Panelli's Journey to Un'Goro

Chapter Six: Together

When the rays pierced through the transparent cloth windows of their tents they knew the day had started. Both adventurers fit themselves with a fresh pair of clothes and grabbed their equipment they had prepared previously to gain as much of an advantage as they could from the limited daytime. Elise looked refreshed and ready to take on the day. Panelli needed some time, he abstained from the pre packaged ready to eat breakfast Elise slurped down and meditated instead. The less carbohydrates the better he said. The morning was done with and the voyage commenced as they followed their maps on the path towards the marsh lands.

Panelli was still taken away by the scenery and unique life forms that inhabited his surroundings. Inside the gaps between rocks he saw chittering insects that clasped their small claws together to garner the attention of prey.

"Those are Emerald Reavers, very common beasts that are scattered around every crevice you can imagine. Don't let their size fool you, if one gets the jump on you unprepared you're done for. They'll slit your throat and devour you bit by bit."

Elise would always provide insight into the things she knew and tried to explain that which she didn't. She is very handy to have around. Although she might lack offensive power her supportive capabilities are extraordinary and a huge asset to any party that has the honor to call her a member.

Even the plants had a life of their own. Everything seemed to move and react in this twisted land. You never felt alone while traversing the jagged paths of the crater, which inherently can be seen as both a blessing or curse.

The climate felt more more humid as they grew closer to their destination. The air was heavier, the distance grew foggier and their skin was damp and always felt like it had a layer of brine on top of it. The deeper they went the more exaggerated these conditions became. Once in the mouth of the marsh they were completely drenched, not by sweat of the trek but rather by the extreme humidity of the marsh lands. Sunlight could barely peer through the canopy of the swamp's trees. At every step you would either feel a bug sticking to your jacket or a vine lashing at your face. While it was a very unpleasant atmosphere Elise felt she was right where she belonged.

"Look above us, these are Jeweled Macaws, they're very agile birds and often represent life. The more macaws the more vivid and lively the area. The marsh has a very tight concentration of macaws, possibly due to the fact Carnassa's brood reproduce at such ludicrous rates."

Panelli was skeptical about her lesson, he hadn't seen a single creature the entire stroll down the marsh, just the macaws squabbling above thir heads. This skepticism was short lived as they finally arrived at the heart of the marsh. Hordes of raptors and their hatchlings ran through the open waterlogged fields. It was now roaring with life. Every one of the creatures minded their business, there was peace and prosperity between the animals. The man and night elf didn't feel fear, but rather acceptance. There wasn't a chaos for survival, everything was systematic, or as systematic as wild animals could be.

"Over there! Those are Crackling Razormaws. Their electrically imbued scales have very unique evolutionary properties. With just a voluntary tap of their claws they can adapt you past your current evolutionary state. They're a marvel of survival. But be weary, this effect only works on beasts which they voluntarily chose to open themselves upon, if you're scrapped by them in an ambience of hostility the shock will most likely paralyze you. They come equipped with sharp, meat tearing fangs as they are indeed carnivorous."

They saw a very clear opening to venture deeper into the swamp, they dived deeper without a second thought. The once vivacious atmosphere started fading away the deeper they went. It was darker and frigid, they felt the haze graze the back of their necks, it sent chills down their spines. Elise halted her movement and urged Panelli to follow her lead. She glared at the profound darkness that engulfed the forest, she felt eyes on her and they screamed danger.

"We've got tail, get ready to fend them off. They're Terrorscales, they have a degree of sentience that surpasses those of wild aniamals but fall short in comparison to us civilized people. They're typically equipped with lances, spears or most commonly, daggers."

The Terrorscales knew they were spotted but carried on as if oblivious to the fact their cover was blown. Elise braced herself by shielding herself with Elune's grace, Panelli tapped the light within him and it responded.

"Hey Eylease, wat is dis arround me, it looks like a Adidas jacket."

"That's a divine shield, it's a magical projection forged of the essence of the light. It will negate any single attack, no matter how strong it is. This amber cloak is the same that protected you that first encounter against the Devilsaurs. It consumes a portion of your mana every time you cast a spell, and you can't abuse a single spell either, every time you cast a spell it will tax you a portion of your total mana and it will enter into a state of hibernation, a cooldown of sorts."

"Eso esta cabron."

"Yes. That exactly."

Elise didn't understand the remark even in the slightest bit but she figured it must be one of excitement, she kept it in mind as a mental note so she could relate with her new foreign friend better.

"That spell which grants you a divine shield is called Hand of Protection, it is exclusive for you paladins so be sure to use it as often as possible. It is on a very low cooldown and costs almost nothing to cast so whenever you fear you might be in danger make sure to cast one for safety."

The Terrorscales closed in and both parties were ready to act on one another, they anticipated each other's next moves. Beneath her breath Elise whispered to Panelli.

"Another callback to the fight against the Devilsaur, whenever you go into the offensive cast Blessing of Might, the same rules as Hand of Protection apply but this one is an offensive attack rather than a defensive one. Use it right before impact for a more sudden and critical blow."

One of the Terrorscales lept towards Elise with intent to kill. She parried the blow with her Power Word: Shield and hopped backwards to give Panelli an opening to strike. Panelli enveloped himself with the blessings of Tirion and smashed the stalker directly on its face. The blow was lethal and its body crumbled into dust and was taken by the chilling gusts of the cold grove. The remaining two stalkers lept towards Panelli in an act of revenge for their acquaintance. In the sudden fray Panelli learned a new spell, Divine Strength, this gave him a slight boost to his vitality and strength. With both Divine Strength and Blessing of Might he made short work of both their aggressors.

                          "Cojan mamonsitos!"

Panelli boasted in his might, he felt like a true warrior.

"Excellent job my dear acquaintance, with displays like these you will develop into an amazing paladin one of these days."

The duo celebrated their victory and continued foward into the path. Another entity started following our adventurers but this one seemed much less menacing.