The Wayward Apprentice - A WoW Classic Story

[Xantros]

Since he got no response, he crept closer to get a better angle. Readying another arrow, he was prepared to fire a quick shot as soon as anyone showed their face. He waited… nothing. He crept closer, eyes peeled, sweat forming on his brow. He licked his lips under the red bandana and walked a few paces closer to the crates until…

• “AHA I finally...!” he cried out in triumph as he leaned over the boxes.

• “...Got you!” Abigail finished the sentence for him with a Frostbolt to the back.

The Defias scoundrel howled in pain as the breath left his lungs and the cold seeped through his light leather armor to his back. The young girl had snuck around the tent to surprise the man. The rogue dropped his bow and tossed a throwing dagger over at the young mage. She fired off another bolt hitting the bandit in the arm but the dagger hit it’s mark and creased her thigh.

Abigail winced from the pain and almost fell over. She looked up quickly, not wanting to lose sight of her enemy. Being face to face, she recognized the scrawny bandit from earlier. This was that Fran guy. And he recognized her too.

• “So… it’s that bloody little mage brat again!” he snarled his words through his teeth. “Should have run away while you had the chance!”

• “Whaddaya think I was doin?!” Abigail’s more crude, Westfall accent came out when she was really angry. She truly detested this man above all of them. “I remember ya too, Fran! Ya tried ta hurt Milly!”

• “Ooooh that’s sweet. A lil’ girl remembering my name and deeds!” Fran mocked the young mage.

• “Youuu!! I’ll give’ya wha’ for!” Abigail yelled.

• hahah “Save it pipsqueak! You can barely hurt me with them lil’ sparks of yours!”

[Xantros]

Though the bandit was affected by the young mage’s frost spell, his words seemed to ring true, as he began to pick up the pace in his advance, making Abigail a little bit less confident in her own abilities. Nevertheless, her anger made her more focused and overpowered all insecurities.

• “I’ll show ya sparks!” she fumed.

She gathered more magical power and charged another spell. A bigger one. The rogue advanced at her, his pace unrelenting but more composed and wary now. The fires behind him cast a dark shadow over his figure making the silvery moonlight all the more eerie upon his face. He seemed to slither instead of walk and like the snake that he was, his fangs were the two blades he dual wielded.

The air around Abigail was chilling like her demeanor. Her arms and fingers flowed in rhythmic motion in the half-darkness, like the tides, under the lunar sky. A cold-white glow radiated from her hands, lightly illuminating her serious expression. Her eyes flashed in the darkness at her target. Raising her left arm quickly she readied herself to fire.

Fran dodged instinctively to the left easily avoiding the ‘weak little spark’ being thrown at him… At least, that was what he expected to happen, until a blast of freezing energy smashed into his chest with a direct hit, knocking him over on his back. Abigail had pulled the spell flow back into her body and redirected it into her right arm, tricking the rogue into dodging early. The goon dropped his blades and held his chest, groaning and gasping for air.

• “Now I finish it!”

She went through the familiar motions again, her arms flowing. She knew a lesser spell would be enough to knock the goon out, giving her enough time to grab Lem. Though she felt a bit sluggish and less focused, she was determined to fire off this last one before he got up. The man was still lying on the ground, groaning. Now was her chance. She flung her arm out and… nothing happened. The flow left her hand like normal but the spell fizzled out. She did the motions again but she could not even feel the flow anymore. Something was wrong.

• heh “All out of juice, are you?!” Fran gloated as he slowly got on his feet.

[Xantros]

Abigail was devastated. She had not expected her magic to fail her like that. Nobody said anything about this at all. A cold shock ran through her entire body. The fear she thought she had mastered had now returned in full force and her confidence crumbled. Her legs felt rooted in place and she could not think anymore. Only to go for her last resort.

The rogue picked up his weapons and advanced slowly towards her, still frostbitten from the spell’s effect. Abigail reached for her staff… Suddenly, a big, burly shadow grabbed her from behind and lifted her entire body up from the ground, her legs dangling helplessly. The stench of sweat and unwashed clothes was overpowering.

• cough “Took you long enough you oaf!” Fran berated his comrade.

• “I t-thought ya ‘ad it, F-Fran!” Lloyd stuttered. “S-She’s only a lil’ ‘squeak!”

• “Well, obviously I underestimated her, you dolt!”

• arrffggh “Lemme go, Lemme go!!!” Abigail struggled, her legs cycling in the air.

• “Quit s-squirmin’!” Lloyd looked over to Fran in desperation. “W-Wha’ do we do with ‘er now?”

• “Hmm… The boss said he wants to take her somewhere but he didn’t tell me more. We need to get out of the valley first. And that armor spell is real troublesome… she shook off two direct hits like it was nothing.” Fran thought for a moment.

• “Would’ya h-hurry it up... s-she’s real c-cold she is!”

• “Yeah-yeah I know, hold your horses, while I think how to knock her out.”

• “Ya mean, like dis?”

• BONK! “OWWW!!” she yelled out.

• “Doesn’ work an’ it ‘urts me too!” the burly goon shook his freezing hand.

• “No you idiot! We need something like knockout gas or sleep potion… Maybe the boss has something in his tent.” he pointed to the largest tent of the camp. “Bring her over.”

• “Hey, wait a m-minit! Why do I gotta c-carry her all t-the way?” Lloyd contemplated. “My arms are f-freezin’ an’…”Abigail muffled some insults at the large thug. “See? Even she’s agreein’ w-with me!”

• “Because I’m the brains around here, that’s why!” Fran declared.

• “But… but I’ve got more muscle!”

• “And that’s why you are carrying her.”

• heh “Oh yeah!” Lloyd chuckled in agreement. “Hey, she ain’t freezin no more!”

• “Looks like the armor spell ran out finally!”

• “Yeah, makes ‘er easier to carry…”

And with that, the burly rogue threw the poor girl over his shoulder like a rag-doll. She dangled there, completely helpless and at the mercy of these two goons. She had quickly exhausted her energy, with all the struggling, yelling and screaming but it was useless. There was no help coming. All the guards were busy fighting and besides they didn’t even know that she was here. And who knows what Garrick Padfoot had planned for her. She was not scared anymore, just tired and angry.

[Xantros]

She thought of Lem for a moment. How she had failed to help him and now… But just then, she saw a shadow dart across the path between the tents behind them. She noticed that it was a rather small shadow and smiled to herself. Now she was determined to make herself as troublesome as possible for the bandits to handle. Something she was quite good at.

• “Okay, we’re here! Now put her down gent… thud...ly.”

Ouch! The girl rubbed her bottom as she stood up.

• “Alright now… Don’t you dare try any funny business, you understand?” Fran threatened through his bandana. “Co-operate or we put you in a cage! Got it? We’re gonna get out of this valley and you’re coming with!”

• “You better listen to uncle Fran!” Lloyd patted her on the head.

• “What’s all this molly-coddling now?!” Fran exclaimed in disbelief.

• “Well, I reckon’ she’s just a kid ‘n if you speak softly to ‘er then she’ll ‘nderstand…”

• “SOFTLY?!!” Fran burst out in frustration. “She’s a damned mage you moron! Almost blasted me out of my boots back there! We’re lucky she’s just a child…”

• “Hey! I’m not a child!” Abigail pouted.

• “Yes you are!”

She put her tongue out ble-eh!

• “Why you little…! Now listen here you brat!” Fran poked her on the forehead to make his point when... OWW! She bit his finger.

Lloyd tried to grab her but got a kick to the shin OOF! Abbie ducked under the large thug’s legs and made a run for it. She was about to jump over some stolen rugs when a strong hand grabbed her flowing golden locks and robes, pulling her back firmly.

• “Ow ow OOWW!” she cried out.

• “And where do you think you’re off to, kid?” came the voice of Garrick Padfoot.

• “Boss! You’re back!”

• sigh “Can’t I trust you two morons to handle even a simple, little girl?”

• “Ooh-ho there ain’t nothing simple about that girl, boss…” Fran spat his words, sucking on his bitten finger. “She’s a damned witch she is!”

[Xantros]

Yay the forum is back up! I can finally post again.

• “We have no time to play games with a child!” Garrick scolded his henchmen. “We need to mount a strong defense quickly! The guard are here in full force!”

• “But I… but she!”

• “Enough! She’s out of magic, right? Lloyd hold her!” he pushed the girl into the giant thug’s arms.

• “Better behave now... lil’ ‘squeak!” Lloyd clamped down on her arms like a vice.

• “Boss?” Fran looked to him with concern.

• “This was not supposed to happen, the Guard should not have the manpower for an operation like this!” Padfoot grumbled to himself.

• “Looked like they got lots of green recruits and adventurers with them…” Fran reported.

• “Inexperienced maybe but they have the numbers to take us on! We must...”

Another bandit came running like the wind from the center of the camp. The noise of combat had gotten noticeably louder and organized commanding shouts could be heard.

• huff “Boss!! huff The Guard!” the bandit tried to speak.

• “What news?”

• huff “B-Bad! Very!” he finally managed to collect himself. “They broke through! They have paladins with them as well!”

• “Paladins! Damn!” Garrick became uneasy. “Tell everyone you can, we are pulling out! Plan C, meet up at the creek gate!”

The rogue messenger nodded and left in a hurry.

• “I’m thirsty!” Abigail whined.

• “Shut up, kid! Fran get some rope and a gag! I don’t want her giving away our position!” Padfoot ordered.

• “Aye boss! But why are we taking this girl? She is more trouble than she’s worth!”

Fran glanced over at Abigail with disdain, only to be met with an expression that could cast lighting bolts… if she were a shaman.

• “After this failure of an operation I can’t go back empty handed to the Collector.” Garrick explained. “We need to present something to him or we are done for.”

[Xantros]

• “Right but, we got plenty of valuable loot here we can still carry and…”

• “He is only interest...”

• Ugh… “’Ey stop ‘quirming! Let go ‘o dat!”

• “What the hell are you doing Lloyd?!”

• “She’s tryin’ ta get my wa’er skin the lil’ runt!”

• “C’MON GIMME! I’m really thirsty!” Abigail whined. “C’MOOON!!!”

• “Of all the… Let her have the damn thing!” Garrick conceded, rubbing his temples in frustration. “If it will make her shut up, so I can think!”

Getting her hands on the water skin, Abigail plopped down on the ground and started happily taking in the well needed liquid nourishment – much to Lloyd’s dismay.

• “As I was saying…” Garrick recollected his thread. “The Collector is only interested in unique ‘things’. Lucky for us that gnome coughed up an interesting weapon. But until we get our hands on that, this mage girl should be of some use to him.”

• “Oh right-right! I get it now!” Fran shook his head up and down. “You always think of something boss!”

• “Speaking of that gnome!” the bandit leader had just now realized. “Where is he?”

• “He wasn’t with the girl when I attacked her.” Fran held his arms wide.

• “Attacked?? What did I say about the prisoner Fran?”

• “Well, I didn’t right see who it was until she was up close… and… and you stabbed her in the house back then so I figured…”

• “That was before I realized how useful she could be, you fool!” Garrick scolded his goon. “And as it turns out, she is not really a threat, only a nuisance. It’s that gnome of hers we have to be wary of! He is not an average spellcaster…”

The bandit leader stepped over to the drinking girl and snatched the water-skin away from her, tossing it over to Lloyd, who quickly put it away with some relief.

• “HEY!” she yelled. “I was not finished with…”

[Xantros]

• “I say you were quite finished!” the bandit leader grabbed her by the robe collars and sprung her to her feet. “Much like my patience! Now, fess up you brat! Where’s your gnome?”

• “How should I know?” she lied rather convincingly for once.

• “I think you know and you are stalling, so he can get the drop on us again!” Garrick yelled in her face. “Where is he hiding?”

Abigail was a bit shocked and stricken at how clever the rogue boss was but she was determined to drag this one out. She was not afraid of them now, especially since they needed her.

• “He left me behind… Because of his dumb book!” she yelled back with some genuine annoyance in her voice. Hearing this, the grip on her collar loosened.

• “Good, I hope for your sake that is true!” Garrick laid down the rules. “If you co-operate, we won’t hurt you…”

• “I’ll go with you, just don’t hurt Milly!!” she retorted.

• “Ah yes… Milly…” he stroked his chin under his bandana. “You’re coming with us now, whether you like it or not, kid!” Padfoot made it clear. “But your friend or her vineyard are of no use to us anymore.”

• “Got the rope n’ gag boss!” Fran returned with a satisfied grin.

• “Good! Get to it and Lloyd, you load up some supplies! We will only take what is not expendable! Come with me.”

• “Alright now, hold still you little brat, while I tie this here knot and… quit squirming!”

• ekggfffhh “Let me go!” Abigail struggled.

Suddenly, a shadow whooshed across the darkness – neither the moonlight nor the fires cast any light over it; it was perfectly pitch black – and hit Fran right in the face, dispersing with a hiss.

• Bwaagghh! “I… I can’t see!!! Help me!” he wailed.

[Gaz]

Looking forward to the next part!

[Xantros]

Sorry, I had so much school and I thought nobody is reading it anymore.
I'll do something about it. :)