A monster again.

[Barke]

Sighing he continued his path around Astranaar. He did not feel like dealing with the sentinels today for some reason. He swung down through to a small ruins and smiles as he passed a vacant house. He smiled at the memory the house brought. Then he let out another sigh as he remembered he has not seen her in a while. She was still on her trip to the Moonglade and he had some spare time so he thought to check up on his people.

He had recieved word that they had moved to Azhara and so that is where he went. His saber walked swlowly through the woods as he glanced around. He took in the sights and the memories with a smile. He was happy.

What was that?

He turned his head catching the glimps of a tauren. No...there was no body for that tauren to return to. How could he be back. No it was just his mind playing tricks on him. He laughed and turns his attention forward into the eyes of the dead tauren. He imediately went for his swords but his hands instead went to his chest. There was a searing pain in his chest. He clutched his chest tight with both hands as he fell from his mount.

Something is wrong!

"I can see that...." Barke replied with a hint of sarcasm.

He struggled to try and get to his feet. The dead tauren stood over him laughing. How he hated that laugh. Then it spoke...

"Remember...the price you paid when you asked our help? Well this is the real price." The tauren grinned as his hoof shot out catching Barke in the ribs and sending him sprawling breathless. Barke rolled for a moment as he tried to stand once again. The tauren came forward and was about to strike him again when his saber pounced atop the tauren.

He screamed out as the cat bit its huge teeth into the taurens skull and all four sets of claws seemed to tear the body to pieces. After what seemed like a lifetime the tauren was no more than a pile of blood and guts and the saber padded slowly over towards Barke. He stared at the cat for a long moment then with a light pat he sent it away. The sentinels would take care of her....

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He made his way inside the small house without incident. He could feel the pain growing. It had spread through to his arms and legs and was still going. He fell to the bed inside. He knew what was happening and he could do nothing. The damned tauren had done this. When the filthy thing had tortured him. He was a fool. He let the thing under his skin and now he was to turn out like that. The burning spread further and he slowly stopped moving. He lay very still in that bed.

His thoughts drifted to Rhowen. He figured her dead now. The person most like him on the battlefield was gone.

Then to Lupa. His dead love. Life filled with pain only to end suddenly. At least she was at peace.

Then to Llucia. He missed her. He would see her again. This would not stop him. Nothing would stop him from seeing her again.

Then his thoughts stopped.

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The orc over looked Ashenvale from his guard tower. He stared out at the trees looking for any sign of an attack. He jerked suddenly as a sharp pain went up his spine. He glanced down to see a glowing white blade sticking from his stomach. He started to howl but he had no voice. A purple blade came in and the orc fell from the tower.

More guards rushed in to see the commotion only to find a Night Elf wielding two blades cutting away any orc that came at him. The elf seemed a madman. One silver eye flaring bright along with a golden eye which followed every movement around him. It was a blur of white and purple as the swords cut through the air. As suddenly as all this had started the elf was gone...in a cloud of smoke.

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The sentinel was on her usual patrol. She had heard a troll was causing trouble near the small outpost so she went to check it out. She found the troll in a small clearing. He had been hacked to pieces. She spun around as she heard something in the bushes. Her weapon ready she took one step towards the bush was she suddenly realized she was on the ground. There were a pair of feet next to her. He eyes moved up the legs and she tried to scream but it came as a gurgle as she saw her own body collapse to the ground.

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Barke stalked through Ashenvale killing everything that moved. His eyes dulled a bit and he stumbled through the doorway of the little house.

No...I cannot believe this...

"Sh---" Barke swooned. He hit the floor and felt himself lose control again. "No..." He needed to fight it. He could not let it win.

He blacked out again.

[Barke]

((Done with Fhen's permission))

The Tauren looked shocked at first as Barke came charging onto the road and right at him weapons drawn. He brought his huge black weapon forward. It was massive and eminating a strange dark light. He swumg the weapon horizontally towards the snarling rogue who seemed to not be there any longer. Barke jumped high over the tauren intending to drop his blades onto the head of the tauren.

He did not stop the swing though. He spun with the weapon bringing it up over his head bringing the massive weapon to Barke. Barke barely got his swords in front of him when the giant weapon hit. The force of the hit numbed his arms and he was sent sailing through the air. He twisted his body through the air landing on one knee as he skid for a few feet across the ground. As soon as he came to a stop he jumped forward charging at the tauren again. He seemed to move impossibly fast as the tauren took another swing with his weapon. Barke dropped to his knees leaning backwards he slid under the weapon scoring a few hits on the tauren. None of them got through his heavy plate though and the tauren brought his weapon down on Barke.

Barke lept to the side hearing the weapon crash into the ground where he was. He rolled back to his feet rushing back at the tauren who looked to start making another pass at Barke with his weapon. Barke jumped high again but the tauren was feigning the pull and instead his hand shot forward grabbing hold of Barke's foot. Barke yelped as he was pulled down slamming hard to the ground. The tauren used Barke's momentum to slide the elf across the ground and through the trees. Barke spun through the air out of control. All the air left his lungs as he hit the ground with a loud huff. He took a few moment to catch his breath and get back to his feet. He snarled and looked back at the tauren pausing a moment stumbling back.

It was only a moment though and then Barke charged forward again. He rushed right at the tauren. The tauren mumbled something as he pulled his weapon back. Barke continued to rush forwards and right as the tauren started to swing he started to duck down. The hilt of the tauren's weapon snapped forward. Barke howled trying to move to the side but the rounded end caught him in his golden eye. He stumbled back. He felt blood drip down the side of his face. His head was throbbing as he brought his weapons up again. He stumbled for another moment before jumping forward.

He heard a swoosh of air. Then searing sharp pain went through his body. He heard his bones crack and snap. He felt as if he was floating for a moment. Then he bounced off a tree and hit the ground with a sickening thud. He did not know what was going on. He tried to move but he couldn't. He lay there in pain as he heard the tauren moving closer to him.

Barke come back.

He took a breath. It felt like firey needles stabbing into his chest.

The tauren spoke. He recognized the voice. No he knew the voice. Fhenrir. Barke seemed to manage a smile. He was glad it was this tauren.

Don't let this take control. Fight back.

Barke mumbled something incoherant.

Do it for her!

He twitched suddenly. He moved his arm across the ground then lifted it.

It then dropped to the ground and he lay there very still.

[Teelia]

((Proof once more that you don't mess with Fhen. Great story Barke!))