"North. North. Travel North. North." Eternalmage shakes his head once again in a vain attempt to drive the unknown voice from his thoughts. He silently whispers to himself, "I know, I know. I am doing what you ask of me. Just leave my thoughts alone for now." His mind becomes silent for the first time in weeks as he grins with pleasure. Eternalmage sits silently atop the zeppelin tower pondering over what will become of him during his upcoming journey. Minutes pass by that seem like hours until the zeppelin finally arrives. He slowly makes his way onto the zeppelin as the dark voice returns to his thoughts. "Good. Do not travel astray. You know your destination. Your fate is inevitable". Eternalmage's whisper rises to a silent yell, "Just silence yourself for a few minutes! I have had enough!". Two of the goblin workers on the zeppelin move back, clearly startled. The first worker whispers to the other, "Is that there elfy doin okay?" The second goblin shrugs in confusion. Eternalmage notices the goblins awkwardly staring at him and moves to below deck to gain some privacy. Below the deck was completely quiet and empty, so Eternalmage went over to the wall, sat down, rested his head against the wall, and let out a huge sigh of relief and mutters to himself, "If it is north you insist, it is north I shall go". He closes his eyes to get some rest for the upcoming journey.

"ALL ABOARD FOR ORGRIMMAR, LAST CALL!", shouted the goblin above the deck. Eternalmage awakes from his sleep and realizes the zeppelin is about to leave the Borean Tundra. He runs above deck shouting, "Hold the zeppelin! I need to get off, this is my stop! Hold it!". The goblin captain nods at the shouting elf as he runs off the zeppelin into the zeppelin tower. The captain mutters to the first mate, "Interestin' one that elfie... always talkin' to 'imself and twitchin' about". The first mate nods in agreement to the captain as he stares at the elf running off into the distance. Eternalmage makes his way down the zeppelin tower and quickly realizes he is unsure where to go next. "Well, I went north. Now what?! Guide me, you insolent voice!". He stands there for few minutes until he hears, "Icecrown. Icecrown. There is a cave. Icecrown....". Eternalmage sighs as he calls in his Black Wolf. He gets atop the wolf and rubs its head gently. "Hopefully this will be over soon", He says to his faithful companion.

The ride to Icecrown seemed like a lifetime. Eternalmage could not focus half the time, and kept thinking back to Kalimdor, and about the Blacktooth Grin. He solemnly mutters to himself, "I'm sorry Grin. I'm so sorry.. but this is something I cannot ignore. I hope to see you again one day". Eternalmage looks up and suddenly realizes he is already in Icecrown. He begins to shiver at the frigid embrace of the true northern weather. He shouts aloud, "Well? I'm here! What do you want from me!? Where do I go next? Guide me!!". The voice invades his thoughts yet again, "Close your eyes, young one. I will show you the path". Eternalmage calmly closes his eyes and awaits for something to happen. Suddenly, he undergoes a vision. The vision starts at the position he is standing in. It quickly moves across Icecrown, down a long and icy path. Finally, the vision shows a dark cave opening with a small and narrow entrance. Eternalmage opens his eyes and nods. He follows the direct path that the vision laid out for him. Eventually, he arrives at the small dark cave opening. He slowly makes his way off of his wolf and towards the cave. The Black Wolf begins to follow Eternalmage, but he quickly turns around. "No. You must leave this place. I will find my own way out of here. I wish no harm upon you. Now go.", Eternalmage says to his wolf. He turns around and enters the mysterious cave. He follows a dark path in the cave and quickly ignites a small flame in his palm to guide him. The path slowly leads to a large circular room with strange icy formations around the walls. "Great.. a dead end. Now what?", Eternalmage says to himself. He stands there silently for a few minutes before he begins to shout, "Well? I made it! I'm here! Show yourself! What do you want with me?!". Chills run up his spine as he hears a strange and subtle breathing. A black mist suddenly starts to cover the floor and seems to be directed to the back wall. The black mist begins to form into a large disproportional shadow. Eternalmage attempts to confront the shadow, but suddenly realizes he is unable to control his movements. Starting to panic, he begins to shout at the shadow, "Coward! Allow me to move on my own, and face me!". The shadow moves strangely and lets out an eerie chuckle. Eternalmage fights for control of his body, but is unable to break free. The shadow begins to speak, "Resistance. Is. Futile." and continues to move about strangely and continues to speak, "You. Are. Mine.". Eternalmage's right hand reaches to his Emerald Ripper and grabs it. He holds the dagger out in front of him and grasps it without his own will. He attempts to shout at the shadow in confusion, "What is this? What are you doing to me?!". He faces the dagger toward himself. In a swift and savage motion, the shadow forces Eternalmage to plunge the dagger deep into the center of his chest. He regains control of his body, but quickly falls to his knees. He pulls the dagger out furiously and throws it at the shadow. The dagger flies right through the shadow, as it chuckles eerily yet again. Eternalmage struggles to let out a few words, occasionally coughing up blood, "Why? Why would you-". He falls to the ground as blood constantly flows from his chest onto the floor. "Is.. Is this it then?" Eternalmage attempts to crawl away as his strength slowly fails him. He rolls over onto his chest and reaches his arm into the air. He struggles to remain conscious as he continues to talk to himself, "I'm sorry. Blacktooth Grin.. I've failed you.. I'm sorry.. I-". Eternalmage starts gasping for air, finding it more and more difficult to breath as blood runs out of his mouth. He peacefully closes his eyes as all signs of life escape from his body.

She woke up startled and alarmed. She was all alone and afraid and mostly confused. In a bunk by herself Drahna looked around. The smell of chemicals was in the air, there were bandages near her and the room was cold. She wore a simple black and purple robe, and there was something stark white on her pillow. Alarmed she turned her head and realized her hair color had run clean out. She looked at her hand as she touched her hair. The fingers shook and were weak.

"Where am I?" she said through a dry horse voice. She swallowed. Her instincts screamed at her, she immediately went into the shadows, the comfort she loved. Stealthily carefully she got free from the bunk and headed out of the little wooden shack. She saw figures around but she wasn't sure if she was a prisoner or not so she didn't bother to stop to figure that out. She was unarmed and weak, if they caught her she would have been overpowered.

She made it across the compound and found the sands ended in water. She was on an island of some sort. In the distance she could see boats, so she was near a port. Slipping into the water she swam away confused and alone and wondering what had happened to her.

It felt like hours as she swam along trying to tread water in the currents. She lost consciousness after several strokes and was lost in the blackness again.

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"This one is still alive" the raspy voice said as she felt consciousness come back to her. It took many long minutes but she was back, and looking at her was a Forsaken in the tabard of the Blacktooth Grin. Salvation had found her in the form of someone she least expected.

"Excuse me" he said again. Axil poked the elf. He had been looking for a crystal ball in the water, and found woman wearing the colors of the Lak'gora. It had his attention to be sure.

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Her eyes were set in deep dark black bags, lining them with no rest, her skin was a slight green color and her hair was a greyish white. She looked up at him and saw the tabard and felt a slight ease.

"Having some trouble swimming are we?" He asked staring at her coloring. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "No no no no no" he mused.

She coughed and struggled onto the shore. "Need, Hold" she began choking on the words in a rasp. "Need Desolation..." she thumped onto the sand.

"The hold belongs to the Blacktooth Grin" he explained. "You seak the Grin?"

"Grin...need ...clan" she burst into a coughing fit from the salt water. He wasn't sure who she was, but it was an interesting find.

"Come" he demanded. "I'm sure we have some sort of healer at the hold. It won't be cheep though" he muttered. She struggled but got to her feet like a weakened baby deer.

"Drahna..." she gasped. "Don't know where I am...Got ... caught. Alliance I think" she explained.

"I have heard that name before" He stops and raised his eyebrow inquisitively.

She rubbed her head and coughed again in response. "Stop your babbling lets go" he barks and heads away from the shore. She followed but staggered behind him.

"You will have to ride from here" he explained. She nodded and as he dawned his wolf, she whistled. From not far away her wolf, her faithful war-wolf companion whom put up with her wandering for ages, emerged. She was delighted to see him. She saw however her wolf did not have her gear or effects.

"I..I don't know where my things are" she gasped climbing onto the wolf.

"You can worry about your effects later. We'll head into town and catch a flight to the hold" he shrugs and leads the way. He wasn't sure what to think about the situation but he lead her to Rachet. So she was near Rachet? She watched and her calculating eyes observed everything, but she was so confused. How did the Alliance catch her? She had opened the chest, felt a coin, realized it was the spores that Xibalbah had warned her about and then passed out. That was the last thing she remembered, save for the nightmares she suffered.

It didn't take long to get the flight to Desolation Home, and less time to get into it. She landed on her knees when she was there and let the earth run into her fingers. "Home... finally home..." she said grateful. The Hold was her home. She had no other place in her mind anymore.

Axil let out a hacking cough but observed her. Whoever she was, she was strange. "You're out of it more than I thought. Come come.." he said leading her to the center of camp.

"Whomever you are thank you" she said getting to her weakened legs. He smiled but continued walking.

"I need to find Pikki" she said as she stumbled down the rocky cliff to the bonfire. He stopped very suddenly and looked at her.

"What business do you have with Pikki?" he demanded.

"She's my superior officer." Drahna explained. If anyone knew what was going on, it would be Pikki. She rubbed her face again as it was still very sore. Axil nodded and motioned again for her to follow. Drahna was confused. Had she been gone so long that she wasn't even known anymore?

"You must be new, or I must be dead" she replied to his indifference. He simply laughed and as they approached the bonfire he pointed with a bony finger. "Sit by the fire. I'll find Pikki" he ordered. She nodded and sat by the fire letting it seep deep into her limbs.

He wasn't gone long, but in that time she regained her strength in her stabbing fingers. She had to get everything back if she was going to find out what was going on. First thing on her list after getting her gear, was a fresh coat of hair dye and a meal. She couldn't believe how bad her hair looked. Her thoughts were broken by his shuffling footsteps coming to her.

"Pikki is away..." he said coldly. It was like a knife to her chest. Was Pikki really away, or would she not see the wayward rogue now.

"I've sent her a message of the situation though" he promised and watched her. Drahna felt relief.

"That means she's alive. The coins didn't harm her. But what of Thuug? Is he among us still? He was close to me when the tax chest fell, did he get harmed?" she asked. Axil stared into the distance and pondered this.

"I don't know who you are or how you know those you do in the clan." he admitted his suspicions. "Who are you?" he demanded.

Her eyes were sharp, dark and they set hard on the Forsaken. No one had talked of her? Was this years later? Had she died?

"Drahna. I told you that. Raider and spy for the Grin" she snarled. "Has it been so long I'm forgotten and not mourned?" she asked.

He rose his eyebrow again. "Forgotten, no. Never properly introduced more like it" he said.

She stood and looked at him carefully. There was a familiar gate to this Forsaken. "Than who are you?" she asked.

"I am called Axil, Raider" he said. "My talents lie .. in a more...warmer touch" he said boasting of his magical prowess.

Inside her mind her entire spirit sank. It was another one of his tricks again. Axil was playing her once more with a game, like he had long ago she was sure of it. "They always did" she grumbled, convinced the comment had to do with how he had toyed with her ages ago.

"Well if you are who you say you are, than you know your way around and do not need my help" he began to walk away.

"You always do this" she grumbled. Typical. He would always walk away when he didn't like her reactions to his games. Training exercises he used to call them, and then when they were more involved they became true games. Things he would do to her to keep himself amused she assumed.

"You presume to know my habits?" He was surprised. She sighed and pulled her damp hair back and shook her head. Okay she could play this game.

"I know of Axil of the Blacktooth Grin, or rather I did." she explained.

"I've heard of this ...Axil" he began. "Imposter if you ask me. A rogue of sorts"

"Mentor and teacher to me of many of life's gifts and pains. I know he has been Forsaken, just like you, and also has appeared as Sin'Dorei. He has been a Rogue, a Warrior and he can be whatever he feels like. It wouldn't surprise me, teacher, if you decided to be a sorcerer now" she snarled the last part.

"Well Raider, its no doubt he's probably dead. Although we carry the same name we are of no relation" he explained.

"No, so now we have two Axil's of the Blacktooth Grin?" She demanded.

"Only one. Unless the other ever wishes to show his face again." he sneered.

"And that sir, is why I don't necessarily believe you at all. The 'Other' one turned Forsaken once when we were very close. Left me for a week to worry of his fate, and then pretended to be someone else as you do now." she crossed her arms over her chest unamused.

"You speak of nonsense, or fictional romance. I assure you." He spit on the ground.

"I speak of history with men named Axil who are of my clan." she added. "Alright Axil whom isn't my valued teacher, I'll believe you for now, but I do not trust you." she was tired of this.

"The feeling is Reciprocated Drahna, Raider of the Blacktooth Grin" he smiled and backed away and in a flash of magic, disappeared into a cloak of invisibility. It was too familiar.

"That bloody liar" She growled. It was him. She knew that anywhere. They would argue and he would hide.

She took a moment and went to get her gear and armor back. Thankfully one of the Grunts had taken the time to strip her of her things that were salvageable and put them in a crate for her. What a day. Now she had to find out what this all meant, and what The Grin was going to do about the spores.