes of this timeline and the life I knew."

"Oh! Well I suppose you were kind of thrown in to the thick of things when you arrived."

"Indeed. I have my oath to Lorellai to consider, but I hope I will be able to get to know more about this version of the world. For better or worse, your Azeroth is mine as well now."

"Well, if you ever need a friend with extensive knowledge of portals, I'm happy to be available. We're teammates now, and if we're being honest, I suspect that traveling around with you for a bit will be better than doing my solo research. If nothing else, the inevitable monster encounters are better with a friend nearby."

"Do you really encounter monsters that often when doing research?"

Janosis looked at her, and sighed. "Drogar once told me that I was the luckiest person he'd ever met. I asked him what he meant, and he continued to mention that 'bad' was a legitimate form of luck."

Spiru chortled. "Fascinating. Well, I suspect I am close to exhausting the resources here on Karesh regarding my oath to Lorellai, so perhaps I can take you up on that offer, at least until the Harbinger shows her very punch-able face again."

 (( DWC November 2025, Day 7, Premonition/Drop, @daily-writing-challenge CW: none ))

The Void was hungry. It loomed over the tiny world, alone in the great dark beyond. Many tiny points of light dotted it. The void had consumed some of them. But one shone brighter than all.

The Void was hungry. The Harbinger reached out her hand towards that brightest of lights, and the void answered, slithering towards it, to snuff it out forever. The Harbinger's servants, her trusted and faithful, flowed with it. And at their head, the impossible girl, broken and made to serve, would ring the death knell for the-

"Hey! Spiru!" Janosis' voice rang out as he slapped Spiru across the face, bringing her back to her senses. She blinked, and looked around. They had made camp in the woods, their fire still cracking merrily, lighting their cooking tools and tents. She looked down, and realised she was standing on Janosis' chest, pinning him to the dirt. She hopped down, then caressed her smarting cheek.

"I'm sorry… what happened?" she asked, turning back to him as he sat up.

"Well, I was telling you about the rubbings we took from that tablet, you were looking into the fire, and then suddenly you knocked me down and were staring down at me all creepy. So… I hit you, just in case. Sorry."

"Do not apologise, it was the right thing to do, and your strike lacked sufficient force to injure me," she answered, eyeing her hands. "I believe I am still suffering the after effects of embodying Xal'atath's magics on K'aresh. I had hoped such moments had passed, but it seems the influence lingers still."

"Maybe our next stop should be a city where I can buy some components so I can take another look at you, or track down Vasily. He's an expert when it comes to helping people exposed to dangerous energies that mess with their heads." Janosis pulled himself back onto the seat he'd made on a fallen log, and dusted off his coat. "You sure you're okay now?"

"I seem to be in control. If it happens again, feel free to use your magic to subdue me, I would rather not injure you."

Janosis shrugged. "That's alright, this kind of thing happens to meddlers more often than people realize, I know what to do."

"That is a very troubling thing to become accustomed to."

"We're adventurers who insist on poking our noses into every nook and cranny where we're not wanted, I think it comes with the territory. I've accepted it as a part of my life."

Spiru sat herself back down. "Tell me more stories of your adventures. They still beggar belief."

(( DWC August 2025, Day 5, Rustic/Attack, @daily-writing-challenge CW: none ))

Bolts of magic streaked through the air as the oracles and void elves clashed with the Shadowguard, doing the hard fighting while Lorellai's team split into three squads to target the shadowforges that were extracting energy for the gigantic manaforge that loomed to the west. Lorellai and Spiru charged at their assigned target, Point Darkmend, hurling bombs and fists at any shadowguard who tried to interfere with their advance.

Once inside, they took a chance to catch their breath. The facility was wondrous, yet simple. Four wings feeding energy into a central console for transmission to the forge, shielded with void energy. Lorellai began to scan the shields for weaknesses, when a voice emerged, revealing the third member of their team.

"No need for that, my champion," Xal'atath purred as she apparated behind Lorellai. "I know exactly how to overcome this magic. Simply take this, and use it to pierce the shields. Then your clever little bombs can do the rest," she continued, laying a friendly hand on Lorellai's shoulder as her other hand extended, holding forth an orb of shadowy energy. It pulsed and writhed like a living thing, wanting to be held. Wanting to be used. By her.

((DWC May 2025, Day 1, Cruel/Beauty, @daily-writing-challenge CW: None ))

"I just don't get it," Lorellai mused, tapping her pen on the paper where she was writing her journal.

"Don't get what, exactly?- 90, 91-" Spiru asked, not breaking pace with her sit-ups on the floor behind Lorellai's chair in their shared room.

"The old gods. The Void. They claim to be all possibilities, all truths. So why be cruel?"

That almost gave Spiru pause, but she resumed before losing count. "A peculiar question. Perhaps- 92, 93- cruelty is a part of their nature?"

"Maybe, but some might argue cruelty is party of many people's nature, and yet we can overcome it. But Xal'atath, and the old gods, they hurt people even when it would be easier to get what they wanted if they didn't! Xal'atath might have been able to help the nerubians actually win if she'd wanted to, but in the end she just used them as a distraction, and discarded them. Then again with Gallywix. I don't get why the dedication to being a jerk when it's causing her to fail."

"I think- 94, 95- that attempting to understand the methods and goals of the void- 96, 97- is what drives many people in history to madness," Spiru said. "Perhaps this is not a productive line of questioning?"

"Ach, you're probably right. Still, maybe a little understanding might be good, if only to make sure we can stop her.

Spiru kipped up after her hundredth sit-up, and laid a friendly hand on Lorellai's. "You are a good soul. Please don't spend too long looking into the abyss, I'd hate for it to look back, so to say."

Lorellai rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Now you sound like uncle Dolraan. I suppose you can't both be wrong though. I promise not to try and divine any void secrets without one of you present."