Moonfall 4: The Bargain

Three Weeks before the final Change

Esria flinched back as she unfurled the scroll. Her eyes, or what remained of them, scanned across the text that was written upon the sheet but she saw more than just the writing. Her enhanced sight saw the work of spells and words invisible to most skittering madly across the parchment, drawing her vision whenever she tried to concentrate on reading. After a few minutes and a growing headache she threw it down onto the table.

"Its no good. I cant focus on the writing."
"It will come in time," Noorin said as he joined her at the table in the small hovel. "Many of the illidari were driven nearly mad by it. If not into madness entirely."

He places a small mug of water on the table for her which she gratefully took. It was cool as she tipped it back, thankful for some semblance of normality. The last week had been a painful mix of spell work and mental exercise for her. The voice in her head had been calmed to a dull whisper that cropped up from time to time by the mark Noorrin had branded into her back, and she had been learning to observe the world better with her new sight. But it was hardly an overnight achievement. Fine details such as reading and writing were proving difficult.

"I believe we have a good base here," she said, indicating to the parchments and tomes they had acquired from the Shadowmoon Valley, "But we are still missing some crucial components. The last tattoos for example."
"Indeed you are right. I may have found a source of that nature however."
Esria nearly stood upright, eager to find the last knowledge of the Illidari she would need to final put a stop to the demonic voices and touch on her body.
"Where?"

Noorrin sighed as he put down his own mug, "That is an issue. It is held by the Scryers. After the Black Temple fell, Most of the Illidari's work was destroyed by the Sha'tar and Aldor for being deemed too chaotic and dark. But the Scryers managed to sneak some away. Of course, I doubt they will willingly hand it over."

Esria slumped back down and rubbed her forehead. It had been throbbing a while now, two points of pain just above her hairline, "Then I need to find a scryer..."

"Even if you do, you will need someone skilled to apply the tattoos. I cannot perform such intricacies anymore."
"Don't worry Noorrin. If you take those crystals back to the Consortium while I aquire the knowledge we need, I am sure we will meet back up around the same time," she smiled at him. Her only friend on this twisted remain of a planet. Separating for a time would be hard, but if it could stop her pain... She would take the risk.


Twelve Days before the Final change.

Tenora Everblaze hummed as she walked down the road of the Terrokkar forest. The slender blood elf flicked her blonde hair over one shoulder as she looked around at the draenei ruins that lay ahead. They likely had been picked clean years ago by the so called Archaeologists that wandered looking for treasure, but she was sure she would find some magic lingering to experiment with. Afterall, that was the thing about treasure hunters, they cared only about the physical reward, not the fun of testing new forms of magic.

As she entered the ruins and peeks around, she grinned feeling the sense of old magic lingering in the air. If her sources were correct, one of the Atal'mai crystals had once been here. She would have loved to get a hold of a real one, but its remnants would be enough. She picked out a small looking shell of a house and started drawing out runic circles with a gemstone.

So distracted with her work, she didn't hear anyone approach until she felt the blade on her neck. A small gasp escaped her throat as she slowly stood up, feeling the cold metal against her throat.
"Who-" She started before being cut off.
"Quiet Sin'dorei," came a voice of another woman. Tenora tried to tilt her head to look back but could not do so without forcing that blade against her delicate flesh. So she shut up for a moment to see what this stranger wanted. Not her dead, or she would be already.

"You are going to do something for me, Blood elf," She heard hatred in the voice at the last words. Someone who didn't like her kind? That certainly did not narrow down her options saddly.
"What is it?" she asked tentatively.
"You are going to retrieve for me a tomb or scroll, however it is stored, from the Scryers for me."
"And why would I do that?" was this woman stupid? No one took anything away from the Scryer's libraries. Of course, that may be why she was wanted her to fetch it. No harm to whoever she was if Tenora was caught after all.

The woman's blade pulled away and she stepped around Tenora, blade now pointing at her chest. The mage gasped, she didn't know if it was in shock, fear or excitement at what she saw. A Kaldorei, but her eyes burnt with a green fel glow, wrapped in a black blindfold, and bearing markings of a demon hunter down one arm. She felt giddy for a moment. She had finally met one of the Illdari?! She had longed to see what magic demon hunters had and now one was right before her!

"Oh wow, you're.. You are like a... a Illidari! That's so cool!" That was not the response the night elf had expected from the look of surprise on her face. But then the blade was jabbed nearly into Tenora's chest and she shut up right away, struggling to keep a stupid grin off her face despite the situation.

"You are a strange one. But you will get me what I want from the Scryers or I will cut you down. Simple no?"
"Not at all," Tenora retorted. "If you let me get to the scryers, you have to let me go. Then there is nothing stopping me running off. I doubt you would be welcome to come find me in Silvermoon afterall." She smirked slightly, ball in her park now as the humans said. "However, we can make a deal."

"What deal?" the night elf snapped back, impatient one she seemed to be.
"Simple. I get you that knowledge and you show me what magic you have in those lovely tattoos and body hmm?"


Esria was caught by surprise. This Blood elf, mage she assumed, wanted to study her? It was a strange request but it was less than she had expected. If she did as she wanted, she could surely get what she needed from the Scryers and maybe just show some of what she knew to this woman? A blood elf having some knowledge of demon hunters could hardly be too damaging, considering the Scryers already possessed a fair amount. And she had nothing to lose from accepting, and everything to lose if she was unable to get that crucial information.

"Deal."