#tarragrue

But the Draenei was undeterred! The Light was with him! Luminescent wings sprouted forth from his back, as his hammer was charged in holy Light! The shimmering of a divine blessing glistened across his broad-shouldered form! He met the Tarragrue’s charge with his own, crying out final instructions to his beloved and friend!

“Follow the Light runes!”

*BAP!*

A streak of radiant gold and purple flew back down the hallway, cascading down the stairs like a tumbling boulder down a hillside. Argonas slammed into a wall, then skipped over the stairs’ railing, flopping like a ragdoll as he smacked into one side, then the other, of the open spiral staircase Until finally, he fell flat on his back at the very base of the stairs-- right in front of Sylaess and Sinafay. He should have died, were it not for the Light’s blessed protection of his mortal form. 

Dazed, but unhurt, he quickly scrambled to his hooves, and cleared his throat.

“... I have decided that I should lead you to the exit. This way!”

“Honestly, I do not know what I expected,” Sinafay sighed, but then couldn’t help but crack a smile despite the situation, “Good to see you have not changed, My Love.”

She reached down to help him up… only to remember that she couldn’t even do that as her hands moved right through. They may as well have been on two different planes of existence.

“Quickly!” She urged, as the entire room seemed to shake under the behemoth’s steps.

“You fucking idiot, don’t stop to chat it up!” 

“Whatever you do, don’t stop running. It knows we’re here now.” 

The thin elf raced forward to haul on his shoulder. Pull the behemoth of a draenei into a run by sheer will alone if she had to. But she was unnaturally strong.

“This is not the time for heroics. Time to run like the little bitches this place made of us.”

Those onyx eyes glanced back sharply at the incoming absolute marker of death. Felt it again. That sudden grip of fear down to her core. Had she seen this thing before, then? She certainly had heard it.

Her breath caught on it. It was one of those premonition feelings that had a habit of coming back to bite later. That was not what she wanted right now.

Argonas had learned his lesson. He kept running, looking back only to ensure the others were keeping pace. He was moderately fast, for a Draenei weighed down in so much plate armor. Practice. His shield kept affixed to his back, hammer in his hand. The other hand reached out, causing the Lightrunes he’d left behind to emit a resonant glow. In such a dark and dismal place, the glowing runes weren’t hard at all to spot. 

The Vindicator led the group further down the tower, each new twist in the corridor looking no different than the last anymore, save for the runes. They were helpful… while they lasted. Had they missed one? Taken a wrong turn? Argonas slowed for the sake of searching, before grunting in frustration. He then stopped. The trail had gone cold.

“Either they could not endure the dark magic of this place… or the corridors changed too much.” he reported, frowning. “We cannot go back the way I came in.”

As far as they ran, however, the sounds of the massive Tarragrue still echoed intensely from behind them. Argonas looked around, formulating a plan as quickly as he could. The room they had stopped in had several cages and chains, but little else. The left-side wall wasn’t constructed, but sheer stone that extended several meters up. But it looked as if it terminated at a certain point before the high half-cavernous ceiling-- a faint, ominous glow highlighting the gap.

It was something, at least.

“Stand back!”

He set for one of the nearby cages. A massive one, that could very easily contain him behind the dense, sturdy bars. A length of chain remained affixed to the base of it, coiled in a semi-neat pile beside it. He sheathed his hammer to his hip, and squatted down before the cage. He grunted, gripping the heavy cage tightly as he hefted it up off the ground. He swung it slowly, left. Then right. Then left again with more momentum. Right, and up slightly. Left, leveling out. Again and again as he swayed with the momentum. 

The monster’s footsteps echoed louder and louder, drowned out only by its angered roars.

Argonas kept focused. The momentum built with each swing, until he finally brought the cage fully around himself. Once, twice, three times, spiraling in almost a dance with one hoof rounding about the other. 

Then released! The cage flew up in a steep arc, sailing up the height of the stone wall. It smashed through the gap, lingering a moment as it teetered… then grinding against the stone as it slipped behind it. A brief moment of silence, then a thunderous crash reverberating through the floor beneath them. The chain, of course, followed, now dangling straight up the wall. 

“Climb! Quickly!” Argonas ordered, taking a brief moment to catch his breath after the exertion.

A very brief moment-- the Tarragrue had begun descending the winding stairs that led to their chamber!

Syl turned her back on the chain for a moment, squaring off with a small crowd of spirits and fragments that followed after her like a lost bit of cloud. She bared her teeth slightly, looking for one. That one.

Sinafay had no issues climbing up the chain. Her ethereal form was as light as could be with no mortal form to weigh her down. She made it to the top long before the other two, only to freeze as she saw what lay next. 

“I swear on my undying breath if you do, I’ll--”

A wisp burst past her, following Sinafay up the chain almost amicably. Sylaess’ teeth clenched so hard it was audible. It wasn’t clear if she was angry or simply upset at this point, but it sure stirred up the party she collected. Those black eyes turned on Argonas.

“Up. Now. Please.”

Another chain, much thicker than the one they’d climbed, attached to the wall she stood on and led upwards to a cavern entrance. Below was nothing but hot lava. Even as a spirit, she could feel the heat rising from it, and was more than aware that it would burn her just as badly as any mortal. 

“I desperately hope the two of you are good at balancing,” she called over her shoulder.

A small hop down and she landed at the base of the chain. Keeping her determined gaze focused on the mouth of the cavern, she began taking careful steps towards her goal. One hoof at a time.

"--Light help me…" the Vindicator muttered under his laboured breath. 

Running, heaving, climbing, all had worn him out to no small degree. And now a chain bridge suspended over a lake of lava was their only way forward? The heat was sweltering; already he could feel his armor starting to conduct the heat. He couldn't endure it for too long. 

Hastily, muttering, he began to strip off his plate. Shoulders, gauntlets, chestpiece… grace and leg plates too. It pained him to abandon his Vindicator's plate, but it had to be done. He stripped it all, down to his cloth pants and a few leather straps on his arms. Chest bare, runic scars glistening from perspiration. 

Unceremoniously, he left the lot of them in a heap atop the wall, before venturing out towards the chain bridge.

With no actual memory to tie the fear to, it was easier to digest as unfounded. Push aside. 

Sylaess hauled herself up the chain with a lot more ease than she had anticipated. Maybe it was the pressing threat of the Tarragrue, maybe it was the hint of hope at escape. Either way, she didn’t really dawdle when her feet slipped once.

Up over the edge, she had to blink and ... wait, what?

Argonas dropping his armor was not what she’d have put a bet on for sights to see on the wall. Gods. Sinafay had stopped halfway up the chain to look over her shoulder at the other two. To her, Argonas stripping down was a treat, and her tail swayed a bit wider as she couldn’t help but take it all in. He’s certainly been working out more since Argus… and her first time actually -seeing- the Fel scars from their torture at the hands of the Sagerei. Sylaess, on the other hand, blinked, looking away for a moment. Then the realization hit her. Lava. Fire. They were considerably high up, too; as if it weren't a harrowing enough situation.

Oh, are you fucking kidding me? 

Argonas swallowed hard, taking a wary step out onto the broadside of the giant chain links. One hoof, then the other, doing his best to keep his eyes on the other side. His goal. His--

His misstep. 

His hoof scraped the metal link as it slid off to the side of it. His balance lost, he toppled. Quickly as he could, he gripped onto the upright link beside him to keep from falling over, but only managed to hook an arm over it. He gasped, the heat making him sweat. His sweat compromising his grip…

"We are most assuredly talking about this later!" Argonas blurted out, scowling.

Sylaess’ hand brushed over one of the hilts jutting above her shoulders lightly, almost lovingly, in distraction. Her runes again glimmering to a dull roar. Icy wind rushed down around her and fled, leaving her glittering in tiny crystals. Sporadic, sure, and melting. But they helped negate the oppressive heat. Breath in. Sigh out.

“Okay.” Another exhale, slowly. She drew the rune in the air at her side.

The wisps and spirits recoiled--but were yanked in a moment. Some of them disappeared.

The elf became ever-so-faintly translucent. Hazy, even. Something about it didn’t work right. She stepped onto the chain, light as air. Stalked her way up to Argonas and reached down to draw him back up with unnatural strength. “Don’t ask, just go. And don’t you dare zap me right now.”

She breathed the words, drawing the second rune. Drawing him into the shell of the spell. wraith-walking was a little awkward when you were already in the Shadowlands. What realm were they side-stepping into? Who the fuck knew! But it was better than a hot dip.

As much as he appreciated the assist, this coercion-- and possible sacrifice?-- of souls expended in order to phase him into a more spiritual state was NOT something he was okay with! It stood against everything he had cone here for; to save souls, not cause them further anguish. Or worse.

Survival, however, took the forefront of his mind. His instincts. Escaping was paramount. Getting them all free of this accursed place was a mission of such importance that, while he wouldn't admit aloud, allotted for no small degree of concession of his morals and principles. Acting now. Justifying or reconciling later.

Syl merely affected a grunt in response. Not looking forward to that conversation.

Behind the wall, the Terragrue roared, once more filling their senses with fear, even knowing it could no longer reach them.

“Keep going!” Sinafay encouraged, having managed to complete her trek and reach the mouth of the cave, “Do not look back!”

Being phased into a spiritual state was mildly disorienting. The Vindicator’s body felt lighter, yet somehow it dragged as if he was pulling it through water behind him. It served its purpose though, keeping light helped keep him balanced. He crossed the chain along with Sylaess and Sinafay without any further trouble.

"I did not come from this way… I am unsure where to go from here." he stated his disclaimer. "But now we are safe from that thing."

The Tarragrue roared, as if in response to his statement.

"... for the moment."

“I can ask in a few minutes, but I suggest we find a way down. That’s all we can do.”

The phase shift of wraith-walking left her and she sagged a bit harder than she thought she would. Blinked dumbly. ‘Oh for the sake of being undead, you’re dropping the ball hard, Syl. Some undead strength,’ she mocked herself viciously. ‘You even sure this is real?’

Her legs jellied as she lumbered forward a step or two. She reached out for the cave wall and promptly fell over. Graceless as before. Maybe she had been using too much, drawing too much power from a dry well. Maybe she was just damaged. Then again, withdrawal was a hell of a ride.

It was an odd sensation watching the world’s axis shift from horizontal to vertical. A resigned sort of acknowledgement somewhere far from personal came to her. Thoughts drifted away in a fog as she had another seizure. The tremors stiffening her body to the point of joints creaking alarmingly and armor scraping the stone in a high-pitched whine. Her jaw was clenched hard enough to make a cracking noise.