The Temple of Blood

Finally, the Temple of Blood. To even stand here has required many sacrifices. Sacrifices of body, of mind and of spirit. I have listened to countless stories of defeats against Hakkar. How Hakkar has literally sucked the blood out of entire armies. Even the coagulated blood inside the veins of a Forsaken. While he is called the Soulflayer, his real source of power is blood. Blood shed in altars and blood shed in combat.

The spirits of the Aspects are watching. Shadra, Hir'eek, Shirvallah, Bethekk and Ula-tek. They are waiting for their chance to escape Hakkar for good. Even without their power, Hakkar is impossible to defeat. Almost impossible, that is.

The solution presented itself in old Hakkari texts I recovered from the Sunken Temple. Those scrolls detailed the preparations for sacrifices to Hakkar. One tiny detail caught my attention. Even the most devoted Hakkarites had to go through a purification ritual, even when they have been preparing themselves for years. Why? Surely the Hakkarites would have been ready to be sacrificed from the moment they drank the corrupted blood.. Unless..

To confirm my suspicions, I had to hunt Hakkarites and sky serpents alike and collect their bodily fluids. With the help of the Apotecharies, the true nature of the Corrupted Blood was finally revealed. It is a parasite, but it is also highly toxic. This poison prevents the victim from fighting it. And the parasite takes control of the victim. Further studies revealed that the poison is quite deadly in large doses. This satisfied I disagreeociates, and they were busily distributing orders to the Deathstalkers to acquire more of this poison. I had other uses for this knowledge.

Armed with it, I had arrived to the summit of the temple. The plan had been explained to everyone beforehand. It must have sounded insane at first. Indeed, if the trolls of the Empire heard of this plan, they would have considered it to be the final proof of my madness. The final proof of my corruption. And they would not have been far from the truth.

But these. These Orcs, Tauren, Forsaken and Trolls were.. more open to new ideas. It was time to see whether it worked. We charged the Blood God.

"PRIDE HERALDS THE DOOM OF THIS WORLD! COME AND FACE THE WRATH OF THE SOULFLAYER!"

He towered over our puny figures and swung his armblades at us. The warriors barely could keep their stature when the huge scythe-like blades clanged against their shields. They tried to avoid looking up into Hakkar's eyes with little success. But Hakkar's voice seemed to come from everywhere. One by one, they stopped fighting and looked up. Then they charged at us, their allies. And one by one, we carefully purged Hakkar's control over them.

"Bring the serpent!"

It was time. This would show whether the plan was brilliant or suicidal. The difference can be vague at best. One of the hunters brought up a sky serpent and sliced it's throat. The serpent flayed in the air for a few seconds, spreading it's blood to a fine mist on the air.

"Get poisoned!"

By now, I think everyone had second thoughts. But we had no time for those. We all breathed deeply in the toxic mist. The poison colored our veins in a sickly green hue. Life was seeping out of us. And then..

I was overwhelmed by pain. My skin felt like it was pierced by thousand spears. It's as if my blood was forcing it's way out of me. I tried to look at my hands. Hakkar was literally calling our blood to him. And it obeyed. Then it stopped.

Our warriors returned to the fray. My robe was drenched with my own blood. But.. I did not feel the poison in me. I looked at Hakkar. He was fighting furiously, but on his skin, I could see his veins. Stained in sickly green. It's working! He is not immune to his own poison!

"Fight! The Blood God is weakened! The nightmare of a thousand years ends today!"

With newfound enthusiasm, we rejoined the fight. Hakkar flayed around with his armblades, trying to cleave us into two. His voice boomed over the valley. But despite his attempts at mind control, we stayed focused on the battle. So he tried to replenish his strength from us. But we were ready.

Still, it was not without cost. We too were exhausted. It was up to mere willpower now. Who would fall first? Our movements were becoming sluggish. Hakkar saw this, and disemboweled one of our comrades. And an another. And an another. And now he turned towards the rest of us..

"Get poisoned!"

Fortunately, the hunters were vigilant. We ran into the poison cloud just in time, for the drain struck us immediately aftewards.

Pain. Unimaginable pain. My own blood... dripping from my hands. Keep the blood in. Bandages.. I cannot die now. Keep the warriors.. up.. Keep firing.. Just a few more drains..

Keep firing.. Keep firing.. Another.. serpent.. Poison.. drain..

One more.. He.. turns at me! Don't.. look.. into the eyes. Aargh! My blood.. feels like.. exploding in my veins! Another serpent... Last drain.. Too much for me. Shadra, help me. Shadra, please help me. Help me..

Then it happens. I feel the soothing cold coursing through my veins. My eyes freeze over and the Blood God strikes something even he cannot penetrate. So calm. He looks exhausted. Now it's my turn.

"For Shadra! For the Aspects!"

And then it's over. The Blood God. The Soulflayer. The Faceless. Hakkar is slain. My sight fades. I hear voices. Bestial, yet gentle. They speak in unison.

"Thank you."
"However, she cannot fulfill your wish".
"I do not wish to be captured again."
"It is too dangerous to inhabit the mortals' bodies."
"There will be no more Aspects."
"We will watch over you, child."
"There is one more task."
"Finish the job."
"Rip out the heart."
"Destroy it."

And then the voices fade. They.. do not want me. I had prepared myself in vain. Yet I will obey. My task is done. She can deal with the rest.

--

"Hmm, interesting."

"Is it dead?"

"No. It's an ice troll. It's supposed to be blue."

"Just leave it. The gnomes will soon figure out what they are missing."

"Those forgetful midgets? We could haul off the whole Gnomeregan piece by piece as long as we took the blinking parts last. Besides, I smell a business opportunity here."

"With that troll? It's too young to be a bodyguard."

"Take a look at these fingers. Perfect for assembly. Aand.. it's a female troll. Once she grows up, she could be useful in the inn. Some of our customers prefer exotic barmaids."

"It'll need food."

"And it'll pay for it with work. With interest, it will take years to pay off the fee for the rescue alone."

"So it'll serve as a slave?"

"That's such a rude word. She'll be an employee. Yes, an employee. This is just business."

"What's that smell? Ugh.. Look at this arm! It's damaged goods!"

"It's a troll. It'll heal."

"It better. Looking at that would scare customers. If this business of yours interferes with my business.."

"I will deal with it myself before it happens."

"You better. Now put it into the caravan and let's get moving."

--

What? Where am I? I know this place. The Altar of Blood. So, it worked. The Vessel succeeded. Yet.. I do not feel Shadra within me. Why? WHY?!

"Do not grief, child. We will watch over you. You know it's too dangerous."

Yes, I know. It makes sense. But still, I waited, prepared myself. I let the Vessel take over. I..

"Do not despair. This is a great victory."
"Now, make it complete."
"Rip it out."
"Destroy the heart."

I take out my dagger and cut through the tendons one at a time. The gemstone is as big as my chest. When I cut the last tendon, it rolls to the floor. I touch it. Voices. So many. Whispering. Screaming. Congratulating. Cursing. Shouting. His victims. His sacrificed followers. All here. Just waiting to be devoured. The Voice. The Voice! He is here as well!

"What's that troll doing?"
"Trying to lift that part of the big snakey thing."
"Oi! Do you need help?"

YesNo Thanks. I will be BLOOD_kill just fine. I'll just HELPME deliver this to the Zandalar^Betrayers. I can carryCRUSHED it. Don't DESPAIRworry.