Biara sighed, stepping
sideways to avoid a gout of flame that shot up from the burning ground.
It was bad enough that she was alone on her birthday, but now she found
herself wandering the fire-wracked area known as the Ashen Fields, doing
errands for druids intent on stopping the rampaging fire elementals
that had been assaulting Hyjal for months now.
She still didn't know why she had bothered to come here. Maybe the flames and heat would warm the cold numbness that she felt inside after Elunearia left her. Maybe the extremely dangerous situation was something she needed just to make her feel anything again after all that had come to pass. To think that over a week of relentless assaults in Ashenvale, all of her inquiries and scrying, and all of the lives lost had meant nothing to Elunearia. The elf had cared only for the magic the Magistrix employed, and the pure depth of desperation Biara had felt meant nothing to her.
Biara rolled her eyes as a flaming elemental surged towards her, raising a hand up to blast the creature back down into the ashy soil at her feet. A detonation occurred nearby, and she instinctively ducked even though the molten lord that had hurled the ball of fire was not aiming for her. All around her a massive battle raged endlessly, fire elementals and their allies pressing in against the druids and their own allies. Biara found herself swept up in the tide of battle, and for a moment she was able to forget everything.
As a number of flaming enemies rushed her position, Biara raised her hands up again and swept the area before her clear with shards of razor sharp ice. Fire elementals burst and exploded under the barrage, and the druids nearby fell back from the sheer intensity of the spell. Within the punishing magic, the silhouette of a woman appeared and was struck in turn by Biara's spells. It was of little consequence if a human fell along with the elementals; the world could use less of them in Biara's opinion.
The only problem was the white haired woman didn't fall. Magic blazed around her and the ice fell off of the barrier as she stepped through the deluge. She got a smirk on her face and Biara paused for a moment, studying her. That moment was all it took. The woman raised her hand, and icy spells slashed through the air towards the Magistrix. Biara had time to raise her shields before they were instantly tested by the intense cold. Normally used to extreme temperatures, the Magistrix could still feel a chill radiating from the other's spells, and knew that the woman was no novice spellcaster.
How could this be possible? How could one of these pathetic savages have learned so much about the art?
She had little more time to contemplate as the woman advanced, her water elemental trading spells with Biara's own. Waterbolts and shards of ice met in mid-air, exploding around the two as they hurled death at one another. Druids fell back in panic and fire elementals were instantly consumed by the freezing cold generated by the two spellcasters as elf and human faced off.
Biara dived to the side as one of the human's spells dashed her shielding to bits, narrowly avoiding a deadly bolt of ice directly to her head. She rolled in the ash of the firelands, using upthrust rocks as cover to dart between, trading spells with the woman as she leapt from point to point. The woman in turn spoke a word of magic, and instantly was propelled forward on a magically summoned carpet, gliding effortlessly past the flaming gases spewing from the ground.
Biara came to rest heavily against a smoldering pillar of rock, searching for her foe through the massive battle that raged around them. She knew that if she couldn't locate the other quickly the human would kill her outright. She desperately scanned the smoke and haze, seeking her enemy. There!
It was too late. The woman uttered and pointed, and Biara felt a counterspell strike her. Leyline power flashed around her as her magic was temporarily interrupted. She fell back against the rock outcropping but it was too late. Razor sharp shards of ice flew through the air, stitching their way up her leg and throwing her to the ground. She cried out as blood welled from the wounds, but was able to maintain consciousness despite the pain. The woman was walking towards her, no longer smirking but looking deadly serious instead. She began to chant, even as behind her a molten lord began to walk her way. Biara knew that she had only moments before the spell would come to end her life and the woman would be forced to turn and deal with her flaming attacker.
In that brief moment, she realized that she didn't really care anymore.
A frostbolt leaped from the woman's hands and hurtled through the air. Biara saw it for only an instant before it struck her magical wards, bursting through them but losing most of its intensity as a result. A chuck of ice the size of a child's ball rocketed through the shattered wards and struck her in the face. Blackness descended and she knew no more.
******************************
Her eyes opened slowly to see a kaldorei leaning over her. At first she couldn't remember where she was, and panic overtook her as she struggled to rise and escape from the elf's touch. He held her down against what she realized was the ashy ground with a firm but caring touch.
"Rest now, you were brought in from the battlefield unconscious. I've managed to tend to the wounds in your leg but it will still be weak and your face and shoulder are badly bruised."
As his words sunk in, Biara relaxed slightly, realizing she wasn't a prisoner but was instead being tended amongst the other wounded by the druids of Hyjal. She sat up slowly, her hands reaching up to feel the tender flesh of her face. She could still taste blood in her mouth and realized that her lip was split. The woman's spell had been the equivalent of having an iceball thrown at you instead of a snowball.
"You should be fine in a few moments. You may want to withdraw from the battle and rest before you fight again," the druid said kindly.
Biara smiled, knowing her face probably looked like she had been mugged in a back alley of Silvermoon and nodded. "Yes, I think I've learned a valuable lesson tonight. I think I'll be returning home."
The druid gave her a confused look and Biara chuckled.
"I learned never to underestimate the humans, or allow them the chance to strike at me first. Strike quickly, kill quickly, and you will not end up like...this."
With that she rose slowly and muttered the words to open a portal back to her own spire. She'd need some Moonplum Brandy and some ice to recover after today's adventures.
She still didn't know why she had bothered to come here. Maybe the flames and heat would warm the cold numbness that she felt inside after Elunearia left her. Maybe the extremely dangerous situation was something she needed just to make her feel anything again after all that had come to pass. To think that over a week of relentless assaults in Ashenvale, all of her inquiries and scrying, and all of the lives lost had meant nothing to Elunearia. The elf had cared only for the magic the Magistrix employed, and the pure depth of desperation Biara had felt meant nothing to her.
Biara rolled her eyes as a flaming elemental surged towards her, raising a hand up to blast the creature back down into the ashy soil at her feet. A detonation occurred nearby, and she instinctively ducked even though the molten lord that had hurled the ball of fire was not aiming for her. All around her a massive battle raged endlessly, fire elementals and their allies pressing in against the druids and their own allies. Biara found herself swept up in the tide of battle, and for a moment she was able to forget everything.
As a number of flaming enemies rushed her position, Biara raised her hands up again and swept the area before her clear with shards of razor sharp ice. Fire elementals burst and exploded under the barrage, and the druids nearby fell back from the sheer intensity of the spell. Within the punishing magic, the silhouette of a woman appeared and was struck in turn by Biara's spells. It was of little consequence if a human fell along with the elementals; the world could use less of them in Biara's opinion.
The only problem was the white haired woman didn't fall. Magic blazed around her and the ice fell off of the barrier as she stepped through the deluge. She got a smirk on her face and Biara paused for a moment, studying her. That moment was all it took. The woman raised her hand, and icy spells slashed through the air towards the Magistrix. Biara had time to raise her shields before they were instantly tested by the intense cold. Normally used to extreme temperatures, the Magistrix could still feel a chill radiating from the other's spells, and knew that the woman was no novice spellcaster.
How could this be possible? How could one of these pathetic savages have learned so much about the art?
She had little more time to contemplate as the woman advanced, her water elemental trading spells with Biara's own. Waterbolts and shards of ice met in mid-air, exploding around the two as they hurled death at one another. Druids fell back in panic and fire elementals were instantly consumed by the freezing cold generated by the two spellcasters as elf and human faced off.
Biara dived to the side as one of the human's spells dashed her shielding to bits, narrowly avoiding a deadly bolt of ice directly to her head. She rolled in the ash of the firelands, using upthrust rocks as cover to dart between, trading spells with the woman as she leapt from point to point. The woman in turn spoke a word of magic, and instantly was propelled forward on a magically summoned carpet, gliding effortlessly past the flaming gases spewing from the ground.
Biara came to rest heavily against a smoldering pillar of rock, searching for her foe through the massive battle that raged around them. She knew that if she couldn't locate the other quickly the human would kill her outright. She desperately scanned the smoke and haze, seeking her enemy. There!
It was too late. The woman uttered and pointed, and Biara felt a counterspell strike her. Leyline power flashed around her as her magic was temporarily interrupted. She fell back against the rock outcropping but it was too late. Razor sharp shards of ice flew through the air, stitching their way up her leg and throwing her to the ground. She cried out as blood welled from the wounds, but was able to maintain consciousness despite the pain. The woman was walking towards her, no longer smirking but looking deadly serious instead. She began to chant, even as behind her a molten lord began to walk her way. Biara knew that she had only moments before the spell would come to end her life and the woman would be forced to turn and deal with her flaming attacker.
In that brief moment, she realized that she didn't really care anymore.
A frostbolt leaped from the woman's hands and hurtled through the air. Biara saw it for only an instant before it struck her magical wards, bursting through them but losing most of its intensity as a result. A chuck of ice the size of a child's ball rocketed through the shattered wards and struck her in the face. Blackness descended and she knew no more.
******************************
Her eyes opened slowly to see a kaldorei leaning over her. At first she couldn't remember where she was, and panic overtook her as she struggled to rise and escape from the elf's touch. He held her down against what she realized was the ashy ground with a firm but caring touch.
"Rest now, you were brought in from the battlefield unconscious. I've managed to tend to the wounds in your leg but it will still be weak and your face and shoulder are badly bruised."
As his words sunk in, Biara relaxed slightly, realizing she wasn't a prisoner but was instead being tended amongst the other wounded by the druids of Hyjal. She sat up slowly, her hands reaching up to feel the tender flesh of her face. She could still taste blood in her mouth and realized that her lip was split. The woman's spell had been the equivalent of having an iceball thrown at you instead of a snowball.
"You should be fine in a few moments. You may want to withdraw from the battle and rest before you fight again," the druid said kindly.
Biara smiled, knowing her face probably looked like she had been mugged in a back alley of Silvermoon and nodded. "Yes, I think I've learned a valuable lesson tonight. I think I'll be returning home."
The druid gave her a confused look and Biara chuckled.
"I learned never to underestimate the humans, or allow them the chance to strike at me first. Strike quickly, kill quickly, and you will not end up like...this."
With that she rose slowly and muttered the words to open a portal back to her own spire. She'd need some Moonplum Brandy and some ice to recover after today's adventures.
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