Chapter 8 - Insecticide

Unspeakable horrors are all that awaited Aeris as she slept in the druids' care. The trauma was something unexpected. She had seen fellow soldiers die before her, it was a common thing amongst those in a war time field. They believed that it was because she knew those people, and had made such a long journey with them, the shock had gone through her more than usual.

She dreamt over and over of the same thing. She stood as her friends congregated around her, and then, a fatal blow would slice them all apart. Gore would fly across the darkness that was everywhere. No matter where she turned, she would see their dead faces.

The druids hadn't a clue what they needed to do, this girl had extreme trauma over the incident. It was crucial that she get over to the battle camp, for she was a part of that special unit, to aid the normal military in closing several hives scattered about the forsaken sands.

She screamed when she awoke, the first day. Her friends looked at her sadly, they'd seen her prowess in the desert of Tanaris, she could fight. She would be sorely missed, they thought, in both the fight, and in their hearts as a friend. Roul took it the hardest, and he ruthlessly slaughtered anything that crossed their path, as they departed for the final destination.

She alone dwelled in the Hold, from what was left of their troupe. In her nightmares she ran from horrors she did not want to see. Many scholars of the Arcane, Holy, Druidic, and Shaman trainings tried curing her with magic, to no avail. She remained trapped in the hall of mirrors that tortured her.

She would thrash about in the bed until tied down, hollering something that no one could catch, for it was so feral in anger. They finally decided that some action had to be taken, something that would be controversial to some. They induced amnesia to her.

Erasing memories was something that was normally forbidden amongst most people, for the cruelty that it was, to totally remove that portion of that person. For what is someone, but a collection of memories? However, they saw no cure but this.

With probing tendrils of magic, they reached into her mind. Delicately, they removed all knowledge of the four men who died. Her memories, for the most part, were exactly the same, just minus that quartet. Her cries ceased, and the world grew quiet with bated breath as she awoke.

With wide, curious eyes she viewed those gathered around her, a ponderous look upon her features. "Wh-what's going on?" She asked, a red tinge across her cheeks.

"You were unconscious, knocked out by a falling branch when a Devilsaur attacked you." One of the mages quickly interjected, and those around the room nervously nodded in agreement. Aeris shrugged, she had blanked out for a bit, but she was sure she had seen the entrance to Silithus, maybe she had been semi-conscious then? Regardless, she was here now, and needed to get back into the fray.

They restored to her her arms and armor gear, and she readied herself with expert, deft hand strokes. Metal clinked, and leather rustled, her pink lips turning up into a grin, white teeth showing faintly. With her sand cloak and head wrap, she faced into the sand, spear point jutting out over her left shoulder, her hand was gripped a small, sealed note, from the druids. Hawkrider dashed out, cloak flailing in the swirling sand.

Behind her, the magic men shook their heads, they felt no joy for what they had done. In fact, they felt almost shameful. They had saved a life, hadn't they? But at what cost? A portion of that life's being.

Unknowing, unsuspecting Aeris charged out toward her battle camp, on the second day of her stay in the desolate sands of the realm of the Old God, C'thun. Her tracks in the dust quickly poured over and undone, as if no one had ever been there.

She went unmolested by beast or insect, a thing Aeris was thankful for, the beasts were known to be nasty here, but she hadn't ever seen one in action, much less kill someone in the ways described, or at least, she didn't remember that.

Faintly, during a lull in the storm of sand, she caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a camp, pikes surrounding it in a defensive design, the Horde coat of arms whipping in the wind on a post, at the center of the camp.

Dust quickly recovered that view, as the fierce whirlwind started once more, its terrible fury stinging Hawkrider with every grain that swept her way. The sun was at its apex, the heat beating down on her like a wave. She refused to give up.

Soon the camp was in clear view, and she came barreling, and falling. That earned herself a few cheers and jeers from various personnel on duty around Aeris. She picked herself back up in a huff, and pulled off her hood, brown hair cascading out of confinement into a mess behind her. A catcall came from someone off to her right. She ignored it and turned to the left, toward a larger looking tent, which she assumed was where the general would be located.

Inside, she found the general, and the rest of her group, sitting around a small table. Her teammates stared at her with curious eyes. The general rose an eyebrow. "And whom might you be?" His gruff orcish voice demanding an answer.

Walter answered for her, "She's the missing partner of Roul Brightfinger, Aeris Hawkrider, Spear-Mistress." He looked grim, and all eyes rested on her, as she delivered the letter to the green-skinned orc who sat before her.

"Ah." The only reply that came from him. "Well, I'm Krug Skullsplit." She nodded at him, and committed his name to memory. He passed the note to Walter, who scanned over it, and nodded, confiding something to Jenifer. She made a move to tell someone else, but before Aeris could see what occurred, the general redirected her attention toward him. "Alright, well, you'll be working with Roul, obviously. You two will be infiltrating hives and, usually with the help of us, destroying the Brood Fathers who rest their, and trying to end the hive quickly and efficiently."

She nodded at him, and Roul stepped up to stand beside her. "Do we have any orders, sir?" He ventured, stony face glancing at Aeris, and softening slightly, a slight smile dabbing the corners of his mouth.

"Maybe, a scout was sent out to check on the progress of some Silithid burrowing into the ground in the south. If he concludes there's a Brood Father there, then you'll probably be sent to destroy him, alone, before it gets to be to big an issue." They nodded. "Run off and rest while you can, talk with someone, do something." He waved them off, and turned to speak with Walter.

Outside, a soldier walked up to Roul and waved, "Hey, how was your first day?" The man started the conversation, eyes drifting toward Aeris, and looking her up and down. "Your partner?"

"Eh, first day wasn't as bad as you acted like it would be. And yeah, this is Aeris. She just got back from the blow she took to the head." His hand drifted to her lower back, and her arm wrapped around his waste, face pressed against his chest, half in affection, half trying to hide herself. The man had an odd way of looking at her. She faintly remembered the look, she used to get it when she was younger. The look of lecherous men undressing her with their eyes.

She shuddered, maybe she was just imagining it. And it wasn't really that weird, these men had been out in the desert for a long time, and she was the first woman out here, it isn't that odd that they'd be a little 'observant' of her appearance.

She blocked it out, and the two went over to what Roul said was their tent. The gray and red cloth fluttered against the wind, but inside it was more calm. Two cots lay next to each other, and small trunks sat at the foot. Aeris jumped onto one, relaxing against its unmoving pallet top.

"Don't get too relaxed, that scout could arrive at any time." As if to punctuate the statement, an excited ruckus came from outside the tent. Someone yelled about a Scout. Aeris groaned, she had just come through the sand, the last thing she needed was to go back. AND to have to fight a ton of stupid bugs. She hoped the report was negative, and she could get some rest.

Unfortunately for her wishes, as they returned to the sun-baked world outside the tent, they were met with the knowledge that they would indeed be heading into a future Hive. Aeris groaned, and faked crying. The general barked at her, and she yiped back, ducking to hide behind Roul.

Skullsplit shook his head, and told them to report to the scout, he'd direct them on what to do, where it was, and all the other information they might need. So, traipsing through the crowd Roul and Aeris sought the scout, who was relaxing in a quiet area on the far side of the outpost.

He dipped his head in acknowledgment of them as they drew near. He was a slim built troll, with short, ground tusks, and loose red hair. "Hey. You be the ones that be goin' ta tha hive, right?" His thick darkspear accent coming through, despite speaking orcish.

"Yes." The clear-cut voice of Roul spoke the simple word, and the troll sighed at them, and held out a small rolled parchment.

"This is da map I made. It will lead ya to the tunnels, off in the desert aways. Also, you should pack light and move quick, they seem to work at night and defend durin' da day." They nodded and he relaxed in some relative shade that was provided by a tent near by. He waved them off, sand consuming their fading images.

They collected a few things, and got a few more instructions from the General, and collected more things. All in all, they had their weapons, some rations, their armor and sand gear, an extra bow and set of arrows for each of them, and goblin explosives. The explosives were so that if they happened to be in capable of defeating the Silithid, they were to set off the explosives at the entrance and seal it off, hoping to slow them some. Aeris picked up a torch, for light in the dark tunnels, as they exited.

Harsh winds struck out, like the slapping hand of the angry sun floating in the dust-ridden sky above them. Without hindrance, they progressed toward the small hive in the southern reaches of the land.
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At the cave entrance the Silithid worked, hauling rocks out and burrowing deeper. The rocks were obviously from deep inside, as chains of the Bugs would be passing them. With careful, quiet maneuvers they snuck into the cave, while the bugs were shifting rocks they slid in, killing a few who were close to finding them.

A little ways into the tunnel, a gap in the Silithid chain appeared, after a few moments, one came scurrying down the hall, and tossed the rock to the end of the entrance line, and went back.

Farther in, a fork in the road appeared, they dropped their explosives here. Aeris went right, and Roul left. She snapped her torch in half, and using some flint, lit both ends, the light of the waning sun was dimming, they'd need them soon.

Quietly they stalked down their respective paths, Aeris finding a couple scattered bugs that she skewered. But soon enough, her corridor opened into a round chamber, an altar like slab located just off center, ahead of her. The exit rested on the other side. She could see the last rays of light, displaying the explosives, just faintly in the distance. She stepped into the room.

A squeaking, crawling noise echoed in the room, she whipped around with the torch, casting its light abound. She was surrounded by Silithid. They rested along the walls, just above each entrance, in a loop around the room.

Her spear slid from its position on her back, as she readied it. But not one of them moved. She felt a tingling feeling in her brain, like the buzz of a conversation just out of earshot. She backed up slowly, till she touched the altar slab. The Silithid dropped to the floor, a bang echoed.

Rock scraped on rock. Little pebbles and dust fell on Aeris's head. She gazed upward. A hole opened in the roof, light shined in. Something moved in and blocked it. Something slid down, chitin struck rock, flesh bumped stone. It hung, suspended by tentacles from the ceiling. Eye stalks moved in to examine her. A large tube set reached out from above it, toward her. The Silithid surged.

She was swarmed in moments, she could feel the sting of bites and pincers and spines sticking into her. She could feel them eating away at her armor. She snatched her bow and a single arrow. The Silithid backed off from her, now she was just held down by the thing above her.

Twang! Her arrow went loose, striking flint next to the fuse of the explosive. She could only hope that Roul made it out. She felt the tubes wrap around her arms and lift her up, tattered and battered, in the light that streamed down, she caught a glimpse of her body. In those few moments she had gained numerous bruises and cuts.

The room filled with an orange glow. What hung from the ceiling was the Brood Father. Aeris struggled against its tendrils holding her. The Silithid on the floor watched her with an intensity, their beady black eyes watching every movement of hers.

Something touched her head, and she turned her head back, in time to see a humanoid figure dash past the Goblin Tech.

She felt the touch on her head again, harder. Her vision started fading, but the last scrap she caught was the explosives detonating, and the rocks above it falling down, sealing the Silithid on this side in. Along with her. Her last thought was that she was happy at least Roul had made it out.

The world went dark and she was left to thoughts of her own. Day dreams of being with Roul. Of being in Eversong. Of being happy. Of not fighting ever again. Sweet sleep. But, things are always brightest before the darkness takes over.