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[Dharkoth]

Dharkoth slowly opened his eyes. He was uncertain what had happened to him or where he even was. He looked around, as though he was just waking from a long sleep. He felt groggy and a bit disoriented, as well as feeling like he was being crowded into a small space. He blinked a few times and then noticed the smell, as well as a crusty feeling on his hands and the smell of blood and death on him.

He slowly raised his hands, so he could see them and was shocked when he did. There was dried blood on them, crusted under his broken nails, as well as covering his clothing. He looked around now very scared, for he did not see Haashok. Haashok was always with him and he remembered him being with him when he entered the Marsh. Oh god; the Marsh he thought as some of it hit him.

Dharkoth had went to the Marsh for he knew a place where that would serve his purpose if her voice found him again. He had heard of a great dragon and those that guarded her. They would end his pain, of this he was certain. He had found this place, but there were those that would not let him in. He remembered dealing with them once before and knew they would pose no threat to him.

He tried to avoid them best as he could, but sometimes that was not possible and he dealt with them accordingly. Doing so triggered something inside of him. It may have been the frustration of what had been happening to him or the possibility of ending the pain that pushed him to his savagery. He was not sure and did not care at that point. He just knew that he was lost to it. Was he taken back to a time before, before he was awoken when this mindless brutality was all he knew or had he just given into what he was finally?

Dharkoth could not answer that question as he sat there looking at the blood, as he screamed trying to get away from himself. He backed away from those blood covered hands to bump into something unyielding, yet unseen. This was when he seen Haashok standing in the confined space with him. He too was covered in blood his eyes closed and his axe laying on the ground away from him. He had never seen the weapon from his hand before, and it momentarily distracted him from his own bloody hands. He tried to contact Haashok, but felt nothing and panic now rushed thru him.

“Fear not he is just sleeping, if they do such a thing”, a voice called out to him. It was a female voice actually soothing and pleasant some how. “You have nothing to fear. You are safe or should I say they are safe now. You have been a very bad boy. I so wish you would not of made me get involved in all this, but I had no real choice in the matter. It was not bad enough that you went amok killing the Dragonkin, but when you started to slaughter the Theramore soldiers, well I had to get involved. You can be a very savage and destructive demon. I had to place you in that containment circle after I made it seem like I destroyed you. I needed to reassure the soldiers that you were dealt with. I have to live with these people down here and having you slaughter them only will bring more than I was here, as well as more than I want.”

Dharkoth finally looked at the woman that was speaking to him and recognized her. “I know you. You're Tabetha of Quagmire. I do not know what happened to me. I am not like this. I will not loose control. I can't loose control. She will be angry with me. I am not like this. I will not loose control. ” The last was more a whisper, but the pain could be heard in this.

He looked at her and there was pain covering his face, as well as blood. “Please you must destroy me! I can't let HIM take me! I can't go back to HIM! She hounds me and screams in my head at me; like HIM! I can't take it any longer! I can't stop her and then HE starts twisting and digging! I can't take it! I came here to stop the pain, cause I can't stop her! Meton said he wold not let HIM take me that he would end me! You must do it! Please make it stop!” Dharkoth was sobbing and pounding at his head, as though he was trying to knock something out of it.

The woman looked shocked at this display and worried. “Stop that young one. I will not destroy you, for there is no reason to. Now calm down, for I have questions that need answering and YOU will answer them, do YOU hear me? “ There was a wave of power that washed over him as those last words hit him and he became still.

“I am sorry. I am so sorry. I did not mean to do it; any of it. I came here cause she kept chasing me. It started with her in my head. She was no where to be found, but I heard her in my head. She wanted my help, but I did not trust her. She finally found me after three days of hounding me like she did in my head. I was fishing and there she was. I did not think she was real, but she was and she begged me for help. I could not help, but the LADY she could help her, so I took her to the LADY. I could not go in to the LADY, for I had been told that I could not hide under her skirt any longer. I was leaving and I head a scream and it was her. I tried to get away as fast as I could but she found me. The LADIES city is large and she thanked me, but I still did not trust her. She told me that the LADY got rid of the voices. I told her good and left instantly. I did not trust her.

I was right not to, for she found me a day later and she was in my head screaming at me, tormenting me, chasing me. I just wanted to be left alone. I just wanted to be left alone. I ran and she chased me more and then I got on my mount and I just rode. She did not follow me, but somehow Dayari, he found me. I was in Felwood, and we talked. I told him I was going to hide, until I could figure things outs. I told him to tell Solivar that I was sorry and that I would be in hiding. He told me he would tell him and left me.

I then made me way here, for I knew of a place that would end my suffering and stop the pain, but something happened and now I am here. I am sorry. I never meant to do it. I am weak. I lost control again. I am sorry.” He lowered his head not looking at her.

“Young one, you have told me much, but also told me nothing. Who is the LADY and who is this HIM, as well as the she you talk about? What do you mean she is in your head with HIM?” She looked at Dharkoth her face curious with questions.

“The LADY is she who awoke me, The LADY Sylvanas Windrunner. HIM is my maker The Lich King and HE is in my head hiding. HE twists things and speak at me trying to make me do things. She is called Catherinia, and she has been hounding me, pushing me, tormenting me, always in my head, like him. I can't take it anymore. I can't. I am weak. I do not want to go back to HIM. I can't!” He once again lowered his head wrapping his arms around himself.

“Young one, I thought that was who you spoke of when you spoke of the LADY and HIM. This other one I know nothing of, but we can see what can be done here. I first need to clean you up.” This saying that she waved her hand and the blood and gore was gone. “Much better, now we shall have a look at you.” She stepped towards him a waver of energy parting to let her in and placed a hand on his head. “How interesting, indeed. Now simply hold still please, I am almost done here. Hmmm, it seems that you were not exaggerating. Do you hear voices often? Do they try and make you do things? Do you ever feel they are trying to take you over?”

He did not move under touch and did not think he could if he wanted to. “I hear them too much and more when I am, close to HIS work or when I am feeling weaker than usual. That is when he comes from his hiding place and tries to twist his way. I am weak and he knows it, as well as she knows it. “ He felt a shiver go thru him and a sob escape his lips.

“Young one, be still all is calm and you are safe here with me and mine. There is much to do, but I think you can be helped, if you will let me. I have seen some of what is causing you this way and I have some thoughts, but I will need time to think more on this. What say you?”

Dharkoth looked up at her thru eyes that should have been full of tears, then spoke with a plea in his voice.”Please, if you can help me, please I beg you make them stop. I never wanted this. I just want them to leave me alone. I will do whatever it takes.”

She smiled down at him. “Good then we have much to do. I need time to think and prepare. I will tell you more, as I can, for now you need rest. Drink this it will help to calm you and more. Be a good young one now.” A small vial appeared in her hand and she held it out to him He took and uncorked it. It smelled familiar to him, but he did not care he did as he was told and soon darkness found him.

The voices haunted but they were not as loud, as they usually were and there was a weak voice that he remembered from somewhere and it made him feel better, so when he woke he was still in the circle, with Haashok. He was still standing there his eyes closed axe in hand, as though he was sleeping. Dharkoth slowly stood up looked around and seen Tabetha looking at him. She was studying him, or so it felt, maybe she was looking past him and more at Haashok, but he could not tell for her, then she spoke to him.

“Well young one, you look no worse for the the wear are you ready to begin? I have done my thinking and found out a few things while you rested. They are disturbing things and things that I should speak to some others who would be very interested, but will not at this point. You have been thru enough, for now.”

She studied him a bit more, before going on. “What I found out was this. It seems that not only have you been traumatized by all this to the very edge, but you have been altered, as well. When I say altered I do not mean, in the way normal Forsaken have been. You have had your mind altered, as well. Someone planted a parasite in there and it is not a normal parasite, but a Shadow fiend. This in itself is amazing, for I do not know how such a thing could be done, but it was.

Normally a Shadow fiend would feed destroying everything and then leave, but this one is so small that the damage is minimal and it stays there. The other thing that I find so interesting is that this is not really damaging, well it is, but instead is keeping a part of your mind open and vulnerable weakening you. When I say vulnerable I mean open to mental commands. I have never seen or heard of such a thing being done to the Forsaken, but you're evidence that is has. As I said I have thought of speaking to a few others about this, but you have been thru enough and I have not, yet.”

Tabetha gave him a moment to soak in what she told him. She motioned for him to be quiet and went on. “I have also thought of a possible solution or two for helping. My first thought was to destroy the little beast, but I am afraid that if I do; it will destroy you as well, so instead I have contained it where it is. It should make the pains you feel a bit less, but it still will be there, for now.

I have been thinking about a possible elixir. This elixir would hopefully block the connection, as well as mask and strengthen your mind giving you some peace. I am not sure if it is going to work, but if you are willing to try we shall.” She looked at him trying to judge his reactions, but it was hard to read him. “Well, young one? What shall it be?”

Dharkoth looked at her uncertain for a moment of what to say or how to take this. So many questions answered, well not all that he wanted answered, but at least he knew more. He looked at her once more than spoke. “I can help with the elixir, it is what I do and I am willing to do anything to stop this. So, when do we start?”

She gave him a smile nodding. “Good, but there is more I wish to offer in options. The other thing I am thinking about is transferring that small part of your mind into your companion, Haashok. This would leave you free, of the voices and would give who ever a very startling shock, among other things when they tried to contact you. There is nothing more disturbing than the thoughts of a demon.

If this does go well. You will share a bit of a connection with your companion, but will not be troubled by the voices. I do not think the companion will be subject to the commands, since it is under your control and that connection is too strong to break. That is something else that is very strange when you think about it. You are capable of controlling all those demons, yet seems so weak, possibly the parasite is to blame. It takes a very powerful mind to do that, possibly this was why they altered yours. We may never know.”

Dharkoth did not wait, but quickly spoke. “I will do anything to stop this. I can't take it anymore, if you can stop this from happening, then I will be in your debt forever.” The circle that contained him dropped and she motioned for him to follow. He quickly did, with Haashok at his side.

They went to work instantly on the elixir. He was astonished at what was at her disposal. The elixir called for 1 Thick Autumn's glow, 1 Brilliant Autumn Glow, 1 Solid Empyrean Sapphire. She had him shave off a small portion of a titanium bar. He then created a crazy alchemist potion, purification potion, indestructible potion, invisibility potion, ethereal oil, and a elixir of camouflage. The final thing that he made was an eternal might. It was last thing that was added to elixir and left to brew. She had him place it in a strange marked case and then buried it.

I thought for a long time on the ingredients she has added to this and each made sense in their own way. He never thought of making something like this himself, but then he had too much on his mind for such things and had been too weak, as well as lost in his worthlessness. The next thing was removing the contained parasite. This was going to take a lot of preparation on her part, so when she was ready she called him outside where she placed him back in the containment circle.

“I need you to slice both your hands and that of your companion. Once you have done this I need you to take and hold hands, so the blood can mingle together. You must not let go no matter what. Do you understand me?”

Dharkoth nodded and took his dagger and sliced his hands, then did the same to Haashok taking a hold of his hands. This was a very strange feeling and sensation, which only got stranger. The circle was flooded with a strange light and a tingle of electric filled him. Dharkoth thru his head back and let out a wild scream, which Haashok mimicked. He had never seen him react in such a way, but his mind was lost the pain.

He could feel the small containment she had created in his mind being tugged and moved running slowly from his mind to mingle with the blood in his hands. Haashok slowly moved his head back down to look at Dharkoth. There was a strange recognition in his features and in his eyes, but there was something else there almost like a sadness. Dharkoth felt Haashok gently squeeze his hands and he was lost in that connection, until she broke the connection.

“How do you feel young one?” She asked a bit worried, but was shocked when Haashok looked at her and gave her a slight nod, then said, “I'm okay thank you.”

Dharkoth looked at Haashok and back at Tabetha. “What just happened with him? I was going to answer you, but instead he did. Is this how it is going to be now?” It was within a matter of moments and Dharkoth was screaming and fell to his knees. “IT HURTS... PAIN IN MY HEAD... MAKE IT STOP!”

Haashok just stared at Dharkoth holding on to him supporting him, then back at Tabetha, as they both watched as a pair of horns began to sprout from Dharkoth. He felt his hands slowly changing into what looked like talon, but still working hands. His eyes widened with horror and Haashok kept a hold of him telling him it was almost over. The horns were finally fully out as well as the talons.

“WHAT HAPPENED? WHY DO I HAVE THESE? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!" Dharkoth yelled at her. A stern look came over her face and she held a hand up to silence him, which silenced him instantly. “Young one, I figured there would be side effects from this, nothing like this has even been done before. You share part of your companion and he shares a part of you. Now be still and tell me if you can hear this.” She looked at him and he felt a slight tingle, but nothing. “Well young one?”

“Nothing, I felt a tingle, but heard nothing. I... I felt nothing and I feel different not just the horns and talons, but I feel different.” Dharkoth began to laugh it was a laugh mixed with many emotions some of which he had not know for along time.

Tabetha smiled and placed a hand on his head, then did the same to Haashok. “Very good, seems the transfer was a success, for the most part. Everything is done and the containment holds not that I was ever worried it would not. Now we have serious things to discuss. There are those that need to know of this and do not be surprised if you are summoned to speak with some of them and what happened to you.

Now you need to get out of MY Marsh and back to your friends. If you hear a voice you get in touch with me instantly or if there are any problem. Good luck young one.”

Dharkoth and Haashok now both stood in the Barrens. He was a bit shocked at first, but smiled. “Thank you.” He called forth his mount and began riding with a new confidence.