Off the Wagon
"Lena, where's Kelrythis?" Xaphias called to the mage as she meandered around the garrison with Aussie in her arms. At the strain of panic in Xaph's voice, Lena looked up, alarmed. "She's not in the barracks?" The barman shook his head as he approached, "And I checked the forge, the pond, the bunker, she's not here." He stopped short and set his jaw, looking at the mud on the stones of the garrison walkways. "And... I'm missing a few bottles." Lena swore, then winced and covered Aussie's ears - a moment too late. She shoved the child into Xaph's arms and hiked up her robes, running in the direction of her house. A few moments after slamming the door shut, she reemerged, fully outfitted in her armor, staff in hand. She was shoving a sheathed dagger into its place on her belt as she returned to Xaph's side, out of breath. "Stay here. If she comes back, hold her here. Put other guards on her if necessary. She is not falling off the wagon that easy." Xaph nodded wordlessly, cradling Aussie, as Lena roughly yanked her communicator from her shoulder and disappeared, teleporting out of the garrison. -- Meanwhile, on a rise in Tanaan, Kel ripped off her helmet and threw it down, her sweaty hair clinging to her flushed face. Her ponytail gave a limp swing as she wiped her forehead, the leather on the palm of her gloves pulling at her damp skin. The adrenaline was fading, the thrill of the fight was slowly ebbing away. The human priest in the pointy hat next to her pulled his gloves from his hands, very conversationally commenting on her performance. A group of them had just downed a pit lord. She had sneaked out of the garrison, managing to duck the guards, even in her clinking armor. She met up with a ragtag group who boasted about slaying a pit lord every night. For the first time in months, Kel's face lit up with excitement. She needed it. The fight, the energy, the feel of slicing something evil open with her sword and letting it bleed out on the ground at her hooves. The priest carefully folded his gloves, tucking them into his belt and dispassionately continued, "Lesser healers would have had a hard time keeping you alive, draenei." Kel scowled at the body of the pit lord, knowing he was right and simultaneously thinking he was a pompous son of a bitch. Bending at the waist, she yanked the flask from her boot once more, as she had before the fight, and drained it in one long drink. Fuck, that's good, she thought. The switch had been flipped. She was back on the booze. "It's been a long time since I've been allowed out," she growled, shoving the now empty flask into her boot once more. "Forgive me for not being up on the most recent enhancements." The priest looked bored. "Nevertheless. Should you wish to improve yourself, here is my token. My colleagues and I would be willing to help." He pressed a coin-like talisman into her gloved hand, turned on the spot, and activated his hearthstone. Kel stared at the talisman, for some reason fighting the urge to hurl it in the direction of where the priest disappeared. She snorted, but groped inside her armor for the tiny pocket she held necessities like potions and bandages, and yes, another flask. Making an awkward looking exchange, she left the token and pulled out the tiny flask, uncorking it and draining half of it immediately. She nudged a mage who was opening a portal to the Lion's Den in Tanaan, and, incensed, the woman allowed her through. Landing off balance in Lion's Den, Kel stumbled and took a quick look around, already feeling the whisky work its way through her system. She wouldn't stay here too long. She threw a handful of coins at the flight master, and he helped her drunkenly clamor up onto a hippogryph, destined for Fort Wrynn, her sword and shield clanging annoyingly on her back. -- Lena landed softly in Embaari. It was unlikely that she'd be here, but if Kel was looking for alcohol again, a short stumble down the road from the garrison might not be a bad place to start. She pressed a button on her communicator, revealing a hologram of Kelrythis to show to the villagers. None had seen the warrior. The same at Karabor, and all over Shadowmoon Valley. At the tiny shacks and settlements along the way to Shattrath, where Lena knew that Kelrythis had once lived. At the Alliance inn in Spires. All over the continent she teleported, finding no one who recognized Kel. Not even, in a moment of desperation, when she showed the hologram to the portal watchers in Stormshield. If she was on Azeroth again... Kelrythis was gone.
(tallgeezwow // @mongoose-and this is all your fault! Not the falling off the wagon part, but the I HAVE TO WRITE THIS part!)