The Battle for the Veil of the Eternal Blossoms - Part 2
The Forces of Pandaria face their final battle against Nzoth's Army in The Veil of the Eternal Blossoms
Part 2:
Although protected by the mist, the barrage was still falling, but now it was much more random. Thalrian ran to Kayenier’s side and took her hand. “Are you alright my love?” He whispered gently. She opened her eyes and gave him a weary smile. “We cannot stop him can we? Not like this.” She concluded again. Thalrian knew what she meant, and as much as no being ever wants to face their end, it was his time.
A wave of emotion hit Thalrian for a moment, tears staining his eyes. They weren’t for him, they were for Kayenier. For all his mistakes, for all his wrongdoing, and for everything Pandaria did to tear them apart, she was still here, willing to give her life for others, and for him. He took her in for one last time, and even through all the changes they had endured, she was still the most beautiful person he had ever known, inside and out. His love for her burned so brightly it hurt. He wished he had time to say all this to her, all he managed was a smile and some tears.
Kayenier looked up at him, she knew it all, he could tell, and all she said was “I know, I love you too.”
Thalrian got up, and as he turned toward his oncoming destiny he stopped to look back at her, “I will always be with you, no one is ever really gone, not here.”
Thalrian walked forward, and as he reached the edge of the mists, he heard a voice; a strong, calm and measured voice. It was Gymer, sitting up on his haunches, hurt, but with a little smirk protruding from under his scraggly beard. “My dear student." He paused. "My friend. It has been my honour.” Thalrian choked his words, fighting back the emotion of it all. He took a deep breath. “You stopped being a teacher, but you never stopped teaching. Goodbye Gymer.” he said quietly as he turned and stepped out of the mists.
The being that Kayenier had been so apprehensive of hovered above his army. He was a shade of a man, so infused with the Void his skin smoked with an eerie purple hue, his beady yellow eyes shining brightly with a hunter's gaze. He saw Thalrian alone, and laughed manically.
“Of all the 'formidable' foes we have faced in this campaign, they send me the boy.” He chortled. “You really think that you, child, alone, can halt us for a single moment?” This being was almost giddy, excited at the prospect of dominating or destroying another life. The figure spoke formidably, but he was small, slimy and meek. His voice, instead of booming, was soft and leering, like a jackal or hyena cackling. His power was his magic, his servitude to the Void, and while that exacted a high physical price, he was repaid in spades.
Thalrian looked up at him, unwavering. “You stand before the might of all Pandaria, your hubris will end you, just like all before.” He wasn’t afraid, he knew the Celestials were with him. “You are the one they call The Cabalist is that right?”
The figure nodded slowly, tilting his head to the side as he did so. “Yes, The Cabalist that serves at the Old God’s leisure, and his will grants me the fun of obliterating you in his name.” The Cabalist looked mockingly at Thalrian, “Your sheer stupidity has peaked my interested though boy, who are you? With brazenness like this, you would make a suitable vessel for my master.”
Thalrian took a deep breath, it was now or never. “I am Thalrian Guilderglade, son of Leoric and Mandara, Master of the Way of the Crane." He stuttered, as the weight of his next titles hit him. "Student of the Wandering Ox, husband of the Lady Kayenier, and servant of the Light.”
The Cabalist laughed again, “An impressive lists of accolades child, but none of those things make any difference now. Come and welcome the Void”
Thalrian smiled confidently and held one hand up, “I was not finished. By the will of the August Celestials, I am their Avatar, and it is my fate to invoke them and protect this land.”
The Cabalist’s demeanour instantly changed, this was clearly something he had heard of, and hadn’t truly believed. The one foil to his Master’s plan on this continent, and it was this small frail child? He was delirious, enraged and terrified all at once. He summoned a huge torrent of dark magic and with an enraged scream he hurled it at Thalrian, but the boy was ready.
Fronting the blast of void energy from The Cabalist was not Thalrian, but instead forming as an extension of his martial guard, Ninzao himself came forth onto the battlefield, soaking the blast into his mane, shaking it away with ease. Thalrian rose up, his right arm crackling with white hot lightning, his left with the red ephemeral warmth. The Cabalist sent forth a wave of void horrors to destroy Ninzao, but arcing into life from Thalrian's magic, the physical forms of Xuen and Chi-Ji came crashing in front of the Great Ox, the enemy not standing a chance. At that moment, Thalrian was carried higher into the sky on a cloud of mist, Yu'Lon, the Jade Serpent, coiled around Thalrian, blocking blast after blast from The Cabalist, lashing out in quivering fury. Thalrian extended his arms out wide, and called a blanket of healing mist over his allies, who without fear charged forward to rejoin the fray once recovered. Knowing his allies, his master and his beloved were now safe, Thalrian called the names of all each celestial in turn, the wild gods cocooning him in magical chrysalis.
Kayenier and Gymer now led the charge, weaving their attacks effortlessly around ChiJi and Xuen, the two of them towing the line with hordes of Faceless Ones and Magisters of Darkness. But there were still too many of them, and they could not give up one pace of territory, not until Thalrian’s transformation was complete.
Gymer ducked, an axe thrashing just atop his head, but he was cornered, surrounded by four Faceless Ones, and out of options. Gymer heard a whirl of air, and all four Faceless Ones slumped to the ground and disintegrated, leaving four throwing knives to clatter to the ground. Gymer looked up, as an Onyx Cloud Serpent flew overhead and charged forward. Dropping from the beast came Sami Ren; they had made it.
Kayenier looked up, hundreds of Cloud Serpents, Enchanted Kites and Hot Air Balloons filled the skies, lowering soldiers from across Pandaria to the ground, who came forward reinforcing the line. The Cloud Serpents charged, destroying Void Obelisks and snatching enemy soldiers from the ground and throwing them the length of the Veil. Sami had done it, rallied every tribe, nation and order for war. There were Jinyu, Hozen and even Mogu among their Pandaren brethren. War chants and cries filled the air. "For Pandaria.", "For the Shado-Pan", "For the Veil". It was a chorus of triumph, and General Ren led the charge.
At their arrival, the enemy retreated thirty or so paces, The Cabalist seemingly pulling them back. Kayenier could sense the Void energy building up around him. “Sami.” She yelled. “Shield!” Kayenier ran at Sami, who drew her shield from her back and bent down. Kayenier jumped, and with the boost from Sami, a blast of Arcane magic downwards and the assistance of a wave of air from Hideki, Kayenier was now suspended in front of Thalrian’s chrysalis. The Cabalist fired, Kayenier launching a barrage of void infused arcane magic to meet it. Kayenier used all her remaining strength, but The Cabalist would soon obliterate her. She however, was not alone. From the ground, Hideki launched a beam of molten rock, infusing itself into Kayenier defence, and Gymer weaved the mist on the battlefield into crackling lightning, and their combined might deflected The Cabalist’s power back on himself, and protected Thalrian for just long enough.
Kayenier dropped to the ground on one knee, and as she looked up she saw the cocoon radiating. She had done it. She smiled, and looked to Gymer, who said nothing, just looked back at her with a proud smirk on his face. The cocoon burst, the sky once purple cleared to reveal the radiance of Azeroth's sun, a beacon of hope pouring from the heavens over the forces willing to stand, united, for the good of the land. From inside the blinding light came forth the Avatar of the Celestials. A monk's kasaya overlaid with ethereal armour glowing bronze on the chest and helm, red and hot white on each arm, and jade green on the legs and feet. He opened his eyes to reveal the light of the Sunwell replaced with the ephemeral celestial glow of Chi'Ji, and when he spoke his voice boomed with the might of the land itself.
"You face the defenders of Pandaria." He cried. "You face the might of the Celestials and the people of this land." He descended, taking his place in front of his people, flanked by his master, and his greatest love. He stopped just shy of the ground, and took a look from left to right.
"For Pandaria, For Azeroth."
Maps
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Map of Pandaria
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