The greater crystal exploded into even more brilliant light. A monstrous community of hisses and roars assailed her ears, and Iridi finally beheld what the dwarves battled.
They were reptilian in appearance, but stood on hind legs. Their front paws ended in sharp, curved claws easily capable of rending cloth, flesh, and possibly even armor. Most were of some reddish tinge with yellow stripes, and all wore what appeared to be bands of feathers around their wrists and throats.
They pulled back as one, the light clearly more than their narrow, burning orbs could take. The dwarves, their backs to the crystal, were able to quickly take advantage of the situation. They plunged into the band of reptiles, swinging their axes hard. Heavy blades chopped into scaled hides, spilling innards and life fluids. Three of the fearsome reptiles fell to the ground, two of which were quickly dispatched by the defenders. The third managed to crawl back, its twitching form ignored as the dwarves fought those still standing.
But even thanks to her startling intervention, the stalwart warriors were hard pressed. Iridi counted at least twenty of the savage reptiles who, despite the dwarves' deadly axes, were giving as good as they got. They had both the advantage of size and swiftness... swiftness, in fact, that astounded the draenei. Worse, they used that speed in combination with a clear, organized assault, almost as if they were intelligent. The priestess saw one dwarf cut off from the rest, then surrounded and ripped to shreds before anyone could aid him.
The beast dropped to its knees. With a free hand, the draenei toppled the reptile completely, sending it into one of its companions.
But then a set of claws tore at her cloak. If not for its voluminous design, those claws would have also ripped out her shoulder. As it was, though, her cloak became tangled in the monster's paw. The reptile dragged her toward it, causing the staff to fall from her grip.
Gritting her teeth, Iridi reached her stiffened fingers toward her adversary's open maw—and suddenly the reptile's head separated from its torso and tumbled into her arms. The body shivered, its death throes almost tossing her aside, but powerful arms pulled the startled priestess free before that could happen.
'You must be mad!' Garthin growled. 'Get back inside! The raptors will rip you to shreds!'
'I only wish to help!'
'By getting yourself turned into dinner?' With another growl, the dwarf started dragging her back to the sealed gate.
A savage hiss was the only warning they had before a slavering, stench-ridden form fell upon them. Garthin grunted as a tall whipped across his chest, bowling him over and nearly sending him into the water flowing under the bridge.
The raptor ignored her, more interested in the armored dwarf. Iridi realized that it was likely due to Garthin seeming more of a threat. The raptor assumed that it could deal with the softer, less imposing draenei once the dwarf was dead.
But the reptile had taken no more than a step toward Garthin before the priestess flung herself into its midst. Senses heightened by years of intense training immediately analyzed the beast for any and all vital spots.
One hand hit just below the eye. Her foot struck right under the rib cage.
The raptor crumpled, its breath shocked from it, its nervous system stunned by the hand. Iridi landed atop the fallen creature, then rolled toward Garthin.
The dwarf groaned as she held his head up. His gaze fixed on her.
'Get—Inside—' he demanded.
'Let me help you up,' the priestess said, ignoring his frustration with her. She glanced around for her staff, but could not find it. Instead, Iridi saw Garthin's ax. She used it to enable the fighter to get to his feet.
'Let me have that,' he said in a dark tone. As she obeyed, the dwarf quickly raised his ax high, then burled it in the stricken raptor's throat.
Iridi felt a momentary sense of repulsion, then reminded herself what was going on around them. Garthin had had no choice but to slay the beast.
The dwarf turned to her once more. 'Get back inside, or I'll carry you!'
But that choice was no longer available to them. The battle had fallen back to the bridge, and both were now cut off. Although the raptors appeared unable to swim—for surely they would have otherwise crossed the waters and taken the fighters from behind— neither could the dwarves. Despite what Garthin might desire, Iridi would not abandon him for her sake.
But the dwarf would not be ignored. With a grunt, he seized her wrist. 'This way!'
Garthin led her toward the right, away from the fight. The dwarf moved with purpose, clearly certain of his destination.
'Those reptiles.' Iridi called as they ran. 'Does this often happen?'
'You mean this mayhem? Nay! But somethin's got the lizards all riled up enough to flee their own haunts and try to take ours! Swear they'd even go for the ships if they had the brains to sail 'em!'
The priestess was not so certain that the raptors were not capable of doing just that, but she held her peace. 'So they attack you out of fear of some other threat?'
Garthin chuckled, though there was no humor in the action. 'Fortunate for us, eh? Aye, they started coming a few days back. First a couple, then more, and now, suddenly, this huge lot!'
'Will you have to abandon Menethil Harbor?'
He let out a defiant grunt. 'Only when we're dead... Hah! Here it is!'
They stood before a rock that only the draenei's excellent night vision enabled her to make out. It was roughly the girth of the dwarf, but she saw nothing else remarkable about it.
'Keep an eye out,' Garthin commanded.
As she obeyed, he planted one shoulder against the rock. With tremendous effort, Garthin began shoving it aside.
Iridi kept watch the struggle, which had turned into a stalemate, but also glanced back at both her companion's efforts and the misty Wetlands. Her mind raced as she decided her best choice.
'Here!' the dwarf declared triumphantly. The priestess looked down to discover a hole underneath the rock. It was large and obviously the work of skilled hands...
She Instantly knew what it was for. 'It leads into the town?'
'Aye, into or out of it, depending on circumstances! No raptor'll fit in it, assuming that they could ever find it in the first place. There's a way to cover it back up once we're inside... or rather, once
But Iridi had already made up her mind. She put a gentle hand on her protector's shoulder. 'I am sorry, Garthin.'
'About wha—'
He slumped forward, her fingers having touched the right nerve in his neck to make him temporarily unconscious. The draenei immediately hefted his dense form into the safety hole, then slipped the ax in after. Once assured that Garthin would be all right, the priestess inspected the stone. Unlike the dwarf, Iridi moved it back using not so much strength, but rather a sense of balance and direction.
That done, she returned her attention to the fight. Guilt over abandoning the brave dwarves swept over her, and she started toward the bridge. However, at that moment, more figures came charging from the town, while from above, well-aimed bolts began falling upon the raptors. The tide began to turn.
Iridi thanked the naaru for her sudden luck. There was no sign of her staff, but that was not a significant problem at this point. It would be there for her when she needed it.
She headed Into the Wetlands, seeking the trail by which the raptors had journeyed from their old grounds. Trace back the reptiles' flight and she was certain that she would find that for which she had been searching.
Or it would find her.
A massive, winged form flew through the night over land and sea. It flew with a manic determination that only partially had to do with its mission. Its mind was in turmoil, the result of other events stretching across much of the breadth of the world of Azeroth. Indeed, the mission it was upon was, in some ways, a relief... though it also added new burdens.
