Chapter 6 The gryphons landed heavily sending flurries of dust up into the air as their wings beat low to the ground. They breathed fast, their journey long and finally over. Sharm and the others climbed down off their backs and looked around. They had landed a short distance from Halaa in Nagrand. They had planned to fly as far as they could towards Shadowmoon Valley, but their gryphons had become weary and required a well-deserved rest. Sharm smiled as she watched them stepping into the nearby river, ruffling their feathers and cooling off. She took the lead and began crossing over one of the four bridges leading into Halaa. It was another beautiful summer’s day in Nagrand. The wind blew softly and smelt earthy and rich. It was difficult to believe that the wet and drizzly Zangarmarsh lie just over the distant mountains of Nagrand. Behind her she could hear Athenist quietly complaining to Raìdin about something or other. Sharm stepped onto the floating island of Halaa with a disconcerted feeling. It was as though she expected to feel the island move under her weight but it floated steadily in the air. A male Draenei eyed Athenist and Raìdin dangerously as they approached. There was something different about this Draenei. He looked … mutated. His eyes followed Sharm’s associates as they perused around him. “What business do you have here?” questioned the Draenei in deep and slow voice. He asked the question mainly to Athenist and Raìdin. Raìdin stepped forward. “We mean no harm,” he answered calmly “We just need some supplies and then we will be on our way.” The Draenei, Lakoor, continued to watch Raìdin’s face for a good few seconds before replying. “It is not in my nature to host your kind.” His hood rippled in the breeze. Sharm held her breath – this could get nasty. “You have until sundown.” Lakoor turned his back on them slowly before moving into the shade of the building and settling. Sharm released her breath and nodded to the others. Silently they began making their way around the small island of Halaa preparing for their journey into Shadowmoon Valley. --- The first bomb dropped down right beside Athenist. It exploded into a mass of fire and shrapnel sending Athenist lurching backwards into a food stall. Cendrii the owner searched the sky frantically whilst gathering up her things and trying to push Athenist to his feet. “Time for you to fight now, Blood Elf.” She murmured to him “And we are not on the same side.” Athenist rose to his feet and followed her gaze to the sky. Three wyverns circled above, flying directly beneath the sun. They cast ominous shadows on the ground as they circled and swept the area. Raìdin came rushing across from the other side of the island, narrowly dodging another bomb that exploded right behind him. The atmosphere had grown dark in Halaa and only Lakoor stood bravely in the open looking up into the sky. Athenist scouted the area and spotted Sharm, Khroen and Parantaja huddled inside one of the buildings talking nervously amongst themselves. A laugh peeled out into the air high above them followed by the screech of a wyvern. The hunter atop it lent out onto its wing, sending it swooping downwards towards Halaa. The other two riders followed. They landed side by side. Athenist could see a row of bombs strapped to the side of the wyvern’s bodies. “Hello again.” Spoke the Hunter dangerously. The other two riders smiled wickedly. Paladin and Priest. The Priest activated his Shadowform turning himself and the wyvern into a cloak of dark purple and blue. Sharm moved out from the shelter of the building and stood next to Lakoor who had his eyes narrowed on the three menaces. “You.” She said darkly. Gigi dropped down from her wyvern. “What can I say?” she grinned “I missed you.” She looked across to Parantaja. “Ah. I see you managed to survive your last ordeal.” Parantaja stepped out of the shadows and moved to the other side of Lakoor. “And now I am stronger than ever.” She replied staring at Gigi defiantly. Gigi laughed. “Well good for you. Let me introduce you” she gestured at her comrades. “Romire and Keruz. They’ve been tracking you for days. And now – here we are!” she twirled lightly on her heel. “Shall we?” Sharm raised her hands in front of her. “We don’t have to do this.” Gigi placed her emerald eyes on Sharm as she remounted her wyvern. “Oh yes. We do.” Surprisingly the first attack was made by Parantaja. She roared as she leapt forward towards Gigi’s mount. The wyvern screamed and tried to beat her away but Parantaja was nimble. Sharm watched as she climbed up and dug her knees into the saddle to stable herself. Gigi reeled and pulled the reins hard. The wyvern flung itself into the sky in a frantic state as Gigi and Parantaja began struggling for control. Raìdin charged at Romire whilst Karuz made a swift retreat into the sky. He circled the island before throwing a bomb down onto one of the huts. It ignited furiously, roaring into the sky. Romire was stunned by Raìdin’s charge and was helpless as Raìdin grabbed him and threw him onto the ground. Lokaar moved to him and peered down into his face with sinister eyes. Up above, Sharm could see the silhouettes of Gigi and Parantaja as they fought for the mount. Parantaja’s weapon gleamed brightly in the sunlight. Khroen swept past the fallen Romire and jumped onto the confused wyvern. With a shout he commanded the beast into the air and began pursuit of the Priest. The wyvern’s wings pounded the air powerfully closing the distance between Khroen and Keruz swiftly. Keruz looked over his shoulder at the fast advancing Khroen. He had one bomb left and he grabbed it nervously before launching it towards Khroen. Khroen manoeuvred quickly, the bomb flying past him and landing safely in the deep waters below Halaa. He retrieved his throwing axes from his pocket and flung one hastily at Keruz. It whistled as it pierced through the air and made contact with the wyvern’s wing. The wyvern dropped from the air, its coordination completely out of balance. Keruz made a hasty decision to abandon his mount and cast Levitate to slowly descend to the burning ground below. Sharm was waiting for him. His silhouette descended painfully slow before he landed and tried to make a run for it. Sharm cast Death Coil and smirked as he began running around completely disorientated. With the flick of her hand she teleported in front of him and waited for him to regain his senses. He turned to look at her sheepishly before she knocked him out with Shadowfury. A body slammed down beside Sharm. It was Gigi. She groaned and rolled over onto her back eyes squeezed shut. Sharm knelt beside her and removed her bow. Gigi sat up slowly, arms clasped around her chest. “You won’t…” she breathed “You won’t get away with this!” She stumbled to her feet and hobbled to the nearby hut, leaning heavily against its wall. Athenist and Raìdin rushed to Sharm’s side, weapons ready. “Let her go.” Sharm said softly. Athenist and Raìdin looked at her confused. They watched as Gigi painfully camouflaged herself into the surroundings, her footsteps appearing in the charred earth as she made her way out of Halaa. Khroen and Parantaja landed gracefully beside Raìdin and looked at the bodies of Keruz and Romire. “They aint gonna be happy when they come to.” Said Khroen. Sharm nodded. “We’ll let the guards decide how to deal with them.” Parantaja looked into the distance and spoke softly. “I have a feeling we’re going to be seeing her again.” She turned to Sharm. “You have her bow and she’ll be wanting that back.”