No other way to describe it. Rofupi had just done a lot of drugs. Ale. White. Psyk-O. Silverleaf. All of it in incredible excess, thrown on to cover up a rattling mixture of depression and guilt.
He swashed around Ironforge's pulsating streets. The buildings had eyes. Like the lamp posts. 'Cept the lamp eye's were glowey. Pulsating even. Glaring down into the rot of Rofupi's soul. Sweat was gushing out of his body like a waterfall. His heart beat sounded like a malfunctioning steam pounder. It just kept Bumpbumpbumpbummabumpbumpbumpbummabumumamumabumpbumpbap'ing all over the place.
And his foot work was sloppy. Tripping over this. Stumbling over that. His blood shot eyes glazed over buildings that were melting into liquid. Sometimes they would collapse in on themselves and swirl around like a whirlpool. But then they'd suddenly bounce back into form.
Breath in. Three colors began to pour out of the glaring lam posts. Breathe out. Red. Green. Blue. They looked like lasers. Breathe in. Breathe out. In. Out. In out. Inoutinoutin. Enemy lasers, probably used to aim bullets or something. Had to be leper technology. Rofupi was sure of it. Their eyes were upon him. Breathe in. He could feel them staring at him. The only salvation lied within the ripple in hyperspace, one that opened before him in the shadows of a dark cavern. Breathe. Out. Relieved.
Rofupi ran. Pulling his mask tight over his sweaty face, trying to grab hold onto the space-time fluctuation warping around the alleyway. A rather difficult task due to quantum mechanics. Who the f**k understood this stuff? Certainly not Rofupi. Luck would allow him to grip onto a slippery tendril of a neon blue ripple.
Safety!
Or was it? More pulsating colors began to flare within Rofupi's view. Space began to contort violently around him. Envelops of neon blue and glowing purple wrapped around him. The borders of his vision began to gleam the spectrum of a broken prism. They became heavy, as the scene became ever more vibrant , struggling to focus it into clarity. Everything was broken here. Individual shape and form lost all of it's meaning. He looked down at his hand and saw nothing but a mosaic cacophony of flesh like colors. Shapes edged with neon.
So this is hyper space....
It was hard to focus. Way too hard to keep these eyes open. So f**k it. Just close 'em. Not like this dimension was a pleasant one. With both of his eyes closed tight, the gnome began to stumble around hyperspace.
But the psychoactive flares of burning distortion pierced through his closed eyes. Instead this time in bright, radiant flares of glowing white. And orange. And purple. Little bit of green, but not much. They were blinding him, the syrupy trails of flaring colors, moving across his black haze of his closed eyes.
He shut them tighter. How was he supposed to shield himself from a blinding light that came from within?! The gnome grunted as he put his hands onto his face. Cursing, thrashing, screaming at the dark as the light grew larger. Louder. Brighter!
So he opened his eyes. Looked like hyper space wasn't the safest route to take after all. The flares of psychoactive coloration were too manifested in this dimension. Once his eyes were adjusted enough to tolerate the swirling vortex, his psychedelic mind knew what to do.
Gotta...gotta....gotta find a solar vortex so I can get out of hyperspace....and find a way to dodge the lasers, too....fucking leper gnomes everywhere. Man. Everywhere....
And Rofupi did that. A vortex manifested itself in the leftmost corner of hyper space. He ran towards it, dove through, and instantly found himself back onto Ironforge's paranoid streets. The lasers were still scanning for him. Luckily, they hadn't found him. Yet. He bolted across the street as fast as gnomish legs would allow. Straight across the bakery, past the frozen mushroom, through the pink cloud, under the molecular ether bridge, and into the piss-stained alley of a gunshop.
Then, out of nowhere, a torrent of vomit started to seep out of Rofupi's mask. Quickening at every passing second. He pulled the mask down and everything he was standing near became drenched in a dark brown, orangey slop. The piss stains, the moss, the rock and gravel - all of it caked. The sour gush fouled the air and seeped away the last bits of hydration from Rofupi's body.
He gasped. Fell flat on his bottom. Tilted his head back to stare upwards. Blurry refractions of his memory began to blossom on Ironforge's cave cielings . He saw fleeting images of better times. A mother's smile. A playful sister. A happy gnome family skipping through the sunny streets of the Dwarf District.
Rewind it a bit. Before the hyperspace, before the lasers, before the lines of white and tabs of psyk-o and puffs of leaf. Before any of the crap can melt into the bloodstream, the journey always starts with the most basic of drugs. One sanctioned by all government despite it being far deadlier than everything illicit.
Alcohol.
And that was the scene in this snippet. A flashback. Rofupi, standing with his mask drenched in booze, swaggering back and forth in his chair as his wits dulled into nothing. A volatile mixture of depression and guilt rattled within him. When it came into contact with the burning beverages that the gnome kept slamming down his throat, the synergy produced an absolutely wrecked gnome. Slurring, coughing, hiccupin' a storm as all good sense left his mind.
"Bartendah. Barrrrrtendah! BARTENDAH CHOO FACK!!!!!!!!! I'sh wantings mo' ov da drinks, chhhhhoooooo....<Fuckin' twine-dicked asshole>!!!! *hic*".
The dwarf bartender let out a sigh. He waddled over to a back cabinet and filled a mug with the cheapest booze available. " 'ere yeh go, laddie." he spoke out as he slid the drink to the gnome. Rofupi blinked. His eyes were drifting left to right. He could feel his vision getting heavier. Blurry. Every now and then he could feel the unsettling rise of stomach acid come rising up in the back of his throat. A sign to cease drinking. Of course he only continued.
"Yeh gonna drink 't, lad?"
Rofupi snapped awake. His arm shot out to sweep the mug up with a wobbly grip. Little bits of alcohol spilled out as he did so. "Iz ov course drinkan it choo fat mudda asses...". The bartender let out a long, tired sigh. Was he really going to spend the rest of his night dealing with this asshole?
He glanced around. Besides the gnome killing himself through binge drinking, there wasn't much activity going on. The usual tavern crowd was out and about. That lone dwarf veteran who always sat and sulked in the corner table. The uptight gnome woman who sipped on her wine and read through engineering transcripts. A few couples scattered here and there playing the usual game of 'get me drunk before we f**k'. And of course the usual crowd of party goers, a little behind Rofupi in terms of intoxication but would be sure to get there later in the evening.
Then the tender's eyes fell upon a new figure. A calm one. Dressed in raggedy brown robes, hood covering the face. There wasn't much that could be made out immediately, other than it was a dwarven. Build, gender, age, all of that remained a mystery.
"<Tooooooooo all theee *hic* shorrrttiiess hustlin' in the Old Towwwwwnnnn....stomp thoseeeee *hic!!* hummiesss with ya boot poiinnnted straight dooooooooowwwnnn! We'll RULE tha fuckin' streeeeeetttsss with bombs 'n guuuuunnnsss...*hiccup~!!* Bitches better turn tail and start to ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnn~!!! Hahahahaha~!!!>"
The bartender scrunched up his face. Both eyes closed tight as Rofupi's high-pitched gnomish singing assaulted his ear drums. Once he was done squealing the gnome waddled out of his seat. Tripping and stumbling his way over to the gnome woman.
Reaching for a mug to dry the bartender could only grumble. Every now and then a night like this came. When a bartender would have to work long hours dealing with a total moron like Rofupi. A few customers were already shuffling out of the tavern. Seemed like the gnome's drunken antics were unsettling them. Those that did stay were the ones trying to get to where he was at. Drunk and well past stupid.
Yet, that figure. That hooded figure. It caught the bartender's attention again. How could it be so calm, collected and oddly enough, serene in this wild atmosphere? It seemed like the only sliver of sanity in a bastion of debauchery. Eventually, his curiosity peaked...
"Oi! Yeh! Yeh ova' there!" The bartender called. The hooded figure perked up it's head. He blinked in response. "Ehhh...yeh...". The man was at a loss for words. Maybe he shouldn't have called out to it so brashly. Clearing his throat, the bartender spoke "Yeh want anythin'? Ya've been sittin' ov'r there fer quite sum'time, yah know.".
And then the figure was hooded no longer. A female dwarf face was revealed. Round and fat. Wrinkly. Worn 'n saggy. Her hair was a mix of gray and white, a sign that she was elderly but not quite old enough for the retirement communes.
Then she smiled. Two slightly chapped lips of a pale maroon color arching upwards in the most polite of ways. Her faded blue eyes stared into the bartender's as she simply shook her head from left to right. Followed by a slow nod that said 'But thank you for the offer'. The bartender blinked again, before speaking a quiet "...'lright, then..." to himself
Strange woman...
And then a loud smack could be heard echoing through out the tavern. Like a leather whip cracking against skin. Rofupi would later be observed laying on the floor with large red whelp beaming underneath his masked face. The gnomish woman had a red glare to her own face. She stammered over to the downed gnome and quickly dumped all of her wine onto him, before storming out in a rage.
Rofupi laughed. He extended his hand upwards and yelled "Baaaaaaaaaarrrrrr tendah. Anu...anudda dwink fo' meeeee. I'ms...wantin' da allllllllllllllllllllllllll ov de ale, choo fat ugly fack!". That was the last straw. The gnome was already clearly drunk beyond his limit, and now he was harassing customers. Scarin' away business.
He gave the signal. Pointing to the gnome, and giving a quick wave of his hand to the door. The local bouncer of the tavern knew the signal and huffed his way over to Rofupi. In the very next moment the gnome would find himself out on the streets. Thrown away like a piece of rotting meat.
"<The fucker fuckin' fucks-oh shit fuuuuccckkkk...>" Rofupi muttered lowly as he struggled to stand. After a few minutes of swaggering and losing balance, he stood. Rubbing his face in an utterly dumbfounded state.
The f**k just happened, yo?
Eventually it clicked. The blurry images of being picked up by a bouncer and thrown out. He let out a fit of laughter once he realized what happened. "Hoooooooooooooooooo....? Chooooo *hic* muddaaaa assholes fiiiinkkk I'ms give a SHAIF de fack happens? Yo' alcohol iz taste like a menstrual blood ov a prosty-toot anyways! Fackin' not even serves da WOCKET DWINK! DA REAL DWINK! FACK CHOOOOOOOOOO~!!!!"
It would be at this point in the story where Rofupi would waddle away from the tavern to continue his drug binge. Snorting lines of white, buying tabs of psyk-o, rolling joints of silver leaf. Eventually he'd go on the psychedelic trip of a meltdown. Spiraling through hyperspace and throwing up his bodily fluids.
But through all of this, the elderly dwarf woman from the tavern would follow him. Watching Rofu snort those lines and puff that leaf and drop those tabs. When he was laying passed out in a sloppy pile of bile, she would approach. Looking down at him with crossed arms.
"<....26-mechano...27-mechano...28-mechano...29-mechano....>". Little feet racing down a smoke-hazed road. Hammers clanging against anvils. "<30-mechano!>". Heat emanating from large, burning furnaces. Smelters belching out glowing hot metal bars. "<Ready or not, I'ma find ya!>". Grunts of blacksmiths fighting against fatigue.
Nestled within the industrial network of Stormwind's Dwarven District, two gnomish children played a simple game of hide and go seek. They laughed. Giggled. Ran through billows of black and flecks of soot. Smiling wide as they played, ignorant to all the pollution and metal work going on around them.
This was a moment of pure happiness for Rofupi. Back when he was still a buck toothed young gnome with a dorky combed hair style. Running and jumping over tool crates and anvils. Searching through all of the places a young gnome female could hide.
"<Aha! I found ya!>" "<I've been found!>"
Malyin giggled. Her pink hair swayed about briskly. Her eyes beamed with adolescent happiness. She was smiling wide as she looked up to her older brother. Rofupi returned it. "<Now it's your turn to hide!>". The little gnome hopped out of the empty crate she had hid in and began to run down the road. "<I'm gonna count to 30! Then I'ma search for you.>" Rofupi nodded in response. "<Yeah!>"
Genuine happiness. One of the few moments where Rofupi felt it.
Rofupi let out a growl. It always happened like this. Every time he got severely injured or intoxicated, a scene of the past would fade forward from the mists of his mind. Almost as if to taunt him about what he had lost over the years. Maybe it was the reason why the gnome abused himself so. He must've subconsciously figured out that bringing himself to the brink of ruin enabled him to glimpse into memories of a better age. Ones he wouldn't allow himself to remember sober.
Rofupi wiggled, or at least tried to. Something wasn't right. His body felt very restricted. Quickly, he went down the list of limbs, to verify their condition. Toes, numb. Feet, strained and itchy. Knees, achey. Elbows, stingy. Arms stiff. Hands wiggly. Head achin'. And everything internal just felt like an acidic blob.
As the gnome's eyes pried open, he would discover the reason to all of this immobility. Visions of a hospital bed melted into focus. As he glanced down at his body, he found it covered in bandages. Stiff bandages dipped in medical salves. The doctors had covered him in drugs, ones that healed instead of intoxicate.
"Oi. 's tha' dumbass punk awake yet?" "I dunno'h, docta'. Ye want me ta check up on 'im?" "Yeah."
With that the nurse nodded, walking over to Rofupi to give the gnome a rough shake of the shoulder. An audible grunt of pain erupted from the gnome's mouth as his eyes glared at the nurse. She gave another nod, turning to the doctor and yelling "He gave a reaction, docta'! Me thinks he's awake!".
The doctor took in a deep breath and stood up from the chair he was sitting at. He stomped over to the mummified gnome at a slow pace, glancing over his patient the moment he reached bedside. Two fat fingers stroked through his large, thick beard of white. This dwarf seemed old. Rofupi just stared at him. At those fingers. And that beard.
"Mmmmm....yeh able 'ta speak, lad?"
"...y...yas.". It came out weakly. For some reason, the back of Rofupi's throat was dry and burning. A cough sprang forth and the sour taste of acidic stomach fluids came rushing to his tastebuds. Just how much had he thrown up?
"Heh. Wasn't sure if'n yah was gonna stabilize, lad. Yer body was in pretty bad shape. Lucky all that poison yeh swilled didn't fry yah mind like 'n egg!"
The doctor let out a loud, boisterous laugh after that statement. Rofupi could only grumble and look off to the side in response. Immediately after he felt a large hand smack onto his shoulder. "GAH!!" he screamed, eyes shooting wide as an intense pain shook through his body.
It had been the doctor who smacked him. He was still grinning. "Yer one lucky lad!". Rofupi grit his teeth together and glared at the dwarf from underneath his bandages."Wats...wat iz happeneded to me?" the gnome manage to grind out. "Eh? Wellp, I ain't 'xactly know. Yesterday yeh was dropped off 'n front 'o this here hospital wit' a note tha' said 'please give this lil 'un proper care'. Note was lyin'' underneath a small bag 'o coin that was more 'n enough 'ta pay fer the full treatment. Detox, food, medicine - all'a that 's covered fer yah!"
Rofupi was dumbfounded. His eyes blinked rapidly. "...wat?". "Someone's lookin' out fer yah.". The gnome wriggled in his bandages again. Looking at them he spoke out "...why iz I'm wrapped so tightly? Did I'ms brakings mine bones 'o somefing?""Eh? Tha'? Oi, yeh. Tha's part 'o our treatment. Yeh body was so fugged 'p on all 'em drugs, we had 'ta pump yer stomach. Yeh had already thrown up quite a bit 'o yer bodily fluids, so we had 'ta make sure ye had hydration 'n medicine in ya body to do it. Figured tha' easiest way to administer tha' was through yeh pores."
"...de fack..."
"Yer body's been slowly absorbing tha' stuff fer the entire day. I think we kin take it off'a ye now, though. Oi. Nurse, get crackin'."
"Aye docta'."
And before the gnome could even utter a broken profanity, the plump dwarven nurse came waddling over and ripped off all the bandages covering the gnome. Within moments he lay completely naked, his 'nuts and bolt' hanging out for everyone to see. "Oi, OI! De fack, mang, don't justs strip a shorty nakeds like dat out ov nowhere!!!!". Rofupi cupped his privates as he frantically searched around for a blanket.
"Think bein' nakey ain't gonna be the worst 'o yeh troubles." "Reh? What de heyo does choo mean...?"
Rofupi took in a deep whiff of air. His nostrils flared open and his eyes began to water as an indescribably odor sifted into his nose. Smelled something like a putrid, sour excrement that left a burning sensation in the nose hairs. It was enough to cause the gnome to gag, pinching his nose as tightly as he could.
I smell like melted kodo shit!
"Yeh gonna be smellin' pretty bad fer awhile. Takes a good scrubbin' 'ta get tha stank off. Guhahaha~!"
"Geehhhhhh...."
Rofupi flopped back into the bed with an agitated sigh. He stared up into the center of the ceiling. "Oi. Doctah. Choo has any idea who delivered me here?""Nae' a clue, lad. All we's got was tha' note 'tattched to yeh. Didn't see whoever dropped yah off.". Rofupi bit his lower lip. The gears began turning over the identity of his savior.
Rofupi let out a grumble. He rubbed his eyes and turned in his bed.
Dunno who would do this for me. Maybe my infamy's earned me some fans...
"Yeh should take 't easy fer a few days, lad. Body 'n mind are still a lil wigged out. Let tha' detox do 's work, 'n we'll have ya in good shape in no time."
The doctor walked over and clapped Rofupi in the shoulder again. He gave a short nod in response and slowly closed his eyes. "Aye. Not likings I'm has de choice. Iz all been paid fo'." Going to start a few long days of rest and healing.
But that part's boring, so we'll skip ahead.
Three days later Rofupi walked out of the hospital. Doctors waving happily as they wished him good luck and all of that crap.
Guess I better go see what's been going on with the Ironforge military during my lil R&R...
The weeks melted without anything of note. He dallied around the Ironforge military, talking to the occasional soldier. But let's not go into any of that.
Rofupi let out a sigh. He was standing outside in the icy forests of Dun Morogh. Snow flakes drifted down onto the gnome's warm skin and mixed into the sweat he had worked up through exercise. Rofupi had been doing his usual set of cardio, running for a few miles to stop and shadow box. Then push ups, crunches, squats, jumps. All of that usual training bullshit.
For now, Rofupi's mind was too uneasy for him to continue with it. All he could do is stand and gaze into the sky. Looking up at the snow flakes falling down onto him. Lots of gray patches etched within a never ending sea of clouds. All of them sprinkling snow.
It won't be long. I'm gonna enlist back into the military, and another campaign will start up again to take back Gnomeregan. Just 'cause we failed once don't mean we'll fail again.
"Pretty, isn't it?"
Rofupi's ears twitched. He snapped to the side quickly, raising his fists and shifting his legs, standing firm in a fighting position. His eyes caught the sight of a dwarf wrapped in tattered brown robes. A hood covered it's head, which was tilted upwards to gaze at the snowing sky.
"Tha' snow at this time 'o year. Tha' way it drifts, tha way 'ta wind moves it from left ta right..."
The dwarf lowered it's hood. An old face came into Rofupi's view. A woman's face. Wrinkled. Slightly sagging. Hair grayed and near white. She turned her head to Rofupi and curled her fat lips up into a warm, welcoming smile. Followed by a small nod.
"Don't 'cha think so?"
Relax. Just another typical dwarf grannie out for a nature stroll.
Rofupi relaxed his fighting stance. His arms returned to his side and he looked up to the snowy sky. Shrugging casually. "Reh. I'm guesses so." he blurted out. Rofupi waddled over to a nearby tree and slumped down against it. Crossing his tiny gnome legs to rest a few moments.
"Yeh seem 'ta be trainin' quite hard. Ye in one 'o tha military units down 'n Gnomer?" "Yas. High Tinkar army. We iz starting up our war efforts again." "Ah. Tha' 'splains why ye work so hard. Doin' all that runnin' 'n strength training..." "Reh? Choo was watchings me?" Rofupi's eyebrows twitched up. "Ohoh, dear me lil 'un. I don't mean 'ta scare ye. But yes. I was observin' chyeah trainin', durin' me gathering."
"Gatherings?" "Mmmhmm. I'm simple herbalist, on'a stroll 'ta gather supplies fer medicine." "Ah. Ov course, ov course..."
Rofupi let out a small sigh and closed his eyes. He let the back of his head rest against the cold bark. It felt a lot more comfortable to him now than it did when he first joined the military way back when. Back then, every cold surface rattled a sharp stinging pain through his body. Now he had become used to it.
"Yeh got somethin' on ya' mind, lil 'un?" "No's.." "Mmmm..."
The old dwarven woman stood up. She began to stretch her arms and legs. Wriggling her knuckles to probably shake out whatever pain old people get. "So, when's 'ta fight fer gnomer gonna start 'p again, Lil Wrecka?". Rofupi's once resting eyes pried open. No longer was he casually sitting against the icy tree bark.
"Choo knows who I iz?"
A nod of acknowledgment was given. She continued her routine of stretches and old-person shakes. "Memba' of tha newly formed Gnomeregan military unit. Fighter 'n tha Ratchet Arena. Convicted criminal who blew 'p a tav'rn in Goldshire, 'n small time-thug a'fore any 'o that..."
Panic rushed through Rofupi. This woman nearly knew everything about his past. More worrisome the part about him being a wanted criminal with a price on his head. Was this a set up? Were other bounty hunters about to spring out of the shadows and drag Rofupi back to the gallows?
He stood now. Tense and rigid, scanning all around for possible signs of an ambush. "Fodan heiz, choo...I'ms nottings, ehhh...no has idea what choo iz talkings raeshin nein....". Now he was blurting out random gnomish. One of his 'shit I'm nervous' tells.
And that's when the dwarf chuckled. She waved her hand dismissively in an attempt to calm the gnome down. "Oi'yeh, don't be so scared, lil 'un! I'm not here 'ta turn ye 'n or nothin'. No' everyone 'n this world is against 'cha". She smiled. Once again, it was warm. Accepting. Genuine. Maternal, in a way.
Which was enough to earn Rofupi's trust. Something inside his conscience clicked towards the woman's favor. That her words were true and intentions good. So he lowered his guard and spoke out "Den...well, what choo wantings?"What he heard next nearly floored him.
"A friendly spar."
Silence. The thought took awhile for the gnome to process. His left brow perked up while his lips curled into a bemused smirk. After a short chortle came out, the gnome tilted his head and said "Geheh...choo...choo serious?". But the old dwarf woman remained unwavering. She was now shifting into a fighting stance of her own. Legs spread evenly, body facing sideways at Rofupi. Right arm raised up and extended while the left remained low. She didn't make fists, but instead kept her palms flat and open. And she maintained the most serene of smiles.
"'s no' everyday one meets such an infamous individual. If'n ye could humble yerself fer this old lady, I'd be happy."
A slow sigh came pouring out of Rofupi's mouth. He rolled his shoulders and let out another chuckle. "Alrights." he said with an amused tone. There, Rofupi began to assume his usual fighting stance. Though he did so slowly. Lazily. I'll give this old lady a show. She probably just wants to see me throw a few punches and land a few slaps herself, so she can gossip to her friends ab--
A sudden whoosh'ing sound came screaming forward. All thoughts came to a roaring stop. Not even a second before Rofupi took his half-assed fighting stance, did a dwarven palm come slamming into his ribs. Both eyes flared wide open. An involuntary "GUUAUAAAGHH~!!" came erupting from the gnome's mouth, along with a swash of spit.
He flew back. Hard and fast, rolling across the snow multiple times before slamming against a tree. All the air was knocked right out of Rofupi's body. He was panting heavily, shaking his head in a bewildered daze.
Wha...what the f**k...sh...she was at least 8 feet away from me, how di-
Again the thoughts silenced. Rofupi caught sight of the dwarf woman flying high in the air. Really, really high, looking like she might have jumped 12 feet. He threw himself to the side and rolled like a wild log, covering his clothes with a powdery layer of snow. From there the gnome's ears could only pick up the sounds of a loud crash.
And then a crack. And then a slow series of creaks. As he turned his head to see what had happened, Rofupi saw the tree that he had just rolled away from break in two. Like someone had smashed it apart with a wide axe. He sat. Stunned. Was her kick so powerful that it actually broke a tree? What would have happened to him if it had landed...?
No time to think. This woman wasn't some little old lady from Khaz Modan. She was a serious opponent. Rofupi didn't know how or why, but her combat abilities made her excel in both power and speed.
I shouldn't have underestimated her.
She was rushing at him now. Rofupi caught a glimmer of an orange glow emanating from the woman's feet. The sight confused him for a slight moment. One that only lasted the span of a second, because in that time she had sprinted to the gnome with a most unnatural speed. So fast!
She threw a karate chop. Rofupi ducked. Then a sweep kick. Rofupi jumped. Then a flurry of quick palm-thrusts, followed by a round house kick. An attack combination that sent Rofupi crashing onto the ground, as the palms slammed into his exposed chest and kick connected cleanly to the side of his head.
As he crashed into the ground, Rofupi's mouth filled with snow. He struggled to get up he spat the frozen liquid out. Not only were her attacks fast and powerful, but her combat sense was well developed. She threw out that sweep kick knowing that Rofupi would jump, then punished him immediately for it.
She's got experience...
He wiped away some more snow from his lips. This time, Rofupi wouldn't wait for one of the woman's attacks to come at him. He planned to press onto the offensive the only way he knew how. Charging head on with all his strength and might. As a bellowing scream erupted from the gnome, he lept into the air and extended his knee out. His goal would be smash it straight into the woman's face.
"So impatient..."
Not only was Rofupi's flying knee attack dodged with a simple side step, but he received a quick karate chop to the back for it. There was a violent flash of light erupting from the woman's hand as it struck into Rofupi's back. Searing pain rattled through his spine and he skipped across the snow like a stone against a lake's surface, rolling and thrashing quite a bit of distance away.
How are her attacks...
It wasn't easy for Rofupi to get up from this attack. His arms were shaking quit visibly as they slowly pushed up from the ground. After a strenuous effort they were able to do so. The gnome stood with a wobbling composure, bursts of hot air seeping in and out of his lungs at a rapid pace. ...so freaking powerful?!
"Your attacks are bold. You charge in with conviction, without fear or hesitation. However..."
Her sleeves were rolled up now. Rofupi's face changed into a look of confusion as he scanned the old woman's exposed arms. They were nothing like he expected. Muscles, well defined and solid, on par with the strongest Arena fighters. On top of that were many symbols completely alien to Rofupi. They looked like tattoos, except they pulsated with a faint orange glow.
"You do so not because you are courageous. You do so because you are indifferent. Indifferent towards your own fate, to if you live or die."
Her voice was different. No longer was it speaking like a humble dwarven grandma. There was more conviction to it. A tone of absolute seriousness. As she slowly paced towards him, Rofupi kept staring at those bulging arms and the symbols etched onto them.
"I would say that the reason why you fight is because you've lost all meaning in your life. All direction, all purpose. You charge recklessly into combat because it is the only way for you to construct it. Only able to validate your existence through constant conflict."
Her words were piercing. Rofupi stayed silent, trying to maintain a strong fighting stance in a weakened condition. The woman before him was a strong fighter with strange abilities he couldn't comprehend.
"You walk through life wanting it to end. Wrecking yourself through pointless violence and drug abuse. You lock up the pain deep inside your heart until it becomes too strong to bear, leading you towards a self-destructive life style. What drove you to this path, Rofupi Sprogglegyro?"
His mother. Malyin. Poverty, drugs, crime 'n fighting. Decades worth of tragedy and mistakes flashed through Rofupi's mind. Ever since the tram accident he had been trapped in a nightmare that never seemed to end. One spiraling on a wild ride of sex, drugs, and violence. For so long he had struggled to wake from it, though there was always something that would keep him in the conscious coma. Another death. Another trauma. Another reason to snort, smoke, and drink himself into an early grave...
Grunting, Rofupi shook his head. He readied his fists and took up full form, pacing towards his opponent in a very apprehensive manner. She had remained still. Unwavering. Staring dead into Rofupi's eyes with a look of empathy. The strange symbols on her arms pulsated with an orange glow.
"Is this the life you wish to live?"
Rofupi charged. Dashing through the snow, he let out another scream, shifting all of his weight to his left side to begin the motions of a strong hook. But he stopped. Pivoting suddenly to shift his weight to the right to start up another hook. He then stopped again, pulling back his right arm to throw out a flying kick with his foot. A double-feint to kick mix up maneuver.
One which did nothing fool his opponent. The woman blocked the kick by raising her left arm upwards. "When will you end this?". Rofupi let out a curse and threw out a flurry of quick left-right, one-two jabs. Every one of them was blocked. "When will you grow up?". Rofupi threw out a quick sweep kick, which his opponent casually hopped over. "When will you learn to let it go?". More attacks came from Rofupi. A combination of desperate jabs, knee-thrusts, and kicks. None of which found their intended mark. They either whiffed in the air or slammed against hard blocks.
Eventually, the woman caught Rofupi's fist. Her grip was hard, holding the arm steadily in place despite the gnome's furious wiggling. "When will you become the gnome you were meant to be?". The woman then yanked Rofupi forward, slamming her palm straight into his chest. A glow of orange radiated from the etched symbols deep in her skin. A flash. Bright orange, flaring wildly with an explosive gleam. A huge burst of pain raced throughout Rofupi's body.
Everything went blurry. The world became black. Two, three, maybe four mirror images of the snowing forest melted and swayed into each other. So groggy. Heavy. Tired. What is....
And suddenly, Rofupi found himself in the air. His consciousness snapped back online. Only a few seconds had passed, but they had melted away to a daze. Blinking. Lots of blinking, at the pure amazement of what was happening. Right in this moment Rofupi was flying through the air. He could feel the cold winds whipping all around his body. She's powerful. I feel kinda limp. I can't even move my arms...
Slowly, Rofupi chuckled. I just got my ass kicked by an elderly lady. She's way above my level. Though...
Rofupi closed his eyes. He rolled his neck. He stopped trying to control his arms, letting them dangle lightly. He softened his legs and let those rest as well. Slowly, he gave up control of his body. Letting it fly haplessly through the air without any sense of control or direction. No movement. No panic. No fear about the bloody crater he'd make upon his landing. Just the feeling of complete weightlessness, flying through the winds.
It felt so relaxing.
....this is kinda nice.
Something shot through the air. He could hear the sounds of something rushing towards him. A pair of rough arms came wrapping around Rofupi's body. Something had grabbed him from below and now he was flying down to the ground faster than he expected.
Thud.
The trip through the sky was now over. Rofupi was placed gently down onto the ground. He coughed, rubbing his eyes and looking up at the elderly woman. Rofupi could figure out that she jumped up an insanely high distance to catch the gnome as he flew through the air. Probably due to her strange abilities.
"Wat...are...choo..." "Someone who believes you have potential to be something far greater than you currently are." "How in de fack...iz choo able to does all dat..." "When the time is right, I will explain it. Right now, I've got a proposal for you, Mr. Sprogglegyro." "Wat dat iz...?" "Become my pupil. Train under me. I'll show you a way to let go of the sorrow in your heart and the rage in your fists."
Rofupi was wheezing now. Another round of confused blinks came from his eyes. "Wha...wat?". She stood over him. "I'm offering to be your mentor.". She extended her hand. "But...why?". Rofupi was hesitant to take it. "Because I sense that underneath all the rage, the addiction, and that rather ridiculous hair cut, there exists a gnome with a good heart and true love for his people. Someone who could protect them.". He took it, and was pulled back up onto his feet within moments.
"....Alright."
"I will warn you that this won't be easy." "Nottin' in mine life has eva' been."
The woman gave a solemn nod. She turned, putting up the hood that previously concealed her face. "Come to the orphanage when you are ready. I'll be waiting to start your training there.". There, she began to trek away before Rofupi let out a...
"Oi!". "Yes?" "Choo neva' tellings me yo' name." "Ah. I didn't. Rhaecrion Harrowcrag."
She flashed a warm, motherly smile to the gnome. Bowing her head slightly with the introduction. Rofupi regarded it with a nod, then turned back himself. "Alrights. I'ms go meeting choo at de orphanage, right aftah I'ms finish mine next mission...hokay?". Rhaecrion nodded, and the two parted ways.
The first step to a whole new life had just been taken.
There he was. Standing with a brown mask pulled tight over his face. In a dimly lit room. Watching a table that was filled with Ironforge children scarfing down loads of food at a rapid pace. Little dwarfs 'n gnomes who didn't have any family to care for them. Many thoughts went through Rofupi's mind as he gazed upon the children. Loads of empathetic feelings swirling in his heart.
Gonna be tough for 'em.
Then a dwarven priestess sitting at the end of the table clapped her hands toger. All commotion and chatter suddenly came to a silence. "Now ye kiddies remember 'ta give thanks to tha' light fer this meal 'o ours.". Every child, even the gnomish ones, nodded to the priestess and bowed their heads in silent reverence.
A scowl crossed Rofupi's face. What kind of gnome child prays to an ethereal entity? Something about the orphanage indoctrinating good gnomish children into the loony religion of the Light didn't settle right. A gnome shouldn't be dilly dallying in that kind of crap, they should be raised with the values of logic and reason.
Next you're gonna tell me that these gnomes are gonna grow up to become priests instead of engineers...
"Ah! Rhaecrion!"
And then she finally made her way in. The woman Rofupi had been waiting for all this time. He immediately perked up, standing straight in a rigid composure. Feet planted together, back solid straight. The usual respectful military stance.
Rhaecrion walked in draped in her usual brown, tattered robes. It still boggled Rofupi to think that laying underneath those were muscles that could rival an orc's. Along with those strange glowing symbols. The elderly dwarf came waddling in with a large sack strapped onto her back. She let out a short grunt, putting the large sack down on a table nearby the priestess.
"Ye shoul' be good fer a coupl'ah months, Sistah Gleamstone." "Bless yah heart, Rhae~! Wit' all yer generous donations, tha children here neva' hafta fear sickness 'r disease. Lil'uns, show some thanks!"
On cue, a room full of youthful "Thank ye ma'am"'s came pouring down onto Rhaecrion. She responded with a dismissive wave and short chuckle. "Yeh lot dun need 'ta thank me. I's only doin' me part as a Light-lovin' dwarf. ". The priestess stepped forward to hug Rhaecrion gently, then snapped her fingers for a few of the older children to help carry the backpack in.
Eventually, everyone in the orphanage left the dining room. Rofupi and Rhaecrion were the only two that remained. She looked at him with another one of her warm, motherly smiles. "How was your day?". Rofupi shrugged. "Iz good.". "Complete your mission and healed up?". "Yas. I'ms informeded mine unit 'bout dis as well. Dey alreadies knowing I'm go away fo' awhile."
"Mmmmm..."
Rhaecrion began to pace around Rofupi. Her eyes glanced over his body. Bottom to top, top to bottom, side to side. The gnome remained still and silent during her appraisal. "You realize that...this process will be very long. It's not something that you'll complete in only a few months.". Rofupi nodded. "I don't expecting to completes it by de time da final pushing fo' Gnomeregan iz come. ". "I will allow you to leave the moment you are needed by your people. This training...it will most likely take you decades to become anything like me.". "Just what iz choo?"
She chuckled. Shaking her head, the woman stopped in front of Rofupi and patted him gently on his freakishly large head. "If I told you now, you wouldn't understand. You have a lot of work to do before we get that far. I've developed a physical training regiment for you to follow.". An eyebrow perched up. Rofupi was confused by this. "Phizzikal training regymant? Like de wun I follow in da military?"
"Yes. Something similar. I'll say that it shall be a lot more....exhausting than what you currently do."
Now it was Rofupi's turn to chuckle. He put his hands on his hips and let out a good guffaw, tilting his head to Rhaecrion with a bemused smirk. "Harder den de -military-? Dats fackin' impossible.". And that's when Rofupi caught vision of it. Two fat wrinkly lips curling up into a most sinister, arching grin.
"We'll see."
*
"GYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH~~~~!!!!!!!"
"Quit screaming!" "BUT CHO'R TEARIN' APART MINE FACKIN' LEGS!!!!" "It's for your own good!" "MINE CAWK FEELS LIKE IZ GONNA TE-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH~~~!!!!!!!!!" "You have to learn how to stretch before each work out! Flexibility is KEY!"
There Rofupi was, a living gnomish pretzel, being bent and twisted at the hands of his new master Rhaecrion Harrowcrag. She held the gnome upside-down by the legs and spared no possibility in which angle they could bend. High pitched screaming continued to echo through out the snowy forest as Rofupi's legs were bent like a Winterseve wish bone. With every slow, shaky pry a gradual build up of tears welled up within his eyes. This is...fucking...PAINFUL!
Finally, his legs jolted away from each other. Rofupi's eyes shot wide. Something felt torn, but not exactly injured. His lips quivered. A squeaking whimper inched out of his mouth. "And now we'll do your back.". With that, Rhaecrion grabbed Rofupi up and slammed him onto her knee. There she would rock the gnome back and forth like a piece of croissant dough.
More whimpers. More aches. More tears. And this was only the first part.
*
"Dash faster!"
Rofupi now found himself running up the very sharp vertical incline of one of the many snowing mountains in the Dun Morgoh region. His body radiated a mix of hot and cold, as the many layers of warm clothing he usually wore were forcibly discarded at the request of his master. This ensured that the already tiring uphill run would be even more difficult. Chattering teeth. Shaking muscles. Ice hot skin being constantly whipped by fleeting streaks of snow. To top it all off, Rofupi had to maintain a constant sprint through the mountain trail.
"M..m...mm..mmmm...mas-t-ta...I'ms...frr..fre-ez-....in....mi-" "NO TALKING! It wastes energy!"
Moments after making that statement, Rhaecrion slapped her hand against Rofupi's back. A stinging sensation of searing pain roared through his backside, lingering there with a pulsing throb. Every time the gnome had slowed his sprint or dared to talk, Rofupi would feel this kind of slap by his master.
This would continue for a few miles.
Eventually, the pair had found themselves on the top of a very tall mountain overlooking the white landscapes of Dun Morogh. The moment he was ordered to stop running, Rofupi collapsed on his back and heavily panting fit. His master would calmly step out to admire the view the high vantage point had to offer. Sucking in a slow breath of mountain air as a serene smile crossed her features.
"I'm...I'ms...so..fa..fack...in...co...col-d..an...ti-ti-tirredd..." "You wish to warm up? Alright."
Those words brought on a feeling of dread. Guided by the gestures of his master, Rofupi limped his way into a dark cave. A table was seen sitting neatly in the center of the cave. Before any inquiries could be raised about it, Rhaecrion reached into her robes and pulled out a single candle. After placing it neatly on the table she extended her palm towards it and closed her eyes.
The strange symbols etched on her arms glowed once more. Rhaecrion's palm began to glow a warm amber color, and the candle lit up with a faint flame.
"Wha de.." "Your next task is simple. Put out the candle's flame by using the force behind your punch." "...fack?" "You heard me!".
With that, Rhaecrion stomped over to a cave wall and plopped her thick elderly body down. Crossing her arms, the woman stared intently at the bewildered gnome. Sighing, Rofupi trekked over to the table and leaned forward to examine the flame. It was such a tiny thing, and he was such a hard puncher. Putting the candle out by throwing punches at it didn't seem at all challenging.
"Nnnnn....YAAAAH!".
Two hours passed.
The candle was now one third of it's original size. Most of it's base had melted away, forming a small hill of flowing wax. Tired grunts gushed out of Rofupi's mouth as his body continued to grind out wobbly, pathetic sounding punches. Sweat was pouring out of every pore in his body. Try as he might, the candle's flame wouldn't fade.
"....absolutely pathetic. And you pride yourself on the strength of your punches?".
Rofupi hung his head. His arms went completely limp, dangling at his sides . Air was being sucked in and out of his lungs at a manic pace. His body was getting all kinds of worn out. The exercises were already starting to take their toll even though they had only just begun.
"Rest. Drink this water. I'll return with something shortly."
Something was thrown to Rofupi. Upon catching it, he identified the object as a water skin. A much beloved sight to someone who was dehydrated as the Barrens plain. Collapsing onto his tiny gnome rear, Rofupi chugged down the water as quick as he could, letting out an exhausted grunt of appreciation. He wiped a torrent of sweat from his forehead. Rest would come easy.
Rhaecrion disappeared. For however long, Rofupi didn't care. He only wanted to sit against that cave wall and let hydration seep back into his body. His muscles still ached, his skin still stung, and his lungs felt much hotter than usual. "Stand on your feet. I have your next exercise ready". Shit. She's back.
A loud thud echoed through the small cave as Rhaecrion slammed a large sack of something down onto the ground. Wasting no time in opening the top, it was revealed to be a burlap sack full of...beans?
Oh what the f**k do I have to do now...
"For the next hour, you are to thrust the tips of your fingers into this large sack of beans. Start with your index finger, then alternate to your others. Do it with one hand, then switch to the other. Thrust into the beans with full force. Don't hesitate, or else I'll make you do those uphill dashes again."
Much blinking ensued. A wash of relief came over the gnome. He snerked, rolling his shoulders as he walked over to the sack of beans. It didn't seem too difficult at all. Much easier than having to punch out a stubborn candle flame.
After wiggling all of his fingers, Rofupi made his first thrust into the sack of beans. As he anticipated the feeling of his finger gliding through the sack of uncooked food didn't do anything too painful to him. A grin formed onto his face as began to stab his other fingers into the sack. This was going to be easy.
As time moved forward, Rhaecrion busied herself with pulling a few other things out of a backpack she had brought with her. She plopped down a few pieces of wood, took out a few iron pots, and started filling them with water. There, she'd use her strange abilities to light the wood aflame in the same way she lit the candle. Along with doing some other mediocre preparation stuff.
An hour passed. More tears were forming in Rofupi's eyes. The tips of his fingers had become swollen red, and shook uncontrollably as he held them out in front of his face. The pain had been a slow, gradual build up. He had only noticed it when half an hour passed. By the time the hour came to an end, it was near excruciating.
"That's enough."
An nice little camp site had been prepared by Rhaecrion. Fire, blankets, bowls, utensils, pots with water ready to boil. The whole works. "You can come eat now. Bring the bag of beans with you.". Another wave of relief came seeping out of Rofupi. Any more bean-thrusting and his fingers would bleed. Gripping onto the bag was extremely hard with his hands in the condition they were, but he managed to carry it over to Rhaecrion after many grunts and whimpers.
"Now rest."
The woman snatched up the sack and pulled out a bag full of rice. She cooked up a hearty portion of both, then threw a bowl over to Rofupi. Along with a spoon. The pair chomped down the beans 'n rice like a pair of Westfall desperadoes, setting the empty bowls aside when they were finished.
"Gather the bowls and meet me outside. A very important part of your training starts next."
Cog...damn it...
Waddling outside with a sense of fear growing within his heart, Rofupi met his master outside with all the bowls gathered in his hands. She walked over and snatched them up in a quick motion. "Stand now. Back straight. Legs spread evenly apart. Extend each of your arms out in front of you.". Rofupi did as commanded. "Now bend your legs. Keep bending them until I say for you to stop.". Rofupi followed orders again, slowly bending his legs until they were wobbling under the pressure of his body.
"Stop!".
Rhaecrion set the empty food bowls neatly on Rofupi's body. One on his head. One on each arm. One on each knee. "Keep perfectly still. Control your breathing. Balance these objects perfectly on each part of your bo-". Rhaecrion couldn't even complete her statement before the bowl on Rofupi's head fell off. The ones on his knees followed next. "...body...". After shaking her head with a sigh, Rhaecrion trudged over and picked up a wooden stick. Which she proceeded to slam into Rofupi's shaky joints.
"I said keep STILL!".
Yelps came out of Rofupi, who quickly protested "Bu...but it's so..so..so col-d an' I'ms so ti..ti...re". Rhaecrion's response was another quick thwack of the stick. "Endure it! How can you ever become a great fighter if you get so easily bothered by a few snow flakes?!". She sighed again and placed the bowls back onto Rofupi's body.
"Now as I said before. Maintain this stance and don't move a -muscle-. Calm yourself. Steady your breathing. Learn to cope with the cold. But more importantly...."
The bowls began to fall off again.
"...find your balance. Your center."
Rhaecrion thwacked Rofupi's joints with the stick and placed the bowls back on again. A few minutes later, they'd fall off, where she'd give him another round of thwacks before setting them back on. Such repetition would continue on for an hour, before the frustrated dwarf snapped her stick in half.
"You can't even maintain a proper Horse Stance for more than three minutes..."
By this time, Rofupi nearly collapsed backwards. His entire lower body was trembling in pain. Having to kneel in such an uncomfortable position wore out his ankles, thighs, and legs very quickly. The cold winds nipping at his naked body didn't help either. It seemed like his breathing was impossible to steady. Every breath of air drawn felt heavy and much hotter than usual. To make it even worse it seemed like the gnome needed to breath in more often.
"I'...I'm sso...sorry mas..mast...er..it's just...reall...y...hard to br-br-br..." "It's the altitude. It's the reason why I brought you up here in the first place." "Wha...huh?" "Once you get used to it, you'll become stronger." "Nnnnn....I...n-n...need to get down fro...from he...here." "So you want to go back to ground level?" "Y-yes!"
"So be it. Come, let's work on your dash again." "...gah!"
If constantly dashing up a mountain trail was hard, dashing downwards proved to be even harder. The full weight of Rofupi's body was behind every frantic step forward due to the downward incline. Even as his body surged with the a burning pain from the previous exercises, Rhaecrion would not allow a single moment of hesitation in Rofupi's sprinting. She slapped his back and screamed in his ear just as she did during his initial sprint. Perhaps even harder.
Once Rofupi had made it back down to ground level, he was bent over in a heaving mess. Sweat wasn't pouring out of him anymore. His skin no longer stung from the cold, nor did his bones and muscles burn in agony. No, by this time the gnome's body was slowly starting to deaden itself. As if he were a towel that had every drop of substance wrung out of it. The vision of the world blurred in and out of focus. Rofupi's gigantic gnome head felt as light as zeppelin gas. There's a limit to how hard one can be pushed during training, and Rofupi was slowly inching towards his.
I...have to...sit down now....
*
"Rofupi!" "....whaaa?"
Clarity came back to the world. Rhaecrion's screaming voice faded into focus. For a moment there, the gnome had lost his perception of the outside world. There was a blank state within the gap between now and then. Though he wasn't sure just how much time had passed, it was clear that his master was not happy with it.
"I called your name at least four times! This isn't any time to be sitting around!" "I...I'ms so..sorry master. I'ms just...." "And I haven't even shown you ALL of your exercises! Light's mercy, your body wouldn't be this weak if you hadn't spent all your time drinking, smoking, and doing drugs..." "Dat has nothings to d-" "Speaking of which. Effective immediately, I forbid you to do any of those things. No more smoking, drinking, white or any of that poison.".
Stunned. Confused. The idea of cutting out all those activities left Rofupi completely paralyzed in bewilderment. He couldn't comprehend a life style that didn't revolve around blitzing his mind out on various intoxicating substances. For years and years he had defined himself in that kind of scene, and to cut it off so suddenly was just...
"Cho...choo can'ts...I'ms always did do da-" "And that's exactly the damn problem! It's what's holding you back. If you really want to become a great fighter, you have to dedicate yourself completely to your training and not waste your talent as a doped up fool."
Rhaecrion moved a hand through her thick gray hair. She scanned Rofupi's pouting, worn-out expression for a single moment before letting out a long grumble of irritation. It didn't take an experienced fighter to see that the gnome had been worn on physical and mental levels. Now would be the opportune time to stop.
"I had at least five more exercises planned for you today, but your idiot 'punk' life style has made your body too weak to handle it. Today's training is over. Go back to Ironforge and rest yourself."
A weak nod came from Rofupi. He began to limp away in a shivering mess, still in shock over the his newly formed abstinence decree. Could he really stray away from the life that he had known for so long? And if he could, what would he have to gain from it? Everything about Master Rhaecrion was a mystery. Her origin, powers, job. How does she know of this training? What does it intend to mold Rofupi into? So many fuckin' questions....
On the plus side, sleep was going to come very easy tonight.
During this time Rofupi trained non-stop. Every day was one wrapped in trial, with a new exercise being lashed upon him on a continual basis. Slowly but surely, the training took up the entirety of Rofupi's existence. Each day was devoted mastering whatever task was put before him. Water slapping, power squatting, head stands, tree kicking, rock punching, and a slew of various martial arts stances were all integrated into the routine.
Soon there was no time left for Rofupi to do any other activity. Training became his entire life. Every hour of his day was devoted solely to furthering his physical technique. There was no time to visit Ironforge or check in with his old friends. The mountains had become Rofupi's new home.
But what had been the most difficult part of this training? It had to be the fleeting blurs of a lifestyle now forsaken. No longer having access to cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs of any kind, Rofupi's body burned with a craving etched deep within his bones. Cold chills. Itchy skin. The irritable nagging of of temptations. Rofupi yearned to sneak away from his master's presence to take drown himself in decadence.
Yet Rhaecrion knew better. She was very aware of Rofupi's addiction and did all she could to stomp it out of his body. In Rhaecrion's eyes, addiction was a cancer that took it's roots in the deepest parts of a person's being. Mind, body, and spirit became corrupted to the very core. The afflicted became a slave to their inhibitions and only one cure lay for those wishing to break free. Dedication. Sweat and suffering, straining the sickness away through a constant cycle of exhaustion. Over a prolonged period of time, Rofupi would let go of his cravings. One sweat and blood drop at a time.
Through out the training, Rhaecrion bestowed words of wisdom unto the gnome. Her objective wasn't to simply cleanse and beat his body into top shape. Molding a new mentality for the gnome to live by was vital as well.
"The most important thing for you to find is your center. Find the space that unifies your mind, body, and spirit. Find the area in your heart that calms you down and brings you peace. Take good care of this space, for all your power will flow through it."
Rofupi took in a deep, slow breath. The morning sun shone down on his body while mountain mist gently flowed around him. He stretched out his hands, closed his eyes, and moved to the flow of the wind. Both legs were stood evenly across from each other and they carefully stretched out as the gnome moved. Soon Rofupi started a whole routine of various stretch exercises while taking in steady breaths of mountain air. The day was just beginning..
"You should never rely solely on your body. Doing so will limit your strength.. Utilize your mind in every action that you take. Contemplate your attack. Contemplate where it should go. Contemplate the timing. Most importantly, contemplate why you're attacking in the first place."
Now he ran. Sprinting down the mountain as cold winds whipped across his flesh. This time was different from before. He no longer let out whines and whimpers from the stinging lashes. Both eyes were focused dead ahead on the mountain path before him, which had become even more turbulent at Rhaecrion's manipulation. She had purposely strewn about broken trees and boulders in the gnome's path, which forced him to jump, roll, and duck at various intervals. Coupled with the fact that Rofupi was forced to run barefoot across the stony trail, the run proved to be quite painful. He could only endure.
"Every battle should bring about meditation. There is no such thing as a perfect fight. You must be able to sit down and reflect on each confrontation frame by frame, action by action. Reflect on what you did and why. Introspection is key to self-improvement."
Having reached the bottom of the mountain, Rofupi sat silently with his legs in butterfly position. Each sole touched against the other as the gnome closed his eyes and clasped his hands. He tried to control his breathing, going at a slow pace to expand his lungs in and out. Images of his previous run flashed through his mind. Time where he should have jumped where he ducked, or rolled where jumped, came floating in and out with each steady breath of air. The pain of his wounds slowly melted away. The gnome had prepared himself for the next exercise.
"Never train to defeat another. The only individual you should seek to defeat is yourself. You shall always be your greatest adversary and obstacle in your training. Only by defeating yourself will you progress further down your path. "
Screaming at the top of his lungs, Rofupi let out a series of focused kicks into the side of a large tree trunk. With each blow pain thundered through the gnome's leg, reverberating deep into his very bones. The pain was nearly unbearable as his legs slowly began to pulsate with a searing hot sensation. But as time progressed the pain melted away. He could feel the nerves deaden; his kicks becoming harder.
"Do not strike out of fear, rage, sorrow, desperation, spite, passion or anything of the sort. A fist with emotion is one without substance. Only when you are able to divorce emotion from action will you begin to fight with clarity. This is not to suggest you should suppress your emotions completely. They are essential in one's understanding of life. Let them flourish, let yourself feel, but never allow them control your technique."
Now Rofupi stood at the center of a flowing stream. The river water was up to the gnome's chest and he stood over with his arms outstretched. After focusing himself, the gnome let out a series of quick slaps into the water. Over and over again, his hands slapped into the water, splashing sparkling sprays of liquid all around him.
"Water has no shape, no form, no set direction in how it must flow. It can be everywhere and become everything. When you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put it into a tea pot, it becomes the tea pot. Empty yourself. Do not remain rigid to one form or one technique. Adapt yourself to every situation, flow onto endless boundaries. Be like water."
The sounds of the waterfall behind filled the air with an endless crashing noise. Rofupi maintained a rigid stance with his legs spread evenly and knees buckled down in an arch. Both of his eyes closed gently. He dare not move a muscle. Five pots of water were delicately balanced all over the gnome's body. Two pots on his knees, two on his shoulders, one on his head. Not a single ripple ebbed through the surface of the water pots. Rofupi was in perfect balance, breathing in a very precise manner.
Rhaecrion watched on from a distance. Her wrinkled face melted into a smile as she looked at her student. Despite her initial worries, Rofupi had taken to the training with complete dedication. Over the course of the long months, the former drug-addled thug had carved himself into near perfect health. His entire figure, from head to toe, had been chiseled into a mass of rippling muscles unlike a normal gnome. Even Ironforge's military training was unable to whip Rofupi into this kind of shape.
"That's enough."
Slowly, Rofupi's eyes pried opened. He gave a nod of acknowledgment to his teacher and quickly shifted his body around. Each pot of water fell neatly onto the ground without spilling a drop. "We iz move onto da fist knuck-o push ups now?". Rhaecrion shook her head from side to side. A tinge of confusion welled up within Rofupi.
"Den...?"
"You've been very patient during these three months, Rofupi. Your progress has been remarkable, far better than I initially expected. I know you have had many questions swimming through your mind as to what all of this really is."
Another twinge. This time excitement. Rofupi gave one single nod of his head as he listened. "Are you familiar with the workings of arcane magic?". Rofupi quickly shook his head from side to side. "I didn't think you would, though I'm sure you've met a few mages". Rofupi nodded. "Theirs is a path leading to great power...but also peril. They can manipulate the very fabrics of reality to suit their own will, weaving elements into weapons of destruction."
A faint frown fell onto Rhaecrion's face. Her gaze went down towards the ground.
"They can do so only because of the natural energy that flows through this world. A flow that has allowed life to flourish for centuries. Though it has drastically changed in today's time. Once a source of rejuvenation and protection, the flow of arcane now serves to fuel the agendas of many those who simply lust for power."
Rofupi gave another nod. There wasn't much else he could do. All of this information was new to him.
"Those who do so slowly lose themselves in a self-destructive cycle not unlike your drug addiction, with the difference being it's severity. Power, strength, dominance; these are the feelings that surge within those who weave the arcane. Once they've had a small taste of this power they become intoxicated beyond all measure. Addicted, they slowly develop an appetite they can never fully satiate. Slaking their thirsts through countless acts of destruction.â€Â
“Eventually, arcanists become warped shells of their former persona, destroying themselves and those around them. The corruption of the arcane roots itself in the very soul. Once enraptured, very few are able to break free of it. Even fewer are those that want to do so. Due to their selfishness, the very life force of our world wanes. Nature dies, and the stench of their lusts call forth the attention of demons. Hungry to feast on those drunk on magic and the innocents that surround them...â€Â
Another sigh came seeping out of the old dwarf woman's mouth. She looked up to
"Arcanists, despite their scholarly nature, are perhaps the greatest fools on this planet."
A grunt spilled out of Rofupi on that last sentence. He had always despised spell-weavers due to a mix of intellectual and class struggle. Hearing this information only solidified his distaste.
"But their abusive techniques aren't the only ways to draw power from this planet. Magic flows through the veins of nature, encompassing our surroundings. In every tree, rock, blade of grass and drop of water, there exists some form of power. Some trace element of natural magic. To tap into that power you only need to know how to attune yourself. Know how to become one with the planet."
"....wat?"
It was the only response Rofupi could muster. Become one with the planet? What kind of herb-smoking shaman shit was this? No entity that grew up in a civilized society would embrace that kind of craziness. The entire idea seemed absolutely ridiculous. For the first time, Rofupi had begun to question whether following Rhaecrion's teachings was the right choice. His face had twisted into a bemused smirk of skepticism.
"
Learn to be one with magic instead of trying to dominate it. Do so, and..."
Rhaecrion reached for her collar. Her thick hands slowly undid the cuff that held her robes together. Rofupi did not know how to immediately react; the thought of seeing an old dwarf lady derobed wasn't an appealing one. Yet before the gnome could utter a protest, Rhaecrion's robes fell onto the snow. What stood before Rofupi was a sight unlike any other.
"...you'll be given the power to protect these lands from the forces that seek to destroy it."
Glow. A bright, intense glow radiating out from the elder's body. A long network of pulsating runes covered all of Rhaecrion's flesh and each one shone with an intense orange glare. As Rofupi watched with squinted eyes, the woman's hands slowly ignited into a large burning flames. She threw out a punch and a small shockwave howled out from her fist, plowing into the waterfall behind. Water exploded outwards in a dazzling splash, coming down in a light mist all over Rofupi's shaking body.
As a muffled "Whaaa..." seeped out of Rofupi's mouth, Rhaecrion reached down for her robes and slipped them back on. The intense glow from her body faded immediately.
“Whaaa...t...wuz...da...daâ€Â
“The results of runic magic, a practice that has been long forgotten due to the convenience of spell-weaving. While it is very easy for a person to spend their life buried in books that teach one how to use magic, only a select few have the will power to become one with it. You can only gain such power by fully dedicating every fiber of your being towards attuning yourself with this planet. Sweat. Blood. Mental strain and tribulation. What you've endured for the past 3 months is only a small taste of what's to come should you choose to walk this path. I will only warn you now, it is not one to tread lightly. You could die under the weight of your trials.â€Â
Rhaecrion's eyes narrowed. She walked over to Rofupi and leaned down towards his face. Her gray eyes locked onto his purple ones.
“This is your only chance to walk away. Do so and you can return back to your normal life. What do you say?â€Â.
Rofupi blinked. His arms flopped down to his sides. Both brows furrowed down as his gaze drifted away from Rhaecrion's and onto the snowy ground.
Is this something I really want? Probably won't be seeing the city for a long, long while. Definitely won't be drinking or fuckin' any time soon. This whole shig sounds extreme. Thought this mountain training was hardcore enough. Agggh...I really don't wanna turn my back on civilization to 'attune' myself with the planet. Whatever the f**k that means.
But....
A long sigh seeped out of Rofupi's mouth. His frown persisted as he continued to stare into the snow. Flashes of the past 16 years drifted through his mind. Feelings rose and sank within him. Emptiness. Hate. Rage. Sorrow. Loneliness. Such emotions had stayed with him for so very long. When was the last time he felt truly happy? When was the last time he found pleasure in sobriety? When was the last time he didn't seek out a fight to kill himself in? I can't remember...
Another sigh. Another frown, this time deeper. Everything about Rofupi's life up to this point was meaningless. Ever since the day he had lost his mother and sister, the gnome's life has been spiraling down a long road of self destruction. Sex, drugs, and violence had persisted as the constant in his life. When was he going to be free of it?
“Master. I'ms have question. If I does-ing this...will I be able to change?â€Â.
“I cannot guarantee that. Change depends entirely on the efforts of the individual seeking to do so. But I can say that your journey will provide you plenty of opportunity for self-reflection. How you use that is entirely up to you.â€Â
“...alright. I'ms do it. If choo fink I'm worthy ov it...I'll dedicate mineself entirely to dis. I don't really has a future, otherwise.â€Â
“Very well.â€Â
And with that Rhaecrion placed a hand on Rofupi's shoulder. She smiled at him once and the two walked out across the river. The agreement had been made. For the remainder of his life, Rofupi would dedicate himself to following Rhaecrion's path of the Rune Master. In the dead of nature, he would hone his body under the harshest conditions and learn the secrets of runic energy.
