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Nessingwary returned to his tent, and I surveyed my bounty. It certainly seemed like enough. I wondered what else Hemet had in store for me. I wanted to continue, but it was getting late, and I was tired. When I first got here I saw a strange pale blue light to the south. Perhaps that light was coming from a city of some kind. I cleaned the blood and hair off of my weapons and boarded my gryphon. The cool night air felt good as we flew towards the light. As we flew closer I realized my assumptions were correct.
I landed in front of the largest building and had a look around. I’d never seen construction like this. It was as if the material had formed out of nothing. It was simply alien in nature. An old Dranaei glared at me as I walked toward the inn. News really does travel fast around here. Ignoring him, I walked toward the entrance, where an innkeeper greeted me. Thoughts of hunting with the great Hemet Nessingwary mixed with feelings of regret filled my mind that night.
I awoke the next morning and took a look outside. Walking to the edge of a long platform, the sheer expansiveness of the area flooded my senses. This would be a good day. I was sure of it. I readied my things and made way for the camp. Looking down into the rolling hills and open fields, I saw hundreds of creatures running about. In my minds eye, I pictured myself hiding behind a bush with my trusty rifle, Hemet at my side.
After a short trip we descended at the base of the camp, where Nessingwary and his crew gutted a large Talbuk Stag. The large Tauren turned his head as he looked at Hemet indicating that I was standing behind him. “Oh, yer back! I apologize for being blunt with ya, but we’re in a bit of a rush, here. Ya only need to get me one more hide. Banthar, they call her. She’s the fiercest and most elusive of all the clefthoof in Outland. It is said that she roams with her herd in the Field of Spirits near Oshu’gun to the south. Bring me her horn!”
This would be a good day. I was sure of it.
I saluted the hunter and assured him I wouldn’t let him down. Where was Oshu’gun? Could it be that huge white rock I saw by the city with all the symbols around it? I took off towards the site, confident that that was what he was speaking about. The white rock was visible from a great distance. Sure enough, as we closed in I saw herds of clefthoofs grazing around the fields.
We landed at the outskirts of the strange landscape, and I looked through the herds trying to find a cleftooh that stood out. Then I saw her. At the top of a jagged hill lurched a huge white clefthoof. I ran towards the beast with my shield and sword unsheathed. I sliced into her side before she could turn around. She let out a thundering roar. The ground shook as she stomped and swatted at me, effortlessly knocking me clear off the ground.
I landed as the ground beneath me began to crumble. I picked myself off of the crumbling hill as the beast rumbled towards me with all her might, blinded by rage. I took cover behind a rock and braced for impact. Banthar hit the rock with a force so powerful that it shattered into thousands of tiny stones. Through the dust and sand I saw that she was dazed. As she came to her feet I climbed onto her back and sank my sword into her back. The beast let out a final, pitiful groan as she fell back to the ground, her hair drenched in mud, grass and blood. Ignoring my cuts and bruises I chopped off her horn and climbed aboard my gryphon, securing the trophy to its back.
The beast let out a final, pitiful groan as she fell back to the ground, her hair drenched in mud, grass and blood.
A feeling of pride and excitement swept over me as we landed. Dragging the horn behind me I ran towards the camp. To my utter disappointment the camp appeared to be completely abandoned. The clefthoof skins were gone, and tents were all but packed up. On a barrel I saw a book. Maybe this would clear things up. Maybe he is still here, or maybe they all went out to meet me at Oshu’gun. Surely it was just a misunderstanding.
I eagerly flipped to the last page and read the words. “Annoying little runt came to our camp last night, disrupting my rest at such a late hour. Just another hopeless half pint halfwit, thinking he deserves to hunt with me and my crew just because he outsmarted my son, and that doesn’t take much. Changing plans. We leave for Northrend tomorrow. I will send the little bugger on a mission that will take him days, and I reckon ol’ Banthar won’t go easy on him, if he finds her that is.
Shaking with anger I slammed the book shut and smashed everything I could find. I threw the horn at the dying campfire. It burst and split in half. This was the last straw. I never should have come to the Outlands. This land is long abandoned, and its inhabitants have no respect for the few heroes man enough to stick around. It’s time I go to where the action is. It’s time I left this wretched dimension behind!
