Trials of Azeroth

Chapter 17

A storm was brewing on the horizon, with the brooding armada of clouds growing closer by the minute. Rain plinked off of Codin's and Belmin's armour, and the robes and tunics of the elf and gnome were drenched. However they had more pressing thoughts on their mind, as they were about crest the peak they had set out to reach. Fighting to keep a balanced footing as they climbed around the steep and shallow mountain track, the 4 finally gained a better view on their objective. As they rounded the corner, below them lay a deep crevasse in the mountains, with a rickety wooden rope bridge strung across it. Then, across from the crevasse, stood a stout and sturdy stone keep with a purple banner hanging from merlons and crenels, which was clinging to the snow capped peak. At the base of the keep was a hefty oak door, with two burly men clad in furs and purple bandanas shivering at the entrance. The adventurers kept low as they crept into cover behind a large rock.

"So here we are, boys! Finally." Smiled Codin.
"At last." Sighed Fizzbiscuit.
"Aye, that's true, but what do we do now?" Said Belmin.
"Yes, what happens now?" Agreed the elf.
"What are we even looking for, aside from Mr Brackbyrne's watch?" Asked the dwarf. That statement stumped the warrior, as to be honest, he had never really given much thought as to why they were even here. After all, his watch was purely sentimental, and replaceable at that. Codin sat back in the snow and thought long and hard. His new friends lives were in danger, and he didn't even have a good reason as to why. Eventually, he accepted the truth and spoke up.
"Well, Mr Hammerbrand, to be quite honest... I don't know." Stated the man.
"What?" Asked Fizzbiscuit, looking confused. Hwinion stayed silent as always.
"I guess I just... wanted something to do, to have some new purpose in life, you know." Said Codin. "After the war finished and I left the army, I had nothing to do. To be plainly honest, if I didn't meet Hwinion those few weeks ago, I'd probably be in a much lower, desperate situation than I am now."
His motley crew were silent and confused, as this was a new side to the usual optimistic and resourceful elements of the warrior's personality.
"So, if you chaps don't fancy going to all this effort for nothing more than to keep me 'entertained', then I totally understand if you want to leave." Continued Codin, feeling ashamed with his apparent selfishness. Hwinion spoke up.
"Codin, listen, I think I can speak for all of us when I say that I too never had any real purpose before I met you lot. I wasn't happy with my new life in Stormwind, as I guess I felt like I hadn't done enough with my life, like I hadn't earned the new peace and quiet. But when this whole ordeal began, it gave me purpose too, and gave me an objective to strive for, to find the answers to this whole set of events. So believe me when I say that I too feel the need for 'entertainment'." Explained the elf.

His friends were stunned by his emotional outpour, even with his monotonous voice. Fizzbiscuit spoke up too.
"The elf makes a good point, Codin. You are not alone on your search for a bit of adventure in life." He smiled.
Codin was thoroughly impressed with the loyalty and openness of his comrades. Belmin was the last to raise his own opinion.
"Well, Codin, you promised me good drink, good money and a good fight, and by the gods i'm going to get all three of those things by the time this is done. I'm going nowhere." Stated the dwarf.
"So we're all good? No backing down?" Asked Codin. He received no reply.
"Great! Let's get cracking."
The boys began to devise a plan to gain access to the keep.

"Right, let's get these jokers out of the way. Fizzbiscuit, cause a distraction. Tumble a rock or something behind that big bastard on the left." Suggested the warrior.
"Ooh, great!" Chuckled the gnome.
"Then, Hwinion, as he goes to check out the noise, plant an arrow in his back."
The elf nodded.
"Belmin, while that's happening, you sneak around on the right and take out the other guard. Clear?"
"Crystal clear, 'ma boy!" Smiled Belmin.
"Ok, hop to it!"

The group burst into action.
Fizzbiscuit took a deep breath and channeled his abilities, Hwinion withdrew an arrow from his quiver and nocked it to his bowstring and Belmin began to move his way through the snow to his position. His experience hunting horde in the similar terrain of Ironforge during the war gave him the edge needed to move silently through the snow.
With the nod of the head, the gnome went to work. He began to mutter an incantation in words that made no sense to his comrades, and across the small valley, a blue property took hold of a large boulder. Fizzbiscuit's incantation ceased and the boulder began to tumble down the peak and into the crevasse. Loud bangs echoed throughout the mountains, sending a shiver down their spines. As according to the plan, the burly brute jumped in surprise and went to investigate. The gnome giggled at his accomplishment. On cue, the hunter drew his bowstring, took aim and loosed his arrow. It flew straight and true, and lodged itself into the sentry's neck. The Stoneraven cringed in pain, then after a second or two of standing deathly still, fell face forward off of the ledge he was standing on, leaving a man-shaped print in the snow. His fellow guardsman was non the wiser.
"Good shot, mate." Congratulated Codin. Hwinion grunted in acknowledgment. The warrior then poked his head out of cover and looked towards the dwarven mountaineer, who had moved stealthily through the snow and had posted himself below the stone ledge that the oaken door sat on.

Codin nodded at Belmin. Belmin nodded back. The dwarf then began to form a snowball in his hand, and with one swift movement, threw it at the spot in the wall right next to the guard. The sentry spun round to the face the source of the noise, yet all he found was a pile of snow on the ground and a stain of snow on the wall. He gave a befuddled grunt and scratched his head. Seizing the opportune moment, Belmin vaulted onto the ledge and advanced on the sentry. He then raised his warhammer and got ready to strike, but before he could, the Stoneraven turned around to find a bearded dwarf clad in plate armour holding a beastly warhammer over his head.
"What the?" He yelled gruffly.
"Afternoon." Greeted the dwarf.
"Who the hell are you?" Demanded the sentry. He received no reply, only a head butt in the stomach and a blow to the back with the Hammerbrand hammer. In less than a dozen seconds two Stoneraven guards were incapacitated and the entrance was open. Codin and his motley crew were in.