(RP) Journeys, Part 5
Table of Contents
- Part One is located here: link
- Part Two is located here: link
- Part Three is located here: link
- Part Four is located here: link
- Part Five begins below:
‘Darkness encroaches upon our lands, and yet this place is still untouched… still serene. I wish I could remain here and study in peace, yet in the hushed tones of those who have been guiding my training I can sense grave concern over something happening in our lands. I do not know what lies before me upon this path, but I know I must face it with the courage to persevere no matter the odds.’
Suddenly a strong, calm voice enters Byaghro’s thoughts, ‘Welcome child. Your concern and insight into the ongoings beyond our lands is admirable, but it serves no place here. You must clear your mind and bare open your heart in order to learn from my teachings, and any distraction may have undesirable consequences on both your physical and mental health.’
A massive, ancient bear appears ahead of Byaghro. The spirit moves slowly, belying its true agility and prowess. As it approaches Byaghro feels an aura of power and strength course through her body as the voice in her head grows to an almost overwhelming intensity, threatening to twist and bend her mind to its own will.
Byaghro falls to one knee as the voice booms, ‘You must be strong enough to control nature’s presence within you. Failure is a dark, dangerous path that will certainly destroy you. Embrace my presence, let my aura fill your mind and body, but you must also keep your own spirit and mind separate and protected from my influence. We must be able to coexist within your corporeal form and as complimentary spirits. Neither can dominate the other, for the lack of balance within is just as dangerous as the lack of balance in nature herself.’
Feeling herself slipping into unconsciousness, Byaghro focuses every ounce of strength she can muster and focuses on one thought, one single sliver of light in a growing darkness within her mind: ‘… the clouded mind sees nothing…’
Her head pounding with a force that threatens to split her mind in two, Byaghro grasps to hold onto that one thought. The beacon of stability, the last remnant of her own mind left against the force of the Great Bear Spirit’s crushing assault.
‘You are stronger than I thought young one, but as of yet not strong enough for my teachings.’
Gasping, Byaghro is unable to respond aloud. Her will is slowly fading, the pressure of the darkness closing off her own thoughts and essence from herself, the sheer dominance of the Great Bear Spirit’s presence within her having almost completely driven Byaghro’s own self out of her body. Without warning a deep, feral roar emanates from Byaghro’s lungs, reverberating throughout the mountains surrounding the Moonglade.
‘The clouded mind sees nothing, but the open mind absorbs everything.’
“Are you so certain I am incapable?” asks Byaghro in a weak voice, her focus returning as her understanding of the inner balance the Great Bear spoke of is finally realized.
The Great Bear almost seems to smile, ‘You were close to being lost Byaghro. Only a handful of others before you have managed to return from the brink of unconsciousness when they encounter me for the first time. Very well, you have shown the strength of heart necessary to begin learning the ways of the Druids of the Claw. Now is the time to prove you possess the strength of body to master my teachings. Go now to Auberdine and seek out Lunaclaw in the moonkin caves east of of the settlement. Only by overcoming Lunaclaw and receiving her spirit’s blessing may you be granted the right and the understanding to learn what it means to become a Druid of the Claw.’
Byaghro approaches the entrance the cave cautiously with the small pouch of Cenarion Moondust in hand. The beasts outside the cave, although hostile, leave her alone as she enters, seeming uncertain of this intruder’s purpose and yet sensing no threat to themselves. The faint glow of the Moonkin Stone reaches just shy of the entrance to the cave, revealing smooth walls of stone that could only have been hollowed out by the forces of nature herself.
With a sense of awe at the presence of a warm, calming aura within the cave, Byaghro approaches the stone. She opens the pouch and closes here eyes, allowing the dust to pour through her hands and over the stone as she calls out for Lunaclaw in her native tongue.
From a distance the sound of claws scraping on stone can be heard, the guttural sounds of a moonkin fast approaching. Byaghro opens her eyes and turns to face the beast as it approaches, staring in shock as a moonkin twice the size of normal lumbers into sight.
‘This is going to hurt…’
Without a moment’s hesitation Lunaclaw roars and attacks Byaghro, her claw catching Byaghro’s shoulder and cutting deep into the muscle. Knocked off balance, Byaghro hits the ground hard, sheer momentum propelling her out of range of Lunaclaw’s next attack. Her staff against the opposite wall of the cave, Byaghro feels a sudden wave of fear, but pushes out of her mind as quickly as it enters. With a bestial roar of her own Byaghro launches herself at Lunaclaw, hitting the beast with such a force as to send them both to the ground.
Calling upon the wrath of nature, Byaghro launches a crackling ball of energy into the beast. The smell of burning feathers and flesh fills the cave as Lunaclaw howls in pain and recoils from the attack, giving Byaghro enough time to reach her stave and launch into another attack.
Unleashing every ounce of energy within her body, Byaghro brings the staff down in an overhead arc aimed at Lunaclaw’s neck. At the exact same moment the beast swings a massive, clawed hand upward toward Byaghro, and the two blows land with a deafening crack as both the stave and Lunaclaw’s bones crunch under the force of the blow. The two crumple to the ground, Lunaclaw’s last attack having bitten deep into Byaghro’s side.
Gasping for air, Byaghro watches as the spirit of Lunaclaw approaches and fills her with the warmth of nature’s healing powers.
“You have fought well young one. You have my blessing. Return to Mathrengyl Bearwalker in Darnassus and let him look deep into your heart. He will know that you carry the teachings and blessings of both the Great Bear Spirit and my spirit within you, and will guide you further along the path you are destined to follow. Go now, and know that you have proven yourself capable of maintaining the inner balance necessary to join the ranks of Cenarius’ students.”
Disclaimer: While the events in this series will be based upon the World of Warcraft universe in general, this is purely fiction and will certainly have a number of liberties taken that would not make sense if attempting to draw correlations to the actual in-game lore and events. This will also be an attempt to complete one RP series from start to finish instead of leaving a number of random, open series left unfinished. Also worth noting is that I am going back to the beginning, when Byaghro was created, and moving forward through “vanilla” WoW, through the Burning Crusade, and on into Wrath to tell her entire story. Many details are vague in my memory at this point, and as a result I will be taking even more liberties with older content in bringing this story to fruition.
