Dubaku

((A response to Se'ala's Another Week, Another Letter))

Se’ala,

Glad to hear the Stoneflayer’s fury was no match for you.  Your strength is, I’m sure, much more fully appreciated by those who count on you to protect them than those who only see numbers and machines.

I have a friend who flies as well; she uses the Loa’s power to take the form of a bat, rather than riding a wyvern.  She describes it as being similar to being picked up by a wave when one is swimming in the ocean.  How does it feel when you’re soaring through the air?  Be careful though, it sounds like there’s much danger there, no matter where one is.

Jakobus :: Success has come to me after my latest experiment with my mentor. His need and his drive to be correct in all of aspects of his work has been challenged and will likely result in my demise, or a humorous hypothetical thereof. He is a man that likes control, and to be in control. There is no fairness between a student and their mentor, as he has told me all too often.

He had set limits and I pushed against them, so much that I could feel his frustration and angry gaze even with a door between us. It feels so wonderful to challenge authority like this. I see why Nikolai was so thrilled to be a devious man for so long.

Damage Control has been placed at a hold, to see how my dear teacher will retaliate. It's worrisome and exciting and makes my heart race. I do hope this becomes a moment that we may both learn and grow closer from. It will open up much possibility for new adventures of the mind.

((This entry is plumbing the depths of ooooold ShC history and 2 years of backlogged Gaz stories. The end part refers to Gaark's memorial service from- what, 3 years ago. Apologies if it's unclear, but categorizing the systematic descent of a character into batsh*t hidden insanity (for the second and probably last time) is tuff :V))

We take from the Light in bits and pieces. The Faithful are just borrowers, really- We extract a cupful of power from the Most Holy font, then suffice to dump it out onto the ruined ground, wasted. It evaporates into nothing. Then we spend months, years, running around with that same cup lifted to the sky, trying to catch raindrops of mercy and forgiveness as they fall from the indefinite clouds.

''BLOODWARDEN GAZRAEL, STEP FORWARD.''

The ''meeting room'' was not so much a room at this point, more of a box with a few wooden beams thrown over its roof. The sound of hammers, saws, and shouting voices vibrated its walls, and every once and a while a shirtless orc could be seen clambering over the support beams overhead. Sunlight bathed most of the room- When the job was complete, however, the hall would be without windows, without any light- save the two monstrous iron braziers set at one end, where the long teak table crammed with bodies was positioned.

My Brothers and Sisters were interspersed throughout on long, low benches, ears tuned into the dull mumble of conversation that lilted along beneath the constant drumming of carpenter's tools. Every few minutes another name was shouted, and one of us trudged to the front. A few glanced in my direction as I rose and stepped to the table, to my summons.

"So, Dubaku, you claim to be my kin, yet we look almost nothing alike. I have never met you or heard your name. Explain." He gestured to Dubaku, brow furrowed slightly.

"You were born in Zul'Aman, and were sent to the Sandfury at an early age. I expect the elders here can prove that you are not a native. It should not be a difficult to believe. No other Sandfury troll here has green skin. Though you are not mossy, you cannot hide the fact that you look different." Dubaku nodded, regarding Fikar cooly.

"I suppose I cannot. If I was sent here as a child, why?" He cocked his head at Dubaku, dark green eyes narrowing slightly in his confusion and suspicion.

"Zul'jin sought to unite the tribes. This was a step in that goal."

"...I see. And you, Dubaku, what happened to you?" He eyed Dubaku, scratching the tuft of hair on his chin.

((Again with the bouncing around with short excerpts- The first part is from the UoK Scourge lecture, the second from current events.))

''ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, QUIET DOWN!''
The gibbering mass of people crammed in the pews shifted. Hands were waving in the air, pencils scribbling. The din rose to a low roar as the Brill meeting house, packed to the gills, found itself its most active it had been in years.

Kanji was standing some distance away, gripping tight the back of a pew as a Tauren and female troll sandwiched him. A vein in his forehead pulsed visibly as he looked over to me, obviously unentertained. He never did care for this sort of academic meeting.

The lecturers standing at the front were trying their best to contain the pandemonium. The ghoul that was standing atop the wooden block scanned the crowd, mouth half-open and not reacting as he was poked, prodded, pointed at.
Somebody threw a pencil to the front of the room. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair.

Gadgetzan was a wonderful sight. We had gone for two days without seeing another soul. As the rocks gave way to the deep grey sand clothed in the murkiness just before dawn, the twinkling lights of lanterns and fires grew brighter.
Almost imperceptibly the lights tracked back and forth like jittery stars- the goblin town's night guard were undoubtedly doing their last rounds. I was just as certain a few of them had pulled out their spyglasses and goggles, fixing their sight on the bright streak of white and gold light that was quickly approaching the town's aboded walls.

Abbadon carried us without protestation, flying over the sands despite the heavy load of two people and the remainder of our provisions. A harsh wind blew behind us, whipping the energy trailing from Abbadon's hooves into the twisting trails of a comet. Dubaku leaned forward, most certainly unsure himself. First time for everything, Fallen.

-------------------------

''Kul'koz! Tin' ska-kee!''

(paaaart 1)

The sound was terrible. Had been going on for hours.

The wind howled up the sides of the mountains that surrounded us- screaming down the dried stream-beds, echoing through the ancient hollows in sandstone and granite.
Intermittently- a minute here, five there- the direction shifted, blowing back towards the sprawling flats below- and there was silence. It was the silence that was the worst. My wandering eyes cast crescents of white across the kodo-hide canopy above our heads, knife cuts slicing through the absolute darkness. Then, it was only the sound of my shallow breathing.

His eyes had been closed for hours, but I knew he wasn't sleeping. His ear flicked back and forth silently when the noise started and stopped, as if he was idly eavesdropping on the conversation of the winds.

The mid-morning sun left much of Thousand Needles in shadow as Gazrael and Dubaku traversed its twists and turns. Dubaku strode gracefully, as always. Occasional attacks by hyenas and other beasts were quickly stifled, either sending the creatures running, or leaving them to be skinned and left for buzzards. Gazrael's steed, Abbadon, carried their supplies, and now a massive bundle of cured kodo skin they had acquired during a detour to the Barrens.

[ A completely out of sequence vignette. I can never do things in proper order. <.< ]

[ Just a little doodle I did. Had to take a photo of it on my blackberry and edit the exposure on flickr, because I am at the boyfriend's place. ]

And now we're grown up orphans
That never knew their names
We don't belong to no one
That's a shame
But if you could hide beside me
Maybe for a while
And I won't tell no one your name
--Goo Goo Dolls

     I had followed her from the portal in the throne room all the way to the fountain in the Bazaar. She was pretty which wasn't unusual for a Blood Elf. More than that, she was nice. She noticed me, she smiled at me. So I followed her.