Pink Rose [1]

"Sylvanas' Beloved Living Punching Bags"

Quest Objective: Baby-Proof the battlefield. 

Arrows whistled past me as I skirted across wells of electric currents. There was a constant hum of energy like a swarm of locusts. The make-believe creatures assaulted my skin with their stingers in the form of frigid raindrops.

The Thunder King cackled, the heavens rumbling in tune. He was hard to look at: a pillar of blinding light and heat left untouched by the rain. All of the wind and sound surrounded this one focal point, the one figure who seemed at ease in chaos.

"So Jaina, how goes your quest for revenge?" Sylvanas taunted over the plethora of noise.

"It's as successful as your last encounter with an undead monarch!" Jaina threw back at her, conjuring shards of ice to pummel at the Thunder King.

I barely caught Sylvanas' growl, nearly mistaking it for the wrath of the tempest, and the next assault of arrows came down faster than the water droplets.

I saw an opening in the twirling arcs of sparks and leapt forward. I struck on the inside of Lei Shen's calves, making thin, searing slashes.

For a split second, the Mogu king's eyes flashed down to me.

Oh, crap.

I yelped as his fist came down. My nostrils burned from the tingling force in the air. I could easily dodge, but the others could not. Warriors and expeditioners from both the Alliance and the Horde filled the hall, some still standing, some lying unmoving on the floor. I grabbed the arm of a white-haired blood elf before he took the blow.

The Thunder King's fist left the stone floor shattered in his wake. I pitied the poor architects of the palace, then glanced up at the blood elf I saved.

He was taller than the others, with an eyepatch covering half his gaze. He seemed to have an air of importance, somehow. "My thanks, little one."

My head cocked to the side. "Who the hell are you?"

The blood elf ranger was caught off guard by this answer, his one eye going wide. When he opened his mouth, Sylvanas interrupted him from across the terrace, "Theron! Strider! Get a move on!"

We shared another look.

"You too, huh?" I said.

He sighed, suddenly looking much older. "My closest friends think alcohol is the problem."

I shook my head, both of us knowing that was the wrong source of his frown lines. I still had no idea who the blood elf was, but I felt sympathy for him. From the looks of it, he was another one of Sylvanas' beloved living punching bags. I hesitantly reached up and patted his shoulder, "If you'd like, I can suggest a therapist for anger management."

"I'd rather have a bottle of Dalaran Sunrise instead." The half-blind blood elf admitted. Electricity crackled in the air, and flames were starting to build behind us. Both of us ignored it. The ranger glanced back at Sylvanas, "And I don't think that would help."

We watched together in silence as the heart of the chaos flung arrows and insults alike, the only person uninjured among the people still standing.

My gaze caught the ranger's once more. "Good luck to you."

"And to you, little one. But next time, do me a favor, and don't spare my life."

"Uh...sure?"

The elderly blood elf squared his shoulders, raised his sword, and sprinted towards Lei Shen like a cliff diver with a death wish. I remained in place for a moment, everything around me still on fire, rain howling and spitting in my face.