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shadowphoenixrider · 14 days

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(This was the last proper fic I wrote for Draggka and Khadgar, and never got around to releasing it. This’ll be the last one; after this I’m closing the door on these two for the foreseeable future. I hope you enjoy.)

The Vindicaar was a remarkable piece of engineering. Draggka had heard of the draenei’s great city-ship the Exodar, and the stories of it fleeing across the Great Dark to escape the grasp of the Burning Legion. Those stories paled in comparison to when she saw the immense ship with her own eyes, both inside and out. She’d heard a couple of the Alliance snickers at some of the Horde’s gawping, but the troll had been too busy taking in the ship to care.

The hunter had been to other worlds before. Outland, the Alternate Draenor, Niskara, Helheim, wherever the Halls of Valour were, but they had been through portals. To travel physically to another place, another world... Despite her trepidation in going to the Legion’s homeworld, Draggka felt excitement sing through her veins. Wanderlust was not so easily tamed.

“If you don’t pick up your jaw, someone might trip over your tusks.” A playful murmur sounded out from her side, and Draggka turned to see Khadgar lingering in the shadows, blue eyes sparkling with mirth.

“Ya know de risk of dat happenin’ be comin’ from my brudder,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him as she approached the mage, his hand petting Spike as the raptor rubbed by his leg. She could still see the dark rings around the human’s eyes, even here.

“Perhaps.” Khadgar’s smile faded, his expression shifting. “Listen, Draggka, I wanted to discuss something with you, before we go to Argus.”

“Sure.” She nodded, stepping to the side with him, away from the main thoroughfare. Spike padded away from them to keep watch for eavesdroppers.

“We know that this...could be a one way trip.” He began softly. “I don’t intend it to be, and I’m sure you don’t either, but we need to accept it’s going to be dangerous. We are going right into the heart of the Legion’s power.” He took a breath. “Tell me, Draggka, did you keep the ring we forged on Draenor?”

“‘Course I did.” She nodded, pulling at a silver chain hidden under her cuirass, and undoing its fastening at her neck. “It may not be as powerful as some of da rings I be finding on da Broken Shore, but....It be ours.” She smiled as the golden-orange band came free from under her protective layers, holding it out for him to inspect. “It be full of memories. Memories of da two of us.”

“Yes.” Khadgar took it gently, cradling it in his hand. “A symbol of our struggles, and our courtship.” A smile that made the troll’s heart ache. “Of course you would keep it.”

Draggka giggled.

“Good to see ya finally payin’ attention.” She commented, before blinking away her humour. “What were ya tinking?”

“As the homeworld of the Burning Legion, Argus is likely to be crawling with demons, and if we’re both to return to Azeroth alive, I was thinking of forging a magical connection between us.” Khadgar explained. “Nothing too complex, mind. Just a way for us to sense if the other is alive and in danger, as well as vague general location if enough magic is applied.” He looked at her questioningly.

“I only be knowing just enough magic to be castin’ an arcane shot.” Draggka said, frowning. “But I dunno if it be enough to use it to sense you like dat.”

“Don’t worry, it does not take much application of magic to work. You will be just fine.” Khadgar said. “And don’t worry about me reading your mind or other such things; the connection will not be strong enough for that. I will only use enough to link our life-forces, nothing more. It will barely make the ring magical, and enhancements as weak as that are often overlooked.” He smiled at her. “Of course, it’s your decision.”

“I be perfectly okay wit dis.” The hunter nodded. “It be reassuring dat we be having someting dat can be helping us out of a bad situation.”

“Yes. It will certainly give me a few less white hairs worrying about you.” Khadgar flashed a grin at her before bright pink-purple arcane magic filled his eyes and crackled around his hands. He began to chant the spell, the words foreign and utterly alien to Draggka, yet she couldn’t deny the shiver that ran down her spine as she listened. Stop it! This is hardly the time or place! Her mind scolded her.

Magic swirled around the ring, the ruby itself beginning to glow and flicker as if a flame had ignited within. And, to her surprise, the arcane energy also twined around Khadgar’s collar. Runes suddenly began to appear along its length, as if they’d always been there, and were only just being revealed. There was a bright flash and ripple of energy, and the spell was complete. The ring became inert once more, and the bright pink runes now inscribed on Khadgar’s collar slowly faded away.

“There we go.” Khadgar smiled. “Job done. Try using the magic you have to sense me. Just channel it into the ring, and it will do the rest.”

Draggka closed her eyes and followed Khadgar’s instructions, using the same motions she would if she was casting her Arcane Shot. The ring reacted, and seemed to ‘open’, letting her reach further through it. She did, and a strange sensation came over her. Warm, familiar, safe, whole...and then she felt a heartbeat. Strong and slow and reassuring; everything about the feeling was Khadgar.

The hunter opened her eyes, the sensations falling away except for the warmth and the feeling of Khadgar’s presence, which lingered faintly around her like a blanket. The mage himself smiled.

“It worked.” He murmured, eyes gleaming. The troll’s own eyes widened.

“You sensed dat?” She asked, glancing down at the ring.

“Yes, I did.” He flashed her a cheeky grin. “I’m quite sensitive to magic, you see. So I sent a little something back. You should be able to sense me if I inquire after you. Only slightly, not enough to bother you in dangerous situations, or draw attention to your ring.” The archmage frowned thoughtfully. “I don’t know if you could ‘reply’ the same way I just did for you, however. Not to worry, though. The ring will give me all the information I require. The reply is...” He glanced away, smiling shyly. “A small thing...”

Draggka titled her head to the side, taking this all in.

“Ya bound ya connection to your collar,” she said softly. He touched it self-consciously.

“Yes, I did.” A small smile played at his lips. “I always wear it, and wear it close, so I presumed it would be the best place to hide the enchantment.” His eyes lit up with magic, and the runes glowed for a moment, before disappearing once more. “This will make it look a little more...fancy now too.”

The hunter stared hard, but even with knowing that the runes were there, she couldn’t pick out their marks out within the leather. Perhaps they were nothing more than tricks of the light.

“Ya sure no-one will notice it?” She asked. “It be a bit suspicious if ya collar be lighting up if it didn’t before.”

“Don’t worry. The runes will only show up if I’m using a great deal of magical power to locate you. A cursory check of your health would barely be a blip to an archmage like myself. This is just for show.” Khadgar smiled. “Thank you for indulging me, my love. I...” He took a breath. “I can’t lose you now. Not after everything we’ve been through.”

“No.” Draggka nodded, taking his hands in her own. “We be seeing dis through. Together.” Her orange eyes burned fiercely. “Dey will not take you or my world from me. Not now. Not ever.” She lifted her chin high. “Lok’tar ogar.”

“Lok’tar.” Khadgar replied in kind, before his eyes flicked to glance behind her. “Anyway, I better let you go before someone comes looking for you.”

“Ya not coming wit?” Draggka asked, tilting her head to the side.

“Oh, I will. I just need to see what the sleeping arrangements are.” He rubbed his chin. “I doubt we will get much privacy here.”

“Hmm.” Draggka hummed. “It be hard to sneak time for each other here.”

“Yes.” Khadgar hesitated. “Though, I confess...I’m finding it more difficult to care. The Legion’s homeworld hangs within our skies, we may all be heading toward out ultimate doom, and we are worrying about what people will think our partnership?” He snorted. “I’m so tired of all this politicking at what feels like the end of the world.”

The hunter considered. She did feel the same; who had time to quibble over their relationship when total annihilation by demons was a very real possibility? And it would be so much easier for them not have to sneak around to find time together.

Yet...Khadgar had the most to lose if their relationship was more widely known. Whilst Draggka would certainly get in some trouble, and Sylvanas would take an extremely dim view of the relationship, the troll highly doubted she’d stop being the Huntmaster, and it wasn’t like she wielded much political power anyway.

Khadgar, however, was the Leader of the Kirin Tor, and regardless of their current neutrality, she could bet they would not take kindly to discovering their leader was courting a member of the Horde.

“I be more den happy not to be hidin’ from de others. But...are ya sure? It could be causing a lotta issues for ya. I mean, Vereesa ain’t gonna be happy findin’ out dat ya been dating me for a while. I know she be barely tolerating me an’ my friends, but dat?” Draggka sighed softly. “I know ya be reckless as a goblin, but dis...I want ya to be sure. Dat’s all.”

“I am sure.” Khadgar said. He closed his eyes, and suddenly blew out a sharp sigh, taking her hands. “To hell with it all. I’m not going to lose any more time with you than I have to any more. Never again.” The steel in his voice was brief, returning to his usual soft tone. “That’s not to say I’m immediately going to kiss you amorously in front of a crowd. I just don’t want to have to hide things like this,” he nodded to their joined hands, “or this,” a quick peck on her cheek, “any more.”

Draggka couldn’t help it; she smiled. It was if a weight had suddenly been lifted from her heart. She’d always loved him, but found it difficult to stopper the emotion she felt for the mage even when she knew she had to.

“We gonna get into a hell’va lotta trouble when we be gettin’ back,” she said.

“Perhaps.” Khadgar shrugged, squeezing her hands. “But after all this? I find it difficult to be afraid of them. And even more difficult to care.” He lifted a hand to stroke her cheek. “I love you. And Azeroth is just going to deal with it.”

“Yeah.” Draggka said softly. “Yeah. It be strange, not hidin’. But good. More den good.”

The archmage smiled.

“That’s what I thought. No second thoughts about our actions, no watching what we say or do. Just...whatever our heart’s desire. Within reason, of course.” His blue eyes glimmered with mischief, and Draggka’s amber ones rolled.

“I be reminding ya of dat da next time you be getting ideas.” The troll folded her arms, raising an eyebrow at him. He was about to reply when Spike uttered a grunt-chuff, a soft warning that something was approaching. Khadgar murmured something, stepping backwards and vanishing into the dark as the raptor returned to his hunter, watching the approaching figure come into view.

“There you are.” Elizabone said, golden eyes brightening to see her friend. Behind the Forsaken floated the glowing demon skull Thaz’kiel, looking as creepy as usual. “We’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Sorry.” Draggka grinned toothily. “We were just explorin’ and got a bit carried away.”

“I don’t think this place is big enough to get lost in.” The warlock retorted. “But you’ve always liked new stuff, so I guess that’s why you’d be down here.” She glanced around, her eyebrows furrowing, but the hunter wasn’t concerned. Only a felhound could detect the archmage’s invisibility spell, especially if he was cloaked in shadows too.

“Yeah. I know dat da draenei be pretty ahead wit dere tech, but dey be...way ahead!”

“Good thing they don’t hate our guts.” Elizabone nodded. “Hope Velen doesn’t do anything stupid like he did in the Tomb. I’m starting to like the old coot.”

“You are?” Draggka arched an eyebrow. “It be gettin’ chilly in de Firelands!”

“Ah, shut up!” The Forsaken swatted at her with a bony hand. “I know it’s weird for me, but I like the lights they’ve got going on here. Enough to see where you’re going, but not eye-blinding. Nice shades of pink too. I could stay here.”

“Dat’s good. Gotta have da Netherlord by our side when we be kicking da Legion where it hurts.” Draggka grinned.

“I’m not going anywhere. Even if this place was sickeningly Light-coloured, I’d still be here. As long as my soul is still stuck in these bones, I’d keep going. I’d be like this guy, floating and angry and just a head.” Elizabone gestured to Thaz’kiel, whose eye sockets appeared to glare back at them. “He’s not talking to me right now. I think he’s shy.”

“Uh huh.” Draggka frowned. She’d never liked the demon skull, and hoped her friend would destroy it after the Legion was defeated. “Hey, ya don’t be having Luufum wit ya.”

“Yeah, I figured it was a little rude to have a demon knocking about here, even if they’re bound to me. I’m also pretty sure they would appreciate not getting routinely murdered for just strolling around with me.” A shrug of her bony shoulders. “I’d kinda like the draenei to trust me. If you’re fighting beside them and living on their ship, the last thing you want is a crystal hammer crushing your head into a crunchy pancake. I mean, I’m already undead. Demons would only be an excuse to attack me.”

“Dat’s...a fair way of lookin’ at it.” The troll nodded. “I don’t tink dey would do dat, but if it makes dem happy, den it makes sense to be keepin’ ya demons out of here.”

“Exactly.” Elizabone nodded, before narrowing her eyes at the troll. “Anyway, I was here to fetch you, not chew the cud! We’re almost ready to go. Velen wanted everyone up top in case something bad happens.”

“Makes sense.” Draggka nodded. “Ya feeling up to it?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” the warlock replied, her face-veil rippling with her sigh. “You?”

“It’s not gonna be easy.” The troll said grimly, running her fingers down Spike’s neck. “But...I gotta a good feeling ‘bout dis. I tink we gonna do someting good.”

The undead’s golden eyes seemed to widen slightly, the only indication of her surprise with her lower face hidden.

“You really think that?” She asked, an unsurprising tone of cynicism to her voice.

Draggka touched her chest, where she swore she felt the ring warm against her skin. She glanced over her shoulder, just in time to see a flash of sapphire blue and a bright grin vanishing back into the ether.

“Yeah.” The hunter looked back to her friend, smiling. “I do.”

(In memory of my friend Briyanna. Rest in power.)

#world of warcraft #oc/khadgar #draggka #draggka/khadgar #archmage khadgar #otp: walk on the wild side #sprs writing #wow legion #elizabone #it's been a good ride :)

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