Blade of Menace

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Into Hell itself
"Ye a darn fool if ya wantin to enter hell itself lass" the mounted Gatekeeper said to Amy

"i Aint no fool lass, just brave and stupid and a desire to explore" she smirked at the gatekeeper, clearly confident.

"im tellin ye what i told you last week, NO...N-O...NO, y'know opposite of yes...NO!, so now lass, GO AWAY!"

"oh come on how bad can it be? is there another way around?" Amy asked persistently

the Gatekeeper sighed "fine, there be another way 'round, through them badlands..but ye a crazy one..just like the others..i feel sorry for ye"

Amy nodded "thank you very much, i hope you have a nice day" the Gatekeeper just gave a slight "pfft" noise, dismissively waving her hand as Amy climbed onto serenity and rode off to Thelisma, entering the Tavern and walking up to the Bar maid "you wouldn't mind looking after Norra for me?"

the Dwarf's face lit up, smiling widely "of course not LASS!, so where ye off to?"

Amy's face smiled and quietly told the dwarf "searing gorge, gonna have a look around and show those bastard dark irons what happens when they threaten me and mine"

the dwarf Chuckled "i love your spirit lass, ye give them one from me aye?"

Amy laughed taking Norra and leather carrier off her off her back "don't you worry, theres a dark iron with your name on it"

The dwarf took norra from her carrier and into her arms "e'llo wee Ba'bie, ill let ya on ye way lass, take care"

Amy smiled and nodded "you too" walking out of the tavern door and onto her horse.

she rode through the badlands, trying to avoid the dark irons at Uldaman, hammertoes dig site and Angor fortress, night fell like it does and Amy reached the enterence to the gorge, she stopped looking at the red glowing sky, she slowly entered "hell" itself, almost instantly her lungs were bombarded by volcanic fumes, ash and dust, immediately she began to cough, almost choking as she rode back into the bad lands, just outside the enterence to get some Fresh air, taking out a Bandana from her pocket and tying it around her face tightly to her face and tying serenity to a near by rock as she walked, looking around, her face wincing in disgust as she could taste the rotten egg like taste from the fumes being filtered by her mask, she walked around, blending into the shadows.

she eventually came across a dig site, there were 5 geologists, each each with a War Golem, she watched planning to strike when she could, she waited 24 minutes before her chances came, one of the geologists proclaimed to others "ACK, 'cuse me lads, i need to go for a Wee twinkle" the others nodded as the dwarf walked up the hill to the cubical,as he did he released a sudden "ARGH!" as Amy stabbed him in the back, reaching to the dagger on his holster, it was an unusual blade, the blade itself was almost back, not due to it being dirty but the metal was some how black, it felt cold, even the fur lined hilt felt cold.

amy took it anyway, just as she was about to put it into her pocket a patrol of three came along shouting "OI, look what the bloody lass 'as done!, GET HER!"

they began to charge, Amy dropped the Dagger to the floor, pulling out her flintlocks and shooting one between the eyes, as she was about to fire the other it was knocked from her hand, dodging and evading their attacks Amy picked up the black blade, trying to stabbed one of them, he jumped back but to Amy's surprise the blade launched a shadow bolt towards the dwarf which hit him in the face, he lay on the floor writhing in pain as the other ran to get help, amy saw this as her chance to escape and sprinted as fast as she could, reaching the gorge exit and jumping onto serenity and riding back to the loch.

it was midnight as she got back, she was coughing and wheezing from the first inhale of ash and dust, reaching thelisma with blade in her pocket she strolled into the Tavern and collected norra, going into her home she was warmly greeted by Xania.

Harsh Whispers
It was late the next day. Nouala was on a short trip to Stormwind dealing with family matters when she chanced upon Amy in the Cathadral Square.

"Hey Nouala." said Amy, "I was looking for you."

"For me?"

"Well, you were one of the people on my list. What do you know of weapons? Magically enchanted ones?"

"Magical weapons, anything special? I know some bits and pieces." said Nouala, intrigued.

Amy reached into her sleeve, and produced a dagger made of a strange black metal. As the dagger appeared, Noualas Frostsaber Kirfalah edged away, uncomfortably.

"I got it off some Dark Iron in 'hell'" said Amy, holding the dagger out so Nouala could examine it.

Nouala cast a glance at Kirfalah edging away, and then turned suddenly back to the dagger in Amys hand.

"Can you hear anything?" Nouala asked.

Amy looked confused "Like what?" she asked, obviously not hearing anything.

"Whispering."

"No." Amy said, "can you?"

Nouala nodded, "Maybe we should go to the park or another quiet place. I think I can hear something."

"That sounds like a good idea, but I honestly dont hear anything..."

A short while later, in the Park.

"I can't hear anything." said Amy, "but... it is not like any dagger i've used..."

Nouala pointed to Kirfalah, hiding behind her "Kirfalah does not seem to like it."

"I don't see why." said Amy, "watch!" She started slashing the empty air with the dagger. After a few tries, a bolt of shadow shot out of the tip and fizzled into nothingness a few feet from the dagger.

Nouala took a step back. "Shadow!"

Amy nodded, "obviously, something isn't right with it. Daggers don't shoot Shadow Bolts. It isn't right."

Nouala slowly moved her head from side to side as if straining to hear something.

"Is something wrong Nouala?"

"I can hear something. It sounds like an old mans voice. Rather harsh. It is speaking common I think, but it is very faint."

Amy looked surprised, "I still don't hear anything..."

"Let us try inside, maybe I can hear better there."

The Dagger Talks
Amy and Nouala entered the small corner inn in the park and sat down. Nouala had a concentrated look on her face.

...prepare...

"It is a little clearer now, the only word I can make out sounds like 'prepare'."

"Prepare..." mused Amy, "Why do I not like the sound of this?" She looked to Norra, sleeping on her back.

Nouala looked thoughtful. "Could you try lying it on top of that Tankard?"

Amy looked at Nouala, "What should that do?"

"It might amplify the sound a little."

Amy nodded and placed the dagger on the mouth of the Tankard. Both women bent their heads to the Tankard, straining to hear anything the Dagger might say.

The dagger spoke. Inside the Tankard, the sound was a little tinny, but clear. It was an old mans voice, harsh and dark, it sounded evil.

Where are you?

Nouala blinked, "Did you hear that?"

"Yes. I've heard the expression 'Let your dagger sing'. But I don't think this is what was meant."

Amy shrugged, remembering. "I was part of a bandit group called the Singing Daggers. They used that lot."

Nouala looked at Amy in shocked surprise, "You, a bandit?"

Amy smiled widely, "Surprised? Why is that?"

"You, you do not seem the type. You fight for good things."

Amy nodded, "now i do... once upon a time i was a complete bastard. Stealing, mugging, murder... assassination..." she sighed, looking at Norra, "It is something very few people know."

Nouala nodded slowly, "I will not tell anyone."

"Thank you. I just hope you don't think less of me."

Nouala shook her head dismissively, "I do not. You changed."

Both women started as the dagger almost shouted.

WHERE ARE YOU!?

"I do not like that voice." said Nouala.

"Nor do I." said Amy, as she slapped the dagger from the Tankard and caught it smartly. "There, don't listen to that whining dagger anymore."

''Prepare ... end''

"Did you hear that?" asked Nouala.

Amy shook her head, "I didn't hear anything."

"Prepare...end" Nouala repeated the daggers words.

Suddenly, the dagger laughed. It was an evil, manic cackle.

Do...her...favour...kill

Amy smiled lovingly back at Norra as Nouala heard the dagger speak, only audible to her Kaldorei ears.

"Do...her...favour...kill"

Amy turned sharply back to Nouala "Her? Kill? Who is her, and kill who?"

"It is evil!" Nouala shook her head, "I only heard those four words."

Amy looked nastily at the dagger as she took out a roll of woolen bandages. As she wrapped the bandages around the dagger, the voice faded from Noualas ears.

Her...kill...do...favour...her...for. The voice faded, blocked by the bandages.

"Her...kill...do...favour...her...for." Nouala repeated the daggers last sentence, sighing in relief as the voice stilled.

"Hey there!" Xania greeted Amy and Nouala, entering the inn.

Amy welcomed her with a hug, then pointed her at the table.

"We are just being bullied by a demented dagger."

"A demented dagger?" asked Xania, as Amy unwrapped the dagger from the bandages.

As soon as the bandages were removed, the dagger cackled.

kill her...before...get to her regret...you

Nouala frowned at the dagger. "I do not like that voice. Daggers should not talk."

"I didn't hear anything." Amy said.

come...i...worse...kill her...now...

Nouala looked at Xania, "Can you hear it?"

"Yes I can. It is speaking to us then?"

"I'm not sure." said Amy, stepping on the dagger irritated, "Daggers shouldn't even bloody talk!"

Nouala looked to Kirfalah, lying uncomfortably by the doorway, "Kirfalah does not like it eighter."

daughter...come...i...show...worse....death...

"I don't like the sound of that." said Xania.

"Oh, what?" asked Amy.

"Something about a daughter and worse...death..? Sounds like it's saying something about a "daughter" and giving her something "worse than death"?" said Xania, thinking aloud.

Amy was puzzled, "The dagger has a daughter?"

"Hm, doubt it..."

Through the Ears of a Cat
Nouala looked back at Kirfalah thoughtfully, then went and pulled Kirfalah to the table, the great cat following her reluctantly.

"Kirfalah, let me borrow your ears for a moment." Kirfalah meowed, clearly unhappy.

"I will give you a nice leg of Roasted Clefthoof." Kirfalah purred, accepting the bribe.

"Do you think someones on the other side of that dagger?" asked Amy.

"I'd guess so. I'm not an expert on magic though... I know there's also been souls imbued into weapons...so..." said Xania.

Amy shrugged, "Still...I wonder who is her..."

Nouala concentrated on the bond between her and her pet, slowly, she let her own senses go and borrowed those of her pet. To the cat's ears, the dagger spoke clearly.

Kill her for death will be her savior

Nouala concentrated hard, succeding in moving her own lips rather than Kirfalahs "Kill her, for death will be her saviour?"

"The voice is perfectly clear for Kirfalahs ears. That must be why she is so uncomfortable."

"She is a clever girl." said Amy, smiling at Kirfalah.

Kill her or make her run before I get her.

"Kill her or make her run before I get her" Nouala repeated, "But who is it talking about?"

"Best idea I could have is the owner..." said Xania slowly.

"It asks us to kill a daughter. Does anyone view you as a daughter Amy?"

"Only Nicksonol, But he's not odd and screaming to kill me"

Kill her, the one whos name is the same as the mark on a pirate map.

"It just said: 'Kill the one who has a name like the mark on a pirate map'" said Nouala.

"Pirate maps tend to bear red X's to mark treasures or targets." said Xania.

"Amy ... your family name ... is it not Redcross?" asked Nouala slowly.

Amy shook her head in shock "No... it's not true..."

Gorrion worked for me

"BASTARD!" Amy kicked the dagger out of the door. "No good...fucking psychopath..."

She calmed down and added quietly, "He killed me sister..."

"And now I guess your father's out for you..." said Xania, "but why?"

"Like I know!" shouted Amy, clearly upset.

Nouala and Xania hugged Amy to calm her. Through the fading link to Kirfalah, Nouala saw an old man, taller than most standing outside the Inn, clad in black armor. He grinned evilly as he walked away into the shadows of the twilight.

"Thank you both..." said Amy, "I needed this hug..."

"Kirfalah saw something" said Nouala, "An old man, dressed in black armor, about my height, looking evil."

"Ain't gonna let him scare me." said Amy defiantly, "Heck, give that dagger, I'll kill him with his own dagger."

"I need to get me swords." she continued, "I left me stuff in Lakeshire."

Nouala knelt outside the entrance, reading the tracks.

"The tracks look like he left the Park." she said.

There was no pursuit as they left the park. But shortly after the three women left Stormwind behind, Nouala noticed the man was following them on a dark, plate-armored horse. She pointed behind them.

"Can you hear that?" asked Amy.

"Yes, we are being followed." Nouala confirmed, "Ride hard, and do not look back. We are armored, you are not."

Into the Fray
They had barely arrived in Lakeshire. Amy was busy in the upstairs room of the Inn, buckling on her armor and weapons as they heard a loud cluncking coming up the stairs. Nouala and Xania drew their blades and took position in the doorway, side-by-side blocking the entrance to Amys room. Kirfalah silently padded up the stairs after the big man, unheard and unseen.

The man reached the top of the stairs. His eyes were level with the two Kaldorei women.

"Evening my fair ladies." he said with an evil grin.

Xania and Nouala readied their blades wordlessly.

"Now now, I gave you fair warning." he said as he drew his twin Katanas.

Xania huffed scornfully, "You plan to fight with those...pieces of scrap metal..?"

The man let out a choking laugh. "These swords...have ended many...beside...elf...tart...its more of the bladesman...not the blade...now...if you will excuse me!" He struck out with the hilts of his swords, trying to knock the wind out of Nouala and Xania. Nouala brushed the sword-hilt aside with the hilt of her own blade while Xania took a step backwards.

The man stepped back, "Not bad, but why not let my daughter fight her own battles, one on one, or is she a coward?"

Amy growled "I ain't no coward!"

"I refuse to let you harm her, that's why. I made a promise, and I plan to do my best to make that true. You'll be dead before you lay a hand on Amy." said Xania, stepping back up beside Nouala.

"Three of us, and the cat on the stairs behind you is mine." said Nouala readying her blade again.

Amy moved towards her father. Nouala moved aside, leaving space for her in the line Xania holding out a hand to stop her going too far.

The man laughed, trying to kick Kirfalah away.

Xania used the moment of distraction to launch an attack at the man, her sword arcing through the air aimed straight for his shoulder. At the same time, Nouala slashed wide with her blade, trying to keep his attention.

The man grunted as the sword bit into his shoulderpad, biting deep, but not enough to hurt him. As Amy moved forward, he used his Katana to slice at Xania. "Finally!" At the same time, Nouala moved back and levelled her crossbow at him.

"Come on Amy! Show me what yer' made off!" he shouted as he began swinging his Katanas in a flurry of slashes.

Xania moved back, her tabard slashed by the blade, but her armor preventing any damage, she tore her sword loose from his shoulder, dragging the shattered shoulderpad with her. Noualas bolt hit him square in the exposed shoulder, but he grunted and turned his Katanas on Amy, attacking furiously.

Amy dodged, parried and returned the attack with equal fury, as Xania tried to disarm him with a kick and Nouala launched another arrow at his exposed shoulder.

The man grunted, as Xanias kick connected, and Noualas arrow hit a nerve in his other shoulder. As both his blades fell to the ground, he tried kicking Amy into Xania.

Barkeep Daniels shouted up the stairs "Ey! Can you keep down that bloody racket?"

Amy flew into Xania, losing her breath in the impact, as Nouala ran forward, kicking the Katanas down the stairs. Xania steadied Amy with one hand and swiped at the man with her blade. He evades her and laughs evilly as he runs down the stairs Kirfalah hot on his heels.

At the foot of the stairs, Kirfalah placed herself in front of the man, tripping him. As he fell over the cat, Xania thundered into him, having launched herself from the railing above.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to be unfair now." he said, as Noualas blade cut a gash in his arm.

"SHADOWS DESTROY THEM!" he shouted, stomping his foot on the floor unleashing a wave of Shadow energy towards them.

Both Amy and Nouala are hit by the blast. They slam into the wall and slide down slowly. Xania is thrown over the railing and lands on the ground.

"I thought I told you to keep it ... oh shit!" shouted Daniels as he discovered the source of the racket. He dived for cover behind the bar, swiftly joined by the screaming barmaids.

The man laughed maniacally as he picked himself up and picked up Amy by the throat. From the floor, Nouala took a swipe at his legs, slamming the hilt of her blqade into the back of his knees. As he fell to the floor, Xania swung herself over the rail and began charging back up the stairs.

The man grunted, but maintained his grip on Amys throat as he fell to his knees. "Do you know what Gorrion told me when he tortured your sister?"

"He enjoyed every second..and he loved the memories.."

"And when I beat your mother...I made your sister watch...you were just in the womb then..."

"And look at you...you are just as pathetic...getting your..so called friends to fight for you.."

Xania and Nouala acted in unison, Xania quietly walking up to his back, stabbing her blade through his heart at the same time as Noualas two-handed swipe cut him in half.

With his dying strength, the man tried to strangle Amy. As Nouala kicked at his arms, Amy drove the black dagger deep into his neck.

As his eyes misted over he looked at Amy with contempt. "Weakli...". Then he died, his mouth locked in a sadistic grin.

After the Fight
Amy sat on the floor, some what shocked at what just happened, her body covered in the tainted blood of her father, she stared at the body, her rage building at her fathers word.

her view being blocked from Nouala and Xania who were shaking her

"Amy? Amy are you alright?" both said one after the other, she did not reply but just stared at her fathers head, closing her eyes for a split second before raising to her feet taking out the "vanquisher" which the archbishop had given her only days ago, Xania gave a grin as she watched gently saying to Amy "you have the honours my love" Amy looked to nouala and Xania, nouala of which just watched, her eyes fixed at what was about to happen.

Amy looked at the body again, her Body trembling with anger as she shouting in rage "I HOPE YOU WALK AROUND THE DEEP PARTS OF HELL WITH NO HEAD!",

making a quick swipe with the sword, taking the deceased mans head clean off making it roll down the stairs as Barkeeper Daniels raised his head above the Bar, signaling to his Barmaids that it was safe, they all came up from behind there hiding place, one of the barmaids seeing the head suddenly went pale and ran for the Door way, throwing up outside the door, their faces tattooed with shock as blood ran down the stairs.

Amy sighed, walking up the stairs and leaning onto the door frame, her fathers Words running through her head, she closed her eyes tightly, clenching her fists as she tried to hold the tears back.

Barkeeper Daniels looked up the stairs to the Two kaldor'ei women, watching as the blood from the pieces of body flowed like a river down the stairs

"i hope your going to get that thing out of my Inn or do i have to call the guards?"

Xania pulled the remains onto the rug, pulling the corners together so they acted as a carrier, holding all the bloody bits together "don't you worry I'll get rid of them for you" she pull the rug over her shoulder walking down the stairs trying not to   slip down over the blood, Daniels began to shake his head then turning it to one of his shaking Barmaids "come ill help you clean this up" she nodded with a very weak smile, taking a mop and bucket and beginning to Clean the Red mess on the stairs.

the night passed and nouala had left earlier to go see elizabetha, Amy came down the now clean stairs, her head bowed as she held Norra who was gurgling in her arm, she Neared the Bar, the tired barkeep glaring at her, she reached for her side taking out a leather pouch, opening it and taking out five gold coins and slamming them onto the bar quietly telling the barkeeper "these are for you and your bar maids, im really sorry about last night" her head remained bowed, holding the cheery Norra, Daniels looked at the coins, accepting them

"thank you, are you alright?" he asked inquisitively, Amy only simply nodded before turning to the door and walking out.