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Prologue

Zino groaned and rubbed his head as he stared at the wooden table supporting him, his vision wavering and unsteady. In his hand, he gripped a half empty mug of the strongest alcohol the shady tavern he was in had. There was only himself and two other patrons in the building, with the barkeep washing bottles idly. It was late at night and most people were now safely tucked away for sleep.

If Zino had the time, he would've taken the tram to Ironforge to drink and get wasted there, where the beer was more tempered by the Dwarves' and their expert brewers. However, the recent news that had came to Stormwind and reached Zino's ears had the young man believing his time was very, very limited. So instead, he had to settle for The Slaughtered Lamb and its swill, trying to drown himself in it as best as he could.

Zino had recently signed up with the 7th Legion, and was due to go into training very soon. He had enlisted after the fall of Darnassus, seeing the flood of refugees coming into Stormwind inspired him to give up his blacksmithing life and put the skills of his craft and his self training to better use. However, the very recent battle for Lordaeron and the loses the Alliance had suffered in the stalemate that resulted, now had Zino sick.

He'd seen the docks; filled with boats and bodies lining the port covered by white sheets. Several of the bodies had their skin melted...their bodies deformed. Zino had learned that Sylvanas, the Banshee Queen and current Warchief for the Horde, had used the plague in the battle, killing Alliance and Horde both and then raising the bodies using her command of the undead.

The next few days had been filled with increasing dread of his due date to begin training at the 7th Legion boot camp. Dieing for the Alliance was one thing, but to be raised as an undead, mindless ghoul...

Shaking, the red head tipped back with his body and head and brought the mug to his lips and downed the rest of the drink in one go, taking large gulps of the drink.

He gasped for air when he finished, setting his mug down and he called over to the bar, “Hey! Can I...get one more over here?" He paused briefly to burp as the drink rolled in his stomach.

The barkeep looked over at him briefly, then looked away. “That's your fifth mug mate...I think you've had enough."

“What? Come on now don't say something like that!" Zino shouted back angrily and tried to raise up out of his chair, but his legs shook as he tried to put weight on them and he promptly slumped back into his chair, groaning and making a rather undignified grumbling noise as he hiccuped.

The bartender laughed lightly, the kind of laugh one would give to someone who didn't know who they were messing with, and returned, “Better just relax. You better not throw up on my floor or I'll be tossing you out on the street where you can sleep with the refugees."

Zino grimaced, as his drunken mind recalled how there were dozens of Night Elves and Worgen currently littering the streets and fringes of the Stormwind. Made homeless by the destruction of their home. He felt sympathy for them, as Zino himself had lost his family and home by Horde attack shortly after the Cataclysm. With the land having shifted and broke apart, his hometown had been brought in close proximity to Horde battalions. The Horde, seeking supplies and food, attempted to barter with his town, but when bartering failed to provide enough…

The young man growled and took a breath as he prepared more words to give the bartender, before the door at the back of the Tavern's room burst open and a plume of purple smoke flooded into the main room. A large Worgen wearing dark red leather armor along his whole body stumbled forward out of the cloud filling the room beyond the door. He wore no helmet or hood, his head exposed and the black fur along it being the only fur visible on his entire body.

“Titan's above…" He coughed in a rough voice as he waved his paw slowly to clear the air around him. “Way to ruin the potion…"

A second Worgen followed behind the first, wearing purple robes with a hood over his lupine head and form, ears perked up through it. He seemed unperturbed by the smoke and seemed to pout as he put his large, clawed and pawed hands on his hips and his lower lip stuck out. “Well hey, you came to me. There was just a little bit too much Akunda's Bite in that I guess…"

“Horris!" One of the other human patrons at the bar suddenly shouted, “I thought I told you to keep your “renters" under wraps?"

The bartender, who was apparently Horris, growled, “Watch yourself Maxmillus, I'll do to you what I just told that boy over there."

The robed worgen stepped closer to the human named Maxmillus and seem to flourish, “There's no need for any one to be aware of anything going on downstairs eh? Afterall, after everything that's happened, you really wouldn't want to cause such a disturbance for warlocks do you?"

Maxmillus appeared more aghast that the warlock was being so casual about his profession, but bared his teeth shortly after, “We'll see about that, the last thing Stormwind needs now is any portals to the Nether opening up right under it. I'll make sure the guards hear about this."

Quickly, the worgen shuffled closer and wrapped one of his long arms around Maxmillus' shoulders and squeezed him tightly. “Hey, we are on the same side here, anything going on down there will only benefit the Alliance. After having to go through battling the Burning Legion, do you really think we want to invite them back? Just because we practice demonology doesn't mean we want them here."

As the warlock had Maxmillus' attention on his face, the paw that was outside his field of vision was hovering over the human's mug. Zino watched small, crushed up leaves fall into the mug, and in the back of his mind, he wanted to call out to the human not to drink the concoction, but the red armored worgen caught Zino's gaze, the stern glare in the blue eyes froze him in place.

“Now then." The warlock said as he finished sprinkling the leaves into the mug and he grinned while standing back, “Let's let bygones be bygones. I mean look, the smoke is already gone, and it was just a little alchemy trying to make a potion. Nothing about demons so…" He stepped around the bar, Horris handing the warlock a bottle. “Let's have a drink to relax ya? On me?"

Before Maxmillus even answered if he wanted the drink, the worgen began to pour it into his mug, cleverly diluting and causing the leaves he'd sprinkled in to vanish among the frothing bubbles of ale.

With a toothy grin, the worgen brought the bottle up and tipped it towards the human, and then reared his head back and began to guzzle the rest of the bottle.

Maxmillus scowled, but as a soldier, he wasn't going to turn down a free beverage and started to drink his own mug. Beside Zino, the leather clad rogue grinned widely.

Slowly, the seconds ticked by, as the warlock finished his drink and he gave a burp of happiness and watched Maxmillus finishing his own drink. The human quard finished and gave a breathy sigh of happiness. Sitting down his mug, he chuckled merrily, “I suppose you are right. After all, our warlocks can't be that bad, with Belthazar on our side."

The warlock grinned, “Oh, why would he be the factor?"

“He turned several demons against the Burning Legion using some strange power, from what I heard he's the only one who knows how to do it. He's rumoured to have his own Burning Legion under his command." Maxmillus returned to scowling, “He seems to refuse to tell others how to do it though, and further refuses to lend aid to the Alliance."

“He's told the rest of us that he believes his talents would be better served in trying to fix the World Scar." The worgen shrugged casually, grinning.

Maxmillus growled his words, “Let the druids, shamans, and their ilk handle the healing of the world. There's a war to win and thousands of people to avenge against that bitch Sylvanas." For a short moment, the human seemed to have difficulty focusing, and he burped and wobbled as if he'd suddenly become incredibly intoxicated. “The Cenarion Circle has been pulling further and further away from the Horde after she...burned down Tel...drassil…"

Suddenly Maxmillus slumped to the side and he fell from his barstool, landing on the floor with a very ungraceful crash. He remained still, and the warlock tutted. “Seems someone can't hold their booze."

“You didn't really have to do that you know." The other worgen said, leaving Zino's side and he reached down to take hold of the human, lifting him up easily into the air and then throwing his limp body up over his shoulder. “The Stormwind guard have long since stopped caring about anyone complaining about the warlocks here."

“I can't afford any undue attention being drawn to my work." the other returned while eyeing the bottle in his paw and he sighed. “Well anyway, you can take care of him right?"

“Yeah, I'll see that he wakes up safely." The red armored rogue turned and began to walk away. It was now that Zino noticed the two daggers hanging at the worgen's waist, their holdster's shaking slightly with his walking gait. He also noticed the yellow and round charm hanging by a chain on the worgen's chest.

“What was it he gave him?" Zino finally managed to speak, and the rogue stopped next to him and looked down at him, his massive, lupine form twice that of Zino.

“Nothing serious, just a little something that would make him forget this little evening. He'll be just fine, don't you worry your head on it." The worgen eyed Zino carefully, and his eyes fell on the 7th Legion medallion that was attached to Zino's belt.

“You with the 7th?"

Zino looked down, his slowly soberring mind reminded once more of his own impending mortality. “I just enlisted a few weeks ago…" he answered lightly.

The worgen eyed him a little longer, before he huffed and turned his head, “Don't let the stories frighten you too much, newbie." Zino looked up, the worgen had closed his eyes as he spoke, “The battle of Lordaeron may have ended with heavy losses, but Sylvanus wouldn't have used the plague like she did without suffering severe backlash from her own Horde. There will be a tipping point…"

With that, the rogue continued past Zino. Zino watched him he felt some innate want to know, so the words fell from his mouth, “Who are you?"

The rogue didn't stop this time as he reached the door and answered, “I'm Liki." and then he opened it and stepped out into the blue and purple streets of the Mage's Quarter. “Belthazar, I'll let you know if I find any more Anchor Weeds."

“Hmm, sure thing Liki!" The other worgen waved while he was still examining the bottle he held while standing next to Horris.

“Liki?" Zino questioned just as the door closed in front of him.

“You must not have heard that most recent news." The worgen now named as Belthazar chortled from the bar. “Dear Liki has been named one of two Champions, alongside a Horde Champion."

“What?" Zino turned towards the warlock. “Champion of what?"

“Of Azeroth." Belthazar stated, “Alongside his own duties towards the Alliance, Liki has now also been charged by the planet itself to assist in healing it. That fancy amulet he has around his neck is known as “The Heart of Azeroth." and it can absorb the leaking and residual life force of the planet."

“You're talking about the World Scar, right?"

“Indeed. With the Burning Legion's defeat, Sargeras gave his last attack and, as you know, stabbed our planet with his blade. The massive sword is pouring demonic energy into our planet, and has caused the creation of Azerite, the new resource that has caused the Horde to grow itself far too many balls…"

Belthazar placed his bottle down finally and moved around the bar, reaching into the pocket of his robe. He showed Zino a small, yellow, orange and blue tinted crystal. A small piece of Azerite.

“These crystals contain incredible energy, and if ground into powder can be used as munitions for cannons and other engineering amazements. However...these crystals are the very life force of our planet." Belthazar growled and he closed his paw over the crystal. “Just like Maxmillus said, I refuse to participate willingly in this war while both sides are using the very life of Azeroth as fuel. This is caused by demonic energy, and while I respect the Cenarion Circle and the Earthen Ring, it's probably better understood and solved by those practiced in dealing with demonic energy. So far they've achieved little but argue with each other and stopping some of the bleeding caused by this wound. Stopping the bleeding is fine, but the internal wounds fester."

Belthazar turned towards the back door and began to excuse himself. “Anyway, that's enough talk about me...it's late and I think it's time to retire for the night."

Zino nodded and he silently excused himself, walking to the door and entering the chill night air to return home in the Old Town sector. Dozens of refugees littered the streets, huddled up for warmth. Worgens shettled night elves from the cold with their big, furry bodies.

Zino remembered the Cataclysm caused by Deathwing. At the time, Gilneas had been dealing with an infestation, an infestation of feral worgen. Most Gilneans were infected with the worgen curse, but thanks to the brilliant alchemists the citystate held, were able to take back control of their bodies from their feral minds. The Gilneans were just managing to recover when Deathwing tore through Azeroth, causing earthquakes that shattered the land and waves to crash and flood. The Dwarves even had a dam break open in Loch Moden.

When the Cataclysm struck, the Horde, at the time under the command of Garrosh Hellscream, took advantage of the chaos and attacked Gilneas to gain its land. They had not known of their affliction with the worgen curse when they first struck, but quickly used it to their advantage and destroyed the remaining supplies of potion that allowed the Gilneans to keep control. With supplies starting to dwindle, several reverted back to their feral states.

Hope seemed a little lost for the worgen, just when their salvation arrived. The Night Elves, following the movements of the Horde, arrived and with their druidic magics, helped the afflicted Gilneans regain their humanity and fight back the Horde, to later then be settled within Darnassus and the tree Teldrassil.

With their home ravaged by the Horde and owing their rescue and sanity to the night elves, King Genn Greymane had to pledge his people to the Alliance, something he had avoided and denounced for years. However, with his son being killed by Sylvanus during the raids on Gilneas and his pride to repaying what he owed, revenge and passion drove the solitary king forward.

So now, worgen were a common sight to see in Stormwind and other lands. Where once a worgen was a terrible thing to see, there were now seen as some of the fiercest warriors the Alliance had to offer. Where weapons may fail a warrior, teeth and claws worked just as well. As they proved themselves in battle, several individuals volunteered themselves to receive the bite of a worgen and become one themselves.

And now, they filled the streets of Stormwind, made homeless yet again by the Horde.

Zino sighed sadly at the current state the world seemed stuck in. Where once he felt optimism and courage when he first signed up had led him to depression and fear. Liki's words echoed back to him to not let the stories scare him. Perhaps the worgen had the right of it. Based on what Belthazar told him, Liki must be well known and a practiced warrior.

Zino entered his home in Old Town and quickly reached his bed, flopping down onto the bed to pass out.

_______________________

Chapter One.

Zino woke up the next morning with his head briefly pounding from the slight hangover he had. Waking up always sucked after trying to drink for him.

His clothes felt scratchy and old, it seemed it was time to get them a good washing.

Zino quickly left his home and approached the wash house in Old Town, a public washroom with a local place to wash and dry out clothes. Zino entered the washroom and blushed, hiding his face from the few men in the room, completely naked as they washed themselves.

It was very unfortunate, Zino had decided, that he was attracted to men. It was one of the reasons he was still alone. He had no time to look for sexual pleasure, and risking his emotions any further in dating someone now that he was a soldier was just asking for more depression. He still couldn't help but admire soldiers and their bodies. As a blacksmith, his own body was not that bad, but soldiers always took the cake for him.

Other races weren't that bad looking as well, but Zino had never really felt much attraction to them. But then again, he'd never seen any other race but fellow humans in the nude. Perhaps a Dwarve wouldn't be so bad to look at…

Zino shook the thought from his mind as he rushed to the washing bins. Several barrels of mineral water stood in a line with a ladle in each one. The ladle was used to scoop the water and pour it over ones head if one was washing themselves. As this was poor section of Stormwind, this was the only place to wash. No one could afford the amounts of water needed to fill a tub of their own in their own home. Thankfully though, King Anduin supplied the water for the public bathhouse with no charge to the people living there.

Zino pulled off his clothing and exposed himself. As a blacksmith, his body was fairly toned and muscular, perhaps not as much as a soldier, but for his arms they were muscular and strong. He was proud of it, and of the rest of his body. He was decently sized all around, and with fields of red hair covering his body, he felt unique in that sense.

Zino began to dip his clothing in the cleansing mineral water and then squeezed out as much of the water as he could, doing this several times before he brought the clothing to a rack line hanging along the ceiling of the building. He would have to wait for it to dry enough to wear before leaving the building. He sat down at a bench and held his head in one hand while thinking again about what was going to happen to him in the next few days.

A few minutes past of just the two men washing when three more men entered the bathhouse, each wearing Stormwind guard clothing, their tabards still on.

“Have you heard? Liki is going with Jaina to Kul Tiras." one of them said eagerly.

“I have, but I don't much see the point." the middle one returned as they began to disrobe. “There's no way the Kultirans are going to willingly join into the Alliance. They're too much like Gilneas."

“Yes, but look at Gilneas now. Surely Kul Tiras can see that trying to stay neutral will only end in their destruction."

The third guard shrugged, “Maybe...perhaps that's why they asked Liki to go. As a Gilnean himself, perhaps he is the best to attempt to persuade their leadership. And as the Alliance Champion, he represents the Alliance's efforts to heal the planet."

“Bah, why did Magni even do that, why let the Horde have a Champion too? They're doing the exact opposite of what Magni wants."

The three guards continued to chatter away as Zino began to get lost to his thoughts instead of listening to them. Liki...where did that sound familiar?

The faded and alcohol addled memories of the night before slowly came back to him as he remembered the red leather clad worgen from the tavern. What kind of person was Liki? He knew next to nothing about the rogue but it seemed he was very well known. Why had Zino never heard of him before? Probably because he had spent most of his life focusing on his profession other than worrying about the army or the wars.

He decided he'd have to find out more about Liki.

____________________________

Zino spent some time in the armory trying to drum up information about Liki from the keepers and soldiers. Nearly all talked about him in glowing praise, while some others spoke about him as if he was just a normal person. Zino learned much about Liki's history.

The worgen was of course, as Zino already knew, a Gilnean who had survived the ordeals of the Horde's assault on their land, and then immediately joined in the assaults on Deathwing. Liki had reportedly created a pair of daggers imbued with Deathwing's essence with the help of the last of the black dragons.

Liki then traveled to the newly discovered lands of Pandaria and became a well known ambassador for the Alliance. Many of the island's inhabitants trusted Liki more than they would trust any king or warchief. With the Horde's actions bordering insanity under Garrosh Hellscream, including the destruction of Theramore and slowly inciting the other races of the Horde against him. Claiming orcs were the true rulers of the Horde, the rest of the Horde and many orcs that disagreed with Hellscream turned against him, and Alliance and Horde briefly fought together to take down Garrosh, finding out that he had been willingly letting himself be tainted by Old Gods.

Then came the following debacle with Garrosh escaping his imprisonment and going back in time. He altered time and while a large amount of the information was withheld from public records and knowledge, it was known that Liki was the one who led the small faction of Alliance from an outpost on the altered world and that Garrosh's goal was to recruit the orcs of the past to become his own new Iron Horde. Garrosh was killed, and in altering the past, changed the fate of Gul'dan and the rest of the orcs on the planet.

With the plans of Garrosh foiled, the events in the altered past led to Gul'dan gaining access to the normal timeline and the invasion of the Burning Legion. Most of the events Liki took part in was unknown to many, as Liki reportedly brought together several organizations of shady elements to build power and influence, as well as the emergence of Illidan Stormrage and the Illidari Demon Hunters.helped to bring the fight against the Burning Legion.

Which then led to Sargasas stabbing Azeroth in his final act before being locked away on the other side of the portal between Azeroth and the Burning Legion's world, and then the emergence of Azerite leading the most recent events and the brewing war again igniting between the Alliance and Horde.

Zino had made a choice after finding out all this information, which now had him standing just outside the throne room within Stormwind Keep. He had requested to see Genn Greymane about Liki. At first he had been turned away by the guards telling him to go away, which was expected by him considering he was just a lowly grunt who hadn't even yet started training. But through his persistence, he managed to get one of them to tell Greymane of his wish to see him and surprisingly the grizzled man had agreed.

“Zino." The guard peeked out from the door into Greymane's room, “You may enter now."

Zino nodded and gave a moment to relax himself as he stepped up and the guard opened the door the rest of the way for him.

The room was small, with just a single desk and a few shelves along the wall behind it filled with books and documents. Sitting at the desk was a grey haired human wearing black, gold embroidered clothing.

“Leave us." Greymane grumbled to the guard, who saluted and promptly left the room, closing the door behind them and leaving Zino alone with the gruff man at the desk.

“Why is it you have an interest in Liki?" Greymane asked after a few moments of silence passed, not even looking up from the scrolls and books he was reading and writing through.

“My lord…" Zino started, his throat feeling incredibly dry suddenly. He hadn't felt this nervous since standing in front of King Anduin when he received his 7th Legion insignia. “I wanted to request to become a worgen...and be placed under Liki's command."

Greymane looked up at this, his eyes narrowed. He had expected merely some questions about his friend's origins, thinking Zino was just some new soldier looking to inspire themselves with stories.

“That's quite a tall request…" Greymane studied him, and took a moment to close the book he had been looking through. “Zino, was it?"

“Yes sir." The red head nodded.

“That with a z or an x?" Greymane asked while he dipped his feather pen into an inkwell.

“A z, sir…" Zino answered, the obvious hint of curiosity entering his voice as Greymane smirked at him.

“Zino…" The old king started as he began writing on the parchment in front of himself. “You're not the first one to ask about becoming...for lack of better words, a student of Liki's. Why should I consider you for that at all? There are several other much more capable soldiers, even ones already worgen, that I could place under Liki."

Zino fought to remain calm and not lose the confidence he had came into the keep with, “Well sir...I have honestly nothing to offer or say I'm better than them. The only thing I can offer is that a lack of experience means a blank slate, and one which Liki can turn into whatever he needs."

“Hah…clumsily said but well meaning I suppose." Greymane chortled while he had continued to write on the parchment steadily and looked up at him again, “Why did you join the 7th Legion?"

“I wanted to fight back sir...I lost my own family to the Horde during the time of the Cataclysm. When I heard about Teldrassil...I couldn't ignore the rest of the world any longer and keep hammering away at swords and shields in a blacksmith camp."

“And why the sudden interest with Liki?"

Zino fell silent a moment, which caused Greymane to lift his eyebrows a bit to get him to speak and the sighed, “Sir...with the recent attack on Lordaeron and the tales I heard of the battle...It is one thing to die for the Alliance, but it is another to be raised as a zombie. I've been drowning myself in drink to try and forgot my fears, but have been unsuccessful. I happened to encounter Liki last night, and his words have left an impact on me…"

Greymane looked down at his paper again, “They typically do manage to do that…" and the king continued to scripple away at his parchment for several silent seconds. Zino was beginning to think he was he was going to be denied before Greymane shifted the paper around to face Zino and beckoned him forward.

“As you may or not know." Greymane said as Zino came forward and began to read the parchment. “Agreeing to become a worgen is not a simple matter. You'll be permanently transformed. While you may be able to change back for small amounts of time, you eventually always shift back into the beast. It's nearly impossible to remain in human form while doing anything extraneous. There's also been several established rules and laws about a worgen biting another."

“I'm aware of that, my lord." Zino said in return, but Genn smirked, continuing.

“You also become infertile to all but other worgen. There's been plenty of petitions to stop calling being worgen a “curse" and classify them as another race all together now since we have control." Genn slid his chair back and stood up, putting his hands behind him as he strode around the desk, “However, there are still specific urges and feelings that come from being worgen, from being part of a wild beast."

Zino squinted, “What urges might that be sir…" His heart pounded as he feared something devious.

“Probably the exact kinds of things you may expect. You'll have to change your diet to a more meat based variety, and you'll find sleeping comes harder since you have more energy. It is a life changing experience to be sure, but if handled properly you can maintain a modicum of life." Zino felt a bit of relief, it didn't exactly match what he had expected. Or perhaps that was disappointment...

Greymane pointed at the paper in Zino's hands, “This is a letter that I want you to deliver to Liki, personally."

“Personally sir? But didn't he already leave with Jaina for Kul Tiras?"

“Yes, he has. At our King's asking I am going to be following close behind them to formally establish the Alliance's presence in Kul Tiras." Genn handed Zino a holder to keep the letter in, “I don't want you to read that letter though, better that you don't know what's written on it."

“Uh...very well my lord…" Zino said and he took the leather letter holder and rolled it up, placing it inside. He looked back up with confusion, “Then sir, are you saying I will be coming with you to Kul Tiras?"

“Preciously right. You'll be coming with me for right now, you won't need any belongings. Anything you need can be supplied on the way there."

Zino could hardly believe this, but as Genn opened the door and started to leave, it didn't leave Zino much time to gather his thoughts or questions as he had to hurry to follow him.

Just a few hours later, Zino was watching Stormwind city fade into the distance from the starboard side of a large ship. The wind seemed right and the ocean air smelled salty but fresh. It was exciting but filled Zino with that sense of adventure and caution.

The thought had eventually occurred to Zino, as they were boarding the boat, that this seemed rather presumptuous of Anduin and Genn. Genn was being sent to create and establish the Alliance's points of contact within Kul Tiras, but that was acting under the assumption that Kul Tiras would even welcome Liki and Jaina with open arms.

When he posed this concern to some of the soldiers, they echoed it but merely continued about their duties. It was not their place to question their king and lord, and nor was it Zino's. So, he kept any further worry to himself.

___________________________

I thought this was going to end badly... Zino thought to himself as he had his hands on the sword hilted at his side.

Upon their arrival at Kul Tiras and the city of Boralus, it had been difficult to dock because the dock workers fled at their arrival and the guards, rather then offer help, remained close to the city walls brandishing weapons. It was not long after they had managed to dock the boat on their own that they ended up surrounded by about a dozen Kul Tiran guardsmen.

Kul Tirans were built far larger than the other men of the world, Zino judged. As a nation with the best navy on Azeroth, the males among the guards were huge and burley looking men, some with a mustache to go with the whole look. The women looked a bit the same as a mainlander, though clearly more lean and with different facial features that set them apart.

Genn was standing before the commander of the guards, teeth gritted as he tried to negotiate peace with them. But nothing was working as the commander continued to tell Genn that the Alliance was not welcome here and to leave at once. When Genn tried to question where Jaina and Liki were, he was told that no such people had ever came to Kul Tiras, and again told to leave.

But Genn wasn't giving in, and the more the commander and him argued, the more agitated the guards around them were becoming, and Genn's personal guard, the Greywatch, where answering in kind, already brandishing their own weapons the same way the Kul Tirans were at them. Genn was starting to lose control, his ears had elongated and became pointed and he began to growl.

“What is the meaning of this!?" A sudden, booming voice barked over the argument and the commander turned to a nearby entryway.

“Sir!" The commander saluted and began to explain, “These intruders are attempting to dock their boat without permission."

“Since when do we refuse visiting vessels Commander?" the newcomer growled deeply while he approached the middle of the circle, pushing aside two of the guards easily. He was even bigger and more beefy then them, his face clean shaven but his tan shirt and brown pants looked rugged and gave an air of power.

“Sir…?" The commander started to speak, “Ashvane ordered us to refuse all vessels…"

“Lady Ashvane? Is that Lady Ashvane's crest on your shield? No, you serve the Proudmoore admiralty, and I've heard no such order come from Lady Proudmoore."

“But sir-"

“Further, these docks are mine and you take your orders from me, not from some pompous politician sitting too high on her horse." The large man stood over the smaller commander, arms folded across his chest. “Stand down...and I shall parley with these folks in my office…"

The commander snarled briefly but eventually waved his arm and shouted, “Stand down! Go back to your posts!"

The dozen guards slowly put down their weapons and sheathed them. The Greywatch did the same at the same pace as the commander scowled still, and then walked around the large dock master to leave briskly.

“Come Genn…" The harbor master growled at Genn, “We already have your Champion inside…"

Genn readily followed the man as he turned, “It is good to see you Cyrus."

“Things here are not good, Genn, the arrival of your champion and Jaina has set several pins off and it's going to be difficult to set things back to normal."

As Zino followed and was about to enter, Genn turned towards him and held up his hand.

“Wait out here Zino. I am not sure what Liki has been through, and I don't know if finding out I'm asking him to take you on as an apprentice would be wise right away."

Zino nodded silently and he stepped back down the stairway as Genn entered the Harbourmaster's office, and he sat down on the bottom step to wait patiently as the rest of the Greyguard waited with him.

_____________________

A few hours past by as Zino waited outside the office. He was starting to feel fidgety. The Greyguard didn't seem to move a single muscle as two stood next to the doorway and the others stood at the ends of the harbours' walkways. Only a few dock workers dared to walk by them, the residents were wary of the newcomers. Zino felt horribly out of place.

Here he was, an untrained, just recently enlisted soldier pulled across the ocean by one of his leaders. It was unreal, did this kind of thing happen often among the upper elite of the Alliance? He was impressed at the discipline that the Greyguard had. Was that how a veteran should act?

He looked at the letter holster currently strapped to his waist by his sword. If what he knew now was right, the letter was a formal written request by Genn to Liki to take Zino on as his apprentice. Would that mean as well that Liki would be turning him into a worgen as well?

He was contemplating all these things when the door to the office opened and out stepped a familiar face. Liki growled back into the room, “I'll first see to fixing the more local issues, getting the city to Lady Proudmoore to accept us is the most important...I'll meet Flynn out in the wilds to look into the connections." The worgen paused a moment as his eyes fell on Zino and after a few moments they filled with a sense of recognition.

“You're...that young soldier from Stormwind...at the Slaughtered Lamb. What are you doing here?"

Zino reached for the letter holder and popped it open, bringing out the letter and he held it out. “I was told I had to deliver this to you face to face."

Liki's face posed the obvious question and confusion, but he reached out and took the letter, turning it up right and began to read. Just a few dozen seconds past, and as Liki read his eyes grew wider and in the middle of reading he growled and turned back to the still open doorway.

“GENN!" The worgen shouted out in anger, as he stomped back up the stairs.

Genn already stood on the inside of the doorway, it seemed the king had expected this outburst, as Liki came to stand over him on the outside of the door. Three others, including the man named Cyrus from earlier, stared as Liki growled in front of his king. “You really think you can tell me what is best for myself?"

“I simply believe it is time for you to try and move on...You've spent enough years operating alone, I'd hope that now that you led your own organization of sorts, that you'd be more inclined to-"

“There is no inclination to anything, Genn." Liki snarled, and Zino watched wideyed. Liki showed no fear in talking to one of his kings in such a manner. “He'll only get killed following me. He has no experience."

“A blank canvas that which you could turn into whatever you may need." Genn nodded. “He requested to be placed under your command, came to me himself in fact. If you do not want him in danger, then order him to stay here in the city. But as you already have seen as well, the Alliance is not seen too kindly here. As the Alliance Champion, we wanted to give you a retainer as well, but as you know, it was decided to determine who it should be at a later time, after the military recovered from Lordaeron…"

Liki still seemed determined to argue, “You've gone under King Anduin on this decision Genn. He would never have-"

“Do not implicate that Anduin would not trust my judgement on you, my dear friend." Genn said the last parts with a stern tone. “I know you better than anyone. It is time you forgot the past...and prepare for the future."

Liki stared silently at his king for several seconds before he turned his head over his shoulder a moment to look back at Zino. Zino offered the best look of determination he could muster, staring directly back into the worgen's blue eyes, before Liki looked back to Genn.

He huffed and turned around and muttered, “Fine then...come along you...guess you're now my follower." Liki stopped next to Zino and he leaned in to briefly sniff at the human's neck. Liki snorted and shook his head slightly as he took in the scent, “For however long you last…" He growled and then kept walking away.

Zino turned and followed behind the large worgen, now noticing a few torn edges on his armor and he questioned, “What happened to you?"

“None of your business what happened!" Liki snarled, “Stay quiet unless I say you can talk...can't believe this…"

Zino shut his mouth and remained quiet as he followed behind his new leader.

_____________________________

After whatever heavy day that Liki had experienced, the worgen had decided he needed time to recover and so he and Zino retired at the inn. Liki had flashed some sort of badge and the inn keeper had allowed him to take a room without question.

Zino sat silently at a table watching the worgen fumble about with his things. From his pockets he somehow produced multiple things that wouldn't normally fit in them. Several books, herbs, bottles and alchemical tools were brought out and placed on the desk the worgen sat at. After setting up the alchemical devices, Liki began to struggle with his armor, eventually managing to unlatch and remove the thick leather covering his upper body. Zino could only guess that Liki's armor had very expensive enchantments on them to allow him to hold such items in his pockets.

Liki pulled the armor off with a groan, the spikey shoulderguards appeared directly connected to the chest and body armor. The worgen's black-grey fur puffed out as it got a chance to breath and Liki huffed softly.

The rogue turned the chest armor around in his paws and growled as he saw the lashes in the back of the armor. “Another one hundred gold repair bill…" He said.

Zino couldn't help himself as he spoke, “I could fix it, if you have the leather."

The rogue paused and turned his head. “I forgot you were even here...at least you're quiet, that can be useful in being a rogue...which you'll have to try and be if you're hanging around me." The worgen turned fully and he slapped the leather armor onto the table in front of Zino. “You can fix it eh? Better now than later. Hang on…"

Liki turned and pulled out a small medallion from his pocket, and after a few moments, it glowed and suddenly a small piece of leather plopped down in his paw above the medallion. The worgen slapped that onto the table as well, “Have at it, put those blacksmith skills to use."

Zino took out a small skinning knife and a set of blacksmithing tools from his bag, since Genn hadn't allowed him to get his own tools from his home or workplace he had to settle for a simple set provided to him on the ship. He began trying to work while Liki turned away once more and instead began to tinker with the vials and bottles, pulling apart pieces of the herbs he had and alternately sprinkling them into a mixture inside the bottles.

The human eyed the back of the worgen, this being the first time he'd gotten to look at any worgen not wearing armor or clothing on most of their body. The fur was thick and slightly unkempt, but it didn't deny the muscular and intense body under it. Liki's back was sculpted and his shoulders broad. Zino had never really felt much attraction to male worgen as he did to other men. But, Zino thought, given that he had now given himself to becoming a worgen, he supposed they didn't look that bad. If anything, at least the fur would be good to cuddle up to. His mind wondered further though, and questioned. Do they have canine cocks?

The human tried to clear his thoughts and focus on his work, but at the same time he began to stitch in the leather scrap Liki spoke up himself, “So...Zino yeah? That's the name Genn wrote in the letter anyway."

“That's right." Zino confirmed and Liki chuckled.

“Ever had anyone pronounce it wrong?"

The human hummed slightly, “Well...not really, had it spelt wrong though."

“Heh, lucky you."

Zino looked again at Liki's back as the worgen was holding up a bottle to the light and swirling its contents, the fluid inside turning into a sickly green. “Why?"

“Nothing annoys me more than someone pronouncing my name wrong. It's Ly-key, not Licky."

“Everyone I spoke with about you seemed to know exactly how to say it." Zino said as he worked.

“Any of them tell you the reason why they knew how to?"

The human shook his head, “No...what is the reason?"

“Cause no one wants to end up like the last guy who said it wrong in front of me."

Zino paused again. Liki, sensing the pause, continued on, “Before I became a worgen and a rogue, back in Gilneas. I was working at a tavern as the barkeep. One of the locals who had a tiff with me decided he wanted to be funny and called me Licky. He would do it at any opportunity, and began to add colorful additions to it. “Licky Sucky." and the like. His buddies began doing it and then other people started to do it too. The Tavern started to be referred to as The Licky Drop instead of the The Last Drop."

Liki held up the bottle in his paw once more, then brought it down to add a single leaf to the mixture, the green colored liquid began to bubble and then Liki placed the vial on a burner. “I was also an apothecary on the side and eventually I got tired of him and his nonsense. My master taught me a trick and I concocted a poison that I snuck into his and his buddies' drinks. No one's heard from them again."

“Wait…" Zino blinked, “You mean you killed them?"

“Hmmm?" Liki asked in genuine surprise, but then realized the implication, “Oh, no, the poison shriveled their vocal cords, they could only speak in guttural groans and noises. Since they couldn't speak, they couldn't get me in trouble right away. By the time they managed to get someone to try and charge me, there was no evidence that I made anything since I made it at my master's lab, not my own. But...people knew that I had poisoned them, it was just a kind of unspoken understanding." Liki removed the vial from the burner and he gently shook it while examining the color, before he sat it down and began to tear apart more herbs and add them into a new vial with water in it.

“When the worgen curse began to spread through the city, I think only a few of them survived, and then only one survived the following Horde attack." Liki said softly, “It's a rather...sad thought that nearly makes me wish I had killed them, at least then they wouldn't have had to suffer through that."

“How were you bitten?"

Liki's ears twitched, “Myself? I...can't remember…I think Crowley once told me she was there. By that time my master had died, and I had developed my own poisons and was using them to help fight off the feral worgen...I guess I got overwhelmed. I just remember the next few hours being filled with this...just this intense heat...and then when I woke up, I was clamped in irons and in a new body. Another apothecary somehow managed to create something to give us back control."

Liki turned towards Zino, and now that he was facing the human without wearing armor or holding it in the way, it gave him a view of the scar on his chest. A small, furless patch of skin on his right pectoral. “I had gone feral again soon after when the Horde destroyed the supply of ingredients, and woke up once more in Darnassus, after everything had happened and the Night Elf Druids could help me gain control."

The worgen looked off to the side a bit, “A lot of things have happened since then." He sighed and then turned back to his apothecary set. “I've always worked alone, I've only ever worked alongside others when it's just impossible for one person alone to do. No offense to you, but you're probably going to end up dead by the end of tomorrow with what we'll be doing."

“What exactly will we be doing?" Zino asked carefully.

“Assaulting a pirate stronghold, and trying to find out why they've become so bold recently."

“Pirates have been attacking Kul Tiras?"

“From reports that Cyrus has, yes, and they have Azerite weaponry. So we need to find out where they getting it from."

Zino bristled, “The Horde?"

Liki shrugged, “It could be. Could be worse, but either way, it's going to be very dangerous. With you being so untrained and green, I can't guarantee your survival."

The irritation seemed to return to Liki and he growled, “I can't understand Genn, believing I want you to even be around. I have too much to worry about with having you following after me."

“I'll make sure that I do my best, I'm not completely clueless. I at least know how to swing a sword and hold a shield." Zino said, trying to defend himself but remain as respectful of his new commander as possible.

“What about a pair of daggers?" Liki said and he stood, setting down the beaker he was holding and turning towards Zino once more. Zino paused from the work he was doing on the leather armor and he looked at the rogue. Standing, Liki towered over the sitting human, but as the worgen came closer there came a slight musk from the large male. The scent reminded Zino of the kind of smell he'd get from times spent with other men.

“Uh...yeah...at least efficiently." He said and leaned slightly away from Liki as the worgen hovered over him.

“Heh, then here, take these." Liki reached into the pockets of the leather pants he was still wearing and again, from the enchanted insides, pulled out a pair of daggers.

“Whoa...those are stealthblades…" Zino gaped and then even further as the worgen placed the pair of blades on the table, “Wait, are you serious? These are like, super rare." Zino reached out and took hold of the sheathed daggers and he pulled one free of its sheath. The white steel blade gleamed in the light of the nearby lantern as he held it up and admired the craftsmanship. Slightly curved, and with the ends sharpened to fine points, Zino was sure these would cut through anything but plate armor like butter, and even then the short shape would let it slip between the plates.

“Consider those yours now, as well as these." Liki said and then he sat down two vials of the green bubbling liquid. The worgen uncorked one of the vials and took the sheaths of the blades and held the bottle at the openings. Carefully, he let half a dozen drops of the liquid drip into each of the sheaths and then corked the bottle once more.

“That will make sure that your blades have a coating of the poison, it should be good for a long while, just replace it once every day with six drops. Better to save it for a day if you think you won't need it, the herbs that make this aren't easy to come by. Make sure you don't ingest it yourself though. It's fine if it's just on your skin, but don't let it get into your blood. I can make you more and teach you how to make it yourself, if we get to that point."

“What will this poison do?" Zino asked as he returned both of the blades to their poisoned sheaths. The poison inside spread up through the sheath, a little bit of the fluid dripping from the openings as the metal displaced it.

“It will kill. Eventually...and if the antidote isn't given, of which only myself and Belthazar should know. At the moment it enters the blood, it'll cause numbness and lethargy as well, slowing down the victim. Helps you get the advantage, or gives you the chance to run away, either to escape or hide and surprise your opponent later on."

Zino scowled a bit at such a thing, “That sounds...cowardly…"

“Not cowardly, crafty." Liki chuckled, “Keep your ideas of honor and fair fighting to your own mind. You'll find that a large number of pirates have no such honor. For a rogue, honor is in staying alive."

“I'll keep that in mind…" Zino said as he kept the stealthblades next to him and he eyed the daggers at Liki's hips. The hilts were spiked out and red, matching the color of his armor. “I've never seen those kind of daggers though…"

“These?" Liki said and he pawed the hilt of one of the daggers at his waist. “These are Dusk Blades. Not too well known outside of...certain circles. Please do not touch them, ever." Liki added sternly and Zino nodded.

The worgen turned back to his apothecary set up and Zino decided that he'd better ask the last of the more immediate questions he had on his mind. “So...will you be the one to bite me as well?"

Liki's attitude quickly changed and he gave a growl and glared at Zino. “No, I won't be."

“Why not?" Zino interrupted the worgen before he could continue.

Liki growled once more and leaned in on the human. Zino leaned back, regretting his question rather quickly as the worgen's body hovered over him. It gave him direct exposure to that thick and heady worgen musk. Zino couldn't help his bodies reaction to breath it in deeply even as he was trying to lean back.

Liki snarled, “For three good reasons. For one, you're barely ready to fight as it is, so I don't trust you'll be able to adjust your forms and stances to suit a body nearly twice your current size. Second, even if you were ready, I first have to get potions ready so you can keep control, or get ahold of one of the druids that know how to help you permanently keep it." Now, the male worgen grinned slightly, but his eyes held his annoyance still, “And three, you're wanting this body for the wrong reasons."

Zino blinked at the last one and Liki chortled as he pulled back and he went back to his table, “A worgen's nose is like an actual wolf's. I can smell a change in your scent on the slightest change. You're attracted to men."

Zino blushed and he stared down at the table and leather armor in front of him.

“I don't care who you may lay with, I've also done so with a few myself, but lusting for a better body is not a reason to want to be a worgen. I will let you know when you are ready. Despite what Genn asks of me, I won't be biting someone who I don't think can handle it." And with that Liki began to work with his vials once more, the soft clinking of the glass and noise of the burner heating the only thing that sounded, along with the slight noise of the city outside the inns walls and the noise downstairs in the bar area.

Zino remained silent and he eventually took hold of his tools once more and began to work on fixing Liki's armor again.

The rest of the night passed on in silence. Zino patched the armor and then turned in, laying down to sleep while the worgen continued to work away at his potions.