The Blue Dragon

(This is intended to be a chain story once I start it off feel free to join in. The general outline is that Lillus has heard of a powerful schematics existence in the world of Azeroth and with the help of her friends is trying to track it down. This journey may take them to many places in the world of Azeroth and in Outland - but in the end will lead to Azshara and a fabled blue dragon)



Lillus bent over the dwarf on the floor pressing her foot slightly further into his back.

'Listen to me you horrible little worm I have a pet yeti tougher than you and if you don't tell me what I want to know I may just let him loose to nibble on you'
'
The other patrons in the bar began to back away Gadgetgezan was never the quietest inn in the world but it was unusual to see an undead rogue quite so upset with a dwarf.

'Look lady i told ya I dont know nuffin' the dwarf squealed through his squashed nose 'I never heard of any gnome called Squint.'

Out of the corner of her eye Lillus saw a goblin begin to sidle towards the door, as he saw her notice him he turned obviously intending to go out the door with all possible haste, only to come nose to nose with a very big blue cat.

'Going somewhere my friend?' asked the blonde belf hunter next to it. 'I believe my dear friend the Duchess may wish to have a word with you once she has finished with the dwarf, why don't you have a seat in the corner over there like a good little goblin?'

Lillus got off the dwarf and glared around the room.

'Right you lot. As it stands just now I am actually still in quite a pleasant mood but that is subject to sudden change. If someone doesn't tell me where I can find this gnome Squint by the time I count to 5 my other 2 friends over here' she pointed to the 2 mages leaning casually against the bar grinning, 'will begin to alternately freeze and burn vic... i mean patrons at random until someone realizes we really are a lot more bloody dangerous as enemies than the Gnomeregan Council. 1........2........'

Strinkle's hands began to glow red with barely contained fire as the Baron started juggling ice shards.

'All right all right' said the goblin 'You obviously mean it. Last i heard.....'

'Dont you dare Harpin!!' shouted the dwarf. 'Tell them and I.....'

Lillus pulled her dagger out the very dead dwarf's back and let his body slump to the floor.
'You were saying Harpin?' she asked pleasantly with a raised eyebrow.

The blood drained from Harpin's face as he stared at the spreading pool of blood on the floor. 'Stonetalon sssssomeplace' he stammered 'Last I heard he was in Stonetalon. Something to do with the venture mining company'

Lillus grinned at him as did all her companions causing him to back off furiously and start gibbering nonsense. 'Much better.'

She turned and picked the dwarfs pockets and picked up his backpack, passing it to Killi 'Might be something nice in there for Tribble.'

The 4 of them walked out the dark inn into the bright desert sunshine laughing and the remaining patrons sat very still until the one nearest the door ventured 'I think they really have gone. What about Drumb anyone gonna tell his boss what happened?'

'Do you really want to maybe give that lot an excuse to come back mad?' asked another 'I say we take him to the hive and dump the body, if I ever see those tabards again I think I will move someplace nice like Southshore.'

The desert air was heavy as Strinkle stepped through the inn doors and out into the day. The familiar joy of The Flame was taninted this afternoon, not quite complete without the blood of enimies, still satisfying but not all it could be.

It was getting better, his control over The Flame, before it would consume him and all in the bar would have perished. But now, with the Help of the Baron he'd learnt to control it. The ever present voice in the back of his mind was still there. But HE was in charge now.

Following his companions in silence Strinkle thanked the gods that these Powerful allies had taken him under there wing. He knew that he was inexperieced in the ways of the world, but also knew that here he had people willing to teach him, help him grow until one day he was the master of his power.

Killigrew blinked in the sunlight, and threw a hunk of meat for Tribble. 'Soon be time for hunting' he said quietly to the feeding cat. 'Otherwise you're on a diet of mystery meat!'

Killi quietly watched the others preparing to leave and reflected on the circumstances that had brought the group together. The seemingly endless battles, the tremendous inrushes of magic that had made up the journey to this point... the arrival of 'The Baron' Necrophagus on the scene, and the gradual increase in the deadly Lillus' powers and skill.

'We're all growing' he mused. Even Strinkle, so new to the group was developing an air of 'Well travelled violence'.

Suddenly overpowered by the stench of Tribbles breath, he realised that the Cat, and everone else was looking at him and waiting.

With a sigh, he broke his reverie, mounted his Purple Hawkstrider, and slung his bow. Time for the next part of the adventure...

Carelessly. Killigrew opened the pack he had been thrown. The team often threw things of value his way. Afetr all, his primary weapon was his cat! What need did he have for his arms?? ( Forgetting for the moment his bow with all his skill, and the sword and dagger at his belt...)

Routinely he threw the contents into his bags... after all, ''Humbugs cure for the 'Commin Wifely issues''' was bound to find a buyer somewhere, given time at the Auction House. The extra Mana would always be useful.. occasionally a health potion had some use, when working outside of the guilds protection.

Absent mindedly, Killi didn't even notice the 'Leatherworking pattern' that found its way into his bag...

'Right' said Lillus in an abrupt manner 'best plan I think is fly to the Tauren camp in Stonetalon and ask around - nicely this time - if any one has spotted this gnome hiding out'

'Seems the sensible thing to do' replied Necro. The three of them turned to look at Killi who was rummaging through the dwarfs bag. 'Coming?'

'What? Oh yes we're ready and willing - as always. Where we going?'

Lillus sighed gently 'Stonetalon hun'

'Oh right.'

They approached the windmaster, mounted individual taxis and set off.

Lillus smiled at the Tauren innkeeper. 'Good to see you again old friend. How has business been?'

Varna sighed heavily 'Difficult as always Lillus. Starting an inn here in the back of beyond in a valley surrounded by giant spiders, harpies and the Venture Mining company was perhaps never going to be the best financial decision I ever made but I get by,' she said with a smile.

Lillus took a swig of her ale and grimaced 'Still getting your ale from the goblins instead of the dwarfs then?'

'Ah well you know how it is all the different tribes of dwarfs but none of them really want to deal with taurens - not even through the Cenarions - mind you never met a dwarven druid.' Varna giggled 'can you imagine a dwarven bear form? Even them annoying gnolls would keel over laughing never mind a murloc'

Lillus giggled too while quietly pouring the rest of the atrocious tasting ale into one of the spitoons.

'Wonder if you could help Varna? I heard there was a gnome roaming the mountains here abouts - his name is Squint - you heard anything?'

'Hmm.' Varna swayed as she mused in thought, suddenly her eyes lit up and she stood a bit straighter 'As a matter of fact there is a gnome just to the south east of here camped on a hill he has been trying to get someone to help him with something, cant remember what exactly but he could be the one you are looking for.'

Lillus smiled 'Thanks Varna - good to see you as always.' Lillus placed a couple of golds on the bar and went out to find the boys.

Lil looked carefully over the top of the red, sandy hill into the hollow below. There was definitely a gnome camped there. She shuffled back to where the boys were.

'Ok we dont want to kill this gnome before he tells us what we want to know, but if he sees us coming chances are he will leg it and we might never catch him.'

'So what's the plan?' asked the Baron.

'I think we send Strink alone into the camp from the front while I sneak up behind him and you two keep an eye out for any treachery that isnt ours. While he is distracted by Strink I will hit him over the head, we tie him up and when he wakes up we get what we want to know.'

'An excellent plan' said Strink over his shoulder as he headed down towards the trail.

The Baron grinned 'Guess you better get a move on Duchess if you want that gnome alive.'

Lil grinned then stealthed and jumped off the small cliff landing quietly behind some of the crates the gnome had piled around his camp. She saw the gnome jump up and grab his gun as he obviously spotted Strink. Moving forward slowly she stood behind him.

'Ere you what you want I dont have any truck with undead. he shouted 'Just you turn around and go back the way you came now.'

Strink grinned and formed a fireball, the gnome turned and started to run just as Lil sapped him and he fell unconscious at her feet.

Killi and Necro wandered into the camp and started searching the boxes lying around as Lil and Strink tied the gnome up securely.

'There is absolutely nothing of worth here darling' said the Baron. 'Are you sure he is the right one?'

'Nothing is certain in Azeroth,' she smiled 'but we get to torture him when he wakes up that way it isnt a total loss even if he doesnt know anything about he Azure Sniperscope.'

'Fair point. Shall we let Shannow sit on him til he wakes?'

'Killi? You think Shannow might like to use the gnome as a stool or would she get carried away and eat him?'

"You should Burn him, burn him to ashes, Set him on fire, let it consume him, it'll help, burn him.... burn him....BURN HIM!!!"

Strinkle shook his head to try and clear it from the voice within. It had been days since it had spoke to him and he had convinced himself that it had gone. No such luck.

Strinkle sat with his back to a tree and started his meditation, slowly breathing in and out trying to calm his head. After a few minutes he began to feel better, Standing again he looked around at the group, and casuly wandered over to some unchecked boxes. All were empty.

"Does that not strike you as strange?" he mused to the others "If he had brought these up here with supplies in them then surely he would have broken them down for firewood after they had been emptied. What or Who do you think he is waiting for?"

'We'll soon find out!' said Killigrew. 'Shannow doesn't like sitting on Gnomes. Gives her Piles!'

and with that he grabbed the gnome by the foot , dragged him over to the small cliff and threw him off.
The stunned gnome woke up and found himself looking straight at the charging giant spider that was intent on dinner.

The Gnomes lips had barely formed for the scream when with a thunderous roar,Shannow leapt onto the spider, and tore out it to bits. The spurting blood silenced the Gnome who as the red dust settled found himself looking straight into the eyes of the feeding cat...

He visibly shrank, then started to shake...

'Lil?' said the smiling Killigrew, 'I think this fellow would like to talk..'

"This I might enjoy very much" said Necrophagos and settled comfortably on the ground in front of the Gnome, absentmindedly wiping some dust of his robes, his cold gaze settling on the cowering Gnome before him.

"You know little fellow...you might think we're crazy, but in reality we are on the brink of insanity....hehehe." A thin layer of frost formed on his hands and started to creep up his arms with an eery crackling sound.

"I could freeze you in place so you can't move and Killigrew will order this kitten here to slowly tear you to quivering shreds....killing you until you die from it. Then this innocent looking undead girl here would jumpstart and resurrect you and we would start all over again... And this we could continue perpetually...It's just such a shame that there is no marsh in Stonetalon...imagine the fun we could have had dangling you over the crocolisks..."

Necro's eyes wandered to Strinkle. "My friend, your domination of the Flame is increasing each day and I think you could inflict some severe damage in such a precise way that would singe his body, but leave his head intact so he can beg us to listen to what he has to say."

The prospect of this, uttered in the Baron's soft, guttural voice bare of any emotion had rendered the Gnome's countenance to a ghastly shade of pale and his wild gaze darted from one of his capturers to the other, looking in vain for a sign of compassion. A soft lament escaped from his trembling lips as the full extent of the predicament he found himself in started to dawn on him.

'Alright alright dammit what in all the seven tundra's do you lunatics want?'

'Now that isnt very polite.' hissed Lil making the gnome lose whatever composure he had started to gain back.

Lil grinned at him. 'It's very simple I want the Azure Sniperscope schematic and you are going to help me get it.'

'Bbbut I dont have it.'

'Yes we know but you know who might dont you?' Lil bent down close to him letting him smell the death on her breath. Surprisingly the gnome got a calculating look in his eye.

'Would you be interested in a deal?'

'Now that depends - what sort of deal?'

Then gnome sat up a little straighter. 'Well the venture mining company have a box that I have heard has some really good gnome schematics. Problem is it is in the office at the top of that structure there. If you go get them we can share em out and see if maybe what I think is in there - is.'

Lil looked at the rest and shrugged 'small massacres are always fun. Lets leave him tied up here and see whats what.'

As Lilus tied the Gnome to the tree Strinkle wandered over and crouched down infront of him.

"Now my friend, if i were you i wouldnt evern consider escape.... you see the kitty over there? it has your send now.... if you make us chase you she will find you...." Strinkles eyes gazed distanly over the gnomes shoulder into the distance, then snapped back " Then i will burn your toes off one by one.... then your fingers... and then... well just use your imagination"

Strinkle moved his hand infront of the Gnomes face, first it started to glow red, then flames started to jump from finger to finger. Strink Smiled and moved away.

"Is it time to kill now?"

The four of them moved down on to the flat ground, all around was red dust and the stumps of trees the result of the mining and logging operations of the Venture Mining company. As they fanned out the first few dwarfs, gnomes and humans that made up the logging crews noticed them and rushed up only to be met with devastating force and the battle cry 'FOR PONY'. The four kept moving forward and the various logging crews kept attacking, but within minutes they stood at the steps of the office structure. Necro turned and looked back at the trail of charred, frozen, bloody and half eaten corpses and grinned.
'Death and devastation just our usual calling card'

The rest all giggled and ran up the stairs.

'Ok let me check it out first.' Lil stealthed and quietly opened the door peering inside to where a rather large goblin sat on a nice big fat chest. In each corner of the room were also large mechanicals of some sort that she was sure had defensive capabilities. She snuck back out and told them all what she had seen.

'One each of the mechanicals for the mages and you and Shannow handle the other two Killi. I will get the gnome.'

'Seems like a plan'

'Leeeeerrrrroooooyyyyy' shouted Strink and ran through the door.

'Only one we have got.' laughed Lil as she stealthed and followed him, with the others hard on her heels.

As Strinkle burst through the door he felt more alive than ever, this was life. Diving into a room full of the unknown ready to kill anything that moved.

Strink focused on one one the mechanical devices in the far corner. He reached into himself and drew on The Flame he foucused on it and formed it into the burning pyro ball, pouring all the mailice that he could into it, then launched. He watched as the perfect beauty shot straight into the centre of the device. It started to heat up, steam pouring out from it... it looked at strink and started to rumble. Then the second fireball hit. The rumbling ceased and Stink turned to look at the startled Gnome.... His hands started to Flame... He bairly held it in check

"Kill him..... Kill him.... KILLL HIMMMMM" screamed the voice from within....

In the other corner Necrophagos was focussing on the other mechanical. Since there was only one oponent for each of them, he decided to take his time and enjoy himself a bit. As the frenzied mechanical launched itself towards him, a few quick movements of Necro's fingers froze it into place. The mechanical fumed with fury at the grinning mage just outside it's reach. From his wide sleeve Necro pulled a wand, that radiated with a ghastly un-light.

"It's time I started using this new wand a bit. No use in toting one around if I don't use it.... Also I can save my precious mana for real oponents, not waste it on a rust-bucket such as yourself", he cackled, sending the immobilized mechanical into yet another frenzy.

The first blasts of the new wand only took off smaller parts of the mechanicals body, but as mage and wand attuned themselves more and more to one another, the damage inflicted increased accordingly, until the writhing mechanical was cast into oblivion by what seemed to be a miniature black hole. "Hmmm, nice.....", Necrophagos mumbled appreciatively. "I think I have just found a new favorite toy...."

He walked over to Strinkle and saw the tell-tale glow in his eyes, that he had noticed on earlier occasions. He knew his young friend was waging his internal battle with The Flame, struggling to dominate and then master it. He remembered his own endless struggle with it's counterpart, The Shard, in his younger days, before conquering it and becoming a Frostmage. The Becoming wasn't an easy process, but he didn't worry....his young friend grew more powerfull each day and would do just fine...

"Relax Strink....", he said, placing himself next to Strinkle and pointing at the others. "Let's enjoy the show..."

The two mages sat down leisurely and Necrophagos took advantage from the break to turn some frostweave cloth into heavy frostweave bandages. "You never know when they come in handy and it gets me a bit more room in my bags..."

Meanwhile across the room the graciously moving cat performed it's ballet of death on the third mechanical, while the string of Killigrew's mighty bow provided the music for it. In a flurry of movement a hail of arrows were driven home and in no time the last mechanical was reduced to scrap-metal. While Killi retrieved his arrows, Shannow stretched out and cleaned his fangs and claws.

Now all attention was drawn to the center of the room, where Lillus had sapped the goblin. With the four defense mechs annihilated the group could now concentrate on interrogating the only survivor of the raid. When the effects of the sapping wore off the goblin glared at them with his eyes full of hatred. "What do you bastards want?", hissed the goblin through clenched teeth. "Now now," said Killigrew. "Mind your manners...there's a lady in the room!" "I only see three decomposing heaps of trash, so I guess you must be referring to yourself...belf!!!!" The goblin hawked and spat a blob of slime in Killigrew's direction. The Hunter didn't even blink his eyes, but said: "Let's show you then how this lady gives a manicure..." Before the unsuspecting goblin knew what happened the big bow in Killi's hands had was replaced by a wicked looking sword. One flash of steel and the now pale goblin watched with horror as his cut-off hand was picked-up by Killigrew and casually tossed to where the huge cat lay. Shannow caught the hand in mid-flight and wolfed it down. "Now...do you still think us bloodelves are effeminate or should I show you our way of a pedicure too?"

Necro turned to Lillus and grinned. "I was convinced the goblin thought I was the lady, because of my robes and my beautiful hair..." Killigrew rolled on the floor laughing, Strinkle was laughing his ass off and Lillus burst in to giggles.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Lillus turned to the mutilated goblin. "Now if you would be so kind as to show us what you've got in that oversized lunchbox you were sitting on when we came in, we would really appreciate it..." The goblin now knew that he wouldn't live to see another day and in a final act of defiance he produced a key and in one quick movement he put it in his mouth and swallowed.

" Now, that wasn't a very nice thing to do ", said Killi, "but I bet you didn't know that this lady here is a rogue with exeptional lockpicking skills..." Lillus made a curtsy and said: "Well, actually I'm a master at lockpicking, so basically it's not so much fun as it used to be. But I can think of a much nicer way to get what we need." Her two daggers jumped in her hands and were plunged deeply into the goblin's stomach. His guts were ripped by the sharp blades and the goblin was dead before his body hit the floor. Lillus picked up the bloodsmeared key and wiping it on the goblin's clothes she said: "Now let's see what he thought was worth dying for....."

''The trouble with fighting mechanicals, is they do no good at all for my Pet'' mused Killigrew, grateful for the severed hand Shannow was eating. ''And this whole mining and logging thing... the mechanical doing the work of the animal and at the same time destroying what animals need... well!''

''There is an artistry to killing animals. You just let the life out. It has an efficiency to it, and there is the advantage of getting food when the killing was done.''

''Stopping the mechanicals from working just seemed to involve buldgeoning them till they broke. NO cleanliness to the action. Simple force was the key. And no food. No skins. No life magic to feed on. Just a dull metallic tasting magic that's somehome unfullfilling''.

Chewing on one of the tasty bites Necro had cooked earlier, Killigrew watched the chest open with interest, as his Mana rose....

Lil lifted the first sack she saw and shook it "Gold coins" she said in a disgusted tone as she threw the sack over her shoulder to Killi. The next sack was thrown at Necro "gems of some sort - he really was a greedy little goblin, well look at this Strink a whole box full of herby things for you too and a nice mantle the two of you can decide whom it fits best" Lil knealt down and the box practically swollowed her as she tried to reach the stuff at the bottom.

"Finally papers." the grin on her face slowly faded as she looked through them all though, slowly she got that nasty glint in her eye that the guys all knew usually meant a slow poisonous death for someone.

"By all the nasty gods of Azeroth I dont believe it." she screeched "Look at this!" she waved them under Necro's nose to his great amusement. "Deeds - land deeds to some horrid little bloody plot by Loch Modan and not a schematic in sight. No wonder that devious gnome wanted these but it helps me not in the slightest whatever he knows he could have told us already - he totally played us." she stormed out into the open.

"Its a very nice mantle though," said Strink "Less holes in it than my old one." he grinned as they all trouped out following Lil.

"Is that an actual storm cloud above her head?" mused Necro in his laconic drawl.

"You know I believe it may be." responded Killi in the same tone, "really dont think that gnome is likely to enjoy his retirement in Loch Modan for long no matter what he tells her he is on her shit list for this"

They all laughed as they mounted and chased after Lil who was riding hell for leather for where they had left the gnome.

Lil stormed into the clearing where they had left the gnome ready to torture him to within an inch of his life until he told her what she wanted to know - and stopped dead.

'what by the hairy arse of Thorim do you think you are doing?' she asked incredulously.

'What?' said the undead mage as she picked a piece of the gnome's leg from between her teeth. 'Oh sorry did you want a bit?'

Killi's quick responses allowed him to grab Lil just as she drew her blades and sprang towards the young Mage. Necro saw the sudden realization of her prospective demise dawn on the young Mages's face.

'Im Amberwood.' she stammered 'I didnt mean no harm, but this tasty gnome was just lying there all trussed up like a Winterveil goose and I couldnt resist. He was fire blasted n munched on afore I could stop myself.'

Necro deftly maneuvered her out of Lil's line of sight. 'Its quite alright sweetling, I understand these things happen. It just happens to be your misfortune to have snacked upon the one gnome in the whole of Azeroth that Lil actually wanted to give a stern talking to.'

Amber peeked around Necro's robes at the still fuming rogue held tightly in the hunter's arms as he tried to sooth her glowing anger. She looked up at Necro 'Lil?' she gulped 'Not Lillus Shadowthief?'

Necro nodded solemnly 'Yes I'm afraid so little one. however our esteemed friend Killi may be able to calm her down ..... in a month or so. If I were you though I would nip off up that trail behind you and stop running only when you get to the nearest flight master.'

Amber took off running as Necro sent a fire bolt that neatly just missed her for effect.

Lill watched the young mage leg it for her life up the trail, deciding she could track her down and poison her at some later date, she kicked Killi in the shins so he let her go.

'Right lets see what this obnoxious little gnome might have been hiding. She raked through his knapsack and found nothing but some critter kibbles. 'Now, by Illidan's blazing balls, what?'

Strink meantime had been poring over the land deed to the land in Loch Modan. 'Lil I think some of this deed might actually be a code. Look there are certain letters that dont make sense and others darker. Give me a few minutes.' He wandered off and sat under the tree in concentration.

'Well we may as well make camp for the night I suppose.' said Killi in his most reasonable tone as he rubbed his shin absently. 'Think I will go see if I can hunt down something decent for Necro to cook.' As he went off into the twilight Shannow stretched and loped off after him.

Necro sat next to the despondent Lil and gave her a hug. 'Amberwood really didnt annoy you deliberately love. She's young and a bit impulsive.'

'Necro ..........' Lil sighed 'yeah I suppose you are right its just so damned annoying, I am already getting fed up of running round after this bloody thing.'

'Here anyone know of a place called Stratholme?' piped up Strink suddenly.

Lil and Necro turned towards him. 'Yeah its a very dead city in the plaguelands.' said Necro. 'Why?'

'I think that is where we need to go, it says here - send the word to all gnome engineers we have achieved a victory we captured the goblins best this week and are removing him to Stratholme so the humans can get all his best schematics out of him.'

'Sheesh must have been something that happened before the plague,' mused Lil 'I suppose its possible they took the goblin there and when the plague struck his stuff was left in a library or workshop or something.'

'Well we have no better leads so may as well go have a look.' answered Necro with a pleased grin on his face he always liked revisiting Stratholme and remembering it as it had been before the plague and torturing the Scarlet Crusaders who stopped the Forsaken reclaiming it.

The whole group saddled up and Necrophagos shouted: "Follow me!!" as he dug his mithril spurs in the sides of his skeletal warhorse an galloped off. With the others trailing him, he rode up the Webwinder Path and then turned toward Sunrock Retreat. When halting his horse in front of one of the structures of the settlement, he suddenly grinned and said to the others: " Look up there on the ridge, just left of old Tsunaman's tent...hehehe". As the others looked up to the elemental's tent, they just saw Amberwood duck behind some bushes. "I guess we haven't seen the last of her", laughed Strinkle. "That's ok by me", said Lillus. "She and I still have some unfinished business...".

Killi smiled and said: "Guys, I don't want to press you, but it's a long trip to the Plaguelands, so we better go see the flightmaster. He's right next to the lake."
"But we aren't going to fly", Necro said. "I just need to buy some runes of portalling here and then we're going to take the shortcut to Undercity.... That is more comfortable and saves us some time to get a drink in the inn, before flying to Light's Hope Chapel." Killigrew said:"Wouldn't it be faster to just ride from the Undercity through the Western Plaguelands? On the border between the Western and Eastern Plaguelands runs a little river. If we follow that to the north, we will come to a tunnel which I discovered once when hunting with Shannow. The tunnel brings us close to Stratholme's Gates. We just have to kill some spiders and crypt horrors that live inside." "Ooh...I hate spiders!!!", Lillus exclaimed. Necro explained: " Don't worry, we will fly to Light's Hope Chapel and ride towards Stratholme. The main gate will be locked and heavily guarded as the Scarlet Crusaders and the Scourge are vying for dominaton of the city or what's left of it. But I know where the old service entrance is. It will be closed as well, but not as much under vigilance as the main gates. And I have yet to see the first lock that can withstand Lillus' lockpicking skills..." "Sounds like a sound plan", Strinkle said. "Off we go then!!!"

Necro bought some runes from one of the vendors and after his fingers completed some intricate patterns in the air, a shimmering portal appeared, through which the Undercity's Mage Quarter became visible. One after another the party stepped through...

As Necrophagos prepared himself to step through the portal as the last in line, a tiny voice sounded: "Uhm.....excuse me, Sir...." Necro turned around and much to his surprise he saw the young mage that had introduced herself as Amberwood peaking around the corner of one of the buildings. "I would have expected you would have reached the Barrens by now, running from Lillus.", Necro grumbled.
Amberwood shrugged and said:"Nah....then I would have to run through Grimtotem Post....lots of evil brutes and mercennaries there... But what really made me turn back was the fact that I don't want to spend the rest of my life being afraid that at any given moment I could get sapped and wake up dead with my throat cut. Please, can't you help me by talking to Lillus? Tell her that I'm sorry?"
Necro looked at the young mage and a faint smile spread on his face as he remembered his own youthfull mistakes and indiscretions aeons ago. "Very well", he said. "Follow me through the portal and stay out of sight until I have a chance to warn Killigrew and Strinkle before talking to Lillus."
Amberwood grew pale again, but couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice when she said:"What world we live in where in plain day legends pop up out of the ground: Lillus Shadowthief and now Killigrew and Strinkle... They aren't by any chance the great hunter from Silvermoon City and Strinkle the flamecaster?" "The very same...", Necro nodded solemnly.
Amberwood stammered:'But, then...then you must be...." " Allow me to introduce myself: Necrophagos of Ultratumba at your service."
"I am sooooo dead" Amber stammered and fainted. Necro just caught her before she dropped to the ground and brought her to her senses. "Now, now....I told you we would talk to Lillus. If you manage to convince her you didn't mean any harm, she will probably let you live... Now let's go...the others are waiting in the Undercity." Without further ado, Necro turned and stepped through the portal with Amberwood in tow.