Their departure from Booty Bay as sudden as their arrival. As much as he would have loved to take his newly bred goblin with him, Anduin had to leave the baroness where she was so she could actually start the whole integration effort. He also left Aclysia with her, just to make sure she was that extra bit secure.
They returned to Stormwind by the night of the same day. The hulks speed was truly awe-inspiring and with its size and firepower, it would be a valuable asset in the next months. Only Mizzy was currently able to steer it, however, as the many measurements were enigmas to most. As such, it rested in the harbour and was basically delegated to be the High Kings personal vessel.
The engine itself, however, was approved to be built into future ships, of a smaller, more mass production friendly design. Once back in his court, Anduin put several actions into motion. The sending of a sizable marine force to Booty Bay, to once and for all destroy the Bloodsail menace and support Baela in her efforts to make the former pirate haven a province of the Alliance, first of all. Then, the start of subsidies to be sent to Booty Bay, so that they may expand through the rest of the Cape of Stranglethorne. The hostile Gurubashi trolls, twice smacked down for trying to abuse powers resting since the days of their empire, would have to cede the natural resources of the region. Too long had they been a threat to prosperity.
Time would tell how those efforts would go.
The rest of the navy had been informed, by magic or by messenger owl, of the successful elimination of the undead ships. Sadly, Jaina, Valeera, Vanessa, Tyrande, Maiev and Shandris were all still gone on their missions and it would take a bit for them to return. With Aclysia gone as well, many of his slaves were not there to keep his cock occupied during the long hours of administration. Thankfully, he still had three at home, so he wasn't really lonely on his throne.
After a few hours of relaxation, the High King began his next mission: the elimination of Stonard. Xal'atath informed him that her most elite void priests had already departed before they had even set out on the Master's Pride. They were to wait at Karazhan.
'Might as well conduct our business there first, my master,' the Old Goddess whispered to him as he soared through the sky on the back on griffon. She was the only one of his wives and slaves with him now, only a select few of his own bodyguards, knights, sentinels and watchers alike, accompanying him. For this mission, no large force was required.
'As I understand it, our business there may very well take months,' Anduin returned. 'Was it not your goal to scour Karazhan's depths for whatever secrets that still remain? Karazhan is deeper than any other place and holds more secrets than any other place.'
'You speak true, my love,' the black blade conceded. 'But I hope that initial business may take no longer than a single day, if even that. I implore you, trust me on this. I know my nature gives you little reason too, but...'
'Enough,' Anduin interrupted her in a soft tone. 'My trust in you is infallible, I can feel your love for me radiating like the Light itself has taken root in you. Your treacherous origins don't matter to me. If you are so certain that we will find what we seek the most immediately, then I will oblige you.'
'Thank you, my master,' she sighed lustfully, the firmness of his decision and his grace reminding her why she felt like this in the first place.
Underneath them, the golden of the Elwynn autumn leaves soon made room for the gloomy dark of Duskwood. It was a cursed and blessed land. The portal to the Emerald Dream, hidden underneath the massive mountain of towering trees at the heart of the land kept even the leaves in an endless state of green. However, the dark energies that had seeped out from Karazhan during the First and Second war, had tainted the land. Undead roamed, unable to keep their peace in the soil, what was fertile soil returned only crops that were wrong in some ways and endless mists hung between the trees, keeping everything a depressive, dim light.
Still, the people living there refused to leave and Anduin planned to elevate them from their plight once he had an idea how. After the gloomy landscape came simple desolation. Deadwind Pass had next to nothing living in it, only a few hard grasses, ogres with no other home and Kirin Tor mages guarding Karazhan. With good reasons, as the mysterious tower had a nasty tendency to spit out evils unknown or long thought defeated at random times.
They landed quickly and were approached by Kirin Tor mages. They snapped back when Xal'atath manifested from the void, only sensing her outworldish power. Although after the initial shock came desire, as they looked at the void elf, her light, greyish blue skin revealed in its entirety, as the thin purple dress she wore only surrounded her like a thin veil. Large breasts, smooth skin, a plum ass, they were for all to see. Ignoring them, knowing only her master got to touch, the Old Goddess went to greet her followers, who had put up camp nearby. Meanwhile, Anduin quickly explained the situation to them.
Leaving in an appeased, but not exactly happy, mood, the Kirin Tor mages went back to their watching duties. Like anyone else from their order, they called Dalaran their home, a mostly human city currently neutral in the conflict between Horde and Alliance. This would have to change eventually; such a powerful force couldn't be left flying around the place.
"Do you not wish to take them with you?" Xal'atath asked, waiting for Anduin at the immense towers entrance. Karazhan didn't look like too much from the outside, a creepy building that was half-ruined at some parts, but the power it radiated was unmistakable. Under it flowed the second greatest bundle of leylines on Azeroth, only surpassed by the home of the blue dragon flight.
"I do not think I will need any help with you on my side," Anduin had to laugh and point at her resting priesthood, "you seem to think the same, Atha."
"No harm will come to us," she confessed with a smug expression and they entered. Cobwebs and the sound of rusty doors squeaking were their first greeting. Everything around had the splendour of past glory to it, from the tiled floor to the paintings. It also seemed like there was much more inside than the tower should have been able to hold naturally.
"I must admit that I can feel nothing but the raw power," Anduin said as they wandered deeper, ignoring the occasionally appearing phantoms, locked in endless dance. The mere presence of the High King expunged the delusionary undeath of many of them, finally bringing them to the afterlife. "This place is filled to the brim with arcane and fel, neither of which I understand particularly well."
"I have my knowledge about the arcane," Xal'atath hummed, gliding a hand over a painting, whose colours rippled like the surface of water at the touch, "but not much more than your precious first wife. Unsurprisingly, the Shadow is where I draw my greatest knowledge from. However," the turned a corner and suddenly found themselves in a library, "our host will surely know more than either of us."
