The flight out of Terrokar was long and Bok'theg had plenty of time to reflect on his discussion with Roodaka. Talking with the Apexsis was always a trying endeavor but when she spoke there was often a purpose to her words, one simply had to sift it like gold from the silt of a running stream. The green hills forested hills slowly gave way to the barren red clay mountains of the Hellfire Peninsula as the golden drake soared silently through the skies of what remained of his homeworld. As the ground passed silently by beneath him, the memories returned to him. He recalled being seated in front of Roodaka’s small hut, a large tome enveloped in purple and black mist, hovering in front of the circle of power on the ground. He remembered the sound of the book in his mind as it called to him, whispering in a long forgotten language he could not comprehend. Then it began. The images from the shadowy tome that had flashed through his mind were strong and they had ignited a flicker of an idea. The mysterious book was clearly trying to tell him something. The scenes from the Red World's history were meant to lead him down a particular path.
?
The warlock could feel, more than see, the images of his mind’s eye. But like dream they were already fading. He most vividly recalled the arrival of the hated draenei on his planet and he knew this was a sign. The book was trying to communicate with him. It was maddening; like a phrase that teeters on the brink, his soul knew what the tome was saying but his brain simply could not translate the feeling to anything comprehensible. Was it simply to kill the draenei? No, that much he could do on his own. No orc needed prompting to do that. No, there had to be something more profound.
The looming shadow of the stone guardians of the Dark Portal broke his concentration and he pushed down on the nape of his drake’s neck, forcing him into a steady dive. There would be time to ponder this back in Rockard.
Bok’theg’s Journal
Entry: 2 March
The book.
The book intrigues me. I cannot yet fathom its’ secrets but it trying desperately to tell me something of great import. We must research it more but that is proving a difficult task.
The Apexsis guards it closely and I wonder if she is not somehow controlled by it? If the Soul Flayer is to be believed, it very easily took control of me and I was none the wiser. However, the spasm I felt in Karazan recently while in the company of Shaddoth and Thuugom, may have been an after effect of the book’s power.
There must be answers to this riddle hidden somewhere. As yet, the library within Karazan has proved fruitless in my searches for relevant information…but I must keep trying. This artifact is clearly too powerful and important to simply ignore.
I wonder if Nimithriel has had any insight…
“The Shard Mother, she speaks to us, yesss? She sends us to seek for it. Does it speak to the orcfelsh?”
Bok’theg sat for a moment trying to piece together the Apexis’ words. It was always a bit difficult to understand Roodaka at first. But once he learned to look beyond the cryptic speech, the warlock could see exactly what Roodaka spoke of.
The orc stretched out a hand in front of him and touched the faintly glowing jagged stone that was imbedded in the ground. The winds whistled through the trees high above the floor of Terrokar Forrest and for a moment Bok’theg thought he heard faint words spoken on the wind. As soon as his skin touched the cold stone, he immediately felt a charge of energy run up his arm. Quickly he removed his hand and stared at the stone in wonder as Roodaka gleefuly fluttered her feathers behind him.
“Does it hear the words Orcflesh? Does it speak to it?”
Bok’theg only smiled in answer. He never heard words. It was visions, feelings, emotion. The book was gently guiding him…leading him to a fate that was as yet unknown. The visions he had of the Draenei invasion of his homeworld and Gul’dan’s cleansing of their filth had filled him with a sense of purpose. Now, in the presence of these shards, he felt a similar sensation.
“It must find them. All of them. The Orcflesh must send his Lak’gora to find these shards. Then she will be happy!”
Standing up, Bok’theg turned to face Roodaka. The Apexis towered over him, her true form was frightening to behold for any mortal. Freed from her elven disguise, she looked like a bird of prey ready to devour the nearest morsel. Bok’theg nodded and rubbed the gem that hung on the chain around his neck.
“We will find them Rood. We will seek them out and bring them together and then we will see where the book leads us.”