Storytime: Your Favorite QuestFollow

New short stuff for Poldaran. Well, not new, but posted in another thread where it might not have been seen before.

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The morning sunlight streamed through the windows of Velox's home. The sound of exotica fauna trickled in as well, encouraging him to get his day started. Though his aging bones creaked and ground as he rose - souvenirs from numerous campaigns against the Burning Legion and the Scourge - he knew that the Stranglethorn warmth would revive his spirits quickly.

Half an hour later, he stepped off his porch and admired the lush jungle around him. His home sat mere yards from the Nazferiti River, a haven for many of the forms of wildlife that lived in the region. The larger predators left him largely alone, as they considered him neither food nor threat. As he sat on the edge of the river, clad in his favorite overalls and a weather-beaten hat that seemed to bring him luck, he cast into the river with his favorite fishing pole. Velox could not imagine a more perfect day.

He had dozed off slightly when a rustle on the breeze roused him to full alert. Three of the local Venture Company crew were walking towards his position along the beach, likely scavaging for junk that frequently floated on the river. Velox simply grinned and went back towards his fishing. The goblins were no threat to him and the smarter ones steered clear of him. One of the goblins paused and nudged one of the others, pointing in Velox's direction. The two of them sauntered up to Velox, while the third seemed to have a little more sense and walked cautiously around the grizzled man to continue on his way down the beach.

"Hey, old man," he mumbled. "Nice fishing pole. Think we could borrow it?"

"Sorry boys," Velox replied. "I'm kind of partial to this one."

The goblin quickly produced a dagger. His friend pulled one as well.

"We weren't asking, old man."

Velox smiled. He hadn't had any action in a while, and while he enjoyed his retirement, he did miss the thrill of battle. The goblins were about to make his day.

"Okay, pal," Velox said. "Here you go."

Summoning the undead strength that still coursed through his veins, Velox brought the fishing pole down on the goblin's neck in a vicious blood strike. The bone fishing pole crumpled the goblin almost instantly. Velox spun to face the other goblin, who stood frozen with fear. Velox pointed the makeshift weapon towards the second goblin, who noted that the air suddenly felt strangely cold for such a hot day in the jungle.

"You have two choices," Velox said, his voice oddly reverberating. "Take your friend and leave, or join him on a facedown float down the river."

The goblin moved to quickly drag his friend back the way the came, towards the large Venture Company installation near the lake. His eyes never left Velox, and his face remained frozen with panic that the surprisingly strong man would change his mind and kill him with a single strike. He now had no doubt that he had crossed a death knight and was somehow being allowed to live.

Velox waited until the goblin and his near-dead burden were out of sight before returning to his fishing. He sipped the lager Captain Rumsey had shared with him and allowed himself a quiet smile. His joints no longer ached, the sun felt great, and the fish were biting. Maybe later he would ride down to Booty Bay and share a fishing tale with Old Man Heming and sell some of the junk he found in trunks, or cook up the catch of the day.

It was going to be another great day in the Vale.

With Cata out, now's a great time to be thinking of a new quest to write a story about!

I'm still working on one and have one final one planned for after that. Not sure if anyone else is still writing, though.