FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 5

When Liki had woken up naked in the spare bed that Drailsin had left him in, it took a moment for him to really remember what had happened and he couldn't believe it. He immediately called out for Drailsin's name, but instead of the dark Worgen appearing from a portal, the door opened and Kat'ern answered his call. He had told Liki that Drailsin was a little busy. At first Liki tried to cover himself but Kat'ern merely waved him off, saying 'you have nothing I haven't seen before, trust me.' He then waved his paws and in a small flash of light, a full set of armor appeared in his arms.

"This is for you." Kat'ern stated as he handed the set of purple and black leather armor out to him. There was a mask with it, the eyes of which were colored white, shining brightly against the dark, purple mask. The rest of the armor was firm and felt form fitting, as if it has just been made, which made Liki question why he was being given a set of brand new armor for nothing.

The mage grinned and he merely thrust it out towards Liki again, "It was made for you, Tenebrae and I worked hard on it while you were asleep."

Liki was astounded. "You two made this in just half a day?" Liki stammered, looking down at the armor he now held in his arms. The leather felt smooth...like it wasn't really leathe, more like soft cloth. He was sure this would feel amazing to wear. Carefully he dragged one claw along the shoulder guards. As he'd seen before he knew a Worgen's claw was sharp enough to cut through leather easily, capable of tearing it to shreds in moments with just a few good swipes. This armor however resisted his claw somehow. It flowed across it, not leaving a single mark.

"This stuff is strong..." Liki said in awe, and Kat'ern grinned widely.

"You're welcome! I can guarantee you won't find anything like that anywhere!" The mage said happily and murred. "It's enchanted by yours truly." He said while bowing with a paw on his chest.

"How so?" Liki asked excitedly. "I've never had any enchants on my armor before."

"Well as you just tested yourself, it's a lot stronger than any normal leather, but it'll also feel comfy to wear and it will resize itself to your body and its form so that it's always on you. Even when you shift to your human form!"

"Whoa really? Any growth or change at all?" That would be handy, Liki thought, as he recalled early in his time with SI:7 he had fought and killed a blood elf mage who had made him defenseless by shrinking him and causing his armor to fall off.

"Yup! Oh, and this is the best part. The pockets are linked to their space. Get it? It's pocket space! Look." Kat'ern was very eager to show off his enchanting ability apparently...

The mage took a piece of the armor from Liki's arms, the leggings, and flapped them out straight in front of him. He then found and reached into one of the six pockets lining the sides. Liki watched in amazement as Kat'ern reached in, his paw and part of his wrist disappearing into the pocket, but it didn't show a lump in the pants at all as if it just vanished from existance.

"They're all connected to the same space, and you can stuff anything and as much of whatever you want in these as long as it's not alive. All you gotta do is reach in, think hard about what you're wanting to find, grope around a bit..." Kat'ern paused while twisting his arm a bit and made a brief face as he seemed to search for something in whatever space was linked to the pocket before grinning.

"Ah ha! There they are!"

Kat'ern pulled his paw out of the pocket, bringing with it two black sword handles. The blades made a brief clang as he pulled them free from the pocket. It was a pair of katana, Hanzo blades to be exact. The swords gleamed brightly and Liki's eyes widened.

Are...those...?

"Catch!" Kat'ern said and tossed them over at him, the blades spinning in the air.

Liki expertly caught the two blades by the handles and instantly fell in love with them. They felt so natural. The hilts were elongated He turned them around in his paws a bit and he could see his reflection in the shining surface. The two and a half foot long blades were slightly curved, the sharp edge thinning to the pointy tip while the back of the blade was thicker, meant to be used to block attacks. He'd never held something so expertly crafted before.

"Got those specially made for you too! Blade will reform and sharpen itself given enough time so you'll always have them in prime condition!"

Liki looked up at the mage for a brief moment, his jaw open in shock and he forgot he was still completely naked in front of the other Worgen. These were his too now? What was going on?

"These are our gifts to you, after all, we're about to become a part of the team." Kat'ern said, reading his expression.

"A team?" He thought, and his mouth managed to echo the question.

Kat'ern nodded. "Yup. Welcome to The Searchers."

The Searchers? He'd never heard of any such group before...

Kat'ern also seemed to read this expression as he chuckled, setting the pants back into his arms neatly folded. "We're a group of researchers/adventures looking for something important, something we've heard you've been in contact with."

Liki tilted his head ears twitching in his curiosity, but the other Worgen didn't explain further and instead motioned at him. "Get dressed real quick, I need to give you a proper tour of our base here."

Liki nodded and he turned away towards the bed, laying the armor down and then he began to slowly equip it, latching the fastenings around his body. As he did, the armor melded to his body, smoothing down along his fur just like Kat'ern said it would. It felt soft and silky on the inside, which made Liki appreciate the gift all the more. He'd slept with his armor on before, but it was always fitful and uncomfortable sleep. This though, it felt like a second skin he was fixing to himself. It bent and moved with his body, stretching and thinning with his movements like a bodysuit. He donned the mask as the last piece and blinked through the visor. The mask had two pointed, sharp ends, which curved along the sides of his muzzle and jutted out a bit like a set of Troll's tusks. He believed that was also meant for its design. The white eyes of the mask and its tusks gave the otherwise purple and dark set a menacing contrast when it came to his head. The closer to the ground the darker the color became, to a near black where his footpaws were and a lighter but still dark purple at the shoulders.

Liki then slid his two new weapons into the two holsters that Kat'ern showed him were located on the back of his chestguard, allowing the two blades to be held in an X pattern on his back, then followed Kat'ern out of the doorway. The door closed behind him on its own and just seemed to vanish slowly.

They were standing at the bottom of The Tower, at the end of the spiraling staircase that led up to the only floor at the top. "This has served as our base for the last two years now, ever since I became a Worgen myself and used my now expanded power in this body to create it. The Tower is a magical place." Kat'ern grinned as he took a moment the next day to show Liki how things worked in The Tower.

He wrapped one arm around Liki, hugging the rogue in a tight hug against his chest while fanning the other out around him in the large, empty area. "It exists in its own space and time!"

Liki raised an eyebrow and he looked behind himself at the door which would lead out to the outside. "But what about the door?"

Kat'ern just grinned. "That door is really just a portal leading back to the other world. The outside appearance of The Tower is just for show, and really, so is this staircase." The Worgen grinned and snapped his fingers, and suddenly Liki and him were standing on the top floor, just above at the end of the staircase. The portals were still along the walls, on a few of them Liki could see Gilneans now boarding large shits with purple sails. It seemed that the Night Elves had finally arrived to ferry them to safety.

Liki jumped in surprise, as the mage was again getting into showing off his creation. "You're the first person I've gotten to show this place since creating it, besides Tenebrae and Drailsin, but they're both such prudes..."

Liki pointed at the portals. "Shouldn't we go help them?"

"Hmm?" Kat'ern looked at the portal he was pointing at. "Oh, yeah we'll be going in a bit to join them. I think Tenebrae is already there with them too. I suppose that's something I should explain..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well don't think too hard on this because honestly, I'm not sure how I got it to work myself. I think it's just through believing it works that I'm able to make it so, but time here is actually flowing slower than time out there." Kat'ern said, nodding at the portals.

"But..." He couldnt' help it, he thought about it. "These are in real time right? How is it we're watching real time images if time flows slower in here...?"

"Well that's why I said don't think about it, because I can't explain it, it just is how I created it and how it seems to work." Kat'ern folded his arms. He seemed rather annoyed that he couldn't explain how his own creation truly worked. "In here, we're seeing things in real time, but in reality, an hour here is ten minutes out there."

"So...if you've spent the last two years in here...that means that..." He began trying to calculate in his head, but Kat'ern grinned.

"Yeah. That means I've spent what feels like twelve years in here, but I've only aged two years in reality. Drailsin too. Tenebrae could have stayed here, but considering he's already over ten thousand years old he-"

"What?!" Liki barked.

"He didn't tell you?" The mage tilted his head. "Interesting...but it's true, Tenebrae was alive before The Sundering, he's actually the founder of this group, though Drailsin is kind of the de facto leader now."

Liki was astonished. "This...that's amazing. Wouldn't the Bronze Dragonflight be all over you guys for this creation though?"

Kat'ern rolled his eyes. "Chromie's an old friend of mine, and Nozdormu owes me a favor, so if they ever started breathing down my neck about making my own pocket space of time I think I could get them to look the other way. I'm not an evil person after all." He shrugged.

The mage recovered and continued to explain. "Anyways, Tenebrae could have stayed here but he decided he didn't want to spend even more years alive than he needed to, so he typically stays out. He's already much older and stronger than any druid I've seen though, except maybe Malfurion, and now he's become the first to master the Worgen form, something the Night Elves failed at ages ago."

"Was it the study of Worgen that brought you all together? You said this group was searching for something that I had contact with before, but the only thing in common I have with you guys is being Worgen."

Kat'ern stared at him a moment, then tapped his muzzle thoughtfully before he said. "I'm not sure if I'm the one who should really tell you. If you stick around though, Drailsin is sure you'll lead us to what we're looking for."

Liki narrowed his eyes. "Why would I then? If I don't know what you're looking for how can I possibly help?"

"I'm not sure, but I trust Drailsin in his decision. If he says you'll lead us to what we're looking for, then I'm inclined to believe him." Kat'ern said, and he waved his paw once, producing a Hearthstone. Unlike Liki's own, this one was blue colored with a green symbol on it.

"So, this is for you." Kat'ern said, handing it out to him. Liki reached out and took the offered stone. "I'm sure you understand what it is already heh. It's bound to The Tower, so you can return here from no matter where you may be. When I'm not out there, I'm usually here myself, so if you need to return anywhere I can get you there."

Liki had tons more questions, stuffing the Hearthstone into his pockets, but before he could even choose one to ask, a sudden loud explosion came from the portals lining the walls

Both Worgen snapped to attention as the portal showing Stormglen, where the Night Elf ships were boarding the Gilneas plumed with smoke. In the distance shown by the portal, Liki could barely make out the sight of Forsaken rushing into the small town, while Gilnean soldiers and Worgen tried to prepare a counter attack. Liki's eyes went wide as the distinct figure of Sylvanas Windrunner flew across the battlefield, her bow firing arrows while she rode on the back of a skeletal horse.

"Sylvanas!" Kat'ern shouted. "It's a frontal assault!"

"She probably aims to kill Genn before he can escape with the Night Elves!" Liki growled.

"Hurry!" Kat'ern waved his paws wildly. They glowed a bright whitish blue for a moment as a new portal appeared in front of him, showing the same battlefield but from the ground and one which they could step through.

Liki instantly ran through the portal, which opened up at the docks of Stormglen and was assaulted by the sounds that rushed to his ears now that he was physically there. Shouts, battlecries, the sound of explosions and swords and shields clashing against each other. The savage howls of the Gilnean Worgen echoed across the town. Night Elves were ushering civilians onto the boats and preparing them to leave as quickly as possible.

Liki ran towards the middle of the town while he reached up over his shoulders and took out his two new swords. He pulled them free of their holsters and spun them at his side as he charged the attacking forces currently engaged with the main Gilnean force. As he came closer, some Forsaken soldiers noticed him and turned to charge towards him, but before they even got close as small blur in the air in front of them formed and exploded against them in a blast of Arcane energy. The soldiers were blasted to several feet through the air and crashed along the ground, one of the undead's legs falling off during their flight.

From behind Liki, Kat'ern shouted. "Go! I'll protect the boats and civilians! Find Genn and we'll get out of here!"

The rogue focused and activated his stealth magics. In the midst of battle, no one would be looking specifically for him, so it was easy for him to quickly and carefully sneak around the many combatants to the middle of the battle. He eventually found Genn, in fierce combat with Sylvanas and with his son Liam close at his side.

Genn was in his Worgen form, now that he had control over it. His son, however, had not been bitten at all and was wielding a shield and sword with gleaming plate armor all over his body. Sylvanas twisted and turned on the ground and through the air, avoiding Genn's sharp claws and Liam's slashes, then bombarding them from a distance once she managed to gain some. This was keeping the two Gilnean Royals on the defense. Well it was time to change that.

Liki howled and roared. Springing from his stealth, he jumped through the air at Sylvanas, catching her off guard just after she dodged one of Genn's strikes. She turned towards her new assailant, but wasn't quick enough to avoid the slashing strike of Liki's right hand weapon, which slashed through her ranger's outfit like butter and cut along her side deeply. Liki rolled away from her to stand in front of Liam and Genn, both of them looking exhausted and panting hard in their own ways.

Sylvanas clutched her side and glared with her blood red eyes at Liki. "Who is this?"

Genn stared at the back of Liki's new armor, confusion on his face. "Liki is that you?"

Realization dawned on the Banshee Queen. "Ah, this is the SI:7 operative my spies have told me about, you've been causing us a bit of trouble helping the Gilneans over the last week."

Liki's grip tightened on his weapons, holding his right one out in front of him while it dripped dark blood and the left one at his side ready to strike. There was only ten feet separating him from Syvanas, if he was quick enough-

But Sylvanas acted first, darting to Liki's right and pulling a dark arrow from her quiver, knocking it and aiming it in just under a second before letting it fly right at him, aiming for his chest.

She was so fast! Liki barely reacted in time to dive out of the way, avoiding the arrow. But his relief at avoiding the arrow was short lived, as instead, the arrow found a different target. With Liki in front of him, Liam could not see Sylvanas' movement, and as he ducked away, the arrow instead found its real target, slipping right between the plates of his armor and piercing the side of his chest.

"Liam! Nooooooo!" Genn shouted, catching his son as the young Royal stumbled, dropping his sword.

Liki looked up from where he had dodged. No! It had been a trick! Anger surged in him and he rushed Sylvanas where she now stood, gloating and grinning.

She spun and blocked his strike with her bow, then spun the other way and stuck back with the pointed edge of it like it was a staff. Liki barely managed to catch it by crossing his swords, the sharp edge of one of the blades cutting the string of the bow. This seemed to surprise Sylvanas, and she disengaged and jumped back, her legs momentarily becoming black smoke before she landed nearly twenty yards away from Liki and the two Royals.

From behind her, she produced a horn and lifted it to the sky. She blew into it. The thick, booming sound filled the whole battlefield, and suddenly the Forsaken Soldiers were withdrawing rapidly, leaving the Gilnean forces confused and stunned.

As her soldiers rushed around her, Slyvanas fixed Liki a loose grin and then turned, vanishing among her Forsaken as they retreated from Stormglen.

"Ahh-ahhhh!" Liki turned towards Liam as the young man shouted out. His father had ripped the arrow from his body, throwing it to the side.

"Liam! Liam!" Genn shouted. "It's okay! It's just a single wound!"

With the Forsaken seeming to retreat, Liki ran to Liam's other side, and paled. Liam's face was white and his eyes already looked distant. Liki looked at the arrow Genn had thrown aside. It must have been dipped in a potent poison. He could probably make a cure, but there was no time, the arrows poison had been delivered nearly right next to his heart...

Liam seemed to know this himself, as he shook his head. "No Father...get Mom and Tess to safety..."

"Liam...no..." Genn started, but Liam continued.

"Dad...I know you thought it was best for Gilneas, but shutting us off from the rest of the world was...a...mistake..." The young man's eyes closed and his body slumped as he died in his father's arms.

"Liam..." Genn whispered sadly while he lowered his son's body to the ground in front of him, kneeling beside him with Liki standing over them, and the rest of Gilneas slowly realizing what had just happened.

________________________

Genn had insisted on burying his son before leaving Gilneas. His son had died a Gilnean, and would be buried in Gilnean soil.

Thankfully, the Night Elves respected this wish and temporarily halted their departure long enough to see the young prince to rest. Liki attended the funeral proceedings, but kept a respectful distance from Genn and his family. He felt that this was, yet again, his fault. He had dodged the arrow out of instinct, but perhaps his new enchanted armor could have stopped the arrow, instead he played right into Sylvanas' trick. She hadn't really been aiming to hit him...

When the ships finally left Gilneas behind, Liki was soon called into the chamber Genn had been given by the captain in charge of the fleet. It was a dark and calm night out at sea when Liki opened the doorway to the King's room.

"Greymane? You wished to see me?"

"Yes...please come in and sit."

Genn was hunched over a wooden desk in his human form, pondering over the papers and scrolls set about in front of him. As Liki sat down, Genn leaned back and waved a hand across the papers as he spoke.

"Look at all these..."

Liki looked along the scrolls, but he couldn't read them from where he was sitting and that they were upside down. "What are they?"

"Letters of introduction and greetings from Tyrande and Malfurion. We're being welcome to live within Darnassus. In fact they've used their druids to grow a whole new tree for us and have named it 'The Howling Oak.'" Genn shook his head and sighed.

"Are they asking for anything in return?" Liki asked carefully.

"Nothing, except to meet you in person with me."

Liki blinked. "Excuse me?"

"They want to meet you and ask you something they say. Then they say they'll speak to me about what kind of options my people can take..."

"Will you join the Alliance?" Liki asked, still being careful with his tone.

Genn stayed silent a moment and he eventually closed his eyes, his grey beard furrowing as he frowned. "It would be Liam's wish to do so..."

Liki felt his ears fold back and he whined softly. "I'm sorry Genn, this is all my fault...I hid the cure...brought about the attack and gave the Horde the chance to invade. She shot that arrow at me...it should've been me..."

For another half minute, Genn remained silent while Liki looked down at the wooden floor of the ship. The only sound was the soft crash of waves against the hull of the boat as it sailed.

"You may be right...but I cannot fault you for what you could not predict. You did not know that the reason the Worgen invaded was because of Horde movement in the mountains north of the wall, and I would not expect anyone to stand in the path of an arrow willingly."

"If I had realized who she was really aiming for though-" Liki began

"Enough." Genn said sternly, opening his eyes with a firm stare, making the Worgen rogue shut his muzzle with a sharp click of his teeth. The Gilnean King rose up from his chair and walked over to the window of the cabin, staring out at the calm sea and starry sky.

"Despite your mission...despite the deception, these reports reveal many things to me." Genn said while standing with his hands behind his back. "You own mission was a sham...you were meant to take the fall should you be found out, but the real mission was in what Tenebrae was doing, and his companions."

Liki blinked. "You mean?"

"You were a scapegoat, someone to pin the blame on should the real mission fail. Your own mission was assigned to you as a coverup. While Stormwind itself would have also enjoyed if you succeeded and successfully forced me to rejoin the Alliance, what they really wanted was to master the Worgen form..."

Confusion, hurt and betrayal spread through Liki like wildfire. He had been meant to fail?

"However, with Tenebrae's goal achieved, the Night Elves' own needs have been fulfilled. Tenebrae had mastered his new form within a year of arriving in Gilneas, but he stayed because he knew that eventually...we would need his help..."

"So the Night Elves don't want you to join the Alliance? They helped simply because they knew we would need it?" Liki asked, trying to understand.

"From what I understand. This was a mission organized by a select few for the purpose of gaining control over the Worgen form, something the Night Elves had failed at already. Tenebrae wanted to attempt his own theories, and brought his request to the attention of his tutor, Malfurion, who secured the necessary means to get Tenebrae into Gilneas; under the guise of an SI:7 mission."

"Seems rather convoluted and unnecessary." Liki stated.

Genn nodded. "They tell me that the Alliance now wishes for us to join them, of course, to add the strength of the Worgen to their armies, but this treachery and deceit to even a member of their own elite group...makes me reluctant...yet I now owe a debt to them."

All this information suddenly clicked together for Liki. He'd have to have a chat with Drailsin, Tenebrae and Kat'ern...but there was something more important he had to do now.

Liki slid the chair out from under him and he kneeled. Greymane turned around from the window, lifting his eyebrows at Liki, who then bowed his head. "You told me before...that we would discuss my fate after escaping Gilneas..."

"I did..." Genn stated softly, and Liki folded his ears back.

The Worgen reached up and took his weapons, laying down in front of him while he bowed low to the ground.

"When I joined SI:7, I thought it was my only choice...I had lost my family and my previous life, so I wanted a new one...The training was grueling and nearly killed me multiple times. Through the near twelve years I've served them now, I've regretted joining them." Liki began to explain, still bowed low. "I've watched happy families and lovers...knowing I'll never get to be like them..."

"When I met my Worgen half with Tenebrae, it was full of hate at being shackled down, held by the chains of an organization. I wanted freedom from those chains, and it was the very embodiment of that desire. Learning now that they intended me to be a scapegoat...makes me want to break free of those chains all the more. I want to make my own decisions on who I follow."

Now, Genn stepped forward. Liki turned his head as he remained bowed and looked up at Greymane with his ears still folded back. The King looked down at him and spoke. "You were a pawn in this yourself..."

"I know, but that does not change that I owe you a debt." Liki nodded. "At the tree...I promised my Worgen half, to myself, that I wouldn't allow myself to be chained down anymore by anyone who I didn't wish to follow. And so..." Liki lowered his head again, "If you will accept it, my skills, my talents, are all at your disposal...my king..."

"You realize you may still be part of the Alliance correct?" Genn asked after a small pause, considering Liki's vow.

"Yes...but without the chains of SI:7, I can now be myself. I could possibly find a life of my own. I do want to pay back my debt to you, and continue to serve you, but I can finally try to make a life of my own as well..."

Genn started down at the rogue in front of him before nodding. "Very well, from this day forth, you are an agent of Gilneas. You will report directly to and only to me and carry my orders out to the letter."

"Within reason...my king." Liki confirmed and slowly lifted himself up from his bow.

"Of course." Genn said with a short chuckle.

Liki felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders at the slight chuckle, and Genn moved back to his desk.

"For now, please remain with me when we arrive at Darnassus, we will meet with Tyrande and Malfurion there to see why they wish to speak with you."

Liki took hold of his weapons, slid them back onto his back and nodded. "Of course."

________________________

Liki had been unable to find Kat'ern again after meeting with Greymane on the ship. He believed that the mage had probably returned to The Tower, but he was unable to find out as he was reluctant to leave the ship using the Hearthstone provided to him. He had no way of knowing if he'd be able to get back to it or to Darnassus. Kat'ern had said he'd be able to get him to wherever he needed to go by portal, but he felt it would be best to stay near Genn for the time being given that he'd just pledged his service to him and Gilneas.

So instead, Liki spent the time just focusing on what he wanted to do. Of course, helping Genn and the Gilneans was still a priority, he wanted to do everything he could for them. He wondered what Tyrande and Malfurion may ask of him and what the other's plans were for him. He realized that he never had officially accepted the offer to join Drailsin's team, The Searchers, but he supposed that was something he'd have to work in with his new service to Gilneas at some point.

In the end, Liki was still bound to others and taking their orders but he'd honestly never felt more free. It was a new start as a full fledged Gilnean citizen instead of an SI:7 agent, he'd no longer need to hide and ignore his feelings. It was frightening and exhilarating.

When the ships finally arrived at the large tree that was the Night Elves' home, Teldrassil, they docked at the southern roots and took a portal which transported them into the heart of the city Darnassus, which was seated on the western edge of the large world tree.

They were led to the fringes of the north edge of the city where another large tree, The Howling Oak, had been raised as a home for the Gilneans. The inside of the tree was hollowed out with several rooms, plenty to accommodate the populous.

At its roots, they were met by Tyrande, Malfurion, and to Liki's surprise, Drailsin and Tenebrae. The Night Elf leader Tyrande Whisperwind was wearing a flowing white priestess dress, as the high priestess of Elune she definitely looked the part. Malfurion similarly looked the part of an Arch Druid. Thick, large antlers grew from his forehead and actual real feathers were growing from the underside of his arms. He seemed as one with nature as one could be.

Liki stayed by Genn's side while he approached and bowed to the Night Elves.

"Tyrande...I don't know how I can repay you for this." Genn said softly.

"What is important for now is that your people are safe here Genn. As you are now aware...Stormwind is pushing for you to join the Alliance, but I will not allow you to be pushed into such a thing after such hardship has befallen your people.You need time to recuperate and think about what you want to do. We will speak more of that at another time, however." She turned her head to Malfurion, who spoke up while looking instead directly at Liki.

"For the time being, we would like to speak with the SI:7 Operative." The Arch Druid said, his voice friendly but firm.

Liki nodded and stepped forward. "I am that operative, but I no longer will work for SI:7, or technically, even for the Alliance now."

"Liki has instead pledged himself to my service." Genn informed them, and the Night Elves' nodded.

"That is probably for the best, but for what we wish to speak about has nearly nothing to do about the Alliance."

"It doesn't?" Genn asked, surprised.

"No, what we have to ask has to do with something Liki has come into contact with once before."

Liki frowned, looking over at Drailsin and Tenebrae. "Kat'ern told me that you're a group that calls themselves The Searchers, but I have no idea what it is you're looking for that I could possibly help you find."

"You may not remember it too well, as it was before you joined SI:7" Drailsin said then. "It is called the Spark of Beginnings."

Liki's eyes widened. "That..." A flash of memory filled his eyes. He heard Shaw's voice speak 'The Spark of Beginnings...' then a storm...Cannon fire...A bright spark...sinking down into the ocean...'I can't breath'...

He gripped his head and snarled, making the others around him give brief worried looks. The Worgen quickly recovered though and mumbled. "How do you know about that?"

"I've been searching for it for a long time. Months before your mission to Gilneas I found out you are a survivor of that night, so I arranged for you to be assigned your mission to Gilneas." Drailsin said.

"So all of this begins with you does it?" Liki growed and clenched his paws into fists. "You'll be searching for quite some time then..." Liki continued. "Last I saw of that 'spark' it was sinking to the bottom of the sea.

"So you have been in contact with it." Tyrande said, astonished.

"So?" Liki shrugged. "There were plenty of others on those ships that night. Why did you decide to mess up my life by involving me in your Worgen mission?"

"The mission of mastering the form of the Worgen is completely separate from the overall mission of finding the Spark." Drailsin said, giving a shrug of his own. "That was a desire of my druidic companion."

"Who has succeeded in that mission with amazing results." Malfurion beamed at Tenebrae. "Your vision held true and you've freed an entire people from a terrible fate."

Tenebrae seemed glad for his mentor's praise, but Draislin continued to explain to Liki. "I arranged for you to be in Gilneas because yes, I did want you to be bitten, I wanted you to gain control over yourself, and I wanted you to join my team."

Is that why you drugged me up and 'examined' me? Can't believe I lost my virginity like that... Liki thought while he glared at the Worgen warlock.

Drailsin stared at Liki right in the eyes and he lowered his head to give him a firm glare. "You have no idea how special you may really be Liki. Your will power is incredible. You are connected to the Spark by the very threads of your soul. Have you truly never felt like something was calling out to you?"

Liki paused. Something calling out to him...

He shook his head. "No, never. Find someone else to bother. There were plenty of other people on those boats."

"Of which you are the only survivor." Drailsin said back.

Liki froze. The only survivor...? So...his family...

"How can you be so sure about that?" He asked back, still defiant.

"You were the only one to have survived that night, of that I am for sure." Drailsin said. "No one else has ever come forward saying they survived that night. Do you really think Shaw would have let you in SI:7 unless he wanted to keep you there? He knew exactly what I did. Anyone who comes into close contact with the Spark is somehow connected to it. It calls to them like a beacon."

"What is the Spark of Beginnings?" Genn suddenly spoke up, interrupting the two Worgen arguing with each other.

Tenebrae and Drailsin looked between each other, and it was Drailsin who answered. "It is the very spark that began our world, predating any known record. The very beginnings of Azeroth itself."

"That's...ridiculous." Liki snorted, for some reason he couldn't get himself to say the word 'impossible'.

"Ridiculous does not mean it's impossible." Drailsin said with a grin. "Two years ago you thought that curing Worgen was impossible but hell, with time and effort, Krennan made that potion, and Tenebrae gained full control."

Liki frowned and glared at the other Worgen, "I appreciate the armor and gifts you three gave me, but I have no intention of following anyone but Genn now. I will no longer be chained down to the words of others besides my king."

Drailsin nodded. "That's completely understandable. We aren't necessarily asking for you to follow us. On the contrary, we are asking to follow you."

This made Liki blink, and Drailsin continued. "I have no doubt that eventually, you will lead us to the Spark, and for that reason Kat'ern, Tenebrae, and I are willing to follow you to wherever you may go and help you with whatever you may be doing. Even if you may feel it a waste of our time and effort, we will not."

Tyrande now spoke up. "We've worked alongside Drailsin for a long time now. When the Spark was first found it was hidden away on those same ships you were on Liki, and was meant to be brought here for study, but the Horde spies caught wind of it and attacked the convoy. They believed it was a weapon, and perhaps it can be used as one, but we are not sure. Should the wrong powers get hold of the Spark, who knows what it can do."

Liki finally relented. He held his paws up. "Okay...okay...fine. I can do with a team of knowledgeable individuals at my side." He looked towards Genn, who gave a short nod of approval.

"I think it best that you repay the Night Elves by helping them in their search Liki." Genn told him. "I think this is what I shall ask of you for your first task as my agent. Go where they may need your assistance." Greymane stared pointed at Drailsin. "Do you have ideas on where you may wish to first go?"

Drailsin nodded. "That leads us into a new topic." He said and looked at Malfurion, who nodded.

"Deathwing the Destroyer."

Liki tilted his head. "Deathwing?"

"The name of the dragon who had emerged from the middle of the seas. He reportedly emerged from The Maelstrom." Drailsin stated.

"The Maelstrom?!" Tyrande gasped. "But that would mean..."

Drailsin nodded grimly. "That's correct, that dragon was once known as Neltharion the Earth-Warder, one of the five great dragon aspects."

___________________________

Liki realized that he was in for a tough life even as Greymane's agent.

After Drailsin's revelation of the identity and origin of the dragon that had caused the cataclysm, he proceeded to detail several horrific tragedies that had occurred throughout all of Azeroth.

The quake Deathwing had caused was felt all around the world. The Stonewrought Dam, created by the Dwarves of Ironforge in Loch Modan for its large lake, had been split open. The lake flooded the Wetlands below the dam, drowning most of the land underwater and leaving a resulting lake in the valley below. The port town Menethil Harbor, like Gilneas, suffered a massive tidal wave which left the water level slightly higher than before, and now the harbor was partly underwater.

Deathwing had torn through the sky of Azeroth, his massive wings bringing hard winds and causing the ground to quake even more under his massive form. A huge volcano erupted in the middle of the forested woods of Ashenvale, near the Night Elves home. In Darkshore just north of there, the port town of Auberdine was ripped apart by waves and the land around it torn asunder, causing the sea to spill forth across the land and begin to drain into a seemingly bottomless pit. The Barrens were split apart by a fissure in the land, with rivers of lava at the bottom. Countless peaks of the Stonetale Mountains erupted with fiery lava, making the passages nearly impassable.

The easter part of the desert land of Tanaris was flooded by the tidal waves, just barely missing the neutral goblin town of Gadgetzan, while the mountains at the south end of the desert split apart and opened the way to a previously unexplored lands. Due to the tidal wave, the entire canyon of Thousand Needles was filled with water, becoming its own lake with the huge spires of rock now stretching up out of the water.

There was just so much change in the world caused by this that Liki didn't know where to start, but even all this wasn't the worst he had heard.

Stormwind itself had been attacked.

Deathwing had flown across the sea in a matter of minutes and assaulted the city. With one massive leg he clawed The Park right off the edge of the coast, sinking it below the waves. He had laughed and then kicked himself off from Stormwinds main gates before vanishing into Azeroth's upper atmosphere, leaving glowing hot imprints of his claws behind.

As such, the first thing Liki wanted to do was return to Stormwind. He, Drailsin, and Tenebrae all used their Hearthstones to teleport back to The Tower. Well, Liki and Tenebrae did, Drailsin just opened a portal and stepped through it.

With the four of them now in the Tower, Drailsin attempted to advise that they first check out a disturbance he had sensed under the waves just outside of Stormwind, to an underwater kingdom known as Vashj'ir. He believed it was caused by Deathwing's arrival and wanted to check it out

"Whoa now." Liki growled at the suggestion. "I agreed to be a part of your group under the understanding that you follow me, not the other way around."

Drailsin relented. "That's absolutely true, so if you do wish to go to Stormwind we may." He then grinned softly as he continued. "I simply advise we go to Vashj'ir afterwards since it is right off the coast, and we will need to charter a ship to get there."

Liki narrowed his eyes, but didn't press the issue.

"Before we go to Stormwind, let me show you the rest of what I was going to before we had to rush away to help the Gilneans." Kat'ern said and he pulled Liki away from the other two, bringing him back down the stairs to the bottom of The Tower. At the bottom of The Tower, Kat'ern waved his hand and a door appeared. He opened it and revealed a modest sized room, bare except for a bed, dresser, and desk beside it.

"This will be your room when you need to stay in The Tower. This door is only connected to The Tower, and the flow of time acts the same there. If you need a quick, 8 hour nap and can't spare the time in the outside world, you can come here and spend only an hour and twenty minutes of real time to get a full night's rest."

Liki stepped through the door and began to look around while Kat'ern leaned against the doorframe. "Given that you're our leader now, as strange as that is...I'll assume that I'll be around wherever you go now, but I can open us portals to just about anywhere if you can name the place."

Liki turned around while he stood in the near baren room. "What about alchemy labs and other set ups?"

"Oh? I didn't know you were really into that stuff, I thought that just your cover as Krennan's apprentice." The mage teased slightly and he stepped into the room. "If there's anything you want, all you need to do is close your eyes and think about it actually. Again, The Tower can provide with just about anything, even food and drink."

Liki raised an eyebrow but he closed his eyes and thought hard about a good alchemy setup, picturing the one he often used in Krennan's laboratory. There was a soft 'thud' in front of him and Liki opened his eyes to find that a large table had appeared against the wall in front of him, covered in vials and bottles and glass tubes and flasks.

Excited, he closed his eyes again and imagined a healthy supply of herbs. There was another brief 'thud' and a long chest appeared under the lab table. The chest had a glass top, revealing, pockets of many different colored herbs, leaves, tree roots and other alchemical ingredients.

Once again, Liki was astonished. He turned his gaze to Kat'ern and wondered. "Is it all real?"

"Oh yes. Absolutely. Whatever you create here is as real as can be, you can take it out of The Tower and it'll remain so."

"How is that possible? It's creating something out of nothing!" Liki gaped.

"Well it's kind of complicated again..." Kat'ern mumbled and scratched the back of his head. "In short, what actually happens is that you're buying it from marketplaces all over the world."

Liki paused. "Buying it? What? With what money?"

"Drailsin pays for everything we need. Whatever you take gold coins equalling it's normal market value are put in its place. I suppose sometimes it might be considered stealing if it's taken from a market asking for more than the average but well..." The Worgen mage shrugged.

Liki was still stunned. What kind of person was Drailsin that he could afford that kind of stuff all the time for his companions. Where did he have all that money stored?

Well, there was time to think about that later. "Well okay then." He said and he pulled open the glass lid of the chest and began to take some roots out and set them on the table. "I need to prepare myself, it's been forever since I've made poisons for my weapons."

"All right, I'll leave you to it, just come up to the top floor once you're done and I'll get us to Stormwind."

Liki began fidgeting with the roots and herbs while he became lost in thought about what had just been revealed and what he had signed himself up for. He was still part of the Alliance in a way, but now was leading an independent group of very talented individuals on a search which was approved by an Alliance leader.

All in this search for this 'Spark'. Why did it seem so important? Drailsin didn't even know what it could even do. It might just end up being nothing but a glowing orb with nothing special

And why was it, he thought while he began to crush the roots with a mortar, that he felt like he was forgetting something very important?