“I have secured fifty pounds of jade from the quarry. As part of our reward, we can request any item made of jade as long as these draenei are able to craft it.”

 

A reward? Meechi’s ears stood straight at the thought, and she parted the grass in front of her to get a good look. A large tauren appeared to be carrying what was a hefty amount of precious, glittering green stone. Jade, he called it. Meechi studied his clothing carefully. The tauren wore a robe that resembled a sea of purple resting on lava with matching shoulder plates and gauntlets. Perhaps he works with the elements, Meechi thought to herself. Her eyes widened as she imagined how much that volume of jade might be worth.

 

“Ah, friend cow, that is a lot of jade,” replied a voice, “but I need nothing.”

 

Meechi turned her attention to the large man standing next to the tauren. He was a head taller, with broad shoulders and a wide neck. The large man wore his golden-brown hair in two braids reaching down to his chest, the rest of it flowing freely down his back. The vulpera’s eyes rested upon a blue stone mounted on his belt, and she wondered if it were a precious gem.

 

“I want something!” Meechi saw two small hands waving in the air underneath the very large man and followed them to a young elf. She wore a purple and black robe that was clearly too large for her body, its loose ends tied up haphazardly in an effort to keep the garment off the ground. Her green eyes glowed as she desperately tried to get the attention of the man and the tauren.

 

“Yes, one item for small elf child.”

 

“What would you like, young one?” One of the craftsmen asked. Meechi recognized the creature as a draenei, one with blue skin, sharp horns, and tendrils reaching out from his jawline. His teal blue eyes glowed softly as he watched the child think.

 

“Oh I know,” she decided, “can I have earrings?”

 

The horned man nodded and set to work crafting her request. The young elf watched eagerly as he chipped away at a small block of jade and polished round stones the size of the child's thumbnail. The draenei placed his hand over the stones and spoke an enchantment.

 

“Arkan athenos eitote onai yst thrynyedos.”

 

Wisps of light flowed around the jade and seeped into the jewelry. After a few moments, the earrings gave off a steady, pulsing glow.

 

“They look just like your beautiful eyes,” the craftsman spoke warmly, “here, try them on.”

 

The young elf took the earrings and put them on, and her face lit up with joy as she played with the little jade stones. She picked up her robe, twirled around, then ran across the cobblestone up to what was unmistakably a death knight. The figure, clad in dark blue armor that covered his entire body and a matching helm that covered his face, towered over the small child. Meechi watched the death knight kneel down as the elf turned her head to show off her new earrings. He nodded, gently patted her head, and slowly stood back up, the heavy armor creaking. The child looked more than content as she took her place by his side.

 

“If you have nothing else for us to craft,” the draenei spoke, “then our business is finished. You may always come back if you have new requests.”

 

The tauren bowed, holding a freshly made jade amulet in his hand. “That will be all, thank you.” He turned to the large man. “We still have that appointment with Nazgrim’s scout over lunch. He wants us to update him on what we’ve encountered so far.”

 

The vrykul thought for a moment. “Very well, friend cow. We will make preparations.” He turned to the elf and death knight and motioned to them. “Come, let’s go.”

 

Jade, jewel craftsmen, a party of adventurers, Meechi thought to herself, I wonder if they’d lead me to more riches, or that treasure I’m looking for. Meechi stuffed the last of the flowers into her bag and ran up to the tauren and vrykul.

 

“Wait!”

 

Halvor turned his head and looked down at the creature who had made that sound. I didn’t realize fur pelt could speak, he thought to himself. He had never seen a vulpera before, but this one reminded him of the foxes he had often hunted in his youth.

 

“Uh, hello, small fox,” the vrykul managed to speak, still unable to wrap his head around the fact that it spoke.

 

The vulpera looked back and forth between Halvor and Tolkar.

 

“Can I join you guys?” Her voice was husky but feminine with high-pitched overtones.

 

Tolkar hesitated for a moment, looking at the equipment she carried on her person, and asked, “What kind of adventurer are you?”

 

“I am an alchemist,” she responded, “I craft all kinds of potions!”

 

At the mention of potions, Mori came over and began emptying out one of the pockets in her oversized robe. Several moments later, she had created a sizable pile of health potions in front of the vulpera, who eyed them in wonder.

 

“I have extra potions!” Mori exclaimed, and stepped back from the pile, “You can have them!”

 

“Thanks,” the alchemist replied as she placed the potions in her bag and pockets.  

 

The tauren looked at the vrykul. “I don’t see any harm in her joining us,” he conferred, “what do you think?”

 

Halvor shrugged, “I do not care. If she can help, that is good.”

 

“Very well,” Tolkar turned back to the vulpera, “you are free to join us if you wish. I am Tolkar of the Ragetotem tribe,” he added, bowing to her, “and who might you be?”

 

“My name is Meechi!” she responded, carefully making sure to omit that she was a pirate. The others did not need to know she was searching for treasure for the taking.

 

The vrykul spoke up. “I am Halvor. Nice to meet you, friend fox.”

 

“I’m Mori,” the blood elf hopped in front of Meechi and waved. The vulpera looked behind Mori to see the death knight standing silently, his blue eyes glowing coldly as he made no attempt at a greeting, “and that’s Sahtra.” The young necromancer giggled as she pointed at him. “Don't worry, he’s always like that!”

 

The alchemist nodded slowly, then looked back at the others. “Nice to meet you all,” she spoke cheerfully, “where are we off to—”

 

“Hey, death man, where are you going?” Halvor called out.

 

Sahtra did not respond but crept closer and closer towards the main gate. He held up a finger, motioning for silence, and waited carefully. He could hear two distinct melodies of fanfare; one belonged to the Alliance, the other to the Horde. The fanfare was accompanied by what sounded like hundreds of footsteps, soldiers marching towards the west. The death knight turned to his traveling companions whilst cracking his knuckles, and shouted, “YES! A BATTLE IS UPON US!” He pointed with his axe in the direction of the footsteps, and the others’ faces fell as they heard the fanfare, too.

 

“Onward!” Sahtra proclaimed, and took long strides out the main gate, Halvor and Tolkar walking quickly after him. Meechi and Mori, the smallest members of the group, ran behind them to catch up.

 

* * * * *

 

The battle had already ended by the time the travelers reached their destination. It had been short but destructive, with most of the damage being done by a large thundering crack sending pieces of the statue of the Jade Serpent in all directions, indiscriminately decimating soldiers and terrain alike.

​

“Look, over there!” Meechi cried out. She pointed at the small patch of land surrounded by water where the statue once stood proudly. Only its tail remained on its pedestal now, the rest of its body strewn on the ground in the midst of many wounded and dead.

 

The alchemist hurried across the bridge and onto the island, carefully tiptoeing on the sha-touched grass, once a vivid green but now black as tar. She found two jinyu struggling to breathe and poured a healing potion down both of their throats.

 

“Thank you, vulpera,” one of them managed to speak, “there are many more here who could use your aid,” and he sunk into a deep sleep.

 

“Let’s take these jinyu back to the temple with us, where we can find them proper rooms and treatment,” Meechi spoke to Halvor, who nodded. The vulpera proceeded to rummage through the bags and pockets of those who had not been fortunate enough to survive.

 

It was fortunate, however, for the young necromancer. Mori wandered around the statue ruins and looked for deceased soldiers to create into her first undead, finally settling on an orcish brute and a human footman. She held out her hand over each victim and called out “Animate!”, and their bodies rose once again to serve their new master.

 

“Yes!” Mori exclaimed, “You are my first undead, and you will do as I say!” The young blood elf stood proudly and flexed her arms in triumph as her minions absent-mindedly waited for their command. Wait until the big death knight sees these, she thought to herself excitedly, I’ll show him he’s not the only one who can make undead people. Mori marched over to where Sahtra stood over a woman’s body, and the undead followed her there.

 

“Look, Sahtra! Here are my—AHH!” Mori attempted to introduce her raised companions but let out a shriek as she watched the death knight’s axe come cleanly onto the woman’s throat and slice it in two. She clasped her hands over her mouth as she noticed that all eyes, injured and healthy, had turned in her direction and had rested upon Sahtra. The death knight looked around at the horrified faces and shrugged. “It was a mercy killing,” he spat, “she suffered needlessly.”

 

The others turned their heads back to their previous business, but Mori’s eyes remained fixated on the fresh corpse of the woman. I can give her another chance, she thought, and held her hand, palm facing down, above the body.

 

“Animate!”

 

The color drained from the woman’s face, the scar from the axe sealed itself, and her eyes opened to reveal golden glowing irises. She turned to Mori and spoke in raspy tones, “I am ready to serve, master.”

 

Sahtra looked over the undead woman and frowned at the young necromancer. “These undead obey you against their will, little one. Their anguish empowers the sha around us.”

 

Mori froze, realizing his words rang true. “But they can help us fight,” she presented her counterargument, “I can be hurt easily, so I need all the protection I can get from my undead!”

 

She wasn’t wrong, Sahtra knew this. The warlock spellcasting methods of constant drain and consumption of life essence left her vulnerable if unguarded. If the undead could distract the enemy, it would surely increase her chances of survival in battle.

 

“They have their use for now,” the death knight paused and turned away from Mori, “but our party’s soft hearts will only weaken us down the road. You must accept loss for what it is at times.”

 

Halvor stood several yards to the north and grimaced at Mori’s entourage of undead. I do not like at all these undead creatures, he thought to himself, small child is a problem. He shook his head and picked the injured jinyu up, one in each arm. “Come all,” he called out to his traveling companions, “we must return wounded friends to temple.” The vrykul crossed the bridge leading to the mainland and began heading towards the east.

 

Tolkar rose, carrying a human in one thick arm and an orc in another. He had done his best to patch them both up, recognizing that there was no need to favor one over the other due to faction differences in times of need for all. He followed Halvor to the mainland.

 

Meechi finished rummaging through any pockets and bags belonging to the dead and put various necklaces, lockets, watches, and some small knives into her bag. The alchemist ran off to catch up to the vrykul and tauren while the young necromancer trailed them with her three new summons. They followed her single file, their steps in unison, an almost comical sight as the undead were nearly twice the size of their master. Sahtra silently followed from behind and was the last of the group to leave the Serpent’s Heart.